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Venice Custom Bike Show

This is Kato:

Otherwise known as: spaz, freak, energizer doggy, booger, brat, furball.

Fourth of July, rooftop, Marina Del Rey, whisky, point-and-shoot:

Yeah, this little get-together happened, I don’t know, maybe 4 months ago? Regardless, I’m just now getting the pics off my point and shoot. For those who where there ….

I managed to hook up with Jill and friends last weekend for a couple hours. From Jill’s camera:

Straight outa’ Lanaea’s camera.

Actually, I think this has potentional. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to start munging photos again soon.

A photo per day through mid-March: osbornphoto.com.

As far as I’m aware, there’s two main photog stores in San Diego: George’s Camera> and Nelson Photo Supplies. I’ve bought various pieces of equipment and sought advice from both, and have had generally good experiences with each.

However, my last experience at George’s left a sour taste in my mouth. I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I stopped in just to check out the new gear and play with the Canon 30D, which will probably be my next body upgrade. Anways, as I was tooling around with it, I asked one of the salesmen about on the Tamron 18-200mm that was attached to it.

“Oh, it’s a great lens, particularly for the price. Very good.”

It’s a newer lens, and I hadn’t yet looked up the reviews on it yet.

“Really? How’s it compare to the Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS?”

“Well, obviously it’s got greater range, but no image stabilization. But it’s the same glass.”

“Really? The same glass as the Canon?”

“Yup.”

Odd. Both Tamron and Canon makes their own glass. And Canon’s is really good. Especially on the L lenses – which is why the Canon lens I referred to costs about $800 more than the Tamron. Hmm … maybe they just worked out a deal with Canon.

He holds up portrait print. “Here’s a sample, I shot this with the Tamron lens.”

It’s a good photo, and I’m curious about the printer, since the output can drastically alter what you think the lens in doing.

“Is this a LightJet print?”

“No, it’s a real photo print. On photo paper.” He turns it over to show me the Kodak logo on the paper’s reverse.

“Right – the LightJet is a Ra4 chemical bath printer. Like the Fuji Frontier. Not inkjet. They use a laser to expose the paper, from analog or digital sources, and do chemical dips.”

He looks a little confused, stammering a series of “Uh … yeah. Maybe. I don’t know … what it was printed on. It’s a real photo.”

It’s at this point I just thank him and leave. On returning home, I research the Tamron lens. It is_ a very good lens for the price. In fact, it’s an awesome lens for the price. But it absolutely is _not Canon glass. And to work at a camera store and not know what technology your own prints are developed with?

Yeah, there’s that sour taste again.

Photo updates from the Getty Museum, one a day through the end of the year, over at osbornphoto, check ‘em out ….

Photo updates are trickling in over at osbornphoto, check ‘em out ….

My new favorite water, just because it’s so nearly pornographic.

Mai and Rich. Notice she looks relatively sober here.

This is Craig. He was overwhelmed, and tried to eat the bird.

Living room UFC.

This is Mai again. She actually passed out with her head on the coffee table.

Nae, modeling our favorite water.

“Good tree, that’s a good tree.”

Me again.

Again, the “good” shots will be popping up on osbornphoto periodically, so keep an eye out there.

Slacker that I am, I don’t get any pics from Chicago up until I’ve been back for a couple weeks. Anyway, here’s the one’s that aren’t going on osbornphoto.

My friend’s place in Chicago, and his upstairs neighbor hanging out on the stoop.

I have no idea who this is, but he apparently likes to dance in front of a bank in Bucktown. How can you not take a pic?

Almost everyone in Chicago has these back porches. Remember that fatal porch collapse a few years ago? Yeah, a friend of mine used to hang out on that same porch all the time, but just by chance didn’t go to that party that night.

Signs you never see in San Diego (or Phoenix).

The street my friend lives on. Are you fucking kidding me? I expect the Huxtables to come trotting out at any minute.

This one’s for L—-.

Again, the “good” shots will be popping up on osbornphoto periodically, so keep an eye out there.

Just in case you haven’t checked out osbornphoto.com lately …

Friday night I had the opportunity, thanks to a friend at Silk Road Productions, to shoot the Dynastaes show and cast photos. It was another paying gig (this is good), and I can’t say that I’m averse to photographing an all-girl performance troupe, with acts ranging from music to dancing and acrobatics. Those girls are positively amazing, so if you’re into Chinese culture, check it out. Hopefully I’ll be able to post some of the low-rez versions over on osbornphoto.com pretty soon.

Friends continually wonder how, with gigs such as this and the fashion shoots I’ve been doing lately, I manage to keep my tongue in my mouth and work without distraction. It’s true, sometimes the subjects are just so damn beautiful that they catch you off guard, but most of the time your head gets so locked into chasing the light, composition, timing, focal length, aperture, shutter speed, theme, emotive response … well, you get the idea. I could be looking at anything from a nude model to a corroded tin shed, and I’m looking for the beauty in the shot, I’m thinking of the presentation and the mood and the if I want a representational shot, or something more artistic, or if the two are the same.

I’m thinking of balancing the desires of the client withing the shots available, and thinking how much license they will give me or are expecting me to take, reviewing the pre-show conversations and/or contract to ensure fulfillment. I’m considering the story I want to tell, I’m thinking of how my actions and speech affect the personality of the subjects, and if I want to encourage their emotions in a particular direction, or if I want to be invisible. I’m wondering what will happen if I try something new, something I’ve never done before.

Even when the shots are provocative, it’s chasing beauty that’s appreciated by the heart over the loins. During the fashion shoots, I make mental notes of those models I think have the attitude and looks to make it, those that sizzle or sparkle or project some understated allure, but it’s because I’m thinking of reserving more shots for them, for capturing that magic. It’s not until the way home I think, “Damn, that girl was hot!” When I review the photos for print, I’m back behind the lens – even when browsing Ginger’s Playboys I caught myself examining the lighting, that the play of light and dark on bare skin, of how the composition leads you to … well, where it leads you.

There are martial parallels here: I am training myself with a focused mind, completely intent on the task at hand. This is good, this is better than shooting mindlessly – without plan or goal, without efficiency. Perhaps someday I will be good enough to shoot with “no mind,” to be able to effortlessly produce that which I seek without the impediments of analysis, and it’s not until the act is complete that I think, “hmm, yes, that was good.” Of course, that’s a long way off.

Oh, what, you’re naked? I hadn’t noticed. I was kinda’ preoccupied.

No, really.

But you can call me tomorrow.

For those of you keeping score, I’ve have my first photos published in print by a third party. It’s in the latest edition of SD CityBeat. Direct link to my shots here. I was a little displeased with the dynamic range (on the website, I haven’t had a chance to pick up hardcopy yet), but considering that the only time the models, designer, and I could all get together was two days before the deadline, I think things turned out pretty well. I would have liked to make some small adjustments to the peices, particularly raising the white point, but given that I had work and class the day between the shoot and deadline, I didn’t really get a chance to do much to the raw images. Anyway, after meeting the models and seeing the outfits the day of, using only natural light and having no days to reschedule for poor weather/lighting, with 1 shoot, 1 afternoon, 1 location, 1 oportunity, using largely Throught-The-Lens output, I’m pretty pleased.

Wow, what a night! Saturday was fantastic, thank you everyone who showed up to Aubergine to support local artists. I don’t have the numbers yet, but the turnout was phenomenal. Doors opened at 6, and by 6:30, it was nearly full, and remained so for the duration of the evening. I met new artists all the way from SF (attending CCAC no less) down to local professionals and amatuers in LA and SD. I’ll see if I can post some snapshots of the event soon.

Quicky sysnopsis: although sales were slow – it seemed to be more of a browsing audience than a purchasing one – the exposure and critiques were fantastic. I believe I may have been interviewed by a local college newspaper (it was rather off the cuff) and an asian-centric art magazine (which is funny, being a gaijin and all.) I also received an unsolicitied email in my inbox the next day issuing a call-for-entries for a juried photography competition; I can only assume the curator(s) were present and thought I had some potential, as I the email came directly from the show’s contact address. About half the business cards I displayed were consumed, so that’s a good thing, and the traffic’s been reflected in my webserver logs.

Oh, I may also have a date with one the local artists I always see around, as well as another girl that I met at the show who emailed me the next day asking if I was single. Damn, that’s cool. Never thought it’d work out that way.

Schweet.

Again, thanks everyone.

(Will return to regularly scheduled styling shortly ….)

Continuation from yesterday:

Swift Trickle

Staunch

More from Sunset Cliffs:

Congregation

Overhead

A couple abstracts:

Macro/Micro

Wave Viscera

I haven’t had much time to write lately, too busy shooting. Here’s a couple from the weekend:

Pacific Beach

Sunset Cliffs

Mt Soledad

Little Italy

Sunset Cliffs

Squaw Peak over Thanksgiving

Forty-Seven Things I’ve Learning About Photography
That Have Nothing To Do With Photography
(through personal mistakes and otherwise)

Taking Photos

1. Although I am not a lawyer, and there are currently ongoing cases involving just this, selling prints of people shot in a public place generally does not require a release waiver. If shooting people in a public place, do not become intrusive, as you move farther from the “candid public location shot” to a “modeled shot in public.” If in doubt, try to get a waiver. Don’t sacrifice the shot however, as the image can always be deleted or the negative destroyed if necessary.
2. Ignore the above advice if the shot is of a military, military-contracted, government, or other location subject to confidentiality due to national security – obtain a waiver first.
3. Be very wary of shooting minors without a release, even in a public location, especially if the image ends up on your online portfolio.
4. Have dozens of copies of two types of model release forms in your camera bag: a long, specific one for modeling sessions, and a short all-inclusive one for getting a quick release for a grab shot you think may require it. Have as much information as possible pre-filled out to minimize the person’s time and and cognitive dissonance. You can find these on the websites of many modeling agencies.
5. Release waivers are not enforceable unless the releasing party is compensated. Pack a bunch of one dollar bills in your photo bag and trade the dollar for the filled-in release form. When I shoot my friends, I just offer them dinner in compensation, pay with a credit card, and make a note of it on the receipt.
6. A grab-shot is a spontaneous shot, a snap-shot is a crappy photo from your family vacation.

Printing, Framing, and Matting

1. Acid-free matting and mounting tape is about twice as expensive than otherwise, but is much cheaper than museum grade UV-protecting glass. If you plan on selling, use acid-free everything. If the product doesn’t say acid free or “archival,” it’s probably not. Give your patrons survivable art.
2. “Museum Rag” matting is much more expensive than standard acid-free matting, and personally, I don’t think it’s worth it – I actually like the white border in the bevel of a colored matt (acid-free, of course), and most photo paper and chemical bath printers are currently rated at a 70 years, so getting a matting that’s rated beyond that doesn’t buy you anything.
3. Use glass in frames, as plastics and synthetics tend to look hazy and scratch easily, can reflect light at unevenly, and can become mottled when certain household cleaners are applied. Ignore this advice if it is a large piece and weight is a huge concern or submission requirements require otherwise. Update: I’ve become quite enamored with some of the glare-free plexiglass that’s available now. It’s more resilient than glass, it appears that the developers have addressed some of the issues with haziness and scratching tendency. Check it out before you buy it though, preferably by holding a sample photo behind it at the same distance it will end up being framed. E.g., if the print will be matted, it won’t be flush against the plexi, but some amount back. Make sure that the clarity is acceptable.
4. Check both sides of the glass/surface protector for those little adhesive clear protective sheets, and remove them before mounting your work.
5. Don’t buy display glass from companies that don’t have a reasonable return and exchange policy. You will end up with hidden cracks in glass that has been obscured by the overlapping edge of the frame, or weak spots that have not yet fractured but will, and you will end up with a completely shattered piece at some point, generally while transporting the piece to an exhibition or client.
6. Always print on quality paper with quality inks, and always print fresh samples prior to a large run when the technicians or technology change. For example, when I changed from a Fuji Frontier to a Lightjet 430 printer, still using Fuji Crystal Archive paper, I printed the same samples on each to compare results in order to compensate.
7. Don’t print images on an inkjet or dye-sub printer at home (yet). The technology isn’t there (yet) – the dynamic range is shit, the shelf life is abhorrent, and the print may react adversely to various substances like moisture or the plastic protective sleeves inside a portfolio. If you get an ink-jet print from a service bureau, get it UV-coated.
8. Giclee is french for “squirt.” Basically, it’s an inkjet printer that can print on just about any surface. I personally don’t think it’s worth it for digital photos, even if you’re using one of the high-end six, eight, or twelve color giclee printers, since you probably don’t have that dynamic range in your photos in the first place, and you probably weren’t working in that colorspace in Photoshop when making adjustments. I’ve never done giclee prints from analog sources, so I can’t comment on that.
9. Check out the reputation of the local print shops by visiting local galleries on reception evenings and questioning the presenters and curators. In San Diego, I typically use Moebius Color.
10. Check to see if there’s a minimum number of prints or dollar figure for a run.
11. If you print in multiple sizes, it may be more cost effective to use different printers, technologies, or companies for each. I’ve used Chrome Digital for small-scale prints with pleasing results, but rumour has it they’ve had some issues with poor quality and damaging negatives. Since I’ve only ever taken digital sources there, and I always have a backup of my work, I’m not worried about damaged source materials.
12. Always sign your prints, but only on the lower right hand corner just outside the print boundary. Anything else is just unprofessional.
13. Only sign with a pen that has been designed to write on prints, to prevent smudging your signature. The pen will usually say something along the lines of “writes on plastic, metal, glass.” Test it.
14. If the print one of a numbered series, include the number of the print and total number of prints. This may be done next to your signature or on the back. Document the series run, date, and purchases somewhere at home.
15. If you write any series numbering information, date, or other extraneous data on the back of the photo, use a light hand to not emboss the text into the print, and do it far enough in the margin that if it does deform the print that it will be hidden by matting. Generally, there’s no reason to write much, if any, extra information on back.
16. Matt your image with a quarter-inch (or so) boundary around the printed boundary to expose the signature. The patron is investing in the signature as much as the art.
17. Generally, unless the theme requires it, frame and matt each piece in a showing identically. If the matting is colored (not white or black) and complementary to each image, more spacing is required between the pieces.
18. Particularly for smaller prints, have the bottom edge of the matt one-and-a-half to two times as wide as the sides and top. The sides on top should be of identical width. Works best with white matting, in my opinion.

Getting Noticed

1. Spend some time on your card, as curators and owners receive hundreds regularly. Make it professional, memorable, and if possible, include a few samples on the card itself. I’ve used Overnight Prints, and placed contact information one side and some favorite shots representative of my work on the back.
2. Go grassroots – visiting the local galleries, art-walks, coffee house receptions, one-night-only’s, etc. Introduce yourself to the artists, curators, and owners; they probably won’t approach you unless it looks like you’re interested in buying. Analyze the presenters’ works and have intelligent things to say about them. Cast negative comments in a positive light or don’t say them at all. (e.g., “I’d be interested to see this piece cropped here, with more of this light falling on the subject” instead of “The composition sucks and it’s too dark.”) Respect them, but don’t pester them – they’re there to sell, and you’re (probably) not buying.
3. Don’t pretend to be buying in order to speak with the curator(s). They are working, and will make time for you when he or she can.
4. Have both a printed portfolio and online version. Online is generally more convenient these days, and if they like what they see online, they’ll probably ask to followup with a printed portfolio.
5. In your portfolio: prune, prune, prune. Better to have ten phenomenal images than those ten and ninety mediocre. The mediocrity dilutes the phenomenal. Revisit you portfolio periodically and continue to prune as you evolve.
6. Treat all advice as constructive criticism, even if it’s not presented as such, and even you you think it’s wrong. You don’t have to follow it, but you should listen to it. It’s photography, let yourself use others’ eyes as well as your own.
7. Eventually, you will be recognized at various art functions, if you’ve been introducing yourself without being obnoxious. It’s incredibly beneficial if a curator or owner approaches you at an exhibition (to say hi, or ask if you’re seen the pieces yet, etc.), as opposed to the other way around. The curator is almost never alone, and people will see him or her initiating conversation with you, and have instantly had your status raised. Do not, however, try to force this scenario, just let it happen.
8. Bring promotional flyers for you exhibitions wherever you go. You never know when you’ll meet someone who might actually show up and purchase a piece, and owners and curators love that. (And you should as well.) On the flip side, always ask before leaving a stack of flyer at a location, and never start the conversation with the presentation of a flyer. Guide the conversation there, or let it arise, and then present it. It’s more polite, personal, and makes the recipient feel less like they’re being spammed.
9. If you trade business cards with a curator or owner, send a followup email a few days later. Be polite and spell check, read it over a couple times. It should follow the ABC’s of good communication: Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity. Think of it as courting an aristocrat.
10. Support your local artists, purchasing pieces if the option is available and the work moves you, but minimally by going to their exhibitions and inviting them to yours. Reciprocity is good, and with most people, somewhat viral. If you don’t have the money to buy another artist’s piece, and they yours, consider trades.
11. If you’re commissioning a piece, pay half up front and half upon receipt. Artists will finish when they get hungry.
12. Use your resources. Ask for help, advice, criticism, convention, standards, etc. No one was born knowing everything.

In the Gallery

1. If your prints have been stored in presentable state for a while, dust the frame, pull the glass and dust it or clean it with a non-abrasive cleaner. If the inside side of the glass requires cleaning, let the glass dry completely before re-assembling to prevent chemicals from being pressed against the print.
2. Bring a few spare pieces to the gallery in the event that one of yours gets damaged or destroyed in route, or in case an artists doesn’t show and there is extra available. Exposure is good.
3. Bring a level, screwdriver (Phillips and flathead), hammer, needle-nose pliers, a thin metal ruler, and your own hanging supplies when hanging your work. You never know if the material promised by the studio was given to the pompous savant that’s headlining the show. The level and hammer for obvious reasons, the screwdrivers to work with mounting brackets, and it’s handle can be used to spool wire, the pliers to pull sunken nails and other sundry, the metal ruler to space pieces as well as wedge behind the backing stays present on some frames.
4. Go to your own showing. Nothing says lack of pride like missing your own exhibition. Many people enjoy meeting the artists and establishing some sort of personal or emotional connection between themselves and the source of the piece they’re looking to purchase (but be aware some people want to intentionally not meet the artists, so don’t hover.)
5. Don’t spent so much time with any potential client(s) that you don’t have time to mingle, meet new people, view other artists’ works, and appreciate your evening.
6. Get a receipt book. If accepting non-brokered payment, particularly in check form, write the purchaser’s drivers license number on the receipt. You don’t want to surrender the work and have a stop payment crop up on the check and have no recourse. If it is a brokered payment, the gallery should take care of this.
7. Don’t try to skirt the gallery by going behind it’s back to sell the piece later at discount, thereby screwing the gallery out of it’s commission. After all, you may not have had an offer at all had it not been for them.
8. Bring spare business cards to the showing.
9. If you’d like to defray some expenses without relying on someone purchasing one of your larger gallery pieces, considered making available some smaller prints of the pieces in the show. These should be pre-matted but not framed, and contain your signature like the standard large-scale print. They may also include some “advertising,” such as your website address. A 4”x6” print is on the “crafts” side of the arts-and-crafts curve, appearing more like a postcard than a gallery art miniature, so go larger than 4”x6”. They should be packaged in a clear protective sleeve with a price tag. In other words, ready for someone to just pick up and buy.
10. If you’re selling inexpensive pieces and/or miniatures, bring petty cash for changing bills. I suggest rounding every price to the nearest $5 mark.
11. Don’t get drunk at your own showing.