Adding Photo Grain, Not Just For Hipsters | Stoke-Ness
This month
A new take on photos from the vault, what hard drives I use to protect my work, and a writer/runner you should discover.
But first, let me take a moment to tell you what my mentorship program can do for you.
A student who worked with me for the summer and fall sessions booked $3700 of work in October and secured an ongoing retainer for $3k per month. In less than six months he went from dreaming of a freelance photographer career to freelancing as his career. He is just getting started!
If you want to become a freelance photographer or filmmaker, I’ll show you everything I know. Shoot me an email to learn more. isaac@isaajohnston.co
Be stoked,
Isaac
Photo Set
Old photos made new with new edits. I am having a bit of a renaissance with editing lately and these are a few older photos I have given new life. It’s been great to dig through the archives.
Gear and Tools
Samsung T7
I used to use other brands, but after a few failures and slow upload speeds, I switched to Samsung T7 drives for all my working drives. I now own eight or ten of them and even the drives from 7 years ago work flawlessly. They are drop-proof and are so small you can always have one with you on any job.
I set alerts for sales and grab them when they come up. 2 TB for photos and 4TB for video.
Photo/Video Technique
Add Grain to make an image naturally sharp
I found this video looking for ways to make my image files larger for printing a few years back and have come back to it since several times. The video is now unlisted (the creator is now a cycling YouTuber) so I am glad I saved it.
I now think it is essential to learn how to resize but also sharpen your photos naturally. Spoiler alert, adding grain makes your photo sharper and more natural.
Who I am Following
Semi Rad AKA Brandon Leonard
I’ve recently subscribed to him on Substack. One of my favorite writers and runners.
Listen
Acquired podcast the Hermes episode
A fascinating story of an old luxury company and what they do to make their products more valuable than the sum of the materials.
Watch
YTCH.XYZ
This TV emulator makes channels out of YouTube and is a fun way to discover new videos the algorithm would never show you.
Reads
I took a break from reading self-improvement and non-fiction to read a book my 13 year old daughter loved. It’s a good way to connect with her and a palette cleanser for my brain before jumping back into learning.
Reading fiction, I believe is a great way to learn how to tell great stories yourself.
Percy Jackson is a fun book with lots of twists and turns.
Parting thought.
Even if you are not great at self-talk, you can start by saying encouraging words to yourself about your hobbies and art. “I think it looks great” and “I learned and it was fun” are two phrases I’ve been saying to myself for years. They have shaped my work. It’s almost like they give me shelter from self-judgment and allow me to protect my curiosity about art. You have nothing to lose by trying it.
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
This newsletter, my photography, and my videos are all free but not cheap. If you want to help me continue to make things you can buy my all new Pitch Deck Kit HERE or buy me a virtual coffee.
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