A photo from camping in Cajon del Maipo outside of Santiago, Chile
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Monday, December 10, 2012
New Project Galleries
Two new albums in the Projects section of my site! One is from an architecture and design showcase called CasaCor. The other is a series of aerial images I took while flying only a few thousand feet above Chile in a small two seater plane.
See them here: http://www.brandon-stanley.com/projects
See them here: http://www.brandon-stanley.com/projects
Monday, December 3, 2012
Yosemite Mirrored Lake Series
A few years ago I had a couple days to camp in Yosemite National Park and spend my time shooting as many photos as possible. I was struck with the challenge of trying to photograph Yosemite in a way that was original. The park is insanely beautiful but shooting it from a new perspective can be a bit of a challenge as thousands of photographers flock there every year.
I was wandering around and stumbled upon a small lake at the base of near vertical cliffs. I immediately was drawn to the reflections created by the lake and decided to use them as the basis for some images.
A couple minor adjustments in photoshop (all basic editing techniques) turned some moderately interesting images into something a bit stronger and more engaging (in my eyes, at least).
I was wandering around and stumbled upon a small lake at the base of near vertical cliffs. I immediately was drawn to the reflections created by the lake and decided to use them as the basis for some images.
A couple minor adjustments in photoshop (all basic editing techniques) turned some moderately interesting images into something a bit stronger and more engaging (in my eyes, at least).
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Peruvian Man
A random photo taken in 2010 in Peru. We were somewhere between Lima and Cusco. The bus had stopped on the side of the road beside a cluster of small homes around a farm. It wasn't exactly a town or a village as it was far too small. We were given a brief glimpse of simple life in the Peruvian countryside and when the moment arose I snapped a few photos of this local looking off into the hills.
Friday, October 12, 2012
That "style" is sooo overdone
It's unfortunate that familiarity to a "style" of photography can make the value of that body of work lessened. The photographer could have done the same amount, if not more, work as anybody else. They could have had a beautiful vision with every stylistic choice chosen for a specific purpose and executed with perfection. Yet, because it is familiar it begins to lose value in the public eye.
On websites across the web you can find well done photos, some strikingly beautiful with a clear vision. But get to the comments and it is full of people complaining about how unoriginal the photos are. Or that "they are beautiful images and technically perfect, but that "look" has been over done. So I don't like it." It's unfortunate that a persons creative work can be belittled by what a bunch of other people happened to do before them. Sure, there are some people who blatantly copy the style, subject and idea of others, but there are even more people who don't.
It seems to be a problem that is difficult, if not impossible, to escape from. Familiarity does make it that much harder to become excited if it is something you have seen a number of times. As amazingly awesome the internet is for viewing new artists and the work of millions of people around the world, it's slowly desensitizing us. We are no longer "wowed" as easily. Looking through websites like 500px and even Flickr, you can browse for a few hours and see dozens of photographers with the same "style." And you are slowly being desensitized to the quality of each photographers work. Does it make one photographers work any less important or well done? No. The photographer whose work you happened to stumble upon first in that "style" will most likely stand out a little more than the rest. Because after that, you begin to see patterns in the stylistic aspects and it becomes known to you. And once you know something it becomes less exciting.
This is a random rant inspired by a posting on F stoppers (here). I was looking through these photos and thinking how much I like them. The depth of field, the colors, the lighting and the way the subject and background work together perfectly without distracting one another. And then, I got to the comments. A majority of comments were about how this "style" is so overdone. How it's copying Joey L and blah blah blah. And I was distracted from the photos and the quality of the work. It's too bad really. At the end of the day I still remember that photographers work and I now have his website bookmarked on my computer. But too many other people love hating and focusing not on the quality of the work, but the number of times they have seen it already. Which just isn't fair.
On websites across the web you can find well done photos, some strikingly beautiful with a clear vision. But get to the comments and it is full of people complaining about how unoriginal the photos are. Or that "they are beautiful images and technically perfect, but that "look" has been over done. So I don't like it." It's unfortunate that a persons creative work can be belittled by what a bunch of other people happened to do before them. Sure, there are some people who blatantly copy the style, subject and idea of others, but there are even more people who don't.
It seems to be a problem that is difficult, if not impossible, to escape from. Familiarity does make it that much harder to become excited if it is something you have seen a number of times. As amazingly awesome the internet is for viewing new artists and the work of millions of people around the world, it's slowly desensitizing us. We are no longer "wowed" as easily. Looking through websites like 500px and even Flickr, you can browse for a few hours and see dozens of photographers with the same "style." And you are slowly being desensitized to the quality of each photographers work. Does it make one photographers work any less important or well done? No. The photographer whose work you happened to stumble upon first in that "style" will most likely stand out a little more than the rest. Because after that, you begin to see patterns in the stylistic aspects and it becomes known to you. And once you know something it becomes less exciting.
This is a random rant inspired by a posting on F stoppers (here). I was looking through these photos and thinking how much I like them. The depth of field, the colors, the lighting and the way the subject and background work together perfectly without distracting one another. And then, I got to the comments. A majority of comments were about how this "style" is so overdone. How it's copying Joey L and blah blah blah. And I was distracted from the photos and the quality of the work. It's too bad really. At the end of the day I still remember that photographers work and I now have his website bookmarked on my computer. But too many other people love hating and focusing not on the quality of the work, but the number of times they have seen it already. Which just isn't fair.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
My Photo in Lift Magazine
The 2012 issue of Lift Magazine, a Chilean ski magazine is out and it looks awesome! This is my first 2 page spread and it feels goooood. Big thanks to Juan Luis de Heeckeren for the in and Carlos Ferrer for choosing to run this image!
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Next Step in my Path as a Photographer
As a photographer it is important to take a step back and look at your career. What you have accomplised, what you have learned, what direction you would like to go and what stop is next on your photographic journey. For me, the next step was working with stitched photomontages and planned images that are far more narrative based.
Since returning from NY I have felt creatively inspired and I've been trying to shoot everything with new techniques in mind. So from a logistical approach everything needs to be planned out to greater extent and I really am forced to think in new and different ways. It's challenging but really rewarding.
Instead of shooting single frame images I've been shooting almost everything as large, multi-frame photomontages. I really want to see my work in huge print at the highest quality possible. As an artist it is a beautiful thing to see your work the way it is intended to be experienced. A filmmaker prefers to see his work on the big screen and a musician prefers a live performance or using a great pair of headphones. I prefer a big, beautiful print.
As things go increasingly digital, the average photographers end product may differ. For some they will never leave the computer. They work for websites and only view their work on the computer. Some work solely for print in magazines. But for me it's large, high resolution prints in a frame on the wall. I find that is the most rewarding way to view your work. Once on the wall it evolves into something greater. It is not just an image on a screen that can be turned off and forgotten. It takes up physical space in the world. It can't be shut off and shut out. It is meant to be seen, and ideally meant to help create an atmosphere and energy in a room. It contributes to the overall feeling a room has if it's big enough. And that is what I strive for.
The problem so far, is that with my Nikon D300, I can only print a 240dpi print at less than 24 inches at the largest size. And I really want to see my work printed at least 3-4 feet wide. So lately I have been making these massive panoramas and experimenting with stitched images using 2-12 frames. By doing this you have to deal with a number of other logistics to make it work and have a vision from start to finish. This is where I've noticed my photographic eye has evolved. When shooting 10 frames you look at each individual area with more importance because you shoot it as it's own image. So I've used the opportunity to use my own flash and softbox to light individual areas in each frame I do, just to take advantage of repeated use in what will be one photo(a final product that appears to have been lit with way more than one light).
For these reasons I've been doing more compositing in Photoshop. Previously I had worked with only single frames and preferred a more natural look with a heightened atmosphere through toning and playing with the lights, darks and color. Now I've chosen to add elements not originally there, or changing them out with better counterparts from other frames. I've begun to take notice of the influence each individual element has in regards to the end goal and story I'm telling. It has been a massive learning process and I'm producing some images I'm really excited about.
-Photos that are more narrative based and were planned with concepts, styles and moods produced. Not captured moments of actual existence in the world.
-Photos that can be printed up to 80x60 inches at 300dpi
-Photos with more compelling lighting effects and moods applied through dodging/burning and using lights and darks to pull viewers through the image and direct their attention to strategic areas of intrigue.
For me it was nice to take this step. I always respected and was amazed at what some photographers could do with massive montages and just never had an interest to try. I knew it was a lot of practical knowledge necessary for being an advertising photographer so I'm glad I was finally drawn to it enough to explore it.
Since returning from NY I have felt creatively inspired and I've been trying to shoot everything with new techniques in mind. So from a logistical approach everything needs to be planned out to greater extent and I really am forced to think in new and different ways. It's challenging but really rewarding.
Instead of shooting single frame images I've been shooting almost everything as large, multi-frame photomontages. I really want to see my work in huge print at the highest quality possible. As an artist it is a beautiful thing to see your work the way it is intended to be experienced. A filmmaker prefers to see his work on the big screen and a musician prefers a live performance or using a great pair of headphones. I prefer a big, beautiful print.
As things go increasingly digital, the average photographers end product may differ. For some they will never leave the computer. They work for websites and only view their work on the computer. Some work solely for print in magazines. But for me it's large, high resolution prints in a frame on the wall. I find that is the most rewarding way to view your work. Once on the wall it evolves into something greater. It is not just an image on a screen that can be turned off and forgotten. It takes up physical space in the world. It can't be shut off and shut out. It is meant to be seen, and ideally meant to help create an atmosphere and energy in a room. It contributes to the overall feeling a room has if it's big enough. And that is what I strive for.
The problem so far, is that with my Nikon D300, I can only print a 240dpi print at less than 24 inches at the largest size. And I really want to see my work printed at least 3-4 feet wide. So lately I have been making these massive panoramas and experimenting with stitched images using 2-12 frames. By doing this you have to deal with a number of other logistics to make it work and have a vision from start to finish. This is where I've noticed my photographic eye has evolved. When shooting 10 frames you look at each individual area with more importance because you shoot it as it's own image. So I've used the opportunity to use my own flash and softbox to light individual areas in each frame I do, just to take advantage of repeated use in what will be one photo(a final product that appears to have been lit with way more than one light).
For these reasons I've been doing more compositing in Photoshop. Previously I had worked with only single frames and preferred a more natural look with a heightened atmosphere through toning and playing with the lights, darks and color. Now I've chosen to add elements not originally there, or changing them out with better counterparts from other frames. I've begun to take notice of the influence each individual element has in regards to the end goal and story I'm telling. It has been a massive learning process and I'm producing some images I'm really excited about.
-Photos that are more narrative based and were planned with concepts, styles and moods produced. Not captured moments of actual existence in the world.
-Photos that can be printed up to 80x60 inches at 300dpi
-Photos with more compelling lighting effects and moods applied through dodging/burning and using lights and darks to pull viewers through the image and direct their attention to strategic areas of intrigue.
For me it was nice to take this step. I always respected and was amazed at what some photographers could do with massive montages and just never had an interest to try. I knew it was a lot of practical knowledge necessary for being an advertising photographer so I'm glad I was finally drawn to it enough to explore it.
Pack of stray dogs at Valle Nevado
Snowboarder in downtown Santiago
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Stray Puppy
A stray puppy hiding behind a pile of snow at Valle Nevado ski resort outside of Santiago. He was one of eight dogs running around together. More photos of the rest coming soon!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Photo 1 of 3 from new photo series
This is the first image in an untitled series of three that I shot for a new Chilean magazine based out of Antofagasta. It is a mini story of a woman who sees herself on the street. The other two will be posted in upcoming days.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Layover in Bogotá
Colombia is one of those countries that as an American growing up in the 80's and 90's, I was force fed a mostly negative image of. It is unfortunate that the media, popular culture and society tainted my image of a country before I really knew anything of what it was about. As I found out the other day, Colombia is way more than a country filled with cocaine dens where Americans are kidnapped the second they step from the airport. Yet, because of information forced in front of me at an earlier age I didn't know what to expect when finally getting to visit Colombia.
Traveling around South America I met a lot of people who have spent significant amounts of time in Colombia or planned to in the future. The image you get now, from people who actually know it personally, and not just from stories you hear on the news, is extremely positive. The saying I keep hearing is that the people of Colombia really want to shed the image of being a hostile country and go out of there way to do so.
This is exactly what I found. Unfortunately, I only had one day in Bogota, so I don't have the experience of somebody with a well developed personal opinion of the country. I got the smallest taste of what life in Bogota is like and it left me wanting a whole lot more. I had more random encounters with genuinely nice people in my 16 hours in Bogota, than I did in weeks of time in other countries. The positive image I have of this city is based upon the helpful and caring people that stepped right into my life for a moment while I wandered the streets.
Nestled amongst the Andes, with thick forests all around, the city itself is beautiful and oozing with colorful character that kept me enthralled for every minute I had there. The buildings were bright and well aged, with all the cracks, holes and peeling paint adding to the aesthetic appeal. Cobblestoned streets with vibrant grass popping out between the cracks, lead through tiny alleys and up steep hills. There is ever-present street art which really brings a unique energy to the city.
All I did, all day, was walk around, sit in plazas, eat and take pictures. I headed out of the airport at 9am and ignoring the advice of the information guy at the airport, I took a bus instead of the easier, faster taxi ride ($.75 vs $10). I really had minimal idea of where I was going. I looked at a half-loaded Google map for a few minutes and figured if I just found a bus going straight on the road out of the airport I would be able to figure it out. And it all worked out quite easily. Within 30 minutes I got to La Candeleria in the Centro which is a small neighborhood in the hills of Bogota.
My first encounter was with a nice Colombian man who happened to be homeless. I was eating a massive chocolate croissant-like pastry {photo} in a park and this thin, 20-something-year-old, absolutely filthy but completely unthreatening man approached me and asked me for a piece of my bread. I had just been thinking about how it's literally too big to eat alone, especially after a breakfast of coffee, some strange, mild white cheese, eggs with ham and bread. And he popped up to alleviate the situation. There was something about this man that I immediately saw he wished he didn't have to be asking for food, but was just so desperate he had no other choice. He cupped his hands, stood about 5 feet away and asked in the least threatening way possible for a piece of bread. I couldn't say no, so I ripped a tiny bite off for myself and handed him a piece the size of my hand. He said "que bueno, gracias," about four times before devouring it. He couldn't hide his sincere gratitude if he tried.
Being from New York you get trained to ignore most, if not all, beggars. There are simply too many of them and more often than not they are ungrateful or overly annoying. But this guy was alright.
Twenty blocks later I had worked my way through a number of tiny side streets and I was crouched on the sidewalk shooting some biker making his way around a bend. An old man in his 70's with a thick white moustache stopped walking beside me to avoid getting in my way. He then proceeded to ask me how I was liking Bogota and told me about streets nearby I should check out. I got the feeling he was just walking home and saw some young foreigner half lying on the ground in his neighborhood. So why the hell not stop and talk to him? It was genuinely friendly moment between two strangers.
A few hours later I had made my way higher up into the hills. I had heard it's best not to go high up because it can get more dangerous. But everything about the day so far had been so enjoyable and I didn't feel the least bit threatened or anything less than pleasantly surprised by the people here. As I was taking photos of a window cleaner rappelling between two windows, a cop came up to me out of nowhere.
Generally when this happens I have no interest in talking to them and I assume he wants to complain about something I'm doing wrong. But this young cop came up to me just to recommend that I don't walk farther up the hill, and even around here it is better to keep the camera out of sight, just in case. We then talked about why I was in Colombia for the day and what I do in Chile. He also let me know that he would keep any eye out while I was shooting around there. He was just really damn nice. What is it with these people?
While sitting down in a restaurant for lunch I asked the waiter what he recommended because I didn't know anything about Colombian food. He recommended trout with some sort of mushroom sauce. He came back to ask how my food was, and when I told him it was very good, he immediately flashed a smile. He was no doubt feeling proud that he made a good selection. Again, genuinely nice.
Getting a bus back to the airport proved to be a little bit of a hassle. Traffic here in the Centro at rush hour was chaotic. There was an endless stream of buses coughing out black exhaust, sitting in gridlock traffic across massive roads with no real lanes. The buses don't really have designated stops and just hit the brakes for whoever waves at them, where ever they are. That, or it passes them by for no apparent reason.
After 25 minutes of confusion and realizing this location wasn't going to work. I headed to another mass of people on the side of a busy street and finally crammed my way onto a bus that was well over capacity. What I found fascinating is that people would hop on through the backdoor and to my surprise, every single person would pass money through a packed bus of strangers to the driver up front. The driver would then send their change back and it would pass through a dozen hands before returning. Somehow it would all make it back, every time.
I had several other encounters with nice Colombians throughout the day and it just left me feeling really good inside. It was refreshing to have so many strangers treating an outsider like family and experiencing an environment unlike a majority of cities I've been to. I don't know if all of Colombia is like this or if I just happened to stumble upon an uncharacteristically nice chain of events. But either way my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive and I can't wait to go back.
Traveling around South America I met a lot of people who have spent significant amounts of time in Colombia or planned to in the future. The image you get now, from people who actually know it personally, and not just from stories you hear on the news, is extremely positive. The saying I keep hearing is that the people of Colombia really want to shed the image of being a hostile country and go out of there way to do so.
This is exactly what I found. Unfortunately, I only had one day in Bogota, so I don't have the experience of somebody with a well developed personal opinion of the country. I got the smallest taste of what life in Bogota is like and it left me wanting a whole lot more. I had more random encounters with genuinely nice people in my 16 hours in Bogota, than I did in weeks of time in other countries. The positive image I have of this city is based upon the helpful and caring people that stepped right into my life for a moment while I wandered the streets.
Nestled amongst the Andes, with thick forests all around, the city itself is beautiful and oozing with colorful character that kept me enthralled for every minute I had there. The buildings were bright and well aged, with all the cracks, holes and peeling paint adding to the aesthetic appeal. Cobblestoned streets with vibrant grass popping out between the cracks, lead through tiny alleys and up steep hills. There is ever-present street art which really brings a unique energy to the city.
All I did, all day, was walk around, sit in plazas, eat and take pictures. I headed out of the airport at 9am and ignoring the advice of the information guy at the airport, I took a bus instead of the easier, faster taxi ride ($.75 vs $10). I really had minimal idea of where I was going. I looked at a half-loaded Google map for a few minutes and figured if I just found a bus going straight on the road out of the airport I would be able to figure it out. And it all worked out quite easily. Within 30 minutes I got to La Candeleria in the Centro which is a small neighborhood in the hills of Bogota.
My first encounter was with a nice Colombian man who happened to be homeless. I was eating a massive chocolate croissant-like pastry {photo} in a park and this thin, 20-something-year-old, absolutely filthy but completely unthreatening man approached me and asked me for a piece of my bread. I had just been thinking about how it's literally too big to eat alone, especially after a breakfast of coffee, some strange, mild white cheese, eggs with ham and bread. And he popped up to alleviate the situation. There was something about this man that I immediately saw he wished he didn't have to be asking for food, but was just so desperate he had no other choice. He cupped his hands, stood about 5 feet away and asked in the least threatening way possible for a piece of bread. I couldn't say no, so I ripped a tiny bite off for myself and handed him a piece the size of my hand. He said "que bueno, gracias," about four times before devouring it. He couldn't hide his sincere gratitude if he tried.
This looked even more appetizing before it was stuffed into a plastic bag, smearing all the chocolate drizzle on top.
Being from New York you get trained to ignore most, if not all, beggars. There are simply too many of them and more often than not they are ungrateful or overly annoying. But this guy was alright.
Twenty blocks later I had worked my way through a number of tiny side streets and I was crouched on the sidewalk shooting some biker making his way around a bend. An old man in his 70's with a thick white moustache stopped walking beside me to avoid getting in my way. He then proceeded to ask me how I was liking Bogota and told me about streets nearby I should check out. I got the feeling he was just walking home and saw some young foreigner half lying on the ground in his neighborhood. So why the hell not stop and talk to him? It was genuinely friendly moment between two strangers.
A few hours later I had made my way higher up into the hills. I had heard it's best not to go high up because it can get more dangerous. But everything about the day so far had been so enjoyable and I didn't feel the least bit threatened or anything less than pleasantly surprised by the people here. As I was taking photos of a window cleaner rappelling between two windows, a cop came up to me out of nowhere.
Generally when this happens I have no interest in talking to them and I assume he wants to complain about something I'm doing wrong. But this young cop came up to me just to recommend that I don't walk farther up the hill, and even around here it is better to keep the camera out of sight, just in case. We then talked about why I was in Colombia for the day and what I do in Chile. He also let me know that he would keep any eye out while I was shooting around there. He was just really damn nice. What is it with these people?
While sitting down in a restaurant for lunch I asked the waiter what he recommended because I didn't know anything about Colombian food. He recommended trout with some sort of mushroom sauce. He came back to ask how my food was, and when I told him it was very good, he immediately flashed a smile. He was no doubt feeling proud that he made a good selection. Again, genuinely nice.
Getting a bus back to the airport proved to be a little bit of a hassle. Traffic here in the Centro at rush hour was chaotic. There was an endless stream of buses coughing out black exhaust, sitting in gridlock traffic across massive roads with no real lanes. The buses don't really have designated stops and just hit the brakes for whoever waves at them, where ever they are. That, or it passes them by for no apparent reason.
After 25 minutes of confusion and realizing this location wasn't going to work. I headed to another mass of people on the side of a busy street and finally crammed my way onto a bus that was well over capacity. What I found fascinating is that people would hop on through the backdoor and to my surprise, every single person would pass money through a packed bus of strangers to the driver up front. The driver would then send their change back and it would pass through a dozen hands before returning. Somehow it would all make it back, every time.
I had several other encounters with nice Colombians throughout the day and it just left me feeling really good inside. It was refreshing to have so many strangers treating an outsider like family and experiencing an environment unlike a majority of cities I've been to. I don't know if all of Colombia is like this or if I just happened to stumble upon an uncharacteristically nice chain of events. But either way my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive and I can't wait to go back.
Monday, July 30, 2012
A Moment of Reflection While Stuck Somewhere Between New York and Santiago
*Note: I began this blog a few years ago as a way to showcase more of my photography that didn't have a home in my portfolios. Also, to write about any thoughts or subjects that I felt like without having any constraints or ulterior motives. I started writing to nobody in particular and had minimal readers. In the past several months a lot more people from all over the world who have no idea who the hell I actually am, have begun reading this blog. So in an attempt to offer some insight into who I am as a person I will be making an effort to touch on more personal thoughts, issues and details from my life. And for those who don't give a shit who I am, I will still have some sexy photos you can skip to. I will also begin to allow comments and would love to hear from people if they feel any reason at all to make their voice heard.
It is about 48 hours before I begin my journey back to Santiago. I call it a journey because there will be over 24 hours of travel between multiple countries. My flight leaves at 3:30am on Wednesday morning (I didn't even know they had flights that early), so obviously I won't be sleeping and will probably begin my trip to the airport with detours at a few bars. I then land in Bogota, Colombia at 6:30am and have a 17 hour layover. Fortunately, I can leave the airport and will get a free day to explore Bogota. My flight to Santiago then leaves at 11:30pm and lands at 5:05am the next day. So it sounds kinda shitty on paper, but getting to check out Bogota makes it all worth while.
The past 24 days have been creatively inspiring for me. There have been ups, downs, a lot of running around and a whole mess of thoughts, feelings and moments of reflection.
Returning to NY for three weeks felt like stepping back in time. I began a new chapter in my life by moving to Chile. I took a step in a completely different direction, but then, quite suddenly, I was back in NY working the same types of jobs, seeing the same people and living the same life of running in out of the city between work, friends and family. It was mostly enjoyable, but equally perplexing. I was doing work I enjoyed for companies I legitimately support and wanted to be a part of. I was seeing friends and family during all of my spare time and in reality I should have nothing to complain about. Yet, there was something inside of me telling me I shouldn't be here. My place in life is no longer in NY. Who knows where my place will be in a year or even four months. But at this exact moment I belong in Chile.
I have been battling these conflicting emotions since I first set foot in NY. These feelings, induced by my environment, offered a unique position for personal reflection. My time here has given me reassurance that living in Chile does make sense right now. My inner desire to return as soon as possible let me know that yes, I do enjoy it there and truly want to be there.
It also enforced a thought that I already knew. That there are more important things in life than money. I'm 26 years old and money has never been a goal for me. I have turned down more work opportunities than I prefer to think about, but everything has turned out in ways I am genuinely happy about. I am realistic and understand the importance of money in life, but only use it as a tool to make other things happen. I don't want it just to have it and certainly don't care about excess. I prefer enriching life experience over a secure job. I find far more fulfillment and happiness in achieving personal goals and discovering as much as I can about people, the world around me and most importantly myself.
Photography has been a way for me to release a lot of creative energy I never before knew what to do with. It also gave me a way to legitimize my wanderlust desires and more productively process my thoughts and experiences. Photography has become an obsession, and something I do for personal interest and nothing more. I do strive to work for certain companies, doing certain types of projects and using these opportunities to challenge myself creatively and ideally support myself financially while doing something I love. But making other people happy and working a shit job where I'm miserable just doesn't fit in my path through life. I have way too many things that I want to accomplish, and way too many things I need to experience, to waste years working a job that doesn't offer an enriching or fulfilling atmosphere.
Being here for a short while, with no concept of how long it will be until I return, forced a lot of importance onto how I spend my free time. It made me aware of the friends that mean more to me. The type of work I do and the lifestyle I live means that I meet a lot of new people. A lot of them are cool people worth knowing, but it sometimes makes it overwhelming to keep in touch and take certain friendships beyond the surface. So moving to Chile and then returning has made it clearer who I truly care about on a deeper level. The sad thing is that I didn't get to see half of them this trip. There just wasn't enough time. But at least it helps me see where my efforts should go.
I am set to return to Chile with a restored sense of creative inspiration and personal thoughts to process. As perplexing as my time here has been it has been insanely productive on a number of levels and I look forward to seeing how things play out in the future. Some of these thoughts may seem out of the blue, and partly out of context, but oh well, hopefully you all will get to know me better in upcoming posts and it will begin to make sense.
And for all of you looking for some sexy photos to skip to, I'm sorry. There are none this post because I'm not on my own computer. But it will give you something to look forward to, I hope!
It is about 48 hours before I begin my journey back to Santiago. I call it a journey because there will be over 24 hours of travel between multiple countries. My flight leaves at 3:30am on Wednesday morning (I didn't even know they had flights that early), so obviously I won't be sleeping and will probably begin my trip to the airport with detours at a few bars. I then land in Bogota, Colombia at 6:30am and have a 17 hour layover. Fortunately, I can leave the airport and will get a free day to explore Bogota. My flight to Santiago then leaves at 11:30pm and lands at 5:05am the next day. So it sounds kinda shitty on paper, but getting to check out Bogota makes it all worth while.
The past 24 days have been creatively inspiring for me. There have been ups, downs, a lot of running around and a whole mess of thoughts, feelings and moments of reflection.
Returning to NY for three weeks felt like stepping back in time. I began a new chapter in my life by moving to Chile. I took a step in a completely different direction, but then, quite suddenly, I was back in NY working the same types of jobs, seeing the same people and living the same life of running in out of the city between work, friends and family. It was mostly enjoyable, but equally perplexing. I was doing work I enjoyed for companies I legitimately support and wanted to be a part of. I was seeing friends and family during all of my spare time and in reality I should have nothing to complain about. Yet, there was something inside of me telling me I shouldn't be here. My place in life is no longer in NY. Who knows where my place will be in a year or even four months. But at this exact moment I belong in Chile.
I have been battling these conflicting emotions since I first set foot in NY. These feelings, induced by my environment, offered a unique position for personal reflection. My time here has given me reassurance that living in Chile does make sense right now. My inner desire to return as soon as possible let me know that yes, I do enjoy it there and truly want to be there.
It also enforced a thought that I already knew. That there are more important things in life than money. I'm 26 years old and money has never been a goal for me. I have turned down more work opportunities than I prefer to think about, but everything has turned out in ways I am genuinely happy about. I am realistic and understand the importance of money in life, but only use it as a tool to make other things happen. I don't want it just to have it and certainly don't care about excess. I prefer enriching life experience over a secure job. I find far more fulfillment and happiness in achieving personal goals and discovering as much as I can about people, the world around me and most importantly myself.
Photography has been a way for me to release a lot of creative energy I never before knew what to do with. It also gave me a way to legitimize my wanderlust desires and more productively process my thoughts and experiences. Photography has become an obsession, and something I do for personal interest and nothing more. I do strive to work for certain companies, doing certain types of projects and using these opportunities to challenge myself creatively and ideally support myself financially while doing something I love. But making other people happy and working a shit job where I'm miserable just doesn't fit in my path through life. I have way too many things that I want to accomplish, and way too many things I need to experience, to waste years working a job that doesn't offer an enriching or fulfilling atmosphere.
Being here for a short while, with no concept of how long it will be until I return, forced a lot of importance onto how I spend my free time. It made me aware of the friends that mean more to me. The type of work I do and the lifestyle I live means that I meet a lot of new people. A lot of them are cool people worth knowing, but it sometimes makes it overwhelming to keep in touch and take certain friendships beyond the surface. So moving to Chile and then returning has made it clearer who I truly care about on a deeper level. The sad thing is that I didn't get to see half of them this trip. There just wasn't enough time. But at least it helps me see where my efforts should go.
I am set to return to Chile with a restored sense of creative inspiration and personal thoughts to process. As perplexing as my time here has been it has been insanely productive on a number of levels and I look forward to seeing how things play out in the future. Some of these thoughts may seem out of the blue, and partly out of context, but oh well, hopefully you all will get to know me better in upcoming posts and it will begin to make sense.
And for all of you looking for some sexy photos to skip to, I'm sorry. There are none this post because I'm not on my own computer. But it will give you something to look forward to, I hope!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Random Photo - Santiago Centro
This is a photo taken from Cerro Santa Lucia looking west towards Santiago Centro.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Heading to NY
This Thursday I'm heading back to NY for a few weeks to work my ass off, see family and friends and indulge in all of the things I can't get down here. Of course I'm talking about eating. Thai, burgers, real Italian, Mexican, pizza, Indian... I am going to eat my face off and it is going to be awesome.
Anyway, leaving Chile and heading back to NY is bringing up some mixed feelings. Of course I'm excited to see my family and friends and I'm excited to get back to NYC for a short while, but just as much I'm upset to be leaving Camila and Chile. It always seems that even when I try to settle down in one place I still manage to bounce around a little.
I'm also, strangely enough, very excited to work. Anybody between jobs or any freelancers know that if you have periods of little to no work, when you finally get some you are stoked to go back. I'm not saying I'm without work here. It's just the pay here is so low that it feels like I'm practically working for free, so making some decent money is oh so appealing. It also doesn't hurt that I'm going to be working on a TV show for National Geographic. Even though it's not my dream job, it is still for my dream company, so it's a step in the right direction. I'll also have some photography assignments on my spare days too. So basically I will be going nonstop for three weeks.
Why exactly am I going to NY? Well the whole idea came from the fact that I really NEED my snowboard and equipment. I didn't bring it to Chile initially because Camila and I weren't positive where we would end up and I didn't want to have the burden of a huge, heavy bag to drag around. Of course, I almost immediately regretted not bringing it. So the idea to go back to NY, work my ass off to pay for my plane ticket and save up some money was born. It appears to be all working out quite well. Hopefully I didn't just jinx it...
Once I'm back in Chile I will be able to get up in the mountains and get you all some awesome new ski and snowboard photos! It has been way too long since I've been able to shoot any mountain sports and I'm craving it like no other. It is my ultimate photography passion, and snowboarding is my ultimate non-photography passion. And anybody who knows me personally knows I've basically had endless summers for the last two years. Heading to South America during our winters, just to head back to North America for more summer. And now I'm doing it again ironically. But it's all for a reason and I'll still have a solid two months of winter when I return.
Since I'm going to NY, here are some photos of NY:
My postings for the next few weeks may be a little less frequent than I would prefer, so I apologize in advance, but I will do my best!
Anyway, leaving Chile and heading back to NY is bringing up some mixed feelings. Of course I'm excited to see my family and friends and I'm excited to get back to NYC for a short while, but just as much I'm upset to be leaving Camila and Chile. It always seems that even when I try to settle down in one place I still manage to bounce around a little.
I'm also, strangely enough, very excited to work. Anybody between jobs or any freelancers know that if you have periods of little to no work, when you finally get some you are stoked to go back. I'm not saying I'm without work here. It's just the pay here is so low that it feels like I'm practically working for free, so making some decent money is oh so appealing. It also doesn't hurt that I'm going to be working on a TV show for National Geographic. Even though it's not my dream job, it is still for my dream company, so it's a step in the right direction. I'll also have some photography assignments on my spare days too. So basically I will be going nonstop for three weeks.
Why exactly am I going to NY? Well the whole idea came from the fact that I really NEED my snowboard and equipment. I didn't bring it to Chile initially because Camila and I weren't positive where we would end up and I didn't want to have the burden of a huge, heavy bag to drag around. Of course, I almost immediately regretted not bringing it. So the idea to go back to NY, work my ass off to pay for my plane ticket and save up some money was born. It appears to be all working out quite well. Hopefully I didn't just jinx it...
Once I'm back in Chile I will be able to get up in the mountains and get you all some awesome new ski and snowboard photos! It has been way too long since I've been able to shoot any mountain sports and I'm craving it like no other. It is my ultimate photography passion, and snowboarding is my ultimate non-photography passion. And anybody who knows me personally knows I've basically had endless summers for the last two years. Heading to South America during our winters, just to head back to North America for more summer. And now I'm doing it again ironically. But it's all for a reason and I'll still have a solid two months of winter when I return.
Since I'm going to NY, here are some photos of NY:
Long Island City, Queens with the Manhattan skyline
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown
The New Museum
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Santiago Student Protests
Chileans know how to protest. The excitement, energy and sheer strength of upwards of 50,000 driven individuals is captivating. The students in Chile, especially in Santiago, seem genuinely passionate about making their voices heard. As an outsider the issues are beyond my realm of true interest. I do hope they make progress in their fight for a new framework for education in Chile, but it obviously isn't something I'm emotionally invested in. For me it is an opportunity to experience and document the raw energy and unity that only a protest can evoke in complete strangers. Americans protest every once in a while, but never with a strength comparable to a classic Santiago student protest. There is another huge protest planned for today so I'm about to head over and check it out. Below are a few images from one last month.
More photos to come from today's protest so check back!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Random Photo - Hoboken
I shot this photo about four years ago. It was late one night after I had worked a 16 hour day on a commercial shoot down the street. This is the far end of Hoboken that most people don't go to. There are a few blocks of random industrial buildings on the end of Hoboken closest to Weehawken. I have had this sitting on my computer in an obscure folder and just stumbled upon it and figured I'd post it.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Lows of Finding Photography Work in Chile
Being in a new country with no work connections, I have been forced to get creative and look far and wide for potential opportunities. The results from my online efforts have so far been less than satisfying, but I have learned a few things.
One being that using job posting sites to find photography opportunities in Chile is basically useless. There are few listings and the ones that do come up are basically rapists who have minimal value for the products they are attempting to sell. Nearly all of them specifically look for students and beginning photographers who "have a dSLR, but no experience necessary!" so that they can pay little to nothing because they know that most of these photographers are desperate or don't know any better.
Moments ago I just read one that stood out more than most. The employer was looking for students with professional cameras and professional studio lights to photograph kitchen products with the quality being "identical or better to those on Sur la Table's website." This employer very bluntly states that they expect quality that is equal or better to those who produce some of the highest quality product shots in the industry. But they intend on paying little to nothing for it. Certainly nowhere near the $1,000+ day rates that the photographer who shot the Sur la Table products got. But, the quality should still be better, obviously.
Other ads here follow a similar pattern with the majority of them being extremely vague. "Big company needs photographer for 600+ photos. Email us your rates. Beginning photographers with highest quality equipment encouraged." How are we supposed to send rates if we don't know what we are shooting, where the photos will be used or any other details? I do contact these listings and inquire about the details of the shoot, but I never receive a reply. Most likely because somebody else proposed something so insanely low they couldn't pass it up and apparently if you have a great dSLR that automatically means you can take great photos.
Now, I know the photography industry in Chile just recently beginning to develop and it's not yet widely accepted as something that deserves decent pay rates. I try to understand this as a cultural difference but sometimes it can be a little frustrating. Just like anybody looking for a job anywhere knows. I am also aware this isn't NY and I can't expect similar rates, but when companies set out with the lowest standards possible I don't even stand a chance. Not because I'm that good, just because I have self respect and know the work I produce has value. What all of these ads tell me is that there are a lot of companies out there that either don't understand what good photography is and can do for the product they just put so much capital into, or they just have no value for their product. But then again, the best opportunities aren't found in ads online anyway. All this means is that a whole lot more effort needs to be put in to find clients who do value a photographers abilities.
There aren't too many interesting photos I can post relating to job searching, so as a breath of fresh air I will post a couple beach photos instead.
One being that using job posting sites to find photography opportunities in Chile is basically useless. There are few listings and the ones that do come up are basically rapists who have minimal value for the products they are attempting to sell. Nearly all of them specifically look for students and beginning photographers who "have a dSLR, but no experience necessary!" so that they can pay little to nothing because they know that most of these photographers are desperate or don't know any better.
Moments ago I just read one that stood out more than most. The employer was looking for students with professional cameras and professional studio lights to photograph kitchen products with the quality being "identical or better to those on Sur la Table's website." This employer very bluntly states that they expect quality that is equal or better to those who produce some of the highest quality product shots in the industry. But they intend on paying little to nothing for it. Certainly nowhere near the $1,000+ day rates that the photographer who shot the Sur la Table products got. But, the quality should still be better, obviously.
Other ads here follow a similar pattern with the majority of them being extremely vague. "Big company needs photographer for 600+ photos. Email us your rates. Beginning photographers with highest quality equipment encouraged." How are we supposed to send rates if we don't know what we are shooting, where the photos will be used or any other details? I do contact these listings and inquire about the details of the shoot, but I never receive a reply. Most likely because somebody else proposed something so insanely low they couldn't pass it up and apparently if you have a great dSLR that automatically means you can take great photos.
Now, I know the photography industry in Chile just recently beginning to develop and it's not yet widely accepted as something that deserves decent pay rates. I try to understand this as a cultural difference but sometimes it can be a little frustrating. Just like anybody looking for a job anywhere knows. I am also aware this isn't NY and I can't expect similar rates, but when companies set out with the lowest standards possible I don't even stand a chance. Not because I'm that good, just because I have self respect and know the work I produce has value. What all of these ads tell me is that there are a lot of companies out there that either don't understand what good photography is and can do for the product they just put so much capital into, or they just have no value for their product. But then again, the best opportunities aren't found in ads online anyway. All this means is that a whole lot more effort needs to be put in to find clients who do value a photographers abilities.
There aren't too many interesting photos I can post relating to job searching, so as a breath of fresh air I will post a couple beach photos instead.
Iquique
Juan Lopez
Friday, June 15, 2012
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