It's been a little while since I made my last post. I wish I could use the excuse that I have been off on some great photo adventure. But I can't. I have been on a great personal adventure however.
A few years ago I re-connected with Dan Neiss one of my best friends from high school. Dan has been living in Austria and I have not seen him in about twenty-six years. For the last two weeks he has been visiting me here in Colorado and we have had a ball skiing and reconnecting.
Dan is a graphic designer; an excellent one too. Check out his work here. As a fellow creative we had a lot to talk about when it came to our businesses. A particular point we spent a lot of time talking about is how our work is viewed, or misunderstood and often disrespected, by clients.
I am still surprised at how much of my professional career as a photographer is spent not practicing photography, but business. In particular is spend an inordinate amount of time on educating my clients to how the photo industry works. Dan turned me on to this You Tube video that really says it all. This video is not specific to photography, but really captures the all too prevalent attitude of many clients when it comes to working with creatives. Have a look...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A Look Back 2009 in Photos
2009 was a year of growth and transition for me. I believe it is important to look ahead, but one must also look back to see how one came to be where they are, and to help map out the future.
2009 was a challenging year in many ways. For me. tighter client budgets resulted in fewer advertising assignments and stock sales. Tighter personal finances prevented me from doing as much international traveling I had hoped to do.
I did however focus on more personal projects, develop new business relationships locally, and take part in family adventures closer to home. As a result my work shifted a bit with a growing emphasis on portraiture and further developing my fine art photography sales.
At the heart of my work has always been creating images of people that tell a story. This last year allowed me opportunities to further develop "my style" of portraiture. I have been taking supplemental lighting into the outdoors and mixing it with natural light. I have been endeavoring to produce images with an emphasis on story telling through a single image.
(If you are an e-mail subscriber you may need to visit the actual blog to view the slideshow below)
2009 was a challenging year in many ways. For me. tighter client budgets resulted in fewer advertising assignments and stock sales. Tighter personal finances prevented me from doing as much international traveling I had hoped to do.
I did however focus on more personal projects, develop new business relationships locally, and take part in family adventures closer to home. As a result my work shifted a bit with a growing emphasis on portraiture and further developing my fine art photography sales.
At the heart of my work has always been creating images of people that tell a story. This last year allowed me opportunities to further develop "my style" of portraiture. I have been taking supplemental lighting into the outdoors and mixing it with natural light. I have been endeavoring to produce images with an emphasis on story telling through a single image.
(If you are an e-mail subscriber you may need to visit the actual blog to view the slideshow below)
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Making of our Holiday Card
Happy Holidays to all of you!
We're Stirring Up Some Holiday Spirit !
We are a bit late getting out a holiday card this year. Not for lack of planning however. I had the idea for this card in June while Shauna, Cameron, Cora, and I were rafting on the Gunnison River here in Colorado. There was a huge rain storm while we were camping at the mouth of Escalante Canyon. You have seen Escalante Canyon on this blog before, here (this is from the same day) and here. It's an amazing place that has recently been protected with Wilderness and National Conservation Area Status.
The rain caused Escalante Creek to flood. Cameron and Cora couldn't resist jumping into a pot hole that was swirling with foamy chocolate colored water. I couldn't resist photographing them. It occurred to me while I was watching them swirl around in what looked like a giant vat of hot chocolate that I could put them in a cup and that it would make a great holiday card. I like the idea of a hot June day turned into a warmth filled morning on a cold December day.
The missing link for the image was Shauna holding the cup. I photographed Shauna in our Kitchen. I posed Shauna pre-visualizing the image paying attention to the orientation the cup so that the photo of the kids would match. With a little Photoshop magic I placed the image of the kids into the cup. Below are the two seperate shots.
We're Stirring Up Some Holiday Spirit !
We are a bit late getting out a holiday card this year. Not for lack of planning however. I had the idea for this card in June while Shauna, Cameron, Cora, and I were rafting on the Gunnison River here in Colorado. There was a huge rain storm while we were camping at the mouth of Escalante Canyon. You have seen Escalante Canyon on this blog before, here (this is from the same day) and here. It's an amazing place that has recently been protected with Wilderness and National Conservation Area Status.
The rain caused Escalante Creek to flood. Cameron and Cora couldn't resist jumping into a pot hole that was swirling with foamy chocolate colored water. I couldn't resist photographing them. It occurred to me while I was watching them swirl around in what looked like a giant vat of hot chocolate that I could put them in a cup and that it would make a great holiday card. I like the idea of a hot June day turned into a warmth filled morning on a cold December day.
The missing link for the image was Shauna holding the cup. I photographed Shauna in our Kitchen. I posed Shauna pre-visualizing the image paying attention to the orientation the cup so that the photo of the kids would match. With a little Photoshop magic I placed the image of the kids into the cup. Below are the two seperate shots.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Understanding Histograms
Understanding Histograms, both during digital photo capture and during your post production work flow in programs like Photoshop, will dramatically improve your images. When I am teaching my Digital Photography Basics class I teach you how to interpret the histogram on the back of your camera. I can't stress enough how important it is to learn how to do this and how much it helps you to capture images that are properly exposed. Practice and experience are the best way to perfect how to read histograms. A good understanding however of what your histogram actually represents dosen't hurt.
I recently came across this short video clip by John Paul Caponigro that does a good job of explaining histograms and how to use them. Have a look.
If you are interested in learning more you can contact me for private instruction or keep an eye on the workshops page of my web site for my next Digital Photography Basics class.
You can also buy John's full instructional DVD that this clip is from titled Photoshop Color Tools on on his web site.
I recently came across this short video clip by John Paul Caponigro that does a good job of explaining histograms and how to use them. Have a look.
If you are interested in learning more you can contact me for private instruction or keep an eye on the workshops page of my web site for my next Digital Photography Basics class.
You can also buy John's full instructional DVD that this clip is from titled Photoshop Color Tools on on his web site.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Are Still Photos More Powerful than Video? Ryan Lobo: The Hidden Story
Are Still Photos More Powerful than Video?
For some time now I have been mulling this question over in my mind. I think I first started thinking hard about it when Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast. As I watched it all unfold on TV, I suddenly realized that the most powerful images I was seeing were stills...on TV.
The networks were showing slide shows of incredibly moving still images. The video thay had seemed limited to long clips shot from a helicopter as it flew over the wreckage. But on the ground were photographers capturing single moments that told the story so much more powerfully.
Think about some of the most significant events of recent history. What images come to your mind? I'll bet the images that come to mind are still images that you saw.
Tonight I just watched this video of Ryan Lobo, a videographer / photographer. In this video he shares his realization about the power of still photography over video, and how he feels he is able to better tell the "hidden story" within the stories he was trying to tell with video.
For some time now I have been mulling this question over in my mind. I think I first started thinking hard about it when Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast. As I watched it all unfold on TV, I suddenly realized that the most powerful images I was seeing were stills...on TV.
The networks were showing slide shows of incredibly moving still images. The video thay had seemed limited to long clips shot from a helicopter as it flew over the wreckage. But on the ground were photographers capturing single moments that told the story so much more powerfully.
Think about some of the most significant events of recent history. What images come to your mind? I'll bet the images that come to mind are still images that you saw.
Tonight I just watched this video of Ryan Lobo, a videographer / photographer. In this video he shares his realization about the power of still photography over video, and how he feels he is able to better tell the "hidden story" within the stories he was trying to tell with video.
Ryan Lobo: Photographing The Hidden Story
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
LADAKH photographs by Richard Durnan Save $10.00
Just in time for the Holidays!
Save $10.00 on my photo book LADAKH photographs by Richard Durnan. LADAKH is a collection of photographic images in black and white that explores the Tibetan Culture, people, and landscapes of India's northern Himalayan region known as Ladakh. It features the images from my popular Ladakh II fine art photograph series with a few additional images never before exhibited.
Preview and place your order for the book now!
Place your order for this great companion book to the exhibit before December 31st, 2009 and receive $10.00 off when you use the Promo Code GREATGIFT
Save $10.00 on my photo book LADAKH photographs by Richard Durnan. LADAKH is a collection of photographic images in black and white that explores the Tibetan Culture, people, and landscapes of India's northern Himalayan region known as Ladakh. It features the images from my popular Ladakh II fine art photograph series with a few additional images never before exhibited.Preview and place your order for the book now!
Place your order for this great companion book to the exhibit before December 31st, 2009 and receive $10.00 off when you use the Promo Code GREATGIFT
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Studio Virtual Reality Tour
Last weeks Richard Durnan Photography Studio open house here in Ridgway Colorado was a fantastic success. There was a tremendous turnout and it was good to see people enjoying themselves looking at art.
If you did not make it by the night of the opening, but are in the area, please stop in and see my studio-converted-gallery and see the new work I have hanging on the walls. If you are not in the area, you can still visit my studio and new work. Here is how...
I just developed a Virtual Reality tour enabling you to scroll around and explore around all 360 degrees of my studio right there from comfort of your computer. My new photographs are of course hanging on the walls. So visit the Richard Durnan Photgraphy web site and take the on-line virtual reality tour of my studio.
Want to see the new photographs bigger and in better detail? Then just have a look at the below slideshow or visit my Flickr Photostream, where you can see these photos and more. Please add me as a Flickr contact, and stay in touch.
If you did not make it by the night of the opening, but are in the area, please stop in and see my studio-converted-gallery and see the new work I have hanging on the walls. If you are not in the area, you can still visit my studio and new work. Here is how...
I just developed a Virtual Reality tour enabling you to scroll around and explore around all 360 degrees of my studio right there from comfort of your computer. My new photographs are of course hanging on the walls. So visit the Richard Durnan Photgraphy web site and take the on-line virtual reality tour of my studio.
Want to see the new photographs bigger and in better detail? Then just have a look at the below slideshow or visit my Flickr Photostream, where you can see these photos and more. Please add me as a Flickr contact, and stay in touch.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Last Kodachrome Film Lab
Parsons Kansas is home to the last Kodachrome Film Lab. Back in June I made a post Good Bye Kodachrome reporting that Kodak is ending its 74 years producing the iconic Kodachrome slide film. On Friday November 27th Bob Dotson on the Today Show profiles how the end of Kodachrome leaves it's effect on the small town of Parsons Kansas, home to the last remaining lab for processing this great discontinued film."Half a century ago, 2,000 film labs processed Kodachrome in the United States. Now, Dwayne’s Photo in tiny Parsons, Kansas, is the last one — in the entire world."
You can read a transcript of the story on the MSNBC.com site and watch the video report below. It's a nice tribute to Kodachrome, the import role it played in allowing us to see our world in color for the first time, and how it's end will affect Parsons and it's residents.Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Flickroom - Beta
This week I got introduced to Flickroom - Beta, an Adobe Air based application that provides a richer browsing experience to Flickr users. I am a user of Flickr, popular on line photo sharing site. I like it better than many of the other photo sharing sites because it really caters to photographers and has developed into a great community for sharing my work and connecting with other photographers. You can see my Flickr photo stream here.
One of the things I don't like about Flickr however is its user interface... boring. As you may have noticed from this blog and my web site, richdurnanphoto.com, I prefer a darker background when viewing images. Flickroom provides this darker background in its interface. Flickroom's benifits don't stop there.
You can receive instant notifications for any activity on your photostream, upload photos by just drag-and-drop, add comments and tags, mark favorites, add notes, tweet about your photos and chat with other Flickroom users. You have access to most of the major features of your Flickr account.
Flickroom is in its beta form at the moment and through the web site you can add your comments and suggestions for features you would like to see included.
Flickroom is also free, so give it a try. You can download Flickroom here.
If you are a Flickr user I'd be interested to hear and what you think of Flickroom. So please comment below and add me to your Flickr contact list.
If your not flickr user consider becoming one. In fact on Feburary 10, I am teaching a class called Digital Photo Editing Basics. In this class, amongst other things, we will be covering how to use Flickr's photo editing tool Picnik.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
November Studio Open House
If you are in the Ridgway Colorado area this Thursday November 19th 2009 please stop in to my Studio. Kane Scheidegger in the adjoining studio and I are hosting an open house.
I will be showing a collection of new, never seen before black and white images. This new body of work consists of landscapes from the region including images from my series documenting the newly designated Dominguez Canyon National Conservation Area and Wilderness. Randy' Independence Cafe will have live music and serve cocktails. Kane and I will have the hors d'oeurves.
Take advantage of this evenings 15% discount on all framed and un-framed prints.
Doors open at 6:00 pm
The Independence Building
555 Clinton St.
Ridgway Co 81432
New Studio Phone: 970.316.2580
See a map
If you receive my monthly What's Clickin' with Rich eNewsletter you have seen this image titled Crystal Lake, Ironton, CO. This image will be on display as a beautifully framed 15x22 Archival Dye Print. This image is also my November FREE desktop image. Each month I offer a free image for subscribers to download as your computer desktop image. You can sign up for the What's Clickin' eNewsletter here on my web site www.richdurnanphoto.com.
Take advantage of this evenings 15% discount on all framed and un-framed prints.
Doors open at 6:00 pm
The Independence Building
555 Clinton St.
Ridgway Co 81432
New Studio Phone: 970.316.2580
See a map
If you receive my monthly What's Clickin' with Rich eNewsletter you have seen this image titled Crystal Lake, Ironton, CO. This image will be on display as a beautifully framed 15x22 Archival Dye Print. This image is also my November FREE desktop image. Each month I offer a free image for subscribers to download as your computer desktop image. You can sign up for the What's Clickin' eNewsletter here on my web site www.richdurnanphoto.com.
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