Massive quantities of Inspiration

This past week at Hobart and William Smith colleges at Geneva, NY, some of the best photographers in New York gathered to learn from some of the best photographers in the world.

I like to think I'm in the former category with aspirations to the latter.

Over the course of the 5 day intensive training workshop, we learned subtle nuances of lighting from the flashlight to the easybake oven (double striplights and reflectors. It's a technical term...), and photographed subjects from 5 to 104 years old.

HDR, X-Light, textures, and more terms than memory can recount were explained, demonstrated, critiqued and internalized.

When work was over for the day, we visited the "Barn" for socialization with our new friends and mentors. Truly, the teaching never stopped. For instance, I took the HDR image here on my way to the barn for that aforementioned socializing.

So why am I telling you all this?

Well, for IthacaStock contributors and other photographers, always be aware that our learning never stops. We need to keep our minds fresh and our possibilities open, never resting on our laurels. We should continually look at our past work and say "I can do better than that...."

For the rest of you, existing and potential clients, and friends, we hope you see, over time, our dedication to improving our craft and our skills, so that we can continue to provide exceptional images for all of your needs now and for years to come.

To PPSNYS, I owe a huge expression of thanks for bringing our instructors together with us in an exceptional learning environment. (Here's the plug)

The Professional Photographers Society of New York State, or PPSNYS, exists to improve the craft of photography. I have never been involved in as "giving" an organization. We are all compatriots together - not in competition with each other, but as collaborators working to improve our skills as professional photographers, and improve the state of photography in general.

For further information, please visit http://www.ppsnys.com

And incase you wondered exactly WHO I studied with, I humbly suggest you visit Michael Barton's web site, http://www.indigophotographic.com/ to see his extraordinary vision.

Until next time!

Monroe

Adobe Lightroom 3, or Photographers Set Free!

August 9 is a day that every photographer in central New York should mark on their calendars.

It is the day that Doug Hansgate, an innovative and talented photographer from the Buffalo area will be in Ithaca to give a day long workshop on Adobe's Lightroom 3.o software.

Ok, another class. Big deal. I'm so backed up in my work, enhancing all of my images in Photoshop and trying to find the files somewhere on my hard drive that I can't even consider taking a FULL DAY off to attend.

Well, folks, you are exactly who can benefit from Lightroom. Lightroom is not just another piece of software that Adobe boxed up in order to part you from your money.

This box is special.

Imagine if those guys from Adobe started out to make a product that would address all of the issues photographers had with Photoshop, and at the same time make file management and image retrieval a snap; a program that wouldn't allow you to damage the original file, and one that could make batch processing of almost any kind completely effortless... That's exactly what Lightroom 3 is. Photoshop designed not for graphic artists, but for PHOTOGRAPHERS!

And if you want to enhance an image within photoshop, the programs interface easily and effectively.

But my favorite feature involves culling. At a wedding, I'll take a LOT of images, sometimes over 1500. With Photoshop, I could count on spending a couple days culling before I even got to the enhancing part. With Lightroom, that few DAYS has been cut down to a few HOURS, and in the process of importing, I can get Lightroom to do some basic developing in the process, saving me mega hours on the back side.

Am I excited about Lightroom? You betcha. And I have only scratched the surface.

I thought I was doing well with the program until I saw my friend Doug Hansgate speak at the Finger Lakes section of the Professional Photographers Society of NYS... FLPPSNY for short. Doug spent about an hour giving us a short overview of what Lightroom was capable of, and the first night when I got home, I did a job I expected to take several hours in about 20 minutes.

This left me wanting more, so we invited Doug to come talk to local photographers and give a fairly in-depth talk on Lightroom.

So, who could benefit from this workshop?

Pretty much anyone who takes photographs seriously.

Our contributors to IthacaStock.com have need of an easy and trouble free method of batch resizing, as well as a straightforward method of tweaking their already awesome images.

File management can be a pain if you, like me, have a library on your disk with many thousands of images. Lightroom can help organize and make the process less of a pain.

Retrieving a photo by keyword through Lightroom is a matter of 12 seconds.

The session will be held at the South Hill Business Campus, 950 Danby Rd, Suite 112. The building is right across 96B from Ithaca College. The session will cost $99 and includes lunch. Those who register before August 1 and prepay using PayPal get $10 off of the class. Contributors to IthacaStock.com get a discount as well, available on our registration page!

And let me speak a moment about Doug Hansgate. Doug first came to my attention on Facebook with a forwarded image of his Buffalo Cityscapes. Shortly after, Kelvin Ringold called me and told me I should get Doug to speak to our section (FLPPSNY) because he was "unbelieveably good". We did, and were not disappointed.

So we want to share him and this awesome product called Lightroom 3 with you.

Look for updates about registering for the course in the next issue of our newsletter, on this blog, or on Facebook!

Can't wait to see you all!!

So What Do You Get?

I was asked the other day exactly what someone gets when they buy a photo from IthacaStock.com. It's a fair question.

In every case, YOUR delight is our goal, from the customer service you receive to the selection of our array of images to the delivery of your work of art.

Most of our sales are to web designers and graphic artists, who use our images as part of their clients' marketing strategy. Waterfalls and certain buildings of historical significance are the icons of Ithaca, and businesses use these to identify themselves as part of our local community.

They can use images once for either web or print for a price, or for a little more, the client can have unlimited use of the image as part of their identity and web presence.

Still another use is as "Raw Material" for graphic artists. For the minimum fee, artists can download images that they wish to use as a template for their creations. More about that in my next post.

Another possibility is for individuals or businesses to purchase images ready to frame for their businesses' or for their homes walls.

Each of our prints is created at one of the best professional labs in the country, and mounted on mat board. They are given a linen texture and coated with a special protectant to keep the image from fading, and to keep the oils on your hands from degrading the image.

So what is this "canvas upgrade"?

There is nothing like the rich look and feel of a canvas print on your wall. This takes the photo from a simple image to a piece of art. The canvases available from IthacaStock.com have the look and feel of works of art, with a glowing warmth that images on paper just can't compete with.

Each canvas is mounted on a stretcher frame and is ready to be framed. We open and physically examine each canvas before we release it to our clients. It is our intent that you be delighted with every contact with IthacaStock.com, from the initial visit to our web site to taking delivery of your masterpiece.

We can create most of the images you find at IthacaStock.com on canvas from 11X14 to 40X60.

If you don't find the exact size listed, contact us. We would be happy to quote you on exactly the size and presentation of the image you have in mind.

Framing is another option. We can create our canvases and have them framed prior to delivery, or if you wish, you can have them framed at your local professional framer. Again, just contact us at info@ithacastock.com, and we will provide you a quote directly.

Awesome Website of the Week:

www.lensprotogo.com. Paul Friedman, the owner of this innovative business is donating a percentage of his GROSS, not NET, to the Seed Foundation. Click here for more information about the Seed Foundation.

Planning your Photographs

"If I ONLY had my Camera!"



I hear this so many times, but even if you DO have your camera, how many of those images actually come out like you hope? Any of them?


So what do you think: Is it just bad luck? Is it just "being there?" Is it lack of technical savvy? Or is it lack of prepartion and planning?


My guess is the latter. Luck, skill and "being there" are all possible contributors to a magic picture moment, but you can't just expect the image to be planted in front of you, or for the picture to be welcomed to your camera to live for a while.


This never happens.


Images are not captured, they are made. They are planned, anticipated, and ultimately crafted lovingly by people who take the time to understand what they are doing.



This pretty little church in Paxton, MA, was not a simple snapshot.



We drove into town the Friday before Easter, and I saw this little church on the far side of the woods, bathed in weird pinkish floodlights against an indigo twilight sky. I spent a piece of the next day working on equipment and planning where, and how I would capture the image.



I spent about an hour and a half just walking the site to get the exact angle. Then another half hour waiting for the lights to come on and the sky to settle into exactly the indigo shade I wanted. A cloud passing over at the wrong moment would have ruined the look I was after. I
was prepared to come back a second night if nature didn't cooperate.



My students hear it all the time - "If you want the extraordinary image, you have to get uncomfortable." You have to give your time, your creativity, and your comfort level a shake down. Sometimes this means lying down in the mud or snow to get the angle you want. Sometimes it involves cliffs, ladders and other places it is difficult to get to. Sometimes it involves just waiting... and waiting... and waiting until the perfect seconds tick into place.



Other times, you have to get up at 4 AM to get the first rays of dawn illuminating a waterfall or a flock of geese. Just like the post office, photographers have to be out there in snow, rain, and hail. Each element has it's own difficulties, and rewards.



Anyone can stand up, point a camera, and get a fair snapshot. It takes planning and persistance to capture the extraordinary image.

Until Next Time,

Monroe

Welcome to the artist's corner.

As photographers, we always try to not only show a thing, but a feeling as well. In our craft we sometimes refer to it as a "universal theme" which can be felt and understood by everyone who views the work.

Universal themes are usually easily identified and felt by both the artist and viewer, but not so easily verbalized. Also, a truly versatile image may have the impression of multiple feelings, understood only in the heart of each viewer.

Photographers by nature are emotional animals. We not only look for images, but feelings, tastes, textures as well. We hope you enjoy feeling the work of our photographic artists at IthacaStock.com.

Featured article in Tompkins Weekly!

We are honored by Tompkins Weekly article featuring our company! You can visit the article at www.tompkinsweekly.com . Look for us on page 10 and 11! Thank you, Sue Henniger, for coming in to meet with us, and learning about IthacaStock!

It Ain't the Violin

Photographers are some of the biggest technology geeks in the world.

The newest camera comes out, and we rush like an elephant herd to go get it, so that we can take better pictures. The problem is, the photos don't actually get a lot better. Clearer, sharper, less noise maybe, but unless we improve ourselves, the hardware won't make much of a difference.

So, not in any particular order, let me give you a few tips to help improve your work straight away, without costing you a camera worthy of a second mortgage.

Step One: Identify your subject.
You would think this was simple, right? For the most part it is, but our eye sees lots of stuff, and we want to capture the scene, the smell, the sun, the hot dogs- whatever. Train yourselves to ask, as you're aiming the camera, what am I trying to show? Simplify!

Step Two: Seperate your subject from the background.
This can be done by using a large aperture so that only the subject is in focus - use the portrait mode for you with the point and shoot cameras - if your subject is moving, pan the camera so your subject is in focus, and everything else is blurred.

Always look for the background. Think: "Will this background help or hurt the image?" Sometimes a distraction can be hidden behind your subject by moving a step or two.

Step Three: Move your subject off center.
Your subject should be 1/3 to the left, right, top or bottom of center. Of course, this is more what the pirates call "Guidelines," and there are exceptions. Never put the horizon at the exact center of a photograph.

Step Four: Diagonals and Curves.
Your eye wants to move through a photo and explore. If everything to see is smack in the middle and square, the eye says, "OK, I'm done." Diagonals and curves bring a third dimension to your images, which causes our eye to be curious and wander.

Step Five: Get Uncomfortable.
"What? Get Uncomfortable? I just want to be a photographer and take pictures. Why should I get uncomfortable?" The truth is, anyone can hold a camera at eye level, and press a button. And they get exactly what they've worked for, a snapshot.

To capture a great image, you must get uncomfortable, and explore perspectives a "normal" person just won't try. This is spring time, when the flowers and trees are blooming. Try photographing from beneath them, and see what glorious images you get as the sun illuminates and glows through the colors of petals and leaves. Lie down in the wet grass to get the image of dew on a crisp morning. Get up at 4 AM and drive to the forest to catch the first rays of sun in a wild wood.

Your perspective is Unique. Nobody sees things exactly like you do!

Capture it, and share it!

The tips I've given here aren't rocket science, and can be accomplished by anyone with a camera, from a Brownie to a Canon EOS. These tips are merely tools, helping your talent flare and focus into images worthy of a professional.

So you see, it ain't the violin, it's the violinist. A picture isn't about the camera, it reflects the photographer.

Until Next Time,

Monroe

IthacaStock.com