Sheilah Bliss on sat 3 oct 98
Yikes! Look out Terry! INCOMING!!!!
<<of any professional level photo equip store. Or how about asking a prof. at a
local college or a local potter or ceramics group.>>>
<<Terry Sullivan ( taking cover.....)>>>
***SPLATT*** don't worry...it won't hurt... it's just a warm, soggy sponge
:-)
I thought I could do that too.... and I did ask.... didn't help much. The
nice man at the photo shop assumed I knew anything about photography. All I
knew was the make & model of the camera ('cause I had it written down...) and
how to point and shoot... except that the camera available to me wasn't a
point & shoot model. It's a Canon T70... I think they call it an SLR? No
light meter. He was trying to explain to me about how to set the "F" stop (my
juvenile mind wanted to giggle...) and the shutter speed and reflex of the
gazortenplatz and phenocarbs (or words that sounded sort of like that...), and
if it would be set on the partial or the average. My utter shutter ignorance
began oozing, permeating the room. The nice man realized, I guess by my look
implying total mental vacancy, that I was lost in space. He suggested I bring
the camera in and he'd try to show me again. I did. He did. I thought I
sortof had it, until I got back home. I didn't have it. Found a T70 Owner's
Manual. Studied it. It too assumed I knew more than point & shoot. Sortof
got it. But not quite. Bought the book Photographing Your Craft Work by
Steve Meltzer. That helped, but not thoroughly.
Went to several more photo shops. Got more varied installments of info....
some way across the field from the others. Some of it, not very practical for
me (...always take your pictures outside on an over cast day... when it's
windy, and 38F and a there's a looming deadline....)
I think part of the problem is that info has been sporadic and spread all over
from folks who shoot outdoor landscapes or family portraits. I'm getting
general photography info when I'd really love to have specific pottery photo
info. Over time, I can take alright photos, but not great. I'm still not
really sure of what I'm doing.
The couple of bona fide professional photographers I've spoken with (although
they haven't wanted to tell me too much since they charge...) have told me
that photographing pottery is an art in itself - reflective surfaces, rounded
forms, flat forms, textures, lighting, capturing true color. I'm often told
to seriously consider letting them take the pics.
The few local potters I've talked to about this usually pay a photographer
(see above) and have their pieces professionally shot. A few others have
point & shoot cameras. And some of those photos/slides, bless their hearts, I
don't know that I'd feel comfortable sending to a jury.
So I'm enjoying the pertaining-to-pots photography comments showing up here.
What a gob of luck! This fine Pam woman shows up on ClayArt, says she wants
to lend her expertise, she'll be available for a limited time, ask her about
photographing pottery. How cool is that!? Looks like there's a bunch of us
potters who found out that we also need to be photographers... we just didn't
know it when we got into this.
Sheilah Bliss
(running to hide under my own tarp... please, Terry if you throw the sponge
back at me, use warm water...)
MRS SANDRA L BURKE on sun 4 oct 98
Sheilah--
I teach Photography as well as ceramics. It has been my experience
that in MOST (at least in this area) camera stores the sales
personell are just that. They are there to sell cameras. I have heard
them tell coustomers that the reason their pictures look so bad is
that their camera is too old etc. Yes there are others who truly
interested in the consuer and try to help, but learning photography,
like learning ceramics is a bit more complicated than they have time
for.
There is an excellent book which can help. Unfortunately, I believe
it is out of print, but check with local libraries, Amazon.com(not
sure of the full web site address). the book is titled Photographing
Your Artwork by Russell Hart, North Light Books, c 1953, ISBN #0-
89134-187-0. There is also a company that specializes in finding out
of print books but I don't have the name here at the house. I will
check in my office on Mon and get back to you.
Meanwhile if you wish to ask any specific questions please let me
know.
Good luck in your search and don't let the f-stops scare you-----they
are just tiny little holes in your lens.
Sandy Burke
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