Lynne Guimond Sabean Photography

We're Moving!

2010-10-24T20:08:00.004-05:00

Please change your bookmarks, as this weblog is now being hosted at sabeanphotos.blogspot.com

If you previously signed up to follow this site, you will need to sign up to follow the new page in order to receive notification of site updates.

Don't Forget the Details!

2010-08-27T22:17:00.006-05:00

Sometimes, an unusual angle -- or a careful attention to detail that others may overlook -- is all it takes to make your pictures distinctive:

Above: Detail of freshly-woven basket. (The vendor had samples leaned against a guardrail.)

Above: The morning after a rainstorm....

Above: Look up! You don't always have to shoot straight ahead....

2010 Stratham (NH) Fair

2010-07-25T11:39:00.004-05:00

More recent pix....

Prescott Park (Portsmouth, NH)

2010-07-25T11:28:00.004-05:00

Recent pix....

Fun With Cropping

2010-07-11T13:31:00.001-05:00

Day Trip to Saint-Gaudens (Cornish, NH)

2010-06-19T23:32:00.002-05:00

New Camera, New Pix

2010-06-06T21:52:00.002-05:00

My original digital camera died a few weeks ago and I just replaced it with a newer model that is literally three times the camera of the model it replaced.

Here are a few sample images:

Spring Has Sprung

2010-04-27T09:00:00.005-05:00

Here are a few detail shots from a recent trip to the Fells in Newbury, NH:

What interested me about this shot was that it looked like a heart was bursting out of the vine.

Moss patterns always remind me of Mandelbrots/fractals.

Another shot for the "Little Shop of Horrors" series.

Color or Shape?

2010-01-13T10:57:00.003-05:00

At first, it seemed so easy. Beautiful jewel tones.....

But then again, the shapes are intriguing, too:

Why choose? Save both!

2010 Fortune Telling Toy

2010-01-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

Wondering what 2010 will bring? (For me, it's graduation from law school, swearing in as a NH Attorney, my wedding, and my 30-year high school reunion...and that's only in the first half of the year!)

Click on the image below to get your own copy!

Photo Album Backgrounds

2010-01-01T10:25:00.008-05:00

I'm getting married in a few months and am working on ideas for one of those albums you can make yourself on Web sites such as Shutterfly.As I prepare for the big day, I'm keeping in mind details that might make interesting background images for the album pages.

Here are a few test shots (most of which will be "ghosted" back -- i.e., lightened significantly -- if used in the final album):

Christmas Ornaments

2010-01-01T10:21:00.003-05:00

A few details from the 2009 Christmas tree:

PierceLaw Art Exhibit Opens This Weekend

2009-11-06T06:37:00.003-05:00

I'll be both curating and participating in the show. Second day of dropoff is tomorrow; receiving has been slow to date. Three of the four of the pix I submitted will be displayed in public for the first time, including this one:

Show hours are M-F during normal business hours. Franklin Pierce Law Center is located at 2 White St., Concord, NH.

Some Days, I Can't Shoot the Broad Side of a Barn

2009-09-19T16:07:00.007-05:00

I dropped by the Concord, NH Borders today for a book discussion/signing by Lama Surya Das. Let's just say I didn't approach the shoot very "mindfully": I didn't take the time to adjust the white balance (critical for this type of shoot) and the background was very busy. (All those darned books in the way!)Needless to say, most of the resultant images were junk..... and I have no one but myself to blame for it.

I am not a portrait/event photographer, so it took me a while to capture a moment that I thought was both unguarded and (I hope he agrees) fairly flattering:

After that -- since I was shooting just for fun -- I tried to record the details that people tend to miss while photographing these types of events:

Sometimes the best memories are not those captured in a photographic print, but those you keep in your heart and mind. I had the opportunity to ask (and have answered) questions related to my volunteer work at the prison and I will always remember how Lama Surya Das took the time to make each and every person who came to hear him today feel special as he signed books for them.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

2009-09-07T10:12:00.006-05:00

Some new snaps on a quiet day away from studying (definitely worth the ride up to the Boothbay Harbor area):

When we weren't snapping pix in DC...

2009-08-20T00:12:00.005-05:00

...the partner and I made time to lounge by the hotel pool.

(We took mercy on blog readers and stayed covered up for the snapshots, even though it was nearly 100 degrees out....)

At the Castle

2009-08-20T00:02:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, my partner and I embarked on a 5-day "pilgrimage" to DC to see a photo of mine that is currently hanging in the Smithsonian Castle. I was very fortunate that my photo was placed in a high-traffic area, right next to another compelling image.

Notable: (1) the photo was reproduced at a meager 6 x 8", but as I was reminded, "But look where it's hanging!!!!!!"; (2) it was hanging right across from the "pile of Smithsonian stuff" movie prop (including Faux Dorothy's Ruby Slippers and a fake Hope Diamond) from the movie "Night at the Museum II."

You've already seen the pic in this blog, but did you see the ***sign*** for the show?

Eastern Market

2009-08-19T23:34:00.012-05:00

A few of the images I snapped last Saturday at the ongoing street fair / flea market in Washington, DC:

Above: The world's most delicious crepe was made with Oreos, strawberries, white chocolate... need I go on?

Above: Someone filming something. The boyfriend swears he saw Will Smith there, but I'm not convinced....

The difference is in the details...

2009-07-23T18:50:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to tour Portmouth Harbor on a Coast Guard boat and visit the (supposedly-haunted) lighthouse at nearby Fort Constitution State Park.

Although I took obligatory snapshots of my fellow passengers taking turns driving the boat and the temptation is great to take panoramic pictures of the surrounding area (I succumbed: see edited shoot at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=90218&id=542304560&l=3e3bda073d), I'm happiest with the pix that will never make it onto a postcard, the snaps that show what happened to catch my attention that particular day:

Above: Note the wear and tear on the railing outside the top of the lighthouse

Above: Unusual angle of the lighthouse light

Above: Cannon goes here (or the Batmobile)

Above: Textures of the walkway and the water

Above: Layered Coast Guard apparel

In summary: if you can buy it on a postcard, don't feel compelled to reshoot it. Spend the bulk of your time creating your own vision....

Getting published again......

2009-07-20T22:16:00.005-05:00

Today, I learned that I have been selected as a finalist in the 29th Annual Spring Photography Contest, co-sponsored by Photographer's Forum Magazine and Canon. This is the fourth time that I have been recognized by the publication: I was also named a finalist in its 2002 and 2005 contests, as well as in its 2008 student contest. (Yes, as a law student, I technically qualify for the student publication.)

Below is a copy of the image they selected. If it looks a bit familiar, it's because it's an alternate version of an image I shot last December in a nearby graveyard and published here in black-and-white format. It's also the weakest of the three images I submitted, which just goes to show how hard it is to outguess jurors:

Where's the story?

2009-07-14T16:49:00.003-05:00

I don't usually shoot events, because I like to decide for myself whom/what/whether to shoot. However, every once in a while, I do take the camera out to a function and try to see things through the eyes of a photojournalist.

Once I get home, the art director in me takes over. First, I delete the out-of-focus, poorly composed, unflattering, ordinary, and/or duplicate shots. After that, I weed out anything that wouldn't be published or hung on my walls. Finally, I look at what's left, figure out a theme, and remove anything that doesn't fit the theme. (If there's a great photo that I just can't make work this time, I slide it into a "miscellaneous" folder for future consideration.)

I then view the images as a slide show on my PC, several times. Anything that doesn't "wow" me by this time is removed or deleted. The goal is to get down to about 10-15 "signature" shots. I keep asking myself, "What's this person's story and how does it fit into an overall theme?" Once that's done, I Photoshop the remaining images and have 4x6" prints made of my favorites.

When I got back from the PowWow in Warner, NH last weekend, I had about 150 images of the event. I have a higher than average throw-away rate when I am trying to shoot dancers/performers until I understand their moves: where they go, when they pause, etc. After I whittled the selection down to 40-50 images, I further reduced the number to about 20 and Photoshopped the survivors. After a final edit, I had 13 images, five of which are reproduced below:

Butterflies!

2009-07-04T13:34:00.003-05:00

Snaps taken at The Butterfly Place (Westford, MA):

More Flowers

2009-06-27T11:08:00.003-05:00

Taken a few days ago at Karme Choling (Barnet, VT):

Nancy's Garden

2009-06-10T20:57:00.002-05:00

This evening after work, I was invited to the home of one of my colleagues at the NH Attorney General's office. She has an amazing garden.

Here are a few of my favorite shots. (No preachy commentary: just eye candy.)

Ferris Wheel Study

2009-06-02T22:01:00.001-05:00

More Bread and Puppet Photos

2009-05-26T22:56:00.009-05:00

Return trip to Glover, VT over Memorial Day weekend 2009. I first visited Bread and Puppet back in 1998, when they still had their annual festival.

The nice thing about documenting the place exhaustively last summer is that I got to have fun experimenting this time around.

The following pix show that sometimes your subject matter is so compelling that all you have to do is focus and crop!

The museum is photographer friendly and the staff is very knowledgable about the hsitory of the organization. It's definitely worth the road trip.

New Photos

2009-05-12T11:51:00.007-05:00

I "divorced" my final gallery (Sharon Arts Center) last week, picking up photos that had been in storage for a few years there. After finding "good homes" for the framed pieces, it dawned on me how much I missed shooting.

Below are some shots I took just this AM:

Mindblowing News re. Smithsonian Photo

2009-05-01T14:50:00.004-05:00

My Smithsonian Magazine photograph was chosen for display in the upcoming exhibit, "World View: Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest."

The exhibit will showcases 30 of the 50 finalists from Smithsonian Magazine’s 6th Annual Photo Contest. It will be on view from July 1, 2009 through January 16, 2010 in the first floor of the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Last year, more than one million visitors viewed the magazine's previous exhibit, and Smithsonian predicts that a million more will view my image this year.

It's still SO surreal......

Timing is everything

2009-04-27T17:53:00.006-05:00

A few "action" shots at Ogunquit Beach, ME, taken this past weekend. Don't be afraid to shoot image after image until you get just the moment you want!

(These were taken with the Canon pocket camera I purchased last month).

Smithsonian Followup

2009-04-01T16:17:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all who voted for my pic in the Smithsonian Magazine photo contest. Although the image did not receive enough votes to be named "Readers' Choice," hopefully it garnered enough interest to be considered for inclusion in the summer art exhibit at the Castle.

PowerShooting....

2009-03-25T22:10:00.003-05:00

Lynne the Luddite just caved in and purchased a tiny little Canon PowerShot digital camera for social/recreational picturetaking. (I'm sure the poor sherpa who had to lug my gear in Nepal will be happy to hear that... I'm just one step above the woman who had the sherpa lug her gourmet coffeemaker up Everest).

Right now, I've only had time to load the software onto my PC and read the manual. Hopefully, I'll have time to practice shooting before Barrister's Ball, a.k.a. "the Law School Prom," in a few weeks.

Not Too Late.....

2009-03-25T22:07:00.002-05:00

... to vote for my picture in the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/6th-annual/6th-natural-3.html

Smithsonian Photo Contest Web Site Live

2009-03-02T17:56:00.002-05:00

See all 50 finalist photos (and hopefully vote for mine.)

Details here (yes, I'm sending you right to my page: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/6th-annual/6th-natural-3.html

More Photos from KCL

2009-03-01T01:10:00.007-05:00

I've been lucky enough to photograph Karme Choling (Barnet, VT) in late spring, summer and now winter.....

View from the purkong.

Exposing for the view out the window gave the shrine room a dark, moody feel.

This is a weird little picture that's hard to explain. The fabric at the left is part of a kata (a silk scarf given as an offering.) I liked the white-on-white, the different textures, and just a peek of color. The composition is unconventional and while it certainly won't win any prizes, it's a private look into someone's devotional practice.

Each trip to Karme Choling is magical and I can't wait to go back in a few months.

Photos from KTD

2009-03-01T00:02:00.004-05:00

The following photos were taken at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, NY. (Yes, THAT Woodstock...) KTD is the North American seat of His Holiness the Karmapa and I just got back from a short retreat there.

Drop What You're Doing....

2009-02-17T23:23:00.002-05:00

... and watch Elizabeth Gilbert's new video on "A Different Way to Look at Creative Genius" on ted.com. Trust me....

Gilbert is the author of "Eat Pray Love", one of the most entertaining books I read last year. International travel, sex, religion... all served up with a healthy dose of delf-deprecating humor. Best of all, rumor mill has it that a sequel is in the works.

It's the Second Image....

2009-02-17T23:12:00.003-05:00

The Smithsonian confirmed today that the "Little Shop of Horrors" pic was the one they selected as a finalist in their Photo Contest. Keep your fingers crossed for me and do vote for it as Reader's Choice on the Smithsonian Web site next month.

I am thrilled by the kind words and support from my colleagues and profs. at the law school. They have linked to my Web site from their Twitter page. Hopefully, the inevitable publicity will also result in some well-deserved recognition for the institution: they truly deserve it.

More recognition

2009-02-15T11:44:00.003-05:00

I guess this has been a good year for me so far, at least as it pertains to photo contests. One of the photos I shot last summer in the organic garden at Karme Choling Buddhist Retreat Center (Barnet, VT) been selected as a finalist in Smithsonian Magazine’s 6th Annual Photography Contest. (Apparently the good folks at the Smithsomian were less concerned about "Little Shop of Horrors"-style flower porn than were the folks at Photographer's Forum.

The odds/statistics are mindboggling: the photo is one of only 50 that were singled out for recognition from more than ***17,000*** entries received from professional and amateur photographers around the world.

As a finalist, the image will be featured for a limited time on the magazine’s web site, beginning March 2, 2009. (There will be a "Reader's Choice" category, so please stop by and vote for the pic.)

I'm embarrassed to say that I don't remember which pic I submitted. It's one of these two:

Twitter-Dee-Dee

2009-01-28T18:33:00.000-05:00

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/lgfindlay

Photographer's Forum Still Likes Me!

2009-01-28T18:24:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, I received news that I have been selected as a finalist in Serbin Communications’ Annual Student Photography Contest, which is co-sponsored by Nikon and Photographer’s Forum magazine. (Since I went back to law school, I legitimately qualify for the "student" category.) The hoops we artists have to jump through to stay marketable...(dramatic sigh... imagine a fainting couch...)

More than 3,000 high school, college, university and graduate students from the United States, Canada and around the world submitted their photographs for consideration. As a finalist, my work will be featured in the magazine’s 29th annual, hard-cover publication. (I have to wait another month to see if my pic won a prize or honorable mention.)

I was previously a two-time finalist in Serbin Communications’ Spring Photography Contest, with my work featured in both the 2002 and 2005 Best of Photography Annual publications. But each time is exciting and I'm thankful to be included again.

Here's the pic they liked:

The (Second) Most Wonderful Time of Year

2008-12-30T17:20:00.003-05:00

Next to having three months off from school in the summer, having more than three weeks off at the holiday season is the best! I dusted off my camera and shot a series of photos at a nearby graveyard. Here's one of my favorites:

I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, but I do hope to shoot more consistently throughout the year.Stay tuned!

Photo du Jour

2008-07-09T09:41:00.000-05:00

Bread and Puppet

2008-07-07T08:47:00.003-05:00

Representative samples from yesterday's road trip to Bread and Puppet (Glover, VT).

More pix can be seen at www.flickr.com/lgfindlay

Photo du Jour

2008-06-24T13:11:00.003-05:00

It's been raining here for more than a week, so I took advantage of a temporary break in the downpour. (I deliberately played with the exposure to minimize the texture and veins on petals and acceptuate the strong shapes.

Miksang (Contemplative Photography)

2008-06-23T14:34:00.002-05:00

While here at KC, I've had the privilege to be introduced to Miksang. Here's a brief intro (from the Miksang Society of Toronto web site)

"Miksang is a Tibetan word that translates as "good eye".... It brings together the art of photography, the discipline of meditation, and the Dharma Art teachings of the meditation master and scholar Chögyam Trungpa

"In contemplative photography, we work with the synchronization of eye and mind. When eye and mind are in the same place, the moment-by-moment vividness of the visual world manifests and is appreciated fully. This manifestation is spontaneous - a flash of perception - the ordinary magic of the phenomenal world. When one connects with pure perception there is no struggle in making a heartfelt and brilliant photographic image that one can share with others.

"These moments of pure perception and appreciation happen all the time but we often ignore and devalue them. However, it is worthwhile to recognize and cultivate these moments because they recollect the inherent openess and goodness of our being."

To learn more, I encourage you to visit the Miksang Society of Toronto web site at http://miksang.org/

She's Back!

2008-06-23T14:21:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. Last fall, I started law school at Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, NH. Due to the rigorous demands of the curriculum, I have not had the time to promote my work... or even do much shooting.

However, the day after finals ended, I returned to Karme Choling Shambhala Retreat Center, in Barnet, VT (see previous post. I originally planned to stay only one month: it's been six weeks so far and I don't expect to come back home for a few more weeks.

Following are a few of my favorite images; you can see more at www.flickr.com/lgfindlay

Dharma Art

2007-08-19T18:21:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, I returned from a weeklong retreat at Karme Choling, a Shambala retreat center in Barnet, VT. I awoke at 6:30am each day to the sound of a conch shell being blown. While there, I read three books, watched a few DVDs, went on 6 or 7 hikes, ate an abundance of organic vegetables, sat by a campfire, attended 5 or 6 lectures, and took a few yoga classes. (And, as you might expect, there were hours and hours of meditation practice each day!)

One of the books I read was Dharma Art, by the center's founder Chogyam Trungpa Rimpoche. Here's an interesting quote from the book about the creation of "aware" artwork:

"We give up aggression, both toward ourselves (that we have to make a special effort to impress people) and toward others (that we can pull something over on them."

Over the next several postings, I'll publish works taken during my stay. (If you can't wait that long, I've posted many at www.flickr.com/lgfindlay). This one was taken inside the azuchi (Zen archery range building):

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

2007-08-04T08:40:00.000-05:00

With law school starting in only two weeks, I resigned from my post as President of the Nashua Area Artists Association (NAAA) today. I encourage blog readers to attend the NAAA's 54th annual Greeley Park art show, to be held Aug. 18-19 in Nashua NH. About 100 NAAA members will be displaying works there; the two-day event is the largest show of its type in the area.

Also on the schedule: the New England Photo Expeditions Meetup group is having a display at Gallery One (Nashua, NH) through the month of August. An opening repection is planned for today, from 2-4PM. For driving instructions, visit www.naaasite.com

World's Coolest Pinhole Camera

2007-08-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

From boingboing.net and f295: "This beautiful ceramic pinhole camera was made by Steve Irvine and documented on the Pinhole Forum. It's made of stoneware fired at 1,300C, and takes a four inch by five inch piece of photo paper. The negative holder is made from three strips of black weather stripping."

More on "Hotness"

2007-08-01T07:57:00.000-05:00

A particularly snarky blog entry* on the correlation between intercourse and intelligence hypothesizes that the "fact" that higher-IQ types have fewer partners earlier in life than their more "average" peers has absolutely nothing to do with the presence of pen protectors or the absence of social skills. Instead, the author posits that "sexual behavior (or at least the investment needed to procure a partner or sustain one) may compete with time/resources required for other goals, and intelligent people may have more demanding goals."

I'd argue that talented people have equally demanding goals, and another recent survey suggests that creative types (artists, inventors, etc.) have ***more*** partners than their uninspired peers. How to explain the seemingly incongruous results?

Does this mean that intelligence and creativity are unrelated? Perish the thought!

________________________________________________

*At the end of the entry, the 98-pound weakling kicks sand in the face of the Charles Atlas type, then run away by suggesting that testosterone may depress IQ. (Wonder what singer/actor/poet/film critic/testosterone-fueled modern Renaissance man Henry Rollins would think about that one?)

Photographers: Hot or Not?

2007-08-01T07:44:00.000-05:00

Men's Health Magazine queried a thousand women on "hotness" factors for men. See below to see how photographers fared:

No indication as to whether the publication will query their readers on how "hot" they find female photographers. (And for the record, I totally concur with the other women about a man who can cook....)

Quote of the Day (NYT)

2007-07-30T08:24:00.000-05:00

"It is also interesting how a photograph quickly changes when we learn more about what it depicts, when we provide a context, when we become familiar with an underlying story. And when we make claims about the photograph using language. For truth, properly considered, is about the relationship between language and the world, not about photographs and the world."

Source: New York Times

Prank on Damien Hirst

2007-07-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last month, I wrote a blog entry on British "bad boy" artist Damien Hirst's latest work: a diamond-encrusted skull reportedly worth up to the absurd sum of $10 million.

In response to the skull's exhibition in London, an artist named "Laura" created a replica covered with 6,522 Swarovski crystals and dumped it outside the gallery in the middle of the night on top of a pile of trash.

Sources: boingboing.net and woostercollective.com

New Seven Wonders

2007-07-09T11:56:00.000-05:00

The New 7 Wonders of the World were announced on Saturday, July 7, 2007 (07/07/07)

They are:

Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Christ Redeemer, Brazil

The Great Wall, China

Machu Picchu, Peru

Petra, Jordan

The Roman Colloseum, Italy

The Taj Mahal, India

The seven beat out 14 other nominated landmarks, including Easter Island in the Pacific, the Acropolis, Cambodia's Angkor, Spain's Alhambra, and (most surprising to me) Britain's Stonehenge. About 100 million votes were cast by the Internet and cellphone text messages, said New7Wonders, the non-profit organization that conducted the poll.

The pyramids of Giza (the only surviving structures from the original seven wonders of the ancient world) were assured of retaining their status in addition to the new seven, after indignant Egyptian officials said it was a disgrace they had to compete.

Time Magazine ran a photo essay on the winning sites.

Source: new7wonders.com and several major media outlets

More on the Role of Art

2007-07-06T13:57:00.001-05:00

This past week's death of opera star Beverly Sills has spawned a profusion of "bringing art to the unwashed masses" articles. (This is to be expected, considering that there's an entire generation of journalists that was first introduced to the singer via her appearance on The Muppet Show.)

Which begs the question: Is the role of art to elevate the viewer, or to celebrate him in his everyday splendor?

On Fine Art Photography

2007-07-03T11:44:00.000-05:00

Fine art photography is comprised of photographic images that produced or intended primarily for beauty, rather than for utility.

Such prints are reproduced, usually in limited editions, in order to be sold to dealers, collectors or curators (rather than mass-reproduced in advertising and/or magazines). Fine art photography prints will sometimes, but not always, be exhibited in an art gallery.

To learn more about fine art photography, visit my articles archive at www.freewebs.com/lgfindlay/articles.htm.

Photo Shoot: Dylan's 1st Birthday

2007-07-01T22:06:00.001-05:00

Here are a few favorite photos, which I shot this afternoon in Hudson, NH:

Nature/Nurture... Again

2007-06-27T10:29:00.000-05:00

Last week, the Internet was abuzz about new research which suggested that the oldest child in a family also had the highest IQ. (As an eldest child myself, I did get a certain degree of smug satisfaction out of it, although I did hold back from e-mailing my younger brothers with the "news".)

Today, CNN reports additional findings which conclude that it isn't a matter of being born first, but growing up the senior child, that seems to result in the higher IQ scores. They call it "social rank".

"Social rank" isn't just limited to intelligence however, so let's broaden what its impications might be. For instance, most people can readily state which child in their family was "the writer", the athlete", "the artist": usually the one with the strongest natural gift and/or interest in a particular area.

But what would happen if parents treated ***each*** of their children "as if" he or she had those aptitudes in abundance? (Just as in families where second-born men whose older sibling died were treated as if they were eldest children... and got the corresponding IQ jump.)

I'm guessing that it would be a world where creativity and excellence would flourish...

Art is All Around Us

2007-06-26T07:51:00.000-05:00

There have been quite a few interesting photos in the news over the past few days. Here's a Fox News image of satellite dishes in Amsterdam. Check out the folk art on each dish:

The Arrow of Time

2007-06-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

Ever feel like shooting your significant other(s)?

Diego Goldberg -- a photographer based in Buenos Aires, Argentina -- has photographed his family on the same day of the year: for more than 30 years!

I first saw Goldberg's work several years ago in Esquire, in an article on how women age. Because all the headshots are identical in size and expression, it's quite easy to see the year-to-year progressions.

Check it out here.

On Contemporary Portraiture

2007-06-25T15:02:00.000-05:00

"Portraiture has become increasingly conceptual", says an article in the June 2007 issue of ArtNews, "as it addresses not only personal identity but also issues of politics, social inequity, and our obsession with celebrity."

"In the right context", adds it author, "a famous person can stand for a generation, just as that generation’s view can define the person."

Which begs the question: Is it possible to create a portrait that is NOT a product of the culture in which it's created?

Associations and Analogies

2007-06-21T09:21:00.000-05:00

Scientists are very interested in the ways we deny humanity to others, because this common tendency is the source of so much hate and violence in the world.

They claim that when someone insults another by comparing them to something sub-human, they often do it by either comparing the object of their disaffection to an animal or machine.

They add that while both animals and machines are both less than human, they are less than human in very different ways. For example,

many animals lack traits that are unique to humans, like high intelligence and moral sensibility, wheras
machines lack traits that form the foundation of “human nature”, such as warmth, flexibility, animation.

According to an entry in the We're Only Human weblog, psychologists Stephen Loughnan and Nick Haslam of the University of Melbourne ran an experiment to prove their predictions that, when marginalized:

some people — like children and artists (characterized by "warmth, flexibility, animation")— tend to be associated with animals, whereas
others — such as businessmen (chracterized by their logic skills and analytical acumen)— tend to be associated with machines

Their results supported their hypotheses.Consequently, the psychologists concluded that people have two distinct ways of defining humanity to ourselves—and two distinct ways of denying others’ their humanity.

It would be interesting if the psychologists did a follow-up study to explore the seeming condradiction that people also make animal/machine comparisions when "elevating" or complimenting another.

For example, some of my closest artist friends have highly-developed business skills and approach their vocation with an eye toward what sells. They balance their need for personal expression with the practicalities of the "real world". Since the stereotype for artists is to be "uninhibited" and "irresponsible", they take pride when someone tells them that they're handling things "like a well-oiled machine."

What's more, one of the highest compliments that a salesman pay another is that someone is going after accounts "like an animal."

So maybe the real result of the original survey is that people tend to make non-human (not necessarily "less than human") analogies, regardless of whether they're praising or debasing someone.

Source: We're Only Human

Taking Group Photos

2007-06-21T08:20:00.000-05:00

The Digital Photography School has published a helpful article on taking outstanding group photographs here.

More on Synesthesia

2007-06-20T09:07:00.000-05:00

Works of the Russian composer Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov were reportedly influenced by synesthesia, a medical condition wherein a person experiences sensation in one sense (such as sight) in response to stimulus in another (such as hearing).

According to Wikipedia, Rimsky-Korsakov perceived colors associated with major keys as follows:

Note	Color
C	white
D	yellow
E	flat dark bluish-grey
E	sparkling sapphire
F	green
G	rich gold
A	rosy colored

More interesting, each synesthete seems to have his own code, as can be seen by comparing Rimsky-Korsakov's color system with that of Alexander Scriabin, another Russian composer (source: James Wierbicki):

Note	Scriabin	Rimsky-Korsakov
C	red	white
C#	violet	dusky
D	bright yellow	yellow
D#	steel gray	bluish gray
E	bluish white	sapphire blue
F	red	green
F#	bright blue	grayish green
G	orange-rose	brownish gold
G#	purple-violet	grayish violet
A	green	rosy
A#	steel	gray
B	bluish white	dark blue

I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that so many visual artists like to paint, sculpt, shoot, etc. with music playing in the background. Which begs the question: do a higher percentage of artists have synesthesia than the general population?

Development Pornography

2007-06-11T13:19:00.000-05:00

There's a "lively discussion" on the blogosphere these days on "development pornography".

You can read the salient points of the ongoing debate on BoingBoing.

Much of the discussion focuses on "undignified images" that are being created and used by relief organizations in order to increase donations. You've doubtlessly seen the images: skeletal toddlers covered with flies and festering, oozing scabs, etc.

(Many of these images are being created by First-World photographers with little knowledge or experience of local customs, but that's a complicated discussion involving "fair trade photography" that deserves its own post...)

When it comes to publishing emotionally manipulative images, how far is too far? One organization criticized an African relief appeal that that showed a naked, emaciated child in her mother's arms... "because it was a stereotype and an Irish child would not be portrayed naked in the same way." Is this a fair comparison?

Viewing the Third-World poor through Western eyes is nothing new. And as a former art director, I understand the value of selecting and using the image that will move the greatest number of people to action. However, there needs to be a certain level of honesty and integrity in the selection process. It's important to do good, to make a difference in the world. However, its equally important to do good ***in the right way***.

But where will you draw the line? What if using a less-"offensive" photo means that vital donations decrease by 40% and hundreds (or thousands... or tens of thousands) of people die as a result? When do the ends justify the means?

Are Artists out of Their Minds?

2007-06-06T09:45:00.000-05:00

Ever look at a piece of art (like perhaps Damien Hurst's diamond-crusted skull - see earlier posting) and think "That artist is an absolute whack job!" ? In some cases, maybe he/she really ***is*** living in a different reality than you or me...

Would psychiatric treatment have given some troubled artists even more room to expand their artistic genius? Or would a happier life have stifled their creativity?

That's the tantalizing premise of this article in the Montreal Gazette.

Although it spotlights the complicated and convoluted lives of the well-known composers Schumann and Tchaikovsky, the article's premise could apply equally well to visual artists. My one complaint -- and frankly, it's not a minor one-- is that the discussion later segues into a discussion of sexual identity in music.

Introducing the topic of Schumann and Tchaikovsky's reported homosexuality into a unrelated talk of the composers' psychological ailments -- and meds -- is unwarranted and smacks of homophobia. (Even when purportedly done in conjunction with coverage of a performance spotlighting works of homosexual artists.)

Diamonds are a Pirate's Best Friend

2007-06-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

This work by British bad-boy artist Damien Hurst ("a life-size platinum skull encrusted with 8,601 fine diamonds") is estimated to sell for as much as $100 million at auction. Should this happen, it will make the piece the priciest contemporary artwork ever made.

This work is reportedly titled "For The Love of God." According to the New York Times, the title comes from Hirst's mother, who asked her son, “For the love of God, what are you going to do next?”

Source: boingboing.net

Color Me Impressed

2007-06-04T07:55:00.001-05:00

Need some inspiration on color choices? Visit the COLOURlovers web site.

This web site, according to its creators is "a resource that monitors and influences color trends. COLOURlovers gives the people who use color - whether for ad campaigns, product design, or even in architectural specification - a place to check out a world of color, compare color palettes, submit news and comments, and read color related articles and interviews."

You'll see some amazing hues and color combinations to use in your next project.

It's More Than the Megapixels

2007-06-01T15:40:00.000-05:00

Your digital camera's sensor size also affects the quality of the photos you shoot with it. (For a ***really, really*** complicated reason why, click here.)

For those of us who aren't equipment junkies, here's a simpler explanation:

Let's say that you have a small, relatively inexpensive "point-and-shoot" camera that takes the same 6 or 8-megapixel images as my digital SLR. Assuming that we follow the same compositional, shooting, and lighting practices, shouldn't the pictures look quite similar?

Actually, no. And where's why:

Think of a digital sensor element as being equivalent to the size of the negative for film cameras. A 35mm negative is larger than some formats, but it's far smaller than, say, a 4x5 or 8x10 format.

My SLR relies on a physically larger sensor than someone else's "point-and-shoot" camera. That adds up to a higher quality image, and my resulting prints will probably be better than the other person's, ***all other things being equal***.

But it's more than just size. The small sensors used in consumer-level "point-and-shoot" cameras tend to be of a different type than the large sensors used in digital SLRs. (This also affects depth of field, but that's a subject for another posting.)

How Many Snaps Do You Store?

2007-05-31T15:32:00.000-05:00

CNet claims that the "average" American household has 994 digital photos, holding about 3 to 4 years worth of images. I don't believe this estimate, for many reasons. Here are just a few:

- Most people weren't regularly using digital cameras 3 or 4 years ago
- People shoot more images with digital cameras than they do with film-based ones
- The majority people don't edit ruthlessly, so they're storing dozens (if not hundreds) of blurry, similar, and/or unflattering snapshots

And anyone who's recently had a new baby in the family? You could shoot that number in less than a week!

Here's to being "above average"...

Taking Better Photos at the Beach

2007-05-31T07:51:00.000-05:00

The "Digital Photography School" blog shares tips for taking amazing photos at the beach.

Beaches present [photographers] with a number of wonderful opportunities as they are places of natural beauty, color, and interesting light. However, they also present a variety of challenges (including camera damage, privacy issues, and making large, open spaces interesting).

Objectivism and Art

2007-05-31T07:05:00.000-05:00

After chatting about the works of Ayn Rand over brunch recently, I dusted off my copies of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Skimming through them, I remembered why Objectivism had such a strong resurgence during the "Greed is Good" 1980s: it championed a view of the world where it seemed possible to be good... and rich... and unapologetically narcissistic... all at the same time.

What I had forgotten was Rand's philosophy about art [e.g., "aesthetics"] as a "selective re-creation of reality according to an artist's metaphysical value judgments". I find this curious: although I believe strongly in a "meta-reality" (an objective reality outside the "real world" that is based on absolute "truth"), I'm not sure whether most of us can (or should) rise above our everyday lives to see things as they "really" are.

If anything, the role of the artist is not to transcend the "world of illusion", but to roll around in it like a satin sheet. I do agree with Rand's concept of the communicative value of art, but I sense (wouldn't she hate that word?) we wouldn't see eye-to-eye on what art is.

I believe strongly that art is the ***process*** itself, not the artifact (drawing, painting, photo, sculpure, etc.) that results from being "artistic". Not surprisingly, Rand seems to considers the art object as being of paramount value (as she states that it expresses in concrete form, what is essentially an abstraction.)

And does there really have to be a serious, deeper meaning and purpose to art: i.e., expressing "a more universal truth"? Art can be playful, naive, hopeful, dishonest, unoriginal, and irrelevant. And it is often "intuitive" (another Randian no-no term.)

And in the end, bearing the yoke of being a "beacon of objective truth" can get a tad heavy. After all, sometimes, a gal just want to take a silly snapshot....

Shopping for Ideas

2007-05-29T15:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I visited the IKEA store in Stoughton, Masschusetts. (Last year, I'd visited the one in Elizabeth, New Jersey and was curious to see how regionally divergent the inventory was.)

I'm still befuddled by the faux knotty wood kitchen cabinets offered in the Massachusetts store (which seemed incongrous with the chain's trademark sleek pseudo-Scandinavian design.)

But for budget style, the place can't be beat (except maybe by the equally ubiquitous Target.) The color selections were interesting (e.g., matching a deep teal with chocolate brown; and orange with avacado), although the manufacturing quality was all over the place.

But don't be surprised if you see some of the photos I shoot over the next few months adopting the palettes I saw there.

New Photos from Andres Institute

2007-05-28T23:11:00.000-05:00

The Andres Institute of Art --a 140-acre sculpture park located in Brookline, NH --is home to a collection of more than 50 works by mostly international artists.

Its grounds include woods, meadows, old quarry pits, and miles of walking trails. Hand-painted signs lead the way to sculptures which are scattered among the trails. Even better, visitors are encouraged to touch the sculptures.

I was fortunate to visit the Institute for the first time yesterday. Selected photos from the day trip can be found here (www.flickr.com/photos/lgfindlay/sets/72157600280402206/)
and below:

You can learn more about the Institute at www.andresinstitute.org/about_institute.htm.

More Advice from the Trenches

2007-05-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are Jonesing for a decent "how-to" article, here's a well-written guide on How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps".

(However, please don't misuse The Force to shoot silhouettes of couples walking on a tropical beach at sunset.... and then try to enter them into a photography contest....)

Advice from the Trenches

2007-05-24T08:46:00.000-05:00

Photocritic shares his recent jurying experience in "How to Win a Photography Contest." Someone looking for "the secret combination" on which photo to submit in a particular competition may be disppointed, because the advice is pretty basic to every picture you'll ever take: create interesting compositions, be technically proficient, work at developing your own vision, tell a story, etc.

However, the blog entry includes several noteworthy photos; my favorite was the black-and-white image of the lovers. (Do enlarge it, as the author suggests... just not at the office.)

And I agreed with Haje Kamp when he wrote:

"A snapper that is technically perfect but lacks vision will never be a great photographer. You can imitate, but not learn true photographic vision. On the other hand, having a great vision of what makes a good photo is not an excuse not to acquire the technical skills you need to express your ideas."

You'll see that I added a link to the Photocritic web site to the right-hand nav. bar of this site, as I recommend it highly.

Slow Afternoon at the Office

2007-05-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

meez.com allows users to creat avatars that can be used for 3-D online IDs. Depending on which options you choose, it can be absolutely free!

Here I am:

Photography Meetup Groups

2007-05-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

I recently joined a few photo-related Meetup groups. Meetup.com is a web site that connects and introduces people who are interested in the same topic. Users can sign up for any of a number of local and area groups devoted to their areas of interest. The photo groups to which I belong are great about programming outings to photogenic sites. (For example, the Portsmouth photos which I posted within the past few weeks were taken on a day trip with the NH Photo Expeditions Meetup Group.)

Usually photos are reviewed by your peers over dinner or drinks that same day, before any cropping or Photoshopping. This can be intimidating at first, but ultimately, it improves your skills (if only by ***shaming*** you to get the best possible image right out of the camera).

It's too early to tell whether being asked to share pre-optimized images will stifle my creativity in any way; in fact, I suspect that just the opposite will be true. It's simply human nature to be competitive and want to be the "Alpha Photographer." And by keeping an open mind to critiques -- and seeing the world through someone else's eyes for a change -- I think I'll become a better shooter.

Art and Politics

2007-05-22T12:49:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, the international press does a better job at summarizing U.S. politics than does our own media.

Here's a quote from the UK publication The Guardian. Although it discusses Britain's politics and art scene, it could be uqually applicable on this side of the pond, too:

Art can never do the messy business of politics - the negotiation and compromise. But politicians are now grappling with a new politics about how to change the way people behave in their private lives: how they eat, travel, shop, exercise, drink. And art can open minds and change hearts in a way that our politics is singularly failing to do.

Art is not about the simple certainties of political soundbites. It engages emotionally, prompting a self-questioning. There is no predetermined answer.

Source: "Artists are now taking the lead policiticans have failed to give" (The Guardian; 21 May, 2007)

Sometimes It's Better to Leave the Camera at Home

2007-05-16T11:12:00.000-05:00

My daughter was married on May 12, 2007 -- (congrats Amanda and Nick!) -- and I left the photography to the hired pros. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting a few snapshots taken by family and friends.

Does Culture Sculpt the Brain?

2007-05-09T12:50:00.001-05:00

Can culture shape the way our brains process visual information? Perhaps, according to a recent New Scientist article.

Volunteers saw series of images, with some differing in the foreground and others in the background images.

Researchers found that the brains of older East Asian people respond less strongly to changes in the foreground of images than those of their Western counterparts. They suggest this difference is due to an increased emphasis on the background, or context, of images in some Asian cultures.

Perhaps that's why souvenirs look so much better in the store than when we bring them home from our travels....

Being Creative is All in Your Mind

2007-05-09T10:36:00.000-05:00

9 Attitudes of Highly Creative People seems to be a wish list for most of us, but it's nevertheless an entertaining read.

New Photos of Portsmouth, NH

2007-05-06T07:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a few photos I took yesterday during a trip to Portsmouth with the NH Photo Expeditions Meetup Group:

You can see all 25 images at my Flickr site, under the "0507portmouth" set.

On Computational Photography

2007-04-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

Computational photography transforms the act of capturing a image via curved lenses, "virtual lenses", "smart flashes", etc. It has been called "the biggest step in photography since the move away from film" and has its roots in robotics, astronomy, and animation technology.

What's so tempting about the medium is that it can allow the lighting in the room, the position of the camera, the point of focus --and even the expressions on people's faces -- to be chosen after the picture was taken. Of course, some of this can be done quite aptly with existing technology, such as Photoshop. But computational photography pushes the envelope on what photography can -- and should -- do.

Obviously, all this manipulative power raises some serious questions about authenticity. Some may argue that photographic images -- whether film-based or digital -- have always departed from reality to some degree. And others say that the goal of computational photography isn't to depart from reality, but to create a closer facsimile of it. Should computational photography be allowed when doing documentary work? Should it be admissable in court?

Source: www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070407/bob8.asp

Are Women Underrepresented in Galleries?

2007-04-04T13:44:00.000-05:00

The Independent reports that trustees of London's Tate Modern have admitted that the gallery's collection fails to give adequate recognition to female artists and that they need to rectify the gender gap.

Of the 2,914 artists currently represented in the Tate's collection, only 348 - less than 12 per cent - are women. What's more,they say, only two of the 39 major works bought over the past two years were by female artists.

Those who have been overlooked so far include well-known painters Georgia O'Keeffe and Frida Kahlo. Of the better-represented artists, the one most familiar to American audiences might be photographer Cindy Sherman.

The Tate claims that its drive to purchase more works by women is not part of a positive discrimination policy, but rather a correction of past oversights.

Feminist Art?

2007-04-03T14:55:00.000-05:00

The New York Times recently reviewed an article on a show about "Feminist Art" that is currently on display at the Brooklyn Museum.

I was born as part of a generation that came to maturity after the women who've fought hard for the equality of the sexes. So I honestly don't always have the proper appreciation for their efforts. Being born into a family who raised me to believe that there was nothing I couldn't accomplish, I couldn't comprehend at the time that the rest of the world wasn't the same way. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise that "feminist art" never made as much as a blip onto my radar, either.

In covering the show, the Times article explored "the false idea is that there really is such a thing as feminist art, as opposed to art that intentionally or by osmosis reflects or is influenced by feminist thought." Study some of the exhibit's works closely enough, says the paper, "and your bra (if you’re wearing one) may spontaneously combust".

The show is reportedly heavy in photography and video, curious since some of the strongest women I know paint, draw, and sculpt. Perhaps it's the ability of photography and video to present societal issues like this in all their pretentious ugliness -- and make them look so "real" -- that makes them ideal media for messages of this type.

The reviewer, Roberta Smith, notes that many of the artists "fall back on making art from the thing nearest at hand that separates them from men: their bodies." She wisely notes that " feminism is not of itself an aesthetic value. It is an idea that can assume an organic force in some artists’ work, but others just pay it lip service without much exertion or passion."

Well, I'd like to continue this discussion, but I really need to go iron my apron and bake some cookies...

Art and Intention

2007-03-29T09:45:00.000-05:00

The O'Reilly Emerging Tech conference is one of the premier events in the high-tech industry and showcases some of its most illustrious thought-leaders. So what does this have to do with fine art photography? Read on.....(No, this posting ***isn't*** going to reverse-engineer a digital camera.)

The conference's keynote speech was build on the premise that most people treat "techies" as the people who understand technology best. But it speculated that perhaps "the naifs" -- kids, disenfranchised people, techno have-nots -- are actually those who have the best insight into how technology should work.

Put this way, it's easy to see how this translates into the art world.

Most people treat professional artists, gallery owners, educators, and critics as those who understand "art" best. But who hasn't seen the sheer delight in the face of a toddler finger-painting? Who ***really*** has the purest vision: the painter trying to sell a certain numebr of work each month? Or the child running up with his newest drawing, saying "Look what I made just for you!!!" ?

Some Women Really Do See the World Differently...

2007-03-27T10:31:00.000-05:00

Last fall, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a story on tetrachromats, people who can see four distinct ranges of color (instead of the three with which most of us live.) At this point, it is believed that only women have the potential for super color vision.

Each of the three standard color-detecting cones in the retina -- blue, green and red -- can pick up about 100 different gradations of color. But the brain can combine those variations exponentially, so that the average person can distinguish about one million different hues.

A true tetrachromat has another type of cone in between the red and green -- somewhere in the orange range -- and its 100 shades theoretically would allow her to see 100 million different colors. But because most people's eyes aren't capable of seeing the world the way a true four-color viewer perceives it, there's little way of knowing how many advantages that might give to the tetrachromats.

Scientists estimate that 2 percent to 3 percent of the world's women may have the kind of fourth cone that lies smack between the standard red and green cones, which could give them a colossal range. This means there could be 99 million women in the world with true four-color vision.

Why only women? The genes for the pigments in green and red cones lie on the X chromosome, and only women have two X chromosomes, creating the opportunity for one type of red cone to be activated on one X chromosome and the other type of red cone on the other one. (In a few cases, women may have two distinct green cones on either X chromosome.)

However, it's unlikely that all of the women with four types of color cones will have the potential for superior color vision. This is because for many women, their two red cones will be so close to each other in the wavelengths they detect that they won't see things much differently than a typical three-color person does.

But before they pat themselves on the back for their superior evolution, says the newspaper, it's important to note that humans are just getting back to where birds, amphibians, and reptiles have been for eons.

Even so, it's fascinating to think how many women artists might be tetrachromats.

The Opposite of.....

2007-03-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

A late-night thought:

Is the opposite of an artist:

- someone who creates "not art", or
- someone who doesn't create anything at all?

I'm interested in your thoughts, as long as your answer isn't "Someone who ruminates in her blog isntead of creating art." :-)

On Women in Art

2007-03-14T11:57:00.000-05:00

ArtNet ran an interesting article on why there are so few women represented in today's art scene... and why no one seems to find that unusual. Since women are reportedly more likely to be right-brained and creative, this anomaly makes little sense to me.

I belong to several arts organizations and the sizable percentage of members in each group is female. (Of course, this might mean only that women are more likely to join art associations than are men, who may prefer to "go it alone.")

My hunch is that no matter how many women are creating art these days, men may be:

more aggressive about promoting their work
more forthright about anouncing thier "vision", and
more proactive about handling the business aspects of being an artist.

Read the article here: www.artnet.com/magazineus/features/davis/davis3-12-07.asp. (It's written by a man, if you care about that kind of thing.)

On Artistic Arrogance

2007-03-07T13:10:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist posting this gem from Mark Ravenhill of The Guardian (K):

"The very act of writing a novel or painting or performing your song needs arrogance - an arrogance that says: 'I have a unique insight and I have the talent to give that insight a form and the confidence to ask you to come and have a look at what I'm doing.' That is an arrogance that puts us somewhere up there with the gods."

which he follows with, only a few paragraphs later:

"The truth is that this arrogance is only a fleeting moment. It's the fuel to get the unsteady craft off the ground. Pretty soon, the doubt sets in."

Near the end of the article, where he talks about stifling the urge to rework everything he's ever written, he adds:

"But it's better to move on and create more imperfect work than to go over the same ground seeking for impossible perfection."

I don't totally agree with this last statement, but it certainly captures the need to keep moving forward and creating new work, rather than revisiting the past.

Show Post-Mortem

2007-03-06T15:26:00.000-05:00

Last week, I took down the library show and returned many of the included works to their usual spots on my walls. It made me realize how much I take for granted being surrounded by artworks on a day-to-day basis.

My daughter moved into her latest apartment nearly a year ago, and there's nary a wall print to be found there so far. (There are a few of my photos leaning against the wall, a fact which I'm trying not to take personally: after all, they could be stashed in the closet or under her bed.)

How has YOUR life been transformed by art? Leave a comment here:

Photo as Art, Revisited

2007-03-06T15:15:00.000-05:00

I've been trolling the Internet recently for some current thought on whether photography is an art or craft (or perhaps neither, in the wrong hands.) Here's a quote that got me thinking:

"If we use a camera as a recording device (such as in medicine or forensics), it's [just] a tool and photography is a craft. But when we use that camera to express ourselves and to transform a mental image to a physical one, then it's an art."

Not quite sure what the author would have to say about Marcel Duchamp's "sculptures" ("Sometimes a toilet is just a toilet", perhaps?) And I've seen some beautifully rendered representational photos that would certainly qualify as art.

And how would the author consider photorealistic painting, life studies, portraits, etc? Yes, the creators of these works also record what they see before them (often trying to do so as faithfully as possible.) But is it harder to make the art/craft distinction because they are using pencils or paintbrushes instead of lens-based media?

How good are you at recognizing photos?

2007-03-05T14:43:00.000-05:00

Cognitive Daily ran an experiment to find out how good people were at recognizing famous faces and other things in extremely low-resolution photos.

The results were rather impressive, even with only a few sparse pixels' worth of information. Researches found that people can recognize faces using just 12 × 14 pixels' worth of information. So they decide to go back and see if that number could be further reduced.

So how'd they do? Find out here: scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2007/03/casual_fridays_we_can_identify.php

Why the Camera Adds 10 Pounds

2007-03-01T09:08:00.000-05:00

We've all heard the phrase "Cameras don't lie." So then why do people often look heavier in photos than in real life?

The short answer is a combination of bad lighting, odd angles, and the focal length of the lens being used. To learn more, read this article from Slate: www.slate.com/id/2160377/?GT1=9129

Dianne Levine Opening This Coming Weekend

2007-02-26T10:47:00.000-05:00

My friend Dianne Levine will be having a reception for "INSIDE OUTSIDE"
at the Jefferson Cutter House, 1 Whittemore Park, Arlington MA this coming Saturday from 3-6PM. Not only is she an exceptionally talented artist, but also a gracious and interesting woman. It's definitely worth the drive.

If you're unable to attend the show, I highly encourage you to visit her web site at
http://www.dlevineartist.com

NHSPA Show Closes Today

2007-02-24T20:41:00.000-05:00

I drove out to downtown Exeter today to pick up my two pieces from the NH Society of Photographic Artists show. While waiting for the show to close at 4, I poked around some of the local shops. (There's a fine crafts gallery that alone is worth the ride out there, even in the blistering cold.)

After that, I came back and worked on some more roses photos. (Which is getting tougher now that they're starting to fade.) Here's my favorite shot, which I can't wait to enlarge:

Everything's Coming Up Roses

2007-02-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

My daughter sent me some roses yesterday to celebrate my acceptance into law school.

I've been playing around photographing them in a darkened room, lit only by flashlight. (yes, we photographers can't merely enjoy flowers: we must also ***document*** them.)

Here's my favorite shot, cropped two different ways:

My favorite part of both photos is the membrane-like top petal right at the "center of the center" of the bloom.

Just a Random Thought....

2007-02-20T14:25:00.000-05:00

A recent article in the San Francisco Examiner stated that of the estimated 7,600 languages known in the world today, half are endangered and could be lost forever within a few decades.

If/when that happens, surely something else must take its place. And especially for a generation that is "thinking global" more than any of its predecessors ever did, what will this mean for the place of visual arts as a communicative tool?

Library Closed Due to Nor'Easter

2007-02-14T11:48:00.000-05:00

But you'll still have 12 other (hopefully) snow-free days to see my show at the Nashua Public Library, ending Tuesday, February 27, 2007.