Lightning Storm!

Anyone who lives in the GTA will know that last night we had a spectacular electrical storm for several hours last night, and there was even a tornado that reportedly touched down in Milton. I was out and about when the storm hit and was caught without a tripod (Doh!). Luckily I was still able to get some good Lighting shots freehand. This was my first attempt at this kind of shot and I think that my technique is sound, I just need to iron out some wrinkles. Check out more of my results on Flickr!

Oh the shame, the shame of it all!

What goes through your head when you see a shot that you missed. This Philosophy Wednesday will be a point counterpoint on this situation. In one corner we have Thomas Leuthard, a Swiss street photographer, and in the other, Pete Souza, the Kansas State educated official White House photographer to President barack Obama. Watch as they square off on the subject of "Missing that Decisive Moment."

"Often It's more important to see things than capturing them. When I miss an opportunity, I'm always happy that I saw it in the first place." - Thomas Leuthard

"[Interviewer] Is there a photo opportunity that you completely missed or regret?

[Pete Souza] Oh but I'll never talk about those ... Occasionally I'll miss a picture and ... it keeps me up at night."

- Pete Souza, 'Open for Questions'

How many times have we seen a great shot happen right in front of us but we didn't have our camera ready, or the shot didn't come out right, or *gasp* we didn't have a camera with us! It can be disappointing when we don't get what we want, but Thomas Leuthard would have us learn that something can always come from just getting out there, even from a missed opportunity. At first glance it may seem unfair to pair these 2 quotations off against each other as the situation, style, and pressure on the photographer are different for both of these people, but I believe that most photographers have felt both of these reactions at some point in their experiences.

The idea that is better to have seen the shot than not at all is very important for the photographer getting out of their house and training their eyes. When building up visual skills, especially as a street photographer, there are going to be many failures. Many shots that were too far away, not focused right, not framed properly (especially when shooting from the hip), or just plain taken at the wrong time will plague you and it is important and comforting to remember that this is all a part of the learning process.

However, Pete Souza has a valid point, that we should be in fear (at last in some degree) of missing the shots that we want. That fear will keep us sharp and on edge, waiting for the moment to cross our path. When I put down my camera in a busy room I am anxious. Not that the camera will be stolen, but that something will happen in the crowd while I am "unarmed" or otherwise unable to take the shot.

If one is to seek a middle ground, may I interject a third point. Being afraid to miss the shot and not simply be aware of it can often times result in a shot that, while alright, is definitively sub-par. Having something close to what you want can be infinitely worse than not having anything at all. Many times I have come home to my digital darkroom and been pleased when I see the thumbnail of a shot I wasn't sure I got, then disappointed when I see the full res image. But, I have already become attached to the image and so I begin to convince myself that it is good enough. Whatever aspect is lacking in the photo is made up for by my recollection of its context. To anyone else this photo will not bear the appropriate meaning, and my work will suffer for it. Don't try to convince yourself that you have the shot when you don't. Sometimes you just need to take solace in the fact that you saw it ... and then never speak of it again! :P

New Camera Mania!

I feel like my film hobby is taking off this month! In addition to the large lots of pack, roll, and cartridge film I have coming my way via the interwebs, I've also received a camera in the mail, retrieved 2 cameras from the repair shop, picked up an old polaroid off a friend of mine and won a polaroid on ebay! With several trips into the city planned, a portrait shoot, a golf tournament, Toronto-henge, a sci-fi-convention, and a wedding still to go this month, this promises to be a busy and film packed couple of weeks!

This is the Life!

This week's post for philosophy Wednesday comes in the aftermath of a very successful road trip vacation across Northern Ontario. As I described the trip to one of my co-workers on the eve of my departure she looked at me and said "James, you are one of the most interesting people I know." I was flattered by this comment but it wasn't until I read this excerpt from the website of world renowned photographer Chase Jarvis that I started thinking about it:

"I haven't swashbuckled with pirates, nor have I swam the English Channel. I haven't even been to Antarctica. But I have travelled to many far away places, created a lot of still and moving pictures for myself and others. And I have made it my life's goal to be as creative as possible toward everything I endeavor. Outside of my morning cereal, that is." - Chase Jarvis

As photographers what we do day in and day out may seem very routine and technical. Very regimented and prescribed. Even our most interesting days on the job can seem mundane. But we must remember that to a certain few who look at our photos, it is pure and simple magic. Some people will look at us and think that our lives must be something like Hemingway's! This is not a preconception that we should discourage, and indeed is one that we should make an effort to believe ourselves. We need to inject a little fun in our daily grind, and look at everything that we can do in our lives as a once in a lifetime miracle. When everything becomes a creative challenge to us, an outlet for the artist in us, then we will truly become the most interesting person in the room.

People will want to hear about our most recent escapade, will think that every photo is the culmination of some fresh adventure, and we can feel proud of even our most insignificant achievements. Remembering of course that sometimes a bowl of cereal is just a bowl of cereal.

On the Road...

While I've been traveling, I have been thinking a lot about the old adage "Take only pictures, Leave only footprints" and how the phenomenon of photo documenting a road trip is one of the cultural expectations. But, for a photographer, is it the photos that are the first priority, or the journey.

"Henry David Thoreau once wrote that 'a man has not seen a thing until he has felt it,' and he was said to have been scornful of those who saw nothing in nature but a picture. These are fair comments. We go to Lake Superior because we do indeed want to 'feel' the land we are photographing. Our compulsion to use cameras and to record pleasurable experiences and phenomena is secondary to the simple joy of being there." - John and Janet Foster, Adventures in Wild Canada,1984

How can we separate ourselves from our craft sufficiently that we are not "hunting" the photo, but instead just enjoy the ride and shoot the things that unfold around us? If we are indeed taking photos to remember the experience, we should make every effort to ensure that the memory we are preserving is not merely of taking a picture. Although I have come up with no hard and fast rules for accomplishing this, I have found that simply being mindful of it drives me to explore more facets of the world in front of my camera. Try to remember smells, sounds, phrases, people. Try turning your camera off for a while or even (God forbid) leaving your camera in the car. Look for stories, introduce yourself boldly to strangers and listen to them. Take the slower roads, try the local cuisine, and always, ALWAYS, bring a towel!

Philosophy Wednesdays

I'm starting a new trend on this blog: Philosophy Wednesdays. Each week I will bring you my thought on a particular aspect of photography accompanied by a quotation from a photographer that I have learned something from.

This weeks post will be on the subject of pride.

"Never be too proud to accept advice from a model" - Andrew Mills

While briefly worded, this piece of advice seeks to alleviate one of the burdens that photographers constantly suffer from: the belief that we are right. It is painfully easy to look down on "amateur" photographers, people with "inferior" cameras, and those "in our employ." The photo in this post is an example of this lesson learned. I was trying to block the words sprayed on the wall with the models body, and I mentioned it to her. I said "I'm trying to block the 'bitch' in this shot" and she replied "Ooh! Get a shot of me with it." Left in my own headspace I wouldn't have got this shot, and I would have been worse for it. Being humble enough to accept advice from anyone can take your work to a whole new level. Whether it broadens your view, or makes you realize what it is you don't want to shoot, keeping an open mind is a lesson we all must learn in such an egotistical field.

(Another first: this post was made using my new blogging app!)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy 'roid Week!

Instant analog film users rejoice! It's is unofficially Polaroid week around the world today, so dig out your SX-70s, Spectras, and 100 Series', it's time to shake it like a polaroid picture! (but not actually as shaking is extremely detrimental to the instant analog development process, and is an annoying concept that pop culture has latched on to).

In honour of "'roid week" I baought a new Polaroid camera yesterday. The Polaroid 440. Details to come after I rewire it, but also look for more shots from my Auto 210 that I'm bringing on my road trip next week!

The shot that almost killed me

I was reading EricKim's street photography blog the other day and came across this article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jun/18/war-photographers-special-report

It's called "The Shot that Almost Killed Me" and it is a compilation of stories from war photographers recounting their near death experiences in the field, accompanied with the photos that they risked their lives to take. It is very moving and full of inspirational words on photography, passion, and life.

In honour of this post, I dug this photo out of my archives. I was traveling in New Zealand and was told that there was a tunnel through the mountain up head. I pulled my head inside of the speeding van a split second after this shot as taken and heard thunder of wind in the open window change tone. The wall of tunnel was inches from the side of the van. I had forgotten which side of the road we were driving on in that country, and a moments delay would have cost me my life. For a long time I was too afraid to look at this photo, and it still gives me the creeps if I think about it too much. I know it's nothing as noble in sentiment as the drive to capture the emotion of war, but I understand the feelings they express when they say they were driven to capture the image, without a second thought to their safety, without putting themselves ahead of the shot.

Please read the article and think about it next time you are fed up with the petty annoyances of your job, or hampered by minor hurdles in your photography.

Polaroid Spectra

Summer of Film marches on with this weeks (late) installment courtesy of the Polaroid Spectra System camera. A hand me down from my Great Uncle, and a gift to him from a camera collector before that, this camera has got style! The above photo features my favourite and longest running model, Lucy, and is my favourite shot from the pack.

Have no fear, even though this project was finished and posted late I still started my next camera on the right day. Look forward to next week when we find out if my Olympus Trip 35 works as well as I hope.

McFarlane Imaging has a new Image!

After a long deliberation process, I have finally settled on a logo that I like for this business. It may go though a period of slight tweaking over the next few weeks, but this is basically how I envisioned it when I set out to create it. I hope it's as "i"-catching as I'd like!

Studio 54 Photos

After 3 1/2 hours of waiting, the Studio 54 photos are finally converted to jpeg! I will be parsing them some more now and then uploading them to flickr after I get home tonight. Here's a taste of what's to come!

Polaroid 210 shots are up!

Despite being forced from my home by severe allergies I managed to get in a 6 hour bike ride and kill of the FP-100C pack. Here are the fruits of my labours, and the next installment of my Summer of Film project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theworldttl/sets/72157626885019211/

I will soon be posting a YouTube instructional video on my wiring modifications to answer questions posted by users on another YouTube video about this camera.

Allergies are Hampering Productivity

In a surprise twist my allergies are keeping me ... outside? I am allergic to something in my basement right now which is keeping me away from my office and forcing me out into the wild. On the plus side it is a beautiful day so I'm going to take advantage of this setback and go do some shooting on the Hamilton waterfront! Expect delays in this weeks film post as my scanner is in the quarantine zone.

Polaroid Land Camera Automatic 210

I think I finally sorted out what I'm doing wrong with my old Polaroid camera. I assumed that the focus indicator was in feet, but it appears to be in meters :P Results will be posted soon, along with details about the camera and my wiring mods.

Who Am I?

For starters, I would like to thank you for your interest in my work. As an aspiring photographer the most important resource I have is you, and your "word of mouth" advertising. Whether you were referred here by a friend, found me on Flickr, or were handed a card on the street, you are a part of the process of getting the word out!

So who am I? My name is James McFarlane and I am a twenty-something freelance photographer looking to experience the world through my camera. Appropriately the URL for this blog is "the world TTL" which for those of you who don't speak camera is a short hand for Through The Lens.

I live in the Greater Toronto Area and love to explore the vast and varied cultural, architectural, social, and visual landscapes of our city. My work has taken me far and wide in both geography and genre. I have covered the genres of Street photography, Band photography, Architectural photography, Portrait photography, Travel photography, Event photography, Aerial photography, Sports photography, Fundraisers, Historical Re-Enactments, Urban Exploration, Glamour, Studio, Photojournalism, and More!

Suffice to say, whatever the job, I'm willing to give it a try with a smile on my face, a glint in my eye, and a camera slung over my shoulder.

So, what will you find here? Apart from my attempt to post a new photo everyday, this will be my forum for announcing new photography jobs I've received, places I've been published, reviews of my gear both new and old, and general updates of the goings on in my professional life. Also, expect to find snippets of my philosophies on photographic genres, bits of wisdom I've gleaned from other photographers, and tips I've picked up along the way.

Get the Ball Rolling...

The first blog post is always the hardest. Most of the time I put it off because I feel that I'm waiting for something suitably interesting to start things off with, but getting over that hurdle is too important to procrastinate on. So, without further chit chat, this is the inaugural blog post for McFarlane Imaging!