Brad_

>>> Don't take my word for it, ask Apple.<p> Apple: <center> .<br> <img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/iMac%20Retina.jpg"><BR> .<P> </center>

>>> THESIS: If we can nail the exposure (during the shoot or later in raw), then we will often not need any further post-processing besides cropping and resizing.<P> Every photo I've made has had some post-processing. I don't view it as an evil.<P> >>> What <s>else</s> would you emphasize as one of your first principles for getting a successful shot <s>with a minimum of manipulation and post-processing</s>?<P> Subject matter that stirs one's mind. (Note: strikethrough of above text is mine)<P> <center> .<P> <img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/Moffett%20Hanger.jpg"><BR> <i> San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <P> .<P> </center>

I know Fred. He's an extraordinary photographer and a heck of a nice guy! Dick, I also went to school in Redwood City...

My grammar is atrocious when I'm in a hurry to get my post into a thread. Over the years I've learned to adopt Mike's approach before hitting the Confirm button. That has worked pretty well. Sometimes I'll use my computer's text-to-speech feature to listen to what I have written as another check (on a Mac, select your text and press option- escape). There are too many opportunities for shenanigans with a longer timeout period.

<center> .<P> <img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/Hanger.jpg"><BR> <i> ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <P> .<P> </center>

>>> A precious moment A few years ago I chatted up a couple guys on the street which led to making a portrait. Apparently they enjoyed the engagement, and being Norteños members, said that if anyone ever gave me any crap or trouble in the city, to look them up and they'd take care of business on my behalf. I was very touched...

Still, I don't see why it is held that an artist (claimed or otherwise) makes a good photograph. Can people who are not artists make good photographs? Fred, are you an artist?

>>> What makes a good photograph? An artist makes a good photograph. I've seen *many* poor photographs made by photographers claiming to be artists.

<center> .<P> <img src= "http://citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/Crossing.jpg"><BR> <i> Oakland, CA • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <BR>.</center> <P>

>>> The Rules of Photography in Everyday Shooting Always leave home with a freshly charged battery.

>>> Anyway- what, in your your own opinion makes a good photo, one you are happy with, a successful photo? For example...what response do you aim for in your audience...<P> For me, a good photograph stimulates a viewer's imagination by withholding information and poses questions, rather than supplying a complete set of answers - thus letting the viewer conjure a narrative. It makes little difference if that narrative is accurate or what I had in mind when making the photograph. Withholding information can occur through choices made at capture time, using shadow, light, composition, ambiguity, mystery, etc. <P> >>> ... how important is equipment and skill over theme and subject etc. <P> Equipment, again for me, is not very important (within bounds, of course) - for example, the photo below was made with my cell phone camera.. Making good photographs is about seeing and using one's imagination contemplating what's in front of the lens, and then constructing a composition that stirs a viewers mind.<P> <center> .<P> <img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/PathMan.jpg"><P> <i> Stanford, CA • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i><P> .<P> </center>

>>> Has anyone replaced the SSD in a MacBook Air?<P> Yes. I put <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JKCHNPE/ref=wms_ohs_product? ie=UTF8&psc=1>this Transcend 480 GB drive</a> in my 2012 MacBook Air. Easy replacement, and it comes with a tiny/slick USB 3.0 enclosure for putting your smaller removed SSD in. Two screwdrivers (five point Pentalobe and T5 Torx) come with the kit. Highly recommend it. They also have a 960 GB model. There are different models depending on the year of the Pro/Air machine. I don't think 2013 MacBook Airs are supported. <P> I've also put a Crucial SSD drive in a previously owned MacBook Pro. Also easy...<P> With respect to the Air/Pro choice, I migrated from a MacBook Pro to an Air and like the longer battery life, smaller size, and less weight. Perfect for traveling. It has also become my main Lightroom machine for traveling, with my desktop Mac not getting much use other than to sync up the LR catalog. Only reason I'd choose a MacBook Pro would be for the higher rez "retina" IPS display.

>>> Anybody else?<P> A couple years ago I put down my dSLR and just used my phone cam for a year making square photos and portraits - even a publication. For me there are pros and cons shooting square; one being less visual clutter creeping into the sides (good) vs. less environmental context that can help release narrative to a viewer (not so good).<P> <a href="http://citysnaps.net/2011%20photos/Mission%20Gallery%202/">Here's a set of photos</a> I made in one particular neighborhood, San Francisco's Mission District...</a>

<center> .<P> <img src= "http://citysnaps.net/2011%20photos/Smoke.jpg"><BR> <i> San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <P> .<P> </center>

>>> nm +11

There's little incentive and it would technically hobble overall camera design and performance going forward.

>>> I am just wondering what the benefits and also the negatives are of giving my clients prints from my Epson 3880 here at home printed on Fiber paper as opposed to prints I get from the professional lab? You are in full control of the process and can create (with learned skills) and deliver what you had in mind.

I'd characterize it (along with other aspects) as taking risks.

<a href= "http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lza0zt7TC11r2bsduo1_1280.jpg">The Leica look.</a>

This camera would accessorize nicely with a plaid fedora and luscious hipster beard.

>>> Brad brings up the point about why worry about it (something to that effect). I'm not sure why I belabor it at times. For me personally -- partly because I don't have many people I know who I can discuss these kinds of things with, and at times I do enjoy thinking about it and trying to put down in words why I feel a certain way, or what my reaction is to a certain group or dogmatic approach. <P> Hey Steve... That's cool. For me, seeing how the sp "industry" has evolved over the years to where it is now with workshops, "influential" spokespeople defining it restrictively for others in an attempt to keep their relevancy, collectives, flickr/facebook groups of people who seem unhappy/frustrated/sad (seems misery really does love company), etc. <P> I found it best to jump off the sp treadmill-o-drama and not give a flip about what others, especially the self- proclaimed spokespeople, think. Not that I don't like discussing photos with photographers who are knowledgeable and shoot on the street, such as yourself - I enjoy and do that a lot. But I really am happier doing my own thing not treating sp as a "thing," and not worrying about others who really are more about making noise rather than photographs - it has helped me become a much better photographer in the process. Give it a whirl - GW will nod in approval from up above... <P> <center> .<P> <img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/CloudsBelow.jpg"><BR> <i> Up Above • San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <P> .<P> </center>

With respect to pigeonholing sp, why get wrapped up about it? I have my guiding view (Photos of people or evidence of people in their environment), others can have theirs.<P> If someone sitting in the back of the classroom desperately looking for weird boundary conditions gets to squirming in their seat with right hand bobbing frantically in the air and left hand over their mouth trying desperately to get out, "buhbuhbuh but wait, what about an NFL photograph of a quarterback throwing a pass, or a wedding photograph in a park," well, knock yourself out and go with something more restrictive if that's really important. It's OK with me.<P> iSnap, on approach to PDX last week:<P> <center> .<P> <img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/PlaneShadow.jpg"><BR> <i> Portland • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <P> .<P> </center>

It's all (mostly) about developing your eye, letting your imagination be stirred, and finding nice light.

As an engineer, when I'm out making photographs on the street I try to leave my Keuffel & Esser Log Log Duplex slide rule sheathed and protected in <a href= "http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol34/vol34n13/images/sliderule2.jpg">its belt case</a> and just click the button on my phone.<P> <center> .<P> <img src= "http://citysnaps.net/2011%20photos/Taylor1.jpg"><BR> <i> Taylor • Market Street, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2014 </i> <P> .<P> </center>

I think this is excellent news. How a person who dies intestate can have their property, including copyrights, assigned to others without the benefit of a court probate proceeding is something I don't understand. Hopefully there will be some daylight cast on the matter now that the state is involved with a formal process. One thing to always remember is the Vivian Maier narrative was created and is controlled by a single individual, a person who has edited, editioned, and sold VM prints, made books, and produced a movie. I've been following the VM story for a long time and the movie raised even more questions in my mind. As it appears VM valued keeping her life and work private while living, it's a shame that a stranger has seemingly turned that desire around at her death.