Tuesday, May 26, 2009

A Glimpse of the World

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: A Glimpse of the World
Whodunit by A Glimpse of the World
I chose this one despite the fact that it's in color, which is unusual for my documentary work. It's made in a largely Tibetan town called Yushu, in western China, and I like it as a piece of theater. There's a lot going on, and that's what I aspire to more an more in my street work, a dynamic element.

Copper Belt by A Glimpse of the World
This one was shot in late March in Zambia, and strikes me as a very effective portrait. It's simple, but it speaks, somehow, through the direct gaze, the tones and the way the frame is used. Not to be too grandiose here, but I can feel a bit of Lisa's soul, and it feels good.

1: How long have you been involved in photography?
I've been involved in photography since my childhood. My father built a simple black and white darkroom for my brother and me when I was 10 or 11.

2: Equipment you use?
By this point, I've accumulated quite a bit of equipment, which I'll confess is a bit strange for someone who doesn't believe that gear is the heart of the matter.
The work that can be seen on my Flickr stream can be divided for the most part between my Rolleiflex and my Leica M8. I also own a Canon system built around the 5D Mark II and a host of vintage, manual focus lenses from a variety of manufacturers, especially Pentax and Olympus, that I've adapted for use with a Canon DSLR; a Konica Hexar RF; a Yashica Mat; a Rollei B35; a Holga; two Olympus OM4 Ts and an OM1; a Yashica Electro; many, many lenses; and several other cameras I scarcely use any more.

3: Mac or PC?
I own both Macs and PCs, but all of my photo work is done on Macs. For this purpose I currently use a recent vintage iMac with 8 gig of ram and multiple external hard drives.

4: What inspires you?
I am inspired by life. I've never, ever been bored. I love people. I appreciate the way that every photograph encapsulates and speaks to the transitory nature of all things. Every photograph is a unique document, and there is only one chance to make it, the moment you press the shutter. I am a journalist and a writer, and I think photography is the perfect complement to the written word. The one expresses what the other cannot. I love music, especially Jazz and Blues, and I find the best photography has musical qualities. It sings. It strikes chords. It has movements; a beat.

5: Preferred subject matter?
My subject is people. I love what's commonly called "street." I love portraiture, and I work hard at trying to say something through it. I love the nude. Finally, although I'm still new to it, I am becoming very fond of the landscape. After a few days in the countryside, though, I yearn to photograph people.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture.
I live in New York City, and as a lifelong Jazz aficionado, I want to shoot some of my surviving heroes in the business, as well as some of the younger figures coming along. I'd also like to do commissioned portraiture here and more nudes (after having done them intensively for a couple of years in China).

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
When I'm in doubt about my art, I sometimes revert to what I know best, rooting myself in an interesting place on the boulevard and working the street, or finding a subject to work portraits or nudes with, or alternatively, I might try some total departure. That's what landscape has been for me. I also sometimes shoot something as fixed and staid as dried flowers, or interiors, just to wipe the slate clean

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop
I have no qualifications in anything, photo-wise. I'm not particularly skilled at Photoshop. My images are almost all un-cropped. Although I've had exhibitions on four continents, and sold a fair amount of work, I'm still best known as a writer. That's where I'm most "credentialed," still, and perhaps forever. Nothing wrong with that.

9: Plans for the future?
My immediate plans are to spend the summer in Shanghai, where I plan to put the finishing touches on a book project, Disappearing Shanghai. It's a portrait of the Old City there, which is being destroyed in order to make way for the World Expo next year, and to make way for China's modernist vision of its future.

10: In one word, describe your photography.
Real.

Howard also has a website www.howardwfrench.net

Monday, May 18, 2009

Imaganovus

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Imagonovus

Eclipse at the Lighthouse
Eclipse at the Lighthouse by imagonovus
A moment and a unique opportunity to photograph. The March 3rd, 2007 lunar eclipse at the Arecibo Lighthouse, Puerto Rico.


Enjoy the Silence
Enjoy the Silence by imagonovus

1: How long have you been involved in photography?
My father was a painter and practised photography as a hobby as well as one of my older brothers. I've been practising photography as a hobby too for 30 years and as you can see in my photostream, I don't have a developed technique, shot whatever that is pleasing to my eyes and also like to experiment different things.

I've learned to develop b&w film as well to enlarge photographs in my own lab built in my home when I was 14. I worked for many years in a color processing lab, that gave me the opportunity to experiment with color, effects and multiple exposures on the same negative, now with digital photography and graphic software, it's much easier for editing, optimizing color and special effects.

I like to use photography as a way to express visions or places in my imagination. Michel Tcherevkoff, one of my favorite photographers said in an interview: "I use photography to create my own visuals. I don't record reality. I record what's in my mind, based upon what's out there. I have no problem pushing the envelope and making it look like a painting, an illustration, or any other word or medium that doesn't exist yet. It doesn't matter. It's not about the process; it’s about the result."

This is my way to use photography too, it doesn't matter how I got there, what matter is the result, how people react seeing my images.

2: Equipment you use?
Canon 40D
Canon BP-E2N Battery Grip
Canon 10-20 mm
Canon 24-105mm L
Canon 100-400mm L
Canon 530 EX II Flash
Slik Pro-330EZ Tripod

3: Mac or PC?
PC, and with all its problems, I'll stay with PC

4: What inspires you?
Light, shadows, clouds, weather, lines, curves, magazine ads, TV ads, painting, others people photos.


5: Preferred subject matter?
Nature, especially the open spaces, trees, clouds and the moon.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture.
It's difficult to name just one. For me it will be action shots, portraits (You almost don't see people in my pictures) and remote places like Machu Picchu in PerĂº, Pulpit Rock in Norway or Torres del Paine in Chile to name a few.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
I mainly rely on myself or in flickr community.

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop
I use Paint Shop Pro and I'm totally self taught. One learn something new everyday, and I've learned a lot watching pictures of other people. Many people have asked me before, for example, on how I touch up my photos to look like they look. I answer that I use four tools that you can't find in any graphic editor:
Patience, Practice, Desire and Observation.

9: Plans for the future?
Photography is just a hobby and I like to continue to enjoy it as a hobby, to try new things and to learn as much as I can.


10: In one word, describe your photography.
Bold

Monday, May 11, 2009

Lightspectral

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Lightspectral

The perfect mirror by LightSpectral

The one who dances with light by LightSpectral

1: How long have you been involved in photography?
Photography has been a passion since childhood. My father was a great teacher... he is an enginear – but his dream was to be a photographer. So he passed on his dream and passion to me. I never studied photography – it is all selftaught.

2: Equipment you use?
Canon 50D. My preferred lenses: Canon 100mmf/2.8 and I love the Canon 50mm f/1.4

3: Mac or PC?
I use a Mac (with Photoshop and Lightroom)

4: What inspires you? .
My inspiration: beauty, light, colours... to make the unnoticed seen, show how you can find beauty in even the smallest details of nature.

5: Preferred subject matter?
My preferred subject. Nature.. for the time being plants. I love portrait photography as well – human and animal.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture
High speed photography of water dripping into water or some other liquid. Must be lots of fun capturing the water sculptures.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
I ask my flickr friend Werner (poetry and truth).

8: Qualifications/training in anything?
none – besides all the books I have read about.... and the lessons Werner (P&T) has given me.

9: Plans for the future?
I am currently designing books... And my next plan in photography: I live almost next to the river Rhine – this is going to be my next project.

10: In one word, describe your photography.
Lightspectrals (it is all about the colours of the light)

Monday, May 04, 2009

Dog Ma

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER:Dog Ma

A bunch of flowers... by dog ma
This was taken on a rainy day. Dark and dreary out, so that's the kind of natural light that came into the photo from the window on the left. I love shooting still lifes. And I'm a HUGe fan of adding texture to the picture to turn it into digital art.

The birds by dog ma
This little tree silhouette was taken down the Jersey shore in March. It was a little boring so I made a texture, then added the photo OVER the texture. Then added the moon and birds. This one was fun to make. I usually add texture to the photo, not the other way around. Each way produces a uniquely different result.

1: How long have you been involved in photography?
I've been seriously into photography for 2 years.

2: Equipment you use?
I use a Nikon D700 and an assortment of lenses, but most use the Nikkor 50mm f1.4, Sigma 105mm macro f2.8 and Nikon 20mm f2.8.

3: Mac or PC?
I'm a Mac user. I LOVE this computer!! I have a desktop and laptop. Both pretty new.

4: What inspires you?
Flickr has been a huge inspiration for me. I love looking at all the beautiful work people put up on their streams. Such amazing talent on this site!! I am awed by what others can do with a camera and a computer. When I see something that intrigues me (i.e.- HDR, texture and now photo manipulation)... I set out to learn how to do it.

5: Preferred subject matter?
Mostly I shoot flowers and dogs. I have a petsitting business, so I see dogs all day long. My clients seem to like the pics of their dogs and it's turned into a little side business. But flowers are my favorite subject. I don't need to bribe them to sit still and I love color!! Nature is where my heart lies..
.
6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture
. ACTION shots!! I have a really hard time capturing motion. Not sure if it's my focus or settings, but I keep trying...

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
That would be my sister, Taryn. She shoots professional with her husband and is a really good judge on what's good or still needs work. She has taught me so much over the last two years. From the very basics to layering with texture. She is my Photography Rock and my photoshop genius!


8: Qualifications/training in anything?
ie: Photoshop Nope. No formal training, but like I said above, talking to my sister over the phone has really helped my photoshop skills. Although, I've only scratched the surface with what PS is capable of doing.


9: Plans for the future?
I have two showings booked so far. The first one is in July 2009 and the second is Feb. 2010. I hope it goes well.


10: In one word, describe your photography.
Passionate