Category: Sculptural Forms

Wabi-sabi Wednesday (continued)

Consider this: Men mine iron ore; smelt it; turn it into steel; form the steel into sheets; transform the sheets into heavy equipment. At each stage labor and resources add value to the ore. People then use the heavy equipment to transform the earth; plant and harvest food; process that food; transport that food to super markets where we pick it up and drive it back to our kitchens in our steel vehicles. When the heavy equipment is used up and no longer functions as intended it goes to the scrap yard; where men cut it up and smash it into manageable chunks. This steel, now reduced to $100 per ton raw material (or $.10 – .20 per lb in small quantities) had a full life. It sits in the yards for decades; oxidizing, pitting and developing altogether new properties. The steel waits. Last week’s wabi-sabi wednesday photograph was just that — scrap steel in the yard of  Tyler Studios, ltd; waiting.

In the hands of a creative talent this scrap becomes raw material to create a beautiful “new” object.

(click photographs for larger view)

With each heat and hammer blow the craftsman adds new value to the old material. Additional photographs of this process can be found here.

The artist, Seth Tyler, has drawn the plans and made the prototype model as the first steps toward creating the full scale range hood.

Within a few months the completed range hood will hang in a fine kitchen. It will absorb the cooking aromas, heat, laughter, anger and tears of the family cooking and dining there. From morning coffee to celebrations it will continue to evolve with an ever changing patina; unique to its new environment; full of  wabi-sabi to be sure.

Leica R8, 35 mm Summilux (15 mm Super Elmar)

Wabi-sabi Wednesday

Wabi-sabi

witness weather’s work.
solid, water wed with wreckage,
a withered wind whipped leaf
within a well-worn wrapper.
winter will not wait.

WHAM!
a wizard will work this into a range hood
wrought worthy of a warm wok.

(click photograph for larger view)

Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph

Whimsical Wednesday

Okay. Some weeks ago (over on the LUG) Wednesday acquired weird as an appropriate midweek photographic post; followed a week or two later by someone feeling more comfortable with wacky. As I consider photographs for this genre of midweek posts, whether new subjects or images from my archives, other related “w” words came to mind — such as wild, waggish (for old times sake) and for this week even whimsical. For me these will open up the Wednesday challenge a bit while remaining, I believe, true (enough) to the spirit of the original visual quest.

(click photograph for larger view)

Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph

Fireplace Surround by Nathaniel Reinartz

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to photograph the beautiufl fireplace surround, hand forged by Nathaniel Reinartz; and installed in an equally gorgeous arts and crafts style home located on Milwaukee’s East side. Nathaniel brought many of the formal details of the original woodwork, as well as the masonry, into his metal work. Additional details of this piece (as well as some of Nathaniel’s railings).

Leica R8/DMR, 21 mm Super Angulon

Leica R8/DMR, 35 mm Summilux

A conversation with forms of disintegration

Billions of leaves now lie on my little parcel of the planet. Each whispers a different message about color, form, texture, pattern, volume, shape, and line. Each changes by the hour as they disintegrate; no longer able to fulfill their role in photosynthesis. How do I choose just one leaf to visually converse with? Does it matter which one? Probably not.

Sunday: I pick up three leaves. As I tilt and twist each one and observe the light shifting through the Visoflex (with the 65 mm  Elmar at full extension, plus two tubes) it becomes clear that one leaf has much more to say than the other two. So it does matter. I set up a minimal, miniature studio at “my place” on the kitchen table (just the little SD24 flash on a Nikon off-camera cable, and a white reflector). For the next couple hours that leaf and I enjoy a lovely visual conversation. Two thirds into this conversation Ann asks, “all that!? for one leaf?” I chuckle — and think to myself, “oh yes. This one seems to have a lot to say.” How do I explain these fascinating visual conversations to someone who has not experienced this process? Perhaps by quoting visual excerpts from our dialogue. Before continuing its journey toward becoming fertile dirt the leaf had this to say…

(click images for larger view)

Leica M8, Visoflex with 65 mm Elmar at full extension, plus two extension tubes

Weird Wednesday. Will it become a tradition?

One’s perception of weird, like beauty, will depend a great deal on the beholder’s point of view. Having not been raised Catholic I’ll admit that I found a recent visit to Holy Hill slightly weird. Raised in a family with membership in a strict Lutheran synod it was not the icons themselves that had this effect on me; it was rather the contexts and signage which surrounded the icons that struck my eye as visually weird. Things like plastic bottles, and spigots coming out of rocks, with the words “Holy Water” on them – and apparently for sale – right along side the Coca Cola, etc.

I certainly believe the Carmelite Friars when they inform me that their video cameras watch me. However I rather doubt their claim that “GOD” has an interest in watching my strolling about; whether at Holy Hill or elsewhere.

(click images for larger view)

Below is a detail from the lower right corner of the above photograph.

M8, 28 mm Summicron

Weird Wednesday

Some many years ago Sonny Carter began the Friday Flowers tradition over on the LUG (Leica User Group) email list. Yesterday Lawrence Zeitlin began what may become a new new tradition: Weird Wednesday with this deer triptych. This past Sunday Ann wanted to drive out into the country to see the fall color. We decided to drive West and a bit North toward Holy Hill. We could expect to find, hills, winding 2 lane roads through forested land and, ultimately, a fine view from the highest point near us. Along the way we found these fellows, who apparently had the same idea, on the road to holy hill:

(click images for larger view)

Leica M8, 28 mm Summicron

Dan Nauman’s bronze railing at Lynden Sculpture Garden

On September 7th Dan Nauman installed the final terminus section of his bronze railing at Lynden Sculpture Garden. However we had to wait for the patina to even out across all the sections before attempting to photograph the completed railing. Last week I gave the afternoon light an opportunity to charm the railing; and this week I gave the morning light an equal opportunity. These bronze forms stretch the the photographic limits in terms controlling highlights, contrast and complex color. To capture the movement, rhythms, forms and details of this intriguing metal work I used 15, 35, 50, 80, 100 and 180 mm lenses; lay on the ground; and climbed a ladder to find where the background, the piece and th light made the most visual sense together. To more fully comprehend the intricacies of the railing, the rather difficult environment surrounding it, along with the ever changing light — you can view the slide show of additional views and details.

(click images for larger view)

Leica R8/DMR, (numerous lenses were used)