Thoughts on photography

[Ari]

Inspired by Curses thread I thought I would make a thread about some of my thoughts on photography. As with everything FF, feel free to jump in. :yup:

I'm almost finished with my AA degree in photography. The entire point of the degree is so I can say I have a college level education, no photography job will ever ask for it. Although I fear it may be a Masters or higher to work at McDonald if this taking pictures thing doesn't work out.

I've spent the last couple of years immersed in photography. I've noticed there are plenty of cynical and jaded people and then there are the successful photographers. Ok there is some overlap but it seems like those who are making an impact in the world today are those that find fascination and wonder in most things they look at or do instead of constant complaining and sticking to old traditions.

Recently one of my photos was selected for the Academy of Art Spring Show (Image (http://www.photographerari.com/site/personality/images/Poly_group.jpg) and Spring Show 09 Photo Dept (http://www.academyart.edu/spring_show_2009/gallery.jsp?cp=2&department=School%20of%20Photography)), an annual show the school holds to show off the best of each department, as well as advertise themselves. While I'm proud of this, the reality is that getting into group shows or winning contests is a crap shoot because, ignoring your competition, you are really up against the judge's personal opinions and sometimes cynicism. You may have an awesome photo of a bunny, but if the judge has decided that cute animals are right out, it doesn't matter. You may have a really creative idea but that often means someone will dislike it and thus the winner is something safe that all the judges can agree on.

That's not to say there aren't some really good images in the Spring Show but it doesn't mean anything rejected was bad, on the contrary I constantly saw work in all of my classes I feel are better than many of those in the Spring Show, including my own piece.

When people don't get picked and see 'lesser' works chosen, it breads more cynicism and one day those cynics are going to grow up to be judges who can then eliminate all smiling babies and call themselves edgy. The trick to photography seems to be letting go, of your work, ideas, gadgets, cynicism, etc. Photography is a subtractive art both physically and mentally.

[naturalist.atheist]

Photography is a subtractive art both physically and mentally.

Not being an artist or having any training as an artist can you tell me what that sentence means?

[Ari]

Photography is a subtractive art both physically and mentally.

Not being an artist or having any training as an artist can you tell me what that sentence means?

Photography is often described as a 'subtractive' art. Whereas in painting or drawing you add things to a blank canvas, in photography you often subtract things by where you stand, or how you crop, etc. Trimming a busy location into a well composed image. Even though you can do plenty of adding in pre or post production you always start with something and generally chop out, whereas other arts you start with nothing and add in.
(If that makes sense).

In the same thought people often get too overwhelmed mentally, be it with gadgets or numbers or what has been "over-done" etc and let these things bog them down, instead they need to be chopping things out and letting them go.

[Ari]

I went and picked up my Spring Show pieces that weren't accepted yesterday. There were tons of still unclaimed photos in the room that I had to sift through to find my work, which hammered home two things.

I'm right, group shows are a crap shoot, as there were plenty of rejected images that were amazing.

Presentation matters. Photographers are taught to look at every detail of their photo. Are the highlights right? Do the shadows have details? Are the blacks black? angles just right? A stray hair in that perfect fashion photo? Is the image tack sharp? We spend time and money on techniques, researching the best, sometimes expensive, lenses and learn how to use them at their sharpest. Yet it seems like people forget the presentation.

Flipping through the images I was amazed at how many were matted with a step up from white construction paper and taped with blue painters tape on the back. Others were sleeved with sheet protectors and they didn't even go through the trouble to cut the brand and binder holes off. Not only does it shout unprofessional it also says that they don't care enough about their work to present it in a nice or proper way, and yet I know many photographers in school that practically fall in love with every shot they take.

Treat your work like you are proud of it, otherwise how can you expect cynical judges to care.

[Petra]

Another thread to subscribe to. :cool:

Thanks for this, Ari. I greatly appreciate your perspective. :)

[naturalist.atheist]

Photography is a subtractive art both physically and mentally.

Not being an artist or having any training as an artist can you tell me what that sentence means?

Photography is often described as a 'subtractive' art. Whereas in painting or drawing you add things to a blank canvas, in photography you often subtract things by where you stand, or how you crop, etc. Trimming a busy location into a well composed image. Even though you can do plenty of adding in pre or post production you always start with something and generally chop out, whereas other arts you start with nothing and add in.
(If that makes sense).

In the same thought people often get too overwhelmed mentally, be it with gadgets or numbers or what has been "over-done" etc and let these things bog them down, instead they need to be chopping things out and letting them go.

It there any sort of aesthetic that you use to decide what to chop away? I was reading something awhile back, (not sure if I am remembering this correctly) that there are three major categories that you can use to decide how to frame the image; shape, such as line or curve, color and texture. So would I be correct in thinking that one would try to subtract those things from the shot that interfered with either the shape, color or texture you are going for? Or am I being overly simplistic?

[freemonkey]

I'm right, group shows are a crap shoot

Is true, for all the reasons you gave.


Presentation matters. .....Yet it seems like people forget the presentation.

Flipping through the images I was amazed at how many were matted with a step up from white construction paper and taped with blue painters tape on the back. Others were sleeved with sheet protectors and they didn't even go through the trouble to cut the brand and binder holes off. Not only does it shout unprofessional ...

I have seen people submit paintings to shows in that kind of fashion, even so-called pros. It's amazing.

[freemonkey]

Inspired by Curses thread

how did I miss that thread?

I've noticed there are plenty of cynical and jaded people and then there are the successful photographers.

I have a friend who is one of the successful ones, although I suppose it depends on how we define "success". He's talented, he makes money from it and he's still in love with it. I call that success. He's always so positive.

[naturalist.atheist]

I think it is all about the passion. If you are passionate about it, no matter what it is, it will show through and people find that infectious. And it doesn't matter if it is physics or photography.

[Plant Woman]

I always have the attitude that I would be a starving artist if I had to, but I have to do the creativity or I might as well be dead. Fortunately, I've earned a living at it when I needed to. If you have to work, it might as well be at something you love. Then you don't work, you play and get paid for it!

[Ari]

It there any sort of aesthetic that you use to decide what to chop away? I was reading something awhile back, (not sure if I am remembering this correctly) that there are three major categories that you can use to decide how to frame the image; shape, such as line or curve, color and texture. So would I be correct in thinking that one would try to subtract those things from the shot that interfered with either the shape, color or texture you are going for? Or am I being overly simplistic?

There are many rules of composition and many reasons to break them. Although it's often simplier than that and many people do it everyday when they pick up a camera. Just think of any vacation, you are trying to get a picture of your family infront of the Eiffel tower, you probably don't want the tourist scratching his butt, so you use the frame to cut him out, on the other hand you try to not subtract things like people's heads or feet.

More complicated composition really comes down to noticing what's going on in the scene and choosing what to emphasize and what not too. Line, color, form, subject, texture, etc.

You would think this would leave many photos looking the same, but people see the same thing in many different ways, and when I get thoughts organized I'll post about my Landscape class, and eventually *gasp* have photos in the thread about photography. :)

[Ari]

Double posting goodness.

[curses]

Ari, nothing much to add but I'm really enjoying reading this thread. Thanks for posting it.

[Ari]

Sleevless or death

Speaking of presentation, if you want to cause an argument among a group of profesional photographers or art buyers, just go up and ask them if plastic sleeves (higher quality 'photo grade' plastic protectors, often designed for use in portfolio books) are acceptable in a portfolio, then enjoy the show.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on them. An art buyer on an ASMP blog hates them, however my portfolio teacher, an art buyer, doesn't mind them.

So, are they for you?

Sleeve
Pros
•Photo condom. Protecting your photos from finger prints and smudges.
•Allows photos to be switched out to update your portfolio.
•Cheaper and easier (if you can get the sheets on sale).

Cons
•Shiney surface can make it more difficult to view.


No-Sleeve
Pros
•Buyers enjoy more sensation by bareback touching your photos.
•no sheet to look through.

Cons
•Barebacking is messy and paper can get smudged or torn.
•Double sided paper is more expensive and harder to print on than standard sheets.

The truth
It doesn't matter. If someone turns you down for a job it's because your pictures weren't right, if they select you it's because they liked your style. You won't win a job over someone else just because you didn't use sleeves and they did.

As a smart and upcoming photographer really you shouldn't worry about it and instead be arguing Flash vs HTML because today people only call in hard portfolios if you are on a very short list for the job. Your site is your new face to the world.

[freemonkey]

As a smart and upcoming photographer really you shouldn't worry about it and instead be arguing Flash vs HTML because today people only call in hard portfolios if you are on a very short list for the job. Your site is your new face to the world.

Do you have lots of experience with this? I've just ordered a book on making digital portfolios, but it was published in 2004. The basics might be there, but in other ways I think might be of limited use given the speed of software advancement.

[Ari]

Do you have lots of experience with this? I've just ordered a book on making digital portfolios, but it was published in 2004. The basics might be there, but in other ways I think might be of limited use given the speed of software advancement.

It will probably be pretty good, the basics haven't changed much in a number of years. There is a much heavier use of flash today than in the past (and once Flash is on the iPhone I bet it will grow even more). Most people have a decent connection and flash on their computer, so while a bare-bones html page is still good, it's become less of a requirement than in the past. I built my site (not the best shining example, but a functioning site) with a combination of html Java and exportable flash galleries from lightroom, all things that have been around for awhile.

The big issues have always been portfolio editing and design.

Changes from 2004 are the growing use of social networking sites like facebook to advertise or show work, as well as photo dumping grounds like Flikr. Pay to build sites have become popular where you choose a layout and pay a monthy fee to host your site, a good example is Livebooks.com. Blogs are also much more popular than in the past.
Often blogs, facebook, flikr etc. are used for experiments or personal not-yet-finished work, while the main site is their professional portfolio.

Beyond that the biggest tech change has been on the back end, it's not uncommon for photographers to have a passworded site showing the days shots and edits and to have a large project happen completely over the internet with an ftp delivery of the final file.

[naturalist.atheist]

More complicated composition really comes down to noticing what's going on in the scene and choosing what to emphasize and what not too. Line, color, form, subject, texture, etc.

You would think this would leave many photos looking the same, but people see the same thing in many different ways, and when I get thoughts organized I'll post about my Landscape class, and eventually *gasp* have photos in the thread about photography. :)

And this brings me to my next area of curiosity. How do you hone that personal perspective. Is there any method to it or is it just lucky and happy happenstance that you build on?

[Ari]

And this brings me to my next area of curiosity. How do you hone that personal perspective. Is there any method to it or is it just lucky and happy happenstance that you build on?
A good question.

One way to hone that personal perspective is to set rules when out photographing, "I'll only use x lens" "I will focus on lines." "All my photos will contain something that is yellow." "I will shoot with a pineapple on my head." The rules can be based on classic compositional elements such as the rule of thirds, or something strange. Then to go out a second time and break those rules.

Constraints force you to problem solve to make a good picture, which generally means dipping into your personal perspective. The two photo sets can be compared together and often similarities will start jumping out.

Often personal perspective can feel like happenstance because it happens unconsciously. As does a lot in photography, but when you start to break things down, there is a method and purpose to the madness.


thought I should actually put photos in this thread.

Mac n Cheese
http://www.photographerari.com/site/hard_portfolio/port-hard-014.jpg

Bubble House
http://www.photographerari.com/site/soft_portfolio/port-soft-012.jpg

Technically speaking these are pretty different images. Mac n Cheese was shot indoors with a strobe (basically a big flash), using a sharp wide angle lens. Bubble House was shot outside with natural light, using a soft telephoto plastic lens.

Yet they have similarities, both have a 3 color Palette with an emphasis on texture, grit and reality. At the same time they have a dream like quality. Mac n Cheese being hyper real with neon colors and sharp contrast and Bubble house having a soft subdued look.

[naturalist.atheist]

It seems like so much of it is about learning how to see. After you explained the second shot I understood it but before that I would not have seen the points of interest in that second shot.

[curses]

I wonder how much of it is learning to see versus learning how to exploit your own perception of things. As in a red bowl. Some people see the color first, others see the shine, some people see what's in it.

[Ymir's blood]

Some people see that it's half empty. :brooding:

[BrotherMan]

And still others see the opportunity for more cheese.

:cheeseprison: :cheeseglomp2: :lovecheese: :cheeseglomp:

[Ari]

It's also about defining and understanding why we see how we do. Most people will say they like one image over another, but fewer can tell you why. It's about attention to details. In all my classes I've noticed one of the hardest things is for people to explain why they like or dislike something, harder yet was explaining how they thought it could be fixed. From an early age we are taught in a linear analytical fashion and it's sometimes hard to get out of that mode. It's easy to look at number and decide someone could fix their image if only they had used a different set of numbers (exposure, shutterspeed, etc) but much harder to explain the visual and conceptual reasons why an image is successful or not.

[Ari]

Architectural Landscape

Last semester I took an Architectural Landscape class, really for no other reason than I liked the prof. It was a good choice and now I recommend the class to everyone, especially those who hate or rarely do landscape photography.

The prof was very loose with the definition of architectural landscape,
•The viewer has to have a place to stand.
•It must be autobiographical, thus it must say something about the photographer.
•It needs to have architecture in it (this can take up a corner or the entire frame).
•It must be about the landscape.

Landscape photography differs drastically from other photography. There are no makeup artists, fashion designers, set decorators, strobes, hot lights, etc. Just you, your camera and the effort you put into it. At first it seems like there is very little that can be done with that. I mean how can I shoot without a profoto pack and makeup artist? Many people get too attached to the the tools and techniques, shaking things up once in awhile is good.

Back to the class, our second assignment was the break through for many students. A class field trip to the Embarcadero in San Francisco. We were allowed to shoot anywhere from the ballpark to pier 39. We all went on the same day, at the same time and yet many brought back completely different photos, sometimes of the same thing almost standing in the same spot. The class was amazed and so was I. My first instinct is to assume that most of the photos would turn out the same, after all you can't move a building or the sun. Most of what we have been taught revolves around changing our environment, which the camera captures. Often glossed over is the capture itself, well beyond getting a 'good' exposure. In this class everything was reversed, it's you and the camera that matters, everything else you just need to accept. This was freeing.


http://www.photographerari.com/site/embarcadero/images/embark_005.jpg
Embarcadero

What the class did expanded after that. It is a mid level class and many had lived and fretted under too many details and constraints for too long. The photo process was also left up to the photographer. Some people experimented with polaroids, others with photoshop. I experimented with modified plastic lenses.

The class was only 6 assignments plus 1 extra credit assignment long, but by the end it was possible to pick out one person's work over the other, even if they shot the same thing. This class really drove home the amount of personality people do and should bring to their work. I learned a lot about my work and others.

This class was also good because of the teacher. Something should be said about having your shit together as a prof in any school, even an art school that runs things a bit looser. Assignments were given out well ahead of time, the grading scale, late work scale, and redo policy all spelt out. critiques took up most of class time and offered different views based on where each student was coming from. This sits in contrast to another prof who couldn't give use accurate due dates or assignment details for important things like the mid term project, and had rambling critiques that called one person's work crap and another's excellent, for the exact same reasons.

A book presentation I created using work from this class,
http://www.photographerari.com/site/landscape_erode/bin/images/small/landscape_page_001.jpg
erode gallery (http://www.photographerari.com/site/landscape_erode/)

[Petra]

*LOVE* your book presentation, Ari. :yup:

[Petra]

I experimented with modified plastic lenses.

Which lenses? How were they modified?

The effect looks like Lensbaby photo - but that's not what you're using is it?

[Ari]

Thanks!

Yep, one of my experiments is using the lensbaby as a base to modify with my own plastic (I've collected quite a few random everyday plastics that give different looks), with aluminium foil and other material for aperture and two cheap lenses attached to it. The Lensbaby (I'm sure I'll make a post on that) get's credited and knocked too much, it makes a great base to experiment on.

[Petra]

The Lensbaby (I'm sure I'll make a post on that) get's credited and knocked too much, it makes a great base to experiment on.

Yes, please do make a post on that. I have a Lensbaby, but don't use it nearly enough. I'd love to hear how you modify lenses and all that jazz. I'm intrigued. :cool:

[freemonkey]

Yes, I, too, would be interested to hear what you think about LensBabies. I have wondered if I would use one and what accessories I would like (all of them, I'm sure). I have looked at them online. I have a birthday coming up in a couple months......

[Petra]

Speaking of Lensbabies, may I post a pic I took of a new spring sprig in the forest t'other day? :)

(straight from camera (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23279754@N08/3779609245/sizes/o/) and processed (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23279754@N08/3779609313/sizes/o/)).


Lensbaby is fun.

[Ari]

A: Post away.
and
B: Cool!

:)

[Petra]

Thanks!

[freemonkey]

I want one. Do I want all the extra lenses and doodads?

Which one do you have, Petra?

[Petra]

Do I want all the extra lenses and doodads?

You can add them later if/when you fall in love with the basic one.

Which one do you have, Petra?

I have the G3, which is now known as the Control Freak. :laugh:

It's great to be able to set it up on a tripod and precisely set the focus so you can take bracketed shots and whathaveyou, but I don't often do that.

So I think I'd have been equally happy with the Muse, and maybe even happier because of it's more playful spontaneity.

[Ari]

Prime Lens
A prime lens is one with a fixed focal length (thus doesn't zoom), I've written about this before and will again. Zoom lenses come standard with most cameras these days and while they are nice they make for cement shoe photographers. Zooming is not the same as getting closer and a lens that forces the photographer to move around can really change their perspective.

These can also be cheap for the quality. Canon produces a lens nicknamed "the nifty 50", a 50mm F1.8 prime with excellent quality for under $100. I also love my 35mm F2 lens, especially for my cropped sensor. These produce excellent quality while still being nice on the pocketbook.

At least one of the beginning photography classes at any school should require the students to shoot with only the nifty 50 or equivalent. The first time I shot with my 35mm prime it changed my view of photography.


Lensbaby
The controversial equipment of the day. People seem to either love it or hate it. There are thousands of photos on flickr taken using this lens, and just mention it to any "serious" photographer and good chances you will hear moans, ironically from both the analogy and digital camps. Most of it stems from a view that the lens does all the work, just throw it on and make a "better image." But really that's never the truth. A lensbaby look can enhance an image if that's what it needs, but there needs to be a point. Bad photos of your dog will not get any better just because they are shot with a lensbaby. As with all photography the end result is a combination of choices and when they all work together you get a better image.

I've had this experience as people who have loved a piece changed their mind as soon as I mentioned I used a lensbaby. I was rather tempted to give them the location of the photo and suggest they make a duplicate of it if they thought it was "so easy."

There is often a lot of negativity in the online world of photography, which might be why I don't often participate in online photography forums. Go ahead and take that bad photo of your dog with a lensbaby, maybe don't show it as your best work but don't let people scare you into not taking it. The single most important thing to being a photographer is to not be afraid of failure, or creating a "bad image."

I own the Composer, it acts similar to a standard lens and can be used for long exposures. It makes for a good mount for experimentation as well. The apertures is set by inserting magnetic discs which means you can create your own apertures that distort light in different ways as well as control the 'lensbaby effect'. Material can easily be put in front of this to provide plastic lens looks. The glass is easily removable and can be replaced with home made pin hole elements. It really provides a lot of diversity while still allowing the use of a digital camera.


Cellphone camera
The best camera is the one you have on you.

They are often a pain in the ass to use, they rarely have reasonable exposure, focus or zoom control, they compress the image and are noisy and yet all of this can be freeing. Just push a button, take a photo, nothing more nothing less.

Chase Jarvis, an avid iPhone camera shooter (he also shoots with the latest medium format digital back) not only posts the best of his iPhone photos (http://www.chasejarvis.com/#p=-1&a=0&at=0) but has had a gallery exhibit based on them.


Everything
As you may have noticed all of these things work slightly different than a standard SLR setup. In the end a camera is just a box that collects and saves light. While many might worry about not having the proper L lens or the right kind of camera, the photographer works with what they have to create something unique. In the world of photography a stagnant photographer is a dead photographer, anything that changes ones perspective or habits should be tinkered with.

I see this all the time in large event photography. Hundreds of photographers wandering around with telephoto L lenses and large high megapixel DSLRs. They take nice photos of smiling and posed people, I'm sure these people will be quite pleased with their images on the photographers website, but it all looks the same. I can't tell one photographer apart from the other. The real challenge is to either shoot with subpar equipment and get good results or to separate yourself from the crowd.

[BrotherMan]

I've owned three cameras in my life. The first was an inexpensive point and shoot Advantix. It worked well enough but it was a limited platform. I liked the flexibility of choosing the aspect ratio of the final viewable format. It helped me get my feet wet and to pay attention to potential point-n-shoot opportunities.

My second camera was also an Advantix film camera, but I stepped up to an SLR body. It was still pretty much point and shoot but it was a bit more useful than the little box camera. I still have a lot of the exposed rolls of film and most of the prints from my adventures with both of these cameras.

When the world was switching to digital, I waited. I waited until DSLRs were good enough (an ambiguous point in time). I didn't want a cheap digital camera, remembering the limitations. Now that I have a Nikon D70, a very good, flexible, near-professional level camera, I see the limitation(s) of that style as well. Now, point and shooting is something of a hassle. Sure, in full auto mode things are easy (-ier) but I feel I have sacrificed portability and even some alacrity in being able to capture a moment.

I've been meaning to pick up a smaller utility camera to use for gatherings of friends; relegating the D70 to my not-quite-amateur hobbying in photography.

[Petra]

Thanks for that post, Ari. Isn't it funny how people will like something until they realise that it was accomplished using a brand or something that they don't like. It's so limiting to their enjoyment.

I was out the other day and realised that I was indeed a crap photographer. I decided to take some pics at random, without looking through the viewfinder at all, but just kinda waving the camera about and shooting. They turned out to be my favourite photos of the day. lol.

Anyway, your post has encouraged me to get off my arse right now, and head out with my beloved Canon. :)

[Ari]

I agree. It's one reason I love my current setup, which is the canon rebel DSLR (400D or 500D) + the tiny 35mm lens, it's reasonably small and easy to carry especially while dancing in a crowd. Otherwise I often carry along a canon powershot, it doesn't have RAW or many other abilities but it fits in my pocket and can get the shot.

[curses]

The camera we're required to use in school is the Canon 5D Mark II. I'm curious to see how (and if) my style changes while using a different camera body. I'm used to a 1st gen digital rebel (300D). It has its limitations but has been a good camera for the money. I can't wait till the supply vouchers are issued! It's like going from a plow horse to a thoroughbred :)

Ari, how would you handle a situation where you have a lens that isn't suitable for a dark room like a club/concert setting and no tripod or monopod? Just out of curiosity as this is the one thing that I constantly find difficult to deal with especially as I don't carry a flash with me.

[Ari]

Anyway, your post has encouraged me to get off my arse right now, and head out with my beloved Canon. :)

Excellent. Frankly too many people worry about taking the next 'prize winning' photo when really they should just take the picture and worry about it later. Myself included. The reality is that most famous photographers took so many photos it would make your head spin even in the days of digital. It is how they developed that 6th sense that makes their photography seem almost like magic.

[Ari]

The camera we're required to use in school is the Canon 5D Mark II.
Wow, going for the big guns I see. ;)
Frankly it shouldn't change too much. I've used some MF digital backs at school and after getting over the amazement of the resolution shooting is about the same as any camera. The big difference will be the full frame vs digital crop (which will give a tighter depth of field for the same lens).

It has its limitations but has been a good camera for the money.
I agree. I just upgraded to a 500D, but my 400D still gets a lot of work, and the 300D is still a nice camera. The low end is really a good deal.

Ari, how would you handle a situation where you have a lens that isn't suitable for a dark room like a club/concert setting and no tripod or monopod? Just out of curiosity as this is the one thing that I constantly find difficult to deal with especially as I don't carry a flash with me.

In some cases I go with capturing motion letting the lens stay open. It's also possible to grab details that are highlighted by club lights. The whole club is dark but often areas are lit.

Often I carry around a fast lens for similar situations.

In cases where I'm just a stop off, I drop the exposure and use things like neat image or noise ninja to save me.

Otherwise I drop the on camera flash exposure a stop and use it as a fill flash. One reason for buying the 500D was it's high ISO performace, I really like ambient light and hate killing it with flash. A bit of flash can help though.

I would also suggesting buying a flash and setting it to half power, bounced off ceilings or through a diffuse filter (make one out of tupperware, don't buy one) can add light without destroying the feeling.

On a side note, have you done the russian firmware hack to your 300D?

[freemonkey]

I picked up a Lensbaby Composer yesterday. The Muse was fun, as well, but since someone else was paying for it I went for the higher priced one. ;) Because I want to eventually get the pinhole lens, I figured it was best to get something I could use on a tripod.

Haven't had much time yet to play with it, though.

[freemonkey]

Lensbaby
.....I've had this experience as people who have loved a piece changed their mind as soon as I mentioned I used a lensbaby. I was rather tempted to give them the location of the photo and suggest they make a duplicate of it if they thought it was "so easy."


Ha!! It ain't so easy! Out of about 100 shots, this is the best I've done so far with mine. Granted, it's been off and on rainy the last couple days and I've been busy, so not much time to practice. It is challenging.

[Petra]

Niiice!

And yup, they are challenging lenses. Anyone who says they're easy to use and get good results with is talking out of their point and shoot.

[Petra]

The camera we're required to use in school is the Canon 5D Mark II.

:envy:

[Cliche Guevara]

I thought I'd post this video to this thread because it contains some...thoughts on photography!

It's a very thought-provoking talk given by Taryn Simon about photographing secret sites. It's quite amazing - well worth watching.


Taryn Simon exhibits her startling take on photography -- to reveal worlds and people we would never see otherwise. She shares two projects: one documents otherworldly locations typically kept secret from the public, the other involves haunting portraits of men convicted for crimes they did not commit.

Taryn Simon photographs secret sites | Video on TED.com (http://www.ted.com/talks/taryn_simon_photographs_secret_sites.html)

[Ari]

It was a great talk, a bit heavy on the artistic lingo but when she got right down to it, an amazing subject matter.

Taryn Simon about photographing secret sites. It's quite amazing - well worth watching.

[Ari]

Kitchen Nightmares

I have taken to watching Kitchen Nightmares on Hulu on my second screen while doing work (the laptop means I always have a blank screen doing nothing.) While it's a great look into nasty restaurants it's also great in understanding just how businesses fail.

the premise of the show is pretty simple. Chef Gordon Ramsay a successful swearing chef goes to failing restaurants and helps them, with the usual Fox reality show subtlety of heavy handed music, playing the most dramatic moment before every commercial brake, and lots of "reaction" cuts.

If you can get past that it is a great learning tool that drills the same basic messages into your head. First and foremost it is Always your fault. That's not to say you are actually to blame, but no matter what your position is, your responsibility to to the customer (because they are the ones you make your money on) is vital, so if there are any problems you treat them as your own and do your best to fix them. Almost every manager, owner or chef of a failing restaurant has a common mantra, Blame somebody else. "It's not my fault, I'm doing everything right." All while the business is run into the ground, often costing people their jobs, houses, and marriages.

The second most common mistake seems to be not caring about quality. Many of the restaurants send out microwaved dinners and are happy to do so. The excuse is often that they don't have enough money for real food.

The great thing about these shows is they are about a year old, which means you can look up the restaurants and see how they did. The reality (that fox doesn't ever mention) is that most of these places don't make it. There is no "reality show magic bullet." It takes hard work and dedication, something that many of the owners never have and don't learn in the week that Ramsay is there.

There are a lot of similarities with this and photography. Almost anyone can microwave a dinner, almost anyone can take a photo. That's the beauty of photography. Unfortunately the downfall of many photographers and restaurants is the belief that by just providing the service you are doing something special. You aren't. The real service is by providing a new approach that combines your own style with a good attitude and business sense. There are many people that make a living by being a competent photographer and an excellent business person. Taking photos is the easy part.

Kitchen Nightmares (http://www.hulu.com/kitchen-nightmares)

[BrotherMan]

I don't know if they're available anywhere but you should try to find the British version. The format is similar, but far more informative to the viewer. You get a better insight into Ramsey's thoughts as well as a more constructive environment (at least after the big yelling in the first act).

[Ari]

Yeah I've heard that a number of times and was going to find them, just because I've heard so many good things about the UK version. Although the US version is really interesting to see the US owner's mindset.

[Plant Woman]

Kitchen Nightmares

There are a lot of similarities with this and photography. Almost anyone can microwave a dinner, almost anyone can take a photo. That's the beauty of photography. Unfortunately the downfall of many photographers and restaurants is the belief that by just providing the service you are doing something special. You aren't. The real service is by providing a new approach that combines your own style with a good attitude and business sense. There are many people that make a living by being a competent photographer and an excellent business person. Taking photos is the easy part.

This is so true, being a professional photographer my entire adult life, the business end of this is just as important, if you want to earn a living at it. But even then it's no guarantee. Competition is fierce and there are too many amateurs willing to give their work away, making it tougher to ask a fair price for decent photography. However, that never stopped me from being a photographer as I love what I do.

I have found that being a writer gives you an edge, by providing copy to go with my photographs. I still don't think like a writer as you can tell by the last sentence. I'm getting there...

[freemonkey]

I have taken to watching Kitchen Nightmares on Hulu on my second screen while doing work (the laptop means I always have a blank screen doing nothing.)

I like your thoughts about Kitchen Nightmares, and definitely take BrotherMan's suggestion about the British version. I prefer it over the US one.

Question about your computer set-up, though: It's time for me to look into a new system, and I am weighing my options (performance vs. price vs. value vs. longevity). What are you using? MacBookPro?

[Ari]

Question about your computer set-up, though: It's time for me to look into a new system, and I am weighing my options (performance vs. price vs. value vs. longevity). What are you using? MacBookPro?

Yep a 2007 Macbook Pro with a calibrated ViewSonic professional flat screen (for photography monitors are really important, but sometimes expensive, because those buying the professional lines normally want the latest and greatest, you can often find last years professional model for a huge price cut.) In photography things like monitor and printer calibrators and lots of harddrives are more important than processor power.

While I treat my laptop mostly as a desktop, it does have the benefit that I can throw it into a backpack if I really needed image editing tools on the spot.

[Ari]

Please turn down your High Pass, it's disturbing the neighbors.

In photoshop there are a hundred and one different ways to do something. Sharpening is one of them, with multiple filters and tricks. High Pass is an old but still good sharpening tool. Apparent sharpness is created by increasing contrast around edges. If you have an edge of a dark object against a light background, by brightening the light area next to the edge, and darkening the dark area, it raises the contrast and thus the apparent sharpness.

Example, from left to right, 0 Radius, 1 radius, 10 radius, 100 radius. (Applied to the original image file)
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/beach_sharpen_example.jpg

A copy of the layer to be sharpened is made, and is set to either overlay or soft light. High pass is applied to taste and then can be toned back by adjusting the opacity of the layer. It also allows for selective sharpening as parts of the layer can be masked out, deleted or smoothed.

A trend over the last few years has been to crank the radius of the effect so the shading of the image is adjusted instead. This seems to have really taken off thanks to Dragan (Link (http://andrzejdragan.com/)) and you can find tons of actions that attempt to repeat this effect. And people do, on everything, for no reason. Dragan had a point, he used the technique to bring out and hyperrealize facial lines. However it gives a pop to the image so people use it on everything. In some cases it's because your eyes and brain adjust to the image and an over the top effect looks just right when you have been staring at the image for awhile. This is why when using new processes I normally adjust it to where my brain says "Perfect" and then tone it back a notch or two, and/or I save the file and come back the next day to double check the intensity of the process.

Trends often appear and get beaten to death in photography. Often because they are technical in nature and thus anyone with enough knowledge or the ability to download an action can do them. Unfortunately people just do them because they are cool or a trend and don't think of the bigger picture. So a great idea gets washed out and over used. It's very important not to follow trends in photography. While people who do may get praise or even a few jobs, as soon as the trend is over all their work becomes dated and needs to be scrapped if they want to keep getting work. By finding your own style you can break out of the mold.

Here at school there is a teacher that is known for a style of food and still life photography. His look and style has gotten him a lot of work and many students come out of his class shooting in a similar way. Which is great, it's a very pretty look, but few people expand on it. This teacher has a large chunk of the market, why would a food company go to you for that look when they could go to the known professional and high quality photographer.

Online photography forums (which I rarely visit) often develop a backlash to any abused look. However if there is a purpose, a reason, for using that look, tell the jaded naysayers to fuck off. After all this is about your vision and sometimes the hardest part is keeping it that way.

Over done shot from Folsom Fair as example,
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/folsom_crunchy.jpg

[Ari]

High Pass'd

While reading an article about Subway (the sandwich chain) I came across some crispied photos by Josh Ritchie (http://photojosh.com/).

While this photographer does seem to be getting some work, and is competent with equipment a lot of his post is very heavy handed and mostly unneeded. The process takes away from some really interesting images, and doesn't add anything to those images that aren't that interesting.
A number of cases it seems like over aggressive tone mapping which can leave a similar overcooked feel as over doing highpass.

After watching one of his behind the scenes videos where a giant octobox (Octo is the new square) falls over, it's a reminder that while accidents do happen it's a good idea to prepare for them. Like say if you are going to put a giant (expensive) sail on a stand out in the wind, perhaps it's worth it to pay someone to stand there and make sure it doesn't fall over, especially if it could possibly land on your client.

[Ari]

Chatting with models

It's a hard area for me. I'm often glad when my GF (who doubles as an assistant and model in hard environments) chats with my model (often a friend) which allows me to add to the conversation and be part of it, without sparing the brain cells required to actually start it. Unfortunately, in some regard, I, get entranced taking photos, and I get hung up in shooting. Not about aperture or shutter speed or any other technical setting, those are quickly worked out in my head, but about the tiny details, the light hitting the right way or finding a fun and new angle, and other details that no one but other photography nerds care about, it's the beauty of the thing.

I am so used to hiding behind the camera, being an almost unseen person at a party or event shooting photos, but it changes greatly when you have a goal and a single model. I've been working to better my communications with my model, but I'm curious to hear other opinions on the best way to go about this.

Since often you aren't just the photographer but the mood setter, your response to things will affect those around you. I often try to keep an upbeat mood, but find it hard to open up the model (figuratively of course... ) while shooting.


Additionally, soon I will be posting my photos and thoughts from my senior portfolio project (at least I better be since it is due tuesday).

[Ari]

Portfolio Project

It's been awhile since I've posted here.
My last semester at the Academy of art I took Senior Portfolio. It was a struggle because of health problems but I managed to pull out a project in just a couple of weeks which I was happy with.

http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_01.jpg http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_02.jpg http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_03.jpg http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_04.jpg http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_05.jpg http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_06.jpg http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/thumb/EricLitton_portfolio_07.jpg (http://www.photographerari.com/site/portfolio_project/index.html)

[viscousmemories]

I've seen those images before. You must've posted them in another thread.

Anyway I like.

[livius drusus]

I like them all, but particularly the colors and contrasts of the blue skirt in the grey speckled kitchen, and the rusty washer.

[Plant Woman]

Great stuff!

[Ari]

I've seen those images before. You must've posted them in another thread.

Anyway I like.
Thanks.

Yeah I posted them a bit ago on a "what are you doing today" thread.


I like them all, but particularly the colors and contrasts of the blue skirt in the grey speckled kitchen, and the rusty washer.
Thanks. :)


Great stuff!
Thanks. :)


I think this set was the first one that really convinced me was might actually know what I'm doing and that I could do this professionally. The theme was on twisting up traditional roles and genders. It was fun and I matched people up pretty well.

[Cliche Guevara]

Oh, man, I love those! And what great models. I think my fave is the black leatherette holding out the pink baby doll with an air of utter distaste.

Great stuff, Ari. :bow:

[Ari]

Image is everything
Yet it's often the first place people skimp on money.

The drink industry is a great example of this. Many juices, sodas, liquors, etc contain coloring ingredients for appearance only. Many sodas and liquors come out clear and only gain their normal color after a mix of food dyes are added. These dyes are not essential but the companies know that customers expect a certain color and have come to associate it with their product. I am amused when I can tell someone a drink tastes "blue" or "purple" and they understand exactly what I am talking about.

Shopping is mostly about image. Customers are basing the assumption that they will like a product on memories of previous experiences and the only thing they have to compare on the shelf is brand trust and product presentation (stores often get mad when you go around sampling all of their items). So how a product looks can seriously affect a companies bottom line. Food is only one example.

Photography is all about the image and presentation. You may be thinking "Well, duh!" But it's amazing how many people forget this aspect. It's amazing how many ads I see in magazines with sloppy images, sloppy processing and sloppy ideas or photographer's sites with the same errors representing their work. It's like after spending millions of dollars to create and manufacture a product, they decided to have the CEO's kid nephew take a few pictures with his new ultra Digicam for a few jellybeans (personally I would have held out for Gummy Bears) and call it a day.

Your job as a photographer isn't just to take photos, it's to convince your possibly new to the business client that good photos are an important part of their strategy, their survival and are worth paying top dollar for. An entrepreneur could be a genius who has created the best tasting pickle in the history of the world, but if they advertise them by wearing a dead rotten chicken on their head, smell like poo and block an intersection screaming "suck my pickle!" while throwing them at passing cars, no one will ever know.

If a company doesn't care about their product enough to represent it well, then why the hell should the customers care.

It's Vlassic Pickle sucking time!
:dpickle:

[Ari]

Short notice photo shoot

A friend and neighbor was going to have photos taken for her hair styling portfolio but as these things go she got into a fight with her photographer and needed someone else. I agreed and grabbed some basic stuff for the next day. Normally I would like to figure out more about what we were going for but it was all rushed enough that I decided to shoot to make the hair and makeup look good, since that was the point.

It's a nice confidence boost when you can do a shoot and know you can get somethings good out of it. They might not be contest winners but they are nice photos.

Backup supplies
A general lesson, camera equipment must exist in a state of twos. If you have two wireless strobe syncs then they won't break, but if you only have one wireless strobe sync then it will surely have problems. Something I learned (luckily I corded to the strobe).

http://www.photographerari.com/blog/quick_shoot_05.jpg
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/quick_shoot_06.jpg
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/quick_shoot_01.jpg
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/quick_shoot_02.jpg
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/quick_shoot_03.jpg
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/quick_shoot_04.jpg

[ChuckF]

Hey does anybody have a medium-format camera and need some (old) film for it? For cheap, I promise. I was gonna put it on eBay but then I remembered I don't know wtf I'm talking about. Details if anybody is interested.

[curses]

Details pls.

[ChuckF]

Here's what I got:

20 rolls of Kodak Pro 400 120 color negative film, expiry 09/1998 (19 rolls are in the factory-sealed plastic packaging; 1 package has been opened but not used, so I don't know the condition)
3 rolls of Kodak 160VC 120 color negative film , expiry 11/2001 (all sealed)
1 roll of Kodak 160NC 120 color negative film, expiry 05/2002 (sealed)

I found the lot at a yard sale for $10 and could not resist it. Unfortunately there was no camera to go with it. :sadcheer: It's yours for $10 + whatever it costs to ship it.

There is also a roll of Kodak VP 127 Verichrome black-and-white pan film, expiry 06/1973 (The box is unopened. I have no idea how it is sealed.) I don't know how 127 film works. :shrug: Is that useable?

[curses]

The Kodak VP seems to go to a Kodak Brownie camera. Not sure what the roll looks like but I wouldn't have anything to use that in. I'll PM you about the other stuff.

[ChuckF]

I bought the stuff because my parents used to have an old Brownie camera that I always wanted to play with, but then I called them and they said it belonged to my aunt or some convoluted family shit, and they didn't have it anymore. I think my aunt is using it to decorate a bookcase or something. I briefly considered getting a cheap one on ebay, but I just don't have the energy to start thinking about photography, know whut i mean.

[Ari]

Curses, you should post what you do with them!
:copy:

[ChuckF]

:yeahthat: You have to do that too.

[lisarea]

Chuck! Make a pinhole camera!

Or else at least let me look around and see if I can find you a camera you could use that with.

Oh, wait. If curses wants them, that's good. I missed that somehow, what with you being such a horrible disappointment to me and all.


http://images.starcraftmazter.net/4chan/for_forums/son_i_am_disappoint.gif

[freemonkey]

a pinhole camera would be awesome!

[ChuckF]

That is a great idea. It sounds like significant labor for minimal (possibly zero) return, so basically my life so far.

[Qingdai]

That is a great idea. It sounds like significant labor for minimal (possibly zero) return, so basically my life so far.

You my child?

[Ari]

Business Card art
I recently ordered a new set of business cards with updated information on them. While the old information is technically accurate I didn't really want to explain to people why I couldn't spend $17 to give them updated info.

This is my second order from gotprint.net and so far I've been pleased. 1000 good quality cards for cheap. So much so that I've pulled out a few to do photos with.

http://www.photographerari.com/blog/card_experiment.jpg

[Ari]

Small things
I had the urge to play with my extension tubes, and you never want to ignore these urges. :yup:
Macro photography is always a bit like a photographers wonderland as things don't always work as expected.

Whole Nutmeg Brain (2cm across)
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/nutmeg.jpg

Smiling grandpa cinnamon
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/cinamon.jpg

18 Gauge Needle (used for temporary piercings)
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/18gneedle.jpg

[Ari]

The basics

In school I was surprised at the number of students that had advanced relatively far without knowing how their camera worked and what settings they should use. In my opinion most modern camera companies have confused and complicated their designs by adding so many different options to change the same basic stuff. Often people assume that the landscape mode or the portrait mode will do something magical that full auto or full manual will not. These modes just nudge the same numbers slightly different directions. Understanding how each setting interacts so that you can focus on what you are shooting and ignore the blinking lights on your camera is a very important step. One I think they should have drilled harder in school.

Five Basic numbers
There are five basic numbers that control what your camera does.

1. Aperture
Controls depth of field as well as the amount of light coming into the camera.

2. Shutter speed
Unless you are on a tripod, keeping this above camera shake speeds for most photography is good enough (a basic rule of thumb is 1/Lens focal length. So a 50mm lens is best shot at 1/50th of a second or faster.)

3. ISO (film speed)
Should be kept as low as possible but don't avoid cranking it up to get the shot. Noise is much easier to remove than motion blur.

4. Lens Focal length
I shoot mostly prime lenses which have a fixed focal length but I know most people use zooms. Almost everyone has to break the habit to "zoom in" to an object instead of walking closer, making for photographers that look like they are glued to the cement.
Has an effect on the depth of field. At the same F stop smaller focal length lenses will have greater apparent depth of field.

5. Focal distance.
What you want to focus on.
It has an effect on the depth of field. The farther away the object is the more depth of field.

With all the gadgets, all the computer power inside your camera, all the talk about bokeh, lens sharpness, dynamic range, etc. in most shooting conditions it is only these numbers that matter. They should be memorized and where the dials and buttons are on your camera to change them should be hammered into motor memory. If you think this sounds simple, you would be right. A prime lens and constant reasonable lighting conditions eliminate most of these numbers leaving you with just aperture and focal distance to choose from. When you get down to it this black box with glass in it isn't that complicated.

Pulling off this feat is important because as you can see it's just a big toe in the door of the photography world. Practically anyone can learn how to turn two controls. The barrier between the photographer and what they are shooting needs to vanish because it's all about how the photographer and subject interact with each other and rarely about the newest glitter on the black box.

[curses]

Nice post, Ari. These are lessons we're learning with the large format cameras. I need to get a fixed lens or two for my SLRs.

[Ari]

Nice post, Ari. These are lessons we're learning with the large format cameras. I need to get a fixed lens or two for my SLRs.

Depending on the area you are in you can get some awesome portraits with large format cameras. Those that are nerdy enough to know what they are love to be photographed by them, and those that don't aren't on the "someone is taking my picture" defensive. At a number of the SF street events there are a few brave souls shooting old medium format or large format cameras on ancient wood tripods. I bet they get a whole different world than those of us wandering around with our dSLRs.

I have collected a base set of prime lenses mostly because they offer great quality for a lower price. It's a bonus they are smaller and faster than many zooms. The downside is you have to become good at choosing a lens because when you really need that wider or tighter view trying to change lenses is a bitch compared to spinning a ring.

[curses]

YouTube- Polaroid_20x24 NY Phil Bekker
This is my teacher from last quarter. Well, him from about 15 years ago. Pretty cool process, Ari, can you tell me more about it?
(he's the one with the cheezy mustache)

[Ari]

Cool. That camera is a work of art all on its own.
:unpol:

I always enjoy watching people work and their process. You can really tell those who know and (hopefully) love a craft, when they perform it as if it's a dance or Ballet. You can also tell a photographer from their outfit... damn am I glad they dropped the dress code before I got into school.

I'm not sure what I could tell you, mostly as I'm a digital child, I just lucked out that digital took over the photography world around the time I entered school.

I have fallen in love with the transfer borders that your prof gets on accident. I have spent some time on recreating similar borders and contemplating the overall concept.

[Ari]

Photography Friday
Now on a monday

Every friday I'm going to attempt to post my favorite photo or photos that I've taken that week. To start:

This is my friend Samuel, he is hiding behind the spider plant because I am going to eat him later.
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/sam_mellon.jpg

[BrotherMan]

Wiiiiilsoooooon!
:loud:

[Ari]

Sam was tastey
Unfortunately I don't feel much of a connection with these photos, even though I do like them.
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/mellon_brains.jpg

[BrotherMan]

I'd be terribly tempted to keep them side by side in a piece called Guts and Garters. But I'm also terribly pretentious.

[curses]

OK Ari, do you have your own studio setup, and barring that, what kind of light are you using? I'm trying to find some Arri tungstens for cheap, I found some of the 650w for like $230.

[Ari]

Right now my "studio" is my tiny apartment with photos cropped in far enough to miss the laundry soap and dirty clothes. I have three Alien bee (http://www.alienbees.com/) strobes (1 1600 and 2 800s) that I generally use. I love the damn little things. They are a great buy for the money.

Is there any specific reason why you are looking for a continues watt tungsten? I love my strobes and would recommend them over continues. They are easy to use and don't roast the models.

[Ari]

Failure, sometimes it happens.
Think they make a pill for that?

Went to 'How Weird' a local Electronic dance music fair last weekend. Failed to shoot anything that I liked. There were lots of people in awesome costumes but I couldn't find the right spot to get in the groove. I can shoot people in odd costumes as much as I want at home if that was what I was looking for. The costumes help but I was really looking for that moment when the dancer was into the music and having fun for funs sake. Where for a couple minutes the rest of the world falls away just a little. Luckily I was just shooting for myself.

The faire gets better as the day goes on, mostly because the gawkers start heading on home and the frat boys are too wasted to stay leaving behind people that want to dance or participate in the event. I don't have too much problem with the gawkers except they start to clog up the streets, however they are really only getting half the experience of the event. Dressing up in a strange costume in the middle of the street is part of the fun. Frat boys on the other hand are always a pain in the ass. You, yes you, the guy standing there with his douche shades on holding a Miller light, barely moving out of tune to the music and starring at that 16 year old's ass, you don't actually have super heat-ray vision and you aren't going to burn her panties off with your charm either. There isn't just one of these guys, there are herds and they all look like his clone.

They are annoying and also cut down on actual dancers, who have insulated themselves near the speakers. At these events the first thing everyone in an outfit does when you point a camera at them is smile and pose. Which is cute, but is not what I'm looking for. After a couple minutes of taking photos most people start to ignore the camera and then you can get photos without the auto defense pose. Not to mention the overall slimey feeling of guys creeping on people.

Personal projects are a great place to fail since the only one I really disappoint is myself. Failure gives me a concrete goal to shoot for to better myself.

At least there are a few photographers enjoying themselves as part of the event, here is a random one now,
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/how-weird-2010.jpg

-Ari

[curses]

I dream about photographic failures. :scaredshiver: Constantly.

[Ymir's blood]

:comfort:

[Ari]

Failure is good, fear of failure can be crippling. Which is important to remember, it's never the failure that is holding you back. The event of failure finally comes and you may dig your toes into your shoes but most people just accept it, realize the world didn't end and that maybe it wasn't that big of a deal and then press on with their lives. But they spend hours on hours being afraid of that moment. A few failures every once in awhile can help to remind you it isn't that bad.

I have also gotten into the practice of trying to get a few acceptable images shot at the beginning of the project. In that way if the apocalypse disrupts the shoot (or the model plays in traffic just a little too long trying to look 'artsy' infront of a moving bus) I will have a few usable images. That buffer lets a little pressure off my brain and lets me play a bit more.

Oddly I don't dream much about photography. I think the last semi-related one was one about photoshop breaking down though.

[Ari]

Photofriday
Now on a monday.

As this is my second photofriday post and my second photofriday post on a monday, I am starting to reconsider the name.

A second attempt at melon innards with another 'personal sized,' as the store called it, watermelon. I feel I was much more successful with this image than the last. This photo comes much closer to giving me the same feeling when actually eating watermelon out of the rind.
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/mellon_two.jpg

-Ari

[curses]

I learned a lesson today. Eat fast, drink fast, and smoke fast or you will be the last one to get to that Sweet Spot by the stage to shoot events.

[curses]

Here's one that I worked up really quick. I shot a new student event they have every summer for incoming high school students. This is the dance crew that comes in to entertain. Nothing too special, they just wanted the crew and crowd pictures to put out on a dvd.

[curses]

Erm, wrong one. Try this one.

[Ymir's blood]

I learned a lesson today. Eat fast, drink fast, and smoke fast or you will be the last one to get to that Sweet Spot by the stage to shoot events.Or just set everyone in your way on fire. :ripley:

Erm, wrong one. Try this one.
They're the same picture? :\

[curses]

Erm, wrong one. Try this one.
They're the same picture? :\One has a fix for a strange looking unsharp mask on it and I couldn't be bothered to delete the original.

[Ymir's blood]

Erm, wrong one. Try this one.
They're the same picture? :\One has a fix for a strange looking unsharp mask on it and I couldn't be bothered to delete the original.
Ok, I can't see any difference though, even with each open in a separate tab and flipping back and forth between them.

[Ari]

Photofriday
Now on a Sunday.

Took a week trip up to Tahoe, did some hiking and got to play in the snow in June.

http://www.photographerari.com/blog/truckee_plains.jpg


-Ari

[BrotherMan]

I like the transition of color as your eyes move up and down the image.

[Ari]

PhotoFriday
Now on a saturday

LoveTriangle
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/lovetri2.jpg

A digicam shot of Love Triangle, a poly club night that was held at the Blue Macaw in San Francisco. An odd combination of a latin themed club in the mission with a bunch of goths (because when the organizers are goth like, they seem to drag them in).

[Ari]

A great article Everything you know about concert photography is wrong (http://thephotoletariat.com/guest-blog-everything-you-know-about-concert-photography-is-wrong/) by way of A photo editor (http://www.aphotoeditor.com/) (another great photo blog all photographers should be reading).

A couple hour video of Chase Jarvis and Zack Arias chatting about photography. (http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2010/06/zack-arias-interview-a-few-questions-about-creativelive/) Curses, you should check out Zack Arias, if you haven't already, he is a successful music photographer in Atlanta.

[curses]

Whoa how weird. I just located a weekend talk Zack Arias did about studio design and was watching it. I'm sure I've seen him around but I'm gonna have to look him up.

[Cliche Guevara]

Zack Arias is cool. He recently did a free workshop weekend online via creativeLIVE - A Live Worldwide Creative Classroom (http://creativelive.com/)

I missed it because I had to work at the farm - and will be every weekend till mid-August - but I hope it gets repeated sometime when I can watch.

[curses]

That's the one I grabbed. It is really good.

[ChuckF]

Hey photogs, I have this thing and I don't know what it is.

The box it came in says Soligor Universal Automatic T-4 Mount, to fit Minolta 22-215. I have googled that stuff and don't find much.

BUT open the box, see this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ChuckF/wtfisthis.jpg

What is that?

[Cliche Guevara]

I reckon it's an adapter, allowing you to mount lenses that have a T 4 mount to a Minolta (now Sony) mount camera body.

[ChuckF]

How does Vivitar fit in?

[Cliche Guevara]

Here's a link about lens mounts: SLR Lens Mount Identification Guide (http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-99.html)

The one you've got is likely from the 70's, so it won't have the electronics for auto-focussing or anything, even if you have a camera body and lens that is auto-focus capable.

It's also not useable with modern Minoltas/Sony's as the mount fittings have changed from SR mounts to A mounts.

[Ari]

How does Vivitar fit in?
Just to fuck with you.

Different brands for the same product. Soligor is a German distributor/manufacturer.

[Cliche Guevara]

How does Vivitar fit in?


With the mount adapter, silly! :p


Just kidding.

Vivitar have been around for a long time making photographic stuffs. (Since the 30's maybe?) Anyway, they made lenses for many types of camera bodies as well as their own, and so have lenses that might have been the same optics, but had different mounts for different cameras - the K mount for Pentax and an SR mount for Minolta, for example.

Adapters were useful to add to their products as people would sometimes change camera bodies to a new brand, but didn't want to have to buy a whole new set of lenses. I have an adapter so I can mount lenses from my Leica film camera to my Canon digital camera.

[ChuckF]

Here's a link about lens mounts: SLR Lens Mount Identification Guide (http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-99.html)

The one you've got is likely from the 70's, so it won't have the electronics for auto-focussing or anything, even if you have a camera body and lens that is auto-focus capable.

It's also not useable with modern Minoltas/Sony's as the mount fittings have changed from SR mounts to A mounts.
Yup, you're right, the box is stamped 1977.

This bad boy is going on eBay, then to the thrift store if that doesn't work. "Mount" is the correct word for it, right? I'm guessing so because that is what's on the box. Or is it an "adapter" or something?
How does Vivitar fit in?
Just to fuck with you.

Different brands for the same product. Soligor is a German distributor/manufacturer.
Fucking Germans! :shakegermany:

[Cliche Guevara]

This bad boy is going on eBay, then to the thrift store if that doesn't work. "Mount" is the correct word for it, right? I'm guessing so because that is what's on the box. Or is it an "adapter" or something?


Call it a lens mount adapter, allowing T4 mount lenses to fit a Minolta body.

[Cliche Guevara]

I'm trying to find out more about the listed spec, "Minolta 22-215" - but I can't. Ari, do you know anything?

[Cliche Guevara]

I'm now doubting myself and wondering if I have it backwards...I wonder if the Minolta 22 - 215 is the lens....and the T 4 is the camera body's mount system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soligor

:chin:

[curses]

Oh hai, Chuckles, just so you know I will be able to use the film you sent me next quarter when we start using the Mamiya medium format cameras.

[ChuckF]

Oh sweet. Poast sum when you taek sum.

[Cliche Guevara]

Mamiya medium format cameras.

Oooh, jealous!

Can't wait to see the pics when you do them.

[Cliche Guevara]

Who here has Flickr pages? 'Cos I wanna friend you on Flickr. :yup:

Mine is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/) - friend me plz! :kiss:

Mostly I'm a bit lazy about putting photos up, but every now and again I have a burst of Flickr energy.

[specious_reasons]

Who here has Flickr pages? 'Cos I wanna friend you on Flickr. :yup:

Mine is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/) - friend me plz! :kiss:

Mostly I'm a bit lazy about putting photos up, but every now and again I have a burst of Flickr energy.

I just added you as a contact. My Flickr photostream is :jawdrop2: full of microscope pictures.

[Cliche Guevara]

My Flickr photostream is :jawdrop2: full of microscope pictures.

They're amazing! :jawdrop2:

I have to come visit you one day, so I can watch you work. I'm going to win the national lottery tonight, so I might be over some time next week. :yup:

[Cliche Guevara]

I've favourited quite a few of your photos, specious_reasons. They're just so beautiful. (Though the silverfish tail will give me nightmares, fo'shur!)

My photostream is a bit boring - mostly landscapes. Though I just checked my image stats and it never fails to amaze me how many people google "andromeda galaxy aliens", which brings at least one person to my Flickr page every day to view a portrait shot of an alien I took when one visited me a while back. Go figure!

Alien (http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/4045344806/)

[LadyShea]

I don't know how to friend on flickr, and I don't have the passcode and stuff. I'll ask hubby to do it

[curses]

Added you pets. I almost never post anything, though. I need to work on that.

[Ari]

SF Pride 2010
http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/thumb/Pride2010_01.jpg
SF Pride Photos (http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/index.html)
Another SF pride has come and gone leaving rainbow glitter ground into the pavement. This year I didn't walk in pride. Instead I went with my girlfriend and her partner (both up from Santa Cruz) to watch the parade. I watched Dykes on Bikes go by, as well as the Trans group that was next, which was pretty cool. After that it was a standard float line up, such as Kaiser Permanente, bud light, and other corporate sponsors, with the only Bi contingent way in the back. It's great that places like Kaiser support gay rights but it would be nice if more of the actual L, G, B, and T folks were given priority.

I didn't stay for much past Kaiser and went to the civic center celebration before it got crowded. The Tantra music stage played mostly electro (http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fdjdenise%2Fpreview-hakan-ludvigson-projektor-electro-streem-dj-denise-remix), I spent most of the day there dancing and photographing. It's nice when people pose but I'm looking for that crazy enjoyment of dancing at pride not a rehearsed smile.

On my way through leather alley I noticed a person dressed Lady Gagaish posing for photos up against the fence. A bunch of people were having a mini photo gang bang with her (you can thank Zack Arais for that term), which always creates this empty bubble between the photographers and their 'subject.' I walked past it, then turned around, decided I would do a nice quick portrait of her and got up close. The women with her commented that it was nice I was taking a picture of her face and not chopping her head off like everyone else, but she felt that her ass was her best feature. The girl then turns around so I can get a photo of her ass. Reminding me once again that treating people like real people can often lead to new, interesting or fun things. At the very least a quick smile hasn't made their life any worse.

One of those things I love about my little 35mm lens is the focal length is just right to require me to get up close to whoever I'm shooting forcing me to interact with them in some way.
http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/thumb/Pride2010_12.jpg (http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/images/Pride2010_12.jpg) http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/thumb/Pride2010_13.jpg (http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/images/Pride2010_13.jpg)
http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/thumb/Pride2010_25.jpg (http://www.photographerari.com/site/sf_pride_2010/images/Pride2010_25.jpg)

[Ari]

I'm PhotographerAri (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26091638@N02/) on flickr but I have updated it once, two years ago. maybe I'll put the pride photos on it. I didn't know you could friend on flickr.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/buddyicons/26091638@N02.jpg?1209433686#26091638@N02

[ChuckF]

oh fuck photonewb itt

Ok so you guys prolly know that I like old stuff. For a while now I have thought I might want to take some pictures on the filums instead of my lame-ass point-and-shoot digital POS. I don't know why I'm interested in older cameras. I guess they're kind of an intermediate stage in the democratization of photography, and the idea that old cameras can still produce high-quality images appeals to me. Of course I don't know shit about photography, so I'm not going to spend a lot of money on it until I see if I like it. Anyway I bought some damn cameras and here they are.

Acquisition 1:

A Fujica ST801 (http://www.thecamerasite.net/01_SLR_Cameras/Pages/fujica-ST-801.htm)

Last Thursday I found this in the thrift store for $20, which included the flash, the case, and the 55mm lens. No visible fungus or anything. Bought in Japan (for 51,300 yen in 1977), with documentation in Japanese. I spent another $2.70 ordering a 6V battery for it, which should arrive earlier this week.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ChuckF/fujica.jpg

Acquisition 2:

A Kodak Signet 35 (http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Kodak_Signet_35)

My aunt is one of those obsessive hoarders who goes to the flea market every week. A couple of months ago I asked her to keep an eye out for old cameras, and today she brought me this one, a Kodak from the 50s. (I think she said she paid $2 for it.) It is a little roughed up but everything seems to work fine. I gently cleaned off the dust off the outside of the lens with an alcohol swab and it looks clean and fungus-free. I downloaded a maintenance guide, so I can hope I can clean it and/or fix it if it turns out to be broken somehow. All the moving parts move, and I'm going to put some film in it later this week and try it out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ChuckF/kodak.jpg

Acquisition 3:

A Voigtländer Vito BL (http://www.marriottworld.com/vito_cameras/vitobl.htm). An Austrian model from the 50s, this thing looks virtually unused. This is another one that my aunt got for me. The case and the camera are both in great shape, and I am pretty pumped about it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ChuckF/voigtlander.jpg

So that is my new stable of old technology. All 35mm, so film is more available. We'll see how this goes.

[Ari]

Your photo rights

Out in public you have the right to photograph anyone or anything that doesn't have an expectation of privacy. While the definition of privacy can be squishy, it generally means that people out on the street are fair game, but under their skirt is not (at least not without asking first).

While this is talking about still images, most of this applies to video and sound as well. Although recently some cops have tried to abuse anti-wiretapping laws to arrest people recording their voice. You can also be asked to move or get a permit if using a tripod on the street.

Rent-a-dickhead
Mall cops and security often come in two varieties, those that don't want any trouble (also known as your 'friends') and those that are looking to prove themselves after flunking out of police training (also known as dickheads). The former generally wants to diffuse the situation so they can go back to their uneventful day, the later wants to escalate the situation so they can be a hero or a bully.

Mall cops are normal citizens hired by the mall or other private organizations. Their jurisdiction ends at their property line and their only real power is the ability to order you off their employers property. They have no right to touch you, touch your property, attack you, threaten you, view your photos, delete your photos or detain you beyond any general citizen. Once you are off their property you have the right to photograph them or their building without further harassment. Mall security is based mostly on social engineering and using their apparent authority to get you to wave your rights. If you feel you are being harassed in anyway, call the cops (starting to call the cops can often be enough).

Many stores and malls have "no photography" policies. This doesn't mean you can't take photos it just means if they don't like you taking photos they can ask you to leave their property and/or ban you from their store. It is not illegal to take photos even if a sign is up, how those photos may be used is a different matter. Some counties consider malls to be quasi public property If no sign exists it is assumed photography is allowed until otherwise verbally warned. If they are really pissy they may ask you to delete the photos but that is your choice. As soon as a photo is taken it is your property. If they delete your photos against your will they can be taken to court for destruction of property.

Largest gang in town
I have a lot of respect for cops who are out to make the world a safer place and get spit on for their troubles, but there are cops who are gang land thugs who found a legal way to bully those smaller than themselves. While they do have more legal power than a mall cop, you still have rights. Once you snap a photo it is your property and the police have no more right to delete your photo than they do to randomly torch your car. If they decide it is somehow evidence and should be confiscated you have the right to follow your property to the police station and to have it logged just like any other item.

Thugs are especially scared of any kind of recording device and like an abusive boyfriend they justify this by assuming everyone is out to make them look bad, which is easy when they are a thug cop. A reasonable sum is spent every year by police districts to keep victims quiet and to protect these thugs.

Another common excuse is terrorism and while you may be stopped and questioned for taking photos of sensitive areas all your rights still apply. Unfortunately that doesn't stop cops from making up laws to enforce. Oddly they seem to equate SLR cameras with terrorism and often ignore people taking cell phone or digicam photos. (This fear is completely unjustified as not a single image of personal terrorist recon has been found in raids.) Another common mistake is the photography of children in public. While many citizens and some cops think it is illegal, it is not (although some counties/states have intention laws making it illegal to take public photos of children for illegal purposes) however that wont stop people from harassing or even assaulting you. Women often get a reprieve from this harassment, and don't be afraid to use it to get shots men could not.

In the end it can come down to how many of your rights you want to use. Sometimes complying is reasonable, as the photo of your friend flipping off the twilight display at hot topic just isn't worth the argument. When dealing with police there are a couple of issues to consider. On one hand standing up for your rights may save others from the same crap and can end in a nice cash settlement, on the other you may be putting yourself in real physical danger as well as legal danger as it's not unheard of for cops to attack photographers and to file fake reports to justify their actions. Of course in the good ol world of double standards many of these cops have no problem using recording devices on the public.

One of the best solutions if you are a random bystander and something questionable goes down (such as cop brutality) is to leave the area before the cops can get within arm reach of your property. If you feel you have evidence the police should have, there is nothing stopping you from going home and then sending it to them. If your rights are violated there are a number of groups such as the ACLU that may be willing to take on your case, many end up settled for 'undisclosed terms.' If images are deleted recovery software can pick them out of the electrons on your card as long as you don't take photos over them.

More info
Photography is Not a Crime — It’s a First Amendment Right (http://carlosmiller.com/)
War on Photography (http://www.nycphotorights.com/)
Bert P. Krages Attorney at Law Photographer's Rights Page (http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm)

[Note: Obviously I'm just a photographer and not a lawyer (if I was I would be making a lot more money) and this applies to photography in the US. Places like the UK are a whole other basket of legal worm.]

[curses]

I shot my first roll of Chuck's film today in the Miamiya RZ33. First roll shot perfectly, next two didn't advance properly. I probably didn't have the film tight enough. Good thing I had my DSLR as there was a water bird of some description in the next pond from where I started shooting.

[Ari]

Zack Arias nails it again! (http://www.zarias.com/cheap-photographers-only-kill-themselves-not-the-industry/)
As usual Jack Arias has some great thoughts, this time on how cheap photography kills itself.

[curses]

The comments are almost as good as the article too.

[curses]

oh, the crowning achievement of my studio class last quarter -- my Rockwell. We had to take a Norman Rockwell painting and create it in the studio. I am more proud of one of my nudes but I don't know if I can post it in this part of the forum.

http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6956&stc=1&d=1286653256

[ceptimus]

A Fujica ST801 (http://www.thecamerasite.net/01_SLR_Cameras/Pages/fujica-ST-801.htm)

Last Thursday I found this in the thrift store for $20, which included the flash, the case, and the 55mm lens. No visible fungus or anything. Bought in Japan (for 51,300 yen in 1977), with documentation in Japanese. I spent another $2.70 ordering a 6V battery for it, which should arrive earlier this week.


:thumbup:

I have the earlier (but very similar) ST605N which I bought new in Coventry over thirty years ago. :oldman:

One problem with some of the older cameras that have built-in light meters is that they used mercury based batteries which are now outlawed. There are usually silver oxide or alkaline batteries that will fit, but some of the cameras are very sensitive to the battery voltage and don't work well with the non-mercury types.

Your's is fine though. :phew: Have you developed any film shot in it yet? My ST605N still takes better photos than any of my modern digital cameras, when I can be bothered to buy film for it.

[Ari]

I don't know if I can post it in this part of the forum.
You can always spoiler tag it.

And nice cub scout!

[curses]

Nekkid wimmins ahead. Don't know if this will work as Flikr is giving me a hard time.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5066293470_bb4bb507eb_z.jpg

[Ari]

Nice, I really like the pattern of light, it's like large shadow fishnets.

[BrotherMan]

This is a fantastic gallery (http://www.lensculture.com/kessels.html?thisPic=100).

In almost every picture #7 tells the story of a Dutch woman whose life is seen from the point of view of a fairground shooting gallery.

The chronological series begins in 1936, when a 16-year-old girl from Tilburg in Holland picks up a gun and shoots at the target in a shooting gallery. Every time she hits the target, it triggers the shutter of a camera and a portrait of the girl in firing pose is taken and given as a prize.

And so a lifelong love affair with the shooting gallery begins. This series documents almost every year of the woman's life (there is a conspicuous pause from 1939 to 1945) up until present times.

At the age of 88 Ria van Dijk still makes her pilgrimage to the Shooting Gallery.

In almost every picture #7 is a biography of one woman's life from an unusual perspective, one which allows us to witness the times she lived in, as well as acting as a revealing look at the changing face of photography through the decades.

[ChuckF]

:thumbup:

I have the earlier (but very similar) ST605N which I bought new in Coventry over thirty years ago. :oldman:

One problem with some of the older cameras that have built-in light meters is that they used mercury based batteries which are now outlawed. There are usually silver oxide or alkaline batteries that will fit, but some of the cameras are very sensitive to the battery voltage and don't work well with the non-mercury types.

Your's is fine though. :phew: Have you developed any film shot in it yet? My ST605N still takes better photos than any of my modern digital cameras, when I can be bothered to buy film for it.
I've shot a couple of rolls but I am waiting until I have a few to make it cheaper to develop them. I'm not really confident that they will develop at all because for the most part I have been using up old film that has been sitting around for a decade or so. But we'll see. I really like the Fujica though.

[ceptimus]

I like to shoot slide film when I use my Fujica. We can buy 'process paid' slide film here in the UK (I don't know if you have that in the USA).

Fuji Sensia 100 Process Paid Slide Film - Best Price at Bristol Cameras (http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-fuji-sensia-100-process-paid-slide-film.htm)

You buy the film and it comes with a small envelope. You pop the exposed film in the mail and the slides come back a few days later. Then you have the special event of setting up the projector and screen to look at the new slides (and of course you usually look through a few of your old favourite slides while the projector is out :))

If you decide to shoot some slides, you'll have the fun of looking through thrift stores for projectors and screens!

[ChuckF]

Somewhere in my parents' attic there is a slide projector and screen. We have the process-paid film here in Amurka and it is definitely the way to go. It is how I'm going to do it after I use up this old film. It would probably be cheaper to do that than using old film at all, but I find it satisfying to use up the old stuff rather than letting it go to waste. If my pics turn out ok, I may get one of those film scanners to digitize them, but I have a lot of research to do before I get there.

Oh also, somewhat related question for teh :ff:: I recently bought one of these (http://www.bolexcollector.com/cameras/d8la.html) for $8. I bought it because it is in amazing condition and it looks cool as hell. When I got home I opened it up and there is a reel of exposed 8mm film in it! How do I get this processed? (Presumably to reveal the 1960s home-made porn on it.) I have looked online and there are places that will process + transfer to DVD for about $50, but that is a lot of money for a 25 foot 8mm reel. DVD transfer is necessary because I obviously do not have the equipment to view it otherwise.

[ceptimus]

Cool purchase for $8 :thumbup: Did you open it up in the dark? If you opened it in the light, you can forget about getting it developed, and therefore save some cash! :giggle:

ETA: I see the write-up mentions 'daylight loading spools', so perhaps the exposed film is also protected? :chin:

* ceptimus knows nothing of movie film cameras.

[ChuckF]

I checked online and it said it could be unloaded in "subdued" light, i.e. not directly in the sun, so I think it's ok. In the meantime I left it in the camera until I decide wtf to do with it.

[curses]

Just one of the images from the High Museum today.

[curses]

:derp: Attaching the photo might be nice.

http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7020&stc=1&d=1287710747

[ITSOZAZ]

i will give up my photo prohibition (i know- you care) and post a couple up. i enjoy the photos in this thread.

the first is my favourite picture of my wife, taken when she was pregnant with Zeke. i think she actually looks like she's glowing. the look sums up the woman i love...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/michael1111/DSC_0027ab.jpg

and then there is this one i snapped while strolling Queen West in Toronto. hip chick against a hip wall. i like all the colour.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/michael1111/DSC_0009ab-1-2.jpg

oh and i like these windows. like some kind of code in the architecture...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/michael1111/sc7.jpg

this is my favourite right-place-right-time moment. it was chaos right after i snapped this...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/michael1111/canada13sm.jpg


my thoughts on these photos? well...somebody had to take them, so i did.

[ITSOZAZ]

one more (cleaning photobucket) to add. i like this one of zeke with the lines and his angel face...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/michael1111/DSC_0024bwa.jpg

[Ari]

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lbajxuqocD1qe70lmo1_500.jpg
Friends Halloween costume, the exif time stamp says 3:50AM + some digital editing and it seems to have turned out decent, especially for not being fully awake to take it.

[Ari]

I'm not really a big table top photographer as it normally takes a special type of OCD that I don't have. However it is great for experimenting with lighting setups.

Not exactly awe inspiring but good enough for an experiment,
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/table_top.jpg

These were taken with a half circle of flashlights zip-tied to a piece of cardboard.
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/table_top_setup.jpg

While you try to visualize lighting setups in your head, sometimes nothing beats actually playing with the lights. If it works, great, if not well you learned something and wasted a piece of cardboard, no big deal. While there are plenty of fancy and cool table top gadgets, I've seen some amazing things done with large plastic buckets and house lamps. Ghetto table top just screams experimentation (and occasionally frustration).

[Ari]

A set of photos using a slightly modified version of the lighting setup posted above,
http://www.photographerari.com/blog/tea_triptych.jpg

[curses]

I gots me an off brand flash*. It makes it a lot easier to see the cobwebs at the tops of the walls.
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7100&stc=1&d=1290297825


*Promaster 7400EDF. Has a recycle time of 10sec at full zoom. Lulz, but the pricetag was in my range.

[Cliche Guevara]

Ari, thanks for showing your very cool lighting setup. I'ma gonna try that, fo'shur.

<3

[Cliche Guevara]

Finally got to work through some pics I took at the World (http://www.worldbrand.co.nz/) Fashion Show at NZ Fashion Week last September. I got to be one of the photographers there through an invitation via my camera club. We were not allowed to use flash, and the lighting was difficult. I used the 70-200mm, which has no imagine stabilisation's and is is only an f4 lens, so it was a challenging shoot to say the least. But I had fun and I learned a lot. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5387042584/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5387042460/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5387042172/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5386437085/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5387041492/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5387041328/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5386436373/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/5386436047/in/photostream/

More here: Flickr: Petra Paignton's Photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrapaignton/)

I'm quite pleased with some of these. :)

Hmmm, dunno why the images aren't showing. Guess my BB skills are a bit stale. They do open when you right click and open in a new tab/window, though. :shrug:

[BrotherMan]

Fantastic.

[Cliche Guevara]

Cheers, BroMan! :D

[BrotherMan]

Planting this (http://m.gizmodo.com/5786745/a-cardboard-hasselblad-that-actually-takes-photos) here for no other reason than to make it easy to find at some indeterminate point in the future.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/03/medium_cardboardhasselbladpinholecam.jpg

[ceptimus]

I bought three rolls of slide film last November, when Chuck was posting about his film cameras. I also had to buy some new batteries for the camera's light meter.

I've been a bit lazy about using it though, and the 'use by' date on the film is 2011/03 so now I'm feeling guilty about not going out photographing stuff.

I finished off one film which has gone off to be processed, gave a second (plus a camera for it) to my brother-in-law with strict instructions to shoot it all up this week, and the third is in my Fujica ST now. It will be a relief when it's finished and I can go back to my lazy digital camera ways.

However, when the processed slides come back it will be a good excuse to set up the projector and have a few sessions looking at thousands of old slides.

[Ari]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_livt0wWebX1qe70lmo1_500.jpg (http://photographerari.tumblr.com/post/4211814156/i-am-morgans-18-gauge)
I am Morgan's 18 Gauge.

[Ari]

http://www.photographerari.com/storage/electric_piano2.jpg
Electric Piano.
The teeth of an iPod/iPhone connector

[Ensign Steve]

I also thought "piano" before I read the caption. :unnod:

[curses]

My thoughts on photography today..I love Topaz DeNoise.

[curses]

And a lesson for today as I finally finish the fashion shoot photos. Higher ISO plus a smaller aperture makes life easier in post processing. It's easier to remove noise and sharpen the edges than it is to sharpen a photo that wasn't sharp in the first place. Sigh.

[Ari]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljcokswv7z1qe70lmo1_500.jpg (http://www.photographerari.com/storage/ice_plant.jpg)
Ice Plant running through your veins.

[curses]

Hai photographers! I am interested in starting up my photo retouching business. I am slowly putting together a portfolio for it but it's been slow going. I have been in touch with a few local photographers but haven't had much to show for it yet. I guess my question is how did those of you who make money off of your photography start out? I feel very overwhelmed at the moment and would appreciate any advice you guys are willing to offer up.

[freemonkey]

I don't make much money from photography, per se. Or from photo restoration. I accidentally got into the wide format printing business, and those things became "additional services" for me. Things like photo restoration, retouching & collage were part of the biz. Because I work with a lot of artists, shooting their artworks was also something that made sense.

Are you having difficulty getting these photographers to talk to you? What services, specifically, are you offering? What kind of portfolio are you showing them? Do you have a focus (i.e., wedding, fashion, product)?

Do you want to eventually do more photography and less retouching yourself?

[curses]

I have a few contacts but I don't have much of a portfolio. I have one guy who was going to send me some of his outtakes to see how well I could retouch and I'm still waiting to hear from him. I don't have much in the way of a portfolio right now, I'm just getting to the classes where you're allowed to photoshop! (been using photoshop for ~10 yrs, mostly in a graphic design sense though) I'd like to focus on product, but I can photoshop fashion and portrait if need be. As I get more comfortable with a camera I'm going to change my focus more towards product photography. I just discovered that they do retouching contests on a site where I hire my models from so I've been playing with that all day. Result of about 45 mins. Not my original.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5032/5818454519_0779921a5a_b.jpg

Edit: Original: http://www.keepsakephotography.us/32.jpg

[Ymir's blood]

Swimwear and heels is just so gauche.

[Vivisectus]

wow there is something really disturbing about the colors in that foto. Kinda awesome.

[curses]

I loved them, that's why I did it. I do enjoy oversaturation a bit. I noticed that everyone else is trying to make the image desaturated with weird color shifts, almost like it had been shot on a Kodak Instamatic in the 70s. I really am not a fan of that trend.

[curses]

http://i.imgur.com/TMys5.png

LOL. I mean I could always do something like this...

[Ymir's blood]

We need a Gallery of Awful for that.

[freemonkey]

You would make a fucking fortune.

[curses]

I know :sadcheer:

[mulebear]

Sadly... That is the kind of shit half my clients want.

[ceptimus]

Tilt Shift (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilt-shift_photography) is the art of photographing real full-size subjects, and making the resulting photograph look like a shot of a model.

Here's one of Santorini in Greece:

http://static.moillusions.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/3203619044_23e1d98cef_z1.jpg

The illusion is most commonly created using a camera with bellows around the lens, allowing the lens to be tilted to create an enhanced depth of field effect throwing parts of the shot out of focus - it also helps if the colours are over-saturated.

However, it can also be done with a normal camera and photoshopping - though that seems more like cheating.

More examples here. (http://www.moillusions.com/2011/06/6-cool-examples-of-tilt-shift.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OpticalIllusions+%28Optical+Illusions%29)

[freemonkey]

Since I don't have a tilt-shift lens I cheated with Photoshop.

I have some others I did awhile ago somewhere.


ETA: I may have a tilt-shift lens attachment for my Lensbaby

[mulebear]

Tilt-shifting is fun, but it's becoming a victim of its own gimmick. It is a lot like HDR and fish eye lenses. When you see an image done with any of those techniques, your first thought is usually, "Cool fish eye picture.", and not "Great photo."

HDR can be wonderful, but most people overdo it; making the HDR more important than the actual image. Their photos start to look like they were shopped by some newb who just discovered PhotoShop's poster edges filter.

Every fish eye photo I've ever seen screamed gimmick.

[freemonkey]

The problem with HDR is that most of the softwares to do it have those crazy over-the-top presets. And people use them.

That said, I've seen a few HDR photographers who do over-the-top stuff that looks very cool.

[Cliche Guevara]

Hey, curses, good job! Very marketable too, I would think. Different strokes for different folks, and you have that fun kitsch that I love so much about David La Chappelle's imagery. Dig it. :D

You've also got that romantic, schmutlzy thing down, which is very marketable for your bread, butter and beer money. It's too syrupy and sappy for me, but who am I to judge those who find it meaningful to them, for whatever reason - everything has it's cultural value, I guess - even if it's just to one family.

You're smart and talented and you should get paid; and your clients will be quirky, bland, cliche, loving, romantic, have a family and a history, are wildly interesting, boring, picky, pompous and funny; and they like what they like. So what (http://youtu.be/P4TbrgIdm0E) - give them your best work, with some sympathy to their desired context, and your reputation (and therefore your purse) will grow. And so will the work you do just to please you, with people willing to pay for it.

Best of bloody good luck to you, girl! :clap2:

[Cliche Guevara]

Also, there are jobs going at Photojojo.

Photojojo Wants to Hire People Who Love Photography Too Much (http://photojojo.com/jobs/)

[curses]

Tilt-shifting is fun, but it's becoming a victim of its own gimmick. It is a lot like HDR and fish eye lenses. When you see an image done with any of those techniques, your first thought is usually, "Cool fish eye picture.", and not "Great photo."

HDR can be wonderful, but most people overdo it; making the HDR more important than the actual image. Their photos start to look like they were shopped by some newb who just discovered PhotoShop's poster edges filter.

Every fish eye photo I've ever seen screamed gimmick.

I really wish I could thank this post more than once. I am so sick of overdone HDR and being in art school I get to see A LOT of it.

EDIT: freemonkey, I have seen a few that do it well, too. I believe it was Jim Fiscus that was able to add just a touch of tone mapping to give some of his images a nice grungy look that wasn't OTT. Pets, LaChapelle is one of the reasons I picked up the camera. I love his use of color in that in your face kind of way.

[mulebear]

The problem with HDR is that most of the softwares to do it have those crazy over-the-top presets. And people use them.

That said, I've seen a few HDR photographers who do over-the-top stuff that looks very cool.

Yes. When someone knows what they are doing, it can be awesome. For example... Dave Hill Photography (http://www.davehillphoto.com/)

[cireasa]

yes, these pics look great!

[viscousmemories]

:welcome: to the :ff:, cireasa.

[curses]

Dear ChuckF, I am finally breaking out the old Kodak film you sent me. Checked out a Mamiya RZ67 over the break. I can't wait to see what comes out of it. The box I pulled out of the fridge today expired in 2001. Wonder what it'll look like when it's developed?

[ChuckF]

Can't wait to find out! I took a roll of very old (like early 1970s, the guy said) 35mm B&W mystery film to be developed, but nothing came out. I got it at a thrift store for 25 cents, so whatever. I have another roll of 35mm color from the late 90s/early 2000s that was in my camera when I bought it. I'm afeared to have it developed, because what if it is full of murder?

[Cliche Guevara]

Dave Hill is awesome. Most of his HDR is done in camera with clever lighting - he only uses software driven HDR minimally. Oh, to have the set up and the lighting assistants he has!

http://www.davehillphoto.com/bts/

[Ensign Steve]

The Instagram app has a tilt-shift function built in, but I haven't figured out how best to apply the tilt to get the result I want.

[Cliche Guevara]

Camera Mail! :D

Camera Mail (http://freepicturesforyou.net/Cameramail.html)

[mulebear]

I've been working on a series of self portraits.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/mulebear/Personal/selfportraitsm009.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/mulebear/Personal/selfportraitsm007.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/mulebear/Personal/selfportraitsm005.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/mulebear/Personal/selfportraitsm008.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/mulebear/Personal/selfportraitsm006.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h95/mulebear/Personal/selfportraitsm001.jpg

I think I look sad in most of them...

[Demimonde]

:squeezle:

I think you look hansome and refined. 2, 4, and 5 are my picks. 4 is a great one. 5 is how I picture you more in my head with the mirthful look and a little rakish irreverence as you gaze out at the viewer.

[specious_reasons]

I've been working on a series of self portraits.

I think I look sad in most of them...

Just a little bit in some, more in others. :(

If it were me, I'd lean towards # 2 or 3. In the third you're being more expressive than you intended, I think.

[mulebear]

They're fine as single images, but they were actually meant to be viewed as a series. I may add more as time goes on.

[curses]

I love them. You have very captivating eyes, mulebear.

[ITSOZAZ]

i took a picture of a boat today. i liked the mood and composition. snapped using my good p&s...

[ITSOZAZ]

oh and my mother in law had some pretty flowers come in this year and i always take pictures for her. here's one i thought really popped with the colours, shadows and framing...


i enjoy this thread. maybe i'll start contributing more...for what that's worth.

[curses]

Oh hai this thread! I had to test the negative scanners at school the other day so I thought I would post up one of my unedited 4x5 chromes. The contrast is a bit off but it's not too bad of a representation* This was the horizontal Scheimpflug assignment from our large format class. Scheimpflug. Scheimpflug. Scheimpflug Scheimpflug Scheimpflug Scheimpflug Scheimpflug Scheimpflug Scheimpflug Scheimpflug. That's such a great word.

*I am just about to go out so I don't wanna correct or crop it. I'm lazy.
**I am going out with large format camera to shoot landscapes. Someone gave me their old pack of Fuji film.

[Ymir's blood]

I tried to read your post but my eyes kept glazing over at the big words. Nice picture tho. :thumbup:

[curses]

Scheimpflug

[SR71]

I want to find the zoom button on my camera. I don't even know if it has a zoom button. :glarepatch:

[curses]

Went to Flux 2011 (http://www.fluxprojects.org/) last night and had a blast. My friend was picked as one of the participants of American Photographic Artists' 100 Beautiful Things exhibit. She sold 2 of her 5 prints in the silent auction.

Here's what it felt like to be in Castleberry Hills in Atlanta last night.
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7903&stc=1&d=1317504638

Lanterns in a tree over a parking lot. There were tons of paper lanterns, lights, glowsticks..anything that could be used for both illumination and color.
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7899&stc=1&d=1317504601

Random dog sculpture outside of the Besharat Contemporary gallery
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7900&stc=1&d=1317504610

The aftermath of the APA silent auction in the loading dock of The Big House Gallery
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7901&stc=1&d=1317504620
Bike Valet!
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7902&stc=1&d=1317504629

[Ymir's blood]

My bulb's burnt out.
:ghost2:

[curses]

This sums up today's shoot nicely.
http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7908&stc=1&d=1317611201

Men in formal attire (both tuxedos AND formal dresses) playing soccer for my favorite local charity fundraiser. This is my favorite shot of the day.

[LadyShea]

Hello! Bumping thrad on accounta I have a nice camera now (still can't thank you enough curses) and am taking a trip soon to cool places like the Everglades and Key Largo, and have been-for some reason-told about microstock photography in a lot of my travel related newsletters recently. I have photo related stuff in my head.

Does anyone here submit their photos to microstock companies, or otherwise sell them?

I'm not really thinking of doing that (stock photos), but I have long been kicking around the idea of writing educationally angled travel guides (geared to homeschoolers and parents like me who are very involved in their kids learning) and would want to include photos. People would likely be in said photos. Now I don't know that I'd need a model release form on accounta education...but I might want to sell these if I end up with a product worth selling down the road.

So, say I get a really good shot on the airboat tour that includes the captain, or a super shot of the Catamaran crew at work. Should I try to get a release form then and there? Not worry about it all? Send an email and a thank you shot later and then ask for a release? I saw a super cool photo on the FL Keys official tourism site, that included two women from the back. The picture is not labeled as to location or photographer or subjects, so I am assuming all that is not always necessary?

What are the laws? What are the commonly adhered to courtesies?

[seebs]

I don't. I sorta tried once, but none of my photos were good enough to pass the rigorous screening.

[Ari]

I've made a few bucks submitting to Microstock. It's nice but takes serious work to make anything from. The second idea sounds better, and more entertaining.

If any identifying feature is visible you need a model release to sell photos of people in a non artistic (gallery for example) way. Really if you think you might use it, get a release, while you can do it after the fact then and there is best. A stack of half or quarter page short forms can easily go into a bag pocket.

Here's where you can get a little bit squishy, for the most part the model release will never be seen after it's signed and people often just care that you have one (this practice has gotten large companies in trouble in the past, yet they still seem to do it). I've found the language on most model releases to be pretty harsh and like more human/simple versions, while they may/may-not hold up as strong in court it's often easier to get people to sign them.

Something of value has to eventually change hands to validate the release, this can be anything from a print, to a shiny new quarter to an actual modeling fee but the courts seem to be anal about it.

Another thing to watch in stock is trademarks. No logos, brand names, or other registered images without getting consent to use them. This can be a pain and kills the usefulness of many shots (logos and brands are everywhere!). There's also the occasionally talked about property release if there's a building or owned 'property' in your photo (say the Luxor hotel in vegas). While some property owners would like you to think you need one, there's no legal precedent for them.

[LadyShea]

What about crowds? Like a farmer's market, or busy street or theme park?

[LadyShea]

Ari, some of the sample model releases I am seeing are just like you said. I would not feel comfortable asking people to sign that. What is the general wording you use?

Also, what about an exchange of rights instead of monetary exchange. Like, if I get some cool photos of the commercial ventures I mentioned, could I give them the right to use my photo for their own advertising in exchange for them releasing the right to use their likeness in my whatever?

[curses]

Exchange of rights is tricky. You generally lease certain rights to people/a company as opposed to giving them. Never give up your copyright on images! I have a link at the house that's a forum for questions like this, I'll link it when I get home.

Lots of times I let them use my photos for a year in print ads in exchange for my doing class assignments using their property. I show them my school ID, swap business cards, and away we go. A short contract would be the way to go in a non-school environment so that everyone knows their limitations of fair use.

[curses]

Oh and FWIW I use blinkbid software for contract generation/sales/billing/contact management. It's probably overkill for you but see if they have a trial download and have a look.

[LadyShea]

I envisioned a simple contract allowing limited use of my images for their own print advertising while I get their release for use of their likeness.

LOL, listen to me. I do not yet even know if I will get a picture that's worth a shit let alone one worth any kind of legalize writing. I am just thinking way ahead as I always do.

[LadyShea]

This guy seems to have lots of good info

Model Releases (http://www.danheller.com/model-release.html#6.1)

[curses]

Here's the site I was referencing earlier.
Shakodo: A Question and Answer site focused on practical pricing for photography (http://www.shakodo.com/)

[Vivisectus]

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc456/Vivisectus/IMG_3324.jpg

I have been having fun here as the sun is nice and bright, which allows me to set the shutter-speed to fast and just let the continuous shoot roll.

[Vivisectus]

The actual pictures are better quality - I have them like this for dem intarwebs.

[Vivisectus]

I need to walk for at least an hour a day for the ole back. Also, not being able to move much for a while has not been kind to the old beer-belly. Luckily, Molly needs to be walked anyway and we are having a spate of summery weather, me and Molly go walkabout for a few hours every day. With the new halter-lead I can simply tie her leash to my backback, which allows me to take my camera with me every day in case I see something interesting.

Yesterday I cam across this:

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc456/Vivisectus/churchruin.jpg

[Vivisectus]

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc456/Vivisectus/churchruin2.jpg

[Vivisectus]

I went walkabout today, and very aptly was rewarded by a peek at this Hibernian Hare. Very Eastery isn't it!

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc456/Vivisectus/Irishhareinternet.jpg

[Vivisectus]

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc456/Vivisectus/Irishhare2internet.jpg

[Vivisectus]

Also, here is a fly pretending to be a bee - a hoverfly.
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc456/Vivisectus/Hoverflyinternet.jpg