The Elegant Nude - My first offerings

          This last month I took a very magical workshop with Owen O'Meara.  That weekend the Muse blessed me, and I came away with some wonderful images.  That weekend I used both my 4x5 Wista and my 8x10 Sinar, and of course film. 


          The atmosphere at a good workshop allows the artist to grow and experience life at a different level than the norm.  I will always recommend workshops as a method of evolving as an artist...

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          All of these images are full frame at this time.  I will look at them many times before I decide to crop them if I ever do...

My first 8x10 exposure

          A new learning curve, and from what I have been told this new camera will keep me challenged for quite some time.  The new camera is an 8x10 field camera.  Just learning how to transport it will be a challenge.  Never mind the developing, and later contact printing with platinum.

          I have had fun so far.  Only taken the camera out twice so far.  The first negative is what I am posting here today.  Had some chemistry problems, as well as vignetting of the actual negative from too much correction.  I do plan on re-doing this exposure in the next week or two.

          There is a strong surreal quality to photographing in a burn area.  Most definitely worth further exploration.

          I will post the two other images I have done so far, as soon as I develop them.

From the Great Plains

     These next 4 images are from the exploration on to the Great Plains of Colorado that I and two other photographers did last Sunday.  We had great weather, though sort of empty skys.  I was hoping for some clouds to accent the sky.  Oh well, it was still a wonderful day !

     These 4 images are from our first stop that day in the town of Nun, Colorado.  It is the first time I have tried to photograph grain elevators.  I started distant and then moved closer.  I have found this a good way to approach most subjects.  You become more aware of what you are photographing as you move.  That deepened awareness allows you to see more possibilities within your subject as you move in towards it.

     All four images are using a 150mm lens.

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     Three of the four images I am very pleased with, and will take to final matted images.  The first one, sort of the initial introduction is the weakest of the four images.  Then again, you need to find a starting place....

     Just don't stop there,  Continue exploring !

After Dark

     I have had a great time learning how to do night photography last weekend.   It really
is a whole different world than what I am used to working in.   Here are 6 uncropped images
that I exposed with my 4x5 field camera.

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     It is a very good experience to step outside of what you are used to doing  ( outside of your safe zone so to speak ).   I still have about 2 weeks to create the final cropped images for the workshop review.   I will not be cropping them all that much.    

         

     A bit of adventure is always good as well.

Catching Up (part 2)

     Well here are the other 3 images I took to final this last week.   I have received some wonderful feedback on the first three.

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     I am taking a workshop called "Denver after Dark" taught by Christopher James of the Colorado Photographic Arts Center,  tonight and tomorrow night.  It should be a lot of fun as well as challenging.  I should have new images up in a week from this workshop.

     You should never stop learning,  especially something new...

Catching Up

     It has been a long summer, of too much happening...   So I didn't do all that great of a job keeping up on my blog.   I am back to it, trying to get all I photographed caught up to the final matted images. In the past 3 days I have created 6 final prints.   Tonight I will post three of them as they have a common theme.

     Flowing water,  at different exposure times...

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     These images have been a lot of fun to work on.  Let me know what you think, as each of the different exposure times effect the way the image looks and feels.

     No hard rules, just play.

Start to Finish

          I have learned that you needed to take your images from a start point to a completion point.  The completion point is at least matted, if not framed and up on the wall or a shelf for evaluation.  This evaluation can take days, months or longer depending on the individual...  If the image last a month, you may have a good image.  If it can last 6 months without you wanting to change it or remove it, you have a good image.  Subcounsiously you will become aware of any problems with the image during this viewing process.  Even if you can't figure out what is bothering you about the image, you will know that it bothers you.  That is the main reason to take images all the way to a completion point.

          I bring this up for another reason.  Two weeks ago I completed 4 new images, of which 2 may need some more work.  The other 2 are done, and at this time I am very happy with them.  Once these images were matted and on display here in the office I became really excited to get out and expose some more images...  So I have learned another lesson as to why you should always take your images to a completion point.  It energizes you to get out there and do more!!!  Sort of a positive reinforcement cycle that can help itself along.

          That was last Saturday, Sunday I had a great day and exposed 5 new images.  Yesterday, I got caught up on my film developing.  So today I have 6 new images to take a look at....

          Enjoy, it's all a work in progress.

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