What are you shooting with and what would you like to shoot with?
I currently am using a Canon 5D mk III. However, nearly all the shots I have posted to SSP were taken with my 7D. I have the following lenses but really only use the ones in bold:
•
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS
• Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS (7D only)
•
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II
• Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
•
Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM
•
Canon EF 50mm I f/1.8
• Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3
•
Sigma 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye
As for what I would like to shoot with, I’m happy with my 5D. It has a nice balance of MP, focusing ability and FPS. I’m planning on getting an UWA, probably the Canon 17mm TS. I’d like a macro lens but don’t think I’d use it very often. I’m also interested in some of the Zeiss primes, maybe a 35mm. I travel extensively with my gear so size and weight are large factors.
If you could sum up your style in one photograph what photo would it be?
I’m not sure anyone can express their style with one image. I like this shot I recently took in Havana:
Cell Stream by
Porter Yates, on Flickr
I find a wide range of subject matter interesting but gravitate towards photos that provide a sense of place using multiple elements, images that express the relationship between culture and the environment. I like people shots. Sometimes I think my threads are too people centric, at least for a site called Skyscraper Page. My favorite shots are compiled on my site, I think they communicate my style best - see them
here.
Talk about your inspirations and influences.
I didn’t get into photography until 2010. I was always more interested in Photoshop than photography. Once I became interested in taking photos I started studying some of the great travel photographers.
Steve McCurry and
Sebastiao Salgado are two of the masters. However the world has changed and many of the unique cultures they documented are now disappearing or gone. I really like
Nick Brandt’s wildlife photography.
I find inspiration from lesser known sources too. I visit 500px and check out the
popular and
editor’s choice sections often. Google + is a good resource as well. I follow maybe 20 photographers that update constantly. It’s a great way to saturate yourself with imagery and learn about different techniques. The Atlantic’s
in Foucs and The Boston Globe’s
Big Picture are two other sources that are updated frequently and have some of the best images on the web regarding current events.
And of course this site still is, and has been a large influence on me. I’ve yet to find another place on the web that has a format that works as well for showcasing photography. I like viewing images in sets and I think photothreads, when done well, hit the right combination of photojournalism and creative expression. I remember looking at Sabatoi’s, Mr. John’s & KOTH’s threads, amazed by their people shots. I thought I’d just go out and do the same. Nope. They had skills that I didn’t. I think gio puts together a great thread - top imagery, documentation and structure. Giallo’s sets are some of my favorite, the way he captures city life is superb.
Where have you not been that you want to photograph?
India and Ethiopia are at the top of my list. I’m fascinated by the variety of history and culture in both places. I’ll be traveling to India in a few weeks, currently no plans for Ethiopia. I’d also like to visit Yemen, Madagascar and Namibia, all three locales have really unique sites and culture. I’ve found few experiences as enjoyable as setting out in a foreign place, camera in hand and just exploring.
Talk about your most popular (in your opinion) photothreads.
My
Egypt thread was pretty well received. I think it helped that I posted it when the revolution was occurring. I’ve found my city threads do the best.
Rio De Jainero,
Buenos Aires and
London were all pretty popular.
It helps to have a thread where the locals get behind it or where other people have traveled. People like to talk about what they know and relate to the familiar.
Talk about your photothreads that didn't get the response you wanted.
None of my Ecuador threads were that popular but I was surprised
Ecuador II and
Ecuador III didn't generate much interest.
It’s understandable since I was covering a lot of remote locales and villages. I’ve recognized that the emotional experience involved with capturing photographs is personal. My connection to the images is biased due to how I was feeling when I took them. Shots I really like might not be technically strong or interesting to others. I find it helpful posting here to see what grabs people’s attention. Sometimes an image that I nearly cut from a thread is commented on the most.
As others have said, there is a bias towards North American cities and there does seem to be a drop in popularity across the site recently. I’m grateful for any interest in my threads and appreciate the community’s comments.
Any tips or personal wisdom you'd like to pass on to others?
I believe understanding how to post process is just as important as knowing how to compose and capture images. However, just like any tool, you have to be aware of how to use it. This can be anything from adjusting contrast and colors to completely restructuring image elements. I view photography as an art. The act of recording reality is never pure and there will always be falsehoods; lenses and cameras distort so I see no issue distorting more in post processing. As long as people are honest about it, there shouldn’t be an issue with creative expression.
Some general rules I follow:
Don’t post similar images or too many of the same subject. Five shots of the same building will lose people’s interest quickly.
Straightened and aligned photos look better than crooked ones. I’m not talking about the intentionally shifted frame; I mean the one to two degrees of accidental hand tilt in every shot. If you don’t believe in post processing, then you can turn on the camera’s viewfinder grid and straighten the shot before you click.
A lot of shots require patience. Waiting for people to move out of the way or for a scene to develop takes time. But waiting it out will produce superior results.
Pay attention to subtleties and background elements. What’s occurring behind someone can be just as important as what they are doing in the foreground. Is the horizon shooting through their face? Are they framed by distracting or complimenting elements? Little things make a big difference.
Finally, don't blow the highlights.
Who should we ask these questions of next?
If Ninjatune is still active let’s hear from him. If not I’ll make another suggestion.