Everything about this short film is good! It’s a very enjoyable introduction to Stephen Shames‘ style of photojournalism.
I liked it so much I just bought his digital monograph (aka ebook) Bronx Boys. The quality is great and it’s a steal compared to the paper books I buy. (You can save a few bucks by getting it in the iTunes store if you’re willing to view on the iPad only.)
Shames spent decades documenting the lives of the young people he met in the Bronx. Back when I was a television reporter I lived in the Bronx for a stretch and reported on it extensively. I have great respect for everyone who dedicates themselves to telling stories there; it’s no picnic. The body of work he created is spectacular.
Here are a few of his best-known frames from the Bronx Boys project.
Art vs. Craft
“Photography has always reminded me of the second child trying to prove itself. The fact that it wasn’t really considered an art, that it was considered a craft, has trapped almost every serious photographer.” - Richard Avedon
Never forget that wedding photography is a rather adventurous pursuit compared to a typical desk job. You have a front row seat and a backstage pass to one of the greatest forms of improvised human theater: a wedding day. No cast of characters, no stage, and no cocktail of emotions is ever quite the same. Your job and your life are inherently interesting. Use this advantage!
When you’re not sure what to ‘say’ online…
- Go through your full catalog of pictures and pick the ones with the best stories attached. Not the most creative compositions or the most technical lighting, the best stories.
- Use captions to give your viewer enough background and insight. Remember, they’re good stories to you because you know the context. You know details about the characters that aren’t visible in the photographs. Online viewers don’t have any of this knowledge so you have to provide it.
Something magical happens when you tell your favorite wedding stories online. Suddenly you’re telling people what you find important and significant. You’re expressing your sensibilities as a one-of-a-kind human. You’re sharing your view of the world.
You’re using photographs to express something about you.
That’s what great artists do.
You Have a Style
Your style = composition problems solved using methods you created.
Chances are you already have a least one picture that works because you single-handedly made it work.
Shoot more of those.
I’ve already told you what I think about choosing a RAW processing company to handle your digital post-production.
Now it’s time to get some inside information – straight from lab owners themselves.
I asked the heads of five prominent labs everything from which size they think is best to a big thing no one in our industry talks about – companies that send your images to India for processing.
I’ve been using labs for years, but some of these answers still surprised me.
Be advised, this is not a brief post. I made the decision to keep their answers a bit long because I think you can handle it. If you’re looking for a perfect RAW lab partner you want all the inside information you can get.
Enter the experts.
