Quotes
“Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” -— Yoda
“If you are a photographer who works with life, then you have to put yourself into the territory where that imagery and your thoughts might coalesce, because you need the vital lesson that first key image provides. Not the first image, but the first key image, the one that unlocks the door. The one you stumble over. It might surprise you by coming in from left field, taking things in a completely different direction, but that’s the beauty of working with the world, with the moments that time hurls your way. It’s a collaborative dance between the artist and life itself, so embrace the partnership. Often the world’s complexity is far more interesting than your concepts. If you can have the humility to admit that, you’ll do well.” — Paul Graham
“I know when a body of work is finished when the charge drops, and the thing that pulled you along is no longer there. You can feel yourself lose your connection to the narrative. At this point, the story has been told and is now in danger of repeating itself. It’s about knowing when that time has come and having the courage to let it go.” — Sian Davey
Links
Photoessays/Bodies of Work
— Ecuadorian Photographers, Johis Alarcon For me, these images are a mixed bag: some are too cryptic or had to interpret, others quite good images of family and culture.
— Owen McCarter: Student film photo award
Post-Processing
— New quick actions in PS including blur background
— Automatic color correcton This could be helpful for your Thanksgiving photos that are too yellow from normal household lighting.
— Blake Rudis: Masking in Camera Raw vs Photoshop
Field and Studio
— Photographing horse jumping A bit more than I would like about the camera, but also good recommendations on positioning yourself, shutter speed, focal length and f/stop.
Miscellaneous
— John Sexton on Polaroid film
— Ted Forbes talks about film
— All you need to know about USB ports
— Stock photography certainly isn’t what it used to be, but can still be an opportunity to sell your images. This is an interesting presentation, with some real earnings numbers.
The pandemic has transformed many things in our lives from masking to traveling, to socializing. One of the more obvious physical changes is that many NY restaurants have created outdoor dining venues each in their own way. A few examples below: