June 2013
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March 2013
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February 2013
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January 2013
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October 2012
1 post
September 2012
8 posts
I Hate Education.: Our "Love" is a Hate →
ihateeducation.tumblr.com
There was a boy that lived in the house next door to me. I would say “hi” to him from the hole in our backyard’s shared fence. He was my first crush, Kevin. We had a good old suburban, middle class romance. At 3, I learned of dating in your class.
There was a boy named Mario. He liked me so I…
"I hate Instagram!"
There is a difference between amateur and professionals artists. What separates us is usually our resistance in opening ourselves up to the business side of art, its practical side.
“I hate instagram! Because it’s not real photography. Your photography looks cool because of the filters that were made for you.” Yes, it’s true. People received a chance to take colorful pictures and they are excited. Some may confuse it with being professional, however color is only one component that goes into creation of a great shot.
Years ago, I read articles by traditional photographers who did not want to use Photoshop because it wasn’t real. What happened to them now? Well they either had to swallow their pride and embrace the technology or they were replaced by photography newcomers who were more adept to change.
You see, I think everything has its purpose. We just refuse to do the work to figure it out. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pininterest, etc. These are the tools for artists to communicate with the audience in different ways about their art.
You don’t have to organize a debate on Union Square for people to come and listen to, you can just hash tag the topic attach the photo and evoke a thought in somebody’s mind in Russia, UK, Africa, France, Poland, Irland, etc.
Somewhere there are people who will resonate with your art. Who will find it inspirational.
And the only person who is stopping that from happening is YOU, because you refuse to recognize that your art has value and importance.
We have to be water, like Bruce Lee said in our craft. That means adapting to the changing times without compromising the quality.
I use Instagram for my company and I find it fascinating. I create a story around my brand and people all over the world are able to be a part of it.
The only thing we have to remember is to create a high standard and don’t let the photography be downplayed. We photographers should be an example and then we would not have complain about people not valuing our craft.
If you are not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Piniterest stop sitting in the corner and join our millions people party ;-)
- Anna Kuzmina
Director of Photography
AK47 Division®
August 2012
3 posts
Photography & Stereotypes
Yesterday, I had a very interesting conversation with my client in regards to headshots.
She shared with me that it’s now becoming difficult to find photographers whom are treating each person differently.
She was presented with an opportunity to be a casting director and to choose from various headshots. It was challenging —as she shared with me— because all of the headshots looked a like. The faces were manipulated by the make up. The personality is lost because there is a blank that was created, by one photographer, that now each photographer is trying to match.
When a person comes to audition and places his/her headshot on the table it becomes difficult to recognize similarities between the real person and his/her photo prototype.
It’s our job as photographers to capture the beauty of each person and their personality. We are in a very powerful position because we are molding the person, we have an outside perspective, we are guiding the model. This is where we have to acknowledge our tendency to be biased and view beauty stereotypically.
We have to recognize that it’s not about how we view beauty and what we think is beautiful, sad, romantic, what a character should look like, or how a sexy character should be portrayed. It’s not our job to tell somebody how it looks. Our job is to put the person in the environment. Allow them to believe in the story. Trust them and be trustworthy. Then they will respond to the situation in their unique way. How I express sexuality will be different from how you express sexuality, because you and I have a different cultural heritage, parents, traditions, ethos etc.
Anna Kuzmina
Director of Photography
AK47 Division®
