I spend a lot of time on post-production because I am still hyper-focussed on color correction, skin tone perception, and making sure that lighting is good in each and every image I deliver. That's just me I suppose.

Many people believe that we've reached a plateau, a stable point, in photography. Is that true? Who knows. My  current projects involve wading through my image archive, culling, cutting, re-filing, and backing up my images.

For this Fall through Winter I'm responding to the question, "Where are the images of me?" within the greater context of community. More later.

Fall Camera recommendations: Be honest with yourself. If you really aren't going to take the time to learn the ins and outs of any one camera system keep it basic and stick with your mid-low end "prosumer" Canon or Nikon, and check out the Sony RX100/Alpha line. Pocketable wonders:worth their time to learn: Fuji X100/X-Pro1, otherwise stick to your Apple iPhone/Samsung Galaxy 4/5/HTC M8 everyday photos.

Don't forget to tag, keyword, sensible re-name your best shots!

Thanks,

Mr. Jackson

2014-09-02

This year, 2014, will be an interesting one. The photo industry has undergone tremendous change since I began sometime in 2008, many, many jobs lost, two of the major mall/department store-based photo chains going bankrupt, and print-based companies closing, or really hanging on by the thinnest of thin margins.

What does the future hold? Some of the old, some of the new, and, perhaps interesting spins on old ideas.

I, myself, have been wrestling with the latter for a couple of years now. There are a few threads I plan on spinning later on, but we'll see. Memories are always important. For this summer my primary focus will be providing huge prints in my trademark style. Why? Four by six prints sit around, 5x7" and 8x10" prints are framed here and there, but who really can showcase work at larger print sizes?

Here is the link: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/7.htm

This is funny since the US governent put out stats saying that the average salary of a pro photog is ~$25,000 a year.

Link: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes274021.htm

Think about gross versus net income. After taxes, insurance, fixed and variable business costs, what is a photographer's real income? I smile since every photog I've spoken to does have a better employed spouse, and/or really hustles to bring in 'side' jobs. If you do visit the bls site, note that there is fair amount of variation in earnings.

Thanks for stopping by.

Mr. Jackson 

Guess what? The surveyor said that more people took, and asked for the paper form. Not to take away, but to fill out on site. That's when I went, "A-ha!" Folks love looking at my photographs. They enjoy what they see... are rarely drawn in. There has been an exception. When I show people my little 4" x 7" binder of actual prints, they linger, flip back and forth, comment, ask questions, always.

When was the last time you spent more than 10-15 minutes on any website, let alone any web page that wasn't academic? We really do browse the web. This isn't old news, pros of old always made proof prints for clients, and included shots that the client did not specifically request. Clients sat down and touched. Having a 24" by 36" print in hand is different from seeing the same image displayed at 4000K on a 60" high resolution flat screen TV.

All that from a paper survey.

Now for a laugh of sorts via  YouTube

"Shtuff People Say to Photographers"  http://youtu.be/niyTIbiV19A

Take Care.

Thanks also to Mr. Patel of I.M. Wine in Fulton, MD for allowing me the privilege of producing images of his business for his website. Taking pictures of things that DON'T MOVE is quite different from following and chasing children around.

Practice-wise, I've been spending my free evenings taking photographs of soccer players playing at our local fields. I'm a glutton for punishment. The players are usually a mix of of mostly Hispanic men, a few Africans, and the occasional Caucasian. Gameplay usually begins after 6:45 in the evening as the sun begins her downward slide and players move in and out of sun and shade. Not fun at all, so why practice?

This type of image-making forces me to use all modes of my camera. It forces me to ask why an image failed. It forces me, for example, to work hard to commit to muscle memory those multiple camera setting changes I'll have to make when I swing from a sunlit patch of field to a shaded area where two players are [about] to battle over the ball.

I look upon my camera as not only a tool, but as my artistic instrument. Capturing a unique moment is easy for me - it's my gift. Practice allows me to learn, to fail, to try, and more over, to hone a set of best skills, and photographic techniques that I can bring to bear on each situation I encounter. I want to continually improve.

My near to long term business goals are to expand my portraiture services while continuing to explore the coming together and reuniting that happens at life's close. Some folks think that the latter is creepy, but when do we really get to see our extended family and friends? Usually this happens at weddings - which I do not shoot - and at funeral or memorial services.

I've already inquired with Zenfolio about hosting/creating/managing a dual English - Spanish website. Many of my students come from Spanish speaking backgrounds.  Having a platform that, from the client side is comfortably accessible in Spanish AND that from the host (me in this case) can be translated to or created in Spanish would open worlds of opportunity.

Why the chicken? I take my photography seriously. But, sometimes, you just have to be seriously silly and enjoy those rest stop moments when you observe contented chickens wandering around the concrete picnic tables along I 70.