The Danger of Knowing Too Much

Once you learn to deconstruct music you'll never listen to it the same way again.

Photography, more than any other art form I know, is the perfect blend of technical knowledge meeting artistic expression to create visual magic. At least that's what I tell myself. The truth is less than perfect. The perfect balance is so hard to achieve with most photographers skewing too hard to one side or other of the balance point.

Here on the Candid Frame we often bemoan the fact that so much content out there is purely technical and about cameras and technique and not about photography. Photography disproportionately attracts a certain demographic; middle-aged, middle-class guys - my peeps. We have a tendency to pull the conversation towards the technical. In our defense, it has a lot to do with the way we were brought up and educated: we were pushed more towards the sciences, engineering and mathematics. We were encouraged to pull things apart and build things, to look at how things work, to be deconstructionists. Who can blame us when we apply the same philosophy to everything in the world: to people, relationships, to our art.

I noticed this early on in my own artistic endeavors. As a teenager and early twenty-something my passion in addition to partying and photography, was music. I loved listening to music and seeing bands play live so, naturally, I wanted to play in bands myself. To be in a band back then you had to be a deconstructionist. When you joined a band you'd be given a cassette tape of the band's material and you'd go away and spend a few weeks learning your part. This meant sitting with your instrument and a tape deck in your bedroom and tuning in to your part in each song, learning it by heart and playing along. It changes the way you listen to music forever. As a consumer of music you listen to music as a whole thing - you let the music wash over you and transport you. This is listening to music the way the musicians intended. As a wannabe musician you learn to pull the music apart in your head; to listen to the bass, the drums, vocal, keys and guitars all separately. You learn to tear it apart into measures of verse, chorus, intro, outro, bridge and solo and even more granular elements. You learn to find the key changes and the appropriate scales to use to build your solo from. You sit for hours listening to recordings of your heroes learning something note for note. When you have had enough of emulating others you try to build your own songs but you can never hear them like your audience can. You listen to your part and your band-mate's parts and any mistake or imperfection that you hear pulls your ear away from the whole.

When I got into video and filmmaking it was the same process. You take this thing that you love and you learn how to pull it apart into its components so that you can build it yourself. You learn too much to really enjoy your own work or the work of others anymore. There's a musicians joke that sums this up: How many guitarists does it take to screw in a light-bulb? Four. One to change the bulb and three to stand around mumbling to each other, 'I can do that better.'

There is still mystery and magic to be found in holy places.

The danger in attempting any art-form is that you will lose the magic in the experience that attracted you to that thing in the first place. It can be a high price to pay. In order to participate, you can't experience the art the same way as you audience ever again. Getting back to photography, I feel like the move to digital accelerated my understanding of the mechanics of photography so much faster than I had been able to achieve in the analog medium. Back in my film days I could get a decent exposure but I didn't understand the mechanics of exposure intimately until I moved to digital. Digital's instant feedback and the ability to experiment without additional cost made me technically a better photographer and I could now control exposure rather than just getting by but did this technical knowledge stop me from experiencing the magic of photography in the same way? Of course it is too easy to slip into nostalgia for the film days. The experience of being in a chemical darkroom and seeing an image slowly materialize before your eyes was so other-worldy and magical it captured our imaginations for a lifetime. The distance you got between exposing a frame and seeing a print was like a tiny jump back in time. In the digital darkroom everything is instantaneous and infinitely, minutely adjustable. You don't need to set hours aside to go there and the slow emergence of a print line by line inspires only impatience and frustration and not awe.

And yet I'd never go back; we can't go back. I love digital because it has made me a better photographer. I look back at my wet prints and all I see is dust and scratches and bad exposures and poor materials and mistakes. That is the price we pay for knowledge. So how can you experience the magic again? In music I can get it from forms I never learned to deconstruct: jazz, electronica and hip-hop. In film I find it in foreign movies that don't have to follow the Hollywood formula or short films or movies made for no money that don't have backers they have to answer to. In photography I find it by removing myself from the digital experience: by really spending time looking at monographs and by visiting my holy places, museums and galleries, where pictures transport you beyond the technical into the imagination and experience of the photographer.

There is no way to unknow what you know, or to turn it off. That boat has sailed. But in acknowledging your knowledge you can still find ways to experience the magic of photography. It is that magic I try to draw upon for inspiration not a newly learned technique or newly acquired piece of gear. It is so much easier for many of us to fall back on technique but, in my opinion, it is worth the effort to work harder to try to rekindle the magic that inspired you in the first place.

I'd love to hear any opinions you might have on this subject in the comments below.   

The Candid Frame #152 - Brian Matiash

Brian Matiash is a professional photographer as well as the Education Manager for OnOne Software. In his role as an educator, he teaches photographers how to improve their photographs and their editing skills with his many webinars, articles and blog entries, but he also has his own passion for photography.

He has specialized in developing and refining his use of HDR (High-Dynamic Range)  to use it not merely as a gimmicky visual effect, but rather as a tool to help him realize his own personal vision of a subject and a scene. You can find our more about Brian and his photography by visiting his website and his blog.

To read his guest blog entry on Scott Kelby's blog click here.

Brian Matiash recommends the work of Nicole Young.

For streaming audio click here or subscribe to the podcast for free via

How to Edit Your Travel Photos

Here is a short video in which I demonstrate how I use Adobe Lightroom to edit down thousands of images from my recent vacation. Using rankings, collections and the Compare view, I demonstrate how to create a more manageable collection of images that best capture the story behind my travels.

This is a technique which I use not only for winnowing down images from my travels, but also large bodies of work including personal projects.

If you like these videos, please subscribe to the YouTube channel for future releases.

10 Photographers You Shouldn't Ignore

After Wired picked it up last year, if you're vaguely into art photography, you can't help but have read Bryan Formhals' OpEd piece '10 Oeuvres Aspiring Photographers Should Ignore'.  Wired illustrated it and renamed '10 Photographers You Should Ignore' to make it much more clickable. It is a Smart Alec piece full of truth but its insider, sardonic point of view makes it hard to stomach.

If you're only casually into photography the only names on the list you'll really know are HCB, St Ansel and Arbus. I do sympathize with what the author is trying to say. If I ask a photog about their favorite artists and they don't mention anyone outside of the holy Tri-X trifectorate or the Flickr all-stars I assume the rest of the conversation will be about gear and technique rather than photography itself. That may be just me being an art photography snob but I believe that all photographers from the enthusiast to the highest paid professional must know some basic art photography history.

The truism that if you don't know your history you're doomed to repeat it applies to photographers just as much as it is true for anyone else. In the modern world we are surrounded by photographs: billboards, advertising, the interwebs is full of photography. Some of it is good, some is bad, but, if you're a visual person, you can't help but be influenced by it. It will also leak out in your photography. The trouble with that influence is that it is second or third-hand so it is weak and diluted. You have to go back to the original source. That's the only way to know what you're really trying to emulate or the cliche's you should try to avoid. If you're a young musician and you love Green Day, and you want to start your own punk band you will just be a hollow imitation of punk if you don't go back to Green Day's own influences. You'd have to go back to The Sex Pistols and The Clash and understand why punk came about to be relevant today.

At the risk of putting words into Mr Formals' mouth it seems to me he was saying you have to know these influential photographers so that you can avoid their influence in your own work: "don’t ignore [their] work. Absorb it, absorb it all, marvel in [their] genius and grace." In most cases the authors didn't seem to be deriding the source but those that mindlessly emulate them. Whatever the intention, after I'd read the piece and stopped sniggering it did feel a little elitist and negative. In in effort to address this with a more positive list here are 10 photographers (in no particular order) who I think you ignore at your peril:

Martin Parr

It is hard to overstate Martin Parr's influence on the modern art photography scene. He literally wrote the book (actually 2) on art photography books. His best known work is luridly saturated and has been accused of looking down on his blue-color or tasteless, nouveau riche subjects but he has, over recent decades, fearlessly described a change in society towards a bland, commercial globalization of our world. His work is full of truth and an uncomfortable humor.

If you don't know where to start, start at The Last Resort and work forwards.

William Eggleston 

William Eggleston was the punk in photography. He was the first color photographer exhibitted at MoMA and it's hard to appreciate the controversy it created in its day (Ansel Adams hated it so much he wrote to the museum's board) but this work not only legitimized color work but it heralded a new snapshot aesthetic that is still hugely influential today. I know Eggleston was in the list of photographers to ignore but you do so at your peril.

If you don't know where to start, start with Eggleston's Guide and see how many album covers you spot in it's pages.

Helen Levitt

According to the negative list HCB 'narrowed the path of street photography'. If this is true Levitt walked that path and humanized it. Of course all street photography is a product of the time and place it was created and the appeal of Levitt's work is partly being transported back to another time. Contemporary street photography always seems to be fighting between the aesthetic laid out by HCB and modern subjects. Event though Levitt's work is decades old she shows that street work should be contemporary to the time you live in and doesn't need to prematurely nostalgic.

If you don't know where to start, Crosstown is just about the most perfect monograph I have come across. As it's out of print hunt it down in secondhand books stores and treasure it when you find it.

Robert Frank

Another photographer from the ignore list but if Jack Kerouac writes the forward to your book you know it is something special.  Frank was as much an influential part of the beat generation as Kerouac. His work is the equivalent of The Road and he was one of the first photographers that tried to describe who and what America was.

If you don't know where to start, start with The Americans: it can be a little underwhelming to modern eyes but let is sit a while - it is not such an influential book without a reason.

Andreas Gursky

We know the headlines: Gursky's Rhein II sold for more than 4 million dollars to become the most expensive photography ever sold. So what do deap pocketed collectors know that you don't? In a world dominated by an instant snapshot aesthetic Gursky shows that there is room for something more slow and considered. His large format process and huge prints show the power and impact that photography can have but they also show big prints have to be big for a reason not just to cover square inches. His work can seem dispassionate and deadpan but it is unrepentantly modern and relevant.

If you don't know where to start Gursky's work should be seen in the flesh not reduced down for publication. Many modern art museums display his work (MoMA, SF MoMA, Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern, etc.)

Richard Avedon

If you attempt fashion or portrait photography it is impossible to avoid the influence of Richard Avedon. Any black and white picture shot against a plain white background is going to draw comparisons. There is so much of his own personality in his portraiture that he sometimes is criticized for it but he understood the relationship between art and (that dirty word) money better than any other photographer of his day and his influence is still felt today. His pictures look so contemporary because many photographers have followed in his deceptively simple style and his influence and popularity show no sign of waning.

If you don't know where to start, start with his Magnum Opus, In The American West. It is, however, a poor substitute for seeing this show for real. If it ever tours again you must make time to see it. It shows an understanding of the use of drama and stagecraft in a gallery setting.

Jeff Wall

When thinking of a photo-conceptualist to include here I was torn between Jeff Wall and  the slightly more mainstream Gregory Crewdson. To me they represent the same idea of describing a fully formed narrative in a single image and an antidote to the misconception that modern photography is just about snapping pictures of what you encounter. Every inch of the frame is carefully considered and nothing you see there is an accident. Jeff Wall's images are carefully constructed and the results are often displayed back-lit which heightens the cinematic experience.

If you don't know where to start, Jeff Wall is another photographer who should be seen in person but he is a thinking person's photographer so his Selected Essays and Interviews are a rich source document.

Sebastiao Salgado

The sheer scope of Salgado's work is massive. His two largest projects are to be found in Migrations and Workers which contain hundreds of images describing the big picture issue in each. Salgado is concerned with world wide issues which can't easily be described in a single image. These two works can both be overwhelming which is appropriate in that the issues he depicts are overwhelmingly huge too. Yet Salgado, even at this point in his career, believes that his work can change the world. In a cynical world his images can sometimes be hard to stomach and yet his message is hopeful. 

If you don't know where to start, you have to get hold of both  Migrations and Workers and keep going back to them.

Bernd and Hilla Becher

The Bechers invented the form sometimes called typology. Their deceptively straightforward aesthetic and uniform approach to every subject lend a scientific air to their work. Subjects were generally industrial architecture with prints being arranged deliberately to demonstrate differences and similarities between subjects. Their influence is found on many documentary and conceptual photographers today and, although it can be argued that typology has been done to death, a view at the Bechers oeuvre shows the power in the form.

If you don't know where to start, any of their typologies are worth seeing: Typologies of Industrial Buildings is a good example.

Elliot Erwitt

In case we take ourselves too seriously and forget that photography should be fun, I include Elliot Erwitt here. If you think he just takes images of dogs you must revisit his work. He has a visual wit that is unmatched. His catalog is huge and he still continues to make images and exhibit his work today. In case there is a danger that we do take him too seriously he has created an alter ego,  André S. Solido,  in order to "satirise the kooky excesses of contemporary photography".

If you don't know where to start, start with Snaps.

Photography Books to Inspire

During an interview today with photographer, Brian Mattiash, we touched on the importance of photography books in developing one's eye for good photographs. We weren't talking about instructional books, but rather monographs, collections of images that represent bodies of work.

For myself, it was these books that provided me the most important part of my photo education. During college at Berkeley, I would make weekly journeys to Moe's Bookstore and others searching for deals on the photographers that truly inspired my imagination including Robert Frank, Mary Ellen Mark, Garry Winogrand, Gordon Parks, William Albert Allard, William Eggleston and many others. 

I did and continue to spend time opening those books and just taking in those images, lingering on them in   a way that rarely happens when viewing images on the computer screen. Today, we have conditioned ourselves to view images for just a few seconds with the only expenditure of energy being the clicking the mouse to indicate a "like" or a "+1" or some equivalent. 

In my opinion, this robs a photographer of the best and greatest opportunity to learn and understand what makes a good image. Looking at a print or a monograph allows you to view great photographs at a more leisurely and relaxed pace. For myself, it allowed me to absorb  and recognize a great photograph. It helped inform how I saw the world when I ventured out with  my own camera. 

It's with that in mind that I thought I would recommend some books and photographers that I feel are worth the investment in one of their titles. Though some of my favorite books are no longer in-print (thankfully I have my copies already), there are some close equivalents that I think are worth of a look. 

Mary Ellen Mark

I own several of her early monographs including her early documentary work including Streetwise, Ward 81 and Falkland Road. Though she is likely better known for her portraiture, all of her work is influenced by an abiding respect and affection for her subjects. Her simple, straight-forward approach, primarily in black and white provides me a clear example of how beautiful and poignant a portrait can be. You look at her subjects and you immediately want to learn more about them. That's is a powerful thing that few photographers are capable of achieving. 

William Albert Allard

If any photographer influenced me most, especially with respect to how I see and use color and light, it's Bill Allard. A National Geographic photographer who used Kodachrome in ways that many other photographers would think impossible, he was able to produce images that were stunning and engaging. The fact that his image could be beautiful but still meet the demands of the story is something that still amazes me. I had the pleasure to interview him several years ago and it was easily one of the highlights of my podcast career. His recent retrospective book, Five Decades provides a wonderful way to discover or discover his work and includes his personal writings on his work and career. 

Gordon Parks

This man was a photographer, a writer, a composer, a director, a poet and so much more. It seemed like there was nothing that he couldn't and or didn't do. From humble and challenging beginnings in Kansas, he became one of the legendary photographers of the Farm Security Administration and Life Magazine. He also went on to direct the classic, Shaft and produce several memoirs of his amazing life. It was a life that he fictionalized in the nove, The Learning Tree, which he would eventually translate to the screen as the movie's director. He was prolific even til the end of his life and this book provide a glimpse into the endless talent that was Gordon Parks. Another title of his that I would heartily recommend is A Choice of Weapons, his classic first biography, which provide a glimpse into the man who redefined what is possible in a single life. 

Sam Abell

Sam Abell is the second National Geographic photographer in this list. And though he worked along with Allard at National Geographic, the look of his images are uniquely his own. Inspired by his father's love for photography, he developed an approach that allows him to see and build photographs in a way that encourages truly seeing a subject and a scene. There is no "spray and pray" approach to be found here, but a practice of careful observation. This book is one that I re-read regularly and from which I derive a new bit of wisdom. He other title A Photographic Life is more autobiographical but provides just as much food for the eyes as this does. You can't go wrong

Bruce Davidson

A member of the Magnum Collective, Bruce Davidson is a photographer who combines the social consicous of the great documentary tradition with the instincts of a street photographer. From his work with streets gang in Brooklyn to the subway of Gotham, his work has consistently delivered. His book Subway was a marvel to me when I first picked up a copies over twenty five years ago. He revealed the underground world with an eye of beauty that most people, especially the subway's daily commuters would not have recognized. Recently re-released with additional images, Subway is a shining example of the personal project and the commitment one has to make to creating a body of work. A retrospective of his work Outside - Inside is also available, and though a bit pricey, is well worth it.

There are many other titles that I could recommend, but I'll save that for another post. If you do consider purchasing one of these books, please note that if you purchase them through by Amazon affiliate links, the show will receive a small percentage of your purchase. It provides you a great way to support the show.

But even if you choose to support your local bookstore, I hope that you find these or more of these titles helpful to your photography education. 

Photo Quote of the Week

"The primary problem is to learn to be your own toughest critic. You have to pay attention to intelligent work, and to work at the same time. You see. I mean, you’ve got to bounce off better work. It’s matter of working." - Garry Winogrand  Found on PhotoQuotes.com. 

The Candid Frame #151 - Jasmine DeFoore

Jasmine DeFoore is a photo consultant who knows first hand what busy editorial and commercial clients are looking for when it comes to finding photographers. She infuses her consulting projects with energy, enthusiasm and fresh ideas. Her approach integrates social media marketing with traditional promotional efforts and relationship building.

Jasmine launched her consulting business in 2010 and continues to be an active member of the photo community. Whether reviewing portfolios at international photo festivals, judging contests, blogging, lecturing at universities or mentoring young photographers, Jasmine keeps her love of photography at the forefront. You can find our more about Jasmine and her work by visiting her website and her blog. 

Jasmine DeFoore recommends the work of Allison V. Smith. 

For streaming audio click here or subscribe to the podcast for free via

Cheat Sheet - Quick Access to Your Short Cuts

Short cuts can be an invaluable tool when using any application. It makes work efficient by saving you time from having to navigate the cursor to the menu bar. The challenge I have is just remembering those short cuts, especially when I am using a variety of applications.

Cheat Sheet for the Mac OS resolves this by providing a complete list of short cuts for virtually any open application. Simply press and hold the Command button and a "cheat sheet" appears on your screen detailing all the short cuts for that particularly app. Particularly helpful for when I'm using Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop, it also becomes a great tool for when I'm using my web browser or Mail.

The customization on this application is minimal. You can set it up to launch on start-up and change the duration that it remains up once you release the key, but that's about it. However, that is more than enough as it provides me a great way to remember a shortcut that's eluding me.

The application is free and is available through App Store.

Video Tutorial - How to Adjust White Balance

Color accuracy is very important to digital photography and it revolves around our ability to get the white balance right. In this video, Ibarionex demonstrates how he considers white balance and how he uses Adobe Lightroom to achieve the best color accuracy. 

5 Reasons You Should Stop Buying More Camera Equipment

Undoubtedly, there is a bit of satisfaction on investing in a new bit of kit. The arrival of the FedEx van and the delivery of the anticipated box on the doorstep feels just like Christmas, except of course for the decorations, the excessive amount of food and a home invasion by a bearded fat man, who might find himself facing serious labor issues revolving around his use of elves and reindeer.  

It's a wonderful feeling though, taking out the exacto knife, cutting the tape and releasing a flow of Styrofoam packaging that seems to linger around the house months after their initial arrival. Are we sure those things aren't reproducing on contact with air, like some silent, furless tribble?

Such moments create the excitement over the potential of new creative opportunities. It creates a wonderful swell of emotion, which we can experience repeatedly. At least until, your bank account is overdrawn or the credit card has melted from overuse. But before you get there, there might be other signs that may offer fair warning before you end up at a freeway off-ramp with a sign reading, "Will retouch images for food". 

1. You have run out of space for all the original packaging material. 

The justification of course is to retain the resale value, when something newer and shinier is calling you like the Greek sirens. But now they've displaced the clothes in the closet, which lay piled in a heap on the lounge chair. Now, the only way to discern which clothes are clean or not is the sniff test, which your significant other keeps insisting is not that reliable. 

2. Your spine has gone out of alignment because of the weight of the camera bag. 

That exhalation of air that you release each time you pick up the bag may be an indication of weight being an issue. The additional thirty pounds that I carry around my waistline is at least well distributed, but the same might not be said for the bag or backpack that carries equipment that you never end up using. What might have looked like a cool walk in your twenties now looks like the initial signs of hip displacement. 

3. Your most passionate creative effort is measuring MTF curves photographing brick walls.

Knowing that we got what we paid for is important, especially when it comes to the sharpness and the resolution quality of lenses. However, things may have been gone too far, when you are making critical assessments such as whether the style of the brick wall is American or English Bond and if the gaps between bricks each measure 3/8 inches. The fact you are using GPS data and Google maps to locate the "perfect" wall is verging on the obsessive and is certainly making your neighbors very nervous. 

4. You become depressed and angry when the manufacturer releases a new version.

It feels like a betrayal like in grade school when little Debra Martinez gave Phillip Taylor the biggest cut of chocolate cake and which you were sure Debra was going to give you because you let her cheat off your test after she promised you were going to be her new best friend and you believed her because she was so pretty and you already liked her and... Well, it was wrong then and it's wrong now. Damn her. 

5.  You own camera bags that never carry camera equipment. 

They are there in the closet, in the garage, piled in a heap beneath the desk, camera bags that held the promise of perfection: the ideal shape, support strap, compartment size. They seemed ideal, the best and final solution, a bag to rule them all. Now, they are empty as their promise. It doesn't work now, because...there's this new lens

Photo Quote of the Week

"I hate cameras. They interfere, they’re always in the way. I wish: if I could just work with my eyes alone. To get a satisfactory print, one that contains all that you intended, is very often more difficult and dangerous than the sitting itself. When I’m photographing, I immediately know when I’ve got the image I really want. But to get the image out of the camera and into the open, is another matter." Richard Avedon (found on PhotoQuotes.com)

Chasing the Light Video Tutorials

When I released my first book, Chasing the Light: Improving Your Photography Using Available Light, I also produced a limited run podcast touching on different concepts and approaches to using light.

In each episode I utilized images submitted by members of the Chasing the Light Flickr pool to illustrate those points as well as provide an opportunity to critique the effectiveness of each image. All 10 episodes are available at the Peachpit website.

Click here to see the videos.

If you are in the United States, you can download the episodes via iTunes. Otherwise, look for episodes in the iTunes store in your respective country.

I plan to feature similar videos in the near future based on a series of mini-critiques of 3 images from photographers who contribute to The Candid Frame Flickr pool. So, if you want to be considered for this in the future, please sign up and join the growing community of photographers.

Let me know what you liked about these video and what you would like to see more of in the near future.

The Candid Frame #150 - Tony Di Zinno

Tony Di Zinno is a photographer whose assignments have led him to six continents in over 58 countries. Easily at home on Hollywood's studio back lots and on the foothills of the Himalaya, this self proclaimed 'photo-sherpa' has made his bones on propaganda by producing iconic images for Nike, Adidas and The North Face among others. Now as a faculty member at the Art Center College of Design, near Los Angeles, CA (his alma mater, PHO 89), Tony teaches various hybrid classes multi-discipline in nature. 

 Tony was invited on the board of Mountain to Mountain, a non-profit foundation working on projects in Central Asia, (Pakistan and Afghanistan). Previously, he had worked with M2M curating for a traveling photo exhibit called the 'Views of the Himalaya' benefiting a village in Nepal. The focus is on the education of young journalists in Kabul (video, radio and photo) with an emphasis on young women in the roles previously prohibited by Taliban extremists. He will soon be returning to that country as part of his work with M2M. You can discover more about Tony and his work by visiting his website. 

You can discover more about Mountain to Mountain by visiting their website and help support their next effort by donating to their Kickstarter effort for the Street of Afghanistan project.  

Tony Di Zinno recommends the work of Tim Herrington and Seamus Murphy. 

For streaming audio click here or subscribe to the podcast for free via

You hear our first conversation with Tony Di Dizinno for episode #47 by clicking here.

Review of Alien Exposure 4

Alien Skin Exposure 4 

Push-button, analog-funk in a digital age 

by Martin Taylor

Fern Processed in Exposure 4

In a perfectly clean, digital world it is easy to romanticize the film look and the results we achieved after spending hours in a chemical darkroom in the past. The funny thing is, back then we were usually trying to make perfectly clean, neutral, realistic images and we often cursed the affects the analog process imposed on us. When digital came along, I for one couldn’t wait to leave behind problems with dust and scratches and the inconsistency of chemicals. The promise of never having to spot a print again was a Nirvana I couldn’t wait to inhabit.

Fast forward a decade or more and the popularity of Instagram and the Impossible Project and their like demonstrate a thirst for an analog feel in a digital age. Admittedly, a lot of ‘digital sucks’ hipsters never knew a time when there wasn’t a choice between analog and digital and, like most new converts, they have been born-again as puritanical zealots. But I digress; for the rest of us who want the flavor of analog processes without the toxic chemicals there are many options at many price points. From the cheap (though not cheap for Facebook) Instagram at one end to plugins like Aliens Skin’s Exposure 4 at the other. But we’ll get back to price in minute; for now let's look at what Exposure 4 can do for you.

Alien Skin's Exposure 4 UI

Instagram on steroids? 

It sort of is but in another way this comparison belittles Exposure 4. It’s nearly as easy to use as Instagram. For the purposes of this review I was using it mainly within Lightroom but I also tried it from Elements and Photoshop too and it felt properly integrated into them all. From Lightroom ‘Edit in Exposure 4’ launches the Exposure plugin and it fires up pretty quickly. Even without reading and documentation you will be up and running in no time. A preview image takes up the center of the window showing the effect of your filter in real time. You choose your preset or saved custom preset from the list in the bottom left quarter. The top left quarter preview image shows the effect of a preset just as you roll over it, even without clicking. It also shows the whole image with a indicator frame showing what area of the image you’re looking at in the main preview window. This is useful when you have zoomed into your main image (using the scroll wheel achieves this) and got lost within your image.


Color Presets in Exposure 4


B&W Presets in Exposure 4

There are hundreds of presets to choose from creating effects that date back from the dawn of photography through to the latest film stocks and trendy cross-processing. You can filter the effects by monochromatic and color of you can search if you remember any part of the name of the effect you are looking for.

Civil War Fort Point Powder Room processed in Exposure 4

Once you have applied a preset you can use the tabbed controls on the right side of the window to customize the result. This is useful if, like me, you found the presets a little heavy-handed and you wanted to dial back the effect. Before applying an effect I did try to get the exposure as accurate and as neutral as I could in Lightroom. Even so, after applying an effect, I did often find some range of tones would be looking much darker than I wanted. This is why I found the levels curve adjustment within the tool so useful. I’m sure I could have tweaked the effect after the fact when I was back in Lightroom but it was so easy to correct in Exposure I found myself using the levels on nearly every image I applied a preset to.

Although the presets may be a bit unsubtle out of the box that’s not to say that the effects you can achieve are not professional. When you tweak a preset and you like the results you can save your own presets for future use. The film grain effects, borders and various alternative technique overlays are amazingly convincing. The effects you can achieve are pretty inspiring and you can find yourself wasting hours on one image messing around with presets and tweaking them as you see fit. On the other hand, if you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve you can very quickly find a suitable preset to achieve it, tweak it to perfection and be done with the image in soft order. A nice feature is that, in Lightroom, you can work on several images at once. This means that, if you find the look you want and apply it to one image you can apply a consistent look to other images you think will benefit from the same look.

Conclusion 

Golden Gate Bridge processed in Exposure 4

As someone who loves ‘straight photography’ I’m conflicted by the use of push-button effects to add funk to pictures. I love the ease of use and flexibility of Exposure 4. I like how it integrates into Lightroom, Elements and Photoshop equally well. Some of the effects you can achieve are amazing and look very authentic to my eye. It is so easy to use I do feel a little guilty showing the resulting images: am I being a fraud showing an effect I haven’t earned? Would I feel less guilty if it had taken me an hour to achieve the same effect following some long-winded Photoshop tutorial?

Truth be told, this product is probably not aimed at me. I am not rich enough or trendy enough to be their target audience. I do see Exposure 4 being incredibly useful for photographers who need a grungy, retro-look with a fast turn around. Senior and wedding photographers may find it pays for itself very quickly if you have a certain kind of client. For those kind of photographers the relatively high price might be an advantage because it will keep the riff-raff out. Uncle Jim is unlikely to buy Exposure 4 if he’s currently using Elements to process his images. This means that even the out-of-the-box preset looks will not be seen that commonly on Flickr. This exclusivity maybe what you need if you’re selling an expensive post-processed look as part of your package. Certainly this grungy look is very fashionable at the moment. Exposure 4 is one of the simplest, most customizable ways to achieve many of these looks resulting in very professional looking images. If you need this high-concept look, Alien Skin’s Exposure 4 may be just what you’re looking for.

This is Why Your Pictures Suck.

Dear Charlie,

You've asked me in evaluating your work to be brutally honest. Admittedly, it's something that other photographers have asked for, but I've always been reticent about honestly fulfilling such a request. I have often perceived it as the equivalent of a wife or girlfriend asking, "Do I look fat in this?" A frank, honest answer to that question is likely not going to end well.

However, you have been insistent about receiving such concise, unrestrained and to-the-point-feedback. So, I feel inspired to share with you why your pictures suck.

1. You're Lazy
Admittedly, you talk a good game. You talk much and well about your passion for photography, deftly demonstrating both your technical knowledge and proudly showing off your latest bit of kit. You  know a good amount of photographic history and you are very insightful with your comments about the craft.

But Charlie, when was the last time you actually went out and made a significant body of work for yourself? I'm not talking about that  job you did for pay, or the workshop you attended or that photo walk where you spotted that cute brunette with the Leica M9. No,  when did you last go out and commit to producing  images that truly challenged you; images that the mere thought of creating them got you excited about getting up in the morning?

I  can tell it's been a long time, because you seem to have put more effort into uploading images to Instagram, Facebook and Google Plus, obsessively returning to those posts to check to see how many people provided you a virtual pat on the head. "Great capture". Really?

2. You're Preoccupied with Gear
I get it. There's obviously something primal in both us when it comes to new kit. I have shared that same rush of endorphins on taking a deep whiff of styrofoam peanuts when opening a freshly delivered FedEx package.

But honestly, how often have you used it since you got it? Yes, the unpacking video you posted on YouTube was wonderful. (My wife, by the way, likes the new haircut). But besides that first weekend burst of temporary inspiration, what you have done with it? What have you created that you truly are proud of? And no, fondling it and firing dry frames doesn't count. It seems like you've spent more hours  reading blog posts, forums  and watching videos about the gear than actually shooting with it. And what's this thing with you reading reviews after you already made the purchase? Aren't your images enough to discern whether you made the right choice or not?

3. You're Sloppy
It seems like you think that "good technique" is a filter in Photoshop. And if you defined a good photographer by how fast they can fill a 32GB CF card, you might be in the running to be one of the greats, but it's hard to see anything in your final result that warrants even the battery being charged.

You seem to be completely absent when you press that shutter release, taking no ownership of what you include in the frame. Yes, the bokeh is scrumptious and creamy, but this is supposed to be a photograph not bloody creme brulee.

Whatever happened to good composition? Good light? Good taste?

And no, I don't care that there is virtually no noise at ISO 128,000, the images are still devoid of anything that would even qualify it as a snapshot.

4. Photoshopping is not Photographing
Yes, Photoshop is an important and invaluable tool. We couldn't do much of what we do without it, or its equivalent. But how long do you actually have to sit at the computer, weaving that Wacom stylus like an orchestra leader, before you admit that most of that energy is being expended on putting lipstick on a pig?

Yes, those plug-ins and actions are awesome and that compositing technique you learned from Matt Koslowski is pure genius, but I'm sorry to tell you that there is no there, there. I could wash, wax and detail that AMC Hornet I drove in college as dutifully and passionately as humanly possible, but in the end, it would still be an AMC Hornet. Those are the facts.

What ever happened to your passion for making a single good, exemplary photograph in the camera? When did everything become fodder for over-saturation, over-sharpening, over-everything?

5. You Refuse to Edit Your Own Work
Though you are asking for my feedback, you must not think much of me. If you did, why else would you inundate me a batch of good, bad and near-misses? When did it become my job to figure out what you are trying to do as a photographer?

What am I supposed t make of this mish-mash of portraits, landscapes, close-ups, abstracts and those picture of your cat (which, okay I'll admit is just adorable)? I have a hard enough time trying to edit and assess my own work, much less yours. I just needed to see 10-12 images I wasn't expecting the entire photographic catalog of the International Center of Photography. If I wanted this kind of punishment, I could just put on a pair of headphones and listen to Debbie Boone singing 'You Light Up My Life" on a continuous loop for 24 hours.

If you can't sit down and decide which of your photographs captures who you are and aspire to be as a photographer, how do you expect me to? I am challenged in just finding a pair of matching socks in the morning.

I could say more, but I think I should show a little restraint.

I know you love photography as much as I do. You couldn't spend as much time and effort, subject yourself to the occasional ego-bruising, if you weren't as in love as you obviously are with making photographs. But the reality is that becoming a good photographer, hell becoming a good anything, involves commitment, diligence and the willingness to regularly fall on one's face. You obviously have some of that in you, because you are still around making images, when everyone else has taken up golf or knitting.

I hope that what I shared is helpful to you, but if it wasn't,  I completely understand.

There's always Flickr.

Video Tutorial: Improving Contrast with a Levels Adjustment

As part of our expansion of the content we are providing on The Candid Frame, we introduce the first video tutorial in which we focus on how a Levels adjustment in Adobe Lightroom helps improve the look and feel of your image. A Levels adjustment can dramatically improve contrast, particularly one photographed in open shade or on an overcast day. It should often be the first step to take when working on an image in your favorite photo editing application.

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