Shutterfinger

Not Dead, Just Hibernating

If you've been wondering why I haven't posted anything lately it's because I've been swept up by the need to finish and bill the projects I actually get paid for and the desire to spend the remaining days between Christmas and New Year's day with family and friends. It wouldn't surprise me if most of you are doing the same, in which case you've barely noticed my absence. That's okay. In fact, I hope you've got a lot more important things to pay attention to than me during the holidays.

This is not to say I haven't had photographic matters on my mind, though. The one thing I've been thinking the most about is my desire to simplify and optimize how I practice photography. I plan to spend less time screwing around with equipment and software and more time producing and selling books and photographs.

I also plan to spend more time writing about the things that have helped improve my photography and that I think will do the same for yours. Here's a hint: They're all free and yet they all require an investment.

In the meantime, thanks for sticking with me during 2011 or for deciding to become a regular visitor. Here's wishing you open eyes, an open heart, and the ability to recognize a miracle when you see one.

My Favorite Fotos of 2011 (So Far)

I didn't agonize over this. I simply went through my Lightroom catalog month by month and selected the photos that jumped out at me for one reason or another. The result is the 30 photos I uploaded to my Zenfolio online gallery. Feel free to click the link and visit.

I chose these photos mostly because they stood out on their own or because they contributed to a visual theme.I've developed a fairly consistent style over the years, so the visual theme part wasn't difficult. The pictures that look good on their own are more a problem because they don't necessarily "play well with others."

But as I said, I didn't agonize over this. If you're planning to put together a similar collection I hope you won't either. None of this is cast in stone, especially if your photos are displayed on the web. You can add and subtract as you see fit. You can respond to viewer critiques or ignore them entirely.

The one thing that strikes me and this and previous years' bests is how little gear I need. A decent camera and a wide or normal prime is all it takes. Add good light, a good location, and plenty of time to wander around and I'm good to go.

As for next year, I'm not big on resolutions. Spontaneity, improvisation, and inspiration motivate me far more than My Plan for the Year. I do feel inspired to print and sell more of my work though.

How about you? Was 2011 photographically satisfying, frustrating, or both? Do you have any particular plans for 2012 that involve photography? Note: By "photography" I mean the act of producing photographs, not buying more equipment. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with buying equipment, especially if you use the one link on this site (heh, heh...); I'm only saying it's not the same as producing photographs.

Here's the Deal(s)

I've been trying not to get to caught up in the holiday gift buying frenzy. These are tough times. A lot of people are having a tough time buying groceries and paying rent, much less buying a new camera or zoom lens. That's why I've been generally unresponsive to the steady flow of notices from various online retailers who would like me to refer my readers (that would be you) to their shops for your Christmas purchases.

The referrals would be through my posting links. Even though I would get a small percentage of any resulting click-throughs and sales, I haven't posted any of these offers because, quite frankly, I'd rather spend my leisure time on leisure rather than posting new links every few days in an effort to make a couple of bucks with affiliate sales.

Then again, what do I know? I could be doing you a great favor by providing a link to where you can find the latest photo equipment bargains. I could also be doing myself a favor. Maybe I could earn enough in commissions to buy a few more bags of groceries for the homeless shelter. So with no further preliminaries, here is a link to B&H Photo's "deals" page. When you click through you'll see a list of discounted goodies, from tripods to lenses and cameras. If you buy anything as a result of the click-through, you contribute a few bucks to the cause.

If you prefer, instead of buying something you could simply pretend I'm a Salvation Army volunteer standing in front of B&H Photo, holding a bucket and ringing a bell. Drop something into my bucket (tip jar) and I'll reward you with a hearty "Ho, ho, hoooo!"

In all seriousness, the greatest gift you could give me would be your continued readership and the supportive comments you contribute from time to time. Spread the word and keep coming back. It means a lot more to me than you might think.

A Cure for the Photographic Doldrums

This was shot during a quick trip to a Target department store to buy toothpaste of all things. You can tell from the angle of the light that it was late in the day. Despite the saturated reds and dramatic shadows, I wasn't moved to take a picture until I noticed the mother and son in blue approaching from the parking lot. By luck I happened to have a Ricoh GRD IV in my pocket. Here is the result.

I have a confession to make: In spite of all my upbeat talk about making do with what you have, photographing your everyday life, and taking pictures instead of making excuses, I too sometimes fall prey to photographic doldrums. You know what I mean: feeling low in spirit and energy, wondering why you waste your time taking pictures that hardly anyone will ever see, lacking any interest in learning new techniques or exploring new subjects.

It happens to the best of us. It can be particularly prevalent this time of year, as the weather grows cold, the days are shorter, the sun rests low in the sky, and everyone's attention turns to holiday activities, shopping for gifts, and silently lamenting all the things we'd like to have but can't afford. It's a time when some of us dread having to spend time with family, while others desparately wish we had family to visit. In such times photography can fall low on our list of interests.

And that's okay. Just as there are annual seasons and various phases of our lives, there are periods we need to rest, reflect, and edit. There are also times when we can't wait to photograph the world with all the gusto we've got. During and in-between, I still keep a habit of having a camera on hand, with no real intention or expectation of using it. You see, I've learned that there will be moments when the mood lifts, the clouds part, every element is in exactly the right alignment, and you are there to capture it. That's when you remember why you spend so much time taking pictures: It reminds you what a wonder it is to be fully alive and in the moment.

 

Here's a Great Gift Idea

Have you ever wanted to have your own photo book? Well, for less than $30.00 a copy you can!

Instead of giving someone a pony, a fruitcake, or a gold-plated toilet seat this Christmas, why not create a book full of your best photos? Grandparents and other family members love having a photo album of all your activities and vacations from the past year--especially one where they don't have to worry about the pictures falling out or being "borrowed." Friends and associates will be suitably impressed to receive tangible evidence that you're serious about your photography.

The cost varies with the size of the book, the type of cover (hard or soft, with dustcover or without), and the number of pages. You can pay as little as $2.50 per copy or as much as, well... as much as you can afford.

It's a simple process. All you have to do is upload JPEGs from your hard drive to whatever service you use to print the book. The better the quality and pixel resolution of the images you upload, the better the results. Black and white prints just as well as color.

My favorite service at the moment is My Publisher, but I've also had good results with Shutterfly, Blurb, and others. Each allows you to lay out the book page-by-page, adjust the size, positioning, cropping, color balance, write text captions, and so on, and then preview the final result. Each offers generous discounts and promotions to entice you to order more than one copy.

If you're interested you should start today though. It takes a few days to print the books, a few days to receive them, and a few more to wrap and ship them off to whomever you're gifting. If the results are truly outstanding, make sure to send an autographed copy to me too.