I’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to hopefully answer some of your questions. If you have some burning question that isn’t answered below just hit the button and let me know.
My camera and lenses are Canon. After carefully evaluating the many options, I chose them based upon what I thought would best suit my needs for the type of photography that I do. Please, don’t base your choices based solely on what someone else uses. Match up all the various options to your style of photography. Don’t get too hung up on gear. As Ansel Adams famously said, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” Having said all that, if you still want to know, you can see my list of gear here.
I primarily uses Adobe Lightroom (LR) and Photoshop (PS). I will sometimes use an old version of Nik filters especially Silver Efex Pro 2 as a starting point for my black and white images. However, I am doing more and more in LR and PS directly. I will switch back and forth between LR and PS as some things are easier to do in LR and there some things LR simply can’t do.
I have very little formal training. I took a 2-day Nikon School of Photography back in the 1980’s. It was a good foundational education in the basics of such things as composition, the exposure triangle, camera math etc. I was fortunate to have a friend who had his own darkroom so through him I was able to learn about film developing and making prints. More recently, I took a 2-day architectural photography workshop a few years ago. Most of the time it is just going out and trying new things. This is very much a trial and error experience. But as they say, you learn more from you mistakes than your successes.
You’re going to have to ask someone else to describe my style. Although I probably do have a style I really don’t know what it is. This is because I consciously don’t try to create a style or have the same style in all my photos. I know the “experts” say you need to have your own unique style. Personally, I find that too confining. I want to continually learn and grow and try new things.
I learned a lot through the help of others so I’m happy to pay it forward. Occasionally, I do give presentations, classes, or workshops generally through one of the photography clubs where I’m a member. I’m always happy to help, but trying to organize regular classes etc. just seems too much like a job. At this point in my life I’m not interested in a job at all.
I love talking about photography and this is a way of reaching out to others to start a conversation. You’ll find I’m very opinionated but love the debate. I think you’ll also find out that as the old saying goes; “I’m sometimes right, often wrong, but never in doubt”. Although I take photography seriously, I do try not to take myself too seriously. The other reason for the blog is that it gets my work out in the public, albeit in a very small way. Public exposure of your work is a wonderful method of getting feedback and critique.
I admit that I am biased towards B&W although not to the point of totally excluding color photography. What can I say? I love B&W. I just find more evocative and powerful than color. Color can often be distracting or can camouflage the important detail. I’ve always like what Fred R. Conrad, NY Times Staff Photographer – 1983, said about this: “Color is pretty, so you get pretty shots, in black and white, you have to have a subject.” B&W just takes us to the heart of the scene.
I have sold some photography and would love to sell more (check out my gallery and maybe buy something). Having sold some photos I guess that technically makes me a professional. However, for me, being a professional means you make your living or at least a significant part of your income from your work. I don’t. As I mentioned in the question about lessons and workshops, I’m not interested in a “job”. I want to do photography as it pleases me. If others like it, that’s fantastic but I’m okay if no one does. Working as a “professional” photographer means you have to be willing to photograph things based upon what sells. I prefer to do it based on what interests me.
I’ve chosen Pixels.com to host my gallery of photos and to handle order fulfillment should you choose to buy a print. I’ll do the fun stuff and let them handle the office-type stuff. Through Pixels.com you choose what size you’d like and what type of print (art print, metallic print, acrylic print, etc.). You can also choose to have them mat and frame the print if you’d like. In addition, they offer other products such as cards, coffee cups, and many other items with your selected art work on them.
I certainly hope that doesn’t happen. The good news is that my third-party fulfillment partner has a 100% satisfaction guarantee which means you can get a refund as outlined in the Return Policy.
Using Pixels.com as my order fulfillment partner provides a level of security for you in that you aren’t providing personal information, including credit card info, to me. So you don’t have to worry if I have the capabilities and processes in place to keep that secured. Basically, I can’t do anything with that information nor can I ever lose it since I never have it to begin with. Pixels does have the capability and processes to secure this data so I’m happy to let them handle it.
Hmmm, not sure why you’d ask me that kind of question. I’ll have to get back to you on this. In the meantime enjoy my blog and take a look at my photos and maybe buy a few.