Confessions of a Photoshop user!
Jul/16/2011
This is an excerpt from an article I wrote for a recent show:
I’ve been shooting photographs for over 25 years. I’ve had my own dark rooms and I’ve worked in professional labs. I’ve printed color and black and white in chemical baths and large machines. In all these processes, where there was flexibility, I and every photographer took advantage of that flexibility to make the best image possible. Invariably I’m asked if I use Photoshop, or, better yet is when I hear one person justify to another at a show or gallery, my quality of work by saying I do all or this and that in Photoshop - as if with PS I can take a digital camera and do anything through the magic of PS and come up with the detail and saturation that I get from using large format film.
I do use Photoshop. Do I “manipulate” the images in PS? Well, I really try to get the images to look like the scene I saw and keep them as “real” as possible. At times that’s difficult: I usually shoot in inclement weather or in early / late light, sometimes almost no light. My exposures range from a good part of a second to many minutes, and, my film’s only rated to be accurate to 10 seconds. Beyond all that though, my film (Fuji Velvia 50) interprets what it sees, then my scanner (Imacon Flextight X5) interprets what’s in the film and creates a digital file, then my computer (Mac Pro :-) interprets that file and puts it on my monitor (Eizo Coloredge CG301W), which I then adjust to my liking before sending it off to my printer (Epson Stylus Pro 9900) that has a color profile for the paper I’m using (Hahnemuhle Bamboo). So, I try to keep the original look and feel of the real scene in mind, but, I work with what I have and I would be lying if I said I didn’t allow my preferences to guide me: “How much contrast was in that original scene?”, “Was the light that cold blue light, typical of afternoon shadows?” - I don’t recall exactly. I shoot for what could be seen as real and as faithful as possible to the original scene and to any pre-visualizations I had. My film is very sensitive (over saturates) greens and reds, so, if you compare my transparencies to the final prints, you’ll see I often tone down the saturation in those colors. I know I prefer the “warm” side of things but anything too distant from reality, well, just doesn’t look real.
It's extremely rare that I grab any area of the whole image and do anything to it - I don’t knock those who do, I just don’t do it often, at all. Anyway, my name’s John Hanses, and I use Photoshop...”
I’ve been shooting photographs for over 25 years. I’ve had my own dark rooms and I’ve worked in professional labs. I’ve printed color and black and white in chemical baths and large machines. In all these processes, where there was flexibility, I and every photographer took advantage of that flexibility to make the best image possible. Invariably I’m asked if I use Photoshop, or, better yet is when I hear one person justify to another at a show or gallery, my quality of work by saying I do all or this and that in Photoshop - as if with PS I can take a digital camera and do anything through the magic of PS and come up with the detail and saturation that I get from using large format film.
I do use Photoshop. Do I “manipulate” the images in PS? Well, I really try to get the images to look like the scene I saw and keep them as “real” as possible. At times that’s difficult: I usually shoot in inclement weather or in early / late light, sometimes almost no light. My exposures range from a good part of a second to many minutes, and, my film’s only rated to be accurate to 10 seconds. Beyond all that though, my film (Fuji Velvia 50) interprets what it sees, then my scanner (Imacon Flextight X5) interprets what’s in the film and creates a digital file, then my computer (Mac Pro :-) interprets that file and puts it on my monitor (Eizo Coloredge CG301W), which I then adjust to my liking before sending it off to my printer (Epson Stylus Pro 9900) that has a color profile for the paper I’m using (Hahnemuhle Bamboo). So, I try to keep the original look and feel of the real scene in mind, but, I work with what I have and I would be lying if I said I didn’t allow my preferences to guide me: “How much contrast was in that original scene?”, “Was the light that cold blue light, typical of afternoon shadows?” - I don’t recall exactly. I shoot for what could be seen as real and as faithful as possible to the original scene and to any pre-visualizations I had. My film is very sensitive (over saturates) greens and reds, so, if you compare my transparencies to the final prints, you’ll see I often tone down the saturation in those colors. I know I prefer the “warm” side of things but anything too distant from reality, well, just doesn’t look real.
It's extremely rare that I grab any area of the whole image and do anything to it - I don’t knock those who do, I just don’t do it often, at all. Anyway, my name’s John Hanses, and I use Photoshop...”
Almost show time!
Jun/10/2011
Pretty much working all waking hours getting ready for the show on Sunday @ RiskPress Gallery. Anxious to hang some new work. A couple images are favorites of mine that I just hadn’t printed. They’re both shot at dusk on different days. Exposures for Hwy 116 and West County #4 were 6 & 4 minutes respectively. Something about dusk on foliage that gives it a real presence!
Hope to see you at the show!
-John
Hope to see you at the show!
-John
Shop & Studio Moving!
Apr/25/2011
Moving to a new location in Cotati, CA! Was home of Zone Records. I’ll have a large space for all the digital work - scanning, printing, photo & video editing, and also an area for building custom frames, mounting, laminating, and so on. In addition to all that, I’ll have a small gallery with about 30’ or so of wall space. The gallery will be open by appointment only and for small receptions.
Will update everyone with photos of the new space when I get all settled in.
In the meantime, please check out my works in the galleries I have listed and please be sure to come by the grand opening of the Village Gallery on April 30th, and my reception there also on May 14th! Both events will be catered, formal, fun parties to view some great work and meet some good people in the East Bay. (Check out my “Current Galleries & Shows” for more info.
Will update everyone with photos of the new space when I get all settled in.
In the meantime, please check out my works in the galleries I have listed and please be sure to come by the grand opening of the Village Gallery on April 30th, and my reception there also on May 14th! Both events will be catered, formal, fun parties to view some great work and meet some good people in the East Bay. (Check out my “Current Galleries & Shows” for more info.
Joining another great gallery! - The Riverfront, in Petaluma.
Mar/14/2011
After a successful, juried show at the Riverfront Gallery in Petaluma, I was asked to join the group. Our first reception was March 12th. The owners, Lance Kuehne and Jerrie Jerné Morago, started the gallery in 2007. Both Lance and Jerrie are amazing photographers - very different from each other and myself. The Riverfront Gallery has been voted “Best Gallery in Sonoma County” at least 3 years by the Bohemian - we’ll soon see the results for 2010! Fingers Crossed x
In the short time I’ve been there they’ve had clients add two large pieces of my work to their collection. I have 5 of some of my best images there, framed in my personal eco-style frames. So, come check it out! There really are some amazing artists there!
In the short time I’ve been there they’ve had clients add two large pieces of my work to their collection. I have 5 of some of my best images there, framed in my personal eco-style frames. So, come check it out! There really are some amazing artists there!