Brian Ach has shot for just about every big-name publication you can think of. Rolling Stone, The New York Times, People and Time are all on his resume, and he's photographed his share of A-list celebrities, including a stint as Prince's official tour photographer. In short, he knows how to get the shot. But he argues there's an important distinction between getting a shot and getting the right shot, and it all comes down to context.
Take a look below at his PIX 2015 keynote in which he discusses his take on what makes a great shot, and click the gallery above for more detailed information about a sample of Ach's portfolio.
@Kawika. I agree and am familiar with Dennis Stock, who spent days -- not a few fleeting minutes -- with Dean when that shot was taken (and you are right, it's terrific and irrelevant who the subject was). But, no one said that Ach was "the best" (certainly not me). He is good at what he does, and what he does is hard to do, notwithstandig the belief by so many gear-focused here to the contrary.
I would like to post a photo of a young James Dean, by Dennis Stock, which is a great photo because it doesn’t matter who the subject is. It speaks volumes yet evades definition. I used to be able to post images on threads but now I see no way to do so. Here is a site where the photo may be viewed. It's the one where Dean is holding a cup of coffee.
As everyone else says, watch the video. What he does is very hard to do well and consistently, particularly during those times where he literally has just a couple of minutes to shoot. The respect he has in the industry from those he shoots (and those that hire him) says a lot -- he's really good at what he does, notwithstanding the predictable criticism here from a few.
"The respect he has in the industry from those he shoots (and those that hire him) says a lot -- he's really good at what he does" No, it says that they are familiar with him and they like him; he fits in. Good, yes. The best, no. I will try to post an image by Dennis Stock that demonstrates the quality/interest gap. It's an image of James Dean, and it's powerful precisely because it doesn't matter who the subject is; the picture itself speaks volumes and implies a backstory about the subject. Whereas the picture of Taylor Swift, for example, says nothing.
Very inspiring talk! With a well-chosen title; the "right" shot, not the "best", or "technically superb"; it's about creating opportunity, getting the most out of the 60 seconds you get, and make the image that tells the story of the day.. I am glad I watched it, I reallly learned a lot.
yes, a gallery, with pictures, that everyone can see, so people can judge me by my work; I am an amateur photographer, doing more and more payed assignments from people that approach me, not the other way around (I have no ambition to make it my full time job, it is a nice breakaway from my daytime job behind a computer).
The difference is: I am not embarrased by my pictures. I am in a process of learning, and every month I am getting better. And that is why thiis video is so valuable to me. In a few weeks time I have a big assignment on a jazz music festival, where I have to talk my way in musician's dressing rooms, trying to get permission to photograph on stage/back stage. This video is a treasure in terms of tips and tricks to get the most out of that.
You, on the other hand, simply do not show pics, and rather critique those that do. And that is why your opinion don't matter much.
This is assignments. You do what you could on assignments, you come with ideas, you adapt to reality, you do your best, it's not always perfect or even great, but any time, you do your best.
I won't judge him by these shots, for the above reasons. Maybe the guys on the band are fighting each other 2 minutes before the shoot, maybe the weather was imperfect for others, maybe. We don't know and we never will : because it's a professional photographer.
Right on, but why dpreview would choose to run this feature is a mystery. As you say, you do what you can. The fact that he has access should really be enough to let him come up with something a bit better than what we are shown here. Or maybe we are supposed to be impressed by the fact that he has access, or by the celebrities themselves.
..."but why dpreview would choose to run this feature is a mystery."
Not really a mystery. Brian spoke at an event sponsored by DPReview that drew photographers from all over the world, both in-person and online. It would be more of a mystery if we didn't publish it.
Brian doesn't get to photograph celebrities because he has some kind of 'special access' to them. It's the other way around. He gets access to them because he consistently delivers the shots that clients want, often in less time than most photographers take just to set up their lights.
I don't know the body of brian ach's work - so I try not to lash out in harsh critique based on a few photos... but if the chosen photos are any bit representative - IF ... then the work is very mediocre.¨ I've been photographing for many years and I've seen countless exhibitions ... but honestly rarely something by a "professional" as un-inspiring as the presented photos. and the Lambo? is this a joke? or is it "good" because it has a Lambo in it? or a bit of panning?...
Snapshots... fine - but publish grade work by a pro? no.
The Lake for example - even googling the subject will lead to countless more interesting pictures, from more interesting perspectives, with better lighting, composition, etc. Same goes for "Barcelona"... a city that has so much to offer not just photographically, but that shot looks like a snapshot. fine... but bland and not something I'd put on a portfolio or publish.
It's probably a poor choice of photos to have included in the gallery. They are photos from the linked presentation, and they make a lot of sense when taken in the context of the presentation because Brian uses each photo to illustrate a specific point. As on-off standalone photos they don't have the same impact.
I've seen a lot of Brian's 'stand-alone' work and his stuff is really good. That's why he keeps getting called back by top publications and artists to do work for them.
The presentation is entertaining however few of the pictures he is showing there have a context in them. The context is simply given by his explanations on how he took the shot. Very few images are compelling, in my view; the most intriguing part remains understanding how he managed to get all these high profile jobs.
People have often spoke about context, but I've never really understood what he meant. Brian in the video said, "The ultimate fantasy shot is the Pope next to a Yellow cab in front of the Brooklyn Bridge". Finally I get it.
Out of all the PIX2015 videos I've watched, I enjoying this one the most. Brian has a keen sense of humor and is an entertaining story teller. Like any good pro photographer, he has the knowledge and experience to make the quick decisions so he doesn't miss the critical shot.
Well, not sure I'd say the right shot. But that's subjective. That's the best he could get from Prince? Is the singer formerly known as a symbol on cold medication?
For my taste, the group of rap singers? Cliché. Cheesy.
Right shot depends on context, and I totally agree on that. The pictures in the DPReview slide show are shown out of context. So it's hard to judge them. Watch the video, where the photographer uses that Prince picture to make a point. That is context. Possibly the picture was also published as part of an article where the picture supports wording or graphics design, again context.
Felix is correct - it is about context. Brian uses that shot of Prince in his talk to make some specific points. Short of putting a transcript of his talk into the news story the photo as a stand-alone is a bit out of context.
It's a great presentation, and as Prince's tour photographer he has some fun stories to share.
I should add that the same is true of the other photos in the gallery here as well. They are all from Brian's talk, and in the context of the talk it's easy to understand why they are included.
Man, before judging a photographer watching only 6 on his pics, you should ask yourself why he works with the greats one and take a look at his work over his website.
Really? I don't mean to be rude but the Taylor Swift portrait makes her look ugly which is remarkable, the Lambo photo is totally meh, the Lake Tahoe shot is ordinary and the Barcelona shot looks like an iPhone snap taken by a tourist. Nothing particularly impressive. I am sure he is a great photographer, but the pics are unimpressive in terms of lighting, posing and composing to me...
looking at these samples of this guy's photos, I'd say that he could teach You how to light people if you like really harsh, tacky lighting with no Feeling whatsoever. And/or just how to shoot landscapes "like a beginner". So much for being Well Known.
After a rare Seattle snowstorm finally subsided, DPReview editor Jeff Keller was able to escape the snow and spend some time with the impressive Fujifilm X-T30, a camera that offers a lot of bang for the buck.
The EF-M 32mm F1.4 is a welcome addition to Canon's APS-C mirrorless lens lineup. It's a good performer all-around and enjoyable to use on the EOS M50, and we hope to see more like it introduced to the EF-M range.
We don't often get excited about $900 cameras, but the Fujifilm X-T30 has really impressed us thus far. Find out what's new, what it's like to use and how it compares to its peers in our review in progress.
The S1 and S1R are Panasonic's first full-frame mirrorless cameras so there's a plenty to talk about. We've taken a look at the design and features of both cameras and have some initial impressions, as well.
Following testing of the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II, we've added it to our Pocketable Enthusiast Compact Cameras buying guide as joint-winner, alongside Sony's Cyber-shot RX100 VA.
If you're looking for a high-quality camera, you don't need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we've selected some cameras that while they're a bit older, still offer a lot of bang for the buck.
A question frequently asked on the Internet is 'what's the best DSLR?' In this buying guide we've answered that question – but also whether it's the right question to be asking in the first place.
What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Sony mirrorlses cameras in several categories to make your decisions easier.
Ross Lowell was a man of many talents who had more than 25 patents to his name, created a lighting company and created gaffer tape, a staple in the camera bags of photographers and cinematographers the world over.
Light has announced it's teaming up with Sony to combined experience and technology in their respective fields to create the next-generation of multi-camera smartphones.
The Ricoh GR III will be going on sale this March for $899. It has a 24MP APS-C sensor, newly designed 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens, in-body image stabilization and on-sensor phase detection.
Ricoh's new WG-6 is the company's latest waterproof camera, with a 20MP sensor, 28-140mm equiv. lens and the ability to go 20m/65ft underwater. If you need something that's both crushproof and chemical-resistant, there's the G900, which is designed for industrial use.
Lomography has launched the Lomogon 32mm F2.5, a compact lens with full frame sensor coverage and a unique wheel of aperture stops that protrudes from the barrel.
At its Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S10 and S10+ with a triple rear-camera array, as well as a more basic S10e model with a dual main camera unit. As expected, the S10 series' display is the center of attention with a hole-punch style front-facing camera embedded in the screen.
Samsung wasted no time unveiling the Galaxy Fold at its Unpacked event today – a foldable device with a 4.6" display when folded, and 7.3" display when unfolded. The device contains a total of six cameras – three on the back, two inside and one front-facing camera.
Photographers Ben Horne is asking for help to find the owners of a battered Fujifilm camera that fell from the top of Angels Landing in Zion National Park.
Taiwanese lens manufacturer William Optics is proposing to make a flatfield Petzval lens aimed at star gazers and photographers that it claims is the world’s sharpest 250mm.
After a rare Seattle snowstorm finally subsided, DPReview editor Jeff Keller was able to escape the snow and spend some time with the impressive Fujifilm X-T30, a camera that offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Given that it uses the same sensor and processor as the X-T3, it's no surprise that the Fujifilm X-T30 is capable of producing some excellent photos. We took a pre-production X-T30 all over the Seattle area and have plenty of photos for your viewing pleasure.
Tamron has announced three new full-frame lenses slated to launch in the middle of 2019: an SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD and 35-150mm F2.8-4 Di VC OSD for DSLRs, as well as an ultra-wide 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD for Sony E-mount cameras.
George Mendonsa, the gentleman kissing a woman believed to be Greta Zimmer Friedman in Alfred Eisenstaedt's iconic image titled 'V-J Day in Times Square,' has passed away at the age of 95.
Want to know more about the Canon EOS RP? We conducted a live Q&A that you can watch here. We'll be trying to address those comments we didn't get to in the comments.
The EF-M 32mm F1.4 is a welcome addition to Canon's APS-C mirrorless lens lineup. It's a good performer all-around and enjoyable to use on the EOS M50, and we hope to see more like it introduced to the EF-M range.
The data breach we reported on last week did not only affect 500px but a total of 16 websites, including mobile image sharing platform EyeEm, Animoto, Artsy and Fotolog.
Camera Rescue, a Finnish organization determined to rescue more than 100K analog, has already saved 46,000 cameras and plans to more than double that number by 2020.
Independent lens manufacturer Sigma has announced that its new 28mm T1.5 cine lens for full frame sensor cameras will be available from the middle of March.
At Dubai's recent Gulf Photo Plus event, Fujifilm showed off several of its early concept mockups for GFX cameras that (sadly) never made it into production. We took a closer look.
Panasonic is well known for including impressive video features on its cameras. In this article, professional cinematographer Jack Lam explains one killer feature the company could add to its S series that would shake up the industry – and it all comes down to manual focus.
Full-frame cameras get a lot of attention lately, but Technical Editor Richard Butler thinks that APS-C makes the most sense for a lot of people – and there's just one company consistently giving the format the support it deserves.
The 12th International Garden Photographer of the Year winners have been announced. We've gathered the top photos from each category and rounded them up into a slideshow.
Comments