{"id":54,"date":"2009-02-17T10:43:21","date_gmt":"2009-02-17T17:43:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54"},"modified":"2009-02-17T10:54:34","modified_gmt":"2009-02-17T17:54:34","slug":"advice-in-a-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54","title":{"rendered":"Advice in a Storm"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

I have, to paraphrase Blanche Dubois<\/a>, always benefited from the kindness of strangers<\/a>. By this I mean I have had many guides — good people who, through advice, action or simply mannerism, provided me with a way forward<\/strong> when I could not see one and anchored me against the storms to which I have always been unwisely drawn.<\/p>\n

One of the most important of these people was Fran Ortiz<\/a>, a photographer with the “old” San Francisco Examiner who taught me the principles of photojournalism at San Francisco State and, later, encouraged me to pursue a career in it. I took half of that advice — I kept t<\/strong>he “journalism,” but dropped the “photo.”<\/strong> Now, I am trying to reunite them in some form.<\/p>\n

Fran was a man of immense visual talent, but what made him such an accomplished photographer were his patience, gentility and humor<\/strong>, qualities that enabled him to insert himself (and his camera) into the lives of his subjects so seamlessly.<\/p>\n

As a teacher, Fran was persistent in pushing us toward excellence. He taught me how to read a contact sheet <\/strong>to understand how I shot, how I moved through a scene or interacted with the person I was shooting. One frame, he would say, says little about the photographer. The entire shoot reveals his technique, personality, strengths and weaknesses. The same observations apply today on a screenful of images.<\/p>\n

He told us to get closer, to move in, to be amid the action not apart from it, and to get in front of people — faces, not asses<\/strong>, he would say. These techniques were all part of Fran’s belief that, as Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Kim Komenich said in this tribute<\/a>: \u201cFran realized a photo should be made and not \u2018taken.\u2019 <\/strong>He based his entire way of seeing on the idea that the negative is the score and the print is the performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Made not taken. I try to judge my own work by that standard and still fall far too short far too often.<\/p>\n

One of the best times to make pictures, Fran said, was in the worst of weather. When the weather gets bad, grab the camera<\/strong> and head out, he would tell us in class. During these last few days of heavy (and welcome) Northern California rain, I’ve heard Fran’s voice in my head quite often.<\/p>\n

The shot above — San Francisco under a storm — is my response. I like it, but I keep wondering how Fran would tell me to improve it. (Take a bigger<\/a> look.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have, to paraphrase Blanche Dubois, always benefited from the kindness of strangers. By this I mean I have had many guides — good people who, through advice, action or simply mannerism, provided me with a way forward when I … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,30],"tags":[97,96],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-personal","category-photojournalism","tag-fran-ortiz","tag-san-francisco"],"yoast_head":"\nAdvice in a Storm - Tim Porter's Second Draft<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Advice in a Storm - Tim Porter's Second Draft\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I have, to paraphrase Blanche Dubois, always benefited from the kindness of strangers. By this I mean I have had many guides — good people who, through advice, action or simply mannerism, provided me with a way forward when I … Continue reading →\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tim Porter's Second Draft\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/timporterphotography\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2009-02-17T17:43:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2009-02-17T17:54:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tim Porter\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tim Porter\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54\",\"name\":\"Advice in a Storm - Tim Porter's Second Draft\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2009-02-17T17:43:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2009-02-17T17:54:34+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#\/schema\/person\/efd6f6b05808f784091b582e4231621d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Advice in a Storm\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/\",\"name\":\"Tim Porter's Second Draft\",\"description\":\"Photography, Books, Journalism & Other Curiosities\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#\/schema\/person\/efd6f6b05808f784091b582e4231621d\",\"name\":\"Tim Porter\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/964890359b5d3b9d2229d81cf1c545c03e5f2c1369af8c0b1cc43e74b6b4abef?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/964890359b5d3b9d2229d81cf1c545c03e5f2c1369af8c0b1cc43e74b6b4abef?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Tim Porter\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\"],\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Advice in a Storm - Tim Porter's Second Draft","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Advice in a Storm - Tim Porter's Second Draft","og_description":"I have, to paraphrase Blanche Dubois, always benefited from the kindness of strangers. By this I mean I have had many guides — good people who, through advice, action or simply mannerism, provided me with a way forward when I … Continue reading →","og_url":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54","og_site_name":"Tim Porter's Second Draft","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/timporterphotography","article_published_time":"2009-02-17T17:43:21+00:00","article_modified_time":"2009-02-17T17:54:34+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg"}],"author":"Tim Porter","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Tim Porter","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54","url":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54","name":"Advice in a Storm - Tim Porter's Second Draft","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg","datePublished":"2009-02-17T17:43:21+00:00","dateModified":"2009-02-17T17:54:34+00:00","author":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#\/schema\/person\/efd6f6b05808f784091b582e4231621d"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/images\/seconddraft\/sfstorm.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?p=54#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Advice in a Storm"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#website","url":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/","name":"Tim Porter's Second Draft","description":"Photography, Books, Journalism & Other Curiosities","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#\/schema\/person\/efd6f6b05808f784091b582e4231621d","name":"Tim Porter","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/964890359b5d3b9d2229d81cf1c545c03e5f2c1369af8c0b1cc43e74b6b4abef?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/964890359b5d3b9d2229d81cf1c545c03e5f2c1369af8c0b1cc43e74b6b4abef?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Tim Porter"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.timporter.com"],"url":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=54"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=54"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.timporter.com\/seconddraft\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}