The Photo Blog

Bucktown Holiday Art Show

2011-12-07T12:49:00.004-06:00

If you will be/are in the Bucktown area of Chicago, come on down to the Bucktown Holiday Art Show.

When: Sat. December 10 and Sun. December 11, 12-5
Location: Holstein Park Fieldhouse, 2200 N. Oakley Ave.

Great Christmas gifts from local artists!

Click here for more info.

Fun at the Junk Yard

2011-04-06T21:13:00.004-05:00

I went to a junkyard last summer for a car part and decided to take my camera with me. I ended up getting some great photos! You never know where you will find inspiration!

Some shattered glass

A broken side mirror

Some stacked cars

More shattered glass

POE Favorites XI

2010-12-21T12:55:00.009-06:00

The final installment of Photographers of Etsy favorites. Enjoy!

Crystalphotography

MatkirschPhoto

desertB

InventingLiz

saramontour

fosterbk

honeytree

POE Favorites X

2010-12-21T12:16:00.010-06:00

Another round of Photographers of Etsy favorites! Enjoy!

Celticcatphotos

PamLefcourt

theeye

thebqe
jessicarogers

siriusimagery

HeyHarriet

POE Favorites IX

2010-12-21T12:02:00.009-06:00

Additional favorites from the Photographers of Etsy team! Enjoy!

henatayeb

fotojo

dylanmurphy

eireanneilis

ceejay60

SlothArt

POE Favorites VIII

2010-12-21T11:31:00.012-06:00

Another installment of Photographers of Etsy favorites. Enjoy!

RaysOfGrace

mattallen

TCaponePhoto

moonangelnay

helenesmith

elephantdreams

POE Favorites VII

2010-12-16T17:14:00.010-06:00

Yet more favorites from Photographers of Etsy. Enjoy!

PhotoGrunt

thartzo

ara133photography

aldari

MagMoment

JohnSturgisPhotos

POE Favorites VI

2010-12-16T16:53:00.009-06:00

Part 6 of Photographers of Etsy Favorites! Enjoy!

ThroughSarasEyes

Kristybee

Briole

VioletSkais

LDphotography

ModernClassicsPaper

POE Favorites V

2010-12-16T16:34:00.009-06:00

Part 5 of Photographers of Etsy favorites! Enjoy!

ellemoss

DaysLight

anikatoro

andreadespot

brandmojoimages

TheShutterbugEye

POE Favorites IV

2010-12-16T10:25:00.012-06:00

Yet more Photographers of Etsy photos! Enjoy!

valiantstudios

AmeliaKayPhotography

penuinplace

paintedwithlight

zuppaartista

mysaturnalia

POE Favorites Part III

2010-12-16T08:19:00.009-06:00

More Photographers of Etsy Favorites! Enjoy!

shannonpix

swampratphotography

studiohaus

robynsart

DESIGNbyHELEN

firstlightphoto

POE Favorites Part II

2010-12-13T14:43:00.009-06:00

More favorites from the Photographers of Etsy team. Enjoy!

photomcgee

JudiFitzPatrick

EyeShutterToThink

KBuchananPhotography

lbilbs14

CreationsAnew

POE Favorites

2010-12-13T14:22:00.010-06:00

The only theme here is that these are some of my favorites from the Photographers of Etsy Team on Etsy. Enjoy!

TheLittleRooster

KhoKreative

lilacpopphotography

rebeccaplotnick

levansphotography

rsully2photography

Front Page!!

2010-12-12T22:16:00.003-06:00

My first time on the front page, very exciting!!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-23T14:59:00.009-06:00

In the U.S., we're getting ready for Thanksgiving. This week's theme is Native American.

scottfairbairnphoto

fastwinn

hiattsnapshots

ljdesignphoto

picturethisbymj

CactusHuggers

Silver and Gold

2010-11-15T17:18:00.010-06:00

This weeks' theme is silver and gold! Enjoy!

eir104

aldari

karencaseysmith

stevenkosek

kittyrogers

judemcconkey

Dream Photos

2010-11-08T16:26:00.010-06:00

The theme for this weeks photos is dream. Enjoy!

stephmel

somavenus

levansphotography

lillith

CatNPhotography

AliciaBock

Monday Photos - Food

2010-11-01T16:28:00.011-05:00

In light of eating a bunch of candy for Halloween and Thanksgiving this month, this week's photos are all about food. Enjoy and go have a snack! :)

sixthandmain

AmeliaKayPhotography

honeytree

TimeCaptured

MarianneLoMonaco

slgdesigns

Running

2010-10-11T20:02:00.008-05:00

In honor of those who ran the Chicago Marathon this past weekend, this week's photos are dedicated to the word running.

Erina68

ImagineStudio

StudioSTACH

Barbraziemerphoto

kellya

SarahMoldovan

Trees!

2010-10-04T17:57:00.010-05:00

Since the leaves are starting to turn colors here in the Northern Hemisphere, I thought I would make this week's theme trees.

bomobob

IntheWoodsStudio

nikkisics

Ceece

zuppaartista

HeyZee

New Items -- Photo Blocks

2010-09-23T16:33:00.005-05:00

I've ventured out and made photo blocks. They can be purchased at my Etsy store.

Enjoy!!

A Walk in the Park -- August 22nd

2010-08-21T14:38:00.003-05:00

I will be in tomorrow's art fair "A Walk in The Park" at North School Park in downtown Arlington Heights. The address is 410 N. Arlington Heights Road and it is free to attend! Stop on by between 10am -5pm!

Marvelous Mondays - North Carolina

2010-08-16T16:58:00.007-05:00

I know I've taken several months off from this blog, but I have been busy this summer. I just got back from beautiful North Carolina which has inspired me for this week's Marvelous Monday. Enjoy!

soulenergy

littlelakey

LucyGracePhotography

OldNorthImages

riotjane

OrdinaryElephant

Simply Chicago Art Opening Reception

2010-08-06T17:33:00.002-05:00

I know it's been a while since I've last updated this blog, but it's been a busy summer. I'm in my first mostly solo gallery show this month! The opening reception is tomorrow Saturday August 7th. If anyone wants to, come on over to Simply Chicago Art in Evanston, IL. For the details, check out the website here.

4th of July

2010-07-05T09:15:00.004-05:00

Happy 4th of July! A big thanks to all our men and women in the service!

my red, white, and blue:

Mt. Prospect Fine Arts Festival

2010-06-17T16:46:00.004-05:00

I will be at the Mt. Prospect Fine Arts Festival/Blues Fest this Saturday June 19th! Come for the art, stay for the music!

More info here.

Terrific Tuesdays

2010-06-08T22:08:00.006-05:00

Apparently marvelous mondays haven't been working out so well. So, I present Terrific Tuesdays! This week's theme is umbrellas. Enjoy!

Fire!!

2010-06-01T17:12:00.008-05:00

Since I was out planting today in the heat, this week's theme is fire. Enjoy!

Chairs!

2010-05-25T20:25:00.009-05:00

I know I'm a day late for Marvelous Mondays, but it's a marvelous Tuesday! And the theme is chairs! Enjoy!

TheLightFantastic

planetshana

sandycarterphoto

henatayeb

lorraineVeronicaS

dhunting

Marvelous Mondays - Sports

2010-05-16T16:32:00.009-05:00

Lots of sports are going on right now, so that is this week's theme. Enjoy!

MargaretLillian

aliciabruce

shehitpausestudios

scooyouphotography

KBuchananPhotography

shebejane

Covered Bridge Photo Featured!

2010-05-13T17:25:00.003-05:00

My covered bridge photo has been featured on this awesome blog.

Check it out here!

Thanks so much Steve!

Marvelous Mondays - Lines

2010-05-10T13:07:00.008-05:00

Lines, Lines, Lines! They are important in a photo and move your eye around the image. Enjoy!

Marvelous Mondays - Dirty

2010-05-03T17:57:00.008-05:00

Dirty Photos! No, not that kind! I'm talking mud, grease, dirt! That's this week's theme. Enjoy!

Another Marvelous Monday!

2010-04-26T11:17:00.006-05:00

A new week of photos! Glass is the theme!

Photographers, in order, are:

What can you make out of this cloud?

2010-04-20T13:53:00.007-05:00

Another week, another set of photos. What can you make of these clouds?

The photographers, in order, are:

Editing Photos

2010-04-18T13:06:00.001-05:00

There are 2 types of editing photos. One type is is cleaning them up, color correcting, and so on. The other is editing which ones to put out there for your viewers. I am not so good with the latter. It's hard to choose between 2 photos of the same thing, but a little bit different. I like them both, but I'm a bit biased. :) So, I'm putting some photos up here for you guys to decide which ones I should keep. Put the #'s of the ones you like the in the comments. Thanks for looking!!

10.

11.

Car Door Finale

2010-04-16T14:33:00.003-05:00

Finally finished!! Here is the finished product:

Car Door Part 2

2010-04-15T10:58:00.003-05:00

Still working on the door!

Did a second coat of sand and painted the rest.

Painted the window.

Can you tell what it's going to be yet?

Car Door

2010-04-15T09:27:00.004-05:00

Not photo related, but something I've been working on. 2 cars were donated to a gallery I am working with, which were then taken apart and given out to artists to create something with it. The pieces will then be auctioned off for charity. I wanted to do something photography related since I am a photographer. Well what I had in mind didn't work out, at all. My mom suggested something completely different than what I had planned. It snowballed from there and I am still working on it. Here are some photos from the first stages:

The original car door (after my first idea has been removed):

One layer of sand on:

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! No, wait, it's still a bird!

2010-04-12T17:22:00.006-05:00

This week's theme is birds. Enjoy!

The photographers, in order, are:

theeye
colormegifted
LDPhotography
MakaiosFotos
HeyHarriet
treecandy

Marvelous Mondays - Bridges

2010-04-05T17:51:00.008-05:00

This weeks theme is bridges! Enjoy!

The photographers are:

Brandon Godfrey
PhotoGrunt
JeanneLopez
mindystrauss
jljfoto
Tommy2Shoes

Marvelous Mondays!

2010-03-29T19:53:00.003-05:00

A little late, but this week's theme is turtles!! Enjoy!

*note* if you would like to see a certain theme, please let me know!

The photographers, in order, are:

TheShutterbugEye
logantroy
nightxsky
kjdphotography
cepalm
blacknell

Marvelous Mondays!

2010-03-21T20:56:00.004-05:00

Another week, another new group of photos. This week's theme: black and white photos with selective coloring.

The artists are as follows:

theshutterbugeye
photogrunt
cetphotography
ajazwinski
geminicomplex
racergirl1313

Weekend

2010-03-16T13:31:00.002-05:00

Sorry I missed my marvelous mondays! I ran out of time and will post next week. I'm participating in a craft show this saturday march 20th. Here are the details:

Spring Craft Show
Saturday March 20 10am-3pm FPC Free Admission!
Friendship Park Conservatory is hosting our annual Spring Craft Show featuring a wide variety of crafters and artisans. There will be over 25 exhibitors including dried floral, apparel, metalwork, jewelry and much more! While you’re here, enjoy a stroll through our atrium. Min 4/Max 500. (SS)

Check out the website for more info.

Marvelous Mondays!

2010-03-08T08:49:00.004-06:00

New theme this week: Sunflowers. I thought I'd start summer a little early.

The photographers are (in order):

MLSPhotography
TroyKujala
KBuchananPhotography
DeborahsDreamPhoto
ValiantStudios
SharonForrence

Giveaway!!!

2010-03-03T12:13:00.003-06:00

I am featured on this awesome blog for a giveaway. Check it out! You may win!!

http://spinladyspricht.blogspot.com/

Marvelous Mondays!

2010-03-01T15:43:00.004-06:00

Every week I will be featuring photos that catch my eye. This weeks theme is water.

Photographers in order:

Briole
RaysofGrace
blueeyedbadger
traci5091
tasteslikepurple
PhotonTamer

From the Past

2010-02-24T15:22:00.004-06:00

Though technically not a photo, I have brought this print out of the dusty collection that consists of past works I have done. I created this back in college in a computer photo class back when photoshop was still new(ish) and back before digital cameras. I enjoy this one and am thinking of doing more prints like this, maybe a kitchen theme or different themes. Hope you enjoy!

Soft Red Tulip Flower

2010-02-24T10:12:00.001-06:00

Normally I go for the bright colors in my photos as shown in my last post, but I tried a more subdued soft color on this one. Let me know what you think!

First Photo Collage

2010-02-20T11:42:00.002-06:00

So this is my first photo collage that I have created. I took my photo of a hibiscus flower on a black background and Andy Warhol'ed it and came up with this. Enjoy!

Niche = Sales?

2010-02-11T10:37:00.002-06:00

Recently, I've been wondering why my Etsy sales are just not as much as I'd like them to be. (I know sales aren't that important and it's all about the art, but when you have to make a living from it, it's very important!) Then I tried to figure out how to fix it. Everywhere I go, people tell me what great work I have and how I have a great eye. I appreciate that greatly. But, as the saying goes, if I had a penny for every time I heard that, I would be rich. Which brings my question of why I'm not selling photos. Could it be the economy? Maybe.

I've searched other photographers on Etsy, and there are a few who are selling like crazy. I didn't understand it. When I looked further, I realized these photographers had a sort of niche or commonality among their photos. That is something I am missing. As I look at my own photos, I find I am all over the place. I have a hard time grouping them together or finding something in common. Maybe that is where my problem lies. I have no niche. Maybe I should come up with one? I'm not sure yet. But until then I will continue to shoot photos and see where it takes me.

Please comment about this topic! Thanks!

Featured on POE blog!!

2010-02-05T12:27:00.001-06:00

How much do I love POE? So much! They must love me as well because they featured one of my photos on their blog!

Check it out!

New Photos!

2010-01-31T10:51:00.002-06:00

Just listed these new photos today. These are a little bit unconventional for me. Let me know what you think!

I decided to shoot just the top of the tree (which had the best color). I love it against the pale blue sky.

I had an idea to get in the tulips and shoot up towards the sky.

Featured on Jessica's Blog!

2010-01-30T17:40:00.001-06:00

Hey all!! Check out this awesome blog. My photo made it to one of the photos of the week! Yay!
Check it out here!

Flickr

2010-01-24T16:24:00.001-06:00

I just created a flickr account! Check it out here!

Featured on Alexanders Design Blog!

2010-01-07T16:35:00.002-06:00

Check it out! One of my photos is featured on Alexander's Designs Blog

Thank you for featuring my art!

You can go to her blog here.

Awesome Artist - Liz's Wares

2009-12-28T09:40:00.004-06:00

Another great artist to check out is Liz's Wares. Her store consists of jewelry from bracelets to earrings to necklaces.

Her bio: I've started making jewelry since i was about 12. I like to let the beads speak to me. I do this by sitting down with either a pendant or set of beads and I begin meticulously laying them out to create a unique piece. This tends to take an hour or more just planning the layout, then comes the stringing which is the easy part. I put lot of time and effort into my pieces. I'm always trying to experiment with new ideas, and supplies.

She uses a variety of colors and textures in all of her pieces. I love the thought and effort put behind each one. You can really see that in the finished product. Also, her jewelry will look great on anyone for any occasion.

Featured Item:

You can go to her store here.

Great Artist - Elements of Surprise

2009-12-18T08:35:00.004-06:00

Another nice shop to check out is Elements of Surprise. Her store is mostly made up of beaded jewelry from bracelets to necklaces to earrings.

Her bio: When I was little I was one of those kids always sitting at the table "making something", while everyone else was playing video games. I would take fabric and try to make myself clothes - not that they ever fit! I moved on to making notebooks out my mom's jean pockets, and putting together - very strange - sewing kits for everyone I knew. But, I never really did any beading or jewelry until a friend dragged me off to a cute little bead store. That day, I made three pairs of earrings, and I've been hooked ever since!

Her store has something for everyone. Her designs are cute and unique. It's nice to see a variety of materials such as beads, shells, and crystals. There are lots of fun things to look at.

Here is my favorite:

Go to her store here.

Awesome Designer - Isla New York

2009-12-10T08:10:00.004-06:00

A great shop to check out is Isla New York. Her store features handmade organic clothing for women, such as skirts, sweaters, pants, and shirts.

Her bio: My name is Regina and I live and work in Manhattan. After graduation, I worked a few fashion internships and then decided to start my own label here on Etsy (Although I also sell on Supermarketqh.com)! Right now I'm focusing my energy into bringing trendy eco friendly alternatives to women of all ages! I like to think that my pieces are unique because I add different elements that aren't necessarily marketed for clothing use. For example, for my fall pieces I've started using a lot of jewelry chains and charms.

These clothes are made for anyone to wear. They are very cute and unique. I love the detail she puts in every piece, like appliques, braiding, and pleating. The hoodies are really nice and colorful. Her tops are original and very well made.

Here is my favorite:

Go to her store here.

Awesome Artist - Ambient Girl Designs

2009-12-03T21:35:00.003-06:00

Here is a great shop to check it out: Ambient Girl Designs. Her store has a little bit of everything from photography to cards to gift tags.

Her bio: I'm originally from South Africa and I'm living in Canada now. I'm a stay at home mom with a diploma in Crafts & Design majoring in glassblowing and a certificate in Art Fundamentals. I have loved crafting since I was little and I'm so happy to have found a community of crafters that love it as much as I do. Currently I design stationery, gift tags, custom cards and invitations.

Ambient Girl Designs are great! I love the variety offered in her store. The cards and gift tags are very creative and cute and would be the perfect addition to any gift.

This is my current favorite:

Check out her store here.

Great Artist - Stitchnmomma!

2009-11-25T09:07:00.003-06:00

This is a great shop to check out: Stitchnmomma. She is a stitching machine and has all sorts of fun stuff in her store, such as ornaments, magnets, kits, patterns, and much more!

Here is her bio: I make and sell cross stitched gifts, kits & original patterns. I've been stitching for 30+ years have recently decided to start sharing my original designs with others. I have had my Etsy shop for less than 1 year.

You can tell she loves what she does. She takes stitching to a new level by offering things like tote bags, which are really cute. She also creates original patterns and sells them.

Here is one of my favorites:

Stop on by her store here.

Great Artist - JED Bridal

2009-11-19T20:56:00.003-06:00

This is a great artist to check out if you like jewelry: Julie Ellyn Designs Bridal Showcase. Her shop offers bridal jewelry including necklaces and earrings.

Here is her bio: I began to make jewelry after I searched high and low for the perfect bridal jewelry and bridesmaid's gift for my own wedding. After commissioning a talented jeweler to design pieces for my girls I was inspired to create beautiful baubles on my own.

All of the pieces are beautiful! Each piece is detailed and made very well. Any bride or bridesmaid would be lucky to have any of these necklaces or earrings! They are also the perfect thing to wear on your wedding.

This is my favorite:

Neat Artist - Browns Country Originals

2009-11-14T08:39:00.002-06:00

Here is a neat artist to look at and get some fun things from: Browns Country Originals. This shop offers a range of items from paper mache to pins to chalkware figures. They have something for everyone!

Here is their bio:

We are a husband and wife artist team. I work with wood, chalkware, clay and papier mache. My wife works with dried, fresh and artificial flowers and hypertufa. These creative passions led us in 2008 to start Brownâ€™s Country Originals. The name came from living in the country and our last name.

Hypertufa is a lite weight concrete. Besides the paper mache and chalkware we have a line of garden items my wife makes country/primitive hypertufa birdbaths, flower planters and flower pots. I make country/primitive wooden potting benches, planter and garden stakes.

They have lots of cute stuff in their store. This time of year Christmas items are big, and they have many to choose from. The snowmen figures are very cute, as is the St. Nick paper mache. They would look great in any house.

Featured item from their store:

Visit their store here.

Great Artist - MamiMadeIt

2009-11-09T14:36:00.003-06:00

Great artist to check out and get some cute items from: MamiMadeIt.
Currently in her shop are toys and bottle bags.

Here is her bio:

My mom showed me making things by myself when I was a little girl. Knitting, sewing, embroidering, crocheting, doing handicrafts are always part of my life. And there are so many things I still want to learn such as pottery, making mosaics (tessellation), knot a carpet. Recently I read something about making paper. Isn’t it exciting?
I hope my daughter will be interested in these things too and I am able to pass on the joy, pride and satisfaction of making things by herself.

Her bunnies are really cute and would make a great gift for a little girl or boy. I can also picture them in a home sitting on a bench in the foyer welcoming all guests. Also in her store are bottle bags perfect for Christmas time. They are reusable and would be a great accent for a Christmas gift.

My favorite item is:

Get to her store here.

Great Artist - LOC Design Studio

2009-11-01T16:27:00.003-06:00

Here is a great artist to check out: LOC Design Studio.
There is a large selection of all things beaded including: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, charms bookmarks and fobs.

Here is the artists bio: I create one of a kind, handcrafted beaded jewelry items. I LOVE beads, especially glass and crystal, freshwater and glass pearls, and white metal finishes. In addition to creating adornments for your ears, neck and wrists, I also design jewelry for your books, cell phones and keys.

Her earrings are really nice and well crafted! There is a big variety to choose from. If you are an avid reader, her beaded bookmarks are unique. Any of her pieces would make a great gift for someone or even a gift to yourself!

I think my favorite would have to be this one:

Visit her store here.

Artist of the Day - Simply Delicious Diaper Cakes

2009-10-27T22:25:00.002-05:00

This is a great idea to have a cake made out of diapers! Check out stephstowell's etsy store!

Here is the artists bio: I make these adorable cakes made completely out of diapers. They are great for baby shower gifts or for a centerpiece at a baby shower. They are also great as a hospital gift for a new mom. I made a couple of these for baby showers I attended and got such positive responses that I decided I would try to make money at it!

I have to agree, they would make a great gift for baby showers, especially for a new mom! They come in many different themes and are all put together perfectly.

My personal favorite is this one:

Again the store is stephstowell. Check it out!

Featured on Hapagirls Blog!

2009-10-14T08:08:00.001-05:00

Check it out! I am one of the Etsy stores featured on Hapagirls Blog.

Thanks so much for putting me on there!

To get to it, click here!

Last Chance To Vote

2009-10-10T09:13:00.001-05:00

Today is the last day to vote!!!!!

I uploaded some photos to a Chicago Photo contest. Please vote for me!

Click here.

Featured on The Art of Craft Blog

2009-10-08T22:19:00.002-05:00

My etsy store is featured on The Art of Craft Blog.

Thank you Art of Craft!! Check out their blog here.

Vote for me!!

2009-10-08T14:30:00.001-05:00

I uploaded some photos to a Chicago Photo contest. Please vote for me!
Click here.

Support local artists!!

2009-10-02T15:19:00.002-05:00

I will be participating in some trunk shows throughout October. The first one is this Saturday Oct. 3rd. It takes place in Evanston from 11-6. Come out and support local artists!!

Featured on Lanakinbuddys Blog

2009-09-28T13:22:00.002-05:00

Check it out!!

My etsy store is featured on Lanakinbuddys Blog.

Thanks so much to Sarah for highlighting my store on her blog. Check out her blog here.

branching out to frames

2009-09-21T21:33:00.002-05:00

I've branched out a little to photo frames. Here are some photos of them:

Day/Night Project

2009-08-24T21:08:00.000-05:00

I've had this concept for a long time now and just recently took photos for it. My idea was to take a photo of a scene during the day, preferably around noon. Then around dusk or a little bit later, I would take another photo from the same exact location. The next step is to print them and cut them into strips, up to an inch wide. Combine the 2 photos so they alternate. Here is what I came up with:

After completing this, I realized that they don't completely line up. I still like the outcome very much, but will try again and line it up better.

Thanks Arlington Heights Art Show

2009-08-24T21:04:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all who came out to the Arlington Heights "Walk in the Park" Art Show this past weekend. It was a perfect day!!

Filling up space

2009-08-18T21:21:00.000-05:00

One of the things I like to do in my photos is to completely fill up the frame with a repeating item. For example:

I think by concentrating on one item, you can really focus on the textures and lines it produces.

Arlington Heights Art Show

2009-08-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

I will be at the Arlington Heights Art Show, A Walk In The Park. It will take place this Sunday August 23rd from 10-5. It is located at North School Park. Hope to see you there!

Thanks Mt. Prospect Fine Arts Show

2009-06-22T13:37:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who came out to the Mt. Prospect Fine Arts Show this past weekend. It was a great day and great music as well. If you are interested in purchasing some of my work, you can go to my etsy store (ginaphoto) and purchase there. The website is ginaphoto.etsy.com. I will also be at the Arlington Heights show in August and will announce it closer to the date.

Mt. Prospect Art Show

2009-06-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

I will be at the Mt. Prospect Art Show on June 20th. It is an art show/blues fest. Come for the art, stay for the music!
To learn more, click on this link: http://www.mountprospect.org/community/special_events/af-bf/art-blues_fest.html

New Project: Pieces of images to make a whole

2009-06-03T21:07:00.001-05:00

I'm working on a new project and would love any feedback you may have. My goal is to take an image, blow it up larger, cut it up, and mat it in sections. Here is a sample of what I'm talking about:

Here is a photo I normally frame whole.

Here is the same photo cut up into pieces and matted.

How to Cut a Window Mat

2009-05-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

Matting photos make them complete and professional.

First, choose the mat color you would like. I usually stick to black or white.

Measure the length of the photo. Subtract the length of the photo from the length of the mat. i.e. if you have a 10 inch photo and a 14 inch mat, you'll have 4 inches.

Divide that number in half. That number is the amount of mat you should have on each side. So, using the previous numbers, 4 divided by 2 is 2. So, you will have 2 inches of mat on each side.

Repeat this for the height of the photo.

When you found your vertical and horizontal numbers, measure from the end in with your vertical number and make a mark towards the bottom of the mat. Measure in from the top of the mat and make another mark. Draw a line between the marks. That will be your 2 inch border.

Repeat this for the other vertical and both horizontal lines.

Now that you have your square drawn, get out your bevel mat cutter.

Line up a line from your drawn square with the cutter so that the square is on the inside. i.e. if the blade is on the left, the square should be on the right.

Make your first cut, rotate 90 degrees and make the next cut and so on.

The middle should fall out after the last cut.

There you have yourself a window mat.

Film Vs Digital

2009-05-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

I know we are in the age of everything digital, but what happened to film? I studied photography in high school and college, and learned the art of film. I learned how to choose the right speed of film, manually shoot it, develop it, and make enlargements. In my opinion, that was the best part of photography. It was creating a piece of art from start to finish.

But the times, they are changing. Now you shoot the image, upload it to a computer, and print it out. It doesn't seem as personal as it used to be. Don't get me wrong, I do love how easy shooting digital can be. But I do miss all the time I spent in the darkroom trying to get a print just right. Or being able to choose more than just glossy or matte finish.

I think it's sad that some schools don't even have darkrooms anymore. They have gone completely digital. I remember how to burn and dodge without using Photoshop. Gone are the times when we'd be in the darkroom for hours. We no longer have to tone our images ourselves. Now we just have to click a button on Photoshop, and it will take care of it for us.

I embrace the future of photography and welcome the digital era. But I will remember and miss the days of the darkroom.