Here comes another puzzle to keep you somewhat busy this Sunday morning. Straight out of the oven, this one has a new underlying structure. Making these is harder than it looks, seriously! I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I did of making it.

The Phoblographer realizes that, as a publication, we don’t always have to be so serious. So, each weekend, we work to bring you a bit of fun in our Humor section and through our Crosswords. Inspired by some of the classic political cartoons and offerings of other publications, we’re tapping into some of the things that only photographers love to laugh about. And we’re turning those into cartoons and crossword puzzles that we think you’ll want to share with lots of the rest of your friends in the photo community. Yes, we believe and hope that you have friends in the photo world.

You can expect to see these cartoons once a week on Saturdays and crosswords every Sunday for as long as we keep doing this.

Most of all, however, we hope that they bring you joy, even for at least a little bit. Ideally, they’ll bring you joy in a way that you recognize. Sometimes, you may moan. At other times, you’ll probably roll your eyes. There’s nothing wrong with genuinely showing off a bit of a laugh or a smile.

The ability to manipulate a broadsheet newspaper on a crowded commuter train is one of those skills, like full attention and mental arithmetic, mostly lost to our digital world. Louis Stettner’s photographs from the 1950s are fascinated by these images of a New York newsprint world, the ways in which ordinary Americans demanded information morning and night, as if they had a feeling that might soon be going out of style.

Many of Stettner’s pictures of that period were taken at Penn station. They contrasted with an earlier series of portraits taken on the New York subway. There, subjects had looked his camera squarely in the eye. Here, his people are mostly in worlds of their own; he liked scenes from “the smoke, fumes, the bustle” of the city, in which there were “still moments or stray corners that have sometimes touched eternity”.

This image is included in a full retrospective monograph of Stettner’s long life and career (he died in 2016, aged 93). The collection traces the ways in which he developed a profound kind of empathy. Much of this, he later suggested, dated back to being a combat photographer during the second world war, an experience that gave him a deep sense of connection with “my fellow countrymen – fishermen, industrial workers, storekeepers – whom I had previously only brushed up against in Times Square”. Stettner was among those artists who took advantage of the GI bill to be based in Paris, where he befriended celebrated photographers, including Brassaï, and his work subsequently became an important link between French and American street portraiture. You can feel him experimenting with some of that Parisian spirit in these pictures from the 50s: in his interest in a society, rather than the individual, and in a quiet love of the quotidian, of people going about their routines, alone together.

Don’t miss the reception on August 2 to kick off the residency

From Dan Jordan,

The Olean Public Library will host an exhibition of my wildlife images during the month of August 2024. Almost all of the images were captured in 2024, so have never been exhibited before. There will be a reception on August 2 at 4 PM with refreshments served. At the reception, you can meet the artist (that’s me!) and ask any questions you may have about my display or my methods for capturing compelling wildlife photos.

I am presenting my images differently from past exhibitions. I will have clusters of photos of a common theme. As of now, I am planning on having 10 different clusters of images on display. There will be as many images on display as the ‘walls will hold’!

2024 has been a banner year for wildlife photography. My collection of images reflects that.

I hope you can attend the reception or visit the library any day during August to view my images. If you are coming from out of town specifically to see the exhibition, call the library to make sure that the exhibition room is not going to be occupied, they sometimes host meetings in that room. (716.372.0200)

I look forward to seeing you there!

In landscape photography, there’s often a misconception that success is measured by the number of great shots captured in a single outing. However, this mindset can be limiting and lead to burnout for many. Sometimes, the true reward comes from capturing just one exceptional shot. Focusing on quality over quantity not only enhances your craft but also deepens your connection with the landscape. Here’s why and how to embrace this approach.

The Pressure of Multiple Shots

Modern digital photography makes it easy to take numerous photos in one session, potentially leading to:

• Burnout: Constantly striving for multiple perfect shots can be exhausting.
• Shallow Engagement: Rapid shooting can prevent a deep understanding of the landscape.
• Overwhelmed in Post-Processing: Sorting through many images is time-consuming and can detract from the creative process.

The Joy of One Good Shot

Focusing on capturing one exceptional image can change your approach to photography today and long into the future:

• Increased Focus and Patience: When aiming for just one good shot, you become more focused and patient. You spend more time observing the landscape, studying the light, and considering your composition, leading to more thoughtful and stronger images.

• Mindful Observation: Instead of rushing to capture every potential scene, you slow down and observe more mindfully. You notice subtle changes in light, weather, and atmosphere that might have gone unnoticed in a hurried shoot.

• Creative Fulfillment: There’s a unique satisfaction from knowing you have captured a moment perfectly. One well-executed shot that tells a story or evokes a strong emotion can be more rewarding than a hundred mediocre ones.

Case Study: Old Walls and Trees on a Hillside

Imagine exploring an undulating hillside with old stone walls intersecting at various points, creating a natural grid. At one such intersection, you spot two trees, perfectly placed to create a balanced composition. You decide to focus on capturing this scene.

You set up your tripod and compose your shot. The light is constantly changing as clouds move across the sky, casting shadows and beams of sunlight intermittently. Instead of trying to capture every variation, you choose to wait for the perfect moment when the light will highlight the trees and the walls, adding depth and contrast to the scene. This exact thing happened to me recently, and I was glad I was able to switch gears and focus on getting just one shot from the outing.

Techniques for Capturing One Good Shot

1. Scout and Plan: Spend time scouting your location. Understand the best vantage points and plan your shoot around optimal lighting conditions. Arrive early and stay late for unique lighting opportunities.

2. Use a Tripod: A tripod stabilizes your camera, allowing for precise compositions and long exposures. It also forces you to slow down and consider your shot more carefully. Once you have your composition locked in, you know you won’t have to reframe it again until that precise moment happens.

3. Observe the Light: Light is the most critical element in landscape photography. Watch how it changes and interacts with the landscape. Be ready to capture the moment when the light is just right. There will no doubt be many near misses, and this is something you need to consider, but I suggest even taking these near-miss shots, as you never know if the light will return after all.

4. Compose Thoughtfully: Pay attention to the composition. Use the rule of thirds, leading lines, and natural frames to create a balanced and engaging image. Once you have this done, it’s time to fine-tune and look for any elements that are intersecting or need to be removed from the scene.

5. Be Patient: Patience is key. Good light and perfect moments don’t happen on demand. Be willing to wait and observe. At times, you may feel like giving up on your mission, but with practice, you will get the rewards.

6. Shoot in raw: Shooting in raw format provides more flexibility in post-processing, allowing you to recover details from shadows and highlights and adjust the image without loss of quality. So check those settings are in place as you don’t want to get home and realize that you shot in JPEG.

7. High-Speed Continuous Mode: For dynamic scenes where the light changes rapidly, using high-speed continuous mode can help you capture the perfect moment without missing it.

The Reward of Waiting

In our example, you patiently wait for the right moment when a beam of sunlight breaks through the clouds, illuminating the two trees and casting shadows that highlight the texture of the stone walls. This moment transforms the scene, adding depth and contrast that weren’t there before. You capture the shot, knowing you’ve created something special.

At its core, landscape photography is about capturing the essence of the natural world. It’s about being present, observing, and connecting with the environment. When you focus on getting one good shot, you’re forced to engage more deeply with the landscape, becoming attuned to its rhythms, light, and mood.

This approach not only leads to better photographs but also enriches your experience as a photographer. It reminds you why you fell in love with landscape photography in the first place – the joy of being in nature, the thrill of chasing the perfect shot, and the satisfaction of capturing a moment that resonates.

Conclusion

In landscape photography, sometimes less is more. Focusing on capturing one good shot can be more rewarding than trying to take multiple average ones. It encourages patience, mindful observation, and a deeper connection with the landscape. By embracing this approach, you’ll not only improve the quality of your photographs but also find greater fulfillment in your photography journey.

Remember, the goal is not to fill your memory card with countless images but to capture a moment that tells a story, evokes emotion, and showcases the beauty of the natural world. So next time you head out with your camera, slow down, observe, and aim for that one perfect shot. It might just be the most rewarding image you ever capture.

Have you tried this approach, and it failed or worked? Or perhaps you are a run-and-gun photographer who can’t be bothered with this waiting game? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments below.

As an innovator of fashion photography, Gian Paolo Barbieri’s various approaches and techniques helped to shape modern fashion photography.

Just as there was a reawakening of Italian fashion design, Barbieri made a point of becoming a friend of the designers. By befriending and eventually understanding their style and design, Barbieri was able to become a champion of the new era of Italian fashion and costume designers.

In doing so, Barbieri was able to be a driver of this reawakening of Italian fashion popularity.

Barbieri also helped to move fashion photography out of the catalogue by using innovative set design and styling. eclectic outdoor set design in exotic locations.

For Barbieri, fashion photography without art is empty, and so, he drew on his deep knowledge to enrich his shoots with references to art history.

Barbieri also relied on cinematic grandeur to help his images stand out. Not just replicating ideas, but shooting in a way to expand the conversation.

If you’re in the neighborhood, you can see Barbieri’s newest exhibit at House of Louvre Ostuni, in Ostuni, Italy. The exhibit is showing off many masterworks by Barbieri, as well as some previously unpublished photographs dating back to the 1960s.

All images used with permission.

Dr. Yitzhak Yifat, one of the three Israeli paratroopers seen in the 1967 photo of soldiers at the Western Wall, an iconic image of the Six-Day War, died on Saturday at the age of 81. Popularly dubbed “The Crying Paratroopers,” even though no one in it is crying, the photo became one of the most famous in Israeli history.

.htz-loader-circle{
-webkit-transform-origin:center center;
transform-origin:center center;
-webkit-animation:htz-loader-animation 1.5s infinite linear;
animation:htz-loader-animation 1.5s infinite linear
}
@-webkit-keyframes htz-loader-animation{
0%{
-webkit-transform:rotate(0);
transform:rotate(0)
}
100%{
-webkit-transform:rotate(-360deg);
transform:rotate(-360deg)
}
}
@keyframes htz-loader-animation{
0%{
-webkit-transform:rotate(0);
transform:rotate(0)
}
100%{
-webkit-transform:rotate(-360deg);
transform:rotate(-360deg)
}
}

Understanding the mechanics of a camera can be comforting. You set things up, press a button, and voilà, you get a photograph. However, there’s more to it than just pressing a button.

Coming to you from Alex Kilbee of The Photographic Eye, this thought-provoking video explores why pressing the shutter can cause so much anxiety. Kilbee starts by reminiscing about his first camera, a toy model. As a kid, he didn’t care about the technicalities. He just snapped pictures of friends without a second thought. This carefree approach changed as he learned more about photography. The more he learned, the more anxious he became.

Kilbee highlights the technical focus during his first year at photo school. It was all about film processing, image printing, and understanding apertures and shutter speeds. This technical knowledge felt safe and replicable. You follow steps and get predictable results, much like building a LEGO set with instructions. But this safety net of technicality also brought anxiety. Straying from the formula meant opening up to criticism.

Ansel Adams once said you don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring all your life experiences into it. Kilbee struggled with this idea. He wanted his photos to be edgy and cool but lacked the confidence to explore creatively. A specific assignment at photo school, shooting a still life, highlighted this struggle. His technically perfect photo was likened to a picture from a mundane magazine, which he found disheartening. This incident made him realize that technical proficiency alone wasn’t enough.

Kilbee’s journey toward embracing creativity took a turn when he discovered the Holga camera. A friend introduced him to this simple, plastic camera that stripped away all the technical concerns. It had basic settings and was all about capturing the essence of a moment. This experience was liberating, allowing him to focus on seeing the world differently and creating unique images.

Reflecting on his experiences, Kilbee found that overthinking technical perfection often overshadowed creativity. This realization was a turning point. He started incorporating his personal experiences and interests into his photography. This blend of technical skills and creative expression led to more fulfilling work.

Kilbee advises embracing both technical and creative aspects. Some of his photography, like portrait work, leans on technical precision. Other times, he lets go of technicalities to explore creativity, such as with his iPhone photography. This balance helps quiet the anxiety that comes with pressing the shutter and allows for a richer photographic journey. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Kilbee.