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Hi Everyone! Tony Sweet here. It’s an honor to be on the NPN AMA platform.
I am a 35 yr professional photographer, authored several books on nature photography, and
started our Visual Artistry Workshop Series teaching throughout the US, Canada, Iceland, and
Cuba. In 2006, I was honored as a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens.
However, before photography I had a career as a professional jazz drummer and college educator. Two full time careers didn’t quite work for me, so I opted to make music performance and education my avocation and moved into photography full time.
In my work, I search for light. Actually, to quote Galen Rowell, “My first thought is always of light.” When I photograph, I have no preconceptions. No expectations. No shot list. No planning apps. I like to know where the sun will rise and set and whatever happens in between is whatever happens in between.
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Not really a question. I just wanted to jump in here when I saw Tony was the AMA today. For anyone who does not know Tony, I see him as an artist that happens to use a camera. Tony was and still is a major influence on my work. He has been a tremendous mentor and friend over the years. Tony, thank you for everything!
Thanks for your very kind comments, my friend. You’re certainly welcome for “everything.” I’m just glad that I could help back in the old days, but you’re flying high now!
Hi Tony! I took a workshop from you back around 2006-2007 and loved it. It changed the way I saw light.
Wanted to ask if you could provide info on how to get started getting images into publications. What’s the best way to find out a publication is seeking images and is there a mass list of openings somewhere? Also, any tips on negotiating pay or do most publications have a standard contract/rate? Thanks and hope to see you in the field soon!
Hi Tony, I am about to convert a Canon R6mklI to IR. (it will be my 3rd conversion but first mirrorless). I have seen suggestions, some pretty adamant. that I should only go full spectrum and then use filters. My personal taste tells me I will only use the 720nm monochrome for prints. I do not care for the IR color imagery much and am sure I would never use that for making prints. I have a friend (Ron Rosenstock) who is very experienced in IR and with my work and he agrees with me to just go with the 720nm. I would appreciate any thoughts.
I enjoy shooting infrared in the summer, so my question is do you head out with the intention of shooting in infrared, or it just gets too sunny to do anything else.
Hey Ken! I do have a full spectrum camera and one of the great benefits is the ability to revert back to a full color camera by adding a “Hot Mirror” filter. This enables me to have a back up camera in the event my color camera has a malfunction. But, it also enables me to pare down to one camera that can handle infrared, and with the addition of the “Hot Mirror” filter, full color. NOTE: Be careful to change your white balance or preset that you used when shooting infrared back to a standard setting when going to color, like bright sun or shade, or whatever your conditions are…and then back again when going back to infrared. It’s a bit tedious and like most of us, like me, you will forget to change the WB, but you can fix the WB during processing.
Hi Bill: Yes, Ron was an early influence and I agree with him. I have a full spectrum because I play around with color infrared, but 99% of my infrared work is 720nm. Now you can certainly get a fixed 720 conversion making it permanent. Or you can get the full spectrum conversion and use the 720 filter, same as a fixed conversion, but giving you options for future creativity. Please give my best to Ron. One of the best.
Hi Gary: There are many touches and subtleties that can be added to increase glow, decrease contrast to soften a bit, masking, etc. but that is a class. To paint with a broad brush here, consider simply processing like a black and white image paying particular attention to contrast . Personally, for most of my infrared, I work to get black blacks and white whites: slightly decreasing blacks and shadows and increasing whites and highlights. I would start there and remember that nothing is ever set in stone and that it’s about what you like . Remember that there are no formulas and that the more you practice, the closer you get to achieving your vision.
Hi Hank and thanks for your question. Let me start with shooting times for infrared. Like you and me and most people, we all start out shooting on bright sunny days with puffy clouds and blue sky. Nothing wrong with that, for sure, and there are great images to be made on bright sunny days with clouds. But there is certainly more than just one condition in which to shoot infrared: Let’s begin with my absolute favorite time for infrared: a light rain. Yes, in the rain. Infrared in wet conditions creates the contrast that we look for: whiter whites and blacker blacks, as well as the highlights of the whites glow, all by themselves. No filter needed. Fog is another great time for infrared. Side lighting early and late in the day is quite beautiful in infrared. Oh yeah… in answer to your question, since I shoot in infrared about 1/2 the time, more if in an infrared friendly environment, it is always my intention to shoot infrared. Also, in bright sun, like in Cuba, as an extreme example, the midday light can be extremely harsh. I will photograph infrared with the intent of lowering contrast during post processing. I will also shoot infrared in the fall. No color, but lots of leaves that can be quite full and beautiful. If you have the ability to make a color image and then an infrared image, place both images in layers and adjust the opacity. Basically, try whatever you can think of. See what happens…
Hey Amy! When I was where you are now, I bought a useful book called The Photographers Market, but it is gone now. It’s all online. First off determine which publications interest you or more specifically, study what pictures they publish and try to stay in that lane when contacting the editor for submission guidelines (which may be online). They may say something like, “no phone calls,” if so, do not call. Enter high end photo competitions. There are many and they are good for a few things: Affirmation, getting the work out in front of high end people like gallery owners, publishers, etc. It’s fun to see your work printed in a magazine. Try googling the following: " The best magazines looking for photo submissions," “Best photography competitions to enter,” Best photography contests," “30 best photography competitions to elevate your craft.” I hope that this helps. And most importantly, don’t give up. You’re good enough, just don’t quit. My best… and…I just emailed a link to you.
Hey Daria! Nice to hear from you. The most opportunities for nature photographers to earn a living is through education: workshops, tutorials, private coaching, books, ebooks, articles, and local exhibits, which can certainly spark interest. I make a few bucks from prints, but there are a few who specialize in large prints and they do well in corporate venues, banks, special clients. Normally, there is an agent involved in going between the artist and the client. One can certainly teach at local venues, like Community colleges, activity centers, Senior centers and places like that. Have an exhibit and call the local paper to do a story. That could get some interest in you and your work. Opportunities certainly exist to make money. It takes time and a commitment and thinking outside the box. The more you spread yourself out and get tied into the education scene, the more likely you are to be able to string a few things together creating gainful employment. I hope that this helps. Take care.
