I really love photographing fireworks because you never know exactly what you’ll get. Discovering the unexpected and seeing beyond the normal range of human vision are two of my favorite aspects of photography.
I like the sense of motion and radiant energy of this particular photograph. There’s also a nice contrast between textures from the sharp lines, tiny dots and glowing smoke.
Ralph Gibson is a contemporary American photographer born in Los Angeles, California in 1939. He studied photography while in the U.S. Navy then at the San Francisco Art institute. He went on to assist Dorothea Lange and Robert Frank while developing his personal voice as an artist. Many of Gibson’s photograph reveal only a small fraction of the scene yet suggest a much larger, often mysterious or erotic, narrative. His compositions are often minimal yet further study reveals their rich complexity.
“To be able to see in concrete terms what was created in a fraction of a second is a rare luxury. Even though fixed in time, a photograph evokes as much feeling as that which comes from music or dance. Whatever the mode – from the snapshot to the decisive moment to multi-media montage – the intent and purpose of photography is to render in visual terms feelings and experiences that often elude the ability of words to describe. In any case, the eyes have it, and the imagination will always soar farther than was expected” – Ralph Gibson
Ralph Gibson, Untitled (from Somnabulist) 1968
Gibson is fascinated by the photographic book and founded his own printing press, Lustrum Press,in 1969. He is fascinated by the images or narratives that occur in the viewer’s mind as a result of the combination of two or more photographs.
Here are some of the best photography books by Ralph Gibson for your library:
You can see more of Ralph Gibson’s amazing photography by visiting his website http://www.ralphgibson.com.
Posted in Inspiration, Photography, Quotes
Tagged artist, ideas, photography, quotes, Ralph Gibson
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This week’s creative photography idea comes from Nancy Alderman. I am fascinated by the organic and mysterious qualities of this photo. Very beautiful and captivating! Nancy has taken my Discovering Your Creative Vision creativity workshop and Photoshop Elements for Photographers class at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. She shared her feelings of inspiration and getting lost in the process while making this photograph and some of the others she showed tonight.
Interestingly enough I was visualizing making my own color photographs inspired by Kankinsky’s organic/cellular paintings and the micro photographs in the book Micro-Art: Art Images in a Hidden World by Lewis Wolberg while driving to the studio. Cosmic!
Nancy Alderman, Untitled Color Photograph, 2013
Creative Sparks is a unique photography class based in Vero Beach, Florida. Students are guided to discover their creative vision with nationally recognized artist/photographer Aric Attas in a small group Salon style setting.
Photograph © Nancy Alderman. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Posted in Creative Sparks, Creativity, Ideas
Tagged creativity workshops, Florida, Nancy Alderman
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{Observations} – Patterns & Colors in Miami’s Wynwood Art District
Aric Attas, Observations, Patterns and Colors in Miami’s Wynwood Art District, 2013
Posted in Observations, Photography
Tagged Aric Attas, black & white, color, Florida, Miami, photography, Wynwood Art District
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Here’s an inspiring quote on photography from Elliott Erwitt. In the 2011 International Center of Photography’s ICP Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement announcement Erwitt is described as “distinguished as both a documentary and commercial photographer, Erwitt has made some of the most memorable photographs of the twentieth century, including portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, and Che Guevara, as well as astonishing scenes of everyday life, filled with poetry, wit, and special sense of humor.”
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about
finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it
has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the
way you see them.” – Elliott Erwitt
Elliott Erwitt, Couple Kissing, Santa Monica, California, 1955
To see more of Elliott Erwitt’s photography visit the International Center of Photography.
Here are some of the best books by Elliott Erwitt to add to your photography book collection.
Posted in Inspiration, Photography, Quotes
Tagged black & white, books, Elliott Erwitt, photography, quotes
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We had a fantastic Creative Sparks Creativity Workshop last night! Thank you to everyone who was there for sharing your photography and ideas with us. The photos were strong, emotional and engaging and the creativity was flowing!
This weeks featured photo is from Phil Reid. Phil has attended many Creative Sparks sessions as well as some my photography and art excursions. He is a very strong photographer who likes to shoot a wide range of subjects. I choose this image because of Phil’s bold use of color and repetition of shape. I particularly enjoy the sense of depth creating using only color.
We discussed the “push/pull” philosophy of the Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann as well as the emotional impact of color as areas for further exploration.
Phil Reid, Untitled, Color Photograph, 2013
Creative Sparks is a unique photography class based in Vero Beach, Florida. Students are guided to discover their creative vision with nationally recognized artist/photographer Aric Attas in a small group Salon style setting.
Photograph © Phil Reid. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Posted in Creative Sparks, Inspiration, Photography
Tagged color, creative sparks, creativity workshop, ideas, inpsiration, Phil Reid, photography
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Here’s a black & white photograph exploring light & shadow and patterns photographed in Miami’s Wynwood Art District.
Aric Attas, Black & White Photograph, Wynwood Art District, Miami, Florida, 2013
Posted in Observations, Photography
Tagged Aric Attas, black & white, Florida, Miami, Wynwood Art District
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Robert Frank is one of the most influential photographers in the history of photography. His book The Americans is a must-have for any photographer serious about their art. Complete with a forward by Jack Kerouac The Americans conveys Frank’s perspective on America after traveling across the county with his camera on a Guggenheim Foundation grant in 1955-1956. There is a strange beauty and sadness to many of his images. Some of the photographs will startle you while others have a subtlety that lingers for days.
“The eye should learn to listen before it looks.” – Robert Frank
Robert Frank, Parade—Hoboken, New Jersey, 1955
Here are some of the great photography books by Robert Frank to add to your art library:
Here is one of the inspiring photographs from last Thursday’s Creative Sparks creativity workshop. This black & white photo is from Jenna Lanam. Jenna has been taking my photography classes at the Vero Beach Museum of Art and recently began attending Creative Sparks. I’ve noticed a strong evolution in her work as she continues to develop her craft and creative vision.
This photo is one of several beautiful photos Jenna recently presented to our group exploring themes of strength and frailty, mortality.
Jenna Lanam, On Edge, Black + White Photograph, 2013
Creative Sparks is a unique photography class based in Vero Beach, Florida. Students are guided to discover their creative vision with nationally recognized artist/photographer Aric Attas in a small group setting.
Photograph © Jenna Lanam. All rights reserved.
Posted in Creative Sparks, Inspiration, Photography
Tagged black & white, creativity, Jenna Lanam, photography
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In honor of Independence Day here’s a repost of my tips for photographing fireworks.
Shooting fireworks can be a lot of fun and can produce some very interesting images. I usually like to keep my ISO low (100) and experiment with different f/stops & shutter speeds depending on the effect I am looking for. This image was shot on Manual at f/3.2 at 1/60th of second with an ISO of 100. Try to focus on something in the distant background using manual focus. If you want longer trails, use longer shutter speeds. For shorter trails use shorter shutter speeds. To learn more about f/stops and shutter speeds and how to use your camera visit my basic camera controls tutorial.
Don’t worry too much about your light meter as it will be tricked by the dark sky and tend to overexpose giving you milky grey skies. Try different settings and review your LCD to preview the composition of your images and your histogram so that you don’t overexpose the highlights. Remember, the shutter speed will determine the length of the trails.
Adding something interesting to your foreground can also create some interesting effects. Buildings, lakes, bridges and trees are a few examples. If you choose to do this you will want to use a tripod to keep your camera steady during the longer exposures. Shoot LOTS of photos to make sure you get some heroes!
Oh yeah, leave your flash OFF!
Aric Attas, New Year’s Eve, Color Photograph, 2012
