June 2009 Archives

Ed Kashi	Bill Frakes
Guy Rhodes	Martin Sundberg
Robert Caplin

Via APAD

Five video-savvy photogs weigh in on still vs. motion by Miki Johnson

RESOLVE contributor Ed Kashi sent me some notes last week from his recent trip to the Niger Delta about the creative differences between shooting video and stills.

This is an evolution many photographers are going through right now, so I decided to ask a few other multitaskers to share their thoughts.

Miki Johnson

kaci

Put Away the Darn Camera: How to politely photograph restaurant food by Helena Echlin

If you do take photos, you need not ask the server's permission, but it's polite to follow these simple guidelines . . .

Helena Echlin

John Paul Caponigro

Also go to Noise Reduction.

Jim

Noise—Use It by John Paul Caponigro

Noise.

It happens.

What is it?

Texture not native to the subject photographed, but introduced by the capture medium, editing process or output media.

John Paul Caponigro

Layering Noise by John Paul Caponigro

When adding noise to digital files, keep noise separate from the image so you can control both independently of one another.

This allows extraordinary control and flexibility.

When noise is placed on its own layer, you can eliminate or change it at any time, reduce its opacity, localize it, desaturate it, target it into specific channels, move it, scale it, blur it and much more.

John Paul Caponigro

Ted Barron

Also go to Weegee.

Weegee Speaks! by Ted Barron

Recently, Laura purchased a collection of 15,000 LPs to sell at the shop, and among them was this very rare and curious gem, Famous Photographers Tell How.

Below you can hear Weegee talk about picture-making. It's interesting to hear his voice, which is one of those accents you don't hear so much in New York anymore: part Austro-Hungarian immigrant by way of the Lower East Side and part Elmer Fudd.

Ted Barron

Tim Romano

The Beginner's Guide to Better Fishing Photography by Tim Romano

Anglers traveling to beautiful, far-away, and nearby places have documented their surroundings and trophy catches for years.

And everyone knows that bragging rights must be accompanied by photographic proof.

Tim Romano

Thorsten Overgaard

The Quality of Light by Thorsten Overgaard

When doing a photo (a portrait for example), the first thing to look for is nice light.

Not a nice background.

Light determines the whole look, what you see and notice, the shape of things and all.

Photography is about light and the word photo even derives from Greek word "light", thus photography basically means "painting with light."

Thorsten Overgaard

NPR

Also go to Corcoran Gallery of Art and William Eggleston.

Jim

William Eggleston: Democratic Hellraiser? by Claire O'Neill

Remember that scene where Dorothy and Toto realize they're not in Kansas anymore?

That same combined sensation of awe, homesickness and hallucination probably described the crowd at the Museum of Modern Art in 1976, as they stood before William Eggleston's color photography exhibit for the first time.

Until then, art photography was strictly black and white. Color had been the stuff of kitschy catalogs and commercial advertisements.

Claire O'Neill

Maggie Steber

Maggie Steber: Native Americans by Marianne Fulton

Maggie Steber's artist's statement, which accompanies this feature, says plainly that she, like the Natives, is caught in and fighting against stereotypes.

The public wants to see the Indians they've seen portrayed on television and in movies: Plains Indians with buckskin clothes and war bonnets.

The Cherokee and many other tribes are not Plains people like the Apache and Lakota.

The Cherokee did not wear feathered headdresses, they wore turbans - just look at a drawing of Sequoyah, their extraordinary leader in the east (he created a syllabary, sometimes referred to as an alphabet, that made the Cherokee literate in the 1820s).

Marianne Fulton

Bob Johnson

The Intimate Landscape by Bob Johnson

Somewhere between the grand vista and panorama on the one hand, and the realm of macro and close-up imagery on the other, lies the intimate landscape.

Bob Johnson

Mark Alberhasky

Photographing Details with Mark Alberhasky

Ben Graville

Prison Photography, A Blog by Pete Brook

If a camera is within prison walls we should always be asking; How did it get there?

What are/were the motives?

What are the responses?

I consider the photograph as social document, therefore, what social and political powers are at play in a photograph's manufacture?

And, how is knowledge, related to those powers, constructed?

Pete Brook

LaToya Ruby Frazier

LaToya Ruby Frazier - The Notion of Family by Nicole Pasulka

LaToya Ruby Frazier may be right that there is dysfunction in every home, but not every tense mother-daughter relationship receives such meditative and artistic consideration.

The photographs that Frazier makes with her mother remind us just how unfamiliar we can be sometimes with those we call family.

Nicole Pasulka

Kevin Van Aelst

Also go to Backup Your Computer.

Jim

The Great Crash by Virginia Heffernan

When next I opened my laptop, it had no face at all.

No sad-Mac icon, or even one with X-ed out eyes.

There was just a blur of horizontal lines, like an inconclusive lie-detector test.

Virginia Heffernan

Karsten Stroemvig

Also go to High-speed Photography.

Jim

High Speed Photography at Home by Karsten Stroemvig

This guide describes how to capture super fast movements using ordinary camera gear and a little home made electronics.

I will describes the setup I used the problems I encountered and what I did to solve or work around them.

Karsten Stroemvig

Angela Shoemaker

Angela Shoemaker - A Place to Call Home

The Volunteers of America Family Shelter in Louisville, Kentucky is a unique shelter that allows the whole family to stay together.

Angela Shoemaker

Too Poor to Make the News by Barbara Ehrenreich

The human side of the recession, in the new media genre that's been called "recession porn," is the story of an incremental descent from excess to frugality, from ease to austerity.

The super-rich give up their personal jets; the upper middle class cut back on private Pilates classes; the merely middle class forgo vacations and evenings at Applebee's.

In some accounts, the recession is even described as the "great leveler," smudging the dizzying levels of inequality that characterized the last couple of decades and squeezing everyone into a single great class, the Nouveau Poor, in which we will all drive tiny fuel-efficient cars and grow tomatoes on our porches.

Barbara Ehrenreich

Camilo José Vergara

Also go to Harlem, 1970-2009: Photographs by Camilo José Vergara.

Jim

Camilo José Vergara - The Harlem That Was

I began my documentation of Harlem in 1970.

The neighborhood was like a rundown version of Paris in which life was lived outside, on the streets, amid the fading glory of its grand boulevards.

Once imposing and elegant buildings were now derelict; the streets were dirty; parks were semi-abandoned and dangerous; the schools were decrepit; its most famous figure was American Gangster inspiration Frank Lucas.

Even so, a culture, different and separate from that of mainstream America, was thriving in Harlem's many nooks and crannies.

Camilo José Vergara

Robert D. Austin & Lee Devin

It Is Okay for Artists to Make Money...No, Really, It's Okay by Robert D. Austin & Lee Devin

When art and commerce are mentioned in the same sentence, many people become bad tempered or think something needs fixing.

This paper argues that more artists ought to make more money more often.

Robert D. Austin & Lee Devin

Edition One Studios

Also go to Book Publishing.

Jim

Edition One Studios Makes Books For Photographers by Rob Haggart

Most important is to plan their book out and edit until they have a solid project.

Then they should ask someone they trust to edit it again. This is the hardest part of making a book.

People usually underestimate how long this will take by months, not days.

Ben Zlotkin

Michael Almereyda

Also go to Eggleston.

Jim

Michael Almereyda - William Eggleston in the Real World

In 1976, William Eggleston's hallucinatory, Faulknerian images were featured in the Museum of Modern Art's first one-man exhibition of color photographs.

It is rare for an artist of such stature to allow himself to be shown as unguarded as Eggleston does in Michael Almereyda's intimate portrait.

The filmmaker tracks the photographer on trips to Kentucky, LA and NY, but gives particular attention to downtime in Memphis, Eggleston's home base.

The film shows a deep connection between Eggleston's enigmatic personality and his groundbreaking work.

Snag Films

EyeFatigue.com

Computer Glasses

Wearing properly designed computer glasses is recommended for many individuals even though they do not normally require eyeglasses.

EyeFatigue.com

Stephen Dalton

Also go to Insect Photography.

Jim

Stephen Dalton: The wildlife maestro by

After a year or two of photographing insects doing little I realised that nobody photographed them in flight.

I worked out all of the problems — movement, shutter delays etc and I borrowed a fast flash unit, around 1/7000sec, from somebody in London and experimented with bees flying into a hive.

Stephen Dalton

thisisbristol.co.uk

Freddie snaps up photography prize

Freddie impressed the judges with his photo called 'My Buddy' and was presented with a silver award in the 'World to Me' category.

thisisbristol.co.uk

Helen Bradley

Rsizr - Image scaling on steroids by Helen Bradley

Rsizr resizes images by removing the unnecessary content from them or by stretching neutral areas of the image to make the picture bigger.

It's worth a visit just to see it at work.

Helen Bradley

Brendan Baker

13 Tips for Great Photography in a Developing Country by Brendan Baker

After living a few times in Africa, and thousands of shots, I've figured out some ways to capture some of what makes places like Senegal and Ethiopia spellbinding.

Here are some of those techniques.

If you're a Senegalese or Ethiopian, lucky you!

You know already then that it's much easier to do this than it is for us visitors.

These tips are for us Toubabs and Fenenjis.

Brendan Baker

Michael Williamson

Half a Tank: Along Recession Road by Theresa Vargas & Michael Williamson

Half A Tank is a summer-long quest to find images and stories of people whose lives have been altered by a flattened economy.

Starting from home in the D.C. suburbs, Theresa Vargas and Michael Williamson are traveling around the country to experience how people are coping, struggling, even flourishing as we all reconsider how we live.

Washington Post

Nick Cobbing

Nick Cobbing - Ice

Thomas Michael Alleman

Also go to Toy Cameras.

Jim

Thomas Michael Alleman - Sunshine & Noir

Charles Eisenmann

The Ronald G. Becker Collection of Charles Eisenmann Photographs

Among Eisenmann's subjects were the famous as well as obscure.

They included the "father" of the sideshow, P. T. Barnum, and performers like General Tom Thumb, Jo Jo the Dog-faced Boy, the Wild Men of Borneo, Annie Jones the Bearded Lady, and the Skeleton Man.

He also photographed Siamese twins, giants, dwarfs, armless and legless "wonders," albinos, tattoo artists, and even abnormal animals, such as two-headed cows.

While many of these "freaks" were genuine, many were not, having been created out of the imagination and costuming talents of sideshow managers.

Syracuse University Library

Helen Grundma

Iowa Women's Scrapbooks Digital Collection

Diana Davies

1969: The Year of Gay Liberation

Many cite the riots as the birth of the Gay Rights Movement in the United States.

From June 1969 until June 1970, gays and lesbians in New York City radicalized in an unprecedented way, founding several activist groups that created a new vision for Gay Liberation.

The exhibition 1969: The Year of Gay Liberation charts the emergence and evolution of this new vision from the Stonewall Riots to the first LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Pride march on Christopher Street in June 1970.

NYPL

The Gay Peoples Union Collection

The Gay Peoples Union Collection

The Gay Peoples Union (GPU) was the most important gay and lesbian rights organization in Milwaukee during the 1970s.

Beginning as a student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the group gradually became a resource for the entire Milwaukee community.

Taking distance from the radical politics of the New Left, GPU adopted a politically moderate approach to social change, emphasizing education and legal reform.

University of Wisconsin Digital Collections

Matt Zoller Seitz

On the Creepy Alluring Art of the Follow Shot by Matt Zoller Seitz

But the Dardennes' following shots, however distinctive, didn't just arrive mysteriously on screens.

They are descended from myriad other examples, some visually rough and seemingly spontaneous, others carefully choreographed, often taken with a smooth-gliding Steadicam or from a camera mounted on a dolly and then placed atop wheels or tracks.

One of the earliest, most spectacular examples is the famous shot in F.W. Murnau's 1927 melodrama Sunrise which follows a distraught woman into traffic in a small-town square as her husband chases after her, dodging Model T cars that veer frighteningly close.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Photo Shower Curtains

Photo Shower Curtains

Use a photo or digital image of your choice.

Simply place your order, send us your image and in 2-4 weeks we will send you an amazing fully printed shower curtain!

People are amazed by our custom shower curtains - they love the photo quality, the amazing fabric and that you can wash it with no fading!

Photo Shower Curtains

wiki How

Photographers can use this advice on their side of the camera.

Jim

How to Be Photogenic

Do you dislike having your picture taken because you always seem to come out looking hideous?

Felt jealous of your friend who always comes out flawless in photos?

What's the deal with pictures?

While being photogenic just comes naturally to some people, there are a few things that anyone can do to look better in photos.

Try out the tricks in this article and stop running for cover whenever the camera comes out.

Multiple Authors

Christian Boltanski by Michael Sanders

Also go to PATH:Ways-of-Working in Photography.

Jim

I used to be creative. How do I get that back?

We live in a culture that doesn't respect grown-up amateurs very much.

Kids, sure, if they keep themselves and their friends entertained with the fruits of their imagination, that's good enough.

But creative adults are expected to find an audience for the things they create, and told that they aren't "real" artists/writers/musicians until they do.

There's a lot of pressure to either Get Serious or quit creating. And since most of us never really wanted to Get Serious — which involves a lot of hard, tedious, unfulfilling work — we quit.

nebulawindphone

How to Learn About Everything by Eric Drexler

Note that the title above isn't "how to learn everything", but "how to learn about everything".

The distinction I have in mind is between knowing the inside of a topic in deep detail — many facts and problem-solving skills — and knowing the structure and context of a topic: essential facts, what problems can be solved by the skilled, and how the topic fits with others.

Eric Drexler

Studio Visit: Christian Boltanski

I'm always a beginner, and the most important thing is always the next piece.

We artists never know if we can do it again.

Christian Boltanski

Letters to a Young Poet by Ranier Marie Rikle, translated by Stephen Mitchell

Irony: Don't let yourself be controlled by it, especially during uncreative moments.

Ranier Marie Rikle, translated by Stephen Mitchell

Sarah Wilson

Also go to Blind Photographers.

Jim

Sarah Wilson - Blind Prom by Nicole Pasulka

Maybe this is just my imagination, but I believe that the participation of a professional photographer at an event helps to bring an element of significance and celebration.

Therefore the difference is that, although many of these kids will never see the pictures of themselves, they understand what photography and portraiture symbolizes.

It reinforces the fact that there is something significant happening—that this event or this person should be remembered and honored.

Sarah Wilson

Walter McClintock

Walter Mcclintock Glass Lantern Slides

Like his contemporary, the photographer Edward Curtis, McClintock believed that Indian communities were undergoing swift, dramatic transformations that might obliterate their traditional culture.

He sought to create a record of a life-way that might disappear.

He wrote books, mounted photographic exhibitions, and delivered numerous public lectures about the Blackfoot.

Yale University Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson by Miguel Garcia-Guzman

His photography are images that build on the qualities of technical excellence, masterful use of light, and outstanding compositions.

Miguel Garcia-Guzman

Kim Kyung-Hoon

Photo Technique: Monochrome

Richard Russell

Richard Russell - The illusion of sex

One face was created by increasing the contrast of the androgynous face, while the other face was created by decreasing the contrast.

Best Visual Illusion of the Year Contest

SureFire

Also go to Batteries.

Jim

SureFire Batteries - A SureFire Way to Save on CR123A Batteries by Bob Johnson

Based on a recommendation, I settled on batteries from a company called SureFire that specializes in high-intensity outdoor flashlights.

Since they made a number of lights powered from CR123A cells, it seemed reasonable to assume they had a vested interest in providing the needed batteries too.

And since they came direct from the manufacturer, the price from SureFire was far better than I could find locally.

Bob Johnson

FotoQuote

FotoQuote

FotoQuote is the industry standard pricing guide for stock and assignment photography.

This new upgrade with over 300 categories adds video, Quote Packs, thumbnails and more.

FotoQuote

Ken Rockwell

Things that Bug Me: How to Spot an Amateur by Ken Rockwell

If you prefer to do any of these things, don't let me poop in your ice cream, but otherwise, I used to do these things myself until I learned better.

Ken Rockwell

Kevin Scanlon

Also go to Salgado.

Sebastião Salgado - Back to Nature, in Pictures and Action by Jori Finkel

Sitting down at the Peter Fetterman gallery, with his image of zebras in Namibia hanging overhead, Mr. Salgado compared his time away from nature to the potentially disruptive moment when he has to change the film in his camera, when he likes to close his eyes and sing so as not to lose concentration.

Jori Finkel

Carmilo José Vergara

Carmilo José Vergara - Harlem in Time-Lapse Photography by Holland Cotter

His self-created job as documenter is demanding.

It can require the fearlessness of a reporter in a war zone and the solicitous detachment of a doctor doing rounds, though Mr. Vergara doesn't claim these qualities.

He has said in interviews that he goes where he goes and does what he does because he needs to.

Holland Cotter