Friday, February 12.
I went downtown to City Hall today to check on some old blueprints and plans for the German Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum. It's the building that I'm using for my final Senior Thesis project. I don't remember if I already explained what I'm doing, but I don't really feel like trying to explain it another time. Every time I tell someone about it, they want to know about the project, so I spend almost 20 minutes explaining the history of the building, the ideas that my work will represent, and then I have to explain both processes that I'm going to be using (cyanotype and Gum Bichromate). Not that I mind, because everyone always seems so interested in what the final product will look like and they seem intrigued by the idea of using old processes, and the buildings.
Anyway...
I had to put in a request form for them to have the papers and information shipped to City Hall, as they have started storing them in other places because of lack of space. The little room that held the card catalog and shelves had a really thick steel door, which reminded me of the cliche bank vault door. It was a really interesting room. I was only there for about 15 minutes, so when I left I walked around downtown for a little while, taking some pinhole pictures until my hands grew numb and I had to pack it in. I'll make sure to post the pinhole pictures once I get them developed.
I came home and remembered my idea to do a James Dean picture, so I gathered my supplies and got to it. The focus seemed a little odd, so I'll have to look into that.It's been a decent day, very laid back.
My aluminum sheets arrived today. I am using them as a backing for my gum prints. I'm doing to dry mount the paper onto the aluminum sheet so that it doesn't shrink or lose its sizing. I sent an email to Keith Taylor to ask how he does it, and his quick response showed me that even famous artists are real people. You should look at his work, his gum prints are just beautiful.
I'll get started on that Monday when I go to school, because I have to use the mounting tissue that the Photography director has until mine arrives (it should be here Tuesday). I just realized yesterday that the show is going to be early April so I really have to get my ass in gear. I've waited much too long already.
Have a great weekend!
Billowing, pouring, drifting.
I watch your eyes wander to the ground.
You never look me in the face,
but there's nothing there to see.
12 February 2010
06 February 2010
05 February 2010
04 February 2010
02 February 2010
01 February 2010
Day 49/365 - Summer
I thought I would be a bit creative with today's entry, so I found some Lego minifigs and created an ode to summer.
I'm a proud owner of a Jeep Wrangler, so I really enjoy when I have a chance to throw off the top, open the windows and fly through the warm air. It is really exhilarating.
So here's the closest I came to finding any sort of a Jeep in Lego terms, and I added myself (with my ever growing moustache) and a companion to share the ride with. Notice his soccer jersey, as many of my friends are avid soccer fans.
I look forward to nice weather again.
For this one, I also experimented with how far I could push the ISO on my camera. This is shot at the H1.0 setting, and I don't really know what that means but it gave me a really great amount of texture and grain so I kept it. For me, film will always be the real, tangible photography, so grain is a testament to that, but it also relates to the construction of Lego structures and figures. They are made of tiny pieces that add up to the whole final product, much as a photograph is.
I hope you enjoy it!
Build it up,
Buttercup baby,
Then drop me down,
and leave me to myself.
I'm a proud owner of a Jeep Wrangler, so I really enjoy when I have a chance to throw off the top, open the windows and fly through the warm air. It is really exhilarating.
So here's the closest I came to finding any sort of a Jeep in Lego terms, and I added myself (with my ever growing moustache) and a companion to share the ride with. Notice his soccer jersey, as many of my friends are avid soccer fans.
I look forward to nice weather again.
For this one, I also experimented with how far I could push the ISO on my camera. This is shot at the H1.0 setting, and I don't really know what that means but it gave me a really great amount of texture and grain so I kept it. For me, film will always be the real, tangible photography, so grain is a testament to that, but it also relates to the construction of Lego structures and figures. They are made of tiny pieces that add up to the whole final product, much as a photograph is.
I hope you enjoy it!
Build it up,
Buttercup baby,
Then drop me down,
and leave me to myself.
30 January 2010
29 January 2010
Day 47/365 - f/1.8
Friday, January 29.
I ordered a new lens on Wednesday and it came UPS this afternoon. I bought it from B&H Photo Video. I ordered it online, and it came with free standard shipping, so I upgraded the shipping to 2 day air for only $5.05. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
After going to the Orphanage last week, I realized that the lens I have isn't going to cut it. Since my only other autofocus lens was a zoom lens, the optics weren't 100% solid. But this new lens (they call it a prime lens because of the fixed focal length) is so much sharper. I can tell just from the few shots I've taken. It really makes me feel more comfortable to now have autofocus, solid focus, a large aperture, and a good focal distance. That was my main reason for looking into a new lens, but last Saturday I also had a chance to play with Tom Schaefer's 50mm lens and I loved it. So now it's here, and I'm glad I made the purchase. Compared to the price of most lenses, it was extremely inexpensive, costing just a shred over $130.
So now the true test is to see what I can do with this. And the autofocus will be great for doing self portraits. I won't have to do manual focus and keep moving back and forth from in front of the lens to behind the camera. Sweet.
D200 + Solid 50mm f/1.8 + Beast Flash = Good system.
Just looking at external strobes now. Can't afford those now, but hopefully some time in the nearish future. Perhaps a graduation gift to myself?
Shifting up as we move fast,
Hear the transmission grasping for gears.
Give it power, watch us fly;
We'll be there for the sunrise.
I ordered a new lens on Wednesday and it came UPS this afternoon. I bought it from B&H Photo Video. I ordered it online, and it came with free standard shipping, so I upgraded the shipping to 2 day air for only $5.05. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
After going to the Orphanage last week, I realized that the lens I have isn't going to cut it. Since my only other autofocus lens was a zoom lens, the optics weren't 100% solid. But this new lens (they call it a prime lens because of the fixed focal length) is so much sharper. I can tell just from the few shots I've taken. It really makes me feel more comfortable to now have autofocus, solid focus, a large aperture, and a good focal distance. That was my main reason for looking into a new lens, but last Saturday I also had a chance to play with Tom Schaefer's 50mm lens and I loved it. So now it's here, and I'm glad I made the purchase. Compared to the price of most lenses, it was extremely inexpensive, costing just a shred over $130.
So now the true test is to see what I can do with this. And the autofocus will be great for doing self portraits. I won't have to do manual focus and keep moving back and forth from in front of the lens to behind the camera. Sweet.
D200 + Solid 50mm f/1.8 + Beast Flash = Good system.
Just looking at external strobes now. Can't afford those now, but hopefully some time in the nearish future. Perhaps a graduation gift to myself?
Shifting up as we move fast,
Hear the transmission grasping for gears.
Give it power, watch us fly;
We'll be there for the sunrise.
Day 46/365 - Pinhole Matchbox Cameras
Thursday, January 28.
For my next project in my Alternative Photography class we have to build or modify anything that is capable of taking pinhole photographs. Some people have decided to use the old faithful oatmeal can, while others are using lens cap pinholes for their digital cameras.
Last semester I modified my large format camera so that I can use it to take pinhole images, but I thought that was a bit too easy, so I chose to make a couple matchbox pinhole cameras. I have a bunch of rolls of 35mm film around the house (kept in the fridge), so I might as well get some use out of it. I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and now that I have the motivation to, I get to see where it goes.
Look for updates in the next couple of weeks. The black and white images will probably be up first since I can just develop those myself. I have to send out the color roll, so I'll have to wait on those. I wonder if I have to give the place any extra instructions since I cut the little tab off the end of the roll, and the images are going to be spaced oddly.
The negatives are going to be 30mm x 30mm each. A very odd size, indeed.
My main reason for going outside of the normal 24mm size is that I wanted to have the holes on the edges become a part of the image. I've always been very intrigued by pinhole images that took advantage of the entire section of film, so here goes nothing.
Wish me luck!
Click click, click click;
My finger taps the button.
Instant gratification;
I'll throw it all away.
For my next project in my Alternative Photography class we have to build or modify anything that is capable of taking pinhole photographs. Some people have decided to use the old faithful oatmeal can, while others are using lens cap pinholes for their digital cameras.
Last semester I modified my large format camera so that I can use it to take pinhole images, but I thought that was a bit too easy, so I chose to make a couple matchbox pinhole cameras. I have a bunch of rolls of 35mm film around the house (kept in the fridge), so I might as well get some use out of it. I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and now that I have the motivation to, I get to see where it goes.
Look for updates in the next couple of weeks. The black and white images will probably be up first since I can just develop those myself. I have to send out the color roll, so I'll have to wait on those. I wonder if I have to give the place any extra instructions since I cut the little tab off the end of the roll, and the images are going to be spaced oddly.
The negatives are going to be 30mm x 30mm each. A very odd size, indeed.
My main reason for going outside of the normal 24mm size is that I wanted to have the holes on the edges become a part of the image. I've always been very intrigued by pinhole images that took advantage of the entire section of film, so here goes nothing.
Wish me luck!
Click click, click click;
My finger taps the button.
Instant gratification;
I'll throw it all away.
27 January 2010
Day 45/365 - It's Filamental
Wednesday, January 27.
I decided to play a little more with my macro lens, this time placing it onto my telephoto lens so I could get even closer to my subject. This photography is at 300mm, with one macro lens attached to the end.
It's the same bulb I used as a subject yesterday.
I find macro photography really interesting and I think I might keep experimenting with it.
You get smaller as you walk away,
You're a bigger person as you walk away;
A step and two and another few,
And now you disappear.
I decided to play a little more with my macro lens, this time placing it onto my telephoto lens so I could get even closer to my subject. This photography is at 300mm, with one macro lens attached to the end.
It's the same bulb I used as a subject yesterday.
I find macro photography really interesting and I think I might keep experimenting with it.
You get smaller as you walk away,
You're a bigger person as you walk away;
A step and two and another few,
And now you disappear.
26 January 2010
Day 44/365 - 120V/150W
Tuesday, January 26.
A simple element, a tiny light-emitting device. It is a bulb off of an Alien Bees strobe light. It isn't the actual strobe, though. It's the hot light that is used for setting up the shot before firing the strobes.
Tom Schaefer asked me if I would photograph it with my large format camera, because he was wondering what the results would look like. Although he has dealt mostly with digital photography, I can see that his interest in analog photography will take him a long way, and it will provide quite an exciting trip for him. He is such an intelligent guy and a better digital photographer than I could hope to be, and he's only a senior in high school. I really feel like photography is going to take him a long way in his life, and I'm glad to have had the chance to see the kind of work that he has made.
Saturday, I went to Tom's house to help him mat and frame a bunch of prints that he had made from his work. He's applying for scholarships and entering in competitions, as well as creating a beautiful portfolio. It was amazing to see all of his prints in the sizes he chose for them, and I had a lot of fun just hanging out with him and talking about everything from my senior thesis project to his 365 Project, to anything and everything related to photography in general. I highly suggest you go to Flickr and visit his page. You won't be disappointed.
I spent the entirety of Saturday at his house, Subway, and AC Moore. It was an awesome time, and although it took 15 hours to finish 14 prints, it was definitely worth it. It isn't often that I have the chance to sit down and talk to other photographers, as most that I know either don't share the same love for it that I do or aren't easily accessible. We'll be heading to the Orphanage some time in the near future, and the only thing I worry about concerning that is that his photographs will be better than mine. Ha. Lame, I know, but he's one of the few people I know that actually intimidates me when it comes to their art and photography.
It will be a lot of fun, though.
I'm hoping to have the chance to write more often, rather than just posting my images, so we'll see how that goes.
Slipping down the hill,
spinning as we go.
The snow drifts along my eyebrows,
brushing and kissing my cheeks.
A simple element, a tiny light-emitting device. It is a bulb off of an Alien Bees strobe light. It isn't the actual strobe, though. It's the hot light that is used for setting up the shot before firing the strobes.
Tom Schaefer asked me if I would photograph it with my large format camera, because he was wondering what the results would look like. Although he has dealt mostly with digital photography, I can see that his interest in analog photography will take him a long way, and it will provide quite an exciting trip for him. He is such an intelligent guy and a better digital photographer than I could hope to be, and he's only a senior in high school. I really feel like photography is going to take him a long way in his life, and I'm glad to have had the chance to see the kind of work that he has made.
Saturday, I went to Tom's house to help him mat and frame a bunch of prints that he had made from his work. He's applying for scholarships and entering in competitions, as well as creating a beautiful portfolio. It was amazing to see all of his prints in the sizes he chose for them, and I had a lot of fun just hanging out with him and talking about everything from my senior thesis project to his 365 Project, to anything and everything related to photography in general. I highly suggest you go to Flickr and visit his page. You won't be disappointed.
I spent the entirety of Saturday at his house, Subway, and AC Moore. It was an awesome time, and although it took 15 hours to finish 14 prints, it was definitely worth it. It isn't often that I have the chance to sit down and talk to other photographers, as most that I know either don't share the same love for it that I do or aren't easily accessible. We'll be heading to the Orphanage some time in the near future, and the only thing I worry about concerning that is that his photographs will be better than mine. Ha. Lame, I know, but he's one of the few people I know that actually intimidates me when it comes to their art and photography.
It will be a lot of fun, though.
I'm hoping to have the chance to write more often, rather than just posting my images, so we'll see how that goes.
Slipping down the hill,
spinning as we go.
The snow drifts along my eyebrows,
brushing and kissing my cheeks.
21 January 2010
18 January 2010
17 January 2010
16 January 2010
12 January 2010
11 January 2010
Day 29/365 - Vagabond
Monday, January 11.
Love this book.
Look to Flickr for a better description.
I'm too tired to write more right now.
Love this book.
Look to Flickr for a better description.
I'm too tired to write more right now.
09 January 2010
08 January 2010
Day 26/365 - Chiaroscuro/Baroque?
Friday, January 8.
Haven't done any painting in a while; this will have to suffice for now.
I used a painting effect in Photoshop to transform this photograph into a pseudo-painting.
It very strongly reminds me of a Baroque/Renaissance painting.
When I took my first exposure and saw the pose and setup, it reminded me of an old portrait so I tried my best to match that vision.
I've been looking at my photographs lately and find myself very unhappy with them. I haven't been putting any of myself into my work, and it definitely shows. I have to start taking more time with my work and seeing it as something that I want to do, rather than something that I have to do. I started this project to help myself, not hinder progress and bore myself to death.
From today on, it may be more difficult to take more time to do exactly what I want because of school starting this Monday and traveling to Europe right after graduation, but I really have to try.
Another beginning, another end, another photograph.
I halt to the power
I see behind the curtain.
The voice and the eyes
ring in my ears.
Haven't done any painting in a while; this will have to suffice for now.
I used a painting effect in Photoshop to transform this photograph into a pseudo-painting.
It very strongly reminds me of a Baroque/Renaissance painting.
When I took my first exposure and saw the pose and setup, it reminded me of an old portrait so I tried my best to match that vision.
I've been looking at my photographs lately and find myself very unhappy with them. I haven't been putting any of myself into my work, and it definitely shows. I have to start taking more time with my work and seeing it as something that I want to do, rather than something that I have to do. I started this project to help myself, not hinder progress and bore myself to death.
From today on, it may be more difficult to take more time to do exactly what I want because of school starting this Monday and traveling to Europe right after graduation, but I really have to try.
Another beginning, another end, another photograph.
I halt to the power
I see behind the curtain.
The voice and the eyes
ring in my ears.
07 January 2010
Day 25/365 - Too Much Coffee?
Thursday, January 7.
I love coffee.
Pure and simple.
Have another cup.
Blue on white on green.
You reach the bottom and feel a sigh.
Forget it, it's over now.
Let it run its course.
I love coffee.
Pure and simple.
Have another cup.
Blue on white on green.
You reach the bottom and feel a sigh.
Forget it, it's over now.
Let it run its course.
05 January 2010
Day 23/365 - Potassium Dichromate
Tuesday, January 5.
I've literally fallen in love with gum bichromate printing.
The results are beautiful, and the process is intricate.
My two favorite things.
I'm going to start doing a lot of test prints over the next couple weeks in preparation for my senior thesis project. Time to return to the Orphanage on Dodge Street to get the photographs I need.
I just hope the snow hasn't completely overtaken the grounds. If so, I'll have to wait until it calms down and hope it doesn't last forever.
Wish me luck.
Pour me another;
my head won't stop spinning.
Take me to that special place
where worries drown themselves in sorrow.
I've literally fallen in love with gum bichromate printing.
The results are beautiful, and the process is intricate.
My two favorite things.
I'm going to start doing a lot of test prints over the next couple weeks in preparation for my senior thesis project. Time to return to the Orphanage on Dodge Street to get the photographs I need.
I just hope the snow hasn't completely overtaken the grounds. If so, I'll have to wait until it calms down and hope it doesn't last forever.
Wish me luck.
Pour me another;
my head won't stop spinning.
Take me to that special place
where worries drown themselves in sorrow.
03 January 2010
02 January 2010
01 January 2010
30 December 2009
29 December 2009
Day 16/365 - Watercolors
Tuesday, December 29.
I'm going to be using gum prints for my final Senior Thesis project. I changed my original idea from months ago, so I'm no longer using pinhole cameras or 4x5 cameras. Instead, I'm using a digital camera to photograph certain abandoned buildings in the area to recreate an architectural studio that questions time. It is as much about the actual processes of gum printing and cyanotype as it is about the subject. These buildings are forgotten and lost, except among the few who still visit them, often illegally, to learn more about them and experience their grandeur. Yes, it's trespassing, but sometimes the law only prevents society from fixing itself.
I still have to find blueprints for the building, or else, make my own. That might not be such a bad idea either. I found some old maps of the area so I could always just go and create the interiors based on my own measurements and experience. I guess we'll see how it goes.
These watercolors are three that were recommended to me. So they are my first step. New paper also.
Try and try and try,
until you have mastered.
Failure is as much a sign of education
as success.
I'm going to be using gum prints for my final Senior Thesis project. I changed my original idea from months ago, so I'm no longer using pinhole cameras or 4x5 cameras. Instead, I'm using a digital camera to photograph certain abandoned buildings in the area to recreate an architectural studio that questions time. It is as much about the actual processes of gum printing and cyanotype as it is about the subject. These buildings are forgotten and lost, except among the few who still visit them, often illegally, to learn more about them and experience their grandeur. Yes, it's trespassing, but sometimes the law only prevents society from fixing itself.
I still have to find blueprints for the building, or else, make my own. That might not be such a bad idea either. I found some old maps of the area so I could always just go and create the interiors based on my own measurements and experience. I guess we'll see how it goes.
These watercolors are three that were recommended to me. So they are my first step. New paper also.
Try and try and try,
until you have mastered.
Failure is as much a sign of education
as success.
Day 15/365 - Huddled
Monday, December 28.
It just keeps snowing.
Dropping and running,
your footprints appear.
I know you're behind me,
but you're all I look forward to.
It just keeps snowing.
Dropping and running,
your footprints appear.
I know you're behind me,
but you're all I look forward to.
Day 14/365 - Cycling
Sunday, December 27.
I feel trapped during the winter.
I need to get out and ride, but I can't.
I guess this is the next best thing.
Forgetting to move on
is like forgetting your hat.
It doesn't hit you
until the wind blows.
I feel trapped during the winter.
I need to get out and ride, but I can't.
I guess this is the next best thing.
Forgetting to move on
is like forgetting your hat.
It doesn't hit you
until the wind blows.
25 December 2009
Day 12/365 - Weakness
Friday, December 25.
Merry Christmas.
I'll keep it short.
Enjoy the holiday.
Dripping into a cup,
my arms feel faint.
The beautiful shade of the stream,
as it pours from my skin.
Merry Christmas.
I'll keep it short.
Enjoy the holiday.
Dripping into a cup,
my arms feel faint.
The beautiful shade of the stream,
as it pours from my skin.
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