With a quick knock at my door my 2 boxes of 16x20 Ilford warm tone fiber arrived today. You got to to love the ease of this service. If I need more paper in the future I can get it within a week or so. Now time to print this paper effectively.
My friend Larry suggested something to me yesterday that I have been thinking of, allowing bright highlights to burn through from windows etc from back lit subjects. He made the point of the beauty of this type of look and not trying to even out the light in a print to much. He feels that with a film print it is better instead to play to films uniqueness and strengths, which is a a harsher more courser look. We also talked a great deal about methods of exposure, composition and focus. Something he does much better than I do is figuring out what he wants to say and focusing on the individual story he is telling to avoid over shooting.
I need to continue to learn and improve as a photographer and Larry is helping me. I of course do not want to become a copy cat, poor imitation Larry Jr. I want to maintain my own uniqueness but I still can learn lots from one of the best photographers in the country. Larry is a great teacher and I feel I have already learned so much from him. I owe him a debt of gratitude. After dad and mom he will have to get second billing credit if and when a book is ever produced (hope hope).
As to my feeling about how I need to photograph, my focus as always is on the subject, I need to put the subject first over considerations like beauty and style. Substance of the subject over the style of the photos is what I believe. If you can get both substance and style then your really cooking! But the importance of my subjects life story should always be first. I also feel that all people deserve to be represented even if their look is not as powerful as some others, you can still make good important photos of them. Everyone deserves their stories told. The substance of my subject, their feelings their heart, the importance of their lives and story the pictures are telling about those lives is why I make my pics. The most important number 1 thing I want to put into my photos is the subjects HEART.
My friend Larry suggested something to me yesterday that I have been thinking of, allowing bright highlights to burn through from windows etc from back lit subjects. He made the point of the beauty of this type of look and not trying to even out the light in a print to much. He feels that with a film print it is better instead to play to films uniqueness and strengths, which is a a harsher more courser look. We also talked a great deal about methods of exposure, composition and focus. Something he does much better than I do is figuring out what he wants to say and focusing on the individual story he is telling to avoid over shooting.
I need to continue to learn and improve as a photographer and Larry is helping me. I of course do not want to become a copy cat, poor imitation Larry Jr. I want to maintain my own uniqueness but I still can learn lots from one of the best photographers in the country. Larry is a great teacher and I feel I have already learned so much from him. I owe him a debt of gratitude. After dad and mom he will have to get second billing credit if and when a book is ever produced (hope hope).
As to my feeling about how I need to photograph, my focus as always is on the subject, I need to put the subject first over considerations like beauty and style. Substance of the subject over the style of the photos is what I believe. If you can get both substance and style then your really cooking! But the importance of my subjects life story should always be first. I also feel that all people deserve to be represented even if their look is not as powerful as some others, you can still make good important photos of them. Everyone deserves their stories told. The substance of my subject, their feelings their heart, the importance of their lives and story the pictures are telling about those lives is why I make my pics. The most important number 1 thing I want to put into my photos is the subjects HEART.
