A Couple of Random Thoughts at Year's End

Just finished watching a video "Focus On Your Passion: Tim Mantoani." I'll admit I was doing other chores while watching (or listening to be more accurate).  But two things caught my ear: "What is your dream project?" and "Do you have friends that support your work?"  I'll be pondering the former over the course of this weekend, though I think I know what it is - working on a new book.  And I'm very fortunate in knowing the answer to the latter - YES.  LG and I check in every Thursday or Friday on "what artistic or creative step have you taken this week or this evening?" Keeps us focused at least weekly on the creative side of our lives. We call it "Art Night" and I think we've both benefited from it over the year or so we've pursued this simple check-in.  Highly recommend it!         

Twenty Questions

John Paul Caponigro, a fine art and digital image photographer/workshop leader, has asked a number of famous photographs to answer a series of questions.  I thought I would take the same list and answer many of the core questions myself.  You can see JPC's Q+A sessions at:
http://www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/lib/q-and-a/index.php

What's the best thing about photography?

Rendering an emotion in two dimensions.

What's the worst thing about photography?

Taking and editing hundreds if not thousands of shots to find just the right ones - the ones the convey meaning, emotion and technical skill.

What's the thing that interests you most about photography?

The relative simplicity of the medium - mostly visual rather than technical.

What's the thing that interests you most about your own photographs?

How I've gone from f64 sharpness to fluidity and motion and emotion.

What's the thing that interests you most about other people's photographs?

Nearly the same place, nearly the same time, totally different images.

Who were your early photographic influences?

Ansel Adams, Ernest Haas.

Who are your photographic influences now?

Doug Beasley, Nevada Wier, John Paul Caponigro, Joel Meyerowitz

Who were your early non-photographic influences?

My dad (a violinist), Picasso, Bach, Monet

Who are your non-photographic influences now?

Artist friends, Arvo Part, pipe organs, religious rituals, all things Celtic, the Tango (music and dance), and still Monet (Water Lillies).

What's the most inspiring work of art you saw recently?

A series of ocean horizon shots appearing in National Geographic magazine. So unlike NG. And a photo spread on Cate Blachett in the NY Times Style Magazine. So unlike ME.

What's the best thing about gear?

Amazing options for turning one's vision into reality.

What's the worst thing about gear?

Too many options, buttons and dials for turning one's vision into reality.

How do you know when an image doesn't work?

Bland, no connection, boring, "next photo please"

How do you know when an image is good?

A quick smile, expectations met

How do you know when an image is great?

I shot that?!?!?  A gut feel - several times over - that this is something special, different, worthy.

Do you practice another art form? (If so, which?)

Writing, concertina, keyboards and occasionally the hammered dulcimer.

What benefits do you get from (this/these) other art form/s?

Writing - thoughts; playing music - muscle memory, relaxation, spacing out

What was the most significant visual moment in your life?

An hour or two spent in the remodeled Orangerie in Paris, gazing at Monet's Water Lilies - perfection in art and perfection in interior architecture - visually stunning, yet contemplative, moving. And a great venue for creative photography as well.

Which was the most important image to you that got away?

Recently in Jaipur, India, at the Amber Fort.  A young woman, perfect light, split second decisions, and out-of-focus images where they needed to be tac-sharp.  Too many buttons and settings.  Oh, well, I still remember her and the setting and the light.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Leading photography workshops for adults and children - passing on knowledge and learning from others.

What's the thing you most hope to accomplish?

Inspiring others - whether photographically or in life.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you change?

Given that we are the sum of our experiences, I probably wouldn't change much. Well, maybe discovering sushi and razor clams earlier in life!

If you had another life to live a completely different life, what would you choose to do?

A photography instructor and travel photo group leader; maybe as an Episcopal (married) Jesuit!

Range of Focal Lengths

My favorite lens is a Nikon 18-200 wide-angle-to-telephone zoom.  Its not the fastest lens in the world, but with vibration reduction it manages to work in most situations.  But not all.  A faster lens would have helped in a few instances while in India for sure.  But there's no such thing as a fast extreme zoom.  I would have to switch to two lenses - probably 18-70 and 80-200 or so - to achieve the same range and speed things up (and weigh things down - fast zooms are heavy). And switching lenses, especially outdoors in the dust of India, would have had its own series of problems.

So before I made any drastic decisions, I looked at what focal lengths I used while in India.  I choose the first 667 shots (out of 1950 or so) and, checking the metadata in Adobe Lightroom, plotted out the focal lengths of all shots and then my "*****" favorite shots (28 out of 1950).  The results:

                 All      *****
18-30       17%     18%
31-40       13%     14%
41-50       10%       7%
51-60       10%       0
61-70         8%      7%
71-80         3%      4%
81-90         3%      4%
91-100       3%      7%
101-110     2%      0
111-120     3%      7%
121-130     2%      7%
131-190     7%      0      (few shots taken in this range)
191-200   18%    21%

Over half of the photographs were taken between 18-70mm (27-105 given the size of my digital sensor on the Nikon D300). BUT then there were those 18-21% shot at 200mm. Changing lenses would definitely have been a drawback in an active environmental like the Pushkar Mela. I noted that as I recorded the data, I would jump from 18mm to 50mm back to 18mm and then to 200mm in consecutive shots. So changing lenses would likely have resulted in missed opportunities. On the other hand, with a faster lens with even higher quality glass, I may also have had some * and ** shots turn into **** and ***** ones. 

While a time consuming exercise, I think it was worth it to get an understanding of how I use my lens - and that the use covers the full focal length range of the lens.  That doesn't mean I won't consider a faster lens, probably covering the wide-angle to normal (18-70) range; it just means that when I'm in an active festival-oriented environment, I'll probably stick with the trusty 18-200 model for quick response to changing circumstances.

You might want to do the same exercise to see how you use your zoom lenses, especially before buying something new.

All Things Raj

Finally coming down from an uplifting and overwhelming experience twelve times zones away - two weeks in the Indian state of Rajasthan.  Half the time was spent in the chaos of Pushkar during the Pushkar Mela (camel fair and Hindu pilgrimage); the other half a slower-paced exploration of the amber, blue and pink fort towns of the Raj.  Photo opportunities galore among the coughing, smiles, dust, joyousness, blaring loudspeakers, intimate encounters (no, NOT that kind), crowds, majesty, poverty, bubbas and sadhus, a/c vans, auto rickshaws, dogs and cows that make up just a portion of the experience that is India. You really can't prepare yourself for it; you just plunge in and take it as it comes - and it will come and blow you away. 

Some 2000 photos later, it's clear to me that my photography headed in yet a new direction compared to past journeys.  More people, less landscapes.  And more up-close-and-personal photos.  Personal space is not much of an issue in crowded India; and few mind if you take their photography, even close-up.  It still takes a while for this Westerner to get close and not feel as an intruder.  But that's the luxury of 7 days in one town - overcoming personal resistance and taking photography - and interpersonal interactions - to the next level.  

  

The Emotions of Photography

I've been doing a broad look at my photographs stored in Lightroom today and noticed every now and then that a quick smile would come across my face.  A photo taken as long as a decade ago would trigger that smile - a place, a person, a sunset, a scene that brings back great memories. The photo might not be the greatest in the world or even in my world but that doesn't matter.  Not all photos - or even most - are destined for the wall or a blog.  They're just there for the memories - and is there anything better?

And a Third Show: Tango

While the Stained Glass show at 11 Winery Tasting Room on Bainbridge Island is in the past, I have a new show at the 11 Winery Tasting Room in downtown Poulsbo, Washington.  "Spirit of Tango" is up through the month of October and represents several years of shooting at the Northwest Folklife Festival.

A Second Show

Opening today and running through mid-October 2011 is an exhibit of my photographs of "Crosses" taken in New Mexico in 2008.  The show is in the "Art in the Parlor" gallery at St. Barnabas Church, Wyatt Way at Gowen Place on Bainbridge Island, WA. The parlor is open from 9 am - 2pm weekdays and from 8am - noon on Sundays. 

Entertainment on Domestic Airlines

I just came across a recently prepared matrix showing the availability of in-flight wifi, TV/Movies, Music, and Games on domestic airlines.    Best airline for in-flight entertainment appears to be Virgin America (I've flown them once and enjoy the experience, even if less than 2 hours); the worst is clearly Spirit Airlines (never flew them; probably never will). 

http://www.jaunted.com/special/ife-status-update-2011

Sense of Awe - The Stained Glass of Paris

Opening this Tuesday, August 2 and running through Wednesday, August 31 is my photo show: "A Sense of Awe - The Stained Glass of Paris."  The exhibit is at the Eleven Winery Tasting Room on Bainbridge Island, Washington,  287 Winslow Way in the heart of downtown.  The tasting room is open daily, 1-7 Monday - Friday, 12-7 Saturday, and 12-5 Sunday. 

And advanced notice.  I'll have another show, this one featuring the Spirit of Tango at the Eleven Winery Tasting Room in Poulsbo, Washington beginning October 1.

The Importance of Travel Planning

After a three week hiatus journeying through Holland and Croatia, I'm back in the blogosphere.  I'll be sharing some of my travel and, hopefully, photography, insights with you in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, I direct your attention to an article in today's New York Times on "Planning the Perfect Vacation."  Its generally very high-level, but certainly re-iterates my personal view that the "planning" part is critical in translating into a great travel experience. The article includes the results of an Netherlands study showing that a majority of vacationers were happiest in planning the vacation!  I've certainly noticed this is many a trip I've taken.  While the trip itself was everything I could have hoped for, the anticipation was even better.  The mind works in funny ways, sometimes!  OK, usually.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/travel/planning-the-perfect-vacation.html?nl=travel&emc=tda3

Which also leads me to an upcoming book that I've written on the Vacation Planning process.  Should be available by the end of summer and will provide a much greater level of detail on how to plan for and budget for your next great adventure.  Stay tuned for details.

Creative Quotes

For your consideration:
"Creativity is taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary." Chris Orwig in "Visual Poetry." That's what makes great photography an art.

"Doc was at ease with himself and that put him at ease with the world." John Steinbeck in Cannery Row. This evening, with ease, I print.

"What I am saying is that you need to begin to define what inspires you.  Then you need to dedicate time to that endeavor."  Chris Orwig.

As I'm printing some of my latest "Tango" photographs, I'm reading Orwig's "Visual Poetry" and getting inspired to photography, print and share.  And to focus on my creative side in the way I do best - photography.

Travel Writing and Photography at its Best

I'm beginning to plan a trip this fall to India (yea!) and in looking through back issues of travel magazines (yes, the printed kind), I came across Pico Iyer's article on Varanasi entitled "Maximum India."  Superb prose, accompanied by just awesome (not a word I use very ofter) photography by Peter Bialobrzeski. Makes me want to go all the more or maybe just stay away in the comfort of my own home.  That's the call of India.  http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/503351

Tango 2011

One of my favorite photo subjects is of the Tango.  A sensual, stylistic dance, accompanied by amazing music (accordion and all!), the Tango is a visual treat.  And so, one again, I attended the Tango Dance at Northwest Folklife Festival over Memorial Day Weekend.  And, one again, watched some amazing dancing, especially the Tango demonstrations by the "professionals."  The lighting in the Seattle Center House changes by the moment, with sun streaming through the skylights one minute and then blocked by clouds the next.  Shadows on the floor one moment coupled with bright sun on the dancers.  And of course, there are the crowds all around that encroach more and more each year, limiting what I view as the "perfect" shot.  But its all part of festival shooting. 

One of my favorite photos this year was of this couple - her teal dress and shoes played off well against his dark suit, and the dance floor just washed out, creating what I think allows the dances to "pop." I then decided to take it one step further and "wash out" the dancers themselves a bit - it becomes more of a drawing - using "fill flash" and some color saturation adjustment in Adobe Lightroom. Such are the possibilities of "fine art" photography!

Don't Let This Happen To You

Veering off the normal topics just a tad, I want to share with you this blogpost on the top five regrets that people have when near death.  It just might make you want to pick up that camera, book that next trip or call that friend. http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2011/05/31/the-top-5-regrets-people-make-on-their-deathbeds/.

Slow Travel

You may have heard of the Slow Food movement - locally grown, cooked to order, the opposite of fast food chain restaurants or even the TV dinner (or should I say the Hulu-dinner) at home.  The current edition of Verge Magazine (a volunteer- and youth-oriented quarterly published in Canada, has 7 tips on "Slow Travel," taking your time while traveling to experience the local culture on local terms.  Among the tips are:

Thou Shalt Have No Other Gadgets Before Thy Flip-Flops.
Thou Shalt Not Make Lonely Planet Your Idol, and
Remember the Meaning of Adventure, and Keep it Holy.

Worth checking out.  http://www.vergemagazine.com/news/86-contributing/569-ten-ways-to-travel-slower.html

Some More Quotes for Inspiration

The first is from Paul Theroux, author of some great travel narratives, as quoted in the NY Times: "...the fact that a place is out of fashion, forgotten or not yet on the map doesn't make it less interesting, just more itself, and any visit perhaps more of a challenge." 

The second is from my friend Betsy who is traveling around the world with her husband for some indeterminate amount of time, as quoted on their website http://www.marriedwithluggage.com/: "Life is short.  Live your dream." 

A quote from k.d. lang: "To be happy, you have to make that decision."
And finally a quote from an obit of a person I didn't know but spoke the truth: "She did what she needed to do to find her own fulfillment, and she succeeded."
Inspiration is where you find it or read it.  These 4 quotes struck me as well worth reading and remembering.

Travel's Special Moments

Travel is at it's best when it results in great stories!  I've blogged about this before, but Stanley Diamond just posted a reinforcing piece on his blog about those special unplanned moments while traveling: http://www.travelblogexchange.com/profiles/blogs/those-special-unplanned-days.

New Photo Portfolio

My new photography portfolio is up and running. Check it out at: photography.chuckkirchner.com.

How Travel Has Changed

Check out these two websites:
http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/03/01/travel-then-and-now-through-photos/
and
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/76543?affil=lpemail.

The AOL site shows side by side photographs of how travel has changed over the decades.  The Lonely Planet page describes more recent changes in how we research trips.  Both are insightful and worth a gander.

Keep it Simple

I came across a great quote in a book I've just started entitled "Visual Poetry" by Chris Orwig.  "The trick of great poems and photographs is to tell just enough."  Keep the photo simple, minimize extraneous elements.  I'm reminded of a sketch by Pablo Picasso that is made up of 4 lines yet makes its subject very clear.  http://www.art.com/products/p10290468-sa-i724882/pablo-picasso-femme.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=0&dimvals=5000016&ui=ecb7b2a7f81544fcb44931ec0686438a.  Boil your subject down to its most basic elements; try to exclude extraneous elements, and your photos will be stronger for it.

A Quote from Ansel

"A good photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels."  Oh, so true!

Life Is Good - Arthur Meyerson

One of the great photographers of our time - Arthur Meyerson - discusses his art, his creativity and a life in balance - including the quote "Life Is Good."  His color photographs are inspiring (at least to this photographer) - simple but memorable.  Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZWNwqkat4o

Is It Safe To Travel?

One of the questions I am asked whenever I travel outside of the US, Canada or Western Europe is: "are you sure its safe to go there?"  It was asked of me just before leaving for Turkey which, coincidentally, was just after the Oklahoma City bombing.  It was recently asked of me before we headed to Puerto Vallarta for a pre-Christmas trip - the Mexican drug wars were the big news story.  On the other hand, when the earthquake hits your home, or the tsunami strikes or the tornado sets down in your yard or the hurricane roars through, it might not be safe at home either.

Should you exercise caution while traveling?  Of course.  The US State Department website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html) posts travel alerts that may frighten you - its their job to point out potential problems.  But its good to balance those alerts with other points of view.  One site worth checking is: http://safety.worldnomads.com/.  World Nomads specializes in travel insurance for folks taking longer than usual journeys in places throughout the world. Their site offers lots of advice on a variety of safety topics, as well as a question and answer forum. 

Would I travel to a Mexico border town right now?  No.  How about Somalia?  NO.  And probably the same for Afghanistan and good portions of Iraq.  But using common sense, some street smarts and armed not with a gun but with good current information, I feel that travel to almost anyplace else can be a safe and enlightening experience.  Journey On!

Distinctive Portfolio

A distinctive photographic vision is the key to success in photography.  The works of Ansel Adams, for instance, are readily obvious, even though the photographs were, for the most part, taken in places where countless thousands of other photographers have also practiced their craft.

Lois Greenfield also has such a distinctive vision.   One of her specialties is dance, a subject that vacation and travel photographers run into from time to time at a festival or street fair. Many are in sharp focus, while others use motion to convey action - one of my personal favorite techniques. Her photography of Sham Mosher, the 1st one in her "Airborne" portfolio, is one of my favorites.  And her entire portfolio is worth a gander for multiple examples of shape and design as key factors in dance and motion photography.  http://www.loisgreenfield.com/galleries/airborne/index.html

Journey On!

I've been writing this blog for nearly two years now.  Looking back over 88 postings I've made so far, the topics range from pure travel to pure photography to a mix of the two and, finally, to what's important in life.  It has all been part of my life's journey as a photographer, workshop leader, environmental consultant and a social being.  Today I changed the heading of the blog to "Journey On! Photography, Vacations and Life." The new title is more indicative of what has been posted and where I'm personally headed in my creative life. 

Workshops will still be listed, as will upcoming gallery shows.  And I will try on a more regular basis to discuss the nuances of vacation photography which I think is one of the more challenging genres out there given how wide ranging it is.  And I'll post, as I did earlier today, articles and musings on the importance of an integrated life where the creative arts, world culture and one's personal interests intermix. 

I hope you continue to enjoy the Journey!

A Good Read

Came across an interesting blog post this morning covering the pleasures of buying a book.  Its not really about travel or photography, though its set in Madrid; rather it's about indulging in what's important to you.  It also brings to mind running out of reading material while traveling and finding a bookstore with at least a limited English language section and buying a book regardless of price.  For a good read is important to me while traveling, even if I don't finish it until well after I reach home. 

http://www.travelblogexchange.com/profiles/blogs/one-morning-at-petras

Faster than the Speed of Light?!?

While I try to keep my blog posts focusing on travel and photography topics, I sometimes come across an article that just causes me to stop and go - woo.  Such an opinion piece appeared in this past Sunday's New York Times.  Brian Green's article is about the expanding universe - the speed in which its expanding (possibly faster than the speed of light!) - and how at some time in the future, most stars in the night sky will disappear from Earth's view.  And not because they are being extinguished - just that they are moving outward over time in an ever expanding (so far) universe.  A think piece that still almost triggers the "reboot" button in my brain.  I highly recommend reading it - followed by a Tylenol!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16greene.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=darkness%20on%20the%20edge%20of%20the%20universe&st=cse

Always Someplace Else To Go

Last Sunday's New York Times Travel section had one of those articles that I usually despise - "The 41 Places to Go in 2011."  Based on what?  And 41?!?!  But, intrigued, I at least ran through the list of suggested places and came across two in my home state - San Juan Islands and Olympic National Park, and a number of other places I had already been to in my years of travel (Singapore, Melbourne, Miami, London, Oahu).  But there were also places I never heard of - and at least one of them sounds like my kind of place - Fogo Island, Newfoundland.  "A remote island off the coast of Newfoundland with a dwindling population of 3,000 residents..."  And a growing cultural scene. Having never been to Newfoundland but having always want to go, I now have a new incentive - a new place to explore.  So, in spite of the article's title, it was worth at least a glance - and may be worth a glance from you as well.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09where-to-go.html?ref=travel  

Photos to Convey Meaning

When I lead photography workshops, I talk about the importance of taking photos that convey not just the "stark image," but also the emotion behind the image. The f64 school of landscape photography, with all elements of the image in sharp focus as exemplified by Ansel Adams, conveys the beauty of the natural setting. 

A different type of landscape, that of the spirit of Varanasi, India, might not be well served by the f64 school.  Rather, fleeting images taken by Peter Bialobrzeski are used to illustrate the splendid and moving story by Pico Iyer entitled "Maximum India" in the January 2011 edition of Conde Nast Traveler.  Varanasi is where devote Hindus come to die and deal with their mortality. And the photos do an outstanding job of supporting the article, showing respect to the devote, and encouraging me to make my own pilgrimage to this most holy of cities. The following link will take you to the on-line story - BUT NOTE THAT THE PHOTOS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE PRINT EDITION.  Check it out at your local newsstand, bookstore or library. 

By the way, Pico Iyer's article is also one of the more evocative I've read in a while and probably provides a better insight into the experiece of visiting Varanasi that you would ever find in a travel guide. Whenever I wonder aloud whether I should eventually travel to India, I'll come back to this article and go for it.
    
http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/503351