Gene Copas

Hi! Let me introduce myself.

This is not a "labor of love." Nor did I start out to produce a column. What I decided to do was organize my notes of over 40 years as a professional photographer.

You see, I don’t have a memory. I think I skipped school the day they passed out the memory modules. So, I have to keep notes and sketches, otherwise I would never be able to repeat any photo or activity.

What I am going to share with you are some of my thoughts and some of the methods I use to produce my photos. Keep in mind that they are just my ideas and are only one way of accomplishing any task. Some of the best photos I have done have come from "happy accidents" while experimenting. That is why I keep notes. Then I can go back and do it again.

I am an artist, as well as a photographer. I paint figure studies in acrylics, watercolors and pastels. One of the things painting taught me was to "see" light and shadows much better. This ability to "see" has made me much more comfortable with seeing what my modeling lights are showing me. It allows for much more subtle lighting adjustment

Over the years, I have seen many changes in the photographic field. When I began my photographic career "serious" photography was done on 8x10 film. Subminiature was considered to be 2 ¼ Sq. or 2¼X3¼ and no commercial photographer would use that little "squinty stuff."

Now, we are again being challenged by digital cameras and the Internet. The improvement in scanners is heralding the demise of transparency film as the accepted media for publication.  We can now scan a 3x5 print and achieve results that were only  achievable with 4x5 or larger film.

So, what do we do about this?  Well if you are as old as I am, you decide that you must learn or die!  I have decided to learn, for the alternative is not acceptable.  Besides, it is fun!  Challenge yourself on a day-to-day basis.  Do something today that you have never done before!!!