Interview with Joep

Hey Herman,

Four questions at once? Guess that is good to keep the speed up .
- Either way, I of course support such initiative, I like to get to read the story behind other people on this forum and therefore I am also more than willing to share mine. Can I interview you next?

Question 1: When did you first get into contact with photography?
When I was a young kid (~30 years ago) I got to hold my father's Pentax and the result was a picture of my rabbit showing some blur. Of course not induced by motion of this lovely animal captured in his home made cage, so a lot to learn from there... As a student in those days you didn't make pictures, you actually didn't own a cell phone and only if you were lucky you had access to a personal computer (owned by the university). Therefore my first privately owned camera is from after I graduated, a Canon SLR with two zoom lenses (something like 28-80 mm and 75-300 mm, later "replaced" by a non-Canon 28-200 to avoid the need of swapping lenses during a hike), which I bought at the time I moved to the US for my work about 10 years ago.

Question 2: When did you make the move to digital photography?
Already during my two years stay in the US I bought a digital compact camera, if I remember correctly it is was a Fuji with a Porsche-design. Wait, let me try to google it for you. Maybe I got a different version, but it was for sure exactly this design: " Fujifilm FinePix 6800Z Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review ". Might be funny to read this extensive review from 2001 now in 2010. Today I would for sure disadvise everybody to pay more than 10 Euro for it (I should be able to find it somewhere in a garage back in the Netherlands), but even in those days I actually hardly used it. It was supposed to be a gadget, but since then I am pretty much convinced not to be a real gadget guy. Those days bringing your film to the shop was easier (at least for me and/or cheaper) than getting a digital photo printed and zoom by a button in stead of a ring around a "big" lens is for me no fun. Note that despite the terrible handling of this compact camera, it has OVF as well as LCD, where is the GF2 with build-in EVF???

Spread over about ten years I got around three digital compact camera's, but not until the LX3 I was happy with the performance of any of them. But let me not talk too much about that camera given LX5 announcement and because the interview is about me, right?

Question 3: What does photography mean for you?
Capturing a personal moment is for me the main purpose of photography. A photo that doesn't give me the possibility to think back about that time has very limited value to me. When I was still single or just married without kids, I would mainly take pictures during holidays / weekend trips or at special occasions. After the introduction of compact camera's into my life I also started to capture moments at parties and more informal / unplanned get-together occasions. But since I became a father (and my wife mother) well over fifty percent of our pictures are taken of our daughters at location or simply the smiles of our daughters independent of the location.
But rather recently I started to feel I wanted to add something more to the memory, something to make them more personal to have them stay longer and/or interest more people. Given my technical background and "artistic" interest I ordered some books on photography to utilize the tools available on the market even more extensively. Those two aspects together are what I would call photography.

Question 4: Who is your big example in photography?
Now I am going to disappoint everybody. I actually don't have somebody I follow / adore / praise at least not within photography. I always appreciate personal shots, especially if they have something more like I descriped above. That is tell a story, but also the style of the picture itself is interesting. Oh, I really appreciate the art my father created in paint, wood and stone. Having something of yourself to show to others is my goal of investing in photography. Next to that my kids and frequent travelling between east and west inspires me to take pictures of what I see and feel with my whole body.

Surprise me with your next questions!!!

 

Herman, That is a very clear answer, so I made up my mind and will interview somebody else. If you are going to behave nicely again then he/she might potentially consider to interview you...

To everybody reading this interview: Do you think it is a good idea to rotate this interview idea arround through the mu-43 community?

Back to Hermans questions address to me.

Question 5: Can you shortly introduce yourself?
Dutch guy of 36 years young (and too many grey hairs), 1.88 mm tall and weighting around 85 kg (probably about 5 kg too much), studied Applied Physics in Eindhoven, married with a lovely and beautiful South-Korean lady, father of two even more lovely and beautiful daughters. I work for a very international oriented company in the semiconductor industry and have R&D/D&E as well as Customer support and Marketing experience. My friends will reckognize me by my sometimes too cryptical jokes, my colleagues would mention my dedication (= drive) and technical insight, for my family I am the strange one (always gone abroad and often having a different opinion (sometimes just to have a fruitful disussion)), for my wife I try to be an listening and trying to understand support in life (enjoy building a bridge the cross the cultural differences) and for my daughters I just try to be a good father (show them the world and inspire them to get educated).

How about a picture?

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Question 6: Do you have other hobbies?
I did many sports such as (in order) soccer, tennis, volleyball and squash, but with my international assignment I don't always get a chance to focus on it sufficiently. Despite the oppertunities behind my laptop, I also have interest in writing stories / books (but my talent / skills are not helping me enough...). Oh, I really like playing board and card games and am pretty fanatic in trying to win ;-0.

Question 7: What is your favorite holiday country?
Too many ideas to pinpoint just one... I loved backpacking in Central America, I did visit over 50% of the States of America, I dreamt about going to India before I got married and we got kids, but instead we enjoyed living in South Korea for 2 years. Thailand or Malaysia will probably be our next location for a more beach oriented holiday.

Question 8: What is your favorite food?
Thai and Korean, but always open to new experience (although I prefered things that are not alive any more when served, if you know what I mean...)

Question 9: Do you smoke?
No, I actually hate people smoking, it really smells badly and in some way I think it is a weakness to be addicted to smoking, but I guess I also have bad habits (I love dark chocolate, preferably cold with hazelnuts...).

Question 10: What is your favorite drink?
Belgium beers (every time a different one, but preferably not too sweet, a little bitter I can handle)
But next to that I can also enjoy Rum Cola as well as most Red and Dry White wines.

Question 11: What else do you want to tell about yourself?
Hmm, don't know. What else do you want to know about me (non-Photography related)?
My goal in life is to have a positive impact on others (make a difference) and having a story to tell (and photo's and/or other things made by myself to show to others).

 

Thanks Joep. I hope you don't mind me asking some further questions.

Question 12: What in your opinion is most important to take good pictures?
Question 13: What is your best advice how to improve ones pictures?
Question 14: Which current trends in photography do you like best?
Question 15: Which current trends are you most skeptical of?

 

Hey Pictor,

Although Herman and my idea was that until the end of the interview members could only ask questions to clarify my answers, I am more than happy to also address yours. As long as we don't get 4 people asking 5 different questions at the same time, we are pretty much fine with such inter-action. Only Herman might have to re-arrange some of his questions...

But given your pro-active behaviour, is it correct to assume you will also volunteer to be interviewed and/or keep an interview yourself in the near future?

Question 12: What in your opinion is most important to take good pictures?
For me the moment you want to capture is most important, so you need to develop an eye for it. A photo of an kid showing his emotion taken be a newbie like me with a P&S camera is better than a shot with most expensive tool be the most experience photographer at the wrong time and/or place (but for sure I still mis-out on much more oppertunities than a proffesional photographer, and he even creates moments during portrait shoots).

That in my opinion also supports the drive of (semi)-professionals to "even" buy into m43, the best camera is the camera you have with you.

Question 13: What is your best advice how to improve ones pictures?
Hmm, not being too experienced myself, I would like to say to all the starters:

1. For the time & place crucial shots just put your camera on iA and try to work on your composition. I am currently working my way through The Photographer's eye, by Michael Freeman. Only halfway and already worth advicing everybody on this forum (if you didn't read it yet).
2. Try out Aperture and Shutterspeed with subjects that don't run away, e.g. flowers and rivers.

Question 14: Which current trends in photography do you like best?
It is becoming more affordable and easier to share experiences, just like on this forum!!!

Question 15: Which current trends are you most skeptical of?[/QUOTE]
Personally I am not in favor of the telephone camera and people taking a picture of everything you eat and share it with all your friends on the internet. It kind if hampers the private moment.
Oh, I also don't like more and more people taking pictures of kids they don't even know. If you want to try then get kids yourself OR ask and share the result and don't spread without approval.

Who is next?

 

Jeop, thanks for your answers which I enjoyed reading.

My suggestion is, that the volunteer being interviewed interviews the next volunteer and so on. But you seem to have already had this idea. If you asked me to be interviewed, I probably would not say no. :smile:

 

Hi Herman, Sorry for answering late. Let me try to come up with a good reason for taking so long, how about an advanced poll?

1. I was busy with checking out a non-m43 camera
2. I was tired because of too many drinks during the weekend
3. I thought I already answered questions 12-15
4. I could find the thread any more
5. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4
6. None of the above
7. A different combination of the above

Either way, let me go to your questions, everybody is probably very eager?

Question 16: How do you organize your photo?
Organize? I hate "administration", can't we go to the next question directly?

Question 17: Do you print you pictures yourself or do you have somebody else do that for you?
Given my dis-organization I actually don't print much at all and in some way for me post-processing is actually even not part of photography... In other words, I need a private occasion to push me to go through my pictures and select the best ones for a slide show or walk to a grocery shop arround the corner or even surf to an internet shop to have some pictures printed on small format. I am planning to put some in a frame, some of them enlarged, but so far I am too busy with other things to stick to that plan...

Question 18: How do you present you work to others (Television, internet, digital frame)?
Initially typically on television to select the good from the bad (or even LCD at back of camera) and then my wife uploads close to all on an Korea version of Facebook (on low resolution). Then occasionally I have a collection printed on small size and I am planning to do post-processing for the yearly top 10-20 shots and make a photo book for the kids and some enlargement (with regular replacements) for in the house. Oh, I also got a free digital photo frame (with clock, but without wake-up alarm!!!), but it is too small to draw any attention.

Question 19: Which forums do you visit frequently?
I limit myself mainly to dpreview for HW and would like to focus more an application of the HW at mu-43.
And recently (sorry), I also discovered a good Pentax forum.

Question 20: Do you have a photoblog?
My wife has one and I did start a blog at mu-43, but so far don't have much time for these things (or better stated, I am not yet organized enough...).
- But when I see the results of others, I become aware I should and by the time I am "settled" on my equipment and ready to focus on the applications then I will for sure make one and keep you guys and girls here posted.

Question 21: What is your biggest wish with respect to photography?
My wish is two foiled, that means I would like to build the skills to be able to catch the right moments AND next to that I of course also would like to have a nice collection of pictures not only showing my skills (utilizing all capability of my photography tools), but also tell the story my life as well as moments of people close to me.

Hmmm, I am not going to sum up all things I would like to photograph, instead let me first tell you what kind of "special" photos I remember having taken so far.

• Table in the dark full of drinking stuff lighted with only a small candle (checking out flash & double exposure functionality)
• Line of tiny green animals on a leave (hand-shot macro shot)
• Mirrorred image of the smoke from a factory in the water of man-made channel

That of course next to a lot of nice nature / people pictures that badly could use an "upgrade", to become more special.

What would I like to add to this collection?

• Glamour portrait shots - Prime for defocus blurring background
• Motion / action shots - Panning with motion blurring background
• Black & White and one additional color (e.g. Red) shot - Of course by post-processing
• Close-up shots of "wild" animals - requiring fast focusing tele zoom
• 360 degree panaroma shot (or even full ball shape)
• 24 hrs / day and/or 12 mounths / year shots
• Water droplets marco shot
• IR shot - Only using IR filter because I can't afford 2nd camera for IR only

Not to turn the interview arround, but Herman, why did you want to interview me? And how do you think we should best keep this Member interviews member going?

 

Hmm, to stay friends with everybody, I want to add something to the next question / answer combination:

Next to above three sites, also SeriousCompacts is a very good site, of course especially if compactness is key for you, that is why I bought LX3.
On top of that the Pentax site is to me mainly good for my referene to decide which gear to buy. I may also make some friends over there, but to discuss photography (the applications are in my opinion more important) I don't like to be stick within one brand / one category too much.

Yeah, summarized I am pretty happy here, not many 35 mm full frame (out of my league) stories and many good pictures / a lot of helpful advice and very friendly atmosphere.

 

Hey Herman, You are having a lot of questions for me!!! Next set of questions will be the last one, deal? I am eager to interview the next candidate.

Question 22: What is important on a camera for you?
Reliability to not miss out on the oppertunity to capture the moment. If a camera is reliable and the user gets to know the good and bad aspects of the camera then I think it is a good tool to capture a personal moment. Therefore focus speed (accuracy and reliability) is most crucial to me, but if you know your tools well then you actually might be able to work arround some weaknesses without hampering the end result. If you want to add more then the lens, sensor size and effective dynamic range also become important. Maybe I need to explain that a little more, because I am aware that, with the application in mind, I personally tend to see things more from a technical point of view...

Technically photography is about capturing light of the subject and I see the following parameters as the ones you can play with as photographer:

• Composition (incl. Subject and Light as well as Distance/Angle, Aspect ratio and Zoom),
• Aperture (vs Distance & Zoom (and sensor size)) to manage focus control through the depth of the subject,
• Shutterspeed (vs Light, Aperture and ISO performance (and tripod icw remote control vs optical stabilization)) to manage the time aspect of a photo

With any camera you can work on most aspect of composition, an external flash (or other additional light sources / light related tools) and extensive zoom range (wide as well as tele) give you more freedom.
Where the most effective aperture control requires a prime lens (and large sensor) which is perpendicular to the large zoom range (and especially tele applications actually benefit from a small sensor, if resolution is less of a concern).
Shutterspeed itself is as far as I experienced / know typically not a limitation factor on a camera (or use grey filters), but do the limitations on effective dynamic range of the sensor you might end up with high-light areas being blown out, totally black shadow areas or even noise (here a prime helps, so especially important icw large tele zoom).

So to summarize, for me a camera needs to be

1. Reliable (especially focus speed & accuracy (workarround via pre-focus or manual focus))
2. Fast lens (availability in case of system camera) in combination with not too small sensor size for focus control through the depth of the subject
3. Large zoom range lens (availability in case of system camera) for composition on certain applications (wide vs tele)
4. Sensor (and controller) with low noise level at high ISO, Large dynamic range, effective image stabilization for slower exposures (in-body vs in-lens or just tripod with remote control)

Last but not least, the best camera is a camera you bring and use, so compactness and fun to use never under estimated. And unfortunately they don't always go together. Personally I don't like the "feel" of the current electronic view fienders, so for candid portraits, sports and most tele work an optical view fiender might be crucial.

Question 23: What software do you use for post-processing?
Haha, a couple of weeks back I use Shift-CTRL-PrintScreen for resizing of a picture to be able to send it my e-mail, do you call that post-processing?

Question 24: Which aspect ratio do you prefer?
Good question!!! Initially I loved the hardware switch on the LX3 (and extended with 1:1 on the LX5), but more and more I see that fine tuning of compositie by cropping during post processing for the ultimate shot you want to share with others is unavoidable (at least at my photography level...). 16-9 (or even wider) is great for panorama shots presented on a LCD-television, for me the difference between 3:4 and 2:3 is limitted and I love the look of 1:1 for the right subject (but also not for all shots, because that would become boring). Typically something lik 3:4 to 2:3 is the easiest format to maintain attention to one subject in its environment. But as you can read, I actually don't prefer one ratio over the other and don't really need the switch on the camera either (it confuses me / takes time), but grid lines of common ratio's on the LCD for framing would be nice.
- If you frame many pictures then it would of course be handy to shot on a standardized frame format.

Question 25: Do you take picture in color or black and white?
Both, but so far mainly color and if needed transfer to Black and White during post processing (which I don't do much yet).

Question 26: What are you most favorite camera settings?
iA , Dynamic, B&W (but also Panaroma sweep of Sony sounds interesting)
- But I still have to learn a lot about the applications of the basics like shutter speed and aperture...

Question 27: Do you also use video functionality on your digital camera's?
Rarely, last weekend I did to capture the birds flying away after a wedding, because I wasn't sure how to capture them as a still picture...
- And of course also of our kids playing / singing, but still taking pictures seem to be more attractive to me (maybe because it is easier to select the best one).

Question 28: What do you expect from 3D photograph (and video)?
Personally I am not that interested (but I think it is funny you were already asking me this question privately before the release of the Panasonic 3D lens for m43 format). 2D is already more than difficult enough to control. For me Zoom, Shutter time and Aperture (icw sensor and lens) are additional parameters to utilize to get to a better photo. Where 3D will introduce more parameters you HAVE TO control, so it will become more difficult (just like video requires you to make many good shots...). Results can be fun(ny), but I don't see the artistic added value yet and also the display possibilities still need to improve significantly to make it accessable outside the cinema (currently also based a lot on calculated images).
From both our daughters we have 3D videos from before they were born, but I like the picture from after their birth much more. But as always, time will tell, maybe my kids will like it...

It was a joy for me to read the other interviews on this site (see link below) and think interviews like these will make the atmosphere even better.
I already know who is next, you know? Who also wants to be interviewed and/or ask the questions like Herman is doing now? Just post here or send me or Herman a private message, otherwise we might ask you!!!

Member Interviews - Micro Four Thirds User Forum

 

Herman!!!

You don't want to know who is the next one I am going to interview?
- I am really disappointed...

Grrrr  

Question 29: Who is the next one you are going to interview?
Surprise, surprise, it is grebeman!!!

Probably most of you don't know him yet, so I am sure that will make the interview very interesting.

Back to Herman:
- Why in the world did you want to interview me to start with?

 

Question 30: Which brands to do you prefer?
Canon SLR was OK, Nikon P&S's were bad, Panasonic enthousiastic/serious compacts feel good, Pentax K-7 / K-x sound interesting (and my father used to have one with a 50 mm F2 lens). But my experience is limitted. Advicing others on which camera to buy is as difficult as buying a camera based on advice of other people... Basicly it first needs to fit the look and feel you want from a camera and next it should be close match to your technical needs (features and specification) and fit within your budget. No camera is perfect, but having one and love bringing it with you and use it are key!!!

Question 31: Which lenses can you advice?
Hmm, guess the wrong question for me, not enough experience yet to advice anybody any lenses.

• I like my LX3, so I can advice everybody the LX5
• I want a fast portrait prime lens (icw with large enough sensor to give me sufficient working space to play with brokeh) and I need a DLSR/M43 camera for that...
• And if I buy a DLSR/M43 camera then I also want a full range zoom lens (with manual zoom via ring around the lens), preferably with an effective range from 24 mm to at least 250 mm
• Given my LX3 experience I like the compactness of GF1 and the 20 mm F1.7 pancake would be perfect to complete my lens set, but for candid portrait applications I need an optical or electronic viewer and I want it to buy build-in like the flash, so I can't forget it (or putting it on would make me mis-out on the oppertunity to capture the moment).

Question 32: How does your ideal photography tool set look like?
First merge the Pentax K-7 with the Panasonic GF1 (compact weather resistant / water proof rangefinder with built-in EVF (or optical)). If feasible at same compactness as LX3 of course equipted bounce flash like L1 and with a full-frame sensor for optimal High ISO performance beyond the K-x... Then take the Panasonic 20 mm F1.7 pancake and add the 14-140 mm zoom with IS as well as a 45 mm F1.4 prime. If feasible of course in one compact lens, preferably with Leica/Zeiss stamp on it... Guess I have to settle with less, right?

With upcoming Photokina and need to spend some money to kick-off this hobby of mine, I think I have to become more realistic with my list of requirements.

Question 33: Where do you buy your stuff, at a normal photo shop or online on the internet?
If price is reasonable compared to Internet prices (after negotiation, which is more accepted in Asia than in Europe) than I buy at "real" photo shop, other wise of course online.

Question 34: What else do you want to tell us?
Having a camera kills the fun of looking for one, but I am more and more looking forward to dive into the actual application of the camera. I am planning to structurally go through some photography subjects (based on books and personal initiatives) and build my skills (both practical and artistically, see my photography wishes addressed before) and in parallel also discover the limits of my tools (technical, maybe compare new camera with LX3). Anybody interested to join? The idea is not that you "have to" post every day, but it is of course more fun to go through the course together and with that experience also build a special friendship.