What do I want? I want the pizza. Because that is what I want right now, and it is delicious and an easy choice. That's my 'now' perspective.
A better way is probably to consider my future perspective of 20 years from now. As in, what do I wish I had been eating 20 years ago?
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Strobist
Known for his conservation projects such as Freedom to Roam, a photographic project designed to encourage the creation of wildlife corridors, photographer Florian Schulz offers some tips and advice for shooting landscapes and wildlife in this six minute video. Learn more
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
“The Yosemite Valley from the ‘Best General View,’” 1866
There is a lot we take for granted about National Parks, in particular the likes of Yosemite National Park, which are steeped in history particularly in the realm of nature conservation. If you’re a fan of Yosemite you may already know this year is the 150th Anniversary of the Yosemite Act of 1864. This single piece of legislation put the wheels in motion for the eventual creation of our National Park system with the help of then U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.
What is particularly fascinating about this anniversary is that it may never have happened without Carleton Watkins photographing Yosemite in the early 1860′s with a camera capable of producing stereo views and another camera capable of holding 18×22 glass negatives. These 18×22 plates became known as the “mammoth plates”. Watkins had a rough ride of it as a professional photographer losing his studio in the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, but some of his photographs survived. (3) three of his albums reside at the Stanford University Libraries and select photos from these albums are now on display through August 17th, 2014 at the Cantor Art Center. Even more notable for Yosemite fans worldwide is the release of these 3 albums via a large format photo book aptly titled the Carleton Watkins: The Stanford Albums. Remarkably this beautiful large format book, containing 280 pages, is only $ 40. I received my copy this past week and it’s amazing. I highly recommend it both for the beautiful photos, rich history, and fine quality of the book. Before there was Ansel Adams there was Carleton Watkins and his photos are a rare glimpse into Yosemite Valley’s past.
Side Notes
What did I find so amazing about the images in this book?
Copyright Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved
Exhibit & Book Not To Miss – Carleton Watkins: The Stanford Albums
The post Exhibit & Book Not To Miss – Carleton Watkins: The Stanford Albums appeared first on JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography.
Perspective…it is a central component of photography, although it’s one that you probably don’t actively consider when composing a shot. For our purposes, perspective can be described as the dimensions of objects within a scene and the measurements between them as they correspond to the viewpoint of the camera. This simply means how things appear in a composition from the camera’s point of view. Continue Reading
The post How to Change your Photography by Simply Changing your Perspective appeared first on Photodoto.
Ein Beitrag von: Daniel Müller
Die Idee, meine Oma zu portraitieren kam mir spontan, als ich mich mit ihr zu Kaffee und Kuchen bei ihr traf. Was letztlich daraus werden sollte, hatte ich zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht im Sinn.
Als ich mir zu Hause die Ergebnisse betrachtete und fertig bearbeitet hatte, ließ ich etwas Zeit verstreichen und sah mir die Portraits viele Tage später erneut an. Dabei kamen in mir so viele schöne Erinnerungen auf, dass ich mich entschloss, darüber zu schreiben.
Meine Großmutter war auf die Frage, ob ich sie portraitieren dürfe, etwas irritiert. Sie wusste nichts mit sich anzufangen, weshalb ich sie in ein Gespräch verwickelte. Über was wir im Detail sprachen, weiß ich nicht mehr. Es war aber relativ sicher über die Rechnung, die sie auf einem Foto konzentriert mit der Lupe analysiert. Sie wird sich auch über die Skrupellosigkeit der Konzerne aufgeregt haben!
Die Zeit verging wie im Flug. Alles in allem dauerte es etwa eine gute halbe Stunde, wobei die sich auf die gesamte Besuchszeit von etwa drei Stunden hinzog.
Oma nimmt den höchsten Stellenwert, direkt nach meiner Mutter, ein. Ich verbrachte viel Zeit mit ihr. Sie war es, bei der ich übernachtete, bis in die Puppen fern sah und keine Angst haben musste, wenn ich mal den Süßigkeitenschrank plünderte.
Sie verreiste mit mir und zeigte mir einiges von Deutschland. Nur sie, ich und fünfundvierzig Senioren in einem Bus. Mir schwellen die Wangen bei dem Gedanken direkt wieder auf Hamsterbackengröße an. Aber ey, es war großartig: Ich hatte zwar niemanden zum spielen, aber immer die volle Aufmerksamkeit! Nie werde ich diese Reisen vergessen.
Für Oma wurden aus Reisen mittlerweile Ausflüge. Die Vorbereitungen für eine solches Vorhaben sehen in der Regel so aus: Prospekte der großen Möbelhäuser werden nach günstigen Essensangeboten durchforstet, dann wird sich mit Freundinnen verabredet und ab geht die Reise mit der S-Bahn in Richtung Einrichtungshaus.
Sie ist für 86 zwar noch relativ fit, ärgert sich aber gewaltig darüber, dass sie nicht mehr so kann, wie sie gern möchte. Ist der Wohnungsputz beendet, kann sie wieder von vorn anfangen. Dieses Projekt dauert nicht mehr nur ein paar Stunden, sondern Tage.
Ich frage sie gar nicht mehr, wie es ihr geht. Die Frage nervt sie und ihre Stimme wird dann immer so melancholisch. Sie antwortet nur noch: „Wie es einer alten Frau halt so geht!“ Mir bricht das das Herz, weil mir dann immer bewusst wird, dass sie in der letzten Phase ihres Lebens ist.
Sie war für meine Geschwister und mich Babysitterin. Oma war immer bei uns zu Hause – ob es meinen Eltern recht war oder nicht -, sie war einfach da und wenn nicht, klingelte sie unangemeldet. Sie half mir aus diversen Schwierigkeiten. Immer mit dem gehobenen Zeigefinger, aber sie half.
Sie war da! Sie war auch für andere da. Sie wurde ausgenutzt und war immer noch für einen da! Und noch immer hilft sie, wo sie kann. Selbst aber bittet sie nur selten um Unterstützung und beißt sich selbst durch, obwohl es an allen Ecken und Enden schmerzt und zerrt.
Sie ist der Anker der Familie. Waren es vor 15 bis 20 Jahren noch große Familienfeiern, so sieht man sich heute gar nicht mehr! Es gab diverse Probleme und Veränderungen, die dazu führten und den Zusammenhalt in der Familie auflösten. Die schnelllebige Art und die vollen Terminkalender des heutigen Lebensstils tragen ebenfalls einen großen Teil dazu bei.
Unser nächstes großes und vermutlich letztes Familientreffen wird vermutlich Omas Beerdigung sein.
Grund genug, einen Teil von Oma zu manifestieren. Und das nicht gestellt, sondern so wie sie ist. Authentisch, ehrlich, schrullig! Es wird nie das aufwiegen, was sie für mich, nein, für uns getan hat.
Aber nur so kann ich sie festhalten – für immer.
Zum Einsatz kam meine altbewährte EOS 5D Mark II in Kombination mit dem EF 50 1.8 Mark I. Auf die Bilder selbst hat sie eher verhalten reagiert. Mal sehen, was passiert, wenn ich ihr die Texte und Reaktionen dazu noch einmal aufbereite.
kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin | Fotocommunity
[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]
It is not unusual to see art and design students walking around with portfolios under their arms, but few open up to reveal such creative results as these.
Inspired by campus folder cases, origami and pop-up books, Japanese designer Mariko Tsujimoto created this series of unfolding furnishings that deploy into surprisingly solid (if small) functional objects.
Set in vivid colors to distinguish their functionality, the set includes a chair, table, desk and bookshelf, each of which refolds automatically when the end pages are closed.
These quite literal portfolio pieces are just plastic prototypes for now, but rendered in a more solid material they could provide the conceptual groundwork for a full-fledged furnishing set.
Without further ado, here are 20 more examples of incredibly compact and transforming furniture for cramped urban living.
Click Here to Read More »»
Multifunctional and convertible furniture solutions from Resource Furniture unfold and expand in unexpected ways, fitting lots of function into tiny rooms.
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A pizza box that folds out into a desk? Flat-pack furniture is incredibly clever, saves space, cuts shipping waste and is fun to put together.
Click Here to Read More »»
[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]
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In earlier articles I gave you advice about planning a portrait shoot and some reasons for using natural light. Now it’s time to take a look at something that many photographers find difficult – posing.
The reason posing can create problems is because inexperienced models will look to you for direction. If your model is waiting for you to tell her what to do and you freeze up or don’t have any decent ideas you will struggle to create good photos. It’s up to you to take charge and tell the model how to pose. The key is preparation – you need a set of poses you can suggest to the model.
Here are some points to think about before the shoot:
What kind of shoot is it? The posing requirements for a family portrait are very different than a fashion shoot. You can think about posing once you’ve decided what type of photo you are going to create.
Look for inspiration online. Chances are you have a few favourite photographers you follow on websites like Flickr and 500px. You will find some good poses in their portfolios. Download your favourites to your smartphone (or use Pinterest to create a mood board, covered in more detail in my article How to Plan the Perfect Portrait Shoot). Then you have something you can show to your model. Don’t try and commit the poses to memory – you will forget them under pressure.
Match the pose to your model. This is important. You’ll see some wonderful poses in fashion magazines. But many of them need a professional model to carry them off. Your model may not be able to do that, especially if she has a different body type than the people in the magazine.
Buy the Posing App. It gives you over 300 poses that you can access on your smartphone. The best way to use it is to select five to ten and make them your favourites. Then you can show them to your model so she understands the what you’d like her to do.
Screen shots from the Posing App. The line drawings are easy to understand and follow.
The author of the app has written several articles about posing for Digital Photography School you will find useful (click the link to see a list).
No matter how experienced or inexperienced your model is, here are some tips to help you find the perfect pose during the shoot:
Build rapport. This is essential. If your model likes you and sees what you are trying to achieve she will work harder. If you talk to her about things she likes you will see more life in her eyes and get better expressions, including natural smiles. She will be more relaxed. If your model is tense, you are going to struggle to get natural looking portraits. Take the pressure off her and bring it back on yourself. Assure her that if the photos don’t work out that it’s your fault, not hers. Build her confidence.
Look for natural expression. As you talk to your model you will notice natural expressions and mannerisms that you can use. Don’t be afraid to say “hold that pose” or “do what you did just now again”.
I noticed the model had a interesting mannerism so I asked her to repeat the gesture. This portrait is one of her favourites
Adapt poses. When you suggest a pose, such as one used in another photo or from the Posing App, treat it as a starting point, then adapt it to suit your model. If she looks unnatural in a certain pose, then adapt it so it suits her body and the clothes she’s wearing.
The pose on the left is one I found in the Posing App. For the second portrait I asked my model to drop her left arm so I couldn’t see it. Don’t be afraid to tweak poses, sometimes a small change makes a big difference.
Simplify. Keep everything as simple as possible. That applies to composition and the clothes and jewellery worn by your model. If she has too much jewellery on, ask her to remove some. It will improve the composition. If you’re struggling to find a good full-length pose, move in closer and shoot from the waist up, or do a head and shoulders portrait. The background will go more out of focus, and there will be less of the model in the photo.
Simplification in action. The closer you crop, the easier it is to pose your model. This is a good technique to use if you are struggling to make a certain pose work.
Pay attention to detail. Especially hands, which often look better side on to the camera. Look at photos where the model’s hands look elegant or are otherwise well posed, and ask your model to do the same. Check her hair to make sure stray strands aren’t blowing across her face or eyes. Look at her clothes to make sure they aren’t wrinkled or creased in a strange way.
Find something for your model to lean on. This makes it much easier to find a natural looking pose.
Two different ways to use a wall to give a model something to do. The Posing App has lots of poses for leaning.
Use props. If the model has something to hold or otherwise interact with, it gives her something to do. If she is having fun you’re more likely to get a great expression.
The model in this photo is into hooping. Using the hoop as a prop gave her something to hold and added interest to the portrait.
I suggested the model bring her horses along to the shoot. The horses are a natural prop and her interaction with them led to photos like this one.
Do you have any tips for our readers about posing models? What has worked for you? Tell us about your experiences in the comments.
The Natural Portrait
My ebook The Natural Portrait teaches you how to take beautiful portraits in natural light. This 240 page ebook, published by Craft & Vision, takes you through the entire process of natural light portrait photography through from finding a model, deciding where to shoot, working with natural light and post-processing your images. Click the link to learn more or buy.
The post Beginner Tips for Posing People with Confidence by Andrew S. Gibson appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Dreaming by Ondrej Pakan on 500px
Macro photography has become really popular lately and there are many tutorials available on how to do it, including these on dPS:
But let’s talk a little about the gear needed to do macro photography. Here’s a couple video that walk through some of the options to help you get started. In this video from Tamron see: How-To Macro Photography: Equipment, Lighting Tips and More
In this second video by Anthony Morganti you can learn: What You Need To Get Started In Macro Photography
rate my bike by tustel ico on 500px
By Jagadeesh SJ
By Alexey Kljatov
By Julien REBOULET
The post Equipment for Macro Photography – Video Tips by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.
[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]
These 10 abandoned jewelry stores, designed to be secure oases of luxury retailing, are now as lonely as a busted ring that’s forever lost its sparkle.
(images via: Xaxor and Big Bend Now)
When is an abandoned jewelry store NOT an abandoned jewelry store? When it’s Prada Marfa, a so-called “pop architectural land art project” sitting all by its lonesome on the side of U.S. Route 90 between Valentine and Marfa, west Texas. Artists Elmgreen and Dragset set up the $ 80,000 faux luxury goods store on October 1st of 2005 with the intention it would be neither maintained nor repaired. Instead, the passage of time alone would slowly degrade the “store” back to its constituent materials.
(image via: StyleLinkin’)
A mere three days after the sculpture was finished (complete with an interior stocked with handbags and 14 right-footed shoes), vandals broke into the building and graffitied the outside walls after stealing the contents… hope they have 14 right feet. Subsequent acts of vandalism have further marred the exhibit and angered the artists (who really should have known better). Seems like Prada Marfa’s degradation is not going as slowly as originally planned.
(images via: baby cat)
As jewelry stores are usually owned by deep-pocketed individuals, extra expense is typically expended not only on security but on creating a luxurious first impression for potential buyers. The downside, of course, is when the stores are closed, abandoned and/or re-purposed as a successor business, the original embellishments are not easily changed. Such is the case with the former Paule Jewelry store in Burlington, IA, as photo-documented by Flickr user baby cat.
(image via: Kei Teay)
Orlando’s Fashion Square Mall has seen better days and more than a few of its stores have jumped ship for better prospects elsewhere. FSM is making the best of a bad situation, however, having converted the abandoned and unnamed jewelry store above into a waiting room. Waiting for what, we can’t say. Kudos to Kei Teay for the sad soft-focus photo above.
(images via: Peter Bartlett LRPS EFIAP and Stockport.co.uk)
Jeweler Ian Marsden established his jewelry store in 1969, according to the weathered old-style sign still affixed to the storefront. The sign also heralds the presence of a “Working Jeweler” inside… don’t believe it! Sometime before March of 2013, Marsden closed the Stockport, UK retail landmark and left anything not portable behind.
Once as common as the VHS or Beta tapes they rented out, video stores are fading away faster than the images on a well-worn cassette someone forgot to rewind.
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Blockbuster Video’s torn-ticket logo once fronted thousands of stores worldwide. That was then, this is now… by late 2013, Blockbuster was officially busted.
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These 11 abandoned liquor stores are hangovers, as it were, from an era when Mom & Pop stores sold the kind of products Mom & Pop forbade you from consuming.
Click Here to Read More »»
[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]
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