Quick Quotes: Sam Abell

At the end of June I wrote a post about photographer Michael David Murphy's website "Unphotographable", which he calls a ‘catalog of exceptional mistakes. Photos never taken that weren't meant to be forgotten. Opportunities missed. Simple failures. Occasions when I wished I'd taken the picture, or not forgotten the camera, or had been brave enough to click the shutter.’

Sam Abell has some interesting thoughts about being without a camera when what might have been an interesting photograph is seen. He channels the 'anguish' of missing a shot into the energy needed to make yet better photographs.

"Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of scenes I cared for and failed to photograph. It is the edgy existence within me of these unmade images that is the only assurance that the best photographs are yet to be made"

Sam Abell

More Thoughts On PDF Distribution

As I have mentioned in prior posts, I am intrigued by the idea of the distribution of photographic images by PDF. I have now finished the instructional DVD by Brooks Jensen, who has really championed this idea. If anyone is considering producing a PDF photography book and does not have experience with digital documents, the DVD is an absolutely essential resource and I highly recommend it! It turns out that for someone that is not well versed in the use of the needed software there is a somewhat steep, but clearly surmountable, learning curve.

While I do think that the digital distribution of images opens a major chapter in the history of photography, I also believe the viewing experience, as it stands today, is lagging behind the production technology. I suspect that this lag has had a significant effect on its adaption.

I myself have purchased several PDF photography books and also downloaded several photography PDFs from various sites. However, I have to say that I have not fully viewed them and certainly not viewed them in the depth that I would read or examine a printed publication. Likewise, I find that I don't look forward to or regularly read on-line magazines the way I read those that I subscribe to and which I can hold.

I am not really sure why, but it is simply a fact that I just don't seem to give such publications the same attention that I do a printed book. I can think of several reasons for this:

1) It is hard to curl up in bed with a computer.

2) It seems harder to 'get into' the mindset of in depth analysis in front of a computer as opposed to a book, at least for me....perhaps this is related to my age of 51.

3) I tend to feel more rushed or in 'working mode' on a computer and tend to feel more relaxed and in 'free time mode' with a book.

Now, before attributing my feelings to being unable to adapt to new technology, realize that you are reading this on my electronic blog. If anything, I tend towards being a somewhat early adapter. For example, as it relates to digital media, I have an Amazon Kindle e-book reader. In fact, I have the most recently released version with enhanced PDF handling. It is magnificent for reading novels. In fact, for the novel reading experience, I prefer it to hard copy books.

But that same preference doesn't carry through for me when it comes to reading PDF photography publications. In fact, while I have the first 40 LensWork issues on my Kindle from a LensWork DVD I bought on e-Bay (great deal...I think it was something like 20 bucks), I don't find reading them this way to be an enjoyable experience and have largely given up doing so. I also subscribe to LensWork Extended and, while it is a marvelous production, I find I don't read/listen to each and every one of them like I do when it comes to reading the hard copy issues.

I suspect a good part of why I don't prefer reading PDF photography publications on the Kindle is that the technology is still not up to snuff for handling such material. It still doesn't display PDFs all that wonderfully and the resolution/tonality is not fully developed. And, of course, there is no color yet (though that is being worked on as well). As I mentioned, I find that reading them on the computer is simply not comfortable or terribly enjoyable.

In essence, I believe that, at this point in time, the technology related to delivery is ahead of the technology related to usage. However, I am heartened by what I read is currently under development......thin sheets of light bendable materials that one can use to 'curl up in bed with' and read digital media and other technologic 'wonders' in development. So, while I currently think that, at least for my usage, the ability to enjoy PDF publications is not quite 'there' yet, I do think that they are coming and will be here fairly soon. I hope that a few years from now I can enjoy digital media in the same way that I can enjoy a book.

I am wondering what others think and have experienced when it comes to interacting with digital photographic publications.

Yet More On Megapixels and Diffraction

In my last post, I referenced a series of articles on the Luminous Landscape (here and here) which supplemented an even earlier post I had written about an article in Photo Techniques about the effects of diffraction when using sensors with high pixel densities.

In the comments section to yesterday's post, it was pointed out that I had missed another quite enlightening article on the subject by Ctein on The Online Photographer entitled "Why 80 Megapixels Just Won't Be Enough", which gives another viewpoint. Given that not everyone that drops by reads the comments, I thought it would be worthwhile to provide a front page link to that article as well. It is definitely worth reading the whole bunch of these, as well as the readers comments and author responses.

More On Diffraction In Digital Imaging

A bit of a short post today, but one that points out some interesting information. On June 12th, I wrote a post about an article that I had read in Photo Techniques Magazine about the role diffraction plays in digital imaging as it related to aperture and depth of field. That post can be read here.

As a supplement to that information, I would like to point out an on-line article written by Ray Maxwell entitled "Why Moore's Law Does Not Apply To Digital Photography", which was published on The Luminous Landscape website. In the article, Maxwell points out that for full frame 35mm sensors we are currently at the highest resolution or pixel density that can realistically be useful because of the diffraction properties of visible light. He also goes on to discuss, as was noted in the Photo Techniques article, that with the pixel size on the Canon 5D MkII sensor, diffraction limitations come into play by f11.

A very interesting and worthwhile read (that also contains some interesting links) and one that supplements and adds to the article I had previously mentioned.

Addenda: Between the time I wrote this post and put it on-line there has already been a rebuttal article written on The Luminous Landscape to the article I have been referencing. That article can be read here. You really have to read these....they provide interesting insights into where we are and where things might be heading.

Your Photo Tips Blog

This blog was recently featured on another photography blog called "Your Photo Tips", which is published by photographer Damien Franco. I hadn't heard of Damian's blog, but found it after Motivation was mentioned in a post of his.

Interesting, the way we come across things we hadn't known about. I was quite intrigued with Damien's blog and its wide variety of interesting topics. It has something for everyone and is one that is certainly worth keeping up with. I plan to read it regularly and added it to my "Favorite Blogs" list. So check it out, I think you will enjoy it!

More On PDF Publishing Resources

In my March 19th, 2009 post regarding PDF publishing of photographic projects, I wrote the following :


"In Brooks Jensen's recent Lenswork podcast, which one can listen to here, he extols the virtues of using pdf format e-books to enable photographers to reach a wider audience, while avoiding the fiscal constraints that are associated with publishing a physical book. I was intrigued by this, though I wonder if the constraints are as strong as implied given the newer methods of self-publishing associated with print-on-demand services available from companies like Blurb.

Nonetheless, I found the idea interesting and tried to search around the internet a bit for information about designing and producing a pdf photography book. However, I found very little out there. Now, I know very little about using Adobe Acrobat and suspect that my inability to locate information on this subject may simply be that what is required is a good general book about how to use Acrobat, as opposed to special information on how to create pdf photography books.

So, I guess I am hoping that perhaps someone out there might be able to provide some good resource books or websites on the topic of how to use Acrobat to publish photographic e-books....or at least some place to start obtaining a bit of background knowledge. Anybody want to make suggestions???? "



Though I did get some helpful responses to my query as to resources, there was still a void as to where to start.....particularly if the aim was not so much to learn InDesign or Acrobat as much as to learn what was necessary in order to focus on the type of publishing that a photographer would do.

Well, Brooks Jensen does it again!! He recognized that there is a relative void of information in this niche and put together a very solid training DVD on where to start and how to proceed. The DVD is a direct extension of the workshop he began giving on this subject.

Knowing the quality of everything that comes out of LensWork, I decided to purchase the DVD. At $79 it is a bit steep, but once one receives it, sees the quality of the information, the extremely coherent presentation, and the uniqueness of the product I can say that it is well worth every cent!!! The DVD can be purchased here.

I haven't yet finished the DVD, but am far along into it. It has exactly the type of information I was looking for and clearly is able to get one started making PDFs without any further training. It is also able to point one in the right direction in regards to where to obtain more focused information, if needed. To be more specific, it is not an InDesign training program but tells you what aspects of InDesign you need to know and provides a nice detailed overview of these parts of the program. Perhaps even more importantly, it carefully reveiews how to structure and design a PDF presentation.

Perhaps I will have more to say once I finish the DVD in its entirety. But I can tell you this.....if you have any desire to consider self publishing a photographic PDF and don't have a strong background in how to get the job done, this is clearly a superb way to start. I couldn't have hoped for a better resource. Thanks Brooks!!!

More Dreamscapes

I recently finished processing and printing the sixth image in my Dreamscapes series. I particularly like the ghostlike image behind the boy (though it may not show up that well in this small image format), which was caused by the child suddenly walking through the scene during the long exposure. I guess you can tell that it isn't a 'real' ghost because it also casts a shadow!

Dreamscapes #6
Copyright Howard Grill

In addition, another image from this series is going to appear in a "Self-Portrait"(yes, that is me at the end of the tunnel) themed show at The Silver Eye Center For Photography. The exhibit celebrates Silver Eye's 30th anniversary.

Dreamscapes #3
Copyright Howard Grill

While having any image shown at The Silver Eye is an honor, I do have to admit that this particular show is non-juried, with all members of the gallery invited to display one image. The show runs from July 8th to September 12th. Given the intriguing theme, it should be a really creative, interesting and enjoyable exhibit.

A Piece Of History

I suspect most people that have a passion for photography have at least a passing interest in the history of the medium and are probably aware of the different types of processes that have been used over time. Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, tintypes, carte-de-viste and many more. But have you ever seen any of these??? I never had.

I decided that it was worth my while (and a very small amount of cash) to own a small piece of history and experience some of these imaging processes for myself. So I took a trip over to e-Bay to see what was available. For about 20 bucks I bought 6 lovely tintypes (uncased), some with hand tinting, and 5 cabinet cards with the photographers name and location on the card as well as a few with the subjects handwritten name. They came in very nice shape and have a very interesting and unique appearance to them. It really is fascinating to hold these artifacts and see what photography looked like in its early years. It is also a bit eerie to see these subjects, now long deceased, staring at you from back in time.

These are not items that are eagerly sought after by high end collectors and this is reflected in their price. But I am very glad that I made these few purchases and plan to bid on a few examples of other historical photographic processes.

If the history of photography interests you, why not pick up a few samples from a bygone era for dirt cheap and take a trip back in time. It really is fascinating!