Photography is a never ending journey.
There are no one way roads and many exits to explore on your travels. There have been many changes since the first known photo and there will be many more. Be that change.
LIGHT, ABANDONED PHOTOGRAPHY'S BEST FRIEND.
I have watched light many times as it moves in nature. The world rotates moving the natural light across the surface of the earth and when you mix in clouds and other natural light blockers light plays many different games. I sat the other morning as the sun came up. Most things were snow covered. The first thing was the kiss of light on a pole creating a shadow on the other side. The clouds reflected the colors of the sky into the tops of the roofs with hues of red. The snow drifted and the high spots were kissed first casting shadows on the other side of the drift. Those moments come and go quickly. Watch long enough the shadows will reverse as the light continues to move. As I sipped my morning drink I couldn't see the true sunrise because of structures in the way but I noticed I could see it reflecting in the house window. My favorite time of the day. In the world of better photography chasing the light becomes a necessity. Understanding how it reacts will help improve any photography.
Since I like doing Abandoned Places light doesn't play the same games, or does it. Light moves even in the darkest places if there is the smallest hole to let it in. It may be the smallest beam or a window. Light determines where the eye goes thus creating a focal point. Light moves a lot faster sometimes giving only seconds to provide a kiss on something that becomes the subject for that moment. Miss that light and I may walk right by. You have to know your camera. If you shoot in manual like I do understanding the settings and how to adjust them without thinking will provide the time you need on fleeting light. I shoot with others that still shoot auto. It works, sometimes. I think most overexpose because the camera wants to make things look brighter. That is my opinion and it is their photo they can make it the way they want. For me Darkness is a necessity to show that tickle of light, drawing the eye to the subject of the image. Color or lack of depends on the light. If I get the chance I will always try to pass on why I shoot the way I do. In the end your image should be your image made the way you think it should be.
Take some time and study light without the camera in hand. Morning, day and evening the light keeps changing. In Abandoned Photography you have to look at light or lack of by first finding it and a bright sunny day may provide a more defined subject than a cloudy day where light may spill everywhere. Keep watching the light wherever you find it and you will make better images.
ABANDONED AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER
I guess I have made the commitment to the Abandoned Photography. Most of the photographers I know and explore with are Abandoned explorers. I drive around with my eyes peeled for opportunities for exploring something that appears to be abandoned or maybe someone cleaning out a place that set idled for some time. I prefer a place with things in it. Tools, old furniture, a cool staircase and sometimes an empty place will provide the nicest light patterns on the walls and floors. Some places are not worth the look but you have to just incase. I like color and when something is decaying it provides some of the nicest tones of colors you can't find normally. There are some side benefits to doing this type of photography, QUIET. When shooting sports there are lots of things going on and Wildlife is a waiting game. When the action starts you don't have time to really think about it, let alone enjoy what's going on. You just click and click and review when its over. Abandoned things are just there waiting for someone like me to let others know about them. I can spend all day on a piano or move a chair into the light. Sometimes you can see the light moving across the room knowing it is going to give that touch on something that you would pass by. Patience is your friend. Without it you will miss a lot. I can really think about just how I want to expose the image to make better photography. I see so many people expose dark abandoned things as if they are standing in a field at high noon. How does that tell a story of things in a dark area with little or no light. Light or lack of is at its best in these environments. Just a kiss and no more. Light and dark gives shape to things. It can draw attention or show someone what you want them to see. Add a little light and you are light painting, or close a door to direct it where it needs to be. Shoot on manual exposure. Auto will only over expose. Color is best underexposed.
But the real proof I am doing something right was on a trip I took with some fiends nothing to do with photo taking. I had saw this building that I planned on going back someday and I couldn't find it although it was a major road and I saw it easily the first time. I mentioned it to my friend and he smiled and said he knew where it was. He said he saw it one day and thought creepy and creepy makes him think about me.
Thanks, I'll take it.
SO YOU THINK IT COSTS NOTHING TO TAKE DIGITAL PHOTOS
SCRANTO LACE FACTORY
Just about everyone makes the comment taking digital photos doesn't cost anything. They reference the film days when you bought film and paid someone to process the negatives. I can tell you taking digital photos isn't free. How much it costs depends on the level of photographer and quality of photos taken. Some cameras are cheap and many take the photo as a JPG with no editing. You still bought the camera and have a computer to store the photos and maybe print once in awhile. Cheap cameras won't last as long, the user will upgrade as they get better, replace the camera due to loss or damage. All free. Now step up a notch trying to take better photography and you go from a 500 dollar camera to a 3000 dollar one. The files are bigger so you need larger hard drives, bigger memory cards and a faster processor. Maybe you are still shooting JPG as is out of camera. Maybe at this level you want to edit a photo. Buy a program to do this or get a subscription to Photoshop and have a monthly bill the rest of your camera days. You take classes on how to use the camera, process the photos or go on workshops to get more knowledge or better photos. You can pay to have things printed or maybe you buy a printer. Just maybe you'll stop here. You will replace that camera even with a similar one, buy a few more lens, upgrade the lens you have or switch systems and start a new brand. Still free. Now you really want better photography and think getting the best camera to do it. The ranges from $50,000 down to $6000 comes to mind. The files just got bigger, you shoot in raw and your hard drive library keeps growing. Shoot raw and you will process those photos. Still Free. I for one have taken the plunge with 3 professional cameras as well as lens, large printer, processing programs, photo papers, CF cards and all the carrying cases too. I will need to let the first camera go and am thinking about one of those medium format cameras that run about $30,00. I won't be able to use any of the lens I currently own and will have to upgrade the photo processing programs for the new raw format. OK so it's your hobby. All hobbies cost money and photography in the digital world is no different.
However, the ability to shoot, process and print in a matter of seconds has to be worth something right? Or you could just buy a used film camera and a lot of film for what I have invested in cameras and related equipment and learn more about photography than buying a cheap camera and shooting as many photos as you can because digital doesn't cost anything.
BLOGS AND COMPETITION DO NOT ALWAYS LEAD TO BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY
Everyone reads some form of a blog from time to time. It can be a product review, opinion about something or just someone's though about anything. I read them from time to time if something catches my eye. I found one the other day based on a comment about what photography clubs should or shouldn't do. Their premise was clubs should not do competition in the traditional manner. Of course where the link was posted was a Facebook page of a camera club. The bashing that went on about this post made me go and read it for myself. I do not compete except with myself. There is no such thing as a good judge only an opinion from someone who may have a reputation until they do some judging. Then they become a jerk to all those who didn't win. The person who blogged about the competition made sense if you actually read it. It gave options and methods to better photography all positive. For those who compete good luck. Some people enjoy it and say they get something from it. A judge telling me I should crop something different or the composition should be what they think it should be is their opinion. I've sold a lot of that photo the way I made it. I wouldn't change it. So you love a photo you took, printed it and hung it on the wall, enjoy it everyday you look at it and someone who has no idea why you took it the way you did bashes it. Give me a break. If you want to gel a flash and make it blue, make it blue. IF your goal is to compete then you'll have to restrict your creative process trying to please the judges. Not for me. A friend asked me what my fascination is with the abandoned photography he preferred my wildlife photos. His opinion. Better photography to me is the challenge of making an image out of something that would be normally overlooked by every body else. Is it better photography, to me yes because I am challenging myself to improve. Opinions can be good but they should never be the final say. I enjoy listening to others and have learned a lot doing so. Don't let someone's negativity be the rule on how you do Better Photography.
PHOTOGRPAHY FOR A GOOD CAUSE
SUPER HEROS
Polar Plungers City Island Harrisburg Pa.
Better Photography can mean many things. A great photograph that tells a story, artfully done or contributes something for a greater good may not get printed big and hung on a wall. It may be a web sized 4x6 or printed, a greeting card or printed on a news letter. That photograph can be a group of people in February running into icy body of water to raise money for a cause. For me my first experience with a group of people was an idea I had from seeing photographs in the news of wet chilled to the bones people running from the water to find a way to warm up. As much as those photos told a story I wanted to try a different take and show the faces of these dedicated folks as they run in the water. The first attempt I went to the river and tried to shoot across the river to the City Island in Harrisburg. 800 MM at a half mile gave me some photos but not what I wanted so I waited till the following year and I put a boat in the water cut the distance down and shot the above photo. I called it super heroes for two reasons. First it takes someone special to do this no matter what the cause and second there are several Super Hero costumes in the photo. I printed this and gave it to the area coordinator at Special Olympics and then printed it and hung it on my own wall. I planned the photography but got lucky to have the content with it. It started something for me that I didn't expect. I had to go to the special Olympics meet and photograph the athletes during some of their games. These athletes are as serious as any other competition out there.
The photography impact can't be measured in Facebook likes or the other media you share with but if you want to know ask the people in the photos and listen to the stories. Special Olympics isn't the only worthy cause so if you want some feel good find one and volunteer some time even if you keep dry and warm while taking photographs of the others running into 36 degree water with 20 MPH winds to raise money for these athletes.
As with all photography I want to do better photography so in 2015 I gave the Polar Plunge another try mostly because they relocated to Gifford Pinchot park and the lake was completely froze over. Volunteers use chainsaws to cut a hole in the ice and that presented me with another opportunity setting on the ice close and personal. It was so cold first thing in the morning there was ice starting to skim the opening in the ice. I got there before the sun came up and took a few background photos and just waited. This year I was looking to get some shots of someone I knew (the joker) who said he was retiring from the plunge. Barry Stetler was the king of raising money for this event and I wanted him to have something printed. As I planned this photo the look on the faces of the plungers tell more than the story I went for. Is it surprise of the cold as they step in the water? To me a painful look as you body gets the shock and hypothermia can set in in minutes at those temps. What ever it is PRICELESS for better photography!
