Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Master of
Romanticism
Kevin Then
Fast Track Photos of
Race Car Photographer
Jesse Alexander
CHRISTY LEE ROGERS
Underwater Magic
ARAS KARIMI
Light in the Abstract
JAMEY STILLINGS
The Bridge at Hoover Dam
Creating a Photo Essay
David Vestal
Dover’s History
Part IV
Bettina & Uwe Steinmueller
May/June 2011 Texture Masking
Uli Staiger
Extreme Fantasy
Collage
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Due to the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck on
March 11 and the subsequent nuclear disaster, northern Japan is facing
a crisis of huge proportions on every level imaginable. The devastation has
taken the lives of more than 10,000 people and continues to affect millions more.
These include our many friends and colleagues involved in every aspect of
the photographic industry whose offices and equipment manufacturing plants
were located in the devastated area. Let our hearts and hands reach out to offer
assistance by supporting any one of a number of relief efforts for Japan.
The Japanese Red Cross has a highly organized effort in place. The international community can also offer assistance through a
number of relief organizations that include:
Volunteer
Center for International Disaster Information
www.cidi.org/individuals/6-volunteering-after-a-disaster
Make a Donation
The American Red Cross
1-800-RED-CROSS
To find a list of many other relief efforts for the Japan Tsunami, visit InterAction’s website at www.interaction.org/crisis-list
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pg. 40
Feature Portfolios
28 An Interview with Kevin Then: 16 Jesse Alexander: Iconic Images
Redefining High-End of Motor Racing’s Heyday from
Wedding Photography a Master Photographer
A Hasselblad Master shares images and Getting up to speed with a legendary
techniques of his romantic style racecar photographer
Paul Schranz Chuck Graham
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
May/June 2011 Vol. 32 No. 3
That is because numbers become useless in trying to make a photograph look Retail Distribution
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rknight@prestonpub.com
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News
21 What’s Important and Exciting
in the Field of Photography:
Books
Memorials
Workshop
Wendy Erickson
Innovations
38 Promote Control
A full featured time machine
Tech
12 Phantastomaniac: Building a
Complex Photo Collage
Steps to building a fantastic assemblage
with Photoshop and Cinema 4D
Uli Staiger
pg. 38
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COMMENTARY:
Polapan
Photographic Seeing:
The Camera Work of Kenneth Josephson
A. D. Coleman
A bare suspended lightbulb illuminates four black & white Polaroid prints of images
of (presumably) that same lightbulb, taped to a wall.
The reflection of a French mountain range in the roof of a car appears to sprout an
actual rock formation.
A crouching woman, mostly obscured by a little girl, makes a close-up portrait of the
girl’s face with an amateur camera. Attached to a black & white print of that image
with family album-style photo corners is a second print, presumably of the image
made by the woman at that moment, showing the child apparently reaching for the
woman’s camera.
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Stockholm
A black & white Polaroid photograph of a naked woman’s experience, to which he then applies analytical
pelvic area lies atop the dark dress of (presumably) that consciousness. What his photography exemplifies
same woman, positioned in her pelvic area. one might define as visual thought, in which per-
cept embodies concept.
A hand holds a postcard image of the summer palace
in Drottningholm, Sweden, taken in the warm weather, The quarter-century between the end of World
while the owner of hand and postcard confront the same War II in 1945 and 1970 remains a particularly
vista in the winter. fertile period in the history of photography, and
surely the least closely studied and most mis-
Kenneth Josephson’s photographic works do not understood. Kenneth Josephson’s oeuvre exemp-
reduce well (or at all) to words. In that way, among lifies the fecundity and complexity of the medium’s
others, they distinguish themselves from most con- field of ideas during that era; his elaboration
ceptual photography and photo-based art, which of them down to the present day demonstrates
often starts from an articulated or written premise the durability and substance of the questions he
and can equally often find satisfactory summation and others began asking—and answering, at least
in words to which the images, uninteresting in provisionally—as they explored the medium. That
and of themselves, serve as mere illustration or Josephson has only recently begun to become
demonstration. Concept dictates percept. securely positioned in the histories of photography,
conceptual art, and photo-based art speaks to his
Josephson’s work functions otherwise. His images decision to inhabit a largely unmapped territory in
fall somewhere between the visual puns of René the decades between then and now.
Magritte and the elliptical, labyrinthine conun-
drums of Jorge Luis Borges. He shares with both The several generations of photographers who
a spare, stripped-down aesthetic, a fascination came of age and entered the field committedly in
with layers and an inclination toward the recursive the United States during those 25 years constituted
and self-reflexive. His pictures begin as optical the first cohort to engage with their medium in the
phototechmag.com 5
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COMMENTARY:
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Drottningholm, Sweden
these concerns than that of Kenneth Josephson− activities of this medium’s practitioners and few
although none, of course, can represent by itself have taken the trouble since then to inform
the breadth and complexity of the medium’s field themselves on that score. Photography commands
of ideas in that era. Like that of his close friend, center stage in the global art environment as we
the late Robert Heinecken, Josephson's project move into the 21st Century, but the “integrated
with its implicit challenges and provocations has history of picture-making” remains unwritten. Un-
reverberated in the awareness of photographers questionably, however, within that hypothetical
and others since it commenced its public life. account still to come, Kenneth Josephson’s name
These images of Josephson’s, individually and and accomplishment have already been inscribed
cumulatively, do not ignore or deny the existence and extensively annotated.
of the “real world”; instead, they insistently address
the act of photographic picture-making as a © Copyright 2011 by A. D. Coleman. All rights reserved.
means of knowing that world, requiring of maker By permission of the author and Image/World Syndication
Services, ___________________
imageworld@nearbycafe.com.
and viewer alike an attention to the implications
of that act, to the technological process that en- Ken Josephson’s images are presented with the permission of the
ables it and to the light that makes it possible in the Stephen Daiter Gallery, Chicago, IL. ______________
stephendaitergallery.com
first place.
A. D. Coleman has published eight books and more than 2,000
essays on photography and related subjects. His work has been
Photography as a creative medium and a respect- translated into 21 languages and published in 31 countries.
able tool for picture-makers of all kinds can be Coleman's widely read blog “Photocritic International” appears at
photocritic.com. Since 2005, exhibitions that he has curated have
said to have entered the marketplace for art opened at museums and galleries in Canada, China, Finland, Italy,
and the field of ideas of art-making activity circa Romania, Slovakia and the U.S. In 2010 he received the J Dudley
Johnston Award from the Royal Photographic Society (U.K.) for
1970. At that juncture, hardly any critics of art “sustained excellence in writing about photography.”
knew anything at all about the history (including To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
the intellectual history) of photography or the Forum: www.phototechforum.com
phototechmag.com 7
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PERSPECTIVES:
117. Wright Brothers Postcard, 1915, by Unknown Photographer (cut-and-paste collage, airplane added to Main Street photo)
This is the final installment of a series in which David “Observe, Watson, the direction of the sun, as
Vestal gives insight into historic photographs selected shown by light and shadows on Main Street. The
from Great Photographs from Daguerre to the sun is directly to the left, is it not? Look now at
Great Depression, published by the Dover Press and the lower wing of the airplane. The shadow of the
used with their permission. upper wing that is seen through the lower wing’s
translucent tip shows that for Wright’s Flyer, the
117. Wright Brothers Postcard, by Unknown Photo- sun was above and behind. We do not have two
grapher, 1915. This is a booster postcard promoting suns that shine simultaneously from different pos-
the wonders of Springfield, Minnesota. It is a good itions in the sky. Ergo, the airplane was cut from
cut-and-paste job, a bucolic equivalent to the another photograph and pasted onto the picture of
montages of avant-garde art photography. It’s well the street. And what, pray, is an airplane, vintage
calculated to get our attention, but would not have circa 1909, doing just above the main drag of an
fooled Sherlock Holmes. alert community that boasts, ‘Wide awake and up
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to date/No better town in any state’ in the year find that he made none. Some of his best drawings
1915? We miss, do we not, the large, dramatic and paintings are almost exact copies of his own
shadow of the airplane that would fall, were this photographs, cleaned up and, in some areas, made
scene wholly natural, upon the street and buildings more visible by changing the tones. Except for a
at the right of the picture.” large and lucrative job photographing Ford’s River
Rouge factory in the late 1920s, he made his living
“Once again, Holmes, you astound me.” mostly from the sale of his paintings. He was a
two-medium man. He would have liked to exhibit
“Elementary, my dear Watson.” Nice postcard, his photos together with his paintings, but his
though. otherwise excellent art dealer talked him out of it.
She wished he would quit photographing and stick
118. Bucks County Barn, by Charles Sheeler, 1916. to the painting that she understood. This photo
When this photo was taken in rural Pennsylvania, certainly stands on its merit and makes me wonder
Sheeler had lived for some time in an old stone about any paintings that he might, correction, may
house and had photographed and painted the have made from it, cleaning it up, making things
whitewashed rooms and stairway of that house. more visible, eliminating clutter.
He was well acquainted with old farm buildings in
Bucks County. I don’t know of any painting by him In many cases, though not all, I prefer his photos
based on this photograph, but would be surprised to to his paintings and drawings based on them.
phototechmag.com 9
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PERSPECTIVES:
121. Armco Steel, Ohio, 1922, by Edward Weston 125. Prostitute, 1920s, by Eugène Atget
Photography records the small accidental things beautiful soft-focus photograph of a eucalyptus
that go a little wrong and lend conviction to a pic- tree in a mist; but at its foot is an unintentionally
ture. Judging from his other work, the matching comical young man with a bow and arrow. It’s a
paintings, if he made any, would be more impres- very funny photo. Weston then met wise women
sive, while the photograph is more true. who had a real grasp of art, and he learned and
learned. By 1922 he was making good unsenti-
121. Armco Steel, Ohio, by Edward Weston, 1922. mental photographs like this one.
At the beginning of his photographing, Edward
Weston was a kidnapper, as old-time photographers When he went to New York in the 1920s he
called those who went from door to door begging showed some Armco Steel pictures, among others,
to photograph babies and small children. It was to Alfred Stieglitz, who was encouraging. Weston
a selling job as much as a photographic one. But was not impressed by the interview. He said that
soon he graduated to the kind of artistic photo- Stieglitz had given the most praise to pictures that
graphy practiced by camera club kings. He did he, Weston, had outgrown— the ones that were
extremely well at that and won all kinds of medals “striving for effect.” He liked words like “strive;”
and ribbons. still, that was a good self-critical observation. And
this photo, which has no need to strive, is excellent.
In an old photo annual I saw a photograph,
copyright 1914 by Edward Henry Weston, that I 125. Prostitute, by Eugène Atget, 1920s. Probably
could not forget. Titled Toxophilus, it is in part a dry plate and gold-toned printing-out paper: Atget
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The book worked out pretty well, though not at and starting over, learning the picture, but not
first. Later it was reprinted with more photos and with any certainty, until it became acceptable. I
sold better. I suppose the first edition must go for won’t call this print good, but yes, when the light
real money at auction, now that its authors are on it is right, it’s acceptable.
dead. Your price goes up when you die.
Great Photographs from Daguerre to the Great Depression
I can’t imagine what Allie Mae was feeling when presents “139 Royalty-Free Designs” in jpeg format in a
“CD-ROM & Book” as part of its large series, “Dover
Walker Evans took this picture. I’m sure she wasn’t Electronic Clip Art for Macintosh® and Windows®.”
comfortable. She has a tense look and faces the System requirements: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000,
camera with anxiety and determination. Maybe XP, Vista or Macintosh, all versions; CD-ROM drive.
the tight line of her mouth was meant to be a smile. The price of the book and CD-ROM is $16.95. To use
At her age she should have been a pretty woman, more than ten of these photos in one project requires
special permission from Dover.
but her life was too hard for that, or so it seems.
She is both strong and fragile, and the picture is
like that, too. David Vestal is a photographer, and teacher whose publications
include The Art of Black & White Enlarging (1984) and the Craft of
Photography. His photographs are exhibited internationally and
Printing it in inkjet was elusive rather than difficult. are found in numerous private and public collections. A selection
of his early New York photographs was exhibited at the Robert
The least bit too light or dark, and the least bit too Mann Gallery, NYC in 2010.
soft or contrasty, and it’s just wrong. I had to make
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
quite a few changes, going back to the beginning Forum: www.phototechforum.com
phototechmag.com 11
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TECH:
Reichstag
Phantastomaniac:
Building the Complex Photo Collage
Uli Staiger
“Phantastomaniac” is a term that for me is the most tastic scenes and images from the worlds of science
powerful expression of digital retouching: the am- fiction. So it was a logical step to bring together
bitious post production and digital composing. photography and fantasy with Adobe Photoshop to
In order to make images look realistic, I follow the create my own zoo of unlimited possibilities.
law of logic wherever possible. It’s also very impor-
tant for the artist to have a sense of an image, so Believe it or not, the main trick, when it comes to
that it is possible for the viewer to find a meaning- planning a composition, is to divide the process of
ful interpretation of the content. To achieve both image creating into three parts. That also means
sometimes isn’t easy, because my images often that I have to create images not only once, but three
consist of several hundred layers that have to follow times. Before I grab the camera or switch on the
a master plan so that they appear as a completely computer, I develop the image mentally. The only
new scene. borders that limit this process are the borders of my
very own fantasy and apprehension. Both phantasy
My inspiration comes out of my own fantasy. I’ve and apprehension are very important tools when
always been fascinated by technical things and fan- planning a composed image.
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When the creative brainstorming is done and the in many categories, including skies, waves, water
image is ready to leave my mind, the second step surfaces, plants and all kinds of technical structures.
follows: the visualization of the idea with paper and This means I always carry a camera with me; good
pencil. At this point of the process, it’s important to motifs are hard to anticipate. The key characters,
first create a simple sketch. I never use any digital which often are planes, space ships or other fantastic
equipment for these drawings, but just concentrate vehicles, are created or photographed specially for
on the idea without being bothered by any technical each composition, because I need the object I want in
issues. Of course, this usually does not lead to a
masterpiece, but a sketch that shows all of the objects
the image consists of in the right places in proper
perspective is good enough!
phototechmag.com 13
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TECH:
well-balanced light with a certain focal length scene. The cloth is thin cotton tissue without
from a clearly determined perspective −too many any design, which will work as the background
attributes for reasonable archival storage. material for the mapping later. I masked the studio
scene and combined it with the architectural
When all parts of the image are photographed or photograph and started to cover the real façade
rendered, I begin to combine the individual parts with parts of an old concrete wall. The concrete
and forge a new image that looks like all of one pieces were transformed and darkened by a levels
piece. Even the smallest things are important, be- adjustment layer where necessary.
cause nobody would ever think that it is necessary
to draw a shadow for a detail only three pixels in In the next step, I photographed the white hang-
size. But if this isn’t done, it would look fake! ing cotton cloth. After masking it, the image was
saved as a matrix. Then I used the displace filter,
There is still one of the most difficult things to which requires the matrix in order to know how
handle during the process of creation: determining far the pixels of the facade should be displaced.
when to stop. There is always something to im- The darker the pixel, the further the displacement
prove or to change, but looking at the entirety of of the pixel. I used a different closeup shot from
the image, it is necessary to say “No” in order not the façade and applied the same filter used for the
to lose control. cloths in the foreground.
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Product Resources
Cameras: Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Lenses: Canon EF 20mm
1:2 8L, Canon EF 24-70mm 1:2 8L USM, Canon EF 70-200mm
1:2 8L IS USM; Studio Flash: Broncolor; Mobile Flash: Metz 45
CL2; Computer: Mac Pro 4x2, Macbook Pro; Software: Adobe
Photoshop CS4 & CS5, Maxon Cinema4D R12, Filter Forge 2.0,
QBrushes.
Sky Train
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PORTFOLIO:
Jesse Alexander:
Iconic Images of
Motor Racing’s Heyday
from a Master Photographer
Chuck Graham
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Giacomo Agostini, champion motorcycle rider, is posing on his bike at a slow speed, shot from the back of a convertible FLAT, a perfect solution for capturing
the action and facial expression. The camera was a Leica and the shutter speed was probably 1/60th.
phototechmag.com 17
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PORTFOLIO:
The Ferrari mechanic is holding the signboard to tell the driver his race position, and I hold the camera on him as I push the
button when the car passes. This is an example of a lucky shot when the image works. Shot with a 35mm Leica and a 50mm.
Shutter speed is probably 1/125th- perhaps slower, as the car is quite blurred.
His iconic images are currently appearing in galleries in- CG: When did it become a career?
cluding the Patty Look Lewis Gallery in Santa Barbara,
CA the Peter Fetterman Gallery in Santa Monica, CA and JA: When I went to Europe in 1954. I needed to earn
the Staley+Wise Gallery in New York. some money. I had a friend who had a car magazine, so
he wanted me to send him photographs from Europe. It
“I feel very fortunate,” said Alexander as we discussed began to steamroll from there.
his life’s work over lunch at Sly’s Restaurant in downtown
Carpinteria, where more of his work is prominently dis- CG: You photographed at Le Mans in 1965 for News-
played. “I’ve had a great life, and I’m still going strong.” week. What was the biggest challenge for you shooting
Here are some highlights of our conversation: that race?
Chuck Graham: What attracted you first, motorsports JA: It’s a 24-hour race, shooting at night. It’s a photo-
or photography? grapher’s delight because it usually rains, so you get
wonderful wet imagery and good action. There was a
Jesse Alexander: I’ve always been attracted to huge crowd there like a county fair.
automobiles. My dad had an old Packard. They were
awesome. CG: How did you go about choosing which races you
wanted to photograph?
CG: What was the draw to photographing motorsports?
JA: Back then I didn’t have to choose. I always had an
JA: I was photographing an activity which I really en- assignment. My favorite tracks are Spa in Belgium and
joyed. It was exciting. I didn’t really have any sense of a Nürburgring in Germany. Access was never a problem.
career, or any ambition of making a career out of photo- I worked for magazines who gave me a letter from the
graphy. It was fun just hanging out next to the cars. editor. Once one establishes a reputation, access is
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The drivers are running to their race cars in a Le The portrait of Sir Stirling Moss was taken in practice for the 1958 Italian
Mans type start at the 1959 1000 Kilometers of the Grand Prix at Monza. The camera was a Rollieflex, and the shutter speed
Nürburging. There was time for just one frame and was 1/125th. The Rollie was a great portrait tool – beautiful negatives and
then wait until the cars begin to roll to click another even more beautiful black and white prints.
shot to make a sequence.
never a problem. However, this is not true today, as the or her enthusiasm. Pictures taken from the grandstand
freelance photographer is up against stiff competition can often be as exciting as those taken from the pits.
from the numerous agencies. It’s a different world today.
One thing that's important is that I welcomed rain. The
CG: What kind of camera gear were you working with combination of a slower shutter speed with water coming
back then? off the tires was a natural. I used the Leica F Series
and Kodak Super XX at 400 ISO max. Kodachrome was
JA: Beginning in the 1950s, a Leica Rangefinder, and an wonderful, and you really had to pay attention to
old Rolleiflex Twin Lens medium format camera, which metering. After all these years, those slides still look
took beautiful negatives. Later on it was Canon SLR great today.
cameras. Film, I was using Super Double X, Kodak’s Tri-
X Film and Ektachrome. My last film camera was a Canon CG: You used to process your own film when you were
EOS 1N. I went to digital five years ago. Now I’m using a working with black and white negatives?
Canon 5D Mark II. I’ve used Canon equipment since they
began. The lenses are great. JA: In the early days I did have my own darkroom. I’d
airmail images to New York where the magazines were.
CG: What types of techniques did you use to photo- The result was archives of images. It’s very hard to throw
graph races? away stuff.
JA: Often times I did not want to freeze the action— CG: You are mainly a self-taught photographer, but who
shutter speeds are a creative tool. Speeds as low as a were some of your early influences in the field?
60th or a 30th of a second were perfect. Today the pros
use much slower shutter speeds. It all comes down to JA: Edward Steichen’s photojournalism of World War II
the creative skills of the guy behind the camera and his battlefields was great, as was Robert Frank’s post World
phototechmag.com 19
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PORTFOLIO:
Sir Stirling Moss is practicing for the Belgian Grand Prix in the rain at Spain 1955. I am panning my Leica with a 50 mm lens.
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Books
In After Photography, a Fascinating Look at the Perils and Possibilities of Photography in a Digital Age (W.W. Norton and
Company, 2010) author Fred Richin takes the reader on a journey observing ways digital imaging has affected and altered the way
people receive visual information. I originally took this book out of the library to read, but after a brief look, I realized I must buy this
book. It is best taken in small carefully read doses. Written in essay format, the book raises many questions about digital photography,
questions that require thought before answering. Fred Richin is former picture editor of the New York Times, professor of photography
and imaging at NYU, and the director of PixelPress. www.pixelpress.org
Studying Photography, A Survival Guide by Douglas Holleley (Clarellen, 2010) is just that. I wish I had had this 121 page paperback
when I was a young undergraduate photo student. The book is a manual for the student of photography, from navigating the ‘ways of
academia’ right up to good practices, copyright and the law. It’s written with humor and experience and illustrated the same way. What
type of student are you? “A Feedback Junkie” or maybe “The Eternally Disappointed” one? Go to www.clarellen.com and order a copy
for your favorite photography student.
Publish Your Photography Book by Darius D. Himes and Mary Virginia Swanson (Princeton Architectural Press, 2010) takes readers
on a journey to understand the process of producing and publishing a photography book. Covering the history of photo books through
marketing avenues and more, it offers a wealth of information and resources for photographers contemplating making their own photo
book. www.papress.com
phototechmag.com 21
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NEWS:
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Knowing that light travels slower in water than air is the first step toward
understanding the magic behind the luminous photography of Christy Lee Rogers.
Rogers is a photographer and filmmaker from the island of Oahu, Hawaii. In her
hands the play of light, water, color, movement and optics combine in elegant
underwater photographs. Her new series, Odyssey, explores the quiet battle between
spirit and flesh, depicting inner adventures and couplings of mythological figures
drenched in color and frozen in time. Rogers’ methods have long been as mysterious
as her photography, but for the first time she is willing to share them here.
phototechmag.com 23
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PORTFOLIO:
Rogers has been experimenting and pursuing this that would allow me to deliver the images I had already
process for over seven years. All of her images are conceived. But it had to be a way that wouldn’t dilute
created in camera and not by the use of post-production them or concede to the limitations of reality.”
manipulation. Instead she relies on the elegant physics
of water and light to aid in the creation of her other- With two major bodies of work completed, Rogers
worldly images, employing the light deviation be- describes her initial intentions for the work: the ideas
tween a body of water and the air above it. With which set her on this path. She wanted to express a
refraction as the foundation for her work, Rogers has sense of wonder and tranquility, to provide some solace
succeeded in crafting unique and mysterious images. for people from their occasionally hectic and relentless
This mechanism, which she has explored tirelessly, is lives. These motifs appear throughout her oeuvre. Her
deceptively simple: light moves more quickly through latest series has yet to be shown in its entirety. It’s quite
air than water. possible that Odyssey is it, the body of work that will
complete her own personal Odyssey.
Light bends when it passes from a substance of one
density into a substance of a different density—this is In an art world seemingly saturated with post-modern,
called refraction. Rainbows are caused by refraction self-aware, or process-based work, it is refreshing to
and reflection of the sun’s rays in drops of rain. Have meet an artist who believes in art’s power to penetrate
you ever tried swimming down to the bottom of a reality and inspire us, a Classical idea, which is at the
pool to retrieve something and realized that it was core of the work. Rogers firmly and wonderfully be-
not where it appeared to be from above? What you’re lieves that beauty can change man.
experiencing is refraction.
In order to achieve a sort of photographic mise-en-
Rogers utilizes this phenomenon of light as it passes scène, she had to find a new way to create her images.
from the air, which has a lower optical density, into the They couldn’t be fictitious, as that would undermine
water, with a higher optical density. In air light travels at her intent to demonstrate that there are still mysterious,
about 186,000 miles per second, but in water light travels impossibly beautiful things on Earth—not solely in our
only about 140,000 miles per second. She then causes imaginations. The work of a true artist lies in manifesting
subtle motions in the layers of the water or with her their inner world externally. To accomplish this she
subject to create her effect. There is a fine line between turned to water. “It became an obsession of mine to
disaster and perfection. If used correctly these effects communicate through my art that there was more to
can produce fantastic optical illusions: intensification man than a body controlled by the peculiar nature of
of colors, blurring, blending and a painting-like final the physical universe; that he or she was more capable
image. “I feel like a magician, except I’m not trying than ever imagined. I dedicated most of my time to
to trick or fool people but to open their minds to conceptualizing and planning how to communicate
something that’s not always visible to the eye.” The that message.”
combination of body and wind movement increases
the volatility of an already fragile environment. Rogers To accurately execute her latest body of work Odyssey,
accounts for this chaos and captures it in these moving, Rogers started by keeping notes of her ideas and in-
striking images. spirations in notebooks that travelled with her wher-
ever she went. During this period she scoured the
As light changes medium, its angle changes and its streets, beaches, forests and thrift shops for props that
velocity decreases or increases with fascinating con- would help animate her vision. She also began to search
sequences. Rogers’ mastery of this phenomenon allows for subjects. She met with many artists, musicians,
her to create sun-dappled figures afloat in dim waters, dancers and selected a group for their authenticity,
and figures whose clothes take on a Baroque complexity their willingness to improvise and experiment and for
and vibrancy. Through this very sensitive process, the way they inspired her to do the same.
she has found a myriad of ways to create images,
manipulating only water depth, light and movement. Months of planning and sketching would pass before
Despite the highly technical source of the effect, Rogers she felt prepared for her first Odyssey experiment. For
is only interested in the science insofar as it allows her this series Rogers used a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and
to express herself through her art. “It’s a means to an a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, depending on the shoot.
end. I’m interested in whatever allows me to produce Working alone, she employed halogen spotlights and
my vision, and I had to search for and perfect a method any available light sources from the pool and above.
Star Crossed
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PORTFOLIO:
“I need to work alone with my subject, in peace and Only a visionary such as Rogers could take refrac-
quiet with no restraints or distractions. The water is tion as a point of departure and from it create such
distracting enough and the process requires total evocative work. The unique environment, trusting
focus.” Rogers typically spends three to five hours models and ancient mythology coalesce into these
with her subjects, starting by preparing them for tremendously powerful photographs. Her endless
the technical difficulties of performing underwater, ingenuity has produced images which are distinctly
lightly discussing her process beforehand since her own and a style which accentuates the potency
there is very little time for her subjects to talk once of her work.
the shoot has begun, and most importantly, ensur-
ing that her subjects are relaxed and ready to open Duncan Beebe is a writer and gallerist in Santa Monica, CA. He has
written for such publications as Eyemazing, ArtLA and Fingernails.
up. “I don’t give too much instruction because He is currently writing his forthcoming novel, With Abandon, a work
I don’t want to overwhelm them. I want them to concerned with family, identity and loss.
experience the beautiful weightlessness of the water Christy Lee Rogers grew up in a family of musicians in the small
and to react naturally.” beach town of Kailua, Hawaii on Oahu’s windward coast. She is a
self-taught visual artist, indie-filmmaker, poet and musical lyricist.
Her work is currently represented by and on exhibit at Barclay’s
Each novel moment that her subject encounters Club in Monaco, outside of France; James Gray Gallery, Bergamot
Station in Santa Monica, CA; Laura Rathe Fine Art in Houston, TX;
during their exploration of the new environment is Graphite Galleries in New Orleans, LA and Cedar Street Galleries
an opportunity for Rogers to capture the portrait and Fine Art Associates in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Visit www.christyrogers.com
that she’s been seeking. With a carload of props and
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
fabrics, Rogers experiments with every possible Forum: www.phototechforum.com
object she can find, including tree branches, vines,
Product Resources
costumes, masks, flags, knives, body paints, ropes, Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EOS-1Ds Mark
yarn, Christmas tinsel, hula hoops and even toy III; Computer: Apple MacBook Pro; Software: Adobe
sharks. “Each color and prop, as simple as it may Photoshop CS3, Canon Digital Photo Professional
Software.
be, is an integral part of my character’s story.”
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Redefining High-End
Wedding Photography
28 photo technique M/J 2011
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Many wedding photographers work with an established scenario carried out in a predictable way.
Kevin Then, however, is a photographer whose work redefines the genre of high-end wedding
photography. Named Hasselblad Master under the Wedding Social category in 2008, Then has
continued to demonstrate aesthetic brilliance and command of the latest photographic technological
developments in fashion and design. The result is an international client base and invitations to
speak about what he does to raise the bar for excellence in wedding photography.
Some photographers, especially those whose work is recognized internationally, may find that a
particular style is associated with their name. Then has picked up the title, at least in a number of
online blogs, as the “Master of Romanticism.” It’s title he can live with, he said in a recent interview
with photo technique. What follows is what Then explained about creating the amazing images
that have built his international reputation.
phototechmag.com 29
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FEATURE:
KT: I think that the term “romanticism” does describe the intense
feelings I have always had while shooting. It later became my style.
Working to achieve an image that is both dramatic and majestic
turned out to be considered romantic.
PT: You are also known for using Hasselblad equipment. Do you
have a formal relationship with Hasselblad?
KT: I’m involved in their promotion for the launch of one of their
newest models, the Hasselblad H4D-40. I’m proud to say that I am
one of three photographers chosen worldwide for this promotion
and the only Asian.
PT: When you create an image, is the concept decided before the
shoot, or does it develop during the shoot, or both?
KT: Well, I would say both. In handling each individual task involved
in the shoot, I always take the time to review the location beforehand.
This might be my principle responsibility for success in my job. While
I am at the location, there are some aspects that I have to attend to,
such as the lighting source, the view and surrounding environment
to produce the most brilliant and desired photograph.
KT: Mostly, I am the one selecting the location. Even though a site
may be suggested by my clients, I always look at the bigger picture
to see how it might work for them. In this situation, I do give my
opinion to them, in a way to let them have another option to consider,
Fantasy
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phototechmag.com 31
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FEATURE:
KT: For example, in the image of the model in the forest KT: My interest in photography and the enthusiasm and
Fantasy, my concept in setting up the lighting is using a satisfaction I get from my passion for photography has
main light source at a 45 degree angle in front and an motivated me to keep on improving myself, especially in
additional backlight directly behind the subject. For The my photographic skills.
Inner Side, there are equal amounts of lighting set both
behind and in front of the subject to create the desired
image. I also use available light as a light source. In fact,
that’s one of my favorite sources of light. I always attempt Kevin Then, born into a family of artists, received a degree in
Hotel Management from Stamford College, Singapore. He began
to make use of every source of light and element available photographing with his brother-in-law and was amazed and inspired
for the image during a location shoot. to make a career change. With professional partner Kenneth Lau,
Then has operated a wedding studio for almost a decade. Visit ___
www.
sgbridalhouse.com and www.hasselblad.com.
__________
PT: Do you work with a staff to help with the shoots?
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
Forum: www.phototechforum.com
KT: To me, a perfect well-captured shoot can only be
done with the help and effort of everyone on my team. Product Resources
In the same breath, it is just like a family working hand in Camera: Hasselblad H4D 40; Lenses: 150mm, 28mm, 80mm;
hand to produce a majestic image that every one of our Lighting: Bowen Travel Kit GM 500 with reflector.
team has imagined.
(Right) Blessing
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phototechmag.com 33
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TECH:
Oak Tree
Adding textures to paintings and photographs is chanical process. Experimentation is key, and we
as old as these art forms. This article focuses on always try to get surprised. You will learn that
artistic aspects of Texture Blending, starting with a good textures are as important as your so-called
brief overview. main images. We create new textures all the time
by photographing, collecting from the web (always
Texture Blending Overview respecting copyrights) and Texture Blending of
With film, photographers created texture blended textures. It is not easy to get textures of a good
images by exposing multiple times with different resolution. Sometimes texture resolution does not
textures and the main images. It could also be matter, but then in other cases it does. Making
done by creating sandwiches of different negatives textures smaller is easy, but you cannot create
or blending in camera. Today the process is much artificial resolution.
easier to control by using Photoshop.
Photos and Paintings
The idea is to blend a picture with one or more Do we want to create images that look like paintings?
textures and let the result become more than the We don’t really think that way. But in some ways,
sum of the photos used. For us, Texture Blending our images have a certain painterly look. When
is always an exploration process. This is done pri- we work on our images, we think about enhancing
marily by utilizing Photoshop’s Blending Modes to their visual impact and not what painters would
blend the images. Texture Blending in not a me- do. We always think about the mood of the photos.
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Now the photo looks more like how we felt while capturing the scene. The posture is the key element, the boring background gone
and the shoes well-hidden.
phototechmag.com 35
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TECH:
Abstraction
We like the image because it is quite abstract. What we see is actually compressed cardboard at a local recycling yard. In this case, the B&W
conversion was created using our special B&W texture with frame. Both the main image and the texture image were taken with an iPhone.
These are the handrails of some stairs in Monterey, CA. We found We also like to create some more surreal looking images, like this one
the original photo “too clean.” In contrast, the blended photo based on a realistic photograph of the Contemporary Jewish Museum
invokes a more interesting “mood.” We used a photo of a dirty in San Francisco. Again the boring sky and the too clean look made the
wall for the texture. photo uninteresting, though we liked the framing. The texture this time
is a blurred version of a different beach photo.
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When the image is blended, the trees can On one hand, you have to photograph these trees against the sky to show their beautiful shape
show why they are special. and on the other hand, it is hard even to imagine the ideal sky.
__________________
This photo looks like an old etching. We had no intention of simulating an etching look, but
this was the result of our exploration process. The original photo was a digital infrared photo
taken with an IR modified camera. The texture used is a photograph of the metal fish container
surface in Monterey.
References
Digital Outback Photo
www.outbackphoto.com
German photographer Uwe Steinmueller and his wife and partner Bettina came to live and work in the
United States over a decade ago. They concentrate on taking photos for fine art prints, mainly nature and
urban landscapes. Owner and editor of Digital Outback Photo (www.outbackphoto.com), Steinmueller has
authored numerous books and articles about digital workflow.
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online Forum: www.phototechforum.com
phototechmag.com 37
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INNOVATIONS:
Promote Control
A Full Featured Time Machine
If you are a photographer who takes time-lapse photography or HDR sequences, this
is a camera timing device that fits your needs. This is far more than an electronic cable
release−this is a time manager. The Promote Control comes in a sturdy hard case with
two cables. There is an optional camera specific cable that really needs to be purchased
in order to fully use the capabilities of the control options.
First, you can focus the camera from the device, providing you use both cables. One
Shot Mode is pretty much what other cable release systems have. However, it is in the
other modes the Promote Control excels.
In Time Lapse mode, you can set exposure, the interval between images, the number of
frames and even set a delayed starting time.
After determining your mid-exposure through test shots, change the Promote Control
to HDR Mode. Set up the EV difference from 0.3 EV to 2 EV. Then set the number of
exposures. You can also set a Time Lapse repeat of the sequence. You have the option
of starting the sequence from the midtone, the lowest shadow or the brightest highlight.
Hit Start and Promote Control runs the entire sequence. For exposures over 30 seconds,
you need the camera-specific cable, as well (another reason its purchase isn’t really an
option). Promote Control will handle exposures up to 1/4000th of a second.
Promote Control also has a Hyperfocal Distance calculator. Set the desired hyperfocal
distance, select the focal length, choose a crop factor and Promote Control gives you
the correct f-stop. It will also reverse calculate by choosing the f-stop and then give you
the hyperfocal distance.
You can even do Time Lapse HDR creating a combination of HDR sequence exposures
and different HDR series at time intervals.
The unit runs on two AA batteries and costs $329.00. The needed camera specific cable
is an additional $18.95. For more information, contact www.promotesystems.com.
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INNOVATIONS:
How it works
A photographer uploads a digital file to the lab. The file is exposed
onto photographic paper at the lab using laser exposure in a
digital enlarger. After exposure, the paper is machine processed
in print processing chemicals, and the result is a digitally exposed
black and white silver-halide print. Although they look and feel
exactly like traditional photographic prints, the real difference lies
in the emulsion technology. These emulsions are panchromatic,
and optimized for digital laser exposure. Luden’s lab uses Ilford
Ilfospeed RC Digital and Galerie FB Digital papers and exposes
them with a Durst Theta 51 digital enlarger. This sophisticated
digital lab system uses a modified laser designed for true black
and white printing from digital files. Imaging is at 400 pixels per
inch, and prints may be made up to 20" wide and 15 feet long. The
paper is machine processed in standard darkroom chemicals,
then washed to produce archival silver images. Fiber base prints
get an additional wash to ensure the permanence of the prints. PocketWizard Expands
DSI offers sepia and selenium toning and protective wax coatings
as additional services.
Control of Portable Flashes
and Studio Strobes
When the lab does the conversions, a digital proof is sent back to PocketWizard has added two new accessories to their radio
the photographer for approval before printing. Files are RGB (not control Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 remote flash controls.
grayscale) at their native resolution. Uncompressed JPG, TIF, or
RAW formats are accepted. Luden’s team extensively uses NIK The AC3 ZoneController allows you to set up to three flashes
Silver Efex Pro 2 for color to black and white conversions. Well in separate zones and control both the lighting ratio and
known for innovative digital workflow solutions, NIK incorporated the power of the flash itself from simple dials on top of the
special algorithms in the software that translate into user-friendly camera. The three separate dials work using an Auto setting
darkroom-inspired tools. that controls E-TTL output for each of the three flashes.
Each flash can be changed from +3 to -3 power in 1/3 EV
When asked about comparing prints made in a regular dark- increments. Even more impressive is the fact that more than
room vs. using the digital enlarger, Luden said, “Even with the one flash can be assigned to a zone. The ZoneController fits
best of master printers in the traditional darkroom, there is no on top of a Mini TT1 transmitter and each flash unit needs a
way to reproduce a silver print exactly from print to print, and Flex TT5 receiver attached to each flash. In manual mode,
there is the beauty of that uniqueness to a ‘handmade’ print. the AC3 ZoneController can control actual flash power from
With digital printing, however, there are ways you can open up 1/64th to full. This unit works with both Nikon and Canon
shadows and control highlights in the file itself, so once you cameras.
have that, using digital workflow, you can get repeatability from
print to print. We’re able to provide something that isn’t available But there is more. PocketWizard has also introduced the
to photographers and that’s the traditional darkroom print—we’re AC9 studio strobe adapter that works with Alien Bees, White
helping people learn to see in black and white again.” Lightning, and Elinchrom RX studio strobes. The unit sits on
top of a Flex TT5 and attaches to the studio strobes via an
Resources: Ethernet cable. A plug is used to disable the optical slave unit.
Digital Silver Imaging, www.digitalsilverimaging.com; Durst, Using this system with the AC3 ZoneController allows you to
www.durstus.com; Harman Technology Ltd., www.ilfordphoto. control studio lights in up to three zones independently from
com; NIK Software, www.niksoftware.com
___ the top of your camera. The AC3 ZoneController costs $79
and the AC9 Strobe Adapter costs $62. The camera requires
a Mini TT1 or Flex TT5, and each individual flash requires its
own Flex TT5 receiver.
phototechmag.com 39
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Bridge at Nevada Hairpin, July 28, 2010. The old hairpin turn on the Nevada side, the bridge structurally complete and the illuminated sky of the
Las Vegas metro area.
It is at the intersections of nature and the hand of man that found interesting was fair game. Thus it was one evening
the greatest visual, philosophical, environmental and political in March 2009 that we drove over Hoover Dam and
energy exists. At these intersections, we discover something encountered the bridge under construction starting its
important about ourselves and our relationship to the world. aerial journey across the Black Canyon of the Colorado
River. I had not previously known about the bridge and
Early in the first quarter of 2009, the studio phone went the Hoover Dam Bypass. Our immediate decision to
silent; no portfolio requests, estimates, or assignments. spend another day and evening photographing at the
Nothing. I have been through a few recessions and each dam and bridge has resulted in one of the fullest and
has presented a new and unique set of challenges. The richest creative experiences of my career.
Great Recession of 2009 would be no different.
The evolving bridge sparked my imagination. Watching
I decided immediately to capitalize on the slow period, the bridge’s construction, especially at night, was both
turn it to my advantage creatively, if not financially. “Let’s inspiring and captivating. I needed to find a way to re-
go on a photo road trip!” I said to photographer Mike turn to photograph the bridge. But how could I gain
Sakas, my good friend and first assistant. Anything we access? Headed by the Federal Highway Administration,
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PORTFOLIO:
(FHWA) responsible parties for the Hoover Dam Bypass politics of successfully completing a federal/state/private
Project included several federal agencies, the Arizona and infrastructure project ultimately prevented my access to
Nevada departments of transportation and several private make these portraits. In order to maintain the limited
contractors. Construction had been ongoing for years. No access I did have to the construction alignment, I needed
doubt, all their systems were firmly in place, including to follow policies, procedures and protocol meticulously.
policies and procedures for photography. The ultimate benefit of being road-blocked on two of
three creative directions was that I became free to pursue
I concluded my best bet was to secure an editorial assign- the landscape body of work with even more dedication
ment and felt intuitively The New York Times Magazine and passion.
would be an excellent fit. They might appreciate the photo-
graphic aesthetic emerging in the first few images and The bridge, Black Canyon and Hoover Dam became a
grant me the freedom to pursue this vision. With the help three-dimensional chessboard of sorts. We poured over
of Sharpe+Associates, my reps, we approached the mag- satellite photos to better understand the terrain’s com-
azine. As luck would have it, the pending architectural plexities. With the cooperation of the BOR, Mike Sakas
issue would be on national infrastructure. With a small and I scrambled up and down ridges and cliffs to scout
guarantee for first editorial rights and a letter of assign- prospective viewpoints in the summer’s 122º heat. We
ment, I made my plans. charted the sun’s path, thought strategically about im-
portant stages of construction and the best points of
I learned the policies, procedures and limitations of view. From this research a matrix evolved throughout the
photographing the bridge. Most of my ground-based ac- project to develop the photo essay by continually adding
cess came through proper permitting with the Bureau of interest, variety and insight.
Reclamation (BOR) at Hoover Dam. More limited entry
within the construction alignment came by carefully follow- A construction site active 24/7 and lit at night had a sur-
ing established procedures and protocol with the Federal real quality. The key was to photograph the bridge in a
Highway Administration. Six days of photography in two visually evocative and compelling way while respecting
trips culminated with a dawn helicopter flight over and personal aesthetic sensibilities. Constant technical care
around the bridge. and attention to detail was necessary for success. Anything
could prevent a photograph from reaching its potential.
The New York Times Magazine was very thin in June 2009.
Advertising pages were down with a corresponding de- Step one was to eliminate potential vibration during ex-
crease in editorial content. However, the newly redesigned posures. I needed to worry about wind, movement on
magazine included one full-page aerial image of the bridge scaffolding and the special requirements of long telephoto
as “Endpaper: Bridge to Somewhere,” along with nine lenses. I obtained Gitzo’s most robust carbon fiber tripod
photos in their online edition. The coverage was well re- and ball head.
ceived. Initial relationships and procedures were estab-
lished. In mid-June, I made the decision to pursue the Second, I needed to ensure accurate focus in low light
bridge as a long-term personal project, eschewing the scenarios. I switched to manual focusing using Canon’s
editorial support of other publications in exchange for Live View mode at maximum magnification.
complete creative freedom.
Third, I tracked my optimal primary exposure both
I wanted to create three separate bodies of work: a doc- aesthetically and using the camera’s histogram. Then I
umentary essay in the midst of construction, a “studio on bracketed exposures to allow for greater dynamic range
location” portrait series, and the continued observation during imaging work on the computer. In an ideal world
of the bridge within the landscape of Hoover Dam for nighttime photography, I would have utilized a four
and Black Canyon. I was not granted access for a doc- or five exposure bracket, but because the camera would
umentary essay on the bridge’s construction. Citing safety only allow for three exposures automatically, I chose the
and proprietary concerns, this option was taken off the expeditious route. My exposure bracketing varied from
table. For over a year, I actively pursued permission to +/- 2 to +/- 1 stop(s) from my primary exposure.
create the portrait series, even driving to Denver in a
January snowstorm to present a formal proposal to the Fourth, I butted up against the optical limitations of
Federal Highway Administration. But the complexity and some lenses. Lenses that are fine for everyday assign-
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Aerial View, June 30, 2009. Morning clouds on the eastern horizon.
phototechmag.com 43
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PORTFOLIO:
Between June 2009 and January 2011, I made more than Product Resources
a dozen trips to the bridge, racking up almost 40 days Camera: Canon 5D Mark II; Canon Lenses: 17-40mm f/4L
and nights of photography in the process. The photo USM, 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, 24mm f/1.4L USM, 35mm f/1.4L
USM, 50mm f/1.2L USM, 70-200mm f/2.8L USM, 85mm f/1.2L
essay that developed from my initial encounter allowed USM, 300mm f/4L IS USM, 400mm f/4L IS USM; Zeiss Lenses:
me to meld photographic and aesthetic sensibilities with Distagon T 18mm f/3.5, Makro-Planar 50mm f/2, Makro-Planar
100mm f/2; Tripod: Gitzo GT5561, GT3541 XLS Head; Computer:
a reawakened sense of childhood curiosity and awe. The Apple MacBook Pro, Apple Mac Pro 2; Software: Adobe
bridge as subject has been creatively and technically Photoshop CS5, Adobe Lightroom 3; Other: Kenyon KS-6 Gyro
Stabilizer Kit, Tamrac Big Wheels Rolling Backpack-LP8, Tamrac
challenging, dynamic and transitory. Over the two years Aero Speed Pack 75.
of the project, as the bridge evolved, each visit required
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My fascination with light started early in my life. When circles on the bazaar’s floor, reflection of colored
I was about five years old, I was sitting in a room by a windows in daytime and the last moments of a fiery
window with shuttered heavy curtains, leaving only a sunset in a Persian Gulf port where I used to live,
small distance in between them, where a miracle was I could see light declaring its inimitable splendor
happening: I could see the movement of dust in the over and over.
air. I was mesmerized, not just by seeing the dust, but
feeling something powerful and beautiful for the first That childhood fascination has paved its way to
time: light. be the central theme of my work as an abstract
photographer. But unlike the usual process in
I left the room, not knowing that for years to come light photography where light is the modest messenger
would keep stealing my attention. And from the light of a story, in my work light itself becomes the
phototechmag.com 45
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PORTFOLIO:
storyteller and objects become the messengers let- the dominant subjects of the photographs. None of
ting light expand its playful presence on them. Light the viewers of my earlier photos had an “image”
is truly the “subject” of my works. It comes from my of light as my actual subject in their mind or any-
urge to share the way I see and experience the thing of that nature to compare my work to, or
world around me, a world full of light moving, turn- to feel the importance of light, regardless of the
ing, twisting and dancing on different surfaces and object in the picture. No matter how I would play
spaces with everything else in view as a background. with the contrast, color, brightness or sharpness
during photography, the results failed to com-
The process I use in taking photographs wasn’t municate the essence of what I wanted to reveal.
developed overnight. My earlier efforts to capture Therefore, my effort of giving subjectivity to light
light through photography were total failures. seemed impossible.
Although I was trying to record light, the results were
pictures of still objects such as chair, table or curtain; This struggle went on until little by little I discovered
I needed the objects to capture the reflections, that if I take pictures with longer shutter speeds
to use them as the medium. But somehow those and move the camera, shapes of objects start to
“preset subjects” could easily become the center of break and the border between them fades. They
attention of my pictures, and light would become are still there, letting the light reflect on them and
merely a tool to depict them. announce its playful existence, but the deformed
objects cannot dominate the attention of the photo
The cause of my dilemma is simple: light does anymore. I constantly try to dominish the objects
not create a distinct mental portrait. Potentially in my photos, abating their structural presence to
and historically, light has always been the modest magnify the qualities of light that is shaded on them.
medium for portraits of other people or things. And This opens the opportunity to see new things, feel
those portraits and their stories effortlessly become new things, an abstract ethereal world free from
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phototechmag.com 47
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