How serious are you into your photography?

Paul Howell · Jan 5, 2021

I was retired from the wire in 1986, covered wars, civil wars, unrest, and was an Air Force combat photographer during our involvement in Southeast Asia, photography has been for big part of my life for over 50 years but. As I've lived in the same house for past 30 years not many local places I that I have shot many times. As I am not willing to bring COVID back with me and infect my wife, not traveling out of state or even out of county, not willing to kill myself for the dark art, getting paid to get killed was one thing, getting killed for free is another. Tomorrow going the our storage locker to bring my older negatives, will be printing memory lane.

markjwyatt · Jan 5, 2021

Paul Howell said:
I was retired from the wire in 1986, covered wars, civil wars, unrest, and was an Air Force combat photographer during our involvement in Southeast Asia, photography has been for big part of my life for over 50 years but. As I've lived in the same house for past 30 years not many local places I that I have shot many times. As I am not willing to bring COVID back with me and infect my wife, not traveling out of state or even out of county, not willing to kill myself for the dark art, getting paid to get killed was one thing, getting killed for free is another. Tomorrow going the our storage locker to bring my older negatives, will be printing memory lane.

Just drive outside of Phoenix. You aren't going to catch Covid-19 out in the desert! Maybe you don't like landscapes, and natural scene photography.

Cloudy · Jan 6, 2021

Before Covid hit, I was developing a project photographing the queer community in my hometown (Rome), but for obvious reasons I had to stop. The combo of not being able to meet many peeps with my being a portrait photographer pushed me in a bit of a funk tbh. Nowadays I'm working on developing old films, so I guess I'm still serious about it even when I can't shoot

RalphLambrecht · Jan 6, 2021

I only take the camera out if I have a clear goal on what to shoot.

Paul Howell · Jan 6, 2021

markjwyatt said:
Just drive outside of Phoenix. You aren't going to catch Covid-19 out in the desert! Maybe you don't like landscapes, and natural scene photography.

I've lived in Arizona for over 30 years and photographed the local desert many, many times, and as Phoenix has grown from less than a million to over 4 million much of desert is now a sea of red tile roofs.

Pentode · Jan 6, 2021

Paul Howell said:
Tomorrow going the our storage locker to bring my older negatives, will be printing memory lane.

Even in the midst of a pandemic there's always something new to shoot in NYC but, like you, I don't want to bring home any little COVID-y friends so I've been limiting my out-of-the-house time as well. For me, it's created an opportunity to catalog almost 30 years of negatives; A project I started last year, not expecting to have quite so much free time to work on it!

Paul Howell said:
... as Phoenix has grown from less than a million to over 4 million much of desert is now a sea of red tile roofs.

Ouch.

Bikerider · Jan 7, 2021

Bin doing it for the past 55 years and a bit so that should say it all.

Kyle M. · Jan 7, 2021

I was very very serious about film photography from 2013-2015. I was shooting one or two row a week, sometimes more. Then I lost my best friend to a freak accident. I lost all interest in everything and didn’t shoot for almost six months. Then I got back into film pretty heavy in late 2016-2017. 2018-2019 I didn’t do much, 2020 I shot maybe 5 rolls all year. I plan to get back at it this year, maybe not like 2013-2015 but more than the past few years. I have a bunch of expensive hobbies shooting/reloading/bullet casting, film photography, 3D printing, vinyl records, cigars, whiskey, and I have pets that need a lot of my time. So I just kind of go through phases. One thing with so many different hobbies if I’m broke at a point there’s always something to do.

Sirius Glass · Jan 7, 2021

Bikerider said:
Bin doing it for the past 55 yeas and a bit so that should say it all.

60 for me.

BradS · Jan 7, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
60 for me.

Did you start in the womb? How’d they get a Hasselblad in there? No...wait...don’t answer that. TMI.

Sirius Glass · Jan 7, 2021

BradS said:
Did you start in the womb? How’d they get a Hasselblad in there? No...wait...don’t answer that. TMI.

How old do you think I am?

BradS · Jan 7, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
How old do you think I am?

I’m not sure.

Rlibersky · Jan 7, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
How old do you think I am?

At least 61.

Have been out most weekends shooting waterfalls in Minnesota. Sometimes drive 4-5 hours one way. Have decided there is plenty to see and do without risking to much exposure. But am unwilling to hide in my house until this is over. Can't live like that.

I have seen more parks and nature in MN and WI last year then I have in the 10 before that.

Sirius Glass · Jan 7, 2021

Pieter12 · Jan 7, 2021

Sirius Glass · Jan 8, 2021

Somebody did the math.

removed account4 · Jan 8, 2021

Cloudy said:
Before Covid hit, I was developing a project photographing the queer community in my hometown (Rome), but for obvious reasons I had to stop. The combo of not being able to meet many peeps with my being a portrait photographer pushed me in a bit of a funk tbh. Nowadays I'm working on developing old films, so I guess I'm still serious about it even when I can't shoot

I would continue with this important project, don't let social distancing and the pandemic get in your way. be safe, wear masks keep your distance, allow yourself to be engulfed by your project. I know you use smaller format cameras ( as you mentioned in another thread ). I would let yourself be carried away using a LF camera, long exposures, let your negatives breathe ( I hope that makes sense ) ...
we all have obstacles to overcome and overcoming these obstacles helps us make great photographs.
good luck !
john

Cloudy · Jan 8, 2021

jnantz said:
I would continue with this important project, don't let social distancing and the pandemic get in your way. be safe, wear masks keep your distance, allow yourself to be engulfed by your project. I know you use smaller format cameras ( as you mentioned in another thread ). I would let yourself be carried away using a LF camera, long exposures, let your negatives breathe ( I hope that makes sense ) ...
we all have obstacles to overcome and overcoming these obstacles helps us make great photographs.
good luck !
john

Thank you for your words of encouragement, but I can't really continue the project in its current incarnation at the moment because it's all about the relationships between the people, in the shape of "candid" daylight portraits of couples and groups - which is exactly what you're not supposed to do right now, but if you are curious you can see what I shot so far here.

I am currently revisiting another old project shot with 5x4 - portraits of trans people living in London - updating it by taking portraits of trans people living here. I shoot in my home studio with flash lights, keeping the distance and the windows open and hoping for the best, but I have only photographed three people who are close to me so far and I am reluctant to photograph people I don't know because I get worried.

I have never shot portraits with long exposure (hence the use of flash) because I worry that the models will move and the picture will be blurry, what's your experience photographing people with long exposures? Do you have any tips?

eddie · Jan 8, 2021

Cloudy said:
if you are curious you can see what I shot so far here.

I like what you're doing. I think art (especially photography) has a positive effect on changing societal views of groups that have been marginalized. Your subjects are treated with dignity, comfortable being who they are.

JBrunner · Jan 8, 2021

I have always made my living with cameras or printing. Almost 40 years now, if you count my high school "jobs".

Cloudy · Jan 8, 2021

eddie said:
I like what you're doing. I think art (especially photography) has a positive effect on changing societal views of groups that have been marginalized. Your subjects are treated with dignity, comfortable being who they are.

thank you for you kind words <3

Ko.Fe. · Jan 8, 2021

Clubs, Nikon, Hasselblad... Is this serious and about photography? Absolutely not. Just a gearheading.
Looking into the others photos, paintings and taking photos every day is been serious about photography.

JBrunner · Jan 9, 2021

Cloudy said:
Before Covid hit, I was developing a project photographing the queer community in my hometown (Rome), but for obvious reasons I had to stop. The combo of not being able to meet many peeps with my being a portrait photographer pushed me in a bit of a funk tbh. Nowadays I'm working on developing old films, so I guess I'm still serious about it even when I can't shoot

Your work is excellent. Looking forward to your continued development, both the film and as an artist.

removed account4 · Jan 9, 2021

Cloudy said:
Thank you for your words of encouragement, but I can't really continue the project in its current incarnation at the moment because it's all about the relationships between the people, in the shape of "candid" daylight portraits of couples and groups - which is exactly what you're not supposed to do right now, but if you are curious you can see what I shot so far here.

I am currently revisiting another old project shot with 5x4 - portraits of trans people living in London - updating it by taking portraits of trans people living here. I shoot in my home studio with flash lights, keeping the distance and the windows open and hoping for the best, but I have only photographed three people who are close to me so far and I am reluctant to photograph people I don't know because I get worried.

I have never shot portraits with long exposure (hence the use of flash) because I worry that the models will move and the picture will be blurry, what's your experience photographing people with long exposures? Do you have any tips?

thanks for the link! I always enjoy people who are comfortable being themselves. you seem to have the gift, ... gotta stay positive..
whatever you choose to do. ... you are on a roll, I hope you don't let circumstances / wrenches in the machine of life get in your way. it looks like no matter what you might do to proceed you will use your talents to keep pushing forward, the most important thing you can do is to keep doing.
regarding long exposures, yea I LOVE long exposures.
my suggestions would be to learn the secret of inertia and slow breathing and impart these mystical secrets to your subjects. its like firing a shutter below 60thS without a tripod. you firmly plant yourself, lean, push &C and slowly exhale. the world slows down . it takes a little practice, im sure you'll get the hang of it. personally .. I think slow portraits show something magical that fractions of seconds and flash work is unable to show ... im kind of an outlier ...

Cloudy · Jan 9, 2021

jnantz said:
thanks for the link! I always enjoy people who are comfortable being themselves. you seem to have the gift, ... gotta stay positive..
whatever you choose to do. ... you are on a roll, I hope you don't let circumstances / wrenches in the machine of life get in your way. it looks like no matter what you might do to proceed you will use your talents to keep pushing forward, the most important thing you can do is to keep doing.
regarding long exposures, yea I LOVE long exposures.
my suggestions would be to learn the secret of inertia and slow breathing and impart these mystical secrets to your subjects. its like firing a shutter below 60thS without a tripod. you firmly plant yourself, lean, push &C and slowly exhale. the world slows down . it takes a little practice, im sure you'll get the hang of it. personally .. I think slow portraits show something magical that fractions of seconds and flash work is unable to show ... im kind of an outlier ...

Thank you for your kind words. I'm not sure I grasped the technique to be still by slow breathing; I have very shaky hands, so I never shoot under a 60th of a second and I would use a tripod anyway, how long can people be still in your experience? I also worry that if I tell people to be extra still they will look very stiff and with a gaze like a deer in headlights...but maybe I should worry less and just try it?
Do you have some examples to share by any chance?
Apologies for all the questions, I'm rather curious

JBrunner said:
Your work is excellent. Looking forward to your continued development, both the film and as an artist.

Thank you, you're very kind

How serious are you into your photography?

Paul Howell

markjwyatt

Cloudy

RalphLambrecht

Paul Howell

Pentode

Bikerider

Kyle M.

Sirius Glass

BradS

Sirius Glass

BradS

Rlibersky

Sirius Glass

Pieter12

Sirius Glass

removed account4

Cloudy

eddie

JBrunner

Moderator

Cloudy

Ko.Fe.

JBrunner

Moderator

removed account4

Cloudy

How serious are you into your photography?

Moderator

Moderator

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