by successfulbob | art books, fine art photography, inspiration, photography, photography creativity, tuesday painterly photo art
Tuesday Painterly Photo Art
Julieanne Kost – Adobe Photoshop Evangelist – Part One
One of my heroes, Kost, has been an inspiration from the first time I saw her give a presentation on Photoshop.
Knowledgeable, talented, giving, humble, and funny she is. I highly recommend that anytime she is giving a program near you, just go. You will be entertained as you learn tips and tricks in processing images with an incredibly powerful software program.
Let’s turn this over to Ms. Kost and start with her artist statement featuring her personal artistic work. In the future, we’ll revisit Kost featuring other facets of her work.
“In my work, I combine a passion for photography, a mastery of digital imaging techniques and knowledge gained from a degree in psychology, to construct a world similar enough to appear familiar, yet obviously, an interpretation of the physical reality that surrounds us.
Image ‘Untitled’ – © Julieanne Kost
Although the images are highly personal representations of my dreams and personal reality, they are abstract enough to allow individual interpretation (based on each individual’s history and life experiences). I hope to engage the viewer with the image to allow them to leave the reality that they hold true and explore, even if only for an instant, and venture into the visual placeholder of my thoughts and dreams.
Over the past 20 years I have created libraries of individual elements ranging from photographs of textures and landscapes, to scans of found objects, to encaustic paintings and charcoal drawings. Although these ingredients are not an end in and of themselves, they are waiting to take their position as a component of a larger message. The common thread is that each individual element must evoke an emotional response. What that response might be (positive or negative, comforting or confrontational) is not important at the creation stage, because how the image will be used at that point is not clear. I draw from these libraries to build images and communicate my message.
Image ‘Two Birds’ – © Julieanne Kost
Because the components are created at different times in different locations, I find that my work falls somewhere between the more traditional photographic practice of capturing a single decisive moment and the time compression techniques used to tell a story in cinematography. In my images, I create imaginary scenes layering elements together that are unconstrained by linear time and physical location. By choosing elements that work together to form a cohesive message, I am able to create a composite image more powerful than it’s individual parts.
Image ‘Waiting’ – © Julieanne Kost
The interactive process of selecting and assembling images is one of the most challenging and thought provoking parts of my creative exploration. Although overall, the images may appear serene and calm, the act of creation is anything but passive. I begin with a concept in mind, yet I may not know exactly how the pieces will fit together at the end. As the image takes on its own life, I often allow myself to explore additional directions, sometimes finding that the final image only faintly resembles the one first imagined.
Image ‘Perception’ – © Julieanne Kost
From a technical standpoint, I feel that a computer is not merely a shortcut for what is possible with a camera, but instead it allows me to discover what is possible in no other medium. However, with the digital realm being so forgiving and offering so many options for exploration, that discipline becomes part of the challenge. The paint is never dry, the exposure is never fixed, and the print is never final -all components can be done differently at any point. Here the art form is knowing when to stop and realizing when you’ve said what you set out to say.”
If you would like to learn more about compositing from Julieanne she has video classes available.
https://www.lynda.com/Photoshop-tutorials/Introduction-Photo-Compositing/191608-2.html
https://www.lynda.com/Photoshop-tutorials/Art-Photoshop-Compositing/147534-2.html
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
Kost’s bio below.
Named one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” Julieanne Kost is a Principal Evangelist at Adobe Systems, responsible for fostering relationships with customers through meaningful and inspirational Photoshop and Lightroom instruction. As a highly sought-after speaker for the industry-standard Digital Imaging franchise, she devises and presents motivating and educational training sessions, sharing original techniques and tutorials worldwide — via live events, Adobe.com, her own website (jkost.com) and blog (blogs.adobe.com/jkost). She is also the author of “Passenger Seat—Creating a photographic project from conception through execution in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom” and “Window Seat — The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking”, (I have an autographed copy: Ed) an accomplished photographer and fine artist, and creator and host of the popular Photoshop CC Essential Training, Adobe Camera Raw Essential Training, and the Art of Photoshop Compositing for Lynda.com.
Kost is well-known for her unique approach to instruction, infusing practical tips and tricks with an equal amount of humor and creativity that keeps audiences entertained and engaged. She often serves as a guest lecturer at distinguished photography workshops, industry events, and leading educational institutions around the world. She’s a contributing columnist and author for a variety of print and online publications and has created over 500 instructional videos as the host of Adobe’s “The Complete Picture” featuring Lightroom and Photoshop, serves as producer and instructor of the “Lightroom Getting Started” and “What’s New in Lightroom,” training courses, as well as the “Revitalize your Workflow with Lightroom” seminar on CreativeLive.
Kost has been recognized for her outstanding service and contributions to the professional photographic industry, winning the Gerhard Bakker Award from the Professional Photographers of America, the Honorary Educational Associate Award from the American Society of Photographers and was inducted to the Photoshop Hall of Fame by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
The combination of her passion for photography, mastery of digital imaging techniques and her degree in psychology, makes her photographic and fine artwork familiar, yet surreal with inventive and mysterious worlds where things are not quite as they seem. Her work has been exhibited numerous times and featured on Behance.net, PetaPixel.com, thisiscolossal.com, photographyserved.com, and Photoshop.com.
Kost holds an AA in Fine Art Photography and a BS in Psychology.
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by successfulbob | art books, book review, fine art photography, fine art portrait, inspiration, photography books, photography creativity
Photography Book Review
After the Camera, by Thom Rouse
Digital Transformations for Conceptual Nude & Portrait Photography
Way more than a How-to, After the Camera, is a peek into the mind of a wonderfully creative artist. You can’t help but view Thom’s images and find your story wrapped in and around his multi-layered imagery. His images have the depth and dimension of fine art from the master painters through the ages. This is no surprise if you know Thom. He is a student of the great artists and borrows an idea here, a color palette there, and a look from over there. By combining his art knowledge with his photography, experimenting with the capabilities of our digital age, he transcends visual boundaries, taking us to a new world.
Isis – Many of the elements were created from the manipulation of a single leaf. This includes the background, parts of her dress, and the hairpiece.
Text in this book reads as if Thom is talking directly to you. He shares his inspiration, along with trials and tribulations, during the shoot and post-processing. While this is not a book to teach you techniques in Adobe Photoshop where he does most of his processing, there are many important concepts shared. I’ve found a number of ideas that I can’t wait to try out in my work.
Urban Mermaids – Concept inspired by a regular model.
Is this book for everyone? Heck no. But most books are not. This is for photographers pushing their work to new realms of art. This is for photographers looking for inspiration. This is for photographers who understand that the nude has been part of the fine art landscape over the millennia. It’s for those who want a peek into the mind of a creative person who has studied fine art painters and can share concepts behind the why of an image.
Dance Within – One of the few images where Rouse used Corel Panter to help finish the look of the piece.
I can see this book becoming a dog-eared staple on my bookshelf as I plan to go back and review this on a regular basis.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – Thom was featured a couple of weeks ago in a Tuesday Photo/Art post. You can read it here.
Rouse’s book ‘After the Camera’ is available on Amazon.
by successfulbob | art books, photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Sunday Photo/Art Quote is from Peter Gowland
Peter Gowland was a glamour portrait photographer and author who left us in 2010. He was credited with creating over a thousand magazine covers ranging from Rolling Stone to Modern Photography. In addition, Peter made his own photo gear. The quote that brings him to the pages of Successful-Photographer is one that has to do with light. We often talk about ‘Painting with Light’ in photography and here are some descriptive words I feel we should think upon.
“Light is an interpretive tool in the hands of a photographer. He can make it harsh or soft, revealing or concealing, flattering or libellous. The more he knows about the versatility of light, the easier it is to cope with any picture-taking situation he encounters.”—Peter Gowland
The language of light is one That requires study. After twenty-plus years as a photographer, I’m still finding new ways to express my thoughts on lighting. As I read these words the ones that captured my attention the most were the descrptors, flattering or libellous. I’m finding that being able to think with a deeper vocabulary makes it possible, no more probable, to create lighting situations that I would like to enhance the subjects before my camera.
Maybe I’m a slow learner, but I find as I study photography, light and color more in-depth there is so much more to learn. It is why photography has held my interest and attention over all this time. I believe that I will never totally master photography. The day that I feel I know it all it will be time for the next adventure.
How about you?
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | art books, book review, photography - art quote, photography books, photography education
Sunday Photo/Art Quote – Robert Henri
Thank you Helen Yancy!
Many times it is a small thought shared that opens large passageways of ideas. If you have attended any of my programs you know I am a fan of quotes from artists, photographers, inspirational speakers and authors. Helen was sitting right there in the front row and noting some of the quotes I had collected and was sharing in a slideshow before my program began.
She said, “Oh, you know of Robert Henri and his book The Art Spirit.” “No,” I replied. She had seen one of his quotes go by on the screen and she said, “You really need to get that book and read it!”
So I did.
And, now I’m going to do for you the same thing Helen did for me. Get the book!
Here’s a quote from Henri…
“When the artist is alive in any person… he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature.” Robert Henri
When I took Helen up on her suggestion I had ordered the book but let it sit on my side table before grabbing it one day. OMG. There is so much inspiration packed into these pages I don’t know where to start. When I went back through my collection of gathered quotes I found four already in there… And soon I will be adding many more.
Henri pushes you to think in different ways about your art. He was an artist but he was known more for his instruction and influence of other artists who followed in his footsteps. As he said in his book, “I have little interest in teaching you what I know. I wish to stimulate you to tell me what you know.”
And, stimulate you he does.
You never know where the next piece of your education is coming from. One reason I love teaching is I get to learn so much, from my students.
Helen thanks again for the tip.I can’t wait to read it again and really absorb Henri’s message.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – By the way Helen is working on a book on the software program Painter with Amherst Media. If you are into Painter and want to push your skills you’ll be able to pre-order soon…
by successfulbob | 4K photo mode, art books, landscape photography, Lumix FZ 1000, Lumix Lounge
Gotta tell ya’ FZ1000 is Great for Travel
It’s hard to beat the Lumix FZ1000 as a travel camera. At two and a half pounds there’s no problem having the camera on your shoulder all day long. The 25-400mm f2.8-4 lens is pretty sweet. With the Macro Mode on you can focus down to less than an inch. what more do your need?*
Here’s a few images from 34,000 feet from the window seat of an American Airlines plane wending it’s way from Detroit, where I was speaking and judging at a photography convention, to Phoenix on my way home.
Love the movement of the water through the scene. Gives the story about how some of the landscapes are formed over the years.
It’s fascinating watching the country unfold from way up high! Toto I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore…
Lots of different views from above…
I find myself inspired to take these images after reading Julianne Kost’s Window Seat – The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking. Great images and story of how she created her book.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
* Well you may not need it but the camera also has 4K video and Photo Mode so you can pull 8MP stills from your video and a whole bunch more features that come in quite handy.
by successfulbob | art books, photography, photography books, photography marketing
Barry Lopez – Learning to See
I saw this chapter posted on another web site and I am looking forward to getting a copy of this to read the rest of this National Bestseller
Barry Lopez book About This Life – Journeys on the Threshold of Memory
“The… event occurred around the first serious choice I made as a photographer to concentrate on a limited subject. The subject was always light, but I wanted to explore a single form, which turned out to be the flow of water in creeks and rivers near my home. I photographed in every season, when the water was high in February and March, when it was low in August, when it was transparent in July, when it was an opaque jade in December. In 1980 I began to photograph moving water in moonlight, exposures of twenty-five or thirty minutes. These images suffered from reciprocity failure – the color balance in them collapsed – but they also recorded something extraordinary, a pattern of flow we cannot actually see. They revealed the organizing principle logicians would one day call a strange attractor.
The streaming of water around a rock is one of the most complex motions of which human beings are aware. The change from a laminar, more or less uniform flow to turbulent flow around a single rock is so abstruse a transition mathematically that even the most sophisticated Cray computer cannot make it through to a satisfactory description.
Aesthetically, of course, no such difficulty exists. The eye dotes on the shift, delights in the scintillating sheeting, the roll-off of light around a rock, like hair responding to the stroke of a brush. Sometimes I photographed the flow of water in sunshine at 1/2000 of a second and then later I’d photograph the same rock in moonlight. Putting the photos side by side, I could see something hidden beneath the dazzle of the high-speed image that compared with our renderings of the Milky Way from space: the random pin-dot infernos of our own and every other sun form a spiraling, geometrical shape motionless to our eyes. In the moonlit photographs, the stray streaks from errant water splashes were eliminated (in light that weak, they occur too quickly to be recorded); what was etched on the film instead were orderly, fundamental lines of flow, created by particle after illuminated particle of gleaming water, as if each were a tracer bullet.
(Years later, reading Chaos, James Gleick’s lucid report on chaos theory, I would sit bolt upright in my chair. What I’d photographed was the deep pattern in turbulence, the clothing, as it were, of the strange attractor.)
“
– Barry Lopez, “Learning to See,” chapter 13 in About This Life
