PhotoIndica Blog » Thoughts http://www.photoindica.com/blog Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:53:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Addicted to Love err. Blackberry http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/09/09/addicted-to-love-err-blackberry/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/09/09/addicted-to-love-err-blackberry/#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:53:32 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1218 Addicted to Love err. BlackberryI took this photograph a day or two before an interesting segment aired on the Diane Rehm show about our addiction to smart phones and how it is having an effect on relationships. She was interviewing William Powers, author of the book Hamlet’s Blackberry. It was a very interesting interview that I highly recommend you [...]]]> Addicted to Love err. Blackberry
I took this photograph a day or two before an interesting segment aired on the Diane Rehm show about our addiction to smart phones and how it is having an effect on relationships. She was interviewing William Powers, author of the book Hamlet’s Blackberry. It was a very interesting interview that I highly recommend you take the time to listen. Here is the link to the Diane Rehm Show: Hamlet’s Blackberry

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]]> http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/09/09/addicted-to-love-err-blackberry/feed/ 0 Barbie – The Fashion Experience http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/09/04/barbie-the-fashion-experience/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/09/04/barbie-the-fashion-experience/#comments Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:03:21 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1211 Trapped in a Barbie world...Barbie – I don’t think any doll will ever come close to her when it comes to attracting attention. For generations of girls this doll has come to signify many things both good and bad. The Indianapolis Children’s Museum currently features an exhibit called “Barbie – The Fashion Experience“. It is an amazing collection of [...]]]> Trapped in a Barbie world...
Barbie – I don’t think any doll will ever come close to her when it comes to attracting attention. For generations of girls this doll has come to signify many things both good and bad. The Indianapolis Children’s Museum currently features an exhibit called “Barbie – The Fashion Experience“. It is an amazing collection of all things Barbie including art work from such notables as Andie Warhol (It is the Barbie in the photo below).
In the Church of Barbie...
It was fascinating to see how my daughter was drawn to these dolls as if by instinct. Should I be worried that she might be getting the wrong message – I don’t think so. Anything in moderation is a good thing and I don’t want her to miss out on creating her own experiences.

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]]> http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/09/04/barbie-the-fashion-experience/feed/ 2 Butterflies in my stomach – Why I like Street Photography http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/27/butterflies-in-my-stomach-why-i-like-street-photography/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/27/butterflies-in-my-stomach-why-i-like-street-photography/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:17:32 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1194 Young at Heart and Born to be Wild!Street photography is a difficult art. Anticipating and capturing fleeting scenes as they happen before you is an extreme mental exercise and can leave you exhausted. You strip away everything relying only on your intuition and a keen understanding of your camera – it is photography in its purest form. You get close to the [...]]]> Young at Heart and Born to be Wild!
Street photography is a difficult art. Anticipating and capturing fleeting scenes as they happen before you is an extreme mental exercise and can leave you exhausted. You strip away everything relying only on your intuition and a keen understanding of your camera – it is photography in its purest form.
Toughie having a softee!
You get close to the action and sometimes end up staring into the eyes of the very subject you are photographing. You have butterflies in your stomach and get an adrenaline rush – not knowing how someone would react when they see you and your camera very briefly. I am still learning about my camera and how to operate it without even looking at the controls. I however decided not to shoot a photograph without first composing it in my viewfinder. There is something very beautiful about a well composed street photograph that utilizes the entire frame and needs very little cropping. It is a challenge but one that is worth taking.

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]]> http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/27/butterflies-in-my-stomach-why-i-like-street-photography/feed/ 2 Life, Liberty*, and Equal* Rights for All http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/24/life-liberty-and-equal-rights-for-all/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/24/life-liberty-and-equal-rights-for-all/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:45:49 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1190 Liberty* and Equal* Rights for All* Some exceptions may apply. Found this in my neighborhood (Broad Ripple, Indianapolis, IN). I thought it was an appropriate symbol for some of the rancorous and often xenophobic discussions that are currently taking place in this great country of ours. I mentioned to someone a while ago that we all have rights but they [...]]]> Liberty* and Equal* Rights for All
* Some exceptions may apply.

Found this in my neighborhood (Broad Ripple, Indianapolis, IN). I thought it was an appropriate symbol for some of the rancorous and often xenophobic discussions that are currently taking place in this great country of ours. I mentioned to someone a while ago that we all have rights but they are not equal. He shot back asking for proof that what I said was true. Well I don’t have to show him any proof – it is all around us. Just turn the TV on, or read the news papers and you will see ample evidence that will prove my point. Anyway I don’t want to get into political discussions as they only lead to unnecessary pain and anguish on my part.

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]]> http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/24/life-liberty-and-equal-rights-for-all/feed/ 0 Is print making dead? http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/17/is-print-making-dead/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/17/is-print-making-dead/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:45:27 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1173 The Indiana State fair is an annual affair like any other state fair. What I did not know until recently is that there is more to the state fair than the usual animal and farming shows. In fact I found an entire section dedicated to photography although it is not well publicized. Anyway so I [...]]]>
The Indiana State fair is an annual affair like any other state fair. What I did not know until recently is that there is more to the state fair than the usual animal and farming shows. In fact I found an entire section dedicated to photography although it is not well publicized. Anyway so I walk into the area where the photography exhibit was setup and boy was I underwhelmed – not by the quality of the images but by the disservice the print quality and presentation did to them. The photographs were wonderful even though some of them were heavily photoshopped. However the print quality and presentation were just horrible – even in the professional category. There was no breathing room between any of the photographs and they all seemed to blend together. I just don’t understand the need to display every entry that was ever sent to the exhibit. Select a few and do the best job presenting them including the light under which they are displayed. Going back to the original intent of this post – Is print making dead? It definitely felt that way yesterday. Many photographers think that their job ends with capture and some tweaking in Photoshop. Many don’t go beyond these basic steps to do their absolute best to get the most out of their capture and make it ready for output. I guess that’s okay since many are going to just publish their images to the web. However if you are going to make prints please take some time to understand the finer points of print making. There are several excellent resources on the web such as photo.net, Luminous landscape, and Normen Koren to learn and understand the issues around the fine art print. Manufacturers like Epson also publish several useful guides to the print making process. If you are the workshop kind of guy/gal there are several options as well such as the Santa Fe workshop series. Even if you don’t do your own printing it still helps to know the finer points so that you can have an intelligent conversation with your printer and give them the right instructions so that the final print is a reflection of your artistic intent and not a stroke of luck and some random settings.

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]]> http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/17/is-print-making-dead/feed/ 0 Composites: Some experiments http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/14/composites-some-experiments/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/14/composites-some-experiments/#comments Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:45:56 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1165 Push Button for One WarI usually stumble on to lot of the techniques by accident. I never tried doing composites in Photoshop but yesterday I decided to jump in give it a try. I had an opportunity to attend a workshop/photowalk with Kevin Raber, VP of Marketing for PhaseOne – the digital medium format company. The above image is [...]]]> Push Button for One War

I usually stumble on to lot of the techniques by accident. I never tried doing composites in Photoshop but yesterday I decided to jump in give it a try. I had an opportunity to attend a workshop/photowalk with Kevin Raber, VP of Marketing for PhaseOne – the digital medium format company. The above image is a composite of three different images that I took during the photowalk. I just find it interesting that this composite makes so much sense in the context of drones and satellite guided weaponry. Soldiers don’t have to be in actual combat. Instead one can sit in an air-conditioned cube and remotely fight a war by pushing a joy stick and punching some buttons. Here is another one that I created from a USA Today newspaper box and a sculpture in the Evan Lurie Gallery:

Experiments with Composites

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    ]]>     http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/14/composites-some-experiments/feed/ 0     A brief review of Canon AE-1 Program Plus 50mm f1.4 Lens http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/12/a-brief-review-of-canon-ae-1-program-plus-50mm-f1-4-lens/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/12/a-brief-review-of-canon-ae-1-program-plus-50mm-f1-4-lens/#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:35:57 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1150 Canon AE-1 Program Plus 50mm f1.8 LensI did not know anything about Canon Cameras until recently. I have always been a Nikon guy and never owned a Canon until I came across a used Canon AE-1 camera at the local pawn shop. I paid $40.00 for the body plus lens (50mm f1.8 Canon FD lens) and another $10.00 for a Energizer [...]]]> Canon AE-1 Program Plus 50mm f1.8 Lens
    I did not know anything about Canon Cameras until recently. I have always been a Nikon guy and never owned a Canon until I came across a used Canon AE-1 camera at the local pawn shop. I paid $40.00 for the body plus lens (50mm f1.8 Canon FD lens) and another $10.00 for a Energizer A544 battery to power the metering system and the electronic shutter. The battery is supposed to last for about a year but I managed to completely drain one within a day – just don’t ask me how it is embarrassing. Just turn the switch back to the “L” (Lock) position when not using the camera and you will be safe. It wasn’t soon after that someone was selling another Canon AE-1 (not the Program version), three lenses including a 50mm f1.4, and an unused Canon Flash for $50.00. The lens itself is worth $30 – $50 on eBay and KEH. The 50mm f1.4 lens soon became my favorite combination to use with the AE-1. Although I rarely use the lens at f1.4 because it is a bit soft at that aperture. However it gives me an extra stop in a pinch which is always nice.

    For a more detailed description of the camera please visit this LINK.
    Here is a portrait of Mira that I took with the AE-1 Program and 50mm f1.4 lens wide open. The film used is Ilford HP5 Plus, developed in Kodak HC110 for 11 minutes at 68ºF, scanned and edited in Photoshop CS3.

    M.

    Mira studying hard to be a Doctor :-)
    Boo Fitz Koduri - almost Noctilux look?
    The camera is an absolute joy to use and feels really solid in your hands with easy to reach controls. The meter is dead on and the camera itself is very rugged having survived multiple drops from my clumsy hands. The viewfinder is bright and big, the shutter is a bit loud but very smooth, and the film advance is just fabulous. I highly recommend getting one if you can find one for under $50.00 – you won’t regret it.

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    ]]>     http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/12/a-brief-review-of-canon-ae-1-program-plus-50mm-f1-4-lens/feed/ 1     A Conversation with Tom Casalini, Portraitist Extraordinaire [Part 2] http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/10/a-conversation-with-tom-casalini-portraitist-extraordinaire-part-2/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/10/a-conversation-with-tom-casalini-portraitist-extraordinaire-part-2/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:06:35 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1134 I interviewed Zionsville, IN based photographer and portraitist Tom Casalini a few days ago. In Part 2 of my conversation with him he talks about going digital, advantages of working in a studio instead of on-location, working with families, and selecting the final images and presenting them to the client. Related PostsA Conversation with Tom [...]]]> I interviewed Zionsville, IN based photographer and portraitist Tom Casalini a few days ago. In Part 2 of my conversation with him he talks about going digital, advantages of working in a studio instead of on-location, working with families, and selecting the final images and presenting them to the client.

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    ]]>     http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/10/a-conversation-with-tom-casalini-portraitist-extraordinaire-part-2/feed/ 0     A Conversation with Tom Casalini, Portraitist Extraordinaire [Part 1] http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/04/a-conversation-with-tom-casalini-portraitist-extraordinaire-part-1/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/04/a-conversation-with-tom-casalini-portraitist-extraordinaire-part-1/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:00:41 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1080 Tom Casalini has spent a little over three decades behind the camera. He has worked on national campaigns for companies such as McDonalds, Life Magazine, and Timex to name a few. But if you ask him he will tell you without hesitation that portraiture is his true passion. When you see his portraits you will [...]]]>
    Tom Casalini has spent a little over three decades behind the camera. He has worked on national campaigns for companies such as McDonalds, Life Magazine, and Timex to name a few. But if you ask him he will tell you without hesitation that portraiture is his true passion. When you see his portraits you will understand why he feels that way. Each of his portrait creations is a result of his innate ability to draw out the most intimate details about a person’s life and translate them into a vision that paints a honest picture of who they are. I am a great fan of Tom’s work and have been contemplating for a while to meet him and talk to him about his style and philosophy concerning portraiture. I contacted Tom last week about doing an interview and he agreed to meet me at his studio. Tom’s studio is located in Zionsville, Indiana, a quant artsy town northwest of Indianapolis. You can find him and his portfolio online at Casalini Portraits. He is also the author of the book “Ordinary Heroes” – a tribute to the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. Here is Part 1 of my interview with Tom:

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    ]]>     http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/08/04/a-conversation-with-tom-casalini-portraitist-extraordinaire-part-1/feed/ 2     Leica M3 Plus 5cm Summicron – My new baby! http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/07/31/leica-m3-plus-5cm-summicron-my-new-baby/ http://www.photoindica.com/blog/2010/07/31/leica-m3-plus-5cm-summicron-my-new-baby/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:19:59 +0000 PK http://www.photoindica.com/blog/?p=1062 My new baby :-) Well what can I say – I got a great deal on this Leica M3 camera and couldn’t pass up on the opportunity. Looking forward to taking some photographs with it over the weekend and see what the fuss about Leica’s been all about. It had a pretty good layer of dirt, but as you [...]]]> My new baby :-)

    Well what can I say – I got a great deal on this Leica M3 camera and couldn’t pass up on the opportunity. Looking forward to taking some photographs with it over the weekend and see what the fuss about Leica’s been all about. It had a pretty good layer of dirt, but as you can tell it cleaned up very well and the lens is beautiful. Not bad for a circa 1958 camera and lens. It’s a shame that the same cannot be said about newer cameras. I can also be assured that I will get my money back if and when I choose to sell it not that it will ever happen.

    Leica M3 with 5cm Summicron Lens

    and the obligatory test photograph of Mira reading a book….

    Mira Reading a book (Leica M3 Test Roll)

    Mira, Freida, and Fitz enjoying the crisp morning weather

    And that's how you will distract dad and I will get the cookies!

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