Really funny, what totally different kinds of feedback I received about the last show. Some were saying “get to the point” and the others really enjoyed the slight off-topic twist. Well, all I can tell you is that I will probably keep doing both, the more straight educiational stuff as well as some other off-topic things that in the end I guess are still related to photography in one or the other way.
I see it this way: podcasting in itself is similar to doing photography. If you’ve found something that works for you and then because of that stop exploring new and different ways of doing things and just stick to what you’ve mastered, you’re actually already in the process of moving backwards.
So, brace yourself for some more unexpected twists in future shows.
But rest assured, this show for a change is full with photography related information right from the start 
image: Track 7
MP3 for today’s show:
- MP3 link to today’s show (7.5MB)
Links from today’s show:
- Vote for this show at PodcastAlley.com
- Today’s Image Review (The Top Floor Scrutinizer)
Tips from the Top Floor, produced by photographer Chris Marquardt, is a free mp3 audio and video show about all things photography. From image composition to post processing. Use a point-and-shoot? A DSLR? Beginner? Learn photography from Chris, it's like a free photo workshop! Professional photographer? Get your refresher class here for free!
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Hi I’m an artist working with photographic imagery and have listened to a couple of your shows for practical tips
I just listened to the show about low light and though your bean bag tip was great I have to say that I think you shouldn’t really be making aesthetic judgements about other peoples imagery unless you have something intelligent to say.
You almost insist that photography done in low light should somehow have a depressing element it in its meaning/subject matter. Just because people feel that a rainy day is depressing is no indication that photography taken on rainy days should be depressing or attempting to amplify gloominess through the use of industrial subject matter or photoshop techniques.
This philosophy of yours belongs entirely to the amateur photography magazine style which may be a deliberate audience approach of yours but surely you must realise that such a prescription approach to photographic imagery is like making people wear the same clothes or speak in the same language (homogenisation)
You might even really believe that on a rainy day one should seek out depressing subject matter. Either way it ultimately signifies that you are not qualified to make aesthetic judgements or suggestions, and for that matter nor are the producers of the magazine trash that fills the newsagent shelves.
Sorry I’m a bit rude but I hate so see people being told how to be creative. I like to see people break the rules of contrast and composition. An out of focus images sometimes has awesome power. An under or over exposed pic can be inspiring. A positive warming and optimistic image of a flower on a rainy day can be spectacular.
the real niche of your show is the spoken practical advice.- stick to it and not only will I keep listening but I will recommend your shows to all the arty people I know.
Or perhaps next time you make comment on the work of others who respect your opinion make sure you say something that hasn’t been regurgitated from amateur photographer weekly, but comes from the heart and has real insight or an interesting response.
I’m intrigued by your use of a beanbag. It sounds like a great alternative to a tripod for those ad-hoc moments. How big is your beanbag? Could you post a photo of your camera on the bag?
Thanks for the show!
simonie, I’ve answered your question in more detail via email. just a quick note here: I’m sorry my style of information doesn’t work for you. I feel that I’m not trying to mandate on people how to be creative, but rather give them pointers and maybe sometimes slight nudges and help them develop their own style.
I kind of started liking your shows and yes like many I do find some of your ramblings off point but hey, this is you. So go ahead and I will keep listening.
Now, I joined your shows a bit late so I don’t have episodes 1 to 12. I realise I can download them directly from your site, but from what I have read there is no way to have iTunes display these in the Podcast directory under your podcast. Do you know what I can do? Or do you still plan to host these back issues somewhere iTunes can see them? Also, I manually copy, recrop and paste the pictures from your site as artwork for each episode. That way I have a reference to what you are talking about in a given episode. Is there a way for you do this so that iTunes can pick up the images automatically. Would be great.
thanks a lot
how come your earlier podcasts, 1-30, are not available thruough I Tunes’ podcast directory? I really would love to hear show #7 in this manner but am having trouble. Please advice? Thanks.
Lucia
Lucia,
as things look now, I can only keep the last 25 shows in the feed. This is due to a few things, one of them being the amount of bandwidth strain that this would put on my hosting. As it is, the show is moving towards taking up 1 TB of bandwidth per month.
may i suggest that you please provide, if possible, the images you dicuss or focus on during your shows in a separate section of your website (as an additional category). the reason i ask this is bc i heard your popular beanbag show (#7) and in it you discuss an image that was sent to you from deviantart.com from a person named sean durant. it’s supposedly an image of red scooter in front of a factory. you said one could find such an image in your website along with the mp3 or podcast of that weeks show, however, the image that’s up now looks nothing like the image you described. i search and search but couldn’t find it neither on deviantart.com nor on your website anywhere.
so, if you could please do us the favor in saving us some time and effort by posting all the photographs or images you cover in your podcast shows in a separate category on your website. (i think it would also help to include the artists names, camera used and other logistics as well.
thank you for your time.
LuciLucia
Lucia,
thanks for your input. I’m not sure why you can’t see the image, it’s linked right under the show under “Today’s Image Review” - Please try that link again, it works fine for me. The link to the original image on deviantART also works ok here.
Ahhh…I gotta go back to Simonie’s comments (this is a very late response, but it bugged me when I read her -? - comment and had to get this off my mind). I have to say I disagree 100%. I don’t think that in any way you pontificate about exactly how a person should be creative, but only give suggestions - and excellent ones, at that. It is only natural that rainy weather suggests a more serious, somber mood in your photographs, though certainly that is not the only way it can be interpreted.
Your (Chris’s) comments are very intelligent. I’ve not seen Simonie’s work, but doubt it can hold a candle to yours. SIMONIE: You need to remember Rule #5: DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. TFTTF is far and away the best digital photography podcast out there (and I should know). Not perfect, sometimes meandering (show 6), sometimes silly (show 29), but always wonderfully entertaining and educational. Maybe Simonie needs a more serious, more boring podcast. I can recommend a couple….
morningstar7,
thanks for this. I’ve also been a little bothered by that comment (even though I’ve never received any other comments along these lines) and your response has just made my day, thanks!!
Hi, I just went back and relistened to some of the old shows (amazing how bad ones memory can be sometimes). Actually I think I missed this show when I first subscribed (which was about show 20) because I had to download all the first ones manually.
I hope you’ll reconsider making all show available on ipodder, itunes etc. and encourage people to start from show 1, as it has a nice “step up” for each show, with quotes from previous shows etc.
Maybe you could make a donation icon where people can, if they want to, donate any ammount to you via Paypal (you, and most other people probably allready know this from things like freeware/donationware such as music production plugins (VST etc.), explaining that you don’t do this to make money, but donating help keep your server costs down and minimize advertisements.
With regards to this show, it’s comment’s and the never(?) returning “Topfloor scrutinizer”: I’m using and getting a lot out of dpreview.com’s forum’s, reading people’s suggestions to improve an image, how you shoot, what to look for etc. etc., posting an image and seing how other people deal with post processing on your image and copying some of their techniques etc. So I’d like more of those sorts of things…don’t stop what you’re doing just because of a few remarks…It could be from the assignment pictures, sent in pictures, pictures you find other places on the web and have something to say about….You could make a populatiry order on the assignment images, making the most clicked, or the ones you like the best on the top, and maybe even excluding bad pictures to keep some kind of level on your website…If I send in pictures as I get better, I’d rather have it not posted (if it’s not good enough) than have something bad posted (and as a beginner, you don’t always have the same kind of filter on the things you shoot). And also, I think alot of people like getting comments/suggestions to their images. As long as it’s comming from a fellow fotographer and it’s tips, not rules, I can’t see why anyonne would be offended.
Also, I REALLY love interviews…there’s so much information and inspiration in those longer shows so hopefully we’ll see more of that aswell
Thanks for a great show,
/Torben
PS. Many people probably doesn’t know this site: http://www.fotokritik.dk which is a huge Danish photo critique site with everything from really bad or ordinary boring pictures, to professional great pictures, monthly contest/assignment with a winning picture, forum etc. Ofcause it’s in Danish but it might still be worth a click.
Chris,
I heartily agree with Torben about the donation thing! It’s frustrating to me because I know you put so much time and effort into your podcasts and this site, and I know this costs you money as well. We love your shows and look forward to each and every one (and re-listen to old ones frequently when there is no new one to hear) and wish we could do something for you. And on top of that, you want to give US something by giving away an iPod shuffle! Gee whiz! Are you crazy?? Please let us do something for you! Doesn’t seem like clicking on an ad or voting for you is enough.
Thanks for all the things you’ve taught - and for making us laugh while we learn!
Lee
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your time and sharing your ideas with us.
I would like to say Simonie’s response was childish and lacked imagination. The kind of person who would watch a spiderman movie and have a problem with him walking on walls.In all things creative we take what we can and leave the rest for others to grow and learn from.
This beanbag got on to a recent show so I went back in the archives to see what it looks like.
Can you show a picture of your camera on the beanbag? Or is that like a silly question. Maybe you only have one camera and your not as quick as “the Flash”, so shooting a picture of your camera is … well … blury at best.
Be well and keep up the good work
James in the City
hello. I came to see show No. 7 to learn more about the famous bean bag.
Comments:
1) I could not find a picture of the bean bag
2) I would like to buy a bean bag from your website directly. Or from someone you would recommend. I would never make one myself, even if it is very easy.
3) downloaded the show (mp3 file), but the speed was very slow (40 KB/sec). When I download shows from other websites, the speed is much faster (around 300 KB/sec).
That’s all for now.
Thank you.
Rick,
check here for an image of the self-made one:
http://www.tipsfromthetopfloor.com/assignment/main.php?g2_view=core:ShowItem&g2_itemId=880
There’s professional beanbags that you can buy (or order) in photography stores, I don’t sell any on my own website.
The speed is fast enough for streaming the audio. I’d go faster if I could afford better hosting, but with almost 1TB of traffic per month that’s out of the question for now.