ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <!-- saved from url=(0044)http://moca.virtual.museum/mary/marypage.htm --> <HTML><HEAD> <meta name="keywords"content="mary's page, art comment page, mary sargent, art commentary, art talk, art speak,art site, artist resource, computer art, digital art, moca.virtual.museum, moca, moca museum, art museum, virtual art museum, virtual art, art exhibit, art shows, art gallery, fractals, animations, raytraced art, rendered art, 3d art, computer drawn art, flash art, web art, new media, virtual museum, web museum"> <meta name="description" content="digital art museum, works by distinguished computer and digital artists"> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <STYLE type=text/css>A { TEXT-DECORATION: none } </STYLE> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript> <!-- function MM_preloadImages() { //v3.0 var d=document; if(d.images){ if(!d.MM_p) d.MM_p=new Array(); var i,j=d.MM_p.length,a=MM_preloadImages.arguments; for(i=0; i<a.length; i++) if (a[i].indexOf("#")!=0){ d.MM_p[j]=new Image; d.MM_p[j++].src=a[i];}} } function MM_swapImgRestore() { //v3.0 var i,x,a=document.MM_sr; for(i=0;a&&i<a.length&&(x=a[i])&&x.oSrc;i++) x.src=x.oSrc; } function MM_findObj(n, d) { //v4.0 var p,i,x; if(!d) d=document; if((p=n.indexOf("?"))>0&&parent.frames.length) { d=parent.frames[n.substring(p+1)].document; n=n.substring(0,p);} if(!(x=d[n])&&d.all) x=d.all[n]; for (i=0;!x&&i<d.forms.length;i++) x=d.forms[i][n]; for(i=0;!x&&d.layers&&i<d.layers.length;i++) x=MM_findObj(n,d.layers[i].document); if(!x && document.getElementById) x=document.getElementById(n); return x; } function MM_swapImage() { //v3.0 var i,j=0,x,a=MM_swapImage.arguments; document.MM_sr=new Array; for(i=0;i<(a.length-2);i+=3) if ((x=MM_findObj(a[i]))!=null){document.MM_sr[j++]=x; if(!x.oSrc) x.oSrc=x.src; x.src=a[i+2];} } //--> </SCRIPT> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6001.18226" name=GENERATOR> </HEAD><BODY text=black vLink=#7d4900 aLink=#7d4900 link=#7d4900 bgColor=white> <center> <font size=1 face=tahoma> <a href="/index.asp"> <b>MOCA HOME</b></a><br></font> <IMG height=120 src="maryhead780x120.gif" width=780 border=1> <P></center><FONT face=tahoma size=-1> <TABLE height=1500 width=780 align=center> <td>&nbsp;&nbsp; <td> </td> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top align=left width=180><FONT face=tahoma size=-1> <p><BEGIN FIRST COLUMN> <TD>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <TD vAlign=top align=left width=180><FONT face=tahoma size=-1.5> <p> <b>" Photo Sculpture- Mecca"</b> <br>by Ellen Jantzen <a href="http://moca.virtual.museum/jantzen/jantzen05.htm"> <img src="jantzen.jpg" width=180 height=132 border=1></a> <p> <b>The Confident Photographer</b><br> By Natalie Norton <p> <b>Keep a Notebook . . . or don t </b> -- It is recommended that you create and maintain a well-organized notebook. Keep it with you and jot notes in it frequently. You can treat the book like a travel log of your experience, a place where you keep notes, set goals, paste trimmings of shots you ve found that inspire you, and so on. You d be surprised just how many photographers do this -- at least 50%. <p> For some people keeping a notebook adds stress and pressure to something that is supposed to be enjoyable. If you fall into that category, ditch step one and keep moving on to the other tips below. <p> <b>Shoot Frequently</b> -- (this is the most important of any of the tips, so if you re going to choose just one, let this be it!) If you really want to gain confidence, you should be out shooting as much as you possibly can. Perhaps it s every day on your lunch hour. If that s the only window you have to consistently squeeze it in, fine. Just be out shooting frequently and consistently. Practice makes perfect after all. You may also find that one-in-a-million image that stands out in the array of not-so-great shots that you've taken. <p> <b>Shoot in Different Conditions</b> -- Not only should you be shooting regularly, you should be out shooting in different conditions as often as possible to familiarize yourself with them. A lot of times as photographers we re searching for good, easy, flat light that isn t going to throw us any curve balls (i.e. open shade or an overcast day). The reality of photography however is that you don t always have so much control, so you need to be ready for any and everything at any given time. <p> <b>Set Goals</b > -- Is there a particular technique you d like to learn? Perhaps there s a shot you saw and you d like to attempt to achieve a similar result. If so, investigate how best to educate yourself on this technique and practice! <p> Let people know that you re working on something new and ask for their feedback and any tips they may have. Post your trials on your website. Then get out and practice like crazy until you get it figured out. <p> <b>Read, Read, Read</b> -- There are SO MANY great books out there on photography, so get your study on. Check free sites on the Web; there s a wealth of information at your finger-tips. <p> <b>Ask Lots of Questions</b> -- Sometimes photographers have a hard time asking questions. Why do so many of us like to feel like, and look like, we ve got it all figured out? It s baffling. Asking questions frequently will help you feel certain you re going about things in the right way and that s a HUGE step toward gaining lasting confidence. <p> If truly daring, consider Interning for a successful photographer. Fine tune your own style through observation and experimentation. With the photographers permission, of course, make good use of the photo-studio s equipment. This is a great way to define your personal goals before you venture into buying expensive equipment. <p> <b>Change Your Perspective</b> -- Simply remember that no matter who you are or how celebrated you become, there will always be a zillion photographers better than you AND always a zillion worse. And guess what? It doesn t matter a bit! Comparison is all about <I>perspective</I>, and that s something you have complete and total control over. Rather than viewing another photographer s work and feeling down because you feel incapable of taking shots like that, think  Wow! That s a great shot! I m so glad I now I know that shots like that are possible and I can start practicing and trying to figure out how! How s that for empowerment! Instead of secretly begrudging the attention another photographer is receiving for their work, just think,  Wow, if I work really hard, I could get that kind of attention to MY art! <p> Ultimately confidence is a choice. Remember two important things as you venture forth - 1) Your perspective is unique and 2) Rome wasn t built in a day. Be patient with yourself and have fun! <p> Source -- Read other articles on photography and participate in a blog at: <a href="http://www.digital-photography-school.com/"> Digital Photography School</a> <p> <END FIRST COLUMN> <BEGIN SECOND COLUMN><TD>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <TD vAlign=top align=left width=360><FONT face=tahoma size=-1> <p> <b>" Memories and Solitude"</b> <br>by Ricardo Báez Duarte <a href="http://moca.virtual.museum/baez/baez06.htm"> <img src="duarte.jpg" width=360 height=239 border=1></a> <p> <b> On Becoming A Photographer: <br> Confessions of an iStock Photo Contributor</b> By Mike Cherim <p> <b>Going Digital</b><br> When I was a kid I shot mostly in black and white as that s what I was barely able to afford. Color was out of reach at the time. I worried a great deal about exposure, focus, and of course, composition. If the photo was underexposed, it could get grainy but rarely was it a problem. <p> That was then. In the digital present I worry about exposure, focus, and a host of other things like noise, artifacts, chromatic aberration, and more. Exposure is harder to nail with a digital camera due to the sensor and its averaging of various exposures in the scene. As a result, elements in the scene are sometimes over and/or underexposed. Often the cameras will err on the side of underexposure. At least that seems to be the case for Nikon, and it leads to some of the issues mentioned. I cannot comment on Cannon or any other quality brand. I use the Nikon D300 and have various lenses. <p> Lately I have taken a step back and gone back to my roots so-to-speak. I started using my Nikon in Program Auto mode while learning it, then moved to using primarily Aperture Priority mode giving me better control. I then added exposure compensation to the mix, which is ever changing, and now I m using my camera in Manual mode. I turned off auto-focus on my lenses pretty much from the start as I ve always preferred to focus my scenes manually so it started there I guess. I do like image stabilization, though. <p> I m not at all down on digital if it s sounds that way. I like Manual mode, I have complete control. I am becoming one with my equipment as I should be. I may use the auto stuff again at some point. If I become a paparazzo someday, for instance, I m not going to have time to adjust my exposures and focus manually. If I become a paparazzo. <p> Nope, I m not down on digital at all. With digital I pay a whole hell of a lot less for my mistakes. And believe me, I make plenty. I discard far more photos than I keep. But, hey, it s digital so I can afford to play around. Digital photography delivers instant gratification. What s not to like? <p> <b>The Journey</b><br> Stock photography isn t easy for me. I m sure it is for some, but for me it s as slippery as an eel. I ve always liked to get creative with my photos, to be artistic, and I still can, but now I must consider how a designer might want or need to use my photo. Isolated on white was once boring, now it s useful to designers sometimes. I have to retrain my brain. But only partially. I m smart, I will catch my eel once and for all, but a side of me will continue to produce niche photos and some art. I won t settle for taking photos of objects and toothily grinning models all the time. <p> I do this now in preparation for later. I couldn t live with what I make now selling photos,but I hope it supplements my retirement later on. I will continue on my journey for the time being, giving it my time and dedication. And the latter will be needed. As I wrote, it isn t easy for me. It s even worse for many others  my acceptance rate at iStock is pretty good compared to some. I will put up with it because it is the price to be paid. And anything worthwhile has a price. Why should this be an exception? <p> <b>The Learning Curve</b><br> The learning curve, while fun and interesting, has been steep. The jargon and all of the things that can go wrong in digital photography alone are daunting. Add to that my new learning experiences in post processing. And add to that the stringent criteria for getting photos approved on iStockphoto (or any microstock site). It s a lot to deal with at times. Taking a photo no longer happens as quickly as it once did as dozens of things must first be considered. <p> Writers, according to Stephen King, must learn to  kill their darlings, meaning that they must objectively revisit with their work and possibly rip it up. The same is true of photography. I m partly used to this phenomenon. Some of my articles take a long time to produce. I write them, fall in love sometimes, then I have to put them aside. I then go back and reread them after a while, trying to be objective as possible. Sometimes, most times, the love fades and I start hacking the article into bits trying to get it right. I do the same with my photography, except the killing goes on in PhotoShop or I sometimes just reshoot. <p> In effect, while my photo experience is certainly valuable, and my understanding of re-re-re-assessing all my work and sometimes killing it off, it s like starting over. I am learning. There s no doubt that I m finding this progression a heck of a lot more interesting than you ll find it, but I wanted to share. Becoming a photographer isn t easy  though it has some great perks that will meet my future needs far better then web development  and writing it down as I go helps me put some of the minor aggravations into perspective. <p> Source: <a href="http://green-beast.com/blog/?p=317"> Green Beast Blog</a> <p> <p> <center> ________________________________ </center> <p> <TD>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <TD vAlign=top align=left width=200><FONT face=tahoma size=-1> <p> <END SECOND COLUMN> <BEGIN THIRD COLUMN><TD>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <TD vAlign=top align=left width=200><FONT face=tahoma size=-1.5><p> <b>" Dark Photography -Born Identity "</b> <br>by Marko Beslac <a href="http://moca.virtual.museum/beslac/beslac08.htm "> <img src="beslac.jpg" width=200 height=264 border=1></a> <p> <b>What is the BEST Photo-Editing Software Available?</b> <p> Per <b>Top Ten Reviews.com</b>: <p> #1 Corel Paint Shop Photo Pro<br> #2 Adobe Photoshop Elements<br> #3 Xara Photo & Graphic Designer<br> #4 Serif Photo Plus<br> <p> Source: <a href="http://photo-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/"> Top Ten</a> <p> Per <b>Consumer Search Review</b>: <p> BEST Photo-Editing Software for Most Individuals =Adobe Photoshop Elements [Est. cost $80 USD]<br> BEST Photo Organizer = Google Picasa [FREE}<br> BEST Photo-Editing Software = GIMP [FREE]<br> BEST Pro-level Editor and Image Manager = Adobe Photoshop Light room [Est. cost $275 USD]<br> BEST Professional Graphics Software = Adobe Photoshop [Est. cost $665 USD]<br> <p> Runners-Up Include: <p> #1 Corel PaintShop Photo Pro [Est. $100 USD] <br> #2 Apple life [Est. $80 USD] <br> #3 Ulead Photo Impact [Est. $50 USD] <br> <p> Source: <a href="http://www.consumersearch.com/photo-editing-software"> Consumer Search</a> <p> <p> <i><b>Photo Editing Advice</b><br> Experiment! Churn those creative juices and manipulate those software program tools. Discover new techniques in using effects on images. It s a no holds barred endeavor and no one is stopping you from doing just that. </i> <p> <p> <b>  Ten Photo-editing Tips from a Pro <a href="http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/27/ten-photo-editing-tips-from-a-pro/"> NY Times</a></b> <p> <p> <b>CORRECTION!!!</b><br> Last week the artist <b>Frida Kahlo's</b> name was spelled incorrectly and has since been corrected. Thank you for your understanding. <p> This page posted 25 April 2011<p> <b>ARCHIVED PAGES</b> <p> <p> <b>For previous <i>Mary's Page</i> articles, news, views, and commentaries on an array of art topics try the SITE SEARCH feature on MOCA's Home Page.</b> <p> <p> <FONT face=tahoma size=-2> <b>2011</b><br> <a href="archive/marypage83.htm">- Creativity and Novelty<br> - Edit Life, Edit Art<br> <a href="archive/marypage84.htm">- Censorship and Art, Part I<br> <a href="archive/marypage85.htm">- Censorship and Art, Part II <a href="archive/marypage86.htm">- Photomosaic Artistry<br> - Images and the Law<br> <a href="archive/marypage87.htm">- Less Is More<br> - Creative Doodling<br> <a href="archive/marypage88.htm">- Creative Copyright<br> - Street Art<br> <a href="archive/marypage89.htm">- Collaborating with Other Artists<br> <a href="archive/marypage90.htm">- Laurie Simmons Art<br> - "I Wanna Be a Famous Artist..."<br> <a href="archive/marypage91.htm">- Werner Hornung, Digital artist Interview<br> <a href="archive/marypage92.htm">- Role of the Artist, an Essay<br> <a href="archive/marypage93.htm">- How to Apply for Grants<br> <a href="archive/marypage94.htm">- Art is Not About Talent<br> - Talking Art<br> <a href="archive/marypage95.htm">- Art and the Economy<br> <a href="archive/marypage96.htm">- Contemporary Portraiture<br> <a href="archive/marypage97.htm">- Why Women Artists Get Paid Less<br> <a href="archive/marypage98.htm">- Video Art, Too Fast for Art Fairs?<br> - Collecting Video Art <p> <p> <a href="http://www.dpandi.com/DAPTTF/glossary.html ">DIGITAL GLOSSARY OF TERMS</a> <p> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php"><img src="facebook.gif" width=144 height=44 border=1></a> <p> <END THIRD COLUMN> </FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></FONT></P><script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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