Day 11; Old School

If you use a film scanner it makes sense to take pictures with an analog camera. I started photography with the analog technique like many others. As I've got the chance to delevop black and white film at my own, this was the media of my choice. Soon after my first steps in photography the digital cameras came down into a market which I could pay and also the quality was usable. So I bougth my first digital one. But I did never stop taking pictures onto b/w-films from time to time. I would miss the feeling to do something with my hands. To develop the films and to enlarge the pictures onto photosensitive paper.

You don't need a big laboratory to develop your own films. Just some tools for developing, a completely dark room and some chemicals. The tools, films you'll find at e-Bay or ask you photo store of your choice, which also can sell you the chemicals. The dark room might be a cellar or you can use a dark bag which you even can carry with you. And for the camera take a look at your parents or grandparents attic or e-Bay.

Now you need a little patience to get used to the handling. Tutorials for developing films you'll get from the internet or a friend who also does analog photography. And even if you don't want to buy all that stuff and learn the handling, just send the films to a photo laboratory which develops b/w films.

In any case, it's worth to give it a try because taking pictures with analog technique differs from the digital one in a way which level up your photographic skills.


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Day 10; Ice Cold Butterfly

Today I wen't outdoors with my loan dog (it's not my dog but I ofter take him with me for a walk). I suggest you to go outdoors as often you can to discover new places. I've been at a place which I discovered by a look at the map and the desicion that this area might be interesting. Then I walked there and found a fantastic place!

But today something was strange. There where those butterflies dancing around me. One of it came to me and sat down on my leg. And I swear! It's body was ICE COLD! That was scary! "What shall I do if this butterfly is a super mutated ice creature which tranforms me to an block of melting ice?", I thought. Frigtened from those butterflies I tried to sneak away from this place carefully and I had luck! Pheew!

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This blog is also available as a podcast! Search for "photopodary" in the iTunes store and subscribe today! Don't forget to leave some stars and a comment if you subscribe. Thanks!

Day 9; Great Baggy

As I unpacked my new film scanner, the bag delivered with fascinated me! It was taylor made for the scanner and its tools. And it helps me to gain more space on my hard fighted desk. Every square milimeter I have to fight for.

If I don't need the scanner, I let it in the bag. If I need it, so I have to make place for it on my desk, install it and scan. After scanning, I can put the box back into its bag and let it disapear in my desk drawer. Can you imagine how many square milimeters of free space keep left on my desk then? Terrific!


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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 8; In the middle

Today i'll get my negative and dia film scanner. Yeah! Finally I can scan all my black and white negatives in a good quality. The scanner cost me around 350 swiss bucks. That's about the same in Dollars. For that money I've got a good value for prize.

Often the most expensive products are not also the ones with the best quality. Also products with a low prize doesn't have to be cheap at all. My orientation tends to buy products in the mid-prize area. There you'll find mostly good products for a fair prize. But first think about your needs to buy the right for you.

Cheers!
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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 7; Second Weekend

Unbelivable! The first week of my project passed and there are seven entries in my podary. Hopefully I will be so full of discipline the next 51 weeks to! :-)
Today I still have to sort the pics of the weekend. Two days + two photographers = a lot of pics to sort. Because of this I'll present you some of the photographs made last weekend.

Have fun!

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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 6; Finishers

After a shooting try to sort and edit your shots soon. Even if the customer is not in hurry or you shoot for yourself. It is good, sometimes, to let pass some days in between the shooting and the selecting/editing. It might change your view to the pics and you'll select different pics than directly at or after the shooting. But don't wait too long as your job might run out of your seight. At the end you get under pressure and the work begins to staple. To find a good balance is the secret. As always :-)


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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 5; Out of comfort

To get more experienced in any thing, you need to leave your comfort zone. The more you try out new things or things where you don't feel comfortable, the more confortable you get with them.

Today I tried to enlight difficult light situations using my flashlight. The background was in bright sunlight, but my subject, like a biker, was in a shady area. What would you expose correctly? The fore- or the background? To get both sides of the medal you need the help of your flashlight. Use it to enlight you subject while you expose the background correctly.

Another nice effect is to underexpose the background about one or two f-stops while your subject is correctly exposed with the flashlight. I call it thunderstorm effect. At a thunderstorm front often there is a black wall of clouds in the back while objects in the front are shining in he sunlight. I really had to try several times to get the correct parameters for the exposure.

So don't forget; by leaving your comfort zone you'll get comfortable with your weak points.

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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 4; Good night

Today it's a really short one. Tomorrow I have to get up early and I have really go to sleep now.
Therefore I've got a first picture for this blog, made from the display of my cam :-)




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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 3; Be prepared...

Being prepared for the things who might come; that is essential for living a photographic life. Today I have to prepare for a weekend full of action! The Ironman Switzerland 2010 event starts tomorrow. Like in the last years, also this year I have got the opportunity taking pictures for the organisator of the event.

Therefore I have to prepare all my gear early enough in advance. The meaning is to let at least one night in between, preparation and event.

It's important to think about the job and what you need for in advance. Depending on the job and the location you can decide how much gear is needed and what makes sense to carry around with you. To find a good balance is the secret.

For the next two days I need a small but well bundled package. My 7D, my super zoom lens (which has potential to discuss about) and as many batteries and memory cards I can get. Oh, and the flashlight, of course. As I am on the road all the time, my bundle has to be small and lightweighted.

Yeah! I'm looking forward to have a great time this weekend! But you will read and hear about soon.

Cheers!



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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 2; Dentist for my homepage

Today I went to the Dentist for the annual check. He didn't found no hole and nothing else exept healthy brave teeth doing a good job every day. Everything was on its place and in good condition in my mouth!

The opposite is at my hompage. It is full of holes which have to be filled up. So I would need a Dentist for my homepage and that is me! It begins with the inconsequent translation to English, further I've token many pictures which I don't present at my page yet and there is a business website about me as a photographer to complete and publish. Too much work for only one or two hours this eve. I've to do that step by step.

But I have to do it because your website is your business card. If there is a mess at your website, there will be also a mess in your life and work. So it's time to clean up a little with his mess. And the next turn to do this is mine.

My step for today: Publishing an episode of my Swiss podcast about photography and select and edit some pictures for the show notes. Write and publish the show notes. That's enough for today! Ehm, no... I have to set up some social networks for my podary and also I have to post my audio files. But then I'd have enough action for today. So... See you tomorrow!



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For all Swiss guys and German speaking folk; check out my podcast about photography!

lightcast - the Swiss photo podcast

www.lightpicture.ch

Day 1 (and a half)

Hi there out in the world!

My Name is Manuel and I started in photography about eight or nine years ago. One of my qualities is to have a lot of ideas. One of my negative qualities (negaties?) is to have much problems at changing them over to reality. I always have to push myself, to kick myself.

So, a longtime idea of me is to get more professional, famous and popular in photography. First it was just a hobby. But during the years it started to be a passion more and more. And now it wouldn't be bad to earn some money from it from time to time. So, to kick me to this point, I had the idea to start a podcast diary, a podary, about getting to a higher level. I want to try to do some small steps forward, but one every day. Let's say for a year. And what's your part in this game? It is to actuate me a little bit. Every comment of you will help me to do another step forward. But it's not only all about me. I really hope that also other people can get a benefit out of this.

Why should you listen at this? Honestly, there is no reason, except... If I can learn something, maybe you also learn something. And why I am doing this in English as a Swiss guy? I won't bore you with my Swinglish. Maybe amuse you a little bit. But I also have some english speaking friends out there in the world. So I just hope to get a little bit more connected to them through this. Also I hope to get some new friends as well (and don't to lose some existing ones ;-). And last but not least, I am expecting that the audience could be slightly bigger as if I would do this in Swiss German. :-) And... maybe... it also helps to kick forward my English a little bit...

If you like this idea and if you are curious about what happens during the next year? Please leave a comment!

If you want to have a look at some of my pictures? www.lightpicture.ch is the address. Don't get frightened; most of the entries are in German. But pictures are speaking an universal language, isn't it?