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 . . .

Ambient Light - Part 2

I continue to experiment with ambient light; I also continue to be surprised by how cool shooting ambient can be.

As you know, my normal M.O. is to figure out what I am going to shoot and then build the lighting scheme accordingly. Shooting ambient for me, however, is a completely opposite process. When shooting ambient I first search for the light and only then does the subject matter reveal itself; it's as though the subject matter takes a back seat to the light.

Amazing subjects with uninspired light create dull photographs - and that holds true whether I am shooting strobe or ambient. The biggest difference is whether I create the light or chase the light.

To see more of my work visit my commercial photography website.

Ambient Light - What a Concept!

I did something yesterday for the first time - I completed an entire commercial photoshoot using only the ambient light. This was a new and unusual experience for me.

Even the drive to the shoot was odd - my gear list consisted of 1 body, 1 lens, a tripod and an extra battery/CF card. Even though I had exactly what I needed it was waaaay less than the normal kit that includes multiple strobes, light stands, modifiers, clamps, etc.

It was almost a liberating experience from the standpoint of being able to change directions and regroup mid-shoot without having to recreate the lighting set.

Don't get me wrong - I still very much love the lighting element of the photographic process; this was just a cool learning experience for me who has up until now only saw the world around my lit by millisecond bursts of strobe light! ;-)

Morning Light As Seen By My Cameraphone

I have been using my phone and my point and shoot more and more to create artistic photographs and as a result have been chasing light more and more and looking for content less and less. [how many 'and's in that sentence?!?]

The simple reason is because when using these tools I am typically shooting only with the ambient light which is a huuuuge departure from my usual strobe-centric style.

These simple tools have provided tremendous inspiration specifically related the artistic process of creating photographs and I am learning that 'better light' trumps 'better content'.

There is no doubt in my mind that running around with a cameraphone chasing ambient light has already begun to improve my studio-lit big production photographs.

To see more of my work visit my commercial photography website.

Public Art

I really enjoy seeing public art - there is something very gratifying about having the privilege to see the personal artwork of different artists at no charge and out in the open-air public.

I am unsure if this piece was created and installed with the intent of being framed visually they way I have done here in this photograph but it certainly does seem like such a natural fit so as to appear intentional by the artist.

To see more of my work visit my commercial photography website.

Waterjet Cutter

Until having to photograph one, I really didn't know what a waterjet cutter was. Turns out they are pretty cool but I arrived day of shoot site unseen and wasn't sure how I was going to set up the lighting. Hmm . . .

The working area of the facility was lit with overhead florescents so I pretty much nuked away any ambient with strobes and spiced up the lighting a little by having one strobe 1/2 CTO'd (a little warmer), one strobe 1/2 CTB'd (a little cooler), and one color neutral. Adding tension by including opposite color temperatures (in this case yellow/blue) usually entices longer gazes.

Once the basic lighting configuration was set up I was able to move it around and prepare subsequent shots fairly quickly.

Strobist Info:
1 SB800 snooted and 1/2 CTO'd pointing back at camera
1 SB800 snooted and 1/2 CTB'd high and camera-left
1 SB900 in a Lumiquest III softbox camera right
All fired w/ PW's

To see more of my work visit my commercial photography website.