Contrast Equals Power

Just back from my trip to Asia, I just printed this image- a good example (hopefully) of how contrast can add power to an image. Contrast of both subject matter and tones. As always, a decent images comes from a lot of walking and shooting. You can see more of my trip at www.SLMphoto.com (go to Combinations 16 and 17) or visit me at Courthouse Market (SAT) and at Eastern Market (SUN). Gee, from 80 degrees to winter weather. I will be the guy shivering…

Privacy Matters

Sometimes people prefer privacy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tell their story in ways that are sensitive and responsive. Using backlighting, I was able to document a special moment between two children as the sun set. You can tell they are kids, and members of the Amish Community. But their identies are secure because of how I chose to expose the “moment.” This image, and others shot as I visited Amish Country, will be with me this SAT (Arlington) and SUN (Eastern Market).

New Book Promises Change

You can dramatically increase the power of your photographs by following the steps in my second book,
Make Images with Impact. No big words or fancy concepts- just proven steps that I have shared with my photography students over the years. Will be hot off the press by mid September so check my web site then.Look under galleries, then select NEW book.

Gestures Say it All

Gestures communicate. They tell a story without words. I think the best images capture physical movements that document a feeling or action. As you shoot, look for the little things because, over time, they are the BIG things. -www.slmphoto.com

Some politically incorrect comments…

Some two weeks after walking the streets of Cuba (legally), I remain struck by how Castro’s stated goal of wealth re-distribution has left so many of his countryman with little few assets and diminished hope (though some Cubans would say it is the US embargo that prevents prosperity). There is an undercurrent of hustle in the underground economy,but most days it appears the heat and oppression take its toll on the human spirit.I share this observation because it is easy for elected leaders to offer a chicken in every pot (as one president said), but real personal …and national security ….comes from responsible capitalism. The problem is our business leaders have often betrayed that promise which is why many people today want a government guarantee for everything from a fair wage to protection from irresponsible corporate actions. I fear, though, that the pendulum has swung too far. That people have forgotten that we can’t promise things that we can’t afford. That over-regulation creates more problems than the original sins that made the the laws necessary. Photographers, like me, notice people….and moods. I don’t think Americans want dependency on government, as in Cuba. I think they want government that works to keep us safe and productive. What say you (at the risk of alienating some of my fans)??

Art Imitates Life…

During a US government approved trip to Cuba, I found a young man “leaping” as he ran down Havana’s decaying streets. Taking a “leap” is what I am doing by leaving DC for the Philly area. The lure of grand kids is compelling. I will still offer my work large DC markets, and some in Philly, though with less frequency. That means my newly updated website will be your easiest way to acquire images. www.SLMphoto.com. As for teaching, new venues will surface. Meantime, take a leap of faith yourself

Peak imagination…..

Some images are literal. Others find their strength in the questions they pose, a challenge you might see in this image. Titled “Waitress Tip,” I chose to angle the camera to avoid revealing identities. Instead, I wanted to stress hands. My Eye of the Photographer classes covers image composition. See Winter classes.
www.arlingtonartscenter.org

Capture Memories

I typically shoot to tell stories. But, I also make images to record memories. I normally remember broad things about travel, like seeing The Great Wall of China. My photographs, though, bring back the nuances of my experience. As a technical point, I find that color photographs fade faster than B&W. The key, though, is to keep your pictures out of the sun so that BOTH your memory and photograph don’t fade over time.

Images should make you think….

You’ve been to a circus. But you have not seen what happens behind the scenes. My camera allowed me access. To see the lives of people who work 24/7 to make you laugh and smile. Images, though, can be literal or require YOU to fill in the blanks- like “theatre of the mind” (a reference to the glory days of radio when you only had the sound of words to tell a story- where your mind had to complete the “picture.) I will be at Eastern Market this Sunday…and at the Urban Village Market (at Courthouse) on Saturday.

Change your view point…

I had no interest in shooting what happens beneath the big tent, as I visited a circus recently. Instead, I wanted to capture what happens backstage. In this image, a performer peers out at the audience. They give their all …for 10 or 1000 people, but a “sneak peak” helps them prepare, I was told.