Transcendent

TRANSCENDENT MAY 2015

ISSUE NO . 1

GALLERY PHOTO CREDITS

pg 57 by RUBY JAMES pg 58 by PAARSA HAFT pg 59-62 by ALAN WILLIAMSON pg 63-66 by LAUREN PARRA

cover photo by RUBY JAMES

CONTENTS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

LAUREN PARRA

FILM IN FOCUS

ALWAYS IN MOTION

IN AN INSTANT

fROM LENS TO LIKES

GALLERY

PLAYLIST

Hello, readers.

As spring turns it’s rain-speckled face towards the summer months, we find oursevles in a bit of a dilemma. Our society’s linear time system, hurtling foward without repreive, can leave us feeling overwhelmed. We pause, overwrought, wondering how the leaves that seemed to just be donning their amber lace have already returned, green and lush. The air warms, school ends, and the weeks seem to rush by faster and faster.

How do we make the most of what time we’re given on this planet? How do we turn the predictable trajectory of our lives into something more compelling?

Here at Transcendent, we aim to inspire your own adventure as you follow us on ours. The first issue of our magazine has brought about creative and social challenges for the entire team, and I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re very excited to share it with you after all our hard work. I hope the photography in this issue, from unique and intriguing microscopy images to film and beyond, compels your imagination as much as it has ours.

So explore while time still allows. Throw a tack at a map and go where it lands. Meet new people. Try new foods. And most importantly, don’t forget a camera.

- Emma

photo by Paarsa Haft

CONTRIBUTORS These are our contributors. The behind the scenes miracle makers that made this magazine a reality. Watiching this group off peers work is like watching the gears of a highly tuned, funtioning machine. These four companions acted as schulptors in shaping Transcendent Magazine.

SHEA Shea Popov has had her hands on a camera since before she could crawl. Growing up, her mother was a professional photographer, exposing her daughter to this sophisticated art very early on.

Currently, Shea also enjoys heading down to the archery range to let out her inner tension. Just as a bow string releases it’s arrow, Shea hopes that her life will launch her into a myriad of new opportunities.

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HOLDEN Reminiscening to the begining, Holden Hunter remembers buying disposable cameras and snapping photos that would soon spark his passion for the art of photography. Just like gazing trhough the viewfinder of one of those cameras, Holden gazes into his future and sees a life full of creativity and ingenutiy. In his time off, Holden finds himself flying through the air at cheer practice like a graceful Hawk. Ironically, the complex, chaotic tumbling runs bring a sort of calm into his otherwise turbulent life.

ELLA Ella Carlander is a lover of the visual arts. In her free time, Ella enjoys daydreaming about Willow Smith and Lily Rose Depp. She was introduced into photography when she got her first point and shoot, and the rest has been history. Ella also has a passion for drawing, and just like a pencil, Ella plans to write her own future full of art and good music.

JONGWOOK One can find Jongwook at the crossroads of music and photography. His passion for the trumpet parrallels his love for taking pictures, and so do his hopes for each endeavor. Jongwook has dreams of making music and taking pictures that start a fire in people’s souls, he wants his smooth, jazzy notes to inspire others, just as he wants his pictures tell the stories that can’t be put into words. At this creative intersection of the arts is where Jongwook Mah thrives as an individual and can feel the most free in his life.

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LAUREN PARRA

by ELLA CARLANDER

With vibrant colors and mesmerizing details, Lauren Parra’s photographs appear almost otherworldly.

The passionate artist has always found inspiration in space, describing it as “completely terrifying and beautiful all at once.” However, the woman who once wanted to venture into astrophotography, has found herself doing quite the opposite: microscopy.

Lauren Parra works with microscopes and special softwares to create visually intriguing and unique photographs. Parra’s distinct style builds a balance between art and science that compels and captivates those that enjoy contemporary artistic endeavors.

This artist from Austin, Texas was introduced to the world of microscopy at a young age. With a mother who worked as a microbiologist, Parra would go into work along side her parent as she grew up. In the workplace, her mother would keep Lauren occupied by letting her toy with a microscope. This is where Lauren Parra was first exposed to the tool that she would eventually use to create her intriguing artwork. However, the photographer didn’t become passionate about photography until much later. She explains how in her late teens, Parra decided to pick up photography because of how little she knew about it. Her lack of knowledge about the subject intrigued Lauren to learn more. The spontaneous interest was an instant passion for Parra, “I had bought a friend’s old camera and the rest was pretty much history.” she explains. Eventually, Lauren Parra would combine these two interests in a visually fascinating way.

all photos by LAUREN PARRA

As a college student, Parra originally majored in architecture. However, going through her courses, Parra found herself loathing school. The struggling student had to look at the big picture to figure out what was causing this. Eventually, she realized that her hatred for school wasn’t caused by the school she was attending, but rather by her major. Lauren explains how “After coming to that realization I took a step back from school for a couple of years and really didn’t go back until I found something that I could be passionate about.” She turned to photography as her new major, graduating was an important goal for Parra, and she wanted to make it count.

Nonetheless, architecture still interests as well as impacts Lauren now. She is passionate about the fluid, organic styles of the Middle East, particularly in Dubai and finds inspiration in them, explaining that “The fluidity of the buildings is absolutely beautiful and you can really tell that the architects put a lot of thought into the emotions that a building can really bring you.” The same can be said about Parra’s photographs. Its hard to take your eyes off of them, constantly noticing a new detail or element you hadn’t before. She manages to make each photo immensely unique in itself, while still creating cohesive groups.

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Completely terrifying and beautiful at once.

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Anything that I can really get my hands on is something that I have the potential to be passionate about.

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Creating these photos is no simple task. Parra starts by collecting items that she wishes to photograph, collecting samples until she has gathered enough to create a series. Lauren then takes those samples and places them onto slides in order to look at them under the microscope. During the photo-taking process, Parra has to manually move the plane of the slide, but uses a software program connected to the microscope for all of the camera motions.

One difficulty that Lauren faces during this process is that as she is looking through the microscope, she sees the image is in a circular frame, but when the picture shows up within the program,it come out as a horizontal rectangle. Because of this, Parra has to consider what the picture will look like in the different frame. She also often adds swatches of food color or shoots with a polarizer in order to adjust the intensity and or shade of colors in the photos. It’s

a grueling process that requires time commitment, “You can literally spend three hours there and come out with only 20 to 30 good photos in which 10 of those are of quality to reproduce in a print.” Parra illustrates how, “The selection process of those prints is really what pixels don’t get destroyed through data transfer between the microscope and the software system.” After the physical procedure of capturing the photos has been completed, Lauren then moves on to choosing which pictures she will reproduce.

“What helps me decide if I actually like a photo is if it speaks to me or not.” she explains, “Although my work is abstract for the most part, it really sets an image apart for the photographic principles like leading lines, interesting subject matter and or perspective.” This process is what produces the beautifully-composed photographs that Parra creates.

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Currently, Lauren Parra has produced two series of photographs using microscopy: Crystals and Organics. Crystals is composed of complex, vibrant photos with crystals as the subjects. Organics, however, depicts items including fats and plant matter that portray primarily earthly colors. The two series embody the contrast between organics and inorganics. In Crystals, repeating shapes with jagged structure and lustrous finishes are shown in vivid colors, while the organics have fluid, curved shapes along with smoother textures and muted, softer colors.

Lauren Parra is from Austin, Texas and considers herself a product of the city. She explains how the creative atmosphere has helped her become who she is, “This being such a heavily saturated community of artistic individuals really lets you be yourtrue self.”

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However living in a city with so many gifted people can also have it’s drawbacks. Parra describes the issue that “Living in Austin almost makes it harder for you being an up-and-coming photographer.” This is one of the things that has pushed her to go into microscopy, she distinguishes how “You really have to make your working unique and because of that I decided to aim for more a more specialized field.”

Parra’s unique photos are a product of her childhood, her interests, and her constant passion for new things. She finds potential in anything she comes across, “anything that I can really get my hands on is something that I have the potential to be passionate about.” she explains. This artist has found a unique and interesting hobby and turned it into a creative passion.

4 UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES

by ELLA CARLANDER

These four methods of photo-taking and editing provide interesting new ways to produce intriguing photographs that stand out..

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MICROSCOPY Using a microscope is a new and interesting way to capture visually intruiging and abstract photos.

ALthough equipment can be expensive or difficult to come across, the reslt is incredible and provides a look into a world that can’t be seen with the naked eye. The work of Lauren Parra is a fantastic example of just how spectacular photos can turn out while using microscopy.

photo by LAUREN PARRA

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PROJECTION Projection photography is fairly simple way to create interesting, eye-catching photos. One concept using this mothod is to take a photo of your subject and then project that photo back onto your subject to photograph. This creates a effect that can be mesmerising and very fascinating to look at.

The picture, pattern, or design that you project and how you use it is what sets the mood of the photo, keep in mind things like the colors and shadows to acheive the look you invisioned.

photos by LEE KIRBY

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MILK BATH Using a liquid or milk bath in phtoshoots can result in a mysterious, almost eerie quality to your photos that is alluring to the eye. Shown in the example taken by Rosanna Jones, the opacity of the bath creates a very cool effect against the human body. Flowers, petals, or other objects can be added to the milk bath to change the mood or atmocphere of the photograph. To make a your own milk bath, just add one to two cups of powdered milk to the bathwater. You can also add food coloring to create a colored bath for different effects.

photos by ROSANNA JONES

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DIGITAL DOODLES The digital world provides a number of oppurtuniies for editing photos. One of these is creating illlustratioins over the original photographs. Software programs such as photoshop provide a wide array of possibilities. Like in this example by May Xiong from her collection, Geometric Maps, digital art can include adding an abstract effect to photos as well as creating a contermorary look.

photo by MAY XIONG

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Film In Focus Modern day film photography

By Shea Popov

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s technology seizes our lives, taking photos is nothing like it was before.

Walking into a camera store, you are surrounded by the newest technologies - digital cameras the size of your palm, tiny memory cards hold thousands of pictures. But one technology you don’t see on in camera store shelves is film.

Film photography is an art that is quickly fading from the photography industry.

However, this is only a piece of the story.

Film photography is trickling back into our lives and is even being taught at schools all across the world. The art that was thought to be going extinct is now unexpectedly returning.

The Rolleiflex camera was invented in 1928 and was the first camera that used medium format film.

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“I think

Photo

it helps my students appreciate the history of where film comes from,” says Deanne Brown, a photography teacher at Westlake High School whose students develop film.

“It helps them appreciate how much easier digital is and how far we’ve come.” Digital is far more efficient to use than film, but it can never compare to the spectacular experience of developing film. “It is beautiful to see your image grow spontaneously from the paper,” says Tim Whaling, a senior at Westlake High school.

“It’s very exciting.”

Brown has been using film since college. She started teaching with film after she got a job teaching journalism. “I always loved photography, but working in the darkroom wasn’t anything I had prepared for,” Brown says. “It’s very magical, and it’s not like anything else out there.” Brown’s classroom has all the things expected of a photojournalism teacher, computer stations lining the walls, but it also has one rather unusual feature: a darkroom. Walking into the darkroom, one sees walls of printing stations. In the center of the room there is a large basin used for washing prints. When the darkroom is being used, the normal lights are off and in their place shine red lights to allow the film to be seen without exposing the film.

Developing film is a long process. First the film must be wound onto a reel in complete darkness. Next, the reel is placed in a specially designed light-proof container called a light-trap tank. The first chemical poured into the tank is the developer, D-76. After about 10 minutes the film is rinsed from the developer chemical and the fixer is added. After five minutes in the fixer, the rinsing process is repeated. Next the film is dipped into a mixture called photo flo which prevents water spots from forming on the film. At this point the film is referred to as a negative and can withstand light. All that is left to do is to enlarge the negative and make a print. The film is placed in the enlarger, light is shone through the film, and the image on the film gets burned onto the light-sensitive paper.

Learning to develop film can help a photographer understand how to better shoot with film, and learning how to shoot film well can transfer over into the world of digital. “It can make you aware of using the camera more wisely than just a spray and pray approach,” says Park Street, a professional sales representative at Precision Camera he says because phone cameras are always set on auto, people today shoot hundreds of thoughtless photos rather than taking their time shooting fewer good quality, well exposed photos. Because of film’s limitations, learning the precision required for the art is crucial. “It can also make you aware of getting exact exposures, especially when shooting transparency film,” explains Street.

Today, film can be very expensive, which is often why it is not used. “What I think is going to drive the extinction of film is the cost of the film,” Brown says. “It’s not cheap.” This is one of the major reasons digital photography was able to take over the market so quickly.

“For a recent assignment, I took 700 photos,” Whaling says. “It cost me about one cent in electricity cost. In comparison, if I were shooting in film I would have used 29 rolls of Fujifilm Superia color film, costing $3 a roll. The whole assignment would’ve come out to $87.”

Another problem is the complication of having a lab. There are very few people willing to devote the space and money required to have a darkroom which makes it difficult to use film just as a hobby or to compete as a professional.

Photography is not an easy career. “It is very, very hard to make a living at photography these days,” says Street, explaining that with the erosion of the professional photography market it is increasingly difficult to find jobs to support photographers. However, film does play a crucial role in the profession. One industry that can afford to use film is the magazine business. Magazine covers are often shot with film because film has large enough resolution that there is no risk of low quality as there is when enlarging digital images. Magazines use medium format cameras that use film as big as 6 by 7 inches. This means that the photo only has to be enlarged a little to run as a cover. On the other hand, the most professional camera sensors are 35mm. Those photos have to be made much bigger to fit as a cover photo.

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The Olympus OM-10 is a single lens reflex film camera that was produced between the years of 1972 and 2002

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The elegent style of the Fujifilm X20 reconnects style with substance, bringing the essence of photography back to life.

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Despite the value of film in some industries, the future of photography is very focused on digital. Digital technologies has improved greatly. “We are just ending the megapixel race, where manufacturers were racing to add as many pixels onto a chip,” says Whaling. “I think we’re entering the low-light age, where manufacturers improve ISO performance.” But with the resurgence of photographers using film for more creative photography it is almost definite that film will be sticking around. “Film isn’t going anywhere, forever.” Whaling says. Although film is extremely expensive for a hobby, professionally it is almost the same as digital, if not more cost efficient. “Film offers better quality at a better price than digital, especially for the pros.” Whaling explains. Digital cameras are more expensive than film cameras, which makes the cost of buying and developing film equate to the cost of buying and upgrading digital cameras.

The clean and consistent look of digital has been the main focus of many photographers, but the uniqueness of film is part of the reason people are revisiting film. The appeal of film as an art is due to the nostalgia for the uniqueness of film properties that digital cannot compare to. “When it comes to shooting for fun, I love film,” says Whaling. “There is a nostalgia to preparing a roll of film, advancing the slides manually, and being forced to do everything manually.”

The leaps forward in digital technologies outlines the future of much of photography. However, even with the astounding surge in hi-tech photography instruments, the resurgence of film popularity indicates that film will remain a favored medium.

“Photography, as a powerful medium…offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution.” – Ansel Adams

Photographic

Pr oc

These step-by-step instructions take you through the process of film development to produce a hard copy of your vintage photo.

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By Sh ea P

Film development Cap Place film onto reel

Lid Rod Reel

Pour chemicals down lid

Body

Photo enlargement Insert the film into the Carrier and place carrier into enlarger.

Project the photo onto a piece of photo paper

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Hang your developed film up to dry for Approximately 2 hours

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op ov

Information from http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/step-by-step-guide-to-developing-black-and-white-t-max-film--photo-2580

Developing the photo Illustrations by Shea Popov

Developer

For 10 minutes

Fixer

For 5 minutes

Dip in Photo flo

Final Photo

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ALWAYS IN MOTION Motion Photography in the Modern World

BY HOLDEN HUNTER Photo by: Christopher Martin

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otion photography requires a few well practiced techniques as well as a camera. Could all the advancing technology possibly make it harder for photographers to focus on the art of photography and easier to focus on the technical aspect of it?

The different techniques required to take motion pictures can sometimes be hard to accomplish. Many photographers, profesional and amture, havbe trouble getting the right shot.

On top of that there is the neverending line of new cameras every year that makes it harder and harder to focus on the creative side of photography.

Technology has played a huge role in shaping the photography world. “ I find that if you spend too much time worrying about the tech behind what’s going on it can start to impede on your creative vision,” said Adam Swords, professional motion and commercial photographer. Motion photography is an art form, requiring much much more than just picking up a camera pointing, and clicking a button. You have to lower the shutter speed, adjust the angle,

change the position of the camera, pan the camera, and many other factors to get the motion blurr everyone thinks is so cool.

Motion photography, like many other forms of photography, has a very technical side to it, because with cameras there is of course a lot of things you must adjust and tweak to get the right image and to make sure it isn’t blurry, and in a lot of ways the new technology has made taking pictures easier. “It has made a lot of the technical aspects of photography less consuming” said Christopher Martin. So the new cameras have made it easier by cutting down the time required to adjust all the settings, and have made it more about creativity. However a lot of it also has to do with the photographer, the way they choose to capture the image, and their own creative spin that they choose to put on it. So if you do focus too much on the technology and the latest cameras then it can be hard to get in touch with the creative part of photography.

Photo by: Adam Swords

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tarting motion photography can be very hard, learning how to set up your camera, and when to adjust the shutter speed, and how much to adjust it to get motion blur is very challenging, and it will most definitely take some practice.

The first step is picking which location you are going to shoot. “Very generally, anywhere there is movement that interests me. “ said Christopher Martin, professional photographer. “You can shoot almost anywhere there is motion, so you should pick somewhere you like and run with it, but make sure you are allowed to be there and you will be able to set up your equipment”. Next, you need to learn some different techniques, Panning (where you move with the subject to freeze it in motion and make the background blur), Abstract panning (where you pan faster or slower than the subject. This creates blur with subject and the environment) and stationary (where you use a tripod or other stabilizer and have the environment still while the subject moves through or within it). You must also slow down your shutter speed.

When the shutter is open longer, the

subject has more time to move across the frame and establish some kind of blur. These can be difficult to learn, you won’t get it the first time, or the second, or the third but stay with it and eventually, after practice, you will get that desired motion blur. The final step is choosing the pictures you want. You will probably take hundreds of pictures each time you shoot, you shouldn’t put all the pictures you take into your portfolio because a lot of the images won’t have the motion blurr you are looking for and images become repetitive very quickly.

That will discourage people from looking at your pictures, and unless you are doing this for fun the main goal is to sell your work. So, you must pick the best ones and if you cannot decide then get an outside opinion.

“Dont get discouraged if you don’t get a good shot every time you shoot, I have mastered all of these techniques and it still happens to me.” said Kirian Madden, student photographer. Stay with it, keep practicing, and it will be worth it.

Photo by: Adam Swords

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ith many people doing photography because of its flexible hours, chances to travel, and overall the amount of excitement it brings to your life, but knowing how to get to started, what camera to use, and how to get into the business is the challenge. “At first, even though my pictures were pretty good, no one would buy them, but after the first buyer, they started coming in almost every few weeks” said Madden. One of the most important things is to not advertize your work before its ready. If you haven’t learned and mastered the different techniques to motion photography, then don’t expect people to start buying your pictures. Another big thing is the camera you use, “I would recommend the best camera you can afford but don’t buy the best camera you can afford if you can only afford crappy lenses.” said Adam Swords, professional motion and commercial photographer. You want a good camera but you also want the best lense that you can afford for the type of motion photography you are doing.

You should buy them at the same time so you can see what you can afford and pick the best option for you financially.

These are just a few things that you need to focus on when getting started in the world of motion photography.

With all the new smartphone technology, almost everyone has a camera on them at all times. Eventually we may get to the point in which there is not a need for DSLR cameras because everyone has one on their smartphone. Swords thinks otherwise “no I don’t think smartphones and the camera technology in them will ever replace high end DSLRs” and went on to say “you’re never gonna see somebody shooting and advertisement campaign for Gucci or McLaren or Nike on a camera phone because the technology ya know physically, you can’t get that much information on a sensor that is tiny tiny.” Motion photography is a lot harder on smartphones then perhaps other forms of photography are , because of how many different settings you need to get motion blur. As of right now, the technology doesn’t exist, but it might be possible in the future.

There are many different aspect to talk about when thinking of motion photography, and we have covered the major points. From technology, to how to motion blur, there are many aspects that you must consider. If you’re just starting out, then stick with it because it will be worth it, every other famous photographer, every photographer you look up to has had to do the same thing.

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Tips On Your First Camera BY:HOLDEN HUNTER

Cameras are expensive and usually have to last you a long time, so picking the right one is very important. These five tips will insure you make the right decision.

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The Right Lens Lenses are arguably the most important part of your camera. They are so important that if you are thinking about two different cameras, you might want to buy the less expensive body and instead upgrade the lens. Lenses control the image that’s projected onto your imaging sensor, and ultimately which photos you take home. The type of lens you should get depends on what you are trying to do with your camera and as a photographer. If you are trying to take pictures from a distance, then you will want a lens with long focal length.

If you are trying to get wide shots, then you should get a lens with a short focal length. It all depends on what you are trying to do, so make sure to pay attention to the small details of each lens.

Hold The Camera While you may end up buying your DSLR online, you may want to go into a store near you and hold it in your hands so you can see how it feels. Cameras are very expensive and you will be holding it a lot so make sure to get one with a good weight and a body that is comfortable for you to hold.

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Pick A Brand

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The Right Price Range The lense is one of, if not the most important part of your camera, so when looking at DSLRs you should see which body you can afford while also being able to afford the lense you need and want to capture the images you want. When in doubt go with the lense. If you have to choose between and expensive lense and an expensive body pick the lense because it will ultimately affect the picture quality and final product.

The Right Camera Similar to picking your lense, picking your camera is all about what you want. If you want to be able to record video also then you should get a dual use camera, its all about personalization and freedom to do what you want with your pictures. You just have to research different cameras brands lenses prices and settings to find the appropriate camera for you.

Photo by Alan Levine

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Before purchasing your DSLR, it is critical to pick a brand for very practical reasons. Each DSLR brand has its own strengths, philosophies and limitations. As system cameras, DSLRs quickly acquire a multitude of dependent accessories which make switching brands more and more costly as time goes by. Each brand has a different lense mount, so anyone with a collection of lenses is probably gonna prefer that brand. So when buying a camera you also need to think about the lenses you have and the lenses you want.

Moments: In an Instant Photography by Alan Williamson

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In an Instant Seeing through the freelancer’s lens

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he sweat, the booming bass that shakes one’s heart, a massive crowd roaring to the singer on the outdoor stage of the Austin City Limits music festival. The shouting and clinking of human and metal, merging into one, on a distant offshore rig overlooking the vast sea and perilous waves. The moment when a skinny kid, draped in a shirt much too big for him, reaches out for a piece of warm, soft bread. All caught in the click of a shutter.

“There’s no certainty with photography.

But I love to grab a camera and go out and hope,” says John Wildgoose, a freelance photographer who travels all over the world, capturing the lives of people and the true beauty of nature. “If you

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are not sure you’ll get something, getting anything is always a bonus, getting something great is breathtaking.”

It’s not easy to take quality photos.

The perfect photos don’t come from sitting on the couch, especially for the freelance photographer. They travel all over the world, they continuously study photography, and they dedicate themselves to a great photo.

“I travel extensibly with regular visits to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the U.S.,” says Wildgoose, who has multiple successful portfolios from those trips.

Freelance photography consists 63 percent of the 157,500 photography jobs in America, and it ranks as one of the most sought-after careers by teens. It’s not the most reliable job, and it’s not the highest paying job. Why is it so popular?

The secret lies in the fact that photography comes in various forms and is motivated by many things. A photo, if taken well, captures the moment and all the feelings with it.

Photography is a job without limitation of age. Wildgoose has been taking photos for 26 years. He started with a degree in photography and enough experience to be a freelance photographer. Today teens start freelance photography as early as 16 or 17, still in school.

“I got started in music photography,” says Alan Williamson, a concert and adventure photographer in his junior year of high school. He has already worked for several newspapers and magazines, and is currently working with C3 Presents, a production company.

“It was because I played drums for many years and I had to stop playing drums for a little while, but I wanted to stay involved in the music so I started taking pictures of different bands that I knew, and it progressed from there.”

Starting in the early teens without the proper experience can be challenging.

It’s difficult to learn professional photography as a student in high school.

“I learned a lot from my highschool teacher, and I taught myself a lot of stuff, and really the things that I didn’t learn I had to teach myself in the situation,” says Alan, as he lets out a small laughter. “I got it right and I got a good picture, I got it wrong and I ruined the whole thing.”

Freelance photography is not an exclusive job. Freelance photographers work with other people to create a bigger, richer portfolio. Freelancing is for those who enjoy photography and brings it beyond what’s requested of the customer or the employer. They develop their unique feel, and bring it out through photography.

For an assignment, such as festivals or conferences, Alan’s crew sits down the day before, planning the shoots and the schedule.

They don’t discuss the sites or the style. It’s up to each photographer to bring out the best results. They will gather things to shoot the best photo, they are off to experience the event.

“It really becomes the fun time when you

get to go and take pictures and experience the event,” says Alan as he recalls the moments.

These experiences don’t have to come from certain group or company. Most freelance photographers travel at their own expense in search of inspiring photos.

Now, Alan travels to different parts of the city, photographing different bands and musicians. As a junior in highschool.

The motivation for photography does not have to be such a dramatic event.

Story by Jongwook Mah

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I got it right and I got a good picture, I got it wrong and I ruined the whole thing El Lobo is with his beloved guitar, posing his signature pose.

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The wish to capture a piece of nature, the desire to continue with a dream. It can be as simple as imitation. It grows and expands to turn into a photo that truly captures the life of the subject.

This is very possible from a very young age, through an unnoticeable event.

“I started taking pictures first of nature and still-life because it seemed really fun and I had seen so many beautiful pictures of nature,” says Marcella, a freshman at Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, devoted in photography and yearbook.

Everybody starts with the curiosity, the amazement of an image that compels and speaks to them. No one starts as a professional photographer. “I was handed a DSLR in eighth grade for the first time and our teacher had us go out into the hallways and mess around with them,” says Marcella about the first time she took a photo with a DSLR.

She has increased her knowledge and experience in photography since.

Now she is known among her peers in the school as a talented photographer.

In the society with abundance of high quality cameras and endless ways to learn photography, students develop interest in photography early on. A curiosity in middle school can lead to professional freelancer as junior.

The captivation of photography differs from person to person, one doesn’t have to be a professional to create

a stunning photo. The willingness and desire of better photography is what leads to a ravishing and enduring photo.

The growing popularity of photography, the accessibility of professional knowledge, the abundance of great photos overwhelm the current generation with motivation to take an interest in the path of photographer. And out of those, the dedicated freelancers bring out the gem that exerts energy and breath. They explore the uncertainty and come out with a certainty which becomes the pathway for the followers.

The crowd, responding to the booming bass of the Austin City Limits music festival taken by Alan Williams. The perilous sea and the skinny kid with the warm bread, captured in the moment by John Wildgoose. The moments are alive.

The possibilities are embedded in the pixels, the film that will last and remember the moment.

These picture are the accomplishment of the countless hours of work by someone who wants to capture an idea. Photograph that contains the consciousness of the moment.

Wildgoose points out, “What might seem to be success from the outside, to you it’s merely the happy culmination of a lot of effort. Ultimately success should be something that is reconciled in your heart alone, not measured by reputation, accolade or, least of all, wealth.”

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TIPS FOR FREELANCING Page by Jongwook Mah

Thinking of starting freelance photography? Here’s some tips to give you a head start!

“If you try to be all things to all people, you will fail. Find your specialty, your niche, that one thing that you love photographing more than anything else, and focus on becoming the best you can be at that.” – Rich Demanowski, portrait photographer

FOCUS On What You Have

“To have stressed less about what I didn’t have (i.e. equipment, etc.). Focused more on what I do have (i.e. network of supportive friends and family who believed in me.). And how to have made better use of the resources that are out there which make starting up a photography business a touch easier and more profitable earlier on.” – Jennifer Langille, sports photographer

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Take It SERIOUSLY

“1) Always looking for the next job takes more endurance than you imagine.

2) Your costs are far more than you estimate.

3) It’s just as important to keep in in touch with old clients as finding new.” – Shane Srogi, commercial and editorial photographer

2 Christel Wellens

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Tauchsafaris Similan

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FIND Your Specialty

BUILD a Website, Build Portfolios

Your website is going to be your most important tool. It is what most people will look at when considering you for a job and your effort and/or money should be invested here. Keep in mind that you are only as good as your worst photo, so don’t just throw up every photo that you think looks decent. Sometimes less is more.

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Keep a CONSISTENT Schedule Start work at the same time as everyone else. Work and sleep the same hours hours every day. This was something that I did not do when I first started out and I lost a lot of productivity and it made work a lot less fun. I often think about that almost ‘romantic’ ideal of the semi-deranged writer spending coffee fueled nights churning out those magical pages. That is a tough lifestyle to succeed on.

You will have much more energy and get much more done if you keep the same early schedule every day. - James Maher

Johnny Silvercloud

Be READY “I learned from a mentor early on that one really needs to be more than a business person than an artist. There are some incredible photographers out there that are eating bread and water, and some really [bad] ones making a fortune! Also, don’t start with zero in the bank. Always have a slight financial buffer. Always remember to pay yourself – including retirement savings. This buffer means you can keep things going in bad times too.” – Alistair Blair, wedding photographer

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Keep LEARNING

Learning how to truly exploit social media so that you can leverage your network AND your client’s network. This should save a lot of time, and more importantly to a lot of photographers just getting started, it is absolutely free. James Maher

RESPOND When Contacted If you are contacted by someone looking for your services, chances are that they just spent the time to look at your work, liked it and now you are fresh in their mind. Every second that you wait dissipates this freshness. Get the dialogue going quickly and the person will often not look elsewhere. -James Maher

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From Lens to Likes

by Emma Seaborn photo by Paarsa Haft

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How the web is changing photography

T

he girl in the photograph stands tall, hair as yellow and windblown as the surrounding tulips. She appears almost otherworldly against the background of milky clouds framing her.

In a normal gallery, maybe a hundred or so people would see this picture. But here, the photo has more than 3,000 likes, 65 comments, and a viewing pool upwards of 40 thousand.

“Instagram was the main influence of what sparked my interest in photography,” says Paarsa Haft, the photo’s creator and owner of a popular photography account (@pnh_) on social media. “I didn’t know how long I would use it for, but as I started gaining followers I realized that it’s the best way to show my work to a large amount of people at once.”

Four years and more than 320 posts later, the result is an extensive collection of squarecropped photos as coordinated and polished as a professional’s gallery. But 17-year-old Haft, who first started taking pictures with his iPhone and currently only displays his work on online forums, by no means classifies as a traditional photographer. So how did he gather such a following?

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“I think it’s made it extremely easy to display work and gain attention in an online platform,” he says. “There are so many people who don’t have access to certain museums and galleries, but online anybody can see works of art that’s on display.”

The rising popularity of social media allows countless other young photographers like Haft the opportunity to exhibit their work to an audience of thousands with just the touch of a button. More than 60 percent of internet users in the U.S. log onto a social media account each day. Haft spends most of his time on Tumblr and Instagram, the sixth and seventh most popular sites (respectively). Other online giants include Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, and Facebook, with Facebook weighing in at #1. However, although Facebook has the most users, 61 percent are aged 35 or older. Instagram proves to be a much younger platform: over 90 percent of users are under 35.

“Kids that are 12 or 13 can now almost professionally edit a photo because of the social media resources available!” says 19-yearold Ruby James, a working portrait photographer and social media user, known online as @akimuby.

Indeed, the rise of social media has shifted the balance of power from corporations to the individual. Students, beginners, and unprofessionals can effortlessly share

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their art and gain recognition. That’s not to say that acquiring followers is a piece of cake.

Quality matters most on Instagram, not quantity: although it ranks as one of the most popular sites, it accounts for only 7 percent of daily photo uploads among the top four photo-sharing platforms. Well-composed and interesting photos more often attract likes and follows. However, the online world offers a myriad of inspiration for every type of photography.

Vada Andrews, a high school freshman and amateur photographer, admits the photos she sees online heavily influence her own work.

“It’s definitely an advantage to... expose yourself to new photographers,” she says. Andrews follows many photographers on Instagram and other sites. She especially enjoys conceptual and nature photography, but she often takes portraits of friends.

“[Social media] definitely opened up a lot more access to me to see new artists or new works that I’m interested in,” Andrews continues. She also says being able to communicate so easily with professionals through the internet definitely acts as an advantage.

Although she posts on her Instagram account casually, Andrews still occasionally releases her own pictures onto the web to float amongst those of highly experienced working photographers. But if it’s so easy to create a

and share professional-quality photos, what does that mean for the future of employed photographers?

James answers that online platforms have hugely impacted the photographic community.

“Professional photographers now have to not only produce great work, they also have to connect with their following and remember to post frequently or they’ll be forgotten or ignored,” she says.

Although harsh at times, social media can prove a helpful asset for those who know how to use it. “It can lead to countless amounts of opportunities for photographers,” says Haft.

In fact, social sites are often much more than simply a fun way to display work. Haft and thousands of others have been offered sponsorships and interviews. For James, recognition has attracted an even larger reward.

“I’ve gotten opportunities with a couple clothing companies,” she says. “I just went through a big thing with Calvin Klein where they used my photo on a shirt, and I never would have [had] that had it not been for Instagram.”

Social media doesn’t just hold business opportunities. Online, anyone can share their opinion or view on the world. Through the internet, many have found new perspectives on life and become more open-minded.

“I saw this really cool photo a while ago about the destruction of rainforests,” recounts Andrews. “[It’s] interesting to see how photos can make such a statement.”

Even so called “big accounts” gain inspiration from other shared work. “I screenshot things I love daily,” admits James, whose own followers often recreate her photos or concepts. She aims to bring original elements into her own posts in the hopes of emboldening someone to try something new.

James describes the online photography community as extremely supportive and friendly.

“I’ve made so many amazing photographer friends online by just asking them a question and getting into a conversation with them,” she says. She often talks to her followers as well, replying to direct messages and answering questions about gear.

“I’m overjoyed and overwhelmed by how much love [there is],” adds Haft.

And the online community continues to grow. More people and countries have access to the Internet than ever before. About 60 percent of

photos by Ruby James adjacent images by Paarsa Haft

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Instagram users live outside of the U.S. Reaching out to people oceans away is as easy as commenting on a photo.

Many users have Internet friends or even entire social groups online, sometimes consisting of people from different countries, races, and religions. In the virtual photography world, it’s common for users to host contests together, help each other gain recognition, and leave compliments in the comments section under the post.

With such incredible access to communication, inspiration, editing apps, and more, the line between professional and amateur is blurring further. What counts as art and what doesn’t continues to grow harder and harder to define. Photography is a more open field than ever, and anyone can join the game.

“I think my favorite part about taking photos is that I can capture an entire memory in a single snapshot, and keep that memory in a physical form for the rest of my life,” says Haft. For the first time in history, social media makes these memories available to all.

Ruby James’ photos, top and right, use lighting and props to capture the subject’s emotion.

Paarsa Haft’s work, bottom, often incorporates natural elements and captures other parts of the subject besides the face.

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There are many varieties of photography out there. Unsuprisingly, it’s no different in the online world. But no matter what the style, a cohesive feed is more likely to get likes and follows. Take this quiz to find out which blog type is best for you! page and art by Emma Seaborn

Your favorite subject in school is/was

A

Geography/ World Cultures

B

Art

C

Lunch

It’s a Friday night and you have no plans. You

A

grab your trusty binoculars and set off into

the woods for some adventuring

B

sit down to ponder life’s mysteries

C

go shopping

How much free time do you have for taking photos?

A

a few hours on weekends/ after school/work

B

However long it takes to get my message into the

world

C

a few minutes here and there Your spirit animal is

A

a fly on the wall

B

a human. After all, aren’t people just animals

too?

C

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whichever tropical bird I saw on my last vacation

Your go-to drink is

A

anything goes!

B

water (but is the glass half empty of half full?)

C

a chai latte, served in my favorite decorative

mug How are you with editing?

A I know how to do a few touch-ups

B

Photoshop is my second language!

C

I’m really good at choosing Instagram filters

You find joy in

A

the world around you

B

the chemical messages in the brain that

dictate human emotion

C

the little things in life

mostly a’s

Landscape/Portrait Portraits capture a person or group of people, either candid or posed, and can be made unique through lighting and composition. Landscapes portray spaces within environments, whether urban or natural.

Both landscape and portrait elements can be combined to create some really interesting photos.

mostly b’s

Conceptual

Conceptual photos illustrate ideas and aim to make a point about some aspect of the world. Props, makeup, etc. are often added to the scene to make the idea clear. This style can involve a lot of digital modification, so having a program like Photoshop or a good editing app is a great idea. Creating conceptual work can take a long time, but the results can be striking.

mostly c’s

Lifestyle

Lifestyle blogs document the way the blogger lives, usually through pictures of food, clothes, products, etc. Background and color are important in maintaining an aesthetically appealing lifestyle feed. Taking a lifestyle photo, though sometimes requiring arrangement, is usually quick and can be done well with nothing but a phone camera.

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Dolly - Fruit Bats Morocco - Moon Taxi Rendez Vous - La Plage California Sunrise - Dirty Gold Young Fathers - Typhoon Thunder Clatter - Wild Cub Pools - Glass Animals Ominous Cloud - Broadcast Sticks & Stones - Dresses

PLAYLIST

photo by Ruby James

10,000 Emerald Pools - Borns Slow Burn - Made in Heights Reflections - Misterwives Plants and Worms - Girlpool A Thing for Me - G-Eazy The Box - Damien Rice Taro - Alt-J Who Knew - You Won’t Dreams - Wet

KEESHI INGRAM - PHOTOGRAPHER w w w. a d a p t i v e c a m e r a . c o m d

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