Monday, February 09, 2015

Blending Time and Mediums:

Way back when.... there was only film to capture your photographs and movies. Mine was a 35mm camera a single lens reflex using mostly black and white film. And for special occasions color film, but most of my early work was black and white. The most important thing about those times, for those that were not around? There was no deleting your mistakes within the camera!You could not just look at your LCD on the back of your digital camera and see if you liked the photograph you just took, and decide to keep it or as you do today just delete it. You never got to see your mistakes or successes until later after they had been sent away, or you had learned to develop your film and then print an actual photo, from the negative.

What I blended:
the photograph above is a composite of mediums. The (young mans) face in the photograph is me (40 years or more younger), it was taken with a 35 mm film camera. I found the actual photograph in my old photo album and then scanned it and uploaded it digitally as a jpg file to my computer. But its origination is strictly from silver laden 35mm film, and  then developed with chemicals.

My face captures the light of a  moving lit candle, slowly moving in front of my face from left to right.The camera was set for a  time exposure of about thirty seconds. Although the candle can not be seen because it never stayed in one spot long enough for the then probably ASA 200 film to catch its shape. You can see the light trail left by the burning candle as it traveled in front of me. The rocket taking off and the trail of exhaust below it ,and the tower to the right is taken from a U.S.Postage Stamp honoring Robert H.Goddard. He is credited with inventing the first known liquid fueled rockets . I  am a huge fan of the early space program and astronauts and exploration into space, so I blended the digitized file of the stamp with the 40 year old  'selfie'  portrait photograph.

Experiment with mediums: 
There are many old 35mm slides and developed films from the past most likely from your own photo albums, parents or even ones you may find at flea markets , yard sales and auctions. Think about blending different mediums using old format 35 mm film scanned and digitized.Then  blend with other mediums,and then  combine as in my case a regular old unused postage stamp that I found and scanned digitally to make the above scene, which spans 40 or more years.
Have fun! 

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Moment


The Moment
Embrace
May 8,2013

    Congrats to my daughter who caught this great moment between her almost two year old son and "Papa", with a quick eye and a handy smart phone. With just a little cropping of the shot, plus adding a frame, and it becomes a great photograph ! Great shot K. ! 

Saturday, March 09, 2013

QR Codes and Photography

     


Discovering QR Codes

    Above you will see my first experimental QR codes combined with a digital photograph.  They can now be used to promote my website . The QR photograph below, is exactly that, a 5 x 7' photograph that I could now post at a local bulletin board, or to be posted as an advertisement anywhere legally done.You could also use regular printing paper rather then using photo paper, as  I did in actuality.
   If you are unfamiliar with the QR symbol and it's use then today would be a good day to learn. It is not to say that this symbol is familiar to only a select few, but I do think it still remains a mystery to many.  The usual reaction to the question "what is a QR code/symbol", results in silence, blank stares, "a Q what?" etc. If ask something like,it looks similar to a bar code" and "you see it on mail delivered to your house or business, then the reaction is oh okay is that what they are?"
In  the future people will most likely react with a more positive reaction to what is a QR code? 

Why even care about QR bar codes?

1. The trend is strong it will be  around for many years as a Smart Phone application. Propagation of this transfer of information will continue to increase until it is part of the American  fabric of communication via the codes created.
2.QR codes are showing up everywhere. They will soon be on your flat screen as you watch your favorite TV shows and news casts.
3. It will have its uses, it will have it's drawbacks,it will have limitations, but it will be here to stay.

What is a QR Code ?

QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix bar code (or two-dimensional bar code) first designed for the automotive industry in Japan......more at Wikipedia,

What are the QR code uses ? Why would I care?

During the month of June 2011, according to one study, 14 million mobile users scanned a QR code or a bar code 
..... Some 58% of those users scanned a QR or bar code from their homes,
..... 39% scanned from retail stores;
..... 53% of the 14 million users were men between the ages of 18 and 34
..... use of QR codes for "virtual store" formats and is currently expanding globally
..... Big companies such as Walmart, Procter & Gamble and Woolworth s have already adopted the      Virtual Store concept.

My QR info-links

the-qrcode-generator.com
qrreaders.net
Mobile-Barcodes
QRStuff
next140.com
keremerkan.net
businessnewsdaily.com
2d-code.co.uk2d-code.co.uk



Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Arts in Baltimore, Maryland.

List of Links to the arts.


The following list was gathered online as well as The Baltimore Sunpaper, Arts Section. There is no particular order when included and is subject to change. Baltimore has a rich heritage and a diverse art community. Below is what I have documented so far. Let me know  of any omits,comments or contributions of art news  at netfun2011@hotmail.com 
please enter 'The arts in Baltimore'  in the Subject line.Thank you.
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Copyright 2013
All photos and material.
netfun2007.blogspot.com
&
Thanks for visiting.




































Baltimore Museum of Art

The Baltimore Museum  of Art has opened their New Contemporary Wing. As mentioned on their site... "consists of fourteen revitalized galleries with more than 100 works-including paintings,sculpture,photographs, drawings, and video.Free for all."

My main focus during my visit was to get an overview of all the art. But, would have an eye out for any photography. Although I like most art, photography intrigues me the most.

The Baltimore Museum of Art Visitor Entrance.
If you have not been to the BMA before, or it has been a while since you have been there, look for these changes; the entrance is no longer between the two lion statues out front of the museum, and the walk up the steps to that entrance. In fact pass them both on your way to the new entrance just feet east(to the right as you face the old entrance on Museum Drive) of the old front entrance where you will also find more parking just off the new main entrance. Grab your ticket from the automatic ticket dispenser and take it with you inside. Right inside the lobby you can pay for all day for a reasonable $6.00.
There is also street metered parking right in front of the museum on Museum Drive. 

 Note: If you wish to be surprised and do not want to know what art is displayed then do not look or read beyond this point.
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     On this day I was bringing along a friend who really is an artist and a lover of the arts. Although she was hundreds of miles away, I sent pictures of what I found interesting ( or knew something about), and gladly fired off my pics through my I-phone. Although the lighting is bright,it was a challenge to photograph without a real 35 mm digital.And some sculptures or art were so large it was hard to get it all in the photograph. In fact some works of art are so large you can walk around, through, and under them as you view them.
     Some of the artist I was familiar with, some were new and exciting to discover. But, most of all, I found the experience to be a wonderful afternoon wondering through a great Art Museum.

First Sculpture (Above)greets visitors into the New Contemporary Wing.





Above: Self Portrait: Andy Warhol

   

Above: Andy Warhol painting, just part of the gallery showing Warhol's work at the Baltimore Museum of Art.There is an entire room dedicated to Andy Warhol and his larger then life works of art.


Sculpture so large you can walk under and through   it.
Photographic Print
Colorful print made from different colored filters.
Large format photographic prints.
Close by are works of other well known artist .....


Matisse works of art- dancers





Early Picasso sculpture

Calder mobile hangs from ceiling




Thanks for visiting, come back soon!




Monday, December 17, 2012

Multiple Mashups

I call my photos mash ups. Mashing one photo into the next. Finding the right combination of form and colors.
Some are laid on top of other photos serving as back grounds, such as the photo below. Some are combined together to form just one picture.All photos were made with an I phone 3, transferred to my Dell computer and transformed in Google Picasa.
Virtually all were post edited in Picasa for color enhancement, inverted colors, and a number of easily performed editing tasks within Picasa.





A portrait of a persons shadow combined with the shingles of  a  house.

Combination of two photos one of wall the other of tree.



Combination of brick wall, photo of dresses in a window and that  is combined with a  photo of some woods.





Monday, June 04, 2012

The Hunt

   I was hunting nature with my camera today along with my faithful dog Terp. 
We came across a Great Blue Heron in the stream by our house. The heron also had a friend, Mr.Duck that was floating close by and sharing the little pond of water that had formed in the stream bed.


Dragonfly- possible Damsel dragonfly


Terp meets a new doggy friend through a board in the fence between.


Terp meets two new friends, Mr. Duck and Mr. Heron.



Terp still  going to meet his new friends.



From the stream bed trees above ground has lost the dirt that once clung to the roots of this tree.



More exposed roots hanging down from the root structure of another tree.



One more example of a tree losing the battle against erosion from the rushing water in the stream bed.






More back yard photography


In an earlier article , examples were given to show if you really look closely in your back yard, front yard, neighbors yards and the immediate neighborhood you can produce some great photographs. It is not necessary to travel far to find a  great shot.
.
 I was amazed this photo turned out, and it took severe photo editing to bring out the humming birds beating wings.
Click on all photographs to enlarge



Just feet from my back door, this bird was kind enough to pose for me.








Sunday, June 03, 2012

Night Photography

 The dark always seems mysterious and some what scarey in real life. But, is one of the favorite activities you can  enjoy shooting with your camera..I like the idea that your mind fills in much of a picture like the one to the right. You have already decided it is probably a lonely country road late at night. Or even a lonely highway near home. It does not matter if in reality it is a busy country style road connecting thousands of commuters everyday, and would not be rare to see cars stopped bumper to bumper every afternoon.
The picture to the right was made by cradling my Nikon D200 camera on my arm as it pointed out the driver side window of my car (not moving and off),shot with available light as the car moved down the hill toward me.



A car heading in the other direction but on the same road. This time it included the street lamp above to add some scale to the picture, and at the same time, some green  color even though night time.











 Using Google Picasa, pixalation was added to the lights in this scene to the right. The cross street is "Thornton Rd."







A local street, with wonderful weather, cafe tables on the sidewalk, and holiday lights strung from the trees (June12) gives Towson's street a warm welcome and inviting place to visit.













Below, a local store front showing wedding dresses for sale.From the sidewalk you get a wonderful feeling for the style and quality of the gowns being shown.



Walking on the busy side walk I spied this little walkway, that was off to the left, lighted by the single lamp.







Saturday, June 02, 2012

Is it a phone? Is it a camera ? Is it a computer ?

Just what is the phone any more ?
And why is everything in ' the Cloud' now? Your information is in the cloud, your computer applications now run in the Cloud.....and of course all our pictures are now stored in the Cloud.

It makes the definition of a  phone , so different from when most of us older folks where growing up.
The only way you called out  on a phone was by dialing a wheel with the letters and numbers cordinated with a finger holes for your finger tips to slid into. And the only way you made a phone call on the road was from a Gas (or filling) Station that had a phone (or phone booth )on it's property, usually by the free air hose. Imagine free air at a Service Station.

So just sitting here in the middle of a big open field, with my I Phone( camera? computer?), and sending you a hello and a picture of a cloud in case you forgot what a cloud  really is! The weather is beautiful here, and hope it is for you too.And sending both picture of a cloud and placing it on my blog (in the Cloud),
never mind  ....



Have fun this weekend...everyone and don't worry about the clouds!
This picture from my I- phone.

Friday, June 01, 2012

Take a second look at your close surroundings


*click pics to enlarge*





Robin perched on my front door light, what's left of it. Soon will have some chicks.


Although it is common for me to record the passages of the seasons in photographs, right from the back yard, today was special. I wanted to look closer, at the leaves, at the birds, at what nature had given me in my own back yard. 
Today's light was special.
Bright, shining through the trees and and leaves, casting beautiful shadows on the ones below.
The idea was to look hard for what I had not seen before.













There is also plenty of post doctoring of some of the photographs, but not all. Several could not be improved upon. As you know I am a big fan of the Google editing program Picasa. And, as such you will see I love to add my own touch of reality for each photograph.