Member Interview- Invisible

[Chiller]

Now is the chance to find out about the very visible Invisible.:D:D:D Lets start the questions.

I have been totally diggin all the abandoned stuff you shoot. Do you go hunting for these places, and if so, what type of gear do you pack.(ya know..camera, masks, flashlights)

If you were to pick one movie star to do a photo shoot with, who would that be?

o.k....Ill be back. :D

[René]

Nice simple one to start off with, what's your favourite lens?

[PhotoJet]

Hi Invisible! :)
So how did you come up with this screen name? Are you really invisible? ;)

[Fenman]

Is it because you're Canadian, you wish to remain invisible?

[invisible]

Now is the chance to find out about the very visible Invisible.:D:D:D Lets start the questions.
Thanks Chiller (and your blood-soaked daggers) for choosing me for this MotW session :)

I have been totally diggin all the abandoned stuff you shoot. Do you go hunting for these places, and if so, what type of gear do you pack.(ya know..camera, masks, flashlights)
The urbex thing didn't really seem interesting to me until I entered an abandoned house with my camera for the first time, back in July. Since then, I've been hooked and doing hunting trips quite often. We hop on a car and start roaming the prairie for dilapidated buildings. Some days we're lucky, some days we come up empty-handed.

Honestly, I don't bring any gear with me that I didn't bring to other types of shoots before. However, these places are almost always dim lit, so I was "forced" to upgrade my camera to one with a better high-ISO performance. Also, I'm using my tripod more. What did change is the way I dress: old boots with thick soles are a must (because of loose rusty nails) as well as clothing that I don't mind being ripped, shred or stained.

Starting now, I will also carry an air freshener can with me. The last abandoned house I visited reeked of urine, and that threw my concentration off :drunk:

If you were to pick one movie star to do a photo shoot with, who would that be?
I'd probably go with Robert De Niro, the former master of metamorphosis. I used to be a huge fan of his up until ten years ago (when he turned into a mediocre comedy actor). I grew up watching his movies and some of them are classic. "Cape Fear" was one of just a few movies during which I found myself grabbing the armrests of my chair, with sweaty hands.

[invisible]

Nice simple one to start off with, what's your favourite lens?
I'd have to go with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (the real name of this lens is about five times longer :)). It's like the Nikkor 24-70, only cheaper, smaller, and lighter. Of course the image quality is not the same, but the IQ of the Tamron is much closer to the Nikkor's than the price tags would make you think. I love how sharp this lens is and how fast it auto-focuses (both on the D70s and the D300). Buttery bokeh too. Even if I had $2,000 available to buy the Nikkor 24-70, I'd stick with this baby for its size and weight. It's a full-frame lens too, but I'm not sure how it performs on an FX camera.

[invisible]

Hi Invisible! :)
So how did you come up with this screen name? Are you really invisible? ;)
Hi PhotoJet! :salute:

Invisible was the name of a 70's jazz-rock band that I was listening to in the mid 90's, when I was chatting on the IRC a lot. I adopted this screenname back then and have been using it online everywhere.

The cover of one of Invisible's records (actually an MC Escher design) inspired some of my photos –see one below.

http://www.alexgitlin.com/npp2/invisible.jpg

http://federicobuchbinder.com/img/v7/p706118124-3.jpg

I'm not invisible, but oddly enough I don't appear in photos, go figure. I blame physics for that.

[invisible]

Is it because you're Canadian, you wish to remain invisible?
I have a very low profile, is all :)

[Terri]

Hi Invisible! :)

I like to see what everyone's favorite "own" picture is that they've done. Can you show us your favorite picture?

[icassell]

Did you ever see the original Cape Fear (Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum) from the early '60s?

[sleepingdragon]

Have you ever experienced any scary situations when you go to shoot in an abandoned building?

[invisible]

Hi Invisible! :)

I like to see what everyone's favorite "own" picture is that they've done. Can you show us your favorite picture?
Hi Terri! :)

This is my favourite photo:

http://federicobuchbinder.com/img/v2/p990233085-4.jpg

I was with my parents when I shot it, and remember my dad looking funny at me while I was surveying the scene for the best angle to capture it. At the time I wasn't doing much abstract stuff, so he didn't understand what the heck I was doing. This was a public place (a museum); when I framed the scene and was getting ready to shoot, I felt like my dad was making believe he didn't know me –he seemed that ashamed of his son! A few days later he saw the final image and loved it :)

[invisible]

Did you ever see the original Cape Fear (Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum) from the early '60s?
I haven't seen the original version... Should I?

[invisible]

Have you ever experienced any scary situations when you go to shoot in an abandoned building?
Not so far. I make sure to never be alone when entering these properties. You never know when you might run into shady characters hanging out and doing stuff, or if an angry owner or the police would show up. [Disclaimer: we make sure to follow Manitoba law... If the place is enclosed (i.e., fenced) or locked, or if there's a "no trespassing" sign, we move on.]

Also, no one maintains these properties, so they're dilapidated and all sorts of accidents can happen –ceilings collapsing, floors caving in, etc. Being with someone else could be the difference between being able to show your photos in forums, or dying alone where no one will find your body for months.

The most common hazard are loose nails... my only almost-scare so far has been a rusty nail that perforated the sole of my boot. Had I been wearing sneakers, I would've ended in the hospital getting a tetanus shot :)

[KMann]

Your fave photo is wonderful!!

[icassell]

yep!

[Fox Paw]

Glad to see you as the interviewee. What kind of software processing do you use and how much processing do you do?

[invisible]

Your fave photo is wonderful!!yep!
Thank you :blush:

Glad to see you as the interviewee. What kind of software processing do you use and how much processing do you do?
Thank you, Fox. I use Photoshop Elements 5, which – as basic as it is – I can barely handle. The only things I know how to use/do are the sliders in the quick-fix tab, the "Correct Camera Distortion" menu, plus cloning and cropping. Including the processing with Camera RAW, I spend a total of 5-10 minutes with each image. If it's taking me more than that, I tend to toss the image.

I don't enjoy post-processing at all, and that stops me from developing an interest in learning more. On the flipside, I think this forces me to try to be more creative while I'm shooting.

[Fox Paw]

Why are you living in Winnipeg?

[Chiller]

Cool interview. :D Interesting choice of movie star too.
About the abandoned house stuff. I know a few urban explorers, who go into places full on masks, and gloves and in pairs.
I have done totally blackened houses alone, no protection, and only my flash to light the way. They think Im nuts. :mad: Im glad you have been event free so far.

Do you have a favorite band?

You are asked to go photograph in a dangerous country that is a war. Would you do it?

:D:D

[sleepingdragon]

What do you do for work?

Do you have any shots of a sunrise? :sun:

[Antarctican]

Hey there invisible, great interview. And good words of advice re how to shoot in abandoned buildings.

If you had an unlimited budget to go somewhere to shoot, where would you go, and what would you be shooting? (ie a landscape in Peru, bungee jumping in New Zealand, penguins in Antarctica etc)

[René]

What is your photographers fuel? For me if I know I will be out for a day shooting, the fuel that keeps me going is a full breakfast and coffee. What would you normally eat if you know you will be out for most of the day shooting.....

[Chiller]

I hear in the Peg, you can get some pretty dang chilly weather.
What is the worst weather you have gone out to shoot in.

Do you play any sports, or have any hobbies besides photography. :D

[invisible]

Why are you living in Winnipeg?
Back in 2002 there was a deep economic and social crisis in Argentina (where I'm originally from). The short version of the story is that your savings weren't safe in the bank and you weren't safe walking down the street. My parents and brothers had already left (all to Mexico, except one brother to Montreal), so my decision to leave was an easy one. My brother from Canada did some research for me and found out that the province of Manitoba was looking for people with my professional profile (marketing, advertising, promotions). A year later I became a Winnipeg resident, and have lived here since :)

The city was immortalized a few years ago by The Simpsons. The family visited the city (can't remember why) and the welcome sign on the side of the road read "Welcome to Winnipeg. We were born here. What's your excuse?" :biglaugh:

[invisible]

About the abandoned house stuff. I know a few urban explorers, who go into places full on masks, and gloves and in pairs.
I have done totally blackened houses alone, no protection, and only my flash to light the way. They think Im nuts. :mad: Im glad you have been event free so far.
I can understand the use of masks. There's all sorts of particles flying around. A couple of weeks ago my throat decided to shut itself down during a rurex shoot, so I had to go outside to breathe –this happened to me just once, though. You should be more careful, Chiller :)

Do you have a favorite band?
I used to have a favourite band through different phases of my life (Queen, The Police, The Cure, R.E.M., and Wilco, in chronological order). Not anymore. Right now (a quarter past 11) I'd have to go with the Weakerthans, Elliott Smith, and the Jayhawks. I used to like modern rock, but have realized that I'm now listening to softer music (although soft with an edge).

You are asked to go photograph in a dangerous country that is a war. Would you do it?

:D:D
Not really. I hate war and violence with a passion, plus I'm scared of both :)

[invisible]

What do you do for work?
I work for a very cool company that specializes in online promotion solutions for Fortune 500 companies. My job is not too sexy, though: I work in the risk management area, mainly drafting official rules for these promotions, talking to promotional lawyers, and assisting project managers and account executives so all promotions we run stay on the right side of the law.

Do you have any shots of a sunrise? :sun:
I've only woken up early to shoot a sunrise twice in my life. One was today, which was a fail 'cause there was no sun in spite of the forecast. The other time was last year in Portland:

http://federicobuchbinder.com/img/v6/p1068928263-4.jpg

Although I don't hate this shot, it proved to me that I'm not a sunrise photo person :)

[invisible]

Hey there invisible, great interview. And good words of advice re how to shoot in abandoned buildings.

If you had an unlimited budget to go somewhere to shoot, where would you go, and what would you be shooting? (ie a landscape in Peru, bungee jumping in New Zealand, penguins in Antarctica etc)
Thank you, Anty :) A trip that I'd love to do someday is Prague/Budapest. Another place that I'd love to visit would be Australia. Scotland and Ireland are not far behind. Before I came to Canada I had a full free year in Argentina and was close to making a trip to Antarctica, but unfortunately it didn't happen. I love travelling to different places to meet different people and learn about different cultures, and have been lucky enough to visit countries in four continents. I hope luck stays on my side :)

[invisible]

What is your photographers fuel? For me if I know I will be out for a day shooting, the fuel that keeps me going is a full breakfast and coffee. What would you normally eat if you know you will be out for most of the day shooting.....
(Too-much-information alert!) My daily diet is very high in fiber, and we all know what the #1 side effect of high-fiber diets is. So the evening before a photoshoot, I drop the fiber altogether and eat stuff like rice for dinner. The morning of the photoshoot I make some sandwiches and pack a few bottles of water –my usual photo-destinations are isolated places with no access to washrooms or restaurants. It's all in the planning :D

[invisible]

I hear in the Peg, you can get some pretty dang chilly weather.
What is the worst weather you have gone out to shoot in.
In spite of being raised in what you could consider a warm country, I have a good resistance to cold weather. However, my weak points are my hands –in deep winter, I need my hands inside thick gloves or else they freeze. So, until they invent a camera that can be operated wearing oven mitts, I'll keep shutting it down for the season as soon as temperatures reach -5 ºC (i.e., sometime in November). The worst weather I've ever gone out to shoot in was today, with -9 ºC. Someone brought those hand warmers that you put inside your gloves and they worked like a charm.

Do you play any sports, or have any hobbies besides photography. :D
I used to play soccer (where I come from, it's a male sport) and tennis. I've been sedentary for some time now. My hobby right before photography was short-story writing, but it's been a while since the last time I wrote anything. I blame photography!

[invisible]

Thanks everybody for your questions, I feel like I'm having my fifteen Warholian minutes of fame!

[sleepingdragon]

Are you a self taught photographer?

Do you have a favorite photography book you've read?

[Fox Paw]

You like short stories and you're from Argentina...are you a fan of Borges or Cortazar?

[PhotoJet]

Ah!! Argentina! Do you tango? ;)

[invisible]

Are you a self taught photographer?
As stupid as this will sound in a photo forum, I'd start my answer to this one by saying that I don't see myself a photographer. I do like to click the shutter button a lot, though... but I'm so limited in my knowledge of stuff that I consider myself just a guy with a camera. A camera does not a photographer make :)

I took an introductory course back in Argentina more than 20 years ago, then a couple of basic courses here in Winnipeg in '07. I think photo forums and the constant exposure to all styles of images that they provide are an excellent way to learn. But I think the best way to learn (or maybe I should say to improve your craft) is to go out and make shots. At least that's what I do... with mixed results :D

Do you have a favorite photography book you've read?
The only photography book that I've read from cover to cover is Understanding Exposure. I have a couple other books here waiting to be read but I've been lazy ;) I have high hopes for one titled "Mastering Composition with your Digital SLR" by one Chris Rutter.

[invisible]

You like short stories and you're from Argentina...are you a fan of Borges or Cortazar?
No, but I don't hate them either. They are just not my cup of tea, is all. I love the fiction of Ernesto Sábato (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernesto_Sabato) and the short stories of Roberto Fontanarrosa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Fontanarrosa) (no other writer's body of work paints us Argentines better than his). A little less known but still great is Oliverio Girondo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliverio_Girondo), who was mostly a poet but his short stories rock hard.

[invisible]

Ah!! Argentina! Do you tango? ;)
No... My generation grew up in a time when tango was considered music for old farts. (You know, much like beer was considered a cheap beverage for drunkards, until a few marketing campaigns made it the hit among the youth that it is today.) I'm 42 and only have one single friend my age in Argentina who likes tango. However, when the whole tango craze somehow exploded all over the globe, a tango revivalism took place in Argentina and now many younger people sing it or dance it.

[Ghastly]

Hola Ché... muy buena entrevista! Felicidades por la emigración exitosa. Mi esposa y yo hemos estado considerando esa opción por un tiempo, pero supongo que nuestra situación actual no es tan grave para darnos el últmo empujón...

Anyway...
I think you have a very... defined style. Do you agree? How would you describe it?
If a tree falls during a dark night and there is no one to photograph it... is there a lot of noise?

[Antarctican]

What genre of movie do you like? (eg action, drama, comedy, western, horror etc)

What's the last book you read?

[Fox Paw]

"What genre of movie do you like? (eg action, drama, comedy, western, horror etc)"

If it's porn, please leave out the details.

[invisible]

Hola Ché... muy buena entrevista! Felicidades por la emigración exitosa. Mi esposa y yo hemos estado considerando esa opción por un tiempo, pero supongo que nuestra situación actual no es tan grave para darnos el últmo empujón...
Muchas gracias, güey ;) La emigración es un proceso burocráticamente tedioso y psicológicamente "interesante"... pero en mi experiencia vale la pena.

Anyway...
I think you have a very... defined style. Do you agree? How would you describe it?
Thanks for noticing whatever passes for my style. I wouldn't know how to describe it, but I suppose "semi-abstract" would be close. A year and a half ago, Corinna (LaFoto) said that in my photos I focus on the mundane objects and give them a life of their own. Since back then I was still not sure what the heck I was doing with my camera, that comment was like an epiphany for me. (Fast forward a bunch of months and I'm still not sure what I'm doing with my camera :lol:)

If a tree falls during a dark night and there is no one to photograph it... is there a lot of noise?
That would depend on the ISO performance of the camera not used to not photograph the falling tree :)

[invisible]

What genre of movie do you like? (eg action, drama, comedy, western, horror etc)
I used to be a movie buff back in the day, but I've now calmed down quite a bit. My favourite genres have always been the psychological thriller, the offbeat comedy (think Monty Python), and any kind of movie with witty dialogue (recent example: The Informant!). Some of my favourite movies (in no particular order) are A Clockwork Orange, Brazil, Body Double, Delicatessen, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Others, Amelie... stuff that falls right in between independent and mainstream.

What's the last book you read?
A boy of Good Breeding, by Miriam Toews (a local writer).

[invisible]

"What genre of movie do you like? (eg action, drama, comedy, western, horror etc)"

If it's porn, please leave out the details.
What, you don't like porn thrillers?

[Antarctican]

If you had an entire weekend to spend any way you want, what would you do?

Do you play any musical instruments?

Are you good at: cooking? Fixing stuff? Building stuff?

[sleepingdragon]

I loved your Dressed to Kill shot you posted. Are there more movie theme shots in the future?

[invisible]

If you had an entire weekend to spend any way you want, what would you do?
I love travelling, so I'd hop on a plane and visit a place like Chicago or Minneapolis, cities that are very close to where I am but I've never visited. During the last couple of years I've "discovered" the amazingness of short but frequent vacations, so I'm no stranger to weekend escapes.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I used to play acoustic guitar when I was a kid. Both my brothers are amateur musicians: one plays the electric guitar and has a band, and the other plays piano and sax. They're both really good, and I suck. That's why I've always been the one in the family who chose to channel his creativity in different ways than the others.

Are you good at: cooking? Fixing stuff? Building stuff?
I suck badly at all of the above :biglaugh: Considering that I live by myself, it's a miracle that I'm still alive (and healthy)!

[invisible]

I loved your Dressed to Kill shot you posted. Are there more movie theme shots in the future?
Thanks again, Kristin :) That shot was interesting because it was the result of doing the exact opposite of what I always do when doing photography: there were models (I never shoot people), there were props that we brought (it's almost against my beliefs to pollute a scene with props), and there was advance planning (oh noes!). The photo is not perfect, but I'm very happy with it and had a blast doing things differently that day.

That got me thinking about doing a series, so it's curious that you mention it :) It would be very cool to do it, but I'd need to find models willing to meet several times in several different locations... and do it for free.

[Chiller]

Is there any place in the world you dream to visit.

What is your strangest photography experience.


And...how you get over those typical photography funks that we all go through.

[invisible]

Is there any place in the world you dream to visit.
Believe it or not, my dream right now is to be able to visit Argentina. I've never gone back since I emigrated, the reason being that I don't have enough vacation days to justify the trip. I'd love to see my friends again, and also visit a couple of places (Iguazú Falls, Perito Moreno Glacier) that I should've visited when I lived there!

What is your strangest photography experience.
Mmm... I might have to get back to you on this one... Nothing strange comes to mind... I've only been shooting actively for 3 years...

And...how you get over those typical photography funks that we all go through.
I've gone through two types of funks: 1. feeling that my photos are worthless, and 2. not wanting to pick up the camera. In the first case, my answer has been to keep shooting... sooner or later you'll be happy with your stuff again. In the second case, I just take a break (the longest break I've taken so far is one month, and the moment I picked up the camera again I was raring to go).

A friend just told me that his formula to get over his funks is to shoot subjects that he normally stays away from. Made sense to me.

[Chiller]

My dream place to visit is Wales. Guess we just keep buying lottery ticket eh. Thank you for the answers sir. Im diggin this interview. :D:D:D

[René]

If someone asked, what makes you so interested in photography, what would your answer be?

[Antarctican]

Can we get you to post a self-portrait?

[invisible]

My dream place to visit is Wales. Guess we just keep buying lottery ticket eh. Thank you for the answers sir. Im diggin this interview. :D:D:D
Thank you sir, this has been fun :) Wales sounds like a cool place to go as well.

[invisible]

If someone asked, what makes you so interested in photography, what would your answer be?
Excellent question, really got me thinking... I drafted two different answers but neither satisfied me. Truth is, I'm not sure why I'm hooked, just like with most addictions :)

But the interest stems from the fact that I've found out that I'm doing something unique. When people (online and offline) see a photo I shot, they almost always recognize it as being shot by me. That's something I'm very proud of, and to build on that is a huge part of what keeps me interested.

[invisible]

Can we get you to post a self-portrait?
I made a self-portrait only once, and posted it somewhere here at TPB... but since then I deleted all copies of the photo from everywhere and tossed it.

I know this is not what you asked for, but it's the best photo I can find at the moment. Here I am with my parents and brothers –I'm the second from the left.

http://federicobuchbinder.com/img/v5/p136919714-4.jpg

[Antarctican]

^^^ Excellent, thanks for that! (And now that you mention it, I remember that picture)

[invisible]

^^^ Excellent, thanks for that! (And now that you mention it, I remember that picture)
That's what I was fearful of! :lol: The other photo was not one of my finest moments!

[Fox Paw]

Looks like a terrific family, invisible.

"When people (online and offline) see a photo I shot, they almost always recognize it as being shot by me." You're right. You may have the most distinctive approach of anyone around here. That's a good thing.

[MissMia]

... "When people (online and offline) see a photo I shot, they almost always recognize it as being shot by me." You're right. You may have the most distinctive approach of anyone around here. That's a good thing.

I agree! Great interview, too.

If you are going out for dinner, what is your favorite meal?

[Chiller]

Great to see you man. :D I never saw the other one you posted, but it is nice to put a face to the person.
I know you week is coming to a close soon, and I have totally enjoyed getting to know more about Invisible. Thanks for sharing with us. :D

[invisible]

Thanks Fox, Christina and Chiller!

If you are going out for dinner, what is your favorite meal?
I'm a pizza junkie! :) I also like seafood, Chinese, and non-spicy ethnic foods in general.

[PhotoJet]

Well, if you ever make one of your weekend trips to Milwaukee... I make a pretty good pizza! :)

[invisible]

Well, if you ever make one of your weekend trips to Milwaukee... I make a pretty good pizza! :)
If I ever make it to Milwaukee, I might take you up on the offer :)

Thanks everybody for making my Q&A this fun... A couple of the questions really made me think (I tend to stay away from thinking). Just a few more hours to leave final questions here for yours truly before the new MOTW's name is announced!

[Chiller]

o.k...one last one from me....maybe two.

What is the greatist photography tip you have learned that you could share.

And....when are you coming to Toronto. :D

[invisible]

What is the greatist photography tip you have learned that you could share.
One day on TPF abraxas was commenting on someone else's photo. The person was struggling trying to make a typical rural landscape look interesting... much like me with my own Manitoban landscapes. He simply told this person to look for lines and patterns in the field, also shapes, and pay attention to how they all interact. That little snippet of advice changed my photography forever. I rarely shoot landscapes anymore, but I always look for lines and patterns and shapes (and texture and colour) and observe how they interact before pressing the shutter button. (So thank you, Walter!)

A bonus tip that I'm going to share is one that I learned from someone else's signature on TPF: "my camera, my vision, my rules". Six words of wisdom. Even if you don't know where you're going, or even if the road might take you nowhere, or if it's a lonely path... make your own way. It's much more satisfying than the alternative! (Thanks, señor Chiller!)

And....when are you coming to Toronto. :D
I won't have many vacation days left next year, especially with the chance of joining the meetup in Newfoundland... but it would be amazing to go shooting with you and Anty and anybody else who might want to join. I remember kundalini mentioning a trip to Toronto as well. So a long weekend next year would work for me. I look forward to it!


EDIT: Thanks everybody once again, I thought this was really fun. Now please let's all focus our attention on the new Member of the Week (http://www.thephotobeat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=24257#post24257)!