Open Photography Forums

In an ongoing bi-weekly posting of one photograph from each of them, Michael A. Smith and Paula Chamlee will be discussing the nature of photographic vision and the visual concerns things that go into the making of their photographs, and by extension, any fine photograph. Their writings will be a compression of what they teach in their Vision and Technique Workshops. The purpose of this section of the forum is to help everyone make better photographs—on their own terms—regardless of type of camera used, format, or subject matter.

Michael and Paula are large-format (8x10 and 8x20) fine-art photographers whose photographs between them have been collected by over 140 art museums worldwide. Their many contributions to fine-art photography include: the publication of high-end photography books, including books by Edward Weston and a nineteen-volume series of the portfolios of Brett Weston (www.lodimapress.com); the distribution of the highest quality mat board and storage materials (www.lodimaarrchivalmaterials.com); and the manufacture of Lodima, a new gelatin silver-chloride contact printing paper (www.michaelandpaula.com).

Michael and Paula welcome questions and will do their best to answer in a timely way.

Asher