Distant Presence

 

Shooting in the street is a solitary persuit, you need the freedom to wander and the freedom to linger.

 

Swimming in a big pond waiting for a succession of 'right moments' when the planets seem to align and people, places and things follow suit.

 

Waiting for a ripple or splash to turn your lens on...

 

Unfortunately, ripples and splashes can be hard to come by. That's not to say the pond is stagnant. - Just quiet. A quiet that is often as difficult to capture.  Is it quiet, or distance; solitude or just a difficult to articulate sense of presence?

 

So today I thought I would work the theme of Distant Presence and see what I could come up with from my Flickr photo archive.

Until next time..

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Friday 24 July - The Genius of Photography and a little Red Wine.

There is nothing more I enjoy more than spending an evening with a good friend and sharing my love and passion for photography. 

Having them touch and feel the great works of photographers in my growing collection of photo books

.. and watch a Flickr slide show of my favourites folder and allowing the free exchange of ideas and expression as we attempt to articulate what we like about the individual images as they move across the screen.

Of course, what really converts the apathetic, is a viewing of an episode of the six-part BBC series "The Genius of Photography"  ... and to observe your guests zone out, totally absorbed as they watch what should be essential viewing for any budding photographer or lover of the photographic art.  (I time-shift recorded the entire series when it played on cable a few months back).

You know, no amount of explaining can really rationalise the fact that, while in their company, you are continually snapping away with your SLR. That the reason you are getting up so close an personal is because you have your fisheye on the camera.

So photo-nights are always accompanied by an ample supply of red wine - which seems to target the same area of the brain as gets stimulated when viewing really great photography and allows you the liberty of poking a camera in the faces of your guests.

So, at the end of tonight's photo night, I have just enough gumption to actually blog the nights events.

And yes, I did take some shots of myself, using the timer function on the camera. - But I decided the Fisheye made me look fat. So I'm not posting them.

Here's hoping I wake up tomorrow feeling this blog posting was still a good idea.

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What I Flickr-Favour as Favourites

Image by Chris Sorensen

I get a lot of Flickr viewers favouriting my images on an almost daily basis. This is flattering, for if nothing else, it shows me that they have clicked through, viewed the image, and like it.

I must admit though, that I am not as forthcoming when it comes to adding the work of others to my favourite’s folder.  

Why?   Well, three reasons:

1. Images that I favour inhabit my life. 

   Working with two large flat screens I use “John’s Background Switcher” to grab images from my Flickr Favourites Folder and display as my backgrounds.  I have the software set to change images every ten minutes and I really enjoy re-visiting my favourite Flickr images and having them inhabit my physical spaces at home and at work.  John’s Background Switcher is FREE and is the only background switcher that will not only grab from your Flickr favourites folder (or other Flickr folder/stream/set) but which will also display a different image on multiple screens simultaneously (I haven’t seen any other program do that!).

2. I’d like to think that there is a certain magic in the images I have in my favourite folder. That they resonate in me in some way and represent my tastes in photography and what I think is art.
3. After dinner entertainment for friends and guests at my place often includes sitting through a Flickr slide show of my favourite’s folder. The images get a lot of great comments and are a perfect way to illustrate and share my passion for the photographic image – especially with those who have not been exposed to, or thought much about, the art of photography.

Of course, I don’t always remember to favourite every image that I feel worthy to be added to the set.  There are quite a few photographers I follow who have the gift of churning out image after image that makes the grade and alas, I tend to only favourite a selection (and it’s always hard to choose!). Then of course, I’m not quick enough hitting the favourite button when watching a slide show and end up favouring the wrong image … I’m just not as nibble as I used to be!

I also have to be careful to ensure that images in my favourites folder aren’t too risqué … Raising eyebrows in my workplace is something I try to avoid.

So if you are a fellow Flickerite and I’ve favourited your work – know that I really do think your image is something special.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Don't forget to click through and comment some of the great images presented above. I am sure the photographers would love to hear from you and really appreciate it.

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On Commenting Images on Flickr

When commenting on Flickr I always try to articulate what I like about an image.  This is probably as much for my benefit as it is for the person who took the image.

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I find that in ‘calling out’ what I like and trying to verbalize those aspects I find pleasing,    I am developing my own eye – consciously taking note of what elements make for a good photograph. 

When out and about with my own camera, I am then cognizant of these same elements when composing my own images and so, over time, I feel that the work of others has helped me enormously in my own personal pursuit of the elusive cool photograph.

Of course, I rarely get truly cool photographs, but I think, over time, my craft has improved and I feel I owe a lot of that to immersing myself in the works of others I find on Flickr.

That is not to say that I don’t appreciate the comments I get in my own work … But let’s be honest. .. Most comments you are likely to get are more along the lines of ‘great colours,’ ‘nice one,’ or ‘cool shot’ … which although delivering little in the way of criticism, still provide the photographer with a nice calling card  that says “hi, I thought enough about your image to look at it and say something”

I used to be a lot more forthright in my image critiques, volunteering what I didn’t like, as well as what I liked.

 .. But to my dismay I found that there are many who just don’t appreciate positive criticism or criticism of any kind … So if the lowest common denominator on Flickr is the budding photographer who only wants positive things said about their work .. then that’s the approach I’ll take with everyone and I’ll just keep what I don’t like to myself unless specifically canvassed for my full and honest appraisal of an image.  

Yes, I’ve had too many accuse me of arrogance, followed by a diatribe about how awful my own work is and how dare I offer criticism when I can’t even take decent photos myself?    … Of course, pointing out that great food critics are rarely Chefs seems to go over their heads a bit.  A critique is always about their work and not mine .. ho hum.

So what criteria do I work through when I’m appraising an image?   … Well, it’s not really rocket science, and I will confess that I am as guilty as the next person of rushing through my comments at time and missing points (or the point) of an image… 

So, off the top of my head the following are three simple criteria I use when viewing and commenting images on Flickr.

1. Compositional design elements  - Line, Shape, Pattern, Tone, Texture and colour.
2. The meaning or intention of the image  - Is there a story here?   Does the image hold its own or does it need a caption and description to help it?
3. Technique used – Lens used, perspective, post production treatment?

Not an extensive list or complete .. but hey .. You’re not being asked for a treatise. - Just a quick appraisal.  It’s just a context in which you can organize your thoughts and arrive at that spark of genius that has made an image work.

It doesn’t really take much extra effort to state what you like about an image using the criteria above and it’s even ok to say that you don’t quite know what it is about an image other than you really like it.

Of course, it does help enormously if you can type effortlessly at a high clip and you are commenting in your mother tongue!  (Kudos and respect to those who comment in languages other than their own – I wish I spoke another language..)

Until next time..

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Horizontally Speaking.. Portrait Sucks!

Dang it... I have to say it. - I have a strong preference for shooting my images with a horizontal (landscape) perspective.

Perhaps it's because we view most images in this perspective? - I turn on the TV .. horizontal ... my computer screens - horizontal...

Of course, there are portraits, in frames hung on walls, magazines and books (for the most part) which are presented in portrait ... but I don't care. - I still prefer horizontal.

Maybe it's because images presented in portrait on my screen aren't as large and don't present as much detail as something which unfolds and uses all my screen real-estate? 

.. or could it be that landscape starts to move towards capturing something cinematic .. particularly if it is accompanied by black borders top and bottom like many flickerites are adding to their compositions?

I even have a battery grip for my Nikon which makes it very comfortable to shoot in portrait. ... I don't use the battery grip (weighs a ton) and I still don't shoot portrait, if I can help it.

I even shoot portraits in landscape as if to provide the ultimate snub to the perspective.

Portrait sucks with very few exceptions...   Long live Landscape!

:-P

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To Flick or Flickr it?

They say you should only show the very best of your photography.  Don’t let the trees get lost in the forest or put your needles in haystacks.  They say if you want to make it as a photographer you have to always put your best foot forward.

So how do you tell what is your very best work?

 Photography is a solitary pursuit at the best of times and I learned long ago that ‘subjective assessments’ of what is good and what is so-so or bad can vary depending on who you ask and when.  I don’t know how many times I’ve trawled back over my photo archives and discovered numerous photographs that I thought were pretty crappy at the time I shot them and on returning some time later, re-discovered them as some of my best work.

Then, of course, I’ve also trawled through my Photostream on Flickr and had to weed out really awful stuff that I really regret that I even thought to upload. - So putting your best foot forward is not as easy in practice as it would seem.

I’ve had a Flickr account for over three years now and with the exception of 2-3 periods of what I will term as photography burn-out, I’ve been pretty consistent in uploading to Flickr after each and every shoot.  So much so, that I now find it a deeply ingrained part of my photographic practice and workflow.  – I shoot, drop the digital roll on my computer, weed out the undisputed crap, and then upload a usually small selection of what I feel is worthy to share with the wider Flickr community and more specifically, my Flickr contacts, who no doubt will be able to bear witness to my propensity to upload quite a bit after some shoots. (probably too much in their opinion too!)

Of course, one of the major problems of uploading a selection of 'the best’ of each shoot is that if I have had a particularly bad day with the camera, that same Flickr community has to suffer the ‘best of the worst’ from me. – At least for that particular shoot.

Having the shots remain on my computer un-shared would be an anti-climax, for in many ways Flickr has become the driver, the ultimate purpose of my daily shoots.  If I shot, only to place and leave the images on my computer, I think I would gradually stop shooting daily as I do.

So, at the end of the day I say "bugger" to always putting my best foot forward. 

I’ve read and enjoyed every book Wilbur Smith has written.  For those who don’t know, Mr Smith writes a lot of Africa and ‘Big Game’ hunting features frequently throughout his work.  Now I’m not into killing anything, but I think there are many parallels to the hunting theme when I am out in the streets of Melbourne with my camera. There is the sense of anticipation. Of not knowing quite what I am going to bag - but that I will bag something if I am persistent.  Of returning home at the end of a day and foaming at the mouth as the images copy over to the computer from the my well used SD cards, and then the joy and often disappointment as I review and pair down my ‘catch’ for the day.  - Uploading to Flickr the trophies of a day’s shoot is my reward.

Uploading the best of the day’s catch isn’t going to help me become a professional or world class photographer.  So, it is just as well that I don’t have any ambition to become one.  Sure, it would be nice to always put my best foot forward, but Flickr doesn’t work that way for me.

How about showcasing my best work on a portfolio site, quite separate from Flickr?

Well, I’ve tried putting together a portfolio site and kind of stopped half way through. .. I just can’t decide what my best work is.

..And if the experts are right about what it takes to be a world class photographer, then I shoot far too many genre’s and dilute myself which only compounds my problems of image and branding.

No, at the end of the day, I think getting too serious about what gets uploaded and what does not, risks spoiling what I find is the most fulfilling and rewarding passion I have.

Do you feel the same way about your output? - How fussy are you when you select images for upload to Flickr? - I would love to hear the reflections and comments of other photographers and their thoughts on Flickr 'uploading protocol' (for want of a better term).

Until next time...

Photographs of myself out and with my camera during my lunch-hour courtesy of my good friend and colleague Armand, who I managed to drag out with me and his Nikon D300.

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Tuesday

Well, I was going to leave shooting any more faces in the CBD till next year. There is only so much you can get away with in the same locations before you start raising people's ire.

But I just couldn't help it. I found a new location near the corner of Flinders Lane and Elizabeth Street where the light looked about right and I was likely to get a good density of people traffic.

Melbourne turned on one of her fridgid morning winters and even with mittens my fingers were numb with cold.

At 1600 ISO I was really struggling to freeze the action even with the lens right open. 

I took an enormous number of shots but unfortunately only a handful were worthy of publishing (just).

Whilst I was disappointed I didn't quite manage to freeze the action perfectly... I still found the light, colour and general mood interesting.

I've got some time off atm so I'm not shoot in the CBD daily and am already suffering withdrawals.

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