the daily sus

leftovers: paint

2012-01-28T15:59:00.002-05:00

I intensified the dust and scratches tool on this one below and it seemed fitting for the subject. Less like a photo.

broken toy: shed antler

2012-01-23T15:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Heather Corson for providing the background (felt cutouts on a felt backdrop).

broken toy: one wheel off, another wheel missing

2012-01-20T13:24:00.001-05:00

broken toy: not prepared for take-off

2012-01-15T16:03:00.000-05:00

This one's not quite finished - either a different shot or more Photoshop. I don't love the Polaroid's spots this time around.

january 12

2012-01-12T19:59:00.002-05:00

So far, this was the best Grand Rapids could offer us this winter. As of this morning, all that was left of Mr Beak was his hat and scarf, eyes and nose.

Tonight, hopefully that will change.

Wishing Everyone a Happy Holidays...

2011-12-24T17:00:00.000-05:00

...and Peace in the New Year!

'tis the season

2011-12-12T15:25:00.002-05:00

upholstered

2011-12-08T09:58:00.001-05:00

this tree this time

2011-12-03T22:41:00.005-05:00

Our favorite trail in Saugutuk brought me to this tree. This time it looked different. This time the clouds were right. This time I had a camera. This time my parents helped keep the boys distracted.

2011-12-01T19:06:00.000-05:00

Da Vinci's horse

2011-11-27T13:02:00.002-05:00

walkabout: Meijer Gardens in autumn

2011-11-23T12:20:00.002-05:00

There is something so lovely about fall flora. The tree lines, the soft colors, the dead leaves.

walkabout: sidewalk patterns

2011-11-18T21:10:00.002-05:00

...and my companions on my walk.

hide and seek: fish silhouettes

2011-11-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

hide and seek: split fish

2011-11-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

hide and seek: terrarascapes

2011-11-08T14:31:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the lovely light cast on these terrariums, the subjects blend in a little better. I also love the plastic plants and painted walls that no doubt make the animals feel at home.

hide and seek: light and shadow

2011-11-06T09:51:00.002-05:00

While I am not in love with these images, they really do fulfill the game aspect of this project. Can you find the animal?

broken toy: 3-string guitar

2011-11-02T20:19:00.000-04:00

happy halloween

2011-10-31T11:05:00.000-04:00

hide and seek

2011-10-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

leftovers: varmint was here

2011-10-29T07:57:00.000-04:00

leftovers: last tomato

2011-10-27T07:26:00.000-04:00

still life with Cyrus

2011-10-25T08:06:00.002-04:00

Cyrus has really taken to drawing. When he arrives home from school, it drops the back pack and heads for the art table. In times past, we've done arts and crafts together, but this past weekend we placed the same objects in front of our pads, and began to draw. I haven't drawn much of late and so it was great to be at it again. Part of our inspiration also comes from my pal, Kristy "Krusty" Overman and her Daily Doodle. Perhaps Cy and I can come close to her productivity and do a weekly doodle.
Hopefully more to come...

leftovers: red bowls and black beans

2011-10-22T23:38:00.000-04:00

hide and seek: fall feet

2011-10-20T20:23:00.002-04:00

I am debating over the look for the hide and seek images. Is the main goal really to hide the animals? Shall I then de-saturate to minimize distinctions or does the amusement of the game beg for more pop? Perhaps the audience for the game is toddlers, and for the aesthetics is adults?

potted

2011-10-18T10:18:00.000-04:00

garnet chairs

2011-10-15T10:14:00.000-04:00

fish tanks

2011-10-13T14:47:00.003-04:00

Next time I'll remember that fast lens...

stream of consciousness

2011-10-11T15:17:00.013-04:00

Autumn brings transition - not just for the trees - but also for my direction in photography.
The next 12 months will bring big changes for my family and me: Preparation for, and then a move to a new city; plus the next level in Todd's career.

And so, no big goals creatively, for fear I'll run out of time and energy. Instead I want to dedicate the next months to making bad photographs. Yep. What is more important than anything in developing your craft? Practice. And that means bad photographs.

I started today. I went to the zoo to continue an unexpected project I started at the Chicago Zoo. (For now I call it Hide and Seek.) Immediately I realized how out of practice I am.

I forgot the following items:

the quick-release plate for the tripod I was hauling around
my fast lens for indoor exhibits (my favorite - the tide pool!)
a polarizing lens for color pop

I ignored the following things

sunny days are too contrasty (can I fix in Pshop? does it add to the hiding effect?)
there are a lot fewer animals out and about in autumn

So here are some bad photographs and maybe not so bad ones. The initial goal for the project is to have the animals be hidden a bit in their scenes.
I took 278 shots, so there will be more soon...

bad

better

this one works

not great

like it

yellow

2011-10-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

DeLuxe

2011-10-07T13:18:00.000-04:00

another one from the vault...

Heaven Art exhibit

2011-09-25T19:50:00.001-04:00

My three Polaroids at the Jersey Shore show. Thanks dad for documenting opening night.

Jersey Shore Show

2011-09-17T17:00:00.004-04:00

Three of my images (see below) will be displayed in the "Jersey Shore" exhibit at Heaven Art Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ. Thanks to the Heaven Art crew, Dennis and Malcolm.

Iconic Wonder

Amuse Men

Beach Ball

The first two are from the Asbury Ever After exhibit, and the last is a Polaroid taken in Sea Bright, NJ.

from the vault

2011-09-07T07:50:00.002-04:00

editing

2011-09-03T16:09:00.004-04:00

Summer is coming to a close. Fall is around the corner. Time to purge.

Time to return to photography.

While editing, I found these from my point-and-shoot panasonic. Still don't like the noise, but not a bad little camera to carry around.

remembered toys: ragged raggedy

2011-08-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

Book available...

2011-08-19T13:38:00.003-04:00

...from the PhotoCraft exhibit, including my piece, The Wedding Gifts. Check the volume out here.

PhotoCraft and Plates to Pixels

2011-08-10T12:53:00.004-04:00

The PhotoCraft exhibit opens Saturday night at Lightbox Photographic Gallery in Aurora, Oregon. Plates to Pixels blog is also showcasing the images online - check out the gorgeous work. I am honored to have one of my Hidden Treasures (The Wedding Gifts) in the exhibit.

Here's what Blue Mitchell, one of the jurors, had to say about selecting photographs for the show:
“When I think about craftsmanship, I’m interested in the full process of the work, from ideation to capture, from print production to final presentation. I’ve said it many times, but I enjoy seeing the artist’s hand in work. There are so many tools available to photographers and I’m encouraging those who think outside the viewfinder to submit their work. This show will be an extravaganza of sorts, celebrating the strongest voices of photo-imaging from across the country.” ~ Blue Mitchell, Juror

broken toy: busted gun 2

2011-08-04T20:03:00.000-04:00

leftovers: 40 years passed

2011-07-26T17:10:00.004-04:00

hmmm. 40 years.

(Birthday flowers were picked out by Cyrus with help from the sitter who had money from Todd that he retrieved from my wallet. The Campbell book was a gift from my parents. My mom and I share that middle name.)

broken toy: busted water gun

2011-07-20T04:27:00.000-04:00

PhotoCraft exhibit

2011-07-19T05:19:00.002-04:00

Yippee! The Wedding Gifts was chosen as part of the PhotoCraft exhibit at LightBox Photographic Gallery in Astoria, Oregon. It will be on display starting Saturday, August 13 through October 2.

the process

2011-06-28T15:15:00.000-04:00

Sandbox Sea Star

For each piece in the Hidden Treasures series, I photograph the object with a Polaroid sx-70 camera, then scan it to make an archival inkjet print. The print is mounted on a 4x4-inch maple Plywerk panel, then coated with an encaustic wax. For the book, I glue the outer pages together, then cut out a small compartment inside and line the compartment. After mounting an out-of-focus portion of the photograph on the book's cover, I coat the entire book with wax.
When completed, the photograph of the treasure can be hidden inside the book, displayed next to it or hung on the wall.

hidden treasures

2011-06-26T16:55:00.005-04:00

Next, I'd like to share the other series I worked on this spring, Hidden Treasures. The photos are of one of the pieces, The Wedding Gifts. The artist statement follows the images.

The idea for Hidden Treasures started with the book. My brother-in-law gave a chemistry book to my son at Christmas. When he opened it, instead of words, my son found a hidden compartment with small toys included. I loved the idea of a book being a vessel for hiding secret treasures. Why couldn’t the treasure be a photograph?

The photos in Hidden Treasures are portraits of small objects meaningful to someone. For no practical reason, we collect trinkets because we feel sentimental about them. They trigger a memory or remind us of the giver and we just can’t let them go. Photographs are similar - they spark memories and feelings and sometimes we don’t understand why.

The books chosen are loosely related to the subjects. They were found at used bookstores, library sales and second-hand shops. The treasures photographed were collected around my house or were loaned to me by their sentimental owners.

Together they create a unique, one-of-a-kind treasure of their own.

Soon I'll post the process for making them.

Details on Asbury

2011-05-22T09:46:00.003-04:00

Below are the last from my Asbury Ever After series that showed at Church Street. My goal is to move them on to a venue closer to home - in and around Asbury Park itself.

Red Cinema, 2003

Originally known as the Lyric Theater, this cinema opened in 1912 right next to Palace Amusements. It had a small but elegant auditorium and became known as one of the theaters that showed the less popular, artistic movies. My parents saw "The Graduate" at the Lyric - before it was considered a classic film. Park Cinema was torn down in 2005.

Empress Mosaic, 2010

The Empress was part of “modern” Asbury Park in that it was built after 1950 on the plot where another hotel, the Coleman House, had existed. Despite Asbury’s decline in the 1970s, the Empress remained popular until 1988, when it could not longer sustain business. After a short stint as a strip club, the Paradise Nightclub opened in the hotel in 1998. The hotel portion reopened in 2004.

Promenade Shades, 2003

Asbury Park’s boardwalk was originally installed by James Bradley, the man responsible for much of Asbury’s early success as a resort. The mile long promenade at first connected the orchestra pavillion, public changing rooms and the pier. Other businessmen joined in the resort’s success, and added the popular amusements such as the Palace and later the Convention Hall and Casino. Today, the boardwalk continues to act as a connection for the modern businesses housed on this part of the Jersey Shore.

The Wonder Bar

2011-05-14T18:40:00.001-04:00

Iconic Wonder, 2011

The Wonder Dog, 2011

Reserved Seat, 2011

The Wonder Bar once boasted of having the longest bar in the world, with up to a mile and a half of bar top. (The new owners neither deny or verify the truth to this claim.) This Nightclub and Grill has been a popular contributor to Asbury Park’s music scene over the years, hosting local legends such as Bruce Springsteen and John Bon Jovi. The site was recently updated to include the iconic murals from Palace Amusements - the face of Tillie and the bumper girls - making it easy to spot next to the boardwalk.

The Carousel Crown

2011-05-09T15:23:00.003-04:00

Crown of the Crown, 2003

Carousel Caretaker, 2003

Next up in Asbury, The Carousel Crown, which was part of the Casino Complex. The carousel was built as part of the Casino in 1929. The outer walls are made up of copper- framed glass and gargoyle-like rosettes. In its heyday, festive tunes such as A Bicycle Built for Two and the Band Played On filtered through the carousel and on into the Casino Arcade. In later years, after the carousel ceased running, the space housed a flea market and then a skate park. After a number of years being vacant the carousel building is now a rental space for events of all kinds - music, theater, art installations, dinner parties and so on. The antique figures of the carousel were replaced with newer fiberglass ones in 1985.

asphalt and snow

2011-05-05T10:05:00.001-04:00

More from Yellowstone in March. The roads were quiet - mostly filled with UPS trucks and locals zipping through to get from here to there.

The Casino Arcade

2011-05-03T21:13:00.001-04:00

Aged, 2003

The Casino was built in 1929 and housed the Carousel Crown, the Arcade and the Auditorium. The Arcade acted as a causeway for pedestrians to pass fro Ocean Grove to the Boardwalk. Light poured in through the copper-plated windows on both the north and south sides of the building.

Broken, 2003

In 2003, the windows still existed, though many were broken. The walkway was boarded up and decorated with grafitti. Now, the glass is gone from the windows and the Arcade is a causeway again, for dog-walkers, skate boarders and photographers interested in capturing Asbury’s history.

Casi(no) and (Ca)sino, 2010

snow shades

2011-05-02T10:44:00.000-04:00

And now for something completely different:

I have time again to go through the archives. These are two from our trip through Yellowstone Park in March.

I'll return to Asbury's architecture in a few days...

The Pit

2011-04-30T16:02:00.007-04:00

Last night was the opening for Asbury Ever After, and it went great. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, and to the gals at Church Street Gardens. I met some great people and heard great personal anecdotes about Asbury Park.

The days leading up to the opening were filled with tinkering over the final touches for the show (mostly research for the artist statements and accompanying text.) I was unable to get more posts done until now, but I did learn more about Asbury to include here and in a few upcoming entries.

The Pit, 2003

I want to continue with the history of the buildings in Asbury. Next up is the Charcoal Pit because it was the snack bar connected to Palace Amusements. It is unknown when the Pit first opened, but it became a staple well into the middle of the 20th century. The menu fit the scene, with hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, candy and cigarettes all for sale. Last night, I was lucky enough to meet Lori Gross, whose mother worked at the Charcoal Pit. She says at the time, a Russian couple owned the joint. The grill had different owners and different names over time, but a consistent fare. The Charcoal Pit was demolished along with the Palace in 2004.

Palace AMUSEments

2011-04-22T17:41:00.011-04:00

Amuse, 2003

When photographing the architecture in Asbury Park, I was drawn to the quirky buildings, and those that felt reminiscent of a time past. Turns out, all of the buildings in the exhibit photographs are a significant part of the boardwalk's history. The structures themselves, or at least a portion of them, had taken part in Asbury's days of fame and fortune.

Palace Bug, 2003

Amuse Men, 2003

First, I want to remember Palace Amusements. I photographed the sides of this worn down building during the summer 0f 2003, one year before the city tore it down (though, some of the facade was saved and moved to another building).

Palace Amusements opened in 1888 and over the years, housed over 20 rides, including a carousel, Ferris Wheel, bumper cars, house of mirrors and an arcade. Despite being one of the oldest amusements in the nation, it fell to disrepair and eventually was demolished soon after being put on the National Register of Historic Places.

The black and white roller coaster images in the previous two posts are also from Palace Amusements.

See posts below for more show information.

*Thanks to side o' lamb and Wikipedia for information on Asbury's historic buildings

Once upon an Asbury

2011-04-19T22:48:00.007-04:00

Palace Roller, 2003

The photographs in Asbury Ever After were taken in Asbury Park, so my goal for the next few weeks is to write a bit about this city on the Jersey Shore. I visited the boardwalk back in 2003 with my Polaroid SX70 and a 35mm camera loaded with black and white film. Without thinking, I snapped shots of the old buildings, so broken down and lonely. I returned this past December, again with my Polaroid, and recaptured some of the old buildings, their changes, and a few new structures too. Together, these shots make up the exhibit.

Asbury Park has ridden its own roller coaster over the past 100+ years. After many ups and downs, the city is currently heading upwards again thanks in large part to local and national artists.

Once upon a time (in the late 1800s and early 1900s), Asbury Park was one of the northeast's premier seaside resorts with an amusement park, numerous hotels and successful retail stores downtown. The city survived the Great Depression, World War II and numerous fires and hurricanes, but all these events impacted the resort. Then, race riots in 1970 damaged many buildings, but also the popularity of Asbury. The town became less attractive while other amusements lured people away - Six Flags Great Adventure and the Monmouth Mall, for instance.

Starting in 2002, there has been a great effort to revive the city of Asbury, both downtown and along the boardwalk. The historic buildings are being restored, new businesses are filling the commercial spaces and a full calendar of events are attracting a new wave of tourists.

The buildings are no longer so broken down and lonely.

Asbury Ever After

2011-04-17T10:14:00.004-04:00

Here we go!
This is the postcard for my upcoming exhibit at Church Street Gardens in New Jersey. I am traveling east for the opening on April 29th. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello.
I'll be posting images for the next few weeks, as well as more information on the show and each series of photographs.

broken toy: deflated

2011-04-09T09:41:00.002-04:00

The helium seeped out in less than 24 hours. "Just blow more air in it mom."

toy: the disjointed tail

2011-03-31T16:55:00.004-04:00

Here's another that crosses borders....a similar Polaroid is slated for a book in my Hidden Treasures series at Church Street (with a slightly different background), but this one also seems to fit the bill for Broken Toys.

To finally explain the book a bit - I am mounting Polaroid prints on 4x4 board (from Plywerk) and putting them in a cut-out compartment of an old book. The prints and the book are then coated with wax. The title of the series arises from the idea that the images and object within them are worth hiding away in a secret book.

Here's a prototype - you can see them bigger if you click on the image. Let me know what you think...

591 meets Church Street

2011-03-26T21:01:00.005-04:00

Another image of mine showed up in the Public Space Days exhibit on the 591 Photography Blog. Coincidentally, the photograph was taken in Asbury Park, New Jersey and is also a feature image in my upcoming exhibit at Church Street Gardens in Little Silver, NJ.

This exhibit, and its process, has absorbed my time, thoughts and energy for the last month in obsessive ways. Fortunately, I have loved the process. It has, however, made me a little scattered (as if motherhood wasn't contributory enough)..."Yoiks, our plane leaves at 7am, not 7:30am!"

More information to come on the exhibit - exact dates, and more sneak peeks at the images involved.

591 Men and Women Show

2011-03-21T09:11:00.003-04:00

The 591 Photography Gallery has an online exhibit called Images of Men and Women. There are lots of gorgeous, moving and humorous photos. It is a long slide show - 151 images in all - but if you've got 10 minutes, and enjoy viewing work, check it out. Or you can zip to #97 to see my photo of a couple on the beach in Cinque Terre, Italy.

escalator

2011-03-08T12:02:00.004-05:00

Thanks 591 Photography Blog, for posting my shot from the Seattle Public Library for their Public Space Days contest.

See it here.

They are showcasing work by photographers and of public spaces from all over the world. Including one from Monika Merva, a super photographer who was a co-student in a workshop I did in San Miguel de Allende a few years back.

walkabout: red beach ball

2011-03-07T15:01:00.003-05:00

The last few weeks have been occupied with getting ready for an upcoming show in April. It is at Church Street Gardens in Little Silver, NJ. There are two parts to the exhibit: larger pieces are focused on Asbury Park and the Jersey shore. Smaller ones will be hidden treasures in waxed over books...more on that later.
It has kept me busy and I am enjoying all the details - planning the process, organizing the to do list, printing, and getting my hands dirty with wax and glue. It has left little time for photographing though, so instead I will post work I've been working on.

toy: not-quite sticky gingerbread boy

2011-03-04T13:21:00.000-05:00

broken toy: monster tear

2011-03-01T21:52:00.000-05:00

broken toy: slain dragon

2011-02-27T09:45:00.001-05:00

broken toy: crayons

2011-02-19T20:21:00.004-05:00

Impossible Project, maker of the new Polaroid film, continues to discover and share more ways to get the most out of its products. For instance, if you immediately place the PUSH film near some heat - hotter than body temperature - you can get better colors.
So I snapped these crayons and put them under the heat of our digital projector while Cyrus watched a bit of Thomas the Tank Engine.

Cinders and ashes, it really works!

message in a bottle

2011-02-16T20:46:00.002-05:00

The message says, "get to work!"

I feel unmotivated today/this week, but the truth is I have been bouncing ideas around in my head for an upcoming show in April. I am close...so close to finalizing the plan. Then, I will need to get to work assembling the pieces as they involve printing, mounting, waxing, gluing, cutting and so on.

leftovers: paper projects

2011-02-10T21:33:00.002-05:00

Where does all the paper scrap come from? See Home Life

grandma's earrings

2011-02-07T14:12:00.002-05:00

Truth be told, they are my great-grandma's, they are made from her hair (right, mom?) and that photo is of Cyrus' great great great aunt and uncle (Cyrus).

spring cleaning in winter

2011-02-02T17:06:00.004-05:00

I updated my website a bit: a few new photos in the first two portfolios, with more words in their stories. Check it out. Tell me what you think.

kid-sized hose

2011-01-30T21:15:00.003-05:00

walkabout: asbury park, nj

Finally finished scanning all the Holga film from my trip to the Jersey shore. I haven't given them a good look just yet, the next task. This one was floating on my desktop (most are on a separate hard drive), so I thought I'd give it a whirl on the web.

Happy about "sad"

2011-01-29T20:31:00.002-05:00

I just found out that the above Home Life image was chosen for the PhotoPlace Gallery's Home contest. I am honored to be a part of a selection made by juror, Julie Blackmon. I have long admired her own interpretations of family life, i.e. Domestic Vacations.

"Sad" will be on view at the PhotoPlace Gallery in Vermont, from March 1-26, 2011.

broken toy: 3-legged horse

2011-01-24T22:12:00.003-05:00

...and no-tailed, no-eared, boy-painted as well.

Despite being busy with other distractions, I did not want to neglect the toy project.

nest

2011-01-22T10:30:00.001-05:00

One of my favorites from last Friday's all-day shoot.

tile wall, empress hotel

2011-01-16T20:41:00.004-05:00

walkabout: asbury park, nj

It has been a busy week. From contests Monday, to 7 hours of photographing on Friday. Yep, the boys went to Chicago and left me to mess up the living room. I photographed small objects by window light with the digital and Polaroid. My back was killing me and it took at least an hour to clean up, but did I have fun. I can't remember the last time I photographed for that long.
I'll post shots after they're scanned and worked a bit.

chair at wonder bar

2011-01-10T09:17:00.001-05:00

walkabout: asbury park, nj

carnival dog at wonder bar

2011-01-07T08:59:00.000-05:00

walkabout: asbury park, nj

the face of wonder bar

2011-01-05T10:41:00.003-05:00

walkabout: asbury park, nj

I have taken a break from shooting my Broken Toy series. I know, it just got started and already I am lapsing. The holidays were my first excuse. This week I am preparing for a weekend of experimental play. The basement is set up for some wax-work on photos for an upcoming show. After lots of questions for my friends, trips to different stores for supplies and some internet reading, I am excited to explore the world of encaustic.
My third and final excuse is that there are no new broken toys of late. I plan to rephotograph some others anyway, but it seems odd to try an encourage the boys to break their toys, so I patiently wait.

In the meantime, here is another Polaroid from my outing to Asbury Park.

chim chim: walkabout, Asbury Park, NJ

2010-12-31T18:48:00.005-05:00

Over the holidays, I didn't photograph broken toys. Instead I went out shooting with my dad and then again by myself on Christmas Day. It was the best gift - I haven't gone out to take pictures all by myself in a few years.

I ventured to the Jersey shore, mostly to Asbury Park. This town is going through a revival, though many of the old buildings along the boardwalk still stand. Another batch of the Polaroid film in the camera and a return to the odd, off-colors. I also took several rolls with the Holga, and will send them in to be processed soon.

This Polaroid is of Chim Chim, the ape from Speed Racer cartoons. He is holding onto the back of a child-sized Speed Racer car, the kind with the coin slot. I found this one outside an existing arcade that was open on Christmas Day. Go Speed Racer.

grill at the beach: walkabout, Holland, MI

2010-12-29T21:54:00.001-05:00

Walking about the beach at Holland State Park on a chilly autumn day.

broken toy: bow and arrow

2010-12-27T22:09:00.000-05:00

I really don't like this composition, so I'll have to work on this one some more...

Happy Holidays and leftovers: snowman

2010-12-25T14:43:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays to all. May your days be filled with family, good food and good cheer.

After our first snow, it took one snowball fight to reveal the grass below the snow. The Polaroid manages to make the scene look as ugly as it was.

broken toy: torn puzzle box

2010-12-22T21:34:00.000-05:00

broken toy: double-decker bus

2010-12-19T10:14:00.001-05:00

It only needs to be dropped a few times before it becomes a single-decker. Regardless, the toy always makes me think of the sing London bus song.

Note: these were taken with the old box of Polaroids. I do like the top image's color palette but I don't love the bottom diptych. Fortunately I am saving most of these toys for future photo sessions.

fresh box of Polaroids = fresh look

2010-12-17T21:23:00.003-05:00

I popped a new box of Polaroid PX70 Push into my camera and had a whole new experience. Even though the box came in the same shipment as the previous batch, the results were all together different.

Last time, the print came out of the camera a dark blue and took over 10 minutes to develop, and even then not fully. With the new box, the print came out light gray - like Polaroids from the old days - and then only took 60 seconds to develop. And lastly, I have color! There is much more vibrance in the prints and more variation of color to work with in Photoshop. I am delighted.

Impossible Project (the company that produces and sells Polaroid film) mentioned to remain open-minded and expect the unexpected. And so I will.

broken toy: missing puzzle piece

2010-12-17T11:53:00.002-05:00

Give us a call if you find it...

broken toy: wiffle ball

2010-12-15T16:25:00.001-05:00

Now, this one, I like the effect of the Polaroid. Still not the colors I truly want, but the faded edges are wonderful.
Cyrus cracked this wiffle ball so hard it busted in half.

leftovers: chalk marks

2010-12-11T20:41:00.003-05:00

Polaroid

Digital

See the boys at work, lining up the chalk at home life.

broken toy: caribou comparison

2010-12-06T15:09:00.003-05:00

These first two are the digital images, as compared to the Polaroid below.

xylophone - digital

2010-12-03T12:07:00.002-05:00

As promised, the digital versions. The color is obviously much more vibrant. However, I like the effect of the Polaroid film in terms of softness, square format and unexpected surprises.

I am looking for comments on comparing the two versions...

xylophone

2010-12-01T18:14:00.001-05:00

I received a few boxes of Impossible Project's px70 PUSH. I am thrilled that they have saved the Polaroid process, but I must say I am still not in love with the results. The colors are faded and flat and I had a bias towards the old film's color palette. Still, I am willing to be patient and see what the company produces.

In the meantime, I will experiment with the film I do have. During my toy shoots, the plan is to capture them on Polaroid and digital to have options while I process them. Above is the Polaroid of a broken xylophone. This toy likely won't be repaired as the tiny red piece that held the blue key in place is long gone.

The digital version is coming soon for comparison.

chalk box

2010-11-27T12:36:00.003-05:00

It's true. I need projects to keep me motivated. Big ones, small ones, fruitless ones, engaging ones. From the first 100 days of my boys' lives, to tumbleweed on Polaroid film. Home Life offers a long-term fulfillment, but I find myself seeking smaller projects along the way. Often they are tangents to my family-oriented series.

Like this "new" one on toys. Actually I have attempted this project in the past, and as before, it may not go far. My goal is to photograph once a week, with any camera, the boys' toys, especially broken ones.

Somehow, these projects seem interconnected: Leftovers, my original Home Life shots of messy spaces and now toys in their environments.

2010-11-24T15:40:00.000-05:00

figure study: butternut

2010-11-22T12:42:00.001-05:00

New scanner + cleaning out the closet = a whole lot of old images to re-discover.

These are Polaroids made with the 4x5 camera, circa 2002? I've always wanted to start a project of still life photographs modeled after 17th century paintings. I like the dark, warm colors and the sensuous objects in these scenes.
Another for the to do list.

room 401, wilma apartments, 2007

2010-11-20T09:47:00.003-05:00

balloons

2010-11-16T16:37:00.002-05:00

These balloons were part of an ArtPrize sculpture at Meijer Gardens.

Got a new scanner so I can digitize my Holga 120 film. Still a lot to learn with it and so I am only semi-happy with the results. We'll see how it goes.

kitchen sink, bozeman

2010-11-12T15:42:00.001-05:00

broken toy

2010-11-08T20:35:00.001-05:00

room 506, wilma apartments, 2007

2010-11-03T14:45:00.004-04:00

This Polaroid shows a different kind of leftover. These curtains were left behind in an apartment at the historical Wilma Building in Missoula, Montana. In 2007, the apartments were converted to condominiums. I had the opportunity to photograph the spaces right after the tenants left and before construction began.

Digital and 4x5 images of other buildings from this project can be seen at my website. I'll post more Polaroids from the apartments as I scan them.

texas blue bonnets

2010-10-30T19:32:00.001-04:00

Found some more old Polaroids to scan.

parking lot light (walkabout: grand rapids, 2010)

2010-10-24T13:04:00.003-04:00

red shoes (walkabout: siena, italy, 2006)

2010-10-21T16:46:00.002-04:00