The Digital Trekker Blog

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

Kate - I don't read it with his word say "respect", that just might be my issue. In fact I think that if you were to edit it to say, “The camera looks both ways. So if the photographer projects a positive image respectful attitude or feeling to the subject he will be happier with the image he gets.” I would love it. But that is not what I get from this quote. Let me state here, Rick Sammon's has like a gazillion books and videos and clearly know how to market himself. I would sign up for a class by him on marketing in a heart beat. Not that I would use everything he would teach, but he is obviously doing something right. Mitchell and Patrick - Actually the whole commando thing does bothered me. It is just the belt and harness system really works for my back. I have three slipped disks and as you know travel can be tough on anyone. So the harness really helps. But the last few times I have shot I have gone a lot lighter with the TT Change Up and one strap cross-ways. It is a lot less intimidating and looks a lot less military. Patrick, how is shooting 3 bodies shooting light? ;) My normal kit I take out in a day is 1 body, and 3 lenses ; 85 1.5, 24-70 2.8, and my 17-40 4 and sometimes I'll drag out the canon the 70-200 2.8. Once I bring out the 200 I consider myself no longer going light. But even with out the 200 things are pretty darn heavy! Ian - You, grumpy? Willsonian - Give those kids time. They'll have those victory signs up there in no time!

Audio Interview with Nat Geo Traveler's Bob Krist

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

Ok - the details are HERE and the sign up HERE. I like the idea of the Komtar to E&O route. What about a morning route through the morning market out by

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

Classical music? What podcast where you listening to!? That was the very cool Celtic band the Glutterpups. You can here the whole piece HERE. That might a lot to do with why it had the whole NPR feel you liked.

Depth of Field

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

Giampiero, I beg to differ. One of our participants had the Zoom H2 and there was a notable sound quality difference between the two units. The sound lacked the full rich almost live sound that the D50 provides. I also own or rather have owned the Zoom H4 and the preamp noise was noticeable. Plus the mics were fixed and not able to rotate, I also do not like the plastic body of the H4. I do miss the fact that the H4 does have phantom power and as such you can use any XLR mic with it. But I have fixed issue that with the addition of the Blue Icicle. A small preamp and 48v phantom power addition to the mic itself. It also turns any XLR mic into a USB mic.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

December's Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 08:00:00 +0000

I don't have any current snowy images that I can make the December Wallpaper for you. No icicles hanging from the eves or people huddled around a fire. Sorry I live in the tropics. So, I decided to at least give you a high key desktop image. This is an image of a woman praying at the Nizamuddin Dargah, a Muslim shrine in New Delhi. The image was shot through the marble lattice from the inside of the shrine looking out at the ladies. This is a Muslim shrine in ladies are not allowed inside the tomb area. So they congregate around the latticework barrier. The petition and pray to the dead saint to intercede on their behalf for what ever is troubling them and their families. There's a certain stillness about this image, a quiet pensive moment that might help you calm yourself during this hectic holidays. The loaded as your desktop, you know the drill click on the image and it will take you to the large version. Then simply drag it to your desktop or do whatever it is you Windows folks do. I hope you'll enjoy it. Oh! and Merry Christmas.

New Book Being Published

Matt Brandon — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 10:34:00 +0000

It looks like there will be a book of my images being published. The publishers, Bhari and Sons of New Delhi, said that it would go to press on the 3rd week of April. I think it might be later, say mid May. To call it “my book” might be a stretch. The publisher wanted to do a book on Kashmir and saw my images and wanted to include them. Then once he saw more of my current work, he got excited and asked if I would like the book to be just my images. Like I would say no! He had the text all written and just needed around 150 images to go with the text. The text was a bit rough and did not fit well with my photos. So I got Lindsay, my daughters school teacher to rewrite it. I personally think it is better. Two other friends contributed as well, Mario wrote some poems and a Dallas added two sketches. So lets see what happens.

TPN Cover

Matt Brandon — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 01:05:00 +0000

With only a week left in April I get this blog working. Why is that important? It isn’t really, except that all this April I have the cover shot on the travel photography site travelphotographers.net . Check it out, before it changes May 1st.

Detail

Matt Brandon — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 08:44:00 +0000

OPD. Overview, Portrait and Detail. Maybe I’ll look at the O and the P in this list at a later date.

I want to confess to you right here on the net, for all to read; my weakness, ok, one of my weaknesses is “detail.” To come right up to a subject and focus on something that might have escaped most peoples notice. I have a hard time zooming my eyes in close. So I have been working on it as of late. Here is a quick sample. If you are one of my two readers besides my wife, then maybe make a comment and tell me what you think.

These are the hands of a stone mason in Kashmir. He mostly makes tomb stones. He will on occasion make mortar and pestles.

Here is the EXIF data for you photofiles:

model: Canon EOS 5D
software: Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh
capture date: Wednesday,April 12,2006 11:05:59am
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 50
shutter speed: 1/320
aperture: f1.8
exposure bias: -1.0
metering: Spot
flash: OFF - Compulsory flash mode
focal length: 85.0

RSS News Feed

Matt Brandon — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 05:36:00 +0000

As you can see from the small logo in the side bar The Digital Trekker News is now an RSS news feed you can subscribe to. You click the little icon and follow the steps and you will have this blog on your home page with your current news from the BBC or other RSS feeds.

Dough Boy

Matt Brandon — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 08:01:00 +0000

I leave Sunday to go to Bangkok, Thailand. While I am there I hope to shoot for a day or two if I get the time. Maybe if it all works well I will be able to post via email.

I went out this morning and took a friend of mine around the city. We had a few free minutes and I past this young man sitting on a ledge resting after making bread all morning. It is not the best portrait I have done, but it has some nice qualities.

Two Dummies in One Day

Matt Brandon — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 16:07:00 +0000

The publisher calls it the “dummy”. It is a rough layout of a book and I saw the dummy of my book today. It hasn’t gone to the design team yet. But, it was still impressive. But then, anything with my name on it looking like a book is going to impress me. I am worried about some of the images. Some of the images on my site are very low resolution. Most or anywhere between 7 to 12 mp. But a hand full are only 1 mp! ...and of course the publisher wants to use a few of those. Well, we will see.

I am posting this via email. I am in Delhi, on my way to Bangkok for a week. I love Bangkok! Great hotels at cheap prices. Fun shopping and the best food around! Thai curry is some of my favorite. I am not there on photo business, but I hope to shoot a few gigs if I get some time.

Our flight out of Srinagar was delayed three hours. When we finally made it to Delhi there was organized chaos at the taxi stand. We waited our turn unlike many others and finally a taxi pulled up next to us. I opened the trunk and at the same time this guy opens the side door and gets in. That ain’t right! I informed him that we had the taxi first. The others, Steve and my wife all chimed in and we all explained to him that, yes, indeed this was our taxi and that he was standing in the line behind us and should take the next one. He insisted that he was there first. We all kept our cool, even thought it was 41º out side (105º for your Americans). But I will confess, after 11 years in India the one thing that pushes my button is what I call “VIPism” aka “Classism” and I lost it when he told the police officer that was standing near by that he was with the “Ministry of Home Affairs”! I shouted, “Who cares?” You need to understand living in Kashmir we get run off the road (sometimes quite literally) daily, by Ambassadors (a brand of cars the VIPs like to drive) with little red lights on the roof. Members of Parliament that think the average man is nothing more than a speed bump in the way of his motorcade. I guess it was many years of “giving way” that built up and came out at this man. I should not have lost it. It was not right. It was dumb. It was an “Ugly American” thing to do. I was wrong. Where ever you are mister Home Affairs man, please forgive me.

Wat Food!

Matt Brandon — Thu, 04 May 2006 17:54:00 +0000

I got out yesterday and shot a few images. I went to the King’s Palace but it was close by the time I arrived. So I walked around and found the reclining Buddha. It was not that impressive to me. I was more impressed with the temples that where around in the compound. The light was nice.

Later as the sun was setting I made it to the river, as was my plan. I wanted to shoot Wat Arun, a temple across the river. The sun was just setting and they lit the temple, it came out nice.

Whenever my compadres at Frontier Treks go traveling we have the habit of doing something we call “extreme eating.” I guess it is pretty much what it sounds like. Sort of Frontier Treks does Fear Factor. I think I may have the record so far. Last trip here, I ate rat BBQ. This trip I had cockroach, grasshopper, some sort of insect pupa. Tonight I had duck bill, well, it was really just the tongue.

Anybody top that?

Wat Arun

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 May 2006 01:06:00 +0000

Another image of Wat Arun at dusk.

Let Me Be Direct

Matt Brandon — Tue, 09 May 2006 04:04:00 +0000

Good to be back home with Jessie, our daughter (my wife traveled with me on this trip). I don’t like traveling without either of them.

I have been waiting for the image list for the book. The publisher asked me for a bio for the jacket, so I gave the one posted on the photographer’s page on this site. But with one exception; the will not let me say that a Lowepro is a sponsor of this site. “Indirect advertising.” Yeah! Absolutely! Well, let it be stated here, Suzanne Caballero and the fine folks at Lowepro camera bags are sponsors and they have a great product. There, it is out of the bag and a little less indirect.

By the way, we are going to have a photo workshop next year, 2007. It will be for up and coming travel photographers. It will be hosted by, TheDigitalTrekker.com, pixelatedimage.com and Frontier Treks and Tours. We are inviting and hope Lowepro will contribute and become a sponsor of this event. I am working on others as well. If you are interested in participating let us know.

New Images Posted

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 May 2006 13:18:00 +0000

New images have been posted on The Digital Trekker. Look for them under the “New Images” heading on the home page. Most of these were shot in my time in Thailand last week. I would love to hear comments about them. Fell free to write a post or drop me an email.

Checking In

Matt Brandon — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:54:00 +0000

I have been on the road for some time and not having a lot of free time to blog. Book Update: I am still in contractual negotiations with the publisher on the book. Working out a "non-competition clause." This is hard work!

As for my travels I just got back from Maldives. Shoot a few good images there and have been waiting in Delhi for our first tour of this season to arrive. They showed up yesterday. Seem like a good bunch. Her are a few images from the past few days.

A banana salesman in Male, Maldives.

A young mother at India Gate, New Delhi, India.

A toothless smile of a worker at Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi, India

New Pictures added to the site

Matt Brandon — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 18:01:00 +0000

A new batch of images shot over this last month have been added to the Digital trekker. Please take some time to check them out and give me some feed back.

Thanks,

Matt

Grocery Shopping

Matt Brandon — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:45:00 +0000

Just got back from New Delhi. I did a radical thing. I traveled with out my one ton of camera equipment! I was only going for a day, two nights to get my daughter from summer camp, so I wanted to relax with her and do some shopping for my wife. It was nice. I also got to meet with my agent at India Picture and the publisher of the book Anuj Bhari.

When you live in a place like Srinagar you learn to take advantage of trips to Delhi. This trip I bought frozen stakes and shrimp to bring back. I also picked up some red and yellow bell pepper. I know, to most of you that must sound strange. But we have nothing like that here in Kashmir. Last time I bought beef here in Kashmir, well it wasn’t even beef it was water buffalo and after we got it home we saw it had worm eggs or fly eggs all over it. So we tossed it. Ah, life in the village! Srinagar a village of 1.5 million!

A new friend from TPN and The Photo-Circle, Mitchell Kanashkevich made some nice comments about some of my shots here on TDT. I told him I had a nice shot of a girl in a window I would post, so here it is:

A young Kashmiri girl sits and dreams as she watches the world float by. Taken from a boat in the the back waters of Srinagar.

A Bakarwal man begins his namaaz (prayers) outside in the open air.

Tritone

Matt Brandon — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 15:11:00 +0000

I have recently been in email discussions with Mitchell Kanashkevich about how he gets such sweet black & white images. I found out that they are not really black & whites after all, they are “tritones”. Apparently it is a little Photoshop trick he uncovered. They are a mix of two colors on top of black. Mitchell was kind enough to walk me through it and so I gave it a shot. Tell me what you think of this verses the color image of the same. I think I will be doing more of these.

A 90 year old Gujjar woman.

A 90 year old Gujjar woman. Tritone.

Lowepro PhotoTrekker II Review

Matt Brandon — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 08:57:00 +0000

Photo Trekker AW II (As with any blog entry, if you want to see larger versions of these images, just click on them.)

Just about a month back Lowepro sent me the Photo Trekker AW II. My first impressions were “Wow, its big!” It is big, about the size of what we used to call a Day and a 1/2 pack. The size of the interior is: 12W x 6D x 19H in. / 30.5 x 15 x 48.5 cm. The size of the exterior, tripod holder attached: 14.5W x 15D x 21.5H in. 37 x 38 x 54.5 cm. Lowepro lists it’s capacity as:

• 1–2 large 35mm or digital pro SLRs with lenses attached, (up to a 400mm f/2.8); plus 5–7 more lenses
• medium format system, including large 6 x 7 camera (like the Mamiya® RZ); or
• 4 x 5 field camera system

But quite frankly, if you were to max this bag it would be too heavy to carry and you’d not have room for any other of the necessities of a trekking trip.

One of the first things I did was to adjust the suspension. This is very easy. Why don’t more backpack companies use this suspension system? The Photo Trekker AW II has a frame sheet in the back of the pack that transfers the weight of the pack onto your hips through the waist belt. Adjusting the suspension is easy; you just remove the Pack Jack™, this is a hard plastic sheet that wedges or sort of slices down between the padding and Velcro to release the shoulder harness. Once the shoulder harness is positioned properly, you remove Pack Jack™ and press against the back of the pack to secure shoulder harness with the Velcro, very simple.

All of the Trekker AW II series come with a very cool daypack called simply the DayPack II . What makes this cool is the DayPack II fastens onto the Photo Trekker by locking four oval catches on the front of the daypack into the corresponding rectangular clips on the Trekker AW II. Again, a very well thought out design. It would be helpful if at least the DayPack II was designed with organizer pockets. Small pockets for small loose items. Why? Because this is a big photo pack made for trekking means you won’t be carrying anything else on your back, so you need space for the little things like lip balm, a pocketknife, car keys and other items you would carry with you camping.

Now I wanted to give this monster a try. I wanted this pack because I have been trekking with the CompuTrekker. The name may infer that this is for trekking but it is not. It does well traveling around the globe any way but on your feet. The Photo Trekker, however, was designed for just the kind of wilderness trekking we do. A week after receiving the Photo Trekker AW II I had an opportunity to put it through its paces.

We loaded up a trekking team in the Sumos (an Indian SUV type vehicle, but uglier than anything you have seen before) and headed to Kolahoi Peak, in the Indian Valley of Kashmir. The bag did take up some significant room in the back of the Sumo but that was ok. When we got to the trail head I loaded this up on my back and headed out.

I did not carry a lot of photo equipment this trip. All I had in the pack was:

1. Canon 5D with the 85mm f/1.8 on the body
2. 50mm f/1.8
3. 17-490mm f/4 L
4. Sigma EF-500 DG Super Flash unit
5. Manfrotto 190DB with the 484 ball head
6. A few filters
7. Rocket Blower for the lens
8. Katadyn Water filter
9. Colombia rain shell
10. REI rain pants
11. Lunch
12. 1 ltr water in held onto the waist belt by the Lowepro’s SlipLock™ bottle bag.

The only think I was missing was a heavy telephoto, like a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS L (coming soon). But even so this bag weighted over 35 pounds!

I used the main compartment to carry all the photo equipment, my rain pants and the Katadyn water pump. I used the large outside pocket for my rain shell. In the daypack I had my lunch. My water was fastened on to the belt of the Photo Trekker. Some times I found it a little hard to get to but it wasn’t that bad. The only other option I had was to carry the water in the daypack or by hand, none of which were something I wanted to do. I carried the tripod on the side of the pack using the Tripod Mount™. This was a small problem. The mount did not fit my Manfrotto 190DB. Kind of hard to believe, but apparently the double wing locking knobs used by the190DB are so antiquated that Lowepro doesn’t design the Tripod Mount™ to fit them. So I had to force the two legs into the mount. That was uncomfortable, to say the least, but they did fit eventually.

The trek went very well and I got to shoot many fantastic portraits of the locals along the way. The bag proved to be very comfortable to carry and I have no complaints so far. Along the way we had to cross a locally made bridge, meaning three logs thrown across a raging river. It was a little hairy, not too bad, but with several thousand dollars of equipment on my back it got considerably scarier. This is where I wish it was water proof. It is not, but what it does have going for it is a set of waterproof zippers on the major compartments. So where this bag is not like the DryZone bags, my guess is it could (though I don’t want to try it) stand up to a quick dip in a river. Lowepro does not guaranty anything like this, so don’t try this next time you are out and about!

Along the way we had to cross a locally made bridge, meaning three logs thrown across a raging river. It was a little hairy, not too bad, but with several thousand dollars of equipment on my back it got considerably scarier.

On the last day, literally the last hour or so, it rained on us. We had just made it to the trailhead of a small village in Kashmir called Aru. I ducked under the eves of a house pulled out the AW rain cover and smiled. Not only did it cover the bag it also covered the tripod, something the Computrekker AW cover did not. Within a few minutes later it stopped raining. I credit the AW cover for that to. You see; it is kind of like washing your car on a sunny day, within an hour or two after you finish it is bound to rain. So the next time it rains while you are out trekking, pull out your AW cover from under your Photo Trekker AW II and smile, even if it doesn’t stop the rain, it’ll still keep the equipment as dry as if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

Pros:
1. This bag is big. It can carry a lot more equipment than you can put on your back.
2. The suspension system is better than most backpacks I have used. It is a dream to wear.
3. It is a good looking bag and well designed.
4. It has plenty of straps and loops for Lowepro’s SlipLock™ attachment system of accessories.

Cons:
1. This bag is big, it takes up space. This is not really a con, but an advisory. If you are looking for a bag that you can toss around, even though this maybe carry-on size, it is bulky.
2. With the size is the weight, it is heavy.
3. I wish there was more organized storage for smaller items. The Photo Trekker has three small pockets in the internal main compartment, these are designed for CF card, cables and the like, and large one outside pocket and then there is the DayPack II.
4. My tripod did not fit into the Tripod Mount™.

Conclusions: This is a great bag and well worth the price tag, $229 at Amazon if you need a bag that you need to take to some rough areas. This is not the bag for around town, if you want that, get the Computrekker or one of the smaller backpack like it. This bag had the great outdoors in mind and with the exception of a few very small issues this bag perform well. It did everything I wanted it to do, heck it even stopped the rain!

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:08:00 +0000

I am excited to announce that The Digital Trekker has a new sponsor; Lexar. Lexar produces all kinds of digital media; CF cards, SD card, jump drives and more. The agreement we link each others site and I write an occasional article for them. If you are reading this and are a photographer be sure and check out their pro photographer corner. It is full of great resources and articles.

Lowepro Features The Digital Trekker on Imaging World.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:26:00 +0000

Lowepro camera bags features many professional photographers from around the world on their page Imaging World. It is a real privilege to share billing with the likes of Tom Mangelsen, John Isaac, Harry Benson
Check out Imaging World and the feature on yours truly.

New Old iPod New Old Gallery

Matt Brandon — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 10:39:00 +0000

Today is a good day. I got my wife’s iPod working again after many months of silence! I have tried everything (or so I thought), I even took it to the Apple store in Delhi, but they just wanted me to upgrade to a newer model. Our iPod is the older 20gb 4th generation monochrome one. We use it mainly for my daughter’s entertainment when we travel and background tunes around the house.

So today while I was procrastinating doing other things I checked yet again on the net for; “broken click wheel”, “iPod click wheel repair” and other such strings. To my amazement I found a solution I thought I had tried, but I guess I had not. Apparently, this is a bug with a 4th generation model. The solution is you flip the hold button to on and back to off. Following that you push and hold the select and menu buttons simultaneously... and pray. According to some sources the iPod calibrates its touch-sensitive surfaces when you turn off the Hold switch. Touching the buttons or the touch wheel on a sleeping iPod at the same time that you turn off the Hold switch causes iPod to calibrate to the capacitance of your finger instead of the air. This can cause iPod to turn on but appear unresponsive when waking from sleep.

So I tried this solution and now I have a functioning iPod! Today is a good day!

In other news. Please check out the new version of The Digital Trekker gallery. You can access it either by going to the splash page or by clicking here. Tell me what you think. I still can decide which gallery I like best. But I am leaning toward the new one. Cast you vote and let me know.

Lexar Article Posted

Matt Brandon — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 04:33:00 +0000

Just got word that Lexar published my article on the “how to’s” of shooting images while trekking. If you get a moment check it out. You will find it here.

Tighter Security, what does this mean to the Photographer?

Matt Brandon — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 04:51:00 +0000

Well, yesterday folks tried to blow up 9 or more planes, as I am sure you are aware. Immediately security was heightened. No hand carry at all from England out. No Liquids on US flights. This is said to be indefinite.

So what does this mean to photographers? Well, having lived in Kashmir for 12+ years I am well accustomed to this type of security. We haven’t been able to have hand carries since 1990. We also cannot have batteries in any of our equipment checked or otherwise. At least we have been able to carry our laptops on and recently been able to actually use them (with the batteries). But, if things keep moving in this direction, and I’m sure it will, we need to start thinking now about checking our cameras and computers and how to do it safely.

This is a very unpleasant idea. Two years ago I ordered a Canon 20D and had it “hand carried” over to meet me in England by a friend. My friend put it in their checked bag. The bag never showed up. She did not have insurance and all I got $100 from British Airways for the camera and $500 from American Express (buyers protection) that was it. So now it looks as if we are going to have to check our cameras and our computers involuntarily. OK here are a few thoughts.

We need a strong checkable bag like the Lowepro Omni Trekker Extreme. or one of it’s cousins. Something that will protect and still be useful once we arrive on-site. This bag comes with a Pelican hard case and a shoulder bag inside. I think Lowepro will also need to make a version that supports laptops. Then, we are going to need travel insurance. I know most pros use it, but many others of you go without it. But trust me, not any more! Are you willing to make a bet with several thousand dollars worth of camera equipment that your camera will arrive safe and sound? Not me.

One other thought I had; Luggage weight allotment for checked bags will need to be adjusted by airline. You can’t carry the same amount in your checked bags and then check your hand carry and expect it to be the same weight. Kind of a no-brainer. So Airline Industry, listen up! We feel your pain, we understand your pain and I think most of us agree to these measures, but we don’t need to be penalized for checking our hand carry. A little more luggage weight will be like the sugar to help the medicine go down.

Tired Out!

Matt Brandon — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:37:00 +0000

I got a notice in my post box that I had a package to be picked up. It was 1 o’clock, Srinagar, Kashmir on a Friday; that means prayer time and you can forget about getting the package. So, maybe Saturday. Saturday came and went as it was a general strike, aka a hartal. This is when all businesses close their doors in protest of some event. Saturday was protesting a killing of a student earlier in the week. So Monday came. Now you need to understand that I rarely get packages, even when they are sent I rarely get them. My mom sent my daughter an Easter basket in February, we have yet to see it. So off I went, eager to see what lay in waiting for me. Perhaps the long lost Easter basket! I have to drive about 5 miles from my house to get to the the post office. Along the way I have to proceed through several road blocks and check posts. Monday was Pakistan’s independence day, so there was an inordinate number of security personal deployed to keep the Kashmiris from celebrating with their neighbors across the border.

So off I went with my buddy David to the post office. Just as we came to the first check post my wife called me on the cell phone to pick up some eggs. I should have passed the phone to David because as I was zig zagging my way through some very nasty spiked barricades I bumped one. It was at that moment I knew I was in trouble. My tire was punctured by the 9” spike that stuck out the edge of the barricade and in an instant my front left tire was flat. For some strange reason I was not mad. Just bothered. The only thing that crossed my mind was it was late and I hope I can still make it to the post office and get my package, strange, I know. So we got out of my Toyota Qualis (a SUV type of breadbox) and then it hit me, I remembered I had a problem getting the spare out from under the car. Shoot! Sure enough, the crank did not fit into the mechanism that lowers the spare from under the car. It seemed to keep slipping out from the socket it was suppose to be seated in. We cranked, and cranked, and cranked. Then finally, as if a miracle, it caught and slowly we were able to lower the tire. We took off the ruined tire and replaced it with the ...flat spare! OK, all is not lost, it had perhaps 15 pounds of air in it. Just enough to slowly creep to a petrol station and get it filled. I made it to the pump station and got it filled. We had 15 minutes to get to the post office before it closed and the next day was India’s independence day and the day after was a national holiday as well. So, I had to make it!

We arrived at the post office with a few minutes to spare. We walk though the security of machine gun toting guards and subject ourselves to body frisks. I walk into the dark, dank “speed post” room to collect the reward of my trouble. I am told to wait. “You sit,” was the command, “Wait 5 minutes... no 10 minutes.” Oh, one thing I have learned over 12 years in India is never upset a postal worker. If you do you may never see your package, or any other packages to come, again. So I sat. To my surprise, a nice man came right away and digs though masses of uncollected parcels. But something is wrong, he is looking at small envelopes not big packages. Then, he pulls it out, a small legal size envelope. I sign for it and look at it. It is from the publisher of my new book. Ok, well maybe it is a check. Even before I leave the post office I tear it open and read it. My heart sank, it is a copy of an email he sent me two weeks back. I have to chuckle, that was an expensive email.

Below is a poll I have created. Tell me what you think? Do you like the old gallery or the new. You choose.

US bound

Matt Brandon — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 03:14:00 +0000

I leave for the US in a few days, I have some meetings in Seattle. Then I am going to take a few days after and visit my Mother. It means being away from my wife and daughter a little longer than I had wanted but Alou, my wife, actually suggested it. Hmm, what does that say :)

I have been fighting with photography associations and insurance companies in preparation for this trip. Let me tell you camera insurance is not cheap nor easy to come by.

Here is what I have found. The best deals are for residence in the US. But most of these will not cover me as I am not a current resident. The PPA (Professional Photographers of America) said they would cover me as long as I had a US address (which I do) but, I could only make the claim from inside the US! So I am here in India, my camera gets stolen and I then have to spend $1,000 to return to the US to get the money. Okay.

The average price is something like $24 per $1,000 of coverage, with a $250 deductible. The PPA is a little better, they have a low $100 deductible.

The one catch with the PPA coverage is they ask on one line in their application, “What is your address in the US?” Not an issue. But, then on the next line, “Where do you store you equipment?” India? At home? Pray they go for it.

I hope to contact a couple of Photographer friends in the area. One, in Vancouver, David duChemin. Just got word he has gotten a sweet gig with World Vision. They are paying him to travel Africa and shoot for their Christmas catalog. Congrates David!! Well done. Remember us when you are famous.

Back Home

Matt Brandon — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:48:00 +0000

First I must apologize as to my silence here over the past few week. I have been doing a lot of traveling. In fact I have been gone more than home over Sept. Then, when I return the first thing I want to do is well, not write a blog. But here it is.

What's new?

Well, several new images from my travels are posted on the new and slicker website, thedigitaltrekker.com. Drop by and see the new layout of the sight. I am using a flash template by imageview. Look it over pay around on the site and tell me your thoughts.

Lately several manufacturers are approaching me to either review their product or use their product so they can associate it with my images. Flattering. So I will be reviewing two KATA bags here in the future, be looking for that. Also, some Non-Slip shoulder strap by UPstrap-Pro. Several other products are in the wings.

The BBC called. The fine folks at BBC emailed me whilst I was on the road. They wanted me to cover the one year anniversary of the Kashmir quake. But it was too late. Too bad to, as they were even going to pay this time!

As a result they have asked for a CV of sorts. Now I figure a CV or Curriculum Vitae (Vita?) can get really boring so I put some of my best images together with a summary of my work over the past few years and sent it off. Want to look? Download it here. Fingers crossed?

Video Tutorial on Toning

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 06:34:00 +0000

I have been impressed with some of the video tutorials on the net these days. So I thought I would give it a try. Some folks have wanted more details on the toning technique I wrote about a few months back for the Lexar’s Pro Tips. It was fairly easy to begin with, but I have found an even simpler way and a lot more versatile. So instead of rewriting the article I thought it would be fun to try a video tutorial and let you download it here. Please give me your feedback and comments. I hope you enjoy it.

New Images Posted Oct 21st

Matt Brandon — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 18:17:00 +0000

Today I visited the Saffron fields of Pampore, Kashmir.

The most precious and most expensive spice in the world: Saffron.

Saffron is actually the dried stigmas of the Crocus flower. Each flower contains only three stigmas. These stigmas must be picked from each flower by hand, and more than 75,000 of these flowers are needed to produce just one pound of Saffron, making it the world's most precious spice. By weight Saffron is more costly than gold!

Kashmiri saffron is some of the best in the world. It is harvest time. Check it out under New Images.

3 New Images

Matt Brandon — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:46:00 +0000

Indiapicture.com has said they will be doing a feature on the saffron harvest using my images. They have asked for more images, so I have processed these three to add to the collection on the harvest. I hope you enjoy them. I have added them to the New Images folder in the Gallery.

I would like to welcome Gitzo as a new sponsor to thedigitaltrekker.com. More on Gitzo next week.

FYI: Did you know you can navigate to thedigitaltrekker.com by several other URLs? digitaltrekker.com, mattbrandonphoto.com, matt-brandon.com and mattbrandon.net all server to get you to the same website.

Merry Christmas!

Matt Brandon — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 05:06:00 +0000

Welcome Photoflex

Matt Brandon — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 12:03:00 +0000

The Digital Trekker would like to welcome Photoflex to our growing list of sponsors. Photoflex is a world leading manufacturer of lighting and studio equipment for the photographic, film, and video industries. Professionals of all specialities are using Photoflex products to produce exceptional results.

The folks of Photoflex have a great website, very helpful and full of tips and tricks. Check it out.

In other news. We are packing up our house as we get ready to leave Kashmir for England. It is going to be tough. You don't live in a place for 13 years and leave with out some pain.

Yesterday morning our local power transformer blew up. This means no power for a long time. When a transformer blows it could take a month or two to get it repaired! What does this mean for us? It means packing our house in the coldest part of winter.

We are better off than most but it is still frustrating. We had just started packing the house in earnest. So now we pack in little or no light. When we want to stay warm we move into the hamum (ha’ mum). This is a room that the floor is heated with a fire (really just live coals, a fire burns too quick and waste wood). Ancient technology, but it keeps us warm. We have a generator but it is costly to run and can only give us light, we can’t run heaters off of it. We also have an inverter. This is a little gadget that inverts the power from two large truck batteries to light our small power saving florescent light bulbs so we can pack in the evening. When the batteries die we run the generator and recharge them, sort of a cycle of power. We also have some propane heaters. But the road into Kashmir is closed and propane is costly and hard to come by this time of year.

So, as I stated we are better of than others but it is going to get much colder as the days progress. The house will get colder and the refrigerator will defrost and all our food will have to be eaten or thrown out. Want to come over for a BBQ? We just might be packing with gloves on soon.

Old Friends and Old Photos

Matt Brandon — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:46:00 +0000

As we pack up our entire house to move from Srinagar to London we find time to reflect back on where we have been. Photos taken years back of a trek, an old friend or of some long forgotten place we stopped at for tea on some never-ending trip are nostalgic. My daughter, Jessie is always asking about my childhood. She wants me to tell her what has become known as “Steve and Steve” stories. Stephen Gray and Steven Reese where my two best friends in Anchorage growing up. We were inseparable. But when I left in 1974 to move with my family to Kentucky we soon lost contact.

These two were often my photo guinea pigs. In those days my dad had built a dark room under the stairs going to the basement. Steve, Steve and I were fascinated with World War II. Not sure why, but even today I still have an interest in those epic battles of that era.
Maybe it was because our fathers all fought in it. We glamorized it. We collected anything that had to do with it, uniforms and guns primarily. We even got our hands on a B17 ball turret, the real McCoy. It must have weighed 300 pounds but we got it home to Steve Gray’s house and played with it for hours on end. We would dress up in old Army Air Force uniforms and I would take pictures of us. Of course being 14 we were way too young for facial hair so I did my best to pencil it in on the final print.

My father taught Air Force ROTC and would on occasion bring home16 mm movies of the old Air Power TV series with Walter Cronkite. We would set up the movie screen and have our own private screenings.
One day I set up a tripod and snapped a few frames of some air battles. Then I went to the darkroom and developed them. They looked great! but too new. We were all about authenticity and I was even then a perfectionist. So we took old hot coffee grounds and tea bags and made a solution and soaked the images in this concoction. It was hot so the emulsion started to peal off. I dog-eared the corners and voila, 30-year-old gun camera photos! Later that day I had my mother write in her most manly hand writing some bogus captions on the backs along with some dates. When my dad came home that night I showed him the series of images. He asked where I got them. I told him I made them. He did not believe me. I had to get my mother to come in and vouch for me.

My daughter wants me to find Steve and Steve. Not sure it is a good idea. You can never go back. But if you are reading this and you have heard your friend Steve talk about an old B17 ball turret, tell him Matt Brandon wants to get in touch with him.

New Year's Resolutions

Matt Brandon — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 04:00:00 +0000

Every year we make Resolutions and every year we break them. I am not big at setting myself up for failure. There is enough failure in my life without setting myself up for more. But, with that said, as I get older I do like goals (I haven't always) so, I have been thinking what can I aim at this year? Maybe you want to call it a "resolution." That is fine. Whatever we call it, I don't want them to be trite, like "Resolved, to get in shape or eat less. etc..." I want it to be something to guide me this year. Then I stumbled upon these. They are not mine. They are not new. But they are significant. I will post only the first 10, there are 70! maybe you'd like to join me. Tell me what you think. You can fine the full list here.

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

By Jonathan Edwards

The following list is from volume one of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. This two volume set can be purchased or read online for free.

Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved, so to do, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, To be continually endeavouring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the forementioned things.

3. Resolved, If ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, Never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God, nor be, nor suffer it, if I can possibly avoid it.

5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, To live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, , Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings, as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. Vid. July 30.

9. Resolved, To think much, on all occasions, of my dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

© Desiring God

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Desiring God.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

Ashura

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 09:11:00 +0000

A few days back might have been my last true adventure in Kashmir. It was Ashura the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram. This day is well-known because of how the Shi'a sect of Islam mourn over the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year AD 680. Shi'as express their mourning by beating their chests, whipping themselves with knives and cutting themselves with small pieces of glass as well as by crying while listening to speeches on how Hussein and his family were martyred. It is a incredibly graphic event and quite surreal to observe.

I went out and walked through the masses of people all dressed in black beating and whaling of the death of this leader. It felt as if he was a current leader you just passed away, yet this man died over 1,000 years ago. It reminded me of something that Bernard Lewis wrote in his book "Crisis of Islam : Holy War and Unholy Terror" He said when we in the West say something is "history" we mean it is over and done with. Maybe even something to be forgotten. But when a Muslim says something is "history" the point is that is is something to remember, to feel and to live up to.

I leave for the US on Monday, Feb. 5th. This is not just a trip but a move. We leave Kashmir after 13 years. It will be a huge change for me and my family. Your prayers are coveted.

-Matt

Often participants uses something that looks like a "cat-o-nine tails."

Many of the mourners walk around with a dazed glare.

This man was in such a trance like state people had to hold his arms down so the procession could move on.

Even the young were involved. Yes, he is wearing a Cub Scout uniform.

Petition for British Photographers

Matt Brandon — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 14:41:00 +0000

A petition has been submitted to the Prime Minister by Simon Taylor:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Stop proposed restrictions regarding photography in public places." – Deadline to sign up by: 14 August 2007 to date there are 28,787 signatures.

If you're British, I would incourage you to sign it, click here. As someone who is about to move to the UK I think this is really important to stop this proposal.

Gitzo's New Hero!

Matt Brandon — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:15:00 +0000

I am please to announce that Gitzo, a makers of world class tripods, has finally added me to they’re "Local Heroes" program. I am in good company. Other "Heroes" are my good friend and fellow Lumen Dei leader David duChemin, and Art Wolfe (a fellow Lexar Pro and an outstanding photographer). You can check it out here.

This is a program where select photographers who have given back to their community are highlighted by Gitzo. I was asked to join back in August of 2006. But I guess it takes time. Why don't you visit it and tell the rest of us what you think? There are some really great photographers linked to this program.

I have been back in the States now for about 4 weeks and all I have shot is a baby for a friend. (That sounds bad, doesn’t it?) So I leave Tuesday for three weeks in Thailand. A board meeting with an organization I shoot for. I really hope to carve out some time to shoot.

If you recall, I had quite a hassle carrying on my photo equipment back in the summer of '06. Think Tank Photo a maker of quality bags has sent me a bag to review. It is their newest roller bag called the "Airport International". I am excited to give it a try and write a review for this blog as well as for Lexar. Pray it makes it on time. They shipped it overland and it is due to arrive on Monday. I leave bright and early Tuesday.

Lowepro: Their Brochure and My Image

Matt Brandon — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:46:00 +0000

Lowepro my long-time sponsor of The Digital Trekker has used one of my images in their latest brochure. The brochure is called their "Slim Line" and is a slim catalogue of all their camera bags. They used a shot of my old friend and fellow trekking buddy Rashid. I shot it of him carrying my CompuTrekker a year or two ago.

Time is ticking away and the date of Lumen Dei is getting closer. We have worked out most of the logistical details and all that is left is to meet the students and have fun! May 28!

A Breath of Fresh Air

Matt Brandon — Tue, 01 May 2007 02:01:00 +0000

NeighborWorks America a national nonprofit organization created by the US Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts. Established in 1978 they have been building home as well as refurbishing lower income housing to not just livable standards but into homes that owners can be proud to live in. NeighborWorks America is a national network of more than 240 community-based organizations in 50 states.

NeighborWorks Waco (Texas), asked me to photograph a workday of a home they are working on in Waco. It was the first chance I have had to shoot people’s portraits in their environment since returning to the US from India. It was not only a joy to see the community come together to restore a elderly woman’s home to new beauty, but it was also a breath of fresh air to be able to photograph this event unfold. I hope you enjoy the images.

Music to view by.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 18 May 2007 01:19:00 +0000

About once a month someone will write me and comment on the music on my site. They always want to know the track and where it comes from. So in a effort to keep you informed...

All the music is available on iTunes and perhaps at a music shop near you. The selections are:

Ali Mullah by Transglobal Underground feat , Musafir and Natacha Atlas, Album: Wold Cafe

Ma Rewa by Indian Ocean, Album: Kandisa

Mathura Nagarpati by Shubha Mudgal, Hari Haran & Meena Mishra, Album: Raincoat

Rang Deeni by Kailash Kher, Mahaua & Shraddha Pandit

Tove by Mynta Album: Cool Nights (Also Wold Cafe)

Yaar Tha Gulzar by Abida Parveen Album: Ghazal Ka Safar Vol 2

Ma Rewa, Mathura Nagarpati & Rang Deeni can all ne found on a compilation CD titled Euphoric Sufis

I hope this helps

Lumen Dei

Matt Brandon — Tue, 22 May 2007 21:46:00 +0000

I am very excite to say that I leave tomorrow to fly to India. On the 28th of David Duchimen and I begin leading our first Lumen Dei workshop. We are thrilled to have several corporate sponsors, these include Lowepro, Lexar Media and The Travel Photographers Network. We hope this will be the first of many more workshops like this to come. We had many people show interest in joining us on this tour, limited spaces. We will spend three day in Delhi and Agra and then up to Kashmir. Should be a great trip. I hope to log in while I am gone, but if not...see you in two weeks.

Back from Lumen Dei.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:14:00 +0000

I returned Sunday night from India and the first ever Lumen Dei Workshop and tour of North India. I must say I had a sidesplitting time with David Duchemin. The guy is nuts! We hit it off pretty good, enough that we want to do this again. Thanks goes out to the Lumen Dei participants; Chrissy, Adam, Nicole, Fred, Eric and Rachel. You guys were great. A special thanks goes out to the folks at Frontier Treks David, Jackie, Dallas,, Char and Gene for helping make this trip so easy. I also want to thank the folks at Lowepro, Lexar and The Travel Photography Network for their participation in this first Lumen Dei. I hope all you sponsors will join us again as we trek the hills of Tunisia!

We did a lot in a short two-week period. We had a lot of laughs and I hope they learned a lot. I really enjoyed shooting with these folks.

Many of the images are up from the trip. You can check them out at the gallery under “Lumen Dei”.

I leave today for Malaysia. I hope to be in email contact but one never knows. I am hoping to write an article for Lexar this week while on the road and David D wants to co-author an article for TPN. I’ll keep you posted.

Stuck in KL

Matt Brandon — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:48:00 +0000

Well, as I type this I am sitting on the floor in the Kuala Lampur International Airport with my wife and 10 year old daughter, Jessie, waiting for a new plane. Yes, the old one we were in broke on take off. It wasn't really scary, just kinda odd. The pilot was throttling up for take off the engines were roaring and we started to roll. Then he powered down and taxied off the runway. We sat in the plane for a hour or so and just waited. Finally, they had us all get off the aircraft and told us the plane needed a spare part or we needed a new plane. I voted for the new plane. We'll see what we get, the part or the plane.

In other news. Lightroom 1.1 is here. If you are a photographer and not using Adobe Lightroom, shame on you! Check out the latest at in at Rob Galbraith's website. This is an amazing application. Dennis and the rest of you need to add this to your "must have" list.

Hmm, still no word on the new plane or new part.

I got got word that the Temple Cultural Art's Center want to so a exhibition of my images. It will be in Nov of this year. Also, whilst I was away on this trip, Scott & White hospital as asked to show my images in their gallery as well. Some time in '08.

One of my idles, Steve McCurry is opening a exhibition of his images in Waco on June 30th. He will be there to open the show and do a short lecture.

OK. I need to go check on my flight.

Malaysia Images Loaded

Matt Brandon — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 08:19:00 +0000

If you have a moment, check out the the newly uploaded images from a small village on an island named Pulau Perhentian Kecil of the east coast of Malaysia. Hope you enjoy them.

Had a great opportunity yesterday. I sat in a lecture and slide show by Steve McCurry. You know who he is, you just might not recognise the name. All I have to say is "National Geographic Afgan Girl", yep! He is the guys. Really fun to listen to him wax about his years on the field and how certain images came about. Most of what he had to say was pretty rudimentary, but I did like his comment on light and color. He says he prefers soft indirect light from somewhere behind him when he is shooting a portrait, no surprise there. But I made a very interesting comment about color. He said something to the effect that the less color the better. He prefers muted colors in an image. Except when it the colors are playing off each other, as in some of his Holi images in Rajasthan. Over all it was an enjoyable time.He seems like a very personable guy.

New Book!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:55:00 +0000

I have self published a new book entitled "Catchlight; A look into the eyes of North India." I have yet to hold it in my hot sweaty little hands, but it should be sweet! I have worked hard on putting together many of my best images. It will be 10in X 8in, hard back or soft back. I am please to say I have a Christian NGO looking at 500 to 1,000 copies! This could go well. If you are interested in buying a copy you can simply click the link to the right. You can also see a low resolution pdf of the first 15 pages. I hope you enjoy it. I know I have had a blast making it.

Don't confuse this with "Kashmir; The Mystery" published out of India. That is still in publisher purgatory.

Thailand

Matt Brandon — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:44:00 +0000

I am in Thailand for about three weeks, involved in some meetings. This is not a trip where I will be able to shoot a lot of images. However, I did get a chance to go out into the country a day back and capture a few shot of some local faces. You can view them here. Feel free to comment any or all of the images. I have a copy of the new book "Catchlight" being brought out to me here in Thailand. I have to admit I am excited to see it. Ironically enough, the other book, Kashmir; The Mystery, published in India and hopefully available on Amazon has made some movement. I was given the pdf of the book to proof the captions. The word from the publisher is that the book will go to print by August 15th. But, maybe you shouldn't hold your breath on the date.

Catchlight Arrives

Matt Brandon — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 04:42:00 +0000

While I was away in Thailand one of the folks attending the meetings brought me a copy of my book. I must say, I was very pleased with what I saw. In fact, I was amazed at the quality of the print job and the binding. The jacket looks very professional as well. My only nit is the books cloth binding has no titled embossed on it. So, once the cover goes the way of so many other dust jackets, that is, into the dust bin, it will be difficult to identify the book. Some of the images seemed too flat or too dark. So I went back to the original files and tweaked them in Photoshop and now all is well. I ordered a paperback edition with the tweaked images. I will keep you posted when I get the new edition in my hot little hands.

Many people have asked me if the book will be sold on Amazon. It could be in theory, but Amazon takes a huge bite out of the sale of the book. If I want to put the book on Amazon I need to buy an ISBN number for the book. This cost is between $150 to $250. Then, Amazon will take 40% of the the retail cost of the book! So at this point it just is not profitable for me to put the book on Amazon. In fact, it would cost me. So as of today, the only way to buy Catchlight is via Blurb.

Just for Fun.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:12:00 +0000

Do you iGoogle? Well if you do, and it is a great home page, here is a neat little widget/gadget that I made to highlight some of the images from my book. What is iGoogle? iGoogle is a customizable homepage originally. It give you the usual web feeds as well as some very cool Mac like widgets called Google Gadgets (similar to those available on Google Desktop). Check it out and ad my gadget by clicking here.

More Fun

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:17:00 +0000

This is a fun little slide viewer that is completely free. Check it out. I found it on Scott Kelby's blog Photoshop Insider His blog is one of, if not the best blog on Photoshop or Lightroom. This guy is amazing and a really nice guy as well. You would do well to check it out.

My wife and I are coordinating a course called Encountering the World of Islam. It is hosted by our church, yes church. It is an attempt to dispel many myths and misconceptions about this religion. We use the word coordinating because we are inviting experts from all over the US and abroad to speak. We have over 60 people signed up for this 12 week study. We have two or three Muslims coming to speak. We have a visit to a local mosque set up and we have scheduled a time of interacting with the Muslims there during the visit. I believe, this type of course can go a long way at breaking down some barriers between our two faiths.

New Exhibit

Matt Brandon — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:15:00 +0000

This week I have started in earnest putting together the images for my first exhibit here in Temple, Texas at the Cultural Activities Center. I designed a poster for the exhibit. I think it is pretty strong. The show will be focused on the images from the Catchlight book. If fact I hope to have some on hand there. It would be nice to sell some of the framed images at the show as well. I haven’t put a price on them yet, still feeling out the market here. The exhibit runs from from Nov. 17th till Dec. 14th, this year. If you are in Texas, please drop by.

Just finished a video tutorial for Lexar on self-publishing. Now that I have one book out, I am an expert. Go figure. The video should be up this week or next on the Lexar site. Check it out.

Finding work in Central Texas for my kind of photography has not been that easy. But it is trickling in. I have a new shoot booked with the fine folks of NeighborWorks Waco on Oct 27th. I keep thinking Compassion International will call me, but they must have lost my number. Oh well.

Lost and Found

Matt Brandon — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:20:00 +0000

Well an unbelievable thing happened. Something I had been working at for years. I finally found two long lost childhood friends from Alaska, Steve Rees and Steve Gray. I have not see either of them in 33 years! I left Alaska in 1974 and I literally had not heard from either since then. A few months back I wrote an entry on my Lexar blog about them hoping that one of them might run across it. Friday I woke up to an email from Steve Rees. Steve quickly filled me in on both of them. It is true you can't go back. But I at least look forward to catching up. Steve tells me that the Steve Gray and his wife Lisa are digital artist with a background in fine art photography. You can check her out on the net at the Alaska State Museum. I am not sure how to describe their work. It is really imaginative. Way different from anything I do. Now that we have connected again, I hope we can stay in touch.

Very Cool Video

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:54:00 +0000

Not only is this a new book, but a new exhibit at the Cultural Activities Center in Temple, TX. Be sure and drop by both blurb.com or the exhibit in Nov.

Welcome Storm Case

Matt Brandon — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 04:41:00 +0000

The Digital Trekker would like to welcome our newest sponsor Storm Case. Storm Cases are the most solid protective cases in the industry. These puppies are tough! Manufactured with HPX® high performance resin, easy Press & Pull latches and durable soft-grip handles, they’re the most comfortable, toughest transport cases available. They are even guarantee it for life! I traveled last summer with David Duchemin and he had two of these cases. I knew soon after the trip started I had to get these folks as sponsors. This product is, in a word; AMAZING! I have never seen a case at "bomber" as this. You could drop this thing off a mountain (and I probably will, knowing my luck) and it will survive. Check them out.

A New Look and Logo

Matt Brandon — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:38:00 +0000

If you have dropped by The Digital Trekker’s splash page you will have seen a new look. I wanted something a little different and I was getting tiered of all the black and quite frankly the new sponsors logos look better on the white. (I love keeping my sponsors happy.) You will also see a new logo. Thanks to David Duchemin for his help with the logo. He is an amazing designer. So much talent should not be found in one person, it just is not fair! I hope to have hats and t-shirts available soon with the new logo. Interested?

Wallpaper and Price Reduction-What a Deal!

Matt Brandon — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:23:00 +0000

A couple of quick FYIs.

I want to draw your attention to the new, lower prices, on prints sold over The Digital Trekker. I think these are more inline with others out here in cyber space. The prices are:

5x7-inch photograph - $25
8x10/12-inch photograph - $45
11x14-inch photograph - $90
16x20-inch photograph - $145
20x30-inch photograph - $270
24x36-inch photograph - $388

I am also offering a new desktop wallpaper for you each month here on the blog. These will be large images at low resolution. So they should fit most any monitor. I hope you enjoy them. To download them you should (in theory) just click on the image above and it should open in a new window. Then just click and copy or drag the image to your desktop. Then you should be able to right-click (ctrl-click for Mac users) the image and then click "Set as Desktop Background".

I want to draw your attention to a nice reference I received by David Duchemin on his blog today. Check it out here.

LUMEN DEI: Kashmir 2008

Matt Brandon — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:48:00 +0000

LUMEN DEI PHOTO TOUR & WORKSHOP, KASHMIR, INDIA

A two-week photography tour and workshop like no other. Two weeks shooting in Old Delhi and Kashmir. A four day trek into the Himalaya to photograph the nomadic Gujjar people. Living on a houseboat on Lake Dal. Daily teaching from Matt Brandon and David duChemin. A tour sponsored by leaders in the photographic world - and that means some free stuff too. This is a tight group - only six to eight participants, so spots will go quickly. Dates are September 15-27 (not inclusive of travel to Delhi).

More information on the website: LUMEN-DEI.COM

A small gallery of images from the 2007 Tour can be found HERE

A Cry to Stop the Hatred.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:18:00 +0000

Below is a link to a very significant letter released on Oct 13th to the World's Christian leaders by 138 influential Islamic leaders. The leaders represent millions of Muslims around the world, from Chad to Uzbekistan, from Indonesia to Mauritania and from Canada to Sudan. It is not just Sunni or Shiite, but many other sects of Islam as well.

The letter is a cry to stop the hatred and mistrust between our faiths. It is not asking for anything outrageous; it is not asking Christians to align with Muslim belief. It is taking a few central themes of Christianity and Islam and saying let's live together in peace, the world's survival depends on it.

Simply, it is about the Love of God; Love of Neighbor, and an invitation for Christians and Muslims to join hands, in the name of God and for world-peace. Only when we begin to love one another and speak to one another will we be able to share the love of Jesus. Will you join with me in endorsing this document? Please read the following links and make up your own mind. If you agree with me, please go to "A Common Word" and sign the endorsement.

For Peace between Christians and Muslims

Matt

New Lexar Video Posted

Matt Brandon — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:05:00 +0000

Lexar finally got around to posting my new video I produced for them. It is a quick look at how to publish your own book on blurb. Check it out: Here.

Make sure you check out the other great lessons from photo pros like my buddy David duChemin as well as Scott Kelby,Mike Fox, Moose Peterson, David Honl and others. A veritable Whose Who of pro photographers. All right Here.

Fall Back your Date/Time setting!

Matt Brandon — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:32:00 +0000

In the US many states are setting their clocks back one hour for Daylight Savings Time. Don't even get me started on DST! So, when you go around and reset all the clocks in your house don't forget your camera bodies! That is probably the last clock you'd think about, but you don't want to go to your next shoot and have the all the time stamps wrong on 500 plus images. However you can do a batch change on the EXIF data, but why, just remember to change it.

Last Saturday I was asked to shoot another NeighborWorks project. Here are a couple of images from that shoot. The older man is the house owner and the child is one of the many volunteers.

New Products From Jobo

Matt Brandon — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:10:00 +0000

I have a job brewing with a rather large NGO. They want to send me to Sumatra, Indonesia to photograph the area and people they are doing relief and development among. They need me to be very careful to note where the images are taken. So, I have been looking into GPS modules for my camera. One of the few I have found is made by my own sponsor, Jobo. Jobo is a great company. These folks make the best image viewer around, the GigaVu Pro Evolution. I would put this unit up against any of the Epson units any day of the week. But that is not what I am writing about, is it? They are soon to have in their arsenal of toys a little guy called simply, the Jobo PhotoGPS. Here is a quote from their product page:

"The photoGPS includes a PC and MAC compatible DVD that contains both the software and the database needed to post-process the information captured by the unit. Post-processing is highly automated: Users simply download the captured GPS data via the built-in USB interface and enter the directory name of the folder where the corresponding pictures are stored. The user’s computer can then compare the EXIF time recorded by the camera and the GPS time recorded by the photoGPS. When a match is found the program updates the Longitude and Latitude EXIF fields. In a second step, utilizing advanced break-through technology, the photoGPS retrieves: Country name, Region and District, City, Postal code, Street name and the Point Of Interest."

I have looked at many other options on the net but all require an external GPS unit for around $150 to $500 and additional software and I am not sure how well they work and what data you get when it is all done. I am not sure if the PhotoGPS unit works as smoothly as it is reported to do so by Jobo. I can only wait and see. Even more of a worry for me is there seems to be some delay in its release. So, will it get into production and be released in time for a trip in Feb '08? We shall see.

The PhotoGPS by Jobo retails for around $145, pretty good value if it works. Stay tuned...

Speaking of Jobo. I got my hands of a pre-release of their new digital photo frame. This little guy came with an amazing 1GB of space. My wife has always thought digital frames look tacky, but before we even took this out of the box she wanted to give it to her sister as a gift for Christmas. Yet, once she saw it out of the box and in action, she quickly decided to keep it on our end table forever. It is a hit.

The unit sports a 7" 800 x 480 resolution LCD display, memory expansion slots for CF, SD, MMC, Memory Stick, and XD formats, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The JOBO PDJ701 the one I have will retail for approximately $179, The PDJ701 is a 128MB version that will sell for for $159. Hmm, which one will sell better?

With 1GB, around 10,000 images, it will take a long time to fill this frame up and to rotate through it. There is one minor thing I wish these frame manufactures would do, and it is very simple. Why don't they give the option for a fade transition. They only seem to like to offer crazy wipes or straight cut. Like I said, a minor issue.

JOBO PDJ701 Specifications:

- 7in / 17.78 cm diagonal with 262,000 colors
- Resolution: 800 x 480 Pixel (display range 720 x 480)
- Contrast ratio: 400:1; brightness: 230 cd/m_
- Internal memory: 1 GB, up to 10,000 images in optimum screen resolution
- Integrated Li-Ion battery (1500 mAh)
- Supported formats: JPG, BMP
- Interfaces: card-slots for CF, SD, MMC, MS, MS Pro, xD; USB 2.0 High Speed
- Functions: Picture-Showing-Mode (Picture Browsing, Thumbnail View, Slideshow), Editing (Copy, Delete, Rotate, Picture Effects), calendar, time, alarm, timer
- Languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese
- Stand: high-quality metal
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 8.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches (without stand)
- Weight: 18.3 ounces (with stand)

JOBO PDJ700 Specifications:

- 7in / 17.78 cm diagonal with 262,000 colors
- Resolution: 800 x 480 Pixel (display range 720 x 480)
- Contrast ratio: 400:1; brightness: 230 cd/m_
- Internal memory: 128 MB, up to 1,000 images in optimum screen resolution
- Supported formats: JPG, BMP
- Interfaces: card-slots for CF, SD, MMC, MS, MS Pro, xD; USB 2.0 High Speed
- Functions: Picture-Showing-Mode (Picture Browsing, Thumbnail View, Slideshow), Editing (Copy, Delete, Rotate, Picture Effects), calendar, time, alarm, timer
- Languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese
- Stand: black plastic
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 8.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches (without stand)
- Weight: 14.7 ounces (with stand)

The Sick and Dying

Matt Brandon — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:37:00 +0000

North of Chiang Mai, Thailand there is a little village that gives the refugee Karen people a chance to make a living simply by opening their homes to prying tourist. At first I thought this was really invasive, to have a complete stranger walk through their homes and take a picture of them doing their daily chores. But then as I thought about it and spoke to some of the residents, my opinions changed...to a point. This set up provides these people a safe haven and constant income and helps keep their traditional way of life alive.

There is a downside for me and I think for other globe trotting photographers, it also gives every Jane, Dick or Harry a chance to be a "Travel Photographer" and get that exotic image. Thus, the unique perspective of the hard to get to place is gone forever. The exotic image is considerably less exotic. It makes the journey more like a trip to Epcot rather than a true adventure. I had been feeling this for sometime. But when I saw one of the same faces I had photographed at this village in Thailand in someone's else's Blurb book I realized it was true. Yesterday David duChemin summed it up in his blog entry Travel Photography is Dead. I could not have said it more eloquently.

A Site for Sore Eyes

Matt Brandon — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:23:00 +0000

I was asked to come and speak at a banquet up in Minneapolis this last weekend. They put in a hotel room with a young man I had never met before. So as we started talking and getting to know each other, the topic of photography and travel came up. He told me about an amazing young lady, Mackenzie Rollins. We went to her site and I was impressed. This young lady has a real future in photography. She has a wonderful eye for street images. Her work has a nice feel of photojournalism to it. By that, I mean, untouched, raw and not over-produced. Apparently, she is a American girl living in Sarajevo for a time. Not sure why. But, her stay has given her a great opportunity for gathering images and putting together strong portfolio. Check out her Gallery here, her Blog here and her photo blog here.

My Newest Video

Matt Brandon — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 06:47:00 +0000

This is my first post on YouTube. Pass it around and feel free to link it. Hope you enjoy it.

The Exhibit Is Up!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:57:00 +0000

If you drop by the thedigitaltrekker.com, you'll notice a new look. I've completely redone the site from the splash page to the . . .well, every page has been revamped. Take a peek and let me know what you think.

I just got through putting an extensive collection of my photos on display at the Cultural Activities Center (Texas). In all, we hung up 51 images. Most of those were around a 11x14 size print. Even though the exhibit doesn’t "officially" open till Saturday at 11 AM, you can go by now and check it out. I must admit, it's a good feeling seeing all those photos framed and on display for the public to view.

By the way, if you live near Temple, TX, you are invited to the opening party of the exhibit this Saturday, November 17th, from 11am till 1pm. Here's a map of the location.

Champagne and hors d'œuvre for all!

Blurb Has Free Shipping

Matt Brandon — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:38:00 +0000

In case you were thinking about buying my book for your special someone for Christmas. Blurb has just announced free shipping on orders until November 20th. So now is the time to grab a copy of Catchlight.

I received my Hardigg Storm Cases and they are sweet! Heavy, but indestructible. I also got the 12-piece Pro Modular belt system from Think Tank Photo today. I wanted something to protect the lens and camera in the Storm Case and still have room for other items. I could have bought lens wraps like David Honl's. But I thought, what if my checked bags don't make it, I'll have all my gear with me, but no bag to carry it in. So the idea of putting everything in the Pro Modular system pieces seemed like a good idea. True, it made for a less space than the wraps would have. No worries, it looks like everything fit...so far. Here is what I have packed in it:

All the Camera items are in the Think Tank Modular pieces.

MacBook Pro 17" With cables.
Canon 5d with battery grip
Canon 28-200 f/2.8
Canon 24-70 f/2.8
Canon 85 f/1.8
Canon 17-40 f/4
CF Card reader
Zoom H4 Digital Recorder
Cell phone
Power Converters
1 Micro Fiber Pants
1 Shirt
1 Underware
A Magazine or two

Not bad, and all in a case that if for some reason I had to check, I would have no fears other than the airlines loosing it. Now if I can just lift it over my head once on the plane. Ouch!

Photoshop User and Patrick Brown

Matt Brandon — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:38:00 +0000

I am toying with a new description of my photography. I don’t know if I am prepared to use the term broadly. I find it is a good exercise to keep thinking through just what is my style. So, here is the term I am playing with these days; photo-ethnography or ethno-photography. Ethnography is the study of peoples as in people groups or ethnic groupings. So, Photo-Ethnography would seem to be a method to study distinct ethnic groups using a camera. Sounds like what I do.

I just got my December issue of Photoshop User magazine. It comes with my membership in the National Association of Photoshop Professionals or NAPP. By the way if you use Photoshop and you are not a member, shame on you! For a mere $99 a year you get all kinds of benefits not the least of which is a month subscription to Photoshop User magazine. If you buy it at Boarders bookstore each month it will cost you $9.95 for each issue. So, right there you’ve made good on your membership!

Anyway, I wanted to point out two articles from this issue that are worth looking at. The first is the “Annual 100 Photoshop Hot Tips”. This is an outstanding resource. For instance, did you know that Google has a searchable 3D warehouse of images? These are 3D models you can upload to Photoshop. The next time you need to make a mockup of your next self promotional DVD, just search for a DVD cover and presto, you got it and now you are ready to roll.

You will find many other cool little tips in the article, like number 31; “Using the High Pass Filter to Sharpen Content” or number 49; “Create a Quick Poster Frame” around your image. This article alone would be worth the cost of the magazine. But of course there is more.

Also in this issue is a highlight of a increadably talented documentary photographer named Patrick Cavan Brown. Brown has some excellent images from around the world. In his own words he is focused on “light and gesture”. It shows. Check out his website at here.

Hope you have a great weekend and for all you American readers, Happy Thanksgiving!

Life in Kashmir

Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:40:00 +0000

I have just added the text below as my description of the Kashmir section in the gallery. I thought it might be an interesting read here for someone.

I was in Srinagar, Kashmir in the summer and fall of 1989 when all hell broke loose. The Kashmiri people had begun an armed struggle for independence from India. Times got a lot worse before they got where they are today. Today, Kashmiris still find themselves wondering if it is safe to go outside at night, but it is much better than it was even 5 years ago. No one in their right mind can call it normalcy, but then again, after 17 years of bombs, bullets and blood, maybe for them this is normal. Living in Kashmir for 13 years, I have been shot at, searched, threatened and "interviewed" by Indian soldiers, police, by foreign and local militants. I have come close to being blown up by car bombs numerous times. I have seen blood in the streets while my eyes burned from tear gas. But in all of this, I still saw a wonderful culture of rich history. It is rapidly fading away, being lost in a quagmire of violence and politics. Why did I choose not to cover the violence while I was there? It would have been easy. I think that may in fact be the reason -- it was too easy. It was harder to find the lost normalcy. It was hard to find a boy in the street playing without a soldier standing over him. I tried, successfully, I hope, to show life as it might be without a war, without years of blood and tear gas. Kashmir is a rich and ancient culture of the Himalaya. It has a beautiful and varied people with traditions from ancient Persia and Central Asia. If you ever get a chance to go and visit the "Jewel in the Crown of India", take it. You will never regret it. But hurry.

Chase Jarvis

Matt Brandon — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:36:00 +0000

Chase Jarvis is one of the top fashion/lifestyle photographer in the US and a guy that cares about the rest of us. Sounds weird, huh? Well, the guy tells all. He is always producing these videos that reveal his “secrets”, so to speak. He shares his knowledge with the rest of us. I really appreciate the spirit behind this guy. You want to learn something, track with him. http://www.chasejarvis.com/blog/

One of the most informative videos I have viewed in a while is Chase’s video on the cases he uses and the way he packs them. All kinds of useful stuff here and some of it isn’t even about the cases or gear, it is about something so simple that many of us wouldn’t think of. Go to the TSA website and print out the latest rules, simple. Did you know the TSA has no issues about you carrying on an additional bag of camera gear? From the tsa.gov website: “You may carry one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item through the screening checkpoint.” Now that does not prohibit you from being waylaid by the airlines themselves. Anyway, a helpful video, check it out.

Gangway Storm Case!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:35:00 +0000

I had just received my two Hardigg Storm Cases before I left for a trip home to Kentucky. This trip was not for work and was not an exotic trip to some far-off, unheard of destination. It was a Thanksgiving holiday break spent with family. So I thought I would load up my gear in my new iM2500 carry-on and be off. No problem: the gear all fit, as planned. I got to the airport in Austin, Texas, to find I would be flying a regional jet. I guess this is the airline's way of saving money. I can't fault them for that. But very little overhead storage space is given on a regional aircraft. Meaning, you have to gate check your carry-on if it is bigger than a shoe box. I have had to check my soft side ThinkTank Airport International once or twice before and I did so with fear and trepidation. This time I walked down the gangway and confidently handed the rather large, gorilla-looking man my indestructible iM2500 Storm Case. He tagged it, gave me my receipt and swung off. Once we landed, I eagerly waited for my bag inside the gangway. Finally it was thrown up to me with several other bags. When I saw my nice, pretty yellow iM2500, I was startled. My cool new "Digital Trekker" logo was shredded and the case had large, deep gashes down the side. I knew my gear was fine and I was glad that my $10,000 worth of camera equipment was protected by such a "bomb proof" bag. But I was nonetheless amazed that from the airplane to the gangway so much damage could be done to one bag. Thank you Hardigg.

Seat Guru

Matt Brandon — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 04:19:00 +0000

I have been working on my flight to Indonesia in February 08. I wasn't sure about a seat that I saw on my seating choice chart, so I call the United reservation's staff and a kind lady there suggested I check out a website called SeatGuru.com. Maybe you already know about
this site. It told me everything I needed to know about the aircraft I would be traveling on. It told me the 747 does not have personal TVs but all the 777s do. It told me that seat 21 H & J are the best seats in Economy Plus as they have extra leg room because the crew seats are directly in front of them. It told me where all the power outlets are and what type they are. It gives the layout for every aircraft for just about every American airlines. So before your next flight check them out.

Nat Geo Anncounces Winner of Photo Contest

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:07:00 +0000

Photo by Jean-Claude Louis

The National Geographic Magazine announced their winners of this year's contest. A whole lot of remarkable images, as you would expect from NG. Four photographers are chosen from 148,203 images submitted (including mine, oh well) to the International Photography Contest. Of the four, I think the one that grabs my attention the most is the image above by Jean-Claude Louis. There is a classic beauty about it. I love the symmetry and the fact that they are looking out of foggy, dirty windows. It si just great all around! Check out all the winners at National Geographic's site .

Catchlight becomes Blurb Best Seller!

Matt Brandon — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:11:00 +0000

I just received news that my blurb book "Catchlight" made the best seller list at blurb. You can see it listed here, and it's just in time for the holidays! Thanks to all of you who purchased it. I hope this little boost in advertising will help sales as well.

The exhibit closes on Saturday. They gave me one extra day as I have a friend who is willing to dismantle it on Monday. So if you haven't been by to see it, better hurry.

I leave today with my family to go to the Philippines for Christmas. So the blog will more than likely be a bit quiet. I hope you have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Merry Christmas,

Matt

Christmas in the Philippines

Matt Brandon — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:56:00 +0000

I am sitting here in Manila at 3:30 am with the inevitable Jet lag, hmm, is that one word or two? This is not an assignment per se. But rather a time to spend with my family. My family is half Filipino. My wife was born and raised here till she was 18. We met in the US and have been making frequent pilgrimages back here ever since. Now, with a daughter whom we want to understand her heritage, it is even more important.

When I read the biographies of some of the great photojournalists and travel photographers, I read about broken marriages and ruined families. I don’t think I will ever be able to make the kind of sacrifices some photographers are willing to make when it comes to family. I am fortunate that my wife likes to travel and loves my work. So she often accompanies me on the shorter trips. But there are limits.

Honestly, I hope to get out and shoot this trip. It's important. But, it's not the top priority, my family is. So on this trip, where my family goes, my 5D and I go as well. So let’s see what becomes of this time.

I came close to buying the Canon G9 for this trip. I've been reading mixed reviews. Some folks love it and are pleased with the RAW mode. Others are frustrated with the noise at anything higher than 400 ISO. I have wanted a “semi-pro point-and-shoot” (can you really say that?) for times like this. One I can trust to let me have some creativity and that allows me to leave the monster 5D with grip and host of lens back in the room. Any suggestions?

My wife, Alou at Corregador (today 12/17/07)

My wife's littler sister, Mabelle.

A Few Shots From Today

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:13:00 +0000

Here is a small sample from this mornings walk on the beach. You'll find them here.

Web Gallery Down

Matt Brandon — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:12:00 +0000

My web gallery is down. Not sure why. I have not posted anything to the gallery for weeks, so I can't imagine I did something to it. I contacted my host and they said, "Not our fault." So I then contacted the folks that make the gallery software. I have yet to hear back from them. I guess it will be awhile as it is the holidays.

In the mean time. Here is a sampling of some of my beautiful nieces. I swear, Filipino women are some of the prettiest in the world!

Gallery Up and Running Again

Matt Brandon — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:30:00 +0000

I got this from the the folks at Evrium, the makers of my gallery software:

Hi Matt,

I hope you’re having a happy holiday season!

Your website has been quickly fixed! Looks like there might have been a small server hiccup last time you were in your fluid galleries website admin area. It should be fine now.

Have a great new years Matt! Best wishes.

Regards,

Support Team
Evrium Incorporated

So all seems well.

Here is a sampling of some things to come. All these images are from the island of Cebu.

Filipino Christmas Parols (pronounced “pah-roll” with a rolling "r")

Apparently a Rolling Stones fan.

January 2008 Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:32:00 +0000

I returned from the Philippines and Thailand Saturday night late. It is 5:30 am on Monday morning and I have been up two hours. This is a typical post trip schedule. Many of you who travel know what I mean.

Click the image above then drag it to your desktop to download.

I have been very lax in posting wall paper. Please except my apologies. Here is a shot for January that was taken in Kashmir a few years back. Simply click on the link, drag the file to your desktop and load it, however you load your desktop images for your system.

Click the image to zoom in for a better look.

I shoot a Canon 5D with the battery grip and a few lenses. It is great for what I do commercially, but for shots of the family on vacation or at play, it can be a pain. So, I bought a new camera which arrived during the weekend. The Canon G9. It is a sweet retro point and shoot with 12.1 mp. The way this camera operates in the manual mode really reminds me of my first camera the Canonet QL Rangefinder. The metering uses the old style needle and gauge to indicate if the image is going to be under or over exposed.

As I play with it, I will post some images and maybe write some thoughts on it. There are so many great reviews out there, that to write an extensive review would be redundant. So I will just give you some brief feedback. I can tell you right now I love this little guy. I like the overall retro look to it. It feels well built, with a mix of metal and plastic. One of the features I am looking forward to using on the road is the time lapse video. What I want to do is set up a tripod in the front seat of an Indonesian cab and shoot a ride in a crowded street. More on this idea later. Stay tuned.

Philippines Gallery Posted

Matt Brandon — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:28:00 +0000

I have posted a few images from my most recent trip to the Philippines. Just go to the main gallery page and click on the link that reads "Philippines", pretty simple. Enjoy.

World Domination

Matt Brandon — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:01:00 +0000

I don't usually write about something other than photography or travel or things related to them. But, this is somewhat personal as I lived in India for over 13 years. Tata Motor company has introduced a new car that almost anyone can afford. It is the One Laptop for Every Child of the automotive industry. It is called, believe it or not, the "Nano". Move over Apple. It comes in three models, the cheapest of which is only $2,500. This model comes with no AC, no electric windows and no power steering. The design is very cool looking, especially if you think of it as the "every man's" car. It is also interesting to note they are referring to it as "The Peoples Car" That was they exact same name Hitler gave his car the "Volkswagen". How will they market it in Germany?

The Tata Group is huge, I mean monstrous. If you are not living in India, you may have no concept. But those of you that do, know what I mean. They make everything from refrigerators to tea and coffee, from watches to cell services. The last week of 2007, Tata Motors announced that they are going to buy Jaguar and Land Rover. Hmm, maybe they are going to take over the world?

A Response to Selling Out

Matt Brandon — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:36:00 +0000

This is a follow up to Anonymous. I have written it here because I want to make sure it gets a broader readership than it would in the comments. Anonymous feels America is "selling out for profits." I think it is far worse. I believe America has it's head in the sand and is resting on its historic laurels. Like any great photographer or actor or any creative person, you are only as good as your last creation and we have not had any great ideas in a long time. The new ideas, in manufacturing, technology and ways to compete are all coming from places like China, India and other Asian countries. We are losing because we don't compete in the new market. We're living a reality that is 25 to 30 years old. Read The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. Here is a short excerpt from the Amazon description. It addresses this very point.

"Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete--and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well. (He doesn't forget the "mutant supply chains" like Al-Qaeda that let the small act big in more destructive ways.)" - Amazon Books

I think that makes my point. America is asleep at the wheel when it come to change, whether it be in manufacturing or the ever-growing threat of a right wing Islamic fundamentalism. Note here, I am not saying we need to be fear mongers nor do we need to be building higher walls. But we do need to understand that there is an agenda and we can not combat it with bullets. Reading between the lines, you may have formed the conclusion that I'm a pacifist. Well, I don't think I am, at least not yet. I think America has a right to defend herself, but weapons are not going to squelch an ideology. We are not fighting the Soviet Union any more that we are competing in the world's economy with big business. The times have changed. The World is Flat, and we need to understand it.

Great Story... Just not factual.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:23:00 +0000

You hear it all the time, all the time. People reading an article resulting from a recent interview they did and are amazed that the information they gave during the interview is so different from what they see in print. This past week I was interviewed by the Temple Daily Telegram. Nice lady. The story came out this morning. Great story, nice and long. But before it was published, I had asked her to let me read it first. I wanted to proof the information, not the writing. Just the facts and quotes. So the story came out this morning without me ever seeing it and it has many misquotes and outright errors, none that would hurt anyone, fortunately.

You can find the story here.

Here are a few of the goofs:

"Gujjar region of India" - The Gujjars are a ethnic group not a region. (Ironically, I just Googled the word "Gujjar" to get the Wikipedia link and found my old CompuServe website from 1997 still online with a lot of information on these people.) They are all over North India. The Muslim Gujjars are primarily in Northern U.P. and Kashmir as well as in Northern Pakistan.

"One of his Gujjar photos is of a woman kneeling before a brightly colored mosque." - This is of a Kashmiri woman at Shaw Hamadan, in Srinagar. She is not a Gujjar.

"Another Gujjar photo shows a pair of Indian newlyweds on their honeymoon in India." - Not sure how this coupe became Gujjars. They are a "Indian" couple in New Delhi on their honeymoon. The image was taken at the Qutub Minar monument site, not a restaurant.

"Waco is where he met his wife." - I met my wife in California, while I was living in Waco.

"Santa took care of that problem and gave him a digital camera." - Santa did not give me my first digital camera. I don't even like Santa, he would not have given me a present, I am way too naughty for that. I bought the camera myself.

"In Dec. 2004, the BBC (British Broadcasting Co.) bought rights to Brandon’s photographic coverage of the infamous tsunami that killed thousands." - This is completely wrong. It was the Kashmir earthquake, not the tsunami and they did not buy the rights, but wanted them royalty free.

There were other minor errors, but none worth mentioning. Honesty, I love the exposure, but couldn't the author have taken the time to send me a copy of the article to check the facts. I guess I need to shut up and remember, "any press is good press."

Temple Telegram Makes Good

Matt Brandon — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:04:00 +0000

To the credit of the Temple Daily Telegram and Tomie Lunsford, the errors in the story about me that appeared in Sundays feature article have been corrected. Lunsford and her editor wrote today and apologized for the mistakes and quickly made the changed to the on-line version of the story. Not sure how many other papers would have done this. Please do check out the revised story here. My thanks goes out to Ms. Lunsford and Ms. Stone her Editor. Thanks you and Well Done!

Shahidul Alam

Matt Brandon — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:40:00 +0000

A blog I recommend and link to in the sidebar of this blog is Tewfic El-Sawy's "The Travel Photographer". Tewfic often highlights talented photographers on the net. His blog has led me to many creative sites and todays link is no exception. Shahidul Alam's multimedia presentation of his trip up the Brahmaputra is fantastic, full of color and adventure. His use of audio and graphic within the slide show is very creative. A treat for the eye. Go here to view the multimedia presentation and here to read Tewfic blog.

An Animoto Christmas

Matt Brandon — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:52:00 +0000

I really like the simplicity and creativity of the Animoto video creation. Here I took some images from my family's Christmas Reunion and made them, in just a few minutes, into a slick and impressive video. You can do a 30 sec mix for free and a longer one is only $3. I know this sounds like a commercial, but it really is fun and a great way to share images with friends and family.

A Leopard in My Nightmares

Matt Brandon — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:22:00 +0000

I just upgraded our family's two Macs to the Leopard OS. It started out smooth enough with my wife's little 12" G4. No problem, the upgrade went without a catch, slow but without any issues. My massive 17" MacBook Pro on the other hand was/is a nightmare. A word of advice that I know you will not heed, but I'll tell you anyway; Always backup! Why is it we can say it, write it, preach it but when push comes to shove we often ignore it? There has to be some deep lesson about the human condition in this somewhere. I digress, where was I?...O yeah, in the middle of my nightmare. So, I figured, "Well, since her computer went so smooth, why take the time to back up?" After all, I am low on fast storage space. I would have to back up to one of my 160GB USB WD Passport drives that I take with me to the field.Those things are as slow as "molasses in January", naw, I will "Nike" my way through it, you know, "just do it!" Well, about half way through the installation I get an error message telling me to restart the computer and begin the installation over again. Hmm, not good, but ok.

So I reboot and begin again only to get a message telling me that I can not install Leopard on this computer unless I reformat the hard drive! As you can imagine I was panicky! I quickly rebooted my computer in Target mode on my wife's G4 and found as I suspected all the files in tact ~ but the OS was gone. It had been ripped out and gutted by Leopard like a freshly caught trout. And so began the slow and painful process of manually pulling each file and folder to the Passport drive. It took most of the day and I got everything but the applications themselves, they had vanished with the OS. Now the question was, "Can I somehow continue the installation and not reformat the MacBook?" I called Apple help. I got a nice Apple savvy Filipino in Manila. She suggested I delete some of the files off the MacBook to make room for the new Leopard OS. Guess what? My wife's G4 did not have the permission to delete files in target mode, nice try. I called back, this time I get a thickly accented man from India, "You do one thing..." It did not work either. So finally after a few more calls, a few disconnects (and no call backs from Apple, by the way) I get a sweet Mac tech from Cupertino the home of Apple. She informs me the only way to go with this is to reformat the hard drive. Great. That I did not want to hear. Maybe I can get India again and get a better suggestion. No that will not work, I lived in India for 13 years and still could not understand the guy. Sigh. . . OK, So I reformatted the hard drive and erased everything, all 120 GB of stuff and installed OS 10.1. But I at least knew I had all my files stored securely on my Passport. So the next step was to get it back. It took many more hours pulling and copying the many gigs of information back to the MacBook but most everything now resides on my Mac's hard-drive again. The the next step is how to reinstall all the software and get back all my preferences especially Photoshop CS3 and Lightroom and a little shareware application I rely on called MindFortress, that holds all my serial numbers and passwords.

I found out that Mail, Lightroom and many other applications only need their Library folder to reboot as it was. The big issue now is Photoshop CS 3. This was an upgrade from CS 2 and in reinstalling it is asking for my old CS2 serial number which I no longer have. It is buried in a bunch of CDs (I think) in some boxes in Kashmir awaiting our move. So now I am working with a 30 day trial version till I can get Adobe on the line and plead for some mercy and understanding.
That is my life. In the meantime I continue to prepare for my trip to Sumatra in February.

It's Hip, It's Happen'n, It's Grunge!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:28:00 +0000

It is very trendy. You see it everywhere. It is the grunge look that is so popular in advertising. Pick up most magazines and you will find an ad or an editorial image with this effect added to it. I never really thought it would be something I would add to my images, just to be trendy. Then one day last week I was playing around with new presets that Matt Kloskowski made and I was grabbed by the effect. He calls it the 300 effect. You know, the movie, where everything has a brownish golden tint, but the blood, of course -- that was red. Then I tweaked it... a lot, and made it mine, so to speak. But, I do want to give him credit for the overall effect. I gave mine more saturation than his, he took out all but the red. I gave mine much more fill light, plus a few other touches. It doesn't work for every image and there are images that even when it does technically work , they are not suited for the effect. So I went through a bunch of images and picked theses. Some of the images work better than others. What are your thoughts? Do these images deserve a gallery of their own on The Digital Trekker? Right now they are only accessible through the blog at this URL. Tell me what you think. To Grunge or not to Grunge, that is the question.

The New Cannon 450D-12.2mp are you ready?

Matt Brandon — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Well, the news many have been waiting for, Canon has announces the new 450D also known in the US as the Rebel XSi. It is a sweet little guy with 12.2 mega pixels at its disposal. Read all about it here at DPReview.

12.2 mp, are you ready for that size of image? I was tracked down by Getty Images once to submit images for them. No kidding, they tracked me down, but this was right as I was transitioning from the old Rebel 300D with 6mp to the 5D with 13mp. But when they found out that the bulk of my images had been shot with only 6mp they snubbed me. They made some excuse about how they only wanted images with 10mp or above. Guess what, the world just got a little flatter, this little guy will give a chance for many amateurs to compete and offer high resolution images to the professional market place. But guess what else? You still have to have talent. You still need to develop your eye, your skills. Oh and one more thing, before you run out and buy it, think through the cost of digital storage space, as every 12mp (RAW) is going to take up around that much storage space. So, when you buy this camera you might as well buy a new 1TB external hard drive!

Still no news of a 5D upgrade or replacement. I'll keep holding my breath.

February Wallpaper & Geotagging Photos

Matt Brandon — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:57:00 +0000

Hazratbal Shrine, Srinagar, Kashmir, India

Here is February's wallpaper. Please feel free to download it or, if you have a Mac running Leopard, (and if it still works after loading the Leopard OS, LOL!!!) just click on it, then once it loads in the browser, ctrl click (aka right click) and you will have the option to make it your desktop image. I love Macs!

If you recall, I blogged my lust for the Jobo GPS device. I had hoped to use it for this next assignment in Sumatra. This is a small GPS gadget that fits on your camera and records the location of each image shot. But alas, Jobo informs me that there are some snags with production and that it will not be ready for this trip. As we say in India, "What to do?"

I knew Sony's GPS device was also made to be used this way. So, I Googled, and found Terry White's blog and review of it. Very helpful. But what I found even more helpful was some of the comments made by his readers (comments are good). Several insisted that any GPS device would work with as long as it can export a .gpx file. Any device? How about my Asus p353 cell phone? So after poking around on the net, I found some every cool and relatively cheap software called Beeline GPS for Pocket PCs. This will give my GPS the capability to record and export a track file. So it will run thoughout the day while I shoot. Note: the GPS device and the camera need to have their clocks synced as close as possible. At the end of the day shooting I take all my RAW (.crw) files, load them into a application called HoudahGeo. This is a really neat little application that grabs your images then loads the exported .gpx data and embeds this data into the EXIF data of the RAW file. Once you do this, you load the images into Lightroom as usual. But this time, in the EXIF data you will get a new pane that will show you the Latitude and longitude and a cool little link that you can push that takes you directly to Google Maps to see where the image was taken. Very fun and I hope it will be very useful for this next trip.

This is a quick sample image I shot of Scott & White Hospital here in Temple, TX.

This image shows the EXIF data in the Library panel in Lightroom. You can see the GPS coordinates listed under my name.

So, after you click on the coordinates in the panel, Lightroom opens up your browser and loads the Google map showing where you shot the image. Very Cool!

Catch Up Monday

Matt Brandon — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:02:00 +0000

I want to apologize for the lack of movement on this blog this past two weeks. Yikes! Has it been that long? Some of it is busyness, as I am frantically trying to get ready to leave for Sumatra. Some of it is other work. Some of it is just writer's block.

First off, I am pleased to announce that on April 5th, David Duchemin and I will be leading a One Day Lumen Dei Workshop here in Temple, Tx. The venue is not set yet but it looks like it will be in downtown Temple. The price is a low $99 for the day. The day starts at 9am and goes to 4pm. We will be covering things like:

Shooting Natural Light
Basic Digital Shooting Issues
Importing Images, back up strategies
Lightroom Workflow
Photoshop Finessing ... and more!

So, if you are an amateur or an intermediate photographer and live in the central Texas area give me a call, email me or even SKYPE me in order to reserve a seat. We only have 25 spaces available and five are already gone ~ before it is even official. David and I lead a two week Lumen Dei course in Kashmir - this is your chance to shoot with us without having to travel 17 hours on a plan!

In other news, I leave for Sumatra Indonesia for two weeks this Sunday. I don't think there will be much chance of email while we are outside of the urban areas, but when I can, I will be posting geotagged aka geocoded images of where we shoot. So do check in everyonce in a while. I will be traveling with two other guys, both good friends. One great perk of this trip is I recently was awarded my 1K status with United, so I get 6 system wide upgrades. As a result, it looks like I will be traveling to Singapore and back -- business class! Do I feel guilty leaving my two good buddies back in economy? Let me think...Ahh...Nope. My legs have been looking forward to a nice long relaxing ride in business class for the past 100,000 miles!

You have GOT to tune into this weeks Photoshop TV. Hysterical! Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski butcher our friend David Duchemin's name. It is worth the watch just to see these guys stumble over his French Canadian name. Finally Dave Cross comes to the rescue. Besides all that, you get to see how to make cool desktop images like David makes. Sorry David your secret is out!

My Valentine!

Matt Brandon — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:39:00 +0000

My helper, my friend, my lover, my wife.
Alou, I love you!

Tokyo Layover

Matt Brandon — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:30:00 +0000

We have made it as far as Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan. No delays worth mentioning. I was able to get both guys into both the Red Carpet lounges in Chicago as well as here in Narita. It is always nice to have a layover here and shower to freshen up. We will be departing in 15 minutes to fly to Singapore where we will spend the the night in the departure lounge on the floor. I hope to update regularly, but realistically I think it will be very rare as I am sure email will be very hit and miss.

Stuck in Singapore

Matt Brandon — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:13:00 +0000

What a day. We arrived in Singapore at about 2:30 am about 2 hours later than we had anticipated.... We decided to eat and collect our thoughts as our trip over the South China Sea had turbulence that left us feeling like keys in a dryer. Chase ate his first Malaysian curry and had a canned drink called “Whatever” that didn’t taste like anything. We then emailed our families and chilled a bit, trying to rest before our flight. When we went to check on getting our luggage transferred to our Indonesia gate we found out Palembang is the only port cit on Sumatra that requires visa prior to arrival, something neither we nor our contact in Sumatra new about. We caught an early breakfast of Chinese pastries, noodles, and shark nuggets at a 24 hour market.

After that, we got a taxi to the “Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia” only to find out Keith needed more pages from the US embassy as the visa will take a full page...he takes off there, Chase and I head off to try to get our arrival itinerary for Palembang and to let our contact there know that things are not going as we planned. We tried to use a broadband signal that is free in Singapore, if you can crack the Da Vinci Code they call registration- we couldn’t. During this time we get a lot of help from Laura, Case’s wife through text messaging back and forth with her in the US. We head back to the Embassy to meet Keith and find out they actually need our information concerning our departure from Indonesia. Getting this only took about 3 minutes! We then find out that the Visa process takes three days, but the kind lady at the Embassy let us know she would rush ours and we could receive them at 3 p.m. Then we found out we needed a photo for our visas that they do not take in the Embassy. They direct us to an ally where we get our picture taken in the back of a red Citroën Berlingo Minivan with a blue sheet hung from a dow rod for a background. Maybe Keith and I can pickup some extra work in Singapore? We head back into the Embassy to turn in the photos with our paperwork and to pay. The Embassy, unlike everywhere else in Singapore, will not take US dollars, or credit cards, or even Indonesian Rupiahs, only Singapore dollars. The clerk tells us the closest ATM is at a mall 10 minutes away. We take a cab ride to the mall and back and pay for the Visas at 12:05 p.m. We headed to some of the nicer hotels in town thinking we might finally get that wireless connection to let our contact in Indonesia know we would not be making the flight that day, and the next flight would be on Thursday! After receiving our Visas at 3 o’clock we went to get our bags from the airport lost and found. We had a Cab Driver named Muhammad who gave us an impromptu tour with information on everything from Osama Bin Laden, to John McCain, to Singapore’s water situation. After getting our bags our next task was to get a hotel room for under $400 Singapore, preferably not in the “Red Region” of town! There is quite a demand for rooms during the World Air Show. We finally made it to our room and after 7 hours of sleep are ready to see what the Lord has for us Wednesday.

We leave for Indonesia, hopefully at 12:30 pm our time.

Email Backout

Matt Brandon — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:58:00 +0000

It looks like I will be entering into a somewhat expected email blackout over the next few days as I travel from Palembang up to Padang. So here are a few images to tide you over till then. Hope you enjoy them.

Musi Sekayu

Matt Brandon — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Today we drove for two and a half hours west of Palembang, Sumatra to a small community called Sekayu. We came to an unbelievable community of friendly and welcoming Muslim people called the Musi. They live up and down the Musi River that flow through their territory and down through Palembang. They have a little different physical feature than the other people we have photographed till now and a very different demeanor. These people acted as if they thought it a privileged to be photographed by us and brought the whole village out to have their photos taken.

Homeward Bound

Matt Brandon — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:29:00 +0000

We leave Indonesia in just a few hours, arrive to Singapore and then the next morning fly home via Tokyo and SFO. I will try to post a gallery sometime over the trip home from Singapore or Tokyo. It was a great trip with good friends and we shot till we our trigger fingers hurt. I we meet some amazing people. The Muslim people of this region are the most hospitable I have ever found in my travels. Very warm and eager to be photographed.

One of Those Days.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:30:00 +0000

Just arrived into Tokyo and am sitting in the lounge with a nice fast WiFi connection. I had hope to post a gallery online of some of the best images from this trip. But when I opened Lightroom it told me the catalog data was corrupted. Now what? Over 15 to 20 hours of work lost. I have tried every conceivable way to recover the data but to no avail. So time to quite crying, suck it up and start all over, one photo at a time.

March Wallpaper Image

Matt Brandon — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:38:00 +0000

Here is March's wallpaper. This image was shot on the road to Padang, Sumatra. Not sure the type of flower but, the background is a traditional Sumatran house. These buildings have a very colorfully carved exteriors. Please feel free to download it and hope you enjoy it.

Sumatra Sample Gallery Posted

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:30:00 +0000

As is common on trips like this, I am up at 4 am - my mind spinning. I have some great news, besides the fact that I arrived home safe and into the arms of my loving family; I was able to retrieve the data from my corrupt Lightroom files. I had given up any hope of getting usable data from the offending files. I had started redoing all my work on the long flight from Tokyo to San Francisco. With a combination of lack of sleep and the notion of redoing many hours of work in front of me I began feeling depressed. I made one last effort of opening the data from inside the application itself and by a miracle it opened. So I quickly made a new backup and all seems well - by the grace of God!

I made a small galley with a sampling of the best of the images HERE. I hope you enjoy them.

One other note of business. David Duchemin and I are getting many inquiries into the Lumen Dei One Day course coming up on April 5th. Many folks have sent in their $99 to hold their seat. We are limited to 25 participants and we have had many more inquiries, so send in that check soon to reserve your spot! With one month to go, seats are going fast!

The Lowepro Fastpack 350...Great gear for your gear

Matt Brandon — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:45:00 +0000

By Chase Bowers I recently had the opportunity to try out the Lowepro Fastpack 350 (the red version) on a trip through Sumatra, Bangka, and Belitung in Indonesia. I was assisting NGO and travel photographer Matt Brandon on the trip. We took daily treks through cities and villages, along river banks and through jungles.

I am not a professional photographer, but I had several pieces of equipment essential for my daily travels that this bag handled well. In the bottom section of the bag I carried a point and shoot, a camcorder, a mini tripod, an audio recorder, some of the wiring associated with each of these, and 2 sd cards that fit securely in velcro pockets made just for them. This portion of the bag has velcro dividers that were very convenient as I was able to set up the bag to meet my specific needs on the journey. Inside the bottom flap I carried my travel documents along with copies of them, and my power adapter for my MacBook.

In the main top section I carried a pda with accessories, pens and headphones, along with international electric converters and a card reader. In the outer top section I carried a small book, snack bars, drink powder packs, batteries, and an aftermarket all weather cover. I never needed the rain cover as the water resistant material on the bag worked fine against the occasional light shower that passed. In the laptop section I carried my 13 inch MacBook. I found the Fastpack 350 a delight to carry. It was lighter than my previous day pack, though I was carrying more equipment in the Lowepro bag. The weight distribution system involving shoulder adjustments, a sternum strap, and a waist buckle helped me get through the 14 day trip without any back or shoulder pain, which is a rarity for me. Also, I was able to quickly get to both cameras and the tripod while leaving the bag on my left shoulder (it slides right around the torso for very fast access). This was nice when I needed footage or photos quickly. When the bag was tossed in the back of our SUV, or laid on the ground in a village, dirt wiped away easily. It held a water bottle securely and the mesh pouch also served as a resting place for the camcorder when I needed to set it aside for just a moment. Also, for travel in the cities, the setup of the bag keeps both computer and cameras secure against snatching when it is with you. When I did not have the computer with me, the notebook compartment held small purchases so my hands remained free. Having traveled with a variety day packs over the last several years, I have finally found one with the look, ease of use, and carry capability I need.

I thought a small drawback to the bag would be the lack of an all weather cover, but the one I bought aftermarket was inexpensive and fit nicely into the bag without hindering my packing room. And I never needed the cover as the water resistance held off the light rain of occasional showers very well. This bag has a cool look, a great feel, and the versatility I need for trips all over the world. -- CB

The Fastpack doubled as a pillow.

Lumen Dei One Day is sold out!

Matt Brandon — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Yes - you heard right. The Lumen Dei One Day is sold out! If you'd like to be on a waiting list, please let me know. We have had an amazing response. I guess you think we've got something to offer! Imagen that. If you are interested in hosting this workshop in your own town, we'd love to talk to you. Email me or David Duchemin and lets talk.

B&W Images From Sumatra Posted

Matt Brandon — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:14:00 +0000

I thought I would try some B&W image conversion with a select few images from my recent trip. I like B&W but don't do it much. I guess every photographer at my age started in B&W. I know I did. It seems to be the standard with photojournalist out there. You can't have a show in color that would be, well, just wrong. So HERE are the images I selected and present to you for approval. I added some popular Indonesia music to the show. You can turn it off if you don't like it. Enjoy.

Dengan Menyebut Nama ALLAH

Matt Brandon — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:07:00 +0000

I have been asked about the lyrics on the B&W slide show. The song is from an Indonesia album titled Album Islamiah I got as an mp3 in Padang. I have tried to fined the group, Gigi on iTunes or other retails outlets on the net with no luck. I looked for a translation somewhere as well with out luck. So I had a friend who speaks Bahasa Indonesia translate them for me. Here you go. I wish I could point you to where to buy the CD but I haven't a clue. If you know these guys have them drop me a line.

Dengan Menyebut Nama ALLAH

preformed Gigi
by Dwiki Dharmawan

Dengan menyebut nama allah
When you say God’s name
Jalani hidupmu
You cause your life to move forward
Yakinkan niatmu
You confirm your intentions
Jangan pernah ragu
You’ll never be uncertain

Dengan menyebut nama allah
When you say God’s name
Bulatkan tekadmu
You’ll have courage to follow your calling
Menempuh nasibmu
You can successfully face whatever fate awaits you
Kemanapun menuju
Wherever you go

Chorus:
Serahkanlah hidup dan matimu
Surrender your life and death
Serahkanlah pada allah semata
Surrender to God alone
Serahkanlah duka gembiramu
Surrender your grief and joy
Agar damai
So that peace

Senantiasa hidupmu

Will always characterize your life

Review: ThinkTank's Modular Belt System

Matt Brandon — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Photos of Matt by Keith Talley

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

I have gone through many camera bags. I have used and abused several Lowepro bags and a ThinkTank Photo bag or two. I have finally come to the conclusion there is no one perfect bag. You don't know how hard that is to say. It has been my quest to find that all elusive perfect bag. For trekking with a camera, the Lowepro Vertex 200 AW II is really close. But for international travel and shooting in urban environments I have yet to find the perfect bag. I guess it is because of all the different settings I find myself in, from airports and airplanes to hot and humid crowded streets. But I certainly have found a winning combination for now. It is a combination of a carryon and a modular belt system.

I have for the past year or so used the Lowepro Stealth Reporter 200 when I shoot in urban environments. I like the size and ease of access to the gear. But a couple of things I don't like is that it doesn't provide enough pockets and storage space to use as a carryon, and it is a little too big to stick in my suitcase. Plus, as I get older, all the weight of gear hanging off my shoulder all day gets really old. So what I have come up with is a bit of a jury rig for sure, but it seems to work.

I now carry or rather pull, a North Face Doubletrack 21” convertible pack. This bag is carry-on-legal and comes with a zip off backpack for easy-to-access essentials like my noise reduction headphones, journal, pens, passport and reading material. In the main compartment of the Doubletrack I pack my lens, camera body, passport drives, cables and card readers as well as my 17” MacBook Pro. Here is the cool part that I have to pat myself on my back about: I pack all this gear in ThinkTank's Modular Pro modules and the computer goes into the ThinkTank's Artificial Intelligence 17. This has two advantages over standard gear wraps. Where gear wraps may save a few inches of space they do only one thing, protect the gear. But the modules protect the gear and serve as a carry system once I arrive on site. Not only do the modules carry each lens and the body, I also pack the Pro Speed Belt and Pixel Racing Harness. So I arrive ready to shoot even if my checked bags get lost in Dubai.

This last trip to Sumatra, Indonesia was the first time I shot using the modular system. I have to confess, it took a little getting used to, but after an hour or so shooting in 98º heat and the same humidity, I loved it. I am convinced that this system has saved my back and has kept me cooler than any vest could do. I have always liked the feel of vests and found them helpful, but I have yet to find one that was not uncomfortably hot to wear.

On this trip, I used only one body, but took my standard work horse set of lens; 70-200/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 85/1.8 (I love this lens!) and my 17-40/4. I used each of these equally. The first day I shot with just the Pro Speed Belt. But soon found with all the sweating I was doing and the weight of the lens, the belt began to slip down my waste and I found my self always pulling it back up to above my hips where it felt comfortable. But, once I attached the Pixel Racing Harness all was fine. The weight was distributed very comfortably between my hips and my shoulders. I could even loosen up the belt again after having tightened it before. Breathing is enjoyable and the harness allowed me to do it once more.
Here is a little trick I learned on this trip. In high humidity I sweat...a lot. It won't take long before I have sweat burning in my eyes and if I have sunscreen on, it is very painful and can really impede shooting. The Pixel Racing Harness has D rings on the shoulder straps and two little stretchy spandex type pockets. I used one of the small pockets to put my phone/gps in. This assured that the gps got great reception while I was shooting. I wanted this as I was planning to geotag my images from this trip. The D ring came in very handy. I had bought a small MSR microfiber towel for travel in Indonesia. Usually I take a keffiyeh, a middle eastern scarf along and throw it over my neck. It doubles as a rag to wipe the sweat and as a “do-rag” to protect from the sun. But at times it gets in the way. On this trip I took the microfiber towel and clipped it to the D ring on the harness and then stuffed the remainder of the towel in the module designed for a water bottle. It worked perfectly. This is a small thing, but really helpful, as the towel is very absorbent and stuffing it into the water bottle module kept it out of the way while I was shooting and with it being microfiber, at night I would wash it out and it would be dry by morning.

The way I had the belt configured was with four modules. On the left was the water bottle module called R U Thirsty? and the Lens Changer 75 for my 70-200. On the right I had the Lens Changer 50: For my 24-70 with hood attached and the Lens Drop In. One aspect I was not thrilled with, but it was only a minor irritant, was that once I put the harness on, the back of the belt became wasted space. I am not flexible enough to twist around and reach and use any module on the small of my back and with the harness on I could not spin the belt around to the front like I could before. So this left me with only four modules and one of those I was using to store my towel. And when it came time to change lenses, I felt like I needed an extra hand. I would liked to have had one more module as a place to put the lens I was removing in order to free up my hands to grab the other lens as needed. Maybe not an issue for others, but for me it was an irritant for sure. Having just looked at ThinkTanks website, I think they may have resolved this issue with their new Belly Dancer harness. This looks complicated but efficient. It is nothing more than a harness attached backwards (see image) thus giving you more space in the front where the buckle once was. Brilliant! Also they have a new set of modules they call their Skin Set, lighter weight and no padding. It remains to be seen if they will work as a way to pack the lens in my carryon.

Over all I was very happy with the ThinkTank Pro Modular system. It functioned well, saved my back and kept me from overheating. The only downside was that once I attached the harness, I lost some usable space on the belt. But this seems to be resolved in the new system using the Belly Dancer harness

In closing this review, I want to thank Brian and the folks at ThinkTank for their participation in this year's Lumen Dei Workshop in India.

How I pack the The North Face Doubletrack 21" :

ThinkTank's Artificial Intelligence 17; 17” MacBook Pro
ThinkTank's Lens Changer 75; 70-200/2.8
ThinkTank's Lens Changer 50; 24-70/2.8
ThinkTank's Speed Changer; 5D Body
ThinkTank's Lens Changer 25; 17-40/4
ThinkTank's Lens Drop In; 85/1.8
LowePro Cable bag
ThinkTank's Pixel Racing Harness
ThinkTank's Speed Belt
Compartment for a change of clothing
The North Face Doubletrack Zip off Daypack
The North Face Doubletrack 21” Carryon
ThinkTank's Pixel Pocket Rocket -Flash Card Storage
ThinkTank's Bum Bag; Sony Noise Canceling Headphones

Ami Vitale's Kolkata's Rickshaws

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:56:00 +0000

One of my favorite photographers is Ami Vitale. We met in a small shop in Delhi. I did not know who she was at the time and wondered what this petite American girl was doing in Delhi at an out of the way Anything Mac store. Later when I wrote her about her website, she made the connection. What a missed opportunity on my part. Ami is a rising star in photojournalism today. She has the eye and the guts. If you haven't visited her website you are missing some great stuff. Be sure and check out the images of Kashmir while you are there. You can also vist her PhotoShelter site HERE. In this National Geographic photo essay on Kolkata's Rickshaws she again grabs your attention and draws you in to this fascinating world. In this video she uses a creative technique of snapping off 8 to 10 shot in continuous mode and then segments them together for a video like feel.

April Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:44:00 +0000

(Silly me, I forgot to give you the location of this shot. This is taken on the edge of Dal lake in Srinagar, Kashmir. Right in front of my favorite coffee shot "The Ice Fern" see the map below.)

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I know, I know you are amazed! Not at the image, but that it is actually on time for once. I have not posted in a while as I have been traveling for business, not photographic business however, so no new images to post.

The Lumen Day One Day that David Duchemin and I will be leading in Temple, TX is happening this Saturday. I am excited, and to be frank somewhat nervous doing this in my back yard. David is flying in early and I am looking forward to hanging with him and showing him some of our Central Texas culture. What would that be...any suggestions? Clem Mikeska's Bar-B-Q?

In other news, the Brandons will be moving to Malaysia in June. So my time in the USA is counting down. We arrive on June 25th! Long story, but suffice it to say, I can do everything I was going to do in England from Malaysia. So why not?!

Lightroom 2.0 BETA-and the verdict? SWEET!

Matt Brandon — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:05:00 +0000

By now if you are an Adobe Lightroom user you've heard about the 2.0 Beta release. If you have not downloaded it yet, what are you waiting for - download it now at Adobe Labs! This is too much fun to pass up. If you are a 1.0 user then the beta will last you till Aug. 31st. If you are not you can still download it, but it will only last you 30 days. I don't need to do into a lot of detail as everyone else is doing it for me. Here are just a few of the blogs touting the vertures of this new release:

NAPP's Lightroom 2 Learning Center.
Adobe's Terry White video podcast.
c/net News.com
Photoshop Product Manager John Nack’s Adobe blog.

Lumen Dei One Day - A Success

Matt Brandon — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:18:00 +0000

David Duchemin and his friend.

David introducing his "exposure triangle."

The Lumen Dei One Day is over and it went very well. No, it went great and I gotta tell you, I had a blast. For one thing, I really enjoy hanging with David Duchemin. It is scary how much we think a like. My wife thinks we are our own best fans, a mutual admiration society. David is one of the best instructors I have sat with. He made the class light and informative. It is always fun to teach with him. I manage to stumble through my part. We had 26 participants all with varying degrees of expertise. We had a wide range of photographers, from amateur to advanced, and that presented some unique challenges, but we had a great time. I also want to thank PDI for their help in providing the facilities and pushing the workshop to their employees. The reviews seem to be very positive. Many stated, "It was the best $99 they ever spent." Now, to figure out how to do this from Malaysia.

Matt Powell - Humanitarian Photographer

Matt Brandon — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:24:00 +0000

Last week when David Duchemin was visiting me, he asked if I had ever heard of Matt Powell. I chuckled and said, I had been writing him, but hadn't heard from him in a while. Then today, I get an email from Matt. Seems he has been in Darfur, Sudan shooting images. Check out his blog Picturing Sudan. If you want to see some great images from around the world, check out his galleries in his portfolio. Matt shoots for Samaritan's Purse, a Christian humanitarian relief organization. So stop what you are doing, and click the links above and check him out. Great stuff!

FreeBee Wallpaper-What are you looking at?

Matt Brandon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:55:00 +0000

In our workshop we asked our participants, "What is your vision?" "Where are you going with your photography?" So I started coming under something akin to a conviction. I had to ask myself, "Can I articulate my vision?" Then, David starts writing a series On Design. He has readers asking the same questions. I have really enjoyed the few lessons so far. Be sure to check it out HERE. My design abilities are, well, to put it nicely, lacking. So to stretch myself, in sort of an exercise, I made this wallpaper. I thought I would try to put down graphically what is spinning in my head. So here is a freebee wallpaper, just for you. Just right click (windows) or Control click (Mac) and choose"set to desktop." Enjoy!

PAI - Partner Aid International Video

Matt Brandon — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:51:00 +0000

I was asked to shoot images of the Earthquake in Kashmir back in 2005, by PAI and the BBC. You may remember that my family and I were in the quake. I had not started the blog back then. But you can see images from the quake in my gallery. Many of these images, though not all, were used by PAI and by the BBC during that time. I am amazed the images used by the BBC are still online. You can find them HERE and HERE. PAI just release an Animoto video using several images of mine. This is it below.

"Your book has seen the light of the day."

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:24:00 +0000

Front

Back

Those were the words in the subject line of the email I received today from my agent in India. Amazing as it seems, if you have been following the saga of "Kashmir, The Mystery", it seems the day has arrived. The book is out! The email went on to say:

"The book is looking nice. The publisher just sent me a copy with a note saying that he is planning a launch and if there would be a possibility of you being available for a release in Delhi in the month of May. The printing quality and the cover is looking good."

Since then, I just heard from the publisher who confirmed a May release. But the good news if you live in India, or you want to pay the extra bucks, is that you can get one now!

"The samples have already been shipped yesterday for the Amazon Listings. However, till then – copies can be picked up (for friends and individuals) at our bookstore – for local as well as International shipping at the following prices.: * Local within India – Rs. 2195/- nett INCLUDING SHIPPING ( Rs. 1895 [book] + Rs. 300 [courier] ) against payment in advance. * International outside India – Rs. 2395/- / US$ 58.95 nett INCLUDING SHIPPING by air mail ( Rs. 1895 [book] + Rs. 500 [courier]) against payment in advance."

BAHRISONS booksellers (Attn : Mr. Singh)
OPP MAIN GATE, KHAN MARKET
NEW DELHI 110003 INDIA
Tel: 00.91.11.2469 4610, 2469 4855
TeleFAX: 00.91.11.24618637, 417 57 113
bahrisons@eth.net ; bahrisons@vsnl.com

* Note: Just got this from a friend over SKYPE,

"We just bought your book at Kahn Market, Bari and Sons...it is excellent....but is Catchlight different than this one?"

The answer is; yes. These images are much older than those in Catchlight and very different. Catchlight is a book of portraits of the people of North India, specifically - Delhi and Kashmir. Kashmir, The Mystery, is about Kashmir the culture, and has a lot of well-written text, by author Maryam Reshi, a well know food critic in India. The book is not self published and will be available on Amazon.com.

In Love In Austin

Matt Brandon — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:19:00 +0000

Shooting engagement photos are a little out of the box for me. Not that I can't or that I won't. It's just I don't do that type of photography normally. However, if there is a type of - how shall we say it, "domestic photography" that fits my shooting, it would have to be engagements and senior portraits. I really had a blast shooting these. I have known Sara's mom for many years. I knew Sara when she was a young girl but we went off to India and she grew up!

We shot these Saturday evening in Austin. Then went out for some great Mexican food. Checkout another ten images HERE.

Mitchell Kanashkevich & Pop Photo

Matt Brandon — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Kutch Diamond © Mitchell Kanashkevich

While waiting for my wife to finish shopping at our local grocery store, I was browsing the photo magazines, all two of them. (Hey, it's a small town in the middle of Texas, I am glad we have photo magazines at all!) Anyway, as I was flipping through the pages of Popular Photography, my eye caught this great shot of a young Indian girl with amazing eyes. I bought this issue, not so much for the photo, but for the article on flash photography. When I got it home I put it in the room with the "magazine rack" to be read later, if you know what I mean. So, this morning I was flipping through the magazine and got to that image of the little Indian girl. As I read the caption I realized it was from an "old colleague" so to speak, Mitchell Kanashkevich. He has been shooting India for a few years and posting on TPN as well as other places. This guy has quite an eye. I have had him linked on the sidebar for as long as I have had the blog. If you haven't checked out his work, do it now. Congratulations Mitch on 2nd place in Popular Photography's May contest.

13 Photographs That Changed the World. - Maybe.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:17:00 +0000

"Murder of a Vietcong by Saigon Police Chief" by Eddie Adams.

Check out the 13 images that a writer at neat-o-rama concludes are the 13 images that changed the world. I am not sure I agree with the list, but it is a fascinating group of images to look over. As stirring as the "Murder of a Vietcong by Saigon Police Chief" was, did it play anymore a role in ending the war than the moving image of Phan Thị Kim Phúc , the Vietnamese girl who is seen running down the road after a napalm attack by US troops? Hard to say. It is all subjective. Both images have amazing stories behind them. Take a look at the list.

In other news. The Lumen Dei tour and workshop is fast becoming full. If you have been thinking about going and find yourself sitting on the fence deciding whether or not to spend the money, now is the time to act. We have one space left. As they say on TV, "Don't wait! Act now!"

Ziv Koren - More Than 1000 Words

Matt Brandon — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:35:00 +0000

Ziv Koren is an Israeli photojournalist that lives in the mist of conflict on a daily basis. I have always had something of a fascination with war photography. Being married and with a young daughter, I am not sure I could do it, but I have the utmost respect for photographers like James Nachtwey, Robert Capa , Ziv Koren and others. Ziv brings amazing imagery to his coverage of the Middle East conflict. If you have any interest in this kind of photography at all, you will find this short video moving. Be sure to check out his website and book. The video linked below are of Ziv working in the conflict areas as things unfold and the second is a great look at religion in the Middle East. Be sure to view both.

Lightstalker.org - A Photojournalist Aide

Matt Brandon — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:35:00 +0000

Others of you may already know about Lightstalkers.org. Lightstalkers is a network for journalists, especially photographers and other media types that find themselves constantly traveling, dealing with visas, gear issues and all the other frustrations our folks in our line of work face. It is a great experiment working towards networking photojournalists directly with one another. It is a free site and open for anyone who shares this lifestyle. There are some great resource links such as posting of assignments and opportunities, events and workshops relating to travel and photojournalism around the world, gear for sale, tech support for everything from Lightroom to negative scanners, even housing around the world. But the most interesting and most helpful has to be the travel link where you will find photographers asking questions about, "best way to embed with US troops in Iraq " or the easiest way to get into North Korea. The site comes with other perks like a Slideshow Pro gallery of up to 50 images. What it isn't, is a place to be discovered. There are way too many photographers on it and you will be just another one of many. But I do think it could prove useful for planning that next adventure or remote shoot.

Welcome Think Tank Photo

Matt Brandon — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:21:00 +0000

This is a difficult blog post for me in one way and, yet, in another way I write it with excitement. Lowepro has been my flagship sponsor now for about three years. They have come to my aide on several occasions. Like when I got stuck in the US after the British Airport Authority changed their carry on regulations. Lowepro sent me an Omi Trekker that met the new standards. I have nothing bad to say about this great bag company, they truly set the industry standard for years. However, I find myself using Think Tank Photo products more and more. Obviously, I travel a lot and Think Tank gear seems to meet this niche better than Lowepro does at this point. Think Tank is a smaller company that is growing in reputation and market share. So, it is with mixed emotions that I bid a fond farewell to Lowepro and that I announce my newest sponsor, Think Tank Photo. Please check out their web site and all their great gear HERE.

May's Wallpaper - Lumen Dei

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:43:00 +0000

Here is May's wallpaper. It is a little different. A bit of a plug for Lumen Dei. Which, by the way, starts in 136 days. (note: We still have ~~two~~* one space open.) This image is of men waiting for a meal in a welfare line. I love the intense look that the man in the middle is giving me. This image was taken on last year's Lumen Dei workshop while walking with the students through Old Delhi. Click the image above and a full-sized (1680×1160 yes, it is huge.) image will open in a new window. Right click it or ctr click (Mac) it should give you the option to save it and make it a desktop wallpaper. Enjoy.
* since I published this just 2 hrs ago another space filled.

MPIX - Online Photo Printshop

Matt Brandon — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:38:00 +0000

A 1600x2000 px MPIX print.

Today I got my first MPIX order back. I ordered a 16x20 metallic print. All I can say is, "Why did I wait so long to use MPIX!" Scott Kelby and the rest of the crew at Kelby Training have been touting these guys for months. So I decided try them out. The first thing I had to do was take their little reminder course on digital imaging. If you go to the help menu at MPIX.com you will see a link for "Tips for great images ".

"Digital Cameras measure their resolution in pixels. These pixels are NOT measured per inch, but are a total count of how many pixels were used to capture the entire image. If you take a digital photo at 1600x1200 pixels, the total pixel count of the captured image will be 1,920,000 pixels. Whether you print this 1600x1200 image as a 8”x10” photo or an 16”x20” photo, it will still have 1,920,000 pixels."

OK - so I don't need to worry about the dimensions in inches. How odd is that? So for a 16X20 inch print I needed a resolution in pixels at 1600x2000. But when I looked at the resolution in inches in Photoshop it was only 8X6.4 inch! It was a little unnerving to send the image in for a 16X20 inch print knowing it was only measuring 8X6.4 inchs. But the image printed beautifully. And on top of that, the DPI resolution was only 250!

One last thought about the print, if you have never printed any of your images on metallic paper you are missing out. Please do yourself a favor give these guys a try, but order a metallic print. It is almost iridescent; the image seems to glow. I'm not sure how this will work on portraits but it was great on the print above.

Inspiration Overload

Matt Brandon — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:02:00 +0000

Alexandra Boulat
© Jerome Delay-AP

This is old news but perhaps some new inspiration for you. In fact, I promise, if you click every link below you will have inspiration overload. Alexandra Boulat was an amazing young photographer who passed away back in October 2007. She shot for Time as well as many other top name news agencies. She was the daughter of Life magazine photographer Pierre Boulat. Alexandra Boulat was only 45 years old when she died of a ruptured brain aneurysm. For such a young lady she packed her life to the hilt. She co-founded VII Photo Agency, a sort of 21st century version of Magnum Photo. VII was a virtual "Who's Who" of members, Ron Haviv, Gary Knight, Antonin Kratochvil, Christopher Morris, James Nachtwey, John Stanmeyer and Lauren Greenfield. Be sure to click each link, as some will take you to their websites and others to articles about them. Sometime ago, Time did a tribute to Boulat. A must see is her multimedia series of images titled Capturing Gaza's Hell as she speaks about her time in Gaza and about her images.

Over the past few days, I have run across some amazing flash videos. Scott Kelby listed a "must see" on his blog late last week. It is an amazing one done by the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Check it out HERE. Then click the link to "Enter Maximum Vegas." This link will grab you visually. Then, yesterday David Duchemin listed this new Adobe card trick HERE. It is visual fantasy reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. As you pull it along and it seems to be built in segments. It's hard to explain, just go visit it. Oh, and congratulations to David for his new sponsor, Adobe.

On more bit of personal news. By now you probably know I am moving to Malaysia in June. I just got the "official" word today that my daughter has been accepted to a very fine school in Penang, Malaysia, Dalat International School. It is a school with a rich academic history and we are excited that she is able to attend.

Out of Town Tuesday

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:33:00 +0000

After a day of crazy traveling I am finding a few minutes to post. This week I am away from home and in meetings so posting might not happen. Though I am working on a series of post or perhaps and article, on how photographers deals with new and different cultures in their travel.

In the meantime; check out David Duchemin over at Photoshop TV and as always his blog. Also an interesting blog entry on making money with Micro Stock photography over at the Digital Photography School.

Oh - one more thing, don't be like me this week and go out and shoot!

Not Magic, Just CS3 Auto Align.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:22:00 +0000

This afternoon, I did a photoshoot of a friend's two little girls. As often when photographing children, they were wiggly. So I have one ok shot of the two girls in the grass (fig 1) and one not so good (fig 2). But if I could combine them, I would have a winner. Enter, CS3's Auto Align. Using Auto Align, I opened the two images and dragged one of them onto the other. Then I highlighted both layers and ran CS3's auto align command (fig 3). Once it aligned them, I simply made a layer mask on the top image and erased the unwanted part of the upper image in by painting black on it's layer mask (fig 4) and then we have a great image that the parents can me proud of (See above, click for larger view). Better to shoot it right the first time, but when it just doesn't work out that way, auto align just might help.

fig 1

fig 2

fig 3

fig 4

Wednesday's Stuff

Matt Brandon — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:28:00 +0000

Think Tank Photo was kind enough to post a short vignette on me. You can find it HERE. A blog I read a lot The Travel Photographer featured a link to what amounts to an Epson commercial for their paper. But all commercials should be so informative. They feature a photographer that I talk about here a lot James Nachtway. Check out the Epson spot HERE.

Lastly, the premier photo contest for travel photographers "Travel Photographer of the Year Awards" is calling for entries. Haven't decided if I am going to enter this year. The entry fee for each portfolio category is £15 ($30). The entry fee for One Shot and First Shot is £10 ($20) per category, and Young TPOTY is free to enter.

Life is getting increasingly complicated as we pack and get ready for our move to Malaysia. I can't promise to post as frequently as I have been. But I will try. I'll try give you a update once in a while of the progress in our move.

$10 off Blurb Purchase.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:22:00 +0000

If you are interested in purchasing my book, Catchlight. Now is the time. Blur, the printer of the book, is offering $10 off every purchase of $24.95 or more. Catchlight was $43.95 but now you can buy it for $33.95. Grab it while you can. Just enter the Promotion Code*: imagewrap-XGMGW4

* To qualify for $10 off a purchase of $24.95 or more, you must enter the promotion code in the shopping cart at time of purchase and complete your purchase in USD. Offer is good for $10 off one book made by you. Offer expires 11:59 PM PST June 20, 2008. Limit one-time use per promotion code.

American Airlines Charges for Bags

Matt Brandon — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:27:00 +0000

You know I am not a fan of many Western airlines. I am a 1K "elite" traveler with United and have found sticking with one airlines to be the most beneficial in the long run. But The airlines industry continues to cut staff and services and now American will begin to start charging you $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second! I am not opposed to private industry. But this just sounds like bad business to me They also increased fees for reservations and oversize bags and cutting jobs. All while management are getting bonuses. Hmm, sound odd. Oh, and by the way, American is encouraging other airlines to follow suit. Let's hope they don't.

(By the way, there have been no photos or graphic published this week with the blog entiers because Blogger is having issues with uploading images. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.)

Joe McNalley & Packing

Matt Brandon — Mon, 26 May 2008 10:34:00 +0000

It is 5:30 am and I can't sleep. So I got up to check my email and I saw a blog post from "The Strobist." Hobby linked a YouTube video of Joe McNally speaking at Google's headquarters a few weeks back. This is really good stuff. McNally is real. Not many pros will show you their bad images and their screw ups. He is a down to earth photographer that connects with most of us. Like Chase Jarvis, you feel Joe wants us to succeed. He does everything he can to help us make it, so if we bomb at this work it is not because we were not told the "secrets."

Buddy, David DuChemin also has a "how to make it as a Pro" blog running today, check it out HERE.

In packing news, things are going well. Some good news, I just found out that because my daughter and wife are both United Premier Executives and I am 1K we each get 3 bags at 70lbs! This is a huge help in moving out to Malaysia. Instead of going out and buying new suit cases we bought some inexpensive footlocker type storage boxes from a local sporting goods store. Made by Contico, these boxes are tough ABS like plastic and should take the abuse of the baggage handlers well. Then later, we can use them as storage for items in Malaysia.

Ante Up! Airlines want your Money.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:27:00 +0000

With my recent about American Airlines charging $15 for the first bag. I thought this might resonate with some of my readers.

Happy birthday to me.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:24:00 +0000

Photos by David duChemim

Today is my birthday. I am 50 ~~ a half a century old. HOLY COW!! I don't feel fifty. I don't feel twenty-five either, but I certainly don't feel fifty. I think I am growing old gracefully. . . at least I am not kicking and screaming. If truth be known, if I was to kick I might hurt my back. Most people who don't know how old I am, think I am in my early forties. I don't think they are being just polite. I think it takes staying a least a few years younger at heart to do what I do. To have a healthy vibrant relationship with my 11 year old daughter. That is hard physical work. To move the whole family to a foreign country and a city we have never even set foot in before -- that takes youthful insanity. To have a new and growing career in travel photography is enough to keep your heart pumping. I like my life right now. I have a great family. I am married to a great lady who is supportive in so many ways. She believes in my work and in me personally. My daughter is smart and respectful, well at least for now. She is not yet a teenager. I'll check back in on this post five years from now. I have great friends and am still making new friends all the time. I have friends that have been with me for many years and new friends that will be with me for many years to come. I have friends that are not afraid to lay things out the way they are and not pull punches. I have photographer friends and co-workers who will tell me when a image is crap.

Do I have any regrets over the past 50 years? Nothing I think I have any control over. God is sovereign and I rest in that. This is not kismet. That is different. There is a control in my life that I cannot live without. This is not a forum to be preachy, but the fact is, my faith is of utmost importance to me. I cannot continue on for another day, let alone another 50 without knowing God is in control.

So, it has been a great fifty years. I miss my dad who passed away on April 3rd back in 1996. I think he would have been proud of me and my images, in fact I know he would have. But I have no regrets.

Now, you go out and have a great day, on my birthday.

June's Wallpaper and 80 Thanks

Matt Brandon — Fri, 30 May 2008 04:58:00 +0000

Yesterday was great! I had a wonderful surprise party for my 50th birthday. How my wife pulled it off is beyond me. She and two good friends of ours, Julie Mahler and Patty Lynn Weber all got together and schemed. Somehow they managed to get around 80 of my friends to show up at Schoepf's Old Time Bar-B-Que in Belton, TX. Heck, they even had a local radio station there to interview me! No kidding. Now, to be honest, I think the station is there every thursday evening broadcasting live, but they did interview me. My mother even sent a DVD of images of me through out my 50 years. That, I could have done without. She did however send me a copy of The Moment it Clicks, by everyones favorite photographer Joe McNally. So all in all it was a great day. Thanks to all who skyped and emailed me with birthday wishes.

Click the image above and a full-sized image will open in a new window. Right click it or ctr click (Mac) it should give you the option to save it and make it a desktop wallpaper. I shot this with David Duchemin while I was showing him around Nizamudeen. It was his first trip to this fantastic market. I had just taken a header into a mud puddle. The whole day was pretty much like that except for this image.

Penang - A Culinary Paradise

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:35:00 +0000

I was browsing around the net (waking up too early yet again) looking for anything on Penang. I found this video on food. Apparently Penang is a culinary hot spot! In fact this was only one of dozens of videos on the topic of Penang food. Goody for me! I will eat just about anything, but I love spicy and exotic food. Check out this video.

Here are four images from the Lonely Planet photo gallery of Penang. When I see images like these I get excite about the move and the photo ops. Check them out HERE.

My daughter did her tap dance recital last week. One of the dances was "Singing In The Rain". You gotta love the colors.

Fingerlings

Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:53:00 +0000

Finally Blogger fixed the upload issue

I had the pleasure to shoot some family pics of the Fish family, in the water. Where else would you take pictures of fish? These are good friends of mine and I hope they like them. Here are samples of their fingerling's.

A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:05:00 +0000

The new book out by Annie Griffiths Belt is about her life as a Nat Geo photographer and her 20 years of marriage and 18 years of parenting. It is titled "A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel." $23 at Amazon.com. This I have to read. My main gripe about National Geographic is that so many of the photographers I read about have lousy marriages and families. This is a breath of fresh air. Check it out HERE.

Checking In

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:53:00 +0000

We leave tomorrow to start our journey to Malaysia. We spend two weeks in California then on to Penang.
The only big news that interests me is the new iPhone G3. Now if Apple with only release an Asian version! Aye Ya!

Where is the 5D MkII anyway?

Stay tuned...

United follows American

Matt Brandon — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:58:00 +0000

Well, it's a sad day. It looks like all the airlines will be following American and begin charging for every checked bag. I just opened an email fron United and here are the first few lines:

Dear Mr. Matthew Brandon,

We want you to be among the first to know about changes to our checked baggage policy and revised fees for excess, oversized and overweight baggage and special items. Today, we are announcing that for tickets issued on or after June 13, 2008 for travel on or after August 18, 2008, a $15 service fee will apply to check one bag for United Economy® travel within the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. As previously announced, a $25 service fee will apply to check a second bag.

It email goes on to tell me that as a 1K traveler I am exempt from this new rule. Never the less, it frustrates me that now to travel by air you have to pay for your luggage to accompany you.

I am in the Bay area for two weeks. Then on to Malaysia.

The Bay Area Visit.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:14:00 +0000

Not sure why they call Wallnut Hills and Concord the "Bay Area", I feel like I am so far removed from the bay. I asked my sister-in-law just how long does it take to get to San Fransisco from her house. An hour. That's as long as it take to get to Austin from Temple and we don't call Temple The Austin area or even a suburb of Austin.

I am speaking Sunday at some church in San Fransisco. Not sure how that happened and what qualifies me to speak. Except that Sunday is Fathers Day and I am a Father.

Of course by now if you are a avid reader of this blog (why would you be an avid reader f this blog?) you know my wife is Filipino. When we come to the Bay area it is like visiting the Philippine; a lot of Tagalog and a whole lot of eats - Adobo, longganisa, pancit, lumpia and my favorite tocino. Tocino is amazing, it is sweet and sticky bacon of sorts. We have it for breakfast; tocino, fried rice and egg ("tocino, sinangag at itlog" in Tagalog).

I was playing around with CS3 and redoing some old panos I shot years back. CS3 is noted for it's amazing ability to handle panorama shots. Even some really messed up ones. I have to confess I was really amazed. The shot below was very difficult to pull off in CS2. In fact I never really did get it to where it was viewable. But with CS3 this shot doesn't look so bad. If you haven't done a pano and you own CS3, get out and try it - you will be a convert to this type of shooting. This image was six separate images stitched together by Photoshop CS3 using the "Auto Align" feature. Click on it to view the larger version.

My try at a Video Blog #1

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:41:00 +0000

This is a very strange feeling to do a video blog entry. It is hard enough to hear yourself, but to watch yourself, blech!

Vlog Review

Matt Brandon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:37:00 +0000

Here is some links to the product reviewed:

Find the Keen Newport H2 on sale at REI for $90.00 HERE.

You can find the Keen La Jolla on sale for only $59.95 HERE.

Find the Freeplay USB travel charger HERE for $12.00.

India's Fuji Super Six 2009

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:26:00 +0000

Check out the Fuji Super Six HERE. For a look at the Fuji Super Six 2008 photographers visit HERE.

A day at the Golden Gate.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:13:00 +0000

Yesterday was the first time I had a chance to shoot since I have been in the bay area. We made a day of it with the family at the Golden Gate bridge. Click HERE to see the images in higher resolution and HERE to see the Panorama of the Golden Gate bridge. This was eight photos stitched together. I have never seen SFO so clear as it was this day, it was also very hot, 96º.

On The Road

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:54:00 +0000

I will update this entry as we go throughout the trip - if I can.

SFO: 5:48 am

Just found out that United for a limited time s offering all Red Carpet members 24 hrs free Wifi. This is if you are a Red Carpet member, traveling Business or First or international. Apparently it is good all over the US at least.

Our check in was at 3:30 am today, it is now 5:49 am and it all went pretty painless considering we ended up traveling with 10 bags!! We only had to pay for one extra bag. In theory we had them checked all the way through to Penang. Lets see.

The Red Carpet Club in SFO.

Monterey 7:10 am

We were the only people on our small aircraft. Never had that happen before. Everyone seems surprised we are flying to LAX via Monterey. I think it is because it was the only routing that United had we could uses the rewards miles we are flying on. Just heard on the lobby TV that George Carlin died.

Alou & Jess in our "private" Embraer 190

LAX 10:40 am

We arrived into LAX to be greeted with many delays and cancellations. It doesn't seem to effect us. Apparently there is bad weather on the East coast. Everyone around us seems to be angry and in a hurry.

We realized into the trip that United did not give us Economy Plus seating on the LAX-HKG-SIN legs. But, after some waiting in a line (a long line) we finally got our Economy Plus seats. So we are happy. Everything else seems to be going well so far.

11:35 am

We will be boarding soon. Just shot this fun image of Jessie on SKYPE with her bff Emma.

HKG 6:46 pm (3:47 am PDT)

Uneventful flight. Arrived with littler or no trouble. We were able to spread out to some degree as the flight was not full. We had some turbulace coming into HKG left over winds from the typhoon from the Philippines. Once we arrived here in Hong Kong they told us there is a typhoon with "3" strength winds now and by tonight it is expected to be a "force 8" winds. Not sure what all that means, but it don't sound good and it sound bumpy!

Singapore 7:25 am

We had an uneventful flight from Hong Kong to Singapore. After arriving we got our boarding passes for the Penang floght. We were confronted with some startling news. Singapore Airline does not consider the Penang flight a code share. So they were going to make us pay for extra liggage and extra wieght! Ouch! This could have proved costly. But after explaining several times that we had checked with United on three differant occations and they assured us that our luggage was fine all the way through to Penang and after talking with a Duty Manager all charges were waved! Thabnk you Jesus! We then we got a room at a hotel in the airport and sleept well. This morning we got up... got to go our flight is leavinng....later

Penang 11:35 am

Made it to Penang. Great weather! Not too hot. Arrived at our hotel the Sri Sayang only to find out that with all the emailing back and forth with them they forgot to tell us one small thing...no check-in till 2 pm! So we are sitting in the lobby grocery store waiting till 2 pm to get our rooms. I must say, this hotel doesn't look to inviting. My wife seems to be having some sort of cold or allergies. We will keep you posted. But all-in-all it was an easy trip.

I will post some more photos after I find my USB connector. I lost it on the flight from HKG, thus no more images.

House Hunting

Matt Brandon — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:09:00 +0000

"Ok - now how do we get all these bags up to our room?!"

The internet here at the hotel is SLOOOOOW. So I am posting this over email to the blog.

The first few days have been great. We happened to meet a Dutch couple Jess and Elisabeth checking out of the hotel that we were checking into. In fact we got their room. As we talked we found out we were in the same situation, they too are looking for a long term residence. They in turn introduced us to an other couple, Ray and Delia, she is Malaysian Chinese and he is an American from Colorado. Ray and Delia have been in Penang since February. Delia has taken time out to show us her neighborhood and many of the homes for rent on this side of the island. She has been a huge help in calling all her friends and asking around for homes for rent, driving us around. We also meet an Indian man who runs a small shot in the place we are staying. He also has made many calls on our behalf. So we are off to a good start.

Jesse, Elisabeth, Ray, Delia, Jessie and Alou

Today we saw "bungalow" (read; house rather than a duplex or an apartment) set just off the beach. It is within 5 minutes of Jessie's school by car, so it is very close. It has AC, many places do not, it has built in closets in each room, many places do not, it has a laundry room with a washing machine and the kitchen has a refrigerator, gas stove and an electric over as well as many more cupboards. Now if I can just get the owners to comedown in price to meet my budget. Apparently it is owned by a multinational firm and has been empty since january, so if they want to rent it we are very willing to accommodate them.

The side of the "bungalow" with the sea in the back.

The Kitchen in the "bungalow"

Jet-lag has officially set in. The experts say drink plenty of water and stay out in the sun as much as possible. So we will see if they are right. As I write this, I have been up for about an hour already and it is now 4:30 am. Yawn!

Wallpaper for July.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:33:00 +0000

Well, I had high hopes at getting you a wallpaper from Penang for your desktop. But I have been way too busy setting up home, ... a better way of putting it, trying to find a home. Today I met with a friend here in the city, he let me use his scooter for the next few weeks. But the catch was I needed to drive out to his house to get it. His house was on the southern part of the island. No problem, except I have no clue how to get around here yet. So I took my trusty GPS cell phone and once I got the scooter I mounted it on the speedometer. That was fine till about halfway home when it vibrated off and fell with the phone onto the highway. Not one of my better ideas. Live and learn. I was able to pullover run back and pick up the phone before any car or bike ran over it. Lucky for me. As I said, not one of my better ideas.

I will post this image for you from my journey. It was taken last week in at Pier 39 in San Francisco. If I get another more appropriate (read; Penang-ish) image I will post it for you. Just right clicking and save it and make it a desktop wallpaper. Enjoy.

G9

Matt Brandon — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:42:00 +0000

Just a real quick post of a couple of shots with my G9 and to update you on things. We move out of the noisy room and now we have a room without AC and ants. Life is great. We think we got the house by the see, we will know tomorrow. Hotel life is getting really old!

Parasailing outside our hotel.

Jessie on the city bus as we go off looking for houses.

A backwards look into the city bus.

Got a Home!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:25:00 +0000

Well, we got a house today. It is the "mirror" version of the bungalow we were looking at earlier this week. In other words, the same house only flipped. Confused? Me too. So here are some images. We move in a week from Friday.

Click on this pano to see the full kitchen.

The FujiSuper Six Selected

Matt Brandon — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:35:00 +0000

Saturday I received this email from Atin Sharma, of Jindal Photo Limited. Jindal Photo represents Fijifilm in India.

Dear Mr.Brandon,

It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that you have
been selected as one of our Fujifilm Supersix Photographer for the year 2009.
The other shortlisted photographers are Mr.Balan Madhwan, Mr.Somesh
Goyal, Mr.Mahesh Nair, Mr.Prabir Purkayastha and Mr.Soumitra Dutta.

Welcome on board.

Thanks & Regards
Atin Sharma
Asst.Manager (PR & Advertising)
Jindal Photo Limited

So, 8 images will be selected from the 20 I sent them, all landscapes, and they will tour Indian and two will go on a Fujifilm calendar for 2009.

A Day of Shooting

Matt Brandon — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:23:00 +0000

Yesterday (MY time), I had the change to finally get out and shoot. To be real honest, I was a bit disappointed. Maybe with myself, maybe with the area I shot, I am not quite sure which. The day before Alou and I were in George Town (Is this city spelled with one word or two, I see it every way?) looking for furniture for the house. I kept seeing great images. So, yesterday afternoon I grabbed my camera and took Jessie out and we went to take some pictures. Out of the handful of people I try to take a snap of, most asked me not to, very suppressing. I will say this, they all were Chinese. So maybe this makes a difference. Mr. Goh and Mr. Tan could not understand why people cared and were eager to have their photo's taken. So HERE are a few images from the first day of real shooting in Penang.

By the way, if anyone knows how to embed a slimbox gallery like the one I used here, into a blog please email me and let me know how to do it. But until then, if you want to view the photos from yesterday click the image above and travel to the gallery.

In The News

Matt Brandon — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:34:00 +0000

I am sorry it has been so long in posting. I have been up to my gills in setting up house, getting insurance and finding transportation. I should have a phone line with in 7 days with significant internet speed, or so they tell me. It had better be for price I am paying. I am looking forward to meeting with Grungeman with week. We are going out for some Teh Tarek and shoot some photos together. I am in the news this week so I thought I would do a little honking of my own horn today. Check out an interview done with me by a new website on India and travel called duniyagolhai.com (the world is round). Here is a short excerpt:

2. How in your opinion traveling influences the art of photography? MB:I think traveling has had a significant influence in photography over the past 10 to 15 years. The fact that people can travel more, longer and further is a huge factor. People are going places today that were once thought only accessible by National Geographic Photographers or highly funded adventurists. It used to be that a unique image was good enough, now very little is unique so an image has to be exceptional. It needs to tell a story, communicate the vision of the photographer.There are a lot fewer barriers today for a traveling photographer than 15 years ago.Almost everyone has a digital camera and a photo lab in their computer. All these things have had a huge impact on photography today.... 3. Your documentation of Kashmir is unique in capturing the soul of the place rather than the oft-reported violence. What motivated you to present the humane side of the place? MB:There are so many photographers covering the conflict in Kashmir and doing a much better job than I could. I look at the work of Ami Vitale and am moved to tears. Her work is amazing, so why should I cover what is already being done so exceptionally well? I have always felt I wanted to show a compassionate side of the Kashmiri and Gujjar people. I am from the US and over the past few years since 911, many people in the West have developed a negative view of Muslims.....

Visit the link HERE to read the whole of the interview. I received word that the fine people at the Indian Himalayan Club published a book review on my book "Kashmir, the Mystery". Below is an excerpt from the review.

Kãshmir: The Mystery, published by Tara Press, New Delhi, with photographs by Matt Brandon and text by Marryam H. Reshii, is a fabulous and insightful collection of photographs that brings out the beauty and ethos of Kashmir in its entirety. The photographer's intimate connection with the land and its inhabitants, both human and animal, is very obvious from the type and quality of photographs, and Marryam Reshii's authoritative text complements the photographs and provides a window into Kashmiriyat---the Kashmiri culture and society. Concentrating on the Kashmir Valley only, making it unique, this splendid book fills a big lacuna in the set of existing books on Kashmir.

For the full review go HERE and look for the Himalayan Club e-letter, vol. 13, July 2008.

A couple of Shots

Matt Brandon — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Last week I was able to get out with "Grungemann" AKA Hariman, his real name. He wasn't feeling the best so we just jumped on my scooter and went about a half mile up the road at mid day (Not a great time to shoot landscapes!) and shot a few snaps of the local life.

Floating Mosque, Tanjung Bungah, Penang Island, Malaysia

My buddy, Hariman.

A local fisherman.

Vista Print vs Overnight Prints

Matt Brandon — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:17:00 +0000

I made a great investment just before leaving the USA. I bought 500 business cards with a whole new look and my contact info for Penang. I had a buddy in Penang buy a sim chip for my phone so I could get a cell number before I left the States. In this way, I was able to have the number for my business cards. While David Duchemin was visiting me in Texas, I managed to get the guy to design a new card for me (thanks David!). I used two different printers to make the cards; Vista Print and Overnight Prints. Both are very good quality. Vista was cheaper, but not by much. Overnight Prints offered something that most printers charge an arm and a leg for: rounded corners. The rounded corners make a huge difference in the over all look of the card. It sets it apart from other cards and that is what you want on a crowded desk top. These companies give you all kinds of discounts and deals, so just get on thier mailing list and be ready for a flood of mail, but some great deals.

Here was the cost breakdown:

Overnight Prints:
250 double sided business cards
Rounded corners.
Side 1 is Glossy Finish.
Side 2 is not.
Item Cost : $34.95
Shipping :$14.77 (UPS 30-Day Select)
Discount : ($10.00) I found a coupon on the net somewhere.
Total price : $39.72

Vista Print:
250 double sided business cards
Item Cost : $7.99
Color Back Side $6.49
Glossy Finish $4.99
Total $19.47
Product Total Before Discounts: $42.97
Product Total After Discounts: $19.47
Shipping & Processing (Slow 21 Days): $5.72
Total: $25.19

AIPO Dry Box

Matt Brandon — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:24:00 +0000

I am now officially back online. After a lot of blood sweat and even some tears, we have internet in our home (and thus my office). So, I hope to get back up to speed and be a little more regular in blogging again. Please forgive the decreased number of entries. It has been many days of trips to Starbucks just to check email. Our new setup should prove a little more convenient.

A few people have emailed me in the past about how to take care of your photo gear in a wet, damp tropical region. Until now, I had no real answer as it was not a real concern of mine. When you travel and shoot for two weeks in Indonesia it isn't really a big deal. You stay in hotels that are air conditioned and thus dry. But living in Penang, the weather is warm and very humid (around 85% today) and no one lives with the AC on all the time. Not sure why, it must be too costly, so we don't do it either. So what to do now about a lot of costly camera gear in a place that is a mildew nightmare? Enter AIPO Dry Boxes. (no website for these folks. Go figure!)

AIPO Dry Box AP-68EX

This is a Taiwanese company that, until last week, I had never heard of. I dropped into my friendly local camera shop "Click n Snap" and asked them the same question I just asked you. Salesman Matthew Chuah pulls out a Dry Box. It is a really slick looking cabinet, all black enameled and glass. It is basically a thermidor for your camera and electronic equipment. Quite frankly, it is a pretty simple box in one way but rather complicated in another. So rather than sit here and try to write all the theory on how it manages temperature and humidity, I will pass on a nice review I found that does a much better job at explaining how this little black box works. You can access the sales description/review HERE. at Sha Shin Ki I took home the AIPO Dry Box AP-68EX. It is 15"X15" square and 20" tall. I bought mine for around $200 USD. The space is tight and I probably should have gotten a larger one, but they would have had to order it and that could have taken weeks. So to save on cost, I got the largest they had and it all fits in fine. In fact I have room for the new 5D that Canon may never release, sigh. It has two removable and adjustable shelves and thus gives you three areas to stack your equipment. I have my 5D body with the battery grip, most of my lenses including my 70- 200 2.8 on the bottom shelf. The in the middle shelf my H4 Zoom digital recorder, my 50mm 1.8, two Pocket Wizards and two flashes. On the top shelf there is not much room left so I have two WD Passport Drives and my Pocket Rocket full of CF cards just to be safe. I keep the relative humidity set at 43. I wish I could tell you where to purchase this in the States but with AC running in every home, I don't think there is a big need. So I hope this is the answer to the humidity problem. I'll let you know.

Doctor of Light: Kah Kit Yoong

Matt Brandon — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:47:00 +0000

Kah Kit Yoong
All photographs copyright Kah Kit Yoong

One of the most amazing landscape photographers to come down the pike in a long while is a friend from the Travel Photographers Network, Kah Kit Yoong. Kah Kit lives in Australia and only started shooting a few years back. The guy wields a Graduated Neutral Density filter like a weapon. He captures more light in an image that is humanly possible. Not only is he a great, and I am not using that term lightly, landscape photographer he is also pretty good at getting is name out on the net. Try Googling his name, the guy gets around! Anyway back to his photography. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he has lived in Melbourne, Australia almost all his life. He is a doctor of internal medicine and got into photography after moving to Tasmania. Apparently Tasmania consists mostly of wilderness and national parks. Here is what he says about how he got into photography.

"My first thoughts about photography developed when visiting Cradle Mountain national park in 2005. A real city boy at the time, I learnt to appreciate the wilderness as something special, beyond humanity and the urban world. As I sat watching at dawn, the mountain perfectly reflected mirror-like in the still lake, I recognized the important effect of light on a landscape. My thoughts turned to photography as way to portray this light. Shortly after I bought my first camera."

Do your self a real treat and check out his website HERE. Kah Kit, if you ever get back here to Malaysia give me a call and lets go shoot.

Out of the Box: Lightroom 2

Matt Brandon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Well the big news around Camera World is Adobe's release of Lightroom 2. I must confess I was very excited about it and have been waiting with baited breath for this release. But today when it was release I went to the Adobe sight to purchase and download this fine software I was reminded that I now live in Asia and I must download it from an Asian site. Ok, no problem. Singapore was listed, that is close by. When I went to pay for it it asked for a Singapore billing address or my credit card. Hmmm, odd. Then I saw that my language preference was set to "Asian English." Another, hmmm. Seems that Adobe read my location and adjusted my language preference for me, sneaky. So once I switched it back to "US English" (is that what we speak in the Texas?) all was fine.

I was clued into the solution to my problem, as my buddy Gavin Gough seemed to be having the opposite problem in Bangkok. Read about it on his blog HERE. For some odd reason he can only buy it in England and only for the Pound price that is 60% more! By the way the Singapore price was $20+ USD more than in the US. Yikes!

All this is not to take away how great this product is. It is a must upgrade and you can find it HERE. I was in the middle of doing a video tutorial for Lexar using Lightroom 1.4 when the news of the release came out. Now I will wait and do it all over in version 2. By the way, according to Scott Kelby the final release of LR2 is much different than the Beta for version 2. Read what changes there are and about all the goodies HERE at Scott's blog.

Mpix & NAPP

Matt Brandon — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:49:00 +0000

Let me tell you about a membership that is actually worth paying for. Quite frankly, many of the photo societies are, as far as I am concerned, a waste of money. If you're like me, you don't have a surplus of cash to go around and yet you want to learn about photography, sharpen your skills and grow with the industry, right? I was a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), and never did figure out what I got out of it except over-priced insurance. Well, the best value for your money has got to be a membership with the NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals). This is a group of professional users who have a background in photography and graphics and they want you to to be great at Photoshop. Sounds silly, but it's true. They really desire to share what they know. I guess it is the true spirit of Web 2.0. Seriously, these folks have made it a money making business to help us. And they do a darn fine job of it, I might add. For $99 a year you get a subscription to Photoshop User. (I was buying that before I joined anyway) That alone saves you money when you join. You get access to the NAPP website and numerous tutorials as well as forums with personal help. You get discounts off name brand items like Apple Computers and software and services like the Mpixs. Mpix is one of the finest photo processing labs out there. I have used them and can vouch for them personally.

Now speaking of Mpix, these guys are currently offering a discount on NAPP membership. Join before July 30th and NAPP will reduce the annual membership from $99 to $89. As an added gift, NAPP will send you The Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Beginners DVD featuring Dave Cross ($69.99 US value). This best-selling DVD will walk you through a full range of Photoshop® functions, tools and techniques. Very cool! Too bad I am already a member.

For more details follow the link HERE to Mpixs.

Georgetown Lightroom 2 PhotoWalk

Matt Brandon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:56:00 +0000

I am excited to say, I will be hosting Scott Kelby’s Lightroom 2 PhotoWalk here in Georgetown. So if you are reading this and are living in and around Penang, join me and others as we walk the historic downtown district of Georgetown and August 23rd. Participation is limited to 50, so if you want in, sign up soon. More information, click HERE visit Scott Kelby’s Worldwide PhotoWalk. We will meet in front of the Kapitan Keling Mosque. Walk up Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, by the Chinese Temple and then up to St George's Church then back down through Little India and all meet at Karim Mustafa's for Teh Tarik.

The idea is to just have some fun and celebrate Scott's newest book release Lightroom 2. The best part will be gathering up to 50 photographers and all hanging out and shooting together. But an additional bonus is someone in the group will win a copy of Scott's book and be eligible for a grand prize worth big big bucks!! So sign up, space is limited. And we'll see you on Aug 23rd.

August Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:34:00 +0000

I am gone for a week to Bali, Indonesia. Trying to to drum up some business and network with some folks. Till then, keep spreading the word around about the Penang Lightroom 2 PhotoWalk. At last count we had 22 28 participants. Sign up soon, we can only take 50, space is limited.

In honor of the Penang PhotoWalk, I am posting this shot of the Floating Mosque here in Tanjung Bungah, Penang as this month's wallpaper. Click the image above and a full-sized (1680×1160) image will open in a new window. Right click it or ctr click (Mac) it should give you the option to save it and make it a desktop wallpaper. Enjoy.

Our PhotoWalk is Full!

Matt Brandon — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I am trilled to announce that the Penang Photowalk is now full. A big thanks goes out to Harimann as well as the great folks at FotoKrazy and PotoMalaysia forums for ensure we have a full walk. Can't wait to see you all on the 23rd!

What is a PhotoWalk?

Matt Brandon — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Fishing the Surf, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Checking in from Bali. I am getting emails asking things like, are we going to all walk around in one group, can I come if I don't have a DSLR and more. So I thought I would pass on a very informative blog entry by Jeff Revell. Jeff has written a "A Guide to Photowalking". So check it out and give any feedback here if you'd like. I am able toget online more than I thought. See you soon.

Glimps of Bali

Matt Brandon — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:15:00 +0000

Back from Bali.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:48:00 +0000

Back from Bali. Only two things to say about Bali. One, it was cool. I don't mean a really neat place to shoot and a fun place to hang out, it was that, but it was physically cool. I think the average temp was somewhere in the 75º f, it was sweet! Second, I was busy and meet a lot of people and did not take many pictures. I went to a conference where many NGOs gather and tried to sell my wares, so to speak. Now we wait...

Speaking of waiting, the wait is almost over, only 34 days till Lumen Dei. I am very excited and looking forward to getting back to India after a long absence. This are going a bit crazy in Kashmir these days, so we are watching it closely.

Just for fun, and the fact I have nothing else to post today, I leave you with these shots of my daughter Jessie.

Tech vs Talent

Matt Brandon — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:39:00 +0000

David Duchemin has been ranting for as long as I have known him about how gear heads mix up tech for talent, vision for glass. Many, many years ago I used to work as a camera sales man in Ronnie Marquin's Camera and Video, in Waco Texas. The store is long gone now, but I used to have these rich doctors and lawyers come in and say, they wanted to start taking pictures of their kids or they are just getting ready to leave on a cruse and they wanted a new camera for the trip. I would show then the AE1 or the OM1 and they would grunt and then ask for the A1. I would sell them a camera I would have killed for. I remember watching them walk out of the shop and thinking, this is just wrong. These guys are swatting mosquitoes with cannons (Canons?) They had far to much camera and for the most part no skill. But I wasn't running a workshop I was selling cameras and as much as it made me sad, no lets be honest, jealous, that they walked out with a camera I could have made sing and they would only make grunt, I had to let it go. I was making money for Ronnie. A costly camera doth not a photographer make.

I can't tell you how many times I have had people tell me "Wow, I bet you can really take good pictures with that camera!" I used to get my feelings hurt. I mean, come on, yeah - a nice camera and nice piece of glass can help a photographer a lot, but without talent it is just a black box, and believe me there are a lot of black boxes out there. I don't get those comments much now a days. These days what might be true is to say "Wow, what a nice digital camera, I bet you can take a lot of images and really hone down your craft!" Now that doesn't roll off the tongue like the other, but it is much more accurate. The only thing a nice camera did for most people years ago is make expensive screw ups. But now in the digital age, a nice DSLR will give the newbie a chance to excel and to be much better. It is still no replacement for talent, but it will allow the young photographer to shoot and experiment and at virtually no extra cost.

I will close this bit of a rant with this story:

When Jack London had his portrait made by the noted San Francisco photographer Arnold Genthe, London began the encounter with effusive praise for the photographic art of his friend and fellow bohemian, Genthe. "you must have a wonderful camera...It must be the best camera in the world...You must show me your camera." Genthe then used his standard studio camera to make what has since become a classic picture of Jack London. When the sitting was finished, Genthe could not contain himself: "I have read your books, Jack, and I think they are important works of art. You must have a wonderful typewriter."
-photoquotes.com

Kashmir Out - Ladakh In

Matt Brandon — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:50:00 +0000

You might be wondering why I have not been blogging much this week. Well, I have been busy rewriting our Lumen Dei itinerary. Maybe you have been reading some of the news coming out of Kashmir over the past summer. Kashmir has been in it's normal turmoil and more.

Earlier this summer, the Kashmir state government gave a portion of Muslim land away to a Hindu shrine authority. This decision to give the land away was extremely controversial do to some old laws, and as a result it inflamed radicals on both sides and there was stone throwing and violent protests. We watched it then and during the summer the decision to give the land back was made and all seemed well.

Recently there has been another flare up as a group of Hindus had blocked the roadway into the Valley. The Jammu Srinagar road is the only road in and out of the valley to the rest of India, it is the Valley's life line. The situation then escalated and there have been riots, stone-throwing, shootings, and a city-wide curfew. As a protest to the closing of the road thousands of protesters took to the streets defying the curfew order. But when protesters clashed with police 13 people lost their lives. Obviously this is not the ideal climate into which to take a workshop, or in which to learn photography. David and I have been watching it closely, speaking often with our local contacts. This past week the decision was made to change things now rather than wait until later and hope the situation improves. We are committed to providing our participants an unforgettable experience, but we’re even more committed to making sure they are safe. So David and I have decided to move the tour from Srinagar to Ladakh, both are in Jammu-Kashmir State, but they have distinctly different cultural flavours. And, most importantly, Ladakh is as safe as you can get in India.

So this week I have logged a lot of time on SKYPE talking with contacts in Leh and working out a new itinerary. It is coming together and in fact, David and I are even more excited about this trip than the Srinagar one. So stay with me, I will keep you posted on our new adventure to the top of the world.

To give you an idea of what kind of things we will be seeing, I have put together a small slideshow of some older images of Ladakh HERE. I hope you enjoy them.

Stuff to Shoot

Matt Brandon — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:20:00 +0000

Went out with Grungmann again yesterday and shot the photowalk route. I think there will be plenty of fun stuff to shoot if people keep their eye peeled as my daddy used to say. Click on one of the images to go to a small gallery of the images above.

I sent out an email to all the registered participants yesterday, but I know many of you plan to come and walk with us as unregistered participants and that is great! So here is the same letter for you, just so you don't feel left out.

Greetings Fearless Walkers!

It’s shaping up to be quite a weekend. We will be having many more than the scheduled 50 walkers, (but only your 50 are getting the chance to win the city prize and the grand prize) but as they say, the more the merrier!

During the Walk…

Safety First! – Please be aware of your surroundings! Remember that there is real traffic on the other side of that lens and that you mustn’t get too distracted by what you are shooting and forget that. I don't want someone ending the day at the hospital!

Be Mindful of Your Gear – A large group of photographers can attract a lot of attention – some of it, not the good kind. Please be be mindful of your gear at all times. Again, just be aware of your surroundings!

Be Prepared for Walk-ups – As I said, the enthusiasm for this event has been very high so do not be surprised if unregistered walkers arrive to join our group. We want to share this experience with everyone so please, allow unregistered walkers to join in on the fun! Just be sure they understand that, as last-minute participants, they are not eligible to submit their photos for the prize. Only walkers that pre-registered for your walk will have that access to upload photos.

Play nice – Remember folks, this is a social event - A time to meet with fellow photographers and maybe gain some new perspectives. Take the time to share your knowledge with others. If someone shows up with a disposable camera, don’t laugh. Instead, why not take them under your wing? And if police or security guards stop you from photographing a building or something (hey, it happens) just nod politely and move on. The name of this game is, “Keeping it Social.”

Remember, It’s a Photo Walk, Not a Photo Parade – A photo walk is supposed to be a social event. Participants are encouraged to move and mingle at their own pace. You do not have to stay together and move as a group! The only thing that should be done as a group is the very beginning and the very end. As long as everyone reconvenes at the final meeting place (Kasim Mustafa) at the end, our walk will be a complete success!

What if it Rains? – Since this Penang, it could be raining during all or part of the walk. So, what if it is raining? We walk on - no rain day. We will just get very cool shots of Penang in the rain. If it looks like it might rain, bring an umbrella, a raincoat/jacket and of course, something to cover your camera and lens in case it rains. Sometimes, an extra shirt to cover the camera or lens doesn’t hurt. I’ve seen people use plastic too to cover their cameras.

After the Walk…

Remember to Upload – All walkers must upload their photos to our group’s Flickr Page by Midnight on Tuesday, August 26 if you want to be considered for both the city and grand prizes. Please Note: They’ve placed a Flickr link on our City page to better help you with this.

… and lastly, BE SAFE! – I really cannot stress to you how important it is to impart a message of safety to all you walkers. Photo walks are meant to celebrate the spirit of photography in a fun and social setting. Nothing would dampen this notion faster than the knowledge that a fellow Photographer got more than he/she bargained for in the process. Let’s keep it fun and safe folks so we can do this again sometime.

Here is an excellent post by Jeff Revell on just about everything you need to know when it comes to photo-walking HERE.

WHAT TO BRING:
Your camera. That’s the most important thing. Don’t forget it. Don’t have an SLR? That’s okay! Just bring whatever camera you have. Make sure your batteries are charged and you have enough memory.
Lenses - Bring 1 or 2 lenses… generally a wide and a zoom lens would be good so that you can cover a lot of things. It really depends on how you usually shoot, but as much as possible, I’d advise you to travel light.
Tripod - I leave this up to you. There might be some nice scenes around sunset so it’s good to have this. Don’t forget to bring your cable release if you will bring your tripod. Just make sure your tripod is light enough so you won’t be carrying something heavy.
Water - While I would recommend to bring a bottle of water during the walk, Georgetown has a lot of food stalls and restaurants, so you can easily buy a bottle of water there.

Ok, that should just about cover everything. Please email us if you have any questions.

But remember: Above all, HAVE FUN!

See you Saturday at 5pm in front of the Kapitian Keling Mosque!

PhotoWalk A Success!

Matt Brandon — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:35:00 +0000

One of the leaders of FotoKrazy in Penang, "MyBest" aka OT.

Well it is over! The Georgetown part of the Lightroom2 World Wide Photowalk is over and was a great success - from my point of view. Maybe if you walked with us you can chime in. What did you think? We had over 50 photographers show up and everyone seemed to have a great time. Again, thanks to all the folks for making this event a success. A few of my shots from the day can be found HERE. Be looking for a group shot being sent to me by OT from FotoKrazy the local Penang photo forum.

AMAZING TALENT!

Matt Brandon — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:55:00 +0000

Photo by KayKoon

Photo by nejnoj

Photo by Abert Yap

I think our Penangite Walkers have given some of the best images of the walk! (But then I am biased) The stuff coming out of here is amazing. I am very proud of the amount of talent being show from this group of walkers. Please checkout the postings HERE. I have no earthly idea how I am going to pick a winner by Wednesday.

The 50D Is Here!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:17:00 +0000

Take a deep breath and read the stats, they are nice, very nice. This little guy sports a 15.10 megapixel image, faster DIGIC 4 processor, 3.0" VGA LCD monitor with Live View mode offering 3 AF modes, ISO sensitivity expandable to 12800 and an HDMI connection for high Quality Image viewing. And all packed into a Magnesium alloy body, with environmental protection. So what is the price, only $1,400 when it ships in October. This is the same layout of the buttons and grip as the 40D. It is virtually the same as the 5D. So if you are a 5D shooter and can't fork out the dough for the new 7D (aka 5D mkII) then this might just be your next camera. Read all the details HERE and HERE. OK, so now where is the 7D?

My Kashmir Book on Amazon.com

Matt Brandon — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:56:00 +0000

Just got word that my book Kashmir: The Mystery is online with Amazon.co.uk So run over there and check it out. Not much to see. If you have an UK Amazon.com account you can review it and add and image to the preview. So grab this image and feel free to paste it in for me. Oh - and while you are there, buy a few copies of it as well. Cheers!

A Shooting Star

Matt Brandon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Click on the image to enlarge.

We are in the news to day in Malaysia. One of the national papers called The Star sent a reporter out to the photowalk this past weekend. She interviewed me and had her photographer shoot some shots of us on the walk. Not the most flattering picture of me, but hey what can you do with a mug like that! I must say the facts are fairly accurate, all but the the part about "in the eyes of foreign photographers" I was the only foreigner there. The rest were all Malaysian. They have not put the online version of the paper up for today yet. The link to the article is HERE. But what?! No pictures? Lame!

Well, today is the day I choose a winner from the Penang Walk. I sure hope these nice people will speak to me after I choose only one image. Remember I take bribes and favors. Please only cash in small denomanations - ones and fives preffered ;)

...Stay tuned.

And the winner is....

Matt Brandon — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:12:00 +0000

Photo by Thai Yuan.

...Thai Yuan or as he is known to his friends as T.Y. There were sooo many great shots. It was way too hard for me. I never, never want to judge images again, well at least not alone. I had short listed the winner to around a dozen images and then today I picked this one. Below I will list the others that came in close.

Why this image? The lines converging to the boy are very strong. They come from every angle, including the man looking at the boy. I wanted an image that showed good composition as well as gave a sense of Penang. I think this does it all. Congatulations to TY, he will be getting a copy of Scott Kelby's new book "Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers" in the mail soon.

Like I said So many great shots, where to begin and how to choose. Here where several runner-ups. Let's do this again, but this time, I am not judging!

by h@rry's Photos

by okui_lala

by ChilledShandy

by teetoojedi

by knokie

by dericsim77

Twofer Wallpaper.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:31:00 +0000

This September I am offering you what we call in the States a "twofer." Two wallpapers for the price of one. Wow! Half price, what a deal! Ok, ok half price of nothing is...well, nothing. But you still get to wallpapers this month. Both are of Ladakh, India. By now you know that the Lumen Dei Workshop schedualed for Kashmir has been moved to Ladakh. Good think to check out this blog entry by my daughters old school teacher in Kashmir HERE. Not a great place to lead a tour these days. But, Ladakh is an amazing place. The people, the landscape are all made for a photographer. The participant's should love the variety of subjects they will be shooting. So we should have a great time and come back with many wonderful images.

So in honor of the Ladakh workshop here are two, not one, but two wallpapers for you to choose from.

Thanks to OT and TY for the images on me in action on the photo walk. A little more flattering than The Star photo (which by the way - did you see they called me Scott Kelby!)

by myBest

by myBest

by TY's PenangArt.com

Kelby Announces Grand Prize Winner

Matt Brandon — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah

Scott Kelby announced the grand prize winner today for the Lightroom 2 Wold Wide Photowalk. Suhaimi Abdullah from our neighboring city, Singapore. Congratulations to him as he wins the Adobe Creative Suite Premium, Lightroom 2, a $500 B&H Photo Gift certificate, a Wacom tablet, the Peachpit Book Bundle, and MPIX prize package, and more! Here is what Scott had to say about the winning shot:

I chose Suhaimi Abdullah’s shot from the Singapore walk, of a bird flying overhead an industrial-looking street. To me, everything from its composition to its colors told a story. It looked almost surreal, and at the same time, totally believable because we’ve all been in a concrete jungle and have been suddenly reminded of nature and it’s inclusion (or exclusion), and I thought this image just portrayed that beautifully. In the end; I just couldn’t stop looking at it, and it is the one I’d want hanging in my home or office. For whatever reason, it just spoke to me.

Check out the full story HERE.

photo by Rui Lebreiro

I thought it was interesting that one of the runners up, Rui Lebreiro’s shot from the Porto, Portugal was a very similar to TYs. Quite frankly, I think had TY processed his image less or even left it color it might have been a on Scott's blog today.

Packing List Revised for iPhone

Matt Brandon — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:36:00 +0000

David Duchemin just posted his packing list for the Lumen Dei workshop and his time in Nepal. The pdf file is HERE. I took his list and went one step further. I transferred his list over to Lists.Zenbe.com. Zenbe is a online list that syncs with your iPod Touch or iPhone through the Zenbe List app available at the Apple Apps Store. I don't have an iPhone, but I do have a iPod Touch and so I found this very helpful. Maybe Zenbe List will one day make the list collapsible or hierarchical/nested lists, but for now it is just a series of individual list. Check themout below.

You can view the lists here:

Photographic Packing list
Computer/Electronics Packing List
Documents, Etc. Packing List
Packing/Bags List
Miscellaneous Items Packing list
Trekking Gear Packing List
Toiletries & Personal Stuff Packing LIst

Tacky Beyond Messure.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:33:00 +0000

First off, thanks goes out to tewfic el-sawy for highlighting this story. You may know, if you have read this blog for any amount of time, that I lived in India for 13 years. That is a long time, and in that time I saw a lot of unfair and tacky things. Like foreigners unknowingly teaching street kids vulgar phrases at the INA market in New Delhi. These little coolies, most under 8 years old, would know only one or two expressions in English; "f*** off!" or "OK, maybe later." These phrases were taught to them by frustrated expats, bugged by the never ending poor children, while trying to shop for high end groceries. Not so much tacky as unfair.

Yesterday a story came out of The New York Times that highlights something I think is much more unfair and just plain tacky. Vogue India in their August issue has used common everyday people to model their high end apparel. What makes this tacky is they didn't use people from the 250 million population middle class, they used people from the 450 million, $1.25 a day income class! They used the poor to model their $200 umbrellas and $100 baby bibs.

The good that is coming out of this is the India media seems to be all over this. Mail Today columnist Kanika Gahlaut says its, “not just tacky but downright distasteful”. Here, here! Vogue India's editor Priya Tanna’s message to critics of the August issue: “Lighten up!” I'll tell you what, lets cut Priya's salary down to $1.25 a day and see if she still sees the light side in all this.

The destructible, indestructible North Face Base Camp Duffle.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:09:00 +0000

North Face Base Camp Duffle

The Base Camp Duffle after two trips.

I have wanted a North Face Base Camp Duffle for a long, long time. Almost since they came out. One reason is they just looked cool. The other and the main reason was they seemed indestructible. The PVC coated nylon looked as if it would be water proof and be, as we say completely "bomber". So finally I shelled out the mulla and picked out a bright yellow XL. I took it to Indonesia and then here to Penang. The first time it was not very full. The second it was packed to the hilt. After arriving into Malaysia I noticed a big whole forming in the lower end near the seam. In fact the seam is coming un-stitched as well. I could not believe it, This was the indestructible North Face Base Camp Duffle how could it have a hole in it! Well, all I have to do is call The North Face and tell them and they will surely say, "Send it on back, we'll replace it!" So I called them, long distance from Malaysia all the way to the USA. I, to their credit got warranty repair service right away. So I told the nice young man on the line the situation and waited for his response. Dead air... Finally the awkward silence was broken by his, "So, what do you want us to do about it?" Huh? I want you to say "So sorry, please send it back to us and we will replace it." But, what I got was "Oh, well we don't warranty against holes." Well, then why do you make the think look like a tank! I thought the whole idea was it is tough, indestructible, bomb proof! Sorry, North Face you dropped a couple of notches in my book today. Fortunately I bought it through REI and they warranty everything, workmanship, holes even your dislike of the color once you get it home. Too bad The North Face doesn't cover their technical gear like it is going to be used in technical environments!

The Stock Jungle

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:56:00 +0000

I am not talking about the stock market, not that jungle. The jungle I am hacking through is the stock image jungle. From monsters like Getty Images and Corbis to the micro stock agencies where you can pick up a great image for $5 or less. Who are they and how does this all work. Here is what I know:

Most stock agencies sell images based on size and usage. So an image that is small and will only be used once in a limited small run may only cost you a few bucks. But an image that will be used on a hording (that is a billboard for us Americans) and plastered all over New York or London will run you big, big bucks. The photographer lets these agencies represent their images for "right of use". He makes his money from a cut or a percent. It can be anywhere from 25% to as much as 50% of the image sale. Micro stock is different. These guys deal in volume and will sell your images for pennies compared to the large stock agencies. In fact you won't even get a check till you have sold $75 to $100 worth of images. Not much profit for the amount of work that goes into imaging. So, the idea is to have large volumes of photos online and key worded so that when some one wants an image of a "crying boy" they key-in those words and your image pops up. That is of course, along with 150 other crying boys, so you still have to have great images that stand out above the rest.

So who are these micro stock agencies? Here are just a few. The most famous being iStockPhoto also Shutter Stock, Dreams Time, 123rf.com, Feature Pics. Feature Pics actually let's photographers set the price for their images. Then there is Stock.xchng, these guys even have many images that are free! I found images on Stock.xchng that were priced images on iStock. Not sure how they do that, but for the end user it is a great deal.

At this time I have not taken the dive into the micro stock agency. I am represented by IndiaPicture. Of course they specialise in ..er.. Pictures ...of India. One thing they have just started on their site, that I have not seen of the others is Live Support. Not sure how this is used but I guess it is at least fun to talk to someone in India for once about your image needs and not your credit card statement.

A peak at the new 5D MKII?

Matt Brandon — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:26:00 +0000

Maybe it is a sneak peak at the new Canon 5D MKII or maybe something brand new. But whatever it is they are sure teasing us! Check it out HERE

Nicole Gibson Brings Home a Guru!

Matt Brandon — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:53:00 +0000

A hearty congratulations goes out to Nicole Gibson for winning the Vincent Versace Award at Photoshop World Expo in Las Vegas. Nicole is a good friend and one of our participant in the 2007 Lumen Dei workshop in Kashmir. In fact, it was her image of a Kashmiri man viewed through a flock of pigeons taken on the Lumen Dei tour that took the Guru Award. The image is outstanding and well deserved. Not sure, but I think Nicole walks away with a tidy little prize booty as well. Well done Nicole!

Self Promotion

Matt Brandon — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:34:00 +0000

Click on the image to view larger.

Lately I have been trying to bring in some more clients in South East Asia. As a result I have been developing more promotional tools. Now you must understand, I am not a expert in self promotion, but in my naiveness I figure; 1. they want to know your passion, 2. they want to see your work and 3. they need some way to contact you. The materials also have to be eye catching and inline with your vision. So to that end I made a simple promo kit that looks nice and contains contact information, a DVD slide show and an introduction letter on a postcard. I tried to give it a theme and a feel that communicates my vision and passion. You can view the video below.

Off to India.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:56:00 +0000

I leave today in just a few hours for India. I will be gone around two weeks. Posting will be sparse at best. My guess is I will be able to post over the next few days, but once we leave for Leh the bandwidth will be such that it will make posting images difficult. So keep checking in, but don't forget me!

David Duchemin and I will be speaking on Saturday night the 13th at the Indian Habitat Centre. If you are reading this and live in Delhi, please drop by, we would love to meet you. Here is your official invitation. (Don't be confused by the "noted photographer", that's me;)

The Himalayan Club

Delhi Section

Dear Friend,

In continuation of its 80th anniversary celebrations, the Himalayan Club invites you to an illustrated talk by renowned photographer Matt Brandon.

Matt Brandon is a noted photographer whose passion for photography has taken him around the world. For the last 13 years, Matt, an American citizen, has been based in Srinagar managing his trekking company, Frontier Treks & Tours. This has provided a perfect outlet for Matt to experience and photograph the beauty of Kashmir, especially of the Kashmir Valley where he has been based. Matt is also the co-author of a coffee table book titled Kashmir: The Mystery. Matt's images have been featured in a travelling exhibition sponsored by the Indian Government for Indian embassies around the world.

In his illustrated talk on 'Treks and Travels in Kashmir', Matt will talk about and show stunning images of some well-known treks and high-altitude lakes in the Kashmir Valley. His images include some of the best-known areas of Kashmir, such as Gangabal, Kolahai, Kishansar, the Sonamarg valley and the peaks around it, Tajwas Glacier, Tajwas Peak, the hills of Nichani, the Sindh valley, and Yusmarg, among others. He will also cover some spectacular side valleys, which are usually known to only shepherds and trekkers. Through his treks, Matt has captured the Valley in all its different moods in various seasons and his images are some of the most captivating images of Kashmir seen so far. Having lived in Srinagar for the last 13 years, Matt has first-hand knowledge of the ground position in the state in terms of feasible travel and trekking routes, which he will also share with the audience.

As a special bonus, Matt will be accompanied by David duChemin, who is a highly regarded photographer from Canada. David will conclude the evening by offering practical tips on improving your photographs in a mountain setting. David will highlight his views through some of his best pictures that he has captured when out in the mountains, including the Kashmir Valley.

Date: Saturday 13 September 2008
Time: 7.00 p.m.
Venue: Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Best Regards,

Maninder Kohli

Hony. Local Secretary,

The Himalayan Club, Delhi Section

# 9810009564

First Day Back in India.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:42:00 +0000

It has been good to be back in many ways. Just feels good to be back in India. It is great to hang with my good buddy David DuChemin and shoot with him again. Well, I say it is good. He is so sticking talented that it make shooting the same subject really difficult. He always seems to walks away with a winner. But it is good to be challenged. We went out this morning for about three hours and shot at Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi. Click HERE for the map. Here is a sampling of my images from the days shoot.

(Click on the image to view larger.)

Blasts Rip through Delhi.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:43:00 +0000

"I am sorry but we might have to delay the talk a few minute. Seems there were some bomb blasts in the city and traffic is a mess."

These matter of fact word came from Maninder Kohli our host at the Indian Himalayan Club talk tonight. David and I did go on to speak and it went very well. No one got up and walk out, so I guess it went well. But the city is a mess. Five different blast went off in the city. 18 people are dead and 90 injured. One of the blasts was just a kilometer from out hotel here in Karol Bagh. After the evening's talk we went back to the hotel and our route took us past two the of the blast sites in Connaught Place. Not a pretty site. To think, we choose not to go to Kashmir because it was to risky. India had been hit by a rash of bombings. More than 400 people have died since October 2005 in bomb attacks. When will this maddness ever end?

Coverage Links:
BBC
Hindustan Times
Time of India

Old Delhi Take Two

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:59:00 +0000

David taking a break in Chandni Chowk.

Click any image to view larger.

We went into old Delhi once more to today to see if the Metro was running and what obstacles we might in counter after the Delhi bombings. That sounds crazy even writing it!

I really felt off my game, so to speak. I just couldn't seem to grasp what I wanted to shoot today. You might say my vision was blurred. But I have still posted a few shots from the day.

Oh, one of the attendees from last nights talk, Yogesh Sarkar, put up a review of our presentation. Check it out HERE. Yogesh seems really sharp! Not just because he liked our talk...well, ok, maybe that has something to do with it. He is very articulate and expresses some great points to follow up our disscusion with the group.

The first full day of Lumen Dei is tomorrow. Check back in.

Day two: Nizamuddin

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:30:00 +0000

Had a great first full day of Lumen Dei 08. Pretty tiered. So without going into a lot of details, here are a few shots from today's shoot. By the way we have a lot of very talented photographers in this group. I am looking forward to posting some of their images in the future. After tomorrow we shift to Ladakh and we will not have internet so the posting will nill to sparse. So keep checking back.

Off to Leh

Matt Brandon — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:55:00 +0000

Ok real quick...again. We leave tomorrow for Leh. May not have email so here are two images before we leave tomorrow at 3am for the airport. (( Ugh!)) I am very impressed by the talent, oh, wait I've said that. But to be sure we have some exceptional shooters in this group. So see you in a few...

Ju-ley!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:36:00 +0000

Ju-ley is the Ladakhi equivalent of "Aloha". It means hello, goodbye, thank you and many other things. So, Ju-ley from Leh, Ladakh, 11,000 + ft and a very slow internet cafe. This has been a great trip. I have stated it once before, we have a group of very talented photographers and they are "snapping" (as they say here in India), some really exceptional images. Only a few more days left, on the 27th I fly back to the warmth of my family and the beaches of Penang. For some reason this trip has been emotionally harder for me than others. Maybe because I had just settled into Penang and then leave for two weeks.

Enjoy some of the images. These are from all over Ladakh, India.

Winding Down

Matt Brandon — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:51:00 +0000

Only one more day left. This trip has been more fun than a person should be allowed to have! But, I will be truthful with you, if I don't see another Gompa (a.k.a. Monastery) for a while, I won't complain. But - with that said, I am really looking forward to doing this again next year. Ladakh has definitely feed my mountain craving. Leh is just off the Tibetan plain, yet still in the Himalaya, so we are surrounded by 20,000 foot peaks every where we turn. The people are some of the most photogenic people I have run across in all my travels. Almost all Buddhist they are a beautiful and gentle people and very colorful. I will post more and update my gallery once I return to Malaysia.

Just Landed in KL

Matt Brandon — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:19:00 +0000

(Click image to view larger.)

I leave in 30 min, for Penang and am really looking forward to seeing Alou and Jess. I will post something on Monday my time. But not today. Today is family time and I need to finish my Teh Tarik. Talk soon.

Ladakh - Mulling Things Over.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:25:00 +0000

I returned to a house full of company. It has been fun, old friends from the US and my daughter's home school from India. All very welcome friends. It has been hard to post and it has taken time to get the two new galleries up from Lumen Dei. But they are up and running. You can find two new galleries, "Old Delhi" and "Ladakh". Simply follow this LINK to the gallery page of The Digital Trekker.

(Click to make larger) The Think Tank Steroid Belt and Skins

I learned a lot this trip. I have been mulling it all over in my head. I learned some mundane things like; I really like my Think Tank Steroid Belt, but next time I will shoot with the "Belly Dancer". The Steroid Belt keeps the gear all around your sides and your back. I keep having to ask people to get into the module that was in the small of my back. Next time I will use the Belly Dancer, this belt keeps the gear in the front of you and puts the clip in the small of your back. An easier way to reach all your needed gear.

(Click to make larger) The Zink Pogo printer in action.

I learned that I loved the idea of the Pogo Polaroid printers for passing out instant pictures to villagers and monks. But I also learned that the printer needs much better batteries. After just a few uses, the batteries would go dead. One time I had even charged them all night and when it came time to use it the battery was dead. Great idea, just needs better batteries.

Photo by, David DuChemin (Click to make larger) My Keens Newport H2.

I learned that there is not a better sandal to wear around India and Ladakh than my Keens. Man, I love these shoes! Comfortable, warm in the cool weather and breathable in the hot weather. And the best part, easy on and easy off for all those trips into Gompas and homes.

(Click to make larger) David DuChemin and I on top of the world.

In a more humbling point, I learned it is still very difficult to shoot and room with a talented photographer like David DuChemin. If you don't have a real handle on your talent, you can crash and burn around a guy like him. What do I mean? David is just about the best "World Photographer" I know. He is good, we all know this. I am also good. But, David is good and consistent, and folks, that is so much better. Everyday he comes back with not just "nice" images, but "WOW!" images. Now, please do not misunderstand me, he is not egotistical, nor is he not encouraging. But, sometimes, you just want him (in a carnal sort of way) to strike out and let the rest of us feel good about our photographs. So I learned it is hard to shoot with a talented photographer, who is also a really nice guy. You can't hate him and you can't laugh at his work. Gosh, there is just nothing to do but fold up your computer and look at his images from the day and sigh.

James Nachtwey's story

Matt Brandon — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:45:00 +0000

Gavin beat me to the punch. I had this ready to use but wanted to get my Ladakh gallery up first. None of us know what this is about. Other than it is images from one of the worlds finest Photojournalist and it is suppose to be BIG! I first ran across it on TED. If you are not a avid TED reader, shame on you. This is an amazing blog with some of the worlds most amazing minds. Don't think for a moment I agreee with every view expressed on the TED blog, I don't. But it is a great peek into what is on the heart and minds of the world's most talented.

Not sure what Mr. Nachtwey's story is going to be about, but you can bet the images will be stunning. Stay tuned, only one more day till it breaks.

Vitale Video

Matt Brandon — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:27:00 +0000

If there is one thing I have learned over the past few years of shooting images and visiting with some world class photographers, it's most of the very talented photographers are nice, really nice people. One of the more pleasant photographers to come down the pike in a long while is Ami Vitale. You've seen me blog about her in the past. Today will be short. Maybe you've already ran across this set of video interviews with her, they have been out since Jan 2003! Ouch, why did I not see them tell recently? Susan B. Markisz a contributor to the digitaljournalist.org did the interview and created this set of short videos. The topics include:

Getting Beyond the Headlines

Kashmir

Gujarat

Do People Care?

The Editor / Photographer Relationship

How Do You Finance Your Stories?

The Changing Technology

Adivce for Young Photojournalists

While you are at it read the story by Markisz that precedes the videos, it is good as well. There is also a small collection of her images they linked to the interview. Enjoy.

PhotoFlex A Super LiteDisc!

Matt Brandon — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:15:00 +0000

(Click image to make larger)
Photoflex 5'n1 MultiDiscs at work in the field.

An image from the shoot above.

We were fortunate to have a new sponsor of Lumen Dei at the last minute. The fine folks at Photoflex were kind enough to give us a whole suitcase full of 5'n1 MultiDiscs and a couple of Black LiteDiscs. (thanks Rosane for hauling these from the US to India!) Photoflex wanted to see how they would work in the field.

What is a 5'n1 you might ask? The MultiDisc 5'n1 offers five reflector surfaces; translucent, white, silver, gold, and soft gold; all zipped up into one small package. We were given the 42" MultiDisc . These are really rather large, but collapsed quite small and once distributed they were very easy to carry or pack. In fact some of us used a carabiner and just clipped them onto our Think Tank belts.

Using the translucent disc to defuse the light and give soft shadows.

Everyone got a chance to shoot.

Using them in the street was not easy. We did use them in one village setting without much trouble. But they did draw a lot of attention, so we were quite content to use them on models. Now, let me say here that people do use reflectors in street photography. But with 9 photographers prowling the streets of a small village, it was just too much. Our job was to capture life in our cameras not make the local news.

Here I used the Black Disc as a backdrop to give the feel of shooting in a doorway and the soft gold on the models face.

We managed to arrange a cultural show for our group. We then paid four of the dancers to stick around and model for us. It was great! Already in local clothing these models, being performers really knew of to work a camera. We divided the team into four groups of two and had each of the four performers make a modeling station. We then gave each group 10 minutes to shoot each model. David DuChemin and I floated between stations and helped show the team members how to use the MultiDisc. Sometimes the gold was just too harsh, yet other times it bathed the subject with just the right amount of light. We showed the group how to flag and defuse light as well as use the black reflector as a backdrop.

Even local our guides found a use for the LiteDiscs. Super Photoflex Man!

The team learned that lighting doesn't have to be complicated nor costly. Over all the MultiDisc 5'n1 and the Black LiteDiscs performed as well as the dancers, flawless.

Sometimes a picture is worth the extra effort.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:59:00 +0000

Final image

Original #1

Original #2

Yesterday, my wife and daughter and I went with some Malay friends to the Kampon or village. We played in rice paddies and ate a lot of good food and drank a lot of fresh coconut juice. I took a few images of our host's children. One was particularly nice, but... not quite. It looked as if I had started taking pictures of war amputees. Poor girl. Poor me, what a lot of potential! So, I decided to work a little extra on this image. I thought you might like to see how I did it. It wasn't really that hard. I don't normally work on an image like but, this there was something about this little girl and the setting that I wanted.

First I took the images that had the "good" face, and simply copied the face.

Then I pasted the good face onto the not-so-good face but good body of the next image. I then made a layers mask and softened the edges so it would blend well. I also transformed the size of the face to match the size of the host image. To do that select the layer of the image that needs to be sized. Then do a Command T (Control on a PC). This gives you a selection that you can now size. To size uniformly hold the shift key and then pull the corners till the image looks right. It is all subjective.

I also cloned out some of the "old" face to make the blending easier.

Here you can see all the layers and masks. Click to view larger for more detail.

Then I added some more room below the coconuts and did the same thing. Made a layer mask and softened the edges.

Trust me, this is pretty simple. Anyone can do it, but you have to start using layer masks. I am always amazed at how many people use Photoshop and do not use layer masks. It is very simple and non-destructive. I am sure there are other ways I could have blended these images but this was quick and easy.

Any questions, just email me or skype me. Here isone more shot from yesterday. These kids are just too cute.

Oh! and Salamat Hari Raya Aidilfitiri!

Welcome to Keen Footwear.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:28:00 +0000

This image was taken by the highly regarded photographer, David DuChemin!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome a new sponsor to The Digital Trekker, Keen Footwear. Keens are just about the best...ok, they are the best sandal I have put on my feet. They are comfortable, stylish and very durable. I have several pair and even my daughter has the kid's version of the Newport H2 as well. But, the cool thing about the Keen company s not just their shoes, and they have a lot of them, and not just sandals either. The cool thing is their commitment to the environment and to the world community. Here it is in their own words from their site:

We believe that people want to do the right thing.

Inspired by the effects of the tsunami disaster in 2004, we have dedicated both time and financial resources to social and environmental organizations actively working towards the greater good. We honor our employees' commitment to volunteerism, support our local community and embrace corporate responsibility. We call it Hybrid.Care.

Since 2004, KEEN has distributed more than $1.5 million to non-profit organizations important to us. With limited resources and widely different goals, our Hybrid.Care partners have paved the way for change through community, education and understanding. What these organizations share is a philosophy of caring, conscience and sustainability. What they've already given back is invaluable.

The Venice H2

These guys fit so well with my focus on NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) and humanitarian work. For more information on Keen Footwear visit their site HERE. I am thrilled that Keens are now available in Malaysia. Now I don't have to travel so far for a great pair of shoes! So I am excited to call Keen a new sponsor. Welcome Keen Footwear.

What Blogs do you read?

Matt Brandon — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:25:00 +0000

Ok time for you to give back? I have a certain few blogs I check everyday. Here is my list:

PixelatedImage Blog - David is one of the best writers I know and is always inpserational.
Joe McNally - Joe is one of the best photographers out there and is always willing to share. And by the way, Joe's blog was a stitch today!
Chase Jarvis - Chase is awsome. Talk about some who shares knowledge. This guy rocks and he produces some pretty mean videos as well.
The Travel Photographer - Tewfic El-Sawy always has some great links to some very cool slideshows.
Photoshop Insider - Scott Kelby is, well Scott Kelby a must read.
TED Blog - This is always a way to stay up on what the "world" fines important.
Gavin Gough - Gavin has great insight and I just love looking at his images.
A Photogrpahy Blog- Rachel Hulin digs up some great images and is always good for a hoot.

OK - Now it is your turn. Who do you read? I know you are out there, I see the states. So please don't embarrass me and not respond. Or I am going to have to have my mom email for 50 different computers to cover my Arse!

PS One more I almost forgot to list. What the Duck. A must read. Not only is it funny, but it speaks volumes!

Who says there is no "Un-Suck" button?

Matt Brandon — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:55:00 +0000

David DuChemin is fond of telling me and others there is no "un-suck" button in Photoshop. Hmm, I thought I was sure I saw one. Then yesterday I found it. You just have to look in the right place. Come on David, you know it's there!

Steve McCurry Sharp

Matt Brandon — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:24:00 +0000

One of the fun and quite frankly, thrilling things that digital imaging has been able to deliver that film never did, is the ability to give you truly razor sharp images. Yeah, we had sharp images in the film days, but not like what we can get now. With the digital cameras ability to grab detail and photoshop's many techniques in sharpening, we have surpassed film by miles. Over the past two Lumen Dei workshops we developed an expression that might be taken disrespectful toward the Guru of travel and world photographers, Steve McCurry. The expression is, "Steve McCurry sharp". It is not meant to be disrespectful. Let me explain and give Mr McCurry his truly just dues. First, Steve McCurry is outstanding and has set the bar for all of us to reach for in our photography. But once you visit an exhibit of his you will notice something odd. Many of his images are slightly soft. Some of the focus is soft, others there is slight movement. You can't say this is bad, when the man defines "excellence". Prior to digital images, one would never had noticed these things. When we shot film we were never we able to get the sharpness we are used to now. But something else is happening. Let me illustrate it here.

This is full frame. Click to enlarge.

Here is a shot that all my readers will know. It is of a little Gujjar girl in Kashmir. One of the fun things about this image is it is so very, very sharp. Here is the EXIF data from the image:

Camera: Canon 5D Exposure Time: 1/500 sec F-Number: f/3.5 Exposure Program: Aperture Priority ISO Speed Rating: 400 Exposure Bias: -1 EV Metering Mode: Pattern Focal Length: 85.00 mm

I was, if I recall correctly, a good 6 to 10 feet from her. Below you will see that this image is so sharp, that you can see the scene behind me, when I photographed her, reflected in her eyes.

Click to enlarge.

So what is all this about? Why blog on how sharp digital images are? We all know they are sharp. Is it because this makes me better than Steve McCurry? Ha! If only that were true! No, it is because I bet you have started doing something that I have found myself doing. That is tossing away images that are not razor sharp. Any slight softness, slight movement and out it goes. I found I get so obsessed with sharpness that I loose sight of the beauty of an image. I don't see the moment in the image for the slight blur. For an image to work it doesn't have to be this sharp. Maybe even sometime it shouldn't be. Let me show you some images that I almost tossed, but I have now changed my mine and feel they are worth keeping even though they are not all that sharp. I will compare a nice sharp image with a soft or even blurred image taken at the same time, but a different "moment".

Click to enlarge.

Here is a shot of a man clutching his Qu'ran. It is a nice image. Sharp. Yes, there is glare in his glasses. But, even with out the glare there is emotion missing here. It is not a bad image and technically it is perfect.

Click to enlarge.

Here is the same man a few seconds earlier. His head is bowed and he is not looking at the camera. But the look give much more emotion, a since of thoughtfulness, or contemplation. You don't get that in the previous image. The soft focus or movement as it is here, work to make this a stronger image. Let's look at an even more stark example.

Click to enlarge.

Here is a similar shot. A Ladakhi woman sitting looking off to the left of the frame. A nice shot, right? But look at what the much softer shot below communicates.

Click to enlarge.

Here she is holding the beads to her head and there is real emotion here. Yet, this image is soft by all account. Not with movement, just soft focus. Now I admit, I should have been better at nailing the focus, and I think this might have been a better image had it been in focus. But does this make this image unusable? Not in the least! In fact this image is fast becoming one of my favorites. I want to make sure you understand me. I am not talking about accepting sloppy camera work. But none of us get it right 100% of the time. I have known I am capable at getting razor sharp images like above, so I have not even looked at some of my more emotional images if they are soft. Of if I did, I cursed under my breath at my bad luck and tossed the image out. All I am saying is we need to not forget what is good art. I cannot continue to throwout soft images just because I know I can get razor sharpness and didn't get it. You cannot say that McCurry's images are any less impressive or beautiful because of the softness of film or camera movement. So, if it is good enough for a Master like McCurry, I think I need to stop and realize technology has, dare I say, blurred my vision. I am missing the art for the mechanics and in danger of trashing some real jewels.

Arches of Old Delhi.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:30:00 +0000

Today I am posting a few shots of Arches around Delhi, India. I don't post images in the blog that much and thought you might enjoy them. If I get some feed back maybe I will post some more of other images. If you click any one of the thumbnail images in the post it will link you to a small Lightroom gallery HERE and you can view the larger files. I hope you enjoy them and find them interesting.

New ThinkTank Product Coming Our Way.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:17:00 +0000

Photo by Dave Seah

All kinds of fun stuff head this way. ThinkTank Photo, a sponsor of this blog has some neat new gear.

First there is the Airport AirStream. This is a scaled down version of the other Airport bags ThinkTank makes. I use the Airport International and love it! So, a much smaller roller bag with all the domestic and international regulations met. Nice. The not long ago ThinkTank released the Urban Disguise 35. Like the other Urban Disguise bags it is made not to look much like a camera bag. Again, this bag is a smaller version of the one I use the Urban Disguise 60, which by the way I love as well! So if you plan to do some travel or street photography and want to look less like a photographer with thousands of dollars worth of gear over your shoulder, you might give this bag a try. It holds up to a 13.3” laptop with a standard-size SLR or up to a 10” laptop with a Pro-size SLR with lens attached. It features a large opening for easy access to equipment and can be attached to a roller. It can be used as a backpack with the Shoulder Harness (sold separately). And finally ThinkTank will be giving us a new bag scheduled to be released in December. Having not seen this bag nor even heard much about it till yesterday I can't say a lot outside of what my buddy Brian at ThinkTank has passed my way. So I will just quote you directly from the press release: Shape Shifter™, the first backpack designed to expand and contract to fit DSLR equipment. By contracting down to 3 inches, the backpack keeps photographers from having to carry around a large foam box on their backs once their equipment is removed.

The Shape Shifter was designed for: Photographers that want a lightweight solution with significantly less foam and padding than traditional photo backpacks; Photographers that travel a great deal by airplane and public transportation that want to carry the maximum amount of equipment in the smallest package possible; Photographers that want to reduce the size of the backpack after their gear is removed. (Note: some gear can remain in the front, like two strobes, and it can still be compressed to the smaller size with the zipper); Photographers that use modular belt systems. After they remove most of their gear and put it on their belt, they then can then collapse the backpack; Photographers on the run that must travel with up to 17” laptops and have the necessary accessories with them to transmit images. Product Features The Shape Shifter can be compressed to 3 inches in width once equipment is removed. Once the majority of photo gear is removed, the bag can be collapsed and the photographer can still carry up to a 17” laptop and accessories, but in a much smaller package. Rear compartment for up to 17” laptops has medium padding for protection and comfort. Photographers can to wear their belt system, with components attached, and still support the weight of the backpack with the belt. The inside compartment has neoprene pouches for: 2 Pro DSLR bodies 1 70-200 2.8 with hood reversed 1 24-70 2.8 or similar with hood reversed 1 16-35 2.8 or similar with hood reversed Stretch pockets on the inside can also hold two strobes and other accessories Includes a strap system to mount either a monopod or tripod on the front the backpack. Padding on the back has an airflow system for breathability and comfort. Technical Specifications Outer Dimensions when COLLAPSED: 20 x 12.5 x 3” ( 51 x 32 x 8 cm) Outer Dimensions when EXPANDED: 20 x 12.5 x 7” ( 51 x 32 x 18 cm) Inner Dimensions of the LAPTOP CASE compartment: 19 x 12 x 1.5” (48 x 30.5 x 4 cm) Inner Dimensions of the DSLR Camera compartment (Note that because there are neoprene pockets to hold the photo gear, the normal internal dimensions stated have less meaning): 19.5 x 12 x 4” (49.5 x 30.5 x 10 cm) Estimated Base Weight (without any straps or accessories attached: 3 lbs, 13 oz (1729 grams)

This bag looks really exciting and quite frankly screams for a review by Fish over at Flying With Fish. He loves traveling with a backpack to carry his gear. Fish, this might just well replace your North Face Surge. I know I sure want to get my hands on it. A Oh, gear lust!

How to grow, pain and all.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:22:00 +0000

Don't be afraid of critique. (Photo by David DuChemin)

I was having Teh Tarek with Grungeman a day back and he said something that opened up a long conversation. He was bemoaning the fact that here in Malaysia there are no photographers that take interns on. I started to think about that and wondered why. But the more I keep thinking about it I realize that there are not a lot of photographers I know that take on interns. I know I don't. Why? Not enough work load. I mean lets be real, if I had the workload that some of these guys I know with interns, I would not be blogging everyday! So the question remains, how do the inexperience get the experience? How did I? I never interned, well, not really. I worked photographic jobs at my University. I shot for the school paper and the Yearbook. Then after college my career path went a different way. Though I did work in retail for a while at a camera shop. Later I got back into photography and found the passion...again. When I look back, the main way I got the skills I have today (ok, don't argue my skills!) was the advent of the Flat World (see the post: A Response to Selling Out ) and a digital camera. What do I mean? I started shooting, and shooting and, well, you get the picture. As my dear old daddy used to say, "Matthew, (he'd often call me Matthew) You cain't catch a fish with yer bait in the boat!" Yes, my dad was from Kentucky, but he put the accent on thick when he gave out pearls of Kentucky wisdom. But he, as he always did, made a great point. You have to get out and shoot. Practice. One of the best ways to learn is from our mistakes. Make a lot of them and learn a lot. And the beauty of digital imaging is it is all free after you buy the camera. Here is the other part of the Flat World that made me into a better photographer. The Internet and it's ability to reach out to the world. Use it, and post your images for critique on a forum. The place I found that helped me a lot and a place where I found others who shared my passion was the Travel Photographers Network. TPN is a great place to post and get your images torn apart, in a positive way. The folks that reside there are nice and gentle, in fact maybe too gentle at times. Sometimes they need to just come out and say it, "That image sucks! Didn't I show you where the 'un-suck filter' was?" But honestly, over all, this a great place to gather others with similar vision and share and image and listen and learn. There are other forums out there that do the same thing. If you know a good one then post it here and share it with our readers. But the point is to go out and seek some critique. While in university, I minored in journalism (I know you would never know it by reading this blog!) and you may recall if you have been reading this blog for many years, that I am highly dyslexic and can't spell at all. So what was someone like me doing in Journalism? Bleeding! My papers looked like someone spilled a bottle of red ink on them. But I learned to take the criticism and grow from it. It made me better. Growth is painful at time, but well worth the effort of sticking it out and learning what honest and talented people have to say about your work. By the way, I also met some good friends while at TPN. I met David DuChemin and others that over the years have remained honest critics and encouragers. Join a forum like TPN and seek it out. Ask for them to be rough, brutal. Learn from others and from your mistakes and grow in your craft.

Welcome Acratech Tripod Heads!

Matt Brandon — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:54:00 +0000

I want to say welcome to yet another new sponsor to The Digital Trekker, Acratech tripod ballheads. As I write this it just doesn't sound real sexy. But trust me, these babies are just that, sexy. I went after Acratech because one of our participants on this past Lumen Dei was using their GV2 Ballhead. The tooling of this ball head is sweet, more like a sculpture rather than a tool. I am being completely honest here. Look at the images below. Plus the gimbal action make this a very utilitarian head as well. Want to see this baby in action? Check out the YouTube video below.

I can't wait to get my hands on the GV2, it's light weight and open design makes it ideal for the type of shooting I do. Many other ballheads, and I am not excluding the big names out there, have their ball and socket design incased in some sort of housing. When dirt and grime get inside the housing the head starts to have friction and the movement no longer stays smooth. Not with the exposed design of the Acratech heads and being oilless and greaseless the ball will not attract and hold dirt and debris. Very smart! I told you they were light weight; they are less than 1 lb (.45kg). A concern with it being so light is, will it support the weight of a 5D (MKII ;) and a 70-200 2.8 lens? Apparently it does, and in fact easily holds over 25 lbs (11.4kg) at any angle. They are made with a quick release clamp that is compatible with most major manufactures QR plates. The one thing I was concerned about was the quick release clamp. It is a screw mechanism rather than a latch. But reading reviews of users, they all seem to get used to it quickly and in fact love it. I have not actually used this head for any extended amount of time. But I am getting my own in November, until then I want to point you to a very in depth review over at The-Digital-Picture.com, so check it out until I can post my own review here.

So a hearty welcome goes out to Scott Dordick and the great team at Acratech.

In other news; Lexar has posted a video I made for them on Lightroom 2. You can find it at their Digital Photography page HERE. While you are there checkout some of the other videos I have done for them. I have one on Toning and one on using the Displace Filter in CS 3 as well as some articles. David DuChemin has a plethora of articles there as well. Even Scott Kelby has posted some tips on the site. Go poke around and say hi to our friends at Lexar.

This is my Friday, so I'll see you back here on Monday, Malaysian time.

Gavin Gough is turning Travel Photography upside down.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:41:00 +0000

Photo by Gavin Gough

I wasn't going to post till Monday (Tuesday night US time) but Gavin Gough just got back home and has posted some amazing images. He just spent some quality time with Tewfic El-Sawy and others on the Land of the Druk Yul photo expedition in Bhutan. I haven't seen any of Tewfic's images yet, but Gavin's are outstanding! Due your self a favor and check out his blog here.

Lightroom Plug-ins make Life a Breeze.*

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:59:00 +0000

*Ok, maybe that title is a bit of an overstatement. We all know Lightroom is powerful. Most of my editing is done and post processing these days, and no longer in Photoshop. In fact, I would say with the advent of Lightroom 2 and local adjustments (see my video HERE) 95% or more of my work is done in Lightroom now. But there are fun little secrets that make this application even more powerful useful for more than photo processing. How many of you use Flickr, Photoshelter, SmugMug? Did you know that Lightroom, with the added help of a few free (yes, free) plug-ins can make your life soooo much easier? Here is how it works. I am going to show you with the Photoshelter plug-in, but it works the same with all the above and more. There are two ways to start. The easiest is to follow this link to Adobe's Lightroom Exchange HERE. This is a warehouse of Lightroom plug-ins. Here you will find plug-ins for exporting to the sites I listed above. But, you will also find all kinds of cool plug-ins for web templates, develop presets and more. Most are free! So poke around and enjoy. I said there was two ways to start. The other way is to open Lightroom and go under the new to Lightroom 2 "Plug-in Manager." This is a handy dialog box that will take you to the Adobe Exchange site by clicking the button on the bottom left of the window. But it is more useful than that, because it now is the simplest way to import your plug-ins. Once you download the plug-in you want to use, in this case the Photoshelter plug-in, then just hit the ad button and ad it to your list of plug-ins. Simple, no more searching for the folder where the plug-ins reside, it does it for you.

The new to lightroom 2 "Plug-in Manager."

So now you have the Photoshelter plugin loaded or the Flickr plug-in or whatever one you want. Now, you need to select the images you want to load. I chose the Arches of Delhi gallery I made last week. Make sure you have captions and key words already embedded in the image. This is the beauty of this method. Now export like you would do normally export a photo and bring up the export dialog box. Here you will see at the top of dialog box a small pane, click on it and choose which plug-in you want to use.

You must choose which plug-in to use.

You will see the list appear. Once you choose the plug-in you will need to log in to your account. Don't forget, you have to have an account with any of these services to use them. That may seem like a no-brainer, but... Anyway, then just work your way down the dialog box panes. Name the file, make your setting choice, your size choice, sharpening, etc... Finally choose an existing gallery or make a new one.

Just work your way down the dialog box panes.

Then upload. Once uploaded, Lightroom will tale you to the site and you can make any changes to the photos in Photoshelter or whatever site you uploaded to. Your captions and other IPTC data that was embedded from Lightroom 2 follows your image to Photoshelter. These plug-ins will save you a ton of time and make uploading to your favorite site a breeze. I hope this helped. You can view this gallery in Photoshelter HERE. The maker of the plugin wrote me and I realised I did not give a link to his site only to Exchange. Sorry about that oversite. The company is called pact software and you can find this plugin HERE.

Wat Chaiyamangkalaran

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:55:00 +0000

I hate blogger. One of these days I am going to make the switch over to Wordpress. But until I can figure out how to migrate all my old blog entries, I am hosed. Then again, if I get any more frustrated with blogger I might just count them as a loss and make the switch anyway. So, why am I so frustrated? All I wanted to do is use Lightbox or Slimbox, but you have to be a freaking programmer to figure out how to install and use the scripts and that is just not me. So for now I am stuck with giving you a link to a Lightroom version of lightbox.

So what this is all about is I went out yesterday and shot a few images at a local Burmese temple; Dharmikarama Temple and a Thai temple; Wat Chaiyamangkalaran. Nothing life changing, but I thought I would share with you the results. I have wasted most of the day trying to figure out how to make them pop up in Slimbox. So, enough of that! You can view them HERE.

About Me

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:09:02 +0000

Bio: Matt Brandon has been shooting pictures since he was 10 years old with his father's Cannonet QL rangefinder. 40 years later, he now collaborates with NGOs to tell their stories and to train their field staff to do the same. Well known as a photographer and international workshop instructor, Matts images have been used by clients such as Partner Aid International, NeighborWorks, the BBC, Honda Motor Corporation, and Bombadier Transport Corporation and others. His photographic pursuits have taken him to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, Philippines and Malaysia. Now based in Malaysia, Matt and his family have lived in Asia for much of the past 15 years. If you are looking for a photographer for your next assignment please give Matt a call or email him.
Matt's Books: Visit blurb.com for Matt's self published book, Catchlight. Visit Amazon.com for Matt's newest book of images from Kashmir titled "Kashmir, Mystery".

Goodbye Kitty and Goodnight or O! Ye of Little Faith.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:50:00 +0000

[caption id="attachment_61" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="At home in my Canon printer."][/caption] My daughter has been bugging me ever since we left Kashmir, and had to give away our dog ((Her name was Lady and she was a German Shepherd.)), to get another pet. I told her that once we got settled in to Penang we would talk about it. How is that for parental non-committal? Of course, she has not let me forget the "we will talk about it" part. We have been talking about it. I have talked about a monitor lizard, an iguana, she keeps talking about a dog or a cat or even a sugar glider of all things. So we settled, finally, on a kitten a friend found. I will admit it was cute. Did you catch that, "was"? Jessie's friend told her she had a cute kitten she could have. This past Sunday we picked it up on our way home from church. Our friend even put it in a small carrier so it would not run away. We got it home and closed the doors and let it run around the house. Cute. Big green eyes. Jessie named it "Peanut". Unlike another kitten disaster we had a few years back, this kitten loved to cuttle. I like this. Seems more like a dog that way. I think in this narrative, this is a good place to mention I am not a cat person, could you tell? I love dogs. Always have. To me the bigger the better. I know how to handle a dog, how to groom a dog and most importantly how to potty train a dog. Cats are a mystery. Someone once told me, a dog you feed, you pet you take care of and they think you are God. A cat on the other hand, you feed, you pet you take care of and they think they are God. But I digress... Sunday night at my daughters bedtime she wanted to keep the cat in her room. I reminded her this was going to be an "outside cat." But, ok, I am not heartless. I told her that once the cat started meowing too much she, not I, would take it downstairs. So at 2:45 am Jessie takes the meowing kitty down to the kitchen away from her. But the meowing is too much, the cat is too confined in the small carrier at 3:00 am. I see a small sleepy girl standing by my bed telling me the cat, in the kitchen, is keeping her awake. So being the sucker for a pretty little girl I said I would handle it. I think she just needs to pee. Of course she does. So what do I do? I take her out, in my boxers, to the yard to do her business. As soon as she touched the grass off she runs under the car. Great! Cat on the loose at 3:00 am! So I climb under the car but out she runs like lightning over to the neighbor's yard, then I watched her go into the street. Crazy cat, doesn't she know it is 3:00 am? I run back into the house to open the gate and then back into the deserted street, did I tell you it was 3:00 am, 'cause it was! So, I am now in the street, in my boxers (and I mean, no t-shirt, no shoes, nothing, just boxers!) running after this cat. It then runs in through a drain under the fence into the vacant house like ours (remember the mirror version of our house we first looked at when we moved here?). So I deftly climb over the gate to the house and walk through the tall grass and hope with all hope there is no cobras lying in wait for me (don't laugh, they killed a cobra just next door to us only a month back!) I see the cat but it bolts back into the street. Ok, I am not playing this game at 3:00 am in my underwear. Goodbye kitty and goodnight. My daughter was heart broken to say the least when I told her the story the next morning. I then spent the next day, searching the streets around our house looking and listening for the kitty. Nothing. That evening a sad Jessie comes home from school and her friend that gave her the cat was not nice to her, somewhat understandable, but also not nice. Yesterday, still no kitty and it rained, hard. Knocked over some of our plants and even broke a pot or two. A driving rain, like you only find in South East Asia (maybe not, but it sounded dramatic). My hope for Peanut is gone. I speak with Jessie once more and say, "I think we need to realize that Peanut is gone, forever and not coming back." She tells me she will keep praying. With little encouragement in my voice, I tell her that is a good idea. Maybe it was the rain, for sure the prayers. But this morning As we were getting ready to get into the car we heard a familiar "meow, meow". Sure enough it was peanut under the car looking wet and scared. I got the carrier and put some cat food in it and she entered with little trouble. She is now lying next to me as I type this and Jessie is at school having a very good day. God heard the prayers of a child. God is good all the time.

Peanut at Rest

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:20:06 +0000

Reviews

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:17:17 +0000

Review: Lowepro PhotoTrekker II

by Matt Brandon

Photo Trekker AW II

Just about a month back Lowepro sent me the Photo Trekker AW II. My first impressions were “Wow, its big!” It is big, about the size of what we used to call a Day and a 1/2 pack. More..

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Review of the Think Tank Airport International

by Matt Brandon

My Filipino wife introduces me as "the Imelda Marcos of the camera world". Okay, so I have a few camera bags, and I believe the old adage of "the right tool for the right job". Not all bags are created equal. Almost every bag has its designed purpose and, as a result, I have quite a collection. I have one for shooting while trekking in the Himalayas (I lead tours in these historic peaks), one for urban use, a big one, a small one, and the list goes on. I have two holes in my collection; two bags I "need"-one for air travel and one for urban use after a long flight. And as far as air travel goes, I am not alone. More...

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Review: ThinkTank’s Modular Belt Sys tem

by Matt Brandon

Review: The Lowepro Fastpack 350

by Chase Bowers

I recently had the opportunity to try out the Lowepro Fastpack 350 (the red version) on a trip through Sumatra, Bangka, and Belitung in Indonesia. I was assis ting NGO and travel photographer Matt Brandon on the trip. We took daily treks through cities and villages, along river banks and through jungles.

Our little kitty

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:03:08 +0000

Matt Brandon

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:12:49 +0000

mattb1

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:24:08 +0000

matt

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:26:25 +0000

Old Ladakhi woman

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:45:47 +0000

Man with Qu'ran.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:46:38 +0000

Little Gujjar Girl.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:47:35 +0000

Contact Me

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:44:34 +0000

Doing the type of work I do, I travel a lot. So I might not be able to reply immediately to emails. Please use contact form or call or write using the following info. Matt Brandon 516 - I, Jalan Hashim Tanjung Bungah, Penang 11200 Malaysia mobile: +60 16 490 8704

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:18:48 +0000

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cat in the printer

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:50:28 +0000

Lowepro PhotoTrekker II Review

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 02:35:00 +0000

by Matt Brandon

Photo Trekker AW II (As with any blog entry, if you want to see larger versions of these images, just click on them.)

Just about a month back Lowepro sent me the Photo Trekker AW II. My first impressions were “Wow, its big!” It is big, about the size of what we used to call a Day and a 1/2 pack. The size of the interior is: 12W x 6D x 19H in. / 30.5 x 15 x 48.5 cm. The size of the exterior, tripod holder attached: 14.5W x 15D x 21.5H in. 37 x 38 x 54.5 cm. Lowepro lists it’s capacity as:

• 1–2 large 35mm or digital pro SLRs with lenses attached, (up to a 400mm f/2.8); plus 5–7 more lenses • medium format system, including large 6 x 7 camera (like the Mamiya® RZ); or • 4 x 5 field camera system

But quite frankly, if you were to max this bag it would be too heavy to carry and you’d not have room for any other of the necessities of a trekking trip.

One of the first things I did was to adjust the suspension. This is very easy. Why don’t more backpack companies use this suspension system? The Photo Trekker AW II has a frame sheet in the back of the pack that transfers the weight of the pack onto your hips through the waist belt. Adjusting the suspension is easy; you just remove the Pack Jack™, this is a hard plastic sheet that wedges or sort of slices down between the padding and Velcro to release the shoulder harness. Once the shoulder harness is positioned properly, you remove Pack Jack™ and press against the back of the pack to secure shoulder harness with the Velcro, very simple.

All of the Trekker AW II series come with a very cool daypack called simply the DayPack II . What makes this cool is the DayPack II fastens onto the Photo Trekker by locking four oval catches on the front of the daypack into the corresponding rectangular clips on the Trekker AW II. Again, a very well thought out design. It would be helpful if at least the DayPack II was designed with organizer pockets. Small pockets for small loose items. Why? Because this is a big photo pack made for trekking means you won’t be carrying anything else on your back, so you need space for the little things like lip balm, a pocketknife, car keys and other items you would carry with you camping.

Now I wanted to give this monster a try. I wanted this pack because I have been trekking with the CompuTrekker. The name may infer that this is for trekking but it is not. It does well traveling around the globe any way but on your feet. The Photo Trekker, however, was designed for just the kind of wilderness trekking we do. A week after receiving the Photo Trekker AW II I had an opportunity to put it through its paces.

We loaded up a trekking team in the Sumos (an Indian SUV type vehicle, but uglier than anything you have seen before) and headed to Kolahoi Peak, in the Indian Valley of Kashmir. The bag did take up some significant room in the back of the Sumo but that was ok. When we got to the trail head I loaded this up on my back and headed out.

I did not carry a lot of photo equipment this trip. All I had in the pack was:

1. Canon 5D with the 85mm f/1.8 on the body 2. 50mm f/1.8 3. 17-490mm f/4 L 4. Sigma EF-500 DG Super Flash unit 5. Manfrotto 190DB with the 484 ball head 6. A few filters 7. Rocket Blower for the lens 8. Katadyn Water filter 9. Colombia rain shell 10. REI rain pants 11. Lunch 12. 1 ltr water in held onto the waist belt by the Lowepro’s SlipLock™ bottle bag.

The only think I was missing was a heavy telephoto, like a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS L (coming soon). But even so this bag weighted over 35 pounds!

I used the main compartment to carry all the photo equipment, my rain pants and the Katadyn water pump. I used the large outside pocket for my rain shell. In the daypack I had my lunch. My water was fastened on to the belt of the Photo Trekker. Some times I found it a little hard to get to but it wasn’t that bad. The only other option I had was to carry the water in the daypack or by hand, none of which were something I wanted to do. I carried the tripod on the side of the pack using the Tripod Mount™. This was a small problem. The mount did not fit my Manfrotto 190DB. Kind of hard to believe, but apparently the double wing locking knobs used by the190DB are so antiquated that Lowepro doesn’t design the Tripod Mount™ to fit them. So I had to force the two legs into the mount. That was uncomfortable, to say the least, but they did fit eventually.

The trek went very well and I got to shoot many fantastic portraits of the locals along the way. The bag proved to be very comfortable to carry and I have no complaints so far. Along the way we had to cross a locally made bridge, meaning three logs thrown across a raging river. It was a little hairy, not too bad, but with several thousand dollars of equipment on my back it got considerably scarier. This is where I wish it was water proof. It is not, but what it does have going for it is a set of waterproof zippers on the major compartments. So where this bag is not like the DryZone bags, my guess is it could (though I don’t want to try it) stand up to a quick dip in a river. Lowepro does not guaranty anything like this, so don’t try this next time you are out and about!

On the last day, literally the last hour or so, it rained on us. We had just made it to the trailhead of a small village in Kashmir called Aru. I ducked under the eves of a house pulled out the AW rain cover and smiled. Not only did it cover the bag it also covered the tripod, something the Computrekker AW cover did not. Within a few minutes later it stopped raining. I credit the AW cover for that to. You see; it is kind of like washing your car on a sunny day, within an hour or two after you finish it is bound to rain. So the next time it rains while you are out trekking, pull out your AW cover from under your Photo Trekker AW II and smile, even if it doesn’t stop the rain, it’ll still keep the equipment as dry as if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

Along the way we had to cross a locally made bridge, meaning three logs thrown across a raging river. It was a little hairy, not too bad, but with several thousand dollars of equipment on my back it got considerably scarier.

Pros: 1. This bag is big. It can carry a lot more equipment than you can put on your back. 2. The suspension system is better than most backpacks I have used. It is a dream to wear. 3. It is a good looking bag and well designed. 4. It has plenty of straps and loops for Lowepro’s SlipLock™ attachment system of accessories.

Cons: 1. This bag is big, it takes up space. This is not really a con, but an advisory. If you are looking for a bag that you can toss around, even though this maybe carry-on size, it is bulky. 2. With the size is the weight, it is heavy. 3. I wish there was more organized storage for smaller items. The Photo Trekker has three small pockets in the internal main compartment, these are designed for CF card, cables and the like, and large one outside pocket and then there is the DayPack II. 4. My tripod did not fit into the Tripod Mount™.

Conclusions: This is a great bag and well worth the price tag, $229 at Amazon if you need a bag that you need to take to some rough areas. This is not the bag for around town, if you want that, get the Computrekker or one of the smaller backpack like it. This bag had the great outdoors in mind and with the exception of a few very small issues this bag perform well. It did everything I wanted it to do, heck it even stopped the rain!

Review of the Think Tank Airport International

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:38:50 +0000

by Matt Brandon

It goes without saying - airlines need to make money. I am all in favor of people making money. But why take it out of our luggage allotment? I guess it's because it is all that is left. They have already taken our leg space, our meals and now it is our luggage allotment, weight and size. British Airways, and others who will follow suit, is now limiting "World Traveler" customers to one, one, bag apiece for checked-in luggage on most of its routes. If you want another bag, you are going to have to pay for it. But I digress; there was quite a stir last August when BA limited travelers traveling via England to one piece of luggage-and that piece was limited to 7 inches. Well, BA has relaxed a bit and now allows a standard piece of carry-on luggage, meaning 56x45x25cm (22x18x10in). But I have found after the big BA scare last August, all airlines are much more sensitive as to the size and weight of a carry-on. So when I saw that Think Tank Photo produced a gear trolley that met international carry-on regulation size, I was delighted. I called them up and within a day or two they sent me the "Airport International", as well as a box of low-profile dividers.

Even before opening the box, I was impressed by the size, or should I say, lack thereof. Once I opened the box, I was even more impressed. What I saw was a very well-crafted, nondescript, trolley bag. I quickly grabbed my 17" MacBook Pro, slipped it into the Incase neoprene cover and nervously brought it to the bag to size it up. It easily fit into the stretchable outer pocket. But I don't really want my $3,000 laptop readily accessible to anyone walking by. So I tried it inside. The size was a match, but the dividers were too tall to lay the computer on top of the gear inside and still close the bag. Thus, enter the low profile dividers provided by Think Tank. I quickly ripped out the Velcro dividers and replaced them with the low profile ones. At first I was concerned, as they were not really made to accommodate a 17" laptop. But I soon found that if I replaced some of the dividers at the top of the bag, which Think Tank said to leave in, it all worked well.

This bag is well thought-out. But then, you would expect that from a company named "Think Tank". I like the small attention to details, like: a stow-away cable to secure the bag to an immovable object. You might ask, "Why would anyone leave a bag full of camera gear alone someplace?" If you travel from Austin, Texas, to Bangkok, Thailand, there is a good chance that while you are in an airport along the way you will want to grab some much needed rest in a lounge area, as I did this trip. I slept well knowing my gear was locked up tight with the rather large cable to the bench I was napping on.

They put a TSA-compliant lock on the main compartment. So if, in a pinch, you had to check the bag, it is as secure as it can be made. Remember, in the US, if you don't have a TSA lock on your checked bag, security can break the lock and check your bag if you don't leave it unlocked!

Think Tank even added a small cloth handle on the bottom of the bag. I didn't notice the handle till I was lifting the bag into the overhead compartment and grabbed the bottom of the bag. My hand naturally fell on the handle which made lifting the bag very easy and natural.

The bag not only fit in the overhead, but got lost in it. On the international flight there was tons of room around it, no issue of size here. On the domestic route, the space was less but still not an issue. It really did not fit well under the seat as you can see from the image, it never really when fully under the seat ahead. But, then, I never use that space if I don't have to. I like to save it for my feet.

Another small-but well thought-out-detail is the length of the trolley's telescoping handle. I can't stand trolley bags with short handles; it seems that so many are made for short people. Not this bag. It extends in four stages, making pulling the bag easy. Even the handle is rubberized and gives you a secure grip when pulling a fully-loaded bag through the airport. One concern I have about the trolley handle is that it seems a little wobbly. With the weight of my camera gear inside and the normal abuse a bag like this will take traveling the world, I am wondering if, over time, it will hold out. But given Think Tank's reputation, my guess is they will stand by the bag if something were to happen.

While checking in at the airport in Austin on my recent trip to Bangkok, I wore my photo vest, thinking that if I needed to remove a body and some lenses, I would keep them in the vest to lighten the load of the bag. (This is an old trick and it can be a lifesaver at times.) But on this trip, no one even looked twice at the Airport International. For one reason, it was not on my shoulder screaming, "Look at me! I am a huge and heavy photo bag! Weigh me!" The Airport International is as big as most trolley bags and smaller than many. No one would ever know this is a photo bag just by looking at it. It is very nondescript; nothing on it identifies it as a photo bag.

The inside of the bag is like most other photo bags: removable Velcro dividers and a few pockets for light storage. I am a freak for pockets. This bag has just enough for most folks, though I could do with a few more. The front of the bag has a large stretchable pocket, ready for large items such as a computer or, as in my case, file folders and a book. Behind and above that pocket is a zippered one with organizers in it. This pocket is very tight to get into. I wish it was easier to access, but it is still nice to be able to use it for pens and tickets. Then on the top of the bag next to the trolley handle, is another small pocket which can hold a passport and other small, flat items. The bag was more than perfect for my kit-a Canon 5D, 50/1.8, 17-40/4, 85/1.8, 70-200/2.8 IS and various cables and lens hoods. I was even able to include my Jobo 180GB digital storage device. I do wish it had some sort of lashing points. I see no way to tie on, or hang on the bag any extra items like a jacket or, if need be, a tripod.

The wheels look like they will stand up to a great deal of abuse. No flimsy plastic stuff here; they look like high dollar rollerblade wheels. Plus, they are replaceable. One last thing, there is even a rain fly included for the bag.

Pros: Just about everything. Very well thought-out and the functionality of the bag shows it.

Cons: All minor points. The trolley handle might be a tad flimsy, although this may not even be an issue; only time will tell. I wish it had lashing points.

Conclusion: I can honestly say I am very impressed with this bag. The price is hefty, $319, but you will be hard-pressed to find a better carry-on photo bag. My only concern with the bag was the trolley handle which seemed a tad flimsy. Yet this may not even be an issue. Would I recommend this bag? Without reservation!

Now if I can just fine that perfect bag I can stick in my checked luggage and pull out for urban use.

Review: ThinkTank's Modular Belt System

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:18:32 +0000

By Matt Brandon

Photos of Matt by Keith Talley

I have for the past year or so used the Lowepro Stealth Reporter 200 when I shoot in urban environments. I like the size and ease of access to the gear. But a couple of things I don't like is that it doesn't provide enough pockets and storage space to use as a carryon, and it is a little too big to stick in my suitcase. Plus, as I get older, all the weight of gear hanging off my shoulder all day gets really old. So what I have come up with is a bit of a jury rig for sure, but it seems to work. I now carry or rather pull, a North Face Doubletrack 21” convertible pack. This bag is carry-on-legal and comes with a zip off backpack for easy-to-access essentials like my noise reduction headphones, journal, pens, passport and reading material. In the main compartment of the Doubletrack I pack my lens, camera body, passport drives, cables and card readers as well as my 17” MacBook Pro. Here is the cool part that I have to pat myself on my back about: I pack all this gear in ThinkTank's Modular Pro modules and the computer goes into the ThinkTank's Artificial Intelligence 17. This has two advantages over standard gear wraps. Where gear wraps may save a few inches of space they do only one thing, protect the gear. But the modules protect the gear and serve as a carry system once I arrive on site. Not only do the modules carry each lens and the body, I also pack the Pro Speed Belt and Pixel Racing Harness. So I arrive ready to shoot even if my checked bags get lost in Dubai. This last trip to Sumatra, Indonesia was the first time I shot using the modular system. I have to confess, it took a little getting used to, but after an hour or so shooting in 98º heat and the same humidity, I loved it. I am convinced that this system has saved my back and has kept me cooler than any vest could do. I have always liked the feel of vests and found them helpful, but I have yet to find one that was not uncomfortably hot to wear. On this trip, I used only one body, but took my standard work horse set of lens; 70-200/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 85/1.8 (I love this lens!) and my 17-40/4. I used each of these equally. The first day I shot with just the Pro Speed Belt. But soon found with all the sweating I was doing and the weight of the lens, the belt began to slip down my waste and I found my self always pulling it back up to above my hips where it felt comfortable. But, once I attached the Pixel Racing Harness all was fine. The weight was distributed very comfortably between my hips and my shoulders. I could even loosen up the belt again after having tightened it before. Breathing is enjoyable and the harness allowed me to do it once more. Here is a little trick I learned on this trip. In high humidity I sweat...a lot. It won't take long before I have sweat burning in my eyes and if I have sunscreen on, it is very painful and can really impede shooting. The Pixel Racing Harness has D rings on the shoulder straps and two little stretchy spandex type pockets. I used one of the small pockets to put my phone/gps in. This assured that the gps got great reception while I was shooting. I wanted this as I was planning to geotag my images from this trip. The D ring came in very handy. I had bought a small MSR microfiber towel for travel in Indonesia. Usually I take a keffiyeh, a middle eastern scarf along and throw it over my neck. It doubles as a rag to wipe the sweat and as a “do-rag” to protect from the sun. But at times it gets in the way. On this trip I took the microfiber towel and clipped it to the D ring on the harness and then stuffed the remainder of the towel in the module designed for a water bottle. It worked perfectly. This is a small thing, but really helpful, as the towel is very absorbent and stuffing it into the water bottle module kept it out of the way while I was shooting and with it being microfiber, at night I would wash it out and it would be dry by morning. The way I had the belt configured was with four modules. On the left was the water bottle module called R U Thirsty? and the Lens Changer 75 for my 70-200. On the right I had the Lens Changer 50: For my 24-70 with hood attached and the Lens Drop In. One aspect I was not thrilled with, but it was only a minor irritant, was that once I put the harness on, the back of the belt became wasted space. I am not flexible enough to twist around and reach and use any module on the small of my back and with the harness on I could not spin the belt around to the front like I could before. So this left me with only four modules and one of those I was using to store my towel. And when it came time to change lenses, I felt like I needed an extra hand. I would liked to have had one more module as a place to put the lens I was removing in order to free up my hands to grab the other lens as needed. Maybe not an issue for others, but for me it was an irritant for sure. Having just looked at ThinkTanks website, I think they may have resolved this issue with their new Belly Dancer harness. This looks complicated but efficient. It is nothing more than a harness attached backwards (see image) thus giving you more space in the front where the buckle once was. Brilliant! Also they have a new set of modules they call their Skin Set, lighter weight and no padding. It remains to be seen if they will work as a way to pack the lens in my carryon. Over all I was very happy with the ThinkTank Pro Modular system. It functioned well, saved my back and kept me from overheating. The only downside was that once I attached the harness, I lost some usable space on the belt. But this seems to be resolved in the new system using the Belly Dancer harness In closing this review, I want to thank Brian and the folks at ThinkTank for their participation in this year's Lumen Dei Workshop in India. How I pack the The North Face Doubletrack 21" :

ThinkTank's Artificial Intelligence 17; 17” MacBook Pro
ThinkTank's Lens Changer 75; 70-200/2.8
ThinkTank's Lens Changer 50; 24-70/2.8
ThinkTank's Speed Changer; 5D Body
ThinkTank's Lens Changer 25; 17-40/4
ThinkTank's Lens Drop In; 85/1.8
LowePro Cable bag
ThinkTank's Pixel Racing Harness
ThinkTank's Speed Belt
Compartment for a change of clothing
The North Face Doubletrack Zip off Daypack
The North Face Doubletrack 21” Carryon
ThinkTank's Pixel Pocket Rocket -Flash Card Storage
ThinkTank's Bum Bag; Sony Noise Canceling Headphones

Labels: Gear, Sponsors, Travel

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Lowepro Fast trax

Matt Brandon — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:16:33 +0000

Mitchell's blog site.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:29:55 +0000

The Lowepro Fastpack 350... Great gear for your gear

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:10:52 +0000

The Fastpack doubled as a pillow.

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:48:31 +0000

Time with locals in the Jammia Masjid, Srinagar, Kashmir.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:50:15 +0000

A women and non- Muslims are not allowed in to some shrines and Mosques.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:18:14 +0000

All dressed up at the Shaw Hamadan Shrine, Srinagar, Kashmir, India.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:20:51 +0000

The woman seeks the blessing that radiates from Jammia Masjid, Srinagar.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:24:12 +0000

The woman seeks the blessing that radiates from Jammia Masjid, Srinagar. XXXXXXXXX

Become a student of Culture where every you visit.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:31:22 +0000

Welcome to the new and improved blog of the Digital Trekker.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:57:25 +0000

Welcome to my new blog! ((I got really sick of Blogger. So I "upgraded" to WordPress.org)) Personally, I am thrilled at the new look and the ease of use and all the new features that have been added. I have spent the last few days working on the development of this site and the migration of the old blog. The only downside of this transition is the loss of the subscriptions I have tallied up over the past couple years of blogging. So please be sure to subscribe with the RSS links and the other options listed on the sidebar. Speaking of the sidebar, in the old blog many of the archives were bad links. You should find all these link now working fine. So, feel free to poke around the past entries. This new blog has all kinds of fun stuff. If you look at the top of the page you will see many new links that the other blog didn't have. Then you will see a few other fun tricks like footnotes, ((Isn't this cool how you can add footnotes to a post?)) and LightBox. LightBox will work with one or a series of images and pop them up on your screen while darkening the rest of the screen. Click on the photo of the Mitchell Kanashkevich bog header in this post for a sample. This gives you are great way to view an image without leaving the site. So have fun, explore and keep coming back for more news and opinions. And don't forget to update your subscriptions and change any links you have to this blog. [caption id="attachment_403" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The blogsite of Mitchell Kanashkevich."][/caption] Speaking of blogs and news and Mitchell Kanashkevich. My friend, Mitchell, has entered the blogging world. Mitchell is an outstanding photographer and I mean outstanding, be sure and check out his blog HERE and his website HERE. You will be very impressed.

Be a Cultural Insider and get better photographs. (pt.1)

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:00:38 +0000

Having worked cross culturally for over 15 years, with 13 of those years spent living in Kashmir, India, I made it a point to run my company, Frontier Treks & Tours, as culturally sensitive as possible. So I became a student of culture and how to best be a non-destructive observer and how to gracefully enter into it as much as possible. It is only by doing this that you can find, what might be called “insightful” images.

: Culturally sensitive tourist are quicker to get

One thing that I see over and over again by tourist and traveling photographers ((David, please note I did not say "Travel Photographers" as they are dead.)) is a lack of cultural sensitivity. By a lack of cultural sensitivity, I mean a disregard of local norms and societal boundaries. By doing this we unintentionally communicate a message that says, “I don’t care about you. I am the center of the universe and I find you a novelty.” We end up living out a pejorative ethnocentric attitude. This in itself is wrong. But, as a photographer in a cross cultural environment trying to engage with his subject and get shots that show the culture in it’s reality, it can be deadly. Because ethnocentrism blinds a person to the truth. It creates it own reality, by prejudicing everyone involved, the photographer and the hosts. The photographer sees the culture through their own lens of “this is weird, not right or backwards” and thus the images are highly likely to reflect this in subtle and sometimes not so subtle ways. The host culture reflects this by guarding it’s self and not letting the photographer see the real culture and in fact this can be boldly exhibited by not allowing him into an event or ritual because he is an outsider and outsiders are not to be trusted.

Lets look at ways we do this and some simple ways to avoid it.

All dressed down and nowhere to go.

Why is it some people feel the liberty to dress like slobs in foreign countries? Wrinkled shirts and wholes in ratty pants are the norm. I often see tourist under dressed for the cultural environment they are visiting. When I say under dressed, I mean literally not enough clothing on. Take Kashmir for instance. Here is a Muslim dominated society that has been at war for the past 19 to 20 years. Local women have gone from dressing in modest Wester apparel in the late 1980’s to today being fully clothes in burkas and Shalwar Kameez, the long shirt and baggy trousers of South Asia worn by both men and women.

: Often just dressed appropriately gets you quality time with locals.

Yet, when I walk the "Boulevard" in the tourist section of Srinagar I will often see Western women in shorts, or tank tops with no er.. how to put this "support". Kashmiri men and women gawk in unbelief at the tourist who seems not to notice or worse yet, not to care.

Why is this an issue? Let’s look at what we communicate.

If I invite you to a “black tie” affair and you show up in blue jeans and a t-shirt you are making a statement. The other guest will likely assume you are saying, you don’t want to conform to the norms. That you think a black tie event is somehow wrong. We have all seen it happen at something like the Oscars where a movie star dresses in contrast to the rest to make a statement against “the system.” When the photographer thinks, “Hey I am not at home so I can relax and dress down”, they are not thinking what is this communicating to the people around them. But unfortunately we are always being watched and thus we are always communicating. I have a Kashmiri friend who is fond of reminding me that all Westerners are walking "tube lights," fluorescent bulbs that draw everyones attention no matter where they go or how they dress. So people are watching and we need to be aware of the signals we are sending off.

Unfortunately in our attempt to relax what we are saying to out host is, “We don't care what you think, we don't care about your societal norms, we don't care about what makes you uncomfortable.” As a result our actions scream "We don't care about you!" This may not be what you feel, but it is what is being communicated.

Take my wife...please.

: You may never stop all the stair, but dressing in a modest always helps.

Cultural sensitivity is not limited to only dress. Learn about the customs either before you leave for the country your are visiting or at least once you arrive. Nothing can disarm a local that is nervous about you sticking a camera in their face like a few words of kindness in their mother tongue. This shows respect and a desire to learn. Note, I said mother tongue. There is a huge difference in the effect when traveling to a place like Kashmir and greeting someone in Kashmiri, "A salaam-alakum, var-ray? Thik-put?" rather than in Urdu, "Kya Haal Hai, janab? For the most part, all Kashmir's speak Urdu, but what you are communicating (non-verbally) when you speak Kashmiri is, I took the time to learn what is dear to you.

Be advised, when people learn language without learning culture right along with it, it can get messy. Here is a very subtle example from real life. I had only been living in Kashmir for a short time. I wanted to learn the Kashmiri greeting. But not the short version above, the one I heard friends use every day was long and very comprehensive. It translates to, “A salaam-alakum (May God’s peace be upon you!), How are you? You ok? Everything Good? How is Your Mother and Father? ok?, Your Brother and Sister ok? Your children ok? All household is ok?” This was just too fun not to learn. So I practiced it with my Kashmiri friends. But I gave it a little extra flare as I transliterated my culture into the Kashmiri words and asked my friend how his wife was. There was a moment of awkward silence. My friend, Aslam, looked at me and sternly announced to me, “Men never ask about another mans wife!” Ouch, I had gone to great length to learn the words, but missed the cultural clues. Luckily for me, the Kashmir culture is forgiving and all was well. By the way, why was it forgiving? Because I tried. I showed I was a learner.

Are we having fun yet?

When a photographer visits a new country or culture they are inevitably confronted with a way life that may feel uncomfortable and strange. Our first response is often different is wrong or backwards. When in reality it is just different or maybe even a more effective way of doing something in that culture.

I remember being very frustrated that the electrical power would go off seemingly indiscriminately in Kashmir. There never seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. On one day it went off at 5pm, on another day at12pm still another at 3pm. I was being too busy being frustrated and complaining rather than reading the local paper. Because in fact there was a schedule and it was printed in the paper! There was a good reason, the power is turned off to service a broader base of people as they have limited resources and the "indiscriminate" service was actually a planned outage that is staggered over a period of days, I just didn't notice. By the way this is called "load shedding" in India and happens in many developing countries.

When we show frustration or disdain for something in the culture we are visiting we are very libel to shutdown resources for information.

: Cultural norms are not like ours.

As a photographer or photojournalist we need to rely upon people to explain things going on around us. Why are they walking around the fire in the wedding? What does turning a prayer wheel do? What does red henna on an old mans beard mean? Again, we need to built trust so people will communicate with us honestly and by complaining or showing frustration for their home culture we are doing the opposite of that.

Frustration and disdain are hard to hide in a photo. As photographers we are writing with light and if the author is upset at what he is photographing be sure, it will come out in the images he shoots.

We have seen a few ways that we can mess up and what can happen as a result of it. Now, I am going to assume if you have read this far you are also interested in how to prevent all these mistakes. Tomorrow I will list a few ways to avoid these pitfalls and give some ideas that can actually work for you and help you take insightful images.

To be continued...

Taking a picture of a young monk at Chemray Village monastery.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:38:41 +0000

Using the Zink printer.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:41:24 +0000

My "informant" got me in this shrine when other tourist where not allowed.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:42:50 +0000

The flame shoots five feet into the air and then he pored the flaming liquid on top of my gray mountain.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:46:57 +0000

Be a Cultural Insider and get better photographs. (pt.2)

Matt Brandon — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:00:17 +0000

Picking up where we left off yesterday, I want to give some more thought to the actual "how to" of being a Cultural Insider.

Learn some key phrases: As I stated before, ideally learn these phrases in the mother tongue of the people you are photographing. You’d be surprised how many resources there are for this sort of thing. Buy a language phrase book by Lonely Planet. Check out the many software language classes available. The best has got to be Rosetta Stone. It is much closer to the natural way we learn language. Maybe you are like me, and there is just too many countries you are visiting to learn phrases for each before your trip. No problem. You can start on the plane. Many times when traveling to a new country I find my self setting next to someone on my flight that is a national from that country. I now have a captured teacher. Drill them for phrases and insider information. If not the airplane how about the taxi, most taxi drivers are talkers and would love nothing better to do than show off their ability to help you learn a few key phrases. In fact that taxi driver might even become your cultural informant. More on that later.

Relax and Chill: Things are different and you will encounter uncomfortable change if you really enter the culture. But isn't that a part of the adventure? If you wanted things to stay the same then maybe you should have stayed at home. So change your expectations. Be a Learner. Ask questions. Be a three year old. I remember my daughter Jessie when she was three, she seemed to start every sentence with “why.” “Jessie go to bed now.” “Why Daddy?” “Jessie we don’t run with pens in our hands.” “Why Daddy?” We need to revive that 3 year old in us and start asking our host, why. Why do you eat that way? Why do you sing those songs? Why do you pray? Why does that building painted like that? Once we position ourselves as learners, seekers cultural of knowledge, our host will let their guard down and we will see there pride and dignity. They will begin to let us in to their world and we will see the pictures clearer.

The Give and Take. One of the things we stalk about at Lumen Dei, the Workshop David Duchemin and I lead in Kashmir, India, is the give and take of photography. The very nature of photography is taking. We take pictures. We often take time away from out subjects. What what do we give back? Not much. But there are somethings we can give back, though small, but often noticed. Take a moment and share the image you just shot with the subject or the other people around you. You will be surprised how many times other people standing around will respond with “Now take one of me!” You might even get other invitations to go deeper into the culture once they see you can be trusted. When you walk away without showing the images, the people around only guess what you took a photo of and whether it has portrayed them positively. Dismiss those fears by simply showing them the back of the camera.

Another way I used to give back is by making small 4X6 inch prints for the people you took pictures of. This only works if you are going to be in the area a long time, or if you know someone who lives there. I do this often in India. After a trek up in the mountains I will often take the images of the people I have shot and once back in town process them in a local one hour lab. Later I give them to friends I know in the area to distribute them back to the people.

You can do the same thing now with out having to go to the print shop and get 4X6 prints made. Now through the magic of technology I bring you; the Zink personal printer! This is a great little printer that makes business size prints and runs off of batteries. The paper even has an adhesive back to it so your subjects can stick them on mirrors or kid can stick them on books etc.. We used the Zink on the last Lumen Dei in September and found them to be just what the doctor ordered. You would be surprised at the good will this has engendered. Between this Zink and 4X6 prints, now whenever I return to Kashmir I am welcomed with open arms and am literally known in the mountains around our treks as the “shepherd’s ((The Shepherd in Kashmir are mostly a people called the Gujjars. you can find many shots of them in my gallery)) photographer.”

Ask and it shall be given. When shooting portraits in a closed society it is often appropriate to ask a subject before shooting. Often times you will be met with a pleasant, “please do” or “sure, no problem.” Recently in Sumatra, Indonesia, again a conservative Muslim society, I was reluctant to shoot the women all clad in their Islamic covering. I knew I needed to ask before shooting them. So I learned how to ask, “Bolai photo?” More often than not I was greeted with a smile and “Bolai!” literally “Can!” or “Sure, take it.” But when someone you ask refuses, then respect that. Don’t under any condition try to sneak it a few minutes later and certainly don’t try to pay them off. This will only undermine any trust you have with the others around you.

The Informant. One of the more comprehensive and all a round best ways to prevent most if not all these mistakes is to find a “cultural informant ((Also called a Fixer")).” This person may, though not always, be able to give you the “hows” and the “why” of their culture. They can be more than a translator of language, they can translate culture, unlock history and give you the traveler, the chance to do more than just peek into their rich heritage, they can give you the opportunity to experience it first hand. Some people will pay great sums for a person like this. Often times it is a local photographer that knows what you want and would like to shoot with you or learn from you. But lets face it, not many of us are willing to fork over the funds for a person like this nor do we know a photographer in these regions. So how do we find this informant? Remember that man or woman that sat next to you on the flight? They might be a great place to start. In fact they might be willing to help you ask the right questions or know about the whys and hows of the culture you will be landing in. They might even have a relative that would be willing to take you around personally. Don’t forget your taxi driver. Surprisingly these guys often speak several languages and are willing to hire out their taxi for the day and act as a unofficial guide for you. Hopefully along the way you might meet someone in a tea shop or a restaurant that will befriend you and and help you see this new world in a positive light and with some new insights.

Sludge can win friends.

Years ago in Srinagar, Kashmir I developed a strong bond with a houseboat owner named Rashid Badyari. Rashid has a love of adventure. He also has a perverse feeling of satisfaction when he puts me into very uncomfortable circumstances. But I found this was a great way to enter into the culture. One day he invited me to get up early with him and go to the old city and experience a special breakfast called “harissa.” The harissa shops are often tea shops converted for the cold season into a small smokey dinners of sort. Early morning we arrived while the air was still crisp and our breath hung in the air, the ice in the street cracked under our feet. There was a old blanket hanging over the doorway. Rashid explained to me how this blanket acted as a warm air catch and it served to keep the diner warm inside while customers came and went. Once inside we sat around a low, 8 to 12 inch platform/table with a man sitting in the middle of it. He had two huge earthenware pots sunk into the table. He reached deep in the pot, almost disappeared and then came back out with a spoon full of gray sludge. Rashid looked at me and smiled. I got nervous. The man plops the gray sludge onto a small round piece of tandoori baked bread. Then he added some finely chopped and seasoned lamb entrails on top of the sludge and two small stubby sheikh kebabs on top of that. Then as if he was some fancy french chef and with all the flare of a circus performer he took a ladle of clarified butter called gee, aka, grease and lights it on fire with the small kerosine stove blazing near by. The flame shoots five feet into the air and then he pored the flaming liquid on top of my gray mountain. Rashid and the man, as well s every other of the men in the diner all smile as the cook serves me the harissa. You would have thought they had just told me one of their relatives built the Taj Mahal! Everyone in the place was just as proud of this dish. And So I took some bread scooped up some of the mess and put it into my mouth. It tasted unbelievably good. Maybe it was the food, maybe the atmosphere, maybe it was the love in which it was prepared. Whatever it was, I had just entered into their culture, their life. I was no longer an observer, I was now a participant and I was trusted.

So, the with these few small tip you can win trust and develop new and lasting relationships that will give you new insight into your images of the culture you are visiting. You will walk away with not only more interesting images, they will have a unique insight that were never able to get before.

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:21:15 +0000

Apple Proof Reader

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:24:45 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:30:22 +0000

Bad at Spelling? Here is a helpful hint.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:32:09 +0000

This is not a photo related entry today. But one I hope will be helpful to many folks. Maybe you are like me and cannot spell or maybe your grammar is, well, iffy. I was never great in school, in fact I just got out by the skin of my teeth as we say in the US. If you are a frequent reader of my blog you know I am dyslexic ((and ADD but that is for another blog entry.)) My blogs entries are not perfect, but better than they used to be, if you look at the old ones. Why? Have I gotten better at spelling? No. Has the spell checker gotten more accurate, maybe, but that is not the reason either. I found out a great way to proof. It is a Mac thing, but maybe you Windows users have the same thing, I don't know. I have my computer read the text back to me. It is simple, but I find many Mac users don't know the computer can do this. Just highlight any text you write (or any text any place on the computer or the net) and then use the Keyboard shortcut "option-command (the apple key) R". Then the computer will read you the text you just wrote. If you have miss-spelled a word you will hear it. If the grammar is off, you should hear it as well. Take a look at this: Next Monday I am off to London for a week. So the blogging might take a hit. Don't run off, I don't want to loose any of you new readers. There is always more to come.

nov08wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:45:26 +0000

November Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:00:13 +0000

Here is your November wallpaper. These are "mani stones" found all over Ladakh, India. This wallpaper is a bit more tricky to download. You will have to right click it in Windows and ctl (control) click it on a Mac to open it in a new window. Then just do your thing to make it your wallpaper. Enjoy!

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:17:03 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:17:25 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:43:43 +0000

Pushing Yourself

Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:00:39 +0000

Do you push yourself? Do you admit to your weaknesses and say I want to get better in this area? There are two ways to look at things like this. One way is to say, "I am good at portraits (put what you are good at here.) and I am going to capitalize on this one thing and let the other stuff alone." This is not a bad attitude, really! If your good at something then go for it. Capitalize on it make it your specialty. I have no problem with this. This is what I do. But, sometimes, you want to work on your weaknesses for your own sake. Just because it is good to stretch yourself. Do you do this? I do, and at times it can be really frustrating. But that is ok. My sister-in-law and her family have been visiting this week from the Philippines. We took the family to the Penang Botanical Gardens. They have a lot of palm trees there as you can imagine. Probably the weakest area in my photography is detail graphic shots. Meaning; shots that are heavy in graphic form rather than subject. Here are a few from my exercise whilst in the garden.

ftt India

Matt Brandon — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:34:13 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:00:31 +0000

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DavidD — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:49:31 +0000

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DavidD — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:50:44 +0000

Win a Zink Pogo Printer!

Matt Brandon — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:54:52 +0000

Remember that Zink Printer I talked about in the Cultural Insider's post? The really cool portable printer that prints business card size prints? Well, here is your chance to get your hands on one. Pop on over to David DuChemin's blog HERE and let him know why you want one. Tell him I sent you over, maybe that will help....I doubt it but it couldn't hurt!

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:29:49 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:36:13 +0000

Wear a Beard and Help People!

Matt Brandon — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:44:42 +0000

Wear a beard for a worthy cause. For every person that wears a beard atto will donate $1 to Kiva. Check out the links. In the meantime have some fun!

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:53:26 +0000

Gone - But Not Forgotten

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:00:03 +0000

As I am gone all week I have enlisted a few friends to help fill the day's post as guest authors. Be checking back later this week for post by David Duchemin and Gavin Gough. I am really excited to see what these guys come up with. The next blog post is by a longtime friend and associate David Bohlen. David doesn't blog publicly, though I wish he would, some of his private blogs are priceless. David is very important to me and to Lumen Dei. David is Frontier Treks & Tours India. He and his wife Jackie came to India three or four years back and helped me run FT&T. I knew my photography was moving me away from working the tourism industry full-time so I twisted David to take over the office in India. He made order out of chaos and turned my confusing operation into a real business. I can't imagine running Lumen Dei in India without David Bohlen. So I have asked David to share a few thought with us here. I am sure we won't be disappointed.

Resistant is futile, join the Collective.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:15 +0000

Ok, so the title is a bit, well.. Trekkie Nerdy. But you get my point. David started a forum for folks like us and somehow, not quite sure how, I got roped in as a moderator on... like... everything! ((Thanks a bunch for the work, I wasn't busy enough!)) Anyway, it is a great opportunity for you to learn and share your knowledge. I can't tell you how many times people have asked me where to go to get instruction and wisdom in this industry. Want to talk about culture and how it relates to photography? How about ethics? Maybe you want to post some travel questions. Here is your chance. Click on the link in the sidebar and stop lurking and join the Vision Collective!

Guest Post: Wedding Clothes

DavidB — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:00:51 +0000

When Matt asked me to write a guest post on his blog, I think he said I could write about anything I wanted provided I don’t mention anything about my favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. Oops. Related to Matt’s recent posts about culture, I’ll just share a story of a cultural learning experience I've had while living in Kashmir. The first time my wife and I were invited to a wedding in Kashmir, I wanted to make sure I wore appropriate clothes for the different days and events of the wedding. I asked a Kashmiri friend who was going to the wedding with me for some tips. He recommended I wear a traditional outfit similar to a men’s salwar kameez, as that’s what he said most of the men will be wearing. On the first day of the wedding he picks me up to go to the first event of that day, but he’s wearing jeans and a collared shirt. I’m all decked out in traditional garb and suddenly not feeling so confident about it. When we arrive at the wedding my confidence takes another hit as I quickly see that I am the only man wearing traditional clothes apart from a few older men. Everyone else is in jeans or khakis with collared shirts. No one says anything to me about what I’m wearing, but I’m feeling a little embarrassed and out of place. A week later I’m at another wedding. This time, I’m dressed like most everyone else. As I’m sitting down with three other men enjoying the Kashmiri wazwan feast, one of the men says to me, “Aren’t you that foreigner who was wearing a salwar kameez at so and so’s wedding last week?” With a mouthful of seekh kabab, I sheepishly mumble yes. The three men share a laugh together while I dig into some more meat. Fast forward to a little over a year later. I’ve had many more Kashmiri wedding experiences. And now I’m at another one, yet this time I’m wearing a salwar kameez again. But in this case it’s the perfect clothes for the occasion. My wife and I have become like a brother and sister to the bride who is getting married, therefore I am dressed up in an appropriate way for that role. However, I still feel a little nervous due to my last experience. To my great relief everyone loves my suit and I get lots of compliments on how great it looks. Looking back I can see that the times I’ve made a fool of myself or messed up culturally are often the times I’ve learned the most and made better progress at participating in the culture around me. The next time you’re traveling to a new culture, don’t worry about making a fool of yourself (you actually should expect to), but just be eager to learn from the experience. It will also give you a better story to tell when you get home.

Tomorrow's Guest Blogger; Gavin Gough

Matt Brandon — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:00:38 +0000

This rugged looking bloke to the left is none other than the world famous Gavin Gough. Now if you don't know who he is, you haven't been reading very many photo magazines or blogs as of late. Gavin currently calls Bangkok his home, though he is originally from UK. His images are outstanding and his humor..well British. Here is what he writes about himself;

Travelers invariably have exotic tales to tell and I have my share. I’ve been detained by Maoist insurgents in Nepal, faced Saharan bandits armed only with a Swiss Army knife and tussled with a pair of muggers in Rio de Janeiro. But it’s not all been fun. I’ve also had the honour of delivering the King of Tonga his lobster lunch and I’ve seen and heard His Holiness the Dalai Lama speak in Dharamsala. Photography has taken me to the top of the Empire State Building and to the world’s most southerly city. I’ve photographed secretive Polynesian tattooists, holy Saddhus and Tibetan monks in each of their homelands.

Since I am going to be away this week, I thought it would be a great treat to have Gavin pop on over and give us some of his wisdom and hopefully we can convince him to tell us about being detained by Maoist insurgents in Nepal or some of his other adventures.

So Sit back relax and enjoy tomorrows blog.

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Gavin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:35:17 +0000

Guest Post: I'm going to let you into a little secret...

Gavin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:00:37 +0000

[caption id="attachment_577" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="My secret notebook"][/caption] ...it is this: "I sometimes get others to say what I cannot put so well myself because of the weakness of my language, and sometimes because of the weakness of my intellect." Of course, that's not my quote, it was penned by Michel de Montaigne, who, Wikipedia tells me, was one of the most influential writers of the French renaissance. Bloody show-off. However, it's a nicely self-deprecating quote with which to begin a guest blog spot. I reassured Matt that I'd behave myself on his blog and likened being invited here to being asked to look after a friend's child. It's a terrific responsibility and you just hope that you can return it safe, clean and free of swear words. I guess two out of three won't be too bad. So, back to Montaigne who understood that we sometimes find that other people have already written down thoughts that echo our own but in much clearer language than we'd be able to conjure up - and with correct punctuation in the right places to boot. And I've found this to be true. I frequently read articles and blogs where the author has said something that I completely agree with but in more concise, more evocative language. It can be tremendously reassuring to find that somebody else has already been down the path we are on and there's a wonderful sense of kinship when we read something that really resonates with us. A kind of eureka moment. A few years ago I decided to start collecting some of the quotations that struck a chord with me. I was in New Zealand at the time, slowly travelling around South Island in a campervan and with plenty of time to read each day. I found that I was reading lots of things that I wanted to remember so I picked up a rather unglamorous notebook in a newsagents in Christchurch and began copying out sentences from novels, lines from song lyrics and snippets of overheard conversations. Anything that really resonated with me went into the little orange book and it's here now, in front of me as I type this, my tiny box of gems. At this point you might be saying to yourself, with some justification, "This is all very well Gavin but what has the content of your notebook got to do with photography?". To which I'd reply, "Good question". Indulge me for a moment longer and I'll explain. Photography has got nothing to do with camera equipment. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Photography has got nothing to do with apertures, lenses, shutter speeds, tripods, exposure values, composition, pixel counts or starburst filters. Especially starburst filters. Don't listen to anyone who tells you differently. Photography is all about heart. Respect, sensitivity, humility, confidence, perseverance and heart. But mostly heart. I'm pretty sure that if you're a regular reader of Matt's blog that you will already understand this so I know that I'm preaching to the choir. You will already appreciate that a photographer who takes pains to understand and empathise with their subject from a position of equality will produce images that far outshine those produced by a photographer who arrives with a snazzy camera but a bag-full of bad attitude. It's the quiet photographers, the considered and contemplative photographers who manage to convey beauty most effectively. Ansel Adams said "There are always two people in every picture: the Photographer and the Viewer". If that's true, and I happen to think it is, then your personality is going to come across in your images. Would it be foolish to suggest that quiet, considered and contemplative photographers inevitably produce quiet, considered and contemplative images? I don't think it would. What about this notebook then? What's the connection? Well, it has come to serve as my pocket self-help guide. More by chance than design I've accumulated quotations which offer encouragement for when I'm lacking self-belief and which offer guidance for times when I can't remember what the path looks like, let alone in which direction it might lay. It contains reminders for me that although life has a habit of throwing obstacles in our way, others have been this way before and overcome them. It contains quotations that help strengthen my resolve and reinforce my commitment. It contains pages that define the sort of person, and consequently the sort of photographer, that I aspire to be. I'm conscious that I'm currently blowing away the facade of English reserve that I've worked so hard to establish and replacing it with something much more touchy-feely. How unbecoming. Oh well, the damage is done now so I might as well continue by bringing you a few random quotations from the pages of my notebook. I encourage you to start your own notebook of quotations. Include anything that you find really appealing. However, write down only the things that really strike a chord and which speak to you on a fundamental level. It doesn't matter if you forget about it for six months, just keep it safe and you will, I promise, return to it in the future and be impressed with how clever you were to write down something many months before which seems so pertinent to your current situation.

On perseverence (and mountain summits):

"The summit is... sublime. It is hard not to start grinning, perhaps laughing, for no particular reason. An innocent laughter that comes from the core of one's being and expresses a primal delight at being alive to see such beauty. But... it isn't easy to climb to 3,451 metres above sea level. It requires five hours at least, one must cling to steep paths, negotiate a way around boulders... grow breathless... and crunch through eternal snows." Alain de Botton

On a successful attitude to travelling:

"Every place is a goldmine. You only have to give yourself time, sit in a teahouse, watch passers-by, stand in a corner of the market, go for a haircut. You pick up a thread - a word, a meeting, a friend of a friend of someone you have just met - and soon the most insipid, most insignificant place becomes a mirror of the world, a window on life, a theatre of humanity." Tiziano Terzani

On pursuing your dream:

"Integrity: includes the value of consistent pursuit of these chosen projects which give purpose and meaning to one's life." Edward Craig

"And as usual when you start doing exactly what you are, whether you're a writer, whether you're a catamaran sailor, you pretty much start in for the most demeaning work you'll ever do in your life." Jeff Buckley. Genius musician.

On defining love and commitment:

Josh: "I'm just saying, if you were in an accident I wouldn't stop for beer." Donna: "If you were in an accident I wouldn't stop for red lights." West Wing, Season 2, Episode 18

On photography as a religion:

"If I was going to be something I'd probably be a Buddhist. I'm just a photographer." Steve McCurry

On finding your way:

"There are many new roads in Kathmandu. The oldest of which is named New Road." Jeff Greenwald - Shopping for Buddhas

On keeping things in perspective:

"When it all comes down to dust, nothing that you or I or anyone else on earth can create is anything more or less than a gasp in the wind: one prayer scattered among billions of others, all equally holy and all eaten at last by the rain and the wind." Jeff Greenwald - Shopping for Buddhas

On plain speaking and keeping things uncomplicated:

I was staying in a beach hut in Samoa and met with other travellers for dinner. As a group of strangers, the introductions obviously came first. The following brief but very direct conversation took place at our table between a straight-talking, no-nonsense Australian girl and a rather taken aback French man:

"Hi, my name is Jane" "Is that Jayne with a Y?" She paused, looked at him with an expression of horror and replied, "Of course it f***ing isn't". Jane (without a Y) - Tanu Beach, Samoa

On maintaining one's priorities as an Englishman:

"A man cannot appreciate truth or beauty unless he has tea in him". Anon

And finally, on thoughts of one day returning home:

"Now I dream of the soft touch of women, the songs of birds, the smell of soil crumbling between my fingers, and the brilliant green of plants that I carefully nurture. I am looking for land to buy and I will sow it with deer and wild pigs and birds and cottonwoods and sycamores and build a pond and the ducks will come and fish will rise in the early evening light and take the insects in their jaws. There will be paths through this forest and you and I will lose ourselves in the soft folds and curves of the ground. We will come to the water's edge and lie on the grass and there will be a small, unobtrusive sign that says: THIS IS THE REAL WORLD, MUCHACHOS, AND WE ARE ALL IN IT" Charles Bowden

__ Gavin Gough is a travel photographer and writer. He also runs tours and workshops in his adopted home of Bangkok. Find out more at his web site or blog.

Tomorrow's Guest Blogger; David DuChemin

Matt Brandon — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:00:57 +0000

David DuChemin needs no introduction to my readers. In fact some folks think we are attached at the hip. Maybe not so good for David, but I'll hitch my wagon to his any day! David was a full-time comedian for many years until he lost his funny. Then he fell in love all over again, with his original passion; photography. He has always had a love of travel and culture. He also has a deep heart felt concern for justice issues. Some how, unlike most of us, he has been able meld all these passions together and make a living at it. I first met David online over at TPN. We seemed to have the same vision and values so we started talking about getting together and shooting. He visited India and we realised we worked well together. Now we run Lumen Dei Photographic Workshops every year together, based on our shared vision and ethos. So it is my pleasure to have David as a guest author on The Digital Trekker Blog. Tune in tomorrow.

Guest Post: The Illusion of FREE

DavidD — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:00:33 +0000

Matt's in London this week and he's asked me to fill a spot. Rather than touch on the artistic and philosophical side of things, which Matt does so well on his own, I want to bring you in on an on-going conversation Matt and I are having about money. I'll do that by addressing the issue of FREE. FREE is a powerful word, and a powerful concept. It's getting a lot of discussion in the marketplace, some going so far as to suggest it's a commerce model all on its own. Boiled down, it amounts to this - the market is clamoring for FREE. If you don't give it to them, someone else will. In our context, they want free photography, free post-processing, free images, free teaching. Turning a blind ear to this is not only mixing your metaphors in a dangerous way, but is a good way to get left out in the cold. We have to listen to the power of free. This blog is free, so is mine. We give, but everyone gains, including us. Free wallpapers cost us nothing but give something to the market. Free prints when you book a sitting - they cost the photographer pennies, but provide a great gain for the consumer and the producer. But on the other hand giving it all away for nothing is not viable. In some ways, there is no such thing as FREE. It's an illusion. My wife wants to eat, so do my cats. My landlord comes back each month for a rent cheque, and my cameras are going to need replacing. Doing business cost money. So does living. You've been given only so much time and talent with which to pay the bills. Give it all away and you're hurting yourself and others. I recently had an email questioning the expensive (?) price tag behind the workshops Matt Brandon and I lead. What my interlocutor failed to realize is that these workshops take a year to plan, market, and administrate. Ignoring the costs, like airfare for instructors, all meals and ground costs, etc., we give 2 weeks of our time, plus 3-4 days of pre-trip planning in-country and at least 2 days of travel. Call it an even 20 days, plus an estimated 10 solid days of planning during the year. 30 days. If we do not charge accordingly, those are 30 days we can't use to contribute to our annual cost of doing business. So we need to take more from those other clients. In my case, clients working with vulnerable women and children. Not an appealing thought for me. I can only make so much money in a year, but my costs are pretty static. My overhead doesn't go away because I wish it would. I still need to pay for my website, my marketing materials, my taxes, my savings, my daily living expenses. FREE will put you and I into bankruptcy so fast it'll make your head spin. Working with charities and NGOs you'll encounter client after client that asks you to give it away for free, and they'll tell you to your face that they (1) can't afford you -probably true - and (2) are responsible to carefully steward what little finances they have - also true. The strong implication, however, is that you are somehow responsible for their stewardship. You aren't. You are responsible to steward your time and money. Your family and your business. This doesn't mean you can't find creative ways of doing the latter while working for the client, but it does mean you need to know what your cost of doing business is, and whether you can actually afford to give it away. You need to remind yourself there's no such thing as FREE. Failure to do this means you will sit closer to the survival line, take gigs as cheap as you can, undercut the others struggling to make it, and in the end put yourself out of business, which helps no one. You must steward your time and money, and that begins with knowing the true cost of going out for a day or a week, and finding ways to cover that that do not include a line of credit or plastic. Heed me on this. If you do not know your Cost of Doing Business, you need to. In actual numbers. Now, back to FREE. There is no such thing. It's an illusion. Someone always pays and in this case it's you. Those of us that take pro-bono (notice it's not called free) work often fall into the trap of thinking that "we're not getting paid for this one." As if it's simply a break-even on the books. It's not. YOU are paying for it. If you need to earn, for example, $1000 for each day you shoot, in order to meet your annual cost of doing business, then that money has to come from somewhere and agreeing to shoot a week for FREE means, not a week without pay, but a week with a $5000-$7000 deficit on your annual budget. How many of those can you afford? If this is beginning to sound like a hard-assed capitalist speaking, then good. I'm not, for the record. I'm Canadian so I'm closer to being a socialist. I'm wearing a Mao Tse Tung shirt I got in Beijing as I write this and I have a strong affinity for revolutionaries (though I dislike their methods). I digress. The dollar is a tool, not a god. But you have to wield your tools well and most photographers are very kind people who want to give it away, unconscious to the staggering cost of doing this, even as a hobby. I'm not saying you need to make money your priority, but you do need to make the wise management of your time and money a strong priority. So what have I done to (1) steward my time and money, while (b) continuing to work for clients with shallow pockets? 1. I have strong sponsored relationships with generous leaders in the photography industry. They give my products that I would otherwise pay for, lowering my overhead and thereby lowering my cost of doing business. I can afford to spend more time doing pro-bono work. 2. I have sought alternate means of funding. Someone has to pay for me to photograph child labourers in central asia, but that doesn't mean it has to be me or the NGO. My last assignment was paid for by a business-man here who wants to make a difference in the lives of children. He cut me a check and said, go shoot. Be creative. 3. I have diversified and sought mulitple income sources from shooting and teaching. I shoot while I am home and charge more to my commercial clients than I ever could to my paying NGO clients. One subsidizes the other. See, told you I was a socialist. 4. I have been blessed to have a couple solid clients who see the value in what I do. One of my projects raises multiple millions of dollars for the organization. They see that emotionally compelling images create exponentially more powerful fundraising and advocacy campaigns, and in the end that means more money. They pay me. But they are the exception. Educating other potential clients on this is important. I still give it away sometimes, folks, but I do it selectively and with my eyes wide open to the actual cost. All this doesn't temper my idealism and desire to change the world. It doesn't make me greedy or mercenary. It doesn't put a Rolex on my wrist. It means one thing: I can continue to do what I love and feel called to do, without going bankrupt or neglecting my family, or wondering how in the world I am going to replace the camera that just got broken or stolen. It means I can do this longer, and harder, and be of greater good to the world than I could otherwise. __ David duChemin is a humanitarian and world photographer, and a close friend of Matt Brandon's. Together they form the most sarcastic duo of photographers you ever met. Get in on the fun by joining us for our annual Lumen Dei Photographic Workshop and Tour. David blogs daily at PixelatedImage.com, his portfolio can be seen HERE.

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:05:00 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:27:01 +0000

Photographer, do you know what you know?

Matt Brandon — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:33:49 +0000

First off let me give a hearty thanks to David Bohlen, Gavin Gough and David DuChemin for filling in while I was gone. My numbers where never so high! Always nice to benefit off of others reputations. All three guys did great and I am in debt to each.

All last week I was kept cloistered in a 300 year old farm house called Woodend Farm in the middle of England, just outside a little town called Tewkesbury. Rough life, to be sure. The week was filled with meetings with folks that are experts in Knowledge Management. The point of these meetings was to help NGOs to understand and apply Knowledge Management principles to their work. How I got involved in this I'm not quite sure, I guess they see I have something to add from a media/communications standpoint. But I sure learned a lot.

I am learning that we have to, not just need to, but have to share what we know with others. We all have knowledge that can help and increase each others effectiveness in what we do. But, if we do not share it we create barriers to growth and effectiveness and this translates to a loss in product and revenue. This was a meeting of NGO types, but there is a lot of information here that photographers can benefit from. For instance; one of the things we all love about guys like David DuChemin, Chase Jarvis, Scott Kelby and others is that they share their knowledge and wisdom with others. Sometimes it is simple, a short photoshop technique, other times it might be more cerebral and deep like David's great article last week on The Illusion of Free. We need more of these guys in our field. But it goes deeper. If we are going to be effective and continue to grow in our fields we need to develop a life style, an ethos of Reflective Practice.

Reflective Practice is kind of complicated. In it's most basic form it is the habit of stopping and looking at where you are and then asking yourself, "Is this where I want to be?" "How did we get here?" and "Did we get here the most effective way?" By making a point to learn before, during and after an event or project we can capture knowledge that might normally escape or elude us. We also need to start asking "What do I know, and how can I share what I know with others?" At some point in this Web 2.0 world our knowledge not just our images became a commodity. If we come to grips with this and learn that what we know is as important as what we do we are positioning ourselves in a much securer place in the market.

There are times we share our knowledge freely and offer it without any strings attached. This is what this blog is all about.

It is what most of the web is about. A library of knowledge, a vault of captured knowledge. I share, you share and we all benefit. Your knowledge is just as much a commodity as your images. We have to come to grips with this. Once we understand it we then need to work on the best and the most strategic way to share this knowledge.

There are times when this knowledge and the sharing of it becomes a "paid for" commodity. This is when it takes time and energy away from your "day job". If I spend a day a week mentoring someone on their photography, more than likely I am going to charge, if I run a workshop like Lumen Dei, I will charge for that as well. I won't go back into this, David covered it all too well last week. In the days to come I hope to share with you ways you can discover what you know and how to share it with others, how to steward your knowledge. There are some traps that we all fall into, some voices we listen to that say, you have nothing to offer anyone. I want to help you learn to recognize them and avoid these pitfalls to knowledge. I also want to show you a very cool tool that some might find elementary, but that if used can be a huge help to advance your business and your craft.

Duncan #1

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:05:18 +0000

Duncan #2

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:05:28 +0000

Duncan #

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:05:37 +0000

Duncan #3

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:05:48 +0000

Duncan #4

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:05:57 +0000

It was here they fled the Black Death.

Duncan #5

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:06:08 +0000

The hand of Duncan.

Duncan #6

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:06:18 +0000

The Great Catch!

Duncan of Twyning

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:00:44 +0000

A word of advise - Do not believe the people that say the English are a stodgy group of people. I am here to tell you that is not my experience. This trip was replete with kind, helpful and jolly folk that took their time to inform and chat with me about everything. One day last week our little group took a "ramble" through the countryside and along the river Avon. There we met several fishermen along this lazy river. It seems the river is filled with pike of some considerable size. One gentleman I met was named Duncan, "It is a Scottish name, you know." Anyone who ever watched the movie "The Highlander" ((The first one, the rest were garbage.)) knows Duncan is a Scottish name. I didn't have the courage to ask if his last name was "McCloud". This fine man with a Scottish name proceeded to tell us the history of Twyning. How when the "Black Death" came the whole village came down to "Twyning Green" to escape the dreaded plague. "Did it work?" I asked. "No. They all died." As we walked off towards the Fleet Pub, I hear a cry from Duncan, my new friend. "I caught one!" I run back to see this great pike. Then Duncan with a big smile and a twinkle in his eye holds up his catch. Not the monster fish I was expecting.

Chris Collison

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:09:22 +0000

Chris Collison is a KM consultant, author and KM Review editorial board member. Previously he has worked on BP’s ground-breaking KM program and then at Centrica, before setting up his own consultancy - Knowledgeable Ltd.

Tall Poppies

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:36:07 +0000

Lumen Dei '09 - Special guest instructor Ami Vitale.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:29:40 +0000

David DuChemin and I are thrilled to be announcing plans for next year’s Lumen Dei tour. We’re still working out details like budget and itinerary, but we’ll have that up and on the site soon. Here are the broad strokes. September 2009. Ladakh. Special guest instructor Ami Vitale. That last part should make you very, very excited. If you don’t know who Ami Vitale is, David and I strongly encourage you to spend some time looking at her work. If you are interested in being on the Lumen Dei trip for 2009, please send David an email and he will add you to the list. When the exact details are out and we have the application and information package re-written, we’ll get it out to you. So at this point we’ll put you on the list. Ami Vitale’s site is HERE. The Lumen Dei site is HERE.

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:48:36 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:48:46 +0000

Ami Vitale

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:49:03 +0000

Knowledge, Poppies, Violets and Bliss

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:00:05 +0000

Back on the topic of knowledge and how to identify and share what we know with each other. A comment was made on the blog that, knowledge is great, but if it doesn't translate into understanding it is useless. Absolutely! So lets look as ways we stifle the transfer of knowledge.

In Chris Collison's ((Chris Collison is a KM consultant, author and KM Review editorial board member. Previously he has worked on BP’s ground-breaking KM program and then at Centrica, before setting up his own consultancy - Knowledgeable Ltd.)) article "Avoiding the Typical Barriers to Effective KM" (Chris you got to come up with better titles!), he states seven barriers to knowledge. I am not going to go over every one of them here, as not all of them are applicable. If you are interested you can download the pdf of his article HERE.

I will start off by saying, photographers tend to be isolated, we work alone often and this can lead to some dangerous habits. We generally don't move in packs. Most of us are self employed and thus we tend to live in our own worlds. One of the best ways today that photographers gain information and knowledge is through the net. This is a great resource and a unparalleled library of knowledge. So we naturally fall into the "It's on the web" syndrome. Want a to learn what people think of a new lens, go to the web. What to lean a new photoshop technique, go to the web. Want to ...well, you get my point. Of course this is not a bad thing. But we have to keep in mind that the web is a library not a person. If we only go to the web we lose the full message. Albert Mehrabian in his book Silent Messages says, that in any communication only around 7% of the message is in words, 38% is in the tone of the voice and 55% in the body language. Holy moly! We are missing 93% of the message if we only use the net to gain out knowledge. One way around this to a point, though not completely is all the social networking software we use. Blogs and forums are a huge help here. In fact if you are not a member of The Vision Collective you should be. But still, nothing can replace the face to face meeting between photographers. Go out and join a workshop. There is nothing like sitting with another photographer and going over some issue that is perplexing you. Sign up for a mentorship program and meet face to face or at the very least over the phone or SKYPE and talk about the images or your vision. Collison writes, captured information should not be an ends to itself, it should be an "advertisement for a conversation with the owner." I love this. I am asking myself, "How can I bring my own information to life?" "How can I give back to my audience some of the missing 93%?"

As I said, not all that Collision writes is applicable to us, but I will say that the "Tall Poppy" syndrome is one I suffer from. Apparently, when you grow poppies you cut off the tall one for some reason. The point is, when I feel like I have something to share on a forum or even on a workshop, often I am hesitant for fear I will be quickly shot down. I don't want to risk being made a fool in front of others. It is safer to keep my mouth shut. The problem with this issue is there is no real answer to this dilemma. A company can ask, "How can you make it safer for the potential poppies in our organization?" but this is a question the photographic community needs to ask. And we are just too big to really do this seriously. But I still think we need to be aware of this tendency and fight against it in out own life and work.

Then related to the "Tall Poppy" is the "Shrinking Violet". This is where people say, “Oh, I don’t have anything special to share,” or, “I'm different with what I do,” or even, “Let’s leave it to the real experts.” The reality is you more than likely have found a way to do something or relate to someone that the rest of us can benefit from. Collison writes "Interestingly, it’s often the business units who live with a sense of isolation that develop innovative practices that should be shared more widely." I think that is the greatest bit of wisdom to come down the pike in a long time. He is talking about isolated business units, but the same goes for the photographer who is out there doing his or her own thing. These photographers will often come up with a great workaround, because they can't afford the latest lighting, or software. Maybe they have been interacting with locals in their travel and have a natural since of relating with them that the rest of us can learn from. Yet, they feel what they have to offer is of no value because they are "nobody" or just a small operation. The rest of us need to know what you know, stop being a "Shrinking Violet" and let the rest of us benefit from your experience.

The last one I am going to talk about today is the "Ignorance is Bliss syndrome". This is where the photographer thinks they are it! There is nothing else to learn. In fact this is kind of the opposite of the "Shrinking Violet", in that where the "Shrinking Violet" felt they have nothing to offer, the "Ignorance is Bliss", says, "No one else has anything I need. My situation is unique." This is really nothing more than a kind of conceit. Another version of this syndrome is when the photographer thinks, "I don't have time or the energy to go to a workshop or a class. For what I would learn, the value is not there." Either take on this syndrome is dangerous. They both lead to a lack of growth and stagnation.

So how do we combat these syndromes? How do we learn that what we know is valuable and what others know can benefit us? I know you may not think this is a big deal. The fact is, if you are reading this, it is because you are a learner. The reality is, it is they guy or gal not reading this that needs to hear this message. Later this week (I hope) I will talk about one great tool that many people think they know about, yet seldom put into practice.

Ami's Work

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:52:15 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:58:11 +0000

After Action Review

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:00:39 +0000

I promised I would blog about a great tool for gaining knowledge. In the teaser I said, "many people think they know about, yet seldom put into practice" this tool. What I am referring to is, in the simplest terms, a debrief. I want to share with you a technique that is a little more structured than simply "reviewing what happened." Useful and practical knowledge is gained best when we reflect and respond on what we know… when we develop the discipline of doing it all the time. The best pattern to gain any of this information is to develop a pattern to learn before, during and after any given event. So without boring you with to much detail I want to show you a very cool technique that can help you grow personally and in your business. It is something the US Army has done ever since the Vietnam War. It is called an After Action Review or AAR. An AAR will help you determine what you've learned from an event whether it is a success or failure with the goal of improving future performance. It is an opportunity for you to reflect on a project, activity, event or task so that the next time, you can do better and be more effective. David DuChemin and I did an AAR frequently during the last Lumen Dei workshop. I think it helped us to do minor changes along the way to improve the product we were delivering. I have used the AAR in my own work to check where I am going with a shoot. Let me explain how it works. AARs should be incorporated at key points during a project, activity, event or task. It is often helpful to do in the early planning stages and always should be performed at the end of an event. An AAR can be done anywhere and because of it's simplicity.When I say, "Anywhere" I mean in the field, over in a corner during a coffee break, in a team meeting room when everyone is present, or even by yourself. The point is to gather everyone who knows something about what happened. Each person has their own perspective and that is powerful in bringing to the surface the important issues. And it helps to keep everyone focused on the end goals. Remember you can use an AAR to critique a whole project, a shoot, or even just something as simple as one image and the vision or story you where trying to communicate in that shot. OK, so how do you do it? As I said it is simple. You are just asking three sets of questions: 1. What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? Why were there differences? 2. What worked? What didn’t? Why? 3. What would you do differently next time?

1. What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? Why were there differences?

This is where you review the proposed plan. This step makes sure everyone is on the same page or if you are doing this alone, it helps to remind you what you were thinking, what your vision was. What did you intend to happen or communicate. Then, as factual as you can make it, you need to look at what did in fact happen. It is important to highlight the differences between what was planned and what actually took place. What is it you actually achieved.

2. What worked? What didn’t? Why?

Here you get at the real cause of why something worked or didn't. Ask yourself or others, what did you like about the event, shoot or image and why? In this step it is important to keep pounding out the "why" question. Don't let some someone say, "It just didn't work for me." Ask, why. So, if the light's for the shoot didn't arrive, ask, "Why?" Why did the fixer did not get the permissions for the shoot? In this set we are trying to establish the data for the next set of questions. So you need solid facts.

3. What would you do differently next time?

This is where you take the facts from the previous steps and make clear changes. Clear identifiable action steps that help you avoid the same mistakes. By using the "whys" something did not work and making action steps you keep from reinventing the wheel. It is easy to develop lots of ideas to change. I focus on picking the “vital few.” Pick two or three changes to apply the next time. You are more likely to succeed if you make little improvements quickly and again and again rather than attempting too much that takes too long to implement. Something that I personally don't do, but should, is note down all the responses to these steps on paper. Making notes throughout the whole AAR will help you keep track of course changes and give you a record to refer back to in the future. As I stated at the beginning, this is a simple yet effective way to maintain focus and direction. If you will learn to use this tool in your office or as you plan and execute and event or shoot you will find you will stay closer to what you had in visioned as your goal or out come. If you develop a habit of reflective practice using the AAR you will soon see your own personal best practices develop over time. I think you will be amazed at the growth you will witness in your own skills and abilities, as well as how much more effective you will be in your business. For more on the After Action Review: USAID AAR Technical Guide Wiki AAR

A Preview of Coming Attractions

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:00:17 +0000

This week we announced the dates for the new Lumen Dei workshop, September 14th to 26th, 2009. We also let the proverbial "cat out of the bag" that we have secured the very talented and sought after photographer, Ami Vitale to be our first ever guest instructor.

Be sure to check back next Monday. I will be posting an informative interview I had with Ami. She will be talking about her philosophy of photojournalism and giving us a look into the struggles of shooting in extreme environments. This will be in next Monday's blog post, so be sure and spread the news.

A Kashmiri woman prays at the Jama Masjid, Srinagar, Kashmir.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:42:36 +0000

Gavin and his TT belt system.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:14:35 +0000

Good Monday

Matt Brandon — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:21:22 +0000

Good morning. First I need to do a bit of housekeeping. I had a bit of a glitch with Word Press, my fault not WP's. I accidentally posted the interview on Saturday for around 2 minutes. So if you saw the link and then where not able to read it, check back. I am posting it at 4 AM Malaysian time, according to iTimezone, that is 3 AM New York time, 2 AM for my mother in Paducah, KY and 12 AM for you folks in Vancouver. So it will be up to read when you all wake up. I changed the name od the post so you wont confuse it with the one I posted in error. Look for A Conversation With Ami Vitale. In the mean time if you are looking for a great gear review to read my buddy Gavin has post a great look at the Think Tank belt system. Gavin did a really thorough review of this sweet system, you will find it HERE. Speaking of gear, I just of an email from Andy Biggs, noted African Wildlife photographer and his new backpack is selling like hotcakes. Check it out HERE. This little bag can hold a monsterous amount of gear. You can find a comprehensive review of it HERE at Flying With Fish. Andy is going to try to get me the bag to try out. So be looking for a review of this bag from me. BTW, you really need to check out his work if you have not before. It is really stunning. Find it HERE.

A Conversation With Ami Vitale

Matt Brandon — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:45 +0000

I first met Ami a few years back in New Delhi. We both were getting our Macs worked on at, what was then the only Mac repair place in North India. Not sure how we started chatting but I found out that she had just returned from Kashmir. I told her I lived up there and ran a trekking company. I think she found it hard to believe. I found it equally hard to believe this petite young lady could possibly be a real photo journalist. Boy was I wrong! Ami has won more awards and grants than anyone I know of. She has worked with the big boys and held her own. Ami's photographs have been published in major international magazines such as National Geographic, Adventure, Geo, Newsweek, Time, Smithsonian. She has received recognition for her work from World Press Photo, the NPPA, International Photos of the Year, Photo District News and the Society of American Travel Writers, among many other organizations. Her stories have been awarded grants including the first-ever Inge Morath grant by Magnum Photos, The Canon female photojournalist award for her work in Kashmir and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace, among others. I am please to share with you this interview with one of my favorite photographers, Ami Vitale. Click on the images below to view larger. Matt: You started shooting when? Ami: In high school but it was always a hobby. I volunteered at the Smithsonian when I was a teenager and printed photographs from their archives. Looking at great artists from the Federal Works Commission as well as other great photographers showed me the power of photography and inspired me. Matt: Did you always want to be a photographer, plan for it, go to school? Ami: Not really. I never knew what I wanted to do but I loved taking photographs mostly because it allowed me to meet people and break out of my introverted shell. Secretly, I think all photographers are introverts trying to find a way to bond with the world. Matt: What prompted you doing the type of work you do rather than say studio work? Ami: I have always been interested in people and understanding why the world is the way it is. Photography is just a passport for me to meet people, learn and experience new cultures. Matt: Your images are infused with emotion. It is clear you have a compassionate connection with your subjects. What drives that? Ami: I like to feel connected to others and it is always pushing me to grow and learn. Matt: You have shots of women weeping at the funeral of a loved one, people cleaning up the blood of a boy killed in the streets in Kashmir. These are very private moments how do you put your camera up to your eyes at a time like that? Do you ever feel like an intruder? Ami: Its true that I have been to many funerals in Kashmir and that is because I was asked to come. People wanted the world to witness this. I hated every moment of it and most of the time, I was imagining how it must be to lose your mother, your brother, your father, your sister, or any relative to a grenade blast or a gun or torture. Sadly, it is a daily reality for every Kashmiri. In 4 years, I never met one Kashmiri who had not lost a relative in the conflict. Can you imagine what that is like to have an entire society who has been so brutally affected by war? I don't think most people in the world, especially the Western world understand that kind of suffering. I would walk through a village and all you could hear was crying from every house. The windows were opened and the empty alleys were filled with the sound of mourning. Its haunting even now when I think about it and as much as I hated being there, I felt there was an importance. I think you never really understand this kind of sadness and fear unless you experience it. This is really a tragedy and I think its important for all of us to remember this. I was having a conversation with a friend today about how detached many people in the West are from the conflicts around the world and how our culture has cultivated this ironic detachment that allows us not to get involved. Matt: I assume you go into a story you are covering as an observer, do you ever have a hard time staying in that role? Do you find your self getting personally involved in the story you are covering? Ami: I personally think that I should act as a human being first and secondly as a photojournalist. I'm not covering a politician on Capitol Hill. I'm covering real situations where water, food, malaria medicine, a car ride could actually save some one's life. Is that wrong to get involved when you can? personally I'd rather miss a great shot and make a difference in a life if I have the power to do that. I mean this is why I am telling their stories. I believe we have the power to make a difference whether its through sharing a picture or sharing whatever I have that another human being needs at that moment. I think in some ways its arrogant to think you can change the world but you can affect each other on a personal level and that is enough for me. I also think its a myth to pretend that there is an objective reality. Photos and stories do not reveal the truth, they do however expose untruths. With a multitude of narratives, a balance is maintained and truth whether it exists or not is safeguarded by not being singled out. In receiving these narratives we are able to reason that all versions matter; all must be given consideration; that all opinions must be questioned and that all perceptions have validity. In the absence of a multitude of narratives, reason remains ruined. Matt: What was the hardest picture emotionally you every took? Ami: I don't know. Basically most of the situations I have been in have been emotionally very hard but I'm glad I was there. I believe it has made me a much better person. I feel happy for simple things in life and this has been a tremendous gift. Matt: How do you decompress after a day of covering events like Kashmir or the Tsunami? Ami: It took me several years to decompress from the work I did. I take refuge in my friends and family and the beauty of the natural world. Matt: Was the article in National Geographic on Kolkata's rickshaw pullers your first for them? How did you land that? Ami: I had been working on another story for them just a week before I had to fly to India to do this one. We have been trying to collaborate for many years but its always been about finding the right story for the magazine. This is one that I pitched to them after writing a proposal and then explaining it in more detail to the editors. They got a fine writer to accompany me, Calvin Trillon and it was a wonderful experience. Matt: What have you done to grab the eyes of editors and get assignments? What does it take? Ami: Actually, I have been very very lucky and truthfully, I always just focus on my work and being a good story teller and the assignments come. I do not do all the traditional things that one is supposed to do. I invested my own money in the beginning to tell the stories I thought were not being told. I looked for quirky stories that illustrated larger themes and refused to follow the pack. I don't know why but so many photographers all follow one another to the same places. This makes no sense to me. Matt: Now let's talk a little more technical. Can you describe your work flow after a day of shooting? Ami: Sure, I download the images, caption and if there is time, try to make a rough edit. I also edit photos to give back to my subjects and run out at night to a one hour lab and get them printed up. Its the smallest thing I can do if I am in a place with a lab and people are so happy for this. Matt: How do you back up your images on the field? Ami: I carry two small external hard drives and back up the images on each drive. Matt: What kind of post processing on the field do you do? Ami: Nothing. Many magazines like Nat Geo, just ask for the raw files with captions. You can not delete any images so they can follow your sequence and see how you got the final shot. Matt: Ami, thanks so much for the time and we are really look forward to you joining us on Lumen Dei '09 More on Ami Vitale: Ami's Website Nat Geo Field Notes

What some Muslims want to tell you.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:28:02 +0000

I have lived with Muslims for over 15 years of my life. I have come to love them as people and as a unique culture. Do I agree with their religion and practices entirely, no. But, then I don't entirely agree with many other faiths but my own. Isn't that what makes my faith my own. Do I think all or most Muslims are out to get me, lol, heck no! I live in a Muslim country. A country filled with Chinese, Indians and Malay and a few other people. I feel a whole lot safer here than in many places back in the US. Are there bad Muslims, yes. Are they giving other Muslims a bad reputation, absolutely. Just as some Christians are giving Christianity a bad name. Much of what we in the west know of Islam is from the media. The same media that paints Christians as right wing fanatics that blow up abortion clinics. The media feeds on what sells. In 2007 Lena Khan directed a video where she asked over 2,000 American Muslims what they wished to say to the world. Here is some of their responses:

arprtultrlght-1

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:10:32 +0000

20081120-111841-2

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:17:43 +0000

Think Tank Airport Backpacks get Security Upgrade.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:33:38 +0000

I received an email from Brian Erwin of Think Tank Photo, he informed me that the Airport line of backpacks have reached a version 2.0. The Airport Backpack line include the Airport Addicted ™, Airport Acceleration ™, Airport Antidote ™ and Airport Ultralight™ all are now V2.0. By the way, all these bags meet International carry on size requirements. So what Think Tank did to upgrade them is simple, but effective and very handy. They have added a metal security cable like you find of the Airport Security on each bag. So now photographers can lock the backpack to an immovable object or secure their laptop case to the backpack if they keep it on the outside of the bag itself. The Airport roller bags have this as well as a cable built into the back of the bag. But the small backpacks up till now did not have anyway to secure them to an object. It is a small thing but a nice addition that keeps making the bags better and better.

One small hint; when you do run that cable lock through the Artificial Intelligence laptop case, make sure the zippers are hidden below and not showing. This seems like a no-brainer, but one that I have caught myself not doing. It really is no security at all to leave the zipper out for people just to unzip the case and slip out the computer from the case. I am really paranoid on this, so I will run the cable through the zipper pull cords (see below).

Now what I wish is that the Artificial Intelligence had mettle cable pulls rather than cloth cords or at least standard mettle pulls. It is a minor nit, but one that really got under my skin with Lowepro. Most of their bags had cords on all their zippers. Thankfully Think Tank does not do that on most of their bags main compartments.

20081102-153541

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:08:43 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:24:38 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:25:40 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:27:11 +0000

A new born and some dramatic light.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:00:56 +0000

My friends Hans and Patricia Combrink just had a baby and they asked if I could take some creative pictures for the birth announcement of Anna Sophia. They wanted the, what is becoming a standard, shot of the baby in the fathers hand. I have always like this pose so off I went two days after the baby was born. I arrived at their house with a black back drop and two sets of strobes with two small umbrellas and my PhotoFlex LiteDome xs Kit. One of the two strobes was not firing and I did not have time to figure that out. So I put the one good 580 flash unit in the LiteDome and attached my Pocket Wizard. I then had my wife hold the LiteDome and strobe as close as possible to the baby for as soft a light as I could get. Remember, there is light source and light origin. The origin might be the sun and the source could be the clouds or maybe a reflector. In this case the origin is the flash unit and the LiteDome becomes the source. The closer the source is to the object, the softer the light. This seems counter intuitive but it is true. Of course the closer you get to the object, in this case the baby, they less power you need, so I needed to dial down my flash. For these shots I use my 85 1.8. Haven't got my hands on the 1.2 yet, but that is on my Christmas list. After taking the first image below and feeling good about it. I decided to try some different angles that I had not seen shot with babies before. Tell me what you think? My favorite is the last one. Just click on the image if you want to see them larger.

dec08wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:02:35 +0000

Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:04:29 +0000

December's Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:00:28 +0000

For December I though we needed a wallpaper with snow. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find snow 5º north of the equator? So, I hope this image shot last September during the Lumen Dei workshop in Ladakh will do. It is on the road to the Kardung La. We were around 16 to 17,000 ft (4876 to 5181 meters) with just enough snow to keep us from making the 18,600 ft pass. But it was still fun, and as you can see very beautiful.

Simply click the image above and then do what ever it is you do to make wallpaper out of an image. Personally, I just drag the sucker to my desktop. Then I right click it and make it my desktop.

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:19:29 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:19:39 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:19:48 +0000

Tintype Cowboy - Robb Kendrick

Matt Brandon — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:50:03 +0000

Robb Kendrick has a new fan in me. The guys stuff is amazing. I am embarrassed to say I had not heard of him till this past issue of National Geographic Magazine came out. He photographed a story on the Tarahumara people of Mexico. More on that in the days to come. That story of the Tarahumara people was so impressive that I looked up his website and was floored to see that Robb has been working in wet plate technology for the past several years. "Wet plate technology", that is rather euphemistic for tintype. You know, images shot directly onto tin plates. It is a complicated process that involves some rather potent chemicals like potassium cyanide. Robb has been photographing cowboys in this method and getting images that take the viewer back 150 years. I can't get over how timeless the images look. Do yourself a huge favor and checkout the links below. Spend the time viewing the videos and the slideshows. It is well worth your time. A video on the tintype process. Cowboy Portraits. NPR Modern-Day Cowboys Frozen in Time. NY Times Multimedia Show Robb's Website I am please to say that I will be interviewing Robb in the days to come in a new series of interviews call "Depth of Field". So be watching for that interview and others. In other news: It has been really crazy for me. Monday a 20 container filled with all my worldly goods from India was supposed to arrive. Well, needless to say, it didn't. Nor on Tuesday. It is now Wednesday and it should arrive by 5pm tonight. Lets see. This morning my wife nearly got arrested. She was suppose to fly off to London to see some friends but got to the airport and found out that her visa had expired. The school where Jessie goes was suppose to have her guardian visa in the works thus allowing her to travel. But someone, somewhere dropped the proverbial ball. Now we have to pay a lot of fines and a penalty on her air ticket. So you can see, I have been busy.

5d gift wrapped

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:25:20 +0000

My 5D MK II is here...

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:30:35 +0000

...Well, sort of. I had my friends Dennis and Annette Young from Texas pre-order me one from Garland Camera in the Dallas Metroplex. They got word today that it has arrived. But the reality is I can't get my grubby little hands on it till after the first week of January, when they come to visit me. O the pain!!

Changelings

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:11:17 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:11:25 +0000

PHOTOS ARE FOR YOUR ONE-TIME USE ONLY AS A TIE-IN WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOKS UPCOMING PUBLICATION, IN FOCUS: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GREATEST PORTRAITS. NO SALES. NO ARCHIVES. CREDIT: Robb Kendrick, 2003 For the cover of "In Focus", Robb Kendrick photographed this rancher's daughter in Elko, Nevada, using the historic tintype process.

Tarahumara

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:11:50 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:32:02 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:33:04 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:33:53 +0000

In the village of Guagüeyvo, ten-year-old Leticia Mancinas García shows off the flamboyant colors and flounces of holiday fashion.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:34:38 +0000

A faithful farmer, Martín Bautista Jesús has come into Cusárare with his wife, Diana, for an ancient spring farming ritual. The couple may do some shopping, too, before heading home—most likely by hitchhiking. If they're lucky, they'll get a ride in the open trunk of a car traveling down a dirt road toward their distant ranch.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:34:48 +0000

Keeping with custom, Francisco Rico Chávez wears a blanket to ward off December's chill in a portrait framed by the camera's ring light. Above him, on the wall of Panalachi's community center, hang a wooden bow and a raccoon quiver full of arrows. Occasional hunting has long contributed to a diet mainly based on corn, beans, and squash, but today the Tarahumara are turning more to convenient packaged foods.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:34:59 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:56:32 +0000

Depth of Field: Robb Kendrick

Matt Brandon — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:00:22 +0000

This is the first in a series of interviews where I hope to speak with world photographers about their vision, their craft and yes, even their gear. I have titled this new series Depth of Field. ((pun intended.))

Robb Kendrick was born in Spur, Texas in 1963 and currently lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico with his wife, writer Jeannie Ralston, and their two boys. Robb has traveled to more than 75 countries on assignment and has completed more than a dozen stories for National Geographic. National Geographic used his image of a young Nebraska farm girl for the cover the cover of their book "In Focus". Some years back Robb found a love for all things tintype.

Click on the images to view larger. Matt: First, I think a little background would be helpful to my readers. How long have you been shooting?

Robb: 24 years professionally

Matt: When did it dawn on you that you could make a living off of photography?

Robb: 26 years ago while at University

Matt: I think many readers assume National Geographic photographers make their sole income off the magazine's assignments is this true? (if not) What else do you shoot to keep food on the table?

Robb: I shoot a variety of projects, some advertising, some Annual Report, but over the past 18 years I've invested in real estate and other areas to where photography is more a supplemental income. This has given me freedom to be more selective with photo projects. It has been a blessing given the current health of the photo industry or lack of it.

Matt: I have already posted an article with links to some of your cowboy images on my blog. The whole tintype thing is fascinating. Growing up I remember being in the darkroom with my Dad, and putting my hands in the chemicals and the slick feeling of the developer and the acid burning in my nose of the fixer, it was all very tactile. But these feelings arel gone today in the digital world. But you seemed to have found them again in your tintype work. Is this important or am I just waxing nostalgic?

Robb: Digital is the reason I went back and found TIntypes. I don't enjoy the computer and digital has forced many photographers to gather information with a camera and do a lot in post production which as NO interest to me. Tintypes are all one of a kind objects and it really slows you down to where making 4-8 images in a day is a big deal. Unlike the thousands that are made daily by NG digital photogs. That said Digital is a great tool, but one I'm not interested in.

Matt: You use a new box camera with some really old lenses, right? So how much of the end effect is the lens verses the tintype. I love the shallow depth of field, the tack sharp center and how it just drops of quickly to the side of the image.

Robb: For me it is impossible to separate the two. The old lenses in combination with the tintype and shooting contemporary images makes a sum total that all work together. I do not use modern lenses, because I feel the imperfections of the old glass works well with the imperfections of hand made tintypes.

Matt: How many of these old lenses do you have and where do you find them?

Robb: 80 lenses, but I primarily use 4 of them. Ebay is the place to locate them. I have many that will cover 20X24 and I hope to start making 14X17" tintypes next year so some of the lenses I have will be dusted off and used for the larger images.

Matt: I guess the flaws in a piece of old glass like that help the aged look of a new tintype?

Robb: Exactly

Matt: Do these lenses have fixed apertures? Are your exposures a matter of trial and error?

Robb: They have waterhouse stops, so the range is f 2.5- 32. Trial and error yes, but after the number of images I've made I can get pretty close on the first plate.

Matt: The tintype was in many ways the Polaroid of the Old West wasn't it?

Robb: Yes, because it was nearly instant and the photographers traveled from town to town and shot them, processed and delivered immediately compared to a portrait studio shooting glass plate negs or dags.

Matt: I read somewhere that you learned this technique from someone else, do you every give workshops in tintype?

Robb: I do not. John Coffer was my teacher. www.johncoffer.com is his website and he is a tremendous resource and a very sharing person.

Matt: I know you travel the world shooting with National Geographic, I could imagine some fantastic portraits in India of old shepherds or in Indonesia or Malaysia of some tribal people. Have you done this?

Robb: Not on tintype. The chemicals necessary are not easily transported to foreign countries these days. Silver nitrate, potassium cyanide etc. Showing up to customs with bottles of crushed white powder is not anything I have done. Would love to someday though I have a lot of projects in tintype on going in Mexico and USA.

Matt: In this last issue of National Geographic, you shot images of the Tarahumara people of Northern Mexico. What was your vision going into this assignment?

Robb: I had photographed the Tarahumara in 1997 and found them fascinating and their world is under a lot of pressure these days so I proposed the story using a large format and color negative film. Again, not a very NG approach, but for me I have done 17 stories for NG and these days I want to concentrate on different approaches so I do NOT shoot 35mm digital for them any longer. The Tarahumara are very shy and not trusting of outsiders (they have been abused for 4 + centuries) So my thought was to do portraits with their consent. This proved to be the most productive way to work and the project in the end worked out well.

Matt: The images have some of the same feel of your cowboy shots, yet you shot them with a film camera and what looks like a ring flash.

Robb: These were 4X5 color negative with a ringflash.

Matt: Speaking of vision; do you go into an assignment knowing how you want to shoot it or does that develop once you arrive on site?

Robb: I think it develops to some degree as the project evolves. I have ideas, but want to be open to new possibilities as the project grows.

Matt: How heavily to you rely on a fixer when you're going into an area or country you don't know? So how do you find them?

Robb: I use local help of course because of language barriers and their connections, so they are invaluable to produce the most thorough coverage. Having been to 76 countries I have a list I've developed, but I use help from my colleagues when going into new areas.

Matt: People are always asking me if I desire to shoot for National Geographic. I tell them, heck yeah, but I would rather have a family. It seems to me covering assignments for the magazine can keep you away from your family for months, and this can't be good for a marriage and raising kids. I read you moved your family to Mexico for just this reason. How do you balance family and work?

Robb: Prior to kids my travel schedule kept me on the road for 300+ days per year, after having kids I reduced it to 250 the first year and now have it down to about 100 days per year. For me family is the most important thing I have going on in my life today. The other investments I've made have given me the freedom to have steady reliable income coming in and moving to Mexico where cost of living is about 1/3 the cost has also contributed to more freedom and now I can focus on my personal work and publishing more books and also get into sculpture and painting.

Matt: Let's talk Gear: When your on assignment, what kind of gear do you normally take along.

Robb: Digital jobs (commercial in nature) 2 Canon 5D's, 24-70mm lens, 70-200 lens, no lighting, tripod that is rarely used. Apple MacBOOK Pro.

Matt: Do you do onsite back up while in the field? What do you uses?

Robb: Yes, Lacie Portable HD's.

Matt: Typically what does your workflow in the field look like?

Robb: Very archaic. Download, edit in bridge, convert to tiff, slight sharpen to all files, deliver in a catalog.

Matt: What does your kit look like on any given assignment?

Robb: Tintype gear, 8X10 camera, 8 lenses, 4, 9, 16 Lens cameras from the 19th Century, 6'X12' darkroom trailer, Reis tripod, and about 600 lbs of miscellaneous gear, and my Dodge 2500 truck to pull the darkroom trailer.

Matt: In closing, what are you working on now? Any images you can share with us?

Robb: Working on a book of the Tarahumara work that includes my journal pages and some tintypes that I took of the Tarahumara. Also, a personal project on Death in Mexico that is in a new artbook called Changelings.

Matt: Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview. I know you are busy and this kind of thing doesn't help get the work done.

Be sure and check out the links below. Visit Robb's personal website HERE. You will find tons of great links to his work around the net and some great audio of the cowboys he's photographed.

Mummies of Guanajuato: An Interview

New York Times Article

NPR Multi-Media

websites

Matt Brandon — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:53:46 +0000

The Radiant Vista

Matt Brandon — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:03:23 +0000

I am not sure what happened over at The Radiant Vista, but the good thing Craig Tanner, Mark Johnson and Matt Gibson had going over there went up in smoke. The Radiant Vista is no more. But the spirit of it continues on in at least two websites by two of the three. Craig Tanner, one of the founders of TRV has founded a new site called The Mindful Eye. Craig was the philosophical part of TRV, with articles like "The Myth of Talent". To be quite frank, it was way to wordy for me and I never made it through more than a few paragraphs and some of his esoteric stands on imaging were a bit to zen for me. But you can't deny Craig's talent. He is a very good and well rounded photographer. Take a look at his gallery and you can see that. So Craig has put together what amounts to another TRV. He has a Daily Critique where he takes your image and gives it a once over. I think it was from Craig I first heard "In a perfect world...", now used by so many critics. He also has tons of videos and some podcast. Craig is definitely sharing the love. Then, Mark Johnson who was another third of TRV has beefed up his site to some degree as well. Mark continues his Workbench that he started at RV. Like the Daily Critique, Mark uses your image, but rather than critiquing it he plays with it of sorts. He uses submitted images to teach color correction or retouching or he may explore compositing. Like the Photoshop Workbench, he has other video tutorials that are designed to help you learn Photoshop. Unlike the Workbench, these tutorials focus on very specific, high-demand subjects such as basic Photoshop 101, Color Management, and Sharpening. All video tutorials are free of charge. Both Craig and Mark offer workshops. So check out these guy's new sites and enjoy.

LD

Matt Brandon — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:10:58 +0000

Lumen Dei '09 - One Spot Left!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:15:07 +0000

Ok, you have been sitting on the fence as to whether to attend this next Lumen Dei. Well, the time to act is right now as we only have one space left open! So hurry, this has been crazy. We only officially started taking applications last week. At the risk of sounding like I should be wearing a plaid sport coat and selling used cars, "Act Now!"

picture-41

Matt Brandon — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:06:27 +0000

MediaStorm: RAPE of a NATION

Matt Brandon — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:00:30 +0000

One of the most amazing site on the net for photojournalism is MediaStorm.com. This site is home to amazing group of multi-media slide shows. By multi-media I mean that these are shows have audio and some video mixed in them. One of the strongest shows to be posted in awhile is Rape of a Nation, a photo essay by Marcus Bleasdale. This is a heart rinching essay on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). IRC reports that as many as 45,000 people die each month in the Congo. Marcus paints a moving story of the hopelessness and the strugles of the people of the DRC. Stop now and take your time and watch this video. It will haunt you, but in this case, that is a good thing. View it HERE.

Now, after you have view the video above, learn about the man who made this and the other videos possible. The brains behind this is Brian Storm. Brian's vision is to give a platform for photojournalist to tell in depth stories that might not otherwise be aired. He started MediaStorm in 1994 when he was a grad student and was frustrated by the lack of depth he saw in print journalism. I don't need to go into more, the video interview below covers it indepth. Not the quality that Brian is used to but effective...albeit a tad long.

20081205-065634

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:44:59 +0000

street-walker-harddrive

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:35:52 +0000

The Week that Was

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:00:08 +0000

This has been a full week for me. My wife finally made it to England and I am being the "stay at home dad", and loving it. But, I am ready for her to be back home so I can figure out where to put all the stuff from our container. As I was unpacking some of my items from the container, I noticed I could not find 5 copies of my latest book, Kashmir, The Mystery. Odd, I know I handed over the copies to the guy in charge of my shipment personally. So I wrote him. He replied,

Your 4 Books are in your BOX no. 43 as I put them and taped the package myself. And there was no separate box made for four BOOKS. Whereas you gave 5 books, but one was gifted to one at the port So instead of 5 the sent item there are 4 only. Please check in BOX no. 43.

Over look the spelling and grammar, did you notice that he "gifted" (I think you know what that means.) the local port authorities with a copy of my book? Without asking me he, ah-hmm, "gifted" this guy with a $40 copy of my book. I would have been flattered had it been a copy of my book that he owned, but it was one of the five free copies that my publisher gave me. As we used to say, "TII" This Is India!

In other news this week, the Lumen Dei workshop with Ami Vitale sold out. We only opened it for applications late last week. So, with in a week, gone! The moral to the story, when we post applications for the next workshop don't wait, grab it, listen to your heart and apply.

My sponsor, Think Tank Photo release some new bags this week. I guess they are cranking them out for Christmas, smart. The newest in their line is called the StreetWalker, Streetwalker Pro and the StreetWalker HardDrive. The StreetWalker looks to me to be a direct competitor with Lowepro's CompuTrekker AW. But I got'ta tell you this looks like it has it all over the CompuTrekker AW. But check it out yourself. I am still looking out for the new Shape Shifter.

I was planning a trip in January to go visit and shoot Angkor Wat. It is one of those "must do" every photographer has. But after being pointed by Tewfic El-Sawy to this National Geographic Traveler article. I am having second thoughts. Have any of you been to Angkor Wat recently? Is it still worth the trip? Alou and I have good friends visiting us in January (they are hand delivering my 5D mk II). We were going to take them there, but now what?

thailand440banner

Matt Brandon — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:39:55 +0000

LD Sold Out

Matt Brandon — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:05:03 +0000

Lumen Dei 08 Ladakh SOLD OUT!

Matt Brandon — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:07:14 +0000

More to come....

Thailand Lumen Dei Announced

Matt Brandon — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:00:25 +0000

Not to say I told you so, but...I told you so. The Lumen Dei workshop with Ami Vitale sold out in three days. I knew it would be a sell out, but in three days? Crikey! I never saw that coming. So now what? What do David and I do with all those folks left standing high and dry? Actually we put our heads together and came up with this. We have asked Gavin Gough to team up with us and take a group to Thailand at the end of May 2009. Here’s the details:

May 25-June 05, 2009 Cost is USD$3600 from Bangkok. This includes pretty much everything except your transportation to Bangkok. We meet you there at the beginning and leave you there at the end.

We will spend 12 days in Bangkok and up in the hill-tribe village areas around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. As with all LD trips we will not be in 5 star hotels or eating in the fanciest restaurants. We will be mixing it up with the locals, getting our feet muddy and hands dirty (hopely keeping our lenses clean). It will be 12 days in some amazing places with three world photographers that are pretty darn good at what they do (even if I do say so myself...and I do) and what to share and pass on their skills with you. As with all our tours the group size will be small, in this case it is limited to 7-8 participants plus the 3 instructors, leaving you with a low student-to-teacher ratio and plenty of time for one-on-one. As you can see, this one is happening soon - so if you want to join us we need to get things rolling ASAP. Please contact us with initial expressions of interest and any further questions. We’ll then get you an info/application package and begin the process. It’s first-come first-served and when the tour is full, it’s full.

Lumen Dei '08 Video posted

Matt Brandon — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:00:27 +0000

With the announcement of Lumen Dei Ladakh 09 fully sold out, and the new Lumen Dei Thailand now taking applicants, I thought it would be nice to show you a peak of what a Lumen Dei trip is all about. This video is actually a Lightroom slide show that David Duchemin put together throughout the workshop. Almost every night we had an image critique session and then some of the images use for that session were put into this slide show for the last day of the workshop. The show highlights the work of each student as well as David and I. David exported the images, I then put them in iMovie and added the same audio track he used for the show. Easy pesy lemon squeezy. By the way, you can view this in a higher resolution on YouTube. Not sure why they will not let us link to the higher res file. Never-the-less, enjoy. This is now high resolution. Enjoy! httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSLCowaZOZI&eurl=http://www.thedigitaltrekker.com/blog/2008/12/lumen-dei-08-video-posted.html

littlegirl

Matt Brandon — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:07:53 +0000

girlsitting

Matt Brandon — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:08:15 +0000

boywithgun

Matt Brandon — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:08:33 +0000

boysface

Matt Brandon — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:08:50 +0000

Video Review: Acratech GV2 Ballhead

Matt Brandon — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:00:51 +0000

Visit Acratech HERE. httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB3svhAOUDE

ldthai09-200

Matt Brandon — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:55:19 +0000

ldthai-150

Matt Brandon — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:59:20 +0000

Overlooked Jewels

Matt Brandon — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:30:02 +0000

I have been going through my vault of 36,000 images for a new stock agency I have contracted with, and I have come to the stark realization of two things. First, I need an editor. I thought I had culled out all the best images from my Indonesia trip earlier this year. But I keep finding winners. How is that possible? Maybe my vision changed, maybe I just over looked them. Well, no, I didn't over look them, because several of the images below had a history. So I had played with them at one time. Not sure how they slipped by. The other reason I know I need an editor is I have way to much junk. Real junk, like completely out of focus images and snaps of things I couldn't tell you even what they were. This proves my point. I need an editor. the second thing I have learned is Lightroom needs a way to find list of images. I sent 800 or so images to this stock agency and they came back with a long shopping list. I know what I sent them, the trouble is going through that list and finding the ones they want. It is looking like it will be one at a time. Where is Matt Kloskowski with a tip when I need him? Here are a few jewels I found early today. The images were all taken at the same location, an island off the coast of Sumatra called Pulau Bangka. No, I did not shoot them on film, that is just a nice looking boarder.

Video Week Contiunes... Photoshop/Lightroom Work Flow.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:30:01 +0000

Ok, had enough videos this week? Well, here is one more. Actually, two more. It is a single video that I edited into two parts to fit it on youtube. I think it is self explanatory. But the idea is to answer some basic work flow questions I have been getting by email. So I hope to keep making some of these basic videos that focus on the latest in Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 and CS4 (when I get my mits on it). Enjoy. httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOVtQHM4QWw httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdPbMgXK8So

picture-11

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:38:10 +0000

picture-21

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:38:34 +0000

picture-3

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:38:44 +0000

picture-42

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:39:00 +0000

picture-5

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:39:15 +0000

Poras Chaudhary

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:44:26 +0000

wtf_duchemin

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:02:32 +0000

David duChemin announces WITHIN THE FRAME.

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:16:53 +0000

My very good buddy and co-Lumen Dei misfit has announced last week on his blog his new book, Within the Frame: A Journey in Photographic Vision. How this slipped by my blog, well, I am not sure except I was buried under boxes for most of the week. If you even slightly believe in the things I write about here on this blog, then this book is a must read for you. I have had the privilege to sneak a peak at some of the manuscript and, well, it is amazing. Without a doubt one of the best books on photography to come down the road in a long, long time. Quite frankly, I would put it up against books like Joe McNally's The Moment it Clicks, it is that good. This is not a how-to book, it is not going to tell you about which button to push or how to frame a picture. It will help you understand and define your vision. This has been David's soapbox that he has been standing on for as long as I have known him and rightly so. It is an area that is overlooked by just about every other photographic blogger and author out there. If you are a Pixelated Image blog reader then you will know that David's writing style is easy to read and humorous. This will be a must read for anyone I coach in their photography. Be smart, go to Amazon and pre-order your copy HERE. Don't be left standing with an empty shopping card when it sells out.

Shop keeper in Downtown Bangkok.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:59:23 +0000

Chaing Mai

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:59:43 +0000

Figures in a temple.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:04:10 +0000

Karen

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:06:31 +0000

20070728-135531

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:09:54 +0000

Poras Chaudhary, a colorful new talent.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:30:18 +0000

Sometimes a talent comes around that is fresh and clean and makes your eyes pop and you just say, "Dang, this guy is good!" Poras Chaudhary is one such talent. Chaudhary has some real talent and he is just beginning his photographic career. Yikes! Look out, this guy is going places. It has been a long time since I have seen new and fresh images of India like I am finding in his portfolio. Chaudhrary won the Digital Camera Photographer of the Year award in 2006 as well as being this years National Geographic Traveler's photo contest Merit Award winner for the images of the three Bakarwal men walking down the highway in Kashmir. Can you tell I am impress with this young man? So should you be. Check out his flickr photostream HERE. (As always, click on the images to view them larger.)

Itinerary Relieased for Lumen Dei Thailand

Matt Brandon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:00:35 +0000

All photos by Matt Brandon

We have the official website up for the Lumen Dei Thailand workshop, you can check it out HERE. Gavin Gough has been working on our itinerary for the Lumen Dei Thailand Workshop. I gotta tell you, if you read the itinerary below and are not excited, we need to take your pulse and see if you are still alive. Some pretty exciting stuff. We are starting to fill it up, so don't wait around too long or you will miss out. Itinerary (written by Gavin Gough) Our workshop group will convene in Bangkok where we'll spend a couple of days exploring the city. Bangkok is a great location for street photography and we will be setting out for the local markets as well as exploring some of the city's shimmering temples and shrines. Just looking at the itinerary for the first few days reveals that the group will be exploring by bus, train, subway, river taxi, long-tail boat, tuk-tuk and on foot. Such is the diversity on offer. From Bangkok, we will travel to ancient Ayutthaya. Bangkok's former capital is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and is home to the remains of dozens of monumental temples. Ayutthaya is highly evocative and wandering around the ruined, sacred places is always mesmerizing. It would be easy to spend several days exploring Ayutthaya but the lure of more remote locations will see the group taking an overnight train to northern Thailand and the country's most northerly province. And yes, we travel First Class on the train, sharing lockable, twin-berth compartments. If you're very lucky a steward will come from the restaurant car to take your food and drinks order, which is then delivered to your compartment. Better still, we'll approach Chiang Mai in the morning as the sun rises and the view from the window will hint at adventures to come. In conversation with tourists, Thai people often ask "Have you been to Chiang Mai yet?". Perhaps it's the 300 temples, perhaps it's the surrounding mountains, the local handicrafts, the enticing cuisine or the sense of tranquility that pervades the town. Chiang Mai is gorgeous, that's for sure, and the group will embark on several photo expeditions from here before setting out to the northern reaches of Thailand towards the Burmese border and Chiang Rai. Days in Chiang Rai will be spent honing our photographic skills and we'll be concentrating hard on making the very best of the opportunities on offer. Nights in Chiang Rai will be spend in traditional teak wood accommodation. Simple but attractive (not unlike myself). We will eventually leave the town behind as we extend our search for great images and head out into the countryside, staying in traditional bamboo and straw bungalows with the possibility of a home-stay in one of the local hill-tribe villages. At this stage of the trip our priority will be for our presence to be culturally sensitive. We will link up with one of the local organizations that work with the hill-tribe populations and our aim here is to get memorable images whilst encouraging and aiding the community development projects which support the hill-tribe communities. As a result, our photographic endeavors will be informed by a greater understanding of the region and its inhabitants. We'll be trying to avoid crashing in and crashing out again, you'll already know that smash-and-grab photography is not what David, Matt and I are about. Thailand's Hill tribes, or Chao Khâo, originate from across China, Tibet, Burma and Laos. Their borders are defined by language and culture rather than geographical lines and they tend towards a subsistence existence. We will be in a region where the Lisu, Karen and Hmong make their home and will be spending time in villages, meeting with and photographing local people, where appropriate. Photographing in such locations is a privilege and we will approach it as such, probably dividing into small groups of two or three photographers with an accompanying leader. When our time in northern Thailand comes to an end we will return to Bangkok for a final photographic splurge, to review our images and reflect on our experiences. I am so looking forward to it."

Lightroom 2.2

Matt Brandon — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:45:26 +0000

Lightroom 2.2 now available w/ update for 5D MKII.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:50:33 +0000

Lightroom 2.2 is now available on Adobe.com. (Mac, Win) The release includes new camera support for the following models: It is the release some of us have been waiting for. Now, understand this is not a big release for most, but if you are a 5D MK II user and you use Lightroom 2 then you have been watching for this release as well. Canon EOS 5D Mark II << Canon PowerShot G10 Panasonic DMC-G1** Panasonic DMC-FX150** Panasonic DMC-FZ28** Panasonic DMC-LX3** Leica D-LUX 4** Read about this release HERE. Download it at Adobe HERE.

Jessie Before

Matt Brandon — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:44:59 +0000

plc_sticker

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:19:03 +0000

atrocities_200w

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:19:37 +0000

earth

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:40:53 +0000

commercial

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:57:50 +0000

love_bomb

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:58:06 +0000

Three easy steps to great gift giving this season.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:40:01 +0000

Step 1. Watch this video:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU&eurl=http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

Step 2. Decide your going to act on Step 1 and make a change.

Step 3. Read on and join the conspiracy with Preemptive Love.

Ok, it is late and if your like me you still haven't bought those gifts. Stop scratching your head about what to get your family for Christmas. You just were given a great, heartfelt and easy way out!

Support a charity this year and give a gift in someones name or give that pair of trendy shoes and let the proceeds go to giving a much needed surgery. I have some friends over in Iraq that are doing some amazing things and I want to help them. Their organization is called The Preemptive Love Coalition (PLC). They provide Iraqi children, both Kurdish and Arab with much needed help. There are thousands of children in Iraq today suffering from heart disease ((You can read why that is the case HERE.)) that threatens to take their little lives if they do not receive surgery outside the country. And time is running out because years of war and corruption have led to a health care system that is entirely ill-equipped to handle the enormity of the task. PLC is working to aide these children by providing funding for these surgeries through creative means.

There are all kinds of ways PLC has for you to help. You can sponsor a child toward surgery for the amount of your choice, help the families get the travel documents they need for the surgery and many other ways. Check them all out HERE.

I could go on and on about these folks but there is no need to, because you can visit their site HERE. Trust me, this is a good idea!

Oh, and one more thing, strictly from a graphics point of view, they have a very fun and creative site. A lot of talent over there. Support a good thing.

Jessie After

Matt Brandon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:21:24 +0000

Video: Hand Painting Photos With Oils in Photoshop

Matt Brandon — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:30:03 +0000

Well, sort of. Here is a technique I ran across on Kelby Training taught by Lisa Snider King. I really like her style. What can I say she is from Texas! So I want to give credit where credit is do. (Sorry Lisa, I realized in the rush to keep this tutorial 10 minutes, I left your credit out, bad form on my part. Please forgive me.) By the way, if you have the money and the bandwidth Kelby training is well worth it. A whole host of talent like Lisa, Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, Joe McNally and more, much more!

[caption id="attachment_884" align="aligncenter" width="299" caption="Jessie Before"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_908" align="aligncenter" width="299" caption="Jessie After"][/caption] So the video is self explanatory. But here are the before and after shoots. I hope you enjoy the lesson. By the way, if you do this method send me your shots and I will try to post them here. Here is the video. Have fun. httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hOJs8rcBSA

england

Matt Brandon — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:03:19 +0000

familytrxmas

Matt Brandon — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:20:34 +0000

me2

Matt Brandon — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:33:36 +0000

mattsm

Matt Brandon — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:50:57 +0000

spacersm

Matt Brandon — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:06:10 +0000

The Digital Trekker

Matt Brandon — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:03:45 +0000

The Digital Trekker

Matt Brandon — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:42:21 +0000

The Digital Trekker

Matt Brandon — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:33:19 +0000

The Digital Trekker

Matt Brandon — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:45:38 +0000

The Digital Trekker

Matt Brandon — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:57:59 +0000

Georgetown, Penang

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:23:45 +0000

gt

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:30:33 +0000

Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:51:41 +0000

Lists, Friends and God

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:30:58 +0000

Last week Joe McNally posted an article that almost any of the photographers I know resonate with. Most all the photographers I know are artist. An artist almost by nature is insecure and usually a little well... off. We see things differently. We are emotional. I guess we have to be those things to see the world the way we see it. As a photographer, I "paint with light" but apply the light with brushes of emotion. But maybe I need to go to therapy. I have heard that therapy can ruin an artist, zap away their creativity, get them too in touch with reality. Maybe. But maybe therapy would get me in touch with my emotions. Last week I was sick. Really sick. I had a temp of around 102 ºF or 39 ºC for most days, diarrhea and a lot more. Basically, I had the nasties. I was laid up in bed for almost all of the week. The few posts I did, I wrote or recorded in bed. But I think the fever sapped my energy, I am tiered and feeling a little out of it.

Joe covered it well, David has done the same thing in the past. We have a creative monkey on our backs. Or as Joe puts it so beautifully, "The miracle of photography, sitting on your chest in the middle of the night like a big wet dog, panting in your face, demanding to be fed." But sometimes we are afraid to feed it. Afraid to move. Being artistic is of a bit of mix, a blessing and curse. On the one hand artists are blessed with seeing things through their emotions, feeling things through their emotions that others don't often see or feel. As artistes we can translate that to an image, be it by painting, sculpture or photography. The curse is when we let those emotions rule us and guide us. We become depress and defeated. We become a slave to them. We feel we can never produce another great image, for me, I would go so far as to say maybe never produce another good image. But there are ways around all this, controls that go beyond drugs (except maybe a good cup of coffee) and a therapist.

Find a friend. A real friend that can be honest and yet encouraging. I love my wife with every fiber of my being, but she could not be this person. She loves me and is by nature bias. So this person needs to be able to have the freedom to say, "Nice try Matt but that sucks." or "Wow, you nailed this one!". But more often than not that person just needs to be available to say, "How ya doing?", "Sorry to hear that.", "Lets talk go grab a beer/coffee (whatever your preferred beverage) and let's commiserate." One of the most successful example of this type of relationship I can think of was the Inklings. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, Charles Williams and others would get together at the The Eagle and Child pub (commonly known as the Bird and Baby) in Oxford every Tuesday night. They would read their current work and discuss it and critique it, harshly at times. No membership, no governance just friends who loved each other and wanted the best for each other.

Lists. This is a hard one for me. I tend to not finish things I start, (except paid jobs). I have a long list of half-read good books and incomplete jobs around the house, and a messy, really messy office. How does this stifle creative juices? I get overwhelmed with the list. Then I just sit there, frozen. Like a deer in the headlights caught between what I want to get done and how to prioritize what has to get done. Now I can tell my self this is just my ADHD kicking in. And I would be right. This might be the reason, but what is the solution? For me, when I really need to get something done I make a list. When I was young I used to hate lists. Then later as I got older I just like the idea of hating list. Now, I officially need them and know I do. The problem is I misplace my lists or I forget about them or just don't refer to them. So the way around this is Remember the Milk. I have it on my iPod Touch and on my iGoogle home page. It sends me emails to remind me. I wish Apple had a cool reminder program like Microsoft does with My Day. But until it does I will keep using Remember The Milk.

Just do it. There was an old Mad TV skit that had Bob Newhart as a therapist. His therapy was shouting to the patient "Stop it!" So, "Stop it" and just go out and shoot. As I said, I was really feeling lousy last week. But Hariman, my Malay photographers buddy dropped in to check up on me and see how I was feeling. This was Friday and I had been in bed all week and was stir crazy. So I suggested we go out, take it slow and go drive up to a temple above the city to shoot the temple at dusk. Well the temple shot was a bust, but the fellowship was fun and got a couple of nice shots of the city. Nothing to write home about to post on my gallery, but it was reviving. It helped.

Stop listening to the Lies. Lastly, I think we need to ask where does our self worth come from? Is it from our images? If that is the case, and it is for many of us, then I think we are missing something. At the risk of being preachy here, my self worth comes from the spiritual side of my life. Are you a spiritual person? If not, how do you manage? I have far to many voices in my head telling me I am nothing, useless and mediocre. When those voices aren't shouting at me I have others that say how great I am, the best, better than the big boys. Now both of these are lies. Neither are right. I see my worth, the core of who I am coming from a relationship with One who Christmas is all about. As I said, this is not the forum to preach, and I am not going to. But this is where my self worth is anchored. Without the spiritual side of my life, I am not sure what counts. It is this side that drives the compassion in my images, this side that balances my voices and tells me my worth. I know several of my photographers friend are spiritual, some are Christians, some Buddhist and a few Muslim and each of them let this side of their life drive much of what they shoot.

I could go on and I might in some other post. But quite frankly David DuChemin and others have covered this topic better than I can and with much more eloquence.

These next few weeks might find less post. Jessie is out of school till late January and I will be doing some traveling. So Merry Christmas and have a great New Year.

Out of the camera.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:59:11 +0000

After some basic workflow in LR.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:00:35 +0000

export dialoge box

Matt Brandon — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:14:03 +0000

After basic Lightroom workflow.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:21:38 +0000

Very Basic Lightroom Work Flow

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:21:47 +0000

Thanks to Sumit Dua of Los Angeles, CA, USA for his question and allowing me to use his image as an example.

Sumit wrote: I am wondering how much professional photographers process these images to get the color to saturate and pop like they do in your work. Is it entirely done in the camera (and are settings adjusted to accomplish this) or is it a post processing deal? For example, the pic I attached is straight out of camera with no adjustments made at all. When I compare my photos to those of other photographers (say Steve McCurry) or your photos, (say old delhi, no 7 & 8 from your site) the color looks pale in comparison. 1. Does that color saturation happen in post processing or in camera? Or how much in each? 2. Do you know of any books/sources that would discuss this issue specifically. I have yet to find a good analysis of this and it has been driving me nuts. I cannot figure out if I need to change technique to get to this level or if it a post processing issue, or both. Would appreciate your thoughts on the above, I assume you probably went through something similar at some point in your career. Take care, Sumit

So I have tried to cover some basic work flow that might be missing out there in tutorial land. The answer to Sumit's question is simple, to get an image like Steve McCurry, you need to shoot like Steve and most of us fall very short of that! But to get the luminosity of Steve's images, that is something we can do with some very simple post processing in Lightroom. I am constantly amazed at how many people think that they should be getting that kind of image quality right out of the camera. It just doesn't happen. Here is a short video to show you the basics, the very basics of Lightroom workflow that will get you a little closer to that luminosity you are looking for. httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5kAB2m4cd8 Here are the before and after images: One thing I forgot to mention in the video is when exporting for web from Lightroom, I always set my sharpening in the export dialog to Sharpen for screen and the amount to Statndard. It looks like this:

Rubber Chicken Guy

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:43:59 +0000

Shooting

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:06:07 +0000

David DuChemin

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:10:09 +0000

Happy Birthday David DuChemin

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:05:04 +0000

Bop over to the Pixelated Image and tell David D. Happy Birthday. He is ... ok, well, let's just say he is in his 30s. I have had the privilege to count this guy as one of my closest friends and in many ways a mentor in my photography. He is an amazing photographer, an exciting teacher and an outstanding author. He is one of those renaissance men that is good at everything. You know the kind you want to hate! But who could hate a face like this!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

May this be your best year yet!

midwinter

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:15:16 +0000

Merry Christmas

Matt Brandon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:17:53 +0000

"In A Bleak Midwinter"

Words: Christina Rossetti, 1872. Music: Gustav Holst, 1906.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day, Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before, The ox and ass and camel which adore. Angels and archangels may have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what I can I give Him... give my heart.

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:06:09 +0000

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I'll think about that tomorrow.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:44:56 +0000

Today was a long day. I got up at 5:30 am, then Alou and I drove four hours to KL (Kuala Lumpur). We needed some book cases and Ikea seemed to be the best bet. While at Ikea I was using my iPod Touch (16gb) to do some converting from inches to centimeters. In the mass confusion of shoppers in Ikea left it on a bookcase. You can imagine that with in seconds of leaving it there it was gone. I was emotionally down for most of the day. As you know, those things are not cheap. Alou told me to quite beating myself up over it, it was done. Honest mistakes (whatever those are) can be overlooked, but dumb mistakes like today's are hard to overlook. I guess I am pretty hard on myself. But the day was not a total loss, I was able to find a can of Zippo lighter fluid for my lighter (not available in Penang), picked up some new tobacco for my pipe, Mac-Baren, Vanilla Choice (I am told it is really nice) and gathered a few odds and ends for the house. Life goes on and as Scarlet O'Hara said, "Tomorrow is another day."

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:20:32 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:41:43 +0000

Last Images of 2008

Matt Brandon — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:48:33 +0000

I traveled out to the back side of the island, Balik Pulau today in search of some creative inspiration. I am encouraged. I have found a new treasure trove of faces and culture. Nice way to say, "Goodbye 2008." (Click on the images to view them larger.)

Site Issues -Please bear with me.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:32:54 +0000

I have been trying to post for hours. it has been like this for days. Yesterday's post took me two hours just to post. It is taking me 5 to 10 minutes just to load WordPress. I contacted my site host and they did some checking. Here is what they found:

Hello, The Savvis investigation has isolated packet loss to the "Telekom Malaysia Berhad" network. Savvis will be contacting Telekom Malaysia Berhad on your behalf regarding this issue. Savvis also advised that you contact your local ISP. They might be able to resolve the issue faster. If you need any additional information, please continue the thread at SureSupport.com Thank you. -- Best Regards, Support38 SureSupport.com

So I checked with my ISP, Telekom Malaysia (TM). Here is what they are saying

Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) wishes to announce that there is a disruption of its Internet services due to circuits fault on Southeast Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 4 (SMW4) submarine cable network between Palermo (Southern Italy) and Alexandria (Northern Egypt) linking Malaysia to Europe. Due to this, customers using Internet services may now experience slow browsing while accessing websites hosted in Europe. To alleviate the problem, some of the links have been rerouted to alternate routes to ease the congestion. Restoration works on the affected cables are already in progress. However, in the restoration process, traffic to Northern America may experience minor degradation while traffic to other countries is not affected. TM expects the complete recovery of its services by December 31, 2008. TM will make further announcements on the progress of the restoration works.

Now, how long do you think it will take to find a broken cable in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea? This could be a while...sigh. Please stand by...

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:31:35 +0000

More of Grandma's images

Matt Brandon — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:39:11 +0000

So the server issue is fixed... well, sort of. I had my host move my site to Hong Kong and the connection there seems to be fine. Once it is truly fixed I might move it back to the US. Until then, here are some more images to chew on...metaphorically. I really love this old ladies face and hands. I am kicking myself that I did not shoot her hands more. They are amazing. But, I know where she lives and I plan on returning for several reasons. The first is to get images of her hands and try to capture the years portrayed in them. Secondly, is to get more of her story. She has got to be 80 plus. So, I can imagine she has so many stories about Japans invasion in the 1940s, Malaysia's independence, what the island was like 60 to 70 years back. Speaking of her story, she did tell us that she had a broken leg sometime back and she prayed to God, (not sure if she is Buddhist or Christian, the Island has Chinese that are both) and then she was healed. She has a daughter or granddaughter that lives with her is mentally challenged in some way. So life seems not to be easy for this old woman. (Be sure to click on an image to viewall of them in Lightbox)

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:01:35 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:29:28 +0000

Beggar in Kashmir.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:15:22 +0000

The Ethic of Reciprocity or Back to Sunday School.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:00:54 +0000

There is a rather lengthy and lively debate going on over at David DuChemin's blog on "Bruce Gilden - Artist or Thug?" Gilden, as you will see if you view the video linked HERE, uses a very intrusive style of photographing people. His style and his images are almost a polar opposite of mine. He of course is a Magnum photographer and I am not. It seems many folks feel that his style is justified if he gets a great image. I am afraid I don't buy that. There is an integrity issue here. Startling, scaring and being intrusive is just not what I am about, and I will go out on a limb and say no photographer should be about that. OK, I know that was a blanket statement. Here is another blanket statement; I don't think any human being should be intrusive. I am sure there are exceptions, though I can't think of any right now. So what's the integrity issue? Basically it comes down to the age old question, does the "end justify the means". I don't think so. This really is a world view question. What drives you at your core. Your ambitions? The good of others? Your faith? What is it? In the discussion someone quoted Sebastiao Salgado saying, "If you take a picture of a human that does not make him noble, there is no reason to take this picture." My first reaction to this was, "Dang, I wish I had said that!". But then, after reading it over several times, I am not sure I buy it completely. Someone else wrote, "Is it our job to make a bad person noble?" This just makes us into a PR machine." Good point. But I love the sentiment of Salgado's statement. The core of what I think what Salgado is saying is, "There is no reason to take a photograph of a person with the intent of demeaning them or humiliating them." The images shot by Gilden and others of his ilk are often images that show no compassion, no care or any consideration for the subject or for others. It is motivated by a selfish need to prove themselves or simply to make money off of others. I don't like it. Gilden is just a paparazzi for the common man. Just as irritating and ruining the reputation and goodwill of anyone that follows after a him. This is bigger than just Gilden> This is at the core of who we are and what we do. We all have seen photographers' web pages that show images of deformed people living on the streets in India. I don't have any problem shooting a person with some physical malady or a beggar on the streets (see above), my question, is why are these photos taken in the first place? What is the story the photographer is trying to tell? If I shoot a person with some gross deformity, I do it to show their humanity or to show unaware viewers their life or, possibly, a larger story, but not to portray these people as some sort of sideshow freak. If you take time to understand the people you are photographing, and you have any kind of compassion in your soul, you would never want to knowningly create an image that is demeaning or hurtful. Now, what if you got to know that person and they are angry and ugly? Fine. As I said before, I agree that our job is not to be PR agents. Show people as they are, but you don't have to humiliate them. I guess it boils down to a Sunday School lesson some of us learned when we were five years old, remember the "Golden Rule"? "Treat others the way you would want to be treated." Maybe it's time we go back to Sunday School.

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January Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:25 +0000

Better late than never, I always say. Maybe becasue I am often late. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this image. I shot it early one morning during a trekking trip in the Indian Himalaya, at a small lake names Vishansar. I had gotten up early with my wife and daughter to go trout fishing and the sun was low in the sky and gave me us the rich lush colors and long shadows you see here. The shadows are Jessie, Alou and I on the backs of ponies heading to the lake. Not a bad shot from the back of a horse. Click the image above to take you to the fullsize wallpaper, then click that image to download or load as a wallpaper. Enjoy.

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:23:56 +0000

Anticipation

Matt Brandon — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:31:37 +0000

Why do Americans insist on using the 12 hour clock? The person visiting me and hand carrying my MKII told me he was arriving into Penang at 6:40. I made the assumption that meant AM. My bad. I double checked his arrival time with Cathay Pacific and it seems he arrives at 18:40. So the clock needs to be set back! Darn it!

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New Sponsor: BlackRapid

Matt Brandon — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:52:56 +0000

A great big welcome to BlackRapid. The makers of the most simple yet innovative camera strap to come down the proverbial pike in a while. As soon as I get my mitts on the new RS-3 I will do a short review on it. Plus, we might just be giving one or two of these puppies away, so stick around. David DuChemin gave me a RS-2 while doing the last Lumen Dei in India. I put it on, adjusted the length and was good to go. Well, almost, for some strange reason David had misplaced the small connector that BR make to fasten the camera to the strap called the FastenR. So as you can see from his blog HERE we used some cord (actually from the R-Strap's net bag that the strap is packaged in) and attach that to my battery grip and then the strap to the cord. I tied a simple but "bomber" figure eight knot in the cord and that was all she wrote. The length and even they way the camera hung from the strap was perfect. Now David did not have any of the RS-1 straps left, but he did give me a RS-2, the more bulky strap with the cell phone pouch. I am not even sure BlackRapid even produces the RS-2 anymore. After rigging the new fastener, the first thing I did (sorry guys) was to cut off the "Velcroed" pouch and slimmed down the profile of the RS-2, now it was much closer to the light weight RS-1 and the camera hung just at the right angle to grab in a hurry. Just no way around it, BlackRapid straps are a cut (pardon the pun) above the rest. Welcome BlackRapid. Glad to have you on board!

There Heeere!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:38:59 +0000

OK, it is here. The MK II looks beautiful and the lens is sweet! I also received a few more goodies that I will be reviewing in the days to come. Now, leave me be and go find something to do while Daddy plays with my shiny new toys...oh, and visit with his guest.

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:55:36 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:50:00 +0000

First Images with the Canon 5D MK II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:07:13 +0000

I received my toys yesterday after waiting for many weeks. They were hand delivered to me here in Malaysia. I can tell you right now, I love the 5D MK II. After the first day of shooting I feel like the exposures with the MK II are more accurate and the general feel is just...well, better. The LCD screen is really amazing, the colors leap off the screen at you. I never thought I would use the Live View, but already I found it very handy. See the images of the Chinese lanterns. I shot these with the camera a arms length above my head. I haven't found how to auto focus with Live View yet, maybe you can't, I don't know. The Digic 4 processor is amazing. Images shot at 1000 ISO are sharp and clear, very little noise. Even at 3200, what little noise there is, was easily handled in Lightroom processing. I'll write more as time progresses. Just as sweet is the Canon 85mm 1.2 II USM lens. In a word; WOW! The bokeh is like butter. It drops off so quick. But a 1.2 lens is a dangerous machine. You have to really learn its personality. This lens can drop the depth of field off so quick you can ruin a great portrait. Look at my first cigar smoking man in the gallery linked below, you can see the issue clear. But over all, this peace of glass (and there is a lot of it) is a dream to shoot. Be sure to check out the EXIF data on each image in the gallery. More to come...

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Matt Brandon — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:30:02 +0000

Day 2 More Images with the MKII.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:34:55 +0000

Ok, I am not going to make this an every day event, but I did go out and shoot more today and I thought I would post these. I have a friend and client here with me this week and so the blog entries will be a little sparse, except for some images from time to time. These are some fun shots from today. A few more observations on the 5d MKII. The continuous mode in shooting is much faster than the 5D. I am loving the auto ISO. Why didn't Canon think of this earlier? The preview has a light sensitive feature that brightens the view in daylight or in a dark room. Maybe it is my imagination, but the exposures seem more accurate with the MKII. I really feel this is not an upgrade but a whole new camera, the only thing that seems to be the same is the model number.

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ISO 3200

Matt Brandon — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:14:03 +0000

I leave today to fly to KL. Then tomorrow to Siam Reap and Angkor Wat. So no post this week, unless I find a WiFi connection somewhere. I will be giving the 5D a real shake down there as well a the new Think Tank Shape Shifter (I told you I had some more goodies coming). Until then I leave you with these thoughts about the Auto ISO feature on the 5D.

I already wrote how I really liked the auto ISO feature of the 5D. This is something that Nikon came out with on their latest camera first and then Canon followed suit. My guess is this is going to be one of those "love it or hate it" features. I love it, though it can be dangerous, bouncing your ISO all over the place without you knowing it. But with the new Digic 4 processor in the 50D and 5D the higher ISOs are hardly an issue unless you are printing quite large.

I was asked by some monks on Saturday to take their picture. I had been shooting something else and had my aperture stopped down to f/14. With out thinking (I think most of you can relate) I snapped of a few and then realized I needed to open it up. So I then shot them at f/1.8. Later in Lightroom I was amazed at how the camera at handled the situation. I shoot almost exclusively in AV (aperture priority), so when I changed my aperture to f/1.8 the camera changed the ISO from 3200 to 100 and my shutter from 1/100 to 1/200. Check out several things below. First, the dreamy bokeh at f/1.8, really smooth. Also, how quick the depth of field drops off. But, more importantly for this conversation, look at the 100% enlargements of the eyes. ISO 3200 never looked so good!

View the images at 100% by clicking on them to load them in Light Box.

Coming Home the Long Way.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:10:47 +0000

I actually left Cambodia early. I have been in Malaysia a day already. Some close friends of ours are dealing with a personal crisis and needed us in KL. So I will be away from the blog a bit more. But I can tell you Angkor Wat was all that I expected, good and bad. One side note; everyone was telling me about the little "hawker" kids and how annoying they can be. They were nothing of the sort. Most of the Cambodians I meet where very charming and polite. Visit the Taj and Agra Fort if you need a definition of annoying hawkers. More to come...

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:32:21 +0000

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Angkor Wat Gallery Posted

Matt Brandon — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:26:30 +0000

Actually it is a Cambodia gallery and it is posted HERE. Very little images spoke uniquely of Angkor Wat so I titled the gallery Cambodia. I will admit, with so many folks writing how they were excited to see 5D images of Angkor Wat, I am more than a little nervous. Remember, I photograph people, not ruins.So, if you are looking for dramatic shots of old rock, keep looking. Quite frankly the trip was so fast, I only really shot two and a half days total and only returned with 888 images, not what I was expecting. I was hoping for more like 1,500 to 2,000. I found it hard to find my "vision" or in other words my "groove". I don't think you will be disappointed, but I look forward to going back someday. Let me know your thoughts. Enjoy.

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:57:04 +0000

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A Doting Father

Matt Brandon — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:34:49 +0000

I am supposed to be some fancy smancy pro travel photographer and keep this blog professional looking. I hope I have, but not at the cost of being able to show off my family pictures. One of the benefits of being a photographer and a dad is you get built in models. Now, you know me, I don't do this very often. But, when I got some nice images of Jessie I have to share them. So here you go. My beautiful 12 year old daughter, who I am very proud of.

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Out of the box thinking.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:38:50 +0000

I leave tomorrow for Bangkok for three days. I will be hanging a little bit with David DuChemin, Gavin Gough and Jerry Jeffery ((Sorry for the typo Jeffery)) Chapman. David calls this meeting historic, I call it a bunch of clowns getting together to smoke fine Cubans and lie about how slow we can hand hold an exposure. But it will be a blast and a very much needed break from the emotions of the past many days.

Maybe your like me, when you find yourself "under the gun" you fall back on auto pilot. This is really a bad habit. I confess, I think I did it in Angkor Wat. There were just too few days to shoot and by the last day I knew I was cutting my time there short. So I fudged. I put my vision on auto pilot and got good images, but not images that stretched me. Honestly, I don't know why I love shooting faces so much. Maybe because I love people. My very first shot that spoke to me was a picture I shot of my dad reading the newspaper. I must have been 10 years old. But it spoke to me. It was a black and white shot of a man I loved and admired. It showed a man of confidence. I grew up looking at images of the family in our personal photo albums. They were always more than "snaps" they were stories. Maybe this is why I love shooting portraits. Whatever the reason, I have to push myself at times to step out of the box and pull back and include the context in the image, this is so important. I think the story is much easier told "wide". But, sometimes I feel I loose the intimacy of the moment and that is tough. But we all need to step out of our boxes and pickup the wide angle and go shoot life. Widen the frame to include more of life. Actually, it often becomes a much more visually interesting image. A good example of this is Gavin Gough 's work. Gavin has a great ability to place his subject in context. Look at some of his work and see a real master at this. Just before I left for Cambodia I put up my new 85 and grabbed my old 17-40 and shot with all this in mind. Join me and step out of your box.

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Matt Brandon — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:46:12 +0000

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The Bangkok Meeting

Matt Brandon — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:53:57 +0000

David, Gavin and I spend the whole day walking the back alleyways of several markets in downtown Bangkok today. We ran across this lovely lady while at the Grand Palace. She was walking around all dressed up and with her parasol as if wanting to be photographed. David said in passing, "Boy, wouldn't it be nice to photograph her?" Like a shot, Gavin approaches her and asks her to pose for us. We find out she runs a small restaurant. She was very accommodating. Most of the images today were nothing more than ok. The days was really just spent "hanging out" with two great photographers. But this image was a keeper. You probably will see a very similar one on each of our blogs in the next day or two. Today was my first time to shoot with Gavin. Heck, it was my first time to meet Gavin in person and it felt like we been have friends for years, a very natural fit. Isn't it funny how the net can draw so many people together from so many places around the world?

The lady with the world's best pad thai.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:51:22 +0000

Images from Bangkok.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:00:33 +0000

Here are a few images from the Saturdays shoot. You can find a gallery HERE. David, Gavin and I just walked some of Gavin's haunts. I found the weekend full of beautiful faces and fascinating culture. My goal was to get away from shooting the classic portrait and to include more context in the image. But sometimes there are faces you can't help but photograph, like this lady above. She makes the best pad thai I have ever put in your mouth. Again, a huge thanks to Gavin for setting the weekend up, thanks to David for letting me hang out while he shot for his book.

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:40:48 +0000

Use The Gear We Use

Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:18:31 +0000

Think Tank Promotion

Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:00:01 +0000

Now The Digital Trekker blog readers receive the same opportunity that Lumen Dei workshop participants receive. If you order from this LINK (or click the add above) and your order totals more than $49.50, Think Tank Photo will send you a free gift of your choice with your order. Not a bad deal for great gear. It is true "Vision is Better", but having the right gear helps your vision realized. By the way, if you want to shoot with David, Gavin and I, this is your chance. This is the first time the three of us have run a workshop together. Come join us for this great oppertunity to shoot in the fantastic world of Thailand. Gavin knows the ends and outs of Bangkok and has helped David and I plan a truely amazing two weeks of shooting. We still have some spaces left so hurry and sign up. Here is a little more incentive, Thai Airways has cut prices by 50% into Thailand to promote tourism. Now is the time to by that ticket and come join us.

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:39:28 +0000

Photoflex

Matt Brandon — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:06:45 +0000

Photoflex Features Matt Brandon

Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:18:56 +0000

Not sure how I missed this but the good folks at Photoflex have showcased me on their site. You can find the link HERE. Thanks Photoflex.

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:49:46 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:52:47 +0000

February's Wallpaper - Angkor Wat

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:00:16 +0000

This February's wallpaper is an image from my quick visit to Cambodia. This is a refection is of two monks standing next to the waters edge on the walkway into the main temple complex. It is a bit abstract for me but I think it will work well for a desktop wallpaper. Simply click the image and then download or drag it to your desktop. It is all yours, I hope you will enjoy it.

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:55:06 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:55:15 +0000

Think Tank's Shape Shifter - Review

Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:15:23 +0000

One of the goodies I received early this January along with my 5D, was the new hot-off-the-line Think Tank Shape Shifter. This bag is a whole new design for Think Tank and I gotta tell you, I like it. The bag is different than any other bag I have ever seen or used in the past. Its design is unique in that it does not use the typical foam and Velcro divider concept in the main compartment, but uses neoprene pouch like pockets. The reason being, they collapse easier and more flat. The whole concept of the Shape Shifter was to make a bag that could easily transport gear to the site and then collapse and save space. I have used the bag twice now, once to Cambodia and then to Bangkok for my meeting with David and Gavin. The bag worked as expected and beyond.

First let me describe the bag. It is made of high quality ballistic cloth and is, thus, pretty much indestructible. This is good and bad. It lasts forever; good, but then you never get to buy a new bag because your old one has never worn out; bad. Well, not really. I guess, overall, this is a good thing. The Shape Shifter is a backpack or rucksack style bag with contoured shoulder straps and a padded airflow system that vents the space between your back and the bag. The Shape Shifter comes with a simple nylon waist belt. The first thing I did was to disconnect it, replace the nylon belt with my Steroid Speed Belt. The design allows the user to open up the Velcroed lumbar support and place any one of Think Tank's belts from their Modular systems under it and use them as a waist belt. I prefer the Steroid Speed Belt as it is wider and gives better support with the bag fully loaded. I also saved space by not having to pack my Steroid Speed Belt. Once I got to my location, I tore the belt off, loaded the skins on it and off I went shooting. The bag is made with two large compartments, one to hold a laptop, and the other camera lenses and bodies. The laptop compartment is big enough for my 17 inch MacBook Pro. Heck, it is big enough for my 17 inch MacBook Pro in the Think Tank Artificial Intelligence case. This is good, and I will tell you why. Too many times I get to a hotel and there is no WiFi in the rooms only in the lobby. If I don't have a case like the Artificial Intelligence, then I have to carry the computer and cords down to the lobby in my hands; not good on so many levels. So this way you can pack the laptop in it's case while in the camera bag and once you arrive at your hotel you have the Artificial Intelligence Laptop case ready to use around the hotel. When I travel I leave the Artificial Intelligence unzipped so I can easily extract the computer at security checks.

The camera compartment is the guts of this bag and what makes it special. The inside of the camera compartment is lined with five neoprene pockets - two pockets to hold two pro DSLR bodies without the lens attached. Then three other pockets for lenses. One is large enough for a 70-200 f/2.8 with lens hood reversed, another fits the 24-70 f/2.8 with lens hood reversed, and the remaining pocket can hold a 17-40 f/4 without the lens shade. Think Tank says it can hold 16-35 2.8 or similar hood reversed but I found it was too tight. The lens hood for the 17-40 really sticks out wide and it might fit, but I was afraid it might get smashed and it was simpler just to remove it and put it into one of the mesh pockets in the same compartment. I found the pockets easy to get gear in and out of. The only catch is that you need to empty the top pockets first before you can empty the lower ones. This is a minor inconvenience, but not a deal killer at all. Remember, this is a bag not meant to shoot out of. The design of this bag is for transporting the gear, then empty the gear out into your modular system whilst minimizing the bag down to 3 to 4 inches in width.

On the outside of the bag, you will find three additional pockets. The top one is a small organizer and has two expandable pockets inside that are big enough for my OWC Mercury On-The-Go Pro™ drives in each compartment. It may seem like a minor thing, but the pen slots in this bag are larger than many other bags. In so many bag organizers the slot for your pens seem to be made for a #2 pencil or a Bic pen. In this bag I can slide a large fat pen or, (and this is not a minor issue) a large Cohiba Siglo III cigar tube. The next pocket down is gusseted and is big enough for my Sony Noise Canceling Headphones that I keep in my Think Tank Bum Bag as well as a book and a magazine or two. Then the last pocket on the outside is a pretty straight forward pocket near the bottom that I use to store the rain cover of the bag. This pocket is also meant to secure the base of your tripod, if you choose to use the optional tripod lashing straps that come with the bag.

The whole bag is made extremely well and, as with all Think Tank products, is thought through. I am 6 feet and have the belt line of a 50 year old man (I am working on it, ok?!). But I found the pack fit me well and very comfortably. When fully loaded it was heavy, but that is not the bag's fault, that is the glass I am carrying in it. Yet, the bag did not wear me down or hurt my shoulders in any way. Fully loaded it fit easily into the overhead or under the seat in front of me on all my Air Asia flights. Once I made it to my hotel I was pleased to find that the bag fit easy into my PacSafe 55 wire mesh and I was able to secure the bag and the contents to a metal desk in my room so I could breathe easy.

One of my pet peeves with bag manufactures is that they put corded zipper pulls on compartments that carry valuable items. Think Tank did not do this with this bag. The two main compartments, the one for the gear and the one for the computer, both have corded pulls but they have interlocking eyes that you pass a lock of some sort through. Finally someone is thinking! Now can I suggest a metal cable on the top handle. The North Face trolley bag I have have has this, and if I need to take a nap at an airport, I know I can lash a cable through the "cabled" handle and with the zippers really secure I can sleep well, knowing my bag is not going to walk off.

Now, what would I do different with this bag had I designed it? Not much, in fact I found no real flaws with this bag and what it was designed to do. Here are a few suggestions that might give the bag some added value. I already suggest the cabled handle at the top of the bag. It would have been nice to have the option to slide the handle of my Think Tank Airport Security between the bag and the lumbar and back support. At one point in one of these trips I took the bag off my back and was only going a short way to the taxi. The bag was so heavy that it would have been nice to just slide the bag down the handle and forgo putting it on my back. I found I could put most of my valuable gear in the Shape Shifter and the less costly gear and more compact gear in my Airport Security. This option did two things, it gave me a peace of mind that if I had to check the Airport Security for some reason, I knew I had my MK II safely on my back, and the second was it made my Airport Security much lighter and easier to stow in the overhead.

In conclusion; I think I will be adding this bag to my travels. The ease of use and convenience is what I had hoped for. I had been traveling with the Think Tank Urban Disguise 60. It is great, but limiting on the gear it can carry. This bag allows me to load up and the fact it looks nothing like a camera bag is also a nice security factor. Over all I give this bag high ratings for design and functionality. Fully loaded it is heavy and can be a strain on your back, but again, this is your issue not the bag's. You just need to join me for more sit-ups.

20090202-141401

Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:33:56 +0000

PacSafe Carrysafe

Matt Brandon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:32:37 +0000

The Damaged Goods

Matt Brandon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:33:53 +0000

A 5D MKII does not bounce!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:46:27 +0000

Ok, so here is the whole heart stopping story. I was shooting in Georgetown yesterday with my 5D MK II. To avoid traffic I was riding my scooter. As I got on my bike I stood up to kick start it and my camera fell to the ground and landed on the corner of the battery pack with a thud. How this happened I still am not completely sure. It somehow came unclipped from my BlackRapid strap. I want to be very fair to BlackRapid and admit I was not using the strap as they suggest. I don't use the fastenR (See photo). As I have posted before, what I do is thread some strong climbing rope through the camera strap slot on the bottom of the battery grip and then clip the loop to the strap's clip and use the plastic tubed "gate sleeve" to secure it. The knot and the rope held. Nothing broke or came untied. The only thing that could have happened is that the rope came out of the clip at the end of the strap. The only way I see this happening was, that by using the climbing rope rather than the fastenR, it gave too much room in the clip. As a result the gate sleeve was able to slide around and the gate somehow opened. The camera fell about two feet onto the corner of the battery drive. The battery pack now has a real nice scar on it (see above). I quickly said a prayer and tried to turn on the camera, it was dead. It was very low on battery power so I thought it might have just been dead batteries. Once I got home I charged the batteries but still no luck. I am not blaming anyone, but myself. But I do want to make readers aware of two things. One is that I think the plastic tube used as a guard is too short to be used with rope and thus can slip below the clip's gate. The previous straps seemed to have a longer gate sleeve and thus this style of rigging would work fine. I heard rumors that BlackRapid is working on a new gate sleeve. I am checking with them on this and will let you know. The second thing is, while I had to blog this story, I don't want to give BlackRapid a black eye. I love all my sponsors and I still love the R strap! This was due to my "jury rig" and not using the strap properly. So let me warn you; if you rig the strap the way I did, you risk the same fate, as the gate can apparently open just enough for the rope to slip through. I do have a suggestion for BlackRapid. There is a connection that PacSafe uses on many of their straps that would work perfectly, IMHO. It is a type of locking carabeiner and they have it somehow on a swivel connection. PacSafe uses it on many of their bag straps. This seems like a winning idea. You can see the PacSafe strap and connection in the photo below.

* By the way, my 5D is wth Canon Malaysia now being repaired. I will keep you posted.

How the BlackRapid strap fastener is suppose to look.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:52:55 +0000

Think Tank Broucher

Matt Brandon — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:53:48 +0000

Whose backside is this?

Matt Brandon — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:21:01 +0000

Alright so it is unmistakably mine! This image was taken by my good friend Keith Talley last year about this time. We were in a small village in Sumatra, Indonesia. Think Tank liked the shot as it shows their modular system at work and asked if they could use it in their brochure. I never heard back after I sent them the high res image. Yesterday, when I was turning in my 5D for repair to Click n Snap, I began showing a mentor client of mine some Think Tank bags and systems. Matthew Chuah at Click n Snap thought it might be helpful to pull out the latest Think Tank brochure. Immediately I recognized my backside. You got to wonder why Deanne Fitzmaurice, Rob Galbraith, Tiffany Brown, Doug Murdoch and even Malaysia's own Glenn Guan all get their mugs on the brochure, but I get my butt. I guess they know a pretty face when they see one.

Note: My website listed in the brochure is wrong. It should read www.mattbrandon.net not .com.

A young woman in a trance.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:19:54 +0000

A Devotee carring her kavadis of milk.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:21:05 +0000

Once Muruga wold enter them they my scream, flailing around or even dance and then later the devotee would slump over with exhaustion.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:21:19 +0000

A Child Devotee revies her tika at the Muruga Temple.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:21:33 +0000

A child carring his kavadi of milk to offer to Muruga.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:21:46 +0000

Piercing themselves with the Vel.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:22:00 +0000

Thaipusam - Penang

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:54:38 +0000

It was a pretty wild weekend. Some 800,000 Hindu Tamil and Chinese devotees of Muruga (also called Subramaniam), the Hindu God of War, gathered in Penang to celebrate Thaipusam. The festival celebrates the birthday of Muruga, the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Muruga a vel (spear) so he could vanquish an evil demon. All day on Friday and Saturday devotees would carry a kavadi or a burden up to the temple on the hillside. Most of the kavadis were pails of milk to pour over the idol but others, the more dramatic were elaborate carriages, some quite large and more often with hook and spears in their skin. This is all to entreat Muruga for help or power over something in the worshipers life. There were many times when the devotees would enter into trance like states and, as I was told, Muruga would enter them. When this happened their was much screaming and flailing and then after some time the devotee would slump over with exhaustion. One Tamil man heard me getting this explanation and interjected, that in fact, these people were screaming not because they were being possessed by Muruga, but by an evil spirit. He said, if it was Muruga they would be weeping with great joy. I don't know, who it was, all I can say is it scared the crap out of me. I hope to be doing a multimedia presentation in the days to come. A buddy of mine, Bruce Watson got some great 5D MKII (not mine) footage and I hope to combine our efforts. Here are just a few images to wet your appetite.

Preview Images

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:58:08 +0000

Gallery

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:58:19 +0000

Slide Show

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:58:31 +0000

Hide/Show Captions

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:02:02 +0000

Thaipusam Multi-Media Gallery

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:10:14 +0000

This is my first stab at a real multi-media approach to imaging. You can find the link HERE. I used Soundslides Pro and it was easy peasy. I had hoped to use some ambient sounds but there was just not enough caught on my buddies 5D. He was shooting for video and you know those video guys, 4 secs. here, 5 secs. there - and I thought I was ADD! But I found some appropriate music, did the narration in Audacity and mixed it in GarageBand. I would love your feedback.

What a drag.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:00:40 +0000

[caption id="attachment_1430" align="aligncenter" width="549" caption="figure 1"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1431" align="aligncenter" width="549" caption="figure 2"][/caption]

Remember how I said, we all need to step out of our box and stretch ourselves? Well, Thaipusam was that for me. I am not referring to the strange trance state people where in, or the body piercing. I am talking about a creative stretch. I think most of you, if you follow my work, will agree this was a departure for me. And this is a good thing. I shot with my 17-40mm a lot and I use a flash, something I never do. I have always loved shooting wide. I love the strange distortions t can give a subject. But for a classic portrait it will really make someone look odd and freakish. So I tend to shy away from it and fall back to the safety of my 85mm f/ 1.2.

For Thaipusam, I knew it would be very crowded and so I would need my 17-40 mm to make the most of the close quarters I would be working in. I also knew that I would be shooting early in the morning while it was still dark and the widest aperture I can get with the 17 - 40 mm is f/4, not a flood of light at f/4. I also knew, unfortunately, that I would not be using my 5D MK II, as it is in the shop, so grain at high ISOs would still be an issue. The only answer to all this knowledge was a flash. I have a confession; flash photography intimidates me to no end. But had no choice. If I was going to use a flash then I wanted to do it creatively, not hard straight light. So why not drag the shutter? Dragging the shutter is when you use a slower shutter speed and allow any ambient light to expose the image and allowing movement within the frame. It is used a lot in wedding photography these days. By dragging the shutter in this way, the flash fires, it freezes the subject and then the shutter stays open and records the motion blur. With this method you get motion appearing to move before the subject, it can look very odd and unnatural (see figure 1). To work around this, what I did was a little different than dragging the shutter, I did what is called a second curtain or rear curtain release. In a second curtain release the shutter is opened and light is exposing the image. Any movement is being recorded as a blur. But, just before the second shutter closes, the flash fires and freezes the subject. So what you end up with is a short motion blur with a sharp image frozen at the end (see figure 2). There are several issues to watch out for in doing this technique. By using the on camera flash you can use E-TTL (Evaluative-Through The Lens metering) and get the correct exposure. But when the flash is set to E-TTL it fires a test shot when the shutter opens to get the correct exposure then the shutter drags and finally the flash fires for real at full strength. This can be distracting for your subject and I think it might give you the addition of a ghost image in the frame as well. The other issue is by using E-TTL you can shoot AV (aperture priority) or TV (shutter priority). I tend to shoot always in aperture priority mode, as I am very concerned about depth of field. But when I play around with my aperture it will adjust the shutter speed and thus vary the effect of the drag. So it might be better to actually shoot shutter priority. To be honest with you, since I was really seriously playing with this method for the first time I tried every combination and at this point I am not sure what was the best method. I shot most of my images (see the EXIF data below) at f/4 and at and ISO setting of 200 or below. This gave me a shutter speed of less than a second and gave me th edesired effect.

20090208-0459081

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:24:06 +0000

20090208-0430161

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:25:09 +0000

first-curtain

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:32:58 +0000

second-curtain

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:33:15 +0000

Make a connection with your subject.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 04:56:14 +0000

FAQ: How do you photograph people? How do you approach them?

Matt Brandon — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:02:45 +0000

Today I thought I would do something a little different and answer a readers question online. The reason is his question is probably the most common question I get asked by other photographers; “How do you photograph people? How do you approach them?” I get this from newbie and veteran professionals alike. Here is the question as posed by James:

Hi Matt, I recently came across your website and am really impressed with the environmental portraits you're creating. As a college student in the States, I'm planning a trip in the next six months to Egypt and will be photographing anything and everything in sight while I'm there. I'm hoping that this will include some of the memorable people I come across. I have a fair amount of confidence in my technical ability, but psychologically I feel like I have some sort of block when it comes to taking pictures of strangers. Do you ever have any issues with this? How do you generally approach people to take their pictures without upsetting them or freaking them out? Also, I read that you speak three languages so this probably isn't as much of an issue with you, but have you ever traveled to a country whose language you don't speak and photographed people? If so, do you have any tips for crossing the language barrier? Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure what makes me so nervous about doing this, but it just seems people are inherently distrustful of a guy with a camera in his hands. Best, James

James, Thanks for dropping by my site. I wish I had a complex technique to tell you to do like, take two steps forward and then one step back turn and shoot. But I just don’t. That is not to say there are not things you can do to improve your image whilst shooting. But in general, the short and sweet answer is boiled down to simply be bolder and take risks, be polite and be ready for the moment. The most difficult of this list is the first one. Most of us have fears of approaching people and asking them if we can take their photograph. I am not sure why that is. Maybe it is the insecure inner self that fears rejection. Psychobabble aside! Whatever the reason, we need to get over it if we want to take a good picture. What is the worst that can happen? The subject will say, “no.” I have news for you; if you are shooting in Asia the chances are they will smile and nod their head with a yes, and you are good to go. One easy way to approach people is to first start a quick conversation. I don’t mean looking them in the eyes and try to have an intimate conversation for 30 minute. What I mean is simply connect with them. Try observing their environment and comment on it. “So how long have you been making this ...” or “I bet this takes a lot of talent to stitch this...” The idea is to engage them. Treat them as people not like a tourist attraction. So what happens if I don’t know the language? Then communicate the same kind of interest but with a smile, a nod and gestures. Believe, you will be surprised how easy it works. I shoot in Thailand a lot, yet my Thai (isn’t that a drink?) is limited to hello and thank you. But I always seem to come back with a few decent images. Be polite. out of a full day of shooting I think over half of the people I photograph I will have had some sort of interaction and that leads to me asking them either verbally or with a point to my camera if I can shoot their image. It is good to clarify here that I don’t ask everyone. If there is a man running a printing press or digging a ditch, I want that action. But, if I stop his work to engage him and get his permission, I have stopped the action and changed the scene and thus lost the shot. In this situation I shoot first then smile and if they seem to smile back I might hover about and shoot some more and explore the angles and the light. But if I get a disapproving look or an outright no, be it verbally or with a gesture I respect that and move on. I believe strongly that I am the guest and I must respect the subject in every way I can. The last thing (and I am sure there other points I just cant think of them at this moment) is be ready for the moment. You have to be something of a sociologist and observe human behavior and patterns. When I look at a scene I can guess where someone is going to walk and be ready for them. I can watch someone talking and know their might be a gesture on the way and be ready for it. I know if I squat down with my 5D with a 70-200 white monster on it I am going to change the moment and it will be lost quickly, so I want to have my settings ready. My aperture, my AF point predetermined and my composition already figured out in my head. Then I move in. I take the shot and smile. You have to know your camera and how it works. It is that whole Zen thing that Michael Freeman writes about in The Photographer’s Eye. ((Freeman, Michael The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos Focal Press, 2007: 164)) You need to know your gear and then forget all you know and make it second nature. Have your gear ready and anticipate the gesture. So this is about all there is. It is not rocket science. It is 70% guts, 20% knowing people and anticipating the gesture and 10% knowing your gear and being ready. Do these simple things and you will be amazed at the quality of images you will capture. I hope thi shelps you James, and have a great trip. Matt

A BR and 5D MKII update.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:57:39 +0000

Ok, BR got back to me last week but I was swamped with Thaipusam edits. So here was their response:

Matt- Thank you for getting in touch and letting us know what happened for you. I'm so sorry to hear that your camera dropped! To answer your questions: 1. We have a new distributor for our ConnectR-1s... they have a stronger spring, so it takes a little more effort to open them. 2. We have a new FastenR-1 that has a smaller hole on it...that makes it a lot harder for the ConnectR to let go. 3. We have the swivel locking ConnectR-2 nearly here from our distributor (that does away with the gate stop all together) 4. It looks like you aren't really using the FastenR-1 so perhaps something like THIS would be a better fit for your needs. (see linked page) We most definitely thank you for your feedback- it helps us grow and improve! Please let me know if I've left any of your questions unanswered. Best, Melissa BlackRapid

So it sounds like BlackRapid is aware of the issues and are trying to address them. I hope they will send me a prototype a soon as it is ready to test. Let's see what the future holds. Canon got back to me and said that nothing is wrong with my 5D MK II. They said it works perfectly fine. Ok? Well then why was it dead. They suggested it must be my battery grip or my batteries. But this couldn't have been the issue. Because, while my camera was in the shop, my buddy used the grip and the batteries on his 5D MKII to shoot Thaipusam with me. I went by Click-n-Snap this morning and picked up my 5D body and all seems to be well. It seems to be working for now. So, it must have been all those prayers. What is that old expression? "All's well that ends well?"

thairr

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:24:29 +0000

Last Call for Thailand; All Aboard!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:39:40 +0000

The steam shoots out from the underbelly of the old engine with a loud hiss. The sounds of metal smashing against metal and breaks shrieking as the bogies pull tight readying for the journey to begin. The familiar whistle blows. People rush to board the slowly inching behemoth. The conductor leans out and shouts something in Thai that can only mean, "All aboard!" This train is pulling out and now is the time to join the 2009 Lumen Dei Photo Workshop and Tour in Thailand. Deadline to apply is February 28. If you would like more information please see the Lumen Dei site HERE. Don't let this train leave without you. ...ok! Enough with the metaphor already!

exposed

Matt Brandon — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:32:01 +0000

Exposed: The story behind the image.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:42:32 +0000

I thought it would be fun to talk about the story behind an image every once in a while. So many photo bloggers to it, I thought, why not? What I really hope to do is demystify some of the technique or ability that many of us seasoned shooters have and show you it is just a combination of skill, guts and luck. Not always in that order. I shot this image on the '08 Lumen Dei workshop while in Delhi. I really love this shot for so many reasons. The blue shutter behind the boy, the arms up and hands on the back of his neck. But what make this a strong image is a couple of things. One, the sharpness on his eyes. You have heard me gripe that digital photographers over do the importance of sharpness at time. (see Steve McCurry Sharp ) I still believe this, but when you have a subject looking directly into the lens, you need two things; sharpness, spot on focus on their eyes and you need a great catch light. Never, ever underestimate the importance of a great catch light. The eyes are what we look at when we speak to one another face to face. Ever talk with someone who won't look you in the eyes? You think, either they are up to something or they are very insecure. Our eyes communicate almost as much as our words. So if the subject, like this one, is looking at you directly, the eyes have to be sharp, the sharper the better in this case. The reason the catch light is important is it gives life to your subject. If you can see a refection in the person's eyes I think you see some of their world. The catch light makes them real/alive in some way. The second thing that makes this image work is the strong diagonal lines running from upper left to lower right. Diagonal lines create a dynamic force in a photo. Michael Freeman call's it "unresolved tension" and I think he is right. People's eyes already want to move from left to right in a photo, but with a downward slant of the strong diagonals you get at since of gravity pulling you through the photo. So a diagonal line running from left to right is a very strong compositional element. In this picture it is even enhanced as it is duplicated with the boy's arms running parallel with the lines of the shutter. By the way, the lines of the shutter at a diagonal where intentional, I move to the boys left, my right to get those lines. But his arms were luck. Here is where I want to maybe do a little demystifying. When I saw him, his hand were on the top of his head. As I approached, as so often happens, he giggled and started to drop his arms. I knew I was loosing the shot. I shouted "Rukho! ek minaṭ.", or "Stop! Just a minute." in Hindi. At this his hands stopped on his neck at the same angle as the lines of the shutter. Pure dumb luck, or the grace of God, depending where you are coming from.

Click Here!

Matt Brandon — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:43:56 +0000

Click here to enlarge.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:00:45 +0000

Lausanne World Pulse - Click HERE.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:27:04 +0000

family

Matt Brandon — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:35:43 +0000

yantra-mantra

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:07:30 +0000

Insperation: Yantra Mantra – Lost in Time and Space

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:24:43 +0000

I am not a huge fan of nothing but graphic shapes. Don't get me wrong, I like them, but not a whole exhibit of them. But for some reason, maybe the colors, maybe the fact that I know where these images where taken and I never thought the place was worth photographing, whatever the reason, these images are captivating and I can't get enough of them. These images are all taken at the Jantar Mantar, a large astronomical clock of sorts. The first time I saw Sanjay Nanda's images were on the wall at the India Habitat Center after David DuChemin's and my lecture back in September 08. In fact it was the night of the Delhi bombings and I was torn between watching CNN and viewing his images. The colors are amazing and the use of space and lines is, well, to be honest...intimidating. Check out more of his work HERE and HERE.

Go try something new with your camera this weekend. See you Monday.

Weekend Freebie - Zack Arias

Matt Brandon — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:47:05 +0000

I missed this post on Scott Kelby's blog last week. Silly me. This is a great follow up to our discussion of the artist side of the photographer, about comparing ourselves with others. About the days we feel uninspired and we feel we made a mistake even picking up a camera. Let this video be an encouragement to you. Thank you Zack. Check out Zack Arias' blog HERE.

I have read several comments how this video loads very slow and playback can be difficult. So let it load completely before watching it.

exposed1

Matt Brandon — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:08:44 +0000

catchlight

Matt Brandon — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:09:58 +0000

Eye flow

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:04:41 +0000

TPN Book

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:43:39 +0000

Preview

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:45:00 +0000

twitter

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:02:28 +0000

Monday News

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:08:10 +0000

Ok here is a quick post for this Monday. I am frantically working on a Jobo GPS review and it's getting complicated. So till then:

The fine folks and good friends at Travel Photographers Network have published a book with Blurb. It is a compilation of some of the sites best images over the years. With contributors like Jim White, Marsel van Oosten, Kah Kit Yoong, and yours truly. I haven't see the actual book but the pdf looks nice. Check it at at Blurb.com HERE.

I have started Twittering. Yes, I figure if everyone else is why not. It makes staying in touch a lot easier. Check it out on the left side bar or go to twitter HERE.

My wife is out of town till next Wednesday and then I leave for England for some meetings for a week, more Knowledge Stewardship (knowledge management) stuff. Good to have work these day where ever you can find it.

tajcatchlight

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 08:50:31 +0000

Tanjun Bungah, Penang

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:11:03 +0000

my workaround

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:15:56 +0000

Two more items...

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:19:50 +0000

I shot this on Saturday night. Thought you might like to see it. It's my neighborhood.

I also figured out a workaround for the BlackRapid strap till they come out with the new fastening system. It is simple and effective and why didn't any of us think of it before? The small locking clip secures the cord from coming loose and is too big to accidentally open the gate with the plastic sleeve in place. Ta Dah!!

f/1.4, 1/800 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:03 +0000

A gps tagged photo from my test. A local shop keeper from m local morning market

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:07 +0000

lightRoom puts the gps data intot he metadata and links it to Google Maps.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:13 +0000

JoboGPS software finding the gps data from the server.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:24 +0000

GPS data matched with the photos.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:31 +0000

Flickr Map

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:44 +0000

Flickr Map

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:03:51 +0000

One of the many aborted attempts to load the data into the PhotoGPS software.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:04:18 +0000

The software stores the metadata in a XMP sidecar.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:04:34 +0000

The Jobo Photo GPS

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:50:34 +0000

The Jobo Photo GPS

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:51:53 +0000

KML file

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:10:31 +0000

XMP sidecar file

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:11:01 +0000

Review; Jobo's PhotoGPS

Matt Brandon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:00:26 +0000

I really like the idea behind geotagging photos. ((For a long winded explanation of geotagging go HERE.)) Many of you know I have been wanting to get my greedy little hands on the Jobo Photo GPS unit since they first announced it two years back. For whatever the reasons, Jobo had a series of delays releasing this unit. Finally in December 08 they released the product and I got my hands on the little guy. ((One note, this is a completely different unit than they had planned to release. The original one had a led display on the back and a higher profile. I am not sure if this unit is made by someone else and distributed by Jobo with their name on it or if Jobo is producing it for Geotate under the name Kato. No biggy, manufactures do this all the time. Just an interesting fact.)) Only to have my excitement dashed as they did not have Mac software for it only Windows. So I have this tiny sexy little gps for my camera sitting on my desk for the past month or so waiting for the release of the Mac interface. Finally a few weeks back they released it. (Remember, click on any images to view them larger.) I downloaded the software and right away went out to my front yard to shoot two or three frames to test the unit. I returned to fine the software was not finding any locations. It recorded the shots and the times, but no locations. I had heard from Jobo that this was supposed to be so specific that the software would not only record the latitude and longitude but also the street name. This I wanted to see. But nothing. So I emailed and called Jobo with not much luck. Finally they wrote and told me I must have a defective unit. I don't think so. Here's why; In a last desperate attempt I went out into the city and just drove around and shot with the unit on my camera. I came home and found that several locations where in fact recorded and even had street names. Hurray! So I went out again yesterday to do a more detailed test. Before I get into the workflow let me describe the actual unit its self. It is really small. It is about 2 inches by 1 inch. It is mounted on the camera flash shoe and records a position every time the shutter is fired. The one gripe I have about the actual unit is that the hot shoe connector does not have a lock of any sorts. The unit just slides on and slides off. It fits snugly on the shoe, so it won’t fall off if the camera is turned on it’s back. But not that tight to give me any comfort that it would not get knocked off while the camera hangs upside down on my BrackRapid strap. This just seems like an design over site and very risky. The gps is always on and in standby so unlike other gps units it does not need to find the satellite. I am not going into details of how the GPS unit works. For some of you that is important. For me it is not. All I need to know is that it does work, and it does. What I struggled with was not the gps unit but the Mac software. So once you have taken your images and return to the computer to download them you need to run the Jobo software, PhotoGPS. The software is simple and easy to use. But it does become an extra step in the download process. You will want to run the PhotoGPS software before you load your images into LightRoom. The reason being is that LightRoom reads your metadata and records it into each file. So it will read the gps coordinates on import once PhotoGPS embedds it into the RAW file. You can run the PhotoGPS software after import into LightRoom. But, once you add metadata to each file after import, like the gps coordinates, then you will have to have LightRoom re-read each file for the new metadata and that just gets complicated and time consuming. So once you open the PhotoGPS software you are given a two paneled screen; one side for the gps data and the other for the photos. (See the image to the left.) The Jobo gps unit plugs into the computer through a USB 2.0 cable. PhotoGPS sees the unit and tells you it is there and that it is charging. You are given two ways to read the gps data, either by reading it directly from the unit or by downloading the data to the computer and storing it in a folder on your hard drive. I tried reading it from the unit first. The software thought a long time then crashed. I tried again, and it thought a long time, then started to download, then crashed again. This was not encouraging to say the least. So I tried the other option of downloading the data. I told it the folder I wanted the data to be stored in and told it to download. It thought, and thought and thought and...well, you get the picture, it hung. I quit the application and restarted it. This time it loaded the data fairly quick. Overall in this process the PhotoGPS crashed or froze several times. It is clear there is an issue with the Mac software. Finally the images all loaded. The next step is to match the data with the images. This is done simply by a push of a button. So I pushed the button and prayed; this time no issue. All the data matched up to all the images. Then the last step is simply to write the data to the RAW files. To do this you push the “Tag Photos” button and it writes the data to a XMP sidecar file where you have the photos stored, in this case the flash card. Apparently it write it directly into the EXIF data in a JPG file. Again, it went off without a hitch. Now you just proceed to import the files like you would normally do into LightRoom. Only this time you will see two new metadata fields. Yes, two. One for the gps coordinates and the other for the altitude. Fun. One more thing that is kind of cool, but needs some tweaking, is that on import all the street information is imported at key words. Very cool! This mean you do not have to key word on import the location of your shoot anymore. But here is the downside to this and where it needs tweaking. What I found was that the location did not import as multible key words but one single entry. Normally I would inter key word and they would look like this: Malaysia, Penang, Tanjung Tokong. Each place or name separated with a comma. But when PhotoGPS entered the key words they came out like this: Mukim 18 (Tanjong Tokong) Penang Malaysia. To be honest, I am not sure if this is really and issue or not. But it does make for some very long key word sets in LightRoom. Once in LightRoom you will find the Metadata field that holds the gps coordinates you will see a small button next to them. (See image) If you click on that button you will be taken to Google Maps and shown where the image was taken. For the most part the data was very close to the spot I stood. The difference might be at the most 50 yards, but much of the time it was within a few feet. Another LightRoom add on is the Flickr plugin that Jeffrey Friedl has made. This will upload your images to Flickr with the gps coordinates and then visitors can view them on the Flickr map. So, over all what do I think? I really, really wanted to love this product. I love a lot of Jobo's product like the Gigaview Pro. I love the concept and the unit itself. Jobo, or somebody did a great job designing a small, low profile gps unit for the camera. It does what it was designed to do and for $159 it may well be worth it, especially once they get the software kinks worked out of it. But what I really dislike is the Mac version software PhotoGPS. Not because it is hard to use, it is not. It is very simple. It is just glitchy, really glitchy. It took so much time to load and then reload the images due to all the snags. I am just not sure it is worth the effort. I guess it all comes down to how important is GeoTagging your photos. For me, at this time it is mostly just for fun. But there are important uses. When I went to Sumatra in Feb 08 I needed this unit, but it was delayed. The NGO I was shooting for really wanted to know where the images of each people group I shot where taken. I had to just point them out generally on a map after the trip. This would have been really handy. The PhotoGPS is a group effort between Jobo, Geotate and it uses the data from the OpenStreetMap project. This product has a lot of potential. With all that said it still is a far cry better than the way I was doing geotagging before. A lot fewer steps and I thing this is all correctable in the next version update. But for now. Just be ready to fight with the software if you really want your photos tagged.

News and more...

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:04:41 +0000

A few items of business: I hope you enjoyed and found helpful the Jobo Photo GPS review I bled over. Just a quick addendum; Gavin Gough did a great piece on Geootagging a while back. If you are interested in this and don't want to use the Jobo product or already have a GPS unit you should scheck it out HERE. If you are a FaceBook user and a photographer I m sure by now you know not to post any of your images on their site. Why? They claim once you do they own them. Silly as it is, you give up your rights to the images once you post them. But there is some light breaking on that horizon. Seems there are some new changes afoot. Check out this post by Carolyn Wright, an attorney who works for photographers, HERE for more info on it. Not where it needs to be but a step in the right direction. My friend Mitchell Kanashkevich is traveling India and posting some of the best images of India I have seen in a long while. He is on a real role and can't seem to take a bad shot. Did I say he was my friend, I may have to rethink that. I don't like people who shoot better than me! Anyway, run over to his blog and check out the new post about the tea shop and all his images that go with it.

Exposed #2

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:00:00 +0000

This is not one of my strongest images, but it has a joy about it that makes me keep coming back to it. Here is the story behind it. This image, like the last one, was taken on a Lumen Dei workshop (See, if you join us you will have a great many new additions to your portfolio.). I was at the Taj Mahal walking around looking for something or somebody interesting to photograph. I had just walked out of the mosque that is to the right of the tomb and I saw a whole family sitting around a park bench taking family snaps. Several of the children where beautiful and I really wanted to shoot their portraits. So, being the manipulator I am, I walked up and offered to shoot the snaps for them so all of them could be in the photos and of course they obliged. I took one shot with this camera and another with that. We have all been there, three camera hanging off one hand and two more off the other and then mine all weighing me down. I must have looked like a walking camera salesman. "Psst! Hey buddy! Wanna buy a camera?" So I took the shots and then managed to throw enough guilt at them to let me take each of their images on the wall of the mosque behind me. At first they just posed straight faces and solemn. Like they were a part of the stone structure it's self. Then I started making google eyes and laughing at myself. Remember laughter is contagious. I often will start laughing when I am shooting a portrait on the street to get the subject to giggle or laugh. Works well. Why does this image work? One of the first reasons is the gesture, the laugh. Here again, we come back to the same reason the catch light is so important. Just like a catch light, the laugh brings the image to life. Laughter make the person real - a human - and the viewer can relate. Speaking of catch light, you see again in this image. This time it is so clear and sharp you can actually see the Taj Mahal silhouetted behind a blue sky in her eyes. Barely, but it is visible. (Click on the image to the right for a close up.

Compositionally what makes this a stronger image is the triangle formed by the her posture, the railing and her elbow. The viewer naturally starts at her eyes, then your eyes move to the railing and up the railing to her elbow and then back to her eyes. All this is done in seconds and probably several times over as you view the image.

The triangle is one of the most common compositional forms found in images. I think, because things bend and connect and turn; like arms, branches, buildings. Maybe because lines converge and when they do, often a triangle is formed. Whatever the reason, they are everywhere. Triangles are useful in an image as they draw the viewers eyes along the path from point A to point B to point C and back to A. So your eye has a natural path of movement through the frame and this is really import. It is important because the last thing you want to have is a stagnant image, one without

movement and boring. The opposite of a boring image is a busy one, an image where all the elements compete with each other for the viewers attention. Either way, the picture loses the viewer's interest and that is a bad thing. So there you have it. A laugh by the photographer, a giggle by the subject and some nice light, mixed them together and get a decent portrait.

iphone

Matt Brandon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:47:32 +0000

fring

Matt Brandon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:01:41 +0000

iPhone Mania

Matt Brandon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:03:48 +0000

Here is the situation. I have a good friend who just bought his wife a new iPhone 16 gb 3G to replace her older 2G 8 gb. I have been coveting the iPhone long before it was even released. So when I heard this I asked him if he would sell me his old phone. He offered to "bless me" with it and just gave the thing to me. WOW!! But here is the problem, remember where I live? Malaysia. The iPhone is not here and his phone is AT&T. So what to do? Now I am not going to say anything more about that. But, what I really want to know is what is your favorite iPhone application and why? You are not going to win anything. I just want your thoughts, come on share the love. What is the application and why?

OK, I will start it off. Though I don't have my hands on the phone yet, I use to have the iT-Ouch (painful memories, let's don't go there!). Anyway, I really like running Fring on it. It gave me many of the capiblities of Skype, but on my iTouch. Skype has not released their software for the iPhone or iTouch yet, so . But Fring gave me the ability to chat for free using my current Skype contact list. I used it a lot. Now with the iPhone, unlike the iTouch I can take advantage of the talk feature as well and make computer-to-computer calls for free anywhere in the world or Skype out call for a minimum cost. Very cool.

f/9, 1/160 sec, at 27mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL

Matt Brandon — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:35:46 +0000

f/9, 1/160 sec, at 27mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL

Matt Brandon — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:36:10 +0000

March 2009 Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:00:39 +0000

Here is the wallpaper for March. I took this way back in 2004. It was a frosty, foggy winter's morning and I was out driving around Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir looking for things to photograph. I drove by this old dunga (a small Kashmiri canoe) and saw this. Yes, this images has had some tweaking done to it in Photoshop. It is art. People ask me, do you do a lot of photoshop on my images. The fact is, if you shoot RAW, as I do, you have to do some amount of post processing. If not, the image is flat and unattractive. But, beyond that, I shoot my vision and what I do in Photoshop or Lightroom is to process the image enough to bring out what I saw or felt at the moment I shot the image. This is different that photojournalism. In photojournalism a shooter wants to capture as much of the scene as they can. Yet, I hasten to add, as soon as the photojournalist turns the image into black & white they have manipulated it every bit as much as I do. In fact, can a photographer even take a picture without it being a manipulation of a scene? We choose a moment in time, a fraction of a second and say, "This is what took place." Is that even fair? Is it unbiased reportage? Don't we risk taking something out of context? It is not the whole story, or even close to it. and the angle, the timing, the lens choices all sever to deliver the image in a certain way so the image speaks and tells a creation story or message. Ok, enough of my rambling, here is the image, tweaks and all. I am toying with making 20, 16 X 24 inch limited addition prints on metallic paper, signed and numbered for $250 + international postage. If you have ever seen a print like this on metallic paper you know this would rock! What do you think? My buddy Hariman found a lab that promises to be very professional. One of the few labs that print on metallic paper and pay attention to color profiles. Interested? In the mean time consider this as a tease. You know the drill; click the images above then do whatever it is you do to make it your wallpaper.

Photo Terrorist

Matt Brandon — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:38:00 +0000

If you recall a few weeks back Gavin ran a post about new laws in England about photographing in public places. Personally, I think this is getting out of hand. But then I am a photographer, so what do I know? I found this Steven Colbert skit to be really apropos. Enjoy!

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Nailed 'Em - Amtrak Photographer

Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor

Joke of the Day Stand-Up Comedy

f/4, 1/1250 sec, at 37mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:01:43 +0000

On the road..

Matt Brandon — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:05:27 +0000

This photo has not bearing a anything. Just felt like posting something other than a bunch of boring text and I don't think you have seen it before. I arrived last night into London for some non-photographic meetings. I am traveling with my Think Tank Shapeshifter loaded with non photo stuff" The only photo gear I will have with me is my g9 and a Gorilla pod with me. Have fun whilst (for my Brit friends) I am gone. I'll try to post if I have some free time. By the way, the neoprene pockets in the Shapeshifter make it easy to organize items. I had my Sony noise canceling headphones in one of the pockets made for a camera body, my cables in a small bag in a lens pocket and my MacBook power brick in yet another. Works nicely and travels great. I got my iphone in my hands, but it is just shiny brick at the moment. No SIM and completely erased si I can't even sync it till, ah hmm shall we say, measures are taken. ;) Stay in touch

20070513-221824

Matt Brandon — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:49:57 +0000

20080404-192648

Matt Brandon — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:50:02 +0000

Home again, home again, jiggidy jig.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:54:28 +0000

Great to be home. Thanks for the encouragements to get back to the blogosphere.I was only gone for 6 days, yet had not seen my wife in three weeks. She was gone for two week prior to my trip and then we literally passed in the air as I left. This was, as I have already stated a non-photographic trip. In fact I did not even take my kit with me. I took the Think Tank Shapeshifter bag stuffed with non-photographic stuff. I might add here it works really well as a backpack and computer bag. The neoprene pockets are outstanding dividers. But I was reminded how old I am getting or how weak my back is. I spent the week sleeping on a cot in a friends conservatory (for you Amercians, that is a glassed in back porch, those Brits have so much more class than us Yanks!) and did not feel the worse for it...or at least I thought. On the way back home from England to Bangkok I started smelling like I had been on a road and decided to take a shower at the Star Alliance lounge. When I bent down to put on my socks my back went out on me. In the past I have been told I have three slip disks and this is why I go to the gym often (almost everyday while I am home) but apparently the cot naps did more damage than I thought, and the endless hours trying to get comfortable in coach didn't help. I miss those 100K upgrades. Today is a very special person's birthday, my wife. She is a wonderful lady that I can't say enough about. Amazingly, somehow she puts up with, not one, but two ADD people in her house. That fact alone should win her some sort of honor or award. If you have ever had the chance to meet her you know she is caring and kind. These words fall so empty on this page as I write them. I wish I was a eloquent with words and could describe her adventurous spirit. We have climbed mountains together, we have even huddled behind walls as billets flew past us in Kashmir. We have experienced life together in ways that most people would only dream. There is no other person I would want to share crazy life with. She is an amazing mother, caring for Jessie and making sure Jess has her hugs and kisses. She is also an amazing cook! Which explains the battle of the bulge I am currently fighting. I can go on but, she would only kill me for embarrassing her. So happy birthday Alou. I love you.

f/2.5, 1/1600 sec, at 85mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:00:15 +0000

Brandoning

Matt Brandon — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:03:28 +0000

This photo has nothing to do with anything. But I like it and it is branded ;)

These past days in England where spent in discussions about branding of the Knowledge Stewardship product and concept. I am acting as the Creative Consultant/Director for this group. So, much of the days discussions where centered around me, and how I was going to pull this off. If fact they started calling me Matt Brandoning. Pun intended. No pressure or anything. But it caused me to look at the whole idea of the branding process again. Of course this concept of branding applies to us photographers as well, so let me share what I am learning. Some of you experts can join it and rein me to the left or to the right, or even pull back and say, "Whoah boy!" Any help would be greatly appreciated (as long as I can put my name on it and get the pats on the back and the kudos. Kudos are so important. I love them with cold milk and lots of sugar. But I degress.) I found the timing interesting. There has been a lot of talk on twitter about branding and David duChemin had a great post on it a week or so back called Playing In Traffic. So I hesitate to write any further. But, I guess I need to practice what I preach and tell you what I am doing for my own brand. First off, what is branding? At the most basic level, branding is what others think of you. Some folks feel that you don't really have a lot to say about this. I disagree. You can steer it to a large degree, tweak it and reinforce it. You can even destroy and reinvent yourself, if you really need to. Look at Lindsay Lohand. She had the image of a sweet freckle faced kid, a Disney girl, for years. But after a few crappy movies and a few drug busts, that was all changed. I hope much of it was unintentional, but non-the-less her image changes, her branding became that of the "bad girl". So here is the chicken and egg question. Are you communicating the right message to the wrong people or maybe you have the wrong message to the right people? Obviously we want to be communicating the right messages to the right people/client. Another way to look at it is "Are we shooting at the right target?" We can be right on target, even hitting the bull's eye, but all the while shooting at the wrong target. We need to step back and ask, "Who are we aiming at?" Decide who you are marketing your product to and focus on those people and go where those people hang out. Let's make things really clear right here; none of this is easy. Not if you do it right. It is hard to find and understand your own message and product, let alone your audience. It goes back to the ever illusive question of vision again. Find your vision, know it and for goodness sakes stick with it. The more mixed your message is, the more confused your audience is, and the more people might pass you by and miss that you have something to offer them. Do you shoot humanitarian images, then post images that reflect that. I do post family images, but that is not the norm. I allow myself to do it because I think it helps me be seen as a person who values family. I don't post just any image I shoot. I put links to others that make a living shooting the same kind of images I shoot. Yes, you risk giving away a client to a friend/competitor. But you stand a better chance as being helped by that link. It strengthens your position in the market as someone who knows good work and knows what they do. Sort of a confidence. Speaking of the web, one of the major links in my branding is my blog. I try to blog a minimum of three times a week. The blog is not my work. It might be for others, but for me it is a calling card and a look into my brand and what I do and think. The blog is a way into my personality, a way my clients can see if they like me. So if you blog, blog about relevant issues that scratch where your client itches. I think I can be better at this. I think I spend too much time on subjects like, well..branding and not enough about how I gather images in the field and how I feel about my assignments. If NGOs are my clients then I need to show them I can do the work and do it very, very well. Twitter is a new tool for many of us and is starting to show up on more and more photographers blogs and websites. Why is that? It links like minds and reinforces brands. You're hanging with people that want your product. Don't just twitter about anything or with everyone. A short word about twitter: It is hard but apparently it can be very useful. To be fare, I am not sure it is me. You all know I am ADD. It is not a badge I wear with honor, but something I have to remind myself of at times. Like an alcoholic needs to be reminded they are weak and probably don't need to hang out in bars. I get distracted and may not need to hang out on Twitter. It is all I can do to stay focused. Do I really need my computer tweeting at me every five minutes? A blogger and marketing guru whom I read a lot is, Seth Godin he writes;

I don't use Twitter. It's not really me. I also don't actively use FaceBook, and I'm not adding any friends, though I still have an account for the day when I no doubt will. I also don't use Flickr or MySpace or Meebo. My reasoning is simple, and it has two parts. First, I don't want to use a tool unless I'm going to use it really well. Doing any of these things halfway is worse than not at all. People don't want a mediocre interaction.

But apparently it can be a huge help. If you are focused and want to try it out check out this LINK. Go out looking for others in your field. Find a forum with like branded folks and give solid constructive input. But, like so many others have said, don't go there thinking yourself a stallion and proving you're a jackass. The idea is to show you know your stuff and prove to the world you can be worked with. I try to vary my media exposure. I make audio and video podcasts and share my thoughts and opinions of my work. I also use different media as a platform to showcase my work. Make sure the links to all your media get to your clients and prospective clients. Also, make sure your logo or at least your name and contact information is all over these projects. Of course your business card is a touch point, so make sure it echos your branding. Do your cards say simply your name and address? Do they say what you shoot? Mine say, "Cultural and Humanitarian Photography". Remember you are working in a visual industry, be sure to put a photo on your card of some of your work. NOT your picture. I mean, not a picture of you. I am sure you are pretty or handsome, but unless you are a model that is not why they are hiring you. I get so frustrated when I see a photographer's business card with their own photograph on it. I hope it was at least a self protrait! Ok, that is enough for today. Class is dismissed. I hope this might be of some small help for you as you think through your next steps in making your name a household word.

firefoxscreensnapz001

Matt Brandon — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 06:49:32 +0000

Saturday's Freebie

Matt Brandon — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 06:58:24 +0000

I try not to blog on the weekends, but I had some downtime so here is a freebie. Following up closely with yesterdays blog on branding, I would like to point you to some really helpful critiques over at Zack Arias' blog. Zack as you might remember did that great video a few weeks back called "Transform". He has started a series of critiques of portfolios and I gotta tell you, it made me really nervous. I would be in deep kimchee if he ever did my web portfolio. So, luckily you and I can watch him rip (actually he is very kind) into other people's work and and learn from their pain. Check them out. To date there are four, all found on his blog HERE. Thanks Zack!

f/2.8, 1/200 sec, at 70mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:51:52 +0000

Spring cleaning!

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:05:48 +0000

Ok, I admit it; I am under conviction. I need to practice what I preach. I have been listening to Zack Arias critique websites, portfolios and images over the weekend and I feel I need to start being harder on myself. Zach made a really good point, a good image cannot make a bad image good. Likewise, a bad or weak image can do nothing but pull down a whole gallery. His philosophy is leave nothing but your best in your gallery and dump everything else into Flickr. So, this weekend I started the process of revamping my gallery pages. I am not done. But I have made a good start at cutting out some images that are not strong. Heck, I even tweaked my welcome page while I was at it. I completely deleted the old Malaysia gallery and renamed the Penang gallery "Malaysia" then added a few more images from outside of Penang to it. (Did that make any since?) I still have plenty of work ahead. But in branding we want to show only our best and be known for just those images, not the many mediocre images we have on our computer. Right? Have you looked over your portfolio lately? I put Zack's voice in my head and flipped through my gallery pages. Ok, so I am a bit schizophrenic, I have voices in my head (but don't all artist?). At least this voice is helping me edit my work and cleaning up my image. Join me. It is time for spring cleaning!

thaipusam

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:12:19 +0000

95891a642305b27d15235ad6e448b7e2

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:12:34 +0000

picture-1

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:12:49 +0000

Silence may be golden, but still uncommunicative.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:03:18 +0000

OK - I know I have been silent. But for good reason, I have been working my butt off on several projects. Life is full of things to do, many of which many are good, others just take your eyes off of what is important. For that reason, things will be rather sporadic around here over the next few months. But stay will me and keep checking back. So here is a whole host of news that has been piling up whilst I was away.

First, and one of the most important thing event happening out side of Lumen Dei in September is my good friend Gavin Gough is leading a workshop to Bhutan. This is a magical place full of wonderful colors and culture. Gavin is one of the most talented photographers I know and is a blast to shoot with. So if you got the time and the danero, do this workshop. You can find all the details HERE and Gavins work and blog HERE.

The Fuji Super 6 gallery is touring India. You can find more info on it HERE. Part of what I have been doing this week is working at cleaning up my gallery and tightening the selections a bit more. But I have to confess, I just can't bring myself to keep it to under 15 images. I am having a hard time just getting each gallery down to 20. I have enlisted the help of two of the best out there and they are telling me like it is. Gavin and David have been kind but ruthless, hmm... can you be both of these at the same time? Anyway, they are helping me edit my selections down. Again, as I stated on Monday, if you haven't done this, it is a good idea and now is a great time. In fact, I might be willing to be persuaded to help as David and Gavin have done for me, if you are interested. Call it a kind gesture or sadism, not sure which. But the offer is out but limited.

By the way, my galleries are a work in progress, only the first four are done. I actually deleted whole galleries and am combining others. So keep checking back. Have a great wekend.

Photoflex

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:10:05 +0000

Photoflex and I

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:19:01 +0000

Over the weekend the kind folks at Photoflex began a 50% off sale on their LiteDome. They loved my images of baby Anna Sophia from last December's blog and shoot, so they decided to make her into a cover girl! Go by and visit the site and the blog entry where they tell how I took the shot and tell them how much you like the images ;) By the way, as far as the LiteDome goes, it is a sweet little addition to your kit. Very easy to use and quite portable. So, now is a good time to buy one as they are on sale through through the end of the week.

f/2.8, on a iPhone

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:25:40 +0000

f/2.8, on a iPhone

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:25:49 +0000

f/2.8, on a iPhone

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:25:55 +0000

f/2.8, Bulb, at 0mm, 0 ISO, on a iPhone

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:26:25 +0000

Rat Island by iPhone

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:34:10 +0000

I have been busy working my "other life" this week. But this morning I took some time out and went to one of my favorite places, Pulau Tikus or Rat Island, it's a morning market here on the island. My wife shops while I sit and drink some local "white coffee". Today I walked around with my iPhone and snapped a few images. Nothing to add to my portfolio ;) but it was relaxing. Apparently the iPhone shoots at 2.8 fixed.

Speaking of portfolios; I haven't made a lot of progress on mine, but I have received several request to review other peoples. But, people; it has to be your portfolio not someone else's - geeze! Anyway, I will get to your work soon. Next week I will be away till the April 3rd. I am back for 4 days then off to India for a week on some business. I return on the 16th. Then I am here till the 10th of May.

f/16, 1/40 sec, at 48mm, 800 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:10:27 +0000

f/2.8, 1/50 sec, at 55mm, 2500 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:10:36 +0000

f/3.2, 1/60 sec, at 70mm, 800 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:10:40 +0000

f/3.5, 1/200 sec, at 24mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:11:33 +0000

f/3.2, 1/60 sec, at 70mm, 1000 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:12:23 +0000

Like Father - like Daughter

Matt Brandon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:19:14 +0000

As you know, I am spending time with the family this week. Maybe I will let you guess where we are. I found a great little hotel that I will try to blog about in a few days. But for now, let me tell you there are a lot of things that a child can do to make their parent proud of them. But it is always special when a child tries to emulate the parent. It is even more special when the child does a good job at it. Today I let Jessie play with my 5D MKII. Yes, I know that is a bit dangerous. But she had the strap around her neck at all time. She and another little boy that is vacationing with us went crazy with shooting picture. It was slow going with Jessie. But once she got he hang of it; WOW! There are images she shot today that I wish I had taken! Check them out. These are all hers. I did the post work on them in Lightroom as always. Be honest and tell me what you think.

apr09wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:01:42 +0000

wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:02:39 +0000

A Child's Desktop

Matt Brandon — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:48:08 +0000

I am back home after a great week with the family in Thailand. Quite relaxing. Four days in Chiang Mai and two nights in Phuket. As a result of being away, I am late posting this month's wallpaper. So here is a special treat. Since everyone fawned over Jessie's Cup picture, you can have it on your desktop this month. You know how it works. Click the image then download the linked file. Watching Jessie this week has inspired me. She is approaching photography with a spirit I have lost or at least misplaced. Photography hasn't become a "job" for me in that the joy is gone, but it has become very serious. I push myself to be better and better, and tell myself whether something is a good or bad shot before I even take it. Jessie takes a different approach; one of just plain fun and experimentation. She take the camera and shoots and shoots and shoots. True, she needs to slow down and think about composition and what it is she is doing with the camera in her hands. But then again, maybe she doesn't, maybe I need to relax and let go and shoot with more childlike abandonment? She sees something creative in a coffee cup and a wooden floor or in a lamp shade from beneath and takes it before she analyzes it. I would do a thorough once over of the shot, analyze it, then I might take it. We adults loose the "play" of life at times. Jessie is inclined to say, "Look! That looks fun." Rather than, "That wont work." She almost always sees the possibilities rather than the limitations. Maybe part of this is she doesn't know what the camera can or cannot do yet. So the possibilities are endless, at least for a while. The beginners mind asks, "I wonder if I can do this?" When do "grown ups" loose this wonderment? Is it just me? Garr Reynolds writes in his book Presentation Zen, "Making a mistake is not the same thing as being creative, but if you are not willing to make mistakes then it is impossible to be truly creative." Are we afraid to fail? Jessie isn't. I think I am. Children are taught to limit mistakes, learn from the mistakes of others. We are told, "Don't do it that way, it wont work. This way is better." There is some wisdom in that, certainly it is cost effective. But like all things, it needs to be taught in moderation. Instead of saying, "Don't do it that way," we as instructors and mentors need to say, "Ok, do it that way and then lets see the difference when you do it this way." We need to encourage mistakes and experimentation so we can compare and learn by doing. Isn't that a type of inductive learning? It used to be too expensive to fail. It just wasn't practical. We were not made out of money, the cost of film, paper, the processing charges all made experimentation very expensive. But now, with most of that minimized, the cost is measured in other ways. Maybe to reputations? What will others think? But this is where we have to risk. Reynolds goes on to say, "A failure is in the past. It is done and over. In fact, it doesn't exist. Take chances and stretch yourself." I think I need to learn from Jess and let go and have fun. Try some fun new stuff. I need to shoot something less "Brandonesque". Take some risks to my reputation. Want to join me?

img 9

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:35:12 +0000

img 1

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:43:38 +0000

img 2

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:43:55 +0000

img 3

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:44:13 +0000

img 4

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:44:42 +0000

img 5

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:44:57 +0000

img 6

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:45:21 +0000

img 7

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:45:32 +0000

img 8

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:45:43 +0000

flash-on-iphone

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:05:36 +0000

Flight Updater; a great little iPhone app for travelers.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:41:18 +0000

I am packing for a trip to India on Wednesday. I will be visiting Delhi and Kashmir. While packing I started searching for an application for my iPhone that would allow me to track my flights and my expenses. I used to use a mediocre product called Flight Executive. But it seems it is no longer available. To be honest, it is no great loss. I was very frustrated with it. For one reason, I could not even enter my flight details till something like three days before I travel. Lame. Maybe there were good reasons, as I think other applications are the same, but still - lame! So I set out searching (Note: I am suppose to be packing. Where is my medidate when I need it?!) for something to help me with tracking my fight times and departures. Then I stumbled onto Flight Updater from SiverWare. This little guy is great! Not only can you enter all your flights months in advance it make the entry easy and the information easily accessible. Flight Updater starts you off with a blank trip screen. Here you add your trip name and it becomes your file for the data for the trip. As you can see (img 1) I have two upcoming trips. Once you name the trip you are asked to add flights. Here is the fun part and the part they do so easy. Just tap on the add button at the bottom of the screen and you are taken to a screen to add the flight details. But, this is not a lot of typing, thank goodness. Just tap the airline field and you are given a list of carriers. (img 2) If yours is not there then you can add it from another list simply by tapping the Edit Favorites button. They have listed every conceivable carrier. Once you have the carrier then just key-in the flight number and make sure the date is correct. (img 3) Then Flight Updater goes on the hunt. It brings back all the data on your flight and add it to your itinerary or "Trip". If your flight has a connection, Flight Updater will even ask you to tell it which leg you are proceeding on. (img 4) Easy as that. As you enter all your data, it sorts your flights and tells you your layovers, gates, if you got meals or not, what meals, airtime, terminal and more. In fact on some flights it even links to Seat Guru and brings up a seating chart (img 5 , img 6 & img 8). I can see using this when you forget to get your seat ahead of time and you are standing at the counter wishing you had a seat chart in front of you. It has happened to me many a time. You can email your flight details and status for each leg to a family or coworker to inform them of any delays or changes. Of course it would not be worth much if it did not update your flight info every few minutes and it does. So long as the data base it uses is current you will be current. The only glitch I found in this applicaiton is a known bug that bit me on USA trip I compiled. I have a connecting flight in Tokyo and since I flying "back in time" so to speak from Malaysia to Phoenix my SFO to PHX leg falls in between my Tokyo connection. (See img 9) Odd. But Scott at Silverware tells me they are aware of it and are working on it. That reminds me, Scott got right back to me with an answer to my issue. that is always a good sign. Any complaints outside of this one bug? Only one. I wish I could email the whole trip itinerary to someone. As far as I can see it will only email flight information one flight at a time. But out side of that, it is a great little application. Easy to use and easy on the eye and all for $4.99. Next I want to look at Travel Tracker. A more complicated application that does some/many of the same things Flight Updaters does, but much more. It keeps track of your expenses during your trip and calculates all the exchange rates along the way. It also links to a very cool site called Tripit.com. More on that next week after I get back from my trip and have had a chance to put it through a workout. Screen Shots of Flight Updaters: [gallery link="file" columns="4"]

f/1.2, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 125 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:36:27 +0000

f/1.2, 1/800 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:38:04 +0000

f/1.8, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:39:11 +0000

f/2.8, 1/60 sec, at 62mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:40:04 +0000

f/8, 1/80 sec, at 70mm, 1250 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:41:05 +0000

f/1.4, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:42:12 +0000

The faces of this trip.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:11:34 +0000

Here are a few faces from this trip to India. It was great to get back up to Kashmir, and Delhi is always fun. It is hard to take a bad images in India. David DuChemin and I call it low hanging fruit. [gallery link="file"] I will be back home on Thursday.

f/1.2, 1/2000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:28:43 +0000

f/1.2, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 160 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:29:03 +0000

f/1.4, 1/1600 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:29:18 +0000

f/1.4, 1/125 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:29:56 +0000

f/4, 1/25 sec, at 24mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:30:21 +0000

f/1.8, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 125 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:30:38 +0000

f/1.4, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:33:01 +0000

f/1.8, 1/200 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:33:32 +0000

More India...

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:35:47 +0000

Much more my traditional stuff. But hey, it is me after all. click on the thumb to view larger.[gallery link="file" columns="4"] ..

Sample Chapters

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:36:01 +0000

Asia Geographic

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:16:37 +0000

Sample Within the Frame - You'll love it.

Matt Brandon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:27:41 +0000

This will be old news for many of you, but I just returned home and have only now been able to take a breath. Those of you who are fans of David DuChemin, and I know most of my readers are, his publisher, Peachpit, has sample chapters of his book Within the Frame available to download. The accolades are just starting to come in by the big boys. People like Joe McNalley and Scott Kelby are gushing praise over Davids book.

People will be talking about this book for years to come. It’s that good! Highly recommended!” - Scott Kelby

I am one of the few folks that can say, with a big grin, I read the book months ago and it is fantastic, worth much more than the $27 USD at Amazon. This is a must read for anyone who is serious about improving their photography. Do you hear me... a MUST READ! Get it. End of story. David doesn't talk about the how to take the picture as much as the why to take the picture. He fills the pages with real life anecdotes and stories. If you enjoy his blog you will love the book. Now run over to Amazon.com and pre-order you copy today. In other news: My article in Asia Geographic Passport (April, May, June issue) came out today. The have a quarterly publication called Passport, it is Asia Geographic's travel magazine. You can buy a copy in most book shops in Asia, not sure about the US and Europe.

f/1.2, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 125 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:12:20 +0000

f/1.2, 1/125 sec, at 85mm, 1600 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:12:46 +0000

Humanizing AIDS

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:40:41 +0000

Yesterday I shot for the Malaysian AIDS Council. This is a project that six photographers are working on. At least two of whom you know, my self and Gavin Gough. Malaysian AIDS Council or MAC as it is called, is redesigning it website and will be featuring several of their clients in a multimedia show. The idea is a good one, it is to humanize them as much as possible. I learned yesterday that the larger known population of HIV cases in Malaysia are among the Malay then the Tamil and Chinese. I was touched by this ladies story. I will not give her name for her, but she was married to a man that was infected with HIV. He later died of AIDS. She remarried not knowing she was also infected. Now she and he husband who are very poor live from hand to mouth. Her carrying husband rides a bicycle around town to and collects cans and plastic bottles to sell to the recycle shop to just to eat. She used to babysit for a few extra dollars, but no longer. Now she is shunned in her community. They are left alone to suffer by themselves. If it were not for MAC and their partner organizations here in Malaysia they would be on the street or worse. MAC helps them meets their daily needs and helps to de-myth AIDS and HIV in Malaysia. I am proud to be apart of this project.

fig. 1

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:15:49 +0000

fig. 2

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:16:18 +0000

f/1.2, 1/400 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Shot (see fig. 1)

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:16:52 +0000

f/1.6, 1/320 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Shot above the subject. (See fig. 2)

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:17:34 +0000

f/1.2, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Shot above the subject. (see fig. 2)

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:18:12 +0000

fig. 2

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:21:35 +0000

Mastering the 85mm 1.2? Not quite.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:14:51 +0000

Click on any of the images to view larger.

One of my blog readers, David T, asked if I would write about how I use the 85mm 1.2. He seems to think I have "mastered it". Let me put that thought to rest right now. No way have I master the 85 1.2. This little lady is just plain tough to use. I stated before, there is no real trick. Just some things to be aware of. First, remember that between 1.8 and 1.2 your depth of field is very, very shallow. When I say shallow, I mean one eye in focus and the other eye out or worse, eye lashes in focus and the eye out. Sometimes you can get away with, one eye out and the other in (hmm, that sounded odd), but most of the time it is just distracting to view. If there is any trick to shooting at such a shallow depth of field (DOF) it is in knowing what aperture will give you what DOF and how to control it or use it. Remember, that your image plane is flat and the glass of the lens is perpendicular to it (unless you are shooting a Tilt and Shift lens) and you are focusing with a very limited DOF. So if you are shooting straight on (see fig. 1), then the subjects eyes and maybe their shoulders might be in focus. But, if you tilt the camera down and angle it, the image plane shifts. The eyes and maybe the nose will be in focus, but you pull the image plane away from the body and thus everything drops off and you get a very soft effect (see fig 2). But again, over all there really is no trick. Just a matter if remembering the closer you are to your subject the shallower your DOF will become. So if shooting at 1.2 as close as the lens will let you focus, then there is a chance only the eyelashes and the iris will be in focus. But, even at 1.2 if you back up 10 feet or so, your whole subject will be in focus and your background a soft milky bokeh.

: fig. 1 Shooting parallel to the subject.

: fig. 2 Shooting above the subject.

f/1.2, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:19:32 +0000

India - AAR

Matt Brandon — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:19:27 +0000

I think it will be a good idea if I do an After Action R eview on any travel or photo related trip. It will help you see how important and helpful an AAR can be and it might even shed a little light on some blind spots in your routine as well. So here is the first: So what did I expect to happen? I expected to arrive into Delhi and my bags meet me and then continue on to the next locations of Srinagar, Kashmir. I expected to be met by a new field director of an NGO in India. He had never been to India and asked if I would show him around North India. I wanted to use any free time I had to grab a few images along the way. What actually happened? I departed Penang on time. I made my connection in KL with no problem. I arrived into Delhi after an hour delay circling above the city due to traffic issues at the airport, only to hear my name over the load speaker. I was informed that my bag was still in KL. After restating to make sure I understood that my bag was lost, I was told I was wrong. My bag was not "lost", but simply "miss-handled." Ok, well that made it all ok. The fact was, my bag was not where it was suppose to be. By the way, everyone else waited over an hour for their bags to arrive on the baggage carousel. If they waited any longer my bag might have showed up with the rest! Malaysia Airlines (aka MAS) told me they would send my bag on by Jet Airways when it arrived the next night. When I told them I traveled to Srinagar the next morning they told me that that was not a good thing. I am sorry I had to mess up their plans with my bag. The bag arrived the next night, instead of putting it on Jet Airways the following morning to Srinagar as they said they would, they sent it by a courier service. Go figure! It took my bag four days to reach me. By the end of the four days I started to stink. What went well? Upon checking in Penang, I realized I did not have assigned seats for the flights. Standing at the counter talking with the MAS attendant I opened Travel Tracker on my iPhone. Went to my flight and then looked up my seating choices. Plus the expense tracker function of the software is a great help for keeping track of expenses incurred during the trip. I can email the client my costs with a photo of the receipt that I took with my iPhone all from the same phone. Very cool. My associate was waiting for me in arrivals as planned. The weather was amazing. Delhi has experienced the coolest (first two weeks of) April in years and Kashmir was cool and clear. Most of my gear functioned well. My plug adapters all fit the plug in India. The power was good where I was. This is often an issue in India as they practice a thing called "load shedding" where they turn off the power for hours at a time in different parts of the city to save energy. I used my new Think Tank bag the "Change Up". This works almost like, dare I say, a"Man Purse". I was able to keep many of the most frequently needed items in it and sling the whole bag over my shoulder without any issues of weight. Inside it I kept my tickets, my passport, my iPhone, earplugs and eye mask as well as a book to read. It will be traveling with me again without question. What went less well and why? Malaysia Airlines loosing my bag. Ah! Sorry, miss-handling my bags. Why? They screwed up. MAS did not give me any money with which to buy clothes. Why? They said they only give the "$60" after the trip is over. Still have not received it. MAS using a courier service instead of flying my bag up with a code share partner like Jet Airways, took an extra day. Why? I have no idea! The courier service did not want to deliver the bag to us. We had to drive out to meet them in town. At least they drove half way to meet me at a coffee shop. ;) I got lulled into thinking my bags would never get lost. I have not had a lost bag in years. With all the traveling I do, maybe I thought lost bags were a thing of the past. Well, I know better now. So, where I messed up was not traveling with an extra shirt and underwear, toothpaste, tooth brush and some deodorant in my carry on. My 5D MK II kept draining it's battery. I began to think that my 5D MK II had a battery bug. I would put two batteries in the grip and the next day they were completely drained. Normally I can get 4 to five days or longer out of two batteries. Why? I had a setting called "Auto Power Off" set to "Never". This is a new setting for the MK II. This is not the display setting, this is the whole power of the camera. So, somewhere along the line I must have messed with it and reset it to never. So watch it! What will I do different. Honestly? Not a lot I can do differently. I fly MAS because it is cheap and convenient and my client pays the tickets. My choice is to fly Star Alliance any time I have a choice. But the big thing that I will change is getting back into the habit of carrying on an extra light weight nylon shirt, some light weight underwear as well as some other essentials. So that is a quick AAR of my last trip to India. An AAR is an easy and helpful tool to run after every trip. It makes your next trip a lot easier to doing these simple steps. Give it a try and tell me how it works for you.

20090424-102754

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:54:55 +0000

Think Tank Photo's Change Up

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:55:34 +0000

think-tanks-change-up

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:10:39 +0000

chngup

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:13:29 +0000

chngup-3

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:15:26 +0000

Think Tank's Change Up: Review

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:52:14 +0000

All photos copyright Think Tank Photo. Except the one of my big belly and gear.

Ok - here is a brief look at the Think Tank Photo's Change Up as was requested. The question was asked, if it can be used as a camera bag to shoot from? Absolutely! However, that is not my primary use for it. I use it really like a utility pouch (that is a manly way of saying a purse). Meaning, I use it to carry all my necessities for the flight or the day out around town. I used it this past trip as well as on my last trip to Thailand and found it very helpful. The Change Up is a simple bumbag design, made with D rings on the bag and the hip belt. Normally I take one of the two straps that came with it and snap it to the two D rings on the main bag to make it a shoulder bag. Both in India and in Thailand I used the bag to carry my gear while shooting and found it quite a nice alternative when not carrying a large load. As I said, the bag can be used as a belt pack/bumbag or a shoulder bag. When using it as a shoulder bag you can tuck away the waist belt behind the back padding. The bag is not big, but the main compartment can hold my 70-200mm f/2.8 Lens and my 24-70 at the same time. The bag comes from Think Tank with a padded insert in the main compartment. One of the first things I did was take that out to give me more space. Then if you really want to load it to the max, you can. Just use the waist belt and add, as I did, either a modular component or one of the Skins from the Skin set. In Thailand I was flying Firefly Airlines. Firefly only flies small regional aircraft, and so space in the plane was limited. I could not bring my Airport International, so that meant putting as much gear in my Change Up as possible. I had my 70-200mm f/2.8 and my 5DM K II with the battery, but no lens attached, in the main compartment. Then I had the Skin Chimp Cage on one side with my 24-70mm f/2.8 and the skin 50 on the other side with my 85mm f/1.2. If I remember correctly, I put my 17-40 f/4 in my checked bag. I still had space in the bag to put my book (Presentation Zen) in one compartment and my iPhone, wallet, reading glasses in their hard case, lip balm and assorted pens in the other pocket. At one point I even carried a small water bottle in the side neoprene pocket. With all this gear the bag was very heavy and I had to use the waist belt to take the load off my shoulder and my back. By attaching one end of the strap to the main compartment and the other end to the waist belt; the weight was spread between my shoulder and my hips. This kept the bag from pulling down my pants and leaving me with plumbers crack. The bag is small, but can carry an amazing amount of gear. Shooting out of it is a little tricky. The bag cannot hold my 5D with any of my normal lenses and the battery grip. But, if you carry the camera on a strap and just use the bag to haul the lenses, you will find it works great. One last little trick I discovered is you can put the bag over the handle of the Airport International like you would the Urban Disguise or many other laptop bags. Just zip up all the pockets and turn the bag sideways. Then slide the handle through the slot where you store the waist belt. It fits perfectly! Like every Think Tank bag I own or have used I can recommend this bag without any reservations. Five out of five stars, ..er little trekker guys or something. Anyway it is a winner!

f/1.2, 1/5000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:26:52 +0000

f/1.2, 1/5000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:27:00 +0000

f/1.2, 1/5000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:27:10 +0000

Monday blues.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:36:02 +0000

Was having a good day till I had a run in with an un-named client. So, Monday turned into a Monday after all. Due to a horrid lack of motivation, let me point you to a couple of interesting post and websites. If you love the 85mm 1.2 and the low light capabilities of the 5D MK II, you are going to love Gavin Gough's latest post. Gavin is in Nepal right now and kicking some photographic butt. (Kind of a weird metaphor, don't you think?) Anyway, see his post HERE for some wonderful images and an interesting read on low light shooting. David has yet another cool post on Vision. And just in case you have been overly inspired, here is a little de-motivation for a chuckle. :-(

May Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:46:49 +0000

Here is May's wallpaper. Something a little different. I took this shoot while on this last trip to Kashmir. It is a raptor, a bird of prey called a Black Kite. They are all over the skies in Kashmir. I shot it with my ever-trusty 85mm 1.2. Now, I am not, as you can plainly see, a wildlife photographer. But there was something very inspirational about this image. It seemed to scream, "Put a clever inspirational quote on me!" So I have posted three versions of this shot for you to choose from. You pick the one you like and download it and enjoy it. By the way, if you can come up with a great not so motivational quote for this image, I would love to hear it.

"V" for take my picture!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:04:19 +0000

I got up this morning and walked the beach. These are all in a small fishing village on the beach of Dagupan, Philippines.

f/1.6, 1/1000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:04:25 +0000

Gumpy Old Men

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:21:59 +0000

I have been stewing on this for over a week and I just don't get why this bothers me. Rick Sammon said in a recent Kelby training video that one of his favorite photography tips is, "The camera looks both ways. So if the photographer projects a positive image or feeling to the subject he will be happier with the image he gets." For some reason this hits me the wrong way. Odd, because, I think he is right and maybe that is the issue. As much as we want to be a proverbial "fly on the wall" and just hover about, it isn't going to happen. Have you looked at your self in the mirror after you are suited up and ready to shoot? I know, I look more like a commando than a photographer. There is no way I go unnoticed anywhere.

Yet, I think the thing that bugged me is that when I read the tip my first response was, "Why would I want to take a picture of someone smiling at me?" The truth is, I do this very thing with children all the time. But, with adults I try, not always successfully, to keep it low key. I often want to shoot them without engaging then, at least at first. After I photograph them I almost always interact with them on some level. Either by showing them the images in the view screen on the back of the camera or by printing them a copy of the image on my Zink Pogo. Often when I approach a subject, I really hope I can go unnoticed. I have even tried the Jedi Mind Trick, "Ignore the camera you will!" Never works. The best you can hope for is that they think you are an idiot and just blow you off and go back to their chess game or sewing or what every they are doing. But I gotta tell you that is rare for me. 99% of the time they stop, look up at me and freeze, like "a deer in the head lights." I still think I would rather have that, than a huge posed grin or worse yet, the awful "peace sign" Asian, the obligatory two handed victory wave. Gosh I hate that thing. I have more pictures with some kid or adult sticking their fingers between my camera and their face.

With all this said, why would I want to "project a positive image or feeling" if my subject is sad or in a lousy mood? I think that was what I wanted to take a photograph of in the first place. Somehow old grumpy above would not look the same with a big grin on his face. Maybe I am wrong, nit picking or just in a lousy mood myself.

f/5.6, 1/125 sec, at 25mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL

Matt Brandon — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:28:05 +0000

Don't be an ass, get a contract.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:00:09 +0000

Over the years I have found that there are a few common mistakes that newbies and veterans alike make. The newbie often makes them out of inexperience, and the veteran sometimes out of pure motives and good will, but they are mistakes all the same. I want to share some lessons learned with you, so you can learn from my past mistakes. Most pros worth their salt work under a contract with a client. Most pros know that contracts spell out both your rights as a photographer as well as the rights of the client, protecting everyone involved. A contract clears up all the guess work and spells out the expectations put on you as the photographer and the expectations you have on the client. It spells out who owns the images once they are delivered. The old adage about assumptions and what happens when you make them is very applicable here. Don't leave yourself open to becoming that ass. This may sound like a no brainer to most of you, but when it comes to pro-bono work many photographers go into the arrangement without a contract; I urge you to treat pro-bono work in every way the same as your paying work. Call me selfish or stingy, but I don't like doing pro bono work. Lots of reasons, the main one is it takes up my time and resources and is never free from my side, only theirs (see David DuChemin's wonderful post called The Illusion of Free). But we all get asked to do it and at times it really is a good thing to do. But just because you are doing something for good will or the greater good of mankind doesn't mean you should let your guard down. I am sure we all have done it. We've shot a gig without a written contract, only a verbal agreement. You say, "But it went well." Sure, this time. But one of these days, out of the blue, the whole thing is going to go south on you. I have the scars to prove it; most NGO photographers do. Getting a formal contract on paper for pro bono work is a simple and important thing to do, but often over looked. While I am on the topic of often overlooked things, another mistake is to use only the client's model release forms. What's that you say, it is a model release. Hello!, that was for the clients best interest not yours. Get your own. Assuming your contract allows it, you may want to use those images later for your own work. So even before the shoot you have to make it clear to the client that you will not shoot the images without your contract and your model release signed. Make your expectations of how you will use the images clear and in ink. In short, even when shooting pro bono get a contract and a release to protect yourself and your images. My normal agreement has several variations and go something like this:

If the client pays me the agreed daily rate, plus expenses (travel, lodging, food etc...) they have complete rights and ownership of the images shot under the brief. Anything shot in the location not pertaining to the agreed upon brief will be mine. This is so I will have the freedom to shoot for myself while on location and not fear losing non-contracted images to the client. In this scenario, the client then controls the use of the images under the brief and I have a clear written statement that gives me limited use, e.g. self promotion.
If they do not agree to any of the above conditions, and this happens more often than not, then a new contract is negotiated at a lower daily rate and I retain more rights to the images. After this I might agree to give them unlimited use, but not exclusivity. This is dangerous, though I have done it many times. Why would it be dangerous? What if I take a picture of a pretty little girl and the client sees the value of this image and uses it everywhere. No problem, it is their right. But, then I try to submit it to my stock agency. The stock agency looks at it and loves it, but it is all over magazines with XYZ NGO in their latest ad campaign. The photo has already been branded and is of no value. It might work the other way as well. The agency uses the image and it starts to sell and be seen. Then XYZ NGO now wants to use it and it becomes a mess, as they have rights to it. So this is not always the best scenario. But if they can't pay full rates you might want to consider finding alternate arrangements to come to a win-win deal.
Always, when shooting any model, whether they are professional or just some friend you hired for the shoot, get your own signed release if you are keeping the images. It has been said before that a release is really only needed if the images will be used for commercial purposes. So technically there is no need for a release for any documentary or feature work. However, to be on the safe side it is always better to default to a signed release if there is any question. Better to have the release on file than find yourself hamstrung later. Quite frankly, most NGOs will require use of one of their own releases, as it fulfills the requirement of their legal department.

I hope this is a help and a reminder to even one of you. I am preparing for a trip to the US on Sunday. So the posts will be light this week and more than likely non-existent next week.

mailscreensnapz001

Matt Brandon — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:58:41 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:15:14 +0000

Advanced Multimedia Reporting Workshop and it's freeeee!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:17:45 +0000

I just got this email from Brian Storm. This sounds like a great opportunity. If you have any interest in multi-media reportage you should at least apply. This is being put on by one of the best at this genre and to top it off it is free. There is always a catch, right? Well, space is limited to 8 people. So hurry!

Given the tough economic climate and the critical need for multimedia training, MediaStorm will be holding a one-time, tuition-free Advanced Multimedia Reporting Workshop, in Brooklyn, NY from June 20-26, 2009. The MediaStorm Advanced Multimedia Workshops are designed for multimedia storytellers who want to get to the next level. It is not an introductory course. Students are responsible for their own travel, room and board. Reporters are expected to have a high level of competency with still photography, and be familiar with audio and video techniques. Editors are expected to be comfortable in Final Cut Pro. We only have spots for 8 participants as Multimedia Reporters, Editors or Observers so we are expecting a competitive process. Applications are due no later than Friday, May 15, 2009. Participants will be selected based on the content of their applications. To apply, fill out the application form. For more information, and to see work produced in previous workshops, see the Workshop site. If you have any questions, please email us at workshops@mediastorm.org.

A Travel Tip By Daniel Pink

Matt Brandon — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:30:02 +0000

Pink's Travel Tips -- Tip #1 from DHP on Vimeo.

In preparation for my time in the US I ran across a book called A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, by Daniel Pink. I haven't read it yet but hope to have it and another book called Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath for the flight. Both of these books have a lot to do with communicating concepts and ideas in today's world. Fascinating stuff and something that is really applicable to photographers. But I digress. While visiting Daniel Pink's website I followed a few links and found he has made a series of short video travel tip. I have only viewed a couple so far and they seem very useful. At first I thought, "What could I possible learn from this guy?" Guess what? A lot. The travel tip linked above is probably one of the most disgusting yet practical and useful tips I have run across in a long time. It involves sticking your finger up your nose...really. I am not kidding. Enjoy.

Within The Frame

Matt Brandon — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:49:29 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:49:39 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:50:52 +0000

Review: Within The Frame, David Duchemin

Matt Brandon — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:01:48 +0000

I just got my copy of David Duchemin’s, Within the Frame. I have had the privilege to be involved with this project on the sidelines over the last year or so. David sent Gavin, me and a few others the draft chapters as he wrote them to give him feedback, thoughts and our opinions on some of the images selected for the book. So I was very excited to hear it finally was released. Of course, my copy arrived at my house the day after I left for Phoenix. So, David sent another copy to me in Phoenix but I only received that one the night before I left to return to Malaysia. As a result, much of the trip back to Penang was spent reading this wonderful book again.

When I finally got my copy and I opened it, I was shocked. I had already read most of the text before, but to see the text illustrated with some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen, was too much for me. For some strange reason I became emotional, to the point that my eyes actually teared up. This is the book I have been waiting for since before I ever met David. I have been looking for a book that addressed, not just how to shoot the image, buy why do I shoot it a certain way. The how was a question I had for years, but it was always in context of larger questions. “How do I make my viewer feel the vastness or the intimacy of a scene?” “How do I convey the vulnerability of a child?” The how needed to be more than, “How do I get the shallow Depth of field?” The question I was looking for was, “How do I get it and why do I need it?” The how for me has always been embedded into the why. This is the book, had it been written many years back, could have made life as a photographer a lot easier. Hear me when I say; this is the most helpful book for the traveling photographer to date. Bar none!

David speaks my language. Maybe that was what brought us together a few years back. This is the same language that most of you speak as well. He talks about infusing your photography with emotion, releasing your passion and finding your vision. When you read this book you get the sense that he cares not just about the subject he is shooting, if you have ever spent anytime on his blog you will know this is true, but about you as a photographer. His words are not hollow and canned, they are honest and full of integrity. I was with him when he took a big hunk of the images in this book and I co-lead Lumen Dei with this guy, and I can tell you, the words between the covers of this book are from his heart and he lives them and he wants you to know and understand what it takes to get the kind of images on these pages. This book is a rare glimpse at the heart, vision and yes, technique of one of the best.

While in Phoenix, I was able to visit with a friend that I had not seen in a few years. He told me he had been taking a beginning photography course this past year. We started talking about what he was learning on his photographic journey. He asked me about depth of field and how to control it and other things. Then he asked a question on the “circle of confusion” and it was at that point that I knew this young man needed this book. He had more "how to" than he could possibly ever use. What he really needed now was a healthy dose of the “why?”.

Much of what David writes about in this book is the “why” to take the picture. But it is more than that. That is too simple just to say it is about the why. Within The Frame brings the how and the why together. David does a masterful job of explaining why one lens will give you a certain feeling or emotion or why composition is important in telling the story. Who the heck cares that your eye is drawn to a light space in an image over a dark space unless it is anchored in how it effects the story you are telling? Don’t misunderstand, there are plenty of “how to” in this book, but all within the context of why it helps you achieve your vision and that is what make this book different.

The book is gorgeous and is worth the cost just for the images alone. But the text makes the images that much more special. By the way, every image in the book has the EXIF data under it. This is a wonderful tool to help you see what it took technically to shoot each image. One of my favorite parts of the book is the side bar called “Without the Frame” where David goes into the story behind an image. If you are a reader of his blog you will recognize this from there as well.

I am not being too hyperbolic when I say every photographer that has ever struggled in finding his vision and how to accomplish that vision needs to read this book. Quite frankly I never met a photographer that didn’t struggle with this. I am not going to lie, this book is not a magic pill and once you read it you will never struggle with this issue again. You will. But I promise you this, if you read this book and put it into practice you will struggle a whole lot less and when you do struggle you will know the steps you need to help you resolve that conflict.

This book would be a perfect textbook for any photo class, high school, university or private course. It is the perfect remedy to the hours of discussion of f-stops, Megapixels, Hyperfocal Distance and of course the ever popular circle of confusion. Within The Frame makes it all real and practical. In fact, I will let you in on a little secret, I have been using it as my core curriculum in my mentoring ever since I first got the drafts. :-)

Ok, I guess I have gone on about this book long enough, now do your self a favor and go out and buy it. Here is a way to get it freeeee! Our friends at Think Tank Photo are giving away 10 copies of Within The Frame. So to this LINK and enter. You have till June 1st to enter.

photowalk09

Matt Brandon — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:30:25 +0000

2nd Annual World Wide Photowalk - Georgetown.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:34:38 +0000

Well it is that time of the year again. Time to gather together and go for a walk. The 2nd annual Scott Kelby World Wide Photowalk will be on July 18th. I will be leading it yet again here in Georgetown, Malaysia. I think it will fill up quick, like it did last year. We only have 50 spaces so don't wait. Follow the link HERE to sign up. I haven't picked a location yet. I am thinking about a large morning market that is held downtown on Saturdays. So a morning shoot. I am open for any ideas or suggestions. All I know now is it is going to be fun and there is so much to shoot in Georgetown that we can't go wrong where ever we go. Hope to see you there!

Bob Krist interview Part 1

Matt Brandon — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:59:25 +0000

Bob Krist interview part 2

Matt Brandon — Thu, 21 May 2009 03:42:21 +0000

Bob Krist

Matt Brandon — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:24:14 +0000

Depth of Field: Bob Krist

Matt Brandon — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:00:36 +0000

Yesterday I had the privileged to do a phone interview with Bob Krist. You know Bob from his work with National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler. It was a very casual interview, more like a conversation with an old friend. The interview went rather long. I could have edited it down, but I thought you might enjoy the whole thing. So here it is in two installments. I hope you enjoy it.

Part 1

Part 2

Bruce Perry

Matt Brandon — Sat, 23 May 2009 05:36:11 +0000

Till Next Week...

Matt Brandon — Sat, 23 May 2009 05:39:28 +0000

I am really please so many of you found the audio style interview an entertaining and informative format for the Depth of Field series. I promise to do more of them. I early leave Sunday for the Philippines and will not have Internet. I might be able to tweet over the phone, not sure yet. I return on Friday (my birthday ;). Until then let me leave you with an amazing video cast of the Bolivian Altiplano by Bruce Percy. His images are amazing and his Scottish brogue makes easy listening. Enjoy and well meet up again in a week after next.

june_09wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:29:25 +0000

Philippines and Back + June's Wallpaper.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:26:13 +0000

Here is June's Wallpaper. It is the sky over the Philippines this week. I did virtually no photography, but did snap this just for the wallpaper. Just click on it, go to the image and download it. Enjoy. What a week; I have bites on my bites. In fact, it looks more like I have the measles than bug bite. I spent this past week just outside of Manila working with a faith based Filipino NGO. It was a great time. Made a whole host of new friends and was able to help them in many areas from how to create better presentations to learning how to do reflective practice. I even got to teach them a little photography. That was an unexpected pleasure. I was reminded how fun loving and caring Filipinos can be. I have always enjoyed my visits to the Philippines and this was no different. I will say this visit stretched my endurance. The campus was a boot camp type environment. Limited in amenities, like air conditioning and hot water. The idea is to give the new staff a feel for the field and the hardships they might be facing in the future. Because I have a bad back, they put me on the floor with a mosquito net draped over me. I awoke after the first night to a few bites on my arms and a very stiff back. By Wednesday I was covered in bites. On Thursday I got sick and even had a fever. All this in the Manila heat with no air conditioning. So this was just what the new staff needed to get a real taste of field work. I can't tell you much fun I had with the staff and workers. I hope they invite me back next year. These folks even threw a birthday party for me last night. (Today is my birthday.) Spending my birthday in the Philippines in a hot buggy jungle was great. Not because of the bugs, nor the heat, but because of the wonderfully kind and thoughtful people. They drove at least an hour or more into town to get me a birthday cake. They even had special live music for me. I was really moved. Thank you all. A couple of quick news items. David DuChemin has a new podcast you should check out. I am sure it is great, though I have not had the internet till now to check it out. (BTW I am at the KL International airport.) You can find it HERE. The legendary Nat. Geo. photographer Steve McCurry has now joined the blogosphere. Check out his blog HERE. I look forward to getting back to the blog this week. Let's keep in touch.

My Crazy Weekend

Matt Brandon — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:44:28 +0000

Fisherman

Matt Brandon — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:20:25 +0000

Carry-on restrictions show up in Asia

Matt Brandon — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:36:16 +0000

This past week I was caught off guard a bit. Never has an Asian airline once weighed my carry-on. You know as well as I do that traveling photographers carry loads of gear in their carry-on. But this trip, as I entered the boarding area the fine folks at Malaysia Airlines asked me to put my Think Tank International roller bag and my Urban Disguise both on a small scale. Of course I was over, by 15 kg. So they graciously told me they would not charge me, this time. They told me to rearrange my bags and I could check the roller bag. I did. I put my 5D body, 85 1.2 and my 24-70 2.8 in my Urban Disguise and continued on to the plane. But once I got to the door of the plane there was no one to take the roller bag and I walked in and took a seat with both bags. Upon returning I knew what to expect. So I packed everything in my Urban Disguise. Sure enough, this time at check-in they weighed my roller bag. So I simply checked it there. What does this mean? It means, Asia is also feeling some sort of pinch financially. Money has to be the motivation. Will other airlines in Asia follow suit? My guess is, yes. This puts us Asia travelers in a slight bind. Here are a couple of ideas that might help. If you have some better ones share it with the rest of us. Prioritize your gear load. Pack the most costly or most important gear in your carry-on and check the rest. Remember, it was only two trips back that my luggage got lost for days (On Malaysia Airlines). So put your body or bodies, and the most costly lenses in your carry-on. There is a slight problem with this plan, the more expensive lenses are also inherently the heavier lenses. So you might be able to get away with a minimum amount of gear in a carry-on if you reduce the load. But lets face it if you are serious about your shooting then you have a lot of gear and it is costly, heavy and with you, otherwise, why did you buy it? So... Enter the photo/travel vest. This is the age old idea that seems to work. It is uncomfortable and hot. But deal with it! It just might get your gear on the plane with you. I am not advocating wearing a vest to shoot, just to travel in. But photo vest are ugly and lets face it, we all want to look good, otherwise we all would be wearing velcro sneakers from Wal-Mart. What are the options? Well sad to say the vast majority of photo vest are the same; multiple pockets on the outside and the inside all zippered to the max. I swear they all used the same pattern. Even renown companies like Tilly and Domke look alike. The Bellingham vest is getting closer, but still, it looks like your are a cross between a special forces commando and a fly fisherman and it sets you back 300 bucks! Then there is David DuChemin's favorite vest the Gitzo Fleece. I am not as keen on this as he is, mainly because it is a working vest and it is fleece. I don't really need a working vest and certainly am not looking for a fleece one. All I want is a simple vest to smuggle illicit gear on board a flight and sidestep the weight restrictions. So where does that leave us? Just about nowhere. Until today on David's blog (this is a long way to go about promoting his blog entry) where he linked to this thing of beauty. It's Scott Jordan's, Scottevest Travel Vest. This looks like a real winner. It has pockets galore and still is stylish. The one downside of this is it looks a bit warm for Asia. So, enter Scottevest SeV Tropical Jacket/Vest. Pretty much the same jacket just a lot lighter weight and even packable. Ya' gotta love that! Here is the deal sealer, the thing is only $120. True, you can get other vest cheaper (not the ones listed above), but I think I would pay a little more for the looks and the functionality of this vest jacket combination. Now I can't be too enthusiastic over this vest yet, as I have never actually see it in person...so to speak. So if you have a better vest or a better idea how to get your gear safely to the shoot let me know.

Jessie Stock

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:25:52 +0000

Jessie as an Elven Prencess.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:31:51 +0000

Grab Bag Friday: Twitter Links

Matt Brandon — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:40:42 +0000

From our stock shoot today, Elfin Princess Jessie.

Today is basically a grab bag of great links I have found over Twitter. Remember, if you are not following me on Twitter, please do. I do very little on Facebook these days. Twitter seems to be the answer for networking and keeping current on news in your field.

I am having fun with my wife shooting some stock. No, not for me, but for her. I told her about an email I got from a new Twitter friend, Christine Glade, @Cglade and how she broke into stock and made a few bucks. My wife said in passing, "Ok, I want to do that." So here we are shooting stock images in my dining room/studio. I either need to get a studio or a bigger dining room!

So here are a few sites you might find interesting:

One of my newest friends over Twitter is @Photojack or Jack Hollingsworth. Jack is a world, travel, lifestyle and stock photographer, and very good at it. One of the things I have come to like about Jack in this short time is he gives back to the community. What is it with so many people/photographers that makes them fear giving out "secrets". Jack does a great job of posting these secrets and opportunities on his twitter post and his blog.

Related to Jack, he has these little audio "toginars" he puts together for the public. A toginar is Twitter speak for a Photography Seminar over the net. He has gathered a fine cast of photographers that tell their secrets. Now this one is not free. But still check it out. In fact you can listen to a sample of a toginar with Rick Sammons here. Look for it in the right sidebar.

Here is a website that was brought to my attention over twitter. Design4Kids is very cool. It is an opportunity for creative professionals to experience international travel and make a real difference in the fight to end the cycle of poverty. Their workshops help talented teens develop the technical and business skills the need to establish and operated successful design studios within their own communities:
Design4Kids is:

Voluntoursim for creative professionals.
Pre-professional training for talented youth in developing countries.
An opportunity to bridge cultural and generational gaps while learning from each other in a creatively stimulating environment.

You have to check them out.

There there was this fun link to some great examples of light writing. Some people have too much time on thier hands. ;)

The lastly Over twitter I stumbled upon a neat lady named Esther Havens, @EstherHavens. Do your self a favor and checkout her images and blog HERE.

That's it for now. Hope you have a great weekend. See you on twitter.

applelogo

Matt Brandon — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:32:51 +0000

Apple's new releases make photographers smile.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:37:02 +0000

A lot chatter is happening on Twitter today about the new iPhone 3Gs that was announced. Chase Jarvis calls it the Photographers phone. So what is so special about it? Well, the thing that stands out to me is the selective focus on its camera. You simply touch on a part of the screen you want in focus and the iPhone focuses on that part. Very cool, if it works like it is promoted to work. Other things are, it now has 3 mega pixels, seems like they could have bumped that up a little more. It also now has video capabilities. In fact you can even edit your videos on the phone rather than on your home computer. On a lighter note. Below is a fun, if somewhat shocking, video made by Chase promoting his next talk. It made me jumped in my chair, so be ready. But in other equally exciting news today by Apple and one to make traveling photographers smile is the new MacBook Pro release. Finally Apple hit the mark with this one and didn't take away the very things photographers need, like speedy processors and high speed ports. The 13in MacBook now has a firewire 800 port and the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor. For some odd reason Apple had been taking away the FW 800 ports of all their laptops except the 17in model. Crazy, as it is very difficult to travel with a 17in monster, I know, I do it often. So with the release of the new 13in model you have some smiling photographers ourt there now. As with most of the MacBook Pros, you can customize your computer and add all kinds of goodies. But how about a whopping 8 gb of RAM and even a 250 gb solid state drive? Sweet! Now if only my 17in MacBook Pro would hurry up and die I might be able to justify one of these works of art. Until then, it is business as usual.

Click me to view larger.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:30 +0000

Click me to view larger.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:49 +0000

click me to visit amazon.com

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:47:48 +0000

click me to visit amazon.com

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:48:33 +0000

click me to visit amazon.com

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:48:55 +0000

f/4, 1/40 sec, at 17mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:11:10 +0000

Friday's Grab Bag

Matt Brandon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:13:27 +0000

It's been a light week for blogging. I have been doing the collegiate "cram" as I try to get a ton of work done before my trip to India. We leave on Sunday for work and a bit of pleasure to Srinagar, Kashmir for two weeks. Be back at the end of June.

I have been working on a video for an NGO using some images I shot over the past year few years. They don't have a budget (hmm, that sounds familiar), so I was working in the new iMovie 09. I had about 5 hours of work done when it crashed, actually my beloved 17in MacBook Pro crashed. When I went to open the application the work was gone. It has auto save, but the file must have gotten corrupted. iMovie 09 has some great features for a no budget production, but not if it is going to cost me 5 hours of production time. My mac has been crashing 3 or 4 times a day. I tried resetting my pram on my computer. PRAM in stands for Parameter random access memory (RAM). PRAM contains a host of very important information, including settings for a computer's startup disk and startup volume, time zone, and more. So to clean it out on a MAC you hold down Command + Option + P + R + AYER. Ok - I added the AYER thing. But you can never have too much prayer when it comes to glitchy computers. Anyway, for now it seems to be working...for now.

If you have not been following the photography community on Twitter you have been missing some important links and useful information. Here is a quick run down.

@sabrinahenry posted a very sweet blog about Gavin, David and myself. It made me blush. Check it out HERE.

@stevenbush sent me to a wonderful pipe brotherhood (pints included) HERE. If you are a one who partakes of the tobacco in a bowl you might, no you will enjoy this link HERE. It is a very well crafted poem. Reminds me a little of the poet Robert Service.

@lightroomblog put me onto a cool Lightroom plugin that allows you to tweet photos directly from Lightroom. I do most of my Tweeting from my iPhone but there are times I Tweet from my Mac and this might be handy. We'll see.

Be sure and check out this blog entry by our good friend Mitchell Kanashkevich (Why do the really good guys have hard names to pronounce? Sheeze!) Mitchell wrote an ebook tutorial on his Lightroom processing. Let me tell you this is one of those rare, "here is my secrets" books. You will seem him take a, "I could have taken that" kind of photograph and change it to a, "Man, I never could have taken that photo!" image right before your eyes. It is a must read. Now it is not free but forth the $12 US.

And finally, my friend over at TheTravelPhotographer.net, Tewfic El-Sawy has posted his 2010 workshop schedule. He goes to some great locations. Gavin Gough went on one of these workshops and thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Next week might be even more quite whilst I am away,but keep checking back in. I will post when I get a chance. TTFN

Follow Me

Matt Brandon — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:02:53 +0000

Peanuts

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:57:05 +0000

picture-3

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:07:09 +0000

f/5, 1/500 sec, at 210mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:10:32 +0000

picture-4

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:18:55 +0000

picture-41

Matt Brandon — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:20:00 +0000

Are you running a schema on me?

Matt Brandon — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:42:52 +0000

My work with NGOs in a creative role is increasing, daily. Photography is taking a back seat to helping these NGOs with creative ideas and management of those ideas, aka marketing. Several of the NGOs I work with have found in their research that the cultures they are working with are oral based. In fact research shows that most of the cultures on this blue ball are oral based. So I started thinking, always a dangerous thing to do, what does this mean to a photographer like me. Photography is often described in literary terms. Maybe because the very word Photography means; writing with light. So often when photographers want to describe what they do they make analogies to the written story, or the poem. All fare and very accurate. Now, it comes as no surprise to my readers that I find it very difficult to write. This might explain my infrequent blog post. It is just hard work to write even a few lines of type. My spelling is practically non-existent and my typing is well, lets just say its slow. But I love to listen and tell stories. I also am oral. My mother would agree to that statement. As a child, everything went into my mouth. I once fell down the stairs in my house with a crevice attachment to the vacuum cleaner in my mouth. Took a huge chunk out of the back of my throat, bled for hours. Had to be hung upside down to keep from drowning in my own blood...whoa...TMI! Maybe that is why I relate so well to many of the cultures I photograph? Not the vacuum part, the oral part. Most of those cultures are oral based. They pass down traditions and truths orally. Lately I have been helping my clients to look at how they communicate their truths. Help them find their voice. Help them tell their story. It is helpful to ask, “What makes up a good story?” First you need to understand what is the purpose of the story. It almost always has a message, maybe a moral of some kind. Maybe it is to communicate truth, injustice, struggles or some value. In a photograph this might be the concept of the image. A shot of trash in front of the Taj shows how pollution is ruining the beauty of the tomb. My shot a few weeks back that showed the lady with her hands over her face was a way to communicate the shame she felt from HIV. To use David DuChemin’s favorite phrase, what is your over arching vision here? Where are you going to take the viewer? A good story often starts with a hook. “I was trekking the forgotten trails of the Himalaya when I came face to face with death.” Even that famous cartoon dog Snoopy knew how to start a tale, “It was a dark and stormy night”. Once you have them, then it is time to slowly unveil the plot. But how do you keep their interest? A good story teller often uses the unexpected or surprise. We need to brake the readers schema. Our schemas help us to predict and to see what is coming next. When the schema is broken this creates interest and keeps the listener's attention. Plot twists like in stories by M. Night Shyamalan are great for this. He is a master of breaking our schema. But they can’t be cheap or unrewarding. There has to be a pay off. Everyone hates the movie that uses the old, “It was all a dream”, and no one really died. Cheap. The pay off needs to have been worth the suspense.

OK so how do we translate this into a photograph? The unexpected can be obvious as in these two images. Here we have the unexpected. The Thai man with the hat doesn’t fit into his world. His clothes are out of place with others in Thailand. The pocket full of pens and the objects hanging from his shirt all serve to break what we expect. The group of praying Muslim men looks normal and as we expected, at least at first. At second glance we see the Nike “swoosh” and a faint “Just Do It” on the back of a coat. Very unexpected and a break in our schema.

This break can be much more subtle, almost subliminal. In the image of the Muslim man above we are not used to seeing a Muslim man with a fleece coat and beautiful eyes with eye liner on them. This is unexpected, though that might not be the thing that is obvious when you view this image. But it grabs your attention. Most every good image we shoot will have some aspect of this in it. At some other time I will go into more depth on this. But right now I am going to break your schema and stop here to leave you wanting more.

f/8, 1/100 sec, at 70mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:24:08 +0000

f/7.1, 1/50 sec, at 34mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:24:13 +0000

f/1.2, 1/320 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:24:17 +0000

f/1.2, 1/250 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:24:21 +0000

f/1.8, 1/1600 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:24:25 +0000

Kashmir through my eyes

Matt Brandon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:07:52 +0000

Greeting from Srinagar, Kashmir (India). I have been having a great reunion with friends here in the Valley of Kashmir. It has been fun to watch my daughter reconnect with her long time buddies here. I have also had some time to shoot an image or two. In fact I have been able to do a few photo essays that I hope to publish here sometime in the next few weeks. The Internet here is hot and miss and I am staying in a home with no connection. So as a result I am keeping this post short and sweet. I thought I would just post a hand full of some images here and let you see what I have been seeing. I hope you enjoy.

July_09.wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:52:57 +0000

I Heart Kashmir

Matt Brandon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:11:00 +0000

Back to Delhi.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:22:08 +0000

A Shikara paddle in the grass. Dal Lake, Srinagar Kashmir.

I leave tomorrow for Delhi after two wonderful weeks in Kashmir. It has been a fun time of visiting friends and shooting some new images. I spend a lot of my time working with my old company Frontier Treks & Tours. We are looking at some major changes and some new treks and tours. Exciting stuff. I'll keep you post when things are closer to being unveiled. Have a great weekend. Now don't bother me...I need some private time. Tomorrow I celebrate 17 years of marriage to my lovely wife tomorrow. ;-)

iPhone

Matt Brandon — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:33:55 +0000

A Creative Call

Matt Brandon — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:54:41 +0000

Khan Market, New Delhi. iPhone, processed in Camerabag.

Chase Jarvis just gave away his old iPhone 3G. He bought a new 3Gs and ran a give away for his old phone over his blog. Over 3,500 submitted images in only a couple of days! The resulting images are amazing. Topnotch photos that compete in any market and with any kind of camera. If you read this blog you probably are not are one of those people who inform me after viewing my images, "You must have a really nice camera!" If you are one of those, or know one of those people, direct them HERE. All these images were shot with a mobile device, and a Canon 5D, is though mobile, is not what I mean. I mean, mobile as in phone or PDA, as in iPhone, Nokia, Motorola etc... This just goes further to prove the fact that a DSLR can help and maybe even push your creativity further. But, a fancy schmancy camera is only as good as the eye that is behind it. Most, if not all the images in this gallery have no selective focus, no selective shutter speed and no selective aperture just raw point and shoot. Now, it is true, many are processed out the wazoo, but still, they stand on their own. Enjoy and be inspired.

July's Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:11 +0000

I was walking in the mountains while in Kashmir and was delighted to see the wild flowers everywhere. Even though I am not a flower photographer I could not resist shooting these wild daisies. They make a nice soft desktop image for July. Simply click the image above and view it larger. For Windows user you can right click the large image and set as a desktop image. For Mac users, just drag the large image to the desktop then open your Desktop and Screen Saver tool and drag it into it.

M&M Photo Tours

Matt Brandon — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:02:57 +0000

photowalk

Matt Brandon — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:04:02 +0000

Digging Out

Matt Brandon — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:15:37 +0000

I have been buried in emails and work since I returned to Malaysia from India. I am not complaining. It is just the life I lead and the facts there of. So here is a few small items of business: First off is the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk scheduled for July 18th. I have finally (please forgive me fellow walkers for the delay) found what I think will be a good walk site. I am calling it "The Clan Walk". Many of you know that Penang has a majority Chinese population, unlike other parts of Malaysia. The Clans that make up the population of Chinese here are mostly Hokkien, and their "Clan Houses" can all be found in our walk route. Plus there are what is known as Clan Jetties. Jetties that have houses built on them. Each jetty represents a clan. So it should prove to be interesting. We will meet at The Kapitan Keling Mosque just like last year, at 3:00pm and walk for 3 hours. You can see the area marked off HERE. At 6:00pm we will meet back at Kasim Mustafa on Chulia St. I chose Kasim Mustafa in deference to any of our Muslim friends who will be joining us, as it is halal. After we chat and chimp, for those that would like to, come and join me for another adventure. I am going over to the Esplanade for the Japanese Bon-Odori Festival from 6pm till 10pm. There will be all kinds of Japanese dances and costumes. I think it will be fun and visually exciting. Secondly, I have been working hard on two photo essays to share with you in the weeks to come. I have the images all done but I am still working on the audio. So it will take some more time. So, be watching out for that. The the last order of business is M&M Photo Tours a rather large group out of the USA emailed me a few weeks back asking if I would like to lead a tour for them. After a few emails, I am excited to inform that I will be hosting not one but two photo tours to India in 2010. The first will be to South India in February. We will be touring and shooting all throughout many exciting places. We will visit places like, Mamallapuram, Kumbakonam, Pondicherry. Having a guided Jungle walk at the Periyar tiger reserve/national park. We will check-in to a private House Boat which will be waiting to take us on a tour through the backwaters of Alleppey, a splendid area full of canals, lakes and coves. You can sunbathe on the deck or observe the landscape from the protection of the cabin, and so much more. Then the second tour will be in November and we will tour Northern India and 3 days in Nepal! We will arrive into Delhi and I will get to show you all the fun places around Old and New Delhi like the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, the old Delhi Spice Market and more. We will then fly to Varanasi, the heart of Hindu India. There you will have an early morning boat ride on the river Ganges. We will visit by boat the Bathing Ghats, Observatory, Nepalese Temple (Temple of Love), Cremation Ghats and Aurangzeb’s Mosque. Then we fly to Agra and see the Taj Mahal. What can I say, except the Taj is a must see for any visit to North India. Then we move on to Jaipur – Jodhpur the blue city and the desert of Rajasthan. After India we fly to Kathmandu, Nepal. In Kathmandu we will visit the Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest in the world. This stupa has the all seeing eyes of the Buddha that you see in so many photos of Nepal. We will also be visiting Swayambhunath and Kathmandu's Durbar Square. Whew! I am out of breath just writing these few highlights. I guess you can see these are not anything like a Lumen Dei workshop. These are Photo Tour with some personal instruction all along the way. They are meant to be fun and informative. We won't be getting real dirty like we might on a Lumen Dei workshop. We will be in nice hotels and eat well. I will be there to look over your shoulder and make sure you get that photo you want. Come join us! Space is limited, so if you are interested in going to India with me and seeing all this and letting me help you with your photography then sign up now! Contact M&M Photo Tours for information at info@mmphototours.com or call them at 801-652-9316

f/2.8, 1/400 sec, at 130mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:53:53 +0000

Fighting the Dragon

Matt Brandon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:08:08 +0000

There is a force that waylays us at times. It stalls us. That is putting it mildly, it is out to get us, to eat our souls. It is a force that every creative person knows but most of us never knew it's name. We just know it is there, like some dark specter looking over our shoulders waiting for us to commit to a creative challenge or venture. Up till now, I never knew its name. But today its has a name. It name is Resistance. Sounds odd and innocuous for something so hideous. It's Steven Pressfield's name. He named it in his book "the War of Art." I always thought it was several demons; procrastination, self doubt, the Tyranny of the Urgent and more. But Pressfield makes it clear, the enemy is Resistance for it is many. I see it like a dragon that I must slay. I have been fighting it this past few month. You know it. You have seen it's shadow over me. It's breath has hung on me heavy like a chain on my neck. A drug that dulls my creative senses. The dragon whispered in my ear, your are too busy to write. You have no time to shoot. What do you have to offer anyway. You the reader, you knew, you saw it's shadow and you called out to me. Yet I was dulled by the dragons breath, a stupor of sorts. It was not depression, not this time. True, I have been tiered, but tiered because I have been busy with good and righteous things. Things that count. Even things that have an eternal value. But the creative side of me has been slowly wilting. Slowly fading away. I need it to live as much as I need breath. Things that are of value are of paramount, but if I wither and dry up like a leaf at the end of autumn then what good are those valuable things? I see it now. Pressfield helped me see the dragon. He named it. Anything that has a name, is less scary, less powerful. Because it is identifiable, it can no longer hide. I don't know yet how to kill it. But I know I can strike back and I will. This is just a start. A breath. Just to write these few lines has been a victory over the beast. His face today is guilt over all the work I need to do. I don't get paid to write a blog. But it waters my soul. It is fresh air and I breathe again. It is a short breath but it is sweet. Have you seen your dragon? I know his name. His name is Resistance.

relax

Matt Brandon — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:23:52 +0000

f/2.8, 1/400 sec, at 70mm, 125 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:31:21 +0000

Friday's Grab Bag

Matt Brandon — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:30:15 +0000

Wednesday's Dragon metaphor for resistance seem to hit a nerve. I am glad it did. I know that many of us find all kinds of reasons not to fulfill our dreams or pursue our creative sides. I have gotten further into Pressfield's book, the War of Art and I can honestly say it is good. But, please do not confuse me saying this is a "good and helpful book" with complete endorsement. He is coming at life from a humanistic stance that I just don't buy into. But, with his philosophical agenda aside and taking a strong grip on the values you hold dear, this book can really give you a wake up call on those things that are keeping you from fulfilling your vision. Get it and read it. But know where he is coming from. I press on. Tomorrow is the Scott Kelby Photo Walk. If you are joining us, please meet up at the Kapitan Kling Mosque at 3:00pm. Then join some of us for the Japanese Bon-Odori Festival from 6pm till 10pm at the Esplanade. There has been some heated discussions over at PixelatedImage Blog. Seems David hit a nerve about full sensor cameras like the 5DMKll vs the cropped sensors like the 400D. Check it out his post Sens(or) And Sensibility and weigh-in if you dare! Speaking of David DuChemin and I was, he released the info on his new book this week. VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography will be released late this year. You can pre-order your copy at Amazon.com. I am looking at a draft of this book and trust me, this is another winner. You will want this in your library. Especially if you have any thought or dreams of going pro. One thing about living abroad is that for many it is a trancient life. Those of us that are the expatriate community come and go from our host culture like a spring breeze. This weekend a very good friend and his family will be returning back to the US. Another casualty of the economy. His company needs him home. Bruce Watson has been a great source of encouragement, and inspiration. I hope that I have helped him even a little with his vision and passion in his family video production. I know I cost him a lot when I introduced him to the 5DMKll, but he will not regret it. Thanks Bruce and family for your love and never ending hospitality. Be good and let's tweet! I beat the dragon back on another level (note: I didn't kill it, just made it step back) this week. I started work on a long awaited photo essay I shot in India last month. However, I am frustrated with Soundslides Plus. I like the results, just not the journey. On a more lighthearted note. Please be careful where you tweet or text. ;)

TRAVIS, N.Y. (WABC) — A teenager is recovering after falling several feet into an open manhole. She was texting and walking when it happened. “I fell in a hole,” Alexa Longueira said. The Travis resident laughs about it now, but when the accident happened, it was a shock. She was walking along Victory Boulevard about to read a text message on her girlfriend’s cell phone when the sidewalk was suddenly gone. “Like, there was no warning about a big, open hole,” she said. It was a big, open manhole. Alexa tumbled six feet underground and landed in four inches of raw sewage. “A manhole. My kid falls down a manhole,” Kim Longueira, said. In a word, Alexa’s mother says it was horrible. “She was smelly,” she said. Alexa also had cuts across her arms and down her back. They know it could have been worse if the sewer had been full or if Alexa had hit her head. Workers on the scene told kim they had left the manhole unattended in order to get cones to mark it off. “DEP is conducting a full investigation of what happened during a manhole incident on Victory Blvd. where workers were flushing a high-pressure sewer on Wednesday evening. We regret that this happened and wish the young woman a speedy recovery,” said DEP spokesperson Mercedes Padilla.

Photowalk

Matt Brandon — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:35:29 +0000

Today's Photo Walk's Quick Guide

Matt Brandon — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:56:23 +0000

1. Study the map, and make a note of the location and start time on the Photo Walk web site.

2. Turn up at the Kapitan Keling Mosque at 6pm. Take photos. Chimp, chat and chill out Kasim Mustafa's on Lebuh Chulia afterwards.

3. Upload your best photos by July 25th. Either via the special Lightroom plug-in or directly to the web site. Directions for both methods can be found HERE.

4. Enjoy photos from other walkers on the web site and keep your fingers crossed that one of yours is selected as the winning image. One image from the walk is selected by me and my co-judge this year, Gavin Gough. Gavin is a well know travel and cultural photographer based out of Bangkok. He is published regularly in photo magazines and journal. The winning image and will go forward to be judged against photos from walks all around the world. There are some very cool prizes.

That’s it! See you this afternoon!

f/4, 1/160 sec, at 40mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:17:42 +0000

My Georgetown Photowalk

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:21:32 +0000

Well another Worldwide Photo Walk came and went on Saturday. We had a light turn out. Only about 30 or so. I was a little disappointed and felt bad for the folks who came but were not able to register because it was full. We still had a lot of fun. I saw some coaching and a lot of encouragement happening along the route. You will find a few of my images from the photo walk this past Saturday HERE. I put them in a slide show so that you can see more than the one or two that I could post here. I have almost finished my first multimedia slide show on India from March. I will post a link to that either today or tomorrow. If you are a follower on Twitter then you have seen it. I use Twitter as sort of a collaborative work space. Another reason to follow me. Stay tuned. More to come...

Slide Show

Matt Brandon — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:08:30 +0000

f/4, 1/160 sec, at 40mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:30:45 +0000

Update on Photo Walk Image Posting

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:32:01 +0000

Ok - seemed to be some confusion over how to post your images from the photo walk. The leaders were told, only allow two image to be posted and to have them posted onto the official site HERE. This is still the case, if you want to compete. I guess there has been a lot of emails saying that people want to post more than just their two best, understandable. Plus, there were many folks who came on the walk that did not register and want to show off their images, So Scott has asked of the leaders to make a new flickr group for this years walk. So here it is. Feel free to post images from the Georgetown walk, meaning the Clan Walk HERE. So let's see those images. I will be glad to post some of them on my blog as I did last year.

The Bangla Sahib Bungalo Slide Show

Matt Brandon — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:51:44 +0000

It has been a month coming but here is one of the two multi-media slide shows I promised readers. It is a series of images and audio recorded on location at the New Delhi, Bangla Sahib Gurudwara or Sikh Temple. The place is amazing and like all Sikh Gurudwaras they feed the less fortunate daily. On the weekends the Bangla Sahib can feed over 10,000 people a day. One unique feature about this Gurudwara is that the water at the site is said to have healing properties. So you can see pilgrims lining up to drink the water or families bathing in the large pool. I hope I have been able to capture some of this for you. You can view the show by clicking HERE or the image above.

exposed-4

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:35:47 +0000

f/2.8, 1/100 sec, at 145mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:36:32 +0000

f/1.8, 1/80 sec, at 50mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:41:34 +0000

Exposed: Anticipating the Shot

Matt Brandon — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:00:59 +0000

This post is not so much about the story behind the image above, but about the "how" behind the image. I have been thinking a bit about what it takes to see "the image" before hand. I am not talking about telepathy. What I mean is when you go into a location to shoot, or when you shoot a given subject is there a difference between the familiar and the new? Of course there is. I was reminded about this after this past weekend. Our photo walk took us to many Chinese temples and neighborhoods where I struggled to see the shot. Well, not so much struggled to see the shot as struggled to anticipate the shot. This is the point; anticipating. Later, near the end of the walk I found myself kneeling next too a mosque door and knowing what to shoot and when to shoot. Thus the above image.

It's about the moment. The blink of the eye, the millisecond of the shutter. As Henri Cartier-Bresson wrote "There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment." The more we are familiar with our surroundings, the more we stay a few seconds ahead of our subject and anticipate the next action or move, the better our image will be. We can prepare for the precise moment, at least to some degree. I have lived in Penang, Malaysia for just over a year. Over this time I have spent far too much time in my office working on NGO projects and not enough time in the streets with the people of this place. I have visited a few of the Chinese temples in the area and have learned a few things about the culture, but still woefully short of my knowledge of Islam. About now, you might be wondering why this is important? Knowledge of who, what and where you are shooting is key to anticipating the shot. Here's how it works. You know people. You know that when you raise a camera to their face they will most likely either smile or turn their head away. In Asia there are a few well chosen poses that you might receive. If you are observing to men arguing and getting into each others face, you know from experience that one of them, if it keeps going, might put his finger in the others face or even push the other. You can anticipate it because you know your culture and how it works. So you get your camera ready. (Here is where you need to know your gear. Quickly adjust your f/stop your speed and know your lens choice. Be ready.) But, what about other cultures? I have lived in and among Muslims for over 15 years. For instance, I know that there are several "raka-ahs" in the namaz or several rounds or rotations of the prayer form. I know the hands come to the ears in Sunni prayers at the start and don't in Shia prayers. I know that there is a long pause at several places in the raka-ah. I know that their head is coming to the floor and that all worshipers are going to stand shoulders to shoulder and that later they will touch the floor with their forehead. At one point at the end of the pray the participant will look to the left then the right and then the prayer will be over. "Ok, so what?", you say. "So you know a little about Muslim namaz, who cares?" It matters because I know when to take the shot. I can anticipate the next move. All these serve to give me cues to what is happening next.

Even in the image above, I anticipated the shot. I knew the mosque, the weather and the direction of the sun. I even knew that in the cold the men in the mosque would find some sun light to sit in to pray to stay warm. So, after namaz, I waited in anticipation for this moment and it happened. I was ready. Here is the difference not knowing the culture can make. I can't tell you how many great shots in Buddhist temples I have missed by seconds, because I could not anticipate the next move. I don't know the buddhist forms of worship and I miss the cues. This goes beyond just forms of worship, it applies to culture in general. I am not saying without detailed knowledge like this you cannot get a good image. No, you certainly can. But you are more likely to get that image if you are ready. We need to be students of the culture we are shooting in and even more so of the one we live in. All this to say, it serves the photographer well to understand the culture and the environment he or she is photographing in. The more understanding the better. Be ready for that decisive moment.

VJDay

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:21:59 +0000

And that's the way it was.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:02:12 +0000

Maybe you heard, Walter Cronkite died this last Friday. Maybe you missed it as I did due to the endless Micheal Jackson...er..coverage. I was a huge fan of Walter Cronkite. I grew up watching him on the CBS nightly news. In the early 70s father used to teach ROTC at a near by high school. On the weekends my dad would bring home a 16mm projector and reels (Yes, this was before DVDs and even before video tape!) of the old documentary TV series called Air Power hosted by Walter himself. My two best buddies, Steve Gray and Steve Rees used to come over and we would spend endless hours watching those old shows. It was one of those air battles in an Air Power show that I actually photographed off the projector screen and later did a little old fashioned darkroom magic on. I stained the the paper with coffee grounds, then while it was wet I bent the edges and cracked the emulsion. Later, as my writing was never good, I had my mom write appropriate captions on the back with bogus dates. It was a good thing I had her do it, as the photos were so convincing, so realistic that my when I showed my dad the photos and I told him I had made them he though I was lying. He was sure I had bought them in some old junk store or army surplus store.

I was also reminded by the death of Walter Cronkite that the greats from the 30s, 40s and 50s are almost all gone. Walter Cronkite was 92. The great news men and women, the great actors and of course the great photographers are all passing. Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Cornell Capa and Carl Mydans have all passed away in the past 5 year (with the exception of Eisenstaedt who died in 1994). I feel like I just missed them. Wouldn't you have like to have met them? Talked with them over a cup of coffee and heard their stories? You can see the list of greats at a wonderful website by Sid and Michelle Monroe called aptly enough, the Monroe Gallery. I ran across the gallery while reading a bog post this week by Joe McNally. By the way, Joe is in the gallery as well and is very open to interacting with folks over twitter and his blog. So, thanks to the Monroes we have a place where all these greats live on. In fact, you can even buy prints of some of the the great images of our time over their website. Not sure how they do that or how costly these prints are, but wouldn't it be cool to own an Alfred Eisenstaedt print on Gelatin Silver paper of "V-J Day in Times Square"?

wiredup

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:58:54 +0000

connectr2

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:59:31 +0000

fastenr2

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:00:02 +0000

coupler-kit

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:00:38 +0000

rs5

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:01:09 +0000

doublestrap-05

Matt Brandon — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:46:32 +0000

New product from two great sponsors.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:58:04 +0000

There is some new product is being release these day by two off my sponsors.

First off the block is Think Tank Photo. There is not a better bag manufacture out there today bar none. And to day they showed us again that they are living in the real world of working photographers. They have a whole new line of bags designed with the multimedia journalist in mind. With the Canon 5D MKII and the Nikon D90 blurring the lines between the needs of a still photographer and a videographer, think tank come to the rescue with the Multimedia Wired UP collection. These bag came after long interviews with journalist and others to find out what the real need was. The list of components is impressive, two belt bags for cameras the Multimedia Wired Up 10 and Wired Up 20 that fit the 5D and D90 then four smaller bags design to give the journalist quick and easy access to mic, recorders and cables. My palms are already sweating, I am itching to get my grubby little hands on this system. Want to see this bag in action? Here is a very cool video produced by the co-founder of Think Tank Photo Deanne Fitzmaurice. You will find it HERE.

Then our friends at Black Rapid have come up with a few fixes and a new strap. Remember the issues I had with the ConnectR. The clip had come loose through a series of freaky coincidences. Never the less it came off, and my camera fell and smashed into the street. BR told me that the connect was being redesigned and they were sorry that had happened to me. A month or so back they sent me the new redesigned ConnectR-2. It was just what the doctor ordered. But, just to be safe I have not touted this as I wanted to use it and make sure all was fine, and it is. This really is perfect. As you can see from the picture it has the very gate I requested they put on it. Basically, a small locking carabiner. Anyway it work. So run over to their website and order your replacement to the old connector...go!

BR also redesigned their FastenR, the small ring on the bottom of the camera that the ConnectR-2 clips to. Now, I don't use this, as I like to keep my tripod plate on my body. But for those that do and there are plenty of folk who I know do use it, this is another huge improvement. Before the FastenR had a high profile that people complained about. But the new FastenR-2 is low profile made of 304 stainless steel and is a little piece of art for your camera body.

Many people have been fighting and finagling with how to use two BR straps with two bodies. So Black Rapid came up with two solutions. First they came up with a simple, yet elegant design to join the straps together. A coupler and it is called...are you ready? The CoupleR, ok so they may not be the most creative in naming their product, but their product still rock! It is a very simple system that joins the two straps at your back. Seems like it should work.

Then as if that was not enough and you know it wasn't, they came up with a tandem strap. Designed from the ground up just for carrying two cameras all day. Meet the RS DR-1 Double Strap. This strap looks really comfortable to use and seems fromthe images to be very stable, not capable of slipping off the shoulder.

Lastly and most recently, BR has release a new strap the RS-5. The RS-5 is another of their layered design, But this time it uses powerful magnets to keep the pocket closed. The pocket is big enough suitable for carrying your iPhone, large batteries, all your memory and other accessories.

Black Rapid has redesigned their website and started a user forum for photographer you can find it HERE. A great way to show us that they want to hear from you, the user. Way to go Black Rapid.

Penang Photowalk Winner

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:45:04 +0000

Georgetown, Penang Photo Walk Winner Announced.

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:53:14 +0000

I had hoped to post this a few say back, but my computer died and was inthe shop till today. Over the weekend Gavin Gough and I helped each other pick the city winners of our repective walks. I am pleased to announce that our Penang walk winner is Eu-jeen Tan. There were a lot of very nice images submitted and it was really hard for Gavin and I to choose the winner. But this image showed a lot of emotion and had a real classic feel to it. We both felt it really conveyed the spirit of Penang's Georgetown. Eu-jeen wins Volume 3 of Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography book. Eu-jeen's image has been submitted to compete with other images from around the world for the next level of compitition. Again, congratualtions Eu-jeen Tan.

B034483

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:04:38 +0000

A masked dancer at the Tamshing Monastery Tsechu festival, Bhutan

f/2.8, 1/25 sec, at 55mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:04:46 +0000

A novice Buddhist monk studying ancient texts at Wangdichholing Dzong, Jakar, Bhutan

Gavin Gough

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:07:00 +0000

Depth of Field: Gavin Gough

Matt Brandon — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:13:36 +0000

Monday, just before my computer's graphics card went south, I had the distinct privilege to interview my good friend Gavin Gough. Gavin as you probably already know is a travel/world photographer based out of Thailand. This is a two part interview. Gavin and I talked about his history and how he makes a living as a full time photographer, and we share a few laughs along the way. Look for part two tomorrow. Enjoy! Interview with Gavin Gough part 1 By the way, do your self a real favor and drop by Gavin's Blog and gallery HERE.

Depth of Field: Gavin Gough Pt 2

Matt Brandon — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:00:53 +0000

I had a lot of good feedback on yesterday's interview with Gavin Gough part 1. I think you will also enjoy the conclusion of that interview today. Gavin and I had more fun that I think we were allowed to have in an interview. As you can tell most of our time was spent swapping stories. So sit back and enjoy. Interview with Gavin Gough part 2 If you have any suggestions for other interviews please drop me a note. Here is my interview hit list so far: Esther Havens Mitchell Kanashkevich Joe McNally James Nachtwey Steve McCurry Michael Freeman

HIV

Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:38:28 +0000

vid

Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:38:49 +0000

video

Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:39:21 +0000

HIVbad

Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:41:52 +0000

Jessie' s fish

Matt Brandon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:54:26 +0000

Aug_09.wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:02:29 +0000

August 09 Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:08:59 +0000

Wow what a CRAZY week. My 17" MacBook pro is on it's last few days, literally. I tried to order a new 13" but nobody in all of Malaysia has one. So I had to put an order in and hope my current MacBook holds up. It has been crashing every 10 minutes, no kidding. Then my main Lightroom catalog got corrupted after one of the many crashes. But, because I had a back up and several other catalogs with my newer images, I didn't loose too much. But what a pain. All this to say, I will not be posting a lot this week for two reasons. The first is I am tired of fighting my computer. The second is I will be out of town anyway, I may not have much opportunity to post. So hang in there, I will post what I can, when I can. This is also why this month's wallpaper is late. So here you go. I took this on my last trip to Kashmir. It is of Dal Lake. Dal Lake is a large beautiful lake in the middle of Srinagar, Kashmir surrounded by houseboats. Download it HERE or click the image above. Enjoy and pass it around.

f/1.2, 1/125 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:13:02 +0000

f/1.2, 1/125 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:13:14 +0000

f/1.2, 1/200 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:13:19 +0000

f/1.2, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:13:25 +0000

My Angkor

Matt Brandon — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:18:03 +0000

Greetings from Chiang Mai, Thailand. I want to post this even though it is later, almost midnight here. I may not have another chance this week. Here are a few shots from what I call my own private Angkor Wat. I hope you enjoy them.

f/5.6, 1/40 sec, at 34mm, 1250 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:51:05 +0000

A Chiang Mai shop keeper reads his morning paper.

f/5.6, 1/60 sec, at 42mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:51:27 +0000

An offering.

f/2.5, 1/400 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:52:12 +0000

f/1.2, 1/2000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:02:08 +0000

A broom.

Chiang Mai Details

Matt Brandon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:05:39 +0000

I am at a convention with some smaller sized NGOs and find myself in meetings most of the week, fun! Meetings, I love them. Yeah, and if you believe that, I got this really pretty bridge in Brooklyn to sell ya. On the upside, I am learning what "the client" wants and that of course is worth it. I am really frustrated my my net access here. I am at a moderately nice hotel but the Internet is something akin to dial up speeds. So the small Lightroom gallery I was going to post of images will have to wait. But here are a few to wet your appetite. Some details shots of Chaing Mai. Enjoy.

Street Images Gallery

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:59:45 +0000

My Angkor Gallery

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:00:44 +0000

f/0, Bulb, at 0mm, 0 ISO, on a

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:29:19 +0000

Up To Speed.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:33:07 +0000

I am on my way home. At this moment I am sitting at the Cafe Ritazza in terminal E at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Nice to have full speed internet again. A hardy thanks goes out to Gavin for getting me to the right gate for free WiFi. I promised I would post images from the trip once I got a little speed again. So here they are. You can fined two small galleries below. One full gallery of "My Angkor" images and another of some assorted street images. Just a reminder, the "My Angkor" gallery is not Angkor Wat, that is in Cambodia, Chiang Mai is in Thailand. All those images were taken at a very small terracotta factory across from a lovely hotel I was staying at. It just goes to show you, can find amazing cultural images in some of the most unlikely places. One of the things I try to do when I shoot in an exotic location, like Thailand, is try to look for the unique and not the common. Shooting iconic images is always harder, so why not try to find something else that says the same thing. Find an image that will say "Thailand" or "Asia" on it's own and that is not in everybodies portfolio. I don't generally shoot things that can be found in the West. The idea is to communicate the location and the culture. So sometimes you have to look under rocks or in this case under old terracotta. [caption id="attachment_2205" align="alignleft" width="172" caption="My Angkor Gallery"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2204" align="alignleft" width="178" caption="Street Images Gallery"][/caption]

igpv

Matt Brandon — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:15:14 +0000

Depth of Field: International Guild of Visual Peacemakers

Matt Brandon — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:00:38 +0000

Today's Depth of Field is a little off topic. But, not by much. Instead of looking at a working photographer and seeing what makes them tic, we are going to look at how photographers can give back to this world we live in. There is way too much hate around us. Way too much violent responses to this hate and quite frankly there is no lack of photographers ready to make images of it all. As I have written here on many occasions, photographers are always taking and sometimes we need to give back. Here is a way that just might work. But, even if it fails (and I pray it does not), at least someone tried. My hat goes off to Mario Mattei and Logan McAdams, they are pushing against the darkness and just the effort gives us hope. If you are interested in join them with this effort you can contact them via their website HERE. Please leave your thoughts and comments below and I am sure they wold be glad to respond. To listen to the interview, just click on the link below and a player will show up, hit the start button and enjoy. Depth of Field: International Guild of Visual Peacemakers Production note: I am really not happy with the quality of the field recored I was using. I was using an Olympus, not sure what model, DS-40, maybe. But I can not recomend it. In the future I will be using as Sony PCM D50 so I think things will be sounding better.

fisherman

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:39:49 +0000

Teaching Others to Fish

Matt Brandon — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:04:19 +0000

This past week in Chiang Mai I attended a conference of several faith based NGOs (Non-Government Organizations). I was in more meetings than I cared to be, but that is life. I was helping with Knowledge Stewardship and fishing for new clients. NGO's, especially the small ones, tend not to have a lot of money. They often operate on a shoestring budget. Many of their photographic needs are met by their field staff and often not very well. If they need an image of a Kurdish woman working on a staff project, they don't even think about hiring a professional like me to go shoot. They just get their staff to go out and take a "snap" of the ongoing project and then they insert it into their latest newsletter or website. Why is this? The funds are not there. I can't tell you how many times I have approached an NGO that I thought I might be, able to help, and when I give them my daily rate their mouth's drop to the floor. The next words are always, "We were hoping you might to it pro-bono." Certainly not what I was hoping for. There is an age old adage that effective development organizations try to live by. You know the one, about how it is better to teach a man to fish than to just keep giving him fish. I think more and more photographers are subscribing to this. You see it on blogs and places like Lexar.com/dp and lets face it that really is what a workshop is all about. But, I have never heard of any photographers doing this intentionally with NGOs. So lately I have been toying with an idea. This idea would teach the smaller NGOs how to fish. I work as a consultant with a knowledge management organization that focuses helping NGOs be more productive and better stewards of their knowledge and in turn with their time and funding. I handle their branding and visual needs. I have been pitching an idea to work together with them to not only teach these organizations about knowledge management practices but let me run a mini workshop for field workers. My goal is to teach their field based personnel how to gain better images with what they have, be it a point and shoot or an entry level DSLR. I will teach their field personnel how to fish. Why not take a group of development workers, in someplace like Iraq or Afghanistan and teach them what makes a good image, how to plan out, shoot and create a photo essay. Help them see the image and then capture it. Introduce them to tools like Lightroom and Soundslides Plus and how to use them effectively. In the long run this will save them money. How do I benefit from this as a photographer? I think an NGO is more likely to pay me my daily rate for a one-off. Plus, as I teach their staff they will be gathering images and creating product on the spot. At least this is the theory, and this is what I pitched this past week. I had several nibbles this and one bite. I will tell you more about the bite after I get it fully into the boat. In the meantime anyone know a place to get a good deal on a flack jacket?

South India Workshop

Matt Brandon — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:01:26 +0000

Think Tank Photo's Change Up Video Review.

Matt Brandon — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:41:01 +0000

Here is a quick look of the latest incarnation of my bag/carring option for my kit. I hope it informs a little and helps any of you wondering how to carry that load of lenses while you are shooting. httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFbKahzs5jY For more information on the Change Up click the image below. Visit Think Tank Photo HERE.

South India Workshop

Matt Brandon — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:50:21 +0000

Just a reminder that there are still spaces left for the South India Tour and Workshop with me in February of 2010. It will be a wonderful time as we visit the rock caves of Mamallapuram, and take a guided jungle walk at the Periyar Tiger Reserve and shoot images of elephants and, who knows maybe even a tiger! We will be visiting some amazing places, way too many to list here. Check out the complete itinerary HERE. Come and join me!

Leh, Ladakh 2008

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:03:40 +0000

My Packing List for Ladakh

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:05:23 +0000

I get emails about my packing list every once in awhile. So I thought I would post my list in it's complete nakedness. Feel free to ask questions or point of issues or give suggestions. This is a dynamic list, ever changing. By the way, this list is housed on Zenbe, a very cool list application for the iPhone and iPod. By keeping it on my iPhone I use it as an active list while I pack.

f/1.2, 1/400 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:31:34 +0000

sept09_1280.wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:31:40 +0000

sept09_1920.wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:31:50 +0000

f/3.2, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 1250 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:36:37 +0000

September's Wallpaper 2-4-1

Matt Brandon — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:00:14 +0000

Septembers wallpaper is yours for the download. I hope you enjoy it. I shot both of these while in Chiange Mai Thailand this last month. I am being extra generous to you this month as a way to celebrate my new 13" MacBook Pro and my Apple Cinema Display. So, one wallpaper for each monitor. And if you don't have two monitors, consider it a freebie. The only catch is the Buddha head (I think that is what it is) is just 1080 px while the lotus I am providing you various sizes. I hope you enjoy them. Feel free to tell your friends. Click on the links below to download: Lotus 1920 x 1280 Lotus 1280 x 853 Lotus 1024 x 682 Buddha head 1080 x 727

A look at talent

Matt Brandon — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:20:55 +0000

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIXbmcPjUJw Just a quick look at one of my all time favorite photographers and people, Ami Vitale and our guest instructor at this coming Lumen Dei Workshop. Nikon commissioned her to do a video using the new Nikon D300s. All I can say is, if you are intimidated by talent then keep moving, this video is amazing! Maybe a little of that talent will rub off on me with two weeks of shooting with her. Lets hope so. After viewing the video, take a moment and read the interview with her by Steve Casimiro, West Coast Editor of National Geographic Adventure. You will find it HERE

Depth of Field: Nevada Wier Pt1

Matt Brandon — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:30:29 +0000

This week I had the delightful experience to interview Nevada Wier. Nevada is one of the best travel/world photographers shooting today. She not only has an eye for the story but she pushes the boundaries of conventional photojournalism as well. In these interviews she explained to me how she gets joy and fulfillment from experimenting with flash and angle of view she also talked about technology and how it has helped today's photographers. Like so many of the great photographers of our day, she proves my point that the really great photographers are also really nice people. Today I am posting part one and then tomorrow I will post part two. I hope you enjoy this Depth of Field. Nevada Wier interview Pt1 Be sure and check out Nevada's website HERE and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Nevada Wier

Matt Brandon — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:37:29 +0000

Depth of Field: Nevada Wier Pt2

Matt Brandon — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:30:06 +0000

Yesterday we had a great response to part one of the Nevada Wier interview. Today you the conclusion with part two. In this interview Nevada and I talk about her choice of lenses and as well other aspects of what it takes to get the great shot. Enjoy. Nevada Wier interview Pt2 Be sure and check out Nevada's website HERE and follow her on Twitter HERE. Don't forget, there are other interview in this series. You can find the all HERE.

DOF-iTunes

Matt Brandon — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:09:46 +0000

Travel Plans

Matt Brandon — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:23:12 +0000

It is 4:10 Am. I could not sleep. It's been that way for much of this month. Maybe I have a lot on my mind with Lumen Dei starting in just a few days, and looking at what amounts to almost a month of travel before me. I really don't like being gone from my family in that long of a stretch. But here it is. I leave on Friday for India where I meet David DuChemin, myco-host of Lumen Dei, Ami Vitale our guest instructor and Gavin Gough our guest friend. Gavin is showing up to hang with us in Delhi at his own expense. This gives the Lumen Dei participants a bonus value for this workshop. After Delhi, we fly to Leh, Ladakh and then do several road trip in and around the area. Then when Lumen Dei is over I come back to home for three days, kiss my wife and daughter, do laundry and depart for the Photoshop World Conference in Las Vegas. After Vegas, I am off to Phoenix for some Knowledge Stewardship meetings with the KS crew, then home and no more traveling (I hope) for the next few months. I have been thinking of new ways to market myself and my work. Penang, Malaysia has a rather healthy tourist population. Gavin has encouraged me to start workshops on the Island for people passing through. Yesterday I did what we call a "dry run" in the tour biz. I took two friends who live here and are photo enthusiast and we ran through a possible version of a half day workshop. I think this just might work. Stay tuned for more information on timings and price options. In other shameless self promotion, I got word from Apple that Depth of Field, the interview series I podcast here on this blog is or will soon be available for download through the iTune store. As of 4:30am it is still unsearchable in the store, but keep checking back. This will make DoF a lot easier to download and listen to, and, at the same time open it up to a wider audience. (Note: As of Sept 9th all the current Depth of Field episodes are up and down loadable on iTunes. It is now searchable, by name of the show, my name and several key words.) I am not sure I will have time to blog before I take off to India on Friday. But be sure to check in for quick updates along the way during Lumen Dei just as in the years past. Now go out and take a picture.

Map

Matt Brandon — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:24:19 +0000

My Itinerary

Matt Brandon — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:32:56 +0000

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l6y23vKzxw

2009.09.12-14.10.53

Matt Brandon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:28:25 +0000

2009.09.12-14.28.21

Matt Brandon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:28:38 +0000

2009.09.12-14.52.29

Matt Brandon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:28:49 +0000

Greetings from Delhi.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:37:47 +0000

This is going to be a quick post as I am exhausted and heading to bed. I got in yesterday night early after I learned in Singapore that there was earlier flight to Delhi that I some how mess when I was booking my ticket. So with very little trouble I was able to change my flight and arrive into Delhi a good six hours earlier. I still did not sleep well, but at least I got some sleep. This morning David, Gavin and I when out shooting in the drizzle. A light rain has been falling in Delhi for the past few days. It is really pleasant, as it cools the hot city down. Of course, it turns everything into a mud hole, but a cool mud hole is bearable. Above and below are a few shot from today. Good night.

f/2.8, 1/100 sec, at 125mm, 1000 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:47:08 +0000

f/2.8, 1/250 sec, at 75mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:47:22 +0000

f/7.1, 1/40 sec, at 70mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:47:47 +0000

f/2.8, 1/50 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:48:02 +0000

Sit, Watch and Shoot

Matt Brandon — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:06:20 +0000

Today we had a great day. We did what we call a "dry run". A dry run is where we run part or all of the tour we will be doing to see if there might be any issues with time or logistics. So, today David, Gavin, Ami Vitale and I ran the Nizamuddin section of the workshop. It was a great day and I felt like I found my "pace" so to speak. At least for this day. It was a real pleasure to shoot with Ami. She is a fun and talented photographer and she fit right in with the three of us, which is scary if you know David, Gavin and me. We are are a few cards short of a full deck. As I said, we went to the Nizamuddin Dargah and spent two hours just sitting, watching and shooting anything that struck us as visually interesting or that spoke to us in some way. I was reminded again how important it is to slow down and not do the "hit and run" approach to street photography. Slow down, wait. The same spot might yield several images. Case in point; The green door of the mosque in Nizamuddin. The door opened up to a red wall and it was visually stunning even by it self. But wait long enough and someone is eventually going to come into frame. It is true, good things come to those that wait. Gavin made a great point yesterday in his blog on how colorful India is. It really is amazing the splash of colors everywhere. These images go a long way to prove his point. Tomorrow is officially the first day of the workshop. Everyone is here and we are excited to see what is in store for this next two weeks.

f/2.8, 1/40 sec, at 40mm, 800 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:20:45 +0000

Repetition

Matt Brandon — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:24:02 +0000

Repetition. Doing something over and over. Muslims will often repeat the 99 names of God over and over again. Not sure why. But it has something to do with blessing or "barkat." Yesterday I returned with the group to Nizamuddin for the second time in this trip and my umpteenth time. Today we return yet again. Different times, different light, different people and all for different images or more of the story. This man is sitting on a carpet with 1o or 12 other men all pulling out handfuls of cleaned date pits using them to count out the names of God, then doing it again like prayer beads. In all the many years I have visited this place, I have never seen this. Repetition, it can bring a blessing.

f/10, 1/20 sec, at 24mm, 640 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:36:45 +0000

f/1.2, 1/320 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:36:49 +0000

f/2.8, 1/80 sec, at 43mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:36:53 +0000

Ami Vitale shows some Monks their picture.

f/2.8, 1/1600 sec, at 24mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:36:56 +0000

Everybody is a critic.

f/2.8, 1/250 sec, at 100mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:52:47 +0000

Homeward bound...sort of.

Matt Brandon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:57:36 +0000

Leaving Prayers.

Lumen Dei 2009 is officially over. A great time was had by one and all. The participants seemed to learned a lot as well as having a blast. And why not?From motorcycle rides over an 18,375 ft pass, to shooting photos of bactrian camels on the sand dunes of Nubra, it was an amazing adventure.

Everybody is a critic!

Our special guest instructor, Ami Vitale, is now no longer a guest, she is a life long friend. Not only is this lady an amazing photographer, she is also a caring and talented instructor & coach. It was a real challenge (at least for me) to shoot with someone who is trained as a photojournalist. Photojournalists have a different take on imaging, post production and a number of other things. It was really fun to swap travel and Kashmir stories with her.

Ami Vitale showing monks their photo.

Speaking of stories, I was able to record not one, not two, but three Depth of Field interviews while on this trip. I interviewed Ami and David each, then I recorded all three of us telling stories from the field. I have to say it was a blast sitting with David and Ami and swapping stories; be looking for the first of these in the next week or so.

Russ, David and Alain on Enfields crossing Kardung La.

I fly home to Penang in a little less than six hours, spend a few short couple of uninterrupted days with my wife and daughter then on to Photoshop World in Las Vegas. I hope to make some new contacts there and maybe schedule a few more interviews. If you're going to PSW be sure to look me up. After PSW I am off to a week of meetings and then home for two months of the relaxing Malaysian lifestyle.

Sony PCM D50

Matt Brandon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:44:00 +0000

Sony D50 in hand

Matt Brandon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:47:58 +0000

Interview Test

Matt Brandon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:54:47 +0000

Delhi Street1

Matt Brandon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:04:20 +0000

Delhi Street with wind screen

Matt Brandon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:06:49 +0000

DDintro

Matt Brandon — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:37:19 +0000

Review: Sony's PCM-D50 Digital Audio Recorder

Matt Brandon — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:39:56 +0000

I have had more and more positive feedback on my Depth of Field interview series and as such I became motivated to ramp up the quality. One of the best ways to do this, beside limiting my "ahhhs" and "ummms" was to up upgrade the sound quality of the field interviews. So a few weeks back I ordered the Sony PCM-D50 field audio recorder and I must say, next to my 5D Mk II, this is the best buy I have made in a long time. I am not going to do an in-depth review here. If you need that, you can check out these quality reviews HERE and HERE. What I will do is show you in some simple audio highlights how well this recorder works on the field. The PCM-D50 is not a small recorder. It is about the size of a portable hard drive. You can see from the image how it fits into the hand; it's not small. It comes with 4 GB of built-in flash memory. This lasted me two weeks of Lumen Dei and over 40 samples and three hour-long interviews. If you need more you can add additional memory in the form of Sony Memory Sticks. Why not non-proprietary CF cards? Ask Sony! The D50, unlike other recorders it is not made of plastic. It is made of metal and seems to hold up well. I was climbing a stone wall in Ladakh to capture photos and sound of some Yaks threshing barley and scraped it on the stones, I can hardly see a scratch. Had it been a plastic case it would have been gouged. The interface is very easy to use compared to even my wife's simple Sony. The D50 operates very intuitively: push Record and the unit goes into Record Standby. Then press Play or Pause to begin the recording. There is a display button that shows you how long you have been recording or how much time you have left. Another feature I really like, and this may sound like a silly thing to some of you, but I love the analog volume for both the record levels and the monitor levels. This is a small thing but I feel it gives me a much finer control over the volume of both, over a digital button I push and hold. One of the best features is the condenser microphones that are built in. These accurately capture the the sound around the unit. I am not using this to record music in a studio. I am using this recorder to grab audio from the world around me and field based interviews in crazy places and environments. The D50 handled anything I could throw at it. The mics record clear and very accurate sound. There are two mics that can be positionned to either a Y or X recording direction. In the X configuration the mics record a crossed stereo signal. The right mic records data to the left and vise versa. In the Y configuration the right records the right data and the left the left. This configuration give the listener the feel of being in a room between two people talking. You can here it in the short test clip I did with David DuChemin. By the way, this clip was recorded in a room with concrete walls and floor. I think you will be amazed at the quality in such a hollow room. (Note:The quality of this audio is directly linked to the fidelity of the speakers you are listening through. If you have low quality speakers, try listening with decent headphones.) DoF intro with David DuChemin The mics are so sensitive that any handling or the least bit of wind will give you noise. As such a wind screen is a must when using it close to the mouth or outside or even if you are moving it back and forth between the interviewer and interviewee. Below are two samples from the streets of Old Delhi. In the first sample you will hear the noise associated with a slight breeze. In the second sample I put on a wind screen and (I think) turned on the Low Cut Filter. The difference is huge. Delhi Street with out wind screen Delhi Street with wind screen Speaking of the wind screen. Sony sells the AD-PCM1 Windscreen for around $45, this is robbery. But don't do like me and cut corners. I bought the Mini Windjammer for $35, but it doesn't stay on. So my advice is endure the pain or better yet, buy the recorder at B&H and they throw in the Sony AD-PCM1 for free! Along with the Low Cut Filter there is the Limiter option. Unlike other recorders, where once the limiter is turned on, you hear a clear drop in the sound when the signal peaks, the D50 shows no sign of this. The recorder simultaneously reserves audio for the digital limiter, which is 12dB lower than audio processed in the normal circuit. This compensates for clipping that happens during digital processing if audio is over-input. So you get a very smooth limiter effect, Most of the time you can not tell it is even on. The PCM-D50 includes a 5 second pre-record buffer. How would you use this? Well, say you want to record something you know is about to happen, like the call to prayer. You know it will be any minute, but never sure when. Set this feature on and once you hear the call begin, hit record and you will have it all recorded, from 5 seconds before you pressed the button. Very cool and very handy for field sound recording. As you can see, I am very impressed. The size is no big deal to me, as it feels good in the hand and cannot be lost in a camera bag. I only see two drawbacks with the D50. One: it does not record MP3s. It only records in WAV. For some folks this means an extra step in recording podcast. Two: even though it comes with 4 GB built in, any extra flash memory has to be the proprietary Sony Memory sticks. This bites! I have a ton of 1, 2 and 4 Gb CF card that would work perfectly for gathering sound files, but now I need to buy Sony Memory Sticks if I want more space. This is not a deal breaker by any means, but it is an irritant. Over all, this is an amazing recorder with pro features. It comes with a hefty price tag between $450 at B&H (with a free Sony Wind Screen), and up to $500 on Amazon.com. But if you want high quality sound, this unit is well worth the price tag.

10 More pages

Matt Brandon — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:32:03 +0000

Cover 10 More

Matt Brandon — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:34:03 +0000

"Ten More" More ideas from David duChemin

Matt Brandon — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:40:55 +0000

David does it again. He scores a hit with his follow up to "Ten". "Ten More" is an additional 10 ideas to help growing photographers. Let me take that back, these are great exercises for even the best photographers out there. They are creative steps to improve photography as well as ways to keep your creative edge sharp.

David takes the photographer and relates with him in an almost an pastoral feel. As if he is sitting over your shoulder coaching you as a mentor. Ten More doesn't just suggest you get closer or shoot with the heart, it gives you practical ways to accomplish this. Each suggestion is followed up with a Creative Exercises. These are practical ways to ramp up your skills or blow the fog of creative stagnation out of your head. The bonus is all this is done with a back drop of David's stunning images! It is a 35 page ebook that is a steal for only $5. Well worth the money to help you break your creative block or push you to a new level in your photographic skills. Buy yours today HERE.

I have been Shanghaied!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:33:48 +0000

I am sitting in Shanghai International Airport wondering why I got routed this way. I got in at 7am and had to go through customs and immigration just to transfer, had I had bags I would have had to collect them and recheck in. As it was, I sat in front of an empty United counter for two hours waiting for staff so I could check back in, obtain my boarding pass and go through customs and immigration yet again, all so I can wait more and later board my flight to SFO and on. This is the part of travel that is mundane and unglamorous. I am sitting now in a lounge looking at some uninviting green leafy salad for breakfast. Most of my travel this year has been in and around Asia. So as such, my miles have been low. This trip puts me over the magic number 50K and grants me some upgrades and lounge access. Word of advice from a long time traveler; if you have not joined a frequent flier program and you travel a lot, join one. Buying cheap tickets to save $50 here and $100 is not worth it in the long run. It is not a small thing to access a lounge and use a shower, grab a meal and access email (though it is really slow here). Anyway. I am going to have another cup of coffee and get ready to board.

Shanghai

Matt Brandon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:19:46 +0000

map

Matt Brandon — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:53:34 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:05:29 +0000

Back at my desk.

Matt Brandon — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:39:31 +0000

I just returned yesterday from a month of travels. I came home to load of e-mails, and a lot of work that was obtained while I was gone. It's All Good but a Little Overwhelming When I Haven't Even Blogged Or Even Looked at Half My Images from over the month. One thing I did do while I was gone was purchased the new application called MacSpeech Dictate. Maybe you've tried dictation software before and found it as frustrating as I have. But with all the hoopla written about MacSpeech and it being really the only option for Macintosh users I thought I would give it a try. So far been very impressed with its accuracy. As long as you train it, which only took five minutes, and speak at a normal tone it seems to do quite well. In fact I don't need to speak slow I can speak at a normal rate. I'm dictating this blog post right now. As you can see, up to this paragraph nothing has been corrected. Not bad, but not perfect either. I was debating whether or not to leave any mistakes in this blog entry for you to find. But, there are far too many. I'm still learning to use the software and still teaching it words. The question is, will this proof useful. It is way too early to tell. In doing AAR of my last trip there several things I've learned. But the main thing is never scheduled two-week trips back to back, bad idea. I have two days between trips to spend with my family and to rest. This was not enough, and not only was it a physical trial traveling from Malaysia, to India, back to Malaysia, onto Las Vegas then to Phoenix and finally back to Malaysia all in essentially one trip, it was also an emotional trial. But now I'm home and all is well. Not quite all, my bag is still somewhere over Beijing. Now, over the next few days I hope to release the latest Depth Of Field interview with David duChemin. I also hope to get some editing and post processing done of the images I took while in India. While on this last Lumen Dei, one of my external hard drives crashed and I lost a lot of my work. None of my images, just the processing done for three days and as such I became very behind in my post processing. This has been an ongoing problem with Lightroom for me. I spoke with Rob Sylvan, author of Lightroom for Dummies, while at Photoshop World, he gave me some ideas, most of which had to do with running your catalog on the same drive where you store all your images. I don't do this. I'm also proud to announce that Depth of Field has a new sponsor. Peachpit Press, the publishers of David duChemin, Joe McNally, Chris Orwig, and others, will now be sponsoring for a limited time the Depth of Field podcast. So be sure to click through to Peachpit press and visit their great line of books and authors. This is just a short post, to let you know that I'm alive and well, and back in the blogosphere.

f/22, 1/30 sec, at 24mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:30:55 +0000

f/22, 1/30 sec, at 24mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:31:00 +0000

f/7.1, 1/25 sec, at 24mm, 320 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

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f/20, 2/5 sec, at 58mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:48:39 +0000

f/2.8, 1/20 sec, at 200mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:48:53 +0000

f/4, 1/20 sec, at 24mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:49:36 +0000

f/6.3, 3/10 sec, at 51mm, 160 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:50:47 +0000

f/2.8, 1/13 sec, at 50mm, 160 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Through failure comes movement.

Matt Brandon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:13:49 +0000

I'm working on my curriculum for my "Teaching Others to Fish" photography workshop. In creating an outline I see a pattern of knowledge. I think it's important for the photographer to:

1. Know your vision. 2. Know your gear. 3. Know your technique. 4. Know your client. 5. Know your subject.

Before you get all excited, this is just a draft outline. However, maybe as a subset under "Know your vision", there should be a "Know the why." Of course if you've read David duChemin's Within the Frame you know how important the "why" is. This is an area that I am always pushing myself. It's a constant struggle between my vision and my why. This last Lumen Dei was like that for me. I took many good images, some very good images. But, I was frustrated because I was constantly working on technique to better facilitate my "why" and what I really wanted to do was let go, and play. After my conversation on Depth of Field with Nevada Wier and studying her images, I found I was challenged by her great ability to communicate her vision through movement. Many of her images are strangely fluid and show movement through various techniques. I made it my goal to work with slower shutter speeds this trip, to drag the shutter, to pan and use other techniques that would showcase movement. Below you will see some of my attempts. One of the comments Nevada made to me the day before I left was, "Expect many more failures than successes." She was absolutely right. What I didn't count on, was the frustration and the feeling of wasted opportunities. Of course, in hindsight it was not wasted at all. But, after returning from a day of shooting and all you have to show is a CF card full of experiments and failures it can get quite discouraging. But like I said, in hindsight it was well worth it. I am pleased with the progress and the motion I was able to capture. This Lumen Dei for me was about color and motion. I think I've communicated that in these few images.

2010 Digital Trekker Calendar

Matt Brandon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:34:08 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:34:16 +0000

2010 Calendar on sale!

Matt Brandon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:56:25 +0000

Time to start looking for that next calendar. If you are like my family, we can never find the right calendar. It needs to be large, but not too large, and have plenty of space to write on the dates. Don't you hate those calendars that are just numbers? How can you write things to do like, "Jessie's concert at 7:00pm" on just numbers? What about those calendars that have the days of the weeks running up and down instead of left to right? Geezo Peezzo! So - Have I got a deal for you!

Announcing! (Fanfare here) The new 2010 Digital Trekker, 14 month calendar! 11" X 17" full color, printed on 100lb gloss white stock. Yours for the low, low price of only $19.99! That's right, only $19.99! Order yours HERE while supplies last.

Drawing The Eye

Matt Brandon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:26:07 +0000

Picture 2

Matt Brandon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:26:28 +0000

Friday Catch Up

Matt Brandon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:48:54 +0000

This Friday I want to play catch-up. There are two e-books I have not had a chance to review. The one that's been baking to be reviewed the longest is, "Seeing the Light, Making the most of available light and the minimal equipment", an e-book by Mitchell Kanashkevich. This is Mitchell's second e-book. His first was titled "Understanding Post-Processing". Both are available on Mitchell's blog HERE. Mitchell is an amazing photographer, he does things with light that I can only hope to do. In fact, now I hope to do it, because Mitchell has shared his secrets in this book. In this book Mitchell covers the use of flash, the reflector, and natural light. Mitchell uses the analogy of sculpting with light throughout the book. As if it is something that is something you could hold and with Mitchell's work you feel as if he is actually had the light in his hands and molded it.

In the first section on flash, Mitchell talks about the use of a flash both indoors and outdoors. One of the more interesting sections on the flash is how Mitchell explains how to use the flash with existing light bulbs. His methods of using flash with incandescent light gives a very natural feel to the light in the image. Using an on camera or off camera flash can be devastating to a beginner. This e-book makes it easy, and in fact it makes creative lighting something to try the next time you're out. He even talks about using flash with fire, with a candle and shows you some amazing effects. I'm telling you, if you have any interest in pulling your flash out of your bag then this is a read for you. Mitchell makes lighting makes sense. He doesn't just stick with the flash, he talks about using reflectors and how handy they can be to give you the light you want. He talks about natural light how to read it, how to anticipate it, how to plan for it. He talks about the magic hour, and what's so magical about it. All of this is illustrated by his stunning photography and some very clear illustrations. If I had any negative critique of this book it would be that it ends abruptly. I feel Mitchell has given me so much to chew on and to use and that it's almost as if we had a conversation and then he picks up and leaves without saying goodbye. But that's a minor nit for such an amazing publication. This is a valuable tool, a must-read for any photographer experienced or novice.

While I was traveling David duChemin created a new e-book called "Drawing the Eye, Creating stronger images through visual mass". This is the third in a series of e-books that David is produced in the last three months. The first one was titled "TEN (10 Ways To Improve Your Craft. None of Them Involve Buying Gear. )" and was just as good as it sounds. The second was simply called "TEN MORE (10 More Ways To Improve Your Craft. None of Them Involve Buying Gear.)" The one thing David has over other photographers who are writing books is David is also a graphic artist. So his books are visually as appealing as his photography, this book is no exception. This book is worth the five dollars you spend even if you never read it. It's a gorgeous compilation of images many even from this last Lumen Dei. Which is actually rather disgusting, as I haven't even had time to look through all my images, let alone produce a book with them. But then, that's David, not allowing grass to grow under his feet. So, the whole point of this book, is to help the photographer understand what draws the eye. It's sort of a cross between a book on composition and seeing. Again, it's the understanding of the "why" something works so that you can use it more effectively to tell your story. David does this masterfully in three parts. In part one, he explains visual mass what it is and why it matters. He talks about the factor that draw the eye:

The human figure.
Objects that are larger before objects that are small.
Objects that are bright over objects that are dark.
Elements that are sharp over those that are out of focus .

And much more...

In part two David talks about using visual mass and composition. It is in this part that he delves into the nuances of composition. He talks about point of view (POV) & balance, and how visual mass affects both of these.

Then in part three he talks about refining visual mass in the digital darkroom. Here, he gives you some practical steps and techniques that you can use in Lightroom.

There is a fourth part to the book, is here he gives three creative exercises. An exercise that related to each of the preceding three chapters. This is more than just an e-book full of pretty pictures this is a short seminar and well worth the five dollars. In closing, don't forget, my 2010 calendar is on sale now. This calendar will make nice gifts for your friends and family. I know what my family is getting for Christmas. Have a great weekend.

2010 Calendar

Matt Brandon — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:48:41 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:13:36 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:16:03 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:16:31 +0000

workshop

Matt Brandon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:19:30 +0000

Mikado

Matt Brandon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:32:36 +0000

MT

Matt Brandon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:40:53 +0000

Click me to go to Amazon!

Matt Brandon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:53:44 +0000

JC

Matt Brandon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:01:59 +0000

JC

Matt Brandon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:07:24 +0000

Interview: Jeremy Courtney, The Preemptive Love Coalition

Matt Brandon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:08:25 +0000

Jeremy Courtney-Audio Interview

This post is very unusual. I don't normally cover things that are not photo related. But, hey, it is my blog and I can cover what I want. While I was in Thailand back in August, I was able to sit down with Jeremy Courtney. Jeremy is one of the cofounders of the Preemptive Love Coalition, we had a nice long conversation about his work in Northern Iraq among the Kurds. I bring you this conversation because the Preemptive Love Coalition has become an amazing force in helping Kurdish children in northern Iraq and you should know about it. This is one of the most youthful and aggressive NGOs I've ever had the pleasure of working with and I wanted to share some of that with you. After listening to this interview I want you to head over to the website of preemptivelove.org and poke around and see what they're doing. These guys have a great website that is clever, visually exciting, and dare I say it; hip. I think this is in many ways where the NGO world is going to have to go in short time. These guys know how to market, use the net and social media. You can follow preemptive love, and each child's surgery on twitter HERE. I hope you enjoy the interview, learn something and maybe feel compelled to get involved. It is true they are unabashedly Christians, who link Kurdish Muslims in Iraq with Jewish doctors in Israel and Turk doctors in Turkey, it's a strange world. Spread the word and let's get involved. Let's stop standing on the sideline when there's opportunities to get in the game.

A Brief Visit

Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:45:06 +0000

It's Thursday afternoon and I just put Gavin Gough in a taxi to the airport. My wife and I had a great time hanging out with Gavin as he breezed through town for a quick visit. We took him out for local food and after chiding each other for not posting on our blogs for some time, I found he just posted today. Gavin has a whole host of new opportunities and workshops for 2010. Be sure to check out his listing on his new blog post. below you'll find a great little video he made to promote some of the workshops. You may know my background is in tourism. I lead treks and tours in India for 13 years. When I look at some photography workshops it's just about photography and that's fine. But, I think the ones that I really resonate with our ones that instruct the student in photography and also give the participants insight into the history and culture where they're shooting. This is what I try to do in my workshops and I know this is what Gavin does with his. Be sure to check out the link below to Gavin's new workshop schedule. httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijmQQ6vQFp4

wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:59:10 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:02:18 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:06:06 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:07:05 +0000

f/1.4, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 3200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:29:57 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:51:42 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:56:39 +0000

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Matt Brandon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:56:53 +0000

November Wallpaper

Matt Brandon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:00:02 +0000

I know I've been quiet for the past few weeks. I'm not sure why the creative writing juices are not flowing, as a result it's been a rather dry time. As I wrote yesterday, Gavin Gough flew in for a quick visit. While here we both confessed we are slackers and slapped each others hands for not posting more regularly. My goal has always been to posts three times a week, but I'm afraid I haven't been very true to that. So - in hopes to make amends - please accept a gift of this months wallpaper as my way of saying I am sorry and please forgive me. I shot this image on this past Lumen Dei while visiting Thiksey, a monastery outside of Leh, Ladakh. This is one of those pictures that proves people are the same everywhere. Here, a small monk is trying to wake up during early morning puja or devotions. He's doing his best to stay awake but finds it almost impossible. What little boy at the same age wouldn't be fighting to stay awake, whether he is in a monastery in the Ladakh or at church in Texas or a mosque in Lebanon, this the boy could be any boy. I think this is what makes this photo work, it's real, it's a moment we all relate with. A thank you goes out to Sabrina Henry for helping me pick out this image. Click on the links below for the wallpaper sized appropriate for your computer screen. Once you download then do whatever it is you do to get it this wallpaper on your desktop. November Wallpaper 1920px November Wallpaper 1280px November Wallpaper 1024px

Kitty by iPhone

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:52:56 +0000

Pipe

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:53:06 +0000

lamp

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:53:28 +0000

f/4, 1/800 sec, at 140mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:03:34 +0000

The Fox and The Lion

Matt Brandon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:58:02 +0000

There's old Aesop's fable, it's about a fox and a lion. A fox sees a lion walking down a path and runs for fear of its life. But the lion doesn't give chase. The next day, the fox sees the lion again but this time he draws closer, yet still staying at a safe distance. The third time the lion and the fox see each other and the fox goes right up to the lion and starts a conversation. He asks him how his family is and when should he and the lion get together again, as if their old chums. Then he just turns his tail and walks away, like this was completely normal. The moral Aesop gives; "Familiarity Breeds Contempt." This is more than just an Aesop's fable. Why it is even biblical. Jesus says, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." (( Matthew 13:57 NIV)) It's the same concept. Jesus and Aesop both saw something that was true. It's something we face every day as photographers. Everyday life around us can seem mundane and as a result uninteresting to photograph. This was brought out once again to me Saturday morning when I took my daughter out to take some photos. Jessie and I were doing a little photo walk, and she found a small shrine on the corner of the street. It was no more than 4 feet tall made of concrete and painted red. In it was a small oil lamp hanging from the top. Jessie was sharp enough to see the image, in fact I missed it completely. She snapped a couple of frames, I gave her some advice on how to shoot it again, so she went back for more shots. I guess the site of my daughter and I hovering over the small streetside shrine caused a little curiosity for some of the local people. So one local man came up to us and asked what we were doing? I said we were taking pictures. He looked at me incredulously and said "Of what? What is there to take pictures of?" I showed him the shrine. He gave me a quizzical look, and finally asked if he could see a picture. I showed him one of the shots and he agreed it was a nice photograph.

It dawned on me, this was his everyday life. This was not unique. This was not special. This was not anything out of the ordinary. Interestingly enough, he told me he was Christian and that this wasn't his shrine. I told him that that didn't matter and that he passed by it every day and that it lost its uniqueness to him and as a result has become insignificant and uninteresting. I told Jessie that this was a lesson to be learned, we have to keep our eyes open and see things fresh. There are a lot of ways to do that.

One way that I've found recently, is by purposely using my iPhone camera rather than my SLR. It forces me to change position, as there is no zoom. By changing position I see things in a new way. If I get up close, my subject distorts and other things around me are taller. It gives me a new perspective. Of course, you can do this with any fixed lens on any SLR. But the iPhone allows me to stick the camera into small places that I could never have placed a big SLR, like in a ditch to take a picture of my daughter's new kitten. Another way to fight the mundane, is to view things as geometric shapes and colors rather than their true meaning. So taking a picture of a shrine, or a door not because it's a shrine or a door, but because it's square or red. Of course, the obvious point to all of this is anything can be visually exciting, and attractive if shot with the right lens and composed in the right way. But you have to see it fresh eyes. I like my shot of my friend smoking his pipe. But it doesn't get any more mundane than a man smoking a pipe. Okay, maybe a man smoking a cigarette, but the point is there are images everywhere. Now I know, most of you know this. The reality, is that this post is for the few of you who may be suffering from a little creative dryness. You're complaining that there's just nothing to take pictures of. What is visually exciting about Temple Texas, or Stokenchurch, England? And you think, if I was only in Penang, Malaysia or Bangkok Thailand, I could get much better pictures. The fact is, you might be right. But only because you're seeing things fresh, you're seeing things that are new to you. You're away from your familiar surroundings. Go out today and look at your world with fresh eyes. Maybe get down on your knees and take a picture of a kitty in a gutter.

exposed winnowing

Matt Brandon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:59:31 +0000

Exposed: Risking the Winnowing

Matt Brandon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:34:42 +0000

This was not an easy photo for me. My first inclination is not to shoot directly into the sun. The day before, I shot some similar images but with the sun behind me. They came out flat and lifeless. I had been watching Amy Vitale shoot for the past week and there were several times I thought to myself, "That will never come out", because she was shooting in direct light or some of the harshest light you can imagine. Yet every time, her images were spectacular. It dawned on me that I was limiting myself, I was playing it safe. One of my biggest struggles is getting out of my safety zone. Stepping out of the box that I make for myself. I'm sure I'm not alone with that, I bet you have your own boxes that you've drawn around yourself, your photography and your techniques. Not to say I've never shot into the sun. I mean, everyone shoots sunsets, silhouettes and such. But this was none of the above. This was midmorning at around eight o'clock. The sun had been up for at least two hours, maybe longer. When I arrived at the scene, David duChemin and another photographer were already shooting it. I knew it would not be a unique shot. I also knew that David's would be incredible, and of course I was right, check out his images HERE. But does that mean that I don't shoot it? Maybe, sometimes. But this time I thought I could make this different than theirs, my image. So, after watching this man winnow for a while, I was able to observe the particles of chaff in the air and the sun glinting off of them. I knew that's what I wanted. I shot several images standing, but I could not seem to get what I wanted. The angle of the sun just wasn't right. So I laid down. You might not know, that when a farmer is winnowing he uses the wind. We were downwind and as a result, became covered completely with barley dust and dirt. Barley chaff went down my shirt, up my sleeve, in my ear, in my mouth and everywhere on my camera. Maybe you are thinking, "Were you afraid of the dust and grime that would get on your camera?" The fact is, my camera is a tool, it's designed to be abused to a certain extent. If it can't take dust in the field, or a certain amount of rain then it's a pretty poor excuse for a professional camera. I was certainly aware of the dust, and as soon as I left, I borrowed a friend's brush to dust off the camera. I certainly didn't change lenses at that moment. So there I am, lying down, dust flying, trying to time my shutter to the apex of the man's toss and lined up the tossed barley with the sun. I think I shot something like 15 to 20 shots. A few are okay, but I think this one was what I was looking for. Maybe, the moral of this story is don't be afraid to risk. I risked my gear and I risk making an image that everybody else was making. But my gear survived and I think I got an image that is uniquely mine. Go out and risk a little today.

http://www.20minutos.es

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:54:33 +0000

Matt Powell

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:18 +0000

http://www.theblacksnapper.com/

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:16:33 +0000

Inspiration with a Humanitarian Side

Matt Brandon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:28:26 +0000

In my preparations for my trip to Iraq in late January of 2010, I've been doing a lot of research on things like humanitarian photography, photojournalism, photo essays and other related topics. I've come across some pretty amazing sights. I thought I'd take this moment just to share with you three links that you might inspiring and motivational. I hope you enjoy these sites. The first selection of images is from a Spanish site called 20 Minutos.

The other site is of a friend of mine, Matt Powell. Matt works for the Christian aide and relief organization Samaritan's Purse. Matt is a great guy and a wonderful photographer.

Then, I found Black Snapper, a site that gives, as they put it "a daily dose of inspiring photography from around the world". Do yourself a favor and poke around this site. They highlight a different photographer every day and have different theme weeks. It is way cool and a gold mine of great images.

f/2.5, 1/160 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:54:08 +0000

f/1.6, 1/100 sec, at 85mm, 125 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:26:11 +0000

f/5.6, 1/60 sec, at 66mm, 160 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:26:15 +0000

f/2.5, 1/160 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:26:19 +0000

f/2.5, 1/125 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:26:22 +0000

f/2.8, 1/800 sec, at 48mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:33:51 +0000

A Day of Texture

Matt Brandon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:00:38 +0000

Hariman enjoying my 85mm 1.2 Yesterday I took a day off and went out and took some photos. I needed to get away from the computer, away from the four walls of my office and get out into the real world again. I called up a friend of mine, Hariman, and we went roaming the city on the back of my scooter. We had no agenda, no plan, nothing, just the idea to go out and let the environment speak to us. It was a very hot day, and it seemed like everywhere we went people were either out of town, their shops closed or they were ill. But all in all I walked away with a few images and I thought I'd share with you here today. I don't normally treat my images with any sort of texture. In fact, last week was the first time I used any sort of frame on an image in a long time. But after browsing through some of Chris Orwig's images I was inspired to play around. I think that if there is a trick to using textures, it is you have to have a decent image to begin with. Textures can be thought of or used as a sort of un-suck filter. The image has to be good to begin with, no amount of Lightroom presets, cool textures or frame is going to make it any better. Putting fake hair on top of my head isn't going to make me a different guy, it's just going to make me look like a guy with a rug on his head. I'm still the same bald guy, bald or hairy, it's me. An image that's bad with a texture laid on top of it, or an HDR treatment is still a bad image. Only now, it is a bad image with a really cool looking texture on it. If you've got something to work with and the textures fit with what you envisioned when you shot it, then by all means use a texture or preset. Textures can enhance your vision. You don't have to go out and buy a lot of expensive texture sets. In fact, the ones I used here were free. You can find some really nice textures HERE and HERE. If you're new to Photoshop, textures are very easy to use. Simply copy a texture and paste it on your photo. It becomes the top layer, then set the blend mode for that layer to something like overlay or soft light. Then, what I do is adjust the opacity of the layer and maybe create layer mask and paint out some of the texture. And that's it. Have fun.

f/1.2, 1/1000 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:36:22 +0000

All this and more...

Matt Brandon — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:30:35 +0000

The above photo of my wife has nothing to do with today's blog post. I needed a photo to fill the white space and she is too pretty not to post images of her when I can...so I did. It's been a pretty productive week for me in general. I was even able to get out and do some shooting. Today I thought I'd list several links that I've run across during the week and a few things that friends have going on at their websites. By now you've seen all of the e-books that David duChemin has produced. Well, he has produced one more titled, CHASING THE LOOK, 10 Ways To Improve The Aesthetics of Your Photographs. David's e-books are always informative, instructional and inevitably, absolutely gorgeous. This one is no exception. I love the attention to small design detail he puts into them. Each book is a work of art. This book is a lot longer than the last ones, somewhere around 50 pages. Packed full of creative exercises and great instruction. A true bargain for the meager five dollars he's asking for it. Gavin Gough has a photographic exhibition that started this past Wednesday and will continue for two months. The exhibit is being shown at a trendy café called Exhibit Café. Gavin is selling prints in honor of the exhibit through his website, you can find them here. Be sure to go by Exhibit Café Facebook page and check out scenes from the opening night, it looked like a pretty fun time. Thanks goes out to Tim, one of my readers, who linked a comment to a very cool photo website. You really need to check this site out. The site is called Vewd.org. The site is filled with incredible images by talented photographers. To use their own words here is what Vewd is about:

Vewd is a documentary photography magazine that aims to continue the tradition of storytelling through an ever evolving visual medium. Launched in early 2008, Vewd is committed to bringing to the forefront versatile essays from up and coming but largely unknown photographers throughout the world. The photographs on Vewd and their accompanying stories show the complexity of this world we live in today in a way that mainstream media fails to.

The folks at M & M Photo Tours tell me there is still space available for the South India tour in February 2010. You can find more information HERE at my website. Check out the complete itinerary HERE. We would love to have you come and join us, there should be some great food and a lot of adventure. I found out some cool trivia about the Canon 5D MK 2 and Canon's new 7D. Did you know, that the new Saturday Night Live opening sequence was shot with these two cameras? You can read all about it HERE. Check out the photos accompanying the article. You'll see some interesting gear used with the with these cameras. The photographers are using a Zacuto Z-finder as well as a gunstock stabilizer. You can see both HERE, pricey, but very cool stuff. What I really want to get my hands on is the Z-finder. It looks like it would make shooting video much more intuitive and much easier to hold the camera. I was first introduced to this gear by a very talented videographer, director and filmmaker Philip Bloom. The guy does stuff with the 5D MK 2 that I could only dream of doing. I'm excited that Philip has agreed to do a Depth of Field interview with me, so be looking for that in the future. In closing, I'd like to update you on what's happening with Depth of Field. I know many of you noticed the absence of new programs and I'm sorry about that. I actually have several on the shelf ready to post. It's just that were working out the details with the new sponsor, Peachpit. Hang on, it won't be long now. Just to wet your appetite, I have hour-long interviews with David duChemin, Ami Vitale and a conversation with David, Ami and I talking about stories from the field. I also did an interview with author Chris Orwig about his new book, Visual Poetry . As we used to say in broadcasting, "All this and more, coming your way. So, stay tuned!" That's about it for this Friday. I hope you have a great weekend.

http://fifototemp.ipower.com/

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:34:31 +0000

http://fifototemp.ipower.com/

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:34:41 +0000

http://fifototemp.ipower.com/

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:39:33 +0000

http://fifototemp.ipower.com/

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:56:17 +0000

Fifoto Photography: the Future of Malaysian Photography

Matt Brandon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:32:13 +0000

Sunday I went to Borders bookstore in the local mall, drank some coffee browsed some books and generally relaxed. While there, I ran across in the magazine section, a small directory of Malaysian wedding photographers. I have never had the guts to shoot a wedding. I think you have to be out of your mind to be a wedding photographer or else, have nerves of steel, and I certainly don't. But, I love this new style of photography that's happening with wedding photography. It's called several things; documentary wedding photography, journalistic wedding photography but, whatever it's called, it's looser and more alive than in the past. Basically, it's taking weddings and making them into an event that a photographer covers rather than helps create.

But I digress, back to the magazine. It's called The Hip List and it showcases some of Malaysia's top wedding photographers. It lists many talented photographers and studios. But one that just jumps off the page at me is Fifoto Photography. Fiona Lim and her staff of photographers are amazing! Their shots are alive, youthful and extremely fun. Fifoto Photography is made up of at least seven different photographers and a makeup artist. All young, and all extremely talented. I swear, you must have to be a professional model to work with them, as they're all extremely good-looking. If I had the opportunity to shoot with any one of these photographers, I think I would jump at it, even if it was a wedding! It's clear these folks know what they're doing and are extremely good at it.

Be sure to check out some of their galleries. Here are a couple to start with. The first gallery focuses on the Muslim marriage ceremony called Nikah. The second one is focused on the Chinese Tea Ceremonies. Be sure to stop by Fiona's blog HERE and you'll see she's much more than just a wedding photographer.

Another reason why I'm talking about Malaysian photographers today, is I think many of you reading this blog think that by living in Penang, I live near the end of the world. It's just not true. Malaysia is a very modern country, filled with talented, energetic and off the scale creative people. I only hope that over time I can mix it up and rub shoulders with as many of these people as I can. Maybe some of that youthful good looks talent and vision will rub off on me.

f/3.5, 1/4000 sec, at 85mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:04:47 +0000

f/10, 1/80 sec, at 85mm, 1000 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:04:51 +0000

f/4, 1/125 sec, at 85mm, 200 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:04:54 +0000

f/1.2, 1/400 sec, at 85mm, 100 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:15:23 +0000

Lumen Dei 2010 dates announced!

Matt Brandon — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:50:41 +0000

I am excited to announce that Lumen Dei 2010 will be held September 12-25 in Kashmir and Ladakh, India. It will be another adventurous trip this year that you will not want to miss. The thing that I'm most excited about is that we are going back, after a two-year hiatus, two Kashmir. Lumen Dei starts in Srinagar, Kashmir where we will tour and shoot the old city, the ancient shrines, Dal Lake and more. We'll be staying on a beautiful houseboat right in the heart of Srinagar. You'll also have a chance to spend a couple days up in the mountains visiting Gujjar and Bakerwal shepherds as they begin their migration back to the planes. From Srinagar we drive over the Zoji La passed making our way to Leh, Ladakh. Along the way we stopped at several monasteries including the famous Lamayuru monastery. At Lamayuru, if we are fortunate they will be harvesting their barley crops. The plan is to spend two days shooting pictures of villagers havesting and threshing with yaks and visiting the picturesque monastery. Once we arrived into Leh our time is packed with visits to local monasteries and the Leh palace. We've scheduled a photo shoot in the courtyard of the Leh Palace with cultural dancers decked in traditional costumes. There are very few photo workshops that give you the opportunities that we do. Combining trekking in the Himalaya, road trips over mountain passes and photo shoots in monasteries; and you'll be shooting alongside myself and best-selling author David duChemin. Where else can you get all this but on a Lumen Dei? If you want in on this adventure, you best act now! We only have eight spots available and I'm sure they're going to go quick. All the logistics and the application process are now being handled by my old trekking company in India, Frontier Treks and Tours. To apply or just learn more about Lumen Dei ‘10 go to the FT&T website HERE. See you in India!

Zack and Old Dogs

Matt Brandon — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:56:12 +0000

A photographer most of you know and if you don't shame on you, is Zack Arias out of Atlanta. Zack was in New York recently and gave himself an assignment to shoot 10 portraits of 10 strangers in 10 hours. For some of us this is not hard, for others this is a complete nightmare. There are two reasons why I am blogging about this. First, is many of you who read this blog want to shoot photos on the street and this means taking pictures of complete strangers. So this is a topic you are interested in. I get quite a few emails asking me what it takes to shoot good street portraits. I have gotten to the point where now all I do is point people to a few past post I did on the subject HERE, HERE and HERE. At one time I thought I might write an ebook of the subject. But the fact of the matter is there is just not enough to write about. It really boils down to getting up the nerve and going up to someone and asking them to let you snap a few shots of them. Sure, you have to watch your lighting, how you frame your subject, composition etc.. But the bulk of it is nerves. Just as Zack say's "there are times you have to get over your anxiety about talking to strangers and pursue what it is you want to do." In other words, just do it. The other point I want to bring out is Zack, a pro, a seasoned working photographer still gives himself assignments. Why does he do this? He wants to stay fresh and maintain his creative edge. If we keep to what we know we do not grow. We remain stagnate and definable. Gavin Gough likes to say to me, "That is a very Brandon-esque shot." I cringe! I hate hearing those words. Yes, many of us have a style. But for some reason I don't like being defined by my style. I feel boxed in. One way to combat that is to keep pushing the bound and trying new things. Old dogs can learn new tricks. But, without a master, you have to be a self directed old dog. I know several top shooters and all of them do this. They all give themselves assignments. If you stop growing, check your pulse. Ruff!

For the photographer who has everything

Matt Brandon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:37 +0000

Sunny 16

Maybe you're like me and you have a bad memory. I try to remember all those little rules and those little quips that are suppose to help you. You know the ones I'm talking about, "the sunny 16 rule" or "F8 and be there". Do you ever go to a shoot and forget a Grey Card? Well, as they say, "Have I got a deal for you!" I ran across a whole list of T-shirts made specifically for photographers. Now you can wear the sunny 16 rule right on your chest. Better yet, give it to your assistant to wear and that way you can always have it as a constant reminder. Now, before you roll your eyes, checked them out. Some of them are quite clever. Granted, most of them I wouldn't be caught dead. But one or two I might even wear.

If you're a photographer who has kids this might actually be something they could afford to buy you. Jessie is always asking me what I want for Christmas. I keep telling her, that 16-35 f2.8 L series lens. But she never gets it for me. What does she do with that allowance I give her? Well, maybe she can afford one of these T-shirts. The list comes from Michael Zhang. He tweeted a request for humorous T-shirts and apparently he got quite a lot of feedback. See his whole list of T-shirts here at Michael Zhang's website PetaPixel.

18% Grey

Photographer's friend

Camera Display

Oh, crop

f/2.8, 1/80 sec, at 70mm, 1250 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:49:58 +0000

f/2.8, 1/80 sec, at 66mm, 2000 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:50:02 +0000

f/2.8, 1/60 sec, at 59mm, 2500 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:50:06 +0000

Matt-assignment-1

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:50:11 +0000

Matt-assignment-2

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:50:16 +0000

Matt-assignment-4

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:50:21 +0000

Matt-assignment-3

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:55:03 +0000

Voices, So Many Voices!!

Matt Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:31:48 +0000

Over the last couple weeks, I've been pushing you to push yourself. To step out of your comfort zones and try new things. The truth is, we have all kinds of voices in our heads telling us things. Some of these are intuitive voices and feelings that we should listen to, others are lies that limit us and pull us down. I'm not sure where these voices come from, but they haunt us, they follow us around. At times these voices are so loud we swear others should be able to hear them. They block out everything else in our mind. We freeze, like a deer in the headlights, unable to move. The voices are confusing. They sound like good advice. Who can argue with a voice that says, "Don't be foolish!" That sounds like good advice. But who says? Why do we have to be dignified all the time? Why can't we be foolish? Of course there's a time and a place to be dignified. But, there is also often a time and a place to be foolish, silly and uninhibited. It takes a foolish person, or an uninhibited person to walk up to a complete stranger and to say, "May I take your picture?" Why is it so difficult to do this? Are we afraid of rejection? What's the worst that can happen? They say, "no." That's it! Nothing else. They're not going to hit you. They're probably not going to call the police on you, they're just going to simply say, "No." Fine, they said no, and you feel foolish. But you also just had a small victory, you have a power over that voice in your head. You won. Now go to the next person and try again. Another message is, "You're going to make a mistake." Okay, so it might make a mistake. I don't know of anyone who learns without making mistakes. The problem is somewhere along the line we learn to fear mistakes instead of looking at them as steps for success. George Bernard Shaw said, "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." So the choices seems to be, sit around and wonder what could have been or risk it and perhaps make a mistake but learn from it and grow. In his book Visual Poetry, Chris Orwig tells how he had a music teacher give him some of his best advice about learning his cello and how he has applied it to life. He told Chris to make "bold" mistakes. Not just mistakes, but bold mistakes. Mistakes are what we learn from. If we're not making mistakes were not growing. The famous film director Garry Marshall once said, "It's always helpful to learn from your mistakes because then your mistakes seem worthwhile." Then there's the voice that's always telling you to be practical. This voice wants you to do it like everybody else. I guess, being practical is often a good thing. We certainly don't want to be impractical with our money or waste our time away. But being practical when you're trying to be creative is a death blow to creativity. Pablo Picasso may have said it best when he said, "The chief enemy of creativity is common sense." This past Saturday my daughter and I decided not to listen to the voices in our heads. Jessie and I went out in the morning to a local market. Once there, I gave Jessie and myself an assignment. The assignment was this: We must make four portraits in one hour of four strangers without showing their faces. This flew in the face of all the voices. This was foolish, not practical and I'm sure we would make plenty of mistakes. But we needed it. We needed to be pushed and Jessie needed to see her dad pushes creative boundaries as well. I needed to model what I was preaching. Below, you will see the images we took. I use my iPhone and Jess used my 5D. You will see a couple of the images are almost the same even though we split up and shot separately. You know what they say about great minds. [gallery link="file"]

f/3.5, 1/500 sec, at 85mm, 400 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:40:01 +0000

Playing Favorites

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:08:15 +0000

One of my favorites.

Recently I was interviewed and was asked which image of mine was my favorite. I stared at the question for a longtime before it realized I honestly couldn't answer it. I felt like the question was akin to asking a father to choose a favorite child. It just was not fair. I'm sure you're like me and that each image that you shoot has value for different reasons and appeals to different emotions. Many of your images are favorites for the day or the week, maybe longer. But then a new one comes along and speaks louder. But there is a few images that reach out, grab you and holds you. It does more than just appeal to you, it mesmerizes or it holds you. It becomes a part of you. But even that image has a life and one day may have to take a backseat to a new image. So what are my favorite images today may not have been what it was last week. Even among my favorites there rarely is just one image at any single time. And those images speak to different emotions and for different reasons. My guess is that Steve McCurry loves the Afghan girl image. I bet it's not his favorite photo ever taken. Now, I don't know this, I'm just guessing. My guess is, he loves that shot for the story behind it and what it has done for his career. There is no doubt that this image hold a special place for him. But I'll wager, there is some photo in his portfolio that the rest of us would look at and go, "Yeah, it's great. But it's no Afghan girl" But to him it means something special. I think, this is one of the core reasons why editing our own work is so difficult. We have emotions and feelings tied up with an image that transcends and go beyond what everyone else sees. Let's face it, it's almost all subjective. Sure, there are rules and image can be technically right or wrong, but the real question is does it move us? When we take an image we see something in the shot that moves us to want to capture it. But sometimes those elements are so subtle and they were only a part of something bigger going on outside the frame. As the photographer, we remember that, we saw and experienced the whole scene. But the viewer didn't, and they are left wondering what we see in this image. All of this can be very subtle. So an image may be a fine image, a moving image, but how do we as an editor of our own work distance ourselves from it and keep within the frame. I'm not sure there's one answer for this. I find it extremely hard. I try to look at an image, somewhat dispassionately and see it for all of its parts. I ask myself so what is it in this images that is drawing me? What are the emotions that are coming out? Does it speak to me? Does it talk to me? I ask myself is this a part of a series or can it stand alone? There are certain things that move everyone, conflict, struggle, compassion, love, hate and more. Does the image have any of these elements in it? The image that can communicate any of these things will often be a good image even though it may not be technically sound. But a technically sound image, one that follows the rule of thirds, one that has all the parts were supposed to be, but lacks emotion will fall flat. I guess I'm rambling a bit today. But to bring this back to which is my favorite. I will admit to you, Jessie is my favorite child. But, as far as the favorite image? I can choose from among them. Maybe you have an all-time favorite image of yours. That's wonderful. But to be honest I have to say I don't. I have several favorites but not one stands above the rest... at least not yet. Not today. Oh, by the way- Jessie is my only daughter.

Depth of Field: David duChemin

Matt Brandon — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:35:07 +0000

If you are in the USA, let me be the first to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. I got an early start here in Malaysia with a wonderful breakfast from my wife and waking up to the new Depth of Field podcast posted on Peachpit.com. You can also find all the old episodes there as well. Don't worry, they'll be soon available on iTunes for download to your iPod as well.

I have so much to be thankful for this year. I am thankful for so many new friends here in Malaysia; the loads of new friends I made at Photoshop World in Las Vegas; a wonderful Lumen Dei this past September; a whole host of fine images throughout the year and some new clients. I'm also thankful that this next year is booked to capacity. But, in the midst of all this I am most thankful for my wonderful family who supports this crazy lifestyle we live. I could not continue this work without the love and support my wife, Alou and my daughter Jessie.

By now many of you have seen that the new depth of field podcast series is up and live on Peachpit's website. You can access all the old broadcast as well as a brand-new episode with my good friend and Lumen Dei co-host David duChemin ...or... you can listen to them above, right here. David's interview is an hour-long and he was quite enjoyable to interview. It's another frank discussion, yet filled with light moments that only David can deliver. David and I talked about gear, technique, social media as well as about the life of the photographer and the struggles. I hope you take your time to listen to and maybe pick up a few tips and inspiration along the way. By the way, feel free to embed this podcast in your blog, website or even Facebook. Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are in the world.

The Hands of Rat Island

Matt Brandon — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:12:38 +0000

As you know, I've been giving myself assignments lately for several reasons. Of course the main reason is just to push myself. But another and just as important reason is to force myself to get out into my community. I travel all over the world, and shoot every imaginable location, but the place I probably spend the least amount of time with my camera is my own backyard. So, for the last three days, I've been visiting a small market here in Penang called Pulau Tikus or in English, "Rat Island". It's a fun little place with a lot happening, I hope you will enjoy this look at "The Hands of Rat Island". (Be sure and take advantage of the full screen feature.)

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