around the net: volume 15 , micro worlds and newspaper jobs

When was the last time you viewed photography you would describe as “arresting”? I don’t often use that term but that’s exactly how I feel about Andy Ilachinski’s Micro Worlds Portfolio. Andy is the author of the Tao of Digital Photography Blog and writes eloquently on the quest of the artist. If you’re seeking a higher level of understanding of your art and yourself, there’s inspiration to be found on Andy’s Blog.

I’ve been carrying my point-n-shoot around lately and snapped the shot at left while walking to lunch a couple days ago. It also happens to be of a micro world, a piece of found, rusty metal about 2” x 3”. It’s amazing what you can find going on in a little area like that. Who knows, it might find it’s way into some future photo collage or layered in as a texture for something. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

On Wednesday evening I had a very enjoyable dinner conversation about the past, present and future of photography. Most specifically, the future of professional photography. Where will the profession be in a few years? The only constant seems to be change.

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Switching from Apple Mac OS X to Windows Vista ?

Can a photographer find happiness switching from Apple’s Mac OS X to Windows Vista? This photographer is going to find out in a controlled experiment. Yes, at Daylight Photo we still have our eight Mac machines up and running and that’s not going to change, at least not in the short term. But when it came time to buy a laptop from which to run this blog, I decided to give a PC a try. I do have an aging PC desktop at home that runs Ubuntu Linux but my last Windows experience was back in the days of Windows 98.

I’ve long been a believer in both Apple hardware and the Mac OS, it truly is quality stuff. So when I needed a blogging laptop I planned to go straight for a Mac. An iBook with DVD burner would run around $1400 and then I’d need some software and then…I could be up to $2000 before I knew it. Wow, the blog makes a couple bucks here and there but it would take quite a while to pay off $2k. That’s more than I could afford to invest.

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sources of inspiration for your photography

Where do you find inspiration?

Photographers often find inspiration by studying the work of other photographers. I certainly do. For both professionals and amateurs there are amazing resources like the contest sections at PDNonline. With something like 3 million photos uploaded to Flickr every day there’s certainly no lack of photographic diversity and inspiration there. The internet is an incredible resource for finding images and technical information. Looking at photographs isn’t the only way to find inspiration, though.

I began photo assisting straight out of high school and, as a result, never attended college. Lacking a formal art education I’ve had to educate myself through visiting museums, the public library and meeting artists and other creative people through the course of my work. A large part of my personal inspiration comes from looking at what creative people have done and are doing in mediums other than photography. Painting, sculpture, literature, music and film all inform the way I look at the world.

Here’s what I’ve tried to pick up from other mediums:

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buying and selling used camera gear on eBay

Do you buy used photo and camera gear on eBay?

With talk of starting a new photo project in August (some great suggestions in Friday’s comments) I’ve been thinking about what equipment to use for the project. For myself, I’m thinking film…35mm, 120 or 4″x5″? Hmmm, is there some new (used) camera that would totally spark my imagination? Camera hunting is a great excuse to start searching eBay.

Most of my camera equipment gets used on a fairly regular basis, I’m not that much of a collector. Yes, there are some odds ‘n’ ends: the Russian Iskra, the Seagull twin-lens 120 camera, a handful of manual Pentax lenses (where did those come from?) and some plastic toy cameras that don’t receive any use. Otherwise, for my personal use, I run a pretty lean ship. But from time to time the camera bug bites, about every other year, and I end up on eBay looking for something or other.

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video: episode 22, photographing a ‘57 Chevy in the studio

Ever have a chance to photograph a car in a studio? At Daylight Photo we’re not completely set up for car photography but we had a chance to do this fun shoot, thanks to the Ohio Valley Camera Club, who rounded up the vintage Chevrolet. Though the auto doesn’t fit on a tabletop, we’re using the same principles as in earlier prophotolife product lighting videos (think of this as a really large cheese grater - with horsepower).

Here’s a link to the gallery of stills.

Subscribers can view the video here:

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around the net, volume 14: copyright, links, movies about photographers and a photo a day

Definitive copyright info

I just watched a couple of very informative videos on Photoshop Insider: Scott Kelby’s exclusive interview with Attorney Ed Greenberg on copyright, model releases and shooting in public. Many of the questions posed by prophotolife readers regarding legal issues (can I photograph that building? do I need a model release? how do I protect copyright?) are answered here in Scott’s videos, all in easy to understand language. Mr. Greenberg starts with a funny (and very accurate) statement, “photographers insist, when they have a legal problem, on asking other photographers for legal advice rather than asking an attorney”. Here’s your chance to hear the answers straight from a knowledgeable attorney.

Great source of photo links

Digital Photography School just published a current 25 Great Links and Tutorials from Around the Web. I was attracted to a couple of links in particular and found a few sites I wasn’t familiar with. I’m confident there’s something of interest here for everyone.

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Posted in around the net, review | 13 Comments »

pinhole camera for trade (seriously)

Remember the pinhole camera from video episode 8? Of all the many videos and posts here on prophotolife, “how to build a 35mm pinhole camera” provides one of the steadiest streams of search traffic. In the past couple months I’ve moved the camera from desk to desk, taken it home and brought it back to the studio and forgotten it in my truck for at least a week or so.

Well, it’s time the pinhole camera found a real home. At first I thought it might be funny to put it on eBay, just to see if the $10 spent on parts could be recovered. Then I was inspired by the One Red Paperclip guy. Ever heard of him? He started with one red paperclip and traded it away for something better, eventually trading his way up to a house, fourteen trades later.

That could be fun, I thought. How about trading away the pinhole camera for something else photographic, seeing what could eventually be worked up to? Where would it end: a disposable camera, a Kodak Brownie, a Digital SLR? Would I even get one offer? You never know until you try.

So does anyone have something photo related they‘d like to trade for a like new, handmade pinhole camera, the star of video episode 8? No limitations, all offers (if any are made) will be entertained. It even comes complete with custom tripod mount (that would be the rubber bands in the photo)…

- Jim T.

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business of photography: developing your own photographic style

Aspiring professional and enthusiast photographers work hard to find their own particular style, a visual look that sets them apart from the crowd. Your style is like your own personal signature and it may revolve around the use of a particular lens, color palette, camera or post-production technique. Or it may be the way you communicate with your subject and the responses you elicit and capture. It may be a combination of many of these things.

Do you have a style? If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated, unable to find your own style (or voice) with photography, maybe these suggestions will be a help. After twenty-five years in professional photography I can identify a few things that have helped me get over creative humps:

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The Farm Security Administration - a photographic US national treasure

If you live in the United States you are partial owner to some of the most important photographs in U.S. history. The Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information (FSA-OWI) funded a national documentary photo project during the Great Depression years (1935 - 1945). Now-legendary photographers like Walker Evans, Ben Shahn, Jack Delano, Dorothea Lange, Carl Mydans, Gordon Parks, John Vachon and Marion Post Walcott (among others) were hired by the U.S. government to document the country during this trying time. With the nation sorely in need of economic stimulus, the government set about creating jobs, including putting photographers to work. The young photographers travelled the country, living in their cars, capturing this pivotal time with their 4″x5″, 2 1/4″ and 35mm cameras.

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video: episode 21, small product problem solving in the studio

What do all successful photographers have in common? They’re problem solvers. When faced with a challenge they conjure up solutions, using experience and creative thought as a guide. Whether it’s a photojournalist seeking access to a story, a portrait photographer with a difficult client or a commercial shooter with a troublesome product, they all face challenges head on and deliver the goods.

Back in the hills we used to say “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”. That just means there’s more than one solution to a challenge. Today’s video uses a simple setup to illustrate one situation with three possible solutions. Yes, sometimes there are alternatives to “just fixing it in Photoshop”.

Speaking of problem solving, today’s video is being served up by a new host: Vimeo. Let me know what you think. The video is larger and of higher quality so I’m very pleased. There have been increasing difficulties with YouTube so I hope this works out to be a better solution.

A gallery of still images from this video may be viewed here.

Subscribers view video here:

Don’t have a polarizer? For a great selection Shop Calumet Photographic - It’s Where the Pros Go. And a reminder for anyone considering studio strobe lighting: Calumet is running their super special $169.99 pricing on the Genesis 200 1-Light Kit at least through the end of this month (July). The Genesis 200 2-Light Kit is currently just $339.99 (you also get free shipping with any Calumet order over $75). I can honestly say it’s a great deal, I’ve been very happy with mine.

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