civilized ku # 5141 ~ a good find

I read it through the grapevine ~ (embiggenable) • iPhone

While in New Jersey during the holidays, I purchased a photo book called, appropriately, THE PHOTO BOOK. The book, which weighs 13 lbs., is a compilation of pictures - 1 ea. from 562 different picture makers. I am about half way through the book and am surprised by how many pictures I am familiar with.

That written, one overriding impression I am left with is that everything that can be pictured has been pictured. And, just about every manner of making pictures is well represented.

Each picture is accompanied by a short discription re: about the picture and the picture maker and his/her M.O./vision. And, when appropriate, historical context inasmuch as the pictures cover picture making from the medium's very beginning.

Is the book intersting? Yes, it is. Was it worth the price? Yes, inasmuch ass it was on the book store post-holiday sale rack for the price of $28.83USD (appoximately 50% of retail price). Also worth mentioning is the fact that the book is published by Phaidon, a very well respected publisher of such books.

ku / civilized ku / the new snapshot ~ best of 2017

best of ku / 2017

best of civilized ku / 2017

best of the new snapshot / 2017

When I started to select my best of picture from 2017 my intention was to select one picture as the best of 2017. However, as I was looking through my 2017 picture, it became apparent that I needed to pick a best of picture from each of my primary bodies of work - ku (the natural world), civilized ku (evidence of humankind) and the new snapshot.

While I have a number of sub-catagories which fall under those primary bodies of work, I felt that choosing one best of from all of those additional bodies of work would kinda defeat the purpose of trying to narrow the selection down to just a few best of pictures.

In any event, I discovered a few things about my picture making during the selection process:

1. Over the years I have move from making primarily ku pictures to making many more civilized ku pictures.
2. Since the inception of my iPhone the new snapshot making, I have made many more the new snapshot pictures than ku / civilized ku combined.
3.That written, the new snapshot picture making does include ku, civilized ku and people referents as well as few of my sub-categories.

The net result of those conculsions is that I intend, during 2018, to concentrate on making more ku (especially so) / civilized ku (and their sub-categories) pictures utilizing my µ4/3 cameras. Only time will tell if I can stick to that (New Years) resolution.

civilized ku # 5140 / diptych # 221 (The new snapshot) ~ bathroom art

restaurant restroom ~ (embiggenable) • µ4/3

cigar store / escape room - breakout game place restrooms ~ (embiggenable) • iPhone

I am finding somewhat interesting, in several ways, the signs to be found in public bathrooms. They run the gamut from polite, sometimes stern, admonitions to humorous and rather vulgar expressions.

While I have not intentionally sought out such signs, I am starting to think I should. Hell, at 70 years of age, I'm peeing enough to be a frequent visitor to public restrooms.

civilized ku # 5139 / diptych # 220 (the new snapshot) ~ there and back again

truck art ~ Southside / Pittsburgh, PA (embiggenable) • iPhone

kids~ Cherry Hill, NJ (embiggenable) • iPhone

Xmas and New Years has come and gone. Over that time I have gone to Pittsbugh, PA and on to Cherry Hill, NJ and back home again.

While I was away, I meant to post an entry or two but, one thing or another, I never found the time. However, I did manage to make approximately 40 pictures, most of which were made with the iPhone camera module.

On the subject of picture making, iPhone / µ4/3 or otherwise, this Xmas most of my gift giving centered around giving pictures (prints). Or, as I tend to think of it, preserving and giving memories. And, it is worth noting that one of the recipients of one of my pictures actually broke out in tears (of joy), a response which cemented by decision to make my primary gift giving (any and all occasions) centered around preserving and giving memories.

My ability to preserve and give memories is attributed to my adoption of iPhone picture making inasmuch as I am making a lot of pictures of people - something I did not do much of with my "real" cameras (for what reason I don't know). And, pictures of people - family, friends, et al - are the single most cherished pictures that most people possess.

What I have discovered about my people pictures is that I can not help but bring all of my picture making / processing / vision skills to the making of such pictures. Consequently, the pictures are perceived as something very special, above and beyond what they are accustomed to seeing in a "snapshot". Throw in my deckled snapshot border and somehow, a picture becomes even more special, which may be due to the fact that the retro border incites a rather instant "nostalgic" reaction / quality to the picture.

In any event, I have been absolutely delighted with the reactions I have received to my the new snapshot pictures.