Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => The Coffee Corner => Topic started by: MichaelAlanBielat on April 15, 2009, 02:23:03 pm
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Hello all,
My name is Michael Alan Bielat and I am a professional photographer located in a suburb of Buffalo, New York. I have been a LL.com lurker for some time now and just decided to take the dive and set up an account here on the forum to talk photography with other great artists. I am 26 years old and have had a camera in my hand for over 12 years now. It all started back in high school when I took a intro to photography class. The darkroom was my home and I loved every moment of the experience of taking a photo and making a print. I switched to digital in 2001-2002? with a Nikon D100 DSLR.
I am a full time photographer and make most of my income as a wedding and portrait photographer. It keeps a roof over our heads and helps pay for my toys. My website for that is www.MichaelAlanPhoto.com (http://www.MichaelAlanPhoto.com).
My true passion is fine art landscape and wildlife photography. I recently set up a temporary website for my fine art work over at www.MichaelAlanFineArt.com (http://www.MichaelAlanFineArt.com)
I have so much content to add but am reluctant to do so until I can whip up a custom website (it's currently a custom skinned Wordpress blog). I have a degree in computer science so web design is something that I can pull off no sweat. I just need the time to design it. That also helps with all this photography software that we need to use in this day and age!
I am a Nikon shooter (jumped back after a year of shooting Canon) and couldn't be happier. I had a slew of issues with my Canon stuff and I finally said enough was enough. I currently shoot with Nikon D700s and have been playing around with a D90 for video. I own the 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR and 85mm f/1.8 Nikkor lenses and have a 2x teleconverter.
I also use Bogen/Manfrotto heads and tripods for the time being. That will be my next big investment sometime soon.
I am very happy with my 12mp digital cameras but have always been intrigued with medium format systems. I believe my next hardware step up will be with the Nikon D3x (or equivalent down the road) and then next will be to a Hasselblad system.
I do all my own printing in-house and own Canon printers. It is the most frustrating and most rewarding experience. Call me old fashioned, but nothing is better than having something tangible to hold onto in this digital world where images are ones and zeros...
All in all, I love photography, I love learning and I love teaching. I have been selling my fine art prints online but would like to really get that part of my business up to snuff and to market that more.
Thanks for looking and I look forward to seeing you all on the forum more!
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You came to the right place.
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You came to the right place.
Haha. Tell me something I didn't know. I have learned volumes already and have only been a member for a couple hours.
Thanks for writing.
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Haha. Tell me something I didn't know. I have learned volumes already and have only been a member for a couple hours.
Thanks for writing.
A little more than a year ago a friend sent me a video clip of a Bill Atkinson interview, and that got me started here. That was a pretty good example of how far a person can go with this tech. The Brooks Jensen interview was a good complement to that one.
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Hi Michael, and welcome to the list! Now that you've decided to 'expose' yourself so to speak, jump in on some of the discussions!
Mike.
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A little more than a year ago a friend sent me a video clip of a Bill Atkinson interview, and that got me started here. That was a pretty good example of how far a person can go with this tech. The Brooks Jensen interview was a good complement to that one.
I have those interviews but never checked them out just yet. Thanks for reminding me about them. I got through the From Capture to Print videos but keep re-playing those.
Hi Michael, and welcome to the list! Now that you've decided to 'expose' yourself so to speak, jump in on some of the discussions!
Mike.
Thank you sir! You'll be seeing a lot more of me here.
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I wanted to add that I too am new to this site.
However, whilst I also have a sincere love of photography. And, I am a enthusiastic student. I find I am now too old and gray to make a living at this game. Thus, I most eagerly want to become far better and far more competent; which, without a lot of years ahead of me is limiting. Nonetheless, I am challanged by these limitations and anticipate I will find a vehicle somehow....on gaining learning experience without my having a youthful appearance and being young enough to have those who know far more than myself, offer help, advice and (their) experience.
I am surprised (also) as a Canon camera owner that Canon doesn't offer near as many workshops or learning opportunities as those offered by Nikon.
It seems to me from every photography magazine which I purchase and read...that Nikon has a one full page advert or more wherein they are offering a school, a workshop, a trip, a programme...or some learning opporrtunity to their Nikon owners. Whereas, their primary competitor, Canon, offers none in equal number or contrast.
Yes, of cousre, Canon offers a workshop school in Los Angeles, as well as, Aspen. And, New York. And, Chicago. However, those few locations are hardly providing much of an opportunity to the thousands of Canon owners who live 'through-out' the US and Canada.
Or, do you guys see this complain differently?
Again, I do welcome the new guy. And, I also welcome myself. Another new guy - with a gray beard.
Respectfully,
Lee A
Grand Cayman Island
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Hi Lee, and a welcome to you as well! You can guess my age from the image with my grandson...
Mike.
P.S. My son worked on the Grand Cayman Island for three years. That's his son in the image.
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Hi to all my firdnz. I am Rob from Bangladesh. Hope to get info about lots of things here and also I will share ma one as well.
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Hi to all my firdnz. I am Rob from Bangladesh. Hope to get info about lots of things here and also I will share ma one as well.
uhh what?
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Perhaps not everyone has the same command of English as you do....
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Perhaps not everyone has the same command of English as you do....
Nor the same in forum etiquette. That is known as thread hijacking.