Looking at one photograph at a time
I keep coming back to the couple of days that I spent in Xitang photographing the old water village. The 1200 old structures were very intriging, especially since this village is a not a museum, people still live here and continue their normal lives. But there are shops that do cater to those who come to... Continue Reading →
While I was on out on assignment today, my updated book Places Amongst Us was delivered. As you might recall, I was disappointed with color of the first production proof, it was like they had put the entire book in a tonal compression chamber; the shadows were blocked and the highlights were blown. It did not... Continue Reading →
After writing yesterday about the balance of hand-head-heart in my work, I realize that I may be way too head-strong. With that I also imply I may be too left side brainy, which is the analytical and verbal side of our brain. I don't know, perhaps a guy thing or maybe tooo much an engineer. The right... Continue Reading →
I am reading (and re-reading) the article Rigor and Surrender by Bruce Barlow in LensWork #77. An interesting piece and a good self sanity check, or at least for me. My immediate take away deals with the point he makes about a creative person who needs to be aware of three things, their head, their heart and their... Continue Reading →
Perhaps on a less serious note, it is always interesting to me as to what words get adopted into other cultures. Here in the outskirts of Shanghai, it was obvious to me as I walked by this "Beer-Bar" at dusk what gets adopted quickly. Maybe it is a guy thing, but after learning the usual words of introduction and... Continue Reading →
As I have been going back through my Eastern China photographs, I have been putting my photographs into one of three series. This is the rough cut or as some might label, the straw man. To me it is part of the editing process. It does force me to make decisions, but it is also part... Continue Reading →
Kjell Andersen had a fun little contest posted on his blog and I just found out who the winner is - Me! I have been enjoying his SoFoBoMo book Crossing the River a lot. His book is a quentessianal project with all of the elements that trademark a good series, well seen, wonderfully brought to... Continue Reading →
"Parking Stucture #11", copyright of Rudy Vega A photographer who's work that I have enjoyed recently is Rudy Vega, a local member of The Photographers Exchange, especially his parking structure landscape series. Like Rudy, I am sometimes fascinated by the truncated outlooks you are provided with while driving through a parking structure. Rudy has recognized these interesting juxtapositions that are derived by these... Continue Reading →
I recently received a comment on one of my China suburban landscape photographs about the camera I used and the "style" that it implied; e.g. apparent that I had used a small digital sensor, but the image looked like one from a medium or large format camera. I know that there are a lot of side conversations about a photographers "style",... Continue Reading →
Photographs copyright Niels Stomps I found an interesting review by Jeff Ladd on the book Mist by Niels Stomps. Stomps subject is the region of China of the Three Gorges Dam project. I find myself thinking that Stomps work is similar in nature to the photographs I am capturing in Eastern Chian.The underlying context for Stomps work as expressed in this book review... Continue Reading →
Singular Images 