Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Photo Quote of the Week

The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance. - Ansel Adams


For the sake of this quote, I think I'm going to get straight to the point.


Remember that the image you choose to print and show case,
whether it be on your bedroom wall, living room coffee table or art gallery


IS just as important


as the picture you shot into your camera.


the reverse is also true.


the photograph you shoot into your camera 


is as important as the final product. 




as beginner's it is often easy to forget this association.


we want the start and end products to be one and the same.


on top of that, we expect it to look like the pros.


this.is.not.the.case.


the same careful thought and craftsmanship that goes into shooting your subject, 


needs to be applied to the final product.


take the time to play in photoshop to make your photos the best they can be.


because even the best, (like Ansel Adams) can benefit from subtle features
(like color boost, or dodge and burn, or even just levels)


that photoshop has to offer.


{LPS}

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Babies are not decorations.

A few weeks back, I had mentioned that I would be doing my very first maternity photo shoot.

I have been trying to prepare for it by doing some research on the subject. 

Among all the useful information I have come across, I have also realized something.


Babies.are.not.decorations.


I just don't understand the concept of photographing a baby in a bowl.

or nekked on a rug.

or hanging from a silk hammock.

I wont lie.

It frustrates me.

But I guess it's because I find a connection to more real photographs.

By that I simply mean photographs of real everyday moments, not studio.

I would much rather see pictures of babies in their cradles.

or their parents bed.

or their baby blanket.

or their parents arms.


So while I may highly dislike this area of baby portraits

I still want to understand. 


Why do parents like those photographs so much?

{LPS}

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Photo Quote of the Week

I didn't choose photography. Photography chose me. -Gerardo Suter


I wonder. . .
I am inclined to believe this whole heartedly.

The more I think about how I have felt about photography the more I believe this. 

My earliest memories of me with a camera date back to when I was about 10 yrs old.

I remember it was one of those disposables by Kodak.

I made it the point of this one vacation in Mexico to take 

SURPRISE.snapshots 

of all my family members.

Before that, I used to beg my mother to allow me to load the film.

and unload it.

and take all the pictures!

So i guess photography really did choose me.

Not the other way around. 


What are your earliest memories with cameras?

{LPS}

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Photo Quote of the Week


The 'machine-gun' approach to photography - by which many [photographs] are made with the hope that one will be good - is fatal to serious results. - Ansel Adams

OK.

So this week I did not forget to provide you guys with another photography related quote.
aren't you proud of me, you know you are.

And again when I read this quote I felt compelled to share some thoughts. 
mostly stemming from my personal experience with this concept. 

Before I had taken any photographic instruction, I admit I used this 'machine-gun' approach. 

I took many, many photographs of my subject with such rapid continuity that I was basically just hoping I got at least 
one.good.one.

Highly ineffective. 

While it is not a negative thing at all to take many photographs of the same subject, each 'repetitive' photograph should have a purpose.

Without it, you're just a sniper sitting in a tree with no scope and no visible target.

Each repetition should be serving some purpose.

Whether it's a change in angle.

in focus.

zoom.

depth of field.

whatever.

but your repetition should have thought.

it.should.have.aim.

like that sniper I mentioned earlier.

Otherwise, you're not doing yourself or your talents much good.

{LPS}

Friday, June 11, 2010

Thoughts on the Photo Quote

Quick recap of the quote:

If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff. Jim Richardson

To continue with my rambling from last post, I want to share with you some thoughts on this quote.

At first glance it may seem like this quote is simple and straight forward but if you look deeper you can see there is more then we realize.

For example: 
it is true that if you want to be a better photographer you should find more interesting stuff to stand in front of.

or behind.

or to the side.

or under.

. . .What I'm just being creative here.

and that's precisely another facet of this quote.

.be.creative.

challenge your self to find more interesting stuff.

better photographs are better because not only have they spent time and energy into practicing to become better.

they also challenge themselves to go out on limbs.

to try things they may not have been so sure about.

example.

i sliced a very thin round of lemon some time ago.

and i challenged myself to make it interesting.

so i did.


see.

the seeds make it look like eyes. . .  

ok. so maybe it isn't so great.

but i challenged myself with something i wasn't entirely sure of.

and that's part of the journey.

so there you have it.

i think.

this quote has more to offer than first meets the eye.

so look deeper and see what others may not see.

---------------------

i'm sure i had something more insightful to say regarding it 
but there i've gone.

gotten all caught up in one thought.

and lost all the others.

oh well.

hope this helped someone.

{LPS} 

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Photo Quote of the Week

If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff. - Jim Richardson


So I am most definitely ashamed of myself. 


I promised myself that if I didn't have anything to offer you guys on any given day in any given week, I would at the very least have the Photo Quote to give. 


I failed. 

Epically. 


Well maybe not quite so epically but, it has not been over a week since I have provided you with a quote to hopefully ponder over.


AND I'm not even posting it on a Tuesday.
(I had secretly made Tuesday the day to post, as an incentive to make Monday a happier day. . .
  you know, because then I would be excited on Monday that photo quote tuesday was "tomorrow")


Anyway enough of my rambling, I apologize and will do more than try to not let it happen again.


Now since I believe I have more than lost your interest I will be back tomorrow with my thoughts on this particular quote. 


I believe that it has the potential to speak great words of wisdom to young photographers beginning their photographic journey.


Like me!


Have a great one!


{LPS}