This year’s “El Dia de los Muertos” seemed busier and even more crowded than previous years.
And as far as I can tell, the organizers don’t have plans to commercialize it to the point of the city’s other festivals.
Keeping it family friendly and local keeps it fun yet intimate. Continue reading Day of the Dead celebrations 2014
I recently received a challenge from a FB buddy, Sehlem Sebik, whom I’ve never met, to post 5 black and white pictures, one-a-day.
I decided I’d dig out some old BW negatives instead of just converting what I have in my digital archives into grayscale.
This was a worthwhile challenge.
It gave me an opportunity to take stock of what I pointed my cameras at when I started my formal education at Kent State University.
If it isn’t obvious to you, I didn’t pay as close attention to lighting as I do now.
That’s only natural because back then I was strictly an available light photographer.
Not knowing how to light meant I couldn’t visualize a scene any other way.
Now that I know how to light, I can visualize my scene exactly how I want it because I decide where the highlights and shadows will be.
Exactly how hard or soft the shadows are, I decide by my light placement or the light modifiers I use.
To become a better photographer, is it necessary to shoot film?
I have no real easy answer to this other than to base my response on my own experience.
I believe it helps to shoot film at some point in a beginner’s learning curve.
The one major reason is the cost per frame of film.
Except for those instances when you expose the same frame multiple times intentionally, you have a finite number of shots you can make in a roll–36, 24 or 12.
This forces you to be more selective and thoughtful before you push the shutter button.
You don’t mindlessly fire away.
You take a moment to check your meter, your ISO, shutter speed and aperture settings then study each corner of your viewfinder before pushing the shutter button.
Also, because you’re never entirely sure you have the shot, you learn very quickly those specific instances when you have to shoot a lot.
You become very good at anticipating potentially problematic situations which you have little or no control so that you actually will shoot many, many frames or exposures during those critical times.
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Peter Phun Photography
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Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time taking my students on field trips around the city but nowhere do I feel most at home than at my friend Darren Conkerite’s coffee house, Back to the Grind.
He’s been very generous to me. Continue reading Help save my favorite coffee house Back to the Grind
Lighting conveys mood.
Most of the portraiture you see on this blog is of the type described as low key.
Tones are dark and there’s lot of shadows and highlights suggesting 3- dimensionality.
So I thought I might write about the other type of lighting seen mostly in studio shoots, the type I don’t use as often. 😉
High key portraits tend to have diffused or very little shadows. Continue reading Try high key lighting for a different mood
