Writing with Light…                                January, 2010

Wednesday and now also Saturday mornings…  Every other Tuesday evening they meet to review and discuss their work.

Hundreds of feet up the Meteora rock spires in Kalampaka, Greeceare perched ancient Monasteries.

Notice the right hand rock formation - you can barely make out the building on top.

                                                                            

 

Ermoupoli, Syros in the Greek Islands in June,2008.

Would you like to go? Here or some place else. Let us know. Besides being registered with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), one of the most respected names in the industry, possible trips with a group of our photographers are in the works.

Bob Grytten Photo

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Lens Lugger Lowell Martin passed away this past December 9, 2009. We remember Lowell by dedicating this issue to him.

Lowell had passion for his craft and beloved medium format cameras. We will miss Lowell and the warm friendliness he shared with us during his all too brief time on our field shoots and workshops.

LTC Lowell L. Martin (ret.) was born Sept. 30, 1938, at Ft. Jay, N.Y.  He was the son of the late Col. and Mrs. Winfield L. Martin. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sandra; daughter, Laura L. Martin; two sons, Kenneth L. and Thomas M. Martin; and a grandson, Ian Reiff Martin.  He is also survived by two sisters, Dorothy Martin and Patricia Dow, both of California, and a brother, Robert Martin of Arlington, Va.

Lowell began his federal career in 1957 as a Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.  He graduated with a B.S. in 1961.  He took his commission in the U.S. Army as an artillery officer and assignments that took him to Forts Benning, Bragg, Campbell, and Sill, as well as Germany and Vietnam twice.

He was an avid scholar throughout his career, earning a Master of Science degree, a Juris Doctor degree, and he completed the Army Command and General Staff College.  His last posting was at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., in 1985, retiring in 1998.  He and his beloved wife, dogs and miniature horses moved to Waynesville, in December of 2004.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

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Marketing ideas… 

        

  

See something interesting on a walk - shoot and send it to your local newspaper. They might use it.

“Cool photos. You made today's front page!” ---- the e-mail said. Sure enough - here it is. 

Never be bashful about making the first step…

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First, we thank every one who sent in feedback on the new Site. Please continue as your comments and suggestions will be the key to making this site work best.

About Haiti, our thoughts go out to the people affected by the earthquake… I see where they're using texting to raise funds for the emergency relief. Hospital Ships are leaving from this port in Charleston for the disaster area…

I thought it might be helpful to keep in touch with bits of information that might be helpful ln real time. First thing that comes to mind is the easy price of this hotel - $49 a night (North Charleston La Quinta). We found a better price last October at Myrtle Beach - $36 a night, Ocean view and right on the water. I'm assuming that the economy is keeping prices low. We could be tempted to drive a little further to Myrtle Beach but it a few degrees warmer in Charleston (45° now and going to 66). And this place is Pet Friendly (no extra charge) and breakfast, so Baxter comes with us. Even though were a little north of Downtown, we usually head to Folly beach as well as Isle of Palms for the County Beach which allows dogs and RT 526 gets us there about as fast as staying in the historic downtown.

It's 5:30AM, so time for coffee -- more later

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This just in from Lens Lugger Connie Shelton - an absolutely amazing and marvelous close up look at nature and the humming bird  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjnc1kHMDDo

When Franz Lanting began his work, so well known in National Geographic, he watched and learned about his subject of choice - the Sanderling a relatively common shore bird. He was able to anticipate its activity and know when and how to best photograph his subject. He put words with his pictures and submitted to Nat Geo. Now he travels the world on projects and is an inspiration to us all. Drop me a note if you would like a copy of my interview with him that was originally published in F/8 and Being there…

We can all learn from those who came before us. Keep sending what you find… and what helps  best.

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We're Back - but, having left my computer power cord behind - something any FOOL could do - I will have to rely on my memory… you sure you want to know more?

At least one e-mail encourages us to continue with the On Going section - 

So, here goes…  We're traveling with no assurances of perfect weather - But then who would travel at all and when, if we needed guarantees?This morning the sky looks like this…

What's that old sailor saying? “Red sky before night sailors delight, Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning.”  We were about to find out.

By the time we arrived at the County Park at Isle of Palms about 20 min. away form North Charleston, the wind was brisk and the sky overcast. We headed to Sullivan Island which is connected by a bridge with IOP.

The surprise was at Fort Moultrie - and at first glance this fort is very unimpressive. It looks more like some old ruins and cannon. 

But think back-- this seacoast defense was installed in the days of only a handful of colonies, and very primitive. 

But there was more we didn't know -- From accounts, “The first fort on Sullivan's Island was still incomplete when Commodore Sir Peter Parker and nine warships attacked it on June 28, 1776. After a nine-hour battle, the ships were forced to retire. Charleston was saved from British occupation, and the fort was named in honor of its commander, Colonel William Moultrie.

Learn more about the battle of Fort Moultrie by clicking the white underlined. 

 

For me this National Monument filled in a lot of the missing piece about our countries history. The Visitors Center is complete with a theater and Stations depicting the days of slave trade, the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI and even a Station depicting the1933 command post for a colonel by the name of George C. Marshal. So this adds to my understand of the area, along with Francis Marion, A/K/A the Swamp Fox - portrayed (although sometimes a bit overdone) in the movie The Patriot which starred Mel Gibson. 

As we left the Visitor Center is was pouring… 

We arrive at Poe's Tavern, just down the road from Fort Moultrie.  We've been here before but didn't remember the fireplace. It's welcoming with a blazing fire. We climb onto barstools. And behold, as we review the menu, these words… 

“After a brief stint at the University of Virginia, Poe enlisted in the army under the pseudonym Edgar Allan Perry and was stationed at Fort Moultrie… eighteen months, beginning November 18, 1827. His time on the island inspired ‘The Gold Bug,’ a story about a mystical beetle that led to buried treasure.” 

So, there it is. Hospitality was friendly, service the quickest - the Lone Ranger would have approved - and the food very good. Recommended.

On the way back to the hotel for a Nap - yep - Carol got this shot of the new IMPRESSIVE Arthur Ravenel Bridge, over the Cooper River. Shot through the windshield in the rain -- She even manages to miss the wipers…

©Carol Grytten Photo

Some Images:

The windows caught my eye -- the Models were gratis.

Then, I shouted out, “Take another picture, I'd like to have a Photographer in my picture.”  :-) 

That worked…

Coates Row Courtyard, Charleston , SC

©Bob Grytten Photo

Always having your camera with you… can be one of the things we CAN control as photographers - whether you are a newbie or a seasoned pro.

 

Even if you're a Point 'N Shooter and  unfamiliar with the way your camera operates, set your camera on AUTO, stop the car and take the shot.

I guarantee that you will come away with some pleasing images. Here is another one that caught my eye while driving…

I couldn't get out of the car fast enough, because light was changing very rapidly.

And don't worry about what you don't know about photography. Trust the computer in your head - if something says “WOW! Look at that,” chances are it's worth stopping the car.

Workshop…                     

Unfortunately, many of the artistic aspects of photography do not get covered in most photo workshops. Consider taking an art class to fill in many of those sensitive areas such as aspects of the color wheel, shading and how the Great Masters used light to compose their works.

In the meantime, John Ruskin, author of the 1858 book,True and Beautiful discussed some interesting aspects of , composition, etc. Find it at Amazon.com.

Travel  Tip…                 

If the cost of travel to foreign shooting locations discourages you,consider a home exchange as a way to defray some of the expense. We have done two home exchanges, and while they may not be for everyone, we had very positive experiences. The first trade was to a French Villa 30 miles north of Paris for our home in Holiday, FL, and last Christmas ('08) to a Condo in Florida for our house in NC. We currently belong to a home exchange network called HomesforExchange. They offer a 40 day Free trial program voucher to look around the site. Let us know if you would like a voucher. Drop a note via the Contact Bob page.

his Just in…

1/27/2010   …from Lens Lugger Bob Orlopp

 Subject: A Palindrome

           A palindrome reads the same backwards as forwards. This one reads the

           exact opposite - backwards as forwards - very clever. It's is only a 1 min.

           44 sec. video and it's brilliant. Listen intently, following  along with the

           words forward and backward.  Please read as well as listen.

           This video was submitted by a 20 year old in an AARP contest titled "u @

           50". It won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was

           awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. Simple and brilliant.

           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

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1/25/09

Early Morning and a fishing boat leaves the dock at Francis Marion National Forest, not far from Charleston, SC. Soon they will be into open water of the Atlantic Ocean.

This image would make a good Cover shot or could be part of a Photo Essay using other associate images, or a Photo/Text editorial package if one built a story around the image.

This image was one of four taken as the boat moved from the dock. I liked this one best for the balance. Unsure what balance means? If It just feels right, it probably is - so, just release the shutter.

I also had to straighten the horizon somewhat. That was done in Nikon Capture NX2, a post production computer program - available from the Nikon Web site or Amazon.com.

There are sites that specialize in selling or marketing their photography. For those who wish to follow that marketing approach we will provide some good references.

However, drawing upon a problem solving approach developed in a former Real Estate career, we have found a way to use the best of that selling approach to carve out a more systematic and workable way to market our work.

But, before I do any writing I query publications with a one page letter spelling out my idea for a story. Before, with the old approach, I would be sending our submissions of slides -  20-40 in a package -- and need to have 20-25 packages in circulation all the time. The slides would have to be sorted, labeled, reordered, packages and postage paid. With digital, some of the detail has changed, and it's still a workable formula for success - I was recording about a 10% success rate. For me; however, that process became too intensive administrativally. Now I compose a one page query letter, and send it to 6-8 non-competing publications and wait until one gives me the go ahead. More on procedures later…

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Here again,will refer you to Rohn Enghs's publications. The first one, Sell And Resell Your Photos gives one a very good feel for the business as it relates to selling your work. You will still be able to find a copy at Amazon.com.

However, times have changed since his original work. For updates about the new Technology/computer environment Rohn Engh;s CD “How To Market Your Photos“ is an excellent resource. 

While I'm not licensed to give tax advice, my experience has been that uncle Sam is a great business partner. You can deduct expenses for equipment used in your business (camera, lenses, computers and all associated equipment, Workshops business related, travel business related and more. If you have more expenses than income ( which is not uncommon in the beginning,) tax regulations encourage you to keep on and you may even be able to get more taxes back than you paid on your regular income. Consult your tax advisory or drop a line and we'll refer you to appropriate articles.

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Creating Photo/Text Packages-   Reprinted with permission

Even if writing isn’t part of your plan, thinking stories will help your photography. Eventually the photos will have to support someone’s story. They may even become a photo essay (a story that has more pictures than words) or a photo/text package you can sell to publications. An effective story has the same elements as a good photo--focus! Focus means eliminating distractions while spotlighting the central and primary issue. Then comes the meat--enough supportive material to provide sizzle, to make your subject interesting.

For example, we were in North Carolina to conduct a workshop but soon learned of the wild waterfalls of Transylvania County--over two hundred, more than in any other county in the entire United States. I thought that was pretty unique. We weren’t really looking for a story, but this seemed interesting. When we were first thinking about this waterfall story, it was just an idea. Then we found out the names of some of the falls--Slippery Witch, Bear Wallow, and Maidenhair. The names conjured up all kinds of illusions. That's sizzle!

Once you've established that your story has sizzle, you need to decide if it will be marketable. Bill Thomas, noted nature photojournalist, says he approaches a project in terms of how many times it can be sold. He wants to think he has at least a half dozen potential story buyers for his idea before he decides to spend time on it. He figures that the first fee he receives for a story should cover the cost of the time and film needed to produce the package. Additional fees he receives the second and third time his project is published provide his profits. Your basic story should have enough meat so the slant can be modified for other markets--spin-off markets. You'll want to be able to explore variations of your basic theme and modify them to meet different interests.

My waterfall story was purchased by a magazine that had used my work before. I had a feeling it would fit their needs. That’s what you watch for, those feelings. Even when you don't have a specific publication to target, if you find yourself getting hooked on a subject, go for it. Had Family Motor Coaching Magazine not purchased this project, I had other publications in mind.

Another market is also available. Some publications buy second rights. They usually pay less for second rights than for the first publication, but the manuscript can be sent out in its original form.

Let’s consider our waterfall example. What kinds of markets exist for that idea?

1. Travel - Does the story have destination interest? Does the location featured have places for travel readers to stay, such as recreational vehicle parks, camping, bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, or motels? Are there enough activities available nearby to keep visitors entertained once they're there? Yes, to all of these questions.

2. Outdoor Adventure - Is there enough natural history interest in the area to capture armchair readers? Is the subject fresh or has it been overdone? Is the activity something that an adventurer would seek out? Yes, to all of these questions.

Other possible markets for the waterfall story include regional, sports, general non-fiction, marine, nature and environment, photography, and recreation magazines--to name just a few.

Determining the markets that might exist for possible stories prior to traveling can be time well spent. Photographers Market and Writers Market (Writer’s Digest books, available at most book stores) are good sources which list various target publications by subject--including their particular needs, circulation, etc. Stay within areas that interest you to take advantage of opportunities that will present themselves where you'll be spending your time, places you'll choose for vacations, etc.

When we arrived in Transylvania County, we headed for the local Chamber of Commerce where we picked up brochures about the area. We also talked to the director about our interest in doing a story about the waterfalls. She pulled out a map and showed us where certain falls were, which ones were the most accessible, the most spectacular, most popular, favorite local haunts, best kept secrets, etc. She also told us about a local folk hero Jim Bob Tinsley, and showed us his book on the area waterfalls, available at the local bookstore. We wondered what other material on the subject might be waiting in the bookstore and went to find out. We found Jim Bob’s book, which was fascinating and descriptive. I was getting excited! (I think it helps to be excited. It may even be absolutely necessary. If your juices aren’t flowing, watch out. The story might not be right for you.) We changed plans, driving like crazy to get to a nearby falls to take photos before the sun went down.

We photographed one waterfall that evening and two the next day, took pictures of restaurants with people in them, points of interest, even interior shots of our room--a bed-and-breakfast which was especially nice. Getting photos of the surrounding area is important. I even took some shots of a stuffed white squirrel (a variety for which the town was famous) in case we didn’t come across a live one--another possible story! When you encounter historic and descriptive signs, take a picture. Shoot anything you think will remind you of things you might want to describe later. Remember, you may end up writing multiple articles and still be inventing stories composed with a different emphasis a year from now.

While in the area, introduce yourself to a local photographer. He/she will probably be able to provide extra photos for you if you need them. It’s good insurance. Other sources of free photos are the local Chamber of Commerce, area attractions, newspapers, museums, libraries, and local camera clubs. You can also follow up leads you'll discover on the spot. It doesn’t make much difference where you get material. You're controlling the story and will get paid for your photography/story package no matter where the pictures come from.

When we returned home, the first step was to process the film into slides for magazines. We sorted out the five pounds of take-home material and wrote a log about our impressions (especially handy if you haven’t kept notes). This will serve as very important material for your article. While your energy is still high, write the story proposal--the query letter. We gather information from brochures to add sizzle for the query. If you’re still excited about your project, adding sizzle is easy. Things just flow.

The query letter is a vehicle used to propose your idea to various publications. Here are a few suggestions for how to write one that works for you:

Start right into the meat. Here’s a sample first paragraph:

"More than 250 falls are nestled in the mountains near Brevard, North Carolina. The one before us, as high as a six story building, was more than I had imagined. My heart raced. The roar of crashing water over ancient boulders was almost deafening. Mist rose, floating high, then settled on the wild rhododendron leaves."

1. Grab the editor's attention. You'll have only seven seconds to succeed.

2. Support the meat with some gravy, comments geared to that magazine.

3. Close with what you would like to do, what you'll include in the article, how long the article will be, and finally, some kind of phrase which asks for a response.

Keep the query to one page. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). Send out six to eight queries, one each to six to eight non-competing markets.

Your job is now done. All you have to do is to wait for a positive response. You won't actually write your article until then.

When people tell me they can’t write, I have to believe them if they've never written anything. However, when I suggest writing a letter to a sister or brother about an experience, they say, "No problem." In fact, good writing reads like a letter you write home. To become more sophisticated about writing mechanics, become familiar with first and third person approaches, present and past tense, etc. A local writer’s group can help with that aspect of writing. Writer groups exist in almost every community. They’re a good place to learn the mechanics. Many books have been written on the subject and good how-to periodicals can also be found.

The article becomes an expansion of your query. A good story idea has focus. If you have the photos and include information about your experience with some background that you find in the library (or on the Internet), the magazine has editors polish the article. And editors love the ease of packages which include photos and stories. It's a great way to go for both the publisher and the photographer/writer. Include some quotes from some experts in the field, give credit for sources, and read some of the magazine’s back issues. That will give you a key for putting your words together. Often, the editor suggests a certain emphasis and direction to take when s/he responds to your query. These guidelines make the project even more interesting.

Sometimes--often, in fact, until you become a known quantity--publications will ask you to write the article on spec or speculation, meaning you won't be paid until they've read and accepted the completed project. Don’t be put off by that. My first time, I received a vague letter asking, "Could I have it completed by….?" It didn’t say, "We would like you to do the article with photos." I held on to the letter for a couple of weeks, thinking it was just another delay. Then I showed it to a writer’s group. I just about fell over when they told me it was a go-ahead, on speculation.

To not have your article accepted after the publication requested it on spec, you would have to be pretty far off the mark of what the publication wanted. I work for some magazines that still give me a go-ahead only on speculation, even though I've written many articles for them. It’s their policy.

Some magazines will send you a contract that will specify how much they're willing to pay, deadline dates, payment of expenses, and even a KILL FEE clause - a percentage they will pay if they don’t accept the article, usually twenty-five percent. The idea is to have something in writing before you begin.

Recently, I was given the go-ahead to send some photos to an archaeological magazine. "Yes, we can use them," they e-mailed me back. When I inquired about their fee range for photos, they said THEY DON’T PAY. "We have found that we don’t usually have to pay. Many photographers of subjects we like donate their photos." I guess I can understand that, as many readers are scientists and aren’t even aware that they could get paid for their photos.

Ask questions. Get all agreements in writing. It’s the business way. About the archaeological magazine, I just moved on to another project, but thinking about the experience again, I may propose my story idea to another magazine or maybe six other magazines. That’s how I’ll market my Etruscan photos. I'll generate a photo/text package. It’s a neat way to go.

 (Reprinted in part from Get Published: the How-To Manual by Bob Grytten.)