revjim.net

Would you like an Interview by yours truly?

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better. If I already know you well, expect the questions to be more intimate!
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Here are the questions "Emily":http://lilistar.livejournal.com/ asked me:

1. *What is one of your current passions?*

Photography, of course. But really, it's only a means to an end.

I am also a Computer Programmer. Some would say I have a passion for Programming. But again, it is only a means to an end. My true passion is in solving problems. Computer Programming is only a tool that allows that to happen.

So, with photography, my passion really, is people, and nature, and expression, and art. Photography is tool that I use to get closer to those things.

2. *Are my photos edited yet? :P*

Ha. Haha. Ha. No.

Actually, a lot of people ask me that a lot of the time. When there is a specific goal our outcome in mind for the photographs that are taken, or when I am being compensated in some way for my work, portraits are generally edited with a few weeks. My last session like this was on January 7th. Despite having a 2 week vacation thrown in there, I still was able to deliver images from that session this week, only 4 weeks later.

With special projects I often take my time to mull over exactly how I want to present the final result. So, if you someone participates in a special project and, at the same time, has portraits taken, they will often see the portraits way before the special project images. In fact, one large project, Skins, has been a year in the making and most of my participants have not seen any images from it.

With all other sessions — test sessions — often practicing the technique, trying an environment, getting comfortable with a new model, or exploring a new idea is often the goal of a shoot, and the images that come out of it, though often very interesting, are secondary to the education obtained. It is in these cases (which yours was one of) that image editing often gets put on the back burner to make room for more immediate projects and commitments.

I've realized, though, in the past 6 months or so, that it's important to edit even those images in order to fully realize the potential of whatever was being tested, as well as to convince the model or other interested parties, that further tests should be conducted. Therefore, I'm now making an effort to edit all of the portrait sessions that have sat on the back burner. I have about 5 or 6 sessions (or partial sessions) that are outstanding. Once I get those cleaned up, I intend to clean up my backlog of excursion photos (West Texas, The Texas Bayou, Vermont/Canada, Long Timbers Trail, etc).

3. *Would you prefer to go to a large social gathering or hanging out with a smaller group?*

Can I say both? Yeah? Okay then… both!

I prefer large gatherings from time to time because it gives me a chance to meet new people, make new friends, and be silly in a way that can't be done in a small group. However, I also prefer the intimacy that comes with a smaller group: the one on one conversations; the more serious brand of innuendo; the sometimes mind bending conversations; the closeness that you feel after having spent a close evening with someone.

If I could only pick one or the other for the rest of my life, I'd go with the small group. I can always meet new people some other way.

4. *What is something you want to change about yourself?*

My weight.

My dependency on external validation.

5. *How did you decide to buy the house you are in?*

It was cute, it was new, we could afford it, and it was only 30 minutes from where we lived before.