Getting To Know YOu!

Zoundz very kindly asked me to take part in the Getting To Know You series of interviews that she's doing, but I couldn't submit my answers to her because they were far too long for the return email, so I've had to post it in here myself.

Who would have thought that I could talk so much?
DON'T ANSWER THAT! I'm aware that I have a habit of going on a bit.
I'm working on it.

YOP: Mandé Daguerre - Tell us how you got involved in photography?

Mandé Daguerre: Well, I'm a broadcast cameraman to trade, so I've always been capturing images in one form or another, but I think I was about 19 when I suddenly developed a real interest in stills photography.
I only had a cheap point & shoot camera at the time, and although I had taken many many pictures throughout my life, I managed to capture the most amazing sunset, on the west coast of Scotland one late summer evening. When I got the pictures back from the developers, I was absolutely amazed at that one particular image. I loved the fact that I had captured a perfect moment in time, with great vibrant colours, perfect exposure and great composition, and one which I could then look back on, time and time again. Since then I've been hooked.

YOP: What in your opinion creates a great image?

Mandé Daguerre: I think we can see from this very forum, that many of us like different images for different reasons, so it really is down to the individual viewer's taste, to determine whether or not they think a particular photograph is great.
For me, it has to be something that makes me go " wow ". That doesn't mean it has to be the most interesting subject in the world, or the most amazing looking building or landscape, or something I've never seen before.
It could be something quite mundane, like a fence post, or a pile of rocks, or a doorway. Something that everyone else would walk past everyday, and never give it a second look, but the photographer, as an artist, has managed to show us this mundane object in a whole new light. Those are the kind of images that make me go wow. And I'm not really sure if that wow would be for the image, or for the fact that the photographer was able to see that which everyone else could not, and it would therefor be directed at them.
If it's composed properly, and lit in a way that lends itself to the composition, then a tin of beans shot from the right angle, could be made to look amazing and therefor create a great photograph, despite being a pretty ordinary subject to capture.

YOP: Who, if anyone has inspired you - photography or just generally?

Mandé Daguerre: Growing up, I always looked on in awe at the cameramen and women who filmed the wildlife documentaries for the BBC, and in particular, those behind the David Attenborough programmes. I just thought some of that work was outstanding, and it's even more evident today when you look at the super slow-motion, high definition shots in his latest programme, Life. Truly mesmerizing cinematography.
And although that's not exactly stills photography, and despite the fact that I don't have the budget to travel to exotic locations to shoot nature in all it's glory, I always wanted to be able to capture something special, the way they did on those shows, be it a bug, a rock, a building, or a tin of beans.
Since I came to YO!, and I mentioned this the other day, the first picture that really inspired me, was Phil's picture of Buachaille Etive Mor, in Glencoe.
http://www.yophotographer.com/album....pictureid=1662
I looked at that and thought "Wow". I realized then, that you don't have to be Colin Prior to capture amazing landscapes, and that with a bit of practice, I too could be that good.
Since then, I probably look towards DJ for my inspiration, as he is taking the kind of shots that I wanna be able to take.

YOP: Which type of photography do you find most enjoyable, or challenging, and why?

Mandé Daguerre: I've had a go at various types of photography now, portraiture, sports, commercial, product, wedding, landscape...and I've found all of them to be equally challenging AND enjoyable at the same time.
I enjoyed the couple of weddings that I did earlier this year, as they were both done for friends, and it was great to see the sheer delight in their faces when they received their albums. I waived any fee, because it was a great chance for me to get some wedding photography experience under my belt. They wanted a reportagé style set of prints, and I had great fun snapping away, trying to capture all those "moments", happy or sad, and it was really nice being in amongst a crowd of people who were happy for you to be there, which makes all the difference when you're looking for shots of happy faces, lol.
If I had to pick a style that I find most enjoyable, I would have to say I'm at my most happiest when I'm taking landscape shots. I'm usually on my own, sometimes with Logan, and if I find the right spot, I could sit there all night, taking it all in with each breath. Just me, the mutt, and the view.

YOP: What's your personal fave photograph?

Mandé Daguerre: I don't have a personal favourite as such, but I do have favourites from each type of image that I've taken. I can compare one of my landscapes against another landscape, but how do I compare a landscape against a portrait, or a macro shot? It's very difficult to choose one.
All my photographs are wonderful

YOP: What camera/lenses do you use most of all, and why?

Mandé Daguerre: I bought the Sony Alpha a700 a couple of years ago now ( wow, has it been that long? ) and I've used that ever since. I have a few lenses now, and it really just depends on what I'm going to shoot which will determine the lens I use. If I have time, I'll quickly change lenses on the spot, just to give me different options, but I basically have a zoom, a wide and a macro everywhere I go.

YOP: What is the future of photography?

Mandé Daguerre: DJ mentioned it the other day, and I have to agree. I think 3D is going to be the next revolution in photography. I honestly think it will be as big a transformation as it was when digital photography took over from film.
I've been following the progress of 3D cinema for the last couple of years now, especially with James Cameron & Vince Pace, and their Fusion digital camera system that they built from scratch. They have been the pioneers in the 3D film arena, and have been campaigning for a while now, telling us all that this is the future. Well, cinema chains across the World have listened, and are changing from film to 4k digital projectors, in order to cope with this new level of entertainment. His new movie, Avatar will be the first major movie to have been filmed using this new technology.
Along with movies, the next big thing will be 3D televisions. Sound a bit far fetched? Well Sony and Panasonic have already started to showcase their latest models, up to 103 inch laser technology displays, and they fully expect sales to soar over the next couple of years. Both the football World Cup next year, as well as the London Olympics in 2012, will be shot almost entirely in 3D, so don't be tempted by the falling price of those Plasma TV's. They're only clearing the shelves to make way for the new 3D sets.
At the same time, companies like Fujifilm have been developing, and have recently released, their Finepix Real 3D lens system, which allows you to take a picture in 3D, view it in 3D, and print it in 3D, all without the need for those gimmicky 3D glasses! You can actually see the 3D image with the naked eye. And all from a point and shoot camera. It has 2 lenses built in I suppose, but I don't think it will be too long before DSLR's and more importantly, their lenses, will have the same technology built in to them.
So yeah, 3D is coming, and it's here for good this time.

Man, I don't half talk a lot.

Great read MD

Lol, nice to know I'm not the only one that talks too much

Really interesting read MD.
and I'm gobsmacked with that 3D stuff. I didn't know that it was going to be a reality so soon!

Very interesting read! Thanks MD!
xx

That made for a good read Ian.

Cheers.

I wouldn't expect to see 3D cinema in the home for at least 5 years, more likely 10 'if' it takes off, Phillips have ditched their 3D lenticular screen and Sky are testing with 'glasses' technology at the moment.

3D Photography, maybe, it can be done now simply enough with just a single camera, but yes the Fuji Lenticular printers are cool, (they use similar technology to those images you used to get in cereal packets where you wobble the card and the picture changes) but will be expensive for some time yet.

I can't see 3D taking off in photography in quite the same way as digital did, yes in the P&S market maybe, but will the professional market accept it? that is where the money is at, and if it fails there then the development drive may dry up.

Now, holographic photography, that'd be something

Thanks for the comments guys.

I can't wait until it's your turn, lol


It took a while for Plasma TV's to get going, mainly due to costs. But now if you walk down any street, every second home has one hanging on the wall. But they've been around for a while now, and the ones who were the first to buy them way before everyone else got one, will probably be the first to buy the next generation TV's too, even if it does take another few years for the rest of us to catch up, so I do think they'll be available sooner than many people think. They'll be bloody expensive though!
We've already had several pop/rock concerts in the US, filmed entirely in 3D, including U2, Michael Jackson and yes...even the Jonas Brothers
There have been major sporting events filmed in 3D too, like american football. And with the World Cup next year, and then the olympics in 2012, not to mention the amount of 3D movies we've had this year and the hundred or so that are planned for the next 2 or 3 years, I think the demand for 3D is, and will continue to be, very high.
The Blue-ray disc association are set to announce a standard format for 3D blue ray discs within the next few weeks ( 3D-BD ), The spec will be DISPLAY FORMAT AGNOSTIC, meaning whether the display is Plasma or LCD based (or whether it uses active or passive glasses) won't matter. So if you buy a 3D-BD player, it will work with all properly marked 3D display technologies. What's more, all 3D-BD discs will be backwards compatible with current Blu-ray players, so the disc will include both a 3D version in the new spec AND a standard 2D version for current players - all in full 1080p. The 3D-BD spec will require a full 1080p signal delivery for each eye - left and right.

The 3D gaming world is also taking off in a big way, with Nvidia leading the way with their 3D Vision technology.

Almost every visual media format, is involved with 3D at some level right now, including the photography industry.

If every other visual media format accepts and embraces 3D technology, and it seems that they may well do, then it's only a matter of time before DSLR's in their current format are left behind.
People will become accustomed to seeing 3D imagery EVERYWHERE...on their TV, at the movies, on digital billboard displays, at bus stops, even in magazines and eventually newspapers. The current Fujifilm 3D technology used in their finepix Real3D point and shoot camera, will soon be developed further, and it, or something similar, will be used in mobile phone cameras, giving almost everyone the chance to shoot in 3D.
And as for DSLR's, imagine a happy couple having the option of their wedding photos being shot in 3D, so that they can then use all the latest technology to view them on. That market alone would be a huge incentive to develop 3D DSLR technology further.
And think of some of our own images. I would love to look at a beautiful landscape or an amazing portrait shot that I'd taken, all in glorious, high definition, 3D
You're right...it's not going to happen overnight, but I think it certainly will happen

You would have laughed your socks off if you had seen me trying to watch 'Flesh for Frankenstein' on CH4 with Hannah's Shrek 3D glasses sellotaped to my face till god knows what time last night.

That was a very good read Ian and interesting to know about all the 3D stuff going on in the film industry as well. Thanks for that btw Avatar looks like it will be an amazing movie when it's released in December.

Great, entertaining article, MD!