Snap-Volume One

A brief continuation from the last post, this idea of shooting instinctively has been such a pleasure that the idea of spitting out a book quickly emerged.

Thus, SNAP-VOLUME ONE has been published. You can find it on the Blurb.com website. Here's the link;http://www.blurb.com/books/2608153

The simplicity of merely aiming the iPhone at the subject, the visual that called out, is immensely
gratifying. While this style of photography can work in certain visual arena's, it works well in this one.

I think this spells out one of the early reasons I was attracted to photography. There was always something magical about it. Remember (you old folks) the first time you saw a print develop in the tray? It blew my mind. I knew at that moment, I was hooked.

Shooting with the iPhone has brought joy back to shooting subject matter that I might not use my Nikon's for. This iPhone shooting combined with the Hipstamatic app, generates a unique visual flavor that I adore. The grunge borders, the garage band feel, all lend itself to images that look like snapshots. And, for this subject matter, that's a perfect fit.

While I could never substitute the iPhone for my regular camera gear, its a treat to play with and the creative forces that come with it are no different than a classically trained guitarist picking up a ukelele and having fun. It still takes a connection with the medium to make it resonate, but it can be done.

Don't be afraid to experiment and express yourself anyway you can.

Experiment

Part of the joy in creating photographs is aligning a technique to match the mood. Are cameras costing thousands of dollars the answer for achieving visual success? Is having every focal length known to man inside your visual tool bag going to make you more creative? Of course not. Remember that old saying "It isn't the tools, it's the carpenter." Photography is no different. When it works, its magical.

In my last two workshops, we've spent considerable time playing with a variety of basic photographic processes and post processing techniques to reach a visual goal. Its been fun, inspiring and amazingly simple. One of the biggest surprises was using the Hipstamatic iPhone app. So easy to use and its off the wall look really brought out the qualities in the subjects appeal.

For example, this old truck along the Gunflint Trail in N.E. Minnesota. This area is the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and an area that remains relatively unchanged over time. The scene was a perfect fit with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, then converted to B/W using Nik Software's Silver Efex Pro 2. The photograph seemed to be a marriage with this style. From an iPhone!

Below, a forest scene with it's rows of planted tree's usually attracts a photographers eye. But, in most cases unless there is fantastic light, fog, or some amazing light quality, we keep on driving. But we hiked in, pulled out our $8 flashlights and went back to the woods just before darkness set in and painted with light during long exposures. A simple, organized scene using a slice of light gave it enhanced interest when the patterns were interrupted.


Photo gadgets have never been my thing. Yet, in my photo arsenal (which is very small) I've carried around filters specifically used for creating infared images. These filters are so dark you cannot see through them and the exposures are 20 seconds even in the brightest light. So, there are some complications that need attention when using them. There are easier ways. In today's digital world you can take those old digital cameras to a dealer who can convert your camera to shoot only digital infared! Pretty slick.

This was a scene that was pretty, but basic. It was easy to frame up a cute shot of an old church that has been shot a million times. Yet, adding the infared look seemed to breath a little extra life into the photograph. It took us someplace else visually. The image became dramatic, healthy and interesting.


In another situation, I taught a environmental nude workshop locally and we searched for locations where the idea of creating dream like scenario's could be accomplished. Finding a local creek played the significant role in this, but the post processing, softening, adding contrast and over exposing areas of the photograph really brought the concept to life. A simple prop like the long piece of silky material contributed in ways we didn't expect.....but did plan for. It was marvelous.


Think out of the box. Try new things, alternative processes, old techniques. There's a good chance your work will jump to new levels of visual communication and match the concept floating around inside your head.

To catch a fun interview about photography during one of our recent workshops at the
North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota listen the fun at WTIP Radio in Grand Marais on the Roadhouse Show.

http://www.wtip.org/drupal/content/photographer-layne-kennedy-storytelling-pictures

Thirty Minutes

We've all been there. Wondering silently in our head, why am I not inspired to get up off my ass and create photographs?

The responses are too many to address here. Why does a relationship end? Why didn't the Vikings make the play-offs? Why is the Minnesota Govt. currently shut-down? Short answer, it's complicated.

I had gone with my wife and two of our three kids to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, (BWCA) last week. I love this place. We camped on Saganaga, famous for it's wind and border personality. Its my first visit since my last book, PADDLE NORTH came out last Fall and more than a year since I've been inside the wilderness there. It felt good to return. I felt like I was going home. The familiarity of the surroundings was comforting, like visiting old friends.

Yet, I felt no compulsion to raise my lens. I enjoyed the swimming, fishing, and cooking fancy dinners with family. I was not on assignment. There was no pressure to bring home strong images and work the 15 plus hours of daylight. This was family time and I cherish this time with my wife and kids.

After about four days of camp activities and the current windy conditions, I found myself alone in camp. Everyone else was off taking in a mid-day nap. Too windy to fish alone, too hot to make a fire or gather firewood, I quickly got bored. I really didn't need to go and photograph, but suddenly the urge to explore was ignited.

I didn't want to work....and good photography is more hard work than simply "being there." So, I grabbed a camera and one lens, my 105mm macro lens. I thought I'd go explore the close-up world around our island.

I followed the normal trails that lead campers around campsites and then ventured beyond. Within minutes I found ripe blueberries. But, the ripe blueberries were always bunched together with unripened ones. And, I loved the color of those berries still a few days from picking, with that exquisite pink color. I dropped to my belly and found a bunch to photograph.

Amazing. I had lost myself in a patch of blueberries and felt a soothing transition taking hold. This is what I needed. To get away and photograph. After the blueberries, I moved along to a grove of red pines, attractive in their placement, with a look like they had been planted. But, it was nature's design. Looking for close-ups, the bark patterns of red pine take on a Van Gogh canvas. I found heart shapes, a monk, a ghost, and pine needles stuck in the gaps. My entire world was within a six square inch area.



The dead, still standing had lost their bark but the grooves of insect highways were revealed. I spent some time investigating, looking for the right composition to photograph, but it never happened. It made me think of something Ansel Adams once said that has always stuck with me.
Adams was photographing a mountain scene in the Sierra's. He set up his 8x10 view camera, picked a lens, focused but didn't like it. He chose another location, another lens, didn't like it either. In the end, no photos. He stated, "Sometimes a subject just won't bend to visualization." Wow, well said. I too moved on.

My attention moved back towards the ground. The juniper berries were ripe too and when pinched, smelled like gin. Now, I wanted a beer. I know, that makes no sense but it triggered that
reaction. And, then more blueberries. Feeling satisfied with the images I made earlier, I succumbed to picking. I went on a tear, keeping focused on the ripe berries, scanning the ground for specific colors. It reminded me of agate hunting. Once you develop the eye, its easy to spot them.

Hunched over for at least 15 minutes picking berries and loading berries into my ball cap, I raised up and stretched. Then, I laughed. I recalled a black bear I was photographing on Stockton Island in the Apostle Islands when shooting my book, JEWELS ON THE WATER-LAKE SUPERIOR'S APOSTLE ISLANDS. This bear was 30 yards away was munching down blueberries....just like I was. The bear was so intent on eating it never raised it's head or realized I was right in it's tongue landing path. I kept shooting and the bear kept coming closer and closer. Finally, I got worried it would see my shoes next and freak out. Then I would freak out. So, I made a noise loud enough to get his attention. He saw me, got spooked and ran off. I was concentrating hard in my berry picking, I laughed that I could've done the same thing. We're all animals aren't we? And, sometimes not the sharpest knife in the drawer!

Thirty minutes. That's all it took for me to enter a new world. I felt invigorated and refreshed. Great images don't have to happen when on assignment, on a workshop or personal project. But, they have to happen when you go out and shoot. Its the old saying, "F/8 and be there."

Pleasure came from the spiritual connection the lens offered me. This visual instrument, allowed me, like a pianist tickling the keys for joy, a moment to reconnect with the land. Isn't it always this way? Less is more. It need not be complicated to be rewarding.

If you feel you need such an escape, and want to find the coals to relight your visual fires, I am teaching a photography workshop in the BWCA in mid-August. Jason Zabokrtsky's outfitting company (http://www.boundarywatersguideservice.com/Boundary-Waters-Photo-Workshop-with-Layne-Kennedy.html) is running this session. Jason is an amazing guide, outfitter and enthusiastic photographer in his own right. He's perfect for this adventure. Please feel free to contact Jason with any thoughts or questions about this special wilderness workshop. His number is 218-343-7951. His website is; www.boundarywatersguideservice.com

WHY

The past several weeks have been hectic and I have been delinquent in keeping up with entries on the blog. New entries are coming, but priorities surface and demands shift the focus of time. Thanks for the patience.

Last evening I caught the News and learned two photojournalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were killed in Libya while covering stories. Condolences to their families and each and every family, everywhere, who have lost loved ones in theses senseless conflicts.

For reasons unexplained, it just made less sense to me today than usual.

Multiple Exposure

CROWDS CROWDS CROWDS!

There's not a photographer out there that hasn't experienced the pain of waking well before dawn, trek by headlamp, and huddle for hours breaking off the morning chill waiting for that magical first light only to find dozens, even hundreds, of people with the same idea milling about. It can break your spirit. Paying the price of early rise and careful planning no longer assures us shooters of having a destination all to ourselves.

I've run into this nightmare numerous times and one of the techniques I like to incorporate to ease the pain of crowds in my frame is utilizing the MULTIPLE EXPOSURE capability in my NIKON cameras. The process is pretty simple and actually diminishes the unsightly look of crowds.

Recently, while teaching a workshop in Vietnam/Cambodia for the MENTOR SERIES WORLDWIDE PHOTO TREKS, we woke at 4:30 a.m. to ensure a primo spot to photograph the temples of Angkor Watt at first light. We got there a good hour before dawn and already people had beaten us to the punch. It seemed hopeless we'd capture images of this World Heritage site without throngs of tourists in each and every frame.

I felt robbed. I wanted of a clean photograph of this wonderful historical site. I wanted it to myself. But, that ain't gonna happen in such popular destinations like Angkor Watt. So, let's turn our attention to making the situation work for us with the built in tools inside our visual instruments.

NIKON's Multiple Exposure selection allows us to shoot up to 10 frames (in most models - 3 frames in others) to overlap on a single photograph. It can be a wonderful creative tool in any number of visual situations.

At Angkor Watt, I chose to make 8 multiple exposures of the entrance to the temples. Crowds were pouring out of the temple entrance like water out of a faucet. Each time I tripped the cable release, with the camera on a tripod, I allowed a period of several seconds to pass before I tripped the shutter for each of the eight exposures. By the time I had completed the photograph, more than a minute had passed. I had eight frames overlapping one another giving me ghosts of the people moving about. The crowds, ugly in their original positions, now blended together, overlapped, created new colors, and gave my image a softness that brought the attention back to the temple and not the crowds.

Use this technique to add motion to your photographs. An example; You find a waterfall you want to photograph during mid-day light. Its impossible to get a shutter speed slow enough to give you that "cotton candy" effect you want. So, simply choose 5,6,7 or 8 multiple exposures. You'll find your image now has motion in the noon day sun! Using a tripod and cable release is a must in these situations. And, the beauty of Nikon's internal brain, it calculates all the exposures for you. It allows you to just be creative.

Ok, let's quickly look at a few other methods to bring home our vision in overcrowded locations. When I see there's no hope for clean images, I do one of two things. I move in tighter, like the detail of the carving in the wall, or utilize an alternative process to bring home the flavor of a scene. This can be done with a fish-eye, B/W, sepia, filtered, lensbaby, flash, night, ect., anything to make the photograph unique.

Don't get frustrated or give up when faced with unsightly crowds that pollute your scene. Find a way to make it work. Sometimes, you simply use the crowd as part of the shot. After all, its real. Be creative. Don't be discouraged by obstacles when your travels take you inspiring locations.

Secrets of Rejection

WHAT? Who wants to talk about rejection?

Ok, I hear you thinking..."He's lost it, gone over the edge, flown the coup, not the sharpest knife in the drawer"...... Ha!

The truth? In this business of editorial photography, the marketing of ideas to magazines and publishers is riddled with rejection. You learn early on its not a personal thing. There are so many reasons why a project is rejected. It could be that the topic had been visited within five years and the editors didn't want a new take on that topic just yet. It could be the subject is timeless and the publication needs something more newsworthy. Its all a timing thing. If you take rejection personally, as if your ideas don't have merit, you will needlessly suffer. If your ideas are sound and fresh, don't give up. More often than not, the hardest part of this job is finding a home for good ideas.

"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love this quote by Emerson. A gifted writer, his words carry meaning through many layers and are most appropriate here. As mentioned in the previous post, I am going to walk through the process of developing a book idea here. I am thoroughly convinced this idea has merit. I've presented the concept to numerous peers and friends and the feedback has been positive. And, I know outright, I'm setting my self up for rejection.

So, let's dive into the deep end and see if we can swim.

I've never entertained the thought of doing a book for kids. Over a decade ago I wrote and photographed an article for the National Wildlife Federation's kids' magazine, RANGER RICK. It was on a subject I knew very well. Wolves and wolf research. I had wonderful images from numerous assignments and thought to myself, "the writing will be snap." I submitted the photographs and story. The photographs were accepted and the story was rejected. I was torn up. My first story for kids was rejected? How dumb could I be? Unable to write a simple article for little kids.

Bob Dunne, my editor called me to talk about it. He was so gracious and calming. He began the conversation with a story about a famous author who also penned a story for Ranger Rick. His story too, was rejected. Bob went on to say that writing for kids is very difficult. We can't write in adult language. We need to simplify our ideas. And, for adults used to writing for adults, this can be more difficult than we appreciate. We worked on the story together and the works were published. I learned firsthand one of the secrets of rejection.

This brings us to; CROIX AND THE MAGIC BURL.

A combination of many personal experiences forced this book idea to the surface. I'm a parent with three kids and my interests both personally and professionally exist in the natural world. Years and years of covering assignments on conservation and environmental topics have gifted me a wealth of insight into the wilds. My photographic collection has ample visuals to illustrate a variety of topics. But, still I never had an idea for a kids book. Until, I started turning bowls as a hobby. One afternoon in Northern Minnesota looking at a birch burl on a downed tree, the light bulb clicked on.

For woodworkers, the burl is a magical thing. Its grain patterns and irregular shapes are unique. Many think the burl is a diseased part of a tree when in fact, it is not. I see it more akin to the making of a pearl. Its a treasure created by nature. A burl holds a certain spiritual power with woodworkers and that feeling caught my attention. Perhaps the burl could be a vehicle to use in teaching kids about the value of trees in the forest?

The idea was born. Once an idea is recognizable, its easy to develop. The most difficult part for me was the science issue. I see the world in pretty factual terms. I became concerned if I made the magic burl a talking voice with a personality, could I keep both the imagination of fantasy and reality in tune? As I let my own walls down, the idea of a talking burl in the forest communicating with a young girl begin to really make sense. What a wonderful way to introduce the life of the forest, the value or trees, to kids. Certainly, in today's explosion of learning to "go green" understanding the value of the forest at such a young age in terms they can appreciate can benefit us all.

So, I'm off and running. The first major decision was how the photographs would be used. Again, drawing on personal experiences, I love those kids books that are illustrations, paintings, watercolors, etchings, ect. In fact, one of my favorite kids book is Betsy Bowen's woodcut's of northern life in her epic ANTLER BEAR CANOE book. Betsy teaches the alphabet through the use of her marvelous woodcuts illustrating a slice of life in the North for each letter. Stunning. Her woodcuts reached my soul instantly.

It was my opinion, and some have contested me on this, that I would convert my photographs to watercolors in photoshop. I gave this considerable attention. Of the images I shared with peers and friends, most agreed they like this approach. My gut feelings were that for a kids book, photographs were too defined. The clarity of a photograph made things quite exacting. In converting the photographs to watercolors, I felt reality was softened and there was more room for personal imagination to blossom i the minds of kids. Let them put themselves in those locations without such photographic definition.

Above are examples of the very first drafted pages. After these, the story and pages developed quite nicely. I'm thrilled with all the wonderful lessons Croix learned from the old burl. Her grasp on the value of the forest and the wilderness life surrounding it will surprise readers of the many uses the forest provides. It is my wishes of course, these lessons from the old burl will translate into conservation values and the need to protect and manage our forests for the future. We'll see those other lessons as this blog topic continues. The design, text and images will be refined as we inch forward. Right now, its getting the idea down so we can see and feel it.

I encourage any comments you wish to share on this.

Create Your Own Book

I think its safe to say that every photographer dreams of having a book containing their creations. Its kind of the ultimate portfolio expressing a personalized vision. And, let's face it, the true rewards for a shooter don't come from money (although it helps). A shooters real passion comes from discovering the world around them with a lens. Whether a photog's outlet is a gallery exhibition, a blog, or a book, the realized joy is sharing the work.

I've been fortunate to have five published book titles under my belt on subject matter I feel passionate about. And certainly, that sense of worth is amplified when a publisher agrees to publish your work. But, the publishing industry is a state of flux these days. It scares me to think it might go away. I honestly don't believe the public is ready to give up on books. The iPad and Kindle have their place, but holding a book, looking at exquisitely reproduced photographs in a book, will always find a home on my bookshelves. And I know I'm not alone.

However, as the publishing industry finds it foothold in today's horrible economic climate and the volume of published titles dropping, there are alternatives for publishing a book. Technology has gifted writers, artists, poets, and photographers the opportunity to publish their work with minimal investment. You can publish a 80-page color hardcover book of photographs for example, for under fifty dollars. I'm not fooling. I can see you are shocked. But, it's true.

I've done several of these self-published books now. I initially set out to test the waters and more succinctly, the quality. Always a major consideration in such an endeavor. It wasn't until I had seen fellow shooter Dave Black's Book "THE WAY I SEE IT" (http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/765883). It was so beautifully done and printed so well. Instantly, I was hooked.

So, for my first book test, (http://www.blurb.com/books/1335316) 47º NORTH-Grand Marais & Beyond, I pulled together a collection of images from my favorite Minnesota town, Grand Marais. Grand Marais is a gem all in itself. It benefits from its mother figure, Lake Superior, and its population of around 1,500 fine folks. Its the foothills entrance to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its summer population swells in numbers just like the mosquitos. Its the kind of town you fall in love with instantly. But, from a book publishing perspective, its too tiny to tickle the fancy of a publisher's investment. Can enough books be sold to warrant the expenditure? Its a tough sell to any sized publisher.

The availability of self-publishing, now a reality and easy to do, can become the vehicle to create a book on areas like Grand Marais that probably will never attract a big publishing effort. I combed through my files, located a collection of images that I felt reflected the area surrounding 47º North, limited the text, used wonderful quotes about photography, and splashed images together to form a collective mood of the Grand Marais area. Its been very popular and I'm thrilled with the quality of the book. And, customers can purchase the book directly online and preview the entire book with Blurb's slick website even before buying the book.

Ok, your asking, and I can hear you .....what is the downside? I said it was cheap, under $50. Yes, that is cheap to publish your own book. But, when you go to the bookstore and buy any book for $50 you are expecting it to be big and thick and full of surprises. You just published your own book for under $50. Cool. But, if you want to sell it, what price do you put on it? Hmm, that $50 at the bookstore gave me pretty good buying power. But, if I want to make any money on this book and it cost me $50 to publish it, will anyone buy it for say, $75? Good question. This is the downside to self publishing. Its basically, Books On Demand.

Books on demand is not a fatalistic approach to self-publishing. Its just a different way. In the case of 47º NORTH, there is never going to be a book like this unless someone self-publishes it. It will be more expensive, yes. I think I make about $5/book. But, my reasons for doing this (remember the first paragraph) was to share the images of an area so close to my heart. I'm not alone. I know many others cherish this area and its a treat to have such a collection of images tell the story of 47º NORTH. If lots of 47º NORTH sell, I make a few bucks.

The benefits of self-publishing are far reaching too. Let's not dwell on the downside. Creating your own title, and I have been using Blurb.com, and there are many others like My Publishing.com, MPix, ect,, the idea that only a few books are ordered at a time, save on paper being used, warehouse space taken up, shipping and transportation costs, and so on. You want a book-you order it and two weeks later its on your door step. How cool is that?

I bring this concept of self-publishing up for a reason. Over the course of the next month or so, I am going to create a Children's book on this blog. I'll show pages, images, and the reasoning behind the theme. And, I'll publish it. But, my end goal may surprise you with the publishing of this book called; CROIX AND THE MAGIC BURL.