I am a voracious reader. I love it. I read all sorts of stuff, and love to learn something new. I also suffer fools badly, so if someone thinks they are gonna say stuff and I will just take it, well… sometimes they get an earful. It is something that makes me who I am. Sometimes I worry that I may piss this group off or that group won’t like me because of something I say. And that may be costly to my business. But it also is costly to me to be quiet when I see/hear/read something that is blatantly false and misleading.

Happens a lot these days. And I choose my battles carefully. The article that I am going to dissect is one that ran recently on Digital Photo Pro entitled: “Misinformation: Copyright Tech”.

Misinformation? Well, the irony is not lost on that at all. Not for me. The article is so full of misinformation, terrible ideas and downright silliness, that I feel a “fisking” is in order. Leslie Burns at Burns Auto Parts has a neat little post about this, and there is a lot more on her site here. And be sure to read her take on CC in a several posts – starting with this one.

As this is a rant, let’s get right to it, shall we?

“There’s no stopping the Internet. Just as independent musicians and the record industry have had to learn to work with unfettered downloading of songs, photographers have to consider the fact that there are a lot of fans out there who want stuff for free, despite what the photographer has invested financially, fiscally and even emotionally.”

Well, where do we begin. No stopping the internet. Got it. What that has to do with stopping people’s actions and the interaction between consumers and creators is lost on me, but the author seems delighted with that statement, so we will let it lie there… ‘cept of course for this.

And in what world have artists learned to “work with unfettered downloading of songs”? What? DRM is over? Is Apple aware of that? Maybe I wont have to get yet another update to my iTunes. Has Garth brooks relented and let people download all his stuff free now? Really? Record companies packing up their desks, covering the furniture and heading home for some more “time with the family?” I think not.

“…photographers have to consider the fact that there are a lot of fans out there who want stuff for free…” – uh, OK. I want a Ferrari. Now. I want my mortgage paid. Now. I want some of those little sandwich things they serve at Chili’s with the Buffalo sauce… and I want it all FREE. Now. I want I want I want.

But I, just as I Montoya had to, must get used to disappointment. I will have to pony up for what I want. Cash. Dinero. C-Notes and coin.

“…despite what the photographer has invested financially, fiscally and even emotionally.” Yeah, there is no problem there. We are mostly independently wealthy and have no emotions at all. And I can’t think of any other places where the investment means anything… seriously. Can you?

And, I wonder, why would I as an owner of Intellectual Property acquiesce to the tantrums of those who simply don’t want to pay? Is it that they cannot pay? Really? Nawwww… I have seen too many owners of companies crying with crocodile tears about having no money, then driving away in their new Mercedes. Sure, wealth is relative, but so is giving a shit. I care about people who actually don’t have anything, but not so much about someone who is having trouble picking out cheap drapes for their second summer home.

Just because people want something doesn’t mean they get it. And, let’s be fair… WHO is it who is actually wanting to use the images without any compensation? 7 year olds working on their first paper on the Everglades? Some teen wanting to use the image on her Facebook? Or media conglomerates trying to scre…, er, re-define the compensation of the artist who created the work?

Yep… it’s the people who want to ‘use’ the work to make what… wait for it… wait for it… MONEY. So they can go to the store and buy them cute little buffalo sauce sandwiches that I would like to buy, but all I got was a friggin’ pat on the back! I don’t really know anyone who gives a ratsass about some kid using an image for their report. I don’t.

But if some bigass magazine wants to use my image, it must be worth something…right? Or are there no more art directors, photo editors, art buyers and creative directors who give a shit anymore. “Yeah, we were looking for some shitty shot of a factory and we ran across yours. We don’t give a damn about the magazine and the people who view it or what it says about us, we just want something free… and your crappy shot looks about like all we want. You game? We’ll give you… nothing. And we feel your work is worth it!”

“Oh boy… the magazine is gonna use my worthless image and I feel sooooo cool!”

“Even just a cursory browse through any number of blogs and image Tumblrs, and you’ll find countless images disconnected from their original sources and re-purposed for the web.”

Look through any jail and you will find people who re-purposed stereo gear and computers they ‘found’ laying around in the hotel rooms they broke into. (And yeah, I have heard it before…”If you don’t want people to steal your stuff, don’t have stuff, man.” Thanks. Now Shut Up.) Re-Purpose? Bwahahahaha… is stealing a car and parting it out now ‘re-purposing’ the automobile?

“Elias Wessel, profiled in this issue, is a good example. Every time he shoots a new project, it ends up spread almost immediately throughout the blogosphere.”

Cool. Great. Wonderful. If it works for him, fantastic. So we should do everything HIS way so it will benefit…? I am a little foggy on that stuff. I know photographers who do all kinds of stuff that I don’t do. I know brilliantly successful photographers who do things differently. There is NO one way. And I can only imagine if I took his images off of his site, did a magazine with them and made a bunch of money… he would be thrilled for me, huh? Can I make prints and hang them in my gallery? Re-purposed, of course.

Maybe I should re-purpose them into my site… it really is amazing work, and I don’t care about his financial and emotional investment, you know.

“The fine line between good publicity and outright thievery is a matter open to debate, and it’s often a heated debate at that.”

(continued after the jump)

No, sport, it isn’t. Copyright violation is fairly clear. Good publicity is something I go along with, thievery is when someone does something without my permission or involvement. I think that we can agree on that simple point… you can use what I say you can use, but you cannot use what I do not say you can use. Otherwise it is, exactly, “outright thievery.”

“Many photographers have a laissez-faire attitude about the public enjoying their work or snagging images for desktops and the like.”

Many photographers think domestic light beer is good and that Kanye West actually has talent. So what? Photographers come in all sorts of configuration. Hobbyists, weekend warriors, semi-pro, professional, and hacks. Sorry about that hack thing… but, unfortunately… What other photographers do is swell to chat about, but not necessarily a basis for changing copyright structure.

“Other photographers are adamant about protecting their images from being reproduced in any form. There’s a slew of programs and sites that cater to this demographic, from simple protections like Adobe’s Flash-based websites that prevent drag-and-drop image downloading to more intricate solutions like PicScout and Digimarc, which use a combination of watermarking and metadata indexing as a way to track images.”

Yes. Yes there are.

Myth: Stolen Images Are A Bad Thing

Stolen Images are a Good Thing then? Stolen music rocks? Stolen movies are swell. Hey, movie industry… you know those cloying little shorts you do before the overpriced shitty feature comes on…the ones about stealing? Yeah… those. Obviously you all are not on board here. Come on… spend 100 million bucks on a film and then give it away. We don’t care about what it costs to make it. We want it now and we want it free. Waaaaawaaaaaawaaaaaaa…. gimmmeee it.

What… you got an emotional attachment to the thing? Get over it, turds… you had your day. And next time, could you make some better special effects? Otherwise, I may not actually steal your movie. That’ll teach ya.

It really is not hard to take on this level of stupid is it? Stealing isn’t bad? Sure. OK. How about plagiarism… err, re-purposing of articles and books. And how about all those crazy bitches at the libraries not wanting Google to simply scan every book to be given away free? Loonies. Writers make too much money and get too many hot chicks for us to give a damn about them.

“Still, a screen grab is often as simple as performing a keyboard shortcut, and information can be stripped from an image almost as easily as it is to add it.”

Ohhh.. so it is easy to do, and therefor it is good to do? And the fact that “information can be stripped from an image almost as easily as it is to add it…” seems to be the same thing as counterfeiting currency. Hey, we can scan this, print it out and make our own money… information can be added/stripped out as necessary! Damn… that’s cool.

What could go wrong there?

Of course the fact that someone opened an image and “stripped out” the copyright information means that they know that the copyright information was there and that it may be problematic for them so they stripped it out. Like filing the ID# off of a handgun, or filing down the VIN# on a stolen car.

Dude… you are winning me over here. I can make my own cash (5′s and 1′s) and steal cars as long as it is easy to ‘alter the information’ I can re-purpose it to my ends. This is sooooo great!

“More importantly, the advantages of allowing images to be seen can’t be understated, even if the creator of the images lacks control over how.”

No. No it can’t.

Not sure there has been any more ignorant statement made by someone regarding the issue of artists rights ever. Ever.

To think that this writer has such a limited view of copyright, control of image, brand, and of course the litigation that can be caused by unauthorized and illegal use of an image simply runs right by him like a freight train, then make statements that sound like some sort of ‘fact’ amazes and dazzles me.

“The Internet can make an artist, literally, an overnight sensation. If a media-hungry public embraces a particular project or image, it may be seen throughout the entire world within mere moments.”

Yes. I know of several, dozens of viral things that have made people famous. Hasn’t put a nickel in their pocket, but made them ‘famous’. Woohoo… as they say. And that fame doesn’t necessarily transfer into a living, does it?

And I don’t have any problem getting famous with putting videos on YouTube. Just one question…

Can you not see any difference between ME putting it up there and having it STOLEN and put up there? Can you really say they are both the same?

If I decide to put up a video and get all famous and stuff leading me to more money which I probably would not be able to deal with and would end up in a clinic with some sort of addictive thing looking to trade on my fame for more drugs and… oh, sorry. Hey, that is MY business.

Why would I get all giddy over you putting my video up and YOU getting to be rich and hang with Lindsay Lohan at the rehabs? Explain that, please?

“All of these sets of eyes on your work invariably bring back revenue in one form or another, whether through commissioned future projects, prints or what have you.”

Money quote coming: “…invariably bring back revenue in one form or another…”

Bwahahahaha… yeah. “Hey, if you give me a good deal on this first job, I will make it worth it to you on the next one.” “We need a new photographer with amazing style and the eyes to pull this off. Right away we thought of you. Unfortunately, we have no budget for this, but knew you would just jump…” “It’s not you, it’s me.”

Sorry, heard all that crap before. “Invariably”… what, you think we were born yesterday? Invariably my ass. There is no ‘invariably’ with this stuff. However, “invariably” you have lost the abilitiy to do anything else with that image… great deal for you there.

“The difficulty is that the photographer doesn’t always get the credit.”"

Duh… ya think?

A watermark can help, though subtle ones that are overt enough to be read while not blemishing an image are few and far between. Another solution is through proper keywording and tagging of images at the source, usually on the photographer’s website or in the original image files. That way, a photographer can leave a path for resourceful Internet seekers to discover the original location of images.”

Simply amazing lack of understanding how the web works. Keywording may work for those who are smart enough to use pure HTML, but not necessarily for database housed images or flash… and, hey… how’s that work on those screenshots we were told were so cool a few paragraphs above? And who can forget the infamous “information can be stripped from an image almost as easily as it is to add it” statement.

Confused? So am I.

“What to do about people or businesses that gain from unapproved imagery?”

Sue them. Fire them if they work for you. Beat the everlovin’… no, I am not violent. Well, I do have a Louisville Slugger that needs a workout… and I can re-purpose someones kneecaps. But more likely I would simply issue a DRM takedown, sue them or their ISP if it was blatant, or turn the wrath of twitter and flickr users on them. Hey, I KNOW that works. Heh.

“Creative Commons is a good middle ground that photographers and artists can explore to allow use of their works without sacrificing the rights that copyrights provide.”

NOPE, big fellah. Hold on there. It isn’t any middle ground. It is abdication and a losing of rights. Once something is set into the CC it cannot be taken back. The artist can only live with the choice he has made… forever. And what does it mean to “explore to allow use” mean? Seriously?

The rights to have the image EVER be licensed or controlled is LOST whenever the image is posted at any level of CC.

“For a good example of what CC-licensing can provide, Flickr is the web’s largest source of Creative Commons content. The community atmosphere of Flickr encourages hundreds of thousands of people to view and rate images, leading to an incredible promotional tool for photographers who know how to use the site to their advantage (Miss Aniela, for instance)—all at the low cost of $24.95 for a yearly pro account, and they even have limited accounts for free.”

“…Flickr encourages hundreds of thousands of people to view and rate images,…” Well, before I take on the ludicrous statement that accompanies this, I must point out that Flickr has NO “Rating” system at all. That’s over at “rate-my-ass.com” and other more artistic endeavors. There are comments, groups, forums and more… but NO rating.

Is the writer clueless about Flickr, or simply mixing it up with “hot-or-not.com”? We report, you decide.

“…leading to an incredible promotional tool for photographers who know how to use the site to their advantage…” – Yes, that may be true, but you do NOT have to have your images on CC to do that. Most, if not all, of the pros and highest followed shooters on Flickr do NOT HAVE CC, but rather have turned it off. I really find your attempt to link CC with a natural use of Flickr somewhat appalling. I really do, sir.

“Rather than the old-school way of saying, “No, you can’t use this image without paying me,” there are six standardized Creative Commons licenses that provide you flexibility in protecting your works for meeting the ever-changing world of supply and demand.”

We all know what a straw man argument is, right. First we create a false “strawman” statement, and then we knock it down. This is classic strawman… the notion that the ONLY way it worked in the ‘old days’ was to demand money sets up the NEED for the CC license.

But people have always been able to say “sure, you can use my image.” Simple… let’s say it again…”sure, you can use my image…without any money. Take it. Use it. Consider it a gift.”

There is nothing new about that…but the author sets up the strawman of that being too difficult, or non-existent then offers something to cure the ‘ills’ that really don’t exist at all. If you want someone to use your image, let them. I don’t care at all if it is what you want to do.

But remember, this valuable, career enhancing information on using CC is coming from someone who just told you that stealing your image is OK! And now he is trying to sell you on a CC license which simply eliminates your ability to ever, EVER, take control of that image again.

“What’s more, Creative Commons is a global solution for allowing or disallowing uses of your work. The set of copyright licenses are available free of charge at www.creativecommons.org. For more on Creative Commons and your rights as a photographer, go to the Business section of DPP on the web at www.digitalphotopro.com.”

Yeah… global… well, I’ll pass on that. I have never been impressed with this CC thing from the get-go as they say. I wonder why corporations are so supportive for this to happen to photographers, while they continue to take steps to protect their property, real or intellectual? Why the desire for photographers and illustrators to give away their work in the desire to be free of that terrible, time consuming, energy wasting copyright protection thing. I don’t see magazines and other publishers rushing out to give their publications away. (And, yeah… we don’t care about the paper, ink, distribution costs or that crap, remember…)

Hey, that stuff is icky… the CC people will make it easy for you to just make pictures and not have to deal with all the encumbrances of having to have an accountant… you wont have any money to account.

But they will… the magazines and media groups that will happily gobble up your work and give you NOTHING back. They will have subscribers and bookstands and advertising and…

But you won’t. You will just feel soooooo cool that a big-time News magazine used your image, after tacitly telling you it wasn’t worth anything at all.

Golly, on second thought… sign me up!

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Getting an assistant gig is top of mind for a lot of commercial shooters starting out. It can mean exciting photo shoots, learning the ropes they didn’t learn in photo school (and them’s a lot of ropes), and an opportunity to work in their chosen industry while earning a bit of money as well. It also means long hours, boring down time, and a lot of stuff that wasn’t expected… like sweeping floors and cleaning windows. An assistant can be called on to do some of the most exciting and menial things you can imagine… sometimes right next to each other.

When I started out in LA back in the latter part of the 20th century, it was a tough town. Yes, I know, still is. I was a pretty big fish in the small pond of Phoenix, but upon landing in LA I found I was a pretty small, insignificant, amoeba in that pond. I knew immediately that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.

So I got a pager, an answering service and I started assisting on every day I wasn’t shooting. I worked with big names and small names, architecture and lingerie, celebrities and construction workers. It was a total blur. And I loved it and I learned so much it was like a crash course in what I needed.

These days it is a bit harder to get those gigs, but it certainly is not something that cannot be done. On the contrary, I think a really GOOD assistant would be very much in demand in today’s environment. And the reason I say that is simple… and it may offend some… I rarely find anyone who wants to work as hard as I do. That sentiment was was expressed to me recently at a lunch with a very well known editorial shooter. It isn’t that they don’t want to work, it is that they don’t understand the concept as we do who came from that world. No cell phones, no twitter, long days, long nights, tough work, boring shit, demeaning shit that you are well over qualified for… but has to be done.

It is rare that I meet someone wanting to assist that can put themselves out there and ‘show up’ for the gig without having to check in with the BF/GF or significant other. “When will we be through” is something my wife doesn’t even ask… she knows. Most of the time we have no idea… when we are through, I guess.

Recent posts you should be aware of:
27 From 27: Recent Photographs from the LE FLickr Pool
A Chat with Steve of “Standbagger” Fame. Cool Gear for Photographers.
In Praise of Natural Light: Examples and Discussion.
“So You’re a Photographer, Quick… Tell Me What You Do”
Pricing Issues: One Big Monster of a Problem

I am sometimes asked what kind of images to show the photographer to get an assistant’s job. I will speak as to myself here, I don’t care what you have. I am not being mean, I already have a photographer. Of course I will look at your work at some point, and I am one of those photographers who would teach and help, but honestly I don’t really care if you rock or suck… can you get the parabolic umbrella on my Profoto without crushing the edge? Do you know how to get the images off of the cards fast and get them processing? Can you make a killer PB&J? Are you fun to have around when there is absolutely NOTHING to do? Sell me on that, not how you shoot hot chicks wrapped in caution tape standing on railroad tracks in stripper heels… seriously.

I have openings in the Greenville, SC workshop. I won’t be getting back to that area in the near future, so up your game and get involved with one of the most informative and affordable workshops around.

Now, on to the 10 things you can use to get an assistants job… and I hope to get the comment area alive with more!

1. Be Persistent / Not Annoying.
Call and make contact. Voicemail isn’t contact. An EMail isn’t contact. Contact is one-to-one. Keep the call brief, but make your case for being hired. If there is no work at that specific time, ask how often you should check back, and by what means. If an email every Monday would be agreeable do it. The job may not be one that happens overnight, but if you stay focused, things change and you are up. Sending an email and whining that you didn’t get a return email is not a good sign for this business. (BTW… you think getting in front of a photographer is a pain in the ass… wait till you start trying to get in front of AD’s and Editors.)

Keep your followups brief and respect the photographer, or his first assistant’s time. That will go a long way in establishing yourself as someone who understands how busy it can get, and someone that would be cool to have around.

2. Know Your Stuff – and More
This is so important. As you read above, I don’t care what you shoot, or how you shoot. I want you to know how to work a new Profoto pack when I am busy with the talent. I want you to be able to setup and be familiar with the more common strobe systems out there. And hot lights. And natural light modifiers.

If you are not familiar with the Quadra Rangers, rent a set for the weekend and get real familiar with them. You have done your homework and know that I shoot with Profoto, so get to know Profoto if you want to work with me. And don’t whine about cost to learn how to work a couple of systems… it is still a thousand times cheaper than Refrigeration Repair School.

Some photographers will take the time to show you, but you better catch on real fast. Brands to learn… Dynalite, Norman, Speedotron, Profoto, Elinchrome, Broncolor, and Alien Bees. There are a few other brands, but most will work like one of these.

And know your metering. Taking meter settings is something a lot of photographers need their assistants to do. Know how to use an ambient light meter, and a reflected light meter… and the difference between them.

3. Hone Your People Skills
So important. Look, the photographer and the assistant may have to spend a lot of down time together. Know how to converse, know what not to talk about, and when it is fine to not talk at all. Have a sense of humor, and have a sense of timing. Timing referring to those times when the photographer just needs to chill… not a good time to start drilling her on what lens she used for the shot and why she didn’t use that other thing. Just don’t.

You will also have to be ‘present’ when clients are there. Know how and when to have a conversation with them. Know what to discuss and what not do discuss. NEVER discuss the photographer, or the shot, or other clients. I like to have my assistants keep the client occupied while I work on the setup, and that is one of the things I look for in an assistant.

Be caught up on what is happening in the industry. Know stuff. Be informative. Be helpful. Be attentive.

4. Be a Self Starter
I love it when we would get to a shoot and Kevin would have all the lights on stands and the umbrellas out and the softboxes setup and the cameras on a table ready to go… and I was still chatting up the AD and looking over the layouts. You don’t need the photographer to tell you what to do… you know we need the lights and the tripod and such. Do it. Don’t ask.

When shooting, be aware of the progression. About time for a card change? All the lenses ready to go? Tethered cord is taped to the tripod and the floor. You know where I left my meter last?

Whatever needs to be done, do it. Don’t ask if it needs to be done, do it. Conversely, if there is something you don’t know how to do, ask. Ask. Do not barrel ahead and create a bigger problem than the one we had when it wasn’t set up. Follow the chain of command on the shoot, but get done what needs to be done.

If you are a freelance assistant, have a great set of tools at your disposal. Nothing wastes time like looking for my scissors. I have no idea in hell where they are when I am shooting. Have your own. See this post for a good idea for a grip kit, and then this post here at LE for some other tools that come in handy.

5. Be Familiar with the Photographers Style
This is very important if you want to be considered, and it will help you with the above. If the photographer is a natural light shooter, that may require different skills. Travel photographers mean you best know how to pack the most in the least, keep your head about you, have a passport, travel well and not complain about rainy days, bad food, less than stellar rooms and all the things that can befall a travel photographer.

A studio shooter could require a lot of knowledge in studio lighting, shooting tethered, Mac AND PC, Photoshop, getting lunch for 12, understanding how to connect the clients laptop to the network, sweeping and mopping, and a very organized approach to keeping the studio workable.

And if you don’t love the kind of work that the photographer does, it may make you a bit less interested. Don’t let that happen. Be interested in the work, or be interested in being the best photographers assistant, regardless of the style.

If you are wanting to get started in the business it is considered a good thing to work with someone who you can learn from. Even if the style doesn’t interest you, a people shooter is someone you should consider assisting with if you want to shoot people. And where this doesn’t always play out to be perfect, consider it a suggested guideline.

6. Know Your Place and Be There
Now that has two meanings, doesn’t it. Know your place can mean understanding you are an assistant, not the creative. It also means being on time at the location. Let’s look at both of these meanings.

An assistant is not there to proselytize or discuss the brand. We already love the brand. What we are shooting that day, we love that. If you don’t understand that, you are not cut out for this whole freelance thing. Assistants are not there to offer suggestions for the shoot… loudly. If you see the photographer struggling and have an idea, figure out how to get him/her alone and let them know. It then becomes THEIR idea… got it!

Get a GPS. Know how to read a map. Carry an iPhone/Android with the location already punched in. There is only one person who is allowed to be late to the shot… the client. The rest of us need to be on time, ready to go, and with a great and smiling persona. I hate being lost or late. I have a GPS, you should have one as well.

7. Leave Personal Problems at the Door
I think we all know what it is like being around some ‘Mr Grumpy’ or “Whining Jane” and we don’t like it. I don’t want to hear about your breakup, who said what to who on FaceBook, or who you slept with last night. I don’t care. I don’t want to deal with anything but the job at hand. Sure, we’ll chat later if we are friends, but this is a job. There is a client involved and lots and lots of money at stake. Treat it as such.

8. Assist First, Learn Second
An assistant is there to assist. That is why it is called ‘assistant’. Not ‘student’.

If the photographer is one of those who is also willing to teach, let them do it at their pace. Not at the shoot, not at the edit, not at the wrap up… and possibly all three. It has to do with the style of the person, not the ‘implied promise’ of a photographic education. I worked with guys who were all about teaching and helping, and I worked with guys who never even asked me if I actually was a photographer them… they wanted an assistant to help them, not to teach on the job.

If you are looking to be educated, make sure that is the kind of photographer you end up working with long term.

9. Become Proficient in Photoshop / LightRoom
I think that speaks for itself. It is more than a plus these days, it is necessary. Even simple things like Importing into LightRoom or Photoshop, exporting JPG’s, understanding color and more are basic tools assistants must know. Get real familiar with the tools that the photographers are using… and yeah, if they are using some strange free thing they downloaded 5 years ago, do your best and ask… sheesh.

10. Don’t Ring, Buzz or Tweet, Thanks.
I understand you are a freelancer. I understand you need to make plans for the next day. But you have to understand that a constantly ringing cellphone or buzzing ‘texting’ alerts suck in the atmosphere of most shoots. It keeps the focus distracted, and things get missed. Or screwed up. I don’t have an answer for you in most cases, but in my studio, I don’t want to see/hear the assistant making too many calls. I definitely am not happy with personal calls. Gigs I get, GF/BF’s I don’t. Tell your wife you will call at lunch, or tell the husband you will reach him on the way home. This is a business, it isn’t screwing around on a weekend MM shoot.

And unless you are specifically asked to, don’t tweet anything about the shoot. It is not your place. There may be situations where that is most inappropriate. If, however, the photographer asks you to… tweet away!

I am sure there are a lot of other things we can add to this list. Being an assistant is a noble thing to do, and I really have little respect for photographers who treat them less than people. If you are working for an asshat like that, quit. Life is too short for that. I once showed up on a 2 day shoot and was told to get coffee for everyone… as I turned to the photographer he exploded all over me telling me to NEVER speak directly to him… everything must go through his first assistant. And then he questioned my mother’s marriage status upon my delivery and I told him that I didn’t give a crap about him and if he ever called me that again I would kick his skinny little 5’5″ ass all over the friggin east side of LA. I walked off and let everyone I knew know what an asshat he was. Life is way too short to be treated like that from a friggin photographer. Jeeezusss.

IMPORTANT RESOURCES:

Here is a great set of guidelines on being a great photo assistant.
A Photo Assistant: Offers real world, fact based information on being a great Photo Assistant.
A Photo Editor: keep up to date with what is happening in the photo business. Great for discussions and information.
What’s the Jackanory: Travel is a bitch if you aren’t prepared. Andrew travels a lot, and you can get some ideas from keeping up with this editorial photographer.
John Harrington’s terrific blog on the business of commercial photography. Keep up with that legal stuff.
Chase Jarvis’ blog has occasional tips and some great behind the scenes stuff that shows assistants, assisting.
An interesting take from Dan Heller. I think the title of the post is a little off, as he does suggest that assisting is something that is important to do.
At Heather Mortons blog, there is a category entitled “The Whole Nine Yards” which is directed toward assistants and working as an assistant.

Thanks for coming along. I would love to hear some comments from assistants, and photographers. Let’s try to keep it upbeat and positive, without bashing and such. What are your experiences as an assistant and photographers, what to do you look for specifically in hiring an assistant. As always, take a look at the workshop page for more information on them, and follow along with me on twitter if you are so inclined.

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I made some gear changes recently. One is a well-known, very popular company and the other is a small startup company with one employee. Standbagger is the the small company I refer to, and of course you cn see from the cover shot that I have gone with Profoto Compact lights. After the jump we have some videos for you to see the Standbaggers, and a chat with Steve and I about the business.

The Profotos were the end of a process of elimination through various systems. I love the Dynalite pack and heads and the Elinchrome Ranger kits held particular interest. I used several different iterations of each lighting kit before settling on the Profoto Compacts. MPEX, a sponsor of Lighting Essentials, has a great set of kits at prices that are amazing. In addition, if you use the link to the right of this article, you can save 10% off the entire order – courtesy LE.

The reason I chose them came down to three important considerations.
One: I am traveling more and more and the ability to rent and add to the Profoto line is nearly ubiquitous.
Two: If one of the units goes out, the others are fine. Hoping that more than one goes out on any given shoot, but then… see above.
Three: Power. Lots and lots of power. The Profotos rock for the type of work that I do. Rapid recycle, stable color, multi-use reflector system… I simply love the way they work for me.

I got two 600WS Compacts and two 300WS Compacts. Together they are a formidable combination. The power from the 300′s is simply amazing. I can get f-22 with a medium white umbrella at about 6feet… full length outside in desert sun at a stop over ambient. Sweet. The 600′s are even more powerful of course. (But seriously, the 300′s are so amazingly powerful that I was simply, and happily, surprised.)

I have used older Norman strobes in the studio for nearly 30 years, and they still rock for me. The Profoto’s give me some things I haven’t had, like faster durations, dialed up/down power, and optical slaves. The quality of the light, even in an umbrella, is quite amazing. The four heads provide plenty of options if needed.

Profoto Compact 300 Kits at MPEX.
Profoto Compact 600 Kits at MPEX.

Before we head over to the Steve and his Standbaggers, a few items to review.

One of the questions I get at the workshops concerns how to price when getting started. Rob at APhotoEditor has a great post that may help explain the way magazines work. It is well worth the time to read. “Real World Estimates: Day Rate vs. Space Explained.” And for those ready to make the break, take a moment to read APE’s “How Do Assistants Take It To The Next Level.”

Heather Morton continues with her “Year in the Life” series, and this weeks post by the guys is kinda fun. “A Year in the Life: In Which Jaime Considers Promotion and Grant Shoots for Yoga”

Posts of Note:
Nick Onken Shoptalk.
Permission to Suck.
Seth, Seth and Seth.

Workshops are really fun, and I am doing something kinda interesting in Flagstaff this August. If you are looking for a portfolio building experience in the mountains, desert and very interesting, rustic area, check out this workshop. Learn to Light has all the details.

This is something kinda new for me. A set of videos of Steve and I chatting and showing the gear. These are Flip videos, so if you are looking for high quality video, these may not be your cup of tea. I know what they are, so sending me notes ’bout stepping up the production will fall on deaf ears. It is for fun and info.

Steve and I chat about the business.

Steve shows his line of “Standbaggers”, a cool tool for carrying your gear – stands, umbrellas and more. I use the small grab and go and two of the medium roll-ups. I love them. They travel well, they work well, and they keep me organized under some difficult situations. For those times I don’t have an assistant, they are simply invaluable. My new small “Grab and Go” has been packed and sitting next to my camera bag for a couple of weeks now. I don’t leave home without it.

You will have to go to the site to see the roll-ups. Standbagger.com – and you can order them right there. I think you will be surprised by the pricing. Very affordable.

Steve shows off the “Big Daddy” bag with three speed light pockets and enough room for three tall stands and umbrellas.

So those are the two gear additions to my photographic life. I hope that this post was of value to you. Great gear can be a delight when working on tough assignments.

If you are interested in a workshop, check out Learn to Light, and if you wanna stalk me, Twitter can help you there.

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I guess I missed International Available Light Portrait Day, but then I am wondering when I get to color eggs and hide them in our miserably small back yard. My bud in Texas, Kirk Tuck, did a nice little post on Available Light, and got me thinking about how much I love it as well. I thought I would post a little “Natural Light” post myself.

The shot above is totally natural light from a wide open sky in back of me and a setting sun to camera right giving the shot a little tweak of light. I am loving the way it just adds that wonderful highlight to the jeans and her hair. Taken at the Omaha workshop while waiting for another photographer to get their lens changed.

I would love to discuss some natural light shots with you, but first some housekeeping:

Workshop News:
I have scheduled a few advanced classes and we have had some really great classes. The workshop we did in Baltimore last weekend was a blast for the students. They learned how intricate the lighting used to shoot jewelry can be, and how to prepare a pour shot for liquids. We added some models to the afternoons and they loved the switching of gears from things to people.

Atlanta is my next workshop and it is an advanced. If you are looking for a way to expand your understanding of studio work – still life, product, food and jewelry – take a look at what we are offering. It is designed for the serious photographer, and is still a great workshop for the advanced amateur.

Also coming up is the Greenville and Columbus workshops. Greenville will be a great time. I love going to the smaller towns that many other workshops don’t schedule. I will be doing some work in the area as well, so the month of June is totally full. Columbus is being sponsored by MPEX and will simply rock! Watch for some exciting news about that workshop!

Selina, Jack and I are gearing up bigtime for the Going Pro NOW tour this fall. We kept the pricing low and the value high. We believe in photography and we believe that we can make a difference in the challenges of the emerging photographers out there. Things seem to be picking up out there in ad land, so be ready.

I will be doing some one-on-one consultancies in July. Utilizing the studio I have in Phoenix, there will be some openings for photographers wanting to take some serious lighting instruction. We can arrange for all kinds of amenities for those of you who may want to take a more personal workshop. It will be available for 2 attendees per. If interested, drop me an email. I have only a few open days in July.

Heading for Denver in July and we are trying a workshop in the Flagstaff Area. That workshop will feature working along Old Route 66, Downtown Flagstaff, mountain meadows, pines, deserts and more. A special workshop in a special place. This will be my first Denver area workshop, and I am excited about that.

Recent posts you may have missed:
My workshop and week in NY produced New York, May 2010: Fun in the Big City
You Know That Guy… I Hate That Guy. Am I Somehow More Successful Now? was a post on the tendency to think negatively instead of with inspiration.
Sure You Gotta Logo, But What Is Your Personal Brand? discusses going beyond the surface of brand and gets into your personal branding project.
“The Heart of Portraiture” E-Book: 20 Portraits Discussed. My first freely distributed E-book featuring 20 portraits and discussions on what the thought process was to achieve them. Free to download and enjoy.

Now on to a little post on natural light, and thanks Kirk for getting my brain going on this.

I have heard it called available light, natural light, real light and so many other similar terms that it can all be so confusing. I may not have the definitive, nor the best accepted explanation of what it is, but to me ‘natural light’ only means I did not bring any artificial light sources into play. Using what is there, and modifying the bejeezus out of it is fine. (Let’s not go into whether the use of reflectors is indeed a light source or any kind of semantical issues, OK… I mean I didn’t bring a strobe, hot light, flashlight, or studio flash along for the shot. Shiny boards, scrims, and reflectors are fine in my definition. Feel free to define it your way.)

I like the softness of natural light. I like it’s ability to sculpt and define. I like the simple way the light moves across my subjects creating complex behavior that I can exploit. I think it is accessible light – a welcoming light. Natural light seems familiar and emotional to me.

When I started out, I used a Nikon with three lenses and a reflector. I didn’t own any lighting equipment at all. I shot model composites, local fashion and editorial, portraits for business, even still life all with the light in the alley behind my studio and the light that would come through the two story windows. I ended up with a cadre of fill cards… silver, white, gold, bronze. And there was a stash of odd shapes for odd fills, and cookies for shaping the window light.

I love working on location and the challenges it brings. Environments create lighting situations that can be astounding to work with. Even when I am carrying strobes, the natural environment is totally a part of the creative process. Below are a few shots from the early portfolio. All were taken in the 1980′s, most in the early 80′s.

All images in natural light. Copyright Don Giannatti

My first lighting kit was a set of Ascor Strobes with four heads. Wow. They were used like crazy for a week and then set for quite a while as I kept working in the style I was accustomed to working in. Over a couple of years the strobes became another tool in my arsenal of lights, and the work started to include them more and more.

But I never lost my love for the simple natural light. And the intimacy it can create.

Lately I have been doing all kinds of lighting (at the workshops we go from natural light to 4 and 5 strobes… it is a blast to be able to control and manipulate so many sources), and find my natural light work to be even more interesting to me. I like to move fast, capture a moment and leave it all on the set. It can be a much shorter process for me these days, and the accessible, intimate, natural light creates a definitive change from the manipulated and illustrative strobe work.

This is a totally natural light shot. What I mean is not even a reflector was used. I wanted the softness of the sky and the natural play of light on her face. Behind me, the sky was cloudy, but bright. The sun had burst under a cloud behind her for a moment and it gave me some great backlight. I work with the talent to keep the sunlight off the cheeks and nose, and then let them be themselves. This shot was taken with a 80-200MM lens at 125MM and f-2.8. I like the way the hair is lit and the catch lights in the eyes seem to be so natural.

I particularly liked this location near my old studio. It was simply the wall facing east – and to the east was a two story white and light tan building that caught the afternoon light and became a great, soft light source. In the afternoon I could place a model in the shade and still get a wonderful highlight on the hair from the open sky. This is also a totally natural light shot. With the huge light source of the building and the open sky above us, I can work her face any way and still have wide, broad, soft light. A 200MM lens at f-2.8 gave me a very shallow DOF and isolates her face against the wall.

These shots were taken on an iPhone on the south side of my studio in soft, overcast light in the late afternoon. I like the way her face is softly sculpted by the light. The DOF is of course not controlled on the wide angle iPhone lens.

The natural softness and the slightly hard shadow from the slightly diffused sun produced a nice look to my eye. The model kept her face toward the light so I could keep the ratio closer than the side light would have created.

I pushed the ISO up to 200 on this one. The light was quite overcast and I wanted a bit faster shutter speed. The 80-200MM L is at f-2.8 and the focal length is about 150mm or so. I brought a white card in close to the shadow side of her face to provide a nice fill, and had her turn her face toward the light until the shadow on her nose was mitigated to a lighter shade. Side light can be very nice sometimes, and other times, I work to get a softer ‘fall’ of light.

This portrait was taken in Balboa Park at the San Diego workshop. We had wrapped a shoot and were heading to meet the other group when I noticed the way the slightly overcast sky was reflecting on the large leaf. I loved the feeling of it, and the shape of that large leaf just seemed like a perfect background for a portrait. Yes, I really did.

I placed her in the soft light of the shade of the building and turned her face up to catch the same soft, broad light that the leaf was enjoying. I really like the way the light formed on her face. And the softness of the light kept her face free of pesky shadows. I do like shadows, it’s just them pesky shadows that bother me. The lens was a 20-35MM L at f-4 and zoomed to about 30MM. There are no fill cards or additional modifiers at all on this shot.

I hope you took something from this little exercise in pure natural light portraiture.

Here are some resources you may enjoy:
Lifehacker had this little post.
Here is a very detailed post on shooting food with natural light.
7 Tips To Use Natural Light In Your Photography from the folks at Virtual Photography Studio
While I really don’t care much for that “Secrets” thing, this excerpt from “Professional Secrets of Natural Light Photography” has some nice information.

A few photographers who use a lot of natural light in their work:
Nick Onken
Kate Orne (NSFW if you open “women” first and work with neanderthals.)
Jay Maisel
Anthony Georgis
Richard Rinaldi
Denny Zalpalac

Thanks for coming along on this little post. If you are thinking about a workshop this year, take a look at Learn to Light for more information. Follow along on Twitter if you want to keep up with a lot of what I find interesting in photography.

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Well, that went fast. And not as I expected at all. Faster and crazier than planned, and it left little time for writing and posting. My sincere apologies on that. I am way behind my time on keeping the blog fresh, I am afraid, and will try to correct that this and next week.

Before we get on to the trip, there have been some wonderful posts on the net you should be aware of:

1. The ongoing controversy over Larry Lessig and the Creative Commons movement (I wont link). I am not a fan, to say the least. It seems like a transparent grab by large corporations to take the creative ownership from the creators to the distributors. Promises of glory and fame are empty and stupid. There is some more of the travesty that I believe Creative Commons is over at Burns Auto Parts. Leslie Burns is fighting the good fight, and read the comments to see how convoluted the language has become to deny value to what we do. Part One and Part Two. A follow up deconstruction of Lessigs ‘speech’ is here. A recent post does serve to remind us that Lessig plays fast and loose with the truth. Beware of Creative Commons and the incredible way it changes how we feel about art and the value we place on it.

2. Lots of questions about pricing at every workshop. Rob at A Photo Editor has a fantastic post on working with magazines. Day Rates and Space Rates can be confusing to those who are not familiar with them, but it is the way many magazines determine the fees for photography.

3. Keep up with Robert Wright, a New York photographer at his blog. Postings are sporadic, but the content is creative and a good insight into the life of an editorial photographer in New York.

4. James Danziger has a little blog that is quite interesting. He is an fine art photography gallery owner and a staunch advocate for photographers. Check the site out and say hi.

5. Looks like the call has gone out once again for “Certification” of photographers. Absurd, elitist, knee-jerk-stupid and sad. In professions where measurable outcomes can be defined, and where health and safety are at risk, certification is important. I don’t want writers to be certified… painters, sculptors, poets and photographers. Here is a post I wrote about the nonsense. And, a follow up one for fun.

Fight the urge to become automatons and komrades. Ask yourself who certified the certifiers? What aesthetic do they bring to the decision of whether or not another photographer is ready for the show? Who decided that the test would be able to determine excellence in vision? In art, the end product is the thing… and there are so many wonderful approaches to the creation and enjoyment of the work. Adding a layer of bureaucracy on top of it simply diminishes the relevance, and creates a draw to the center – the ‘good enough’ mediocre arena of banal.

I know some really bright people who have no degrees. And I know some pretty freakin stupid people with a whole wall of degrees conferred on them by other people with walls of degrees. Reminds me more of incest than excellence. Passing a test doesn’t mean anything other than you can pass a test. Fear creates this kind of thing. Busting your ass to create great work is a catalyst to the fear. Choose that instead.

Now on to New York:

I arrived with plans on visiting the city a day earlier than the workshop start. Didn’t work out. BTW, if you are looking for a ride from say, La Guardia to Secaucus (16 miles) and get a page that offers a flat rate… ask for confirmation on what that includes in the flat rate. Flat Rate means flat rate… in ‘car service’ land it means a sort of maybe estimate. My flat-rate $80 ride was actually $155. But, hey… close enough I guess. Thank goodness that was the only glitch and it happened the first day.

Friday evening we met most of the workshop attendees in Penn Station at the TGI Fridays. A truly great group of people who were excited to learn and work with lighting. We hung out and chatted for a few hours and then hit the train back to Jersey.

Weekend workshop was great. We had a fantastic studio to work in. Guler Ugur Studio, (646 319 6777), is a nicely appointed 1600 Sq Ft Studio in the Photo District on 20th Street. Nice natural light and amenities to make it well worth considering if you are looking for rental space in NY City. Tell them Don Giannatti at Lighting Essentials recommended them and they could be even more accommodating. Depending on availability. 6th floor with elevator and security entrance. Rent full or half days.

Shooting spilled out onto 20th Street and we hit Union Square for some great late day light. The students were attentive and creative, and the talent was amazing. Thanks to all who attended.

Monday we did some tourist stuff starting with a trip to B&H. Charles, my compatriot for the week, needed a B&H fix, and we wandered around that place for quite awhile. If you haven’t been there, it is really amazing. I saw some lighting gear that I liked a lot… probably going to add to the arsenal… heh. (Yeah, even a non-gearhead can still love gear… ya know.)

We then hit the MOMA for a look at their photography on exhibit there. On the third floor the show, Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography, was amazing. Wonderful imagery. Oh. and the small Irving Penn show in the lobby was really wonderful.

But of course, the real reason for our visit was the totally incredible “Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century”, April 11–June 28, 2010. One of the masters of our medium.

There are 300 images there, one of the largest photographic exhibits I have ever seen. Works that were familiar (the Bicyclist) and those that were not, carefully shown in a timeline/geographic display that was simply breathtaking. One of the myths that Bresson’s work seems to carry is that he only photographed those people who were unaware of his camera. Wow, is that put to rest. There are posed and attentive subjects in many of the photographs and they were as wonderful as the “Decisive Moment” work that is more well known. If you are anywhere near NY, you should take the time to visit.

On a personal note… it was really terrific to be in an art museum that was freeekin packed! Thousands of people in that building. Wow… that is soooo cool.

Escalator, MOMA: iPhone image.

We next hit Central Park up near Columbus Circle. We took a walk, and then met Prescilla, a skate boarder. We asked for a few moments of her time and shot some fun images. I worked at getting some portraits everywhere (maybe the Bresson show carried over in my mind?) so I snapped a few whenever I found the opportunity.

On the Streets, a Portrait. iPhone image.

We then took to the streets with a model from the workshop. I wanted a shot of someone with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. That led us to the “A” train and Brooklyn. Chloe was a true sport as it was still a little nippy down on the water. The weather had held off for most of the day, but now the clouds rolled in and it started to get a little dicey. A bunch of the guys came along and we all shot with Chloe down on the banks of the Hudson. With that many guys we had some true lighting toys to play with. I ended up with three speedlights to do this shot.

Chloe and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Tuesday it rained. A lot.

I looked at Charles and said… “maybe it isn’t raining in the Hamptons.” Seemed plausible.

It was. A lot.

But we got some photographs anyway, and the inclement weather made it even more fun for me. I have lots of sun shots, the shots I got on the water in the Hamptons were very different than what I shoot mostly. I was able to keep all my gear dry, even though I was soaked and freezing. That is until I got excited about a shot and left the car door open. As the rain wasn’t falling verticle, but rather at a 45 degree angle, all my gear got wet. And the car seat. And the dashboard… heh. Luckily no damage. (Gibbs swat to the back of the head.)

Hampton Island, NY. iPhone image.

Thank goodness the rain abated Wednesday and we headed down to the Village to see Jen Bekman’s Gallery. Small and fun, the work on the wall was worth the walk. (We walked a lot in NY.) Jen works hard on behalf of photographers, and her “Hey, Hot Shot Project” is a wonderful project for emerging photographers.

Right across the street is Jay Maisel’s incredible building. I thought about knocking to say hi, but thought better of it and snapped a shot of the door. (Images) Close enough.

We headed for Battery Park, and had a blast shooting till dark. Shawn came along on that day, and we also hit Canal Street looking for bargains. WooHoo… shopping!

Each night found us t a cool little restaurant and getting back into Jersey about midnight. We rose early and headed back to the city. Breakfast at the Chelsea Diner was a must, as was hitting the financial district for some tall buildings shots.

In the city. iPhone image.

Thursday we hit the town to see Wall Street and took the train to Coney Island. Bright, sunny day. My goodness it reminded me of Phoenix, and I started to want the rain to come back. Got some shots and a hot dog at Nathans. (Tourists… waddayagonnado.)

Oh, and lunch found us on a little street in the East Village having great little sandwiches with Andrew Hetherington. That was really a fun time. Andrew is fun, engaging and a wonderful photographer. We swapped stories about working in the city now versus back in the day when I was working there (mid 80′s). Some things remain, and some things are changed forever.

Andrew Hetherington, Photographer. iPhone image.

A final visit to an icon, Grand Central Station, and we were off to the hotel for a final night in the city. The next day we left to go to Baltimore for an advanced workshop that was also really exciting.

I love NY. I have made some decisions based on my recent visit. The energy that is found there, the culture and the incredible feeling of legacy overwhelms me, but yet I feel drawn to it. Alicia Keys says it well here, but I also think that I love Liza’s version too (goosebumps, man).

Vendor, NY. iPhone image.

Thanks for taking a walk with me through my week in NY. It was a changing experience for me, and there will be repercussions… heh.

If you are considering a workshop this year, take a moment to visit Learn to Light, and if you want to follow along with me on Twitter, well, there ya go.

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It’s a RANT today.

Recent discussions with photographers and models spurred this short rant today. I have been thinking about this for quite awhile, but events yesterday really set me off.

Brand, personal brand, is who you are. And what you do is who you are. It is the most important brand you can ever have in this business. It is essentially YOU presented to the world in every post, every email, every discourse, chat, forum comment and face to face you will ever have.

It is NOT your logo.
It is NOT your camera.
It is NOT your gear.
It is NOT how much you spend on marketing.
It is NOT how much you make. Or how little.

It’s YOU.

What kind of person do you want people to think you are? What kind of person, not what kind of photographer. The answer to that is probably going to be a roadmap to your personal brand.

Do you make yourself an asset to your clients, your friends and your family?
How do they perceive you when you are working or not working? Do they see you as someone who is an interest in them?

An asset is someone who is willing to help and go the extra mile. They are the ones who keep their promises, work hard to build trust, and deliver what they say they will deliver. And usually they deliver more than they promised to deliver. An asset is hard to find, and that rarity adds to your personal brand. An asset is a person that becomes a go-to person to solve problems. Because they deliver. And they are interested and focused on the person/company they are working with.

Be an asset in your personal brand.

How to check if you are an asset to your clients.
- Do you make promises that you don’t keep? Regularly?
- Do models wait forever to get their images after a TFP shoot?
- Do the people you photograph on the street actually get the images you promised?
- Do the proofs get delivered on time, in order, and ready to go?< - Do you find yourself trying to explain why something didn't happen when you said it would more than once a month?

Key to above. Yes answers are bad.

Are you truly ready to do what you are doing?
Being a professional photographer is really easy. There are no tests, no special licenses, no unions, and no entry point gatekeepers. You gotta camera, you gotta job.

But there are many people who enter the business simply because it is so easy from a standpoint of few entry barriers. That can be a good thing and, well, a bad thing. And really, so much of it is your personal brand that helps set the tenor of your business.

A professional can do what he/she does every time. Repeatable. Reliable. Perfect. Every single time. A photographer who is ready to move into the profession shouldn’t be asking about rates on Flickr forums. They shouldn’t be wondering if anyone has any ideas on what shots they should do when a band wants to hire them to do some PR shots. Gear should be ready to go, and clean, and powered up. Getting the ideas to flow should be a natural thing developed through shooting all the damn time.

Not delivering a job correctly says a lot about YOU as a person – your personal brand.

Being totally knowledgeable about what you do is extremely important. Are you ready?

- Do you know what an RFP is, and how to respond to one in a way that makes sense?
- Can you make the shots you want, whenever you want?
- Are you familiar with the usage rights / normal billing for the work you want to do?
- Do you have backup gear? Backups for your backups?
- Do you deliver the work you said you would, on time, and on budget?

Are you a compelling person to be around?
Do you inspire others to do better in their lives and work, or do you denigrate and gossip about others? Do people want to hear your opinion so they can be uplifted or do they simply love the dirt you dig?

I guess both are brands that work, cause damn there are a lot of muckrakers who ‘enjoy’ a brand as such. But I wonder if that would be my first choice, and of course it isn’t. So I don’t care which you choose, but do be aware that there are many ways to personally brand yourself. Arrogant and self-inflated can work for some, while helpful and compelling works for others.

I am not telling you what the best way to brand yourself is here, only that there are different ways to do it. I have seen some extremely arrogant and boorish photographers achieve great success… it was indeed part of their brand. And I have also seen those same personalities crash and burn due to not understanding the power and niche of such a brand. (Buddy Rich was a very difficult, and some would say terrible person to be around. But then, he did play the drums pretty good (heh) and was known for behind the scenes charity and great philanthropy.) Being a ‘brand’ in your attitudes and dealings with others is not a guarantee to success, but it is definitely a way for people to know who you are when making decisions on whether they want to work with you.

Are you who you say you are? Is there some consistency in your personal brand?
I was recently attacked personally for an opinion on Flash sites. The tweet was petty, childish and actually pretty stupid. His ‘brand’ is one who speaks of being “Christian like” and full of love and all that ‘goodness’ – ‘cept if you have an opinion that differs with his. Then, his REAL persona comes out in spades. There are photographers online who say they want to help other photographers, then when challenged, even politely and mildly by someone with a point, explode and become angry, vile and mean. That brand will outweigh the phony brand with those not wanting to be around that type of person. And it will build the brand by those who WANT to be around that type of angry, vile person. Not bad, just different.

When you take a look at your Personal Brand, be sure to consider that as a self-employed person, your every statement can carry some ramifications. And those can hurt some and help others, and being aware of that difference is very important. When you post something that may be offensive to some, be aware that they remember. If you want to be a consensus builder, build consensus. If you want to be helpful and an asset, be helpful and be an asset. All the time. Not just online, or on your blog, or an occasional tweet.

My twitter friend Trudy asked me about the ABS method (Always Be Selling) and I think this post is as close as I can get to answer it. As a professional, we are always ‘selling’ in some way – in what we do, say and show. Our Personal Brand, is, well, our best and strongest selling tool. It is the way people remember us, what they remember about the encounter, what they perceive as the value of the work and the relationship.

Changing your portfolio is way easier than changing your personal brand.

My suggestion is to take a bit of a personal branding audit.
- Ask 10 people who know you well to describe you in a paragraph.
- Ask them to describe your work and your business.
- Ask them what they would change about how you do what you do

Take a moment to evaluate what the last month has been like:
- Did you return every phone call as soon as you could?
- Did you get the proofs out when you said you would?
- Were you helpful to someone with a real question/problem?
- Did you have an altercation with someone over something that has happened before?
- Is there anything you can do to make this situation not happen again?
- Did you make and keep any promises? To others and yourself?
- Have you spent time perfecting your craft?

I could go on with more Personal Branding tips, but these are crucial. What you wear, your demeanor, your speech… all of that matters as well, but this short list makes you what you are.

Thanks for coming along on this little rant. Follow me on Twitter, and visit Learn to Light for information on our workshops.

Until it is off the front page, you can leave comments at the bottom here.

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A sorta Rant and sorta Rave:

Knowing your instrument in music means knowing it so well that you can pick it up and play whatever note you want to play. There isn’t a hesitation at all in the choice of keys, or fingering, or hand position. With a piece of music in front of the musician, he/she can play it perfectly the first time they see it.

In Jazz, we have improvisation… the making of music without any written notes. The musician listens to the chords or harmony and creates their own melodies or lines over them. That takes incredible mastery of the instrument, and a total inner awareness of the music as a whole. Something nearly autonomous takes over. The music flows from the jazz soloist through the instrument and into the ears of the audience.

There is no time to think about the ‘notes], or where the fingers go. None.

The same with photography. The instrument is different, but it does require an intimate knowledge of the workings of the camera, as well as what the relationship is between the operation and the making of images. The images should flow through the camera as music flows through the musicians instrument.

Basic tools and knowledge lead to basic imagery. Some photographers could put their camera on “P” and end up with well exposed, nicely focused, sharp photographs. The modern cameras are nearly flawless in presenting an image that is ‘acceptable’ on the basic criteria of the amateur photographer. Like beginning band; they can play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” pretty well after practicing it for a couple of months… but that doesn’t make them musicians with a capitol M. Not yet.

But there is a time when the musician gets more and more familiar with the instrument they are playing, and starts to understand the chord structures, rhythm, and scales that are part of the genre of jazz. They start to improvise… a little tentatively at first, but eventually there becomes… Bird, Miles, Monk, ‘Trane, Ornette, Elvin, Tony and so many more.

They know their instruments so well that it becomes an extension of what they feel instead of what they think. They hear the music and it plays through their instrument.

Photographers have cameras. All kinds of cameras. Some cameras do things other cameras wont. Or they do the same things differently. My small cameras are Nikon and Canon. Canon is the digital, Nikon is the analog. They focus manually in different directions. They load film differently, change ISO differently, mount lenses differently.

But they both take photographs the same way. I look through the viewfinder, make a billion instant decisions and trip the shutter. That is the art of photography… making those billion instant decisions and getting the synapses to recognize what the hell is going on and transfer some energy to my right index finger. Really fast.

The camera is my conduit for getting what I see onto a capture or piece of film. It is a tool that should be as well known to me as Bird’s alto, or Tony’s Gretch’s were to them. The tool needs to be an extension of me and my vision, and is simply what I use to capture what I see.

That means knowledge of what it does in relationship to what I want to do… and I think there are too many photographers who take that for granted. They don’t know their camera well enough to not have to think about it when they are working. It can be an impediment instead of a conduit.

When I go to make an image, I am seeing that image completed in my head already… sometimes I see the finished image before I even get the camera up to my eye. I start to ‘feel’ the image – or hear it… yeah, images make music to me. I hear different pieces when I am shooting… a rhythm from here a melody from there… it all plays into the image taking process for me.

I rarely have to think about my camera and the settings or the dials/switches and such to make it work. I learn that stuff through taking the time to familiarize myself with the camera so well, I can do many things without looking at it. I don’t want to play with my camera gear, I want to make photographs.

I see so many photographers struggling with their cameras while the moments of amazing images tick by them. Looking for this or that, trying to find the menu that does whatever they need – sometimes without knowing what it is they need to begin with. A devastating unfamiliarity that puts the camera at odds with the photographer instead of being an extension of their vision.

And yeah, sure the camera manufacturers sometimes make changes to the newer models so where something was is now moved to somewhere else. Arghh.. yeah. So what? Learn the new tool and work it into your system so that it isn’t ‘new’ any more. It isn’t a ‘new camera’ after it becomes ‘your camera’.

Can you imagine working a wedding and not knowing your camera intimately? The action moves real fast, and there are no do-overs. Or a photojournalist who misses a once in a lifetime shot because he forgot which setting his camera was on? Or a fashion photographer who forgot that you had to advance the film back by hand on an RB67 because it isn’t automatically advanced like the RZ67 that you had been shooting for a couple of months so you shoot about 20 shots on one frame and missed a couple of good shots that I… err… well, you get the point.

Every item on a camera deals with the reality of making images. Aperture and shutter speed and ISO combine for exposure. All three are integral in knowing what you want and how to get it. You can change the focus areas on the screen, and from center-weighted exposure to spot. Do you know which is which? Choosing an aperture controls the DOF that you will get with the image… and that is based on the distance of the focus. How do all the tools of the camera work toward making the image you see in your head? They work in tandem with the knowledge of photographic principles that have been ingrained into your psyche.

They have been ingrained… right?

We discuss the concepts of photography on this site a lot, but for now let’s discuss your ‘axe’, that camera that is hanging around your neck all day. That tool that you use to instantly make the images you see in your head is your extension of creativity.

Here is the challenge: And of course, there is no way we can no if you cheat. But, except for that moron from Redmond, most of you will not cheat.

Here is a list of 10 things I want you to do or answer instantly. No thinking… if it takes you more than a half second, mark it down. And then you know what to work on.

Set your camera at f-8, ISO 200, and 1/250 shutter speed, and manual.
Without Looking at your camera:

1. Identify where the ISO menu is. Bring it up and change it to ISO 100.
2. Change the current shutter speed to 1/2000.
3. Take the lens off and change it out without looking at the camera.
4. Identify where the focus spots control is.
5. Change the aperture to f-22.
6. Identify where the Card Format control is, and bring it up.
7. Change the lens from auto-exposure to manual exposure.
8. Identify the custom white balance tools/method.
9. Change the camera from Manual to Aperture Priority.
10. Change it back to the original settings above.

Here are a few more things that will help you to become intimate with the tools and craft of photography.

11. Can you recite the apertures of your lenses in whole stops? Can you do it in 1/3 stops?
12. Where are your cards kept in your bag? No searching…
13. If your flash is on 1/16 power and you want it to be two stops brighter, what would you change the power to?
14. What is the highest shutter speed your flash can sync with?
15. How would you guesstimate the aperture/speed setting for a person being side-lit by the sun with ISO 400?
16. Which would give you deeper DOF… f6.3 on a 24MM lens or f8 on a 200MM lens from the same spot?
17. If you wanted to increase the perceived area around a subject would you move back with a telephoto or move close with a wide angle?
18. If you were shooting a sunset portrait on a beach and wanted your flash to be more ‘warm’ without changing the color of the sky would you gel the camera or the flash? With what?
19. If the flash is set to f-8 on the subject, and the ambient reading is f5.6 @ 1/125, will the subject match, be lighter than or darker than the ambient at an exposure of f-8?
20. In the above example, what happens to the subject exposure (f-8) when I change the shutter speed to 1/160?

The answers for the second set of questions are after the jump.

There are few ways to increase your photographic ability more than shooting a lot of pictures… all the dang time. Of course there are more ways to get your tools to be an extension of your vision, rather than getting in its way, but this should start you thinking about automating it… in your mind.

Being able to shoot without thinking about the tools is like being a jazz player taking a solo on “Green Dolphin Street” – and bringing the house down.

Thanks for dropping by. You can follow my every move on Twitter, and please leave comments if you agree, disagree or simply have a question.

Answers:

11. Can you recite the apertures of your lenses in whole stops? Can you do it in 1/3 stops?

1, 1.4, 2, 2.8. 4. 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22

1, 1.4, 1.6, 2, 2.2, 2.5, 2.8, 3.2, 3.5, 4. 4.5, 5, 5.6, 6.3, 7.1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22

12. Where are your cards kept in your bag? No searching…

Mine are in the top flap in a card holder on the right side of the bag. Yours?

13. If your flash is on 1/16 power and you want it to be two stops brighter, what would you change the power to?

1/4

14. What is the highest shutter speed your flash can sync with?

1/250 on my Canon, 1/125 on my Nikon, 1/500 on the Hasselblad, RB’s and Bronicas. Yours?

15. How would you guesstimate the aperture/speed setting for a person being side-lit by the sun with ISO 400?

Sunny 16 rule: Open up one stop for side lighting.
F-11 @ 1/400

16. Which would give you deeper DOF… f6.3 on a 24MM lens or f8 on a 200MM lens from the same spot?

6.3 on the 24MM.

17. If you wanted to increase the perceived area around a subject would you move back with a telephoto or move close with a wide angle?

Moving closer with the wide angle will exaggerate the distance around the subject

18. If you were shooting a sunset portrait on a beach and wanted your flash to be more ‘warm’ without changing the color of the sky would you gel the camera or the flash? With what?

You would gel the flash. Gelling the camera would also alter the sunset colors as all would pass through the gel. Gel the Flash with 1/4 CTO or 1/2 CTO to bring the cold flash color up to the warm ambient.

19. If the flash is set to f-8 on the subject, and the ambient reading is f5.6 @ 1/125, will the subject match, be lighter than or darker than the ambient at an exposure of f-8?

Brighter. The background needed more light to get correct exposure so it is underexposed at f-8.

20. In the above example, what happens to the subject’s exposure (f-8) when I change the shutter speed to 1/160?

Nothing.

Thanks for visiting Lighting Essentials. We do workshops, and could be coming to a town near you soon.

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Portraits… man I love portraits. People are so interesting and the combination of an interesting person and a creative photographer reveals more than simply a photo of someone… it reveals the nature of all of us. And that makes it timeless.

From the earliest times, painters and sculptors used people as their inspiration… from the Roman statues to the Mona Lisa, Rembrandts portraits to Bourke-White’s mother and child… people dominate our subject interest.

And photography is the medium I, and I presume most of the readers here, choose to render the people we see into portraits.

There are a lot of opinions on portrait photography, from the ‘Rembrandt triangle of light below the shadow eye’ to the ‘correct’ lens to use. I believe most of that stuff is crap… there are no rules other than the rules you impose on yourself. Does your vision of the portrait match the image taken? If so, good. If not, you may need more work. And that’s fine too.

Portraiture gives us a wide variety of genres to work in. Fashion, beauty, glamour, artistic nude, wedding, maternity, environmental, studio and more. And the styles can run from a total formality to a whimsical play. And so much in between.

But because portraiture is so popular as a type of photography, it becomes more and more difficult to set your work apart from the vast amounts of portraiture being created daily. I know that it is hard to do, but it is so important. And it can mean the difference in whether you can be sought out by people wanting your particular spin on the image, or just being considered by the price-shoppers.

Light can be one differentiation in how your work is seen and appreciated. How you work with your subjects, their relationship to the environment, posing, lens choices, angles, and gesture becomes your pallet. And then comes the vision thing that ties it all into your approach to the portrait.

Great portraitists present their subjects as they want them to be seen… infusing the photographers vision into the resulting image. This can be a little challenging to some who want only a ‘picture’ of themselves, and there are plenty of places and photographers who are only too happy to provide a snap. Portraitists want to do more than simply snap, they want to explore and reveal and lead and challenge.

A few portrait shooters from my list of influences.
Yousef Karsh
Richard Avedon
Irving Penn
Victor Skrebneski
And some newer to the scene:
Nadav Kander
Dan Winters
Chris Buck
Nick Onken
And of course, Annie, Patrick, Arthur, Albert and Peter.

The goal for me has always been to make the subject look as beautiful as possible… without changing them into something they aren’t. I want to let the beauty I see in them come forth through my camera. And that takes a mix of lighting, composition, lens choices, timing and most of all, rapport. I look through the lens and become emotionally involved. I don’t hear the music, I don’t hear the distractions (which I keep to a minimum in the studio… cell phones on buzz, only answer in the dressing room, no chatting on set unless it directly involves the subject and the session etc…). I just see the subject and what we are trying to do. When the camera goes down, things go back to normal, but when I am shooting… I simply am involved with my subject.

After the jump we will take a look at 24 images from the LE Flickr Pool that I thought brought a little more the portrait… a drama or sense of style.

If you are considering a workshop, we have planned a schedule that will bring us near to your city, and if you would like me to bring a Lighting Essentials workshop to your city, let me know. I like to go to the smaller cities where other workshops don’t venture. We are a small group (limited to 12 tops) so going to smaller venues is possible. And fun!

This portrait starts the gallery. I love the unexpected look to it, and the post brings a sense of cold and dread. The subjects eyes being set a little off from each other adds to the surreal effect.

The black and white post adds to the drama of this image. The slight backlight is offset by the fill and the light in the eyes. The photographers use of angle and the subject looking off from the camera adds to the uniqueness of the image.

I like the sense of loneliness and separation that this image conveys. Placing the subject in the center and in a little shaft of light isolates her from the dark and mysterious environment.

Framing the subject with a panel of color, and with the gates in the foreground make this image seem like a grab shot. But the formal position and the off camera gaze give the shot some definite focus.

A single spotlight effect gives this portrait a unique, stylish look. The sunglasses add a bit of whimsy… or mystery.

The post in the bluish tones adds to the unique style of this image. I like that the light is visible at the back to camera left. Her fun pose and leg line are kinda cool too.

I like the black and white processing on this shot. It adds so much to the dramatic pose and skin of the shot. Working the light to advantage here, the end result has interesting tonality and highlights.

A natural, soft light and angled horizon give this shot a very nice feel. Keeping the subject to an off camera gaze allows us to imagine a bit about what is happening in the image.

The falling lines, low angle and well defined light takes this portrait to a higher level. I like the look on her face and how she fits into the environment.

I love the gesture and the light here. Her total involvement in this shot really carries it. I love it when a model really lets go like this.

Dramatic lighting, the flared sun and the helmeted subject give this shot a dramatic appeal.

From the color to the dynamic pose to the dramatic setting, this shot delivers a wonderful feeling to a double portrait.

I like this shot a lot. Dramatic light, interesting post and a subject that really draws you in. The gritty location adds to the accessibility of the image.

Such a nice, illustrative image. The set of grass and the sleeping subject are set off well with the interesting light. A grand gesture brought into a ‘small’ image.

A very dramatic image with a super wide lens and a wonderful affectation from the subject. The cross lighting adds a sense of illustration to the shot.

A fantastic illustrative shot with excellent lighting and a surreal setting. With the subjects attention off frame, the image takes on a poetic, editorial feel.

The light, pose, composition and excellent framing make this portrait a standout. It just grabs the senses and delivers a fresh look.

The negative image of the subject against the light and the corridor gives this shot a totally editorial feel. A small story in a single image.

Just an entertaining portrait with a whimsical feel. The light and the environment lend a fun feeling to this illustrative portrait.

One light majesty with a subject full of character and charm. The simplicity of a black background and a dramatic light can never be underestimated.

Tightly composed and brightly lit with beauty light, this portrait delivers a sharply defined subject with some very nice shallow DOF.

A small pool of dramatic light highlights this subject in a dramatic way that also shows off the muscular physique and interesting wardrobe.

Warm, enveloping light is perfect for this location maternity image. The framing and composition creates a compelling portrait.

This musician shot conveys a dramatic light, and an affable smile. Contradictory and yet inviting. I like how the light just hints at the guitar.

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I ran across this quote today:

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
– Leonardo da Vinci

It gave me pause.

The “urgency” of doing.

Pretty much says it all. Doing is the thing that makes it work. Not reading or listening or studying or being desperately in love with the idea. One must ‘DO’ what one does. It is the only true path to becoming better and stronger.

Imagine a weight lifter who reads all the weight lifting books, listens to 6 or 7 weight lifting podcasts a week, gets a couple of weight lifting magazines a month, and can quote weight lifting stats that amaze his friends. But he only occasionally ever goes to the gym to actually lift weights.

How well do you think he does at the lifting when he gets around to it?

Same with photographers. We must make pictures to be photographers, otherwise we are not. We only discuss, read, and study the subject. Occasionally pulling a camera out to make a shot or two won’t increase our skills. Are there exceptions, maybe… I think I read about an art photographer who thinks about his shots for weeks before executing. But that seems to be his particular way of working, and the images reflect that, I’m sure.

But for the majority of us, doing is more important than learning or wanting. I have always ascribed to the philosophy that it means less what one says and far more what one does. Actions speak louder than words is another way of putting it.

Action. Doing. Progressing. Achieving.

When I teach the workshops, I blend all the different modes of learning together. We talk about what the light does, we look at what the light does, then the students do it with the lights. Hear, See, Touch. It forms a bond of learning that encompasses all the different approaches we humans bring to the ability to understand.

What struck me about this quote was that I had just finished reading a couple of post questions asking things like; “What is the difference between a shoot-thru umbrella and a beauty dish?” And, “Has anyone ever used a bounce card for a reflector, and what does it do to the image?”

In my mind it is nearly impossible to answer these questions with simple words, or even pictures and words. Maybe we can add some words to the pictures, but even then we cannot even come close to the knowledge that would be gained by simply doing it. Get an umbrella and a beauty dish and see the difference. Grab a bounce card and add it to the mix… what then happens to the image?

Of course one should know how to get hands on both a shoot-thru and a beauty dish, but that is a logistical problem, not a photographic one. Knowing where to put the bounce card can be learned by charts and graphs, but what it does the image is purely look and see. And move it a little to there… a little more. That kind of thing.

Applying the knowledge that one achieves through different means is the balance to the learning. Shoot. Shoot everything you see. Make it an urgent and immediate project.

And wanting to won’t get it done. As Yoda said to Master Luke… “Either do or do not, there is no ‘try’”. Truer words were never spoken. Telling me that you plan on or want to or should… whatever… means little. Only that you have idle time to plan dreams that will be gone in a few days or years.

Do the thing you want to do. Now… it is urgent. Urgency builds energy, energy builds desire, desire spills over to action and the thing gets done. I am not talking about procrastinators, I am talking about the “terminally planning”. Make images today, it matters not what you photograph, only that you make the images yours.

The urgency that Leonardo must have felt is obvious in his level of production. Books, paintings, flying machine drawings, architectural renderings and more. He had to get as much done as possible.

Maybe he knew intrinsically that our moments here are shortened by our existence. Yesterday is over, and will never be repeated. It has no bearing on what our today brings. And tomorrow… well, tomorrow is a great place to be, but not yet.

A talented young photographer I know just sold most of his gear and is moving back to the small town he grew up in. Talented by the work that was actually accomplished, but unfortunately the call of partying and ‘livin’ large’ was too overwhelming. He shot all the time when he got to LA, but after a couple of years, he wasn’t shooting any more new things, but trying to get by on what had been done. His work grew a little stale, and he began to complain about the business. His failure was other people’s fault. He rarely picked up his camera unless it was for an assignment, and the work started showing it.

He lost his sense of urgency. He forgot what he was, and what he wanted to be, and, most of all who he NEEDED to be. I hope he gets to a point where the action takes hold of him and he starts to produce again…with new eyes and a renewed sense of himself as a photographer, not a “business man with a camera”.

Knowing about business is of course vitally important, but if it becomes more of the focus than the photography itself, then other challenges, some even more devastating than not knowing spread sheets, enter the fray and the love of the craft can be lost.

Being a photographer is one of the coolest careers one can have. And no shooter I know of does it for the money alone. They do it because they love it. And the really successful ones push themselves hard… inventing and re-inventing and pushing themselves. With a sense of urgency.

So ask yourself if you have a sense of urgency about your work. Do you push hard enough, or depend on someone else to tell you what you should do? Find your vison/passion and DO IT with your cameras. Do it every day… push and refine your work and get over the hurdles as quickly as possible.

I am not a big fan of patience… preferring to push and shove and run and leap and fall. A lot. Patience is a slower, easier to set aside type of habit. Urgency, along with terror and fear, is a motivator.

Get urgent and get going.

Thanks for visiting, and follow me on Twitter if you would like. If you are thinking about a workshop this year, take a look at the schedule here at Learn to Light. See you next time.
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I love to drive. Cars and motorcycles and trucks… I love to get behind the wheel and just go.

This weekend I drove to San Diego for the workshop there. And, BTW… it was a very fun and exciting workshop with a lot of talented photographers, some wonderful models, and fascinating conversations. I love to talk nearly as much as I love to drive. (Those of you who know me, are shaking your heads right now… just not sure which way… heh.)

I left pretty late in the day on Friday, having to clear some things before being out-of-pocket for a couple of days. The light was dreary and gray, but I am always on the hunt for something. All in all, fairly uneventful drive… and that let’s me think.

Think about photography and design and marketing and light and challenges ahead… that sort of stuff wanders in and out of my brain while wizzing along at 75+ MPH. I thought a lot about where my work is going and what I am doing this year. Thoughts of traveling to new and exciting places (because they are new) always gets me thinking about photographs. Light and texture and imagined images of places yet unseen… sort of a mind game with myself and the imaginary cameras.

I have never been to Santa Cruz or New Orleans… both workshops coming up soon. I am so excited to see both places and do a little shooting there. But it is the images I am seeing that are changed so radically from where I used to be image wise. I see light and texture and personal imagery more than the beauty / lifestyle stuff I have done for a longass time. Longass means more than a couple of decades.

And don’t get me wrong, lovely women in gorgeous wardrobe is still something I love to shoot. But I am more interested in jazz trumpet players, retired heart surgeons, the guys who cleaned up the stadium after the Superbowl, single moms who work three jobs… People. All kinds.

And places. I started as a landscape shooter and find myself returning to photographing a lot of still life and environments… not wilderness in my work, but environments touched by man… or with the visible influence of us humans on the environment. Not sure why… I just love shooting it.

There probably is no market for the personal work I do… and I LOVE that. I don’t have to worry about portfolios and culling through the images to find the very best of the shots… I just have to make the shots and enjoy them. Me… looking at moments in my life where I snapped an image of something that caught my eye.

Garry Winogrand said: “I photograph something to see what it looks like photographed.” I love that quote. I think about it a lot. It is becoming sort of my inner mantra… “shoot it so we can see what it looks like after you shot it” the inner voice says. So I do. As often as possible.

And sometimes the images make me smile and sometimes they challenge me to keep shooting till I get one that works. But more and more, the images are driving more images. I think that’s a good thing.

Restless is the heart these days. I love teaching the workshops so much that I miss it on down weekends. I have plenty to do with more and more client work coming up (and the design side is also getting busy), but the interaction with the students is so creatively invigorating. Whether they are newbies or seasoned professionals, I love to chat about photographs and lighting and the business. Seems that everyone brings something kinda fresh and unique to the table. We learn every hour of our lives… or at least we should.

But the restlessness comes from a desire to step my work up to a new level. One that I can see clearly in my head, and now struggle to get into the camera. Shoot, refine, shoot, refine, eat tacos, continue shooting and refining… that is a perfect day for me. How I envy some younger shooters who can shoot 4-5 days a week. And how I remember those heady days. I would love to shoot every day, but business is more than shooting for me, so I get in about 3 days a week.

I want more. More. More. More.

The thing about photography is that it wants to be made and made and made over and over again. Subtly changing from one thing to the next… moving and shooting and measuring and challenging and defining… quickly and with great deliberateness. Oxymorons for sure, but isn’t most photography oxymoronical in execution? (Yeah, I made that one up… sue me.)

We work temporally while seeking to freeze a moment in time to revisit throughout our own ever-changing time line. A still image that remains constant as time moves on. Like flowers that never wilt. Love that never dies. Skies that never darken. A representation of a point in time where everything was perfect – or at least perfectly presented – that we want to save.

I have always marvelled at the amazing ego of photographers. We have giant egos that need to be expressed. That isn’t a bad thing. That is actually what makes photography one of the great art forms… most anyone can do it, but only a small group can do it well. Those with huge photographic egos that scream for recognition.

I am not talking about arrogance. Arrogance is ego with no base or credibility… just an over-inflated sense of self that manifests itself in boorish behavior. Arrogance without passion and product is laughably entertaining. And, unfortunately, on display in way too many important places these days.

I am referring to the ego that we photographers have that lets us proclaim… “Yeah, I know you have seen the Grand Canyon 23 times… but look at this moment I caught a few years ago… 1/250th of a second during a week long trip. It caught my eye and I knew I had to share this miniscule sliver of a moment with you so you would see what I saw. My view of the Grand Canyon. My choice of the best 1/250th of a second the canyon has ever seen.”

Ego.

Thank God for it. Weston and Adams had it. Avedon, Penn and Winogrand had it. Winters, DeMarchelier, Elgort, Eggleston and many more have it. The beautiful ego driven desire to share with us the way they see tiny, minuscule moments of their lives and their vision. And what grand moments they become. And those grand moments live on.

A still image of a moment in time that is shared through the times of the ages. That’s pretty cool.

I have that ego thing. I have the desire… and the passion to make images that I love to share with folks. And sometimes I make images that were not taken to share. They were taken for me… to be seen by me. To make me remember. To make me smile.

But time takes us along on its journey regardless of our desire to hang out and catch the next ride. Each day passes with no regard to yesterday and no promise of tomorrow. Time simply is. And was. And will be. And where do I go from here is the question that seems to invade my thoughts lately. Not grandiose moves… little tweaks. Like moving the camera over a few inches to make a more classical composition.

Space and time and photography and Mexican Food and workshops and books are all so wonderfully intertwined in my life. And I wonder if the images are enough? I want more. I want so much more. I wonder if the days are getting too short… or maybe I am growing too slowly. Or simply too long for the ever-shortening moments that make up our personal journeys. It’s that damn timeline thing.

Like when someone moved your cheese. Or even wondering if the cheese was ever really there to begin with. Maybe they didn’t move your cheese… you were simply too stupid, or lazy, or busy, or self-absorbed to find it and it was eaten by the neighbors cat. Ya know…

Or maybe the cheese thing isn’t really what we are looking for anyway. It would really suck to find the cheese and then discover you were allergic to cheese. I know, too cheesy… I’m just sayin’.

This morning I drove out of San Diego in the dark. Sunrise began just before I got to the desert floor near Plaster City. The sun rose just a little before Yuma. It wasn’t a spectacular sunrise… just a gradual dark to light transition with momentary blinding peeps directly into the drivers window.

I made no photographs. Maybe I should have.

I do call myself a photographer. And that is what we do, we “photographers”. Make photographs. So what was I this morning? A driver? A passenger on the timeline of my own life? A violator of posted speed limits? A casual observer of a once in a lifetime occurrence with no interest in any saving of said once in a lifetime occurrence? A now-and-then photographer… then, but not now?

I know I am pissed that I didn’t stop the damn car and get a shot of some trailers that had a lighted courtyard with the early morning pre-dawn light. Or that tractor in the distance with the dusty trail behind his morning plow. Possibly the sheen of the sunrise over the misty Colorado River would have made a nice little 6×9 print… sepia with some texture. That shopkeeper in Yuma putting up a new sign… yeah… that would have been nice.

Not this time. Maybe next time? And… back to time again.

This fern caught my eye as we were heading back to meet another group at the Sunday shoot portion of the workshop. I loved the way the soft, cloudy light seemed to make the leaves shine. I also noted that the color of the leaves edges were the same as the model’s eye makeup. Instantly I knew a vertical shot with the leaf would be something I wanted to see. I took about 7 frames or so. This is the one I like the best.

This stand of trees against the wall just jumped out at me as we were walking by. It looks like a painting to me. The subtlety of the color, the formal composition and the geometry seem like modern art. A quick snap – adjust composition – snap – one more adjust. There… I got this:

My friend Christina now lives in San Diego and she joined the group for the Sunday shoot. We were leaving an area behind the Space Museum at Balboa Park when I saw this as a possible composition. Moving her into the light and keeping her framed to not allow the blown out sky to effect the top of her head was the challenge. I simply loved the juxtaposition of the tall tree and Christina in a red coat. Not a “big” picture. A quiet little portrait of my friend in her new home of San Diego.

I found these roof lines interesting. I shot them from a classical center-up stance and knew they would be used as a tryptich like this. I may do some different post on down the road, but for now I present them as a three photo image.

Hey… thanks for viewing Lighting Essentials. I am backlogged on getting stuff up here… bad internet in Seattle last weekend and nearly no internet at all at the La Jolla Hotel in La Jolla, CA where they advertise Hi-Speed WiFi but actually the La Jolla Hotel in La Jolla, California had no WiFi at all… at least any that would connect and stay connected. Hint… 1 bar ain’t hi-speed… nope.

So be watching this week. And as always, follow along at Twitter, and visit my workshop page for information on the workshops.

See you next time.

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