Photography

Future Proof

by

By the time my child and maybe one day grandchildren, rummage around ole Grandpa Denbow’s digital shoebox of photos left behind after my death, they’ll only be able to view his years of photographic experimentation at a postage-stamp resolution on their 16K screens integrated into their walls.

It’s thoughts like these that make me want to go through a batch of photos and print them all at 4×6, so there’s at least something around to document the era.

But I am behind in this. I still need to organize and then finally print these up.

What more can I do right now that will ensure that my photographs withstand the test of time?

It matters to me right now. Will it matter to them?

Why does this resonate with me so strongly?

Enjoying The Process

by

Long before my beautiful daughter was born I was heavily interested in photography. I used a compact point and shoot Fuji to bring in the new millennium. Then upgraded to a more robust featured Olympus with optical zoom. All of this was used as a hobby, to document life events, etc. The images were okay but they weren’t the best quality. I used this life changing event of her arriving in our home as a way to justify my first DSLR, a Nikon D50. I wanted more quality images to capture just how beautiful she is. The next step of course was to advance my photography into portraits of other beautiful people. I learned by doing and evolved. 

Twenty years later and my excitement and love for photography has grown. I find myself always looking for photographic opportunities. I’ve enjoyed learning the post-processing and organizing. The photo creativity has overshadowed my writing creativity. Now I am at the point where I want these images off the hard drive where no one can see them and printed up for full view. All the while keep learning and practicing for more. 

I’ve documented people, events, concerts, travel, landscape and street photography. I’ve recently gone back to film photography and am remembering the joy of making each image count. Taking the time to think and enjoy the process. After all this I realized something:

My best photograph is the one I haven’t taken yet. 

My best work is still ahead of me and this is what keeps me going.

Keep Calm And Carry On

by

With all the distractions going on during these current events (Wuhan virus) it can be difficult to focus on anything else.

However, I believe doing what we do best can be very beneficial. By creating and doing the things we enjoy, it will help us stay positive, and to stay focused.

By creating and doing, it may be positive for others as a pleasant distraction from those same current events. What we create and if we choose to share could be helpful to those around us. We need more pleasant and meaningful distractions. We need more ideas, art, stories as uplifting and inspirational input instead of the depressing and sensational news out there.

Situations like these make us realize how small the world can be and how connected we are to each other.

Instead of avoiding creativity, embrace it. Share it. I’ll be sharing more of my thoughts and more of my photography. I choose not to get caught up by world crisis.

Keep calm and share on.

Enjoying The Process

by

Long before my beautiful daughter was born I was heavily interested in photography. I used a compact point and shoot Fuji to bring in the new millennium. Then upgraded to a more robust featured Olympus with optical zoom. All of this was used as a hobby, to document life events, etc. The images were okay but they weren’t the best quality. I used this life changing event of her arriving in our home as a way to justify my first DSLR, a Nikon D50. I wanted more quality images to capture just how beautiful she is. The next step of course was to advance my photography into portraits of other beautiful people. I learned by doing and evolved.

Twenty years later and my excitement and love for photography has grown. I find myself always looking for photographic opportunities. I’ve enjoyed learning the post-processing and organizing. The photo creativity has overshadowed my writing creativity. Now I am at the point where I want these images off the hard drive where no one can see them and printed up for full view. All the while keep learning and practicing for more.

I’ve documented people, events, concerts, travel, landscape and street photography. I’ve recently gone back to film photography and am remembering the joy of making each image count. Taking the time to think and enjoy the process. After all this I realized something:

My best photograph is the one I haven’t taken yet.

My best work is still ahead of me and this is what keeps me going.

JOMO

by

If you were anyway plugged into social media and internet culture the past few years you are familiar with the acronym phrase “Fear Of Missing Out” or FOMO. Wherein people are constantly plugged in and engaged with what every one else is doing or posting so they won’t miss out on what they think is important right NOW.

I recently came across a book titled JOMO or, “The Joy Of Missing Out”, which implies what the rest of us are already thinking- We don’t care what is going on, we’re too busy enjoying ourselves to be bothered with such nonsense!

My love/hate relationship with technology is an example. Social media is an example bad technology. The networking with others is good but it could also screw with your self-esteem and distract you from what is important.

What is better are real connections with people through technology. E-mail has been around a long time as has text messaging. These are still the best, most secure forms of communication. Owning and growing your own domain and website is better technology and more beneficial than working on a billion dollar social media ad farm.

Before I settled on a specific operating system and ecosystem (Apple for the win), I bounced back and forth between Android and Apple devices every six months thanks to my carrier’s mobile plan. Because with each hardware and software iteration there were small improvements that I didn’t want to miss out on. I agreed with the slogan “It just works.” Which was perfect for me because I was finally getting tired of the phone FOMO. I don’t want to think about it anymore, damn it, I just want it to work.

The Apple ecosystem to me are a combination of function and beauty. Powerful and minimal. I don’t want the FOMO distraction and want maximum focus on productivity. With this technology, the simpler the better.

My beloved Nikon D200 was eleven years old before she was replaced. I’ll hold on to my current Canon Rebel which will hopefully stick around just as long. I don’t need the latest or the greatest and I don’t ever think I am missing out by not upgrading these every few years. In fact, I’ve also gone back in time. Back to simpler designs and functions with film cameras. They’ve lasted for decades and will continue to do so. And I am missing out on nothing.

How much more can I keep subtracting bad technology and adding value and joy to beneficial technology? For now, I have worked hard to trim down and can honestly I am missing out and it doesn’t bother me one bit.

by

I have this thing for black and white images.

I have a thing for black and chrome things too.

New Focus

by

Over the course of capturing portraits for the past twenty years I have met so many good and beautiful people and have been made all the better for it. Recently I have been giving some thought to looking for new photographic challenges and have decided to hang up portrait photography for a bit. Especially the sexy shoots. There are some of those challenges I would like to eventually tackle but am limited not by my imagination but by a lack of studio space and lighting.

Instead, I’d like to focus on street photography and even outdoor photography.

Street photography can be an excellent combination of people and life in an urban setting. Win/win. Outdoor photography will serve my needs for working with lighting and element challenges.

I am pleased with this decision and I’ll admit I am a bit paralyzed here at first wondering where to start. So I’ll just jump right in and do it starting tomorrow. I’ll take my newly purchased Canon 110 pocket camera with black and white film and see what I can find on the streets!

I’ll be redesigning my photography website soon to match this new focus and will add more thoughts here soon.

**UPDATE**

Photo Denbow has been redesigned again and has a renewed focus on street photography as well as travel. Other personal and photo project work will be here as well.

This is version #73 over the past twenty years.

The Why Of It

by

Recently I was asked why portrait photography, or specifically portraits of people in various states of undress. My simple reply is always because I enjoy the challenge of capturing people in different light, angles and unique expressions. The fact that they were in various states of undress was moot. But then I also thought why keep doing it? What else is out there that I can find?

And that was it. I realized that I am again ambitious in my photography.
And curious.
And looking for different.

Different compositions, challenges, locations, adventures, formats and more.

I want to discover something from a new perspective and photograph it. To remember a moment, or document something for all time, or appreciate the subject more. I don’t want posed. I want candid, intentional, deliberate and authentic.

This is the why; a new challenge.