Category: Photography Blog

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE

Every so often I get an inquiry from someone I know who has a friend who wants to be an automotive photographer. I like to help others when I can, so I usually start with something like this:

Success means something different for everyone. For me it means being paid well for doing what I truly believe I was meant to do.

As you know, I have been and continue to be very fortunate working non-stop in the automotive media business. That doesn’t mean I am any less compassionate to those starting out. Here’s why. Continue reading “”

11-11-24

R.I.P. PAUL CAPONIGRO

A famous photographer who was under-appreciated has passed away. I own three of his signed prints but never met him. In my opinion, Caponigro was the Ernst Haas of B&W photography.

(Photo: Galaxy Apple by Paul Caponigro)

10-20-24

THIS SITE HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE BEST AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY BLOGS AND WEBSITES IN 2024

Feedspot ranked this page #7 out of the top 35 car blog sites for 2024. I’m very honored of course and honestly a bit shocked. I began this site in 2010 more for myself than anyone else, so it’s always a surprise to see how many folks visit. It began as a great way to keep writing regularly as an automotive journalist, and it still fulfills that role. Thanks for visiting, and thanks to all at Feedspot for this distinction.

FEEDSPOT

TIPS FOR BETTER PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Study the classics – Great paintings can inspire you to try new lighting.
Shoot frequently and for yourself – Don’t care about what others think.
Live a life where you’re open to new ideas.
Don’t include too much – Choose your foreground and background carefully.
Eliminate distracting elements that don’t contribute to what you are inspired to portray.
Wait for a gesture, the best moment when the subject reveals themselves.
Technically, for tight close ups, a long telephoto set at f/5.6 to f/8 is the way to go. Cell phone photos in wide mode are horribly distorted for portraits.
Tell a story – Environmental portraiture requires even more forethought than a tight composition. With a moderate wide angle to normal lens, only include in your frame that which adds to the story you want to tell. Simplify!

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT COUNTS

Above is a great Panorama story title that wasn’t even mine (thanks, Jeff!). The current PCA magazine “Youth” issue tells tales of Porsche enthusiasts who have made a mark in their community.

Two of these stories are mine. Each one portrays a woman known for her upholstery and other handiwork. Both were proposed by me, yet they are quite different. Both include my text and photos. In my first story, pictured here, a father/daughter duo fully restored an award-winning Porsche Speedster together. It’s a heartfelt ode that keeps things real. Their Speedster is also pictured on the cover. In the second story, my images included some of my better portraits. They are not shared here, nor were they published on request of the subject. I look forward to recreating that magic and emotion with a new subject in a future article for the magazine. See both of these stories in the September issue of Panorama magazine!

Porsche Panorama Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHY HAS BEEN NAMED THE MOST LETHAL ACTIVITY AT GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

According to a report by NBC News, “National Park Service data revealed that there were 205 fatal falls across the entire park system in the U.S. from 2014 to 2019 — the most recent year for which data is available. At the Grand Canyon National Park, 14 people were killed in fatal falls in the same period. Photographing accounted for four of those unintentional deaths.”

Be careful out there! Don’t assume anything and don’t fall.

MICROSOFT AI GETS IT WRONG AGAIN

The CEO of Microsoft AI Mustafa Suleyman has shown an alarming ignorance of copyright law after he claimed that all content on the open web is fair use. – PetaPixel

“I think with respect to content that’s already on the open web, the social contract of that content since the ’90s has been that it is fair use. Anyone can copy it, recreate with it, reproduce with it. That has been ‘freeware’, if you like, that’s been the understanding,” Suleyman says.

FORM VS. FUNCTION

Traditionally, advertising has been more form over function. I’ve done a lot of advertising campaigns in my time behind the camera. Most have been based on form. Yet if I had a choice, my goal would be elegant function. It’s something I’ve strived for over the past 35 years as a full-time pro photographer.

Perhaps the world will turn towards this goal. However, that would mean a big change from appearances, which currently rule.

WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER?

Simply put, it is someone who derives the majority of their income from photography. It doesn’t mean that they are being primarily supported by another job, a trust fund, retirement or a family member. A full-time professional photographer has to go beyond that definition. They need to make ends meet every month with the income they earn from their photography. And that means they have to charge a fee that could seem higher than those who don’t. It’s simple really, but the distinction has lost some meaning over the past 20 years. Please consider the differences when exploring these different services.

4-15-24

I’M ON A CAYMAN ROLL

It wasn’t that long ago that I wrote and photographed a feature for the Porsche Club of America’s national magazine on a Cayman S that was perhaps the most expensive one ever ordered. Now, the April 2024 issue features “Stormy”, one of the least expensive used Cayman S models purchased that has been turned into a top-time-of-the-day autocross weapon.

Congrats to Tara and Steven Lau for their wins at last year’s Porsche Parade and national SCCA autocross events in their heavily modified Porsche Cayman with GT3 motor! Check out the “Storming to the Front” AutoX story in the latest Porsche Panorama Magazine.

ICM

“Intentional Camera Movement” (ICM) is the hot new topic in photography, joining that other popular image description,”Bokeh”. I’ve been told these terms mean “motion panning” and “backdrop blur”, respectively. Reminds me of the use of “negative space” as just another word for “background”. This new terminology sure makes the person using it sound like they know what they are talking about!

Funny thing is, motion panning (aka ICM) in color photography has been in use since Ernst Haas fist pioneered the technique in 1954 while using ASA 10 original Kodachrome in low light (see his photograph “Bullfight” above). The other art synonyms have been around even longer. Silly me.

SHARE YOUR WORK WITH A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL

Showing your work to your family and friends only goes so far. To receive the most honest and critical evaluation of your photography, choose a professional working in your field to view your best stuff. That way you have a qualified opinion that can help you keep growing in an efficient manner.

(Photo of Randy on assignment: Andrea Wells)