Staff

While visiting the small island of Kökar in the Åland archipelago in Finland, I found this weathered fishing boat. This old boat tells a story of many years ago when herring fishing on Kökar was in its prime. No longer in use, the boat reminds us of the rich history of the island when hardy fishermen led courageous lives on the sea. Photographing the boat in early morning light, I was able to capture the nuances of its story. Since my ancestors originated from here, the boat gave a glimpse into my own history.

On The Cover
Are you thinking of turning pro? You should go for it, but not until you read this issue first. Through our exclusive interview with Chase Jarvis and our Twitter tips for photographers, you’ll see there is a lot more to marketing yourself than in the past. Business aside, we have breaking tech news: a new archival DVD called the M-Disc. We also have tests on the latest pro equipment to help take your photography to new levels. Our cover shot, by Lindsay Adler, shows what you can accomplish with Broncolor’s Senso lighting kit for example.

As collectors of 19th century American paintings, my wife and I are very familiar with the wonderful twilight paintings of Frederic Church, Albert Bierstadt, Jasper Cropsey, Samuel Colman, and Jervis McEntee. While touring Grand Teton National Park in the fall of 2009 we passed by the overlook to Lava Creek on numerous occasions and stopped to determine the possibility for a good panoramic shot. I took several over the course of a few days but was not satisfied with the lighting conditions.

Our Picture This! assignment this month was Industrial Design. While nothing can beat the variety and beauty of nature, where patterns and designs have their own rhythm and pace, certain objects have a beauty and grace that speak to an aesthetic that is inherently human. Products of handmade origin or the Industrial Age that satisfy the need for function while maintaining a beauty of form are sometimes taken for granted, and sometimes, with a photographer’s keen eye, transformed into sculptural objects that seem to transcend their utility. We can contemplate them less for something we would use as a tool and more as objects of wonder or beauty that appeal to a deeper aesthetic sensibility. That’s what we sought, and found, in this month’s readers’ images.