Medium Format Chevy

Look – a photo of a tail fin. On a 1957 Chevrolet. Or at least on a plastic model of one. That I built in high school. In a poorly ventilated area. As you’ve probably guessed I was very popular with the ladies (and struggle with complete sentences).

Random friend: What are you doing this weekend, Robert?

Me: Oh, you know… I’m painting a tiny distributor cap. In a poorly ventilated area.

Random friend: *blank stare*

Just in case you were wondering this model broke in a recent move. Bummer, right?

You: *blank stare?*

About this image: Digital photo moderately manipulated

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Ol’ Blue Eyes

I was considering saving this post for Frank’s birthday… but who can wait for next December? I don’t have that kind of patience. Also, some days I just feel “Ol’-er” than others, so this piece seemed appropriate.

Any favorite Frank tunes?

Anyone have blue eyes?

Anyone have ‘the voice’?

Anyone a chairman / chairwoman of the board?

About this image: Charcoal drawing/portrait with digital selective coloring – gel medium transfer onto record (not an authentic Frank – it’s the Harmonicats… if I remember correctly) mounted on 8″x10″ panel.

Contact

Yet another darkroom special – I’m totally rocking my archives pretty hard lately, dudes and dudettes. I do kinda’ like this one. Probably because it took me so long to print this beast (although with Photoshop this might be about a ten minute job – at the most).

Mid-tones? We don’t need no stinkin’ mid-tones. But it’s ‘for on purpose though’. Really. I tend to print many photos super-contrasty. It’s so emotive… so dark and brooding! I think my almost exclusive use of the No. 5 split printing filter makes me seem super artsy-like… don’t you?!

About this image: Ilford 35mm film (who would’ve guessed, eh?) top image enlarged, film strips contact printed.

Bridges

Ah yes, another digital photo I’ve massacred in Photoshop. I’m like the Hulk Hogan of… over-editing. Anyway, I shot this beast on a bridge spanning  the Red River – somewhere between Grand Forks North Dakota and East Grand Forks Minnesota. Inter-domestic waters, as they don’t say (or… over them, I guess).

And speaking of  destruction… ‘which photo is next?! Whatcha’ gonna’ do when these 4 inch pythons come for you, borther’?!

About This Image: Digital Photo highly manipulated in Photoshop

Supply

Hey, man… you can put your *wheat* in there (insert your own original and/or modified Saturday Night Live quote here)!  That line was highly revised, and let’s face it… not quite on par with the Bass-O-Matic or Cowbell skits. Any favorite material of your own? Oh well. You probably aren’t here here for my SNL lecture series… unless… you’re that clever land-shark, aren’t you?!

About this image: Digital Photo (elevator in Alton, Illinois) highly manipulated digitally and transferred onto… uhh… faux  iron framework on/inside 12″x12″ panel.

Scene from an Apartment (liquid emulsion)

As if Monday’s aren’t crazy enough, right?

Sometimes being thick skulled is a good thing – like when… uh… what was it I was going to say again? My memory just isn’t what it used to be, and I have no idea why. Anyway, this is another image I made in one of my college photo classes. Good times! I think. From what I can remember of them, anyway.

About this image: Ilford 35mm film – printed with liquid emulsion on three 4″x6″ canvas panels .

First Attempt at Light Painting

I recently came across an interesting article on light painting – and I gave it a try last night. There’s no expensive special equipment required – just your camera, a tripod, shutter release cable and a flashlight. Then, in low ambient light use long exposure times and the flashlight to ‘paint’ light on your subject(s). Blah blah blah. It is a lot of fun… and you can get some fairly interesting results.

What have I learned from all of this?

1. I need better subject matter.

2. There are apples buried in the back of our fridge (I have no idea how they got there).

3. I am not a wine drinker (evidence? label falling off old bottle and dirty, dirty glass).

*whew* That was fun. Now beer me, please!

About this image: Digital photo, 30 second exposure… at… f-11-ish? Moderately manipulated (quite a bit of dodging and burning with levels adjustment layers, etc.)

Steel

Okay, I can admit it… I still think ‘trains is ‘perty cool’. Someday I’d love to have an extremely small scale 20’s era cityscape/train set (built-in under a glass topped coffee table). I might be alone in this thought, though; it’s probably my When Harry Met Sally wagon wheel coffee table moment.

Speaking of trains, I used to be employed by an architectural firm practicing out of a remodeled depot – where I worked diligently got to watch railroad stuff all the time. The trains would literally shake the building… it was pretty cool.

About this image: Digital photograph lightly manipulated. I think the shallow depth of field works well in this shot… although I doubt I can be credited for that. This was one of the first digital photos I took, and my camera was likely set on full auto. But I still like to pretend I’m responsible for everything you see here.

Distances

My camera – she’s-a so ‘new’… but I like photos that look-a so old! Okay, my camera isn’t that new.  Still, its not like I’m loading wet plates into the thing (which would be so cool – I hope to explore all kinds of alternative photographic processes… someday). *sigh*

I digitally manipulated this shot quite a bit (trying to make it to read… older). If you’re like my wife, that crooked horizon probably irritates you a bit. I did straighten it… and try it at even sharper angles, but I ‘likes’ it this way, so this is how it stays *arms crossed defiantly over chest*. Good day, everyone – I’m off to row. Up-hill!

About this image: Ilford 35mm film scan, digitally toned, blurred, vignetted, scratched and beat to he-double hockey sticks. Mercilessly.

Evasive Action with Dick and Jane

Come, Dick. Come, Jane. Come, come. Come and see. Come and see this weird*** painting (then duck and cover like you really mean it)! Yeah, so clearly my painting draftsmanship could use a little work, but… well… I’m on it. Give me another 30 or so years and these suckers might even pass as… passable! Now where did I leave my haz-mat suit and geiger counter again?! Oh… and I think we’re out of T.P., too (that’s just great)!

About this image: Acrylic on 16″x16″panel