Why Photography? ... words and photos by Peter Blaise Monahon
Please add YOUR comments, too. Why Photography? ... what would be the alternative?
2006-10-14
Worn Stones by Andrea D'Ambrosia Washington, DC, US (c) 2006-10-14 Peter Blaise Monahon
... what a joy to be able to photograph the turquoise, coral and shell designs on display at Eastern Market today. For me, photography permits seeing these stones in a variety of lights and enjoy their surprises within. For the artist/jeweler/designer, photography may be not only a way to share these delights with a distant audience, but also to permit a remote audience to select something special to own for themselves.
Cleaning Windows Alexandria, Virginia, US (c) 2006-10-11-1776 Peter Blaise Monahon
Photography -- what better way to capture moments when there are no other or easier ways to capture, such as when a computer is booting (starting up), has something to show on screen, and before it's able to print the message on it's own. Here, a camera in hand captures the error messages ... rather perfunctory and not aesthetic, but I guess there are MANY reasons for photography! Can you think of more? Why photography for you?
Look Down, Arlington Forest Floor Arlington, Virginia, US (c) 2006-10-10-1763 Peter Blaise Monahon
... part of my "look down" series. Here, the fern helps a dying leaf rest before finally settling down on the ground. These moments in the woods are so fleeting that photography helps preserve them for me.
> From: S... D... <s...@t...r...c...> > Subject: Question about your Photo, > Fern, Love it > To: peterblaise@yahoo.com > Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 3:47 PM > Hi Peter, I was in the Vista Print web site > looking at getting a website and went to > Google to search for a business name for > my photography. As I was searching I > ran across your site and clicked on your > photography. I love the photo you took > of the Looking Down Series of the Fern. > Your photo is so crisp and clear and the > focus is spot on. Do you mind sharing > with me what camera and lens you used > and did you use an editing program to > enhance this photo. I am a semi-pro > photographer and still have a lot to learn. > I am looking to put up my own website > with my photos, because my family keeps > asking me to do so. > Thanks, > S... D... (female, ha) > Dallas, Texas
Well, thanks, S... D... (female, ha!), I hope you are well. I'll respond in sections below:
How Photography:
> ... I ran across your site and clicked on > your photography. I love the photo you > took of the Looking Down Series of the > Fern. Your photo is so crisp and clear > and the focus is spot on ...
I'm so glad you made me rediscover my lost blog entry:
I used to stand in awe of sunsets, snap a picture, then feel so dissatisfied with the resulting 6x4 inch print in my hand where the sun came out so tiny. My best friend, partner, and now spouse, explained top me her evolving approach to photographically capturing the experience of any visual event, especially something so big like a sunset. She would also stand in awe, but she noticed that if the camera was only going to produce a 6x4 inches result, why not take pictures of things that are 6x4 inches to begin with? Then the resulting picture has more of a chance to look just like the original. So, after being wowed by standing there and enjoying the glorious sunset, without taking a picture, she would then turn around and shoot a flower or something close, right nearby, something that was equally aglow in the amazing red and amber sunset light. The resulting 6x4 inch print from her camera looked just like the original subject, and reminded us so much more of the wonders of that evening's sunset than did my 6x4 inch print of a little tiny dot of a sun on a horizon diminished to the size of my hand. Hmm ...
So, I started my "Look Down" series, and have been discovering the world nearby and close-up ever since. I'm so glad one of these discoveries resonated with you.
What Camera and Lens and Software:
> ... Do you mind sharing with me what > camera and lens you used and did you > use an editing program to enhance > this photo ...
I've now updated the blog post with a LINK for my camera identification:
Minolta GT 7.2-50.8mm f/2.8-3.5 Lens Minolta DiMage A1 camera
And I added a comment to the blog showing the EXIF data from that shot, specifically revealing:
Lens Focal Length: 50.8 mm (35mm equivalent: 200 mm) Aperture: f/3.5 Shutter Speed: 1/60 seconds Camera Sensitivity: ISO 100
I enjoy the 2003 Minolta DiMage A1 camera, and it's integrated (non-removable) zoom lens (35mm camera equivalent of 28-200mm f/2.8-3.5). It captures 5 megapixels onto a digital chip that's ~1/16th the size of 35mm film, and has fully automatic and fully manual capability. It introduced the world to the idea of in-camera sensor-based anti-shake, so it keeps the image stable at low shutter speeds when I'm hand-holding the camera. I think that helps keep the images sharp even in low light such as on the Arlington Forest Floor in the picture (in Virginia, US).
For this picture, I cranked the lens out to it's maximum "telephoto" distance, which has a nice close focusing capabilities of ~1.6 feet (even closer ~12 inches in 'macro' mode). I look straight down at the forest floor at my feet while walking through the woods, pause, let the camera focus, then ... click! What you see is pretty much what I saw.
I believe all images look best when carefully sharpened specifically for their intended output and viewing targets. I believe for this image, I used free http://www.irfanview.com/ software to resize and auto-sharpen the image file. I'd be happy to send you a copy of the original Raw image file if you'd like to play with it. I've successfully printed such images to 17x11 inches (~45x enlargement), and find that they look quite lovely, crisp, and clear when printed through a modern, high resolution photo printer. I do occasionally also use http://www.neatimage.com/ noise reduction software, but I haven't yet applied it to this image.
Learning Photography:
> ... I am a semi-pro photographer > and still have a lot to learn ...
I'm not semi pro. What does that mean? How do you make money at photography now? I'm hoping to sell my images to strangers. What do you do?
Regarding learning photography, I think I will always be learning new things. I love to review my pictures on the computer screen, and I try to print a picture a day to keep aware of what they look like in print. I keep discovering incentives that inspire me the next time I'm out exploring and shooting, remembering what I saw on screen or in print yesterday. My next shots may be closer or composed with recent heightened awareness in mind.
Gear wise, every year, I re-read the owner's manuals for hardware and software, download, print, and re-read reviews of everything I own and use, and I chat on the Internet with other users of the same stuff. I'm always expanding my understanding of the tools at hand, and I'm impressed how this appears to be an endless journey. I'm very aware that being at this for 40 + years is less important to today's shooting and printing than the being at this for the last 40 minutes! If I don't keep my skills and awareness fresh and growing, I can tell immediately how stale are the results! Maybe that's a great reason I love photography - it never gets old, really, since I need to keep it young to keep it alive. Very exciting!
What do you do to make your photography YOUR photography?
Photographer Image And Sales Web Sites:
> ... I was in the Vista Print web site > looking at getting a website ... I am a > semi-pro photographer ... I am looking > to put up my own website with my > photos, because my family keeps > asking me to do so ...
Great that you have enthusiastic support from the people around you. They may also become your first customers, and help you expand your appreciative audience, as well as encourage you to expand your photographic skills and joy.
I see that they charge a monthly fee, and I don't see that they offer easy print order fulfillment in their web site designs. How do they expect you to upload images and let people all over the Internet visit and place their own orders, and let Vista Print fulfill the orders for you, and allow you to automatically reap the profits? "... Q: Can I accept payments or donations on my site? Can I have a shopping cart? A: Not at this time, although this is something that will be added soon ..."
I'm checking out free PrintRoom that only charges a profit margin on sales, but no monthly fee for setting up a photography gallery, has software to help you upload, and is ready to automatically take and fulfill orders without needing the photographer's intervention:
http://www.printroom.com/info/Membership.asp? Thanks again, S... D... (female, ha!), I look forward to seeing your photography and your web presence and sales grow in the future. How can I help?
Keep me appraised of your progress, and any announcements.
Minolta Sun Washington, DC, US (c) 2006-10-05-1710b Peter Blaise Monahon
... because the sun rises so fast I cannot enjoy it all day like this unless I photograph it. Now I can revisit it anytime and enjoy, study, learn, see ... over and over. Each time I re-look, something new catches my mind's eye.
I say "Minolta" sun because the Minolta camera company uses a circular logo with lines across it, and I think of that as the sun seen through strips of clouds.
Headless Self Portrait Northern Virginia, US (c) 2004-01-27-14-31 Peter Blaise Monahon
Sometimes photography is the only way for me to share some visions, like loosing my head ... that's a reflection of me in the left section of the bumper - nice old Packard motor car.
Self Portrait with Environment Saint Michaels, Maryland, US (c) 2003-11-10-02-01 Peter Blaise Monahon
That's me with nature and commerce all blended, shot from a sidewalk into a autumnal store window display with my own reflection and the town mixed in. I love to revisit a complex scene like this where only a photograph "sees" everything all at once and holds it forever.
