Pbase magazine vol13_jun2010

Also in this issue:GearTalk, Learning, Photoshopography and more.

PBase Photog: Mostafa Moftah
An 8 page in-depth interview with multi-talented artist from
Egypt
Page 3
Contributors
PBASEM A G A Z I N E.com Issue13j u n e 2 0 1 0
Picture Power
A Photoview on David Procter’s explosive shot taken in
PhuketThailand
Page 39
PBase Magazine is a free magazine by and for the PBase com-
munity. Contributions for this issue by: Ernest,Tony Mc-
Garva, Meyer Gladstone, Steve Huff, Rachael Katz, Kaden
Kratzer, Mostafa Moftah, David Procter, Dave Seeram Chief
editor: Arjun Roychowdhury Cover design: Gary Blanch-
ette, Lay-out: Michel Lammerse
Culture Cauldron: Scotland
Tony McGarva takes us on a photographic journey through his
wonderful country Scotland
Page 40
Travel: Hong Kong inThree Days
Ernest from South Africa shows us how you can experience
Hong Kong during a three day travel
Page 16
Pro Photog: Meyer Gladstone
Maryland based photographer Meyer Gladstone tells us about his
work and how he became a professional
Page 11
Homeless
Touching street photography of Steve Huff in B&W of homeless
people living in Phoenix - Arizona
Page 28
INDEXFront- and backcover by Mostafa Moftah
Editorial
The Awakening ...............................................................
PBase Photog
Mostafa Moftah...............................................................
Pro Photog
Meyer Gladstone ...............................................................
Travel
Hong Kong in Three Days ..............................................................
Learning
Ultimate Noise Reduction ...............................................................
Framing
The Edge of the Frame ...............................................................
Homeless
Images of the Homeless ...............................................................
GearTalk
Focussing Screens ...............................................................
Picture Power
David Procter ...............................................................
Culture Cauldron
Scotland ...............................................................
Parting Shots...
The Final Words...............................................................
2
3
11
16
21
24
28
34
39
40
49
All photographic material and text in this magazine
is copyrighted by their respectful owners. PBase.com
and the PBase editors take no responsibility for miss-
prints or any other mistakes in this magazine. For
questions and comments please contact the PBase
MagazineTeam: pbasemag@gmail.com
©opyright notices

Around two years ago, this team decided to take a break with the
PBase Magazine. As we wrote in the editorial, our intent was to take
a brief break. As it turns out, by brief, we meant a two-and-a-half
year sabbatical. Towards end of last year, Michel Lammerse con-
tacted me about restarting the effort and even offered his critical
help in taking over the responsibility of magazine design (and this
is a big one). So I have Michel to thank for waking us all up. As they
say, nothing is permanent except change – and that is true for our
loose team of volunteers as well. Eric Kuhn, our dynamic co-editor
of yester-issues has since moved on and is now working for CNN.
Wanda, our lovely proofreader from Utah might have also moved
(my emails did not seem to reach, but I plan to try and reach her
again after this issue). To them, a huge thanks for helping out in
such a great way all this while. And then there is Gary Blanchette.
Rock solid as he is, he is still there with us in this issue, albeit his
health issues a couple of years ago.Tip-o-the-hat, great one!
So what have I been doing for the past two years? I’ve been photo-
graphing like a busy professional would. Only, that you would not
see a single update in my PBase galleries. Only, that I never get
paid for it. And that’s because I’ve been transformed into a doting
father who only has time to take pictures of his one-oh-two-oh-
three year old son and producing yearly books via Blurb.com for
him for a very select audience (my wife and I, really). And besides
that, I’ve also been marveling at the new genre of content devices
like the iPad (of course, I had to buy a couple of them) and trying to
predict how such form-factors will change content consumption –
but that’s part of my day job.
Back to present day – we are proud to produce Issue #13.
We took a break after Issue #12 and several thought it’s the ‘un-
lucky 13th’ milestone had had us defeated.Well, a few years later,
we crossed that milestone with this issue. Obviously, we can’t stop
here because then we would have stopped at the 13th issue. So we
can guarantee Issue 14 and hopefully, beyond that as well. But we
will be making one change: from now on, we are converting this
magazine into a ‘when we can, but not less than once in 6 months’
schedule.
Please enjoy this issue and let Michel know how much
you like his hard work with the new design.
Arjun Roychowdhury
The Awakening
www.pbase.com/arjunrc
PBASE magazine
Issue 13

PBase Magazine 13 - June 2010 Page 3
Featurin
PBase Photographer Profile
Mostafa Moftah was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. He
is a painter, a musician, a graphic designer and a self-
taught photographer. He graduated from the Faculty
of Fine Arts at Cairo University in 1977. He has exhibited
his paintings at many group and solo Art shows. His
paintings are in the collections of the National Museum
of Contemporary Arts. He studied classical guitar in his
teens with an Italian teacher and played in a rock band
for three years.
Moftah has worked in advertising for 28 years. He was
an art director for many leading advertising agencies in
Cairo including Leo Burnett. Later he ran his own gra-
phic arts studio serving many organizations including:
American Express, UNICEF, Renault to name a few.
He started taking photos to help his paintings, bought
dark-room equipment and taught himself how to de-
velop film and print photos. Eventually, he fell in love
with photography as a tool to express himself. 30 years
later, he decided to quit his advertising career to devote
his entire time to photography while also finding time
to paint and create music. He has chosen the creativity
in photography over painting and music because it gives
him what he was looking for all his life: a sense of free-
dom as well as responsibility.
Mostafa Moftah now lives with his wife and two sons
and works in the 34th floor of a skyscraper on the Nile
where he has a panoramic view of Giza pyramids and
Saqqara and Dahshur pyramids.
Name: Mostafa Moftah
Web: www.pbase.com/moftah
From: Egypt - Cairo
Years as photographer: 35
Years as PBase user: 5
Photography style: No specific style
Canon Eos 400D
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
10-20mm f/4-5.6
60mm f/2.8 macro
Equipment: 18-270mm f/3.6-6.3
Lensbaby 3G
Manfrotto 190XPROB Pro
Manfrotto 322RC2 Ball Head
CanonScan LiDE 30
HP Designjet Z2100 24”

PBase Magazine:You have a very
unique style of photography. If you
were asked ‘what is your photography
style’ how would you describe it?
Moftah: I did not really pursue a
specific style nor did I force myself to
follow one. I let myself go free. Some
of my photos turn out to be surrealistic
or abstract or even journalistic but I
cannot say this is way I had intended
it to be - it is the photo that naturally
took its path and I went along with it.
As long as I try to capture the right mo-
ment using the right resources avail-
able at the moment like the subject,
light, shadow, form, space...,
then I think I have taken a good shot. I usually do not ask a person to pose for a portrait because that person is a part of
the natural resource available at that time and asking him or her to pose will make the photo look superficial or unreal-
istic.You know, a photographer is like a fisherman - he takes his fish rod (his camera) and goes fishing; sometimes he’s
back with a lot of fish or sometimes back with nothing but his fish rod. He’s out there seeking beauty and harmony with
no premeditated ideas and waiting for a unique moment to capture. And at that moment he is completely free of any
style, he’s just himself and that’s what counts. So as odd as it may sound my style is “no style”.
PBase Magazine: Has your work been influenced by
any other artist/photographer? And how?
Moftah: When I was young I used to think Joan Miró and
René Magritte paintings have a lot of influence on me.
But as I grew up I found that it was a naïve and misleading
thought.You see, any artist is the result of what he lived,
saw, read and listened. He is the outcome of his interac-
tion with what surrounds him. How can I ignore the fact
that I was raised in a family of artists? My grandfather was
a graduate of the first art school in Egypt, my father was a
painter, my uncle was an architect and my brother is an in-
terior designer.They must all have had an influence on me!
How can I forget that I grew up in such an open museum
like Egypt where many civilizations: Pharaonic, Greek, Ro-
man, Coptic, Islamic and modern have miraculously co-ex-
isted in one place? I remember how fascinated I was by the
scenes I used to watch as a child: the Nile and its fantastic
bridges, the sailing fellucas over the river, the sunsets...
...the people celebrating their feasts in new clothes, crowds in the festivals, the street vendors, the trees edging the
banks of the river, the statues, the horses and donkeys pulling carriages across and so much more.
I was lucky because I have seen Cairo before its collapse - when it was serene, clean, green and glittering at night, that
was till the mid-seventies. I remember every outing - day or night - was like continuous daydreaming, wherever you go
there was something to immerse your senses into and fill you with visions that never fade. So it was unfair to think that
only Miro or Magritte had an influence on me because the picture is much wider than I imagined earlier.

PBase Magazine: Describe for us the creative process that goes through in your mind, with your lens and the post
production that produces such stunning images as those from your “MindVoyage” gallery?
Moftah:Actually describing the creative process can be a very complicated matter but I’ll try to put it in simple terms
so I will answer you through three different examples and will try and show you at the same time how varied are the
games that our minds can play:
The first is about my photo named “Everybody paints his own sky”.The original shot was taken in a coastal town 300
km from Cairo, when I saw this fellow painting the boat in blue. His state of joy and the way he was dancing around the
boat inspired me -on the spot- that he was painting the sky. At that moment I envisioned the final photo. I had to search
my archive for a photo of a sky to complete the vision.
The second example is about my photo named “MindVoy-
age”.When I took this photo, all I cared about was getting a
correct exposure and shot of this London street performer.
Later on in Cairo when I reveiwed it on my monitor I dis-
covered that the photo had more than a photo of a street
performer. I found it so majestic and meditative! It revealed
the message clearly and simply. It had become complete
without adding any kind of post production.
The third example is about my photo named “Late-night
Thoughts” – in this case I knew what I wanted to achieve
beforehand, so I took the photograph exactly the way I
wanted the output to be, as it was envisioned in my mind.
Every body paints it’s own sky
Late NightThoughts
MindVoyage
AWoman inYellow Dress

PBase Magazine: How vibrant is the photographic com-
munity in Egypt?
Moftah:The photographic community in Egypt is still
developing; this is mainly because both Egyptian art crit-
ics and audiences do not consider photography as a fine art
yet.We do of course have photojournalists and commercial
photographers serving the advertising industry but they are
dedicated only to their professions. Unlike the painters and
sculpture community which is well developed and thriving,
the photographic community has yet a long way to go. I can
see some good photographers here and there on the inter-
net. I believe these are good examples that fine art photog-
raphy is on the right track and will eventually get its rightful
place here.
PBase Magazine: Describe a typical day in the life
of Mostafa Moftah.
Moftah:Well, let me describe a typical full day, not
just a photographic expedition. Since my studio is
home-based, my day starts in the morning with a cup
ofTurkish coffee, checking and answering my emails
then practicing some guitar or reading till lunch. In the
afternoon I practice my guitar again and if I am lucky I
compose or experiment with some music or finish up
some shots taken previously. I love to spend time with
my family as well (typically early evenings), watching
a movie or meeting my friends. Late evenings are usu-
ally my peak time in the studio trying to come up with
some visuals that are playing in my mind, or, simply
dabbling around with a thoughtless state of mind -
and that’s the most enjoyable part of the day.
PBase Magazine: Do you describe yourself as a canvas artist or a photographer? Is there is difference in your mind?
Take Me A Picture
Moftah: Working as a graphic designer, musician, painter and photographer makes me say that I consider myself as
a visual artist or a multimedia artist rather than any of the afore-mentioned. My point is painting, photographing or
composing is just a medium that communicates my message to the audience so my mindset is the same: focusing on
getting my message across as best as I can whatever the medium.
Whisper Light

PBase Magazine 13 - June 2010 Page ##
PBase Magazine: Have you shot with film before go-
ing digital?Which do you prefer and why?
Moftah: I taught myself photography and processing
with a lot of great help from Focal Press Books. As I men-
tioned earlier, my primary motivation earlier was to use
photos as an assisting element for my paintings. I started
in mid-70s with aYashicaTLR and then Mamiya RB67 SLR
and Minolta X-700 SLR. I had my own B&W darkroom in
which I used to play and experiment with different devel-
oping and printing processes. Now all these experiments
seem naïve compared to what Photoshop has to offer. I
had my first digital camera in 2004.
Of course I prefer digital cameras - with it you have more
control to get the results you desire faster and cheaper
and most importantly without hurting the environment.
I was surprised to hear some photographers saying that
real fine art photography can only produced by using
film, I think they are not seeing the potential of the digital
revolution and what it could do to their profession.They
do not really know what they are missing. A real artist as
I know always welcomes progress and makes it a friend
not an enemy.
PBase Magazine: I noticed you sell prints on your
website.Who are your typical customers?
Moftah: Living in Egypt poses some logistic and finan-
cial difficulties for marketing my prints internationally
in term of shipping and payment.That is why I am only
targeting the local market of Egyptians and expatriates.
PBase Magazine: You are a painter as well as a musi-
cian in addition to being an amazing photographer. How
have your additional skills helped you with photography?
Specifically, how does music influence your photography
skills?
Moftah: It was easy for me to move to photography
as being a painter I had all the skills and rules needed to
compose an image.The skills of playing music does not
directly relate to photography; however savouring the
flavour of music can have a profound effect on the quality
of photography.
Lighting Candles -Varanasi
Silver Umbrella - Singapore

PBase Magazine:Your profile mentions you are a
member of the “Egyptian Syndicate of Plastic Arts. Please
tell our readers a little more about this.
PBase Magazine:You also have a ‘facebook fan’ page. How effective are social networking tools such as this for a
photographer? How does it help you?
Moftah:With the Internet now integrated into nearly all aspects of every-
day use, many photographers are recognizing the important role that social
networking can play in the world of entrepreneurship. Social networking can
help a photgrapher gain contacts, clients, and increased public awareness.
Even photographers who run small businesses from their homes can take
advantage of this resource to set up a global presence.To make the most of
social networking, it’s important to fully understand the concept of social
networking and how it can be applied in ways that will help you grow your
business.
It’s too early to evaluate my fan page because I just set it up. I also set up a
Group named “Paint with Light” in Arabic to introduce fine art photography
to Arabic members.
Mindscape 09 Mindscape 03 TheView from Above
It’s Raining
Woman in Black -Varanasi
Moftah: It’s important for Egyptian visitors to know that
I am a registered member at that organization, that’s why
I mentioned it in my profile.
The Egyptian Syndicate of Plastic Arts was established
in 1986 to sponsor artistic movement in Egypt, stimulate
artistic awareness and aesthetic appreciation. It also of-
fers facilities to artists to enable them to perform and/or
exhibit by providing galleries either at home or abroad in
addition to sending artists abroad for study.
The syndicate focus is currently on social service rather
than promoting arts. So its main objective is to keep
artists under one umbrella and identity. Because it’s still
in its infancy, it will take quite sometime in Egypt to get
such an essential organization matured as well as politi-
cally corrected.

PBase Magazine: Egypt is a place full of rich history.
Which are your favorite places in Egypt for photography
and why?
Moftah: It’s the Sahara, of course.The desert while giving
you serenity, a profound feel of freedom and calmness also
poses significant visual challenges when it comes to captur-
ing those feelings because you are mainly dealing with vast
expanses of horizontal lines. But above all it gives what you
miss in other places: open space, serenity and freedom.
That’s what you may call heaven.
PBase Magazine: If you had $5000 to spend on photo-
graphic equipment, how would you spend it?
Moftah: My wishlist for this summer includes buying the
new “Canon EOS 550D” (and by the way It’s much cheaper
than the amount you proposed).
PBase Magazine:As a corollary, if you were given a
blank cheque to buy only ONE photographic equipment (no
matter how expensive), what would it be and why?
Moftah: I would buy the “HP DesignjetT1200 44-in large
format Printer”. It’s larger than the one I have
Speaker, Hyde Park - London
Nostalgia

PBase Magazine: Five years from now, where do you
want to see yourself?
Moftah:You know when you reach my age of mid-fifties
you realize that you have to live your life on a day to day
basis, to enjoy every moment to the fullest, to keep your
passion intact and to seek new life and art ventures. I en-
joy my life and my work very much and this what counts.
I focus on “here and now” with an open mind and hopeful
heart that there are still melodies and tunes I could com-
pose, beauties and glimpses I could capture and sadness
and despair I could overcome. I enjoy what I have and
what I have at the moment is no little. I hope you consider
this a proper answer.
PBase Magazine: How do you see Color vs. Black &White?
Moftah: Both Color and Black&White have its own beauty and charm. Personally I prefer to play more with B&W.To
me, B&W emphasizes the moment more and gives a timeless mood to photographs.
PBase Magazine:You have long years of experience in graphic design in which you served the advertising industry in
your country.What have you learned from these experiences?
Moftah: I have learned a lot actually. Most of all I learned that content should have a purpose or a message and how
important it is to package my work in a good presentation format. Last but not least, it is extremely important to create
meaningful titles to photos and galleries.
PBase Magazine: Finally, what advice would you have for photographers who want to have the ‘Eye of Mostafa
Moftah’?
Moftah: Having an eye is essential for every person but for the photographer it’s crucial. Developing an eye for the
photographer is not a simple matter. It’s not enough to study principles and processes and various approaches of pho-
tography to develop such an eye. It may take a lifetime to acquire and accumulate knowledge and expose oneself to
different experiences to be a good photographer. I advise my fellow photgraphers to develop a tase for all types of fine
arts particularly painting to sharpen such an eye.They should know that the wider they read, see, and listen the bet-
ter they will become. I urge them not to stick to one branch of knowledge because knowledge is a tree of many, many
branches and that is what makes a good photographer see and capture what the other overlooked.
More work of Mostafa Moftah can be seen at http://www.pbase.com/moftah
Street of Kathmandu
Water Fun - LondonRiding on her Donkey

Photographer Information
PhotogPRO
Meyer
Questions & Answers
PRO
Name: Meyer Gladstone
Web: www.meyergladstonephotography.com
From: USA - Maryland
Years as photographer: 15
Photography style: Lifestyle
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
24-105mm f/4 L
70-200mm f/2.8L
Equipment: 16-35mm f/2.8L
100mm Macro
85mm f/1.8
580EX flashes
Gladstone
QMeyer, thanks for participating in this issue of the
PBase Magazine. During our conversation, you had
mentioned that photography was not your first career
move. What got you interested in photography?
AI took photography classes in high school and enjoyed
taking photos that were required as part of the course
curriculum. The majority of images were in black and white.
It was amazing how black and white changes the mood of
an image. The true magic occurred in the darkroom where I
first learned how to develop and print black and white imag-
es. Today everyone clicks on a tool in Photoshop to dodge
and burn an image. In the darkroom, you learned how to
manipulate an image using tools like the enlarger various
times and handheld techniques to obtain a specific result.
I have always been a very visual person and photography
was the perfect outlet to express my vision. I began taking
images of buildings at night and then tried to sell them to
the owners of the building. I had a 65% success rate at sell-
ing multiple images this way and had several featured in real
estate magazine ads.
“today everyone clicks on a
tool in Photoshop to dodge
and burn an image”
Above From a shoot I did of two young models. I wanted to create
an editorial look and the black and white definitely provided the look I
envisioned
I never stopped taking pictures as a hobby since this was my
release from the daily stresses of my full-time career. Ap-
proximately five years ago, I decided to take my hobby to
the next level and begin a part-time business that has grown
year over year. I made the investment in studio equipment,
upgraded my gear and developed a website.

QWhat are the typical challenges for someone want-
ing to go ‘Pro’ both from an operational and financial
perspective?
AWith the digital age in turbo mode it has changed how
individuals view photography. The comment that
makes most professional photographers cringe is, “it must
be that expensive camera and equipment that make your
pictures look so good.” Well, there is no question that better
equipment helps but if I give you my camera and tell you not
to use the automatic or program settings for a shoot, I guar-
antee the final results will vary significantly. So with that
said, starting out is hard because everyone believes a digital
SLR makes them a professional photographer. In addition,
pricing varies significantly as well with plays into the profit-
ability along with the very common request for the digital
images on a disk.
Questions to ask if you are considering becoming a profes-
sional photographer are:
• How do I set myself apart from the competition?
• Is this going to be a part-time or full-time busi-
ness?
• How do I plan on advertising my business or gain
ing business in general?
• Do I currently own all the equipment necessary
to go pro? Wedding work requires back up
of almost all your essential equipment
I found my self putting almost all of my profit back into my
business for the first few years as I found more and more
equipment that was necessary for a particular shoot that I
did not currently own. You have to set the proper expecta-
tions and drive toward a set goal each month and each year.
Above Portrait of brothers where I used some special post process-
ing to create a bit of a bleached or rustic look that went well with the
background. This was purchased as a canvas print
Above an image that recreates the old Hollywood Lights look where
incandescent light bulbs were used with no flash
QYour galleries show that you do both indoor as
well as outdoor shooting. Specific to outdoor
shooting, what sort of lighting equipment do you
find yourself carrying and how do you typically use
them?
AYou can never be too prepared for a location shoot
especially outdoors. The key is to have all your gear
organized for easy transport. I use the LoweProX300 roll-
er bag for my camera equipment andTenba or Lightware
lightstand case for my light stands. A LowePro backpack
is in the SUV with additional miscellaneous gear. I use
3 Canon 580EX flashes on location along with an assort-
ment of umbrellas and reflectors. I carry several conven-
tional Pocket Wizards and have been experimenting with
the new Pocket Wizard TT-1 and TT-5 which offer a nice
advantage.
Above left This young woman wanted to maintain the glamour look that she had while being portrayed as rough and tough
Above right A clean and natural look of this young woman. Her blue eyes speak for themselves

When shooting into a bright backlit situation I prefer late
afternoon shoots because this time of day provides optimal
lighting. I start with the available natural light and use either
reflectors or flashes to supplement the exposure to achieve
the desired result. The key is to balance the ambient light
with the light on your subject to produce a vivid well bal-
anced image.
QBetween the different type of shoots you have list-
ed (Individuals, Relationships, Weddings, Artistic
Impressions, Corporate and Sports), which one do you
like the most?
AI have two areas I truly enjoy. The artistic impression
category includes high school senior as well as lifestyle
images. I enjoy working with young people and having the
creative freedom to capture this age group doing whatever
they enjoy most. Forget the suit or black velvet draping, I
want to capture teenagers the way they want to be seen by
others.
QWhich one is typically the most profitable for a
photographer?
AWedding and corporate are typically the most com-
petitive but often the most profitable.
It is fun and provides for a great deal of creative freedom.
It is a tie for my second most favorite type of photography,
weddings and corporate, but for different reasons. Wed-
dings are a highly competitive market but once again, there
is nothing more gratifying then the look on a brides face
when you deliver the final album. I have the opportunity
to build a relationship with the bride and groom that be-
gins the day the engagement photo is taken and continues
throughout the wedding day. It is a very competitive mar-
ket but I do not pressure prospective clients into making an
on the spot decision. I want my work and samples to speak
for themselves. Corporate photography provides me with
an opportunity to photograph people as well as structures,
events and products that ultimately end up on the web or in
a print publication.
Above “Light Rail”, by far not the metro but the light on the tracks in the
late afternoon sun caught my eye as I photographed images around a
small community train depot
AboveThis is an example of how I like to photograph high school stu-
dents. Great look and outdoor venue
Above The bride posed for a “trash the dress” session. While I did take
care not to truly trash her dress the image was shot in the late after-
noon and I really worked the depth of field in this image

QSpecific to wedding photography, we often hear of disagreements between the client and the photographer
post the wedding. More often than not, these disagreements arise due to the nature of photos taken.To a cli-
ent, their wedding usually is one the biggest milestones of their lives. How do you set expectations with them so
you are sure they will like the end result? Do you discuss the flow and style? What else do you discuss prior to the
event?
AAs I mentioned earlier, it is critical that there is a positive
chemistry between the photographer and the bride and
groom. Clear expectations and several meetings leading up
to the wedding day are essential. With all the pressure on
the bride to ensure everything is in place often times there
are questions that arise from one meeting to the next. Hav-
ing several check-in points is a very good practice to imple-
ment with every bride and groom.
QHas it ever happened to you that a shoot went
wrong due to technical issues and you did not real-
ize it till it was over? If so, what happened and how did
you proceed to resolve it?
AI don’t want to jinx myself but the majority of techni-
cal issues I have experienced have been in not seeing
something in the posed image prior to getting back to my
computer and looking at the images. The majority of the
time I have been able to fix the problem in Photoshop but
the time it has taken has been significant. I truly try to live
by the rule of “get the picture right when you take it and
don’t rely on post-processing to save the day.”
QDescribe a typical day for Meyer Gladstone?
AI am a part-time professional photographer so my day is
somewhat different from my full-time colleagues. But I
do begin every morning checking my Google analytics page
to see the hits on my website. I follow up on any inquiries
that come in via email or phone call. I follow up on every
lead. I do most of my shooting in the evening and on week-
ends. Each night is reserved for post-processing and posting
proofs to my web gallery for client review.
I upload my orders to the professional lab for printing.
I do not print my own images, I believe a professional lab
does a better job and offers a wide variety of products and
services.
QHow do you get people to know about you? There
are many photogs who are good at their work but
just don’t get enough work to make a business out of it.
What do you think they may be doing wrong?
AI think this question is best addressed under the operations and finance question. The digital age has changed
not only the way people view photography but it has increased their access to equipment and the expectation of
providing digital images on a disk. During the film age and I’m not that old, a photographer would never have thought
about giving up the negatives. Today the paradigm has changed and if you don’t price your services appropriately you
will find yourself doing a lot of work at a sub-optimal hourly rate. I can only speak for myself, but I find myself spending
not only time behind the camera but also at the computer since I retouch all of my own images.
Above This old windmill sits on the property of a private home.While
I did post-process this image in the late afternoon sun really made the
rusty fins look very dramatic

More information and
examples of Meyer
Gladstones’photography
can be seen at his website.
QWhen it comes to photographing children, do you find
yourself getting enough artistic independence or do you
often find the parents trying to guide the process?
AParents rely on me to provide the creativity which is great.
The collaboration comes into play when trying to capture
the attention of the little subject but in a natural candid way.
QYou had mentioned that you have a home stu-
dio. Can you tell us what it looks like and the
equipment you have there?
AMy home studio is equipped with an assortment of
various muslin backdrops usually 10x20 so they are
long enough to cover both behind the subject and the
floor they will be posed on during the shoot. I use a va-
riety of softboxes, umbrellas and light modifying devic-
es to create the right look and feel for the subject. My
strobes consist of Photogenic and Alien Bees. I trigger
the strobes with Pocket Wizards and most sets include
three lights: Key, fill and background or kicker. When
photographing children keep in mind they never stay in
one place so the need for broad even light is essential.
QYour site mentions you are “on Facebook” and “The
Knot”. Have you seen these sites helping you get
more business?
AThe majority of my business is through referrals and word
of mouth. Recently I decided to venture out into the wed-
ding world of “The Knot”. I have only advertised my business for
a few months so it is a bit early to determine if it is an effective
form of advertising. Facebook is also new for me, yes I was a
skeptic, but it has provided me an opportunity to increase the
number of individuals who view my website. I have not gained
any business from “Facebook” yet but there again it has only
been a few months.
QWhile this is not specific to your website, the tim-
ing of this interview prompts this question – Most pho-
tographers use flash for the website, as does yours. With the
immense success of Apple devices and the recent release of
the iPad, we are seeing many popular content sites releasing
non-flash sites just so they can play on these devices (CBS,
NBC, Youtube and many more). Do you see this ‘non-flash’
trend percolating down to professional photography sites
anytime soon?
AWhile an HTML site has several key advantages,
I still like a Flash site for viewing images. The im-
ages look fantastic and from a cost perspective you
can purchase some great Flash site templates that
can be easily customized at a fraction of the cost with-
out incurring the cost of a developer. I had an HTML
site prior to the Flash site and I receive more comple-
ments on my current site. Time will tell as to whether
I need to rethink my website but for the short-term I
believe for me it is the best option.
QMeyer, thanks for participating in this inter-
view. As a parting shot, what advice would
you have for those who are looking to take a step
into making a living out of photography?
AFollow your passion but be sure you have the time
and finances to be patient. The industry dynamics
have changed considerably and has led many aspiring
photography enthusiasts into believing they can make
it as a photographer. The hobby is enjoyable and very
rewarding but once it becomes the means for income
all bets are off.
Above I got a lot of looks from the national park ranger who stopped by while
I photographed this mermaid. The contrast and setting were prefect. I used fill
flash to balance the ambient light
www.meyergladstonephotography.com

in 3 days
Born and resident in Johannesburg South Africa, Ernest, a sixth generation South African, refers to himself as aWhite
African. Ernest’s enthusiasm for travel is a perfect compliment to his love of photography. A late starter, Ernest was bit-
ten by the photo bug with the advent of digital photography when he bought his first camera, a Sony Mavika that saved
images to a floppy disk. Since those early days of low pixels he has moved to DSLRs. Ernest believes a good eye needs
to be balanced with sound digital processing skills & an understanding of Photo Shop. He is a passionate photographer,
whose philosophy is never to leave home without a camera. For Ernest, photography goes beyond recording images –
it is recording life of both its joys and sorrows. An ardent surfer of the internet, he uses it to stay in contact with family
while traveling and continuing his weekly chats with photographer friends around the globe. As he says, “There is no
need to ever be alone”.
Ernest’s job as an importer affords him the opportunity to travel, his favorite place being China.This month he shares a
three day trip to Hong Kong, part of his annual December vacation. Accompanied by his shooting partner & wife, they
consider Hong Kong the jewel of China.
Day
Arriving at Hong Kong’s Chep Lap Kok airport after a 14 hour flight from Johannesburg South
Africa, you are greeted by the sounds & smells of Hong Kong (Hong Kong means fragrant har-
bor).The poker faced immigration officers appear to be somewhat blunt in their mono syllable
interview with arriving passengers, in a few minutes you are cleared heading to the numerous
well signed luggage belts.
You just sense an efficient system is hurrying you along your
way. A 120 Hong Kong dollar (US$ 15.00) train ticket gets you
on the high speed train to Kowloon. In twenty minutes you ar-
rive and make your way to the numerous free busses that will
take you to most of the main tourist hotels. Boarding the bus,
in a few minutes you know you are in Hong Kong.The traffic,
as busy as it is, cannot shield the hustle & bustle of this vi-
brant city.Your body is screaming for a long soaking bath that
you know awaits you. Checking in at about 2pm you know
there will not be much time for shooting today.
RIGHT Taking a ferry instead of trains is a very popular way of public trans-
portation in HK
The Kowloon skyline filled by the nightly laser light show
Travel

The journey is nothing short of spectacular. At its highest point
you have an aerial view of the airport & looking down, the blue
sea.The clean glass and spacious car affords you the perfect
photo opportunity to shoot to your hearts content.Thank good-
ness you are carrying a spare battery and a portable card reader
to dump your shots, on the hoof. In the distance you catch your
first glimpse of the Buddha, his image a strong silhouette against
the bright sky; this is one big piece of brass.
Back in your hotel room if you are fortunate in having a harbor view,
you look out on the harbor city that is Hong Kong. Plan a visit to the
water front prior to sunset, grab some golden light shots from your
tripod and secure your spot for the nightly free laser light show that
commences at 8pm sharp. Fortunately you have secured a good
spot, for when the show starts there is not a spot for a mono pod,
let alone a tripod.
A long soaking time in the tub & a short rest & you realize you
need to hit the streets, which is what Hong Kong is about.The
first stop is to visit the main camera shopping area, not located
inTsimshaTsui (a tourist trap of note).You head for the famous
Hong Kong underground, get your five Hong Kong Dollar ticket
and board theTsuanWan line train. A few stops later you get off
at Mong Kock, making your way to exit D3, whereWing Shing
Photo Supplies awaits you. A new Lens, cleaning liquid & the lat-
est cleaning cloth & you are set.
ABOVE Greeting the morning sun on Kowloon’s water front
ABOVE A selection of paper effigies at one of the many
open stores
Day
A good night’s sleep and a
solid 6:30 am breakfast pre-
pares you for your planned
trip to one of Hong Kong’s
largest islands, Lantou.
A thirty minute MTR (MassTransit Rail) journey, on
the main line to Hong Kong’s DisneyWorld brings
you to the start of the cable car station, it will take
you over the numerous mountain peaks till you
reach the main stop, where the Bronze Buddha is
to be found.You have a choice of regular cars or the
deluxe crystal car (complete glass, walls & floor).
I urge you to part with US$ 15.00 for the deluxe
crystal car.
ABOVE The cable track with the spectacular view
ABOVE At the final station on the top of the mountain a view across Lancou Island and
surrounding area
By now your stomach feels like your throat is cut so a pit stop at
one of the numerous fast Chinese food restaurants, gets your
batteries charged.Three different hearty dishes and an iced tea
will set you back fifty Hong Kong Dollars (about US$6.50), it also
gives you time to examine your latest purchase.
The fifteen minute show is nothing short of spectacular, the sky is
alive with green lasers & bright lights, all in tune with the choreo-
graphed music.The Light Show is on Hong Kong Island, the sound
through speakers on the Kowloon waterfront side.The lights play
well off the water. So concludes the first day in Hong Kong.
Lantou is also the island that hosts the airport.This
green covered lava mountainous island is also the
home of the worlds largest bronze Buddha, a must
see and definitely a must to photograph.

Arriving at the final station you alight, put your camera on its tripod, take the
scenic walk through the tastefully created village with its many different stores.
There is something for all tastes.With a large population of local tourists, Hong
Kong’s stores are not dependent on fleecing the tourists, so all prices are com-
petitive & reasonable. A stop at one of the little restaurants attests to this.
A twenty minute walk, (should you not be stopping to shoot some other interest-
ing eastern sights), brings you to the foot of the hill that is home to the Buddha.
You stare up in disbelief at the numerous stairs that need to be climbed. Can one
not just take the shot from the bottom?Tripod over your shoulder, you com-
mence the climb; you are not alone as many are also taking the climb, a kind of a
pilgrimage.
Taking many rests and shooting at different levels, finally you arrive at the top.
This is a big statue. As you walk around the base of the statue, trying to get the
best shot, you are distracted by the many small bronze Buddha that surround the
main Buddha.What should I shoot? Some 45 minutes of breath taking scenery
and you commence the trip down.Thank goodness it is easier.
Once down you decide to take a local bus to one of the islands villages that have
a ferry terminal that can take you back to Hong Kong.You do not wish to take the
cable car back.
The road on many occasions feels like a roller coaster,
as it snakes its way towards the village. Finally the trip
ends. A light lunch, at the local MacDonald’s (no beef,
rather a delicious shrimp burger), is a perfect way to
prepare for the Ferry ride.
The one hour ferry ride is both inexpensive & yet
another photographic treat. Arriving at the out lying
island ferry terminal in Hong Kong, you feel satisfied
having had a great day. A short ride on the Star Ferry
takes you across the harbor from Hong Kong Island
to Kowloon, one of the most picturesque journeys in
the world, all for the cost of less than US $1.00.What
a great day.
As with all Hong Kong mass public
transport systems, your walk is a
short one from your hotel. Carrying
your gear never represents a prob-
lem.
Soon after leaving the hotel you are heading for the famous
Star Ferry.You have secured your seat on the boat to cross the
bay.To get the real feel of the journey you travel second class,
on the lower deck.Your position is in the very front of the boat
on the left where you have a good view of the wheel house,
anchors & all that make this budget journey as memorable as
possible.
ABOVE One of the many smaller Buddha statues
ABOVE Start of the climb to the big Buddha
statue
ABOVE The huge Buddha statue at the top of the mountain
BELOW The famous Star Ferry
Day

Crossing from Kowloon & arriving on the Hong Kong
side, you take a short walk to the out lying islands ferry
terminal, selecting Cheung Chou Island as your day trip.
Located close to Lantou, Cheung Chou is a retreat for
locals who want to enjoy its beaches, fresh sea food mar-
kets and affordable restaurants, some only sporting two
tables.This car free island is a must visit, not frequented
by many tourists, who rather prefer to indulge in shop-
ping in Kowloon along Nathan Road.Thank God they are
not photographers.
The one hour trip is filled with photo opportunities, passing junks
and the occasional high speed jet boats on their way to Macau. As
the ferry approaches, you realize this is a fishing village of note.
The colorful anchored boats fill your lens. The large shrimp boats
and small fishing boats are all drying and repairing their nets. As
you walk along the water front you do not know what to focus on,
you have arrived in shooters paradise.
This is a place where you can observe life, away from the skyscrap-
ers and traffic.The only motorized sound you hear is the swish of
bicycles as they pass you in their hurried trip to turn up one of the
many interesting alleys that make up this quant little town.You
could rent your own bike if you wish, even one that could hold your
gear. Still strolling affords you the best view.
LEFT A fisherman with dried fish in the background
Stopping frequently, setting up your shots for
boats, fisherman and boat people, who opt to live
on their boats.You smile as you note the naviga-
tion from boat to shore of a woman using a large
piece of Styrofoam as a make shift ferry.
Having wandered around for hours shooting folks
in their home habitat, you stop at a small restau-
rant and order some local delicacies, washing it
down with a sweet China beer.
TOP Fishers’ wifes peeling shrimps at the street near the harbourTOP A busy scene near the waterside
RIGHT One of the many house boats filling the bay of Cheung Chou
Island

On the return walk you pass through theTown Square, not
large, only some sixty meters across.There local folk are
preparing for a funeral.The priests are dressed in their golden
gowns and mourners in their traditional white. Everyone is
getting seated and preparing for the ceremony of burning a
paper and bamboo effigy of what was important to the indi-
vidual who has passed.This man must have been a keen gam-
bler as they have prepared a horse effigy to be burned. As you
look around you can see numerous images for future funerals.
This is one of the few places I have witnessed this ritual with-
out feeling like an intruder. As the island is small and space a
premium, you are sitting at a restaurant table enjoying a beer
while you shoot the proceedings no one seems to mind.You
are pleased you packed your 500mm.
You have now hiked across the island, some 1.5 hours.The beach is not too
crowded. It is December and although warm forWesterners, it is winter for
the folk of Hong Kong, not the time to be swimming. Still a number of chil-
dren clad in their underwear are playing in the calm waters.
It is getting time to start making your way back to the Ferry terminal, as you
do not want to arrive after dark.There is still some Hong KongWaterfront
shooting to be done, not to mention packing for the following days journey
to Shenzhen.
Beer finished, the banging of drums, ringing of bells and the
horse burned, you make your way to the ferry.This time you
opt for the high speed jet boat, as it takes only thirty minutes
to get you back to the Hong KongTerminal. Regrettably the
speed of the boat & the closed windows do not make for great
shots. Still it was a memorable day.
RIGHT Children playing at the shores of Cheung Chou in December
ABOVE A local funeral ceremony in progress
ABOVE Burning the paper effigy during the funeral ceremony
ABOVE A last view on the buzzling harbor of Cheung Chou island
ABOVE A typical local street scene at Cheung Chou Island

Retouching:
Ultimate Noise Reduction
...with “stacks” & Dave Seeram
Dave Seeram is a 32 year old digital photography enthusiast born and raised in
Ottawa, now residing in beautifulVancouver, British Columbia. Dave's digital
photography experience started with his first digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix
880, graduating through several point and shooters up to his latest Pentax K10D DSLR. He
enjoys shooting mainly landscapes and architecture, however, he is recently starting to enjoy "people"
photography. Dave's other arsenal of tools include Adobe Photoshop CS3, Lightroom, and Photomatix.Through formal
schooling along with over 10 years of self training and research, Dave has acquired an extensive knowledge of Photoshop
and image manipulation. His Photoshop tutorials can be found throughout the web, and on his own website Photogra-
phyBB. Dave's mission is to create a friendly online environment where beginners can learn without being afraid to ask
questions, and experts can be there to share their knowledge.You can visit and chat with Dave at PhotographyBB any-
time, he's always open to questions and lending assistance!
Dave Seeram - www.photographybb.com
One of the biggest challenges when shoot-
ing at night or in low lighting conditions is
the introduction of noise into our photos.
Regardless of the camera manufacturer’s
claims, any digital photo shot at ISO 800
or higher includes a significant amount of
noise. There are some great noise reduction
tools and third party applications to help re-
move or reduce the digital noise; however, if
you already have Photoshop, there are some
techniques you can use to shoot at ISO 1600
or higher AND produce images that are vir-
tually noise free!
We mainly see noise in digital photos which
were shot at night or in low-lit indoor con-
ditions; hence the reason we shoot them at
a higher ISO. For example, here’s an image I
shot in fairly low light, at ISO 1600.

The exposure is decent, however, when we zoom in 100%
we can see the image is about as noisy as a rock band
playing in a public library!
Alas, there is a technique which we can now use (thanks
to Photoshop) to shoot our photos differently in low
light, AND produce near noise-free images. Since this is a
combination of a shooting technique along with process-
ing, chances are you will not be able to use this on photos
you have already taken. But, you will now be armed with
a new weapon in the fight against digital noise, so that
your night scenes and low light shots will never be noisy
again!
The first part of this technique requires us to shoot multiple shots of the scene when taking the photo.The simplest
way to do this is to change your camera mode to continuous or “burst” mode, so that you can hold down your shutter
button and fire off a series of shots. How many you take is up to you, but you’ll want at the very least 3 exposures with
exactly the same settings.The more you take, the higher your chances of eliminating more noise. By shooting in burst
mode, there are some important considerations to keep top of mind. Since you’ll eventually be combining your series
of shots into one noise-free image, you’ll only want to use this technique on scenes with as little movement in them
as possible. Night landscapes, product photography, and low light still life shots work best. Feel free to use a high ISO
(even if you know your camera is noisy in the higher ranges); if you are shooting handheld, just make sure you have a
fast enough shutter speed to avoid any camera shake (Photoshop can’t yet correct for that!).
Going back to my previous example, I set the camera on a tripod, and took 3 exposures of the scene. I shot them in
JPEG format, but they could just as easily be RAW. As we can see from the original example shot (above), there is a
significant amount of noise present (as with the additional exposures I took). Now let’s head on over to Photoshop to
eliminate and reduce this noise.When Adobe introduced Photoshop CS3, they brought us a creative new feature called
“Stacks.” Effectively, Stacks allows you to load a series of images into a single document as layers, which can be con-
verted into a smart object and automatically align the source images based on content.
This is what we’ll be doing with our series of exposures - loading them as a
single document into a smart object “stack.”To do this, go to the menu:
File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack...
When the dialog box opens, you’ll be asked to select the image files to be
included in the stack. Click “Browse” and navigate to the files, selecting all of
the identical exposures you have taken of your scene.
“Stacks allows you to
load a series of images
into a single document
as layers”
Additionally, you’ll want to check both checkboxes.The first will tell Pho-
toshop to align your shots by matching features of your photos to each
other.This is especially necessary if you shot the images handheld as
opposed to on a tripod. Also, you’ll want to check the second checkbox,
which groups your image layers into one smart object layer. Click OK.
Left The stacks dialog box, where you can browse and select the images to be stacked

Photoshop will take a few moments to compute this data, producing an image which appears quite similar to any one
of your original shots. For the moment, don’t worry if the edges of your image are not reaching the edges of the docu-
ment. If your camera moved slightly between successive shots, you’ll have a bit blank space around the edges which
we’ll correct at the very end.You’ll also notice your Layers Palette shows a single smart object layer.
Now, as with all great Photoshop techniques, there’s always a magical step which makes us all “ooh and ahh!” Go to the
menu: Layer > Smart Objects > Stack Mode > Mean
Let’s have a look below at a 100% crop section of the
image to compare the before and after:
Again, Photoshop will do some computing and…
Voila! A dramatically noise-reduced or noise free (in
some cases) image!
“as with all great Photo-
shop techniques, there’s
always a magical step
which makes us all “ooh
and ahh!”
Lastly, you can perform any cleanup necessary, such as crop-
ping your image if you have edges that don’t quite reach the
document boundaries, or apply any adjustment layers if you
needed to edit your image further.
Why it Works:
The explanation for why this works is remarkably simple. Digital
noise is random.Therefore, when you shoot several exposures
of the same scene, there are some constant portions (all of the
elements of your scene), as well as the random noise.The noise in
your first exposure will be different than the noise in your second,
and so on…When you stack the images together, the only thing common between the photos are the elements of your
scene. Sure, you will have noise elements in all of your images, but the actual pixel placement of the noise is different.
When you take the mean of your images, you are telling Photoshop to essentially “average” your photos. Photoshop
then looks for the parts of your photos which are not similar, and averages them out. Hence, your noise gets averaged
out of the image.The more similar exposures you take, the more Photoshop has to work with when calculating the
mean, and the more accurate the noise reduction.
If the concept is a tad confusing (which it is!), you can also try taking 3-5 exposures of a scene with a person walking
through the scene as you take your exposures. If you stack these in Photoshop and perform the same technique we just
used to remove the noise, you’ll find that Photoshop removes the walking person completely from the scene, since that
part of the photo was not constant between all images. Pretty cool eh?
Obviously, this technique can only be really effective for still life or night landscapes. However, I hope with this new
tool, you’ll be inspired to try something new and produce some super-clean noise-free works of art!
For more tutorials and PhotoshopActions, please visit: www.photographybb.com/actionsThere
are plenty of freeActions to download, and PBase magazine readers can take 20% off our Profes-
sional Actions with coupon code: ATN20

The
The Edge
of the Frame
C
omposition is one of the basic elements of photography.
Photography practitioners seek to frame images in a clean
and aesthetically pleasing manner.This usually requires
paying close attention and making conscious decisions about what
ultimately remains in the frame and the relational positioning of the
various elements within the image.
Whether a photographer edits with their eye prior to pressing the
shutter or crops the image afterward, the edge of the frame is of
importance.
The edge to a frame provides boundaries, significance and negoti-
ates the understanding between what lies beyond the frame and
the content of the image. It is a point of entry and also of exit to an
image. It is not an exaggeration to state that the edge of an image
can aid in the effective delivery of the conscious and unconscious
meaning of the image.
A frame within a frame is a classic composi-
tional exercise, a common assignment given
to photography practitioners when first learn-
ing.
A panoply of image borders are possible. A
variety of reasons and meanings are also al-
located to the usage of borders on images.
Often the usage of borders is viewed as a cre-
ative and imaginative extension of the image.
Whether one intends to beautify the image or
limit its content within frame, the border of an
image is about expression. Some borders are
indicative of a strong painterly even artistic
aspect. Others aim at just being ornamental
and decorative.
A borderless image delivers the message that a border is of no
consequence. In that case there is an easiness of containment that
speaks for itself and needs nothing outside the world that was cre-
ated by the image.The content and meaning of the image is easily
understood and emoted by the viewer as it stands. On the other
hand, a thin bordered image suggests the limits of the image.This
containment to the image helps to focus
the attention on the meaning and meaningful part(s) of the image.
Borderless image courtesy of Lawrence Ripsher.
by Kaden Kratzer
http://www.pbase.com/dehl
Kaden Kratzer is a photographer residing in the Bay
Area in California. Kaden has a background in Film pro-
duction and has taken photography classes at Stanford
University. He still uses film as well as digital media in
his images and covers a wide variety of subject matter
with emphasis on experimentation. Presently he is ex-
perimenting with old and alternative methods of pho-
tography including collodion.

In another case one strong border at the bottom of the image
serves as an anchor grounding it and providing the necessary ex-
altation skywards. A church mutates into a sci-fi object. Its subli-
mation accomplished.
Vignette borders to an image connote “memory, traveling back
in time or projecting forward to the future.They can allude to no-
tions of ephemerality, ethereality, and other transitional states.”
(Angela Farris Belt)
There are many possible nuances/combinations
that can be found for anyone seeking to vignette
the edges of an image and likewise a complexity of
emotive interpretations.This is an example of an
image being transformed by vignette and border-
ing.

I
mages with many irregular edges transmit
a sense of existence beyond the frame. The
best examples can usually be found on alter-
native photography.Take for example the case
of prints made with gum bichromate where the
photographer must gelatinize the surface of the
printing paper and will need to use a brush. In
that instance uneven and even brushed out edg-
es are common and in many instances desired.
There are differing perspectives to the ap-
proach/technique used by photographers in a
traditional darkroom and photographers work-
ing in a digital darkroom.
In traditional photography a photographer uses
film. Film has a palpable object like existence
and its edges project themselves physically
beyond the image unlike a digital image. Many
a traditional photographer was trained to burn
in if necessary a crispy border when enlarging
an image. A crispy border focuses attention on
the content of the image instead of becoming a
distraction in itself.
In the traditional darkroom the photographer
needs a film carrier to enlarge an image.The
film carrier defines the allocated space for the
film and usually it is slightly smaller than the im-
age area.The film enlarging process is in general
aided by an easel.The commonly used four
blade easel tends to produce four-sided clean
edged images.
Many photographers attentive to the edge of
the frame effects seek to modify or even create/
recreate their own negative carriers.
In traditional photography the modification of
negative carriers involves usually three basic
approaches:
Filling the internal edges of the metal
film negative carrier for a desired effect.
This is an example of before and after
where an image is enlarged on a modified film
negative carrier.The border becomes a strong
aesthetic statement.
The usage of tape on the negative carrier glass can gener-
ate an image border.
Creating a customized negative carrier from a mount board
stack.The dimensions
can be easily traceable from an original film carrier of the
desired film format. In the traditional darkroom the carriers
are unique to each image and desired negative size.
Here rounded corners, arching edges and a variety of nuances
make it truly exciting
and unique.
There are traditional photographers who develop fetishistic
tendencies when it comes to getting creative with their negative
carriers. Again, it is all about expression.
Digital images lack physical existence and lack the physical con-
nection between the end of the image and what lies beyond. In
this environment digital programs for images take primacy.The
power of digital image programs is certainly comparable to a
darkroom.
Digital programs make accessible a great assortment of template
borders. Frames that mimic physical frames are common and
hint at the concept of digital images as self-contained on a digital
world separate from a physical world. However, with the per-
vasive existence of scanners today’s reality in many instances is
more complex and of a hybrid nature than anyone cares to con-
fess.
Digital image borders can be pre-made or created using a va-
riety of brushes. Digital image borders can also be scanned. In
the scanned category one can find the usage of Polaroid transfer
images.The frame format of PolaroidType 55/59/79 remains most
fashionable.To some extent the demise of Polaroid made it more
desirable.This is an example of a scanned PolaroidType 55 shot
with a large format 4x5 camera.

Many photographers prefer layers and the endless possibilities of blending modes, which are great for making
digital borders.The following image is a subtle example of usage of layers to create an atmosphere and a selec-
tive faux border(s) with a variety of lines. Image courtesy of Jude McConkey.
Source: “The Elements of Photography” Angela Farris Belt
Photoshop tutorials on how to create image borders: www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/photo-borders/

Steve Huff Stories
Images
of the
Homeless
B
ack in November of 2006 I started a photography
project that still continues to this day and I feel it
is something that helps to make people aware of a
problem that they may not even know exists.
As I walked the streets of my neighborhood in Phoenix,
AZ I noticed that there was a very large population of
homeless men and women. Every day I saw them walking
up and down the street and they were just minding their
own business and bothering no one. Just living their life
and trying to survive on a daily basis.
I soon started speaking with some of these individuals
and got to know a few of them by name and they were all
very nice people!They were caring, thoughtful and treat-
ed me with respect.
I soon decided that I wanted to document some of these
men and women. I wanted to hear their stories and
take their portraits, right there on the street where they
walked, ate and slept. I then wanted to tell their stories
to make people aware of not only how bad the homeless
situation in America is, but also to show that these indi-
viduals that live on the streets can also be decent human
beings.
This article will be a collection of words and photos of just
a few of the men and women I met on my journeys.

by Steve Huff
www.pbase.com/stevehuff

PBase Magazine 13 - June 2010 Page ##
Rodney
N
ovember 16th 2006 - When I started this photo
project I vowed to bring my camera out with me
whenever I left the house and November 16th
2006 was no different. That was the day I met Rodney.
A man who was down on his luck and living on the streets.
I remember it like it was yesterday. The sun was out and
it was a nice day. Not too hot, not too cold. I was on my
way to the drug store when I saw this man limping around
in the parking lot. He appeared lost and his head was a
bloody mess.
I approached him and asked if he was OK and he replied
with a “Yes”. I asked if he needed any help and he said he
just was released from the hospital after being robbed and
hit on the head. His wounds were still dirty and did not
look too good. He started to walk and I followed.
We talked as we headed to his “home” which was in a dirty
alley behind a dumpster. He had an old green couch and
he sat down and started telling me a little but about his
life. Rodney once had a job and a wife but his luck took a
turn for the worse and he lost his job.They ended up hav-
ing to sell their house with no way to pay for it and moved
to an apartment for a while but he was still unable to find
a job to make the bills.
A year later his wife died from cancer and with no money
and no home he ended up on the street. Trying to survive
any way he could, Rodney soon gave up all hope. He ac-
cepted the fact that his life was over. All he could do from
this point on was try to survive, day by day.

He told me he was in an assisted living home but he could not remember where it
was. He gave me the name of it and I told him I would help him find it. As he rolled
his own cigarette he mentioned that the last time he ate was two days prior. I
bought him some food from the McDonalds right down the street and he stood up
with a smile, shook my hand and thanked me.
I felt bad for Rodney. He was not drunk nor was he high. He was obviously a de-
pressed man and even told me that he wished the guy that beat him would have
finished him off. He said he was near the end of his rope and was not sure how
much more he could take. As he ate his food he looked like he was in heaven.
When he finished his meal I gave him a few dollars and his eyes watered up. He
once again thanked me and I walked back to my car.When I developed the film I
knew I had captured some great memories of my meeting with Rodney. I looked
for him again but never did find him. Maybe he got his life together, maybe he is
still on the street surviving or maybe he has passed on and reunited with his wife.
Wherever he is, I wish him well. Rodney became the first subject for my project,
and it inspired me continue on…
Gary
A
s I was driving to a dentist appointment I
noticed this man sitting with a sign look-
ing for donations.This guy was a street
beggar and he seemed different than some of
the other guys I have spoken with on the street.
I decided to pull over and approach him. t didn’t
take long for Gary to take to me. He spotted my
Leica and said he used to be a photojournalist
and he really liked my camera.
He then asked if I was a cop and told me the cops always chase him off of the street when he begs. As we talked quite a
few cars pulled up to give him change or a couple of dollars.
He said he was 43 years old, but to me he seemed to have more lines and wrinkles than a 43 year old should have. He
then told me he was on the streets for 23 years, but 13 of those years were spent in prison. I now realized why his wrin-
kles were so deep.
We wrapped up our talk and quick photo ses-
sion and I handed him a few dollars. He said it
was his lucky day.
As I left he called me back to show me his
teeth, which were severely rotted. He joked
and said he wanted a print of the image. I left
with the impression that Gary is man with
many regrets. It makes me think about my life
even harder than I do.
He mentioned he got really cold at night and
asked if I had a blanket. Someone stole his
blanket the night before, and wintertime in
Phoenix, AZ is great during the day but at
night it gets pretty cold.

Dan
O
ne day I was headed to the grocery store to pick
up some food and I saw this guy sitting on the side
of the building working on something. He seemed
really into what he was doing and as I watched him from
afar I wondered what it was that was keeping his attention
so well. I did my shopping, went home, ate dinner and then
decided to go back to see if this guy was still there.
It was hours later and he was still sitting there working on
that same item. I approached him and introduced myself. I
mentioned that I was a photographer documenting street
life in the area and asked where he was from. “Philly” he
said with a smile. He said he was a traveling man and is
homeless by choice. He joked around, laughed and then
showed me what he was so feverishly working on. It was
an old $2 LCD watch and beyond repair. He was convinced
that he would get it working one day and have himself a
fine watch.
As we spoke he showed me his unique “hairpiece”. He said every time some of his hair
would fall out he would weave it back in to his hair on his head. Basically, he had a wig
made up of his own hair! Pretty ingenious if you ask me! Dan told me he was 34 years old
and I asked if that was true. He said “Yep! I am 34 years old sir!” Something tells me that
was a fib. My guess is he was closer to 54.
He said he had no wife, no kids, no parents, and no friends. He was a loner and enjoyed
his life.The whole time we spoke he never asked me for anything and he also never
stopped working on that watch.
Our conversation was short but fun. He told me he had to get back to work on the watch
before the sun went down. I gave him a bottle of coca-cola and went on my way. He
seemed like an intelligent guy but also a bit odd at the same time. Dan was probably the
happiest homeless man I have ever met and it was a pleasure to get to speak with him.
Stanley
O
n my way to blockbuster video to return a movie
rental I spotted a man with a shopping cart full of
junk as well as several backpacks strapped to his
body. It was quite the sight to see. It was hot outside and
he was sweating and appeared to be very thirsty. I had to
approach him to hear his story and to help him out with a
cold drink.
His name was Stanley and I immediately gave him the icy
cold bottle of Diet coke I had on me. He was the nicest guy
in the world and I was really comfortable around him so it
made it easy to talk and shoot.

When I started this project I was very nervous about ap-
proaching people on the street. But all of those fears disap-
peared once I realized that these men and women love it
when you approach them and talk with them.They are so
used to people either ignoring them or treating them in
a negative way that when I approach them to talk or take
their photo they are thrilled and just want to keep talking!
He started telling me about his ex-wife, his children, and his
past jobs. Stanley told me he was 54 years old and has been
on the streets since he was 36. He preferred Phoenix for its
climate but was born in Louisville, KY. He told me he digs
through the garbage dumpsters of businesses at night to
find food and clothing.
He rambled on for an hour, non stop and he thanked me countless times for spending time with him.
Stanley seemed to be “not all there” and he kept repeating how he used to work on engines and old cars. He told me his
parents died and left him with nothing and he also lost his wife.With a mountain of credit card debt racked up and no
job, he ended up on the street.
Stanley was in high spirits though with plenty of smiles. I thanked him for the conversation, gave him $10 and drove
home to process the film. Upon printing the images in the darkroom I realized once again how lucky I am, and also how
that could change at any given time. A loss of income, a family tragedy, or a bad streak of luck could be all it takes to
start a downward spiral like this, and it could happen to anyone which is a scary thought.
Joseph I
was at my local CVS drug store in the morning but this time
I had my Canon 5D and 24 L lens with me.This odd fellow
in a wheelchair wheeled his way over to me and in a very
speedy fashion I might add. He was singing a tune and had a
huge smile on his face.
He told me he liked my haircut and pulled off his hat to show
me he had the same cut!Yes, we were both bald.
He said he always wanted to be a stand up comedian and start-
ed telling me a whole slew of racy jokes.They were actually
pretty funny. He then started to show me how fast he could
“wheel around” and he even popped a wheelie!This guy had
a ton of energy and was so happy to be talking with someone
who seemed interested in what he had to say.
I gave him a cold water and a few dollars that I had on me and
he told me I was an Angel…that God sent me down to help
him when he needed it most. Our conversation was short but
fun. Basically he was a guy who has been on the streets for 20+
years but he did not tell me his story. All he wanted to do was
tell me dirty jokes and pop wheelies in his chair.
I did see Joseph a year later on the same corner. I went up to
him and he remembered me and said I was the Angel who
saved him. He was still in great spirits and doing well.

Mary
These are just a few of the men that I met during this long-term project. I have also met a few
women, one of which passed away shortly after taking her photo. Her name was Mary and
when I met her for the first time I had a feeling she was not doing so well.
M
ary has been walking
the streets for a couple
of years and even when
the heat was bearing down at 120
degrees, I would see Mary walk-
ing with her long winter coat on.
My visit with her was brief. She
was at a bus stop passing her time
and I asked her if I could take her photo. She smiled, threw
down her cigarette and then tried to fix her hair. She had a
horrible cough and sounded like she needed medical help.
I snapped a portrait of her and we talked for a few min-
utes.
She told me her kids had no idea she was on the street and
she had no way to find them to let them know. She did
not remember their phone numbers and asked if I knew
them. I wrote down the name of her daughter and told her
I would try to look her up. Sadly, before I could ever get a
chance to do that I found out Mary had passed away and
just a few weeks after I spoke with her. One of her friends
on the street told me of her passing but at least now Mary
is in a better place than the dirty streets she walked for
years.
Continuing
my project
It has been a while since I added to this project but I plan
on adding more soon. In March of 2010 I plan on start-
ing back up and the main reason I am doing this is to
help raise awareness of this problem in America. In warm
climate cities the homeless population seems epidemic
and most of us just walk by these people and ignore them
like they are a disease.The reality is that many of them
were just like you and me at one time.They had a family, a
house, children and were happy. For one reason or anoth-
er they ended up on the streets and we need to remember
that no matter their situation, they are human too.
“The next time you see a homeless person give a
smile, a nod or a dollar or two. It might just make
their day!”
Steve Huff
Steve’s PBase Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/stevehuff

GearTalk:
Focusing Screens
M
odern autofocus systems have come a long way
from their humble beginnings and today are truly
quite impressive technology. They come with
dozens of focusing points and all manner of patterns, set-
tings, and schemes to find the right focus. Yet there inevi-
tably comes a time for every photographer when the cam-
era’s autofocus system just does not do the job. Maybe the
lighting is low at a birthday party and the lens just ‘hunts’
back and forth without finding focus. Perhaps an interest-
ing insect lands on a shrubbery in the yard and the autofo-
cus system locks on every leaf and branch… everything but
that brightly colored critter you want so badly to capture.
Or maybe you’ve just decided to explore the full creative
potential of your camera. So you switch the camera to
manual focus, look through the viewfinder, turn the ring on
the lens to focus the scene, maybe say a quick prayer, and
press the shutter.
The Katz Eye System
Did you get the shot? If you are using an SLR camera,
whether or not you captured that birthday smile or that
strangely beautiful Anthocharis cardamines has a lot to do
with a small part of every SLR camera called the focusing
screen. The focusing screen is responsible for how your
scene appears in the viewfinder and gives you the ability
to judge when the lens is correctly focused. A common
misconception about SLR cameras is that you are simply
looking through the lens at the world, in the same way you
might look through a telescope. While it is true that the
image in your viewfinder does come through the same lens
that will take the photo, the way the image is viewed is
quite different from looking through a telescope or a pair of
binoculars. In fact, it is more like looking at a slide projec-
tor – the camera’s lens projects the image onto the focus-
ing screen, which is analogous to the projection screen in a
slide projector arrangement. Therefore, how the focusing
screen is designed controls how the viewfinder looks and
what tools will be available to help you focus.
The basic modern focusing screen is a piece of engi-
neered plastic, with two important features. On the un-
derside is a Fresnel lens, which spreads the round image
from the lens to fill the rectangular shape of the view-
finder. And on the other side is the most common tool
for judging focus, the matte surface, which is the first of
three focusing tools we will look at today.
Rachael Katz is a mechanical engineer based in Massachu-
setts. She is the inventor of the KatzEye™ focusing screen
and co-owner of KatzEye™ Optics, manufacturer of custom
focusing screens for digital SLR cameras.
Above Parts of the SLR camera
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com

I
n days gone by, the matte surface (or just matte) was
often referred to as the ‘ground glass’ since it was liter-
ally a piece of glass ground or sandblasted to provide a
texture. Today’s matte surfaces are carefully molded into
one face of the plastic focusing screen and can be either
simple textured surfaces or more complex arrangements
of microscopic lenses (‘laser matte’, ‘spherical matte’,
etc). Focusing with the matte surface is by the intuitive
method – look through the viewfinder, turn the lens until
your subject appears to be in focus, and take the shot. The
matte surface also allows the photographer to judge depth
of field (in cameras that support depth of field preview) by
showing objects away from the subject out of focus and
showing the range of distances that are in focus. By plac-
ing this matte surface the same distance from the lens as
the image sensor, the manufacturer ensures that objects
which appear in focus in the viewfinder will also be in focus
in the resulting photo.
The design of the matte surface affects how blurry the
out of focus objects are compared to the in focus objects
(contrast), how much the image appears to ‘snap’ into
focus when the correct setting of the lens is achieved, and
how accurate the depth of field appears in the viewfinder
compared to the actual photo. The matte surface will also
have a large impact on how much light reaches the pho-
tographer’s eye and therefore how bright the viewfinder
appears.
Unfortunately, there is a tradeoff between all of these
design goals – a matte that gives a brighter view will also
have lower contrast, less ‘snap’ and a less accurate repre-
sentation of depth of field. Conversely, a matte with high
contrast and accurate depth of field preview will generally
make the viewfinder appear darker, particularly when used
with the common compact zooms, ‘kit’ lenses, and long
telephoto lenses. Since many digital SLR cameras have
smaller, darker viewfinders than their film cousins, and
because autofocus systems have become so dominant,
most major camera manufacturers choose to sacrifice the
contrast and precision of the matte in favor of providing
the brightest possible viewfinder. That is the best choice
for the vast majority of camera buyers who rarely if ever fo-
cus the camera manually. But for those of us that need to
use manual focus or just prefer the process of setting up a
shot by hand, it can be a very disappointing moment when
we realize our camera lacks the tools we need for precise
manual focus.
Some cameras have an option for a focusing screen
with a ‘high precision’ matte to address this need.
These focusing screens have a matte surface with a
higher contrast, more ‘snap’ and better depth of field
representation. But they are darker, which is why the
manufacturers recommend these screens be used only
with lenses having a large aperture (f1.4 to f2.8 gener-
ally). There is no reason these screens cannot also be
used with other lenses, but the brightness of the view
will be somewhat diminished, particularly if the scene
is not well lit.
Two other types of focusing tools are sometimes pro-
vided on focusing screens to assist with manual focus,
the split prism rangefinder and microprism spot. These
two are often combined into a single screen, with the
split prism in the center and a ring of microprisms sur-
rounding the rangefinder:
Unfortunately, these tools are rarely provided by the
camera manufacturers any longer; only a very few
cameras models have this option available. However,
a few aftermarket companies, including KatzEye™
Optics, have stepped up to provide alternate focusing
screens for digital SLR cameras which include these
features.
Microprisms, whether in a central spot or a collar sur-
rounding a split prism, are clusters of very small prisms
that are used in much the same way as the matte
surface – the photographer turns the focus ring on the
lens until the microprisms become clear and disappear
from view. However, where the matte surface only
provides a blur on the out of focus areas, the micro-
prisms provide a very distinct shimmering appearance
that is much more obvious than the simple blur of the
matte surface.
AboveTwo other type of focus tools sometiems provided in the
camera viewfinder

Since microprisms allow for very fast focusing, they are
useful for sports, wildlife, or whenever there is little time to
compose. They are also useful when the subject lacks dis-
tinct vertical features that would be necessary for accurate
use of a split prism. Unfortunately, microprisms can only be
used with lenses having maximum (label) apertures of f1.2
– f4.5. Lenses labeled f5.6 or f6.3 and most combinations
with teleconverters will not allow microprisms to disappear
sufficiently to provide any useful feedback.
Since microprisms allow for very fast focusing, they are
useful for sports, wildlife, or whenever there is little time to
compose. They are also useful when the subject lacks dis-
tinct vertical features that would be necessary for accurate
use of a split prism. Unfortunately, microprisms can only be
used with lenses having maximum (label) apertures of f1.2
– f4.5. Lenses labeled f5.6 or f6.3 and most combinations
with teleconverters will not allow microprisms to disappear
sufficiently to provide any useful feedback.
The split prism is a highly precise tool and lacks the am-
biguity associated with other focusing methods. With
a properly supported camera, a split prism can easily
provide accuracy to 1mm or less in a macro arrange-
ment. This type of focusing aid is not quite as helpful
in situations with large depths of field and a split prism
does take some time to align, so it can be difficult to
use in action or candid situations.
AboveThe battery is in focus and the microprisms disappear
AboveThe out of focus areas are broken by the split prism
The split prism is perfect for portraiture, macro photogra-
phy, still life, and other types of work where precise control
of the point of focus is essential. It works by having two
opposing prisms (one on top and one on the bottom, in the
common horizontal design shown here) which break the
image when it is out of focus.
The last type of manual focusing aid this article will discuss
is the split prism. This is the tool most people think of when
they think of accurate manual focusing. And rightly so –
the split prism specializes in precision.
BelowThe battery is in focus and the microprisms disappear
Most split prisms, like microprisms, are also limited to
use with lenses f1.2 – f4.5. Slower lenses (larger f num-
ber) and teleconverter setups will cause the prism to
become completely black and opaque, a phenomenon
sometimes known as ‘prism blackout’.

This prism blackout not only renders the prism non-
functional, but actually limits the ability of the pho-
tographer to compose the scene, by placing a black
obstacle right in the middle of the viewfinder! Tradi-
tional split prisms are therefore limited to use only with
faster lenses. Some split prism designs, including the
KatzEye “Plus” split prism, do not suffer this blackout
phenomenon and can be used with any lens; so if you
will be using a wide range of lenses, it is important to
check with the screen manufacturer to ensure their
split prism design will meet your needs.
The weight and quality of markings applied to focusing
screens can vary greatly depending on how they are
applied. Screens from the major camera manufactur-
ers can generally be expected to have markings with a
professional appearance, when such screens are avail-
able. But if you are considering an aftermarket screen,
be sure to check with the vendor to ensure their prod-
uct will meet your expectations.
Focusing screens can also be supplied with patterns
applied to help with composition. A few examples
include guide lines to show the crop for a particular size
of print (8x10 lines are very common), grid lines to as-
sist with proportion and alignment (the so-called ‘rule
of thirds’ is most popular among these), and markings
to show AF points or areas.
Once the correct type of focusing screen is selected,
the next question that must be addressed is whether
the installation of the focusing screen can be done by
the photographer or whether the services of a pro-
fessional camera technician will be required. Some
cameras, including the Nikon D2 series, Olympus E-1,
Pentax K10D & K20D, and several of the Canon EOS
models (40D, 50D, 5D), have focusing screens that are
designed to be changed by the user. These cameras
are generally straightforward to service and the job
can be accomplished by most users that have reason-
able patience and a steady hand. Focusing screens
are quite delicate though, and will scratch easily, so
even with these cameras, care and preparation will
be required. A location with good lighting (task light-
ing is optimum) and relatively little dust is essential
for a good result. One should definitely not expect to
change focusing screens ‘in the field’ or during a shoot
– it is much tougher than swapping lenses!
Another, larger class of cameras can be serviced by
some users, even though they were not designed by
the manufacturers to be ‘user replaceable’. which are
found on the user-replaceable models.
ABOVE Canon 40D focusing screen prepared for being removed
ABOVE Simulated viewfinder with split prism rangefinder
microprism collar, and ‘rule of thirds’ gridlines
ABOVE Simulated viewfinder with split prism rangefinder, micro-
prism collar, and 8x10 crop guidelines

One should carefully and honestly assess their patience
and dexterity before beginning service on one of these
cameras, as well as carefully reviewing all available
materials about how to perform the procedure. An ex-
ample of this type of installation can be found in Shay
Stephens’ review of a Canon 20D focusing screen in the
January 2007 issue of PBase Magazine (page 23).
If you have one of these more difficult to service cam-
eras or if you just plain don’t like the idea of working
inside your camera, you should give thought to enlist-
ing the services of a professional camera technician or
utilizing the services provided by the focusing screen
manufacturer. It may cost a bit more to have the job
done by an experienced professional with proper tools,
but the headache it saves might very well be worth it in
the long run. Be sure your chosen technician is expe-
rienced with changing focusing screens and do not
be afraid to ask them – with so few alternate focusing
screens available in recent years, it is not uncommon
even among professional technicians to have very
limited experience with focusing screen service. Some
technicians will also include a check/calibration of the
manual focus system with their service, which can be
invaluable.
The manual focus calibration is entirely separate from
the autofocus system, so even if your camera’s AF works
perfectly, that is no guarantee that assembly variations
in the camera body have not caused the manual focus
calibration to be slightly out of spec. With the ever-in-
creasing dominance of AF systems, the big camera manu-
facturers are sometimes a bit less concerned with the
precise calibration of the viewfinder, but an experienced
technician can easily correct any calibration problems
that might exist.
Installing an advanced focusing screen, no matter what
type, is no guarantee that every photograph you take
will come out perfectly focused. But proper selection
of the focusing screen for the type of photography
to be performed will go a long way toward maximiz-
ing the photographer’s chances of hitting the mark
with manual focus. And with practice and the right
tools, you might even find you enjoy the satisfaction of
manually focusing your camera. Happy shooting!
BELOW Canon 40D focusing screen being lifted from the camera
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com

David Procter
ABOVE Dangerously close fireworks light off from an altar carried by many men during the Samkong Shrine Street Procession - David Procter
This picture was taken during the street procession from Samkong Shrine on course to
the centre of Phuket town.The photograph depicts a group of altar bearers cowering
from the explosions of thousands of firecrackers exploding around the altar. Before the
procession I knew what to expect in terms of the noise and had plugged my ears with
toilet tissue, but was slightly perturbed on seeing other photographers wearing goggles
and other protective eye wear.This shot was basically taken wide angle, so very close,
whilst back pedaling and composed through tightly squinted eyes so as to avoid shrap-
nel.The light was provided by a gap in the row of houses that lined the street allowing
sunshine to pour in from the right. It was tremendously exciting and is one of my favou-
rite shots to date.
Camera:
Canon Eos 5
Lens:
Canon 24-70
Film:
Ilford HP5
scanned image
Bio
David was born in Bristol and spent years in Nottingham, Somerset, Liverpool and
London before relocating to Bangkok,Thailand in 2003. Inspired by Asia and a new
life, David took up photography in 2006, joining pbase shortly afterwards. He works
as a teacher for an International school in Bangkok whilst undertaking freelance pho-
tography and pursuing personal projects.
http://www.pbase.com/dravlinbood

Culture Cauldron:
Scotland
Tony McGarva has been a resident ofAberdeen Scotland for
the majority of his life. A professional Petroleum Engineer
by day and a very enthusiastic amateur photographer in the
rest of his waken time. He discovered his passion for pho-
tography during his teenage years when
he used to borrow his fathers Olympus
Trip 35mm camera. Even at this early
time of his life the ability to capture mo-
ments as stills intrigued him immensely.
Since then a camera has always travelled
with him as his work takes him round the
globe. Scotland is a very proud and pas-
sionate country and he enjoys nothing
more than capturing images of his heri-
tage that represent the inner beauty and culture of the won-
derful countryside, his home town and the colourful people.
His pictures are distinctive for capturing vivid colours and
natural beauty. Tony’s PBase site: http://www.pbase.com/
mcgarva
Scotland is one of four constituent nations which form the United Kingdom; the other three are England,Wales and
Northern Ireland; however Scots do like to think of themselves belonging to an independent nation. Scotland forms
the northern part of the island of Great Britain; it is 274 miles long from North to South and varies in breadth between
24 and 154 miles; with a population of approximately 4.5 million people.
Tony McGarva
Scottish Facts:
- Scotland has 4.5 million inhabitants
- There are 787 Scottish Islands
- Edingburgh is the capital of Scotland
-The largest city in Scotland is Glasgow
-The motto of Scotland is ‘No one provokes
me with impunity’
S
cotland … the land of stunning countryside, castles, mountains, lochs, pipes, kilts, rugged coastlines and beautiful
beaches! Where the people are friendly, and theWhisky plentiful. This may read as a tourist guide pitch for a sale
but it’s written by myself, a lifetime resident.
ABOVE Edinburgh Castle within the Capital city lit up at night is set on volcanic rock. The castle stands up on the plug of an extinct volcano, which is estimated to
have risen some 350 million years ago

Historically Scotland was divided into three main regions; the Highlands, the MidlandValley and the Southern Uplands.
The MidlandValley is geologically distinct from the surrounding regions, being composed of Devonian Old Red Sand-
stone, peppered with ancient volcanoes, as against the older sedimentary rocks forming the Southern Uplands or the
ancient metamorphic melange, comprising the Highlands to the north. In non-geological terms, that means a huge va-
riety of photographic material wherever you visit. Scotland includes 787 islands, of which most belong to groups known
as the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.
The official language is English, although Gaelic is spoken,
primarily in the North andWest of Scotland. Scottish ac-
cents and dialogue do vary incredibly over the 274 miles; in
fact accents can be recognisably different when you travel
a short a distance as 30 miles. As a visitor this may not be
recognisable however as a native, someone from Inverness,
Glasgow, Dundee or Aberdeen can be distinctively heard.
Scottish dialect:
Scots use all the standard dialect tricks, with just
a few changes in vocabulary. Here are some basics:
Scots …
-Tend to say “nae” for “not.” So, instead of the word
“cannot,” the Scots would say “cannae.” Similarly, “
do not” becomes “dinnae,” and so forth.
- Instead of the word “understand” Scots use the word
“ken.”This word is also occasionally used to substitute
for “know,” as in “I dinnae ken where the fellow be.”
-Where an Englishman might say “lad” or “lass,” a Scot
will use the diminutive “laddie” or “lassie.” A Scot might
use these terms for adults, as well.
-Will also use “ye” instead of “you.”
-Will use the word “wee” for “little” or “small.”
Scotland is well known for its mountainous and beautiful
scenery. I always feel incredibly fortunate to live on the
coast and have the choice to be in the depth of the Scottish
countryside within thirty minutes. Hill walking, and more
importantly hill walking with a camera bag, is hugely popu-
lar in Scotland. You do have to be prepared as the weather
can change dramatically and it’s common to experience all
seasons within one day!
The more challenging climbs are those over 3000ft, the “Munros”, the high-
est of Scotland’s mountains. There are 283 mountain tops named after the
man who first catalogued them, Sir Hugh Munro.The mountains are among
the finest mountains in Scotland.
When considering getting the most stunning photos plan to climb before
first daylight. There is nothing more exhilarating than being at the top of a
mountain, feeling proud of the achievement, to watch the sun rise and of
course viewing this all through a lens.
My favourite excursion to the
mountains was a trip to the In-
verpolly Reserve, on the North
West coast of Scotland, close
to the town of Ullapool. The
Inverpolly Estate compromises
undulating heather moorland,
peat bogs, lochs, pockets of
birch, hazel and rowan wood-
land and is dominated by the
magnificently isolated redTorridonian Sandstone peaks of Cul Mor (849m),
Cul Beag (769m) and Stac Pollaidh (613m) the smallest yet undoubtedly the
most popular of the group and visited by thousands each year.
RIGHT with rainfalls all year round there a many water fall features that make wonderful pho-
tographic images. Burn ‘O’Vat is a famous waterfall set in Royal Deeside close to the village of
Ballater
ABOVE The sunrise from Achnahaird Beach in the Inverpolly reserve. Photographers heaven.
The sun rises over Ben More Coigach sending a beam of light to illuminate the prominent and
proud Stac Pollaidh and through to Cul Mor

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