“RNP the Blog”

Almost let this week slide without a post…

So far I have featured some big guns as my favorite photographers, this week I am featuring someone who isn’t as “well known” in the photography world. That isn’t to say he isn’t a successful photographer.

Anyhow, allow me to introduce you to

Jamie Kripke

I met Jamie at a workshop in Santa Fe a few years back and immediately liked his work. He has a distinctive way that he sees the world and his work reflects that. His work is intelligent and humorous (two qualities I would like to have more of in my own work). He shoots a mixture of portraits and landscapes and does it all well. I really like his China series.

He has his own blog which is worth checking out.

Spend some time checking out his site if you really like his stuff you can even purchase a print.

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Not sure where the last week went but it is time to talk about another one of my favorite photographers.

This week I would like to tell you about Alec Soth.

Alec is another well known contemporary fine art photographer. He burst onto the scene at the 2004 Whitney Biennial. I personally became familiar with his work after I stumbled across his first monograph called “Sleeping Along the Mississippi” a few years back. The following image is my personal favorite from the book.

After making a name for himself in the fine art world he has started doing some fashion and editorial work (although still in his own style). Like the other photographers he has a signature style that permeates all of his work. I think you have arrived as a photographer when you are hired to do your thing, where clients seek you out for your own distinctive take/style/whatever you want to call it.

You can find Alec Soth all over the web, on YouTube here and here. He posted a great blog post on Magnum’s blog a couple weeks ago here with advice for young photographers from a number of photographers from Magnum.

Some common threads between Soth, Hido, and Riedel is they are all still film shooters (Soth shoots almost exclusively with an “8 x 10″ camera) and they all have succesfully shot a varied subject matter. Bottom line they all have some major talent.

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One of my favorite photography blogs is Amy Stein’s and one of the great things she does on her blog is what she calls “Photo Battle” where she takes two images generally of a similar subject and has viewers pick their favorite. Good times for everyone…

Anyhow, I have been working with a new series of my own work and have some similar images and thought it would be interesting to see if viewers of this blog would consistently pick the same image.

So game on…let me know if you have a favorite.

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According to my Google Analytics stats I have been getting a lot of traffic on my website from Model Mayhem over the past few weeks. This is interesting because I don’t have a profile on Model Mayhem. I would be willing to bet that I have some clients that have profiles on the site but I doubt that would drive that much traffic to my website.

So basically I am wondering how this has happened. If you happen to be one of those folks could you drop me an e-mail at ryan@ryan-nicholson.com and let me know how you made it to my site.

I ain’t mad at ya Model Mayhem, just a little curious…

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Version 2.0 of my weekly photographer feature is dedicated to Todd Hido.

Just a quick “headsup” there is some nude work in the portrait gallery of his website so probably don’t want to be scrolling through that section while you are at work or hanging out at your in-laws during the holidays.

Hido is well known fine art photographer (don’t worry I will feature lesser known photographers as well). I have always admired his work particularly his “House Hunting” book but I really became a fan when I got to see one of his prints in person at the Kemper Contemporary Museum of Art last year. It was an image from his “Roaming” monograph (image #3277 in the landscape gallery on his website) and I don’t know how else to describe it besides luscious.

You can find Hido all over the web but my favorite is an interview I found on You Tube that includes footage of him shooting some of his signature night time images of homes as well as some portrait work. It is always interesting to see how other photographers work from what tools they use to how they interact with their subjects, and all of that is available in this particular interview.

Well played Mr. Hido, well played…

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From time to time I am asked for photography advice (mostly from folks that want to know what camera they should purchase). Just for reference’s sake I am not a huge fan of this question. Don’t get me wrong the camera is an important tool but it is just a small part of the equation.

Anyhow, I have to say after five years in this business and hundreds of photoshoots I don’t think there is a more valuable and versatile tool in my aresnal that my green milk crates. Go ahead and laugh it wouldn’t be the first time someone has poked some fun at my affection for milk crates.

I have used them to haul gear around when I am shooting on location. I can toss my 7b pack and a head and hit the road. They also have come in handy functioning as a “chair” for my subjects to sit on. And more than anything else when I have a tall client or just need a higher point of view they also work as a step stool. Three completely unique uses out of one object….not bad if you ask me.

I don’t want to encourage thugery but if you are an aspiring photographer and plan to shoot on location do yourself a favor and snag a few of these bad boys I promise you won’t regret it.

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