What Does Your Photography Mean To You?

May 16, 2010

Left: Original image. Right: Midnight Filter in Nik Color Efex Pro.

The Nik Summit in San Diego wrapped up yesterday. After our last shoot (San Diego Zoo), I did something that I do on all my workshops: I ask the participants, "What does your photography mean to you?"

Photographer Bree Renz (Bree Productions) was kind enough to write down the responses, which are condensed below. In reading them, think about what your photography means to you. I know it means a lot. Feel free to share your thoughts here.

Way of Life

Passion

Giving

Liberation

Personal Evolution

Changes

Living Legacy

Be a Kid

Creativity

Freedom

Wonderment

Accessibility

New Dimension to My Life

Magic Carpet

Singing to My Soul

and....

Emotion

Explore the light - and explore your photography,

Rick

A Week of Storytelling: Day 7 – Take Behind-The-Scenes Shots

May 15, 2010 in Canon 5D Mark II, China, Guizhou, Miao people, Sister's Meal Featival, Travel Photography

Photograph © Rick Sammon.

It’s Day 7 of Storytelling Week here on my blog - the last day of this project. Each day, I shared a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou in southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Take behind-the-scenes shots.

This is not my favorite photograph from the Sister’s Meal Festival, but it sure does tell part of the story: If you go, you’ll have dozens of photographers trying to take the same shot, even if you have taken the time to set-up your own shot.

Take behind-the-scenes photographs. Not only will they help to bring back memories of the event, but they will help you share your entire experience with others.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers dozens of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com

Cool Black & Images with Nik's Silver Efex Pro

May 14, 2010 in Nik Software

I'm at the Nik Summit in San Deigo, CA. Got me thinking about Nik's Silver Efex Pro - a very, very cool method for creating dynamic black-and-white images. Check it out if you like black-and-white imaging.

When playing with Silver Efex Pro, be sure to apply different color filters to your image. Each one makes a big difference in the end-result.

This picture was not taken at the Summit. I took it in Cuba in 2001. :-)

Explore the Light,

Rick

P.S. Here's a shot from today's shoot. I'm having a great time teaching here. Photo by Carol Maria Cobb.

A Week of Storytelling: Day 6 – Lose the Background

May 14, 2010 in Canon 5D Mark II, China, Guizhou, Miao people, Sister's Meal Featival, Travel Photography

Canon 5D Mark II. Canon 24-105mm lens.

It’s Day 6 of Storytelling Week here on my blog. Each day, I’ll share a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Lose the background.

As illustrated in the first post in this series of posts on storytelling, events can be packed with people – subjects that can ruin a picture be creating a distracting background.

One way to lose a distracting background is to get down low and shot upward, as I did here.

When shooting upward, you may need a flash, especially if your background is the sky.

Another technique to blur the background is to use a telephoto lens set at a wide aperture.

Yet another technique is to blur the background. One method is to use Bokeh from Alien Skin. Check out this way-cool plug-in. Click here.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers dozens of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com

Perception and Imaging

May 13, 2010 in Ads in China, advertising

One night in Beijing last month: Our workshop team is on the way to a restaurant (Chinese, of course) when I spot this ad out the window of the bus. Because we were on a workshop, I thought it would be fun to take a quick snapshot of the billboard - which appears to say Work Shop.

After the 87 course (seemed like it anyway) dinner, we went back to the hotel to check out the day's images. Upon closer examination of my snapshot, I realized the creativity that went into the ad - and the techniques (plural) that the art director used to draw attention to the ad.

Look closely. :-)

This is the kind of thing my friend, Dr. Richard Zakia, who taught at RIT, talks about in his wonderful book, Perception and Imaging. It's a must for all photographers. You will see the world differently after reading his book. You may shoot differently, too.

Explore the light,

Rick