The World According to Tom

I figured since I had some time, I would write about how I became interested in photography. While I always had a desire to see the world through a lens, it wasn't until recently as November 2008 that I purchased my first serious camera, the Nikon D40 digital single lens reflex (D-SLR) camera. I had attended the International College of Broadcasting and graduated in March 2003. While I have always been interested in television and movies, I never pursued it until after I became severely injured during an incident at a factory. And just like a character in a movie, my first flight was on an ambulance helicopter.

After three months of looking for work, which was limited to my injuries, I decided I needed to go to college and then decided to get into video production. I had purchased The Filmmaker's Handbook long before registering for classes and by the time I sat in the classroom, I had a headstart in understanding the concepts. During the time I was a student, others looked to me to have a top notch student video produced. However, I feel that the best video that came out of our class there was Scott Knisley's music video. It was a great concept and very well executed.
Eventually, and by eventually I mean three and a half years, I finally got a full time gig in broadcasting, which I continue to do at this moment. I direct newscasts at a local news station. It involves bringing together all the video, camera shots, graphics that a producer wants in his or her show and putting them on air. While most of the time, things go smoothly, there are times when things go haywire and you have to remain calm and really stay on your toes because there are thousands of people watching your work as it happens.

While I still love video and the production of creative works, there are two large obstacles. The first is that besides perhaps nature videos or the like, a production of a video takes numerous people working together. While I love the creative process of many people putting their own mark on a video or movie, it also leads to the second problem: money. Financing a project is not cheap. From buying not only a good quality camera, one must also buy or rent good lighting, editing equipment and pay for actors and anyone else involved in the production. While one may find volunteers, they're not as passionate about the project as you are.

While the Nikon D40 is an awesome camera, it is a basic entry level D-SLR. Since November, I have taken nearly 9,000 pictures with it. When I have had a few hours in a day, I easily shot 400 pictures. Sometimes after looking through them at the end of the day, I would be happy with nothing I shot, but if nothing else, I learn from the experience. One thing that photography gives me is the the freedom of not needing to rely on several other people to have this creativity outlet. However, I still watch television and movies with half my brain paying attention to the storyline while the other half is looking at how a scene was shot and if they used a fast lens to blur the background as I see constantly in one of my favorite shows, ABC's Lost.

Recently, I upgraded to a Nikon D200. It doesn't shoot better pictures than the D40 because that is the job of the photographer. So, don't be fooled when someone shows you the latest and greatest camera and tells you about the great pictures it takes. Because it isn't about the camera, it is all about what you see! The D200 only allows me to get to the controls much faster and easier than the D40. And it isn't the latest and greatest D-SLR either. The D300 was annouced on August 2007, nearly two years after Nikon announced the D200. Both cameras are similar with the D300 getting a couple of more megapixels and a larger LCD screen. However, it wasn't until recently that D200's really came down in price and I quickly bought mine from BestBuy.com. However, a couple days later, the price dropped again and I was able to save an extra $160, which brought the price of the camera down over a $1000 from its original released price in November 2005. See how patience pays off?

And what did could one purchase with that savings? A speedlight, tripod and head, camera bag and a couple of very good lenses. The lens, not the camera is the most important part of the system.

Below are several pictures I've taken. Click on them to go to their page in Flickr for a larger view.

Photography is not black and white

This is one of my favorite photos that I have captured. It was during the praise and worship of a service at church. I, of course, shot it in color and then adjusted it to greyscale. I have little understanding of why anyone would want to shoot in just black and white digitally because one can capture the image and adjust it later using more information than pure greyscale. I mean, I love black and white photography, but if one is going to shoot, then just shoot with the greatest resolution and information including chrominance because you can always go to B&W from color, but not the other way around.

I shoot RAW format most all of the time, which allows for adjustments later. While there are still arguments between film and digital, no one can argue that it is absolutely great to have the ability to review your shot immediately after capturing it with digital. I feel much more comfortable snapping away, especially at such a live event such as music because no matter what, timing is everything. A singer's lips may look awkward one moment, but the next moments everything looks natural in that fraction of a section of the capture.

While I would love to buy a nicer zoom lens, the Nikon 55-200 VR (vibration reduction) lens is pretty sweet for its price. Shooting on this Sunday morning allowed me to capture inside without as much worry about my hand movement as much and allows for a bit slower shutter speed. However, I still sometimes push process these types of pictures because slower shutter speeds also can lead to blurring if the subject of the picture is moving as well. So I'll set the shutter to a little faster speed and get a darker picture, but I can still bring out the details in the shadows. One thing I've learned is that blown out highlights just cannot be recaptured. Once it reaches white, then no details can be brought out. This is true of any photograph, film or digital.

I have learned quite a lot after I purchased my Nikon D40, but there is so much more to learn. Perhaps I'll never venture out as a National Geographic photographer, but I can still enjoy the experience of capturing and processing photos. And with digital, I can do it without the chemicals and darkroom, although I would love to learn it.

Just as there are photography standards like the rule of thirds, etc., rules were meant to be broken and there really is this process of creativity that just cannot be quantified. So have fun and happy shooting!

200mm f/5.6, 1/50 sec., ISO 400
Sing unto the Lord, 1 March 2009

Here Comes the Sun

Sometimes you just have to pull over and capture something that you feel is spectacular. While I really like this photo, I still wish it had turned out better. I am not sure how, but I am not totally satisfied with it. The road was empty for just this moment as I pulled over, leaving my car halfway in the southbound lane of a two-lane rural road not far from a state route. I snapped off half a dozen photos and then got back into my car.




26mm f/14 1/640sec ISO 200
Here Comes the Sun, 18 February 2009

Happy Birthday, George!



Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right

Old Time Church

I spent Valentine's Day with my girlfriend, which made for a super nice day. She did meet my parents but not until she showed me this church, which is in severe disrepair. As you can see from the first photograph, the east side wall caved in on itself some time ago. The pews, pulpit and piano are still sitting inside, but all of it is slowly rotting away. One wonders the history of this building and even when the last people gathered together for their last service inside this building. One day, the building will no longer be there, but it will survive in memory as well as these few photos.

Currently, the church I am a member of does not have bricks and mortar. For years, people kept saying that a church is not the building, yet kept raising money for the building fund. We have been renting space inside a convention center in order for our local assembly to meet. One of the great things about not having a building is that no one really has a claim to a pew or parking spot. The church needs to be more than a symbolic rotting corpse in the midst of decrepit neighborhood. Some of the worst neighborhoods in the city have a church on every corner and one in between. It is not the lack of churches or not enough people acting spiritual on Sunday morning, but a real and tangible understanding of good stewardship and compassion.

I am reminded of this as I see this building just crumble. At one time, this building was a pillar of the community it served. I am sure for those who sacrificed and donated their own money for this building, they were proud of their accomplishment. Yet, poor stewardship or a waning interest has left only remnants of what a group of people came together to accomplish. We cannot look at this old building to appraise its worth because it is not the building that was important, but the relationships that grew between individuals who had built this meeting place to fellowship with those of the same faith. I am sure that there are those today who carry the lessons and values they learned within these brick walls.



18mm f/3.5 1/50 sec. ISO 200
Old Church, 14 February 2009



40mm f/5.0 1/50 sec. ISO 200
Steeple, 14 February 2009



Front, Old Church, 14 February 2009
18mm f/3.5 1/40 sec. ISO 200

The Hunter

When I was growing up, I learned about constellations. While I am able to find the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) and have seen how throughout the night and through the seasons that it revolves around Polaris. However, my favorite constellation is one that was the easiest to identify since I was a kid, Orion.

While having photographed it several occasions, these two captures are my favorite:



50mm f/1.8 5sec. ISO 200

Orion, 13 February 2009



18mm f/5.6 15sec. ISO 400

Orion night sky, 28 November 2008

I love coffee. The best coffee under $2 is Tim Horton's. This Canadian restaurant has found a place in my heart. Sandwiches, soups, donuts and coffee at a reasonable price. But a large double-double meaning two creams and two sugars is awesome on a cold winter day. And I'm addicted to their Boston creme donuts.

Some of the best coffee I've ever sipped was on the Big Island of Hawaii. Perhaps it was just the atmosphere of being in the 50th state, but some of the dark roast I drank there was like paradise. It's really no wonder why so many coffee houses have sprouted up around this area beginning about ten to fifteen years ago. On occasion, I enjoy some of the flavored lattes and such, but at around $5 each, I mainly stick to homebrews or just a regular cup of joe, usually medium or dark coffees.

While I do enjoy Tim Horton's, I also visit Starbucks from time to time and local shops like Boston Stoker and Winans, which also produces some awesome dark chocolate candies.



Tim Horton's Coffee, 04 February 2009
50mm f/1.8, 1/8 sec, ISO 200

Photograph

I'll post some of my photos that I have taken since early November when I bought a Nikon D40. While I have been looking at digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras for a few years now, I finally had some extra money to finally buy one. Along with the camera and 18-55mm kit lens, I bought a 55-200mm VR lens as well as an autofocus 50mm f/1.8 that I have to manually focus on my D40. Below is a shot with the 50mm.

With buying the entry level DSLR, I did save money and was able to afford a SB-600 flash as well as a nice Manfrotto tripod legs and head. I understand that the lens is the most important part of the system save for the person taking the picture. If I had the money, I would definitely invest in better glass rather than a top-of-the-line camera.

Photography should be enjoyable. Sure, it can be some work getting the right shot, but the creativity it takes to capture an image is nothing less than a thrill. I've learned quite a bit having studied video and working in broadcasting about shutter speed, f-stops and composition, but nothing is better than real world experience.

Soaring Spirit by Robert Koepnic

Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio, 7 February 2009

50mm, f/1.8 1/640 ISO 200 with Neutral Density filter.