 |
kodak.com
presents
Rick Sammon
PhotoChat: China with Rick Sammon
April 19, 2001
|
Page 4 of 7
Manona:
Did you take any digital pictures in China?
Rick Sammon:
I filled up two 192 megabyte memory cards when I was in China, so yes, I took TONS of digital pictures, because the digital cameras make the people photography sessions much more interactive.
Nitelite:
Do you prefer the digital format? Does it give you the same flexibility?
Rick Sammon:
I shoot both; film and digital. In my home office, I have a film scanner, and I scan my slides and negatives. So for me, everything winds up digital at some point.
Patrick:
Was there anywhere in China you wanted to go, but didn't get the chance?
Rick Sammon:
McDonalds! Only kidding! There are plenty of McDonald's in China. I thought our tour was very comprehensive. And several years earlier, I had been to Hong Kong. So, I think I really saw everything I wanted to see.
Skip:
Which is your favorite shot?
Rick Sammon:
I'm looking at them now. I like the pictures of the little girls I photographed in the school. I have a nine year old son, and I love kids, and I love photographing kids and showing my son life in other countries. So for me, photographing the children in other countries is fun, basically, because I'm a kid at heart. And, kids really love to be photographed. Kids are a bunch of hams!
Shona:
Hi Rick, these shots are just awesome! What have you got planned for your next trip?
Rick Sammon:
I would love to go back to Cuba. That was an incredible photographic experience, I recommend that to everybody. I might be going to Guatemala in two weeks, but believe it or not, I was in Fort Worth, Texas a few weeks ago, and I got great shots of cowboys and cowgirls. And I'm planning a trip back there. So, you don't have to travel in a plane for twenty-four hours to get great shots!
Richard:
what do you look for when you take a photograph?
Rick Sammon:
When it comes to people pictures, I'm looking for the expression, which is really in the eyes. There's an old saying, "the eyes are the windows to the soul." So when it comes to people photography, you really have to be able to see into the eyes, which sometimes means using a flash, even in daylight.
Tammy:
What is the prettiest place you have ever photographed? And where would you say a beginner should start?
Rick Sammon:
A beginner should start in his or her own backyard. Every professional photographer I know agrees that the hardest place to take pictures is in your own neighborhood. So, if you can get inspired in your neighborhood and get great pictures you can go out in the field and get more inspired to take great pictures. The most beautiful place I have been might be Costa Rica. I love the rainforest. But, that's above the water. No doubt, the most beautiful places I've been are on some of the world's most spectacular coral reefs.
Cornpoppy:
Rick, for the sunset shot, what exactly is the trick for getting the foreground so dark (black) but still capturing the vivid sunrise?
Rick Sammon:
About the sunrise shot -- the difference between a professional photographer and an amateur photographer is this: a professional photographer never shows his bad pictures. That picture is one out of a series of about 30 pictures I took to get that perfect exposure. So, the secret is out of the bag! You have to take a LOT of pictures to get one picture you really like.
Page 4 of 7
|
