Your Photo Persona

Photography and Your Inner Self

"there is much music, excellent voice..."

HAMLET

Re-enter Players with recorders
O, the recorders! let me see one. To withdraw with
you:--why do you go about to recover the wind of me,
as if you would drive me into a toil?

GUILDENSTERN

O, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too
unmannerly.

HAMLET

I do not well understand that. Will you play upon
this pipe?

GUILDENSTERN

My lord, I cannot.

HAMLET

I pray you.

GUILDENSTERN

Believe me, I cannot.

HAMLET

I do beseech you.

GUILDENSTERN

I know no touch of it, my lord.

HAMLET

'Tis as easy as lying: govern these ventages with
your lingers and thumb, give it breath with your
mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music.
Look you, these are the stops.

GUILDENSTERN

But these cannot I command to any utterance of
harmony; I have not the skill.

HAMLET

Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of
me! You would play upon me; you would seem to know
my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my
mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to
the top of my compass: and there is much music,
excellent voice, in this little organ; yet cannot
you make it speak. 'Sblood, do you think I am
easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what
instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you
cannot play upon me.

Shakespeare: Hamlet, Act III Scene 2 

They Say:

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society" 

- Mark Twain

"First impressions matter. Experts say we size up new people in somewhere between 30 seconds and two minutes."

- Elliott Abrams

"Your grammar is a reflection of your image. Good or bad, you have made an impression. And like all impressions, you are in total control."

- Jeffrey Gitomer

"Your your e-mail diction is you."

Graphologists claim that your handwriting reveals your personality.

Psychologists use the Ink Blot Test (Rorschach Test) to gauge a persons personality characteristics, and emotional functioning.

Are your photos a pictograph of who you are?

The photos you decide to take, how you take them, the ones you choose to post on Facebook,  Pinterest, etc., the other’s photos you “like” and forward; is it all you?

What does the tone of your photos say?

What can you learn about other’s from their photos.

Think before you snap. Take the time to show your "much music". Don't be afraid to crack open your shell.

Carpe Diem,
Carl

Catching the Moment

My Three Grandchildren

A photo can save a moment in time, from the stream of life, that reveals a depth to the meaning of living.

This photo taken by my grandchildren's mother has a personal meaning to me. The caption I added is the first thing I thought when I saw the photo and adds a focus to the photo. These aren't your grandchildren. What caption would you choose?

This is an "Ahhh" photo. A photo that is specific to me, but at the same time is universal. A photo that makes a common moment uncommon and is a celebration of life.

What feelings, memories does this photo invoke in you? Does it tell a Story?

Carpe Diem,
Carl

How to Take Photos & Videos All Day Without Battery Drain

Photo and Video Apps can drain the battery. The smartphone screen has to be the brightest so you can see in the sunlight — you can't save by dimming the screen.

When I started shooting photos and videos all day, I did all the tricks to conserve the battery and was plugging into wall sockets and car adaptors to recharge every chance I got.

Unfortunately, I still ended up with a dead battery at critical times.

Solution:

I bought a small auxiliary battery...

attached it to my device and turned on...

them shoved the battery and cord up my sleeve.

With the battery in the device, plus the auxiliary battery I can shoot both photos and videos all day with out recharging. I leave the photo or video app I'm using on all the time. I'm always ready to shoot.

Carpe Diem,
Carl

How To Make Fun Photos With Found Objects

When photo hunting setting up a photo with a Found Object can make an amusing photograph.

I was hiking with my daughter and grandchildren, when a rock configuration caught my eye. I had them crawl into it it and mug for the camera.

People Eater Rock

Later, while visiting Ancestor Square I set up this photo with my granddaughter and her boyfriend playing Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo:
If I profane with my unworthiest hand...Juliet:
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much...

And, at the St. George Town Square I decided the exhibit needed one more scarecrow — me.

Three Scarecrows

Be creative in setting up photos with Found Objects large and small that are at hand.

Carpe Diem,
Carl

Catching the Unexpected Photo Moment

I don't miss unexpected photo opportunities, because I always have a camera thanks to mobile devices.

Master Hiker

 I was sitting in Barns & Noble scanning some books when a gentleman in worn hiking boots and clothing set next to me with a hiking book. We were only a few feet apart. He was unaware that I took a series of photos of him reading the book. 

He left and a young lady with colorful shopping bags sat down. I took some more photos, than a young man started talking to her — more photos and a second young man joined the group.

Three's Company

I took about 30 pictures and kept two. I was able to be close, without distracting my subjects and able to take as many photos as I needed without having to worry about film and processing costs. That's why I enjoy iPhoneography.

Don't be timid about taking lots of photos.  

We live in a stunning landscape, but I prefer people to wallpaper and there is some stunning wallpaper. When people are combined with wallpaper it's a double whammy.

Are my captions good? I had a hard time deciding between Hike Master and Master Hiker. Is their a better one? "Three's A Crowd", have you a better one. Would the photos be better without a caption? 

Carpe Diem

Carl

Should Photos Be Captioned?

Why caption a photo? One could argue that the caption gives necessary information to understand the photo. Can the wrong caption limit the viewers understanding? Shakespeare's only stage directions are setting and enter and exit. Does less equal more? Is ambivalence better than certainty?

What is the difference between a good caption and a bad caption?

Are short captions better than long captions?

Should a caption be specific or universal?

Free Speech

I captioned this photo. Does it help the photograph?  Is the photo better with the caption? Am I grinding an axe by including the caption?

Malk Tweisier, 2nd Place 2011 St. George Ironman

Does this caption enhance the photo? Is it needed to understand the photo? Would the photo be more universal without the caption?

Does this photo need a caption? What caption would you choose?

Can the caption be inside the photo?

 ...and change the meaning of the photo.

The tone of a caption can be: universal, popular, mainstream, conventional, traditional, orthodox, funny, repulsive, provocative, questioning, spiritual and informative, but a photograph can be any of these without a caption.

Captions can enhance, distort and focus the meaning of a photo. If they are used, they should be chosen carefully.

Have I got you thinking?

Carpe Diem,
Carl

Seeing

Sisters

Smart Phones have changed photography. They make everyone a photographer. See something interesting, Grab and snap, put the photo on Facebook and wait for comments from friends and family. Then it's forgotten under a pile of more grab and snaps.

There can be more. The possibilities contained in that handheld case with a lens the size of a mouse's eye are unbelievable. Full length movies can and have been made with one.

Photography is not about equipment. It is about seeing.

Capturing the moment that: tells a story, reveals a personality, asked a question, creates a mood, tells a truth, and can't be forgotten.

It takes time and practice to learn to see.

Doing so will change your life.

And you hold it all in your hand.

Carpe Diem,
Carl