I recently had the pleasure to be interviewed by photographer and author Michael E. Stern. He is the host of a weekly live internet show called Building A Better Photograph. Michael is not only an award winning photographer but he is also an author and a teacher at Brooks Institute.
Click on the image to learn more about Michael’s new book.
For the past year I have been working on a project to document local skateboarders. I was introduced to the sport while working on another project and found their passion and dedication inspiring.
In order to do the topic justice I try to visit the park once a week and get to know some of the skateboarders and ask questions about the moves and names of the tricks they perform. As with most of my projects it is about the people so the more I can connect with them the better my ability to capture something real.
I recently received a magazine assignment to photograph the freshman Congressman from Michigan, Bill Huizenga. As with many photo sessions with a celebrity or individual on a tight schedule you often only have a few minutes with your subject. When the assignment details arrived I found out I only had 15 minutes with the Congressman. This can make for a stressful situation because you never really know what the environment is going to be like and whether the time includes setup as well as actual time with the subject. As I mentioned in a previous blog post titled “Why Am I a Photographer“, the challenge of creative problem solving is one of my favorite parts of the job and what I call the MacGyver part of photography. Continue reading
There are so many fantastic photographers in our industry and because of the many different types of photography we are treated to a wide variety of work. Art is certainly subjective and an emotional trigger for me may not do the same for someone else. As artist we certainly bring a life time of experiences to our work and often the result is more of a reflection of ourselves than the world around us.
Based on this premise it is my speculation that photographer Glen Wexler was dropped on his head as a youth. But regardless of the reason for Glen’s warped sense of humor, the world of photography a is better place. Glen Wexler’s humorist view of the world strikes a cord with me and my own sense of humor. I am not sure what that says about me but I will leave the 1970 psychobabble, self examination for another blog post.
I have recently been doing a lot of self examination of why I love being a photographer, asking myself the question, what motivates me about the entire photography process. When I am honest with myself I discover there are so many different aspects that drew me to this profession. For example; like many photographers the process and combination of technology can have a big appeal. Even those of us who use to shoot film shooters liked all kinds of gadgets that we could collect to fill our camera bag. Many amateurs are draw to photography because of the technology and especially now that computers play such a large role in the process.
But, for a working professionals, photography is a hard business and unfortunately requires 80% business and 20% photography so it has to be some thing you love. Gadgets and digital do-dads are not going to be enough for anyone to get up at 3:00 A.M. for an early morning photoshoot. So ask yourself the question, what is it that drives you to make a living as a photographer ?
Every once in a while I take on photography projects that cause me to shake my head and ask myself “what in the world are you doing?”. Well this evening at 1:26 a.m. est there I was standing out in the 27 degree cold taking pictures of the lunar eclipse asking myself that very question.
I photographed the lunar eclipse in February 2008 so it wasn’t a new experience and I didn’t need this for my library, but there I was freezing my tush off in the middle of my driveway. I think many photographers are driven by the desire to capture and convey the world around us. Some times this is an image we visualize in our head and some times it is simply the need to capture a unique event such as a lunar eclipse.
Now that winter is definitely here it is easy to put off the need to continue shooting on a regular basis. As a full time photographer I still work on personal projects in between assignments and standing out in the cold shooting the eclipse is just another example. Here in the D.C. area we are expected to get hit with a big snow fall Christmas day. I have already told myself that instead of staying home all warm and cozy I need to get out and do some shooting this weekend. 
Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night !
Depending on the technology circles you travel in there maybe controversy over the value of Apple’s iPad. Some discount the device just because it’s an Apple product, others because it doesn’t have a boat load of features you would find on a typical laptop or netbook computer. Then there are those who have embraced this new platform in a big way and praise the iPad as the salvation for the dying print media industry.
As with most things in life no one can answer this question for you but I can share a few of my own observations that might be helpful. First let me say that generally speaking technology is nether good or bad, helpful or harmful, useful or a waste of time. Technology is solely dependent on our moral values and how we apply its use to our daily lives. For example atomic energy can be used to make a destructive device or provide millions with the quality of life they have never experienced. A cell phone can save someones life or take a life if used incorrectly while driving. The point (if its not too obvious by now) is the iPad is not the answer to an entire industry nor is it just a big iPhone as some have suggested.
I purchased my iPad about 3 months after they were available and like many I debated long and hard about whether this was just another gadget or a real business tool. As a self employed commercial photographer I have to look at technology purchases beyond my normal reaction of “Wow that is cool” as a justification for a purchase. I already own a Macbook Pro so another portable device wasn’t absolutely necessary, but there was something about the iPad that I was drawn to. Steve Jobs has referred to the device as magical and I am not sure what his definition of magical is but I will admit when you hold one for more than a few minutes it does draw you in and changes ones view of handheld computing.
Recently, in a discuss group made up of magazine editors, the question was asked, “Do Photos Make a Difference Getting Product Placement”. Overwhelming the response was yes they make the difference. The editors made the point that often they receive great articles or press releases on potential stories they want to run but because the photos are so bad or not provided at all they are unable to run the story.
Why is it that seeing a final copy of your work in print tends to make it more real? No matter how small the project or even if it’s not your most impressive work, there is still something about the work making from your screen to another medium that I enjoy.
For me I think it has to do with seeing how an art director adds their own style and design to the presentation of your creative work. I would imagine that architects, designers, contractors and even chefs feel the same way when their final product is presented to the customer. Granted we all give up a part of our creative control as the image goes through the hands of others, but often this collective effort results in taking a single ingredient and turning it into a completed vision.
Photo © Zack Arias
I recently had pleasure of meeting Zack Arias and his wife Meghan, and I do mean pleasure. I have watched Zack and admired his work for a while now, and his recent seminar on the CreativeLive network was inspiring. While Zack’s photography is great, what gripped me more than his techniques or his talent was his heart. Yep, his heart. During the three day live seminar, it was obvious to anyone with a brain that he truly loves what he does and he enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience.
Zack Arias
