I have recently gotten my own site set up for galleries and print sales.  In addition to that, I have started a blog as part of my site.  Please go to the blog “Vita Photographic” at http://www.dbjohnsonphoto.com for all future updates.

Thank you.

Dean Bryant Johnson

As promised, here is a quick review of the photo books I ordered from Blurb and received January 3.

Let me start by saying that I am very happy with the books!  The cover is a glossy finish which gives the final product a very professional look.  The print is crisp and stands out well against the black pages.   I chose Blurb’s standard paper for this production run and it has a nice feel to it.  It is neither light and flimsy nor heavy and stiff.  I plan to order a smaller book with Blurb’s premium paper in the future to see how that stacks up.

This is the softcover version so the spine of the book is the flat glued spine you find in trade paperbacks.  The construction seems to be good, although on three of the books the printed setback for the gutter (where the page is connected to the spine) is not correct.  On only one of the affected books is this a problem.  Specifically, on that book you can see white if you open the pages and look directly between the pages.  I have decided that that will be my “knock-around” copy that I keep in the camera bag to show interested people while doing photo walks.

The only other imperfection that I have noticed has to do with the page edges.  The books are put together and then the edges are cut to the proper size (obviously with a huge slicer of some sort).  The cut, while very smooth, is noticeable (especially when you have several of the books stacked together).  I can only guess that the discoloring of the page edges is due to the black background I chose for the pages and that the colored background makes the cut “grain” stand out.

One other thing that I have to file in the “I-wish-they-could-do-this” category has to do with the inside of the covers (front and back).  The theme I chose to create this book is called “Darkroom” and all of the pages have a black background.  The cover is also black.  The insides of the covers (front and back) are white.  While this is less of an issue with the back cover, I find the front cover being a stark white a bit harsh.  I am sure the reason it is left white has to do with technical reasons (maybe the glue in the spine adheres better to un-dyed paper) but it would be nice if they offered an option to have the inside covers some other cover (black or gray would be my choices).

Speaking of options, let me talk about the Blurb software for a bit.  In order to build your book with Blurb, you have to download Blurb’s free software.  The interface is fairly intuitive and walks you through the process of building your book.  Adding pages is easy (good thing, too, since this book has 200 pages).  The layouts for photo pages could use some expansion and flexibility as the options are fairly limited and many are not very usable for a portfolio.  Quite a few of the photo layouts appear to cater to a photo book with more of a scrapbook feel to it.  I realize that I am probably being pedantic on this, but I would really like to have more control over how my photos are displayed in future books.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Remember that I started this review by saying that I am very happy with the results and I stand by that statement.  The issues I have pointed out are not “dealbreakers” for me but they are things upon which Blurb could improve.  This whole experience with putting this book together has been wonderful as well as educational.  Self publishing has made great strides in the past few years and Blurb is just one of the options.  Others are Picaboo, Lulu, and Apple’s iPhoto book fulfillment if you have a Mac (I’ve not used iPhoto, but I have seen books produced from it and they’re quite good).

As always, comments and suggestions are always welcome.  If you decide you want to try making your own photo book and you have questions or just want to talk to someone about it, drop me a message here and I will be happy to help in any way that I can.

Sell photos on photrade | By DBJohnson

Back from my trip to the Outer Banks and have lots of keepers for my portfolio!

My wife and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary by spending a week on Ocracoke Island. With it being the off season, everything was very quiet and peaceful (although, I’ve got to say that Ocracoke is quiet and peaceful even during the height of the tourist season) and we took the opportunity to exercise the photographic muscles.  As those who know me personally can atest, work has been overwhelming for me the past three months and this chance to really get back into my photography was just what I needed!  Photography is my creative outlet.  It is how I leave the “corporate cog” part of me behind and let my spirit soar and explore the world around me.  The demands of work and the responsibilities of being an adult in our modern era pulled me away from my avocation.

Now I’m back in the saddle and finding just how much I’ve missed riding this horse.  I had the opportunity to take the time to find some of the photographs that were hiding around me.  I rediscovered my passion for this medium and I’m looking forward to a much more productive 2009.

Feel free to check out my photos at Photrade.  Comments are always welcome!

UPDATE:  I have received email confirmation and tracking number for the 2008 Portfolio books.  According to the tracking information from Fedex, I should receive the shipment today!  I’ll post a review once I’ve had a chance to evaluate the books.

Sell photos on photrade | By DBJohnson

Sell photos on photrade | By DBJohnson

Like the header for this posting says…it HAS been awhile–over three months since my last post.  For that, I apologize.  The very real and aggravating reality of work and career has severely interrupted both my photography and my web presence for the past several months.  Thankfully, it appears that the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT an oncoming train after all.  I can only keep my fingers crossed about that, though.  We shall see.

As for photography, I have not had the opportunity or motivation to shoot much in the past three months due to either being at work or physically resting to recover from work.  What little time I have had has been spent maintaining my relationship with my wife and working on my newest project which I just finished today.

Portfolio 2008

March-November

By Dean Bryant Johnson

Book Preview

Yep!  I decided that the next best thing to getting out and shooting was to compile the images I’ve made this year into a photobook.  This is my first of what I plan to be an annual project.  One thing I discovered, however, is that if you plan to send these things out for Christmas gifts you’d better plan ahead.  Sorry, familiy, but your Christmas presents will be a little late!

I’m very pleased with Blub’s software to put the book together.  It is very intuitive and easy to use.  The only complaint I have is that sometimes I wanted to lay a page out a certain way but there were no templates to accomodate my vision.  The solution I came up with was to use my photo editing program to create the page as a separate image and then use a full image template to display the composite I had made.  It would have been easier if there had been a template suited for my vision…but I’m not really complaining because the software is free!

I ordered a quantity of the books and they should ship just before the end of the year.  Once I receive them, I will post a review of what I get.  In the meantime, please feel free to peruse the preview of the book.  I have opted to make the book public and offer it for sale.  Prices for softcover, hardbound, and imagewrapped versions can be found on the books page at Blurb.

Next week is Christmas and the following week my wife and I will be spending the week on Ocracoke Island to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.  Yes, plans are to take lots and lots of pictures while I’m on the island, so stay tuned in January 2009!

I think I need to get a bit more focus in my photographic life.  To that end, I’m starting a project.  (You know, I originally typed that as “I’m starting a new project” and then I realized that I’ve never done a project…so I had to change it.  Sorry for the aside, but I found it both interesting and humorous…and it IS my blog.  Now back to the regularly unscheduled typing….) I’ve been listening to back episodes of Jeff Curto’s Camera Position podcast and he has really been touting the concept of using a project as a creative tool to keep yourself focused.

So what should I choose for my project?  What should I entitle my project?  Those have been questions that have been running through my head most of the afternoon.  I’m not starting completely from scratch on this because I have a rough idea what I will use as my first project.   While my portfolio is disjointed and disorganized (primarily, because I’m still a beginner and am still finding what I enjoy shooting), a large portion of my work thus far has been of subjects that are members of the plant kingdom (flowers, foliage, etc).  Plants are patient with a photographer still learning his equipment and you don’t have to have a model release…easy peasy!

The whole idea of starting a project started germinating in my gray matter last week when I had one of those “moments of clarity” and I saw the subtle beauty that resides in a single leaf on a fig tree.  Much to my dogs’ chagrin, I immediately turned around and went back into the house for my camera (don’t worry, this was in the back yard so they still got to play…I threw the ball and stick for them after the light was no longer ‘magic’) and shot several images of just one fig leaf.  The images sat on the memory card of my camera until this weekend when I was finally able to download and process them.  The insight I had tapped into while taking the photos returned and processing them images was the same type of thrill.  The contrast of light veins and dark leaf membrane…the sharp edge of the leaf against soft bokeh…the vibrancy of the green against the muted background.  Everything just started to fall into place.

So…what is the focus of this project and what title will I use?  Let the suspense end, my friend!  The project will focus on the structures that make up plants.  The veins in the leaf…the roots that support the tree…the intricate parts that make up various flowers.  The unifying theme is the underlying structure of the plants depicted.  As for a title, I don’t have a final title as yet but I will use the working title of “Plant Structure”.  As the project progresses, I may decide to narrow it even more and focus on certain plants.  At this time, though, I’m going with it as it currently stands.

If any of you, dear readers, have comments or suggestions on my project (or anything else you’ve read here on my blog), please feel free to leave a comment or contact me via the different methods listed in the Contact Me tab at the top of this page.  I look forward to hearing from you.

OK, gonna try this to see if it helps.  If you’re visiting my blog and you have a Photrade account, please take a moment to vote for my photo in the Aperture Nature Photography Workshops contest.  Voting does not determine the winner of the contest but it does move the target image up in the sort order a bit and may help get the judges’ attention.

Thanks!

Here’s the link:

Vote for my photo!vote

Ever feel like you’re stuck in the doldrums and can’t seem to find something to shoot?  Don’t you just hate it when you get a bad case of “the blahs”?  How do you get your creative juices flowing?

Try getting outside your comfort zone.  Get an assignment (either from yourself or from elsewhere) and go try to complete it “right now”.  Personally, I find that the stranger the theme the more creative I’m forced to be in order to fulfill it.  Regardless of how well you complete your assignment, you’ve accomplished something by taking on the project–you’ve gotten yourself moving and doing something.

OK, why did I put that in italics?  Because it is key to creativity.  Sitting still and “thinking about it” does not get you any closer to the goal of adding something creative to your body of work.  Nothing happens as long as your gluteus maximus is still in contact with the easy chair and all the “thinking about it” in the world won’t trip that shutter and make the image.  Activity triggers creativity.  Doing something (anything!), especially something that is outside your comfort zone, has a higher probability of inspiring some creative work than just sitting on your butt just thinking about it.  Creativity needs a stimulus and you’re more likely to get that needed stimulus with some action.

Getting out of the lazy chair is the first step.  What else can increase the likelihood of creativity happening to you?  As I’ve already mentioned, get out of your comfort zone! Walking the same old street…seeing the same old sights…doing the same old thing is less likely to inspire creativity than doing something different.  Take a photo walk along a different route.  Visit that local park that you’ve driven by but never been to.  Take a day trip to a nearby state or national park.  Maybe your comfort zone is that you only take certain types of shots (landscapes, architectural, portaits, flowers, etc.).  Choose a different subject type and see what you can do with it.  If you normally shoot macros of flowers and bugs, get out of your comfort zone and shoot people for the afternoon.  Maybe you shoot people all the time….in that case give yourself a project to shoot the interesting architecture of your town.  Get out of your comfort zone to spur creativity.

I was talking to a friend about this recently and their response was this:  “Sounds like a recipe for frustration.”  That is one possible outcome, but without risk there is no opportunity.  Are you willing to risk the possibility of being frustrated for the opportunity of sparking your creativity and giving yourself the chance to capture some amazing images?  My answer to the frustration argument is that there are no hard and fast rules in photography…only guidelines.  Does the shot look better if that rock is placed dead center in the frame?  Then do it!  You may get it into your digital darkroom and decide that it didn’t work out the way you thought it would, but you’ve lost nothing for trying.

Creativity is like a muscle.  You have to exercise it in order to increase it.  Get out of your comfort zone and experiment.  Learn something new and add it to the mix of your photography.

* Partial quote from a comment made by timsdd to this blog post a few weeks ago.

Any of you who have been reading my blog (and those of you who know me personally have probably gotten an earful from me about it, too) know that I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the “share” and “protect” parts of the Photrade experience.  The recent addition of the expanded photo stats, contests, groups, and events sections has only enhanced an already great service and I’m loving it even more.

“Share” is what photographers always want to do.  Scott Bourne has stated many times that for a photographer to be successful, they have to do three things: (1) Show the work, (2) Show the work, and (3) Show the work.  In the Web 2.0 world that means some kind of photo-sharing website like Photobucket, Flickr, Smugmug, and now Photrade.

“Protect” is what photographers need to do regarding their copyrights.  Unfortunately, in this Web 2.0 world of ours copyright infringement has been rampant not only where photos are concerned, but with just about everything from software to books to music.  Photrade is serious about helping their patrons protect their copyrights.  The focus on security and emphasis on copyright protection through their HyperPhocal learning center shows that they not only pay lip service to the idea of copyright protection–they put actions to their words!

“Get Paid” is what we all want.  For some the amount is important.  For others, its the respect that a customer shows by actually paying for the right to possess a copy of the photographer’s work.  Both philosophies should be happy because Photrade has made it possible for the photographer to set his or her own price structure for their work.

That brings me to the point of this post.  As of today, I can fully comment on the full statement that timsdd made because I made my first two sales through Photrade this morning.  They came from out of the blue and from trading messages with the buyer, I’m sure it is a mutually satisfying experience (after I took care of the one technical glitch that was totally MY fault.  Thanks, John!  May they bring you as much enjoyment as they’ve brought me!).

Photobucket….only had my photos stolen and received no response from them.

Flickr….only had my photos stolen and received no response from them.

Photrade….was paid for prints of my images and hear from top management from time to time.

‘Nuff said.  Photrade rules!

Not to take anything away from Scott Bourne’s post last week on TWIP (“Are You A Lazy Photographer?”, August 20, 2008), I already had plans to get up early yesterday morning to get on the water and shoot some photographs.  Rumor has it that there is are a lot of Blue Herons on Beaver Creek and I thought I’d go see what I could see and photograph and may be get some decent early-morning shots of whatever was around.

The day started at 4:45am and I put the canoe in the water at 6:00am.  I wasn’t familiar with the stretch of creek I was going to be paddling on, so I didn’t know if I would be able to get any sunrise shots or not (as it turned out, I could not due to the fairly heavy cypress canopy and other trees along the creek).  I took my Olympus Stylus 790 SW (waterproof and shockproof) as well as the DSLR (Canon Rebel XT) (neither waterproof nor shockproof) on the trip.  This was the first time I had taken my DSLR out on the water in the canoe.  Needless to say, I was nervous every time I took the camera out of the bag (waterproof) that I was carrying it in.  Despite the fears of my camera somehow taking a swim, I got a few shots with it.

I didn’t find any herons and the ducks that were on the creek were too easily spooked for me to get any decent shots.  I heard a deer that was bedding down on an island in the creek.  Actually, when the deer broke cover and started splashing about, it nearly scared me into tipping the boat!  I caught a glipse of her raised tail a few moments later as I rounded the next bend and the sound of my paddling disturbed her again.

There were a few lessons I learned on this trip and I’ll share them with you in the hopes that when you make an outing into the woods and onto the water you’ll be better prepared than I was.

First:  Check, double-check, and triple-check your gear before you leave.  The first reason for this is so you don’t forget something important.  The second reason is just as important–to make sure everything is in working order.  You don’t want to be away from home or your base of operations and find out that you forgot to bring charged batteries.  This applies not only to your photography gear but also to your outdoor gear…

Second:  DEET! No that is not a sound effect, it’s a very effective insect repellent.  I had some with me for this trip.  Unfortunately for me (and fortunate for a bunch of hungry mosquitos), the spray top was inoperable making the can and its contents completely useless for me.  As a result, I’m now suffering 22 mosquito bites on the outside of my left elbow and 13 on the outside of my right elbow.  (I know those numbers because I’ve been constantly applying hydrocortisone to them to try to stop the itching–arms, legs, and face are also bitten, but my elbows itch like they’ve been the subject of some gypsy’s curse.)

Third:  Know your gear’s abilities and limitations and plan accordingly. OK, I’ll admit that I’ve been rather envious of Nikon when I hear about the high-ISO capabilities the new models have.  While I realize that the model I own would not have that great of low-light performance, I still was not prepared for the results I got.  In real-world terms, I didn’t have enough light for a lot of the shots I attempted during the first half of the trip.  As a Canon shooter, I’m just waiting patiently to see what Canon will announce at or around Photokina next month.  Here’s to hoping they meet the Nikon challenge of better noise control at higher ISOs.

Fourth:  Don’t forget to have fun! This isn’t something that I failed at on this trip.  I had loads of fun out on the water and taking photographs.  Just keep in mind that unless you are a professional photographer, “fun” should be one of the biggest reasons you drag all that gear around.  Don’t lose sight of that fact and keep enjoying your photography!

If you enjoyed reading this blog entry, please consider reading others I’ve written.  Additionally, take time to explore the links I’ve posted to the right.  Thanks!  ~DBJ

I first heard about the Aperture Nature Photography Workshops photo contest last month when Scott Bourne announced it on the TWIP blog and I’ve been excited about it the whole time.   The prize package is considerable but in my opinion the jewel on top of the prize crown is that the winners (there will be sixteen in total) will be paired up with a top professional nature photographer for a three-day trip to either Grand Tetons National Park, Olympic National Park, Yellowstone National Park, or Yosemite National Park.

Can you say “Ooo-la-la!”?   I thought you could.  Heh, heh, heh…

Check it out at the Aperture Nature Photography Workshops website.  Get out there and make some photos!  Participate!  Get involved!