If you can get to Philly...... Go Do This!!!

Let Jared Polin and Adam Lerner take you on a Flash Photography Journey!!

Mothers Day Sunday May 13th.. Order NOW!!

Hey Everyone..

With Mothers Day soon upon us, it's time to get those gift cards and postcards out and about (or aboot if your Canadian).. So pop over to my Red Bubble shop here and order some lovely gift cards and postcards to send to Mum (or Mom) where ever she is.. They like this kinda stuff!!

Or contact me if there are any Prints you would like done and sent out. I will be trying to organize a specific price list on prints over the next few days, but if there is something specific just let me know.

PhyNyght Studio at The Rose Street Artists' Market

Well I have the dates I will be appearing at The Rose Street Artists' Market!!

Saturday April 28th; Saturday May 12th and 26th; and June 9th and 23rd..

I will have a few One Off Prints and Mounted Prints for sale this time as well as some of the more usual pictures I have kicking around. Prints will start from the STUPID CHEAP price of $10!!

Take Photography Magazine... A must Buy!!

I often flick through the magazines at the local News Agent (or News Stand) and they all have the same kinda feel to them. The are made from this flimsy ugly shinny paper that gets damaged as soon as you pop it into your bag, and the photos inside... Well we will leave it there.. All that "cookie cutter" styled photography that all looks the same on every page, or it's just really ordinary and you close the magazine in disgust wondering why you spent $10 on information you could have just as easily got of the net..

But then you see Take Photo Mag and you realize others have the same wish for a quality publication. A publication that looks fantastic with a HARD COVER and wonderful photography from people all around the world..

This is an AMAZING book.. Issue 2 (which is already available in Australia) is just as beautiful..

Something I saw On the Way Home..

sky_22042012, a photo by Phynyght Studio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
The sky I saw on my way home tonight.. BEAUTIFUL...

The Nikon D3200.....

Nikon D3200 is the new kid on the block down at Nikon and the news is...... well.... luke warm really..

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE a new camera. But Really.. A 24 Mega Pixel camera with 3200 ISO... I think I'm with The Fro when I say I would have rather seen say a 12 Mega Pixel camera with a better ISO ability. But why would you argue. Is this camera directed at someone like me, or any Semi Pro photographer? I dare say it really really isn't. 

But in the $600 price bracket for something that will do a pretty good job for those starting out in Photography, it's a nifty piece of kit. If you were using it as a second camera for filming, as long as the frame sync rates are the same, it's at a great price for that..

Need to work out how to develop your film easy!!

I have started on the track to developing my own Black and White film. It's always interested me. It always seemed really hard and to much effort.. Until Now..

There are many many many detailed videos on You Tube now days on how to load your film onto the rolls and get them into the tank for developing. But developing times and temp, chemical dilution rates, these are where young and new players to the game can fall down..

The great team over at Digital Truth have a wonderful database that can be searched by anyone. I has a list of arguably every black and white film made, the developer to use, dilution rate, and time it will take at the specified temperature. But if your like me, and you can't be bothered with all that paper mumbo jumbo get the app!! That's right there is an app!!

All you need to do is (using your iPhone on Android Device) is select you film, then your developer, and then you will get all the information you will ever need. Dilution Rates, Times, Temps, and even a section for Notes. There is a built in timer that is stepped for every step of the act with an audible and visual notification to go on to the next step. 

I do love this app, but think the Hypo step should be an option when selecting roll film over sheet film. Not everyone is going to use Hypo or Wetter now days for roll film. 

If you need a hand in the developing stakes, this app is a MUST HAVE!!

The Finders Keepers Market...

The Finders Keepers Market looks like a bunch of fun!!

Spray and Pray....... Here we go again folks...

Came across this today on www.cnet.com.au, then found that it was making a lot of trips around on other photographers, and photograph bloggers websites and twitter feeds..

I have only recently picked the camera back up with the imagination and dedication to resume, or maybe recreate, a life behind the lens. The idea of setting my DSLR in a Program mode and rattling off images with flaming abandon, just fills my with terror.

So I say to "The System" and to it's creator David Jay, there is a MASSIVE difference in opinion in what we do and how it should be taught SIR. Getting people to understand their camera and getting them off those Program Modes is more important than shooting 3-4K at a friends wedding or party and hoping for a couple of good shots.

Rose Street Artists' Market

I have not had a confirmation of dates yet, but I'm pretty sure it's all OK..

I will be re appearing at The Rose Street Artists' Market every second Saturday for 5 dates starting 28th April..

The discussion starts here.. What is the message?

I found this on Tumblr when I was trying to decide on a topic for today. It was posted by a user Perfect Within Imperfection.. It's very similar to a picture I have seen by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin of a Watermelon. But I would dare suggest most of you out there are at a loss as how I have made this distinction. 

The Grenade is VERY powerful. We look at it and understand what the connotations are. We have been brought up understanding that when we see it, it can bring pain and death.

But what of the Watermelon and why is it just as scary and thought provoking.

This Watermelon is a recreation of a Roadside Bomb. Broomberg and Chanarin did a whole series of photos on the the subject. They were shocking and disgusting images, but so intriguing you could not understand the wonder  and technical dexterity that went into making some of them.

So now we know what they both are, which image is scarier??

The Hand Grenade that we know will hurt. Or the innocuous object that will bring death if triggered..

Lomography and Instergam... Not Sure...

Found this link over in a forum at Analogue Photography Users Group which is a video about the Lomography in England. The Journalist sort of goes into the descriptions of Analogue Photography, but treats it as more of a defunct craze for Hipsters. We all know a smart phone can do wacky wacky things with our images but really?? Yes we all know that Instergram sold to Facebook for mega bucks, but I don't believe that analogue photography has just been happened on.

These years of living after the Great Depression has given rise to less and less use of analogue techniques, and they are dying off. Most Pro Labs are  dying breed, and have to live on the Digital Process as the Film Lines start to lay waste. It's gotten to the point where film is scanned after processing, so the photographer can manipulate and edit the the photo digitally. No More Master Printers dodging and burning in the dark room to get the beautiful images of yesteryear.

This is why we need to bring back analogue in a big way!! Companies like Kodak should not have gone into Bankruptcy..

The Auto Focus Bug Bear....

Here is a really good explanation of Auto Focus and Focusing Points in you camera. Big thanks to Jared Polin and his website froknowsphoto.com which has a TON of great videos to watch and things to read in relation to great photography!!

melbourne_50_DSC0126

melbourne_50_DSC0126, a photo by Phynyght Studio on Flickr.

New picture added to my Melbourne in 50mm Set..

Bill Cunningham New York

I was going through my normal Thursday Morning rituals. I get the Age Newspaper and was flicking through the Green Guide. Reading all the little tit bits about new generational stuff and the things bubbling under the surface of TV wonderland.

The most interesting thing I saw was that the DVD has now become available for the photographer Bill Cunningham. Bill rides an old Schwinn bicycle around New York City looking for those at the height of fashion and capturing there lovely image. He still shoots film and uses a Manuel Focus (yeah MANUAL FOCUS) lens.

Hes has captured some LOVELY LOVEY shots you can take find them through here.

FroKnowsPhoto.... How To....

I have to admit I do get over to Fro Knows Photo every once and a while to take a look at what Jared Polin is doing. He has a great teaching style and makes people feel very comfortable.

This as he says is the start of a new project. Have a watch and a really good listen. He explains very very well why the shot not only works but why it was taken, and why the lens decision was made.

Hope you enjoy it.. I did..

How To Build A White Background Home Video Studio

So if you have a plain wall in your home and want to take some lovely back lite photos and don't really want to shell out for big flash units or continues lights, this is a super cheap way of getting the same effect.

Plus you get the benefit of knowing you built it your self!!


 

Erik Johansson - Photographer or Digital Artist?

There is always a lot of discussion on where and what Photoshop should be used for in Photography. There always those that will say that Digital Editing is something that spoils the aesthetics of photography, and there are those that say the medium is just changing and the addition of Digital Enhancement is the modern day version of Dark Room techniques lost in the ether of time..

Where do you stand??

9/11 Photograph By Thomas Hoepker

I was wandering through Facebook and came across The Guardian page with reference to this Thomas Hoepker photograph from the September 11 attacks.

Here is a random quote I have taken from the article that struck me as odd:

"In other words, a country that believes in moving on they have already moved on, enjoying the sun in spite of the scene of mass carnage that scars the fine day. Indeed, I can't help thinking the five apparently unmoved New Yorkers resemble the characters in the famous 1990s television comedy Seinfeld, who in the show's final episode are convicted under a Good Samaritan law of failing to care about others."


I find the reference odd, but quite understand it from the scene played out in the photo. But please feel free to leave your comment.. I would love to hear what you think about it..

Snow Photography

With winter coming up here in Australia I thought this was apt at this time..

You could practice about anytime with these styled photos.. I think you could get rain to look pretty good with the same ideas..

Have a play and drop me a line with a link to your results!!


 

David Bailey Photographer

I was sitting at home wondering "There is nothing good on TV over the Easter break" and then I found this on SBS Television.

David Bailey has photographed many many different types of people, and for many many different types of purpose. His Documentry is a mix of lovely lovely photographs mixed with some of his own movies.

It's a lovely watch if you have the time..

Bokeh Photography

Here is one of the BETTER tutorials on how to shoot Bokeh... Or "How to get those cool light blobs in the back of my photo"...



 

Last day to try and raise 9K for my New York Project

WOW!!! Only 24hrs to go #Ladies and #Gents.. We have $9k to raise can we do it!! newyork50x5.pozible.com #pozible #crowdfunding #dreams

Sometimes it's nice to get Blue....

Was trawling around a few website the other day and was wondering why we don't look deeper sometimes. So wandering around alternativephotography.com I came across something that, for lack of a better word, every man woman and child should be introduced to. Cyanotyoes.

These can be made pretty easy with some basic chemistry available from most good Photographic store's. You can get a basic 1 bottle pre-mixed or a kit to mix together yourself. If your really daring you can get it in it's most basic forms and mix it all up your self.

Rather than me waste your time going through the whole thing have a read of this article as it goes through the steps from start to finish.

If your in Australia places like Vanbar Imaging and Gold Street Studios have the chemistry and if your really really nice, they will even give you a ton of information if you ask nice.

A VERY VERY Expensive Holga.. And YES I want one!!

I was trawling through my Twitter feed and came across a really interesting post that caught my eye. It was from Michaels Camera and Video. It mentioned a Holga camera that was worth around $24,000 and that really pricked my interest.

The link took me to Peta Pixel and yes there it was. A Holga 120N from mounted to a Phase One P25 via a horseman lens board to create a Lomographic camera capable of taking images at 22 megapixels.

I would like to congratulate the inventor Mike Martens on his design and the sample photos are very beautiful..

How To: Use Fisheye Lens - Mike Manzoori

This is a really great tuition Video on how to use a Fish Eye on a video camera, but how does this relate to a still camera.

Mike makes a great point about understanding the Lens and what it can do. Also being very familiar with your camera helps.. These are things, as still photographers, we can take and use out in the filed.

I have only just started playing with a Fish Eye lens, and will pop up a few shots once I get through this roll of film..



 

Find My Work at Fotoblur.com

The Art of Processing and Printing..

I have been thinking and thinking of not how to add extra feathers in my cap, but thinking it's really about time that we start going back in time and doing a little more for ourselves.

Digital is a wonderful thing. We have instant success or failure, and can assess and re assess our photographs on the spot. But this has taken us away from the old arts, and they are going away. Lomography has given us the ability, and fascination, to shoot film again. Film will always rule (in my opinion). It has a certain tonal quality you can't get anywhere else. Have a look this video from the guys at prophotolife.com and see just how easy it is..

Skateboarding Photographer Michael Burnett - In Focus

This is a fantastic little video about how to photograph Skateboarding by Michael Burnett I think a lot of the things he says applies to almost all Sporting Photography. Framing a shot is so important. But with sports we do get a little caught up in the athlete and forget to give the image scale and depth. So what are the basic rules??

1: Clear Background if your trying to take a Portrait Style photograph (no background clutter behind the subject).

2: Show the Too and From. Where the Subject or Subjects have come from and where they are going to.

3: Keep It Simple.

I know this is very very basic but if you can understand these 3 basic things, you will take very beautiful photos every time!!