Photo Stuff
TimNorman: See some of the images created on the front line of Afghanistan by combat photographers. Combat Camera Weekly http://bit.ly/b6Qq9a
Let Fear Become Your Friend
"I'm sitting here a week before my first big gig, a magazine shoot. I've only been shooting 2 years, about 6 months at the sort of level I'd class as "semi pro". And I've been given a chance that not many others would, yet im sitting here doubting my ability! Thinking what am I doing im out of my own depths? Maybe I should quit! How did you take it before your first major shoot? Did you have the same nerves and emotions?"This question came in recently via email. Seemed like a good one to share.
How did I handle it? Did I have the same nerves and emotions?
Hell yes, I was scared shitless.
But weren't we all scared the first time we did anything of substance? You can even take 'substance' out of the equation entirely....[click the 'continue reading' link below]
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...I was scared the first time I rode a bike, drove a car, sang karaoke, and kissed a girl at the Skate King roller rink.
Fear--most certainly in art--can be an amazing motivator if you can harness the nasty side of it. The key is repetition. The more you shoot, the more art you make, the more things you send out into the world, the more gigs you get under your belt, the more mistakes you make, the more you fail, the harder you fail, the more you learn, the more comfortable you become.
And when you start feeling too comfortable? That's when you do something for the first time all over again. Let fear become your friend.
And so it goes.
Which reminds me, here's an interesting book: Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
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Surf Photography: Chris Burkard’s Tips for Taking Great Outdoor Photos
Photograph © Chris Burkard 2009. All Rights Reserved
The latest episode of Advancing Your Photography (AYP) finds the Silber Studios team interviewing surf photography phenom Chris Burkard. At just 23, Burkard has had more success than many photographers twice his age. He has worked for over 35 national and international magazines, is the winner of the first annual Follow The Light Foundation grant, and has been the senior staff photographer for Water Magazine and Surfline.com. He also recently published his first book, The California Surf Project.
With little formal training, Chris brings a raw, youthful enthusiasm to his photography. His shots, whether they’re of surfers jetting through the curl of a wave or the sun rising behind a field of grass, show a unique ability to capture light and composition. In our interview, you’ll learn about Chris’s tips on how to elevate you photography to the next level.
1. Inspiration — The key to taking great photos, says Chris, is finding out what inspires people. Photographers are blessed to able to travel the world and bring little pieces of it back with them through their art, and your goal should be to inspire others to travel in your footsteps.
2. It’s all about the simple moments — Chris finds inspiration in simplicity. As a surf photographer, he prefers to use natural light and document surf culture with native scenes. One key piece of advice he offers is to shoot things and locations that are attainable so people can actually see themselves going there.
3. “The insect perspective” — In trying to get those unique angles, Chris sometimes uses what he calls “the insect perspective.” Get down beneath eye-level and try for a bug’s-eye view of your subjects. You’ll be surprised at the unique shots.
4. Think about what is really significant — Most photographers tend to believe what really matters is their own perspective of what they’re shooting. But as Chris says, many times it’s not what you the photographer are seeing, but rather what your subject is seeing, thinking or feeling. Considering this perspective reversal will increase your awareness and add a whole new layer of depth to your shots.
To learn more about Chris Burkard’s indispensable advice on how to advance your photography, watch the latest episode of AYP. Also, make sure to check out Chris’ site over at burkardphoto.com.
Charitable Giving - Do's, Don'ts, And Cautions
First - legally, if you designate a specific disaster (for example, Haitian relief) the organization is obligated to spend those funds on Haiti only. Guess what? In a few weeks, there will be another disaster, and if the organization recieves an excess amount of funds earmarked for one disaster - so much so that they can't spend it (guess what - this happens a lot!) they can't transfer those funds to other needs, so don't earmark your donation for a specific incident, let the charity manage their funds as they best can.
Second - your time is NOT a tax-deductible donation. Even if you have an hourly rate of $100, or a rate for an assignment for a charity documentary project of $750 for each day you are doing that type of documentary work, you cannot donate your services and take a deduction for that. If you incur airfare/hotel/food/shooting expenses during the trip, those you can deduct. (For more information on what is, and is NOT deductible, check out IRS Publication 526 - page 6 is where is says "You cannot deduct as a charitable contribution - 4. The value of your time or services,...")
(Continued after the Jump)
Third - make sure your donation is to a true charitable organization, and check them out! For example, making a donation to the Government of Haiti is NOT a tax deductible donation! Further, while everyone from the First Lady to Price Club are encouraging you to donate to the Red Cross, here are a few facts about them you should be aware of:Red Faces At The Red Cross - In the hours after the Sept. 11 attacks, a record-breaking amount of donations started pouring into more than 1,000 local American Red Cross chapters. What donors didn't know was that some of the chapters entrusted with all that money had been identified by Red Cross headquarters just a few weeks before for having poor accounting procedures, inaccurate financial reports and for keeping national disaster contributions that should have been sent to headquarters in Washington.
Red Cross defends handling of Sept. 11 donations - "Don't confuse us with the 9/11 Fund in New York. Don't confuse us with Habitat for Humanity. Don't confuse us with the scholarship in New York for the victims. We have to get that out," [Healy] said. Controversy over the Liberty Fund was one reason Healy decided to resign at year's end.
Red Cross Blinks - The Red Cross had planned to use about half of the Liberty Fund to build up blood supplies and prepare for possible future terrorist attacks...The public responded with outrage to the disclosure that not all of the donated funds were being spent on victims of the attacks. "I donated money three times for the people directly affected by the attack on America, Sept. 11th. I did not donate money for the Red Cross to use as they wished.It may be that your local church group, or a specific group, like the one photographer Cameron Davidson supports both with his time and money - The Community Coalition for Haiti, are a better destination for your donations. Just because everyone is championing one cause or another, doesn't mean you should take the easy path and do the same - figure out what you want to give, and how to best do it. Experts are saying that financial donations are best because if you, for example, donate bags of food or clothing, they may not only not be needed, but also, the costs to get them down there could be quite high.
It is important too, to realize that most people have a mindset of "I can give $x amount this year to charity..." and when they give that much, they don't give again for awhile. In the year after September 11, 2001, charitable organizations were reporting sharp drops in donations, because much of what people had planned to give to, say, research for a specific disease, or homelessness, was instead given to 9/11 charities. So, as you give for the current disaster - Haiti - remember your other charitable giving and don't make it an either/or - do both, if at all possible.
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.Questions? Please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads. Comments are turned off for this welcome posting.
View the Beauty of Haitian People & Make A Donation For Earthquake Relief
Friend and photographer Lane Hartwell has done an amazing job of putting together in an extremely short time a great collection of photography highlighting the culture and beauty of the Haitian people prior to Tuesdays devestating 7.0 earthquake. This collection of photography titled “Onè Respe” has been compiled in a magazine format produced by MagCloud where all proceeds are being donated to the Red Cross.
The magazine features work from preeminent photographers and all proceeds will go directly to the International Red Cross to assist the people of Haiti. The issue is titled Onè Respe, after a traditional Haitian greeting meaning honor and respect.
Mary Ellen Mark, winner of three Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards and acclaimed photographers Peter Pereira, Chet Gordon, Lindsay Stark and Kari Hartmann donated their work for this important project.
More about this project can be found in today’s Onè Respe press release.
Donations/Orders for Onè Respe can be found at MagCloudIn addition to my donation directly to the Red Cross I’ve also placed an order for this great piece of photojournalism. I urge you to do the same.
Additional information can be found in Lane’s most recent blog post Haiti Onè Respe A Photographic Benefit for the Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake – ThePostAndReview.com
Technorati Tags: Onè Respe, Haiti, Earthquake, Red Cross, Donation, Lane Hartwell, Photojournalism
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Copyright Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved
View the Beauty of Haitian People & Make A Donation For Earthquake Relief
Millenium Falcon Bed = AWESOME!
Abstraction
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Quick detour: Interested in learning how to use your Canon Speedlites? Check out the Speedliter’s Intensive Seminar. Syl will be hitting 12-15 US cities this spring, with possible stops elsewhere through the summer. Details here. Join the mailing list to get the latest announcements.
It’s no secret that the international community of Canonistas has a huge presence online. In Part 1 of my 2-part series, I collected my favorite web resources that originate from Canon. In Part 2, I’ve rounded up 25 or so of my favorite Canon-centric sites, blogs, forums, etc.
Blogs of Photographers / Cinematographers Who Shoot Canon
Syl Arena – PixSylated • Where else to start but where you are already at? As a Canon shooter for more than 30 years, PixSylated is my way of paying forward the help I’ve received from so many shooters through the years. If you are curious about the types of photography I shoot, click here. (Twitter = @Syl_Arena)
Philip Bloom’s Blog • I can personally attest, after meeting Philip at the re:Frame in San Francisco, that he is the whirling dervish of the HDSLR cinematography movement. Actually, I think there are at least two Philip Blooms—he pops up all over the world. (Twitter = @philipbloom)
John Paul Caponigro’s Blog • My vision has long been influenced by the Caponigro clan. The photo ‘Running White Deer‘ by JP’s father, Paul, was instrumental in my coming to understand that photography is so much more than a way to record the world around us. JP carries on the family trade as a master photographer, print maker and teacher. Be sure to check out JP’s R/Evolution DVD series. (Twitter = @jpcaponigro)
David duChemin – Pixelated Image • Anyone who would give up the life of a professional comedian to become a professional photographer, gets my attention. David is an energetic and insightful photographer, blogger, writer and, occasionally still, comedian. Be sure to check out his latest book VisionMongers. (Twitter = @Pixelatedimage)
Drew Gardner’s Blog • After 30 years as a stills photographer, Drew has embraced the cinematic potential of the 5DM2. Follow his journey in both the stills and motion world on his blog. (Twitter = @photogardner)
Zeke Kamm – Nice Photo Mag • Zeke is the genius who created the Strobist and Chase Jarvis Trade Secret cards. Despite his youthful looks and attitude, he’s been around the block a few times in the LA media circus. (Twitter – @Zeke_Kamm)
Damien Lovegrove – ProPhotoNut • Damien is a prolific photographer and blogger in the UK. Loads of info on gear and technique—especially Speedliting. (Twitter = @damienlovegrove)
Neil van Niekerk – Planet Neil • Neil is the author of On-Camera Flash Techniques for Wedding Photographers. He’s an ambidextrous photographer—meaning that he shoots both Canon and Nikon. (Twitter = @Neil_vN)
David Ziser – Digital Protalk • David is a blogging machine… he posts more original content about photography than any other single person I know. (Twitter = @DigitalProTalk)
The UK-based EOS Magazine is a great source of information on EOS photography. Fortunately, the online version is available anytime, anywhere.
For a completely different slant on the world of Canon head to Canon Rumors. The homepage is always a great source of insights and gossip. (Twitter = CanonRumorsguy)
If you’re heading into the world of digital cinematography, stop by Planet 5d. Always one of the first to break the news on what’s going on with Canon’s new generation of Hybrid Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras. (Twitter = planetmitch)
If you’re a technocrat or just looking for detailed insights before buying a new camera, you’ll want to visit the reviews of Canon gear at Digital Photography Review.
The EOSCars presents an extensive collection of video projects shot with Canon cameras. Has been stagnant for a while. Hopefully will pick back up. The archives are definitely worth a cruise anyway.
Canon Store at Amazon – This is the first place I head to buy Canon gear. Since I live near the middle of Nowhere (in terms of camera stores), Amazon Prime can deliver most items to me overnight for just $3.99. Very handy.
BorrowLenses.com has become my favorite source to rent Canon gear. Renting before buying that “must-have” lens that you’ve never shot before is a great way to avoid buyer’s remorse. Fast shipment. Great selection.
Adorama offers a great selection of Canon gear at very competitive prices. I’m also a big fan of their workshop program.
The Canon DSLR User Group on Flickr is the heavyweight among Canon groups on Flickr. With more than 52,000 members from around the globe the posts and photos come in almost continuously. There are over 10,000 posts in the Discussion area and 750,000+ photos in the gallery. Start here if you’re looking for Canon info on Flickr
If you’re an old-school film shooter, check out the Canon Film Photography group on Flickr. They say there’s safety in numbers. So you’ll be safe hanging out with these guys.
Flickr hosts dozens of other Canon-specific groups—on virtually every Canon camera and flash. These can be very helpful is you’re looking to get a specific question answered. Click here to see the list of Canon groups on Flickr.
Photography-on-the.net Canon Digital Photo Forums
Canon Reviews & Forum at Fred Miranda
Canon on Popular Photography Forums
Canon Digital Photography on Facebook
Canon Forum at Steve’s Digicams
Create Wonderful Light Painting Art Using A Cold Cathode
The following article is a guest post by Dana Maltby a.k.a. Twin Cities Brightest a.k.a { tcb } a Light Painting Art Performer.
Greetings again from Minnesota where it’s getting cold again. Below freezing last night, brrrrr!! But there ain’t no rest for the wicked, so let's get back into some light painting techniques. This time I would like to talk a bit about Cold Cathodes.
A cold cathode is a tube of light that has a similar look to neon lights. It is brighter than a glow stick, and you can attach an on/off switch making them much more versatile in the field. You can find different kinds of these cold cathode tubes. They can be found at auto part stores, for in car light accents and under car lighting.
udijw0465719746045541212610173744884998775227108128567075776033650681311403672680993515517682314529352923106722822943019977931006300786953437388103904064014818023017Create Wonderful Light Painting Art Using A Cold Cathode
The following article is a guest post by Dana Maltby a.k.a. Twin Cities Brightest a.k.a { tcb } a Light Painting Art Performer.
Greetings again from Minnesota where it’s getting cold again. Below freezing last night, brrrrr!! But there ain’t no rest for the wicked, so let's get back into some light painting techniques. This time I would like to talk a bit about Cold Cathodes.
A cold cathode is a tube of light that has a similar look to neon lights. It is brighter than a glow stick, and you can attach an on/off switch making them much more versatile in the field. You can find different kinds of these cold cathode tubes. They can be found at auto part stores, for in car light accents and under car lighting.
The Coolest Photography Gadget Ever - The Bokeh Masters Kit + Giveaway
Everybody loves shaped bokeh images. So do I. Shaped bokeh images are those cool images that have all the blurred lights spear as a heart or star or any other shape.
This is why I wanted to share a very cool new gadget that's out there for creative photographers - The Bokeh Masters Kit. It is a pro level tool that achieves the same effect as we did with the "Create Your Own Bokeh" post way back when we just started the blog.
The Coolest Photography Gadget Ever - The Bokeh Masters Kit + Giveaway
Everybody loves shaped bokeh images. So do I. Shaped bokeh images are those cool images that have all the blurred lights spear as a heart or star or any other shape.
This is why I wanted to share a very cool new gadget that's out there for creative photographers - The Bokeh Masters Kit. It is a pro level tool that achieves the same effect as we did with the "Create Your Own Bokeh" post way back when we just started the blog.
udijw168694595374396308011295302487655129437102117660568276976266047667587453292513750887373385278696443901759175481932294621110128247475640209860839570899090892165011953318133383636287121357023986210569140390406401481802301715 Unique Bohemian Rhapsody Covers
Yesterday, Neatorama featured a Muppet version of Queen’s iconic song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Lindsey Weber of Urlesque has compiled fifteen unusual and creative cover version of that song, including this ukulele version by Ukulele Bartt. Others include a typographical version, an orchestral version, and one in which the musician uses only his hands.
World’s Worst Police Sketch Helps Nab Killer
At left is the witness’s drawing; Bolivian law prohibits revealing the identity of the suspect, so media outlets covered his face with the sketch, right.
Reason #381 why you should always have your camera with you: earlier this year Bolivian police issued a statement asking people to come forward who might have seen a murder suspect. Soon a woman emerged saying she had an image of the man they were looking for. Of course, that image was all in her head.
Rafael Vargas, a Bolivian taxi driver, was killed in an apparent drug-related hit in March, leaving police officials baffled. So they asked locals to step forward with any information. One neighbor bravely answered the call and supplied police with her own rendering of what the suspect looked like.
The witness’s hand-drawn memory of the man (above left) is being called the worst photo-fit/suspect sketch to ever actually be used in a criminal man-hunt. People say the drawing looks like the scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz, and more like a child’s doodle than an important piece of forensic evidence. The video of a newsman presenting the image on television, complete with intense music and close-ups, has even become a hit on YouTube.
Still, despite all the laughter the drawing has elicited, it actually ended up being helpful and led to the suspect’s capture. And the drawing has lived on in media broadcasts, because Bolivian laws restrict news organizations from revealing the identity of the suspect. Instead of his real face they use the sketch (above right).
So while the artist-witness should be commended for stepping forward and helping solve a crime, those without her uncanny photographic memory would be better off using an actual camera.
