Photography

BHInsights blogger David Wells has been a busy man! He was recently on an assignment that tasked him to photograph the historically-significant Islamic architecture in Bijapur, in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka, for Saudi Aramco World Magazine. They were quite tedious to get to, since there is no commercial airport in Bijapur, and during the short window of time that he had for the shoot, no trains could be found from Mumbai, to get him to and from that city with enough time to do the kind of photography he was expected to do.

Capturing the photo above was not only quite a physical task, but also required lots of knowledge and understanding of exposures and metering. Here's David Wells, explaining how he got the shot:

When I first started to do some research for this article, I decided to look up the word "Magic" because that’s how I feel about photography and—for that matter—any other art form. These are the words used to describe Magic: Enchanted, Thrilling, Powerful, Mystery, Supernatural, and Exquisite. If someone were to describe my work, these would certainly be the words I would want them to use. So the question remains: How do you create Magic with your work? How can you design a beautiful portrait of a person, landscape, animal, food etc. that warrants this kind of description? Let’s not forget that we are also trying to make money and stand out from the crowd—at least that’s what I’m trying to do.

For me, the magic process begins with the image I’ve created in the camera. Lighting is everything. It’s my primary concern, regardless of what I’m photographing. In my case, though, it’s usually a person. I make my living photographing children and families, and creating maternity portraits.

Editor's Note: This is a guest blog post from Judy Host of the Monte Zucker Creative Design Tour. BHInsights readers get a discount with customer code BNHCDTS.

We've previously written about Gaffers Tape being an unsung hero of photographers and videographers. Taping down cords, pulling clothing back for fashion photography, and solving light-leak issues are only some of the uses we discussed.

We decided to talk to a number of photographers about how they used Gaffers Tape.

Photo by Rick Joy via the B&H Photo Flickr Group

Take a look at the super-cool landscape photo above. How do you think it was shot? The scene was photographed by photographer Adam Taylor, and we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pick his brain on how he achieved the final result.

For even more education, you can check out the rest of our "How I Got the Shot" series of blog posts.

Vivian Cherry, a recent recipient of the B&H Photo Lifetime Achievement Award, has a new memoir out, Vignettes: Chapters from a Life. VIGNETTES, a collection of chapters from the life of Vivian Cherry, integrates two art forms, memoir and photography. Ms. Cherry is a quintessential New Yorker, born of immigrant parents. The book is a stunning account of the past of a photographer who came of age during WWII in NYC. She is also one of the last surviving Photo League members at 92 years old as of the publication of this article.

We recently talked to Vivian a bit about her experiences as a photographer during her years and years of shooting.

We can all appreciate the beloved Ansel Adams. He was one of the greats. His story is inspiring, fascinating and enduring. The man worked as a custodian in Yosemite National Park in order to live in the beauty he so much appreciated and desired to record. He seemed a harmonious blend of romantic artist and master technician. He devoted his life to the pursuit of what he loved. As a darkroom junkie myself, the first time I saw an Ansel print in person, printed by his own hands, I admit that a tear, (yes, a tear) fell down my face. The sheer craftsmanship of his prints was surprisingly moving. I am not here to dispute the fact that Ansel Adams was one of America’s greatest and seminal landscape photographers. I am here, however, to challenge you to find another one. After Ansel, who is your favorite photographer?

Before you know it, vacation time will be here. You'll want to capture lots of photos to document your experiences. It’s usually a good idea to have a bag in which to carry your camera and associated gear. But you won't want to pack too much, lest your shoulders and back start to hurt from carrying around lots of gear for long periods.

If you're planning on traveling soon, here are a few tips on how to keep your bag light.