The Candid Frame #159 - Alan Hess

Alan Hess is a San Diego-based commercial photographer specializing in concert and live-event photography. He has photographed hundreds of concerts three songs at a time. From small club shows to big arenas, Alan enjoys the fast pace of shooting on the fly, the rush of the house lights going down, and the drive to capture the “show” in the images of the first three songs.

The wide variety of bands that Alan has shot include: Billy Idol, Black Eyed Peas, Bruce Hornsby, The Dead, Death Cab for Cutie, Derek Trucks Band, The Grateful Dead, Jackie Greene, John Legend, Marilyn Manson, Robin Williams, Slayer, The Smashing Pumpkins, Steel Pulse, Widespread Panic, Willie Nelson and many others.

Alan’s work has been published in a variety of online and print outlets, including the following: Dead.net, Jambands.com, Jambase.com, Poughkeepsie Journal, Mill Valley Herald, Pauserecord.com, Philzone.com, Photoshop User, Rat-dog.com, Relix Magazine and Vintage Guitar Magazine.

His images have been used for various CDs and other promotional work. Alan is currently the house photographer for a large concert venue in Southern California and when he isn’t out shooting concerts he is writing books.

Alan is the author of six photography books and three books about getting the most from your iPad. He has been the technical editor or content advisor on 12 other titles and continues to write and edit books when not out shooting.

Alan has been part of the PhotoshopWorld Instructor Dream Team since 2009

You can discover more about Alan and his photography by visiting his website. 

Alan Hess recommend the work of Joe McNally. 

You can listen to our interview with Joe McNally on TCF by clicking here. 

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Or you can directly download the MP3 file by clicking here.

The Candid Frame #155 - Jerod Foster and Ibarionex at Photoshop World 2012

Ibarionex and Jerod Foster took the stage at the Peachpit Booth at Photoshop World 2012 in Las Vegas. During this presentation, they discussed their unique approaches to photography inspired by choosing their favorite of the other photographer's images. The discussion which was recorded live  provides an insight into how each photographer uses light, story telling, gesture and more to make effective and strong photographs. 

Jerod Foster was recently interviewed for an episode of The Candid Frame. You can listen to it by clicking here. You can discover more of his work by visiting his website and blog. 

The images below are shown in the order in which they were discussed during the presentation. 

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 You can also subscribe to the show via iTunes by clicking here.

Or you can directly download the MP3 file by clicking here.

Jerod Foster

Ibarionex Perello

Jerod Foster

Ibarionex Perello Jerod Foster Ibarionex Perello Jerod Foster Ibarionex Perello Jerod Foster Ibarionex Perello

Bits of Wisdom from Jay Maisel

One of the pleasure of attending Photoshop World is the opportunity it provides me to sit in the presence of Jay Maisel. I've heard his presentations before and had the opportunity to study with him six years ago and he continues to inspire and inform what I hope to do with a camera.

I have the opportunity to interview Jay some years ago. Here is a link to the interview. Even if you have heard it before, it's worth listening to it again.

Jay Maisel - The Candid Frame Interview

Here are some pearls of wisdom from one of my favorite photographers. 

"If you are not paying attention to your background, you are going to screw up anything you are trying to say with your foreground."

"Always carry your camera; it's easier to take picture that way."

"Shape is is the enemy of color."

"Here are three words for being a better photographer: 'Move your ass'"

"You only have two influences on the look of your photography: when you shoot and where you're shooting from."

"I don't believe as the dictionary says that gesture just has to do with the movement of arms and faces and legs.  I believe that gesture is involved in everything we photograph. We've all photographed gesture all our live. We just have not always been aware of it."

"Anything you do to make your image more specific, helps to make the photograph more powerful."

"Gesture will always reveal narrative, which light and color alone find it difficult to do. Gesture can tell a story."

"You cannot put your lettering in your pictures, unless you want it to be the content of your image."

"The most effective use of a pattern is when it becomes interrupted and there's a payoff in the end. Otherwise, it gets to be like wallpaper."

"You don't want to be a one-trick pony. You don't want to keep repeating yourself."

"If you can keep the element of surprise in your photography, you've already won the viewer half over."

"There is joy in ambiguity."

"There are going to be situations where you can't get yourself out of the picture. So, make yourself a part of the picture."

"I never saw light as something that casually fell on something in my picture, but rather as an integral something in my picture, like a solid object."

Ibarionex Perello & Jerod Foster at PSW

Jerod Foster and Ibarionex Perello will take the stage together today at Photoshop World in Las Vegas. They will be speaking at the Peachpit Booth at 4pm to have a candid discussion about photography, seeing and creating image using their own images as examples. If you are attending the event come on down and take part in the conversation.