Sunday, August 31, 2008

Sara VanDerBeek

While at the studio the other day, I came across a design/art magazine. As I was thumbing through the pages I found some photographs by a photographer, Sara VanDerBeek. The very first photograph I saw set of an alarm. It immediately reminded me of the work of Man Ray.
VanDerBeek's work is very much influenced by the history of photography. I had an immediate appreciation for her work. She was combing the history of photography into some very fashionable photographs.



Pictured here is a Man Ray photograph as an example of one of VanDerBeek's inspirations.







Follow this link and you will be able to see some of her amazing talent.
http://www.wmagazine.com/artdesign/2007/11/sara_vanderbeek

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Stacked rocks

Has anybody ever gone for a hike and seen a rocks strategically placed on top of each other? I have been shooting pictures of stacked rocks for some time now. Until yesterday I had no idea what the mean of it was. Someone in the studio told me it was a
Zen thing. I was a little skeptical to believe that. So thinking I would do a google search later in the day, thinking well now I have something to go on, I dismissed any thoughts about it till I could do a google search. However, while out last night walking through a very luxurious mall in Connecticut I happened to glance into a store as I was walking by. To my surprise and delight they had stacked rocks for sale. I quickly went in and to my surprise they had an explanation of what this rock formation phenomena was really called.

With the assistance of Wikipedia I can give a good definition of what they mean and why people do this. Follow the link and see more examples of the uses and read up on the history of Cairns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairn


Cairn

Cairns are often erected as landmarks. In ancient times they were erected as sepulcher monuments (a type of burial chamber or tomb), or used for practical and astronomical uses.

Homage to...

Homage to Chris Lizon. A fantastic professor and a great photographer.

Friday, August 29, 2008


Here are some photographs from my Northampton project. These were shot using 35mm Trix 400 film.
































Delayed

Well today was supposed to be the day I launched the new site. But, of course there are issues with how the site is running. So I am pushing the date for the new site to Monday. This week has been a busy week. I will be shooting all weekend and will be posting as I do. So please check back to see some new work. Have a safe weekend and enjoy the holiday.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Searching...

I am currently on the search for a Nikon F100. This camera is just gorgous. I am a huge fan of Nikon and well, I need a new film camera. This is something I am can see my self shooting with and making some great photographs.

One Step Closer

I am one step closer to finishing the 10DollarPrints site. It will be up and running by Friday morning. All that is left to do is upload the images and install the shopping cart and the site will be all set to be published.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Fall

Next week the schools are back in session. In just a few short weeks it will the beginning of a new season. New England has some of the most beautiful Fall Foliage. People travel from all over the country to see the beautiful landscape scenery that we have. If you have grown up in New England you have learned to appreciate the changing seasons. I have been looking forward to the cool weather. Those days you can just throw a hooded sweat shirt on and take a nice afternoon walk through the park with the leaves falling. Or take a drive through the country to a nice Market that serves fresh hot apple cider as well as fresh baked apple cider donuts. Thats right, I am talking about Atkins. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Atkins, the link is under my photograph.

I recommend taking a drive out and checking out the Market. There is fresh fruit, vegetables, and of course the apples. There is a plethora of activities to do in Amherst, MA. Hiking, shopping, dining and enjoying the scenery.

Here is the website. Check it out.

http://www.atkinsfarms.com/

I know this Fall is going to be a very successful photographic season.

New

I am in the process of building a nice little site called $10 dollar prints. This is the first public mention of this site. I will be choosing 10 of my prints to be sold as 10" prints for only $10.00 a piece. Of course shipping and handling will be added. The site will be finished this week. A post with the link will be added and of course there will be a link posted on the side bar of this blog. So make sure you check back.

Always

Always make sure your batteries are charged. I can't believe that when I grabbed my camera Sunday and left the house that I left with two dead batteries. Thats right. Not one, but two dead batteries. I thought that my other battery was full of life and ready to be loaded into my camera. But, that wasn't the case. So here is a photo from a party I was at last weekend. Just a simple composition and a little creativity.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Sunday

Well, this week is going to be a very hectic week indeed. I will be shooting some apparel for a website out of Boston. Not only that but I think I will be picking up a few scanning jobs and putting this film scanner to a profitable use. I will be shooting today of course also. So I will be posting some photos up tonight for all to see.

Here is a shot from the Northampton Project. Simple still life, Rocks on a fence. This fence had rocks lining it almost every other post.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

More from Northampton

Tuesday after I left the studio I made my way up to Northampton. I walked around for about two hours shooting for my Northampton Project. I would have to say that I made some good photographs.




















Simple Composition














Shooting from the hip










Simple chair still life.
























The woman walking with the cane turned and watched me pass by just after I shot this photo. She gave me a very distressed glance as she slowly made her way to the cross walk. I stopped at the corner of the street and turned back to watch her just stand at the cross walk, afraid to cross. I walked over to her and asked her if she would like someone to cross the street with her. She was very thankful that I stopped to assist her. As we were making our way across the street, a car stopped within less than 5 ft of us. The woman driving looked at us as if we were inconveniencing her by being in the cross walk. That just goes to show you that some people try and be nice while others are just to busy to care about anyone but themselves.

There are always a handful of street performers in Northampton. From guys playing guitars to harmonicas to a guy dressed in a cape banging the bottom of a bucket creating a song just for you as you pass by. But, this particular day there was a man filling the street with the sounds of a piano. I try and never have regrets when I shoot, but I regret getting closer and shooting from the side and from behind. I didn't want to get to close to him and disturb him.







This book store always has at least one book worth buying.










Northampton is a very relaxed and laid back artsy town. It is open to all walks of life. You can find many different ethnicities in Northampton. The sounds of music travel through the air and fill your ears with pleasant sound as you walk through the streets, while the delicious aroma of some fantastic restaurants dances at your nose begging you to stop in for a bite to eat.



This is all I am posting for now. Of course, I will be posting more so don't worry. The seasons are about to change and this means there will be new life on the streets and in the landscape. So make sure you check back to see the new additions to my Northampton Project.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Tonight

Tonight was just a gorgeous night to be outside. I took off from the studio about 10 of 5. I went to Northampton to walk around and do some shooting for my project. I would have to say that I got some great photos that I will be posting through the rest of the week. So make sure you check back to see the new photos.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Big pixles equal big bucks

Digital medium format cameras have undergone a drastic and giant step forward this past year. I recently read an article in Digital Photo Pro that discusses the advancements that digital medium format cameras have had. Not only did this article describe the new changes and new cameras that are out, it also gives great advice how D-SLR cameras differ from Digital Medium Format cameras.

Here I am showing you the new Hasselblad H3D. The first of its kind by Hasselblad. This model is the only one so far to have a dedicated digital back. This means that no other company as a digital back that can adapt to this body. A bold move by Hasselblad that shuts out the competition.






Sinar is a company that I had never heard of until I started reading this article. Sinar seems to be an equally great company with a solid camera. The top of this HY6 opens up and you can look down and see though the lens similar to the film versions of medium format slr and tslr cameras.




The article goes on to talk about the new products that are out by Leaf and Mamiya. If you know your up to date on cameras than you know that Mamiya and Leaf are very great companys. Leaf digital backs fit both Mamiya and Hasselblad. Leaf has also introduced its own body that of course would adapt their digital backs.





The average digital medium camera runs any where from $4000.00 upwards of $40,000 for brand new. However, you can find older Hasselblad bodies that do accept Leaf digital backs for a fraction of the cost. The difference between D-SLR and Digital Medium Format of course is the square format and the huge mega pixel difference. The average D-SLR holds a max of 10-12 mega pixels. Where as the Medium format ( the D-SLR s bigger brother ) bosts an average 20 to nearly 40 mega pixel difference. Of course, as you know the higher the mega pixel rating the larger your photographs can be printed as well as the better and bigger the quality you can achieve from shooting with medium format.

The growing trend lately is photographers have been renting out digital medium format cameras. I have seen a few short articles talking about rentals. The high price tags keep most photographers from affording their own set up. But, more and more companies are renting out these luxury cameras for shoots that demand the quality that these cameras can produce. So, if you can afford to shoot Digital Medium Format, then check out the new products that are coming out. If you can afford to shoot with any of the above cameras that I have discussed than check this out.
Rolleiflex has introduced a 3 mega pixel version of its Twin Lens Relfex camera. The price tag $399.00 Great for beginning digital medium format photography.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Before the fashion shoot

I stood in one place with my camera mounted on the tripod. I made a few photographs while waiting for Ruben to meet up with us for the shoot. Location, of course Northampton.


Fin

A view from across the tabel

Sunday was just such a beautiful day. It was hot but not terribly hot. I had the luxury of having a beautiful dinner with a friend at one of my favorite places in Northampton, The Teapot. Our dinner was just beautiful, the weather was just right, but the one major issue that would have bugged most of you. As we began to eat the waitress began to lower the awning so the sun would keep from going in our eyes. As she lowered it dust, dirt, and mold fell onto our food and drinks. After calling over the owner the food was quickly replaced with hot fresh food. But, it was all worth it.
As most of you know Northampton is a place I frequently shoot in. I have an on going documentary project of Northampton. I will be publishing photographs I make of Northampton on here regularly. So enjoy this little tid bit for now.






















I made two photographs with this man standing in the shot. Both shots he is looking right at me. I feel that the fact that he is looking at me both times makes for an interesting composition. Of course I wont show you one with out showing you both.

















A beautiful composition showing our delectable meal being served to us.


















As Kelly sat there watching the people walk by, I pulled my camera up to make this photograph. This photograph is the real reason I titled this post A view from across the table.


Express Fashion

I shot Ruben (my on call model) this past Thursday night in Northampton. We collaborated and did a night fashion shoot. Ruben is wearing the newest Express fashion for this up coming season.



























These next three shots were done in front of a gorgeous building on there on Main ST in Downtown Northampton. It had great lighting and had a lot to offer us.











































Showing the camera some love.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Quicky

The weekend is half over. It's Sunday morning 1:53 am and I am just making a post to say that by Sunday afternoon there are going to be a few new posts. The past few days have been crazy busy and I have some new things to blog about.

  • Fashion shoot from Thursday night
  • New shots for my Northampton Project
  • Some shots from the party that I went to Sat afternoon into the evening
But for now I am off to eat a bite of food. I need to get some bugs worked out of my wireless network. A thunderstorm Friday evening knocked my network down and I have to get it fixed completely so I can upload some new work to my site.

So stay tuned my friends. New posts will be here waiting for you by the afternoon.

Jeff-

Thursday, August 14, 2008

A must see...

This is a must see. If you're like me and have your cell phone on you at all times and use the camera on it as frequently as I do than maybe just maybe you will want to run out and buy this.

It is a telescopic lens for your cell phone.


It is also available for all you kids with your iPhones.








Here is the link to the site that I found it on.












Warmth

I decided to sit outside the studio for my lunch today. It was deathly cold inside the studio today, well maybe not deathly cold but it was pretty damn cold. So sitting out inthe sun for 30 minutes really warmed me up and gave me some good rays of sun. I really wish I was out side some where instead of in front of a computer. Get out and enjoy the sun for me please.

Miksang

I was searching Reference.com and came across something in photography that I have never heard of before. It is called Miksang.


http://http//www.miksang.org/m/index.html


"Miksang is a Tibetan word meaning "Good Eye" and represents a form of contemplative photography based on the Dharma Art teachings of Chögyam Trungpa, in which the eye is in synchronisation with the contemplative mind. The result of this particular perception of the world, combined with photography, produces a peculiar and open way of seeing the world. Miksang pictures tend to bring the observer back into the original contemplation state of the author of the picture. The pictures can bring one back to a purer perception of reality that is often neglected. Miksang involves nothing fancy, no special setup; only a visual capture, in the proper state of mind, of everyday's reality. "




I suggest reading the Tao of Photography. I am not going to explain to much about this book because I feel if I say to much you won't go out and read it. But, the information in this book is very powerful and can give you a new way of seeing the world around you.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Who's famous, whos not...

Today while I was doing a google search for famous photographers, ( I was searching to see who would compare against the names I already know) I came across a link to about.com. The title of the link in google was Famous and Influential Photographers. The first name I see on the list is Bernice Abbot. Bernice Abbot is a know for her New York City photographs in the 1930's.

Next on the list was Ansel Adams. Ansel Adams is a house hold name because of his dramatic and beautiful landscape photographs. However, most people do not know recognize him for being one of the first persons to photograph Yellow Stone National Park, for that matter even know that he is responsible for the Yellow Stone Parks existence today. Had it not been for his images Yellow Stone would not exist today.





After Ansel Adams, was Margaret Bourke White. She was a photo-journalist and shot for the first cover of Life Magazine. The next name on the list is a personal favorite whom I feel has made a tremendous contribution to world of photography. Henri Carte Bresson. If you do not know this name then I suggest you stop reading immediately and minimize this page and go straight to google and type his name up, and read all about him. Or just click the link below and read up about him. He coined the term, "the decisive moment". A quote that plays a vast role in my own photography. For example, this photograph below shows the perfect moment in time, the dog is glancing up just as the couple kisses one another. "The decisive moment".






























http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Cartier-Bresson


Here is another example of the perfect moment in time. The person is in mid-air as this photograph is made.

Now, I have listed four photographers who have made priceless contributions to photography. Four photographers who are known world wide for their photographs. All have achieved a level of fame based on their enormous contributions. Four photographers that have influenced thousands of photographers the world over.

Right underneath Carte Bresson's name was the name of a photographer that I feel should be listed some where else. Anne Geddes. She has sold millions of calenders and books. She has photographed babies for her entire career. Granted she can make a nice photograph, I do not see how she can be amongst the names I mentioned above. I do not know of any contribution she has made in photography that has either changed or inspired a generation of photographers. She is not responsible for starting a photographic movement like Pictorialism or the Photo Sucessionsts. All I know her work to be is of babies. I feel she belongs in a different category, not one that makes suggestions that she is an influential photographer.

Right under Geddes on the list is Dorothea Lange. Another extremely important photographer. She photographed during the depression working for the Farm Security Administration, under the direction of Roy Stryker. Dorothea's most famous photograph entitled the Migrant Mother shows the conditions she was photographing. She photographed migrant workers and farm families, some of which were stuck living on the road side because they had no money.

The photography of Geddes does not fall into the same category of importance like the photographers I have mentioned here. However, Geddes has made a name for herself in what she photographs. But I feel she deserves her own category on the page that her name was found on.