Joe Baraban’s Digital Photography Blog

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

Life before Photoshop is one of my favorite categories to write about. It was a time way back when I shot film and everything had to be accomplished in the camera. There was no computer to save your butt, so my fellow photographers and I had to rely on our own imagination and wit. That’s not counting a very good knowledge of every shutter speed and aperture combinations possible and how they reacted to one another.

In order to get a certain “look” that the Art Director wanted, we played around with different color film stock and pushed and pulled the film to get the desired effect. We depended on camera bracketing (manually bracketing) to get the right mixture, and there wasn’t a display on the back of the camera to see what we were getting.

Pretty scary? It was scary because if you screwed up, you were through with that advertising agency. You became “Persona non grata”. In other words, you were not welcome at their Christmas parties anymore. What’s even worse, if any agency team member on your shoot went to another agency your name went with them, and your reputation went downhill faster than the plague spread over Europe. Of course that’s besides how you personally felt if that happened. In my case, it would feel terrible. For me it’s always been great or bad with nothing in between, and it never mattered or matters what anyone else thought or thinks.

In my online class with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet, I encourage my students to not use Photoshop during the time they’re with me. Why? Because the more you create in the camera, the better you’ll become as a photographer. It’s definitely a challenge, but the end will definitely justify the means.

Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to use CS5 to help fix something I couldn’t get right before I clicked the shutter. If at the moment right before I pull the trigger I see something I can’t correct, then the solution becomes part of my thought process that I know to work on later, and I’m perfectly happy with that. Truth be told, I wish I had it in the good old days!!!

In the above photo, I was shooting an ad for the agency that handled Microsoft. The Art Director wanted me to shoot a photo that would say that their client was a “Leader of the pack”. I came up with different scenarios and he liked the idea of a biker winning a bike race. After scouting several locations, based on the sunset readings from my hand bearing compass, we choose the Velodrome in LA. He also said that he wanted a grainy and gritty look to it with a feel of movement. BTW, the movement came from shooting at various shutter speeds.

Back then, my film of choice after Kodachrome went away was Fuji Velvia 100.  I decided to re rate the ASA ( now referred to as ISO) from 100 to 800 which meant pushing the film three stops. This would make the film become grainy. After trying it out, I showed the look to the Art Director for final approval. He liked it so off we went to LA.

As I told you, there was no Photoshop available to create what I wanted in the computer, so we had to do it in the camera. I had a company build a platform that would attach to a motorcycle and act like a sidecar. I choose a BMW because it uses a drive shaft instead of a chain and would be as smooth as a car.I had a walki-talki with a headset and voice activated mike to communicate with the bikers that also has walki-talki’s strapped to their belt. I also had my first assistant sitting right next to be constantly giving me readings on the faces and sky with my Minolta One Degree Spot Meter. To make the camera more stable, I attached a small gyro to the bottom  of the camera.

Not only did the final photo make the agency and the client happy, not to mention making the Art director look really good, but the best part was that it was soooooo much fun from the idea first popping into my mind to the pre-production, to the final shoot. Far better than the way they would do it now, as in shooting the Velodrome in one shot, then using a blue screen for the bikes and CGI to put it all together in the computer.

Really, how much fun would that be?????????

Visit mt website at:www.joebaraban.com and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot pictures in the camera with me sometime.

JoeB

 

 After exhausting efforts to finally solve the mystery as to why Chicago is nicknamed ‘The Windy City’, I now bring you absolutely no conclusion…as of yet.

Why you ask? Does anyone besides me really care? Why did I waste so much of my time searching for the answer?

Well, my fellow photographers the reason is because Chicago is the site of my next workshop beginning with the “meet and greet” on September 4^th, 2024, ending on September 11^th.

Since most of my recent workshops have been in Europe, I have been asked by several of my past workshop attendees to do one in the good old U.S. of A.

The main reason is the outrageous cost of airfare. I have looked at several fares from several departure and return dates for cities throughout the states, and there are several that have doubled since last year.

Having said that, I have also heard from a lot of you out there that they have never been to Chicago. It seems hard to believe, but it’s a fact. Also, so many have wanted to come to one of my workshops but couldn’t afford the entire cost.

So, as is usually the case, I started to look up potential photo ops there and found enough amazing locations to fill at least two workshops.

Below are the ones I have narrowed it down to, and after I have scouted all of them before the start of the workshop, I will make my final selections.

It will be based on the days together, the logistics involved in getting us from one location to the other, and most important, places where all of us can shoot without tripods tripping over one another. If possible, I will try to fit in all of them!!!

But first of all, to get you in the mode, I give you this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vE2FmiBHCg 

The Magnificent Mile: Given its nickname in the 1940’s, is an upscale section of Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. It serves as the main thoroughfare between Chicago’s business district and the Gold Coast. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g35805-d109779-Reviews-The_Magnificent_Mile-Chicago_Illinois.html

Chicago Union Station: “An iconic building and a marvel of modern transportation for nearly a century, Chicago’s Union Station was originally designed by Daniel Burnham and completed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White. A grand building worthy of the city’s status as a national railroad hub, it is a treasured part of Chicago history and a valued asset for Chicago’s future.”

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chicago+union+station&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

Chicago Navy Pier: A 3300-foot-long pier running along the North side of Chicago. Opened in 1916, it was originally used as a dock to serve freighters, passenger ships and indoor and outdoor recreational events. Now, it’s one of the most visited attractions in the entire Midwest. That said, September will be considerably quieter…no families and kids!!!

https://duckduckgo.com/?hps=1&q=navy+pier+chicago&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images 

Gold Coast: A wonderful ‘historic district’ that grew in the aftermath of the famous Chicago Fire in 1871. The district was added to the Historic Register of Historic Places.

Nestled close to the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Gold Coast is luxury and romance personified (as the name implies, this is one of the country’s most affluent neighborhoods).

Streets are lined with historic mansions, designer boutiques, celebrated restaurants, and historic hotels.

Gold Coast is also known as an architectural jewel box. It features rows of 19th-century homes designed in various historical revival styles. Th most famous is the Former Playboy Mansion, legendary for Hugh Hefner’s star-studded parties.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Gold+Coast+Historic+District+(Chicago)+Chicago&ia=images&iax=images&atb=v336-1

For those looking for photo ops a little out of the ordinary, I give you:

Wells Kinzie Garage Metro Station: Although the entire location offers great photo possibilities, the elevated level of a parking garage, will give you a fabulous vantage point offering a unique S-shaped view of a glass-paneled bar and the “L” as it passes through the city. At night, the light illuminates and reflects a captivating blue glow that’s complemented by the light trails of the traveling train.

Sounds like a sunset/blue hour location to me!!

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=overlook+metro+trains+at+Wells+kinzie+garage&t=newext&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

 Millennium Park: Millennium Park is a can’t-miss attraction for any Chicago visit. The lakefront campus, located in the heart of downtown, is home to the iconic statue (aka “The Bean”), interactive fountains, tranquil gardens, free events, public art, skating rinks, rock climbing, and plenty of green space.

https://duckduckgo.com/?hps=1&q=millennium+park+chicago&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

Chicago Water Tower: The ornate Gothic Revival structure was only built to hide a simple standpipe. Even so, its intricate design serves as a perfect illustration of the value and importance the city put on infrastructure and water supply during the late 19th century. Today it’s seen as an investment made to solve crucial water supply issues brought about by the city’s rapid growth.

https://duckduckgo.com/?hps=1&q=chicago+water+tower&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.britannica.com%2F44%2F93844-050-F5931FD7%2FWater-Tower-one-buildings-Great-Fire-North-1871.jpg

Chicago Riverwalk: The Chicago Riverwalk is a multi-use public space located on the south bank of the main branch of the Chicago River in Chicago, extending from Lake Michigan and DuSable Lake Shore Drive westward to Lake Street. The Chicago Riverwalk contains restaurants, bars, cafes, small parks, boat and kayak rentals, a Vietnam War memorial, and other amenities.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chicago+riverwalk&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

Milton Lee Olive Park: Simply a public park in the middle of Chicago: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=milton+lee+olice+park&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

Buckingham Fountain: One of the largest fountains in the world, Buckingham Fountain is a major landmark in Chicago.

While in operation, the Fountain produces a major water display for 20 minutes every hour.  During the major display, a center jet shoots water to a height of 150 feet into the air.

Major displays begin daily at 9:00 a.m. and continue thereafter, every hour on the hour. Beginning at dusk, a spectacular light and music display accompanies the major display, beginning every hour on the hour for 20 minutes.

Looks like another sunset/Blue Hour location to me.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Buckimngham+fountain&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

North Avenue Beach at sunset/blue hour: After checking it out, during the scout, it might be a good location for a sunset shoot.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=North+avenue+beach+skyline+pictures+at+night+in+chicago&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.fineartamerica.com%2Fimages%2Fartworkimages%2Fmediumlarge%2F2%2F12-chicago-skyline-at-sunset-viewed-from-north-avenue-beach-miroslav-liska.jpg

Rookery Building: As far as photo ops go, the Rookery Building is a gem.

As one of the most historically significant buildings in Chicago, The Rookery is a unique enclave for businesses that value a prestigious presence. An icon in the center of Chicago’s downtown Financial District,

The Rookery seamlessly combines the flair of an era gone by with state-of-the-art building systems and technology. Designated a Chicago Landmark in 1972 after being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, The Rookery is universally considered an architectural wonder.

A great place to shoot during the middle of the day, or if it’s cloudy while we wait for the sun!!!!

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=rookery+building&atb=v336-1&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

Well, my fellow photographers there you have it. This trip promises to be one of the best visually stimulating experiences you’ll have in one of my workshops. Great memories that will be remembered by you as a photographer or as a tourist while visiting the great sights of Chicago. An extraordinary set of locations, and something for everyone!

The cost is $1900.00 for the photographers and $900.00 for your spouse, cousin, mother-in-law, partner, friend, and significant other. Sorry, no service animals.

The workshop will be limited to ten shooters so if you’re at all interested, I strongly suggest you reserve a spot as soon as you can.

The critiques in the mornings are for just the shooters. They have become more of an interaction review where I’m not the only person doing the talking. Everyone becomes involved which makes it a more productive morning.

For those that would rather not submit, that’s fine. They can just sit in on the discussions. Or if you would rather not attend, that’s also fine. I want these workshops to be enjoyable and filled with the least amount of stress. We’re there to have fun and take some great photos. As usual, I will always make myself available for any private one-to-one discussions.

My workshop fills very fast, and to have one in the States will make it that much quicker.

It’s entirely possible these days that we can be there for the turning of the leaves. Wouldn’t that be spectacular?

As far as Chicago being called the “Wndy City”, we’ll talk about it over wine during the meet and greet at the famous Gino’s East:

https://duckduckgo.com/?hps=1&q=gino%27s+east&atb=v336-1&iax=images&ia=images

This is a destination that’s not only for photographers, but anyone that loves to just walk around and see wonderful sights in Autumn.

Last, but not least, there’s also my final dinner!!!

For more information or to reserve a space, email me at: joe@joebaraban.com

For those of you that have never attended one of my workshops, here are remarks by some people who have:

Ed

Joe, I just attended my first workshop. It was amazing on every level. I can’t say enough about all the amazing historical locations we visited. I absolutely loved the workshop.

We visited villages that were founded by Romans in the 4th century. Can it get any better??? I appreciate the quality of the critique interactive reviews and look forward to bringing my photography to the next level. I absolutely loved the chemistry with all the participants. It was a spectacular week.

Alain

I recently completed my third workshop with Joe Baraban, and all I can say is that I will be coming back for more. All aspects of the workshop were fantastic. Joe’s approach to teaching, the shooting locations, the daily reviews, the accommodations, the planning and organization, and the communications were all at the highest level.

From the “meet and greet” reception the first night, to the final dinner, Joe paid strict attention to every detail to make sure we were well taken care of…all the time. Joe’s selection of locations is always diverse and challenging and present many, many opportunities for great shots and learning.

The daily reviews are a wonderful educational experience as you discuss your own work as well as the work of the other photographers. Joe teaches how to “make pictures”, not just take them. The quality and creativity in my images continue to ratchet up a notch with every workshop as I continue to learn from Joe.

I highly recommend Joe’s workshops and online classes.

 Nick

I recently completed my 12th workshop with Joe and his team, and I find myself returning for more, drawn by numerous reasons. Firstly, the photography lessons and critiques are exceptional, significantly contributing to my growth as both a photographer and an artist. Joe’s approach to photography, viewing it through an artist’s lens, has profoundly altered my perspective on the world, enabling me to convey stories through my images. Joe serves as an outstanding and supportive teacher and mentor, and the workshop’s structure perfectly facilitates these objectives.

Secondly, the workshop destinations and locations have consistently been spectacular, meticulously planned and well executed. Every detail is thoughtfully taken care of, and the communication is exceptional. Joe and his producers conduct thorough research, scouting, and organization for each location, ensuring a seamless experience for participants to not only immerse themselves in local sights and cultures but also to return with a stunning collection of photographs to share and display.

Furthermore, the line from a Joseph Parry poem “make new friends but keep the old” rings true in each of Joe’s workshops. I eagerly anticipate reuniting with friends from previous trips and forming new connections with like-minded individuals from across the globe. We collaborate in shooting and exchange creative thoughts and ideas.

Lastly, each workshop has been an absolute blast. It’s fun capturing images, exploring, learning, and simply enjoying the company of friends. It’s been an all-around great time. The lingering question remains: where to next?

John B

I wanted to learn more about Joe’s approach to visual design and making great photos after taking one of his online courses.  As a former painter, I really relate to his focus on visual design elements as his artist’s palate and it all came to life in this workshop.

He is an excellent teacher, and it was wonderful to experience this with a group of very talented photographers who supported each other and did some great work.  The format of learning the design principles and discussing them in relation to Joe’s images and the work from the class was a great way to learn – I look forward to future workshops.

Murray

I attended Joe’s Paris workshop and received a lot of valuable information in less than a week.

Joe’s workshops begin with an informal meet and greet where all the participants and spouses can meet each other with food and wine.

Usually, each day start before dawn with an air-conditioned private bus trip to a pre-scouted shooting location. Joe gives suggestions for shooting before and during each shoot. He moves around to each photographer during the shoots and gives “hands-on tips” and suggestions that are wonderful and instructive.

Each day there is a very constructive review of the work that was shot the day before. Joe has everyone involved and he asks people their opinions.

I have not attended many formal workshops and I was happy that the comments of the other shooters and those from Joe were very helpful and allowed everyone to get real feedback so soon after shooting.

I can truly say that the workshop immediately helped me, and I believe that my photos have much improved. It was a wonderful experience and made me a better photographer. It also gave me a chance to make friends with the other photographers.

I would recommend it to everyone that has a camera.

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

For me, shooting in ‘golden light’ is easy, but when I’m occasionally forced to shoot under conditions that I ordinarily would pass on, sleep through, or spend that time scouting, I look for SILHOUETTES!!!

In my part II online class I teach with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshop I conduct around the planet, I’m always discussing ways to create mood or drama in photos under non-optimum lighting conditions such as harsh mid-day sun, an overcast sky, or even indoors. I tell them that if you put your subject against a bright background, and expose not for the subject, but for the brightest part of that background it can create abstractions in the form of silhouettes.

The best silhouettes are those that are simple and easily recognizable by the viewer. Remember that the abstractions, you’re creating from a three-dimensional reality are now being presented in a two-dimensional form. A form that is without depth, created only in width and height.

Midday light or overcast skies are not always the time to look for silhouettes. I’ll get to a sunrise location well in advance so I can look for silhouettes. I’ll also hang around after the sun goes down and look for interesting silhouettes at dusk.

After discussing complete silhouettes and showing examples,  which included talking about partial silhouettes where not all of the person or the environment is in silhouette. Dawn, a talented student of mine came back with these wonderful examples (shown below) of both partial and complete silhouettes. Not only are they strong images showing silhouettes, but more importantly, they show a photographer that knows how to “Stretch Her Frame of Mind”!

Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshops at the top of this post. Come shoot with me sometime.

JoeB

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

Thilo, a student of mine living in Holland, sent me this photo for me to talk about. Here’s what he said:

Hi Joe,

I recently got this shot done at sunrise. No post processing beyond reducing the exposure by 1 stop.
I wonder what’s your opinion on this one. Maybe I am just too much used to the sight of windmills by now, but I wonder whether this might be too stereotypical to be good?”

Cheers,

Thilo”

Here’s a really good photographer that lives in Holland. Since he has grown up around windmills, he might not be as enamored by now.

What’s important to remember Thilo, is that very few people in the world have been around windmills, unfortunately myself included. Other than reading Don Quixote (who by the way was Spanish), I’ve only seen pictures of windmills. I will tell you that if you Google up pictures of Dutch Windmills, at least half of them would make Don Q turn over in his grave. Looking at photos of windmills taken in the middle of the day leaves little room for the dramatic.

Having said that, since you’re Dutch, and are able to shoot windmills all year long, your prime responsibility (as a good shooter) should be to make people that have only seen bad pictures fall in love with not only the historical side of Holland but the romantic side as well.

To me, you’ve done this in this photo. There’s a lot to look at besides the windmill; the Visual Tension you’ve created by showing the subject and it’s reflection for one. Adding a human element for another. I also like the fact that you have the person about to leave the frame which also creates Tension and makes the viewer wonder where he’s going by implying content outside of your composition.

One of my personal pearls of wisdom I talk about in both my online class with the BPSOP, and my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet is, “In a perfect world, what if”? What that means is that if you could go back and change anything you wanted, what would you change”? In this situation, I would have turned the windmill so you could see all four vanes (blades).

One last note. When I lightened it by about two stops, it looks a lot better overall. For one thing,  the silhouette of the bicycle is a “quicker read”.

I can look at GOOD photos of windmills all day long…but then I’m a romantic at heart!!!

Thanks for sharing.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

Elliott Erwitt was a famous street photographer that was born in Paris, and moved to New Your in 1948. BTW, I loved his work and his approach to shooting in the streets.

He once said, “Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them”.

For s long as I’ve been shooting and teaching classes with the BPSOP and conducting my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind Workshops” This quote has been my mantra.

I’ve worked with people that were right brained and people that were left brained, and I can tell you the incredible difference between these two photographers.

Left brained photographers will see a tree and nothing more. They’re analytical, structured, and naturally wired to ask questions, gather facts and want to know things that are provable.

In other words they want to know why the tree is there, where did it come from, what species is it, etc.

The right brained photographers are visual and creative…with a less organized way of thinking. They see the tree, but they also see the texture of the bark, the shape of the leaves, the way the leaves form a pattern, the negative space between the leaves, and the color of the leaves.

So, my fellow photographers, are you right or left brained?

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com and follow me on Instagram: www.instgram.com/barabanjoe. Come shoot with me sometime, and BTW, I’m right brained.

JoeB

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

In this category although I always quote an artist, I don’t always quote a photographer. I’ll often quote someone like Kenny Rogers, or Marcel Proust because what they had to say fits in with I often say both in my online class with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet.

Robert Capa was a well known war photographer and photo-journalist. who documented five different wars. In 1947 he co-founded Magnum ( a international free-lance photographic agency) along with photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson. He once said, “If you’re photos aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough”.

There’s been discussions concerning this quote, and many think that he was referring to being up close and personal to the wars in which he photographed and incidentally, he was in the first wave of soldiers that hit Omaha Beach.

I’ve followed his work for some time, and to me his quote goes well beyond the photos he took during those five wars.

All my fellow photographers that I’ve helped since 1983 when I first started sharing my knowledge have come to known my “Personal Pearls of Wisdom”. One of them is “get up close and personal”. What I mean is that so many photographers will see a subject and without moving start shooting; this might be five feet away or twenty. They will keep at a distance which usually means that there’s not a lot of depth that can be created by anchoring the subject in the foreground while creating layers of interest.

I’ve found that many photographers are easily intimidated and are not comfortable with being close to either a person or even an inanimate subject . Nor are they willing to change their POV like getting on their knees to compose a photo. Therefore, they’re more at ease with keeping their distance and that falls under another Pearl of Wisdom I call “make don’t take pictures”.

So, the next time you’re out and about with your camera and see an interesting photo opportunity, think about what Robert Capa said. You just might find it to be true in your approach to picture taking, and if it is, just for once try to do it his way.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Keep an eye out for my upcoming workshops at the top of this blog. They don’t sty up very long is why you probably never see them. Plese keep looking!! Come shoot with me sometime.

JoeB

If Cuba has ever been on your ‘bucket List’, then now is the time to fulfill your personal desire to experience something that most people can only learn about and look at pictures in the National Geographic Magazine. If you’re subscribed, that is.

Join me and Nick DePasquale in Cuba next year for a fabulous cultural and educational experience. We are returning to Viñales and Havana in February, and for a different trip Santiago/Baracoa in January – two very different parts of the island not only in landscape but also in history and culture.

I just returned from my seventh trip to Cuba. Kip Brundage, no longer with the Santa Fe Workshops, has left to work on his own leads a much smaller intimate groups of seven, making it more enjoyable and a lot less taxing. It’s just the perfect number and this year the group was great.

It is legal and safe to travel to Cuba. A very small group of 7 travelers with local guides, photography instructors, and a private driver will spend about 10 days together visiting locations and meeting people. You do not need to be a photographer to enjoy this trip. In fact, about 50% of the participants take pictures with their smartphone cameras. We will guide you every step of the way from when you register to when you return back to the US.

With Sandor who I would call an historian, along with Kip who has been doing these trips for many, many years, the trip takes on a multi-dimensional atmosphere that includes all aspects of the history and culture of the Cuban people.

Kip’s first-class daily schedule both in Viñales and Havana is filled with the sights and sounds of a magical country. It’s why I’m going back for the eighth time.

BTW, the Cuban people love Americans in every respect, and are even happy to welcome you into their homes. If you ever had Cuba on your bucket list, now’s the time to ‘just do it’!!

BTW, my favorite part of the trip is what’s called the “Dawn Patrol”. People that are interested in seeing an entirely different part of Cuban life go out each morning well before the sun comes up, and before the Blue Hour as well. People are up getting ready for the day which lends itself to some amazing photo opportunities.

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

What do you do if you know you’ve just taken a great photo…a keeper…an OMG shot???? Do you do react differently when you’re alone verses when you’re shooting with someone else?

I teach an online class with the BPSOP, and I also conduct my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops around our planet, and I just love it when one of my fellow photographers submits a photo that he or she is very proud of.

Is it a series of fist pumps, hootin’ and a hollering, jumping up and down? An end zone really stupid dance? Maybe you’re the discreet or quiet type of photographer that just whispers “yes’ under his or her breath…or just maybe an ear to ear smile to a small smirk with one raised eyebrow.

Here’s how it often happens to me: After a conversation with yourself in the mirror, you’ve decided to set your alarm clock at an ungodly hour so you can get to a location at sunrise that you’ve always wanted to shoot. You load your equipment in the trunk, and after a quick stop at a convenience for a cup of black coffee, your off. As you’re driving, you’re head is halfway out the window looking up at the slightly brightening sky, hoping and praying to see some color and stars towards the area of the horizon where the sun will be coming up; an hour or two later.

You arrive at your destination and everything so far looks good. You still have a couple of minutes before the start of the Blue Hour. This is a great time to work on silhouettes, and I for one love this time of the morning, especially when there’s a little nip in the air.

Now the sun is coming up and the Blue Hour has turned into the Golden Hour. For the next thirty to forty minutes (depending on the time of year and your location) you’re shooting everything and anything that has this beautiful light falling on it. You see an opportunity to shoot something that has caught your attention out of the corner of your eye. Bracketing to make sure you’ve captured a good exposure, it’s now forever embedded in your mind and more importantly on your card. There’s a sensation that comes over you because you know you got it, and it makes you feel really good.

During the drive back home your mind flirts with visions of all the beautiful and different shots you took, but that one, that keeper keeps coming back and all you can do is just smile.

So next time you’re on  holiday, set the alarm clock the night before with all the best intentions of getting up and going shooting, don’t roll over with the pillow on your head because it’s dark outside and there’s a chill in the air. Get up while the others are sleeping, get dressed grab your equipment and tiptoe out; you just never know when something will make you feel really good.

By the way, if you’re interested in knowing where I first heard this phrase, just click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8JzwrD5dvk

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.

JoeB

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

One of my students submitted this photo after reading my post on “101 things to know about photography“. She’s referring to number 42 that says, “The Rule of Thirds is boring”. Since I meant every letter of every word, we’ll move on to her photo and question which is:

“Hey Joe, I’ve been working on using all the techniques I learned in your class.  I have a photo that I would love your input on.  I thought to submit it after reading your “101 Thing You Need to Know Post”, where you said that the “Rule of Thirds is Boring”.

I took the attached photo of my girls climbing on a fence in a neighborhood school yard.  I wanted to give equal attention to both of the girls split by the fence post.  I instinctively chose to put the girls and the fence in the middle of the frame but I’m questioning whether it works?  Perhaps it is not the positioning but the background activity that bothers me.  Do you have any suggestions for a different approach?

I did brighten it up a touch before I deciding to submit it.

Your instinct was right on in my opinion. I really like how you used the fence to divide the page right down the middle. It makes a statement to be sure, and it’s where I would have placed the fence and kids as well. It feels balanced and I also like how each girl is doing her own thing. I especially like it that you have just one of the kids looking in the camera with that great facial gesturing in the form of a big smile. They are the center of interest, so it’s feels right that they’re in the center of the composition.

As I told you in my online class with the BPSOP, and as I tell my students that take my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet, Line is the most important element of visual design (everything that exists has an outLine), and the implied line between the subject’s eyes and the lens can be very powerful…as it is in your photo.

It feels fresh and real. The viewer would never know if you had the girl look at you or she looked on her own. it’s your secret, and whether it was staged or not doesn’t matter; you were making pictures, not taking them!!! As you know from my class, there’s only one thing that can overcome an overcast, gray day and that’s Humor. It’s a funny photo while being one of those sweet moments in time.

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

FDTate, a past student of mine, recently sent me a question to comment on concerning one of the items to remember on my “101 things to know about photography”. Actually it was number 8 on the list: “Always have a roll of Duct Tape and a can of WD-40 with you.

His question was, “A great list, but I’m confused by #8.  I’ve never been on a shoot and thought, “Boy, this would have gone a whole lot smoother if I’d just brought along some duct tape and WD-40.”  Please explain.”

Before I explain why it’s important to carry Duct Tape and Wd-40, I’ll tell you what I tell my online students with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops that will simplify things. I tell them, “If it doesn’t move and should, use the WD-40. If it moves and shouldn’t, use the duct Tape!!!

In the top photo, we were in the Southwest part of the US shooting an annual report for a company that’s mostly in the agricultural business. I saw a large field with irrigation equipment and thought it would make for a great shot the next day at sunrise.

The two men seemingly in charge told me that they hadn’t used this equipment for a season, but it wouldn’t be a problem turning on the sprinkler jets so I could backlight them.

Taking their word for it, we showed up the next morning before sunrise and set up; I wanted to get the very first light. When they turned the main valve, nothing happened. Why was I not surprised to hear that the small valves on the jets were rusted and therefore no water.

I sent my assistant back to the car for my trusty can of WD-40. We sprayed all the nozzles and were able to slightly turn them so water would spray out.

And that’s why I always carry a can of WD-40 with me.

In the bottom photo, I was shooting a series of posters for Prince, a manufacturer of tennis equipment.

Remember that this was before the days when you could fix any problem later in post. We  had spread all the tennis balls all over the court and were ready to shoot when a Santa Anna wind came up and blew all the tennis balls off the court.

The wind was too strong to keep the balls in place, so what did I do? I had my crew, the model, and a few people that were standing around secure each one of the balls to the ground with Duct Tape. so, every ball you see has a piece of tape under it.

A true story and the reason why you should have a roll of Duct Tape with you…because  you just never know!!!

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime. Don’t forget to bring some WD-40 and Duct Tape with you.

JoeB

Andrew, an online student with the BPSOP,  sent me this photo with the following question. I always like to share exactly what the photographer had to say since so many of you have either asked themselves the same question or have had similar situations. Here’s what Andrew had to say:

” Dear Joe,

Sometimes I shoot the sky from my window. On the attached pictures you can the the original image with houses. Of course the houses are out of interest? so I decided to darken them. I wanted the photo looked like counter light with a “normal” sky.
When I show my photos to my friends? they say “You have a great sky but I see nothing”.  Maybe they do not understand the art 🙂  or am I doing something wrong?  Can you advise me on anything?

Thanks in advance

Regards,
Andrew”

Andrew, take a look at this post on “giving meaning to photos”: http://joebaraban.com/blog/giving-meaning-to-photographs/. I always share it with my online class with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet. It will help explain why your friends said what the said. Be sure to read the part where it says that a beautiful sunset to you is just another sunset to someone else.

Before I finally click the shutter, I ask myself if the picture I’m about to make will stand the test of time. If in a year, two, three or even four, will my image still be worth keeping? Is there enough “layers of interest” to keep the viewer around longer than six seconds? Is there enough visual interest?

So Andrew, ask yourself, in you photo, besides the sky, is there enough visual interest to keep the viewer around? Will your photo stand the test of time?

Visit my website at:www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog.come shoot with me.

JoeB

Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link

As I tell my online students with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet, light is everything and I’m constantly thinking about it.

That said, I’ve been a professional traveler for almost fifty years, and my job has been to take pictures in the best possible light. That’s what I do, and that’s what I think about all the time…especially when I first research then check into a hotel.

The first thing I think about is the view I’m going to get every time I look out the window. I can tell you from experience that some of your best photos can be taken with your pajamas still on…or even if you sleep in “the all together, in the buff, or in the raw” as some call it.

Here’s what I suggest to my fellow photographers that are traveling on business, pleasure, with a group, or just by themselves:

When checking in ask what direction the rooms face. If you’re an early riser by nature, ask for a room that faces East. If you’re not then ask for a room that faces to the West. A suggestion here would be to take an East facing room over one that faces North or South. That way you’ll at last have a choice as to getting up early or not.

Another factor for me when I have a choice in picking a hotel is the number of floors it has. If you’re only interested in seeing the entire city and taking an overall panoramic, then ask for a room close to the top. If you’re interested in seeing more of a close-up, than ask for something closer to the ground floor.

The absolute best advice I can give you is to ask to see the room first. That way even if you get an East or West facing room, you won’t be disappointed when you pull back the curtains only to see the hotel’s roof top parking lot and/or the air-conditioning units.

Depending on the time of year, a North facing window would be my third choice after East and West. The light will be coming in from the side, which can be a great way to show the textures and the three-dimensional qualities of the city.

I can’t suggest strongly enough to set your clock to at last take a look out the window, you can always go back to sleep if nothing interesting happens. If it does and you get something great, going back to sleep is easy even if you’re only wearing a smile.

🙂

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.

JoeB