by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Today’s quote comes from Oscar Wilde, Irish writer and poet. “A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. Its beauty comes from the fact that the author is what he is.”
I often wonder if I am unique or the work I produce is unique. You often hear you can’t create anything new under the sun and after a while you can begin to believe it. I fight this on a regular basis. I ask myself if I am copying something I saw in the past that was ingrained in my memory? Then I realize I am standing on the shoulders of the photography and art giants that have come before me.
I find I create from many of the things I have seen. From many of the things I have studied. From many of the things I have learned. The brain will combine all of the things that it has been exposed to and hopefully will come up with something original.
Garbage in = garbage out.
I suggest you fill your head with wonderful art, great photography, beautiful architecture, great imagery of all kinds. I make sure that every city I get to that has an art museum gets a visit from me. I will stand in front of a single painting for five minutes, ten minutes and sometimes up to 45 minutes drinking in the colors, lines, composition and style. I now see impressionist influences working their way into my photography. I try to look at art just before turning in for the night so that during sleep my mind can feast upon the last images presented.
“A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. Its beauty comes from the fact that the author is what he is.” Oscar Wilde
I am looking to create unique art. I hope I also have, as Wilde says, a unique temperament to help make that happen.
How about you???
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art photography, photography education, success education
As photographers we need to find inspiration and ideas outside of the photography family. I have been following the twice-weekly newsletter of Robert Genn for years and have occasionally shared some of his ideas with you. Unfortunately, Robert has passed and is no longer with us in body. Fortunately, his daughter Sara is picking up where Robert left off and is continuing the tradition by sharing some of his best letters and posting her own thoughts and ideas. Some really good thoughts here for artists. Thanks for keeping this alive Sara!
I post this with permission. And, I encourage you to sign up for the newsletter.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
Robert & Sara Genn Twice-Weekly Letter
Click to read this letter online and share your valuable insights.
An artist’s mind
September 2, 2014
Dear Bob,
My friend Joe Blodgett said, “There’s two ways to walk this path–one for the path and one for the spirit.” In a cathedral of Douglas fir and alder, blown twigs from the night’s storm over a carpet of autumn, Joe crouches down and watches the steady miracle of a spotted woodland slug.
Joe says he feels an artistic moment coming on, surrendering to the need to make something: a guilt or work-ethic thing. He’s a guy in tune with “tuning in.” Joe works with water-soluble marker-pens which he augments with watercolour washes–a technique which diffuses lines not held with fixative. The can of fixative sticks out of his jacket pocket. His method is fast and loose. After only a few minutes, he moves on.
The artistic mind, flowing properly, sees the world differently. Call it what you will–a Celestine moment, synchronicity, serendipity. There’s a higher harmonic. It’s got something to do with receptiveness and alertness. Those who expect, receive. We can leave it to the gods where it comes from. The important thing is to give in to it–allow this dream mind to run free. My friend is a living example of one who trusts dreams, hunches and intuition. Joe’s not a child–he’s just curious. On the side, he’s a good businessman, father, bookkeeper, track-keeper. It’s not a pose–it’s a desirable and natural state of being. On the path he has wandering eyes. On the path his hand becomes busy because it has to. T. S. Eliot suggested that the paths we walk are made of hints and guesses. The artist says, “What can I make of this?”
Best regards,
Robert
PS: “Intuit higher meanings in mysterious happenings.” (James Redfield, The Celestine Prophecy)
“God is only another artist–like me.” (Salvador Dali)
Esoterica: Artists are often dreaming, wondering, wandering and idling in the fanciful department. It seems that artistic types can actually “live in” a world of their own creation, perhaps preferring it to the real world, their work being an extension of it.
This letter was originally published as “Artist’s mind” on December 1, 2000.
Included in this letter is an excerpt from “My idle mind” published on May 18, 2010.
Subscribe for free to the Robert & Sara Genn Twice-Weekly Letter.
This letter is always illustrated on The Painter’s Keys website.
by successfulbob | Lumix Lounge, photography education, photography seminar, success education
Been away a little bit as I flew across the country to present my ‘Fine Art Photo Synthesis’ program to the TNPPA courtesy of Panasonic Lumix. I was also invited to be a judge for their state image competition.
While I was there I had time to catch Pierre Stephenson’s program on posing and picked up a few new ideas from him. I love learning this photography stuff! You can pick up some ideas from Pierre and you don’t even need to see him in person. He has some online lessons here on his Facebook page.
Some of the attendees at the TNPPA photography convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Thanks to Dorma Tabisz for grabbing some action photos of me speaking!
It was a great convention held by a wonderful group of people. The southern hospitality was on display big time! We took a riverboat cruise as part of the activities and I had a blast. I’ll share some of the people images I captured during the cruise. I was running the new 42.5mm f 1.2 DG Nocticron Leica lens through it’s paces. Wow is that thing sweet!
Here’s a few comments from attendees…
“For the first time in over 40 years in our photographic industry I set through the entire program Bob Coates presented to our Tenn. Professional Photographers convention. Even strained my neck and kept my hearing aids in so that I didn’t miss a thing. Thanks Bob.”
Gary Moor M. Photog., Cr. FBIPP, FRPS, FMPA
“Bob, I sure enjoyed your program last night at the TNPPA. I am not a member and mainly shoot landscape but your program inspired me to try some new directions with my photography.
Thanks again.” Sincerely, Latta Johnston
“Your program was fabulous and held my attention with information I KNOW I can put to use immediately !!! I can now leave the show knowing my time was well spent !!! Thank you for your willingness to share!” J. Wade Tipton M. Photog., Cr., CPP, TCD, TSD, F-PPMo, F-PPO
Til tomorrow…
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography - art quote
Art museums.
Web sites with artists I admire.
Art image books.
Reading inspirational books.
Well lit movies.
Looking for shadows.
“Bob, What the heck are you talking about?”
I’m getting started with today’s Photo/art quote and the point is… Oh wait where’s the quote??
“All true artists, whether they know it or not, Create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.” Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle is an author, The Power of Now and A New Earth with subjects on spirituality, inner thinking and power. In 2011, he was listed by Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world.
The point is I agree with Eckhart. But, I believe this only happens after lots of information is gathered and stored in the memory banks. Study images as much as possible. Study shadows and how the edge of the transition works ie how fast it falls off or ends. Think of it like this. Garbage in = Garbage out. Great visual information in leads to Great images out. Eventually.
Fill your head with great imagery whether it be from the Masters and Impressionists, movie makers, fellow photographers images, magazines, advertisements, etc… and that will begin to inform your image making.
What do you do to find inspiration? Share it here if you get a chance…
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, people photography, photography
It was a blast creating images for the Greenfield/Weems real estate team photo session. While they need to project professionalism they want to add personality to their ad campaigns. Here’s an image that is just a bit different going all out for the personality!
Jolynn, Robin and Jackie from Greenfield/Weems Real Estate office.
I work in a fairly small (16’x16′) shooting studio so I take advantage of that and use my walls as lighting modifiers. In this shoot there’s one Paul C Buff light with a 7 inch reflector just to camera right pointing to the corner and ceiling of the room. This is metered to be about 2/3rds of a stop less than the main light. Another PCB light is forward of camera left just in front of the clients and pointing straight toward the wall. The reflecting light from these surfaces gives solid modeling and very soft shadow edge transitions. If I was photographing males or wanted a more dramatic lighting pattern I could lower the power on the fill light or increase the power on the main light or both. Since these images are going to be cut out I used a Super White background paper from Savage. Camera was the Lumix GH4 with a 12mm-35mm f2.8 Lumix Vario Lens. (24mm-70mm 35mm equivalent)
The clients were stripped out from the background and a soft drop shadow added.
Yours in Photography, Bob
