James Troi's Visual Diary

Elliot Erwitt

Jonathan Bergqvist (and his father) created a shoulder rig for his Canon 7D for working the pull focus when videoing.

The focusing while videoing and trying to keep the camera steady is by far the trickiest thing I’ve found when using my 5D MKII for video. I’m sure there must be some new lines of camera lenses in the works that make the motion more fluidic than it currently is.

For now Jonathan’s relatively inexpensive (if you don’t count all his time and that of his father) shoulder rig does the job for him.

Something similar, but manufactured in carbon fibre and a little more sturdy no doubt is the DSL Rig with UNO Grips from Cinevate.

Product Catalogue from Rip Curl shows a watch still life that I think looks impressive at first glance but is quickly proven to be a mash-up of images.

I’m facinated by the way the flow of water is taking place around the watches. But think it is probably not even there for this shot. On close inspection I’m pretty sure the whole shot s at least 5 images merged together with each watch being t;s own file, the water image another and the background may well just be a gradient and not an image at all.

It has inspired me to do something similar (if I can find a suitable vessel to hold water and products) but to try and do it as a one shot.

Tony planets are cool. I’ve had a go at making some and would love to say they came out like these, well for the most part they came out all right, but could have been better.

I enjoy the way a tiny planet can taking in the full surrounds of a location and present it in an unusual way.

Great photo, not sure who took it because newspapers these days seem to not give much credit to photographers or are using micro-stock sites like iStockPhoto.

I like the partially obscured face of the child, the big exposed eye making eye contact (yes there is a theme in the photos I like). I even like the light sheen on from the material the child is hiding in.

Author Unknown

Mike.04 by Gabriel Goldberg (AKA G*Squared_LA)

Gabriel is probably one of my greatest inspirations. His people photos are remarkably flawless and the lighting exquisite.

Mike.04 I like with its slightly desaturated colours, the out of focus patterned background and the subjects connection with the viewer with the direct eye contact.

Agave

A beautiful close-up still life showing the patterns of nature.

Police officers clash with protesters during a demonstration at the G20 summit in Toronto, June 26, 2010. (REUTERS/Christinne Muschi)

I’m sure you have to be just a little bit mad to be a good photo journalist. Getting in there with protesters and police alike. Neither side really sure what story you’re actually trying to tell with your photos. At any time either side could become hostile towards you. Brave is one word.

These guys bring us vision of the stories we often can’t be there to witness ourselves. I’d love to say they do it with impartiality but I don’t know if that’s true once the photos are published.

They still pass an editors desk and go through scrutiny to determine which of the photos will provoke a response, which will emotionally connect with the viewer. This selection process by its very nature may impact how the story is told.

Sarah McLachlan - Laws of Illusion

The cover art from Sarah McLachlan’s album with photos by Kharen Hill and Ralph Mazzucco

Is Time Linear? by Philipp Klinger

Clearly an image of architectural detail taken by Philip at Guillemins train Station in Liège, Belgium, designed by the famous spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.

I love the pattern and the way all of the arcs lead our eyes straight from the top of the photo, down to the clock face.

The Pool

Hmmm what is it I like about this photo? Because I really do like it. Might be the bird’s eye view, the relatively subtle colour range, the pattern the water and the tiles make or that the three people in the shot form a great dynamic diagonal line.

I’m not certain, I just know I like it.

In the 65 years since LIFE’s Alfred Eisenstaedt captured this scene amid the joyous chaos of August 14, 1945, his “V-J Day in Times Square” has become one of the most famous photographs ever made. Showing a sailor planting a kiss on the lips of a nurse as happy New Yorkers look on — shortly after the surrender of Japan effectively, finally ended World War II — the image has entered America’s and the world’s popular, shared consciousness in a way that very few photographs ever have. Today, it remains the picture that, for millions, serves as an elegant visual shorthand for the notion, “War is over!” On June 20, 2010, Edith Shain, the woman in the photograph (or, at least, the woman widely believed to be in the photograph … read on!), died in Los Angeles at the age of 91. But the story of the picture, and of the remarkable man who took it, never grows old .. http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/45081

Runaway Bride by calanan

Great work, envisioning a concept related to society. This photo was no doubt taken to be part of a stock library. It has that feel to it.

Ted Grant