Its amazing the things we miss while we sleep. The night is such a fascinating time, part of it being that when you're up at 2 a.m., so many people are asleep, the world feels much lonelier. When I walk around at night, it comforts me that all the people in the houses I pass are warm and cozy, lying in bed. I feel set apart when I take the time to enjoy the night, and especially the night sky. The camera can pick up details that our eyes usually miss, like the color of the stars, or the movement of the constellations, the little bits of dust caught in flash, the airplanes and meteorites and satellites that rarely take the time to notice.
This is a composite image from 402 images. Each exposure was 30s at f/3.5 at ISO 400. The flash popped at the beginning of each exposure 1/8 power. Stitched together using StarTrails and minor edits in Photoshop.
The video below tracks the motion of the stars through the course of the night.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Lightnin'
These images fail to properly convey all the emotion, the wonder, the drama of this visual display of my experience. Try as you might, you cannot capture fully what the artist experiences. You may think the images are beautiful, and can relate to some experience where you've witnessed something similar. Most likely, however, you are sitting at a computer during the waking hours, safe at home and cozy. As much work as I may or may not have put into these images, you still won't understand how it made me feel--the eerie silence, the anticipation in the air, the danger of darkness, the smell of fresh asphalt, the fear of lime disease. These images captures only a fraction of what really happened, what really was experienced by the artist. That is the great challenge and the great failure of art. The challenge to tell the story and the failure when you fall short of fully conveying the entire message.
13s at f/4.5 ISO 100
13s at f/4.5 ISO 100
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Lightnin'
Composite image from 6 different exposures. Camera set to continual shooting mode, 10s at f/4.5 ISO 640. Flash set to second curtain. The foreground and background contrast well, both in value and color, the orange in the foreground with the purple in the back, though a certain warmth binds them together well. Use of flash creates an interesting subject for the photo, but the hero is the background. The four bolts of lightning, the power post, the radio towers and trees on left and right provide a nice repetition. Cropping also adds interest, as the dimensions of the image are atypical.
10s at f/4.5 ISO 640
Monday, October 24, 2011
Lightnin'
Sitting on the couch. Its late. Just got home from the fair. And parking cars. Thunder. 1:30 a.m. Terrible Sci Fi Channel original move is on. More thunder. Noodling on the guitar. Can't choose between beginning a recording or hitting the sack. The rumbling continues. Not sure if its the movie or the real thing. Downstairs, to the bathroom. Sound's still there, coming from outside. Can't resist the light...
13s at f/4.5 ISO 100
13s at f/4.5 ISO 100
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Chocolate Chapstick (DS Remix)
I am currently enrolled in Electronic Music, a class required for my minor. Since I arranged this song, I've learned a couple or a few things about synthesizers, knowledge which would have been helpful when I created this piece.
Using the Korg DS-10 to produce the music, I manipulated only the carrier signal (the initial input note) of each synthesized sound. I adjusted the envelop (how the sound opens and closes), the shape of the wave (sine, sawtooth, etc.), and the amount of distortion (by cutting or boosting gain). I also manipulated EQ by using high and low pass filters.
By controlling these few elements I've ended up with some relatively interesting sounds. However, this instrument seems to be capable of a level of complexity I haven't demonstrated in this piece--there's a lot more to learn.
Hope you enjoy! Here's the original to compare.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A Stranger No More To Be (DS Remix)
I received the Korg DS-10, a synthesizer built by Korg for the Nintendo DS, as a Christmas gift a few years ago. Though I requested it, I never took the time to pick it up and figure out how to use it. I had never written music on a synthesizer and didn't know where to start. Eventually, it struck me that I could figure out the process best by arranging an existing composition.
You can listen to the original here.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Panoramic Narrative
1.3s at f/5.6 ISO 100
This process is derived from a desire
to tell a story through multiple frames. For me, this first led into
an exploration of stop motion and time lapse photography, then to
video. This image is an exploration of the panoramic narrative
process. Ultimately, I want to use the process on a large scale,
composite prints that span the length of an entire wall. The next
step is to create a mock up—divide the image into 3 or 4 printable
sections and hang them side by side.
check it on flickr
Monday, October 17, 2011
Panoramic Narrative
This is the first attempt in the process of compositing images into a panorama that tells a story. A macro tube was employed to capture these six images. I mounted my camera on a tripod and swiveled only the left right axis to keep a steady background. I moved the figure through the frames, telling a short story. The images were brought into Photoshop and I used layer masks to blend them into the final image.
Next time, I would overlap my images more during production. It was difficult only having a small area of overlap to blend the images with. Moreover, I noticed some vignetting happening near the edges of the frames, only adding to the difficulty of blending. Look closely and you will notice some of the problem areas.
1.3s at f/5.6 ISO 100
Next time, I would overlap my images more during production. It was difficult only having a small area of overlap to blend the images with. Moreover, I noticed some vignetting happening near the edges of the frames, only adding to the difficulty of blending. Look closely and you will notice some of the problem areas.
1.3s at f/5.6 ISO 100
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Bottle Rocket Wars
Most of these photos were shot as soon as the sun set, giving us the minimum amount of darkness to start the show. There was still some ambient light hangin' around and I found my best apertures to be between f/16 and f/20. I could have went smaller in the longer exposures--some of the detail in the middle parts of the fireworks are blown out.
17s at f/18 ISO 100
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Bottle Rocket Wars
We'd spend the day light hours shooting off all the wimpy stuff, but when night fell, we'd pull out the big guns. Fourth of July has changed over the years. The big finale has transformed from terrifying event that overwhelmed my untrained senses, to a theatrical display I participated in as a spectator, to a performance in which I played a lead part, and now, again, something I merely enjoy and observe from the sidelines. As I get older, the world has gotten smaller in some ways, some things have lost their wonder, their grip on me. While I may not be amazed by a simple light show these days, it still brings that sense of nostalgia and days long gone.
6s at f/20 ISO 100
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Bottle Rocket Wars
Moving on to bottle rocket wars seemed the next natural step in the process of July 4th evolution.
Once I threatened my brother at bottle rocket-point, lighter poised to ignite. He wouldn't leave my room and left me no other choice. It was meant to be merely a facade. By accident, I stepped too close to the edge and lit the rocket. I had no other choice than to allow the rocket to spray its sparks and explode in my hand.
For those who don't know, the stem on the bottle rocket guides it straight, take it off and you've got yourself a free agent. It was bottle rocket Russian roulette. We'd play games of chicken by lighting these stemless bottle rockets and throwing them between us—you were marked a coward if you fled.
19s at f/18 ISO 100
Once I threatened my brother at bottle rocket-point, lighter poised to ignite. He wouldn't leave my room and left me no other choice. It was meant to be merely a facade. By accident, I stepped too close to the edge and lit the rocket. I had no other choice than to allow the rocket to spray its sparks and explode in my hand.
For those who don't know, the stem on the bottle rocket guides it straight, take it off and you've got yourself a free agent. It was bottle rocket Russian roulette. We'd play games of chicken by lighting these stemless bottle rockets and throwing them between us—you were marked a coward if you fled.
19s at f/18 ISO 100
Monday, October 10, 2011
Bottle Rocket Wars
There was probably a more economical way to set fire to G.I. Joes and Barbie dolls, but we rather enjoyed our weapon of choice. It was a tier process—first you'd start with snakes and poppers. Once you got a little older you advanced to sparklers and smoke bombs, neither of which, I might add, are particularly safe. Smoke bombs spew fire before emitting smoke and sparklers are just pointed fire sticks. Both were vital in starting a good fire.
The next graduation was to bottle rockets and firecrackers.
We were told to lay on the ground anything we set off, to allow us tim to flee and to keep the explosion out of our hands and away from our faces. So smoke bombs and firecrackers should lay flat and bottle rockets in bottles. I don't know if these restrictions are naturally boring or if we simply got terrible ideas from the older kids. Rarely were firecrackers on the ground when lit or bottle rockets in their bottles.
8s at f/18 ISO 100
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Dinner With A Gypsy: Ozark Empire Fair 2011
A 1-4 second exposure gave the best results for the rides. It gave enough definition to the moving lights, enough smooth motion-blur while still retaining a degree of sharpness. Longer exposures were solid, confusing masses. White balance was fairly cool (2500-3500 Kelvin), long exposures tend get red/orange. It was also interesting to fire a second curtain flash to get the definition of some passersby.
You can check the rest of the photos here!
1/3s at f/4.5 ISO 100
You can check the rest of the photos here!
1/3s at f/4.5 ISO 100
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Dinner With A Gypsy: Ozark Empire Fair 2011
I parked cars this summer at the Ozark Empire Fair. Incredibly easy gig—worth an extra couple hundred bucks and the opportunity to meet some new and interesting folk. Plus, you can satisfy all your fair needs for free! My goal was to shoot the carnival every night I was there, but I was not feeling well that week and didn't have the energy.
1s at f/8.0 ISO 100
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Dinner With A Gypsy: Ozark Empire Fair 2011
I'm told the cars, which are parked nearest to the carnie lodgings, are kept under tighter security than other lots. They say the carnies will keep an eye on who gets out of what car and what valuables are left there. In fact, there are those who travel with the carnies who do not work the carnival, but simply make their living by pickpocketing fair-goers and thieving from their vehicles.
I find my shot in front of a ride. I'm running low on time and energy and set up my gear quickly. I want to catch the ride in action on its next rotation so I can move on. The ride seems to be having technical errors. One operator is working on the issues, while the other two stare blankly at the mounting crowd before them. They speak, condescendingly, in some foreign tongue. It doesn't take more than a few minutes for the ride to return to “online” status. The two load the riders sloppily and slam their safety latches. Clearly, they're irritated there are riders there at all.
The ride goes 'round and I get my shot—but I wonder: Who hated who first? The carnies or everyone else?
4s at f/7.1 ISO 100
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Dinner With A Gypsy: Ozark Empire Fair 2011
The carnie quickly put out her cigarette as a little girl approached the booth to choose a duck, or knock down the jar tower, or throw a ring around a pop bottle.
“Some customer service,” I think, “At least she put out her cigarette.”
They travel around in packs, caries do, like American gypsies. They scrape together a living by throwing together shoddy carnival rides and ripping off parents with cheap, but alluring prizes to expensive, but impossible games. When the fair rolls into town, an entire lot fills with their rundown recreation vehicles and campers, a resembling Hoover towns from days long past.
I keep going down the midway, the “Champs Elysees” of the carnival, and pass through a cloud of cigarette smoke from a ride operator. In the same breath he exhales his addiction and let's loose a series of curse words, behaviors far from a professional nature.
1s at f/5.6 ISO 100
“Some customer service,” I think, “At least she put out her cigarette.”
They travel around in packs, caries do, like American gypsies. They scrape together a living by throwing together shoddy carnival rides and ripping off parents with cheap, but alluring prizes to expensive, but impossible games. When the fair rolls into town, an entire lot fills with their rundown recreation vehicles and campers, a resembling Hoover towns from days long past.
I keep going down the midway, the “Champs Elysees” of the carnival, and pass through a cloud of cigarette smoke from a ride operator. In the same breath he exhales his addiction and let's loose a series of curse words, behaviors far from a professional nature.
1s at f/5.6 ISO 100
Monday, October 3, 2011
Dinner With A Gypsy: Ozark Empire Fair 2011
The photos are the first set in a series of night photos that I'll be showcasing over the course of next following weeks. Enjoy these images from the Ozark Empire Fair!
3.2s at f/22 ISO 100
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Photo 1 Portfolio--Kara
Last one of the set. I'll have more to say next week.
You can check out the rest of my portfolio here!
You can check out the rest of my portfolio here!
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