Stanley Beck

Name
Stanley Beck

Company 
Retired

Location
Jackson, MS (from New Orleans, LA)

Websites
www.neworleansphotographs.com            www.sbeckart.com





Cameras
Nikon D200, D7100

Lenses
50mm, 18-200mm, 24-120mm, 75-300mm, 80-400mm, 105mm macro, 1.4 TC

Filters
Grad, neutral density, polarizers

Tripod
Manfrotto carbon fiber

Lights / Flash 
Nikon SB800

What software do you edit with
Mostly Photoshop CS5

Do you consider yourself a pro or amateur
Semi-pro amateur

When did your interest in photography start 
Late 1940's

What was your first camera
Kodak early 1950's - second hand, can't remember, but used 620 film

What is your favorite subject to shoot 
New Orleans, landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes, architecture, nature, wildlife, old stuff, odd stuff, weird stuff, street, documentary, anything that catches my eye.

What are your favorite 3 photos

Cabildo: D200, ISO 200, f/10, 1/50 sec., 24-120mm

French Quarter Balcony: D200, ISO 400, f/5, 1/80 sec., 24-120mm

  
Miss. River at dawn: D200, ISO 200, f/4.5, ¼ sec., 24-120mm

What would be your dream shoot
African Safari

What is your dream camera
What I have now

Who has influenced you the most in photography
My uncle and Robert Capa (WWII war correspondent/photographer).  I might also add the wonderful photographers in our web photography group.

Would you consider yourself a technical photographer or more of a go by the feel photographer 
Go by feel.  Every photograph has its own requirements.

What are your biggest strengths in photography
Being able to hold my camera and shoot.

What would you like people to know about your photography
Every photograph has something to say.  How people interpret it is what they take with them.  I just present what catches my eye.

Debbie Orlando - photos by debbie orlando

Name
Debbie Orlando

Company Name

photos by debbie orlando

Location

Recently relocated from Chicago to Fletcher, NC

Website(s)

www.photosbydebbieorlando.com

facebook.com/photosbydebbieorlando

Camera

Canon 60D

Lens

My main go-to lens is the Canon EFS IS 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Filters

I use a clear filter simply for protection of my lens(I can hear the gasps from other photographers on that one but it was recommended to me in discussion with a Canon customer service rep once and I've run with that ever since.)

Tripod

The majority of my shooting is handheld.  I do have a tripod that I use mainly for macro work.
It's an Oben AC-1320 AL Tripod with a BA-1 ball head

Lights / Flash

Most of my work is done with natural lighting. I have a Canon Speedlight Flash 430EXII which I am beginning to use a little more now. As far as lights? You'd laugh at my crude set ups sometimes using various lighting I have around the house, again, mainly used for macro shots.

What software do you edit with

Mostly Lightroom and Photoshop.

Do you consider yourself a pro or amateur

I'm in-between.  Until my skills are more well-rounded, I'll stick to that and consider myself a professional hobbyist.

When did your interest in photography start

When I was little, maybe around 6 or 7 years old, I remember shooting with a Brownie camera.  When I got my first Kodak Instamatic, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Cartridge film was so awesome to me then!  And when I graduated from single flashbulbs to the Magic Cube, that was a really big deal (I'm dating myself, I know).  Then I went to the 110 film cartridge and even the disc film camera.  I had many jumps in cameras along the way but never a 35mm.  I was just a picture-shooter then but the interest was definitely there.

My entire immediate family, except for my father but including me, worked for Skrudland Photo Service which was a well-known retailer in the Chicago area for photo equipment and processing.  My very first job after school was a counter girl taking orders, selling film, etc. but I wasn't in the back room where all the developing and processing was going on.  I learned about different types of film and things like cropping and exposure.  I learned a lot just from talking with customers and the situations that came about at work.  My brother was an influence as he enjoyed photography at a higher level than I and I often watched him work and enjoyed seeing his results.  To expand on my "picture-taking" was something I always wanted to do but it was always pushed to the back burner.

Then, in 2010, I got serious and acted on my desire to do and learn more.  I purchased my Canon 60D and it's been a wonderful passion and learning experience ever since. Composing a shot and selecting subjects came pretty naturally.  It's the technical aspects that I'm learning more and more about with each shot.

What was your first camera

Kodak Brownie

What is your favorite subject to shoot

I enjoy street photography and capturing stories and I also enjoy macro work.  I'm still searching for my niche but I really don't want to be stereotyped into any one class of subject.  I can sum up how I feel about my work with my own quote..."Finding beauty around us in the simplest of forms, in more complex wonders of our world, and in captured moments. CLICK...got it!"  I shoot what inspires me and that can be just about anything.  

What are your favorite 3 photos you have shot, what were the camera settings,  lens, filter that you used?

This is probably my most popular and most talked about photo.  It's also a favorite of mine.  I caught this shot as I was driving a rural road and a light snow began to fall.  It was perfectly outlining everything and the red shed just popped out at me.  I pulled over to the side of the road, rolled down the window and snapped.  I call this "Little Red".

Titled "Theatre Alley", this was shot in the Theatre District of downtown Chicago.  Even though there are no people as subjects in the shot, I saw a real story here...a historic story of who would have used this alley and who still does today.  The alley is the subject with the "Stage Door" sign as a sub-subject.

I knew I had accomplished my goal on this one when a friend ordered a print for herself and one for her father because, unbeknownst to me, her mother worked in this area before she met and married my friend's father and then afterward for a while.  She told me the history of her parents and it was a fascinating story with many memories brought to life again for her when she saw the photo.  She saw the story in the shot as I did.

As I was hustling my way down Michigan Ave in Chicago headed toward the train station with a light rain falling, I turned my head and spotted these two gentlemen playing chess in the doorway of a building under rehab.  I went back to chat with them for a minute and to ask permission to snap a few photos.  Their story is a special one.

Whenever possible, the man in the suit meets the less fortunate man during his lunch hour so they can play chess together.  The irony of their stations in life comes through in this photo yet the friendship they built over the game also comes through.  I am thankful I spotted them, went back, and, not only took the photos, but chatted a few minutes with them as well.

What would be your dream shoot

I would love to be a photo-journalist.

What is your dream camera

I don't know enough about the different cameras yet but my next camera is going to be a tic above my Canon 60D when I purchase a Canon 70D.  What I'd really like to do when I purchase the Canon 70D is to purchase a couple better lenses.  I'm still researching those.My husband, who has now realized his interest in photography but doesn't have the time that I do, will inherit the 60D.  (I don't like to share the camera when we are out together!)

Who has influenced you the most in photography

My first love has always been and still is black and white photography. I am attracted to photographers as far back as Matthew Brady to currently, Annie Leibovitz.

Would you consider yourself a technical photographer or more of a go by the feel photographer

Right now, I lean to the "go by feel" category.  I have learned that post-processing isn't "cheating".  I've learned that it's the digital darkroom version of what was once done in a dimly lit back room smelling of different chemicals and papers.  The technical aspect is interesting to learn and I am figuring out more and more about it.  I have always been more of a "hands-on" person so I learn best by experimenting and just getting out there and doing it.

What are your biggest strengths in photography

Composition.  I took a short intro to photography class a while back and realized composition was my strongest attribute.  The "rule of thirds", "framing", etc. were all something I was doing naturally without knowing it was something taught in a class.

What would you like people to know about your photography

My work comes from my heart and from my own instincts. Its the art form that best exposes the creative side of my nature. It's creativity and technology wrapped up into one expression. If I can spark an emotion, a memory, stir controversy, or just entertain the person that sees my work, then I've accomplished my goal of sharing what I see behind the lens.

Filip Lučin

Name

Filip Lučin

Company Name

None

Website(s)

http://www.filiplucin.com/ (cronicaly not updated :( )

www.facebook.com/FilipLucin


Location

Čakovec, Croatia.

Camera

Nikon D80, Nikon D7000 and different film cameras.

Lens

Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6, Nikkor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5, Nikkor 50mm, f/1.8 and Tamron 70-30mm f/4.0-5.6

Filters

Set of Cokin GND and ND filters (P series), some no name 77mm polarizer , Cokin IR filter, B+W 1024 (10 stop) 77mm ND filter

Tripod

Manfrotto 190XB + Manfrotto ball head

Lights / Flash

None

What photo editing software do you use

Capture NX2 and Paint Shop Pro.

Do you consider yourself a pro or amateur

I'm in between. I don't live from photography, but I do earn some money from photos, articles and workshops. Not too often, though.

When did your interest in photography start

At around age of 13. But then I let it go for a long time, and started again around 2002.

What was your first camera

When I was a kid it was famous (at least over here in central/eastern Europe) Lomo Smena 8M. :) In 2002. I got some film point and shoot and first digital camera that I bought and loved was Nikon Coolpix 2300 in y. 2004.

What is your favorite subject to shoot

Landscapes! I play with macro photography, but not too often.

What are your favorite 3 photos you have shot, what were the camera settings,  lens, filter that you used

I actually don't have favorite shots that are in that status from now to eternity. It's a changing game and my feelings about my photos change over time, as I learn and develop as author. The ones that I liked before I will probably like in the future, but new photos will come to take their place. It's like in sports, one can't be champion for ever. :) So, I've chosen three photos that show how I do what I do.

First one, I've named "River Serenity". It was shot with Sigma 10-20@12mm, f14, 6 seconds exposure at ISO 100. I probably used polarizing filter and one of the GND filters. It's a simple photo that captured calmness on the river before approaching rain. It's a kind a threatening with all the darkness, but yet as I look at it, I see calmness. In a way, whatever life throws at me, I'll be here anyway…

Second one is named "Magic of winter sunset".

Sigma 10-20@14mm, f11, 75,4 seconds exposure at ISO 100, B+W and polarizer filter used for his long exposure photo. From time to time I do plan a photo. This was one of planned ones. I knew that the weather will be partly cloudy meaning that at the end of the day light might be crazy, and as you can see it was! I found this tree using online maps and decided to come and see what happens. And it happened that I had some fast moving clouds, low sunlight coming trough the clouds that painted this oak tree. And that's that. :)

Third photo is and Infra Red one, again something to do with river. "Day at the river" ISO 200, f8,30sec, Cokin IR filter and Sigma 10-20@10mm.

Infrared photography is different game than normal one. Since I still don't own dedicated IR camera I use normal one that means I have to use long exposures, from 20 to 60 seconds, depends on conditions. Although that denies me of chance of having all out sharp IR photos, I don't mind it too much since it allows me to create quite surreal photos. Like this one, where I especially love the motion of the leaves on the water. They wouldn't exist if the photo was taken with short exposure time. Even more important, since people can't see in IR spectrum I'm free to use colors as I like and want, and it's usually like this, blue and white.

What would be your dream shoot

Hm.... I actually can't say I have one. I enjoy photographs of US national parks and the way US landscape photographers cover them. I would like to do similar photos here in Croatia, in our national parks.

What is your dream camera

As I know more about photography as art, the less I care about tools, the cameras. Having one of smaller FF Nikons would be nice, but I can't see me owning one in near future. :)

Who has influenced you the most in photography

No one specific, I've learned and I'm still learning from many people. I follow literally hundreds of landscape photographers blogs. And that are people that can teach me through their photography and writing.

Would you consider yourself a technical photographer or more of a go by the feel photographer

I would say later. I do care about technical aspects of photography, but only as much is necessary to create photos that I feel I want to make and how I want to make them.

What are your biggest strengths in photography

I suppose it would be ability to create interesting photos from ordinary, everyday landscapes. Lot of photographers think that only photos of iconic places (like Yosemite in US, in example) are great landscape photographs. On the other side I photograph fields and meadows, trees and hills and everything else that surrounds me here, in radius around 50 km away from my home. With occasional trips to more interesting places, but all in around couple of hours of ride by car.

What would you like people to know about your photography

I try not to photograph landscapes as they are, just landscapes, I try to pass emotions trough my photos. Feelings of loneliness, of courage, of age, of warmth or cold, any emotion I might felt while photographing landscape. I do it foremost for my own fun, for my escape from everyday life. I often photograph alone and then I have all the time and peace I need to connect with landscape, to see all those details small and big and to create image in my mind, before I press the shutter release button. Although I enjoy loneliness while photographing, I love to talk about photography, especially landscape photography. I'm a member of a local photo club (Fotoklub Čakovec) that is one of the most prominent in Croatia, where I and colleagues hold photo workshops, both on general photography and landscape photography specifically. And that is one more way that I can express myself, through sharing knowledge.

At the end John, thank you for this opportunity! And to all reading this, thank you for reading,  feel free to follow me on Facebook where I'm most active.

Lindsey Ingram - lindseying photography

Name 
Lindsey Ingram

Company Name 

lindseying photography

Location 
Long Beach, CA

Website(s)

www.lindseyingphotography.com

www.facebook.com/lindseyingphoto

IG& twitter:  @lindseyingphoto

Camera
I started on a Nikon d5100 and have moved to Nikon d800

Lens 
primarily 50 mm

Filters  
post-production

Tripod 
Very rarely.  I’m regularly surprised to find that many people consider tripod use to be the hallmark of professionalism.  Often when clients or onlookers who aren’t in the field talk about their experience with photographers in the past, they get a strange gleam in their eye…  “And he had a tripod…” they’ll say with special flare.  Perhaps because I prefer candid and event photography, I’ve found tripods to be cumbersome.  

Lights / Flash  
Nikon SB-910 AF (but DEFINITELY still learning to use it)

What software do you edit with 
Windows Live Gallery, PS cs6, Picmonkey

Do you consider yourself a pro or amateur  
A pro becoming pro-er?  I’ve had my cameras for a short amount of time compared to some, but I’ve had some great opportunities to embrace a steep learning curve and develop my business rather quickly, considering.

When did your interest in photography start  
I used to carry the disposable Kodak cameras around regularly in years past.  Then I graduated to phone photography for years.  I loved it… LOVED it… and wished I had graduated to a “real” camera much sooner.

What was your first camera
Nikon d5100.  An impulse reward purchase to help me feel OK about spending my summer teaching summer school.  I only did probably an hour of research on which sort of camera to buy, drove to Sam’s Club and bought the last starter kit they had on sale.  I went home, unpacked the box, stared at it blankly and promptly took a nap.  It was a little overwhelming for someone who had not even held a fancy camera before.  

What is your favorite subject to shoot 
Candid shots of people and events.  I also love to capture the idea of people in unpopulated spaces.  

What are your favorite 3 photos you have shot, what were the camera settings,  lens, filter that you used

“Stilled Potential”

Nikon D5100 f 4  1/60 ISO 2500 35mm lens

I shot this on the go at a music store called World of Strings that has since closed.  I loved the idea of a room full of so much potential… like a room of puppies waiting to be adopted.  I converted it to the black and white to lend itself to a sort of tension between the silence of the room but the potential implied by so many waiting instruments.

“Read”

I took this for a 365Project theme challenge of Books (and won!).  I was hunting for research books at the college library, and took a few quick minutes to set up this scene with my timer.  I did a lot of post editing on picmonkey to add the red tone and to saturate the whole scene.    I love the conceptual play of Red/Read and the idea of reflection.

Nikon D5100 F3.5 1/30 ISO 1600 18-55mm kit lens set at 27mm

“Point it Home”

Nikon D800 F4 1/30 ISO 100 50mm

This was taken at a wedding from a higher view off the Queen Mary in Long Beach.  The TONES and the play off the water/land/sky make this a favorite.  Edited with pic monkey.

What would be your dream shoot  
I would love to be commissioned to work with a group to document their lives or a specific event for an extended amount of time.  For example, documenting the behind the scenes of a political campaign, a band tour, or a sports team’s season would really appeal  to me.   I’m not even really sure I care what sort of group it is… it’s the passion, the collective nature, and the process that I’m interested in.  I would love to capture the life and spirit of a particular group during a particular time.  It sounds a little vague, but I think the main draw for me would be to have a chance to really immerse myself in a particular little world in order to, down the road, reveal that world back to itself- to be an observer and participant at once.  That’s what I love about event photography, and would love the chance to experience it on a larger scale.  And if I’m REALLY dreaming here, I’d love to have a chance to do that in a way that also pays the bills.

What is your dream camera 
I’m not so much dreaming of new camera bodies, but I definitely hope to add a few key lenses to my toolbox.  My next purchase will be the 24-70mm f2.8 and after that I’ve got my eye on a 70-200mm.  I’ve heard it said to invest in your glass rather than the camera bodies.   I think there’s wisdom in that.

Who has influenced you the most in photography
I’m consistently inspired by members of the photography community on 365project.org.  I’ve been posting a picture a day since I first started a few years ago and have been pushed and challenged and motivated through the feedback and collaboration with other photographers on the site.  

Also, in my early months with my camera and website, a woman purchased some pictures of her dog that I had snapped randomly for a whopping profit of $4.15.  It seems silly now, but that email telling me I had made a profit even as small as that really lit a fire for me and helped me to value myself as an artist with potential.      

Would you consider yourself a technical photographer or more of a go by the feel photographer 

FEEL FEEL FEEL.  I took on a steep learning curve and I’ve learned most of the technical knowledge I’ve gained on the fly or on an as-needed basis.  I didn’t want to paralyze myself with so much technical jargon that I would feel less confident in experimenting.  That’s just me, though.  I think there are benefits to both approaches.   Other than what experience has taught me with my two Nikons, I have zero knowledge of the technical side of cameras.  I’ve learned by doing.  

What are your biggest strengths in photography  
I think candid photography comes natural to me.  I have an eye for the story in a moment.  I also like capturing the presence of people in unpopulated spaces.  And I’m bold.  I have no qualms about taking pictures of strangers, or going to crazy lengths to pursue a shot.

What would you like people to know about your photography  
Themselves.  I would like them to know themselves a little bit better or in a bit of a different way through my photography.

Kelly E Schultz Photography

Name Kelly E Schultz

Company Name  Kelly E Schultz, photographer

Location Nashville TN

Website(s) http://www.k3schultz.com

Camera Nikon D3000, Nikon D90, Nikon S9100 Coolpix 

Lens AF-S Nikkor DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6G AF-S Nikkor DX 35mm f/1.8G

Filters  Mysteriously cracked and never replaced

Tripod Seldom used except for firework photography

Lights / Flash I never use flash except for candid photography of my cats, much to their annoyance

What Editing Software do you use? Photoshop

Do you consider yourself a pro or amateur? Professional with a day job

When did your interest in photography start? 
My father introduced me to photography as a child.  I have fond memories of him setting up the slide projector and showing us his beautiful work.  I was mesmorized by his images.

What was your first camera 
My first real camera was a Minolta 35mm film camera.  When I was 18, I was in Hong Kong with my parents when my dad decided to purchase a new camera body, as the price was right.  I had a little extra spending money and grabbed one for myself, along with a ‘kit’ lens.  During that trip, my dad was able to take me under his wing and teach me how to use it.

Because I learned on a film camera, I was very reluctant to switch to a digital camera.  I had several friends who had them and I was annoyed when they would take horrible photos but then use Photoshop to ‘fix’ everything.  To me, that wasn’t photography because one didn’t have to pay attention to lighting, the surroundings or anything else that a film photographer had to consider.  With all the post production in today’s photography, I still have a hard time separating ‘photography’ and ‘graphic design’.  To me, a photograph is more interesting if it isn’t ‘perfect’.  It’s like the difference between vinyl and an MP3 file; streamed music may sound best, but the pops and hisses of vinyl make music interesting.

Regardless, in 2007 I finally broke down and purchased a Polaroid point and shoot digital camera.  I was amazed that I could take more than 36 photos at a time!  In 2010, I purchased my D3000 and last summer I obtained a hand me down D90.

What is your favorite subject to shoot
 I’m known as a concert photographer but interestingly enough, trees are my favorite subject to shoot.  I love the uniqueness of them and love photographing them in different seasons and in different lighting conditions.

What are your favorite 3 photos you have shot, what were the camera settings,  lens, filter that you used 

This photo is simply called ‘Favorite Photo Ever’.  Technical information is lost and the quality is deminished as the print was scanned and then digitalized, but this is my favorite photo.  It was captured in China at Confucius’ Temple with my brand new Minolta 35mm camera when I was 18.  In rural China, people didn’t want their photograph taken because they were afraid their soul would be captured along with the image.  But this old man, who was sitting near the tomb, invited us closer so he could show off his pin display.  He welcomed the cameras and as they were raised, he stood taller. It was that moment when I pressed the shutter.  The photo isn’t technically perfect, but ever time I look at it I smile.

Jazz musicians are my favorite artists to photograph because they are so expressive and so focused on the music.  The image of the late George Duke was captured in 2011 in San Diego when he performed with Marcus Miller and David Sanborn.  A brilliant, soulful man who was called home too soon.

Nikon D3000, 1/50 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, 200mm

After careful consideration and a couple of swear words aimed towards East Lansing, Michigan (why couldn’t I have four favorite photos?!), I selected this image of my cat, Meyer, as a favorite photo.  Meyer’s lived with us for 14 years and in February 2013, we suddenly lost our other cat, Maggie.  Meyer was introduced to Maggie one month after his sister, Molly, died and we soon realized it was too soon to introduce another cat into the family.  Though he and Maggie sometimes had disagreements, they eventually learned to get along and became friends.  When Maggie died, I was concerned for Meyer because he had never truly been an ‘only cat’.  I didn’t want him to be lonely but I also didn’t want to rush into getting another cat so soon after Maggie’s death.  A few days after Maggie died, Meyer was staring out the window in the bedroom and just looked so contemplative, yet strangely peaceful.  I didn’t have my camera near me and was afraid he would move if I went to get it so I quietly grabbed my cell phone and snapped a photo.  I then emailed it to myself and converted it to black and white.  Not only is this photo a beautiful portrait of Meyer, but it also proves that better equipment doesn’t always equate better photography

LG Smart phone, Converted to Black and white in Photoshop

What would be your dream shoot
To be the concert photographer for Marcus Miller or Herbie Hancock on a world tour.   

What is your dream camera
My dream set up would be a Nikon D4 with the 70-200mm f2.8 Nikon lens and the 24-70mm f2.8 lens but I don’t know if I’d be able to lift it.

Who has influenced you the most in photography
My father, George E Adams.  

Would you consider yourself a technical photographer or more of a go by the feel photographer
Definitely more of a go by the feel photographer.  I don’t get bogged down by f stop, aperture, ISO, metering and all the other stuff.  Concert photography is about adapting to situations that change so quickly.  I’m more concerned about having a fully charged battery and an empty SD card than any camera presets.

What are your biggest strengths in photography  
With concert photography, I have to be adaptable.  Often I don’t know where I’ll be shooting from until I get to the venue. Then for ten minutes or so it’s me  versus the lightening director, the poorly placed mic stand, the unphotogenic guitarist, the fans arriving late, the fans raising cell phones right when I press the shutter, the sometimes surly security guards, a subject who’s so excited that they can’t stay still for one second and other photographers with better equipment but major insecurities.  It’s also important to me that people don’t realize I’m there.  I don’t want to ruin someone’s concert experience by being a jackass photographer who’s in their way, lugging around monster lenses with a shutter release that would make a machine gun sound quiet.  People deserve to enjoy their experience even if they do at times get in my shots.

What would you like people to know about your photography 
This may sound counterintuitive but my photography isn’t about me, especially my concert photography.  I don’t plaster social media with my images, seek out band members to ‘tag’ them, and pound my chest to get attention from faceless admirers.  I capture moments, and those moments shouldn’t be pimped out for the sake of my ego.  I’d much rather have the respect of artists, tour managers, publicists and label execs.  You may not know my name, but you’ve seen my work.  And in the coming months, you’ll see a lot more of it.