Notindoor photography magazine march 2016 by NOTINDOOR Photography Magazine

NOTINDOOR

LANDSCAPEANDFINEARTPHOTOGRAPHYMAGAZINE

+ Photographer of the Month - Allan Pudlitzke + Interview With Bryan Adams by Keith Valcourt + Giveaway Winners Announcement + $600 Photo Contest + Nikon D810 Giveaway + Portfolio - Mauro Maione and much more!

NOTINDOORPHOTOGRAPHY | Issue #4 | 3.1.2016 | Los Angeles, CA

FIRSTWORDS /

Moshe Levis

When we first started NOTINDOOR magazine we decided not to have print editions, for the simple reason of saving (or, not making more damage to) our beautiful planet. We still have that firm hand on the subject, but more and more people ask and request printed copies of NOTINDOOR photography magazine, so we have considered the request and are happy to announce that we will start print runs for our beautiful NOTINDOOR Photography Magazine. The printed issue will be made from recycled paper only, which can actually help the world since we’re reusing materials instead of burning them. Although we are happy moving in this direction, we have to think about the financial implications of such a big step. It will cost a lot more money to get the prints and extra team members, for youto keep receiving the best magazine quality ever. We have launched a crowdfunding campaign, on our website, to make sure there are enough interested readers, for us to take that big step towards printing the magazine. We have created a collection of attractive rewards for our backers, so please, go check NOTINDOOR print fundraiser campaign and show your love. If you can’t afford any of the rewards, simply share it with your friends and family. Until then, enjoy this month’s issue. Yours truly, Moshe Levis and the NOTINDOOR team

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NOTINDOOR PHOTOOFTHEMONTH click here to submit your photos to next monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contest. You can win $200 and a placement right here.

TAKEFLIGHT BY SETH VAN DER LINDEN - Congratulations on this placement and the $200 cash prize 4 NOTINDOOR

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For More From Seth: Facebook | 500px

CAMERA: Canon 70D • LENS: Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: 50mm • f/5 • 1200 sec • ISO 500 LOCATION: LAX, LA, California

Allan Pudlitzke photographer/writer

Keith Valcourt writer

Roberto Sysa Moiola photographer

Martin Zurmuhle photographer

Yulia Starostina photographer

Joseph Hill CEO Prolab Digital

Iain Stanley photographer

Heidi Horvath photographer/writer

Jevgenija Sitik photographer

Steven Servantez writer/photographer

Vishpala Kadam photographer

Katherine Kifa photographer

Angie Sillonis writer/photographer

Indu M. photographer/writer

Mauro Maione photographer

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FEATUREDTHISMONTH

Moshe Levis photographer/writer

FEATURED ARTICLES

PORTRAITS AT NATURAL LIGHT / Yulia Starostina

AROUND THE WORLD I GO / Katherine Kifa

THIS COVERED / Moshe Levis

7 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY / Steven Servantez

ADVENTURES IN WISCONSIN / Steven Servantez

FOUR-EYES MODEL / Martin Zurmuhle

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THE INTRICACIES OF FINE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING / Joseph Hill

PORTRAITS - HOW TO STAY CREATIVE / Heidi Horvath

BLACK AND WHITE

THE HUMAN RACE

GOOD READS

SUPER AWESOME GIVEAWAY

JOIN OUR MEETUP GROUP

JOIN OUR 500PX GROUP

GOOD READS

THE 5 GIVEAWAY WINNERS 9

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The Intricacies&of Fine Art

Photographic Printing by Joseph Hill, CEO of Prolab Digital Imaging (www.prolabdigital.com) leading fine art and photography printing destinationvv

Print foreman and mounting expert Jaime Portillo carefully adhering the backing on a 28,000 piece art puzzle

You might not realize how many art forms actually go into creating a work of art. That might sound confusing, but let me explain. First there is the photographer, or artist, who creates and captures their artistic vision either through a photograph, digital process, or art medium. From there, the piece most likely goes through a series of adjustments in a finishing program, such as Photoshop, or Adobe Lightroom. Once the image is ready for reproduction, the artist is faced with the decision of where to take their work for printing. There are numerous options of companies, some online and some with brick and mortar locations, all with their own claim to fame. Selecting the wrong company can take an artist down a very wrong turn - so how do you choose the right people to print your work? The answer is simpler than you think - choose a printer who is as talented and passionate at what they do, as you are in your own art. The process of fine art printing is a series of art forms; including pre-production, color manipulation, material selection, 12 NOTINDOOR

digital imaging printing, and finishing. When you look at an image on a monitor, LCD screen, or device screen, you are seeing colors interpreted by that device’s backlit pixel quality. Just as your image will look different on an iPad, Nikon screen, Samsung, or television, so too will your image print differently on a Canon, Oce, LightJet, or other printer. Each printer has its own nuances, variations of colors, inks, and finished product when the inks are mixed together. One of the most intricate questions in printing is - how do you translate the image on the screen, to a finished print? We call this the image’s International Color Consortium (ICC) profile; the set of data that characterizes a color input or output device, or a color space, according to certain standards. In order to produce a print to the quality the photographer has in mind, we start with four variants - Adobe Photoshop RGB, Adobe Photoshop 1998, SRGB, and our own ‘secret sauce’ calibrated ICC profile. It is an art form in itself to set up and adjust the image to ensure the artist’s vision is communicated to the printer and the finished product comes out true-to-life (and light) when compared with its digital counterpart.

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So after you’ve worked with an expert to optimize your image for printing, but what should you physically print it on? Material selection is the next form of art in print production. Once upon a time we had a finite amount of materials to print on - paper, or canvas. Today, we are blessed with a plethora of options, each with their own unique characteristics. Would you like the lightweight, vibrant shine of printing on aluminum, and if so, which type of aluminum should you choose - Brushed Gloss, Brushed Matte, White Gloss, and White Matte aluminum? How about the mesmerizing depth of dibond acrylic with liquid acrylic poured over it, and would it look better with a straight, brushed, or rounded edge? Would you like to print on birch, bamboo, or kirei wood? At Prolab we have over 30 different materials that you can print your art on - how on earth do you choose the right one? By working with another artist, a printing expert, to help you understand the benefits, and differences in the wealth of options available to you. So, along with an expert, you choose the perfect material for your print. Now the file is optimized for the specific printer you choose, and your image comes out looking spectacular, but it’s hardly ready to hang on a wall or exhibit to a potential customer. What next? Enter, a mounting expert. Mounting a print on its associated surface is truly an art form of its own. There is an infinitely small margin for error when mounting, or face mounting a print. Should hands tremble or allow a bubble to become trapped between the print and its mounting surface, the whole project may need to be redone. There is a certain, rare type of person who is perfectly suited to the delicate task of art mounting. This expert has patience in abundance, and a careful eye for detail. A standard vehicle wrap can take in excess of 8 continuous hours to complete, taking intricate time Four examples of ICC profiles, with Prolab’s ‘secret sauce’ coding at the top to adhere each inch of the vinyl cover to the vehicle, ensuring the print fits like a glove. age calibration, printing specifics, color profiling, material Finally, after working with artists in their own fields of imselection, and print mounting, your finished piece is ready to present to your collectors, buyers and friends. Your art is realized in all the glory it deserves. Without understanding the amount of details involved in printing, how would you know what to look for, ask for, or be wary of? Art is a symbiotic process, a group of experts who are passionate about their work all working together to help give form to your vision.

Sideview of a 1 1/2” acryllic with bevelled edges

I’ve been in the printing business for over 25 years and as a passionate artist myself, I hope this article will help you ensure your art gets the personal care in printing that it deserves.

Joseph Hill, CEO of Prolab Digital, displays a panoramic image shot on iPhone 6, printed on brushed aluminum

If you have any questions, please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to reach out to me on 310-846-4496, joehill@prolabdigital.com, or on social media: Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/prolabdigitalimaging Twitter - www.twitter.com/prolabdigi Instagram - www.instagram.com/prolabdigitalimaging

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Miyazaki

If I asked you to name me five major Japanese cities, I would bet my life on it that you wouldn’t nominate Miyazaki as one. In fact, I’d be highly impressed if you could even give me a vague description of where Miyazaki is in Japan. Well, it’s a small, countryside city in the far south-east of Kyushu, about 1,800kms from Tokyo as the crow flies. Not many people come here when they visit Japan, but for photographers it’s an absolute paradise.

Nowhere is this more evident than the mythical island of Aoshima. Located just 20 minutes’ drive south of Miyazaki city, the rock formations here are known in Japanese as “Oni-no-Sentaku-iwa”, which roughly translates to ‘devil’s washboards’. The way these rocks are formed are absolutely perfect for lead in line use, especially to the lighthouse that sits conveniently on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

However, it’s not just the ocean and seascapes that draw photographers to Miyazaki. During the yearly rainy season in June/July, Miyazaki receives the highest amount of rainfall of any mainland city. Now whilst that might make it hard to dry your clothes and enjoy a picnic, it does mean that the forests are lush and green, and the rivers are running wild. Kaeda Valley is the perfect example of this.

Sitting as far south as it does, Miyazaki’s climate is semi-tropical. That means pretty mild winters, stinking hot summers, and everything in between, especially when the annual cyclones batter the coast. But like most of Kyushu, its rock formations are its crowning glory. The result of volcanic eruptions 1,000’s of years ago, the rocks leading into the ocean are most often long, jagged, and straight, which means the seascape opportunities along the coastline are almost endless. These rock formations provide perfect compositions full of natural lead in lines.

Just 30 minutes’ drive south of the city center, Kaeda Valley is a popular spot for hikers, adventurers, photographers, and monkeys. The red-faced monkeys of Japan dwell here, as do a large variety of snakes. But for the photographer, it’s the rivers and waterfalls here that gets us excited. Not surprisingly, one of the main features that make this valley so photogenic is the rocks that are scattered along the riverbanks. This triple waterfall here is the perfect place to swim in the summer, or photograph year round. However, during the rainy season, it is impossible to get in to this position. Beware though, wild boar are the rulers of these parts!!

In the summer months, when the mud has cleared following the onslaught of the rainy season, the waters turn an incredi16 NOTINDOOR

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ble, cobalt blue. Even when you are swimming here, the reflections on your arms and legs remain this vivid blue hue.

As a photographer who likes to experiment, the thing I really love about Kaeda Valley is that the rcoks are so huge they give you incredible vantage points to view different compositions. This is wonderful for long exposure photography, whether 1 stop, 3 stops, or 10 stops!! This was shot using the Lee Big Stopper. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a street photographer who loves taking photos of people and life as it happens, then it really is an absolute paradise in Tokyo or Osaka. However, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more of a landscape specialist who loves the serenity of nature and the sounds of an untouched world, then Miyazaki is a hidden treasure that will never disappoint. Iain Stanley Photographer/Author

Iain Stanley is an award-winning Australian photographer based in Miyazaki, Japan. He specializes in landscapes and seascapes, and has an unhealthy addiction to surfing. Website | Facebook | Insta | Blog

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K C PI FF ST A For More From Sandy: Website

YOUHAVEAPROBLEMPAL? BY SANDY SCOTT 20 NOTINDOOR

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SETTINGS: 100mm • f/5.6 • 1/80 sec • ISO 6400

OURWEAPONSOFCHOICE / Allan Pudlitzke

LUCIA / Allan Pudlitzke

What brands are NotIndoor contributors shooting with?

We are nothing short of waterfalls in Washington and Oregon. Lucia Falls is actually located pretty deep towards the rural areas surrounding the Portland metro area. There are a ton of great trails, it is relatively quiet mid-week, and you are almost allowed to climb around anywhere you feel comfortable doing so. I really like this spot as the volcanic rock is age spotted with plenty of character. The water twists and turns through the crevasses and erupts in a fury of motion as it cascades further and further downward. The moss is a bright green with hues of yellow and pine needles saturate the variations of rock with a vibrant orange.

When photography strikes your fancy, where do you start? Looking for new gear, but don’t quite know what to go with? Take a quick look at the poll we shot around to our photo submitting users to see what they tend to tote on photo getaways...

I don’t know why, but I have a huge infatuation with rock basins like these. They just have so much texture, and when you can smooth the motion of the water, they really stand out crisply. This spot is also great because there is a ton of tree cover, this means less of a need to stop down with an ND filter and get straight down to business. It’s a ton of fun to So what made our decisions in what we shot with? The answers across hit the other falls in the area as well, but watch your step, the the board were fairly similar.... Some of us made an initial decision and stuck with the platform we chose, others did the research and had some rocks get plenty slippery, and I have almost taken an unwantbrands in mind... However, the general consensus was the development ed dive in myself, camera gear and all. of skill is truly what makes the difference in it all, and really the camera is just what does the work. A craftsman can build a beautiful chair with a 100 year old hammer so long as it is functional and the craftsman has superior skill... The same can be considered with that of photography... Some of the greatest advice I was ever given was to focus on technique rather than becoming a gear junkie... For me this has stuck for quite some time, partially due to my frugal nature, but also because it has proven itself to be more and more true as I have progressed... You can have the greatest tools on the planet, however if you do not have the skill or experience to use it to full potential, then there is no point in getting happy over the price tag. My advice... Prep for the future, don’t break the bank, and spend money on your skills and the lenses that you want to learn with... The results will come, and you’ll be happy when those extra features aren’t wasting space (and weight) while you are lugging are around that new (or used) gear...

Canon 60d Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 14mm, f/18, 1/3 sec, ISO 100

Now get out, get happy, and get shooting!

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MOM&POP’S / Moshe Levis

GLOWINGFORESTS / Allan Pudlitzke

Shopping online can definitely save us photographers a few bucks on expensive camera and studio equipment, but personally I love walking into a store, feel the products and see them right in front of me. And the best part - I get to have it right at the moment, without waiting for it to ship and potentially get lost or damaged.

Let’s face it… In the winter, the northwest is cold as hell. When you go to the beach you don’t see the bronzed, bikini clad supermodels, it’s more like parkas, hiking boots and umbrellas. But don’t let that deter you from visiting one bit. We have some of the most beautiful coastlines in the United States and beyond. The rain keeps us green, the sometimes harsh weather keeps our rock faces sharp, and the wind keep the tide very aggressive and scenic.

R e a d s

I’m a photographer living in Los Angeles and our magazine is based in Los Angeles, so I would like to support our local business that I feel deserve the support. Really, all I can do for them is tell other photographers about them and hope the Hug Point, is just a few miles outside of Cannon Beach. word gets around. Cannon Beach is famous for the small little beach town and the overly photographed Haystack Rock (I am guilty of this as well). My deal with photography is that I don’t wait only until Good Old Times the good conditions and the golden hours of the day. I want I remember the first time I walked into Simon’s Camera to prepare myself for the worst conditions possible while I am store, which is located 1213 N, Highland Ave. Los Angeles, learning. I do this because for one, we don’t have a ton of 70 California, it was a little quiet. I liked it that way. In front of degree sunny days here, and two, I want those days to be a the counter stood (all busy with different things and clients) breeze and the others just to be the norm. the mom, pop and son. As I was browsing through their products, for a tripod, filters and other fun stuff they asked me if I needed help and immediately I “said no thanks”, because I just like taking my time with no one bothering me.

If you get some time just google up Highway 101… It runs all the way down the western coastline and has amazing beaches all the way from the tip top of Washington, down to the most southern portions of good ole California.

They definitely understood that and just let me be. When the time was right and I actually had questions they were very helpful and kind. I was able to test some of the things I needed, to make sure it will fit my needs.

My wife and I took a roadtrip a few years back from Portland to Northern California and it did not disappoint. I promise you, it is incredibly scenic and worth the extra travel time.

G o o d

Bigger Is Not Always Better

Since it’s a mom and pop’s store, not a well known chain, things are a little slower, so they have more time to be more personal with their clients. A very important aspect for every store, because once they grow bigger, the attention span for their clients gets shorter. I have been there a few times and I was pleased every time I visited their store. I always found what I needed and at good prices.

Help If You Can

Canon 60d Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 12mm, f/10, 1/40 sec, ISO 100

Recently I went there and told Simon (the owner), after I bought a new ball head and filters, that I would love to help spread the word about their store by writing about them in our NOTINDOOR photography magazine. He had a big smile on his face that said it all. So, here you are, reading about a 40 year old mom and pop’s camera store that is located just a few blocks from the heart of the busy and touristic Hollywood. Are you in need for a new camera or camera and studio equipment? What are you waiting for? Go to Simon’s Camera! 23

AS L O N G AS I LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY

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IT TAKES

LASVEGASSTREETNIGHTSCAPE by VISHPALA KADAM | Smugmug | Website | Instagram 25

Light Trails

to compliment the main subject. I like to put the trails diagonally on the photo and put the main subject on either sides while shooting the architecture. But I prefer to shoot low and straight into the trails if light trails are my main subject matter. Next important thing is finding a right spot to shoot. If possible, I would always go in daylight to hunt for the spot. Right spot depends on the composition you are seeking and the I recently read, ‘photography is a willful distortion of facts’. time you will be taking the photo. If you want to shoot light Well, I think it is a great compliment to the photography as trails at sunset, sunrise, dusk or dawn, the direction is very art-form even though the sentence says distortion of facts. Distortion of facts also means showing the facts or the subject important. If you want to capture colorful sky with the trails, then you got to have idea about the direction where colors which naked eyes can not see. would show up and compose accordingly. Shooting trails in Light trails photography is one such form. We can see cars, pitch darkness is altogether a different ballgame. Either you headlights and taillights with naked eyes. But we can’t see have to make the darkness work for your advantage or light light trails. We need a camera, lens and a photographer to paint the foreground objects to lit those properly. capture a photo to see light trails.. That’s the power of photography!

Photography

Light trails photography is a quite popular format in photography world. Many magazines and websites feature eye catchy photographs showing light trails. Don’t they? So what’s the secret sauce behind capturing light trials? What are different techniques, required gear and special tips? Let’s take a deep dive.

Gear and Settings

It is definitely possible to shoot light trails using advanced

Setting Up Your Shot

Photographer’s vision is the most important aspect that makes or breaks the photo. This holds true while photographing light trails as well. Set your vision, decide what story you want to tell via photograph. Then comes second important aspect – composition. Depending on whether you are trying to shoot landscape or architecture or cityscape, decide what role light trails will play in the photo. Composition would be different if light trails are main subject matter of photo verses if lights trails are used

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point and shoot that supports full manual mode. But, it is recommended to have a DSRL as it allows full manual mode and also it is possible to play with different focal lengths using different lenses. You would need a tripod to shoot good light trails. Shooting handheld is simply impossible. If there is any firm surface where you can rest your camera, then you might not need a tripod but it’s always good to have one. Getting right combination of f-stop, shutter speed and ISO is key to shoot amazing light trails. While shooting in more ambient light, keep the f-stop high (f-22, f32) and ISO low. On the contrary keep f-shop low (f-8, f5.6) and moderate ISO while shooting in dark. Don’t forget, light trails will always be illuminated so don’t overexpose the shot. Word of caution here, never go below f5.6 otherwise your photo might go out focus and look blurry. I personally always like to keep ISO as low as possible and f-stop near f-16 to get star effect in the street lights. But I don’t mind going high on f-stop and get lower on ISO. Using right shutter speed is crucial to get smooth and silky light trails. I always prefer to keep shutter open for 8 sec or more. Trails look like a dashed line with shutter speed less than 8 seconds. But this is just a rule of thumb. In case of slow moving traffic, even 30 second exposure is less at times. Sometimes light trails with 4 sec exposure also look gorgeous. Shooting perfect light trails needs practice. So keep experimenting with settings, location and composition. Try out different things and don’t stop till you are happy with the end result. Happy shooting.

Vishpala Kadam Photographer/Author

I am a photographer and travel blogger who loves to roam around, take pictures, write travel blogs and show the world through my lens - the reason for my portfolio ‘Speaking Lens’.

Smugmug | Website | Instagram

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Four-eyes Model We all know outstanding photographs with a long lasting impact to the beholder. And we know even more similar photographs without such an effect. We can enjoy some photographs with great pleasure for years while others get boring after a shot time. What is the secret behind this magical effect of outstanding photographs? What secret do these photographs hide and what makes them effective and successful? To understand this and other question about the impact of photographs I developed a system of communication in photography. This system is called “Vier-Augen-Modell” in German. I have published three books about the magic of photography and the history behind outstanding photographs. I would like to explain for the first time my work in English in this journal. Four-side model by Friedemann Schulz von Thun To understand the communication with photographs it is important to understand the human communication. In my teacher training I got in contact with a simple but very useful communication model by Friedemann Schulz von Thun: the four-sides model (also known as communication square or four-ears model). According to this model every message has four facets though not the same emphasis might be put on each. The four sides of the message are factual information, self-revelation, relationship, and appeal.

The communication square describes the multi-layered structure of human utterance. This system of the human communication combines the postulate of Paul Watzlawick (every communication has a content and a relationship aspect), with the three sides of the Organon model by Karl Bühler (every information contains something about the matter, the sender and the receiver). Such models are well known in linguistic as models of the speech act. The four sides of communication (communication square) Schulz von Thun describes the communication square: “The matter layer contains statements which are matter of fact like data and facts, which are part of the news. In the self-revealing or self-disclosure the speaker - conscious or not intended - tells something about himself, his motives, values, emotions etc. In the Relationship-layer is expressed resp. received, how the sender gets along with the receiver and what he thinks of

him. The Appeal contains the desire, advice, instruction and effects that the speaker is seeking for.” Every layer can be misunderstood individually. Schulz von Thun explains this with a classic example: “The front-seat passenger tells the driver: “Hey, the traffic lights are green”. The driver will understand something different regarding to the ear with which he will hear and will react differently. (on the matter layer he will understand the “fact” “the traffic lights are green”, he could also understand it as “Come on, drive! .”-”command”, or on the “relationship” could hear a help like “I want to help you or if you hear behind it: I am in a hurry it reveals part of yourself “self-revelatory”).” The main problem of communication is, that the emphasis on the four layers can be meant differently and also be understood differently. For example the sender can stress the appeal of the statement and the receiver can mainly receive the relationship part of the message. This is one of the main reasons for misunderstandings. This model of communication helped me a lot to improve my own communication and solve many problems. It makes the communication more successful and prevents misunderstandings. It would be a great thing to have such a useful and simple to use model in photography in order to improve the communication between the photographer (as sender) and the viewer (as receiver). But the communication with photographs is different from human communication. It is a one-way exchange of information. Normally the photographer has no direct connection to the viewer of his work. The four layers of the four-side model by Friedemann Schulz von Thun can’t be transferred without adaption into the world of photography. This is the starting point of my four-eyes model of communication in photography. Four-eye model by Martin Zurmühle According to this model every photograph has four facets though not the same emphasis might be put on each. The four “eyes” of the photographic message are: form-eye, story-eye, emotion-eye, and self-eye.

The four-eye model describes the multi-layered structure of visual utterance. This system of communication in photography 29

interprets and transfers the communication square by Schulz von Thun into the world of photography and other fields of visual communication. The four layers of communication in photography Form-Layer The form-eye describes the classical use of graphical elements (like points, lines, curves, shapes, colours and more) in photography. These elements are the letters and words of the photographic language. Their arrangement or composition on the picture corresponds to the text of the photographic language, which is universally understood. This aspect of photography is covered in width and depth in all classical photography teaching books (e.g. in the classics by Andreas Feininger and Harald Mante, but also new publications by Michael Freeman, Martin ZurmĂźhle and others). The rules are clear and understandable. Moreover, they can be logically classified and thus are based on hard facts. For this reason, the form-eye corresponds to the factual information layer in the communication square.

Emotion-Layer With our emotion-eye, we can feel the atmosphere and emotions that are present in a picture. With a suitable photographic language, it is possible to stimulate other senses besides the visual sense by invoking memories of impactful moments in the observerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. With space and time symbols we can create a feeling for spatial depth and speed. With light and colours we can create a special mood in our photographs.

Story-Layer The story-eye describes the akin to travel and report photography. The pictures serve to give us an insight into worlds possibly unknown to us, the show special events and sometimes want to influence our opinion about a certain subject. Strong pictures can change both our worldview as well as the politics of a country (as seen in the Vietnam and Iraq wars). While pictures can be completely neutral in the form-eye, pictures in the story-eye always take a stance on the event they depict. These photographs rely on easily recognisable connections, which are universally understood. These pictures get more powerful and impactful using clear shapes and goal-oriented layouts. Most of the time, we can still rationally analyse these photographs fairly well. Due to their influence on the observer, either consciously on unconsciously, the story-layer corresponds to the appeal-layer in the communication square.

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Due to different life experiences people react to these kind of pictures in a more individual fashion. Emotions present in the pictures can only be felt if they depict a feeling that is known to us. We thus are dealing with soft factors. In the photography of people, emotions can be expressed using body language. Since emotions can only be roughly described, their effects are usually not precisely covered in photography textbooks. The emotion-layer thus corresponds to the relationship-layer in the communication square. Self-layer Strong pictures donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only have a strong message and appeal to our emotions, but they also tell us a lot about the photographer using the self-eye. The photographer can express himself through his pictures. The more intensive he identifies himself with his own visual language, the more his pictures tell the observer about his worldview. The choice of the theme is very important in this section. While the photographer can tell very little about himself through architecture or landscape photography, he reveals much more about himself through nude, erotic or fetish photographs. However, we cannot only deduce the photographers view of the subject through his photographic language, the observer also reveals a lot about his own attitude towards it through his reaction. The more extreme the motive, the more polarizing are the reactions of the observers. This is also where the big and hard to grasp field of art begins, which the photographer uses to different ends as others who are just interested in producing artful photographs. This section of art is very subjective and the messages sent are unclear. That is why most textbooks lack a precise instruction how to evaluate the quality of such pictures. The self-eye corresponds to the aspect of self-revelation in Schulz von Thunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communication model.

Martin Zurmuhle Photographer/Author

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BLACK&WHITE

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The Art Black & White of

What is the charm and the main features of black and white photography?

Black and white photography focuses the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention on lines, textures, shapes and objects. Focuses on the play of light and shadows, combining the simplicity and at the same time strong emotional expressiveness. It allows you to remove all the excess and focuses on the object. The art of photography is a unique and unrepeatable thing - the work of professionals whose photos - are their favorite activity in life. Photo - just one moment of happiness... .The happiness what will stay for a lifetime... Interesting bright black and white photos are art and the work quality of the photographer brings them to life. The quality of a black and white pictures depends on photographers skills to bring out the expressiveness and emotional content. The light intensity and contrast are the two most important things that are noticeable to a human eye when looking at black and white photos. A sign of a high skilled photographer you can see by the ability of finding the right tone between the black and white. In portrait photography if you use the sharpness and contrast you can give to the picture a certain mood. Experienced photographers are able directly observe the object and furnishing that will look great on black and white photos. In black and white photography is necessary to use creative thinking. Change the shooting angle, it is possible to focus

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the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention on details. It is no secret that the artis- pher work, creative thinking, skillful play with contrast and tic sensibility of the same object can be very different if you light. For success in black and white photography you need play with different forms of lights. Correct work with light to find an object and creative thinking. allows the photographer to choose the best tone and contrast of the image. Black and white photos are not colorless, pictures have a lot of tones, the right mix gives an amazing artistic effect. Black and white photos can reflect the mood and emotions of image. Sometimes black and white pictures seem simple and beautiful but they also have a very deep meaning. Expression and interesting emotional feeling of black and white photography can be achieved through the photogra-

Black and white photography - is Classic and Art!

Jevgenija Sitik photographer 35

And the Winners of Adrian Sommelingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Workshop, Giveaway are... If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the winner (according the your email address), contact us today at - info@notindoorphotography.com

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PHOTOGRAPHER OF MONTH

THE

AMP: My photography started on a whim about 4 years ago. At the time I was working as an IT consultant, and a co-worker of mine introduced me to it. I have always been geared to be creative, but with a little inspiration I stepped into it as an occasional hobby at the beginning, and slowly blossomed into my obsession now.

AllanPudlitzke This month, I’m happy to announce that our Photographer of the month is no other than our beloved Allan Pudlitzke, who is part of the team, here at NOTINDOOR.

NI: When did you start taking photography more seriously? AMP: About a year ago my personal life spiraled a bit out of control. I feel into a deep depression for quite some time and photography became my outlet for that energy. I put my mind on getting better at composition, then editing, and then making better choices in photography. To be honest, photography saved my life at the time. Without it, I was just a shell of myself, and as I began to really start taking it seriously, I started feeling better and my photos began to improve drastically. I think in a lot of my pictures you can see my moods. My photos tend to really emphasize my feelings when taking the shot and how I express myself visually.

NI: Why do you really take photos? AMP: As stated before, it has become my lifeblood. It keeps We did not select Allan because he is “one of us”, in fact, he me balanced, focused, and driven towards a goal. It allows me didn’t know about it up until February 29th (a very special to convey a sense of myself to others without having to say date for many many people around the world). anything. I can be free to do the thing that I love the most Working with Allan is simply one of the best thing a magazine and share my feelings with those around me. Additionally, it has been an amazing facet for me to meet new people, gain could ask for and his personal photos are improving all the time. Big changes and improvements, are what make photog- knowledge, and help create opportunities that share the same love for photography that I do. raphers “better than others”. So let’s see what Mr. Allan has to say. (We call him Mr. Allan, because we’re obssesed with the TV show The Flash. Haha! Get to Know Allan NI: Can you please tell us a little about yourself?  AMP: I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and have been here ever since. I just got married this last summer to my beautiful wife Candace, and enjoy our little photography day trips together. I am a part-time techie, part-time writer, and part-time photographer. I have a business degree from Washington State University, and have high hopes for my writing, as well as my photography in the future. If I could describe myself in one word it would be this: unpredictable. I have a strong sense of humor, am passionate about what I do, and my biggest downfall is how hard of a critic I can be on myself. Allan’s Photography Journey NI: When did your photography journey really start? 38 NOTINDOOR

NI: Do you take photos more for your own sake or for others? AMP: This is a tricky question for me because I would say it is both… I think my initial focus is to take the photo I like, however I am very respectful of constructive feedback and use that as a method to combine my tastes with others viewpoints. When I shoot landscapes, they are mine… The composition, edit, and post-processing is all about me. When I do a shoot for friends like family photos, or engagement photos, I try and get a feel of what they like and try and blend as much as possible to make certain that the customer is pleased with what they receive. Let’s Talk About Gear NI: What kind of gear do you use? AMP: Well… Let’s just say I go through a lot of equipment… To date I have used 3 different bodies in the last 4 years. Right now I shoot with a Canon 60d. It’s a crop, and I fully intend to move full-frame when my budget can tolerate it, but for now it does its job and some. Most of the time it is paired

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with a Tokina 12-28mm wide angle, but I also have a 40mm prime and 70-200mm telephoto lens I like to throw in the mix. I also have a couple of film cameras (Vintage Canon AE-1 and a Holga 120s), as well as a Canon Rebel T2i that I have handed down to my wife. NI: When you travel, what do you take with you? Why?  AMP: I’m a hoarder so I take everything… All of my lenses, bodies, monopods, tripods, filters, etc. I don’t have a heavy amount of gear, and my wife and I split carrying duties between two different backpacks. It’s actually quite manageable and make me feel more prepared for any possible scenario, as I would hate to not have something when I needed it. NI: What is your favorite lens? Why?  AMP: For me it really tends to depends on the scenario. Most of the time my Tokina wide angle is my favorite, however I have grown very fond of the Canon 70-200. Both have excellent image quality in the sweet spots, and both are effective when I need them. I really can’t choose, so I’d have to say they are all my favorites. Inspiration Is Important Too NI: Who’s work has influenced you most?  AMP: When I started taking photos I told myself I didn’t want to become a one trick pony. With that being said, I have a lot of people that influence my work but most of them are personal associates of mine. To name shout a few: Jeff Pudlitzke, Moshe Levis and Ryan Dyar. I name them because they have helped me advance in photography with generous guidance, equipment and feedback. Professionally I could shoot of a list of names, but for me, Ansel Adams holds a big spot in my heart. I love black and white photography, and have a deep appreciation of what it took for film photographers to create what we can do now on a PC and embellish. NI: Who are some of your favorite classic photographers, and how did they influence you? AMP: My favorite classic photographer is Ansel Adams. I wouldn’t say so much as he has influenced me other than giving me an appreciation for the craft, and what it took before we all went digital. NI: How does black and white vs color play into your work? Do you find them to be totally separate beasts—or comple-

Tolovana Beach - f/9, 73mm, 1/400 sec, ISO 200

mentary?  AMP: I feel they are complimentary. Every photo I take is post-processed in color as well as black and white. Sometimes the choice between the two can make or break a photograph, and I feel it gives me a great opportunity to learn post processing techniques for both styles.

Lacamas - f/13, 14mm, 3.2 sec, ISO 100

NI: What do you think are some clichés in photography you steer away from yourself?  AMP: I feel the biggest cliché in photography is unoriginality. Be yourself, shoot your photos, and use inspiration to create a style for yourself. Most of us have access to the same equipment, and same locations, so why take the same photos? If you like a spot, or an angle, own it and put your spin on it. Limiting yourself to what everyone else sees only closes your doors for exploration. Let’s Talk Shop NI: In the field, what are your most used camera settings? AMP: I shoot 100% manual and on the fly. I adjust aperture, shutter and white balance on the fly and have from the beginning. It was a rough start, but I have never regretted learning how to fully utilize my equipment and the slow and painful 39

process along the way. In portraiture I love to open the lens up and blow out my backgrounds. When shooting a landscape I keep my ISO at 100 and shoot around f/11. Most of the time I have to adjust on the fly, so no two photos are the same. NI: What kind of tools do you use for post processing?  AMP: Depending on what I am going for I either use Lightroom or Photoshop. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and at time I have used both for different things. NI: Do you prefer Photoshop or Lightroom? Or maybe some other software? AMP: I can’t really pick a favorite, but if I had to, Lightroom would reign supreme for me. I love creating new templates and trying out new things. I just feel lightroom is a little more streamlined for me, and I feel more comfortable in it at the moment. NI: How has social media played a role in your photography? AMP: Right now it really hasn’t done a ton, but that is because I have just begun down that path. Most of the time I try and direct traffic to my blog, but 500px and Facebook have opened the door to other opportunities like joining communities with other talented artists and getting great constructive feedback. NI: When you are out shooting—how much of it is instinctual versus planned?  AMP: For me it is all instinctual. I like to carry my camera around with me most everywhere I go. Most of the time a photo is at the spur of the moment. If I do a planned shoot, it is usually for an engagement or other type of photo shoot where the client has a specific thought in mind of what they want out of a session. NI: What are your thoughts on working on single images versus projects?  AMP: I think I spend a lot more time on single images. NI: What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?  AMP: That being a professional doesn’t make you good, and being good doesn’t make you a professional. Common decency goes a long way when helping others learn and there are a lot of good and bad people in the community. All that, and that hard work really pays off.. The more time you spend behind the camera and really focus on getting better at the fundamentals makes all the difference. NI: Among your works, which one is your favorite? Why?  AMP: My favorite photo is any that gives inspiration to someone learning photography. I have always wanted to be someone that could inspire and give back to the community with my work. I like all of my photos, but my favorites are the ones that my fans and supporters love, feel inspired by, and push 40 NOTINDOOR

Under the Bridge - f/11, 12mm, 3.2 sec, ISO 100

them to get out and take pictures themselves. NI: What projects/ideas you have going on now?  AMP: Right now I am in the midst of getting my blog rolling and getting new readers. I have a ton of pending work that is just waiting in the wings for the right time. Some potential book covers, photos for an aspiring Hollywood entertainers amazing blog, as well as working on a photo book down the line. I love to collaborate with other artists and always keep the door open for opportunities. In addition to all of that I am in the beginning phases of a Non-Profit idea call “Funtography.” What it is about is gaining access to equipment and training for underprivileged

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The Bridge - f/16, 17mm, 1/60 sec, ISO 5000

Chamberlain Park - f/10, 20mm, 1/640 sec, ISO 250

Picnic - f/10, 12mm, 1/200 sec, ISO 100

youth interested in photography. I still have a lot of work to do to get it really flying, but this is a huge goal of mine when I can financially support my photography as well as get other experienced photographers involved. Right now school budget cuts really kill the opportunity for kids to get access to some of this stuff, and as it was important for me as an adolescent and even an adult to have the arts to expend my energy on. If you are interested in talking about any ideas or getting involved check out the Facebook page. NI: How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?  AMP: Right now I just use the internet and my mentors to gain info on what I want to improve. I have considered taking a class or two, but I have always been driven enough to learn on my own.

NI: What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?  AMP: I want them to say “WOW!” I want my photo to convey a feeling or emotion so apparent that they gain something that is more than just visual from my photo. NI: What is one question nobody has ever asked you—that you wish they did? AMP: Where can I buy your work… Ha Ha! JK ;) But Seriously… Website: www.afilteredlife.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/amp.photo/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/afilteredlife/ 500px: www.500px.com/afilteredlife

Tips For Our Readers NI: What are your thoughts and feelings about shooting individually (versus shooting with a friend or small group of friends)?  AMP: While photography is pretty independent to begin with, collaboration is always good. Sometimes extra eyes can make the difference and help you develop. The one thing I would shun away from is taking the same shots. Work together to learn, but not to make the same photos. NI: What are some other tips/advice you would give to yourself if you started photography all over again?  AMP: Buy used equipment… You’re better than you think… Do it for you, and not for 500px, it’s all a popularity contest… 42 NOTINDOOR

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Lucia Fall - f/16, 18mm, 1/3 sec, ISO 100

CEL EBR

ITY

PHO TOG

RAP

HER Bryan Adams by

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Keith Valcourt

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Canadian rocker Bryan Adams is one of the best selling artWhile in Los Angeles recently Bryan Adams took a few moists of all time. Since the early 1980s he has toured the globe ments to chat with me about his time behind the lens. and sold over 100 million albums worldwide. His list of hit songs include: “Cuts Like A Knife,” “Heaven,” “Run To You.” “Somebody,” “All For Love,” “Cuts Like A Knife” and dozens more. In 2015 Bryan Adams continues to make important new music. His most recent is the brilliant Jeff Lynne produced CD: “Get Up.” Away from the music, Bryan Adams is an avid photographer with three published books of portraiture to his name. For his first book, “American Women” (2003) Adams collaborated with Calvin Klein to capture a cross section of impressive American women ranging from actors, musicians, athletes andbusiness professionals dressed in the designers fashions shot in New York and Los Angeles. It captures both beauty and power of these successful ladies. His second book “Exposed” (2012) is a comprehensive career retrospective of Adams’ photography and a peek into his process. It is packed with portraits of his famous friends and colleagues including everyone from Amy Winehouse to Michael Jackson to Lindsay Lohan and Dame Judi Dench. For his latest tome, “Wounded: The Legacy Of War”Adams steps out of his comfort zone by turning his lens away from his famous friends and on to young British soldiers who have sustained life-changing injury in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many who have been scarred and disfigured, sustaining life

shattering injuries while in service, yet living each day with appreciation. The photographs I this book are as moving and challenging as they are beautiful. 46 NOTINDOOR

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Q:When did you become a photographer? A: I sort of always dabbled with it on tour. Sort of documenting what was going on the road. Offstage. Backstage. Q:What was your first camera? A:My very first camera was a little AGFA camera. I got it from my parents. From there I bought a Cannon Camera. I took that on tour with me. I had a Polaroid Camera too. That was all back in the seventies. Things changed for me when I finally bought a Rolleiflex Camera towards the end of the eighties. It was uphill from there. Q:Are you shooting digital these days? A:Oh yeah. Q:Do you miss film at all? 48 NOTINDOOR

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A:Not at all. Everything about digital is just great. Q:Your first two books focused on beauty and fashion while your latest book: “Wounded: The Legacy Of War” features some really heavy images. Where did the idea come from to shoot returning vets? A:I like doing portraits It was around the time when a lot of people were coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan in pieces. I was approached by a journalist to do something. She wasn’t quite sure what it was going to be. Her husband was in the military and they had contacted a bunch of people. I said, “Okay well let’s just start it and see what happens.” I started shooting and by the time I got through about fifteen or twenty people my publisher said, “I think this could be something. A book.” I said, “Absolutely. Let’s do that.” Then I started shooting for the book. Q:How different was it to go from shooting models, actors and musicians to soldier missing limbs? A:I just tried to find the best and most interesting angle with everybody. It’s not really that different. The only difference is perhaps that they’re not as aware of things as much as say somebody who get photographed all the time. They didn’t know their better side or what light they like. You don’t have any of that. Many of them came in the studio and had never had a portrait done. The only thing they had shot at them were guns.

The Photography books of Bryan Adams are available at: http://bryanadamsphotography.com/books

Keith Valcourt Writer

Passion and adaptability are the two most important things you need in Hollywood. Writer Keith Valcourt possesses both. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an LA-based entertainment writer for DC newspaper, The Washington Times, New York City papers... www.keithvalcourt.com

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GET

UPNOTINDOOR

AND SHOOT

Welcome to NOTINDOOR’S Monthly Workshop

From the beginning, when NOTINDOOR was just in the planning process, one of the main things we wanted is to help photographers improve their skills and teach photography enthusiasts how to shoot amazing photos and get out of the camera mode that most people use - Auto Mode. In order for this workshop to be efficient we don’t want to just start with something right off the bat, instead we thought it would be more useful and meaningful if our readers choose and submit a few things they would want to improve in, learn new techniques, workflow etc. What to Submit 1. Photos you would like us to recreate 2. Links to an image you’ve seen online 3. Questions regarding your camera 4. Questions regarding camera settings 5. Questions regarding lights 6. Questions regarding locations 7. Any questions you need answered How to Submit We’ve made the submission process as easy as possible, so all you have to do is click the button below. This magic button will let you email us what you’ll want to learn.

Submit A Request 51

THIS

COVERED

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photo by Rick Mendoza

What Happens When You Put 138 Artists

In 1 Room?

Roman Payne, once said “All forms of madness, bizarre habits, awkwardness in society, general clumsiness, are justified in the person who creates good art.”

As if Roman had experienced Oddwalk, many times in his life time, this is exactly what you could have experienced if you had gone to the gallery show on February 11th, 2016 . Since this is a photography magazine, I’ll focus on the photography in that gallery show, but I still want to share some different types of art with you.

Photo by Jennifer Jones / Art by Jennifer Jones

Photo by OhTony.com / Art by Alex Schaefer

Photo by OhTony.com / Art by Christian Blacksmith

Among the 138 artists, you could find 23 talented photographers that added something that could have been lacking in their absent - reality. Most photographs, including myself, in the gallery where realistic and expressed the photographers’ take on life the way they see it. You know, the essence of photography since day 1. I had the privilege to show my own photography in that gallery and I want to thank the four people who got made that happen; My wife, Rebecca, who know an artist name Andrea, who invited me to Oddwalk 2.0 at Oddville, which is where I connected with Jerico Woggon the hard working curator for putting together the show, that took place at Stephen Payne’s gallery - Oddville.

Photo by Jerico Woggon

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Photo by Jerico Woggon

Showtime started at 6:00pm when people started to arrive. Artists checked in, random strangers walked in to experience and enjoy art, food, drinks and a cool Thursday night in downtown Los Angeles.

thing in between, so Hayley and I went on a mission to see how other galleries in downtown were doing, and we definitely came to one conclusion - Oddville was THE PLACE TO BE. The space was packed like... like a New Year’s Eve party.

Personally, it’s hard for me to just go to a place full of people and start mingling like I’m part of the gang for many years. I tend to shy and make a couple friends somehow, and I believe it happened that night as well. I have talked to a few people but connected to a couple very talented and fun individuals; Hayley Marie Colston and Achille Morio Below is a list of all the photographers who were participating in the Oddwalk gallery. I’m including links to their sites and social media so you can show them your love and support. Stephen J Payne Jerico Woggon Sia Aryas David Mastron Glenn Primm Hayley Marie Colston Rush Varela Rick Mendoza Shaun Thyne Steven J Brooks Dawn Wirth Jen Bel Moshe Levis David Cabrera Raymond Y. Newton Johnny Cubert White Deb Frazin Thomas K Nagano Janet Grey Diane Pirie Cockerill Richard Edson Maria Loewnstein Monica Mader

Photo by Diane Pirie Cockerill

People were talking, laughing, eating, drinking, critiquing, selling and buying artworks. Wether you’re a starting photographer or an advanced one with years of experience, I would, without a doubt, recommend to find a place like Oddville, that has the right people and ambitions, to showcase your art at. And if you’re an art collector, what’s better than being in a

I was there from 5:00pm until 11:00pm. I had to do somePhoto by Jen Bel

room where all forms of madness, bizarre habits, awkwardness in society and general clumsiness is justified in 138 artists that created good art?

Photo by Hayley Marie Colston

Moshe Levis photographer/writer 55

TRIPIN’: ITALY If you’re planning on traveling to Europe, you can’t go wrong with Turkish Air. That is, unless you’re taking a red-eye, with any expectation of sleep. If that’s the case, try a different airline. Other than flight attendants being very attentive from our 12:30 a.m. takeoff until they determined it was time for lights-out at 4:30, with two rounds of coffee, breakfast, two snacks and warm washcloths in between, it was a lovely flight. The layover in Istanbul Airport was less lovely, because there was a small area into which travelers had been scrunched – planes landed, buses picked up passengers and dropped them in the equivalent of a cattle holding area, to wait for a bus to take them to their connecting flight. Once I realized there was an entire (empty) terminal upstairs, the experience became much more enjoyable. I do not, however, advise eating the food at the airport kiosks. After 24 hours of travel, including the layover, I arrived at Milan’s Malpensa Airport, and took a taxi to the apartment I had rented on Air BnB. Word of advice: try to get information from the renter about the distance from the airport to the apartment, and whether there is public transportation nearby. My renter did not provide much information, so imagine my surprise when I was asked to pay the taxi driver 150 Euro for the long ride. Gasp. I’ve heard horror stories about Air BnB, but this experience was great. Had a little trouble finding my apartment in the complex, but once I did, it was gorgeous! It looked like someplace one would want to entertain and impress guests. Fantastic, affordable, and right on a very happening street. Naturally, I only used the apartment for sleeping, so it was wasted on me. In the morning, I walked around the neighborhood a bit, and when lunchtime rolled around, I started looking for someplace to eat. Unfortunately, many stores and restaurants closed at noon. I had heard of “pausa,” which is the Italian version of “siesta,” which begins a little before...

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Center Dome of St Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s /Moshe Levis 57

noon and ends whenever they feel like reopening their businesses. Sometimes 4 or 5 p.m., and sometimes 7 or 8.

er. In short, I saw a lot of the city, but none of Expo. Which brings us to another topic: the train system.

Italy is very proud of its rail system, which runs nearly right on time. However, the morning I needed to catch a train to Florence, the rail system was experiencing technical issues because of an overnight power outage. Lesson: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Lesson 2: Get a second opinion. Once at the train station, I purchased a ticket to Florence, but I could not find which track the train was leaving from. The normally very efficient communication system was inoperable, so none of the tracks’ readouts were operational. A kind man looked on his app, and showed me to a track, where another very kind woman did the same, and made sure I got on the appropriate train. She got on with me, and helped with my luggage, since I needed to change trains at another If you want to shop or have a specific location you’d like to go station. At the next station, she got me to the correct track to, schedule it in the morning. If you try to get there in the afternoon, you may be disappointed. I had been told pausa wasn’t as prevalent in the larger cities, but I saw it often in Milan. I had not scheduled any tours during my two days in Milan, so spent those two days wandering around and trying to get the lay of the land. I happened upon a wedding setting up outside a beautiful church, and joined the mass of tourists who wandered in to take photos. I’ve seen overly expensive weddings in the United States, but this one put those to shame. They had even rented a Hummer limo for the bride to sit in and stay cool while the wedding party set up and made its way into the church. She did not get out of the limo until the entire party was at the altar. (she thought), and had to get to her train, or she’d be late for work. At that point, I asked another person if this was the train to Florence, and he said it was. I got on the train, found a place for my luggage, and sat down. Then, I noticed the train’s reader board was working, and it said the train was express to Rome. It went right past Florence! I started to get off the train, but was blocked by a woman and her child. I let them past me, and then the train started up. I settled in for an unplanned trip to Rome.

As I left the church, I noticed an impromptu “sidewalk sale” happening just up the street, and wandered down to where many vendors were setting up tables with antiques, crafts, art and other interesting items. You’ve all seen pictures of Italy, but this was the quintessential cobblestone street, buildings close together, blooming flowers, picture we have in our mind when we think of visiting Europe. It was a lovely diversion, and a nice welcome to the country. While I was there, Milan was hosting Expo, the World’s Fair, and I thought I’d go see it. The trains had other ideas, howev58 NOTINDOOR

About two hours into the three-hour trip, a train employee came to check my ticket and informed me I was on the wrong train (in English. Common mistake by Americans, I’m guessing). She sold me a ticket from Rome to Florence, and assured me she would not charge me for the train I was currently riding. Unfortunately, the train to Florence had no seats left, so I got a “standing room” ticket, which meant if there was an empty seat, I was welcome to it, otherwise, I was to stand, sit in the aisle, and somehow make myself unobtrusive to the other passengers making their way to the restrooms. Somehow, I made it to Florence at the time I had previously scheduled to meet my group. Our group spent two nights at the Athenaeum Hotel, which was lovely. Very nice accommodations in a nice area of town – easily walking distance to shopping, museums and the

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famous Duomo. In addition, the restaurant serves a to-diefor Fiorentino - Florentine steak, which their waiters masterfully paired with a lovely red wine. In Florence, we enjoyed an afternoon at the Uffizi Museum, a walking tour, Dante’s home and church, the Duomo, plus ventured inside some tall buildings for better sky-scape photography opportunities. We even managed to get into some stores to help the local economy, and bring home items made from famous Florentine leather.

his father kept him, and the Duomo (cathedral) which was built in his honor. From there, we traveled to Cagli, a town of about 10,000 in the Apennine Mountains, for our two week experience in cultural immersion. Getting to know the people and rhythms of Cagli takes more than two weeks. Our group was kept busy in the mornings, then set free at noon, right after all the grocery stores and restaurants shut down for the day. Luckily, I had brought granola bars with me from the U.S., and those were my lunch for most of the visit. Afternoons in the piazza, however, gave us a great opportunity for people-watching, photography, writing, talking to locals, and drinking as much wine as we could hold (hint: if you get an opportunity to try a “spritz,” I recommend it for the experience alone. Not my favorite beverage, but fun to try, nonetheless).

Our group enjoyed day trips to Urbino, where we were not able to tour the art museum, because it closed for pausa, and to Rome. Four of us walked to all the main sites of Rome in six hours, and only caught our bus back to Cagli because it was running late. A short bus ride took some members of our group to the beach town of Fano, on the Adriatic Sea, while others preferred to stay in Cagli and cool off in the local river. When our two weeks ended, I caught the (correct) train back Our group met to catch our bus to Assissi, which, in true Flo- to Milan, where I stayed in a different Air BnB apartment, rentine fashion, was late. After a few phone calls, it became which was quite nice, and easy walking distance to public clear that the bus company thought we had reserved the bus transportation. I took a guided tour of La Scala, the gorfor the following day, so a second bus company was contact- geous, historical theater, the Galleria, an upscale shopping ed, and immediately, a bus arrived to take us on. Mid-trip, mall, the Duomo (Cathedral of Mary of the Nativity), which our guide mentioned to the driver that we were going to As- funded its renovation by offering people the opportunity sissi, and he said no, he had been told to take us to Cagli. The to “sponsor” one of the Duomo’s many gargoyles, as one detour had not been confirmed with the driver! He called his sponsors a starving child in Africa. The fundraiser was quite boss, who agreed to send a third bus to pick us up. We were successful. probably 10 miles from Assissi when our bus pulled over to the side of the road, and unceremoniously, we were sent to Last stop on the tour was the Church of Santa Maria de gather our luggage, and stand outside, with no shade, in the Novella del Gracie (the Church of St. Mary of Grace), inside hot, humid summer day, to wait for a third bus. Luckily, the which is the fresco The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo third bus arrived after about 10 minutes, so our suffering was DaVinci. The tour bus dropped us back where we started, short. We proceeded to Assissi without additional fanfare. A which happened to be a couple blocks from Castello Sforzesquick walking tour through Assissi showed us several famous co (Sforzi Castle), which was my next stop. I was impressed haunts of St. Frances. His childhood home, the prison where by how well-dressed the people of Italy were. Men in suits or 59

jackets, women in skirts and heels – no shorts or flip-flops to be seen. It was a beautiful country, and with the exception of the “selfie stick” sales teams, most of the people quite pleasant. When one thinks of Italy, one generally thinks of pasta and pizza, and I ate a LOT of those, but don’t be afraid to go outside of the norm. The steaks were wonderful, and at a group dinner at Castello de Frontone, our group was served a variety of meats, each better than the last, along with staples like pasta. Two members of our group very much enjoyed the horse steaks, and pigeon is often a menu item. I offered one of our Italian guests some water, and he responded, “I’m not sick.” Italians might add frizzante (sparkling water) to their wine, to give it bubbles, but they have no interest in drinking water alone.

Vassilis Pitoulis Photographer/Author

Angie Sillonis is a public relations professional and retired homecoming queen who lives on a farm in Eastern Oregon with her husband. Blog

Someday, when I have unlimited time and budget, I plan to go back to Italy, to explore the places I was not able to see on this trip. For anyone considering a trip to Italy, I recommend seeing some of the major sights, but also spending time in the smaller towns, which don’t see many tourists, so you’ll get a feel for what life in the country is really like. Don’t forget to carry your English to Italian Dictionary and phrasebook. You’re going to need them.

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Around the World I Go

PART 1 - MIAMI

Having traveled to over 30 countries, there were a few that impressed me the most. United States was one of them. The first time, I came there as a student participant of the UNESCO International Forum on Human Rights in Connecticut. I didn’t see much of the country then, except antique Yale in Connecticut and marvellous New York which I was truly fascinated with. From that time on I waited patiently for a chance to repeat my date with the land of the free and make the connection deeper. And so it happened. One day, browsing the internet I saw a great deal on a cruise around the Caribbean that was to depart from Miami. That moment I vividly imagined myself exploring those beautiful tropical islands, and after that having lifetime adventures in the US. All that seemed like a good reason for my new journey across the ocean. Three months later, I landed in the Miami airport, stepped outside and felt warm Florida wind blowing my hair. It was afternoon. I had a few days in the city before the cruise, a week of voyage in paradise, and then 1,5 months of traveling around the States. What could be more perfect? My plan included Florida in the East, California in the West and a bit of Seattle in the North. From Miami I’d go to Orlando – to see the first and the original Universal Studios Park which I’d been dreaming to visit since I was mmm… a grownup actually. Then, without doubt, I could not miss San Francisco with its iconic Golden Gate Bridge. And coming to San Francisco, I, of course, could not disregard Los Angeles which was very close and where my best friend from primary school lived. The last stop was to be Seattle, pretty far indeed, but hey, I watched ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ for so many times, I simply couldn’t help but checking in there as well. But first, to Miami, a city with its own reputation that I wanted to see in action. I decided to stay in famous Miami Beach, so I booked an apartment via AirBnb. The location was great – between Ocean Drive and Washington Ave, very close to the ocean, and to the Port of Miami, where the cruise started and ended. The guy who met me with the keys, named Fernando, was from Cuba. We talked about his life in Miami where he came 12 years ago with his family. Despite all difficulties he encountered, there was one thing he constantly praised, and it was freedom he got. Inspired, I went to see the ocean and spent a few hours on 62 NOTINDOOR

the beach, swimming and taking pictures with my new GoPro camera. It was windy, so I didn’t feel the tricky sun until it left its pink touch on my skin. A clever thought was to hide in the shadow and take a walk along the Ocean Drive, a beautiful green area with lots of street cafes, coffee shops and boutiques. Quiet in the day, it totally changes at night – flip-flops become hills, shorts turn to dresses. The area of fancy clubs and loud music welcomes those who seek entertainment. Not interested in showing off, I tried famous frozen strawberry margarita and hoped to find a place to dance salsa (found lots of clubs with electronic/ house music instead). The next couple of days I went to the Downtown Miami to see the concrete jungle of the city centre and the financial district – a powerful core of Miami. I was curious and took a ride on the MetroMover – a great free public transport that goes above the city and is a kind of experience itself. Overall, Miami appeared to be quite calm, yet a bit messy and touristic in the Miami Beach area. Glamorous Ocean Drive contrasted with tiny dirty streets; luxury cars bypassed homeless people, who were overconfident and often even

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aggressive; expensive cocktails, suspicious gangsta boys hanging around the clubs and trying to approach you or sell something – it was Miami Beach, and honestly I was disappointed. But before I left to Orlando, I finally discovered something real and unique – a hidden gem in that chaotic city. On Couchsurfing, a social network for travelers, I met a writer based in Miami, who agreed to show me around. The place where he took me on his sports car, was so unexpected and looked so different to Miami that I couldn’t believe where I was. A creative district full of beautiful graffiti paintings that were everywhere – on the walls, on the ground, showing faces and scenes so emotionally like they were real. The art that opens your eyes, wakens your soul, brings out emotions and changes the way you think. Wynwood Walls was that place. It was a fascinating neighborhood even though we got there by late evening. But maybe this fact was even better. Walking around those empty streets painted by talented yet poor designers who manifested their powerful ideas in a best way the could – was my top experience of whole Miami. I was grateful to have been there, and was looking forward to my next destination – a fairytale world of Orlando’s Universal

Studios and Harry Potter’s magic, a dream-like, man-made reality which feels more realistic than any of the existent.

Katherine Kifa Writer/Photographer

has been to more than 30 different countries on 4 continents, participated in the UNESCO Iinternational Forum on Human Rights, and conferences on Sustainable Development. Instagram

PHOTO

Peru Pre-Inca Salt Pools

Maras Roberto Sysa Moiola Photographer / Author

Born in Morbegno (SO), in Valtellina, in 1978, where he still lives surrounded by his beloved Alps. Professional freelance photographer since 2000, he works with the main magazines... Website | 500x | Facebook | Twitter | G+

STORY

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PORTFOLIO 500px Facebook Page Website

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MAURO MAIONE

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7 Ways

to Improve

Your “Golden Hour” Photography

Misry Morning Greater Sandhill Cranes - Buena Vista, Wisconsin

In photography, the “Golden Hour” is defined as a period shortly before or after sunrise or before sunset during which daylight colors shift from beautiful blues then reds and are softer as the Sun breaks the horizon. The term hour is not definitive; the effect is not a clearly defined duration of time because it can vary according to seasons and latitudes. Many photographers use this time to photograph because the light may be more bluish or reddish, contrast is less, shadows are less pronounced, and highlights are less likely to be overexposed. Landscape photographers enhance their photos with warm colors produced by the low angle of the Sun.

I utilize many tips to help with my photos. 1. Prior to the Golden Hour is a short time that blues are more pronounced than reds. The accompanying photo of Lesser Sandhill Cranes was taken in Nebraska before the blues turned into vibrant reds. The blur was intentional (I used a slow shutter speed and a tripod) and I feel adds to the soft movement of birds beginning their day. Use this time to capture colors not seen during the midday.

The internet has calculators readily available that can be used to find sunrise and sunset times in your location.

2. Plan ahead! This time is fleeting and the colors appear and disappear quickly. Know what you are photographing beforehand and get to your area early, very early! The same subject may look very different in as little as 10 minutes. Keep shooting throughout the time period. 76 NOTINDOOR

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3. If you like bokeh (aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens) use a wide aperture during this time. 4. Dress for the occasion. Prior to sunrise and shortly after sunset can have major temperature shifts. The silhouette of a Great Grey Owl was taken in Northern Wisconsin with temperatures near 20 below zero! Keeping myself and my equipment warm was paramount to getting this shot. 5. When shooting at sunrise, the Eastern sky is best as the Sun rises, at sunset the opposite is true. Don’t be afraid to turn around and break the rules; many times colors explode both East and West. 6. Generally, if you expose for the bright sky, the foreground will come out too dark and lack detail. If you are proficient at Photoshop, take one shot with the exposure set for the foreground and a second exposed for the sky, and then blend the two images in Photoshop. Experiment with neutral density filters and light meters. You may have to come back to the same spot multiple mornings to get “the shot”, but the results will be worth the extra effort.

sin is not for the faint of heart. Some days I photographed in temperatures down to -20F! Condensation of equipment, battery failures, brittle camera equipment AND human body parts are some of the issues I had to endure. But, owls were everywhere! In one day, I saw over 100 owls. Many of these great birds have never encountered humans and can be photographed at fairly close distances. Photographers must be cognizant of the ethics of photographing birds; do not disturb their behaviors which may stress the birds. I met other photographers who had felt the calling and were on their own journey seeking owls. I made a few friends; a great plus with being a photographer. What is your adventure? Get outdoors and find a trip that will unleash your creative side!

7. Use a tripod or other sturdy platform to lessen blur (if desired). Great depth of field in low light situations requires narrow apertures which usually mean slow shutter speeds. Plan for the situation.

Adventures

Steven Servantez writer/photographer

In Wisconsin Living in Southern Wisconsin can be a photographers dream. Rolling hills, rivers, lakes, fall colors and wildlife all force a photographer to be NOTINDOORS.

I love photographing birds, especially owls. Every couple of years in Wisconsin, the State welcomes irruptions of owls; snowy owls, great grey owls, and northern hawk owls. An irruption is a dramatic, irregular migration of large numbers of birds to areas where they aren’t typically found, possibly at a great distance from their normal ranges. This type of population shift can also be called Malthusian growth, in recognition of the population studies and analyses done by Thomas Malthus. Most owls we see in Wisconsin come down from Canada and may reach down to the southernmost point of the state. When I hear of an irruption, I have to head north! The last irruption found me in the northernmost parts of Wisconsin. Photographing in the dead of winter in Northern Wiscon77

THE

HUMAN

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LENS

orLIGHT

YOU

“What could be more simple and more complex, more obvious and more profound than a portrait” - Charles Baudelaire

Portrait photography is an art of imaging single or group of people; which can be realistic, hyper realistic or even surrealistic. Honestly I am scared of capturing portraits. Unlike a landscape or product photography, here subject is alive. When I plan for any type of portraiture, beauty shot or abstract, countless questions come up. Will the person follow my instructions? Will he/she like the image etc? All these leads to a common point; what should be the purpose of portraits? You may be engaged in high end fashion field like Mario Testino or you may be involved with marginal peoples like Diane Arbus. The purpose is more than just beautification; it’s about revealing the identity of a person.The most renowned portraits are the one which captured emotions and successfully conveyed to viewers. Yes, there are two important aspects….finding the identity of your subject and conveying effectively to viewers. The first part solely depends on ‘You’ and in the later part your technical knowledge also intervenes. A good portrait photographer should know about lighting, composition and equipments. This helps to keep your sessions shorter. The attention span of most of the subjects may not be longer; especially in case of children. If a person be opted your studio, try suitable lighting, angles or post processing to make a signature portrait.

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How will you know what is suitable for a particular individual? Here comes the importance of first aspect. Portraits depend on the impression/feeling created by the subject on the photographer. Being a more sensitive person aid you to sense beauty, flaws, emotions and state of others. If you are at outdoors, look for faces with a story in it. Certain portraits become soulful when it is read along with their environment. Once we were into trekking and forest guard of that area was with us. Among many photos of the guard i had captured, i liked the above given one. I found it more meaningful because it shows his working atmosphere. You can clearly make out the marks on the tree which were created by wild tuskers. Portraits are real challenges to photographers. Let me adopt Annie Leibovitz’s words, “a portrait is really just a moment with somebody”. I am in the process of learning to be with my subjects whether they may be in agony or in ecstasy. Try to empathise and enjoy with them, put them at ease to express their strength and vulnerabilities. Will recreating yourselves to a better human being enhance your portraits? Think about it.

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Indu M Photographer

Though I express myself through painting and writing, photography is the most comfortable medium for me. I am drawn to anything under the sun and enjoy the thought process behind creating each image.

Portraits How To Stay Creative

acting or mostly Professional/Business use. I find it interesting to shoot outside.There is so much creativity doing natural poses, sitting poses, and leaning poses. Also with the subject even laying down on the ground, with their face looking up towards you and the lens. With that being said, being outside makes the natural light so amazing to work with, and to bring out peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes with the natural illumination. I feel the eyes are such a very important detail to capture in a Portrait. They show so much, a mood, a look, a feeling. Eyes express everything! Now to get the really creative things!! Doing portraits in a studio is super fun, you have all this space for creating anything. There you can use props of all sorts. This also makes things more fun, adding to lots of endless creativity! Here you can be creative with fabrics, scarves, feather boas, furry blankets, chairs, chaise lounges, to clothes or no clothes. Here you also have the privacy (in studio) that can make your subject feel really safe. This adds much to a photoshoot. You can drape them with sheer fabrics showing gorgeous skin, tastefully,, or you can hold up a very sheer lace fabric and have them look through it, or show just one eye for a very creative look! You can use masks as well to create a very mysterious looking portrait. Feathers whether on a hat or holding them, create such an interesting look, the colors can pop and make it a most unique portrait. Lighting is most important thing in any Portrait session, being outside in daylight or indoors. A soft light makes for

In this article, I will share with you a few Photography tricks when shooting Portraits. This can make it all a bit more fun and creative. Shooting Portraits can be done in many different settings and scenarios. From outside in nature, to inside a Studio, on Green Screen, or just about anywhere, so that focus is on the one main subject. In my experience shooting portraits, I find the first and best thing to do, is to make your subject comfortable. Talk a little about how fun it will be shooting, and ask them what kinds of things they like to do. Talk about the weather, etc. I always try to get them to laugh a bit, that really breaks the ice! I find that connecting really helps with relaxing the subject. To earn their trust and comfort, is key and utmost to any Photographer wanting to capture a really great portrait. When I have shot headshot portraits used for commercials, 84 NOTINDOOR

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a smooth soft feel. A strong direct light can produce a harsh look if needed, or an edgy creative one. Lighting is everything! This can be your MOST creative tool. Use it wisely, and take some risks to see how it can give a portrait it’s power. In studio or even Inside a subject’s home, you can get really creative. If the area for shooting is a bit dim or dark, you can set up a studio light to just show one side of the face, so to create an amazing half silhouetted look. Try doing this also outside with the sun, to create shadows and light in unique ways. For example, the one side of the subject is dark and almost unrecognizable, while the other half of the face or body is lighted to make a very dramatic look! Try illuminating just one half of the hand next to the face for a different look! Be creative and think outside the box. This is when creativity can really flow! Using colored gels with lighting, can create some really cool unique looks as well. Editing Programs have a ton of choices (Presets) which can change colors or textures of the entire shot. Layering is something that can create so much more, from the one portrait shot. But, that’s a whole other subject matter! To be Uber CREATIVE, green screen is something that can give you endless creativity! Which I have in my Studio. It takes a bit more to set up to get the shot. Your lighting needs to be very even. The subject has to be evenly lit behind them as well. After the shot is taken, in editing the subject is KEYED out. Then, countless backgrounds can be added to create some amazing looks! Meaning, you can take a portrait shot and put anything behind the subject. Colors, textures, to scenes and places from all over the world, and more, can be placed behind the subject in editing. This I find being the MOST creative for Portraits. You can take a portrait of a girl sitting on the floor, and place her in front of ex: (a bus, a tractor or a monster! lol) This makes a very surreal portrait. I also love shooting in front of a RED solid colored wall. For some reason it makes a Portrait very intense and powerful. So as you see, anything is possible to make a Portrait more creative.Just use your imagination! From using backgrounds to lighting, editing programs and props, and how you approach your shoot, is the key. The true talent of the photographer is to bring out that creativeness in the work, and Capture it. Happy Shooting! Heidi Horvath Photographer / Author

Amongst owning her own Photo Studio, Heidi is well experienced shooting Rock Stars, Actors, Celebrities, Nature and more. Heidi is also a staff Photographer for 4 online Music magazines, and has had many of her photographs and articles published. - Website

Poraits Natural Light At

There are many photographers who specialize exclusively in portrait photography. Their passion is understandable: portrait photography - one of the most interesting but complex

observe the play of light and shadows on the face. Sun posing at the back of the object gives nice beautiful halo on hair and muted tones on the face, adding a bit of mystery to your image. Turn your model 45 degree to the sun and you’ll get nice shadows building beautiful shapes on the face. When the sun touched the horizon, and that is not enough light to illuminate the face, you still can play with silhouettes. Sometimes you may get very interesting pictures, giving the observer chance to study figure language of your object with-

genres in photography, which reveals a person’s character. out seeing person’s eyes. Let your imagination run wild, espeTo create a unique portrait it is not necessarily to have a cially when your models are children and you can get dozens studio lighting. A natural light could be more than enough, of amazing photos just letting them to have fun around. you only need to know how to use it. It is not always easy, and there are many aspects that must be considered in order to avoid errors. But as practice shows, most of the difficulties of shooting with natural light can be overcome. All photographers know that most magical time of the day for shooting outdoors is sunrise or sunset. No wonder this is being called the Golden Hour. Sun is low, light is warm, the contrast is reduced and the colors just fantastic. Play around with the direction of light. In the photo 1, my model posed face the setting sun. In this case the light on her faces is very soft. To have more creative options you can try to turn your model different angle towards the sun. Walk around your object and 86 NOTINDOOR

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The Golden Hour is for sure the best time for photo sessions, but photographers have to be able to manage shooting at different times of the day, and sometimes it’s the middle of the day when the sun is high and gives a solid shadow on faces that doesn’t make it look the best. On a bright sunny day, try to take away your model from direct sunlight. Find the shade, it may be a shadow of a tree, house, fence, anything, you just have to look around. If you can’t find the shade than wait for the clouds that will diffuse the light.

have. First of all use the window or opened door light. On Photo 7 model staying faced to the opened door. You can’t change the position of the window, but you have the freedom of choice model position and the angle at which the light falls. The farther the model away from the window, the softer the light will be. Typically, the object is placed on a 45 degree angle from the window, it gives a nice volume to the model’s face. If there is no single cloud on the sky, use reflector. In this case you’ll need an assistant, and preferably the taller one. Let him hold the black reflector over the models head, blocking direct light. Let the model to hold another white reflector horizontally in her/his hands, that would fill in the shadows in the eyes and neck reflecting soft light. I always keep reflectors with me, they are very helpful and don’t take much space. But if you do not have a reflector, just use anything you’ll find around. This may be a piece of white paper, bright wall, or even bright clothes. Get someone in a white T-shirt and ask them to stand in front of your model. It’s funny, but still works. Reflector not only fills the shadows, but also bounces light back to the model’s eyes. It gives catch light and makes eyes look alive and shiny.

Don’t forget to pay attention to the background. Darker background make the model’s face stand out more, and also dark color is less destructive. Be careful with the objects around, do not let the trees grow out of the head of your model. Portraits in nature are usually the most beautiful, but sometimes you have to shoot indoors and don’t always have the opportunity to use the flash. Look around and use what you

Just use a reflector or a white sheet of paper that would fill in the harsh shadows and increase the amount of light. I encourage you to try posing your model with her back to the window, and the photographer shoots against the light. In this 87

case it plays an important role the distance from the window and the size of the window. If the model placed close to the window, it could be obtained the peculiar light contour. In order the person haven’t completely fail in the shadow, use a reflector. If the model moves away from the window, the light contour will decrease. For small rooms I usually use 50mm f1.8 prime or 24-70 f2.8. Those lenses are fast and work good in low light. As you already know eyes are most important part of portraiture. They give photograph a very strong visual impact, because we are all used to look at a person’s eyes. Use this knowledge to your advantage. When the model looks directly into the lens, the observer looks at eyes first and then observe the rest of the image. When the model looks away from the camera, it another effect, the viewer becomes interesting where the subject is looking. Always point the focus of your camera on the eye closest to you, it will make your picture more expressive.

And of course do not forget to have fun! Emotions make portraits more natural and alive. If you are photographing children, let them relax and run around, and at that time shoot your best photographs. Portrait is a very interesting but also challenging genre of photography. Experiment a lot and you’ll find your unique style and will achieve amazing results. About the photographer: I was born and grow up in Russia, moved in Canada 5 years ago with my two kids. Working as a photographer after graduated from Photography program at Fanshawe College.

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Vassilis Pitoulis Photographer/Author

I was born and grow up in Russia, moved in Canada 5 years ago with my two kids. Working as a photographer after graduated from Photography program at Fanshawe College. Website