Jeff Curto's Camera Position

How important is exploration to the creative process? The great author John Steinbeck thought it was supremely important: “This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.” Exploration of the world around us is an important part of photography. Steinbeck was talking about going … Continue reading Camera Position 103 : The Importance of Exploration →

The creative process can be broken down into four distinct processes, most of which we can foster in ourselves. We look at preparation, incubation, illumination and implementation and see where our world of image making intersects with these stages. Intriguingly, the things that we think of as “creative” are really bookended by more pragmatic aspects … Continue reading Camera Position 102 : Creative Process in Stages →

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” that’s what Socrates said. By looking at our past and both remembering and forgetting its lessons, we can begin to answer those questions about who we are, where we want our photography to take us and how we want to get there. Socrates Camera Position App Jeff’s Italy … Continue reading Camera Position 101 : Creativity “Defined” →

When we make a picture of something, we elevate the importance of that subject merely by the act of paying attention to it with our camera. This basic idea is one my most closely held photographic beliefs. It doesn’t matter how insignificant the subject may appear to be; the camera’s lens and our point of … Continue reading Camera Position 100 : Conferring Significance →

Photographer Robert Frank said, “It is always an instantaneous reaction to oneself that produces a photograph.” Reading that quote in a wonderful essay by noted photographer and art historian Gretchen Garner, I also noted her idea that photographers respond to the world with gestures that are different from those that painters use. As Garner puts … Continue reading Camera Position 99 : Harder Seeing →

Passion for the medium is, in the end, the thing that keeps us going. This episode of Camera Position discusses passion and its strange bedfellow, direction. Thanks to photographer and friend Al DaValle for providing some inspiration for this podcast in the form of an email. Al DaValle’s website Al DaValle in LensWork Extended Jeff’s … Continue reading Camera Position 98 : Passion & Direction →

The Gallery Photographica Exhibition, which opened March 3 at the Michelle O’Connor Gallery in San Francisco is showing some really excellent photographs. While I can’t highlight all the great photographs that are in the show, I wanted to comment on a few of the photographs that really impacted me as I selected the work. I … Continue reading Camera Position 97 : Pictures From The Exhibition →

This episode examines the three “prizewinner” photographs for the Gallery Photographica exhibition and competition. Photographs by Micah Garen, Diane Fox & Edie Fogel are highlighted and examined. Gallery Photographica Micah Garen website Diane Fox website Edie Fogel website Jeff’s Italy Photography Workshops – photograph & learn in Tuscany and Venice this summer!

This episode introduces a small set of podcasts about my recent experience of being the juror for the 2012 San Francisco International Photography Competition and Exhibition. I discuss the process a juror goes through when evaluating images for a competition. Gallery Photographica – website for the 2012 San Francisco International Photography Competition and Exhibition. Find … Continue reading Camera Position 95 : The Juror’s Experience →

There is a difference between knowing “how” to do something vs. knowing “what” to do. In this episode we  talk about the difference between mechanics and inspiration and how to know the difference. Masters of Photography – a great resource for seeing excellent photography Lenswork Online – now available in an online subscription model Camera … Continue reading Camera Position 94 : How To Do vs. What To Do →