So is photography documentation of reality or art? This has been a question or criticism for a long time depending which side of the argument you are on. The truth is it is both.

Photography can be used to document your possessions for insurance purposes, it can be used to identify criminals, it can used to document events or in scientific research. And in all of these situations it can be used honestly or manipulated dishonestly.  So photography can be manipulated today easier faster and in more ways it’s artistic potential is greater than ever.

So when is it art? I think the best definition of art is when the sum is greater than the parts. When paper, ink, mat and frame become more than they are by themselves. Photography’s art starts with the photographer’s vision. By carefully crafting just the perspective a photographer can completely alter the meaning of what could have been documentary shot. The viewer of the final print is left with the what stories are possible within the frame. But just outside the frame there may have been a clue to a completely different story. Besides perspective light, exposure, camera movement and  focus can be crafted manipulated before a print ever reaches a computer.

Once a photo reaches a computer the artistic possibilities increase logarithmically. With digital manipulation in software totally different photos can be stitched together, color can and exposure can be altered, perspective can be changed. Prints can further be altered by the choice of print media and the presentation format. So yes photography can both document and serve as art, but in both situations the photographer must be clear in their vision and honest in their approach.

I can’t believe how fast time goes even when your business is called Time Stopper Photography. We expect this year to be a great one since we won’t have construction interruptions and we’ve had a chance to adjust to what you our valued customers have been asking for. Check out our updated sitting fees, packages and print prices. Were lowering our canvas prices and we will be posting new collage products. I’m looking forward to making lots of new friends this year so give us a call and freeze a special moment in 2012 for posterity.

Like most tools photography can be used for good and bad.  So what do I mean? Well, you can use a hammer to hang a beautiful picture on a wall or you can use it to damage something or someone.

Likewise we can use photographs to document history, decorate our walls, illustrate instructions, remember our loved ones, as evidence in court, to identify (people, places and things), in scientific research and to advertise goods and services. But photos can also be used to malign and defraud people.

The point of today’s post isn’t to discuss the paparazzi  and how they sometimes overstep their bounds or to discuss photos that have been manipulated in software like Photoshop to perpetrate a hoax, but to talk about a photo technique we as photographers use everyday to make people look their best and how this same technique is frequently used for false advertising.

Before the days of photo manipulation software photographers used makeup, lighting techniques and filters for glamour shots. Today we still use all of these resources, but the one I want to talk about is lighting.  We make models look good by throwing plenty of light on them. We even intentionally overexpose them.

Why? Because it hides skin imperfections by reducing the shadow details. This makes complexions look younger and smoother.  And after all it is our job to cast our subjects in the best light. But when this same technique is used to sell you on complexion repair makeup or acne medication then I have a problem with it. I was trained as a biologist and I believe scientific experiments should not distort the facts for financial gain.

So next time you see before and after pictures used to sell you a product, in print or on TV, look carefully at the pictures and what you will see is the before picture is under exposed to increase the shadows and the after picture is slightly overexposed. In other words the before picture is darker or grayer than the after picture. The after picture is brighter or whiter than the before picture. They may even have a caption that says unretouched photo, which could well be true. But this is deceptive and unscientific.

If you want to document the legitimate benefits of an acne or wrinkle reducing cream you must shoot both the before and after pictures with the same camera, the same lens, the same subject to camera distance, the same camera settings, the same model pose with the same lights in the same positions and the same power settings. To do otherwise is false advertising!

Have you ever struggled to give a meaningful gift to someone?  Maybe you just can’t think of anything to get them or maybe they seem to have everything they need.  Well, I have a couple of ideas for you.

Of course you could give them a gift certificate for a portrait sitting. I bet you’d thought I’d say that.  Or maybe you have an old photo of them or another loved one that is faded or damaged, you could have a photo restoration and new framed print done for them.

We have recently done several old photo restorations. With our computing skills and printing technology we were able to take some old water damaged photos and not only restore them to their original condition but improve them.  By improve I mean we were able to remove distracting background objects and crop in closer to the real subject, giving an old snapshot a more professional look. Here’s a sample.

How about gathering up a bunch of old family pictures and having a family tree collage or album designed by us to help preserve your family history.  Sure you could scrap book your own if you have the time and you enjoy it, but if not we can help you finish what may never even get started .  With our help your ideas will become real, your original photos will be enhanced and your precious original family documents will remain remain glue free.

Call us if you’d like some gift giving help at 559-799-4446

Newborn Rock Star

One of our newborn photos is going to be featured in Child Model Magazine.  Publication date is probably May 2011.  I am excited to appear in a magazine that features other outstanding photographers.

Today I realized New Years is past, so has Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day and soon Easter! So I shamed myself into finishing three things I’ve been procrastinating on. One of them I been meaning to do for almost three years another for a year. It felt good to clear these off my mental to do list and it led me to update my blog. 

So what am I getting at well the old cliche’ time flies. That’s why I named the studio Time Stopper Photography because photos can capture a special moment in time forever. They document the special moments of our lives, our history.

So don’t procrastinate get in the game of life and live it.  All we get is time and none of us knows how many minutes we were allotted by our creator, so don’t waste them. If your putting off doing family portraits, you’ll never recapture what the kids look like right  now.  And ladies if your thinking about doing a boudoir shoot you’ll never be as young as you are right now!  Crap I just got older typing this.

If I moved you to act on something today great! And if we can help you document your life, have some fun, decorate your home, or promote your business give us a call.

Sunday Dec. 12, 2010 from 9AM-5PM we will be shooting pet portraits to benefit the Fresno SPCA. The cost is $30. for the sitting and an 8×10 portrait, printed on the spot. A second print is only $15. To schedule an appoinment for your pet’s portrait call Sherry at 559-485-5335.

SPCA Pet Portrait Day

Saturday we shot Alyssa and Martin's wedding.  It was the last one of the year and it was a great event. The weather was perfect.  Everyone was so nice and cooperative. And when it came to the reception they knew how to boogie!

It may have been the last wedding of the season but next year's wedding season is right around the corner, it kicks off with a bang on New Years Day!

Well Sunday’s Act Fundraiser has come and gone and we had a blast with Terry and Joe from 4-Legged Babies.  We met lots of nice canines and raised some good coin to benefit less fortunate dogs.  We will do this again soon in the Sierra Vista Mall in ACT’s adoption center, the date to be set soon. Here are some photos from the shoot including cartoon dogs on some Dawgs (huh wonder who’s Dawgs- Terry’s!).

In the days of film professional photographers were very cognizant of what they were trying to achieve due to the cost of film and developing.  They put a lot of thought and experience into every click of the shutter.

Today you can blast away until you run out of memory and see if got what you want. However, thinking like the days of film will make you a better photographer, for one thing you won’t waste time, you’ll avoid frustration and miss less photo opportunities. It is impossible to recreate the spontaneous!  There is no way the average family can have a professional around all the time.  

Hey I’m a professional photographer in Visalia and sure I want your business but I know every family in America has a camera and needs to take many of their own photos.  So why not make them as good as they can be?

One way to get good pictures more often is to ask yourself what am I trying to acheive before you click the shutter.  Secondly observe the result of each shutter click. And last memorize the situations that resulted in good snap shots and repeat them.

Professional photographers know that photographs serve many purposes.  Photographs can be used to document history, crimes, accidents, property damage, injuries and scientific material.  These types of photos must be all they can be from the click of the shutter.  They should not be photoshopped in any manner as to distort reality and this must be kept in mind before the shoot.

Photographs can be used as art and in this situation the are no holds barred. Reality can be distorted by the way the shot was setup to major revisions in photoshop. So think before you shoot, observe the results and memorize what works, so you can delete less and enjoy more.