Talent is a strange concept really, is it "god given" (pick your own god) or is it just the result of hard-work and dedication?

People seem to use the word talented as though there is no effort involved "she's a talented singer" seems to mean that the person in question was born able to sing anything put in front of them instead of having spent years of dedication, determination and practice to get to the stage she is at.

At exhibitions I have been called talented (yeah I know..go figure) and it always throws me to know what to say about in response. I mean it's easy enough to get similar pictures: learn how to use your camera, learn what images work, take an interest in your subject, practice, get to the right location at the right time with the right weather, compose the image, take the picture, learn how to PP and print it....simple - if you are motivated to do it.


No one is born knowing the relationship of aperture to shutter speed, the first time you use a macro lens or a wide angle a new world is opened up to you that you had never seen or imagined before.

If you are interested in a subject and you really want to get better and you are prepared to work hard and practice - you will get better. Natural talent doesn't really enter into the equation. Craig M. Tanner sums this up far more eloquently than I do (well he is a naturally talented writer) in this article entitled The Myth of Talent (click on the pdf link on the right - of course those who are naturally talented with web pages will have worked that out).

Since I took up photography I notice so much more in the world from butterflies to gingerbread men. Are my eyes talented or have they just been trained?

Labels: London, philosophy, Taking Pictures

As I may have mentioned once or twice I am the Photo Locations Editor for Ephotozine. The idea of the Locations Section is for people to share their favourite photographic location with other photographers, whether it is ideal for Landscapes, Architecture, Wildlife or anything else.

I have just uploaded a couple of reports from Southwark on the edge of The Thames in Central London. The first report covers Soutwark Cathedral and the second Borough Market.

---

Related Posts

• Widemouth Bay
  
• Leigh-on-Sea
  
• Southwold
• Durdle Door
• Elterwater
• Shoeburyness
• Roding Valley Meadows
• Epping Forest

Labels: Ephotozine, London, Photographic Locations

Yesterday I blogged about the new London anti terror posters. Now its time to see the reaction on the web.

Here are some good ones, some more here though this is my favourite:



This is a great little video that summarises our rights on the matter.

---

Related Posts
U.S.A. Photographers Rights
Public Photography and the law
Strictly No Photography

Labels: Candid Photography, law, London, Taking Pictures

I see that the Metropolitan Police Service - Counter-terrorism advertising campaign asks:

Thousands of people take photographs every day, what if one of them seems odd?

Ho hum, I wonder how they define odd? I should think taking a picture of a handrail would look pretty odd to most people:


I look forward to a trip to Guantanimo Bay real soon.

Labels: Candid Photography, law, London, Taking Pictures

Yesterday I posted this shot on ephotozine and received the comment that, on the lower landing the floor appears a bit messy and would be improved by a bit of cloning.


I agree entirely that as an image, the shabbiness of the landing rather distracts from the repeats and curves. But should I get out the clone tool and produce perfection?

The subject of the picture is the Nelson Stairs in Somerset House. The stairs are a very fine piece of architecture, but when I visited them they had quite a worn look and it was really rather difficult to see any part of it that didn't have a bit of damage to them. I composed this shot very carefully to avoid bringing in any of the distracting modern elements - electric lights, fire exit signs and people using the stair case.

But I still could see some of the damage to the staircase in my shot and for me this is the deciding factor on whether to clone out elements of a picture or not. If the image represents what I saw or felt about the image at the time I took the shot then I am happy to leave it as it is. If I take a landscape shot and on examining it later, I notice a coke can in the corner of the shot I am happy to clone it out as it doesn't represent what I saw at the time. For me photography is about capturing a specific moment or feeling and not creating something in the computer afterwards - though if that is what people enjoy doing I have no problem with that.

As another example here is a shot by the great portrait photographer Martin Jordan:


OK, it's a prepared studio shot with a model but to me the fact that there is one stray hair on the side of her face destroys our perception of this being a "perfect shot" yet at the same time roots the shot in reality rather than simply being a "painted mask of ugly perfection"*.

It is so easy to produce a photoshopped version of reality that many photographers become seduced by it but I urge you to think before you reach for the clone tool next time.
What is your personal limit when it comes to manipulation? I'd love to hear some other opinions on this - please use the comments option to add your take on the nature of photoshop & reality.

*Crass - Berkertex Bribe

---

A New Years Resolution

Labels: Black and White, London, Photoshop, Taking Pictures

I know that for many of my regular readers, hardly a week goes by with out them thinking to themselves "I wonder if Chris is sticking to his new years resolution ?". So I thought it was about time for an update.

Well it has been a mixed bag: Friday was not the best day to choose, because its not unusual to have to sort out something in preparation for the weekend, so some days got missed. Combining that with loosing so much time to sickness in May, I don't have anywhere near as many shots as I would hope for so I am going to attack the project again with renewed vigour. On the plus side it really forces me to take pictures that I would otherwise not even thought about taking.


Last week I popped over to the South Bank to investigate the Anthony Gormley statues that have invaded the place. I must say that I really enjoyed the sculptures, its great to spend some time looking round for them trying to spot each one. Whilst I was there I observed many people being delighted & surprised as they discovered more and more of the sculptures.

Quite often there were 3 or 4 of the sculptures in view at anyone time which provides a whole new dimension to the cityscape, adding a human dimension to a view that can sometimes seem vast and soulless.


I'm not sure how long they will be staying on The South Bank but I hope that they stay for a long time.

---

Related Posts

A New years Resolution
In The City
Permission To Crop

Labels: London, Taking Pictures

Michael Reichmann has recently produced an excellent article on cropping. It has always seemed strange to me that many photographers would not be seen dead using the automatic modes on their cameras yet somehow see it as cheating to break away from the aspect ratio that their camera manufacturer provides.

Cropping is all about finding the shape an image wants/needs to be. As an example lets look at an image I took on Friday at Limehouse Basin in Docklands. Looking at the image as it came off the camera the first thing I did was to use a LAB move to boost the colours and increase the contrast:

Labels: London, Photoshop, Taking Pictures

So I know you are all wondering if I am sticking to my new years resolution. Well so far I am two weeks in and I haven't fallen off the wagon.

The first Friday was a baptism of fire, well a baptism of overcast skies and rain really. A miserable grey day led to me wandering around The Barbican studying the patterns and shapes in the grey concrete blocks. Eventually I wandered over to The Citypoint building which I never fail to find interesting with its roller-coaster curves and unusual shapes.

This shot is an attempt to capture some of the feel of the building in an abstract way.

Labels: London, Taking Pictures

OK, I know I'm a little late with this one, but I always think a promise made in the cold light of day is always so much better than one made after a lot of bevies on a new years eve followed by hugging a lamppost telling it that it's your best mate.

Well my photographic resolution is to work harder at my London Light/London Life Project specifically I will get out and take pictures every Friday that I am in Central London.

The reason is, quite simply that I find Central London really difficult to photograph, its busy,cluttered and not really the sort of place that appeals to me at all visually. But that's the point, it's only by stretching ourselves that we find new ways of interpreting the world around us in our photographs.




Wish me luck with my resolution, it may be one small step for me but it might be a giant leap in my photography.

Labels: London, Taking Pictures