20 Questions to TheStudioCoach

20 Questions to TheStudioCoach

Asked by James Cowie, Stan C. Reade photo store. London, Ontario.

1. What inspired you to make photography your career?

At the age of 13 I borrowed my Grandmother’s camera on a vacation and started shooting. I still remember the sense of storytelling that I felt, I would be able to show to my friends where I went and how beautiful it was. Within 6 months I had upgraded from the Instamatic 126 to a Zeiss-Ikon rangefinder 35mm. Ans why I kept it….I hate office work.

2. How many years have you been in the business?

I’ve sold my first picture to one of my classmate, I had shot portraits of my friends, processed and printed and offered the 3½x5 for sale for a quarter each. I made 3 dollars that day, I decided I loved photography. I had started not only my career but my business, I was 14. I’m now 50 and still shoot with the same fire in my eye and in my hand, even if the shoulder gets sore faster.

3. Of all the people you have had the chance to photograph over the years, who would you say has been your favourite or most memorable?

This question is a tough one that I will walk around. I had the chance to work for 15 years as photographer for the Children’s hospital where I had many encounter that still today shape my understanding of life, it’s beauty and shortness. On the other side I photographer from start to finish many construction project among witch 3 project lasted over 3 years, I’ve seen strenght, power and the human among it, my favourite subject of these years the workers group portraits standing on machinery: pure human strenght and will dominating the machine. But I still carry in my head the newborn pic of my 2 kids.

4. I know you have many cameras, and lenses. If I was to tell you, you could only go into the field to shoot landscape photography with one camera body and one lens what would you choose?

The only sure thing is I would bring a tripod. A camera is only a tool, when you want a hole in a wall you get a drill… any drill. When you want an image get a camera… any camera. Half of the magic is in the eye ½ inch behind the camera and the other half is being there. I now am using Olympus E-1, E-500, E-330 with most of the lenses from 7 to 200 and even the Lensbabie. I also use the SP-350 point and shoot and the Sanyo HD-2 video/still digital camera. My main cameras are the E-1 and the E-500 and the basic lens for me is the 14-54/f2.8.

5. You shoot many different types of photography, what is your favourite and why?

I have something against tags. In cars you have personal cars to go to work or shopping and on the other side you have formula1 for racing. In photography the same E-1 will be used for nude, portrait, landscape and forensic. The mastery of vision and the seeing of light and it’s control is what photography is about. What I like in photography is light, the tougher the challenge the better. I get the same sense of satisfaction highlighting the curve of a shoulder that shooting a refinery landscape at night… Maybe I am strange beast!6. Do you have a favourite spot in Canada you like to visit for photography?

Canada with the variety of landscapes and regions make it very difficult to select, but I must admit that enjoy the Calgary region that offers the best of all worlds, one hour left the Rockies, one hour right the planes and the canyon… tough to beat. See my letest pics of the area.

7. Where in the world would you say has been the most memorable place to photograph?

The question about a memorable place brings me in Korea to a temple near the Korean sea. I was alone on the ground of a small size monastery and walking around the small temple and a pyramid tomb, I come face to face with the 2 meter high bell, over 1 meter in diameter, I got closer to the bell and touched it, It touched me. I was so moved that I could walk away it was a out of this world experience, thousand of years of receiving prayers and being part of the life of these monks made it full of emotions, I was part if it. My interpret had watched the action form afar to let me discover the site, he gently walked to me and told me “Sir, are you all right? you are standing here for over 10 minutes.”8. Name one important tool you would recommend our members have in their camera bag when the go out to take photographs?

A ColorBalanceCoach target, an open mind and a tripod.

9. What program do you use for post processing your images in your computer?

I use Lightroom for most batch processing and Photoshop CS3 for all other manipulations.10. We have all been inspired by other photographers work, what photographer inspires you?

French Photographer Jean-Francois Jonvelle inspired me when I saw a book he had done with window or ambient light on ladies all dressed in white, the pure beauty without accessories and wrapped in this beautiful light got me going and today still inspires me. One picture can touch us, but a full collection of similarly strong images inspires.11. When working in the studio, is there one particular style of lighting you prefer over another?

Using the least light source is always my goal. I am known for my “1 light magic” lighting set-up. Remember we are mimicking God lighting tool: the sun. One is enough.12. When working in the studio, what two items would you always make sure you have with you? (besides the studio lights)

A ColorBalanceCoach target to achieve perfect exposure and white balance and a tripod that will allow me to frame and re frame with patience and ease, properly used and equipped, a tripod shouldn’t slow your shooting down.

13. If your photo assignment involves taking photos of an older person, anything special you consider?

I will have to decide if I increase or decrease the marking of the years.

14. When shooting still life or macro in the studio, what is the best way to achieve even light?

Using a huge softbox. But who wants even lighting (See question 11)15. You enjoy speaking to other photographers about your craft and sharing photographic ideas, so many photographers don’t like to share their secrets, what makes you so unique?

I think that not sharing information with fellows is smallness of mind. Just imagine the world we are in if no doctors had exchanged information…”Welcome for your open heart surgery, by the way I’ve never done that, neither heard about it !”. Even if I share all of my knowledge, I’ll be sharing everything I have learned until today. Now that you ask I thing that what makes me different is the ability to believe that I do not know a lot and that I must find new solutions every time.16. It today’s digital age, I’ve had the pleasure of looking at some of your Black and White photographs, do you capture the images in Black and White or convert them to Black and White in post processing on your computer?

Everything is captured in color, most of the time in RAW file, and all post process is done in the computer. Color is removed by either the Channel Mixer in Photoshop or with Nik Color effect palette.

17. When taking portrait photos any filters you like to use?

With digital imaging a clean lens is the best asset, the portrait look when needed is done Photoshop or with some scripts and actions and one of the best is Nik Color effect “Digital Skin softener”. I still own proudly Nikon soft filters for portrait but they are in their well earned retirement.

18. When using a 35mm style digital camera in your studio, what lens do you like to use?

I use the Olympus 14-54/f2.8 for full lengths and 3/4 and the fantastic 35-100/f2 for portraits.

19. On a typical location shoot, say the assignment was to shoot an automobile for an advertisement, how many images would you shoot?

For a shoot where an artistic director is there you shoot his picture and they call off and that is over, 4 hours and 8 shots later you pull the plug. But now my customers are more friendly with me and for example recently I had to shoot a pile of cheeses for a Christmas card I shot the mountain of cheeses on all angles including crazy ones shot cheeses individually and then broke some pieces for stock images and then ate the cheese for one full month. This is called shoot your cheese and eat it too.

20. If you could sit down with any famous photographer and ask them about one of their photographs, who would it be and what was the subject?

I’m actually teaching myself as a personal assignment to shoot like Al Gilbert and Frank Cricchio in their black and white traditional style, I think I will have the chance of meeting them this year, I’ll offer a diner to talk about it.