justThorne, Noticing

New Year's status and plans

Didn't post anything new this weekend past, but will probably post two new prints this weekend coming.  Have got a gorgeous new print already finished (working title: Debt to Society), but it's landscape-oriented and only my second ever true black and white, so I want to put up an upright full color print beforehand, to better separate Debt and Hint of Salvation in the "latest" gallery. 

It's terribly anal to worry about such things, but I appreciate the motivation derived from it.  The last several days have been spent searching through the archives for the best shot to serve that purpose, until finally have settled on one working-titled Under the Spell.  Just started it last night, but it should be no problem to finish within a couple more days.  

  

new frontispiece: A Hint of Salvation

  

December 2007 in the desert, midway between al-Hassa and the Qatari border, 
with the 10D and 50mm f1.4 lens, 1/1200th at f/4 and ISO 100.  24" print.

  

I mentioned before that I wasn't at all proud of my last composition nor its focus, and an undiscriminating eye might think this one suffers from the same reservations.  But on the contrary, I would only have adjusted this focus very slightly, and am completely adrool over this composition.  (My spell checker doesn't like adrool ?!?)  In fact, this one feels (at the moment) like one of my most profound compositions ever (but my new ones usually do after I've been looking at them for days, lol).  

Very miscellaneous notes behind the fold, for anyone interested in such things.  Happy new year!, new decade!, to everyone else.  

  

new print: Them a Lesson

  

  

Shot February 2009 in Doha, with the 400D and 100mm, 1/30th at f/5.6 and ISO 100.  30" print.

If you don't get the title, that's fine.  I'm not afraid to risk non sequitur, and like playing with its possibilities sometimes.  In this case, I figure about half of viewers will at least feel the right idea, even if they can't put it into words.  Which is more or less the target that I'm always shooting for.  (Not "half of viewers not getting it," but rather, "viewers feeling the right idea beneath a cognitive understanding.")

And if this just seems completely bizarre, keep in mind that I'm finding enormous motivation in trying to surprise you people.  ;-)

As a side note, this was from my first serious shoot with a 400D.  My first one was defective, so I ended up buying a used and reliable one off exactly the same friend that I frequently visit in Doha.  This shoot was its baptism of fire.  It did well.  

Some thoughts about shooting and the importance of peripheral vision behind the fold.

  

finally in print: The Writing on the Wall

Not brand new, but another "extra treat" for this weekend. 

  

Marguerite, shot August 2004 in Lexington, with the 10D and 50mm f1.4 lens, 1/60th at f/4 and ISO 200.  24" print.  

A draft of this has been up at OMP for years, but it languished for a title until it finally occurred to me last year.  (More about this title, and my titles in general, below the fold.)  Entered a web-ready version in a dGrin contest last November, and then finally tweaked it for print a couple of weeks ago.  (A couple of hairs needed softening for print at 24", but you can't see them at this size.)

Now, before I get to the title, I should mention that this is exactly the image referred to in my Canon 50mm f1.4 lens review at Amazon, when I mention "specks of mascara" sharpness.  Check out the detail that I didn't have to enhance at all.

  

I've joked for years, "that if I could take my 50 to dinner, I'd wine it, I'd dine it, I'd light candles and serenade it..."  It's absolutely my essential lens (though I'm on my third one now), both because of its performance and its perspective.  More about that another time.  

But for now, the challenge of this title, and all my titles...

new print: A Life of Burning Bridges

Will be very interested in some response to this, as it may represent an oncoming trend in my work.  In a few weeks, I'll share Even If You Win, one of the most personally satisfying works I've ever done, but quite aware that many people just won't get it.  So let's get this one out here to test the waters.  

  

  

Shot August 2008 in al-Rakah, with the 10D and 50mm f1.4 lens, 1/200th at f/2.8 and ISO 100.  24" print.  

And some print detail of "Mr. Bill" here.

  

  

Now, far from a "random shot," this one is actually among the least random shots I've ever taken.

  

finally in print: Yet to Scale

Aiming each week to release at least one brand new print, and at least one "extra treat."  Here's this week's bonus. 

  

Yet to Scale.  30"x7.5" fotoflot print

Robin in Lexington, with the 10D and 24mm lens, 1/500th at f/3.2 and ISO 200. 

This was from the third day of our four-day shooting marathon in July of 2004.  (Will tell that story soon when an exciting new result pops out from our first day's work.)

A draft of this one has been seen at OMP or in my dA webcam over the years, but it wasn't until last year that I finessed it into shape to be a 30" fotoflot print.  (In particular, my earlier versions had color profile problems that were a hassle to bring up to date, from back when I knew enough to be dangerous.)  

Honestly, I don't take this one too seriously.  It feels more one-dimensional to me than I prefer my work, and the pixel clarity isn't there (in her face) for a truly sizable print.  

The height is not merely a gimmick, though.  There's so much wall filling the original shot that it required all this space to open up the composition.  (It's four times taller than wide now, because even three times didn't do the job.)  Otherwise, Robin looked all cramped within the limited headroom.  And you can see from this print detail that cropping much of the wall is really a loss, compared to the expansive full version.

But anyway, I do like its new title, and hope it has a certain charm.  

 

new print: Critical Juncture

Have been determined to get this one done before "going public again," so it's finished with some sense of relief.  After struggling on and off with it for years.  

  

  

Shot April 2006 in Lexington, with the 10D and 24mm f2.8 lens, 1/1600th at f/4 and ISO 100.  24" print.  

Obviously, the size really matters since the "action" is so small.  Try to imagine two feet tall, and here's some print detail to help.  

  

  

Some in-depth thoughts about reading time in composition and minor processing notes behind the fold...  

  

new print: Same Old Song

Normally, I'd sit on this one a while before "issuing" it, but I'm rather psyched about the turnaround time.  You know I'm not known for fast.  

Start to finish in less than twelve hours, and there was a long break in the middle.  About an hour to prep, two hours to develop, and then three or four to chase pesky details (including a last minute panic attack at a problem I hadn't spotted).  Haven't ever turned around anything so fast (except From This Day Forward, which was only two or three).  

Inspiration struck, I suppose.  (Even the title bubbled up quickly.)  Been trying not to work on model shots lately, but this one grabbed me and ran away with itself.  

  

  

Lan Ahn, photographed June 2008 in al-Raka, with the 10D and 50mm f1.4 lens, 1/15th at f/2.8 and ISO 100.  24" print.  

  

As always, please take care to imagine the size of it.  This work isn't done for your screen, it's made for our walls.

Some tangential thoughts (navel-gazing?) about my model work behind the fold.  

  

new print: Your New Highness

It's actually not my intention to do a lot of new model work in the near term (not until Fall, anyway?), but I am proud of this one.  And as I start posting brand new work and visual sentiments soon, it's a useful window on my previous style of work.  

Also:  It's nearly anguish to post these on the web, so I need you to help ease the pain.  (Especially with these vertical images,) please try to imagine the scale.  This is a 24" (60 cm) print.  

Lan Ahn, photographed June 2008 in al-Rakah, with the 10D and 100mm Macro lens, 1/500th at f/5.6 and ISO 100.  This "candy-colored" version was developed in November and completed for January 20, 2009.

24" Print / Process Overview / Backstory

Above is the "candy colored" version, which some of you have heard me nickname the "fireworks for Obama" image.  However, that's a misleading nickname.  The working title when I started on it in November was "Ding Dong, The Queen Is Dead."  If you see what I mean.  

Below is the (nearly) monochrome version.  Am equally proud of both (or I wouldn't share them both), but the color version is the "primary" one exactly because it's more exuberant.  (Whereas I think the "colorless" version will be more intense, especially at full size.)  Read more about the tech and decision-making in the process slideshow linked above, or more background of the shot itself beneath the fold.  

 

"Not quite monochrome" version, January 20, 2009.  24" print.