...hours in the darkroom manipulating an image till it's juuuuuust so. Cross-eyed from dodging & burning.
Nostrils aflame from hanging ones head over chemical soup of the unsavory kind.
Nope.
Black dog in white snow might have taken hours in days gone by
but now...
ok, it's no secret, this
loveHATEloveHATE relationship I've been having with digital photography. I've had the odd rant or six on that
tired & worn subject.
Sometimes it's best to just not give up...so here's some news...
{{{{ drumroll }}}}
I think I might be getting over it.
I hope my fiber & stitching friends are hanging in there with me during my recent photo madness...
it's finally gelling and things are falling into sensible places - that's my hope anyway. Winter has been
such a good time to put nose-to-Photoshop. Soon enough it will be spring again
and I'll be out in the garden, under the umbrella,
with a basket of threads and a pile of scraps...
In the meantime, I'm in the digital darkroom.
I'm participating in a couple of online workshops simultaneously ~ it's so great,
these teachers who teach this way.
The best perk as a student...what could be better than practicing an assignment in your pajamas???
Susan Tuttle is teaching Toy Camera...how to replicate toy camera & old fashioned film processing effects
using Photoshop (or PS Elements). Remember the Diana cameras, pinholes & Holgas?
Oh, it's such a blast!
The black & whites above started out as color, which you remove & tweak & add a layer of milky texture,
mimicking the silver gelatin process on glass plates...
My fine feathered friends up there were willing suitable subjects for a vintage polaroid effect. Years ago,
I probably would have taken their picture with my really clunky SX-70 Folding Land camera anyway...
what a fortune I spent on that film! These are residents of my local historical museum...a western screech owl
and a (very rare) albino red-tailed hawk. I normally never prefer to see birds in this way
but in this instance, they are a kind of teacher as well.
I've recently learned that the Samish (one of our local Native American tribes) say
we shouldn't display night birds and day birds together...
I'd like to know more about this...if anyone can tell me, please do.
Till next time...
Hi, I'm new to your blog but am fascinated with your photographs, plus we share other interests it seems. I gather you have not been a fan of digital photography. I am just starting to take photos (something I have wanted to do all my life but for some reason never did) and have yet to start tinkering on the computer. I have seen some stunning work, including from Susan Tuttle, done on Photoshop etc. Just wanted to say I love your work.
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate your message, Robyn, always a pleasure to *meet* likeminded folks. Your word...tinkering...oh, that's the best, I like thinking of the computer part of it in that way. No, I haven't been a fan...it's been kind of a grueling transition actually but I think I've finally come to accept the fact that there will never be any comparison to hands-on work in a physical darkroom and if I concentrate on all the positive things that digital work DOES have to offer, I'll make it through ;>]]
DeleteHope your own work with photos brings you lots of joy!
I love your work, thread or photo. and heck, Photoshop is a world of its own and my belief is that you gotta love photography to both to PS. We all love all your facets.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
ahh, Carol, thanks heaps for that.
DeleteO, forgot. The pic of the black dog is priceless.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell her you said so :>D
DeleteIts great to find new ways to work... I know that feeling of needing to get over the digital photo thing, but truly, I am sooo appreciative of how much less I spend on photos, goodness!
ReplyDeleteAnd cool that you show the albino hawk. I;ve been seeing one a LOT this year as I drive to and from work. It hunts by the highway I drive to school on and is this amazing, white beacon perched in the tree in the early morning sunlight. Hard to miss, really, shining white the way it does... I had never heard of one before, and when I first saw it, I thought afterwards I must have been dreaming. But then I kept seeing it. Don't think I'll be able to get a photo of it, though...
The signage at the museum states that she is not technically an "albino", but a "morph" (due to her red tail). I guess red-tailed hawks show the most variation in plumage & the highest incidence of partial albinism in the Hawk Family. This one lived on the south end of our island for over 25 years. You are lucky to see one live, Valerianna! And by the sound of it, that one may be around for quite some time yet - you may get that photo, fingers crossed.
DeleteIn the 80's I was wandering Ireland with my backpack and mandolin(??) and stopped by a natural history museum in the SW area. Imagine my surprise to see a whole room of stuffed birds, and every single one was white. Turns out they had been in that room for 50-60 or more years and three walls of the room were giant windows.All color just faded away. It was very surreal.
DeleteChadley, you are the only person I know who could find such a museum filled with odd birdies like that...surreal indeed, I can't imagine!
DeleteHaving never BEEN a photographer I don't have that old/new angst.
ReplyDeleteI have enough in other areas of my life. LOL
I do however get how a new obsession all but obliterates other stuff.
Personally I'm hoping my texturizing digital frenzy will rekindle my art.
My current dryspell is getting old!
I too am interested in what you find about mixing day and night birds.
Share if you find out! xo
ps check out some of the awesome light flare actions that simulate holga/polaroid/pinhole effects (most from deviantart user rawimage)
"...that old/new angst." Aaaack, that's it, of course.
DeleteObliteration seems to be my way (now that you've made me think about it, miz Jen), seems to be the only way I can truly concentrate on learning. That's why I live in hope that everything will come full circle - I hope yours does, too. I think if anything can light some fires, it's the DT's (digital textures). I swear I can feel my brain cells expanding as I nudge that opacity level to the left!!!!
Checked out rawimage - ooooh, good stuff there, thanks.
Love your pictures!! You are creating some really marvelous artwork with all of your new knowledge. I'm hopelessly stumbling along with the very simplest digital camera I could find -- just don't seem to have the patience needed (or perhaps the 'eye') to actually get pictures I'd be proud of. Its fun to watch your skill and art grow in this new-to-you medium.
ReplyDeletePenny, your art with punchneedle is your focus at the moment...look at all the beautiful things you are creating! When (and "IF") you need/desire a big dive into picture-making, you will do that with whatever attention it needs. I'm sure of it.
DeleteThanks for your kind words.
Your artistry touches everything you do... Anything you post be it photography, fiber art, beads... everything inspires and delights me! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHugely appreciate those words, Robin...
DeleteForgot to mention... picture of Quinn gives me "goosies"...
ReplyDelete:>]]
DeleteAmazing Christi. Can't believe you are only just starting to like the digital camera. This week some of us here went for a Photoshop workshop with a local artist and he couldn't get the computer to work! We've rescheduled for next week .... can't wait.
ReplyDeletePenny, I hope you'll post about it...would luv to know your impressions of working with PS.
DeleteThere's no denying the power of images. PS is a *tool* of the highest caliber.
Have FUN!
I received Photoshop for Christmas. It is still in the box. I worked so hard to get good with my 35mm and I have this silly notion that what the digital camera and I produce is the luck of the draw. But then, I see what you have done and think perhaps I should learn something new. ;) I had never heard the Samish tale of not showing night/day birds together. Hmmm, will ask around. I get Red Tailed hawks in the yard in winter, but I have never seen an albino one! Gorgeous! Wishing you a beautiful weekend.
ReplyDelete"still in the box"....?!?!? Oh Jeannie, GO FOR IT. There's kind of a vertical learning curve (can be daunting) but there are many very good online teachers these days to help with the learning + lots of tutorials online and YouTube videos for the rest. I am constantly looking up how-tos on things and the pieces do sift together eventually.
DeleteIf you learn anything about the day/night subject, please, do tell!!!!
Have a wonderful weekend yourself :>]
I looked at that class with Susan Tuttle but decided it was too much for me to keep up with right now. Learning more about Photoshop is something I really want to do, I have so much fun with it when I play. I never learned how to develop photos in a darkroom, it was on my list of things I want to learn sometime, in that time before digital was available. But sometimes I still feel as if I skipped a step, as if I'm cheating.
ReplyDeleteYou sooo did NOT skip a step, Deb ~ the two are almost like apples & basketballs! In fact, sometimes I think I would have been better off not having any darkroom experience...starting fresh & all that, with no preconceived ideas. There's lots of very good online classes around these days. I'm sure when you're ready the perfect one will be there waiting.
Deletea beginner? a natural talent!
ReplyDeleteVery sweet of you to say, Yvette...
Delete