∞ Blog ∞
On Photography, Art, And The Creative Life
Welcome to the place affectionately known as my "writings on the walls", where you will find images, thoughts, and discussions on Photography, Art, and The Creative Life... or so I'm told.
To Upgrade, Or Not To Upgrade, That Is The Question
We've all been there. We know the drill. If you are doing your post-processing of images with a program that you bought and paid for outright, that is you own it instead of opted for a subscription model (don't get me started), then you are inevitably faced with the decision to upgrade when a new version comes out, or not. The price of upgrading is...
Read the Full Post »
"He Of The Darkroom Eyes" ~ On Mentors, Teachers, and Senseis
"He Of The Darkroom Eyes” (Portrait of Jerry Uelsmann)
"You can do that?!" That was a revelatory question a young photography student named Jerry Uelsmann asked his Photography teacher Ralph Hattersley. As Jerry tells it, he was showing his teacher a contact sheet from a roll of film and trying to decide which image to print. There where two very...
Read the Full Post »
Got Film? ~ A Part Two Update
Almost five years back I wrote a blog post called "Got Film? Digital Photographers Now Have Choices" on the state of the art of digital film emulation at that time. A lot has changed for me since then. For one thing, Apple chose to deep-six their pro photography editing app Aperture which prompted many photographers to look at alternatives. I chose...
Read the Full Post »
I Was Dark Mode Before Dark Mode Was Cool... Or A Thing
Way back in November 2007 I started this site to showcase my work, and eventually find a home for my blog. My goal then was rather simple: I wanted to create a warm, comfortable place to view my photography as if you had walked in from the bright light of the day into a beautiful gallery space. As I looked at lots of other portfolio sites then (and...
Read the Full Post »
Learning To Love Layers
Ok, I love layers! I'm not talking about the Photoshop Layers feature, although that is great and how most of us think of "layers", but I mean the visual layers that images can provide. Like music with many tones and chord changes, multiple instruments building a beautiful soundscape, images can give us a similar, visual experience.
I've often sai...
Read the Full Post »
Tools :: On Why Gear Really Does Matter
So you think gear doesn't matter? Or maybe you are on the side of those who are all about the supremacy of gear at the expense of creative expression? So many folks side with one or the other, or split the difference for the sake of peace and tranquility. If gear does matter, then the arguments go to which gear matters more. It's always interesting...
Read the Full Post »
Paint The Fence :: Lessons I've Learned From Mr. Miyagi
M r. Miyagi was a great teacher, albeit a fictitious one. If you are not familiar with this inspiring teacher of karate, see this clip from the the original " Karate Kid " film. Then rent the whole film for more wisdom on life, courage, and the powerful influence on each other student and teacher share. It got me thinking of all the ways we learn w...
Read the Full Post »
On Perfectionism And Craft
"Do a good job, Trace, but not too good of a job." I was told that once, from a photographer I had worked with many years ago, when I was starting out. Considering the incredible attention to detail and painstaking work on set we achieved to create the highest quality commercial images, I was a little surprised. I guess I had garnered the reputatio...
Read the Full Post »
On Teaching Photography, Teaching Life
“We could teach photography as a way to make a living, and best of all, somehow to get students to experience for themselves photography as a way of life.” ~ Minor White
I love Minor White. I never met him, nor had him as a mentor, but his teaching and influence has impacted my life and my own teaching. I first found out about him an his wor...
Read the Full Post »
Torn Between Two Lovers
I've always smiled at the thought of American Poet Robert Frost's epitaph, which reads, "I Had A Lover's Quarrel With The World." I get that. As photographers and artists, I think we all have a genuine love affair with the medium, and by extension, with the world as well. Most photographers become drawn to certain types of images, be they monochrom...
Read the Full Post »
We Were Mod Once :: Last Of My iPhoneography Books
Feeling nostalgic for things we grew up with is as natural to humans as breathing. We're simply wired for nostalgia. Some of the things we grow up with aren't only from the time but include things from earlier times too. Things from our parents and grandparents days filter in with what we see as uniquely ours. Music, movies, dances, clothing styles...
Read the Full Post »
On Resting Places
Sometimes it seems like this techno-photo-centric world we are in is racing along at a break-neck speed. Newer cameras, faster lenses, more powerful and innovative software, coming at us faster and faster, with so many pundits and others in the industry touting the virtues of the ever newer thing. Can we just catch a breath?
Where do you rest? Whe...
Read the Full Post »
Reflections :: A 2013 Look Back And A Look Forward
As this is the last post of the year, I can't help and do some reflecting on this past year, and looking forward to 2014, and new adventures to come. It has been a year of trials, tribulations, and triumphs. I've always had a hard time at this time of year. Being a spring baby, the winter months feel depressive and gloomy
Though it is wonderful be...
Read the Full Post »
Why Zenfolio Matters
Why have I chosen Zenfolio for my website as opposed to any other portfolio hosting solutions or a Wordpress site? Essentially, why does Zenfolio matter? Let's take a look: First and foremost, Zenfoliio has easily customizable templates that make creating a unique folio site easy. The backend, which we'll get to in a bit, is uniquely built for ease...
Read the Full Post »
Are You "Seriesous"?
Creating a new body of work can start with a whiff of inspiration from anywhere, and that inspiration can come to you at anytime. All of my iPhoneography Books have been born out of some form of this process. The idea of taking a subject, exploring a process, and working through a series of improvisations, much like a jazz musician does, can lead t...
Read the Full Post »
Copyright © trace photographs All rights reserved