While many books address the equipment, techniques, and compositional approaches to image creation, few describe the steps involved in the creation of the picture idea. This book is a passport to the creative process of professional artists. The context is photography but the ideas can be applied across the board. This book emphasizes working out how to achieve the end result before we begin. A key question is what do we have to get right as we shoot and what can we achieve later in post-processing? The correct answer will drive the quality of our imagery and extend our careers.
This book is not a how-to book on making photographs. Rather, this book is about the creative process of conceptualizing ideas and executing those ideas to make a photograph. How do artists conceptualize? Where do they get their ideas? How do they incorporate those ideas into their work?
Compositing and storytelling abilities have never been easier and more difficult to achieve. Sound contradictory? It is. Illogical? It is. We will journey together to solve the many whys and hows so that the technology does not get in the way of image content and story.
As it relates to a particular topic in the text, there are discussions about photographic theory, lighting, composition, color and, of course, Photoshop. Included are examples of my work, each with a detailed examination of my creative process for that particular photograph. Again the idea here is to examine creativity in a way that demystifies the process.
Artists create. Good artists have a process. Great artists have discipline. This book is about all three.
Michael E. Stern picked up his first camera when he was 12 and has been going ever since. Self-taught early on, he continued his photography education in Jr. and Sr. high schools, Cal State Northridge and Art Center College of Design where he earned a BFA in 1979.
He has operated small, medium and large commercial studios in Hollywood and Burbank. His career began with movie poster assignments and quickly moved towards multimedia productions for Star-Kist Foods, van conversion companies and the largest design and construction firm in Japan.
A long-standing relationship with The Walt Disney Company was established in 1982, but only after smiling and dialing for two years before getting his first photography assignment. He's also worked with Warner Brothers, Universal, Paramount Studios and Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures. A reputation of quality, creativity and making the deadlines has driven his career forward for more than 30 years. In 2011 he added time-lapse photography design and production to his list of services.
1995 was the year he began learning about digital capture and in 2000 he scanned, restored and printed 140 aviation-themed historical photographs for Disney's California Adventure. As a digital restoration artist Michael continues to work on projects for educational institutions, companies and private parties.
Michael teaches in a variety of formats: community college, private college, online lectures and in-person workshops. The topics of photographic theory, Photoshop, Lightroom, artist business practices and how to be successful at self-employment are his specialties. His first book: Build A Better Photograph, A Disciplined Approach To Creativity, is an informative look at his approach to maintaining a professional photography presence beyond f/stops and shutter speeds. His podcast: "Build A Better Photograph" is aimed at advanced amateurs, college students and early career professionals. Podcasts are available @ iTunes.
His second book: "Remnants, the Art of Object Scanning" is available from Blurb.com.
In 2011 Michael moved into time-lapse production as a way to provide more services and story telling experiences for his select clientele.
Michael's web-hub: buildabetterphotograph.com is the place to find out more about this dynamic individual.
