STEEM PHOTO JOURNAL #1

Welcome to the first issue of the Steem Photo Journal!

The SPJ is a @photofriend community project aiming to create a ‘must-read’ for every photo-enthusiast here on Steemit. The journal is intended to inform, entertain and engage the readers.

Besides the contest, which will be always present, sections of the journal may vary depending on the authors involved in the issues and will respond to the readers’ feedback!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Captivating

Interview with photographer
Curation
Stats
Contest
Participants

CAPTIVATING

Finding visually exceptional photo posts on the Steem blockchain. No text needed.

by @photographeraceh

by @faltermann

by @amyalfatasya

INTERVIEW WITH @axeman

Tell us something about yourself and how did you get into photography?

Born in 1974 in Klaipeda, Lithuania (those times USSR). My way to photography started in the early 1980s with some trials to shoot on film with my first Zenit ET. But these attempts remained on amateur level. After graduating from St. Petersburg University of Economics and Finance, photography was almost completely forgotten. Until finally about 4 years ago I have got my first Full Frame Canon 5D Mark II and started to train skills shooting landscapes and trying to find my own style and colours.

Luckily, I live (still at Klaipeda) at Baltic Sea coast, so seascapes still what I’m shooting quite regularly. I guess I always wanted to paint the world like I see it, but unfortunately haven’t got such natural skill from God. Luckily there is Photoshop, which is probably implemented by the Devil.

What does photography mean to you?

While I’m still full time employed (top manager at sea port enterprise), photography become a major part of my life, but remains as a hobby. For me, it is the way to show the watchers how I see the beauty of this world. It is the way to get some relax at the seaside while shooting landscape or get some good company during photo shoots

Please briefly describe your photography style to our readers.

So main directions are still landscape/seascape photography and beauty, as well combining both. The beauty of Nature and the beauty of Woman. Nothing else can inspire more feelings.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Often browsing major photo webs like 35photo.ru, 1x.com, 500px.com and some dedicated Facebook groups as well

Do you think in advance about what you want in the picture?

Always there is main idea with some examples what have to be done. Collecting necessary accessories, dresses and so on, planning right location, etc.

Studio, on location or both?

Both. Ideas just differ. For some it is necessary outdoors, some can be done at studio only.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

Once was caught by a big wave while shooting at port gates during a heavy storm. All wet, luckily managed to hide camera. From the recent ones, is beauty photoshoot at St.Hillarion temple at Norther Cyprus at the height of 1200meters above the sea. Stunning view.

Camera? Favorite lens?

Canon and Leica.
Canon 85/F1.2

CURATION

Featuring exceptional authors worth curating.

@mibreit-photo

The man with passion for traveling, filming and photography! Great mood captured on the video with amazing shots of mountain landscapes. I am sure we will se much more amazing stuff from this Steemian! Good Luck!

@ykdesign

Photo editing is also piece of art and in digital photography - part which we cannot separate or ignore... Creating the dreamy pictures from the elements is a great piece of digital art.

STATS

TOP 20 Effective curators in Photography category

¹	Account	Votes	Authors	VAS(%)	Contr. (SBD)	Share %	Eff.
1	@sweetsssj	28	9	96	1943,2	8,15	6,42
2	@isteemd	30	20	17	471,6	1,98	3,46
3	@esteemapp	94	68	3	92,29	0,39	2,3
4	@slowwalker	45	28	15	171,08	0,72	1,76
5	@hendrikdegrote	38	32	3	105,16	0,44	1,24
6	@newhope	47	25	16	133,72	0,56	1,23
7	@good-karma	95	69	2	46,48	0,19	1,18
8	@surpassinggoogle	29	22	12	136,42	0,57	1,1
9	@alexis555	42	21	17	109,27	0,46	0,84
10	@donkeypong	55	15	10	152,97	0,64	0,84
11	@davidding	21	13	47	173,82	0,73	0,83
12	@redes	48	26	16	84,55	0,35	0,81
13	@ripperone	52	25	16	84,72	0,36	0,78
14	@steepshot	201	88	12	23,91	0,1	0,77
15	@fminerten	22	6	80	309,94	1,3	0,68
16	@lordgod	53	20	13	90,18	0,38	0,66
17	@grandpawhale	100	62	3	27,35	0,11	0,62
18	@jawnz	54	9	100	179,53	0,75	0,59
19	@mangos	46	27	17	56,91	0,24	0,56
20	@onceuponatime	24	11	42	134,4	0,56	0,54

TOP of photography realated categories from the TOP 200 categories by rewards

¹	Category	Authors	Posts	Reward (SBD)	Share %
1	photography	2719	7792	23466	5,449
2	travel	774	1681	10153	2,358
3	colorchallenge	309	688	3009	0,699
4	photo	288	631	1403,05	0,326
5	photofeed	69	175	930,32	0,216
6	landscapephotography	180	333	758,29	0,176
7	animalphotography	213	274	478,27	0,111
8	streetphotography	166	259	451,16	0,105
9	smartphonephotography	179	285	450,84	0,105
10	travelfeed	43	69	433,34	0,101
11	monomad	80	192	419,32	0,097
12	goldenhourphotography	149	176	376,49	0,087
13	photomag	36	154	358,60	0,083
14	steepshot	106	260	342,81	0,08
15	macrophotography	142	234	329,69	0,077
16	foodphotography	181	259	285,30	0,066

CONTEST

The SPJ’s contest is a monthly photography challenge, constituted by four parts (one a week) with different themes. The four recurrent themes are: portrait, street photography, landscape and black and white.

The way the winner is selected is the following: every week the ten best submissions will be selected by our judges and receive 1 to 10 points, based on their ranking. At the end of the month the points received in each of the four weeks will be added together, resulting in a monthly winner.

The photographer of the month will win 5 Steem! In addition, every week, the three best submissions will be rewarded with 0.5 Steem each.

Model/MU: @publicumaurora
Photographer: @axeman

This week’s theme is PORTRAIT!

How it works:

• Post only your own original content adhering to the weekly theme.

• Create a post entitled ‘SPJ contest submission by username’, using #spj as your first hashtag.

• Copy paste a link to this post in the comments section below (deadline: Monday 12pm CET).

• Upvoting and resteeming this article is not mandatory, but highly desirable, as it will contribute to the success of this contest.

• The winners will be published in the following issue of the SPJ.

PARTICIPANTS

COVER: photographer @axeman | model @publicumaurora

Captivating by @fotogruppemunich
Interview with photographer by @claudiaz
Curation by @photovisions
Stats by @boddhisattva
Contest by @photofriend | judged by @axeman and @brumest

@photofriend is a community supporting photographers across the Steem blockchain. Come to join us on discord: https://discord.gg/qtbFfkp