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Behind the Lens is a new series that allows you to learn a bit more about your favorite FYP Writers.  While we know your enjoy their articles, sometimes you just want to know what makes them tick!  We are pleased to provide that insight for you.

Hugh Walker is an amateur photographer who lives on the beautiful island paradise of Barbados with his wife, Cheryl and 14 year old daughter, Giselle. Photography is a family affair for the Walkers; Hugh’s wife and daughter being award winning photographers, having both won numerous medals and special prizes at the annual Barbados National Independence Festival of Creative Arts. As Hugh put it: “We have a healthy family competition going on and so far I am losing to the ladies”. However, Hugh is not to be outdone by the family, having won silver and gold medals as well and special prizes in Architectural, and Black & White photography.

Hugh has a passion for landscape photography and one of his greatest dreams is to have the opportunity to travel to exotic locations and be exposed to a wide variety of landscape scenarios. In late 2010 he took one such memorable trip to the Grand Canyon. His comment about the trip being “The temperature was about 5 degrees below zero and there is this guy from the Caribbean, with an insane smile on his face, shooting everything in sight an loving it! It was a dream come true”.

Besides landscape photography he has dabbled a bit with portrait photography. Hugh is however drawn to architecture and abstract photography. There is something about the lines of a building that intrigues him. Each building has a character that has been developed through the design elements used by the architect, and he loves to try to find it and demonstrate it in an artistic manner.

Hugh loves to create images that are dramatic in nature; his point of view is that “We see the ordinary every day in our lives and I strongly believe that the images we create should not be ordinary, but should attempt to take the viewer to another place”. Hugh embraces colour, but loves black and white. His initial exposure to photography was in the era of film and the wet dark room . “Black & white was the medium we used because we could not afford to process colour, because of the cost of the chemicals and papers. We had full control of the black and white process, from developing to printing”. Today he embraces the digital tools, especially Adobe Lightroom and the Nik suite of plugins. His favorite tool is Nick Silver Effects Pro which he finds is best at black and white conversion.

When it comes to equipment Hugh has a foot in both of the major camps. He shoots both Nikon and Canon. Some may think this is strange but he finds that both have their weakness and strengths and that being slavishly tied to one system does not fit his profile. Favorite lens are the Canon 100mm f 2.8 L macro, and 70 -200 f2.8l and the Nikon 16-85 VR . Favorite software products are Adobe Lightroom and Nik Silver Effects Pro.

Hugh’s work can be found online at his portfolio site  http://Art4life.zenfolio.com

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Hello folks! Welcome to the February 2012 contest.  We are happy to partner with 500px.com and they are awarding an annual account to the first prize winner each month in this series of the contest. The winner will also be featured in the Indie Spotlight at FuelYourPhotography.com.  N.B. Submission to the Contest must be made by midnight United States Eastern Standard Time on the 21st of the month.

January Contest Winners

This months contest was the closest ever with 1st and 2nd place being separated by .20 of a point, unfortunately 2 entries were disqualified for not meeting the rule of having an active 500px.com account watermarked on the submission.  That being said, congratulations are in order for our January 2012 Contest winners, Aaron Wilson – first place, Boris Frković – second place and Zoran Stanko – third place.  The top photographs are also featured in this article.  Special thanks also to our judges for the January contest Indie Spotlight Team Leader – Bryan Zimmerman, FYP writers, Amber Fife, Hafez Kamal and new to the FYP team Jaycee Crawford and Andrew Iles.

This Months Contest

This months theme is “Black & White”, color is all around us but this month we’ll do a turnabout and go old school.  We encourage you to experiment with tonal ranges and produce some stunning black & white submissions.  Your submissions maybe any subject you wish as long as they are black & white.  Remember to watermark your images with your email address and your 500px.com account!

Below is a brief highlight of the rules to get you started, however, a full copy of the rules including the judging criteria can be found as a document on the Facebook Group Page.

Aaron Wilson - 1st place

The Eligibility Rules

• The contest is open to both amateur and professional photographers from around the world.
• You certify that you are the legal owner of the work submitted.
• Entries are accepted up to midnight United States Eastern Standard Time on the 21st of the corresponding month.

The No-Holds-Barred Rule

Feel free to express your creative vision by any means: any type of camera or lens, subject, light, composition, perspective, processing techniques, and anything else you can think of to create a meaningful, impactful, and beautiful work is perfectly acceptable. Submitted images may be from any date and not necessarily limited to the contest period.

Boris Frković - 2nd place

The Technical Rules

• All images must be submitted in JPEG format and should be clearly watermarked with your email address AND your  active 500px.com site (IE http://500px.com/YOURNAMEHERE) at which you can be notified should you be the lucky winner.
• Images are to be submitted (in  high resolution if available) by joining the “FYP Photography Contest” Facebook group page, and then uploading to the folder for the corresponding folder IE this month’s folder is “February 2011 contest”.
• Maximum of 2 Images to be submitted per person (submitting more may result in disqualification of all images).
• Photographs will be judged on: Impact, composition, technique, presentation, originality and viewer input (comments/likes)

The No-Rights-Grab Rule

By entering this contest, Fuel Your Photography to post your submitted image(s) on our respective sites and blogs, along with your name. You also agree to provide your name and mailing information in order to facilitate delivery of the prizes. You retain all other rights.

Judging Period

Judging starts on the 22nd of the month and winners are announced in the article posting the new theme on the 1st of the following month.

The Judges’ decision is FINAL

I’m looking forward to seeing some fantastic entries from you, good luck!

Zoran Stanko - 3rd place

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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

This week I roll out the virtual map and place the FYP push pin on Genoa Italy, home of our Indie Spotlight Marco Maroccolo.  Marco is mainly a black and white photographer, however, when the project requires some color, Marco has no disdain.

Marco enjoys photographing art, expressed in sculpture rather than painting, as well as architecture, nature, and landscapes.  He shoots with a Nikon D700 and a Leica M9.  On the project, “From Earth, From Heaven,” and older projects, the D700 was the camera of choice, however, the Leica M9 has become the “new kid on the block” for projects beginning in 2010.

Marco uses one lens, the Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH, which produce the best results for indoor low light situations.  The Leica is not prejudice, as it works just as well in outdoor settings, delivering professional images, and beautiful detail.   For Marco, it is the best solution for fine art photography projects.

Choosing subject matter is dictated by the emotion invoked, the geometric composition, and the quality of light surrounding the subject.  Marco will pause long enough to “tune in” with the subject matter, recreating the image in his minds eye before taking the first shot.   He also prefers natural light, specifically the natural light of the environment, especially when shooting indoors.   Using natural light when shooting indoors brings the contrast of light and shadow to life , produces surreal effects, and extraordinary visual sensations.  Sometimes this means waiting patiently for the magical moment when the light is just right.  It may only produce a handful of photos, but they are photos caught in a moment of time, a moment worth the wait.

During post production Marco will edit the images with CaptureOne and Adobe Photoshop.   Next the photographs are printed on Canson paper with an Epson 3880.   Printing each photo allows personal attention, individual care, and lastly the satisfaction, and sense of completion which ultimately fulfills his need as a photographer.

At the end of the day, Marco’s goal is to express a sense of order, peace, and beauty in everything that surrounds him, creating an overall pleasant sense of contentment which reaches the soul of the viewer lifting him or her spiritually, morally, and intellectually.  Sometimes this will come from the extraordinary scenery offered by nature, and other times the grace of art created by man whether as a statue, painting, or architecture.

Regarding tips and techniques, Marco is trying to improve his mobility.  Although the use of a tripod is essential to obtain the best image quality, the use of a rangefinder in certain types of projects is very helpful, especially when hand held.

Marco recalls a project he shot entitled, “Lotus & Pyramid,” which was a macro shoot of old travel books using his Nikon and a Zeiss lens. Choosing an appropriate angle and shooting the subject of the print on the same focal plane produced an almost three dimensional effect.   He was not intentionally trying to achieve this effect, however, it was one of Marcos’ first lessons on depth of field as it relates to macro photography.  Although it was something he stumbled on accidentally; he still uses this method today.

For inspiration, Marco turns to two photographers that he admires Josef Sudek and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

You can find Marcos Maroccolo’ work at marcomaroccolo.com

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[Editor's note:  Photographs in this post contain a degree of nudity and maybe considered NSFW.]

This month we interview Fine Art and Editorial Photographer D. Yee, who is currently based in New York City and works freelance. He uses photography as a continuation of his works in figurative drawing and painting, and through it he experiments with his admiration for the human condition.

FYP: Tell us a little about yourself

D. Yee: I lived in the metro areas of New York for most of my life. Apart from photography, I continue to paint and draw as my other alternative to visual work involving human figures and stories. World travel is one of my favorite activities whenever I get/make the opportunity to.

FYP: Have you had formal training in photography?

D. Yee: No proper training as in classes or school. I’m mostly self taught and had worked with a photographer for a summer some years ago. Studying photographs and photo essays are also ways of learning and discovery.

FYP: Where do you see yourself in five years time?

D. Yee: That’s what I asked myself five years ago this time. So, for the next five years, maybe I see myself finally putting together a book of strong (and I mean very strong) collection of work, live and work abroad. Or, simply to have seen more of the world than I have now.

FYP: What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your photographic career?

D. Yee: Projecting my most honest tone of voice and vision in my work. Whether or not it appeals to others. I’m sure this is something one comes into conflict with, especially when you start out. You want to produce work you want to feel accepted by a mass public. If you can find pleasure in this go for it. For me, when I took into consideration what may appeal to others I found myself feeling bland and quite empty. I don’t often listen to what people want to see unless it’s a commercial job (even with that, I try to inject my aesthetic – stand for your artistic voice).

FYP: Who is your favourite artist?

D. Yee: I have quite a few, but I’ll randomly pick one now: Guy Bourdin.

FYP: Where do you find your inspiration?

D. Yee: In the most unexpected places. It could be from a silent walk to the most absurd moments/subject matter. I try to keep my senses open.

FYP: What are your favourite techniques or methods?

D. Yee: I tend to I draw out an idea before I decide to go forth with a photograph (if it’s a production). For my street work, it’s just a lot of aimless wandering and patience while framing each moment as if I’m shooting the film that I see before me.

FYP: How much emphasis do you put on post-production?

D. Yee: Depends on the situation and project. Half and half? Or less. I’m mostly concerned about color temperature in a photograph when it comes to this stage.

FYP: What genre would you most like to experiment in?

D. Yee: Cinema. Motion storytelling.

FYP: If you could photograph anyone/anywhere in the world, who/where would you photograph?

D. Yee: I would like to shoot a short film (or stills) on a beautiful baron landscape of individuals (and nudes) adorned in some kind of strange and beautiful fashion. It’d be based on a short story I have had in the back of my mind for the last six years. Just haven’t found the right time and place to do so.

FYP: Have you got any hints or tips to share with aspiring photographers?

D. Yee: Realize that photography is a soul-sucking job, but being persistent and passionate about it helps. And, most importantly, don’t always follow the stream even though we’ll fall into it once in a while. Go explore and take a creative risk once in a while. Make the best of yourself. You live once.

FYP: What is your favourite way to de-stress?

D. Yee: One of my de-stressors is thrashing/dancing to my favorite bass-thumping dance tracks. Drawing/painting or a long walk would be my more quiet alternative.

FYP: Thanks for sharing, D. Yee, and good luck with the future!

Contact Info:

Facebook

Flickr

Website

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[ Editor's Note: Some items in this posting maybe considered NSFW ]

Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

This week spotlight, Eric James Leffler, hails from Walnut Creek, CA. His style ranges between fine art, portrait, and wedding photography.

Despite the genre, Eric is never without his main camera – A Nikon D700. If the 700 should fail him for whatever reason, he carries a D90 as a backup.

Eric’s len’s choice is a Nikon 24-70/2.8, which he fondly refers to as his “workhorse.”   Wide enough to handle most of his city and landscape work, yet versatile and sharp in the studio.  It’s also a great lens for low light situations.   A self proclaimed “sucker” for compression and bokeh; Eric also carries a 70-300 lens, which also serves as a secondary.

Eric prefers working with natural light, on location, when circumstances permit.  When shooting landscape and city, he will occasionally use bracketing in the event he wants to tone map or some manual blending.

An off camera flash/strobist is always standing by for indoor portrait work, night shots, or a more dramatic effect during the day.  When it comes to ultimate preference, Eric refers to natural light as his “happy place.

Adobe Lightroom 3 is Eric’s go to software for file management and the majority of his editing process.  Photos requiring additional polishing find their way into Adobe Photoshop CS5 and onOne Photo Suite software.

Diversity is key when it comes to the shoot.  Boredom can set in quickly, so finding a new location, concept, or subject is what drives him.  He is also inspired by the city;  San Francisco to be more precise.   A Bay Area native, Eric still finds something new every time he heads out for a shoot.  Another inspiration is the water as it relates to his beauty and fashion photography.

Inspiration also comes in the form of other photographers, and Eric has his list.  He enjoys Jaime Ibarra for his fashion work, Chase Jarvis for his adventurous side, Hoffer Photography’s wedding work, and Thomas Hawk for his ability to see art in just about everything.

Turning to tips and techniques, Eric suggests focusing on post processing and file management, and Lightroom is the tool of choice.  Eric would also like to try underwater photography someday, and would love to get into pro sports as well.

Be sure to check out more of Eric’s work on Facebook, Google+, and his personal site.

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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

Matteo Fiorelli, 27, hails from La Spezia, Italy and is employed as a mechanical engineer.  Although he considers himself an “amateur photographer,” the photography on this page tells a different story.   Matteo does not have a particular style of photography, however, he is very instinctive of his surroundings and will shoot whatever is interesting.  Matteo is not one to place his style into any category, but if he had to choose his favorite types of photography, he prefers to shoot portrait, street, concert, and people generally.

His photographic arsenal includes a Canon 50D, which he received as a graduation gift, and a Nikkormat ft from the sixties with a 50mm f1.4.  The Nikkormat is a film camera, and he finds it very difficult to get a good photograph using this method.  Matteo’s lens’ of choice include a 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 and a 50mm f1.8II, both from Canon.   The 50mm is perfect for portrait photography, however, Matteo is intrigued by the wide angle lens, so much that he recently purchased a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8.   This lens allows him to stay close to the subject, which he likens to stepping into the picture, a gratifying sensation from a photographer’s point of view.  Overall Matteo’s lens choice falls between an ultra-wide angle and a 50mm with proper aperture of course!

Preparation is the key for Matteo, so before the shutter button is pressed he seeks out composition and viewpoint to avoid cropping in post.   He shoots primarily in RAW, and in most situations has his ISO set to 200-400 to freeze the frame.   In post production Matteo uses Adobe Lightroom and the histogram tool to correct any imbalance in exposure.  After the exposure is balanced, he moves on to tone, vignette, and noise.  The next stop is Adobe Photoshop where final dodging, burning, mid tones, and shadows are adjusted.   Matteo compares the final shadow adjustment process to working in a traditional darkroom.

Matteo does not have one subject that he enjoys shooting.  His goal is to take his surroundings, despite what it may be, and convey another point of view and evoke emotion by telling a story with each photograph.   He would also like to learn how to use fill-flash settings when shooting backlit subjects in manual mode.

Matteo admires photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Jeanloup Sieff, however, his list goes on. Make sure you connect with him online to learn about the other photographers whom he draws inspiration.

Matteo would like to try photojournalism, to go places where emotions are strong and degradation is commonplace, to tell the stories of the human soul through photography.  Shoot 4 Change, a free association of photographers is one such organization that Matteo compares to this type of photography.

You can find Matteo on Facebook and Google+, as well as his portfolio on 500px.

Lastly, Matteo asked that I end the article with the following statement:

“I would like to thank Bryan for his patience and consideration given to me, and best regards to all the team of Indie Spotlight & Fuel your Photography!”

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Knight by roblfc18

There is a feeling, an aura if you will that revolves around a black & white photograph that cannot be expressed by words alone.  Our eyes play the critic, and they alone soak in the full impact that this type of photograph has on an individual, which I feel partially explains the resurgence of this medium over the past few years.   Add the digital revolution to the equation, and you have an entire new breed of photographers, creating amazing and breathtaking images that would have made Mr. Adams proud.

Empty Space Square by ruioliveira

Gouda by Chopen

Although not a new medium, HDR or “High Dynamic Range Imaging,” is still one of the new kids on the block when talking photo enhancement.   As a photographer who shoots black and white, I have embraced this medium with open arms, and when “executed correctly,” it can take the qualities of a photograph, be it emotional or aesthetic, to an entire new level.   I purposely placed quotations around “executed correctly” because it seems that too many HDR photographs both color and black and white, are completely ruined due to “overkill.”   As with any new technology, we tend to push it to the limit because we can, however, subtle is king when it comes to a great photograph, and HDR is no exception.

Palermo Cathedral by GabOrcinus

Quebec City Old Town by ilpavone2004

To create a stunning black and white photograph, we must always start with a stunning color photograph.   As we all know, a true black and white photograph is not 100% black, so we must tweak the tones and squeeze out just the right amount of saturation until the photograph is ready to be transformed from a cocoon to a butterfly.

Next, it is time to bring our photograph into the tool of choice to begin making adjustments that will ultimately bring our photograph to life.   I liken my experience to the movie Frankenstein when the doctor announces to the world that he has created life by screaming, “It’s alive, It’s alive!” You may have a tiny smile on your face as you read this, but if you think about it, the transformation from a flat photograph to an HDR photograph is not far from breathing life into an otherwise dull image.  This is not to say that black and white photos that do not have this technique applied are dull, just different, more vibrant.

Stephanie by biozz-d3bkne2

The Shining by holala830

You do not need special software to create an HDR photograph, however, it will take you much longer and will most likely cause frustration should you decide to go this route.   There are many procedures that go into an HDR photograph, so you are better off using specialized software that can provide the “grunt work” so you can concentrate on your masterpiece.  The procedures used are beyond the scope of this article, however, I have included a list of software applications below that will accomplish this task, not break the bank, and get you on your way. I have also provided links to samples, tutorials, tips, and techniques.

University Hall by KanteForce

With this information in mind, remember, there is no book, website, sample, tip or a tutorial that can replace what you have envisioned as the result, so I challenge you to learn the basic concepts and dive in, headfirst.  You may hit your head on the bottom of the pool a few times, but once you have a basic grasp on the tools and learn to be subtle, you will be diving with the best of them.

HDR Apps:

Photomatix – The first HDR application I used. A nice price if you stick with the lite version.

NIK Software HDRefex Pro – Pricey, however, slowly becoming a favorite.

Dynamic Photo – A very inexpensive yet robust application

GIMP – A FREE photo editing tool that does HDR – See here!

Oloneo – The most expensive out of the bunch, but definitely worth every penny.

HDR Resources, Tips, and Techniques:

Stuck In Customs – The home of Trey Radcliff, an HDR pioneer.

HDR Soft – Indexed list of HDR resources

HDR1 – Not as organized as the others, but another great list of HDR resources

Examples of finished Black & White HDR:

Black & White HDR Flickr Pool
Google Images of Black & White HDR
HDR Creme

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[ Editor's Note: This week's Indie Spotlight comes from our latest addition to the team, Alicia Poole, a photography student from the UK. She has plans to become a multiple threat by pursuing a Graphic Design degree as well and has shown she has a great eye by posting some fantastic work on her Flickr page, which you all should check out. Enjoy! ]

With the growing popularity of monochrome photography, I try to look for images that are unique. So it was clear that when studying Steve Landeros’ work, that I had found a photographer who could capture that uniqueness and such beauty in his images.

[ Editor's Note: Today, we feature a new addition to the team, Alicia Poole. She is a photography student who hails from the UK and has not only great photographic skills, but also has many other talents like singing and sonqwriting. She's got quite the gift, as is shown in her images, so we hope you enjoy her discoveries as much as we do! ]

Landeros has most recently been capturing some of his captivating images with a medium format, Hasselblad 500C/M. Though, when shooting digitally, Landeros is equipped with a Canon 5D MKII. When queried, Landeros revealed that his favourite lens to use digitally is the 24-70mm f/2.8, which he mainly uses around the range of 50mm. When working with the medium format, on his Hasselblad, he said that his favourite lens to use is the 80mm f/2.8.

Two subjects that Landeros would love the opportunity to photograph are the Golden Gate Bridge from the top of one of the towers, and Death Valley, in the US State of Nevada.

Landeros says that there is much information out there, in the world of photography, but believes that photographers should ‘To take time to truly see what it is you’re photographing- there is a lot going on in that viewfinder and with a little extra time to study your surroundings, things will come together.’

Once, when Landeros was using his 5D MKII, he decided to customize one of his rear buttons for focusing, he then ended up accidentally hitting the Liveview feature and realized how well this feature worked for composing and focusing his old screw on his 10 Stop ND Filter – thus discovering a technique that he still uses today.

When prompted for two photographers that he admires, Landeros is quick to admit that it’s a hard question, with so many amazing artists to name, but settles on Michael Kenna and Steen Doessing. Michael Kenna has opened his eyes to the medium format analog, whilst Doessing has influenced him to create monochrome waterscapes.

Landeros is currently studying the art of ‘wet printing’ – as it is only natural for him to move into darkroom experimentation now that he works with analog photography. He also states that he will be spending more time experimenting with nocturnal long exposures of land and seascapes.

Steve Landeros’ work can be viewed on his personal website, or on Flickr.

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[ Editor's Note: Because introducing new people is fun, here's another one for you all! Today, I bring you Andrea Ream Ellwood, a freelance photographer of over ten years working in the Washington, DC area. Not only does Andrea do photography, but she also works in high school art education, visual design consulting, and sculpting. She brings a LOT to the table, so give her a warm welcome and enjoy today's article! ]

Do you ever wonder how some photographers manage to capture images that encapsulate a moment so well that the photograph beckons you to try and reach into the frame and experience it right then and there?  They present something completely dimensional, life-like and visceral on an otherwise flat and two-dimensional surface.  Their work is magnetic and you can hardly help but be drawn into it. Ever wondered how they do that?  I’ll tell you!  It’s likely because they are using the element of visual art that is visual texture.  In my experience as a working photographer and visual art educator, texture is one of the most frequently discounted elements of all that (if used correctly) can create the greatest visual can impact and be the key to bringing something to life.

Now, texture is something that is typically thought of as being more tactile versus something that is regarded by sight. For me, when I hear the word texture, I think about the roughness of gritty sandpaper or of the smooth but meaty skin of an apple.  Even when you just read that description, you probably were launched into a recollection of your own experience that was fully sensory in nature.  You likely didn’t just picture the sandpaper or the apple in your mind;  You were likely launched back into the last experience you had with either one of them.  And that offering of more than just a picture is something that is way more powerful than… well, just a picture! The “realness” of it is what infuses it with immediacy which in turn makes it feel more three dimensional which in turn makes it into something just pulls you into itself.

So how do we capture visual texture? I mean, if we want to capture the texture of something we have to get really close to it, right? We should probably have a pretty decent macro lens as well as a tripod too, right?

Well… No, no, and NO. Going at it that way is going to restrict you to a category of photography that is abstract/non-objective and eliminates a huge number of folks could have been your fans if only they could understand your work. Now, don’t get me wrong! There’s certainly a place for macro-style images – water droplets, heavily grained planks of wood, and/or intricately webbed wings of insects – but that’s for a whole other posting.  (Note: all of the aforementioned are subjects of NATURE so if people aren’t nature lovers? They might give you a polite nod of appreciation but that’s about it.) The thing about texture is that you can use it outside of macro photography and if you use it correctly, it will strengthen your images by emphasizing specifics you want people to notice without discrediting the rest of the frame that surrounds your focal point.

The easiest way to present texture visually is by using available and/or manipulated light along with perspective to present something that shows a high contrast of values. Value is the lightness or darkness of a hue/color.  To change the value of a color, you tint it by adding white/light to it or shade it by adding black/darkness to it. Contrast refers to the arrangement of opposing elements.  Here is a visual example that shows a tint and shade of the same color/element arranged right next to one another to emphasize the texture of the surface of the water.

Black and white images show texture the easiest since they employ only two colors that happen to be the absolute contrast of one another.

You can do it with color images as well;

and you can definitely do it within pictures of nature that aren’t restricted to macro-style photography while still showcasing the beautifully unique textures that can only be found within nature;

and you can also do it in a subtle fashion by using prime lenses shot wide open that automatically create that beautiful buttery bokeh that so many have come to favor. The circular patterning and the soft texture of the background so sharply contrasts and in turn emphasizes the very sharply focused foreground.

Texture is also something awesome as just a little bit of an additive within the frame of an image (meaning it’s not specifically intentioned) that can drum up a little more drama and/or excitement.

If you ever want to make it in the delicious world of food photography, you’ll definitely want to infuse the element of texture within your frames as much as possible since it will push your photograph into the realm of being more visceral and that much more likely to invoke a sensory experience just by looking at the picture.

So how convinced are you that YOUR images can and will be better with a little more texture now?  Don’t be afraid to take things beyond macro-level texture. Fill the frames with things that are more than that which can just be seen and forgotten!  If you haven’t already, go out there and create images that can be both felt and experienced and then  share the links to them here in the comments section for our appreciation.

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[ Hailing from Tokyo, Japan, the latest addition to our team is cityscape and arcitecture photographer Takahiro Yamamoto. He's got a very clever eye and has wonderful techniques to share, so I'm very excited to introduce him to you all! I hope you love the articles he posts as much as I enjoyed them! ]

Shinjuku, Tokyo

I’m not talking about sushi, nor about hot rodding your car. I’m talking about rolling landscapes. Yes. Landscapes! See the image above, you can easily roll landscapes, with your iPhone and you can do it as well as Uri Geller bends spoons.

Rolling Shutter Will Show You a New Horizon

You may have heard of “rolling shutter,” a novel method of acquiring images. Most digital cameras have the type of shutter that records the image line by line. The whole image shown in the frame is not recorded in an instant as global shutters do. So there’s a time lag between the top and the bottom, or the two sides of the image you shoot.

I have seen some photos on the Internet which capture propellers of aircraft, or a fast moving train. There also exists a YouTube video of the motion of guitar strings captured by an iPhone 4 placed inside the guitar. Those results looks so interesting. I experienced this myself when I was on a moving train. I was aiming to shoot the landscape outside and on viewing the capture I realized that the landscape was streaming like the ones in some animations. The building, trees and everything was leaning forward.

After I got off the train, I tried rolling my camera and saw what the view would look like. I walked to the shopping area I often visit, rolling my camera and capturing the rolling landscape, for the whole day. It fascinated me! It was difficult to take what I intended at first. Actually, it took more than two weeks to get neat results consistently.

The Brighter the Place is, The Better Result You’ll Get

I’m going to share with you the how-to tips I have discovered so far. After you read these tips, you will definitely want to go out and try your phone’s camera. This technique will work on iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4. If you have android or other phones, try this out anyway, and let me know what results you get. Most of the phone cameras should have a rolling shutter, so I think you will be able to get the same kind of results.

OK. Here’s how to do it.

1. Go out on a sunny day. The brightness gives you a clear rolling image. Even in dark places, the images can be rolled but you will end up with some (camera motion) blur.

In darker places, you’ll get this kind of blur. Of course you can do this intentionally.

2. Find a subject consisting of straight lines. I love to shoot architecture with this technique. It looks the most surrealistic when things that should be stand straight are rolled. You almost feel as though you are a psychic.

You feel as though you are a psychic when you succeed in rolling straight building like this.

3. Roll your camera fast when clicking! Don’t hesitate. You might get weird looks by people around you but remember, you are an artist. Artists are always thought of as weird or strange more or less. But I won’t share the image of how I look here :-p

4. Click the shutter button right before you start to roll your camera. There’s a time lag between your clicking the button and your camera’s capturing, so the best shutter release timing is just before you start to roll your camera. Or maybe you can keep rolling your camera right and left, and shoot randomly. This way you’ll look weirder or sillier but who cares?

Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?

Here are some results I got for this article. I went out to Ginza, one of the busiest areas in Tokyo, and shot some in one of the main streets, which is transformed into a vehicle free street on weekends. The first one is the normal version. I didn’t roll my camera. See? This kind of images are the ones most people get with their phone cameras.

And the left one below was taken by rolling my camera clockwise. The right one,　counter-clockwise. You always have to check how the landscape is being rolled. It affects the result immensely as you can see.

Which Camera App to Use?

What camera app should you use to do this silly dance? Basically you can use any app you like. As for me, I like to use Camera+. It takes time in starting up, but one of the good things about this popular app is that you can set the focus and the exposure on different spots. In bright sunshine, the main object in the frame often gets darker than you want, so this function is so useful. But as I mentioned, you can use any of your favorites. The rolling shutter gives the same effect no matter what you use.

The square indicates the focal point, the circle the exposure point. You can set them separately on Camera+.

Be As Creative As You Want

There are many apps that extend your creativity. The filters and effects in those apps can be added instantly to the images you have taken. What I often use is the combination of the “Clarity” scene mode and the “Ansel” film effect in Camera+. “Clarity” will expand the dynamic range of your images, and “Ansel” converts your images into black and white with high contrast. All the black and white images on this page were processed that way. Here’s the link to my Google+ album, “Rolling Tokyo,” which contains my attempts to roll the landscapes in Tokyo. Please have a look when you have time.

OK, now it’s your turn to try rolling your neighborhood. Go shooting and upload your photos on the Internet and add the URL to the images in the comment section to share your results, if you’d like. Have a great day!

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The use of the term “control freak” seems to be a recent trend. I think it really emerged when computers were invented. Once computers were tasked to handle all of our more mundane decisions and tasks for us, and the guy who decided to make keep making those decisions and do those tasks started getting called a “control freak”.

Having read most of Ansel Adams’ photography books and researched Sir George Martin’s recordings of the Beatles, it would be safe to say that in today’s society, had these men been doing what they did back then now, they might be called “control freaks”. I mean, Ansel had whole chapters devoted to the processes he had for developing his films. What’s developing film, you ask? That’s my point exactly.

Sir George recorded the Beatles greatest hits on 4-8 tracks of analog tape. Now, 5 year olds have 30 tracks of recording for garageband on their iPads. I remember reading a book about the Beatles recordings and how John Lennon asked George Martin if he could be hung from his ankles over the microphone and spun around it to get a “swirling” effect on his voice. Today, we can get that effect from a plug-in software program and two clicks of a mouse.

Control of the mundane little decisions and tasks is what used make art what it was, art. Nowdays, they are taken for granted and left to light meters, auto modes and post-editing. Ansel Adams’ brushes were his developing machines and his canvasses were his films. He didn’t have Lightroom or aperture priority mode or the ability to shoot 1,000 shots on a single SD card. George Martin’s editing consisted of physically cutting out sections of tape and splicing them. Eight track recording meant dubbing four tracks onto another four tracks. He didn’t have Autotune or a laptop with Protools and unlimited tracks to record on.

This is why I leave my camera set to M. Call me a control freak, but being responsible for every decision made when a shot is taken is a responsibility I love being responsible for. The pictures you see in this article were taken with a Canon Rebel XT and a Canon 50mm f1.4 lens last weekend. The only post editing was either a basic conversion to black and white and/or a crop/resize to each one. I shoot in manual mode because I don’t trust my camera. I trust it to snap the shutter, store the picture and turn on but beyond that, I know that it being an inanimate object, it does not understand what I want to see after I hit the trigger. I know what I want, the camera does not.

I love, love, love shallow DoF and giant bokeh dots and using ISO 100. I tell this to my camera and it protests by flashing it’s built in light meter telling me I’m underexposed. I know I am underexposed. I know my approach is technically wrong. Matter of fact, every one of these pictures you see is underexposed, the aperture is too open and the ISO is too low- according to my camera and my editing software. But that’s how I wanted to take the picture. I wanted to be in control. I wanted to get the effect I saw in my head. I wanted low ISO to keep the graininess down. I wanted f2.2 instead of 4.5 because I wanted less stuff in focus and I heart bokeh like crazy. I underexposed because I know that the camera doesn’t know how to deal with the giant glass of my 50mm so the light meter is wrong by +2 stops to begin with. I got what I wanted. I removed the camera’s brain and skipped the post-processing stuff and took the picture I wanted.

Call me selfish, call me stupid. I’ll take it. But this is my art and my roots come from a shooting an all manual Nikon Fm-10 loaded with 35mm Kodak 200 black and white film and this is what I know. Shooting manually is why photography is fun for me. It makes me feel like I’m a US Marine sniper eyeing his target, adjusting for wind drift, distance, breathing slowly, totally focused; letting the million thoughts and decisions behind one single trigger pull flow through my head as I execute the shot. That’s what leaving my camera set to M (manual) does for me. It connects me with the process of achieving my final result and if I get the shot all wrong I have no one to blame but myself.

I’m old school, I’m behind the times, I shoot with an old crappy camera, I don’t post-process a lot, I’m not technical enough, I shoot in manual mode almost all the time. I’m a control freak. And you’re welcome to join the club. (If you do, I’d love to see your results posted here!)

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I used to be a huge fan of Nascar. It started innocently enough, a VIP pass here, a VIP pass there, and before I knew it I was hooked, or so I thought.

I worked in recon at the time for a local GM dealer. We would get all kinds of goodies for the two local tracks, Dover and Pocono speedway, and I am not one to give up a freebie. Pocono was great, but my first visit to Dover, or the “monster mile” as it is affectionately called, was my first experience with raw, in your face, unadulterated speed. If your hair did not stand at attention when the boys sped past, than chances are you belonged in a morgue and not at the track.

Fast forward about five years and I had become disgusted with the sponsors and their impact on the sport. It became a silly game of how many different hats you could wear while being interviewed in winners circle, and the race took a back seat (pun intended). And with that I was finished.

Although I stopped watching Nascar and every other sport that were taken over by the latest flavor in beer, I never forgot the hair raising feeling from the speed of those cars flying by at 200 mph, and my need for speed has never waned.

Over the years, I craved the fastest everything from hard drives to internet connections. When I became involved in photography, my “point-and-shoot” didn’t last very long. I needed something that had a shutter speed of 1/80,000 s, and the ability to fire off shots like an army issue semiautomatic machine gun.

I digress.

Recently, I purchased my very first iPhone.

Yes, I am an Apple guy, but the selling point for me was when I heard the term 3G and instantly thought speed! As the salesman packed up my new toy, my first thought was, “There is no way I will use all these features.” This, of course, was pre “app store” thinking and soon enough my wallet would be screaming for mercy.

There is a ton of apps for photographers, most of which held no interest for me or were too expensive for what was being offered. However, that all changed when Trey Ratcliff, an inspiration within an inspiration, released his first app 100 Cameras in 1.

Again, the hair on my arms stood up and I felt the rush of adrenaline; I felt speed.

For those who are unfamiliar, Trey Ratcliff is, for me, the first thing that comes to mind when the word HDR is mentioned, and I highly recommend visiting his site, Stuck in Customs, when you have the opportunity.

So what exactly is “100 Cameras in 1” you ask?

Imagine taking a single photograph, and in less time than it takes to compose the shot, you are presented with 100 variations of that photograph, from a simple black and white version to a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. As if that isn’t impressive enough, you can now take the original photograph and begin layering the other 99 variations on top of it.

Don’t let greed stand in your way, layer that photo until your heart is content. And hey, if you feel that you have gone too far, simply start over using the original photo. You also have the option to save the photograph at certain stages of the transformation. When you are finished with your “masterpiece” as it is called within the app, go ahead and show it off by using any of the included services like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Smugmug, or Dropbox. You can even email or print the photo directly from the app!

What if you want to “play” with a photo that was taken “pre iPhone”? Not a problem, simply choose any photo from your camera roll and let the layering begin!

There a couple of drawbacks which may be implemented in future versions. The first is the ability to shoot in landscape mode, which Trey informed me was a design decision. The second is the ability to zoom, which can be rectified within the app when you choose a photo from the camera roll. However, I would like to have the option to zoom as I am taking the photo.

Do not let the drawbacks (if you can call them drawbacks) keep you from purchasing this incredible app; At $0.99 you can’t go wrong.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few before and after shots I took using the 100 Cameras in 1 application from Trey Ratcliff. Some of these have only one layer, while others have as many as twenty. Enjoy the photos and if you decide to purchase the app, please let me know your thoughts both good and bad.

I also started a Flickr group for the 100 Photos in 1 app, and extend an invitation to upload your creations. It is a great place to share and discuss techniques!

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Highgate Cemetery by Jez92

When you mention cemetery photography to someone, you will most likely experience one of two reactions. The first is, “Hey man, don’t talk about cemeteries, they totally creep me out!” The second is “What the hell is wrong with you! Don’t you have any respect for the deceased?” My normal reply is to say nothing while sporting a blank stare. This will usually be enough to freak them out and ultimately end the conversation.

This technique can also be used for pesky car salesman, religious fanatics, and of course in-laws.

But I digress.

There is an entire community that thrives on cemeteries and their beauty. There are those who travel thousands of miles to practice Gravestone Rubbing, and those who merely appreciate the beauty that can be found in death. Then there are those of us who travel wherever our camera take us to photograph the beauty, mystery, and sometimes unsettling cemeteries across the globe.  There are plenty of techniques to photographing cemeteries, however, the views expressed in this article are my own. I encourage you to add any technique or practice by submitting a comment below.

Friends by Bryan J Zimmerman

Although I am not one to ask for permission, mostly because there is never anyone around representing the cemetery, it is probably a good idea to ask before taking any photographs, especially if it is an older cemetery. I have never had any problems in my area, but it is always a good idea to check. The other option is to just go for it; If confronted then deal with the situation. Groundsmen are normally more concerned with individuals actually touching the stones.

In this article I would like to put aside ISO and Focal Points and focus on what should happen before the shot, which I think is more important than the shot itself.

Every cemetery, every plot, and every headstone has a story to tell. Although not always evident, if you sit long enough, taking in the aura of the grave site, you will eventually grab a glimpse into the life that lies beyond the dirt and stone. It is this story that sets the stage as to how you will photograph the scene.

With that in mind it is time to set up the shot. I like to conceptualize the shot before I take it as shown below. The inscription on these particular stones read, “loving mother and father,” which immediately made me think of lovers. The stones were positioned perfectly to finish the story -  Two young lovers lying in a grassy field or on the hood of a 1955 Chevy, holding hands, staring at the stars, and dreaming of the future.

Lovers by Bryan J Zimmerman

The thought caused the hair on my arms to stand straight on top of the goosebumps like a regiment of soldiers saluting their leader. It was that moment that I knew I had something special and proceeded to take the shot. Although the photography itself is important, it’s the story that must come first, otherwise, you are just taking “another” cemetery photo, and we all know there are enough of those to go around ten fold.

Earlier in the article I used the word unsettling. As much as I enjoy the stories like the one above that has a happy overtone, there are the stones that bear the markings an infant or child’s grave. There is a story for these precious souls as well, however, not as easy to decipher. Although the time was short for these children, I have to trust that it was for reasons beyond out comprehension. Perhaps they would have been at the mercy of a pedophile, murderer, or an abusive parent.

Baby's Grave by Serenity In Demise

As sad as it is to see these grave sites, it does my heart well to know they will never suffer any pain.

Before moving forward I would like to touch on color vs Black & white. Although there is nothing wrong with a color photo of a grave site, nothing brings out the raw emotion like black and white. I may be biased since black and white is my passion, however, when I look at my photographs and the accompanying stories, color does not do them the justice they deserve. This is not to say color does not have its place, it all depends on the story.

Contemplation by Gryffingirl77

If you already shoot cemeteries think about the story behind the shot, and for those who are hesitant to step foot in a cemetery for whatever reason, remember, every stone, every inscription has a story to tell. Try not to think of the location, but rather the “precious souls immortalized in granite,” and I think you may have a change of heart.

"Death Is Blind" by RedNihao

I set up a special Flickr group for you to upload your cemetery photos and share the stories behind them. Although you can submit previous photos you have taken, I encourage you to go out and find that special story and capture it as you see it. You may be surprised with the outcome. The Flickr group is at http://www.flickr.com/groups/cemeteryfyp/

Make sure you catch my April podcast which will also focus on cemetery photography. You can find the podcast at http://www.lensfetish.com/category/lens-fetish-lounge-podcast/

Additional Resources:

Cemetery Seeker: http://www.cemeteryseeker.com/

Graves, Tombs, and Cemetery Discussion Group on Flickr: http://bit.ly/ho848M

Google cemetery Images: http://bit.ly/g9CTU0

Dark Destiny – London’s Magnificent Seven Cemeteries: http://www.darkdestiny.us/

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Unless you have taken up residence beneath a large rock, you have either seen or heard of the movie “Sin City.” Broken down into four tales of crime, Sin City gathered attention for its unique color processing, which rendered most of the film in black and white but retained or added coloring for select objects. This process and a recent interview with fellow photographer Gregory Panto for my monthly podcast, “The Lens Fetish Lounge,” which was the inspiration for this article.

The picture I chose to showcase (shown below) reminded me of the classic Sin City look and a technique I have been itching to try.

Gregory S Panto Photography

After getting the thumbs up from my editor, I grabbed my camera, and set out to find some great color shots. In classic Bryan fashion, I waited until the 11th hour and wound up with an overcast day during the first week of March. For those of you who live in the Northeast, you know the trees are still bare, and there isn’t a whole lot of color happening on the nature front, but I am always up for a challenge, so off I went.

It didn’t take long to find my first specimen; A very colorful truck delivering the goods to a local Turkey Hill. Since it was a dreary day, I pumped up the ISO to 400 and threw the camera into AV mode. Below is the color, black & white, and “colorized” photos for comparison. Keep in mind that these are not works of art but experimentation of what is possible.

The next item on my photo scavenger hunt was a funky blue clothes drop. Again, I have included the three versions below.

As I headed for home, I was a little bummed that I couldn’t find another shot, and then it hit me like a metal highway sign! I must have driven past a dozen or two, “wait for it, wait for it,” metal highway signs! So I pulled the ‘ol Dodge Shadow to the shoulder of the road and grabbed a few shots. Below are the results from those shots.

My workflow was pretty straight forward. I brought the photos into Adobe lightroom and did some minimal color correcting, and I do mean minimal corrections. I wanted the shots to be as close to the originals as possible. I also did some cropping as this is about color and not composition. The most important part of the workflow is studying the color and black & white version side by side to determine what will look best from both sides.

From Lightroom, I opened the photos in Adobe Photoshop and began to work my magic. OK, so magic isn’t the best word, but hey, I was on a deadline! Give a guy some slack will you?

But I digress.

Within Photoshop, I desaturated the photos and began the masking process. The masking was relatively easy but very time-consuming depending on the look and feel you are going for. In my case, I used the trusty pen tool and masked out and painted the color back into the photos. For more on masking techniques be sure to check out the awesome tutorials from Adobe.

Next was the creative part of the process which can also be time-consuming depending on the look and feel you are going for, however, my favorite part as I can get the creative juices flowing. This is also a make or break process, so make sure to take your time, study the photo, and create your masterpiece. Lastly, and most important, have fun, make mistakes and experiment, otherwise, your photo will look “scripted,” defeating the purpose.

Much Like Greg’s photo above, deciding what stays black & white and what stays color is the key and he did a magnificent job.

I am very interested in seeing your work as well. So if you have photos please post links and I will make sure they get posted. If you have never tried this technique, I highly suggest getting out there and giving it a whirl. You may be surprised what you come up with. I know I was.

Now if you will excuse me, my popcorn awaits and Sin City is spinning away in my DVD player. I would hate to miss one precious minute of this masterpiece.

Peace,
Bryan

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I ascended from the murky tomb, carrying one of the last boxes that had been imprisoned for the past six decades and laid it on the grass with the grace of an Olympic skater.  The contents of this box were priceless and no amount of money would measure up.  I carefully opened the rare cargo and could almost hear a long sigh as the contents of the box breathed in the fresh air and sunlight it had been denied the past sixty years.  As expected, I had exhumed another treasure, however, the contents of this box would eventually change my artistic life.

My wife lost both of her parents during the same year, and we found ourselves with the task of cleaning out their home.  They were the type that kept everything; if there had been such a thing as the king and queen of the pack rat clan, they held the title.  Newspapers lined the walls dating back to 1955, and their dresser drawers revealed hidden secrets over thirty years old.  However, the basement, which had been the victim of the “flood of ’55,” is where the real treasure lied.

The contents of the box stared back at me as if I had just traveled back in time six decades.  The box was full of photos of family portraits that dated back as far as 1920, and the faces that adorned these framed pieces of history gave me my first glimpse into the world of distressed photography.

Fast forward to present day.  The distressed photos I found in the basement which had been through a horrible flood and six decades of humidity and dampness are now able to be reproduced digitally. These are truly exciting times for creative photographers, so my goal for this article was to find some great distressed photography, and let the readers in on the tools and techniques the photographers use to process this type of photo.

Roadside Shrine by Graeme Dawes

Our first photographer, Graeme Dawes, resides in the U.K., and I stumbled across his work on Flickr.  I remember being completely mesmerized by his work and spent close to an hour looking through his portfolio.  I immediately contacted Graeme and asked for permission to use his photo for this article.  Not only did he consent, but also described his technique in detail and even included a screen capture of the Photoshop layers panel used for the photo.

Graeme Dawes’ training consisted of a 5×4 view cameras with E6 film, and Dawes goes on to explain that, “the images had to be perfect.”  When he moved to digital several years ago, Dawes continued with this ‘perfectionist’ ethic (in spite of low-resolution equipment in comparison to today’s cameras).  He credits Frederic Desmots’ work as the inspiration that fuels his passion, though he is on a journey to find his own photographic voice.

The roadside shrine Venice image (pictured above) was shot on a Canon Digital IXUS 1/500s f8 focal length 5.4mm (compact camera sensor).  All the adjustments and retouching of the original *.jpeg image were carried out in Photoshop CS2, then the textures added as layers (Screen capture below).  As you will see, there are only two texture layers for this image, but I frequently use a dozen or more, depending on the effect.

Since this is a column that is focused on black and white photography, I took the liberty of desaturating “the roadside shrine,” and as you can see it, is as stunning as the color photograph.  I prefer the black and white version (I am somewhat biased as a black and white photographer), however, both versions are equally stunning.

To learn more about Graeme Dawes and his extraordinary talent, please visit him on Flickr, RedBubble, or his newly developed personal site.

BW version of Roadside Shrine by Graeme Dawes

Next, we take a look at a completely different technique from the very talented Brittany Magnuson.  The photo below is entitled “Bee Hive,” and Brittany was kind enough to let us in on her technique.

The Bee Hive by Brittany Magnuson

The original image was shot on a Polaroid Amigo 620 camera using Polaroid 600 Film.  After development, the film was cut and pulled apart, and arranged emulsion face up in a baking dish.  She used a bleach gel pen to eat through certain areas and quickly poured boiling water over the entire concoction and allowed it to steep.  After 10 minutes, she removed it and allowed the image to dry overnight, when it was then scanned and digitally desaturated using Photoshop CS3.

To learn more about Brittany, please visit her at brittanymagnuson.com.

The next two photos are from my fellow Deviants at deviantart.com, and are excellent examples of distressed photography at its finest. You can link to their pages by clicking on the associated images

Olivia by ~slagowski

Experienced II by ~txjim

As I came to the end of this article, I couldn’t help being inspired by the grand display of talent.  So I mosied on up to my favorite photo editing software, and using the technique outlined by Graeme Dawes, I decided to take a crack at it.  Below is my offering of an abandoned church I shot last weekend in Wind Gap, Pennsylvania.

Church of Distression by Bryan J Zimmerman

Although I have a long way to go before reaching the skill level of the four photographers in this article, I was satisfied with my first distressed photograph and learned something new in the process.

I think I may need to revisit that box of distressed photos I discovered at my in-laws basement and experiment further.