The Church of Light by Gord Barker

    It's the end of June and the Summer season is in full swing. The tiger lilies (one of my favourite flowers) are blooming almost everywhere. We've already survived our first heat wave. The days are long and the light during the day is intense. Sometimes too intense!

    

    When you think about it, good photography is really about the appreciation of light and the ability to use that light in the presentation of a subject. When you've been at it as long as I have, that appreciation of light becomes almost second nature. I can't tell you how many times I've stepped outside and said, "Wow! Look at the light!" Sometimes I work in reverse. The light will be amazing and I will frantically look for a subject or scene to utilize it. For a photographer, the appreciation of good light and it's interplay with a subject is key to making appealing photographs. Second to that appreciation, is the ability to utilize the photographic equipment at hand to capture the nature of that light with what is hopefully an interesting or beautiful subject. But the light comes first. Without it, photographic imaging is null and void.

    I can almost hear my readers asking, "So, old grey bearded photo freak, what exactly is  defined as good light?"

    

 The answer, quite simply, is any light that enhances the subject being portrayed in the photograph. For example, the hard specular light of a clear sky at mid day is usually not good for portraiture. It produces hard shadows in the eye sockets and under the nose on the face. The light of late afternoon or the softer light of a slightly overcast day is usually better for that application. However that same hard light can serve to emphasize the graphic nature of a building's architecture quite well. In essence, there's really no such thing as bad light, there's just bad application of the light that is available. And in photography, there's always a work-around.

    It was photographer Jim Richardson who said, "If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff."  I would add, "Stand in front of more interesting stuff lit with really great light!"

           ...more later

    

    

    

    

     

Big Sky By Gregory Barker

    The sky was vast and clear. The world woke up a couple hours before me. With my eyelids still heavy, I was sitting outside drinking my coffee, puffing smoke from my cigar in between sips. Despite waking up slow. I knew today would be a good one when the caffeine kicked in. The plan was simple. Grab my camera and set off to a childhood place. Off to spend time with the horses and the cattle.

    I’ve been to the farm plenty of times. Spent time with the horses plenty of times. Never with my camera though. Going to a place I love with a brand new perspective ended up being the author of my excitement all morning.

    About a half an hour past 9am by the time we got there. I knew the light would get harsh. With it being the time it was, and no clouds fixing to visit. I knew pretty quick that hard shadows and stubborn highlights would be taunting me at all times. The crisp, dried out dirt beneath my boots quickly transitioned to lush fields. The horses thought so at least. A handful of them surrounded me. However 2 in particular made this shoot special.

Mac and Caliber.

Mac is an old Belgian draft. Used as a work horse in pulling carriages. A gorgeous blonde coat, hulking physique and a personality even larger. If a golden retriever could be a horse. It’d be this behemoth.

Horses are always communicating with you. Not speaking, but communicating. The better you can listen and observe, the happier a time you’ll have. Many of the quarter horses were older. Calmer in temperament, but insistent on peaceful solitude. I didn’t get in the way of their time. Didn’t want to risk stressing them out. Especially Bella. An Appaloosa with a very timid demeanour. I only grabbed one photo of her from a distance.          

Mac however, was the opposite of such a concept. Often getting offended if you didn’t spend time beside him while grazing, and would make a point to walk on over to you and hang out with you. If you were giving time and affection to another horse. Mac presented himself quick and made sure to take back the stage.

In addition to such a memorable horse as Mac, there was Caliber, an old race horse. Though more reserved, she was just as motivated by the same laconic affection. A beautiful coat, numbers up her neck and a well kept mane. Sweet, friendly and easy to photograph.

It wasn't long after hopping the gate and shooting that I forgot about being a young gun photographer, eager to go out and grab explosive photos, and became the same ol’ kid who just straight up digs this stuff.

It’s always better to have fun. If you can't love what you shoot, then love the act of shooting. How good you are becomes a low bar to set for yourself. The passion has to be wed with the technique. Lacking one or the other is like wrapping a bandage for internal bleeding. It's something you can do, but it'll do you no good in the long run.

Deadpan Photography by: Gord Barker

      When did mediocrity become an acceptable standard for creative work? It seems that many practitioners of the craft of photography are almost afraid to achieve any degree of accomplishment in their work.

    Admittedly, that rhetoric is a harsh way to begin a blog post about photography and the creative experience. Furthermore, in making statements like that, I realize that I'm opening myself up to strong critique of my own work. I mean, who am I to say what is good or bad in the field of creative imaging?

    This diatribe came about after watching a YouTube video about "Deadpan Photography." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W1dmfG699w&t=12s  Up until I watched that video, I had never heard of deadpan photography. I had no idea that it existed as a genre or style in the craft. Now that I'm aware that a style name has been given to boring low contrast images made with flat lighting and questionable composition, I will try that much harder to eschew that style in my own photography. For myself, I like images that pop with a richness of colour or strong monochromatic contrast. Let the image be strong enough to tell a story, evoke a mood or trigger an emotional response. 

    How do you become better at photography? The answer is simple. Strive to create powerful and / or interesting images at a standard greater than the level you currently occupy. Nothing more, nothing less. 

    But please don't try to make flat, boring images visually successful by simply applying a term like "deadpan photography." Ultimately, you're not fooling anyone. 

          ... more later 

   

    

February

         It's the second to last Saturday of the month and I'm sitting at a counter at Detour Coffee in Wincey Mills in Paris. I'm having an Americano and trying to think of an idea for this blog post. I tried to take a picture through the window that is in front of me but found that the memory card in my Fuji X-E3 is filled up. Hardly surprising. The X-E3 is one of the two cameras I took to Spain in the spring of last year. I took a lot of pictures in Spain. Considering the cold grey weather we're having, I wish that I could be there again. I fell in love with that country! 

    No worries. I've got a new SD card in my camera bag. I change out the cards and take a few shots through the window. Back to the matter at hand.                                                           

   

        My son brought up an interesting point in regards to artistic discussion. All of the philosophical rhetoric regarding the artistic experience is null and void if you don't have a reasonably solid body of work or if you're not in the process of creating that body of work. Within the photographic community there are a quite a number people who talk a good game but ultimately fail to deliver. Some people are too busy being photographers to create good photographs! I know that sometimes I'm guilty of it.

     In my opinion, if I am going to make a good, or at least interesting photograph of something I have be, at least to some degree, in awe of it. The subject has to have some visual value or I have to provide that value in the way that I photograph it. Often, it's a combination of those two aspects of image making that result in the creation of a picture. Sorry folks. As a photographer, sometimes ya gotta work for it!

    When I'm at the top of my game making photographs, there are a lot of facets of the craft, that ultimately go into making the image. My skills, experience, vision, choice of equipment, knowledge of the controls of said equipment, training, tips and tricks that I've picked up along the way. All are concentrated into a simple squeeze of the shutter button. Hopefully it results in the creation of an image that is pleasing or at least visually interesting both to me and those who look at and appreciate the pictures I create.

    Ultimately, it's the reason I loaded a fresh SD card into my camera. It's the excitement of putting all I've got in this craft at any given moment into the press of a shutter button.  That's the joy and the challenge of it. It's what keeps me going. 

    Even on a grey winter day in February.

    ...more later 

    

    

    

     

     

     

    

Year Ahead Plans

     So the month is almost over. Is it too late to wish everyone a Happy New Year? I really don't know the protocol on that. What the hell! Happy New Year anyway!

    This first month of the year has been kind of a drag. It seems like all we've gotten so far is endless days of grey cold weather or, if it does warm up a bit, it's raining. Not exactly inspiring weather  to grab a camera and enjoy outdoor photographic pursuits.

    However, there have been some good things happening. A new year is a good time to take stock of my photographic life. I don't really make New Year's resolutions, but that doesn't mean that I don't have some  plans for the year ahead. 

 

    With my son, Greg, purchasing his first serious camera last year, we have plans in the works for a father and son photo exhibit coming up in May. Details to follow closer to the actual date.  We also have plans in the works for a collaborative  short video production. Storyboards and screenplays are currently being developed. 

    For myself, I hope to create a long overdue website as well as expand into some previously untapped opportunities for continuing to get my pictures out there. 

    So prospects for the coming year promise to be interesting if nothing else. Stay tuned this could be kinda cool! 

...more later 

2023- Closing Out The Year by Gord Barker

     Well Christmas is over for another year and, as has become something of a tradition for me, I'm writing an end of year summary on the blog. Hmm.... What can I say about 2023 other than it was pretty fantastic?

    My year began in a fairly prosaic way, doing local photography in Paris as well as doing some street and urban photography in Hamilton, On.

Holiday Light Display, Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton, On.

    

  

    

                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    

    Then there was Spain!  https://refractivereasoning.blogspot.com/2023/05/spain.html 

What can I say about Spain other than it was a life changing experience for me. Selecting and editing photos for this blog just made want to go back there. How is it possible to feel homesick for a place where I only spent ten days of my life? Spain was amazing!

 

    Back in Canada, my son, Greg purchased a camera, a Canon EOS RP as an upgrade from the Canon EOS M3 I had passed down to him when I went to the Fuji System. Greg has been doing on-line video editing and has also jumped into the realm of still photography. He has become a member of the Paris Photo Collective. In addition to having a great eye behind the camera, he is a Lightroom wizard who has shown me a few things in the world of post processing. Turns out you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! 

                                                                                                            Photo by Greg Barker

                                                                                                             Photo by Greg Barker

                                                                                                             Photo by Greg Barker

    The Paris Photo Collective has been fairly active this year. We've consistently held meetings in venues as diverse as a heated loft at the home of one of our members, the common room in the apartment building of one of our members, a photo studio operated by one of our members, Le Petite Marche, the picnic shelter in Lion's Park, the Paris Public Library, and, most recently St. Paul's United Church in Paris. What can I say? We really get around! This is a group that can hold an impromptu meeting in the parking lot of a donut shop!

    The Collective also had our first group showing at the Dog-Eared Café. It was very well received. A second pop up show  organized by Adam Tipler took place at the Norfolk Night Market -Christmas Edition. This group cranks out some pretty awesome pictures and this is the year we started to get the work out there!

     I can never write an end of year summary without including a note of thanks. In the past, I have written that photography is a solitary endeavor. While it's true that the actual act of making a photograph is usually a solitary experience, progression in the craft only happens with the kindness and support of an amazing community of people. Thanks to the patrons who have liked and purchased my pictures. Your appreciation and support mean a lot to me.  Thanks to the members of the Paris Photo Collective who are not only a group of really good photographers, but also a group of really good friends. You guys are amazing! Thanks to the gallerists and curators for providing us venues to show our pictures. I couldn't get the work out there without you.  Thanks to my friends and family who are not only incredibly supportive but also insanely patient when I want to take "Just one more shot!"  Thanks to a community that celebrates the arts and the creative experience. I am truly blessed.

 

  

    So what does the New Year hold for me? As always, I think it will encompass further progression in the field of photography and image creation. And, as always, it will encompass  further progression in the field of life. 

                            ...more later 

    

    

    

     

    

November Light By Gord Barker

    So it's November. In many ways, one of the worst months of the year for outdoor photography. Gone are October's sweeping vistas of glorious colour. Nor do we have the soft white beauty of a fresh winter snowfall. Stylistically, it's a bit of a no man's land. But, what we do still have is light. From a photographer's stand point, that's all I really need. American photographer Garry Winogrand, when asked if he only used available light, responded "What other kind is there?" It's a great quote simply because it puts so much of the act of photographic imaging into perspective. Light is the primary raw material of the craft. The word, "photography" literally means "drawing or writing with light".

In November, the light is lower in the sky. It's almost like having golden hour all day long. Lower angled light emphasizes form and texture. It can make architectural detail in a cityscape pop. Although we no longer have the abundance of colour experienced in the peak colour season of October, the colour that remains is more precious because of its limited quantity.  I often switch to lenses with a tighter field of view to isolate it. What colour that's left is often rendered more intense by the low angle of the late autumn light. Trees have less coloured foliage but what is left is emphasized by the inky darkness of the branches and trunks. Another option is to simply switch to black and white imaging and use such visual elements as pattern and leading lines to provide interest in the image.

   

    So really, all I need to survive the November blahs is beautiful light. 

Really, it's about the light.... It's always about the light.  

    Well, maybe light and a half decent camera. Okay, beautiful light, a half decent camera, some  interesting subject matter and the love and support of good friends and family. If I can combine all that with a little visual imagination, I really can't go wrong. 

            ...more later

     

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