# 6591-93 / travel • kitchen sink • single women ~ a roving eye...have iPhone, will make pictures

June 5, 2023

AND I QUOTE:

“…Discovery in the photographic realm: treat the iPhone like it's a serious camera—concentrate—and you can do good work with it…” ~ Michael Johnston

Acting parse-imoniously, re: the meanings of “serious" camera / “concentrate” / “good work”, my first reaction is, “Well, well, well…better late than never.”…another doubter bites the dust.

That written, and having just returned from a trip to 4 tourist laden hot-spots, I can state with a high degree of assuredness that (seemingly) everyone has “discovered” that their iPhone-or any other similar device-is more than capable of producing very good quality photographs. How “serious” they consider the camera module to be or how much they “concentrate” when using it, is hard to determine but…I am reasonably certain that they make “good work” with it.

All of that written, if the cell phone picture making hoards even think about it at all-and I would guess that they do not-very few of them would consider themselves to be photographers. Rather, if asked, they might say that they were just taking pictures. Very few would ever say that they were making photographs. That’s cuz, as Jean Shepherd wrote:

“…he is [they are] the simple householder who desires only to ‘have a camera around the house to get a picture of Dolores in her graduation gown’…What artistic results he [they] obtains are almost entirely accidental and totally without self-consciousness…”

iMo, this voluminous picture making craze is a very good thing. Who gives a damn if pictures are being made without the use of “serious” cameras or a high degree of “concentration”. And, if their definition of a “good” picture is one in which “Dolores in her graduation gown” are in focus, properly exposed, with decent color values, made easy by the simple touch of a button, that is a very good thing cuz…

…there really is such a thing-as KODAK phrased it-The Joy of Photography. It can be a very simple joy and you do not have to have a serious camera and a lot of concentration to experience it.

# 6587-90 / travel ~ separating the wheat from the chaff*

June 3, 2023

*my brother asked, “Why are you taking a picture of that*?” ~ (embiggenable)

*who would have guessed*? ~ (embiggenable)

***it’s true, I am the fucking artist*** ~ (embiggenable)

I AM AT THE 130 PICTURES MARK, re: pictures made while in Portugal. The wife is sending me a few of the pictures she made for inclusion in the total. I’m thinking that I will edit the pictures down to about 100 for inclusion in the Portugal book / album.

That written, it occurred to me while staring at the complete folder in Adobe Bridge that, just as an exercise in editing, I would see if I could make a collection of just 20 pictures which would, in minimalist kinda way, represent a believable summary of our trip. As it turned out-at least for me and the wife-it was possible.

Re: at least for me and the wife, it was possible. That is to write that, for other viewers, it might be a reasonably indicative view of our trip, but that impression would very limited relative to how the pictures “work” for me and the wife; i.e., that’s cuz, for us, each of these pictures trigger numerous memories associated with what each picture represents. Memories that other viewers would not associate with each picture unless they had visited Portugal.

That written, the fact is that this selection of pictures is more suggestive of what I saw-aka: my experience-in Portugal than it might be for the wife. That’s why I have asked her to sit down and work her way through the Adobe Bridge album and select 20 pictures which would incite the most memories, specific for her experience in Portugal. Looking forward to seeing the results of that exercise.

* this subtitle is not meant to suggest that there is any “chaff” in the entire body of work. It is, of course (iMo), all “wheat”. That written, some of the wheat, in this case, was more suited to my specific editing purpose.

ADDENDUM the wife has read this entry and, to reinforce my point-re: my experience, her experience-she states that she would not have chosen the same 20 pictures. That’s cuz, for instance, she did not drink as many sangrias as I did. And, furthermore-re: incited memories-she has no idea where I made the WR triptych pictures even though she was sitting right next me (having a refreshing drink) when I got up and made the pictures.

# 6578-86 / travel ~ more than just a sense of place

May 30, 2023

all pictures ~ (embiggenable)

WHEN I TRAVEL IT IS ALWAYS MY INTENTION to make pictures of what I see. The challenge of doing so is to make pictures that convey a sense of place that do not look like pretty picture postcards. Actually, truth be told, that ain’t too much of a challenge cuz my vision dictates how I see what I see. And pretty picture postcard pictures just ain’t part of that program.

That written, when one is a stranger in a strange (to you) land, the temptation to make pretty postcard pictures can be a powerful force. You know…you see some thing-aka: a people, a place or a thing-that looks different than what you are used to seeing back home and wham-o, you wanna make a picture of the thing forgetting that the best picture can be more than just a picture of a thing. It’s kinda like a Pavlovian going home to mama, rules of picture making wise, by reverting to the idiotic advice that, when you are making a picture of some thing, you must simplify. That is, to eliminate any thing (or things) that “detract” a viewer’s attention from the thing you wish to picture.

Now, if your picture making intention is to make pictures for the picture viewing simple-minded, that’s good advice. However, if your intention is to make pictures that invite a viewer’s visual senses to spent a little time moseying around your picture’s real estate, providing a little more visual information, iMo, is the way to go.

Of course, the counterpoint to my way of picture making thinking is that too much information can cause a viewer to struggle with figuring out the point of a picture. To which I write, “Good.”, cuz maybe, just maybe, that consternation might just lead a viewer to the idea that the “point” of a picture is the picture itself, not just the thing that it depicts.

# 6573-77 / travels ~ there and back again

May 29, 2023

***on hotel room balcony*** ~ Lisbon, Portugal • (embiggenable)

BACK HOME AND IN THE DESKTOP SADDLE once again. Sorting through the 920 pictures made in Portugal over the past 2 weeks. I’m guessing that about 1/2 or more of those pictures are dupes of one kind or another-brackets, minor framing variations, et al-of which there will most likely be 100 or so “finals”.

As mentioned, I did not bring my laptop along on my trip. I thought I could use the Squarespace app to make entries but it proved to be useless, for all practical purposes, so I gave up trying to use it. I have deleted the few entries I made with it but the pictures in them will be re-posted in new entries.

Nothing of any substance to report on the use of my new iPhone 14 PRO Max. Have not tried the new 48mp RAW picture making format.

If I had been so inclined to take the time I could have done a series in Lisbon on trolleys. The trolleys are run primarily as tourist attractions traveling through older, historic parts of the city and tourists stand in lines for hours waiting to board them. To which I said, “Not happening.”

So the wife and I took a nearly 2-hour so-called Tuk Tuk tour ride-$150US-to 4 old hilltop neighborhoods. Our driver and tour guide was great, lots of info and very friendly. She stopped at a number of locations-great views, historic buildings, interesting warren-like neighborhoods-and waited while we walked around saw the sights at each stop. Highly recommended if you are ever in the area.

***Tuk Tuk driver and me*** ~ (embiggenable)

# 6560-07 / common things ~ work in progress

May 9, 2023

ONE OF THE SIDE BENEFITS OF SCOURING MY photo library looking for pictures for my An Adirondack Survey project has been the discovery of even more “hidden” bodies of work-unorganized / scattered about my photo library-just waiting to be put together in a coherent collection of themed work.

A case in point is the work in this entry; a body of work for which I do not yet have a title / name. The collection, at this point of discovery, includes 12 photographs, 3 of which-those presented as single photos-I made today. Not really sure how many more might be hiding in my photo library cuz more searching will need to wait until I return from Portugal (leaving this Saturday for 2 weeks).

That written, I will be on the lookout for the making of new photographs for the series.

# 6555-59 / common places • common things • kitchen sink ~ walk and see

May 6, 2023

OVER THE PAST COUPLE DAYS THE COLOR red seems to be following me around. Or, is it just the opposite - I’m following it around?

However, point in fact, the matter is as simple as Lee Friedlander stated (modified by me), re: Joel Cohen’s comment about his pictures:

“He says all kinds of nice things that I don’t recognize. Splitting Red, splintering Red. Evidently my pictures are that way, but I didn’t think, ‘I want to take a splintering red picture.’ If you’ve done the same thing for 60 55 years, you don’t think of motive very much. I just walk and see something interesting that pricks my eye and sensibilities.”

iMo, walking-aka: being there-and seeing-with mind and eyes wide open-are the prime ingredients for making good pictures.

Forget motive and simply spontaneously react-exploiting the medium’s unique-amongst-the visual-arts characteristic, aka: its intrinsic relationship with and as a cohort of the real-to something visually interesting that pricks your eye and sensibilities. In doing so, a personal vision, aka: how you see, will emerge seemingly unbidden.

Or, in other words, don'‘t think about it. Just do it. As Joel Cohen put it:

“…the obligation of the person who makes the work is to make the work, and the obligation of the people who view the work is to think about it.”

# 6551-54 / common places • common things • shallow DOF ~ it's all a blur

May 2, 2023

SINCE THE START OF MY DIGITAL CAMERA USE, I kinda missed the shallow DOF possible with most film-based cameras. That fact was exacerbated by my adoption of the micro 4/3 sensor - the smaller the sensor, the smaller the lens-projected image magnification factor = greater apparent DOF at any f-stop setting.

In order to mitagate this DOF situation, I acquired only fast, prime lenses that I used wide open to obtain some satisfactory measure of shallow DOF (when desired). Worked in some picture making situations, not so much in other situations. With the availability of full-frame digital sensors / cameras, I was sorry tempted to make the switch from µ4/3 to full-frame but, the cost / benefit ratio-duplicating my µ4/3 system-for the number of times I might want shallow DOF was most definitely out of whack. But wait….

…enter the PORTRAIT setting on the iPhone…

ASIDE this would be a good place to pause and take a deep breath if you are one of those “purists” who whine, moan, or outright scream that the iPhone PORTRAIT setting ain’t" “real” DOF. END ASIDE

…and as far as I am concerned, all is right with the world.

In any event, this entry was instigated by Mike Johnston’s request for submissions to another of his BAKER’s DOZEN call for work. The theme is pictures with “some king of blur” with the caveat that only pictures expressly made for this BD Blur event-created after 4/28/23-would be considered for prize awards. However, I believe that this caveat has since been rescinded.

Before that rescinding, I was rather annoyed cuz I have an ever expanding body of work in which blur-to one degree or another, one type or another-is the predominant visual component. That body of work is comprised of pictures made using the iPhone PORTRAIT setting. Nevertheless, within a few hours of seeing the BD Blur request for pictures, I made a few new pictures with the iPhone.

FYI, one thing I really like about the iPhone PORTRAIT setting is the fact that the apparent DOF can be adjusted / fine tuned, ad infinitum, to any desire result after the picture has been made. Try doing that with your shot-wide-open “real” digital camera.

I will be making more blur pictures before submitting one to the competition. FYI, I have only submitted to two BD competitions. Accepted to both-Cameras, and In the Museum. Be interested to know if any followers of this blog participate.

# 6550 / common places • common thing • An Adirondack Survey ~ letting it all hang out

April 28, 2023

I AM APPROACHING THE An Adirondack Survey PROJECT finish line. 2 copies of the 110-page / 52-photos book are in production and 20 prints are ready for the folio. It has been a rather demanding physical-many hours in front of the computer-and mental-picture editing-undertaking.

RE: picture editing - the final edit of the book includes 54 photographs, selected from the nearly 300 photographs in the An Adirondack Survey folder. Selecting those 300 photographs from my 10,000 photo library was rather time consuming. Editing down to the final 54 photographs was quite challenging inasmuch as, although there were approximately 45 no-brainer inclusions, there were 8-9 photograph pages that were in constant flux-this photo in, that photo out, that photo in, this photo out, seemingly ad infinitum.

Then there was, for me, the seemingly inevitable happenstance of hitting the PRINT button for a POD photo book, any photo book, and, within 24 hours thereof, making a picture that just screams to be included in the book. Happened 2x after hitting the PRINT button for 2 “proof” books.

The other project component that required editing was selecting photographs for the print folio. The big question was whether to print selected “greatest hits” from the book-the purpose of the folio was to demonstrate the high quality of the prints-or to print photographs that were not in the book. I went back and forth on this question for quite a while. It wasn’t until I did a deeper dive into a few other body-of-work folders, during which I “discovered” quite a number of additional “greatest hits” that it became obvious that printing them would vastly improve the scope of the An Adirondack Survey collection.

All of that written, now comes the scary part of the project. Sending out the door a significant part of my picture making endeavors for consideration, a judgement of sorts, of a (possible) exhibition. Soar-and-fly or crash-and-burn time is soon upon me.