Casey Bauer Originals

Motion in Photographs

Bus Stop- Edinburgh, Scotland
Nikon F100, Kentmere 400

Cameras truly are ingenious. If you like you can capture an instant in time as fast as 1/8000 of a second. Of course not all cameras can do that, my Hasselblad 500 C/M only goes down to 1/500, and my rudimentary Kodak Brownie is static at around 1/30 sec. Modern cameras however are much more technically proficient than their ancestors, and any modern camera will have a max shutter speed of 1/4000- 1/8000. While technological breakthroughs give nature and sports photographers the ability to freeze even the fastest movement, the other end of the speed spectrum also offers incredible possibilities.

Shooting slow opens up a world of possibilities many don’t consider. It is often the mindset of beginners that any movement is a bad thing and something to be avoided at all cost. Of course there is a difference between things being in focus and things being in motion. Often a great photograph will have the subject moving, therefore not in perfect focus, and not frozen in time, yet that motion can be what makes the photo. Long exposures can show that something is moving, or that something was moving, it’s like packing a time lapse video into one frame.

In the work of Alexey Titarenko and his phenomenal “City of Shadows”, the movement of the subjects takes on a more ethereal characteristic. Shot in 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, “City of Shadows” uses motion to give a sense of despair and the lack of individuality at the time. The people in this series cannot be seen clearly, they are but a blur in time, a puff of smoke in a dark city. This of course is just my interpretation, however when I look at the people in “City of Shadows,” I don’t envy them, I don’t see happiness, and I’m not supposed to. Titarenko does not want me to look at the photos and think “Wow I should vacation is St. Petersburg”, instead I think he wants us to ask questions like, “Who are these people and why are they faceless?”

At the end of the day your photos should mean something. Whether they have a deep meaning due to the sociopolitical environment, convey an emotion like a dark gloomy landscape, or they capture a person and tell a story. Photography is a tool to convey a message, whatever it may be, and we should take advantage of that.

As I look back at some images I have taken over the years, I like to reflect on them, and normally I see how I have grown and my tastes have changed. My first year I was all about capturing the motion of water through long exposures of 10 seconds or more. While there are times I like to do that, it is a seldom occurrence now due to how cliche it has become. I now find myself considering how a scene makes me feel. Take for example this photo I shot on Hawk Cliff south of Dublin. I felt terrified when I made this image. “Why?” you may ask, well the tide was coming in and the waves were violent, I was getting wet and the camera nearly got a bath, not a good thing for a Hasselblad.

Violence- Hawk Cliff, Killiney, Dublin
Hasselblad 500 CM. Ilford Delta 400

I made several exposures, several didn’t come out, but of the ones that did, I prefer the one that shows motion but just slightly. It reminds me of the intimidating violence of the waves crashing around me. A smooth exposure sure does look cool, but it doesn’t reflect the reality of the moment and it doesn’t show the sheer power of the Irish Sea. To quote Seinfeld “The Sea was angry that day my friends!”, and I want my photo to show it. The use of motion completely changes how a scene is perceived by the viewer, we should use that knowledge as an artistic tool.

I also want to show this image I made in Roatan, Honduras. This was a beautify beach, basically your stereotypical Caribbean paradise. This pier was obviously in the ocean so naturally there were waves, however they weren’t that big. Standing there, waves crashing down, I didn’t feel the rush of fear I felt in Dublin, instead I felt great peace. The ocean can be quite relaxing, and I wanted this photo to portray that. In order to achieve this, I used a long exposure, I use the Lee filter system, so I had a split neutral density filter, a Big Stopper, and a circular polarizer. The results gave me a 30 sec exposure that smoothed out the water, giving me the peaceful portrayal of the water I hoped for.

Roatan Sunrise
Nikon F100, Ilford Pan 50

What we see and what we feel are not always the same, I usually try to portray what I feel, and manipulating motion it a great way to do this.

Finally I love using motion in street photography. To be fair I don’t consider myself a street photographer or these photographs “street photography”, at least not in the traditional sense of the term. I think of them more as “cityscapes”, because I don’t get up in people faces and take their photos, instead I try to capture scenes, regardless of what the people are doing. Sometimes they may be the subject, but often they are just consequential bystanders.

When I shoot in cities, I try to use the people in the scene to add motion and a sense of business to the scene. “Lady in the Rain” is one of my favorite images to date, I made this image in Berne, Switzerland. It was raining and I was pretty soaked. I stood below the famed clock tower in the city with my camera as I saw this lady walk right by me with a very classy look to her. I immediately made the exposure, however due to the overcast rainy skies, light was not abundant. This gave me a 1/30 sec. exposure, just enough to not freeze her, but not enough to let her turn into a blur. I truly got lucky with this image, basically she walked into a nice composition, and all I had to do was recognize it and make the exposure. The result is one of my favorites as I mentioned, and a slight motion makes this image for me.

I will leave you with a few more examples of photos where motion is a key component to character of the image. Thank you for reading!

Great Falls, Virginia
Hasselblad 500 CM, Ilford Pan 50

Devil’s Pulpit, Finnich Glen
Nikon N80, Fuji Provia 100

Failure: It’s ok.

To say that I was disappointed would be a bit of an understatement. Rain lightly fell on my jacket as I walked briskly down Wexford Street. The anticipation that had engulfed me as I walked out of John Gunn’s Camera Shop had since left, and was bitterly replaced with frustration. Upon leaving the shop with my film and prints in hand, I eagerly scanned the busy street for somewhere to do the big reveal. I landed in a Coffee shop called Insomnia, and had my first look over a pot of Irish Breakfast and a Sticky Toffee Muffin. As I opened up my prints and flipped through them, my excitement died down as I looked at print after print of underwhelming photographs. “How could this happen?” I asked myself, “Am I not better than this?”. After all, I had planned, researched, and was highly anticipating some of my best images ever. So what happened? I wish I had all the answers, I do know some things that went wrong and damaged the film, but for others I have no explanation. I have had some time to review the photos since, and also come to a very important realization; it is ok to fail, in fact failure is good.

Photography, just like life, has its ups and downs. Sometimes you get great images by accident, and other times a purposeful and thought out shot doesn’t look as good on paper as it did through the viewfinder. This can be frustrating, but failure is the greatest teacher. Just like there can be no light without darkness, no right without wrong, there can be no great photographs without bad ones. Ansel Adams claimed that if you get 10-12 keeper shots in a year, it’s a very good year. That may seem like a tiny amount, but if you think about it, if you separate out all the fluff, and focus on images that truly are compelling, you will likely only have a few. We often set our standards too low, and also are not objective when it comes to our own work. Just because you spent a lot of time and effort on an image does not make it a great image. If a photo can’t stand on its own it is not worth it. This is a hard lesson to learn, but a valuable one.

What Went Wrong?

As I look back on my work from 6 rolls shot in Ireland and Switzerland, there are many things to learn, and they stem from examining my failures. To be fair there were about 20 images that I do like from the lot, but I was hoping for many more. One thing to consider is that these are not all of the photos I took on my trip. These 6 rolls came from the first week, and I have another 4 rolls waiting to developed. I am writing this on my flight home so hopefully in a few days I can develop my film and see if I had a better second week.

Switzerland

I know what you’re thinking… seriously man, you couldn’t get good pictures in the Swiss Alps? Yea I know, now you can imagine my frustration. However it’s important to realize that a beautiful landscape is not always a great photo. There are so many factors that contribute to a great photo and if one thing is off it can really kill an image. We were staying in a beautiful mountain town, it was picturesque, but I really struggled to find good compositions. My 28mm prime really seemed to shrink the mountains, and it was difficult to find a good vantage point. I’m sure there were ways to get around these difficulties, however my biggest issue was that I was one of 7 people on a trip and we were constantly moving. On multiple occasions I seemed to have found a great composition, but was immediately pulled away due to our schedule. This is frustrating, but is hard to avoid unless you are traveling solo. In the end I was not in any good places to shoot the mountains except while moving on a train. I did however produce an image in Berne that might be my favorite of the trip, however it is street photography, not landscape like I normally shoot. Switzerland was beautiful, but the lack of time to explore made it very difficult to shoot anything of consequence.

Ireland

Ireland was equally as frustrating, but not for the same reasons. I hoped to capture a lot of long exposures on the water in Ireland, which I did, but not without making a critical error. I shot probably 30 long exposures, but failed to cover the rear viewfinder on the camera. The result is light entering the camera from the rear and creating light streaks on the film emulsion. Now I have 30 images that I worked very hard to get and spent hours creating, and not one of them is usable. This is a painful lesson to learn, because although I hope to return to Ireland again, it might be a while since my uncle is only living there until July. I would not be able to travel there if I had to stay in hotels the whole time, but we were able to take advantage and visit twice in 3 years. I have hope that some of my long exposure I made after the first film development will come out. Once I realized my mistake I made sure it would not happen again.

In my next post I will be talking about what went right with this trip and displaying a few of my favorite images. But these images wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for past failures. My failures on this trip will help me to be a better photographer from here on out. Every beautifully laid out long exposure with a terrible streak down the middle is just one more reminder screaming “COVER THE VIEWFINDER!”, it is difficult to fail, but it’s important to have perspective and learn from failures.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more on my trip to Ireland!

Next post: The Best Camera is… (Featuring Shots from Ireland and Switzerland)

Traveling and Shooting

Travel opens up so many opportunities for photography. Seeing new things can inspire us, refresh our creativity and expose us to new subjects and types of photography previously unexplored.

When I traveled to the coast of Honduras and went snorkeling, I realizedthe potential of unexplored images to be found underwater in the coral reefs. Traveling to Death Valley, I fell in love with the desert and the unique landscapes it has to offer. In Los Angeles I saw what can be the beauty of street photography. In Scotland I was mesmerized by the beauty of the highland lochs and saw mountains in a new light. London taught me to put a different spin on historical landmarks and solidified black and white as my medium of choice.

As I write this, I find myself on the brink of another trip, this time back to Ireland to visit family, and for the first time to Switzerland. I am excited to return to Ireland and capture some images that I didn’t get last time, and also excited to see the Alps for the first time. Beauty is everywhere, photography can be done anywhere, but certainly there are places that lend themselves to great photographic opportunities.

I have taken 6 trips since I started shooting, and each time I learn something different that helps me refine my art. As I prepare for my trip, I have a few things running through my mind that I need to work out.

1. What gear do I take?

2. Where and what do I shoot?

3. Where should I process my film?

Technology can be a wonderful thing. The advances in photographic technology have made incredible images possible, but the choices available also can complicate travel and shooting. If you have one camera and one lens, it is easy, you never have to decide what you are going to use. However if you have multiple lenses or multiple cameras it gets complicated. Certain cameras and lenses are better for certain types of photography, so if you have any sort of variety in your shooting, you will probably have multiple pieces of equipment at your disposal. A problem with this is that it can result in more time making decisions and less time making photos.

For me, the key is discipline. I will likely take my Nikon F100 and my Hasselblad 500 C/M to Ireland. One is 35 mm and the other is 120 mm film. The 120mm is unmatched in detail, resolution and sharpness, but is also big, bulky and slow to shoot as it is a fully mechanical manual camera. It has no light meter and therefore can not be shot quickly. You have to meter, set your adjustments, set your focus, and remove the dark slide before you can make an exposure. This takes time, but if done well, you can have an incredibly beautiful and technically advanced photograph. This lends itself to controlled portraits and landscapes.

The F100 on the other hand is an agile camera that is fast, accurate, and simply an incredible instrument. The only reason not to use it is the quality that the Hasselblad can give you is unattainable with 35mm film. The F100 is a weather sealed body with incredibly accurate metering and fast auto focus. It works very well for landscapes, portraits, street photography, and anything else you can throw at it. It feels hefty in your hands and well-built, but is also small enough do not be a distraction.

Between these two cameras, I can shoot just about anything that I want. I am starting to shift to the Hasselblad for landscapes because the resolution I can achieve with medium format is much higher than that of a 35mm camera. My F100 shoots everything well and is quick and easy to use, making it a must for travel photography, especially when you do not know what you might find.

Aside from the cameras, there are other considerations like lenses, tripods, and film emulsions. I normally shoot with wide angle lenses, but sometimes a telephoto is necessary. I generally like prime lenses, but the ability to zoom can be very helpful at times.

Tripods are a tricky decision. I have 3 tripods, and each is very different. I have a super light carbon fiber tripod, a medium sized aluminum tripod, and a very large carbon fiber tripod with an 80 pound weight limit. For sure the heavy tripod is my favorite to shoot with because it is incredibly stable and just feels good to work with. Of course the downside is transporting such a big piece of equipment. If you are hiking and have to carry around a separate bag with your tripod in it, you will get tired very fast. Having a light travel tripod is great while you are hiking or getting on trains, buses and planes, but the minute you put a very nice camera on a not so sturdy tripod, you really start to regret your decision.

Film can also be difficult decision, but now I have begun to see it as the initial part of the creative process, and now I enjoy selecting what I will shoot on a trip. I prefer shooting black and white film, but with landscapes, I enjoy shooting color as well. Emulsions such as Velvia 50, Portra 160 and 400, Provia 100 and Pro 400H are my favorites for color. When it comes to B&W, I love Pan 50, Acros 100, Kentmere 400, and TriX400. Some of these films are incredibly sharp and great for landscapes, while others have more grain and are great for street photography and portraits. In the end you can’t really go wrong as long as you shoot a high quality film, however selecting the right film for your desired final image can really help.

When I am traveling, I select my gear to give me creative possibilities, but also not to overwhelm me with options. I have no problem taking more than one camera, but I try not to take each camera with me everywhere I go. If I know I’m going into the city, I have no reason to take my Hasselblad. However if I find myself out in the country shooting landscapes I would definitely have my medium format camera with me. In the end it is your art and your decision. I find that sometimes limiting my options helps me to be more creative, but I also have had experiences where I have regretted not bringing a certain piece of gear that would have helped me attain a photo that I had pre-visualized. Bringing a well-rounded kit that is versatile but not too big is really the ideal set up.

A word of advice, be familiar with your gear. Your hands should be practiced with the instrument you intend to use so you can focus on the art and not trying to figure out how to work your camera. I purchased my Hasselblad before my trip to death Valley last year, but I decided not to take it because I had not had a chance to practice with it. I decided that had I taken the Hasselblad, I would have spent too much time trying to get familiar with the camera and not enough time working on capturing great photos. I do not regret this decision, I stand by it and was extremely pleased with the results that I got.

For me, this is one of my favorite parts about going on a trip. I don’t think you should have everything scripted, but having a basic game plan is not a bad idea. This can help you be more productive with your time, resulting in better images.

Having a basic plan is also critical to help you decide which gear you will take on a trip. I focus primarily on landscapes, so I know what I will need to take on my trip to Ireland. Since portraits will not be part of this trip, I can leave my flashes at home and instead pack my Lee filters.

I am planning on shooting landscapes and cityscapes on this trip. I hope to focus on time with my creations, so long exposures will be my go to theme. Ireland is very rainy and overcast in general, creating possibilities for very moody shots. I am hoping to take some photos in the coastal towns of Bray and Greystones south of Dublin. These areas offer opportunities to see the beauty of the Irish Sea combined with the jagged rocky coast. I also hope to do some long exposures on the crowded streets of Dublin and capture the movement of people through the city. This is something I have unsuccessfully attempted previously, and hope to finally have a breakthrough.

Switzerland is a place I have never visited before, so I do not really know what to expect. I know the Alps are beautiful, but I haven’t even had much opportunity to search online and learn about possible sites or tips for shooting in Switzerland. That could be helpful for sure, but I think the mystery may be beneficial in keeping an open mind and not fixing my mind on a certain scene I may never find.

I think that traveling offers great opportunities for photography, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying the moment. For me this means making photography part of the moment, but also knowing when to put the camera away. When I find myself hiking in nature, the camera feels like an extension of my mind, allowing me to create something beautiful. I think you should shoot whatever you are passionate about, but don’t force it if it means you can’t enjoy the moment.

The final consideration I normally have is what to do with my film. Travel is not friendly to photographic film. X-rays can damage film after 4-5 scans in security, and if you are traveling internationally, 5 scans isn’t that unusual. I have had 2 rolls noticeably damaged, but it should be noted that these were high speed films. Low speed films are at a much lower risk, but the risk still exists.

There are alternatives, however they pose their own risks. The first is using a lead bag to protect the film from radiation. In theory it sounds great, but there seems to be no definitive verdict on this topic. Many claim that the X-ray machine is simply cranked up until it can see through the bag, others say that doesn’t happen. Me, well I have used a bag multiple times with no adverse affects, so I lean to believing it is not an issue.

The second option is to have your film processed wherever you are. This is often not an option as film is scarce these days. However I did it this way in Ireland 2 years ago. My only issue was that the scans were very low res, delivered on a cd, and I eventually lost the cds. This means if I want to see the images again, I need to pay to have them scanned again professionally.

So whether you opt to carry your film in a lead bag or have your film developed, there will always be some risk. In general there is always risk with film. You never know when a lab error may lose all of your photos, or a human error committed by you yourself may cost you a roll. If I am transporting low-speed films and will not go through security more than four times, I will often just put my film in a bag and not worry about it. I normally ask for TSA to do a hand check, which in the US they are obligated to do, but in other countries they’re not obligated and often will not. These do not need to be serious obstacles, all you really need to do is plan ahead and pack accordingly. If you plan on bringing your film back, the lead bag may be a good investment. But if you are truly worried about losing your film for any reason, the best would be to find a way to have it be developed wherever you are.

Film is not easy for sure, digital is much more convenient these days, but I don’t shoot for convenience, I shoot for the end product. The key to effective travel is organization. The more you think through what you hope to achieve the easier it will be to pack and plan. Then once you have planned and packed well, you will have an easier time using your tools, and an easier time creating quality art. Happy Travels!

Behind the Photo- Santa Monica & Death Valley

Santa Monica

Under the Pier

Nikon N80, 28mm, Tri-x 400

No Filter

Handheld

F 7.1 @ 1/30 sec

The beach was full, people everywhere, another beautiful day in Southern California. My brilliant idea to shoot a long exposure on the Santa Monica pier using my “Big Stopper” seemed to be a great success, but little did I know it was quite the opposite. Something happened with my filters and all of my long exposures came out with a bright white stripe right down the middle of frame. But I didn’t know this at the time, because I shoot film, and with film you just have to trust your instincts.

Luckily I did not stop after shooting on the pier, but decided to take a stroll on the beach. I took some shots on the beach, but after not getting anything that truly excited me, I decided to look around a bit. I saw some people hanging around under the pier, and noticed that many were walking through to the other side. I grabbed my Nikon N80, which had black-and-white film loaded at the time (Tri-X 400), and charged off into the darkness underneath the Santa Monica pier.

As I wandered around below the pier, I recalled that this was the place where legendary street photographer John Free was interviewed by Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography. I would encourage you to check out the video which is part of Ted’s YouTube series called “The Artist Series.” Ted’s work is inspiring, and features all sorts of legendary photographers.

Walking around under the Santa Monica pier, I started taking notice to the light. It was mid afternoon and the sun was high, but underneath the pier you could see the brightness just trying to creep in from all sides. The light was really interesting, but I was having a hard time figuring out what to shoot. I could shoot the pillars and try to make some sort of interesting pattern or perspective from them, but everything I tried wasn’t really doing it for me. I could shoot people as they walked through, but that really isn’t my thing, I feel really awkward and uncomfortable holding a camera up to strangers, especially without their permission. I know that is a big part of street photography and something that you just have to get over, but having never really done much street photography I can’t say that I’ve made it a priority.

I walked and walked and walked around until I found something, my own footprint in the sand. There it was, wait for me to include myself in the image without physically being in the image. I had made my mark in the sand, and now I was going to document it with my camera. I really liked this because by getting low, I could get really great detail in the sand, and great contrast throughout the image.

Probably the thing that I like best about this image is that it is mine. I walked around searching for an image, and came up with this idea just by being observant. It marks my existence, and my path leading to this exact spot under the Santa Monica Pier.

Death Valley

Devil’s Golfcourse

Nikon F100, 28mm, Acros 100

Lee Polarizer, Graduated Neutral Density Filter .6

Induro Tripod

F16 @ 1/125 sec

It was around 1pm when we made our way down into Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the US and one of the lowest in the world. The weather had been surprisingly pleasant, although temps slowly climbed the lower we got. At around 250 ft below sea level the thermometer registered 93 degrees F, which was a big jump from 40 degrees the night before. Sweat beaded down my face as I walked a seemingly endless distance out into the desert salt flats. Everything looked close, but distance is deceiving in the desert.

After shooting the hexagonal salt formations in Badwater, it was time to head out for the sunset shot. Just up the road 4 or 5 miles, the desert floor takes a completely different form. Jagged razor sharp salt deposits create an impassible landscape worthy of Mordor. Devil’s Golfcourse sits next to Badwater Basin and simply bakes in the sun day after day, further harshening its other worldly brittleness. While this type of landscape is unfriendly to adventurers, it is incredibly photogenic. What better way is there to get razor sharpness in your image than to shoot razor sharp subjects?

We drove right up to the location, and all I had to do was climb into the “Golfcourse” 10 or 15 feet. With every step was the sound of breaking crystal as shards of salt chipped under my weight and bounced down below. Soon enough I was seemingly immersed in the jagged landscape. I pulled out my tripod and started setting up, trying to avoid crouching too low and slicing my rear end. This was more difficult than expected, because there was literally no way to rest, and you could very easily cut yourself.

The sun started to set and created brilliant contrast between levels of salt deposits. The depth achieved by a backlit scene was everything I could have hoped for. I used a polarizer to darken the bright sky, and when that wasn’t enough, I slid in a .6 Lee graduated neutral density filter. The purpose of this filter is to darken the sky and bring the contrast of the image down. This lets me achieve the round white sun in a black sky rather than a completely blown out white sky. Add in the lens flare for an authentic feel, and this image is complete.

Does Location Matter?

You have probably heard someone stress the importance of location for quality images. Many believe that if your location, lighting and weather conditions aren’t on point, then you can’t expect great results, I disagree. Often times people go to big famous sites to shoot incredible landscapes. What we often forget is that while these places are beautiful and famous for good reason, that makes it even harder for a photographer aiming to do original work.

Over the last year I have traveled to London, the Isle of Skye (Scotland), Ireland, Yosemite, Death Valley, Roatan (Caribbean Island), Belize, and Los Angeles. If you ask me, that’s about as good as it gets for an avid landscape photographer. The possibilities are nearly endless in such a vast array of terrain. As a photographer, I agree with the adage that location is important, but I would strongly stress that it is not nearly as important as you might think. You can create incredible images anywhere, our biggest limitation is our own lack of creativity and intuition.

Recently I took a trip to Yosemite, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, Death Valley and Los Angeles. While all of these places are amazingly beautiful, I did not expect the results I got from shooting around 15 rolls of film. Almost always, my favorite photos came from places I had never heard of before. I had seen and heard the most about Yosemite, which resulted in a subconscious pursuit of the famous scenes that had been ingrained in my mind. This can really stunt creativity if you are not careful.

The images above I shot during my time in Yosemite. I like the images, I think they look nice, but they are not images that I consider to be of my best work. These are classic Yosemite views, shot during decent light, but they are not original. There are literally millions of the exact same photo out there. If you consider well known images of Yosemite, they are technically excellent, and always have something unique and interesting, this may be clouds, snow, rain, fog or light. Yosemite is beautiful in any weather, but that doesn’t make for a good photograph in itself.

I like these photos a lot more. My choice in film plays a big role in why I like them. The grain structure of Kodak TMax100 makes for a very sharp image. By framing Half Dome with the pine trees above and below, it makes the image at least more interesting than my other straight shot of the iconic monolith. In the second image, the mountain is not the subject, but rather the boulder on Mirror Lake. These photos possess more originality than the others, and therefore rate way higher in my book.

Of all the places I visited, I had no idea what Death Valley was like, I didn’t know what to expect, and was completely surprised when I got there. I believe that the lack of expectations helped me to look more, not be lazy, move and find great compositions. Death Valley turned out to be a great place to shoot, it was unlike anywhere I had been before, and I was constantly looking for original compositions.

When is Location Important?

Location is not usually the most important aspect of creating a great photograph, but there are times when it is of utter importance. This depends on your motive more than anything else, why are you creating this photograph? Perhaps you have been commissioned to shoot a certain subject for a client or magazine, maybe National Geographic wants you to shoot narwhal’s in the arctic circle. If you are shooting the Himalayas for a calendar or to sell prints, you better get your butt to Nepal, because you can’t shoot mountains if you’re in Kansas. Location matters when you have a specific theme or subject you are shooting that can only be captured in a specific location. If you shoot birds, wildlife, national parks, architectural or street photography and have a specific scene in mind, location is going to be very important.

When is Location Secondary?

A great location is always a great thing, but I am writing this post to stress that you can create great art in less than ideal conditions. If you do not have a very specific scene or subject in mind, you can get very creative in almost any environment. It requires an open mind and a watchful eye, but often times my favorite images have come from times I have taken my camera without having any idea where I was going. If you are shooting portraits, you can shoot just about anywhere because the person is the subject, the main determining factor for an adequate location is if you can achieve desirable light there. Creativity can happen even in the most mediocre of sites, in terrible weather, and in bad lighting. The challenge is finding a way to work with these factors and create something interesting.

Tips for Shooting

Good Locations

If you find yourself in a position to shoot a well known location, take advantage of it and enjoy the beauty around you. If your goal is serious work, you will need to plan ahead and do research on the site. Here are some tips based on my personal experiences.

• Research the location and take detailed notes.

• Leave plenty of time before your desired shooting time.

• Look for alternatives to the classic shots, changing angles, perspective, and focal length are good places to start.

• Stay away from designated viewpoints, if you want to shoot something different, you must do something different.

• Go in close, don’t miss the possibilities on the ground in front of you just because there is a a famous scene in front of you.

Mediocre Locations

If you find yourself in a less than adequate location, fear not, all is not lost. Congratulations, you are in a great position to improve your skills as a photographer, and create something out of nothing. Terrible light? Boring landscape? Bad weather? Great! This is what landscape photography is all about. Create something out of nothing, find beauty in the mundane. If there’s absolutely no beauty, capture the dreariness of what your eyes see. Convey what it feels like to stand where you are.

• Find something interesting, the lack of a compelling landscape doesn’t t mean there aren’t interesting plants or rocks nearby.

• Work with the light, harsh light can be wonderful if you can diffuse it right. (Forests are perfect).

• Focus on finding your subject, it doesn’t need to be epic to create an interesting photo.

• Keep looking, too often we walk to the easiest place and start setting up to shoot. If you’re not seeing anything, keep searching.

• Keep an eye out for patterns. Corn fields, trees in a line, etc. Presented in a way different than what the eye sees, the boring can become interesting.

This photo was made on a 70 year old box camera that I was trying out for the first time. I didn’t have a great location, this is just the cornfield across the street from my parents house. That morning there was a beautiful fog over the field and I decided to take advantage. I got low and shot from within the dead stalks sticking up into the air. I also tried to frame it to show layers, from the foreground darkness and stalks, to the numerous stalks halfway up the image, to the big standalone tree, the tree line and finally the sky. I like this image, it just took a bit of creativity and a good break in the weather to get it.

You can be creative in any setting, so don’t let a lack of great locations stunt your photography!

Don’t Open the Shutter

A Great Photo without Firing the Shutter- TTV Photography

It was another chilly evening in northern Ireland as I walked down the worn cobblestone street. Mist settled on my already damp jacket, and the air was crisp suggesting impending snow. Pubs and restaurants lined the dim street, along with quaint antique shops and hometown grocers. A small bell dangling over the door jingled as I made my way through the entrance of a vintage bookstore. After crossing the threshold of the cozy bookstore, I found myself in the midst of thousands of used books, and the air smelled of it. The glass storefront was lined with shelving and clear glass cases containing many vintage artifacts, from old records from the ‘40s and ‘50s, to cassette players and VCRs from the ‘80s. The walls lined with books muted the sound of perhaps another seven or eight customers chatting as they perused the isles. I found the shop to be quite intriguing, looking up there were guitars and flutes hanging from the ceiling, posters lined the walls not covered in books, and vintage cameras were crammed in the glass cases looking out into the cold Irish dusk.

Naturally my gaze was drawn to the glass cases containing the cameras. Leather bound cases and wooden boxes contained the items, suggesting the type of old world build integrity seldom seen today. The fact that several of the pieces were over seventy years old and still in mint condition is a testament to the nearly departed tradition of quality over quantity.

I was enthralled by the sight of pieces that were still foreign to my eyes. Spy cameras, box cameras, super 8’s and twin reflex cameras grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. “What are these, do they work and how can I get one?” were the three thoughts playing pinball in my brain. I had never seen cameras like these before, and that’s truly a shame, because it means we have lost touch with our roots, and with technology that is foolproof and capable of really interesting images. Despite being a small bookstore, the prices of the cameras were anything but tempting. I settled on the only piece at a reasonable price, being a simple Kodak Duaflex box camera from 1947. This little gem was a piece of art despite being incredibly cheap. It had a leather case, a waist level viewfinder, and a built in lens.

Upon returning to Dublin, I took the camera to a wonderful camera shop to see if I could get it to work. I was told that this camera used 620 film which was no longer made. Luckily there is a hack, the Duaflex will take 120 roll film as long as you have the 620 spools, which are thinner than the 120 spools. From there you have to re-roll the 120 film onto a 620 spool, then you can start making photos.

Sadly the camera only came with one spool, meaning I was out of luck since the camera shop had no parts for 70 year old technology.

Disillusioned with my recent acquirement, I stepped out to the Dublin streets and made my way back to the river Liffey. I trotted down the old busy streets of Dublin until I reached the river. Then something interesting happened, I looked down into the camera dangling from my neck, and loved what I was seeing through the bubble lens. It occurred to me that although I could not take pictures in its current state, that didn’t mean that I couldn’t use it. The lens created an interesting distorted reality, the image was flipped backwards and the middle of the frame was seemingly magnified. Aside from that, I was seeing the world from waist level, which actually does make a difference. I pulled out my phone, lined it up over top of the waist level viewfinder, and snapped a picture. This moment opened up a whole new world to me and my photography. Not only was I seeing the world differently through this lens, but now I could capture this distorted reality along with context from the ground below. In this moment, I realized I don’t have to open the shutter to get a great photo.

Ok maybe I’ve been a bit misleading, guilty as charged. If you never open a shutter there is no image. However the beauty is that the camera doesn’t matter, I prefer my phone because of the ease and simplicity, but you can use anything. The point is you can use any camera with a viewfinder to create images through it, without ever opening the shutter.

This was a groundbreaking discovery for me, although later I would find out that this is nothing new, and it is what we call through the viewfinder or TTV photography. TTV allows you to frame a shot within a frame, using the camera, your shoes, your pants and the ground to give insight into what is happening in the moment.

Take this scene for example, this is a shot from Devil’s Pulpit near Glasgow, I recently did a blog post on shooting this location, you can read it here. On the left is a shot of the camera just to see the location, but on the right is the actual TTV photo. You can see the scene not unlike the photos captured in the aforementioned blog. But aside from that you can see stones below, showing that I am down in the river while capturing this moment. The stones have a nice sheen on them, suggesting one of two things, either water passes through these stones, or it is raining. In this case it was raining and the entire location was dank, cold, and slippery. I loved shooting this location, and am incredibly pleased with the results through my 35mm camera, but I think it is really cool having a TTV photo showing what the camera sees.

This scene is from the Fairy Pools in the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It is obvious that both were shot at the same place, but the colors are different, and in the TTV photo you can see my film camera all set up and ready to shoot some landscapes. Aside from that if you look closely you will see my reflection looking down into the viewfinder out of my box camera. I know that technically these photos aren’t great, reflection is a problem, and they’re not very sharp. But that is not the purpose of these kinds of photos. In shooting through the lens, I feel that you can capture the moment in a very different way than you can shooting normally, and that is what makes it interesting.

The following photos are personal favorites of mine because they take me back to the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Millennium Bridge on the Thames. Standing there on the waters edge, the silent power of the river is impactful. Likewise, the sheer immensity of Buckingham Palace inspires awe, if not for the architecture, perhaps for the history.

Unfortunately my Duaflex is no longer with me, and sadly I doubt the thief who has it is using it to its potential. My TTV work took a brief hiatus as a result, yet with the purchase of my Hasselblad, the TTV game is back on. This time it is a bit different, the optics are much better, yet I kind of miss the simplicity of the box camera.

One thing for sure is that any camera with a viewfinder that can be seen without putting your eye to it will draw attention. In a world of digital everything, box cameras and twin reflexes and cameras of the like are few and far between. TTV photography causes you to think differently, it lets you shoot a distorted subject, while at the same time composing another scene with your camera and the scene behind or below it.

I feel like TTV photography is unique because it has the behind the scenes element built right into it. You can see the camera, the lens, the filters, the ground, and your attire. If it is cold, your clothes show it, if it is wet, the ground shows it. If you are immersed in a coffee forest… (look up), you will see the coffee plants. This allows you to communicate with the viewer more about the scene, environment, and equipment then otherwise possible. TTV photography may not be considered serious photography, but I see it as a tool at your disposal to create what you want to create, and communicate what you want to communicate. TTV looks cool, is a departure from the norm, and let’s you be more creative, so give it a try, you won’t regret it.

Can Drawing Improve Photography?

I have always been an artistic person. I started playing the guitar at eight years old, then I picked up the drums and got into recording and producing music. I always did well in art in school, not that I was amazing, but when I focused on creating something, I always did a good job. I can honestly say that I appreciate all expressions of art, although I find that I am most drawn personally to photography and music. Recently I decided to start pencil drawing as a way to further my creative abilities, and perhaps learn something new that may help my photography.

I decided to do pencil drawing instead of another medium mainly because I already have expensive hobbies. Since I do not need more things to spend money on, pencil drawing seems like a great choice. I am still very new to the medium, I have had zero formal training, but I am truly loving the freedom of creativity that I find with nothing more than a pencil in my hand. Honestly, for me it’s not really about being great at it, but rather about going through the creative process. Sure I would love to get really good at pencil drawing, but that is not my motivation. My motivation is to see things differently, to understand light better, to explore other mediums, and in the end grow as an artist. Pencil drawing really interests me probably because of my affinity for black and white photography. Understanding light, shadows, gray tones, and strong compositions are crucial in pencil drawings as well as black-and-white photographs. When you don’t have color to look at, it comes down to the composition, contrast, and the quality of light you are able to capture.

So what can we learn from pencil drawing? Well if you think about it every pencil drawing is done with perfect light. If it has flat light, it will not be very pleasing to the eye. The subject may struggle to show separation from the background, and in the case of novice drawers like me, you may not even be able to tell what the subject is! In working with pencil, you may find that you develop an eye for light. You will start to see what looks good on paper, and that often translates into what will look good in a photograph. This can help you when setting up for a shoot, where to place your flashes if you work with flashes, and where to place your subject in relation to the natural light available. For me, working with pencil is helping me to simplify my compositions. Busyness is normally not a desired quality in a photograph, you can learn to simplify your compositions by working enough with simple drawings.

Pencil drawing has also helped me in the area visualization, which is an extremely important part of making a great photo. I believe I am also learning about perspective and scale through pencil drawing. How often in a drawing will you place the subject in the distance without having lines or something in the photo to draw you into the subject? Not very often right? So why would you do that with a photograph? That makes for a boring composition and not a very good photograph. If your subject is in the distance, you need to do something in the foreground to draw you in. Or perhaps you need to get closer to your subject and fill up the frame. These are not hard and fast rules of course, really just guidelines to follow. They say rules are meant to be broken, so go ahead and break them if it serves the composition.

Generally what will look good in a photograph will also look good in a pencil drawing and vice versa, so if you are looking for a way to instantly improve your photography, you should try pencil drawing. If nothing else, pencil drawing will help you to think differently and approach photography from a different perspective, which can be a very good thing. It can be easy to fall into a rut and get stuck doing the same things over and over again, the best way to break that monotony is by doing something different. Pencil drawing is helping me with my photography, and it may just help yours too.

Never Stop Learning

Today I will not be talking primarily about photography. It will surely creep in, but it is not the focus of this blog. The cool thing about what I want to talk about today is that it can affect literally every aspect of your life. I want to talk about the importance of learning, why you should never stop learning, and how it can transform your life.

Unfortunately many people stop learning after finishing their formal education. Whether this is high school, college, tech school or something else, many aim to find a good job, live a good life, and just cruise until retirement. I highly doubt anyone would say they have decided to stop learning, but unless you actively decide to pursue further learning, it will not just happen. Sure, you learn from everyday life, but I am referring to things that stretch you, challenge you mentally and physically, build your talents, and open you up to new experiences. When we sit still and grow complacent with where we are, we suffer the consequences of a sedentary life.

Physically that usually shows itself as we lose any sort of shape we might have had. We gain weight, get slower, lose muscle, and slowly fall apart. Unless of course you stay active, eat well, excercise, and rest well. If you do these things you will be amazed at what your body is capable of, even into old age.

The same applies mentally, when we stop using our minds, they essentially shut down, and creativity and original thought becomes difficult. If you hope to keep your mind sharp, you need to exercise it. So read everyday, problem solve, create art, talk with people who don’t think like you, learn about people and places foreign to you. These things will help you to not only stay sharp, but to grow personally and creatively.

As an artist, it is of utter importance that you continue to learn if you hope to create. I find inspiration in many areas aside from photography. This may be through books, paintings, movies, or music. It can also come from doing something different, waking up earlier, taking up a new sport or craft, or going somewhere you have never been. What comes out of you is dependent upon what you first put in, this is true mentally, physically, and spiritually. If you hope to be creative in photography, music, painting or whatever your interests are, it is important to stretch your mind.

You should never stop learning because the minute you do so, you limit a mind that is capable of incredible things. Henry Ford once said that “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.” We often fall short of greatness because we limit ourselves. We lack discipline, we waste time, and we become ok with that. Never grow complacent, if you want something, get up and get after it. Don’t make excuses, take the first step and make it happen.

I have been as guilty as anyone in this area, but when I decided to take control of my actions, not waste time, and do something new, my life changed drastically. I started reading everyday, I took up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I started powerlifting. These things impact me physically, but also mentally. Doing something that is physically difficult is an incredible way to discipline your mind. Several years ago I decided to learn Spanish, and now I am completely fluent and speak it with ease. This was not easy by any means, but it taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to. Obviously living in Honduras created a great environment to learn in, but it was not easy by any means. It took a lot of struggle, frustration and a lot of studying and practicing! When you continue learning, you open yourself up to incredible potential hidden inside. This can transform your hobbies, your career, and your personal life.

When I encourage you to never stop learning, this also includes your art. I have decided that I would like to start doing medium format film portraits. This will require the mastery of manual flashes, something I know absolutely nothing about. As I write this, I have 2 Vivitar 285 manual flashes sitting on my desk, an investment of around $30. I have yet to use them, I am waiting on some other tools I need to complete the setup, but my goal is to become proficient in the area of portrait photography. I have heard it said that if something is worth doing well, it is worth doing poorly first. Sure, the growing pains can be frustrating, but nobody starts out an expert, and it is never too late to take on something new.

I have shot many portraits over the last 2 years, but they have always been available light portraits, meaning no flashes. Working with flashes is another skill and really an art in itself. Perhaps in digital photography with automatic flashes it wouldn’t be very hard, but I need to learn how to manually set flashes, and shooting on film will not give me instant results. I could be mistaken, but I’d be very surprised if there isn’t a steep learning curve.

I do not want to pigeonhole my photography, especially this early in my career (3 years), but the majority of my work would indicate that I primarily shoot landscapes. I feel that I have made many high quality images, especially in the last year, but I want to improve, and I think that branching out into other types of photography will help me improve all around. Aside from that, I want to be a well rounded photographer, and so have decided to jump into working with flash in order to start doing portrait and food photography.

Never stop learning, never stop growing. Stretch yourself, do something that makes you uncomfortable. If you want to try something new, take the first step, get your foot out the door and get going. If you do nothing, you will go nowhere, so get up, get moving, and start learning. Make yourself better, set goals, and go after them. Never stop learning.