Featured iPhoneography: Sean Tucker iPhoneography.co.za -- South African iPhoneography

Featured iPhoneography: Sean Tucker

I’m really excited about the number of professional photographers actively taking part in iPhoneography, and Sean Tucker is one of them. Sean first contacted me last year, and I’m excited to finally have him feature on the site. Here Sean talks iPhoneography, a late career change, learning the photography trade by searching the internet and becoming the in house Photographer and Videographer for Yuppiechef.co.za

Sean, firstly as a professional photographer/videographer, what are your thoughts on iPhoneography? Some people would label it as being ‘hipster’ And in a sense, this could be true as many people just add an Instagram filter to their morning cup of coffee and call that their contribution to the iPhonegraphy world. As a professional, do you see some substance in the iPhoneography movement, do you see it as a legitimate creative form?

I think the iPhoneography trend is similar to the Lomography revolution of the early 80’s. People began picking up inexpensive, plastic film cameras with light leeks and crappy exposure because they were small, cheap and fun to shoot with. The idea there was to shoot often, and ‘from the hip’. A lot of the rules of Lomography relate directly to iPhoneography. For example you have your camera with you at all times, and so you’re able to react to daily life in the moment, as opposed to planning shoots. You can break the rules by shooting where cameras aren’t allowed to go, and you can approach your subjects close to capture unguarded moments. This is organic, reactive, even viral photography.

This means you have permission to be more creative and experimental. You aren’t shooting for a client but just for the sheer joy of shooting. You are giving yourself permission to be less anal, which as a perfectionist I need, and you’re on the look out for the ‘happy accident’. It is certainly a legitimate creative form, and there have already been a number of iPhoneography exhibitions held at art galleries around the world, including here in SA just last year. I know many photographers will look down on the use of ‘automatic settings’ and the often ‘over edited’ finish of the iPhone photos, but this isn’t meant to be ‘perfect photography’, but rather catching the moments we often miss trying to set up our DSLR’s and lighting. You only have to take a scan through online iPhoneography galleries to see it’s charm.

It’s here to stay in my opinion.

Taking cues from athletes, some mountain bikers may take up trail running in the off season, and they say this break from routine enhances their mountain biking. Do you think iPhoneography has the ability to enhance your professional work, by acting as an informal outlet for your creativity?

Absolutely.

As I said iPhoneography gives me permission to be more ‘careless’ and experimental. I find that once I have tried out braver shots on my iPhone and seen that they are working I have the confidence to incorporate those ideas into pro shoots.

It also forces me to keep my eyes open.

iPhoneography has taught me to always be aware, because there is always a camera in my pocket, and so always a photo to be snapped. Knowing this in the back of my mind I am more conscious of my surroundings at all times. This means I am constantly training my eye too, always on the lookout for an interesting light, or scene, or subject. This kind photo-awareness stands me in good stead for the days I do pick up my DSLR’s to shoot more deliberately. I find I notice more, and have a whole host of new angles and creative ideas on tap.

For someone whose interest in photography has been peaked by getting an iPhone, what would you say is a good starting point in the world of DSLR’s? Everyone says get a 50mm fixed lens, others say iPhoneographers are looking for something compact…your thoughts?

I started out with a Fujifilm point-and-shoot which stood me in good stead for number of years. I purchased a little wide angle adapter and initially fell in love with landscape photography, but soon ‘gear lust’ forced me into the world of DSLR’s and associated bankruptcy.
I began with a Canon 350D, and quickly moved to a couple of 550D’s (although I’m months away from moving up to the 5DmkII). I’m happy to stay with Canon for now, seeing as I’ve shelled out a load of cash for Canon glass.

In terms of starting out with DSLR’s I would predictably suggest the same as others: to get a basic DSLR and the cheapest, fastest prime lens you can afford (either a 35mm or a 50mm). There is no better way to wrestle with the elements of photography like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, not to mention using your legs rather than a zoom lens will teach you a bunch about composition.

If you’ve fallen in love with the portability and clandestine nature of the iPhone there are many point and shoot options out there which take some great photos, if a little flat at time. Take a look at the Canon IXUS range, or the lamely named Nikon ‘Coolpix’.

If you have the cash there are some very exciting little cameras out there which are great for street photography like the Fujifilm X100 and the Sony NEX range with their interchangeable lenses. They allow you to be less obtrusive than a DSLR, while taking some truly staggering images!
In terms of camera phones I would obviously recommend the iPhone, but some of the Android phones are coming out with great cameras, and their app store is growing in strength daily.

Do you think people worry too much about equipment in todays world? I look at that iconic photo of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, and I realise there that it’s not about the equipment…it’s about the moment. Are people losing sight of the importance of a moment in time, and placing too much focus on what they think their equipment can accomplish?

I have this discussion with photographers regularly, and it often turns into a heated debate. The fact is that I don’t think we can come down on one side or the other exclusively. It’s obviously ‘the moment’ and the photographers ability to see and capture the moment with good skill and composition, but let’s be honest: gear helps!

I can tell whether a shot has been taken with a point and shoot, a Canon 550D, a full frame Canon 5DmkII, or even a Medium Format like a Hasselblad. But the fact still remains that a great camera in the hands of a bad photographer will be useless. So I would say work on your skill first, and then get the best kit you can afford because it will compliment the hours you have put in to developing yourself as a photographer.

And, yes, then go out and look for ‘the moment’. Photographers have gone on about it since Henri Cartier-Bresson was banging on about “The Decisive Moment” in 1952. If you point your camera at disinteresting things, even if you know your settings and rules of composition, you will have a disinteresting photograph. You have to become a student of ‘life’ and ‘light’ in order to catch the moments which matter, and which say something. We see mountains of photography everyday through our friends on Facebook, but much of it says nothing. Great photography shows you a moment, a look, a scene which surprises you with a response.

Check these out to see what I mean: 2012 World Press Photo Contest Winners

You started photography only in your 30’s, what did you do before this? And how have you coped making a career change into photography, not one of the easiest careers around thanks to the immense amount you need to learn. On that note, what are your tips to aspiring photographers, there is just an insane amount of information out there, and even if you love photography, all the equipment and lighting and lenses and Photoshop editing make it seem like Mission Impossible. Is it as Da Vinci said ‘Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication’?

Yeah, that’s a long story.

I was actually an ordained minister in the church. After working for 7 churches through my 20’s, I was fired from my last church for being a “Liberal Heretic”. By that time I had lost the inclination and desire to go back and was dealing with a bunch of disillusionment over big institutional church. I actually went off and wrote a book about my experiences with church and why I won’t go back to work there again (Check out http://www.unlearning.co.za if you want to find out more).

Anyway, then I was stuck having to reboot a career from scratch at the age of 30.
I did a few things before I landed in the photography world: I set up websites for small businesses, I shot promotional videos for companies, I photographed local bands and events, I designed start up marketing packages for SME’s, I was even part of the team who ran the Social Media for the ANC’s election campaign in 2009:) After running around for a bit a friend of mine said, “You do too much, pick the thing you love, and go after that one thing.” It was brilliant advice. After examining things it was clear that the videography and photography side of things were where I felt challenged, energized and creatively fulfilled.

So I started putting myself out there as a freelance photographer/videographer shooting on Canon DSLR’s (this was around the time we all realised that Canon had dropped the most amazing video cameras into our laps through DSLR video functionality, almost by accident).
There was a ton to learn, but I have always been a self-starter so I jumped online and started a journey into the world of photo tutorials, video tutorials and blogs which continues to this day, and will likely never stop. My first half an hour at my desk everyday is trawling through my subscribed feeds to see if my ‘regulars’ have anything new to tell me.

I freelanced for a couple years, and recently picked up the job as in-house Photographer and Videographer for Yuppiechef. My days are taken up with a combination of product photography, journo photography, and food photography, with a bunch of creative video projects on the go all the time as well. Sometimes it amazes me that I was able to glean all the knowledge I need for this job day to day from searching the net.
In our digital age I feel like you could almost teach yourself anything, if you’re willing to put in the time, but there is no shortcut for that time and effort searching for and reading material.

Learn to Google your questions, search for video tutorials, and track down those bloggers who’s advice you trust, work you respect, and writing style you can stomach. Start an RSS feed for your blogs, and subscribe to the relevant Youtube Channels, and then stay current and commit to ‘learning’ in the present continuous tense.

As my own learning journey continues I feel more and more competent everyday, and the future is looking bright.

Onto the iPhoneography, what iPhone are you currently using?

iPhone 4

Your favourite apps for shooting/editing with?

I use Camera+ most often because of the amazing ‘Clarity’ function. But I also use:
Photosynth for panoramas.
Pixlromatic and Instagram for other retro camera options.
PicFrame and Phoster for some fun presentation options.
and
Snapseed for more controlled editing.