Namibia – Justin Hartford – A Quiet Mind

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A Quiet Mind
by Justin A. Hartford
In May of this year I traveled with JP to Namibia to photograph the
vast deserts and endlessly untouched areas of such a remote location.
I grew. I grew as a photographer and a person during that time. To go
on a photographic journey with JP is to have a very unique experience.
We had group exercises. We had individual attention. For me, the most
important was the time I was allowed to wander on my own away from the
group. I was always supported, as was everyone, for trying new things
and doing something different. In the mornings we would all load up in
the Land Rovers and head out with coffee in hand. I had music in ear.
The music I was listening to is the basis for my body of work that
came out of that Namibian journey. Blue Octobers song A Quiet Mind.
My series, A Quiet Mind, is a selection of eighteen images. It is a
series about searching for something even though I don’t know what I’m
searching for. It is about being lost and alone. It is about having so
much going on inside my head sometimes that all I want is A Quiet
Mind. I hope you enjoy viewing these images.
Find out more about Justin Harford here.
Find out about my 2010 Namibia workshop here.
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Namibia – The Function of Form

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namibiaform
Form can serve a lot of functions. One can be to take the eye on an exciting journey. Rectilinear? Curvilinear? Fast? Slow? Simple? Complex? They all have a unique character. Contrasting different types of form can intensify one another. You can do this in a single image or in multiple images. Then you can identify other ideas that aren’t represented – and go get more images.
Visit here tomorrow for more of my images from Namibia.
Find out about my 2010 Namibia workshop here.

Namibia – Establishing Shots

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namibiaestablishingshots
Every photo essay needs establishing shots. You might need just be one for the whole series. Or you might need one for each subset within the series. Establishing shots set the stage the drama is about to take place on. They’re about context / place. They’re generally wide angle and show as many aspects of a place as possible. They are the big picture. They place actions and details.
Here two establishing shots work together. One’s above the clouds looking out to the fog covered sea. The other’s under the clouds looking inland towards the shoreline and receding dune. It’s a 180 degree shift in perspective that tells a larger story than either one can alone.
Visit here tomorrow for more of my images from Namibia.
Find out about my 2010 Namibia workshop here.

Namibia – Guiding Metaphors

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sossusvleinude
Guiding metaphors can transforms a commonplace perspective into an exceptional one. This enlivens the images you make. I relate to dunes as human bodies. This is sensed by the viewer, always on an subconscious level, sometimes on a conscious level. It helps me to know what my guiding metaphor is so I can intensify this interpretation while I’m on the spot. It makes the work stronger. So when choosing between these horizontal and vertical compositions, I’ll choose the composition that emphasizes that metaphor.
(By the way, it’s always a good idea to shoot both horizontal and vertical. Watch how it changes things. Long after, you may find you relate to the images differently than you do on the spot. But there’s often no going back, so get it while you can. Or should I say, get both while you can.)
Visit here tomorrow for more of my images from Namibia.
Find out about my 2010 Namibia workshop here.

Namibia – Take the Postcard and Then Try A Different Approach

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sosussvleipanoramas
Sossusvlei, Namibia has some of the most famous dunes in the world – 750 foot high coral dunes that close in towards one another as you move up the valley. When you think Namibia, you think Sossusvlei. Everyone who goes there has a similar version of my first shot. I took it too. Then I tried a different approach. I found the dunes made wonderful abstract panoramas.
Visit here tomorrow for more of my images from Namibia.
Find out about my 2010 Namibia workshop here.

Namibia – Shoot the Same Things Together

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One interesting exercise I recommend to my students is to shadow a partner. Walk in each other’s footsteps and make pictures like the other person. Shoot the same things. Shoot them the way you’d shoot them. Then shoot them the way you think your partner would shoot them. It’s best if you partner with someone who can expand your comfort zone. Compare the results as you go. What you’ll find is you won’t end up making the same images. You’ll end up making your own images in new ways.
These two images from Serra Cafema, Namibia came out of this exercise. The horizontal one is Paul Tornaquindici’s. The vertical one’s mine. We smiled while we were doing it and we’re still smiling. We realized that while the conditions were identical, we were so different and that resulted in different images. There are many more realizations about our personal styles we’re still making.
See more of Paul Tornaquindici’s images here.
Visit here tomorrow for more of my images from Namibia.
Find out about my 2010 Namibia workshop here.

Lighting on Location – Ice at Night

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1 Without strobes.

2 With strobes.

3 Exposures with and without strobes layered together.

I’ve always wanted to know more about artificial lighting. I figured I might use it in studio. I never figured I’d use it on location. That changed when Raganar th Sigurdsson (Arctic Images) broke out his strobes at midnight at Iceland’s Jokullsarlon glacial lagoon. Using strobes and flashlights, we were working light in a very direct way. As a result, I started thinking about light in new ways. Now I’m sure I will use strobes on location. It’s going to take more experimentation for me to know when. I recommend you experiment with light in your photography too. At the very least, your experiments will lead to an increased appreciation of it.

Check out Focus on Nature workshops.

Get priority status in my 2010 Iceland workshop.
Email info@johnpaulcaponigro.com.

Find Unusual Points of View

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You can walk behind Selljalandsfoss waterfall in Iceland and get a totally different view.
How many times do you find the most unusual angle yields the best shot?
I recommend finding as many angles as possible for any subject.
It’s visual exploration that’s worth the investment.
Get priority status in my 2010 Iceland workshop.
Email info@johnpaulcaponigro.com.