Pragmatic Photography

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Pragmatic: relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters. Practical as opposed to idealistic.

Acrobats have to be pragmatic. They may have planned for some fancy manoeuvres but it’s much more important to get the job done and not fall or drop anything.

Left: Gary Borstelmann, aka Gary Sladek, aka the Amazing Sladek, performs at an NBA All-Star game in Toronto, 2016.

Right: Rong Niu, aka Krystal Niu, aka Red Panda, performs at an NBA All-Star game in Toronto, 2016.

This is another view-from-my-office photo.

A pragmatic photographer is more concerned with getting the job done rather than making an artistic statement.

Many people who take pictures with their cellphone camera are pragmatic photographers. They want a photo without any fuss and without much thought.
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A Good Example Of Bad Public Relations

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A 1950s public relations photo to publicize Dairy Queen’s banana drink in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. This Main Street ice cream shop still exists today but it’s no longer a Dairy Queen franchise. (US Library of Congress)

Public relations photography is, or at least should be, much more advanced today.

Today I received an unwanted press release from a Toronto public relations company. It was a good example of what not to do especially if you’re claiming to be a professional communications company.
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Reselling Editorial Photos

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This is another view-from-my-office photo.

The Toronto Raptors mascot was born 27 years ago on November 3, 1995. He wears jersey number 95.

Ryan Bonne, the guy inside the costume, got the job with the Raptors just a few months after graduating from university in 1995. You won’t be surprised that he majored in theatre with a minor in sports studies.

It’s not uncommon for the subject of an editorial photo to ask the photographer for a copy of the picture that was published. Usually the person just wants a souvenir photo of themselves.

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Retouching Family Photos

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Family photos can be retouched to remove blemishes and other distractions. Colour and tone can be enhanced to make the a photo look its best.

Imperfections and distractions in family photos aren’t often a big deal and can be easily overlooked. But if a picture is going to be printed large and hung on a wall then you might consider photo retouching to fix any technical errors, remove blemishes and enhance the image to look its best.

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Camera Bag Security

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A photographer friend recently had their camera gear stolen while shooting a corporate event at a hotel. They put their fully loaded camera bag down for just a couple minutes . . .

We all know to never leave our gear unattended when in public. But that’s often easier said than done.

I use a wheeled case as much as possible not only because it takes the weight off my shoulders but also because it’s easier to secure a wheeled case than an over-the-shoulder bag. A Pelican case or similar is best because there are no zippers and you can lock the lid. Zippers are relatively easy to poke open with a screwdriver, a fork or even a ballpoint pen. Some zippers are made more puncture-resistant than others.

I have several homemade, plastic-coated steel cables of various lengths and matching padlocks. These cables are used on location, in my car trunk and in hotel rooms.
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Window or Mirror?

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Some selfies can work out very well. This woman got a good experience being close up with actor Ryan Reynolds, a nice photo of the two of them together and, because of the first two, she undoubtedly has a good memory of the event. But many selfies turn out to be duds.

The purpose of a selfie with a celebrity is the brief(?) illusion that you and the celebrity are connected. You can bask in the reflected glory of the celebrity and the selfie is a trophy you can show others.
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