Absolute Blogmusings from an absolutely blank mind The Hills Are Alive
Yes, I know. It's been a while since I updated my featured image. Part of the reason is that I've been traveling, and part of that time was spent in Scotland. So it's only fair to make the next featured image one from my trip. This one's a landscape, certainly, but one which subtly illustrates the impact of human activity, even in remote regions like the rugged Cairngorm mountains of Scotland.
From high atop even one of the areas more modest peaks, one can see a long way. Here the layers of receding mountains are punctuated by a forest of wind turbines in the distance. (You'll need to click to bring up the larger image, in order to see it). Still, it does lend interest to the photo! In case you are wondering, that's a dry stone wall that runs along the base of the nearest hill - one of the underappreciated wonders of the British countryside. http://www.absoluteblank.com/landscape#h2f26315 Golden PathFeatured Image for April...
Click here to see the image in the gallery. The clocks have "sprung" forward, it's finally warming up and light has acquired that wonderful golden quality that comes only in the months just before the summer heat. That's the light I see in this picture. In the past I might have called this an abstract, but after many conversations on the subject I think it's more accurately "a semi-abstract". Sure, this image is certainly all about pure shape, color and composition, but it's still identifiable as a real place. There's a path. There's a shadow. The illuminated side of the path looks warm, comfortable and inviting, and yet the path curves inexorably into a deep shadow where details are hard to discern and anything might be lurking. Hm. I think I might just have convinced myself that this one is about life and death... What do you think? Spring ShowsI'm pleased to announce that two of my images have been selected for inclusion in new juried exhibitions this month: Show: "Stormy Weather", 1650 Gallery (Los Angeles, CA) My image "Dark House" was selected for gallery exhibition: Some of you might recognize this image as one of my early ones (from Colorado, actually). The gallery is in the trendy Echo Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. Check out the show Stormy Weather The show opens on Saturday April 12th, with an opening reception from 7:30-10:30pm. Gallery Hours: The main event is on the 12th, but show will be up until May 3rd. Open Sundays 12:00-4:00pm - or anytime by appointment (gallery email below).
Address:
Show: "Greyscale", Black Box Gallery (Portland, Oregon) My image "Point Arena Vista" was selected for inclusion in the online gallery. Even though I don't do much black and white photography, I've had several black and white images accepted into shows recently. Maybe it's a sign I need to do more! The exhibition runs from April 1st through April 20th, 2014 with an opening reception on Friday April 4th, 5-8:00 pm Gallery Hours: Thurs-Fri 12am-5pm, and by appointment.
Gallery address: Check out the show Greyscale.
A Nice PairIt's been a while I know, but there's finally a new featured image posted. It's amazing what you can find in antique shops! There's also the interesting question of how objects unintentionally relate to each other. In this case, I happened to come across this pair of busts (I wonder what they were originally used for) in the back of a small place in Santa Cruz, sporting some vintage military headwear. It wasn't until I looked at the image at home that I noticed the rather disturbing picture behind the pair. I don't know about you, but the juxtaposition brings so many ideas to mind. I don't want to contaminate your ideas with mine - I'd rather you found in it what you will - but I think the title is enough of a clue. Let me know in the comments, if you like With warm greetings from the California unWinter. First one of the YearHappy New Year everyone! I'm starting the year with a return to one of my favorite recurring themes - that's right, it's another contrail picture...
At first sight, this image is all about composition and geometry: The shadow on the building mirrors the slope of the the thin contrail. We can see how the trails diffuse over time - first thin, then medium and finally very diffuse - and as they cross they echo the grid of panels on the building wall. There's even an echo of the empty sky in the empty street below. However the title refers not only to the diverging angles in the image, but also to the contrast between the world of earth and the world of air. The streaking plane is directly over a bicycle. The lines of the building are straight and geometric while the lines of the vapor trails are vague and imprecise, and in the process of becoming more so, ...and eventually dissolving completely.
Wishing you all a great start to 2014.
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