You were recently featured in an article I wrote for Light Stalking entitled 7 Photographers you will probably hear about in the future. I chose to feature you in there because of the urging of several on a Canon photography forum and your Flickr portfolio, one that is heavily commented by viewers and admirers of your work.  How do you feel about this?

I still can’t believe I was mentioned, because there are thousands of good photographers out there, really quite an honor to be included in that article.  It hasn’t sunken in yet, on what I do with my photography and how many I have inspired and where it is leading to…

A while back a member on the Canon Forum (Phil) created a “Phamster Fan Club”, I didn’t think much of it, because he was witty and made it for fun, but as time went by, it evolved to reality and more members stated they are also a Pham Fan – I didn’t think of this too much, because the forum was mainly Users of Canon Equipment, and mainly for people who are there to learn photography..  heck that is why I joined because didn’t have an SLR or DSLR until April of 2008..  (xti rebel)I joined the forum to learn, improve and get feedback.  (thanks Phil for the fan club !)

But the point of this story is this:  it is easy to impress others who are beginners and I have been at it for a while.   So in my mind,  Phamster Fan Club is a small niche group on POTN only.

So what happened next was a talented member from POTN (Ryan O Hicks) and I hung out more and did 2 successful projects together, eventually became good friends, he bought me a Flickr Account for Christmas 2009; Probably the best Xmas gift I received in 10 some years.

At this time, I was thinking to myself, I am a big fish in a small pond @ POTN, but in the vast OCEAN of the Flickr Pool, I didn’t know what to expect.  So I just posted some photos and do what I do.. talk about how I did the shot, show the info and help others become better photographers and from there my Flickr account and views are where it is now.

Tell me about yourself, how and when you got started in photography, what motivated you to start shooting more seriously.

Who is The Phamster?  I ask that my self all the time…   in a nut shell: I was brought from Vietnam by my grand parents in 1973 , the family escaped the war and settled in the Midwest,  raised by my Aunt and Uncle ,went to high school in a small town, was an all state tennis player and went to college on a tennis and golf scholarship, and currently I work for Subaru as a quality engineer; happily married with no children, still a scratch golfer and a county champion, now hobbyist – part time photographer (39 years of age).

I started shooting junior tennis events locally, being tennis paid for my schooling and I wanted to give back a little and always remembered when I was playing junior events, how cool it was to have a  photographer line side taking shots of me.. this was June of 2008 ,  after doing a couple of events successfully, it started to click with me, I can reach out and do more with photography, at this time was when I joined photography on the net and started to learn about what I can do with my XTI.   Some how I was able to do a couple of senior picture jobs, and 2 weddings that year.

My biggest discovery was when I took a shot during a wedding with a softbox and it turned out amazing, At this time I didn’t fully understand the powers of  “off camera lighting” at all, but after that one shot I realized the power of flash photography and what I can do for your images..    so I started to practice off camera lighting with a single speed light and a single modifiers, read what I could off the net, and better yet practiced in my living room with the one light set up. ( in manual mode, both camera and flash unit)

I can not emphasize enough about how important lighting is to photography and how it is helped me get where I am now.

Good sources to learn about Off Camera Flash is Strobist.com and Ali Hohn’s Rock that Off Camera Lighting, and of course Lighting Forums and strobist blogs.

My goal was to be able to walk into a room, a set, or an outdoor location, and engineer a one light set up in manual (camera, and Flash) with limitations of shutter speeds under 1/200 and make a good photo all under 5 mins..  and if you can’t do this under 5 mins, I would recommend spending some time learning or training your self  so you can get good exposures in bright conditions or even at night with a one light solution in manual..  it is really a must for you to have this fundamental stobist skill before you start working with clients or even hobbist level, having this fundamental strobist skill will make your personal work more rewarding.

Where do you see yourself going with photography in the next few years?  I know you aren’t a full-time shooter, what would it take to leave your job and shoot for a living?

I have been with Subaru for 17years.. and I don’t like change too much..  what I plan on doing is collect data for 3 more years before i make a transition to full time photography.. heck I might be burnt out of photography.. (need to evaluate the market because there are so many good photographers out there; consider if I still love photography or go into teaching or do day seminars)

I have started a book project and would  like to complete it this year..   the book will show an image one page, and the opposite page will show the light set up and my thoughts behind the composition and how I did the photo and the post work and any special comments about this photo, like what I would do different. Also include pitfalls about doing a photo like that.   I am very excited about this project and wish I had more time to complete this.

Right now I do photography not for the money but for the art of it..  I know I don’t charge enough to make a living out of it and it would be a huge leap of faith to jump into it full time, if photography becomes full time, then it is like a job, and the love for the art might not be there and viewed strictly as Dollars signs.. and it quickly becomes cookie cutter approach.. I don’t want that to happen..   so for right now it is classified as a hobby I love and look forward to the next shoot.

What’s your current setup / photography kit?

I carry all Canon Equipment,  (2 x 5DMKIIs and 40D as my back up)

I have 4 lens from Canon,

• 35L 1.4
• 85L  1.2
• 24-70L 2.8
• 70-200 2.8L with IS

I mainly use the 35L on one of  the 5D and the 85L on the other 5D.. great combo.. and this combo is all the camera equipment I will ever need..  (love the primes)

But lighting is KING,  here is what I currently carry ..

• 2 AB1600 2 VagabondsII
• Speed lights( 580’s, 550’s , 430’s, )

Radio Triggers (in the order I use the most)

• Radio Poppers RX system (for senior and wedding run and gun style)
• Cactus V4’s (for my alien bees)
• Pocket Wizards (flex models)

Modifiers are important as well, many shoot thru umbrella, (broke 3 this year already), beauty dish, and PLM system from Paul C Buff..  probably one of the best modifiers out there (PLM).

Your work is mostly location based and seems to utilize off-camera flash(s).  How did you go about learning how to use / setup / configure these sometimes complex location setups?

Setup knowledge comes from having experience and experience comes from multiple shoots,  trial and error; and the will to succeed.

You have to know what type of look or image in your mind first before setting up on a shoot, also after you set up a shot, there will be adjustments and tweaking.  for example my Blonde Bikers shot took about 30 mins to engineer up the light, and about 10 mins for the shoot..

So in the past 1 ½ years:

1. I have had a lot of shoots, client work and personal work
2. I try different things (and not all of them work out, but I try to countermeasure it right away and improve on the next shoot)  I usually reflect on what I can improve on during post work.

What beginning shooters must ask yourself:

Now you just made a good photo.. why was it a good photo? and can you duplicate it?

And if you can duplicate it, can you duplicate it in a bright and dark environment? (and what can you expand this success to?)  Meaning a different Location? Different Subject?  Different Genre?

On the other hand, when you make a bad photo, what was bad about it?  And what can you do to improve it next time?  Was it your equipment? Was it your settings? Was it your lack of patience, did you panic and why? Etc…

Are you using a light meter with these setups?

No I don’t have a Light Meter, I Chimp and since I use the same Camera body for over a year now.. I pretty much know my settings..  so in about 3-5 chimp shots I should  have my settings nailed to where I like it.

People are your main focus, how do you find subjects / clients?

When I first started off, I had to recruit a model to practice with (Molly M)  she had the patience to work with me and allowed me to learn lighting and for that she got some good files..  but after working with molly and becoming friends with her I put up an album on Facebook and tagged her name, and then I noticed a thousand of her friends/contacts saw the photo I just created.  Right there is when I realized that Facebook was a marketing phenomenon.

The Core of my Clients have come from Facebook.  My Senior photography strategy was to recruit one person that is active in the local high schools, and work with her exclusively, doing multiple shoots and each time I tagged Tori’s name, over a thousand of her friends saw my photography and from there the rest is history.

It does help that Tori was a cheer leader and her mother was very active in the community; ironically I used to work with her aunt so it was like fate that this family contacted me to do Tori’s senior photos.

Also from there I did weddings and had multiple new friends request on facebook and the social network just catapulted my photography into the community.

The vast majority of your work is location based, do you spend a lot of time scouting or do you rely on a few key spots?  How do you keep from getting bored shooting in the same locations?

It is true I have one favorite spot at a local university (Purdue) but I don’t ever get bored of this location, because this location will yield a different look every night, I use this perfect little hill that faces west and the Indiana sunsets does the rest..   I have countless colorful skies because of this one location and every night has a different look and feel..

As for scouting I have made contacts and friends that have property of old rustic farms for future shoots, and I always keep an eye out for unique locations that will yield that jaw dropping photo.

Your Flickr portfolio seems to get you the most noticed, but your website has you listed more as a wedding, engagement, sports and events photographer.  Is Flickr your outlet for showcasing creative work?

Truth is I have not had time to update my website as I would like to.  Flickr has a great user interface, I can post once on Fickr and update my blog all in 2 simple clicks.  Plus Flickr has this Addictive interaction about it.  And the Vast Art that is on Flickr is amazing..  I spend alot of time on Flickr studying and learning from the worlds best every day.  Seriously I am sure Hollywood Art guys are looking at the EXPLORE section for inspiration on the next Hollywood block buster poster.. Guaranteeing that !

How do you choose what goes on Flickr vs what goes on your website?

Pretty simple what goes on Flickr is that shot from the shoot that has great light, and the wow factor!  That one jaw dropping shot you can’t wait to go home and start your editing on.

I still don’t have a Flickr account, between running my own site and Facebook, do I need one?  I obviously found you via Flickr, but do clients find you that way or is it more just for showing your work?

My flickr history is this.. Ryan O Hicks gave me the Pro Account as a Xmas Gift, I didn’t think much about Flickr, just thought it was another place to put up photos but after the first week, I realized that the world looks at Flickr as the biggest photography social network and with my will to improve I discovered the Explore section of Flickr.  Just spending 20 minutes in the Explore section made me realized I have so much more to learn about photography, composition, and post processing.

My work has evolved because of this membership on Flickr, it has forced me to learn new post processing skills, become more editorial on compositions with models, etc..   bottom line , if you want to become better photographer, spend some time on Flickr and interact with the members, it will make you a more dynamic photographer…  like I said before it is one of the best gifts anybody has given to me… growth in my photography.. Thanks Ryan!

What inspires you / how do you stay motivated?

What inspires me is how some photographers makes such amazing photos with normal ordinarily concepts in a basic environment but the out come is amazing

Motivation is coming from my normal will to create a jaw dropping photo, but since i haven’t had a Number One Explored photo, that is motivation enough.. to create a portrait that becomes Number One on Flickr’s Explored section would be a great accomplishment.  Most of the time this #1 spot are landscapes, objects, and abstracts, rarely is it client work portrait.  So motivation is for me to create a photo normal client (senior – wedding, ect)  would awesome.

What photographers have had and influence on how you shoot?

Zack Arias aka Mr One Light, David Hobby the Strobist, both got me started with their strobist ways.

But for Senior photography, people that have influenced the way i shoot are (Tony Roberson, Ali Hohn, Marci Ralph) In Fashion i follow Misha Mikhaylov, Alejandro Sandoval, Oleg Igorin.  And with band shoots Peter Place of 40/60 photography, and other fellow photogs that I follow are Ericson Calderon, Brian Story, there are so many names that I know I have forgotten to mention.. sorry

Do you think anyone in photography really creates new concepts or are we just re-using the same things in different ways that someone else has shot at some point in the past?

I think new concepts are being created in the post processing genera of photography all the time.  The way light and colors can be manipulated completely changes the feel of the photo vs the way it came out of the camera.

Ways to take a photograph has been beaten over and over, and there are only so many ways to light up a subject and all iterations have been exhausted.  So it leaves innovations in Post processing, Compositions, and the ART of photography lays with the Artist him or her self.. (the jaw dropping photo created in the artist mind is conceived way before the actual lighting set up is done and the execution of the conceived photo is the easy part.. then the post processing becomes the signature of each Artist.)
So short answer is yes.. new concepts are being created only in the sense of the Art and Conceived Concepts, throw in post processing and you will get an infinite New Concepts in photography.

Your day job is technical, to say the least, as an engineer for Subaru.  As an engineer, what technology or advancements do you want to see implemented in the near future in digital photography?

My work is very technical, but a simple way of seeing what I do is to assure quality, making sure what we do is what the design intent was, and preparing for the future builds.  Putting 3000 some parts on an assembly line in a certain logistical manner with vital safety components, day in and day out is very challenging to say the least.

With that, the technology to assist the human build process to control all of this is amazing.

What I see in the future is digital cameras with the ability to become smarter, more fool proof, and speeds increasing.  More like the digital video systems that film makers are using, but each still is capability of being printable and have the clarity of the current full frame bodies.

Also I fore see a binocular lens system coming forth, similar to what the human eye can see, a very wide screen view and similar to what the director of Avatar James Cameraon Co created,  making a 2D image capable of 3D viewing perhaps printing too.  Who knows.. with all new technology, either the market dictates it or a manufacture just breaks the mold and puts themselves out there and risk everything.  Like Apple with the iPhone, or iPad.

What one photo are you most proud of and why?

My OMG Crazy Blonde Bikers”  must be one my favorite, because it involves 2 subject matters, Motion from the bike moving and the hair and scarf flying in the wind.  In addition the comedy of it all, a calm cool biker driving the bike while putting on lipstick and the passenger is scare out of her mind… this the title OMG Crazy Blonde Bikers..  haha

Also proud of my 4 seasons series, Winter Wish

and Beauty of Spring

Promote yourself – website / facebook / flickr / twitter / can I buy prints?  / shout-out and thank you’s…

I am really not about promoting my self at this time, just want to help other photographers with understanding lighting is the most important part of this photography and focusing on keeping quality high with every shoot I do for my clients and have fun creating personal work for myself, and as for what the future holds for me?  IDK..

Shout outs goes to my parents first, for giving me what I needed to succeed in life. Teaching me the values, knowing when to step in to help and let me learn some lessons the hard way..  having this support from a young age has really given me major advantages over many people that I have encounter so far, and for this I can’t thank my parents enough.

The second shout outs go to one Forum.. Canon’s Photography on the net.. with out this forum and the Members that makes this forum Great are the reason I am here writing this now…   I couldn’t have done this with out this Forum…

To the members that interact with me on this Forum (Tony Roberson, Mish Mikhaylov AKA Korrektor, Allen AKA Airfrogusmc, Vigs, Shimmishim, AlexanderGarnder, Geno.ca, Peter Place AKA GenuineRolla, Erison Colderan AKA Alas, Zach, DJharmonix, Echo, Robert of TMR Design, Photophil, (Veemac and Yagit80 and others for the nomination)

To my Purdue Friend Ryan Hicks and Molly (friend and model) who have spend many shoots with me.

Since he won’t, I will.  Visit Phamstr’s website PhamPhotos.com for information on booking a sitting with him in Lafayette, Indiana and keep an eye on his ever expanding Flickr Portfolio.  Big thanks to CT for taking the time to do this and share his information, totally down to earth fellow shooter with a great style and willingness to share information.Similar articles that might also interest you:

• Q&A with Olaf Starorypinski – Fine Art Photographer
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• Interview with Ray Gurz, Broken American & Influence Victim

Today I was able to speak with Chuck Billy, lead vocalist of the metal band Testament. We spoke about many a subject including their current US Tour where the fans are picking the set list for their town by voting at Testament’s MySpace page.  We also chatted about Europe, European fans, suits being afraid of metal, the San Fran scene of the late 70s and 80s, Their latest record – The Formation of  Damnation, Beating Cancer, Testament’s Dubai Show, and the Troc in Philly.

Testament will be at the Troc on Wednesday, May 27th with Unearth and Lazarus A.D. Go to the Testament MySpace to vote for the songs you want to hear when they hit Philly. Chuck Billy was very easy to talk to and quite interesting.

• Check out my reviews!
• Philly Music Update!!
• Exclusive Interview with Oderus Urungus of Gwar by Markus Goldman
• Get Some Head Next Wednesday
• Brotherly Shovefest kicks off

Ray went on to tell me about a project he was working on, a book comprised of photographs shot on various Polaroid cameras.  The opening night for the art show was at a mutual friends skateboard shop and I marked the calendar.  Great reception, great one-off prints for sale and good vibes all around.  It dawned on me at that moment though that more people needed to know about this project.  Wait a minute, I run a successful blog, I should tell people about it!

After approaching Ray with the idea of an interview and feature and he was down.  Below is the interview.  In keeping with the integrity and originality that is Ray, I have made very few grammatical corrections to his replies, I don’t think they were necessary. 

Randomn3ss: Why photography as a medium? You’ve been creative with music and painting for so many years, what made you choose photography as your next artistic medium?

Ray: I bought a Polaroid camera awhile ago and just started shooting anything that struck interest in me. Whether it was at a show, a random person , or especially a skate spot. I been wanting to document all the contraptions I build to skate to. Then, it just grew from there.

Randomn3ss: Digital is cheap, fast, some say better and generally more convenient, yet you chose Polaroid instant film and old cameras.  Why?

Ray: I am a person who is analog. I have analog ways. Plus, it is a Polaroid. The mistakes and or total hits of each picture rule. As forest gump said,” Polaroid’s are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get!’’ok, maybe he said life but Polaroids can get thrown in there to.

Randomn3ss: Since Polaroid instant cameras don’t have a lot of photographic control, I’m sure you must have captured some bad images while shooting.  What makes a bad Polaroid?  When do you know you truly have a winner?
 
Ray: I think everyone’s interpitation can make a photo good or bad. Sometimes I can be so amped on a picture and then someone would be like, ‘’I can’t believe you shot this. ‘’ “It has so much blah , blah, blah “. I  really, never thought of it that way. I love it because of this.

Randomn3ss: You have a book out, Influence Victim, a self published, small run book of photography done on Polaroid.  Did you start shooting with the intention of making a book or did you think about making the book after you started to shoot?

Ray: well, I just shot once and awhile and one day someone,( no names), said, these are good but I don’t think you can make a book. I went home pissed .  the next morning I woke up and said, fuck it! I am going to shoot for the rest of a year and make a book.

Randomn3ss: Tell me about the concept of putting a book together on your own.  When did you know you had enough photos? How did you weed through the bad ones and only show the good ones?  Are any of the shots preconceived or were they all done spur-of-the-moment and you just happened to have a camera with you?

Ray: the concept of the book is simple. It’s one year through my eyes. I am a skateboarder, artist, I am in two bands, I work, married, have two dogs and a lot of friends. So, I just wanted to capture each moment I was into at that time.

When did I have enough photos ?

Ray:  after a box and a half were filled. But, I do chose my shots wisely. Weeding thru them was a pain but I still want to use the other ones in another project down the road.

A lot of the photos I take are spur  of the moment. I just go, take a pic and move on. I can’t zoom in on anyone. I have to walk up to them and talk and if they let me shoot a pic, rad. I carried that camera around with me like it was my wallet. Every where, every day.

Randomn3ss: A large number of the images in the book are in portrait format, yet have a very un-composed feel to them.  Was that important to you?

Ray: I have no idea what you are talking about.  Really. I just shoot and go. I just see something and I have to shoot it. I never went to a  photography school or art school.

Randomn3ss: I know a fair amount of people in the book, but the ones I don’t know are even more appealing, the way you shot them makes me curious about their story.  Was this done intentionally?

Ray: Not intentionally. A lot of people ignore what takes place on a daily basis. The people they pass or the places they see. As a skateboarder, you are always on the lookout for skatespots. So, I took that and just drove around looking for people. Some were happy that they were having their picture taken. It almost felt like they were amped that they were noticed by some guy and he wanted to take their picture. A few instances, the photo looked so good, I took two and gave the person the other one.

Randomn3ss:  You put this whole book together by yourself.  That is to say, no one funded it, did the layout for you, chose the layout, etc.  How difficult was it?  Would you consider doing another book?  Would you suggest other photographers to self-publish?

Ray: I be lieing if I said I did it all by myself.  I had chris horn scan all the photos. A chore in itself. And Andrew Po gave me suggestions on how to put it together. Andy and I would start the format we both agreed on and then he just be like, alright, I have shit to do, yell for help if you need it. And it was my first time laying something out on a computer. I can do emails but a real layout and what not. Like I said before, this guy , ray, is analog. Actually, when we got the samples back, I had to lay the book out beginning to end again . so many late nights.

This book was funded by myself . I almost tried a publisher but I felt I could get more feeling of accomplishment if I self published it. This book was a challenge and I survived. So, with this one under my belt, I am thinking  of my next project.  It will be with a Polaroid or with 35mm.

Randomn3ss: And my suggestion for other photographers to self publish?

Ray: In life, don’t be that person who said I should have. I personally, hate that. Be that person who tries and if you fail, fuck it. You tried.

Randomn3ss:  What’s in the future for Ray Gurz artistically?  What can we expect to see?

Ray: I am planning out my next project right now. At least a more narrowed down topic. Another book for sure. I am planning on doing a zine of photos as well.  And I have recently bought lost soul skateboards. I was pro for them before the purchase. The owner was planning on selling it and I , once again said fuck it, and now I own a skateboard company. So I will be doing more artwork for the boards and the rest of the line.

Randomn3ss: Any shout-outs, thanks, etc.?

Ray: a big shout out to you Mike, Andy Po/ Homebase Skateshop , Chris horn and my wife Michele. She , along with a lot of my close friends,  were down for the idea and gave me support to finish it. A huge shout out to John / Keystone digital printing for helping me out with this.

Ray’s book, Influence Victim can be purchased on his blog, Broken American – click the BUY NOW button in the top right corner, pay via Paypal, tell him you heard about it from Randomn3ss, wait for it to come in the mail, enjoy it over and over again.  There are also several original Polaroids for sale and a small number of enlargements, which can be seen in these photos from the art show opening.  Contact Ray directly through his blog if you are interested.Similar articles that might also interest you:

• Move Over Remote, There’s a New Love in Town
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I was introduced to J-dub via MySpace not long ago, from a bulletin I posted stating that I was looking to interview people for here. A friend of mine republished the bulletin and J-dub replied to me, as he was not my �friend� yet. Knowing nearly nothing about him, I took a few minutes to read the bio on his MySpace page and listen to a few tracks. He produces drum & bass music, something I�ve been a fan of for more then a decade. Listening to the music, it is not nearly as angry, fast obnoxious as most dnb that I�m used to, but more calm and light, almost jazzy. This is great for me to chill to, read a great book or for long road trips.

Randomn3ss: Your bio states you got your first keyboard in 1988 and started to make beats from that. What was the driving force to start playing with sounds and how did you know what you were doing would sound good to others?

J-dub: I didn’t, it was all pure experimentation at that point. I was taking piano lessons at the time and I remember thinking I hate the way a plain old piano sounds. So I would just experiment with the different sounds on my old keyboard. I actually still have it today

Randomn3ss: Most of your background up until the late 90�s was driven by hip-hop, it�s no surprise you made the jump into drum & bass, they share many similarities. From my personal experience, the end of the [real] rave scene, which popularized dnb among other styles of electronically created music, was all but dead by 98-99. Why would you start your dnb production career during the downspin of this genre?

J-dub: I started because this music spoke to me in a way that no other music had also on a side note I in no way think this genre is dead or on a downspin. Especially with the rise of such new genres such as dubstep.

Randomn3ss: So you met Dara randomly and he tells you his label needs more stateside producers, and you started there? Have you had anything pressed yet on Breakbeat Science?

J-dub: No, nothing pressed at the moment. I think that is all gonna change though, real soon. But meeting Dara was definitely a high point that�s for sure. I was just a young raver and he actually took the time to speak to me. That�s when I knew d&b was where my heart was so to speak

Randomn3ss: From the music I�ve listened to, you sample a lot of jazz and more down tempo beats, I�d almost say your tracks remind me of LTJ Bukem. Seeing that most hardcore jungle heads prefer the blitzkrieg beats that other DJs such as those which Dieselboy crank out and the down tempo, chill sub-category has a markedly smaller audience, does this affect you?

J-dub: It doesn�t affect me at all because people still seem to be digging the music I’m putting out. I do make some heavier stuff at times but really it depends on my mood. Right now I�m working on a hip hop beat for a group called “Gun Hill” also I�m continuing to go a more experimental route with my new side project Glitch in the Core.

Randomn3ss: How important is MySpace to you?

J-dub: Extremely important, it�s integral in getting my music out to people at the moment

Randomn3ss: Being on your friends list, you bombard the bulletins. Do you get any negative feedback from them, or do you just view it as a way of promoting yourself?

J-dub: Not at all, I only put out bulletins when I have a new song or someone I feel my fellow friends should be listening too. If people don�t like my bulletins there is this little thing called delete friend. Also I do make a lot of tracks so there might be quite a few bulletins out there by me!

Randomn3ss: What are your views on piracy and bittorent?

J-dub: Ah, how did I know this question was going to come up? Being an independent artist I think piracy is very damaging in the fact that if you want my music I would obviously prefer you buy it. Now on the same note am I guilty of using bittorrent to download samples.

Randomn3ss: If the internet, file sharing and MySpace weren�t around right now, how would this affect the tracks you make, the feedback you get from those that listen and distribution of the tracks to artists?

J-dub: I don�t think I would exist on a plane where anyone except my closest friends could listen to my tracks.

Randomn3ss: Seeing that the underground rave scene is dead and most parties today are held at clubs and tend to be fairly organized, can electronic music still hold a valuable spot in today�s culture? Seeing that anyone with a computer and some software can make beats and mix them together, it would seem the days of lugging around cases of records to large, dirty clubs are at the end of the rope and things will move to a cleaner, digital phase whereas people party at small home gatherings more often.

J-dub: The rave scene is dead? I didn�t get the memo, lol. I think it definitely holds a valuable spot in today�s culture. I mean turn on your TV and watch a commercial electronica is everywhere

Randomn3ss: OK, give me the conclusion, give shouts, props, and plugs, whatever to those that have supported you, who you admire and helped you out and where you as an artist want to be in the next 10 years.

J-dub: In ten years I just want to be making music and happy with what I make…. as far as supporters you can check out my label, Dirty Junglist Squad Records

And the individuals on the label:

• Jennacide
• 4 eva blesst
• Zoottkitt
• The Filthy Liar
• Audible Integration
• Geevious
• Trip addict
• dj Cereal Killa
• Glitch in the Core

J-dub�s music can be heard at his official MySpace page, please add him to your friends list and drop him a message with feedback on his tracks.

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• The Art of Chiefing

Would you consider yourself a professional photographer, i.e. is this your living or your passion?

Olaf: It has always been a passion, and I think it always will be. Although I do not make 100% of my income from photography, it�s becoming a larger and larger part of what I do for a living. I also own and run a company that does architectural lighting design.

How did you get started, who / what influenced you?

Olaf: I was given a Zenith E 35mm SLR when I was about 13 or 14. The results of the 1st roll of film I ever shot were about 100 times better than what my Dad had ever shot (I�m so modest) and I really liked being so much better at something than my Dad! I also really liked shooting�

I�ve always been fascinated with light and lighting. It used to drive my grandma nuts that when she took me to the movies as a small kid, I would crane my neck back and watch the beams of light coming out of the projector! I think my photo work reflect that interest in light.

Influences have been (and still are) David Bailey, Howard Schatz, Helmut Newton, Andreas Bitesnich, Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, Sante D�Orazio, Giles Bensimon . Also, and almost as importantly, Mattise, Monet, Chagal, Rodin, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, Turner. Pilobolus Dance Co, Twyla Tharp Dance Co, Martha Graham Dance Co, Alvin Ailey Dance Co.

Your style of photography includes harsh high contrast light more often than not, usually in a studio, so much so that it�s almost become your signature. What influenced this and why don�t you shoot natural light more often?

Olaf: Laughing�.well, I�m glad I have developed a recognizable style, but I have to disagree with your use of the word �harsh.� True, I do use a lot of low key/high contrast set ups, but it�s very rarely �harsh��that implies unpleasant. I hope it�s never unpleasant.

Another one of my early influences was Greek mythology, and I still enjoy reading it. My low key, sculptural treatment of the human body is often an interpretation of that genre.

I do shoot with natural light more and more these days. I find I go through phases of how I work, and the use of natural light is a part of those phases. One reason I like studio lighting is that it�s 100% controllable and I can manipulate it pretty much anyway I want.

All of your work is model / people based photography. Is this purely by choice, or because you find other subject matter such as landscapes, still life or objects boring?

Olaf: More laughter�no, I definitely do not find those other subjects �boring�!! In fact I do some landscape and still life photography.

One of the reasons that I shoot people is that I just find people VERY interesting. Also, I really enjoy collaborating with other creative people, whether it�s a model, make up artist, stylist, or another photographer. I�ve often had shoots where the end result is much better than I had hoped, but NOTHING like how I imagined�I love that!

Since you do shoot with models so often, how do you avoid getting into a rut in regards to posing them?

Olaf: Sometimes I do get into a rut, but I prefer to call it a �phase�(!!!) it�s sort of along the lines of what I mentioned earlier with regards to light. However, I am constantly influenced and inspired by all manner of art that I see, not just photography. Music is also a HUGE influence on my photography. I love trying to create an image inspired by a piece of music that I�ve heard.

It�s not hard to stay fresh if you just keep your eyes (and ears) open and really look at and study what you see or hear.

Do you feel that a models personality and ability to work with a photographer truly is important to a successful shoot, or is the photographer the one that should be blamed for poor posing and facial expressions?

Olaf: I absolutely believe that a model�s personality and talent have a HUGE influence on any image. If you listen to the world�s top photographer�s talk about who they like to shoot, you will almost always hear them using words like �attitude�, �charisma�, �magic� �charm� �seduction� before they talk about a model�s physical attributes. I�ve shot dozens of people who are physically stunning and beautiful, but look lifeless and dull in images. Some models can only do one or two �looks.� To be able to do it all is a very rare talent, and it�s why the top models get paid so much.

BUT, as the architect Mies van der Rohe said, �God is in the details� and the details are up to the photographer.

You�ve been shooting Digital SLR cameras since the Canon D30 was released, owning nearly every Canon DSLR body released and now shooting a Canon 1Ds mkII. Other then the obvious time advantages of shooting digitally and the reduced cost per shoot, what other advantages and / or disadvantages have you found shooting digitally?

Olaf: Good question, since it seems that everyone thinks that digital only has advantages�

The disadvantages are mostly time related. For instance, it used to be that I would shoot 200 images, send the film to the lab and have 200 pretty good images to share with my client a day or two later, end of story. Now when I shoot 200 images digitally, I spend a LOT of time editing and tweaking those images.

Color management is very important. Actually getting printed results that are identical to the colors on your screen is no simple task, it seems (please let me know if I�m wrong on this!!!)

Also storage is a problem. CD-Rs are (apparently) not archival, and hard drive space is expensive.

One of the biggest advantages of digital is being able to see results immediately. This has improved my photography immensely. You are now able to check all the crucial ingredients of an image as you shoot, and to a much better degree than you ever could with Polaroids.

What kind of time are you spending post-processing shots before they are ready to print?

Olaf: It totally depends on the image, and how much care I took taking care of the details during the shoot. Software is good, but it does have its limits.
Post-processing one image can take anywhere from 1 minute to over an hour or two.

How are you outputting your prints?

Olaf: I either give my client a CD of high-res TIFF files so they can print themselves (charging accordingly and retaining rights), or I print on an Epson 2200, or I have a commercial lab do the printing.

With all the high end electronic technology that you have at your disposal, every time I�m in your studio you have your Pentax 67 medium format film camera with you. What does it take for you to pull it out of the case and shoot it?

Olaf: Still more laughter! I use the Pentax 6×7 more often than you might think, especially for �fine art� images that are intended for gallery show etc. There is a quality to low iso black and white film that digital cannot rival.

Do you feel that film will always have a place for photographers, especially black and whites for their tonal values and slide films for their color saturation?

Olaf: Yes, definitely. See answer above! I cannot imagine that film will be going away completely anytime soon.

Over the last few years, technology has advanced, costs have come down and consumer point and shoot digital camera sales are now through the roof. This has resulted in a huge growth spurt for the photographic industry and everything around it, and sparked the interests of many people, old and young to try photography beyond your typical birthday or T-ball games snapshots. The bi-product of this is many budding �photographers� whom seem to be into everything from portraiture to wedding photography without any real training, experience or apprenticeship. Do you feel that this is hurting traditionally taught photographers?

Olaf: Hmmm�I think that the adage �you get what you pay for� is applicable here. Quality work will prevail.

Where it bothers me most is in the area of �fine art.� It seems that lots of people with a digital camera, but no training, no knowledge, no skill or talent, are taking pictures that are very average at best, and passing them off as �fine art� and galleries are buying! Now, I�ll be the first to admit that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that there is nothing as subjective as art, but I do think this trend is a bad one. Maybe that makes me elitist�oh well.

That said, I absolutely welcome an increase in interest in photography!

In regards to the previous question, is it true that you get what you pay for? Someone with more time and a traditional art / photography schooling background will tend to produce better photos then someone who is self taught?

Olaf: I didn�t read this question before I answered the last one�HONEST!!!

I don�t think that traditional or formal training is the crucial issue here. Talent and/or lots of practice are.

Where are you hoping to take your current career?

Olaf: I would like to do more fashion work, preferably for the magazines. That and a show at MOMA�

Any last words, comments or rants?

Olaf: Today�s words of wisdom & rants are�

Really look. Pay attention to everything around you. Use your eyes AND your brain�together, not just your eyes. And once you�ve looked, analyze, ponder, consider, and ruminate. Then go out and shoot�a LOT.

Will someone PLEASE explain to me why Microsoft is the dominant OS??? That stuff is utter crap.

�Models� on modeling websites who only have shitty webcam pix who say �No experience. Looking for paid work only� That ticks me off.

Buying high quality lenses is WAY more important than buying expensive cameras.

And�here is the advice my idol and mentor Howard Schatz gave me:

A photograph is only as good as its weakest element. Strive for excellence in EVERY aspect of your image.

Devour as much photography as you can. Buy every photography book and every magazine you can afford. Study imagery.

Take notes. Figure out what works for you, as well as what doesn�t, and WRITE IT DOWN!!!!

I’d like to thank Olaf for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do the interview. His work can be seen on his website: http://www.orsphoto.com

And his One Model Place porfolio is: here (not work safe)Similar articles that might also interest you:

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