The Great Ice Breaker

I relied on my mirrorless gear for a 3-day assignment covering the Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma, CA. It's a terrific event for a lot of reasons, of which finely-crafted cheese, wine, beer, and food are at the top of the list.

The OM-D E-M5 Mark II was my primary camera. I packed the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO and Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 zooms for the bulk of the work. And pulled out the 17mm f/1.8 as needed for low light venues. Everything fit comfortably in my Lowepro shoulder bag. 

Like any other event, there are very busy moments and times when things are quiet. Once I capture the images on the shot list for a particular venue, I usually hang around for a while, just in case something interesting happens, or to try a creative shot if one presents itself.

I'm used to working alone and traveling by myself. So if I'm sitting at a table with no one else, I don't think much about it. But I like it when people come up to me and strike up a conversation. And the impetus is often photography.

I'll have my camera sitting on the table ready for action, someone will notice it, and I'll smile and wave them over.

"Is that a digital camera?"

"Yeah, it is. But it has retro styling. So it's classic on the outside, but high tech under the hood."

"Oh, that's an Olympus. I used to shoot with one of those..."

And it goes on from there. I probably made 3 or 4 new friends this weekend. One of them even started following me on Instagram. So I hope there are more conversations up the road.

I think photography is the great ice breaker, second only to puppies in the park. Shooters love taking about their gear and experiences. And it's a wonderful way to pass the time during lulls in an event. Set your gear on the table and see for yourself. 

Everyone has a smart phone these days. But a photographer with a camera. Now, that's conversation worthy.

-Derrick

The Demise of c't Digital Photography Magazine

When I was in Junior High, we spent our weekends playing pickup football or basketball on the school playground. I remember one Saturday in particular when I was chosen to play quarterback on a team that had no chance to win. 

A sense of doom gripped me as I squatted behind the center before the snap. Then, just as the ball reached my hands, I was buried beneath a wave of flesh and curses, knocking me to the ground. 

After that, I stuck with basketball.

Two years ago I accepted an associate editor's position with c't Digital Photography Magazine. I met with the managing editor at a Marriott in Santa Monica for my interview. He had flown in from Germany to attend a workshop.

The magazine was successful in Europe, but was floundering in the U.S. In the two years before me, there were still only 1,000 subscriptions. Their feeling was that an American writer with platform and connections could bolster interest in the publication. I thought I could help.

But I soon learned that c't had many things working against it. There was no credible web presence, it was only published 4 times a year, subscriptions were $49 annually, and no one knew what the name meant. And I mean no one.

I also learned that I wouldn't be writing for the actual magazine. My role was limited to online publishing. I took the job anyway, because I really liked the publication. In my estimation, c't was one of the best photography magazines I'd ever read. It was technically rich, the articles had depth, and the topics covered both gear and technique. It belonged in a bookshelf as much as on a desk.

I've had success with The Digital Story and with The Nimble Photographer. I think they've survived because they had vision with a personality behind them.  I kept my overhead low so advertising and modest store sales could support the sites.

c't was different. The costs were high. And people didn't understand the product. It rarely survived a first impression.

Two years after I started working with them, they pulled the plug in North America. More than two months later, I've yet to receive one email about its closing. No one even bothered to come to the funeral. 

I learned, once again, that success in the U.S. requires attention to detail at every level. You can't make a great product with a lousy name and expect to succeed. Everything has to be aligned.

And if it isn't, you're buried by the count of three, with mud in your mouth and legs twisted in pain.

How could I have forgotten that?

-Derrick

Nimble Film Photography

My first time around with film, I didn't realize that I was a nimble photographer. I mean, we didn't think as much about stuff then. We just did it. 

I naturally liked lighter-weight SLRs such as the Contax 139Q, Yashica FX-3 2000 Super, Olympus OM-10, and the Canon AE-1. My stock lenses were the 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.7, and 85mm f/2.8. I worked for a newspaper and shot Tri-X.

My shoulder bag wasn't very big. I never considered a backpack. In the front pocket there were  yellow and red filters, and if I were shooting color, a polarizer. Usually, I had an extra roll of film or two. That was it. I don't think I even packed an extra battery.

Later, things seemed to get a lot heavier with professional zoom lenses. I couldn't afford them in the earlier days, so it wasn't an issue. My heaviest camera bag days were with Canon DSLRs and those weighty zooms. Great pictures, yes, but oh my what a workout.

This all came to mind as I was looking at my film kit yesterday. One body, two primes, and my iPhone. I was out walking in the rain, stopping occasionally to take a picture. Wasn't even thinking about the weight of my gear in my shoulder bag.

It's an odd feeling when you finally realize who you are. Most of the time, you just are. Then one day you pick up something from you past, hold in your hands, and think...

My God, I've always been this way.

-Derrick

What Are You Looking At?

My iPad mini is one of my favorite devices for browsing the web. It's not a laptop, so I don't feel like I'm doing work. But the screen is larger and more comfortable to read than my phone.

When I feel like goofing off, I stretch out on the couch, turn on the iPad, and follow some of my favorite sites. Of course there's sports. Being the NBA fan that I am, I have to see who's said what over the last few days. And watch a few clips of Steph's latest half court threes.

But when it's time to get down to business, it's camera gear. The Etsy and eBay apps are my favorite. I become immersed in used camera bodies, lenses, accessories, and stuff that I didn't even know existed. I'm like a cat watching birds through a window.

"What are your looking at?"

The question that knocks me out of my trance.

"Pictures."

"What kind of pictures?"

"Pretty ones."

"What?"

Yes, eBay photography is a thing of beauty. Sellers have become adept at showing off their wares, tempting me to tap the "Buy" button. I can pinch-zoom to examine the smallest detail. 

"Is that a green label Contax G1," I would wonder as I swiped through the images. "Wow, it is!" when landing on the shot with the film door open.

After a while my eyes get a little heavy, and it's time for a nap.

It's interesting to me how much things have changed, and yet they haven't. Instead of a photography magazine on a Sunday afternoon, it's my iPad. But the results are the same.

An hour of wishful window shopping and a nice nap.

-Derrick

In the Back of an Acura

So how do you know when you're on a tight deadline? Here's one clue.

I was folded into the back of an Acura RD X on the way to Southern California to see family. As we worked our way down Highway 101, I was writing a section about sharpening. 

Actually, I wrote about lighting, color, definition, black-and-white, sharpening, vignetting, and white balance. That's when you know that you're on a tight deadline. 

The book that I'm working on is a photographer's guide to Photos for OS X. It's not just about the tools. There's plenty of commentary too. That's what makes it fun, right? 

My approach might be different than other writers. No, I'm not talking about typing on a laptop in the back of a moving car. Everyone does that, don't they? I'm referring to the method where I start in the middle of the book, write to the end, then go back and compose the beginning chapters.  

(I like this approach for lynda titles too. ) 

Each chapter is composed in 3 layers. The first, often in some weird spot that has cupholders, is just the facts. I construct the skeleton. Then I add texture on the second pass. This is where the color emerges. And the third pass is what I call the sanity read. At this point I'm just smoothing out language and looking for typos.  

I'm telling you about this because I've been a bit more quiet than normal on the journal. Not because I want to. It's these damned deadlines. They force a man to extremes.

Like writing this post on my iPhone while waiting in the dentist's office for my appointment. Well, at least it's not in the back of an Acura.

I save that for the serious stuff.

-Derrick