Every photographer knows that the colors black, gray, and white can go with everything. In fact, there’s a joke about photographers and NYers only ever wearing the color black. Truly, they’re just easy colors to work with in so many different ways. But there’s another color that I think every photographer completely underestimates: green. Some folks may not like it. And a lot of photographers may not ever give it any thought. Green is the ultimate color in so many different ways. Don’t believe us? Well, just look at nature.

The inspiration for this article comes from both fashion and nature. If you look at the color spectrum, green is right in the middle of ROYGBIV. So green can go with pretty much any color as it’s right in the center. And this is confirmed by nature. Here are a bunch of examples:

• Green and red go together for roses, watermelons, and other plants.
• Green and orange go together for trees, tulips, parrots, etc.
• Green and yellow go together with flowers and trees like bananas.
• Green and blue go together by looking at rivers and how greenery is often right besides the waterfronts.
• Indigo pairs with green because of natural flowers.
• Violet, well, look at violet flowers!

Because these colors go so well together in nature, they just make sense to go well together in photography. And so you can use this in portraiture, surreal photography, conceptual photography, product photography, and more. Lots of photographers think of green screens to replace things that you’d randomly see in a background. But we’re talking about organically using the color green in photography.

Here’s a list of photographers that we’ve featured that use the color green really well:

• Tom Hegan: his aerial photos of gardens showcase how green blends together so well with various other colors.
• Michael Schauer: Shows how green works well in nature
• Sydni Indman: shows how green works very well in conceptual portraiture.

So why is all this important? Well, there’s the 3 color portrait rule that helps photographers keep their portraits simpler and easier to make look more aesthetically pleasing. Though we can say that those rules are probably about to get broken really hard due to how AI is generating photos. Photographers are going to need to respond quite differently and start creating in totally different ways.

What’s the 3 Color portrait photography rule? Essentially, it means that you’re working with three main colors in the scene: the subject’s skin, the background, and the wardrobe. This makes the image much easier on the eyes to digest. And there are a myriad of ways that you can make this combination.

There are also ideas of composing by color, which says that the eye more or less ignores the color black. But maybe you can use the color green more often as a replacement for the color black.

Still confused? Well, here are a few ideas that we think you can and should try:

• Use green lights in a scene and then combine them with motion blur.
• Use green as a backdrop or with cloth in your next product photo shoot
• Use green lights to add separation when shooting a portrait subject

Truly this list could go on and on, but you have to find ways to break the rules of photography and stop making it all about clinical sharpness. Go out there and just play. Mess around with various other colors, or even try messing with things like green food coloring. We don’t want to dictate your creativity at all.

If you head to Behance, search by photography, and then sort by the color green, there are tons of ideas. You just need to put your own spin on them.

A project to preserve decades of Tampa Bay area history is in the works.

The University of South Florida Libraries are digitizing nearly 80,000 photo negatives that document the life and landscape of the Tampa Bay region from the 1950s to 2010s. The images are part of the Skip Gandy Collection of Aerial and Commercial Photography and chronicle key moments in local history.

A fundraising project aims to raise $41,300 to digitize the entire collection and make these never-before-seen images available to the public under a Creative Commons license. Up until now, a few dozen photos have been available to view online. USF Libraries’ Digital Collections have raised $30,000 so far.

Some of these film negatives are starting to degrade, making their preservation all the more urgent, according to Tampa-based photographer Chip Weiner.

“We cannot let this history disappear,” said Weiner. “It’s 100 years of visual history that so many cities don’t have and we are completely blessed to have that available to us.”

Weiner spoke to an audience at the Tampa Bay History Center on Friday afternoon about the Gandy Collection. He said he found photos of relatives and friends while perusing through the negatives.

“You will connect to something in those collections –I guarantee it — If you’ve been here for a while,” said Weiner.

Friday’s lecture marked one of the culminating events of the city of Tampa’s Archives Awareness Week. Tampa native Kimberli Burns Cummings said she felt a special connection to the photos that were unveiled during the event.

“When I see a photo, it is like a little video that just goes, ‘oh, rolling’ and I remember that building,” said Burns. “I remember McCrory’s [and] holding my hand up high because my dad would walk me in there or my grandmother would walk me in there.”

Skip Gandy grew up on Tampa’s Davis Islands and captured both the changing natural environment and growth of the urban landscape on the bay. His vast collection spans commercial photography, aerial shots and photos of the everyday. Gandy also documented famous figures passing through the area, including 35th president John F. Kennedy in Tampa five days before his assassination in 1963.

Images are in black and white as well as in color.

Once photos are digitized, Weiner said Digital Collections will need the community’s help identifying places and people. The next goal will be printing out photos and creating an exhibition.

To donate, visit giving.usf.edu and enter “Skip Gandy” in the search box.

To view the photographs that have already been scanned, visit digitalcommons.usf.edu/gandy.

NEW DELHI: Days after a video of a woman blogger proposing to her boyfriend in front of the temple went viral, Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee has banned photography and videography inside Kedarnath temple.
Boards have been placed at various places on the temple premises prohibiting photography and videography.
“Do not enter the temple premises with mobile phones; any kind of photography and videography is strictly prohibited inside the temple and you are under the surveillance of CCTV cameras,” reads boards on temple premises.

Photo: ANI video grab.

The committee has also warned that if anyone is caught taking photos or making videos, legal action will be taken against them.
The temple has also asked the people to wear “decent clothes” and desist from setting up tents or camps in the temple precincts.
“In the past, some pilgrims were making videos and reels inside the temple in an indecent manner as well as clicking pictures…It will be implemented strictly, that is why warning boards have also been installed at Kedarnath,” reported news agency ANI quoting Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee president Ajendra Ajay.
He said although no complaints have been received from the Badrinath Dham yet, such boards will also be installed there.

If you’ve been on Instagram recently, you’ve probably seen some of Saboor Akram’s amazing work. Some of the most interesting pictures of celebrities and superheroes traversing the streets of Pakistan have come from his mind and computer.

The 20-year-old was born in Quetta and raised in Lahore. He’s been taking photos since seventh grade and you probably know him on Instagram as Boorayy__. “Working in depth in my field, I always learnt to have a good grip on lights and compositions. Alongside photography I love films and storyboarding, so when I researched about AI tools, I started using those tools to create images with a detailed overview, in terms of lighting, production, fashion and art direction,” he told Images.

“I [also] used photoshop to colour-grade and manipulate pictures till I would get a detailed visual representation of my concepts!” His photos are incredibly detailed — far more so than any other AI-generated artwork we’ve seen before. From the backgrounds to the characters themselves, his photos have created a storm on social media.

“When I was in Turkey seven months ago, I met a German photographer who was aged yet extremely accomplished in his field. We had a conversation about AI being the new tool every artist is afraid of, just like how painters feared photography replacing the craft of painting or when the invention of computers was feared to replace labour,” he explained.

“However, with time we realised that we needed to evolve with the technology. Rather than fearing it, we need to learn and evolve with it by incorporating it into our art and enhancing it. AI is here to stay, so instead of fearing that it would overtake me, I aimed to showcase to everyone that by being a photographer who has been working for nine years, I can use the same tool and further enhance my craft.”

Akram’s love for comic books helped guide his work. “I love comic books, especially Spider-man. I am so obsessed with Spider-man that when I was 19, I created the first self funded Spider-man fan fiction in Pakistan, so I always wanted to represent Pakistan and South Asian countries on a bigger level,” he said.

“A month ago, I had to undergo a very serious surgery which put me on complete bedrest, so since I was not able to work, I saved up to get [AI programme] Midjourney and experiment with it. While Midjourney and executing my ideas is one thing, I learnt photoshop manipulation, colour theory, pro create and Adobe Illustrator to start crafting the best ideas in my style,” he explained.

But what, you may be wondering, is the purpose of creating AI artwork? “It’s to represent different franchises, concepts, movies and celebrities in light of my country and culture, so we can form some representation across the world!” Akram said. “I also use AI for conceptual posters, showing how I would shoot a certain movie or show like Stranger Things, Spider-Man or Harry Potter if I was ever in the director’s seat.”

He’s a big fan of Spider-Man and superheroes in general, so much so that he created and filmed his own Spider-Man short film when he was 19, which was screened in cinemas. “However, I always wanted to work to represent Pakistan in foreign franchises and platforms — my biggest dream is to introduce a Pakistani Spider-Man to the world, just like how an Indian Spider-Man was introduced. So I would write down ideas and concepts to show various representation of various celebrities and movies if they were based in Pakistan.”

Those concepts and representations have really taken off, getting love from all over social media. Akram is “so overwhelmed” with how “everyone resonated with and loved” his work. “My goal is to represent Pakistan in the brightest light, InshAllah!”

When Belgian photographer and photo tour leader David Van Driessche sought new locations for his photo trips, he decided to explore Papua New Guinea and its many cultures.
Little did he know that his travel to this country would evolve into a truly memorable adventure as he developed close friendships with tribal members. He found new friends and colorful models for his photography tours, but more importantly, Van Driessche successfully encouraged the tribes to build living quarters in their remote villages where tourists and photographers could reside for a few days.

Today, several tribes are building small cottages and rooms to accommodate tourists and photographers. Construction is primarily with wood collected from the surrounding forests. The units are artfully designed and include the amenities of home, such as a comfortable bed, shower, toilet, dresser, and clothing rack. Air conditioning is unnecessary because of the mild mountain climate.

“Travel agencies currently book tourists in hotels located in faraway cities like Goroka or Mount Hagen, requiring long hours of travel to the tribal villages. This allows only a few hours with the tribes before returning the same day to the hotels in those cities,” says Van Driessche. “With these new cottages, I can take groups of tourists and photographers from one tribe to the next without having to leave the area and go back to the city. It means the clients get a ‘full immersion experience’ with the tribes and their way of life.”

About two years ago Van Driessche had the good fortune of meeting Randy Hanna, also a professional photographer and photo tour leader who is based in the United States. Together they collaborated on ways to help generate income for ethnic groups in Papua New Guinea. With the cooperation and financial support from Hanna, Van Driessche started building eco-lodges with two of the most famous, colorful, and exciting cultural groups in Papua New Guinea – the Asaro Mudmen and the Mindima Skeleton tribes.

According to Van Driessche, the best part of Papua New Guinea is the road between Goroka and Mount Hagen. Located here is The Asaro Mudmen Tribal Eco Lodge with ten rooms and more under construction. From this location, photographers can experience six different cultural events ranging from the Moko Moko Victory dance of the Asaro Warriors to the Burning Heads of Gimmesave.

Just a two-hour drive from the Asaro Mudmen lodge is the Omo Bruglgamo Skeleton Tribe Eco Lodge. This lodge has five budget rooms and three deluxe rooms, with more under construction. Found next to the Skeleton tribe are the Insect Hunters and Dusk Shaker cultures, as well as the famous Chimbu Bila with their long-feathered headdresses.

Who are the Mudmen and Skeleton Tribes?

Van Driessche, who now lives in Thailand, spent months exploring the tribes of Papua New Guinea. He worked most closely with the Mudmen and Skeleton tribes and was thrilled when they agreed to build lodging for his photography tours. As they have worked together, Van Driessche has learned many of the legends and history that make each tribe distinctly different. Each tribe has unique ceremonies and festivals which require masks or body paint to create special, colorful appearances.

The Mudmen from Asaro pay tribute to their ancestors by covering their bodies with mud and wearing heavy masks also made of mud. Centuries ago, the Asaro were known as shy jungle-dwellers. Legend has it that one day they were attacked by a powerful tribe and fled to the nearby Asaro River. When their assailants reached the river, they came upon figures coated in white and gray river mud. Believing they had met the ghost spirits of the Asaro they had just killed, the aggressors panicked and quickly fled from the ghosts. They never returned.

Members of the Skeleton Tribe from Mindima use white paint on their bodies to appear as skeletons. As the story is told now, a few villagers went hunting in the mountains but never returned. A search party found a small cave containing numerous human bones. They believed a big monster (probably a bear or wolf) had killed the hunters. To get rid of the monster they painted themselves as skeletons and laid next to the bones. When the monster returned and had his back to the living skeletons, they killed it. To this day the Skeleton Tribe continues to paint their bodies like skeletons to ward off evil and honor their ancestors.

Two More Projects in the Making

Van Diessche has two more eco lodge projects underway, one in the Jiwaka Province with the Sekaka Tribe. Known for their elaborate headresses made of colorful bird feathers as well as the Forest Skull Kids of Koskala, this ethnic group is building the Koskala Gerupeng Lodge near the town of Banz. The village is only a one-hour drive from Mount Hagen Airport and an hour’s drive from The Skeleton Tribe Eco Lodge.

The other project is in Enga Province with the Black Faced Tribe of Suli Muli. This small group of people, known for using distinctive black face paint, is one of the most isolated in Papua New Guinea.  They live in small, scattered communities throughout the mountains, and their way of life has remained largely unchanged for centuries.  The Suli Muli people have recently started building their first eco lodge units. “Because this area has had no tourism, the experience is truly amazing,” says Van Driessche. “To be with a tribe that has experienced very few visitors has always been my dream. It’s like going back in time and learning to appreciate how our ancestors lived – but it’s real life now.”

Birds of Paradise

Near Mount Hagen is another phenomenon that lures photographers to Papua New Guinea: the birds of paradise. Legend informs us that these birds were forever in flight, never touching the ground nor resting in trees. Whether true or not, the birds of paradise are among the most beautiful and colorful flying creatures on earth.

Of the 42 species of paradise birds, all but two are found in Papua New Guinea. Although most male birds of paradise have spectacular plumage, there are a few species where the male and female have almost identical, generally modest-looking plumage. Coloring and type of plumage vary drastically among species.

Finding these magnificent birds amidst dense foliage can be extremely challenging. However, with the help of local tribesmen, who know the habits of the birds and the environments in which they live, these gorgeous birds can be readily located.

Come to Papua New Guinea

Long ago, Papua New Guinea was known for cannibalism, but today it is a very safe country for travelers to experience colorful culture and unique tribal traditions. “The headhunters of the past have become tourist hunters of today. They are anxious to share their unique customs and cultures with others,” says Van Driessche.

If you are a photographer, birder or simply an adventurer, join us in Papua New Guinea for the experience of a lifetime.

For additional information:

tribesofpapuanewguinea.com