Andrew Niesen

I stood mesmerized.

After staggering through crowded, chattering galleries at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, I was stunned to discover an entire group of patrons standing silently in front of a few diminutive canvases. No one dared interrupt the intimacy portrayed in Jan Vermeer's paintings.

Very few artists have the power to render an entire group of hurried tourists speechless. Jan Vermeer's paintings stop you in your tracks. They inspire contemplation.

Moving toward my favorite of the four paintings, "The Love Letter," I realized that I was looking at a seventeenth-century snapshot.

A scene of domestic intimacy is revealed by a curtain pulled aside. A woman, clothed in yellow, is handed a letter. She glances up questioningly at her maid and pauses her music. The room is brilliantly illuminated by window light; the space in front is darker. A broom and a basket of clothing sit on the graphic tiled floor. The tiles, in turn, lead us straight into the center of the composition — the woman's heart. Vermeer masterfully depicted a quiet, unassuming moment in a spontaneous, sacred manner.

I stood there for nearly 15 minutes, transfixed by the stillness of the moment.

Years ago, my art history professor encouraged me, the lone photojournalist in his class, to attend a colloquium about Jan Vermeer's use of a camera obscura. Since then, I have been hooked on the Dutch master's work.

The term "camera obscura" means "dark room," and the optical device intensifies what is seen with the naked eye. A small hole in a booth or box pulls the image that is directly outside, via light rays, into a darkened space. Then, the image is projected (often upside down) on the booth or box's opposite side. The camera obscura was used as early as the mid-fifteenth century, and could project an image of sunlit objects placed before it with extraordinary realism. A keen sensitivity to the effects of light and color, and an interest in defining spatial relationships, encouraged Vermeer to experiment with a camera obscura.

Vermeer had an uncanny relationship with photography — he was on a quest to discover the way light shapes our view of the world. The manipulation of light and shadow served to intensify his compositions. Light was Vermeer's muse; he experimented with it constantly. Radiant light comes from somewhere beside or behind his canvases. Subtle gradations of reflected light are skillfully depicted on exquisite jewelry, bright eyes, kitchen utensils, musical instruments or a woman's open lips. All objects catch the light, creating a calming, otherworldly atmosphere. Indeed, it is the lens-like quality of Vermeer's paintings that makes them seem a small step away from actual photographs.

If you want to read more about Vermeer and the camera obscura, read Philip Steadman's excellent book Vermeer's Camera: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Masterpieces.

I received an email today from a very polite foreigner asking if I could photograph his wedding reception at the 21 Club in New York. He only needs me for three hours and it should be a very colorful event, according to his description. Sounds great...we can fly to New York, shoot this grand event and take the rest of the day to sight-see. There must be a catch...

...there is. I thought it might be interesting to do research and find out what this is about. As it turns out, the PPA did a recent press release about this topic.

Here's the scam: A foreign "client" (scam artist) hires you to shoot their wedding. They complete the paperwork and send a check, except they "accidentally" send a check for too much money. Then, they ask you to wire the amount overpaid back to their bank account. The catch is the original check is counterfeit and will eventually bounce. Then, you're out several thousand dollars, and you feel stupid!

Look out for things that are too good to be true. ***CLICK HERE*** to view the email.

Thanks everyone! We appreciate your poll responses, emails and calls! After hearing your thoughts, we are pleased to announce a NEW Spring section of our workshop...

The Brandenburg Gate
The Reichstag (German Parliament Building)
Interior of Sir Norman Foster's glass dome, on top of the Reichstag

Happy holidays from Berlin, the center of the "New Europe." Christmas season in Berlin is full of public excitement, including many outdoor "Weinachtsmarkt," which are festive street markets. Vendors sell everything from carved nativity scenes and ornaments to smoked sausages and candied almonds. The smells are amazing and the Glühwein (warmed, spiced wine) tastes incredible! The mood on the streets feels like New York City during the holiday season, and all of the stores are decorated with elaborate displays. The streets are lined with twinkling white lights, which makes the atmosphere even more magical. We've been exploring the city, and since this is our third visit here, we feel even more at home. One day, it would be wonderful to have an apartment in Berlin! Big dreams! The Stilwerk is a modern home décor mecca! They have everything from Kartell furniture to German graphic art galleries.

It was serendipity that the New York Times published an article about Berlin the day before we flew to Berlin. This city is a portrait of change. The energy is palpable; construction cranes are everywhere. Berlin has been transformed from a city that was a the epicenter of 20th century world politics to a thriving cultural, political and financial hub of The New Europe. Check out this video to experience a little bit of the trip!

-Andrew and Rachel

It's a challenge for girls to grow up in a culture surrounded by idealized images of beauty, abundant in mass media, that hold them to a standard of beauty that is impossible to attain. When a friend introduced me to a television commercial produced for Dove's Self Esteem Fund I was struck by the extent of makeup and Photoshop retouching that goes into a typical fashion shoot.

It reminded me that the standard of beauty that mass media often presents is unrealistic. Photojournalist Lauren Greenfield dedicated years to a long-term project on this topic, which is showcased in her book, Girl Culture.

As photographers, it is a challenge for us to counteract such unnatural standards of beauty. You'll see in this commercial, called "Evolution," a model transform from an ordinary woman to a supernatural beauty. In this ultra-produced environment, women will be made-over, the lighting will be manipulated to soften the model's skin and jawline. Photoshop retouching will distort the shape of her head, eyes and neck into a more idealized form.

What are we to do? Do our clients want to look like supermodels? I believe that if we were to retouch the images of a bride so she becomes a distorted, idealized image of herself, it will have the opposite of the intended effect. As a photojournalist, I want to showcase the bride's natural beauty and articulate it into an image without manipulation. That's the real power of photography.