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Author Topic: Jeff Mitchum Photography  (Read 12714 times)

spleisher

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« on: January 31, 2008, 10:41:14 am »

Hello everyone,

I've not posted in the forum before, but wanted to drop in and say hi.  My wife and I are planning a trip to California in the Summer, and we plan to buy an image from Jeff Mitchum.  This is not an advertisement for Jeff by any means, but I wanted to share his work and see what others on the forum thought.  I'm just a big fan of Landscape photography in general, and am looking forward to getting something on our wall!  After much research, we've settled on Jeff.  He is a great guy, and has been very helpful to us.

Anyway, enjoy.  I'd love to hear if anyone on the forum has any favorites from the site.  In the end, I'm sure it will come down to a personal decision when we visit the gallery, but it would be fun to hear what others think.  Enjoy!

Here's a link to Jeff's site:

http://www.seasonsoflightgallery.com

Take care!
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LFitch

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2008, 11:20:45 am »

Hello! What a coincidence, this is my first post as well! I visited his site, beautiful work. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Sea Wanderer. I kept trying to figure out how he did it. Beautiful. I also love the pics of Isreal, God's chosen land. Great stuff! It would be great to go there someday (I guess I will eventually anyway), but for now I'll just indulge in pictures
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“A man may imagine things that are false, but he can only understand things that are true, for if the things be false, the apprehension of them is not understanding.”--Isaac Newton

spleisher

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2008, 11:34:36 am »

Sea Wanderer is one of Jeff's newer ones on the site.  I have spoken with Jeff as my wife and I have been researching our purchse, and he has been VERY helpful in describing the images and how he did them.  If I get a chance to talk to him again soon, I'll try to find out the story behind that image for you.

My wife is Jewish, and we're seriously considering some of the images from the Israel collection.  My wife really likes the simple beauty of "The Three Patriarchs".  Those are actually little trees in the Dead Sea.  The white stuff at the bottom is salt.  That whole collection is amazing.  It really shows Israel in a different light than we are used to seeing in the media.  Amazing how the history and natural beauty contrast with the ugliness of conflict, huh?

We're heading to California in early summer, and we plan to spend 3 nights in Monterey.  We'll also be visiting a lot of the sites where Jeff's images were made.  Sort of a trip based on Fine Art Landscape Photography.
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spleisher

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2008, 12:20:49 pm »

Just got an e-mail from Jeff.  Sea Wanderer was done with an 8 minute exposure after sunset.  There was some mist in the air.  The mist, coupled with the extended exposure, is what created that ghostly mood.

Pretty cool, huh?
« Last Edit: January 31, 2008, 02:04:13 pm by spleisher »
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Geoff Wittig

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2008, 04:14:38 pm »

Some very nice panos on that site for sure, but...
I must confess that I'm tiring of the trend toward neon saturated colors. I realize that in commercial photography you want to grab a viewer's attention, but way too much work out there clings to this hyper-velvia color palette.

Just my two cents.
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wolfnowl

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2008, 07:53:19 pm »

I see what you mean, Geoff.  Landed on the splash page and thought to grab my sunglasses.  Nice work, though.

And to the other two, welcome to the list!

Mike.
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photohitch

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2008, 11:15:36 pm »

Great call Spleisher.Absolutely love Jeffs work.You can have preferences with film type,but one event clearly lifts off seeing those Panos and those are incredibly difficult to capture.Many of the images Jeff has captured Ive tried and failed miserably!!!!And I use Velvia-lol!!!!
    Does Jeff have any Black and White work???He has an amazing collection of world class images and diversified!!!Cant wait to walk into one of his gallerys soon!!Thanks for sharing!!!Will he take an old timer on a trip?I once carried Ansels bags:)
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spleisher

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« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2008, 09:21:13 am »

Quote
Great call Spleisher.Absolutely love Jeffs work.You can have preferences with film type,but one event clearly lifts off seeing those Panos and those are incredibly difficult to capture.Many of the images Jeff has captured Ive tried and failed miserably!!!!And I use Velvia-lol!!!!
    Does Jeff have any Black and White work???He has an amazing collection of world class images and diversified!!!Cant wait to walk into one of his gallerys soon!!Thanks for sharing!!!Will he take an old timer on a trip?I once carried Ansels bags:)
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Personally, I love his work too.  I guess the color palate issue is a matter of personal taste, and I think I see what some folks are talking about.  That's the look I'm going for in my house, but I imagine there are all kinds of different looks that one might lean towards.

As for going out shooting with Jeff.  All I can say is that he's been VERY willing to talk to me, educate me on the art and on the stories behind any image I ask about.  Shoot him an e-mail or give him a ring.  You'll find him a blast to talk to.  I think he's one of those guys who just love what he does and is passionate about it.  He likes to talk about it and educate people.  No insecurity there from what I've seen.

You carried Ansel Adams' bags?  I'd love to hear more about that story.  Sounds interesting!

If you want to hear more about some of the images on Jeff's site, here's an interview I enjoyed listening to:

[a href=\"http://www.wildsidenews.com/012507.htm]http://www.wildsidenews.com/012507.htm[/url]

Again, I'm by no means advertizing for Jeff.  My wife and I have simply been drawn to his work, and I'm curious to learn more about what I see from a group of folks who are more knoledgeable than I am.

Take care!

Scott
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photohitch

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2008, 12:18:22 pm »

Thanks again Scott,
                   I emailed Jeff and he got back to me this am.Answered several questions etc,,Incredible knowing how busy with the gallerys and shooting and etc,,,,,I can see why you want to own one of those pieces.Your buying more than simply an image!We loved Ansel for the very reason that he was an incredible person too!Jeffs being out there keeps us hopeful:)
                   As far as the color subject is concerned im still positive that many of Jeffs images are not done justice by how the film can render a scene.Even Ansel expressed frustration with color film to work a scene to what he saw that day-thus,black and white was it!!!Which I also am a huge fan,but one thing for sure color film has come thank God alot further than it was in the golden era of mine:)
                 Yes I was fresh out of college climbing and photographing in Yosemite when I met Ansel photographing El Cap with group in tow.We chatted briefly and when he learned of my plan to hike up the mist trail the next day he invited me along.Next thing you know,he has me  carrying that giant 8 x 10 camera/tripod of his all the way to Nevada Falls and to the springboard where Monolith was taken years before!That was my intro to the man.Half mtn goat/half man!Huge giving heart!
                 One of my personal favourites I asked Jeff about was Moonstruck taken in Big Sur.Wow!!!Did you know that was a 3 hour exposure under full moon?I personally love those technical-creative and compositionally sound thought out image.That is a wonderfully great piece!Maybe Jeff will give us a discount if we buy together:)Smiling,,,,,Thanks for sharing Jeffs work!
ps,,The late great Galen Rowell is someone you"d enjoy too!
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spleisher

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Jeff Mitchum Photography
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2008, 12:55:37 pm »

Quote
Thanks again Scott,
                   I emailed Jeff and he got back to me this am.Answered several questions etc,,Incredible knowing how busy with the gallerys and shooting and etc,,,,,I can see why you want to own one of those pieces.Your buying more than simply an image!We loved Ansel for the very reason that he was an incredible person too!Jeffs being out there keeps us hopeful:)
                   As far as the color subject is concerned im still positive that many of Jeffs images are not done justice by how the film can render a scene.Even Ansel expressed frustration with color film to work a scene to what he saw that day-thus,black and white was it!!!Which I also am a huge fan,but one thing for sure color film has come thank God alot further than it was in the golden era of mine:)
                 Yes I was fresh out of college climbing and photographing in Yosemite when I met Ansel photographing El Cap with group in tow.We chatted briefly and when he learned of my plan to hike up the mist trail the next day he invited me along.Next thing you know,he has me  carrying that giant 8 x 10 camera/tripod of his all the way to Nevada Falls and to the springboard where Monolith was taken years before!That was my intro to the man.Half mtn goat/half man!Huge giving heart!
                 One of my personal favourites I asked Jeff about was Moonstruck taken in Big Sur.Wow!!!Did you know that was a 3 hour exposure under full moon?I personally love those technical-creative and compositionally sound thought out image.That is a wonderfully great piece!Maybe Jeff will give us a discount if we buy together:)Smiling,,,,,Thanks for sharing Jeffs work!
ps,,The late great Galen Rowell is someone you"d enjoy too!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=172243\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello again,

Glad you were able to get in touch with Jeff.  As I said, he really seems to enjoy talking about and educating people about the images.  He's got no problem telling folks how things were done, which is part of what I like about him.  I actually did know about 'Moonstruck'.  Jeff told me how that one was done.  He also talks about it in the interview I linked above, although I think it had a different name when that interview was done.  It really is an incredible image.  It's one of my favorites.  To me, that's where the "art" of fine art photography takes place.  When I talk to friends and family about buying a piece of fine art photography, many do not understand how photography can be art.  When you explain the patience, planning, and precision that goes into an image, even the layman begins top better appreciate the artisitc value.

My wife and I have been looking at all the images on the site for several months now, and have been going back and forth on favorites for some time.  I really think it's going to take seeing them in person to come to a final decision.  Our trip to California isn't until early June, and we're practically jumping out of our skins with excitement.

The next thing on my list is to buy lighting.  I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to do and how I'm going to do it, it's just a matter of when I'm in the mood for another household project

Great story about Ansel Adams!  After all these years, Adams really remains the gold standard, and I know from talking to Jeff that he is proud to be shooting in the same tradition, albeit in color.  That's another thing I really enjoy about Jeff's work.  He's innovative, yet he remains true to the tradition of the art.  I think that's cool.  That, coupled with him being a great guy and very accessible (there are others in the market who are ANYTHING but accessible) and the whole package is pretty cool, at least for me.

As soon as I finish this post, I'm going to go google Galen Rowell.  That's what this is about for me.  I love the education and the research.  The plan for my wife and I is to take a memorable trip, and return home with a prized posession that will last a lifetime.  I think that's pretty neat!

Thanks for responding.... Enjoying the conversation!

Scott
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