Organic Light Photography Newsletter
Issue #12 - Autumn 2006
© Youssef Ismail / Organic Light Photography - All Rights Reserved

Autumn Light

Why Photograph

For the last several months I have been thinking very deeply about why I make photos. What is it that drives me, or any photographer for that matter, to schlep around tens of pounds of camera gear to the craziest places, enduring the most ridiculous weather conditions and at times of the day when most sane people are tucked away cozy in their beds. So I went back to the beginning, when I first picked up a camera to use it seriously. I traced my history and found a pattern that is most likely the same for every photographer, and probably every artist. The pattern in as few words as possible goes like this: Reason, Developing Skill, Enjoyment, Refining Skill, Finding Purpose, Prolific Production, Stagnation, Self Doubt, Reason and then the pattern repeats itself. This pattern tends to repeat itself quite often and if one gets stuck in stagnation or self-doubt for too long they might end up abandoning the art all together. Likewise not finding a reason to pursue the art will nip the endeavor at the bud before it can even get started or lay it to rest if the reason cannot be re-established.

I cannot count how many times I have gone through that cycle in the last 16 years. From time to time I always find myself coming back to examining the reason behind the photography. Sometimes its just to remind myself of the reason and other times it was to change directions. Over the years the reasons behind my photography have varied quite a bit; documentation, recreation, education, creation, presentation, preservation and conservation. And I am sure most photographers will have one of these as the reason behind their work and all of them are valid reasons. My photography has been founded on all of those reasons at one time or another as well.

However, of all those reasons the most fulfilling has been spiritual. Islamic thought places great emphasis on the purification of the heart from its many diseases such as arrogance, envy, hatred, impatience, heedlessness and many more, to many to list here. One of the exercises used in the purification process is contemplative seclusion and this is where photography, and in particular landscape photography, has been of prime importance. For it forced me out into seclusion whether it was deep in the forest or high upon a mountain, or out on a deserted beach in the wee hours of twilight, I always found my self in seclusion. Contemplation was then not far away and in fact was and still is part of the whole photographic process. From finding compositions to reading the light to determining the exposure it was all very cerebral. It also demanded a good amount of patience either by waiting for the wind to die down or for the light to be just right or for the many times that I had to return to the same place until everything was just right before a photograph was made.

In addition to all of this, Islamic spiritual thought also recognizes that God was not only the Creator of the entire universe but is also the active Sustainer of it as well. And it is only through contemplation about the marvels of this world we live in that we can arrive at an understanding of the Greatness of God. Upon this realization in my own life and also realizing that I was given the gift of not only being out there to experience this greatness but was also given the blessing of the ability to capture it and share it with others it filled me with gratitude and love for our Creator and the creation itself.

So why do I photograph? It's with the intent of fostering a love and gratitude for the wondrous world we live in and hopefully that we all recognize and give thanks to The Giver of this gift. And I firmly believe that if we all came together solely for that purpose, we could establish peace in this world.

Peace to You All
Youssef Ismail

Organic Light News

Expanded Services

After years in business of providing the highest quality photographs from the Organic Light Photography Studio, we are now offering that same quality to you.

If you have the desire to have one of your own images (digital or film based) printed to the same exacting detail and quality that an Organic Light photograph is printed to then please download our Services PDF and Contact us.

In addition to that, we are also providing film scanning services and can scan both negative an positive (slide) film in sizes from 35mm all the way up to 8x10. Digital darkroom image editing is also available as well as file preparation for fine art photo printing and CMYK offset printing.

And once you do have your photograph printed, shouldn't you mat and frame it so that it will last a lifetime? Have the Organic Light Photography Studio archivaly mat and frame your photograph. We only use 100% acid free archival materials and we glaze using ultra-violet (UV) filtering non-glare acrylic and durable yet attractive aluminum frames.

Digital Photography Classes

This past year I had the great fortune of teaching digital photography in collaboration with the Vista Homeschooling Learning Collaborative and the LEAD Center and the Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation after school program. The classes were taught to middle school aged students and from 3rd to 5th grade students as well. They consisted of classroom instruction on camera handling, exposure, metering, composition, color theory, digital image editing and digital photo printing.

The students produced some very impressive photos in a short span of just 5 weeks meeting only once a week! The second session was directed towards creating a photo essay and learning how photography can be used to effect positive change in society. Example photo essays were presented and the students formulated their ideas and proceeded to photograph subjects and themes that would make up their essay. Some were very thoughtful and provoking, some were hilarious, while some were very chic and others very emotional - all were exceptionally well done.

If you would be interested in setting up a similar class, or think that your school district, or after school program in your area would be interested in running a similar class please Contact Us and we can work out the details.

Did You Ever Wonder?

Have you ever wondered how Organic Light Photos were made?

Do you have a camera... like taking photos but were disappointed with the results?

If you could ask one question that you think would improve your photos what woudl it be?

Would you like to have that question answered by a professional photographer who understands your frustration?

Well now is your chance!

Just click the link below and enter in your question. You have nothing to lose?

ASK YOUR QUESTION NOW!

Photo Techniques 101: Creating Silhouettes


New in this newsletter and hopefully in all those to follow will be this section on tips and techniques that you can use to improve your own photography. The tips might come in response to the 'Did You Ever Wonder?' section above or something that I think is useful to know about photography. And so if this is helpful, let me know, and if you want to know
how to do something, ASK!

Silhouettes are exciting photographs to look at and usually very vibrant and colorful as well.



In the summer of 2005 I made 'Sentinels of the Sun' near sunset as a sillhouette ....To read the full article on how to make sillhouettes visit the Techniques Section on the Organic Light Photography website now!

What else would you like to see explained here? Let Us Know!

Organic Light Website

New Autumn Photos

Be sure to visit the New Images page on the website and view some of the amazing and stunning color of the California Autumn as captured throughout the Sierra Nevada. Several new images have been uploaded from one of the best autumns I have seen in years.


Also, this month's Photo of the Month - The Hollow, is a very moving image of Black Oaks in the Yosemite Valley, on sale this month at a 25% discount!

So check in and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.