A Photo A Day

I’ve started a new blog, which I will be running along with this one. It’s called A Photo A Day. The title tells you exactly what it is. I plan on posting a new photo (nearly) every day, and writing a few comments on each photo.

As anyone who works in the photographic medium knows, for every photograph you end up using, there are several that never get used, and exist only as an unprinted negative stuck in a binder or a digital file on a hard drive. I say ‘several’, but really, it could range from just a few unused photos to literally hundreds. The point is, there’s a big drop-off between what is shot and what is used. It’s not an issue of quality. Many of these shots are interesting or good. It’s more an issue of editing.

That’s where this blog comes in. By posting a new photo every day, some of those ‘orphaned’ photos get seen and appreciated. Yes, I know I could just open a Flikr account and post my photos there. I may still do that at some point, but I have several reasons for not doing so now (I won’t bore you with the details). We’ll see how the new blog works out first. I’m considering selling prints of the photos I post in A Photo A Day, but haven’t worked out the details yet. If you see something you’re interested in, let me know.

Lightbender is still, and will remain, the place where I show my more serious work, discuss work in progress, and post about art in general. A Photo A Day will keep me focused on regular posting at times when my studio work is going slowly (like right now).

Comments and suggestions are always welcome. I appreciate hearing from you.

Slow Going

A couple of months ago I posted about a horrible print I made where everything went wrong. I made a cyanotype from the same negative a couple of weeks ago, and got much better results.


My studio wrk is progressing pretty slowly at the moment. I have several ideas I want to pursue, but haven’t made much progress on any of them. I chalk this up to a couple of things. First, after working steadily during last semester’s sabbatical (and most of last summer), then mounting a large exhibition while teaching full-time, taking a bit of a break from constantly working feels good. Also, I’m just entering the final busy phase of the semester at school. The next few weeks will be hectic ones at work, as the semester wraps up.

This isn’t artist’s block (which I’ve experienced, and believe me, isn’t fun). I have more ideas to explore than I can use at the moment. I’ll be returning to the studio soon. Although taking a break feels good, I’m beginning to get the urge to start working on something. Having this blog will keep me working as well. I know some of my friends read it regularly, and people I don’t know pop in from time to time as well. Knowing that people are expecting to see something new here is a good motivator.

Once I get back into the studio, I will hopefully have something to post before too long. In the meantime, I’m bouncing around a couple of ideas for this blog that I may try out soon.

Gallery Talk

I will be giving a talk this Wednesday, April 16, at 12:30 pm, in the DeCaprio Gallery at Moraine Valley Community College, where my show is about to end (this Thursday is when it comes down). I'm mainly talking about the various processes I used to create the work in the exhibit. I'll have slides of work, most of which isn't in the exhibit, and much of which hasn't been seen on this blog. I'll also have demonstration photos showing how various alternative processes work.

Hope to see you there.

Links

Here’s a few interesting links:

Unblinking Eye
A poorly designed website, but it has a lot of info on alternative process photography, and lots of links to other art and photo sites.

The American Museum of Photography
This visually busy but interesting site contains thousands of (mostly old) photographs arranged in galleries of various themes. Included are galleries of manipulated and trick photography, including spirit photography and photomontage, a collection of carte de visite, photos taken in Japan from 1850-1890, and many other themed collections.

Digital Photography Review
If you’re thinking of buying a digital camera, make sure you check out this site. You’ll find reviews of hundreds of camera models, and they are the most detailed reviews I’ve read anywhere.

Postcrossing
Not photo or art related (although it could be). This is the website for a postcard exchange project. You send postcards to random people around the world. For every one you send, you get one in return. It’s like having a short-term pen pal. Some people make handmade postcards to send (that’s how it becomes photo or art related).

Check out all the links at the right side of this page. Hopefully you’ll find something that interests you.

Evanston Art Center Biennial

I received notification a few days ago that this cyanotype print, which I made in the summer of 2006, has been accepted into the 19th Evanston Biennial. The exhibit is at the Evanston Art Center in Evanston, IL, and runs from June 1-July 6, 2008.
I was in the Evanston Biennial once before, in 2000. The two pieces I exhibited at that biennial led to a solo exhibition at the Evanston Art Center in 2001.
I'll post a reminder before the show opens, I just wanted to share the news now.