Here's a thought…

HT2731 - Universal Stories

Photographs, by their very nature, are specific. They capture a view of a specific place at a specific time. Stories, good stories anyway, have a sense of the universal about them. This is why vacation snapshots of landscapes often don't have much appeal; they are too specific, too personal. What brings a story (or a landscape) to life is when we can identify with the characters and can imagine ourself in their shoes, when we see ourself in the story.

Ansel Adams famously suggested that the negative was the score and the print the performance. Is this still true for the RAW file and the Instagram image? What is the relationship between the RAW capture and the print? And where does the finished digital file fit in this simile? I think this is all tied to the idea of an original print.

All my photographic life I've heard landscape photographers preach the virtues of the early risers. Supposedly, the best photographs are made as the sun rises at the crack of dawn. Some even go so far as to insist that only bad photographs can be made in the noonday light. Hogwash! I'm of the school of thought that there is no such thing as "good light" or "bad light." Good or bad is not a characteristic of the light, but rather what you do with that light that really counts. So, go ahead and sleep in if you need it. Great photographs can still be found whenever you are ready.

HT2738 - Your Minimal Kit

What is the least amount of gear you can get by with? This is an important question if you are traveling, have limited space, are concerned about weight, or want to simplify your choices in the field. What can you get by with? Two cameras plus three lenses? One camera plus one lens? Your iPhone? How do you make such decisions? Affordability? Complexity? The subject and locations? Looking back at past successes?

HT2743 - The Assumption of Effort

When we see any accomplished artistic expression — regardless of the medium —  we naturally assume that such excellence is the result of substantial effort and talent. Just think of the effort required to compose a symphony, write a novel, or carve a statue. With photography however, we are advised "f/8 and be there." Press a button and make a masterpiece. Art is hard; photography is a snap. We photographers know this isn't true. Worse, that perception is even more prevalent now than ever.

HT2744 - Long-Forgotten Books

Perhaps it's understandable that as a publisher I have a fond relationship with books. I weep over the fate of books (and the photographers who made them) when I see a great book subside into the obscurity of history. Newly minted books emerge from the bindery with such hopes and momentum. Then decades pass and that once-great book, like us I suppose, recedes into the dark corners of our book shelves or the dusty confines of the used bookstore. Or the local landfill or recycling center. I like to think that books are a first step toward immortality. In practice, I know better.

HT2745 - Denied Access

I'm convinced that the most valuable aspect in the creation of a good photograph is access. If we are denied access, we can't get to where we need to be to click the shutter. Since that's an undeniable reality, wouldn't it make sense that we need to develop the skill of securing permission? I learned this lesson in the 1980s when I was working on the Made of Steel project. I used one simple principle to gain access to the garages and machine shops where I photographed. My technique only failed me once.