So after shooting the clips for the promo, Ken just say down with me and chatted on various topics I prompted him on. I’ve pretty much removed myself from this video and what remains is about 17 minutes of gold, as this renowned portrait photographer talks about out craft and how he see’s it.
Ken’s a really neat guy with more photographic awards than you want to count. But he’s always eager to learn new things and share ideas. It’s really cool. You can also view the HD version HERE.
Note: This post was copy-edited and re-shared in MAy of 2018. Ken passed away in November of 2016, but I left the tense and language as it was when this was originally written.
The Siren of Lake Chelan. Commissioned Portrait, Summer 2010 by Gavin Seim.
Water. Once we sink below the surface of its shimmering waves, we enter a foreign world of untold beauty. A silent land of bending light, murky depths, and unknown dangers…
Whew, did that sound enough like a nature show for you? Good, now let’s move on. Seriously, though, I working with water and I loved making portraits under it. I did it for the first–though probably not the last–time during a portrait commission for Jenaia. I learned a lot about working in the water, and we brought her home some beautiful images, but this is my favorite piece.
It took some trail and error, but my visualization was a calm ethereal portrait, and I think I managed it. I love the color hues and the way the light streams from the surface. We’re in a lake, not a pool, and it’s around 1500 feet deep, making the light fade into infinity. Just don’t drop anything that doesn’t float, or it’s gone for good. I lost a fin during the project, and once it was out of sight, there was no way I was going after it. It’s truly dark down there.
While my fin has joined the aforementioned murky depths, I’m very satisfied with this work. It taught me a lot and it helped make Jenaia’s portrait collection a real success.
by Gavin Seim (updated 7/21/12): I give workflow a lot of thought. In fact I started writing this nearly two years ago and it’s based on methods I’ve refined in my own business. If you read this and follow through with it, you WILL edit faster. Truth is, I’ve actually refined my skills by just by writing this down. I’m going to be a little blunt today so don’t take it personally and don’t think me arrogant. My goal is to make us all better at editing so we have more time for life. Good processing is very valuable, but it does not have to be slow.
I devote a lot of energy to planning workflow for my own studio and for the tools that I make for LR, Photoshop and Aperture (check those out here). I’ve experimented a lot and I’ve built a system that works. As photographers we often end up with hundreds, even thousands of images to edit. But editing should not be a tedious overbearing monster. What we need is a plan. I say that in a good batch workflow, you should be spending no more than 20 minutes sorting & editing per 100 images. If you spend much more than that, you likely have ENAS, or Editing Non-Awesomeness Syndrome. It’s a common ailment among photographers, but there is a cure, which we’ll address here.
This topic can get tedious if we don’t have some fun so lets keep it light. Really though. These concepts work for 25 images or 25,000. It’s about being organized, creative and efficient with editing. It’s the opposite of having countless pieces of software you switch back forth to, or endless erratic steps to reaching your goal. I can edit a wedding with 1500+ images in 3-5hrs of computer time. I’m not a light editor either, so some will do it even faster. Sure, it’s OK to spend extra time editing because you’re enjoying your work or doing fine art, but a solid foundation will make every project flow better.
Because I’ve also built a business out of making workflow tools, I’ll be using my own effects today. But these tips apply to any tools that fit into a smooth editing plan. I’m also using Lightroom. It’s the fastest I’ve found to date and can do about 90% of what Photoshop can, but about 5x faster. That’s huge! If you use Aperture or something similar that’s cool too. I’ve worked with both and the approach is essentially the same. If however you’re still doing main corrections in Photoshop, you’re probably wasting time. Doing all your editing in Photoshop does not mean you’re more creative. It just means you’re slow! That’s not to say you should not use PS. But with a good A-Z workflow you’ll use it less, edit faster and make your work better.
Have you ever admired classical art hanging in a museum? Maybe Sargent, Bierstadt, Rembrandt? It’s from the painters that we inherited this profession and every photographer should take time to look closer at what they did. You owe it to yourself and your clients to start placing appropriate sized pieces on walls. Photographers have missed much of the furniture quality appeal of their craft. Part of the problem is that they think of themselves as photographers. As camera operators.
We are in a saturated industry that’s in a rut of low grade commodities. But it’s time to change that. Hemingway was not a typist, he was an author. Those that have the skill to make quality wall portraits are not camera operators. They are artisans. Anyone can take pictures, but being a master of photographics is no easier than being a master painter. The mindset we have effects the product we produce. I Am Not a Photographer (see article).
Now it’s not only the fault of digital or too many people with cameras. We’ve trained ourselves and our clients to think small. It’s something that goes back to the early days of the wet plates and small contact prints that we’ve never quite escaped. People walk through our doors thinking in 8×10’s, 5×7’s and wallets. And we encourage them. It’s helping make photography a cheap commodity and it’s time to start changing all that.
Why should an 11×14 hang on the wall? It probably shouldn’t. Chances are the wall is much larger than that. But we’ve fallen into a rut of thinking small is all people want and need. Some tell me that “people won’t want these in my area”. But I’ll be blunt.. If people aren’t buying wall art, it’s because you don’t know how to make and or sell said wall portraits. I live in small town America and have discovered for myself that people love personalized wall art. You simply need to show them the quality and value of a beautiful appropriately sized piece. But first you have to understand the value yourself. Lets look.
120×72 – Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Albert Bierstadt, 1866. Birstadt is one of my favorite Husdon River School pictorialist’s. Amazing work at stunning sizes. Click this one for a large version. It’s amazing.
When you walk into a furniture store are they afraid to show you the larger dining set that fits your room? Do they act like it’s a stupid to buy the Italian leather instead of the cheap import? No. The only reason clients are asking for 8×10’s is because we’ve trained them to. Try showing them a thirty inch framed canvas of their beautiful family and see how they respond. If we do it well, we’re moving towards fine furnishings.
It’s been about 5 years since I first attended Wall Portrait Conference to really learn about all this. I know it can work, because nearly every client I have purchases at least a 24 inch heirloom quality print for their wall (I charge around $600 for those). That’s my smallest wall portrait size. I’ve sold up to 70 inch pieces using these same principles. Not because I’m a hard sell, but because I’m making and showing quality pieces that myself and my clients can really be proud to show.
But rather than simply making my own case, allow history to help. Below are some classical works, listed with their original sizes. We think of these as classics now, but when made, they were often commissions meant to hang on someones wall just like our photographs. Take a few moments to really look at them, then I’ll be back. And if you want to and get inspired in print form, check out some books like Sargent’s Portraits Of The 1890’s, Frederick Church, or J.W. Waterhouse. Or for the lover of pictorials like myself, here’s a stunning book on the Hudson River School era of painting.
46×34, Portrait of Nicolaes Ruts. Rembrandt, 1631. It seems that even 300+ years ago, a wall portrait was a thing of note. Look at the quality of this work. Click for a larger version. Even the catch lights look perfect.38″x32″ – Gather Rosebuds While Ye May by Waterhouse 190980″x52″ The Voyage Of Life, Manhood by Thomas Cole, 1842
This has been in the works for a long time and I think you’ll find it’s been worth the wait. I’m proud to announce the immediate availability of Hollywood Effects version 2. Hollywood Effects has been a popular set for photographers who wanted to add something special to their best images after basic corrections. Version 2 it taking it to a whole new level.
V2 completely replaces Hollywood Effects 1, with many new effects and improvement to many classic effects for easier customization and better results. V2 is setting a new standard. This is killer set of actions with some AMAZING new effects.
Portraitist: HE2 has something for everyone and especially for portrait photographers. HE2 includes the full version of the brand new Portraitist Series actions. Change the way you work with skin by automatically smoothing skin and masking out critical areas like eyes, making a portrait that’s ready out of the gate. Similar to effects done with plugins that cost far more, now in a simple one click action.
For current owners of Hollywood Effects there’s a discount upgrade program. For those that have purchased Hollywood Effects V1 in the past 60 days (after May 30th 2009) we’ll be sending you a FREE upgrade to V2. If you have not received your discount/upgrade email soon, please contact us and we’ll hook you up.
by Gavin Seim (updated 7/21/12): I give workflow a lot of thought. In fact I started writing this nearly two years ago and it’s based on methods I’ve refined in my own business. If you read this and follow through with it, you WILL edit faster. Truth is, I’ve actually refined my skills by just by writing this down. I’m going to be a little blunt today so don’t take it personally and don’t think me arrogant. My goal is to make us all better at editing so we have more time for life. Good processing is very valuable, but it does not have to be slow.
