the new snapshot / mistakes #1-3 ~ it happens to the best of us

In the course of human events, picture making wise, accidental / unintended shutter activation is a common occurrence. And, to date, my experience with the iPhone camera module leads me to believe that it is more possible than with a "real"camera. The shutter release on-screen button requires but a light touch to activate the shutter. Consequently, I have had more unintentionally made pictures than I have over the past 10 years with my "real" cameras.

But here's the thing. I really like a surprising number of my "accidental" pictures. And, relative to my the new snapshot pictures which attempt to repicate some of the foibles of traditional snapshot pictures, these accidental pictures fit right into my snapshot making activities. What a wonderful coincidence.

fYi, some of the other snapshot foibles which I intend to explore / create are: over / under exposure, extreme backlight with dark subjects in the foreground, bad focus, bad cropping (heads partially cut off and the like), light leaks / fogged portions of a picture and awkward facial expressions and body gestures / positions.

Many of these foibles will necessitate the making of staged pictures, aka: tableau vivant. Or, some, such as fogged film and missed focus, will have to be created, aka: faked, with effects / processing using one iPhone app or another. As far as I am concerned, that all good with me.

quiet landscape # 1 ~ now for something completely different

City Island, Bronx, NY

One of most often proffered bits of picture making "wisdom" is to keep it "simple". That's a bit of "wisdom" with which I completely disagree and most often completely ignore. For my eye and sensibilities, my preference in my picture making and my appreciation of pictures made by others is for a picture to evidence significant visual content rife with visual energy - lots of visual information which causes the eye and mind to dance within the confines of a picture's frame.

However, that written, there are times when, in my picture making, I am confronted with a scene which is, in and of itself, rather simple. Hence, my new body of selected works labeled as quiet landscapes

civilized ku # 5082-83 / the new snapshot # 66-69 ~ a quandary

As I continue to fool around, re: the new snapshot, I finding myself to be more than a bit perplexed.

The issue with which I am struggling is rather paramount to my continuing quest in the making of the new snapshot pictures - re: what am I attempting to say? A question which is diametrically opposed to the question of what visuals / referents are appropriate to facilitating what I am attempting to say?

I am starting to think that I am co-opting my regular ku-type vernacular and applying it to my emergent the new snapshot vernacular. That is, both the visual referents and my rather "formal" manner of making ku-type pictures is antithetical to what I am attempting to accomplish/ say with my the new snapshot work.

To wit, while objects / things are certainly fair game for snapshot pictures, they tend to be a small fraction of all snapshot pictures. Whereas my ku-type picture, most notably my civilized ku, are primarily pictures of objects / things. Conversely, most snapshot pictures feature people rather than objects / things. Whereas my ku-type pictures rarely feature people (single women) excepted. And, just as relevant, authentic snapshots rarely exhibit any "formal" pictue making qualities.

All of that written, I believe that I need to spend lots of time looking at the ubiquitous crappy pictures as typically seen on Facebook if I am to successful in creating something worth pursuing with my the new snapshot pictures.

FYI, more anon, re: the question of what I am attempting to say with my the new snapshot pictures. And, once again, all of the pictures in this entry were made with the iPhone 7 Plus camera module.

civilized kU # 5081 / the new snapshot # 64-65 ~ all along the border

ladder and barn ~ Jay, NY - Adirondack PARK (embiggenable)

Beyond a doubt, not all snapshots were made with a Polaroid camera. Most were made with a simple Kodak film camera (or similar camera), film taken to a corner drugstore (typically) and often prints with a scalloped-type border were the end result. So, as part of my research and development program, the new snapshot Division, I am playing around with different snapshot-type borders.

I am quite certain, at this point, that my final the new snapshot vernacular will include multiple types of borders rather than just one type - all the more accurate representation of the wide variety of printed snapshots.

FYI, all of the pictures in this entry were made with the iPhone camera module.

civilized ku # 5080 / the new snapshot # 61-63 ~ it's an addiction

rockers / Sunday AM light ~ Au Sable Forks, NY - Adirondack PARK (embiggenable)

Previously, I had mentioned that a juried exhibition possibilty, iPhone picture making, has presented itself. It is also well worth mentioning that the regional (to include Canada) PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) has shown a more than passing interest in making a one-time program about my the new snapshot work.

While the program would showcase my pictures, it would also be a an overview of the history of snapshot picture making and a primer on the picture making possibilities and techniques of the iPhone (or similar device). I, of course (drawing upon my experience as writer / producer / director and on-air host of the PBS series Adirondack Outdoors), would be the writer / on-air host / narrator of the program and, most likely, its co-producer / director.

iMo, a great / intersting project to add to my regular picture making activities.

the new snapshot # 58-60 ~ flora edition

As I have been making my the new snapshot pictures, I knew it was only a matter of time until an iPhone picture juried exhibition opportunity would appear. Lo and behold, it appeared today in my email inbox.

I have until August 21st to decide what to submit and, to be honest, the submissions may or may not be just the new snapshot pictures or they might be some other iPhone technique variation. The only restriction for submissions is that the pictures be made and processed on the iPhone (or other such cell phone). Consequently, I have some time to screw around (iPhone picture making wise) to experiment with some different referents and techniques.

Looking forward to it. And, over the next day or two, I'll have more info on the exhibition for anyone who might be interested in submitting pictures.

the new snapshot # 52-57 ~ 70 years under my belt

Haven't been around the blog for a while because, begining last Thrsday, I have had an extended birthday week - big party last weekend with 60 friends, family and neighbors and extended stays by a few. Good time had by all.

During that time I have been making lots of the new snapshot pictures in addition to dinking beer and scotch and smoking cigars. However, life has returned to nearly "normal" so I am back in the blogging saddle once again. And, I will be working on refining my the new snapshot picture M.O.

Ever onward.

civilized ku # 5077-79 / the new snapshot # 50-51 ~ what's not to like?

iPhone 7 Plus camera module picture

watering pail ~ Au Sable Forks, NY (embiggenable)

coffee cans ~ Au Sable Forks, NY (embiggenable)

Atlantic Ave. ~ Brooklyn, NY (embiggenable)

Some might think that I have gone completely over to the iPhone camera module for my picture making. While it is true that I have made approximately 180 the new snapshot pictures over the last 30 days or so, my "real" cameras have not been sitting idly by pining for the touch of my shutter release finger.

In fact, some of my the new snapshot pictures have started out as picture files from one of my "real" cameras before undergoing a the new snapshot transmutation via my the new snapshot simulation picture processing workflow. However, as atested to by the 3 civilized ku pictures in this entry, I still continue to make civilized ku / ku pictures with my "real" cameras

All of that written, I would be fooling myself (and you) if I did not admit to being totally smitten by the fact that, as on Saturday last when I gave my iPhone to a friend who made a picture of me and my good friend at his retirement / 70th birthday party - my 70th birthday party is this Saturday - immediately after which I processed it on the iPhone and uploaded it to Instagram. Within 5 minutes of the upload, the picture was "liked" by our mutual friend, Guiliano, who lives in Italy.

The total time from the making of the picture to its first "like" on Instagram (from across the Atlantic Ocean) was approximately 10 minutes, 15 minutes at the most. That, my dear friends, is quite simply amazing.

What's not to be smitten about?