Georgia has some great photographers.  Despite being competitors, we all can learn a great deal from each other in one aspect or another. This is the third in a series of interviews with Atlanta area photographers.

Evan Leavitt was another photographer that I found while sifting through Flickr. I was immediately captivated.  Truly talented at capturing and preserving what is around him, he is able to take what many pass by on a routine basis and turn it into something interesting and worthy of paying attention to.  A skillful eye and on-point processing have produced a body of work that I am envious of. After following his work for some time now, it just seemed perfect to throw a few questions his way.

For those out there who do not know you, how about a little introduction?

I was born and raised in Georgia and I have a profound love for the natural beauty and history of this fine state. I am by heart, a historian and I’m drawn to the old things that echo of a simpler time, a way of life that has disappeared. I’ve spent the past 8 years working as an archaeologist and doing archaeological computer graphics, and photography has become an artistic outlet for me to express my interest in the past.

When did you first get started with photography and what about it interested you?

I’ve dabbled with photography since middle school. My dad was really into photography as a young man and I had all of his photo albums. He photographed rural Georgia and his images spoke to me and inspired me. I started off with an old 35mm point and shoot. In college I got my first real camera, a Nikon FM10. I wasn’t serious about photography till I moved back to Georgia after 5 years in Virginia working as an archaeologist. I started with my digital point and shoot and finally got my first DSLR in May of 2007. Since then there has been no turning back! I’ve gotten back into film now and have been enjoying my toy cameras and I buy any vintage film camera I can get my hands on.

You currently shoot the majority of your work with an Olympus E-510 and I have also seen you sprinkle in some work with a Holga.  With regards to shooting digital, what were some factors in going with the Olympus rather than another brand such as Canon, Nikon, or Sony?

The Olympus is an excellent camera for the money. You get a lot of features of higher end cameras for less cost. The kit lenses are of excellent quality, unlike the kits for some of the other brands. I have really enjoyed my E510, but I have been using a borrowed Nikon D60 lately and have fallen in love with it. I’m personally not an extremely technical photographer, definitely not a tech head. As long as a camera works I can get the shot I want. I’m a firm believer that it’s not the camera, but the photographer. Composition is the key.

The majority of your work that I have seen on Flickr is void of people. What about shooting buildings, abandoned homes, and other similar locations is so appealing to you?

There is a presence to each structure I shoot, a residual of life lived and lost. It’s hard to explain, but these abandoned homes call to me. There is a sadness to them, but there are happy memories stored with in them too. They are disappearing so quickly, a whole way of building and living will be gone soon and I want to document it artistically. Each has a personality, most feel happy, some are sad, and every now and then there is a disturbing vibe. The light inside the abandoned places I shoot is amazing. It conveys so much and you can use it to create whatever atmosphere you desire.

When setting up at a location, how do you approach it?  Is it as simple as just firing away and examining the work later or do you have a certain process and thought process you follow when taking the shots?

I tend to go on auto when I’m shooting. I don’t spend much time in thought on composing a photo. My eyes are constantly moving and my shutter is constantly clicking. I know what appeals to my eye and I can work through a place fairly quickly. That can be a good thing too, if say you are trespassing, lol.

How often, if at all, will you revisit the same location and shoot it again?

I will revisit a place very often. Each time I go back to a place I will see something I missed or the light will be different and I can capture a new mood or atmosphere. These structures are living and breathing to me, they grown and change in their decay.

What would you say to someone who would look at some of your work and say “What is so special about that?  It’s just some abandoned building”

That’s why our country’s history is disappearing. So many people don’t care about what came before. I romanticize it in my own mind. These places represent a simpler time where I think life had more intimacy. Either you see it or you don’t…

Even though it is often times very subtle, you seem to utilize a variety of textures and post-processing in your work.  How important is post-processing and image manipulation in your work?

Post-processing is extremely important to my work! What I try to do with my photos when I sit down in front of my computer is recreate the way I felt at when I took the photo. I try to express an emotional feeling in my photographs. I have found that there is nothing better than to create an atmosphere and to transform the light in a photo then applying textures. It never ceases to amaze me. This quote by Walker Evans always comes to mind when I’m asked about editing:

“With the camera, it’s all or nothing. You either get what you’re after at once, or what you do has to be worthless. I don’t think the essence of photography has the hand in it so much. The essence is done very quietly with a flash of the mind, and with a machine. I think too that photography is editing, editing after the taking. After knowing what to take, you have to do the editing.”

Many photographers feel that post-processing taints the field and pushes images into a category other than photography.  Where do you draw the line between digital art and photography?

I try to stay out of this argument when I can. You can’t change peoples attitude towards it, if you take the stance that editing taints the field of photography, nothing I say will change that.  To me a photograph is a photograph, period. For photography to be art it must speak to a person on some aesthetic or emotional level. The end result is what matters in my book. As long as someone looks at my images and feels something, they can call it photography or art or digital art, I don’t care…to me its photography.

You currently have two books available via Blurb.  Tell us a little about each one and where people may purchase them.

I do have two books available and one in the works. The first is of my older work, much of it is from when I was playing with HDR. The second is a collection of black and white images that where inspired by the likes of Walker Evans, Jack Delano, Dorthea  Lange, and William Christenberry.   They both can be found here on Blurb’s website.

Do you have any more projects in the works?

I have a third Blurb book that will be titled Gospel and is a study on rural churches. I have been drawn to country churches for a long time, I find their simple architecture to be so beautiful. They are very utilitarian, much like the people who worship within them. They are by no means simple, just sturdy. I find a comfort in that.

For those who see your work and become inspired to pursue photography, what would be your advice to them?

Experiment! I am completely self taught in photography and Photoshop. I use the trail and error method, I find it’s the best way to learn. Shoot film! I have learned more about the basics of photography in using film cameras than anything else. Photograph what you love and your photos will have more meaning. Try to find a look, I like that when people see one of my photographs they know it was taken by me.

If you take a step back and look at all of your work, is it where you would like it to be?  If not, where do you see it going in the next 5 years?

I’m happy with where I am at the moment. I have found my style and my method to achieving the look I want in my images. I have evolved in style a lot over the past three years, from straight images, to HDR, to HDR with textures, to where I am now shooting non-HDR with textures. There is no telling where I will go in the future…I don’t see my current style changing that much. I do see more film in my future, I have been bitten by that bug. I have 9 toy and vintage film cameras now and that collection will grow. I’m shooting medium format now, but want to move to large format soon. My dream is to master wet collodion photography one day.

Lastly, where can people find more of your work, news, and updates online?

The easiest way to find me is on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/evanleavittphotography/

I was recently featured on the blog My Daily Thread: http://www.mydailythread.com/gallery/atlanta/atlanta-dailyimage.html

I have a website I hope to have up and running soon!

You can read other interviews with fellow photographers and artists here.

Georgia has some great photographers.  Despite being competitors, we all can learn a great deal from each other in one aspect or another. This is the third in a series of interviews with Atlanta area photographers.

As with my first two interviews, the photographer I selected to interview was one that I barely know.  Well, how about not really know at all? I have yet to shake hands with the quite talented Thom Milkovic. I found his work through the Atlanta Photography Guild’s Flickr group.  After looking through his photo stream and website, I found an instant bookmark.  He mixes a unique eye with precise and flawless post-processing ability.

For those out there who do not know you, how about a little introduction?
Born Thom Milkovic, but many people call me “TM”. The roots of that nickname stem from my time in the branding and interactive industries for the past 20 years. Friends started calling me “TM” for short because it (coincidentally) symbolizes the trademark symbol.

When did you get started with photography?  What sparked the interest?
My grandfather was a photographer, my mother was a photographer and I wanted to be a photographer for National Geographic. Ironically, I failed photography in college. Mostly because I never listened to my professor and my darkroom skills really sucked (they still do). So, I shifted into Advertising and Design. That was right around the same time when Illustrator and Photoshop were becoming popular on the Mac platform. So I began to use a computer to create art, rather than a camera. I loved the precision as well as the flexibility to experiment. So when the camera started getting traction in the digital arena, that’s when I gave photography a shot again.

With interviewing various photographers, it is always interesting to learn more about their choices of gear.  Being a Nikon shooter, what were some reasons for going with Nikon rather than Canon or another brand?
My mother was a professional wedding photographer and shot Canon throughout her career many years ago. I have her old AE-1, as well as her medium format Mamiya 645 and a couple Yashika Mat-124G’s. But when the Nikon D70 came out with some pretty amazing results in a mid-range digital camera, I revisited photography again after 15 years of barely touching a SLR. When more photography projects started coming in, I got a better collection of lenses and eventually upgraded to a full-frame Nikon. I guess I just never switched over, even though I agree that Canon’s quality is slightly better. Slightly. :)

It is clear in looking at some of your work that the photograph is only the beginning, and that the final image is a result of some fantastic post-processing work.  An example of this would be your light series.
Thanks, I appreciate the comment. The Light Series was an interesting project. I never intended it to evolve to the point it is today because the whole thing started accidentally. I was experimenting with some Speedlights one night with a friend and he did an amazing pose that I guess set off my imagination. I went home that evening and finished the first image of The Light Series the next morning. The remaining seven were built off the same idea. By the way, if you’d like to see The Light Series in person, 30”x45” prints are on display in the Atlanta area. More info is here http://www.TheLightSeries.com

To me, post-processing and photography go hand-in-hand. When I take a shot with the camera, my brain has already processed the result in Lightroom and/or Photoshop. I know what my limits are with post, which kinda makes shooting more flexible. Often I will shoot knowing I will need to move, remove, add, mold or fold later. And many times it’s faster for me to fix an issue in post than to get up and fix the problem at that moment and interrupt the flow. Ironically, it’s the opposite of what many pro photographers say you should do these days, which is to fix problems in the camera rather than in Photoshop. I don’t always agree with that.

Great segue to the next question.  Many photographers feel that post-processing taints the field and pushes images into a category other than photography.  How important is post-processing and image manipulation in your own workflow and where do you draw the line between digital art and photography?
I have a ton of respect for photographers who take the time to perfect every detail during a shoot, but sometimes I think they can take it too far. I once read a photographer took 12 hours to create a shot for an ad without any post work, whereas someone specializing in Photoshop could’ve probably done it in a fourth of the time.

Where do I draw the line between digital art and photography? I shot a good friend of mine with his family recently, as a favor. They all sat along a stone ledge in the park, I took a number of shots and gave my buddy an amazing family portrait. Now, the reality is that every shot I took was a disaster, and it wasn’t because of me, or the camera. Either the son was crying, the dog was looking the other direction (when the son wasn’t crying), my buddy was itching his leg or the mother was wrestling with some bug flying in the air. I knew while I was shooting that there was no way in hell I was going to get all of them perfectly posed at the same time, especially since the child was hungry and restless. So, I fired away as many as I could. Back at the computer, I analyzed which shots of each person (and dog) looked best and then combined about five photos into what the final composite is today. I also removed some blemishes and various other visual annoyances. I never told them I did any of that and you can’t tell the difference. All they see is that they have a beautiful family, which is probably how they picture it in their minds anyway. Now, is that digital art or photography? I don’t know what the answer is anymore. It’s all the same to me. All I know is that I did what I had to do to help them “capture” a memory that they will cherish for years.

So, I don’t think any photographer should be criticized for performing image manipulation (I’d rather we call it “image sculpting”). We are in a technological age where a plethora of digital tools are available for every photographer to “sculpt” any story they imagine. All I can say to the critics is, you’d better catch up.

In 2009, you were a finalist for “Design of the Year” at iStockPhoto for a project you did with Azizi Major. Can you give us a little more details about the project and how you were able to effectively combine so many elements into a single successful image?
Patience. :) That final composite was one of a set of nine images. We were commissioned to create a series of scenes for Azizi Major’s new album and his website. The composite you’re referring to is of the song, “Let’s Get It” and was expected to be one of the most challenging of the series to pull off. At first, we were going to rent luxury cars, get some models and shoot it in front of a big mansion that we had access to, and then add other expensive looking items in post. However, the complexity of organizing a shoot like that would’ve blown the entire budget. So, I halted that idea and suggested we shoot him and the models in a controlled studio environment and integrate them into a luxurious, yet surreal scene using nothing but stock photography. I told Azizi to “trust me”, and he did. The final image helped him to further get recognized and it went on to win a variety of awards. Granted the final result was still very complex to plan and design, just not as expensive and stressful.

In your work, do you prefer to use ambient light or do you prefer to work with strobes or studio lighting?  What type of lighting normally accompanies you on an average shoot?
If I’m capturing landscapes, I rely on natural light (of course). On lifestyle shoots, I add a little fill flash and shoot with a slightly higher ISO. If I am doing commercial photography, I typically use a special HDR and strobe technique. If I’m creating one of my art series, I always use at least one strobe or speedlight. The only exception is with my new Raw series, which is primarily made of random, naturally lit shots that I’m making into an on-going series.

I see you also maintain a regular stream of photos taken and edited on the iPhone.  Tell me about the process involved with taking and editing these images from start to finish.
The iPhone series was an interesting phenomenon. I love taking random shots when I’m out and about, but I don’t like lugging my Nikon wherever I go. So I started shooting some test shots with the older generation iPhone and found a couple iPhone apps that, when combined, “improved” my shots. Today, I sometimes use up to 12 different iPhone apps to make one image. Much of it depends on how I want to tell the story and how much time I have. It’s an amazingly gratifying feeling to shoot and edit on the same device. Needless to say that I can’t wait to get a hold of an iPhone 4 with the 5-megapixel camera! And I’m still waiting for an iPhone app that will trigger a PocketWizard.

If you could do a photo shoot with anyone, who would it be and where would you do it?
I’d like to document a day in the life of Steve Jobs at Apple headquarters, followed by a portrait session. Apple products have played an important role in the growth of my career. Mostly because I’ve been faithfully using Macs since my father bought a 512K in 1985.

For those who see your work and become inspired to pursue photography, what would be your advice to them?
When the buzz of becoming a pro photographer wears off, then you are probably ready to become a pro photographer. The reality is much different than the fantasy. And find a producer who is willing to work with you! It’ll make your life much easier.

Where will your photography be 5 years from now?
If things continue as they are today, our work will be in digital magazines and galleries around the world. We shot an image for an ad in the latest Wired Magazine iPad app, and we expect there to be more requests like that coming down the road, especially interactive work. Plus, my Executive Producer and I are expanding our photography business overseas, where we will be offering destination, lifestyle and commercial photography to select clientele, as well as providing fine art to various galleries.

Lastly, where can people find more of your work, news, and updates online?
http://www.TaggedByTM.com

You can read other interviews with fellow photographers and artists here.

Georgia has some great photographers.  Despite being competitors, we all can learn a great deal from each other in one aspect or another. This is the second in a series of interviews with Atlanta area photographers.

As with my first interview, the photographer I selected to interview was one that I barely know.  I have only met Otto once on a photo stroll.  Prior to meeting Otto I had stalked his Flickr stream on a more than regular basis.  Sure, he uses a wide array of cameras, shoots film, and that is all impressive.  What captivated me the most was his control of composition, creating mood, and seeing what other people would not see. It was only natural to shoot off a couple questions his way.

Above: “The asylum series: 4″; Emory Asylum Briarcliff Campus in the solarium, Holga 120N with Fuji PRO800Z film

According to your bio, you received your first SLR when you were in high school, but only until a few years ago, you really started to get serious about it.  Did you have an interest in photography before high school or was it something that developed later?

Not really.  Neither of my parents was really into photography, so somehow in high school I decided I wanted an SLR, a Canon AE-1, I think.

For those that do not know, you have in your possession quite a collection of cameras including: Hasselblad 501CM chrome, Pentax 67 camera, Yashica Mat 124 TLR, Ansco Super Speedex folder, 3 Holga 120Ns + Polaroid back, Diana+, Diana #151, Banier, Diana clone, Agfa Clack, Ilford Sporti, Golden Half, Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim, Great Wall DF-2, Zero Image Multi-Format Zone Plate, Pinhole PinHolga, Lomo LC-A+, Kodak Duaflex, Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, Ansco Anscoflex II, Polaroid SX-70 Sonar, Polaroid 600SE, Mamiya 645 Super, Mamiya Super 23 Press, Canon EOS-3,  and a Canon EOS 20D dSLR.  Am I missing anything?

No, that pretty much covers it.  I already have my eye on another camera though. :)

Above: “Bleeding Light”; Lomo LC-A+ with Fuji Superia 1600 color film

With a collection that large, how do you select what camera (or cameras) you take with you to use?

I don’t really have any rhyme or reason.  I will usually like to take one “nice” camera and then a couple of my basic cameras.  Sometimes I’ll try to pick a camera that I haven’t used in a while or I’ll get into a run with one particular camera and use it often.  I almost never take just one camera…I like to have a choice when I’m out.  That usually means I’ve got two camera bags with me, plus a tripod.

If you had to get rid of your entire collection except for one camera, which one would you keep?

I’d have to say my Hasselblad.

What is it about that camera that you prefer over everything else you have shot with?

The Hassy is a fantastic camera.  The quality is amazing and it takes terrific images.  I just love using it.

Above: “Somewhere a desk is lonely (lith version)”; Holga 120N using Rollei Retro 100 B&W film, developed in Rodinal 1:50, scanned lith darkroom print on Forte warm tone paper.

Why film?

Now that’s a difficult question.  I’m not really anti-digital (although I have ragged on friends about shooting digital but just in fun).  When I shot digital, I enjoyed it, but then I started acquiring some medium format film cameras just to try them.  And I was blown away by the quality and detail in the negatives.  The more I got into it the more I connected with the results that I was getting with film vs. digital.
Given that you are primarily a film shooter, what challenges have you run into because of that?  What advantages do you feel you have over digital?

Challenges?  You don’t get the immediate feedback that you get with digital…well, except for when shooting my Polaroid cameras.  You don’t know if you got the shot(s) that you wanted until you look at the developed film.

I know you scan your work so that you have digital versions of your shots.  How much post processing is done to your shots?

Not much.  There are just some standards steps that I perform (contrast, dodge/burn), usually quick and easy.  What might take the most time is cleaning up a scanned negative.  Some of my old cameras or even the newer plastic ones will scratch negatives or the negatives or scan might show dust, etc.  I had more problems with that with my old scanner.  I just got a dedicated film scanner (Nikon LS-8000) and I’m getting the cleanest scans I’ve ever gotten from it.

Above: “An impression of a tower 4″; Canon EOS-3 using Lensbaby Composer lens with plastic lens insert with Kodak Tri-X 400 B&W film developed in Rodinal 1:50.

With regards to post processing, what are your thoughts on post process work in general? Does it detract from photography and push it into another medium?

I don’t have any problems with post processing.  People have been post processing the whole history of photography, so I don’t really see any issue.  Just the tools have changed.  There are times that it’s taken so far that it doesn’t feel like photography to me anymore, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t art.  Note: I’m making these statements about fine art photography.

What is your biggest challenge with shooting film?

The time commitment.  You have to understand that once you’ve taken the images you have to get the film developed (or do it yourself), and then print the images in the darkroom (quite time consuming, but oh so satisfying) or scan the negatives and process them.  Certainly a different path than just pulling the files off your memory card.

Much of your body of work is void of people. What do you find appealing about the abandoned and weathered locations?

I like finding beauty in the ordinary and flawed.  And looking for the echoes of the people that did inhabit the spaces.

In reading your interview with PetaPixel, your advice for new photographers is to “ learn what I call the art of slowing down. Give thought to each shot; take your time understanding the composition, focal length, etc.”  Some are eager when they hit a location to start shooting.  How do you approach a new spot to photograph?

Unless I’m prohibited due to the nature of a location (like say a walk through the woods), I like to walk around a space (usually with my cameras still in the bags) to get a feel for it.  There have been times where I’ve been someplace for half an hour and not taken my cameras out yet.  And then I start taking my cameras out and just start exploring.  Since I usually shoot medium format, I’ve only got at most 15 shots on a roll, usually 12 in the 6×6 format that is my most common.  That right there doesn’t lend itself to shooting tons of images.  It kind of forces me to be deliberate with my approach, that and the cameras that I’m often using, old manual cameras requiring an external light meter.

Above: “Missing”; South Atlanta industrial area; Canon EOS-3 using Arax tilt-shift lens with Agfa Agfacolor 200 expired color film.

Where do you see your photography in 5 years?

I really have no idea right now.  :-)  Lately I’ve been on a more day-by-day approach.

Have you ever considered compiling your work into a book?

A book?  Yes, I’ve thought of it more than once.  Just need to find the time one day to get my thoughts about it sorted.

Lastly, where can people find more of your work, news, and updates online?

• My photoblog:  http://www.ottokphotography.com/
• My portfolio: http://portfolio.ottokphotography.com/
• Store: http://ottok.etsy.com/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ottok-photography/38911142444
• Twitter: @ottokphoto http://twitter.com/ottokphoto

Georgia has some great photographers.  Despite being competitors, we all can learn a great deal from each other in one aspect or another. This is the first in a series of interviews with Atlanta area photographers.

Before I get into the meat and guts here, I wanted to say that I barely know Trent, the first photographer selected to be interviewed.  We have only met once.  I have followed his work online and always been intrigued by his ability to capture people as well as he does.  It is clear that Trent possesses the technical know-how to execute exceptional photography, but he also has an eye for what looks good.  Combine the two and in my opinion, you have a very talented photographer. His body of work is enough to cause envy, so the desire to interview him was an easy choice.

For the readers out there who do not know you, how about a little introduction?

Hello, my name is Trent Chau, photographer in the Atlanta area.  My website is trentchau.com (Flickr).

If I had to say what my niche is photography wise it would be people portraits and weddings.  My style is more artistic with a heavy concentration of low depth of field, heavy contrast/saturation, and strong posture of my “model”.

How long have you been involved with photography?  Give a little bit of your background, such as how you got started, any education, etc.

My father giving me his AE-1 in the mid 90’s is when I first was interested in photography.  Mind you I didn’t know a thing about it…Aperture, Shutter Speed, Focus, all of that was pretty much Greek to me.  You would think the AE-1 would be my starting point, but nope..I treated it like a point and shoot camera and after a few years put it up while I was in my late teens chasing girls and playing video games.  In the early 2000’s I grew back into interest in photography with the advent of affordable digital cameras.  I started with a base point and shoot (Kodak) and did the stead upgrade process.  Eventually I thought I was big stuff when I got a Olympus C-5050 that had all these big dials and things like ISO and 320×240 movie mode. Taking lucky snap shots here and there, I got these pretty cool photos that actually had DOF on it (the Olympus had a 1.8 zoom lens that actually allowed that tiny sensor to get a little bokeh) and I was instantly hooked with what expensive cameras could do.  Long story short, I got my 20d in 2004 and never looked back.  Now 15 Canon cameras later (No lie), a boat load of self education, trial and error, I’m here giving an interview to an email. :)

I know you as a Canon guy.  What were some deciding factors for you going with a Canon outfit as opposed to Nikon or another brand?

Well nostalgia was the forerunner.  When my father was in the Navy he purchased an AE-1 from   the PX and years later gave that camera to me.  Canon has been in my family for a long time,   and while I don’t support people being blind to one brand, sometimes it is fun being a hypocrite.  I’m a firm believer that it’s the artist that shapes the tools, and not the other way around and the Canon system has been the perfect set of “Tools” for my style and what I need.  Canon’s heavy   investment into quality prime lenses gives me an unprecedented choice of options and quality that all the other companies are hard pressed to even compare too.  The EOS lens system is only 23 years old though, so in 23 more years if another manufacturer decides to make a lens system that compliments my shooting style well, I will not hesitate to switch systems.

This would be a great time to pick on Nikon though :).  While I support Nikon’s choice to go CMOS in their new camera, I really wish they upgrade their prime line.  They finally are able to   match Canon’s visual quality and high iso performance, yet they need to also up that prime line.

Come on Nikon, $3200 for an out dated 28 1.4?  Really.  And what’s with charging $250 more for a tiny motor in your 50 1.4.

Many photographers feel that post-processing taints the field and warps the craft into something that no longer can be labeled as photography.  How important is post-processing and image manipulation in your own workflow and where do you draw the line between digital art and photography?

Ah fun.  This is something that has gone back as far as art has been done.  You look at the great works from Artist such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and even as recent as photographers such as Ansell Adams and you will constantly see manipulation.  People like the idea of being “Pure” so much that they may forget that art is pretty much propaganda.  The artist’s purpose is to capture, record, and show people what he saw.  It’s their choice than to manipulate the subject as much to their desire.  It’s our choice as the viewer to decide if we like it or not.  Simple as that.

My work flow is pretty biased towards small touch up’s digitally.  I shoot for about 85%~90% of what I need done is done on my camera.  This includes correct crop and layout, correct exposure, white balance, and most importantly pose of subject.  There are things like composites, airbrushing, and so on that sometimes is expected after the shutter clicks, but it’s not what I shoot for.  I plan to limit my post production.

To answer the question that ended with “between digital art and photography?”…

Dude…as soon as I press that button all the light in front of my lens gets converted to 0’s and 1’s….it’s already digital as soon as I pressed the button.  No use fretting between the two.

The reason why some people complain about digital art and photography though is because there are some people who depend too much on the camera doing the magic for them.  I firmly believe that you should know your tool, and how to use it.  You define your art, not the tools you use.

If you had to go to a shoot, any shoot, and could only take 2 lenses with you, which ones would you take and why?

Yay! good question.  This is currently how I shoot.  I use 2 5d Mark II’s in tandem with an 85 1.2L IIand a 35 1.4L.  So if the choice was suppose to be made, easy!  The reason being is because those two lenses are supremely sharp when needed, but also quite magical when it comes to bokeh, contrast, saturation, and just performance.  The 85 1.2L II is slow in comparison to other lenses, but anything that comes out of it just pure bliss.  The 35, it’s a perfect lens for me.  It’s a little wider than the 50mm standard that has been so popular for years as a photojournalistic lens, so it shows a little more environment around the subject.  It’s great to capture not only a strong subject, but just the world around them too, which can dramatically add to the story of the shot.

What preparation do you do before a shoot? (Not as in charging batteries, checking your gear, etc., but more mental and creative prepping).

I’m not a perfectionist when it comes to shooting, so when I’m preparing…it’s just making sure I have a camera and a memory card.  There have been times when I’ve forgotten a lens that would be great, but really as long as there’s a camera and medium to capture the photographs on I’m game.  Saying that to prep up for a shoot the first thing I do is analyze the scene for opportunities.  While I may have an idea for one location, another location just may pop up that offers something more unique.  I get ready to shoot that location and quickly do what I need to do.  To prep for that I just make sure to always shoot RAW + JPG just in case, preset my white balance to the conditions of the set, and most of the time shoot aperture value so that my camera does exposure for me.  Pretty simple really and I get away with a lot of 1 hour or less shoots and fully content with what I get.

I have seen on your Flickr stream many DIY projects and strobist kits.  But a large amount (or at least from what I can see) of your work appears to be available light.  Do you prefer natural light to artificial?  If and when you take the strobist route, what type of setup are you sporting?

I’m a firm believer that you should understand alternatives, or at least have a working knowledge of alternatives, before you concentrate heavily on any single source.  In the sense of artificial and natural light, I immensely enjoy both but easily admit that Natural light is faster to employ and works well with my spontaneous photographic style.   Shooting at a low DOF can also be a pain as ND filters and so forth have to be introduced, and also light contamination can cause a headache when it comes to balancing a scene and also white balance due to low levels of light and picking up stray light.  Another factor is that I do not currently have a studio at this moment, and ease of setup at a remote site is important to me.  While I have 6 Norman ML600 strobes at the ready….they are quite a burden to completely setup and I feel effect the fluidity of my shoot.

Mind you if it’s a commercial shoot…those lights are coming out, I’m shooting F8, White balance at 5500 and the Sekonic 758DR comes out…there’s no “Artistic Frou Frou Integrity” there.  Deliver a great  product to a client, and make them happy….bar none.

Strobist kit eh?  You know strobistC is copyrighted to David Hobby :).  You mean “Portable light kit” right?   My portable light kit would be 3 580 EX II’s with 3 pocket wizards and if needed a ST-E2.  I find the 580 EX II’s very handy, and put out a great bit of power.  I was impressed with a friends Last O Lite kit that he had for his sb-900’s so I would definitely entertain the use of those soft boxes in a portable kit.  If asked to be economical though I would be perfectly happy with 1 580ex II, a ream of white paper, a cardboard box, and box cutters.  All you need is a flash unit, some translucent material, and your creativity to shape the light around you.

I would agree with you completely regarding breaking out the lights as well as the need for delivering quality product.  Related to that I was reading some comments online from another photographer regarding lighting, specifically the Alien Bee product line.  The comment, and I am paraphrasing here, said that the Alien Bee product line is not a professional line and that they have even laughed at other photographers when they see the colored AB light heads on a shoot location.  When it comes to lighting equipment, what is your opinion on the brands available and what you need to use in order to deliver that quality product?  Does the brand even matter?

Ah you get this question a lot on forums, and it always dumb down to brand loyal shouting heads completely ignoring the 3 or 4 very rational and intelligent post about lighting products.  Since I’m in the fortunate position here of this being a one way street, this is how I feel.

First off the Alien bee not being a professional line…who gives a care about what other photographers think.  They aren’t the ones giving you the check at the end of the day if you are a professional, your clients are.  If you can deliver a great product that the client wants, and you use a flashlight and piece of rope to get it…more power to you.  People who complain about type of gear normally just read about what gear is supposedly best (Elinchroms, Profoto) and automatically say you “Have to have these!” to be professional.  Meh…not really.

Saying that yes the high end lights are very nice.  They do promise faster refresh, lower sync speed, and various other tidbits that if I need to mess around with they can provide.  Obviously at a cost though.  But you know, I don’t need to drive a Ferrari to school and work every day, my Camry does just fine… and in this case Alien Bee’s, Normans, White lightning’s…they are your Civics, Camry’s and Accords.  If you can afford it, and you want the best, buy the best.  Doesn’t automatically make you the best photographer on the block, but it does allow you to do that much more if you want to experiment.  Example, want to shoot 1/8000th of a second flash, well enjoy a Elinchrom Ranger AS Speed.

For anyone new to it here’s the advice I can give.  Buy the best you can, and also check out more than just the light itself.  Check out the recorded quality of the line, the level of service, the customer service, and pretty much the general happiness level of the people who own the equipment.   In no way is Paul Buff paying me, but I fully  endorse their product for any photographers located in the south eastern united states.  They are located in Nashville so we get a super quick response if anything goes wrong, and every time I called into their office they have been nothing but professional with me.  Unfortunately I own no more Paul Buff products, but that amazing customer service I received still resides deeply in me today.

In knowing your work, I see you have shot your fair of nudes.  Many new photographers would like to shoot something similar, but might not be aware of the best method for approaching the topic with a potential client.  How would you recommend landing more of these shoots?

Hmm, fun question that I hear a lot.  Really just don’t think much of it.  If you love your art, and you can believe in it.  It shows.  I wouldn’t suggest having “Naked Naked Naked” stuck in your head all the time, just shoot and have fun..practice on random type of shooting and eventually nude work will come.  I can share this advice      though.  You’re asking a subject to get naked in front of you, fully exposed, and lacking the security they are comfortable with.  Make them     comfortable (lol  get your sick mind out of the gutter).  You being comfortable with your work is a source of comfort to your subject, it shows professionalism and also belief in yourself.  You’re asking them to look good for your camera, so why not look good for them?  You don’t have to dress to the nines, but at least groom yourself well enough to be presentable.  I’ve actually had  plenty of my models tell me that’s the biggest turn off they have with shooting with some Atlanta photographers….hygiene and how they look.  Also be sure to make the model physically comfortable.  Be considerate to their conditions and supply drinks, a heater, and various other stuff…this really affects the quality of your end product and also how the model interacts with you.

Finally ask yourself what nude work means to you.  If you can define it to yourself, rehearse it,    say it out loud, then explain it to anyone casually without sounding like a creep…that you will get an influx of people interested in shooting with you because then it sounds like pure art (as it should be).

Although I have seen a steady stream of work, and a consistently steady stream at that, you most certainly have come across a time where you felt uninspired or unmotivated.  Do you have any tips on how to break out of a creative rut?

Stay humble about it.  Sometimes we hit bumps and walls in our path to become a better photographer because we feel like we are stagnant at our current level of work.  Well there’s always something we’ve missed, something that we could of approached differently.  When I hit a bump, I analyze my work and keep an open mind about it.  Then I circle back and try something different or new, and most of the time that inspires me to do my current work even better.

The ultimate inspiration is what we seek to capture every day.  If you’re in a slump, put the camera down and just look at what’s in front of you.  We inspire to capture what’s in front of us, the beauty, the humanity, the emotions that surround and feed our world and conscience.  Just become of student of that for a little, watch it, and then motivate yourself enough to photograph it.

As I look back to where I first started with my own photography and also the direction I would like to take it, sometimes I do not see a clear path, but I am always seeking to move forward and learn.  Do you have any goals for your photography moving forward and what is out there to learn that you have not yet grasped yet?

While photography is fun and dandy, the main thing photography gives me is access to people.  I love the technical and creative side of photography, but most importantly I love teaching it to anyone willing to listen.  Photography is so complicated and has so many details and fine lines in it that I get a pleasure from being able to comprehend all the technicalities and translate it so that a fellow photography student understands the subject.  Have you ever taken a killer portrait of someone smiling?  A great genuine smile that just lifts your spirit and makes you feel elation and joy?  Well that same smile comes out when a person finally understands something about photography after you explain it to them.  Their eyes shine bright, and you just open their perspective to the world of photography.

Teaching is my goal, and in that there is lots I haven’t “grasped” yet.  But instead of being a hurdle in front of me that angers me, it motivates me to understand it, to comprehend it, and ultimate to teach it to anyone who is willing to listen.  That right there to me is the beauty of the whole thing.

You participated in the Atlanta 48 Hour Film Project and assisted in creating a film entitled “Mr. Amazing.”  Can you provide some details about this project, such as how you came to be involved with it and what the results were?

Mr. Amazing…wow.  Well we just won it all recently at the Awards Ceremony for the Atlanta 48 Hour film festival.

For those who don’t know what the 48 Hour Film Festival is, it’s a competition in which teams of film makers compete to write, script, act, direct, film, and edit a short film within 48 hours.  Each team is given a common set of criteria, and then their own random pick out of a hat genre and then proceed to make a film out of it.  You can imagine this is a pretty stressful, unforgiving weekend that requires quite a bit of nerves, constitution and also compromise to actually deliver a product.

Becoming involved with it was a complicated sequence that demands 32 pages…so let me start.  I asked my friend Thom to do it, and he said yes.  We paid the entrance fee and that’s it….the end.

Actually that is pretty much how the story goes.  It was that simple. :)

To add a little more flesh to it though, my friend Helen brought me to the screening for the 2007 48 Hour Film Fest and I fell in love with it.  Fast forward two years, and I heard it’s happening again.  I consider Thom one of the most talented and awesome dude alive so I asked him if he wanted to do it….and it went from there.   We surrounded ourselves with some wonderful talent, and built a stunning team.  The results was us going all the way in our freshman attempt and taking the Best Film award.  The only thing I can compare this too is when Picard won the Star Fleet Academy Marathon thing as a freshman…but that isn’t going to happen for another 300 years.

Do you see yourself moving more and more into video?

Of course.  Well I did video in high school, and I find it an awesome medium to be involved in.  Where a photographer can make photos by himself, a great video is almost always done with a team and I LOVE TEAMWORK.  The new SLR’s give amazing quality filming ability just like they did with still frame shooting, so I’m thoroughly embracing our new HD Video Overlord SLRS.

For someone that just bought their first DSLR and wanting to break into professional photography, what is your advice to them?

Learn the ins and outs of your camera.  I can’t reiterate enough…you define your photography your tools don’t.  When you find your style it’s because of what you know technically and creatively.  If you can consistently reproduce your work in any given scenario, with any given tool….then you are very much ready to be a pro.  Oh…also take a risk.  The thrill of risk can bring out someone or something in you that you never expected….and the results could be amazing.

Where will your photography be 5 years from now?

On my hard drive… :)

Heh.  As a photographer I will constantly be learning, and in 5 years I hope people will say that my passion for photography is still strong and in a sense childlike.  Photography is such a beautiful thing that has both a long and storied history, and also a long and beautiful future.  My photographs in the future I hope will still show a great passion to this wonderful art of ours.