paul bousquet photography

Earlier this week I listened to a June 13, 2011 podcast from Martin Bailey where he interviews David duChemin. I only recently discovered Martin’s podcast after reviewing his just released Craft & Vision book, Making The Print. Either I missed this interview earlier or maybe I just did not pick up enough from it in my first listen. One of the topics in the podcast is a discussion on juxtaposition and how we as photographers need to make a situation work for us in order to get the image we are seeking or visualizing. Sometimes the timing is not there on the first attempt or the lighting is not quite right. Whatever it is, revisiting the place where you imagined a certain image will often result in getting the image that you may have expected to make in the first place.

I captured this image from Borderland State Park in Easton, MA after a visit to this same location a day earlier. It still is not what I wanted, but I am getting closer. The day before I had my iPhone and a Canon Powershot with me during a hike when I discovered this “Deadwood in Granite” scene. Try as I might, I did not get an image that matched my expectations. After getting home and looking closer at the results in Lightroom, I decided a return visit was in order with my Canon 40D and also at a slightly different time of day. The result above is somewhat closer to my vision and not just because of the camera, but because I spent more time positioning myself to get a better angle. I also arrived at the the location about an hour earlier which allowed for more sunlight to light the scene and for me to just relax and put some thought into what I wanted. However, one thing was missing that I saw the first day and that was the moon.

With the podcast still lingering in the back of my mind I decided a third attempt was worthwhile and followed up with another visit to the same location a day later. However, with the clouds more prevalent this day, there was no way I would see the moon and I’d be lucky if any sunlight would be helping me out. I waited and captured the image below as the sun peaked through the clouds for about 30 seconds, allowing some hope. But no moon to be seen.

While I did not get the shot I was looking for, I did experience first hand how patience and a little luck can work together to get your vision closer to becoming reality. It also showed that the gear I had with me played no role in determining the image I wanted to create. A return visit to that spot is in the cards and with a little more patience and planning, I’m sure things will work out.

Making Light by Piet Van den Eynde

Finally a book that will help me understand the basics of off-camera flash. I have tried to dabble in plussing up my capabilities with respect to using flash in the past, but with little to no positive results.

Examples show you clearly what a difference and improvement to your images can be gained by adding just one off-camera flash into your technical toolbox. References are made to both Canon and Nikon flash units as well as suggestion on what features and accessories to look for in a basic flash setup without breaking the bank.

I have only read thru this book once, but already I feel some mental blocks regarding flash photography have been broken down for me. I do think this book will require multiple readings to not only grasp the basics as outlined, but to also put into practice and experiment with what works for you.

I am glad to see that Craft & Vision is delving a bit more into the technical aspects of photography, especially one that I feel is challenging to many photographers. I don’t necessarily want to this to be the sole focus of the Craft & Vision books, but I think it is important to cover since it can really make a difference in image quality.

I’ve never been tempted to print out one of the Craft and Vision books, but this may be the first. While I rely on using my iPad to refer to my photography books, I can see a hardcopy of Making Light as a nice reference tool to put in you camera bag when needing a refresher for those times when needing to make those flash enhanced shots.

Special Offer on PDFs
For the first five days only, if you use the promotional code LIGHT4  when you checkout, you can have the PDF version of Making Light for only $4 OR use the code LIGHT20  to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more PDF ebooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm PST August 21, 2011.

Click here to visit the Craft and Vision bookstore to pick up a copy of Making Light.

Andes by Andrew S. Gibson
THE PRINT AND THE PROCESS SERIES

Andes is a photographic journey that tells a story which is something I truly appreciate. The story may be different for each person who reads the book, but I’m sure Andrew Gibson does not mind that. We all take away different lessons or nuggets of information when we read a story or watch a movie.

This story revolves around Andrew’s travels in the Andes and presents many interesting images from those travels. Backing up those images, Andrew reflects on his interactions and observations visiting foreign lands and also provides some useful travel tips as well.

It is also interesting to see within this story, Andrew’s transition from film to digital cameras as he talks about that change and his use of prime lenses. For kicks, I decided I would try to see if I could tell which photos were taken with film and which with digital. GIve it a shot before you read the details in the process section.

Andrew says he wrote the book for dreamers and hoped it would inspire people go out and live those dreams, experience life where you live it and where others live it and make your own story. I would say that Andrew has succeeded here in providing that inspiration to others.

One tiny gripe I have with the book is the small text in the newer layout (NOTE: This probably has more to do with my aging eyes than anything else). While the layout is attractive, I find the text a bit tool small to read on my iPad with a full screen view, but is perfectly readable on my laptop. Fortunately, Goodreader, my preferred PDF reader of choice for the iPad does have a feature that allows you to set a crop area enabling zoomed in viewing mode for easier reading, although it does ruin the beautiful layout including some of the images which extend to the edge of the page. That tiny gripe aside, I highly recommend Andes.

Special Offer on PDFs
For the first five days only, if you use the promotional code ANDES4  when you checkout, you can have the PDF version of Andes for only $4 OR use the code ANDES20  to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more PDF ebooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm PST August 6, 2011.

Click here to visit the Craft and Vision bookstore to pick up a copy of Andes.

A Deeper Frame by David duChemin
CREATING DEEPER PHOTOGRAPHS & MORE ENGAGING EXPERIENCES

A Deeper Frame not only talks about depth, but also delves further into applying technique to improve your craft and making your images more interesting. In previous books by David duChemin, he has stressed the importance of vision in creating our art. This book builds upon that by taking the topic of depth and shows how we can use it to express the vision we are trying to create.

While this book may be shorter in length than some recent Craft and Vision releases, it provides much more material for the reader to contemplate and put into action. I liken this book more as a mini-workshop or course in that David provides the reader with the concept of depth and challenges the reader to put some effort into making their own images with more depth.

David explains what is meant by depth and provides examples of shooting a scene flat and with depth. His discussion touches upon perspective, optics, focus, color, light, and emotions and how each one of these can provide the image with depth thus making it more engaging to those looking at. He also illustrates how thinking about depth while using the rule of thirds can be beneficial and illustrates this.

Photography is a craft and requires us to continuously improve and this book certainly does that. Within the book David provides some creative exercises for us to not only grasp the concept of depth, but also how we can practice it while creating an image both in our heads and through our cameras.

Not only do I recommended this book, but I HIGHLY recommend you check out the fantastic offer being made on a 12 Craft and Vision books with a super discount code being offered. This is a fantastic way to stock up for your summer reading and help with improving your skills as a photographer.

Special Offer on PDFs
For the first five days only, if you use the promotional code DEEP4  when you checkout, you can have the PDF version of A Deeper Frame for only $4 OR use the code DEEP20  to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more PDF ebooks from the Craft & Vision collection.

“The DEEPER” Blow-out Offer
Craft and Vision is offering their deepest discount ever! 12 eBooks for $40. That’s about 34% off the already ridiculous price. That’s $3.33/book! Fill your shopping cart with 12 ebooks and use discount code DEEPER12 to get $20 off! These codes expire at 11:59pm PST July 2, 2011.

Click here to visit the Craft and Vision bookstore to pick up a copy or use DEEPER12 for $20 off a 12 pack.

Some might say (including myself) that hell must have finally frozen over. My long overdue first photo e-book is now finally available.

American Parks Journey is a PDF formatted e-book in the Print & Process format reminiscent of the photo books at Craft & Vision. It provides a first hand look into making a personal photo project come to fruition. In the book I discuss my goals for the book and the process used in order to accomplish this photographic vision of our journey through many of the national parks of the United States. I discuss technique as well as tools used while on the trip and also highlight what limitations I encountered along the way and some options to deal with them. For each of the 33 photos presented (The Print) I touch upon my thoughts (The Process) in capturing that scene and the camera settings used to do so.

PDF Format, 50 pages, USD $5

Effective Photo Composition

Last week I attended the opening of a photography exhibit at the Mansfield Music and Arts Society in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Not only was I admiring the work of many wonderful photographers, I was also displaying several of my images in the show. This is the second year for me participating in the photography show at MMAS and it won’t be the last.

Exhibiting my work in a show is another part of the process of getting my work out there for people to see and experience. Over the past couple of years I have been slowly transitioning from simply making photos, looking at them and forgetting about them on the computer. Showcasing your work can take many forms and can be very rewarding in different ways. There is obviously the monetary rewards that can come about by selling some of your art, but there is also the feeling of satisfaction that comes along with other people actually admiring your images.

I want to encourage everyone that has not yet begun to get their work out for public consumption to do just that. Exhibits are one way, but there are also web sites such as Twitter, Flickr & Facebook or iPhone Applications like Instagram that make sharing your work amongst your social network and beyond easy to do. Starting a blog is also rewarding if you like to write about your images. All of these provide opportunity for feedback and discussion of your art and fuel growth in whatever areas your are looking to improve on.

Participating in exhibits and social networking related to photography can help you exercise your photography muscle and grow your photographic vision. So go forth and create your art, and by all means let people see it!

1/18/2011

Winter in the Canadian Rockies - Print & Process by Darwin Wiggett

Whether you are going to the Canadian rockies or your local sate park this book will provide you with useful information in preparation for your trip. I recenly went to the one of our local state parks in Massachusetts and I must say I had wished I had read this book earlier. Venturing out in the cold weather can hamper your photography if you have not equipped yourself with the necessary tools to stay warm, comfortable and safe. Darwin walks through his routine to prepare for such trips and mentions what works for him in dealing with the cold temperatures.

Some of my favorite photographs from this book really bring home the technique of including a foreground in your landscape photos. Not just any foregrounds, but beautiful winter settings including ice like I have never seen before. Darwin takes you through some of his techniques and describes what gear he uses in the field to get an image as correct as possible without the need of much post processing.

Here is a description from the folks at Craft And Vision:

Winter in the Canadian Rockies by Darwin Wiggett is the newest ebook to the Craft & Vision library and the latest in the Print & Process series. Darwin captures the spirit of Canada’s most striking mountain range in this monograph of breath-taking landscapes. Photographers of all levels, and geographic persuasion, will find inspiration and insight in this beautiful body of work, and the accompanying discussions, that spans nearly 3 decades.

Darwin discusses in detail the joys and difficulties of working in the cold to capture the abstract and artistic beauty of this magical place. What could be better during these winter months than a great photographer and teacher like Darwin sharing his warm fondness for the coolness of winter?

Special Offer on PDFs
For the first five days only, if you use the promotional code ROCKIES4  when you checkout, you can have the PDF version of Winter in the Canadian Rockies for only $4 OR use the code ROCKIES20  to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more PDF ebooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm PST January 22, 2011.

Click here to visit the Craft and Vision bookstore to pick up a copy

Someday I would love to take part in a Jay Maisel photography workshop, heck he even has a basketball hoop inside his building!

12/28/2010

Sync Your Photos from Lightroom 3 to your iDevices

12/27/2010

Don’t let snow stop you from getting out there and shooting. Here are some tips for shooting photographs in the snow:

NY Institute of Photography
OutdoorEyes
DigitalCamHelp

12/16/2010

Light and Land, Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom by Michael Frye

Buy It! Okay, I will give you a bit more detail than that. If you are a Lightroom user I cannot say enough about how Michael Frye has changed the way I approach making changes to my images. CURVES! Until now I have not used the curve in Lightroom to my advantage. I have relied upon other methods to adjust the contrast of the image. Michael shows you how to take advantage of the real point curve in Lightroom 3 and lets you know his defaults settings for the Contrast and Brightness sliders. While the examples in the book are specific to Lighroom, Michael points out these techniques can be applied in Photoshop or Aperture as well.

In addition to the curve revelation, Michael takes you through the processing of several images and how his approach on each brings out the vision he desires for that landscape. He touches upon evaluation, profile & white balance, black and white conversion, dodging & burning, clarity and toning as he tackles each of the beautiful landscapes in the book.

The only downside to ths book is that it ends, because reading how Micahel approaches each image and brings out his vision is very enjoyable. I now feel compelled to go back to some of my recent images taken during a cross country trip and apply the techniques discussed in this book. For me to say that and do some rework on images already processed speaks volumes about how valuable I think the tips provided in this book are.

Here is a description from the folks at Craft And Vision:

Light and Land, Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, by Michael Frye is the newest ebook to the Craft & Vision library. Michael, a photographer based on the doorstep of Yosemite Nation Park, knows his stuff about inspired landscapes and the post-processing techniques that make his vision a reality. Light and Land is written specifically for people with an interest in landscapes and who want to clarify their own unique vision. Landscape work, like other specific genres, has its own challenges with respect to the digital darkroom and this ebook will be of use to anyone wanting to take their post-processing to the next level. With equal parts inspiration and instruction Michael goes step-by-step through the aesthetic judgements behind each decision, and he unpacks the principles behind the landscape-specific considerations. Michael walks you through the Lightroom-based development of 5 different images, discussing the hows and whys of each one. The principles apply equally for Lightroom as well as Aperture or Photoshop. Light and Land is crammed full of content and is available now as a downloadable PDF for just $5USD.

Special Offer on PDFs
For the first five days only, if you use the promotional code LAND4 when you checkout, you can have the PDF version of The Vision Driven Photographer for only $4 OR use the code LAND20 to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more PDF ebooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm PST December 19, 2010.

Click here to visit the Craft and Vision bookstore to pick up a copy

11/24/2010

The Vision Driven Photographer, Notes on Discovering & Refining Your Vision by David duChemin

In this book, David duChemin provides his “last kick at the can” at convincing those who might not be on the VisionTrain yet to climb aboard. In Part one of the book David provides a thorough basis on why vision matters, not only by describing what vision means to him, but what vision is NOT. This includes a discussion of how style and technique play a role in our photography, but how they should not me mistaken for vision. In Part two of the book David covers finding your vision and includes some interesting things we can do to help with finding our vision in a photographic sense but also provides some thoughts on how we live our life and its impact on our art. David also mentions his past experiences with entering contests and how he feels about them.

David includes some great creative exercises and study tips in this book which I always find helps me to practice what is being driven home in the book. These have helped me tremendously in the past by sorting out what is important to me and with defining what I am trying to accomplish as far as my photographic goals are concerned.

Here is a description from the folks at Craft And Vision:

The Vision Driven Photographer, Notes on Discovering & Refining Your Vision, by David duChemin is an engaging and inspiring ebook focused on helping photographers of all levels make stronger photographs by identifying or re-discovering their photographic vision. By clarifying the things you want to say you’re better able to wield the tool of your expression – your camera – to create photographs that say what you want to say, and move others. Working through these insights and the accompanying creative exercises will help you uncover or re-discover your vision, first personally, then photographically.

Special Offer on PDFs
For the first five days only, if you use the promotional code DRIVEN4 when you checkout, you can have the PDF version of The Vision Driven Photographer for only $4 OR use the code DRIVEN20 to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more PDF ebooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm PST November 28, 2010.

Click here to visit the Craft and Vision bookstore to pick up a copy

Happy Thanksgiving!