I've never taken photography particularly seriously, but as an Art Student it was part of the curriculum that one knew one end of a camera from the other.
We learned how to use a decent camera, process film, and print the final photographs. I quite enjoyed the process, but it was never a skill that I intended to continue with, other than as a souvenir pastime.
Luckily my learning era coincided with when the children were small, so I do have quite a few good home-produced pictures of their early years.
This photograph, above, is a particular favourite. It shows Lady Magnon with a one-year-old Kimbo. It is, of course, a photo of a photo, so much of the sharpness has been lost en route, but it still shows some of the quality of a 35mm camera and good lens.
My old enlarger and developing trays were still hanging around until a few years ago. They have now all gone to the skip. With the advent of digital photography, such things have become outdated and clumsy. It was such a long process, whereas today's photography is fast and (if one has photoshop) totally controllable.
I still have my old light-meter, and now look at it as an antique. 'Digital' has been a great leap forward.
38 comments:
Impressive.
All digital images benefit from a bit of sharpening. Best done at final resolution and at least 100% size.
Unfortunately I don't have Photoshop, and my laptop processing programme is very limited. We used to have Picasa 3 (now discontinued) which was quite good, but Microsoft's current free programme doesn't do much more than re-sizing, and a few other minor things.
I rather liked the old ways when one printed full size, and exactly as it was taken.
The lighting on Lady Magnon is very good. Not so poor Kimbo though.
Digital photography is just wonderful and what can be done with just a smart phone to photographs is truly amazing, not that I know how and I don't want to learn.
Try GIMP it's free.
Full size on 35mm is not very big at 24x36mm but it's handy and it will enlarge.
Thanks for that.
I tend to use it just as I used my old 35 mm photos. I use them as I shot them.
It's a lovely photo.
My Dad's moonlight job was a photographer. I was about 5 when he let me in the studio's dark room to watch the developing progress. I was fascinated to see the images appearing on the blank paper.
I think that was the best bit; seeing those images appear as if by magic.
I like photography and you definitely need a good eye to compose a good photograph. I’ve always liked black and white too so your photograph appeals to me. One of the good parts of modern photography is not having to lug great big cameras around with you when out and about !!! I really miss Picasa . XXXX
Adrian has suggested GIMP so I might try that. I'll have a look at it.
I think black and white photos seem to emphasise the subject matter without any distractions. That one is a great image.
As an artist, photography can be a good tool, a record keeper too
You are right that digital cameras have been a great blessing. To me they are the best invention since the steam engine.
A lovely photo of those two.
I love digital photos. I can take half a dozen and chose only the best to keep. I do have to make an effort to print the best now and again.
Andrew, your reply "poor Kimbo" leaves me baffled. I looked at the photo several times and I haven't got the faintest (!) idea of what you are talking about. In fact, the lightening contrast of mother and son is very striking - one might almost say artfully "composed".
U
That is a great composition, fabulous black and white photo. I love taking photographs with my phone; phone cameras are so advanced now. The computer, camera and phone and banking in one hand. Who would have thought it a few years ago!
I was very pleased with it. I like the distinction between crisp and slightly blurry.
I've very rarely used photography myself as source material; preferring to work from nature. But since the 60's it's been a very major part of many artists work.
Combined with the simple Laptop, it has literally changed the world.
My photos tend to get used on this page only. I very rarely take pictures of people these days.
I often look at those two machines in amazement. The world really is now our Oyster. I chat with son in Singapore in the morning, and send photos to my daughter in the afternoon; and take it all for granted.
For me, one machine
I still use phone and laptop.
Your black & white photo of LM & K is very appealing. I'm the keeper of family photos & hold many B&W's taken with a Leica camera. The photos, camera & light meter carry fond memories.
What a lovely photograph. I've come to realize that a few really good photos of the important people in your life are all you really need. I have managed to accumulate a hoard of photos, (most of them not very good either.) I recently printed off a bunch of photos from my phone that dated back over five years. Once they were organized into photo albums, I had a bit of an epiphany. I realized no one really wants to flip through albums anymore. So, no more printing photos for me. I'll share photos from my phone from now on.
Just a thought.
Gimp like Photoshop is not a five minute learning job.
I got Photoshop years ago and CS6 as it was then cost about £1.2K. I was editing for money back then so it paid for itself very quickly.
I was asking a lass at the stables who takes loads of images and she uses
THIS.
It's called Photo Director and according to her it's much easier than GIMP.
Have fun, you will only do so if you want to produce images above average.
PS. It's free.
Can I offer one critisism of todays photo.
It would benefit from a matte or a mount as you painters call it.
Agreed Ursula.
I've never owned a Leica, but I did occasionally borrow a rather nice Hasselblad from college.
Having just been up in the loft, I can sympathise. We have hundreds of photos that mean nothing to anyone but us; many even not to us. I think a decent bonfire might be the answer.
The original does have a border. I had to cut it down as it was a bit wonky, my having photographed it on the table.
I shall certainly have a look at Photo Director. Thank you.
It is very handy when nature is fickle or time short, to catch a fleeting moment
Doesn't Kimbo look like Lady M! It's a lovely photo and all the nicer for being printed by yourself.
I was hooked on photography back in the seventies, and indulged in a dark room and eventually I even did color work. When I moved I gave it all away; digital cameras were on the market and I really was more in love with the picture than the process.
We never had such lessons when I was at school, but my sons both learned a little about taking and developing photos.
Yes, it's a real souvenir in all respects.
The above would have been taken around 1971. I never touched colour, I imagine the processing would have been far more complicated.
If one was lucky enough to attend a school that had a 'Photography Dept', I think that's a superb idea. Much more useful than learning about who killed who in 1672.
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