Any good artist should always be on the lookout for inspiration. That is why I am off tomorrow to see the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit at the SF MOMA. Not exactly the NYC subway in the 80′s, but inspiring none-the-less.

by Richard Avedon

The speed at which technology moves is dizzying, and photography always seems to riding that giant wave. With ridiculous mega pixel counts and rigs like the Canon 5D Mark II which shoots cinematic quality video, it can be easy to forget from whence we came. As often as I can, I like to take a minute to step back and look at just how far we’ve come.

One of my favorite photographers from the old school is Richard Avedon. The photo here is from his In the American West series. He essentially traveled the country, found normal everyday people, threw up a white back drop, and took their picture. His documentation of how the average person lives strikes a blow to your heart. His images are moving, and manage to capture a person’s  story in that one little frame.

Whenever you fill overwhelmed by all the techno babble, take a minute to look back to how it used to be done. You might just learn a thing or two.

I love this pair of shoes. They raise so many questions. They raised a lot of challenges as well. I have long known just how difficult it is to shoot shiny objects, but putting a mirror below them really ups the difficulty. What stories do you think this pair tells? Let me know in the comments. I’m sure they have a few.

In other news, they Kickstarter fund raising campaign for the American Photo Project is off to a crawl. Two backers and $30 so far. Only 1%. I need to pick up the pace if I am ever going to make it. Just click on the widget to the right to learn more.

There is also only two days left in the typo contest. Send in the photos of those typos to claim your prize.

As always, if you, or any friends, would like to take part as subject in the project, please let me know.

On a final note, don’t forget the challenge to send in a picture of your best public typo.

I think shoes are incredible. They are horribly taken for granted. Every pair of shoes have a story to them. With this book, I want to tease the story out of a few of them. What story do you think these boots have to tell?

I think I’m about a quarter of the way through it right now. Still a lot of work to do before my deadline, which is the Artwalk on October 9th. You are coming, right? Wish me luck. It’s starting to look like it may be a bit of a lofty goal. Regardless, you should come by and say hi.

Don’t forget about the contest this month. Send me a picture of the best typo you can find in a public space. My favorite is the winner.

I know I am not the worlds best wedding photographer. There are a lot of things I will do differently, if I ever shoot another wedding. I, however, never fell in the water. Even with the ceremony was across the pool. At least his assistant was on top of it, and went for the camera first.

Canon 7D vs. Barbie Video Girl from Brandon Bloch on Vimeo.

Wow. There is no respect left for the venerable camera. They will cram one into anything these days. As you can see, there is still no comparison for a good high quality camera. Looks like Barbie will need to step up her game if she wants to play in the big leagues. Thanks to Brandon Bloch for bringing this to everyone’s attention. Be sure to check out his other videos.

Maybe Canon should make a Barbie themed 7D.

Recently, a friend announced that he and his fiance were getting married. I thought I was going to be hit up for a free-bee, which I would have gladly provided, but instead he asked that I help him find a good wedding photographer. Then it hit me, most people know very little about what makes a good photographer. After helping him locate someone I decided I would offer my sage advice to others. So, following are my suggestions to make sure you’re happy with the photos of your big day.

1. Word of mouth is a great place to start. Photographers’ reputations are built on word of mouth. Ask your friends if they know of anybody, most likely one of them will have a name or two to start with.
2. Check out their previous work. Everybody today has a website (even me). Any good wedding photographer will have pictures somewhere out there on the web for you to look at. If not, just ask. Any professional worth talking to will be more than happy to provide samples.
3. The Professional Photographers of America is always a good place to start. You can find photographers near you and check out some reviews at the same time.
4. Check the references. Even if your best friend loved their photographer, it does not always mean everybody is happy with them. Ask for some references, and check up on them.
5. Meet with them well in advance. It can take a while to find a photographer that you are comfortable with. Start early to make sure that you can find one that you like and can offer what you are looking for. Which brings me to my next point:
6. Do not be afraid to say no. Just because your father’s, best-friend’s, uncle is a photographer, does not mean that you have to hire him. If you have any misgivings: you feel uncomfortable, he seems unreliable, you don’t like his cologne. What ever it is remember, you are stuck with him all day. At your wedding.
7. Schedule a shoot ahead of time. Many photographers offer an engagement session as part of their packages. Some even for free. Some apply the cost towards the wedding if you book with them. Do it. Even if you don’t want engagement pictures. This will give you a chance to see if you like his personality, his style of working with clients. Pay attention to how he handles his gear. Is he clumsy? Does he drop stuff a lot. You don’t a photographer that is going to miss the kiss because he is looking for that memory card he dropped.
8. Some studios employ a number of photographers. Make sure you get to meet with the one that will actually be shooting your wedding.
9. Your photographer will likely require a deposit to hold your wedding date. Never agree to pay the entire fee up front. The balance of the fee should only be paid after the wedding, once you have seen and received your proofs.
10. Get it in writing. When booking your photographer, always make sure to get everything in writing. A written agreement or contract with your photographer, itemizing all of the important details, will protect you and help prevent potential misunderstandings. It should be signed and dated in duplicate by both you and the photographer; and you should each retain a copy. It should list all fees, taxes, and extra charges, as well as what the photographer is to provide (number of hours of coverage, number of proofs, number of photos in the package, sizes of photos, etc.) The agreement should explain when deposits and balances are due. It should also clearly list the date of the wedding, the location or locations the photographer will be required at, and the times at which he or she is to be there.
11. A word about style. Be sure you like the photographer’s style. He may be an excellent photographer, but if you don’t like the style his previous work is done it, you may not like you wedding photos.
12. Just as important, make sure you like him. If you clash with his personality, it might make your wedding miserable.

There it is. I hope this has helps some one out there? Any other questions about hiring a wedding photographer? Just ask.

Take a look. Share your thoughts. Who’s your favorite WWII photographer?

Peach pie anyone?

Over at Hack A Day they have all kinds of camera hacks. My only regret is that I can’t try them all. Oh cruel fate, why have you stricken me with such little time. This most recent pressure triggered rig looks like a lot of fun and is a great addition to all the stop-motion rigs out there. I’m just afraid I would hit my camera instead of the peach. As you can see, if you can aim you chunk of rebar in the dark, you are in store for some awesome stop-motion pictures. Eadweard Muybridge would be proud.  Check out their post, and let me know if you get a chance to try it.