Influential Photographers - Andreas Gursky

German Photographer Andreas Gursky, born in 1955, captures large, anonymous, man-made spaces creating pieces of art larger than the objects photographed.

While in earlier times Gursky was creating his impressive large scale photomontaged prints manually, his later work was created using digital post processing and manipulation techniques.

One example is the picture of the formula one race track in Bahrain. It looks as an original non altered photograph. However, no race car ever would make it around the track.

On the top of this page the formula one pit stop studies. Capturing the dynamics of the short time window of a pit stop during the race overlying frames of action which show how busy a pit crew is.

Underwater Videography - Cenotes Mexico

Cenotes Mexico - Canon 5D Mark III Underwater Video from Backscatter on Vimeo.

Black and White - Modern Architecture Photography

cheese grater - James Drury (500px)

Foot Bridge - Ash Patel (500px)

Looking Up - Gary Clark (500px)

Oblivion Gate - Apostles Mantzouranis (500px)

Hemisfèric to the Palau de les Arts (Darkled) - Dark Reid (500px)

My Underwater Wide Angle Photography - Reef Scenes

Octopus on the reef - Raja Ampat, Indonesia

In underwater photography, taking wide angle pictures is quite difficult.

The main challenge is to find the right exposure balance between available light exposed background and brought in light from strobes in the foreground.

Local boy - Arborek Island, Raja Ampat

A second challenge is to find the right framing of the image. This is not only about spotting an interesting scenery - such as the giant octopus sitting on top of the reef (see left) - but also around framing that scenery in a way not to capture bubbles from other divers, not to have unwanted light effects when the sunlight is shining in from the wrong side, and being able to isolate the main subject in the wide frame of the underwater reefscape.

In order to get the right framing and brought in light it is important to move as close as possible to respective subjects. Since light refraction is stronger underwater than on air and light from strobes is absorbed on short distance through the water there is no way around using extreme wide angle lenses and moving to a very close focusing point.




The underwater photographers challenge here is not to make too much noise and bubbles in order not to scare away the marine protagonists.
While for the boy on the right this was not a topic, the octopus needed to be approached slowly until he adapted to the presence of a scuba diver with big camera gear and making strange bubbles.

Exposure of schooling fish - such as the school of glass fish (see left) - can be difficult too. Given the fact that part of the skin of fish is highly reflective or on the other extreme completely transparent just automatic exposure metering does not work out.
However, in the digital times a series of exposures and varying strobe positions will do the job.

Extreme Zoom into the Moon

Mechanical Cameras

Mechanical old cameras are in particular interesting since they are truly all mechanical.

Meaning a mechanically skilled person having appropriate tools can - if skilled enough - easily repair them.

Nikon Rumors shows a series of mechanical schematics for old Nikon F cameras: link

If you happen to still have one of these in your cupboard. Why not trying to disassemble and reassemble one?

It is fascinating that an all mechanical solution to aperture agitation synchronisation with shutter speed timing was precisely possible already ages ago.
Similar to the fascination of mechanical wrist watches which are miniaturised master pieces of mechanical engineering.

Scenic Places in Black and White - Yosemite National Park

Sun on Half Dome - Jeff Philipps (flickr)

The Yosemite National park in California, USA offers some of the most impressive landscapes to capture.
With special mountain formations and geological phenomena this is a unique place.

Not only world known landscape photographer Ansel Adams took advantage of that interesting landscape, but also nowadays thousands of tourists are shooting pictures in this scenery every year.

Ansel Adams - Yosemite National Park

While today the images found on sharing platforms are shot mainly in digital Ansel Adams used a large format camera. Quite a lot of heavy gear to bring to these places.

The park is well known for its granite cliff formations, waterfalls, and giant sequoia tree groves.
Especially the cliffs and waterfalls offer plenty of opportunities for interesting black and white photography. There are very interesting conditions especially under certain light the contrast and texture which can be achieved is amazing.

Stair Case Falls - Michael Evans (flickr)

Influential Photographers - Sebastião Salgado

Sebastião Salgado was born in 1944 in Brazil. Salgado traveled around the world for photography.

Between 2004 and 2011, Salgado worked on a project named "Genesis". The goal was to capture unblemished faces of nature and humanity. 

"Genesis" is a heavy book filled with stunning photographs all in black and white.

This book is a piece of art showing images from all over the world. Images from places difficult to reach, from places difficult to live in, from places most of us would even not reach once in a lifetime.
It is one example of how impressive all black and white photography can be.

Salgado gave a TED talk in 2013 which is worth watching: link
He explains the circumstances under which his photographs have been taken as well as what drives him in taking all the burden and risk in order to capture these images to be shown to the world.

For further information on biography and art work please visit: link

Underwater Videography - Blue Ocean in RED by Howard Hall

The Blue Ocean in RED from Howard Hall on Vimeo.

Black and White - Jazz Singer Photography

Jazzup - Robert Rozenbeek (500px)

It^s all about jazz - Oleg Karaulovsky (500px)

Feel jazz - Robert Roozenbeek (500px)

Ema Jean, singer - Sharon Cheema (500px)

Chanteur de Jazz - Sayabadith Souvant... (500px)

My Underwater Macro Photography - Pygmy Seahorses

Hippocampus Bargibanti (Cabilao, Philippines)

Underwater macro photography is one of the most popular disciplines of underwater photography. The fascination for the marine macro life is shared among people all over the world.

Macro images can give a completely new view on reef life. It makes visible surprising details of nature which otherwise remain hidden in overlooked areas in the oceans.

Hippocampus Denise (Cabilao, Philippines)

One species which every underwater photographer is searching for are pigmy seahorses.

The first species discovered in 1969 of pygmy seahorse was named hippocampus bargibanti. A number of approximately six more species has been discovered after year 2000.

Hippocampus Pontohi (Bangka, North-Sulawesi Indonesia)

The challenge in shooting pygmy seahorses is first to find them. They are extremely well camouflaged and perfectly adapted to their habitat.

While hippocampus bargibanti and hippocampus denise - they can be found in different color depending on the surrounding - lives in gorgonian sea fans, there are other species which are moving through the reef and hence much more difficult to spot.

Once they are found the second challenge is to find them through the viewfinder of the camera without damage to the coral reef.

Pygmy seahorses are well know to be found on dives in south east Asia. It is one of the most typical species for Coral Triangle.

Hippocampus Bargibanti (Lembeh Strait)

My newest shots of pygmy seahorses I got recently when diving on Cabilao Island on the Philippines (see on top of the page).

One of the shots where I am specially proud of is the one of the Hippocampus Pontohi shot on Bangka Island in North-Sulawesi, Indonesia (see above). If you look carefully you can even see a second exemplar in the background. This spot was amazing. At some point there were five Hippocampus Pontohi holding on the same coral branch. Unfortunately I was not able to capture that picture with my camera. As mentioned this species is very mobile and this exceptional situation of pygmys grouping in one spot was quicker over than I could setup my camera.

Street Photography Shooting Film

Shooting street photography using film: the blog post by Eric Kim is an interesting collection of benefits of using film as a photographer.

Interestingly the benefits Eric Kim collected are around slowing down, becoming a better and more serious photographer, he compares to the principles of "zen" where the focus is more on the process of taking the picture than on the picture itself.

And nevertheless it does not seem to be an immediate benefit - the fact that you have to wait until your images get developed - Eric Kim sees this as an add on of excitement to the whole process.

Photographs That Matter

This is an interesting video blog post by "The Art of Photography" on a collection of photographs entitled "Photographs That Matter".


The main message is: bring your photographs in a format that can be shown to people. Photographs only matter if they are shown!

Scenic Places in Black and White - Angkor Wat

The Old Temple of Lore - Tray Ratcliff (flickr)

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is probably one of the most scenic historical places around the world.

This is a first post in a series entitled "Scenic Places in Black and White".
Photographing scenic places around the world is one of the most rewarding disciplines in photography. Capturing them in black and white is something special.
Black and white photography gives a whole new view on details, on contrast, on light, and on scenery.

Meditation - Tray Ratcliff (flickr)

A place like Angkor Wat - I never visited so far by myself - is not only a magical place by itself but offers plenty of details which come out especially when taken in black and white.

Here as a reference two images by famous travel photographer Tray Ratcliff. Both images have been taken using a digital SLR camera and have been converted to black and white in post processing.

Both images show the spiritual and timeless atmosphere of this place. The monochromatic color profile results in a characteristics of the photograph which cancels the dimension of time. It could have been taken ages ago or just right in this moment.
The temples of Angkor are historical landmarks witnessing a culture from another time. The black and white photography very well captures this aspect by only offering one dimension in color space which is showing all in shades of grey.

Cambodge - Angkor - Stephan Birlouez (flickr)

It is not only the architecture, the contemporary witness of previous handcraft, but also nature, the whole vegetation that visualises or plasticises the timely dimension in these images.
As an example the image taken by Stephan Birlouez which shows roots of trees taking control over the man made walls and stones.

What is interesting is the fact, that even in today's digital world on image sharing platforms in the internet such as flickr there is a large series of images from this scenic place taken (or presented) in black and white. This clearly shows the value of monochromic imaging for these kind of subjects.

Top 10 Most Influential Photographers

Top 10 Photographers: Top 10 photographers who influenced photography as it is today, categorized by category.

Underwater Impressions Filmed Around the World

Underwater Footage Showreel ( demo reel ) from Undersea Productions on Vimeo.

Black and White - Surf Photography

Go together - Jana Luo (500px)

Surfer Reflection - Todd Schaffer (500px)

Lost Coast - Aaron Ackerman (500px)

waiting for the storm - Lidy Neeleman (500px)

Midnight surfer - Rob T Smith (500px)

The Mindset for Underwater Photography

What makes underwater photography such a challenge? - Is it the special light and color situations, the fact that other optical laws apply than on air? Or is it just the difficulty of combining scuba diving with photography?

As usual the answer is a combination of everything.

See the article by professional underwater photographer Rico Besserdich on uw360.asia: link

Learn something about Ilford FP4 film

History of Photography

Animated evolution of cameras.


A HISTORY OF THE PHOTO CAMERA from Copilotos on Vimeo.

How to use a light meter

When using old analog cameras for your photography, determining the right exposure can be tricky. First of all old cameras do not have built in light meters, and second there is no immediate control on a display. You only know about the correct exposure once you developed the film.
Watch this educative video by Mark Wallace explaining how to use a light meter.
It is not only limited to film photography, but also to measure the right exposure for digital photography under special or difficult conditions.

Landscape Photographer Ben Horne

Landscape photographer Ben Horne talking about how he took some of his most impressive landscape photographs. Ben Horne is mastering large format photography.

Marine Wildlife of Socorro

Socorro Solmar V from Darek Sepiolo on Vimeo.

Black and White - Super 8 Camera Photography

Minolta Super 8 - Daniel Skog (500px)

Super 8 - Marcos Ferreira (500px)

Eye-Matic - Elemental Imaging (500px)

Sankoyo Film - Rodrigo Miguel (500px)

24468023785.jpg - David Leautaud (500px)

Shooting in Death Valley

Ilford film manufacturing

Vintage Celebrity Portraits

Recently I discovered an interesting series of vintage photographs on vintage everyday.
The post was entitled "30 Amazing and Interesting Portraits of Celebrities with Their Vintage Cameras".

Now, the title is a bit misleading since at the tame of respective image capture these cameras were nothing but vintage. It is rather a series of vintage portraits and self portraits of celebrities with cameras.

There is no major celebrity missing in this photo stream. And it shows that now and then celebrities were taking pictures for their memories just as the everyday person. This even with the same type of cameras.

Ok, the Queen of the UK was using quite an expensive Leica camera, but at the time this was a frequently used device.

The same camera Brad Pit was using for his self portrait.

While almost all celebrities in the series are shooting handheld range finder or SLR cameras, Angelina Jolie is working - or at least posing - with a decent large format camera.
I am wondering what picture came out of that shot?

Image Processing - Color Grading

Some recommendations on how to work on colors in digital image processing.

Featured Photographer - Nu Parnupong

I am impressed by the work of underwater photographer Nu Parnupong.

I can recommend having a look at for example his flickr portfolio.

Here Nu is showing amazing images of whale sharks. He is a true master of wide angle underwater photography.

Furthermore there are images from mobula rays feeding on sardines. A spectacle captured in wide angle still images which allow to feel the dynamics of that scenery.

Or more images of humpback whales in sardine run in South Africa.

A true master of underwater photography.

Nu Parnupong - Flickr

Diving Alor and Flores

Diving in Alor and Flores (Indonesia) underwater footage from Undersea Productions on Vimeo.

Black and White - Switzerland Photography

The Matterhorn in shrouds - Steve Large (500px)

Chilean Castle (Lake Leman) | Schloss Chillon (Genfersee) - Franz Engels (500px)

Basel in Grey - Loris Oehen (500px)

Zurich - Farhad Salami (500px)

porto regionale di locarno - Gomes Jorge (500px)