A Woman Flower

When I think of "high" art in photography, a comparision of two disparate objects comes to mind. Even though there may appear to be no connection between two subjects in an image, say, like that in the one above, if you look long enough sometimes you might be able to find a connection. Sound too new agey? Possibly not as some people begin to resemble what they look at. Sure, you may think I'm crazy, but this observation, I say, is no better than saying a person looks like his/her dog.
Please, write how the two objects are alike. Love to read stuff like this.

women, metaphor, art and photography, New Age

Weblog Forum--Camera Raw, Photoshop CS2 and Canon

Ah ha! The Digital Traveler, well..., has gone totally digital. Today without further ado, I present--

Camera Raw

Applause here, please

Here's some surprises:

1. Raw is not an ancronym, cause Raw is just "raw," a file as it is with all the camera settings from your camera following along as part of the image (+ settings from your camera attached) in the Raw file.

2. Camera Raw solves lots of post-processing problems that other types of files can't. Hey, guys...just tweak the sliders above for your a noiseless picture.

3. Camera Raw does not solve everything. In the picture above no matter how much I push the sliders back and fourth, I can't get the boy to stand out without blasting the highlights of the background. So what to do? Guess I'll use the Dodge tool in Photoshop.

Come on and join this conversation! Tell the Digital Traveler what you know about Raw, then all who visit here will get the full skinny on the greatest file format (so far) of all time.

FYI--Yes, in some places in the world they keep it very simple. This is Myanmar (Burma) a place where the oxen still do all the work.

Camera Raw, Photoshop CS2, art and photography, tutorial

If You Liked "The Digital Photography Book..."

Not Paid For Advertisement

If you liked the Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby, you'll love Digital Art Photography for Dummies. In fact the two books can work hand-in-hand. If you like his "unconfusing jargon," you'll love my art touches to ordinary shooting techniques and simple Photoshop steps to go from snapshot to great hang-on-your-wall photography.

Digital Photography for Dummies, digital photography books, art and photography, Scott Kelby

A Visit with Shag

Still recovering from being in the car for 7 hours just to go from Palm Springs to a secluded area of Orange County for a visit with the painter, Shag, for a new magazine coming out here in the Palm Springs area called Dune.

Shag, aka Josh Angle, is extremely popular with hipsters in Southern California. Can't write much more (nor show all the photos I got) until the article comes out.

One of the most promonate designs featured in this paintings, besides all of the wonderful ultramodern characters, are the light fixtures--symmetric and cylindrical. They're one of the mid-century modern era's greatest work of steel.

Tip: (gee, haven't had one of these for a long time)--Take the advice of architectural designer Mies Van der Rohe, "Less is more," or in other words, in a modern world, get rid of anything you can for simplicity.

art, modern art, art and photography, Shag

Train Travel Writing and Photography

Since this blog covers text and image (probably the only one that does), there's no better way to combine that two than writing an article and finding an image that goes with it. When my pschye focuses upon myself--not always the best of mental states--I drift into the self-centered task of Googling my name.

Often I find things that surprise me. A few years ago (2002) I had written an article for Utne magazine about train travel. Today as I glanced upon my first page of the Googling task,as I found a link to Utne Web Special Archives page. In the middle of those listings is the article, Is Train Travel History?

Seems as if most of the articles I wrote are still floating around the Internet, getting millions of hits.

Wish I had a dollar for each time somebody read one of them!

But I don't. What I do have is a collection of train images that I love, so at the very least I can post one with this article, an image that's all mine.

trains, history, art and photography, writing

Disparate Thoughts about Building Bridges Photography

Many, many posts ago in my text and image fantasy land, I used a photograph of a bridge to represent coming together for peace of mind.

Today, I post another and, along with it, with respect to both photographs of the bridges, I thought about if Congress has any plans to build bridges among their members as part of the United States' upcoming congressional elections in November (the first Tuesday).

I searched Google to see what was up with "building bridges" and congress. Much to my disappointment, Google failed me listing this first: Building Bridges and Congress.

So far, it seems, that that's nonone's priority in, this, a polarized nation.

FYI: This bridge was found in Bolivia, between Sucre and Potosi. Take a cab from Sucre to Potosi (minimal charge) to see it. It's masterful, a stark contrast between it and the political life of the world's great superpower.

history, Bolivia, Google, Congress

Don't Touch that Dial Photography

Dial? So 50s...We don't dial any more. We push buttons. Look closely at the keys on this pay phone. Leave a comment if you see something wrong.

Thanks to Doug Taylor who caught this at the Seattle Airport, Terminal D, I think.

comedy, humor, art and photography, quiz

I Love the Nightlife Photography

The weather's beautiful here in Palm Springs, CA. I'm here till November now, no travel, except around SoCal.

For this reason (and also for the reason that I figured out Technorati's tags) I'll delve into nightlife..

You see the picture above? That would be a Toucan, the theme of one of the most popular bar in town. Of course it's gay...as is our mayor, and he drops in there from time to time.

A note about the photograph--Yes, it's a real live toucan, taking from sticking my camera on the edge of one of the holes in a fence. Cool trick!
parties and nightlife, travel, art and photography, entertainment

Happy New Year Photography

Happy New Year

Photography Flashbacks

Retro, yes, camp no in this image, a Kodachrome slide, full view, with two solitary figures with their head's down.

Let's start out fresh, fresh as a Kodachrome slide that's yet to be tweaked in Photoshop. Flashing back to a friend or relative's past travels is one of the reason we like old photographs.

Sometimes you find gems--photos that are coveted for the campiness. Camp can be anything from flower power dresses and behive hairdos to anything that spells F-l-o-r-i-d-a or C-a-l-i-f-o-r-n-i-a in the middle of the last century. Palm trees, striking blue skies, beaches, and, yes, bathing suits, retro often means less is more, and that goes for clothing too. It extends, also, to the 70s formal, the A-frame of anything from a cadallac's rear end to a Tiki A-frame, style hotel (building with no flat roof, but, instead, the shape of the building forms an "A."

Check out some of the photographs here and you'll find a few examples of here and find the campy photographs.

Whether it's a bathing beauty or young men poolside, camp gets big bucks.

It's my first month teaching Photos Restoration and it's going well, interesting even. To see the course details go
here.

A Paris Must-The Circus

FLASH-FLASH--GREAT TRAVEL EVENT SITE While searching of the old fashioned Paris circus to match the image above; found this great event search site! You search for European current events of interest, and it's a very thorough!

On to the Circuses of Paris--A Photography Treat

Here's the skinny on where the circuses in Paris are:

*Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione de Paris 110 Rue Amelot. Great venue to watch acrobats, jugglers, snake charmers and trapeze artists.
*Cirque Alexis Gruss (Allee de la Reine Marguerite) for horse shows and traditional circus acts
*Cirque Diana Moreno Bormann - Located at 9 bd du Bois Lepretre.(Arr:19) Metro: Porte de la Chapelle.

The French circus is truely a hidden photo-op treat! Bring you zoom lens.

Architectural Elements of Photography

Blogger provides a nice in house search for blog entries by keyword (many of you probably know this).

Up above is a photograph of an architectural element in a big city. What city is it?

Hints--

Photography Hint 1

Photography Hint 2

Photography Hint 3

Modern Art Photography

Just back from Seattle. Got a bad email today about a shot that I took in the back of someone's yard on a photo shoot of furniture inside and outside the house. I gave a shot to a local freebe paper (some people refer to them as rags) along with an article about furniture.

Well...the paper took the liberty of using my photo not only in the story but also in an advertisement someone paid the paper for. I had no idea that a publication would do this.

At any rate the email was from the man who owned the house and saw the ad. I was almost about to toss everything about this business in my Mac's trash can.

No dice on that, so, instead, I went to file hundreds of photos that scattered about my hard drive.

I found the one above--a kind of anonymous surreal look at life.

Dare-to-be Different Photography

Hello from the Betterphoto.com seminar Day 2--where some of the best photography in the country has been shown in slide shows. Here's the content
of some of them:

Waterfalls from behind
Orange sunset's rays filtered from behind trees
Pieces of landscapes of tiny patterns in thin ice
Beautiful mountains in the mist
...and flowers, lots of 'em

Of course if you've been a faithful reader of my blog I'm into a little of this here and there. But...Lord have mercy...give me some mid-century modern.

After being inside all day learning oodles of photography tips...I decided to take a walk in the park 'round 5 o'clock. I was on a hunt--a hunt for something from the mid-century.

Here's what I found, perfect,a 70s olive green stove enhanced by the day's last light.

I manipulated this photograph too--with the skew and warp tools in Photoshop--bringing it almost back to how it looked spiffy clean (if you ignore the pine needles ontop.

Go 'head, everybody, photograph meandering springs, hazy waterfalls and mountains of green.

Leave me alone to the mundane glamour of of painted steel. I'll survive, even if it's in the trance of the next object I must find--a glittering disco ball.

If you happen to have a photograph of one, please send...please...

Photography with the Pros

Redmond, Washington

Laptops on laps, lenses in hand, the photographer-instuctors from Betterphoto.com met in a little Betterphoto house to talk shop.

So what do a group of photographers do when they get together?

1. Talk about photography (well, like, yeahhhh).
2. More seriously, discuss how to critique photos.
3. Brainstorm ideas for promoting classes.
4. Talk about Internet keywords so people can find the Website through pay-per-click advertising.
5. Discuss new ideas for teaching photography online.
6. Plan for two days--tomorrow and Sunday--of events for guests of the seminar.

I'll be speaking about how to make money in photography. Here's two blog entries where I can find that info (aren't blogs handy?)

1. On a photo shoot...
2. Getting into a gallery...

Haven't got out of Redmond yet, but tomorrow, my guess is I'll bus to Seattle.

On My Way to Meet the Better Photo Photography Pros

Be back soon with pics.

Photography Special: Artist who Photographs

Tomorrow, I'm off to Seattle to Betterphoto.com's Photography Weekend. In the meantime, I'm traveling to the world of other artists who shoot photography.

Photography shot by people who are artists in another medium leads to some pretty interesting work.

Sculpture Tom Heppner created a work below what he sees as "beauty is hidden everywhere."



I'd like to do the flip side of this feature and have a photo of a piece of art work in another medium from a photographer.

All in the Family Digital Photography

My nephew put this together for me. What you think?

Advertising Photography--Scary Text + Image

Please comment here about this, a perfect example about how text and image can tell (in this case, creepy) a story.

World Trade Center

Applied a couple'a Photoshop filters, brought into Image Ready and upped the saturation and hue a bit.

Peace

Copyright 2006 Matthew Bamberg All Rights Reserved

Photography--Google Groups, The Death of Candid Photography

A few threads below mine is a large discussion about where the street photographers are. I Since this is a system board, it came to me that maybe, perhaps people don't photograph candidly as much is because with each new high tech advance (micro lenses, super zoom lenses, manual settings, flash attachments...) photographers are expected to come up with technically adept shots.

These types of shots take time to set up (not to mention have some sophisticated equipment) such as those silky streams, glowing flower petals, and the veins within leaves.

Candid shots can be less technically adept (Cindy Sherman was no master of technicalities); but her shots were artful, thought provoking if not downright bizarre.

Look up Dorthea Lange on the Internet and practically no one talks about what type of camera she used, yet her feelings about the era in which she lived--the struggles of everyday people created a hauntingly "could-it-happen-to-us" syndrome.

Yes, equipment is important; but I have to remember that there's a consumer trap that has me often buying more than I need.

There's nothing sweeter than a child licking a lollypop with the candy larger than the child or the cable car ringer shaking his bell.

Photography--Google Groups, Freelance Photography

I post at Google groups often. I thought two that I wrote today were kind of interesting. Let me know what you think!

Hi, don't limit yourself to only photographing group events. The sky is the limit now with digital photography from writing a book (I wrote Digital Art Photography for Dummies to printing, framing and selling your work.

And if you do photograph events; pick an event that really interests you (I love art and architecture, so I photograph art openings and builders' new projects) and look up on the internet when their event is several months before it begins.

Public Photography Talk at Photoshop World Expo

Did two things to make a better day at my second book talk about Digital Art Photography for Dummies, two things that I believe anyone can follow when public speaking.

1. Talk about what you know.

Yeah, that may seem simple enough, but when you're with pros from every aspect of the tech industry, you can get sidetracked and begin an attempt to use a Photoshop technique that someone else has spoken about. This isn't a new idea of mine--it's the first thing I read upon receiving materials from the university where I teach.

2. Keep it simple.

For those of you who have heard this before, you know where it orginated. For those of you who don't, this is an AA slogan.

On the first day, I thought I was prepared to print out portraits on-the-spot of people at the expo. Bad idea, considering I brought a man-sized printer for a tiny booth where two people were already working. I also brought ink, my portfolio, my cameras and lenses, my laptop and connections, and myself--too much, indeed. I had carried these items the length of Mandalay Bay (that's the hotel where the expo took place). If you don't know Las Vegas, the casino hotels are as large a landing area of a large airport.

On the second day I ditched my large, bulky Epson 2200, and the idea of printing and talking at the same time. Wise decision it was as my preoccupation with that helped me gain composure so I could talk about what I was there for--digital art photography.

* Photo Credit: Kal of Pixelbug (Thanks, Kal, for reminding us that AOL has an active photography community, and thanks to Betty for asking him to come to participate in my photography discussion.)

Photography Demo Hell

My snake oil sales pitch didn't go too well. The snakes hit Murphy's Law, everything that could go wrong went wrong.

1. Didn' t have the appropriate hook-up for the television monitor so I ran the seminar with people viewing my lap top.

2. Ran out of ink for the printer (yellow ink of all things, the one that needs replacing the least for the 7-cartridge Epson printer. I had spares for all the other colors) By the way, the Epson 2200 is the one most used by photographers for printing.

3. Had to carry the bulky printer, camera case, laptop case and my 16X22 portolio all the way from the parking lot through the Mandalay Bay shopping mall to the convention spot. The trip took 30 minutes.

4. Arrived at a booth no bigger than a small bathroom where 3 people had to work.

5. Had trouble getting people to listen to me.

Okay, so much for my spasm of complaints. Needless to say, a guy with a PC who spoke after me arrived connected his PC (everything's made for PC's) and hustled people around him like he was flypaper. Turns out that's what he does for a living.

The guy needs to write a book at public speaking within a convention platform.

Yesterday, though, was worth the trip as the magical weather made me feel as if I were floating to Las Vegas with the lonely remnants of Hurricane John putting on a show in the sky.