In the pre-digital days, the days of dark room manipulation and print, the photographer had to rely more on composition and pure subject matter. It was hard to manipulate photos the way we can now with software like Photoshop. But I feel the photographers of old were lucky. They realized the importance of one thing that many of us today have forgotten, the power of print.
Now days, our trillions of images sit on our memory cards. They sit in terabytes of digital storage, hard drives, and internet space. You are lucky to see a picture from a party on Facebook. You will almost never see the same picture in print.
Print has a kind of perseverance that you don't find in digital storage. You are less likely to dig out the old Facebook pics for your family when they come to visit. And good luck showing your grand kids all of those good times that you only stored on Flickr. But whip out a photo album. Listen to the response:
A sigh of dread
Rolling eyes
Protests of "we really should get going"
Open the first page and all complaints stop when they see mom as a little girl, dressed up as Princess Jasmine from Aladin, one of the most popular Disney movies of her youth. She was so cute!
Or dad had long hair and looked a lot more like a rebel in his youth, than the upstanding, and strict father you know now. Is he smoking? No WAY!
And pictures of grandma and grandpa. God, you miss them so much. Something you never really realized until looking at these pictures now.
The looking breaks into laughing, the laughing into reminiscing, the reminiscing into love, and the love is what matters. Get that kind of response with ten people sitting around a laptop, perusing your albums onFacebook.
The great thing is, is basic prints are cheap! Load those images onto a flash drive, tote that flash drive up to Wal-Mart and pop out 50 4x6s for about $10, in less than an hour. That is a great start!. Buy a photo album. I bought one the other day that can hold 300 4x6s for about $10. It is going to be an awesome ride to fill that sucker up.
Just believe me when I say, give printing a shot. Take some of your favorite pictures from that party, some of your mom, some of your dad, some of your kids, alot from your vacation, and print them out. Stick them in a photo album. Fill that book up with as many memories as you can find. When it is full, lose it. Misplace it for about a year. When you find it again after some time, you will already feel the effects when you flip through it. You will want to call your boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, brother, sister, kids, grandkids, everyone to come and look at these pictures you just found.
And it will be awesome.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Photography and the People who Love you!!
"Why are you taking a picture of me," a phrase I have heard from my girlfriend on nearly a daily basis for the last three years that I have fallin in love with photography.
On the 9th of January, only 1 day from this day, my girlfriend and I will be celebrating our 8 year anniversary.
My girlfriend Ashley
I was not into photography when I first met my girlfriend in high school. I was into many different things, but I had only shot with a point and shoot camera up to that point, and only snaps of friends. It was when I was about 23 years old that I fell in love with photography, when I received my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel XS. That camera did not last. I was so enamored with my new hobby that I consumed every book, every article, and every word of advice any could would share with me. I quickly out grew my XS.
My next DSLR was a Nikon D90. My girlfriend bought me that camera for Christmas. It was so special and important to me, and it made me realize something:
She really supported this new hobby of mine.
But if she thought that buying my new camera was where the support and high tolerance would end, she was sorely mistaken. Every time a bought a new lens, the glass was shoved into her face, that distinguishable click as I recorded her image. Every time we went to Best Buy and I predictably made my why to the Photo department to play with the cameras, she would have her image recorded 32 different times as I went down the line of Point and Shoots. I bought a new flash.... I am fairly sure I nearly blinded her with it.
New backdrop
New reflector
New Ideas
Old Ideas
She was put through every trial with me. And I never once heard her complain. She supported me, and my not so new hobby.
I love her
My brother, who is undeniably one of my favorite models has been dragged out into some truly odd conditions. Reading a book, I was inspired to grab Chris, and pull him into the summer night. It was about 3 a.m. and if memory serves, he had to work the next day.
My little Brother, Christopher
My little brother was 19 when I picked up the passion of photography. From day one, I knew he deserved to be in front of a lens. He has fed me the most honest emotions.
He listened to my posing instructions
He listened to my series ideas
He always told me yes when I asked if he would model for me
He made me feel good about my photography
I love him
The support of my little brother, someone who is very important to me, has made photography all the more of a joy. He has never had a single negative thing to say about my ideas or my passion, and that is really saying something if you knew my little brother.
My mom wanted me to be a rock star. Not to say that she wouldn't be happy with what ever decisions I made in life, but she always told me that for some reason, she just always saw me with a guitar in my hand in her mind. Well, I picked up a camera instead. She doesn't seem to mind
My momma and me!
My mom has been my personal go to girl for my ideas, dreams and problems. There have been days that I just want to give up, sell everything, and she has been there to remind me that things will get better. These simple kind words have always been enough for me to rise back up, dust my self off, and get back into it.
She has always told me that I was an awesome son. For some reason, that has made me want to be an awesome person. I strive to meet her expectations, but her expectations are not sharp and mean, but more of a target, goals that I know if I can meet them, I have done something amazing. Something we can be proud of together.
She is my moral compass
She raised me strong
She didn't let the shit roll down hill (she'll know what this means)
She gave me goals
I love her
Photography is a huge commitment. The support of your loved ones make it so much easier. I am not saying that if those around you don't support it don't do it. Not by a long shot.
I am saying that when those around you who love you, love what you do, it makes it that much more important to you.
Gary
PS: If you love me and know I love you, but were not mentioned, don't take it personal. You know I love ya!
On the 9th of January, only 1 day from this day, my girlfriend and I will be celebrating our 8 year anniversary.
My girlfriend Ashley
I was not into photography when I first met my girlfriend in high school. I was into many different things, but I had only shot with a point and shoot camera up to that point, and only snaps of friends. It was when I was about 23 years old that I fell in love with photography, when I received my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel XS. That camera did not last. I was so enamored with my new hobby that I consumed every book, every article, and every word of advice any could would share with me. I quickly out grew my XS.
My next DSLR was a Nikon D90. My girlfriend bought me that camera for Christmas. It was so special and important to me, and it made me realize something:
She really supported this new hobby of mine.
But if she thought that buying my new camera was where the support and high tolerance would end, she was sorely mistaken. Every time a bought a new lens, the glass was shoved into her face, that distinguishable click as I recorded her image. Every time we went to Best Buy and I predictably made my why to the Photo department to play with the cameras, she would have her image recorded 32 different times as I went down the line of Point and Shoots. I bought a new flash.... I am fairly sure I nearly blinded her with it.
New backdrop
New reflector
New Ideas
Old Ideas
She was put through every trial with me. And I never once heard her complain. She supported me, and my not so new hobby.
I love her
My brother, who is undeniably one of my favorite models has been dragged out into some truly odd conditions. Reading a book, I was inspired to grab Chris, and pull him into the summer night. It was about 3 a.m. and if memory serves, he had to work the next day.
My little Brother, Christopher
My little brother was 19 when I picked up the passion of photography. From day one, I knew he deserved to be in front of a lens. He has fed me the most honest emotions.
He listened to my posing instructions
He listened to my series ideas
He always told me yes when I asked if he would model for me
He made me feel good about my photography
I love him
The support of my little brother, someone who is very important to me, has made photography all the more of a joy. He has never had a single negative thing to say about my ideas or my passion, and that is really saying something if you knew my little brother.
My mom wanted me to be a rock star. Not to say that she wouldn't be happy with what ever decisions I made in life, but she always told me that for some reason, she just always saw me with a guitar in my hand in her mind. Well, I picked up a camera instead. She doesn't seem to mind
My momma and me!
My mom has been my personal go to girl for my ideas, dreams and problems. There have been days that I just want to give up, sell everything, and she has been there to remind me that things will get better. These simple kind words have always been enough for me to rise back up, dust my self off, and get back into it.
She has always told me that I was an awesome son. For some reason, that has made me want to be an awesome person. I strive to meet her expectations, but her expectations are not sharp and mean, but more of a target, goals that I know if I can meet them, I have done something amazing. Something we can be proud of together.
She is my moral compass
She raised me strong
She didn't let the shit roll down hill (she'll know what this means)
She gave me goals
I love her
Photography is a huge commitment. The support of your loved ones make it so much easier. I am not saying that if those around you don't support it don't do it. Not by a long shot.
I am saying that when those around you who love you, love what you do, it makes it that much more important to you.
Gary
PS: If you love me and know I love you, but were not mentioned, don't take it personal. You know I love ya!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)