Monday 13

Eno Henze




Eno Henze

Eno was born in Frankfurt Germany in 1978 and has achieved a lot for such a young age. His pieces are elegant and his love for science is evident in his work. He has had numerous exhibitions and he continues to explore how the world works. Through his use of simple, naturally occurring patterns, we are exposed to something like never before.

"A generative artist whose ambivalence towards the use of computers only serves to give his work a greater depth. While his high-end interaction design for Meso is impressive, his work with spatialized computer drawings like Wirklichkeitsschaum and The Human Factor show a conceptual depth combined with a great attention to formal composition."

Article: http://www.aurora.org.uk/?lid=45

Website: http://www.enohenze.de/

Interview : http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/inspiration/simple-elegance-eno-henze-rethinks-wall-art-077744

Thursday 12

Four members from the Yerba Buena Chapter sat down on August 21st 1993 to discuss contemporary photography. Issues including weather or not "contemporary" is an appropriate name, and weather or not contemporary photography should be judged in its own category were addressed. In the 65 member audience , more than three fourths of the people agreed that the term contemporary is not the best choice. Phrases including imaginative, manipulative, and stimulating the mind were all thrown up into the air for discussion on which should become the new contemporary.

"How the end products are achieved is not as important, as the final results. The picture itself, is the bottom line; it's the end result that counts, not the manner in which it's achieved. To this there were resounding seconds." Often judges claim they don't understand an image and for that reason they don't even consider the photograph. It's important to notify the judges of the term's actual meaning before the judging occurs. A better understanding is necessary for contemporary photography.

My series that i've created this year without a doubt can be catagorized as contemporary. With my abstract shapes and fluid lines, my subject matter is usually questioned. I feel that a lot of times my work is dismissed becuase the prints seem to have no content at first glance. Way wrong!

Cox Fran. "Contemporary photography-on-going debate over what constitutes 'contemporary' photography". FindArticles. March 1994. 28 April 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1306/is_n3_v60/ai_14949850/.

Monday 12

Ernst Haas





Haas was born in 1921 in Vienna Austria and he stayed there through medical school. At age 26, he left to work for the magazine Heute as a photographer. Known for his photo essay on prisoners of war coming home to Vienna, Ernst was offered an opportunity to join Magnum Photos. Life Magazine gave him a 24-page spread of color photos in 1953 and soon after he published his first book Elements. " Some of Haas' most famous pictures were deliberately out-of-focus and blurred, creating strong visual effects." In 86' he received the Hasselblad Award for his hard work and beautiful photographs. Haas had over 90 different exhibits over a 40 year span and won multiple awards including the Gold medal for the Art Directors Club of New York and Philadelphia too.

Website: www.ernst-haas.com

Show: http://www.nyphotofestival.com/site/?page_id=60

Anderson Submission

Couldn't take a decent picture in the gallery so this is the best I got!

Thursday 11

Artist Sylvia White wrote an article on how to get the most you can out of a gallery opening, as well as details on ways to prepare for an exhibition. She quickly helps us recognize that after our body of work is created , there is still a lot of work to be done and relaxing should not be on our to-do list. In her words exactly, " This is the opportunity to figure out a way to leverage this experience into something more productive and profitable." White encourages making a set of announcements for the upcoming show using the image that represents your series the most. The opening reception of the exhibition is crucial because this is the time where you can talk to family and friends about your work. Preparing a few statements on your process and outside influences will help to guide the conversation. During the actual exhibition the main goal of the artist is to get everyone in the gallery to see his/her work. Sylvia states that carrying around a bundle of your announcements is key. Pass them out to everyone who comes along, and even before the show you should put a stack wherever you go. In restaurants, neighboring businesses, shops etc! Pulling a show together is a ton of work but, "Remember, enjoy the process, that's what making art is all about." - Sylvia

White Sylvia. Preparing For An Exhibition- How To Get The Most Out Of This Valued Experience. Art Advice. 2008. 1 April 2009. - http://www.artadvice.com/advice/article21.php

March lecture 2

Safety Lecture
This past week I attended a lecture in Harris Hall concerning our safety as students here at VCU. A panel of 10 people who all serve an important role here at VCU stood before us to answer any questions we had. Prior to the lecture, students had sent in questions through a forum and those were the topics we discussed that evening. Issues ranging from "bums in the school hallways" to "the worst crosswalk ever ( between the library and commons)" were discussed by people like VCU's Head Nurse and our new Chief of Police. In regards to the worst spot on campus ( crosswalk) , the school has decided that the location of the walkway is too close to Laurel St to put in a new light. An option of covering up the crosswalk was brought up but they felt like students wouldn't abide by it. We are so used to running across whenever we get a chance that they didn't think we would ever be able to change our ways. In my opinion that's ridiculous. I have had too many close calls with almost hitting students due to the lack of organization of that area. Something must be done! This lecture was really beneficial to those of us who attended, I was glad to hear some of the things that VCU plans to change in the future...even though I won't be there to enjoy it!

Monday 10

For this Monday's post I've decided to do something a little different. Typically we highlight an artist of interest but I have come across this amazing website that just won't fit in to the normal blog structure. I know I could have formatted this to work as a Thursday blog but it just seemed more appropriate to do for Monday. I felt it was important to show the work of these few artists rather than focus on one. These photographs are more scientific than anything and for that reason It would be hard to write about the photographer ( They don't have an art background and I can't find credible outside sources of their work!) . This website called Wellcome Images is " one of the world's richest and most unique collections, with themes ranging from social history to contemporary health care and biomedical science." Each image is available to the public in digital form which is so convenient. From ancient Sanskrit manuscripts to Tibetan Buddhist paintings, you can find a great variety of information and types of imagery. The work that I have focused on is classified as part of the " Biomedical Collection" which is a compilation of over 40,000 high-quality images selected from the UK's research institutions and leading teaching hospitals.

The first image in the group of 4 is by a man named Yorgos Nikas. This is a beautiful picture of a human embryo after "zona drilling". The second image, done by David Gregory and Debbie Marshall is a color enhanced image of what a lung looks like on its inner surface. Image number 3 is by Annie Cavanaugh and its a picture of red blood cells. Lastly, Liz Hirst shows us what an actual split end looks like...not so great.

http://images.wellcome.ac.uk/

Submission 2 PDN

Thursday 10

“The sheer ease with which we can produce a superficial image,” Mr. Adams once wrote, “often leads to creative disaster.”
It's a natural feeling to want to replace something old with something newer and better. In the digital electronics world, the number of pixels in both cameras and camcorders is so important to consumers. All though many believe the myth to be true, higher megapixels do produce great output but its actually not all that important. When looking at purchasing a product like a camera, people tend to look past the size of the pixels on a camera's sensor. The bigger the sensor, the bigger the pixels which provides advantages to the artist when making images. Russ Juskalian, A writer from the New York Times explains that, " The mechanics of this can be understood by thinking of a digital camera sensor as a flat sheet of material pocked with millions (hence “mega”) of cylindrical, cuplike pixels. In other words, picture the digital sensor as a tiny cupcake tin." A recent test done at dpreview.com proved that the Canon EOS 50D, a $1,400 - 15-megapixel camera , showed less dynamic range and more noise than the older camera Canon EOS 40D. ( 10-megapixel and 500 dollars cheaper).

There are many advantages of having a larger sensor but one of the most significant is the ability it gives you to produce a clear image when only a small portion of the subject is in focus. Although the technology is improving rapidly, the most important thing is still the photographers skill. Juskalian says it perfectly, " But no matter when the next advance in digital imaging comes, the old saying that the photographer is the most important part of a good photo will still hold true.

I felt it was necessary to blog about pixels becuase it has a great connection with my project. I am continuing a series I started last semester and I'm improving things that didn't go so well before. Rotating between my two lenses, only one being macro, led to my final prints coming out pixelated. In the images without the macro the pixelation just overtook the entire picture. It was frustrating to have these stunning images that I just couldn't make look decent in large format. This time around I am hardly cropping my images at all, I try to do it all in camera. Hopefully the changes I've made will make all the difference.

JusKalian Russ. "Pixels are Like Cupcakes, Let Me Explain." NyTimes.com. 11-12-2008. 3-25-2009.. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/technology/personaltech/13basics.html?_r=1

Visiting Artist March 1

Dr. Olivia Judson
As I walked into the auditorium I noticed almost every seat was filled so I figured this speaker must be great. I forgot what type of lecture this was but i quickly realized it was something unusual because the first words out of Dr.Judson's mouth were " Hello my fellow primates". For some I'm sure listening about Darwin's life and his accomplishments might be interesting but not for me. Most of the humorous scientific jokes flew right over my head. With a quick look to my left I could tell that my friend Carrie was feeling the same way. Olivia was born in the UK and she earned her biology degree from Stanford University. She is a freelance science writer and is currently being recognized for her book Dr.Tatiana's Sex Advice to all Creation- The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex. This award winning book has been turned into a television show that aired in Australia, the UK and Canada back in 2005. Richard Dawkins, a World-famous evolutionary biologist describes the book as a "winningly sophisticated zoological comedy.". Olivia was a great speaker and you could really see her light up as she talked about evolution. Everybody has a different passion, I'm just glad mine isn't science.

Monday 9

Joakim Eskildsen




In 1971 Joakim Eskildsen was born in Copenhagen Denmark and he was lucky to train with the Royal Court Photographer, Rigmor Mydtskov. A change of direction came in 1994 when he moved to Finland to pursue the craft of photographic book-making. There at the University of Art and Design he graduated with a masters in Photography in 1998. Joakim is a documentary photographer who has done a lot of traveling in his time. Claire O'Neill , a writer from NPR tells us that the project of his titled Roma Journey consists of seven series in different countries, in rough chronological order of the journey. Shooting with Hasselblad and Pentax medium format cameras, he truly captures the beauty of the locations. He is now the proud author of more than 4 beautiful books including Chicken Moon, Bluetide, and Nordic Signs. Over the many years he has dedicated to his art, Joakim's processes have changed quite a bit. Up until 1999 he made only traditional darkroom prints but in 2000 he began making Lambda prints. Currently he uses a variety of papers in his Epson 9800 ink jet printer. As a true artist should, he produces all of his prints himself.

Website: Http://www.joakimeskildsen.com

Conversation: http://www.jmcolberg.com/weblog/2008/0
/a_conversation_with_joakim_esk.html

Exhibition: http://www.photography-now.com/artists/K06547.html

Thursday 9

It seems like every time I blink my eye some new and improved piece of technology has evolved. The internet is the most fabulous tool and it allows us to have anything we want with just a tap of the mouse. The popularity of the darkroom is decreasing and while its a sad truth, it just can't compare to the advantages of online printing. For example, online companies offer a wide variety of choices. A print in the darkroom can only be changed so many times because of the expense of chemicals and paper etc. The internet gives us endless possibilities and we can constantly change our minds. Another benefit of using an online printing company is that there are no time frames for its users. At any hour of the day you can just hop on your computer and send off an image to be printed. If a customer has a question about something specific it's not hard at all to contact someone who can help. Email has become such an important line of communication these days. In just an instant you can ask the questions you need answered and hopefully get a response in time! Not only is communication made easier but the instructions are so clearly laid out for the customer that you just cant go wrong. This is certainly a good example of why online is the way to go

For these three years I've spent in the photography department I have continued to print my work from Elco Color. Typically I receive great prints back but I have definitely had my share of bad experiences. For the convenience factor, nothing compares with being able to upload your images to an online source and not have to do anything else. You get what you pay for in a sense, you are no longer in control of your printing so you better trust the company you choose. Reguardless of how my prints turn out ( for the most part ) I am just thankful to have such a great tool at my fingertips.

"Why Is Online Printing Such a Better Source?". ArticleBase. 03-04-09. 03-22-09..

Monday 8

Jill Greenberg



Jill was born in Montreal Canada but after a few years moved to Detroit. After receiving a BFA in photography at the Rhode Island School of Design, she picked up once again and went to New York. In her biography she states that since the age of 10, she has been staging photographs and creating characters with different mediums including drawing,painting, film and of course photography. Greenberg has had great success in the commercial field working with clients such as Target, Paramount pictures, Time Magazine, MGM, Coca-Cola and so many more. Her series of toddlers titled End Times became very controversial in 2006. These hyperreal closeups of children's contorted faces were a reflection of her "frustration with both the Bush administration and Christian Fundamentalism in the United States." Jill had unique methods for capturing the intense expressions on the children's faces. One way was to give a child candy and the quickly taking it back.Some viewed these ways as inappropriate and unethical. Her work is exceptionally well done and this particular series was striking to me.

Website: http://www.manipulator.com/
Gallery: http://www.clampart.com/artists/greenberg/greenbergmp1.htm
Article: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/14/the-atlantic-should-have-googled-jill-greenberg-before-hiring-her/

Thursday 8

The Met

In the past 6 years the Metropolitan Museum of Art has gone through some incredible changes. Diane Arbus presented her work at the MET in 2005 and it ended up receiving a lot more attention than planned. As a result of this series, a gallery has been designated for the exhibition of photographs created only after 1960. This room presents the perfect space for a photograph to be displayed, it has a much quieter atmosphere than the rest of the museum. "Those pictures will finally have some room to breathe in the new Joyce and Robert Menschel Hall for Modern Photography, a high-ceilinged, gray-carpeted sanctuary on the second floor, across from the special exhibition galleries for drawings, prints and photographs." A recent installation of Depth of Field : Modern Photography at the Metropolitan includes work by Adam Fuss, Rodney Graham and Sigmar Polke just to name a few. A large -scale still life by Wolfgang Tillman rests upon another wall within the gallery. Critics agree that despite some limitations, the show had a great debut. The museum appreciates work from the past and this gallery gives us an opportunity to learn about early photography.

One of my favorite places to go to in New York is the Metropolotian Musuem of Modern Art. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to get back to NY and I saw quite the display of different works. A fabulous sculpture hung downstairs and i literally sat there and stared for minutes at a time. Some of the photography just blew me away while some images left me feeling very uneasy. I tried to picture my work on that wall and I think it just might be possible. ( maybe )

Rosenburg, Karen. "Modern Photography in a Brand New Space". Nytimes. 9. 28 .07. 3.18.09.< http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/arts/design/28mens.html?_r=1&fta=y.>

Monday 7

Medford Taylor



Medford Taylor was born in North Carolina and he stayed there until he graduated from High Point University in the 60's With a bachelors degree in science and five years as a Naval Officer under his belt, he headed off to the University of Missouri where he decided to get a graduates degree in photojournalism. After college he worked for the Houston Chronicle and then the Virginian- Pilot in Norfolk. During these years he freelanced for Newsweek and Time Magazine. In 1984 Taylor's work was published in National Geographic, one of the many times this happened. He was fortunate enough to photograph the Everglades, Newfoundland and the Big Bend National Park. Medford's photographs have been published in national and international magazines including Air and Space and GEO. Currently he lives in Richmond and continues to work in the digital field.

Website:http://www.medfordtaylor.com/

Published work: http:http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photos/life-color-red/red-oats-taylor.html

Essay: http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/02/medford-taylor-mariposa-y-michoaca%CC%81n/

Thursday 7

Compilation

"In image processing, computer graphics, and photography, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of luminances between light and dark areas of a scene than normal digital imaging techniques." - Wikipedia

A technique created back in the 1930's has become very popular in the work of digital artists today. This amazing process of layering multiple images allows the photographer to achieve a greater range of tonal detail. The images that are created are surreal becuase there is nothing else that can produce this amount of detail. HDR photographs are made using the same image multpile times, but with multiple exposures too. This creates a dynamic range that can't be created within a camera. The only way to make a successful HDR image is by using a tripod, it would be impossible to capture the same picture multiple times. The guidelines below will help the artist capture a usable series of pictures."It is essential that the darkest of these exposures includes no blown highlights in areas where you want to capture detail. The brightest exposure should show the darkest regions of the image with enough brightness that they are relatively noise-free and clearly visible. Each exposure should be separated by one to two stops, and these are ideally set by varying the shutter speed." HDR is new to the art world and like other techniques, sometimes it is overdone. HDR has a purpose and it should not used for everything!

This is the first time I have ever looked at HDR photographs and I would love to have my images look this sharp. Although I strive for this beauty within my work, I have to say that I like the realistic factor in my photography more. I don't want my work to look as surreal as HDR images do. It is a technique i definitely plan on trying in the future.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/high-dynamic-range.htm

Monday 6

Tomio Seike




Tomio Sieke was born in Japan in 1943 and has been working on his hand printed series since 70's. Tomio graduated from the Japan Photographic Academy in 1970 too. He is recognized for his work in the United States as well as Great Britain. His photographs take months to complete and in a years time, he usually creates about 4 or 5 new images. In the past 40 years Sieke has created roughly four different bodies of work. The first was a portrait series of the artist Zoe Leonard( photographed for 5 years). After this he photographed nudes and from there, he created his series of classical Paris. In the more recent years he has moved into the "realm of abstraction combining both 19th century photography and contemporary painting practice to create highly unique vision. An important aspect of Tomio's work is the quality of light he is able to capture. He shoots under limited light conditions, sometimes with sunlight, sometimes with indoor room-level light.

Website: http://www.seike.demon.co.uk/
Gallery: http://www.f5komma6.de/nw/artists.php?artist=00020&show=text
Article: http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/event/2009/8375.en

Thursday 6

Sharper



"Blow Up uses an innovative algorithm that temporarily converts pixels to a vector representation which results in perfectly smooth, crisp edges." - AlienSkin

Recently, a new plug-in for Photoshop known as Blow Up 2 was introduced to the public. This amazing software produces "dramatically sharper" images than any other program. The photos are able to stay natural looking even when extreme enlargements are made. A huge benefit of this application is the time it saves for people preparing photos. Cropping and resizing can now be done in one easy step. Blow Up 2 makes an "intelligent guess about where to crop the image with its auto crop feature. The Auto Rotate feature adapts the preset to match your photos orientation. Blow Up applies the proper amount of output sharpening based on the paper type you choose. There are so many more fantastic features of Blow Up 2 including the tool to re size a group of photos at one time. How convenient? This is the first major Photoshop plug-in that will work in CS4, the newest version of Photoshop.

I would love to be able to print my own work but I just don't have the funds to do that. As a result, I print from Elco, an online company based in NJ. Three years ago I wouldn't have complained about the quality of my prints, but now that's all changed. The quality of my print is everything to me. I have had major issues with color and pixelation but its something i've just had to get used to. Blow Up 2 sounds amazing and I'm so curious as to how it all works. I'm going to do more research on their printing process and hopefully I will be able to print with it one day!

Link: http://www.alienskin.com/blowup/index.aspx

Monday 5

Adam Macri




Adamo was born in Southern Italy in 1964 and he is the youngest of four children. At age 20 he graduated from Dawson College with a degree in Commercial Arts. Throughout his four years at school he studied both graphic design and fine arts. Macri uses multiple mediums to create his pieces including photography, drawing, sculpture and video. " He focuses on capturing a series of stills which when assembled in a sequence, create a narrative that functions in its own." To help him be successful with his art, he usually creates a storyboard of rough sketches first.
It takes him a long time to finish a piece becuase of all the different forms that have to come together as one. My favorite part of an interview with Claudio Parentela, Adamo is asked "What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?" He responds with "Determine what you’re about. Find the best medium and technique to communicate what that is. Remain focused, honest and stick to your guns. This may sound typical but it’s the only way."

Website: http://www.adamomacri.com/

Blog: http://www.adamomacri.blogspot.com/

Interview: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://artipedia.org/artsnews/exhibitions/wp-content/uploads/postie-photos/thumb.20090114-133101-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://artipedia.org/artsnews/exhibitions/2009/01/14/interview-with-montreal-artist-adamo-macri/&usg=__lxOtJgV74gsuZHJHV2FgAaf75b0=&h=517&w=400&sz=43&hl=en&start=15&um=1&tbnid=axKzxQ66XK2LwM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dadamo%2Bmacri%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN

Thursday 5

Library of Dust

"Maisel’s photographs of nearly 110 funereal copper canisters are a mineralogical delight. Bearded with a frost of subsidiary elements, their surfaces are now layered, phosphorescent, transformed. Unsettled archipelagos of mineral growths bloom like tumors from the sides and bottoms—but is that metal one sees, or some species of fungus? The very nature of these canisters becomes suspect. One is almost reluctantly aware that these colors and stains could be organic—mold, lichen, some yeasty discharge—with all the horror such leaking putrescence would entail. Indeed, the canisters have reacted with the human ashes held within" - Geoff Manaugh

David Maisel is an abstract photographer who has made some beautiful images over the past decade. He has been photographing chemical wastelands all over the U.S trying to capture thier unusual beauty. David found his inspiration for this style of work in a state-run psychiatric hospital in Oregon. A lot of the patients at the instution had died and those who were not claimed by a family member were cremated. Their ashes were stored in handmade copper canisters and every single one looked identical. " Each spirit that is housed in these cans seems to demand its unique indiviualtiy, even after death and cremation." The book that was made for this series consists of 80 strikingly beautiful photographs. Chronical Books published this life-size volume and to some viewers the size is daunting. However, the large size helps to see the tiny and subtle details.

David's work is extremely similar to mine for the amount of focus he puts on little details. In each image the colors are vibrant and the macro lens is perfect for capturing the beauty of every can. I think scale is so important when working with these details and I'm glad to see that he took that into consideration for his final presentation of the book.

http://www.lensculture.com/maisel_3.html?thisPic=2

Monday 5

Elaine Duigenan





Duigenan currently lives and works in London where she grew up. In 1986 she received her BA in Art/Art History at Goldsmiths College at the University of London. Her photography focuses on mundane objects that are familiar to her viewers. Usually she takes these discarded subjects and places them in environments that allow transformations to occur. "Her work invariably has an air of mystery and ambiguity which is often heightened when subjects are placed in a particular light or landscape." Elaine has had over 8 solo shows and has been published multiple times including in AG Photography Magazine. Her recent series Net was featured in an edition of LensCulture.

"For me photography has become an 'act of preservation' and objects I focus on become the locators or igniters of memory. The traces and remnants we find in any landscape can spark recognition. They can even invoke a presence." - Duigenan

Website :http://www.elaineduigenan.com/index.html

Gallery: http://www.griffinmuseum.org/exhibitions_atelier.htm

Article: http://www.lensculture.com/duigenan.html