Thank you Alain,
I personally don’t see my work as morose, but I can understand why others may think that way for, in part, the reasons you described. I think the expectations nowadays are for comforting, color images of nature’s wonder. Hell, those make me feel good, too.
Chuck, no questions, but heartfelt admiration. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your creative life with the rest of us.
Brooks
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Hello Chuck. I have followed you for a long time and we have even worked together a few time so I think you know of my admiration for your work. I just want to take a minute to thank you for the inspiration and always thought provoking commentary you provide on photography. You are one of the important voices out there, keep up the great work.
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[quote=“Chuck Kimmerle, post:22, topic:33415, username:Chuck_Kimmerle”]
I think the expectations nowadays are for comforting, color images of nature’s wonder. Hell, those make me feel good, too.
[/quote]I agree wholeheartedly. The question is whether art should make you feel good or not. The consensus, or so it seems based on what sells best, is that right now it should! There was a time, not so long ago, when it did not. Below is ‘Slaughtered Ox’ by Rembrandt, a famous artist whose work, in his time, was not perceived as morose but who today, based on our current ideas for the purpose of art, most like would be seen as morose if not morbid, emotionless, insensitive to vegetarians, or even partisan to animal cruelty. Times change. Should we change with it or not is a question each of us has to answer personally.
.
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Hi Chuck;
I’m a retired newspaper photographer, 40+ years, and I can’t seem to turn off the news photog work flow; figure out the story, acquire your subject to tell the story, find a good angle and wait for it to come together and click. Time was usually a big factor. So when trying to do something a little deeper I’m usually ready to move on to the next “assignment” soonest. As a former newspaper photographer did you turn that off? How?
Best
Jim
Hi Charles,
What is the single most important lesson that photography has taught you?
Love your work…
Alan
Chuck, what are the “truths” that you live by, and that influence your photography?
We should meet sometime, perhaps lunch?
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Hi Larry,
Artist residencies are very competitive, especially those in national parks, and are made even more so as visual artists are now competing against other forms of art including dance, writing, video, sound, poets, etc.
The first thing to realize is that artist residencies are meant to be intense, creative experiences, and few will allow spouses or family to accompany the artist, although some to do allow creative partnerships. The second is that often the housing does not have Internet or even cell service. It can be a bit lonely at times.
I have helped evaluate applicants a couple of times so have a bit of insight. The statement of purpose is very important and will make or break an application. Never refer to a residency as a vacation (I have seen it) or mention how you need the time away from home. Let the reviewers know that YOU know this is a serious and important opportunity that will help you grow creatively.
It is necessary to have a decent artist resume (CV) with a list of places you have shown your work, been published, or any contests you may have done well in. That is required to show that you are serious about your creativity and accepted by others.
As for a portfolio, it helps to show images which are a bit different than expected. National Park residencies get a LOT of nature photographers applying. You need to show work which will allow you to stand out from the crowd. Not always easy, but necessary
There are a lot of residencies in the NPS. Apply for as many as possible. I wish you well
Good afternoon, Chuck
I must admit that unlike many of those who have commented I am not familiar with your work. As a result, I do not know if you work from color originals or B&W original images, or both, depending on options you wish to have post production.
But my question is if you have a color image you then wish to convert to B&W, what are your considerations and reasons for when you believe a color original will have more impact in B&W?
The photos included in the intro to this Q&A are fantastic.
Thanks for your time and consideration of my question.
Fred
Hi Cole, I am sure you are wonderful and would love to someday meet you for the first time . . . again.
That is an interesting question. There is truth about things and truth about self. Self truth is, to me, the most meaningful… I am not even sure I know where to begin. But I will try.
My creative “truths” are that:
- Technique should never overwhelm content
- Passion is more important than skill
- Photography has become too easy and makes us sloppy and lazy
- A photograph should transcend the content
- Nikon is better than Canon
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Hi Fred. Welcome.
I think it’s important the choice of b/w or color be made before the shutter button is even pressed. It can alter how you expose our compose the scene. For instance, a bunch of plain, brown tree leaves may be a dull distraction in a color photograph, but not so in a b/w. And a scene defined by color, such as a gaudy room or colorful building, will fail if converted to b/w. It really is one of the first decisions we should make.
As for me, I honestly don’t respond creatively to color and see every scene as potential shades of gray. I used to be a photojournalist and then a university photographer. Most of that work was in color, of people, and meant to please others. To keep photography interesting and differentiated from work, my personal work was done in b/w, sans people. I guess I just developed an eye for it.
I shoot digitally in RAW, so am starting out with a color image and converting.
And, I never think a color image will have more impact than a b/w. That is sacrilege 
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Hi Joe,
It has not changed my philosophy or vision, but it definitely has an effect on style. These mountains are an ever present entity that are hard to avoid. They instantly become a dominant object in any photograph, so I have to be careful that my subjects are not overwhelmed.
And they block that sweeping sunset light that so defines the plains. I might have to have those mountains moved.
395 restaurants? No contest, the Copper Top BBQ in Big Pine. The taco truck in Independence is a close second
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Hi Alan, thank you.
The answer is patience. Sometimes I just have to accept that a photograph will have to wait until the proverbial tomorrow.
Means a lot. Thanks, Brooks, and thanks for your support
I totally get that, Jim. Even now, the bulk of my work is done as unrelated single images. Get the photo and move on the next. Sometimes it becomes a frenzy of one-offs. But with my Manzanar project, because the place is so meaningful and nuanced, I slowed down and dug deeper. Even a year later, I am still revisiting.
The trick is to find something you are passionate about , a place or an issue, that can’t be defined or explained with a single photograph. We newspaper photographers need to force our brains to rewire and slow down.
I hope you find something like that.
Thanks John. That means a lot. Someday I hope we can meet.
Hi Chuck. This is my first time participating in this type of event with NPN. Congratulations on your great work, I really enjoyed your portfolio.
My question is whether there any special technical or processing considerations that applies to printing black and white photos?
Thanks. Michel
Hello Chuck
Thanks for doing this for the group. I like your photos, they have a quiet peace about them as well a claim thoughtfulness.
My question is:
How best to get people to see your work and comment without being to pushy and or self-aggrandizing?
Thanks again,
Jim Vincent
Hi Michel,
Before printing, I always recheck my deep shadows and, if necessary, lighten them up a bit to preserve detail. Often when we print, we find these dark areas devoid of the same amount of detail we saw on the screen. It’s simply due to the fact that our monitors are transmissive (lit from behind) which will show more shadow detail than a reflective print.
As for printing itself, it can be frustrating. Straight black and gray inkjet inks are actually a bit greenish, so when we print using the normal color procedures, our prints might look tinted, and not in a good way. Better options are Epson’s Advance Black and White (ABW) mode (depending on printer model) which will give you perfectly neutral (or nicely tinted) prints. I don’t know if Canon has something similar.
Another option is to use third-party software like QuadToneRip (Epson only, $50 shareware) which gives excellent results. That is my preferred method.
JIm, I hear ya. It’s not easy for some of us. Those that get most noticed are actually the ones who are a bit pushy and, especially, self-aggrandizing. That is not me.
I would love to tell you that the best work rises to the surface on its own, but that rarely happens. We need to give a push. That means sharing our work as often as possible from multiple avenues. Facebook and Instagram are still viable solutions for photographers, as are forums such as NPN. Nobody can see our work if we don’t post it, and nobody will see it if we don’t push, at least a bit
Comments, though, are a different story. Anything beyond a thumbs up or a heart is rare treat. Sometimes we just need to accept that a single click is all we are going to get. Don’t be afraid to elicit comments. Often people hesitate to comment as they are unsure their input is welcome.
And, don’t be afraid to be confident when sharing your work. Never be self-deprecating or uneasy. Be confident about your work.