css9450
Veteran
It was last week: "I fully agree. Who cares what camera and lens." It only touched a nerve because you had coincidentally started a similar thread on the same subject (fully understandable since mine had been quiet for awhile). It seems your thread might be a better place for your complaints than mine.
x-ray
Veteran
If I start another similar thread it’s because I didn’t find an older one not because I was trying to hijack one. Are you referring to the gas station thread? I searched but missed the older one.
I’m not trying to exclude anyone, please understand and anyone can post anything they want in a thread I start. The more people that post the better.
Please understand I spent over half a century dealing with f stops and shutter speeds and what equipment to use on a job. For me it’s refreshing to just enjoy the images without technical information taking over. My thread was about letting go and being unencumbered. I started the thread with images from a full auto point and shoot and have no idea what they were shot at. I didn’t even remember for sure what camera and didn’t care.
I hope you’ll post your images. I enjoy seeing other folks vision.
robert blu
quiet photographer
I find very interesting a thread about our creative processes. I hope to read more and to see more pictures
x-ray
Veteran
I’m curious who’s drawn to color and who of us to B&W.
I’m referring to how we evaluate a subject whether for its color or for its tones. In my work in the film days when shooting for a client I used B&W Polaroid to evaluate the tones of the subject so not to be influenced by the color. I always felt if B&W tones separate well then the color shot will look great. I even approached my personal work that way visually evaluating the subject in terms of B&W tone rather than color. It takes some doing to learn to see in tones but I find it works for me.
Now that I’m just shooting for fun I’m revisiting color and trying to make it more of a focus of my subjects.
A few examples attached.
I’m referring to how we evaluate a subject whether for its color or for its tones. In my work in the film days when shooting for a client I used B&W Polaroid to evaluate the tones of the subject so not to be influenced by the color. I always felt if B&W tones separate well then the color shot will look great. I even approached my personal work that way visually evaluating the subject in terms of B&W tone rather than color. It takes some doing to learn to see in tones but I find it works for me.
Now that I’m just shooting for fun I’m revisiting color and trying to make it more of a focus of my subjects.
A few examples attached.
Attachments
robert blu
quiet photographer
About my attempt to be creative... please note: long post !
First I need an idea to work on and boundaries within which to move.
Times ago my wife and I decided to spend a few days on Lake Como, in Tremezzina. It is an area we have been frequenting for many years and where in the hotel always conducted by the same family we feel at home. It is quiet and the view is beautiful.
Obviously as a photography enthusiast, I thought of taking some photos, but I faced a problem: how to photograph a place that has already been photographed by me many times without repeating myself?The answer came when I was browsing through a book by Karl Lagerfeld “Fotografie” and looking at his pictures of the Trevi’s Fountain: the contrast between the fluidity of the water and the stillness of stone could be the starting point of my pictures.
When I think about a project I always take notes. Avoid (if possible) making postcards, that is, photos that have already been seen so many times, look for fountains and washtubs, small streams, alleys, paths, details of old houses, not forgetting the turtles that are in the pond in front of the Church of St. Lawrence.
I also wanted the photos to have a “look” of their own, personal. So I decided to shoot on film in B&W. A light kit, after all it was a vacation: a camera with one lens (fixed focal) and another small lens in the bag. Simply. Uncomplicated. As always when I take photos.
After having taken the photos, returned home, developed and scanned the films, I made a series of small prints. ... I believe that a printed photograph, a physical object, a book or a magazine offer a different way of enjoyment. The slowness of looking at it or flipping through its pages, the feel of the paper, the sound of the pages of a magazine when turned are part of another experience. I don’t mean a better experience, I simply mean different which I think is important and enjoyable.
So I decided to show this work in form of a small magazine, a “zine” all made in house and without too much expectation. Therefore I went for a size and a layout which I could print with my inkjet on a A4 sheet and where I could print a full photo on a double page. And to keep a zine profile I decided to print not on high quality photo paper but on a sketching paper, bamboo made in order to keep an eye on the echological aspects.
When putting several photos together, it is important to choose them, to do proper editing, but it is even more important to decide in what sequence and where to put them. Two photos close together can either strengthen each other or weaken. Sometimes a blank page in front of an image can say a lot more than a page full of photos. My method is to…try, try and try again different combinations until I feel I am satisfied.
Printing, cutting, trimming, folding and assembling the pages was part of the fun.
And this is the final result, please click the image to start the video
ballad for stone and water: the zine by robert, su Flickr
First I need an idea to work on and boundaries within which to move.
Times ago my wife and I decided to spend a few days on Lake Como, in Tremezzina. It is an area we have been frequenting for many years and where in the hotel always conducted by the same family we feel at home. It is quiet and the view is beautiful.
Obviously as a photography enthusiast, I thought of taking some photos, but I faced a problem: how to photograph a place that has already been photographed by me many times without repeating myself?The answer came when I was browsing through a book by Karl Lagerfeld “Fotografie” and looking at his pictures of the Trevi’s Fountain: the contrast between the fluidity of the water and the stillness of stone could be the starting point of my pictures.
When I think about a project I always take notes. Avoid (if possible) making postcards, that is, photos that have already been seen so many times, look for fountains and washtubs, small streams, alleys, paths, details of old houses, not forgetting the turtles that are in the pond in front of the Church of St. Lawrence.
I also wanted the photos to have a “look” of their own, personal. So I decided to shoot on film in B&W. A light kit, after all it was a vacation: a camera with one lens (fixed focal) and another small lens in the bag. Simply. Uncomplicated. As always when I take photos.
After having taken the photos, returned home, developed and scanned the films, I made a series of small prints. ... I believe that a printed photograph, a physical object, a book or a magazine offer a different way of enjoyment. The slowness of looking at it or flipping through its pages, the feel of the paper, the sound of the pages of a magazine when turned are part of another experience. I don’t mean a better experience, I simply mean different which I think is important and enjoyable.
So I decided to show this work in form of a small magazine, a “zine” all made in house and without too much expectation. Therefore I went for a size and a layout which I could print with my inkjet on a A4 sheet and where I could print a full photo on a double page. And to keep a zine profile I decided to print not on high quality photo paper but on a sketching paper, bamboo made in order to keep an eye on the echological aspects.
When putting several photos together, it is important to choose them, to do proper editing, but it is even more important to decide in what sequence and where to put them. Two photos close together can either strengthen each other or weaken. Sometimes a blank page in front of an image can say a lot more than a page full of photos. My method is to…try, try and try again different combinations until I feel I am satisfied.
Printing, cutting, trimming, folding and assembling the pages was part of the fun.
And this is the final result, please click the image to start the video
ballad for stone and water: the zine by robert, su Flickr
x-ray
Veteran
Robert that’s a great story and your book is excellent. Beautiful images and very nice design.
I showed the video to my wife who’s a retired designer and painter. She loved your book.
She produced a small book of my documentary work years ago but has been discussing a series of books of her and my work.
Here are a few images of the first mock-up.
I think many of us forget about the importance of the presentation and how it can be just as important as the images. Great images with a bad presentation weakens the images.
I showed the video to my wife who’s a retired designer and painter. She loved your book.
She produced a small book of my documentary work years ago but has been discussing a series of books of her and my work.
Here are a few images of the first mock-up.
I think many of us forget about the importance of the presentation and how it can be just as important as the images. Great images with a bad presentation weakens the images.
Attachments
x-ray
Veteran
It’s not Friday but I’ve been going through old images and finding ones I’d forgotten about.
Post your forgotten images, your rediscovering creativity images. Both are from a point and shoot digital and nothing but junk shots but it was enjoyable just to shoot with no concern about satisfying anyone and no worries about making a garbage photo. These were just an exercise in freeing the spirit.
Please post yours, good or bad.
Post your forgotten images, your rediscovering creativity images. Both are from a point and shoot digital and nothing but junk shots but it was enjoyable just to shoot with no concern about satisfying anyone and no worries about making a garbage photo. These were just an exercise in freeing the spirit.
Please post yours, good or bad.
Attachments
Bob Michaels
nobody special
robert: very impressive presentation. It seems too many have the idea that all photography should be presented only as a singular image handing on a wall, You show a good example where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
I mostly shoot b&w but at times I might take a pic with my mobile if I see colours I like.
Out to Lunch
Ventor
Thursday evening in Vietnam. The heat is oppressive in Saigon and I've decided to travel to the coast bringing my TTArtisan lenses with me. Let's see what happens. Cheers, OtL
ooze
Established
Beautiful! A very satisfying way to enjoy photography.
robert blu
quiet photographer
Thanks my friends for positive comments.
Like many when I was young it was a great satisfaction to make a nice photo. But with the time it was not enough.
It was around the year 2000 when in a workshop a I met Machiel Botman a dutch photographer who introduce us to making dummies for photobooks. Machiel Botman - Photography - Books - Suzuki I soon liked the process of editing and even more of sequencing the various pictures and took part in other workshops on this subjetc. Of course photobooks are one of my passions
So it is how I started to make dummies, hand made books and lately simple zines. Of this one I made around 30 copies, which was much work but also satisfiyng! When I work on these projects there pictures and notes or sketches everywhere around the house! And for a pure amateur this is a joy!
As I wrote in this thread I have no satisfaction if I have not a project in mind, even a simple one.
Of this one about water and stones I made around 30 copies, which was much work but also satisfiyng! Again a joiy!
Like many when I was young it was a great satisfaction to make a nice photo. But with the time it was not enough.
It was around the year 2000 when in a workshop a I met Machiel Botman a dutch photographer who introduce us to making dummies for photobooks. Machiel Botman - Photography - Books - Suzuki I soon liked the process of editing and even more of sequencing the various pictures and took part in other workshops on this subjetc. Of course photobooks are one of my passions
So it is how I started to make dummies, hand made books and lately simple zines. Of this one I made around 30 copies, which was much work but also satisfiyng! When I work on these projects there pictures and notes or sketches everywhere around the house! And for a pure amateur this is a joy!
As I wrote in this thread I have no satisfaction if I have not a project in mind, even a simple one.
Of this one about water and stones I made around 30 copies, which was much work but also satisfiyng! Again a joiy!
Vince Lupo
Whatever
This is a bit of crazy/fun/whatever, I think.
One of the mindless things I like to do is wander our back garden. We're one of the odd ones in the neighbourhood in that we don't have any lawn, but we have lots of gardens, rocks and trees. So it invites a lot of pollinators and birds. But usually in the early morning or after work I wander around the garden with one or another camera, sometimes with a glass of wine (might even help make the photos turn out better!), just looking at the subtle changes in the garden from day to day.
Shot this one earlier today -- in a moment of unexplained craziness last month I bought not one but two of those Hasselblad 'prism' filters (one for my 80/2.8 lens, the other for my Super Wide). Interestingly the '63' size filter is 67mm thread, and it fits two of my XCD lenses for my 907x. So I thought what the heck and gave it a try.
My wife was quick to point out that these are Spanish Bluebells -- not English Bluebells, and certainly not Virginia Bluebells. Apparently Monty Don (of BBC's Gardeners' World) is very big on these, so of course my loving wife had to add them to our garden. A bit of Spain in Maryland? Sure why not.
Spanish Bluebells by Vince Lupo, on Flickr
One of the mindless things I like to do is wander our back garden. We're one of the odd ones in the neighbourhood in that we don't have any lawn, but we have lots of gardens, rocks and trees. So it invites a lot of pollinators and birds. But usually in the early morning or after work I wander around the garden with one or another camera, sometimes with a glass of wine (might even help make the photos turn out better!), just looking at the subtle changes in the garden from day to day.
Shot this one earlier today -- in a moment of unexplained craziness last month I bought not one but two of those Hasselblad 'prism' filters (one for my 80/2.8 lens, the other for my Super Wide). Interestingly the '63' size filter is 67mm thread, and it fits two of my XCD lenses for my 907x. So I thought what the heck and gave it a try.
My wife was quick to point out that these are Spanish Bluebells -- not English Bluebells, and certainly not Virginia Bluebells. Apparently Monty Don (of BBC's Gardeners' World) is very big on these, so of course my loving wife had to add them to our garden. A bit of Spain in Maryland? Sure why not.
Spanish Bluebells by Vince Lupo, on Flickr
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x-ray
Veteran
Not crazy at all. Our previous house had multiple gardens with trees, shrubs and wildflowers. I lived strolling around them and making photos. And for sure a glass of wine helps one’s creativity.
We’ve been in our current house 7 years now and have concentrated on remodeling and we’re almost finished. My wife has one primary flower garden and we’ve put out a number of trees but that all takes time and is an evolutionary process. We start out knowing exactly what we’re going to do and it evolves into something different.
Nice image.
We’ve been in our current house 7 years now and have concentrated on remodeling and we’re almost finished. My wife has one primary flower garden and we’ve put out a number of trees but that all takes time and is an evolutionary process. We start out knowing exactly what we’re going to do and it evolves into something different.
Nice image.
Vince Lupo
Whatever
More Friday evening garden wandering - I think my neighbours are now starting to wonder if I'm okay.
Star of Bethlehem by Vince Lupo, on Flickr
Star of Bethlehem by Vince Lupo, on Flickr
Yokosuka Mike
Abstract Clarity
Vince, I always appreciate it when you take the time and effort to provide the back story with the image. It's always a joy to read what you write.
All the best,
Mike
Vince Lupo
Whatever
Aw jeez Mike, I do appreciate that. Usually when I start droning on and on with a story to my wife, she puts on her noise-cancelling headphones
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
See, Vince, another reason to embrace your contemplated move to NM! Here, you can have two heads, and nobody cares (as long as both heads are wearing cowboy hats).More Friday evening garden wandering - I think my neighbours are now starting to wonder if I'm okay.
Star of Bethlehem by Vince Lupo, on Flickr