USD Magazine, Spring 2003

...TAK AGR[AJ PIIOTOGRAPII? ~---

Nicole Toesca '89 (M. B.A.) is a fine arts photographer who had three works selected far display at the Washington, D. C., Touchstone Gallery's 2003 National All- Media Exhibition. f irst, don't get rid of your old cam– era! Print film is at its best quality ever. Read your camera manual with your camera by your side. Don't get discouraged by complicated instructions. Ger to know yo ur camera well - practice! For a good guide, buy the inexpensive Kodak Guide to 35mm Photography, which will help yo u understand how a typical camera works, and how you can get more co ntrol over your final results using lens open ings and shutter speeds. Photograph scenery and people out– doors within a couple of hours of sunrise or sunset, rather than during harsh mid– day light. Use yo ur fl ash even when ir' bright outside, because your camera Joan Seiji·ied 'OJ (M.A.) owns Angel Appraisers and is certified as an appraiser by the Inter– national Society ofAppraisers. The Hot List Silver currently is a hot marker item. Silver spoons can be exceedingly old and valuable, and American silver of the Colonial period is much more valuable than English silver of the same period. Also popular are printed materials with interesting period graphics, such as early sheer music, and electronics such as computers and adding machines. Rising collectibles include baby boomer nos– talgia items such as space coys, 11011-"P.C." Barbies and Kens, and dolls of ethnicity. What's It Worth? W hat you pay for an item is not the same as its value as part of a curated collection. In appraising individual pieces, I consider

When worki ng outside, use an old shower cap to shelter you r camera from rain , and buy a polarizing filter to red uce reflections and to sarurate colors. If you love raking picrures of sunsets and land– scapes and want a big zone of sharpness, use a smaller aperrure (lens open ing) and steady the camera on a tripod. With peop le, don't be afraid to move in close, and cry to rake photos from angles ocher rhan straight-o n. Learn to be co nscious of your subj ect's surroundings - avo id the "fencepost coming our of the head" scenario. For flowers, shoot in over– cast skies, wh ich helps bring our color, and carry a windscreen (I use a car sunscreen) and a spray bottle for a dewdrop effect. White posrerboard, plain or covered with foil, ca n improve your photos. Use it to fill shadows and to reflect one-sided lighting onto the other side of a person's face for a more balanced lighting effect.

meter can "chink" there is too much light, and compensate by letting in too lirde, which causes a silhouetted face.

• • . Be AncSI(~Collector?

trophies, diplomas and awards; obscure musical instruments; anything to do with travel - space or otherwise - in the 1960s.

market value and replacement value. To learn the appraisal process, get to know a dealer or collector who shares your passion, or educate yourself by attending auctions. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Scarr with rhe best and worst of the category. Collections should be the creative expression of rhe collector's eye. See the ridiculous and the sublime. If you collect period lighting, include a fine Civil War oil lamp and a 1960s lava lamp. Collecting is understanding cultural history through design, economics and desirabilit:y. Getting a Head Start A few items that might be valuable in the future: old high school yearbooks; photo– graphs of trailer parks; corkscrews; sewing and cigarette collectibles; ethnic jewelry, such as Cuban charm bracelets and Mexican silver;

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