Two trees – South Lake

As I keep developing my series I’m Just Looking, I keep coming across images that challenge me with regard to the purpose (head) of the series. Trying to keep that balance, and not get too head-strong. Sigh.

Best regards, Doug

A River runs through it – Jiashan

This is a scene that could be cliche and is in great danger of maybe being seen as one.  The Chinese boatman working his way down the river in the light snow with his umbrella trying to keep him dry from the elements while he works his way.

Yountville, CA

Yountville, CA 2007, copyright by Douglas Stockdale

Last year while I was on assignment in Napa, CA I had the opportunity to walk around the back streets of Yountville. This is a little town off the main road heading north out of Napa while you are still in this famous wine area. I was waiting for my dinner reservation, so this was a late afternoon stroll.

Spotting prints

Odd, I can have no quams about spending an hour or two spotting a print, but I look for every excuse in the book to avoid manualing loading data in a spreadsheet. Both are vary repitious tasks, one I find very boring and the other almost a zen like delight.

I know that it is probably a lot to do with my own attitude & perception. Spotting for me is enjoyable, Out dust spot, Out! And the results are a nice, clean photograph, which I will enjoy even more with the spots be-gone applied.

The other is work, even when I chart the data into some interestng graphs and create some interesting technical “stories”. I suppose that I would rather being spotting images and I now have to enter data, not spot photographs. Sigh.

Back to entering data again.

Best regards, Doug

Workshop on making photo POD books

While making my way around some galleries over the weekend, I was showing my new Blurb books as works in progress. And although I would have perferred a request to hang my work, I did get a serious inquiry as to teaching a one day workshop on how to create a photographic Print on Demand (POD) book. hmmmm.

I just may do that, so stay tuned, I have a feeling that there will be more about this later. If it occurs, it will be here in Southern California. But that does open the door for other opportunities, eh?

Best regards, Doug

Evaluating my sharpening how-to book

Yesterday afternoon I received my production proof of my Sharpening Photographs for Blurb Printing softbound book. One correction I need to make on the next version is that in the Afterword, I have the pages reversed. Only myself to blame on that one!

I still want to spend some time looking at the various PS3 Unsharp Mask setting examples. But there leaves no doubt that some sharpening is required for the Blurb book printing process. And my first take is that there is probably a larger process window for the sharpening settings than I first thought.

More later…

Best regards, Doug

Observation Bench IV

“Observation Bench IV” form the series Tijeras Creek, copyright of Douglas Stockdale

A SoFoBoMo 2008 production

Best regards, Doug

Introduction: Tijeras Creek

Wel, I did have plans to visit some galleries today, but then I received a nice inviation to a Mother’s Day brunch at a cousin’s, nice. So change in plans (and the two galleries that I had thought about I find are closed on Sundays)

So instead, I worked on the introduction to my book, which I will share in its entirety. Especially since I cannot get it up on my web site due to my film scanner being such a hog of my desktop system.

SoFoBoMo day 10

Well, its finally turning into a nice day. Yes, some wonderful sunshine.

I had decided to treat myself to some Lemon Souffle Cakes over at the local bakery since it was appearing like another overcast day. I had loaded the film scanner and was off. I was even taken in by the chance of some fresh Beignets, but reluctently, not like those at New Orleans on the square at 2am on a sultry summer night after an evening of refreshments. I realized that I was starting to squint while reading the lastest PDN and it dawned on me, it was not the intestity of the glare, but there were shadows! Yep, the morning cloud cover was burning off this morning.

Now I have two collections of negatives/prints for SoFoBoMo, those taken in the sunshine with ample shadows and the flat-light images without the sunshine. So this may be relatively easy, as I am grabbing my stack of images for the do-over.

Best regards, Doug

SoFoBoMo day 8

I don’t have an image to post with this as I am a little behind in scanning the film. For some reason, the second scan went into slooooow mode and tied up the computer/film scanner for about four hours. Quick look at the scanned file, everything seems okay. So keep pressing on….

So at this time, I have back four rolls of film that are in the review and choice of images to scan. I have two more rolls being processed and I have another roll to take in for processing as well as one mid-way through the back. So that takes me to 84+ exposures. And with only a couple of exceptions, no bracketing, one exposure per composition.

Very unlike the DSLR, which I am using most of the time to get an alternative photograph. Sometimes I get so engrossed in a potential image, I am back in the car and driving away and realize that I did not take a digital image along with the film exposure. hmmmm.

With a prime lens, no zoom, manual focus, manual film wind, I do move slower in setting up the photograph. Also using the tripod & cable release more.  And an occasional meter check to ensure that the exposure does not need to be modified. I feel that I am seeing the same stuff, but as I look at the proof prints, I am making different images. Such as compared to the recent shoot during my last trip to China.

With the DSLR, I am usually working the wide side of the zoom lens, in the 28mm equivalent or wider for the 35mm format. With this rig, I am very comfortable with the normal (80mm) lens and I don’t feel the need to back up, which would give me an wider view. In fact, it seems that I am walking up closer to take the photograph. I guess that this leads into ‘the chose of camera rig may influence your photography style’ discussion. But another day for that. Maybe it is just a change of pace that this rig creates something different for me.

Oh, and the sun came out just as I was to leave to get today’s film to the processing lab. Maybe I’ll see more of it tomorrow.

Best regards, Doug

Updated note: When I was thinking about a series for SoFoBoMo, I had anticipated heading down to Newport Beach pennisula and doing something with the strand. As the time approached, I found myself considering an alternative subject, which is what I am not working on. Nevertheless, I did make it down to Newport Beach this afternoon and I did find a bunch of things which did appeal to me and which I photographed. I can see where the idea for my Newport Beach series can still develop into a future series. Another nice bonus for me with SoFoBoMo this year, regardless of the final outcome.