Late as per the blogosphere these days, late is becoming the operative word. traveling. Assignment in Romania, then England. Then taught in England. And now….holiday. A little down time to usher in a very bumpy end to the year.
Happy to report the story of two covers, just out or coming soon. One of them is the esteemed and beautiful Grey’s of Westminster magazine, the fabled camera shop that defines excellence. They have unparalleled knowledge and service to offer customers, making it one of the most awarded camera shops in the world. No other shop in the world has ever been awarded the Coat of Arms, which is a very special honor. And Nikon Owner magazine is jam-packed with great writing and photos, examining the continuing puzzle known as photography from all points on the compass–technical, historical, lyrical, pictorial… should I continue?
The other is Cuba Seen magazine, a quarterly bilingual love interest initiated by Jennifer Spelman and Andrew Child, who have photographed Cuba too many times to count. Working with a formidable line-up of writers and designers, Cuba Seen is a celebration of humanity and the beauty of this amazing island. Pictures convey understanding and friendship, and that is the core mission of this publication.
It’s been a while since I’ve been lucky enough to own multiple covers, given the random nature of being a photographer. I shook my head slightly. I’m always working (incessantly, tediously, incessantly) on the merits and benefits of versatility behind the lens. So, I was a bit surprised by the odd stylistic difference of these covers.
Images of Cuba are sweet, available simple light. Most likely a D810, or even a Nikon Df, with a 24-70mm lens. Click.
To be honest, I’ve always loved laundry pictures, check them out. Below is the back cover of the book Baseball in America. I have to admit, this is not about baseball. Maybe, just maybe, it’s about the feel of the game, played at humble levels in hometown America.
The fashion photo on the cover of Nikon Owner magazine was taken in the studio of my good friend Gianluca Bertone, of the extraordinary chameleon-like beauty, Thais Dilima. Pretty lamp combo, D850, Nikon 58mm f.95 NOCT. Manual focus drop on eyelashes. Very narrow DOF. Eyes like crazy. Amazing makeup by Claire Piao. Foreground lights, background lights, fancy lenses, moving parts, production values, studio time. A lot of work before the click.
Two sides, perhaps, of the photo coin we keep tossing in the air. From heavy lifting and pre-visualizing to accommodate work to the spontaneous gifts of light, movement, and coincidences that boggle our lenses as we wander.
We must be prepared for both.
Looking forward to a visit to the Grays of Westminster tomorrow and a LIVE chat with Becky Danese and Konstantin Kochkin! Started chat at 14:15 GMT.
More thx….
