submitting nude images to art contest

January 18, 2011

ugh a dastardly chore but it gives me a chance to sit here in front of my computer screen perusing hard drives and long ignored files. in a way i get to see my images in a new light as it were. today i processed color images to B&W and found some pretty cool images of a young female artist i had the privilege to work with a few years ago.

Caught

well to you observant types yes you’re right…this is a male image i threw in because i thought this was pretty cool and had worked on it also to submit to SHOTS magazine which is a B&W mag.

but i’ll try and show the images in color then B&W so we may see the difference. first let me say the young artist didn’t seem too happy with my images. she had said she was looking for images to post for fine art modeling. heck i thought that’s right up my alley so it should be pretty easy. at least i liked some of them.

young artist portrait

a bit dramatic i guess but we went all over trying different looks in the same dress and some not.

B&W

it’s hard for me to be objective about my work, love it when the clients are ecstatic but to get nothing from them is hard. i do meet a lot of people that way, maybe it’s a generational thing.

another version

then B&W

B&W

but just so you don’t get the idea we lost our vision for what she said she wanted images for we did some of these

nude female

and then this

B&W

yes the lighting is a bit dramatic as i was using my lowel lighting tungsten package.

reclining nude

but this image works much better in B&W than it does in color unlike the others above, but then what do i know, i just pushed the button

B&W

do i think any of these images are prize winning? i’ve no idea but it keeps me from causing too much trouble out here in the world, although i did submit a complaint against con edison to the public service commission and another to my landlord for the conditions in my public hallways today. it’s raining too hard to be wandering around the streets of New York.

jene

Posted in art, Artist, female nudes, figure studies, Magazines, nude, nude photography, photography contests, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Keith Jarrett @ carnegie hall, jan 16, 2011

January 17, 2011

Mary took me to carnegie hall, my christmas present, last night to see and hear  Keith Jarrett play a concert. i’ve never heard one of his concerts in person just on records and cds. it’s real nice to be in a relationship with someone who cares about you and is willing to share and experience something you care about. i highly recommend it.

we had a japanese dinner compliments of a friend them walking up the few blocks to carnegie hall. mary pushing me, the slow poke, along as the tickets said no late seating or intermission and who wants to miss a concert you pay top dollar to hear. but we along with lots of other people arrive in plenty of time to find our seats and settle in.

we were in the first row which surprised me. i don’t think i’ve ever been in the first row for anything before. it did take some getting use to looking up at the bottom of the 9 foot steinway but that’s what it was. well we sat there reading our programs along with everyone else in the hushed concert hall. i finally asked mary what time it was as i had left my phone at home and she had turned hers off. 8:15pm

a few minutes later i guess after 8:20 keith strolled out on stage to a round of applause and talked a bit about the night.my first thoughts  at that time were ‘you’re late’ after asking us to be on time what were you doing backstage what was so important that you couldn’t start on time? i can understand a few minutes late but. in order to enjoy the concert i let all this go out in the cold night where it belonged.

he began by telling  a story about the poet robert bly asking him to play for a poetry reading of his reading joseph campbell’s work. the jest of the story was about how we don’t know each other until private moments and exchanges reveal themselves. that i understood and was willing to forget about him being late.

then keith walked to the piano and started playing. lovely music, no titles just music. i listened and could actually hear the dimensionality of the notes as they were played. with the piano horizontal with the stage i could actually hear the difference of notes closer to me on the sound board than the ones farther away. that was amazing no question about it.

it didn’t distract from the music being played just added to the whole experience. what we did miss being so close to the stage was the resonance of carnegie hall itself. but hey can’t have everything.

after a time keith got up and walked off stage. nobody knew if the concert was over or what. no just an intermission, guess his fingers get tired. it was a nice seventh inning stretch for everyone. after about 15 or 20 minutes keith came back out finished making the point of the robert bly story and sat down to continue.

lovely music including a very soft piece were it happend……someone coughed or maybe a couple people coughed…..keith stopped playing, sat there for a moment, made a quick comment and walked off stage. WTF happened we thought? i can understand loosing concentration or your train of thought during these improvisations but i don’t think it’s the audience fault. after all mr. jarrett is a grown man of 60 some years.

a few moments later mr. jarrett walks back on stage and address us via the standing mike about him being disturbed by us then going off on a tangent about ‘ how he’s the only one who couldn’t leave.’ my thoughts were ‘hell you can leave at any time’ i didn’t come here to hear some rude remarks to embarrass an audience member implying they should leave the concert hall.he totally lost me as an audience member. i really felt like shouting out ‘then you leave so i can go home.’

then all i could think about was the pianist glen gould how much he hated touring drafty concert hall and hotel rooms. so he quite doing it. if mr. jarrett gets so distracted by audience members then he should just stay in the recording studio. after all it was him and his production company who was recording this concert. oh that’s right he couldn’t leave because he had a record deal and probably a clause in his contract to play for a certain amount of minutes.

his childlike tirade just turned me off to him. it seemed after that he would play a couple of songs then walk off stage wait then come back stand by his piano only to walk of stage again, toying with us. but the people around me all stood up applauding shouting as if his antics were forgotten. i felt he should have just sat down and played what he wanted then gone home. no games. we were all grownups there, well some of us were.

he just couldn’t let the cough go because before playing another piece he had to bitterly comment this was a soft song to which i thought ‘what an ass.’

i can understand being upset with  the people taking pictures after being ask not to. idiots i thought, it’s all about them, the me generation. they even took pictures of the piano sitting there on stage during intermission. being there isn’t enough for them? but then later that night we got a lecture from mr. jarretts manager for the picture taking, but not everybody or most and certainly not all of us took pictures, heck i left my cell phone at home. so why include us, mary and i in this?

then Keith came to the mike and said that it’s not that he doesn’t like his picture taken but it is distracting to see the red lights and flashes go off.  And that people should remember that they should be enjoying the moment and that just because they have the technology in hand (cell phones and digital cameras) that they should leave the photography to the people who have learned how to take pictures.

mary says she will buy this cd because she liked the music, i’ll listen to his music but won’t buy it with my money.

but a lovely evening spent with my honey abet a very cold walk home but we had each other to hold close.

see nytimes review

Tags: ,
Posted in Artist, christmass | Leave a Comment »

FM jockeys out there? Open Call for Artist Projects – ExiTrip

January 10, 2011

Open Call for Artist Projects – ExiTrip

For this project, we will distribute hacked low power FM transmitters (called the iTrip) to artists of different creative disciplines and work with them to create artworks using, though not necessarily focusing on, this device. An express goal of this project is to empower artists with diverse technical and economic backgrounds to create works using radio. This constitutes a social experiment involving creative responses to a common tool. Once an artist has completed their project, we will document the work for a book that will go to print early next year. This is a great opportunity to work with an extremely flexible piece of electronics and have your work published in a very sexy looking book.

Some background about the iTrip: We recently found these devices on ebay for about .80 cents a pop…. So we bought 500. The device’s original use was a way to listen to an Ipod through the car radio while driving.  As is, the iTrip can only take signal from a specific generation of Ipod, but with a little reprogramming, we have found a way to allow the device to be able to take any audio input. This opens up the iTrip to an array of artistic possibilities including audio effects, oscillators, wireless microphones, sensors, transmitters, micro-controller etc.   Because they are so cheap we can give you quite a few, if you want many.  While radio is the intended application, these things cost dimes on the dollar in just hardware so this could be a really cheap way to build a synth or performance gear, add some layers to visual or installation pieces, or just learn things.

Here is a link to the project website that has examples of projects in progress and more detailed technical info on the device: https://sites.google.com/site/exitrip2012/ and also:

http://www.free103point9.org/works/496

An essential aspect of this project is to involve a diverse group of artists, some of whom have worked with creative electronics and transmission, and some who have not. We are looking to work closely with artists who need hands on assistance to work with the device, in order to further modify it to suit the needs of their projects.

To apply, send the following to: Edbearleab@gmail.com

–          Current CV

–          Link to a website or 5-10 images, sounds or video that best represents your previous work

–          A short (less than 2 pages) proposal of how you might like to work with the ExiTrip.

Deadline is Feb 15th 2011

For questions: Lbertucci@gmail.com

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————


Call for Papers – ExiTrip Project

We will repurpose the iTrip Nano FM transmitter to function without an Apple iPod, giving the device a new life as a self contained open-source hardware platform for subversive/creative acts by selected contemporary artists. We will then compile and document the projects produced by these artists and develop a multimedia web and print catalog around the new work.  We have selected this specific outmoded device, the iTrip Nano FM transmitter, to exemplify the potential impact of re-engineering consumer devices originally destined for landfills.  At 40¢ each on Ebay, the low price creates unprecedented distribution opportunities for a low power transmitter and encourages end-user experimentation.

An express goal of this project is to empower artists with diverse technical and economic backgrounds to create works using radio. This constitutes a social experiment involving creative responses to a common tool.

The end product of the archive research and vigorous documentation will be an online and print multimedia book. The document’s purpose will be threefold: to provide detailed technical instruction for the iTrip hack, to document the resulting artists’ projects, and to provide critical and historical context to the newly created work

The occupation of the public in Hertzian space is fundamentally controlled by access to electronic technology.  To advance the practice of repurposing commercial electronics is to further the reach, relevance, and accessibility of transmission in art and society.  The proposed project will critically, materially, and publicly develop, experiment with, and codify the historical and contemporary relationship between creative electronics and transmission artists.

For more info and descriptions of projects in progress, please see: https://sites.google.com/site/exitrip2012/ and  http://www.free103point9.org/works/496
We are looking for writers to contribute on any of the following topics:

1.     Creative Electronics

2.     Transmission/Radio Art

3.     Parallels between Creative Electronics and Radio Arts

4.     Design Practices (Planned Obsolescence, consumerism etc)

7.     This project as social experiment and community building

8.     Electronic Waste/ Recycling

9.     Art Historical context (hacking, radio, trash art)

10.     Subverting corporate electronics/design to make weird stuff, violating FCC regulations, pirate radio, general naughtiness etc.

** This list is in no way all inclusive, so any topics that were not listed and are relevant to the project, please feel free to mention.

To Apply send the following to edbearleab@gmail.com

1.      A short summary of your essay.

2.      Proposed word count. We are offering three different word count ranges – Short: 700 – 1100 words, Medium: 1100 – 1800, Long: 1900 – 3000000000

 

3.      CV and links to any previous writing.

Deadline: Feb 15th 2011

For questions please email Lbertucci@gmail.com

GOOD LUCK

jene youtt

Posted in awards, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

no pants subway ride – january 9, 2011, all are invited

January 7, 2011

 

All are invited to participate in the 10th Annual No Pants Subway Ride. The event will take place at 3:00 PM on Sunday, January 9. Everything you need to know is in this post. Please read it carefully!

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION:

1) Willing to take pants off on subway
2) Able to keep a straight face about it

**THIS IS A PARTICIPATORY EVENT. DO NOT SHOW UP UNLESS YOU PLAN TO TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF. THIS INCLUDES THE MEDIA.**

DETAILS

When: Sunday, January 9 at 3:00 PM, Sharp! (Over by around 5:30)
Where: Six meeting points spread out all over New York City. Details below.
Bring: A backpack/bag and a metro card.
Wear: Normal winter clothes (hat, gloves, etc)
Facebook: You can RSVP to the Facebook Event

Complete logistics below:

HOW IT WORKS

There are six meeting points this year. Take your pick.

Astoria: Meet at Hoyt Playground – Google Map
Brooklyn: Meet by the Old Stone House – Google Map
Downtown Manhattan: Meet at Foley Square – Google Map
Queens: Meet at the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Park – Google Map
Uptown Manhattan: Meet at the Great Hill in Central Park – Google Map
Williamsburg / Bushwick: Meet at Bushwick Park (AKA Maria Hernandez Park) – Google Map

Everyone should meet at their chosen meeting point at 3 PM. Please be on time. Feel free to be early.

At the meeting points, participants will be organized into groups and assigned a specific train car. Once everyone is divided up we will all head to nearby subway station[s]. Do not talk to others once you enter the subway system. No one knows each other.

Sit in the car as you normally would. Read a magazine or whatever you would normally do. Your team leader will have already divided you into smaller groups, assigning your group a specific stop where you will depants.

As soon as the doors shut at the stop before yours, stand up and take your pants off and put them in your backpack. If you’d like to use a briefcase, purse, grocery bag, or whatever instead of a backpack that’s fine too. If anyone asks you why you’ve removed your pants, tell them that they were “getting uncomfortable” (or something along those lines.)

Exit the train at your assigned stop and stand on the platform, pantless. You will wait on the platform for the next train to arrive. Stay in the exact same place on the platform so you enter the next train in the same car as you exited the last train.

When you enter, act as you normally would. You do not know any of the other pantless riders. If questioned, tell folks that you “forgot to wear pants” and yes you are “a little cold.” Insist that it is a coincidence that others also forgot their pants. Be nice and friendly and normal.

All train routes will converge on Union Square. Your exact route will be explained at the meeting point, and may involve a transfer.

You can wear fun underwear if you like, but nothing that screams out, “I wore this because I’m doing a silly stunt.” Wear two pairs of underwear if it makes you feel more comfortable. Don’t wear a thong or anything else that might offend people. Our aim is to make people laugh, not piss them off.

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to read about previous No Pants Subway Rides.

Please leave your cameras at home and resist the temptation to snap photos with your iPhone, etc. while the event is happening. Take as many as you like before and after the event, but during the ride we really want people to enjoy the experience of participating rather than documenting. It detracts from the mission if everyone is taking photos of each other rather than keeping a straight face. Don’t worry, we have photographers assigned to every meeting point who will take great photos.

This is always a blast, and we look forward to seeing you there. You may bring along friends if you like, but make sure they get a chance to read all of these instructions.

See you on the 9th!

(Information for participating in other cities is here.)

Be aware that by participating, you recognize that Improv Everywhere is not liable in the event you are injured, arrested, or worse. By choosing to participate you are still responsible for your actions.

Posted in art, fashion, friends, Great american train adventure, opportunities, public art, Uncategorized, video | Leave a Comment »

the great naked Leica M9 give-away

January 5, 2011

January 5th 2011 – THE GREAT LEICA M9 GIVE-AWAY CONTEST HAS BEGUN!


The time has come! The Leica M9 Give-Away has begun! Read on for the details…the rules…and how YOU can win this Leica M9 signed by both Seal and myself on the inside bottom plate. Spread the word to all of your photo friends and send them here so they can also enter this amazing contest! ONE OF YOU READING THIS NOW WILL WIN THIS LEICA M9!

THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF Seal (~6)

The Black M9 that we are giving away was donated by ~6 (Seal) which was his previous personal M9. He just recently received his gorgeous Titanium M9 ( see his post HERE) so he kindly donated his black M9 to this site so we could give it away in this contest.  Not only that…since NO ONE has ever given away a $7000 Leica M9, the inside bottom plate will be signed by both of us to mark this special occasion!

What most of you already know is that the man who posts here as “~6″  is the recording artist and photographer Seal. If you did not know that, now you do. This contest/giveaway was his idea and when he approached  me about it I was VERY excited. I mean, what other website has given away something like a Leica M9? Seal is not only intensely passionate about music, but also photography and I am proud to call him on of my dearest friends. How cool is it that he has donated his personal BLACK M9 to give away here? IT’s AMAZINGLY INCREDIBLE!

Since he has been so generous with the M9 donation for the up coming contest I wanted to mention HIS new website.

Just recently Seal has launched a very cool photo website called picortwo.com and I urge you to go check it out and register to follow your favorite photographer. Basically you can follow any photographer on the site..Seal, his wife Heidi, or any of the other photographers on the site. Just by entering your e-mail address you will recieve a pic or two in your mailbox every day that they took during the day.

For example, if you are following Seal, every day you will get a pic or two in your email that he shot THAT DAY. It’s like you are following the daily life of the photographer you follow. So make sure you go check it out at picortwo.com. Browse the photographers and follow whoever you like. It’s REALLY cool and REALLY fun.

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What you have been waiting for! How you can enter and win this camera!

Anyone can enter and anyone can win. Well, anyone who is passionate about photography that is. We wanted to make sure that whoever wins it will cherish it and USE it for their photography. Hell, I would love to have it myself but I would rather give it away to a reader here who has that passion and love for photography. That is what this site is all about..the passion!

So here is how to enter, along with the rules:

It is a photo submission contest  but it is about telling a story with only 2 photos. This is called “sequential narrative photography” or creating a photo narrative. This can be challenging, fun, and also spark your creative juices. In case you need some pointers, Here is a description I found online of a photo narrative.

These photos can be of any subject but you must pic a topic for your story. Just make sure that the images form a narrative and tell a story. The only thing being judged here is the two photos and the topic/title.

Also, just for my information, along with the photos tell me something about yourself (just a short 2-3 sentences) and why a Leica M9 would help you in your photographic journey. That is it. This contest is NOT about what equipment you use to take the shots. As a matter of fact, you can use a cel phone to take the images and yes, a cel phone image may just win. Again, it is NOT about the equipment but more about the photos as a set.

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How the winners will be chosen..

At the deadline, all submissions will be looked over and I will pick the top 10. After that, the top 10 will be sent directly to the two final judges who will pick the winners.

Who are the two final judges? Seals wife, Heidi Klum and professional photographer Rankin will do the honor of choosing the first and second place winners. Yep, this contest is big time now and yes, there is a 2nd place price which is being supplied by Leica Camera themselves! Exciting huh?

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The Prizes:

The 1st place prize:

A black Leica M9 which is slightly used. This was Seal’s personal M9 and will be signed by the both of us on the inside bottom plate. This is a $7000 camera if buying new.

The 2nd place prize:

The 2nd place prize will be a new in box Leica V-Lux 2 supplied by Leica Camera. $849 value. Pretty cool huh?

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THE FIVE STEPS TO WINNING THE LEICA M9

OK here is how you can officially enter this contest.

Step 1:

You must go over to picortwo.com and register and follow at least one photographer at the site. For example, yuo can follow Seal, Heidi or Rankin and you will get an e-mail with their pics when they submit a pic or two from their daily lives. This step is mandatory! If you are already registered then move to Step 2.

Step 2:

You must also be registered at this site. When you register here this will allow you to not only enter all contests but will also allow you to post in the forums and take part in future activities here on the site. So after you register over at picortwo.com you must register here. To do so, click HERE. This step is also mandatory! If you are already registered here, move to Step 3.

Step 3:

Take your photos. To enter you must submit only 2 photos that form a story. We must be able to know what is going on by looking at the photos so because of this there will be no text explaining the photos, just your topic. For example your topic could be called “People in the Park”. Take 2 photos that form a narrative and number them in sequential order. Submit them to me at my e-mail stevehuff1@mac.com along with your name, address, e-mail address, age, topic title and tell me about you and your photographic passion (but keep it short and brief..no essays). Photos must be shot between now and the deadline date of February 5th 2011.

Step 4:

HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

I want as many photographers to know about this as possible. I want EVERYONE to be able to have a shot at this so help me spread the word by tweeting this, or by posting it to your facebook (you can use the handy buttons at the top of this page to do so), or mentioning it wherever you can – digg, forums, or wherever! Just linking back to this page will help tremendously and make this contest a success. If it is a success, more will come :) This is not a mandatory step of course, but will help me out a bit.

Step 5:

Get excited and Wait. I will be accepting submissions starting today, January 5th 2011. Submissions will end on February 5th 2011. The contest duration is 30 days. On February 15th I will post the top 10 winners on this site along with their photos. The top 10 will then go to Heidi Klum and Rankin for final selection. The winner will be announced on March 1st 2011 and the Leica M9 will be shipped out to the winner by March 15th 2011.

The 2nd place winner will win a Leica V-Lux 2 supplied by Leica Camera. Both cameras will be shipped by me via FedEx to the winners no later than March 15th 2011.

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THE RULES – Follow them or be disqualified! READ READ READ! IMPORTANT!

  1. You must register at picortwo.com and stevehuffphoto.com to be eligible to enter and win. Again, to be clear – you will only be eligible to win if your name and email address is registered at both websites. See steps 1 & 2 above to do this.
  2. When you submit your images make them no larger than 1300 pixels wide but also no smaller than 680 pixels wide.
  3. You must submit TWO images that form a narrative to enter and win.
  4. Include your name, address, email address, age, and topic title with the submission and a short note about you and your passion for photography.
  5. Photos can be taken with ANY camera – film, digital, or even a cel phone. This is not about the gear you are using to take the photos but more about the photos themselves.
  6. You can submit only ONE SET of images that tell a story – no text explaining what the story it, just a topic title. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON.
  7. Photos for this contest must be taken between the submission dates (1/05/11 – 02/05/11). In other words, they must be taken for this contest. No old photos allowed.
  8. EXIF Data must be present in the photos so I can verify dates. If you do not know what this means then you should be OK. Basically do not strip the EXIF data! If shooting film, just let me know the dates you shot the film.
  9. Contest begins on 1/05/11 and the deadline for your submission will be 2/05/11. Top 10 will be chosen by Steve Huff on 2/15/11 and they will be posted on the site for all to see. The final two winners will be chosen by Heidi Klum and Rankin and announced on March 1st 2011.
  10. The 1st prize is a black Leica M9 signed by Seal and Steve Huff. This was the personal M9 of Seal, so it is used but in great shape. The 2nd place prize will be a new Leica V-Lux 2.
  11. THIS IS A WORLDWIDE CONTEST! No matter where you live, you can enter!
  12. Steve Huff, Seal, and family members are not eligible to enter or win (Damn!)
  13. The decision of all judges is FINAL. No complaining, no whining and no bitching allowed in the comments. Keep it fun and let’s all have a good time.
  14. Finally, your submitted images may be shown on the site if you make the top 10 so you are giving rights for me to show your images here if you make it.

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SUBMIT YOUR ENTRIES HERE!

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TELL A STORY WITH PHOTOGRAPHS!

There are several ways to tell a story with sequential photos that reveal a moment, or a narrative. Get your creative juices flowing.

NARRATIVE: A good story has a beginning, middle, and an end. Lots of information can be told in as little as two photos but basically we want to be able to look at the photos and see the story. Get creative and be confident. ANYONE can win. Do not worry about what you use to shoot with as we are not looking for the best technical quality or highest resolution. If you have the ability to tell a great story with photographs then you deserve and have a great chance to win the M9.

SEQUENTIAL PHOTOS: Maybe you want to submit a set of photos that reveal a moment? For example, maybe you are shooting in the street and you see something funny that happens and can be caught within 2 frames. Does it reveal a moment or tell a story? If so, send them in. Have fun out there and get creative.

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AS ALWAYS, I NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP THIS SITE GOING AND GROWING!

Again, this site has been able to stick around and grow over the past  two years thanks you YOU, the readers. Those who come here every day to see whats new, to see the passion of photography alive and well and to join in the discussions.

Thanks to you guys helping me out with buying your photo gear from my links to B&H Photo and Amazon and supporting my sponsors like Dale Photo and J-Tec. Let’s not forget Ken Hansen who has been a true friend AND a great Leica dealer. So without that support, this site would not be where it is today and this contest would not exist.

So here are those direct links again and if you ever need any photo related gear you can use the B&H Photo Link HERE (not able to bookmark the B&H link, must be clicked on from this site). If you like AMAZON, anything you buy there will help me out with pennies on the dollar (it adds up) and you can use that link HERE (and can bookmark the Amazon link!). You can also use the handy search boxes on the upper right side of any page.

Also, be sure to follow me on twitter, facebook and my RSS feed here. This all helps me out! Also, for more discussion you can visit my forums here on the site :)

Posted in photographic opportunity, Photography, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

mixed greens opening jan 13,2011

January 4, 2011

Heather Rasmussen, Pier J, Los Angeles, California. Google Satellite Photograph, 3/39/2004, 1”=1’-0’, (with integration of collapsed stacks). 2010, 53 x 96 inches, cardstock and tape on paper

Tuesday  curated by mr. and mrs. amani olu

On view: January 13 – February 12, 2011
Opening: Thursday, January 13, 2011, 6PM
Curator’s Talk: Saturday, January 15, 2011, 2–3PM

Mixed Greens
531 W. 26th Street, 1st Fl.
New York, NY 10001
mixedgreens.com

Exhibiting artists: Conor Backman, Joy Drury Cox, Jon Feinstein, Van Hanos, Heather Rasmussen, Peter Segerstrom, Breanne Trammell, and Jennifer Marman & Daniel Borins

Mixed Greens is pleased to present Tuesday, our first exhibition organized by an independent curator. We are excited to let amani olu take the reins and unite an incredible mix of emerging artists to explore and deepen our understanding of the everyday in contemporary art.

In 1849, French artist Gustave Courbet painted The Stone Breakers, which captures two men in the act of breaking stones, traditionally the lowest class of work in French society. Courbet presents their menial labor in a straightforward manner, omitting romanticized and idealized gestures. This radical painting is the first historically significant depiction of everyday content in art. Almost fifty years later, Marcel Duchamp enraged the art world with his seminal ready-made sculpture, Fountain. By the 1960s, Andy Warhol was producing paintings of Coke bottles, Campbell Soup cans, and high profile American celebrities. Courbet, Duchamp, and Warhol employed everyday content in their work in part to upset bourgeois sensibility. Courbet’s paintings rejected the historical and fictional subjects found in Neoclassicism and Romanticism, Duchamp’s Fountain posed an epistemological question (What is art?), and Warhol celebrated and criticized Post–War Americana by appropriating its iconic imagery. Warhol’s successful consideration of consumer products and popular culture is what gave rise to the inclusion and critical reception of the quotidian in art since the 1960s.

Akin to Courbet, Duchamp, and Warhol, contemporary artists continue to explore the everyday from a literal perspective, often through representation of content or emphasis on materials. Tuesday, however, aspires to expand the field of everydayness by culling together contemporary works that are less obvious manifestations of the everyday. Embodying various forms of the quotidian from noticing to the commonplace, this exhibition attempts to engage viewer expectations. On the surface, the proposed works are seemingly beholden to one central idea; yet, through a combination of artist dialogue and interpretation, the everyday, once subtlety embedded in the object, becomes apparent. Despite the substantial relationship to the everyday in their work, this subject does not necessarily motivate the exhibiting artists. The aim, then, is to pull their work apart and re-contextualize it with the intention of discovering new meaning and promoting further understanding.

For additional information, please contact Courtney Strimple at courtney@mixedgreens.com or call 212 331 8888.

thanks: humbleartsfoundation.org

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

the history of digital cameras & other mind wanderings

January 4, 2011

The history of digital cameras

Thirty-five years ago—in December 1975—an engineer named Steven Sasson snapped a photo with the world’s first fully digital camera at a Kodak lab. It took 23 seconds to record a 100-by-100-pixel image to cassette tape. Not until the early 1990s, however, did digital photo technology take off, launching an attack that would conquer the consumer camera industry in less than a decade. In the slides ahead, let’s examine some highlights of digital camera history.

1st digital camera

if this interests you then you might want to go to Wikipedia’s ‘history of the camera’ web page for some pretty cool cameras and history. the article shows my first camera, the Kodak No 2 Brownie, actually it was my families camera that i decided to use on my own, always an interesting experience seeing grown ups reaction to what kids do.

but the article misses my first real camera purchase during my stay in Munich with the US Army. i couldn’t afford a Lieca so i got an Exakta made in the USSR Germany. it had a 1.8 zena lens on it, whoooo.

exackta IIa

i loved that camera and kept it for years. when i lived in Greenwich village i found a sign in Cambridge camera that said ‘We fix Exakta’s.’ that’s where i first met Norm who took care of my baby for years until it couldn’t be repaired anymore because of the film advance gears being stripped beyond repair.

he swapped it for a Canon AE1 and lenses. i went on to purchase an F1 and an AE1 programmable but now i had to get use to a right hand film advance. this was a turning point in my photography but i didn’t know enough then to realize what was going on, sometimes i wake up in the morning wondering what i know now as i stumble to the MR Coffee pot.

this morning, writing in my journal, about what to do this year i looked up at 8 shoe boxes of film i could begin scanning into computer and a shutter goes through my body. oh how i dread scanning film and slides into computer. but i know i’ve some lovely stuff in the boxes and in the chrome archive books. but the though crosses my mind maybe i’ll call the dentist and see about some root canal work instead.

i look on my book shelf and pull out my Exakta camera 1933-1978  book by Clement Aguila & Michel Rouah from years ago and flip through the pages looking for my IIa and Zena lenses. i love German lenses. that’s why i’ve a Contax Nx and a Hasselblad 503 but i have kept my Canon F1 just to shoot infrared film as the Nx is an film auto loader which won’t allow infrared film to be used it confuses the auto reader in the camera. it was a shame that Kyocera discontinued their Contax N Digital so soon after developing it. i was heart broken.

i guess i could buy on of those N mount adapters and put my Zeiss lenses on my 5D MII and see what happens. would it improve my photos? well since no one is buying them right now why bother?

some roman church statue

this is taken with a Canon 20D, so it’s not so much the camera that makes the picture more about time & place and vision.

the chore on hand right now for me is to gather my Diablo rojos notes, which i did yesterday and separate them in to categories. i also found on amazon a dvd video about them which i ordered. today i’ll do more research, which is right next to film scanning on the list, but discovery can be exciting. after all we need to put down a date for our next Panama trip, find housing and schedule interviews.

as always, i am waiting to hear back from people today. things could be worst with the boiler not working or no hot water, all the comforts of new york city living.

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Posted in art, canon, Canon cameras, computers, contax nx, Diablos rojas, digital cameras, film cameras, Los Diablos rojos, panama, travel, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Kodachrome Road Ends at Photo Lab in Kansas

December 30, 2010

as dorothy said to toto, ‘i don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore’ but we are here at the end of the road for Kodachrome.

dwayne’s photo lab has  closed it’s processing plant today. That celebrated 75-year run from mainstream to niche photography is scheduled to come to an end on Thursday when the last processing machine is shut down here to be sold for scrap.

In the last weeks, dozens of visitors and thousands of overnight packages have raced here, transforming this small prairie-bound city not far from the Oklahoma border for a brief time into a center of nostalgia for the days when photographs appeared not in the sterile frame of a computer screen or in a pack of flimsy prints from the local drugstore but in the warm glow of a projector pulling an image from a carousel of vivid slides.

see the nytimes article here

or paul simon singing mama don’t take my kodachrome away

a sad day for photography for sure. here are some new years resolutions for photogs for the upcoming year.

New Year’s resolutions for photographers  

Improve your photos in 2011 with these fun challenges

by Ben Long, Christopher Breen, Heather Kelly, Macworld.com // Dec 30, 2010 10:00 am

Instead of making the same ho-hum New Year’s resolutions you break every year, consider these resolutions specifically for photographers. It’s easy to fall into photography ruts. This year, make it a point to try new things, break old habits, and push your gear and talent to new limits.

  • Turn off Auto: Try venturing out of your safety zone and experimenting with your camera’s manual settings. Start small by turning the exposure compensation up or down for a moody or blown-out effect.
  • Edit your images: The problem with giant memory cards is that you can end up with too many images. After each shoot or adventure, take time to sort thorough your photographs and mark your favorites. The star systems in Bridge, Lightroom, and Aperture are great for this task.
  • Back-up your images.
  • Work the subject: Don’t just take one picture, move around and shoot every angle and perspective you can think of.
  • Fill the frame with your subject.
  • Pay attention to your camera position and associated focal length. These dramatically change the sense of space and proportions in your scene.
  • Learn to always note shutter speed, and to take action to prevent camera shake when shutter speed is too low.
  • Bend your knees—don’t shoot every image from eye level.
  • Stop thinking that a new piece of gear is going to make you a better photographer.
  • Commit to practicing. It’s the only thing that will make you a better photographer.
  • Study the work of other photographers.
  • Choose a long-term photo project.
  • Remember that you don’t have to go somewhere exotic to take good pictures. Your own life makes great subject matter.
  • Don’t use a regular flash outside at night. Instead, use your camera’s slow sync flash feature.
  • Learn to use your camera’s flash exposure compensation for better flash results wherever you are.
  • Try packing only an unfamiliar and limited lens and shoot with it all day. A 50mm or macro lens, for example.
  • Narrow your comfort zone. For example, if you’re comfortable street shooting with a telephoto, use wide angle and get in the face of strangers.
  • Shoot (literally) from the hip.
  • Shoot as if there was no Photoshop.
  • Switch your camera to black and white mode.
  • Load your camera with the most limited memory card you can find. Recall what it’s like to shoot with only 12 exposures, knowing every shot counts.
  • Resist using a flash in low light.
  • Break the habit of leaving the moment to examine every shot you take on the LCD screen.
  • Share your shots: Don’t keep all those great new photos to yourself. Post them on Flickr, Picasa, MobileMe, Smugmug, or any other sharing site. Join a photography group and get feedback.

Share your own photography-related resolutions in the comments. Happy New Year!

Posted in art, kodachrome, Photography, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

the day after, blue sky white ground

December 27, 2010

well we survived the howling wind and swirling snow for most the whole day until night fell and we snuggled together for warmth and woke up to the world covered in a blanket of white.

after the snow storm

notice the lack of a front walk, buried under the snow drift well over four feet and the drive way was deeper. seems the wind goes from left to right on the property, actually howls from left to right at 40 mph. some blizzard people stranded at airports, in their car on the parkways , at bus terminals. guess they’ll call it the blizzard of o’10. we were very glad to be together.

snow storm house

it doesn’t look like it here but the wind is still blowing around 40 mph as we began to dig our way out the the drifts. but the birds took it in stride.

the birds

digging the car out

a very long driveway in some very deep snow. but between us, with me manning the baby snow blower, thank goodness we had one, and mary doing some shoveling we managed to get out alive, after taking long breaks.

mary doing sidewalk

and me wearing snow in my blue parka

snow blowing

white & blue

but after it was all done we came in to a nice warm fire and a hot meal.

fireplace

there really is no place like home. another day another night.

no place like home

to say nothing of a clean driveway

house at night

but all and all it’s great to be alive and to live another day.

jene

www.jeneyoutt.com

Posted in snow, Uncategorized, winter | Leave a Comment »

Christmas snow storm & house

December 27, 2010

just a quick note about our day

as some of you many know and some may not, a major snow storm has hit the east coast christmas day. at least we got some warning a couple of day but i’ve never seem such a blizzard with winds whipping between 40 & 50 mph. woo hoo. but christmas eve was warm and lovely spent with family and friends. the present under the tree surrounded by the train set and stocking hung by the fireplace.

christmas tree

but after dinner cars had to be put away guest taken home as no one could afford to be trapped by the storm. well except us, me and my  honey and faithful companion. we woke up, made coffee and began reading the sunday paper. sometime in the afternoon we went to white out with the snow falling and wind blowing. sometimes the snow fell horizontally but i couldn’t pass up the opportunity to shovel snow so i could get this picture.

christmas house

in a few hours the show had covered the front porch with a four foot drift along with the steps which are gone, filled by a drift so the front yard is smooth. i’ll take some pictures tomorrow if we can make it out of the house.

and to all a good night.

jene

www.jeneyoutt.com

Posted in christmass, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

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