Meet the Decim8nday Cr8ors: David and Suzanne by Bridgette 

Don’t think there’s a better way to celebrate @Decim8nday‘s 1st birthday than by introducing the creators of #Decim8nday, David and Suzanne, to you all.

I came across the Decim8nday tag after becoming obsessed with the app end of  last year.  I then “met” David and Suzanne when I interviewed Kris aka @movax, Decim8’s developer back in March.

A few months ago, we introduced the Decim8nday showcase here on Juxt.  I felt the need to further expose the work of those who shared the same passion for abstract, deconstructed images and of course, this fantabulous app (thank you, Kris!).

It has been great seeing everyone’s participation every week and it has been a pleasure working with David and Suzanne.  They have put a lot of effort and time into Decim8nday and because of this I felt it was time to formally introduce them.

So here we are…

B: Bridgette D:  David S:  Suzanne

B: We’d love to know more about the cr8ors of Decim8nday so tell us… what do you for a living? Have you always had an interest in photography?  Are you originally from California?

D: Thank you so much for featuring Decim8nday! As one of the people behind the tag, I’m humbled to be interviewed by WeAreJuxt. Born & raised in San Jose, I am enjoying my career as an Union Electrician.  I enjoy the job, as it is very challenging and I often get views & perspectives that are unique.

iPhoneography turned my passive interest in photography, into a passionate interest!  The photography apps available on the iPhone are mindblowing, and Decim8 has been one of my favorites.

S: Oh, I’m San Francisco Bay Area born-and-raised as well.  I’ve spent some time in other California regions, and on Long Island in New York, but always came back to NorCal — where I feel I’ve got nearly everything.

I’m a science teacher, with a background in marine biology and natural history and my interest in photography (as well as marine science) began in high school on the coast of Central California. Until I became hooked on mobile photography, most of my images were “natural world” subjects and edited very little. How things have changed!

Self portrait by Suzanne 

B: Am curious, have you both met in person?

D: Even though we live less than 100 miles, we haven’t met in person. We are connected on all the popular social networks, and that’s where we share our latest images & ideas.

S:  I think it’s likely I’ll see David on a photowalk one of these days!  There is an enthusiastic and talented group of mobile photographers here in the Bay Area who get together often to share their creativity.  I’m really happy that I’ve gotten to share with them off of Instagram.

B:  How did Decim8nday come into effect?  Who thought of it first?

D:  Decim8nday started as a way to post a Decim8 on Instagram and be able see the ‘original’ image in the profile gridview.  Suzanne is credited with using the tag first, and I can’t remember who thought of it first.  The first Decim8nday was 10/10/11, and we jointly promoted it on our personal Instagram accounts.

S:  The details are a bit fuzzy, yes… David and I had been following each other on IG for a short while and I think, if memory serves, he commented on a Decim8ed portrait I had posted.  It was a Monday, he suggested that it could springboard into a cool weekly project.  I think I reached out and asked him if he really thought it was a good idea and if so, what would he call it. David named Decim8nday (even though I guess I used the tag first) and we started a lengthy conversation about what purpose could this weekly project serve.
(This project appealed to me personally as I was really craving some change in the art I was creating; Decim8 was the gateway!)

B:  For those unfamiliar with Decim8nday, please explain and list the basic “rules”?

D:  Absolutely, the “rules” for Decim8nday start with choosing one of your last 12 photos posted to Instagram, as the base image to Decim8.  Then, within the caption or comments of the Decim8 post, list the effects used within Decim8.  If any other apps were used along the way, we asked that those be listed as well. Many people post incredible Decim8’d images, but we really enjoyed seeing the original image, and learning the effects in Decim8

 S:  David has described the basics here. The only thing that I’d add is that for some time now, we’ve included the Decim8This sub-project on Mondays. This is where weekly guest editors are asked to provide a previously unposted and unedited photograph for folks to screenshot and Decim8 (yes, using ONLY Decim8 to create their edit). The guest editor selects three to highlight on Wednesday. We we were really excited that WeAreJuxters wanted to partner with us on this.

B:  Any tips for Decim8 app newbies?  Some people may get frustrated or overwhelmed, not knowing how to choose an effect at first, what advice would you give?  Is there an effect you suggest starting out with?

D:  To me, Decim8 is an app that must be learned one effect at a time. I like to use images that are not too busy when learning an effect.  Also, I move the effect up and down on the list of effects to see how it renders when applied “strong or weak”.  Everyone has unique taste & preferences, but I suggest starting with Graboid or Precog1 to see what the app can do.

Untitled by David

Decim8 effect used: Precog1

S:  Funny that David and I haven’t talked about this topic at all!  I do agree that this “breaking it down” type of approach works for many — isolating the effects and determining which ones lend themselves well to the varieties of photographic composition. I’m THAT gal, for sure. But, I would never discourage anyone from hitting that Random button for a ride through Decim8 and see what comes out the other side of it.  That’s pretty fun and promotes some whimsy, right?  And who doesn’t need that every so often?

B:  What is your favorite effect(s) / combo?

D:  My favorites are Graboid, Precog1 & L225. I am enjoying the new effects on the most recent update, but L225 is still my ultimate favorite.

S:  Ha! David’s favorites are not making my list — no way. I can’t get some of them to perform for me.  And that is one of the things I really enjoy about this forum — this appreciation I have for the wonderful results others are getting with effects that boggle my little brain. Some of my favorites are the “new” Tribomb, a radical triangular pixelation, Blitbomb and Vortron (redux). I’m really liking what I see Decim8ors are doing with another new effect, Glassdagger.

B:  How is the new Decim8This feature coming along?  Do you feel as if more people are into it or would you like to bring back the original Decim8nday idea at some point?

D:  I like the Decim8This weekly feature, seeing what everyone does with the same image is amazing!!  We are still seeing people sticking to the original theme every week also, and I expect that to continue regardless of the succession of Decim8This weekly features.

S:  The Decim8This project on Mondays certainly derived from the “original” Decim8nday.  There were a few of us wanting to isolate Decim8 and its unique qualities.  It’s a wonderful app to use in conjunction with others, of course, but Decim8This is about seeing an image interpreted in a multitude of ways, BUT using the same tools as your fellow Decim8ors.

B:  I remember joining Decim8nday this time last year and til this day it’s one of my favorite days of the week.  Do you participate in other weekly hashtags?

D: Personally, I participate in the HipstaRoll quite often, and Black & White Wednesday fairly regularly.  Unfortunately, increased demand at work has made everything iPhoneography related take a back seat over the last few months.

S:  Well, nothing as regular as Decim8nday!  I do love #sundaybluesedit; if I can score a quiet Sunday morning, I’ll do that.  I’m really enjoying @poppybay’s #fridaynightpoetryreading too; I was involved with a poetry podcast a few years ago, so this marriage of word and image really appeals to me.

Union Square by Suzanne

Decim8 effects used: Bunker, Blitbomb, Xexox

B:  Are you on any other photo sharing platforms besides Instagram?

D:  Instagram is my primary sharing platform, but I have accounts on Flickr, EyeEm, Starmatic, tadaa, PicYou & Keepsy.

S:  I’ve just fired up my Flickr account again after a long break and “clean-up”.  I just opened a Starmatic feed last week; I’m thinking that I’ll post only abstract edits there. (I can’t see the point of posting all the same stuff in each app.) I’m on Google+, but I mostly just “listen” there.  Same with Twitter.  While I’ll post the occasional photo there, it is my place to read about science and photography topics.

B:  Aside from using Decim8, what other apps do you use?  Do you use any other apps which deconstruct?

D:  My favorite shooting apps are Hipstamatic, Hueless, 645Pro, ProCamera, NoFinder & Pro HDR.  Decim8 is the only graphicly deconstructing app that I use, I haven’t even looked for others.

S:  For me, it’s almost always native camera and Hipstamatic for shooting.  I love Snapseed for editing. Lens + has some great filters for both still and video, too.  I’d love to work with Noir more; I haven’t had but the occasional success with it. Decim8 is the only app I use to deconstruct an image.

B:  Do you have any ideas for a future Decim8nday project with Kris, the cr8or of Decim8?  Any thoughts floating around on ways to help engage people to participate in Decim8nday and use the app?

D:  Personally, I haven’t. I haven’t been too involved over the past few months. I’ve too consumed at work for the regular demands of a weekly project. I hope to resume more active participation in time, but for the time being, I just can’t.

S:  I’m fresh out of grand-scale ideas at the moment!  The greatest thing about Decim8nday right now is that Decim8 has such a following– it’s doing a lot of the work itself.  #Decim8nday operates without too much facilitation and people have always done what they wanted to there. While we ask people to edit one of their last 12 posted images and cite their process, it doesn’t always happen. David and I agree that we won’t spend the time to police it, rather to encourage from the sidelines. Decim8This requires more of a hands-on approach, but we call upon other enthusiasts to work with us each week, share the workload.  It’s been working great.

B:  It seems as if there is a core group of Decim8ors who join in on the weekly hashtag.  What message would you give those who haven’t yet?

D:  I advise anyone that wants to learn what others are doing with Decim8 to follow the tag, see what effects others are using, and what the original image was prior to decim8’ing.  Those who participate regularly usually become very fond of the app, as they have learned what effects do what, and how to combine them well.

Jet Blue by David 

Decim8 effect used: Brainfeed3r

S:  I agree, and wholeheartedly, with David’s advice.  Ask questions, communicate about art.  Additionally, here’s an opportunity to let go of the controls — throw caution to the wind and have fun!

B:  Here’s a random question: if you were to travel back in time, which era would you choose to live in and why?

D:  If I had to choose, I’d probably guess the early 1800’s in the United States, before our population & technology explosion. I’d have loved to be one of the Pioneer’s blazing their way towards the Wild West.

S:  (Bridgette, that IS so random.) Without spending more than 2 minutes considering this, I will tell you that I think it would have been really cool to have been on the HMS Beagle with Darwin (mid-1800’s) identifying and cataloging new species OR working with Linnaeus, the century before, systematically organizing the animal and plant kingdoms and developing the naming system of binomial nomenclature. Both were exciting times for art-science connections. Albertus Seba and his Cabinet of Natural Curiosities comes to mind.

B:  Name an artist or photographer who has influenced you or who you admire most.

D:  Tammy George, aka @punkrawkpurl, has been my favorite iPhoneoographer to follow. She combines excellent fundamental photography with an unparalleled ‘App proficiency’ to create her incredible images. She also brilliantly co-manages a thriving community (HipstaRoll) and contributes to others like Ampt. I am continually amazed in all she does, and all she is involved with.

S:  Well, I admire the work of many, many IGers — too many to list here today!  My favorites from the professional world: I love the large scale work of contemporary photographer Richard Misrach, whose waterscapes blow my mind.  Karl Blossfeldt and Charles Jones both worked in monochrome and paid attention to the patterns that occur in nature.

Golden Gate Bridge by Suzanne

Decim8 effect used: Fold4Rap5 

In lieu of Decim8nday’s 1st birthday, I asked David and Suzanne to choose five of their favorite edits throughout the year.  Hard to do but they were up for the challenge!

David’s choices (in no particular order):

Hello, Hello, Can You Hear Me? You are Cutting Out, You’re Cutting Out of the Radar… by @cekws

Sunday on Monday by @debinsf 

#Eiffelbirds by @jvdt 

Untitled by @buzz777

Untitled by @mcquake01

Suzanne’s choices (in no particular order):

Untitled by @markgoblue

Untitled by @nickcoops 

My Boys and Me by @imelda 

Untitled by @agent0047 

Free Couch by @cecilyc 

Bios:

“Look up, look down—notice stuff.” is what reads in Suzanne’s Instagram bio. She’s a science teacher and a photography enthusiast who only a year ago shuddered at the thought of editing a photograph—much less using her phone as a creative tool.  Suzanne curates #Decim8nday with David Baer and now has her hands on as many editing tools as she can handle.  Find her on Instagram at @_suzanne_.

David is a Silicon Valley based guy, who does electrical work by day, but spends most of his free time in iPhoneography related endeavors. Decim8 has been one of his favorite editing apps & the #Decim8nday tag was created with Suzanne to explore more with Decim8 and the Instagram community. Find him on Instagram & twitter at @david_baer.