Terry Clark Photography

10/03/2024

Braddock has many gems despite so many negative beliefs from outside the community. Do we need help? Of course, but tell me someplace that doesn't. Wherever you live, find the positive, find the beautiful, and find the people who want to make a difference. Attitude and action are everything.

Mural at the Hollander.

Tech notes:
Sony a7c
Jpeg, monochrome mode
Sony 28mm f/2
Tiffen deep yellow filter

10/02/2024

What do you get when you switch your digital camera to monochrome capture and add a deep yellow filter? It's nearly the same as you would if you were using black-and-white film! No fancy presets are required. Just a little contrast adjustment and a bit of burning, and woo hoo, you have a black-and-white photo, just as you would from the darkroom without the chemical smell. Now, just like shooting black and white film, there's no going back to color once you make the jpeg. But why would you want to?

09/08/2024

Black and white speaks to my heart. Maybe it's because that's how I started so many decades ago. I learned to see in contrast, shadow, and shades of gray. I was trained to pre-visualize an image in its final form, the print. While a newspaper photographer in my era lived on a diet of Tri-X, my mentors encouraged me to experiment with different films and processes. Through them, I learned never to stop learning. Even now, I try new things and push myself to see beauty in the mundane. My language is light, shadow, tone, composition, balance, dynamic flow, or peaceful static. Sometimes, I seek to tell a story. But mostly today, in the words of Gary Winogrand, "I photograph to see what something will look like photographed."

Tech notes: I used a Nikon D200 and a 35mm DX lens. The image was captured in RAW (NEF) and processed in Lightroom and SilverEffects Pro 2.

08/22/2024

In the summer of 1972, a young nerdy kid sat overnight in his parents' backyard photographing the stars. The boy had dreams then of becoming an astrophysicist and studying the heavens. That same camera and fate would reveal his life's purpose a few months later.

My dad brought the camera back from Korea, where he served in the Army during the Korean War. He chose it over the Nikon, Leica, and Rolleiflex of the day because it could be folded and carried compactly in a pocket. For a soldier, it made sense. Being the first camera I ever used, I always wanted this camera. Alas, a few years before his death, the precious Pearl was stolen.

Since discovering the theft, I have been searching for a replacement. That task has proven difficult. While the Pearl camera was popular in the 1950s, it quickly became overshadowed by most other brands. Plus, my dad's camera was a unique model, only produced for a short time. Think needle in the haystack. Yet, hope springs eternal, and my quest is finally over today. After years of searching, I found one on Ebay. It's exact right down to the weathered leather case. I placed a bid, crossed my fingers, and waited. I won! If the seller's description is correct, I may once again take pictures with the camera that started this wild, crazy, exciting, and joyous career. Otherwise, I'll have a beautiful shelf camera that holds a special place in my heart. Stay tuned.

07/23/2024

Film is not dead.
Film is fun.
Film will hone your skills in many ways.
From a simple point-and-shoot to a 35mm system, medium, or large format, there's something for everyone.

Please join us at YM Camera this Saturday, the 27th, for our introduction to film photography.

In this three hour class, we'll provide you the most essential information to creating images using film, color and black and white.

05/27/2024

Shadow and and Blues. Observing the world one frame at a time.

05/14/2024

Four days until our May workshop on Senior Portraits. Are you ready to learn and grow? Join us!

Whatever your experience, we invite you to join us and explore the world of senior portrait photography in studio and on location!

05/12/2024

Wherever you're at in your photography journey, this workshop will help you progress faster. Join us for a full day of learning the art and business of Senior Portrait photography!

Whatever your experience, we invite you to join us and explore the world of senior portrait photography in studio and on location!

05/04/2024

Every photographer needs a telephoto lens. As I stated at the beginning of this series, my tele lens of choice is 135mm. It's not too long, but not too short. It fills the gap nicely, regardless of what you cover. While others may disagree, this works for me. It's all in how you develop your vision. By using a consistent set of lenses, you begin to see in those focal lengths, and you move your body to accomodate. Now you're not simply filling the frame, but working with the charactersits of that lens. Using the lenses in this way enhances your story-telling by providing visual dynamics in the image. Think of it as a musical score. Using the optical properties of the lenses, you determine the cadence of the visual story. Three lenses, 21mm, 50mm, and 135mm. Less is more.

05/02/2024

There are two types of men in this world: hat guys and non-hat guys. I'm the former. So, when my subject, Dean Davis, arrived on location at the University of Pittsburgh wearing a dapper Fedora, my mind's eye instantly showed me the photo I had to take.

After fulfilling my client's requirements, I approached the Dean with a request for one more photograph, a request that resonated with our shared love for hats. Naturally, he was more than willing to accommodate my request.

A 50mm gave me the perspective I wanted, and shooting wide open at f/2 allowed me to isolate the focus precisely on the right plain. A small, hand-held reflector bounced light back into his face and provided a sparkling catchlight in his eyes.

Because this photo came at the end of my assignment, we had already established a warm rapport, so there was no ice to break. The Dean is also among the friendliest people I've had the pleasure of meeting. The photo took less than three minutes to make. There were no lens changes, no fumbling with gear — less is more.

05/01/2024

People know the next lens as the "nifty-fifty." Why? I can't imagine Cartier-Bresson sitting around his favorite Paris cafe discussing the various pros and cons of the 50mm. To those of a certain age, we just considered it a middle-lens, not too long or wide. With that in mind, it's useful for portraits, streets, documentaries, and almost anything else.

Assigned to photograph one of the region's winningest high school women's basketball coaches, I wanted something visually dramatic, so I laid out as many basketballs as available and asked the coach to lay among them. Then, I climbed a ladder until I reached the height where the elements filled my frame. The 50mm was perfect for this task because it compressed the scene slightly and allowed me an intimate working distance to connect with my subject. Less is more.

For more portraiture lessons, I'm offering a workshop this Saturday, May 4th, in my Braddock studio featuring professional singer Melissa Young. I'm looking forward to seeing you then.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/890014907547?aff=oddtdtcreator

04/24/2024

Our next workshop is going to be something exciting! Looking forward to seeing you May 4th!

Portraiture is more than recording someone's likeness. The art is peeling away the facade to capture the person's essence.