FAQ
What kind of camera do you use?
You can call me any time at 510-558-7470 or use the contact page to e-mail me. I’m very responsive and will get back to you within two business days and likely much sooner.
You can buy prints of any of my images.
My 11″×14″ and smaller prints are digital pigmented prints. The larger ones are Lightjet prints
made by exposing traditional darkroom paper with lasers. I use acid-free materials. The white mats and
contemporary black frames I use complement the prints nicely. My choice of materials helps ensure
the longevity of the prints you take home.
I sign the back of every print. Limited-edition prints are also numbered and include a Certificate of Authenticity.
The copyright message you see in the images on the Web site do not appear on prints.
Print and mat sizes are approximate and vary slightly from image to image. Because of variations among monitors, colors on your screen may differ somewhat from those in the prints.
Please contact me for multiple-purchase discounts or leasing options.
Print Size*  |
Mat Size*  |
Edition** | Framed | Matted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32″×40″ | 42″×50″ | 5 | $3000 | $2500 |
| 24″×30″ | 32″×38″ | 10 | $1000 | $850 |
| 16″×20″ | 24″×28″ | 20 | $750 | $500 |
| 11″×14″ | 16″×20″ | Open | $350 | $250 |
In-stock 8″×10″ matted prints are now only $75, 40% off the regular price of $125, while supplies last because I’m no longer making them. So if you’ve been thinking about buying one, now’s a good time. Heck, at this price, get two. If an 8"×10" is available, it will be listed in the drop-down list on that image’s page.
* “Print size” is the nominal size of the image itself. “Mat size” is the size of the mat or frame, and tells you how much space the print will take on the wall.
** Prints larger than 11″×14″ are available in limited editions. After a limited edition sells out, no prints of that image in that size will be available. Prices increase as the edition sells out. If you order a limited-edition print framed, it will be custom framed.
For technical reasons, some prints are available only in smaller sizes. You can order prints of any size indicated by the drop-down list on that image’s page.
You can also enjoy my work in a screen saver. Imagine a slideshow of around fifty of my night photographs on your computer. Get mesmerized as they fade in and out. Oodles of fun. It’s a great conversation starter, too! Check out my Night Photos screen saver page for more details.
You can buy gift certificates in any amount starting at $20. They are the perfect solution
to the challenge of giving a meaningful gift.
Just specify the dollar value and click the "Add to Cart" button.
Every print comes with a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, simply return the print within 30 days in its original condition for a full refund (less shipping).
You can enjoy a 10% discount off regular prices when you purchase more than one print at a time, or if you have already purchased a print and are adding to your collection.
By phone, you can pay by credit card. By mail (please call for my address), you can pay by check (made payable to “John Vias”), cash, and money order.
By phone or online, you can use a major credit card, PayPal, or eCheck (where available). Javascript must be enabled in your browser for e-commerce features to appear. I use PayPal, a trusted and secure payment processor, but you do not need a PayPal account to order by credit card. Ordering online is fast, convenient, and secure.
Shipping charges are additional and vary by destination and size of order. If you’re charged for shipping but intend to pick up your purchase at my studio, I will promptly refund the shipping charges. Sales tax will be added to California orders.
Thank you very much for your order.
I use film. One reason is that it allows me to get better highlights and shadows. Digital cameras tend to let highlights get overexposed, losing all detail and turning white. The opposite can happen with shadows: They get too dark. My night photography often involves high contrast, so I need film’s ability to maintain detail at the exposure extremes. Also, see the answer to the next question.
Film’s failure to reproduce colors accurately over long exposures works to my advantage. I don’t use filters or digital effects. On a computer, I make the same adjustments I could in a traditional darkroom—contrast, brightness, and so on. The otherworldly colors you see in some of my images are caused mostly by the reaction of the film to long exposures it wasn't designed for. Everybody wins.
That’s a reasonable assumption, but in fact I use very slow film, often ASA 64. Slower film has smaller grain, so the resultant prints are smoother and not as grainy. Also, film speed doesn’t necessarily hold true at the exposure times I use—at night, a fast film make take longer to be exposed than a slower film.
Exhibiting photographers get this question a lot and I’m never sure why people ask it, so
I’m never sure how to answer.
Are people asking if I use film or digital? (Film, see film or digital question.)
Are they asking what brand camera I use because they’re inspired to try night photography themselves?
(Great, but the camera doesn’t make much difference as long as it can handle long exposures.)
Or perhaps my studio visitors are simply making conversation, which is fine. I’m happy
to talk about my work.
Anyway, I use a Bronica GS-1 medium format camera. Using medium format—a frame of my film is larger than 35mm but smaller than large format (the old-timey kind of camera with accordian-type bellows in the front and the photographer under a black drape)—lets me capture more detail than 35mm, so I can make larger prints. As high-resolution digital cameras continue to come down in price, I’ll probably switch, but I have others reasons for sticking with film (see film or digital question).
Of course, exposure times are much longer at night. Mine range from one to twelve minutes. Yes, minutes, not seconds. There’s a lot of thumb-twiddling in night photography. I also bracket my exposures, which means I make multiple exposures of the same scene, each with a different exposure time, hoping one of them will be the right one. Usually, one is, but it’s certainly possible to over- or underexpose at night. I’ve heard.
The light you see in my photos is almost always existing light—mostly street light and moonlight. I rarely manipulate the scene at all—what you see is what was there. Some people think it just looks better in my photographs.