Photography Viewed in Person and on the Web with the Same Set of Eyes
The internet and digital photography has made photography more accessible to people than ever before. At the same time it has created a somewhat altered perception of art’s value to those that rely on the internet to view images.
Autumn in all its guises
Autumn, for many, can evoke a poetic melancholy. The possibilities of summer have passed, and the cold of winter is on the horizon.
Just take a time out | personal
Sometimes, you just need to take a time out. Relax. Turn off the responsibilities of life. Enjoy yourself. Take a breather. Recharge. What do you do to take a time out?
The Beauty of Images and Words on Paper: more valuable than ever
An article about the value of fine-art print reproduction in a time when the average consumer relies on digital technology to view images and art.
AGO | The Passion of Kathleen Munn
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.
Abstract Expressionist New York | Art Gallery of Ontario | Philip Guston
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 were paintings from the Museum of Modern Art: Arshile Gorky, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman.
Vision | lifestyle portraiture
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.
How to Stop a Sneeze | need-to-know info for those with fractured ribs
Ten days ago I fractured three ribs in a cycling accident. I’m an avid cyclist, have cycled most of my life and never had broken a bone prior. The pain was something else. I almost passed out by the time the ambulance arrived. Thankfully some friends were with me and passers-by offered help, too.
Top 5 Things to Live By
Two corporate shoots have had me thinking. One was for a mediation lawyer and the other family-run funeral directors.
Cancer Connections: Toronto book launch a huge success
Last night’s book launch of Cancer Connections: Images of hope and courage from across Canada, was a success. The First Canadian Place Gallery was over-flowing with people who attended the event. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the close of the nationwide exhibit, which criss-crossed the country over two years. The images, words, and [...]
Japan Disaster Appeal: You Can Help
The recent 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan triggered a 23-foot tsunami that battered Japan’s coast and has left Japan in a state of emergency. Combined with unstable nuclear reactors, Japan and its people are suffering.
When I saw the images of the devastation, it reminded me of an image I captured while walking [...]
If you’re not using social media, you may be missing out
Did you know social media is a great way to stay in touch? It’s a fact: millions of people use Twitter, Facebook and Linked-In everyday. And, millions of people subscribe to their favourite blogs using RSS.
In fact, here at the studio, we post our latest photography news, quick tips, and [...]
Impressionism in Photography
Must a photograph be “tack sharp” to be considered a professional-quality image or piece of art? My answer is a resounding “No”.
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 [...]
Print, Image and Photography Restoration
The above image started as a passport photo 45 years ago.
Then, it aged, was exposed to some rough conditions, became very dirty, cracked and faded. A year ago, it was taken to a consumer 1-hour photo shop and scanned into a 4×6″ print, complete with the dirt, cracks and fading.
We were then approached [...]
I have many to thank.
During a couple of photography consultations this past week, I was asked why I’m a photographer. This isn’t a question I’m often asked, and I was surprised. Usually my clients and prospective clients don’t inquire about my motivation as part of the reason they should commission me.
I do it for the love of doing it. [...]
Photography That Tells Your Story
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. [...]
Conceptual Stock Photography and Managed Rights
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 [...]
Check us out on Toronto Wedding Professionals
Yesterday I posted a “Question and Answer” about the process of photography. I went into some detail about why professional photography costs what it does, based on experience and my perspective.
Toronto Wedding Professionals has featured it on their website. Check it out here.
Wedding Photography Demystified
Wedding photography can be a bit of a mystery for people. It makes sense; it’s not as if one gets married every day of the week, so why should you be expected to know all there is to know?
I’ve prepared some updated information on the process of wedding photography based on my years of experience [...]
Converting Digital Colour Images to Black and White
There’s a wonderful intimacy that comes with black and white photography. With only the composition, light and tones of gray to tell its story, a black and white image can capture the essence of the image in a way that colour cannot. In fact, there is a wonderful expression that I use to help explain [...]
Headshots and Portraits for Business
If you’ve been considering having your headshot or portrait done, or updating the one you now have, this article will be of interest to you.
Recently I’ve been asked to create headshots and portraits for various types of companies. Franchisees, law firms, big insurance co’s, creative outfits, actors, authors, public speakers and more. Depending on the [...]
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, [...]
Back Up!
Back up – not as in “Whoa, back up!”, but as in “Backup your data!”.
Last weekend we experienced a critical data issue when one of our hard drives died without any warning. It was part of a disk array and contained almost a terrabyte of images! Can you imagine if we didn’t have a well [...]
Beauty Where You Least Expect It
When I was a young boy (young as in a single digit age), my mother would take me on long walks. It used to drive me nuts; not because I didn’t like walking, but because she stopped what seemed to be every 10 seconds to look at something. It would take hours to make it [...]
