Nicholas Brewer

This image, taken about 18 months ago, got over looked at the time. As this is a stencil by an unknown artist I sometime struggle with the idea of plagiarism. This image is shown full frame and and the colour was correct at the time taken in the 'golden hour.'

how to work as a fine art photographer and still be a gun for hire

Edward Steichen

The debate between the most noble use of the camera has been raging since photography first started. The  photographers of the post world war including: Eugenie Smith, Robert Capa and George Rodgers cast a compassionate eye on major historical events. Public opinion in America was more easily influenced by the still image in a magazine, without the benefit of television or the Internet supplying instant pictures. Our capacity to be amazed by and have faith in the images we see, has changed forever,  we are now more aware of post-production techniques and mass media manipulation. There are a wide range of photographers including Martin Parr, who have let their most prominent works be used for advertising the most banal products. Students of photography are taught early on that images can have dual meaning and that subject matter (what the picture is about not of) can be used in various forms has long been accepted. The rivalry between the two camps is astounding and feels very childlike in origin. Alfred Stieglitz chastised Edward Steichen for 'prostituting his art' by shooting commercial work which is demeaning to the ground breaking work that Steichen produced for Conde Naste. Working as an assistant in London during the early nineties for a range of photographers from still-life to fashion the sniping continued, although I did feel that some of this was 'tongue in cheek.' Still-life photographers often criticised fashion photographers for their lack of technical ability and felt that the use of colour negative  'proved beyond doubt' they could not expose film properly.

Nick Knight

Nick (we are so not worthy) Knight is a technical master and to suggest that he uses colour negative to compensate for dodgy exposures is laughable. Weather  you are being paid a lot of money to produce advertising images or you have fifteen minutes in a hotel bedroom to photograph a Hollywood star this requires very different skills and an ability to work under enormous pressure. Contrast this to images created from imagination that may take many months to plan and execute. The reality is that neither is easy and they are both equally challenging for different reasons. We are all part of the same family and while it maybe good fun to sneer at others (in a professional way) it is neither accurate or valid. Let us move on from professional snobbery.

always learning

Herbert Bayer

Young minds are incredible. Their fresh approach to looking at pictures is a constant source of wonder. The day has been spent having an end of project critique which is sometimes a nightmare. The class sits in silence for long awkward periods messing about on the latest iPhone with me telling them to stop every thirty-seconds. Not the case today I am pleased to report when they were energetic and engaged in the discussion. It is only by the constant reviewing of our images can we hope to improve. Critiques provide a great environment for work to be discussed in a style that provides mutual benefit. A photographer's work can flat line were you produce images that do not provide the jolt that you crave to help you improve and stay motivated. Considered and constructive advice can change the direction of a photographers work and is an effective tool for progression. We can always learn from others so long as we are willing and open minded. Naturally they are difficult forums for young people who are keen to fit in with their classmates and criticising the work of others might mean upsetting the status quo. Overall the students work is improving steadily and there are some who show real potential but no matter how much talent you have; without hard work to support it the chances of success are slim. Successful photographers work hard and take risks and this is what makes the difference between those who have a career and those who do not. As part of the process I asked learners to critique 'Lonely Metropolitan' by Herbert Bayer. They correctly identified the three words I was looking for; lonely city and montage. Top marks to them.

“ Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow. – Imogen Cunningham

Read more: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/photography-quotes#ixzz1obYe8KYi

how to make the most of cloud storage

Alfred Stieglitz

It is not often I can give advice that provides you with a free service to help your growing collection of raw files and images. Cloud storage is a network of virtual servers to store data. Once the work is stored  you can send a link where it can be download. Naturally one  advantage is that you do not need to send large attachments that might be blocked, avoiding the need to re-size your images and lose quality. It serves as a great way to back up for your existing work. There are certain attributes which providers have in common. 

• Ability to access the files and space using a variety of ways and devices
• Pay as you go (for paid plans)
• Completely managed by the service provider 
• The market for cloud computing is very competitive and looks to continue which is the reason that many suppliers offer a free amount of space. 
• The amount varies and you can take out storage with multiple providers.

	Company	Free Cloud Storage	Max Filesize	Link
	Dropbox	2GB-10GB	No limit	Dropbox
	Box.net	5GB	25MB	Box.net
	Amazon CloudDrive	5GB (20GB with an mp3 album purchase)	2GB	Amazon CloudDrive
	SugarSync	5GB	25MB	SugarSync
	Ubuntu One	5GB	No Limit	Ubuntu One
	Windows Live Skydrive	25GB	100 MB	Windows Live Skydrive
	iDrive	5GB	No Limit	iDrive
	Memopal	3GB	No Limit	Memopal
	ADrive	50GB	2GB	ADrive
	OpenDrive	5GB	100MB	OpenDrive
	Zumodrive	2GB	No Limit	Zumodrive
	TeamDrive	2GB	No Limit	TeamDrive
	Spideroak	2GB	No Limit	Spideroak
	Syncplicity	2GB	No Limit	Syncplicity
	Safecopy	3GB	No Limit	Safecopy
	Google Docs	1GB	1GB	Google Docs
	MiMedia	7GB	3GB	MiMedia

 'Results are uncertain even amongst experienced photographers' Matthew Brady

One In Ten

Welcome to the latest blog.

Walter Fogel     
Last years winner in the motion Category 

Photography competitions are a great way to put your name out there, win some cash and get work exhibited. There are many to choose from and I entered one already and now entering my second.  The Renaissance Photography competition raises money for the Lavender Trust and all the funds raised go to support breast cancer. Art therapy and photo-therapy are established  ways to express how we feel about a topic without having to use words. Naturally you do not need to make your pictures a visual message about breast cancer but if you know someone who has ever found a lump or if you have lost someone through this disease then it is a good reason to enter. With one In ten women experiencing the illness it is quite likely that you will know someone. Using your creativity to support a cause that has maybe touched your life is a noble thing to do. I find there is always something to learn by entering any competition. It could be a simple technical lesson like the correct dimensions for the images, meeting a deadline or attention to detail when reading the rules of the competition.

Nick Knight

The legendary fashion photographer Nick Knight has made some sensitive and moving portraits of women who have had a mastectomy. Please click on the link and have a look at this seminal work.

"Photography helps people to see" Bernice Abbott

Getting away with murder...

John Stoddart

Homage to a murder is an interesting concept tapping into our fascination with the macabre and the murder mystery genre. John Stoddart's work has always had touch of Helmut Newton about the choreography and a feeling of the smash grab aesthetic of a paparazzi so his style naturally fits the theme of the 'Black Dahlia Murder.' Earlier this week my learner's had been looking at themes in photography so I found the murder mystery narrative in John's work particularly relevant. The ability to tell a story clearly in a single image is not easy. The work on show also provides a rather 'dark' humorous look at the modern fascination with being famous at all costs. John is an internationally published photographer whose clients have included Vanity Fair, GQ and The New York Times. If you are going to be in London over the next month then this is worth a look especially as it is situated right in the heart of Soho at The Society Club.

Nicholas Brewer

Recently a class discussed pictures of twins and in particular the famous image by Diane Arbus. It is a lengthy process explaining that pictures of natures clones raise deeper questions than just our initial response to trying to spot the difference. I try to get students to think about their own identity and how that has evolved. Is it harder for twins to find their individuality as they are often treated as a collective?
"A positive attitude really can make dreams come true, it did for me" David Bailey.
Below is an interesting drama about David Bailey,  you should be able to watch it for about a week.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01b674s/Well_Take_Manhattan/

what a kerfuffle about sexualizing children

Mary Ellen Mark

Last week my students chose a well-known photograph and then critiqued it for a few minutes in front of the class, the group asked questions about the student's response followed by a brief discussion.  This picture caused my learners to feel a sense of moral outrage and created a sense of unity in purpose by condemning the Mother for allowing such an image. I reminded the class that images are often factual but never truthful so was it possible that Mary Ellen Mark somehow convinced the Mother to put the girl in make up and get her to smoke a cigarette for aesthetic purposes. I suggested to one learner, who has a daughter albeit younger than the one shown here, that in a few years she should allow me to photograph her daughter in this way. I thought there was about to be another riot in London! They did not think it was likely that the photographer orchestrated the look and felt the image was genuine in this respect. Now I do like to take the alternative point of view because moral outrage binds a group together and builds a team spirit within the class. The learners are a mixture of ages but the majority fall into the 16-19-age bracket and I was delighted by the unifying affect of the photograph.

It is a sign of maturity to admit that you have made a mistake, or at least my parents always told me this.  They must be very proud at the extent of my maturity this week. One of the learners, during a presentation of a photograph mentioned that there had been a 'kerfuffle' during the time that the image was taken. I was shocked! I work hard to improve their vocabulary and was mortified that all my good work appeared to be unraveling with this disregard for the Queen's English. 'Kerfuffle' was not a real word and by that definition I mean it needs to be in a dictionary. After a good natured and useful exchange of opinions we checked it online. I had humble pie with my tea during the break......

Nick Knight.

On Saturday I was filled with a mixture of emotions and tried hard not be tearful.  The cause of this was witnessing Nick Knight's beautiful and sensitive images of women who had a mastectomy. My Mother  had the same operation in the early 1980's and it created a surge of emotions as truly great photography can often do.