Archive for the ‘Commentary’ Category
Friday, May 4th, 2012
Our hometown of Louisville, Ky is going crazy right now. Roads are clogged with traffic, restaurants have long lines, and limousines are everywhere. Tourists are everywhere, getting ready for the huge party that is dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports”. Talk about photo opportunities!
The Derby provided me with a fantastic introduction to professional photography: my first assistant’s job. Many years ago (too many years–these images are film scans to give you a clue) my good friend Scott Goldsmith, then and now a fantastic pro, asked me to help him in photographing a different side of the Derby–the quiet, anticipation-filled early morning of the race. The time when horses and trainers awake and prepare for the big day. This posts highlights some of Scott’s images that day.
At the time I had a point-and-shoot film camera, and I didn’t really know why Scott wanted me to get up so early in the morning! Something about light. I lugged Scott’s stuff all over the track that day, from the mellow “backside” of the track to the buzzing stands, to the rowdy infield, to the tense paddock and more. I was worn out, and wondered how Scott did this stuff day in and day out.
We did not have much time for teaching, but I do remember Scott telling me not about f-stops or cameras or lenses, but about his vision for the shot, why he was taking it, and what he was trying to achieve. Of course, that equipment has come and gone, but Scott’s vision and mindset have remained.
As we’ve heard before, it’s those qualities, not the equipment, that elevates great photographers like Scott to a different level.
I hope you enjoy these images!
You can visit Scott’s website at www.scottgoldsmith.com
All photographs copyright Scott Goldsmith.
Tags: horses, Kentucky Derby, Scott Goldsmith, Vision
Posted in Articles, Commentary, Vision | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
“Hudson Valley Trail, New York”
In landscape photography we often discuss the many different ingredients that go into making a successful image. Things like composition, color, mood, light, and of course subject. And while these are all essential parts, the aspect I think is underestimated and not talked about enough is the relationships between these elements.
• How does the subject interact with the rest of the composition? Is the main “character” easily defined? Imagine a movie where you couldn’t tell who the main character was, or a song that did not have a recognizable melody. How quickly would you lose interest?
• How does the color influence the balance and design of the image? Saturated color is great, but only when a harmonious relationship exists with some other part of the composition, otherwise it loses its ability to convey a strong message other than “here’s a lot of color”.
• Are the tonalities balanced in a way that leads the eye in a meaningful way? Light is a powerful force in our search for evocative landscapes, but are you controlling the light through careful composition, and removing what may be distracting?
These questions are all based on relationships and how we use them in landscape photography. I’ll be covering these ideas in-depth in an upcoming article, but for now think about these concepts the next time you are out with your camera. Even simple things like using a longer focal length can have a dramatic impact on your ability to create stronger relationships. Avoid the temptation to capture it all, and use 70, 80, or even a 100mm focal length to narrow down your field of view and work with basic shapes, lines, and color. This technique will help you recognize relationships much easier, and your images will gain clarity because of it.
“We photograph something for two reasons: for what it is, and for what else it is.” – Minor White
Check out Robert’s website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Tags: Craft, Landscape
Posted in Commentary, Creativity, Landscape | No Comments »
Thursday, April 5th, 2012
Image © 2012/Denise Ippolito Photography
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE A LARGER VERSION
Sometimes it is good to leave a little to the imagination. Some of the most intriguing movies or books are the ones that make you wonder or keep you guessing. I remember an image of a wolf that I saw a few years back. The wolf as walking into the frame with its head turning back as if something or someone was following it. The entire body of the wolf was not in view and I wondered if it was hurt, what had happened to it. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that the image has stayed with me for years–it had impact. Why? It didn’t tell the whole story. Have we as photographers been so trained that we feel the image needs to be complete, that it needs to tell the whole story. Imagination is a very powerful thing and maybe adding a little by taking away a little is a good thing.
______________________________________________________________ denise ippolito
You can see Denise’s website at www.deniseippolito.com.
Tags: composition, Denise Ippolito, Macro
Posted in Commentary, Creativity | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
This great info graphic has been making its rounds on the internet, first on Seth Godin’s blog, and also on Chase Jarvis’ blog, and I recommend you read both for their individual takes on this subject. When I saw it I immediately smiled because it proves that a picture is worth a thousand words! The vast majority of my time is spent away from doing what I love most, which is exploring ways to be creative and tell stories with my camera. The longer I do this, the more I have come to realize and appreciate this is exactly what it is. And it is this clarity of defining it that helps me stay focused and motivated to handle the other aspects of the business where I spend the majority of my time. Would I love to out source some if this as Seth recommends? Sure I would, and I am slowly moving in that direction. Being smart about what you should do vs what you should get someone else to do is a vital aspect of running any business where time is the most valuable resource, and I would dare anyone to find a case where that is more true than in landscape photography.
That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the other “stuff”, on the contrary I do. The realization that I am living my dream life, and that each day I have to pinch myself that it is for real makes dealing with the “stuff” a little easier. For sure there are some great benefits – the greatest for me is that I get to spend much more time with my family. I was a stay at home Dad for the first 3 years of my son’s life, and that alone is something I would not trade for anything.
What most do not see is the endless challenge of marketing and selling your work when the mortgage depends on it. The camera seems to stay in the bag for weeks at a time. Health insurance remains out of reach. But nothing in life is guaranteed, and the time we have been given can never be replaced. Spend it wisely, strive to do what you love, and take a moment to appreciate your last breath – there are many that do not have that simple but profound opportunity. It’s all in the simple details.
Check out Robert’s website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Tags: business, Chase Jarvis, Craft, Seth Godin
Posted in Commentary, Creativity | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012
Autumn Palette, Utah, by Bret Edge.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what steps I’ve taken over the last 11 years to become the world’s most reknowned landscape and adventure photographer. Clearly, I’ve also been daydreaming quite a bit. Seriously though, here are a five things I’ve done that have contributed to making me a better photographer.
1) Be Studious
I’ve looked at a whole bunch of photos. Thousands of them. And I don’t just look at them. I study them. I pick them apart and try to figure out what makes one photo stupendous while another one just sucks. How many times have you seen a photo of Half Dome, Delicate Arch or the Tetons from Snake River Overlook? Of all the images you’ve seen from these iconic locations which ones stand out and why? Was it the light or some nuance of the composition? Next time you’re sitting at home with nothing to do, scoot on down to the local bookstore. Grab a few coffee table photo books by your favorite photographers, sink into one of their comfy chairs and analyze a few of your favorite photos. Do this often enough and you’ll soon find yourself making the same analyses as you compose images in the field.
2) Photograph Often
Spend as much time as you can in the field. In 2000, just over a year after getting serious about photography, I had the opportunity to spend 5 weeks on the road. In that time I learned several valuable lessons, one of which was what that mysterious “depth of field preview” button actually does when you press it. I used my camera daily and by the end of the trip I knew where every control was and what it did, and I could operate the camera intuitively. There’s no substitute for knowing your camera inside and out.
This was in the pre-digital days, i.e. film, and I lost the photo album from that trip to an ex. But I remember looking at the photos from beginning to end and being blown away by the difference in the quality of images from the beginning of the trip to the end. Photographing something every day for 5 weeks had a profound impact on my creativity. Of course I realize we can’t all jet off on a 5 week road trip. But I believe that if you make a concerted effort to get out as often as possible, you will see improvement in your photography.
3) Mix It Up
After moving from Arizona to Colorado in 2002 I made the conscious decision to focus less time on photographing the grand landscape and more time on intimate scenes. Most people, even non-photographers, can see the beauty in autumnal aspens below a snow capped peak. Hell, even snapshots of a scene like that are likely to induce “oohs” and “aahs” from casual viewers. I wanted to be able to walk into the aspen forest and walk out with a successful image of those beautiful trees, with no mountain in sight.
My first few hundred efforts at intimate landscape photography weren’t so good. Actually, they sucked. But, I took those slides (still in the film days here), put them on a light table and studied them a la my first point. Doing this, and forcing myself to look at the world around me with a narrower focus, helped me develop a more refined eye for composition. I eventually got to the point where I was creating some pretty nice intimate landscapes. In doing so, I found that my grand landscapes also improved as I spent more time crafting cohesive compositions. The key is to really focus your attention on an aspect of photography that is entirely new to you. If you’re a macro photographer, try grand landscapes. If your wide angle lens has never actually been detached from your camera put on a telephoto and practice seeing the natural world through it. Just mix it up a little bit.
Raindrops on False Hellebore, by Bret Edge.
4) Don’t Fear the Critique
I’ve touched on this one before but it fits with this topic as one of the pivotal moments in my photography career came after a paid critique session. Bear with me as this story is a little long.
While living in Arizona I took a trip to Flagstaff with the ex who stole (and probably burned) the aforementioned photo album. It was fall, the San Francisco Peaks were dusted in snow and the aspen leaves were bright yellow. I had just switched from print to slide film. I shot a few rolls and dropped them off at the lab which, if memory serves me, was actually named “The Lab”. The next day I headed over on my lunch break to pick up the slides.
I tore open each box and laid the slides out on the light tables that had fancy loupes attached to the counter by a wire to prevent thievery. While viewing them another photographer came in to pick up his film. He told the lab tech his name and I immediately recognized him as a frequent contributor to Arizona Highways. I was standing next to greatness! He must have seen me gawking at him instead of my slides and made a comment about the images I was ignoring on the light table. We had a short conversation, I asked him what he thought of my images and he offered a couple short critiques. He said he’d be happy to offer more in depth critiques for $50 an hour. I bit and we set up a time and place to meet. Don’t ask me who it was because I can’t remember, but I think his first name was David (no, not Muench).
This guy looked at slide after slide and gave me invaluable feedback on each one. It was an eye opener as I’d never actually had someone look at my images with a critical eye. I also learned that there are about 50 different ways to say “this sucks” in a very pleasant and constructive manner. At any rate, his critiques were solid and really helped me define what it was about an image that worked or didn’t work.
These days you can still get your work reviewed and critiqued in person, but you can also do so online in critique forums. Keep an open mind and seek critiques often. Your photography is guaranteed to improve.
5) Never Stop Learning
Anyone who believes they have reached the apex of their photography career/hobby/obsession is a sad, sad person as far as I’m concerned. No matter how much you know there is always something you don’t know.
I don’t know squat about artificial light, I can’t understand how to operate a tilt/shift lens to save my life and there are still things about Photoshop that positively mystify me. I don’t do my own printing because the whole color management/profiling/sharpening for print/selecting the right paper thing scares the BeJesus out of me. I could spend all day writing about the plethora of things I don’t know about photography but that isn’t constructive.
Read books, attend workshops, watch video tutorials, follow blogs, join photography forums and subscribe to photo magazines. Identify a technique or an aspect of photography that confuses you and vow to master it. Push yourself to learn in whatever ways are available to you. The more you expand your knowledge base the more tools you’ll have at your imaging disposal to make dynamic photographs.
There is no true roadmap to better photography but these five tips should get you pointed in the right direction. Enjoy the ride!
What has helped you become a better photographer? Share your ideas in the comments section!
If you’re looking to take a photo tour in the red rock region of Utah, check out Bret’s trips in the Moab area: http://www.moabphotoworkshops.com.
Tags: Bret Edge, Creativity, how-to, Nature Photography, Photo Tips, photography
Posted in Commentary, Creativity, Landscape, Tips and Tricks | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Here we are in 2012. Already. It doesn’t seem like a year ago that we ushered in 2011, but calendars don’t lie. 2011 was an interesting year for me. I spent more time in the office building my business and less time in the field doing what we all love to do – photography. As I culled through images made in the past year it quickly became evident that I didn’t get out enough. I live in Moab, for God’s sake. Arches and Canyonlands are in my backyard. There is no legitimate excuse to not be out exploring this beautiful landscape more often. So, in 2012, I resolve to do just that. I’ll spend more time making images and less time marketing them. Not too much less, because I do still need to pay the bills.
Every year I squeeze in a few big trips, consisting of a couple weeks each, to locations throughout the western United States. Looking back on all the photos from our 2011 adventures brought back some wonderful memories. We celebrated my son Jackson’s second birthday at a campground in Death Valley, ate dinner by a campfire on the beach in Cape Kiwanda, summited a 14′er in Colorado (Jackson’s first!) and spent Thanksgiving week exploring Valley of Fire in Nevada. No doubt, I am a lucky man.
The images I’ve chosen to share as my favorites aren’t necessarily my best. One photo was five years in the making, another has tremendous emotional appeal, a couple I just really like and some were made in a place I’m now obsessed with and can’t wait to visit again. If I were assembling a 2011 portfolio to present to an art buyer only a couple of these would make the cut. The important thing is that these images mean something to me. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Slot Canyon & River Rock, Nevada
I found this slot canyon by chance while wandering around Valley of Fire State Park one morning following a sunrise shoot. I was struck by the contrast of warm, colorful sandstone walls and the cool blue river rock in the mud on the canyon floor as well as the three dimensional feeling created by the wide angle lens and striations in the rock. It’s a short canyon but easily one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.
Wildflowers and Storm Clouds in American Basin, Colorado
American Basin may be over-photographed but it’s still one of my all-time favorite alpine locations. The summer wildflower display is obnoxious in a very good way. We camped not ten minutes from where this image was made, in a tent on the roof of my FJ Cruiser. The next morning we summited Handies Peak with my son, Jackson. He was 2. And he knocked off a 14′er. Okay, so I carried him but still, how cool is that?
Storm Clouds Over Rock Point, Colorado
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park plays second fiddle to the nearby San Juan Mountains, which means you’re less likely to find yourself in a crowd. We visited the park for the first time in 2011 and I became enamored with the sheer beauty and ruggedness of the canyon. On this afternoon a breaking storm created dynamic conditions for photography. I was in the right place at the right time when a sliver of light shone through clouds on to the foreground ridge, lasting only a minute or two. These ethereal moments in nature are what we photographers are privileged to witness while the rest of mankind seeks shelter from the storm.
Pothole and Sandstone Buttes at Sunset, Utah
Made semi-famous by Moab photographer Tom Till, this large pothole with an impressive view of a slickrock wonderland has been on my list of places to photograph since moving to the area almost six years ago. It took a while to find it and even longer to wait for the right conditions (great light, good clouds, pothole full of water). In 2011 everything came together and I was able to make the image that had nagged at me for years.
Haystack Rock from McPhillips Beach, Oregon
The charming little town of Pacific City is home to Cape Kiwanda State Park and McPhillips Beach, sort of a local’s beach not commonly visited by the throngs of summer tourists. We discovered it by accident on our trip along the coast last June. Nearly vacant, it’s a beautiful little beach with some interesting basalt (I think?) rock formations that nicely frame Haystack Rock in the distance. I spent a couple hours photographing here before retiring to hang out with my family, running away from incoming waves and finally, dinner on the sand next to a roaring bonfire. It couldn’t have been a more perfect end to a more perfect day.
Cottonwood Trunks and Evergreens, Wyoming
I made this image during a short break while leading a workshop in the Tetons last autumn. Cottonwood trees have such beautifully textured trunks and their autumn leaves rival those of the stately aspen with regard to color intensity. Here I loved how the darker evergreen trees contrasts with the autumn grasses & leaves, and the bold patterns of the cottonwood trunks.
Sunrise Sky and Rock of Gibraltar II, Nevada
I’m having an affair. There, I said it. I’m in love with Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. I can’t get enough of the place. Luckily, my wife knows and even approves of this affair. On our last visit we hiked out to Fire Wave for sunset. While I was impressed with Fire Wave I was more taken by the Rock of Gibraltar and this massive expanse of wonderfully striated sandstone. I came back for sunrise the next morning. You can imagine my excitement when the sky exploded in color right at sunrise. Of all the images I made in 2011 this one may well be my absolute favorite.
The Sunflower Experiment, Utah
The Scott Matheson Wetlands Preserve just outside Moab is a quiet little sanctuary that seems to catch on fire all too often. The last wildfire that ripped through was the most devastating. Driving by one day I noticed thousands of colorful wildflowers mixed in among the charred trunks. The next day I returned with my camera and made several images of the sunflowers. This was my favorite as it is something entirely different from my typical photography. It was an experiment and I was thrilled that it worked out so well.
American Basin Hiker II, Colorado
I didn’t do much adventure photography in 2011. No idea why, but I’ve resolved to do a lot more of it in 2012. I made this image en route to the summit of Handies Peak in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. My son Jackson was in a backpack on my back as I photographed Melissa crossing a creek below a beautiful sky and craggy peaks. There’s nothing I enjoy more than exploring the outdoors with my family and this image brings back wonderful memories of seeing Jackson on the summit of his first 14′er!
Storm Light at the Fiery Furnace, Utah
One stormy afternoon I took a chance and headed out to a view I’d discovered that overlooks the fins of the Fiery Furnace, Castle Valley and the distant La Sal Mountains. One of three things would happen: I’d get struck by lightning and the whole afternoon would be screwed, the storm would rage on and sunset would be a bust, or it would be epic. Lucky for me, it was epic. It was cold and windy and every once in a while a passing cloud released a torrent of horizontal rain. But right at sunset, the clouds parted and the sweetest storm light I’ve seen fell on the landscape before me. It was an amazing day to be alive!
Three Sisters Sunset, Utah
Assignments are few and far between these days, at least for me. Early in 2011 I was hired by Utah State Parks to photograph Goblin Valley State Park and the surrounding area for a guidebook they were developing. GVSP is a alien landscape, a valley filled with thousands of little hoodoos that have, in fact, stood in for Mars in several movies. One of the most famous features, the Three Sisters, sprout from the surrounding landscape. I was incredibly fortunate to witness a glorious sunset behind the Three Sisters during my time in the park.
Breaking Storm Over Kane Creek Canyon, Utah
Last year I decided to create a new photo tour titled Undiscovered Moab. As the name implies, the tour will take us to locations that are rarely, if ever, photographed. I’ve been spending a lot of time four wheeling and hiking to remote locations while scouting for the upcoming Undiscovered Moab tour (April 21-22, 2012!). On this afternoon a storm was breaking over Kane Creek Canyon, flooding the valley with dramatic storm light below a sky filled with interesting clouds. It was awesome to stand on the canyon rim in complete silence while watching this scene unfold before me.
Virga Above the Bonneville Desert, Utah
En route to Death Valley last March, my son informed us that he had to poop. When a 2 year old has to poop you don’t have time to drive around looking for a bathroom. We pulled off to the side of the interstate and Jackson did his business. When he finished I asked Melissa if I could have a few minutes to make an image of the impending storm unleashing hell on the distant mountains. Thanks to Jackson and Melissa I was able to make this image, my favorite from the entire trip, with semi’s flying by just a few feet away.
And there you have it, my favorite thirteen images from 2011. If you want to see even more “Best of 2011″ images from some of my favorite photographers, check out “A Compilation of My Favorite “Best of 2011″ Image Collections“.
Read more about Bret and get info on his workshops here.
Tags: 2011, Bret Edge, Landscape
Posted in Commentary, Creativity, Landscape, Viewpoint, Vision | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
The Path, Hudson Valley
I received the following email recently and thought I would share it and some thoughts that occurred to me after reading it…
I am an artist living in Ireland but originally from the Hudson Valley. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to use one of your photographs as a reference photo for a painting I would like to do. I would of course credit you and ad a link to your site as well. Could you let me know if this would be possible. Your photos are amazing! You are a true artist, Thank You…
First, I was deeply honored and humbled that she would want to use one of my images as inspiration for her art, and of course I said yes. But more importantly it reinforced the idea that technology has connected the world in an unprecedented and fantastic way that can serve as inspiration and benefit to us all. Sure there are the negative aspects to any powerful technology, but never in any other time would someone half way around the world be able to find me, connect with me and my work, and then share the results. I’ll share the final piece here when it’s done.
There is also something to be said for sharing and generosity in this age of limitless connections, via social media, the internet, Skype, etc. Your voice and vision is as valid as anyone else’s, your personal experiences unique and worth sharing if you truly have something to say. While it may seem at times that people worry most about privacy issues, there is also the ability and potential to share your vision and creativity in a way that allows the message to truly dictate the exposure. In days past, that was never the case, and your voice would be overpowered by the status quo.
I used to think that I was born too late, but now I know I am living in the most incredible times ever. My ability to live the life I want is directly related to taking advantage of all the possibilities available today. I started out 8 years knowing practically nothing about landscape photography, but I knew I had a very deep connection to nature, and I was committed to doing whatever it took within my ethical boundaries.
Don’t get frustrated or overwhelmed, look at the possibilities and grab them as tight as you can – there has never been a better time to achieve whatever goals you have.
Do you agree or disagree? What is holding you back from your dreams? Leave your comment below!
Check out Robert’s website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Tags: inspiration, technology
Posted in Commentary, Creativity, Viewpoint, Vision | No Comments »
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
Last summer I took a three day motorcycle trip throughout southern Utah. I always carry my 5D Mark II, tripod and an assortment of lenses along with my amazing Canon S95, which resides in a pocket in my jacket for easy access. Riding a motorcycle opens your eyes and lets you see things you’d never see in a cage, er…car. You’re not isolated from the environment in a neat little cocoon – you’re in it, surrounded by it, part of it. When it’s hot, you’re hot. When it’s raining, you’re wet. You feel the wind and the heat and the sand in your teeth. It’s an experience unlike any other.
Making images with the 5D Mark II requires digging it out of the tankbag, taking off gloves and helmet, finding a place to safely park the bike and the whole process requires more time and effort than I’m usually willing to expend. All this means I end up using the S95 90% of the time. Such is the case with the photo above.
Having just fueled up at Hite, where only 7 years ago Lake Powell was nothing more than rock hard cracked mud, I was on the road north to the Notom-Bullfrom Road. I’d been rained on in the Abajo Mountains and it looked as though I were in for another dousing. As I rode I watched this cloud grow in height, eventually blocking out the sun. Suddenly, rays of light burst from behind the cloud. I knew it wouldn’t last long and there was no hope of photographing it with the big camera. I quickly pulled to the side of the road and, without even stepping off my bike, I quickly photographed this dramatic scene with my trusty S95. It was mid-day light and I knew right away I’d be converting it to black and white. Sure, the image has some flaws. The clouds are totally blown out in areas and I should have included more room at the bottom of the frame. But, I wouldn’t have an image to share with you if I had taken the time to set up the 5D2. This moment lasted only a few seconds. The show would have been all over before I even had the 5D2 out of the bag.
As photographers we get so accustomed to striving for perfection that I’m afraid we may occasionally forget why we’re out there. We enjoy nature, we live for light and we love “the moment”. Some times we ought to leave the big camera in the bag.
For those who might be interested in this sort of stuff, here are the technicals: Photographed in JPEG (yes, JPEG), imported to Lightroom for initial editing and then converted to black and white using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. Clouds and sun rays enhanced using Nik Color Efex Pro Tonal Contrast filter (read more about using Color Efex Pro to enhance skies here). That’s it – simple and quick.
Read more about Bret and get info on his workshops here.
Tags: Bret Edge, snapshots
Posted in Commentary, Creativity | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
Inspired once again by Seth Godin and a recent blog post titled “the difference between a failure and a mistake,” I wondered how I might apply it to nature photography and the issues we all struggle with in our attempt to make successful images. Of course this applies to life in general, as Seth so clearly explains, but I think it provides many paths of exploration for those of us trying to be more creative with our photography.
Casscade Mtn, Adirondacks
Cascade Mtn fails on several levels, but mostly for me it lacks a clear path for the viewers eye to travel, which translates to a weak story. A lack of textural contrast makes the image rather busy, and the light in the background competes with the details in the foreground. I was experimenting with trying to omit the sky and horizon in order to create a lack of perspective, but it didn’t quite work out as envisioned.
As a workshop instructor, I work hard on trying to help students get beyond whatever is limiting their potential. Unfortunately the majority of reasons are due to mistakes and less often to failures. My goal is to reverse this and promote failure as a way to learning. Certainly I don’t want students strictly to fail as that would be rather frustrating and demoralizing in the long run. Who wants to come away from a workshop having only failed at their attempts?
What I mean is that by promoting failure as part of the process of succeeding, I can inspire students to take chances, try new things, and hopefully help them become more creative, successful photographers. It is so easy these days to stick to the tried and true, and get the predictable approval of those who view our images. But approval is not necessarily what we want as photographers if you want to stand out from the millions in the crowd. I much prefer making images that elicit a response or reaction, positive or negative, that keeps a viewer thinking about an image.
Partition Arch, Utah
Partition Arch was an attempt to bring together several elements in a harmonious composition, but doesn’t quite succeed. I was attracted to all of the various lines and how I would get them all to work together. Trying to balance the small trees in the foreground with the rest of the scene proved difficult once I started to work with my camera, and that is a good sign that what I’m feeling isn’t going to translate well to a photograph. I also couldn’t quite get the sky under control, and I feel it dominates the overall balance of the image.
My wife says that she knows if a she really liked a movie if she is still thinking about it a day or two after watching it. I think we can use the same relative comparison in photography. I will often make a sale a few days after an art show because the buyer couldn’t stop thinking about a particular image. And almost always these images are ones I took a chance on and pushed my comfort zone. Perhaps a new perspective or composition, a location I have visited hundreds of times, or a lighting situation that has almost always led to failure in the past. Sure there have many more failures that successes, but what it taught me was worth the effort, and has led to insights I would not have experienced otherwise.
The common issues I see students struggling with usually have more to do with mistakes than with failures. Here are some common ones: lack of sharpness due to a multitude of mistakes ranging from a) improper focusing, b) wrong use of hyperfocal distance, c) improper aperture, or other common issues such as a) not eliminating distractions, b) not being aware of contrast limits, c) wrong lens choices.
These can all be corrected in so far as they do not become mistakes that are repeated. Failures however involve an understanding of these mistakes, and then breaking the rules in order to attempt something new and interesting. For example, using a narrow depth of field in order to eliminate distractions, using extreme contrast as a way to lead the viewers eye, or using blur as a way to convey motion and rhythm in an otherwise static image.
Hudson Highlands, New York
Hudson Highlands tries to blend both a strong foreground and depth in the background to convey the sense of surprise and mystery I felt on this summer day day while hiking along the Hudson River. I like strong and bold foreground elements, and I’m constantly trying find ways to create both visually compelling compositions that also feel fresh and different on some level – almost like using different instruments in an orchestra to play the same melody. Somehow the tree in this foreground dominates in a way that does not complement the image overall, as the tension created is too great for the feeling I wanted to convey. I tried several different compositions, but it never felt quite “right” when I reviewed the images back home. The small trees in the foreground disrupt the rhythm I was after, even though the attempt was to minimize them by trying to emphasize the larger trees on the left.
Sometimes it is not so easy to differentiate between a failure and a mistake when we’re trying to be creative. That’s where practice becomes a mandatory part of the process. I have spent weeks shooting the same tree in my backyard just to learn the characteristics of every lens I own, or to master the cameras controls so that I can make adjustments instinctively. This way the mistakes become less frequent, and the failures become a way of improving my technique and my vision.
Here’s the thing, the best part of all of this seemingly depressing and frustrating work is that the you will experience successes, more than you will remember the failures. Each success outweighs the many failures by an exponential factor. I see them not only as positive rewards, but together with the failures as part of the journey we call creative photography. So go ahead and fail, because it will lead to insights you will not gain any other way. Those who view and enjoy your work will only remember the successes.
Beacon Light, Hudson Valley
As I mentioned above, I’m constantly trying to find variations on similar compositional themes, and here it works to my liking. Balance between the two dominant trees and the rest of the trees feels rhythmic and harmonious, the strong green color in the foreground is contrasted by the subtle blue of the sky in the distance and creates a pleasing diagonal, and the light adds the drama in a controlled manner that doesn’t over power the details. I can’t help describing these elements in musical terms, perhaps because they are ingrained in my psyche and influence the way I see the world. Hopefully you can appreciate these ideas and incorporate them into your views and feelings about your favorite subjects.
Thanks as always for reading, and feel free to share your opinions and questions about your failures and successes in photography.
Check out Robert’s website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Tags: Adirondacks, arches national park, Hudson Valley, landscapes
Posted in Commentary, Creativity, Landscape, Viewpoint | No Comments »
Monday, December 19th, 2011
How many times have you photographed a cool looking subject, and thought that it would turn out really great, only to be disappointed when you get home and viewed the image on your computer. It happens to me quite often.
What we see in 3D with our eyes doesn’t always translate well on a flat screen or flat photo paper.
Sometimes I shoot a subject that I really don’t think will turn out well, and it turns out awesome.
You just never know, so shoot everything, pixels are free!
You can visit Mike’s blog and learn about his workshops here: Tiny Landscapes
Mike’s eBooks are available in the OPG store here: Mike Moats
Tags: Macro, Mike Moats
Posted in Commentary, Macro, Tips and Tricks | No Comments »
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Scott Goldsmith: The Kentucky Derby
Friday, May 4th, 2012Our hometown of Louisville, Ky is going crazy right now. Roads are clogged with traffic, restaurants have long lines, and limousines are everywhere. Tourists are everywhere, getting ready for the huge party that is dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports”. Talk about photo opportunities!
The Derby provided me with a fantastic introduction to professional photography: my first assistant’s job. Many years ago (too many years–these images are film scans to give you a clue) my good friend Scott Goldsmith, then and now a fantastic pro, asked me to help him in photographing a different side of the Derby–the quiet, anticipation-filled early morning of the race. The time when horses and trainers awake and prepare for the big day. This posts highlights some of Scott’s images that day.
At the time I had a point-and-shoot film camera, and I didn’t really know why Scott wanted me to get up so early in the morning! Something about light. I lugged Scott’s stuff all over the track that day, from the mellow “backside” of the track to the buzzing stands, to the rowdy infield, to the tense paddock and more. I was worn out, and wondered how Scott did this stuff day in and day out.
We did not have much time for teaching, but I do remember Scott telling me not about f-stops or cameras or lenses, but about his vision for the shot, why he was taking it, and what he was trying to achieve. Of course, that equipment has come and gone, but Scott’s vision and mindset have remained.
As we’ve heard before, it’s those qualities, not the equipment, that elevates great photographers like Scott to a different level.
I hope you enjoy these images!
You can visit Scott’s website at www.scottgoldsmith.com
All photographs copyright Scott Goldsmith.
Tags: horses, Kentucky Derby, Scott Goldsmith, Vision
Posted in Articles, Commentary, Vision | No Comments »