Archives for Art Photography category

Dragon Walls
Dragon Walls
Chicano Park – San Diego, CA
July 2015
f/8.0 – 1/60 sec – ISO 200 – Focal Length 40 mm
Fragile
Fragile
Chihuly Garden and Glass – Seattle, WA
April 2015
f/4.0 – 1/400 sec – ISO 6400 – Focal Length 45 mm

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Metal Work

Metal Work
f/11.0- 1/30 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 160 mm

Art is Everywhere

Art is Everywhere
f/11.0 – 1/200 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 150 mm

With the end of another year that means a retrospective is needed (blogging requirement I think).  I already gave my favorite Photos of the Day of 2012 from my own blog so I figured I would share the work of others.  There is a lot out there to share.  And although I am a user and fan of Flickr a good place to go beyond the cell phone shots and see some work that is often one notch above the rest is 500px.com.  What’s even better, to make my life easier, they have done the leg work already on their blog and presented a good review of some of the best photography of 2012 (as submitted to their site).  Note, none of these are my photographs and full credit goes to the individual photographers and the editors at the 500px blog.  Also note, I picked some of my favorite categories, but there are more than I list here so be sure to head over to the 500px blog for all the best of the year.

Best of 2012 – Travel

Best of 2012 – City and Architecture

Copyright Elia Locardi

Copyright Elia Locardi

Best of 2012 – Black and White

Best of 2012 – Abstract

Copyright Jared Lim

Copyright Jared Lim

These are three of my favorite categories, but there are many more; commercial, celebrities, concerts (and others that don’t begin with a C).  Check out the 500px blog.  But be careful you could get sucked in a lose a whole day going through this site.

 

I have been combining Lego mini figures and various candies to make artistic photographs for a few years now.  As long as Lego keeps producing new mini figure series and I don’t run out of candy options I’ll probably keep this series going.  I have over 100 figures and a bin full of candy in the closet that I have not even begun to pair up yet.

The latest additions to the series were a special request from a bride-to-be who is having a candy themed wedding.  So I dug through my collection of mini figures and found some great matches for the candy the bride requested, Sweethearts and Tootsie Pops.  Here are the images and the behind the scenes shots showing the set up for each photo.

Sweetheart Wedding

Sweetheart Wedding Behind the Scenes

Sweetheart Wedding was a pretty straight forward set up.  I used two pieces of pink craft foam and arranged the mini figures and Sweetheart candies to create the scene.  Lighting was from a standard studio lamp that was filtered with a reflector.

Tootsie Pop Dreams

Tootsie Pop Dreams Behind the Scenes

For Tootsie Pop Dreams I tried a green screen technique.  By photographing the boy and his Tootsie Pop “balloons” on the green craft foam it was easier to cut him out and place him on a photograph of the sky I had taken earlier.  I also tried this shot two ways, one with a shish kabob skewer glued to the Tootsie Pops so that they could stand straight up and then shooting from a standard head on position; and the other as shown above where the camera was pointing down on the subject that was lying flat on the foam.  I found that the latter to be the best way to capture the image.

You can buy Sweetheart Wedding and Tootsie Pop Dreams through my Etsy Store.  You can also see other Lego candy photographs I have taken in several past posts, here, here, here and even here.  Or check out my entire Etsy store and buy one or a few.

 

Tamron, the lens manufacturer, has developed a cool website and app that lets you design and set up your own virtual photography exhibit.  My Photo Exhibits is a unique way to share your photography with friends, family and the world.  After you sign up for an account you can start designing your exhibition.  Your gallery starts as a blank canvas and you select the details.  Start with the ceiling; Vaulted?  Modern?  Industrial?  Then pick your wall texture and flooring.  Add some furniture and you are all set to begin the installation of your exhibit.   The photo upload tool is very simple and allows up to 14 images per gallery show.  Once you have them uploaded you arrange them on the 4 walls of your gallery space.  Next add the final touches, frames if you like, and titles and descriptions for each photo.  Et voila, you have your own 3-D virtual SoHo photography exhibit to invite your family and friends to.  Being a social media application you can of course share your exhibit directly to Facebook and Twitter for all your fans to Ooooh and Ahhhh over.  And then download the mobile version to take your show on the road.

This isn’t rocket science or going to save the world.  But it is a fun and unique way to display your photography, especially for those of us who haven’t gotten a true New York gallery show just yet.

Check out the Still Life exhibit I put together.

Added bonus: Tamron had contests based around specific exhibit themes.  They are currently running one for travel photography.  Build your 3D exhibit with your travel photography (taken with a Tamron lens of course) and get a chance to win one of 5 Tamron lenses.

I have been working on a series of Lego mini figure and candy photographic art prints for a while now.  As new figures are released by Lego or as new ideas come to me for existing figures I add them to my running “idea  list.”  then when time permits or creativity inspires I add a new photo to the collection.  I’ve posted on some of the vignettes I have done so far in the past.  Lego Vignettes Part I, Lego Vignettes Part Two and Lego Vignettes Part Three.

The most recent addition to the collection involves one of the earlier Lego mini figures, the clown and some balloons made out of gumballs.

This print and most of the others from the past posts are available for sale on my Etsy store.

Lego photo art print by Mike Small

Abstract photograph of a barrel cactus detail

Barrel Cactus

Abstract detail photo of an aloe plant

Aloe Plant

(Don’t know the species here – anyone know?)

Abstract detail photograph of a saguaro cactus

Saguaro Cactus

Abstract photo of an agave

Agave

Aloe Variety (I believe)

Abstract detail photo of a prickly pear pad

Prickly Pear