Front Yard Garden

Mark Steinmetz and Shooting Large Format Portraits



Mark Steinmetz is a legend.

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Sources :
California College of Arts Lecture with Mark Steinmetz
PhotoWork Podcast by Sasha Wolf

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25 Comments

  1. I love Mark's work. Blows my mind how he can get such natural, low energy photos of people. Timeless brilliance. Thanks for the video Bryan.

  2. Ok man, youtube is straight reading my mind. I was getting ready for work this morning and thought, "I haven't watched a Bryan Birks video in a minute, I should see if he's posted any lately…" and here we are, lol.

  3. I have noticed for myself that some of my favorite photographers works seem to resonate with something that I some how subconsciously connect with. Seems like the photographers you have shown, are storytellers. Watching this one on Mark Steinmetz, felt like a story in a story. Excellent! Oh, and I'm really digging the double exposure. If there was no sound, I would have thought it was done on purpose.

  4. You are one of the few channels on YouTube that straight up focuses on the art and photography. We need more of you. So inspiring.

  5. Bryan, great video and definitely Mark Steinmetz is someone who we can all relate to (and maybe even need) in its simplicity and accessibility!

    About the PhotoWork book and podcast: the audio (as you credit) is from Sasha Wolf's podcast but it originated with a book, PhotoWork: Forty photographers on Process and Practice. One of the best books I've read recently, it's easy to digest and will be a good reference with time. The book goes by posing the same set of 12 questions to each photographer about their process, how they come up with project ideas, how they know when they're done shooting, the editing and presentation process…etc. I devoured it in a couple of days then flipped it over and read a few select photographers again.

    In fact, I believe even trying to answer these questions yourself in a concise way is a worthwhile exercise, which I did: https://www.andrasikladi.com/on-process-and-practice

  6. You are so tough on yourself & maybe that is why you photos are so good. Thank you for introducing me to another inspiring photographer.

  7. Don't get too hung up on missed focus when you didn't miss the mood of the image. Mood will resonate more over time than the sharpness of a left eye. The more we shoot the more respect we have for others work. At times we can make quick judgement calls then later after another view the depths emerge and we need to take a third look.

  8. Really great idea to revisit those photographers you had a massive “photo crush” on in the past and then moved on from.
    The “through the car window” concept reminded me of a project shot by Brian Bowen Smith “Drive by”. His work looks a bit more “hurried” in the portraits but could be worth a quick flick through.

  9. Great photography.
    Must get the rangefinder fixed on my MPP Micropress 5×4 camera and use it like the press camera that it is

  10. Bryan I quite like the double exposure ‘mistake’ 👍
    It does sting a bit at first when thinking of costs 😅

  11. Bryan, when I look at your photos, I often think that you're better than you perceive yourself to be. There is a distinguished quality to your work.

  12. Everything about this video is perfect. It introduced me to a photographer I'm unfamiliar with and I am in awe of the photos so much I want to get his photobooks right away, it had great music and editing as always, and it had Bryan's amazing portraits as the cherry on top (even the double exposure). 

    Thank you for including the works of other photographers, it definitely strengthens my love for photography and my motivation to go out and take photos. 

    Thank you for yet another lovely video, Bryan.

  13. Really enjoyed this mate. You are over critical on yourself, but I know exactly what you mean when you have a goal in your head.

  14. Ya know, buddy… those portraits you made are pretty spectacular. Don't sell yourself short.

    Great analysis of Mark's body of work. I wasn't too familiar with his work until a year or so ago and your take is exactly how I felt too.

  15. Maybe you could shoot from outside the passenger side window and thru the car with the subject leaned down on the opposite side. Arms in the car possibly.

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