by successfulbob | fine art photography, fine art portrait, people photography, photography creativity, photography education, tuesday painterly photo art
Tuesday Painterly Photo Art – Paul Tumason
It’s fun to find new art and artists (to me) once you start poking around. I’m happy to share Paul’s painterly photography work with you today on the Successful-Photographer blog.
Paul’s Thoughts on Painterly Portrait Art.
“A portrait describes what the subject looks like in a painting, a photograph or a sculpture.
Portraits might include other objects which help to explain the subjects, A portrait, like all art, is something to “read”.
Cristi & the Boys Painter Art – © Paul Tumason
Cristi & the Boys before – Notice that Paul is starting with a very nicely posed and lit image before he begins the painting process.
I enjoy being engaged with the story of the subjects. Of course, so much is left to our imaginations, but the artist gives us clues about what the subject is thinking, what they do, or the emotions held deep inside them, what they feel about themselves, and of course, what they look like.
Some of us just think of the likeness that shall be portrayed, But to me, it’s what the subject tells us in confidence about themselves that makes portraiture so interested to me. Yes, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
An extraction from and image and treated with a pastel feel – © Paul Tumason
Original ballet capture – © Paul Tumason
On the creating my “painted” images, I start with my photograph, not always a formal portrait, as I like the candid type of unaware subjects. Like every one of us, we have particular likes and dislikes, and preferences. We just like certain things. I find this hard to explain: but I’ll attribute it to human nature.
I try to make everything left in the image count for something.
The painting process for me is to soften some things, leave some sharp, lose some edges, define as little as possible while leaving as much as possible for the viewer’ imagination.
‘Ellie’ – © Paul Tumason
‘Ellie’ before – See how the artistic treatment in the after image simplifies the scene and brings the subject forward. © Paul Tumason
Much of my work is for my enjoyment. I like to print images, sometimes to study, but often to show to prospects, hoping that they would really like them and commission me to do a portrait for them in this style. In a way, it’s a method of marketing and separating myself from the competition.”
Paul has taught portraiture, including composition and lighting to photographers since the 1980’s including some Corel Painter classes here and there. He doesn’t work at this as a regular gig. If you are interested in Paul’s style, let him know if you’d like to have a class. He would love to schedule something for you. Otherwise, you are always welcome for a brief phone conversation to talk about our painterly art, or if you’d like to hire Paul as a tutor.
Learn more and view Paul’s work at www.tumasonpaintings.com
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
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by successfulbob | photography - art quote, photography education
Sunday Photo/Art Quote – Leonardo Da Vinci
Today we’ll use the quotes of a couple of art contemporaries from around the 1400-1500’s. Both men are inspirational to me. We’ll start with a quote from Leo.
“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough. We must apply.
Being willing is not enough. We must do.” – Leonardo da Vinci
I guess the short word here would be practice. A regular theme here on Successful-Photographer. I feel Mr. da Vinci says it in a more powerful, in-depth way. “…impressed with the urgency of doing.” I’m trying to extend my vocabulary and writing skills to be as succinct and powerful with words as these.
Thought to be a Leonardo self-portrait, Man in Red Chalk and his Virtuvian Man.
Many photographers, including myself, have the knowledge but have not put it into practice enough. If I may suggest that when you go to a seminar or program and you see, for example, a new lighting idea that you immediately upon returning from the presentation try to replicate the lighting. Can’t tell you how many times I thought I ‘knew’ about a technique because I had seen it performed but when trying to create it on my own at a future date found that, well, I didn’t.
I try hard not to make that mistake anymore. If I see a lighting technique that interests me.
I try to recreate it.
In a PRACTICE session.
NOT on a paid client.
Doing is the secret.
There’s another quote out there from Benjamin Franklin, “Tell me, I forget. Teach me. I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Involve yourself when trying to master any new techniques.
Which brings us to the quote from Mr. Buonarotti
“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.”
– Michelangelo Buonarotti
Do you hear the echoes of these words? One of the greatest artists of all time lets you know he had to work his butt off to achieve the things he did.
Words to the wise, eh??
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
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by successfulbob | infrared photography, landscape photography, Lumix G6, Lumix Lounge
Infrared Photo – Sedona
Monsoon weather.
Clouds of all shapes and sizes dance and glide through the area on a regular basis.
Normally, mid-day is not the best time to be out photographing in full sun. With my Lumix G6 camera converted to infrared the middle of the day becomes a playground of absolutely beautiful high contrast. I love this look and the possibilities it brings.
Infrared black & white image Village of Oak Creek, Sedona, Arizona
The camera was converted to infrared by LifePixel. It took a slightly older camera and gave me a new look for images in my photography life. The way I capture is in RAW plus jpeg and bracketing by three stops. For this image, I processed the three jpegs and layered them together using the information from each using Masks in Photoshop. I took the layer showing the highlights and moved it into NIK Color FX Pro 4* and added a Glamour Glow Filter to get the “IR Glow.”
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
* You can download the entire series of NIK filters at no charge. Go get ‘um. There probably won’t be any updates but they are an incredible set of tools for use right now.
PS – I expanded upon this blog with more information on ‘Working a Scene-Multiple Compositions’ on the LifePixel site.
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by successfulbob | fine art photography, photography, tuesday painterly photo art
Tuesday Painterly Photo Art – Stephen Moody – M.Photog.
I met Stephen through the Arizona Professional Photographers Association. I was fascinated and intrigued by his abstract images I became exposed to during the annual imaging competition. I started seeing more of his painterly work through Instagram and Facebook and asked him if he would like to share here on Successful-Photographer.
Stephen Moody’s Fine Art Portraiture
Stephen Moody has been a professional photographer for 35 years. He has been fortunate to photograph projects for international commercial clients as well as portrait clients.
“I must say that the joy of seeing my work printed in Vogue Magazine was a rush, as well as seeing my art images of Coca-Cola products hanging the halls of Swire Coca-Cola Headquarters. It was a feather in my cap,” says Moody. “But, seeing one of my fine art portraits hanging in a client’s home in the same room as their original Picasso is more than I ever imagined.”
Arabian Horse – © Stephen Moody
Arabin Horse original capture – © Stephen Moody
Moody has been creating fine art portraits in one way or another since he started in business in the early 1980’s. Using AGFA 1000 RSX transparency film Moody created Impressionistic artwork in the camera and then used a tri-color printing method to create even more pointillism.
Today, he has taken it to an entirely elevated level. Moody’s clients do not hang photography in their homes. They have original art in their homes. Moody had to change his business model and develop his talents in the fine art of painting to create original artwork for his clients.
“Biscotti” – © Stephen Moody
“Biscotti” before – © Stephen Moody
“Art In Its Most Human Form”™ was Moody’s transformation from photographer into an artist. His first show in Scottsdale, Arizona sold three paintings for $15,000 on opening night. These mixed media paintings were his first images to use photography, dyes, and acrylic paint together on one canvas.
His process starts with a photo shoot. After selecting an image, he creates a stunning image in Adobe Photoshop. The image is then painted in Corel Painter. “I have two styles that I offer to the client; Impressionistic and Classical,” shares Moody. “The style is chosen based upon the décor in the room where the artwork will be displayed.”
Stephen says, “In Painter, I only use a clone brush to bring in the image. Once I have a basic visual to work from I use brushes with paint, color and texture to finish my piece. I prefer to use brushstrokes that enhance the artwork as opposed to having my art look photographic.”
“Claude” – © Stephen Moody
“Claude” before – wearing La Liberté Silk Tie & Scarf – designed by Stephen
from the artwork “Art In Its Most Human Form”™
Once the digital artwork is printed on canvas, Moody breaks out his acrylic paints and brushes and begins to work on finishing the artwork. “This is the most important step of the entire process,” says Stephen. “As an artist, I feel it is important to do all of the work myself as this is what makes my style my own and, separates me from other artists and photographers. When you hire someone to do the artwork for you, it is their style that shows through in the artwork… and, if they are doing artwork for others, your work looks just like theirs.
Stephen shares, “I am always learning. There are many painter’s styles I love to emulate; Degas, Rodin, Sargent, Boldini, Cassatt and more. Studying their artwork has influenced me as an artist.”
“Family Portrait at the Beach” – © Stephen Moody
“Family Portrait at the Beach” before – © Stephen Moody
“Many people know that I am a photographer as I have been doing this a long time. But the people who see my finished artwork hanging in a home or a business refer to me as an artist!” exclaims Moody.
To see more of Stephen’s work – http://StephenMoody.com – http://portraitartist.pet
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
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by successfulbob | photography - art quote, photography education, success education
Sunday Photo/Art Quote – Sun Tzu
Off down the road again I traipse again in this Sunday Photo/Art quote. This time, I turn to the Orient for inspiration. You wouldn’t think a guy who wrote the Art of War would be able to inspire us in our photographic art. But he can. The Art of war is traditionally ascribed to Sun Tzu. The book presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles.
No greater battle can there be than the ones that can rage within ourselves.
“Can you imagine what I could do if I could do all I can?” Sun Tzu
I sometimes think we hold ourselves back. At the very least I know I sometimes do. We can be our worst enemies when it comes to heading for new horizons and starting or, dare I say, conquering new projects. That little voice inside can be a help or a hindrance in our quest to create new imagery. The voice can be our best cheerleader, or it can be the little nag that is always looking for, and sharing, the worst case scenario should you start to try something that is outside your regular wheelhouse.
I’ll not go into examples here. We all have those times when we’ve been held back by our fears. And, better yet, those times we’ve placed those concerns in the closet and overridden their dire predictions and accomplished so much more than we thought possible. Let’s try to do more of the latter.
It is a constant battle. Hence why I use Sun Tzu in this thought about art and our capabilities. He was one of the greatest strategists in waging war theory that ever lived. We can learn a lot from his words.
I’ll leave you with two last quotes.
“If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” Sun Tzu
“We have met the enemy and he is us.” From the comic strip Pogo
With that, I’ll see you in the battlefields of creativity.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
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