Some of my favourite photographs on flickr
2.2.06
Another Mac Browser
Just when you thought it safe to go open up your favourite browser, here's another entry into the market, sadly its' a time limited shareware app, but at $14.00 Aus, it's a steal. One of the features I'd like to see added is the ability to "organise" your bookmarks a bit better, still it's not that much of an issue, as I use delicious now to store all my bookmarks. The jury is still out on History, Bookmarks and Downloads windows, logically it makes sense to have them set up as small floating and slightly translucent windows, but "visually" they get in the way a bit, maybe a different colour would help?
Thanks to Darrel.
1.2.06
What Makes a Photograph 'Fine Art'
After a discussion with a fellow flickrite some weeks ago, I've been thinking on and off about what makes a photograph 'fine art'. And it has not been an easy task. So far, my thoughts are gravitating towards the idea that if it has the following three things it's well on it's way, in NO order of importance.
- It [the photograph] operates at a Cerebral level
- It [the photograph] operates on an Emotional level
- It [the photograph] operates on a Spiritual level
As an object some level of 'presence' helps too, be it size or subtle nuances or perhaps totally in your face in some way.
If these traits can be combined to subtly form a cohesive set of the above ideas then it's well on it's way as well.
A thorough understanding and ability to manipulate the process to suit your intentions, whatever they are, is in my opinion an integral and equally important part of 'fine art photography'. Appreciating and understanding the history of ideas surrounding photography helps to place yourself within the broader context of the medium. This in turn helps you stand out from the crowd and be seen to have something different to offer. After all there a millions of photographs being produced in the western world at an outstanding rate now with digital technologies something needs to somehow give an image a universal yet unique appeal to make it "special".
Hiding your light under your own Bushel is not a good idea if you want to be found, so a healthy dose of marketing and promotion helps for you to be found as well.
29.1.06
Non-Destructive Pixel Editing In Photoshop
Decided to test my little flatbed scanner yesterday. After recently tidying up my desk at I uncovered a proof that had for some reason been set aside and not made it's way into the place where I put work I'm considering.
As always I had to tweak the image as I would in the darkroom, one of my favourite ways to do this without destroying pixel data in photoshop is to use a 'soft light' burn and dodge mask this allows a lot of control and as I said no pixels are destroyed in the process. It could also be used as a starting point for a finished print in the wet darkroom, if I was so inclined.
Here's the image, a larger version is available on flickr just click the image.
Basically it's an empty layer filled with 50% grey. Then after changing the "blending mode" of the layer you use either the burn or dodge tools to dodge and burn or, you use the paintbrush with black and white paint, at really low opacities like 10% and lower to darken and lighten selected areas of the image. The secret is build-up up the areas you want to lighten or darken.
As for the scanner, well it's a Canon CanoScan FB630U. Given to me by a relative, thanks Deb. It performed really well actually. I scanned a whole pile of emphemera that I collect for other projects and it did a good job from the look of things on screen [I don't have a printer at home] the only criticism I have is it didn't cope to well with the higher resolutions scans, over 10 megabytes or so, and these were several attempts at scanning the proof above. Still for more graphic projects and small web scans it's pretty good.
27.1.06
Drawing and Photography
This article piques my interest and the writer's blog has some wonderful imagery on it.
21.1.06
Melbourne is Still in a Drought
Since discovering the BOM weather radar, I've rarely seen red clouds which says a lot about the state of water supply in Melbourne. Yesterday somewhere in Melbourne, it was raining pretty heavily. Water they say will be the new oil, will there be wars over it?
19.1.06
Paranoid Policemen prevent Photographers Photographing - or try too!
So the mainstream are now recognising the "issues" with photographing in public, or are they?
18.1.06
17.1.06
16.1.06
Tree re-dux
Tree re-dux
A re-shoot?.
Shot with the Canon 350d, the original on the Nikon coolpix 5400, not a very good comparison really as I used a tripod on this shot and the lighting conditions were completely different. I also shot this in RAW format and processed it in Graphic Converter, which I'm still learning or trying to learn, compared to the original which was shot as a jpg. The lack of barrel distortion alone is enough for me to like the second shot better than the first, but there are plenty of issues with sharpness and lens aberrations that have me worried about the 12,000 plus images made so far with the Nikon, so much so I'm now shooting in RAW unless I am after a quick response/turnaround on the street or travelling for example.
15.1.06
iPod's impact...
...clearly stated.
Sony Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer said in an interview broadcast Sunday that his company has made huge mistakes in the online music and player business and that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been a thorn in the Japanese electronics makers side.
In an interview for CBS' 60 Minutes, Mr. Stringer said "there is no question that the (Apple) iPod was a wake-up call for Sony. And the answer is that Steve Jobs was smarter at software than we are."
A little late yes, but; Insert smug sounds here.
14.1.06
13.1.06
New Flickr Feature
A new feature on flickr. When viewing a photostream you now have the option to browse the stream itself or move through the thumbnails on the top of the screen, sweet indeed.
Of course the real reason I like flickr so much can be seen below the thumbnails. Sets. there is only one set showing for this image because that is where I have placed it. Some images fit multiple ideas others simply fit one, but it's the idea that images have multiple AND connected ideas behind them is what excites me the most… oh and the idea of a 24/7/365 gallery.
12.1.06
11.1.06
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