Title: eye-catching.So what is texture in relation to photography? Simple put… texture is the fine details of your photograph that make it appear 3-dimensional.TEXTURE 101: 5 Things to Think About When Shooting Textures1. Proper Lighting. Hard Light tends to make the textures appear sharp and razorlike where Soft Light tends to give your textures a more soft and weathered look.2. Shoot in RAW. I know as photographers we always harp on shooting in RAW, but for textures you need the extra fine controls that a RAW can give. Stop shooting JPEG!3. Overexposure. I tend to shoot my textures with a +1/3 EV and this helps you in bringing out the textures, while giving you extra control in your RAW file. It also helps you nail the contrast and tones. 4. Imperfections are Key. Look and focus on dents, paint peels and corrosion. Remember you are trying to make your photograph have dimension. A flat image with perfect surfaces does not make a great subject for photographing textures.5. Color OVER Black and White. Yes, you can achieve some amazing textures in Black and White, but when comparing them to the exact same shot in Color more times than none the color image POPS! The bits of color help your eyes adjust to the layers of complications in your photo, as well as help with separation of your textures. 

Title: eye-catching.

So what is texture in relation to photography? Simple put… texture is the fine details of your photograph that make it appear 3-dimensional.

TEXTURE 101: 5 Things to Think About When Shooting Textures

1. Proper Lighting. Hard Light tends to make the textures appear sharp and razorlike where Soft Light tends to give your textures a more soft and weathered look.

2. Shoot in RAW. I know as photographers we always harp on shooting in RAW, but for textures you need the extra fine controls that a RAW can give. Stop shooting JPEG!

3. Overexposure. I tend to shoot my textures with a +1/3 EV and this helps you in bringing out the textures, while giving you extra control in your RAW file. It also helps you nail the contrast and tones. 

4. Imperfections are Key. Look and focus on dents, paint peels and corrosion. Remember you are trying to make your photograph have dimension. A flat image with perfect surfaces does not make a great subject for photographing textures.

5. Color OVER Black and White. Yes, you can achieve some amazing textures in Black and White, but when comparing them to the exact same shot in Color more times than none the color image POPS! The bits of color help your eyes adjust to the layers of complications in your photo, as well as help with separation of your textures. 


Title: Creative Bokeh.Understanding Depth Of Field / DOFI’ve always been an big fan of Depth Of Field… in fact it is what pulled me into photography. So what is Depth Of Field? Well it’s more than just a blurred background or the distance between object.So today I’m sharing another The Luminous Landscape blog post… they get it and it’s worth the read!Get your learn on at The Luminous Landscape:http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dof.shtml

Title: Creative Bokeh.

Understanding Depth Of Field / DOF

I’ve always been an big fan of Depth Of Field… in fact it is what pulled me into photography. So what is Depth Of Field? Well it’s more than just a blurred background or the distance between object.

So today I’m sharing another The Luminous Landscape blog post… they get it and it’s worth the read!

Get your learn on at The Luminous Landscape:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dof.shtml

Title: Octopoid.Street art scene in Chicago, IL. Photographed with a Fujifilm X100. 

Title: Octopoid.

Street art scene in Chicago, IL. Photographed with a Fujifilm X100. 

Title: Moody Blues.Blue is one of my favorite colors to photograph. I love the perception that is evoked in the way light hits this particular hue and how it is dominated by energy.The color blue is one of the additive primary colors (RED, YELLOW, BLUE) and is often thought of as the boldest of these three colors. In relation to photography - blue can enhance a photographs mood, it can change a compositions stance, and it helps out in determining your photos proper white balance.The most popular shades of blue are: pure blue, navy blue, sky blue, indigo, cobalt, teal, and my personal favorite cyan.The photo above was taken in Chicago, IL with a Fujifilm X100. 

Title: Moody Blues.

Blue is one of my favorite colors to photograph. I love the perception that is evoked in the way light hits this particular hue and how it is dominated by energy.

The color blue is one of the additive primary colors (RED, YELLOW, BLUE) and is often thought of as the boldest of these three colors. In relation to photography - blue can enhance a photographs mood, it can change a compositions stance, and it helps out in determining your photos proper white balance.

The most popular shades of blue are: pure blue, navy blue, sky blue, indigo, cobalt, teal, and my personal favorite cyan.

The photo above was taken in Chicago, IL with a Fujifilm X100. 

Title: Wall-Mounted.We are lucky to have a Jeff Zimmermann piece in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I first stumbled upon his work in 2008 while touring through the Pilsen Neighborhood of Chicago and from the moment I saw his vivid walls I was hooked. It seemed like with every turn of a corner there was another one greeting me with open arms. What I never expected was that less than 6 months from seeing his work I’d not only meet him, but we’d become friends thanks to my graffiti buddy Drew. Jeff and Drew are always on my list of people that I must see when I get back to Chicago and every time margaritas are involved!The photo above is a shot I took of Jeff’s finished ArtPrize 2010 mural on the side of Kendall College of Art and Design. I have been trying to get this shot for 2 years and my stars were aligned this week thanks in major part to Michele Bosak of Kendall… thank you, thank you, and thank you for letting me into the Old Federal Building to get this one. I appreciate it and I know Jeff does as well. So why the importance of this shot? Well for starters we just needed it and secondly Jeff needed to submit this image as part of media/grant packet that is due this week for a huge project that he is about to get funded. Talk about a deadline… make that new mural happen mister!On a techie-related note: this one was also taken with the “in-camera” HDR setting on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with an EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM attached. The HDR function was set to Art Standard and this image is straight out of the camera. No adjustments, no retouching… really impressed by the quality of image that was produced and it made my job much more easier.Jeff Zimmermann: www.jazim.com 

Title: Wall-Mounted.

We are lucky to have a Jeff Zimmermann piece in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I first stumbled upon his work in 2008 while touring through the Pilsen Neighborhood of Chicago and from the moment I saw his vivid walls I was hooked. It seemed like with every turn of a corner there was another one greeting me with open arms. What I never expected was that less than 6 months from seeing his work I’d not only meet him, but we’d become friends thanks to my graffiti buddy Drew. Jeff and Drew are always on my list of people that I must see when I get back to Chicago and every time margaritas are involved!

The photo above is a shot I took of Jeff’s finished ArtPrize 2010 mural on the side of Kendall College of Art and Design. I have been trying to get this shot for 2 years and my stars were aligned this week thanks in major part to Michele Bosak of Kendall… thank you, thank you, and thank you for letting me into the Old Federal Building to get this one. I appreciate it and I know Jeff does as well. So why the importance of this shot? Well for starters we just needed it and secondly Jeff needed to submit this image as part of media/grant packet that is due this week for a huge project that he is about to get funded. Talk about a deadline… make that new mural happen mister!

On a techie-related note: this one was also taken with the “in-camera” HDR setting on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with an EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM attached. The HDR function was set to Art Standard and this image is straight out of the camera. No adjustments, no retouching… really impressed by the quality of image that was produced and it made my job much more easier.

Jeff Zimmermann: www.jazim.com 

Title: Bird Banding.One of my favorite street art sightings was a particular wall I stumbled across on my last trip to New York. The piece was done by Chris, a longtime flickr contact of mine, of the Robots Will Kill fame. So what is Robot Will Kill? They are a street art collective and much more… all you need to do is follow the link below to get a full education! Knowledge is power people.Robots Will Kill: www.robotswillkill.com 

Title: Bird Banding.

One of my favorite street art sightings was a particular wall I stumbled across on my last trip to New York. The piece was done by Chris, a longtime flickr contact of mine, of the Robots Will Kill fame. So what is Robot Will Kill? They are a street art collective and much more… all you need to do is follow the link below to get a full education! Knowledge is power people.

Robots Will Kill: www.robotswillkill.com 

Title:ustrational.5 Graffiti Terms (in relation to the photo above)1. CHARACTER: A cartoon figure (usually, but not necessarily) taken from comic books, TV or popular culture to add humor or emphasis to a piece. In some pieces, the character takes the place of a letter in a word.2. FAT: Can refer to something being thick, as a “fat line”, or can be a general term of good, like “yo, that’s fat!” Often spelled “phat”.3. KARAK: Same as “character” (see #1).4. PIECE: A graffiti painting, short for masterpiece. It’s generally agreed that a painting must have at least three colors to be considered a piece.5. WRITER: Practitioner of the art of graffiti.

Title:ustrational.

5 Graffiti Terms (in relation to the photo above)

1. CHARACTER: A cartoon figure (usually, but not necessarily) taken from comic books, TV or popular culture to add humor or emphasis to a piece. In some pieces, the character takes the place of a letter in a word.

2. FAT: Can refer to something being thick, as a “fat line”, or can be a general term of good, like “yo, that’s fat!” Often spelled “phat”.

3. KARAK: Same as “character” (see #1).

4. PIECE: A graffiti painting, short for masterpiece. It’s generally agreed that a painting must have at least three colors to be considered a piece.

5. WRITER: Practitioner of the art of graffiti.

Title: I <3 old NY.We all know I’m fond of The Big Apple but stumbling on to this piece of street art in 5POINTZ had me thinking… “old NY?” While I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this one, I’m also aware that everyones answer is different and for that reason I’m not giving up what I think this piece means. In fact I think that is the beauty of this specific piece of graffiti - and even makes me love it more and more. Sometimes graffiti and specific pieces statements are all about perception… especially yours, and not the views of others. In fact the only one who knows the true answer is the artist themselves or people who they have influenced with their bold statements.Remember, sometimes question do not need to be answered out loud - sometimes the thought process can be way more powerful in the end. 

Title: I <3 old NY.

We all know I’m fond of The Big Apple but stumbling on to this piece of street art in 5POINTZ had me thinking… “old NY?” While I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this one, I’m also aware that everyones answer is different and for that reason I’m not giving up what I think this piece means. In fact I think that is the beauty of this specific piece of graffiti - and even makes me love it more and more. 

Sometimes graffiti and specific pieces statements are all about perception… especially yours, and not the views of others. In fact the only one who knows the true answer is the artist themselves or people who they have influenced with their bold statements.

Remember, sometimes question do not need to be answered out loud - sometimes the thought process can be way more powerful in the end. 

Title: Urban Socialites.I&#8217;ve always been a fan of wheatpastings and I instantly fell in love with the piece featured above. I was walking around Red Hook - New York City and spotted it from 2 streets away, the piece jumped out at me and demanded that I take notice. The artwork is topnotch and the weathering that this one has going on only elevates its coolness. To me, it feels like this piece was suppose to be weathered and torn - it helps tell the story of the characters who are featured.

Title: Urban Socialites.

I’ve always been a fan of wheatpastings and I instantly fell in love with the piece featured above. I was walking around Red Hook - New York City and spotted it from 2 streets away, the piece jumped out at me and demanded that I take notice. The artwork is topnotch and the weathering that this one has going on only elevates its coolness. To me, it feels like this piece was suppose to be weathered and torn - it helps tell the story of the characters who are featured.

Title: Uncle Sam.When I think about Chicago I always think about the cities vast supply of street art and murals. Of course, one name that always comes to mind if the Jeff Zimmermann. I still remember my first introduction with his work as I wandered around the Pilsen Neighborhood&#8230; I guess you could say it was love at first sight. From his photo realistic portraits to his bold use of color, not to mention the stories his murals tell - I was hooked. I also take pride in the fact that I have not only met Jeff but have become friends with him, hell he even nicknamed me &#8220;TJ&#8221; and I proudly display one of his pieces of art on my wall. I&#8217;ve taken a lot out of my relationship with Jeff but the one thing that he constantly presses every time we meet up is that I need to always my own artist and to carry my passion through in everything I do. Wise, wise words in today&#8217;s art market. Oh, and he can go head to head with me in a margarita drinking marathon!Jeff Zimmermannwww.jazim.com 

Title: Uncle Sam.

When I think about Chicago I always think about the cities vast supply of street art and murals. Of course, one name that always comes to mind if the Jeff Zimmermann. I still remember my first introduction with his work as I wandered around the Pilsen Neighborhood… I guess you could say it was love at first sight. From his photo realistic portraits to his bold use of color, not to mention the stories his murals tell - I was hooked. I also take pride in the fact that I have not only met Jeff but have become friends with him, hell he even nicknamed me “TJ” and I proudly display one of his pieces of art on my wall. I’ve taken a lot out of my relationship with Jeff but the one thing that he constantly presses every time we meet up is that I need to always my own artist and to carry my passion through in everything I do. Wise, wise words in today’s art market. Oh, and he can go head to head with me in a margarita drinking marathon!

Jeff Zimmermann
www.jazim.com