<o> Photography and Zen <o>'s topics - tribe.net

i wanted to say

2008-01-29T06:23:58Z

you guys have some really nice art work.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

Observant vs. participant

2008-01-15T20:21:07Z

The great thread about exhibitionism vs. voyeurism got me thinking about another set of opposites that come up for me frequently when I take my camera gear with me on a trip. I wonder if any of you come up against the same struggle as I have.

I travel a lot on the weekends, mostly for fun. I always bring my camera gear with me but I sometimes find that the desire to participate, rather than observe, means that my gear bag never gets cracked open. It might be a music festival, a camping trip with dozens of good friends, or a weekend excursion to my family's farm; regardless, if I jump into the experience and immerse myself in it, I find that trying to get into photography mode means I feel I'm withdrawing from the actual experience and becoming more of an observant to the event, and often that's just not a desirable option. I end up feeling like I have to choose between direct experience and floating on the edges of the experience so I can observe and shoot. I come home exhilarated from my excursion but regret not having taken any pictures.

There are other times when I set out to specifically shoot for the day and in those circumstances I have no problem busting out the cameras and immersing myself in THAT experience. The other times, though, become an exercise in frustration as I feel pulled in two different directions. I haven't yet reconciled with it. Is this a struggle that any of you encounter?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 18 replies

Lages Station pics

2008-01-10T21:05:57Z

This fall, I visited a one-building town on the far edge of Nevada and took a few snapshots. It had everything that you would want in a desert highway stop--grandma, kids, chickens, cafe, bar, gas, and mounted deer heads.

The pics are up on my Flickr page, http://www.flickr.com/photos/christinaweber , if you'd like to take a look.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

Photographic "effects"

2008-01-01T01:52:57Z

Up until now, I have always deleted the pictures (I use digital) that were not crystal perfect. I've always wanted sharp, sharp photos. Until now.

I took a picture of someone walking at the Renaissance faire which, if it had come out, would just have been a picture of, well, someone walking. But the camera jiggled or something while I was taking the pictures and it came out ... interesting.

I looked at it and was about to delete the thing, when I realized it was beautiful in it's own way. Very artistic. I'll load it up so you can see. It's the picture titled "Swordsman".

What's the general feeling with pictures like this?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 19 replies

voyeurism v. exhibitionism

2008-01-01T01:08:30Z

I had an interesting revelation yesterday.

In regards to voyeurism and exhibitionism, I've always considered myself to be a shy voyeur and as such, I think its why I have been so drawn to photography. I think its an art form that serves voyeurs well. To me, photography is much more appropriate for those who prefer to observe, as opposed to those who more enjoy the spotlight. Those who do not like to be the center of attention can be a part of experiences by capturing those who do.

Well, I have just come to realize this actually is not the case. What I didn't take into consideration was what happens after the photos are taken. If you want to share your photos, there is definitely an element of needing to be comfortable with being exposed. For me, being so uncomfortable 'putting it out there' , it really threw me for a loop when some of my photos went public. Its an interesting sensation feeling so vulnerable with having your art and soul up for criticism and judgment. I know it sounds obvious, but I guess its when I truly realized that to be a photographer, one has to be comfortable with a certain degree of exhibitionism as well.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 13 replies

In the market for....

2007-12-08T01:35:54Z

A new camera. I used to use a nikon from the 70's all manual and since it has been stolen a few years a go I have been lost without it. Finally someone has offered to get me a new camera and I thought I would go with a digital SLR. I was looking at the Nikon D40x and D80. Does anyone have any suggestions, comments, hints, great prices to get them?

Thank you
April

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 9 replies

Earth Spirits

2007-08-31T05:46:53Z

I have seen earth spirits in many places, but never before have I seen such a concentration in one area....

http://people.tribe.net/b852a287-17eb-4323-a9f8-fd253fb053d8/photos/9621050c-b95b-4d81-91a1-f39eca8a3442

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

New Tribe: Columbia Digital Arts Coalition

2007-07-24T06:25:31Z

For ALL things relating to Digital Art.
www.tribes.tribe.net/columbiadigitalartscoalition

Peace!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

Happy Spring!!!

2007-04-29T22:45:29Z

Hi everyone,

Jay your Moderator here. Just wanted to say hi (haven't been tribing for a while). HI!

I'm loving photography more than ever these days. Sue and I (we met on Tribe last year and will be marrying each other) are going out and photographing southern Oregon every chance we get. We'll get some new images up soon. But in the mean time, we just wanted to urge all of you to head out with your cameras, go somewhere you've never gone before, and push the limits of whatever you think is "normal." The world is a beautiful place, and there are literally billions of ways to capture that beauty. See if you can find one that you've never thought of before. And have fun!

See you in the funny pages...

-Jay-

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

New to the Tribei

2007-04-02T02:40:31Z

I'm new to the tribe and just posted 3 photos. Any comment, critiques, etc. are welcome as well as any new tribe friends.

Jim http://people.tribe.net/jimbphoto

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 6 replies

When you create "Zen" imagery how much "planning" do yo do?

2007-03-25T06:10:36Z

Dear friends,
I'm curious to know your preparation and planning when creating "Zen" type imagery.

Going into a photo shoot do you have specific goals/ideas in mind or do you just let the muse take you and see what turns up?

Great shots posted too! Thanks so much for sharing.

Peace,
Bruce

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 14 replies

JPG magazine contests

2007-03-24T18:28:29Z

Is anyone else entering these? I've put three in the currently active contests and I gather that user voting plays some role in their choice of winner, though they also indicate they decide based on whatever arcane standards they might be setting for that particular theme.

I guess the zen is intuiting whether or not a photo fits the theme as they state it, or more accurately, as they end up judging it.

My entries are
http://jpgmag.com/photos/69511
http://jpgmag.com/photos/69437
http://jpgmag.com/photos/69478

Drop by and give 'em a vote if you like them. Let us know if you enter any.

Brandon

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

nikromat 1971: I have one and am ready to pass it on

2007-02-27T04:58:09Z

Hey all, I realize very few people are shooting film anymore. I have a great Nikromat that was a gift to my parents when i was born (I even have the original purchase guaruntee written to my grandmother). My father used it for many years, and then when I took up pohtography it was passed on to me. It does have a small light leak that will need to be fixed if someone wants to take serious shots with it. I am in love with this camera, but I also have an fm2 that I bought for myself in college and still use. They are both exceptional cameras, however they are both film. So I"ve been pondering what to do with my nikromat? I want to pass it on: do I donate it to a school? give it to a guy in town who has not a lot of resources and wants a camera? sell it? sell the lense perhaps? Or keep it for.....what? Hmmm....

I imagine some of you photographers out there struggle with similar questions when looking at your beloved 'film' cameras that are becoming obsolete and not as handy to use. This is a dialogue worth having as I really appreciate any input, any experiences someone can share, etc? Any interest in this camera perhaps? Do you know if the warranty (that is now 35 years old) has any value to it with kodak as far as repairing the light leak?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

how to critique a photograph

2007-02-20T19:19:03Z

fun read
http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/06/great-photographers-on-internet.html

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 2 replies

digital versus film II:

2007-02-20T16:55:45Z

A few months ago, as a student curator, I put together a small show of works from the Light Work collection that might be of interest to some here: http://www.lightwork.org/exhibitions/past/digitaltransitions.html

I am still very much interested in what photographers and artists feel about the “digital transition”- from the chemical/mechanical process to a digital one- and how the resultant affects may be reflected, particularly in fine art photography, in the near future. I believe we are still in the first part or initial phase of major changes in this field.

Some of these changes may be subtle but overall I believe they are bound to be very profound in many ways- from how work is created (captured, processed, printed, etc.) to the way it is presented, transferred, and stored and so forth.

Many photographer-artists I see are still simulating Chromogenic photographic prints with their digital prints and processes and for some the “photoshopped” or heavily manipulated image already appears dated and stale already, so…

what do you think the future may hold, what direction will artists and photographers turn in the future in this creative area, aesthetically or otherwise?

anyone is encouraged to post their ideas here and/or if they have a serious interest in this area may contact me directly-

Thanks,
Christopher

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 14 replies

digi versus film

2007-02-13T10:44:52Z

The discussion that never ends...

I prefer film—slides to be exact, Fuji Velvia 50 or 100 speed, with the camera mounted on at steady tripod. And with a very deliberate and skilled technique. And only with available light. (I have a Nikon 8008 with four decent lenses.) In developing my style, I have found that I resonate most with Velvia's clarity of grain as well as its color pallet, which really enhances the warm tones, reds and and greens (better for landscapes than protraits). There is something three-dimensional about a film picture. With a digital image, it’s completely flat, pixels on a screen. I can usually tell an image was taken on a digital camera because of the edges of things—they don’t look as real, like when the horizon meets the sky. With a slide, the emulsion actually lays down the color in layers. If you looked at an exposed slide through a microscope, it would look like a landscape with peaks and valleys. And then there’s the energetic level of film: the actual light of the scene becomes fused on the slide (or negative). I believe that even when the slide is scanned digitally, that energy and depth remains, to a lesser extent.

But that doesn’t mean that I shun digital. I have a Canon D20 that I use for festivals and events which require a quick turnaround, flash, and higher film speeds. It’s a decent camera, but I just don’t feel connected to it. And when I use the D20 for landscape work, it doesn’t even compare to my slide shots.

Film has drawbacks, too. It is expensive, wasteful, and a pain in the ass to archive and get printed. I would love to do everything I do with one good camera. When I go digital, it will be a Nikon D200 (I think) that I could use my lenses on. But that body is $1,500. I will get it this year, hopefully. I’d actually like to trade in or sell all of my Canon gear (body, two lenses, really good flash) to go toward the D200. Then I would be able to change my film speed, like I would have loved to do on Sunday when the deer appeared in the field after the sun had set. My 100 speed film was not fast enough to get a clear shot. But I will keep taking slides as long as they keep making them. Not only do I really enjoy the process of loading the film in the back of the camera, but Fuji Velvia, along with my technique and willingness to go the extra mile to get the beautiful light, helps my images stand out from the sea of digital images out there.

But in the end, the camera is just a tool. It is a thing. What breathes life into the photo is your heart. So whatever camera you end up using—film or digital—get to know what it can and cannot do. Learn it like the back of your hand so you don't even have to think about settings. Then forget everything you know and let the art happen.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 11 replies

"Photography is Not a Crime":

2007-02-13T09:23:06Z

JPG Magazine, Issue 5: Photography is Not a Crime:

"There's another example every day. An overactive security guard harassing a photographer on a public sidewalk. Cops intimidating people with cameras. Photography bans in subways. In a post 9/11 age of paranoia and suspicion, public photography is increasingly seen as threatening, or mistaken as criminal...

http://jpgmag.com/issue5.html

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 27 replies

One World

2007-01-15T18:24:50Z

Videography is SORT of photography right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0FvG9GO8Qs&NR

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

my BM 2006 images

2006-12-28T05:58:31Z

Here is the whole thing..sorry editing is my weakness check them out and let me knwo what you think...

http://public.fotki.com/abjectphoto/

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

Anyone know anything about old Nikon FE3's?

2006-12-10T06:57:44Z

I have two that worked for years then all of a sudden they both only take pics at F stop M90, whatever that is. I tried new batteries, twisting, clicking, tapping, turning...... and nothing seems to fix either one of my poor little Nikons :( Help! I miss them!!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

my pics

2006-12-03T04:14:12Z

check out my new online portfolio it is a bit cluttered but so is my life check it out...

http://public.fotki.com/abjectphoto/

More images will be uploaded every day...let me know what your thoughts are..please leave comments on the pics.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

"World views" - Poster Creation Challenge

2006-12-03T01:00:02Z

This project is about creating social change, by putting out the most powerful spells and imagery to help create positive world views.

Media too often tells us we are not good enough, not beautiful as we are, and that we should be fearful. It promotes government and consumerism, and we need more media that promotes community and creativity.

Let's see positive messages that empower us to believe we are all beautiful, and can do anything we dream.

Since high school, I've been doing slide shows sharing images and spells that offer inspiration and many points of view. The combination of both words and images are much more powerful than either one alone.

Now with a slide scanner, I'm going through my large collection of slides and journals, to create posters that will be put in schools, prisons, group homes, office buildings, or anywhere people may benefit from a shift in perspective.

I've created some examples: http://actionhero.smugmug.com/gallery/2145782 ...and now I challenge you. What messages do you want to put out into the world?

Post your submissions in the photo album at http://actionhero.tribe.net

The prize will be poster size prints of the top three. First place will get all three prints of the top three. Second place gets two, and third gets one.

There will be a panel of judges from the Action Hero Tribe.
There will be a post on Action Hero stating who they are when they are confirmed.
You can submit as many images as you'd like (700 px high -- We'll make a screen saver using all of the best.)

To make these images into posters, they will need come from large files. Small file sizes (72 dpi / 700 px high) are good for the screen saver, but not for posters, so submit them, but know they can't be judged with the ones to be printed.

My scanner scans at a resolution of 4000 dpi. I'm not sure what is needed to make a clear image 2ft high. I'm still new to printing digital. Do you know?

Since I'm hosting the challenge, my work will not be included.

We don't have a deadline yet, but I'm thinking around March or April, so we have lots of time to build interest and do good work.

After the winter holidaze, Action Hero Network will be heading down to central Mexico for a couple months to create a cultural exchange community center in Roblito, and you are welcome to join that adventure as well: www.solomax.com/roblito.html ...lots of good photo opportunities there.

Suggestions welcome as to how we can make this contest even better.

Have fun!

-Cor

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

what does this sereis make you feel?

2006-11-27T11:29:20Z

http://www.jenniferloshaw.com/in-my-skin-home.html

I am putting together some proposals for the show to include a grant.. and I would like to know how you all in this tribe would discuss such a body of work... and how you think it tells a story.. what story do you see in tge SPIRIT of the images as body of work?

any feed back and discussion is appreciated.

namaste jennifer

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

Karl Baba's Burning Man Photos

2006-10-07T15:16:01Z

I hope folks enjoy my images at

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery.asp?userid=karlb&gallery_id=495856

If anyone knows the creators of any Art Car or Art not already credited, I'd love to include that on the image and send them a file. Email me.

I have a few more images coming and need to change the order of the images, but hey, I haven't unpacked much either. I have some Zen treatments that I hope to do when late falls gives me some creative time

Print sales were authorized by Burning Man and Burning Man receives 10%. Artists and those pictured can email me for free files or prints at cost.

Many thanks and blessings to all the awesome folks I met and didn't meet this year.

peace

Karl

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

Staying Alert or Being objective when shooting.

2006-10-06T07:02:38Z

How does one stay focused when the event happens? Does one shoot or not? I was pretty focused at Burningman this year but when I was at the Billion Bunny March I didn't shoot the ear attachment. Someone asked me if I shot it I thought I did and I witnessed it but everything happens so fast in secs, apparently I didn't , no I didn't misplace the images because the fram numbers are in sequence.

How does one be kind of objective and shoot when one should be?

I think I need to improve on that how to be able to recognize changing situations and adjust accordingly.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

Introducing Bruce Haedt - Photography

2006-10-02T21:55:22Z

Bruce Haedt - Photography
Seattle, WA
http://www.zhibit.org/ad/tribe/brucehaedt

I'm an interdisciplinary artist, working in music, dance, visual arts and whole systems design. All of these forms weave together, intersect and collide.

My formal education is in music and photography, with my Masters in Fine Arts Photography in 1990 from the University of Washington being the culmination.

There has also been a 20+ year off and on study of Skinner Releasing, a movement process that informs my physical expression of inner realities.

The focus of this website will be Photography. I...

* a selection of summer works - http://www.zhibit.org/ad/tribe/brucehaedt/aselectionofsummerworks
evidence of the process as experienced in bellingham, vancouver bc, near mount st helens, at the black river...

* a variety of flowers &#38; leaves - http://www.zhibit.org/ad/tribe/brucehaedt/avarietyofflowersleaves
my attemps to photograph the sun through various blooms and leaves in seattle - trying to trick the camera as usual into thinking it knows what it is doing - when in fact neither of us do.

---
Zhibit.org is a do it yourself website design and hosting service for artists only. We post this message as part of our ongoing effort to promote the art of our subscribers. Please visit our website for more information regarding our service.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

fix for tribe profile photos?

2006-10-01T16:26:47Z

Anyone figure out how to get them back to their Wednesday sizes yet?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 8 replies

Some more BM 2006 pix

2006-09-16T22:27:31Z

I have mixed feelings about my pix this year. I spent less time doing the photography, and I see where I need a lot more work and practice. On the other hand, I'm too close to the event and the reverberations to accurately judge, and the subject matter is so compelling, so I'm posting these links anyway.

General pix:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr-placebo/sets/72157594281895721/

Cathedral pix:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr-placebo/sets/72157594281801683/

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

September Holiday Photos

2006-09-16T16:44:41Z

I just posted some pix, in the tribe album, from a series of photos I shot while on holidays last week at my family property near Bancroft, Ontario, Canada. Enjoy!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

Any of you go to Black Rock City this year?

2006-09-16T13:33:08Z

If yes I would love to meet you. I will be camping at Playa Game camp. Our address is Wheel of Fortune and Chance. Look for a Giant Manopoly board.

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 8 replies

Burning Man Address

2006-09-15T00:24:36Z

Hello Fellow Photo Zenners!

About to head down to Burning Man. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Photographing is my favorite thing to do and Burning Man is my favorite place to do it!

If any of you are going and want to go on a photo trek, I'll be staying at the Bohemia camp at 7:30 and Eager.

Just ask for Jay!

For the rest of you, have a great week and take a picture or two!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 6 replies

quotes to photos

2006-09-08T02:28:40Z

So i kinda droped off the net somewhere around denmark and got carried away. Im back and i was having alot of fun with the old quotes to photos thread....

So heres the guide

1) the quote for which the following picture is displayed

ie. To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.
- William M. Thackeray

2) the photo

3) If you have another quote it would go here

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

What are your artistic dreams?

2006-09-06T02:50:35Z

Are you living the life you want to through your creativity? Or are you wanting more?

My dream is simple: I plan to be the first landscape photographer on Mars.

What is the ultimate artistic dream for you?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

Does anyone remember the name...

2006-08-11T04:10:32Z

Does anyone remember the name of apretty famous Fine Art female photographer ( from the 90's?) who created images of a room or landscape with multiple uniform orderly images in front. I am thinking of one in particular with frogs in a green room or...??? She was quite notable at the time and American (I think) Postacards were made of this image.

thanks for your brain cells : >

Catherine

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

"Noble Processes, in a Digital Age"

2006-07-26T17:41:10Z

Noble Processes, in a Digital Age
New Works in Hand-Crafted Rare Media
Exhibition May 3 – August 19, 2006
Jpohn Stevenson Gallery
338 West 23rd Street
New York City
212.352.0070

www.johnstevenson-gallery.com/gal...tml#

"In the history of photography, this is an unprecedented time. Not just for the recently eye-popping high prices of certain things. But more profoundly, for the sudden obsolescence of silver gelatin printing, eclipsed by digital imaging. All the major manufacturing companies are ceasing production of silver papers, and that will be followed by the disappearance of film. Henceforth, for silver prints the photographer will have to rely on small specialty shops (such as one in England that still makes albumen paper), or else figure out how to make it from scratch, like platinum.

Since all processes in photography are now “alternative processes,” that category no longer has any meaning.

The division now is between hand-made, and machine-made.

Or, thinking of the noble metals, platinum, gold, silver; if we may coin a phrase:
Noble Processes, in a Digital Age..."

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

I ran over my camera case

2006-07-24T16:00:49Z

I ran over my camera case. Twice, actually. In my car. First, I backed over it. Thinking it was the curb I had backed over, I went forward and ran over it again. I won't go into the details, but it was a comedy of errors, and I had to move my car real fast, and was forced to back up real quickly bla bla bla. It was the most boneheaded thing I've ever done, that's for sure.

Inside the bag was my new Nikon D200 body and all four of my lenses. Somehow, the D200 survived and seems to work fine (Nikon will be getting a letter of appreciation). But all four of my lenses are trashed, so I'm basically crippled as a photographer. And I'm not making a bunch of money right now.

But here's the thing: it's not that big of a deal. I guess all of that internal work I've been doing these past few years has really paid off. Those lenses are just things, and they've traveled with me for five years and have focused in on thousands of amazing landscapes. I used the shit out of them. My friend Jeremy pulled up right after the fiasco happened. I was still in a state of shock, but was already processing. He said to me, "Jay, you just destroyed your lifeblood." And I looked at him and said, "No I didn't. My lifeblood runs inside of me. It is my heart and soul and eyes that takes these pictures." It was amazing to hear those words come out of my mouth. I will rebuild. I will work harder to sell my work now, and I will get even better glass. Which I've needed to do anyway. So it's all good. It's a pain in the ass, that's for sure. And I need to figure out something by Burning Man in six weeks, because that is my favorite place to photograph. And I will be there with a working outfit to capture the beauty. I need everywhere from 18 mm to at least 300 mm to capture it the Jay Newman way. I'll figure it out.

Just wanted to share that with you all. We are artists. And it is not the material objects that we "own" that makes that art. It is us.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 13 replies

Quotes to photos

2006-07-15T06:41:53Z

So I had an Epiphany, a source for inspiration perhaps.... I was thinking we could submit some of our favorite quotes and the try and match som images to them, new, old whatever, I love good quotes and so i would love to hear some more good ones.

"Man will occasionally stumble upon truth, but ussually he will just pick himself up and carry on"
-Sir Winston Churchill

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 22 replies

I'll be at Photo San Francisco July 21-23

2006-07-15T06:38:57Z

Hey Everyone,
I'll be showing six of my images at Photo San Francisco next week at the Focus Magazine space, so if you're in the city come on by and say hi!

Hope to see you there.
Peace,
Bruce

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

Conversation on the Hill

2006-07-13T07:33:58Z

Hey Jay! I hope it's okay to post this here... :)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Conversation on the Hill is now open for the public to join.

We discuss everything about our individual paths (including treasures we find along the way -- and creativity and photography are definitely treasures), presuming no one path is right for all, and everyone's path is the right one for them. I hope you'll come check us out...

http://tribes.tribe.net/conversationonthehill

Please be sure to read the Welcome thread for the CotH philosophy, etc...
http://tribes.tribe.net/conversationonthehill/thread/47b3af04-948a-46b1-a4fd-1afc83487fec?newpostingid=c87cbb04-35fe-46e0-8545-185fa205ac68#c87cbb04-35fe-46e0-8545-185fa205ac68.

Many blessings to you all!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 2 replies

Black and white Verses color

2006-07-07T03:59:32Z

I've become a firm believer in the digital camera. And lately I've started carrying two of them: one set to black and white and one set to color. Yeah, I know I can easily change the pictures to black and white later, but somehow it looks better when taken in black and white originally.

I have not done much black and white before, as I like color better. But I've been finding that for protrait photography, many people seem to prefer their picture in black and white. In fact, several times now I've stopped someone to take their picture to have them say "no", then change their mind when I've mentioned it's black and white.

So I wonder what other's experiences are with the two different formats?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

New Tribe — Outdoor Photogr

2006-07-03T17:35:16Z

Hey Photo Friends,

I started a new tribe dedicated to outdoor photography. We photograph mountains, buildings, bridges, oceans, trees, wildlife, doorways, silhouettes in the sunsets...

Come talk technique and supplies and how to find the best light...and more!

http://tribes.tribe.net/scenicandnaturephotography?_click_path=Application%5Btribe%5D.Tribe%5Bf89e31a7-4c98-4093-b487-22f96b450748%5D

Thanks!!!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

Inspiration

2006-06-30T23:20:06Z

of sorts
or something.

I've been trying to be more diligent about getting out and shooting because it's good for me in many ways

Moving, seeing, being
in a different space.

What I've found for a while now is that while I do get some interesting stuff now and again that I like, it's only...adequate in some sense. Occasionally stuff I really like pops up every now and again

More important a realization is that I'm finding I'm starting to compose images while keeping in mind how I can alter them when I got on the computer.

So I am wandering around seeing in two different ways so to speak.

Part of it is I am trying to learn some software;
the other part is I am not satisfied with what I'm seeing in the world and want to capture and express....something else

If you have a look in my photo profile, you'll see what I mean. Some of them have actually only been altered slightly - I can manage to capture what I'm looking for without editing. At other times, there are varying degrees of manipulation...

What I'm finding is that I am much more drawn to trying to capture and express something more painterly, more expressionistic...more mixed media in effect.

Some of them remind me of when I painted what I was trying to express in the physicality of moving paint around on the canvas.

Many I am very very happy with and I'm really enjoying learning a number of skills and I look forward to learning some more advanced ones at the right time...

So I guess - if I had an explicit question of note - does anybody else do this and maybe from a purist perspective, is it "ok?"

Know what I mean?

I would like to shoot an interesting woman sometime...I guess I will have to go out and see what I can find there as well.

thx

~MTS~

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 4 replies

Favorite lens?

2006-06-21T03:24:03Z

What's your favorite lens?

I'm just in love with my 50mm 1.8. :-)

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

How did I do this?

2006-06-19T00:31:58Z

http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/c8ff8991-2ba8-49f4-b50b-0612c852cf55

I was using my 80-210 mm zoom with diopters, not sure what combinations (+1, +4, +2), an 800 film at dusk so probably a higher f-stop than I would normally use. How do you get that diffused light effect? How do I get it again? Can you get an effect like that with digital?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 9 replies

Why do you use the photographic format you do? (Film, digital, color, B&W, other...)

2006-06-10T20:23:00Z

So, what is it about the photographic format you use that makes you choose it over something else? Cost? Familiarity? Artistic Statement?

I'll start of with a little bit of what makes me use digital and B&W...
One reason up front is cost. The initial investment is steep (but starting out in most any field of interest involves hefty up-front costs) however, the savings in film cost is tremendous. Another aspect is control. I have much more control over the image with digital. I'm still just dodging or burning, but on a much more detailed level. I still shoot on the manual setting and take hand-held incident light meter readings, and still stick my 35mm body (Canon EOS1DS Mark II) on a tripod -all learned using film 35mm and medium format cameras.

I like to use B&W because it almost imperatively tells the viewer's eye what they are seeing is "different" or "artistic" from the ordinary color-fed images they are bombarded with all day. I think there's a kind of psychological shift that happens, setting the viewer into a "art-receptive" mode, expecting to see something unusual and different. Our mind is naturally drawn to things that are unusual and different, especially when it comes to aesthetic appreciation of art. I think this mates well with my style of fine art photography (the "art nude" genre). In addition I think B&W helps in the presentation of the nude form, taking it to a non-literal analysis by the mind, helping to position the image in the metaphysical realm of the mind -since my art attempts to tap into archetypal energies that's exactly where I want it!

As analytical as all that may sound, I have to say that the conclusions were reached in a very instinctual way. Through the many years I’ve been a photographer I just knew I liked doing what I was doing, and I tried to understand why I liked it and why others liked it. It's all helped me to be clear as an artist and has greatly helped advance my career.

I don't mean to impinge anyone else’s choices in different formats, or who are accomplishing the same thing with different means -just putting out there my motivation and reasoning.

Curious to hear about yours...

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 2 replies

If they say, "Don't take my picture," then don't!!!

2006-06-01T23:09:20Z

This kid tried taking a picture of Joe Pesci, after being told not to, then gets punched in the face. The reaction, I admit, was a bit strong, but the kid still doesn't seem to get it. Here's the story:

Jan 24, 2006 10:10 am US/Eastern

Student Alleges Joe Pesci Punched Him In The Face
(CBS4 News) BOCA RATON Actor Joe Pesci is well-known for his tough-guy roles in films such as "Goodfellas" and "Casino." Now, a college student in South Florida claims Pesci put his movie persona into action by punching him in the face when he snapped a photograph of the star.

Juan Carlos Montenegro, 24, of Fort Lauderdale claims Pesci gave him a fat lip Sunday in the parking lot of a Jamba Juice store in Boca Raton, Fla. He told police afterward the actor stated, "You shouldn't have been interrupting my business."

According to the police report, Montenegro, a student at Broward Community College, says he first saw the Oscar-winner in front of a Circuit City store and shook his hand. He then went inside to buy a camera, and came out to ask Pesci if he could take his picture.

"Not now," was Pesci's purported response, as he kept walking to his car. Montenegro claims he followed Pesci, 62, who suddenly stopped and pulled an about face. The student says he then snapped a photo, and the "furious" actor gave him a case of smash mouth with his right fist. "It was a shock. I didn't see it coming at all," Montenegro told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, adding the blow made him lean over. Pesci's attorney, Jay Julien, was not available for comment.

Montenegro reportedly took pictures of both the man's face and his own injuries, and turned his camera over to police, who will determine whether there's enough evidence to turn the case over to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office. There were no independent witnesses to the alleged incident.

Despite being whacked, Montenegro says he's still a fan of the actor. "I may have gotten him on a bad day," he told the paper.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 27 replies

russia photos and candid shots revisited

2006-05-20T19:14:00Z

finally, thanks to jay and his huge compadre of elves, i've gotten my pics from russia scanned and uploaded a few into the photos of this tribe...

the russian cottages are there, also there's a candid shot with someone i don't know.

the subject had come up in another thread re: taking a pic of someone you don't know. i figured since her face isn't in the photo, and given where she was (a public monument) it was okay to do.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

Are you camera shy?

2006-05-07T20:14:54Z

Do you know how to pose like our beautiful models do?
I am so lens shy, I can't pose, I always make the strangest faces and look like the village idiot in a picture.
If some one takes my portrait it has to be candid without my knowledge.
All I can think is Gimme that Camera!

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 17 replies

Checking In

2006-05-05T22:22:24Z

Hi everyone. The tribe has been quiet for a wile, but that's the nature of these smaller tribes. There is a flurry of activity, then quiet, then the flurry comes back.

I've been extremely busy. Good busy, but exhausting (and little time for tribing). I've cut my hours at my job way back to focus on the photography. I'm making ads and putting together cover submissions (three covers this spring, and maybe one more!), and knocking on doors and other stuff. Some people are even paying me MONEY for my images! Wat a concept. (I live in the land of trade.)

I've realized that in order to manifest this life as a photographer, I must engulf myself in it. There is so much work to be done, so many pics to be scanned and put online.So many slides to sort and digital shots to edit. What I really need is the website/marketing/scanning fairy to swoop in and assist me with all of this. But right now, it is just me. I'm nearing the point where I'll be ready to ask the universe for the perfect person to come in help me run my business so I can be out there shooting. I'm not in this for the money per say, but I can say this without ego. The images that I have in my files can make me a millionaire if I do this right.

Right now, I'm just making sure I do something every day to get me closer to that point.

And all the while I am out photographing every chance I get. These past three months have been amazing. Ever since I had that amazing photo session in the Utah airport in February—where I came face to face to with the 1,200-year-old Buddha sculpture—I have gone out every weekend and had the most blissful photo sessions ever. I'm making the best images of my life. The creative faucet is gushing and I am following my instincts and honoring my surroundings. I'm not always sure where I'm headed when I set out my door, but somehow I have found amazing beauty on every outing this spring: amazing waterfalls, frozen lakes, wild orchids, blooming orchards, mountains at dusk, and a bunch of animals: ducks, hawks, bees, cows, sheep, deer, and a big, fat lizard. I'm just finding that if I follow the light then I will be rewarded. It's almost too much for words to describe...except to say that it feels wonderful.

So that's where I'm at. How are all of you doing? Are the pictures flowing freely from you? Or are other interests taking over?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 10 replies

It's in the toilet...

2006-05-03T18:36:14Z

http://www.arodphoto.com/toilygraph1lr.html

Experimenting with color this guy?gal looks like they had fun.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

Gordon Parks Passed!

2006-05-01T21:54:18Z

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/397906p-337093c.html

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

Born into the brothels

2006-04-24T15:39:50Z

Have you seen this documentary?

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/home/
WOW WOW WOW.
So much (aaagh how can express this?) truth. So much beauty in such harsh surroundings and life style. Talk about Zen. Each image is so full of life.
This may sound weird, I feel like my hands are full. \

I need to digest this. I am going to dream about this for days and nights.

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

Spirituality.

2006-04-17T21:19:32Z

i wanted to find some interesting perspectives as to how images shape our perception and how our perception shapes our images. I thought there would be someone here who would be unafraid of this topic. there are dozens of tribes for discusing the physical properties of photo. is anyone interested in crossing the meta boundaries?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 30 replies

Question @ adding more shot capacity to self-timer shot mode on Olympus Camedia C-3020 Zoom camera?

2006-04-14T21:48:30Z

This Olympus Camedia C-3020 Zoom 3.2 Megapixel camera i recently acquired seems to only have either single or 2 or 3 shot modes for its ten second timer mode.?

Which is significantly less versatile then a canon coolpix camera i had bought at half the price that had a self-timer shot capacaity of around 12 or 16 shots it could shoot off every second or so within its timer mode. Which made it much more effective if wanting to say, set the camera up then take more then just one or 3 photos with self included without having to walk back to the camera, reset the mode, get back in place,etc by which time some shots are obselete anymore.

So what Im wondering, is there a way of modifying the Olympus Camedia camera to increase the number of shots it will automatically, sequentially take on one selftimer mode shot? Firmware update, accessory modification, equipment? Or even a remote control which could be modified somehow to work with this Olympus camera? It does not come with a remote control, and i dont know of there being a specification of it working with any particular remote control.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

The Artistic Compulsion

2006-04-08T01:31:50Z

I just read an excerpt from an interview with filmmaker David Cronenberg. He gave the most succint reason of why artists create art that I've ever read. The man is brilliant.

"…I think that is what the artistic compulsion is, that you don't accept reality as it's presented to you, either socially or even physically. You're always wanting to know what's really going on, so you're going into the ceiling, you're going into the walls, you're digging under the floor. You don't feel as if you've necessarily gotten the real version of life on earth and the human condition, as it's presented officially by human society, or by art. So you're constantly looking for that."

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 6 replies

I am going to be a full-time photographer!!!!

2006-04-01T17:37:03Z

I just told my boss that I'm leaving my writing job. After the two books we're working on are completed in the middle of April, I'm going to dive into my dream of being a full-time freelance photographer! It's a big step, but I can't sit at my desk and look out my window any longer. Every cell in my body is telling me that I am a photographer before anything else. And that if I want to succeed in photography, that I have to give my life over to it. I CAN do this. I have a few impending sales for collections from two local hotels as well as a realty company, so those will get me over the hump. My day job is too all-encompassing to put in the energy that the photo business needs. I've been talking about doing this for a few years, and now is the time. I am a photographer.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 19 replies

April Fools Submissions

2006-04-01T14:26:04Z

Here is my submission:

http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/454cf05d-9a21-4f42-9e27-050044c7c147

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 0 replies

ZENergy

2006-03-29T15:08:16Z

In another thread, Shell said: “So here is something else we can talk about, is there a degree of ZEN or energy from the artist’s hand ingrained into the medium, paint or paper and no I do not mean 1's and Zeros....... “

And Jason replied: “I have been told that folks pick stuff up off my prints.”

So are we saying that a successful (to use a word) piece of art takes on an energy of its own? Or actually emanates energy. And is it only the original work that was touched by the artist's hands that emanates this energy? So the original Picasso would have a "buzz" to whereas a copy would not have the same impact. And does this go the same for a photograph that is printed in a darkroom as opposed to the same image coming off of a printer or viewed on a screen? I'm not talking about visual quality here, but the image's emotional impact being reduced each time it gets one more step away from the artist who created it.

I don't know the answer to these questions, but the ramifications are huge, and it may explain why a photograph printed in 1905 on a piece of silver can sell for millions of dollars.

Your thoughts?...

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 25 replies

New Camera no computer

2006-03-21T22:56:17Z

Hey all thought I should drop a note. My computer took a dive.. I have an IBM laptop and rthe recovery disc I ran was corrupt so I have no operating system...I'll work it out but in the mean time I was gifted a 35 millimeter Pentium and I will be working on figuring it out. My 20 year old graphic art student daughter is sending me her text books, and will show me the basics. I also recieved an art grant and will be able to access a dark room. I'm very geeked and thankfull I met this group.. I'll be back... not sure when. Shell

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 2 replies

project of the month

2006-03-20T06:25:28Z

Would "Photography and Zen"tribe members be interested in participating?

Post a theme for April-
show what we think is our best.
We all comment.

What you think?
Where would you want to start?

-Street person
-Landscape ( I am not to good at that one and could use some harsh criticism to help me out)
-Macro
- Sculptures
-A concept of some sort:: Give us your favorite quote and we run out to illustrate it...

I am sure you all have GREAT ideas and I would love to hear them.

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 45 replies

Photography and Zen

2006-03-12T04:57:34Z

Dear Jay and Tribers,
I was fascinated with the name of this tribe and look forward to discussions dealing with an area of photography (and artistic creation in general) that is vastly underserved, namely the non-"mechanical" (or non-technical) side of photographic creation. As the tribe name suggests, the non-secular process of image creation comprises the realm of intangible elements that greatly shape an image. Ethics certainly fall into this category however, I'd hate to see us get bogged down in legalistic diatribes thus reducing our discussions back to the technically enflated.

Zen, the mindless mind, the egoless self, the fluid functioning with the current of life, the synchronicity of elements, is a good metaphor for the state experienced and often described as being "in the flow." I'd like to participate in discussing the intangible elements of image creation, from artistic motivation (following the muse) to recognizing synchronistic compositional elements, to understanding flow of form and composition, to recognizing and utilizing emotive elements in the image, and more...

Looking foward to participating with all you fellow artists/photographers.
Peace,
Bruce

<snip>
There are plenty of photo sites on Tribe that talk about the technical side, but photography is much more than that. Millions of pictures are taken every second. We inadvertently see hundreds of photos every day. They're a major part of modern society.

Some of the topics will be:

• The ethics of candid shots
• Becoming one with your subject
• Representing yourself as a photographer with regard to other photographers
• What photo buyers look for in an image
• The significance of photography as an art form
• Photography as an instrument to bring about social change
• Critique of images
• The UNtechnical techniques (such as knowing your instrument enough that it becomes second nature thus enabling you to lose yourself in your art -- stuff like that)
• Erotica vs. porn
• And anything else you want to talk about

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 18 replies

Be a National Geographic photographer...

2006-03-11T00:47:26Z

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/yourshot/index.html

I was looking for an article I read and stumbled on to this...
thought you might be interested.
Shell

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 6 replies

Quiz Time

2006-03-08T23:22:18Z

How did I get this shot? What's happening here?

http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/56a03700-55b3-49f2-999f-7c39d9592c5f

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 16 replies

Do you feel the lens protects your emotions?

2006-03-07T02:59:03Z

I ask because I feel I do not take in fully an event on an emotional level when behind the lens. There are so many things to think about.
Sometimes I like it. It is good way to protect myself
Sometimes I feel I missed out on incredible fullfilling moments.

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 13 replies

Met a Street Person Today

2006-03-07T00:56:40Z

My quest to photograph every town in Oregon took me to Klamath Falls today. While I was photgraphing this cool statue downtown, this really animated man walked up from across the street. "Hey, Photo man, I saw you from way over there! How ya doing? What you got going on through that lens!" Not sure if he's homeless or not, but definitely delusional (well, slightly more delusional than the rest of us). He was a part Native American in his 50s with a cool brim hat and a bunch of beads around his neck. He told me that he was the inspiration for about a dozen Hollywood movies, most notably Forest Gump. "I'm the real Forest Gump. That was my phrase, 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.' Except they didn't use my WHOLE saying. It was supposed to end with, 'But if you turn the goddamn box upside down, it's got a diagram of what all the chocolates are!'" That was pretty profound.

I asked if I could photograph him while he was talking, and he said, 'Sure, the FBI's got a whole series of photos of me in their files. I'm used to it, click away." He talked and I shot. It was really fun. He told me that the word GUMP is really an acronym for "Government Unspecified Military Personell' of which he is one. "But they don't know how to find me. I'm too smart for them!"

All I can say about this guy is that he was one of the happiest people I've ever met. Whatever delusions he found to bury himself under sure are doing the trick. I didn't get his name or a model release or anything, so I don't know what I'll do with the pics when I get them back. But having a real human connection with a total stranger was a lot of fun!

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 5 replies

Happy

2006-03-06T07:00:30Z

I went camping this weekend. I have never seen my friend B so happy and trust ful of my camera. I have posted some results.

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

Photography — Truth or Fiction

2006-03-03T08:08:40Z

Photography is a strange art.

In one respect, it is the "truest" art form, because it reproduces the actual light waves that existed at the scene. It is the least abstract of the major art forms; painting, writing, music, and sculpture are all abstract by comparison, each coming almost totally from the mind of the artist and those who have come before.

That being said, photography can also be a very manipulative tool. By simply zooming in to a landscape and cropping out the power lines and trash heaps, I can make a landfill look pristine. Or the fashion photographer who uses makeup to hide wrinkles. Or the news photographer who ignores everything going on in a scene that doesn't tell the story he or she thinks should be told...or even poses a scene to make it look real.

Who do we trust, the photograph or photographer? Both are neither? Do you think about these things when either taking or viewing photographs?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 15 replies

Thank you

2006-03-03T06:19:06Z

for creating this tribe. I love it.
I just joined a few minutes ago and for the first time have posted a few of my images to share in a tribe. I would love some feed back.

Marie-Pierre

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 2 replies

The "Zen" of photography: suggestion #1

2006-02-21T19:40:03Z

When mentoring other photographers one of the first suggestions I offer is to know WHY you are creating THIS image. In other words, "Why is this subject or composition interesting to you?" "What is it about this subject or composition that interests you?" Being clear about this will help us create compelling images that others will also appreciate.

When you look at your images you've already created, look "deeply" into them and search out what it was that caught your attention and how effective were you in portraying that interest.

For instance in Jason's beautiful waterfall image, if I was the photographer "seeing" this shot, my attention would be drawn to the cascading flow of water traveling down the frame. My viewer's eye travels down the water across the logs to the nude. Water equals flow (both literally and figuratively), the tumbled logs reaching from the water to the river bank provide a visual link and direction to the standing nude who is looking back up at the magnificent falls, creating a connection between nude and falls. The frame could have been much tighter limiting our view to just the falls and the nude, but the large pool of water at the bottom provides a space for our vision to rest and recycle back up -from nude, to logs, to waterfall and back down again -a nice journey! *smile*

Jason was clear in knowing why this image interested him (either consciously or unconsciously -another discussion topic *smile*). In being clear, it helped him create a compelling art piece and assisted us (the viewer) in our enjoyment of it.

Peace,
Bruce

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 11 replies

Frederick Meijer Gardens Grand Rapids Michigan

2006-02-19T23:16:10Z

http://www.meijergardens.org/gardens_experience/sculpture_park.php

I posted pics I took at this magnificent park. The art works are huge and very Zen worthy.
These pics were taken with a HP digital
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/0083dff6-3503-42c9-8576-5e7042fcc520
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/33f61e09-cee4-48b3-bb8b-acb4992da087
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/d4752cad-b034-4323-9e68-76fcc5ce3468
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/993ef2c1-ea61-4c09-bbbf-9444898eeecb
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/a5412280-6d8f-443d-9790-5d0870347cf8
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/412f3f73-028a-438e-9af3-380eaeddb2ad
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/dd016472-a0e6-4882-b9ac-035d166f615c
http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/eabb3559-bcfa-4622-ab49-673c9ad52644

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 3 replies

Balance

2006-02-19T05:07:19Z

I posted this piece because as usual I need more balamce...

This is decieving in that the park has had to stabilize the rock with cement at the base, but very humbling to say the least. Nature provides so many awesome phot ops does it not?

http://tribes.tribe.net/photographyandzen/photos/8c78b192-39fa-4a63-ae57-1631f61dd455

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 6 replies

More Images Please!!!

2006-02-19T04:22:36Z

Hey you wonderful people.

Let's add some more images to our gallery. The best and most amazing you can find. If there are any that you want to discuss then start a thread and provide a link. Or just post your best shots.

Thanks!

-Jay-

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 4 replies

Sayings and Quotations

2006-02-18T17:53:35Z

In this thread we will share our favorite quotes about photography, art, and life.

Here is my favorite photography quote, which was actually said first about hockey by Wayne Gretzky. But I feel that it transcends sport and art. These are good words to keep in mind when you are teetering on the brink of a decision:

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 15 replies

phog

2006-02-18T17:52:13Z

It is hard sometimes to capture the fog...i tried it with my little digital cassio on the morning of my son's wedding. look for it in the photo album titled "Trinidad Bay"

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 6 replies

Interesting link

2006-02-16T00:17:49Z

http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/photo-sells-for-4-million-at-auction/2006/02/15/1139890795635.html
I thought you all might enjoy this.
Jason

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 11 replies

My very own Burning Man

2006-02-16T00:09:13Z

I posted this on my blog and Burning Man but thought you all might enjoy it... Since you guys made re visit my pictures :)
I went to Wrightsville NC on a Journey to self, going through Indiana at Sunset I took easily an hours worth of shots. I recently joined "Photography and Zen" and was asked to figure out things like lighting etc. So I went to look at my pictures as I took photo notes about time of day etc. So anyway I'm watching the slide show in a new perspective and out of the firey clouds appears burning man..awesome Im just tickled..teehee
spaces.msn.com/shellssea/...lSpace.aspx
people.tribe.net/shellssea/blog

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 13 replies

Tell us about yourself

2006-02-15T20:37:34Z

How does photography fit into your life? What kind of pictures do you like to take? Old school or new school?

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 30 replies

The Zen of the Goddess

2006-02-13T15:22:28Z

Here is a link to something I wrote or some would say "channeled" a few years back, let me know what you all think, because I think it applies. When we document the Divine we are providing a service of reminding people that the Divine exists.
One of the reasons I am so proud of Jay is that he has in many ways rejected the mudane that many photographers get locked in and is on a Divine persuit, Jay, I honor you my friend....
Now here is the link.
http://www.sacrednudes.com/DancingintheSacredFire.pdf
Please post here what you think.
By the way I am being interviwed on KSKQ this evening and you can catch it online, google it
Jason

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 2 replies

Ashes and Snow

2006-02-13T07:12:55Z

CAN'T wait to go see this... and get the film and the soundtrack... wow....

It's in the LA area until May 14th...

http://www.ashesandsnow.org/

I definitely recommend following the "Enhanced Experience" link -- look for the "Vision" link, then hit the "Film" link and let your jaw drop as you watch... what a beautiful world...

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 7 replies

What comes after Zen

2006-02-12T18:31:14Z

This Avatar is enough in his own right to be the theme of a whole 'nother tribe. I mentioned his name to Stephen, in my praise of Stephen's work and we discovered that we both were in awe of him and his work. I imagine that all of us have stories about what happened to us when we were struck by his work. It is work that once you see it you are never the same. I refer to MAN RAY. Just in case there is someone here that is unfamiliar with him I'm posting a short biographical sketch.

How about letting me hear what your personal Man Ray epiphany was like.

Man Ray, the master of experimental and fashion photography was also a painter, a filmmaker, a poet, an essayist, a philosopher, and a leader of American modernism. Known for documenting the cultural elite living in France, Man Ray spent much of his time fighting the formal constraints of the visual arts. Ray’s life and art were always provocative, engaging, and challenging.

Born Emanuel Rabinovitch in 1890, Man Ray spent most of his young life in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The eldest child of an immigrant Jewish tailor, he was a mediocre student who shunned college for the bohemian artistic life in nearby Manhattan. In New York he began to work as an artist, meeting many of the most important figures of the time. He learned the rudiments of photography from the art dealer and photographer, Alfred Stieglitz, and began to experiment on his own.

In 1914, Man Ray married the Belgian poet, Adon Lacroix, and soon after met the experimental artist Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp was to be one of Man Ray’s greatest influences as well as a close friend and collaborator. Together the two attempted to bring some of the verve of the European experimental art movements to America. The most energetic of these movements was "dada." Dada was an attempt to create work so absurd it confused the viewer’s sense of reality. The dadaists would take everyday objects and present them as if they were finished works of art. For Man Ray, dada’s experimentation was no match for the wild and chaotic streets of New York, and he wrote "Dada cannot live in New York. All New York is dada, and will not tolerate a rival."

Having broken with his wife, Man Ray left New York for Paris in 1921—marking a continuous stream of tempestuous and often doomed romances. Through Duchamp, Man Ray met some of the most exciting artists and thinkers in Paris. Though he didn’t speak a word of French at first, he was welcomed into this group and became its unofficial photographer. Among the many models from this period were Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dali, Gertude Stein, James Joyce, and the famous performer, Kiki of Montparnasse. For six years Kiki was Ray’s constant model, muse, and lover.

Among the most famous of his photographs of the time are the many of Kiki. Man Ray’s photographs of Kiki often use the outline of her body to represent other objects. This interest in minimalism and abstraction carried over to Man Ray's experiments with what he termed "rayographs." A "rayograph" was made by placing a three-dimensional object or series of objects on top of a piece of photographic paper and exposing it to light. These images lyrically and impressionistically represented objects such as ropes, light bulbs, and thumb tacks. Many artists responded positively to Man Ray’s daring combination of minimalism, chance, and absurdity, and in 1922 he published his first book of them entitled THE DELIGHTFUL FIELDS.

Throughout the 1930s Man Ray continued to paint, sculpt, and make portraits along with the surrealists, whose freewheeling dispositions were similar to his own. Though deeply immersed in the artistic life of France, World War II forced Man Ray to leave Paris, and he moved to Hollywood. In Hollywood, many expatriate artists, musicians, and writers took up residence. He spent ten years there working as a fashion photographer. With his brave use of lighting and minimalist representation, Man Ray produced fashion photographs unlike any that had come before—and forever changed that discipline.

Man Ray longed, however, to be back in Paris, the city that had nurtured his creative life. So, after the war, married to a young dancer named Juliet Brown, he moved back. He spent the next twenty-five years there, creating paintings, sculptures, films, and photographs. He died on November 18, 1976 at the age of eighty-six. One the great artists and agitators of his time, Man Ray will be remembered not simply for the fascinating and experimental works he left behind, but for the crucial role he played in encouraging the revolutionary in art.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 1 reply

Films about photography

2006-02-12T08:55:01Z

I posted about this film in another thread, but it deserves a topic all its own... :)
What other films have you seen that revolve around photography in an interesting way?

"Born Into Brothels" -- Powerful film... See it if you can...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winner of the 2005 Academy Award for Best Documentary Film, BORN INTO BROTHELS, was produced and directed by New York based filmmakers Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski. Zana Briski, a New York based photographer, gives each of these youngsters a camera and teaches them how to take pictures, simultaneously causing them to look at their world with new eyes. Their photographs are prisms into their souls, rather than anthropological curiosities, and a true testimony to the power of the indelible creative spirit.

www.kids-with-cameras.org/home/
www.kids-with-cameras.org/aboutthekids/
www.kids-with-cameras.org/kidsgallery/

Also, PBS has a documentary on Ansel Adams that is really wonderful. It's directed by Ric Burns. I recommend it.

posted in <o> Photography and Zen <o> - 10 replies