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The Art of Photography
The Art of Photography is your lens into the world of making images. Every Sunday, Ted Forbes produces new episodes on diverse topics suc...Arts
Video Episodes:
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02:33:54 06/16/13
Episode 140 :: Still Life Photography
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 06/16/13
A Still Life by definition is a visual composition created by the artist and made up of traditionally inanimate objects arranged to explore elements of composition such as style, color, spacial relationships, contrast, light, shadow and other visual concepts. Still Life composition goes back to the early days of painting. Until Leonardo da Vinci subjects often consisted of religious and other metaphoric objects. The still life has always been a key tool for experimentation and development for the artist and photography adopted this tradition as well. Still Life Photography has its roots all the way back to Henry Fox Talbot, on of the fathers of photography, in his still life experimentations with photograms and composed pictures of objects found at Lacock Abbey. Sponsors: Shutterstock.com - for 30% off your first order, visit http://shutterstock.com and use offer code AOP6 on checkout. Audible.com - For your free audio book visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop
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02:33:54 06/09/13
Episode 139 :: Sony NEX 7
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 06/09/13
In this video, we'll take a look at the new breed of mirror-less cameras that are being introduced to the market. Basically mirror-less cameras are designed to direct the image from the sensor straight to an electronic viewfinder, effectively bypassing the traditional mirror reflex system found in traditional SLR and DSLR cameras. By doing away with the traditional design, these cameras can be made much smaller and combine some of the best features of DSLR cameras and point-and-shoot. The size and ergonomics are unbelievably good. The low light performance and resolution are on par with most modern DSLR's. You also have the option of interchangeable lenses. And because the sensor is so close to the lens flange, if you can find an adaptor you can use almost any lens you want on these things. Old C-mount television studio lenses? Obsolete Canon FD manual focus lenses? No problem! Get a $30 adaptor for the lens you want to use and you're in business! Sponsors: Shutterstock.com - for 30% off your first order, visit http://shutterstock.com and use offer code AOP6 on checkout. Squarespace.com - for a free trial 10% off your website, use offer code AOP6 on checkout.
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02:33:54 06/02/13
Episode 138 :: Color Theory
[LESS INFO] 9 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 06/02/13
Color theory is one of the most important aspects of art. Photography is no different. If you're interested in making fantastic images that stand out its a technique you'll need to get a handle on. The relationship between photographers and color theory is particularly interesting in that the approach to color has changed entirely over the history of making photographs. In the early days of photography, images were produced in monochrome. It would still be a few years before the autochrome process became available. But even processes such as color gum bi-chromate or even autochrome for that matter, were more involved than basic monochrome photography. In the early days, the process was natively monochrome and color had to be approached and thought about completely differently. Today in the digital age this is the complete opposite. Cameras natively shoot color images which are transferred to the computer in an RGB color space. Monochrome images today are made by manipulating a natively color image. This is completely opposite of where photography started. Color theory has become something that's thought about less since the images just come out in color. Sponsors: Audible.com - For a free audio book with your subscription visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop Squarespace.com - for a free trial 10% off your website, use offer code AOP6 on checkout.
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02:33:54 05/19/13
Episode 137 :: Printing Process Part 3 :: Print Comparison
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 05/19/13
In the final episode of our printing process series we will look at the results of darkroom vs digital printing. We have taken 2 negatives made with a medium format camera and printed them using 2 different processes. First we scanned the images into the computer, prepared them in Photoshop and then sent them to AdoramaPix to be digitally printed on Kodak Matte finish paper. Then we took the negatives into the darkroom and printed them on a Beseler Enlarger and printed them on Ilford Multigrade FB MGFB warmtone paper. In this video, we will compare the results! The point of this episode is not to promote digital vs analog, but I want to show the differences and recognize that both processes have their place and value. Getting excellent results in either medium takes time and can often get pricey but having a passion about your work and a drive for excellence will get you impressive results in either medium. Sponsors: Audible.com - For a free audio book with your subscription visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop Shutterstock.com - for 30% off your subscription, use offer code AOP5 on checkout.
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02:33:54 05/12/13
Episode 136 :: Printing Process Part 2 :: Darkroom Printing
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 05/12/13
In contrast to our last episode on scanning negatives, we are going to do the traditional process today of taking those same negatives and making prints in the darkroom. I’m going to use a traditional process of black and white, silver gelatin process and eventually we will compare the final results of these to processes together. This is not really a film vs digital thing, but I’m more interested in evaluating our results to find the best process for the image or project we are working on. In addition to this I want to take a look at the options you have as a photographer in both processes so we know what we can expect. Sponsors: SquareSpace.com - For a free trial and 10% off new accounts, visit http://squarespace.com/aop and use offer code AOP5 Shutterstock.com - for 30% off your subscription, use offer code AOP5 on checkout.
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02:33:54 05/05/13
Episode 135 :: Printing Process Part 1 :: Digital Scans
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 05/05/13
In this first part of a multi-part episode, I am going to explore the possibilities of the process of printing from a negative. Traditionally the 2 common ways of doing this are 1) scanning the negative into the computer and printing or 2) printing the negative in the darkroom. I think it would be particularly interesting to look at both of these methods and compare them. In this first episode we'll go into the details of scanning a negative from Medium Format film and how this image is prepared in Photoshop for the final print. Sponsors: SquareSpace.com - For a free trial and 10% off new accounts, visit http://squarespace.com/aop and use offer code AOP5 Audible.com - for your free audio book, visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop
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02:33:54 04/21/13
Episode 134 :: Medium Format Photography
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 04/21/13
Medium format photography typically refers to images produced on 120 type film which is much wider than the standard 35mm film. 120 film has a constant width, however the aspect ratio can vary depending on the type of camera used. The most popular ratios are square format (6x6), 6x9, 6x7, 6x4.5 and you can also occasionally find wider ratios for panoramic usage on cameras such as the Noblex or the Russian Horizon. The allure of medium format is its size. Being much larger than 35mm, you achieve a much higher image quality. Of course moving to large format you get even more resolution, but the cameras and methods become much more difficult and clumsy than using a medium format camera. So being in the middle its a nice tradeoff of decent resolution, portability and speed. So in this episode we'll start by looking at a range of cameras for people interested in getting started with medium format. I've arranged a cross section starting with a $5 box camera and moving up to the more expensive Hasselblad. My point is that all of these cameras provide decent imaging at their respective price points. You don't have to spend a lot of money to shoot medium format. In fact, in many cases the cheaper cameras are more sought after for the more "artist" look that you can achieve with the distortions and imperfections that come with cheaper lenses. Its all about experimentation and finding what works best for you. Cameras shown in this video: Ansco B2 Cadet Holga 120S - modified by Randy Smith at http://holgamods.com Ciroflex Model D Pentacon Six TL Hasselblad 503CX (similar to the Hasselblad 500 and 501 CM) Sponsors: SquareSpace.com - For a free trial and 10% off new accounts, visit http://squarespace.com/aop and use offer code AOP4 Audible.com - for your free audio book, visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop
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02:33:54 04/14/13
Episode 133 :: Toning Prints With Tea and Coffee
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 04/14/13
In this video, we’ll do a full tutorial on how to organically tone prints using household items such as tea and coffee. The process is quite simple. Note that I am using fiber-based, darkroom prints. You can and should certainly experiment with different papers, but my personal experience has simply been that this is the easiest paper to work with. Often times glossy papers are harder to get to take the stain. The process is quite simple – you just need some coffee and tea at room temperature and you’ll use time to get the best results. The interesting effect here is that the coffee and tea only stain the white paper. The silver (dark tones) don’t stain. I love these methods because they add a different effect depending on the amount of light or dark areas in the image. You could also use red wine, food coloring or any other liquid that will stain the image. Experiment, record your results and have fun! Sponsors: SquareSpace.com - For a free trial and 10% off new accounts, visit http://squarespace.com/aop and use offer code AOP4 ShutterStock - for 30% off your subscription, use offer code AOP4 on checkout.
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02:33:54 04/07/13
Episode 132 :: Nikon D7100
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 04/07/13
In this episode, we'll take a look at the new Nikon D7100. The top of the line for DX size sensors, this is quite a machine. Low light performance, sharpness and video are certainly highlights. Join me as we take a closer look at this wonderful camera. Sponsors: Audible.com - For a free audio book, sign up for a subscription today! Use http://audiblepodcast.com/aop to get your free book. ShutterStock - for 30% off your subscription, use offer code AOP4 on checkout.
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02:33:54 04/04/13
Show Updates
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 04/04/13
Today I want to take a minute to let you all know that new episodes will start coming out on Sundays. We're moving from our normal Wednesday routine. This will work better I believe and give people the weekend to watch new shows. I also wanted to give everyone an update on where the show production is, how we are doing and say thank you for those who have supported the show. The future looks great! Thank You!
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02:33:54 03/27/13
Episode 131 :: The Photo Secession and Other Historical Clubs
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 03/27/13
In Episode 130 :: Pictorialism, we looked at the movement of pictorialism and what defines it. We looked at the issues early photographers had with acceptance by the art world as a serious medium and how this effected the styles these photographers composed in as well as some of the techniques involved in the actual print making. Its also important to realize that this movement of pictorialism was one of a global scale. At this time, international travel was becoming quite more accessible as well as distribution of books, magazines and even prints. Much like what we see with the internet today, this was global shrinking for its time. The exchange of ideas, techniques, philosophy and other sharing between photographers around the world gave photography the boost it needed to mature. In larger areas we begin to see photographers banding together not only for community support, but also to do their own exhibitions, sell prints and do the artistic work and marketing to push photography into a more robust medium. As a result we see the formation of camera clubs. These clubs had formal structure, budgets, held meetings, published journals and produced important exhibitions for work by its members. Sponsors: SquareSpace.com - Everything you need to build an exceptional website. Now introducing Squarespace commerce! For a free trial and 30% off, go to Squarespace.com/aop and use offer code AOP3
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02:33:54 03/20/13
Episode 130 :: Pictorialism
[LESS INFO] 4 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 03/20/13
Pictorialism is one of the first and likely most influential photography movements. Beginning in the mid 1880's and spanning to roughly 1920 or so, Pictorialists were pivotal in establishing photography as a legitimate art medium and gaining acceptance as artists. Pictorialism was an international movement. Due to the increase of international travel and commerce in the late 19th century, people were able to travel to new places and the distribution of publications and even prints created a fertile operating system for the exchange of ideas and concepts on a now global stage. This gave photographers of the time a global support in their efforts, not unlike what the internet has done for photography in modern times. Photography faced an acceptance challenge at its birth. A way of capturing an image and fix it to a surface was exceptionally innovative, but is it art or mere documentation? This was the argument many of the early practitioners faced and struggled with. The art world was very skeptical of this type of "automated" drawing. As a result, a school of photographers came forth with the intent of giving photography validity as a serious form of art. Pictorialism isn't bound by style or subject. However pictorialists dealt with two primary methods for distinguishing their images from mere documentation. First the subjects and compositions were designed to bring a sense of fantasy or visual cohesion separating themselves from the documentation of every day life. Even landscape images tend to favor a sense of drama and effect to make the pictures more dynamic. Photographers such as Alice Boughton and Anne Brigman combined the human figure against landscape to a high degree of innovation. These images are still cutting edge by today's standards. Secondly, photographers were beginning to manipulate the chemical process itself much in the way that a painter would control their materials. Gum bichromate was very popular at the time and photographers started applying brush strokes and other manipulations of the process to achieve a painter-like quality to the photographs. Photographers such as Robert Demachy took this to an extreme - the work takes on a sketchily charcoal or graphite quality. Soft focus and dramatic lighting are also used to create a painterly quality to the work as well. This idea was likely influenced by styles such as impressionism which was contemporary at the time. In this video we are looking at early pictorialists, so I've not included some of the bigger names like Stieglitz or Steichen. We will do a second episode on this to dovetail into modernism and I'll be covering the major names at that point. Photographers discussed in this video: Julia Margaret Cameron Leonard Missone Charles Emile Joachim Constant Puyo Clarence Hudson White Robert Demachy Anne Brigman Sponsors: Audible.com - try audible for free - visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop Shutterstock.com - the ultimate resource for your next creative project. For 30% off go to ShutterStock.com and use offer code AOP3
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02:33:54 03/13/13
Episode 129 :: Abstraction in Photography
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 03/13/13
This video is likely my favorite of the composition in photography series that we've done so far. It was both difficult and interesting to research and I'm excited to share a timeline of photography history with you as far as abstraction goes. Watch and enjoy! Photographers discussed in this video: Antoine-Henri Becquerel Pierre Dubreuil Alvin Coburn Man Ray William Garnett Herbert List Jaroslav Rössler Moholy Nagy Anton Bragaglia Erwin Blumenfeld Naoya Hatakeyama See Also: Episode 106 :: 42, Questions to the Answers Episode 105 :: Focusing Techniques Episode 113 :: Learning From Past Masters Sponsors: Squarespace.com - everything you need to build an exceptional website. For a free trial and 10% off, go to http://squarespace.com/aop and use offer code AOP3 Shutterstock.com - the ultimate resource for your next creative project. For 30% off go to ShutterStock.com and use offer code AOP3
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02:33:54 03/06/13
Episode 128 :: Early Color Techniques
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 03/06/13
In this continuation of our composition series, we’ll look at some early color techniques up to what people are using today. Note that this isn’t about proper white balance and color correction. Its also not about color profiles or accuracy – we’re talking about how color impacts composition and how to use it to a nice effect. Photographers discussed in this video: Edward Steichen William Eggleston Ferdinando Scianna Saul Leiter National Geographic – Women of Tripoli Ori Gersht Dan Winters Sponsors: Audible.com - for a free audio book of your choice, visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop and get your subscription today!
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02:33:54 02/27/13
Episode 127 :: Tempo In Visual Composition
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 02/27/13
This episode explores the concept of tempo in visual composition. This is another metaphor to music as in the last video with Rhythm. Much like using Rhythm, Tempo can give you a nice variety in the pacing of your images and thus create more interest. In music, tempo indicates the pace of the music and how fast or slow it moves over time. This is a challenge to represent this in a still photograph and your own personal interpretation is essential. In this tutorial, we’ll look at some of the ways photographers have successfully expressed tempo in visual composition. Photographers discussed in this video: Josef Hoflenher Bryan David Griffith Ori Gersht Alexey Titarenko Hengki Koentjoro Ted Forbes Sponsors: SquareSpace - everything you need to build an exceptional website. For a free trial and 10% off, visit http://SquareSpace.com/aop and use offer code AOP2
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02:33:54 02/20/13
Episode 126 :: Rhythm In Visual Composition
[LESS INFO] 8 VIEWS | ADDED 02:33:54 02/20/13
In this episode, we'll continue on with our compositional series and talk about the concept of rhythm. Rhythm is a very important part of visual composition. Unlike the "rule" series of thinking, rhythm simply exists. Its in every composition to some degree. What's important is learning to control the rhythm elements of visual composition. Its best explained to make a musical comparison. Rhythm in music is the pulse at which the notes move over time. Music always has rhythm because it is a time based medium. Notes or sounds move along with a pulse. These sounds can be of equal distance in time from one another for simple rhythms or they can play against the symmetry of being equal to create interest. Syncopation occurs when the rhythm is set up to work against itself - you hear this in jazz, rock, or African music. These pulses in a visual composition are illustrated visually. Most obvious visual rhythms occur through repetition. Sometimes there is symmetry to this repetition and sometimes objects can be syncopated against other like symmetrical objects. Chaos ads complexity and simplicity ads tranquility. In visual composition, the photographer can create interest by playing with and arranging these visual elements. Sponsors: Audible.com - for your free audio book visit http://audiblepodcast.com/aop
06/16/13