F-BoM April 2009: Voltron of Awesomness

by Miserere

 

Featured Blog of the Month: Voltron of Awesomness

 

To paraphrase Clint Eastwood’s character in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, there are two types of wedding photographers—those who record events at a wedding, and those that make Art of them. Jeff Newsom is the latter.

In his bizarrely-named blog, Jeff shares some of those wedding shots with his readers, as well as some other curious pics he might be working on in between wedding gigs. If you like talking about “looks”, then Jeff should become a topic of conversation at your next photography party. It’s not just the colour or heavy contrast, even his subjects have a definite Voltron look. How he achieves that with people that are not professional models, I don’t know, but I’ll be sure to ask him when/if I interview him. I’ll also ask him how he struck a deal with the faeries for photos such as this:

There is also an underlying irreverence (which sometimes isn’t so well hidden, as in the pic below) that makes his photos seem fresh and cheeky. Oh, and did I mention that he loves his tilt lenses? If I were his significant other, I might get jealous. As it is, I am now pining for a tilt lens. Damn that awesome Jeff Newsom!

All photos: ©Jeff Newsome.

Shedding Light on Carrie Sandoval

by Miserere

 

Carrie Sandoval from Captured by Carrie was March’s F-BoM. We invaded her baby space in San Diego to have a little chat about tree branches, 50mm lenses and, you guessed it, babies.

Carrie at work
(photo by Brittany Woodall)

Hi Carrie! Thank you for joining us at EtL for this interview. I am very glad to be talking to you because there are so many things about baby photography that I don’t know, and it seems to me like this is a small niche with very few photographers focusing on this type of work. In fact, you are the only one that I am familiar with.

It’s very common for parents to get into photography when their first baby is born, but not that many end up making a career out of it. Tell us how you went from photographing your first child documenting his growing up, to making Art with other people’s babies. When did you realise you could make this more than a hobby?

I think the difference for me is that I have a history in art. I have always been crazy about drawing, painting, play dough, you name it… since I was 2 years old. So, for me, it was completely natural to pick up the hobby with a vengeance! I guess I was always wanting to improve and at one point, I knew my kids were tired of being my only models!

Are you a full-time photographer, or is this something you do on the side?

I am full time Mom and part time photographer… although my husband will say I spend more than part of my time with it! Perhaps somewhere in between? I feel like I have a great balance.

A supporting partner is always an asset! You now have 4 children (including a set of twins). Did your photography improve with every birth?

Unfortunately, I didn’t get serious until my twins (now 6 years old) were 10 months old, so all I have are snap shots of them as newborns. I was definitely hooked on newborns by the time my youngest (now 2.5 years) was born, so I would say I improved leaps and bounds with her birth!

 

Where do you get the ideas for your props? Did you test drive them on your babies first?

Most props (bowls, baskets, etc) are my inspiration, as I am always on the look out for them at flea markets, antique shops and ebay. But other ideas, such as most of my hanging poses, were sketched out long before I tried them. I know Anne Geddes suspended babies long ago, but I was never really fond of the ones in which the face was not showing (reminded me of taking out garbage!). The branch added an “on the tree top” theme and I became very fond of the idea. Brittany [Atlanta based baby photographer Brittany Woodall, Ed. note] and I practised on a few dolls and when my twin niece and nephew were born last August, we gave it a go on live babies. It worked like a charm and it is now requested very often by my clients. It’s a lot of fun trying to make it different every time. When I have a new idea and I don’t happen to have a niece and nephew due to be born, I will have a casting call so that I can try it out with out any worries before trying it out during a real session.

I really like the babies hanging from the branch, that’s so sweet. But when do you plan to introduce a stork? You could train it to hold the cloth basket in its beak, no?

HAHA, funny! May be a little too cliquey for me! Although… I have a fabulous idea for another branch shot. It will have to wait for the right client, the right place and right time. It’s a doozey!

You like to photograph babies when they’re less than 10 days old, why is this?

Babies are much more pliable and sleepy the younger that they are… sort of like they are “recovering” from birth. Because most of my galleries depict a peacefully curled up baby, I really urge clients to try to come as soon as they can. Of course, this isn’t always possible and I have had successful sessions with babies as “old” as 4-5 weeks old!

Here’s a question that will help both baby photographers and new parents who aren’t getting enough sleep: How do you get them to stay asleep during a shoot? (The babies, not the parents.)

Well, I think what I do works like a charm because quite often the parents tell me that they themselves are having a hard time staying awake! Keep the room (almost unbearably) warm. Run white noise to drown out chatter and most of all, the loud shutter of my camera. Those are the main keys. Then there are little things like stroking their foreheads and keeping them swaddled until they are in a deep slumber.

You know, that would put me to sleep to!

OK, pick one on a baby: Feet or bottom?

Feet. For sure.

I knew you’d say that, there are so many baby feet photos in your portfolio!

Now tell me, how can babies fold up so well? I can barely touch my toes…

The same way they are able to fit inside a uterus. 😆

Yeah, I guess that makes sense…

I mentioned in my March F-BoM post that one of the reasons your photography strikes a cord with me is because I have photographs of myself when I was a baby, and not only do I enjoy looking at them, they also make my mother happy. Now that your kids are old enough, and I’m sure they’ve seen the photos you took of them, do they tell you what their feeling are about those pics?

Although my first 3 children’s photos are snap shots, they absolutely love looking through their baby albums. I would say they thumb through them at least once a month! I’d say they like them. Which reminds me… I need to update albums with recent pictures!

What about you? Do you look at those photos and just drool with pride at your babies, or do you think “that composition could have been better, that exposure is off”, etc.?

I don’t really critique my snapshots, because there is no point in it. I am very happy to have them, though. I do have one picture of my son (now eight) where the flash didn’t fire. At the time, I adored the picture (actually, I still do) and I didn’t know why. After studying the picture over and over (I suppose with pride!), I realized that the flash had not fired and by pure luck, I had been close to a well lit window. Part of what I loved about the photo was the soft natural light. That was the very first “self taught” lesson that sparked my interest (although I didn’t buy my DSLR until 2 years later, when my twins were 10 months old).

Let’s talk a bit about equipment then. You like to keep it real simple and classic by using a full-frame digital camera with a 50mm f/1.4 lens; how did you progress towards this setup, and do you ever use anything else?

My first DSLR was the Nikon D100. At the time, an awesome camera. I quickly learned that the cheap lens that was sold with it was doing my camera no justice. I studied online photography forums and quickly was turned on to the 50mm. I still love it to this day… and yes, I can tell the difference between the 1.4 and the 1.8. It’s faster and sturdier… and sharper. I use the 50 the most because it’s a great length for newborns–head and shoulders and full body. For extreme close ups, I use the 105mm micro. I also have an 85mm 1.4 and 28mm 1.4 in my bag, but they rarely get used. It’s a shame because the bokeh that comes with the 85mm is insane… I would most likely use that with older kids outdoors, though.

You also like shooting in natural, available light; have you experimented with flashes, or have you simply always done it like that because if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it?

Yes! I have been tempted by strobes and bouncing flash. I love to experiment… but I have always come back to the simplicity of natural light. It is most definitely my “thang”.

A quick tip, if you want to continue to use natural light, don’t move to New England! You’d only be able to work a few months out of the year. What do you have in San Diego, like 6 cloudy days a year? 🙂

[ INSERT plug for the D3 HERE ] Hehe… seriously, the camera handles high ISO noise beautifully! Hey, we have May Gray and June Gloom here! Although… I am quite grateful for our sunny weather.

Continuing with the equipment, let’s go on to postproduction. What software do you use? And how do you convert to monochrome? I love the tones you bring to the table; sometimes soft, sometimes hard…it seems like you do whatever it takes to make the baby look good, which is interesting because many photographers these days have “a look” and they use it on all their subjects, whether it works or not. I’d say your look is “frickin cute babies”.

Equipment: Mac Pro, 30″ cinema display, and Photoshop.

I think I disappoint a lot of people when I tell them that beautiful tones are much easier to achieve with lighting than any postproduction technique. I swear! I shoot in RAW, usually correcting white balance (because I lack a good eye for color, haha!) and that’s it. I am very old school with my conversions. I use Channel mixer, then dodge and burn to taste… very reminiscent of the dark room! I treat each image individually and hand craft each one. I love working in Photoshop!

I’m glad you’re a proponent of using your craft before the shot rather than later. Like I said here, you can fix it in later in Photoshop is one of the major pitfalls beginning photographers fall into.

Have you taken any photography courses? Looking at your photography I get the nice feeling that you’re not trying to show off and that you don’t even care that much about your equipment or technique so long as the subject is captured in the best possible way. And please, take this as a compliment! Too many photographers are so obsessed about their equipment that they forget they’re actually meant to take photos with it!

Like I said previously, I’ve always been artsy. I have a bachelor of fine arts in Graphic Design. As a requirement, I had to take Photography 101 in college, but was not really impressed with myself. I think the curriculum was too broad and that is why I was not inspired until I had my children.

Compliment taken. I am very proud of my 50mm. I have a very fond memory of photographing a family on the beach during peak holiday season. The beach was bustling with long lenses and there was me with my little old 50mm… I was indeed proud!

You’re preaching to the choir, Carrie, I love my 50/1.4 too! I call it my American Express lens, because I never leave home without it.

Enough about equipment, and let’s get back to babies. Babies are cute, but Carrie Sandoval makes them even cuter. What’s your secret? Can you give parent-photographers some tricks that they might be able to try at home?

Seriously… shoot a LOT of them. This past year, over 90% of my subjects have been newborns or babies. I love them. And rather than doing the same things and become bored, I am always pushing myself to think of a new way to photograph them. I have quite a few ideas that I need to get out of my head. I hope I never run out!

As for making them look as “cute” as possible, just keep in mind what I have said above. Lighting… move them around until you see soft, flattering shadows. Make sure they are happy… full bellies, soothed, WARM and comfortable (most of my babies are curled up in a bean bag). Clean their faces (although, I love photographing dirty big kids!).

Thank you so much for your time, Carrie. It’s been a pleasure having you on EtL and we hope to see those cute photos popping up on your blog regularly. If anyone wants to hire Carrie for a session, you can contact her through her site, or you can also check out her other site with Brittany Woodall, baby as art.

We wish you the best of luck in the future, Carrie, and I want to remind you that if you start using a stork in your shoots, you have to tell everyone it was my idea.

You got it, Mis. Your questions were a lot of fun!

Unless otherwise noted, all photos: ©Carrie Sandoval.

F-BoM March 2009: Captured by Carrie

by Miserere

 

Featured Blog of the Month: Captured by Carrie

 

Is it possible for Art to be Cute? If you’ve seen Carrie Sandoval’s work, then your answer will likely be yes. Your see, Carrie’s particular expertise is baby photos! Awwww…

I don’t have any children, but who doesn’t like cute babies? Carrie certainly does, and her passion and love for her tiny subjects shines through each frame.

Another reason I like her photography is quite personal. When I was a baby, maybe 5-6 months old, a photographer friend of my parents offered to take some pictures of me and them. Of course, I cannot remember the session, but I have leaved through those photographs many times during my life and I find it a simple, yet warm, deep pleasure to see my parents’ faces as they played with me, or my sincere smile as my mum made funny faces at me. It brings me closer to my parents, and I know they, especially my mum, enjoy looking over these photos too. Those parents who hire Carrie probably don’t realise it yet, but 10, 20, 30 years from now they will be so glad they had those photos taken, and it will be for reasons they cannot yet understand. Their children will also thank them for it.

My interview with Carrie Sandoval.

All photos: ©Carrie Sandoval.

Shedding Light on Gordon Lewis

by Miserere

 

Gordon Lewis from Shutterfinger was February’s F-BoM. We caught up with him in “sunny” Pennsylvania to chat about Photography, vintage cars and being a Dad.

Gordon, thanks for letting us grill you! Let’s get the basics over with: How did you get started in photography?

My father was a graphic arts photolab technician. Although he wasn’t an avid photographer himself, the fact that he would often come home with prints he had made triggered my interest in photography. Other important influences were a teacher I had in middle school, who taught me how to use a 4×5 Speed Graphic press camera. In high school I had a teacher from England named Colin Sprang, who taught me how to develop and print. Once I got confident in the darkroom I was on my way.

Why did you stop being a pro photographer?

I was never a full time pro photographer. I did it more as a side-line. I’ve always earned the majority of my income as a writer. That said, when I moved from Los Angeles to Philadelphia I discovered that I’d have to start from scratch to build up a photography clientele. With a wife and three kids to help support, I put paid photography on the back burner and concentrated on writing.

I have to ask: How old are you exactly…?

As of today, I’m 56 years and 40 days old.

I really like your blog, Gordon, but I have a small problem: When I read it I hear a stern internal voice that sounds a lot like Stanley, from The Office (American edition). Could this be because of your bio photo? Man, I feel like you’re looking at me saying hey Mis, did you forget to put film in the camera again? Are you really that grumpy, or is it all in my mind?

It must be all in your mind, dude. I’m one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, and if anyone tells you different I’ll kick his ass. [Ed. note: Gordon sent me the photo at the beginning of this article as proof, and although I’ve looked for evidence of Photoshop retouching, I cannot find any. I think he is actually smiling!]

You have a very direct writing style on your blog: no frills, no shrills. In contrast, your photography is often very colourful. How do you explain this discrepancy?

My work may be colorful, but at its best it’s also stripped of non-essentials, just like my writing. I also have a substantial amount of work that’s in B&W, so in my opinion there’s not much discrepancy.

Good point! Continuing with your photography style (and related to my previous question): you like shapes and shadows, abstract forms, elements that I would normally associate with B&W photography. While you do shoot B&W, you often take these photos in colour, which always shocks me as I would have converted them to monochrome. You’re like a colour B&W photographer 🙂 Any comments, sir?

That’s a pretty astute observation. I often do convert my color photos into B&W, but I’m not fanatical about it. Generally speaking, if it looks good in color I see no need to convert it to B&W, especially since my printer (an Epson SP R800) does such a poor job of monochrome printing.

Do you do all your own printing? I’ve debated getting a printer, but given my low volume of prints I just use an online printing service. Would you advise me against this?

I do all my own color printing but I prefer to have a online lab do my black and white prints. An inkjet printer capable of printing B&W to my standard would cost at least $800 and I don’t have that kind of money right now. If you aren’t doing much printing then an online printing service is certainly more economical than buying and using an inkjet printer. Printer manufacturers make their money on the cartridges, not the printers, so high-volume printing can get quite expensive. On the other hand, having your own printer is undeniable faster and more convenient, assuming you know how to get the best out of it.

You’re married and have three very cute kids, although I’ll bet they’re a handful. How do you juggle the responsibilities of your job, fatherhood and being a husband with your passion for photography?

That’s easy: My family is my priority. Photography comes second, at best. That said, I take a lot of pictures of my kids, family vacations, relatives, etc.

I’ve often thought of having kids just so I could get some willing models. My wife is very camera-shy so I figure if I can get them young and teach them the camera is a good thing…but I digress! You recently became a victim of the failing global economy. How are you handling this unfortunate situation? Is it affecting your photography? I find that if I’m going through a difficult time I often forget about photography almost completely.

I’m still looking for full-time employment as an instructional designer but pursuing freelance assignments in the meantime. So far, I’m having a lot more luck with the freelance work. One of the contracts I’m working on is developing three Speedlite flash tutorials for Canon’s Digital Learning Center website. Also, as you know, I’m still doing my blog, so I’m still finding ways to keep photography in the mix.

That’s pretty cool, you’re writing for the Big C; I couldn’t imagine a better person for the job. But this brings me to the subject of gear, which you only touch on briefly in your blog. I know you bought an Olympus for a trip to London (and then you gave it up), but apart from that I have no idea what cameras you like most. So tell us what your favourite film and digital cameras are.

I don’t write much about gear because I don’t want to give it more attention than I think it deserves. Aside from specific advantages that apply only in specific situations, one camera is just as good as another in the hands of a skilled photographer. That said, I do my digital shooting with a Canon EOS 30D and my film shooting with a Canon EOS 1n or EOS Elan 7.

When I’m in an old school street-shooting mood I pull out one of my manual focus film bodies. Of these, my favorite is a Nikon FM3A, followed by an Olympus OM-1 and a Pentax ME. All three are small, lightweight, and inconspicuous. People seldom notice me shooting with them. Even if they do, once they discover that there’s no screen on the back they look at me with pity and continue on their way.

I like your choices—three classics. The OM-1 is reputed to have the best viewfinder of any 35mm camera ever. So how many rolls of film do you shoot a month? And which film do you prefer?

It depends. When the weather is good I might shoot 4-6 rolls per month for a few months in a row. When the weather sucks I often won’t shoot any film at all.

My favorite B&W films are Fuji Neopan 400 and Ilford Delta 100, depending on how much light is available. My favorite color neg film is Fuji Reala 100. I don’t shoot much transparency film any more, but when I did my favorite was Fujichrome Provia 100F.

You mention Zen very often; are you a practitioner? If I may be so bold, I do find a certain Zen-like quality in some of your photos, in the sense that they reflect quietude and invite introspection.

I have studied Zen and still practice Zen meditation. I’m not affiliated with any of the local Zendos or Roshis, however, so I wouldn’t say that I’m a practitioner in the formal sense.

Onto sunnier matters. Why do you like classic cars so much, and if you like them that much, why did you move from California to Pennsylvania?

Classic cars are fun to look at. They have a design aesthetic that speaks to a certain time and cultural values. Some have an ageless cool that transfers to the owner. As much as I hated to have to leave the land of cool rides, California’s public schools rank 47th in the nation. Pennsylvania’s public schools rank 10th. Since I couldn’t afford to send three kids to private school, and since I have relatives on the East Coast, the choice was clear.

Let’s talk formats. You still like shooting film, so give me three good reasons why you enjoy film, and another three why you enjoy digital.

Film:

1. I grew up using film. I know how my favorite films will perform in any given situation.
2. The film cameras I use have fewer bells and whistles than digital cameras. For me, this allows for a more direct and intuitive interface.
3. I don’t have to worry about backing up my film photographs or buying more hard drive space. I just file it and I’m done.

Digital:

1. You have more control over how you can process the image—for better or for worse.
2. You can immediately tell what a shot looks like and whether it was correctly exposed.
3. It’s easier to upload photos to a blog or someone else.

FWIW, I tested one of the first consumer digital cameras ever introduced: the LogiTech FotoMan, introduced in 1990.

Wow… While we don’t have Gordon’s review, you can read this to get an idea of what the prehistory of digital photography was like. How things have changed…

To finish up our chat, tell me what photographers you admire and have been inspired by?

The photographers whose work most inspires me are Elliott Erwitt, Ralph Gibson, Art Kane, Mary Ellen Mark, Diane Arbus, Albert Watson, Robert Frank, and Anthony Barboza, just to name a few. You’re not too bad either.

Oh stop it, Gordon… Flattery will get you everywhere! 😉

It’s been a pleasure having you on EtL—I will see you on your blog, and I hope our readers will too. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours.

Thank you. Given today’s economy I can use all the help I can get.

All photos: ©Gordon Lewis.

F-BoM February 2009: Shutterfinger

Featured Blog of the Month: Shutterfinger


Gordon Lewis is a serious, serious man. At least you might get that idea from the photo on his blog. I don’t know him personally, but from his writing I would say he’s certainly serious about his photography. He’s been at this game for decades and, again, judging only from his picture, you might think he’s drunk a few times from the Fountain of Youth—he doesn’t look old enough to know as much as he does.

Shutterfinger is the blog where he dispenses this knowledge, always backed by quality photographs so you know he’s not just making it all up as he goes along. His writing is straight to the point and he tells it like it is. There will be no sugar-coating on Mr Lewis’s watch, but that’s OK, because that’s what his readers like.

The reason I got hooked by Gordon was because of his affinity for shapes and shadows, which I very much share with him. Although I don’t remember him mentioning it, I get the feeling he likes textures, which I adore. Of course, he big, me small, and that’s the attraction: Gordon is a photographer I can learn from. I can find pretty pics on the internet by the bucket-load, but it’s rare that I find pictures I want to study intently because there are lessons within them. He’s also got quite the knack for ye olde street photography, which is a genre I will someday have the courage to attempt.

Shutterfinger has been on EtL’s blogroll since Day 1, but if you’ve overlooked it, now is the time to fix that, and if you want more pictures you can check out Gordon’s gallery here. Pay him a visit and read what he has to say, you might find he’s not that serious after all.

Read our interview with Gordon here.

This photo won first prize in the candid/humor category of Popular Photography’s 9th Annual International Photo Contest.

All photos: ©Gordon Lewis.

Taking Panoramas to a New Height

Or should I say width? Click on the photo to go to the photographer’s blog and enjoy a much larger version.

Harold Davis – Golden Gate Bridge Panorama

Renowned Bay Area photographer Harold Davies loves the Golden Gate Bridge. At least that’s what I’m assuming, seeing as the guy keeps going back to photograph it even after he published a book titled 100 Views of the Golden Gate. Apart from terrific 180° view, what I’m jealous of is that his Photoshop could handle the 10 photos he stitched together. My CS3 gets flustered as soon as I give it more than 4.

Although I’ve seen the Golden Gate Bridge a few times, I only had a camera with me on one occasion…and it was foggy (surprise!). Below is my humble rendition of this iconic landmark. Click for a slightly larger version.

Piercing the Clouds

In view of my post a few days ago, I’m wondering whether Harold Davies’s stitched panorama would be considered a “photograph” by most folk…

Shedding Light on Dan Phelps, from A LEGO a Day

Going for a drive…

A few days ago we inaugurated F-BoM (Featured Blog of the Month), with January’s “trophy” going to Dan Phelps, curator of the blog A LEGO a Day. Today we bring you an interview with the man behind the camera in front of the LEGO.

Hi Dan! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? What do you do in real life? How did you first get interested in and involved with photography?

I’m 27, and a 5th grade science teacher in Virginia. It’s my second full year teaching, and it’s a great time. I love working with children of this age. THey are so much fun, and love to learn. When I’m not grading papers, I’m either snapping pictures, watching my plethora of favorite TV shows (sci-fi geek: LOST, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, Futurama, an of course 24!), wasting life on the internet, or out and about with friends. I love to camp, hike, bike, and rock out to some classic rock.
I’ve always liked photography, even as a child. But I never really thought about doing it a lot than just on things like vacation. When I got my first point & shoot camera a few years ago, it allowed me to do some more creative things – digital helps a lot that way. But it wasn’t until last year when I had the money to finally take the D-SLR plunge – and I’m so glad I did. I think it’s a great outlet for my creative side. I love to think of ideas, and capture interesting objects in interesting ways.

How did you get the idea to start a 365 blog using LEGO? Did you want to start a photo blog and were looking for a theme, or had you already been photographing LEGO and wanted a public outlet?

I’d actually taken a few LEGO photos previously – it was just for fun. But as I started talking to more people who were into photography, I came across this 365 idea. Of course I said to myself ‘hey, i should do that.’ But so many people do self-portraits, or random pictures. And I figured, well, I love taking pictures of these LEGO mini-figs, I might as well roll with that. It definitely adds a different dimension to it I think, and allows for a broader audience perhaps.

There seems to be a huge LEGO following amongst adults, especially those with cameras 🙂 Searching for “LEGO” in Google Images returns over 3.5 million hits. Despite all this, I am not aware of any other 365 LEGO blog out there, are you? Could you be the only one?

I doubt it. Well, I may be alone in the 365 aspect, but I know there are countless people out there doing fantastic things with LEGO. Search YouTube for parody videos, search Flickr for LEGO, and you will uncover an insurmountable number of different ideas…and 95% of them are totally worth looking at too.

There is a guy on Flickr that recreates famous photographs with LEGO, have you seen them?

Yup. I came across Balakov’s photos about a year ago or so. He was kind of an inspiration to make me try my best at this 365 project. His photos are fantasticly planned, and shot. I admire his dedication to detail, and seeing some famous photos redone in LEGO are the kind of thing that make you laugh – but in a good way. I like coming up with original ideas though – and he certainly does too.

I admire people who keep a 365 blog; it’s a challenge to take a photo every day. But I admire you even more because you actually have to set up the figures and create a story; you can’t just point the camera at a tree or at your face and call it a day. Where do you get the ideas for the scenes and how long do you spend between preparation, photographing and posting?

It’s tough some days…and especially with school in session. Some ideas I think of prior, and take time to work out the details. Some my friends have. And some days I just look around my apartment, or outside to see what I see. I need a little inspiration. There are definitely days when you can tell I was too tired, or too rushed, and just banged something out quick and easy. And there are others when you can tell I had time to sit down and put stuff together. I really have no plan. I do have a couple ideas jotted down on a sticky note as back-ups – and some are ideas I know I want to do. When something comes to me, I make sure I write it down because I have a mind like a sieve. But luckily, I haven’t skipped a day yet. I don’t always get to post every day, but I make sure that picture was taken on that day.

Do you carry your LEGO and camera with you everywhere you go?

No. Only sometimes when I know I am going to be somewhere I can snap something quick and easy. It’s too much of a hassle to lug around the equipment, and if you’re out with people, just a bit rude. If I am going on a walk with the intent of taking a picture, then, naturally. Otherwise, they are all at home!

Has your girlfriend left you yet? Has she given you the ultimatum?: It’s the LEGO or me, you choose! 😉

Ha, not yet. She’s been very supportive, and helpful. She’s also a lover of photography – and has been doing it much more in depth for a lot longer than I have. So she has a lot of tips and tricks for when it comes to taking the shots. I also like to make her laugh, and it’s a good feeling when she sits down and views my recent work and gets a kick out of it.

What camera equipment do you use? (Camera, lenses, lights..)

My d-SLR is a Pentax K100D Super. I rarely use the kit lens (18-55mm Pentax). But I am in love with my Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 lens. It basically stays on my camera 24/7. For some of the more macro/closeups I use a cheap Quantaray 70-300mm F/4-5.6 – it came free with the camera. I’m currently saving up to buy a wicked nice zoom/macro lens. I also have a Pentax 50mm F/1.4 Prime lens – I don’t use it often for my LEGO, but I use it a lot for other things. I just got a Metz 48-AF flash unit for Christmas, so that will be helpful too. And then there’s my little Canon Powershot A95. I take that with me for travelling shots.

It’s clear that you don’t need expensive equipment to create great photographs; just a big imagination and a determined index finger. Have you learned anything new about photography since you started this project?

Oh yeah. Lots of little tricks about depth of field, focusing, lighting, and composition. This has been challenging to figure out what exactly I can do with my camera and a lens.

How has this venture affected your “normal” photography? Do you now find you have trouble taking pictures of anything taller than an inch?

Ha ha. No, not so much. What I like about this is that it’s actually letting my take photos every day. When I’m teaching and school is in session, I barely have time for anything – let alone photography. I’d only be able to do it on weekends, and vacations – and the summer. But at least this way I can still pick up the camera every day for a little while. Plus, all the little tricks I have learned so far I can apply to regular photography.

I’ve read that there might be a coffee book in the works, is this true?

I’d like to make a coffee-table type picture book yes. But, well, it’s up to LEGO and a publishing company really. I’m in no mood to be sued for copyright violations! I’d also like to see individual prints of each of the photos for anyone who wants that kind of thing – but again – copyright. While others are selling their photos that include LEGO without permission, I prefer to cover my ass!

I’m no lawyer, so I don’t know what you can and cannot do with photographs including LEGO (although I do think you can sell prints); I hope you iron out the details as there are a few of your photos that I wouldn’t mind hanging on my wall.

What’s going to happen on May 31st 2009 when you put up your last picture? Is there going to be a huge void in your life or will you feel liberated from the tyranny of a-photo-a-day?

It will definitely be nice to not have that nagging feeling in the back of my head. I’m sure in some ways I will miss it, but in other ways I will enjoy just being able to relax, and take photos at my leisure again.

Have you thought of taking your love of LEGO further? Nathan Sawaya is a New York artist that creates sculptures out of LEGo bricks. Would you consider something like that?

While I like to say I’m creative – I don’t feel like I’m super-creative. Also…patience is not one of my virtues (funny saying that as a teacher, eh?) I don’t have the resources either! My LEGO collection is actually pretty small comparatively. I think I’ll stick to pictures for now.

I have to ask: You’re 27; what is it about LEGO that attracts you 20 years after you should have stopped playing with it?

LEGO is awesome. It fulfils the desire to imagine, create, build, and destroy. Plus, LEGO is basically something almost everyone can relate to. It’s instantly recognizable. And, most of all, you can be 45 or 85, and it’s OK to build a LEGO set…because building is not playing!

Ha ha ha, that’s a good way to look at it. I might try to convince my wife that messing around with photos on Photoshop for hours isn’t really playing 😉

Thank you for chatting with us Dan, it was a pleasure to have you as our first F-BoM. I will continue to look forward every day to the new adventures of your LEGO buddies and I wish you the best in the future, both in Life and Photography.

My pleasure, Mis. And thanks for the attention! 🙂

Hey, thank you!