Behind the Scenes: Super-Macro Photo-Art

This is a recent creation of mine and I like to think of it as the monster that lives in my closet scaring me at night; the reason I don't sleep with the closet door open. After I created it I thought that perhaps someone may mistake it for a photograph of a toy or doll or the like; when in fact that couldn't be further from the truth. So for this blog post I am going to provide a little 'behind the scenes' on how the image was created.

For starters it is important to know that it is a composite of two photographs taken with my cameraphone. It is also important to know that I outfitted my cameraphone with a lens from a DVD player which makes it a super-macro (about the magnification of a cheapie microscope).

This is the first image I used. In the final product it is what I would refer to as a headdress; perhaps similar to a Native American ceremonial headdress. What it is in reality is a weensy little hole in the surface of my desk. Once I got it edited to my liking I thought something filling the hole would be cool. Which leads us to . . .





. . . the second image I used. This is the face of the monster. I think it looks like an evil feline monster of some type - like a Thundercat gone awry. What it actually is is a segment of the body of a dead crane fly.



Mix equal parts, put in Photoshop for 30 minutes, and voila! You have have the monster that lives in my closet.

The Relationship Between Artist and Artwork

So I have been thinking for some time now about the relationship between myself as a photographer and my photography. The question that kept rolling around in my mind is whether I, as the maker, define my artwork; or if conversely my artwork defines me.

I have finally come to the conclusion the two are inseparable - sort of a 'chicken and egg' deal. I am obviously in control of the artwork I create (and/or choose to publish) but then at that very moment of creation/publication the artwork instantly becomes a defining element of who I am.

This may seem pretty obvious (things usually are once they are out there in front of you) but it all makes so much more sense now why I have such an emotional reaction to creating photographs. It's because when I look at my photos I am really looking at a little part of me; a piece of who I am on the inside.

I Shall Levitate My Way Through Monday

Man, sometimes I feel like I have anchors on my ankles (is it Monday already?).

But not this guy - he's got it all figured out. That's why he can levitate. ;-)

You can check out more about him at Desert Standard.

If The Door Is Locked, Does It Matter What Side You're On?

I guess this is a similar notion to "The grass is always greener on the other side" - except different.

I am pretty sure being locked in is as painful/hurtful/exclusionary as being locked out. So, at the risk of sounding trite by quoting music lyrics, as the Beastie Boys say "I got an open mind so why don't you all step inside" [no locks here sucka].

Werd.

I Think My Blog Hates Me . . .

. . . and I can't say I blame it. This poor little feller's been neglected now for 6 long months!

"Bad blogger, bad blogger!"

I could write a laundry list of reasons why but I know you don't care. So what matters now is that I get my blogging ass in gear and start/keep publishing.


This photo is from a magazine shoot I was on. I was the lighting dude/assistant on this project. Props to Morton Photographic for consistently getting magazine gigs - it was his photoshoot. However, I couldn't resist getting a few shots of my own in between the real shots for the article.

Anyway, consider this the beginning of the beginning of my return to blogging.

Stay tuned . . .