Let's talk photography. My name is Tomasz Trzebiatowski and I am the editor of FRAMES, quarterly printed photography magazine and the accompanying digital platform.
Thank you for this excellent video and the opportunity to see your photos. It did leave me with a question though. The attractive grain in your photos:, in-camera film simulation? or post processing?
Very interesting. I would like it if you added the EXIF info on each chosen still shot - another way of learning. I would particularly like to have seen any shots you might have taken at full f1.4 aperture. Currently I am shooting on m4/3 with a 1960s Nikkor S 50mm f1.4, which is stunning wide open, at the ff equivalent of 100mm focal length. I am surprised that you did not use a strap. I guess Lucerne does not have much of a mugging/camera-grab problem. Back in Sefrika in the 1970s, I learnt from Mike McCann, a great press photographer, to carry a Leica M3 on strap over my left shoulder under a leather jacket - so camera was not visible until the moment you were ready to shoot. Camera set up according to the likely light situations on the street - Kodak Tri-X of Ilford HP-5 [400 ASA/ISO], so probably 1/60s or 1/125s at f5.6 or f8, and prefocused at about 4-5m. Spot the subject, position self, left camera out, frame and focus - maybe two or three shots, then camera back out of sight in seconds. The object was not to be seen to be carrying a camera or taking pix. For me the 50mm on full-frame, or 25mm on my m4/3 bodies, is the ideal street lens, as it is generally considered to be what the human eye 'sees'. I look forward to your next exploration with with a new set-up.
Thank you! I was contemplating adding some EXIF information, but in the end I decided against it. My videos of this kind are not really about all the technical aspects, more about the feeling and experience of using any particular camera.
I have been entranced by Olga's work for some time now, and feel that her capturing of simply the essence of the being has influenced my own. Thanks for keeping her work front and center.
I think intent is important, but ONLY once you recognize opportunities. I think if we go out to shoot restricting ourselves to a single concept then we risk missing out on other opportunities that may present themselves. I think it fine to set a challenge to shoot with a single intent, but let's not wear blinkers and lose sight of what the world may have to offer.
It was a nice for once to see a review that ignored the technical aspects of the camera and focused on the pleasure of using and handling it. The specs are available everywhere but the subjective user experience is valuable. I noticed that the photos are grainy. Was that a selection that you consciously made in camera? Given the shooting conditions I doubt it was noise.
Thank you for the kind words and for noticing the graininess, it's intentional and, of course, added later during post-processing. Nikon's sensor is not that noisy! :)
Thank you Tomasz, what a privilege to be able to test drive different equipment! and then share your thoughts with us. I have a Nikon Z6 and I love it. I agree with you regarding the ergonomics of the grip and the button placements. My camera is an extension of my hand and mind. Lucerne certainly is a photographic place!
@@framesmagazineyes I must, because I’ve to many Nikons already 😂 I started with a analog Nikon in 1991 (film) and bought later on a D70, D300s and at last Z6. The old lenses are to heavy for me, so now I’ve one Z lens to start with.
I use a wrist strap and a very small camera bag, just for the camera and a small lens. In the summer the bag holds my phone and reading glasses. :) Great video.
Great video Tomasz, thanks for sharing. As @mattisulanto commented, it was great to see an informal gear review without the technical side of things getting in the way. Lucerne looks beautiful, Switzerland is such a clean country. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing. A very nice user experience review without the typical over technical nonsense. I really liked the photo towards the end with the chairs shot through a window. You have some grainy B&W preset in your shots. I don't usually like that kind of a fake film look but this time it was pretty good😀 If you decide to do more gear reviews, please keep this similar style and don't go to the usual standard review route.
Thank you so much, Matti. It's nice to hear from you! Yes, I was already a little bit undecided when preparing this video. But I think I managed to keep the "gear geekery" at bay. When it comes to the look of my photographs, I love this character of the images, so the actual camera does not matter significantly much in the very end (at least not from the technical sensor-abilities perspective) :) It is much more about my connection with the camera, about how it makes me feel when trying to produce some photographic work. Once more, thank you so much for watching and leaving your comment. Appreciate it. regards, Tomasz
I think it depends on how you approach photography. There's no right or wrong. Over the years I've just got to a point where I don't even go out just for taking photographs or with certain matter in mind. I just carry on my routine and my camera/phone is always with me. Photographs that resonates with you can be anywhere and you'll feel it through your guts. With time I just realised this is my confort approach, observe and contemplate things without expectations. If I'm going out hunting for "great shots" or certain intent, things won't happen to me.
A fine presentation. I can see merit in both sides of the concept. Even during commissioned commercial work when working to a brief I always looked sideways as it were to see if I could add something the client hadn't thought of. As I said in a comment on your recent FB post related to this topic at the end of the day the late Gary Winogrand's quip "I photograph things to see what they looked like after they had been photographed," has always made perfect sense to me. These days I especially like it when I can just sort of wander off in a sort of aimless, gormless sort of manner just to see what happens. I've always been a bit of a flaneur I have to admit......
I have no intent when I'm out with my camera: just shoot randomly. Maybe it would be good for me to find an intent as an exercise. Thankyou Tomasz and Alex for the food for thought.
Interesting Tomasz. I tend to go out with a subject in mind such as Fungi, wildlife, autumn colours etc but while out will still notice other photographic opportunities & shoot them. I do run a U3A photography group & each month we have a particular topic to concentrate on which encourages thinking out of the box!
Thanks for the inspiration, Tomasz. I agree with your comments. Everyone is different, so we each need to find our own way using the work and words of others to inspire us.
To many folks are grabbing onto shooting with intent as if it is a limitation, as opposed to a focusing. It doesnt mean you cant take another image, but what you go out looking for will create a self fulfilling prophecy. And concept limitation is different from what am i thinking about when i go out. Concepts often come in the editing of bodies of images rather than when initially shooting. But intent is important because it focuses the eye and mood to your particular style.
@@framesmagazine no one focuses for every moment of a shoot on a single goal, and any artist worth their salt is prepared to adjust to happy accidents and occurrence in the moment.
Thank you again Tomasz. Everytime I watch your videos I feel inspiring and advising to find always a better way to create. We know that Devil is in details, but happiness too ! And you're right, Alex is a guy which makes us moving in the right direction.
I find the idea of trusting your intuitive process really positive and motivating. Thanks! At the same time, I almost fear the idea of getting totally unfocused , which may lead to not learning as much as I can. In order to learn and understand and come to grips with a topic, concept or technique, I feel that focus is necessary-which may be true or not. Even if this focus is maintained for an isolated period of time.
@@framesmagazine I find the response of @EdwardBartel interesting. The idea of looking for patterns and themes in a 'pool' of random or intuitive shots *afterwards* is great. It may provide ideas for more focused projects.
I have a broader understanding of intent since I don’t focus on a specific topic or subject when going on a photo shoot. I find myself seeing more of every else except for the subject I’m after. I’m in a square format phase right now after shooting with a 3:2 aspect ratio for years. So my intent is to shoot the best image I can within a square format regardless of color or in B-W and regardless of genre. Standing in one spot watching and waiting for something to happen has been hard to do, but I do see the benefits of doing that. I’m more of reacting to what I see than hunting for something special. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic of intent.
As an avid beginner, I like to to do both. Sometimes I go out looking for something specific, like diagonals. As you say, I think concentrating on one specific compositional element is a good learning exercise. But it’s also good when you aren’t feeling the creative juices. Just getting out and looking for simple things often leads to surprising results. But sometimes I just go on a wander, and look for things that ‘speak to me’. Pretty vague concept, but satisfying when it works. As always, excellent advice. Looking forward to receiving my first copy of Frames!
@@davelingenfelser7473But he definitely intentionally creates one and only one kind of work. At least in terms of format, black and white character, and actually in terms of subject matter as well. Which I respect very much!
Love the ideas addressed in this video, I often struggle to know what to shoot or look for so some direction can be a good thing, but I agree that if it limits you then it’s okay to look at it again
Good points Tomasz. I generally go out with the intent of a particular genre or technique but as I wonder about I grab hold of other opportunities as they arise.
Hi Tomasz, Thanks for this video against our failures, to burst our passion and encouraging us to continue going out to take pictures. I usually have this approach and organize my pictures in "collections". Within these collections I choose pictures to organize projects with a sense, go through specific concepts. I'm courios to know if anyone works like me.
I’m a lover of B&W but it needs to work visually for me and not just be a colour conversion , the image you displayed in this video works much better as a B&W photo .
Thanks for the shout out! I’m glad that the video sparked an idea. Like with a lot of things in photography, there isn’t a one size fits all approach. You mentioned in your video about shooting black-and-white, which is interesting because that’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years. You are absolutely right that many regards it does limit ones creativity which is also why I am now revisiting colour. And of course because shooting square black-and-white is so ingrained in me now I have to make a specific effort to focus on looking for colour. So in that regards having a very strong intent works extremely well for me. No doubt when it becomes a little bit more second nature I won’t need to have such laser focused intent and will be able to wander around with a little bit more of a flexible attitude in regards to photographing what captures my attention.
I love going out to shoot with intent or with an idea of what I might be producing. This gives me a place from which to deviate. For me, ideas are quite often linked and one will lead to another and so on. Then the opportunity to play is created. And then the fun begins.
Sure thing! I was shooting in RAW here and editing the images manually in Lightroom, applying and working with my own preset I have developed over the last several months. My inspiration here definitely came from looking at the work of one of my favorite photographers, Saul Leiter.
Thanks for the motivation! As a beginner, I'm struggling with whether to focus on limited intent or what captures my eye. For local quick photo walks, I'm doing the latter, and am noticing I'm drawn to harsh light, silhouettes, and abstracts. Simultaneously, I notice that I like clean, stark compositions in others' work, but I'm not good at that yet. So perhaps I'll just keep exploring without purpose to find what I'm drawn to during daily photo walks, but set some time aside to learn the techniques and develop the patience needed to capture individuals against compelling backdrops in street.
Gregory, absolutely! Just keep doing what you do and with time you will start noticing patterns, preferences, and fascination starting to crystallize themselves for you.
🎉Wow creativity of photography is different and interesting with information. I would like to tell that a photo speaks the unspoken emotions plus creative around 😊. You have fab collection 🎉💕👌
Going out to shoot with intent is self limiting in a way. We all have our way of viewing the world and by shooting broadly themes will emerge in the pictures we make. I don't think we need to go out to shoot only macro photographs of meadow flowers, by doing that we may be choosing to ignore the flying saucer that has landed just across the field.
Perhaps intention plays a bigger part in the darkroom or using whatever editing software you prefer. That is, of course, beyond the general intention to find things to photograph, whatever, wherever, and whenever they come into our lives.
I think there is an argument to be had between the focus provided by "shooting with intent" and the openness that comes from the mentality to "just go out and shoot" gives the artist/photographer an opportunity to "collect assets" that can later be organized into collections and projects. Different people charge their creative batteries differently.
The same for me, Melina. I prefer the "open minded" approach. You never what kind of photograph you can "stumble upon", even when actually planning on doing something completely different.
Yes :) As I said in the video, I present all images created during a particular photowalk. Obviously not all of them are my personal favorites, but the idea is to present the entire process.
Back in the day when I was using film, I tried B&W a few times and truth be told, it left me unimpressed, something was missing. Even tried Infrared which tends to exaggerate the monochrome effect. That was interesting, making ordinary images glow. Now in the digital world, where any image can be easily converted and with some special processing, any B&W film type can be simulated I again gave it a try. Still meh. I see the world in colors and they are what attract me in each scene. The autumn leaves glowing in a rainbow of reds, yellows, oranges against a background of brilliant blue sky, to give one current example. Seems to me that there is a certain snob factor at play. The great masters of yesteryear were using B&W so it must be better. As was said, they had no choice. By that logic we should also be using their types of cameras to create great images. But we don't. We use modern equipment and simulate the old ways. I wonder if they would do the same?
Martin, needless to say, it’s always a personal taste. I wouldn’t say there is any kind of snob factor to it at all. It’s just a simple aesthetic developed a long time ago which some people still enjoy very much. The similar could be said about music: why some people still prefer to listen to Bach instead of Taylor Swift? An organ and a cembalo where the instruments he had available at that time. No electronic wizardry and sophisticated modern mixers and amplifiers. Yet, still some people choose to practice and enjoy this music more than 300 years later.
