Podcasts about lenswork online

Here's a Thought… #2728 with Brooks Jensen The Last Time In her final weeks, a theme that Maureen revisited time and time again was the idea that we never know when will be the last time we ever do something. The last time you will make homemade spaghetti; the last time you will see a friend; the last time you will photograph a sunset scene. She was right, of course, and I think this inspires me to appreciate each moment I have to create art or enjoy what someone else has created. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2727 with Brooks Jensen Unknown RAW Files A fairly common experience I have when I return from an extensive and productive trip are captures of which I have no memory. That might be explainable here in the volumetric digital age. However, I had the same experience in my film days. Where do these mysterious images come from? What should I do with them? I really hope this is a creativity conundrum and not a medical condition! Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2726 with Brooks Jensen Food, Clothing, Shelter, and Artwork? Does anyone need artwork to survive? I suspect not. On the other hand, I struggle to imagine a life without art. Why is artwork so important? An even greater mystery is why making artwork is so important. If photography was for some unknown reason suddenly denied to me, I'd take up pen and ink drawing, or haiku writing, or composing really awful classical symphonies. Or buy a kazoo. Something, anything. I wonder why? What is so valuable about having art in our life? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2725 with Brooks Jensen One by One, We Are Losing Our Masters We just lost another of our great photographic teachers/masters. Jay Maisel passed away on August 20??. Carl Chiarena, Jay Dusard, Ray Carofano and Jon Fishback are LensWork alumni to add to 7 list of recent losses. With each passing, we mourn their loss, celebrate their life, and treasure their artwork. I was recently asked what I most treasure from my time as the publisher of LensWork. Easy answer: the people, the conversations, the laughs, the stories, the fellow travelers who have filled my life with their vibrance and spirit. We miss them all. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2724 with Brooks Jensen Audience Indifference A painful truth is that no one cares about my artwork. Don't feel smug; no one cares about your work either. Such thoughts could be thoroughly depressing. On the other hand, believing in universal audience indifference has the power to infuse each compliment, sale, exhibition, Internet visitor, invitation, or publication with a magical feeling filled with genuine gratitude. I can only speak for myself, but I know I'd rather feel gratitude than bitterness. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2723 with Brooks Jensen Books and Digital Publications The first half of the20th century was the era of original prints. It appears that the first half of the 21st century is the era of the Internet. My photographic maturity came in the last half of the 20th century. One of the consequences of that serendipity is that my appreciation of photography is largely based on books. Perhaps this is why I am a proponent of multiple-image projects that rely on layout-intensive publication rather than the single-image showcase of framed prints on the wall or Instagram. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

LW1519 - Those Who Touch Us Deeply If we are lucky, our art life is filled with people with whom we connect deeply through their artwork. For example, I love Caravaggio, but not that crazy about Botticelli. Why? Why do we connect with some work more deeply than others? Seriously, why? What is it about these artists that touches us so deeply? Even if we don't find answers, asking such questions and spending time with their artwork is a joy that adds something precious to our experiences. I explored this in my series, Those Who Inspire Me and Why that is available at LensWork Online. www.lensworkonline.com/resourcelibrary/twim/twim.php All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

Here's a Thought… #2722 with Brooks Jensen The Density of the Detail Assume an image has a definable amount of detail we'll call X. Take that detail and make a small print and the density of detail will be much greater than in a large print. This can be both advantageous and disadvantageous depending on the viewers interpretation. In essence, what I'm suggesting is that the size of print you choose to make may be influenced as much by the density of detail as it is by the available wall space. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2721 with Brooks Jensen The Future of Photography He said, "It's a fantastic camera. It does everything for me." I responded, "Too bad it doesn't automatically post your images to Instagram." Excitedly, he replied, "That's coming!" I tried as best I could not to appear suicidal. I wonder if there is any way we could make photography way more difficult, on purpose? Outlaw prints smaller than 42"? Revert back to film? Invoke a pixel tax? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2720 with Brooks Jensen Purposely Off Awhile back, I made a landscape image in which I desaturated the naturally bright blue sky to an emotionally dark steel blue/gray. No sky ever looked that way in real life. I loved it in spite of the obvious fact that it wasn't true to human vision. Curiously enough, because it was so clearly an aesthetic choice, people seemed to be willing to accept it as an artistic expression. I guess the lesson is, if you are going to alter reality, do it enough so that it's evident you've done it on purpose. Viewers may not like it, but at least they won't think it is an incompetent mistake. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2719 with Brooks Jensen Blade Runner and Puccini's Butterfly Do you ever go back and revise a previously finished image or project? I don't. Maybe I should. Sometimes, great artists do. For example, there are five different versions of Blade Runner, one of my favorite movies. Puccini made several substantial revisions of his opera, Madame Butterfly. Ansel Adams made a dozen or so different versions of Monolith, Face of Halfdome. If such great artists believe they can improve their previous work, why would we think we can't? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2718 with Brooks Jensen Accessory Fever I cringe when I think about all the money I've spent on accessories that sounded like a great solution, then used only a time or two. Or, maybe never. I have a closet full of them. Why is it that the solution to better pictures always seems to rely on some new piece of gear? I suppose it's just easier to blame stuff (or the lack of stuff) than it is to look inward and frankly see our own limitations. What a relief it is to blame our failures on anything but ourselves! Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2717 with Brooks Jensen Too Many Notes, Words, Images I've often said that this is the best time in the history of photography to be a photographer. There is one sense in which this is clearly not true: audience attention spans. The instantaneous mindset of making photographs is leaking into the way we look at photographs — instantaneously. Social media are training all of us to think a glimpse is sufficient. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2716 with Brooks Jensen Fun Is a Medicine I assume that all of you listening to these commentaries take your photography pretty seriously. You want your photographs to be meaningful, lovely, treasured, valuable. We approach our image making with a serious mindset. Must we? What about fun? Silly? Playful? Not all of our work needs to be momentous. Make something small, fun, light-hearted that you can give away just because it makes everyone smile. Strangely enough, doing so can make your serious work more meaningful. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

LW1518 - The Hard Work of Being an Artist The minute we pick up a camera and decide we want to make pictures more meaningful than snapshots, we unknowingly embrace the art life. The first challenge is entirely technical and, at least these days, fairly easily mastered. Well, if not mastered, at least doable with reasonable competence. That's when the hard work of being an artist begins. All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

Here's a Thought… #2715 with Brooks Jensen The Power of Titles Titles have such power to steer the viewer in directions we intend. I've often used the example of Dorothea Lange's famous image, Migrant Mother. What if that image was instead titled, Waiting for the Return of the Soldier, for example? What if Weston's Pepper #30 was titled, The Last Pepper, or perhaps, Tina? Words change perceptions, sometimes with a nudge, sometimes with a sledgehammer. A title, even if it is only one word, can make all the difference in how the viewer sees your image. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2714 with Brooks Jensen To Know a Photographer There are so many photographers I think I know because one of their images has become important to me. I'm a fool to think so. People are complicated; photographers are at least as complicated as people. (Ahem.) I've come to believe that in order to know a photographer even a little we need to study at least a couple dozen images or more. Better if this covers at least a decade or so of their creature career. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2713 with Brooks Jensen An Excuse to Explore the World I'm pretty convinced that I don't need to add any more images to my Lightroom assets. I have enough RAW files in my catalogue to keep myself artistically busy and productive for the rest of my life. I just need to mine deeper into what I already have. That will not, however, prevent me from heading out and capturing more. That's because the core of artmaking is exploring life, exploring the world, exploring our responses to experience. Making the art is secondary; curiosity and inquiry are the primary values in the Art Life. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2712 with Brooks Jensen Why the Sharpest Lenses I've always thought that spending money on the best lenses made more sense than expensive cameras. A blurry picture can always be made with a tack-sharp lens, but a tack-sharp image cannot be made with a fuzzy lens. By the way, how do you know if your lens is sharp? Which apertures? Which focal lengths? You do know, don't you, that manufacturing under the tightest control will still make a lemon now and again? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2711 with Brooks Jensen One Kind of Photography You know that old business about what books you would want with you on a desert island? Just for fun, if you could only make one kind of photograph for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Landscapes? Portraits? Still life? Wildlife? I think I'd choose abstracts. I could make abstracts anywhere, anytime, with any subjects, with any camera, in any light, at any size, for any purpose. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2710 with Brooks Jensen Your Best Is Often the Least Important An over-emphasized component of fine art photography is the assumption that "making stone-cold winners" is the heart of the pursuit. I would propose that super-winners are not the goal but can, occasionally, be the result. We make art for the process, not the accolades. There is a cultural pressure to be and produce "the best of the best of the best." (stolen from Men in Black) Far too often our very best work relies on a generous helping of luck. Take all the lucky ones you can get, but don't confuse luck with artistic accomplishment. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

LW1517 - Why Make Art I don't want to sound morbid or fatalistic, but we are all headed for the ink maintenance tank at some point in the future. A good friend of mine recently survived a health crisis that almost ended his life. Whether or not we want to acknowledge it, we hang by a thread. I know that in the cosmic scale of things photography is not that important, but perhaps ART is. A recent quote from a television show: Science tells us how and where we live; History tells us when; Art and Literature tell us why. The purpose of life is not to make art, but the purpose of Art is to enhance our life. Good to remember that every moment we have is precious. All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

Here's a Thought… #2709 with Brooks Jensen The Return to Film I think I understand why some photographers are returning to film and analog photography. There is a sense of accomplishment in the production of a wonderful gelatin silver print that is absent (or at least diminished) with an inkjet print or an Instagram post. What is missing from this debate is the source of the thrill. Does the thrill of accomplishment come from the successful command of the medium or from the depth of connection with the content? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2708 with Brooks Jensen Better Than I Remembered With some frequency now, I find that as I look back at my older unprinted archives, I'll stumble upon an image with new appreciation. How did I miss this one? Is it that my processing tools are now so much better? Is it that I'm older and more artistically mature? Is it that the passage of time has made it easier to distance myself from the experiential memories of the moment? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2707 with Brooks Jensen Blind Spots and Habits Now that I've been photographing for decades, there are some subjects and trends that have become more identifiable with a larger data pool to pull from. Evidently, I find walls irresistible. Chairs must be one of my favorite subjects if the count of how many photos of them I have is any indication. Trees and rocks rate high on the list. I have no interest in architecture, but you'd never know it by looking at how many photos I have of buildings. Sunsets, wildlife, urban streets, and sports events are almost completely missing from my archives. I'm wondering if a list of what I've never photographed could lead to something interesting? Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

Here's a Thought… #2706 with Brooks Jensen The Creative Life Is a Daily Habit Every waking moment is an opportunity to make a photograph — but we don't. Moments don't rise to the level of photographic importance until we sense them. Photography happens at the intersection of a particular moment and our sensitivity to perceive it. I'll pause for a minute for you to think about that. If true, doesn't it seem obvious that the limitation of creativity is our sensitivity, not the availability of moments? If so, the challenge of being an artist is all about developing our sensitivity to every moment, not the never-ending search for the special moment. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

HT2705 - Abundance Can Be a Curse I had a couple of weeks last fall to photograph in the San Juan mountains of southern Colorado. The weather was perfect, the fall colors at their peak, and I just kept shooting. I now have 967 RAW captures from that couple of weeks. What do I do with 967 perfectly focused, properly exposed, lovely images? They can't all be winners! If I toss half of them, I'll still have 400+. If I keep only the top 10%, I'll still have almost 100. I'm beginning to think that too many is a curse worse than too few. Become a member of LensWork Online and have access to all 2700+ Here's a Thought… commentaries.

LW1516 - Beyond the Rectangle We photographers have quadrilaterals on the brain. Why? The world is not quadrilateral. Why not compose in circles, ovals, or other shapes? Is it because cutting round or oval mats is so difficult? Are we prisoners of the straight-edge ruler? Can we not learn from our lenses — which by the way cast round images onto our quadrilateral sensors? All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

HT2702 - When a Group Ceases to Be a Group One of the interesting things about a multiple image project is how the viewer assembles the collective idea that binds the images into a unified expression. Show three images as a group and the viewer will try to connect them. When the group becomes too large, however, it can be more difficult to see so many images as a group. I think this is one of the reasons "Seeing in SIXES" works so well. It's the sweet spot between the single image and too many to be a group This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2701 - A Personal Pile I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this. I have a "personal pile" of prints that I rarely (often never) share with anyone. They are not embarrassing, nor obscure. They are ones that I'd just as soon not have my feelings about them diluted or polluted with other's opinions. To call them "spiritual" would be too strong, but they are moments that I treasure and would like to preserve. Maybe I'm being silly about these images, but that's the way I feel. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

HT2695 - Creative Possibilities for Two-sided Inkjet Paper The availability of two-sided inkjet paper has opened up fascinating doors of creativity. With two-sided paper we can do folded paper books like chapbooks, or three-fold brochure-like presentations. Another idea is to use two-sided paper for a significantly expanded provenance to a print. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

LW1515 - On Your Walls at Home What artwork do you have hanging on the walls at your house? What photographic artwork do you have hanging in your house? Let's consider this more deeply: What percentage of the work you have hanging in your house is yours and what percentage is photography by others? Most photographers I know own lots of work by others, but display in their house mostly their own work. Does that make them egotistical or just proud? Do we display our own work to share or to brag? How does your answer to this question shape what you have on your walls right now? All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

HT2694 - Motivating the Viewer Imagine that I wanted you to read Tolstoy's War and Peace. What would your reaction be? On the other hand, what if I suggested you read today's funny papers because they were hilarious. What would your reaction be? I use these examples to illustrate the relationship between motivation and required effort. A large and complicated thing requires more effort and motivation than a humble and simple thing. Human nature being what it is, doesn't this pertain equally to photography? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

LW1514 - Where You Draw the Line We are fast approaching that point where each of us need to draw the line about our involvement with AI and photography. Come to think of it, we may have already passed the line, at least for some of us. At what point do you call an AI generated image a fake? At what point does the involvement of AI mean the image is no longer artwork? No longer photography, no longer yours? What amount of AI are you willing to accept as you create your work? Culturally we are struggling with these issues, but individually we can make immediate decisions for ourselves about where we want to draw the line for our work All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

HT2688 - Outside the Box We've all heard that age-old maxim about creativity and "thinking outside the box." We are supposed to hear this exhortation relative to our unconscious habits. I would propose that the box we are supposed to get outside of is the camera itself. When I find myself thinking I've made a nice photograph, I know I need to let go of photography and remember that art is about LIFE, not our chosen medium of expression. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2687 - You Must Have a Really Good Camera How do these kinds of notions become so wide spread? If I owned a Steinway, would that make me an accomplished pianist? Would a fancier fountain pen make me a better novelist? Of course not. But then we often think a better camera might be the answer to improving our photographs — perpetuating the myth that the tool makes the image. If not a new camera, what should we do to improve our art? Answer: Finish more projects and study the history of art. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

HT2660 - The Drama of Good vs Evil Can you think of an artistic expression that doesn't involve, in some way, the drama of good versus evil, innocence versus the diabolical, the weak vs the strong, dark versus light? (You don't suppose I slipped that last one in for a reason?) If the central themes of art are rooted in drama, why would art photography not also be rooted in drama? If so, that leads us to the question How do we build drama into a photographic image? Perhaps even more informative is the question How do we build drama into a photographic project? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2659 - Perfection or Enthusiasm Deep in the heart of an artist is the pursuit of perfection. It goes with the territory. Creating artwork is the one thing we do in our life without regard to time, expense, or even effort. We pursue perfection because we have faith that achieving perfection is a possibility with each creation we make. Is it? I'm not sure pursuit of perfection is the healthiest option. What if we change the measurement of success? What happens if we pursue enthusiasm, curiosity, and passion rather than perfection? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

HT2653 - There Are No Bad Lenses, There Are No Perfect Lenses The other day I was working on some images in Lightroom and realized that one of them was a fantastically sharp image that I had made with a notoriously bad lens. Looking more closely at the EXIF data I realized this image had been shot in the middle of the zoom range and stopped down a bit. My "bad lens" performed beautifully. Wide open at maximum zoom this lens was just crap. Do I blame the lens for making bad pictures, or do I blame myself for not knowing the lens as well as I should have? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2652 - A Grand Slam Home Run If you are a baseball fan like I am, you know what a thrill it is when your team hits a grand slam. A true baseball fan, however, knows that the occasional grand slam is not the reason to be a baseball fan. It just happens from time to time. The true fan loves every pitch, every swing, every hit, every subtlety of the game. I say the exact same thing about photography. The stone-cold winners are a thrill, but not the reason to be a photographer. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

HT2646 - Your Very Best Imagine for a moment that some important personage asked to see your very best work. What would you show them? Would you show them your most popular images? Your best sellers? Would you show them your personal favorites? The latest project you've completed? Would you show them safe work or your more innovative and daring work? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2645 - Trust Your Gut Yesterday I was discussing the 270 image captures of the rock walls of Capitol Reef that I photographed in 2012. I described how I only recently discovered a possible processing for those images. There's an interesting aspect of this story that is not obvious. In reviewing the 270 images, I found 37 that worked with this new processing idea. How do we know? What prompted me to reject the other 233? I think of Edward Weston and "the flame of recognition." This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

LW1509 - A Book Is More Than a Paper Thing Words mean things. In fact, words can mean several things, several things that are quite different from one another. Take the term "book." It might mean a physical thing with paper and ink. Then again, if I ask you if you've read a good book lately, isn't it obvious I'm not referring to the paper and ink but rather to the content of the story? All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

LW1508 - Your Relationship with Photography That great literary wit Dorothy Parker is reported to have said, "I hate to write but love to have written." I suspect we can all relate to that in our own chosen medium. There will always be some parts of the creative life that we enjoy more than others. Indeed, there are likely to be some parts we detest with as much passion as we enjoy with those parts we favor. All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

HT2639 - Paralyzing Success Here is a problem I've never had before. In the last 18 months, I've had extraordinary success. I've captured 6,700 images of which I've identified a few dozen that have technical issues I can't resolve. Of the remaining, I've flagged a couple hundred as unsuccessful compositions. That still leaves me with over 6,000 images I could turn into single winners or images in projects. Seriously, 6000 images. I'm overwhelmed, stuck, have no idea where to begin, frustrated, and a little lost. For example, I have over 1,000 lovely shots of yellow and orange aspens. What do I do with 1,000 yellow and orange aspens? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2638 - Photograph As Launch Pad It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a photograph is a destination of a viewing process. It's as though seeing a photograph puts a period at the end of an experiential sentence. The reason I call this a trap is because it seems much better to me to consider a photograph as a launch pad for an experience, one that encourages a train of thought, a series of questions, a dialog, a search for meaning and understanding. A photograph that only provides answers is easy to forget. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

LW1507 - The Consciousness Barrier, The Conundrum of Art Most photographs I see don't penetrate very deeply into my consciousness. I know they're there, I fleetingly engage them, but they don't have much power to impress themselves into deeper thought. It's as though there is a barrier that prevents me from engaging with more than a casual glance. I suspect that's not the kind of engagement we want as art makers. How do we get our viewers to break through that shallow consciousness barrier? Shouting isn't the answer. All previous episodes of our weekly podcast are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that expand daily with new content. Sign up for instant access! You might also be interested in. . . Every Picture Is a Compromise, a series at www.brooksjensenarts.com. and... "How to" tutorials and camera reviews are everywhere on YouTube, but if you're interested in photography and the creative life, you need to know about the incredible resources you can access as a member of LensWork Online.

HT2632 - Handheld Art Media The world is full of media that artists can use to express themselves. Music, storytelling, dance, sculpture, poetry, pottery, painting. Has it ever occurred to you how rare it is that a work of art can be held in your hands? I've always thought that this is one of the great strengths of photography. No other medium that I can think of has the potential to be so tactile. Maybe clothing, maybe food if we consider them an art medium, but these are special cases. Photography is the rare visual medium that is (or can be) so physically sensual. I'm not referring to books, but to original prints produced to be viewed handheld. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2600 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!

HT2631 - I Done Good I sincerely hope I am not self-deluded about this, but I often find that after some months or perhaps years I look back at older images and find them far better than I remembered. I'll kick myself for not recognizing the potential for an image that now seems so obvious. It's as though the passage of time imbues the image with surprising improvements. Or, maybe my subconscious has been working on the image all this time. What I originally passed by becomes an image I now celebrate. Why is this? This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2500 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

HT2630 - Why We Are Making the Complete LensWork Digital Back Issues Collection Available for Download We announced a few weeks ago that we have begun a long-term project to publish the entire content of the LensWork Print Editions as PDF digital back issues. We've already posted the first 23 back issues. We'll add two more back issues each Friday until we have them all completed. These downloadable digital back issues are available exclusively to current members of LensWork Online. Here's why we are publishing the entire back issues collection. Show your appreciation for our free weekly Podcast and our free daily Here's a Thought… with a donation Thanks!