I am taking a photography workshop again. Each workshop is a big investment of both time and money, but they’re worth it, because I learn so much more through workshops than by reading or practising on my own.
I don’t spend all of those hours with my camera or with editing software, of course. A lot of time goes into reading and thinking about the course materials, looking at other participants’ photos and taking part in discussions.
This current workshop is very different from all the previous ones I’ve taken in that it is about the “soul” of photography, rather than technical topics such as which knobs to twiddle or how to compose a photo. “Photographing with Heart and Vision” it’s called.
My photography is important to me. That keeps surprising me, because it came out of nowhere and I am still not quite sure how it happened. For years I just took occasional snapshots and it didn’t mean anything special to me. And then somehow, as I started learning more about it, it also became more and more important to me.
Perhaps it’s a temporary obsession. It wouldn’t be the first time; I’ve had those before. But some have turned out to be more than that – after close to 10 years of blogging I am still at it; after 15 years of programming it is a rewarding career instead of a little hobby.
I don’t really know why I photograph. I don’t have a clear idea about what I want to achieve, what I want my photos to say. I see that my favourite photos are quite different from most parents’ photos of their kids, and also quite different from most pro photographers’ photos of kids. I occasionally look at others’ photos to find inspiration but mostly just feel alienation. I want to understand my own photography better.
Hence this workshop. There is maybe a little less shooting during this workshop, and a lot more reflection and introspection.
Since this blog is kind of my version of a personal journal, I will be sharing some of that introspection here.
Hi, its me again.
I´d like to comment this one too because 5 February was perhaps the most intresting date in digital photography up to date. Its historic in the sense of that a great barrier has been passed, moreover simoultaneously by several brands, namely the pixel density of full frame sensors.
50.3 Mp on a full frame Canon 5 Ds, 40 Mp on an Olympus that still has its 4:3 sensor at 16 Mp, but moves it around with the Image Stabilization unit to get at 36 Mp. Pentax announces full frame K-series, end of 2015. Sony has already the 7R with 36 Mp. Canon has 50.3 Mp on fullframe, meaning its pixeldensity is higher than Pentax 645. All are within reach financially even. I was ecpecting this to happen sooner or later and it all came to pass yesterday.
A revolution is raging right now and many people are either upset or exhilirated. This is a paradigme shift and not just another technical gizmoloid exurberance.
February 4 I held a Canon 70-200 f 2.8 mk2 and had the opportunity to try it out. A friend got one that almost cost him his marriage, but thats not the issue here. Its the FELT impact of how unobstructedly a quality lens performs feelingwise. Again, I just got it. This was unexpected. 300 whales made it extra
exiting. They were depicted. I wasn´t there to see but I saw the pics, around 30 of 1475. Another story.
A confession: I am a lensaholic, meaning that you go in-depth with lenses too. So I have done that for some time. Today basically any lens can be fitted to modern DSLRs by adapters. There are many gems from the glorious 70s that are neglected and thus fantastically cheap, but they sport the quality of most todays comparatives that normally challenges any wallet beyond belief. Thus they are avoided. Quality can still be retained without large costs involved. By the way old Nikkor still fits modern mounts.
Why am I into this? Because I really want to construct light. Sounds far fetched, but if its given a thought its not that uncomprehensive. Because light is about emotions. Anyway I just want to point out, from personal experience, that photography is a quest of the heart. Not saying its the only one around, but its a solid one and readely available on the spot without to much pirouettes of preconditional factors.
Why am I so shaky? Because for the first time in history the camera back end can assimilate the power of the lenses to an unprecedented level.
https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-50mm-f1-2-ai-s
Here is my absolute favourite, its a love affair actually. I have it. From the 70s. Its about the colors.
Its affordable used and mine is newly made and its just one example. Its so powerful for about just anything that it hardly has a match. There are others too. I have several 50mm. You want large aperture.
I feel like a 16th century dutch painter with it. There is a Pentax 50mm f1.8 and f1.4 that just makes miracles too, for 30 USD. There are many others as well, but I want to avoid the lens frenzy for now.
The lens is the most important part with which to create light, then the back end. Anything with full frame at any pixel rate. Former Eastern European lenses can be utilized to much amazement and they suprisingly perform even better than modern counterparts, costing fortunes even, with what really matters.
What really matters is the nurturing of an incessant expanding creativity that any activity should be accompanied by anyway; and that all this can act as rewarding reminder of such a desirable condition.
The storm has begun, its still reasonable, but very storm like nevertheless. Its a Polar low. Normally they pass without to much fuss other than howling winds, but this one is a biggie. Its epicenter hits Svolvær/Bodø tomorrow afternoon, but it has divided in two and the outskirts of it moves in my direction already.
http://www.yr.no/kart/#lat=67.25373&lon=13.68653&zoom=6&laga=vind&proj=3575
Click on the timeline if you like.
That is for now.
cu
B.