I'm so new at photography.

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography

 

I received my new camera this week and it started me down a deeper journey into researching various photographers and discovering the ones that I admire their work.  I feel this is research for me that helps to build up, and inspire my creativity.  For those who do not have the passion, desire or drive to look at what I am about to tell you up, I have provided a ton of links to various photographers and shots below.

My friend Mark recently gave me a small notebook he got at a dollar store.  He uses a similar notebook to jot down ideas, tips, tricks, settings, and ideas for recall later.  I liked that idea and have started doing the same.  This is a basic 3×5 notebook (not even a brand name on it), with a fake leather cover and lined pages on the inside. I have a pen attached to the notebook by a hair tie borrowed from my wife.  Inside I currently have some basic settings for my cameras, but soon am adding ideas for future pictures.

My new camera is a smaller, lighter camera, with a fixed lens and though the internals is the same as my other camera, it is quite different on how I plan to use it.  Not different in the fact that I will be taking different types of pictures, but different that I plan to carry this with me almost daily, due to its size.  I do however plan to take either monochrome or classic chrome pictures with this camera.

As mentioned I have begun a journey of studying various photographers who I admire, and more importantly discovering why I admire their work.  Let me start with two local (Kentuckiana) photographers I often shoot with.  My friend Mark is on the top of that list.  He is 65 years old and been shooting since he was 18.  He shot with film (where I began as well) and offers me a lot of advice, positive critiques and suggestions.  As he recently told me “I am still learning every day from shooting.”  Next is my pal Chris.  Chris helps me see lines and shapes differently.  He is almost exclusively shooting Classic Chrome and pushed me towards buying my first Fuji X camera (of which I now have two).  Besides his knowledge of shooting, he has also provided me some extremely useful tips when it comes to using Lightroom.

For the people I do not personally know I recently discovered Tom Stoddart.  I am drawn to Tom’s work due to his ability to capture conflict.  Many of his images have drawn me in and even brought a tear to my eye.  Not all of his work is of conflict, but those are the ones that move me the most.

Next is a photographer named Ondrej Vachek who is currently working on documenting “The Frozen War”.  His images from this project are so moving and inspirational to me. I discovered Ondrej on a video done by my favorite professional photographer Sean Tucker.  The video explains Ondrej’s true passion and why he decided on conflict photography.  He shoots 100% monochrome which is my favorite theme of shooting. I have mentioned Sean in a previous blog, so I will not go into detail on my love of his work, but you can read about it here.

I generally don’t follow portrait photographers.  I have nothing against them, but it is just not my passion.  However, I do admire a famous photographer named Dan Winters.  You may not know his name, but you will either recognize his work or who he is taking portraits of.  In my constant struggle to live in the moment, I utilize photography to help me navigate the constant self-noise and distractions caused by my brain.  Dan Winters wrote “I now find peace in the realization that countless potential masterpieces happen each moment the world over, and go un-photographed. The world owes a great debt to all those who have, from a state of exceptional awareness, preserved stillness for us to hold.”

Another wonderful photographer is Darcy Padilla.  Darcy shoots film and again is mostly monochrome.  Darcy naturally adds grain to her shots via her process of shooting film.  This to me adds more to the feel and mood of the pictures she posts.  I strive to get the look and feel of her work on my own, someday.  Darcy also recently produced a book and YouTube video called ‘Family Love’.    This is very sad and emotional.  Please do not watch this at work or in front of the children.  There are nudity and disturbing images.  You will see the grain I reference in this video.  This moving video is not for those that live in the happy clouds of life.

There are many more that I could mention like Lisa Huber, Kim Stone, Darci Schiller, Kevin Mullins, Gareth Danks, Sergio, and on and on.  These are my favs.  I challenge you to find your own.

For me life captured, is not staged, not directed, but purely instinctive.  Moments that would otherwise just fade away and go unnoticed.

Until next time,

Tim