Photo Blog

Flickr Q&A: RyanHC

calista.chandler — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:54:52 GMT

Welcome to another installment in our series of interviews with Flickr photographers. Ryan Hutchins, RyanHC on Flickr, caught my eye during a recent search for images of Aspen, Colorado. He has a fun style, capturing great portraits and action shots, as well as beautiful landscapes. He was nice enough to answer a few questions about his photography for us, and give some advice for aspiring photographers.

TravelMuse: What got you interested in photography and why do you continue to enjoy it?

Ryan Hutchins-Cabibi: I have been interested in photography for quite a while. My Dad was an avid amateur photographer, and I caught the bug as a youngster. My first camera was a 35mm fixed lens, viewfinder yashica that I still own. In high school I devoted most of my studies to photography and soon after high school opened my own freelance photography company, Epic Images. I worked with two other photographers shooting mostly Fine Art and action photography with a little photojournalism to try and pay the bills. I worked at camera stores to make ends meet and generally had a great time as a "starving artist". I found a great artistic community and volunteered for a community art gallery for a few years. When I finally went to college, I worked at the yearbook as a photo editor to get access to a darkroom. After graduating, I moved away from photography as the medium changed to more digital and I followed other passions. I finally began shooting again with a small digital point and shoot and when my wife said she would like a DSLR for her birthday one year, the candle was relit. Since then I have been shooting on and off with a variety of subjects, basically whatever I see around me when I have a camera.

TM: How long have you been using Flickr, and what do you like about it?

RHC: I've only been on Flickr for a few years. I love seeing what others are shooting, and being inspired by what they post. I like feedback about my images, the opportunities to network and share those images. Flickr helps me to pick my best images, or at least try to whittle it down to the best of a series.

TM: What kind of equipment and software do you use?

RHC: My equipment is pretty basic. I shoot with a Nikon D80 with Tamron lenses, a few manual focus nikkors that I had on my old N90. I have a handful of cameras, the old yashica, a N8008, N90, a 4x5 field camera that I would love to get back into, or find a digital back for (for cheap if such a thing exists!) an older HP 3.2mp point and shoot, and now the N90. I do basic editing in iphoto. I've looked at other software, and I'll go more advanced eventually. I find that coming from a film background, I am resistant to digital editing. I'm sure that will change once I realize what is possible.

TM: What is your favorite subject to photograph? What inspires you?

RHC: Things that inspire me are people interacting with nature, nature’s natural beauty. The places I go and the things I do there. I seldom go out with the intent of capturing anything specific. I've been thinking lately of giving myself some "photo assignments" but mostly I just look around and see what inspires me in the moment.

TM: What is your favorite photograph that you've taken and why?

RHC: My favorite shot is a picture of my wife in our kitchen lit by the setting sun. Beautiful women, incredible light and strong contrast, what more could you ask for?

Of course I'm biased. I also really like the shot of an off road truck that flipped over and has the crowd looking at it. It is unexpected and shows a dynamic event in a static moment, which i think is neat.

TM: What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?

RHC: I would tell aspiring photographers the same age old advice I got, shoot a lot, you'll get something eventually. I think this is a lot easier with digital, though it may be harder to see what is actually "good". Also, I think it is important to shoot what you are interested in. You will have a better sense of the subject, and shooting will be more fun.

Flickr Q&A: Eye of Einstein

ashleighn — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:20:22 GMT

Alan Einstein, known as Eye of Einstein on Flickr, is one of the photographers featured in this week’s Maui/Big Island issue. As a Hawaiian local, Alan has the envious opportunity to photograph the tropical beauty that surrounds him daily. He shares his photographs with the Flickr community, where he has photos in many different pools reserved exclusively for the best of the best in the Flickr-verse. He was kind enough to also share some insight into his life as a Big Island big shooter.

Eye of Einstein with Miss Kitty

TravelMuse: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Eye of Einstein: A little about me is that I am now considered a bona-fide senior citizen and therefore have the benefits of leisure time. I am retired from being a working guy. I spent most of my life in the motorcycle industry, now I’m devoting more time to my photography. I have been fortunate enough to have lived in Hawaii for around the last 40 years, but I spent my early formative years growing up in New York City. Living in Hawaii has offered me many opportunities to honor the practice of photography. I have had some of my works published over the years: some in magazines—experimental fashion, rock concert, motor racing—and others in the newspaper. I have evolved into living in a rural, leisurely style. I live in a very rural area of the Big Island near the active volcano and convenient to all natural and wildlife observance.

TM: What made you decide to share your photography through Creative Commons?

EE: Creative Commons seemed to be an opportunity for much more equitable sharing of my work. There are literally millions of practitioners of photography on earth.

TM: I've noticed that you are very active in the Flickr community. What kind of feedback or response have you gotten to your photographs on Flickr?

EE: Activity on Flickr involves interaction just like any social network and only a percentage of that interaction is about the actual photograph. Initially it is all about the perception of uniqueness and style and the quality of image, and it segues smoothly into making new friends worldwide. It is a very complementary society and a great way to learn about the world and the world of photography. It also can be obsessive and take a great deal of time to post and interact.

TM: What is your favorite thing to shoot?

EE: I have been interested in the practice of photography pretty much my whole life. I can remember having a Kodak Brownie camera, and I recall as a child hearing someone say to me, “What are you taking a picture of ‘nothing’ for?” My absolute favorite is to capture grand vistas of landscapes and panorama in the way that my mind’s eye perceives them. Sometimes I like to capture cityscapes if I am traveling.

TM: What is your approach to HDR photography and other post-processing techniques?

EE: I appreciate HDR and other post-processing techniques. Mostly, I think moderation is the key factor in these applications. I use post-processing extensively in a great deal of my works. I see nothing wrong or weird in using the digital darkroom at my disposal.

As a side note to this, I also have been trained in the zone system of black and white photography. In the present-time, I also use my camera phone for taking photos and have been pleasantly surprised at the results.

TM: What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?

EE: Speaking to digital photographers, I would say to take as many pictures as you can each day and to find a simple editing program to get familiar with the possibilities. Also, develop some style of one's own if possible.

TM: What is your favorite photo that you have taken, and why?

EE: This is a difficult choice, as I have several favorites, and they fit into different genres in which I have found myself immersed session by session from time to time. One is called “il bacio” a photo of two pears; another is called "boris the spider" a macro of a jumping spider; still another is a futuristic skyline shot of Honolulu and another taken at Keehi lagoon of sailing craft. The why is the feeling of personal satisfaction, of technical achievement and of mating the art and the science of digital photography.

“il bacio”

“eye on relationships”

Perhaps you would like to see them on my flickr photo stream at eye of einstein?

Flickr Q&A: arvind s grover

calista.chandler — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:40:19 GMT

One of the most striking images I have come across on Flickr in my time as a photo editor at TravelMuse is by Arvind S. Grover. Grover’s shot of a Red-Eyed Tree Frog clinging to a plant and looking straight at the camera was the obvious choice to represent this week’s featured destination: Costa Rica. After talking to Grover about using his image for our cover, and looking at some of his other work, I became interested in what makes this photographer tick. He is one of a new breed of talented hobbyist photographers who generously make their work available and usable for free, asking only that they are given credit. With the help of Flickr and Creative Commons these photographers are changing the face of photography.

Grover on a zip line in the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica.

TravelMuse: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Arvind S. Grover: I live in New York City and am the director of technology at a small, girls K-12 school in the city. I teach computer science courses as well as a digital media class (digital photography, video and audio). I am a photography enthusiast and have switched to the world of digital SLR’s and haven’t looked back. I am always trying to learn more and become a better photographer. My favorite type of photos are portraits, and New York City is a great place for it.

TM: What got you interested in photography?

ASG: My father was always (and still is) very into photography, and always had nice, 35mm film cameras ranging from a Nikon from the early 70’s, to a Canon EOS from the early 80’s, that I still have. I always wanted to use my Dad’s cool, big cameras, and he even got my brother so interested that he installed a darkroom in our basement. I’d have to say that Dad really sparked the interest early on.

TM: What kind of equipment and software do you use?

ASG: For the last two years I’ve been shooting on a Canon Digital Rebel XTi with mostly Canon lenses, but also a Sigma wide-angle lens. I generally use Aperture for some post-production on my photos and store all my photos online with Flickr. Sadly, on my trip to Ecuador this month, I was robbed by two men on a bus. They managed to get my camera with my Sigma lens as well as my 300mm Canon telephoto with image stabilizer. Luckily, I was not hurt. Now I need to get new equipment. Any suggestions? I still have Canon lenses/flashes/accessories, so will stay Canon.

TM: What is the most spectacular place you’ve photographed?

ASG: That is a tough question. I have been fortunate to travel around the world, and India is always an amazing place to shoot. My parents are from India, so it holds a special place in my heart. But generally, I don’t find the most scenic places the most appealing, but am more interested in people in their homelands. So really, any places where there are people is the right place for me.

TM: What is your favorite travel story?

ASG: Wow, I have tons. Taking a cab in the middle of the night to Fez in Morocco with a cab driver who spoke only French and Arabic, of which I speak neither, and having him drop us off on a random dirt road was pretty wild. Trying to argue with him to take us to the hostel proved futile. It wasn’t till we got there did we realize that the medina (old city) has roads that are about 1,000 years old, and only are wide enough for people to walk through. Finding someone to navigate the thousands upon thousands of streets that have no signs and that look exactly the same in every direction was some sort of miracle. Also finding a wonderful side restaurant at midnight that cooked up fresh flatbread and tagines was a great end to a pretty scary evening:

TM: How does photography change the way you travel?

ASG: Photography deeply changes the way I travel. I have been on vacations where I decide not to take my camera out, because I want to just enjoy the place and take in the experience. When I’m shooting, it’s almost like a job. Setting up shots, moving people around, adjusting camera settings, changing lenses, filters, etc. So it can be daunting. But coming home to that one great photo usually seals the memory of the trip, and it’s all worth it.

TM: What kind of feedback or response have you gotten to your photographs on Flickr?

ASG: At first, I didn’t get a lot of feedback because I was just uploading photos and maybe tagging them. Now, I upload, tag photos with many keywords, submit them to different groups, etc. I think a lot more people are thereby exposed to them, and they then come back with some great feedback. As a result, my photos have shown up in all kinds of places like an Austin city guide, your Web site, a wikipedia article and the Gothamist Web site. It’s been really fun and flattering to go through that.

TM: What made you decide to share your photography through Creative Commons?

ASG: I’m not a professional photographer out to make money through my work. I like to think of myself as part of a bigger community of photographers who just want to share what they’ve seen. Creative Commons is an amazing way for me to get credit for my work while still allowing others to use it in ways that helps them. It’s like kindergarten, sharing is caring.

TM: What is your favorite photo that you have taken, and why?

ASG: Jeez, that’s another tough one. I have some portraits of friends and loved ones that really make me feel like I’ve captured who they are as people. Sometimes silly, sometimes serious, something about their photos just makes me happy, like I snapped a millisecond of time where they were just being themselves. I have some of strangers like that as well, where a moment of expression just clearly resounds from the photo.

TM: What is your opinion on post-processing, especially enhancing photos?

ASG: I think it’s a great opportunity to rectify things that didn’t quite go right in the photos. I am not very good at it, nor do I have much patience for it, but I do some of it. As a photographer, you still have to capture the moment, frame the shot, know some basics, but postproduction can take you a whole lot farther with your photos. It’s worth spending some time learning.

TM: What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?

ASG: Shoot lots, and read. I have learned a lot by reading online. All of my photography bookmarks can be found here. But I particularly like the Digital Photography School blog.

Flickr Q&A: Babasteve

ashleighn — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:34:25 GMT

As a photo editor for TravelMuse, I have the privilege of living vicariously through the works of photographers that we use on our Web site. However, there are few photographers that I have come across whose images have moved me as much as the work of Steve Evans, known as Babasteve to the Flickr community. He has the unique ability to capture and convey a subject’s soul in his portraits.

Evans is a research associate, communication specialist and photographer with the International Center for Ethnographic Studies and has been to more than 90 countries throughout Africa, the Middle East and South Asia for his job. He received the 2008 Brimstone Award for Applied Storytelling for his work in Bhutan and an award for a collection of children’s stories. Below is a Q&A conducted by TravelMuse to learn more about this phenomenal photographer.

TravelMuse: As a travel photographer, what is your muse?

Steve Evans: There is a biblical proverb that says, “There are three things which are too wonderful for me, four which I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a woman.” It tells me that God is a photographer at heart! Or, at least, He has a photographer’s eye! ... I am astounded by this amazing world that we live in. My faith shapes how I see people, how I act toward them and how they respond to me.

In addition, I am inspired by the works of great photographers, such as Steve McCurry.

TM: I love your portraits. How do you approach people when you want to photograph them, and what is the usual response?

SE: First I try to be at ease, and I try to be friendly. It’s amazing how a smile and a friendly demeanor can cross language barriers. I usually gesture with my hands and camera that I would like to take their picture, and I am sensitive to their response. If it’s clear that the person does not want his or her picture taken, I normally don’t take it. I would say, though, that at least eighty percent of the time, people are not opposed to having their picture taken.

Sometimes it’s the context in which a person is found that draws me, that unique cultural environment that identifies someone, who they are and where they are from. This may be conveyed through a veil, turban or headdress, facial scars and markings, traditional jewelry and clothing, the surroundings of a market, workbench, or unusual architecture.

TM: What made you decide to share your photography through Creative Commons?

SE: Since I am paid for my job and don’t have to earn a living through my photography, I don’t feel compelled to charge for the use of my images, nor do I have the need to cling to them! I do however like to be recognized and acknowledged when one of my images is used. I was stunned when I saw the number and breadth of requests for my images, from major universities and museums to governments and non-profit and religious organizations. I was honored when Yahoo named me and one of my images in its top ten of 2006. Then Flickr and JPG Magazine chose one of my images for an advertisement, followed by Nikon. Recently Adobe Labs used a series of my shots to promote a new software program they developed! Click here to see a page with a compilation of these advertisements.

TM: What kind of equipment and software do you use?

SE: I feel extremely fortunate to use the equipment that I do. I have some of the best camera gear in the world.

Canon EOS 1 Mk III body
Two Canon 5D bodies
Canon 16-24mm 2.8 L series lens
Canon 50mm 1.4 lens
Canon 85mm 1.2 L series lens
Canon 70-200mm 2.8 L series lens
Canon 100-400 4.5 L series lens
Two Canon Speedlite 430EX flash units
Photo Mechanic software
Photoshop CS3 software

Let me quickly say, however, that I strongly believe that it is not the camera that takes good pictures, it’s the photographer. Anyone who works at developing his or her “photographer’s eye” and follows a few simple rules in shooting and composition can and will take better photos.

TM: What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?

SE: 1. Develop your photographer’s eye. Learn to see the world in a different light, from a different perspective. Intentionally look for that certain something to photograph.

2. Follow these simple rules and guidelines when shooting.
•Learn to read the light and remember that your best pictures will be ones taken in early morning or late afternoon.
•Go by the rule of thirds, dividing the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically.
•Avoid placing the subject in the center, but move it to one of the four areas where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect.
•Shoot close up to avoid distracting backgrounds, or at least see to it that the background contributes to the image and what you want your photo to say.

3. Shoot, shoot, shoot! In this digital world where the expense of film and processing are no longer factors, shoot to your heart’s content, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

4. Make yourself and your work available to those who need your images. There are a lot of worthwhile organizations and causes out there that can’t afford to hire photographers or buy photos. By offering your stuff to them, you are able to build up a resume and get your work seen at the same time.

TM: Do you have a favorite story from your travels?

SE: There are some amazing photographic journeys that will always stand out in my mind, like a fabulous five-day drive from Asmara, Eritrea, to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Wow, the amazing scenery of that high-altitude country is phenomenal, and to see the people and culture there was incredible. Then there was the drive from Kabul, Afghanistan, to Mazar-e-Sharif. Another journey I shall always remember is the drive through the Himalaya Mountains from Srinagar, Kashmir, to Leh, Ladakh. When I wasn’t fearing for my life and hanging on to my seat for dear life because of the sheer drop-offs along the unprotected side of the road, I was basking in the beauty of the mountains and valleys, rivers and glaciers, and enjoying the stark change of moving from a pure Muslim culture to a pure Buddhist one. My multiple trips to the mountain kingdom of Bhutan are nearly indescribable. Bhutan and the Arab country of Yemen are two of the most unique places I ever been to.

In addition to some great photo journeys I’ve taken, there are a few incidences that will always stand out in my mind. I remember having to shoot the fatal crash of a U.S. Air Force training jet one time. … Another time I went to Angola during the height of its horrific civil war to document the civilians there who were caught between two warring factions. … I remember the Rwandan genocide and the refugee camps located in the Congo where a million Hutu refugees fled Rwanda. I was there to document the one-year anniversary of the genocide and the plight of the refugees in the camps.

TM: What is your favorite photo that you have ever taken and why?

SE: I was living in Zimbabwe and had the chance to go way out into the bush to visit with the Tonga people, who live in the remote Zambezi valley. Here was this tribal people living as they had lived for hundreds of years in their traditional clothing and jewelry, smoking their “dagga” pipes and living in huts, but they were literally starving to death because of a severe drought that had hit much of Africa during that time. We were some of the first foreigners most of these villagers had ever seen, and the children were especially curious. I snapped a shot of some young boys covered in dust and lined up along a mud wall who came out to get a look at the strange outsiders who had come to visit. As I said, the image isn’t technically all that great, but I love the haunting, isolated, melancholic feel that this picture has. It will always remind me of my sixteen years spent living in Africa and how special the people are there.