When people learn that my images are created digitally they often ask “do you manipulate your images?”  To which I enthusiastically answer “Yes!”

Everything I do starting with how I frame the image, expose and process it, is intended to manipulate that image into alignment with my vision.   Rarely, if ever, do I try to recreate what I saw with my eyes.  I believe that my vision is the difference between me being a photographer who documents and an artist who creates.  When I set up my camera at a scene, I already know what I want that image to look like and rarely does it resemble reality.

Some have suggested that “manipulation” is a “photographic sin” and I’ve heard others say that you shouldn’t do anything in Photoshop that you couldn’t do in the darkroom.   I find it odd that we should freeze our progress and limit ourselves to the technology of the 1990’s under some sense of arbitrary purity, why not freeze our techniques to that of the 1890’s?   My feeling is that art should be about the art, and not the process.

Many extol Ansel Adams as the master of photographic purity, and one that faithfully reproduced the scene with minimal manipulation.  Recently I saw a series of photographs that were taken from the very same spot where Ansel had taken his most famous Yosemite images, but with a point and shoot camera.  The images were striking because they so clearly revealed, in that side-by-side comparison, how much Adams manipulated his images.  In my opinion that’s why Ansel was an artist, because he didn’t simply document a scene but created images that matched his unique vision.  He was a master of “manipulation” and his work certainly did not represent reality.

Should photographers have any limits?  I don’t think so; does a painter have limits, or an actor or musician?  How would an art advance or a person grow if there was a list of things they could and couldn’t do? 

But individually, each one of us will set personal limits, I certainly do.  There are things that I just don’t do, not because I consider them wrong but because they do not fit within the vision and style of my work.  For example I choose not to “add” to an image such as adding a person or object, but there are others whose work is completely based on adding such as Dominic Rouse.  I love what Dominic does with his images and respect his work.

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong with art there shouldn’t be any do’s or don’ts.  Ignore the world and it’s experts, find your own vision and go wherever that takes you.

Do I manipulate my images?  You bet I do!

I just read a quote that really struck a chord with me.  I wondered what wise old sage had said it; perhaps one of the grand masters of photography or maybe an artist living a Monk-like life?  No, these wise words come from the mouth of a mere babe, an NYU student.

“True artists pick their own perspectives – they live and love their ways even if they must live and love alone.  Praise and applause are not priorities of artists: what matters most is the fulfillment that comes with being oneself.”  Michael William Nebab, NYU Student

It’s incredible when someone can express such a large thought with only a few simple words.  Well done Michael.

Do you have a quote that you find meaningful and inspirational?  I’d love to hear it.

Cole

P.S.  The above image comes fresh out of my camera which just yesterday was in Honduras.  It’s entitled Lone Man No. 37 (I know, I thought I was done with the series too!)

Some of you are familiar with my admittedly odd practice of not studying other photographer’s work.  It’s something I’ve been doing for about 2 years now and it’s always been met with curiosity, dismay and sometimes even a little hostility.   I mentioned it again in the last blog and it was suggested by my friend and fantastic b&w photographer, Lance Keimig, that this might be a good discussion topic.  I agreed and so here we are.

Let me explain why I began this unconventional practice and then I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.  However, this might be a very one-sided discussion as I’ve not met many people who agree or appreciate what I’m doing.   So if I’m the lone man on this issue, some of you might need to side with me just so we can have a two-way discussion!

To start with I’d like to point out that I’ve never suggested that others should adopt this practice, I’ve just described what I was doing.  However I recognize that when one writes publicly, your words can come across as advice.

Several years ago I came to the hard realization that I was not creating with my own vision, but rather I was copying the style and even the images of my revered childhood hero’s.  The full impact of this hit home when I was attending a Portfolio Review at the Center in Santa Fe.  One of the reviewers said that it appeared I was trying to copy Ansel Adams and Edward Weston’s style.  When I responded that I was, because I loved their work, he very bluntly pointed out that Ansel already did Ansel and that no one was going to it better than Ansel.  At the time those were very hard words to hear, but over the next year I came to agree with him and it started me on the quest to create with my own vision.

As I analyzed how I was working, I came to the conclusion that when I studied another photographer’s work, I was imprinting their style onto my conscious and subconscious mind.  And then when I photographed a scene, I found myself imitating their style rather than seeing it through my own vision.  To overcome this tendency I decided to stop looking at the work of other photographer’s, as much as was practically possible.

So for the last two years I’ve tried it; I’ve not read my B&W Magazines, poured over my LensWork or sought out great photography on the web.  It’s been hard, and at times I’ve felt like a celibate monk working at a nude beach!

Has it worked?  Yes, it has had a positive affect on my art and I feel that my images are increasingly “me” and not just copies of someone else’s work.  I’m making progress and when I think of my projects such as The Ghosts of Auschwitz, The Lone Man and the Harbinger series (new image above) I’m pleased with my “direction.”

I don’t expect to continue this practice forever.  Once I’ve  better developed my vision and have become more disciplined, I’ll return to enjoying black and white photography which has been my first love since the age of 14.

But for me, at this time, and for where I’m at creatively; photographic celibacy is helping!

Cole

P.S.  I’ve just had an experience that reinforces my position on this issue.  One of my images will be in a new book entitled “Why Photographs Work” by George Barr.  Last night we were given a link to review the images chosen and as I looked for mine I came across an image by Brian Kosoff that just stopped me dead in my tracks.  It’s entitled “Three Crosses” and it’s the first image on his home page.  Do you want to guess where my mind has been all day today as I drove around town?  I’ve been looking for telephone poles in patterns so that I can imitate his work!

Bad, bad Cole.

I will think of myself as an artist, not as a photographer.

I will develop my own vision, not copy the vision of others.

I will work on seeing with my vision and not with my eyes.

I will avoid studying the work of other photographers.

I will not let the opinions of others affect how I feel about my work, for good or for bad.

I will focus on the creative process, not equipment or the technical processes.

I will shoot more often, every day if possible.

I will always stop when I see something that interests me, even if that means I’ll be late.

I will try something new and different.

I will not try to define what art is, or what it is not.

I will always encourage others in their creative process and I will appreciate those who encourage me.

I will associate with positive people.

I will get on the road and finish my Harbinger series.

I will start several new projects that excite me.

If I’m working on a project that does not excite me, I will abandon it.

When I find myself in a slump, I will not worry about it but patiently keep working and have faith that it will pass.

I will not compromise my values.

I will believe in myself, and that I can do anything I set my mind to.

I will love what I’m doing.

~

Happy New Year.

Cole

I just returned from a trip to Florida where I was hoping to get into a creative groove.  However, once there I found that I was so out of “practice” that it took me several days just to get back up to speed.  It reminded me of a recent experience.

My daughter was upset because she didn’t make the varsity basketball team.  We discussed it and came to the conclusion that if she wanted to be on the varsity team she would have to improve her skills.  She asked me how she was going to do that and I asked her a question:  What if you were to shoot 1000 hoops a day, what would happen?  She said “I’d be really good!”

Practice doesn’t just improve physical skills such as shooting hoops, it also develops and hones our creative skills.  The more I practice seeing, the more I see.  The more I practice breaking the “rules,” the more I create unique images.  The more I practice shooting differently, the more different my work will become.

It’s not rocket science; practice can improve everything we do.

It then hit me how far I had strayed from my own personal goal of shooting every day.  I had become so caught up in the “business” of photography that I had no time for the “art” of photography.  Ironically, if I kept this up there would be no “business” to take care of and I’d have plenty of time to photograph!

When I look at my work since 2004, the times I was most productive were the times I was shooting every day.  And when I say “shooting every day” I mean it literally.  I carry my gear in my truck and anytime I saw something interesting, I’d stop and shoot.  Even if I didn’t see something inspiring, I’d still stop somewhere and look.  What I usually found was that most locations had something interesting if I looked hard enough and got close enough.

I’m recommitting to shoot every day;  I’ll carry my gear with me, I’ll look constantly and I’ll shoot for at least 15 minutes a day.  I’m 100% certain that this will result in some wonderful images that otherwise would not have happened.

Cole

P.S.  I did eventually get into the spirit of things while in Florida and created the above image: Harbinger No. 12

Did I lose something?

It was there before, but now it’s gone.

Where did it go?

Will it be back?

Two years ago I stood in the lobby of a hotel in Akron, Ohio and looked up.  I saw saw a ceiling lamp, but it was more than that, it appeared to me as abstract shape that inspired me to create my Ceiling Lamps portfolio. The image above was that first lamp.

Now fast forward; three weeks ago I was back in Akron and staying at that very same hotel.  Upon checking out I thought about that lamp and looked up.  The lamp was still there, but to my surprise I could no longer “see” it, it just looked like an ordinary lamp to me.  I thought to myself; I wonder why that lamp inspired me before?

That really kind of scared me, why didn’t it look special any more?  What had I lost and could I get it back?

And what if I were walking down the street today and passed “The Angel Gabriel,” would he inspire me to stop?  If I were to stumble across that “Old Car Interior” again, would it interest me enough to photograph it?

This experience reinforces two personal beliefs that I have: first to always stop because you may not “see” that inspiration later and second, you can keep going back to the same location over and over and over and still “see” something new.  Seeing a great image has more to do with our creative mood, than with the location.

I’ll be back in Akron next year and I’ll be very curious see how I’ll “see” this lamp!

Cole

I recently visited the Northern California coast.  Part of me wanted to photograph there because so many of my photographic heroes have, and yet another part of me said: “What can I create that is better or different than what they have done?”

For me the answer was to go, to enjoy the beauty, to be inspired and to try!  I know that this coastline still has many famous images to give, but only to those who have the eyes to see them.  Every place, no matter how small or mundane, has great images to give, so how much better to be in this beautiful place?

I did create several new images; some are conventional ones such as “Diminishing Cliffs” above, but my primary focus was to complete “The Lone Man” series.  I’ll be introducing some of those new images in my next newsletter, due out in about a week.

Another very enjoyable part of my trip was to have lunch with my friend and classic photographer Huntington Witherill.  He’s been in LensWork a few times and he creates in both b&w and color.  I love his work so much that I own two of his images, please check out his work.

This was a great trip.  If  you have a chance to visit this area, I’d recommend it as it’s both inspiring and a piece of photographic history.

Cole

This week I was speaking to a High School photography student about how the images I create, look nothing like the images I shot.  When I photograph something, I have a vision of what the final image will look like and I work to bring the captured image in line with that vision. My art does not try to faithfully reproduce what my eyes saw, but rather to recreate what I saw in my mind’s eye or my “vision.”

I characterize my creations as being composed of 50% the shot and 50% this vision.  Bringing the shot into line with my vision starts with the image capture, sometimes I’ll underexpose like with “Alphie” above, to set the mood I’m trying to create.  Transforming the image continues as I convert it to black & white, frequently using a lot of blue channel to give a contrasty and grainy look.

But most of my vision is introduced when I dodge and burn the image, working in Photoshop like I did in the darkroom, but with infinitely more control.  Using a pen and tablet I paint the image to darken it, selectively enhance contrast and to tease out the highlights exactly where I want them.  This step is where the “created” image can take a radical departure from the original shot.

Sometimes during processing I might see a new possibility or find a surprise in the image, but generally I know from the moment of capture what the finished image will look like.  I think this ability comes from having a personal vision, knowing your capabilities and the limitations of your tools.

Alphie was created about a week ago off the Santa Cruz pier.  It was early morning and the sea lions were just becoming active and lazily floating in the water; they seemed to be stretching and waking up.  I photographed them as they took on various poses and once I saw this image, I knew that I had what I was looking for.

But as you look at Alphie, remember that you’re really seeing him through the lens of my vision, and not the lens of my camera.

Cole

What inspires you?  What gets your creative juices flowing or just gets you out the door?

I would really benefit from hearing what does it for you, because it just might work for me too.  We all go through periods of stagnation, where we doubt our abilities or worry that we’ve got no more in us.

What causes this?  Human nature I suppose.

Something I do is to listen to the Beatles, they were one of only a few groups that didn’t stuck in a “success” rut.  They kept changing and evolving even if it meant abandoning a successful formula.  They were not afraid to risk change.

How about you?  Just thinking about this question will be therapeutic and posting it will help myself and others.

Cole

Last night I watched one of my favorite movies; The Fountainhead.   Gary Cooper stars as architect Howard Roark, a stubborn and uncompromising individualist.  His designs are uniquely his, rejecting tradition and the opinions of the experts.  Because of these attitudes, he is a threat to those who require subservience.

As I seek to create, to find my own vision, Howard Roark has the ideals and standards that I admire; strong, confident, independent, and uniquely creative.

The title of this blog is “Never ask people, not about your work” and is a quote from The Fountainhead.  Roark had attended college with a fellow architect who’s idea of success was to gain the approval and admiration of others.  He came to Howard to ask him what he thought of his work:

“If you want my advice, Peter,” he said at last, “you’ve made a mistake already.  By asking me, by asking anyone.  Never ask people, not about your work. Don’t you know what you want?  How can you stand it, not to know?”

Roark’s designs were not based on what the public wanted, and he didn’t judge his success by how others reacted to it.  He had a vision and it was unimportant what others thought.  In another scene Roark declares:

“I don’t make comparisons. I never think of myself in relation to anyone else. I just refuse to measure myself as part of anything. I’m an utter egotist.

The exact opposite of Howard Roarke is Ellsworth M. Tooey, an architectural critic who depends on the opinions of others for his power.  He fears individualistic thinking because he knows that such men cannot be controlled.  Here is Tooey’s thoughts on art:

“Artistic value is achieved collectively by each man subordinating himself to the standards of the majority.”

Because Tooey fears Roark’s individualism and refusal to subordinate himself to Tooey, he attempts to destroy him by ensuring that no one will commission him to design a building.  After having successfully accomplishing this, Tooey has a chance encounter with Roark and wants to hear Roark acknowledge him:

“We’re alone.  Why don’t you tell me what you think of me?”

“But I don’t think of you”

Tooey is devastated, for his self worth is measured externally by how others view him.  Roark gave him the worse blow he could have received, he didn’t hate or admire Tooey, he didn’t think of him at all.

Roark is ultimately confident and is not constrained by others, he knows that he can do anything that he wants.  In this exchange, Roark’s “I can do anything” attitude is challenged:

“My dear fellow, who will let you?”

“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”

This is how I wish to live my art; Independently, strongly, passionately and confidently. My only measure of success shall be against my own internal standards.  I simply seek to develop my talent and to express myself through my art.

To be able to do that, and to be true to myself, is success.

Cole