Chat Event: Your favorite photographer 2011-11-21

rfusca

Nov 21, 2011 18:15

hmm chat event

GnomeSlice

Why did I get a notification about this chat event?

Rowland Shaw

Because it starts in 14 minutes in here?

rfusca

no idea

GnomeSlice

@RowlandShaw Yes but... I think I've only posted once in this chatroom.

rfusca

well, maybe thats why?

Rowland Shaw

Nov 21, 2011 18:17

Twice now :)

GnomeSlice

But it was quite a while ago. Hmm.

Rowland Shaw

(in other words "dunno")

GnomeSlice

Well, since I'm here, I really like Ken Rockwell and one of my highschool photography teachers, Shawn Murphy.

rfusca

@GnomeSlice you like Ken as a photographer or as a equipment reviewer?

GnomeSlice

@rfusca Both.

rfusca

Nov 21, 2011 18:20

@GnomeSlice interesting

GnomeSlice

Though I'm not really deep into this stuff.

@rfusca Interesting?

rfusca

sure

GnomeSlice

I know my father and his circle really like him as an equipment reviewer.

rfusca

@GnomeSlice ya, i don't think i've ever heard of anybody comment on his actual photography

and his equipment reviewing is...controversial, some love, some hate

GnomeSlice

@rfusca Me neither. I just looked at some of it recently, and much of it is excellent.

Laura

Nov 21, 2011 18:22

@rfusca @GnomeSlice he's definitely way better known for his reviews. which I find odd...it seems like it's natural to investigate someone's work if you're going to listen to their reviews

GnomeSlice

@Laura Yeah, that's what drove me to check out his actual work, I'd never heard much about it.

Not going to spam images, just wanted to post a few.

rfusca

@GnomeSlice definitely not bad

Laura

@GnomeSlice I think that's great! I think that trusting reviews from someone whose work you've never seen is...well, weird, kinda.

GnomeSlice

It's funny because of my two teachers in highschool, the one I just linked was like an assistant, but I actually like his work more than the main teacher's.

Also, because I can't remember the other guy's name.

rfusca

@GnomeSlice reflects the old saying 'those who can't do, teach'

;)

Laura

Nov 21, 2011 18:24

any reason you like this guy better? (i.e., something about the photographs?)

GnomeSlice

@rfusca No, his work was excellent too.

Laura

also, +1 to @rfusca :)

GnomeSlice

@Laura I actually can't remember. They're both excellent photographers, I just can't remember the other guy's name. :P

rfusca

@GnomeSlice lol

ya, i'm lucky if I remember my own name - high school teachers.. uhhh, doubtful

GnomeSlice

Oh, there he is.

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:25

@GnomeSlice Seriously...Ken Rockwell? That guy is a self-proclaimed joke who enjoys making wild, unfounded opinions.

GnomeSlice

He's older, so I'm not sure he has a portfolio site...

rfusca

sigh

GnomeSlice

@jrista Eh, some of his photography is excellent.

jrista

Some of his photography is good, but I have seen a lot better.

rfusca

you know, we all like different things

there's definitely some objectiveness to some of it, but there's no accounting for taste

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:27

I'm just surprised to hear someone proclaim they actually like his equipment reviews...heh, thats a first for me.

Laura

@jrista do you have an example of someone who has the same sort of style as ken rockwell, but whose work you like better?

(I'm curious)

GnomeSlice

@jrista Well, I don't think I've ever actually read one. However, my father and his circle read tons of his reviews, and he tells me about them.

rfusca

@jrista oh, lots of folks do - there's a reason he can make a living off the site. I think the crowd around here is quite technical and thats what rubs us the wrong way

jrista

@Laura hmm, not sure if any of them are online....usually stuff in local galleries around here in colorado

Laura

@jrista that's cool. was just wondering. I'm not really familiar with ken rockwell's stuff, but from what I've seen, I kinda like the idea behind them, but don't find the photographs themselves especially compelling

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:30

@rfusca Hmm, possibly. He definitely rubs me the wrong way most of the time. Its one thing to make claims and have an opinion, but to make claims and have an extremely strong opinion, then openly state that your opinions mean nothing, but still nurture a die-hard following of fanboys...eh, that really annoys me.

GnomeSlice

Yeah, Graham Mastersmith doesn't appear to have a portfolio website or anything, but he's the other teacher. He's been a professional in the field for like 30 years, his works is amazing.

jrista

@Laura yeah, thats exactly my opinion. Conceptually his work is very intriguing, but it lacks much in the way of artistic execution.

GnomeSlice

One of the students in my class has gone on to become an incredible photographer. Jessica Toczko.

rfusca

@GnomeSlice i wish I had a cool name like 'mastersmith' ... he really should have considered metal working as a career

jrista

let me see if I can find some of the artists I like.

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:32

@rfusca Actually, before he married, his last name was 'masterson' and his wife's was 'smith'. They wanted to keep some of both, so they legally changed their names to 'mastersmith'.

jrista

I just found this person this weekend...don't really know them, no one "big", but their work is really good:

somebody--else.deviantart.com/gallery

rfusca

@GnomeSlice nice

@jrista Ya, you really like DA

there's some neat stuff there

jrista

I REALLY like John Parminter's work...the clarity, tone and sharpness of his landscapes is just amazing:

1x.com/artist/14617

Laura

wow

rfusca

@jrista that guy is amazing

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:35

yeah

he is simply fantastic

he is one of the more inspiring landscape photographers I've found over the last couple years

Laura

that is incredible. i'm looking at Allt Dearg Beag...

GnomeSlice

jrista

@Laura I know! Its truly amazing work!

Rowland Shaw

Is it wrong that I prefer the architecture in that, than the photo?

GnomeSlice

@RowlandShaw The architecture is part of the photo.

Laura

Nov 21, 2011 18:36

@jrista I'm astounded at how soft the water is while the mountains in the background are so sharp!

GnomeSlice

I went to highschool with that artist.

jrista

he only started publishing online last year...he started out with two photos on 1x.com, and has garnered a nice following

@Laura me too. I don't know how he does it. I really aim to learn how someday, and achieve the same level of quality (but perhaps not the same exact style.)

GnomeSlice

rfusca

@jrista i can see why

Rowland Shaw

@GnomeSlice True, but the photo of it makes me want to see more of the building; maybe that's the intention, but it kinda comes across as "incomplete" as a photo

Laura

Nov 21, 2011 18:37

@jrista we need him on here to teach us ;)

jrista

I also like this guys work...Aimish Boy:

500px.com/AimishBoy

Awesome macro work....I would LOVE to know how he gets his bokeh...its amazing!

GnomeSlice

@jrista Incredible. Never heard of him before.

jrista

@Laura Aye!!

@GnomeSlice I like this shot. The lighting is amazing.

Laura

@GnomeSlice I like the way the colors of the rope pop and draw your attention to the shadowy girl

rfusca

@Laura maybe you should see if a not hugely famous but obviously really talented photog like him would come do a Q&A - it would be much easier than somebody super well known

if he's got a reasonable following online, it could garner some traffic

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:39

@Laura That's one of her self-portraits.

jrista

@rfusca Great idea!

GnomeSlice

Considering how young she is, she's well on her way to being a truly fantastic photographer, I think.

Laura

@rfusca yes. problem is...I need people to suggest them. If they're not famous, the likelihood of me finding them is small. But I'm taking notes on the people mentioned here...some for personal, browse-through-more-photos purposes, but I'll see if I can get in touch with some people to get involved with the site

jrista

This was one of Parminter's first uploads on 1x....I LOVE how the light and shadow play across the landscape: 1x.com/photo/31647/portfolio/14617

@GnomeSlice Who took this one?

rfusca

@Laura oh obviously...here, I'll make a meta post.

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:41

@jrista Jessica Toczko.

Prounounced 'touch ko'.

Laura

@rfusca good idea. :) you're definitely right, btw...medium-sized people who have something to teach, have a following online, and who aren't famous enough to be too busy...those are the perfect people for me (and you guys, if you're so inclined) to try to get involved here

GnomeSlice

She's already gotten really good at managing lighting.

I was never that good at photography.

rfusca

0

Q: Photographer's for Q&A sessions

What's some photographer's that you'd like to see us get for a Q&A? You can list some super famous people, but the odds are much smaller. If we can find some obviously very talented, but with a bit of a following online, photographer - we've got a better than 0 chance of getting them for a ...

discussion

jrista

This woman, Eltasia, has some pretty amazing, and sometimes humorous, work:

jon-rista.deviantart.com/favourites/38375902#/d4bbmcg

GnomeSlice

@jrista Wow. Incredible close ups.

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:46

I'm trying to find my favorite macro photographer....Blepharosis....the guys work is beyond amazing. He uses this diffuse flash setup, and the lighting is superb.

rfusca

@jrista ya, he is amazing

GnomeSlice

jrista

blepharopsis.deviantart.com/gallery

Some of my favorites from Bleph:

blepharopsis.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4aefct

Laura

this one makes my day: blepharopsis.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4as9ff

jrista

blepharopsis.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3jr2j5

blepharopsis.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3j2b6w

@Laura ha! Yeah!

Rowland Shaw

Nov 21, 2011 18:48

@GnomeSlice That, I like

jrista

Seeing his work has really gotten me interested in off-camera flash.

GnomeSlice

jrista

I have been trying to learn quality macro ever since I got my camera, and I finally realized it was the lack of good lighting once I found Blepharosis' work.

GnomeSlice

This is from Shawn Murphy.

jrista

@GnomeSlice I like the vignette here...very nice

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:49

Looks like he's really big on black and white.

jrista

@GnomeSlice Love the glow on the water highlights here...and the way curves and shadow meld is really nice.

GnomeSlice

@jrista People like her made me feel utterly useless in that class.

jrista

@GnomeSlice: So what is it exactly that draws you to these artists?

I am generally drawn to artists who do the same king of work I want to do.

GnomeSlice

@jrista Well, I went to Highschool with Jessica Tozcko, and she's kind of all over the map.

jrista

and I like learning from their experience, or simply by analyzing their work and trying to deduce how they managed it

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:51

I like the more diffused or softer work, like Mr. Murphy's.

jrista

@Laura, @rfusca, @RowlandShaw: Who are your favorite photogs?

GnomeSlice

He does some excellent HDR work too.

jrista

@GnomeSlice That was the architecture shot?

GnomeSlice

@jrista No, that was Jess.

jrista

ah, ok

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:53

Hers have watermarks.

Laura

speaking of HDR...I really enjoy Trey Ratcliff's work.

rfusca

@jrista tbh, not sure I have a fav

Laura

stuckincustoms.smugmug.com

jrista

@GnomeSlice Eh, never say that. You "currently learning photography"....good happens over time.

@rfusca Who do you currently like, then?

GnomeSlice

@Laura These are awesome, and he's got a nice website too.

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:54

@Laura Some of those shots are almost ethereal...

Rowland Shaw

Not sure if I'm inspired by particular photogs

Have bought some of Tony Pick's [ coastalimages.co.uk ] images in the past

GnomeSlice

Ignore the black border, I'm cropping these quickly from his website.

Laura

@GnomeSlice yeah, his website is great...chock-full of info about how to be just like him :)

GnomeSlice

This is one of my favourite photos ever:

Laura

@jrista i know! i really love his work and the moods he creates...but I also like national geographic photography, which is at the other end of the purist spectrum. (I know some people don't like HDR because they prefer minimal post-processing for "real photography")

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 18:57

@GnomeSlice hmm..there is something odd with the lighting in that one...

GnomeSlice

@jrista It's HDR, as is the above.

jrista

Is all that work HDR?

aah

thats why its so ethereal

GnomeSlice

This is one of my favourite photos from any photographer.

Rowland Shaw

@GnomeSlice I don't think there's any doubt that they are

(sorry, not a fan of the effect)

ElendilTheTall

Ditto Rowland

HDR done well can be stunning

But too often it's overdone

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 18:59

I think that last image is just incredible.

jrista

@Laura Yeah...it really depends on the artist. Some people do post-processing work horribly...some do it superbly. I don't really care if a photo is heavily processed, so long as the end result maintains aesthetic appeal, a touch of quality, and a thread of personal style.

rfusca

@ElendilTheTall seriously

Laura

Ha. @Rowland and @Elendil demonstrated my second point. :P (Though I agree - a lot of HDR is overdone)

jrista

@GnomeSlice It has a nice aesthetic effect.

ElendilTheTall

Personally I think the two GnomeSlice posted there look like some kind of faux-painting Photoshop effect

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 19:00

I thought it looked like a painting too.

ElendilTheTall

sumi-e or something like that

GnomeSlice

Anyway, here's as much of my photography as I have access to at the moment.

jrista

@ElendilTheTall what is sumi-e?

GnomeSlice

I have a terrible time with lighting and colour correction.

ElendilTheTall

Ink and wash painting

Ink and wash painting is an East Asian type of brush painting also known as ink wash painting. Only black ink — the same as used in East Asian calligraphy — is used, in various concentrations. In Western art, works on paper in similar techniques are generally classified with drawings. History Ink wash painting developed in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Wang Wei is generally credited as the painter who applied color to existing ink wash paintings. The art was further developed into a more polished style during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was introduced to Kor...

The real thing is beautiful

The Photoshop effect is god-awful

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 19:02

oooh, right

GnomeSlice

Almost every photo I took that day came out very very blue.

ElendilTheTall

Do you shoot raw?

GnomeSlice

Depends. I don't think I did for that shoot.

ElendilTheTall

WB becomes a virtual non-issue

GnomeSlice

I'm just not good at correcting white balance, during shoot or post production.

ElendilTheTall

Nov 21, 2011 19:05

During PP is simple. 30 seconds with the Curves tool

GnomeSlice

I always have difficulty with it.

Here's another one of mine, but unfortunately, I don't have the 'non colourized' original.

ElendilTheTall

Have you tried a gray card?

GnomeSlice

They aren't really those colours.

@ElendilTheTall I have, but only a few times for some studio portraits.

Rowland Shaw

@GnomeSlice You mean that's not the natural colours? ;)

GnomeSlice

I haven't done any photography in quite a while.

@RowlandShaw Surprisingly, no.

I tried a bunch of different contrast levels with that one.

Sort of arbitrarily picked one.

ElendilTheTall

Nov 21, 2011 19:07

That's a good 'un

Nice and punchy

jrista

so outside of @GnomeSlice and myself, no one else really has any photographers that inspire them?

Rowland Shaw

@jrista I did mention Tony pick [ coastalimages.co.uk ] earlier...

GnomeSlice

I've got one on the tip of my brain, but I can't remember who it is, or what kind of work they do.

ElendilTheTall

TBH the only photographer I can name off the top of my head is Ansell Adams

jrista

@RowlandShaw oh, sorry...missed that

ElendilTheTall

Nov 21, 2011 19:09

oh, and Annie Liebowitz

GnomeSlice

@ElendilTheTall Of course.

Laura

I have a really hard time remembering photographers' names unless I see a ton of their work (same goes for other artists). I went to a photo exhibit last summer that was shots of french villages during WWII, and I loved the photos...but I can't remember the photographer's name because I had never heard of them before that :(

ElendilTheTall

Robert Capa?

GnomeSlice

identify-this-game?

ElendilTheTall

Perhaps the most famous WW2 photographer

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 19:11

/artist

Laura

@ElendilTheTall no...

GnomeSlice

yvettesbridalformal.com

Be warned.

ElendilTheTall

Then you've exhausted my list of WW2 photogs :)

GnomeSlice

They use MS paint for their image editing.

And it's easily the worst website I've ever seen.

Rowland Shaw

@GnomeSlice What did we do to deserve that? ;)

GnomeSlice

Nov 21, 2011 19:13

See if you can find their road map.

It's drawn in MS paint.

jrista

@GnomeSlice worst...website...ever

Laura

@GnomeSlice MY EYES! I'M BLIND!

GnomeSlice

I don't know if you guys have sound, but there's a music player hidden somewhere on the page.

You have to find it to turn it off.

ElendilTheTall

Christ on a bike.

That replaces a website I saw a while back made in Powerpoint as worst ever

GnomeSlice

@ElendilTheTall You bet it does.

ElendilTheTall

Nov 21, 2011 19:15

Though it is lacking 290 animated GIFs

Rowland Shaw

@GnomeSlice I can find a child's scrawl of a map :)

GnomeSlice

@RowlandShaw That's the one.

I like how the photographer and site builder always refers to himself on the site as WORLD FAMOUS ARTIST SEAN TERRENCE BEST

And there're all of these random pages with completely unrelated short stories on them.

ElendilTheTall

It's almost like a photographic version of realultimatepower.net

jrista

wow...there are like...screenshots of some early 1990's 3D program...or game...or something...

GnomeSlice

> the email address associated with the PayPal account of the World Famous Artist Sean Terrence Best is: [email protected]

Rowland Shaw

Nov 21, 2011 19:18

That explains a lot :)

GnomeSlice

See what I mean?

ElendilTheTall

It would be improved in crapulence no end by Comic Sans

GnomeSlice

You know what, it must be a joke.

> Yvette's Site is for sale!! price: $2,000,000 !! *~V8~*+ YOU!! can purchase www.yvettesbridalformal.com for the affordable price of only two million dollars !! *~V8~*+ buy yvettesbridalformal.com today!!!!

He should pay ME for buying that site.

ElendilTheTall

Yes, I think it must be a spoof

Either that or it's become an institution and they'd actually lose business if they took it down

GnomeSlice

Oh, don't forget Steve Bloom

Incredible wildlife photographer.

jrista

Nov 21, 2011 19:23

oh, yeah

I forgot to mention Nick Brandt. He's probably my favorite wildlife photog:

Laura

I was trying to figure out the photographer I was thinking of, but that's not working out...however, I remembered a Robert Capa + friends exhibit I saw this past year. "The Mexican Suitcase"

icp.org/museum/exhibitions/traveling/mexican-suitcase

jrista

nickbrandt.com

Laura

@GnomeSlice that is such a great expression!

GnomeSlice

@Laura I know, it's amazing.

Here is a great gallery of work from Steve Bloom.

I love this one. The lions are all watching the Elephant.

Laura

...I would not want to be that elephant.

Rowland Shaw

Nov 21, 2011 19:28

My money is on the elephant, as it happens

GnomeSlice

@RowlandShaw That would be why they're all watching him.

Here's another awesome gallery that includes some non-wildlife shots.

They're a bit low rez though.

Wow. This is probably the best gallery of the three.

Alright, that's enough spam.

Nice discussion, everyone. =] Ciao.

jrista

@GnomeSlice wow!

sorry, work has picked up

Laura

@GnomeSlice this one looks like a watercolor

Rowland Shaw

@GnomeSlice I like that one

Laura

@jrista this is a good time for me to chime in and say: Thanks to all of you for tuning in to this chat event!

This was fun; I'd like to do this again, and try to get a couple more people in here. You guys have been great; I've got lots of stuff to look at over the next few days :)

rfusca

Nov 21, 2011 19:43

lol @GnomeSlice came by accident ;)

Laura

hey, I'll take it :)

(also, "accident" isn't really the right term..."was prompted by the notification" is more accurate, right?)

rfusca

@Laura indeed

Laura

that's why we have chat notifications ;)

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