Interview with:Tim Perroud [perroudimages]
PHOTOGRAPHY
 | Do you have an online gallery where one can view your photos? Several:
www.perroudimages.com
www.perroudimagesphotography.blogspot.com
www.perroudimages.photoreflect.com |
| For how long have you done photography? How did you begin? In 1988, as a junior in high school I was tired of being the class clown and wanted to get serious about something. I took three aptitude tests and photographer was my number one choice on each test. After graduation I purchased my first camera (minolta x700) and took a basic camera operations class at Lansing Community College. I was hooked! Then I enrolled full time in the Accelerated Media Studies Institute for Photography at LCC. Ever since... I've been shooting my ass off. |
| What has been your education as a photographer? Lansing Community College - Media Studies Institute for Photography. In 1990 it was supposed to be the 3rd best photography school in the nation, behind Brooks Institute and Rochester Institute. It was an excellent school. As one of my former professors said, "We planted the seed, now you need to go home and water it". Then came practice, practice, practice. |
| Please list any exhibitions in which you have participated. Firefly Coffee House - Fort Wayne, Indiana
University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne, Indiana
Artlink - Fort Wayne, Indiana |
| Please list any awards for your work. Gold Addy Award - Adams Outdoor Advertising, Kalamazoo, MI
Silver Addy Award - Asher Agency, Fort Wayne, IN |
| What is your favourite type of photography? Hard editorial street photography & Sports. |
| What do you try to express through your photography? THE TRUTH! The untampered moment, not posed, Raw. I want to viewer to see it as I did when I took it. I think a great deal of digital work is overdone. |
| How do you choose your subjects? Most of the time they pick me. I'm a working editorial/commercial photographer and I shoot what the art directors need, and then some. Personal work is just things I'm interested in or which I feel world be cool to shoot. |
| What type of preparation do you do before undertaking the photo session? I take a great deal of time and visualize what I think would look best and run through several options. Once I have a good Idea of where in going with it, I'll get all my gear ready to go to make it happen. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I get all the details in writing and write up a contract. |
| Do you normally photograph with a purpose already in mind, or do you let yourself go with the flow? Normally I have an idea in mind. Depending on the type of work, sometimes you just have to go with the flow. You need to be versatile. If I am going with the flow, I at least choose the direction of the flow by getting myself were I need to be by anticipating the action. You must always be thinking ahead. Many times if you see the shot BEFORE you take it, You'll have missed it. |
| Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sigma, Olympus, Sony, Pentax...which do you place your bets on and why? NIKON - I was taught early on about Nikkor glass and have just stood by it. I would consider nothing other than Canon or Nikon, unless you want to start talking medium format digital. A lot of really good pro's are shooting Canon, I've just gotten comfortable with Nikon. |
| Describe your current equipment: cameras, lenses, computers, accessories... Nikon D300, Nikon D200, Nikon D70, Nikon F2
2-Bronica 645's (boxed)
Nikkor 17-55 f2.8
Nikkor 70-200 VR f2.8
iMac & PC desktop
PC laptop
Abobe CS3
Abobe Lightroom (RAW work) |
| What software and plug-ins do you use to retouch and manage your photos? Exclusively Photoshop CS3 & Adobe Lightroom for bulk raw stuff.
I'm not much of a Plug-in guy but need to explore it more. |
| What measures do you take to protect your work against Internet piracy? Keep them small but still looking good. I'd rather have an art director get a good look at my work, rather than watermark and worry about somebody making a copy just because it looks cool. The big dogs know better, Mom and Pop shops don't. If they aren't making money from it, I don't care. |
| Are you a good salesperson of your work? In what should you improve? Oh yes, If your not you shouldn't be a photographer. I don't have nor should I have time to sell though. That is what a rep is for. |
| Which past masters of photography do you most admire? Avedon, Bresson, & Adams |
| Are technology and digital retouching reducing the gap between professionals and amateurs? NO! Most professionals will produce great work and Amateurs will not. Once they practice more, then they may become professional at some point. There really is no gap, I see professionals who claim to have 20 years experience and the work looks like an amateurs.. and vice versa. I try not worrying about that too much, if a client wants to hire an amateur, they aren't my type of client. I just try staying focused on my work and my "professional" competitors. I used to get really worked up about those "picture takers", then I realized I needed to work on my confidence a bit more. |
| What is your team of habitual collaborators like? I get what I need, when I need it. I have a fairly large resource list. |
| With which other photographers do you normally team up with or do sessions with? Haven't worked with any. I do have a good referral relationship with several other photographers. I've assisted some, Some have assisted me. |
| Do you consider yourself more technical or more artistic? 50/50 leaning a little towards technical |
| What have you learned about the art of framing and composition? I've really been pushing the creative tilts in camera. Composition is huge, learned early on and considered on every shot. I can't bring the camera to my eye without thinking about composition before I shoot. I often shoot several shots framed/composed differently anyway. |
| How does one develop the instinct of knowing when to press the shutter release button? Years of practice & anticipating! After missing many shots, you'll eventually realize to shoot earlier and hold it down longer. |
| When should one use film, and when should one use digital? Digital all the way. Unless you want to achieve the richness with a black and White negative/print by using the zone system or the sharpness and color of a large transparency for large output. I'm my opinion color negative film is history. |
| Does photography have the recognition that it should have in contemporary art museums? Yes, if I'm not mistaken, contemporary art can be various mediums, photography is right up there. I think a lot of it depends on location and geography. |
| Which websites for photographers do you frequently visit? http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/index.jsp
http://www.calumetphoto.com/
http://www.editorialphoto.com/ |
| Is there any particular technique that you could share? Learn your shortcuts on your keyboard for photoshop CS3 |
| 
760 visits Whohub
Tim Perroud
Fort Wayne, IN USA
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