Leave of Absense

Hello All,

Yes as you can see I haven't posted anything in a bit and this will likely be my only post for another week!!!

Why you ask... as it turns out I am preparing for a Gallery Exhibition at Art/Not Terminal Gallery (Saturday May 1st, 7-10pm) and will be matting and framing all my images up until the last moment.  So fare well for now but I will post next week for sure with results of the opening and about putting it all together!

Nevercenter's CameraBag for iPhone, iPad and Desktop

Growing up as a kid I remember always trying to do the three degrees of separation to famous people, so I was overjoyed when I found out new friends of mine were the creators of Camerbag!

I had heard from so many iPhone users that it was the best camera app so I was thrilled when I finally got an iPhone and started using it only to realize I knew the Creators!  I have also used their desktop Camerabag which gives ordinary snapshots creative flair.

I am going to demo this app with my favorite photo of my fiance and I!

So you start with an original (which you can pull from your iPhone camera albums or you can take one instantly)

Then you slide the image to the left and "Helga" comes up

Slide again and you get your image in "Colorcross"

"Lolo"

"Magazine"

"Instant"

"Silver" (This is the newest filter and I LOVE it)

"Mono"

"1962"

"1974"

"Cinema"  (which obviously crops the images)

"Infrared"

"Fisheye"

So as you can see this app has a lot of creative freedom but there are definitely certain photos that look better with different filters.  Also you can save the photo with one filter and then reopen it to add another filter on top of that (which I do a lot).  You can also customize this app to use borders or not, output size and even turn certain filters on or off.

So go check out more about Nevercenter and their app Camerabag!  It is more than worth the $1.99.  If you don't have an iphone the Camerabag desktop is only $19 and so worth it!

Call for Entries - Strange Beauty

The Center for Fine Art Photography has a new contest almost every month with themes to get really inspired by!  Fees tend to be between $35-50 for non-members and $5-10 dollars cheaper for members!

Untiled
© Marc Ullom

"Strange Beauty

It is through the ordinary that we are able to recognize the extraordinary or strange. Break down the conventions of beauty and look beyond the traditional to the unusual. Strange Beauty is found in the unfamiliar, evoking wonder and awe. Beauty is found in the unexpected."


Entry Deadline is May 18th 2010
Entry Fee for nonmembers is $35 for three images!
Jurors are Darren Ching and Debra Klomp Ching who are co-owners of Klompching Gallery.
Exhibition and Awards range from $100 Honorable Mention to a liveBooks Website valued at $399.




For more details on this Call for Entries check out their webpage!

iPhone camera app reviewed - Hipstamatic

I have a handful of iphone camera apps that I will review in due time but this weekend I became a little obsessed with the Hipstamatic on my road trip out to WSU.

(By the way I officially excepted the TA position in the WSU Grad program!  I am excited to start my Masters in Fine Arts in August!)

Ok so the Hipstamatic cost $1.99 but it comes with three lens options, two films and a flash.  You can buy more options which I haven't done yet but I'm sure eventually I will.

Lens: John S
Film: Kodot Verichrome
Flash: Off



Cons: It costs money :P , the images have a kind of cheesy border, you have to go back to a main screen to change any options thus the moment may pass you by but really the big draw back is just the one inch viewfinder that doesn't actually show you the entire picture you are going to capture!

Pros: The three lenses it comes with are very diverse, it makes everything look cooler, it loads fast, its not about adding layers but about letting the camera surprise you, there is a lot of creative freedom and I love always being surprised and entertained by the camera!

Lens: Kaimal Mark II

Film: Kodot Verichrome

Flash: Off

I used this camera all weekend from the road trip out to WSU to a wedding and then back to Seattle!  It was great and I am seriously impressed by some of the images I got.... however I have a question.

Can you really create Fine Art Photography with an iPhone?  Are these iPhone apps like digital toy cameras (for example the Holga or Diana F+) or are they just a point and shoot meant only for amateurs?

Lens: John S

Film: Kodot Verichrome

Flash: Off

Music Muse

Today's inspiration comes from a band I just discovered Freelance Whales.

This Pop/Experimental group is from Queens, NY and releasing their new CD "Weathervanes" on April 13th.  The best description I've heard of them is on their own myspace page "Sounds Like: Somebody wired their heart to a synthesizer".

I wont lie I don't know how to put music in here yet but you should checkout their myspace page and take a listen to their songs!

Generator^1st Floor 

We getup early just to start cranking the generator

Our limbs have been asleep we need to get the blood back in 'em

We're finding every day several ways that we could be friends

We keep on churning and the lights inside the house turned on

And in our native language we are chanting ancient songs

And when we quiet down the house chants on without us

©Freelance Whales

Freelance Whales will soon be in Seattle TWICE:
March 28th at the Crocodile Cafe with Bear in Heaven and High Places
May 15th at Neumos with Shout out Louds


Other bands that I like who have a similar sound:
Cloud Cult
The Polyphonic Spree

Brainstorming in the gallery

I went to Art Not Terminal today with Yukari and my teacher Ramey to start looking at where we might hang things.  Finding out how to allocate space for a group show is harder than I thought... but we'll figure it out.

A few pictures of the SubT room with Jenna Johnson's work up!   It looks great but I'm definitely excited to see my own show up!  

It's time to get cracking on production of my three series.

Hey, Hot Shot! Photography Competition

Hey, Hot Shot! is now open for 2010 entries!  This will be the only session this year!

The deadline for submissions is August 22, 2010.  However as it gets closer to time the entry fee gets more expensive.  So get your five images from one body of work together today and submit while it only costs $60!!

For more information go to www.heyhotshot.com

Getting ready for my Exhibition

In order for me to graduate in June with my BFA in photography I am required to have a gallery exhibition of my photographs and participate in the portfolio day.

So here I am six weeks out from my gallery show starting to feel the full court press to get it all done!  Yukari Isa and I are going to have a joint show in May (opening night May 1st) at Art Not Terminal in the SubT room (downstairs).

I suggest checking out the current show by Jenna Johnson who is going to be the first BFA student to graduate from Ais!

Anyways I am preparing three different series for this exhibition.  Two are fine art photography while the 3rd is a mixed media series with a photography base.

I made two portfolio books through Blurb for my two photo series.

A graphic design student helped me with my first attempt to make one of these portfolios.  I bought the 6"x6" book.  You can see the difference between the small first attempt and my new one at 12"x12".

Most photographers love to see their work bigger and I have to admit I am now one of them.  The larger portfolios are great!  I am really impressed with the quality and am happy that by following the clear guidelines that Blurb provided my first attempt was a success!

The two series that got portfolios are "Dream me some meaning" (left) and "Things I forgot to show you"(right).  You can see more images from these series on my photography website under Fine Art and then the series title.

Intro to an Art Student

Well hello all!

I seriously am obsessed with art!  So I decided to share my inspiration and personal projects with you!  I hope you enjoy, maybe learn a little or at least find some inspiration in what I have to share.

A little info about where I am with my artistic life right now...

-I go to school at the Art Institute of Seattle where   I will be graduating with a BFA in June.
At which time I will then be heading off to get a masters somewhere else still TBD.

-Last summer I had a booth at the Fremont Sunday Market where I sold my hand made jewelry and photography.

-I have taken a handful of jewelry classes from Fusion Beads (great store!).

-Plus I'm a fidgetter which means I always have to have a project to work on.


Well now I should get back to work... scanning images for my boss!