digital photographer seeks unique perspective

 The exponential growth of the digital camera market in Korea is fueling a new drive: amateur photographers armed with a host of expensive lenses.

But there is a lingering doubt as to whether high-end equipment makes a difference in terms of photo quality.

For Lee Sang-ho, an amateur photographer, what matters is not high-end lenses but how to shoot with a unique perspective.

Lee, 29, specializes in portrait photography, using mostly amateur or semi-pro models.

His works, posted on the country's major digital photo Web sites like SLRClub.com and Raysoda.com, are highly popular and his personal Web site (www.blueseoul.com) devoted to amateur portrait photos is also widely known among digital photo buffs.

Lee Sang-ho`s portrait photo The popularity is largely due to Lee's distinctive - and unexpected - angles.

His works include scenes of models shot from above with their legs squeezed in the frame, or the ones where model's most attractive aspects are exaggerated with a style that is rare among amateur photographers.

"It just started in early 2000 when I was working as a freelance Web site operator for shopping mall products.

At the time, I used 2 mega-pixel digital camera Fuji MX2900 and somehow fell for photography," Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald.

Product photos led to landscape and he eventually found a strong appeal in portrait photography.

The problem was that he did not have enough money to buy high-end cameras and lenses. "Most of my portrait photos were done by Canon D30, a bit old and relatively cheaper digital single lens reflex model.

And I don't have many lenses. In fact, I have just three lenses, all of them are pretty cheap," Lee said.

How cheap? He bought Canon 35-80mm, one of his three "low-end" lenses, for just 20,000 won on the flea market. Nonetheless, his photos tend to impress other amateur photographers.

Yet his sophisticated portrait photos are not a result of leisurely hobby activities. The most daunting problem is to secure models who can pose for his camera, which is easier said than done.

"Be they amateurs or pros, getting models to work for my project is the most important and time-consuming process.

Without models, there's no chance to practice portrait photos," Lee said.

Lee scoured all sorts of online community Web sites to recruit amateur models and willingly shot free portrait photos to sharpen his skills.

To learn basic techniques, he studied portrait photos of professionals, especially their stylish angles and model's poses.

"At first, I focused on angles, exposure, metering and other photography techniques. But I came to realize that helping models to feel comfortable during photo sessions is equally important as photography skills," Lee said.

Another key element is to search for hidden attractive aspects of the models once they feel relaxed and ready for a shoot.

"If models are gorgeous and beautiful, photos are likely to be impressive. But that's not a skill fit for photographers. Anyone with fully automated cameras can produce beautiful photos if models are that beautiful," Lee said.

Lee said a fresh perspective can reveal hidden appeals of models. "We tend to complain about models' appearances when we cannot come with fresh angles.

What amateur photographers can and should do is to find new angles and make models beautiful and attractive," he said.

** 어휘정리

gorgeous gorgeous [gds] 【OF 「목(gorge)의 주름장식」의 뜻에서】 a. 1 호화스러운, 화려한, 찬란한, 눈부신 a ~ room 화려한[호화스러운] 방 2 《구어》 멋진, 굉장한, 훌륭한; 아주 재미있는~ly ad. 호화롭게; 훌륭히 ~ness n.

scour 2 scour2 vt. 1 (사람물건을 구하러) 바쁘게 찾아다니다, 찾아 헤매다 《~+목+전+명》 He ~ed the library for the book. 그는 그 책을 찾으려고 온 서고 안을 돌아다녔다 2 급히 지나치다, 뛰어 지나가다 3 철저하게 조사하다 vi.1 허둥지둥 찾아다니다, 찾아 헤매다 《~+부》 The fox ~ed about in search of food. 여우는 먹을 것을 찾아 헤맸다2 질주하다(rush) ((away, off))

secure secure [sikjú] 【L 「걱정 없는」의 뜻에서】 a. (securer; est)1 안전한, 위험 없는 ((against, from))( safe ) a nation ~ from[ginst] attack 적의 공격에 대해서 안전한 국가 2 a 튼튼한; 무너지지 않는; 단단하게 잠긴[닫힌] a ~ knot 튼튼히 맨 매듭 a ~ foundation 단단한 토대 b 확고한3 엄중히 보관[감금]하여, 도망칠 염려가 없는 keep a prisoner ~ 죄수를 엄중히 감금해 두다 4 a 확실한, 약속된 a ~ victory 확실한 승리 b 안정된, 걱정 없는, 보장된 a ~ job with good pay 보수가 좋은 안정된 직업 5 확신하는 ((of)) be ~ against [from] ···에 대해서 안전하다, ···의 우려가 없다( a. 1)be ~ of ···을 확신하다 vt. 1 확보하다, 획득하다, 보장하다; 유언으로 물려주다, 유증(遺贈)하다(devise) ~ a position 지위를 얻다 ~ the freedom of speech 언론의 자유를 확보하다[지키다] 《~+목+목》 《~+목+전+명》 ~ a person a seat=~ a seat for a person ···의 좌석을 잡아두다 2 안전하게 하다(make safe), 지키다, 방비하다 ((against, from)) 《~+목+전+명》 They ~d their town from an assault. 그들은 자기네 고장을 습격으로부터 지켰다 3 확실하게 하다; 보증하다(ensure), 담보를 하다, (담보를 잡혀) 지불 보증하다; 보험에 넣다 ((against)) 《~+목》 ~ a loan 차관에 담보를 잡히다[붙이다] 《~+목+전+명》 ~ oneself against accidents 상해 보험에 들다 4 꼭 닫다, 걸쇠를 걸다; 고정하다 ((with)); 감금하다, 묶어놓다(tie up); 엄중히 보관하다 《~+목+전+명》 ~ a boat with a rope 보트를 밧줄로 고정하다 5 【항해】 일에서 해방하다, ···에게 작업을 그만두게 하다 ~ arms 【군사】 (비에 젖지 않도록) 총구를 아래로 하여 몸 옆에 가지다S~ arms! 《구령》 팔에 총 ~ oneself against [from] ···에 대해 일신을 지키다, ···의 우려가 없도록 하다 vi. 1 안전하(게 되)다 ((against)) 《~+전+명》 ~ against accidents 사고로부터 몸을 지키다 2 【항해】 작업을 그만두다; 정박하다(moor)~ly ad. 안전하게, 확실하게, 단단히 ~ness n. securer n. ☞ security n.

daunt daunt [dnt, dnt dnt] 【L 「길들이다, 복종시키다」의 뜻에서】 vt. 위압하다; (한)풀을 꺾다, 기세[기운]를 꺾다 nothing ~ed 《문어》 조금도 굽히지 않고 ~ingly ad.

buff 1 buff1 [bf] n. 1 (소물소의) 무두질한 담황색 가죽; 그 가죽으로 만든 군복[옷] 2 담황색, 황갈색 3 버프 ((렌즈를 닦는 부드러운 천)) 4 《미》 ···팬, ···광 5 [the ~] 《구어》 (사람의) 맨살 (all) in the ~ 알몸으로, 벌거벗고strip to the ~ 벌거벗다 a. 담황색의, 황갈색의; 무두질한 가죽으로 만든; 《속어》 육체적으로 매력적인, 강건한 vt. 가죽으로 닦다; 부드럽게 하다 high-end highend [-énd] a. 《구어》 최고급의; 고액의; 고성능의 ~ stereo equipment 최고급의 스테레오 장치 lingering lingering [líŋg∂riŋ] a. 1 질질 끄는, 우물쭈물하는 a ~ disease 오래 끄는 병, 숙환(宿患) ~ snow 잔설(殘雪) 2 망설이는, 미련이 있는 듯한~ly ad.

exponential exponential [èkspounénl, -p-] a. 1 설명자의, 해설자의; 대표적 인물의, 전형의 2 【수학】 지수의 3 기하급수적인, 급격한 an ~ growth rate 기하급수적인 성장률 n. = exponential function ~ly ad.