On Taking Pictures

How do we know when art 'works' or doesn't? Is it intuition or knowledge? Bill and Jeffery also tackle some listener mail about b/w conversion, hype in the art world, and a rebuttal of a listener who thinks Bill is a little too cranky. Master portraitist Irving Penn is this week's photographer.

A serious episode this week as Jeffery and Bill discuss whether a body of work is retrospective in origin or whether it's built masterpiece by masterpiece. Also David Hockney's article on perspective, scanning slides with your dslr, and asking why photography is ever a crime. The wonderful Alfred Sieglitz is this week's photographer.

Extra bonus episode so that Jeffery and Bill could get caught up on and answer all the listen feedback they've been getting lately. We talk about the worth of process, light source color, framing, photo books, and the new Faking It exhibit at the Met in NYC. Get on board!

This week Bill tells all about his trip to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks while Jeffery gives him a hard time about it. Do you need to leave where you are to see where you've been? And of course it's fitting that Ansel Adams is our photographer of the week.

Bill and Jeffery respond to a bit more feedback about workshops & websites, Jeffery’s thinking about taking up senior portraits, Bill can’t stand photographers who don’t know what they’re talking about. Magnum photographer Elliot Erwitt is our photographer of the week.

Bill and Jeffery respond to feedback about workshops & websites, famous people buying Leicas, and why taking less pictures is better. Then Bill recounts being ignored by Philip Glass and his methodology behind a group shot of 10 people. Of course Edward Steichen, our photographer of the week, could have done a better job I'm sure.

Bill is nervous for the first time in a while and it's not about the latest crop of cameras coming out at Photokina. Also, your portfolio site might just suck, but Jeffery's diatribe on the subject might just help. All this plus the century old amazing work of Karl Blossfeldt on this weel's On Taking Pictures.

Different aspect ratios, photo projects based on teenage killers, and a long and somewhat heavy discussion about why we bother taking pictures at all and what they mean to us.

When 5 lights are just right, why people bother to shoot with a 4×5, as well as who Berenice Abbott was and why her work still rocks.

Stephen Shore’s tips for street photography, exploitative vs interesting, and what do we mean by portrait anyway?

The Curiosity Mars rover, going on an internet diet, Canon service story, how everything is a trade-off, and Imogen Cunningham.

Refinement vs change, novelty vs quality, the creative mindset, and composite pioneer William Notman as photographer of the week.

SI runs Instagram pictures, Fuji discontinues a bunch of Velvia, Canon releases a mirrorless EOS body, more talk about shooting outside your comfort zone, and Albert Watson as photographer of the week.

Better examples of Olympic portraits, Jock Sturges vs Sally Mann, is Magnum Photo still relavant, plus strategies and failures of trying to get out of your comfort zone on this episode of On Taking Pictures.

Skin tones color samples, multi-touch displays, and Bill walks through his workflow from camera to delivery on this episode of On Taking Pictures.