Enjoy!

Well, this week I am calling Kevin out, because he definitely is worthy of your traffic.  Kevin Mullins is an outstanding photographer, based out of Malmesbury Wiltshire (that’s in England, across the pond, or the UK for the geographically challenged…)  He’s had reviews done by friend-of-the-blog, Jason Moore, and most recently has launched a photography website for his wedding photography.  So, first off, welcome Kevin, and thanks for agreeing to come on the Thursday Thoughts Series.

Thanks’ very much for inviting me on here Jason.  It’s a great privilege.

Q:  I don’t know why people keep saying that, but thanks I guess.  It’s just fun to be learning from everyone thus far that’s been willing to contribute, yourself included.  But anyway, I digress…starting things off, I’d like to talk a little about your Wedding Photography – as you stated on your blog, wedding photography is your passion, and that is evidenced by the work you have put in thus far.  With so many areas to choose from, why did wedding photography stand out for you as a career path?  Well, it kind of “just happened”. 

A:  I have been taking photographs for a long time but around two years ago I knew that I wanted to make a career from photography.  I’ve often looked at wedding photos and thought “I could do that”, or, more often “If I was taking that shot, I would do it like this…”.  The interest continued to grow and I started forming my own style of shots in my head.  Contemporary artists such as Crash Taylor and Jeff Ascough really inspire me and I am in awe of the way they deal with light and composition in a wedding shoot.  Having your own style is key, and whilst those guys inspire, its building my own style that is really important to me.  I really want to give the bride (and groom) some photographic memories that they will cherish and will become a family focus point for years to come, but don’t just look like all the other photographs out there.

Q:  You have a definite journalistic flair in how you create your images, specifically as evidenced by the series from Andrew and Katherine’s photos, as well as those from Marie’s wedding (I love that shot of her under the arched trees).  You’ve mentioned Cartier-Bresson, Crash Taylor and Jeff Ascough as inspirational sources.  Any particular insights you’ve gained from these folks?

A:  Cartier-Bresson’s imagery is just astounding.  His use of geometry and shape in photography is out-of-this-world.  I have read his biography recently and to get an insight into his thought process is intriguing to say the least.  The “modern masters”, such as Crash and Jeff are the people I look to now for inspiration and technique. Both of them run very informative blogs with great great images that people like me can look at, disseminate, and learn from.  They are somewhat different in styles themselves so I look to Jeff’s work more for the documentary and natural-light experiences, and Crash for his awesome signature portrait shots of the bride and groom.  There are so many talented photographers out there and the internet opens up such a huge avenue for learning from them.

Q:   So, how have you adapted techniques from these resources to come up with your own “look”?  Or, better yet, do you have any particular images that you feel uniquely define your approach and/or style?

I aim to develop my own style of wedding photography and the new 5D MK II helps me do that to some extent.  I’m using purely natural light (the high ISO capability of the modern cameras lends to this type of photography.) and I try and use my 85mm lens as much as possible.  This lens is so sharp and the style I am trying to achieve uses a lot of depth of field.  This lens is f1.2 at its widest point and so it really helps in that respect.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Q:  As a fellow member of NAPP, how much have you developed your style from the support content and materials in sites like NAPP and other photography communities?

A:  To be honest, whilst I am a member if NAPP, I don’t use their forums as much as I should.  It is a great resource though, and the magazine and techniques online are very useful – especially when new versions of Adobe software come to the market.  I do use Kelby Online Training and I think that is a great resource.  I try and put aside an afternoon a week to “train myself” – although this isn’t always practical as I also run my own web development firm.  I find the POTN (Photography on the net) forum useful when researching gear and also for keeping an eye on other peoples work.  I also find the SWPP forum in the UK extremely useful as there are a lot of very knowledgeable people there too.  I really find most of my inspiration from trawling the net and finding great wedding photography.

Q:  I already know the answer to this, but I would imagine the readers may want to know – what kind of gear do you shoot with?

A:  I was lucky enough to get a Canon EOS 5D MkII back in December last year.  It arrived on the 2nd December just in time for a big family birthday celebration which was great as I got a chance to practice with it.  I have a number of Canon and Sigma lenses too but my favorite lens of them all is the 85mm f/1.2.  It is simply magical.  I also have a 100mm macro, 16-35mm, 24-105mm and 70-200mm which hopefully covers all my bases.  I haven’t really looked at the HD video on Mk II yet, but I am beginning to see some “fusion” wedding photography out there which is a mix of video and stills and this is something I would like to look at in more depth as the technology progresses.  That said, stills will always be my No1. priority.

Q:  Since your style journalistic in nature you obviously will take a large number of photos during any event, whether pre-wedding or the actual wedding day.  What kinds of numbers do you typically return from an event with?  How do you handle your post processing? (Computer/software/etc.?)

A:    I actually did a wedding shoot recently and I took in excess of 1500 shots, of which I will probably sift down to 250-300.  I would expect the Bride and Groom to select anything between 50 and 150 for their package.  I do all my first phase processing in Lightroom now.  It’s such a good tool for cataloguing and doing bulk adjustments.  Anything more detailed such as spot removal I will still do in Photoshop.  I would love to see Adobe integrate Lightroom and Photoshop to truly marry the non-destructive workflow experience.  I am off to a two day seminar with Jeff Ascough at the end of the month and hopefully I will gain an insight into his post-processing workflow as I know he uses Photoshop heavily to create his stylized shots.

Q:  Could you also explain a little more about the idea behind the “pre-wedding” shoot you discuss on your website?

Pre-wedding shoots are quite common here (I’m not sure about in the U.S).  Typically you spend an afternoon or so with the bridge and groom a couple of months before the wedding taking some natural portraiture shots of them.  The idea, really, is to get to know the couple more.  The last thing anybody wants on the big day is for any uncomfortable scenes between the photographer and the bride and groom.  The pre-wedding shoot gives us a chance to get to know each other more and also to go through some ideas of poses and how to work in front of the camera.  It gives me a chance to identify what types of shots I can encourage them to do on the day, and what will be the limits.  Some couples are outgoing and excitable in front of a camera and some simply want to get the process out of the way so it is important to gain that knowledge well before the big day.  If we can, I intend to do the pre-wedding shoots at the venue of the wedding.  That way, we can all scout the area together and look for great places and light at the venue and, essentially, rehearse for the big day!  The pre-wedding shoot is part of the wedding package, but if the bride and groom want to buy any prints or a frame or even a mini-album after, then even better!

Q:  Oh, and since we talked about photo gear and computer/software preferences, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask this:  Chocolate, Vanilla or Strawberry?

A:  Chocolate every time.  My wife bought our nieces some Easter Eggs and they lasted less than 24 hours in our house.  We ate them and will have to buy the kids more now!

Q:  We all know you’re a regular contributor to Canon Blogger – what about other online resources?  Are there any that you find particularly useful that you’d like to share with the blogosphere?

A:  I”ve mentioned a few in the article already, but I think some of the sites that are great are:

• Crash Taylor Interviews
• POTN
• Kelby Training
• Damien Lovegrove’s blog is an excellent resource both business and photographically

I have quite a few blogs in my reader (such as Canon Blogger, Michael Palmer, Jen Rinaldi etc), that I like to visit each day.  I comment when I think it’s appropriate and appreciate it when people comment on my blog too.  All of these blogs are part of the fabric of my learning and I’m always on the lookout for other blogs that inspire and keep me focused.

Q:  Last but not least – any final thoughts you’d like to share on the state of the industry, thoughts on the future of photography, or other “words of wisdom”?

A:  Well, I rely on others to give me wisdom, but if I had to look to the future I would say that we will be seeing a lot more video and still fusion work going on over the next five years or so.  The latest Canon announcement (the EOS 500D) will bring HD video to the consumer level DSLRs which infers that it is here to stay.  Oh, and I definitely recommend moving out of London to the countryside!  It has a great effect on your well being 

Excellent advice, thanks Kevin! That about wraps things up here so don’t forget to stop over at Kevin’s blog.to see and enjoy his particular vision and style of work.  In the meantime, tomorrow might be another “no-blog” day because I am doing a little bit of travelling – depends on how soon I can get home.  So, happy shooting all, and if I don’t get home in time for another post, have a great weekend!

Q: Hi Robert, and thanks for taking the time to sit down with me to share your thoughts and insights here. First off, since we’re doing things a little differently, let’s start with your 365 project. Could you explain what a 365 blog is, and what was your motivation for starting this project?

A:  Hi Jason, thanks for having me. A 365 blog or project is basically just taking at least one photo a day and in my case posting and writing a little about it. My motivation to start one was to get me using my camera again. I was in a rut and had hardly used my camera in four months after coming home from a long vacation and finding very few good photos out of several hundred taken on the trip. I was finding myself spending more time in Photoshop trying to fix photos and was getting frustrated with the taking the photo part. To help get motivated I signed up for a weekend seminar on lighting and photographing artwork. The instructor happened to be a national portfolio reviewer and he did a short review of some of my work and gave me some great feedback and some tips to get going again. One was to sketch with my camera, which meant to just go out and take photos. He said to not worry about subject or lighting…just take a photo of anything of interest and then use these to refer back to for more creative ideas. This got me started down the road towards the project.

Q:  Do you look for particular themes or have specific ideas in mind for each day that you have mapped out, or do you approach each day from a “whatever comes my way” mentality?

A:  I originally started out thinking I was going to take around an old pair of my army boots and use them as a prop around the old Army base I live on. This lasted about three days when I realized if I wanted to continue on with the project I was going to need to be more flexible and that lead to a much more free form mentality.

Q:  And what kind of gear do you shoot with (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, Olympus, etc.)?

A:  Canon 30D

Q:  What about post-processing gear (Mac, PC, Linux, etc.)?

A:  PC and when I post process Photoshop CS3 and Adobe Bridge.

Q:  And of course, the Chocolate/Vanilla/Strawberry question?

A:  As a kid I loved the chocolate/vanilla swirl cones but if I had to choose it would be chocolate.

Q:  Oooh, I’d forgotten about the swirl!  I loved that too.  Anyway, back to photography – how long have you been shooting?

A:  Since October 2007 after my wife, parents and sister chipped in to buy me my first digital camera for my 40th birthday.

Q:  So, about a year and a half now – well, you’ve got a great eye, and your knack for composition is really evident!    One shot in particular that I liked was done recently, on day 83 where you not only did your daily post, but also the setup with your homemade light box.  Are there any shots in particular from the project that stand out thus far for you?  (I know the bronze leaf was a popular one…)

A:  Day 66 or Red Tulips. Pretty much the first photo that made me pause and go     “wow” that turned out nicely.

I also like Day 73 or The Day I Retired My Baseball Glove. I was a huge baseball fan as a kid and played nearly year round. As an adult I played in different softball leagues over the years but hadn’t played for about 12 years before last year. My body took a beating so decided to retire the ball and glove and even though I didn’t mention that in my blog several comments were made about the emotion of the photo and that made me feel good that I was able to get that across in my photo.

Q:  Very nice.  Both are excellent and powerful images!  So, you’re about a quarter of the way through this project – any ideas for new projects that have come up you’re going to be pursuing?

A:  Right now my focus is to finish this project but start expanding into areas I haven’t touched on yet, like portrait. Part of the project was to also find out what style interests me so I want to explore all the styles I can. Not that I feel I need to limit myself to a specific style after my project is done but would like to figure out if there’s something that interests me the most. At the moment still life has caught most of my attention.

Q:  I’ve not seen a “for sale” sign on your blog…have you considered hanging out a shingle and actually putting some prints up for sale?  If someone wanted to purchase any prints from you, would you be open to that?

A:  Sure I’d be open to selling some of my prints. It’s been on the back of my mind and have explored opening a SmugMug account to host a portfolio of my best work. I hadn’t touched on it yet but all the photos on my blog are unedited, straight from the camera so I may need a little post work.

Q:  Any final thoughts on the project, photography in general, that you’d like to share?

A:  I think in the 3 months I’ve been doing this project I’ve come to realize one thing. No matter how many books and magazines I read, podcasts I listened too or websites I visited prior to January 1, 2009 I was not going to learn to be a better photographer until I put my hands on my camera and took as many photos I could a day. Not that having all those resources available is a bad thing…I just felt like I was approaching information overload. I decided to approach my project using Shoshin, or the Beginner’s Mind, which is having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject.

I put away the books and picked up the camera and made it my goal to make the best possible photograph in camera as I could. No post work so all my photos posted to my blog are straight from the camera and if I have issues with the photo I write about what I would do differently and highlight mistakes I made, such as forgetting to check my white balance setting or to make sure the horizon line is straight. Things that could easily be fixed in Photoshop but also just as easy to fix in camera. I also stepped outside my comfort zone and put myself out there for critique and feedback. This has helped immensely and I’ve made some great contacts via Flickr, Twitter and the blog. I still struggle with the putting myself out there more part but I think everyone wanting to become a better photographer should search out a community they feel comfortable in and ask for some feedback. The photography and Photoshop community are about the nicest and most helpful people you’ll ever find. I just hope to be able to be as helpful one day as everyone else has been for me.

Once again thank you Jason and thank you for being part of this great community.

The pleasure is all mine Robert.  Thank you so much for agreeing to take part in the “Thursday Thoughts” series, and I’ll be keeping an eye on the project as you go forward with the rest of it from here.  It’s been quite the enjoyable approach, and I’d like to wish you all the best going forward (us Canonite’s have to stick together! )

Please take a moment to stop over to Robert’s 365 project at Unqualified to Blog as well as his Flickr Photostream and share your thoughts with his work over there.  Then, as Robert said, reading blogs and listening to podcasts isn’t going to do it all, so don’t forget to get out there and keep on practicing for real!  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Without further ado, here’s the latest in the revived Thursday thoughts series, with Scott Eccleston!

Q:  Hi Scott, welcome and thanks for agreeing to participate in the latest edition of the Thursday Thoughts series.  Since everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…first up, ow long have you been a photographer?

A:  I got my first digital point and shoot in 2003…

Q:  So, that means you’ve been shooting digital for about 6 years now.  What kind of gear do you shoot with (i.e. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax)?

A:  Nikon, not to feed into the “Nikon vs. Canon” feud, it was because of familiarity. My first camera was a Nikon, then I upgraded to a Nikon 8700 (looking back, it was not much of an upgrade), then a D70, then to a D200, and now a D300 (but there is this persistent fantasy that involves a D3x)…

Q:  No worries about brand wars here – I think the CB readership knows it’s about the person behind the lens (and in front).  What about film?  Ever dabbled in that prior to digital?

A:  No film, never shot film – as Vincent Versace says “film is what you grows on your teeth when you don’t brush” 

Q:    Who’s Vincent Versace?  Just kidding!  What about post production – do you work on a mac, PC, Linux, or some combo?

A:  PC…

Q:  And let’s go completely off topic for a moment:  Chocolate, Vanilla or Strawberry?

A:  STRAWBERRY!

Q:  Nice!  Well, now that we’ve gotten the basic sundry stuff out of the way, I like to get others insights on various aspects of your work – and this often starts with the critique.  Photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.   With that setup, what would you say was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A:  It was a critique about composition – “cinematic approach to photography”. Film makers (and film shooters) do not have the luxury of cropping; thought and planning are an important part of their image composition. Because I started shooting digital I adopted the “I’ll crop that out” that evolved into the “I’ll fix that in Photoshop” mindset that is too common with digital shooters. Confession, I began as a lazy photographer, I used Photoshop as a sledgehammer, now I use it as an emery board. I use it so infrequently now that when I do, it takes me a moment to orient myself to the workspace. And I don’t use it to “fix” an image, I use it for a black and white conversion or to edit something I had no control over at the time of the shoot (like blemish removal). I learned that if I spent more time getting it right in camera not only did I spend less time in post production, I was getting better quality images.

Sorry, I was rambling, but this is fundamental building block in my evolution as a photographer (and I could ramble on, and on, and…).

Q:  Heh, again, no worries – I’ve been known to wax on and on myself.  Speaking of waxing, just the other day I was…oh, wait, sorry, getting off topic there.  Back on the subject of critique… if someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  The first thing would be to determine if they really want an “Honest Critique”.

1. Intent
2. Technique
3. Execution

Q:  What happened to the rambling nature?  Again, just kidding, but I like the approach – it shows how you approach capturing your own images!  Speaking of capturing your own images, as we’ve seen the post process mature in programs like Photoshop and other software options,  new ways to create images are presenting wider options and possibilities. If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A:  GEAR! The software should be used to complement your work, not create it.

Q:  Heh, well, it shows in your skillwith which you execute your imagery.  Speaking of which, you’ve got a great body of work!  In that vein, if you had to pick three pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick and why?

A:  Each of these images represents a first for me…

This was taken with my point and shoot and was the first image that said something to me, that evoked an emotion. It was the image that made me want to learn more about photography (and spend a ton of money on gear in the process).

This was the first of my images that said something to others. I was new to the Portland (Maine) Camera Club and had just started submitting to print competitions, during the critique one of the judges (who is a well established professional photographer) said “this is one of the best black and whites I have seen here”.

This is the first time I had an idea for an image that came out exactly as I had envisioned it.

Q:  Wow!  These are great ones, and I can see why you chose them.  Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts, work, and input here on the blog.  Are there any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  There are two things about the state of photography that have drawn me in and make me want to stay:

• When photographers discover new things, new techniques, instead of hiding it like a closely guarded secret; they share it with the rest of the world. Sites like Strobist and people like you are great examples of this.
• In keeping with that theme, most photographers seem to have little interest or desire in being better than another photographer, they just have a desire to be a better photographer.

Thank you for inviting me here Jason.

Thank you Scott, the pleasure has been all mine (as is the same for the readers of the blog)!  Remember, you can find out more about Scott, his Weekly Photo Tips, and his professional body of work on the web too, so be sure to stop over and enjoy everything he has to offer!

CB:  Hi Andrew, and thanks so much for taking the time out of your schedule to participate in this.  I’ll get right to things…first with a few of the standard questions.  How long have you been a photographer?

AR:  I started as a kid. My dad gave me his camera, an Exakta VXIIa 35mm that at the time was pretty cool camera with interchangeable viewfinder. Plus it was a left-handed camera. Like many, my first experience in the B&W darkroom was one of amazement upon seeing ones first print come up before my eyes. I assisted a very good commercial photographer in LA in the early 1980s after which he kind of forced me to go to Art Center to get a degree in photography. I left the fall/winter of 1983 to work for the LAOOC who were staging the LA Olympics that summer. I got to shoot for them for 7 months, including the games themselves. It was my first introduction to sports photography and Fujichrome! I went back to Art Center, got a degree in 1988, shot locally doing mostly editorial and corporate/annual report work. Left LA in 1994 for Santa Fe and a new career that wasn’t income generated from shooting.

CB:  What kind of gear have you used over the course of your career?

AR:  From Exakta I went to Pentax, then Nikon, then Canon (as well as Hasselblad, Sinar). I shot with a lot of Kodak DCS cameras too, dating back to the original DCS-1. Now I’m using a 5D-MII, which I’m very impressed with. I’ve been lucky over the years to be able to shoot with a lot of digital capture devices I could never afford to buy. Betterlight scan backs, Leaf and Phase backs and so on.

CB:  So, you’ve clearly been shooting since the film era.  Did you have any particular favorite or are you still shooting with it?

AR:  I became a big fan of Fujichrome, despite its original reputation in 1984 when we were testing it for the Olympics (Fuji was a sponsor). Prior to that, I was a Kodachrome shooter. I can’t recall the last time I shot film that wasn’t for some Film vs. Digital test. I don’t miss film at all, sorry. I had to do a lot of scans in my time, like working all night in the darkroom, it gets weary after awhile.

CB:  I must say, testing film for use in the Olympics is sufficiently impressive!  How about your computer setup?  Do you prefer Macs, PC’s, Linux, or some other variant?

AR:  Mac, since 1988. In the old, old days, Photoshop only ran on a Mac!

CB:  Fair point…and now for the zany question of the day, Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

AR:  Chocolate if forced to pick just one.

CB:  With all the sundry stuff out of the way, let’s move into an area with a little more granularity. Photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  What was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

AR:  My god, that’s a though one! A great deal of the learning process at Art Center was the “crit”, from both instructor and fellow students. I think that total honesty with the understanding that much of this is subjective is key. That said, I spent two weeks on the Amazon River doing a photo tour with Jay Maisel who is one of the best instructors I’ve ever had. His approach to working with light, color and gesture is always in the back of my mind when shooting. If you ever have a chance to hear Jay speak, it could change the way you look at the world as a photographer. I don’t recall who first suggested that its critically important to scan your frame prior to capturing an image when time permits, really thinking about what’s in the frame and why its important to the image. Cropping after the fact is equally important because sometimes you really need to study the image after capture. Jay really reinforces the idea of ensuring everything in the cropped final is important to the total image. I really love Lightroom’s non-destructive cropping. It pays to revisit images you haven’t looked at in some time and seeing if indeed, the crop works or not.

CB:  Kind of makes me want to go back and look at some of my past images using Lightroom now!  What about giving critiques though?  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

AR:  There’s that initial first look that either pulls me into the image or it doesn’t. Going back to Jay, I ask myself “is does this image say anything about light, color, gesture or more than one”? Second, I ask myself,  “Would I want to have this image on my wall, can I view it over and over again and see something new”? There are many images that I find successful that I might not want to view every day. Third, ask myself if I find the image successful due to the image or the presentation (which try to dismiss if possible). I’m seeing a trend these days with images that are printed really, really large because the size makes the image seem more important or more successful. But size doesn’t count; it doesn’t make a lesser image better.

CB:  Wow, I’d not thought of the impact that print or presentation size can have on how imagery is received, but that’s a great point!  Let’s move into something more software and technique oriented.  Being as well-versed as you are in color-management, you know that as Photoshop and other software programs mature and develop, new ways to create images are presenting wider options and possibilities. If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

AR:  The gear. I’m finding less and less the need or desire to do work in Photoshop once I’ve used Lightroom, my modern digital “darkroom” to process the Raw images. I have to have software! The Raw (even the JPEG) is useless without a way to interpret what is nothing more then a big pile of zero’s and ones. The gear and latent film image, without a processor is equally inadequate. The software doesn’t create the image, so we have to rely on the photographer and some capture device. Some of the newer software is interesting in how it attempts to allow the user to produce some “looks”, like HDR that were not possible or darn difficult in the analog days. I find however that many prosumer photographers (if I can use that term), even some pro’s use software to mimic a “look” someone else has created and I think that’s usually a shame. I have to wonder if we really need plug-in’s that automatically make your image look like someone else’s style.

CB:  So, in looking at images you’ve captured with your gear, if you had to pick three pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick (feel free to share images here)?

The image called “Tosh” (Macintosh my dog at the time) that became my logo is near and dear to my heart and was one of a series of such images I did in the early Photoshop days (I started on version 1.0.7).

Two recent images from my trip with in 2007 were influenced by Jay (who I’ve known since I graduated from school). I’m uncomfortable with the term “artistic vision” although I do recognize that there’s some creativity involved in making (my) images.

CB:  These shots are fabulous, and it’s nice to learn a little background of your well-known image of “Tosh”!  Thanks so much for sharing these.  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

AR:  I’m still so surprised that many users who are shooting Raw don’t realize that the LCD preview on their cameras and the histogram isn’t based on the Raw but the JPEG. And they don’t fully associate the differences in shooting for Raw versus JPEG in terms of proper exposure (Expose to the Right). As for catch phrases, I hate the term “accurate” color. You can’t define accurate without measuring the color and 99 times out of 100; measured color produces quite unattractive imagery on a display or output to a print. So when I shoot, I try to view the scene as I hope to express it on output, knowing neither the JPEG preview nor what I first see of the Raw data in my converter is going to be accurate to my memory vision of the scene. It’s still our job to render the print from what we “saw” when we captured the image or wish to visually express.

CB:  Let me say it for the record right here, that I did not know the histogram is based off the jpg and not the raw image.   As for the rest of your closing thoughts, you’ve definitely given me some food for thought, as well as the rest of the readership.  Andrew, again, thanks so much for taking the time to participate.  Have a great time at Photoshop World – I wish I could be there to take a class from you!

Well gang, that’s it for today.  There’s really nothing I can say to really “wrap things up” like I usually do.  You can find Andrew on the web at his website: Digital Dog, as well as through the NAPP forums.  There’s just tons of information on his website, including articles, links, ICC profile services, and much much more, and he is always very helpful to everyone in the NAPP forums!  Suffice to say, after hearing from Andrew, my own position on the learning curve just seemed to drop a little further.  Thanks so much to Andrew, and let’s hope we can take the insights he has shared with us here on the Thursday thoughts series and strive to make our own work better.  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here… how long have you been a photographer?

A:  In some degree I have always been a photographer – ever since I picked up my first Pentax 35 mm (film).  Although, I had some issues with understanding certain basics about the camera; but I always had it at my side.  When I went to college I took a course on developing film and b/w portraiture.  The professor I took was a good man, but could not relate to me very well on how to truly get the most out of the camera.  Nonetheless, I kept trying.  When I graduated college I was hired at that same University in their media relations department; it was then that I got my first digital SLR, a Canon 20D.  After I could see the image and really grasp the world of digital photography, then everything became more and more clear and exciting to me, especially, the world of off-camera flash.

Q:  Canon, Nikon, Sonly, Olympus, Pentax or some other brand?

A:  I started with a Canon 20D, but for the past 4 years I have been shooting with an amazing camera: a Nikon D200.  The D200 is out of date but this camera holds great significance to me; it is the first camera I bought with my own money.  I bought a D200 w/ vertical grip and a 70-200 f/2.8 lens.  Just recently, I have added to my arsenal a Nikon N80 film camera.  (My future camera purchases will be a Nikon D3 & Nikon F6).

Q:  Even though this is predominantly a blog about digital photography, I hit recently on what appears to be a resurgence of film.  Do you have any thoughts on film photography?  Have you ever shot with film?  If so, any particular types of film that you’ve enjoyed using?

A:  I truly love film, I always have.  But, due to not understanding film and how to shoot film in the beginning I allowed that valuable lesson to slip me by.    This is not the case anymore.  I am gradually making the mark back to film and I am absolutely ecstatic about what I am seeing.  (All the b/w images featured are examples of my wedding film work).  Film represents more than an image taken with a digital camera; it represents a true moment forever captured in time, un-manipulated, unrehearsed, captured art.

I shoot primarily Professional B/W film speeds; Kodak Tri-X 400, Kodak T-Max 3200, and a little Ilford Delta 3200 here and there.

Q:    Mac, PC, or Linux?

A:  Once you go MAC, you don’t go back.

Q:  Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

A:  This question can only be answered by expressing my much needed and much appreciated desires for French-Pressed Coffee and Rich Chocolate.  Mix them together, a whole new world emerges.

Q:  I guess that would mean chocolate, eh?  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work. What was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A:  The most useful comment I have ever received is: “less is more.”  How true is that; for us all.  Technology rapidly advances every day and more cameras are coming out with the best ISO ratings, sensors, frame rates, etc., but, just because you have the power to take a thousand images per event or live by the philosophy “shoot now, ask later,” does that necessarily mean you should?  Less is more has been dramatically helpful in my wedding work.  I will talk with a bride and when I relate that I shoot film and only a limited amount of portraits will be shot compared to a thousand files uploaded; they get ecstatic.  Sometimes, I feel that the wedding photography industry has a tendency to overload the brides and grooms of tomorrow with endless amounts of files and photos; the goal is to tell a story not a mini-series.

Another helpful critique that was told to me not to long ago is “slow-down.”  The wedding day is packed with lots happening and lots to be photographed, but when we as professionals run all over the place trying to capture that “perfect” moment; we lose the beauty of that moment.  A photographer should be on his/her toes but not at the expense of ruining those tender moments for those in attendance, more importantly the bride and groom.

Keep in mind: less is more & slow-down.

Q:  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  If someone was asking me for an honest critique I would look at these factors: emotion and perspective, these two work hand in hand.  Wedding Photography, or any photography for that matter, is not about fancy equipment or the latest photography gear; it’s about telling a story with the tools you have.  It’s about capturing emotion through unique perspectives. Anybody can capture a smile or a hug at any event, but what excites me about photographing a wedding is capturing those exceptional and special moments and more than that; revealing the love that the bride and groom (even the guests) have for one another.

Q:  Wow, that’s a great mentality to have for an approach to wedding photography and constructive critique perspectives.  So, you obviously enjoy capturing moments.  With software seeing the development it has in recent years though, you could almost create images without a camera.  If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A:  If I had to choose between the gear or the latest software; it would be the gear.  I am not a Photoshop gu-ru.  Photoshop is a tool, not the means to create.  Photography will always begin and end with the gear.  Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive gear (although we all wish we could afford and have the most expensive stuff) to tell a story.  It is how you use what you currently have in your hands to do the job.  Photography, in my opinion, should always be about telling a story; not creating one.  Graphic Design and Graphic Arts, is a different story.

Q:  If you had to pick three to six pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick (feel free to share images here)?

Q:  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  When I am photographing a wedding (or anything in general) I always remember it’s not about me; it is about capturing a moment forever embedded in time on a photograph.  That’s what photography is to me.

Chris, thanks so much for taking the time to participate in the Thursday Thoughts Series!  Your work is really impressive and a true pleasure to look at and enjoy.  For anyone interested in seeing more about Chris, stop over and enjoy his website, his blog, and feel free to share your thanks with him via email too.  In the meantime, thanks all for stopping in and continuing to read and support the CB blog and podcast series.  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…How long have you been a photographer?

A:  Professionally 4 years.

Q:  Canon, Nikon, Sonly, Olympus, Pentax or some other brand?

A:  Canon 5D Mark II’s all the way baby!   It’s the ultimate wedding camera.

Q:  Mac, PC, or Linux?

A:  Mac’s rule!

Q:  Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

A:  Vanilla of course.

Q:  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  With that pretext set, what was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A:  My wife is my biggest fan and holds nothing back when critiquing my work. Her favorite phrases are I LOVE IT or I HATE IT.

Q:  Normally, I’d ask next who said it, but that’d be kind of redundant now.  So, let’s skip ahead to the next question.  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  LIGHT, COMPOSITION and EMOTION to me are the key elements to creating a stunning still image.

Q:  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A:  Not yet. I’m sure I will have some by the end of my career though. Ask me then.

Q:  If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A:  I definitely need both to create my signature style images.

Q:  If you had to pick three pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick?

Q:  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?
A:

1. Move it from the middle, move in close, watch the light, aim for impact and then capture the moment.
2. Life without passion and photography is unforgivable.

Thanks so much to Crash for taking the time to sit down and participate in the Thursday Thoughts series.  Like his outlook?  Then check out his site – it’s a must see, and can be found on the web here. Got anyone you would like to hear from on the Thursday Thoughts series?  Feel free to share ideas, comments, suggestions in the comments.  Until tomorrow then, happy shooting.

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…1.    How long have you been a photographer?

A:  I’ve enjoyed shooting pictures since I was a kid. I was in engineering school when digital photography really started gaining ground (late ‘90s) and that’s when my passion for shooting really began. (The technical nerd in me realized that I could feed my artistic side with cameras that required computers… what a concept!!) Then in January of 2007 my wife and I turned our love of photography into a side-business and we haven’t looked back as the business continues to grow. Full-time someday is the current dream. Sorry, that was a little more than you asked for.

Q:  Canon, Nikon, Sonly, Olympus, Pentax or some other brand?

A:  This may not be the best place to admit this, but I’m a Nikon guy. I can, however, honestly say I’ve never participated in any Canon bashing, online or in person. I do enjoy a little rivalry though…

Q:  Mac, PC, or Linux?

A:  As I mentioned earlier, I’m also an engineer so it’s PC all the way. I can’t trust a computer that doesn’t get rebooted everyday.

Q:  Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

Vanilla, with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. I may have a bowl after the interview.

Q:  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  With that backdrop in place…what was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly, and who said it (if you can share)?

One of my blog readers, a guy I know as “Emilio” regularly asks me, “Why did you…” or “What made you choose…” or the like about the photos I share on the blog. At first, I would find myself getting a little defensive, but later realized that being asked to express what was going through your mind when you took a photograph is a really powerful way to grow your photography. If you start to ask yourself those same questions BEFORE you take the picture, you’ll see the ratio of “keepers” increase.

Q:  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  Composition – Are you trying to create something artistic or are you just taking a snapshot? Either is fine, just know what you’re going for when you frame the shot.

Exposure – Are all of the areas of interest in the photograph properly exposed? Would a little artificial light make the difference between a good photo and a great photo?

Character – Coming from a guy who takes way too many pictures, I may sound like a hypocrite, but quantity does not lead to quality. Pictures with real character usually are the result of selecting a subject that interests you, and taking the time to put a little bit of yourself in each photograph.

Q:  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A:  Here’s the one that still brings me the most pain when I think about it.

November 2006.

I had spent the whole morning walking the streets of downtown Toronto taking pictures of this beautiful city. Bundled, though I was, 19 degrees, was still cutting through my coat when the wind was blowing.

I turned a corner to find a homeless man, completely covered in blankets asleep on the sidewalk in front of me. Only a single, bare foot hung out exposed to the elements.

As I was lifting my camera to take the shot (which was pretty moving by itself) a brand new Lamborghini Murcielago turned onto the street about a block or so up the road. It was heading toward us, and would pass the homeless man on the sidewalk. Both would fit perfectly into my frame. I zoomed out to reframe the shot.

My heart pounding I waited for my moment… and squeezed the shutter release.

It is at this point that I noticed the ‘FULL’ prominently displayed in my viewfinder.

I have never let a memory card get below 20-30 remaining images since – you just don’t know when that amazing photo is going to present itself.

Q:  If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A:  Gear. I love messing around on the computer more than most folks, but I sit behind a desk too much of my time. The camera lets me get out into the world, and that’s where all the photos are.

Q:  If you had to pick three pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick (feel free to share images here)?

A:  Three pictures! There’s no way. Problem is, my artistic vision continues to change, and (I hope) my approach to photography continues to mature with time. Recently I’ve enjoyed continuing to develop my portrait photography, so I’ll share a couple favorites from that genre.

The first is a studio shot I did of a good friend of ours whose husband is a musician (that’s his beloved guitar) – we did this as a surprise gift for him. I love the photo as it really captured both her beauty and attitude.

The next is fairly recent, from one of my more exciting assignments. I had the honor of serving as the official event photographer for the White House Summit on International Development here in DC. With the distinction of being a part of the logistics team for the event, I was given access to the president – and was allowed to stand right at the base of his podium during his speech. I don’t care what your politics are, that was a blast.

Finally, out of the thousands upon thousands of photos I’ve taken, this one currently holds the most treasured spot in my heart. My blog readers will recognize this as the shot I posted on Thanksgiving this year, my two beautiful daughters Reagan and McKinley, on the first occasion I was able to get them in the studio (the day McKinley came home from the hospital).

Q:  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  Let’s see. I’ve got a catch phrase that really stuck with me, from a conversation with the great Scott Kelby, about post-processing that I really like. When discussing what amount of “retouching” is acceptable for portraits (in context, a group of us were talking about a shot of a bride) Scott said, “It OK to make a bride look as beautiful as she should feel on her wedding day.”  That kind of thing is why that guy gets book deals. I still think about that statement every time I’m in post.

Final thoughts on photography… I’m like many others, excited to see an expansion of the art form and enjoying an ever-growing community of folks who share my same love for photos.

Jason, thank you for the opportunity to ramble on such an awesome blog – it’s been a lot of fun and I really appreciate it. Take care and Godspeed.

Rob, thanks to you for taking the time to participate, and readers, please take the time to stop over and see his blog and website – he’s got some truly great stuff there!

I was able to catch up with Jen Rinaldi recently and twisted her arm into taking a few minutes to share her thoughts on the CB Thursday Thoughts.  Jen really has some cool work and a super positive energy that is just infectious!  Make sure you visit her blog and website and share your thoughts with her.  In the meantime, here’s what Jen had to say:

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…  1.    How long have you been a photographer?

A:  I’ve been “into” photography since I was 6 years old when my parents gave me this old brown boxy camera to use and then eventually I graduated to my very own 110 which I still own!  I’ve been “serious” about photography as a hobby since January of 2007 and turned it into a side business Oct/Nov of 2007

Q:  Old boxy brown camera eh?  What about now?  What are you shooting with… Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax or some other brand?

A:  Nikon!

Q:  Argh…a Nikonian in my midst again.  Maybe I can get lucky with computer affiliation?  Mac, PC, or Linux?

A:  I’m a PC girl all the way!

Q:  Yay!  (ALthough I do work cross-platform so that was a winher either way!  Off the beaten path now: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

A:  Ohhh, I like when they have all 3 together!  But if I had to choose today I’d go for Strawberry!

Q:  Hmmm…that does sound like a good combination.  I should try mixing flavors more often!  Anyway, back on topic… photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  With that backdrop set, what would you say was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A:  That’s a tough one as well.  I’ll answer it by saying that I can’t recall ONE specific critique but I won’t leave you with just that.  I was a moderator for a photography forum for over a year and sharing my work there is the one thing that tremendously improved my photography skills.   I learned anything from photography basics to advanced techniques all through this forum.  They honest feedback and criticism received is what helped me to learn.  On top of that formed some permanent bonds with many of the members who constantly help me by sharing new techniques, giving me feedback on my work, and answering my off the wall photography questions!

Q;   Well, my next question is normally “Who said it?”, but that doesn’t really apply now…or is it a specific group of people that helped?

A:  Most of the regulars on the forum because my critiquing audience and gave honest feedback on how to improve my work with each and every post to the site.

Q:  Cool!  I’ve done forum work too.  It can be challenging balancing forum administration and photography stuff though – especially when it comes to critiquing.  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  Uniqueness, composition, and post Processing

Q:  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A:  Nothing I can think of…

Q:.  Ahh…well, give it time, you’ll have some eventually!  Well, moving right along, I’ve set the stage with others by noting the advances in software to the point where you can almost create stunning images without ever leaving the computer.  So, if you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A:  Wow, now that is one is a tough one for me.  I love to be creative with the gear and the lenses but I think that coming from an art background (drawing, painting, graphic design) I tend to make my vision come to light through software after the shoot is over.  I try to start with the gear and shoot it just right and then add my personal touch afterwards with the software to make my artistic vision come light.

Q:  So, it sounds like you really do use both to achieve your visions.  Very cool!  If you had to pick three pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick?

A:  Jason, you’re making this VERY hard on me!    It’s so hard to pick 3 out of tens of thousands of images that you’ve poured you heart into. If I had to pick one genre of photography to shoot over and over again it would be HDR.  I have always held this photo as my top ranking HDR photo.  I took this photo on the day I attempted HDR photography for the first time and it still holds the number one ranking for me no matter how many more I shoot:

This is THE first HDR I ever shot on the same day as the photo above:

And because I’m a portrait photographer this one is a top favorite of mine (but it’s very hard to pick because I have one favorite photo from every portrait shoot I do!).  I love this one because he is one of my oldest friend’s son, you can’t beat those gorgeous blue eyes, I love the DOF, and how could anyone not love the little fish lips he’s making?

Q:  Wow!  These are amazing shots – and those baby blues just make your heart melt!  Wonderful shots here Jen!  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  Mike Palmer mentioned this in his interview, as well, and I’m going to elaborate on what he said by mentioning that if you’re breaking into the photography world and want to learn more  – join a forum! If you’re not into the forums then create your own Photography blog and get out there and join the blogging community we have going!  The forums changed my life photography-wise and I can hardly go a day without posting a writing a new blog post visiting my “blogging friend’s” blogs!  It’s everyone’s encouragement that keeps me going!

Great ideas here Jen – forums, blogging, and collaboration are the learning tools I enjoy most too!  Hey, thanks for taking the time to sit down and share your thoughts with the reading audience.  We’ll be back next week with a new edition of Thursday Thoughts and another photographer!  In the meantime, Happy Shooting!  Hope all your shots are good ones and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!

Recently, I had the honor of sitting down (well, emailing, but you get the idea) with none other than Jeff Revell.  As most of you probably know, Jeff is a pretty well-established photographer and recently has been enjoying some notariety for his blog on Photowalking, appropriately titled Photowalk Pro (definitely one for your feed aggregators).  He gave some great thoughts and insights on the state of digital photography.  Thanks in advance to Jeff for taking the time to participate in the Thursday Thoughts sereies here at CB!

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…1. How long have you been a photographer?

A:  I have been into photography for over 25 years.  I first began taking an interest in high school and have been in love with photography ever since.  I think it had something to do with all that fixer I inhaled.

Q:  Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, or some other brand?

A:  I see you changed the question to include other camera brands.  I started off learning with a Pentax K1000, the king of old school photography classes.  From there I moved to a Minolta, a Canon, and finally Nikon for the past 20 years or so.  I have recently been working with some Canon models, specifically the 50D and I have to admit that the more I use it, the more I love it.

Q:  Heh, yeah, that’s thanks to Andy Smith of Virtual Realia.  To that end, let’s cover all the computer options:  Mac, PC, or Linux?

A:  I had been a PC user since the DOS days and then migrated to Windows from there.  I’m just a big techno-nerd at heart and love building my own systems.  I got a Mac notebook about 3 years ago and now it is my predominate platform – Not a fanboy but I do love my MacBook Pro.

Q:  Sounds a lot like the path I’ve been taking – although I do find myself bouncing back and forth between Mac and PC a lot these days.  Anyway, moving on:  Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

A:  Definitely a chocolate person.

Q:  Excellent taste!  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  What was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A:  This one is easy.  The best advice I ever received about my work was to only show your best stuff. Everyone shoots lame shots; it’s part of the process of getting the image that you want.  The key is to not show all the ducks and simply show your swans.

Q:  Who said it?

A:  My buddy Scott Kelby

Q:  I think I’ve heard of him before!    Isn’t he into photography too or something like that?  Just kidding of course…  Anyway, back to the subject of critiquing work:  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  Wow, that’s a tough one.  I’m much harder on myself than I ever would be on someone else.  I think the first thing I look for in a shot is the composition.  How did the photographer use the elements in the image to convey their intent?  Second would be their processing.  Is it done with a scalpel or a chainsaw?  Finally, did they use sound technique when taking the image, things like proper aperture, shutter speed, lens selection, things along those lines.
All I can say is that I am so glad that I have never been asked to critique the work of others for fear of crushing their spirit and enthusiasm.

Q:  I guess that means I shouldn’t ask for a critique or anything on that vein then, eh?  How about war stories?  Got any from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A:  This one time, in band camp…  oops, wrong story.  I am recalling a trip I took to Arizona with my buddies Scott and Dave.  We covered some serious ground in just 3 day, traveling from Phoenix to Page, to Monument Valley, to the Grand Canyon, and back to Phoenix.  It was one of the best shooting trips I have ever taken, thanks in large part to having my friends along to share the experience.  One outing in Page took us on a 3-mile hike in the high desert to photograph the Wave.  This was in August mind you and it was HOT!  We climbed steep sandy hills and rocky outcrops along the way but it was so worth it once we finally reached our destination.  One of the shots that came from that hike ended up gracing Scott’s 7-Point System book.  If there is a moral in there somewhere, I think it would be that hard work and a lot of sweating can really pay off.

Q:  Hey, I own that book!  Cool, I didn’t know that was your shot!  Guess I should read the credits more carefully, eh?  Sorry, I tend to ramble…  Moving right along, with Photoshop becoming so powerful as a way to even create amazing digital imagery, it could almost be said that the camera could eventually not even be a needed component to create imagery.   With that pre-text in mind, if you had to choose between the camera or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A:  Well, since I don’t have near the creative/artistic abilities like Fay Sirkis, Bert Monroy,  or Cory Barker, I would have to go with the camera.  Those folks have some seriously crazy skills and create beautiful images from a blank canvas using illustrative software.  I, on the other hand require a piece of glass and a shutter button to create.

Q:  Well, I don’t know about that – I’ve read some of your HDR tutorials, which indicate you are pretty skilled with Photoshop!  Anyway, do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  I believe that we are living in renaissance period for photography.  Not since the invention of the process has so much changed so rapidly.  With the introduction of powerful software tools like Photoshop and the development of the digital camera, the average person has more creative tools at their disposal than ever before.  The only problem is that tools don’t make pictures, people do.  My advice for those that are just starting out is to not get caught up in all of the technical wizardry but rather learn the craft from the ground up.  Because even though there have been a multitude of advancements in the technical realm of photography, they aren’t worth squat unless you learn how to leverage them to your advantage.  Never stop learning.

Great advice and insights from Jeff Revell.  Please take a moment to stop over at his blog, Photowalk Pro, to check out everything he has to offer.  Thanks again Jeff for taking the time to participate in the Thursday Thoughts series here.  Until tomorrow all, Happy Shooting!  Hope all your shots are good ones!

Mike Palmer is the latest participant to agree and join me for a short question and answer session here on the blog.  Thanks go out to Mike and don’t forget to stop over at his blog and share your thoughts with him there as well.  He can be found at both his blog, and his professional portfolio

Now, on to the Q&A

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…How long have you been a photographer?

A:  I have been enchanted with photography since the late 80’s.   I really enjoy the creative side of digital photography now more then the film days.  I love the post side almost as much as shooting.

Q:   Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Leica or some other brand (thanks to Andrew)?

A:  Nikon

Q:  Mac, PC, or Linux?

A:  I am a PC!

Q:  Chocolate or Vanilla?

A:  Dark Chocolate

Q:  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  What was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A:  I am not sure that I have had a critique that stands out like that specifically.  A well phrased critique of a photo helps me when I am out shooting the next shot though.  You have to learn from what other see in your work.   Also I recommend The Photographers Eye by Michael Freeman – This book is amazing for self critique and composition discovery.

Q:  Sounds like a great resource.  (Edit note:  LInk to the book on Amazon has been added)  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A:  What I see – What I like – What I do not like (if they really want to know my opinion)

Q:  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A:  HAHA – To many from the old days of when I just shot anything to make some money for beer, but the one shoot that made me the most red faced with embarrassment was when I was hired for a modeling show for bigger women, the end of the show was lingerie and they had some fun with the young kid with the camera.  It was like photographing your mom in her underwear.

Q:  Yow!  Not sure I’d want to be in that position, no matter how much I was paid.  Sounds like a good joke was played on you though!  Anyway, moving right along…if you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A: I would go with a must have LENS – I do more with my Nikkor 24-70 2.8 then any other thing in photography – the bokeh at 2.8 is spectacular – I shoot portraits, food, etc…it is the constant on my camera.

Q:  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  I dig how much more of a community that photographers “that blog” share now.  I have friends all over the place now.  I went to Maine last summer and Scott of Weekly Photo Tips had my family over to his house for a lobster bake – I have more photographer friends now then ever – so if you are on the fence about starting your own blog – DO IT!!  It will ramp up your creativity and you just might make a friend or two.

Great way to wrap things up here Mike!  A little Nike snippet that applies not only to blogging, but to photography as well:  Just Do It!  Hey, I’d like to thank Mike for taking the time to stop into the blog and participate in the weekly Thursday Thoughts!  As he says, just get out there and do it!  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow to wrap up the week!

Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…How long have you been a photographer?
A:  I remember having a camera or two as a child, and enjoyed using them, but was pretty much just using point and shoot film cameras until digitals became affordable for the mass market. My blog’s been up and running for a few years now.

Q:  Canon or Nikon?
A:  Wait a minute… this is one of those trick questions, isn’t it? Canon? Nikon? I’m an Olympus man! My past two cameras have been made by Olympus, and I love them both. Price for performance is excellent. I’m surprised more people in the blogging world aren’t Olympus users; reviews are usually strong. Even the fact that your question doesn’t include Olympus is somewhat telling about Olympus’ need to think about their marketing. My Olympus behaves very consistently, and has provided me with a very pleasant user experience.  By the way, the first camera I remember having was shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head, and you pulled his one ear down to shoot. I’m hoping “Mouse” will be added to Canon and Nikon in this question in the future.

Q:  Fair enough, I’ll start including more camera vendors in future questions, and thanks for the good info about Olympus!  So, moving along, Mac or PC  (and I’ll add Linux to the mix given your last response! )?
A:  My first computer was an Apple IIGS, which was under-appreciated. It treated me well, and I’ve happily stuck with Apple products since. I have one of the 2008 towers, which is really friendly with Photoshop.

Q;  Chocolate or Vanilla?
A:  I love and make homemade vanilla ice cream with a recipe that dates back to at least my grandparents. And none of that wimpy “cooking the egg” thing.

Q:  Okay, now I am getting hungry, but let’s continue into something with a little more granularity,.  Photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  With that backdrop, what was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?
A:  I’m going to buck the standard thought in “serious” photography and say that I have no problem with those “cool” and “nice shot” comments, and even proudly admit that I’ll leave such comments myself, if they fit. Don’t get me wrong; I’m quite happy to get specific feedback about a technique, framing, tonal use, depth of field, etc. If I see a photograph online that strikes me as using such a technique particularly well, I’ll comment on that. There are also times, however, when a photograph loads on a web page (or I see a print) and my brain immediately screams, “Cool!” When a photograph quickly grabs me on an emotional level, that’s a success for the photographer. While I could break apart the image and try to figure out what makes the photograph work, quite frankly, that’s not as important to me as enjoying the image as one entity. Learn techniques, but enjoy the photograph. We’ve all seen web sites where commenting on techniques or aspects of a photograph seem more about the commenter’s desire to show off their photography vocabulary rather than saying anything new about the work. If I share a photo that causes a viewer to give me a one word emotional response, that’s pretty “cool” to me!

Q:  Well, my next question would be a follow-up one asking “Who said it?”, but clearly that’s not needed here.  Great perspective and it will definitely make me reconsider the value of the short answer-critique.  SO, let’s move onto the next “critique” question:  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?
A:  After my response above, I better include emotional or communication aspects. Technically, I agree with a lot of photographers that light can never be stressed enough, and line or movement always interests me.

Q:  Wow, you’re gonna make me re-think the entire questionnaire here, but this is really an interesting perspective to things.  What about personal experiences from out in the field?  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?
A:  Since I do not derive my main source of income from photography, I’m usually not in situations where war stories present themselves! Worst-case scenario, I put down the camera and enjoy a beautiful walk and the interesting world around me.  On a lighter note, I’ll always remember photo walks where onlookers eye the mass of photographers and wonder what grand media event is occurring.

Q:  That happened in Golden, CO when we did the Scott Kelby walk too!  Someone asked me who was coming to town and I answered “Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for a half second before coming clean.”  It is kind of fun to see that reaction though.  Anyway, I digress…back on topic, if you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?
A:  Toss up. I’ve seen amazing photographs from pinhole cameras that clearly show that gear means nothing compared to imagination. Software skills can sometimes bring out the hidden beauty in a captured moment, but the photographer using the program needs to be able to know where to look for that beauty.  In the digital world, it’s hard to separate the camera, the digital file and the software. Each is a part of the process that will hopefully bring out something that communicates a moment as seen by the photographer. In the end, both the gear and software are nothing compared to the idea and the person creating it.

Q:  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A:  Photography is a tool to share something. Maybe it’s a literal document of a moment in time, or possibly an image from the photographer’s mind. Either way, focus on the technique beforehand and communication as you open the shutter.  A great jazz musician learns chords, scales and the work of those before him or her. There’s intense practice that allows the musician to internalize those techniques and skills, so when the moment comes to improvise in front of an audience, the technical aspects don’t get in the way of the artistic message.  Learn what you can and look at the work of artists in all mediums. Practice the skills and techniques you need, pick your time and place, push those technical thoughts aside and enjoy improvising.

Thanks Andy for such a thoughtful set of answers and for taking the time to participate in the latest Thursday Thoughts.  It shows just how quickly blinders can become a part of your vision and that we all just seek to be aware of when we might be putting blinders on!

So, that was it with Andy, and thanks again to him for taking the time to sit down with CB for a One-on-One.  Please stop over to his website at Visual Realia and enjoy his work.  Leave some comments too (even if they’re one-word comments! )

Happy shooting all, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!

Jason D. Moore

Jason D. Moore is a well known photographer and graphic designer, with ACE certifications on Adobe PS CS3, has extensive experience as a videographer, is a member of the Adobe Acrobat User Community, and also has some extensive experience in web development.  Suffice to say, he is very well-known for his Photography and Photoshop Blogroll, and has had several mentions on Photoshop User TV.  He also hosts photo walks in the Southern Tier of New York and is just a super nice guy.  Last week he and I had a chance to exchange a few emails and I learned quite a bit about him and his background from our discussion.

Q.    Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…How long have you been a photographer?
A.  I’ve been taking pictures on and off since I was a kid. When I was the editor of my high school yearbook I began to see images more in terms of their composition and how they conveyed a message when placed together in a collection. I got a lot from my dad when I would go along with him on video shoots growing up and learned how to take it from just conveying a message to telling a story.  I didn’t do much with photography in college, but rediscovered my love for it while studying abroad during my senior year with Semester at Sea (www.semesteratsea.com) and then began taking it really seriously with my first dSLR – a Nikon D50 – back in 2006.

Q.  2. Canon or Nikon?
A.  Nikon

Q.  Mac or PC?
A.  PC

Q.  Chocolate or Vanilla?
A.  Vanilla – but I also really like Black Raspberry, Peanut Butter Cup, Cookies and Cream, and Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream.

Q.  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and  constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  What was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?

A.  I’m not sure it’s considered a critique that I learned from but I always remember Scott Kelby telling me, “You’ve got some very inspiring work—a great eye (which is what it’s all about), and some great Photoshop skills to boot!” And when one of my shots was picked as a NAPP Editor’s Choice, Larry Becker said, “This (and many other images in this portfolio) make us want to be there. This is beautiful art.” Making viewers want to be there is a high goal to strive for and it pushes me to try harder every time I go out shooting to attain it. These comments would mean a lot no matter who said them, but because they come from men I respect and who know what they are talking about, it really touched me.

Q.  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A.  Technically speaking I look at framing/composition, color/tone, and sharpness/depth of field (not in any particular order). However, while all of those things are important, I’ve always been a believer in art trumping the technical. I look for a sense of style, individuality and a unique approach/perspective, and most of all, that the piece tells a story. If it moves me, the technical stuff doesn’t matter as much.

Q.  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A.  It’s not a photography story, but a videography story. A few years ago at my old job I was headed out on a shoot about 4 hours away. Before I left, I checked all my gear to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything – batteries, microphones, cables, directions, etc. – and headed out the door. I was already running a little bit late. When I got about an hour and a half into my drive, I suddenly realized that I never checked to make sure I had enough tape for the day. At the next service area I reached into the camera bag and realized that, not only did I not have enough tape for the day, I didn’t have any! So I had to drive back an hour and a half to grab the tapes that were sitting right next to where the camera bag was. At the end of the day, I was advised of a “better” route back home which actually added an extra hour or so to the trip. So I ended up spending 4 extra hours in the car.

There are also the couple of times when I was doing some live event work when, due to scheduling or technical issues of one sort or another, I had to endure 40-hour work days, including setup of a convention center’s worth of sound and video equipment and full-day sessions of conferences.

Q.  If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?
A.  I learned a lot about Photoshop before I learned a whole lot about Photography and I think you can do some amazing things when the two are working in concert. With that said, I’d have to go with the camera over the software. Photographers were creating breathtaking shots long before there was Photoshop and really, without the shot, the software isn’t much use, is it?

Q.  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A.  I’m a details kind of guy and I really like the phrase “get close, then get closer.” I think I heard it from Derek Story but can’t be certain. It’s a concept I’ve heard over and over but that says it really well. One of the things I strive for is to find a part that tells of the whole. Sometimes you don’t need to show all of something for your audience to get it. Sometimes just a small piece can say more than the entire subject and you will usually find that your shots are more interesting that way too!

I’d like to thank Jason for taking the time out of his busy schedule to share some of his thoughts and experiences with the readership here.  Please stop over at this website to thank him yourself and to see his portfolio of work.  He can be found at:  http://www.jasondmoore.com

The internet is a wonderful thing.  Communication today is so much easier than it was even ten years ago.  Collaborative projects can take place in real time across the globe, and the ways in which we can interact is truly amazing.  As Photographers, this gives us access to a never-ending supply of inspiration from peers and colleagues across the world.  One such peer I’ve met is Erik Bernskiold, who lives in Sweden!  (We’re both members of NAPP.)  He is truly a talented individual, with a very astute sense of photography, graphic and web design, and just an all-around great sense of humor.

He and I had a chance to chat recently so I got him to agree to a Q&A for the blog.  So, without further ado, here’s my Ten Questions with Erik Bernskiold:

• Q:  Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…how long have yhou been a photographer?
• A:  I’ve been a photographer for just about two years now.
• Q:    Canon or Nikon?
• A:  I’m a Nikon shooter.
• Q:  Mac or PC?
• A:  Macs all the way!
• Q:  Chocolate or vanilla?
• A:  Truly tough one… I like them both although if I have to say something…chocolate.
• Q:  Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it.  However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work.  From all of this, what was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly?
• A:  It’s really hard to narrow down just a single comment and I don’t have one really special. I’d have to say the ones that were brutal enough. Brutal critique goes to your head straight away I believe.
• Q:  Who said it?
• A:  In this case, quite a few people. Good people they are!
• Q:  If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?
• A:  Composition, The Image’s Meaning and the technical details.
• Q:  Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?
• A:  Not much exciting things that are fun to read about happen to me on lonely landscape outings. I’ve yet to fall down somewhere or get in trouble. All I can share is the nice people I’ve met and whom have asked me what I was doing and talking briefly in general. It’s just nice that there exists people who talks to strangers like that nowadays!
• Q:  If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?
• A:  Oh! Definitely the gear! I do though come to see the software as part of my gear list (also cause I’m a graphic and web designer as well) but when it comes to photography I really want to get everything I can done in camera and then what I really need to in post-processing!
• Q:  Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?
• A:  I could go on about the state of photography for a long time, but since I’ve done that in articles before, I won’t here. What I do think though is that photography is never-ending and that you should focus less on the gear and more about the process, being out and shooting which is what makes it all fun in the end!

Thanks to Erik for taking the time out to visit with me.  Be sure you visit his blog and website over at Bernskiold Media

Tune in next week when Jason Moore of the famous P&P Blogroll (and also a talented photographer in his own right) takes some time to sit down and take a few questions!  In the meantime, happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!

As the day starts to fade into the last few hours, I realized nothing had been prepared for posting today.  At times like this, I either decide to make it a “no blog” day, or put together a few brief thoughts, that are tied to photography.  The latter won over today, so for the readers who continue to visit on a regular basis, you are in for a treat (or a trick, since we are getting kind of close to Halloween!).  So, here’s my three thoughtful tips for the day:

1. If you’ve got some blown highlights or high contrast pictures that just aren’t working – try a black and white conversion.  Add a vignette and you may actually have a shot worth keeping.
2. In a pinch, your on camera flash is still a flash…granted not the best one, but with even a piece of regular copy paper in front of it, you can diffuse it and spread the light a little more.  It may not be ideal, but better than the glaring brightness of direct flash light.
3. In tough lighting and no gray card?  Stick your hand out.  Yup, it may not be the best metering source, but your skin can be used to neutrally balance a shot.  From there you can find the rest in post process…

Got any other ideas off the cuff?  Share them in the comments!  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

In photography, the idea of keeping your scenes simple is one that I know about, but all too often, forget to consider during composition. I typically will see something and move to take the picture without taking into account the surroundings. Then later on the computer, I see stray objects or shadows I didn’t see in camera, or more correctly, didn’t think to take note of in camera. So, I hit the delete key and try again some other time. Invariably though, the best shots I get are the ones where either by intent or dumb luck turn out to be the ones with the simplest composition. A dewdrop, a sunset, a boat, a leaf, a smiling face, whatever you like…they all have worked for me due in no small part (in my opinion anyway) to the absence of other elements in the scene. There are no barnacles or trash cans in the sunset shot, the boat and its reflection are the entire shot, and the smile is super close so everything else was thrown way out of focus. The images work due in no small part to the simple composition. The age old adage reveals itself again: Keep. It. Simple. Stupid. (KISS).

While the KISS idea is nothing new to photography, I am finding more and more that the same concept can also be applied to blog entries. Some of my most popular blog posts and video tutorials are simple ones. Short videos that are no longer than 2-3 minutes seem to be more popular, and post subjects that are easily read either in bullet points or numbered lists (Top 7 of ’07, Top Ten Landscape Tips, Top Five Lighting Rules, etc., etc., etc….you get the idea).

Just my random Thursday thoughts for the week – kind of photo related, but also tangential. Although I would suspect that this new-found knowledge may manifest itself in future postings, so…for those who stop in to get lengthy reads, enjoy them while they last – they could be gone tomorrow! *gasp*