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Tag Archives: Art
Fine Art Photography – Is It Still Viable?
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Dear friends, you will notice three differences in today’s photography podcast:
- Rick is missing (he’s in Naw’lins) but we’ve got an amazing guest to fill his shoes.
- There’s no featured artist or photographer this week as our guest, on behalf of galleries, features all artists.
- 95% of the show features intelligence and well-articulated thoughts – because our guest spoke for 94.5% of the show! But don’t worry, bizarre behavior and poorly-formatted thoughts will return next episode!
And [drumroll] Introducing… Ginger Fear!
Can photography still be a viable piece of art sold by a gallery? If you’re a fine art photographer, you need to listen to this episode. As it turns out, there is actually a lot of potential and hope for photography (and other art) in the digital age and Jason even suggests some surprising actions to take.
If you shoot fine art photography, the information in this book is worth far more than the selling price
Seriously, this has to be one of our greatest shows ever. Jason Horejs, the owner of Xanada Gallery in Scottsdale AZ drops by and gives us incredible insights into the role of an art gallery and how photographers can do a better job getting gallery representation. His wit, knowledge, charm, and insight into the gallery world provided the show with a lot more information than we were expecting.
If you’re interested in learning more about the art world and Xanadu Gallery (where, in fact, they do not roller skate and wear satin pantsuits to Tony’s dismay), look for Jason at:
- His blog, Red Dot Blog
- Xanadu Gallery
- His Facebook page
- His book Starving to Successful
What do you think? Let us know here and on Twitter!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Business, Fine Art, Framing, Future, gallery, hybrid photography, inspiration, Jason Horejs, Nudity, Photography, Printing, RedDot, Sales, Scottsdale, Social Media, Xanadu Gallery
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A Retrospect – 1+41=42, Episode 42
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Looking Back
Tonight is a different show. Any fool can take a look back at earlier shows when they hit a special milestone but it takes creative and talented fools to do it when there’s no particular reason. And we are, if nothing else, creative and talented fools! So, we took the opportunity this week to do a retrospect.
Alternative print process – the fine art nude
Looking back through all 41 previous episodes, we each chose our top three episodes along with an honorable mention. We didn’t tell each other which episodes we were choosing or why we chose them and it is interesting to see which episodes we did choose. Some were predictable, others were quite a surprise. Education was big on our list, as was networking and the importance of guests and what they brought to the show.
Then we did the same with our featured artists and photographers.
So give this show a listen and let us know here, or on Twitter, if you agree with our choice or disagree. What were your favorite shows up until now?
Don’t Forget!
We could really use your help to offset the financial cost of putting the show on (hosting, etc.) so why not treat yourself to some awesome Polarizing Images swag from the Polarizing Images Swag Emporium on CafePress?
Finally, a huge thank you to all of our listeners and guests – it’s been fun and we’re only getting better and bigger!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Adrian Newey, Akira Yoshizawa, Amateur, Arnold Newman, Collaboration, Critique, David Lynch, Eddie Soloway, editing, education, Edward Weston, Erik Johansson, Fine Art, Helen Grace Ventura Thompson, Heston Blumenthal, inspiration, James Balog, Jim Brandenberg, Like, obsolete, Photography, Podcasting, Professional, Social Media, Techniques, Ted Forbes
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Is It Real or Is It Photoshop – and Who Cares?
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Why the Hell is Photoshop So Controversial?
Photoshop: it’s a tool that, for some incredibly stupid reason, seems to be controversial. Some people love it, others hate, but the smart people know that it is just that – a tool to achieve and end-result. But what got us going this week was a comment from someone on Facebook regarding a photograph they had seen, “…wow, is it real or PS?”
C’mon, really? Just because a photograph has been through the Photoshop cycle, it ceases to be real? But that got us thinking – what does it really mean for a photograph to be “real”? Too many people confuse “real” with “realism”. Are Picasso’s works not “real” paintings because they don’t depict realistic subjects? You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who would take such a position. So why do we say that about photography and Photoshop? If I create a shallow depth of field through a lens choice that’s okay but if I add blur in Photoshop, then it’s not a real photograph? If I make a bride’s teeth whiter than they really are or, more to the point, than they appear because we’re under incandescent lighting, that’s not a real photograph but if the bride had her teeth whitened by a dentist, that’s okay?
This whole concept of post-production, regardless of the tool that’s used, has to stop. As long as the photographer/artist is trying to achieve an image that they see in their mind’s eye, why the hell should we care – or judge – how it was achieved? And we’re not even touching on the differences between using Photoshop to manually alter an image versus allowing a camera to do it outside of our control!
So, to all of you who believe that Photoshop renders a photograph “fake”, it’s time to allow your photography and creative vision to mature a bit.
Artists
The Surrealist Photography of Kansuke Yamamoto
What about photography before there was Photoshop? Today’s photographer is Kansuke Yamamoto (1914-1987), an early surrealist photographer from Japan. His work included several pieces on film that, today, we would accomplish with Photoshop or other digital imaging tools but, as a film photographer, Yamamoto did his post-production in the darkroom. Are these “real” photographs?
What happens when you let Tony choose the artist? You get a musician! Today we have Captain Beefheart. As long as we’re talking about art being real without requiring realism, the good captain is actually an excellent choice for an artist who inspires. Especially in the realm of surrealism. Let’s let Captain Beefheart have the last laugh today:
“It makes me itch to think of myself as Captain Beefheart. I don’t even have a boat.”
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Captain Beefheart, editing, Facebook, film, Fine Art, hybrid photography, Kansuke Yamamoto, Meetup, Photoshop, post production, Printing, Surreal, Techniques
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Visionaries: Are There Any Visionaries Left in Photography?
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Visionaries – It’s a word that evokes a sense of artistry, focus, vision (d’uh) and, apparently, confusion…
Are There Visionaries in Photography?
The guys get down to discussing the finer points of the role of visionaries in photography until they realize that theymay not be talking about the same thing.
Oops.
Still, the guys have a lively debate about whether or not we can recognize visionaries while they’re actively creating art or if we can only recognize their influence after they’re dead – or at the very least, after the influence is over. Kind of like a gambling streak in Vegas, right? You never know you’re on a streak, you only ever knew that your were on a streak.
And what about the tie, or bond, between visionaries and technology? Can technology create, or destroy, a person’s vision? Or is technology truly just a tool that visionaries can use to bring their vision to life?
Our Artists
Our artists, on one hand, could not be different. But you can easily argue that they are very similar if we look at each one’s influence in their respective worlds. Either way, they are truly visionaries, even if you hate their stuff.
Robert Mapplethorpe – love him or hate him, you can’t deny the importance that Mapplethorpe has had on the art world. Then, when you realize the time period in which he was most active, you can see see the boundaries that he had to cross and the limitations he had to break through. Definitely check out the documentary on him, Black White + Gray.
Emily Carr is one of Canada’s best known artists, was influenced by both modernism and post-impressionism and that is readily recognizable in her artwork. Her role as one of Canada’s artistic visionaries is still maintained and celebrated today, particularly in the province of British Columbia where she was also influenced by the indigenous peoples of the West Coast.
P.S. – Rick and Tony are totally wrong: Rob is freaking FUNNY!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Artistry, direction, Emily Carr, inspiration, Robert Mapplethorpe, visionaries
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Episode 34: Photography Is All About… SQUIRREL!
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Elisha and Anne: are you available next week?
Tony is out sick for this episode and it’s left to Rick and Rob to record the show. Listen to what happens when two guys with attention deficit issues try to remain focused on a conversation. Witness for yourself Rob’s amazing talent of taking 5 minutes to set up a 5 second answer or Rick giving an awesome answer that has nothing to do with the question.
It’s a rather personal show, with R² (that’s shorthand for Rick and Rob) discussing their goals for 2013, their regrets of the past year, and their dream assignment. Of course, there is the usual oddball stuff liberally strewn throughout.
BTW, since we forgot to do the opening segment, Rob was drinking whiskey and Rick was drinking his homebrew. So now you know.
What else do we talk about? Well:
- The difference between allowing mistakes and accepting mistakes
- How the business of photography interferes with the art of photography
- Can a style atrophy if you’re not careful?
- Buy stuff from our CafePress Store (it’s a recurring theme)
- Will Rob continue with figure studies in 2013?
- Why photography can still be a viable profession
- How the opening sequence to our first episode was like Masterpiece Theatre… on quaaludes
There’s neither a featured photographer nor artist this week but that will be back.
Happy New Year and, before we forget again, it’s absolutely critical that you never, ever… oh look, a puppy!
Networking – Episode #33, Networking with Other Photographers
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How Important is Networking?
Networking? Really? Yeah, believe it or not, a lot of photographers (the three of us included) are firmly of the opinion that our art, skills, and techniques can only improve when we’re willing to talk to other photographers. Whether we are giving/receiving critiques, asking/answering questions, or just shooting the shit with other people behind the lens, networking is where we grow.
We’ve bitched (a lot, actually) about those shooters who keep everything to themselves and refuse to share their “secrets”. To those guys (and, yeah, they’re almost always guys) we say, “spoiler alert – your secrets are nothing more than cobbled-together tricks you read in widely available books.” So get over yourselves.
As Rob points out, this podcast only exists because Tony believes in networking with other photographers and Rob believes in the same. Think about some of the great guests we’ve had on the show: from Ted Forbes to Giulio Sciorio to Steven Chappell: all great photographers who also understand the importance of collaborating.
I could go on, but you get the point! BTW, speaking of collaborating, don’t forget to leave a comment or call our line and leave a message.
Our Artists
Leonard Nimoy’s Shekhina
With two of the three guys being Trekkies, it’s a good thing that the third (Rob) is writing the show notes – that’s how we’ve avoided the obvious Star Trek references when we look at our highlighted photographer, Leonard Nimoy. Tony and Rick are both wrong when they guess that Rob’s main attraction to Mr Nimoy’s photography is the dance section. Nope, gotta check out Shekina. It’s his interpretation of the feminine nature of God. With a fine art twist, of course! Like his work or not, Rob is completely entranced with his photography!
Rick, keeping with his “Seriously, WTF?!” artist theme, chose the director David Lynch as the featured artist. From Twin Peaks to Blue Velvet, Lynch’s non-traditional approach to film making is a real inspiration not only to the three guys but should be to all photographers (and artists) looking to work outside of that proverbial “box”. Nimoy and Lynch, as artists, may be too famous for networking with but there are plenty of artists who are following their paths. We just have to find them and learn to trust their vision.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Collaboration, Critique, David Lynch, Facebook, Forums, Giulio Sciorio, hybrid photography, inspiration, Leonard Nimoy, Meetup, networking, Podcasting, Social Media, Steven Chappell, Ted Forbes
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Regrets About Your Photography? If You Could Change Anything…
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Do You Have Regrets About Your Photography?
We regret nothing! That’s a crock of shit, yes we do! Okay, maybe this isn’t so much about regrets but, knowing what we do now about the photography industry, if we could go back 10 years, what would we do differently?
A slow start as we have to do a debrief on Tony’s trip and we have a hard time focusing (don’t worry, it’s just the booze talking) but we eventually get down to an excellent discussion about what we wish we could go back in time and what choices we made that we’d like to do over. We’re typically in agreement that we all wish we had adopted a digital workflow a lot earlier.
To sum it up, Rob wishes he had gotten into digital earlier, Tony wishes he had learned Photoshop earlier, and Rick wishes he had learned to drink Negronis a lot earlier. But we might be wrong about that. One thing for sure, Rick doesn’t regret his lack of use of social media!
How about you? If you could go back and change any choices you made, what would they be? Let us know!
Our Artist of the Fortnight
Tonight, Rick introduces us to Cindy Sherman, well known for her self-portraits. But don’t dismiss that, she’s an original and they are not the kind of self-portrait that you’re likely thinking of! Some absolutely amazing work but to fully appreciate some of her pieces, you’ll need to get used to her style first. Go ahead and do that, though, it’s worth it.
Tony (surprise, surprise) chooses another musical group. This time, he takes a band from Akron, OH, the Black Keys.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Business, Cindy Sherman, Clients, editing, Fine Art, Future, History, mirrorless versus dSLR, Photography, Social Media
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Art or Photograph? When Does One Become the Other?
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With all of the post-production being done on images these days, when does a photograph cease being a photograph? It’s a serious question with serious ramifications depending on who you are. We’re not saying that too much post-production can kill an image, but maybe it transforms it from a photograph into art!
Well, we’ve gotten back on track after Rob accidentally released the live show a week early and the three dimwitted hosts of this show took two weeks to figure it out! So, we’re back to our normal schedule (we think)! Tony and Rob had a great time in Vegas but it sure didn’t help us with the scheduling of shows. In fact, Tony was semi-MIA for this show as he is still in Vegas and heads home to Aussie-land tomorrow (Thursday). Safe travels, Tony!!
In Tony’s absence, our old friend Steven “The Grammar Nazi” Chappell joins us again as our guest co-host. And that makes for a great opportunity to discuss the role of post-production.
When does a photograph cease to be a photograph and can it still be art?
Rob is a fine art photographer, Rick is a portraiture photographer, and Steven is a photo journalist. Each of of the three guys has a different viewpoint of when too much post-production has occurred and you can no longer call the image a photograph. As you can imagine, Rob has the most lenient point of view and Steven has a far more rigid one. (Viewpoint, that is!!)
Nonetheless, we have a lively and good talk about it.
Our photographer
Today’s photographer is Giulio Sciorio, a commercial photographer based out of Miami and can be found at Small Camera, Big Picture. Rob and Giulio have appeared as panelists on Will Crockett’s Hybrid Hangout, including the latest video HH: Mirrorless Myths, True or False? One of the things that the guys immediately recognize in Giulio’s work is his ability to connect with his subjects. Don’t believe us? Check out the liveliness in the faces and eyes of his subjects!
Education in Photography: Episode 26
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(note from Rob) I know, I know, this is episode 26, not 25 like I opened the show with. I tell you, when I do this sober I fuck it up. But it is what it is. Maybe I need more education…
How Important is Education?
With much anticipation, Ted Forbes from The Art of Photography joins us for an excellent discussion on the role of education in photography. Do you need an academic degree? Sometimes, depending on what you want to do. Do you need some form of mentorship? Absolutely!
We normally write a bunch of stuff here to try to make what Rick, Tony, and Rob say seem more interesting (a Herculean task at times) but today, the podcast can stand on its own. If you’re thinking about getting a formal education or continuing with a more informal education or training, you definitely want to give this show a listen.
A huge thank you to Ted for being such a gracious guest and offering such great insight.
Today’s Artists
Ted talks about a family friend and successful photographer from the 70s and 80s, the late Greg Booth. We don’t have a link for Greg’s work but watch Ted’s show and he has a project in the work to start displaying Greg’s work.
Our artist is Akira Yoshizawa, the founder of modern Origami. Rob discovered Yoshizawa while watching the documentary, Between the Folds.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged certifications, degrees, education, Photography, Ted Forbes
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Shooting the Fine Art Nude – From the Other Side of the Lens
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The Nude Model
An hour and a half? We could have kept this one going for hours!
Okay, we’re talking about nude photography again, just like we did back in episode 12. Well, not exactly like we did back then. Jayda, an art model that Rob recently worked with, drops by the show to answer the guys’ questions and offers her own insight into what it is like to be a nude model. She adds a whole new (and welcome) dynamic about the topic and you don’t have to listen to the three sausages talk about nudes!
Alternative print process – the fine art nude
Have you wondered what a model looks for when deciding to work with a photographer? Or to what level a model may want to collaborate on an image or in the entire shoot? Or what the model expects from the shoot? Or how awkward Rob, Tony, and Rick get when talking to a girl? Then this show will answer those questions, and more.
A huge thanks to Jayda for providing such a well-articulated insight into the life and world of one art model.
Folks, this show is a keeper!
Artists:
Following on the theme of fine art and nudity, we look at the painter Pierre-Phillipe Renoir and the photographer Nadav Kander. How have we not talked about Renoir before?
