Photography Insights and Techniques

One might ask what photography is. What is the purpose of taking a photograph? For some, just a simple snap shot will do but, for others, there is more of a destiny to experience in the photograph. Photography captures a split second in time or, simply put, a moment captured in a blink of an eye. Photographers create illusions of realism which resembles the existent world with content and form that are inseparable. In effect, the photographer has generated a story all their own. 

Photography is made from anything perceived. Seeing is believing when the moment is captured on film regardless of the subject matter. No matter how many pictures are taken of the same subject by different individuals, the photographs will never be the same “style” because the subject is in the eye of the beholder. For example, you may like that shiny red 57’ Chevy in the front of the coffee shop, so you take a photograph. Your friend loves the seat in front of the coffee shop window with the reflection of the 57’ Chevy in the glass. There are two distinctly separate shots of the same subject but, emotionally, they are very different images. No two artists are identical and different viewers will never see the same photograph in the same manner. Photographs generate a mood that creates an emotion and they can be background or landscapes or nothing but a mere rust spot with texture. 

Photography not only captures that instantaneous moment in time but also captures a visual reality. Photography, when it was first invented, was used to represent the world accurately with little room or depiction of artistic ability. Thus, the photographer could have been anyone in the crowd, and that person brought forth the way things looked at the time—showing the world what is to be perceived. 

This is not the ways of photography in the 20th century. Photography is now a truly unique art form, and a photograph can hold two and three dimensional space, as well as a one point perspective. Photography gives us the opportunity for aestheticism our everyday world. Our attention is focused on what we would normally dismiss our attention focuses on seeing beyond the believable giving a visual sensation to our minds. A photograph can be captured in one-sixtieth of a second by the shutters of the camera. In effect, art happens in the “blink of an eye”. 

Since Kodak introduced the first hand held camera in 1888, giving photography a new mission and meaning, the world has never been the same. However, the technological advances have affected photography. It has strengthened the use of a camera and allowed the photographer far more precise subjective perceptions of the subject matter. According the book The World of Art, Life Magazine started publication in 1936, and American photography used photography as their tool of disclosure. “Pictures can be beautiful, but must tell facts too,” reveals the text. Photographers must include real life recognition with lines and rhythms of the surface because, without this, the photograph would be unresponsive. As an interesting insight, a horizontal photograph is peaceful; a photograph with less foreground brings dramatization and a photograph with more foreground shows nature connected with unity. 

Photography is different than other art medium, yet the classical compositions brought together by the artists of yesteryears are still used. Photography has many techniques and art forms that differ greatly. For instance, there is black and white photography that the photographer can develop easily in even a small amount of space. According to photographer and Professor of Art Mike Wonser, a dark room can be set up in a bathroom. The light must be blocked out, but the photographs can be developed in the bath tub! So, you do not need much space to work and it is magic to watch the photograph appear. Another simple technique was shared by George Jolokai. He stated “a photographer can carry a bottle of water to add shininess or reflections on the subject matter”. The magic of photography is endless. 

Another tool used in photography is the use of slow or fast shutter speeds. Slow shutter speeds can blur water, but the use of slow shutter speeds requires a tri-pod to prevent blurring the entire photograph. The water will blur because water is in constant motion but the background or other subject matter in the photograph remains still. 

Another form of photography is that of color photography. Color brings depth and musical rhythm and is a very powerful tool to the human senses. Color photography creates a complex interplay between form and content that can create dynamic color contrasts. The photograph process takes time because critical technical decisions must come from the photographer before the release of shutter that results in the capturing of an essence of time and mood on film. 

The basic elements of style, composition, and technique are the photographer’s tools for structure; it is the photographer’s imagination that leaves an impression embedded the minds of the viewer.

References 

Joloki, George (2004, Spring). Lecture Art 101, Central Oregon Community College, Bend< Oregon 

Sayre, Henry M. (2004) A World of Art (4th ed.) Pearson Prentice Hall. 

Wonser, M. (2004, Spring). Art History 203, Central Oregon Community College, Bend< Oregon

Where to Find Great Black and White Photography Online

Black and white photography looks great in any décor. You can find just about anything, in any size, to match just about any room. Plus, the neutral tones of black and white photography ensure that it will match just about any color scheme. Here are some of the best places on the web to purchase black and white photography.

AllPoster.com

AllPoster.com is a fantastic site for cheap artwork. Now, cheap doesn't mean poor quality - quite the contrary, in fact. You can find just about anything - traditional paintings, classical art, black and white photography, large posters of bands, musicians, movies and more. They also offer framing.

My Top Pick: "City Street Signs" by Nelson Figueredo - $24.99 (Price doesn't include shipping and handling, or optional framing.)

Why I Chose This Piece: I love New York, more importantly - I love Broadway. Of course, Broadway and West 34th Street is practically the center of the theatre district. It's a great way to bring a little bit of Broadway right into my own home.

The Wall Art Store

This online store has a lot of fantastic, very 'artsy' black and white photos. They offer free shipping and all of the photos come framed, they even offer a few different selections for matting and frames. However, prices can run you from $55 dollars and all the way up to $919. Ouch. However, the quality is very high - so you can be sure you're getting your money's worth.

My Top Pick: "Stonehenge Sunrise" by Matthew De Haven - $50.00 (Price does not include shipping, handling or frame.
Why I Chose This Piece: I love Stonehenge, it's a fascinating place. The fog adds to the mystery of the structure and it's a great piece to add to a global photography collection.

Artful Home

This website offers a lot of wonderful photographs, but the prices run fairly average. The bottom line photographs start at $110 dollars and run up to several thousand dollars - so this isn't the most budget friendly site. However, if you've got the extra cash lying around, it's a great option and chances are you'll spend similar amounts at local art studios, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.

My Top Pick: "Winter Trees I" through Phoenix Galleries - $299.00 (price includes free shipping as well as framing and matting.)

Why I Chose This Piece: This particular photograph would be great for my fiancé's office. He loves the look of trees in the winter, so this is a great piece for him.

AbsoluteArts.com

Absolute Arts caters to the United States, the UK, China and more - and their prices range anywhere from $10 to $1,000,000. With more than 2500 works of art, you'll be sure to find exactly what you're looking for with this website.

My Top Pick: "Merced River Ice" by Ron Gallmeier - $330, Small; $665, Medium; and $1000, Large.
Why I Chose This Piece: Again, this is another piece I know my fiancé would really appreciate. Plus, I love the look of the water, the snow and the trees - so it's something we would both really enjoy in any room of our home.

So whether you've got $10 or $10,000 - you'll be sure to find the ideal pieces of black and white photography to fit your home décor and personal tastes.

Art Without Attitude

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One of the newest additions to the vibrant art scene in Philadelphia is WALLS at Wexler Gallery, an exhibit that features high quality, yet, affordable paintings, prints and photography. “It is New York sensibility without New York attitude,” says Lewis Wexler, founder and proprietor of Wexler Gallery. WALLS Curator Sherri Apter Wexler, wife of Lewis and co-owner of Wexler Gallery, is excited to offer Philadelphia art lovers great pieces of art without attitude and high price tags, and hopes that this concept will appeal to fresh young crowd of first-time buyers. WALLS made its debut during the First Friday in May, the once a month, widely attended cultural event hosted by the Old City Arts Association. This upstairs extension of the Wexler Gallery was meet with immediate success, selling several pieces in their opening night. “We really touched on something here,” says Sherri. WALLS is fresh, affordable and offers a relaxed and inviting atmosphere where questions are encouraged no one is too green to appreciate or buy art. This is a gallery where it is possible to walk in, see a painting that you love, and go home with it that day; all without putting a painstaking dent in your pocket. Presently, WALLS includes 8 artists, exhibiting four to five pieces each. The overall focus is on creative two-dimensional art that is both accessible and easy to live with. Current work on display ranges from $400 to $5,000. While many galleries offer a wide range of prices, with a few affordable selections, the mission of WALLS is to offer a large body of work that consists entirely of affordable art that will interest first time buyers, while maintaining a level of quality that will also attract and impress seasoned collectors. Artists currently on display include Chris Anderson, Jenny E. Balisle, Philadelphian Kevin Cooper, Daniella Woolf, Eileen Goldenberg, Tanja Softic, Mark Bennion and Lisa Tyson Ennis. One of the unique points of WALLS is that it feels more like a well decorated loft space that a gallery. The beautiful section of art is highlighted and enhanced by furniture and decorative pieces, giving the buyer an idea of how the painting may fit into an overall design scheme. These vignettes construct an inspirational visual field, sparking new ideas and create an innovative showroom environment. Additionally, both Sherri and Lewis are willing to help any buyer find the right piece and the right fit for their home. This new addition to Wexler Gallery has hit the ground running and shows no signs of slowing down. WALLS is an ideal complement to the Wexler Gallery’s collection of fine contemporary glass, studio furniture, ceramics, jewelry and decorative arts from some of the world’s most esteemed artists working today, including Wendell Castle, Albert Paley, William Harper and Dale Chihuly. If you are tired of staring at that bare wall, but though you could never afford real art or fit in into the prestigious art gallery scene, WALLS is a great place to start. The Wexler Gallery is located at 201 N. 3rd Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were recently awarded the “Best in Philly” award for art gallery.

Why Not Let Your Baby Cry

celtics baby clothes

New moms and dads seem to feel that they have to keep their baby from crying. Every time their little one cries they come running. But in my own personal opinion it is perfectly ok to let your baby cry a little. Of course you do not want to let them cry all day long. Crying themselves to sleep is perfectly normal and ok. I have tried this with my children and it has really worked out well, especially at bedtime. What I do is follow my usual bedtime routine. 

Give them their bath and then one final bottle or nurse them one last time for the night. Them I put them in their crib and let them cry just for a while. Every 15 min or so you will want to go and comfort them. It is important that if you are going to let your baby cry themselves to sleep that they are given comfort. I would also recommend covering their little hands so that they do not scratch themselves. They sell little mittens for infants or the shirts with the little hand covers attached. It is also a good deterrent if your child is starting to suck their little fingers.

No one is quite sure why we exactly do cry. Did you know that there are actually two different kids of tears? One is the Basal or continuous tears that moisten the eye, and the other is reflex tears which are caused when your eyes are irritated by some type of object. Some researchers believe that emotional tears or crying actually relieves the body of harmful and excess substances, in the same way the kidneys, and the lungs do. They are not exactly sure of the reason but evidently the body produces a tear in response to emotion that is different from the kind in response to irritation. From the moment a baby is born they need tender care. Many people feel that if they respond to a crying baby they will be spoiling them. I am not sure, but I do know that no harm can come to them by just letting them cry. 

But you should keep in mind that when a child is hungry, uncomfortable or upset, the will begin to cry. You will want to make sure that you check all of these things before you let your baby cry themselves to sleep. Some researchers seem to believe that babies who are responded to quickly during the first 6-8 months of life actually cry less than babies who have been left to cry. Of course they cry less since they are constantly being picked up. There are times when just acknowledging their cry with your own voice will be sufficient. Just a simple touch can help to provide comfort.

Believe it or not it is a baby’s job to cry. At least that is what many of the parents that I have spoken to seem to thing. You do not want to let the baby cry all the time. For example I only allow my baby to cry at bedtime for an extended period. I believe this will help him to learn what bedtime means. When the baby is constantly being rocked to sleep, as they get older they will not understand why you will suddenly stop. And you will probably have a very difficult time putting your one year old baby to sleep. Keep in mind that crying is how babies communicate what they want. The bottom line is you need to help them understand when it is time to play and when it is time to sleep.