Author: janikphoto

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Joyce Tenneson in Dallas…

Did you know that Joyce Tenneson was going to be in Dallas this week?  I just found out, thanks to www.Photopol.us and Pegasus News reporting it:  

Fannin Performance Hall (Richland College)
April 16, 7p.m.
Joyce Tenneson lecture, image presentation, and book signing
Joyce is a well-known photographer and author of thirteen books.  According to the Pegasus News blurb, she was voted as “one of the ten most influential women photographers in the history of photography”.  I’d go if I didn’t already have a shoot scheduled at that time.  If you aren’t working, you should attend.
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Got the fever?!?

I’ve done lots of DIY projects in the past, making camera parts out of all sorts of stuff.  I used to do it a lot during my college days, when I had more time and less money.  This guy has the same spirit of using trash and scraps to make something useful – a Pringles can was turned into a lens extension tube!  

I’ve been meaning to make a homemade tilt/shift lens for my slr’s, but never got around to trying it.  Maybe I’ll get around to the project soon.  That link has inspired me…
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Easter egg hunt…

Those pictures I posted in a previous blog, showing me doing some video reporting at an easter egg hunt…  This is the story I was covering:  

http://lakewood-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/article/9641  

Since I am still pretty new to the whole video thing, I’d love to get some comments/feedback from you all.  I think I’m doing pretty good.  I could use a bit more training in Final Cut Pro and some more/better video equipment, but that all will come with time, practice, more assignments, more money… you know.
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Yet another…

I found yet another photographer online (this one is based out of Atlanta) that has some nice work and an interesting blog:  

He has several nice shots worth looking at and a pretty nice/informative blog.  He could stand to edit out a few blah pics, but overall, his portfolio looks very nice.  Check him out.
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Me, in action…

A friend sent these images to me.  She was sent them by a friend who was at an event I was assigned to do a video story on.  I forget the original photographer’s name, but I’ll try to find it and attach it to these images.  She deserves proper credit, even if the subject matter is something boring like me…  

 
Anyway, now you can see me in action – looking all goofy.
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Invoicing…

Why is invoicing clients so horrible?  I try my best to put it off until I have to.  I procrastinate and look for ways to postpone it (like writing blogs, instead).  You’d think it would be the very first thing that I wanted to do.  

When you are billing clients hundreds or thousands (or occasionally for me, tens of thousands) of dollars, you’d think the invoice would be a celebrated and joyous event.  Well, there is a certain amount of pride that comes with seeing a large dollar amount attached to your hard work (it’s much better than doing a lot of work and being unpaid and unappreciated), but it is still office work.  
Maybe because I’m an artist at heart, or maybe everyone hates this sort of clerical stuff…  I don’t know.  Either way, I absolutely hate having to create and send invoices.  It is so boring.  That’s the life of a freelance photographer, though.  25% fun art stuff and 75% boring business/office stuff.  Get used to it, if you want to be in the business.
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Another blog…

It’s interesting what all you find on the net for inspiration.  I spotted this blog and liked a few of the shots on it:  

Her style is much different than mine, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get inspired from some of her work.  Maybe you’ll look over it and see a few things that catch your eye, too?  It’s always good to look at other people’s work and draw inspiration and ideas from it.  I wouldn’t suggest trying to copy it, but you can take little tidbits from everywhere/anywhere in the world and incorporate it into your own personal style…
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Pinhole photography…

There have been a lot of photographers attempt the art of pinhole photography.  I spent an entire semester in an independent studies photography class focused on pinhole photos during college.  It is a very challenging and very rewarding art form.  

It’s been years and years since I pulled out any of my homemade pinhole cameras (I built them from old scraps of wood, tin cans, or any other light tight object I could find).  I was reading the Sunday edition (yes, it’s Monday already…  I fell a day behind in the newspaper, because I was really busy yesterday) of the Dallas Morning News and noticed a fun story in the Guide Sunday section.  
The story was about one of the DMN photogs – G.J. McCarthy – titled “In Trash, Beauty”.  In the ten years I’ve been contracted to shoot for them, I’ve seen a lot of the photographers up there try some pretty fun and creative photo essays.  I think this is the first pinhole essay, though.  
There is a video link on their website, if you missed the printed story.  It shows a few pinhole pictures and has an interview:  
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Current issue…

I’m pretty happy with the current issue of Quick.  I think my photo of Denton, TX musician Robert Gomez looks pretty darn good.  A great cover is not just a great photo.  It takes the photo, the initial idea/plan, the layout and design, and a good editor to make sure the vision/idea actually translates well in the final product.  

I’ve seen plenty of publications get things “kind of right” or “not so right”, because they messed up in the planning stage, photo, layout, or final edit stages.  It really takes a lot of effort to make something look effortless…

The current issue is filled with my photos, but I’m not going to copy and paste ten pages worth of my images.  You’ll just need to pick up a copy around town or download it at www.quickdfw.com to see everything.  I will share this page, though:  
Why this one?  Well, I just think it’s interesting when a photographer photographs another photographer.  I think I captured Scotty Mankoff’s spirit pretty well.  His interview is a pretty fun read, as well.  The quantity of pictures that he’s taken over the last couple years is mind-boggling, so I wanted to show him buried in his photos – literally!