Monday, October 3, 2016

Nevada fortune wheel


Another sandwich - two negs aligned together in the neg carrier. Just one exposure.
Coming up with these is really difficult, i don't know where this came from, i went thru all my 'psd sketches' folders, couldn't find a thing. Oh, well / c'est la vie.
The thing about sandwiches that seems to work for me? Something distant contrasting against something close up. Plenty of tension and contrast going on, it makes the image interesting / arresting.
The landscape is Nevada which is mostly the most barren desolate high desert you could ever encounter.
The fortune wheel is an old-timey amusement, before TV or anything digital.


This one screamed 'handcolor me!'... so i did, just watercolors, no subsequent oils. Then i did some icing on the cake w/ Photoshop, levels, & Hue/Sat layer.


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In the whatever catches my eye file this month?

"......for most of its history, cinema was medium-specific — it was shot, processed and distributed on film. The movies we watch today, by contrast, are rarely made through mechanical and photochemical processes, but with computer code, with strings of zeros and ones: bits. Each medium has its advantages, although for many lovers of film the crucial difference is its vivid, alive look."


'Ah'll be back' to quote Ah-nold, the terminator


Saturday, September 3, 2016

'The Pass' - lots of improvisation

Yes, improvisation, 'darkroom printing, without a net' so to speak is a really nice thing. And Photoshop has a way subverting that. Here's the P'shop sketch that got it started:


I like the white space/hi-lite in the notch of the rocks, it draws the viewer in. There's nothing there... but what is 'beyond' nothing?


(Above, the 1 frame/negative.)



(And the stark stormy Joshua Tree)

That's an interesting question in and of itself - what is beyond nothing, white space, an opening?

This one was all improvisation, first i exposed the rocky landscape at the bottom, then burned in 3 variations of the Joshua Tree at the top. 






I am OK w/ the white space between the rocks in the first three... but for #4 it was time for something 'different' - which was another Joshua Tree, and a last and final one, much smaller, in the notch in the rocks.

Here's the neg:



And the print:


Which is 'better'? Viewers choice.

In the 'whatever catches my eye' file, all worth your time:




http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Local-photographer-Engel-Ching-captures-beauty-of-6641670.php


After many years of making darkroom photomontage ( since the late 80's), and not being able to get arrested for it except for a few appearances in competitive group shows, and some assignment illustrations in various magazines ....I am designing & publishing books I make at Blurb with 'Bookify' - two of them are on Amazon, one is at Blurb.

'California Beach Trip':
On Amazon:


'Desert Trip'
On Amazon:


'Seeking the Vibe'
On Blurb:

Previews of all at: