Jeff Curto's Camera Position

The edges of the frame change everything about how we see a photograph. One of the great masters of the use of the photographic frame edge was Edward Weston, and today we look at his remarkable ability to show us “just enough” of the subject. The podcast briefly touches on gestalt theory for the visual … Continue reading Camera Position 26 : Weston & The Edges →

For the last 16 years, I’ve been photographing structures and the landscape in Italy. Over the last two years, though, I’ve tried my hand at portraits and have learned some things about photography, my interests and the power of the large-format camera. This podcast features two versions of a portrait of a 97-year-old Italian man. … Continue reading Camera Position 25 : Pick a Pair of Portraits →

As I’ve worked with one of my newest photographs, I’ve noted a loose relationship Alfred Stieglitz’ “The Steerage” from 1907. It reminded me that photographers need to be aware of the image makers who have gone before them and helped them see. Now, I’m not saying that my photograph is the same as Stieglitz’ masterpiece, … Continue reading Camera Position 24 : Looking & Looking Back – Stieglitz & “The Steerage” →

Photographs by Jeff Curto Sometimes, when you think that there is a photographic subject in front of you, you can’t see the picture you want to make. In this episode, I talk about taking a left turn, both to find a photograph and to provide a catalyst for even more images. I also take a … Continue reading Camera Position 23 : Take a Left Turn →

This episode of Camera Position is a bit different from previous episodes. First off, it is a lot longer. Weighing in at a little over an hour, it is a podcast of a presentation I made recently at the MacSpecialist store in Villa Park, Illinois. I had been invited to come and speak to a … Continue reading Camera Position 22 : Getting Back Your Box of Crayons →

As I return to Camera Position after a month-long hiatus, I give you a few minutes with one of my favorite paintings, “The Calling of St. Matthew” by Caravaggio. Caravaggio’s sense of light and moment of “exposure,” were extraordinarily “photographic.” See a larger version of the image with this link Yes, I’d planned on trying … Continue reading Camera Position 21 : Caravaggio and the Road to Rome →

The visual device of a "view through" from one place to another is a fairly common one in photography, and one that I tend to use often. This episode explores a variety of ways of using the idea of framing a subject to emphasize a sense of space and place.

When a photographer finds a beautiful scene, there is often a temptation to put everything he sees in the photograph, even if the image that results isn’t all that interesting. Here, Ansel Adams and Paul Caponigro show us how showing less shows us more. As a side note, if you are listening to and enjoying … Continue reading Camera Position 19 : When Less Really Is More →

Here is an absolutely dull photograph of an absolutely dull (and ugly!) piece of cardboard that is one of the most indispensible pieces of equipment in my camera bag. Temporarily diverting Camera Position from the examination of fine photographs, I look at a tool I use to help me make better images. By using this … Continue reading Camera Position 18 : A Dull Picture of A Useful Object →

The idea of photography that depends on the exact moment of exposure for success didn’t originate with Cartier-Bresson, but he certainly made the most of that perfect instant. Bresson’s idea of “the decisive moment” is examined this week, along with the idea of how photographers always have to grapple with the intersection between idea and … Continue reading Camera Position 17 : The Instant and the Machine →