Dean Oros attends a Capic seminar on fine-art print reproduction.

I recently had two clients contact the studio inquiring if we had images from their photo-sessions from over three years ago. Why? Because their hard drives had crashed. Between the two of them over 1000 digital images had been lost.

We offer redundant archiving of original and enhanced high-resolution images, so I was happily able to say “Yes, we have all your images”!

As we become more reliant on digital technology, the article I wrote is more relevant than it was a couple of years ago. I’m re-posting it here:

The Beauty of Images and Words on Paper

Paper! Beautiful, sustainable, inspirational, protective, tactile.These are words that may leave you scratching your head when thinking about paper. True, most of us don’t often think about paper. And when we do, it may be in a limited way:

“Hmm I’ve got to print that report.”

“Urrgh! The photocopier is out of paper again!”

“Don’t squeeze the Charmin.”

Digital, because of its immediate convenience, is becoming the medium of choice for the written word and to a lesser degree, the medium to display photography.

A hard drive / discs and computer screen is where many people choose to keep and display their letters & photos. Seriously, when was the last time you held a hard drive and said “Wow, what a beautiful hard drive. I love how it feels in my hands. The texture is just lovely. It smells wonderful and reminds me of my last hard drive.”

Dean Oros Photo + Design uses a wide range of fine art photographic papers.

Paper: Why Not?

Paper has been around for so long that it’s easy for us to take it for granted, and it’s often not used to its full potential. It is what we make of it.

Photography is my primary method of communicating. But because all of us use words to communicate, let’s take a look at both words and imagery. Unless this blog post has been printed on paper, you’re now in front of a computer screen. Right off the bat, you’re experiencing LESS. Not more. NOT EVEN ANYTHING REMOTELY EQUAL.

“Huh?”, you may be asking. Allow me to walk you through the subtleties you’re missing right now:

1. If you want to continue reading this, you’re locked into being in front of a computer screen. Or worse, you’re reading this on a tiny screen like your iPhone, iPod, Blackberry or some other small device. Can you say: “Where are my eye glasses?” The image included with this blog post is now so small it might as well be on a matchbook cover.

2. You’ve lost the feeling of touch. You aren’t holding paper in your hands while you read. You can’t feel the paper’s texture. When was the last time you received a handwritten letter penned on beautiful stationary and ran your fingers over the words? Images that have been meticiously and professionally created and colour-corrected now look like two-day old soup on an uncalibrated computer screen – which most people are using. You can’t run your fingers over the images and words on a computer screen unless you want to leave it full of fingerprints and smears, and probably create a mess of static electricity in the process.

3. You can’t inhale the scent of a computer screen. Now imagine that hand-written letter on beautiful paper from a loved one. You instantly know who wrote the letter because you recognize the writer’s penmanship. Perhaps whomever wrote to you left a trail of fragrance on the paper and envelope. It smells wonderful. Maybe they’ve included a printed photo that immediately evokes a memory. That letter now has even more meaning to you.

4. The letter and photograph you hold in your hand is permanent. The words and images are protected and archived. Digital images, emails, text messages, and online blog posts can only be saved to hard drives. And ALL hard drives eventually will crash and die. Say good bye to all those beautiful words and digital images. And remember, you need a computer to even access the information hard drives / CDs / DVDs contain. That handwritten letter and professionally-printed print can be stored and displayed anywhere. And the bonus is that they’re immediately accessible – you don’t need to install a hard drive or boot up a computer to see them.

As a photographer, I do my best to educate clients on the benefits of paper, especially newlyweds-to-be and families. Creating a heirloom in the form of a professionally designed fine-art wedding album and archival prints will increase in personal value the longer you keep them. When created by the photographer you’ve commissioned to photograph your special day or family portaits, the final product is created with lots of loving care (at least here). We want the images we created to look their absolute best and to tell your story.

I hope you found this article helpful. Please note that if you’d like to use any part of this article for your own website etc, you must ask us first. Please call or write for permission. Respect copyright. Thank you.

A section of the Frank Gehry Staircase, part of the architecture, of the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario), Toronto, Canada.
© Dean Oros Photo + Design

Part of what I find fascinating about abstract art is the motivation of the artist. The process and thought behind the art. It’s easy when visiting a large gallery such as the AGO or the National Gallery of Canada to want to see as much as possible during a visit, especially if you’re visiting from out of town. But I feel it’s not the ideal way. I could compare it to viewing a movie trailer – it’s a sneak peek and if it’s a good one, leaves you wanting more.

Yesterday I visited the AGO’s exhibit “The Passion of Kathleen Munn”. What I found breathtaking was her process. The “Passion” refers to her drawings of the death and resurrection of Christ – all 1000 of them! She sketched on transparent paper on top of a lightbox which her brother custom-built to her specifications. She layered these sheets of paper on top of one another as she de-constructed and re-constructed the human body from various angles. The drawings are fascinating to see. You can view “The Crucifixion” on the National Gallery of Canada website.

And though she did not consider herself religious, her near-obsessive devotion (these drawings were created over a ten year period) is incredible. Repeatedly she built the human body with cubes and rectangles from angles one does not typically view the body.

Though not religious, I read that she perhaps chose the subject matter because of its universality, and thought it would be a good vehicle to showcase her work. Her art was not appreciated by Toronto at the time. She completed the drawings in 1945, and never again publicly displayed her work.

“I am very hopeful that some day my art will be rediscovered,” she once wrote. If she only knew the impact her work had on me and the world today.

Art Gallery of Ontario. Left: Frank Gehry Staircase. Right: Galleria Italia. (© Dean Oros Photo + Design)

It was pouring rain and foggy this morning when I drove to the Art Gallery of Ontario to view the Abstract Expressionist New York exhibit.

Featured are artists from the Museum of Modern Art Collection: Arshile Gorky, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman.

What did I think of it? In one word: Fantastic.

While there, I learned of Philip Guston. He was a Montreal-born painter and printer. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was a child. He was influential in Abstract Expression, and studied with Jackson Pollack under Frederick John de St. Vrain Schwankovsky.

I read a great quote by Guston:

“I should like to paint like a man who has never seen a painting”.

I often feel like that when it comes to photography. Imagine having a completely blank canvas in your mind when viewing and photographing the world, unencumbered by the influences of others or by circumstances.

That state of mind can never exist. But if it were possible, I imagine it might be beautiful and ethereal.

What struck me about these movies is how the subject matter, though similar, is told with individual vision. They’re very different films.

I’ve been invited to speak at the 2011-2012 Lecture Series at the Toronto Camera Club. Part of what I’ll be speaking about is vision. I think it can be a hot topic for some people. Story-tellers, whether writers, photographers, film makers etc., should have their own vision: their own way of viewing the world. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but I find particularly in photography, many of us don’t have vision. Following the latest trends or trying to copy another’s style is not vision.

Muhammad Ali said “Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision”. Had another boxer attempted to copy Ali’s style he would most certainly been scoffed at and not taken seriously. You and I may have similar determination and dreams, but vision is individual. Discovering one’s vision is a personal journey.

Take family portraiture, for example. Google “family portraits” and you’ll find thousands of images that may be technically proficient, but they’re not consistently inspired. At the opposite end is a photographer like Annie Leibowitz, for example. I know I’m viewing an Annie Lebowitz before I confirm that she indeed created the image I’m viewing.

I understand that sometimes all a client wants is a straight-forward portrait combined with what a client wishes to invest money-wise in a portrait versus what they feel they can afford, or how they wish to be portrayed. Anybody with technical camera know-how and some people skills can create a competent portrait. But that’s typically not the vision I’m commissioned to do. Another example is Anne Geddes. She’s always had her own unique vision, and it’s incredible to me how many try to emulate her. When she felt she had said all she could through her art, she left photography for a couple of years, and then came back once she had found new inspiration to put into a new project.

Here are some favourite images from a recent lifestyle photo session. Either you love them or you don’t, I suppose. But they’re mine.

In fact, here at the studio, we post our latest photography news, quick tips, and special offers on Twitter and Facebook more often than we blog. And, speaking of blogs, did you know that RSS feeds are a great way to subscribe to your favourite blog, including the Dean Oros Photo Blog?

As an example, I don’t always send out an email notice when I write a post for our blog. If you don’t subscribe to the blog via RSS, follow us on Twitter or haven’t joined our Facebook Page, you may be missing photography-related content and the studio’s latest news.

One thing I like about Twitter is you can instantly send short messages to other people on Twitter. Let’s say you want to get in touch with me, but don’t have time to call or email. simply send me a “Tweet”. I’ll receive it on my mobile device, and I can “Tweet” a return message to you. Same with Facebook, etc.

To help you get started, here’s where to find us using social media:

DeanOrosPhoto FACEBOOK

DeanOrosPhoto TWITTER

Dean Oros LINKED-IN

DeanOrosPhoto BLOG VIA RSS

Join us online. We’ve a little community of 200 friends on Facebook and 150 followers on Twitter. I’ve love to have you join us, if you haven’t already.

Thanks for reading, and have a great rest of the week.

My first camera: Pentax K1000 single-lens reflex 35mm camera, but without the long lens. I had one 50mm lens. Image used with permission. Photo by Martin Taylor, placed under CC-BY-SA by the photographer.

Camera manufacturers are great at marketing the automatic functionality of their cameras aimed at consumers and prosumers. “Buy this full-featured camera and you’ll take great pictures”.

I’ll have beginning photographers approach me who already own $5000 to $10,000 (CDN) worth of gear, thinking it will make them a better photographer. People, let’s get something straight: YOUR BRAIN and YOUR EYE sees the scene or image you’d like to capture. A camera is a tool you use to capture that image. Owning expensive gear does not a photographer make.

I wish I still had my Pentax K1000 SLR 35mm film camera. It’s what I learned on. I bought it used. It was completely manual with no automatic functions or programmable modes. I owned one 50mm lens. And because it was film I couldn’t whip off several hundred images at a time. Digital didn’t even exist then. Developing and processing film was expensive for a film student! So, I learned using black and white film which I could develop and print myself in the darkroom.

I’m going to hold a workshop this spring entitled: MY FIRST CAMERA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP to help aspiring photographers learn camera basics and help you to develop your eye. Please feel free to get in touch if you are interested. To get the most benefit, a camera with a fully manual mode would be the preferred camera to participate, though we will accept participants with automatic-mode cameras. The cost will be $99 per person.

UPDATE JANUARY 31: We’ve decided to offer a much bigger and better workshop. Valued at $595, we’ll be offering a 1-DAY ONLY promotional workshop fee of $79! Follow us on Twitter and on this Blog for details coming very soon.

Impressionistic imagery seeks to capture a feeling or experience rather than to achieve accurate depiction

I often hear photographers say that a photographic image must be what is coined “tack sharp”, meaning that an image must be in sharp focus to be considered acceptable or professional quality. Or that highlights must not be blown out. And the list goes on.

There is a time and place for everything. In this photographer’s humble opinion, such comments or thought processes put a lid on creativity. I teach my photography students the technical side. When we reach a point of more advanced technique, I suggest they think outside the box. Don’t get me wrong. If your interest is in creating only sharp images there is nothing wrong with it. The majority of images I create for my clients must be sharp. But not always.

The above image is one of a series of images I created of Alison and her three sisters, whom I now affectionately call the Sisters Supreme. They were a pleasure to photograph. More importantly, they trusted me. They hadn’t been in a photograph together in 12 years.

While I created portraits and other images of them that are sharp, this image is their favourite. It was their first choice to have printed as a 13×19″ fine-art enlargement.

The image was captured handheld at 1/10th of a second, over-exposed on a windy winter morning, and is not tack-sharp. I hope you enjoy it.

I do it for the love of doing it. Seriously. I know it may sound like big cheese, but it’s true. “Compelled” is a good descriptor, too. To me, every image has a story to tell. Especially when photographing people. This is a big part of my motivation.

Let’s state what at first blush may not be obvious: Being a full-time professional photographer is hard work. There’s very long hours, often less than ideal shooting conditions, and a lot of client expectations. There’s never-ending learning, a good lesson on humility. And lots of self-discovery.

And more. You get the idea.

What it’s not about is money; there are many almost-guaranteed ways to earn more and to become rich. For the aspiring photographer, make no doubt about it: there’s a big difference between a hobby-photographer and photographing as a career. But if you love making pictures, the return on the many areas of which you invest of yourself and your business will come. You have to believe. Plan. And pray.

I have much respect for other photographers. When I first contemplated pursuing pro photography, it must’ve been about 8 or 9 years ago. It wasn’t an easy decision. It took me four years to make up my mind. That, coincidently, was almost four years ago. For those that know me, most of the time I make quick but well-thought out decisions. But this was a super-big one.

When I did make the decision, there were a few commercial photographers who generously provided guidance. At the time I thought I wanted to create only corporate and commercial images. But I believe in following my heart and so my love of people and heritage led me to wedding / family photography. So I now create both corporate and wedding photography. And they are two very different types of businesses (which I’ll write about in a future post).

So I’d like to publicly offer some thanks. To Matthew Plexman and Sylvia Verkley. Two wonderful people committed to not just photography but the business of photography in Canada. Matthew is a fantastic advertising / commercial photographer. I was drawn to him because of his work. He has a clean beautiful style. Thank you for your patience, willingness to speak to me and allowing me to hang around the studio.

Thanks also must go to Don Dixon and Leslie Goodwin. Don’s work, to me, are pieces of art. His conceptual style of advertising photography is beautiful. He also really gets my entrepreneurial spirit going. He’s been in this business just as long as Matthew. A very sincere “Thank You”.

To photographer Jim Allen, a special thank you. Jim helped me with my confidence. I was scared as hell at what I was taking on. He pushed me in a very short period of time even further outside my comfort zone. What was once uncomfortable is now comforting.

I also thank photographers Brian Pieters, Nation Wong, and Michael Mahovlich for taking the time to speak with me. Your insights were invaluable in getting my feet off the ground.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Julia Von Flotow. Julia is a career coach, and guided me out of the clouds and haze to a clear thought-process during the very early days. Also, Gabriela Zoltan-Johan of the OSEB – many many thanks.

And to my past and current clients! I’ve enjoyed working with all of my clients. Developing trusting relationships with you is a cornerstone of my photography. I look forward to working together again.

Last but definitely not least, to my family and friends. I know it may have felt I’ve been missing in action, but I think of you often, and look forward to spending more time together.

These past four years have been a whirlwind. Here’s to the next four.

I was in a breakfast meeting the other day when someone said to the group: “Whenever Dean talks about photography his eyes shine!”. Unexpectedly, I was suddenly the focus of attention, and I prayed there weren’t any scrambled egg morsels hanging off my lips. They were tasty eggs. Hat off to the chef.

It is true. My enthusiasm can rub off on people. I’ve never had anyone tell me they disliked being photographed by me. Which is a good thing! It means I’m doing my job, because not everyone likes being in front of a camera – at least initially, until I’m their photographer! I enjoy working with people.

No matter what I’m photographing, I’m working to tell a story with the images I create. That story is in the details. If I’m doing an editorial / corporate shoot I sit with my clients to chat about what are they trying to say with the images I’m going to create. Same goes for my documentary wedding and family images. My wedding clients entrust me to interpret and document their special day (or days in some cases) to create an intimate document that is also a piece of art. I love that. Photographs like the one above become part of a fine-art wedding album: a heirloom for generations to come (click here if you can’t see the image).

My corporate clients also have a story to tell. They’ve worked hard to grow their businesses. They want to project an image that best tells the story they want to tell. I love being a part of the team that makes that happen. Currently I’m working with an established business that has been in the family for three generations. The original images I create will be part of their re-branding: their overall image and story. And because they’re original images, they won’t be seen anywhere else which can happen when attempting to only use stock imagery. Don’t get me wrong, a carefully selected stock photo can work (that’s why we offer stock), but using only stock will end up costing the company more money down the road in terms of time, lack of continuity, story-telling etc.

Bye for now.

Want to see more of our images?:

Any photographer who produces stock photography knows that the stock world has experienced a massive shift. What was typically a resource of high end images has how shifted to a goulash of mixed quality. One would suppose that may give a new meaning to the expression “The media is the message”? But I digress.

Microstock agencies offer royalty free images for a few dollars. Even big agencies such as Getty now sell some pictures for $10. For photographers who specialized in producing stock only, they’ve had to adapt and change to this new reality.

We started offering self-managed stock photography over a year ago when we partnered with Photoshelter to power our Image Archive and Client Area. If some agencies are offering micro-stock pictures for a few dollars which thousands of buyers can purchase, there are just as many buyers, who want to have exclusive rights to images in their territory. They don’t want their marketing message watered down by other users using the same image. There is something to be said to having an original image that no else can use. This is why companies want exclusive rights and / or hire us to create original images for them.

By offering our own stock photography, it allows us to keep control of image usage by offering managed-rights to users who need them. We offer competitive licence fees, and as we don’t pay commissions to agencies, we can generate more revenue to put into the studio. Our main business is still creating lifestyle imagery, specializing in industrial, corporate, portraits and fine art wedding / family journalism. But as a photographer I’m often able to create images that can sell as stock, including my recent working vacation to photograph Hawaii.

So, as I was going through our image database I came across some conceptual images I’d created a couple of years ago that hadn’t yet been made available and could be used for a variety of purposes. Surprisingly, when I looked up the definition of “conceptual”, I discovered its meaning wasn’t a simple one to define. There are many variations of the definition, and so just as many potential uses (yes, I do enjoy reading the dictionary).

Windows. There’s a concept. Or is it an object? Obviously it can be both. “Eyes are the windows to the soul”. “Large bay windows let in so much natural light”.

conceptual
adjective
of, relating to, or based on mental concepts : philosophy deals with conceptual difficulties.
ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from medieval Latin conceptualis, from Latin concept-conceived, from the verb concipere (see concept ).

concept
For other uses, see Concept (disambiguation).
There are two prevailing theories in contemporary philosophy which attempt to explain the nature of concepts (abstract term: conception). The representational theory of mind proposes that concepts are mental representations, while the semantic theory of concepts (originating with Frege’s distinction between concept and object) holds that they are abstract objects.[1] Ideas are taken to be concepts, although abstract concepts do not necessarily appear to the mind as images as some ideas do.[2] Many philosophers consider concepts to be a fundamental ontological category of being.

A concept is a cognitive unit of meaning, an abstract idea or a mental symbol sometimes defined as a “unit of knowledge,” built from other units which act as a concept’s characteristics. A concept is typically associated with a corresponding representation in a language or symbology[citation needed] such as a single meaning of a term.

The meaning of “concept” is explored in mainstream cognitive science, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind. The term “concept” is traced back to 1554-60 (l. conceptum – something conceived),[citation needed] but what is today termed “the classical theory of concepts” is the theory of Aristotle on the definition of terms.

If you’re reading our blog via an RSS reader that doesn’t allow embedding of pictures, click the following links to view the images in this post:

Dean Oros Photo + Design: Kona Hawaii

Dean Oros Photo + Design: Conceptual Window Images