Something New

Dalian, China Oil Spill - at boston.com

Another tragic oil spill in Dalian, China. Take a look at some of the images from Reuters at boston.com. These are some amazing pictures taken by a photojournalist of the explosion and the spill after.

Some of My First

These are some of my earliest images taken many years ago. The first was taken with a Yashica D on 120mm film in natural light. The second was my first 4x5 image and it was take in natural light on Polaroid. Both cameras are still in use today and play a regular role in the work I produce.

Film vs. Digital

My Take:

Personally I see film and digital as two totally different mediums. Yes they both give us photographs, but I get two completely different results from them. I also approach them differently because of the immediacy of digital, where as with film there is more preproduction that takes place. I also like film better in that it has a more artistic feel during the shoot as well as the end results. Digital is great, don't get me wrong; but there is a certain finesse in film which digital, with all it's benefits, can't reproduce. At least not yet…

From The Mouths of Great Men

And I Quote:

"If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up."

-Richard Avedon


"A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion. There is no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth."

-Richard Avedon

"I found that while the camera does not express the soul, perhaps a photograph can."

-Ansel Adams

"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration."

-Ansel Adams

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

-Pablo Picasso

"Action is the foundational key to all success."

-Pablo Picasso

"Do or do not, there is no try."

-Yoda

Enjoy these quotes and take from these men what you can, then get to work. Life is short and time is precious, go out and do. – Zac Seewald

The Ghost of New Orleans

"Something's Missing In The French Quarter"


These were taken on the streets of New Orleans a few weeks ago. It's really sad that such a musical city has yet to come back in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The emptiness that remains after one of the largest disasters in American history haunts these streets and echoes through the void that was once one of the greatest jazz scenes on the planet. My heart breaks for those who have returned only to find their once thriving music scene struggle to renew itself to it's former glory. I hope that one day we will see the reunion of lost talent that was and can dance down Bourbon St once again, but I fear that those days may be gone for good.

Out Takes

"The Grooming" - A series on the development of a hit man.

We ended up with 7 images to complete the final series. Here's a couple of out takes that didn't make the final cut. See the full series at:

http://www.zacseewaldphotography.com

Style:

Many years ago I played in bands and subsequently spent much of my time with others who did likewise. One late evening I was having drinks with a much older fellow musician after a long run of performances. Our topic of discussion was the validity of style in music. He said something to me so unforgettable that it has stuck with me since. He said, "It's not music unless you can play it acoustically." The statement was unforgettable because it was entirely disingenuous and quite frankly wrong. Some may disagree. But I contend that any attempt at art, regardless of the medium, should never be considered "not art". It is only different.

In my mind, the truth is that it's a matter of style, not validity. Style is a very essential part of a photographer's abilities. Arguably, it's the most important part. It's what sets you apart and makes you identifiable. Without style you're just white noise. However, there are degrees of style. Some people are young in their style while others are more mature, having nothing to do with age or years of experience.

How do you obtain and then mature your style? By working, working, working. When you're done working you work some more. And just when you feel you've found your style, it will be time to reinvent yourself, to start the process all over again. All the classes, organization events, and what not are helpful, but they won't show you your style as a photographer. The best tool for maturing in style is to work at it. Dig in, compare your work with those you admire. Try recreating light patterns, angles of view, and the composition of work that gets you excited about the medium. Ask yourself after every project, "Is this good enough?" If you're really honest with yourself, and I mean really honest, your answer will be no. Tear it apart to find out why. How could you have made it better? What can you change? Remember that you're doing this because it's part of who you are. That's what art is, an expressed extension of you.

 

By: Zac Seewald - photographer

Back Of A Car

New Orleans, La.

Paris On Film

A Photo

The Art of Being Creative

Technical Foundations For Making It My Own

As photographers, we have a tendency to place ourselves in a corner by merely capturing moments. While that is an essential part of what we do, it limits our ability to make our images our own. A friend said to me the other day that even when I shoot situations that are everyday and ordinary, she can still see my style. I believe her words were “…everything you shoot has a certain Zac quality to it.” One of the greatest things about art in any form is that two people can be given the same assignment and in the end will surprise you with two completely different results. That fact alone gets my blood pumping. But the question I often hear is, “How do I make it my own?”

For me, when I’m putting together my plans for any shoot, I start with the camera. More specifically the lens. What millimeter lens, what f/stop, what ISO/ASA speed and what shutter speed am I looking for? Then I ask, what angle do I like to see when using the chosen lens and parameters? Do I want natural or studio light?
Of course, if you already know what to expect from the camera or lens, you can answer these questions more effectively. So how do I know what to expect from the camera? The simple answer is experimentation. Pick one lens, one f/stop, one ISO/ASA speed, and the corresponding shutter speed for proper exposure. Then get out and shoot 100 images. Next, study those images and make lists of what you like and dislike about those settings.

When you feel you understand the relationship between light and camera, as well as composition and depth of field within those parameters, it’s time to make a change and do it again. Start with the f/stop and shutter speed. It doesn’t matter how you change your f/stop and shutter speed as long as you meter for proper exposure and leave everything else alone. Shoot 100 images and study them just as you did in the first step.

Once you feel you have a good grasp of what you like to see, repeat the steps above while changing the ISO/ASA speed and so on. Make one change, take 100 images, study and make lists, then repeat. Tedious, I know. But you will start to see patterns of what you like emerge and that will start you on the path of knowing how to answer the first list of questions without having to look through the camera.

My challenge is this. Get out and spend time with your camera. Practice, make mistakes, and learn. If it doesn’t work, then shoot it again and again until you find what you’re looking for. Knowing what your equipment can do and what you like is foundational to making your art your own.

By: Zac Seewald -Photographer

George and Dick