The Final Project

The final project was turned in yesterday. I received some generally positive feedback on the pictures I presented from both the rest of the class and the instructor. Of course, the instructor's opinion matters the most and she will apply the final grade based on a more in-depth analysis of the project.

Without further ado, here is my statement and photos for this semester:

It's easy to want the latest and greatest in everything. We all want the newest car, the bigger house, the ultimate computer, to name a few things. For some who are into photography, this includes the latest and greatest in camera equipment. With all of the sophisticated selling points that accompany the new products, being sucked into wanting the latest and greatest can sometimes be hard to avoid. I myself have been stricken with technolust on a few occasions, but the reality of the checking account balance proves to be an effective cure for that malady.

It's easy to forget that the camera is merely a tool. A photograph begins and ends in the mind. The camera itself is only the first tool used to provide a genesis to the photograph. It matters not whether the camera is a homemade black box with a pinhole aperture or the latest Hasselblad 48 megapixel medium format digital - without the inspiration, the image never gets created.

That's not to say that the camera is not important. Every camera has its capabilities and faults that the photographer can exploit to his or her advantage. Each camera in my personal collection has a purpose based on their capabilities. The Olympus, for example, is a waterproof camera that allows me to do things I can't do with my Canon 7D. The Pentax 645 uses medium format film, which gives me the ability to take shots that can be enlarged to a much greater degree than can 35mm. They all have something to offer.

Each pair in this series is a testament to the abilities of each camera and the fact that it doesn't take a Canon 1D Mark III to create a beautiful photograph. The black and white camera photographs attest to the fact that I feel no camera in my collection is more important than the next, and when taking shots each camera is considered based on what is in my mind.

Work Has Begun

My final exam project is due on Monday, 6 December 2010. The guidelines are as follows:

6 rolls of film shot (24 or 36 exposure or 120 film) or an equivalent number of digital
6 high quality prints which can be presented in any creative manner

The themes can be chosen from the following:
1. Joiners
2. Documentation of a story, either real or made up
3. Photographic illustration of a poem or song

It's a pretty loose set of requirements, but the themes do require some thought. I had originally decided to go with option 3, but the person I asked to assist recently joined the ranks of the employed and thus is unable to help at this time. It's ok, I'm just glad she was able to find a job. At this point I'm going with option 2 and going to tell a little bit of my own story.

Work began earlier this evening. So far I have 43 digital shots split between 2 subjects. The story can go 1 of 2 ways, and at this point I will let the photographs develop the story for me. Wish me luck as I begin this journey. Since the Texans are playing on Thursday this week I should have pretty much all day on Sunday to figure out how I'm going to present my final shots.

Photographer vs. Photoshopper

About a month or 2 ago someone posted the following question on Facebook - "Are you a photographer or a Photoshopper? That is the question." I asked him to define what he meant by each term and the response was that a Photoshopper was someone who used digital or analog tools to manipulate an picture to make it great, while a "professional" photographer always got the great images straight from the camera.

Of course, this started a back and forth about the definition of a "professional" - I contended that it meant one who does it for money, a point to which this person would not concede. I think he was trying to say "good" or "great" but he stuck with his original term. When I pointed out that many people use digital and/or analog tools to manipulate a picture (even such greats as Jerry Uelsmann and Ansel Adams), he still insisted that one should be able to get great images straight out of the camera.

I attempted to steer the discussion toward his shooting format, at which point he immediately cut off debate. I am of the impression that he shoots all his photos in the .jpg file format, which right there nullifies his entire argument. Jpeg photos always seem to look good when they come out of the camera because the camera itself performs processing on the image to enhance color, contrast, brightness, etc. The problem with this approach to photography is that once the camera has processed the image, that information is locked into place, which makes manipulation in the case of problems a much more difficult task.

Anyone who has worked in a dark room can attest to the fact that the entire process of printing from a negative is nearly all manipulation. You need to manipulate the exposure time on the enlarger, check the time in the developer to make sure it is not over or under developing, stop the chemical process, fix the paper, wash and then you can check to see if you need to make any adjustments to the contrast or do any burning or dodging. And this is all after you have printed test strips to narrow down the proper times needed. When it comes to color processing, a lot of time can be spent manipulating the filters on the enlarger to get the perfect color balance in a photograph. With automatic color processors you have to wait until each successive print is complete before it can be checked. Keep in mind, also, that no two shots on the same roll of film will have the same filter settings.

Even shooting the picture is mostly a process of manipulation. The shot needs to be composed above all. Even those who take nothing but snapshots perform rudimentary composition. Someone with a single lens reflex will have to think about depth of field as well. Only after the photographer has thought about the shot can the mechanics of photography (setting the aperture, shutter speed, focus, etc) be employed to capture the photograph.

Point-and-shoot digital cameras have image processors built into the camera. This gives us what it thinks is the best image (and often it's correct, but not always). Many people with DSLR cameras also shoot in jpeg format, which uses the built-in image processor. When you shoot in RAW format, however, there is no image processing done inside the camera. The only processing that goes on is the RAW data into a format that can be read by software. It's in RAW format that we find the ability to use software to manipulate the image's color balance, contrast, brightness, etc to create the great images that make everyone go 'ooooh'. And keep in mind, these programs are tools, the biggest difference is that the photographer is processing the image in front of a computer screen rather than a dimly light room while breathing in fumes from chemicals of varying levels of toxicity.

In summary, it would appear that this person sees photography as more a mechanical activity that requires some aptitude than a creative process. In the early days photography was considered by many a mechanical activity as well, an attitude that slowly changed over many decades. While knowledge of the the mechanical aspects is important (they are important in all the visual arts), photography requires imagination and creativity in the use of the mechanics (both before and after shooting) in order to create a compelling photograph. Of course, it's also up to the photographer to be as engaged as he or she wants to be in the process. To this I say creating a great image requires engagement from inspiration to the mounting of the final print.

What are your thoughts?

In Class

So I am retaking Photography II at my local community college. At this point we are about 3 weeks from the end of the semester. Along with my Anatomy and Physiology class I have been pretty busy.

So far I've done 4 projects and am currently working on a side project and my final project. I'm still trying to make arrangements for my final project so I will decline to share that at this point. The side project on which I am currently working is a print using the gum bichromate process. It has proven to be very time consuming but definitely very enjoyable. In fact, I'm in the photo lab as I write this entry awaiting the drying of the emulsion on the paper for my next layer. I will be sharing the results with you all as soon as I can get a print that I feel is complete.

My previous forays into photography classes were not as structured as this one. In Photography I we learned the basics of exposure, film development, and printing of the negatives. The only assignments given were an oral presentation on a well-known artist, the midterm print, and the final portfolio. There were no structured shooting assignments. Basically, we could shoot what we wanted and the only stipulation was that we had something for critique days. The condition set for the final was that all the photos had to be tied together somehow and there were to be a minimum number of matted prints. Photography II was pretty much the same structure, but there was no midterm and the only technicals discussed were those dealing with color theory as it relates to printing on color photo paper.

In this class, however, I was given 4 loosely structured shooting projects. The first project was purely technical in nature as it was an introduction into the zone system of exposure and experimenting with an 18% gray card. The second project was one where I documented, through photography, a dream that I remembered having. That project was very fun as it allowed me to move into experimental subject matter. The third project given required me to consider the use of time in shooting the picture. There were many possibilities with this one as well, and I had fun going through the different ways to factor time into the photographs. The fourth project was a self-portrait (which those of you who see me on Facebook have already seen). I don't really care to take pictures of myself so I wasn't thrilled with that one.

Instead of resin coated paper, this semester the professor had me using fiber paper. This has turned out some wonderful prints as the contrasts and shadows have a richness (due to higher silver content) that I could never reproduce on RC paper. It definitely took me a while to get used to printing on this as the exposure times were shorter. This semester I was also learned how to create my own negatives from digital photography for printing on photographic paper. This little skill has proven to be most helpful as I have created a couple of beautiful prints on fiber paper from digital files. Of course I could pay to have my digital photos printed via a digital chromogenic process, but nothing matches creating something by yourself.

So that's been my semester in a nutshell. Hopefully I only need one or two more passes on the gum bichromate print in order to have something really special. My final is going to be an ambitious project, but unless my model and I can synch our schedules, I may have to go with a Plan B. At this point I'm going to start force-drying the emulsion on my gum print. Wish me luck as I move forward with this side project. I will check in again with you all soon.

Open Comment

Back to Life

Wow, I can't believe it's been over 3 months since I've posted here. Life has a way of interrupting your progress. Let's start from where I am right now.

This semester I'm taking Photography II once again. This time it's with a different professor and instead of color we are shooting black and white again. This time, however, she wants me printing my work on fiber paper. I'm also being given a cursory introduction to the zone system as well as getting a chance to work with a 4x5 view camera. The view camera is definitely something I am looking forward to using.

At this point we're almost halfway through the semester (I told you it's been a while) and I've turned in the project dealing with the zone system. I won't go into the details of the project itself but I will say I was rather amazed at some of the results I got, especially since the exposures on the different items seemed counterintuitive. I may have to look further into the concept of the zone system, but that will probably wait until after the semester is over.

Currently I am doing a project on documenting, via photographs, a dream I recently had. This is proving to be a fun little exercise since I get to use my lensbaby in giving the images a dream-like feel. The first shots were actually developed today and are being scanned as I type this. I also made 2 paper prints off the roll in class. I'm curious to see what kind of reactions I get from the other students (all the other students are in Photography I and their current project - landscapes - is nowhere near as fun). You'll be able to see some of my work over at mt flickr page with my favorite pieces being cross-posted to Primordial Light.

Well, that's pretty much it for now. I've got some work to do as the scans are almost completed. The first dream roll was shot on the reformulated Tri-X 400 film and I must say I am very impressed with the results so far. To all of you I bid you a good night.

The Ever Expanding Lens Collection

For a long time I've been fascinated by selective focus. In selective focus the photographer is able to seemingly focus on a certain subject in a frame while the rest of the image (even in the same plane) is out of focus. The first photograph where I realized the power of selective focus was the Keith Carter photograph "Broken Leg".

In this photo we can see selective focus and the power it can lend to an image. The only thing in focus is the animal and its immediate surroundings. The childs face is so distorted we cannot see his or her expression. Was the child responsible for the condition of the animal? Did the child happen upon the animal? The black clothing suggests perhaps this is Thanatos taking the form of a child and coming from the great unknown, ready to collect the next body for the afterlife. Or is this a social statement on how man preys upon other species and there is no innocence concerning this, not even in a child?

The use of selective focus is what gives the image its power. Although the child's legs are a not much out of focus, as you go up toward its head, the image is more and more out of focus, even though they are in the same plane.

In a normal camera the film plane and the lens plane are parallel. This in turn gives us a depth of field where the front and rear planes of focus are also parallel (and parallel to the lens and film planes). Because of this you can't achieve this image with an normal SLR camera and lens setup.

Medium and large format photographers have the advantage of being able to use a bellows system. If you look at a 19th century camera and see the accordian type material on the front, you are looking at the bellows. The bellows system allows the photographer to change the plane of the lens, which also changes the plane of focus so it is no longer parallel with the film plane. When used in conjunction with good compositional technique, an image can indeed become very powerful, as evidenced in "Broken Leg". Carter makes extensive use of selective focus in his work.

I have a medium format film camera, but in my research they don't make a bellows system for it. I can't afford a large format camera and even then the bellows systems tend to add another 4 digits to the price of a large format system.

Which brings me to the point of my post. For my birthday this year I got a Lensbaby Composer for my DSLR. This lens allows for selective focus on a normal SLR system, although it does not have the flexibility of a full blown bellows. I've been playing with it as I've had time. I'm still trying to figure out how to manipulate the "sweet spot" to get the image I want, but it's a lot of fun. Here are a couple of images I shot with the Lensbaby:

The first image, of my German Shepherd, was taken the day after I acquired the lens. I still had a lot to learn about using the lens at this point, but as you can see, the area just above her eye gets more muddled even though it's in the same plane as the eye. The second photo is of my wife and my Golden Retriever/German Shepherd mix, taken nearly a month after acquiring the lens. Here I was able to get the human and dog eyes in focus while the rest is out of focus. You can really see it in my wife's shoulder as opposed to her eyes (the shoulder and the eye are both in the same plane) and the dogs eye compared to her face as you move out.

I can tell I'm going to have a lot of fun with this lens. Perhaps I can see if there is a custom bellows kit I can order for my DSLR somewhere out there. But then again, I better start saving my pennies if one exits - those systems aren't cheap by any means.

Rabbit Portrait

It's been a while since I've posted anything here. I got a little busy with other things, but now things seem to have settled down a little bit. I can play catchup in other posts, but right now I want to discuss an image I saw in Color Magazine today.

The picture below is part of a series called "Transcendence" by Kimberly Witham. The picture is entitled "Rabbit Portrait":


This is not the first image that caught my eye in this series, but it was the first image that made me realize something unusual about all of the animals in the series. What challenged me most was the look in the eye of this rabbit. It looks shocked and alert, sensing danger and trying to find the direction from which it is coming. But then I questioned how this was on a pure black background. That's when I realized that this rabbit is dead. All of the animals in the series are dead. I was shocked and more intrigued at same time. Death is a pretty morbid subject for any medium, but the images here actually were quite powerful. Just to make sure I went back and read the artist's words on the series and confirmed that they were indeed dead animals.

The image seems to beg the viewer to question how this life met its end. The shocked and alert look on the rabbit's face makes me wonder if it was frightened when the end came. It certainly doesn't look as if the animal accepted its fate. Perhaps the rabbit did indeed accept the inevitable, but was frightened of what it saw ahead once it crossed over into death. The rabbit's repose suggest that the end was anything but peaceful.

All in all this is a pretty powerful picture, as are all the pictures in the series. I encourage you all to look at the entire series for yourself at http://www.kimberlywitham.com/. I invite your comments on what you think of this image and/or the series.

Open Comment

I invite open comments and criticisms of this photo.

Open Comment

I invite any comments or criticisms of this photo:

Welcome, Kim

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Kim Odle to the team here at Rick's Picture Corner. Kim hails from the great State of Texas. She is a mother of 2 with a Bachelor's of Art in Interdisciplinary Studies from Hillsdale FWB College. Kim is currently working on her first novel (which I can't wait to read) and, best of all, is an amateur shutter bug with an appreciation for photography.

I can't wait to read what she has to say about photography from her own perspective.

Welcome to Rick's Picture Corner, Kim.

Open Comments

I invite all to offer their critique of this photo:

The Changing Mind's Eye

I was inspired by some long exposure photos I saw in the 2010 Folios edition of "Silvershotz". On Wednesday the overcast cloud bases were in cloud roll mode, so I thought maybe I could pull off something similar to what I saw. I got to the George Bush Nature Preserve here in Houston and went to the pond on Noble Trail. I set up the tripod, used the built-in level function on my camera, and searched my bag... I found that I left behind my 4-stop neutral density filter. I knew right away I wasn't going to get the shots I originally wanted. Undaunted, I took a few shots anyway just to play some more with my camera.

For those who don't know, a neutral density filter is a filter that cuts down on the amount of light that passes into the camera lens. It's called neutral density because it does not affect the contrast or light dispersion into the lens, it just cuts down on the amount going in. It fits over the end of the lens. This allows for long exposures during bright light and will allow very narrow apertures for macro shots where a deeper depth of field is desirable.

I took a few shots and decided on my Day 6 shot and left the others to sit on my hard drive. About 24 hours had passed and I decided to take a break from my paperwork and fired up Lightroom to look at some older photos. For some reason I decided to look at yesterday's photos first. This is the original shot here:



The initial reason for rejecting this was that it just wasn't what I was looking for when set out to take these photos. But I learned a little while back that nothing stays the same, even 24 hours later things change. I saw something more in this photo... something dark and sinister.

The darkness of the trees in the horizon stirred the emotion in me, so I started playing with it a little bit to bring into focus the vision within my subconscious mind. There was a harshness in the winter trees that played against the soft and subtle tones of the clouds. It was almost as if I were in a dream that was descending into something more sinister. After converting the image to black and white, it really became apparent that this was the vision in my mind.

The image was still too dark to be effective. I lightened the photo but the trees now looked funny. I was able to darken the horizon and found the darkness of the trees was playing very well off the clouds, which now had a rough but wide dynamic range. The white at the top center begins to darken as you move through the image, ending in the nearly black trees. The water took away from this effect, so it was cropped out. Once I softened the clarity of the entire image, my mind's vision was fully realized:



This now was the final image. It shows a dark and sinister path ahead, which is what my mind saw when I opened the photo again less than 24 hours after initially rejecting it. The image is entitled "Chimera Descent".

This little exercise highlights the fact that everything in life is fluid and changes can occur rapidly. I still go through some of my old photos looking for new visions that exist within my mind. Nothing stays the same, and sometimes the things we reject contain a beauty that only comes after initial contact.

Any comments on this are welcome.

Diving Tower Study 1 by Marius Rustad

As I've said before, minimalist photos rank are my favorite. To take simple elements and bring them all together to create a powerful image takes a vision and a mind beyond my feeble skills. This picture by Marius Rustad is no exception as it is a powerful photo.

According the short bio of Marius contained in "Silvershotz", he was an only child, but he says he never felt alone as he was growing up. I can certainly see how this translates to his work. The photo here shows the lone diving platform, but one does not get the impression at all that the sense of loneliness one would normally get from an image such as this. Instead, the platform seems to enjoy its place in the seeming void of the water. This sense is reinforced by the perfect calm of the water, making the reflection nearly flawless. If it weren't for the reflection and the darkening color of the water at the horizon, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to believe that this platform is floating in the air. The calmness of the water also provides serenity.

The placement of the platform suggests that while it is far away, it is not so far that it is inaccessible. On the contrary, the platform seems to have chosen this spot as a small test of one's worthiness to climb aboard. The test is there, but not impossible, or even hard, but still must be passed.

One area where this photo really stands out is the tonal range. The smooth tonality here is impeccable and was the first thing I noticed about this photo. The serenity offered by the calmness of the water is strongly reinforced by the ultra-smooth tonality of the photo. The only break throughout the photo (aside from the platform itself) is the horizon, but even that serves as a compliment to the overall feeling of the image.

The clarity is amazing, owing in part to his use of a 6x6 medium format camera (which is why the image is square). Medium format cameras use film that is larger than the standard 35mm film to which most of us are familiar. The result is superior clarity in smaller prints, with the ability to make larger prints.

I would encourage anyone to look at more of Mr. Rustad's work, which can be found by clicking here.

What do you think of the photo? What does it say to you?