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The Morning News is featuring Hidden and Unfamiliar a terribly interesting series of photographs by Taryn Simon from her new show and book and an interview with the artist.
In her new show and book, “An American Index” (recently on display at The Photographers’ Gallery, London), she goes about documenting secret places in America that have rarely been seen by the public eye: the bureau of engraving and printing, a cryogenics facility, a hymenoplasty, a site for testing fireworks.
Definitely worth checking out.
I don't spend much time at iStockphoto so I wasn't aware that there are some interesting articles to be found there. One that I found today is an exhaustive roundup of photo bags called "The Buyers Guide To: Camera Bags." I'm pretty desperate for a new bag myself. I'm looking hard at a Shootsac. I haven't read a lot of hands on reviews of that bag though so if/when I pick one up I'll be sure to share my impressions of it.
OK that title is a little disingenuous but the article in question is more than a little condescending and deserving of mocking. In Sunday's business section the New York Times published Baby on Board, and a Photography Business, Too about women who come to photography as a business after photographing their own children, expanding to their friends and then beyond. For women that approach photography as a business this is actually not a bad business model to follow. They find out they love something, they do it first only out of love and then gradually expand their pursuit into a money making venture. As the article pointed out many of these women do have other jobs that pay their bills so they can start small, with just a few clients and low rates, and still turn a profit. If they are serious about photography as a business and have talent and determination their potential for growth and success is pretty limitless.
That's not really the article's point though. Actually I don't think the article has much of a point but I'll share the impression that I got from the article "oh look isn't it cute how women can now be photographers, well photographers of children, because cheap, easy to use digital cameras make it so simple for them. It's so cute as long as it doesn't hurt, you know "real" photographers too much."
"Lots of mom-with-a-camera businesses fail because they try to do it around the edges," said Mrs. Brophy, who has a preschool-age daughter and two teenagers and works as director of external relations at the Warner School of the University of Rochester in addition to running her weekend photography business. "Plus, women face a business dilemma when they have to ask their husbands if they can buy a new camera."Emphasis mine.
A more interesting article would have been about new photographers in general who have come to photography because cheaper equipment and digital technologies have removed some of the previous barriers to photography both as an art and a business. This article also could have focused on how many of these new photographers are establishing portrait businesses because it's a more direct route to actually making money than say advertising photography, the pennies for picture microstock business model, or the decidedly small travel and landscape market. If you had to have the "Moms with a camera angle" the article could have focused on women who use the profits from their portrait businesses to give them the time and equipment to pursue other artistic photography pursuits, or used the profits to decrease their "normal" working hours and have more time with their kids and families. But no, pitting "Mom's with cameras" against "real professional" photographers is so much easier and much more fun and turning up your nose at digital photography for the supposed glory days of film is much better as well.
< / sarcasm>
"A man only comes to my studio when a woman decides that she wants a picture of him. So if moms are driving all the photo sales, then it makes sense that all these new photographers armed with digital cameras are moms." - Kirk Voclain
Tags: photography, mwac, portrait photography
I was flattered recently when someone asked me about shooting their wedding. I had to politely decline as shooting weddings is a very stressful undertaking that just isn't for me. However I have great respect for those who regularly shoot weddings and do it well. So each year I very much enjoy viewing the winners of PDN's Top Knots wedding photography contest.
I can't link directly to specific images so I'll list my favorite from each category.
Getting Ready: The Day Before by Laurie Richards
Ceremony: St. Patrick's Cathedral by John Decker
Portraits: American Gothic 2006 by Jennifer Wheeler
Receptions: Guests Dine in Candlelight by Michael Costa
Details & Interiors: Elephant Centerpiece by Jill Bohon-DiMartino
Candids: Kentucky Spring Shower by Stephanie Carson
Daily Tips to Improve Your Photography has a three part guest author series about Lifestyle Baby Photography (part 2, part 3). The series is written by Amber Holritz, a Chattanooga, TN based photographer.
It's an interesting series about what is growing style of portraiture. It's a style I very much enjoy and employ in my own work. Definitely worth a read.
The SimCan is a very cool Film and Digital Camera Simulator that allows you to test out various apertures, shutter speeds, film speeds and camera shake and see the effects on actual photos. Wonder what f2.8 at 1/250 will look like? Have a look and see. Very cool tool.
via Etc.
Photographer Doug Plummer just got a brand new Epson Stylus Pro 4800 Color Inkjet Printer and it sounds like he's in love with it.
Wow. What took me so long? The Epson 4800 is an amazing printer.Color prints, of course, look fabulous. Black and white, however, is awesome. I am now a big step closer to shutting down the darkroom for good.
Read Doug's First impressions of the Epson 4800
There is a great article on the Popular Photography website about the war on photographers. Very reccommended reading.
I've never shot a wedding and don't think I'd ever want to shoot one. I'd be interested in commitment ceremonies or very non-traditional weddings perhaps but traditional, formal wedding photography reach a level of stress I'm not interested in. If you are interested in wedding photography or perhaps are getting married soon and want some inspiration for shots or styles you'd like your photographer to utilize check out the winners from the PDN Top Knots: The New School of Wedding Photography contest. Broken down into sections like getting ready, ceremony, details, portraits, candids and receptions there are a lot of really interesting and unique images that show wedding photography can be a lot less boring and expected as most of us think.
