brosigonzales.blogspot.com: Get Smart

Be Smart, Be Crafty

[Nurture Creative Habits]

- Portrait -

- My nephew, Inigo "Nace" Gonzales -
I took this image with 120 medium format Kodak color negative film
using a Mamiya film camera.

Gotta be smart on-the-spot all the time if I want to come up with consistently good, and hopefully, great images 24-7, -- wether I'm in a laid back one-on-one portrait shoot or out there on the playing fields trying to freeze athletes in action, or just trying to get a decent group shot of some rowdy, uncontrollable team that's still feeling the euphoria of a championship. Gotta be constantly aware of elements around my subjects - from the most seemingly insignificant white or red thermos lying on the ground to little pieces of trash [I hate clutter], that can be a visual irritant, in an otherwise nice group photo --- to the reflections, [one can call them hotspots] on a basketball court that, if deftly used [composed w/ the main elements ->the subjects] can make an otherwise "generic" group photo look great [basketball pic below]. [Notice how the 3 hotspots/reflections {behind the guys}on the court, greatly enhance the image]]

I like to be CRAFTY [love that word]. It has that smart/intelligent/artistic ring to it. It might even suggest that "I-will-always-find-a-solution-to-that-artistic-problem" attitude. The more commonly used word SMART has similar connotations to me. Anyways - -

- True Colors -

UAAP Season 74 Softball Runners -Up

The [Fighting] UP Lady Maroons

Notice the "gradation" of light. How one controls exposure to "paint"
backlit subjects
[tough to manage but can be dramatic when properly angled]
is a matter of discretion - decided on-the-spot.

Being very observant of one's surroundings, elements here and there - foreground, background, people passing by --> The nuances of light, and how it "paints" my subjects [Does it bring out the textures I like or does it hide them? /How do I position my subjects optimally so they get the BEST lighting afforded by the sun, open shade or what have you? ] How do I downplay clutter when it is unavoidable? --> Not to mention, getting my subjects to loosen up - let them "let down their hair", so to speak - so their actuations become real, and not contrived. Yes, my mind's eye is constantly processing stuff whenever I'm in a shooting mode - I repeatedly imagine and visualize images way before I even press the shutter - And when the elements are about to fall into place - instinct and timing take over - - - Click!

- Soccer Rush -

Again , Nace Gonzales [same guy in the first photo above].

I took this during a DLSU Football Team [under Coach Hans Smit]

tryout/tune-up match, weekend last, at the Rizal Memorial Pitch.

I say - love thy work - & - love thy family.

Point is, it helps to nurture creative habits, or though processes [for lack of a better word] that will eventually help one craft well composed [not necessarily perfect] pictures consistently. It takes time, it takes discipline - it takes practice - and when you get to hone that repeatedly - you'll be surprised at the results.

- Panalo Pre ! - Champion !

That's my pal [and neighbor] Badong, the chubby guy in the middle holding the trophy. To Badong's left is Oca, and behind Oca is another friend o' mine [and also my neighbor] MacMac. Don't know the others, but,no matter -it's all good.

I recently witnessed them win a championship in a simple local inter-village league [held at Hillsborough Hills in Sucat] a few days ago.

A simple snapshot ? No way bro!

It's a well-crafted, on-the-spot, quickie, group shot - my kinda photo.

Feel na Feel Pa !

- and last, but not least -