Mon, June 27th, 2005 by btezra
"Capturing a person's character is fundamental to portraiture and not as easy as it sounds..."
As I flipped through a copy Cathy Joseph's "Outdoor Photography: Portraits" that arrived today, I read the above passage while searching for a street portrait of mine that was selected to be published in this book. I feel privileged to be included in a worldwide publication on outdoor portraiture. Just being within the same publication as photographers who are far more successful than myself is overwhelming, especially for a genre of photography that is my passion; outdoor street portraits.
I am humbled to have been selected as a contributor, for there are an amazing collection of images from photographers from across the globe included in this publication.
Anyways...I received a few copies from the publisher and I would like to give a copy away of Cathy Joseph's book that includes my image and the work of 40 other photographers. It is chalked full of helpful advice and information on the techniques used in each image, 160 pages total.
All you have to do (as with the Holga that I gave away here on Photoblogs.org) is leave a comment behind on this post. Let me know you are interested in winning the book. I will wait a week and then on July 5, 2005, draw one person's name from all those that commented and expressed interest. I'll get in touch via email or through your site and send the book on it's way to you. For I always welcome the opportunity to share what matters most to me, photography, and this publication is something I am proud to be a part of and would like to share with you.
June 27th, 2005 at 7:23 pm
BRAVO!
What an honor to be included in such a wonderful project.
May it be the first of many to come.
And I'd love to put my name in the hat.
Many congratulations,
Susan B.
June 27th, 2005 at 7:42 pm
congratulations! i'd like to throw my name in as well:)
June 27th, 2005 at 7:58 pm
Nicely done. Publication of this amplitude is always a goal for me. It sounds like a book that I would enjoy, so count me in.
June 27th, 2005 at 8:36 pm
Hey! Nice! Congrats!
I'm addicted to photo books, so I'll put my name in the hat.
Thanks.
June 27th, 2005 at 8:39 pm
congratulations, man. i enjoy seeing your photos every time i log in to flickr. your photos being published is well deserved.
judging from the comments you leave me on my site every so often, you know i have a love for portraits, so drop my name in that hat.
June 27th, 2005 at 8:48 pm
Awesome! Portraits are so difficult to capture. I'd also like a shot at the book.
June 27th, 2005 at 8:55 pm
congrats on having one of your pictures published craig and if you want to send the book downunder I will be happy to take an autographed copy from you
June 27th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
Sign me up, please.
Who WOULDN'T want a free book!?
-- OR --
Is there really anything more interesting than a person's face? The stories it tells? The stories it tries to hide? I wish I could capture that with my camera.
June 27th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
Congratulations on being included in the book btezra! That's a great B&W portrait. I would like a chance in the hat too please - I can use all the hints/help I can get on taking meaningful portraits!
Thanks for offering the opportunity to us all.
June 27th, 2005 at 10:11 pm
congratulations craig! what wonderful and well deserving news
you go right ahead and throw my name in that gorgeous hat of yours
June 27th, 2005 at 10:27 pm
I would like to win this book because I LOVE portrait books, and b/c the 5th is my birthday. No lie on the birthday I promise!
June 27th, 2005 at 11:20 pm
How exciting for you. You must be very proud and excited. I'd love to win an autographed copy to add to my collection. Think bibliophile. In order to improve my chances to be drawn out of the hat, fold the entry on an angle (like a "v") and in half again. It produces more protruding pieces and increases the odds. Well, maybe not but it's worth a try. Congratulations again!!
June 27th, 2005 at 11:21 pm
wow. congratulations, what an excellent book to be in. if i don't win, i'm definitely going to try find it here - i have a huge interest in portrait photography lately.
congrats again and thanks for the opportunity.
June 28th, 2005 at 12:06 am
Congratulations to you! A well deserved published acknowledgment of your great street portrait work.
Please add me to the raffle pool. Thanks and congrats again!
June 28th, 2005 at 1:27 am
Congratulations on being published! Your street portraits deserve the honour.
Adding my name to the pool, if you don't mind sending the book to Singapore - thanks so much!
June 28th, 2005 at 1:45 am
major congrats craig and so well deserved. would love a chance to see it so throw my name in too.
June 28th, 2005 at 2:09 am
congrats and well done craig!
i hereby throw my name in for the lottery;)
June 28th, 2005 at 2:18 am
congratulations! i'd love to be included, as well.
June 28th, 2005 at 2:56 am
Many congratulations Craig; I'd love to be in with a chance of getting the book. Cheers!!
June 28th, 2005 at 4:43 am
Congratulations on getting into the book! I would love to enter your lottery for a chance to win one...
June 28th, 2005 at 4:47 am
Of all the photographs on all the blogs I check every day, it's always the natural lighting portraits which stand out.
I'd love to win it.
Nice one (for having a picture selected)
Nice one (for your generosity)
June 28th, 2005 at 6:02 am
What and honor, though well deserved! I love your street portraits and other works, and it would be an honor for me to have a copy of a book that has one of your works in it!
Congratulations! steve
June 28th, 2005 at 8:25 am
You know...my shelf needs one more book...
Are you going to be responsible when I put it on there and the whole thing collapses? :-)(Testing the fatigue of my wooden bookshelves is my favorite hobby!)
Now of course, starts the real problem...you get all famous and then the paparazzi hound you - never getting a moment of private time....oh wait....you ARE the paparazzi!
Seriously, I am a fan of your work and it is good you got recognized.
David
June 28th, 2005 at 9:10 am
I love outdoor portraiture, even though--maybe because--I don't do it well. I'd love a copy. Thanks and congratulations.
June 28th, 2005 at 9:51 am
Congratulations on getting into the book! If for nothing else, I would be honored to win just to see your photograph in there.
June 28th, 2005 at 9:58 am
I'd like to put my name in for consideration. I enjoy portrait, especially in a natural setting... in the studio you control everything... its more of a science than it is an art... outdoors, your just trying to capture the moment, the feeling. Thats truely an artform, to capture it well.
... and july 2nd is my birthday so it would make a nice birthday present hahaha
June 28th, 2005 at 10:23 am
Hi, this would be a good starting point to learn about portraiture, so I'd like to participate in your lottery. Congratulations on making it into this book.
June 28th, 2005 at 10:25 am
Definitely!
June 28th, 2005 at 10:26 am
How wonderful that your work was included! It must feel great to know that so many more people will get to enjoy your image!
Please toss my name in too
June 28th, 2005 at 10:41 am
Congrats Craig, that's awesome, and your image is on the PDF 'spread' preview too!
How do you find out about these things? I would have loved to offer an image too.
June 28th, 2005 at 11:01 am
~thnx one & all, I do appreciate the good words, they mean quite a bit to me...and Miles, I just you sent an email detailing how this all transpired...and David, I'll include a disclaimer releasing me from any legal action if any destruction happens as a result of adding it to your bookshelf~
June 28th, 2005 at 11:23 am
Congratulations, Craig! It's a great portrait. And throw my name in that hat of yours while your at it!
June 28th, 2005 at 11:33 am
I'll probably get ripped a bit for this but I don't give a shit...
First off, Craig I'll congratulate you on getting a photo in a book.
However, if I were the editor I wouldn't have chosen this photograph. It looks like the guy busted you taking a sneaky snapshot of him with a telephoto lens. Did you take this before you engaged the subject? It simply does not feel like a portrait...
You have other great shots of people on the street that I would have chosen over this one where it's obvious you have engaged the subject. Even if you caught an expression here, this feels like like one of the millions of sneaky ass snapshots I see on blogs everyday.
Guess I'll never be an editor...
June 28th, 2005 at 11:43 am
~John, no offense taken, I am a huge fan of "say what you mean and mean what you say" so your honesty is greatly appreciated, no matter the tone...I did speak with the subject, as I always do, I have no desire to ever be a paparazzi fotag or take sneaky images of people w/out their knowledge, it's just not my style at all. I have never done it and never will...I prefer to chat with strangers, tell them about me and find out about them, and in most if not all of my posts on my photo site I include the back story to the images I present of my subjects. I believe you have visited and if so you would know that about me. This image was one of about 20-30 images I snapped of him on this occasion and it was part of a larger essay on street people here in Pittsburgh from an exhibition I did in 1991 as part of my college graduation in conjunction with a gallery. As I emailed Miles, I did not submit any images, I was actually contacted by a photo researcher who was part of the team working with the author, Cathy Joseph. The theme of the book centered around outdoor portraiture and she took notice of my images through another online community where (sometimes harsh but true) critique and scoring are mainstay of the site. The photo researcher asked me to submit a handful of shots she noticed, only one was chosen by the editors and author and I believe last year when she gave me the nod it was a good choice for the book and it's direction for publication.~
June 28th, 2005 at 11:54 am
Yep, I read the caption - and I can tell from many (if not most) of your street photographs of people that you engage the subject.
However, I'm *very* surprised they would choose this photograph.
I guess I'm just pretty damned opinionated when it comes to taking pictures of people and what should be called a portrait - and it's no knock on you really. Do you have other pictures of this guy posted?
June 28th, 2005 at 12:07 pm
Hey John - Just out of curiosity, what would you say is required for a shot to be called a "portrait", rather than just a random street snap? (sneeky or non).
No sarcasm intended, I'm actually just curious :).
June 28th, 2005 at 12:18 pm
~John, no I do not have any other images of him online, but I do have 4 framed prints of him and the original TMAX negs...maybe I'll scan and post. I'll paraphrase from iside the book's liner notes here: Portraiture is the most popular and accessible area of photography, most people buy cameras to take portraits of their family and friends, rather informal but still portraits but a loose definition of one. The book examined both simple snapshots and beyond to explore the enormous potential of a subject. The book reveals how a portrait can reveal a person's character, flatter them, provide insight into their way of life, capture their mood or demonstrate their relationships with others. Outdoor portraiture opens up further scope through choice of location, background, props and the varying degrees of natural light which are all explored in the book. The author chose the images she did to represent the many different styles and approaches to portraiture, and hence my inclusion (I hope). The image of mine that was published was in the section dealing with "character" and the trait of texture was noted...so I am not surprised they chose this shot to be included, hell, I am blown away actually, flattered. There are notes about the horizontal line that is in the frame that draws the viewer's attention right o the subject's eyes, which I admit was intentional on my behalf and composed as such in the camera. Also the contrast between the lighter wall is counterbalanced by the darker tones to the right...they were impressed by the subtle details that made up the portrait as a whole and all were expressed in the publication...I don't think I could ever be an editor, I'll stick to snappin' the shutter...I do recommend the book, it's well written, wonderfully put together and designed and full of good stuff to view and read...does all the banter mean you don't want the chance to "win" it...because I do believe you'd enjoy it~
June 28th, 2005 at 12:56 pm
bravo craig! a very worthy shot!
count me in. i'd be thrilled to own such a fine publication:)
June 28th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
Oh yes, you can throw my name in the hat too!
Congrats on being a contributor. Must be great to see you own shot in there!
June 28th, 2005 at 1:38 pm
Congrats. Count me in the drawing too please.
Regards - Martin
June 28th, 2005 at 1:53 pm
Yes, please, I am interested in winning the book.
June 28th, 2005 at 2:06 pm
sinnick,
Guess I could set a trap for myself here...
For me personally, it's a picture taken *after* you've initially engaged the subject(s). When I say engage, I mean verbal NOT just eye contact. To me it's just not a portrait unless the subject(s) knows you might take their picture at some point in the encounter.
Here's some hints:
If you have to use long glass because you're afraid to approach a stranger it's probably not a portrait.
If you're holding your camera where the subject can't see it *ahem* (from the hip etc), then it's probably not a portrait.
If you're walking down the street taking the same tired random shots of people as they go about their lives, it's probably not a portrait.
I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.
Just my opinion of course...
June 28th, 2005 at 2:43 pm
I do get the idea. Makes sense to me!
the same tired random shots of people as they go about their lives
I'm guessing you're not a fan of this particular kind of photography.
June 28th, 2005 at 3:37 pm
Very intersted in the book.
Cheers,
raja
June 28th, 2005 at 4:04 pm
I donno about the rest of everyone here, but I like the shot you got published.
Count me in for the book.
-Pat
June 28th, 2005 at 4:16 pm
Rockin man. You got some solid work. And yes please count me in for the drawing as well.
June 28th, 2005 at 4:58 pm
Count me in too.
June 28th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
I'd love to enter my name. I've been enjoying your photoset!
June 28th, 2005 at 10:23 pm
A great reward to a great photographer.
Now how about that great book contribution to our (little) Library at Hummingbird. Our kids love books!
All the best and good luck with the publicity and the book!
June 29th, 2005 at 12:48 am
Congrats Craig - that's wonderful news! Thanks for doing another one of these giveaways. I'll throw my name in the hat as well.
June 29th, 2005 at 1:07 am
sneaky ass snapshots
http://inconduit.com/eye
June 29th, 2005 at 2:41 am
congrats on getting published. keep up with the portraits, it's always a pleasure looking at em.
shc
ps-now let me get that book! jk
June 29th, 2005 at 3:41 am
hey - great photo you've got published, well done indeed! Count me in for getting a chance to win the book - it looks like an excellent read!
June 29th, 2005 at 9:04 am
I'm a big believer in the use of daylight (or other available light) for portraiture. I'm also trying to screw up my courage to ask people on the street if I can take their picture.
I'd love to receive the book. I think I'd find the images inspirational in my own attempts to capture people's daylit side.
June 29th, 2005 at 9:30 am
i love seeing work that is both technicaly and creatively superior. the downloadable spread looks fantastic. hopefully more publishing is in your future.
peace, er
June 29th, 2005 at 11:44 am
Portraits are one of the areas I really need to do more work on! I'd LOVE to win a copy of this book, please add my name into your hat!
Cheers
June 29th, 2005 at 11:54 am
Craig, well done, and I've love to be put in the hat too.
June 30th, 2005 at 6:44 am
A happy pic at the right time is medicine for us all. Thanks.
June 30th, 2005 at 6:46 am
And yes please, I would love the book!
June 30th, 2005 at 11:53 am
me too me too, I want I want!!
June 30th, 2005 at 9:43 pm
Wow, congrats. Do put my name in the hat
July 1st, 2005 at 2:15 am
Oooh, it's crowded in this hat, but i like it!
*snuggle*
July 1st, 2005 at 6:24 am
Here I am too! I don't deserve it, but who cares, I'll try anyway! :-))
July 3rd, 2005 at 1:59 pm
I'd love a shot at the book.
July 3rd, 2005 at 6:33 pm
I'd love to win
July 4th, 2005 at 1:07 pm
Congrats on the publishing!
And I'd love a shot at the book.
Thanks for the offer!