In the late 1800's photography was still basically like a baby giraffe learning how to get up and walk for the first time. Photography didn't really know what it was, processes were still being invented and refined and there was still great debate between it's uses for amateurs, scientists/engineers, and artists. More clubs and associations began popping up, including the founding of the Professional Photographers of America and the establishment of photography degrees at schools such as the Chicago College of Photography. These all aimed to … [Read more...] about History of Photography: What is Pictorialism?
vision
Seeing and Composition in Photography
Recently someone commented on one of my images: “I wish I had your eye for composition.” My reply: composition can be learned. Art classes in high school and college helped me learn the basics of composition, color, lines, shapes and the elements of design that go into creating good compositions in art, drawing, painting and yes, photography. There are plenty of online resources about art and learning basic composition. Normally my process is to get it as right as I can when I shoot it. Sometimes, though, I know what I want in my head but … [Read more...] about Seeing and Composition in Photography
Book Review: Jay Maisel’s “Light Gesture & Color”
Picking bookmarks is a little adventure for me. My daughter is constantly creating pictures and doodles, so I usually use one of these as a bookmark for whatever book (or books) I'm reading. Unfortunately, I didn't get to pick a bookmark for Jay Maisel's Light Gesture & Color. In fact, I didn't use a bookmark at all. It's so engaging and so easy to read that I only put it down twice, and the distinctive photos on every page it simple to find my place. Light Gesture & Color is a must read for all photographers. Every genre and every … [Read more...] about Book Review: Jay Maisel’s “Light Gesture & Color”
Don’t Waste Your Time: Light the Room
We all have times when were waiting for somethingmaybe the doctors office, or a meal at restaurant, or at the auto shopand many times we spend that time checking Instagram with our eyes glued to our phones. Id like to suggest a more productive use of your time that will exercise your mind and make you a better photographer. Light the Room When youre waiting around, engage your mind by lighting the room. Consider what it would take to make the room look good in a photograph, and then spice it up by adding the person youre waiting for to the … [Read more...] about Don’t Waste Your Time: Light the Room
Take the Challenge: One Week. One Lens.
Heres a great assignment for equipment junkies who own every lens ever made. Shoot for one entire week using just one focal length. Choose a focal length you don't normally use. If you normally shoot sports with 300mm, 400mm or 600mm lenses, try shooting a game with a normal or wide angle lens - look for ways a different focal length can help you see a familiar game in a new way. If you shoot architecture with wide angle lenses, try shooting with a telephoto lens to capture details or compress the building as part of the skyline. If you … [Read more...] about Take the Challenge: One Week. One Lens.
Why We Should Stop Worrying About Other Photographers
Just a few weeks ago, I got up at the crack of dawn and went to Trillium Lake with a few other photographers, intent on photographing the sunrise. Soon after we got there, we met up with a few more photographers at the same location. The lake was beautiful, and so was the mountain, but there were zero clouds sky to soak up the sunshine as it started making its way up into the sky. We all ended up gravitating towards the dock that was sitting in a beautifully foggy lake. So here we were, eight photographers photographing pretty much the exact … [Read more...] about Why We Should Stop Worrying About Other Photographers
Short and Sweet Shooting Session #10 – Look for What You Don’t See
Image and Post by Rick Sammon I forget who said it, but one of my favorite quotes about photography is: Look for what you don't see. This image (certainly not the best picture you have ever seen of Double Arch in Arches National Park, UT) illustrates this point. I was showing this image during a slide presentation (demonstrating the Shadow/Highlight control in Photosohp) when someone in the audience called out, I see the face in the rocks. Well, I had shown this picture many times and did not see the face. I was not looking for what I … [Read more...] about Short and Sweet Shooting Session #10 – Look for What You Don’t See
Rick Quick Tip: See Eye to Eye
Image and Post by See Eye to Eye When it comes to photographing people, I almost always try to see-eye-to eye shooting at the subject's eye level. At that level, the viewer of the photograph connects with the subject and the image looks less like a snapshot and more like a photograph. Compare these two pictures of Cuban musicians. One, taken while I was standing straight up, looks like a snapshot. The other, taken while I was kneeling, is a much-improved shot. Of course, I do break that rule, as illustrated by the picture of the … [Read more...] about Rick Quick Tip: See Eye to Eye
