just in from g4 - "Modified Camera Ruins Other People's Pictures"

Holy shite - this German fotog has figure out a way of infiltrating your camera by projecting his images into your lens when your flash goes off. He calls it the Image Fulgurator.

Watch it here:

inspired by wood marquetry to try something new

I just registered for a month-long course in Stone and Wood Carving at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. Description says: This short course focuses on direct carving in stone and wood. Students will explore abstract and objective forms while working on personally designed projects. There will be an emphasis on mastering carving techniques, including hand and power tools, and on exploring concept and composition within the subtractive context.

I've been itching to try my hand at a new medium; I feel its because I view photography as a literal art form since I mainly work in documentary or portraiture, not so much conceptual art. I became interested in woodwork because of this article in NYT about a woman who has essentially resurrected the popularity of the historical art of wood marqetry. In a nutshell, wood marquety is using wood veneers to create a scene or piece of work. The terms used for this is inlay and outlay; I don't know what they mean, but to me, I understand it as kind of a collage of wood veneer - each piece of veneer has a unique quality of grain and each piece contributes to a different section of the scene.

Take this detail of “Slab City” (2007) by Alison Elizabeth Taylor (which has been the centerpiece on my computer display for a month now). It's absolutely fascinating. Each section is a completely different piece of wood - the shadow under the van, the detail in reflection of the landscape on the car door - my untrained eye counts at least 8 different types of wood just in this part alone. It's like a sophisticated jigsaw puzzle!

I doubt my wood carving class will even broach the topic of wood marquetry, but not to worry, it's exciting to be creating something new!

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and James Cohan Gallery

stars at twilight - so lovely

found this ivy jacobsen print while scanning the internet for inspiring diy projects. it's so serene and moody and aquatic. love it!

open collective circle of artists (OCCOA)

I'm so so excited to be getting a 14x14" print of Michele de la Menardiere's Gayatri! I first met Michele through OCCOA, a local artist circle here in DC that is run by uber-talented Richard Swaine. I am honored to be the first photographer inducted into OCCOA back in 2002, and to be in the company of some very popular local artists such as Matt Sesow, Dana Ellyn, and Gregory Ferrand (who each exhibited in Artomatic 2008 as well!). It's so exciting to see the connections among the DC art community, and shows the support structure that is weaved throughout this city.

$170 Millon Park in NYC

The New York Times published an article about the highly anticipated High Line Park that will be built along the west side of the city. It's a very interesting read, but the slide show is what really caught my attention. The images are illustrative of the architects' visions of the park, but are beautiful in their own right.

What is gorgeous about them, in particular the three that I've posted here in this blog, is the use of mixed media: illustration, blueprint, computer assisted drawing (CAD), and photography.

My favourite is the first one. I love its simplicity, collage-like feel, and it's one-dimensionality (which is really cool given that most architectural specs are rendered in 3D), and how this very basic impression is elevated by the subtle yet detailed blueprint lines on the bottom and sides which requires the viewer to look closer at the image. I'm also drawn to the juxtaposition of the organic aspect of trees and soil against the rigid lines of the blueprint. The layering of the trees is also quite pretty. The colour scheme is what first drew me in - I'm very into the complementary relationship between deep pinks/purples and green right now - and the stark white background highlights the colours.

Whether or not the park will actually turn out like the images in this slide show, I'm excited for it to be built and to take a stroll down its walkways.


All images: Design by Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Courtesy of the City of New York.

uh oh - disney and child porn?

looks like a photo producer at disney's hollywood park got caught with 3 child porn videos...

flickr sucks (says its creators)

Interesting news - the creators of flickr, international photo sharing site phenom, have passed the reins onto someone else because their jobs "sucked."

I can't imagine why... dealing with creative commons, lawsuits, use of images without model releases or permission (such as the Australian advertising company that used a Flickr photo for a national Virgin Mobile campaign)...

I have to admit, I've steered clear of Flickr; I'm very protective of my photographs and don't want to have to deal with the above. I love the community concept and am awed by how far reaching its popularity is. I'm interested to see what ideas the new general manager has in store for this site.

The demise of street photography

This Village Voice article exemplifies why I'm not really into doing street photography in the US: The NYPD Harasses a Photographer at Coney Island
In the places I've traveled to most people don't take issue with photographers shooting in public. Of course, there is random demand of being asked to pay after you've taken someone's photo, but that's just commercialism rearing it's lovely head. Quite honestly, if something is in the public domain a photographer has every right to capture it on film/digital so long as they are polite and discreet about it. Why don't we read articles from Laotians complaining about western tourist-razzis shoving themselves between Laotian monks to get "the shot"?

Affordable Art Fair

Wish I could be in NYC to check this weekend to check out the Affordable Art Fair, which ends this Sunday, June 15. Check out scultpure demonstrations and tips for starting your own art collection on Saturday, or explore printmaking and children's art on Sunday. Have fun!

idea visualization and connection

This photo from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology depicts creative thinking and strategy in the works. I'm fascinated by a lot of things, most of them being things that make me wonder: how they hell did they come up with that?? A previous manager tried to teach me this brainstorming exercise, in which you (duh) brainstorm and then find the links between seemingly disparate ideas. It's easier to picture it through this photo. See the lines between the stickies? That's what I'm talking about!

Why am I writing about this? Well, it's because I'm trying to figure out how my various passions and interests complement each other. Aside from pure eclecticism and randomness, there has to be a connection or intersection between my love of photography, belief in arts administration and artist support structures, work experience in business consulting, and foray into interactive marketing, obsession with interior/surface design, thirst for knowledge about the creative economy, and burgeoning interest in design management and strategy. The links are there, I know it, I just have to figure out what it all leads to...

Justin Guariglia – Ten Tips on how to photograph a foreign place from the inside

Justin Guariglia offers his tips on taking culturally accurate travel images.

To me, most of these tips are common sense. Some just crack me up. Par exemple, tip #1: "Have an interest in the culture you're photographing". Well duh, you made the effort to get all the way out there so I assume the traveler/photographer has some sort of interest. But I can see this being applicable to a fotog who has to come up with a story on small town-nowhere.

Buuuut, the more I read these, the more I feel that they are valid and good advice for all travelers, not just ones with cameras in hand.

The one I am most impressed by is #6, See movies or work of photographers from the region to get to know culture’s visual aesthetic. I simply hadn’t thought about this before, and I think its great research to do before traveling somewhere.

For techy people, refer to #s 4 and 5. Some people think that the more equipment they have the better the shot, and this (to a degree) is just not true. Photography is an aesthetic perception of one’s surroundings or ideas. One thing I didn’t like about the Karnow lecture was her comment that she is good at manipulating a situation to make it look real. Yuck, I hate the very idea of it. I love natural lighting and have only started using flashes November of last year. I love my SB-800, but you won’t see me trekking around Peru with 5 additional artificial light sources.

Tip #3 is vital in order to get a good local sense of the place. For example, the Lonely Planet guide was my father’s bible when we traveled to Vietnam. We hit all the restaurants it recommended and I really wasn’t impressed at all. About a week into the trip I caught a terrible cold in Hoi An and craved nothing but pho (beef noodle soup). We made our way to a local noodle stand where no tourists were seen. To the amusement and amazement of the shop owner, I devoured three bowls. That was the best damn soup I’ve ever had, and we wouldn’t have found it in Lonely Planet. Lesson of the story: you can use guidebooks to a certain point, but talk to the people there if you want a true experience.

Along with that is #8. At the Nat Geo lecture with Catherine Karnow back in February, she suggested walking around for the first few days with camera in tow but not shooting. This helps to slowly integrate you and not come off as the asshole travel-paparazzi (my interpretation of her words) to the locals.

#9 also stands true. Landscapes are beautiful, but that’s because you are experiencing it. Show people experiencing the beauty (or ugliness) of a place. It can only make your image stronger.

(P.s. I left out #10 because although I am guilty of this, I also feel that as a photographer you should be mindful and selective of the images you capture, and shooting on auto-mass mode doesn’t necessarily a good photo make).

Guariglia will be presenting a lecture at National Geographic on his experience photographing inside a Shaolin temple, whose monks rarely allow cameras into their environment. Let's see how he's incorporated his travel shooting tips.

Letter Cloud

This installation by Erin Shie Palmer is so cool. I have no idea what its like in reality, but the sense of mobility, airiness, and movement is effectively captured in this image. Unfortunately, I couldn't find much information related to the artist's intention behind this installation. You can experience this installation at the Wing Luke Asian Museum, said to be the only Asian American museum in the US. Though the majority of the collection are historic relics, but I hope that more Asian American-made art will be displayed in the future.