I Found Out

Modern technology can be really great. Who would have ever thought that we would all be able to take photos on our phones one day, for example? And that we could take a million photos, only to delete them and start all over again?

There are arguments all the time amongst photographers about whether digital photography is better than analog (film). Many photographers who had been in the business for a long time gleefully sold any film cameras they owned and never looked back. For a lot of them, it was a business decision; clients now expect photographers to own a digital camera. It is, after all, much faster.

For those photographers who still shoot with film, the challenge is finding places who will process it. One can still have film developed at chain drug stores and camera stores, but black & white film must be shipped out somewhere or developed by the photographer. The typical consumer (if there is even such a thing) would bode well to buy a point & shoot camera for around $50-$100, or the latest Smartphone.

I can only speak for myself at this point when I say that film image quality is just better. I have several digital cameras which include one DSLR. I always felt like photography as an art form had gotten a lobotomy after I attempted to go digital. I was never really crazy about the pictures I was taking with my DSLR. At first I thought this was because I wasn't used to digital media. Now, though, it's been nearly two years and, while I've gotten more used to it, photography still feels muted rather than vibrant. Part of this is due to the fact that digital images are waaaaay taken for granted. If we can just delete them all and start over, where is the real challenge of getting light and location right?

I realize that everyone is different and am not about telling anyone what to (or not to) do with their art. But I am declaring that I will only shoot with film from now on unless the situation specifically calls for a digital camera, such as shooting live music in a darkened venue. When it comes to photography as a medium, there is still a lot of experimenting to do for someone who made the discovery later in the game.

--DR

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”--Steve Jobs

White

I am so lucky to feel this anger I feel. At least I know I can feel anything. I will not stop myself from saying how unfair things in life can be, not right now. We all have something to say, and fuck if I can't say what I feel because of whatever consequences may be there. I thought this would be poetic and creative, but I don't feel like it. It is what it is.

I don't know why I chose this photo to represent my blog post today, it just felt like the right one, I guess because it's ironic. It has been said that anger is not something to fear but something we should listen to. I am so angry now and I can stay in the cocoon of anger long enough to let what I am angry about pass by or reveal itself....I don't know which is the greener pasture.

----DR

Photo taken with Sony Mavica, floppy disc version

Church and State

It was February, 2009, and around 10:15 AM. I walked past St. Mary's Catholic Church in downtown Nashville on my way to my part-time job. The day was cold, gray and overcast. Late for work as I was, I saw the state flag wrapped around the angel statue's face, and knew that capturing the image was more important than getting to my job.

I had a little Panasonic point & shoot camera, the only digital camera I could afford right then, but it was enough. I think I must have drawn some attention from the passers-by as I climbed up the church steps to get the frame just right. This was very important, because even though the gray sky is the photographer's friend, one must take the time to get the story straight when shooting a candid photo. Was there no separation of church and state in the Bible belt after all? was what this image had me wondering.

The very next day, there was no flag. Someone took it down, and it has never been placed there again since. Was it because I so adamantly and visibly documented this moment in time? I will never really know.

---DR

Destiny

Above is a photo of my much-thumbed-through copy of Destiny by English author Sally Beauman, a novel I found somewhere when I was a teenager and which is one of my most favorite books EVER. Though the story is lush, Sally Beauman's exquisite writing skills are always a treat to read. It is a romantic, rip-your-heart out love story which begins during World War II and ends in around the early 1970's. It involves French royalty, Civil Rights in Alabama, Hollywood and high-end jewelry rivaling Tiffany, Cartier, and Bulgari.

Below is a passage which stood out to me today. In this scene, Helene, a stunning teenager and soon-to-be iconic actress, has discovered her mother is passed-out drunk in the trailer she shares with her. She is with Billy, a boy who also lives in the trailer park, who is the oldest of several children to alcoholic parents and who is the biggest outcast in the town besides Helene.

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"You know what Pricilla-Anne said tonight?" She couldn't look at him. "She said...she said my mother was a whore." She forced the word out, and Billy's head went up, quick, like an animal scenting danger. He took a step forward, and Helene held out her hand. " She did. That's what she said. She said everyone in Orangeburg knew it except me. All the men. She said...."

Billy's arms came around her. "Never mind what she said. Put it out of your mind. She's jealous."

"I can't put it out of my mind. I'll never forget it. Not as long as I live. And I want you to tell me. Please, Billy. I can't ask anyone else. I want to know. Is that the truth? Is that what they say?"

"Folks say a lot of things." He sounded awkward and embarassed. "Your mother's different, like you, and they don't like that, they can't bear that...."

"Is it true?"

Billy's eyes dropped for a second, and Helene felt her heart grow cold and still within her. After a while, Billy looked up. Then he stepped forward and gripped her arms tight. "You just listen to me," he said, "Listen. People do things-all kinds of things-if they have no money. If they're lonely. If they're running out of hope. You going to condemn them for that? I wouldn't. Because who knows what you'd do if you were in her shoes? If you got desperate.' He broke off. "She loves you, Helene. She's looked after you, the best she could. And no matter what she did--"

"But what does that make me?"

"It doesn't make you anything. You're you. You're the most beautiful thing I ever saw in all my life. You're Helene. And I think...I think you could bejust about anything you wanted. You understand? Anything." He gave her a little shake, then let her go.


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Excerpt above from the novel "Destiny" by Sally Beauman, 1987, Bantam Books.

What "Family" Looks Like

Photographing a family unit is not something I've done much of. The photo above was taken at the request of Victoria, the woman in the photo above, who is also the mother of the boys, Trevarian and Toran. This was Easter Sunday, 2006. The photo has always been one of my favorites because it's so candid and real. When it comes to editorial photos, that's the only way it can be.








I am not a "Glamour Shots" photographer by any means. I'm not about showing something that is not real. I hope to have more opportunities to photograph families who just want to be who they are and don't feel the need to put on airs and graces for a family photo. Who has time for that anyway when there are kids to raise?










I am grateful for the people who have trusted me in their homes so far to document moments in their family timeline, and hope to have more opportunities to do these kind of shoots...it makes everyone happy.

--DR

When Shooting Live Music Performances

Joshua Foster at Exit/In, 5/4/11
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Inevitably, every photographer will take photos at a live music show, whether he or she is a professional or hobbyist. It is a great thing to do because it challenges the photographer to learn how to capture sharp images in low-light situations without using a flash.

Recently, I've been shooting more live music for a new music site called Sinizine. Because of this, I've had to overcome technical issues which would lead to a poor-quality image. The most important things I've learned are as follows;

1.) Pay attention to what is going on onstage. As soon as a band or artist hits the stage, it should be obvious of the kind of show they're about to deliver. If you fire off a few shots and then look down at your camera to check them out, you will miss that photo that could have got you into Rolling Stone...had you been more focused.




Tom Pappas of Flesh Vehicle at The Muse, 4/3/11




Jesse Weilburg of Gnarwhal at The Muse, 4/3/11

2.) Set your ISO as low as the available light will allow. The ISO settings on your camera will determine light sensitivity and image quality. In low-light conditions, it's helpful to have the option to go up to ISO 3200 ( or higher, depending on how new your camera is ). However, if you shoot an artist who is onstage with a bright spotlight on them, there's a good chance the subject will be blown out because you've let in too much light. I made this unfortunate mistake with the following photo my first time shooting for Sinizine. I had to do some adjusting to the image after the fact so I would have something to publish, but it made me realize quickly the value of shooting smart. Fortunately, the band had energy to spare and that's what really saved the image in the end.



We Are the In Crowd at Rocketown, 3/9/11

3.) Set your camera to "M". This is the manual setting, which gives you complete control over your images. If you just set your camera to apeture or shutter priority, your camera will decide for you how much light will be let in. Trust me, you are smarter than that! This way, you can get away with a higher shutter speed, no matter what the light meter in your camera is reading.



Geoff Firebaugh at Exit/In, 5/4/11



Mike Herrera at Exit/In, 5/4/11

4.) Show the viewer that there's more than meets the eye. Musicians seem to be living such a charmed life. After all, they get to play all day and drink beer while the rest of us schmoes are working for the man from nine to five, right? Many times, though, musicians are playing for one or two people, or singing above screaming police sirens outside the bar or club. Try to get perspectives in your music shots if you can; this could involve interacting with the artist and finding out what they are comfortable with. Clay Canfield, pictured below, allowed me to photograph from the stage so I could show an artist's reality. Here, there is only one partron in the bar. Canfield literally is singing for the love of it.




Clay Canfield at The Wheel, May, 2010

Last but not least, never underestimate an artist's potential. The photo below was shot on 35mm in the spring of 2008. The husband and wife duo known as Thompson Square were still playing bars on lower Broadway in Nashville then. This April, though, they celebrated their first Number One single and have been nominated for two CMT Awards. While I'm not looking to get rich off of this photo, I'm sure glad I have it in my portfolio.



Kiefer Thompson of Thompson Square at Legend's Corner, spring, 2008
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"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly" ~ The Dali Lama

Tunnel Vision

I decided to go to college this spring for photography. I was fired up about it at first, but now I'm just looking forward to doing more of this (see above photo).