ZenImagery.com

Q&A: Laura M

petemora — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:34:31 -0400

What inspired you to take this photo? I was driving around with a friend after attending a wedding out of town and we decided to do the scenic route. We got to a little town outside Toronto (I believe its called Couberg but can’t be sure). We were actually stopped at a red light and I was a passenger in the car. It has a sun roof. I loved the the architecture so I took a picture.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? This capture resulted out of a few conditions: couldn’t get out of the car to take the shot; had limited angled because I was shooting from the sun roof; limited time (stopped at a red light). I didn’t know if I would get a worthy shot but I took it anyway, hoping to do some post processing.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? My photography is usually a two step process. I usually create the mood through post processing. The odd time, I will capture something that already has the mood but for the most part, I like creating it. When I took the shot, there was no particular mood. It was a nice day to do some scenic shots and I took pics of anything I felt interesting. Once I got on the computer, I really wanted to create something interesting to go with the lovely architecture. so I spend a few hours on photoshop. That’s when the mood starts to play out. And the image often changes as I go through my moods for the few hours that I’m sitting at the computer. This ended up a by-product of byzantine music and because I tend to go towards a gothic feel in my post processing (especial! ly with regard to anything religious in tone).

How did you plan this photo? There was no planning in this. I had about 40 seconds to take the shot or the car would start driving so I took a few shots (zoom changes especially) and planned to work with what I got when I started to post process.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? The post processing was a challenge. I usually start with cropping, then contrast, saturation. This one involved various layers and textures. I believe there are about 3 different textures on this one, which are all available for common use on flickr.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? There is no connection to the subject/location of this shot. This was the first road trip through this town.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? Photography is important to me because it allows me to express something personal, a subjective way of looking at the world and creating it, since I usually create it after the shot is taken (post processing). It keeps me grounded too, as I work in a law firm.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I try different ways of shooting or new techniques in post processing. recently, I really like taking photos as mistakes, meaning shooting off the hip really. I use my SLR or I take my iphone and I take shots without even looking at the picture I’m taking. Then I sit in front of my computer and I sort out the pictures that have anything interesting in them and post process them to create interesting (to me) photos.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I did not study photographs. I’m self taught and I think that has its uses. Since I didn’t develop a style in school, I’m not boxed in to using everything to my advantage. I use SLRs and iphone (and point and shoots), I use “mistake” photos, I experiment with post processing.

What motivates you to do what you do? It’s just a cheap therapeutic technique. It allows me to step outside of things and see the world as seperate from me, which I sometimes need since I’m an introvert. I like to experiment with making myself see things differently.

Q&A: Pat Gaines

petemora — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:48:00 -0400

What inspired you to take this photo? We had a puppy shower for a friend at work to celebrate the arrival of her new pup, Finn. As a gift I offered to do a photoshoot for her.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? We had taken a few photos outside work, but the backgrounds were cluttered with cars, fences and buildings. So we decided to take Finn to a local high school with big open fields. The low profile and wide angle lens take advantage of this and helps give the shot an open, free feeling.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? Well, we were outside playing with a cute puppy, so I think it is safe to say the mood was light and playful! We had lots of laughs watching her chase after toys and romp around!

How did you plan this photo? Finn is a retriever, so we took advantage of that by throwing various toys out into the field and having her go get them and bring them back to us. I took a few shots of her running to get the toys and a few of her bringing them back. I was using the wide angle lens at the time, and wanted to get down low into “puppy level” to help bring us into her perspective a little bit.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? The main changes were to remove a few distracting buildings, trees and lightpoles from the horizon, to brighten Finn a little bit and to darken the sky. In the original photo the sky was much brighter than the foreground, but of course that’s not really how I remember the scene, since our eyes compensate for these kinds of differences naturally. Darkening the sky was complicated as both a tree and a puppy spanned the horizon. So I spent a lot of time with the clone-stamp tool correcting artifacts that were created by this.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? Yes, Jeannie is a coworker and friend of mine, and I get to see her pup Finn a lot since we can bring our dogs to the office where we work. It was fun to be able to work with a friend on the photoshoot.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? Good question! I think there are a lot of things I like about photography. I mostly photograph wildlife and nature, including astrophotography. I get a great deal of enjoyment and excitement from witnessing and capturing natural beauty, and from being able to share that beauty with others through photos and the stories connected with them. Photographing people and their pets is also very rewarding, as it offers a chance to get to know them better, and to capture and preserve little glimpses of their personality and character.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I think the main thing is to go outside your comfort zone and try new things. This is tough at first because the initial results might not be satisfying, but in the end you will learn new things and discover new interests that keep the creative juices flowing.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I took a beginner class when I bought my first DSLR about 7 years ago. Since then, I’ve been mostly self taught, but of course I’ve learned a lot by talking to other photographers and from viewing their work along the way.

What do you enjoy photographing most? Finding and phographing wildlife brings me the most enjoyment. Capturing them in interesting behaviors such as courtship rituals and interactions between different animals or species helps us relate to them and gives us a glimpse into their world.

What motivates you to do what you do? Although I do sell some images and do limited contract work from time to time, for me photography is mainly a hobby and I think it will remain that way. I enjoy all aspects of it, from the motivation to get outside and explore, to the joy of finding wildlife and beautiful scenery, the art of capturing it and showing it in the best light, and sharing with others a part of my excitement and experience.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? I donate photos to non-profit groups involved in the education and preservation of nature, and last year I organized a fund-raising photo shoot for the Rocky Mountain Raptor Center that raised over a thousand dollars for the program. But really, anytime you can make someone smile with a photo I think it is a good cause!

Q&A: Karen Strolia

petemora — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:23:00 -0400

What inspired you to take this photo? Every night my husband reads stories to the kids as they are slipping into sleep. This was taken about three months after we adopted our pooch from the humane society. Turns out, he liked story timetoo.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? The only light at that moment was the nightlight in the hallway. I opted to shoot in black and white, which seemed to grab and hold onto the details that caught my eye. And well, I’m a sucker for this ant-like perspective, too.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? What parent doesn’t want to capture every possible moment of their kid’s childhood? This is a staple moment from our everyday. As an artist and a parent, it was simply my job to capture the moment. I was elated that the dog didn’t suddenly stir at this giant box pointed at his face.

How did you plan this photo? There was no planning involved. It was me with my Hasselblad, my husband with Winnie the Pooh, two kids in their beds, and the dog snoozing. Very impromptu.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I shot this with Kodak’s BW400CN, so there was no post-processing. This was a scan of the print I got back from the lab.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? My connection to the subject ~ he is the most amazing four-legged I’ve ever been privileged to spend time with. He’s amazing for the soul. The feet belong to the most amazing husband. He is also amazing for the soul. And the location is a main thoroughfare in our home ~ the hallway.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? Internally, photography grounds me. Life can be so hectic at times, even overwhelming. My art allows me to think, breath, and sort through whatever it is weighing my boots down. By the time I’m done with a shoot, it’s like I’ve had a solid twenty minute nap with a message on the side. Externally, it’s amazing how much changes from day to day. Looking back at collections from even five years ago, there are so many differences not just with people, but styles, buildings, streets, etc. I always hope it will be fun for my children to sort through my boxes of ideas.

How do you overcome creative blocks? Initially, I pout. Then, I panic a little bit. Next, I walk away and talk about my stagnancy. Then, I pick my camera up only to shoot nonsense. Eventually, I’ll get one that gives me goosebumps. Then another, and so on. Creative blocks are cycles. Patiently wait it out, and the groove comes back eventually.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I’m self taught, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t invested hours and hours into my work ~ seeing what others are shooting, tinkering with different toys and equipment, going to galleries and local shows, looking at websites, experimenting with different techniques, etc. My curiosity is ceaseless, and that’s something I hope never changes. I’m always learning something new, and there are SO many amazing artists to learn from outside of the classroom (however, this does not mean that I shun formal training. I would love to partake in that experience, as well).

What do you enjoy photographing most? You name it, I’ll shoot it. With that, I can’t say there is one thing that I love the most.

What motivates you to do what you do? My motivation comes from within. It clears my head and makes my spirit sing. Not to mention, there are so many aspects of the field that I have yet to explore, so curiosity.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? Shouldn’t we all use our skills for good causes? Of course, they tingle the insides, but it should be something one wants to share, as well. My most recent “good cause” was a fundraiser. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m constantly doing fundraisers. Hah ~ so, there ya go.

Q&A: I Man Chio

petemora — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:18:14 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? The photo was taken at my home. We had a new aquarium and so we bought some fish. The small world inside an aquarium is so amazing, dreamy and peaceful.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? It was a little bit difficult for me, to use my new cctv lens (35mm, f1.7) together with my new camera - nex3. Every thing was new. And I was not very familiar how the gears worked. This shot was taken by luck.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? Peaceful. I felt like as if I were inside, feeling so relaxed and relieved.

How did you plan this photo? No plan at all! Or maybe I did have a flash of plan, too fast that I didn’t even realize.Just like I always do, I shoot by instinct.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I used photoshop to edit the color tone, to make it look a little bit blue.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? It’s taken at my home. I think I will go on with projects like 365 in aquarium and etc.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? The focus point was somehow wrong, not on the fish , I wanted to take a clear shot again but it’s not very easy to do with my poor photoshooting skills. I tried a few time unsuccessfully and then one day, the fish died.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? It helps me express my feelings towards things around me. I’m not a talkative person. But I think photography can help me express my feelings and my thoughts to the others.

How do you overcome creative blocks? Just let it be. But travelling is always a good way to overcome blocks.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I am kinda self taught. I learnt from internet and books. And I also like watching other’s work, it really helps to inspire me.

What do you enjoy photographing most? I am happy when I take something I really like, and I am happier if others also like my work.

What motivates you to do what you do? Sharing with others motivates me to go on photoshooting.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? Not yet, but as an occupational therapist working with children with special needs, I hope that one day, I can make a series of photos recording their everyday lifes, and draw other people’s attention to them, I hopoe that people can know more and care more about them.

Q&A: Joaquin Alonso Arellano Ramirez

petemora — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:00:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? My passion for nature photography, things so beautiful that offer our planet in all its forms and to transmit them to other people, at least part of them.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? Since I started taking photos in a formal way, no more than 2 years, I drew attention the styles of photos with beautiful bokeh, simple and clean but at the same time that arouse to imagination and the constant doubt of knowing what created it and when I came across this butterfly I knew it was an excellent opportunity for a beautiful photo, but I never imagined I would obtain at last the bokeh that I was looking for.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? Honestly, it was a complete state of excitement combined with anxiety, I knew it was an excellent opportunity to capture a unique moment, but I did not know the result that will obtain, only knew that a very beautiful photo could be obtained and I was right, so I ended up with a smile from ear to ear, unable to believe what I had captured!!.

How did you plan this photo? It was impossible to plan this photo because it just did not know I would get, I only know that I was in the right place at the right time and the right distance.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I currently use Photoshop to frame my photos and add my personal logo, but when I took this picture only had Fireworks 8, which I used to add this small frame and my first logo (horrible). In general I try not to make changes or post process, but occasionally I like to play with Photoshop and see what can be obtained!! :D

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? Yes, it’s one of my favorite places to take photos and where I spent long hours, until recently it was amazing to see how much wildlife there was in this park (Rio La Silla) located on the river of the same name in the city where I live (Monterrey), unfortunately a couple of months ago was severely damaged by the rains caused by a hurricane and much of the wildlife was lost, but I’m sure that nature will find ways to fill this beautiful place with life again.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? Excellent question, has become the best way I found to free my mind of the routine (technology), I am a software engineer, and at the same time my best tool to share my passion for nature and transmit to people a small part of how I perceive the world.

How do you overcome creative blocks? There are two things that have worked for me: see photos, there are excellent web sites (including this one of course) where you can find great photos that can help you find new perspectives, styles and ideas. The second is to clear your mind of the same style of photography, free your mind and leave some time for creativity back to you even if that means stop taking photos, and try to be patient and not force the photos to show up, will come with time. (as in this photo).

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? A bit of the technical concepts learned from my dad many years ago, I will be forever grateful, it was he who inspired me and I owe in part my love of photography!!, but in general my knowledge is empirical, I like reading tutorials and pay attention in the technical data of the photos (when they are available) to understand certain aspects and “apply it”, I am not against a formal study of photography, I think is good and very useful, but I believe that, at least in nature photography, there is no formula, experiment and get the results you expect without following a “rule” is very rewarding.

What do you enjoy photographing most? Currently, nature photography in different styles and points of view, is what fascinates me most and what I spend more time, but occasionally I like to experiment with other styles: photos of people, objects and I have a miniseries droll that I call “egg-fellas”, it entertains me a lot, you can visit the photos on my Flickr account too!!.

What motivates you to do what you do? Being able to share at least in part, the way how I perceive what gives us our planet and to capture the best that I can the beauty of nature in all its forms and expressions.

Q&A: Andrew Evans

petemora — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:35:00 -0500

Thought this would be a good Q&A for Valentine’s Day. Everybody say “Awww”

What inspired you to take this photo? I was out one morning before the sunrise not knowing what to expect when i came across a small group of deer, I sat and waited for a little while to see if any interesting photo oppurtunities would develop. I saw how the fawn was interacting with the adult and I think it made for quite a perfect moment.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I always shoot with the apeture wide open to get the best depth of field possible, iI feel this greatly enhances the mood and makes the subjects stand out against the background. The lighting was good as the sun hadn’t quite risen yet giving neutral, soft light. I usually don’t favour this kind of light, but I think it worked perfectly here.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I don’t remember being in any particular mood when I took this photo. But I can say I was in a hopeful mood as I took this before the sun actually rose, so I hadn’t long been there.

How did you plan this photo? There was very little planning involved as it is the kind of shot i am lucky to find. The little planning i did do was to position myself just right for the background to work perfectly with the subject. Also with the background I tried to make sure there were no distracting trees or objects that would interfere with the composition I chose.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I use lightroom to process the raw. Although in this photo I did very little processing. I added a very light vignette. And split toning to make the darker tones a little colder. I put up the contrast a little bit and perfected the white balance.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? It’s my favorite place I go to take photos. Mainly because of the population of deer that are easily found. I have gotten many of my landscape style photos here too.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? I love photography because it’s a way I can express my emotion and how I feel. Of course I love creating art too, so the two go together perfectly.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I haven’t had any major creative blocks yet, but I overcome the small ones by just continuing to take pictures even when the inspiration doesn’t feel there. I find there will always be other oppurtunities around the corner so I don’t get disheartened by a creative block.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I’m completely self taught. I enjoy learning what works and what doesn’t by myself and making my own mistakes, then trying to make improvements next time. I like doing things my way regardless of whether it’s the “proper” way. It’s a personal challenge and quite rewarding when I feel I took better pictures than i did before. And i’m definitely still learning now.

What do you enjoy photographing most? Anything to do with nature. I enjoy photographing the deer too, I am fortunate to live near a place where there is a lot of them.

What motivates you to do what you do? I try to push the boundaries of any nature photography i’ve seen before. And of course I try to push my own boundaries. I like trying to create something original and different.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? I haven’t done anything like that yet, but if the opportunity came up I certainly would!

Not Just Flickr Anymore

petemora — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:38:00 -0500

We have been focusing solely on Flickr as a source for our Q&A’s. It would be a shame to skip over an amazing artist just because they weren’t in the Flickr group. So starting today, we are branching out. We will now be including images from Tumblr, Behance, Picasa, Facebook, Zenfolio, SmugMug, as well as all the countless other photo sharing websites.

If you have a specific image of yours you would like to see posted on our site, visit the questionnaire page and submit the image. If you have seen an amazing image online, contact that person and tell them to answer the questionnaire. Upon review and approval, you may see your image and answers on the website.

One last point. Even if you do not have your image anywhere online, and wish to share it with us, you can do so now. We have included an upload option, so even without a website, your image can be included on our website.

Q&A: Gareth McGaughey

petemora — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:07:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? I had wanted to expand my photostream with more ‘street’ photography having been inspired by many great streams on flickr including some great work by Rui Palha. I had been walking round on a cold December morning not really having much success in getting a good ‘capture’ when I popped into the local church. This woman was the only figure in the church and I liked the sense of solitude.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I didn’t want to interrupt the woman so a snap from the front was out of the question so out of necessity it had to a capture from the back.The light was good coming in the window and with the statue in line with the ray of light it seemed like a nice composition.I favor square crops so I shot it far enough back in order to do this at the post process stage.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I couldn’t really feel anything.It was freezing! It was minus 3 outside ! My mood was quite sombre as was the mood of the nation as we where about to be hit with one of the harshest budget plans in the history of our state, hence the title ‘Budget Day’.

How did you plan this photo? The photo was quite impromptu. It looked good through the view finder. The only real planning was getting a good point of view and a potential square crop.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I always bring my photos into Lightroom as a RAW file first as I find its layout very straight forward and I can get the picture to where I want quite fast and then take it into Photoshop for fine tuning such as dodging and burning, contrasting and cropping. For this shot the light was good but not great so I brought out the ray of light more using grad filters and burn and dodge tools in photoshop. I’m still an amateur at this stage so most of my photos are a result of a lot of trial and error!

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? The church is local to me and although I myself am not deeply religious I admire the architecture and interior of it and have photographed it a couple of times before.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? It was taken in the same church where the severed head of a former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Northern Ireland St.Oliver Plunkett resides. He was hung, drawn and quartered in 1681!

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? I find it a very rewarding hobby. I like the fact that its quite portable in the sense that I can take my camera almost anywhere and record a moment as I see it. The creativity aspect of it will always make it interesting for me.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I usually explore other types of photography that I haven’t tried before like macro or working with textures.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I have no training in photography but instead rely on the vast amounts of information on the internet in blogs, tutorial videos and looking at lots of other peoples photos!

What do you enjoy photographing most? It changes from week to week. At the moment its photographing people in a candid manner and something I plan to do a lot more of, and of course my twenty month old daughter Isabella!

Q&A: Stuart Starr

petemora — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:00:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? My love of the uniqueness of each new day, the movement of the waves and some lovely lines.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I’m a huge fan of seeing what I can capture in camera as a starting place for creating beautiful images. With this in mind I’m a bit of a filter junky when it comes to balancing out the extremes of light in my shots. Having used Cokins extensively I’ve recently graduated (pardon the pun) to Singh-Rays which are amazing. In this shot I stacked my two stop hard edged grad ND with my three stop reverse grad. You can see the vignette from the filter holder in the far left of the shot.

Incidentally, I also love capturing landscapes really wide hence the Sigma 10-20mm as my lens of choice. From a style perspective I closed the aperture down to f/10 in order to lengthen the exposure and produce the movement in the water you can see as mist.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I’m not really in a particular mood when I shoot - other than a more general ‘zone’ of trying to make the most of every moment - looking at lines and light and colour. When the light really takes hold - as it did in this shot - I’m especially focused on capturing what is a unique moment in space and time to the best of my ability.

How did you plan this photo? I’ve answered this at some length on my flickr page but I reproduce it here - strictly speaking it’s totally over the top - but it’s some of the ‘how’ in the planning;

What do I do to get these colours straight out of camera?

Be there. (Seriously I study the weather, the tides, the sunrise times, the spots and when it comes together I get out of bed before most other people ;-)
Set the camera to “Cloudy Skies” white balance - it enhances the red tones.. might be useful here eh?
I shoot my landscapes on a tripod - essential for a rock solid platform that makes barnacles and lichen sharp at superzoom res
I use filters. In this case my beloved Singh-Ray’s. A three stop reverse and a two stop hard edged Grad ND.
Composition. I hunt around a lot when I’m on the scene trying to find where the interest is in the frame and continually ask myself “where’s the foreground interest?” etc..
I shoot a lot of shots. I probably came home with 200 shots from this morning.. a couple are bound to be OK when God puts on a show like that ;-)
I shoot a lot of shots.. like somewhere near 50,000 since I got my camera.. along the line you get a bit better..
I read EXIF data on Flickr ;-) I’m a nerd at heart and if I find an image I like on here I go digging.. what lens.. what aperture.. what shutter.. etc. etc.. see what you can learn from the pros
I have a really wide lens - my Sigma 10-20mm goes REALLY wide and makes my 18-55 that I started with look like a tele
I enjoy it - forget most of what I wrote and keep enjoying what you do - if it becomes a chore you’ve probably missed the point - it should move you. I love mornings like this - they make it all worth while.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? Here’s the full disclosure on this shot..

NO PHOTOSHOP.

I shot this on my D40x it’s the “Basic” version of the JPEG/RAW combo I was shooting on this morning. Everything you see is straight out of camera - including the vignette from my not completely straight filter holder (see left of frame).

P.S. For those who do dig into the EXIF data you’ll see Photoshop CS3 come up - it’s because I put my watermark on - not because I’ve enhanced it there - no sharpening or burning or.. anything ;-)

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? It’s one of about 6 or 8 spots that I return to in and around my home town depending on the weather and tides. I love shooting here because of the trench and the relatively easy access.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? I called this shot “Plain Jane” - not because it’s an average morning (far from it) but because uncharacteristically I left it totally untouched out of camera. It was great to see the flickr community respond to it on that level - remember there’s much more available before you hit the computer than most of us realise.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? It’s a stress release, it’s a creative endeavour, it puts me in touch with my family and the natural world around me - and it’s a joy to relate around it in an online community.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I’m truly yet to encounter one.. I’m so occupied generally with my young family and life as a minister that any time with a camera in hand is inspiring ;-)

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I’m totally self taught. It’s also worth saying that I’m a pretty avid student in seeking out info on how to improve from anywhere I can. I borrow books from the library (remember them!), I listen to podcasts (TWIP, and Photofocus), I look at hundreds of amazing images each week on flickr and I’m part of an amazing online flickr group called the Wollongong Pictorial Mafia. Oh.. and I shoot a bit - there’s nothing like getting to grips with what you’re learning by shooting - I’ve probably shot somewhere over 50,000 images in the last three years ;-)

What do you enjoy photographing most? Given my stage of life I love that I can get to the ocean and capture sunrises and still be home to help out with my little family.

What motivates you to do what you do? I seek to capture the beauty of the natural and built environments around me - for my personal pleasure, for the joy it brings to share what I see and for the honour it brings to God for what He’s made.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? I often have my photos used in the life of our church - from bulletins to the website etc. Recently I used pictures from my trip to Vanuatu to raise awareness and money for a roof on the new church building they were putting up when we visited.

Q&A: Luis José Vigil-Escalera

petemora — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:34:25 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? A gray, misty afternoon, made me think about shapes and lines rather than colors, foam shapes drew in the sand, and rock brought the weight to give balance to the picture.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? Both the profile of the cliff, like foams and even clouds converged on the remote islands and the boat, that made me change my point of frame and take a picture with this composition.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? He felt a certain melancholy, a gray afternoon of a summer season, after a long day of work, the solitude of the desert, the silence.

How did you plan this photo? After placing the tripod, and set the camera to manual focus settings, saturation and contrast to zero, mirror up mode, the target was wearing a Hoya CPL filter + 4, a Lee filter 0.9 and another filter GNDS Lee GNDS 0.6, I measured the light and realized the picture using a remote trigger.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I do not use post-processed complex revealed in Adobe Camera Raw, adjusting the light, white balance and focus, and exported to CS5 where performed and contrast curves, reduction and refocusing.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? This beach has something special is always popular with surfers and is a wide beach where the dunes invite reflection and enjoyment, although the photographer is complicated by the absence of major rock.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? Well, you are visited to visit this tiny principality you count on my support if you decide.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? For me photography is a form of expression, while making a form of avoidance of problems, relaxes and entertains me.

How do you overcome creative blocks? The truth is I have not had major crashes since I work in a more constant and continuous. Small blocks of super raising new challenges, as in the case of the exhibition that opened on Monday he, as he had never before realized social photography.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I’m basically self-taught, but I have relied on a couple of courses, advice from friends on internet forums, reading many books and manuals, journals, articles and advice from other professionals.

What do you enjoy photographing most? If one considers my gallery soon realizes that the landscape, perhaps influenced by the ease that gives me the land where I live in the moment I’m very seriously interested in social issues and events related to the ancestral culture of Asturias, the cider and her world.

What motivates you to do what you do? As primarily a desire for self-improvement, the desire to try to capture in images that are capable of transmitting feelings and the beauty that surrounds us, against the harshness of daily life, I think we are hidden too those moments and situations, lights, so extraordinary faces around us.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? Last February, we made an exhibition and sale to benefit UNICEF Haiti by a group of photographers from Asturias, and is expected to repeat the experience in February next year. On the other hand my best friend and sidekick photo Cesar Fernandez (Mavic) selflessly and I are developing a project for an NGO host to immigrants, with exhibitions, talks, etc. that will last 3 years. If any humanitarian organization or nonprofit cultural asks for our cooperation, we work selflessly with them.

Q&A: Laurie

petemora — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:40:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? This image is of our dog Willow. She just looked so happy calm and contented which drew me in to take the photo. Last winter, she would perch herself on the same spot every time she went outside. When it snowed, she would stick her nose in the air, closer her eyes and take all her surroundings in and feel the snow fall on her face.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I was feeling nostalgic and peaceful at the time.

How did you plan this photo? I didn’t really plan it, I just saw her through the window and grabbed my camera.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? Honestly, I don’t keep tabs on the steps of my post-processing. However, by looking at it again now, I likely tweaked it in adobe with a topaz adjust filter and possibly a dry brush filter for added texture and simplicity.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? Yes. This is my husband’s family home and our family dog.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? It is my passion. It fills my soul and helps me grow.

How do you overcome creative blocks? In a few ways. Shoot something different. Follow the light!!! Go on flickr and become inspired by other people’s art. Go to places that inspire me in nature. Be with people who have good energy around the camera. Tweak photos in adobe. Communicate with other photographers/artists.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I am self-taught, originally inspired by my father and later by my children.

What do you enjoy photographing most? Children, Elderly People and Nature.

What motivates you to do what you do? The soul-fulfilling highs and meditative calmness I get from the process.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? I haven’t donated my work to a charitable cause to date. But, I have documented charitable work my kids have done and taken numerous pictures of friends and family that hopefully have made them smile. I think that’s a good cause! Furthermore, I will be selling some of my images this season and contributing a portion of my earnings to our local S.P.C.A. as we are very passionate about caring for animals.

Q&A: Mihai Andritoiu

petemora — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:00:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? I noticed several great very long exposure pictures on Flickr and I wanted to experiment the technique myself.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? The location is a famous resort in the Netherlands, not far from the place I used to live.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I was pretty relaxed and stress free. I can even dare to say I was happy.

How did you plan this photo? First, I order my set of graduated filters on eBay. This was the first attempt to used them as soon as the weather allowed an evening on the beach. I planned to get out with my wife. I promised a big ice-cream after-dark, so she was patient enough to let me do my thing. I got my feet wet after taking a few dozens of shots with different exposures while hoping for a better light. It was fun to constantly run away from the incoming waves but leaving the my camera alone, on the tripod surrounded by water, was somehow risky.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? Since the filters are very cheap (Chinese plastic), they are not really neutral, so I had to push the white balance to the limits. Before that, I had to throw away all the shots made below 13mm, since both the filter frame and lens reflection were visible. The camera was tilted (to follow the rule of thirds) therefore I used Photoshop to correct the perspective and straighten the pier poles. I guess I also slightly adjusted the contrast and maybe added a little vibrance

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? Yes. I worked in Den Haag and the beach was a constant attraction, the place to be during the few days in a year with nice weather.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? This was the beginners luck: fist experiment with the graduated filter made this picture my most popular Flickr upload, with over 1000 views.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? I come from an engineering background. I suppose my camera allows to me to explore my creative side.

How do you overcome creative blocks? It takes weeks before I take a picture that I like, but that’s OK. I don’t feel any pressure to “overcome creative blocks” :)

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? Self taught. I briefly used a Russian film camera as a teenager. Years after, I re-discovered photography when a colleague of mine showed me the quality of the pictures he took with an analogue Canon SLR. I bought a Canon SLR myself, learnt the basics, and later moved to digital SLRs. But a big jump in the technique was made only after I discover the enthusiastic and inspiring Flickr community.

What do you enjoy photographing most? I love landscapes. I played a little with the high speed photography because I enjoyed building and programming an Arduino based controller. I recently bought a 100mm macro lens and I’m planing to experiment close-ups and macros.

What motivates you to do what you do? Playing with pictures rewards me after a hard day at work and helps me to relax. I’m sure it stimulates my creativity. The world looks different since I began hunting the light and paying attention to the details surrounding our lives.

Q&A: Johan Klovsjö

petemora — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 09:01:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? First of all the magnificent frost we were having then. Second, the “just right” mist that enabled me to isolate the scenery without losing any of its clarity. Other than that, empty roads and scenes of nature are a wonderful inspiration to the mind.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? Road to Oblivion, the road to nothingness. At least when it comes to our understanding or knowing, a journey into the unknown then. The unknown of what, the body, the mind, the soul? It can be anything that you want. A good title should make you ask questions, not bring you answers. In theory…

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I’d have to say jubilant! The winter 2009/10 was the most magnificent winter I have ever experienced. We had such wonderful frost and beautiful winter scenes throughout the landscape. I headed out into the blistering cold but feeling only warmth, even as the mist of my breath froze to ice on my glasses!

How did you plan this photo? I’m deeply familiar with the place, and I approached this scene from both sides. I was on the other side first, the direction from which I came, stalking a couple walking between the trees and catching them in the middle. Following through to this point of view I knew was a poor perspective, because normally you can see power lines and the highway as well as the city in the background. But the mist changed all that and I got a different shot than I would any other time.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards?

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? The location is a small sailing boat harbour at the mouth of a river and edge of a lake near Linköping, Sweden, where I live. It’s a 35 minute walk from my home, and a place I have visited often. It’s a place to head out to when I suddenly get in the mood, or it looks like the sunset might get interesting. Since I don’t drive I usually have to plan carefully with buses and trains.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? The day yielded a lot of great photos, and this one is the most successful for me. My personal favourite from that day is another though, where the trees frame a couple walking under, shot from the other side. But otherwise, this photo says a lot about me as a photographer. I love nature, and I try to capture it “as is”. I do create HDRs and black and white, unusual long exposures etc. But scenes like this, which feel very primal in a way, is what I’m all about.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? It’s a great hobby and craft, a source for creativity and endless inspiration. I get to see a lot of beautiful places at sunrise and sunset, I get to capture it in the way that I see it, and share with others. And with the help of flickr it has become a great way to meet new people.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I’m not sure I’ve had a severe creative block yet. I do get slumps however, and I think my best tips are: Don’t touch the camera for a while, but if too much time passes, force yourself out there, and maybe try shooting something completely different for a time.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I’m basically self taught. I started out with a friend who knew some more than me, and at the same time I was reading a lot of photo magazines. Other than that, just field work and experience.

What do you enjoy photographing most?Nature landscapes. I prefer an untouched scene without tracks of civilization, which is not always easy, though I suppose I should be happy with where I live in this case.

What motivates you to do what you do?I guess I do it to feel good, isn’t that why we do anything? Photography makes me happy. It’s wonderful to be out in nature, there’s a sense of achievement when you know you have captured a great scene. There’s the satisfying fine-tuning and polishing in the post processing. And with luck, some response from friends and others.

What do you enjoy photographing most?I suppose… a friend or two has asked me to take a photo for them and I have been more than willing to comply, but other than that I haven’t really done anything in particular. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t though!

"You don’t take a photograph, you make it."

petemora — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:59:38 -0500

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

- Ansel Adams

"An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail."

petemora — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:30:25 -0500

“An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.”

- Edwin Land

Q&A: LaRee Brownell

petemora — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:02:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? I am captivated by a beautiful sunset with good color.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I like to have at least a silhouette to add interest to the beautiful colors from a rich sunset. The fisherman on the pier fit the bill for this one.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I was happy and relaxed having just finished a nice dinner with good friends. We were taking a walk on the boardwalk after dinner.

How did you plan this photo? There wasn’t a whole lot of planning to this image. It presented and I happened to be lucky enough to have the lens on my camera that enabled me to capture this.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I didn’t do any post processing except to deepen the sun color as it was a bit bright and blown out. I was even shooting in jpeg which I normally don’t do, I usually shoot raw format.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? This is a pier and beach that I grew up with. I have visited this area for as long as I can remember.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? I have always loved photography, ever since I went to 6th grade camp and my mom allowed me to bring along our family’s Box Brownie camera. Boy was I popular because of that camera. I was the only kid with a camera!

I got away from photography a bit when I had my first two children except for family snapshots, but digital cameras were being released to consumers by the time I had my third child. I fell in love instantly with digital and it woke my passion again.

I still feel some of the most important photography is of our family. These are the photos that will be treasured and cherished long after I am gone.

How do you overcome creative blocks? Creative blocks are part of the process. I think if one understands that, it is easier to relax and let them go.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? I read a lot and practice a lot. I also love to take photography seminars. I have no formal photographic training. I have been seriously into producing images for over 35 years. And no I am not counting from the camp days with the Box Brownie!

What do you enjoy photographing most? I love event photography. I like wandering through the festivities and talking to people and photographing the fun.

What motivates you to do what you do? I don’t think it is motivation exactly. I think it is more of a drive that comes from within. I don’t want that to sound pompous, but it is true for me. If I get too busy with other things and I don’t take time with my camera I get grumpy. Photography is a release for me. I get lost in the enjoyment of the process.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? The past couple years I have hooked up with the PMDA Portraits of Love project. I volunteer my portrait services to provide families with deployed spouses a free portrait for the holidays. It keeps me very busy for a couple months with not much free time but it is extremely rewarding.

Q&A: Csaba Tokolyi

petemora — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:39:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? Probably the biggest commonplace in underwater photography are clown-fish. I wanted to show something different. With lighting and changing the proportions in which these subjects are depicted.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I wanted to show the interdependence between the fish and the anemone. One can see thousands of clown-fish photos with the majority focusing on the fish. I did the same, but wanted to tell the story with showing the least of Nemo as possible.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? Judging from the view on my lcd after the shots, I was quite happy :) composition and framing can be really tricky underwater when you have to be floating steadily in the water (sometimes you can get hold of some dead rock between the corals with a finger or two but I am on a strict no touch policy).

How did you plan this photo? No basic planning was necessary as clown-fish are pretty common in the Red Sea. In underwater photography one has to choose lens before the dive (obviously :) so I guess the only planning was taking my 105 mm macro lens with me.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? Some minor cropping in Lightroom and little contrast&color enhancement was enough, this time there were not that many small particles floating in the water which can be really annoying - the two strobes must be positioned in a way that their light should bright up the subject without the water column in front of the camera. Tricky. And some sharpening of-course.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? The only connection I have with the Red Sea is the wish to go and dive there again and again. Hungary is located in the very heart of Europe, so saltwater is quite a way away. Luckily I am able to dive there annually.

Anything else you would like to share about this photo? Not with about the photo itself rather the models. Clownfish are really aggressive guys (lucky they are the size of a matchbox :) they defend their territory and charge at any reflective surface (for eg. your mask or your dive computer’s display). Which is interesting to watch.

General Photography Questions:

Why is Photography important to you? I simply love it. Getting out in the wild, staying in hides for days or going on a safari to open sea are the best things in life I can imagine. Taking the pictures are what I enjoy the most - the afterlife of my pictures are not that necessarily entertaining as the the moments when the Great Egret spears a fish in the pond just a few feet off.

Where did you study photography? Or are you self taught? Self-taught. I was taking pictures since quite long ago. It began getting serious when I got my diving license and started to take pictures underwater. Special needs and special techniques in a special environment. Not a steep learning curve, but after some time it worked out.

What do you enjoy photographing most? I started as an underwater photographer but had followed the standard evolution route and arrived at the surface. Nowadays I position myself nature photographer and my favorite subjects are mainly birds. Underwater I prefer wide-angle photography.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? I donate pictures for a naval conservation society and regularly compete in competitions where the fees are donated to charity programs.

Q&A: Anna Theodora

petemora — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:13:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? Lately here in my city, I’ve been trying to break through as a photographer, mostly for fashion and lookbooks. The last agency I visited said that in my city there are no decent fashion/book photographers. So I set out to make things different, to put more of an effort in the props for my photoshoots. For this girl, I wanted some romantic and colorful images. Thus the idea of a swing with flowers came up, but yes, in the back of my mind, I guess I had the painting “The Swing”, by the french artist Jean Honoré Fragonard.

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I wanted something with pastel colors, something dreamy, fairy like… very “Zen” :) Also, I really like beautiful large light bokeh!

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I was happy. She was a very good client, trusted all my ideas completely. Never complained, and she was super happy with the photos.

How did you plan this photo? I run at the park (where I took the photos) around 3 times a week. So, I pretty much had lots of time and opportunities to think about where I’d hang the swing, what kind of light there was going to be there. Then I made the swing, and bought the flowers. I also booked a make up artist.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? A little bit of skin retouch and a little bit of fading the colors.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? Ten years ago, the model and I swam for the same team. But she is much younger, so we didn’t have much contact. And like I mentioned before, I run at the park where I took the photos :)

PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS:
Why is Photography important to you? For one, It made me learn a great deal about myself. Also, I had always an artistic inclination, I love art and photography allows me to express this side of me.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I haven’t had that yet… I might have some silly ideas, but they are always popping up.

Where did you study photography? I am self taught :) Still have lots to learn though.

What do you enjoy photographing most? I looove photographing people, women mostly, of all ages. Also I have a great passion for photographing landscapes and animals.

What motivates you to do what you do? When I look at certain photos, I’m filled with admiration and awe. I want to be so good a photographer to the point of causing the same feeling on people who see my photos.

Do you ever use your skill for a good cause? Yes, quite a few times. I’ve shot for the “Breast Feeding Campaign Week”, I’ve shot for “Animal Adoption Awareness” last year and I’ll shoot this year again, and I wanted to participate on the “Now I Lay me Down to Sleep” project, but it seems it doesn’t “run” in the city where I live.

New Facebook URL

petemora — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:43:01 -0500

New Facebook URL:

To everyone who joined our Facebook page and gave us the ability to change the username, thanks.

Instead of: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zen-Imagery/40068918351

We now have: http://www.facebook.com/zenimagery

Q&A: Daniela Garling - cinnamon girl ♡

petemora — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 14:11:00 -0500

What inspired you to take this photo? After a long and dark winter we slowly started seeing small greens appear in the woods, fighting their way through thick layers of dirty old leaves. Nature is pure beauty!

Why did you capture this photo the way you did? I wanted to focus on the new life arriving and the hope it resembled. so I tried to get low low low to omit the brownish leaves and instead have a lot of warm and glowing green tones. The shallow dof helps blur parts of the plants which to me looks as if they were moving, growing at that very moment.

What were you feeling? What mood were you in? I was calm, thankful, relaxed. awaiting spring, new possibilities. eager to explore and thankful for the things i got to see.

How did you plan this photo? I didn’t plan it really. I saw the beauty and felt the urge to get that on “film” to take home with me. I’m a fan of shallow dof and bokeh and I adore nature. I believe if you can see beauty, it’s not difficult to photograph it.

What sort of post-processing did you do afterwards? I always use lightroom for post processing. iirc i enhanced the vibrance, the green luminance and the contrast.

Do you have a connection to the subject and/or location? There’s not a whole lot of green around where I live, so I cherish this park as a place I love going to. Ican relax and “get away from it all” here wonderfully.

PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS:
Why is Photography important to you? It started out as something I did so I had something to do while I was outside on a stroll. for some reason, I always felt like I needed to have a goal, a place to “go to” when I was walking, so going for a stroll was more like going to the supermarket rather than getting some relaxation and “me-time”. once i had a camera it gave me something to do. Something to focus on. I would be outside for hours enjoying nature, air, the little sunlight we had in the winter and i would feel calm and relaxed when coming home. I grew into it, once i started to like my pictures and the more I learned about photography, the more I liked the things I could do. Now photography is a whole different world to me. I often go out with my camera and never know how long I’ll be gone, I totally lose time when i’m shooting. It’s a wonderful world to dive into and get lost inside.

How do you overcome creative blocks? I try something new. There are countless things out there that I would like to learn and be able to do. countless things I haven’t tried yet. so many kinds of photography I have yet to explore and so many great people i can look up to and get inspired by.

Where did you study photography? The internets. i started out with the dps, the digital photography school (http://www.digital-photography-school.com/), who have terrific tutorials for beginners as well as numerous short how-tos for specific locations and occasions. I also learn a lot lot lot from my contacts on flickr. I also google a lot and read a great many tutorials and watch a lot of tutorials on youtube.

What do you enjoy photographing most? Nature! It’s so patient and beautiful, i love it so much! but i’m also interested in photographing people and city life. It’s just something I don’t get to practise very much.

What motivates you to do what you do? Inner peace. dopamine. the joy I feel when i have taken a picture that came out exactly the way I wanted it to, the satisfaction. Also, i’m overwhelmed by the beauty we’re surrounded by, it’s so rewarding to get to spend time with nature - that in itself is a huge motivation.