Photography

Meeting Dan Winters

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Dan Winters is a highly acclaimed American photographer known for his captivating and iconic portraits. Born on October 21, 1962, in Ventura, California, Winters developed a passion for photography at an early age. He studied photography at Moorpark College, where he honed his skills and embarked on a remarkable journey in the world of visual storytelling.

Winters' work is characterized by its meticulous attention to detail and the ability to capture the essence of his subjects. His diverse portfolio includes portraits of celebrities, politicians, and ordinary people, each photograph telling a unique story. He has an innate ability to connect with his subjects, bringing out their true personalities in his images.

Over the years, Dan Winters has contributed to numerous publications, including Vanity Fair, Time, The New York Times Magazine, and National Geographic. His photographs have graced the covers of magazines, becoming iconic representations of the individuals he captures through his lens.

One of Winters' notable projects includes documenting the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in New York City. His powerful and emotive images captured the resilience and strength of the people in the face of tragedy. This project solidified his reputation as a photographer capable of conveying profound human experiences.

In addition to his editorial work, Winters has published several books showcasing his photography, including "Last Launch," which chronicles the final flights of NASA's Space Shuttle program. His commitment to documenting important moments in history reflects his dedication to using photography as a medium for storytelling.

Dan Winters' contributions to the world of photography have earned him numerous awards and accolades. His distinctive style, technical expertise, and ability to evoke emotion through his images have made him a respected figure in the photography community. As he continues to push the boundaries of his craft, Dan Winters remains a prominent and influential force in the world of contemporary photography.

In the course of the interview, I posed several inquiries to Mr. Winters, eagerly anticipating his insightful responses.

NW: First and foremost, Who are you and what do you do?

DW: Dan Winters. I am a photographer, a director, an illustrator and a model builder.

NW: Why do you do what you do?

DW: I’ve always been interesting in making as well as story telling. These pursuits cover those bases.

NW: Were you born an artist or made an artist?

DW: I don’t believe anyone is born an artist. As we are the sum total of our experiences, artistic voice will emerge. It requires hard work. It may come easier to some but in my case focussing on art since childhood is I’m sure a contributing factor.

NW: What role does the artist have in society?

DW: Art plays myriad roles in society. I think art that holds a mirror to society is functioning at the highest level. Photography and film would be at the top of that list in my opinion.

NW: Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?

DW: My life is anything but lonely. I love what I do and have many people in my life. My wife and I are best friends and basically joined at the hip.

NW: Do you create to understand or do you express what you have already learned? Or is it some combination of both?

DW: In creating one hopes for revelation from the results. The process is about discovery and one hopes that a better understanding of the way things work is attained.

NW: Describe a real-life situation that inspired you.

DW: I recently sat hospice with a dear friend. He was very compromised in the end and when he left his body I was deeply moved.

NW: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

DW: Jay Maisel once said” if you want to become a better photographer, become a more interesting person.

NW: Why photography?

DW: As photographers we require a subject, something or someone to put in front of our camera. We must find it out in the world. It’s a medium that allows for adventure.

Photography Workflow: Importing to edit #3

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In this week's blog were going to took a look at the Workflow I took to shooting a full session, importing my images, naming, and so on. The first thing I want to do when I’m uploading is load Adobe Bridge. Adobe Bridge is used to organize files by renaming a group of them at once, assigning colored labels or star ratings to files from the respective Adobe software suite, editing embedded or associated XMP and IPTC Information Interchange Model metadata, or sorting or categorizing them based on their metadata.

Once AB is open we’re going to find our folder. Now I have already shot and organized my work but for the sake of teaching this workflow I have created a folder on my desktop named “Camera” and we are going to pretend as if we are dragging and dropping our folder into AB. As you can see two of my images are here and the next step is simple. we're going to append our copyright information onto our images and then use a batch rename. Using a batch renamer the photographer can easily give the pictures meaningful names. A batch renamer can be used to quickly change the filenames to a style that suits the person who downloaded them.

So, I’ve renamed my files and selected the option to move the images. An important tip and trick to know is how to organize your photos. I’ve Created a Mock folder which will be available with additional files for you. You should always have a folder with the Year followed by the type of images such as “portraits.” in them and then the client which can be identified by their first and last name. inside that folder is where we keep our raw files and workflow from Photoshop.

Now, the next step is something that I personally do on my own. you don’t necessarily have to do this, but I enjoy doing it because it’s part of my editing process that I’ve created. In Adobe bridge, you’re able to open a file in Camera Raw and make some adjustments. I personally prefer to open Adobe Lightroom, which imports my images from my raw folder and edits them there. It’s a lot easier and quicker because you have more options than Camera Raw inside Adobe Bridge. The first thing we’re gonna do is open Adobe Lightroom, once Adobe Lightroom is open we’re gonna make sure we’re in the library where we’re going to hit import in the bottom left corner.

Normally if your camera or SD card is plugged into Adobe Lightroom it will automatically pull your files up but since we aren’t doing that we’re going to look for the folder that has our raw in it. You can see that I’ve selected the two images from my raw folder which was created in our organized folder from year, portraits, and to client. The next thing we’re gonna do is head over to develop and I like to look at a before and after of my image as I’m working on it so I hit the two “Y’s” at the bottom left of the corner underneath my first image and it shows before and after. so on the right, I’ve already gone ahead and edited my image to my favored color, exposure, and so on. Once done, right, click and open as a smart object in Photoshop and we’ll go over why we open our files In Photoshop as a smart object.

So, as you can see, now, our images are uploaded into Photoshop. It’s turned into a smart object and we’re ready to start editing. now the reason we turn an image into a smart object is because we want to make sure we add adjustment layers. We aren’t adding them onto the image, which makes it impossible to edit them later so what we do is add smart objects to our image which creates a layer, or mask, making it easier to edit your images in particular parts of that image without destroying the entire thing.

One thing I like to make sure that I have correct before I upload an image or edit is make sure my color settings are correct. this is the very first thing I do before I open anything or import anything so I’m gonna go ahead and show what we have and what that looks like. So we’re going go to edit, color setting. This should bring us to our color settings. The reason we change our color settings is because our working space is the same as when we take pictures on our camera, your camera should be set to Adobe RGB which in relative terms when you edit you should also be editing in the same color space. I didn’t come up with this formula particularly but it is what I was taught and what I’ve used since then, and it’s helped me when it comes to editing, printing, and so on.

Once you mimic the color setting, go ahead and click OK. we’re going to set up our image for editing. In the final step, we create two folders for our image editing. The first folder is for global adjustments such as color, lighting, exposure, and more. The second folder is for local adjustments that target specific parts of the image that need correction. For example, we can create a folder for scarf, hair, and skin, where we make color balance, saturation, and other adjustments.

We arrange the local folder on top of the global folder to ensure that our edits are visible and sit on top of the global adjustments. At the bottom of the folders, we have our DB layer for Dodge and Burn edits and a retouching layer. To explain global and local adjustments further, think of the sun and a building as our global adjustment. We can adjust the way the light looks on the building using the curve layer. However, there may be specific areas on the building that we want to be a little darker or lighter. For these areas, we create a local adjustment using levels or another curse level adjustment. We then convert these adjustments into a mask and paint over them to apply the changes only to the parts that need correction.

That’s all for this first part. We will pick up in the second part later, Thank You.

Why You Should Get Into Photography

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Photography is an art form that captures moments and memories through the lens of a camera. It’s a way of telling a story, conveying emotions, and capturing the beauty of the world around us. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just someone who loves taking pictures, photography has the power to transport us to different times and places.

One of the most important aspects of photography is composition. It’s the arrangement of elements in a photograph that creates a sense of balance, harmony, and interest for the viewer. The rule of thirds is a popular composition technique that divides the image into thirds horizontally and vertically, and places important elements along these lines or at their intersections. This creates a more dynamic and appealing image.

Another important aspect of photography is lighting. It’s the way light is used to illuminate the subject, create shadows, and add depth to the image. Lighting can be natural or artificial, and the direction and intensity of the light can have a significant impact on the mood and tone of the photograph.

Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are the three main settings that control the exposure of the image. Shutter speed is the length of time the camera’s shutter is open, and affects how motion is captured in the image. Aperture is the size of the opening in the lens, and affects the depth of field or how much of the image is in focus. ISO is the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor to light, and affects the overall brightness and noise of the image.

Post-processing is another important aspect of photography. It’s the editing and enhancement of the image using software such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. This can include adjusting the brightness, contrast, and color saturation, as well as removing blemishes, distractions, or unwanted elements from the image.

In conclusion, photography is a powerful medium that allows us to capture and share the beauty of the world around us. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just someone who loves taking pictures, understanding the key elements of composition, lighting, exposure, and post-processing can help you create stunning images that tell a story and capture a moment in time. With practice and patience, anyone can become a skilled photographer and express their unique perspective through the lens of a camera. But you should learn the following when considering becoming a Photographer:

1. **Understanding Your Camera:**

   Before diving into the technical aspects of photography, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the camera you're using. Learn about its different modes, buttons, and settings. Whether you have a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or even a smartphone, understanding your device's capabilities is the first step towards capturing great shots.

2. **Mastering Composition Techniques:**

   Composition is the art of arranging elements within a frame to create a visually pleasing image. Some key composition techniques include:

   - Rule of Thirds: Divide your frame into nine equal parts and place your subject along the intersecting lines.

   - Leading Lines: Use natural or man-made lines to guide the viewer's eyes towards the main subject.

   - Framing: Incorporate elements in the foreground to frame your subject and add depth to the image.

3. **Playing with Light:**

   Light is a photographer's best friend. Understand the different qualities of light, such as natural light, artificial light, and low light conditions. Experiment with the golden hour, which occurs during the first and last hour of sunlight, to capture warm and soft tones in your photos.

4. **Mastering Exposure:**

   Exposure is the amount of light that reaches your camera's sensor. It is controlled by three factors:

   - Aperture: The size of the opening in the lens.

   - Shutter Speed: The amount of time the shutter remains open.

   - ISO: The sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light.

   Balancing these three elements is crucial for achieving well-exposed photographs.

5. **Focus and Depth of Field:**

   Understanding how to control focus and depth of field allows you to emphasize specific elements in your photos. Experiment with different focal lengths, aperture settings, and focus points to achieve the desired effect.

6. **Post-Processing Basics:**

   Post-processing is the final step in enhancing your images. Familiarize yourself with basic editing tools and software to adjust exposure, color balance, and sharpness. Remember that subtle edits can significantly improve the overall quality of your photographs.

Photography is an art form that evolves with practice and experimentation. As you delve into the basics of photography, don't be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. Embrace your creativity, explore different styles, and most importantly, enjoy the process of capturing moments that tell unique stories through your lens. Happy shooting!