Today was an "open day" and we met at the Pasadena Senior Center. Unfortunately we were a bit technically challenged but on the brighter side it was quiet...in a senior sort of way...almost a "senior moment or hour" Charley showed some pictures he shot at ArtLA last week. While not photography, Charley and others agreed that looking at all kinds of art helps train our eyes and brains in our photography. Below are several pictures of the art... "Photoshop Tennis" Has officially started and some pictures have already been edited and passed on to other members of the team. For those who can't remember the details...look back to Mark's email several weeks ago outlining the process. If you can't find that email...give Mark a call or email. Photo LA Redux While we did not talk about this, I'd like to re-visit one photographer I liked when I saw her work last year at Photo LA and like it even more this year. The photographer is Elizabeth Sunday Elizabeth is a clever photographer both from a business standpoint and technically. She photographs indigenous people...mostly from Africa and translates her pictures using a series of mirrors ("Mirror Photography") Her work has been shown in a number of museums around the country including LACMA and the Corcoran Check out her website http://elizabethsundayafrica.blogspot.com Upcoming Exhibit
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“The more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer" Robert Mapplethorpe Report by Howard Landau Today was an “open session” for f8 and as usual lots of good pictures were shown with participation from many members. As always, good discussion took place about the work and what makes it so special. The diversity of our interest is what makes the conversation so stimulating. Contributors of pictures were provided by Howard, Steve and Gareth "Photoshop Tennis"
Lead by Mark Myers Our first group creative activity of 2015– kicks off this week... "Photoshop Tennis." Those that signed up will be broken into editing teams by Mark. The final product from each team will be printed and posted on our blog along with details showing how the image changed as it went back and forth between team members. This is an experiment for all of us so stay tuned to the blog for details of the "end of the match." "There is a vast difference between taking a picture and making a photograph." Henri Cartier Bresson The "Decisive Moment" has been reprinted Interesting meeting today.... Richard brought a guest today, Pam Tom...a producer and director who made a brief presentation about her documentary project featuring Tyrus Wong. Tyrus is a quite elderly Chinese artist, illustrator, animator who was responsible for the art work in Disney's "Bambi" and countless other Hollywood movies. Her tale of his creative genius can be accessed from her website or you can see a trailer from the documentary by searching for his name on You Tube. http://www.tyruswongthemovie.com also more information on Tyrus on Smithsonian.com (January 2014) Her discussion segued nicely into Bill's brief presentation on elements of "creativity." The PowerPoint presentation could not be placed in the blog and will be sent out as a separate email. The discussion followed from the points and ideas made in the book. The author explored his ideas using interviews with creatives in all fields Basically, while creativity rests with the individual, it is in a system influenced by the rules of the domain as well as the socio-culture. The individual cannot create unless exposed to the domain and being accepted by the gatekeepers of the domain e.g. art or photography. Bill discussed the effect of an inspiring environment, effect of family support and being in the right place at the right time In addition, there is the work of creation including Preparation Insight Evaluation Elaboration Creativity is a very complex issue both with the individual and within society We then viewed a TED Talk from 2011 about a creative artist "Janet Eichelman: Taking Imagination Seriously" (search for her name and title and TED Talk will come up) The whole discussion again segued into Bill's final presentation "Behind the Wall" a look into the creative process behind his current photography series on Urban Walls Bill first discussed what wall art "is'
Wall Art… has its roots in Dadaism, abstract realism, pop and artistic disenfranchisement engages viewers in public discourse without need for museums or galleries mixes reality with visual fiction in uncensored visual candor represents one freedom of expression within society mimics abstract art in line and form and color serves as “proof of life” within the community enhances an otherwise sterile and barren environment will disappear with time, human intervention and the natural elements has overlapping meanings and discourses within urban cultures represents the “Beauty of the Random” Bill discussed the creative path to the current series as well as the visual components he looks for when photographing the walls. Finally the challenges ahead in getting the work accepted and shown...getting past the gatekeepers of our art. All in all, another great f8 Pasadena Salon Saturday morning “The question is not if we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.” Martin Luther King, Jr What we saw and discussed today... First we saw a Hubble picture of the nebulae "Pillars of Life" dating from 1995 and more recently 2014. While they look similar, because of distance they have actually moved 50-100 billion miles. Perspective! We then looked at some of our f8 contributors pictures: We next indulged ourselves in two video presentations... The first was "The Making of the Lone Ranger"...search You Tube if you would like see the video second, a TED Talk from 2011: Nathalie Miebach / "Art Made of Storms" or more specifically art generated from scientific data...in this case data from storms translated into physical art...sculpture and music. This talk got us into discussing the boundaries of art, layering of art forms providing increased "richness," and how the stand-alone art piece lacks understanding without the "element of performance" as an explanation. Finally, how art can be completely "observer dependent" as much of photography can be. We then discussed the element of collaboration that photographers rarely use. Bill challenged all to work with other f8'ers in some collaborative efforts over the next few months. Not discussed at the meeting was Bill's visit today to the Getty...seeing two exhibits: This exhibit was not photography focused but rather concentrated on war iconography and propaganda. The exhibit was populated mainly by posters, etchings, periodicals and some artifacts...and a rare picture or two. Not inspiring visually. The second exhibit was a retrospective of a contemporary photographer now in his late seventies... Josef Koudelka: "Nationality Doubtful" ...a member of Magnum who documented the Roma (Gypsies), the invasion of Prague by the Russians and eventually became nationless when he left his homeland. Working in B&W with a "one of a kind" Leica he produced a large body of work much of which was panoramic. Not very interested in prints, his focus was the production of books of his photography. Many of his prints are identified by country only as he was reticent to discuss specifics of where he shot and his subject matter. The exhibit is worth seeing...below is an example of his work: A quote from Josef Koudelka...
"I don't pretend to be an intellectual or a philosopher. I just look. |
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