Better Photography 201801.pdf

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1、SURREAL, BREATHTAKING, AUSTERE, DISTRESSEDwww.betterphotography.inKonica Minolta Picturesque 2017: Winners announced!CELEBRATING THE SPECIAL WITHIN THE ORDINARY THROUGH THE EYES OF ERIC MENCHERJanuary 2018 Rs. 150WPOY2017-18 ENTRIES OPEN: INDIAS BIGGEST WEDDING PHOOGRAPHY AWARDS ARE BACK(Total 148 p

2、ages)Photographs by Paul van Schalkwyk, David J Carol, Philip J Brittan 1/4000sec. to 30sec. (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode.), Bulb, X-sync at 1/200sec.Exp. compensation Manual: +/ - 5 stops in 1/3- or 1/2- stop incrementsColour spaceAdobe RGB, sRGBISOAuto, 10025

3、,600 (expandable to 51,200)Flash modesAuto/ Flash On/ Slow Synchro/ Rear Sync. Flash OffViewfinderEye-level pentamirrorLCD3in, 1040K-dot, fully articulated touchscreen LCD, shooting it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the ordinary.” A lot of daily life is composed of such ordinary mome

4、nts, so commonplace that we seldom notice them. We become immune to their existence, and rarely notice the subtle changes that it constantly undergoes. Thats the thing about moments on the street, they are in a state of constant change. No moment is the same as the previous one, and never will it ev

5、er repeat itself. The key though, to witnessing something exceptional coming out of these ordinary situations is to wait long enough in observation, in anticipation of the scene revealing itself. But the question arises, how is one supposed to foresee something like this? Eric Mencher has spent a lo

6、t of time looking with his cameraphone, especially of the everyday, familiar scenes. Whether he is at home in Philadelphia or in Mexico or Guatemala, his photographs exemplify the ordinary moments that encompass daily life. “I look for special Bowing Down.B E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y PROFILEjan

7、uaRy 2018Left: Cross and Eyed.Right: Just a Shadow of Himself.B E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y 58januaRy 2018PROFILEThe Flower Seller.PROFILEB E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y 5959januaRy 2018This image: Color Space.Next Spread: Left (top): Who Could Resist This?Left (bottom): The Ideal Condition fo

8、r Reflection.Right: Man Emerges from House in Water.transformative moments unseen by others, but recognised by me. You know, those fleeting split seconds that reveal lifes magic,” he said.Realising the Potential of the Phone But before he began shooting exclusively on the cellphone, for 35 years, Er

9、ic was a full-time photojournalist at dailies like The Tampa Tribune, the Tampa Bay Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He covered everything from sports to the post-apartheid era in South Africa, to the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, and the civil war in Chechnya. However, about ten years ago, a

10、 sudden awareness struck him. “I realised that the industryphotojournalism in particularwas moving in a direction that was different from what I had loved so much about it. I was no longer Instagram: emencher Website: Tumblr: FIND ERIC HERE!PROFILEB E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y B e t t e r P h o

11、 t o g r a P h y PROFILEjanuaRy 2018Red Eye With Dogs Tail.interested in doing videos or being a part of journalism that no longer cared about storytelling, but rather was preoccupied with getting hits,” he said. So he quit his job at The Inquirer and began freelancing. Up until then, Eric had never

12、 considered adopting the cameraphone as a device to photograph with. This changed after a long-time friend gifted him the iPhone 4, about six years ago. “He never mentioned why he gave me the gift, but I suspect that it was to nudge me into the modern era, and to see what I could/would do with it,”

13、he said. Prior to this though, Eric was absolutely reluctant to consider the iPhone or any cameraphone for that matter, as a piece of photographic equipment. For him it was just another toy and an additional expense. But as he began shooting with B E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y 63januaRy 2018PROFI

14、LEThe Incredible Warmth of San Miguel De Allende.it, he realised what he was missing out on. The love affair was immediate. It became an extension of his heart and vision, and was so much more intuitive than his big, bulky cameras. But mostly, it liberated him visually.Patience is Key Erics photogra

15、phs depict a wide spectrum of subjects. Its difficult to define his exact style, or for that matter, a certain perspective that he prefers shooting with. If one is to define his way of seeing, it would be that his photographs are a documentation of an area and its people, and sometimes also its cult

16、ure. For instance, his pictures from the city have a certain street-style aesthetic, with a stronger play of light and shadow. This stands true of his photographs from other places as well, except that they take on a more documentary approach, in the way of highlighting the local culture of the area

17、. “It all comes down to preparation,” Eric says. “Not just in terms of what youre shooting with, but also being aware of, to be inspired by, and to build on the greatest traditions of literature, painting, dance, music, photography and more,” he said. He stresses on the importance of patience too. “

18、It may or may not be virtuous, but being patient definitely PROFILEB E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y 64januaRy 2018Three Graces, Sort Oes in handy. A sort of famous photo wag had told me that Henri Cartier- Bresson had once told him that he (Bresson) had made 50 worthwhile photographs in his life. C

19、onsidering that his career lasted for several decades, Bresson obviously spent a lot of time waiting for those 50 decisive moments. with patience, I presume.” The Otherworldliness of Black & White When asked why he prefers shooting in black and white the most, Eric mentions that he is driven purely

20、by instinct. “I cant really articulate why. Perhaps because black and white is truer to how I feel about what I am seeing and photographing. And since black and white is not how we see, the photograph automatically acquires an otherworldly quality. Thats what I am after Images that transport us, emo

21、tionally and otherwise. Also, for the kind of photographs that I shoot, colour becomes disruptive. Nevertheless, I do shoot in colour as well Especially when it contributes to the mood, feeling and meaning of the photograph,” he said. Being Present in the Moment In a way, Erics photographs remind us

22、 of how oblivious we are to how incredibly rich the everyday is. This can be changed by being attentive and present in the moment. “Each day starts with a blank canvas. Forget about yesterday. Dont concern yourself with tomorrow. Although, photography is fascinating in the sense that it deals with a

23、ll three at the same timeA moment from the past, looked at in the present, preserved for the future,” he says. Life, Santiago Atitln.PROFILEB E t t E R P h O t O g R a P h y 65januaRy 2018Eric Mencher has been the recipient of the Overseas Press Club Award for his work, Rwanda: Aftermath of Genocide

24、, and has received the World Press Photo award in 1990 in the Nature category (second place), and then in 1998 in the Sports category. He is also a member of Hikari Creative, an Instagram collective. For most of us, landscape photographs are embodiments of nature. with its grand vistas of hills, val

25、leys and mountains, along with lush green fields and infinite skies. This, however, is a traditionalistic way of looking at the world we live in. As important as it is for us to be exposed to natures wonderful bounty, it is also crucial that we look at the landscapes, the environments that are close

26、r to home. the ones weve created, as well as the ones that we seldom pay attention to. In this issue, Conchita Fernandes looks at the works of four photographers and the way they view the world. Paul van Schalkwyk instills wonder in us through his aerial Paul van Schalkwyk instills wonder in us thro

27、ugh his aerial Paul van Schalkwyk shots of Namibias grand vistas. David J Carol gives us a view of unusual contradictions occurring all over the American landscape. Philip J Brittan tells us that we dont need to go very far to experience the richness of nature. And Amirtharaj Stephen shows us the im

28、pact of human collision on the land. UNCOMMONVISTASBetterPicturesB e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y january 201867yMoments before his fatal plane crash, Paul van Schalkwyk was a few meters above ground, photographing elephants. Conchita Fernandes looks back at his life, spent photographing the incred

29、ible beauty of Namibias landscapes.Paul van SchalkwykThe modern-day human appeared around 200,000 years ago. In this short span of time, weve surpassed diffi cult and seemingly inaccessible frontiers. As we continued to conquer new scientifi c and technological realms, we also knowingly left behind

30、a long, endless line of interruptions. The effects of these have not always been immediate, but the Earth continues to suffer at an accelerating pace. For a little over a decade, Paul van Schalkwyk has documented this gradual change in Namibia, his home country. “Perhaps one day my photographs will

31、stack up to accuse collective humanity for the reckless way in which the landscape was colonised. Or increase the mourning of our permanent loss and strengthen the resolve and desire to preserve and protect whatever small patches are left,” he said. At fi rst glance, its hard to gauge the ramifi cat

32、ions of climate change in Pauls photographs of Etosha National Park or the Namib Desert. Its also diffi cult to fathom that the pictures are depictions of the planet that we claim to know so well, to have conquered. The real enchantment though This image: Desert Tree.Next spread: Transitions. Etosha

33、 National Park, Namibia.This photograph is from the series Desert Rain.reveals itself in the details. For instance, look closer at the image from the previous spread and you will realise that the black and brown etchings are in fact animal footprints. Paul was particularly fascinated by them. He fel

34、t that there was a lot to decipher in the history and meaning behind the tracks. “Perhaps animals are spurred on by ancient memory and the promises of the past. I would like to put myself in their hooves and think like they would, enjoying the promise of abundance and celebrating This photograph is

35、from the series Desert Rain.cover storythe dawn of yet another new era in the metamorphosis of the Pan.” The footprints are also mysterious in a way, showing up as chaotic and dense clusters, and also as calm, peaceful strokes on the deserts surface. “If you look at my photographs, you will realise

36、that some of these animals must have been crazy. They walk in circles, their tracks make scribbles on the pan, or theyll walk in one direction and then abruptly change their path. One can only wonder why.” As he continued to photograph the impact of human intervention on the land, Paul was aware tha

37、t his voyage too, was an intrusion in a way. “The paradox is that I cannot observe and photograph without intruding, without leaving my mark. It does not matter how careful I am. Even if I succeed to obliterate all evidence of my intrusion, the mere fact that I return with a photograph is proof of m

38、y intrusion. I have changed the scenes status forever.” “By flying over the land I potentially change it. Light and sound pollution become an issue,” he added. At heart, Paul was an adventurer a gambler. He would set out in his small, lightweight aircraft either by himself, or with another person pi

39、loting the plane. He wasnt as concerned about the weather conditions, and preferred to be challenged by natures forces. This gave him the exceptional opportunity to see nature unravel its fury or vulnerability on the land. Wolwedans, Namib Desert.First row: Dune.Second row: Dune Shadows.Third row: S

40、and Tree.january 2018cover storyB e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y january 2018Silverblue Shore.“I am trying to capture something that the normal eye does not have the capacity or privilege to behold.” This has led Paul van Schalkwyk to photograph breathtaking landscapes. He was also a filmmaker, pro

41、ducing documentaries for National Geographic, Animal Planet and Discovery. You can find his work on .“My intention isnt to document landscapes from the air. I enjoy those landscapes that allow me to interpret structures and textures because I am constantly looking for unique and abstract composition

42、s that would puzzle the viewer, but also please the eye. As a result, I am drawn to arid landscapes more than ever.” While Pauls photographs throw light on important issues involving desertification, animal migration and the changing weather conditions, to say that this was his sole purpose would be

43、 incorrect. For him, it was imperative that his pictures first evoke love and captivation for the land, without getting too caught up in the specifics of the phenomenon taking place in the photograph. He hoped that by planting this seedling of yearning and wonder, that we would be curious enough to

44、learn, and have great appreciation for the land that weve been so callous towards.No Kites. Long Island, New York 2010.B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y january 2018Recently I had read Robert Adams book, Beauty in Photography. The first chapter in it was titled Truth and Landscape. Here, Adams expla

45、ins what an image of a landscape symbolises. When we photograph a landscape, it begins as a record, a visual document, depicting the geography of an area. But right before the shutter is pressed, what we add to the scene is a certain personality, sometimes intimate in nature, which then turns the ph

46、otograph into a personal record of the area.David J Carols landscapes are his uncensored observations of scenes that he has encountered over the years. But theyre not what youd expect of the great American outdoors. The landscapes are not grand or scenic in the conventional sense. What they reflect

47、is an evolving scene, showing remnants of human interference. For instance, David shot a picture of an old mattress lying out in the open, surrounded by shrubs, and with the faint outline of mountains in the far backdrop. Its an odd place for a mattress to be in. One wonders Conchita Fernandes disco

48、vers the quite subtleties present in David J Carols visuals of the evolving American landscape.David J CarolThree Dogs on Beach. Acapulco 2011.Boat. Mystic, Connecticut 2001.cover storyB e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y january 201875what could have led to its bizarre abandonment. Theres humour too, like in his image of seagulls perched on the shore, looking in the direction of an anchored jetty boat. It is strange and c