Thursday, August 14, 2014

The World Needs A Photographer Like You

That’s right. You! No matter what your skill level, there is a project in this world that is perfect for you. Are you going to get paid for this project? Nope! This one is going to be a freebie.

Now I know what you are thinking. "Whoa Whoa Whoa, stop the clock! You want me to work for free?”

Yes, that’s exactly what I want you to do. And here is why. Go find a globe. You know, one of those round things with the world painted on it that spins around real fast. Yeah, that thing. Go find one…go on. We are waiting. Ok good, you got it! Now, spin that globe fast. Close your eyes and stop the globe dead in its tracks. Use your finger and place it somewhere on the surface. Open your eyes. See the country your finger landed on? Congratulations, that’s your next photography destination!

“But Michael, there are no picturesque landscapes in that country!”

So What?

"But Michael, I have never left my home country before”

Exactly.

“But Michael, it’s currently pretty dangerous to go to that country”

Danger is subjective. We have been trained to fear all things unknown, but obviously, use common sense when selecting your global destinations, and be sure to check the current travel warnings before booking your ticket.

So you now have your destination. What exactly are you going to do when you hit the ground? Well let me tell you about the photography work that I fell in love with, and don’t mind not being reimbursed for it. Hopefully that will give you some ideas to think over.

A boy stands outside of his home in a barrio in Granda, Nicaragua. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200, 1/60 sec, f/5

Back in 2012, I started working with a photography company called The Giving Lens. The idea behind The Giving Lens was bold; run an international photography workshop to teach aspiring photographers, but while on the ground, work with a local non profit organization to help bring awareness to their causes. The Giving Lens was in the process of organizing a scouting team of 6 to head down to Peru. This small team would help test out the location for a future workshops, with twice the number of participants. Always looking for something new, I signed right up. Little did I know it would rock my photography world.

The trip was an incredible success. Sure, Machu Pichu was amazing. The old capital of the Inca Empire, Cuscu was beautifully enchanting. But the best part of the trip? Walking the dusty old streets of a little known village called Orapesso with a large number of children from The Picaflor House, a local NGO whose mission is to keep underprivileged children off the streets and in school by providing additional school subjects like English, as well as creative programs, such as dance and photography. We had arrived with a number of donated cameras and began to teach these energetic, wide eyed children the ins and outs of composition and exposure. As I walked through the village, holding the hands of children as we crossed the cobblestone streets, I took photos of street scene after street scene while teaching my young apprentices. There are no tourists in Oropesa. Just you and the residents, who still live in the same houses that their great grandparents built with their hands. I instantly fell in love with this new found photography addictions of traveling, documenting, and giving back in the process.

Children beg for money at a temple in Cambodia. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 28-300, 1/200 sec, f/3.5

This was real life. Not a static landscape, which, if you didn’t get the shot you envisioned, you could just go back the next day and try again. No. This was much different. Walking those streets of Oropesa, I often had just a split second to capture the scene I could see unfolding in front of my eyes. After that split second, that moment in time was gone. Never to be recreated again. I sometimes get the chills when I look over those frozen moments in my Lightroom catalog. There is something incredibly beautiful about capturing a moment in a person’s daily life. It’s a routine they are accustomed to, but they have never seen it quite the way I do.

A group of children sit on their boat outside of their home in a floating village on the Tonle Sap River in Cambodia. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 28-300, 1/400 sec, f/5.6

This was the turning point of my photography journey. No longer was I focused on the beautiful landscapes that too often dominate social media. My passion started to grow for this documentary photography, in locations most of the people I know would never have the opportunity to visit. I obsessed over National Geographic photos. I searched and searched for these moving and powerful photos that I added to a Pinterest board. I looked at that board everyday, dreaming of the opportunity to live that feeling again.

Two years and countless workshops later, I am now leading workshops for The Giving Lens. My travels with them have taken me to the barrios of Granada Nicaragua with the vastly talented children of Empowerment International, to the Middle East where we documented the Iraq Al Amir Women Cooperative Society outside of Amman, Jordan, to strolling the dirt roads between picture perfect fields of rice in rural Cambodia with Anjali House. I've gone from teaching photography to the students in villages while traveling throughout India, to documenting the amazing work of an incredible woman named Lek Chailert who bravely started an elephant rescue and sanctuary called Elephant Nature Park, in the jungles of Northern Thailand.

It has been an amazing journey, and one that I encourage you to take as well. Look at that country you randomly chose on that globe. There is a non profit organization in that country that works towards a cause that you firmly believe in. They need you, badly. Whether it is simply taking photos of their daily lives to use to raise awareness, teaching your skills to underprivileged children, or helping to build elephant enclosures, these incredible organizations, and the kind hearted people who so tirelessly run them, need you. It may cost you money to do it, but the reward is much more valuable than money. Experiencing the real world, with real people, who will become lifelong friends. The frozen moments in time you capture will give you the chills every time you view them, for the rest of your life. And the best part? Not a tourist for miles.

A man walks outside of a Mosque in Old Delhi, India. Canon 5D Mark III, Sigma 85mm, 1/2500 sec, f/1.8

The Treasury in Petra, Jordan is an incredible site at night, when it is illuminated by candlelight. The star trails in the sky were composed of 120 individual exposures. Canon 5D Mark III, Zeiss 15mm f/2.8

A Monk walks through the Tep Preah nom Pagoda while a girl and a dog play in the humid mid morning Cambodian air. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 28-300, 1/500 sec, f/5.6

A merchant outside of a narrow ally way in Al-Salt, Jordan. Canon 7D, Canon 28-300mm , 1/400 sec, f/5

A bird flies overhead, as the Taj Mahal in India lights up in the early morning as tourist clamor for a better view. Canon 5D Mark III, Sigma 85mm, 1/1000 sec, f/4.5

Lek Chailert often sings Thai lullabies to her elephants to help them fall asleep after a long day at the Elephant Nature Park outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24mm, 1/1000 sec, f/2

A girl laughs on the steps of a mosque in Old Delhi, India. Canon 5D Mark III, Sigma 85mm, 1/1000 sec, f/2.8

A boy shows he can write his ABC's at a school in India. Canon 5D Mark III, Sigma 85mm, 1/500 sec, f/1.4

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Robin Ball Photography

Last week, I traveled via Eurostar to Paris for a quick day trip with my friend Jennie. Mainly because last time I was in Paris I didn't take my camera and wanted to capture some of this amazing city. I decided to take my Canon EOS 600 and some Lomography 35mm film over and capture the beauty on film, and venture into the unknown rather than rely on the certainty of digital.

We were greeted with a lovely spring day, albeit with an air of smog, which actually created a nice haze when shooting into the sun. Although I am talking of the artistic merit, rather than the health of the Parisians!

I took with me a mixture of 800 and 400 ISO Lomography Colour Negative 35mm Film, which gives the photos a charming grain that can only be achieved with film. No matter what post processing you do with digital, you can never recreate this.

Only having a day, and taking some time out for ourselves, meant there is so much of Paris I didn't capture, but I am very pleased with what I did come away with.

“What’s the best 35mm film camera for street photography?”

BY CHUCK JINES | PUBLISHED

AUG

2014

People often ask, “What’s the best 35mm film camera for street photography?” While there isn’t any one correct answer to this question, I can offer my experience with the various cameras that I have used over the years. In this short video I give a review of the following cameras:

Nikon FM – You can still purchase a new Nikon FM-10 35mm SLR Camera with 35-70mm f/3.5-4.8 Zoom Lens!
Nikon F-2 - The Nikon F2 is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera.
Nikon F-100 – The Nikon F100 is a 35mm film-based single-lens reflex camera body introduced in 1999. Nikon F100 35mm SLR Camera Body. My best-pick for overall camera.
Minolta 202 – A classic fully manual film camera.
Minolta X-700
Minolta XD-11 – My best-pick for street photography.
Canon Canonet
Olympus 35 Rangefinder
Fed-II

Fundamentals of Street Photography Workshops With Chuck Jines, 2014
For anyone interested in street photography, historical/social documentary photography, or photojournalism – the art of capturing life as it happens, and telling stories with images.

Hipsters stunned as vintage cameras fail to make them professional photographers

Morning sunshine orangely oozes from the pale fluffy clouds, cooked just right, captured within two halves of hot, freshly toasted buns and a slab of mystery meat containing possibly a dead cat.

The international hipster community is in shock this week after the purchase of a vintage Polaroid camera by a young hipster failed to bring him instant acclaim as a gritty, original, yet quirky photographer. Meanwhile, the non-profit Hipster Photographer Rescue has revealed that “this kind of tragic occurrence is happening so often now that it’s almost become mainstream”.

Leaning against the exposed brickwork in his loft-slash-studio, 28-year-old ‘creative’ and part-time barista, Zak Retrough, said that he is “like, shocked?” that his totally deck photographs of his friends looking moody next to some kitchen appliances from the 70′s have continued to be ignored by independent art galleries.

“Mainstream sellouts think that we use old cameras and only shoot in natural light because we can’t learn all that artificial strobe-flash stuff,” said Retrough. “But it’s actually because we’re shooting it the way we saw it. It’s, like, our truth,” he added, pausing to crack the plastic case of his new Lomograph camera to create light leaks.

According to a spokesman from Hipster Photographer Rescue, ever-increasing numbers of tiny-trousered, vintage-Polaroid-wielding 20-somethings are putting a strain on their limited resources.

“The problem is so much bigger than we thought” said Phil Anthropy. “Whoever it was who first told a hipster that extreme cross-processing and vignetting instantly elevates a photo of themselves looking bewilderedly off-camera through their asymmetrical fringe into art has a lot to answer for.”

He said that there was a persistent belief among the community that using old film cameras was somehow more “authentic”.

“But the sad truth is that they just can’t be bothered to learn about ISO, shutter-speed, and aperture,” explained Anthropy. “And we’re seeing a lot of injuries caused by them trying to force a spare film cartridge into the pocket of already too-tight skinny jeans.”

But, he said, there was hope.

“Here at Hipster Photographer Rescue we give these kids options, and make them see that lurking self-consciously on street corners, wearing a messenger bag filled with old cameras, cigarettes, a James Joyce novel, organic cashews and a Macbook Pro, does not make you a professional photographer.

“Still, we can only detox, de-program and re-home so many of these little guys,” he sighed.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Michael Brown Murder

Missouri Cop Kills Unarmed Man Holding Arms in Air, Sparking Angry Residents to Take to Streets (Updated) 85

By Carlos Miller

This time it was a photo not a video that began spreading like a virus on social media networks Saturday night, exposing yet another cop killing another unarmed citizen; a still shot showing a dead man bleeding in the middle of a St. Louis County street fresh after being shot ten times for possibly shoplifting.

The photo posted on Twitter shows yellow police crime tape keeping shocked citizens at bay as a Ferguson police officer stands inside the perimeter with his hand on his belt while blood runs from the uncovered body of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

By the time it started going viral Saturday night, Ferguson residents had taken to the street supposedly shouting “kill the police” in what initial media reports described as a “mob reaction” where citizens even fired shots.

But there has been no video evidence of any of that happening. Just a statement from St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman along with a television news segment showing a reporter talking about how police are keeping them safe from this alleged mob, but admitting he never actually saw anything other than a huge police presence.

In other words, it is most likely the Police PR Spin Machine trying to twist this story to make themselves the victim when the victim was a high school graduate nicknamed Mike Mike about to start college next week.

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Schellman also assured the media that they would be conducting a “lengthy investigation,” which is ironic considering the knee jerk quickness it took to pull the trigger ten times on an unarmed man holding his arms in the air. But we know lengthy in this case just means dragging it out until people forget about it.

County police spokesman Brian Schellman promised a “lengthy investigation.”

“We’re still trying to piece together what happened and why,” Schellman said.

The unnamed officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.

It all started when Brown was walking towards his grandmother’s house from a store at around noon Saturday when he was confronted by police.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Piaget Crenshaw, 19, said she was waiting for a ride to work when she saw a police officer attempting to place Brown in the squad car.

She then said she saw the teen, hands in the air, attempt to flee. Several shots hit Brown as he ran, Crenshaw said. She complied with a request that she give photos of the scene to authorities.

We can imagine she was probably ordered to hand over her camera under threat of arrest rather than complying with a request.

According to Fox2:

The shooting happened at noontime Saturday. The teen and a friend, Dorin Johnson were walking in the street on Canfield Dr. in the Canfield Green Apartments when a Ferguson officer drove up and ordered them to the sidewalk. Johnson said they told him they were a minute away from their destination and then they would be out of the street.

After a verbal confrontation, witness Piaget Crenshaw said the officer got out of his car and fired a shot. Both teens ran, she said, and another shot was fired. Johnson hid behind a car, but said his friend stopped after a second shot was fired at him. Crenshaw and Johnson say the teen held up his hands to show he did not have a weapon, however the officer fired at him two more times and he collapsed and died in the street.

Angry crowds quickly gathered and several shots were fired not far from the original shooting scene. That prompted police to call for help including the tactical squads from the county and city. They closed off West Florissant at Canfield for several hours Saturday.

Fifteen agencies ended up responding in what became a tense standoff that lasted throughout the night on the streets of this mostly black municipality less than 20 miles from St. Louis.

The videos posted online by the media and by citizens show angry citizens standing on corners chanting for justice, but nothing near the violent reactions police had been describing earlier in the day.

The video below was recorded from a second-floor window as they were laying a sheet over Brown’s body, showing a growing crowd of residents but no violence.

Below is one of the first photos that began making the rounds showing Brown’s father holding up a cardboard sign stating that police just executed his unarmed son; a solemn contrast to the mob reaction the media was describing.

But it wasn’t until the following photo was posted Saturday evening that the rest of the world began seeing what the anger was all about, learning of a placed called Ferguson where police were holding back leashed dogs as residents chanted “no justice, no peace.”

As it’s done so often these days when the mainstream media relies on police statements, citizens began reporting their own news on various social media platforms under the hashtag #ferguson, ensuring Ferguson will never be forgotten, even though most of us never knew it existed.

UPDATE: St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar accused Michael Brown of physically assaulting the cop, trying to push him inside his own car before reaching for the cop’s gun, causing the gun to discharge, which is why the cop had to shoot him dead, even though witnesses say they saw Brown trying to walk away with his hands in the air.

But Belmar did not explain why police were confronting Brown in the first place during this morning’s press conference nor did he release the cop’s name, which indicates the press conference was only meant to further spin the story rather than provide new information.

The old “suspect tried to grab the cop’s gun” excuse has proven to be very reliable in the past to justify police abuse and it’s not surprising it conveniently took place inside the patrol car where witnesses could not see what was taking place. Also, not a single witness reported hearing a gunshot during the struggle.

And it doesn’t make sense why Brown would be trying to push the cop into the car when all accounts indicate he was trying to be kept from being pushed into the car.

A PINAC reader who was at the scene this morning reported the following:

A reporter and a camera man from a TV station did confirm they heard that a couple of phones were confiscated by police, with one woman saying she felt intimated to hand over her phone. They signed waivers the police provided. From what I’ve heard the incident wasn’t captured on video, but audio of the incident was captured on the phones.

No one I spoke to could confirm that the crowd was yelling “Kill the cops”.

It was reported that the guy who was shot was suspected of shoplifting from a QuikTrip. Someone I spoke with earlier told me that the manager of that store called a radio station yesterday to deny this.

Photographer Nicola Buck

Classically trained in fine art photography using analog film, professional photographer Nicola Buck (@lapicnic) has a sharp eye and captivating subjects – her two daughters. Growing up in England and now based in LA, she has slowly transitioned from film photography to digital and now mobile, while still practicing and utilizing all three.

We had the chance to speak with Nicola and hear about her approach to photography and her thoughts on the subject of images, image making and the digital revolution.

By nicola buck

“Discovering photography in a fine art context allowed me a certain freedom”

I am from a family of artists and photographers. My grandfather and his father were both commercial photographers in England and Northern Ireland. I studied fine art, painting at Sheffield Hallam University and started to take photographs when I lost interest in painting.

The photographic medium suited my work more and it was much more fulfilling and immediate. This was in the day of the film camera, so I also really enjoyed the darkroom process. I loved the entire craft – the hands-on involvement, temporary pitch black and solitude, even the smell of the chemicals!

I feel privileged to have an understanding of analog cameras in this world of smart phones and social media. I can understand where it all comes from.

By nicola buck

“Children and animals: I like a challenge”

Before I had my girls, my photographs were very different. I took pictures of places and spaces devoid of humans; I wasn’t that confident in approaching anyone with my camera.

Having kids allowed me live-in subjects. All parents study their kids; I am just conscious of it and document everything. Being sociable in a different way with the intensity of having dependents allowed my confidence in the human subject to develop. That and moving to Los Angeles!

I still love the empty spaces, but I photograph children more because I am around them, understand them and I find them fascinating. Their untainted, uncorrupted honesty and sense of fantasy. Their freedom of expression and beautiful fresh faces. It’s partly my love of photography, that I take so many pictures of them, partly not wanting to forget a moment.

By nicola buck

“The birth of the digital camera was the best thing that ever happened to my photographs”

I like to capture everything. I hate not having my camera with me, and it’s heavy. I like phone photography more now and feel happier to integrate it. I use filters too, which is almost required these days as an aesthetic style.

I still need to use a big camera though. There is a different quality, and I am really big on sharpness. Digital allows you take a lot of frames, and by doing so, you can be experimental and unrestricted.

In the days of film, I was aware that I only had 24-36 chances to make it right, and I could mess up loading the film or store it incorrectly. I wouldn’t know if I’d got the exposure right until after processing, and if it was very cold the light meter stopped working! This made the process more calculated and technical, not to mention expensive.

By nicola buck

“The photography is of a high standard”

I love the layout and aesthetic quality of EyeEm compared to other sharing sites. The photography is of a high standard and so is the quality of the upload. I also love the filters. I am big on Steph and like Eva, which happens to be my daughter’s name.

I also really like the Missions. I think it’s great to give people something to work for, especially with commercial involvement. Sometimes it’s good to have a brief or be given a project, especially if you are feeling under-inspired.

By nicola buck

“A mix of fantasy and banality, edging on the surreal”

Visually, I gravitate towards bold color and expression, and I like a lot of contrast and good lighting. I always loved the work of Martin Parr, Philip Lorca di Corcia andWilliam Eggleston.

A photographer friend recently described my work as a having a kind of magical realism, which summed it up exactly for me. Conceptually, it’s something a little bit away from reality – a mix of fantasy and banality, edging on the surreal. A touch of fairytale. A sense of wonder in an accentuated “normal” moment. I like to tell a story in my pictures, showing energy, color and character and I hope to portray people in the moment that they are true to themselves.

By nicola buck

“A dog show called Woofstock”

I have photographed plenty of crazy LA dogs in costume. One of the first and best was at a dog show called “Woofstock” in Beverly Hills. A dog in a pink wig that was featured in the LA Times. One of my favorite human captures was when I introduced my nephew to a talking Elmo toy. I captured an expression from both he and my sister simultaneously, as he drew his arm back in surprise. (see above).

By nicola buck

“Feeding yesterday’s tacos to the birds”

One morning I noticed a woman on the beach feeding a flock of seagulls. I got a great photo on my phone of her surrounded by the birds, one covering her entire face as they all flapped around – a true “bird lady” shot that could never be repeated. She went daily to these birds until they migrated for winter. Named them individually and fed them yesterday’s tacos.