I hear you knocking

This fellow regularly visits the side of my cedar sided home — just below my second floor office window. He taps rhythmically and I get up and put a long lens (in this case the 350 Telyt) on the R8/DMR and tip toe out to catch him. No matter how I stalk him; wait for him; hide; what ever; he always disappears into the trees. This has gone on for about 3 years now. Never got a clean shot of him. Today I got one shot off before he evaded me again. Returned to the office and haven’t heard him tap since. Somehow I know he’ll be back to play again. Thanks to Doug Herr, at Wildlightphoto.com , one of the finest wildlife photographers working today, for identifying him as a male  Downy Woodpecker.

(click photograph for larger view) AND (be sure to enjoy Gale Storm singing I hear you knocking below the photo)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3uTTsjPFcc

Friday: flower — still life?

The flowering plants have fallen over, wilted, dried, gone to seed. Very little green remains “outside” — only the pines and some grasses. The days have become short and the light, more often than not, overcast, dull and gray. If I continue to produce a flower photograph each Friday it will require more planning; no longer simply a stroll within so-called nature. From now until spring I’ll need to travel to a shop and make both economic and aesthetic choices.

This morning it was 32 degrees F outside so I decided to shift into this new way of thinking about Friday flowers by bringing one of the last blooms from a porch plant inside for visual exploration. As soon as I dropped the bloom into water the photograph appeared.

(click photograph for larger view)

Leica R8/DMR, 100 mm Apo-Macro Elmarit

Taking a photograph to make an illustration

I’ve posted this first example, of using a photograph as a jumping off point to create a digital illustration which suggests a work created with traditional art materials (such as pencils, brushes and/or paints), as a response to a conversation with another photographer. I contend that one has to use the digital tools to move the photograph sufficiently beyond what a photograph “looks like” and enough toward what a drawing or painting “looks like.” I believe this requires the use of hand gestures of sufficient quantity and quality (and well beyond just hitting filter effect buttons) in order to fool the eye and mind. Does this example achieve that desire? I think “just.”

Wacom Tablet, Photoshop, and Painter

Below are two of my early attempts at drawing on the iPad; examples of taking it the other way. Meaning “drawn” on the iPad and exported through Lightroom. We find ourselves in truly interesting digital imaging times.

Griffin Stylus on iPad (drawn from life)

Just a photograph

Photographers may document their lives; where they travel; who they meet; what they see. Sometimes they attempt to create a photograph that may qualify as “art” or even “Art.” Sometimes they create fictional photographs; or advertising; or portraits; or illustrations; or they  may document wars, disasters, weddings, funerals and other events of every sort.

The times, when they click the shutter simply because “a photograph” appears before them demanding existence, as such (and for no other purpose whatsoever), may say the most about both the photographer and photography. Just a photograph. An object. To look at. Nothing more. Nothing less.

(click photograph for larger view)

Leica M8, 28 mm Summicron Asph

Taking It Lightly video resurfaces.

Some years ago I produced a video, in cooperation with the Center for Creative Learning, and Taking It Lightly, which has, after some time without a video streaming server, found a new home at the Light Development Video Blog.

Weird Wednesday already?

Almost forgot about this new LUG tradition. Though Wayne Torry reminded me with his wonderful contribution.

I always find it a bit weird when multiple media events vie for my attention.
The more disharmonious — the more weird it seems.

(click image for larger view)

Leica M8, 28 mm Summicron Asph