Every photographer has his own method of capturing the perfect shot. He may wait the moment out, until all the variables of light, shadow, and composition are in place before he releases the shutter. Or he may shoot a scene continuously, from various angles, capturing 20, 30, 50 images of a specific subject to catch the 'right' one. Or maybe there's a happy medium, the thoughtful shooter who will shoot many frames of a specific subject, but only when he feels the moment is right.

There is no one right way to approach a subject. Our methods and styles as photographers are as diverse as we are. But there is a topic that inspires a bit of thought. In his article, Quantity vs. Quality, photographer Paul Butzi discusses his goal for one year to shoot, print and mount one photograph, every week, for a year.

He quickly discovered how overwhelming a task this can be, but what he learned was that by shooting consistently, large numbers of images for a given project, that his photography drastically improved over time.

This brings up an intersting topic for discussion. Does quanity equal quality? Or does quantity inspire quality? By shooting all the time, of course one will improve as a photographer...practice makes perfect afterall. But isn't true improvement measured by the ratio of 'good' images vs. how many images taken?

What do you think?

Patrick Schneider, a photographer for the Charlotte Observer, was fired from the paper for manipulating the colour of a sunset sky in an image featured in the newspaper on Thursday.

In a statement the paper said:

The photo, taken by Observer photographer Patrick Schneider, appeared on the front of the Local & State section. It depicted a Charlotte firefighter on a ladder, silhouetted by the light of the early morning sun.

In the original photo, the sky in the photo was brownish-gray. Enhanced with photo-editing software, the sky became a deep red and the sun took on a more distinct halo.

The photographer had been suspended previously for similar manipulations and three awards he had won from the North Carolina Press Photographers Association were taken back. Many people defended the photographer after his original suspension in 2003, there is an article here with a comparison of the three manipulated images he submitted to the NCPPA awards and the originals.

Michelle McNally, an assistant New York Times photo editor, is featured in this week's 'Talk to the Newsroom' column, answering questions about the paper's editorial photography. Although there doesn't seem to be space for her to get into much detail with her answers it's an interesting read.

On the subject of photo manipulation she says:

"Our production department prepares images for reproduction. They are able to detect anything out of line and if they do, we will not run it. If the cause is murky, we will ask for the raw file. We do allow basic contrast/tonal adjustments as well as some sharpening and noise reduction."

According to an article on PDNOnline more and more of the images you see in your newspaper could be grabs from high quality video rather than stills cameras.

The Dallas Morning News won a Pulitzer prize for its photographic coverage of hurricane Katrina and several of its staff photographers now use HD video cameras as their primary equipment. One of them, David Leeson, says, "I look at it like I have the fastest motor drive in the country right now. I shoot 30 frames per second." He used two HD camcorders in his coverage of Katrina.

There's still a need for improvements in the technology before many others are convinced, video cameras' relatively slow shutter speeds mean they don't capture action well and storage of the mass of data generated is a problem, but technology is improving fast and there is an ongoing debate amongst professional photographers about the implications. Some feel that HD video could be the format of choice for events like weddings, where capturing that one vital moment or expression can make all the difference to your coverage.

At the moment the quality produced is good enough for newspapers but not magazines and other professional applications. What interests me is the idea that, in time, video might become the street photographer's format of choice. If street photography is all about capturing the moment then 30 frames a second is a lot of frames from which to choose that perfect, decisive, moment...

It's a scary thought and makes me understand how film purists feel about digital cameras.

I have to admit while I enjoy several regular podcasts I never imagined searching for photography related ones but it seems that there are quite a few. There's a handy roundup at Creativepro, link thanks to Andy.

Has anyone been listening to any of these, have any other recommendations? Perhaps a photoblogging related podcast is called for... does anyone have a nice speaking voice?

The seventh issue of Photoblogs Magazine is now online.

Matt tells us:

This month I'm excited to be revisiting the unique work of Nitsa, who was featured in our first issue. I think you'll find her experimentations with Alternatives in Street Photography quite educational. Jim Stratton adds a nice touch of science and exploration this month with his article chronicling NASA's unmanned mission to Pluto in, To Pluto At Last. For proof that the personal experiences of photobloggers overflows from hobby into journalism, please don't miss Kresta King Cusher's account of one young Rwandan orphan in, Orphans of Genocide. If you're looking for something to break the routine of your 35mm photography habit, you might want to consider Tread's advice and take an adventure into the Plastic Reality of toy cameras. If you are interested in a more poetic sojourn, have a look at Tomasz Trzebiatowski's examination of the walls he is encountering in, Noticing the Unnoticeable; and also Silvia Ganora's poetry of trees and landscapes in winter in her article, Winter Bareness.

Tune in for the next call for submissions, opening in mid February.

The theme of web legends/photobloggers/publishers Heather Powazek Champ and Derek Powazek's latest JPG Magazine is "Photography is Not a Crime". Issue number 5 begins their second year of publication, and is now available for sale at Lulu. From JPG's website:

The theme, "Photography is Not a Crime," is a rallying cry. It's meant to remind everyone that amateur photographers are the documentarians of real life. We capture our world to help us understand it. We are not a threat.

The issue contains 31 photographer's takes and stories on the theme, NYC subway photography by Edmund Leveckis, Shane Lavalette's Family Portrait Project, an interview with attorney Bert Krages, and a special clip-out Photographer's Right Bust Card.

Our rights as photographers is a topic that is repeatedly being challenged in our everyday encounters and frequently discussed in the photoblogging community. There is currently another example of how relevant this theme is at the NYC Photobloggers website. Hopefully the ongoing discussion and tools such as the current JPG issue will help someone out there know what do to when their rights are challenged.

Thank you Heather, Derek, and all of the inspiring photographers in the issue for addressing this topic head on. Check out the preview at JPG Magazine, and remember that photography is NOT a crime!

Urgent Call for Your Action on Orphan Works

The American Society of Media Photographers and other creative organisations are calling for action to protest the new 'Orphan Works' legislation passing through congress in the United States.

The issue is that the amendment to the Copyright Act that will define works whose creators cannot be identified as 'orphaned'. For photographers and illustrators especially this is bad news. We routinely publish our images on the internet, they are then linked to or featured on other sites, in all good faith. As our work spreads across the internet on third-party sites it may be that someone who comes across that image, and wants to use it, won't know who the creator is. If, after "good faith, reasonably diligent search," they still cannot find out who you are then they're free to use that image as they please.

If you discover the usage you can make a claim for compensation, but that compensation is set so low - it doesn't include allowances for any damages or legal fees - that you will need to pay out of pocket to take action against people who refuse to pay. If one of your images was used in a way that was damaging to your reputation (misrepresenting a subject for example) then you have no avenue for compensation.

A new photography forum aimed at people for whom photography is also a business is open at ProPhoto Forums. Ask a question, contribute an answer, post a resource and check it out.

WarShooter is a portal/blog for photojournalists involved in covering conflicts. The forums are quiet but the blog is full of behind-the-scenes stories from the 'front'.

As the name suggests this isn't a 'work safe' site, containing uncensored images of war.

Link via nitifixis.