Pro Photo Podcast #77. Concepts and Evil Laughs.

[Gavin Seim]

Here's the latest. Discussion welcome as always... http://www.prophotoshow.net/2011/05/27/pro-photo-podcast-77-concepts-and-evil-laughs

Gav

[Victor]

Good word about an ABC learner versus a concept learner. I find an ABC approach to photography will only get you so far. Concept learning and active experimentation are vital to elevating your abilities as a photographer.

[Gavin Seim]

Thanks Victor. Agrees of course. Knowing the ABS's does not mean you can write good words.

Trying to strike a balance. It's not always easy to convey concepts in a way that doesn't sound abstract. Lights are on in my head, but I want the ABC learners to get the ideas too so they can become better concepters.

What I'm working on is how best to convey a challenging concept in simple terms.

[alansf]

I would like to add a little prospective from a photo enthusiast who also started when I was 12 years old.  I am now 69.

I think what is happening is that in the film era, the barriers to entry to the profession were harder and more expensive and a lot of average photographers made a lot of money with decent skills but cookbook approaches. There was no internet so all marketing was local. 

Take a look at old wedding albums ( like mine from 1964) for instance.  There was a shot list, mostly black and white and a 20 page album.  That all changed rapidly with digital.  As more and more people had access to good equipment, the average photographers had a lot of competition from "Uncle Eddie" with fancy equipment and others.

The bar for professional photography has had a tremendous jump. The pyramid has grown steeper and the people who place a high "value" on professional photography is a much smaller market.  As in any activity, the top people are still rewarded handsomely.  However, if you are only a good "technician" you have a lot of company. So now it's all about creativity and finding clients that are willing to pay you for it.

So now you and other success oriented need multiple streams of income while you develop those superior skills and creativity which will bring you to the top of your profession and reward you financially.

You have made a great start.  I particularly liked your concept of selling Wall Prints.  I was so impressed that I commissioned a local professional to do  wall print of family on canvas and proudly hang it over our fireplace at home

[Gavin Seim]

Well said alansf. The bar has been raised because so many people are making "good" photos. If we want to stand out we have to raise to meet that standard and exceed it.

But that said, all the low end stuff is hurting the industry. We see people who literally cannot even take consistent snapshots making a website and a card and calling themselves photographers. The consumer is confused as well. But hopefully that will change in time.

[TSSP]

     You mentioned Sergey Gorsky...the process you described I have always referred to as color separation.  There is a reason why when you look at the color channels in PS they are in monochrome- same principle.  Color/Commercial Gravure printing and offset printing work on the same principles.
Gorsky was not really the first to come up with a process for creating a color image- The Autochrome process was pioneered in the late 1880s-1890s...ish...by the Lumiere Bros in France.  Yes the same Lumiere Bros of Cinema and Proto-Cinema fame :-p It used potato starch that was died orange, violet and green and eventually RGB.  It also was an additive color process- where as the Kodachrome (1935) and other "chrome" films are subtractive color film technologies.

Other news: Blad announced a 200MP image from their 50MP sensor.

     Continuing on...
       Just as others have said, the cost of entry into the photographic world is lowered to such an extent that so many people now are out their creating their own images and think that they are the next AA, Eggleston, Arbus or Cameron!  That being restated: Your experience with the large format camera amongst all the shutter clicks of tourists will happen A LOT as you  venture out in the world with something that isnt being sold at Best Buy or Jo-6pack Camera down the road.  I think that its an interesting experience and special feeling when I get the question "Is that even a camera?" Or after explaining that it is a camera they are perplexed when I can't share the picture that I just took on the back of the camera....I just enjoy the confused looks that people have on their faces when I show them the ground glass or blank film cassette on the back of my camera.

       Para cord- hmm....well...let me do ya one better: I used to use para cord on my camping hammocks, it worked great, but when it came down to sheer tensile strength, weight, bulk, size and durability NOTHING (That I have found) will hold a candle to AMSTEEL blue products. 7/64" Diameter cord is rated at 1600lbs average- This is great stuff and I would like to keep the stuff around in bulk if I could.  Buy some and give it a try- just to put things into perspective, my 2650lb Jetta could easily be supported by a single 1/4" diameter section of this stuff.

Thats enough from me, All the best-

     

[Gavin Seim]

Thanks David, great input. I'm reading The History of Photography now to catch up on all this better.

Saw that 200MP camera, but I dunno. It's still really a 50MP at heart.

I'll check out that other cord.

[Yaenn53]

Geese, I am seriously glad I came accross this topic - this is exactly the material I was searching for, and the entire online community kicks ass too .

bye

[douglasleecoon]

Glad to hear that you have jumped into 4x5 film, it is a great way to hone your craft and really think in a different way.  I had hit a wall about 6 months ago stitching my night shots.  I would spend up to 4 hours making 20 images tracking light loss so that I would have 20 matching stitchable night images at 1 to 2 min each.  I dusted off my old film gear and found that the clarity of a large piece of film as I said a year ago on 66 is still better than most digital cameras.  I have seen what the hassleblad can do but the cost of getting into one is such a joke.  I am shooting large digital stiched shots along side my film shots.  It is not realistic to shoot film 100% but I love that you are considering putting it in the bag.  In my recent expirence I have found that it is the key to pushing the preteneders to the side!

Doug

[Gavin Seim]

Ya I think film has great potential. Not need always, but defiantly takes it up a notch in detail quality.