Most of that “accidentally” photographers forget that emotion is an important part of a wedding photo. No wonder many wedding pictures that look nice visually but failed to tell the important moments and emotions that the main ingredients
from a wedding photo.

Photography is an incredible excuse to be invited behind the veils most of us form between ourselves and the world. No matter how jaded or guarded a person may become, it is the most basic and fundamental human desire to be seen. Because of the layers and layers of social and cultural ‘red tape’, most of the seeing we have of one another exists
only on the most shallow levels.

Every time there is a true, genuine seeing of human being, however, a door to an unequalled richness opens, and a myriad of possibilities opens. seeing people on a base level and seeing to the core of them is the difference between seeing a lightbulb turned off and one brightly lit and glowing. and the light they give back changes things.

Learned that the best way to invite your portrait subject to be genuine with you, was to be genuine with them. everyone
has a genuine side to them, so even if they’re not showing it, you know it’s in there somewhere, if you can only find how to see it.

If you’re looking for the best one, James Ruane Wedding Photography is one of the recommendation.

How did you know & learn
photography? Tell us from the
beginning.
My first camera I bought at a garage
sale when I was 8 years old. I was fascinated
with the camera and the photos
it would produce. I was only able to
photograph a few rolls of film with that
camera because my $2/week allowance
wouldn’t cover the costs. When I
was 14, I rediscovered photography. I
had a paper route so I could afford the
costs. I initially wanted to photograph
my friends doing skateboard stunts,
though after I built a darkroom when I
was 15 I really got into black and white
and began photographing the landscape
as well.

What makes you do photography?
What interesting about it?
Photography is a meditative ritual for
me. The consistent pace of life at home
can be somewhat overwhelming, so
going out to photograph is like a vacation.
I get in the car, drive somewhere,
then hike around to see if I can find
something interesting to photograph.
I have always been interested in the
landscape, as I like to travel. Be it
driving down the Pacific Coast Highway
to Big Sur, or traveling abroad, I
find it very enriching to see the world
and find unique perspectives of the
scenery.

You learn photography from
analog era. What is the different
between the analog photographer
era and photographers
who learn photography on
digital era?
I think working traditionally (analog)
requires much more patience. Nothing
is immediate when working traditionally.
With digital, one can see the
results on the screen of the camera
immediately, while working with film,
one must develop the film in the darkroom
(which my be half a world away if
traveling) What I can do in photoshop
in 5 minutes may take 5 or more hours
in the darkroom.

Which one do you like better,
digital photos or analog photos?
Tell us the reason
I prefer analog photography. The
power of a photograph is that it
represents reality. A certain reality. By
keeping with traditional methods, the
chain from the scene in front of the
camera to the film to the final print is
totally linked together. If I used digital
imaging in the process, the element of
reality is erased, discrediting the true
power of a photograph. This is because
once in the digital arena, one can
manipulate a scene so easily, like the
way Hollywood makes sci-fi or fantasy
movies using digital techniques.

You had assisted some commercial
photographer & fine art
photographer. What the different
between the two of them in
term of characteristic & mindset?
A commercial photographer is working
from without (take a photo of this
product for company), while a fine art
photographer is working from within
(I like this so I will photograph this).
Does that make sense to you?

Some people said that black
& white photo is easier to be
looked good compared to color
photo. Do you agree on this? Tell
us the reason.
I think either will look good if done correctly.
B&W is removed one level from
reality because of the monochrome
nature. Humans generally see in color,
so that may explain why a B&W print
may be more compelling to view.

Do a very good black & white
photography like Ansel Adams
did is very difficult. Only few
photographers can. What are
they missing that ansel adams
have done.
An 8×10 inch camera! (laughing)…
Ansel would find a scene he liked and
then wait for the conditions he felt
were right to make a photograph.
Sometimes he would wait days for the
correct clouds and light. Most people
don’t have the time or patience to wait
so long. Also, Ansel could really see
what he felt and express those feelings.
visually

Zone system is one of the best
techniques of producing photos.
Unfortunately only few that
knows the right definition of
it. Can you simplify what zone
system is, what is the advantage
of using it, and how it work.
The Zone System is a method of exposing
a piece film and developing that
film accordingly to achieve desired
effects. Basically, it is expose for the
shadows and develop the film for the
highlights. The advantage is that one
can produce a negative with consistency,
which will print well on a grade 2
black and white photo paper. It would
take a book to explain how it works,
which is why Ansel wrote The Negative!
Of course, the Zone System won’t work
with digital photography.

Explain what is your “tone system”
really are?
Since I use roll film, I do not have the
luxury of fine-tuning each individual
negative. Generally, I expose for the
highlight tones. I let my feelings of
the scene dictate what this might be,
sometimes an overexposed negative
is better, sometimes an underexposed
negative. I use a film developer called
pyrogallol, which is very forgiving. It
allows me to use this method.

When creating a picture, do you
got the idea first or do you get
to the location first then get triggered?
Both. I will go to a location with the
intent of making a photo because I
have been there many times in the past
and I think the light will be appropriate
for the subject. I do enjoy traveling, so
often I will get in the car and drive until
I see something, or go for a hike and
find something. I really like it when I
find something to photograph that is
unplanned. Even by going to a specific
place, I never really know what I will
photograph. Somehow, the elements
in a scene strike me in some way so
that I am compelled to photograph
them. That is usually what happens in
my work.

Mention one word that describe
your photos.
Timeless.

Speaking about fine art. Share us
some tips to improve our level
of art sense since fine art often
perceived as a “difficult to understand”
thing.
Create images from your heart. Photograph
what you are drawn to. Whatever
it is that excites you, that is what you
should do, because if you don’t, you
will never make that expressive photo.

Do you think a photographer
should learn about print making?
How important it is, and
what is the advantage of learning
that?
I think that all aspects of photography
is important. Composing the image,
exposing the negative, developing
the film and printing the image. The
print is probably the most important
though, because it is what we present
to the world. There are many good
photographers who cannot make a
good print. A good print is one that
has luminosity, almost a glow from
within the image itself. The balance of
tones, the relationship of shadows to
highlights are very important in black
and white photography. Not every
photo needs a deep black or a brilliant
white. It is in the knowing which
makes an expressive, fine print.

Share us some tips for beginner
to learn photography properly.
The best tip I can give is keep photographing.
Practice. I made many
thousands of negatives and prints
before I began to grasp what makes a
good final photograph. Take classes to
further your studies. Look at work by
photographers you admire and study
the images you like.

payday advance

Everybody shoot landscape. But
only selected create some good ones. What did they missed to make
it good?
Art, in all forms, is immensely subjective.
I don’t know if anybody can give
universal reasons why something
should be categorized as “good” or
“bad”. I certainly do not have that understanding.
Some photographs touch
us emotionally, more deeply than others.
There are many reasons why this
could be, including; choice of subject
matter, technical excellence, aesthetic
pleasure, personal resonance, intellectual
curiosity, etc.
You do very intense personal project
and also commercial project. What
interesting for us is both project
output have the same style and the
same character. While some photographer
do a very different style &
character of output when shooting
for personal & commercial project.
What do you think about this? Why
can’t they do the same?
I am very fortunate and due to the success of my landscape work, I have
been able to accept commercial work
which allows me to use my personal
style of photographing. There would
really be no reason for anybody to
commission me if they didn’t want the
resulting images to be in my style. I am
also not sure I could photograph very
well in any other way. Practically speaking,
most photographers are not in a
position to turn down work and it is
necessary for them to adapt their style
and technique to the client’s needs and
wishes. I would certainly do the same
if my fine art work did not give me any
income!
Mention one word that describe
your photos
Sorry, I cant : ) I will leave that answer
for somebody else



What kind of picture deserve labeled
as “the great one”?
I think a book could be written on
this subject! In fact, many have been.
I believe a “great” photograph is in
the mind, heart, soul and spirit of the
beholder. Some photographs may be
considered “great” by consensus, others
by single individuals. There are “great”
photographs by ordinary photographers,
and ordinary photographs by
“great” photographers. Ultimately,
“great” is a label, subjectively applied.
You regularly do exhibition. Do you
think all photographers should do
exhibitions regularly? How often?
And please explain the reasons.
I cannot speak for other photographers.
For myself, I think it is important
to share images, whether it is through
exhibitions, web sites, books, calendars,
posters, notecards, etc. I think one
of the prime reasons to be a photographer
is the willingness and even
necessity to exhibit what is created.
Being a photographer means that I
hunt for experiences. I am privileged to
witness amazing things. I try to record
and interpret them. I don’t believe I
should hoard the results. I like to think
that I am a medium for others to see
things they might not otherwise have
the opportunity to see. I think that I am
really a guide.

Practically, exhibitions give me deadlines
to finish prints. They help me to
survey a body of work objectively, and
I am always interested in the viewers
reactions and responses. Exhibitions
also enable to me to survive because
my livelihood is very much based in
print sales.
If there is some kind of checklist
to achieved before you press the
shutter release, what aspect/point
should be on the list?
I would suggest that there is some sort
of resonance, connection or personal
response with the subject matter. But it
is different for everybody. Sometimes,
it is a form of therapy just to wander
and photograph. The results may not
even matter. Sometimes it helps to
see, understand and connect us the
world. Sometimes, it does precisely the
opposite and rather than experience
the world itself we hide behind the
camera. I like to think that I am having
a conversation with whatever I photograph.
I try not to steal an image, but
rather acknowledge that a photograph
is being made.
I look for an interesting composition,
an arrangement of shapes and tonalities.
I am drawn to certain lighting conditions and atmospheres. But it is
all so personal. For example I’ve always
liked to photograph in “conditions”;
mist, rain, snow, etc., where distracting
backgrounds are eliminated or subdued.
Sunshine and blue sky has never
appealed to me. Too much light tends
to reveal all the details of a scene and
I am not interested in a perfect photocopy.
I prefer suggestion over description.
I like to use the analogy of haiku
poetry where just a few elements act as
catalysts for one’s imagination. Often
I make long time exposures so that
detailed water becomes floating mist,
clouds in the sky become blurred masses
of tonality and a populated scene
becomes empty. The world is pretty
chaotic, seemingly always speeding up
and getting louder and more visually
dense. I am interested in finding and/or
creating calm shelters from the storm,
places where quiet solitude is encouraged
and inner contemplation is possible.
I think we could all use a break
from time to time…

You know, I don’t really think I’m a pure
landscape photographer even if, it’s a
fact, I often shot landscapes… I’m going
to try to explain..

Mainly, my photographs are my way to
show and express some of my feelings
and my personal perception of what
surrounds me. Photography, for me, is
not about reproducing the world. I’m
not really interested in making an accurate
copy of what I see out there. In
fact, I really prefer the power of suggestion
over description. What you can see
in my photographic work goes through
my own filters. OK… all the elements in
my photos exist, and everybody could
easily see them, but my goal is to offer
an artistic interpretation and above all
an emotion.

When everybody have a camera,
the first thing they shoot is landscape (beside people
around them). But not so many
people can shoot landscape on
a very good quality. What have
they missed on shooting landscape?
Why not so many people
can shoot good?

It’s really a very difficult question. I
don’t know. And I don’t know what is «
a good photo

I just could speak about what amazes
me, what touches me but certainly not
what is good or not. Creating image
isn’t easy. For me it’s just a need, a must
do, pics are a great part of my life, I love
doing that, and that’s what I do the
best in life.

You shoot landscape mostly (or
even all) in black & white. Why?
Don’t you like taking landscape
on color?

As I’ve already said, b&w was a revelation
for me, it’s the way I found to
express all of my feelings. I love the
colors of life, but my pics don’t speak
about reality, just about my emotions
and feelings. I can’t express my feelings
in colors.

What inspired you & triggered
you on taking photos?

More than landscapes which surrounds to do a good photograph
me, my goal in my photographic work
is just to share a poetic feeling in order
to emphasize imagination, a door
opened on the dream of the light. But
to answer more accurately, I would
say I just show the elements I see and
use those elements as catalysts for my
own imagination and hopefully for the
viewer’s imagination. I’m generally attracted
to places where stories can take
place, where imagination can be fired.

What kind of picture deserve
labeled as “the great one” on
your opinion?

One which could touch my heart.

Mention one word that describe
your photos.

Two words, please.. I would say light
and motion.

Share some tips for them who
want to learn photography appropriately.

I’m afraid I’ve no serious tips to share.
The best advice is to have fun, to open
your eyes to the world and let your
feelings going on… techniques is techniques
and it never speaks about how
More than landscapes which surrounds to do a good photograph

First of all, we improvised an MRT. For
this we used an old oven and connected
it to an … erm … a cathode ray,
the usual, you know … and an ironing
board as an examination table. If you
ask me, that’s the way the real things
are built, they’re just camouflaged
better!
Next we needed a test person, and
who better for the job than my brother
Markus? In the MRT, he was shown a
magazine. And there, can you see it on
the monitor? His brain’s lit up!!! This is
what is known as the “reward centre”. It
lights up most when confronted with
a washing powder advert. See: clear
proof of the potential of brain research!

Now let’s take it a step further: I’m going
to directly access the test person’s
brain. With the aid of, erm … what was
it called again? Ah, yes … with a magnetic
resonance indoctrinator, I’m going
to project my sales message about
ATA, the scouring agent. “Buy ATA! ATA
will make you happy!” And the brain
promptly shows ATA “indoctrination”, as
scientists call it.

So, is it really possible to “specifically
turn a consumer into a buyer and lastingly
manifest a brand in the brain”, as
the agency BBDO predicts?

Well, only 30 minutes on, my brother
was seized by a strong desire to go
shopping, so we took him to the
supermarket. What will he buy, we all
wondered? ATA, of course! There’s the
proof: neuromarketing really works!
Yihoo!