In his new book, Altadena photographer Ibarionex Perello lights the way to the creative process
by Timothy Rutt
All photos (c) Ibarionex Perello and used with permission.
Ibarionex Perello is always thinking, searching, and learning. A photographer, writer, and educator for over 25 years, he’s knows there’s always more to know, more to find out -- another image to capture, another way of capturing it that’s better or more original than what’s gone before.
A pioneering podcaster, Perello hosts The Candid Frame, an online interview show where he talks to the leading established and emerging photographers about their art and vision, teasing out why they see the way they see.
Pictured: Ibarionex Perello
And now -- after a career as a teacher and student of photography and photographers -- he’s written his first book, Chasing the Light: Improving Your Photography with Available Light. (New Riders, 2011). It’s a guide, lavishly illustrated with Perello’s own photographs, on how to use the light at hand when composing a photograph.
Remain in light
The germ of the book idea emerged “because I starting doing presentations and workshops, and I was teaching. I saw that the way I see and use light wasn’t the way that others see it,” Perello said. “I was seeing the world very uniquely ... and a year ago, i wanted to write a book.”
The prospect wasn’t too daunting, as Perello has written extensively for magazines including Rangefinder, Shutterbug, PC Photo, Digital Photo, and Outdoor Photographer. But for a longer, book-length project, the challenge was find the voice.
He didn’t want to get too technical, and his editor admonished him “not to sound too pedantic.” What he ended up writing was a book that gives you minimal technical details (not telling you what f/stop, film speed, etc. in a given situation), but shares his process of seeing an image, thinking how he wants to preserve it. and the feelings he goes through composing it. Then, using the technical knowledge of the camera to preserve the image you see.
“I tell people that photography is the process of elimination,” Perello said. “There are a lot of things in the world. If an object in the frame doesn’t do something to my subject, then I have to get rid of it.”
Podcasting and the creative process
The book is only one of many projects Perello has on his plate. He’s been an instructor at the Art Center College of Design and BetterPhoto.com. There’s his own photography, of course. There are the magazine articles. He’s also one of the principals at Alas Media.
But the Altadena resident may be best known in the photography world as the host of the Candid Frame. Perello said he first listened to photography podcasts about five years ago, but they were only about equipment.
“Somebody should do a show about photographers talking about photography,” Perello thought, and decided to be the one to do it.
An absolute novice to podcasting at the time, “I just Googled everything and was figuring things out,“ Perello said. Rather than talk about equipment on his podcast, “it became more of a conversation about being creative and being a photographer as the means to do that.
“I think it speaks to more of what it’s like to be creative, the creative life and the challenges of that.”
Inspiration
“The Creative Frame” has listeners from all over the world, Perello said, and not just photographers, but other creatives, too -- “food, landscaping people.” The insights are “really what people take out of the show ... it’s self-serving. I get to talk to people I’ve admired my whole life, and it gives me an excuse to talk to them -- and serves as an inspiration for my own work.”
As for the book, holding it for the first time “was exciting. It became real for me.” His next step is putting together an educational DVD based on the book.
Perello and his wife have lived in Altadena for about twelve years, Perello said. They moved here because “my wife (Cynthia) grew up here, and we were coming up here for church on Sunday ... it’s a great community. People are really passionate about the town, and I can’t think of a better place to live in LA.”
Websites:
The Candid Frame
Alas Media
www.altadenaphoto.com
BetterPhoto.com
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