Randall Douglas Photography

Portrait Session

2012-01-05T20:49:00.000-06:00

I'm working on a portrait project and will accept one person who may be reading my blog, twitter or facebook. You will receive one picture from the session. The sessions will take place in the next couple weeks (between 1/9- 1/20/12) and will take a little longer on concept lighting etc before any actual picture taking begins (ie., probably resulting in a strong picture, but taking more time than you might ordinarily expect for one picture).

The idea behind this one is both making the picture on the spot, but also a slow more thoughtful portrait concentrating on one image. If you don't like sitting around waiting or don't want to collaborate all that much, this may not be the session for you. If you want lots of pictures rather than one good one, also this isn't a session for you (that's what I usually do, but the idea of this project is to take a break from that).

I usually ask permission, but I'm pretty sure the best photos from this project will be published (at least on the web or potentially some other format or work).

If you are interested email me: randy@randalldouglas.com. You may be required to travel if you are not close by.

Remember Me for a Little While

2011-12-21T09:58:00.002-06:00

The annual F-stop group show is on exhibit December 9th 2011 thru January 7th 2012.

http://www.mplsphotocenter.com/exhibits/current-exhibits.php

My print sold at the opening. I appreciate the support.

The F-stop group has our annual group exhibit.

2011-12-09T10:02:00.000-06:00

On Exhibit December 9th 2011 thru January 7th 2012

www.mplsphotocenter.com/exhibits/current-exhibits.php

Barry Feinstein

2011-11-02T22:21:00.002-05:00

I'm a little late to the wake with this one (Barry Feinstein died recently at 80).

I rather enjoyed this self-narrarated tour of his works:

http://www.podcasters.tv/podcasts/morrison-hotel-presents-the-photography-of-barry-feinstein-154261.html

The Dylan photographs and the Beggar's Banquet photo alone make this worth perusing. He had incredible access -- the kind you don't get these days, and he made good with it.

NPRPicture Show: Sally Mann

2011-02-21T21:42:00.001-06:00

Photographer Sally Mann On Art, Illness, Love And Life

Story in Inventory Fashion Magazine

2011-02-12T01:05:00.002-06:00

Inventory fashion magazine recently did a redux spin on a shoot I did last summer for them. This time they are showing more of the detailed shots I took which illustrate the workmanship going on at Redwing shoe company. It was great to meet a few of the folks and turn my lens on the factory floor.

Visited: Red Wing Shoe Company

Everybody Street

2011-02-04T00:08:00.003-06:00

Everybody Street
A Film by Cheryl Dunn

See more via what's the jackonary:

Everybody Street

Vivian Maier

2011-01-12T22:28:00.003-06:00

Wow. I've seen enough just from this short clip. In the context of 1950s and 60s photography, there is little doubt that Vivian Maier is the real deal. You have to admire someone that tirelessly worked in solace, and have to wonder if she even wanted recognition in the Art world. Perhaps. Something was obviously driving the work.

I also plan to make time to see the show:

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/attractions/dca_tourism/Chicago_Cultural_Center.html

Against All the Odds: Instagram Gets 1 Million Users in 10 Weeks

2010-12-28T14:13:00.000-06:00

Against All the Odds: Instagram Gets 1 Million Users in 10 Weeks

Bruce Davidson Talk

2010-12-15T00:14:00.002-06:00

Bruce Davidson @ Jackson Fine Art, 05.10.08 from Atlanta Celebrates Photography on Vimeo.

I went to go watch a Davidson a talk on Levi's.coms Facebook site. But it was not rebroadcasted, so I wasn't able to watch. (Btw, seems like Levis figured out that millions of people want to be photographers and are willing to sit through their branding collateral for content.) Feeling a touch let down, this talk on vimeo is a little short, and it's hard to see the work, but it's the next best thing I googled.

Aaron Huey: America's native prisoners of war

2010-11-11T22:19:00.006-06:00

I really like this photographer's article in Harpers, December 2009 (
"Ghosts of Wounded Knee"), and, in 1989, when the filming of Thunderheart was brining it's hollywood interpretation to the res., I was convinced that the real Pine Ridge should be photographed or be made the subject of a full length documentary, but did not have the photography skills and a valid question at the time was "why would you want to go there," since it was pretty much the same res. back then. This photography is close to the interpretation I invisioned.

Opening night for the Personal Effects Exhibit at the MPLS Photo Center

2010-11-10T15:06:00.003-06:00

I had an image in this. Nice opening.... The area with the band was pretty full (more so than seen on the vid) once all the fashionably late people showed.

P.S. This is not my slideshow. It was supplied by the center, used with their permission.

Looking for something to do?

2010-11-04T11:44:00.003-05:00

Looking for something to do?, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

My image is bottom, second to the left. Consider this an invatation to a "private" opening. (Pretty sure it's free, and they usually have a nice spread at these things -- probably, sans booze.)

Sorry for the late notice. Just so you know, I will probably go, but we haven't decided yet whether to make the short trek. It is just one image, but (although I haven't seen all the full sized image) this group always floors me and is worth the visit. Theres another show opening on the same day: "alternative processes".

"I'm praying for the Angel of uncertainty to visit my plate."

2010-10-29T21:00:00.001-05:00

The Wet Plate Collodion Process

2010-10-29T20:55:00.001-05:00

Amazing Swann Catalog

2010-10-21T21:20:00.004-05:00

http://www.swanngalleries.com/3dcat/2226/

All I want to know is: if I buy ten or more, do I get a quantity discount?

One of my images in F-stop Group show: Personal Effects

2010-10-13T11:08:00.008-05:00

Location:Mpls Photo Center Gallery
Opening Reception: Friday, November 5, 7:00-10:00pm
On Exhibit: November 5 – December 27
Exhibit Juror: Tom Arndt

October Senior Session Proof Thumbnails (partial)

2010-10-13T10:40:00.004-05:00

Click here to view full sized contact sheet.

Opening-day Artist Talk: Alec Soth with George Slade

2010-10-05T11:53:00.001-05:00

For "From Here, to There" exhibit of Soth's prints at the Walker.

Gadget Freak Column Tearsheet

2010-09-27T16:21:00.001-05:00

Gadget Freak Column Tearsheet, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

Canon Communications magazine editorial photo shoot for Gadget Freak. October edition tearsheet.

Thanks for your support; it helps me to be found by magazines who seem to really like what I do whenever they take the time to find my work (e.g., a curiously strong ratio of hits from periodicals vs. conversion to assignment). I especially, enjoyed the extra looks from this assignment, but the conventional shot made the most sense for the column (note the throwback pop).

My Prints on Display at Rochester ArtiGras

2010-08-20T18:04:00.003-05:00

I will have a booth at the Saturday, 8/11 at the ArtiGras festival in Rochester, MN, down by the Mayo Civic Center. This is basically my first art fair, and my time has been tight. So, hopefully you all will come down and people will look past the back to basics approach to my booth layout and the quick frames and look at the prints themselves, which do shine.

Come say hello if you are out tomorrow.

Upcoming SELCO Easel Exhibit

2010-08-12T11:53:00.005-05:00

This 12x12 archival inkjet print was accepted and is on sale at the SELCO exhibit that travels from 15 Libraries in Southeastern Minnesota.

My blues prints have sold nationally and internationally. Which I think is pretty good, considering that I haven't really been advertising that they are for sale. (They've been finding me on flickr.)

I made an artist's edition of 6 12x12 prints of the above Harmonica Hinds, Chicago Bluesfest photo. I brought out some of the midtones and there is amazing detail in the 7-ink archival monochrome inkjet prints. Email to inquire at: randy@randalldouglas.com

Virtually ungooglable, amazing blues photographer

2010-07-29T18:23:00.005-05:00

His name is Peter Amft.

I can't give you a link, because there isn't one. He has no Web site to speak of. Aside from web references to "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues", there's isn't much about him online. You can find his work documenting Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Hound Dog Taylor, and many others in books and on the covers of numerous albums and cds (searching blues album covers, in fact is the best way to run across his pictures). As far as I know, he's alive, at least as of a couple years ago, because I have a couple recent prints of his. But he seems to have been one of the few great music photographers that has ducked out of the whole online marketing experience. His work can be found on display in the Delmark Jazz Record Mart in Chicago:

http://www.jazzmart.com/

The Blues, music and the people who make it.

2010-07-28T10:45:00.005-05:00

I made the most "interesting" list of this popular flickr blues group:

http://flickriver.com/groups/thebluesmusic/pool/interesting/

I feel honored to pop up in such good company. In particular, if you have some time to explore, check out the photos of George Mitchell and "Dizzy Atmosphere." Pretty much all the work I see in their streams (blues and non-blues) is classic and the real deal.

Btw, you'll also see some really cool old blues photos that people re-posted in their accounts. I always have mixed feelings about this common practice (and some of the photos may even be public domain at this point), but I have to admit I still always look.

100 Action Packed Concert & Gig Photographs

2010-07-19T19:56:00.004-05:00

My work was included in a 'best of': "100 Action Packed Concert & Gig Photographs" online tutorial (image titled "Harmonica Hands"):

http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/inspiration/100-action-packed-concert-gig-photographs/#comment-17190

Custom Calendar

2010-07-18T13:19:00.001-05:00

Custom Calendar, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

Here are some thumbnails from a calendar I created from a portrait shoot. I took her selections and made custom high end inkjet prints from the files and spiral bound them.

Robert Frank:

2010-07-15T18:22:00.000-05:00

"Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected."

Crude Awakening

2010-06-27T12:44:00.002-05:00

This looks like an interesting project to protest the BP Oil Spill.

http://janefultonalt.blogspot.com/2010/06/more-on-crude-awakening-and-environment.html

Side note: -- Actually, I'm not sure what to call this event, because the word spill doesn't really describe it. Spill sounds like something that you can sop up with paper towels, but "spill" seems to be the supplied misnomer the media has settled on.

I'm curious about the photographer's process. Is that real oil in the portraits? (Real oil would be unsafe and it appears -- as actual bathers are getting this on them at the beach -- very challenging to get off as your porous skin soaks in the tar balls.) Also, how does she find subjects? Etc.

Btw, I first saw this posted in the Oxford American: Southern Girl Blog:

http://www.oxfordamerican.org/blogs/southern-girl/

…the blog of Carol Ann Fitzgerald, the managing editor of The Oxford American. The Web site was brought to my attention by the editor's sister, a talented mixed media artist who I met online via flickr.

The Oxford American Music issue is very good and worth picking up. I like the Oxford American site, and the blogs, and their web site is a good source for photography and literary interests -- particularly if music photography is your angle.

Wedding in Blair, NE

2010-06-24T21:34:00.002-05:00

Band Photos Promo

2010-06-24T13:25:00.001-05:00

Band Photos Promo, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

$100 in Rochester, MN
$150 in T.C. metro

Really.

Wedding w/out a Camera

2010-06-23T01:14:00.011-05:00

Ok, sort of.... It took me a while to remember what people do at a wedding without a camera in front of their face. On the drive up there was this weird sky and we pulled over to go to the bathroom in Wisconsin, and I had to snap some shots.

Straight out of camera

At the wedding, I was seeing all these great picture ops during the ceremony with my camera packed away. Shot a few reception snaps images mostly from the table, but decided it was time to put the camera away.

Nice wedding. Open bar.

Portrait Session: From a Personal Calendar Shoot

2010-06-23T00:48:00.002-05:00

My Image in Seattle Magazine Online

2010-06-10T11:55:00.002-05:00

Hi. My image of Coupeville Pier was published last year in Seattle Magazine.

I just noticed that they used the image on their Web site:

http://www.seattlemag.com/0p135a1545/island-getaways-whidbey-island/

I looked for my picture on the Web site version after the Magazine release and didn't see it at the time, so it may be recent.

Yes, I'm still accepting work

2010-06-07T23:49:00.008-05:00

This my blog is part candid diary, part a tribute to great photography done by other people I admire (especially cool vids), and part about my own photography business.

From the calls I've received the last few days (a few people asked if I'm still accepting work), I think my introspective comments may confuse the people that are new to me.

Plus, I'm a little surprised by who is actually reading my blog. (I guess some of those hits are coming from people other than me and my wife after all.)

I'm still in business. I love photography. I love doing your portraits, etc.

Maybe, one day I may separate these different reasons I blog to make this blog strictly a advertisement and marketing organ (Randall Douglas Photography Rulez!), but until then just disregard anything that sounds like a diary entry as moody late night ramblings.

Nice Video Here About Brian Duffy

2010-06-02T23:00:00.007-05:00

If you've seen his work at all in the past (until recently when his son took charge of assembling salvaged negatives for a 2009 show), it's probably in a very comprehensive magazine compilation book or in original magazines from the 60s and 70s.

Brian Duffy Video

In the 70s, Duffy burned most of negatives in defiance to the commercial world (specifically, an assignment to shoot toilet paper set him over the edge), and stopped photographing entirely. He was once one of the young upstart stars of photography who helped to define the new London fashion and commercial photography scene in 60s, together with Bailey, and Donovan...the three of them were coined as the black trio.

http://www.duffyphotographer.com/doko_folder/doko.html

The Blues

2010-05-26T13:05:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've been getting some interest in the blues stuff. Dig it:

Gulf Oil Environment Damage

2010-05-25T21:19:00.002-05:00

The camera is probably most powerful as a tool to document, as this story shows. Shows some of the early effects of the leaking oil well in the gulf.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/oil_reaches_louisiana_shores.html

Come Full Circle

2010-05-23T23:58:00.002-05:00

I've taken a brief break from photography, and I'm seeing a camera once again as a utility to document stuff -- like a pencil or a cardiod microphone or a computer with word installed: nothing really all that special in it's own right. I think this either means that I am finally ready to make my best work or that I should hang it up. I'll let you know.

Here, Half Blind: John Gossage Show/Insert Review on 5B4

2010-05-11T11:51:00.014-05:00

I'm a reader of 5B4. My reaction to this review is sort of like my wife's reaction to Gossage's work.

"This was in the paper. I'm not sure what it is...maybe it's something you'd want to look at."

I'm not sure what to make of the review. In fairness, interpreting Rochester via the lens of a JR. High reading level conservative-leaning organ might be amusing to high art folks out of New York City. On a road trip, I recently read the Omaha World Herald with new, wiser eyes and now partly understand why there are so many conservatives in Nebraska and why I was often a reluctant, shoulder shrugging one (claiming disinterest in politics).

My take on the review: I think it's probably a favorable view of Gossage and a slam on my little city. (But based on the last sentence of the review, it could be the reverse.) Although, the show itself attempted to make it plain that there was a view other than a ubiquitous pre-approved republished and echoed one, so I guess the review angled to sound off on that concept.

A bold stroke is/was clearly needed to get alternative art briefly into the hands of Rochesterians. In fairness, to Rochester, the P.B., and the Rochester Art Center, that's how they approached this show. Distributing the work to all Post-Bulletin readers was a cool move. Opening night attendance amongst locals was good, as well -- although some of the crowd actually came down from the cities.

http://5b4.blogspot.com/2010/04/herehalf-blind-by-john-gossage.html

At the show, I got a chance to briefly say hi to Gossage. I was mostly curious about why he stopped photographing musicians, and his answer was that he was concerned about the toll the lifestyle would have on his health.

As for the show and work itself, my take is sort of in the middle.
The tonality of the paper printing left me curious to see the show, so I went. (I actually had the $3 fee waived compliments of McKnight, but found out that if you booked in advance locally the fee was waived anyway and think that maybe it was actually an invite to the mixer...oh well.)

Some pieces were wonderful on their own. Individually, some prints were questionable. (Particulary, I may have lost the whole set of overexposed images that were a result of a light leak in Gossage's camera, but I get and appreciate where this idea is coming from; one light leak image was beautiful and worth saving -- sorry, probably not the whole series.) Although as a collection the work built and began to take shape. How he worked with A-frame roofs and some references to sexuality and his use of trees and how he presented portraits (resting higher than the other work) became identifiable and even a little comical by the end. This is Gossage's style to present things we overlook in a way that takes shape, where we see consistent themes and ideas spread throughout the work. Personally, I go for his treatment of the Berlin wall more than for the odd fragments pieced together from the south side of Rochester, but that may be my limitation, where I thirst for dramatic content and subject matter over the mundane. Most of us do.

P.S. I guess this review is probably overdue (seeing how the show was last season), but I left the show knowing I didn't hate it but wondering whether I actually liked the work. Definately, the insert is worth saving from compost. I also saved a neighbor's copy. I'm not sure I'd shell out $500 for the autographed limited expanded edition (unless, I got a free copy as a reviewer...dream on). Some things need time to process, but the first mixed reaction is also valid.

Robert Frank's Film on the Stones on YouTube

2010-05-11T11:14:00.007-05:00

The film was killed (probably, for a variety of reasons). Robert Frank's film showing sex and drugs and supposedly made up of fictitious events (aside from the live songs), at times is gorgeous and other times looks like the precursor to "This is Spinal Tap." (I have no doubts this film was an influence on Rob Reiner's Rockumentary.) Denied to American audiences, the Frank film is out in a collection of broken pieces on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTfwGTqYzw&feature=related

Off the subject of photography: nukes

2010-04-07T10:54:00.007-05:00

We still have gigantic nuclear stockpiles that are capable of wiping out our earth (not just once, but over and over). Mutually assured annihilation is no longer a sane policy (if it ever was).

Perhaps the arms race once was the best we could do...but under Bush I we entered a knew reality with Russia as our ally.

What happened?

I have some conservative friends, contacts, and clients, and I respect their right to disagree (if anyone out there actually still does), but there comes a time when old ways are no longer in your best interest.

Right now, we have a chance to work on that problem, and Obama is finally taking up the campaign issue to address this madness.

Speak out for peace (or at least a dose of sanity), by signing this petition directed at world leaders (and hopefully to get the attention of your Senator to approve a potential treaty to reinstate multi-lateral arms reduction):

http://act.truemajorityaction.org/p/7002/bluepetition?petition_KEY=156

Jim Marshall - The Dusty Wright Show

2010-04-06T18:27:00.005-05:00

Posted using ShareThis

Another Jim Marshall interview.... Jim Marshall released a couple books before he died. I'm glad he did. This interview follows "Trust." I suggest you scale this one up to watch.

Photocamp Utah 2010

2010-03-30T20:33:00.001-05:00

PhotoCamp Utah 2010 streamed their content via uStream.tv. Check it out here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/photocamp-utah-pcu2010

Jim Marshall Dies (Farber Interview)

2010-03-29T00:06:00.005-05:00

Jim Marshall Died this Tuesday, 5/23/10.

Jim Marshall has always been my favorite Rock photographer, but I didn't realize it until a couple years back when I picked up "Proof" and kept smiling nodding: "Oh, yeah, that Hendrix picture...Oh he shot that Janis Joplin photo?"

He was the best and most consistent shooting a wild 60s and 70s scene, documentary style. His personality seems to have been an aquired taste -- like olives or strong coffee -- and he was the best...what else is there to say?

If you haven't looked at his pictures in a while, do it now.

NYTimes Slideshow

Robert Farber Interview with Marshall

Cover of SPAH's "Harmonica Happenings" Quarterly

2010-03-10T19:12:00.005-06:00

http://www.spah.org/

http://harmonicahappenings.com/

Nuggetry

2010-03-05T01:06:00.006-06:00

If you need further proof that the Internet discourse has broken down into self-validating informational segments, look no further than:

Dogs on Roofs

Maybe, there is now a group for everything.... (No offense to dog lovers, roof lovers, or lovers exclusively of dogs on roofs in combination.)

A couple essential links for landscape photographers

2010-02-25T16:49:00.005-06:00

A standby sight of mine for tracking the various stages of twilight is the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command sunset moonrise table:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.php

You can plug in cities or coordinates of anyplace on the globe, to get a break down of all the phases of Twilight.

Perhaps even better is "The Photographer's Ephemeris"

http://stephentrainor.com/tools

I'm still checking this out, so we'll be evaluating it together.

If you want to listen to a great podcast that describes what happens to light during the day -- particularly during dawn and sunset, Craig Tanner has a great podcast on the subject:

The Ebb & Flow of Natural Light

Magnum in Motion: Time of Change

2010-02-24T23:15:00.003-06:00

Magnum in Motion: Time of Change by Bruce Davidson

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/time-change

    "They (the police) asked me if I was an agitator, was I a communist, was I a communist sympathizer."

    "And I said, 'I'm none of those things.'"

    "He said, 'You're going to get out of town by 6 O'clock tomorrow morning, or we're (the police) going to stomp you.'"

Bruce Davidson joined a freedom ride which inspired him to photograph the racial divide for the next several years. Hindsight, it was the right thing to do -- to document this movement, to stand up against authority that promoted racist views. It's easy with a couple generations of revised textbooks to think of the civil rights movement as a timely and obvious thing that was a long time coming...it being obvious that the U.S. people would do the right thing and get behind it.

But I'm reminded that early on that was far from the case. We -- particularly people that were not alive in the early 60s, often overlook that white people who documented racism and joined the civil rights movement were ridiculed, threatened, labelled inappropriately bad labels like "communist agitator," or just beaten, sometimes to death. Often, it was those in authority (the police) that did the beating or people who were quietly sanctioned to take it upon themselves to be the authority.

What Bruce Davidson did, by doing his job as a journalist and artist, was an act of supreme courage. Yes, when threatened with his life, he avoided the danger...left town before sunup. But that did not deter him overall from documenting an injustice.

Side note: -- some good reading if you want some material that covers the extent of these kinds of policies:

Sundown Towns by James Loewen. While not exclusively about the civil rights movement, it may blow your mind when considering the level of racism. Check out the list of sundown towns in MN:

http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/sundowntownsshow.php?state=MN

100 places to remember

2010-01-31T13:47:00.006-06:00

This story is important for two reasons:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/dec/10/100-places-to-remember-before-they-disappear?picture=356663463

First, these are places (many not in Al Gore's powerpoint) that may not be the first places (unlike the dramatic pictures we see coming in from Bangladesh, Glacier National park, Kilimanjaro, Arctic, Antarctica, New Orleans, or Greenland) we think of when considering the effects of global warming, but these areas will be forever changed if predictions are accurate.

Secondly, the Getty photographs from people like National Geographic journalist, Sarah Leen, are amazing, and make the case for continuation of premium stock by the best photographers. As good as some of the d00des are getting on flickr, for me this story really makes the case for top shelf, well-practiced photos from seasoned photographers. Not as poignant as the loss of glaciers and rising seas...but certainly, if premium stock goes away, our experience as readers is diminished.

5b4, for reviews and pictures of photo books

2010-01-21T21:41:00.002-06:00

5b4 is one of the best blogs/sites that simply reviews photo books (the artsy ones) and shows both an elongated spread that includes a sample rephoto of the book along with good copy describing something meaningful about the book.

Simple. To the point. Exactly what I'm looking for on the subject of photography books:

http://5b4.blogspot.com/

It pays to check out my journalism

2010-01-19T12:33:00.004-06:00

Literally, I think.

I've signed on to be the Austin MN concerts examiner. I think my articles may also get some play in Minneapolis.

I'm still trying to figure out how I get paid, but I it may be based on ad impressions seen by unique visitors.

Friday (1/15/10), I went to go see James Cotton and was allowed to photograph the first 2 songs. I posted a review and a slideshow of the first two songs. This may have been a disadvantage actually (since everyone else could take pictures throughout), but I wasn't questioned while I was close to the stage for the first two songs and got to meet James Cotton backstage.

So, by all means check out my articles, and click on a few ads even (just in case).

James Cotton Performance Review

On art school

2010-01-13T17:44:00.003-06:00

"Eh, I don't feel like talking to you right now. I'm an Artist"

- Father Guido Sarducci

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0ITXBWpHE&feature=related

Come See My Samples

2010-01-05T22:29:00.002-06:00

Visit me in Rochester, MN at the Wedding Extravaganza this Saturday, 1/9/2009 for extra special giveaways and promotions. Check out my samples and say hello. It's a good time to ask questions or get a feel for my style and product options.

Say you saw my blog entry for an extra bonus.

http://www.weddingxtravaganza.com/

Danny Wilcox Frazier Documents Iowa

2009-12-20T23:23:00.009-06:00

I found a link to Mediastorm and discovered an amazing photographer from a nearby city in a neighboring state. I've done some time in Iowa doing church directories and it's not unlike Nebraska (where I lived in middle school and college) -- flat, mostly rural, lots of corn fields. I took a few snaps of rundown hotels and some other weird stuff, but this photographer's work shows what I was missing: the seemingly ordinary can be made amazing.

http://www.mediastorm.com/0025.htm

Media Storm is also a great site in general:

http://www.mediastorm.com/

"It is only with the heart that one can see right; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

2009-12-14T23:29:00.003-06:00

-- Antione de Saint-Exupery

“Art is purposely useless"

2009-12-12T12:10:00.001-06:00

-- Richard Serra

Edward Burtynsky on TED.COM: Edward Burtynsky photographs the landscape of oil

2009-12-01T23:05:00.002-06:00

Peace b2 Seniors

2009-11-05T16:28:00.005-06:00

Peace b2 Seniors, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

Taking a break from cranking away on high school senior photos. Btw, if you're in Southern Minnesota, it's not to late to book me. I might be amongst the best around (at least I wonder if I am from what I'm seeing), but while I'm busy I still have some openings...chalk it up to the bad ecomony.

As an example, here's samples from a recent photo shoot:

http://www.pictage.com/photographers/slideshows/viewslideshow?autoplay=1&slideshowid=6833&slideshowkey=nkbzmesqdzmoouxa

Isn't it nice to all the pictures from a shoot. These are proofs, so this is what the camera sees during the course of my shoot, not just one sample I sent out to a graphic artist to be fixed up.

Plus...get this...the forcast is for sun and crazy unseasonal global warming style temps for at least the next 7 days.

Peace b/w u.

randy@randalldouglas.com

Photo.net's Best: Fashion User Galleries

2009-10-19T12:56:00.003-05:00

Not much else to say. Top Editor picks, from photo sharing service that has probably the most "talented" the open enrollment user base (on average, IMHO...no haters please):

http://photo.net/editors-picks/2009/fashion-photography/

Cool, no?

Some Interenet Reading about Irving Penn

2009-10-11T11:25:00.005-05:00

In my fantasy life, I thought about meeting Irving Penn. He Died this last week. He was 92. Rather than spitting out a few sentences or linking to some one paragraph obit (or a longer one here), I'm going to link you to a few longer articles and galleries dealing with Penn when he was (just recently) alive:

Some Bodies: Irving Penn's Nudes, The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2002/01/21/020121crat_atlarge

The Mighty Penn, Vogue (work from 2007)
http://www.style.com/vogue/voguedaily/2009/10/the-mighty-penn/

Extreme Beauty, Vogue (an exibition of work of master photographers for vogue, Including Penn)
http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/2009_March_Extreme_Beauty/slideshow/horizontal/

La Times Gallery
http://www.latimes.com/la-et-0912-penn-picture-gallery,0,5992571.photogallery

New York Times Gallery
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/parting-glance-irving-penn/

Exibition: National Gallery of Art
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2005/penn/penn_ss1.shtm

Vote for my photos

2009-09-23T22:25:00.002-05:00

I have a series of photos entered into the Billboard Magazine/PDN "Ultimate Music Moment" photo contest.

Please take a moment to vote for one of my photos, if you are so inclined:

Vote here

Bluesfest Portraits in Performance

2009-09-16T11:04:00.015-05:00

I finally got around to popping the google metrics script into this blog, and it occurred to me that: a few more people than I thought are reading this blog, and a little more than half of them have probably never visited my Web site or seen my work.

My primary mission is to talk about the subject that I love -- fine art photography. It also occurred to me that my ongoing project where I cover the Chicago Bluesfest from the crowd is starting to go the direction of fine art photography and may interest some of you.

The Chicago Bluesfest, held annually in June, is the Superbowl of blues fests. It's also one of the few remaining free multi-stage blues festivals, and -- despite the disturbing event planning trend of more security and larger barricades (filled with photographers) pushing the audience further and further back from the stage -- there are still plenty of chances to get close and interact with the musicians. I've been shooting this venue every year from the crowd. Shooting from the crowd presents some obstacles, but working from the crowd also frees me to take my pictures (when I want, where I want, and for as long as I please) while I get a boost of energy amongst the fans. (The exception to the freedom of the crowd idea is the end of the night show at the big Petrillo bandshell, where fans are mostly 75 yards from the stage and prohibited from photographing unless they are in their seat; the music at this time of the night is also effected and has the feeling of being cold, distant, and sanitized for a large audience -- not what the blues is about, really.)

Here's a full-sized link to some of the work (btw, the work in the slideshow above is clipped by the column dimensions):

The Blues

And here's a link to some of my extras:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/randysdailies/sets/72157614787969839/show/

Magnum "In Motion": Georgian Spring

2009-09-10T11:34:00.019-05:00

The Magnum Agency, Magnum "In Motion" series is a great idea. This is a series of slide show photo essays by some of the world's greatest photographers. I've mentioned it here before (when I linked to Bruce Gilden's work, "Bruce has a Ball").

I think the series is at it's height when a group of the agency's photographers are tasked to take on one assignment. They've done this before, with superb results. If you are looking for a recent example of this, I recommend watching the "Access to Life" series that explores Aids in the Third world through the lives of patients receiving anti-viral treatments. In fact, most photographers interested in photojournalism (or well done photography in general) should just subscribe to receive all the podcasts -- that way, you see everything as it is released.

You can subscribe via iTunes or on their Website here:

Magnumphotos.com, podcasts

Magnum in Motion RSS Feed

This latest assignment en masse, released as podcasts yesterday (09.09.09) sends 10 photographers to Georgia to cover Spring, after a long hibernation, and the rebirth of a small country at the crossroads between Asia and Europe.

Georgian Spring (via XML Feed w/MP4 downloads)

There is also a publication in the works, which you can preorder here:

Georgian Spring: A Magnum Journal

To me, there is more room for freedom expression and dynamic content that tells a side story relevant to the central narrative in this project than something along the lines of, say, the "Day in the Life" series that descended on a country with a comprehensive mass strike -- the photojournalistic equivalent of "shock and awe" if you will -- to result in an even, but, at most times, predictable, surface level coverage glued to a central look.

Side note -- Perhaps, this surface level journalism is the reason why I had no regrets about immediately cutting up "Day in the Life of Russia" after purchase. I needed to complete a Broadcast Journalism assignment doing Ken Burns style video pans and slow zooms. (I recall a brief moment of silence when I got it back to the dorm room, and then I dug in with the scissors.) I was awed by the nature of the work at the time (the book was fresh out enough to be faced), but I think I kind of viewed it much like little girls view their Barbie Dolls. Studies have shown that girls are quick to mutilate their barbies long before other toys, and experts tie this response to feelings about the false and unrealistic body image that the Barbies promote.

Youtube Diane Arbus Clip

2009-09-03T00:59:00.005-05:00

"It really is totally fantastic that we look like this, and you sometimes see that very clearly in a photograph" -- Diane Arbus

The clip begins with Diane's daughter Doon talking about her mother's motivations, and ends with Diane Arbus' friend reading aloud from a lecture recorded at a class instructed by Diane Arbus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKXwCctBLQU&feature=channel_page

"Rangefindergenral", I should add, is a goldmine of utube short videos on photography.

Rangefinder general

Photographers at Work: Martin Schoeller

2009-08-18T20:42:00.005-05:00

I love to watch photographers at work. This youtube video is of Martin Schoeller working on set on his Bodybuilder series. It is revealing both in his lighting setup (which is only partly shown, but enough to guess) and how he talks with his sitters:

Martin Schoeller Photo Shoot

I found this video a while back on the strobist blog. I recommend that you also visit the link to it on that site. He has a breakdown of what you see at various points (although he missed one thing I noticed...try to guess) to help you diagnose the lighting set up -- plus the user comments are interesting as well:

Strobist Link to Behind the Scenes with Martin Schoeller

I think I like his typical style of detailed images with stark even lighting on celebrities better, but I must admit this was a good subject for him to explore.

Lastly, if you're interested, here is a link to the book on Amazon:

Female Bodybuilders

Fine Art TV

2009-08-18T00:34:00.002-05:00

Fine Art TV is one of the sites I like:

http://www.finearttv.tv/

There are short videos and you can learn a lot about photography.

Note: There's a certain let's say European flair to the site and fine art nudes may be sprinkled into sections like "portraits" or on the main page at times, rather than confined to the section of the site that deals with nudes. So, bottom line, use your best judement at work or with kidos present.

William Eggleston in the Real World

2009-08-15T21:18:00.002-05:00

Someone asked for more videos that show the Photographer in action. This is one of my favorites. Like the man himself, the film comes at the biography of an illusive man at the weird angle of just following him around with very little exposition. There are breaks that show his work and some up historical points in his career. I couldn't decide if the film was even functional as a biography -- tuned in from a strange place, like a David Lynch piece if it attempted realism while keeping one foot in the strange Lynchian alterverse. As a film, I watched it over and over. I understood very little about what made the man tick after watching the film, but I learned a great deal about being quietly driven to do something in a way that can't be easily explained in words.

44 Cool Images: Why it Sometimes Pays to Look at Your Flickr Stats

2009-08-14T13:14:00.006-05:00

I like to use flickr, and I sometimes post my images to specific flickr groups whenever I want people of a particular bent to take a look at my images. By looking at the referring link stats in flickr, I can usually tell which Web sites are linking to my images.

I generally like when sites link to the work, but I do get pissed when they illegally appropriate the files -- maybe even modify them in a way I totally hate -- and then publish them on their commercial sites without talking to me or giving me attribution. But that's a completely different topic.... Although, it's nice when people link to me and tell me they are doing it, few people take the time to let you know when they are linking to you these days.

That's why you need to use an image sharing service that records referring links. As in this case, where my image was featured on the LIGHTING ESSENTIALS For Photographers site:

44 Very Cool Images from the LE Flickr Pool

2009-08-14T00:36:00.002-05:00

Steve McCurry talks with NPR about the death of his chosen film, Kodachrome:

Listen to the NPR story

The Mindful Eye: Daily Critique

2009-08-03T22:58:00.007-05:00

Essentially, The Mindful Eye is a revamped and refocused version of an old site called The Radiant Vista. It has a variety of interesting instructional content from a few differnt contributors and an impressive user community, but for me the best part about the site is the video daily critiques.

I've been following Craig Tanner since I went to a Rocky Mountain School of Photography weekend workshop (Craig no longer works with the school), and I think that The Mindful Eye Web site is probably the best place on the Web to find detailed, respectfully done, instructional critiques.

The critiques are not quite daily any more (if they ever were), but they are published frequently enough to keep me tuning in. There is a smattering of Eckart Tolle-inspired wisdom and philosophy of photography mixed in with some thoughts about gear and also some revelatory ideas about how the concept of Talent is mainly a myth.

Most of all, this section of The Mindful Eye Web site zooms in on an image and focuses with razor sharp precision on what's great about the image and what might be improved. The best lesson I've learned from the daily critique is how to critique in a way that empowers the photographer to take their work to the next level, rather than cutting them down.

I've also learned a lot from Craig's views on improvements. A typical critique talks about the all various considerations when capturing the image and also the image editing process. Usually, examples of post work improvements are made to the image by Criag and shown as examples during the course of the video critique -- along with the specifics on how the changes are made in Photoshop.

http://www.tmelive.com/index.php/articles/3.html

The Who You'd Like to Assist Game

2009-07-29T00:04:00.016-05:00

I'm at a juncture in my photography work where I'm feeling the need for some support encouragement and guidance from a great photographer to "take it to the next level." We all feel this at some point. Perhaps, it's a feeling of inadequacy, combined with the need to succeed and seek approval, or maybe it's just an evolutionary thing where I'm afraid my photography will eventually die if it doesn't keep moving forward like a shark. But I sometimes play a game, where I imagine which famous photographer I would like to assist.

The list of photographers whose work I like is long. As I start to list photographers I might like to assist, who I'd actually pick for my list gets weird and interesting.

For example, what if you didn't tell me the name or anything like that and just described three photgraphers basically by what they actually do (their "process", if you will) and said I could choose one of the following photographers:

1) A man known for showing celebrities, politicians, and other famous persons in stark uber-true detail; a master of lighting who works with multiple assistants on meticulous, elaborate lighting setups -- conducting long explorations of the self, talking to the sitter to bring out everything he can on the surface of the subjects face and body and bring it into exacting focus and clarity.

2) A master of strobe lighting who does instruction and fashion work using elaborate small light setups and flash groupings -- even walls of strobes; one of the most emulated, quoted, and googled lighting gurus who can show you how to do virtually any kind of location lighting with small ttl strobes.

3) Some crazy, slightly hunched ethnic-New-Yorker-accent d00d with an outdated film rangefinder camera who likes to jump in front of people, paparazzi-style, waving a cheap, Tethered Vivitar manual flash snapping one wide angle photo; his whole portrait session is done as 1-2 second snapshot.

Based on the Job description, it's no brainer: it's "1-2-3" respectively.

1 is Martin Schoeller. 2 is Joe Mcnally. 3 is Bruce Gilden.

While I'd feel privileged to have a chance to work with any of these amazing photographers, it's Bruce Gilden that I'd want as my mentor. No contest.

Check him out working at the Texan's Ball election event for Magnum:

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/bruce-has-ball

Not that such a collaboration would necessarily work. Bruce Gilden seems way to quick and light to benefit from a photo assistant.

Jim Marshall Video

2009-07-28T23:27:00.011-05:00

If you care about Music photography -- particularly classic rock and blues, then Jim Marshall is your man. Even people that don't know the man, often recognize the shots of Hendrix, Joplin, and others from fan zines, posters, or books from the "music" isle. I definitely had an aha moment when I rediscovered his work as the work of a specific photographer, and I went though a kind of repeat "Oh yeah, that Hendrix shot..." sequence going through one of his books for the first time that I got with only a couple other photographers (Annie Liebowitz' Rolling Stones shots come to mind).

He is one of the best, and this might be the best personal life's work slideshow talk I've seen on the Internet. Before viewing this talk, I thought of him exclusively as a music photographer, but he is a photojournalist; his civil rights and 60s culture stuff in particular was astounding.

I also appreciated the host blogger/photog's suggestion to pour myself a shot of rye and relax. You'll be glad you did.

http://www.whatsthejackanory.com/2009/02/jim-marshall-the-original-rock-n-rolla/

There's a little bit of a pause to set the stage. Kind of boring if you don't care about knowing what it's like to be Planton's BFF (although I like the Heinekins in the fridge)...just be patient and wait for it.

Sample Wedding Album Page (lo res), Plummer House

2009-07-25T15:24:00.004-05:00

Sample Wedding Album Page (lo res), Plummer House, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

Here's a sample page from a Leathercraftsman book of a Wedding I shot this Summer at the Plummer House in Rochester, MN.

For some reason the panoramic spread is clipped to the right. The full image is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/randysdailies/3702808209/

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Chicago Bluesfest 2009

2009-07-25T15:21:00.003-05:00

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Chicago Bluesfest 2009, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

Here's more of my work from the Chicago Bluesfest this year:

Flickr Slideshow of some of my Blues Work

A thousand piles of free photography

2009-07-25T14:18:00.016-05:00

I've been thinking about free photography lately -- well, more like bitching about it on Photo.net -- and when I'm not thinking about it a musician's manager or agent will call me out of the blue telling me I have taken "best picture they can find" and that they expect me to give it to them...for free.

They say that's what it's worth, because they know a lot of photographers that give away all their work for free. Rather than say that they must know a lot of really terrible photographers (which may or may not be true), I just say that I have standard rates that are very reasonable, but not "free", and also mention that if it's the best photo they could find on the net then it should be worth something to them.

Has anyone noticed that the net quality of images in magazines, newspapers, and especially Web sites has taken a turn towards mediocrity and a generic iconic message that is colorful but says nothing? I have. Why? Free photography and microstock.

There's a book out called “Free: The Future of a Radical Price," and I noticed that Jim Goldstein has a pretty solid take on it:

http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog/2009/07/23/the-value-of-free-where-is-it/

Free magazines is an even dumber strategy that is turning once interesting magazines into one big collective Ad sandwich. Consider the magazines that are part of all those free cross promotions (e.g., credit card rewards programs) and ask yourself when was the last time any of them produced an interesting issue.

Seth Godin also is talking about "Too much free":

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/05/too-much-free.html

And, lastly, one of my favorite blogs, "A photo editor", has ongoing posts that explore the magazine industry and the effects that cheap and free photography have had on dumbing down and genericizing the content. I like this site, because he both complains and explores solutions. Here's one example:

http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2009/05/05/finding-a-better-business-model

The bottom line is that businesses are paying for mediocre generic stock images instead of the really good images that say something about the subject, and photo assignments that explore topics thoughtfully are way, way down.

I don't have any solutions. I mean I do, but none that people focused on the bottom line are going to use to reshape their model. In fact, usually there is no focus and no budget so the middle men are forced to come up with something that works on a shoe string...and that means cheap or free photography. They'd sell more in the long run if they focused on great compelling content with great images, but what business owners/agents/Web site managers/etc. are really listening to photographers?

Of course, I am saying all this on a free blog. Well, uh....

Boundary Waters: After Clearing Summer Storm

2009-07-16T18:39:00.003-05:00

Boundary Waters, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

This image was featured in today's Sierra Club Daily Ray of Hope subscriber mailing.

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=120401.0

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up. -- Anne Lamott"

Today's my birthday: make my day

2009-07-09T21:07:00.005-05:00

Want to make my day? Book your platinum storytelling wedding...or, even better yet, buy an art print of my personal work or commission me to do editorial work for your magazine. Everyone is happy and those things always make my day -- especially the prints.

My prints are enjoyed but it is still a pleasant shocker when someone asks for one, since I don't even market them per se. Maybe I should try it, no? Maybe blues is your thing. Here's some of that work for you to peruse: Some blues

HDR, Again

2009-06-28T12:10:00.008-05:00

I think a lot about HDR for someone that really doesn't do HDR that much. So far, I still like to do my HDR with Photoshop layers, but when they get natural-looking, pain free HDR worked out (in the camera or in the software, or -- hopefully -- both) I'll be happy. Photoshop CS4 still looks flat compared to doing the same work on layers inside Photoshop (since I have the tool open anyway, I might as well use the best practice).

I think I'm going to give Photomatix a try again. It looks to me like this is still the best tool available. The latest changes seem like it's getting better. I will post the results if I like them.

Nolan Struck, Chicago Bluesfest

2009-06-21T22:58:00.001-05:00

Nolan Struck, Chicago Bluesfest, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

This festival is held every year in Grant park. He performed on 6/13/09 on the "Front Porch Stage" with "Nolan Struck with King Edward and special guests."

Chicago Bluesfest

2009-06-16T11:27:00.003-05:00

Harmonica Hinds , originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

I just got back from the Chicago Bluesfest. The performances were wonderful this year -- varied, each with their own apeal and energy. I hope to add more about this later. Pictured, is Harmonica Hinds who was playing with Eddie Taylor Junior on the Mississippi Juke Joint stage.

Factory Floor: Redwing Shoe Company

2009-06-05T16:30:00.003-05:00

Factory Floor: Redwing Shoe Company, originally uploaded by Randy's Dailies.

"American Boots: The Red Wing Shoe Company"

Red Wing Factory

I did a photography feature for hyrcollective fashion magazine -- a hip little mag for the gen-y crowd.

www.hyrcollective.com/site.html

Magnum in motion: Detriot: the Troubled City

2009-05-07T15:54:00.002-05:00

This is a 'must watch':

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/detroit-troubled-city

The Secret to Fine Art Photography: S-curves

2009-05-01T14:55:00.010-05:00

Assignment: Go to any museum (such as the Minneapolis Institute of Arts). Look for s-curves in the photos. Maybe it's because the traditional (non-Guggenheim) buildings are usually so marble/granite solid and rectangular (which some triangle and circle accents thrown in)...but look at the work, and it's mostly s-curves.

Utube Gems: The Mystery of the Wooden Egg

2009-04-30T10:23:00.001-05:00

The Mystery of the Wooden Egg

8 Amazing Art Photo Books

2009-04-06T22:31:00.005-05:00

When times are tight, it's important to count your blessings. Sometimes, those blessings are art photo books. Here are 8 amazing books I've bought this year (ordered based on how much I'm enjoying them):

Los Alamos by William Eggleston
The Americans by Robert Frank and Jack Kerouac
Richard Avedon Portraits by Maria Morris Hambourg, Mia Fineman, Richard Avedon, and Philippe de Montebello
The Nature of Photographs by Stephen Shore
Uncommon Places: The Complete Works by Stephen Shore
Sleeping by the Mississippi by Alec Soth
Ralph Eugene Meatyard (Phaidon 55's) by Judith Keller
Annie Leibovitz at Work by Annie Leibovitz

All of the photographers are all strong trend setters of the photo world. So, I find these books are like educational receipies, potions and spells to be studied but used carefully like black magic. To draw from them, but mindlessly copy and repeat at your peril.

Side note: -- I'm most tempted to try copy the style of Los Alamos...so beautiful.... But I've seen a few photographers lately that have finally nailed Bill's style, and while the work is good, channeling Bill so directly has something eiree about it. Your first reaction is: 'oh yeah, he's doing stuff from William Eggleston's Guide...that's pretty good...almost like bill was there'. On a second pass through, it feels kind of cheap, like quoting lines from Shakespeare and flipping the order of the stanzas and putting your name on it. I don't know...we all copy, and I'm still trying to figure out which photography mixes are badass RUNDMC jams and which are just Aerosmith with a little scratching over the top.

Premier Micropore Luster

2009-03-25T00:06:00.004-05:00

I usually don't get all commercial with my blogging (especially, since I don't have endoresements or anything describable as a following). I'm also ethically getting more charged up about bambooo papers.

But I just have to say that At $5 for a box of 20 8x10 sheets at West Photo (in Minneapolis), Premier Premium Photo Micropore luster is the best deal going in cheap semigloss photo paper. It prints like midrange professional paper at 1/4 the price.

HDR

2009-03-12T13:57:00.003-05:00

Ha. Ha. I just read my HDR post from a couple years ago. I said back then I hope never tire of the creative possibilities. I tired almost instantly of hyperreal cartoonish tools that don't really enhance the dynamic range, so much so that I never got past the photomatix trial period.

I do like the possibilities for combining multiple exposures to produce something that looks like a photo, but don't like the automatic results I've seen so far. I'm sure they will come up with software that gives me more of what I'm looking for soon.

Attempting to Understand HDR

2007-02-13T20:56:00.000-06:00

Hi. I'm Randy, and I'm a photositeaholic.

I'm addicted to checking out photo sites. When viewing the most popular images on photo sites, I've been noticing more and more HDR images recently. More accurately, I've noticed many top-rated images look like an amazing, fiery airbrush acid trip. Most of these posts look like varying degrees of heavy-handed high-saturation dodge and burn masking were applied.

I've assumed that most of these images were part of the transition or trend in imaging towards more illustration and hypereal photo compositing (as an alternative to various past movements towards greater photo realism). I assumed the work was done by hand. (Some HDR compositing is done this way.)

Recently, thanks all to those helpful people who were nice enough to declare what they were doing, I realized that many of these images use automated processing. They are created using photoshop's HDR feature or special software like photomatrix to produce a High Dynamic Range image: a composite of multiple exposures to produce an image with a greater range of visble shades.

This lightbulb motivated me to go back and look at some of my favorite "photocomposites" that had some level of localized brightening, contrast or saturation, and I realized that many of the images I thought were closer to illustration (in their use of air-brushed-looking dodge and burn manipulation) actually used HDR technique as the key workflow step.

Some people say all of these HDR processed images are more realistic. This makes me wonder if my reality if somehow dulled or if many photographers are on acid. (This would explain a lot.) I have seen a select few HDR pictures that were more realistic to my eye. Many more are more realistic in presenting some small part of the visible spectrum and far less in presenting all the rest.

Like most trends that produce a new and interesting alternative, I really enjoy these images. I really don't have a problem that the results are more like a dream or air brush painting than a photo. I also don't mind that they are not really all that much a bump in dynamic range, as the this really a limitation of the medium not being ready to support the message. (Although, in fairness, current HDR processing seems like a great solution for many of the problems presented by stationary high contrast scenes; shooting anything with the sun visible in the shot immediately springs to mind.)

I downloaded Photomatrix and am playing with it to see what it will do for me. I hope to post some examples after I've explored the tools a bit more.

I expect I will continue to enjoy these HDR images until the technique is no longer a new and interesting alternative for me. After this, I suspect I will still enjoy HDR but will expect the HDR results to be more photo realistic. I hope I will never get tired of the possibilities, and, if the technology matures rapidly, I may never tire of the results.

I will hope that HDR technology will be used more and more in the capture (cameras, cell phones, etc.) and the display (monitors prints, etc.) of our photos to produce images that match to a greater degree the level of dynamic range and shades that we see with our eyes. As the technology evolves, I also hope that the freedom of expression to have a great degree of control over the complete workflow -- capture, process, and display -- will continue to increase.

Until then, I hope to experiment with the outrageous images popular today, and also find out how I might use this technology as more of a corrective technique to produce a final product that looks a bit more like reality.

For reference, here's a question I posed today on photo.net:

HDR stictly as Correction, not effect
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Jvrb

Welcome to my new blog.

2007-02-11T22:28:00.000-06:00

I actually have web coding skills and have my own sites. But why make things harder than they need to be? I just want to type in stuff and post pictures relevant to my life and my photography, and it doesn't get much simpler than this.