Polarizing Images

We've been on a pretty good tear, lately. Awesome topics and disagreements among the hosts. Some of our best shows ever! And, we think, today is no exception. Rick is the one behind tonight's topic and he asks a simple question: will (or when) will 3D photography become common? And we get off onto a discussion about what's causing the delay in the adoption of it. Is it the lack of technology? The lack of standards? The cost? The inability to use 3D filming to enhance the story instead of being the story? The fact that the porn industry hasn't adopted it yet? For over a century, we've understood how the mind process visual information to create the 3D effect. But the technologies that have been used to create it or to consume it has changed. But we still have to have some sort of gear in order to "see" it. Whether it's paper glasses with the red and green lenses, lenticular lenses, etc., we still have to wear something or use a bulky piece of gear to experience 3D. But, possibly, we may have the answer in Google Glass. Sure, you're going to look like a complete frickin' dork wearing them, but if they can create a 3D HUD (heads up display), we may finally have a practical piece of 3D equipment that can get us past the tipping point of acceptance. As for being fashionable, if we as a culture accepted polyester leisure suits as fashionable, Google Glass stands a good chance of being considered chic. What do you think? What would it take for you to fully embrace 3D photography? Does it need to be cheaper? Does it need to have a real purpose to it? Or do you care at all? Let us know in the comments section below, will ya? Our artist for today is James Cameron. Dude does some crazy stuff, including epic movies like Avatar (designed for 3D, BTW). But it still gets us back to the idea that 3D photography is still about the effect and not the image. Until then, it's pretty pointless. Oh, and Celine Dion is the Justin Beaver of Canada (yes, we know it's Bieber, so you have to listen to get the joke).

Gotta start off with two quick notes: first, we apologize for this coming out a day late. Second, there were some technical issues with Skype when we recorded and, as you'll hear, there are a few times throughout the show where the flow gets interrupted. Okay, now on to the show. It's Tony's turn to choose the topic and he comes up with something we hadn't thought of before: how do peoples' behavior change when they see  a camera? And have behaviors changed now that cameras (and smart phones, etc.) have become so commonplace in our society? Are people more guarded or more open? Are they hesitatnt about where those pictures may end up or do they care? Does it matter whether it's a professional or an amateur who is taking the picture? A lot of disagreement in today's show and it makes for some good stuff. And make sure you tell us in the comments section whether you think you change your behavior when you see a camera. Or have you noticed a change in how people react over the past 5, 10, 20 years? And should we have named this episode Babies and Bot Flies and Larvae, Oh My? Our Artists Our photographer is Ian Ruhter. Rob first learned of his work after watching the video, Silver and Light. You can also click on the picture to launch the video and it's worthwhile watching. Ian not only is an accomplished photographer in his own right, but he makes his own wet plates and does all of his development; on plates much larger than we're used to. In this age of digital photography and knowing we can make as many copies as we could ever need from the file, wet plate photography is awe-inspiring. There are no files, there are no negatives. The plate is the only copy of the photograph that exists. Not a lot of room for error and that makes Ian Ruhter a true artist. Leonardo da Vinci is our "other" artist. Not much to say other than a true visionary who continues to influence our society to this day. The da Vinci Code may have made him a legend but Hudson Hawk balances that out. "Is looking like a constipated warthog a prerequisite for getting a job in the art world?"

It's Vegas, Baby! We take a look at a well-known "empire" today and talk about how it is no longer relevant as a vehicle for social change like it once was. Topics today include: A Vegas trip report - and visit our site for a few shots of Vegas! When do you prefer to photograph Vegas? When did Playboy magazine lose its relevance and stop being cutting edge? What's the lesson for all photographers in the demise of Playboy magazine? The fine line between having a style and being in a rut, and who is Pompeo Posar? Nothing like a fine-crafted cigar; it's a lifestyle choice my friends and, yup, there's a photography hook to it! How about you folks? When was the last time you flipped through the pages of Playboy (or Maxim or Penthouse or…) and found yourself shocked or, at the very least, engaged by something you saw? Let us know in the comments below. All photos © 2013, Rob Domaschuk

It's Called Life, Dammit! Life. Sometimes it sucks, sometimes it's awesome, and sometimes it lets you get drunk on Amaretto. Be that as it may, no matter what we do, no matter where we go, we seem to always see people with their damned arms in the air, holding their phones and taking video/pictures of whatever the hell is happening around them. And we do it, too. But should we? Are we so concerned about recording life as it happens that we're no longer actually experiencing it? Yeah, we think we are. And that shit has to stop. We're all about taking pictures and being recorders of history but let's also make sure that we are no disengaging from life and no longer making history. Seriously,we need to cut that shit out. Our Artists Today, we look at Marc Hauser, one of the pioneer modern-day portrait photographers. His ability to capture people in real-life poses and expressions makes for some of the most captivating images we've seen in a long time. He's a helluva shooter and a trip through his galleries is worth 30 minutes of your life. And then Rick throws us a curve ball. After introducing us to several macabre artists and other "interesting" characters over the past couple of years, he chooses Mr. Americana himself, Norman Rockwell. But hey, it's about life, right?

Style? Or a Rut? Style - it's a word we use on a regular basis to describe our artistry. hell, even in our previous shows we've talked about how important it is to have a definitive style in photography. But, can that style become a crutch for never evolving? Can we get stuck in our own artistic rut and happily… ignorantly continue on while thinking we're just maintaining our "style"? That's the topic for this episode and even the three of us have a hard time figuring  it out. And do we even answer the two critical questions: how do we identify when we're stuck and how do we power through it? Whatever. How about you, our intelligent and sober (presumably) listeners weigh in and tell us what you think! Tonight's Artists Taking a good look at a young Canadian director and film maker (who just happens to be related to one of the co-hosts), Miles Jay. Specifically, we're highlighting a short film he directed called Hollywood and Vines. It's short (4:30) and constructed entirely with clips from Vine. Pretty awesome and, for those of you who think social media is a passing fad and its impact on visual arts is unimpressive, guess again. Watch the video below. As for our "other medium" artist? Tony chose (so you know it's gonna be fucked up) Rockstar Games. Who? The gaming geniuses behind Grand Theft Auto 5. Seriously, it's a pretty amazing game! Check out this review.

Where Have All the Jobs Gone? There are some among us who remember the good old days where you could be a full-time photographer and making some pretty serious money. But, in light of a variety of factors, it would seem that jobs are quickly disappearing. Or, at least, jobs that paid enough to live off of. Between everyone having a camera that's capable of compensating for mediocre skills, money-making moves by newspapers to eliminate their photojournalists, to saturated markets, etc. are there jobs to be had? It may not be as bleak an outlook as a lot of people fear. Today we talk about the the state of the wedding photography industry, photojournalism, fine art photography, and commercial photography. We're not in complete agreement on everything but we certainly see some bright spots. Here's a tip to keeping, or finding, your photography career: learn video. No artist or photographer today as we spent a lot of time on the topic. And, please, leave us a comment! Are you looking for a job in the industry or are you trying to figure out how to keep it? We want to hear from you!

We took a different path today and decided to look at our own work. After two years (almost) of the podcast, we thought,"what the hell" and talked about the work we have done, where we have come from, and where we think we are going. It gets a little sugary and supportive - certainly a departure from other podcasts - but we'll be back next time with our normal crap. But this is a really decent show and gave all three of us an opportunity to look the other guys' work and talk about it. You can definitely see a progression in the work we've done and the artistic vision that we've developed since starting Polarizing Images back in September 2011. Take a look at the stuff below and let us know what you think. C'mon, leave us a comment - you know you want to! The Work of Others (Our Artists) Lewis Hine is our photographer of the fortnight. His work for the National Child Labor Committee changed the way the US looked at the use of child labor. He has some of the most iconic works of America's industrial age. Except, like Rob discovered, some of his most well-known work isn't actually his. ^#% Internet! FREEBIRD! Yup, Lynyrd Skynyrd (the original group) is our artist. What do we have to say about them? Listen the show, then, dammit!  

Competency in Photography Courtesy of long-time listener and huge fan of ours (yeah, I am taking liberties but so what?), Ivan, we have tonight's topic: Might good photography one day become a core competency? Will photography become more mainstream? Will those of us who see photography as a craft be able to step up and excel? Or does photographic quality continue to slide toward mediocrity? Or both? Competency in photography will always be associated with artistic ability rather than the technical capabilities of the camera. Better technical photos will continue to happen as the cameras themselves get better and better. But does that equate to competency? Of course not. Learning visual literacy and pursuing photography as a craft is what will allow the good photographers to float to the top of the industry. Oh, and while the Like button on Facebook is not an indicator of good photography, we can't dismiss why people like crappy photos. And, introducing The Wet Plate. Please, tell us what you think here in the comments or on Twitter @PolarizingImage. Today's Artists: We revisit our last photographer, Jill Enfield. She is both an accomplished photographer and a highly skilled printmaker. With episode #47 having been the weird episode that it was, we glossed over Jill's abilities and she really deserves a proper evaluation. In the digital age when making a realistic print from a technically advanced camera is just a button-click away, it's refreshing (and inspiring) to see someone take the time to make such complex prints. Today's artist is the one and only Jim Hensen, creator of the Muppets. Talking about visual literacy and artistry, the Muppets were a huge advancements in the realism of puppetry. Oh, and here's the Muppets doing Friggin' in the Riggin' by The Sex Pistols.

We started off really well. No, really we did. Then it happened. And we'd like to apologize to, well, pretty much everyone: You've been listening to Polarizing Images and you guys just… Topics/bits include: Are there French Amish (let Rick know) Where the best Philly Cheese Steak is found Can you be an artist who uses photography rather than a photographic artist? The photography of Jill Enfield and her alternate printing process. We pwncast the one and only Brian Mollica (you've heard us mention him). All he wanted was to check his levels... Jiro, you're an asshole - just add a late show, f***er! -------------------------- Artists of the Fortnight We have the very talented Jill Enfield: "Jill Enfield, one of this country’s most experienced and respected handcoloring artists, is a fine art, editorial and commercial photographer."

Artistic? You want artistic? How about Rob opening with the last line of Happy Birthday for Rick's special day. Although, once you've had as many birthdays as Rick has, they're no longer very special. Artistic Versus Technical We've had similar conversations before: what's more important, how do we balance the two, etc. But in tonight's episode, we look at when photographs become so compelling that the viewer immediately is drawn toward the composition and artistic side of the photograph and the technical side is ignored. There are plenty of great examples of poorly-executed images (from the technical side) that are absolutely remarkable to look at. And maybe the problem isn't the lack of great photography but rather the glut of "workshops" and "seminars" where the instructors are spending so much time trying to teach the technical that no one is teaching, as Tony calls it, the respect for the subject matter. We need to be more intentional about our photography and be truly aware of our subjects and their flaws. Because that's what makes us better photographers. Otherwise we just become a digital scribe, simply recreating what is in front of us, without trying to find the beauty, or flaw, in the subject. For example, Weston's Pepper. Yeah, it's just a pepper, but then why is it such an engaging photo? Today's Artists This week, we’ll look at the art of bonsai instead of a specific artist. We recently looked at two artists (Enrico Rovira and  Rick Griffin) who work in mediums that are short-lived. Their art forms are created, finalized, and then destroyed/consumed. Bonsai trees, as an art form however, continually evolve and grow; they never remain in a fixed state. Our photographer is Michael Kenna, a landscape photographer known for his long esposures (of up to 10 hours per shot) to create some of the most beautiful and engaging black and white images.

Chicago Sun-Times Makes Dumb Move At least that's how the headlines should read. Last week, the Chicago Sun-Times decided to fire all their photography staff. Now, they'll be relying on their reporters taking pictures and video on company-issued iPhones. We have the pleasure of welcoming back Steven Chappell, A.K.A. The Grammar Nazi. Steven, if you recall, is a university professor teaching journalism and he has some excellent insight into why this was a huge boneheaded move. The Chicago Sun-Times has been faltering lately and, perhaps, this was just one more bad business decision among many but this also heralds a new era for photojournalism. Sure, there are some real advantages to being able to shoot on an iPhone and immediately upload it to the newspaper: from timing to thwarting would-be censors ("sorry, too late - it's already uploaded"). But there are some other real concerns that affect not just those who shoot professionally but everyone: Who teaches freelance and citizen photographers their first amendment rights? Who teaches them to push back when authorities (wrongly) tell them they can't take photographs? When threatened with arrest and large legal bills, who will be willing to stand up and fight for the public's right to know? (full time photographers were covered by the newspaper's legal team) Will freelance photographers know, and follow, journalist ethics when it comes to not altering an image in post-production? There are so many questions that only time will answer but, in our opinion, the Chicago Sun-Times has taken a dangerous and, quite frankly, stupid position by firing their pros. It just puts too much of the paper's integrity and trustworthiness at risk. Make sure you read Steven's excellent article, Did the Sun-Times just Kill Photojournalism? Stupid move, Chicago Sun-Times… stupid move. Tonight's Artists Tony picked him so you know it has to involve music! And it does. Meet Rick Griffin - one of, if not the, most important psychedelic artists of the 70s. You may not know his name but if you have even a passing interest in music memorabilia, the Grateful Dead, or Jimi Hendrix, you likely are familiar with his work. We don't have a particular photographer tonight but rather we showcase a small online collection of the macabre. No, seriously, Rick is pretty eff'ing messed up and needs therapy - please feel free to donate to the cause! At first the collection seems rather shocking and disturbing but, as you look through them, you'll find that they are far more campy and often examples of excellent post-production and visual effects. Still, they are NSFW (not safe for work) and, if you're easily offended or disturbed, why the hell are you listening to our show? Okay, you've been warned and here's the link. Oh yeah, if you have Coulrophobia, you'll not appreciate the first image. Just saying.

Smart phones are all around us. In the past four years, the number of iPhones, Android-based phones, tabelts, iPads, etc. that people own has grown exponentially. They're everywhere! Concerts, parks, on trains, in  schools... And one of the main consequences of this is that we are now back in the mode of photography being shared instantly. Sometimes this has enormous social consequences like Arab Spring. Other times it's annoying like hipsters taking pictures of every freaking course at a restaurant. Either way, using smart phones to take pictures and immediately see them and share them is just as exciting and relevant as it was when we (okay, when Rick - because he's so damn old) used Polaroid cameras. Is this a good thing? Is it foretelling the doom of "good" photography like Rick suggests? Is going to force pro shooters to step up and get even better - even when they are using their smart phones - like Rob claims? Our Artists Today's artists have nothing to do with smart phones. Our first artist is Spanish chocolatier, Enrico Rovira. A master of building and minimalism, Rovira's chocolate eggs are stunning pieces of sculpture. The fact that they are also edible makes his work all the more amazing. Watch the video below! Our photographer is Russian minimalist and abstract photographer, Ciro Totku. His ability to achieve balance in his images is obvious and the results make for some pure beauty. ENRIC ROVIRA - CANGURS ER from Enric Rovira on Vimeo.

Dear friends, you will notice three differences in today's photography podcast: Rick is missing (he's in Naw'lins) but we've got an amazing guest to fill his shoes. There's no featured artist or photographer this week as our guest, on behalf of galleries, features all artists. 95% of the show features intelligence and well-articulated thoughts - because our guest spoke for 94.5% of the show! But don't worry, bizarre behavior and poorly-formatted thoughts will return next episode! And [drumroll] Introducing… Ginger Fear! Can photography still be a viable piece of art sold by a gallery?  If you're a fine art photographer, you need to listen to this episode. As it turns out, there is actually a lot of potential and hope for photography (and other art) in the digital age and Jason even suggests some surprising actions to take. Seriously, this has to be one of our greatest shows ever. Jason Horejs, the owner of Xanada Gallery in Scottsdale AZ drops by and gives us incredible insights into the role of an art gallery and how photographers can do a better job getting gallery representation. His wit, knowledge, charm, and insight into the gallery world provided the show with a lot more information than we were expecting. If you're interested in learning more about the art world and Xanadu Gallery (where, in fact, they do not roller skate and wear satin pantsuits to Tony's dismay), look for Jason at: His blog, Red Dot Blog Xanadu Gallery His Facebook page His book Starving to Successful What do you think? Let us know here and on Twitter!  

Looking Back Tonight is a different show. Any fool can take a look back at earlier shows when they hit a special milestone but it takes creative and talented fools to do it when there's no particular reason. And we are, if nothing else, creative and talented fools! So, we took the opportunity this week to do a retrospect. Looking back through all 41 previous episodes, we each chose our top three episodes along with an honorable mention. We didn't tell each other which episodes we were choosing or why we chose them and it is interesting to see which episodes we did choose. Some were predictable, others were quite a surprise. Education was big on our list, as was networking and the importance of guests and what they brought to the show. Then we did the same with our featured artists and photographers. So give this show a listen and let us know here, or on Twitter, if you agree with our choice or disagree. What were your favorite shows up until now? Don't Forget! We could really use your help to offset the financial cost of putting the show on (hosting, etc.) so why not treat yourself to some awesome Polarizing Images swag from the Polarizing Images Swag Emporium on CafePress? Finally, a huge thank you to all of our listeners and guests - it's been fun and we're only getting better and bigger!

The New Barrier to Entry? We start off with Rick trying to dial back his (seemingly) hatred of the French but then he turns his attention to the Basque region of Spain. But, hey, he does an Irish friend. If you're familiar with the other podcasts that Tony is involved in, you've gotta be shocked that he is the voice of reason and sanity on Polarizing Images! And don't forget the new segment! Send us the name of a drink via our Twitter account – @PolarizingImage – and we'll have Rick drink it through a Red Vine straw. Remember to tag the Tweet with #RedVineDrink. Anyway, lots of good stuff in this episode once you get past our usual goofiness (A.K.A. the reason you keep coming back). Topics today include: Do we really expect Tony to do any heavy-lifting? *Can* he? If E&J is good enough for us, it's good enough for hillbillies. Let's just call it "domestic"… I wonder if Rick is blind yet? With the cost of software, does that make it a barrier to entry? How about the learning curve of software? Does keeping on top of software updates prevent the guys from updating their gear? Is there a perfect tool or piece of software? How terrible or lazy are actions and filters? (hint: Rob has changed his opinion) Even just 20 years ago, it was quality camera gear that posed the greatest barrier of entry to being a professional photographer. You would never have dreamed about becoming a wedding photographer with "just" a 35mm camera and a couple of inexpensive zoom lenses. Today? Different story! But you need something for post production. Whether you're buying high end applications like Photoshop (still the "gold standard"), paying less for a more appropriate version of Light Room, or stand alone apps and filters, your collection and library of software is going to grow and, regardless of how much you spend (or don't) it all takes time to learn. And that doesn't even take into consideration the time required to hone your craft as a photographer! Our Artists Starting with our photographer, we look at Italian photojournalist Clay McLachlan. Want to see how a working (and successful) photojournalist sets up a seemingly easy food shot? Check out this behind the scenes video called Blue Bottle. As an homage to Rick's father, Rick chose the German-American architect, Helmut Jahn. Jahn was the architect behind the United Airline's terminal at Chicago's O'Hare airport. And yes, at one time, O'Hare was an example of modern architecture. Chicago is a city filled with architectural history and relevance but, beyond that, a city of artistic importance. Anyone who wants to be a travel or architectural photographer will, at some point, need to travel to Chicago and see the works of influential designers such as Jahn.