October 25, 2004 - This week, we interview Charlie O'Shields from Always Curious:

Alright Charlie, let the folks know a little about yourself:
I'm a 33 year old Aries who was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and somehow managed to never leave it. I work as a Creative Director at an interactive design company, and if you don't know what that means exactly, don't worry, my mother doesn't either. I have a BA in Studio Art, and I have held several full-time, part-time and one-time jobs including, but not limited to, siding installer, real estate agent, singer, clown, playwright, copywriter, violinist, tap and jazz instructor, professional actor, industrial designer, art director, and marketing consultant.

How does that work out? A tap-dancing clown violinist? All this, and you don’t have any jobs that involve photography?
Actually, I have directed photo shoots in my current line of work, but nothing hands on. After I managed to turn every hobby I've ever had into some sort of paid gig, it's actually nice to keep photography as a hobby. At least for now... I never know what will happen next for me!

Before we continue, what's the story behind your site's name?
I've always been curious, ever since I was a child, but I was inspired by reading a book by Patrick Mauries entitled Cabinets of Curiosities. On the back of the book was the following text: "Cabinets of Curiosities, or rooms of wonders, were the astonishing creation of collectors who wished to gather together everything, all knowledge - animal, vegetable, or man-made - into a single unimaginable space. An entire universe in miniature." This seemed like the perfect way to describe the way I wanted to photograph and display my images, so I based my site concept around this concept.

Do you remember the first time you grabbed a camera?
I've always loved photography, but I didn't really start photographing until college. Even though I did get an art degree, it wasn't part of my emphasis, so I took a summer class at a local community college and bought a Pentax K1000 from a pawn shop to get started. I loved that camera, but gave it away last year to another budding photography student at a local college. Hopefully she'll enjoy the same happy returns I did.

What are your thoughts towards photo schools? Some people say they’re a waste of time; self-learning is best; they’re great..?
I think, like most organized learning, it depends on the school and especially the instructor. If the instructor is passionate and informed, than I think they are a fantastic way to learn and the ability to view and critique the work of others is always a huge opportunity. I think that's why photoblogs are so great... they almost create a virtual classroom of sorts, although, I don't think anything takes the place of face-to-face communication.

Why do you like photography?
I've always enjoyed collecting things, but could never limit myself to a single category of things to collect. Photography allows me to collect all sorts of things... little slices of life that are more fun to collect than precious moments figurines would have ever been anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with that. And truthfully, my long term memory is pretty poor, so it's a good way to remind me where I've been.

Any other hobbies other than photography that remind you where you've been?
I enjoy writing, and at one time dreamed of being a famous writer. Then I found out that in order to actually be a famous writer you needed to write... a lot. So writing comes into play, but only in the two to three word titles I assign to my photographs. I'm sure it's healthier to have other hobbies, but photography seems to be the only thing that consistently holds my childlike attention span.

Have you had any memorable photo experiences that come to mind?
It's always a memorable experience when I find a place to photograph that truly inspires me. I might be walking around my garden, and think, "wow, I've never seen that before" and start snapping off shot after shot with new eyes - when simple curiosity turns into true inspiration.

Any negative?
I've never really had a truly negative experience while photographing, but I have been stopped on several occasions by fearful Americans who just want to be assured that I'm not a terrorist. It's very unfortunate, but it's a sign of the times we live in.

Do you think the situation will ever get better? What do you recommend should change?
Without getting too political on the subject of well... change, I don't foresee things getting much better as long as the government continues to use fear as a way to gain support of the masses. But hopefully, one day, we'll enjoy the happier times when people were more frightened of murdering mosquito's and killer bees than the occasional rogue street photographer.

Funny stuff... now onto your shooting style. What it is?
I love to shoot handheld and although I own a tripod, I really don't like to use it. I prefer the spontaneity of shooting whatever catches my eye at the precise time it captures it. I seldom stage my shots, unless a particular concept seizes my imagination. As for subject matter, I'm drawn to life and anything that I feel represents a piece of it, which means, I photograph just about anything.

So you’re more of a spontaneous shooter? What kind of challenges do you get with this?
Even for someone who's always curious, it's a huge challenge to look for the interesting in the ordinary. Rather than being able to dream up a shot, I have to find the shot that's waiting for me, which is a frightful challenge some days, and a gigantic reward (in) others.

Do you feel you have any underlying themes in your work?
I've always had trouble assigning singular themes to my work, although I know I've envied the way other photographers find a particular theme that's so compellingly strong in their work that it exudes from every photo. That's why I chose to go with the Cabinets of Curiosities concept, so I was only limited to the theme of knowledge... learning about the world one piece at a time.

Do you have any themes when it comes to photo technique?
I do find that I'm drawn more to single subject shots and macro photography. I think this stems from the fact that such small things catch my eye sometimes that if I don't focus in tightly on them, no one would have any idea why I choose the subjects that I do.

So you’re getting ready for a day of shooting… What are your rituals, tricks, and what are you carrying around?
I have two cameras, a point-and-shoot S400 and a Canon 10D DSLR. I carry the S400 with me everywhere due to its compact size. If I'm actually preparing for a day of shooting, I grab my Canon 10D in a bag which houses: 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS, 50mm f1.8 II, 17-40mm f4L, 100mm f2.8 Macro, photo wallet, and backup cards. I don't prepare... just grab the bag and head out to find out what's curious.

The boring/exciting question: film or digital?
I love film and black and white photography, combined with working in the darkroom, is the reason I started photographing in the first place. But today, I love the immediacy of digital, but prefer DSLR because I really don't like using a screen to compose as much as I like holding a camera up to my eye and hearing an actual shutter sound. I know that there are wonderful debates out there with eloquent stances on each, but for me, it's just one good old base need... immediate gratification.

So you no longer use film? Do you think your photography will suffer as a result? Do you think it will eventually die out?
I actually do use a LOMO occasionally, but yes, I'm shooting 99% digital now. To me, it's all about the art of composition and that can be accomplished with everything from a pinhole camera to an 11-megapixel digital beast, so I don't think my photography suffers at all. My knowledge of film cameras and traditional darkroom techniques has suffered, but my composition skills have increased with the immediacy of digital. I don't think film will ever die out... in fact, the flood of digital cameras has caused a counter-flood of interest in vintage film cameras, which I think is wonderful.

What's your favorite camera?
I love my current Canon 10D, although I still have pangs for my original Pentax K1000. I think this has more to do with nostalgia as I adore the 10D and love the quality and responsiveness.

Do you do any heavy Photoshop work on your photos? What are your thoughts behind it?
I don't use any heavy Photoshop techniques on my photos. The only technique I have ever used that can't be replicated in a traditional film darkroom is the Clone Tool to remove dust and sometimes other scene distractions. I appreciate the power of Photoshop, and in capable hands, I've seen some heavily processed photos that are really fantastic. I'm not opposed to heavy Photoshop work, but I will usually simply abandon a shot that requires that much time... short attention span.

Onto your photoblog... why did you start one?
After dropping a ton of money on the 10D, I realized that I wasn't shooting as much as I needed to shoot in order to improve quickly. The only real way to become a great photographer is to simply shoot a hell of a lot of photos. I started Always Curious as a lesson in self-discipline, but it's grown into so much more. Now it's truly becoming my cabinet of wonders that I get to share with the world.

How did you stumble upon the whole photoblogging idea and world?
A few of my friends with traditional written blogs linked to some wonderful photoblogs. I would visit their site and then click through to enjoy the photos. I was taking photos actively and printing them to put in a book, and finally thought, "Hey... I can start a photoblog and stop working in a vacuum!" A quick Google search to find software kept pulling up Photoblogs.org and soon I found this huge community. It was really overwhelming!

You've become one of the hottest photoblogs since you started, and it shows in the numbers with photoblogs.org, Alexa, Blogshares and many others. What do you attribute to your fast and huge success?
Honestly... I was more than a little shocked when I started even getting any traffic. I would love to think it's because people really enjoy my work, and I honestly hope that's the case. But at the same time, I'm amazed on a daily basis by all the fantastic blogs at Photoblogs.org and constantly visit sites in search of inspiration and well... some major humbling. I know that being active in the community has definitely increased my traffic, but I can't help it... I'm addicted!

What's been the best thing about running Always Curious?
I love the community that I've discovered via Photoblogs.org. I had no idea when I started the site, just how many fantastic photographers and wonderful people were out there, just like me, photographing and sharing their photos. Each day, I learn something new and I am continually inspired by everyone's great work.

What types of things are you learning?
I can't count the number of times I've looked at a photo and thought, "Man, I wish I thought of that... how did they even see that!!" Everything from use of color to creative composition, to bizarre and interesting subject matter, I'm constantly learning. I've also learned some great Photoshop techniques and the more technical aspects of my photography via e-mail from fellow photobloggers.

Any strains?
Now that people are actually visiting my site (only myself and my dog were viewing the pictures in the first couple months...he won't admit it, but I think he rather liked them), there's a responsibility to continue to shoot and post a picture each day. As my photography improves, so does the quality of a "post-worthy" picture and it's sometimes hard to come up with the right shot.

So would you say you provide more of an ‘artsy’ approach towards photoblogging, instead of a daily journal/diary?
I started out with an intent to simply shoot a photo a day, but it rapidly turned into something more for me. Now, instead of posting what I shot that very day, I post a shot that relates to my mood. For whatever reason, a shot will speak to me on that day or a theme will grab me and carry me for an entire week. So, I still consider my site a journal of sorts, but a slide show of my photos in order would probably reveal something a little bizarre and non-linear. That might be considered 'artsy'! I'm not sure.

By the way, is time a strain at all, especially for a man with over 20 jobs? How long do you take to shoot, edit, and upload?
I shoot during the week and always carry a camera with me, so most of the photos are 2-3 days 'fresh'. But, it's true, the time strain is amazing, so I tend to go on longer shoots on the weekend and process enough shots for the week (unless I spot something really cool during the week that can't wait and then I just stay up too late and post it..! Which happens a lot). This was part of the reason I changed the sub-head from, "A Daily Photo Journal" to, "A World of Wonders" - I shoot daily, but the photos aren't always taken the same day.

Do you feel photography and/or photoblogging has changed your life in any ways?
Wow, now that's quite a question. I think photography has definitely changed my life in that it allows me a rare opportunity to focus on the typically insignificant aspects of life rather than the stress of everything that's supposed to be so important. Photoblogging has given me the chance to share my collected sightings with the world and shown me that nothing is insignificant if it resonates with even one other person. It has shown me that we are all connected through this world of wonders that's more plainly referred to as life.

Your inspirations? Both in photography and photoblogs?
The top spot goes to my favorite server of fab photography, my friend, your_waitress. She really has a way of capturing life and making me look for the interesting in the everyday. Also, Zoran "Zee" Milich who manages to capture life in a way that's both beautiful, comical, and emotionally charged, usually in the same photograph. And a third would be Tim Gerdes at Wax Rhapsodic whose elegant site design was very inspiring as well as his excellent macro shots which caused me to spend even more money on my hobby by buying a new macro lens.

Best photo ever?
I'm not sure I can honestly pick just one, but my favorite photographer is Henri Cartier-Bresson and this is one my favorites of his.

What do you think can make the photoblogging community stronger?
I'm always envious of the strong photoblogging communities in New York, San Francisco, and Canada. It would be great if more of these groups would start up across the country in greater numbers. I've not heard of a Kansas City group, but I would love to be a part of one.

What are your thoughts on photoblog commenting?
I love them! It's so great to receive comments on my photography as it gives me feedback that I've never had before photoblogging. There are debates out there on whether comments should be critiques or applause, but I think any time a photo elicits a response, of any kind, it's a great thing. I tend to comment on photos that I simply love for whatever reason, and have a horrible habit of gushing without much in the way of constructive criticism. But I hope there's a place for comments like that as well!

Are you involved in anything else photography-wise other than your photoblog?
I participate in several of the memes, Thursday Challenge, Photo Friday, and i-gizmo. I've also contributed to File Magazine, which is an amazing "collection of unexpected photography." I've also worked with other photographers and designers on collaborative projects, but would love to do more.

Before I forget: Red Sox or Cardinals… or do you care?
I've never really been into sports, as I don't have the attention span required to follow it. But I have to say, that since I'm from Missouri, I'm rooting for the Cardinals... albeit in a sort of. I don't really watch the games and seldom remember a single score sort of way.

Any closing words?
I love being part of the photoblog community and I continually find inspiration and renewed enthusiasm by visiting the sites at photoblogs.org. Prior to having a site I used to get very depressed and think my photography was complete crap. This would cause me to stop shooting for quite awhile. Now, while I still think that most of my photos are crap, I can at least get the kick in the butt I need to get back out there and try again.