The Creative Image–Cell Phone Photographs and Cyanotype Prints

Leave a comment October 8, 2019 teachesphoto

By Joyce Wilson©

Fall is in the air, and the crazy, hectic summer is behind us.  For the past five years, I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring teenagers in an alternative photography program hosted by the Santa Barbara non-profit The Arts Fund .  These budding artists are so enthusiastic about photography, ready to explore and learn.  This summer, I showed them how to use some creative iPhone apps and we added cyanotypes to the program.

The cyanotype process was hands down the favorite. We all watched the magic happen as the prints developed and I loved their joy at experiencing this for the first time.

Cyanotype History

During the 1840’s, many photographic printing processes were developed.  The Cyanotype process, invented by Sir John Herschel, proved to be of rare value.  Anna Atkins used the Cyanotype process in 1843 for botanical studies.  She produced the first part of what eventually became the three-volume (very) limited edition of Photography of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions.

Vintage Anna Adkins Cyanotypes

The Cyanotype process was not used often.  However, in the 1850’s, Henri Le Secq did do some experimenting and published some new formulas.  In the 1860’s the Parisian firm Marion & Cie. made a Cyanotype paper for blue printing, engineers and draftsmen.  This paper was used as a method of copying drawings and specifications.

From Keepers of Light by William Crawford

Old & New – Let’s Explore

With digital technology now the norm, there is renewed interest among artists and young photographers in vintage techniques, and many of these early processes are showing up in exhibitions and websites as photographers seek for new and exciting ways to express themselves.

The old is new—and it’s back!

There is no denying new technology. Just as we got comfortable with digital cameras and Photoshop, the genius geeks gave us cell phone cameras. iPhoneography is incredible and we now have a tiny computer capable of magic right inside our cell phone.   Ronna Schary, in Los Angeles, introduced me to the cell phone camera 10 years ago. It’s great to be able to capture the decisive moment when I don’t have my “real” camera with me.   Ronna is a wizard with iPhoneographs—check out her Instagram posts at https://www.instagram.com/ronnaschary/.

So grab your camera and your iPhone and get excited about new adventures, experimenting and learning interesting techniques to make photography fun.

Images taken with my Apple iPhone 5 –not a fancy new one—but how cool! I used the Tintype app (an add-on of Hipstamatic.)  They really look like old tintypes, and color and sharpness can be adjusted.  Download and experiment. You’ll get hooked

How’s this for an abstract and altering reality? I used the Insta Booth app. The left image was then altered again using the Tintype app.  My friend, Carol Andrews in Houston, hooked me on this one.

 

Cyanotype

This old world process is having a wonderful resurgence in popularity.  Blue, gray, black and white are the current trends of color for décor and fashion, so hop on this bandwagon while it’s hot.

The image in the middle is a portrait I took of Celine, one of my teen students.  Al Davalle, from the Chicago area, arrived in Santa Barbara the last day of the teen mentorship, saw the Cyanotypes and had to play.  The image on the left is Al’s wonderful abstract of a stairwell.  The image on right I took with the Insta Booth app, and created a Cyanotype.  I’ve had a wonderful summer, teaching and exploring old/new techniques, and excited to be an instructor for the Brooks Photo Workshops, working with other Brooks instructors to keep the Brooks’ legacy alive and continuing to inspire and energize photography lovers.

If you’re ready for an exciting hands-on session, come join me on November 2, 2019 for The Creative Image – Cell Phone Photographs and Cyanotype Prints.  Here’s the link for registration.   https://www.ernestbrooksfoundation.org/workshops.html

 

Till next time, remember, “Old is New and Blue is In”.

Joyce Wilson      jw@joycewilson.com    www.joycewilson.com

Travel Photography with Chuck Place

Leave a comment September 26, 2019 teachesphoto

Travel Photography is much more than shooting snapshots of your vacation. Images created during your travels should transport you back to the magic you felt as sunset light washes over an ancient Mayan pyramid or recall the drama of colorful powwow dancers as a late afternoon storm builds behind them in the distant mountains of New Mexico.

Join professional travel photographer Chuck Place in a new 6-week course in the Brooks at UCSB Program, learning to capture the magic of new places, people, events and flavors. Each 6-hour class will include a 2-3 hour location shoot here in Santa Barbara and then classroom lectures and assignment critiques covering such travel subjects as architecture, landscapes, people, activities and food.

Learn to capture memories and create images with impact. Join Chuck Place this fall and immerse yourself in Travel Photography.

Directing Your Models–A Photographer’s Guide

Leave a comment May 1, 2019 teachesphoto

Text and Photography by Chuck Place

On a recent Saturday, my workshop students and I spent the morning photographing produce, vendors and street musicians at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. I had found a vendor with an interesting face, nice display and a farm banner that hid their truck. I asked if I could photograph him and he looked at me for a moment and then said “Since you asked, yes”.

Give your subject something to do with their hands.

He immediately squared his shoulders, dropped his hands to his sides and stared at the camera. Where I had started with an animated vendor, I now had a ridged statue. This happens more often than not when I ask to photograph someone and it’s my job to turn them back into a living, breathing, engaged individual.

When photographing people, there is a check list in my head that I usually follow.

First, is the subject in the best light for a portrait?

Although this changes depending on what I want to say about the person or their job, I usually want diffused, horizontal light. Maybe I need to move them to a better location within their environment. Maybe they need to be turned slightly or moved only a foot. Don’t be shy about asking. This helps establish your authority on the shoot and their trust in you will quickly grow, especially if you explain why they will look better in the new position.

Find the best light within your set for a portrait.

Second, and equally important, do they have any mannerisms I can use?

Do they use their hands when they talk? Do they smile easily? Is there something unique in their mannerisms that I can incorporate into the image?

Watch for small mannerisms that you can use during posing.

Third, give your subject something to do with their hands.

Give them something to hold, something to move, something to pour. Make sure it is something they would normally do so it feels familiar. Give a subject something to do with their hands and they will visibly relax in front of your camera. It’s an easy fix.

Give your model something to hold. Be careful, of course, about what you give them.

Remember, photographing a model is a partnership between yourself and your subject. There has to be trust and respect and you only have 5 to 10 seconds to establish that trust. Show interest in the person and what they do. By showing interest in the individual, you encourage them to be themself, not just a photo target.

It sounds daunting, but each time you photograph a stranger, it becomes easier.

Some portraits are as much about the job they do as it is the individual.

Get the technical stuff worked out before you approach your subject. Give your model a role to play. Become the director. Careful! You may start to enjoy this.

For more on photographing people, see our blog post  “The Shy Photographer’s Guide To Putting Subjects At Ease”

Drone Photography–It’s All About Altitude

Leave a comment March 28, 2019 teachesphoto

Text and Photography by Chuck Place

Often I am asked if composing a photograph with a drone is the same as creating an image at ground level. It is similar, of course, but being able to make large adjustments to the altitude of a camera adds a whole new dimension to the process.

Low altitude aerial of Knapps Castle at sunrise

When I am out shooting landscapes, I use a tripod and continually adjust the camera height from 1 foot off the ground up to about 5 feet high. Some times, adjusting the camera up or down just a few inches can have a big impact on a composition.

Low altitude aerial of lake produces better reflections than a higher altitude

Imagine having a tripod that can extend from ground level to 400 feet with infinite adjustments in between. For that matter, any photographer that can carry a 400 foot tripod would be equally impressive.

Welcome to the age of photo drones!

In an earlier post on drone photography, I mentioned that I shoot within three general height brackets—Sky High, Way Up and Tall Photographer—that cover every altitude from 10 feet to 400 feet. Notice I keep stopping at 400 feet above ground level. In the United States, that is the maximum allowable altitude for a drone. Manned aircraft have a minimum altitude of 500–1000 feet. Only a fool, or someone who gives little thought to the safety of others, flies a drone higher than 400 feet above ground level.

Because most entry-level and prosumer drones have built in wide angle lenses, at low altitude, near objects appear larger than the same objects farther away and assume more visual importance, just as if you were shooting at ground level.

Low altitude aerial of windmill and vineyard produces the same wide angle lens effect as at ground level

As your drone climbs higher, everything is at a distance and appears proportional to their actual sizes. Buildings and roads may be revealed that were not visible from ground level. Patterns as well. The monitor on your controller will show you what the drone’s camera actually sees, but the screen is small and the image is not easy to view in strong sunlight. Just like ground-level photography, pre-visualization is critical.

High altitude aerial of coast shows greater range of sea cliffs

Pre-visualization is the key to most great photography and working with a camera drone is no different.

Block out the arrangement of components in your head so that the composition feels balanced. Fly your drone to an appropriate position and see how it looks. Usually you will fine-tune your composition by adjusting altitude or position to hide or reveal objects and then adjust your camera angle to control framing. Adjust exposure and shoot away. Then make a big change in your altitude and create a totally different image. That’s the beauty of a drone. You are working with a 10-400 foot tripod. Anything is possible.

Medium altitude aerial shows the pattern of marinas and boats in a harbor

If you are interested in drone photography, start cheap. Many photographers crash their first drone. Some crash their second and third drones. Learn to fly safely, then learn to shoot with a drone. It’s a great tool, but it can be tricky.

Future drone posts will examine camera angle and lighting direction. Check out our earlier drone post at https://santabarbaraphotographicworkshops.wordpress.com/2018/10/17/aerial-drone-photography-capturing-the-view-from-above/.

Stay safe out there.

Join A Location Photography Workshop In Spring 2019

1 Comment February 13, 2019 teachesphoto

Join professional magazine photographer Chuck Place for 5 fun location photo shoots on consecutive Saturday mornings starting March 23 in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country and Santa Barbara area. With input from Chuck, fine tune your photographic skills and develop a personal style while exploring towns, locations and events like Los Olivos, Solvang, La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, Figueroa Mountain and the Summer Solstice Parade or the Santa Barbara Harbor and Seafood Festival. 

Each photo shoot will be at a different location, depending on events and season. Get feedback on your images each week from Chuck and your fellow students and learn how a professional photographer approaches various subjects and lighting environments. Class size will be capped at 10 so that Chuck has plenty of time to spend with each student. See Class and Workshop Recommendations.

Tuition is $300. for all five weeks of the workshop payable at least three weeks in advance.

Cancellations two weeks or more before the start date will receive a full refund. Cancellations between one and two weeks before the start date will receive a 50% refund and there will be no refunds for cancellations the week before the start date. For more details, please e-mail Chuck at chuckplace@cox.net.