A Pleasant Evening

A Pleasant Evening

Photography is very much a game of planning and luck.  I planned to take this image back in March when I was at Badlands National Park, however I wasn't able to.  Some nights it was cloudy (many nights in the early evening) so I couldn't get it; other nights the moon would interfere and some nights I was socializing with my friends at the park or working on other projects.  I just couldn't get it to work out that I could get this shot.  Last night, however, that changed.

I went up to Fossil Trail area to start with my sunset shots and got what I could before the sun dropped down below the buttes.  I then went down towards where I was going to shoot this and started to talk with a sweet lass as the sun was setting.  It was rather nice to be sociable with someone since I've been spending a lot of my time here alone with my camera or computer.  She wanted to see some of the shots I lost since I still had low res photos on the iPad and I offered to help her do some star trail shots.  Sadly, we couldn't figure out how to turn off the noise reduction on long exposures for one camera and the other one was auto focus so wasn't happy with the darkness.  Did give her a couple tips on just some star shots so hopefully they turned out well for her.

She was a little worried she destroyed my shot with how some of the things were going, but as anyone can see, it didn't turn out too badly, not at all.  Plus, I greatly appreciated her joining me as it made for a much more pleasant evening as I would have just sat there watching Battlestar Galactica on my iPad and talking while looking at the stars was more enjoyable.

So, a big Thank You to the Polish lass who joined me, made the evening even better.

Automation in Photography

Today is a better day, temperature wise, here in South Dakota, but I decided to do some work on the pictures I've taken rather go into the park.  One, it is still hot for me and Two, I plan on doing some night shots again so why bother wearing myself out shooting all day and into the night?  I'm doing more of what I had originally intended to do back in the spring but for various reasons didn't.

Sunset at Badlands National Park

Over the years photography has moved to making things more and more automated.  First there became auto processors for our film and now with Adobe Lightroom (r) and Photoshope (r) you can automate many of your tasks as a photographer.  Want to set a blanket color adjustment across the board, easily done with a few clicks and bingo. Want to remove a pesky person from the image? Well, just select and hit delete and tell the software to be aware of the content and match it.  So many ways to automate things. 

Even the HDR software I use can go through a directory and process each image into it's HDR form and then process it into a form that we can use on the web. (Any HDR image on ANY website isn't a true HDR image, the web standards don't allow it for one and most monitors can display them properly.  You have to translate it into another format that can be properly displayed).  I don't use a lot of this though. I may have the HDR software create the HDR image and save it, but I go through each one and look at them to tweak them the way I want.

Moon Light shot at Badlands National Park

So, instead of letting my computer do all the work I have spent the day working on processing as many of the images as I can get done that I've taken so far.  I have several hundred tiff files that are ready to be brought into Photoshop to process into a final image and that will take a lot of work as I sift through them all, looking and deciding what to display and what to keep locked away on my hard drive.

Hence, why does it take me so long to process my images? Because I do it all myself.  I don't let the computer choose what is the look I want just like I don't let me camera choose what is the best aperture and shutter speed for a shot.  This is MY ART and not what some company thinks what it should look like.

Not a fan of hot weather....

Hot weather and I don't get along too well, actually, it's a trigger for my migraines, one of two that I know of actually.  It's really more the sun than the heat actually, but I still don't like the heat too much as I get too bloody hot and sweat a LOT.  So being here in South Dakota at the moment, to reshoot some images from Badlands National Park, is bloody uncomfortable!  It's been over 100 a couple days, up towards 110, and the other days it is still in the 90s.  Way too bloody hot for me! Would much rather it be in the 70s during the day, not lucky to be in the 70s at night!

Anyways, I have had a good night to get out and shoot, sadly only one good one and one that I could get some before the clouds came in.  During the one good night I spent from about 8:30 until 12:30 driving and shooting in the park, didn't get to everyplace I wanted for moonlight shots and hopefully I can get back out tonight though I couldn't start until nearly 9:30-10 tonight due to the time the moon rises.  So, if I can make it out, it will be another late night and I just can't get much sleep in the morning since other people are packing up and making noise starting around 6:30am :/

Anyways, here is a picture I took around Sheep Mountain Table as the moon was rising on a hot night. Due to a nice haze I didn't see many stars this night. :(

And here is another image from the better night.  I haven't really looked at any of the images from this night so this is actually grabbed by randomness (well, it was the first one in the directory for that day as I shot past midnight so a new directory was made for that day's shots.

Intro and Getting Ready

I recently drove my son to his college in Dallas and I was bored on that long drive home.  So what do I do? I use the window mount for my iPhone and it's front camera to record some videos of me talking.  Some of them are on specific pieces, some of them are on specific series or concepts and this one is just a little introduction.  There was no scripting to this so if it's confusing, that is why.  Kinda gives you an insight into how my mind jumps around, which is why I can make it as an artist ;) 

On Tuesday, August 27th, I will be heading back to Badlands National Park to reshoot some of the images that I lost when my hard drive crashed, plus shoot some new images, including one I had intended but never was able to get to.  Looking forward to going back and I will be attempting to do some posting when I'm not crashed from the lack of sleep or out shooting day and night.

Life's Challenges....

I have been silent for awhile, bad Steven.  I have several topics I need to write on, but we'll start with the bad.... very bad... well, quite devastating to me actually.

A major problem with shooting digital and being on the road, it can be expensive to keep multiple copies of the images.  I checked into online backups and it would be $3,000+/year for the amount of data I would need, plus you need to have internet access to upload the files.

Hard drives are fragile devices, they can and do break down.  I don't know if it is directly related to the flood in Thailand (which is where many companies have their manufacturing including Nikon, Seagate and Western Digital) or not, but I was recently told by two data recovery firms that they are seeing a 15%+ failure rate of new drives within the first year..... Anyways, not easy and still time consuming to make multiple copies if you are on the road, especially if you are camping in a tent.

So, if you haven't guessed by now, I plugged in my hard drive to back it up after returning home and it crashed on me.  I lost all but a couple days of images.  Thankfully, my Professional Photographers Association includes coverage for data loss and I'm talking with the lawyer who manages that trust, and there might be a solution that will let me go back out for a shorter time to take pictures again.  However, I've lost some fantastic and great images, they can never be recovered.... So so sad....

Glen Canyon NRA, Monument Valley and Natural Bridges NM

Today we started off visiting Glen Canyon National Recreation Area which is on Lake Powell. This is a gorgeous area to visit and I had no clue about it (I am sure there are many more that I have no clue about.) the reason for stopping here was Doctor Who as part of Series 6 was filmed there. I have so many pictures to convert to b/w as I didn't shoot a lot of film there. The striations in the rocks were fantastic to look at and this is a region that had a lot of geologic activity so the striations are at many different angles giving a lot of lines for your eyes to follow. Loved it!

We went to the Lone Rock area of the park. There was a cute fee collector with an accent and voice that I could lose myself listening to. Even my son liked it and told me I could date her, hahaha (laughing at his comment not at dating her) while it was a short visit I know I will go back there again to camp and get more shots. Just need to get access to a boat for a day and night. Would be ideal to have the money to rent a house boat for a couple days to explore around the lake and to get some great shots!

We also went over to Monument Valley due to Doctor Who. This is another gorgeous place, but depending on the state of the road you may want a vehicle with a higher clearance than my Sentra. We bottomed on rocks twice and decided it just wasn't worth it between that and the fact that you cannot take any pictures for commercial use or public exhibition without acquiring a permit before you arrive. At least in our National Parks if you are shooting landscapes and not paid to be there you do not need a permit. I've seen some worse than here. There is a place in Grand Rapids that not only do you need to pay big bucks for a permit, you need to pay $300 or 10% of sales, whichever is greater. I just didn't think it was worth my time right now.

We then drove to Natural Bridges National Monument. We did get there near sunset, which I thought would be great. However between the tall rocks surrounding the valley and the clouds, there wasn't much to get a shot of. The angles were all wrong. No problem, I wanted to do a star trail more as they're rarer to see. Damn clouds wouldn't behave so no shots. Plus the campground was full and the nearest place was 40 miles away.

Today will be better, today is Canyonlands NP and we will arrive soon (or we may have left already depending on if I have a signal to send this)

Pig Dig at Badlands National Park

In the early 90's a photographer discovered a bone in the ground and he did the right thing, he left it and reported it to the proper people. This discovery turned into a 15 year excavation where they collected 10,000+ specimens.

During my Artist in Residency position I was asked if I would be willing to take a of the Pig Dig site to be used on a new wayside sign. It ends up that the picture will be used on two 4'x6 signs, one at Fossil Trail and one on the Pig Dig trail that they are building in 2013 I was very happy and excited to get this shot for the park. Below is the full image I created, though it will be cropped down to the needed proportions.

The original image is 27" x 62" and I took 105 shots to create this picture. It took many hours to get it stitched together properly due to the fast moving clouds.

I looks forward to going back to the park and seeing the signs installed with my picture on them.

The Residence is Over

The time for me to leave the Badlands has passed and I'm currently sitting in a pizza bar in West Yellowstone. I wanted some somewhat real food after the last few days.

I have no regrets from my time at the park, it is a fantastic program and I don't understand why they don't get more applicants. Hopefully that will change though.

I made a few great friends while there and will miss them all. I'm looking forward to seeing them again in August for the astronomy festival.

As a photographer I did grow. I had a lot of fun acting with black and white infrared film and have kept a couple rolls to use in Yellowstone tomorrow. Tonight however, I shall rest and try to upload a few more things to Flicker (just search for the same name as this blog) I supplied the park some images that have Ben used in press releases as well as one that will be printed on two 4x6 signs. One on Fossil Trail and one for the new trail at their Pig Dig site. These should be installed next year so I'll have to come back out and see them!

Attached a couple images I've been playing with on my iPad.

To HDR or not to HDR, that is the question!

Behind I Go
Badlands National Park

I love HDR photography, when it is used for the original purpose of creating an image that looks more like what I saw in real life. From my understanding, HDR was developed in Hollywood so their backgrounds would look more realistic to the audience which would help them suspend their disbelief and accept the story as real, at least during the time they are watching the movie.

Over time, however, the technique has moved out of Hollywood and into general photographer's hands. Some of us try to keep to that idea of the image looking real while others create exaggerated (and sometimes very highly exaggerated) images.  I don't have any of those types of images and won't link to someone's work without permission, so sorry, no pictures.  They are easy to find though.

Personally, and I know some people will take offense at it, more times than not I think the people who use exaggerated HDR are attempting to cover up for their lack of photography skills.  They can't get a great composition or think through a concept to have a picture tell a story so they use HDR to draw people into their work because of the feelings an over-dramatic image can create in people these days. I do understand that a few of them may have great technique and abilities but have decided to use HDR as their style, but I think it is few of those who use it.

Buried No More
Devils Tower National Monument

To give an example, the picture of Devil's Tower above. I posted this image to an HDR group on DeviantArt to help get more people to see it.  The admin of the group has to approve any images before they are added and he denied the image as he didn't think it was an HDR image.  I sent him a note questioning it and explaining that I used 9 exposures to create a realistic image of what I was looking at.  His response was that I wasted my time and energy since I didn't use all that data to create a different looking image, it wasn't processed to look like something different. What can one say to that without being antagonistic?  All I could respond what that I try to create realistic images.  I didn't say anything else, didn't attack him for his close minded attitude, but as I looked through the pictures more closely I realized that there was a LOT more shoddy photography than there was good photography and I don't recall if I saw anything that made me go "WOW!"

I do use HDR with a majority of my digital works, but even then there comes a time that it just doesn't create that realistic look or that story that I am wanting to tell.  Look at this picture, which is split between the first shot of the series of 7 and the HDR image.

To HDR or not to HDR, that is the question!

Each side does tell a slightly different story, but now which is more realistic? The right side, while there is more detail in the rock formations like you would see if you were there, the sky however just doesn't look right to me. The left side the rock formations are  more difficult to see, but the sky is more like I was seeing, especially with the really hot spot that turns nearly white. It may surprise some people, and one person I asked on my Facebook page stated they thought I'd like the right one better, but the left one is the one I will use for a print.  It conveys the story that I was wanting to tell from the scene.

For me, I put in time thinking about all my images when I'm processing them for pieces.  I work to try and create something realistic and that tells the story that I want.  There are times that I need to make that decision to HDR or not to HDR; sometimes it is an easy answer, other times I really need to think about how each technique conveys they story I'm wanting to tell.  More often than not, when I find myself debating about it I go with the as shot version.  There is still something about the emotions it can convey that makes it the correct choice, for ME.

- Steven
Do you like the images on my blog? Most of them can be found on my Facebook Page or website.  Just follow the links and like them there, I would greatly appreciate it! Like my Facebook Page to keep an eye out for contests that I occasionally have.

Why do you still shoot film at times?

A Harsh Life

What do you think of that image?  Please consider that I have not taken any time to create a nice scan, I haven't even printed it yet actually.  It is just a quick and dirty scan of a negative while I'm loving my Artist in Residence position at Badlands National Park. Now again, really look at that picture, what do you think of it?  Ok, the horizon is a little off, easy correction.  But what is the story you get from it?  Would it be the same in color?

So why do I still shoot film at times? Honestly, I am not one of those who think film = art, digital = play or something else besides art.  The fact is, to get great final images it still takes an understanding of art.  Yes, there are many things you can do with software that isn't as easy, or possible even, than in the darkroom.  However, I'll be scanning in an image that was done strictly in the camera that has a second image superimposed over the background and the shot below was done strictly in the darkroom so there are things that can be done.

Ghost Eyes

So why do I still shoot film at times? Simply put, it makes me a better photographer!  Because of my experience with film in the past, and my playing with it still today, it makes me think more about my shot before I take it.  I'm not thinking "Oh, I can remove that person in software so why wait for them to move?" or anything else along those lines.  I'm thinking how can I get the best shot in 1-3 exposures (I still bracket because light doesn't always do what you think)  I don't want to waste precious activations of my mirror or sensor on the digital so I don't want to shoot 10,000 shots to get 1 good one.  Wait, did you just read that right?  Yes, there is a limited number of shots that a DSLR camera will take before the sensor or mirror will fail and that is a thought in my mind.  I also think that I don't want to cull through that many shots to find the good ones.  I want them right from the beginning!

There is another reason to get things right in the camera; it comes down to the quality of the final image, but that will be in another blog post.

I do hope you enjoy looking at some of my black and white film shots.  You can find them on my Facebook page that focuses on my art photography.  Make sure to like it as there will be an upcoming contest either on my way back from my Artist in Residence at Badlands National Park or after I return home. I can tell you that the contest will be regarding the pictures I took on this trip.

Blast from the Past

It has been really fun for me to get back to some of my basics!  I've missed the smell of chemicals on my hands, and the day I developed this print I was happy smelling them on my hands a couple hours later.  Sad you might think, but hey, it's me!

I found this skull while hiking in a canyon while at Badlands National Park during my Artist in Residence position.  I was actually hiking with a group of kids from The Calhoun School in NYC.  The teacher was showing the kids different feathers of the skull after I took these shots..... or maybe before.  Anyways, I have been having a great time playing with the black and white film again!  I need to go out and take a lot more shots with both film and digital yet, but there are 4 more works of work ahead of me, w00t!

All of these shots are not touched up in Photoshop.  All I did was scan them in and a few I did crop, but that is all.  No special settings on the scanner, no dodging and burning (I'll do that in the darkroom on prints), not levels, exposure, etc.  Just a simple scan, a few crops and, oh yeah, the scanner didn't recognize the difference between black and white and color negatives so I did convert everything to black and white.

The End of the First Week is Nigh Upon Me...

Unnamed Night Sky Picture

It is amazing to think I have nearly completed my first 7 full days in Badlands National Park.  I have had an amazing week here though I have spent a lot of my time hiking and getting ideas.  It has been a really nice change being able to look around and let the ideas flow through my head.  I have been able to experiment with some new ideas and techniques as well.  This way, knowing if I can or can't make them work, I can add that data into my thinking of what I'm doing.  The picture above is one I just did tonight to prepare for a class I am teaching on Friday to a group of students from the Calhoun School in New York City. I can see something that I need to change, but I am not sure I'll be able to 100% remove the problem with this location, but I make due with what is readily available! Other locations though, it won't be a problem!

I have also been doing some time lapse photography while I am out hiking.  Some have turned out really well, others haven't.  It has been a lot of fun playing with it though. This first one was promoted by National Park Foundation on both Facebook and Twitter.  There support by sharing it was very much appreciated!

I also have a couple posted from the hikes and not just driving.

I am looking forward to this next week, working with the students, working on getting my camera attached to two telescopes that have filters for sun viewing.  I might be able to get some neat shots with that setup.  One is better at seeing sunspots and the other is better are solar flares.  I'm looking forward to the playing!

There are some great people here that I have met and talked with.  Julie, Sara, Tricia, John, Pat and Ed have all be great!  I have enjoyed talking with you, hanging out when we can, etc.  Looking forward to some more good times!

Nutty 3 Weeks Pt 2

Ok, it has taken me longer than I had planned to get to this next post,  but it just falls in line with everything going on.  I have arrived at Badlands National Park for Artist in Residence stay, though it was a long drive out, but I'll post on that another time when I manage to get the video done of the drive. Before I begin, if you haven't seen this yet, enjoy this video I made driving from the Northeast Entrance to Pinnacles Entrance at Badlands National Park.

The week before I was planning to arrive at Badlands National Park for my Artist in Residence position I, again, started to feel unwell.  This time it wasn't my gall bladder, but a bit of congestion, stuffiness and an itchy throat.  As the day progressed I also started to feel a bit warm.  On Tuesday I ended up with a fever over 100.

Immediately I started to use some Thieves blend of essential oils from Young Living on my chest and I would put a couple drops in water to gargle with and drink.  I also used some peppermint oil from Young Living on my chest and the bottom of my feet and put them both in my diffuser.  By morning, fever was gone, however, after being awake for a few hours it came back.  By the time I left work (didn't stay too long) my fever was nearing 102 so I went back into my room, continued the routine with the oils and diffuser and didn't do much of anything the rest of the day.  By Thursday morning I was once again feeling much better and this time it didn't come back. It did take a few more days to get all my energy back though, but that's better than being totally out for all those days.

The only thing I could think of that I caught was I had seen my brother the Thursday before and that day he was diagnosed with a viral bronchitis, I believe. He fought it for nearly a week before going to the doctor who gave him an inhaler to use as there wasn't much that could be done about a virus.

In the end, due to the gall bladder and fever I lost nearly 1 week of my last 3 weeks to prepare either from not being able to do anything for 4 days to being exhausted after just a little effort as my body attempted to heal itself.

On top of all that, I also had computers not working properly so I had to spend time getting them working again.  My son was supposed to fly home the day before I left, but his flight was canceled and I moved my leaving day back a day so I could see him for part of a day before leaving.

The day that I left I had to complete invoices and preparing pictures for a portrait client that waited until the last minute and another client that asked me to print a couple pictures from her daughter's wedding from the CD the photographer gave her because Shutterfly didn't give her what she wanted (granted, they didn't have much to work with) and I didn't finish those until that day.  I had a couple things go wrong at work that I had to clear up.  I managed to leave at 4pm rather than earlier in the day.

Yes, things went crazy, but in the end, it is all worth it and I will continue to have a great time here.  Just need to adjust to a different schedule as the sun is rising near 6am already and I do want some sunrise pictures...

Arrived at Badlands National Park

I still have more to write about what happened as I prepared to leave for the park, but I am on the tired side tonight after my first full day in the park.  I did a little bit of hiking and have some ideas on where to do some night and sunset pictures, but I also took a bunch of time lapse pictures along the scenic bypass in the park.  I have put one set together as a video.  I will post some more data later, but enjoy this short clip.

Nutty 3 weeks!! Pt 1.

Around the Bend

Wow, it seems like whenever I need to prepare to be gone for any period of time something in my mind makes life go nutty for me.  There also appears to be a relation between the nutty factor and the length of time I'll be gone.  Just a day, slightly nutty but deal-able without much difficulty. 1-2 weeks, well that gets more interesting. This 8-9 weeks of being gone has reached an entirely new level of nuttyness in my life!

Since my proposal for this Artist in Residence included blogging about this trip from acceptance until I complete the work I've decided to write a couple blogs going over some of this nuttyness and what I've been doing to overcome it.  Hopefully, once I leave it will disappear and I can focus on my art.

This specific blog will deal with some health things that have come up recently.  Something you should know about me, I think drugs and surgery are a last resort.  If they are needed to save my life because I'd die very soon without them then I'll consent to it.  I do, on occasion, take some Excedrin Migraine when I have one after I try heat and oils first. Many times, those work and handle what is going on, but not always :(

On Feb 16th I started to have some discomfort in my abdomen, but didn't think too much of it since it's been off and on for a few months and I was told I had a hiatal hernia and usually I would feel it when I put pressure on my abdomen, like bending over to tie my shoes. Pain was in the same general location so I just figured I just aggravated it.  Friday morning the pain was much greater and within 30 minutes of waking up I couldn't take it and went to the ER.  My system took over a week to deal with the drugs they put into me and they told me I have gallstones.  The doctors solution, the ONLY solution, was to have it removed.  I had no signs of infection so it wasn't an urgent need. I asked about other solutions and the ER doctor said the drugs were really expensive, had horrible side effects and weren't reliable.  He then walked out of the room so I couldn't ask anymore questions, told me I was good to go home and to follow up with my primary care physician. I put off that call until they called me actually.

I did call a naturalistic practitioner and she was reluctant to do anything citing that the treatment isn't often helpful and it can cause an acute attack. I can understand that and I appreciate her being upfront with me about it.  I would hate to be in her shoes trying to help someone and they have an attack during it and need emergency surgery. I have no qualms to see her again for help or exercise classes because she was honest and stuck with her integrity. I wouldn't even want to try and change her mind on it.

I talked with my chiropractor who told me to take something called Beta-TCP as it has some of the pancreatic enzymes and research has shown that beets have an amazing ability to thin the bile.  He did a kinesiology testand and my body loved it so I have been taking these with every meal.

In the past I also did some work with essential oils from Young Living Essential Oils.  While I haven't done much with the company over the past many years, I still keep a supply of peppermint oil as it helps me with heartburn from my hernia and my migraines.  I drink a couple drops of the oil in water (after shaking it up to mix it up or it isn't pleasant) Within 30 minutes any heartburn is gone and I love it.  In the past I would put some on the back of my neck, temples and forehead when I was getting a bad headache or migraine, but if you get it too close to your eyes the fumes make them water.  Lately I have used some mixed with their V-6 massage oil and wintergreen.  Within 10 minutes of rubbing it on my neck, shoulders, chest, temples and forehead my neck and shouldn't muscles are loose and I can move my head trying to touch my ear to shoulder and I'll feel the vertebrae in my neck move right back into place.

Majestic

When I did some research online it was recommended to drink Frankincense and lemon in water every hour. I did this for several days, though not always hourly.  I stopped for a couple days and started to feel the same discomfort that started the first time.  I drank some more while waiting for the other oils to arrive.  Never went beyond a mild pain.  Other research from Japan showed that the essential oils of citrus plants (lemon, orange and tangerine were mentioned specifically).  In those studies the oils were shown to soften and dissolve the stones over time.  One of the naturalistic remedies I've seen also include a lot of oranges to help soften the stones so they can be passed. I've not had any more problems for almost 2 weeks now and I'll continue to drink my water with citrus oils in them.

I added some other core supplements to help my body get balanced again so it can heal itself.  I truly am a believer that the body will heal itself if you handle the crud in your mind and give the body the nutrients it needs. I'm starting to feel better than I have in years, I'm having more energy and sleeping more soundly and less until.... well, this one is long enough so the next blog will get into the until....

I will be posting pictures, videos and other bits on this blog regarding my Artist in Residence at Badlands National Park. As of the publishing date of this blog I am still trying to raise some funds to help with this program as it is volunteer.  I have a Kickstarter campaign going until 4:24 EDT March 14th

The information in this blog isn't evaluated by the FDA nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.  It is only my observation from my own experience.

Why I was picked as the Artist in Resident for Badlands National Park

Julie Johndreau, Education Specialist for Badlands National Park, stated "Steven was selected for both his ability to interpret natural landscapes through his photography and for his commitment to educational outreach. Choosing just one or two artists is never an easy decision, but Steven's interests and background just fit great with our program."

Two weeks, a lot to do and balance must be found...

Behind I Go - Door Pass @ Badlands National Park

So, for those who follow me on Twitter, I've been rather quiet over there for the past week+.  As time is moving forward and it is getting closer and closer to my leaving, I'm focusing more and more on getting myself prepared to leave and my posting is falling back.  It also doesn't help that I had enough pain to drive me to the ER due to gallstones so I'm working on getting some balance back into my body.  Can't have surgery right now, nor do I ever want it!  So working on some alternative treatment, but that takes time.  Even the rare drugs doctors prescribe take a long time to dissolve the stones.  So, here's a brief rundown of what I need to accomplish in the next two weeks:

1. Improve my nutrition and get my body into a better state.
2. I still need to raise around $2,500 to fund the trip without having to borrow the money, granted, this probably didn't help with the initial attack or getting the balance back that I need.
3. I need to setup my office computers so that I can log in via the internet in case I need to debug any problems and to work on the financials at work while I am gone.
4. I am needing to move my studio so I need to pack everything up, clean up the suite I've been in and move it to the new place.
5. Need to do some construction in the new place to put everything.
6. Still need to make sure someone can run all the payroll and other functions I can't do while gone.
7. Need to plan out the part of the trip with my son and when my residency is done, which is April 27th.  I need to be in Dallas before May 7th and we need to be home around May 15th so he can make it to a job that is already arranged.  None of that is planned out as I'm not sure if what funds I'll have for it.  That $2,500 needed is only covering me through April 27th. :/
8. I still need to mat around 2 dozen prints and deliver them to the Arts Council of White Lake.
9. Need to truly finish my 2 leather/photo combination prints and get them hung at the Arts Council of White Lake.
10. Taxes for 2 businesses and the FAFSA turned in for my son.
11. Dehydrating food and making jerky to eat on the trip.
12. Inspecting all of my equipment (camera and camping) to make sure I get no surprises.
13. I have several modifications to do to my website that MUST be done before I leave so those who have done a business sponsorship get what I have promised them.
14. Order some new equipment (if I can find the funds) so I can accomplish everything I am trying to do.
15. Make a new panoramic head instead of spending several hundred on one.

And the list goes on and I have 14 days...

Why do this? Why put myself through such stress? Because in the end, I know it will be worth it! I love being in nature and shooting, it is what I want to be able to do for a living.  I'll need to arrange to have a booth at some different art shows and to sell some more pieces to help fund everything, but even then I will want to sell sponsorships to help fund some of these trips.  I like this idea of letting people who sponsor me to help pick out the piece they receive as the limited edition print. How often does that happen? If you want to be a part of that, visit my Kickstarter campaign and make the $50 pledge.  It gives you a voice in the limited edition piece you will receive.

Back to the beginning

"Sometimes you gotta go back to the beginning to learn" - 

Krs One

This is so true in photography, at least in my opinion.  There are concepts of digital photography that I wouldn't really understand without the darkroom experience that I have.  Dodging and burning are great examples.  In the darkroom, dodging is where you block light from hitting an area on the paper making the image lighter there and burning is where you allow more light to an area to make it darker.  The words make so much sense with that viewpoint.  When I first learned to print, I didn't learn the words, just the techniques.  I never understood what these tools were in Photoshop until I did some formal darkroom study, then it clicked.

So excited about my Artist in Residence position at Badlands National Park because I'll be spending some time back at my beginnings as a photographer.  I'll be shooting some film, between the Badlands and the trip home I plan on shooting 100' of film (20 rolls or so) Some of these are geared towards a book or other articles that I have planned on writing.  Some of them will be for the coffee table book I am going to self publish as well as a small collection of limited edition prints.

Shot through an 80mm Meade Telescope, non HDR

I'm also able to get back to one of my original inspirations for getting into photography, astrophotography.  I will have access to both of the parks telescopes, which I'll make sure I can hook up both my digital and film cameras to.  This way I can do some b/w shots on film and some color with the digital.  I might do some of the same objects to use as a comparison so people can see the difference between standard b/w print, standard digital image and an HDR image using the same area of the Moon as the subject.  One day, when I'm selling more prints, I'll but my own bigger telescope that I can use, has been a goal of mine for a very long time now.

So, it's back to the beginning to understand more about my art.  I'm looking forward to it and I hope you are too!

-Steven

You get what you pay for...

"Peaceful Turmoil"

 I know this doesn't have to do with my upcoming trip, but this is something I've been thinking about writing for awhile and more so as I see some 'specials' from various companies and artists.

First off, I have mentioned before one lab I had worked with in the past would use different quality of paper for different price points. The paper they used for school and sport pictures wasn't designed to last a lifetime, let alone more than one.  It was a cheaper paper that allowed them to offer a lower price.

I know when I look for paper for my prints I can find it ranging from around $45 for a 17" x 100' roll, which will allow me to print around 180 8x10 pictures so the paper would come to about $0.25 per print.  I can get a higher quality paper, standard glossy which I like to use, for around $100 for the same size roll which comes closer to $0.53 per 8x10 print.  All of my art pictures are printed on metallic paper, which is about $230 for the same size, which comes to $1.28 for, just the paper, for the same 8x10 print.

Now ink, because I do make giclee prints and run them through a printer that costs several thousands so I have a professional looking product.  I could get off brand inks for them, but the printer and print drivers aren't designed for them.  The color management I do isn't designed for the off brand inks either.  It just isn't worth cutting the costs to give a product I'm not 100% confident is the best that I can produce.

"Admire Me"

I can't recall who said that "An artist isn't paid for his time, he's paid for his concept.", but I don't fully agree with this.  Artists SHOULD be paid for their time.  Why is my time worth less than someone working at a fast food restaurant?!?! It isn't, in my book, and never will be.  So let's look at this upcoming trip for a minute.  I will be bringing around $6,000 of equipment with me, yes, $6,000  It is a lot.  Now, I'm gone for 2 months so when you consider expenses and loss of pay, there is another $4-5,000.  That's a lot of money, especially if I only get a couple great shots.  So let me say I put $6,500 into this one trip with equipment, expenses and loss of pay. and get 20 good shots, that is $325 per shot. O.o  If I was selling 8x10 pictures for $5.00 each that means I would need to sell 2,000 pictures to break even. 

Now, to add a little more.  Let's say I work 8hrs a day while there, and no I doubt I'll take any days off as I want to maximize my time, that is 448 hours and doesn't count any editing time.  At 2,000 pictures, $5. each, I've made NOTHING!  Would you work for 448 hours to receive no pay for your finished work? I don't think so.

An artists time is valuable and if you don't think their time is at least as valuable as  you, that is your choice, but I hope they will value your time just as much.  Honestly, I think $30 for a matted 8x10 print that has a UV coating on it is cheap.  I've had other people say that it is cheap as well.  If I didn't make any limited edition pieces, I would still need to sell 260 at $30 each to break even. 

Next time you are looking at an artists work, think about the time they put into it before deciding if it isn't worth the price and think how much is that time worth to you!

What possessed you to go without pay for two months?

Whitelake Lightstation

I have been asked that question, or something similar, more than once lately.  Often times, yes they do really ask "What possessed you..." For me, it's a no brainer, it's a challenge and can be a big hardship, but if I turned it down I would wonder why I was such an idiot.

So here is some data on why, for me, this is a no brainer.

1) I love the outdoors.  Camping, hiking, taking pictures, looking at the stars, etc.  I love it.  I feel at piece while outdoors.  I feel the most refreshed falling asleep to rain falling on my tent and waking to the birds singing in the morning.  Yes, some might think I'm nuts, but that's fine, it is who I am.

2) As a photographer and artist, this is a fantastic opportunity to create a solid portfolio of work I get to spend 6 weeks at a single park as an official volunteer.  I get to explore the park like few others can because of the position and the length of time that I'll be there.  Who wouldn't want that opportunity?

3) Adventures like this are a part of who I am, simply put!

4) It is a challenge and I sometimes need challenges to help move me forward, well a different challenge.  Trying to make it as an artist is getting harder, more so for photographers because so many people think they can buy a nice digital camera now and get a great shot.  Might take them 10, 20, 40+ tries to get that shot because they really don't know what they are doing, but they think they can.  Doesn't matter how many years I've put into studying and working with cameras, both digital and film.... anyways, that's another article.  This is a short term challenge to work on.  I have a definite list of goals to accomplish which helps to keep me focused. I need to come up with $4,000 to cover my bills and expenses, I need to prepare where I work so I can handle many computer and finance issues remotely, I need to work on the concept of leather and photography more, etc.  Each of these are short term goals that I can solve.

Want to know something?  Just comment with the question :D

Steven

Why not SmugMug (or other online sites for printing) for me?

First off, I know that there are a lot of photographers who love SmugMug, it allows them to remove themselves from worrying about printing and shipping needs.  BayPhoto, the lab they use for printing, also has a good reputation for quality.  This blog is more about ME and MY ART not an attack on anyone else.  For ME, this is the right path as it lets me tell my stories through prints that I want to tell.

I started off working in a darkroom.  I plan on shooting some b/w film while at the Badlands National Park during my residency.  It is a process from beginning to end with film as I do it all myself.  I load up the cartridges from a bulk loader. I shoot the film.  I process the film to give me negatives.  I develop the final prints in a wet darkroom and I do all the finish work after that, including the selenium toning to help preserve the pictures making them an archival quality print.  I get to know my images intimately during this process, they are mine entirely, including how that final product looks.

Piece of canvas coming out of my printer.

I think a lot of that is lost in this modern age.  I used to use a lab for my digital portrait work.  I sent some images to a professional lab, one with a national reputation.  I paid to have them to do the final color correction and one print I got back from a shoot was yellow, really yellow.  I called them  up, they said they would reprint it and it came back just as yellow.  Supposedly their computer did everything it could to correct the color and it made it yellow.  I told them to print it again without correction and it came back almost perfect. It really made it clear how little the human element is a part of the printing process, another large change from the past.  Printmakers would do everything by hand and visually inspect the print along the way.

Texturing a canvas print, image from a video.

Personally, I like the hands on process. I like having the control of every step of the process to the final output. Yes, this takes more of my time, but then again, I can't get a textured print from a lab, I need to do it myself.  With my limited edition textured canvas prints I couldn't list them on SmugMug as the print would need to come to me to texture by hand, like above. There are a few labs that do the aluminum and acrylic prints, but again, I don't seem to get what I want unless I greatly raise my prices.  My finished pieces, right now, don't cost a lot more than the print from the places I know would do the 16bit quality I insist on using. To find a place that does the wood veneer, copper, brass, leather, etc. I might have to go over seas, if I can even find them.  These are rare processes, but I use them as they help me tell my stories.

Rolling on UV coating, image from video

So, for me, to get the quality I want for my pieces, to use the materials I want and to reduce prices I do the work all myself.  I know right away during the process if something has gone wrong so I need to start again. I can add a UV protective coating to all my prints.  I know perfection doesn't exist, but I can evaluate everything as I work to decide if a flaw or mistake is acceptable or not.  Everything is created by me, it truly is MY ART.

What causes someone to support you?

"Behind I Go"

This is something that I think about often, sadly.  I know that people buy art due to emotions, usually, but that is only a partial answer I think.  I was looking at some of the other projects on Kickstarter, where I have one at the moment.  I saw a couple other projects for people who have received an Artist in Residence program and they are asking for around $4,000, which is really closer to what I need to raise, but since I am doing my program whether or not I can get the funding via Kickstarter I decided to just do the smallest amount figuring anything will help. The two I looked at have raised thousands of dollars for their projects.  Maybe I should have gone for a larger amount? Maybe they are more known? Ah well, so far I have $215 of the $500 goal, though I really do hope I can get over $1,000 from it, but I'll take what I can get...

It's amusing, I've had a few people ask me "What possesses someone to take a volunteer position where you won't get a  paycheck for two months?" Well, there are a couple answers to this question. There is the fact that this is allowing me to pursue my dreams.  My dream of enjoying long times in nature.  My dream of photographing some of the most beautiful places in the country. My dream to learn more about me by putting myself into new situations.

There is also that this is a great opportunity.  I have been selected from I don't know how many applicants for this honor.  It wasn't a simple choice from what I've heard.  Lots of good artists and lots of great proposals, yet mine was selected.  It is an honor and it is one more step, a really good step, towards getting recognized as an artist.  With this honor, and getting accepted into my first national exhibition that I entered, it gives hope, yes.  It let's me think there may be a time I can demand more for my pieces than what I do now.

"Hold Me"

So yes, feeling a little on the stressed side today.  I have around $600 of the $4,000 that I need.  I get a lot of compliments about my work.  Odd Side Ales, a small brewery in Grand Haven, MI, has some of my works on display.  The day I was there hanging them up a piece sold and when I stopped by today the bar manager told me he gets a lot of compliments on my pieces. The Arts Council of White Lake has offered to hold a solo show for me to help raise some of the funds before I go and I've had a couple other businesses say they will be doing a sponsorship, but didn't know how much yet.

This is the fun, for me, of being an artist.  Well, part of the fun at least.  Yes, it is stressful, not I wouldn't wish it on just anyone, it takes unique people to live this life.  To be an artist and not independently wealthy isn't an easy life, but if no one did it, if no one tried to help make our planet more beautiful, life more beautiful for others, then life just would not be fun for anyone. We, the artists, have a responsibility to create works of beauty and you, just as much as any artist, has the responsibility to admire it openly and contribute to it however we can, even if it's just sharing it with other people.

Mixed Media - Photography & Leather

Been reading what I am up to and wondering what the heck is he talking about combining leather and photography?  Well, the picture above is a prototype that is unfinished, but I wanted to give people an idea on what I am talking about.  There is 4 inches of leather on each side of the 8x12 print in the middle.  No, it isn't an exact representation of the scenery into the leather, it is an interpretation of it.It is fun playing with the style, but this is also a time consuming style, which why there will only be 10 of each image made (So when I finish this one I will make up to 9 more) The really neat thing is, that each piece will be one of a kind.  They will be similar to each other, but each on is carved and dyed/painted by hand they are not the same.

So this is what is available (well, not this exact one, but this style) at the $500 reward on my Kickstarter Campaign. While the exact image is unknown (that one will be determined by the park) it gives you an idea.

Your support is greatly appreciated and needed.  While I put an amount of $500 on the campaign, it will be closer to $4,000 that I need.  I am going whether I raise the money via Kickstarter or not so even $500 will be a great help to me!  If you haven't checked it out, please do so.  I will be posting a video to it soon, but I need to render it again to make it a little smaller and I want to add a finished piece to the end of the video, like the one above.  My goal is to finish this piece tonight.

Thanks
Steven

Preparations are underway...

I'm really looking forward to my adventure as the Spring Artist in Residence for Badlands National Park, though I'll also admit the stress is getting to me as well. I'm still working on this technique of combining carved leather with photography to create a mixed media piece.  Tonight I did a large amount of carving on a piece created from the picture above. 4 inches of leather on each side will surround an 8x12 print. My goal is to have this piece finished in the next few days so I can post a what a final piece may look like.  This is something I've not seen done before, not saying no one has done it, and I have to make sure it is mounted right as the chemicals in the dye can affect the paper, so barriers have to be installed and care taken to help make sure both the leather and photograph will last a lifetime.

I have made some progress on funds to help with the trip, though it's only about 10% of what I need.  Granted, there are around 5 weeks left to raise more funds, but I do feel the pinch already as it is still a long way to go to make sure I am comfortable while gone.

One the flip side, there are so many great opportunities for shots while in the Badlands.  Looking forward to spending some days/nights in the South Badlands area, though it is a bit of water to carry as they say to carry 1 gallon for each day and I know I go through water quickly so I may want a little more. I would go through 1 gallon in 5-8 hours while at Glacier, and that was just in drink, maybe 1-2 cups for food.

So much to take into account.... What suggestions do you have for me while on this adventure?

Artist in Residence - Badlands National Park

January has been a GREAT month for me and getting opportunities to become better known as a photographer and artist.  It started with the piece above being accepted into the LaGrange National XXVII Exhibition.  There were 879 pieces submitted from 244 artists.  The competition was open to sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography and other artwork. They accepted 130 pieces from 65 artists and mine was one of them! This is an accolade to the work that I do.

The day after I sent the print to the museum I got a phone call and offered the Artist in Residence at Badlands National Park!  I decided to apply for this back in September 2011 and the application was submitted in December.  Any plans that I have been making for the last several months I've taken into account that I planned to be gone during the last half of March and into the middle of May.  I am working on the promotional pieces for a co-op gallery I belong to and I kept bugging them to have a meeting so we can decide on things because I plan on being gone and the work needs to be finished by mid March, or at least the majority of it as I could change some copy while on the road, but I didn't want to worry about getting artwork while away.  I am extremely excited for this opportunity even though there is a financial aspect to the trip, which I was fully aware of before applying.  The reality is, it will cost me several thousand dollars to go there and to get the materials to make pieces from all the pictures I will be taking. The park will be furnishing living quarters for the six weeks and a small stipend to help cover some expenses, but I am responsible for the rest and I am fine with that!

Over the next six weeks I have a lot of things to do to be ready to go.  I am working on an iPhone app that will allow people to look at my work, some modifications to my website, getting more of my pictures on my website, raise funds to go, prepare computers at work so if there is an emergency with one I can log into it on the road, etc.  I have a LOT to do, which is also good as I like to be busy.

I have started a crowd funding campaign on Kickstarter (new Kickstarter) to help me cover the expenses of this trip to the Badlands National Park so I can pick my son up from SMU and take him to Monument Valley and Lake Powell (better known to some as Lake Silencio from Doctor Who)

Thanks,
Steven

FYI I will be posting blogs here while I am at the park and on other portions of the trip that relate to the park or photography/art.  I won't be blogging on here about every little thing I do.  So if you want to keep up to date with some of the preparations and the adventure follow this blog!

A photograph is not an accident - it is a concept. - Ansel Adams

Add caption

There is a lot of planning that goes into going out and shooting, even if I don't always know exactly what I am shooting.  Sometimes there is a lot of thought after arriving as well because even the best laid plans don't always work out.  Again, I think that show with the madman in a box had a segment that explains it well.

The Doctor: You didn't always take me where I wanted to go.
Idris (Tardis): No, but I always took you where you needed to go.
The Doctor: You did!

My plans don't always take me where I want to go, but it's always where I need go.  This past summer is a great example.  I spent months working out the plans to go on a backpacking trip, 8 days in Glacier National Park. I had a couple friends agree to go with, planned food, transportation, permits, etc. I knew exactly where I wanted to go in Glacier National Park and had a good idea of several shots I wanted to take while there. The fourth day into the trip I dropped off the other 3 people to take a bus elsewhere, they weren't continuing with me.  I wasn't willing to go into the back country by myself, especially in bear country.  While concentrating on taking pictures I can be rather quiet, which isn't good to keep the wildlife away.  So I didn't continue on that trip, but talked with some of the people there, looked at maps and came up with a different plan to stay at Yellowstone National Park, which is where we were on day 4, for a few days and then head up to Glacier National Park and do something else.

Even while hiking and having no set idea on exactly what I want to shoot, I will have a concept. On my trip this summer the concept was running water and waterfalls.  I didn't know exactly what running water but I had a concept (even though I hadn't decided on how I'll print them) While hiking along a river something would catch my eye and I'd stop and look.  Sometimes the shot came to me instantly because it's what I saw while walking, other times I would move around, look at the water from different angles to come up with a shot, or a couple different shots. I had a concept of what I wanted in the end even if I didn't have the specifics.

The day I hiked up to Apgar Lookout, which wasn't along any water, I didn't take as many shots.  It was more of a "I want to see if I can do this" rather than taking specific shots.  Because I didn't have a concept for that day I didn't get much in the way of good shots.  My focus was elsewhere so I didn't see as much.

So, for those who think that photography is just pointing and clicking, follow a photographer around a day.  See how much thinking is involved in creating the shots we get.  Ansel Adams said it well because if you don't have a concept you won't get that fantastic shot... well, if you just shoot and shoot and shoot, anyone can get 1-2 good shots after a few thousand, but I don't want to waste that amount of time...

-Steven J Donley

Is it Photography? Art? Digital Art? What?

I get tired of this argument if photography is art or not though it seems that today it isn't even that simple.  I've read about certain photography groups who won't accept any digital photographers into them because they don't feel it's photography. With the advent of digital photography it's created a debate on whether something is photography or digital art.

Gone is the day where all photographers are print makers as well.  When the art first started, the photographer would have to develop and print their own plates, film and papers.  The photographer did all the work, like I did in the picture above. It was created with film in a wet darkroom.  People started to specialize in either making prints or taking the pictures, which I find sad.  I found, that I understood more about dodging, burning and other printing techniques my picture taking also improved. Ansel Adams is a great example of a photographer who was also a print maker.  He developed an entire system for taking pictures and printing to make it more systematized and easier to do. This is someone who really understood his art.

Many photographers have heard of Jerry Uelsmann, here is an photographer who is more known for his printing skills.  I don't know if I have ever seen a print of his work that isn't a montage and I don't know if he has done any since starting to work on his montage technique.  Yet, he isn't the first one to pioneer this technique. A lot fewer people know of a lady called Hannah Maynard, from the 1860-1900 she pioneered creating images with glass plates.

Look at that picture.  The statue is actually her grandson covered in powder to look like a statue, who is also sitting next to one of her images in the print.  She is in the picture twice. But is this photography?

Photoshop has given photographers a whole new range of tools.  It allows people to digitally do what Uelsmann and Maynard  have done with film and darkroom, though Jerry Uelsmann and his wife have clearly stated that it is not easier to create a digital montage than a darkroom one.  (His wife was a former student but does digital work instead) If you have ever tried both methods, you realize they are correct if you are trying to create an image that is seamless and fits together well. I have attempted to do them both. Are these photographs still though? Is it art? 

One of the newest techniques is HDR, High Dynamic Range Photography.  This is where you purposely take over and under exposed images and use software to create a composite image from them.  It gives you more detail and color, especially in the highlights and shadows. There are a few different ways to do it, and there is a pseudo technique using a single photograph, but it isn't truly HDR.  However, the question here is, is it photography still?

Now that I've briefly talked about these different aspects I'll give my opinion. All of these can be photography, but a couple of them it can be questioned if it is or not.  To me, it comes down to where are the original images coming from? Is the creator of the digital montage taking all the pictures to use in their work? Here, you have a photographer who is just creating the best print her can from his own work. If they are using another photographers images to create the final print, they aren't a photographer, they are a print maker or a digital artist. There are people who won't agree with me, and that's fine.  That part of what helps make this art.

Are these art though? I know I hear and read about how many curators don't like photography as they don't see it as an art form.  That all someone does is point a camera and take a picture, they aren't putting a lot of time into creating it, especially with landscape and nature photographer as we don't set up the pictures, we don't direct the subject.  Personally, I don't think these people understand what art is.  Just because they have a degree in it doesn't mean they understand it.  Art isn't a complicated thing, it's something that communicates on an emotional level. If looking at a statue makes you feel something and looking at a photograph makes you feel something different, they are both communicating on that emotional level.  They both are art.  Maybe it makes you feel disgusted, but it makes you feel.  If it makes you feel nothing, it communicates NO emotions at all, then you can say it isn't art to you.

-Steven

Art and Memories

Does this image bring up any memories? Maybe if you have visited this lighstation on Whitelake Channel, it might remind you of seeing it.  Maybe it reminds you of another lighthouse that you have seen, or something from a book or movie. There is even the possibility it stimulates something, but you can't put your finger on it or nothing at all.

Art can have a profound effect on peoples memories. Often times, a piece will can not only stimulate a time and place, but also a smell or a sound.  The strong emotions tied to a moment can be brought up in an instant all because of looking at a piece of art. 

That's a great power that artists have, to bring back memories whether good or bad, and it's a great responsibility.  If we can't accept the responsibility of bringing up painful memories, even when it isn't our intention, it can drive an artist away from their work. We have to be willing to accept the good and bad that may come from our work.  The picture above could cause some people pain because they had a loved one drown, whether near there or a similar place.  I can accept that is a possibility. I can accept that another couple might experience joy because they got engaged or married there as well. 

I recently posted this image and a friend of mine I'm just reconnecting with told me it reminded her of times she was at my house some nights and we were looking through my telescope. That one memory then started a flood of other childhood memories I have with this one person I've known most of my life. The good and bad ones.

So, next time you are looking at some art, or creating some art, think about what memories it brings about in you. People buy art because of the emotional connection to a piece so put some of yours into it.

Madmen? (Artists) in a Box

While one of my favorite TV characters happily admits he is a madman with a box, and I know a few people would state that I'm a madman who should be placed in a box, this idea of placing artists in a box doesn't really work well with me.

I know and understand I need to play the game, to a degree, to get placements in many galleries.  The game they like is a single body of work coming from an artist that deals with ONE subject (or related subject) and ONE style, I find it too confining.  When I'm out shooting, I rarely think of what I'll do with my pictures when I'm done.  Sometimes I have an idea in mind, but I won't just look for appropriate subjects for that idea as I could miss a lot. I like to shoot what grabs me!

There is one picture that sat on my hard drive for over a year before I even processed it and only now have an idea of how I will print it, just haven't had the time, nor materials, to make that print yet. It is also a great example of how I have an idea in mind, sometimes, when I shoot but take a picture of what I like.  I was shooting frozen waterfalls that day and here I took a picture of this bridge that was behind me as well.

I think artists shouldn't confine themselves UNLESS that is the only thing they want to do.  We should push ourselves, expand our minds and abilities to help keep our work more interesting.  It also helps to keep me from getting too burned out.  I switch to something else to 'take a break' or I just let my eye flow from subject to subject, capturing what interests me, and not thinking about will the subject work for a specific style or not.  The picture will tell me what style it should be. (Yes, I realize that statement only reinforces the idea that I am a madman, but I like it!)

So next time you are talking with an artist in a gallery and you only see that single style there, ask them what else they do.  Who knows, maybe you'll find a photographer who doesn't leather carving as well....