Taking-a-Picture

Pinterest for Photographers; Building Your Brand

Pinterest has recently busted-out in the social media scene with high energy and excitement, although it has been quietly building a following for years. For photographers, Pinterest can offer incredible opportunities to build awareness and establish your brand.This is the first of a few articles on this new social platform and how you can optimize it for your photography.

What is Pinterest? It is a social media bulletin board. You "pin" your photos on your "board". Other people may take notice and they might "re-pin" your photo to their board. It allows people to share (post on their boards) other peoples pictures.

Confusing? Or are you asking... so what? 

Visit my Photography by Stephen Harris Pinterest page to help visualize the concept (add a follow if you'd like!). If you need an invite to join, email me and I will extend an invitation (currently free membership is by invite only).

My Pinterest page:

Here I have created Boards for different genre's of my photographs. You could have wedding, industrial, sports, portraits...  whatever fits your photographic focus and interest.

On my site, I also have boards for other interests, such as cameras, books and a page of other people's photography that I enjoy. Re-pinning other people's work is a great way to build up your followers. And also a way to meet other like minded people. More on this later.

Once you have created your own "boards", adding photos is easy. One method is to browse your hard drive and simply upload. Add a description and identify which "board" you are pinning to... and you're all set. However, there are better ways to add your  images, which will include URL links back to your web site or Flickr.

Visit the Pinterest Goodies page, where you can add a pin-it button to your Firefox Navigation Bar. Drag a photo from Flickr or other sites to the navigation bar. Click on the new navigation entry and click the pin-it button  - and the original URL is included on your board.

There is an even more powerful  utility found on this same Goodies page. This is where the power of Pinterest begins to take hold, through links back to your original website. Thus you are creating a way for people to view your picture and then visit you website. This link also creates search engine optimization (SEO) benefits for your website.

Lastly (for this article), when uploading your image be sure to use good keyword text in the description for search benefits. Upcoming - how to build a community and adding pricing to your photographs.

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Channeling Ansel Adams

As I continue to read Ansel Adams's Autobiography; I wish I could have met the man.

His words continue to resonate strongly with my personal views of photography. For me, photography is conveying onto micro-chip (alas I miss film sometimes) that unique image that appears in my minds-eye. My images are often of interesting angles or lighting, rather then a depiction of a scene. This, in my view, is the beauty and power of photography. Bring five photographers to a location and the outcome will be five different unique perspectives. And, I continue to believe that it is the eye and mind - not the equipment that make the difference.

Ansel wrote:

"If I don't see an image in terms of the subject and it's creative potential, I no longer contest my instincts. I am certain that another photographer's eye might perceive wonders at the scene that evaded me."

Personally, I enjoy exploring the world with other photographers. Observing the images through their minds-eye. Often they view is very different than my own. Exactly as Ansel himself commented. Exactly as it should be.

Ansel Adams Autobiography: an inspiration

I am currently reading the Ansel Adams Autobiography and found the following quote resonates strongly my photography matra:

"I never know in advance precisely what I will photograph. I go out into the world and hope I will come across something that imperatively interests me."

Likewise, my images are not planned, they are stumbled upon. I'll pick a destination yet have no idea what I will encounter. This not-knowing drives my photographic passions. My photographic adventures.

 Adams book has inspired me to do more black & white photography, as I did with film many years ago. With Ansel Adams in mind, With a tip of the lens cap, this is an image taken at Yosemite National Park in 1973 - by me!

Click to view all of my 1973 Yosemite National Park Images.

 

Telling Different Stories with Image Variations

What is inspirational to one, may be just another image to another. Recently, while crossing the George Washington Bridge, I took this photograph.

 

In my minds-eye, there was nothing inspirational or exciting. It is a photo anyone could have taken. I strive to present images that are unique; if anyone else can take the same image it won't be displayed. So let's play with the image and see what happens. First of all; I rarely alter my images (except for the usual light adjustment and cropping). I did so with this image to see if something magical could be produced. What do you think?

Does this image tell a different story? Some of my image fans thought the colorization was out of my character and style; and they are correct. So I played some more - this time coming up with a quasi-black/white image? I enjoyed how the red lights popped.

Which one of these images - if any - inspire your imagination? Are there any other variations you think might make this an effective photograph? Send your comments my way...

Image Crop: Creating a dramatic difference.

"Eye of the beholder" makes photography a wonderful art. Like a painting; no two viewers see the same picture, have the same feelings from the image.

 

Originally I cropped this colorful locomotive with plenty of blue sky. The image on the left was my original crop. Yet reducing the sky, on the right side image, creating a dramatically different picture. They tell two different stories.

 

 

 

 

 

A simple crop can make a big difference. Which image do you prefer?

Great Pictures: Is it the Camera or the Photographer ?

Recently someone noticed my distinctive red lens; and upon inspection stated - "Oh it's only a Pentax". ONLY? At a small shop someone was curious and opined; "They still make Pentax's?" It seems that if you don't own a Nikon or Canon - you are not a real photographer. Does the camera take the photo; or is it the photographer?

Ironically, I have received wonderful feedback on my images; and observed that surprised look when they learned it was taken with my Canon G11 (Point & Shot) or (are you sitting?) my iPhone.

NYC Lower Manhattan - iPhone

Of course, my Pentax K20D or any Nikon and Canon will produce a sharper image than my iPhone; but my thesis is; the camera enables the eye of the photographer. I will agree there are functions and very high end sharpness, which may be the characteristics of the Canon and Nikon. Yet I will add; most photographers will never produce images that require either...  The composition, the angle, the exposure... the imagination are the province of the photographer.

Bottom line: judge the image and the photographers eye and not the photographers camera. Don't be a Nikon or Canon snob (unless you truly take magnificent images!).

Welcome to Taking a Picture - My Digital Journey

Hello World. Yes, it is another blog; this one is about my Digital Image Journey - Taking a Picture.

In grade school, I caught the photo bug; shooting mostly black & white images and maintaining a darkroom in my parents basement. Recently I donated my Beseler enlarger; which sat in my attic for years. I miss the smell of Dektol and Fixer...

Fast forward to 2009; I began to develop a passion for  hiking (see Taking A Hike blog); and digital images was a natural. Digital Images competes for my passions now. My digital focus is on unique views, interesting lighting and reflections; even some High Definition (HDR). If a tourist can take the photo; then it isn't one that I will likely take myself. 

Please come back and visit Taking a Picture often; and join (and like) my photography Facebook page and Twitter account. And if that isn't enough - Photography By Stephen Harris. And contact me if you want to share photo links or have an idea we could work on together; or for hire!  Thank You.  Stephen