Category: Photography
Tales from the Ger: The art of becoming shaken, not stirred
Driving in Mongolia can be an adventurous and rewarding experience, once you learn to roll with the punches. To start, the traffic in Ulaanbaatar is comparable to that of Manila despite the fact that they have about 10 million less people on the road. Once leaving the city, though, the roads are nearly empty and the scenery of Mongolia’s beautiful steppe is simply breathtaking.
As you can see, their highways can be a little confusing. “Follow the white lines” does not exactly apply in Mongolia.
Then you run out of pavement. Mongolia only has four paved highways (one in each direction leaving UB) and they are really only paved for a few hundred kilometers or so. After that, it’s all dirt roads with limited signs (by “limited” I mean “none,” except maybe leaving a city or small town) and it’s extremely easy to get off course. The main “highways” are incredibly potholed from trucks and other commerce, so most individuals stick to the tire tracks next to the main thoroughfares, aka the frontage roads. These little tracks, however, kind of cross and veer all over the place, so without a good GPS you could find yourself having driven in the wrong direction for hours.
Following the power lines can be easier said than done
We discovered that it was generally better to follow the power lines. We hired a driver, which was almost the same price as going it alone, thinking it would be nice to not be liable for anything that happens to the car. I’d suggest not hiring a driver and just getting a really good gps in your language.
Sometimes getting from point A to B in Mongolia requires things that aren’t currently available, like bridges. Driving through a river crossing is relatively common, but, of course, there are risks.
Don’t worry, everyone made it out of the vehicle OKAY, albeit a little wet.
Tales from the Ger: Ulaanbaatar
Well, the summer turned into fall, and fall turned into the holidays and excuses, excuses, etc etc. I’ve been duly ignoring the blog. I do apologize, but now I’m back for your reading and all-things-photo pleasure. The next few entries are some images and thoughts on our trip to Mongolia in the late summer/early fall. It’s not really photography based, but there will be photos and it’s my blog so I’ll write what I want. Enjoy!
Mongolia is a vast and interesting place with a rich history and a culture to match. (You can google the history lesson on Chinggis Khan and communist control.) Nestled between China and Russia, Mongolia is the poster child of democracy for a formerly communist nation. Despite the trials of their recent history, Mongolia lacks that sense of desperation that can be found in third world countries. Yes, there is poverty, but there is not a lot of crime and very few peddlers vying for money at tourist hot spots. Maybe it’s just that there aren’t that many tourists, almost none during winter. Or maybe it’s simply that in this land of nomads, livestock and genuine hospitality, nobody goes hungry.
Ulaanbaatar
We started our journey in late August, just as summer was sighing her last breath with fall tapping at the back window. Flying in to Ulaanbaatar makes for a scenic landing; the city of about 1 million is condensed at its center and expands into a series of ger camps on the outskirts of the city. Along the countryside, single gers dot the rolling landscape amongst a seemingly confusing network of lines swirling on the ground (I later found out these were roads and highways, but more on that in another post).
As the world’s coldest capital city, the weather turns chilly quickly and early before the city sets in for a long and cold winter. After the day we landed (which was a lovely 80 degrees farenheit), we whipped out our chilly-weather clothes as the rest of our family and friends sweated out the worst heat wave in decades back in Texas. No complaints here, so far.
Ulaanbaatar is not the prettiest of cities in the world as most of it was built by Soviet communists in their typical high-on-function, low-on-aesthetics fashion. Since their liberation from the Soviets in 1990, however, a few modern buildings and sky scrapers have popped up around Sukhbaatar Square (in front of the parliament building) adding a delightful contrast to the otherwise bleak building facades.
Amongst the one million citizens of UB, you get the full gamut of personalities, from faux-hawked kids to countryside nomads to suited businessmen, all jam packed into one neat little package. Only the really old ladies or people performing traditional Mongolian music and dance wear traditional clothing anymore. Yes, even in Mongolia everyone’s homogenized.
Among the hustle and bustle of the city is a gentle blend of both Russian and Chinese influences with a big helping of the strictly Mongolian nomadic culture thrown in for good measure. There are also some unavoidable Western influences when it comes to clothing and music and the like, however, this is (so far) the only capital city I have visited in which I did not see a McDonald’s or a 7-11. Unfortunately, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. Once you get used to walking on a lot of unpaved and uneven pathways and probably some of the worst traffic in the world for such a small city, Ulaanbaatar is a pleasant city to explore that offers most of the usuals for a metropolitan area: history, arts, good food, and one million friendly faces.
Drooling over a Canon rangefinder
Since my addiction to traveling has me out of town for a few weeks, here is a post by a fellow photographer, Thomas Maupin of 38 Maple Photography out of Moore, OK. For all you collectors of old cameras, start salivating. Enjoy!
Drooling over a Canon rangefinder
By Thomas Maupin
Some guys have great luck. About five years ago, a guy I know found a 1950s rangefinder at an Oklahoma City garage sale. He quickly paid $50 for it and later sold it to a New York camera store for more than $1,000.
That was pretty high on my “Green With Envy” list until co-worker Paul told me about his new acquisition: a Korean War era Canon rangefinder. My green level went up a few degrees when Paul said the rangefinder was given to him for free. Paul is an up-and-coming professional photographer in Oklahoma City. He said a boyhood friend’s grandfather asked him to take photos of his house and relatives. Paul received the Canon rangefinder and its kit as payment.
The friend’s grandfather told Paul he bought the camera in Japan about the time of the Korean War and paid $400 for the camera and its kit. One night, Paul brought in a brown leather case with Canon stamped on the front. The case was a little bigger than my Domke F-5XC. In the accompanying photo, my Canon 72 mm lens cap is on the case. Strapped to the inside lid was a 7-inch Canon flash reflector. Inside the main compartment were more flash unit parts, a Gossen light meter (not sure about its age), a Canon filter/lens hood combination, and various other pieces of vintage equipment. Secured to the bottom of the carrying case was the Canon rangefinder, which was further protected by the bottom half of a leather case.
By now, I needed a bib!
I should have taken the time to look at the original manuals and sales slips in the carrying case. That information would have identified the camera model. Comparing my photos with those on the Canon Camera Museum website, I think the camera is a model “IV Sb.” But I could be wrong. As you can see in my accompanying photos, Canon Camera Company Inc. is stamped on the camera’s top. The lens is marked Canon Camera Co. Serenar f:1.9 50 mm. The website said the Serenar brand was changed to Canon in 1953.
I couldn’t help but think of David Douglas Duncan as I held the camera. (OK, he probably used a Leica). I had read that the introduction of the Leica M3 in 1954 shocked Canon’s engineers because of the M3’s brighter and clearer viewfinder.
Looking through the Canon rangefinder’s viewfinder was difficult for my 60something-year-old eyes. I had to remove my glasses to see the viewfinder’s corners, but that added to the blur factor. This was not the clear and bright viewfinder of a Leica M7 that another co-worker allowed me to hold and look through a few years ago. Paul said he plans to run some film through the Canon. His eyes are younger than mine, so he won’t have a problem.
My only actual rangefinder experience was using my dad’s 1953 Argus C3 while I was at the University of Missouri School of Journalism in the early 1970s. Hmmm, maybe I would have received an A instead of a B in the basic photojournalism class if I’d bought a used Canon or Nikon rangefinder or a new SLR. The Argus has long since been retired, and today I use a Canon DSLR. But I’d like to take the Canon rangefinder outdoors for a spin around town.
Take a picture in celebration of World Photography Day
Happy World Photography Day! World Photography Day is a lesser known (but growing) holiday where photographers worldwide celebrate their craft. The date of August 19th is significant to the world of photography because on August 19, 1939, a few months after Louis Daguerre published the announcement of his invention, the daguerreotype, the French government announced this invention as a “gift to the free world.”
Photography pro’s, enthusiasts, geeks, hobbyists, or even none of the above, take a picture today in commemoration of photography and its place in the world today. As a little dedication to photography, below you’ll find a gallery of my most recent personal project: a few pics taken in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Everybody loves a freebie
Alerting all pro photogs: PhotoShelter has a dozen photography business and marketing e-guides available for free. Yes, for free. You do have to provide your email address, however, it looks like that’s just because they email you the pdf as opposed to a general download. They also assured that email addresses would not be sold and are protected in a vault guarded by ligers. Why does humor make it seem more trustworthy?
I have not read any of the guides yet, but have downloaded and installed most of them on my Kindle. Looks promising. Thanks to the ASMP for the heads up on this one.
Yes, I’ll probably read this guide first.
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousands words…
…and sometimes an image is pretty succinct. Just like this post.
Maturity optional
A shift in focus
It’s happened to all of us: we grab an AWESOME shot, but upon further examination realize that a key element of said AWESOME photo is soft. Grrrr.
A company out of Silicon Valley is coming out with a new product later this year that takes focus out of the imaging equation. Yes, you read that correctly – no more out of focus images. Lytro’s camera let’s you select your focus point after the image is taken. The camera does this by capturing more light, and light from different angles, than your regular camera with a sensor called the microlens array. It basically fits a bunch of lenses into a neat and tiny package – a small point-and-shoot package to be exact. You can then go in after the fact to select your focus point in what Lytro calls a “living image.”
This new toy is garnering a lot of buzz from techno geeks and photographers alike, but a $50 million investment in the company begs the question: will it take off? In a nutshell, I say yes. Along with the obvious biggie of no out of focus shots, the camera brings some advantages to the table. To start, the time taken to focus an image is completely cut out of the process. This means no more waiting with a strained smile while the person taking the photo waits for the camera to do its thing. This combined with a lack of shutter lag makes the photo-taking experience particularly snappy.
Lytro is also working on the technology so the camera will be able to take images that are completely in focus (think Ansel Adams’ landscapes). But what about quality? Lytro has not yet made an official statement as to resolution, however, one of the prototype testers noted that there was no discrepancy between the resolution of the Lytro camera and his regular point-and-shoots. In addition to the technology, Lytro is in the process of making the images available to the usual suspects, namely Facebook and the iPad. To top it all off, Lytro images can be viewed in 3D, with the dorky glasses of course.
Another big looming question pertains to cost. Lytro has stated that the cameras will be available for the consumer market, meaning probably the lower end of hundreds of dollars. The release is expected late this year. Clearly the announcement of this new technology inspires more questions than it answers. Will I still be able to edit them in Photoshop? Will they even be jpgs? What about zoom? The FAQ page on Lytro’s blog answers some questions. Interested parties can keep tabs by reading the blog or signing up for the email list.
The video below explains a little more. For a fully interactive experience, check out their picture gallery.
Motion Pictures
A big trend in photography this year has been moving photographs. Wait, isn’t a moving photograph just a video? Technically yes, however, photographer Jamie Beck and motion designer Kevin Burg teamed up to create a new little technique that combines stills and motion into one neat little package. I first came across the moving photograph on Gilt Taste (click on the categories) and naturally had a double take. Did that cheese wrapper really just flutter? The basic idea is to take a still photograph and have a small part of the image move in a subtle way. If I was in advertising, I’d be jumping at the opportunity to put this new technique to work before everybody’s doing it.
©Photojojo
So, Shoot From the Hipster, how exactly does it work?
Patience, grasshopper. I am here to tell you.
The secret is in the GIF. A GIF is a file format that supports animation (think of all those online ads that flip). The “cinemagraphs” just involve a lot more frames to make the transition smooth and subtle. Think in layers. A still photograph is the top layer, with key areas cut out so the video underneath peeks through. It’s almost so simple that tons of graphics folks out there are having one of those little “doh!” moments and asking themselves: Why didn’t I think of that? The answer to that question is that video people think in motion, photographers think in stills. Score one for teamwork.
The best part about the cinemagraph is that anyone with Photoshop and a camera that takes video can do it. Photojojo has a great step-by-step guide on making your own.
So are cinemagraphs just a passing fad or here to stay? As always, it’s hard to tell. This is an advertising gold mine at the moment (think of the prospect of getting an audience to double take your ad), but overuse will ultimately result in everyone ignoring the ads, subtle motion or not, like they do today. If it remains cost-effective, they will stick around regardless. Personally, I’m waiting for the first art show of shifting photographs, or a room full of images playing dodge ball with each other.
Celebrating the great American snapshot
A “snapshot” is a photograph taken in spontaneity, often (but not always) with a non-professional camera. While a snapshot is not usually taken with any kind of artistic integrity in mind, the little imperfections that are synonymous with a snapshot can yield an artistic result. There is also something distinctively American about the snapshot, probably because we invented it. Good ‘ol Eastman Kodak invented the Brownie camera in 1900 and suddenly photography was no longer strictly for the professionals. “You push the button, we do the rest.” So begins the tale of poorly-exposed-heads-chopped-off-no-depth-of-field photography. The snapshot has, naturally, changed with the times. Film is no longer shipped to Kodak to get processed. In fact, people pretty much no longer get their images processed at all. (I don’t even get prints made anymore unless I am actually going to hang them up.)
The snapshot has made yet another leap as of late, moving from camera to phone. While few people make it a habit to bring their point-and-shoots with them everywhere, everyone brings their phone with them everywhere. The snapshot is suddenly peaking. People not only have the tools to take them anytime, anywhere, but they also immediately share them, either by uploading online or with a quick text or email.
In celebration of the art of the snapshot, photographer Chase Jarvis, an artist in a residency program at the Ace Hotel in New York, has created Dasein – An Invitation To Hang. This month-long project is an interactive “work of social art” in which Jarvis is taking snapshots around New York for a month. The cool part is that anybody can upload their own snapshots to share online. A selection of these images will also hang in the gallery at Ace Hotel New York and they will be updated with hundreds of new images daily. Photographers will not, however, be notified if their image is selected to hang. The only way to see if your snapshot makes it to the gallery wall is to stop by. Clearly this is limited to those living in or visiting New York, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all participate just for funsies.
This is one of my favorite personal snapshots. We were in Busan, South Korea, sight seeing and stop to look at the blowfish in a window-tank. We did not, however, go into the restaurant to try some. Another day, another day.
I read the news today, oh boy!
There are some pretty awesome things popping up in the news this month. The Mavs are giving the Heat a run for their money (suck it LeBron!), a bounce house in Long Island blew away in high winds with children still inside (don’t worry, there were a few injuries but everyone is OK so we are gonna give it a chuckle and move along – and yes, why wasn’t that stupid thing staked to the ground in the first place?), apparently we’ve gotten really really close to finding a cure and/or vaccine for AIDS, and a US Rep named Weiner got caught uploading a photo of his wiener on Twitter. It doesn’t get much better than that, folks.
Another little gem comes to us from National Geographic. They recently aired a special on NatGeo about Area 51 and published recently de-classifed photos from the base that doesn’t officially exist. This all came about after the CIA started declassifying materials from the Cold War. They also posted a bit about how they hid their little projects from Soviet satellites. Unfortunately for the conspiracy theory community, so far there have been no aliens seen or reported. It looks like Area 51 really is just an air base used to build and test new war planes, although some of the models do look a little saucer-esque. As if the CIA would ever actually declassify information on alien bodies anyway. Then again, maybe this all just a ruse to put the rumors to bed…..
About Me
After a photojournalism degree and a short stint as a lead photographer/photo editor at a news web site, I decided it was time to branch out on my own. I specialize in editorial food and travel photography but dabble in a little bit of everything.