As I am nearly done with my first of two themes in this course- Close up photography, I would like to finish research as well in this particular area. I have to be honest, I like to pay attention to research, find out more interesting things, tips and getting to know famous photographers, but I a bit struggle to be influenced by them....I find every artist work very well presented and beautiful, but I so like to find my own way to capture world around us. Long story short...the best thing for me what I am getting out of all this is ideas, many ideas, what can for future improve my work...I less like to copy someone than take out some small detail and do it all in my way....
As I had to present research about 5 artists from each theme this blog I`ll be looking work of three photographers, which work I looked recently.
As I had to present research about 5 artists from each theme this blog I`ll be looking work of three photographers, which work I looked recently.
Tom Mackie
Tom Mackie has been a photographer all his working life. Born in Philadelphia, USA in 1958, Tom Mackie achieved a degree in commercial photography at Hawkeye Institute of Technology, Waterloo, Iowa and spent the first five years of his career working as an industrial photographer in Los Angeles. He didn't find a satisfaction in this work and moved from Los Angeles to the UK in 1985, to pursue a full-time career as a landscape photographer and he's now widely respected as one of the world's finest in the genre.
I know that probably will be the best to attach research about T.Mackie to my second theme, as he is more a landscape photographer, but look at some of T.Mackie`s images of close up flowers I straight away wanted to put him specially here....Once a while every photographer pay attention to close up photography...to capture natures beauty and in my opinion is doesn't matter what he main subject is, if you are a professional in your area of work, anything you produce is worth watching for....
I know that probably will be the best to attach research about T.Mackie to my second theme, as he is more a landscape photographer, but look at some of T.Mackie`s images of close up flowers I straight away wanted to put him specially here....Once a while every photographer pay attention to close up photography...to capture natures beauty and in my opinion is doesn't matter what he main subject is, if you are a professional in your area of work, anything you produce is worth watching for....
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http://www.tommackie.com/ On his website whilst immersing yourself in his latest landscapes, you can also pick up tips on producing your own different kind of photography.
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Patterns as one of my favorite subjects I seem to find in every photographers work, so as T.Mackie`s - he calls it - isolating details-what is very creative and challenging.
Picking the bold colors also works well making image bright and enjoyable.
The influx of digital cameras to the market has changed, in part, the way Tom works. While sticking with traditional film and plate techniques, he also uses a digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera.
"One of the downfalls of digital is that it does create a sloppy, lazy photographer," said Tom and I totally agree....as I mentioned before in my previous posts, - is no chance you will ever be the best, if you never learned film. As my chances of that is minimal I have to some how live with it....
"One of the downfalls of digital is that it does create a sloppy, lazy photographer," said Tom and I totally agree....as I mentioned before in my previous posts, - is no chance you will ever be the best, if you never learned film. As my chances of that is minimal I have to some how live with it....
He has worked on several books including Photos With Impact, (what I recently added to my personal library as well) -Tom Mackie's Landscape Photography Secrets and he's also written numerous articles for photography magazines in the UK and abroad. As a author he explains what makes a photograph striking, the effective use of colour and what may be hidden in details, and the search for strong graphic elements in a shot. He advises never to be satisfied with the first attempt but to try different times of day, weather conditions, viewpoints and ranges. He covers the importance of the sky, lighting, forward planning, framing and composition.
Putting two bold colors together creates a very good contrast....
....and contrasting colors and close - up detail are very important part of photograph. This image is captured from ground level to put the vibrant reds and oranges against the deep blue sky.
Color is a factor of major importance of T.Mackie`s work. Color can define form, set a mood and evoke emotion. Color can tell us the time of the year and the time of the day. It has the ability to make us feel cold, warm, happy or sad. Yellows and oranges evoke feelings of warmth and well - being, blues chill and reds blaze....
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For me probably is green....that makes everything alive... and works very well in my images as its own or as a contrast with other colors.
The main thing what T.Mackie advises is while creating that perfect shot is much more than just pointing and clicking, need to produce photos proving that it is worth the time and effort.
I think I was never a person who has only pointed and clicked...as long as I remember my self and all the simple cameras what I had, it was all about getting right picture...even than I hate if someone took photograph of me....I always funded some objects sticking in the scene....now is even worse....when I still learning I want that everything is perfect...and to get it that way you have to feel it. Sometimes when I was taking shots of flowers, because of the bright sun, I couldn't see is image is right or not, sharp or blurry, working on my flower close ups probably I done 30 for each one if not even more than that and I am very pleased that I am slowly going better.....
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Joseph Meehan
Joseph Meehan has been a professional photographer, writer and teacher for over 30 years. Hundreds of his images have been published in books and magazines all over the world. His style has been characterized by the New York Times as ". . . alive with color and sparkling with light." I had one of his books “Mood, Ambience & Dramatic Effects”.
Joseph Meehan's 40-year career in photography has included assignment work for a wide variety of commercial and editorial publications. Hundreds of his photographs have appeared in newspapers, books, magazines and on Web sites for clients such as Nikon, and Hasselblad cameras, SanDisk memory cards, Tiffen Filters, Fujifilm, Eastman Kodak and so on….These assignments have ranged from working as an expedition photographer for arctic animal studies in the high Canadian Arctic, photographing Inuit hunters in Northern Greenland to landscape work in other extreme locals such as Death Valley, California. So I would say he captures everything, which includes some stunning close-ups of flowers….what was the main reason why I include him in my research....
One of his works "The Magic of Digital Close-up Photography" is even dedicated to this subject. Unfortunately I couldn’t get it to see, but his website provided me with a good source to explore more.
What makes a great photo- image that opens your eyes to something you might never have noticed before? That's why probably photographers and also I love to go close up. Digital cameras now make it possible even more - to see a subject from odd angles - make it easier than ever to go where other cameras never could before.
These J.Meehan images is probably captured with macro lens (I am not the expert, but it’s more likely to be truth), are well presented thanks, to professional techniques, to catch our eyes with the world that lies just beyond our vision and our camera's normal focus.
I don’t really have anything to compare that apart from one of my images from beginning of this course, what was mostly completed with computer…. shame on me…
I took this picture in the beginning of my journey to flower world...daffodils was the main subject back then and I remember myself trying to fill in all the scene with just one flower....unfortunately my zoom/macro lens not suitable for handhold, so image turned out as a bit blurry, I took advantage from it and and make defects feel like a effects....it is mostly Photo Shop, but sometimes you have no chose....make it work or delete...that's only options you had.
"It is when photographer chooses to push beyond the point of just documenting the subject that the real power of photography as a medium for personal expression begins to emerge"....
Joseph Meehan
"...One of the most fascinating areas of photography is close up photography. Each step taken further into its depths is a step into a new world."...Cyrill Harnischmacher.
Cyrill Harnischmacher is a photographer and designer who lives and works in southern Germany. ..... Studio photographer by profession and a nature and infrared photographer by passion.
After completing his studies in Art and working as a graphic designer in various ad agencies, Cyrill Harnischmacher started his own business in 1997. Since then he has designed brochures, advertisements, packaging and books for regional and national clients and as an author has occasionally written for the publications Macwelt and fotoMAGAZIN. Since 2005 he has been writing, designing and publishing his own books on the topic of photography. ....."Low Budget Shooting: Do it Yourself Solutions to Professional Photo Gear", "Close up Shooting: A Guide to Close up, Tabletop and Macro Photography" and "Digital Infrared Photography" .
I own two of them... Close up Shooting and Digital Infrared Photography-. However this post is all about close up shoots and I wanted to finish my research on this subject taking closer look on C.Harnischmacher`s work. who images looks so perfect that I couldn't resist put his name on my blog.
Many books have been written on the subject of close up photography, some intend to show of the author’s in-depth knowledge, and others skim the surface in a superficial way. This book takes us on a journey into the wonderful world of small, smaller, and smallest objects and shows how he can capture their beauty with photographic images.
Cyrill Harnischmacher`s work explains various aspects of close-up shooting for both inside the studio, as well as outdoors. It also gives instructions for setting up a system for close-up photography how to choose the right equipment, how to use ambient light or create artificial lighting, and how to frame the perfect shot....I didn’t find a lot of examples but someone’s I had, quite clearly explains a meaning of the perfect shot.
For example above image shows how a round fluorescent tube attached to a modified magnifying glass lamp leeds to an even, shadowless lighting.
For example above image shows how a round fluorescent tube attached to a modified magnifying glass lamp leeds to an even, shadowless lighting.
Photos really shows the author has a skill in macro- produced in studio, it makes perfect examples for tabletop photography, crisp and strong with sharp focus, which is all down to the hard work and lots of lots of practice and experience, also perfect equipment.
If anyone is interested you can look of photographers webpage, for more examples... just keep in mind that website is in german language...
As I don't have much experience in studio work, the only comparable image what I can find was that below.... as you see is far away from being perfect even if it was shot by expensive Canon in college.... but well I'll get there... we all just a human and everything you have to learn....
Nearly done with my research in close up photography, I had to say I gain lots of it... from fantastic tips how to improve my work to ideas, how to make it work... and also photographers what I talk about ... in every was something special what makes they work unique I just hope to become one of them...someday....
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... some useful books for all whose interested in close up world ...
Hi
ReplyDeleteA very thorough and well evidenced range of research, and links to where you accessed it from. Good use of analytical vocabulary to identify and discuss the value of these photographers and their work.
Steve