by Rachel White | Jan 4, 2013 | Featured Articles
Our Instagramers Seattle community was invited to document and share our experience at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s ‘Family Day’ celebration this past weekend.
The Visitor Center doors were opened to families and the space was filled with free hands-on art making experiences designed to help inspire attendees to make a difference in their worlds. We were encouraged to explore the Visitor Center’s interactive exhibits and photograph families engaging with the activities and with each other.
photo by @dankhole
photo by Rebecca @rtext
Kids could hand-sew a plushy doll for a friend in need of cheer, use gaming to solve world problems, design a bracelet that shares a cause meaningful to them, share their feelings about global issues via a live-streaming wall display and more.
photo by Rachel @iwife
It was inspirational to see how engaged the kids were, and how excited their parents were to witness that level of engagement.
photo by Dorian @nairodream
photo by Alan @_shadesofgray_
WHAT’S THE GIVE EFFECT? – The Give Effect is one answer to a frequently asked question at the Gates Foundation Visitor Center: “How can we give back to our community?” The Foundation collected 250 wishes from local groups that serve youth and families. Throughout the month of December, visitors were invited to choose a card from the “Giving Tree.” Each gift helped a family or young person in need.
photo by Rachel @iwife
Not only did the Foundation offer a way for individuals to give back to their community, but they also translated that generosity into real donations and financial support benefiting five local non-profit organizations: YouthCare, Wellspring Family Services, Technology Access Foundation (TAF), Educare and Rainier Scholars.
photo by Dan @dankhole
According to Martha Choe, Chief Administrative Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: “Giving and gratitude are core values at the foundation, and our mission at the Visitor Center is to educate and inspire our local neighbors to embrace them as well. The Give Effect campaign is an exciting way for families to experience the joy of giving back, and come together as a community to make a difference.” [as reported by the Queen Anne View blog]
photo by Dorian @nairodream
WHAT’S THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION? – The Gates Foundation has a long history of philanthropy at local, national and worldwide levels. The Foundation teams up with partners around the world to take on some tough problems: extreme poverty and poor health in developing countries, the failures of America’s education system. They focus on only a few issues because they think that’s the best way to have great impact, and they focus on these issues in particular because they think these are the biggest barriers that prevent people from making the most of their lives. At the Visitor Center, interactive installations provide a hands-on experience for learning about where needs are being met in the world and what challenges remain.
photo by @bridgettesxo
photo by Amara @amarainseattle
“For each issue the Foundation works on, wefund innovative ideas that could help remove barriers: new techniques to help farmers in developing countries grow more food and earn more money; new tools to prevent and treat deadly diseases; new methods to help students and teachers in the classroom. Some of the projects we fund will fail. We not only accept that, we expect it—because we think an essential role of philanthropy is to make bets on promising solutions that governments and businesses can’t afford to make.
photo by Alan @metroseattle
“As we learn which bets pay off, we adjust our strategies and share the results so everyone can benefit. The Gates family believe that by doing these things—focusing on a few big goals and working with their partners on innovative solutions—they can help every person get the chance to live a healthy, productive life.” – The Gates Foundation
photo by Nilesh @nileshsoni
Instagramers Seattle would like to thank The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Jori Saeger for inviting us to this great community event, for being so gracious and for the opportunity to spotlight what good work the foundation is doing for communities near and far.
by Dilshad Corleone | Jan 2, 2013 | Featured Articles
Napoli: The Unsung Story by Dilshad C
“O fair, false city, thou gay and gilded harlot!
Wo for thy wanton heart, wo for thy wicked hardness!
Wo unto thee, that the lightsomeness of life, beneath Italian suns,
Should meet the solemnity of death, in a sepulcher so foul and fearful!” – Martin Farquhar Tupper
Naples is an incredibly lively city, its beauty and charm has been described and praised often, and as they say, “Vedi Napoli e poi muori!” See Naples and then die! One can’t blame the Neapolitan for never wanting to leave this city, nor its poets singing its praises in lofty hyperboles. The name of Naples brings back memories and images of Dean Martin singing That’s Amore, it also reminds us of white-t-shirt-wearing pizzaioli throwing pizza dough’s in the air and mandolin players chanting the secret love affairs of this city.
My story, however, is about the unsung people, it’s about those that tend not to be mentioned, it’s the story of those who roam the streets unnoticed and live an ordinary life of solitude.
Naples is also Camorra (the local criminal cartel), which truly is embedded in the daily life of everyone and for those that haven’t seen Gomorra, an astonishing movie by Matteo Garrone, go now and watch it!
Naples is made of thousands of colours and of the many market-places’ bustling sounds, Naples is about the kids that wiz through on scooters and the lady that shouts from the window, Naples is also about Maradona the god and its football team and this story is about all this!
Napoli Station
My story begins here, at the Stazione Centrale di Napoli, where people come and go and rest and carry out dubious business, here, Maradona the god, from high above the station’s main gates, looks after its people and the caption below reads: Lui è il mio Dio (He is my God).
The Squatter
This is the story of the squatted S.K.A. a place where the disadvantaged social groups, the unemployed, the homeless reunite and where protests are organized. Today they are remembering Gigi, a juvenile killed in the turf war erupted between the various Camorra gangs, and fought largely by young street boys. Ciao Gigi (Hello Gigi) and Gigi Vive (Gigi Lives), one can read on the many graffiti around the city, and Gigi will live forever in the memories of those that loved him.
Bang, Bang My Baby Shot Me Down
This is also the story of Tonino, who hangs around the S.K.A., he is an ex Camorrista (member of the Cammora), or so he boasts about and as proof of his claim he shows me the many tattoos that he has. I’m not too convinced and I beg to differ with him, so angrily, he says: “This” – pointing towards his elbow – “is the spider web, sign of who has killed! And of those who have made it out of jail!” I sense a bit of pride welling in his chest, then pointing his cigarette at me says that the next time he will see me around he will shoot me dead…
I’ve Got A Knife In My Pocket
So I think it’s time to move on, I really don’t want to abuse his kindness and generosity… Talking about kindness, I end up in a local market place, where I am approached by a lovely old man who, in a whisper, asks me “vu n’iPhone?” (do you want to buy an iPhone?), and opens his vest filled with many memorabilia – I cordially decline his offer. I was, however, fascinated by his face and his dubious ways, so I decide to immortalize him. This, unfortunately, doesn’t go down so well with him and he pulls a knife on me, well I guess it’s time to move on again and this time a lot quicker then the previous one. Ah the joys of being a storyteller…
Pulcinella
I ran and ran… it was a hot summer day and I wondered why I had actually decided to come to Naples? One with some sense and better reason, at this point, would just take the first train back and move on with his life, but I really wanted to capture the soul of this city.
I ended up in Spaccanapoli, the main street that traverses the old, historic centre of the city of Naples. The name is a popular usage and means, literally, “Naples’ splitter”; this is derived from the fact that it is very long and from above it seems to divide that part of the city in half. Historically, the street is one of the three decumani, or east-west streets, of the grid from the original Greco-Roman city of Neapolis.
Here I see Pulcinella, or I would like to call him like this. He was walking down in a dark alleyway with very little light and buildings on both sides. I remember I was talking to a jeweller about the history of the city and it’s particular vibe. While I was conversing with this quite extrovert jeweller, my eyes fell over Pulcinella. His characteristic and unusual way of walking had caught my imagination and my interest, he truly was such a particular character, making peculiar gestures, hence at that point I had to cut short the conversation and I went for the kill.
Pulcinella’s mannerisms reminded me of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte characters, thus the title name Pulcinella. After taking a few shots of him, I asked the people in the area about him and they all knew who he was: an actor in his younger years, not famous, but he made people laugh, they said. After his short-lived career, he started roaming the streets of Naples, playing his character and stopping at local coffee shops (Bar) for an espresso. For each espresso he drinks, he pays for a second one for whoever comes after him. I think I have enjoyed one of those coffees myself!
The Football Fan
My journey towards the discovery of Naples was becoming more of an Odyssey. Lost in the meanders of the old city I decided to go where no tourist ever dared going: in the Quartieri Spagnoli (The Spanish Quarters), the poor area of Naples, suffering from high unemployment and strong influence of the Camorra, this area of the city is plagued with petty crime and it’s a no-go-zone for tourists. The Quartieri were created in the 16th century to house Spanish garrisons, hence the name, whose role was to quench revolts from the Neapolitan population. Soon they became an infamous quarter with a high rate of criminality and prostitution.
Here I had the pleasure of meeting 11 years old and 14 years old Ciro and Nino, two football fan, who were getting ready for the local match, and Nonna Pina, their grandmother, who was enjoying the sight of them playing with a Molotov bottle.
Selling My Life
My story continues and now the main characters are the immigrants, the tailors, the street vendors and the miracle seller: Habib has been in Naples for the last 5 years, works 7 days a week and the little he earns goes all to his family in Kashmir. His red beard is one that he is proud of; it took him 2 years to grow it and twenty minutes a day to take care of it. Indeed, happiness is hidden in little ordinary daily life gestures.
Life As A Taylor
Reanto’s tailoring laboratory is also his bedroom; the door is always left open for anyone that wants to have something stitched or wants to pop in just for an espresso and a chat. Renato has been there for as long as his memory can recount it. He has seen the many facades of this strange city, which, he says, every so often is reborn from its own ashes, like the phoenix so that it can raise itself high and might again only to fall better and harder.
In The Name of Berlusconi
Naples is also about its street vendors and their colourful shops. There are hundreds of these around everywhere selling anything from Santini (small figurines of local saints) and statues of those classical characters that originated from the Commedia dell’Arte. So I asked him why together with the saintly figures and theatrical characters he also had for sale the statues and photos of Berlusconi? “Ah, he is a bit of both” he replayed, carelessly.
I Sell Miracles
Naples is about the story of the miracles sellers, it is truly a serious business here and it is not to be messed with. The Santo Protettore or patron is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person. Patron saints, because they have already transcended to the metaphysical, are believed to be able to intercede effectively for the needs of their special ones, obviously for a little charge, or as we might call it “Donation”. Hence, people are more prone to make donations in exchange for solved issue. I wanted to come back alive from my visit to Naples and of course with some good photos out of this day here, so I approached him and made my donation… You decide now if you should believe in a patron or not.
Liz Taylor
Naples is beauty and solitude and its stories are made of lost souls who wanted to be like Liz Taylor all their lives, and do look the part at 9am of an ordinary and average day. They roam the streets, window shop and stop to sip coffees and converse to their local greengrocer. Liz would have probably done the same too had she had born in Naples.
Til Life Do Us Part
Naples is about the story of those that have stopped talking to each other because of a card game gone foul or of a football conversation that lead to a never-ending argument, well at least till the next coffee break and then they will start again, it’s a strange beautiful vicious circle that goes round and round…
Making Up
Naples is about the story of those that apologise and swear on their grandfather’s soul that they never intended to do what they did; and yet some people will never change, similarly to their listener that do not care anymore and are not bothered, they have seen and heard it all.
Grown Old Together
Naples is about the story of those old ladies that have been friends for a lifetime and grown to like and to support each other in difficult times and meet every day, at the same time, in the same place for the past half a century and discuss family matters and the odd gossip. These ladies are the true patron of the story and the history of these streets, they have seen Naples change and raise high and mighty and fall and then pick itself up and raise again. They are the true gatekeepers of this beautiful city.
My Story
This is also my story, the story of my reflections in the many rear-view mirrors and windows of this city; this is the story of me looking through dark alleyways in search of the light, in search of another story to tell.
by Brad Puet | Dec 21, 2012 | Chops with BP, Featured Articles
Meet Crystal
“True presence is a sacred act.” ~Ferrell and Coyle
This is a quote from two nurses who have done extensive research on caring for patients at the end of life. It is meant to describe the act of deep observation and human connection that can occur in those final precious moments. I am a nurse specializing in oncology and end of life care, but am also trained as a painter and mixed media artist. It has been a long while since I’ve participated in anything I would call “art making” but it seems I’ve always managed to be making something. When I first began nursing I hard a hard time reconciling the two practices in my mind, but recently I’ve found they are not so different at all. They both require total engagement of the senses, and to do either reasonably well requires discipline and that “true presence” which these nurses are describing. Generally I enjoy photographing repeating forms, lines, and patterns I find in my environment. Only recently I have switched from an HTC Inspire to an i5 and I have been beside myself exploring apps like Snapseed, Picfx, and particularly the exercise in chaos theory which is Decim8. I’m constantly amazed by their intuitive interfaces, and by how expressive they can be (a LOT less clinical than I remember Photoshop being).
When Jess proposed a collaboration I was thrilled. To say I had been admiring her brilliant portraits (and eloquent narratives) for several months is an understatement. How Jess is able to achieve the richness and textures she does with her magic phone continues to escape me. Even more than this, she has an unbelievable and beautiful connection with each individual she photographs. Her images do not simply describe, they are really artifacts of the the true presence which she so easily achieves with everyone she meets.
We each exchanged a series of images leaving the selection and edit up to the other. I had been working on some Decim8ed street shots (with actual people!) and was really just blown away by the image at the temple. Clearly this is a BIG image with themes and subject matter which transcends time. I really wanted to see if it would be possible to explore this image via my decim8 experiments, while maintaining the dignity and sacredness of this moment.
Favorite shots Jessica chose of Crystal’s work
Meet Jessica
My passion is simple, my passion is life and the photos I take are just that, life unfolding before my very eyes. As an American nomad living abroad in South Asia I’m exposed to different cultures, people, languages, faiths, music, architecture, surroundings and sights. I’m learning so much from my own experiences so I want to share what I learn with those in my life and I tried blogging but it just wasn’t effective for me so the best way I know how is through my photography and the narrative I include with each moment. I absolutely LOVE capturing people doing what they do, not posed, not acted, but living their daily life. Life is the old man gripping the bars of the local train as we chug south to Mysore. Life is the woman walking out of her hut to see the sun peeking out from the clouds. Life is a mother and daughter crouched in front of their house drawing the new Rangoli for the day. Life is hawks soaring between the buildings in the middle of downtown Mysore as the sun beats down on a hot afternoon. Life is a moped chillin inside the doorway of a concrete house. Life is men and women embracing the temple wall in devotion to their goddess after paying tribute to her figure. Sometimes I see life in black and white, sometimes I see it in color, sometimes I see it with a twist but to me, it’s all the same life and my goal is to share what I see while also honoring and respecting those whose lives I’ve captured.
I use my HTC One X exclusively and I am the newest member of @DroidEdit.
Favorite shots Crystal chose of Jessica’s work
Jessica Introduces the Collaboration
What I love about Crystal’s work is that there is a deep appreciation for the details, regardless of how small or large and she can make ANYTHING beautiful… seriously… ANYTHING, like baseball and fat, two things which I am very adverse!! We both shoot different subjects and tackle our images differently but that’s what I found most intriguing about working with her and why I wanted to work with her. WWCD?! ? Would she go all decim8’y with it? Will she pick out some obscure detail and twist the image in a way that I would never have even dreamed? The only thing I knew is that I trusted her 147% with my images and the vision she would have for my raw shots so I didn’t guide at all and I wanted her to have full artistic liberties over what the edits would look like. My contribution to this collaboration – I sneakily parked my butt next to this wall at the Chamundeshwari Temple on Chamundi Hill in Mysore, India and tried to snap a decent picture that I could possibly work with in the future… she did the rest 😉
Crystal sent me 2 separate edits and this one just grabbed my heart like a grappling hook! This edit was so powerful, the colors intense and the decim8 lines drawing you from one side of the mirror to the other. In a lot of the eastern religions and philosophies there are these external gods/goddesses/deities that are worshipped but when you break it down, what you pray for, when praying for them, is the quality those gods/goddesses/deities have that you want to possess and that you want to shine bright. Like when you pray to Buddha, you’re not praying to Gautama, you’re praying to the Buddha qualities within you. When you pray to Ganesha, you’re not praying Ganesha comes and saves you from all your woes but that the wisdom and the ability to overcome obstacles rises within you and that you have the strength to face your own challenges. In yoga, it’s said that the best teacher is the teacher you have within yourself. I’m by no means an expert in these philosophies, not even close, and there are so many complexities but this is what I’ve come to understand during my time here so forgive me if I’m missing the mark a bit. The way Crystal edited my original image portrays this understanding impeccably!! Yes this man is praying to Chamundeshwari but what he’s also praying for courage, strength and power within himself that Chamundeshwari was known for. I cannot envision capturing the act of honoring one’s faith and oneself any better than she has. I love this woman’s brain and heart so much!
Crystal Breaks it Down
1. I can’t begin to describe how excited I was when I saw this. I think all of the intensity and beauty of the moment Jess saw is conveyed so clearly here. Usually I crop the images I work with first, before taking them to other apps. I tried this method first but found I was losing some of the space and compositional strength when I went to Decim8. I decided to start over and take another approach.
2. I ran the whole image through a few versions of Veth in Decim8 before finding this.
3. I then took the image to Snapseed and decided on a crop which would leave as much of the texture of the shirt in combination with the lines describing the angle of the wall and decided on a 1/4 turn.
4. Decim8 produces some high key colors, so I fine tuned a little in VSCO Cam, adjusting fade, contrast, saturation, and grain.
5. Back to Decim8 one more time for a Beamrider filter. Then a trip to Picfx for one of the PFX Film filters.
The image was originally published to the “iDroid challenge” hosted by @AMPt, @DroidEdit and @WeAreJuxt (all on Instagram).
#iDroid_Dec
See the first feature on Juxt from the challenge:
Moose: The Result of Joined Forces by Atle and Tom
A challenge where Android and iPhone photographers and artists collaborate across the technical platforms.
by Anna Cox | Dec 20, 2012 | Anna Cox, Featured Articles
So the conversation went a little something like this :
A: So I wanna talk to you about doing an Interview for Juxt.
G : You want me to interview you?
A : No silly, I want to interview YOU!
*dramatic pause*
G : Seriously, me?
A : Yes! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.
G : ….. huh ?!!…..Okay, deep breaths… **hyperventilates*… I’m not used to all this attention, I’m flattered, but can’t believe I’m here amongst well – insert seriously long list of talented individuals here – so many people who inspire me daily…
A: Anna G: Giulia
A: The above image is one of my all time top ten favorites I’ve seen on IG. There is something pitiful but proud about him. We have nicknamed him smexy and all I want to do is feed him soup.
Music playing in the background : Radiohead – All I Need, Jeff Buckley – Halleluiah , Massive Attack – Paradise Circus, Sia – Breathe Me, The Doors – Riders on the Storm, Jimi Hendrix – Stairway to Heaven, PJ-Harvey/Thom Yorke – This Mess We’re In, Stevie Wonder – Superstition, The White Stripes -Seven Nation Army
A: Tell me a little about you in real life. The real deal Hollifield. Giulia in living color.
G: G in Real Life … so you mean I’m not going to wake up & realise this is all just a dream? *pinch me* Well okay then let’s go right ahead and shatter all those who preconceptions about me being so “mysterious” why don’t we?!
A: I adore you! Maybe you are technicolor.
G: Let’s start off with location, people sometimes assume I’m from Europe (or Mars) – must be that Italian name of mine or my weird sleeping patterns – one or the other – but i’m actually based in Melbourne, Australia. My background though is Italian, both my parents were born there… I actually did some schooling there when i was about 10 – so can speak/read it fairly fluently – I also learned Japanese in high school – which i can’t speak at all fluently – & helped me zero amount when i visited Japan a couple of years ago. I have family all over the globe from Germany to Canada / New York / South America… & I like to travel.
A: Let’s talk moola. How do you make yours?
G: What do I do for a living? I am a Graphic Designer by day – albeit one with photographic & artistic tendencies at night. Do I consider myself a Photographer? No, but I’m learning & loving it & it has been a passion of mine since I first picked up my dad’s Minolta back when i was around 5 or 6 – I remember playing around with it in our backyard on the steps & in the garden (I was so curious about it so eventually he let me play – though i was so careful with it it seemed like some kinda mystical object – so heavy in my little hands – & even then I liked to zoom in on the details with the closeup lens). Its funny how vivid that memory is for me, feels like yesterday. There was always a camera around at every occasion, along with cake , either his SLR or video – I wish he’d kept his super8 camera, though there’s still reels of film from even older cameras somewhere gathering dust & fraying with time. I was devastated when his slr was stolen from my car when i was still at uni – it’s safe to say I had adopted that camera as my own. & it was the day before my folio was due. I was in complete shock – my lecturer told me to “go home, have a scotch & take a bath” – & he gave me an extension for my folio. & well … I haven’t really used film since.
Me? To sum up – I guess I see the beauty in everyday things. I like to capture it any way I can… I love the details. & my eyes are always open ready to take in any moment.
A: What’s a typical day look like for you? I know you LOVE getting up early. You always get the worm don’t you?
G: A typical day involves me groaning at the clock & rolling over not wanting to get up in the morning. Once I stumble out of bed I am barely functional before 12 pm. I usually start the day with by checking my instagram feed (yes i’ve been an addict ever since I first started on there around March 2011), & me easing my head around the idea that I’m awake by answering any personal or work emails that are waiting for me….
I’m lucky enough to work for myself now. My first real client when I graduated was a trial run – a dream really, working on a concept for a momento for a private collection of Japanese art – (I don’t know where those kind of jobs have disappeared to now!) She hired me after that. I worked there for awhile until she moved on to Film & closed the design business. I took off overseas for awhile & travelled. When I got back I fell into working in-house in a more corporate/retail environment – I became bored with that after rebranding & creating new identities/packaging/signage/websites for the various brands they’d acquired. So a few years went by & I began working at night gathering a handful of clients to start out with until i branched out on my own freelancing full-time in design. I have done a range of things, the usual logo & stationery / branding / packaging / ads / & have been involved in a few fitouts for buildings which is a challenge I enjoy working at a large scale & dealing with type & space & a free reign on concepts.
Currently I rent a space with some other creatives (an illustrator, printmaker, & photographer), in a beautiful old building which has some great exposed brick surfaces & arches & wonderful character mixed with some modern finishings. I love the flexibility & usually have Wednesday free for my own thing which I like to spend eating at the latest cafe on my list followed by hunting through thrift stores for vintage or retro packagingand clothes. I love Japanese books with exposed binding & pages of calligraphy, and fabrics & papers with distressed or deckled edges make me swoon…
A: If you could shoot anything what would it be? And don’t give me one of those crazy unspecific answers.
G: Hmmm I think I just know it when I see it.
A: Really G?
G: I’m impossible to walk with. I’m always running off down some laneway, or up some side street, ducking into old buildings, sneakily taking photos while I think no one is watching, trespassing on abandoned properties due for demolition – shhhh don’t tell, generally speaking I’m chasing the light often with no regard for my personal safety (um hello nearly setting foot into oncoming traffic, & um junkies in dodgy rundown places). Honestly I’m not sure my ‘real world’ friends really get it most of the time! They are usually scratching their head thinking what the hell is she photographing now? I gravitate towards textures & abstract shadows. Old posters, paper, type, tactile things with soul, anything calligraphic, graffiti, rusted locks, broken glass, discarded rubbish,things that look like they’ve been worn & weathered by time, but have been fascinated by expressions on faces lately. People watching is fascinating, it’s fun to make up stories to their lives just by observing. There’s nothing like that moment of realisation when you’ve “got it” that shot, & you can call it a day. I find myself going out whenever I have the spare time looking for the next perfectly imperfect moment. I’ve often wondered what it would be like becoming a food stylist, combining my love of food AND photography but I like doing that as a hobby for now – documenting my every meal. lol but there’s a food blog or recipe book in there somewhere I know it! Theres a few countries on my wishlist to go visit that i would need a limitless roll for… the mosques & shadows of Turkey/Spain are probably high on my architectural wishlist though. Though I’ve been to Spain it was more of a sightseeing visit than a photographic journey – I’d be armed with an iphone this time around. & give me an abandoned space any day of the week & I will come running, anywhere, anytime.
A:What inspires you? Other than me, lava cupcakes, and scones? Just kidding.. *puts on serious face* okay. Really, what moves you?
G: In terms of inspiration, it can come from anywhere at any given moment, if I’m feeling receptive I’m like a sponge soaking up everything in my environment. If i’m feeling uninspired or down I’ll often break out the ink, this tends to free me up creatively & is a kind of visual therapy. I’ve never considered myself “good at drawing” in fact I have always thought I was terrible at it. It wasn’t until my drawing teacher suggested I try ink, that I had that moment where I felt it somehow translated something I was feeling in a raw, emotive, way. In terms of artists, there are too many to mention them all but some which immediately come to mind given my fascination with ink, colour, and shape are : Twombly, Pollock, Franz Klein, Richter, Kiefer, John Cage, Miro, Kandinsky, Picasso, Rothko, Fornasetti, Serra. Photographers : I feel like I’m still learning about but a few which resonate with me : Mario Giacomelli & Siskind also Man Ray, Kertesz & Blossfeldt. I think Japanese & islamic calligraphy is the most beautiful thing with letters falling like rain on a page. Retro type from old magazines, old woodblock letters, handwriting, old postcards, woodblock prints from masters like Hokusai. & absolutely any words from the poet Pablo Neruda – they’re exquisite – I often quote them in my photographs & sometimes lyrics from songs.
A: First, can I just say I love your artist picks up there- Miro, Klein, Rothko *sigh* Anyway, next question. How has having a camera that’s a sometimes phone changed the way you look at things?
G: Not sure if how I see things has actually changed, but the method of documenting it certainly has. If someone could build me a darkroom in my house I would probably be eternally grateful. In the end I don’t think it matters how you take the picture but the fact that you do take the picture, noticing those details that a hundred or a thousand people walk right by is the first step. Turning it sideways & thinking how else can I view or perceive the situation fascinates me. Though I think I’m more keenly aware of my need to visualise emotions or interpret them through images NOW, & am drawn to pictures that have a soul – like someone breathed life into them & left behind only the traces. I feel, in a way, more receptive to the world around me, perhaps more acutely aware, though I’d say my graphic background has played a part in the way I see & “frame” things, only now I have a more immediate way to capture & share it with others. I also adore a bit of ambiguity in a story, engaging the viewer & leaving them often with more questions than answers. It’s all too easy otherwise. Point. Shoot. Perceive. What’s the point?
A: If you had to categorize your self were would you land artistically? I know you hate this question but I think your talent is multi-faceted. So you are totally allowed to circle D- all of the above
G: I really struggled to answer this question. I even asked some other people. For one thing, i hate talking about myself. I’d much rather listen to someone else tell me their stories than carry on about myself. I’m more than likely to launch into self-deprecating sarcasm than to spout endless adjectives about my own personal graphic style – I’d much rather talk about yours instead. Truth is, I don’t want to put myself in a box. Going through my photos I realised that, there is no singular theme… sure there are links, a love for light & shadows – dark & bright, black and white. Then there are sparks of colour, like splashes of ink, red is dotted through my photos in one way or another like little drops of emotion, & calligraphy weaves in and out through the urban graffiti. There is definitely the more abstract me,which i tend to fall back on by default – illustrated best in my book Whispers, & the street G,who has been emerging more slowly, and inquisitively recently. Honestly, shooting people scared me to death before, its much ‘easier’ doing textures.Choosing a couple of images to represent me was near impossible, since I don’t think I’ve taken my best shot yet, and, since there is no singular ‘style’ but a range of them. All linked by a common thread & a common voice – mine.
A: G you are more than fantastic. I have so enjoyed our late night/early morning chats when one of us is half asleep. If I had a lava cupcake I would go halfsies with you. Thanks for chatting me up.
by Dilshad Corleone | Dec 4, 2012 | Featured Articles
Floating in the sky
A Mysterious Community by Dilshad C
In the writing of Yisroel (Israel) Ben Eliezer, most commonly known as Baal Shem Tov, he claims that Hasidic Judaism was invented by him while taking long walks alone in the forest at night where he received revelations about the Almighty God of Israel.
The Rabbi
Mystical individuals arose, outside the Rabbinic establishment, who were known as the Masters of Kabbalistic mysticism, intervention and miracles, who sought to offer the downtrodden masses spiritual and physical encouragement, and practical healing. The image of these charismatic figures, often wandering among the people, became shaped by the Kabbalistic legend and stories.
The Family
I am, however, not here to dwell on how this branch of Judaism was created. I am here because I’ve always been fascinated by this community’s secluded life style. I am fascinated by them and by the mysticism that surrounds them, and of course their clothing, their hats and those long beards woven onto those wrinkled faces! So I decided to go to Stamford Hill, which is a little area of London with the largest Hasidic community in the UK.
The Storyteller
I think it was one of the most difficult photo walks that I’ve ever done. Even though, when you are walking around that area you can see them all over the place, it surely was not easy to photograph them, as they move really fast and don’t like to be snapped; let alone the men, it took me two days of wandering, to say the least, to photograph a lady of the house together with its family, just to say how difficult it was.
Friends
Lady of the Family
Ovid once wrote: “There was a grove below the Avantine dark with shade of oaks and when you saw it you would say there is a deity abiding there”. This feeling of fear, awe, reverence and possibly uneasiness, which was felt by Ovid a millennia ago, was, quite earnestly speaking, also felt by me while roaming the streets of Stamford Hill today.
Pride
For the very first time I did not have the courage to stop them and to talk to them, maybe that very sense of awe and reverence stopped me from approaching them! I managed, however to have a word with one wonderful old man, who took the time to narrate to me a Hasidic story of Baal Shem Tov. The way he recounted that story was almost hypnotic and then, as if nothing had happened, he just stood up and walked away, crossed the road as if he were an apparition, with fast moving cars passing around him. He did not see them and they did not see him. He disappeared in the nothingness that our lives are surrounded by.
The Light
by Grryo Community | Nov 22, 2012 | Featured Articles, The Temples
Casting Dreams with Photographer/Designer, Josh Strandell by Dave Temple *Originally posted on We Are Juxt on June 19, 2012
Kewiki’s Introduction
His name is Josh Strandell, known to the Instagram community as @dream_cast. He is an extremely talented designer/photographer. When I first saw his work on Instagram, my jaw literally dropped. Then, I found out he is only 13. Needless to say my jaw was dragging by then. This kid has a huge amount of talent and at such an early age. If you are on Instagram, definitely check him out! I had a chance to chat with Josh. See the interview below.
K: Kewiki J: Josh
K: First of all, I was blown away that you are only 13! How did you come up with this style of artwork?
J: Everyone always seems surprised when I tell them my age. As far as style goes, I tried thinking of a style that seemed fresh and unused.
K: It’s very unique! Who would you say has had an influence on your work?
J: Matt French (@mattfrench) has really inspired me into photography. @nois7 has also inspired me into designs.
K: Do you have any favorite pieces of your work?
J: I’m not sure which piece of art is my favorite. They are all beautiful and inspiring.
K: So how do you come up with your ideas? They’re all so different, but carry similar themes.
J: I think of an idea that soon gets bigger and bigger. Sort of like a snowball rolling down a hill. As I think of all of the ideas, I piece them together to make a somewhat dreamy design.
K: You certainly have done that! So can you shed a little light on the apps you use to achieve these masterpieces?
J: Some of the most used apps that I use are “iDesign” (a great app for adding shapes and designs). I also use “Snapseed” for adding my grunge effects. But, a magician also has a trick or two up their sleeves!
At the end of the interview I knew I was in the presence of greatness. Josh’s imagination surpasses the imaginations of so many of us. His work will inspire you and stir different emotions in you. But, then again, isn’t that the goal of every great artist?
To check out Josh’s “Dream Cast” Instagram, click here.(http://statigr.am/user/dream_cast)
by David Norbut | Nov 19, 2012 | Featured Articles
In the Land of Montezuma by David Norbut
As a photographer, I am constantly attempting to balance the inner struggle between shooting with my iPhone camera (often times the Hipstamatic app) and my DSLR, a full frame Nikon D700 with my go to 50mm lens.
A couple of weeks ago, I traveled west to Arizona. This was to be a 9 day vacation with my wife and her folks. This would prove to give a full understanding, right now at least, of where I stand on using my iPhone or my big camera in my personal work and travels. I set out knowing already the direction I was attempting to go in. I knew I wanted to shoot Hipstamatic, but I am also aware of its limitations. The greatest and sometimes worst aspect of Hipstamatic is its unpredictability. However, if you use it enough you can start to harness your outcome and take some stunning photos. Another thing I wanted to try to capture was a series shot simultaneously in both color and black and white, something I haven’t done before. I had some experiments ahead, as my color experience with Hipstamatic is quite limited. I have only shot with one or two color combos over the last year and a half. Lastly, I was armed with my Nikon, knowing I would use it simultaneously but reserve most of its use for the best subjects, scenes and situations.
Over the next week or so, I would be carefully monitoring my shooting in an attempt to understand why I do what I do. Because, as a classically educated photography graduate, I have some inner struggles on abandoning my humble beginnings. I am trying to balance this modern era of mobile photography with my origins in traditional photography. While I feel that the legitimacy of shooting photography from our phones is being questioned less and less, there are still some improvements to be made. Therefore, the more we pay attention to what works and when, the better equipped we can be with whatever camera we are carrying.
We arrive at the airport in Phoenix with friends and a rental van waiting, and I’m thrilled to be back in a place so close to my heart. Within 20 minutes we are on the road to Sedona. For those of you who haven’t been there, it’s a town nestled in an otherworldly landscape of giant, red sandstone formations in the northern Verde Valley region of Arizona, US.
This would be my fourth visit. My first trip here years ago, was a beautiful experience. I had never seen the West. On this first trip I proposed to my wife right in the heart of Sedona. Surrounded by family and friends, we celebrated in this wonderful place, and it set the tempo for the rest of our trip and all of our future trips. For me Arizona is full of wonder, the great wide open, relics of the past scattered along a ruggedly stunning landscape. Being from the East coast, everything out West is new, different and wild. This place brings out the intense wanderlust thriving inside me.
After dealing with airports and traveling for most of the day, I’m distracted by the beauty of this place, recalling memories, ready for a meal and thirsty for a beer… not necessarily thinking about what combos I wanted to try out on my Hipstamatic.
Several days of experimenting later, and I’ve yet to find a color combination. The black and white side of the series isn’t a problem; I’m very comfortable shooting the Hipstamatic combo of JohnS and Blackkeys Supergrain, a very heavy contrast combo. If used correctly, I feel it works wonders in portraits and street scenes. It’s the color side of things where I was at a complete stand still.
I had been working with several combinations in Hipstamatic and even tried shooting with Procamera and adding vintage filters in Snapseed to try and capture the colors and moods I was engulfed in. While continually getting mixed results, it hit me. On the third morning, after already visiting Jerome and Sedona, I woke up at our main base in Marana, a small desert town located slightly west of Tucson. I’m up at the crack of dawn, wandering out at sunrise. The sky in Arizona has its own shade of blue, especially in the morning. This particular morning, I was reminded of a photo I’d seen.
Fellow Juxter and incredibly talented mobile photographer (and expert on all things Hipstamatic… see @punkrawkpurl and @hipstaroll), Tammy George posted a photo of a barbwire fence with some fabric stuck in it, under a warm blue sky. I remembered that image and wanted the look of that sky and the way the sunlight had been captured just right. But all I could remember was the the Hipstamatic film she used. I opened Hipstamatic went for the Cano Cafenol film and paired it with the Tejas lens, snapped a shot of an agave in the morning sun, and boom! It was exactly what I wanted, sans the black grungy frame that comes with that film, but I could always crop that out later. I thought to myself with excitement, “I’ve finally found my colors out here!”
I was now set. I would take the portraits and street scenes in black and white, and shoot the details and more organic desert scenery in my new found color combo. And hope that they would look good together as a cohesive Southwestern Series.
One thing about being in this vast expanse of desert country is that there are a lot less portrait opportunities walking around. But the folks I did come across were truly one of a kind individuals. My approach and skill had to be on point. When I did come across a character, one I wanted a willing portrait of, I was friendly and I told them the truth about myself. I explained my love for this place and that I’m working on a series to try and capture the true essence, the land and its people. As the subject becomes comfortable, I shoot nonchalantly during our conversation to try and catch the natural moments and avoid my portraits turning out like mugshots. I shoot twice, usually 2 frames per camera.
This is where the inner struggle I mentioned comes in to play. It’s not a matter of what I prefer to shoot with. The iPhone, to me, is just another tool of the trade. The struggle comes when trying to decide to use one over the other. If it’s the right situation I can just shoot with both, but that’s not always the case. Some interesting examples proved certain things already on my mind.
Anyone who takes photos both on Hipstamatic and on a manual set DSLR knows that the Hipsta app is automatic, it’s focus is set and there’s no aperture or shutter speed to mess with. In spur of the moment situations, you open the app and instantly take the photo. There’s no time wasted setting the camera for the photo, and once you learn your lens/film combos, you have a basic idea of what you’re going to get.
Using a manual setting on a big camera, especially when your on the move, it’s a constant game of adjusting aperture, shutter speed and focus to attain the best image. And while I do enjoy that part of it and it has become second nature, it has on occasion tripped me up… and that can blow an opportunity.
The next stop on the trip was Bisbee, an old copper mining town only a few miles from the Mexican Border on the eastern side of Arizona. This place is built into the side of a mountain, and it has an interesting and haunted history. In the first bar we sat down at we are already hearing tales of murder and all other sorts of local drama. The bartender told us about a coworker who had just died the day before, and then went on to tell us of the deaths of several previous boyfriends, some of them murdered and some accidental. Never the less, we got the feeling there is a lot of death in this town. The spooky vibe was already upon us in a real current kind of way.
We spent the night in an old trailer park full of old, renovated Airstreams and other similar models over half a century old. Tons of cool history here and a lot of subject matter for my color side of the series.
The next morning we got breakfast right up the road from where we were staying. The road we parked on was straight from another era, with old cars and trucks lining the street. There was even an old Greyhound bus, that now read “Strayhound.” Old signs and boarded up buildings, the textures and colors were like a dream. With the exception of a motorcycle garage, a gym and our breakfast stop, everything looked abandoned. This place was a complete mystery to me. If I had to guess, I would say all these relics parked up and down the road probably belonged to the same folks that owned the motorcycle garage, Arizona Thunder. I spent a good 20 minutes documenting everything I possibly could before getting back on the road. I could have spent the day here. I came across another example of Hipstamatic vs. Nikon here. I took two identical shots and I felt that in this situation the look that the Hipstamatic app lent to the image triumphed over the DSLR version. What I started to realize is that Hipstamatic is my ideal, film-like post processing, without having to post process… for shooting and sharing on the fly. My only fear is that my work may decline if I’m always in this fast paced shooting and sharing mode. With this realization, I decide I just need to pay attention and perhaps slow down a bit so that I can focus on the quality of the photo regardless of the device I’m shooting with.
A new day, another new desert town. I walked through the historic town of Tombstone, AZ, surrounded by locals and tourists alike who were donning cowboy hats and other traditional western garb. All down both sides of the street there were boardwalks with awnings overhead creating areas of shade and heavy sun… and shooting with the Hipstamatic combo of JohnS lens and Blackkeys Supergrain film you have very heavy contrast to begin with.
It’s all in the light. If you are taking a portrait with this app, using this combo, it is imperative that you pay attention to where the light falls.
Evenly lit shade is ideal. When in direct sun, the face or the subject you want to be the focus of the image must be in the light, otherwise you risk dark portraits that cannot be brightened in post processing. The large amount of subjects in cowboy hats made this quite interesting to say the least. The hats made strong shadows on the eyes and it was easy to blow the shot. Most of my successful portraits in this series and all of my Hipstamtic work were taken in evenly lit environments.
Choosing where you shoot your image is one way, I have learned, to control your outcome in using this beautiful combination of JohnS and Blackkeys Supergrain. After spending a few hours here I felt comfortable that I had a decent group of portraits, and I finally started to feel this series was coming to an end. Now we’d head back to Marana and relax for the last few days of our trip… visit some brewpubs, ride a gator through the cotton fields at night, watch the horses on the neighboring farm, enjoy the quiet, still of the desert, and fill up on as much Mexican food as possible… until we return.
All in all, I had several experiences where one camera worked better than the other. What it comes down to is preference of your final image and the sharing capabilities. In some cases I prefer the DSLR and sometimes the magic of Hipstamatic overcomes. On one hand, it’s all photography. On the other, because of accessibility, my iPhone photography has reached a much, much broader audience.
My Trucker Series started with DSLR, but I started shooting it in Hipsta and posting it on IG and that basically launched everything. It got me interviewed at Juxt, which led to me becoming a contributing member, which has led to more exposure and more gallery openings and so on and so forth.
Mobile Photography has reignited my love for street photography and helped me form creative alliances and friendships with other artists, from New York City to Instanbul to my own backyard. In the end, why do I still feel that I must keep the two separate, even though I’m starting to understand how to blend both tools in my photographic endeavors? I’m not sure I have an answer yet. I guess time will tell.
Click to purchase the book
by Grryo Community | Nov 15, 2012 | Featured Articles, The Temples
From Producer to Creator by @Kewiki
@Kewiki Introduction
Kevin Kuster is a name you may or may not be familiar with. But if you don’t know him now, you will. He is one of the many individuals involved in a monumental project started by the one and only Josh Johnson. I first met Kevin through Josh’s feed and really found him to be a fascinating and amazing photographer. I had a chance to catch Kevin before him and Josh left for Brazil to speak to the Brazilian Instagram group.
Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself. What do you do for a living?
A: For most of my career I was the Senior Photography Editor for Playboy Magazine, and Managing Content Producer for Playboy digital. Although most of my career had been focused on managing and producing, I am now focusing on being the content creator with my own photography and directing. I’m a partner at a startup studio called Creator Gallery in North Aurora, IL which is just outside of Chicago. This is a very exciting time in my life, and mobile photography has added to that excitement.
Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born in New York City, raised in Chicago, and went to school at the University of Kansas. It was quite a diverse move for me, and everyone asked “how does a city boy wind up in Kansas”. It’s a great school for art and design, plus, in addition, I got to see some of the best college basketball in the world. Go Jayhawks!!
Family, etc.
I’m from the typical Irish-German family. My mother never forgets anything, and my father is detailed and passionate. This combination has served me well in my career. I have one son, and he has just started to show an interest in photography and the arts.
Q: If you could recommend some of your favorite feeds on Instagram to new users, who would you recommend and why?
A: I am really a big fan of several people on Instagram; however, the following photographers never disappoint me with their images. Jason Peterson, @jasonmpeterson, has an amazing approach with black and white images. Richard Koci Hernandez, @koci, has to be one of the best street photographers ever. Lucho Marino, @lucho_marino is a wonderful portrait photographer. Martin Reisch, @safesolvent, often makes me say “how did he do that”. Mr. 007, @mr007, is truly inspiring and very creative. Of course, the #jjcommunity, @joshjohnson, inspires me each and every day. In my opinion, it is the epicenter of what snap, edit and share is all about.
Q: We see your name a lot on @joshjohnson’s feed. Can you tell us how you’re involved?
A: That’s actually a very interesting question. I contacted Josh a few months back after the Aurora, Colorado movie theatre tragedy. I sent him an email encouraging him to do a forum supporting all those who were touched by the tragedy or who might have lost a loved one. I told him that photography and images can change hearts and minds, and I asked him to use his platform to spearhead a measure of healing. After a few communications, he invited me to come on board to help them develop #jjcommunity and the new app we are creating. Since joining him as the Chief Editor we have added three core members (Emily Gomez, @ohemg87; Michael Petuzzi, @yomap, and Jackii Sovern, @jsovs), as well as 76 photo editors to help review the thousands of image we receive daily. In some of our daily forums we can receive up to 25,000 images.
We’ve also just started a charitable foundation, @jjfoundation. This will be where we post and hopefully sell images and collages to raise awareness and donate all proceeds to charity. We’re also getting ready to begin a new mentor sponsorship forum. This is a very exciting endeavor for us and mobile photography, in general.
Q: I interviewed Josh a couple of months ago regarding the new project he and the team are working on. Any updates you can give us?
A: Although we are still working on several plans, directions and a new app for our #jjcommunity, we’re very aware that what we currently have is working well. We hope to continue to add new programs and events each month and completely expand and add our own touch to the term community. To date our @joshjohnson, #jjcommunity feed has received about 20 million submissions. That’s a lot of really dedicated followers who are passionate about photography, and specifically mobile photography.
Q: Any final thoughts you’d like to leave for new users?
A: Yes, welcome to the future!!! Mobile photography is exploding, and will only get bigger and bigger. Mobile photography is defining how we create and connect like never before, introducing people to their inner creativity. As for me personally, mobile photography and editing on my iPhone really put the fun back into photography. Josh and I fly to Brazil in a few days to speak at a mobile photography conference and are very excited to be right in the middle of the mobile photo explosion. Soooo, start shooting, try out a new app, and jump on board the mobile photography wave!!! I can’t wait to see your images, read your comments and hopefully see you at a local Instagram meeting in Chicago.
Conclusion:
Thanks Kevin for taking the time to fill us all in on the exciting things you’re doing. Below are some of Kevin’s favorite shots. Be sure to check out his feed at Kevin Kuster.
by Bridgette | Nov 13, 2012 | Bridgette S, Featured Articles
A Touch Screen Artist from Jakarta by Bridgette S.
Bridgette’s Introduction
Before writing this intro, Ebes and I were chatting about life and work in general. He expressed his passion for what he does and how everything in life just ties into his artistry and craft. To which I replied, “it’s who you are and what you do.” He lives it, breathes it and takes every opportunity that comes his way.
I’ve been a big fan of his on Instagram and I’ve seen how he has broken the barriers of mobile design using his iPhone. If you aren’t following him or have seen his gallery, then I highly suggest clicking here – rest assured you won’t be disappointed.
His images speak for themselves and his creativity is astounding. He’s a master at collabs and brilliant at it too. If you don’t believe me, just keep reading 😉
Listen to his music while you read through this article.
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/12412569″ iframe=”true” /]B: Give us a glimpse into your everyday life. What’s family life like? What are your hobbies and how do they factor in with your creative side? What do you do for work?
E: I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia in the 80’s. I have two brothers, I am the eldest of the two. I act out the things I want to do. I’m the action person. I’ve been living on my own since I was 21. I basically moved out because I was getting married (been divorced for 2 yrs, and I have a son named Kale, he’s 6 yrs old) and needed to get ourself a place. My parents helped me the first year but I’ve been on my own ever since.
I work as a freelance designer plus I’m a full time student (Art student) at that time; graduated in 2008 for Visual Design communication. I won’t lie, it’s a struggle everyday. But the best part about it is having your own space and not to worry about your parents always constantly on your butt about everything; and with each glimpse I get into the life of a Graphic Designer who likes to diversify in all aspects of art and design. This is my life, the people I’ve ran into and those that have helped shape, mood my life into what I’ve become.
B: I am always blown away by your imagination and diversity. What helps you stay motivated and where do you find your inspiration?
E: My son is a huge source of inspiration and joy also. He inspires me to be more imaginative, more expressive, and more excited about everything in the most honest way. These are the things that keep my perspective on life and creativity. Also the most important intention in my life.
Okay, another confession — when I’ve inspiration I don’t need motivation; I need to sit next to my cigarettes and iced tea (I’m a tea person) wherever that is. It’s easy to work inspired, worse when you got to find some, and motivation to do so is the key.
B: This image is one of my favorites. Tell me what prompted you into adding the spilled paint and what is the story behind it?
E: Well, Thanks so much B! The idea comes when I see the old image (flickr) of that two people dripping a large tin of water. Then I decided to adding the spilled paint on it. I looked for a background that looks like it was a continuously under construction. So… That’s the story behind this picture.
“Under Construction” – collab with @ladylavina
Her original pic (a lady walks in garden) taken with iPhone 4s
Image of the people working from Google
Edited with Artstudio, PicFx & Snapseed
B: Aside from Artstudio, is there another app you like to use to incorporate design? Do you now prefer iPad over iPhone for design?
E: Yes of course. I use plenty of apps, but the one that are always there are: Snapseed, VSCOCAM, Blender, Phonto, MagicHour and PicFx.
I also experimenting with Pxl, an app that I think is very interesting to blend with.
I’d prefer my iPhone4 than iPad or iPad mini. I love that I can create wherever I go. I can snap everything that moves me.
“Flight Training” – collab with @sigithartanto
His original pic (old plane) taken with iPhone 4
The other images I took from Google (lady on top of the plane, people on the tail, old planes)
Edited with Artstudio, Blender with (Mextures) & Snapseed
B: Have you met other mobile photographers in your area and are you on any other photosharing platforms?
E: I have some accounts on other platforms: EyeEm, Flickr (it’s under the same name @abcdebes).
Yes, I have met a lot of talented mobile photographers in my area (Jakarta). We have a community called “iPhonesia” stands for iPhoneographers Indonesia. After a few months I joined Instagram, I started to get in touch with these people. And it’s changed (again) the way I look at the world.
B: What is the message behind your recent collab with @tomlovesyou? And how did the series come about?
E: I love collaborating with other creative people; it makes the process of creativity so much enjoyable. And when I asked Tom (@tomlovesyou) for a collaboration, then we started to brainstorm about what kind of photos and the edits. I’ve noticed that Tom’s had a best shot of the top of the mountains; so he sent me some of his best shot (mountains). Then I came up with this edit, glad to know that Tom is agree about this vintage collage (colors, collage, stripes) edits.
“Nostalgia” – collab with @tomlovesyou
Original pic of mountain taken with iPhone 4
The lady and the birds taken from Google
Edited with Artstudio along with the stripes, blended with Mextures, PicFx & Snapseed
“Busy Tone” – collab with @tomlovesyou
Original pic of mountain taken with iPhone 4
The lady and the birds taken from Google
Edited with ArtStudio along with the stripes, blended with Mextures, Pxlromatic+ & Snapseed
B: Love what you did with my photo! Give us a quick rundown on how you edited the image.
E: Artstudio: I’m going to explain a little bit more about the specifics for this app. It’s a bit tricky because it limits the number of layers one can use (maximum 5 layers only) so you must know what to do the first time. First thing first.
1st step: load your pic (from camera roll). Add a new layer (from the layer menu) then switch the new layer to the bottom. This works for the background so you can start erasing (Eraser tools) the layers above in transparency instead of white. And you can start masking out. You can adjust the brush size and opacity. By zooming the pic you can get more details. (Same step for every pic) You can make them black and white or you can colorize.
2nd step: Import image for background (from the layer menu). You can start to colorize the background, adjust the hue and saturation. You can also transform the image (choose layer and tap the image twice) and the menu will pop up.
3rd step: (Import from cameral roll again) The next step is adding the pin-up ladies and some small details. When using Google or Flickr, using the right keyword is important if you want to get a perfect pic for a collage (minimim size should be 150kb so you won’t get pixelated). As said, this step is always the same for any object (plane, tree, chair…) so you can colorized them later and merge them together.
4th step: Adding the retro shape, line, circle or triangle you can use the empty layer from the first one or make a new one. Fill it with your colors (Paint Bucket or you can choose “fill” on the selection tool button on the top — tap once). You can always pick another color later. Then you can duplicate (tap twice on the layer). If you want a specific color, pick a layer, choose pen tool and hold it for a second to filled with the same colors.
Final image:
“Cupid” – collab with @bridgettesxo
Original pic of Gas Works park taken with iPhone 4
Apps used: SquareReady, ArtStudio, Blender, Snapseed, Picfx
Square Ready: Crop into Square then save to (JPEG 2048 x 2048)
B: And finally, what type of music do you listen to? Do you have a favorite band?
E: Music is everything to me. Listening to music is my hobby. It’s also my dream to become a musician..haha. I can sing and plays guitar and ukulele; my favorite band is The Beatles, The Cure, and Radiohead (I grew up in the 90’s after all). I like music from many eras. I listen to mostly from 90’s alternative, psychedelic chillwave, a bit retro pop or disco, ambience, deep house, techno, acid, to jungly indie band.
You can check my soundcloud (The Akbar) there are some of my songs and mixes there while I started DJ’ing a couple of years ago. At the moment I am listening to Got Somebody – Moon Boots. So stay lit, and Enjoy!
——
Bio: Ebes Rasyid. 30 years old visual artist, designers whose work with digital platforms provided by touch screen technology and traditional media. then mingle the two, based in Jakarta.
Contact:
[email protected]
Facebook & Pinterest: Ebes Rasyid
Don’t tweet me!
by Brad Puet | Nov 12, 2012 | Chops with BP, Featured Articles
Survivorship & Photography by Rae and BP
Interview with Siri Okland for the Breast Cancer Awareness Challenge 2012
Rae’s Introduction
…Until we have a cure, early detection is vital…
As most of you know, October was breast cancer awareness month. I was over the moon excited when I was asked to join hosting this years 2nd annual BCA challenge with Trinia (@trinia) Kris (@leftcoastadventures) Renee (@azulbandit) and Kelsey (@kelseyhope) This was my first challenge on the hosting end of things. I learned right away that there was a lot more work behind the scenes then I ever imagined but giving the challenge topic at hand, it didn’t matter. Seeing the support by everyone and hearing their stories, made it all worth it. When we first announced the challenge, we wanted to make sure we focused on raising awareness. Just knowing one person booked an appointment and/or did a self examination made us happy. I know each of my cohost and I were told on different occasions that our end of the day goal was affective. It was so moving to have people come together and share their stories on how cancer had affected them, their families and/or friends. Many just wanted to know how they could help (ie sponsoring, donating, promoting on their feeds or just asking others to join in.) Before we knew it, the challenge just kept growing. This is the community I love.
Our first place winner was Anna (@annacox) and Anna being the gracious women she is, kindly gifted this interview to our second place winner, Siri. . We couldnt be more pleased with this interview and who you are about to meet.
BP’s Introduction
First off, BIG thanks to Trinia, Kris, Renee, Kelsey, and Rae for pulling off such an important contest. I have been totally moved by the stories and the photos that was shared all in the name of awareness for breast cancer. I’ve opened my story on one of the photos on my feed and so for those of you who haven’t read it, this, THIS cancer shit, has affected too many lives – most notably one who I love so dearly. My ask to the organizers was to not only have the involvement of Juxt, but to carry the story past the contest win and continue the education. As you’ve read above in Rae’s introduction, there are so many great stories of how this contest, this month has reached many people. Those affected in the past, those affected currently, and those who may be affected in the future, took a stand against this horrid monster. Breast cancer is only one of its ugly heads. We must continue to find ways to help those who are working on the cure. October was a rough month. There were 3 diagnosis and 2 scares just within my circle. Cancer has spread viral as usual AND in this day and age, our fight should take the same position – we go viral in stories, in education, and in support for those we love affected by cancer.
BIG thanks again to Trinia, Kris, Renee, Kelsey, and Rae…BIG thanks to all of you who contributed and spread the awareness about breast cancer…and BIG thanks to Siri for opening up her art, story, and life to the world.
Below you will find questions that Rae and I asked Siri. She, like her photographs, is truly inspiring.
Folks meet Siri.
“Found this little scared and frozen cutie in the street today. Seemed to have given up life, but after warming up, he flew up to the lamp in my bathroom. Next step: Convince him that others than Mom can feed him.”
It’s not often you get this close to a wild bird, and certainly not often a bird looks like it’s posing for you like this. As all of my pictures on IG, this is shot with my phone.
Siri on mobile photography
What is it about mobile photography that has you hooked?
I fully discovered the fun of mobile photography when I joined Instagram. Of course I had used the phone as a camera earlier, but mostly to document things that happens, like birthdays and stuff. With IG I discovered editing, which was new for me. I got hooked right from the start. First it was like “Hey, look what I can do!”, which in fact was more of a “Hey, look what the IG filters can do!” But the initial fascination over the filters faded after some postings. The overall reason that I still am hooked, is that mobile photography has made me see my surroundings with new eyes. Or perhaps I should say sharpened eyes. I also like the instant about it. You see something and snap a shot as you go. Sometimes I post it immediately, sometimes I use more time to watch it over.
What do you love about the community of mobile photography? how has the community helped you in process?
The fun of mobile photography is the sharing part. I follow great photographers from nearly all over the world, and love the diversity in motives, styles and preferences they show. Moscow subways, Hawaiian flora, Canadian nature, Indonesian fishermen or Iranian creations – I like to get square glimpses from total different everyday lives, I like to get other’s local views, other’s personal or artistic colored perspectives of their country’s directly into my phone. And I like to share my own photos too. The communities on IG are great. I’ve only met supportive people who cheer and clap each other’s back. Subcommunities like @joshjohnson, @colorsofthewwek and @dailyphototopics are great examples of this.
“Into the courtyard.”
There’s a lot of doors and gates on IG, and I can understand why. They are inviting, colorful and often small pieces of art. When I passed this one, I fetched the phone from my purse immediately. The color tones in this picture are one of my favorite palettes.
“Going to need one soon.”
Another example of how common objects can turn into something else, something different, something more, when you put it into a square on Instagram.
“Going to pieces.”
I don’t know why so many of us like macros, but it might have something to do with an urge to reveal the mystery of objects or nature – in this case wood. Peeling paint and other textures amazes IGers in the same way as art do to the audience in an exhibition. Who hasn’t put the face up close to a painting in order to study the traces from the paintbrush?
“Delightful in a hot summer’s day in Lisbon.”
My family were on holiday in Lisbon, where it was extremely hot. Outside the aquarium we were drawn to this huge fountain. There was a wall of falling water, and we all were happy to get cooled under it. The waterfall was so noisy that we couldn’t hear each other, and we all screamed of joy. I like the dress in motion and the gesture my daughter is making when the cold water hits her neck.
When did you join IG? And how do you feel about the shift in how this app is being used?
I joined IG in April this year. I didn’t expect anything from it, just wanted to check what kind of app Facebook found it so important to buy. Despite this I got hooked immediately, as I told before. I understand that some people regret that IG has turned into more of a social community than an artistic arena. I haven’t been around long enough to observe this shift, but as far as I see, IG works well serving both those functions. There is space enough for everyone. Of course one can regret though, that great tags are being “polluted” by people who don’t have photos that fit the theme, but just want to get seen.
What are your go-to editing apps?
In about 7 out of 10 photos, I stick to the filters IG provide. On my way I’ve tried six or seven editing apps, but dismissed most of them. For my own photos, I don’t like too much edit, but Snapseed is my friend. If Snapseed can’t help me to get where I want to go, I check Photo fx. If I’m not satisfied, I simply don’t post. Along the way, I’ve improved in controlling (some of the) the factors before I shoot, and that’s a greater joy than heavy edit, I think.
Siri and Her Story
Were you surprised with how much positive feedback you received on the image posted of yourself? and how do you feel about it?
Yes, I was really surprised and overwhelmed by the support and positive feedback I got after I posted this self portrait (which – that is important for my to underline – my husband shot). A whole lot of IGers told me that the photo touched their heart. Cancer affects many people, directly or indirectly, so I guess it’s easy to draw some lines to one’s own life. I was deeply touched by the encouragement people gave me, and also touched by the stories some of them shared with me.
Can you provide stories of your journey (finding out about the diagnosis, your reaction, and/or family reaction)?
When I got the cancer diagnosis the first time, of course the world fell apart for me and my family of five. I didn’t see that one coming at all. Our three girls were 9 years, 4 years and 11 months, so my husband and I had no choice but manage the situation. Breaking down was not an option. I was breastfeeding the baby when I got the diagnosis. After the mastectomy a week later, it was quite weird: At one side the lifegiving milk were flooding. At the other there were nothing but potential death. My husband was great during this time (as always). To me, it was a great sorrow to lose a breast, but his humour helped a lot: To me, it doesn’t matter. You know I’m not good at thinking of two things at the same time anyway, he said. The nicest thing someone ever told me. Ever!
Having someone to care about is a good medicine and helps you through the days. When our youngest picked the day after I got the diagnosis to walk her first steps, it got clear to me that life goes on, and I was definitely going to fight to be a part of it! And here I am!
“Blue vases in silhouette”
This window is in my parents’ house and I’ve seen it for years, but after starting IG photography I SAW the beauty of it for the first time. That’s what thrills me here: It makes me see my surroundings differently. This picture is one of my earliest, and I keep coming back to it because it reminds me of this discovery.
“Broken angel and bulbs at wait.”
This photo is an example of the fun of challenges. The task was something like “still life with three objects”. I looked around in the house to find a still life that fitted, because I didn’t want to make it easy by putting something together myself. In this vase I had stored some used bulbs waiting to be recirculated and an angel waiting to be mended. Decorative leftovers.
“From the beach today.”
What can I say? Nothing trumps the nature.
As a cancer survivor, did you find the need to reprioritize things in your life and if so, what?
Actually, I never felt that I had to reprioritize any major directions in my life. My husband and I already had put family first, so there were no need to change something in that regard. It was a good feeling to be content over this. When it comes to minor insignificances, such as shining windows and stuff like that, I’ve learned to say to myself: Frankly, I don’t give a damn!
What are some words you would like to give to a woman and her support systems who are currently going through this horrible situation?
It’s not easy to give general advices to others, because there are no rights and wrongs when it comes to handling cancer and coping with the pain, the fear, the treatment, the existential loneliness. We are all different, and have different needs. But I can tell what helped me, though, and that was a couple of things: A lot of talking and practical help. The first one was a natural result of me being open about what had happened to me and my family. The second one was a natural result of the same.
If I shall give one advice to people who know someone who is ill, there is one thing I want to stress: Try to help and be there for them also after the initial shock and crisis. It’s a long run to recover, and they need someone at the later soup stations of this marathon run as well.
At last, I want to tell how grateful I am to live in the western part of the world, where we are lucky to have good health care. Not everyone in the world has drawn that winning ticket. I’m fully aware that I am healthy because of medical research that has been going on for decades in order to find cure for cancer. Therefore I’m thankful for every coin people generously donate to research and grateful for every pink ribbon I see.
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Thank you Siri. Thank you Rae.
This article is dedicated to all the survivors and supporters of cancer.
You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
God Speed. – We Are Juxt
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Below you will find the photos tagged to #BCA_Challenge2
[instapress tag=”BCA_Challenge2″ piccount=”25″ size=”90″ effect=”fancybox” paging=”1″]
by Anna Cox | Nov 8, 2012 | Anna Cox, Featured Articles
Gathering Our Thoughts with Collective Comprehension by Anna C.
What I love about Juxt is our ability not only to create visual images but then marry our images with stories, lessons, or emotions.
We bare our hearts daily to anyone willing to take a few moments to sit down with us. We shoot and we write, we share and we try to put into words the emotion that sits behind the lens. And I can tell you, as the emotional trainwreck that is me, it isn’t always easy to find that one elusive phrase that fits exactly. I write and shoot to loosen the knots, to shake free from the tension bound between my shoulders. What I am finding more and more is that even if I didn’t know it when I shot that building, barn, or forgotten item they all demostrate my state of being. A shot may be good composotionally but the narrative that accompanies it is what makes it great.
Enter Collective Comprehension @collectivecomprehension stage left. Collective Comprehension is the marriage of art and words that I mentioned earlier. A work is posted, choosen from the #collectivecomprehension gallery, and the all of IG is invited to write a caption. This caption can take any form, whether it be a story, a poem, or just a single thought. This growing community is bursting at the seams with creativity.
The brains behind the Collective Comprehension are Renee Mair (@this_cool_chick) and Danielle Maragos (@tickledpink509). When asked how CC got started Danielle explained,
Collective Comprehension was born by an idea and the combining of two creative souls, I handle daily postings that both Renee and I agree on, as well as our tumblr page which we just started forming our Wednesday Writers Q&A to get to know our writers better. Both Renee and I are kindred spirits and by uniting we’ve made this bigger than we ever imagined. CC is all about self expression and interpretation it’s lovely to see our loyal followers and their creative minds. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not in awe of the writing that goes on!! I will say that not only is Renee my partner but a true friend, we mesh well which has made the success of CC so positive. I’m just happy to be apart of something so extraordinary!!
Renee’s personal stream is a cacophony of color and form with a air of the fantastic. Renee describes her work as images that are shocking, extremely colorful sometimes sexy but hopefully – always thought provoking. Mixed throughout my work are cartoon pop art and vibrant images with a message.
Danielle is a self described painter and enjoys the freedom of creativity that mobile art affords her. Outside of Instagram I’m a avid painter and a huge fan of abstract painting, I’m no pro total armature but editing on IG has given me a outlet to express my love of abstract through technology. I also play the violin and I’m a huge fan of many French composers!
I asked the ladies about the process of Collective Comprehension and they explained the nuts and bolts to me.
One of us selects a pic from the #collectivecomprehension tag and then we post it (a new one daily). We then simply invite whoever is inspired to write anything that the image provokes in the comments section. We try to use all different types of images. We give one highlight and 3 honorable mentions daily.
I read through some of the comments and the creativity astounded me.
Edit by @vintagesoul81
Her screams teared at the glass. She writhed and scratched like a cat trapped in a hot house. It held. Her outburst literally scorched her wing tips. She slumped over, dejected, trapped to avoid filament. She focused on forming a storm of sand, swirling it into a fist. Somewhere outside a women cursed all jinns as an unexpected gust threatened to steal her scarf- too weak by @dezadie
Edit by @level80
Red soles/Empty souls/Fiercely walking on the edge of life/Both day and night to be precise/”Perfection” the dream destination/Nevermind my imperfections revealed in my reflections/a desperate need to be in season/Trust me I have many reasons/Vanity, popularity, sanity?/Since it’s up to me to define reality/I asked myself finally/Do I fail to save my sanity?/Or walk on for vanity insanity. By @thebeautyofwriting
The above posts are just a small taste of the beauty of Collective Comprehension. Artists coming together to share photographs and thoughts. If you would like to join in the experience please feel free to join in-the comments section is always open.
Below you will find more from the #collectivecomprehension gallery:[instapress tag=”collectivecomprehension” piccount=”20″ size=”90″ effect=”fancybox”]
by Dilshad Corleone | Nov 2, 2012 | Featured Articles
A Conversation Between Artists by Geri Centonze
BP’s Introduction
About a month ago, Juxt posted a “how are we doing?” post on Instagram to have the community assess what we’ve done thus far and if it has been helpful. You all have been awesome and have asked that we continue the work we do in the mobile photography community. Also from this post, we found Geri and Dislhad. These two amazing artists stepped up to collaborate on this article. Geri requested that Juxt interview Dilshad as she is one of his biggest fans. When asked if she was up to the task, Geri – who has her own awesome resource for iPhoneography “iArt Chronicles,” agreed and below you will find not only a community contribution to Juxt, but a great conversation between artists from different parts of the world. This is why we believe in Juxt so much. The connection, the art, the community, and the storytelling, all make this a passion for all of us. Enjoy this article with Geri and Dilshad, and lets get to know @italianbrother more through his conversation with @gericentonze!
Geri: I don’t remember how I found your first image. But I remember which one it was. It was just so special – as if I was present in that frozen moment!
Photo Credit: Dilshad
The first image of mine that you commented on was from a Friday Free Concert.
Photo Credit: Geri
It was easy for me to snap a photo of someone performing openly, but I was captivated with your bold candid images which are so emotionally charged!
Dilshad: I absolutely remember seeing your photo. What a marvel to me! I loved it at first sight…it was great. The guy was so one of my types (photographically speaking). The first photo you liked, “Pulcinella”, is a result of what had happened a few minutes before! I was in Naples that day with the purpose to do an essay on the city. I had come out from the station and wanted to warm up, start easily, and when I did, found my subject and snapped him (below). He seriously got angry at me and pulled a knife out and started following me. I ran as if there was no tomorrow and for God knows how long.
Photo Credit: Dilshad
A normal person would have quit, but no, I kept going into the depths of the city and shooting. Pulcinella, the photo that you mentioned was snapped just after this event. I was very shaken but did not want to lose my entire day, so I continued.
Geri: So what draws you to your subjects? Are they planned shoots?
Dilshad: I don’t think…I just shoot. I see and fall in love. It’s like being in the middle of an emotional earthquake. When that happens (and it happens often), I have to shoot! I walk and look for a subject that captures my eye and I just snap him or her. If I miss the first time (unlikely), I follow as a professional stalker and then position myself further away from the subject. When they get into my frame, BOOM, done and I walk away!
Geri: I know that feeling. You describe it as an earthquake, I just feel an adrenaline rush and hope that I can capture the moment before it’s gone forever. Why did you call the image Pulcinella? I’m not familiar with that name.
Dilshad: He reminded me of Pulcinella (an Italian Commedia dell’arte character). He was walking and making strange gestures. I asked the people in the area about him and they all knew him. He was an actor in his younger years, not famous, but he made people laugh. After his short-lived career, he started roaming the streets of Naples, playing his character and stopping at local coffee shops for an espresso. For each espresso he drinks, he pays for a second one for whoever comes after him. I think I have enjoyed one of those coffees!
Geri: You are so much braver than I am. You talk to your subjects and inquire about them. I just snap and hightail it out of there. Most often I get an image that may not look like much in the beginning but then the challenge for me is to turn it into something by using a painterly technique like this one.
Photo Credit: Geri
This was a woman I saw at the local IKEA store…I transformed her into something saintly. But you have the REAL stories behind your photos. Like this series, what is their story?
Dilshad: Geri, your photos are amazing! What you manage to do is to allow us to imagine the story behind! Yes, I love talking to my subjects, when I can and if they don’t want to stab me… this one in particular was near a tube station in London, Tottenham Court Rd Station. There were a young lady and a homeless man sitting which is nothing too new but I had a gut feeling about them. Something was happening. I started talking to them. Hanna, the young woman, a Londoner from Chelsea is a banker. She was running to work because she was late but saw Tommy, a homeless man. She stopped and decided not to go to work and to sit with him instead. I arrived ten minutes after their first meeting. When I asked if I could take their photos Tommy replied that I had seen the “beauty and the beast”. While I was snapping away, Hanna started caressing, hugging and kissing Tommy. She was in love! He smiled and you could see happiness on his wrinkled face! I don’t know if it ended “happily ever after”, but I was there to capture that moment which will last forever through the images and through my memory!
Geri: You have mentioned before that you took a 5-week course in mobile photography. Can you tell me a bit more about that? What were your assignments like?
Dilshad: Ah, yes! That was the beginning, it all started from there. About three, maybe four months ago I was just roaming the internet and I came across a fantastic iPhoneography course (5 weeks, 3 hour per week) The lecturer, Richard Gray, @rugfoot on Instagram, a wonderful person and now a very good friend of mine, gave us homework too. It felt like being back at school… insane, and yet I loved it.
The course started with a short video by the great Koci, @koci on Instagram. This video just changed me completely. I had goose bumps and wanted to go out and snap the world and that’s precisely what I did and have been doing every day since. In regards to the assignments, each week we would start our session by looking at what everyone had snapped during that week and we would analyse the story, composition and edit of those photos. Then we would look at specific apps, such as Filterstorm, Scratchcam and many more, learning the best way to use them. @rugfoot is truly a great facilitator, he would explain to us how to get the most from what we had in our hands and we would practice in class, snapping and then editing. Finally, he would give us a topic for the upcoming week and homework! Each week the topic changed and varied from Buildings and Architecture, Street Photography, Portraits, Colours, and so on… Utterly loved it! And, quite honestly speaking, if I hadn’t met @rugfoot, I would not be here writing this!
Geri: I was hoping the course you took was available online – darn! It is amazing to me that you mention Koci as an early influence because after I discovered the painterly work of Karen L. Messick, I began scouring the internet for more on iPhoneography and ran across a video introduction to mobile photography by Koci and I was hooked too. Small world!!
Can you tell me a bit about your process after the shoot? Most of your images have a gritty, dark mood. How do you achieve it?
Dilshad: I know, right! I wish @rugfoot would do a phase two of the course, an advanced level, that really would make my day! In regards, to the online course, I have come across these guys: http://mobilephotoworkshop.wordpress.com they seem pretty cool, and I am definitely going to do one of their online courses!
Dilshad: Koci’s video is just extraordinary, I recommend it to everyone to go and check it out! It’s a love letter to photography, and he is such a great person, and incredible Maestro of the art! We often talk and we have become friends, I so feel honoured about this!
Dilshad: Coming back to my style, what can I say? I am a bit heavy handed, to say the least. I very much feel like as if I were a child in a candy store without the storekeeper around… sometimes I know I should stop, and yet I keep going on and on with the editing. I really enjoy it..
Dilshad: I usually take my photos with the native camera app of the iPhone, sometime I use Camera+ or ProCamera. Once I have taken the photograph I transfer it onto my iPad and start with the editing process that usually, always begins with Camera+, where I would select a scene, most of the times the Clarity tool would do, but I do try them all before settling down. Then, always in Camera+ I would square crop my photo, so that it’s nice and ready to fit into my Instagram feed; and maybe I might give it an FX touch too. From here onwards it’s all about app-stacking! I might end up using BigLens, After Focus, or BlurFX, for the blurring and the aperture and to give a Bokeh feel to my photo. Once done with the blurring, it’s texture time – anything from Phototoaster, Lo-mob, Wood Camera, Picture Show, PhotoForge or Qbro, could pop in to help me out. It is a shame, however, for the latter, I really loved Qbro, but since the iOS update this app has stopped working!
Dilshad: In regards to what I like to capture, well, I love the unspoken London, the untold London, with heavily blurred background! I usually tend to destroy the background, focusing on my main subjects: Men with big, long beards and hats! Characteristic and peculiar faces! I see, I shoot and I go! It is difficult to analyze the why behind my subjects, or to describe my favorite subjects. It is very much like when you fall in love and you feel the butterflies. Yes, that is exactly how I feel when I see something that I want to shoot. Iphoneography and street photography have given me the power to tell my stories, what I see and what touches me!
Geri: You recently participated in your first exhibition in London. How was your work received? What was the response to images being created with an iPhone?
Dilshad: Amazing! Good God, what an experience…completely sold out! The visitors loved it! Although, there were some that pinched their nose when they heard that it was all iPhone taken and iPad edited… But all in all, a wonderful response to it and I have another one coming up near Chelsea. This one organised by @rugfoot and it will be only for iPhoneographers!
Dilshad: I have to say, however, that there still is a stigma attached to iPhoneograpers, people tend to think that we are just playing around and it’s not serious photography. They assume that we can just crop and edit and change it to make it look good. I would like to answer these people with something that Koci has said quite recently: “Photo apps won’t magically give Jane the smartphone photographer a better sense of composition, or lighting, or framing. The apps and filters only change a photos look and aesthetic feel. That doesn’t make it a better photo. If you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.” What I mean by this is, if a photo is good, there is nothing you can do it is just good, regardless of the medium it is taken with!
Geri: I so agree with Koci’s statement about iPhoneography. I suppose when digital cameras first rolled onto the scene the film photographers turned up their noses. Now the iPhone is the “new kid on the block” and I suppose it will be a while before it is embraced and accepted. I know you’re currently working on a series of images from the Hasidic community. Can you tell me more about it? Is it difficult to shoot there?
Dilshad: Yes, I am fascinated by them! Stamford Hill is a little area with the largest community of Hasidic Jewish people in the UK, and when you are there you can see them all over the places, fantastic! It surely is not easy to photograph them as they move really fast and don’t like to be photographed. For the very first time I haven’t had the courage to stop them, it’s very much a sense of awe and reverence that stops me from stopping them!
Dilshad: I managed, however to have a word with one wonderful old man, who took the time to narrate a Hasidic story of Baal Shem Tov. The way he recounted that story was magnificent and then he just stood up and walked away, crossed the road as a phantom with fast moving cars passing around him. He did not see them and they did not see him.
Geri: Finally, what are your plans for the future? Where would you like this journey to take you?
Dilshad: The dream would be exhibiting and photographing all over the world! I would love this to become my main career! I am so much in love with photography that is taking all of my time! We shall see!
Geri, thank you very much for this lovely conversation and a special thanks to the guys at WeAreJuxt for this amazing opportunity!
Links for Dilshad
Instagram: @italianbrother
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/italianbrother/
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DilshadCorleone
Tumblr: http://italianbrother.tumblr.com (work in progress, watch this space!)
About.me: http://about.me/italianbrother (coming up shortly)
Links for Geri Centonze
iartchronicles.com
gericentonze.com
Instagram @gericentonze
Geri Centonze, a former professional sci-fi sketch card artist has given up her Copic markers to pursue mobile photography. Her blog, iartchronicles.com is dedicated to that journey.
