Most of this was accomplished through a curve layer manipulation in Photoshop, or blending the color channels to help bring out detail in a color that might have been over exposed. I am no expert in this matter but I took a few screen captures while “correcting” one of our given images and thought it was worth posting on. While I am less than awesome at editing in general I find the entire process fascinating.
The following image is what we were issued in class in a .TIFF format. Our goal was to bring back “normal” skin tones in the model and make the rest of the image as “neutral” as possible. Never mind the fact that the image itself is total crap, which I think bothered me the most, not only was I correcting an image I did not take, it wasn’t even a good capture to begin with. The following screen shots detail some the the process that went into correcting this file. The final image which I managed to come away with a “A” in is this:

© Nicholas Bailey 2011 Pelican Image Creation

I was born in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, on March 24, 1963. I am a graduate of the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California, where I majored in video production and minored in the fine art of photography.
www.koentjoro.com

when and how did you become interested in Photography?

When I was 15 my mother bought me a Kodak pocket camera as a birthday present. I haven’t looked back since.

what gear do you mainly shoot with?

Mainly DSLR cameras sometimes film.

what is your #1 source of inspiration?

Michael Keena and Ansel Adams.

many times photographers find themselves with a full schedule of paying gigs, ending up with little time for doing the work they truly love. Do you struggle with finding time for your personal work?

I’m lucky to have a job that is parallel to photography. I work as a cinematographer in a production house in Jakarta. I mainly do TV commercials and corporate profiles.

what is your all time favorite genre to shoot (portraiture, conceptual, documentary, commercial, etc..)?

I love landscape and waterscape with a style of surrealism.

do you have any upcoming shows or events you want our readers to know about?

I did last year, and will probably do one show next year. I’m collecting my portfolio at this moment.

what is the one thing you feel makes your style or your work unique?

I love strong contrast bordering with hyper-real surrealism.

if you could photograph anyone, (past/present/future), who would it be and why?

Picasso, besides being a great painter, he was also an accomplished photographer.

what’s your dream photo field trip?

The North/South Pole and also the Galapagos Island.

what’s your post production process?

I use Photoshop to convert to B&W, I mostly use Channel Mixer, dodge, burn and also vignette tools.

if you had unlimited resources to purchase any type of camera, what would it be and why?

The Hasselblad or the Leica.

who are your favorite shooters and why?

Ansel Adams, because he discovered the zone system. He pretty much changed the face of Black & White photography.
Who would have thought the richness of tones ranging from the Whitest White to the Darkest Black.

what has been the shining moment of your career thus far? (or, describe your “big break”)

Still waiting for the break. Having many friends that like my photographs on Deviant Art, Art Limited and Facebook is very pleasing.

which shooter would you like to see interviewed by photopol.us next?

Michael Keena.

what’s your favorite music to listen to while editing?

I listen to Jazz and world music, mainly percussion and rhythmic music.

what’s your favorite hang (when shooting or not)?

Starbucks checking email.

best meal to get you ready for a shoot? or best way to celebrate a brilliant capture?

I don’t eat before shoot, makes me sleepy.
I usually celebrate with a can of beer with friends and family.

will you share with us one of your favorite shots?

Of course, however I don’t have a favorite shot, I love them all.
You can check out my work at deviantart or artlimited

your favorite photo by another photographer?

It is called “The Walk to Paradise Garden” by W. Eugene Smith.

has your passion for photography changed at all since turning “pro”?

I was never a pro and I doubt if I ever will be… it’s more fun to be an amateur, less pressure.

do you have a favorite / lucky item of clothing, outfit or uniform that you like to wear when shooting an important assignment or project?

T-shirt and jeans, the best!!!

what’s your sign?

I was born on March 24, so I’m an Aries…hard headed… hehehehe….

©Hengki Koentjoro

If you are a photographer and would like to be featured as a future/potential Art Star on our blog, email us!
info@photopolus.com or ange@angefitzgerald.com, subject: Art Star.
*please include your website and examples of your work
____

I have had potential clients ask me to do $3000 or more in work for less than $500.  Potential wedding clients who are willing to spend more on their photo booth for their wedding then they are their actual photographer.  But I have also seen all these new photographers popping up out of nowhere who are advertising really low rates.

There are several website companies out there now that make it really easy to start up a new business.  For $50 or less you can have a professional website that displays your images in a very complimentary way.   I should know, I’ve had them and have seen several other photographers get them too.  But when you take a closer look, the images really aren’t that good.  Coloring is off, they’re not really all in focus, and in some cases it doesn’t even look like they were the hired photographer at the event they are showcasing.

I am focusing on photography here because that is what I do, but this goes for a lot of us who are self employed.  But for some reason, people think that since they bought their digital camera with 2 lenses at Costco or wherever, “hey I can be a professional photographer now!”   I hate to say this, but in some cases, they can.

Brooks Institute of Photography is now offering a one year course in wedding photography.  So pretty soon we will have the first batch of graduates from this program.  A whole slew of “Certified Wedding Photographer’s” many of whom have never shot a single wedding, or at least have never been paid to shoot one.  I’m not knocking the people who wish to learn how to do this, but I am knocking the people who take the fastest way possible to learn something.  Do you want a doctor operating on you who found the easiest school to get into?  Or do you want someone who is well respected and has a great track record doing the task?

It’s all about perceived value.  This is true with life on many different levels.  There are some things we value and some we do not.  Sometimes we all (myself included) need to take a step back and look at where we are spending our money and what we are doing to make our money.   I have made mistakes on both ends of that stick.  Looking back at this year I am happy with the clients I have met, the new friends I have made and the decisions I have made as well.  I am even happy with the mistakes I have made as they have taught me how to think a little more ahead and look for ways to avoid those same type of mistakes.

My perceived value has changed a little.  A little about myself and a little about others.  I am looking for the value in others, if others do not see value in me then okay, it’s just not meant to be.  I cannot change the world, I can only change myself.  I can only make myself better.  I can try to help others but only those who want help.

As for all of this new competition coming out of everywhere?  They may come out swinging, but I think I’ve got the stamina for the long haul.  I’ve been doing this too long, plus I love what I do, I cannot imagine doing anything else.   

Speaking of loving what I do, here is a shot from one of my latest sessions, her name is Chelsea, I can’t wait to work with her more!  

picture Contest. Teach the kids about evaluating photographs. create a score sheet with their inputs & some general guidelines. Have each infant submit a small number of photographs for blind evaluation. Encourage each evaluator to find positive things in each photograph. The top 3-5 from each class go to a grade-level round, & the top grade level compete for over-all school awards. Everyone will have fun taking, editing, evaluating & following the contest. The winner can receive a certificate & perhaps the local paper would print the picture along with an news story written by a quantity of the scholars. Or, a local photographer may agree to work with the student to get the picture professionally printed & framed.

Nature Walk. Take the class on a nature hike & try to identify plants, animals & rocks. For those that can’t be identified, take the images later & use them to look up the item. Print out photographs of the items to display when it’s chilled outside, & save some for your seasonal bulletin boards.

picture Gifts. Have each infant take a picture of themselves or other subject & have them make a gift, such as a card or other craft to give as a holiday or occasion gift.

How they Grow. Photograph the kids by a measuring stick or mark on the wall. think about having them photograph each other. Take some early, mid-year & finish of year images & let them see, measure & discuss the differences. discuss things that would affect the accuracy of the measurement (shoes, hair, posture, camera angle, etc.)

Local Print Sponsor. Ask one of the local businesses such as a grocery or drugstore to donate some number of digital prints or developing services, so the class can select the best pics & have them printed on lovely paper.

Infant Camera Weekend. Assign a digital camera to one infant each weekend for them to take home. Ask them to take photographs of their experiences – relatives, pets, activities & ask them also to take a creative picture or one that represents their character. Then in the following week, have them build a slide show & share with the class. You may require to have news story review on a quantity of those photographs!

Photo Club. Think about making a picture club as an after-school or activity period club. Look for sponsors to provide funding for disposable cameras & film, or a couple of lovely digital cameras. Approach a local photographer to be a club instructor, mentor or speaker. See my news story on picture Club Activities for more ideas.

Theme Bulletin Boards. Before you build those boards yourself, share the theme together with your kids & get some volunteers to take some photographs to support the theme.

computer Editing Skills. Digital photography will be a part of every child’s life. Why not offer basic picture editing as part of the computer skills curriculum? you can also have some creativity at play – see who can come up with the most fascinating edit of a standard photograph.

Yearbook & Newspaper. Classroom candids, school life & special events are all great opportunities for kids to get involved. Also think about having an online newsletter or weblog built by & maintained by the scholars. Allowing students to actively photograph assemblies & other special events promotes responsibility, creativity & leadership.

Photography as Art. Have the scholars understand a quantity of the artistic elements of photography – composition, lighting, posing, editing & printing for example. perhaps have them review definite famous works or photographers & select one to study or emulate.

Time Lapse. Science classes,  biology, lend themselves to time lapse photography. Define the rules (how often, how to set up, who takes photos), & capture the sprouting & growth of plants, or the growth rate of animals in your classroom. Also, taking a picture outside of your windows every day will make a  tidy weather/climate video near the finish of the year. The key is consistency & follow-through to stitch the photographs together in a film format.

School Tour. Producing a book or video for new students is a great service that your students can perform. they can gain experience in storyboarding, scripting, recording, photographing, editing & producing. A video or annotated slide show produced by the scholars & approved by the administration is a great gizmo & as well as a great testimony to the trust & responsibility that the school gives the kids.

See the Numbers. When explaining huge numbers to kids, photographs of the items will be handy. How about 1 Million? think about having them count out 1,000 of something like paper clips, then photographing & printing 10 copies. That can be 10,000. Then take a picture of those 10 pics, duplicate it 10 times & you have 100,000. one time more & you have 1 Million, & you can show the groups of 10 pics beside each other on a board to show the scale.

International picture buddies. Think about hooking your kids up with some other schools across the planet, & trading photographs on specific subjects a few times each year. For example, you could do a set on food, & have the kids photograph their lunch experience & a quantity of the foods that are common to their school & area. You could focus on clothing, customs, holidays, sports, local surroundings & many other subjects. The kids will be excited to send & get these electronic picture packets.

See the History. Field trips to local museums or historical areas are lovely opportunities to capture history. you can collect a quantity of those images & use them as study guides – the kids can remember the trip through the images & reinforce their learning. Also, you can ask them to photograph or bring in the oldest thing in their relatives & discuss it.

See the Health. Students can stage & photograph healthy activities & lifestyle & can build a book or board to share with others.

Have fun incorporating these ideas in to your classroom experiences. If your school or classroom does not have a digital camera, contact your community foundations, retail stores & local fashion photographers to ask for help in obtaining usable digital cameras & program.

in the event you looked forward to start a career in photography schools in America, here are multiple opportunities to get top photography schools in America. The essential training in digital photography are all the same either using modern digital cameras or traditional analogue cameras.

lots of people are enrolling in a photography school in America in order to get hired as soon as we graduated. a few of these schools are present in cosmopolitan areas all around the globe such as in London, Paris with best hands to take you through the photography coursework.

You would be exposed extensively to flash photography, how to make use of different lenses, studio equipments & photography program. You will also learn handling of camera both technical & inventive aspects of it. You will also learn about camera lens filter such as polarizer, UV,GND, & ND, how to make use of a camera tripod, how to reduce camera lens flare for proper functioning, imaging & picture types such as JPEG & TIFF, picture sharpness, digital picture interpolation & posterization, picture noise, white balance etc.

Top photography schools tend to give you historical background of photography which will enable you to have a sense of appreciation in the changes that the industry has gone through over the years. By the time you graduate from top schools you would have become an specialist in handling different kinds of cameras & different photography equipments that are available to you.

In addition to the aforementioned, you will in depth knowledge camera lenses such as aperture & focal length, camera exposure such as shutter speed & ISO. You would know how to capture & create stunning images both colored & black & white similar.

The following are top photography schools in United State of America where you are able to explore your passion & desire for digital photography & move from hobbyist to world class photographer.

Since the profession is highly profitable & selling quick in an entertainment world, you are going to move from grass to grace with the knowledge of digital photography & become an international world class photographer.

· Boston University offers courses in digital imaging arts & other business management.

· The New York Institute of Photography, New York City: it is one of the world famous photography schools with students from all over the world.

· The American Intercontinental University: It offers courses in traditional analogue & digital camera courses. you are thought different topics ranging from imaging arts, promotion, professional photography etc.

· Brooks Institute of Photography

· The International Academy of Design & know-how is & a degree awarding institute. we will prepare you on digital photography program & lighting.

· Harrington College of Design: Is a degree awarding college offering courses in digital photography, photojournalism, & photography business.

Other top photography schools are present in London & Paris with seasoned lecturers that are able to exposing your potentials in photography profession. Most of these offer online courses to learn photography irrespective of your location. Their brochures & other required materials can be accessed online for preparation  than travelling from your base to attend lectures.

· The Ohio Institute of Photography & know-how offer courses in wedding portraits & professional photography.

These top photography schools select their students based on merit & usually look for a dedicated & committed student to enroll for their programs due to the professionalism involved in the coursework.

Enjoy studying fashion photography.  Becoming one of the top fashion photographers has been extremely rewarding for me and I hope it is for you!

First I brought them to one of my favorite locations. As always conditions for engagement pictures at Carpinteria Bluffs were optimum. So much so that I brought out my Nikon infrared camera for a few shots. Next for their engagement pictures was some open meadows of Montecito where, once again, conditions were perfect for infrared photography. As the sun was going down we raced to the Santa Barbara Pier for some sunset shots and finished at Chase Palm Park.

Blue Silver Photos
alex@bluesilverphoto.com
877-588-3374

Carpinteria Engagement Pictures

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Engagement Pictures at Carpinteria Bluffs

Santa Barbara Wedding Photographer

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Westmont College Engagement Pictures

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Infrared Wedding Photography

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Monticeto Wedding Photographer

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Santa Barbara Pier

Mr. Ball

In 1991 I was a high school senior. I was curious about Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. I lived in Boise, Idaho with my 6 siblings. I asked my dad if we could go “check it out”. He said if I made the arrangements, he’d take me. In a few days time I drew the route on a map and booked Motel 6 hotels, this was when 1-800 numbers were the way to get it done. I planned the trip and then to his everlasting credit he did it, we went.  

He said that getting an education was important to him. Of course he wanted me to get a great education, every kid knows that his dad wants that. But taking four days out of his schedule away from his other 6 kids and wife and work gave me a powerful message. That’s how you tell your kid that his education is important.  

We took the long way. I was fascinated with California so I planned the trip to go through Reno, Sacramento, San Fransisco and south along highway 1 to Santa Barbara.  

It’s a long, long drive. We drove his new 1990 white Dodge Daytona all the way to Morrow Bay the first day after 16 hours on the road. I drove a few hours and he’d drive a few hours. We stopped somewhere north of Morrow Bay to relieve my bladder along the roadside and I could hear thundering waves, crickets and running water. I couldn’t see anything in the dark. Driving on highway 1 at midnight on a moonless night was so thrilling.  

We had a fancy tour of the office and campuses at Brooks. I was spellbound by the darkroom, the students’ work on the walls and the impressive buildings. It seemed a trillion miles from my basement darkroom back in Idaho. Everything in Santa Barbara was exotic to my Idaho eyes and nose. I witnessed strange trees and plants, smells of the ocean, soft light filtering through ocean haze, fancy cars, road signs in spanish and highway 101. I was electrified.  

We went to LA for an evening. The reason we went there was to satisfy my curiosity. I booked a Motel 6 on Hollywood Boulevard. I didn’t sleep that night. There was too much noise and light outside our room. I thought I heard someone breaking into our car at 3 in the morning. I peeked through the curtains to see a fight in the parking lot. My curiosity was satisfied.  

I went to Brooks Institute four years later in 1995. My dad paid the sky-high tuition. I was grateful then. I am flabbergasted now. It was amazing.  

That experience with my dad only typifies an eternal list of kind and generous acts that he has conducted on my behalf.  He has always been there cheering for me. He’s always been there to support me. I know it’s a phenomenal blessing and I am thankful.  

My dad is a gentleman. He does his duty and loves my Mother. He gives all he can to his 8 children and 24 Grandchildren. He thinks of others first. What else can you ask of your father?  

He taught me that a gentleman is always concerned with the comfort and welfare of others. He taught me that family comes first. He taught me to learn and do your duty. He taught me to speak kindly to my wife and children. He taught me to help out at home by cleaning, sweeping and scrubbing. He taught me that the ultimate example is the Saviour Jesus Christ, the ultimate gentleman.  

I think of that often.  

On this father’s day, I wish to tell my father that I love him, I honor his legacy and his teachings. He’s not perfect, no one is, but he is sincerely trying to teach his family the teachings of Christ through his example. It’s a sacred responsibility to be a father and he takes his responsibility seriously. Thank you Dad.

Sunset in Black and White

This was the view from the parking lot of the apartment building in Santa Barbara, CA where Sam and I lived during our college years. 

I was walking to the darkroom (the apartment complex built a couple of darkrooms for the Brooks Institute students) and used up the last frame of Ilford Delta 400 film in my Rolleiflex 3.5e taking this photograph. 

I don’t mind having power lines in my landscapes. I used to shun them, and any part of the hand of man, but I decided one afternoon while going through some negatives to accept them into my work. I reasoned that if  they’re there, and I can’t change them then why fight them? I didn’t like being burdened by trying to negotiate my camera around them. Besides, they add strong visual lines that can enhance the photo. 

I’ve learned to accept a lot of things. Life demands it. I try to place stress on the things that I can change and ignore the unchangeable. 

I used to think about every part of my photography. It was a luxury whose value wasn’t realized until I had to work my tail off to earn a few bucks. It’s an old memory now, faded and thin.

©2010 HMB Photos

Hello family,

Sorry I have been a while since I have been able to write. We have just now finished our classes and have our finals soon. Once finals end, we will be sitting in our office for 2-3 months doing…. well nothing. We have gotten a taste of it over the last few days while our students have been preparing for their exams, and not attending classes…. and we are getting so bored. We leave work early nearly everyday, and would go out to shoot, but it is unbelievably hot these days. We are loving it here though, despite the weather and look forward to being here next year. We can’t believe that we have been here for 8 months and it feels like we just stepped off the plane.

Korea was a country filled with  never ending sea of people who worked easily
10 hours a day in an environment of neon signs, soju bars and norae bongs, not to
mention the overwhelming population. Oman could not be any more different. Oman is a laid-back country where shweh shweh “slowly slowly” is the motto, and
desolate, subtle browns and greens of the environment mixed with the national
dress, uniform black and white robes,  could make a double ADHD kid on crack
calm to an afternoon nap. This country is so tired that it shuts down from 1-4
everyday, no joke. Don’t run out of toilet paper or something else essential at
that time cause not a thing is open, that’s time to drink Arabic coffee, eat
dates and seek shelter from the relentless sun, a tradition which continues
despite the introduction of AC. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the
desolate atmosphere is relaxing and the people are much happier than other
countries where the work hours are longer. No one locks their doors, people
leave their cars running when they go into the store, and the biggest threat to
Omanis are deadly car accidents, or death by laziness if there is such a thing.

©2010 HMB Photos

If a student was asked to compare two countries which had nothing in common,
Oman and South Korea would be good choices, which is why we had such culture
shock when we first moved here.  South Korea’s 48 million population lives on
an area of land 1/3 the size of Oman, which boasts a population of 3.5 million,
of which 1/3 are foreigners. In Korea we would go days without seeing another
waegooken, (foreigner) but in Oman you can’t go a second. The Omani’s have
become disgustingly spoiled with their oil findings in such a short period of
time that consequently Oman emerged from it’s time capsule and began to advance
so rapidly, and is now trying to desperately put the breaks on. His majesty,
Sultan Qaboos has run the country since he overthrew his inward thinking father
40 years ago and the people hail him at any cost. He built school, colleges,
roads and hospitals, all new additions to the country. With no background in
such things, he imported labor to work as doctors, teachers and manual workers,
as the country was literally void of skilled workers. This is where the
foreigners come from. With a short history, Omani people are best at raising
camels, farming dates, and hiring people to work for them. Nearly every house
hold, which consists of 1-2 (in separate houses on the same property) wives and
10-12 children, have at least 2 servants working for them, delivered from
India, Pakistan, Malaysia, The Philippines or other countries which don’t have the revenue which oil brings.  They cook, clean and take care of the children, and
wives are for childbearing, although the old ways are fading fast, and despite
the governments block on TV, movies, music and well, all media forms, the
people find ways to unlock satellite channels, download music and import books
from Lebanon. Most Omani’s go to college these days, some what choose their
spouses, and young women refuse to allow multiple wives. Of course the society
was not always like this, previously women did the house work, but with new
servants to work in the house, they are left to sit at home and do… well
nothing once they have been married.

©2010 HMB Photos

Since the discover of oil and the advancement of the country, 40 years has been like 300 in the eyes of progress, such as infrastructure and industry. But the further you drive from the capital city of Muscat, the further back in time you
travel. The towns and villages are very conservative and an average scene in
the evening would be a small town suq (city center) full of men smoking shisha and drinking tea, and not a woman in sight. It is not common for women to go
outside.  In fact in every Arab house there are two living rooms, one for women
and one for men, and when guests come over they are segregated. A man could
have a best friend for 20 years and never once seen his wife. Men and women are
forbidden to touch, and that includes shaking hands… a mistake I have
continuously made in offering my hand to new people I meet.. oops. Ladies are
rarely seen out and about, and when they are, they cover their face… aside
from Muscat that is. Muscat is a sort of modern twilight zone of the real Oman,
where women are seen out in masses with their two nannies and 7 children
following them while they shop for the newest Gucci sunglasses, with  tight
fitting abyas (black robes) and very loose hijabs (head scarves) even showing
some, or a lot of hair.

With all that useless information being said, Oman is a fascinating country,
and we are enjoying living in the Middle East. There is something captivating about this part of the world, and to be honest, I can’t pin point it. I don’t know if
it is the aroma of frankincense and shisha in the streets, and remarkable
minimalist, Arabic architecture,  or the happy, friendly atmosphere of the
Arabic people. I love wandering around the old forts and visiting the other
cities. Although at times we suffer from extreme home sickness, and sometimes
that is the US and sometimes it’s Korea. It is hard to imagine that Korea
became like home, but sometimes we just miss the conveniences and lifestyle
that we enjoyed there. But we miss the states as well… me especially. After
two years of being gone, I am a bit worried about just how much reverse-
culture shock we will experience when we go back. It is continuously amazing to
me how quickly human beings are capable of adjusting to new environments, and
how easy it is to change Your society; Your “norm.” After all, if you always
walk around wearing a hijab and an abya, it is the other people who are
strange, or crazy.

So the dessert, camels, never ending sand dunes and overwhelming friendliness
have us intoxicated here. Every time we go out of our small city and see the
country, coast and mountains, we just love it. So for the next year we will be
here, and trying to get in to Grad school in the states, as soon as we save the
2 million dollars that it costs…. We have had a few opportunities to get out
and make pics, which has been nice, and we hope to continue shooting when we
get back. Nowadays it is about 130 degrees out by 8 am, and we have been
confined to our AC. Sky has continued to shoot however and I have tried to be
as driven as him. It’s hard though, because he is REALLY driven. He wakes up at
345 to get out before sunrise and work on his nature pics, before we make it to
work at 730 to start our day. But we really can’t complain too much, as the
shweh shweh effects every aspect of business here and we only taught about 3
hours a day before our classes ended.

©2010 HMB Photos

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing good, and that you enjoy these pics. Please
send us a letter or drop a line to say how everything is with everyone. Love
you guys, Love Heather

©2010 HMB Photos

©2010 HMB Photos

©2010 HMB Photos

Hi everyone,

The few months that I have spent here have flown by faster than any other time
of my life, perhaps because I am enjoying myself, or because I am working hard,
either way, I can’t believe it has been nearly 4 months. (And 5 months since
our wedding) Work is going good, and we are already looking for work for next
year, in an attempt to prevent the last work visa fiasco from happening again.
Although we would love to start graduate school this coming year, it looks like
starting the year after would be better financially. Our apartment has come
together nicely and it has finally began to feel like home. It is amazing how a
place can start out feeling so empty and even creepy at first and later be
salvation from the world spinning around you, because the country or details
don’t matter, in these walls is OUR home, and that is so comforting.

The most recent addition to our home is satellite tv, which we finally hooked
up after our tv which we inherited from another teacher who recently passed
away had began to collect dust. Now as Sky has gone to play pool with his friends
and colleagues, a much needed break as we have spent 24/7 around each other at
both work and home, I flip it on for the first time. CNN Arabia, as depressing
as it is in the US but slightly more politically sensitive due to the region,
shows the same stories broadcast on BBC, but both are as depressing. It’s like
having your earplugs in during a flight and then suddenly taking them out when
you are woken up by the stewardess, and it sounds so loud that you get a shock;
even the whispers of the couple sitting 3 rows in front of you sounds
unpleasant. Was the world continuing to degenerate so rapidly during the nearly
6 months since I last watched it?

MTV Arabia is next, a mix of English, Spanish and very provocative Arabic music
videos that my female students assure me come from countries such as Lebanon
and Egypt, as girls in the gulf region would never act in such a manor. I watch
for a little while though cause I am surprised to see girls singing in Arabic
but wearing evening gowns, after all, the ladies here are covered quite
literally from head to toe, except for in the university, where they are
forbidden to wear face covering of any sort.  Only 6 or so channels come in
English and I am starting to feel jipped by the 21 rials that we paid to have
the Indian man hook up our satellite. I pick up my book instead…. that’s a
new phrase for me, cause generally I hate reading. I would rather spend my free
time working on images or studying spanish, or Arabic (occasionally).

The book is Girls of Riyadh, and it has me addicted. The book was written by a
24 year old Saudi woman, and is the most controversial book in the Middle East.
No it is not about war or religion, but instead about the usually private lives
of Saudi women. Saudi Arabia is the most conservative country in the Middle
East, making it the most conservative in the world. Women are not allowed to go
out without a man, wear jeans, or throw a unintentional look towards a man
which could be interpreted wrong and have life long repercussions such as
limiting her possibilities for marriage.

Very different from the free Oman where men and women go to university together
and women are sometimes spotted outdoors without a face covering. Where the
female students roam in the hallways hoping desperately that their new perfume
and Gucci handbag will have every boy in the halls looking. Where the girls sit
across from the boys in the class room, giggling at silly thing that happens in
the class, some being ultra conservative, knowing the consequences of acting
foolish, and others showing their poor upbringing by practically begging for
the boys attention, sometimes even engaging them in a joking conversation, in a
society where women are never supposed to talk to men who are not in their
family. All the while the boys love every bit of it, taking mental pictures of
the girls and making comments in Arabic about which girls are pretty and which
ones they would never marry, knowing that outside these walls they would never,
under any circumstances even be allowed to look at a lady.

This book takes a closer look in the private life of Arab women, which is so
fascinating to me after living here for a bit. I like talking to my female
students and they are so interested to hear every detail about western weddings
the oh so taboo dating. In their culture they are sometimes allowed a sit down
with the person that they are about to marry, (who was of course chosen by
their parents and not themselves) but that is as far as it goes. Accompanied by
all four parents they are given a few minutes to ask such questions as “what
kind of food can you cook” and “what did you study in school?” In Oman it is
the boy who pays the dowry, as it is in most Arab countries, however for Indian
Muslims, it is very different, as with all of India, the girls family pays, and
she pays a lot.

Like my Indian colleague Fatima, who I love to talk with. She is very
conservative and so funny, and sometimes we talk for hours, avoiding random
bits of work that we have to do. A few years after her wedding, 3 children
later, and long after the dowry was spent, her husband abandoned her to move to
New York and live the American dream with his new wife who he married in the US before his Indian divorce papers were even signed. In utter grief and to avoid
her mothers marriage pressure after her divorce, she went back to school to get
a masters, then another and finally a third. When she realized a fourth masters
would be completely excessive she moved abroad to work and avoid her mothers
introduction of random men. I found her once in the bathroom, washing up for
her evening prayers, and she wanted to talk. She had her headscarf off, and she
looks much more her real age without it as you can see her drooping chin and
the starts of grey hair. She stopped me to say that she was thinking about
arranged marriages and love marriages as they are called, and she said that she
had recently changed her mind about her 15 year old daughter, and she decided
that she would not be upset if she wanted to marry someone of her own choice.
She said that when she thinks about her marriage she can not think of even one
nice thing to say about her ex-husband, but that if it was a love marriage,
she probably would have liked something about him, even if it was some small characteristic.

Living here is very interesting and I am continuing to learn from this
experience. I am interested in their lives for some unknown reason to myself.
I am sorry if this letter was both pointless and boring, cause these are the
things that I am thinking about while I am here, so they are the things that I
am sharing, even if they are just one tiny piece of some culture that I know
nothing about. One thing that I can say is that this country is about as
opposite as it gets from Korea, and how I miss Korea sometimes. Of course
California will always be home, but Korea was the last thing familiar, and
sometimes I just want to go downtown and hang out. But as I said, Oman becomes
more like home every day, at least for now. We are busy applying for grad
schools and working on color correcting images for Lonely Planet. We are dying
to finish all of this so that we can get out and shoot some before the summer
creeps up on us.

On a more interesting note, we went to visit one of Sky’s students recently in
Bedia, the deep, deep dessert.(The pics I attached are from there) It was
amazing and SO beautiful. We spent the evening drinking Arabic coffee, eating
Halawa (a tradital Omani sweet) and ridding camels. Then we made a fire in the
dessert and they made us a delicious dinner on the open fire. It was amazing
and for the first time in my life, I saw the stars as God had meant them to be
seen, I never knew the stars looked 3D when you can see all of them. I wish I
was more descriptive on this extrodianary adventure, but it is getting late,
and I am so tired.

©2010 HMB Photos

As I said, I am sick and also I will be watching a final exam at 8:30 am, so I am going to end there and read just one more chapter of my book.. or two. I hope everyone is doing good, I always enjoy the pics, and as I now know because of the news… California is having some crazy weather. I hope no one is
effected by it. I love you guys, Love Heather

©2010 HMB Photos

©2010 HMB Photos

©2010 HMB Photos

The change of scenery is breathtaking, we had no idea that a vast dessert could
have so much beauty. Since we have been here we have spent some time at the
beach, gone snorkeling and eaten a lot of good food. The weather is perfect
right now because it is winter here. In the summer we hear that it is
unbearable, but for now, it’s perfect for camping and snorkeling, two of our
favorite things to do. The beaches are so clean with deep blue water and off
white sand. The sand is a bit rocky like the rest of the environment, and the
mountains are very unique; rocky and jagged, and layering for miles. The sun
sets and rises here bigger than I have ever seen before and it’s always a deep
red or orange color. We learned about the particles in the atmosphere creating
these kinds of situations in science class, but we never imagined that it would
be this beautiful. We have seen camels walking in our town and are planning to
go see the turtles that storm the beaches this time of year very soon. The
nature here is simply amazing. City life however, or lack there of, can be a
bit frustrating.

The capital city is Muscat which is 2 hours away from our city, Sur. The drive
is nice and we have done it twice to go shopping, but it is a bit of a headache
if we were going to do it often. Our town is very small and the people are very
conservative, although the whole country is compared to the rest of the world
as in alcohol is illegal, and that sort of thing. However this being one of the
most relaxed Arab countries, the people still wear traditional clothing, all of
the time. That means the men were a long, white robe called a distasha and a
traditional hat. The women wear long, black robes  which they pull a piece over
their faces when they are shopping or out in public. No it’s not the type from
Saudi which you can see the woman’s eyes, but instead made of a sheer material
so that the women can see out but no one can see in. It sort of looks like they
put a black sheet over themselves to play ghost like we did when we were
children, but then just left it there. It’s called an Abaya and they can be
quite intricate and beautiful. The more conservative girls wear just a plain
one, but the other girls wear them with embroidery and glitter on the head
piece. (the Hijab)  However the people are remarkably nice and both Skyler and
I are thoroughly enjoying teaching adults. As well the girls are not allowed to
wear their face coverings in the university, which makes it easier to try to
remember their names and keep order in the class room. But it makes it weird
when you are standing in the checkout line at the store and a black floating
ghost walks up behind you and says “Hello Heather Teacher.” 90% of my students
have a great sense of humor and I find it quite interesting to talk to them.
They are very open and I have asked them everything from why they still wear
this, to how they feel about having multiple wives, and they are happy to
discuss these topics with me. Similarly, they are eager to ask me questions.
Although non of them believe that I’m from America, as everywhere that I go.
They automatically think I’m some sort of Arab, in fact three male students
came to my office today to ask/argue with me about my nationally. They had
actually come to  give me their grand explanations for their recent absences
and poor test marks, but the conversation turned when they were not able to
persuade me into changing their situation. That is a problem in this society,
males are favored so much over females that they are often given special
privileges, consequently the female students are less pampered and far surpass
the boys in academic skills. The girl students sit on one side of the class
room never talking to the boys, and the boy students on the other and steal
glimpses of the girls, so it’s a sea of half white, half black robes and far
too much perfume on both sides.

The whole country is covered in Mosques and the call to prayer sounds 5 times a
day, including the first one at 4:30 in the morning. Now remember that I said
that the country is literally covered in Mosques and you’ll get the idea of why
we’ve yet to be late to work. Which now starts at 7:30am, a stark difference
from our 2-10 timetable in Korea. There is 3 times as much paperwork to do in
the office, but we teach far less class time per week as well. We also share
our office with our two good friends Greg and Cecile and upstairs are two of
our other friends from Korea Sarah and Chris. We have met lot’s of great people
living here and we also share our office with 2 Indian women who are very nice
and fun to be around.
Photographically we have yet to take a picture… but there is some good news
onthis front. Previous to 2 days ago, we did not have a car, so we could not get
around. We now have our apt, a leased car, our cell phones and internet, so we
are back to living in the real world. This quarter we actually sold images on
Lonely Planet which was very nice and the big news so far is that Sky has just
got a shoot for this Friday. (Our weekends here are Thursday and Friday, so
Wednesday is now the happiest day of the week =) My husband is very good at
marketing himself and tries so much harder than myself. He notified other
photographers and companies that he would be in this part of the world for a
while and because of this a magazine based in Abu Dhabi, UAE has contacted him
for a shoot this weekend in Muscat. The day rate is awesome and it is a
possible cover shoot, which means if they choose to run it for cover, he will
make even more. I’m very proud of him. We have a set of images to send of to
Lonely Planet from Malaysia, but it will take a while to edit them.

We can’t wait to start shooting here, which we will probably be able to start
in the next month or so. We have 9 days off at the end of this month for the eid
holiday, a Muslim holiday here. That will be our prime time to produce some
images. This letter is getting ridiculously long, but I hope you got a feel for
what we are up to. I am in the middle of making banana bread for one of our
Indian co-workers because she is loaning me one of her Indian outfits for a
Halloween party that our friend is having tomorrow night, I’m going as a
Bollywood movie star. We miss everyone so much, especially me and I can’t wait
to see everyone. Anyone wanting to come visit is more than welcome, we would
love to share our 1 bedroom apartment.. =)

Love you guys and I hope everyone is doing great, Love The Burts

Aaron Johnson's WTD character.

Here at Picture-soup.com we love What the Duck, the adorable cartoon strip created by Aaron Johnson featuring a Duck who just happens to be a professional photographer. The strip follows WTD and his photographer friends in their exploits and experiences [that all photographers can relate to]. Recently we received an email alerting us that there are now two different What the Duck camera straps available. We decided to look further… and found an interesting company doing the manufacturing.

What the Duck camera straps are created by HighKey Straps, with materials sourced in the USA and hand-assembled in Southern California. HighKey was founded last year by Tom Baker and Andie Haugen, two Brooks Institute of Photography students who wanted more than the “same old, same old” dull camera strap that are attached to masses of cameras around the world.

The two What the Duck camera straps made by HighKey Straps.

HighKey straps are 24″ long, with adjustable black leads that allow a total possible length of 44″. The underside of all straps are lined with a textured, non-slip material. The company offers a variety of camera strap designs/colors, and you can even create your own design. Simply use the Photoshop template provided on their website and design your own strap using any picture, logo or design you want.

Two of the many camera strap designs offered by HighKey Straps.

Go to the website at www.highkeycamera.com for more information.

If you’ve never heard of What the Duck before, we insist you go to whattheduck.net now!

— Diane Berkenfeld

]]> http://specialtycolorservices.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/angelina-dorogi-graduates/ Thu, 06 May 2010 18:31:37 +0000 Color Services http://specialtycolorservices.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/angelina-dorogi-graduates/ Our very own Angelina Dorogi Graduated from Brooks Institute on April 25th, 2010.  She got her bachelors of arts degree in professional photography with a concentration in commercial photography.  I have only worked here at SCS for a bit longer than four months.  So I have not gotten to know Angelina to well, but one thing that has always been obvious about her is that she is a very dedicated and hard worker.  While she attended Brooks as a full time student she also dedicated most of her free time to work here at SCS.  She didn’t just come to work all three years just for the extra money.  She continually came day after day, month after month, and year after year; while still studying with so much enthusiasm and love for SCS, photography, and mostly the costumers that she always has made feel welcome and right at home.  On top of her degree at Brooks she also has a degree in Motion Picture Film with a concentration in Cinematographer  from UNLV.  So now what?  Well her aspirations and goal is to work for a European fashion magazine.

I am sure you all know Angelina and I know she knows all of you.  Her hospitality and enthusiasm is extremely comforting and contagious.  I know she will be missed when the leaves here in a month.  So please whenever you see her please let her know how amazing she is, cause I know her relationship with all of you guys is very important to her.  Its so nice to see people come in to just visit and say hi, or when they have prints to pick up they stay chat with Angelina.  She has even delivered prints to someone on their birthday.  I really could go on and on about how beautiful her relationship with the customers is, and I am so happy to know she has such a good heart because it makes being a part of this SCS family that much more amazing.

I asked Linda who is a co-worker of ours, and who has worked closely with Angelina for the past three years.  She said, “Angelina is a shining star. She is creative, personable, hardworking and intelligent.  She has clear goals, and the drive to do what it takes to reach her dream. I am confident that she will succeed.”

Im sad to see Angelina leave, being as I only got to know her for a short period of time.  But her effect on our family dynamic here at SCS will always be felt.  Her dedication and love has always inspired me and I hope to one day make a mark as significant as she has on us.  Until then I am just along for the ride.

Thanks for everything Angelina, congratulations and we will miss you dearly.

© Mychael Gomez

- James

Santa Barbara, California

If you are good in this life and earn enough money you can retire in paradise, Santa Barbara California.

Driving into Santa Barbara on the 101 freeway is to enter another world.

The ocean is less sinister.

The air tastes better.

The light floats down from heaven.

The food has a special savor.

The trees smile at you.

The streets are lined with candy.

It’s expensive to live there. No, you don’t understand, it’s outrageous. If you wish to live there you need to be independently wealthy or you can live like a homeless person.

I went to school there. Brooks Institute of Photography. It was the best three years of my life. Tears spring to my eyes just thinking about it.

I shot this from the parking lot of the campus a couple of years ago. This view is for real.

___________________________________________________

Photo tips, philosophical stuff and technical data:

This image demonstrates the gorgeous color palette of Kodak Portra film. I’ve been accused of hating digital photography. I don’t hate it. In fact, I have several digital friends.

I own two DSLR’s and use them often.

Digital cameras are tools. Every tool has its purpose. It’s important to know that there are a lot of tools available to a photographer. Because of my training and experience I have a “full” toolbox. I am proficient with film, digital, all camera formats, traditional printing, digital printing, and photoshop. My wife just told me that it sounds like I am bragging. I’m not bragging. I am trying to make a point.

The point is that limiting your photographic experience to one technology is like going to the buffet and only eating jello. There is so much more.

Because there is so much to discuss about this issue I will elaborate on these and other points regarding film vs. digital in upcoming posts:

Prints/negatives

Color Palette

Different formats

Output options

-Jon Ball is a professional photographer who asserts his opinion on this blog. www.studiojonball.com

Jefrey Fiterman was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He became interested in photography at the age of six when his father gave him a 35mm camera
On a hiking trip.  Years later, armed with his passion for the camera, he packed up his ‘67 Ford Mustang and headed to sunny California to attend Brooks Institute of Photography.  Since then he has worked for clients from MTV to Seven7 Jeans and Venice Magazine.  Most Recently he was the official photographer for the Britney Spears Circus Tour.  He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Just got off the phone with a fellow golf photographer named Rob Perry, who’s based out of Washington (state).  Very nice guy.  Go dig around his site for a peek at some really, really good golf shots.