A Quick Look at My Motion Project

The Motion Project is another ongoing project I plan on working on for some time.  What I was doing yesterday with this image creation was trying to make interesting compositions on the fly.  I was using my 6D Mark II on shutter priority (Tv) making the aperture set to auto.  I had also set my ISO to auto as well.  I normally set my ISO to 100 for this Motion Project but I was experimenting with the ISO.  Nonetheless, for this image, the ISO went to 100 and the aperture went to F/8.  My predetermined shutter speed was 1/640 second (my proven shutter speed for this project).  Also, my focal length was 200mm and my exposure bias was -1 step.  That exposure bias is a favorite of mine for everything I photograph, really.  And in that instant, I created this image.  Of course, there is my postproduction secret sauce that brings about this final rendering.  So, as you can see, this really wasn’t outside of my comfort zone, but it was a little experimentation with the ISO being set to auto.  I’m a little obsessed with control when I create images but I’m starting to loosen up, a little – a very little.

(Designation, Motion Project 40452 – not named at this time.)

Finally, Part Two – How to Solve the Blank Wall Predicament

I know, I have been gone for a few hundred years (or a couple of months).  You know how it goes sometimes, you get caught up in stuff and the time gets away from you.

So, blank walls – how do we hang prints or convert “blah” walls into “wow” walls?  My wife sent me the guide below a while back and it’s helpful.  There is one detail I believe most people know about.  For the group of folks who may not be aware, once you know where you’re hanging that artwork, be sure you compensate for the difference in height from the top of your piece to where the wire will be.  You know, pick up your piece with one finger on the wire then measure the distance from the wire to the top of the work/frame.  You eliminate the surprises, and you never want those surprises.

(Designation, Kinetic Ambiguity Project 2712, Föhn)

How to Solve the Blank Wall Predicament

I imagine this happens to many folks.  You pause for a moment in your home and your gaze predictably lands up on that blank wall (or those blank walls).  You may or may not have something to put on that wall but usually that is not the real problem.  The real problem is, “I’ll damage the wall; I’ll hang it too high (or low or crooked); I’m torn between this or that for that spot; I don’t have a clue about what would look good there; etc.”  Those feelings are normal though.  Let me let you in on a secret though, doing something about it takes a bit of effort – but it is so doable.  Of course, you can hire someone to hang something for you – ask Google.  But it does not require a lot of effort to do it yourself.  Usually a nail, a hammer, a pencil, and a measuring tape will get the job done.  Ok if you are particular, you can use a level too (I do).  In an instant, or more like in under 10 minutes, you can have something in that blank space – and you will be happy it is there.  Next time we’ll talk about “how” to do it.

(Designation, Kinetic Ambiguity Project 1203, Etesians)

Breakout Moments This Spring Auction Season.

“8 Artists Who Had Breakout Moments This Spring Auction Season” was an article I scanned (I only read the first paragraph) on Artsy.  I was scanning to see if any of the artist were photographers.  I believe they were all painters.  I am not upset with painters; they are cool folks.  I am just like, “yeah, that was what I expected”, with the industry regarding fine art photographers.  I know, there are thousands of recognized fine art photographers all around the world, but it just seems like…  I am not sure of the words I want to use here so I won’t.  But there was another thing that I must keep remembering when I read these art industry articles – they are not writing to me.  They are writing to top tier collectors, notable gallerist, accomplished artist, etc.  The work that was in the article was cool though.

Just the same, you should have a look at my website.  I imagine you will really like it.

(Designation, Kinetic Ambiguity Project 4785, Aeolian)

Do You Collect Up-and-Coming Photographic Artist? Maybe you should.

 

In the image, I see giant sentinels slowly walking across the desert landscape as the wind howls its disapproval though it is powerless to stop them.  Let your imagination guide you in this vision or you may miss it.  That is how it works for me, and it can work for you as well.  The work is beautiful, and you should not deny yourself an opportunity to have one of your own.  Take this opportunity to visit the website and see what I am talking about.

I wonder how this work would look on your wall.

(Designation, Kinetic Ambiguity Project 4915, Shamal)

Victor Valley, CA

So I am driving around trying to scout out the area for photo shoots because I am new here.  Here being Victorville, CA.  I had been in Fontana for almost a year and just relocated to Victorville here in the VictorValley.  I had been driving around a few places, doing my ‘drive by shooting’ with my camera, when it occurs to me that the area was poised to blow up before the great economic meltdown of 2008 – The Great Recession as it is known in the financial world.  I say that because you can see signs of development that simply stopped.  So many places were in that predicament all over the country.  But why were people coming to Victor Valley in the first place?  The place gets crazy hot in the summer (it sits in the Mojave Desert) and crazy cold, with snow, in the winter.  In the winter, people do get “snowed in” up here when the CHP closes the Cajon Pass on I-15 – that means you are cut off from getting down below into San Bernardino/Riverside Metro and on to LA.  Well, you could always reverse direction and head to Vegas I guess.  But aside from being a place to stop and eat on your way to and from Las Vegas, why would people want to live out here?  I only came because it was cheap relative to many other areas in So Cal.  Nevertheless, the place was growing before the Great Recession.  Median house prices were above $350K back then.  I believe there is something more going on here than meets the eye.  Clearly, I am going to have to learn more.  But look for yourself:

I was out next to Mojave Narrows Regional Park on June 2 looking for interesting places to do a photo shoot.  Look at those mountains in the background.  California is full of impressive geography if you just pause to look.  I shot these with my Canon PowerShot A540 – still working my old faithful.

With my PowerShot A540 in hand on June 4, I was driving around way out in the far parts of Apple Valley (yeah, the “far parts”) and saw this abandoned place. Definitely, the ‘Hills Have Eyes’kind of stuff going on here. Oh, they filmed part of that movie out here. Makes you say hmm…

Yesterday, June 9, while driving to school (Cal State San Bernardino in North San Bernardino) on I-15, I observed how the smog was held at bay by the mountains as I drove through the Cajon Pass.  I know, what’s worse – texting and driving or shooting and driving?  It’s not as hard as it looks when you have a CanonPowerShot S5 IS with its “High-resolution 2.5-inch vari-angle LCD for easy shooting at any angle”.  Was that a plug or what?  They should hire me.

This last shot I took with the PowerShot S5 too.  I was just cruising the streets in Victorville hunting for places to shoot.  I just like how I caught the sun in this shot.  I shot this today, June 10, 2011.