Still Life: Yashica Electro 35
Still Life Study No. 1 – Yashica Electro 35
photography
Artists In Jackson, The Book
For the past five or six months, I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know the artists, creatives, and makers in Jackson, Michigan, as a part of my Artists In Jackson project.
The culmination of the project, I always figured, would be a book. Photos and profiles of the artists, an explanation of the project, and a beautiful artifact of all the work I’ve done.
I love photo books. I’ve become a bit of a collector in the past year or so. That, and (as @alesserphotographer advocates) paper is what you keep for 100 years and give to your grandchildren.
So the Artists In Jackson book is now available for sale. I couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out.
This first run of copies (about 25) are going to get some special love and attention from me before they ship out. After that, I’m doing a buy-on-demand system from Blurb, the book publisher.
Also, the project’s artist profiles are now live on the website, along with a selection of photos from each artist’s portrait shoot.
It feels mighty good to have this project out the door and into the world. I’ve received lots of great feedback from family and friends, and lots of support from the community. Thanks to everyone for their time and attention.
I made something. It shipped. And away we go.
Beware the Woods At Night
It’s been a pretty great October here in Michigan. And just before it turned pitch black on my morning commute, I grabbed some foggy forest shots as the leaves were turning.
Consider it a goodbye to the leaves for seven months or so.
Pumpkin Patching
Nothing like shopping for the perfect pumpkin at the local farm.
Autumn in Michigan is pretty great. And though my mood takes a turn for the worse because of the creeping darkness, I’m really trying to embrace this fall. It helps that the weather has been so great all October.
So let’s do it. Let’s do the Halloween thing and the pumpkins and the cider (lots of cider, what with six orchards within 20 minutes of my house). Let’s beat back the oncoming winter blues with some autumnal spirit.
Here Are the Artists In Jackson
Here they are: the 15 featured creatives in my Artists In Jackson portrait project.
They are 15 people that are making my hometown of Jackson, Michigan, a more beautiful place to live. And so generous with their time and attention – I can’t thank them enough for participating in this project.
It’s Harvest Time
Ah, late summer / early autumn in Michigan – when those roadside farm stands pop up.
I can’t resist. There’s something about a fresh-grown tomato or ear of corn I find irresistible. And with my commute through rural Michigan, I have lots of options.
Such good deals! I picked up a quart of cherry tomatoes for $1, perfect for snacking at work. And we eat a lot of corn on the cob during the summer and fall.
I usually tend my own garden, but this year it’s been tough going. So it’s nice to have a farm stand backup.
How I Use Instagram
I’m coming up on my 2,000th Instagram photo, and it’s got me thinking about what is my favorite social media platform.
It’s really fun to experiment with mobile photo making, and see the work of other great Instagram photographers. Every day, I think about making good photos for Instagram, and sharing them for the world to see. It’s like a 365 project, even though there are days wen I don’t post (usually the weekend) – thought I post multiple times per day, which kind of makes up for it.
Instagram helps me experiment with photo styles, moods, and subjects. I was never really a landscape guy, until my commute inspired me to share the rural countryside I see every day. And going back and seeing my old stuff (I’ve been using Instagram since January 2011)? It’s rough, but you can see the growth.
What’s nice about Instagram is, there’s no social pressure. Yes, I follow some friends and family members. But the majority of photographers I follow are people I’ve never met. That’s the fun part. Like Twitter, I get to interact with people who are mostly strangers.
Jeffrey Kalmikoff figured this out in his “You’re Using Instagram Wrong” piece:
Inspiration through photos is a function of interests, not your social connections. Chase what inspires you. Be true to yourself, and inspire others with who you are.
His point: don’t feel bad about not following people you know in real life.
My own quick-read tips:
- If someone follows you, check out their profile. Like their photos? Follow them back. Don’t like their photos? Don’t.
- See if a photographer shares different stuff on his/her Instagram than, say, Flickr or Tumblr.
- I’m still a stickler for mobile-only photos (#iphoneonly!). Call me Old Fashioned.
- Hashtags are a good way to (a) be found and (b) find stuff you’re into. Follow your #furry or #abandoned passions. Just, for Pete’s sake, don’t inappropriately tag your photos (#sunset on a non-sunset photo, for instance)
- Comment on photos you really like. But say what you like about it. Be specific and generous.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with styles. In time, you’ll develop your own signature style. It took me a long time to find my groove.
- HDR sucks.
And, of course, you should follow me on Instagram.