FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
When I started, you had to know a little bit of organic chemistry to do your film processing in black and white and color. You had to know about dilutions per square foot or roll of firm, how to maintain proper processing temperature, and how to adjust time and temperature as the developing solutions got used up. for processing success roles. You had to learn about exposure (time x intensity) for both making enlargements, and taking photos with cameras lacking light meters. I memorized the f/16 rule, which would allow you to, with some practice and decent judgement, get pretty consistent quality exposures outdoors in natural light, without a light meter. Or what of measuring incident (light falling on the subject) to reflected (light coming off the subect)? 18% reluctance grey cards used to simulate an average skin tone when having to meter a scene with a huge brightness range, and color charts to be used by lab technicians as a reference tool for printing or color timing on motion picture film (keeping color consistent from frame to frame). Learning how to use digital cameras and their interfaces is much easier coming from this background, than if I didn't already know the basics of professional photography beforehand
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I originally drew and wrote comic books when I was in grade school through Junior High. I took a entrance examination (drawing from a live model in a timed environment) to get into the High School of Art Design. Although I passed and was accepted, I saw how many or peers were far ahead of me in cartooning and fine illustration. That's when I decided to focus on photography: not only was my brother an amateur photography, but mastering composition and lighting in the camera, would allow me to effectively implement my creative vision.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
When I was in junior college, a lot of my classmates were amateur musicians. I did publicity shots for them on film, in my bedroom, and later, garage studio. I would do waist-up shots with colored background paper. At one point, I even rigged a faux stage shot of a friend of mine who had just bought a guitar. I had him pose against a black background, and shot with three studio strobes, each with a different color gel - to simulate concert stage lighting. For years, people were asking him where that show was that he played at. If I can ever locate those old negatives, I'll get them scanned and posted here.