Photography Interview with Mike Roemer (& Picture Prompt Challenge)

One Shoot Photography Sunday!

Well it's Sunday here at One Stop, and that means another edition of One Shoot for your viewing pleasure. This week I, Chris Galford, will be swinging you up to the Midwest and a state close to my own, Wisconsin. Our guest today is Mike Roemer, a photographer based out of the Green Bay area.

Mike is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he studied photography and communications. Roemer is a commercial photographer today, but he wasn't always. In fact, he kicked things off in much the same way I hope to utilize my college degree- Photojournalism. His background is immersed in the deadline intensive world of daily newspapers and editorial photography; he traveled west to the state of South Dakota for that opportunity.

Today, Roemer runs his own business. That doesn't mean he doesn't travel though. In fact, according to his website, he not only travels nationally, but internationally on a regular basis to help his clients get what they need. The end result is a diverse portfolio, with a wide range of visually-stimulating creations. On behalf of One Stop Poetry, we hope you enjoy a sample of his work as he shares his insights with us today.  —Chris Galford

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What originally sparked your interest in photography? How long have you been working with photography? 

Mike: My dad was a newspaper photographer when I was growing up.  I used to tag along with him on assignments.  Watching the image come up in the darkroom was a very magical moment.  My dad let my brother and I shoot the occasional roll of black and white film in his twin lens reflex Mamiya camera and then he bought us our own camera, a Canon TX, in junior high.  I really didn't get serious about photography 'til my freshman year of high school.  I was playing freshman football and my dad would come and shoot the games and give me contact sheets of the action.  I would take the contact sheets,that I would print in our darkroom at home, to school and sell black and white prints for a $1.00 .  It didn't take long for me to trade in my helmet for a camera for Friday night football.  I never did play Varsity.

What is it about photography that appeals to you?
Mike: I love turning a shot into something the client and the subject doesn't expect.  I shoot with very shallow depth of field and as wide or as long of a lens as possible.  I also use a great deal of gels to add a little extra punch to my images.  I love the look on a client's face when I show them the image on the back of the camera or on my laptop and they can't believe I created that from what they see in front of them.

Do you maintain a personal philosophy about photography?
Mike: Shoot every picture like it's going to be a portfolio image. Give every picture your all.

On your site you note you travel pretty regularly & extensively for your photo-work. In all that roaming around, have you found any favorite spots/locations you've taken photos in?
Mike:  I love variety.  I've loved shooting transportation photography in the deserts of Arizona, I love the challenge of gaming and casino photography in casinos from Wisconsin to Mississippi, I love shooting healthcare photography in Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.  For me to be happy, I need to have a variety of subjects and locations.  A perfect week of shooting for me would be a couple of days of annual report photography for a healthcare client, a couple of days of casino photography, and then finish the week off shooting the Packers at Lambeau Field.  The shoot that I really want to do this winter is in the ice caves of the Apostle Island near Bayfield, Wisconsin on Lake Superior.  My wife and I have kayaked and snowshoed into the caves and I've done some photography up there, but this winter I want to head up there with a fleet of small strobes and do some cool unexpected shots.  The ice caves that form in the winter are controlled by the National Park Service.  Some years the caves are open for a month, and some years they aren't open at all; it all depends on the quality of the ice.

What has been your experience with the internet as a medium for sharing your art and photography?

Mike: I love to blog.  I really like showing off images that I wouldn't have had an audience for before.  I think it keeps me more creative and always looking for images beyond what the client expects.

Do you find common ground between photography and other creative pursuits like writing or poetry?
Mike:  They are all forms of expressing one's creativity, but with some aspects of photography like news and sports if you miss that magical moment you can't recreate it.

What sort of education/experiences have you gone through to get where you are today?
Mike: I studied photography in college and graduated with a degree in communications.  While I was in college, I interned at three different daily newspapers during the summers, and I also was a freelancer for the Associated Press shooting Packers games in Green Bay.

How much of your work/photography in general would you say is pure shot vs. post-processing/digital editing?
Mike: I really try to do as much as I can in camera.  I do some photomerge and HDR work in Photoshop along with minor touch-ups and such, but my in-camera philosophy comes from my editorial roots.
 

What kind of camera, lenses, filters, and/or editing programs do you typically use?
Mike: I shoot with Canon cameras and have their rapid fire cameras for sports and their full frame big capture cameras for the rest.  I have lenses from a 15 mm fisheye to a long and fast 400 mm F 2.8 for sports and some commercial work and the occasional portrait.  I use Photomechanics and Photoshop for my editing.  For lighting I use mostly Elinchrom and Chimera products.


What would you suggest to people just beginning with photography?
Mike: There are an endless amount of places to learn on the web.  Look at other photographers' web sites and blogs for inspiration, but still come up with your own style.  I would also suggest to any young photographer to learn by assisting an established photographer.  Assisting is a great way to learn the business.  I learned by shooting 4 or 5 assignments a day early on in my career at a daily newspaper, but I also wish I would have assisted more in my younger days.

To learn more about Mike & his work, check out the following links:
Twitter: @RoemerPhoto
Blog: http://www.roemerphotoblog.com/
Official website: http://www.roemerphoto.com/

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And now for the Picture Prompt Challenge!

• Write a poem (or Flash Fiction 55) based on the prompt.
• Post it on your site.
• Sign up using Mr. Linky so people can find your work.
• Let us know what you are sharing by leaving a comment below.
• Finally, visit other participants, comment, and give credit to Mike Roemer in your post. 

Thank you,
Dustus

Accept the picture prompt challenge! :)

image by Mike Roemer

Photography Sunday: Interview with Katherine Forbes (& Picture Prompt Challenge)

One Shoot Photography Sunday!

Katherine Forbes

Welcome all to another wonderful One Shoot Sunday, hosted here by Chris Galford. This week I bring to you another portrait photographer—a skilled woman named Katherine Forbes. Katherine came highly recommended to us by another photographer you may remember, Lisa Michelle Arhontidis, who was previously spotlighted on One Shoot Sunday.

Katherine is one of those photographers that can really capture the essence of people. In action, or caught in a moment’s embrace, Katherine has the eye for catching people at their brightest. Furthermore, she has a great love of children, and it shines through in her extensive work with them. What’s more, she had some great insights for One Shoot, as well as a number of samples for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy – and be sure to thank Ms. Forbes for taking the time for this interview!

What originally sparked your interest in photography? How long have you been working with photography?

Katherine: I’ve always appreciated the art of photography and the feelings evoked that go along with it. Looking through old family albums growing up and seeing how my grandmother kept every photo tucked away in her grandchildren's individual albums made me realize the importance of preserving memories in one’s life. When my family moved to Colorado in 2008 I was instantly in awe of all the beauty around me. The mountains, the wide open fields, the sunsets, the pure happiness of the people living in such an amazing place really inspired me. I would get up before the sun, camera in hand, and venture out to find interesting places to shoot. It was winter when I first started doing this so I was instantly in love with the quiet beauty of the morning and being able to capture what surrounded me with my camera. Eventually I had the urge to do more, shoot more, take my photography to another level and that’s when I started photographing children and then moved on to everything in between. My main goal when photographing someone is to capture them as they truly are. I want to snap their natural laugh, a glance between a couple when they don’t think I’m shooting, that innocent smile of a baby while they slumber. Those are the moments I feel people will look back on and be thankful they have as keepsakes of their lives.

In your case, your photography tends to focus on people, portraits, etc. – what is it about people that appeals to you and your camera?

Katherine: I must admit, I LOVE photographing children! I could spend hours (and I usually do at my shoots) chasing them around a park, getting down at eye level with them and asking what their favorite things are, seeing that look in their face when I know they trust me and think I’m just a tall lady with a camera who is there to play with them and every once in a while take a few photos. I’m not big on posing when it comes to little ones. I want their parents to see their child how they were at THAT moment when we took the pictures. If we get a few pouty faces and arms crossed here and there, than so be it. I am all about capturing the truth in my photos. As much as I ooh and ahh over babies and children I do love photographing seniors, families, engaged couples and am looking forward to my first wedding next summer! I treat each session the same and want to deliver fabulous images to my clients. If I am true to myself as a photographer and photograph what I love then it will come across in my work and everyone will be happy!

Do you have a personal philosophy about photography? How would you describe your style?

Katherine: Be true to yourself and don’t try to be like anyone else out there!!!! I was guilty of not practicing that philosophy when I first started out and it did nothing but bring me down and frustrate me. I would see all of these amazing images from other photographers whom I admired and would try to obtain those “perfect pictures” like they had and it never worked. Not.one.time!! After a while I began to realize that it was ok to be different, to find my own style, that people would book me for ME and MY style, not because it looked like someone else’s! Photography is not only about freezing a moment for someone else, it’s about letting go of YOUR insecurities and finding yourself each time you shoot. I feel like I learn something different at every session. I may be photographing a child and know in my head exactly how I want to process the images. Or I may be shooting a senior and have a vision of what I want the end result to be and I race home to try it out only to realize that what I had envisioned isn’t exactly what I had wanted or what I think the client would want. It’s a learning process and I love that! I’m definitely never bored when it comes to photography. There is just a plethora of opportunities when it comes to your creativity and where you want your journey to take you!

What would you say is the most challenging aspect of people-centered photography? The most rewarding? How does one, in a sense, "capture" the essence of a person?

Katherine:  The most challenging aspect of people-centered photography is the uncertainty of what kind of session you’re going to have. Will the child feel comfortable around me enough to let me follow them around and shoot freely? Will the newly engaged couple be relaxed and be themselves? Will clients like a location I‘ve recommended if they wanted me to choose? Will the 10 day old newborn sleep deeply for those “posey pictures”? All that being said, each of those things are also the most rewarding! Every session will be different and I love that! As a photographer you just need to be on top of your game and be prepared for anything. It goes back to what I said earlier – I am there to capture the person/people in that moment. The essence of a person is easy to photograph when they trust you and feel like you know what you’re doing. Confidence is key, but trust is everything. Makes for a successful shoot every time!

What has been your experience with the internet as a medium for sharing your art and experiences with photography?

Katherine: I’m sure many would agree that Facebook has been a huge medium for those in the photography business! Not only are my friends and family able to see my work, but it gives their friends and family a chance to see it as well and the exposure is limitless! Having the ability to post specials, referral program incentives and just having current clients comment on their pictures is invaluable in getting exposure. Word of mouth has always been helpful to me in this business and Facebook has certainly helped get my name out there. Not only has it brought me new clients, it’s also allowed me to meet other photographers who have become a huge part of my life. The network of artists I have met and learned from has been instrumental in keeping me focused and lifting me up a bit when I’m having “one of those days” in the world of photography. I don’t know where I’d be if it weren’t for a few people who have let me ask them a million questions, inquire about what printing companies are the best, asked advice about settings on a new camera, etc. I have to give many many thanks to Kristen Mackey of Son Kissed Photography (www.sonkissedphotography.com) for her unending friendship, advice and support as I’ve embarked on this photography venture. She has always been there to lend an ear and has taught me SO much! She along with many others are invaluable and a huge part of my success.

 
Do you find any common ground between photography and other creative pursuits like writing or poetry?
Katherine: Absolutely! Photography is a way of writing by using your eyes and the lens to capture a story. I have an English degree and a lot of times when I’m shooting I can almost hear the words that might go along with the subject in front of me. Just like I’m reading from the pages of a book as I click the shutter. Definitely depends on the subject in these cases, but it usually happens when I’m doing a model or senior session. I’ve been cooking up a few ideas for a session and it falls into this category for sure! Telling a story through photographs can be one of the most powerful ways of expression there is.

How much of good photography would you say is pure shot vs. post-processing/digital editing?
Katherine: Good, or great in my opinion, photography needs to have a combination of both excellent photography skills and a great grasp on editing. Let’s face it, you can take an amazing photo SOOC (straight out of camera), but if it’s not processed in a way that gives it that extra something special it may not measure up. So much of photography these days is how you edit. Anyone with a DSLR can take a picture and call themselves a “photographer”. It’s what you do with that camera, what you know about the camera and how it works, that sets you apart from the rest and makes you a true photographer. Many people take years (me being one of them) to perfect their craft and be content with what they’re producing. I still find myself wanting to learn more, put a new edge on my post processing, to just be better in general! When I find myself loving someone else’s work 9 times out of 10 it’s their post processing that I love. Sure the image in itself is amazing, but again, it’s taking the photo to that next level and making it unique that sets them apart. People know and remember certain photographers for how they edit. Period. And post-processing is monumental in the outcome of a photo as a whole. I see a lot of over editing and honestly it makes me cringe. I think it takes away from the beauty of a picture if it doesn’t look real, if a child’s eyes are too colorful and don’t look natural, if you can tell the editor doesn’t have an eye for when someone’s skin looks orange and a sky is blown out. As cliché as it sounds, it’s the whole “picture” that makes a photographer look good.

What kind of camera, lenses, filters, and/or editing programs do you typically use?

Katherine: I’m a Canon girl 100%! I was shooting with a Canon Rebel Xsi for the first two years and have just recently upgraded to the 5D mark II and LOVE it! I was a little intimidated with it at first and was honestly a little frightened by everything it can do (ha!), but with a lot of practice and a few S.O.S. emails to friends for advice I’m getting the hang of it and love what it can produce. I shoot almost 100% of my sessions with a 50mm 1.2L lens. My other lenses hardly ever see the light of day (sorry guys). Glass is so important!! You can have one super duper camera and all the editing software on the planet, but if you don’t have the glass you’re pictures aren’t going to be what they could be. I have PS Elements, CS3, CS4 and Lightroom 2. I edit nearly all of my sessions in LR first and then do any tweaking in PSE and CS4.

 

What would you suggest to people just beginning with photography?

Katherine:  Don’t be afraid to ask questions!! I am self taught and never took any photography classes to learn the art of photography. I learned through shooting over and over again until I liked the end result, reading tons of photography blogs and forums and of course through asking questions to the people I admire most in the business. Beyond just taking pictures and meeting so many wonderful clients what I truly love about this business is the camaraderie between photographers. I know there will always be competition out there and the goal to “be the best”, but I can honestly say that throughout my short career I have never felt like we are out there to “one up” each other or outshine one another. The beauty in photography is the differences in the way we shoot, the way we edit, the way we connect with the person (or animal or structure) from the other side of the lens. If we all had the same editing style, the same marketing, the same props, the same vision, what fun would that be? The world of photography would be a very boring place! I love that I have friends in the business that are in the same town as I am but we aren’t threatened by one another. We can discuss new ideas, shoot at the same locations, give each other tips for finding new clients, etc and it’s OK to do so! You’re not going to book clients by being like everyone else. Be an individual! Be original! BE YOU!

Are there any photography resources you would recommend for individuals who wish to know more about the art form?

Katherine:  There are so many wonderful resources out there for photographers these days. When I first started out, I Heart Faces (www.iheartfaces.com) was a great place to learn. They have a discussion forum where you can ask anything and everything and everyone is extremely helpful! I love Pretty Presets for Lightroom (www.prettypresets.com) for my editing tools and MCP Actions (www.mcpactions.com) is a great resource as well.

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Now for the Picture Prompt Challenge!

• Write a poem (or Flash Fiction 55) based on the prompt.
• Post it on your site.
• Sign up using Mr. Linky so people can find your work.
• Let us know what you are sharing by leaving a comment below.
• Finally, visit other participants, comment, & give credit to Katherine in your post. 

Thank you,

dustus

Accept the picture prompt challenge! :)

A Saturday Celebration: A A Milne

A Saturday Celebration  

A.A. Milne

This week One Stop Poetry is proud to celebrate poet & author, A.A.Milne, whose birthday is this coming week.

Alan Alexander Milne was born in Kilburn, London on the 18th of January 1882. His father ran a small public school, Henley House. During his time, attending Henley House, one of his teachers was the renowned author H. G. Wells; Wells held a teaching post there for a short while. After finishing at Henley House, Milne went on to attend Westminster School & Trinity College, Cambridgeshire where he studied for a maths scholarship.

Whilst attending Trinity College, Milne was editor and writer for the student magazine, Granta. This led him to write more and before long he was writing for Punch Magazine. He became assistant editor, joining their staff in 1906.

In 1913, Milne married Dorothy “Daphne” de Selincourt. Before they had time to settle down and enjoy their new life together, he had to join the armed forces and fight, as an officer, in WWI. He was discharged in 1919. Milne’s only son, Christopher Robin, was born in 1920.

Milne’s literary career was diverse to say the least. As a playwright, he wrote over 30 plays. The most famous being the adaptation of Wind in the Willows, Toad of Toad Hall. As cinema was taking off, during this time, he also wrote 4 screenplays which were filmed in 1920. Milne wrote 7 novels, the best known  was a detective story, The Red House Mystery, in 1922.

Milne reached  literary brilliance in  the four year period between1924 and 1928.

In 1924, he published his first collection of poems, When We Were Very Young, which was illustrated by friend and Punch cartoonist , E.H.Shepard. 
This was followed, in 1925, by a collection of short stories, published under the title Gallery of Children. It was these stories &amp poems that paved the way for the legendary, Winnie - the - Pooh, published in 1926. In 1927, Milne  published a series of nursery rhyme Now We Are Six. in 1928, the follow up, The House At Pooh Corner was published. The aforementioned, illustrated by E.H.Shepard. 


“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. 
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.

The success of Winnie - the - Pooh was very much to Milne’s annoyance. Before he wrote it,  he loved the freedom of switching genre & style, and being able to write about whatever he pleased. After the publication of the Pooh books, this changed.  The audience for his more "grown up" work dwindled. 

Although he was still  wrote and published on a regular basis, he would never shake off the stigma of writing for children. His work, after this period, was never  received in quite the same manner.

In 1952, Milne retired after a stroke and the resulting brain surgery rendered him an invalid. He lived for another four years this way and on the  31st  of January 1956, aged 74,  he passed away.

On his death, the rights to Winnie - the - Pooh were sold to Walt Disney, where that legacy continues to this very day. Every year, another child is enchanted by the stories of the “hunny” loving bear that lives in "One Hundred Aker Wood".

Milne’s poetry has been celebrated , parodied, and even set to music, but the poem I would like to leave  you with  today is one of great literary importance, The Teddy Bear, published in 1924. This is the very first appearance of Winnie - the - Pooh featured in the poetry collection, When We Were Very Young.

Teddy Bear

by A. A. Milne

A bear, however hard he tries,

Grows tubby without exercise.

Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,

Which is not to be wondered at;

He gets what exercise he can

By falling off the ottoman,

But generally seems to lack

The energy to clamber back.

Now tubbiness is just the thing

Which gets a fellow wondering;

And Teddy worried lots about

The fact that he was rather stout.

He thought: "If only I were thin!

But how does anyone begin?"

He thought: "It really isn't fair

To grudge one exercise and air."

For many weeks he pressed in vain

His nose against the window-pane,

And envied those who walked about

Reducing their unwanted stout.

None of the people he could see

"Is quite" (he said) "as fat as me!"

Then, with a still more moving sigh,

"I mean" (he said) "as fat as I!

One night it happened that he took

A peep at an old picture-book,

Wherein he came across by chance

The picture of a King of France

(A stoutish man) and, down below,

These words: "King Louis So and So,

Nicknamed 'The Handsome!'" There he sat,

And (think of it!) the man was fat!

Our bear rejoiced like anything

To read about this famous King,

Nicknamed "The Handsome." There he sat,

And certainly the man was fat.

Nicknamed "The Handsome." Not a doubt

The man was definitely stout.

Why then, a bear (for all his tub)

Might yet be named "The Handsome Cub!"

"Might yet be named." Or did he mean

That years ago he "might have been"?

For now he felt a slight misgiving:

"Is Louis So and So still living?

Fashions in beauty have a way

Of altering from day to day.

Is 'Handsome Louis' with us yet?

Unfortunately I forget."

Next morning (nose to window-pane)

The doubt occurred to him again.

One question hammered in his head:

"Is he alive or is he dead?"

Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but

The lattice window, loosely shut,

Swung open. With one startled "Oh!"

Our Teddy disappeared below.

There happened to be passing by

A plump man with a twinkling eye,

Who, seeing Teddy in the street,

Raised him politely to his feet,

And murmured kindly in his ear

Soft words of comfort and of cheer:

"Well, well!" "Allow me!" "Not at all."

"Tut-tut! A very nasty fall."

Our Teddy answered not a word;

It's doubtful if he even heard.

Our bear could only look and look:

The stout man in the picture-book!

That 'handsome' King - could this be he,

This man of adiposity?

"Impossible," he thought. "But still,

No harm in asking. Yes I will!"

"Are you," he said,"by any chance

His Majesty the King of France?"

The other answered, "I am that,"

Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;

Then said, "Excuse me," with an air,

"But is it Mr Edward Bear?"

And Teddy, bending very low,

Replied politely, "Even so!"

They stood beneath the window there,

The King and Mr Edward Bear,

And, handsome, if a trifle fat,

Talked carelessly of this and that....

Then said His Majesty, "Well, well,

I must get on," and rang the bell.

"Your bear, I think," he smiled. "Good-day!"

And turned, and went upon his way.

A bear, however hard he tries,

Grows tubby without exercise.

Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,

Which is not to be wondered at.

But do you think it worries him

To know that he is far from slim?

No, just the other way about -

He's proud of being short and stout.

And before I go, our most famous of bears would like to leave a special message for all of you

"Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things which get you. And all you can do is to go where they can find you"






all images are under creative commons license

Photography Interview with KJ Halliday (& Poetry Challenge)

Welcome to One Shoot Sunday!

Chris Galford here once again to bring you another wonderful spotlight for One Shoot Sunday! Today, One Stop Poetry’s going down under with Australian photographer, artist and writer Kevin “KJ” Halliday. I first discovered KJ through his presence on Twitter…a presence I quickly discovered was matched with a presence on Facebook as well. Continuously on the go, this tech-friendly photographer’s skills range from the beautiful and natural to the artistic, computer-aided image.

KJ’s work is spread across numerous sites, including a blog (http://kjwriteleft.com/kjtakesablog/), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/kjwriteleftcom/150122359454), Twitter (@Kjwrite), and his own personal site: http://kjwriteleft.com/beta/, a comprehensive collection of articles, writings, photography and art, as well as forums for those looking to share a few words. KJ’s a skilled and highly self-motivated artist, and so it is my pleasure to share some of his thoughts, and his work today:

What originally sparked your interest in photography? How long have you been working with photography?

 KJ: I grew up in a country area and to be honest I was probably spoiled for scenery and never paid too much attention to taking photos. It was only in University that I started to toy around with video and studied film. While this was a great experience I have over the last few years been more interested in capturing single moments in time. So while I have been working with visual mediums for a while it has really been the last few year that has really drawn me to photography. I have to say that the joy in photography itself is capturing a moment in time that will never come again. While there are grand historic examples like those during World War Two, Vietnam and the Korean wars, there are also those personal moments which for me was a couple of Kookaburras (Australian bird) posing for the camera. Not as important as some photography but still meaningful.

On your own site, you’ve worked to promote works across the spectrum of the creative world—what common ground do you find in your work between photography and other creative pursuits like writing and poetry?

KJ:  The original kjwriteleft.com was actually just a release of a poetry and art series that I put together quite slowly over a number of months. This included writing (of course) as well as inks, acrylic paints, photography and pastels. The common ground between any of these creative pursuits is of course the attempt to condense an emotion or a meaning into one work. I find that poetry has much more in common with photography and painting than with novels or longer forms of writing. I think as 'creatives' we must all dabble in any medium we get the chance to try. For myself I am a mediocre painter but learned so much about composition just by giving it a try. This is especially true for visual artists as most of you would know that a few words placed here or there on a visual piece of art work can transform it completely.

Do you have a personal philosophy about photography? How do you find it complements your other creative work? 
KJ: As far as a personal philosophy goes I think as far as creating and experimenting you're best served by not having one. If anything then it would be a little goes a long way, like cooking a sauce it is best to reduce, reduce, reduce. This is the main reason the new series was done in black and white with high contrast on a lot of the shots. I am glad you asked this question actually because a few years ago a good friend looked at my site when I was more stubborn and just putting my poetry on there and she said "it's good, but it needs more pictures". This is I think a common problem with people writing poetry in that they have little to draw someone in unless they take the chance to read your work. This is where the newer series I have produced have had something to get people reading. It also stops me from getting bored with writing or photography, if I am tired of writing I work on photos and vice versa.

Is there any advice you could offer for poets and photographers considering working together on creative projects? 

KJ: The best advice I can offer is to do it, and as often as you can. I have been a little lucky having such an interest in visual and written works that I can play around with both. I of course have friends that only work with visual art that never want to write. Then many of you just want to write but probably have the problem I mentioned previously that people may just see a bunch of words and not read your poetry. Using poetry and photography together works well in that the photographer will quickly draw in an audience but the writer will hold that attention. It is also a great way to bounce creative ideas off of each other as I believe this site does as well.

 Do you feel Twitter and other like-minded social sites are helpful to the individual and communal creative process?
KJ: This is a difficult question to say yes or no to. Yes, because it allows us all to connect with each other and view what others are doing; but no because we are all in danger of drowning each individual's creative vision in a sea of tweets. It is of course fantastic to see so many diverse creative people sharing their work and it is a great way to see things you would otherwise miss. Unfortunately with anything like this there are always a great deal of people only looking to profit and you see quite a lot of twitter accounts relating to writing that only exist to sell products. For the most part though I find it a great way to view trends and to especially view work from around the world that differs greatly to my own. I think all artists can benefit by viewing these works.

What has been your experience with the internet as a medium for sharing your art and experiences? What prompted you to get so involved with the online and creative community?
KJ:  The internet itself is a great place to stay on the creative cutting edge because of the pace in which it evolves. It has allowed me to use many different mediums and combine mediums particularly photography and poetry. My experience started out badly creating kjwriteleft.com to host a single poetry series. Because poetry cannot be indexed properly by search engines visitors to the site were nearly non-existent. It was only after the new site was created and I discovered twitter that people began to show a lot of interest.

I have always been a little impatient and it was the 'instant' nature of the internet that prompted me to focus on digital publishing. It is an exciting area where even experts are not sure exactly what works online and what doesn't. For my own poetry I found that the compact form of writing that it is works perfectly for the online world and the amount of time people will spend reading online. 

 
What were your intentions when you created your site? Has it lived up to expectation – and do you hope to expand or build upon what you’re doing now in the future? KJ:  My original intentions were very subdued and experimental. The "Scents Sand Censor Billy Tea" series was great to make as I wanted it to be as organic as possible and the websites lend themselves to organic creativity quite well. The goal was to 'see where it goes' and so far that has led to me having the site, blog, two spin off sites as well as my first published book of poetry. I really want to get a free e-book of poetry up onto the site soon and to provide an avenue for other writers and artists to get their content onto e-reading devices and computers.

The main goals at the moment have been to work towards 'self sufficiency' as an artist and writer. So while the visitor numbers to the site are fantastic the economic realities are far from rosy. In saying that it is definitely a labour of love for me and I guess most writers and photographers face similar economic problems especially if they are pursuing projects they find 'interesting' instead of projects that merely make money.

My next step would probably be to create some form of communal art market for local (Australian) and international artists to sell and promote their work. Not many if us have cash to spend on gallery displays and so the Internet is our next best option. I also work with another blog of mine called "The Gift Economy" and am interested in the communal idea of sharing and gifting among artists. It helps a lot when collaborating and sharing among other artists.

What kind of camera, lenses, filters, and/or editing programs do you typically use?
KJ:  I use a digital SLR (Canon EOS1000D) and try to remain as 'organic' as possible. Due to other mentalities as an artist I also use 'GIMP', an open source imaging program and have been able to do more than I imagined with that. I highly recommend that program especially for people that don't have the money to fork out on Photoshop, etc...  I love natural light and although it sounds simplistic I try to use only the camera relying more on digital editing for some of the photography.


Are there any photography or other creative resources you would recommend for individuals who wish to know more about these art forms?
KJ:  I always find the internet a great place to go when you're stuck for ideas. It sounds obvious but twitter and facebook can be a great start for just sharing some of your work (be it visual or written). This was especially true for myself when I was still 'testing the waters' as it exposes your work to non-artists who will be the hardest judges of your work. I have also used noise.net before and have a profile there and found it good for visual works but so-so for sharing writing. As for learning about different art forms I have found blogs by individual artists to be fantastic as they provide frank accounts of what they are doing, what has worked and more importantly what hasn't worked. There are so many great artists that have almost impossible to find blogger accounts that it is worth having an old fashioned surf around. While websites and other resources are great for technical guidance I always think people need to forget about these sometimes to find their own creative 'voice'.

Thanks for the interview, it was great having to think over all the questions and it gave me a better insight into what I am trying to do online. Congratulations on a great site and look forward to seeing more of it!  —KJ

KJ Halliday on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kjwrite
KJ's Facebook Page
Blog: http://kjwriteleft.com/kjtakesablog/

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And now for our Picture Prompt Challenge!

1. Write a poem (or Flash Fiction 55). Post it on your site.
2. Sign up using Mr. Linky so people can find your work.
3. Let us know what you are sharing by leaving a comment below.
4. Finally, visit other participants; comment on their work.
5. Please give credit to KJ Halliday in your post. 

Thank you,
dustus

Accept the challenge! :)

One Shot Poetry Wednesday - Week 27

Welcome to One Shot Wednesday - Week 27

Welcome to week 27 of One Shot Wednesday. We hope you each had a wonderful holiday? I am you host for this week & my name is Leslie Moon, aka Moondustwriter one of the One Stop Poetry founders. We started One Stop Poetry six months ago to create a cyber site where poets, artists & creative types could join and share their insights and their work. We hope that you feel comfortable and welcome here?

One Stop Poetry has new things in the store for 2011. One of those started yesterday on our Monday Poetry Form day. Our intention is to give even seasoned poets a look at poetry forms they may or may not be familiar with. 

We are also creating an opportunity for poets to chat on #OSPChat on Twitter. We will be introducing twitter chat this Sunday the 9th at 3:30pm EST (8.30pm UK). If you are new to twitter, type in the hashtag (#ospchat) and it will connect you to others using the same hashtag (I use Tweet Deck but Hootsuite is also another good app for twitter). You must type the hashtag with each comment to be part of the conversation. Join us on Sundays to meet each other and talk about poetry.

If you are new to One Shot Wednesday, please feel welcome to participate by doing the following.

1, Write an original poem and post it to your blog

2, Link back to One Shot Wednesday from your post 

3, Sign up in the Mr Linky list,(use the URL from your blog) linking directly to your post, AFTER you've posted it. Mr Linky will be open from 5pm EST Tuesday (10pm UK)  until 3am EST Thursday (8am UK). If you need help with this, please ask.

4, Go visit others that have posted. This is a great way to learn new forms, meet new poets and gain inspiration for your next piece. though this is not mandatory we encourage you to visit at least one other poet and give some helpful feedback.

5. For some of you I need to stress - dont feel that you need to comment on each poem. Take in the inspiration of a few with a good cup of tea or coffee.

On behalf of  my fellow cohorts, Adam Dustus , Brian Miller, Chris Galford, Claudia Schonfeld, Gay Cannon and Pete Marshall - welcome and enjoy!!!!!