Photographer Clay

Tag: motivation

  • The value of post-processing

    The value of post-processing

    It appears to me that the discussion of post-processing images is never-ending. It also appears to me that those who are against the use of tools such as Photoshop/Lightroom, or similar programs, are because of their lack of skills and ability. Post-processing isn’t always about “fixing” a photograph. It isn’t about a photographer not planning or utilizing the camera and equipment properly. The camera, cannot see as I see. 

    Post-production has existed as long, or nearly as long, as photography itself. In the past, we selected films based on how we wanted to render color, contrast, and tones. If we were good we also learned how to further enhance those qualities in our chemical darkroom using dodging and burning, unsharp masks, development times and chemicals, the selection of papers, and more development. Today’s tools take us even further without exposure to chemicals and smells. As nostalgic as those things may be. 

    To become a good or great photographer it is necessary, in my mind, to understand and utilize ALL THE TOOLS which include how to post-process the images. 

  • Never stop moving and learning!

    Never stop moving and learning!

    I recently set a reminder to watch a live video talking about the myths of Lightroom by one of the few “talking heads” of photo editing I follow. I missed the live video unfortunately. A few days after the live broadcast I remembered the video and found the recorded version. Some of the myths I knew about and knew they were wrong and much to my surprise I learned some things I still believed. I have since reconsidered my entire workflow and process. By rethinking my entire workflow, I believe I have uncovered another creative resource. This resource gives me access to an entire community of creatives just like me. Allowing me to gather ideas and concepts that far exceed my circle of social media friends.

    This has reminded me to never stop moving and learning. When we stay still and stop exposing ourselves to other people and influences, we become static and eventually become boring, uninteresting, and outdated.

  • AI and photography aren’t a bad thing.

    AI and photography aren’t a bad thing.

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly influenced the field of photography, bringing about significant advancements and transforming the way we capture and enhance photos. Here are some ways in which AI has revolutionized photography:

    1. Image Recognition: Thanks to AI algorithms, images can now be analyzed to identify objects, scenes, and even emotions. This allows for automatic tagging, categorization, and quick searching through photo libraries.
    2. Automatic Settings: AI-powered cameras can intelligently adjust settings like exposure, focus, and white balance based on the analysis of the scene. This means that photographers can capture great photos without having to manually make those adjustments.
    3. Image Enhancement: AI algorithms excel at enhancing photos by reducing noise, improving sharpness, and adjusting colors. Through deep learning, these algorithms continuously improve by learning from vast amounts of data, resulting in visually impressive enhancements.
    4. Face Detection and Recognition: With AI, accurate face detection and recognition is now possible in photos. This enables features like autofocus on faces, automatic tagging of individuals, and smart organization based on people present in the photos.
    5. Style Transfer: AI algorithms can apply various artistic styles to photos, giving them the appearance of paintings or imitating the styles of renowned photographers. This opens up new avenues for creative expression and experimentation.
    6. Photo Restoration: Using AI algorithms, old and damaged photos can be restored and repaired with ease. Scratches, stains, and noise can be removed, and missing parts can be intelligently recreated by leveraging deep learning and extensive training data.
    7. Automatic Photo Organization: AI-powered photo management software can cleverly organize photos based on factors such as location, date, and content. This simplifies searching, browsing, and reliving cherished memories.
    8. Intelligent Photo Editing: AI-driven editing tools offer advanced functionalities like object removal, automated retouching, and even generating realistic backgrounds. These tools streamline the editing process and save time for photographers.

    With ongoing advancements, AI technology continues to evolve and integrate further with photography, enhancing the way we capture, edit, and appreciate visual moments.

  • Combining A.I. and photography

    Much has been written lately about artificial intelligence, specifically generative fill in Photoshop, and creating photographic art. Some in support of artificial intelligence and generative fill and others against. My thoughts are I am in support of artificial intelligence and photography. I work to create the images I want when I want. Let’s talk about the “featured image” (above). I took the image at roughly 6:30 PM on a Saturday night. The street was busy with cars and the sidewalk was packed with people, as see below.

    This is reality, but for me there are many distractions. Sure, I could have waited until much later or got up very early and had a better chance to get the shot with no cars or people, but I could also have used generative fill and artificial intelligence to remove those distractions to create the shot I wanted. Additionally, had I waited the wet pavement may have dried and not allow the reflections I wanted. The generative fill and artificial intelligence will, most likely, continue to improve making its use better but for now I believe it is quite usable.

  • Creativity is dead only if we choose it to be dead.

    Creativity is dead only if we choose it to be dead.

    Creativity is not dead despite what others may think. Yes, there is a low bar set for entry into photography but the bar was lowered 123 years ago and the so-called masters didn’t let that hold them back. How do I get the bar was lowered 123 years ago? That was when Kodak released the Brownie camera. The camera meant for everyone. Since then photography has experienced a number of advances making taking photographs easier and faster.

    Just because it is easy and fast and nearly everyone owns a high quality camera doesn’t mean that creativity in photography is dead. The only thing stopping you from creating art. Just because it is so easy to share photography with the world and others just scroll past doesn’t stop you. Share. Inundate the world with your work and raise the bar for you.

  • Challenge yourself

    First of all, I want to say motivational speakers are often full of crap, and yet this is somewhat of a motivational post. As with most of my blog posts, this is primarily aimed at me but if you get something from it, it is all the better.

    Without challenges there is no growth

    We often look at challenges as roadblocks preventing us from our destination. Let’s look at the featured image above. Look at the challenge the seed and subsequently the tree has in survival and yet it lives on and grows. It survives storms and good weather.

    As photographers, we often get to a point and tell ourselves we are good enough. We stop challenging ourselves to do different things or experiment with different subjects or styles. We convince ourselves we like where we are and we like our style without challenging ourselves to move forward or perhaps venture down a new trail. Unlike the tree in the featured photograph we are not trapped with our roots embedded in the rocks. We can move about, explore different areas, different styles, different subjects, and differnt techniques.

    To stay the same is easy. We are less likely to fail because we do only what we know. Even if there are techniques and styles we have tried in the past we are not the same person or artist we were in the past. Maybe it is time to revisit styles and techniques. Maybe it is time to practice some basics and refresh our beliefs.

    The challenges of a photographic artist

    One of the greatest challenges I find for myself is the ability to envision what I want when working to create a piece, but often struggle to bring it to life in the actual piece. Then will anyone other than me understand it? Does it matter if no one else understands?

    For now, I’ll just keep pushing forward.

  • Is it about art or likes?

    Is our photography really about art or are we just in it for likes? Is it about creating quality or generating a dollar? For me, it often appears as if we convince ourselves it is about art and quality yet we succumb to the will of likes and/or money.

    Rarely, have I taken a photograph that I felt like it was the best that could be done. I am almost always on the hunt to do better. This can be both a problem and a blessing. I constantly strive to get better results but at the same time, I become bored with subjects, lighting, areas, etc. I see many more flaws in my photographs than ever before, such as chromatic aberrations, focus that is too sharp, focus that is too soft, too much or too little color saturation, too much or too little light or too many dark shadows. But then put a beautiful model or cute child/pet/animal and get lots of likes yet put in the work and produce a good photograph of a mundane subject and the proverbial sound of crickets.

    It all may boil down to the speed of life around us where we are all in a hurry to get the destination even if we don’t know where the destination is and don’t have time to stop and appreciate what surrounds us, to enjoy art and interpret the story of the piece.

  • Photography is easy, good photography is hard, and photographic art is even more difficult.

    A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how photography has become easier than ever and touted the ways and benefits. I was a bit wrong. Yes, photography has become easier, and for the most, it is a good thing, for the most part. What is difficult is to take good photographs and harder yet to create art. No, to me, just because you claim a piece to be a work of art doesn’t make it so. Just because it is easy to take a photograph doesn’t make you ready to become a professional photographer.

    I also believe we have, at times, become too nice for fear of offending others. It has become easy to give a thumbs-up, heart emoji, or type “nice photo” on what may be a mediocre, at best, photograph. “We all have different likes”, I get it but that has become an excuse for giving the aforementioned thumbs-up, heart emoji, or typing “nice”. Our attempts to not discourage others has evolved into praising poor or mediocre work, in my opinion.

    Some might say I’ve become a grumpy old photographer who believes everyone has to pay their dues, well I’ll tell you that is far from the truth. I believe the best way to encourage beginning photographers is to help them learn and progress not give them a participation trophy. Sometimes the truth is harsh.

  • Art versus journalism

    This is one of those never-ending debates in photography. Should photography be considered art or journalistic documentary? Can it be both? Can a person practice both? I typically consider myself more of an artist. I don’t let reality hold me back. I love to create. I work to get what I consider the best starting point and then do my editing. This often involves bracketing shots, working exposure, composition, focus points, and depth of field. For me, it is all about the art with an occasional documentary look.

    Even photos I take and share that look more like documentary style are altered. My reality is often much different than others. I work to re-create how a scene or subject looked in my mind, disregarding distractions such as leaves or branches that are “out of place” to my eye.

    This mindset even applies to photographing people. I look for dramatic lighting but I am not beyond making the light more dramatic in my post-processing.

    For me, it is about vision and emotion rather than merely recording a scene.

  • To style or not to style.

    Photographic style, something that confuses many people. I did a bit of research this morning on photographic style and even the “talking heads”, or at least people who profess to be “experts” were confused. Most of the articles I found talked about genres of photography rather than “style”. Even more confusing is how to find “your style”. Can you even find “your style”? If you can, can you really find your style if you never go outside your “comfort zone” with techniques, processing, and compositions? If you never, go wild, how do you know that isn’t “your style?” Is “your style” just copying someone else? If so, is that really your style?

    So many questions and few answers. Let me hear your thoughts on photographic style.