Ep 4 - How to increase the quality & wow factor of your photo using filters with Jim Brompton

I'm very lucky to have a Designated Master in Fine Art to be joining me for this episode. Jim Brompton has been shooting for 50 years and been running a photography business for 40 years. In this episode, he shares with us his experiences and wisdom in photography. 

As a Kase Filter Ambassador, Jim almost always has a filter on his camera. He explored the use of filters like no other to increase the quality and the wow factor of his photographs. As a person who's not a big fan of overusing photoshop, Jim use filters to be able to get as close to the final result as possible. 

You can watch more about the review on Kase Filters here:

https://youtu.be/YiC8W9PTvas 

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For those of you who want to learn more about Jim Brompton, you can go to:

• http://jimbromptonphotography.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/JimBromptonPhotography/ 
• https://www.instagram.com/jimbromptonphoto/ 

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Jim Brompton  0:00  
You can do some things very artistic thinking outside the box that a lot of other photographers don't take the time to learn, or.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  0:17  
We counters Welcome back to The Art of Photography podcast, where we share our hope or purpose and how we get happiness through photography. And today I have a special guest. He is he's been a designated master photographer in fine art. And he also have been, you know, receiving multiple awards and been in a lot of galleries. And this year, actually, his 40 years or anniversary of, you know, starting a photography business. So congratulations on that. And this is Jim Brompton. Hey, Jim, how you doing?

Jim Brompton  0:55  
Very well. How are you saying?

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  0:57  
Yeah, I'm doing well. Well, congratulations on the anniversary. That's I mean, you know, especially the timing with like, receiving all these awards. I think that's, that's great.

Jim Brompton  1:06  
Ya know, it's, it's been a lifelong journey for me for sure. Yeah. To pass that 40 year mark was just a real blessing. And I'm so happy. I've been involved in it for that length of time.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  1:17  
Yeah, so that's great. I'm like, Wow, 40 years. I mean, that's, that's crazy. What's what, tell us a little bit about yourself, you know, who you are. And, you know, what's your passion in photography itself, what sort of photography and so forth?

Jim Brompton  1:34  
Well, a long time ago, it all it all began. And I, I used to focus on mostly wildlife and in nature and nature seems my focus in my marketplace back in those days in the 1970s was to magazines and calendar companies, and school books, those types of publications. So I used to sell images to them, as well, as I did some some portraits and some weddings and tried to make a living as a photographer in the 70s. It was, it was a struggle, then no different than it is now for anybody. So I managed to get through all of that over those years. And I kind of switched gears and went into more fine art landscape. It did that, probably 25 years ago, and kind of ramped up to the, the other side of the business where I would have my images printed on Canvas, and then they would go to different galleries, and I would sell them through my, my galleries that represented me as well as I would sell it through my own my own stores, I had my own galleries. So that was, you know, that was the beginning of the fine art side of the business. Then I took another leap of 15 years ago and started printing my own. So I own I own the canvas print lab. Now that does all the printing. So now I it's a one stop shop, I take the image, I take it to put it through my own canvas print lab. From there, we distribute it to the galleries that that have ordered the piece or want to see it or want to hang it on display. And I stretch it, I finish it. And eventually I sell it, which is which is the end result.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  3:23  
Wow. That's That's amazing. There's so many so many things I want to I want to touch to in just that little bit of a conversation there. But I want to start with, you know, like, where how did it all start? Like 40 years ago, what really is?

Jim Brompton  3:38  
Well, that's a really good question, Stanley, what it started about 50 years ago for me actually, okay, well, yeah, when I was in, in school, so in the in the early 70s, I started taking, I started capturing images in the 1960s. And so I just, I just developed a taste for it, I guess and, and I really enjoyed it. So of course back in those days were shooting film, so I I was able to buy a good, good quality 35 millimetre camera. And it was in the latter part of the 1970s that I decided that I would set up a photography business, which I did. So I've been shooting for over 50 years, generally 42 years owning my own photography business, but through that initial stages of my career, I went from 35 millimetre film to medium format. And I you know, shooting big landscapes and I remember in 1982, I had my first canvas print done and it was done in a company in Vancouver and I lived in Saskatchewan at that point in time. And it was the way they did it back then in the early 80s was they took a print and they actually melted it into a piece of canvas, which is that's that's how they did their Canvas transfers. So I remember clearly buying that piece and saying to myself, Wow, this, this is going to change the world. Like, we can put our own photography on canvas now and actually become truly become an artist. And so, so that part of it that really, really excited me, and I continued to shoot medium format. And I've always been a Canon shooter. So I've always had to Canon film cameras had several level more, we're a bunch of them out, dropped a few over some cliffs. It's all of the exciting stuff, you know, and lo and behold, I remember talking to the Canon rep, and I think it was about 85 I had dropped canon f1 film camera off of off of a ledge that went on must have gone 500 feet below and bounced its way all the way down. And when I went down to the bottom and got it is still worked. So that was kind of kind of a testament to me, I guess as to how you know what the quality of the year was back then and, and I still shoot to this day, I still shoot digital, of course now, but all canon all canon gear all Canon L class, and it's a big investment. And it's something that you have to want, for me at least, I don't think I could change systems. As much as I know that there's new systems out there, but it's so costly to replace the glass. It's not so much the camera, it's Did you know, I got $60,000 worth of lenses in my in my arsenal, and I just can't afford to go and replace all that. So I love my Canon gear, and it does a great job. And I'll continue to shoot it. So yeah, that's,

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  6:35  
that's a good point, actually, you know, at the end of the day, like, especially in this era, like all the cameras working, working, you know, great, they all have their advantages and disadvantages, but I think at the end of the day, there was one word that you mentioned there, you know, like, artists, like, you know, that's, that's, that's at the end of the day, that is what's important, the people that actually use the tool, you know, they all great tool. Sure some of them have their, you know, advantages and disadvantages, but essentially, at the end of the day is the people that are using it and pushing it to the limit, because let's face it, you know, most of us doesn't even, you know, even close to pushing it to the limit. Right. So yeah, that's great that you mentioned that, that wow, that is such an inspiring is there is

Jim Brompton  7:21  
that, you know, I think Sandy, I think way back in, you know, in the 80s. And I used to follow a photographer from the US, his name was Ansel Adams. And I was just intrigued by his ability to capture landscapes. He shot mostly black and white, but he did shoot some colour. But his ability to create to create art, where his subject matter was sharp, sharp from the foreground to the background, just intrigued me. And it was something that I started to do on my own as well. So I followed his is his, his lead on that most of my art that I have for sale is sharp at the front end and sharp to the back. And I believe it creates a nice three dimensional effect, it creates some depth in the image. And you know, for that reason alone, I think he he's inspired so many different photographers. It's just crazy, you know, and I remember one of his quotes, he says the most important component of a camera is the 12 inches behind it. So, to me, you know, and he's right. He's, it's the artist that's behind the camera that makes the difference. It's not the camera. You know, sometimes people say to me, Jim, you must have a good camera. And well, yeah, I do have a good camera. But it's it's not it's not taking the picture. I'm taking the picture. So that's the difference, I guess,

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  8:41  
is yeah, that is true. I mean, we as a photographer, we hear that a lot. You know, I mean, like, at the end of the day, how many of you look at you know, go to a coffee and coffee copies, and they would have this, you know, I don't know, hundreds 1000s of dollars of copy machine, but you tried to copy it doesn't really taste that great. You know, you're right. It's just part of the equation. And I'm so glad that you brought out your inspiration because that was gonna be my next question. Like, where it was all inspired for him. So, yeah, that was amazing. Yeah. So take us through about like, you know, I mean, now you've got so many awards there, you know, have been published and also recognised in different galleries and all that. How does how does that journey works for you? Because, you know, I'm sure a lot of photographers and listeners that listening to this podcast, might think, Oh, well, you know, Jim, Jim is probably a prodigy or you know, he's talented. I don't have the eye for it. You know, what, what, what, what do you have to say to those people?

Jim Brompton  9:49  
Well, you know, I've been an educator for a long time, love to educate people on photography. I really truly do. And I think you know, like after in before I received my master's in in fine art photography, I've always been the person that likes to share my knowledge and my ability, there's so many photographers out there right now that, that keep that stuff so close to their chest, they just don't want to share that information as to how they shot it or where the location was. And I, you know, I think those people they need to revisit that they need to say to themselves, if I can do this, why can't I share that with another photographer, let him go and do his own twist on it, because they're going to be different, you can lie it line up 10 photographers shooting the same scene, and everybody's going to end up with a different image. And it's because they have lens choices, their, you know, their aperture choices, other filter choices, all of that kind of stuff will come into play. So there's, there's no way that that the information in regard to the location or how you capture the image, there's, there's no way that that shouldn't be shared. And I'm a big believer that, that it should be shared. And I share it all the time. So when I when I'm educating students on the art of fine art photography, and those are the classes that I actually teach, I, you know, we talk about composition, we talk about clutter, we talked about different things that you know, certain elements that make images better, that will make them all better photographers, and I can honestly say, of all of the people that I've taught over the years, I know that some of them, if not probably all of them, or most of them have, you know, gained information that they use regularly. Now, that makes their own imagery that much better. And they feel good about it, because now now they've got something that they can hang on the wall, or they can sell or whatever they want to do with it. And that's up to them. So I've always, I've always said to them as well hang your own art on the wall, don't buy mine just shoots up. It's beautiful. You it's yours. Why wouldn't you put that on your wall? You know? So that's the way I kind of roll.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  11:52  
That's the yeah, that's, that's great. Um, you know, I think it was, there was a point that you touch that is really important to myself, is that one of the thing that one of the reasons why I love photography is the fact that we could see each other's perspective, everyone has different perspective, right? Everyone has a different way of looking at it and point of view. So you're right, like you could, there was so many times where I go with like, three or five of my friends going out shooting. And when we publish it on, you know, our social media, it is hardly the same, you know, the only one that are the same, or that iconic one, one that we continually see in the social media. And I believe a big part of that is because we are going to pre frame right, because we've been seeing that photo so many times. So I'm so glad that you mentioned that. Yeah, that's that's fantastic. But so you mentioned a little bit about, you know, your passion about teaching for others and, and like you helping your students to become better and to actually feel better about photography. How does that? How does that passion there? sparks from, you know, being a photographer to being an educator?

Jim Brompton  13:03  
Well, that's a good question. I'm continuing to learn all the time myself. So I mean, I would start right there, there isn't a day goes by that, that I, I don't take my gear out and try something different. So I continue to learn myself, and then I continue to share what I learned. So as far as, as far as what drives me to do that, I'm going to suggest to you that photography, for me is a very passionate about it. And I'm incredibly passionate about it. When I'm actually out shooting, there could be a train go by me and I won't even hear it. It can be 40 below zero and I'm not cold, it's just I get I focus on what I'm doing. And in that element, I forget everything else. And to me, if you if you can give that kind of dedication to to anything, you're going to have a good result. So that's how I kind of approached by my teaching my own photography with a lot of passion. And it has to have some good bones too, though, you know, so it needs there's, there's certain things like when I'm instructing we, we go through a checklist. You're not going to have a good foundation on a house if it isn't solid. So what do you need you in a landscape photography, especially fine art, landscape photography, you need a really good tripod, you got to start right there without that, man, you know, you're all over the place. And I think it's my opinion that tripods will make every photographer a better photographer. It allows them to take some time to create the composition. It gives them time to create level horizons. It stabilises stabilises. Sorry So yeah, it states. Let me just go back. Yeah, I want to get rid of it. But that's up to you. I'm gonna stop that from happening again. And you know what it was just one of those calls that doesn't matter, right So, back to what I was saying the, the foundation of a good photograph starts with a tripod. And when you have a good solid tripod, it's going to it'll carry all your all your lenses, it, it'll reduce your vibration, it allows you to compose better. I like to buy tripods that don't have centre columns, because I think centre column tripods can add the effect of some movement. So I like a platform tripod. I also like to buy tripods that are eight or nine feet tall, and they're fully extended. So I can work on on the sides of cliffs and, and mountains where I can I can reach out with with those legs that that will help stabilise it. And the key is to make sure everything's level. So large, big multi stitch Trent panoramas are achievable off a good quality tripod, I like to shoot them vertically. So those are the kinds of things that I teach. And that's probably the very first thing that I teach a stabilisation. So every landscape photographer, my opinion needs to start with that foundation.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  16:24  
Oh, that's great. Yeah. I mean, tripod is, yeah, in landscape, especially is such a big Foundation, right? I mean, I carry a small travel tripod, because I travel a lot. But yeah, you're right, in many cases is like, Man, I have like, I wish I have, you know, the bigger tripod where it could actually sit properly, and then just not try to take 10 photos in hope that one of them becomes sharp. So yeah, that's That's very true. It's it's really funny that you mentioned that straight off the bat, because most people doesn't think about tripod until later. Right? They usually think about it like more about the the exposure triangle or whatever, whatever that is. Yeah, that is great to hear. I think a lot of the listener definitely can, can relate to that. Yeah. So like, going back to your, your, your awards, I think you got you got seven of the prestige was and one of the

Jim Brompton  17:23  
hits seven awards of distinction in 2007. Distinction, yeah. And one on prestige. And I had eight, eight entries, and I had won an award for every one of them. And was also nominated that year for nature photographer of the year through master photographers International.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  17:38  
Yeah, so that's, that's amazing. Right. I mean, correlation, first of all, Burnham, you know, at the same time, so, um, how do you create those images? So, you know, what are your What are your thoughts? And how do you transfer your passion into your photos, so that it's actually different compared to, you know, make, you know, obviously, if you, if you're gonna make it to the top, you have to create something that that is different that is wild to not only to other photographers, but especially to this judges who's been regarded as a master in their own field. So yeah, talk us through how does how that process works for you.

Jim Brompton  18:14  
That process begins probably at 4:30am every day. So for me, being a landscape photographer for as many years as I have, I've always worked both ends at both ends of the sun. So it's sunrise sunset. The filters allow me to shoot through the day, so I can shoot all day long. But as the last 20 years have been a travel photographer, and we travel all over the world, and we'll we'll do long long term stays like we'll go to to Hawaii for two or three months at a time, or we'll go to Australia for six months, or five months or four months or, and then pop over to New Zealand and then jump to Fiji. And so we get to do a lot of travel. We do a lot of homework before we go to make sure that we go to the places that we want to see. I'm not a believer of shooting places that have been shot to death. I would rather find something that's more remote that people haven't seen. And I like to create my art from from that type of vision. Those visitors so it starts literally starts in the morning so I can give you an idea. So last time I was in Hawaii on the island of Hawaii, I was there for too little over two months, shot everyday shot every single day never took a day off. My day would start at 430 in the morning and grab a coffee, I'd make a walk down to the beach, which was about a five minute walk or less from where I was where we were living. Of course we take a look. We we rent long term places when we're going to be there for a long time. So we have a nice apartment that's furnished and so I'll walk down to the beach. I'm there at least 4030 to 40 minutes before the sun is starting to think about the horizon and that and that's when I start creating it at that point. I started looking at what the sun's going Do what kind of cloud cover we have. So I need, I need to make those decisions fairly quickly once the once the sunrise begins, but my pre planning for that is, like I say 30 or 40 minutes before before the sunrise. From that I'll determine my composition, I'll determine what I want to shoot what I want to tie into it where I want to put some rocks in the foreground. And so I work the beach, and then also determined by my filter usage, I'm a big believer of creating my images in the camera. So I really like the use of filters on my lenses, it allows me to be very artistic, it allows me to control colour, and glare and exposure time. And, and bright spots in that either left or right or the sun or, or the bottom or whatever you're dealing with. So there's so many different filters out there that I use on a regular basis, that ties it all together. So then I'm on the beach, and I'm looking at at what's going on. And at that point, I say, Okay, this is how I'm going to shoot this this morning. And I get my filters ready, and it gets set up and I start shooting. Now a lot of times, I won't shoot more than maybe 10 shots for the whole morning. But the pre planning has gone into it, the composition is there. I know what I want to do with my filters. I know, I know what I want to do with the ocean. And those types of scenes where I've got moving water and moving clouds, I like to create some art from that by either adding you know, a dancer and D on or

are working with a grad or criss crossing to grads. The thing that's nice about our cameras this this day is that the there's so much resolution. So even if you do some Criss crossings on on some circular filters, you can still crop into it and still have a really, really good file. So you can do some things very artistic thinking outside the box that a lot of other photographers don't take the time to learn, or they've never tried it. And so those are the types of things that that get me excited. When I'm in the field. What can I do to this? How can I create this? How can I make this a better image? How can I make this so that when somebody looks at it, they're gonna stand in awe and stare at it, they don't have to buy it, I win, I'm a winner if they stand in front of it in awe. Or if they turn around and say to me, is this really a photograph. And I'm not a big believer of Photoshop. So I don't do a lot of work in Photoshop. One of the things that I learned a long time ago with digital cameras, and I tell a lot of my students give it a try is go into the back end of the cameras and turn everything off. Don't let your camera do anything for you. Turn off any auto enhancements, auto colours, auto sharpening everything, just turn it off. So now basically what you've got is an old film camera. Because in the old film days, the only thing that you could ever do would be to take the image, put it into a dark room and do a little dodging or burning and you're done. So you had to shoot it right back then, which when with the use of filters, you could do that and achieve that. So I'm doing the same thing with the digital world. But I'm not letting the camera do anything for me. So what I've learned, and I use Photoshop, and I don't use Lightroom. And I use Photoshop sparingly. But I'll take one of I'd say a single image file, not a not a multistage. And because everything's turned off on my camera, and I've used filters to create the image. There's so much detail in that in that raw file. So I'll dump it into Photoshop, and I simply will add black. And when I add black, it adds contrast and colour. And I'm done. I'm literally done with one swipe of one line. So that's the kind of stuff that our cameras are capable of creating for us like, if you take control of your camera, you're going to end up with those kinds of results, you're going to end up with that wow factor, you're good because you've used filters, you understand how to use them, you've created a beautiful scene with the composition you thought through it well before before it ever began. And that's that's the stuff that drives me every day. So then following that, the sun's gone, I usually will shoot a couple over my right shoulder or my left shoulder depending on what the Sun is highlighting now. So actually use the sun in a sunrise to the advantage of continuing to shoot past the actual sunrise itself, but I'll just face a different direction. And then I stopped in Hawaii situation then I would jump in the car and I'd go to the North Shore and I shoot waves all day long. And at the end of the day, the North Shore is fine to for for sunset, so I'd wait it out up there and shoot my sunsets and then I go home. So a very long day. I mean, they're 15 hour days, and I did it last time I was there. I did it every day for two months and five days I think. Wow. Yeah, that's all about it's all about dedication. Stan, you just got to be dedicated to it.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  24:57  
Yeah, that's that's a great insight. Um, But I think most of photographers out there who, who really, you know, trying to push to get that a wow factor or something that is different in their, in their, in their photography, because at the end of the day, you know, like, if you want to grab that wow factor, you have to be creative, you have to find a time where other people would be in bed or a time where other people would be facing the other way. Right. So that was, that's great that you mentioned that. Now one of the things that I want to talk about there, you know, I am aware that you're a case filter ambassador here in Canada, and you talk about filter just on that last point there, and how the filter can not only help to create a better quality images, but also help you with creativity. So yeah, like, talk to us a little bit about, you know, how, how can you know, how does the filter help you to create these images that are Wow, whether they are different, or, you know, they are a better quality than you would have shot without the filter?

Jim Brompton  26:02  
Right? Well, photography, as you know, is all about light. So if you can manage late, you, you know, you're going to end up being a good photographer. So my first filter that I go to, is the is the newest filter system on the market by case Global Case filters have absolutely shocked me, you know, my camera bag consists of probably near $5,000, where the filters from other companies made by other companies and I would always buy when a new company, when a new company had a filter come out, I would always buy it because I love shooting the filters. So I would just see how it compared to the last one I bought. I've been working with case now since November of 2019. Very, very pleased to be their Canadian ambassador for their company, their filters are the best I've ever worked with. And that's and I'm not saying it because I'm their ambassador. But I'm saying that because is there a great solid filter that rugged, there's no colour cast, I just love them. They're super thin. They're easy to use. And I think the way that they've designed them even like even with with regard to the magnetic filters that they make, now, people are going to start using stuff like that more because they're so easy to use. You know, I think about the days when I was in Saskatchewan and shooting at 40 below zero and screening filters on the front of my lens and my hands are frozen in the design of this magnetic system by having a ring screwed onto your lens before you can get out of your your warm car, and then set up a you can just literally just go click click click click click and your filters are stacking and it's just so nice to work with. My go to Filter though the very first one is always in will always be a polarizer it's something you can't do in post. So there isn't a programme out there that can add polarisation to an image. So if you've shoot an image without polarisation, you can't fix that. So polarisation to me is is one of the most important things it allows you polarisation will will increase your blues and your greens, it'll add you it'll add some colour. It'll, it reduces glare. Even if you're shooting a forest where they've got wet leaves and there's a glare on the leaves from the available light, you can dial that polarizer to eliminate that so you know you've got all you've got is this texture and you've got this beautiful saturation. So it is without a doubt my first filter probably 95% of every image every image that I've captured in the last 35 years I've had a polarizer on it. So that's my go to the new systems nowadays. Even if you get into the sheet glass systems like case makes an awesome K A K nine system is there 100 series and so you have 150 by 100 mil sheath glasses and they're you know there's a lot of a lot of leeway with that where you can you can move your your grads up and down so you can control the light where you want it. Another nice thing about that that system is if you if you if you've got some side light coming in, you can turn the whole adapter rings so that you can you can have your grant at an angle but the key to that is you've already put on a magnetic polarizer you've dialled at the end. And when you do turn that it's a geared ring, so it actually turns the polarizer so it keeps everything as set so that when you put your like I was talking about a foundation before so you're on a tripod, you get your your put your polarizer on your Dalit to your liking whatever you want. And then you start being creative with the rest of the filters to add you know control the light and add time. That's to me is key. This is when you become very artistic. This is when to me you become an artist you become a photography artist. And and that's something that that you're going to develop on your own. You're just going to be a star out, you're going to have a stop, people are going to be able to look at an image down the road. And they're going to say, Stanley shot that. I mean, that's this is the kind of style so that people will start recognising your workflow, what's your images look like. And in my case, I mean, I have, I have, because I've been shooting for so long. I've got nice big landscapes, I've got a lot of water work, I love my oceans and beaches. And I know when I post an image, that that has a wave in it, or a car scene or a sunrise of an ocean. I know, I get comments all the time on my social media, I knew whose photo this was, before I even looked at the name, you know, so those, that's the kind of stuff that you can get down the road, once you develop that style. And your style is going to be creative with the use of your filters. So I strongly recommend if anybody that is shooting now isn't shooting with filters, they need they need to visit that I think that they'll find that their imagery will get a lot better in the end. If they do that.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  31:02  
Yeah, that's that's fantastic. I mean, you know, I've been shooting with case filter, I've actually used the Leaf Filter before I got into case filter. And when case gonna approach me notice, I was excited. Actually, I've looked it up, I've seen the magnetic filter. And that was like, it was like mind blowing. Because before I used to have circular polarizer. And I will try to screw on the adapter ring on the Circular Polarizer oh my god, it was such a big nightmare. So that was such a big thing. And, you know, it was really funny that you mentioned how the circular polarizer is so important in the quality of a photo. Because, look, I mean, looking back through my photo series, sometimes I go back and I would start editing them. And I would go like, Man, I just wish I had a circular polarizer. Because, you know, back when I first started, I think that was a really good thing that you mentioned, back when I first started Circular Polarizer was more about for me, at least I understand it to take away the glare from the water. So if you want to see through the water, but actually, you don't realise that if you should, even in the forest, even if it's a form of overcast, you get a lot of glare on that leaf. So by putting that circular polarizer it takes away all that and the colour, and the texture just comes out. So yeah, like, that was amazing that you that you mentioned that. And yeah, like that. The the fact that you could actually control the light, that was the other thing that I think it was really, really great that you mentioned it, because I always knew that light was important is the most important or photography, right? I mean, at the end of the day, if it's dark, no lights at all, it's just pure dark, it doesn't matter what you do with it. But you mentioned that using a filter, you could actually control the light, there was actually a big aha moment for me, because even though I knew it, he was, that was the main purpose of it. I never really think of it that way. So so it's definitely a game changer there. And so as a as a sunrise and sunset shooter, do you do use a lot of the reverse grant or, or also known as the sunset or sunrise filter? And, yeah, take us through how that kind of helps in your photography.

Jim Brompton  33:24  
Yeah, you know, at the nearing the end of the day, once the sun actually sets the, the reverse ground is a filter I like to use because it's a little lighter on the top, and but you can still control the horizon. So but what that allows you to do is to is to compare to just a grad nd it allows you to, to see because it's a little bit lighter on the top, you can actually see the stars and whatnot starting to appear, but you can still see the colour of the horizon, or you'll see you'll start to catch some of the Northern Lights, early early Northern Lights in the evening. So because because the filter is not dark to the top, it allows you to to, to capture that beginning of that of the of the end of that sunset. So it's always a, it's always been something that I've really enjoyed shooting is is once the sun's down, we still have a really nice colour along the horizon plane. But you can start to see the, you know, the Milky Way or not the Milky Way necessarily, you need to be darker, but the northern lights you can start to see the northern lights starting to get active. And then you can start shooting and you still have colour on the horizon and you've then you've got the Northern Lights already appearing. So you can't do that without without the use of a filter. It's just not going to happen. So the back in the old days, I mean we had graduated neutral density filters but there was never a reverse grad. I mean that was I've never heard it you know, all of a sudden hey, there's a reverse grad on the on the market and now there's a centre grant. And you know, those are the specialty filters that are out there that will allow you to enhance your imagery and make you a better photographer and make you stand out. So you know, like talk a little bit about the standard grads. So now instead now you got a strip right across the middle of the filter, and it's laid on the top and laid on the bottom. But if you take that filter and turn it sideways, now you got to strip down the middle. So now you got a waterfall or extreme that's running past you. Typically there are two stops are greater brighter the water so now you can control that and still have beautiful colours on the edge of your rivers or your streams. So now you don't have to worry about about blowing out the the river, you can add another filter on it now you can start to create what you want the water to look like. So, you know, you can go from two seconds to 20 seconds by adding a six top end on top of the centre grant. So it's this is where you This is where fine art photography really takes place is because now you're the artist and you get to choose what the end result is, there's a lot of a lot of places that I'll go to, and I'll get set up. And before I even take a picture, I know what the end result is going to be. Because I've thought through it, I know what my camera's capable of, I know what my filters are capable of doing. And because I've done it for so many years, I can see the end result before I even take the first photo. So that to me is something that I've earned. I've learned that because I've shot millions of photographs in my day. And it's kind of like, the old day where even now, you know, I don't rely on my metres very often, okay to know up here where, where I need to because I always shoot manually. So I don't talk where I need to set my exposure and my and I always shoot, I always shoot F eight or F 11 Seldom do I shoot beyond F 11. But unless I'm looking for some softness. But I mentioned earlier about Ansel Adams and I like to be sharp from front to back. So pretty much all my my cameras, all my lenses, they're happy. And what I call a happy spot is the sharpest part of that lens. In most lenses, it's midway between if it's a two eight lens and goes to f 22. It'll be in that F 11 Ranger F eight F 11. There's a lot of programmes out there that have done tests on these so you can actually see, you know, which which, which aperture gives you the the best sharpness. So I always say to myself, Well, why don't I rely on rely on that I mean, if this is if it's if it's F eight or F 11, then I want to shoot F eight or F 11. And so I do that. So that gives me the ability to have something very sharp. And then I start creating outside that sharpness, the use of filters to create the actual image.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  37:36  
That's the Yeah, that's great. It's actually really funny when you when you think about filters, because like, we there's a lot of misconception that especially for people who doesn't really get into photography, you know, all into that depth. People think filters are the things that they put on Instagram, right? So there is a big misconception about filters. And the funny thing about filters is actually, it helps you to do less postproduction instead of you know, the other way around. And, yeah, that was really funny. Because like, when I when I see people who cannot comment, it's like, you know, it's like, stop using the filter, like, let let the nature like, you know, bring out the true nature. And I was like, actually, if you use it correctly, it would actually bring the true nature instead of you know, having to process it. So that's really funny that you mentioned that. And yeah, the sunset filter is same with you. I'd never heard of it until up until I got the master kid. And I was like, wow, I didn't even realise that the light was like that, when the sun actually disappear on the horizon until I use them. I'm just like, Wow, that's amazing. So, yeah, that was really great that you brought that up. Yeah, look, I'm we're coming towards the end here. I think one more question that I'd like to get from you. You know, if you were, if you were to give an advice to your younger self, you know, when you started photography, and, you know, I know that a lot of people out there realise that they liked photography, but, you know, they just not sure where to start. And I think with the social media that a lot of people kind of, like, they get discouraged because they see amazing photos out there and they feel like I don't think they you know, they don't think they can, they can do it themselves. And I'm sure as an educator, you you'll come across that often. So, you know, if you were to tell your younger self you know, and you're pessimistic self, I suppose I'm not sure if you were like that. I know that I gone through that phase before. What would you tell that um, you know, your younger self

Jim Brompton  39:46  
over the years have made a lot of mistakes. And I think mistakes are, are good, are good as well because they, they, they teach you what not to do. So I mean, I look back 40 years years ago, and, you know, I'm thinking to myself, well, I want to be a photographer, how do I make money and all this kind of stuff. And, you know, I think now that where I am today, I don't think the money should be as important as I was I put the weight on it back, then I think, I think the the ability to become a better photographer back then, is something that I wish I would have developed quicker than I did. And so is through that length of time, where you make those mistakes, and you and you and you, and you learn from your mistakes, you know, over a period of 15 years, if that could have, if that process could have sped up would have been so much better, but, but I'm a self taught photographer, I don't, I, I've never taken any education on photography, other than other than perhaps the odd thing online now, but not back then, of course, we didn't have computers back then. So, you know, it's it's something that I wish I could have learned quicker, I guess. But now that now where I am today, and like I mentioned earlier, I still continue to learn, I mean, every day I go out I shot went shooting yesterday, and, and I was playing with some filters and just doing some some different things that I hadn't done before. So I'm out testing the waters, as you know, maybe a good way to put it. But it's a it's a continuation for me. And you know, and I don't see myself quitting anytime soon. And I'm probably you know, going to be going to be one of those guys that that loves his job, right to the end. So what's better than to be able to make a living as a photographer and a travel photographer to travel the world, and then to have galleries to sell your work and to print yourself, you know, I print for other photographers too, all the time. And, you know, I see, I see their abilities. And I see, I see some stunning stuff, like, oh my god, there's some great photographers coming up. In the world that I've been, you know, in Canada, I've been praying for someone in the US, but their work is exceptional, you know, and I can just see that at some point in time, they're going to be, you know, well recognised for their ability. And their, you know, then they shoot all different kinds of cameras, we talked a little bit about that before, you know, the mirrorless or, or, you know, the big name brands, well, I see quality files from other photographers that shoot a variety of different pieces of equipment, and they're all good. There. You know, as much as I mean, I shoot canon, I think you should canon as well. But, you know, I look at some of the Nikon files and look at some of the Sony files and stuff. And I get to see them firsthand in my print lab, and their quality quality stuff. So you know, I don't think a person can say, to anybody out there, don't buy this camera, or my best advice to anybody that's out there right now is spend the money on your glass, buy a good lens, cheap out on the body, the body will carry you through anyway. But if you have good glass that you can carry down the road, when you do eventually get full frame or whatever. Keep that in mind when you're buying it, but spend spend the extra money on the glass, don't don't go with the kid lenses. You know, it's just if you want to become a very good photographer, then you've got to think I got to spend some money. And that starts with buying a good tripod, like I said earlier.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  43:14  
Yeah, that's, that's amazing. You know, I think making making mistakes is, is it's the most underrated thing people say, you know, like, oh, a lot of people. I mean, I know, when I was growing up, everyone, my parents would always be careful and all that stuff, you know, I wish going back, you know, my parents would just say, you know, go fall and you know, go do that. And I know they do it from their love, right? They don't want me to get hurt and stuff like that. But that's what I told my students as well I just go make mistakes like, sure, I think this is the best way but do the other way. And I think the worst thing as an educator educator we can do is trying to close their their perspective. So that was great that you mentioned that and I think one of the other thing that I want to mention out there especially for those of the listeners who shoot with a higher end camera, stop putting you know cheap filters in there because you spend so much money on your lenses and then you put you know things like Amazon Basics lenses just takes away all that it's kind of defeats the whole purpose. So make sure you invest on some if you already invest on your lens and your camera then make sure you invest on on the filter as well. So yeah, like, wow, there's just so many knowledge that you share with us always we can go all day but this but

Jim Brompton  44:33  
the problem that's the problem. We literally could go all day with this and I'm not kidding. I could five hours from now we could still be talking about it is there's lots of tricks and techniques out there that I've learned over the years that that are great to share with people.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  44:46  
Yeah, and I think the fact that you say you know never stop learning is so important. Especially for those of you who already kind of made it or you know, who already think they're one of the better one out there. The worst thing you can and do is that you need to think that you don't need to learn any more, because that's how you grow. That's how you develop your creativity. All right. Well, Jim, thanks a lot for your time here. I know you have a busy day. So I'm, I'm so glad that you spare your time to be here with us. And look for the listeners out there who, who interested to learn more about yourself who want to see more of your fine art photography and your fabulous images? What is the best way? Or where is the best way to find you?

Jim Brompton  45:29  
Well, my website, I guess. So it's just gem brompton.com. And there's a contact link there that you can, you can get in touch with me, or on my Facebook page, Jim Brompton photography, that's another good way to reach out. I also have a case, Canada filters page, so you can reach me through there as well.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  45:52  
Cool. Well, thank you very much, Jim. And, look, we can hunters, thank you very much for tuning in. And I'm sure you get a lot of gems from that. And look, if you're interested on a case filter, you can contact me or Jimmy himself and I will post the link to both have our profile on the link. So you could just contact us and don't forget to check out Jim's work. It's just quite amazing. A lot of his work is actually keep turning something that is nothing to something. You know, a lot of these work are quite simplistic, but nevertheless, it's just so incredibly beautiful and vibrant. So highly encourage you to check out his work. But thanks a lot for tuning in. And don't forget to subscribe and turn on the notification button so that you know when the next episodes coming up. But thanks a lot, and I'll see you guys next week. Catch you later.

Jim Brompton  46:46  
Thanks. Thanks. Really appreciate the invite.

Stanley Aryanto - The Wicked Hunt  46:49  
Yeah, no worries. Catch you then Jim. Yeah.