Archive for the ‘Inspirational’ Category

Bear x-ings, photo by Kajsa Stolberg

Kajsa here this Sunday and I want to share a little something with you.  I was having coffee with my longtime friend last week and even though we haven’t lived in the same town in over six years it’s still as if she lives two blocks away.  She was updating me on her week, her students, the leadership conference she recently attended, and her life as a “grown up.”  I had little to update her on in the progress of my photography as I swept my arm to display the littered parking lot in front of the coffee shop – the scenery that I currently spend my hours observing.   In the past my drive to take pictures was always fueled by all the cool things I saw when I got out of my comfort zone, but for the past few months I’ve been sticking close to home trying to earn some extra money, and also taking this opportunity for a breather.  In my effort to ground myself I’ve gotten “out of shape” and my creative juices are definitely not flowing – I mean, I’ve been looking at these same surroundings since birth – what could possibly be cool??  Seeing that I was clearly uninspired, my friend gave me the boost which has stuck with me all week: she replied, “Kajsa, have you ever seen the arrow on the FedEx truck?  It’s always been there, you just have to look for it. See the arrow.”  (I wish I could give credit to the speaker of the aforementioned leadership conference who gave this advice to my friend, but unfortunately I don’t know!)  By taking the time to look at my home from an outsider’s perspective I can see all sorts of wild things: bear crossing signs, tractors holding up traffic, old barns, beautiful sunsets, and even art in the trash outside the coffee shop.  It’s the same old prompt: even if you don’t feel like there’s something to shoot, get out and shoot anyway!  You might find material to create some pretty great stuff. Now it’s your turn – see the arrow!

Head In The Sand (1/60th at f2.8, 23mm at ISO 500)

I finally got my head out of the sand and joined Flickr.  I’m not sure why I waited this long to join, but it’s proven to be another wonderful outlet to connect with fellow photographers. I’m a big believer in looking at other people’s work for inspiration. Working in a cocoon has never worked for me and Flickr provides the perfect arena for exchanging ideas, techniques and feedback. It’s a place much like school, “you get as much out of it as you put into it.” It’s taken me a few weeks to get the hang of it, but I’m telling you it’s a no brainer for those of you looking to connect with photographers. Here are my suggestions: join Flickr (it’s free for 100mb each month), join some groups of interest (such as Black and White, or Travel Photography), upload your photos to these groups, make sure to comment on other people’s photos, if you enjoy someone’s work or comments then add them as a contact, interact with your contacts and groups. To check out my Flickr stream just click HERE (feel free to add me as a contact). If you become a Flickr addict I strongly suggest using a program like Flickroom to help manage your stream, contacts and uploading process. So join the party and let me know what you think.

Nancy and John on assignment circa 1972, photo by Robert King

I’ve been meaning to write this for a bit, but I thought today would be the most appropriate:

I’ve been taking photos for about as long as I can remember.  Growing up, my mother always had her Leica or Rollei in tow while my sister and I trailed  along with our little  Kodak  126 Instamatics.   Photography was a way that we played together. It was a creative outlet that brought us together from time to time.    Both of my parents were journalists, but I always thought my mother had the cooler job as the photographer.   A newspaper photographer was always  on the move looking for that next story.  I remember the nights listening to the police scanner with my mom.  Watching the red lights zip by as it scanned the frequencies and then all of a sudden it would freeze and  there would be chatter “car 34 we need your 10-20.”  I would look to my mom with excitement and she would relay the bad news, “they’re just requesting his location.”  Yep, that was the life a of photojournalist in a small town.  In the years to come my mother became an English teacher at the local high school, but still followed her passion for photography.   I remember countless conversations about photo composition and subject matter.   Most vividly I remember our conversations regarding portraits and the need to connect with the people.   She had the gift of gab and truly enjoyed people; not to mention she had a big heart.   What I respected most about her as I grew older was her honesty.   She was incredibly blunt (think Simon Cowell) and she didn’t waste time making her point.   “John, it’s a good thing you’re cute because you can’t spell cat!”  To this day I double check all my spellings!  While I love my dad and all that he’s done to support my work and writing, it’s truly my mother that I credit for my passion for photography.   She would have turned 73 today if it hadn’t been for a stroke that took her some 12 years ago.  So, happy B-day mom and thanks for all your guidance throughout the years.

p.s. I broke your Rollei, but it’s in the shop and I should have it back in a week or so…;)

Museum (1/80th at f/3.2, 16mm at ISO 800)

A few days ago I found myself visiting The Art Institute of Chicago.  No, it wasn’t the result of some sort of bet.   It has been a while since I visited the museum and, as always, it was very enjoyable.  It’s taken me many years to truly understand the phrase “art is in the eye of the beholder.”   I think being a photographer has not only helped me tolerate, but more importantly, appreciate and accept many different forms of art.    Whether it be a Jackson Pollock painting or a Pete Turner print, I find myself appreciating the effort and vision put forth by the artist.   I don’t shoot a ton of macro photography.   That’s not to say I don’t like it;  it’s just not something I seek out.  However, with that said, I truly can appreciate the effort and  attention to detail that’s required to nail a good macro shot.   I think a lot of people that don’t like a particular piece of art simply say “I don’t like it!” without giving it much more thought.    I think the real reward and personal growth comes in the form of identifying,  what you can appreciate about a piece of artwork that just doesn’t float your boat.    To me it’s all about keeping an open mind, being non judgmental, and looking for techniques I can apply to my own work.   Sometimes, you just have to dig a little deeper.

Solitude (1//125 sec at f/22, 16mm, ISO 200)

Dear diary, yesterday rocked.  I got my kid off to school, took care of some work and headed out to frolic in the snow with my camera.   Seriously, yesterday was wonderful here in Chicago.  There’s nothing better than shooting fresh fallen snow in Chicago.   I packed my camera and tripod into my beloved Streetwalker backpack, put my headphones on and headed toward the lake.   Solitude!  I passed a few other brave souls on the way to the lake.  A simple exchange of a smile is all that took to bond with my fellow snow loving friends.   I set up and moved, set up and moved, and repeated this cycle several times over the course of two hours.  Loving every minute of it.  I’m recognizing that  I’m becoming dependent upon these moments to ignite my creative passion.   I guess you could call it a much needed creative self-indulgence.  I normally might feel guilty about these moments.  I mean, I could be in meetings, cleaning my office, walking the dogs, the list goes on and on.  It’s at these moments of great mental debate that I remember a lecture I had once received by good ole’ mom.  “John, you’re much too intense.  You need to learn all of this (referring to work) will always be here.  You need to stop and smell the roses on occasion, otherwise you’re going to burn out.”   So, the debate ends in my head and I indulge my creative soul. Thanks mom.

Some of you might be interested in how I took today’s fun self-portrait so here’s my recipe so to speak:

1. I started with a nice snowy afternoon.  I like to think of snow as a white backdrop in my own private outdoor studio.
2. Be mindful of the surroundings.  If you’re trying to create a high key shot then try to avoid filling the frame with dark objects such as trees.
3. Set your camera up on the tripod.  I recommend covering the camera with an oversized Ziploc or something that will keep it dry while you’re setting up.
4. For this shot I set my ISO to 200, speed 1/125 at f/22 (I needed a darker exposure so I didn’t lose all the detail in the fence)
5. I use a MicroSync radio control trigger to fire the camera.  The camera’s self timer would work too.
6. Find your place in the photo and fire away.

Here’s the sequence in which I worked my voodoo:

1. Increased the exposure by +3
2. I removed a ton of water spots using dust spot removal tool in Lightroom
3. Used a bleach bypass preset (Click HERE to download)
4. Used the saturation brush on my jacket
5. Isolated the red using a preset (Click HERE to download)
6. Removed all distracting objects using dust spot removal tool
7. Did some minor straightening and called it good.

So there you have it…. presto. A fun shot, but the real reward, as always.. was in the journey.

Bunny Island, Kajsa Stolberg (1/4000s @f5.6, 80mm, ISO 400)

Kajsa here after the holiday break and we’re talking the new year.  I always forget about the New Year’s resolution tradition… heck, the snow’s usually melted before I acknowledge it – like the year I promised myself to start yoga and finally took my first (and last) class in August.  This year is different though and I am going to take the resolution seriously.  My new year’s resolution is to get out and shoot more pictures.  I’m not breaking any ground with this, or claiming to be unique, all I’m saying is that my current output needs to be bumped up a notch.  So, with that said, I want to know what your resolution is this year and we’re going to find out with a poll:

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Snowy Court (10 secs at f/22, 16mm at ISO 100)

One of the things I love about Chicago during the holidays is that everyone leaves.   It’s as though you have the city to yourself; and if you mix in a snow storm it’s outright desolate.  Truth be told, I was home all weekend praying we would have a decent snow storm.  I know…it’s sick and wrong, but this isn’t the first time I’ve been accused of not being right in the head.   As luck would have it,  yesterday we got dumped on it snowed, so I  gathered up my gear and headed out to find some desolate places to shoot.  The equation was perfect:  holiday weekend + snow + cold  as hell weather  = No People.   I shot for a little over an hour just enjoying the peace and quiet.  Although it would have nice to have warmer gloves…

Old Tire Swing

Vacant Home

We might end up calling this week’s collection of blogs “inspirational thoughts by John”…;) I must admit, I’ve been slightly pensive this week. It’s probably because I’ve been visiting family and handling a few other responsibilities, but it’s made me realize a few things about myself. Every time I visit my hometown with a “fresh pair of eyes ” it reminds me of all the images I’ve taken for granted throughout the years. I find myself saying, ”hmmm, I didn’t notice that shot before.” I have a tendency to take some things for granted and to write-off familiar locations. I know it sounds crazy but how often have you said, “there’s nothing to shoot in my town?” Hell, even in Chicago I can fall into the trap of thinking there’s nothing interesting to photograph. I know it’s laughable, but it happens. We all know it’s human nature to think grass is always greener on the other side. As photographers, I think it’s our nature to believe there’s always a better shot anywhere but in our own backyard. The reality is there are thousands of photographs within 100 yards of either direction of where you are sitting right this moment. Here are few suggestions that will work better than eye drops in giving you fresh view: 1. Change up style; if you like shooting landscapes/people, consider shooting macro/architectural shots. 2. Do you shoot primarily color? Then consider BW or vice versa. 3. Google images of your area and see what other people are taking photos of in your region. 4. Go out with a friend and let them lead the way. Your friend might surprise you with a fresh perspective on the area. Lastly, break your habits. Do you drive everywhere you go to shoot? Well consider walking. Go down a new street. Venture into a neighborhood you’ve never visited. Change the times of day you shoot. Go to a train station. Go to a bus stop. Visit a new park. Take a walk on campus. You get the drift. There are tons of photos right in our own backyard. It’s just seeing them for the first time that takes a little work.