Just got back from a shoot in Wisconsin. Yes, I know it's February. The shoot was a corporate gig, on location headshots of execs. Good job, great people, but unfortunately didn't have an opportunity to shoot anything creative on my own that I would share here.
I will however share something I bookmarked long ago and just this morning re-read. It's a bit long but definitely worth skimming through. I think it's brilliant and can relate to many points outlined. GapingVoid: How to be Creative
For me personally, February is the toughest month to keep the creative fire burning. I am ready for Spring, everything is fresh and reborn, anything is possible. I am the caterpillar, transmorphing in the chrysalis ready to emerge as a thing of wonder and beauty.
Happy Leap Year!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Taking the Lensbaby for a stroll
Yesterday Val decided we should do something. It was afterall in the mid 50's so we loaded up the truck and headed to Baltimore for a nice family walk around the Inner Harbor. Ordinarily I would bring a Leica for such excursions but for me nowadays film is a hassle. I have a box accross the room with unprocessed rolls of 35mm and 120 crying out to be processed and scanned. My middle son Jay is in a wheelchair so it's a little tough pushing that, lugging a bag full of heavy Canon L Lenses, and enjoying myself.
S0, I just brought a Canon 5D with a Lensbaby . If you don't know what a Lensbaby is check the link, you might like it. Yes, I know the effect is overdone and all that but I never claimed to be above cheap gimmickery to force my art upon the masses. And besides, I like the effect. Sometimes it's good to change your perspective a bit and view the world through a different lens. Here are a few images from yesterday. BTW- other than passing through Lightroom, a sepia effect on a few, these are basically straight from the camera, no additional trickery.
S0, I just brought a Canon 5D with a Lensbaby . If you don't know what a Lensbaby is check the link, you might like it. Yes, I know the effect is overdone and all that but I never claimed to be above cheap gimmickery to force my art upon the masses. And besides, I like the effect. Sometimes it's good to change your perspective a bit and view the world through a different lens. Here are a few images from yesterday. BTW- other than passing through Lightroom, a sepia effect on a few, these are basically straight from the camera, no additional trickery.
Friday, February 15, 2008
We had such good times together
Polaroid quits the instant film business.
Even though I haven't actually used Polaroid film in years it's sad to hear this news. Some of my earliest memories are of pulling Polaroids apart and seeing instant photos. It was like magic, my first real exposure to photography. Up until just a few years ago I would go through boxes of 645 (? I forget the film type now) on shoots. I went through a phase in the 80's of doing image transfer onto watercolor paper and loved it. Anyone remember that trend? I also went through another phase of taking the sx-70 type film, squishing and moving the emulsion around with a little spoon or something while the image processed. I did that alot, it was great fun, But, like most things I do, I over did it, then tired of it.
Here are a few old images with the sx-70 type film I fooled around with while on a shoot in the Greek Islands in 93 (?). I have stacks of these somewhere, these are just a few I could find and scan quickly.
An old photographers joke: What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice to long?
- Polaroids.
Even though I haven't actually used Polaroid film in years it's sad to hear this news. Some of my earliest memories are of pulling Polaroids apart and seeing instant photos. It was like magic, my first real exposure to photography. Up until just a few years ago I would go through boxes of 645 (? I forget the film type now) on shoots. I went through a phase in the 80's of doing image transfer onto watercolor paper and loved it. Anyone remember that trend? I also went through another phase of taking the sx-70 type film, squishing and moving the emulsion around with a little spoon or something while the image processed. I did that alot, it was great fun, But, like most things I do, I over did it, then tired of it.
Here are a few old images with the sx-70 type film I fooled around with while on a shoot in the Greek Islands in 93 (?). I have stacks of these somewhere, these are just a few I could find and scan quickly.
An old photographers joke: What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice to long?
- Polaroids.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Off the Grid
I am surrounded by huge towering massive trees. Sometimes one comes down. Like a killer extinction event asteroid, it's inevitable, you know it's going to happen, you just never know when or where.
Sunday with all the high winds a super massive tree came down in our backyard. Actually two, the super massive tree brought down another tree, but just a really big one. Along with the second tree came our power, internet, and phone lines.
Being without power or communication for two days eliminated about 94% of the things I do on a daily basis. It makes you appreciate how good we have it. Also it reminds you that people actually Lived and Walked the Earth long before there were things like phones, internet, furnaces, refrigerators, stoves, coffee makers, TV's, lights, electric guitars, hot water, microwaves, margarita makers, ect.
Sunday with all the high winds a super massive tree came down in our backyard. Actually two, the super massive tree brought down another tree, but just a really big one. Along with the second tree came our power, internet, and phone lines.
Being without power or communication for two days eliminated about 94% of the things I do on a daily basis. It makes you appreciate how good we have it. Also it reminds you that people actually Lived and Walked the Earth long before there were things like phones, internet, furnaces, refrigerators, stoves, coffee makers, TV's, lights, electric guitars, hot water, microwaves, margarita makers, ect.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Change
Everyone is talking about Change. Change is good. I like change. In fact every few years I get the urge to change my work and direction. This is a good thing, for me at least.
I'm in one of those transmorphic phases now. I'm creating a new LiveBooks Website and am having a little trouble deciding on images to include. I put images up and take most of them down, seeing them as the past. I'm still deciding what I want to be when I grow up. I always used to say, "If you don't know where you're going you'll sure as hell get there". Well, I know where I want to go it's just sometimes I change paths. I'm kind of travelling along the winding country road through life. I have the destination, I'm just taking the scenic route.
It can be hard to reinvent yourself and market your work in a new direction. Also to let go of previous work and the income it provides. But change is good and is what makes you wake up with a smile. I see the future as bright and shiny.
I haven't shot anything this week because I've been obsessing over this LiveBooks site and what images to include. I've really only just now finished the Things section. The other two sections I'm not thrilled with and will change, and come to think of will probably change some of the Things gallery I just completed. In going through various groups of past images I have actually found several forgotten about images I like. Here's a few:
I'm in one of those transmorphic phases now. I'm creating a new LiveBooks Website and am having a little trouble deciding on images to include. I put images up and take most of them down, seeing them as the past. I'm still deciding what I want to be when I grow up. I always used to say, "If you don't know where you're going you'll sure as hell get there". Well, I know where I want to go it's just sometimes I change paths. I'm kind of travelling along the winding country road through life. I have the destination, I'm just taking the scenic route.
It can be hard to reinvent yourself and market your work in a new direction. Also to let go of previous work and the income it provides. But change is good and is what makes you wake up with a smile. I see the future as bright and shiny.
I haven't shot anything this week because I've been obsessing over this LiveBooks site and what images to include. I've really only just now finished the Things section. The other two sections I'm not thrilled with and will change, and come to think of will probably change some of the Things gallery I just completed. In going through various groups of past images I have actually found several forgotten about images I like. Here's a few:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
