There’s just something about a high-key image.

I don’t know what it is, and maybe it’s just me, but there is just something about a high-key image. For anyone not familiar with this type of photo, high-key is simply an image that consists mostly of light tones. The light feel and narrow tonal range seems to lend itself well to a somewhat minimalistic composition. All of these things combine to produce an image that has a certain elegance that is difficult to achieve with other methods. That’s my take anyway. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Embracing Change…

Kodie

Before getting into serious photography I was a big user of Sony point and shoots.  When the time came to move into a DSLR the choice was obvious…  Sony…  I searched around and found a model that seemed to have everything I wanted.  The fact that I could get autofocus Carl Zeiss zoom lenses was the clincher.  As I started to progress though, I began to find that that particular model was missing several features that I wished I had.  I upgraded to another model and was overall very satisfied.  Recently I started to find that I was again looking for features that either weren’t available to me with my current DSLR body or were somewhat difficult to use.  I searched the Sony market and found that nothing really seemed to meet my needs.  Furthermore, I was a bit concerned about their direction as it pertains to advanced amateur/professional grade DSLRs (I will save that rant for a different day).  I checked into both Canon and Nikon and found that both brands had cameras that would easily suit my needs.  I decided on Nikon. 

The switch was a bit painful.  I had to sell all my Sony gear, some of which I really loved, and find Nikon equipment to replace it at a price I could afford.  I’m getting settled into the new system now and am loving it.  The choices I made with this purchase were much more informed and were based on control layouts and feature sets that are well suited to the way I work.  I guess what I’m getting at is this.  Don’t fear change.  It is always healthy to reevaluate decisions, especially when that reevaluation comes with more experience and a better understanding of what is really important.  Change doesn’t come without a little pain and heartache but, in the end, it is usually more than worth it.

Fall is in the air…

Between my nine to five job and various other things going on, I haven’t had much time for any photography in the past month or so.  To tell the truth, I wasn’t all that inspired anyway.  Summer really starts getting old toward the end.  It’s hot and the lighting conditions are usually atrocious.  I pretty much set the camera down, caught up on some reading and worked on my post processing skills (it turns out Lab is a terrific color space to work in!!!).  But fall is in the air.  Cooler weather, better lighting and plenty of color.  As a photographer, what more could you ask?

Your Pictures Look Photoshoped…

I know this topic gets discussed over and over but sometimes I just can’t resist getting out my stick when I see a dead horse.  The more I involve myself with various online discussions and blogs, the more I become annoyed by the constant disparaging remarks regarding the use of Photoshop and other post processing software.  It usually goes something like “this is my picture.  It looks great and I didn’t even use Photoshop” or “using Photoshop to enhance a photo makes the picture a lie”.  There are a couple of serious problems with these arguments.  First, if making adjustments to a photo after it has been taken isn’t legitimate then most of the photography from the last 100 years is junk.  I would strongly advise a quick read of Ansel Adams’ books “The Negative” and “The Print”.  In today’s world of digital photography, most of the methods presented in these books are of little use but they do give quite a bit of insight to the types of processes photographers used in the days of darkrooms.

Second, I am curious to know which settings they use on their cameras.  People that make these arguments might be surprised to know that none of the files that come out of a digital camera are free from some type of processing.  It is required to get from a digital capture to something we recognize as a photo.  What should my white balance and dynamic range be set to in order to keep my photographs honest?  What about any color space settings, sharpening, or noise reduction?  The choice isn’t really between post processing and not, but between the questions of “am I going to do my own post processing” or “will I leave it in the hands of a camera engineer that I haven’t ever met and can’t possibly create an algorithm that understands my creative vision”.  I think I will opt for doing things on my own.

Let’s be honest.  Not all post processing work is created equal and sometimes it should be avoided altogether.  Photos that are full of artifacts aren’t much fun to look at, at least in my opinion, and I don’t think you will get much of an argument over whether or not photos taken for photojournalistic purposes should be altered.  But post processing is a skill in its own right and a skill that I feel is essential to the overall craft of photography.  You can opt to take your photos straight out of the camera and, if that fulfills your creative vision, I can respect that.  All I’m asking is for a little of the same respect in return.  The choice of whether or not to use Photoshop should be up to me.  It is a skill that I work hard at and if “Photoshopper” is a title then it’s one I will wear as a badge of honor.

Photography: The Great Deception

 Let me say up front that this isn’t nearly as controversial as the title suggests.  I was recently considering what led me into photography and some of the preconceptions I had.  One such preconception was that photography is easy.  You pick up the camera, point it at the subject, snap the shutter and you have a photo.  What could be easier?  This is like ready-made art!  As it turns out, that isn’t the case.  Careful decisions have to be made.  What should the depth of field look like?  What shutter speed should you use?  Is noise going to be an issue?  How should the shot be composed?  What about the lighting?  How should you set your exposure?  What kind of post processing will you need to match your vision?  And the list could certainly go on.  Most of these issues only become apparent after really digging into the art and noticing subtle things in your images that drive you crazy.  And there is the deception.  Photography lures you in with its apparent simplicity then reveals itself to be a lifelong pursuit of something few actually attain.  It is precisely because of this discovery that I moved photography from my list of “destinations” to my list of “journeys”.  I know I will always have something I want to change.  I will always have something to learn.  Anyway, it’s better this way.  Things that are easily mastered quickly become stale.

Simplify, simplify, simplify…

Einstein once said something to the effect of “everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler”.  His comments were probably aimed at analysis of physical systems but this could definitely be taken into the realm of photography.  Simplify, simplify, simplify.  Just don’t overdo it.  Often, we are confronted with situations where there is just too much going on in the frame.  Simplify.  Move in closer or use a longer lens.  Look again.  Does the image still look cluttered?  If so, move in again.  Repeat this process until you are satisfied with what you see in the viewfinder (or on the LCD, as the case may be).  If you aren’t happy with the composition in the camera, you probably aren’t going to be happy with it when it is filling a computer monitor or a glossy 8×10 sheet of photo paper.  Take the time to compose the shot and really think about what you are looking at and reduce it to its very essence.  Easier said than done, sure, but being conscious of this every time you shoot is certainly a step in the right direction.  This is a lifelong pursuit, no one perfects it but it does become more “second nature” over time.

Coming soon…

Still working at getting everything together.  Hopefully some content will be coming soon…