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LW1456 - Too Much of a Good Idea A frequent characteristic we see in submissions to LensWork is when a photographer develops an interesting idea but then carries that idea too far with not enough image variations. The single image, a trilogy, perhaps even a Seeing in SIXES might be sufficient, but the photographer has explored the idea for 60 or 80 images and then neglected the all-important editing and selection process. Our old friend FOMO once again. 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.
LW1455 - The Powerful Seduction of Representationalism The other day I spent about 40 minutes working on one of the new captures from Eastern Oregon. I converted it to a black and white, dealt with the delicate issues of balancing lights and darks, fussed and tweaked until I felt I had an interesting and artistic rendition of the scene that was an accurate vision of my response. The first comment I received from one of the family members was that she preferred the color image, before I had done any processing at all. This is the core of a huge dilemma in fine art photography. Sometimes our objective for making a photograph (artistic expression) is not at all what our viewers' expectations are (representationalism). 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.
LW1454 - Learning to Self-Critique When I was starting out in photography I had no idea how to self-critique or even that it was a necessary skill I could develop. Looking back on it, I now realize that self-critique is the essence of the creative process. Too bad this isn't a skill that is taught purposely to all beginning photographers. Not what it is, but what it could be. What the image wants to be. Honesty, empathy, some visual literacy for context, and the experience and wisdom that come with practice. 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.
LW1453 - To Thine Own Self Be True A friend of mine was recently offered an exhibition in a nice gallery. He was excited for the opportunity, but then began the negotiations and compromises the gallery requested. For example, the gallery wanted him to adopt a limited edition strategy which he doesn't do. The gallery wanted a certain kind of mat board and framing. Is it advisable that we allow the gallery to influence our artistic endeavors like this? 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.
LW1452 - A Sketch vs an Image One of the most influential artists who have shaped my thinking about photography is, believe it or not, Charles Dickens. As a young writer, he worked for a newspaper to wander the streets of London and create short "sketches" of the scenes he encountered. Sound familiar? 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.
LW1451 - Sharing Our Work, Goldilocks Style Let's say someone wants to come over to your house and see some of your work. What do you show them? Do you pull out one print and that's it? That seems arbitrarily limited. Do you bring out 500 prints? That seems a bit overwhelming. Viewer fatigue is a reality in sharing our work, so how do you decide what to make available? 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.
LW1450 - Ten Myths That Need Busting In a technical and artistic pursuit like photography, it's not surprising that certain myths have developed over time. One of my favorite quotes is from G. K. Chesterton who said, "It's amazing how many things there are that aren't so." 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.
LW1449 - The Goal of the Process As someone looks at one of your images, Is that the end of a process of the beginning of one? Is viewing your image the end of their engagement with it? Or do we hope viewing our image is the beginning of a small mental journey that engages their imagination, poses a few questions, or moves them to a further experience? 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.
LW1448 - Project Photography Some thoughts on why we publish what we publish in LensWork. In particular, our emphasis on project-oriented photograph versus "greatest hits" images. 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.
LW1447 - Limited Editions Years ago, after showing my work to a gallery owner, I was thrilled when she said she loved my work and would like to represent me. It was a lifelong dream come true. She then insisted, however, that I limit my editions as a prerequisite to her representation. I passed. Mechanically, there is no limit on how many "copies" you can make. This is especially true in the age of digital printing. No one knows how many you actually make unless you publicize that. A designation like 1/50 does not mean you have made 50 prints. Who benefits from limited editions? 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.
LW1446 - Defining Artistic Success With all the time and energy and effort you put into photography, how do you define success? Are you successful when you've made an interesting picture? Are you successful when someone compliments you on it or perhaps purchases it? Are you successful when you have a gallery exhibition or a book published? Defining success is an important step in planning our efforts. 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.
LW1445 - Yup, Photography is a Great Medium for Art For years now, I've said that today is the greatest time in the history of photography to be a photographer. It's true, and here are several reasons why I continue to think we are so fortunate to be photographers today. 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.
LW1444 - Books I Return to Time and Again Here is a short list of books I never seem to tire of and that I make time for re-viewing. Each viewing brings out more subtleties and things I missed in my earlier times with these books. 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.
LW1443 - The Audience for Artifacts I love physical prints. I grew up in the age of physical prints. I'm enamored with handling the physical characteristics of prints. That said, the overwhelming evidence is that our audience for physical prints will be a tiny, minuscule fraction compared to the audience for our digital creations. It's inarguable, and this both delights and pains me. 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.
LW1442 - The Turning Pointt It's common — perhaps universal — that artists who persevere long enough will eventually uncover some doubt about their work. Their heartstrings begin to tug them away from the work they feel is expected from them and instead start responding to the creative paths that are personally expressive. This often is accompanied by guilt, doubt, and even an existential crisis about who they are and why they are producing art. I've come to learn that most photographers experience this crisis at least once in their life. If they are lucky and embrace these feelings, they have the opportunity to grow past the herd impulses and find their own voice. Indeed, this may be the essential path of the creative artist. 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.
LW1441 - Sized for the Emotional Impact A prevalent and often repeated question is how big should we make our prints? Some say that's determined by the subject. Others propose that print size is determined by the market. For what it's worth, my thoughts on this have to do with the emotional impact our image can make on the viewer. 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.
LW1440 - Archival Fantasies I was taught from my very first classes in photography the importance of archival processing and storage to preserve my work for future generations of admirers. I can't fault the concept, but the premise that my work will be of any interest to anyone in future generations does seem a bit farfetched. The audience we should really care about and pursue (if we choose to share our work at all) is our contemporaries. Besides, who better is there to promote our work than ourselves, now, today? 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.
LW1439 - Things I Wish I Had Learned in My Youth Here are five things I wish I had learned at the beginning of my photographic life. Craft is constantly changing; Fit the tool to the job; Forget about commerce with your art; Learning photography is a small part of what you will need to be an artist; and We live in The Age of Media. 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.
LW1438 - The Target Audience If you don't have a target audience in mind when you produce your work, then how do you know what to produce and how? Of course, for most of us, our target audience is ourself. Perhaps that's as it should be for all artists, but if we are the only target audience, doesn't that seem a bit futile? 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.
HT2140 - The Audio Archive I know that some of you have been listening to my musings on photography for years, but I also know there are a lot of you who are new listeners. Allow me a moment here to draw your attention to the archive that is available to LensWork Online members of every podcast and every Here's a Thought going back to the earliest days. There are currently over 1,400 long-form podcasts and over 2,100 short Here's A Thought commentaries. Have fun exploring them!
LW1437 - It Takes Time So much in photography these days takes place at breakneck speed. I'm not sure that's a good thing. Think of how many hours it takes for a pianist to be prepared for performance. Think how many hours it takes a poet to get each word and phrase just right. Why do we photographers think we can snap a picture and upload it to Instagram and that it will be lasting and meaningful artwork? 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.
=LW1436 - Until There Is a Print There's a school of photography that maintains the idea that digital images are not really fine art photographs. These photographers insist that a photograph has to be physical, but is that true? Music isn't physical, it's merely auditory, but it's considered art. Poetry need not be physical, but it's considered art. Why is it so hard to accept the idea that a digital image is art? Could this be related to our attempts to sell or images which need to be produced in molecules to be a valid consumable? 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.
There is a distinct difference between photography that shows us the world and photography that shows us the artist's conception of the ideal world. The digital age has magnified Utopian Photography. I just watched a YouTube video in which a Photoshop guru improved a picture of a beautiful woman by brightening her teeth, deepening the color of her eyes, and removing all blemishes from her skin. He made a lovely photograph of a beautiful woman, but a thoroughly idealized one. 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.
LW1434 - What Kind of Photographer Are You So much of what we do is a function of how we define ourselves. What kind of photographer are you? How you answer that question may limit your creative vision in ways you do not intend. 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.
LW1433 - If Not Every Day, Then at Least with Regularity Pianist Vladimir Horowitz has said that if he skips practice one day, he knows it. If he skips practice two days, his wife know it. If he skips practice three days, the world know it. I think this applies to our efforts in the photographic creative life. We can't be out photographing every day, but there are other things we can integrate with our daily life to keep our creative momentum alive. Here are 10 ideas that might help. 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.
LW1432 - Are We Quickly Becoming Anachronistic? I'll be honest, I don't feel like I'm old. When I look at today's trends in photography, however, I can't help but worry about the future for kind of photography I love. And as long as I'm at it, you kids get off my lawn. 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.
LW1431 - Assume Everything Is Purposeful When we view a photograph, do we assume that everything there is purposeful, or are there mistakes, accidents, uncorrected bits that make the photograph somehow wrong? But what if the photographer intended those things to be in the photograph? Can we not give the artist the benefit of the doubt? Can we remain open-minded? Or do our reactions promote conformity? 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.
LW1430 - Giving In to the Image Over the years, I've developed a bad habit of looking at work and evaluating it compared to my expectations. This is the opposite of giving in to a piece of work and allowing it to fill our consciousness with its message. When I let the work in by giving it my full attention with an open heart, I'm rarely disappointed in the image, or for that matter, the project. 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.
LW1429 - Darkroom Work in My Jammies In my film days, it was not uncommon for a darkroom session to last 5-10 hours. One of the advantages I love about the digital workflow is that I can be productive with my first cup of coffee while still in my jammies. In both the analog and digital workflows, a most important part of the process is the warm-up period when we transition from everyday mind to our creative mind. 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.
LW1428 - A Firehose of Images Too much of a good thing can lead to a numb response. I was reminded of this while I was looking through a sizable book in the presence of the photographer. After the first 50 images, my attention began to wane. After 100 images, I was numb. 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.
LW1427 - Art That Uses Photographs In recent years, at least for my own work, I've come more and more to realize the difference between "photographic art" and, a quite different thing, "art that uses photographs." Rarely now do I find that a processed and printed image is the end of the process. More frequently that's just the beginning phases of a piece of artwork that combines photography with other ideas and materials. 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.
LW1426 - More Captures, or More Artwork I'm of the school of thought that when you've clicked the shutter and made another capture, you haven't made artwork, yet. So what will you do with this precious day, evening, hour? Do you need more captures? Or, would your time be better spent making a print or some other finished piece of art? 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.
HT2065 - The Forgotten Ones Buried in your Lightroom catalog are tons of images that deserve deeper attention. I have no doubt about this. I have faith that each time you click the shutter you do so because there was something that connected with you. That is, you've never clicked the shutter on a purposeful loser. Those potential images in your catalog have simply slipped out of mind. All previous episodes of our daily Here's a Thought . . ." commentaries are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that are added to daily with new content. Sign up for instant access!
HT2064 - Monitor Calibration There have been a few times - - but only a few - - when a photographer we've published has been a bit disappointed in how their images looked in LensWork. In every case, it turns out that there was a monitor calibration issue on their end that was easily resolved. For critical work, the first step is always to calibrate your monitor, with hardware calibration if possible. All 2000+ episodes of Here's a Thought . . . are available in their entirety to members of LensWork Online, our extensive resource library of our 30-year publishing history. Learn more about LensWork Online.
HT2063 - The Additive Process The process of photographic composition is, by the nature of its mechanics, a subtractive process. What superfluous and distracting element can we remove from the framing? It can be useful, however, to reverse this and think of our composition as an additive process, like painters do. All previous episodes of Here's a Thought . . . 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 that looks at failures as a way to learn. 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.
LW1425 - What We Do Novelists don't make books, they write stories. Musicians don't produce LPs or CDs, they perform songs. Similarly, do photographers make prints or do we craft still images? Where is the dividing line between the physicality of photography and the strictly visual content that is independent of the media?. 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.
HT2058 - Emotional Distance If I want to foster an emotional connection to my image, the first step is almost always to get closer. Reducing the distance tends to create a more powerful first person experiential relationship with the subject. All previous episodes of our daily Here's a Thought . . ." commentaries are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that are added to daily with new content. Sign up for instant access!
HT2057 - Where to Crop One of the best reasons to use a high megapixel camera is the ability to crop in processing. I've typically found this to be the least attractive alternative. I much prefer to crop with a zoom lens in the field. The exception to this is a change in aspect ratio. All 2000+ episodes of Here's a Thought . . . are available in their entirety to members of LensWork Online, our extensive resource library of our 30-year publishing history. Learn more about LensWork Online.
HT2056 - Is a Book Art? I don't know a photographer who doesn't want to produce a book of their images. That's a worthwhile goal. Assuming you are wanting to produce a book of your work. it's crucial that you understand that a book is not an artistic pursuit. Books are commercial commodities that may include artistic elements, but the book itself is a commodity. All previous episodes of Here's a Thought . . . 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 that looks at failures as a way to learn. 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.
LW1424 - About Cameras and Results A few thoughts that arise from the entries of this year's LensWork Community Book Project, Legacy 2024. 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.
HT2051 - The Most Important Camera Setting Over the years, I've resolved the exposure equation differently. In my film days, I prioritized ASA/ISO and that implied long shutter speeds and a tripod. These days, I prioritize shutter speed, and let the ISO float. Here's why. All previous episodes of our daily Here's a Thought . . ." commentaries are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that are added to daily with new content. Sign up for instant access!
HT2050 - Find a Way to Keep Being Productive I've come to treasure artistic momentum. The camera tucked away in the closet for months at a time is a sure way to retard your creative life. It seems that strategically developing a method that keeps up some momentum is essential. There are lots of ways to do this. Find the way that works best for you. All 2000+ episodes of Here's a Thought . . . are available in their entirety to members of LensWork Online, our extensive resource library of our 30-year publishing history. Learn more about LensWork Online.
HT2049 - Color Fidelity or Emotional Color I'm new to the challenges of color photography. I didn't do any color photography until my first digital camera in 2005. For the longest time, I was focused on trying to make accurate colors with fidelity. After a few years, I realized that was a completely superfluous objective. All previous episodes of Here's a Thought . . . 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 that looks at failures as a way to learn. 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.
LW1423 - Dialog with a Photograph Looking at a photograph does not need to be a one-way transfer of ideas. It can be a proactive, two-way communication. Instead of just receiving a view of the contents of the photograph, we can foster a deeper and more meaningful engagement with an image if we ask questions and avoid snap judgments and the quick glance. 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.
HT2044 - Cleanliness Is Next to Artliness Do remember the film photographer's devil-incarnate known as changing bags? There's not much difference between a changing bag and a vacuum cleaner bag when it comes to dust. Even here in the digital age, dust is still an enemy for all of us. All previous episodes of our daily Here's a Thought . . ." commentaries are available to members of LensWork Online. 30-day Trial Memberships are only $10. Instant access, terabytes of content, inspiration and ideas that are added to daily with new content. Sign up for instant access!
HT2043 - Organizing Virtual Copies Depending on your workflow, if you are like me you have lots of virtual copies in your Lightroom database. Why do these copies exist? Do we need to keep them? What was the purpose for which they were created? Copy Name and Smart Collections to the rescue! All 2000+ episodes of Here's a Thought . . . are available in their entirety to members of LensWork Online, our extensive resource library of our 30-year publishing history. Learn more about LensWork Online.
HT2042 - The Importance of Being Decisive Artmaking is a series of trials, of assessments, of decisions. I think this is the source of great difficulty for some who struggle in their creative life. I've often referred to the great challenge of artmaking as the "C" word: COMMITMENT. All previous episodes of Here's a Thought . . . 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 that looks at failures as a way to learn. 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.
LW1422 - Interview with Kevin Raber about his project, Rust An interview with Kevinn Raber about our new LensWork Bonus Edition titled, Rust.This is LensWork Bonus Edition #10 (Oct 2024) of this new series, free to all subscribers of LensWork print edition and to all members of LensWork Online. 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.
HT2036 - Photography As an Unhealthy Postponement One of the worst aspects of photography is that it can seduce us into postponing deep seeing. When we click the shutter, we can stop looking because we can see it later in the photograph. Said another way, photography can be a way of shutting off our engagement with the world. All 2000+ episodes of Here's a Thought . . . are available in their entirety to members of LensWork Online, our extensive resource library of our 30-year publishing history. Learn more about LensWork Online.
HT2035 - Subjects That Are Everywhere In this month's LensWork Bonus Edition we are featuring a project by Kevin Raber that consists of images of rust. In some ways, this reminded me of a project we published from Larry Blackwood about crows (LensWork #93). What these two projects have in common is that their subjects are common. Both Raber and Blackwood could photograph anywhere, on any day, out their front door or as they travelled around the world. Brilliant. All previous episodes of Here's a Thought . . . 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 that looks at failures as a way to learn. 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.