Photography by Jim Padykula
If you stopped by some of my other pages, you might think whining is my hobby. Actually, it's photography. And as you may have already guessed from the above picture, I am not a fine art photographer. I just love to play.
My two favorite subjects are landscapes, especially Southern Utah, and creative darkroom (now computer) techniques, especially posterization. I've even come up with a few variations that I haven't seen anywhere else, which I explain on my One Step Further page, which I hope will inspire you to take it one step further still.
Highlight of my photographic "career"
While on vacation in Utah, I met professional photographer Bob Krist in Capitol Reef National Park. He was doing a shoot for National Geographic Traveler magazine, and I got my picture in the Nov/Dec.97 issue (pg. 94-95). It also ran in the Spring 1998 edition of Outdoor & Nature Photography, where you can see a little more of my face. That's me - really! I still have the hat to prove it!
National Geographic Traveler Magazine
Photo by Bob Krist
Less eventful events with my camera
Revelations in bold.
1971 - Cub Scout camera. First trip out west on family vacation.
1975 - First SLR and B&W darkroom. Photos in local High School paper.
1977 - First color print (didn't know where to get prints, so I did it myself).
1983 - Job at Clifton Camera Shop. Joined Clifton Camera Club.
1984 - First trip out west by myself.
1986 - Learned in camera posterization. Joined West Essex Camera Club.
1992 - Joined Morris Photocolor Club.
1996 - Discovered Adobe Photoshop - No more darkroom!
1997 - Editor of Morris Photocolor Club Newsletter.
1999 - Joined Essex Photo Club.
2000 - On sabbatical, but still involved with web stuff.
2002 - Got a Fuji 1.3 megapixel digital camera free with rebate.
2006 - Got a Nikon Coolpix 7600, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0, and a DVD burner.
2006 - Discovered making Digital Slideshows on DVD! Got Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0.
2007 - Sold a darkroom and a lot of Nikon lenses on eBay. It's tough to let go.
2007 - Upgraded to a Canon S3IS camera. Sweet.
Gallery
Some of my photographs, both digital and non digital (...actually, they're all digital now!)
Exhibit
I had a digital photography exhibit (15 prints, before and after manipulation) at the Rockaway Township Public Library in 2000. See if you can spot the one created in the darkroom!
Video Slideshows
As soon as I figured out that I could make DVDs, I mothballed my slide projector.
Cover Shots
One of the benefits of working for a company that uses vacation pictures.
Panoramas
...360ยบ panorama images
Taken out west in June 1998. Stitched together in PhotoVista.
Posterization: In Camera, In Computer
...One of my favorite techiques.
Posterization: Replacing the tones of an image with colors. An article I submitted to the Photographic Society of America (PSA). Never published (...maybe something to do with me not being a member).
One Step Further
...Why stop after posterization?
An article about taking images One Step Further, both in the darkroom and on the computer. Some interesting variations, including mask & montage posterization, tone-line posterization, 4D (...3D manipulation), and good old oopses.
Photo Links
Photographic Society of America - The largest organization of its kind in the world, bringing together amateur and professionals in all the varied fields of photography, including color slides, nature, pictorial prints, stereo (3-D), electronic photography, video/motion pictures, photojournalism, travel photography, and devotees of every process in which the worldwide membership is interested. Join PSA!
New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs - An association of camera clubs embracing a membership of more than fifteen hundred amateur photographers in New Jersey. Dedicated to making photography more interesting and rewarding by bringing together those who share a common interest.