Close Meditations of a Visual Kind

I learned the header concept in the College of Nursing. I chose it for this post because one of the questions I'm asking myself is, what have I learned, is there evidence of a change in behaviour? What's that (my mis-)quote, I believe attributed to Einstein? If we keep doing the same thing expecting different results...

Prove the answer. As in, Prove = test. Proof Marks indicate test demonstrate material ability perform to standard. Proofs in photoraphy = basic image little/no manipulation, usually for a client to approve for print / publication. Here...

Via one of my hardback dictionaries, definitions of Prove and Proof:
Prove: 1. Establish truth or genuineness of / 3. Give demonstration of by action / 4. To subject to test, experiment, comparison, analysis or the like.
Proof: 3. Act of testing or making trial of anything; test, trial / 7. An arithmetical operation serving to check the correctness of a calculation / 9. A test to determine the quality, durability of materials used in manufacture. / 11. A trial print from a negative. / 13. An impression taken from a plate or the like to show quality or condition of worth during the process of execution.

Thus, proof images from photography, given that media more than film exist (digital) will include any of the initial images from the act of calculating light, time, exposure for the effect. They may be for a customer's or artists approval, they may be complete in themselves, or they may be a step along in a process. I generally refer to the first batch of such images prepared for either the party(ies) involved in a photography session or the party(ies) commissioning same, or other designated viewers as the Proof disk. This sparked some thought when one such delivered to a party involved, where the previous interaction yielded a disk with a folder of 'Proofs' and a folder of 'Web Prepared'. The more recent disk included only a folder 'Proofs'. Are proofs 'ready for viewing'? Are they ready for sale?

Once being known for photographing in available darkness, now I'm also playing with various types of lighting. One initial experiment with a LED rope light indicated a very fascinating effect; I expected and am pleased to verify that multiple rope lights provide rather a goodly amount of light. There are more variations to play with, both in shape, size, and colours, before this experiment is done. It is both available light, and available darkness. In truth, all photographs are a combination of both aspects.

Some of my experimentation I prefer to do with more or less inanimate items. More or less because some of those items, some of the images resulting, will imply animation. Puppet theatre, for instance, is a core thought in my working with the Otters Mob, the collection of stuffed toy otters I and other friends use. This is partially financial. Often, working with a live model requires exchange of value. Always, for the public exhibition of such work, legally there must be an exchange of value. Sometimes that exchange is subtle, intangible, an interaction between two people who hold each other close, as friends. Sometimes, and somewhat simplified by the very fact, it is more obvious and measured in currency, legal tender for the execution of all debts public or private. Because sometimes, the experiment needs that animation.

I also ask myself telling questions. I purport to see a final image and work towards that, called 'pre-visualising' by such as Ansel Adams. However, while I will only exhibit in a show, for example, the final concept, I am not always 'guilty' of beginning the process with that final concept in my mind. I will start with a simple idea, a simple expression: visual illuminated ropes hanging in suspension provide the light for an image. Then while looking at those basic images I start asking 'what if' questions of myself. Combine these within the set done on the day, combine them with other pieces, and what does the ultimate final image bring? What questions does it start to ask the viewer, possibly not seen until the components spark a larger idea.

I do pre-visualise, more than I did when I started out studying photography and probably less than I'm inclined to think that Ansel Adams meant when he discussed pre-visualisation. On the other hand, I often start with a basic concept (photograph using rope lights, photograph using a mesh body veil) and then start to see spin-off ideas from the basic images. I know I'm starting from a 'building blocks' perspective. Perhaps better to be visualising specific blocks to a final image. Perhaps more intriguing to make blocks, then start combining those to see what do I get.

Sometimes it is nothing more than random numbers. There are a few which you'll see here that I picked. There are others which I simply clicked on file names to build an upload, not looking at anything other than the file name (not looking at their icon images, eh) and uploaded to provide examples for this post.

( These are Work-Safe, and over on Flickr )

Part of the reason I mention they're on Flickr is, I'm still filtering how I post certain works there based on 'Is the Viewer a Registered Account Holder, and Do I List Them As A Viewer?" Hence, anything following will be visible here, yet won't be visible there (if you follow the link) unless you are able to answer the above question with Yes, and Yes.

If you aren't interested in the Not Work Safe imagery, you should be able to skip it even after viewing the earlier three images. Skip all the way down to 'Leave a Comment.' Please do. Leave a comment, that is.

( These are Not So Much Work Safe, also over on Flickr )

Summarising, then, these are initial pieces following a Studio 318 session. Proofs, if you will, at least that a couple of people came together and exposed light under controlled timing to a sensitive surface. They are tests as to the outcome of the manufacture, as well as the quality of the product. They may be complete unto themselves, they may become portions of a greater whole.

In short, they are a work in progress, as well as a work completed.

Been reading here a while? You'll recall the occasional post where I emote over what web-based image hosting provider should I use. As is, I currently use three point five, with the point five being LJ itself, though it's been quite some time since I put anything into the Scrapbook here.

The largest body of photographic work I've got hosted on-line is through Flickr. This is the one I pay for using; there's some history behind that, and it could still change, and blahblablahblah. It remains, this is the largest body of stored work. Changing off this will result in a lot of 'broken link' images in the photo-blogging I've been doing here.

A few years ago, I started investigating Deviant Art. DA keeps nagging me that I need a premium account, and I keep ignoring their nagging because their rates are somewhat (noticeably) higher than Flickr. I also told myself I'd be a bit 'stricter' with myself posting to DA, in part because the ability to limit who sees ones work is somewhat less than what Flickr provides. On Flickr, I can 'filter' who sees work by declaring someone a 'Friend' or 'Family'. Then one needs to be either, and have an account on Flickr to be so tagged. On DA, I can set a level of image that will require someone to be a DA account holder and logged in, but not to my knowledge much more than that. If one isn't a DA member, you can still browse over to the DA site. What you will see for those 'Mature Content' images will be a place-holder image.

All of the above is side-line as it were from my subject, and still applies. Flickr keeps twiddling with the setup. Surprised? Shouldn't be, so does LJ, and most other blogging sites, eh? Anyway, I posted some recent work to DA yesterday, and this morning to Flickr planning on posting to here with the latter links.

Except the page wasn't acting in the manner to which I'd become accustomed, and I couldn't grab the html coding for the photos. Should be able to, couldn't. New buttons in place to make it easy to share via e-mail, share to LiveJournal, and to Facebook. Then a drop-down arrow, which is what wasn't working. The Share to LiveJournal wouldn't let me use it, saying I couldn't because the photo wasn't public or not flagged safe.

What artwork is safe? That's a whole different question. For much later. But hey, when did this button come along, and is Flickr a 'whitelisted' site, I wonder? Another whole different question, for later. Right.

So I went to the trouble of gathering html coding to link to the DA postings, then tried logging back into Flickr and hey, now I could grab the html coding to link to those images. So. Well.

About a week and a half ago, I worked with a model new to me, one MordsithCara on Deviant Art, Chelsea on several other photography/modelling related sites. I came across her work on two separate sites more or less the same time, and on one of them decided to view her profile. There, I learned she currently resides fairly close to teh Ranch, making an artistic partnership possible. I contacted her, she proved interested, and we worked. We set up a date with two options, one outdoors for good weather, one indoors for inclement weather.

On the day, the weather proved quite clement, some overcast, 'partly cloudy', nice sun. The theme for the outdoor session was Dryad. Dryad are tree-spirits, specifically from Greek mythology and even more specifically, primarily of oaks. I suspect this means there are other **ads for other trees; I know there are others for water and such.

The location for the session is teh Ranch, where we enjoy several copses and stretches of North Central Baja Jorja live oak and laurel oak trees. We set out walking about the place, and since most of where I wanted to shoot is over on the east side of teh Ranch, where the cows live, we perforce went where the cows are. Mostly they ignored us, though they did come to see, while we worked fairly close but not right by the gate/fence, if we would provide any food. Not having any, they wandered off. We did keep an eye open, though, as this particular day was the day after the evening one of our cows didn't show for dinner. Since we knew that cow was pregnant, I figured that to be because she was calving. She was, though probably delivered, actually, early in the morning of the day we shot. We kept an eye out for her and her calf because we didn't need to disturb them.

Quite a bit of work later, and I've rather a good collection of pieces to keep working up for show. Being made with a digital SLR, they are all colour images. Being that I've been seeing these concepts in B&W, I've been working them over to that. Some I may leave in colour. Some, I may leave a little bit in colour.

( These are not in Colour. Nor are they WorkPlace Safe. For most definitions of WorkPlace. )

So. Credits:
Model, Make-up Artist, Hair Stylist: Chelsea Christian, MordsithCara

Then we get photo posts.

( Lady of Tudor House )
Is she searching for someone long lost, or simply unwilling to depart from old haunts...
Worked up for the Necronomicon Art Show, 10/2010. Composite photo.
Model: Marjai
Also utilised, the upstairs of the Tudor House which lived in Studio for several months last year. And, a photograph of a hand-dipped beeswax candle, made by Herself. Well, Herself made the candle, and I made the photograph for her erstwhile web site.

The next three photos may not be Work Safe, for various definitions of Work and Safe.
( Satyrs in the Glenn )
An idyllic scene observed secretly, unbeknownst to the mythological creatures... or is it?
Reworking of a piece initially made for Necronomicon 2009, to be submitted to Necronomicon Art Show 10/2010. The re-working is based on feedback from a couple of people who's opinion I rather hold dear.
Models: Marjai & Bean

( Unwilling Sacrifice )
Light painting in studio, using Agfapan 100 35mm and Nikon FE2, 50 mm lens. Submitted to Necronomicon Art Show, October 2009 and 2010. Prints from last year will be in the Print Shop; all pieces hung this year in the show will be framed.
Model & Collaborator: Zoe Wiseman

( Balance )
Light painting in studio, using Agfapan 100 35mm and Nikon FE2, 50 mm lens, hand-held battery torch. Submitted to Necronomicon Art Show, October 2009 and 2010

Model & Collaborator: Zoe Wiseman. The entire concept for this piece is Zoe's. She told me she'd do three poses, and to paint her in each pose. I've likely posted a pure black & white version of this rather than the warmer tones here.

( Still NWS, Still Underwater )

Though I expect this may cap the theme for me, since it's also finishing the week (as it were).

As of today, all proofs disks delivered to all recent participants in a photo session. Yea. Met Techno and handed off Doozer's disk, as well as some fun discussion (because hey, we met in a cafe in a bookstore, eh?) about fantasy and science fiction genre pieces. Thanks for a great chat, Techno! Oh, and I remembered the other thing I was going to mention that I like about the Dresden universe... the laws (as we know them) of physics are fairly well honored. It takes energy to work magic, and the effects require energy from the environment... it isn't free at all.

Steak for dinnner. Later.

( Again, NWS... feel free to suggest titles )

A comment in this thread, yet elsewhere, addressed the usefulness of some of these images for zero-gravity/micro-gravity artwork. Indeed. That is one of the purposes behind this experiment.

( Not Work Safe: Low Light Photography )

A triptych is a set of three images, related to each other in some manner, and to be viewed as the three images. Sometimes the three make a single large image when viewed together. Sometimes two of the images 'complement' the main (central) of the three. This is often seen in religious artwork, where the central image is usually the primary one, and the two outer images are supportive. Another variation, as this one is, may be three images in sequence, and thus telling a bit more of the 'story' involved.

In days gone by I often heard accusations from fellow photographers, particularly in the few academic/actual classes I've taken, of photographing 'in available darkness'. This is of course a spin-off of 'available light' which means using (either 'natural' light or man-made') whatever light source is available. My photos tended to include a lot of dark areas, because often there wasn't much light available. Low-light photography, capturing an image under severe conditions, fascinates me.

The only light source used in this triptych is... the City of Chicago at Night. So, in reality, streetlights, building lights, automobile lights on the roads, all of that contributed to the lighting here. Camera is on a tripod, film speed 800 ISO. Exposure times were... seconds, not fractions of seconds or if so, 1/2 second or so.

I also experimented in trying to fit the 'most' image onto a computer screen when doing the scans, which led to overlapping the area outside the window rather more than not. As I've looked at this over time, I'm thinking it needs a re-do, including more of the window and the reflection of the model in it. Discussion of this latter concept is open.

In other news, picked up the film (with disks) from Flair Lab coming home today. I've skimmed through the images and am fairly happy with the outcomes. Significantly less abstract, if not less surreal than the image posted Sunday. Quite easy to note which frames the clouds did not occlude/filter the sunlight, and which frames they did not. All in all, as an experiment and as some potential building blocks for some science-fiction imagery, a good outcome.

In other, other news Sydney SubaruOutback now is status post bilateral total joint arthroplasties (replacement of CVJ axles) in the front, a new wheel bearing on the front right, and the new tires went on earlier this week. He's... quiet when running now. No thum thum thum noise. I've discovered how much I used that noise to judge my speed, and found myself travelling... rather a bit much faster than posted speed limits on the way home. Several times.

Of course I slowed down after scanning the speedometer...

On Sunday, that is. Cleaning off the back deck of Studio 318 which while in the shade, when I went out to give Houdini a bath (he and Herself got into a game of Hose, perfect time for a bath) was not in shade. Add to that cleaning out two ice chest coolers which were on the back deck, and none of that wearing my hat, and t'were afternoon.

When did my hair get so thin...

Anyway, after yesterday there being quirkiness with connections and very weird dreams (more in a bit) last night, I feel like posting ( Something Which Is Not Work Safe. Notice Given )

Working title, Magdalena. Alternate title, Odalisque. Done in 2000 using Mamiya C330 and 80 mm lens and Ektachrome colour transparency.

Dreams which may or not of inspired today's posting selection. First, either trying to get into the mind of (or was I the) serial killer. Just how did the car drive into the house non-destructively, anyway? Not as in garage attached to house, in the Living Room. Second, van stopped at traffic light (van hasn't run for... long time) and unscrupulous vendor types begin dis-assembling engine through the hood (how did they open it from outside, anyway?). Unrequested, undesired, and delayed us starting a 5 hour drive, which we didn't complete as a consequence.

However, the dead body from the serial killer proved handy, as I left it in the vendors office and called the police.