Blog on Photoblogs

I spend so much time looking at photographers work, that I can honestly say that I really don’t remember when I find out about most of the sites that I profile. But I know exactly when I find one that I want to profile on the site. I can’t quite put my finger on why Sean’s work makes such an impression on me, it just does. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to stumble upon TreeSwing, I highly recommend that you stop by and check out Seans’ photography.

BOPB: Tell us how you got started in photography, and at what point did it become more serious?
Sean: I’ve always been intrigued by what makes a good photo. How photographers could capture the emotion of an intimate moment or a breath-taking landscape scene was always captivating to me. I would bring my camera along on trips and to family events, and while I took quite a few shots, I was never impressed with the results.
Three years ago I decided to improve my skills by taking an introductory photography class at a local community college. The instructor taught us the principles of photography and how to best utilize your camera. I had a simple point and shoot camera, nothing special. I never thought too much of my photos, but during the class, I received a lot of positive feedback. What I liked most were the assignments. They gave me the focus I needed and clued me in to the notion that there’s a multitude of interesting things out there. It really helped to keep an open mind. I finished the class feeling more confident and thought that starting a photoblog would be the motivation I needed to start taking photos.

BOPB: What camera did you start out with, and what are you currently using?
Sean: My first camera was an Olympus Stylus, a compact 35mm, bought in the early 90s. I’ve had several cameras since then, and I’m currently using a Canon Digital Rebel XT.

BOPB: What’s the one piece of equipment currently in your bag that you couldn’t live without?
Sean: Well, there’s only 1 piece of equipment in my bag. I don’t have much of an arsenal. While I have a 50mm f/1.8 lens, I mainly use the kit lens (18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) that I bought with the camera.

BOPB: If you were able to give one piece of advice to a photographer who is considering starting their own photoblog, what would it be?
Sean: This is your opportunity to shine, so make the most of it. The photos you post should be an extension of yourself. Remember to post often. It doesn’t have to be daily, but you don’t want to lose your audience. Most importantly, have fun and truly enjoy what you do.

BOPB: What has been the most effective method you have used to attract new visitors to your photoblog?
Sean: Visiting other photoblogs, leaving comments and becoming part of the community have worked well for me. People enjoy the feedback and I’ve made some friends along the way.

BOPB: You mention on your site that although you’ve always had an “interest” in photography, you have only recently decided to start a photoblog, why the change in direction?
Sean: Well, I needed a place where I could display my photos and hopefully get some feedback on what I was doing. Also, I wanted a challenge and posting a new photo every couple of days meant that I needed to take photos more often. I felt this would be one way for my work to improve.

BOPB: Would you mind telling us about one photoblogger who you feel really stands out from the crowd and why?
Sean: There are so many photobloggers out there who have outstanding work, it’s difficult to pick just one. Here are a few that I enjoy on a regular basis. Ruben Frosali has a way with color and a processing technique that I can’t get enough of. There’s something special about Anissa El Gariani’s portraits. Her work is so upbeat and cheerful, it always puts a smile on my face. David Dillon constantly amazes me with his industrial shots. He breathes fresh air into places that are long forgotten.

BOPB: Digital workflow is a tremendously important part of digital photography, would you mind telling us how you manage your workflow?
Sean: I shoot all my photos in RAW. Right now I’m using Picasa to help me sort through my photos. Post processing is done in Adobe Photoshop CS3. Depending on what I want to accomplish with the shot, I’ll add several adjustment layers (curves, color balance, etc.). Once that’s complete, I’ll resize for the blog, convert the color profile to sRGB and save as JPG.

BOPB:Digital photography has really changed the game, if you were able to gaze into a crystal ball and see the future of photography, what would it look like?
Sean: For me, the idea of picking up a film SLR was too intimidating to consider. With digital, however, I could snap away without the fear of wasting film. If I don’t like what I had done, I could delete. There’s also the instant feedback. I can tell right then and there whether the shot turned out as expected. This flexibility will continue to allow anyone with the slightest interest to pick up a camera and document their lives.

BOPB: I noticed that you’re doing a 365 day photo project, how has this affected your photography?
Sean: It’s been both frustrating and rewarding. I’m really glad I decided to do it and pleased with the outcome. Back in January when I started it, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that accepting this challenge meant that I would need to venture outside my comfort level and take more time to explore my surroundings. I can quite honestly say that I believe my photography has improved over the past few months. I have found that I’m constantly looking for photo ops and composing different shots in my head. I’ve learned that not every shot needs to look like a postcard. There’s beauty in the mundane and you just need to be receptive to it.

BOPB: Do you have any intentions of commercializing your photoblog? By this I mean selling images, etc.
Sean: While it would be great if my photography improved to the point where people were interested in purchasing my work, I don’t foresee selling my work in the near future. However, if I start receiving requests for prints, I would certainly reconsider.

BOPB: Finally, where do you see your blog and your photography in say 3-5 years from now?
Sean: I would hope that it stays close to what you see today. I don’t know if I’d do another 365 project, but I would like to continue posting on a daily basis. One area I feel my work is lacking is portraits. It would be nice if I were able to get some more of those under my belt.

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