From The Basement To The Big City!: 2011

Monday, May 23, 2011

Tim The Winnipeg Photographer

Let me introduce you to someone:

This is Tim (Hi Tim)

Tim is my brother, and also a winnipeg photographer head over heels in love with film - and his new Mamiya RB45!
(Not going to lie, i'm a little jealous too!)
What makes Tim so special? Well every monday evening he picks me up and we wander the streets of Winnipeg for about oh 4 or 5 hours. Yeah, we're that intense!
So with one Hassleblad, one Mamiya, one Konica, one Minolta, two Canons, one Nikon, about a thousand rolls of film and too many lenses to carry, we hit the streets!
We always venture through different areas of the city capturing what ever we feel like. Sometimes we have assignments to cover, an idea to explore or a theme we want to express, but we always keep it changing!
There's no such thing as going too far for the shot. Last week Tim balanced out onto a log floating in the river basically coming to a near fall for "the perfect image". The week before he waded into the muddy banks of the Assiniboine River and got down on his stomach for "the perfect image". And the week before that I sprained my wrist trying to keep up with him as he climbed over fences and scaled the tall buildings of The Exchange district, yet again for "the perfect shot"
His passion and dedication to his camera is taking him on a cross-Canada tour this summer; from the East Coast to the West coast and all the thousands of images in between. (Insert jealousy here)

Together we've spent hours dissecting art in its many forms and always pushing each other to the next level. Our time spent together as bonding as it is never fails to be educational. I am always learning something new whenever we talk. And i'm happy to know that i've taught him some things too (Ohhh yes, we've had film development and darkroom parties galore!) We both unger for knowledge and love learning more and more about art. His level of commitment to his art inspires me to be better, to shoot more and to strive for greater. In fact i'd say the greatest advice i've learned from him so far is to always be shooting... there are no days off in photography!
Tim is a fabulously intellectual artist with enough creativity to last him a million lifetimes!
It's my honour and pleasure to be able to shoot with Winnipeg's most unknown greatest artists... that is, unknown for now at least ;)
Watch out world!
Here comes Tim!!!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Day I Ate Three Big Macs

The following is a tale about the most boring day of school…

Actually that’s a lie; the following is a story about what I THOUGHT would be the most boring day at school

Fortunately, about three minuets into Ross’s speech I knew this was about to get interesting.

Food Photography.

What’s so exciting about taking pictures of food? It’s boring, it doesn’t move and it sure can’t “vogue” very well!

Well, I was certain I would hate this tedious genre and I was half way to giving up already.

Yes, the process can be tedious but it also surprised me. You may still think I’m crazy for falling into the “food-foto” trap but let me change your mind.

I’ll give you five points – if by the end if you don’t feel the urge to take pictures of moms meatloaf then hey, can’t blame a girl for trying?

So here’s how it happened:

One afternoon a group of students and myself were assigned to shoot food; to bring our own food, different kinds, and swap and trade and basically gain as much experience with different situations. Sounds lame-ish right?

It’s a science; a specific skill set and technical understanding of light, directions, and angles that can be applied to ANYthing.

So yes, I went to McDonalds and bought Big Macs… mmm Big Macs.

Two to photograph and one to eat…. There’s no way I could stare at a delicious burger all afternoon and NOT eat it. So I came prepared.

And here is what I learned in five points:

1. 1. SHADDOW – lighting your subject from a back 45 position allows the shadow to fall forwards and towards the camera.

By using the diffused light, you not only obtain a true representation of the color of your subject but you also get a soft and constant light in your focal area. Trust me, it’s a genius tip you may want to mental note.

2. 2. GET CLOSE! - There is so much detail and texture in the surfaces and shapes naturally present – use it! Exploit it! It’s the best advantage you have – think about it, how many little crumbs and bumps and patterns there are in an Oreo cookie? Still think this is boring?

Tip: slap on your 100mm macro, manually focus as close as technology will allow you and shoot – move left, move right, shoot again - then slowly back up to encompass more of the product in the frame and shoot again. It’s amazing how a slight change in framing and composition, focal point can change the photo. Repeat and shoot, repeat and shoot. And do it all over again.
Still having trouble finding food interesting??

3. 3. BE A NERD - Know your subject, and be obsessed with it - knowing little helpful hints about your subject is an easy way in – for example, knowing that a photographing a salad under hot lights for an hour miiiiiiight not look as great at the end of the shoot as it did in the beginning

Knowing the simple hint that hey, lettuce wilts, food is perishable, and will change over time will completely change your shooting style. Know that you’ve only got a few minuets at best to get THAT shot is key, and it changes the game. Also, know what makes the viewer tick - do they want to see a deliciously fresh baked glossy chocolate doughnut!? You bet they do! So make it happen.
Still think this stuff is a slow and finicky process? Maybe, but the game just got a whole lot more exciting.

4. 4. WATCH THE BACKGROUND – this is almost a no brainer for every and any photographer – but it is especially important to remind yourself of what’s happening beyond your subject. Maybe the background is non-existent, maybe the context is everything – regardless it still makes an impact

Even the decision for a simple white background came about with a lot of thought. So pay attention to it.

5. 5. The KISS Method – Keep It Simple Stupid!

Don’t complicate things more than you have to! Even the most complicated problems usually have the simplest of solutions. Be careful not to over do anything, from the set, the composition to the lighting. Especially the lighting!

The most important lesson I have learned from this assignment is just that - Simple lighting keeps the shot easy to control, manipulate and allows your natural creativity to come through without complications or distractions.

This is the lighting set up I used for the product shots seen above. It’s the same one light situation that produces dramatic results. It was easy to manipulate with a reflector simply by changing its angle or its color. (Note the gold side is used to "golden" the bun or dough of baking... hint hint!)

Another major tip I learned through this exercise is that this simple lighting set up can be used for anything… anything! To prove this tip I used the same set up to do a fashion shoot.

Still board silly? Still think I’m wrong and all this was a boring waste of time? Then I welcome you to challenge me!

At the end of the day, don’t knock it till you try it…

Who knows, you may end up with something you hate, but better you may end up with something you love.

Regardless there’s no harm in learning.

Boy oh boy I learned, and boy oh boy I loved.

Cheers!

P.s. I have to thank Ross The Amazing - without whom this insight would never be surfaced!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Flower Power, Spring is Here!

Model Alexis F.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Part 4: Movies number Three – “Factory Girl”

My artistic vehicle for expression has always been my paintbrush, and my camera has always been a method to capture the frame to be reinvented as I saw fit into my canvas. This was also the method of Andy Warhol.

Confession; I am slightly biased towards this film because Warhol is one of my favorite fine artists of all time.

Andy used a specific Polaroid camera (that Polaroid only kept in production specifically for Warhol’s use) to capture snapshots of life and reinvent them through painting, screen-printing and film. His vision changed the world; he had the ability to take ordinary items and make them extraordinary.

The movie focuses on the life of Edie Sedgwick and her relationship with Warhol, art, New York, film, drugs and fame. She was his inspiration, his muse, his art. He made her infamous and tore her down all before her early death at age 28.

I adore this movie!

I love how the film is shown entirely from Edie’s perspective as a prop to Andy’s art. The movie shows his artistic process and the lifestyle that follows.

I was entirely caught up in the fabulous lifestyle of the 1960’s glamor and found myself not only craving a cigarette but the freedom to do whatever the hell I want.

Don’t we all?

The film inspired me beyond all others. It made me feel a rush of excitement, creativity, and faith that my art can shake the world.

Maybe it will, but most likely it won’t and I don’t care. I just want to portray the world as I see it. It’s my life, my vision, my lens.

It also reminded me how I have not picked up my paintbrush in a year! I realized that my camera used to be the means for my painting, but somewhere along the way my camera BECAME the medium itself. Sometimes I feel as if I should return to my brushes; take the better images I am now making and turn them into even greater works of art. But the lazy and less structured me loves the images for what they are and doesn’t want to change them.

Part 3: Movie Number 2 – “Spiderman”

Let me just say this: Peter Parker shoots Canon…. Yay!

Watching “Spiderman” from a photographic side is definitely not an easy one. Especially because the film is meant to mimic is comic book creator and give the audience a sense of graphic design and a surrealist approach.

(Also I’m assuming everyone knows the movie and/or knows the story of Spiderman, c’mon folks!)

However, I did find some of the thematic connections rather interesting.

“Spiders can change their color to blend into their environment, it’s a defense mechanism.”

Peter Parker was a dorky loser in high school who hid behind the lens of his camera. He used it as a tool to get close to the things he wanted but could never get. For example he used it as an excuse to talk to Mary-Jane… the high school crush Parker could not get close to, but Spiderman could.

He began using his photographic skills combined with is other…. Abilities to succeed. He becomes a young freelance photographer for a newspaper, basically taking pictures of himself!

Now, I only wish I could climb walls and catch the bad guys just to take pictures of it and sell them, but it looks like I’ll have to turn to other tools in my arsenal!

To me the movie is all about confidence; finding the necessary vehicles that allow your confidence to shine through. If it means putting on a blue and red leotard in order to be the photographer I want to be then by all means someone pass me the spandex!

Yes the movie has some great lighting qualities to enhance shape and form for an almost 3D image, however I believe it’s the stories message that I relate to more than anything.

I never thought I would ever watch Spiderman with anything other than a child-like mindset, but I must say I am impressed with the level of theme and connections throughout the film.

Part 2: Movie Number One – “Midnight Meat Train"

Yes the main character is a photographer. And yes the movies actually does have something to do with his art… in the beginning at least.

The beginning of the film almost immediately greets you with Bradley Cooper and is 35mm Lieca, which is a pretty damn good opener if you ask me!

Cooper plays a struggling street photographer looking for moments to capture better images. He find himself obsessed with photographing a butcher on the subway at night. Soon he discovers what is so captivating about this butcher, and what it is that he actually “butchers”.

The beginning of the movie is fabulous! The walls of the characters apartment are covered with images, and negatives and darkroom equipment. He finds himself a photographic mentor (Brooke Shields) who preaches “the decisive moment”.

It’s almost inspiring how the she explains patience in waiting past the moment you think is “the moment”, because the real image is beyond that. She demands he wait for the opportune time to snap a photo, and then wait some more.

Even Cooper’s girlfriend encourages him to “shoot what you love”, because the subject you love now may transform into another.

I whole-heartedly believe in these ideals; and strive to follow them. Which is mainly why I was so attracted to the film in the first place.

One of my favorite elements was that the concept of the characters images were replicated in the visual of the film itself. He is a photographer of the city at night, the subway system and its dwellers. So the film itself was cold almost selenium toned, steel, massive amounts of perspective, shallow depth of fields, huge lighting contrasts, lots of shadow, large use of selectively lighting subjects and parts of subjects, massive amounts of symmetry, framing, creative use of color. In fact the only color that was truly shown was red; red lips, red street signage, red blood.

I could go on and on about how wonderfully photographic the film was in almost every aspect, but then the movie turned… and it was not as pretty.

Visually it was still great don’t get me wrong, however I was mildly distracted by the “butcher-ing” and plot which now involved zombies and a killing tradition.

The zombie thing kinda killed the film for me; even the story was neat and interesting – almost to the point where I could believe that I would never take a subway again! Then they wrapped up the film with tales of immortal zombies and flesh eating things, and now Cooper has to “keep the killing tradition alive to save the world” bull-crap.

The beginning of the movies gets a 6/5 star rating…. But the ending gets a negative 50 stars. However, I’d still recommend it to horror/photo lovers… if ever a combination besides myself exists?!

This is going down in four parts: Part One - The Introduction

Movies.

I consider myself a fair bit of a movie addict; not that I have any knowledge or intelligence on the matter or can examine them with any credible critique, I just love them for what they are and the stories they tell.

However, I can be quite particular.

For example, I watch movies from only 5 genres: action, horror, comedy, fantasy and Disney.

Oh, and I hate documentaries. They bore me to death.

So I took the “movie week” assignment as a challenge: are there interesting movies with photographer main characters? If so, is their any relation to photography? Any thematic connection or really no point at all?

Turns out there aren’t as many as I would like! Seems Disney doesn’t make a “Prince Charming of Photography”. So I picked one per genre.

Horror: “Midnight Meat Train”

Action: “Spiderman”

Documentary-ish: “Factory Girl”

Yes documentary-ish… I was determined that I could find a decent documentary style film that kept me awake and interested.

I’ve seen some of these films before yes, and long ago, but I have never looked at them through the lens of my camera (not literally of course). All of them appealed to me not because of their relation to photography but as the movies themselves. I figured it would be a neat approach to view them differently that their original intent.

Following this are my findings…