Art & Perception

True to the age of ‘my results NOW!’, the current trend towards digital manipulations of photos is a good case in point. Free image manipulation software now seem to bring out results that sometimes rival established image manipulation software like Photoshop in the aspects of touching up and sharpening digital photographs. Photographs of bananas on our kitchen counter top and a solitary ship in the New York harbor (that were then digitally manipulated using something as low tech as PAINT.NET) are shown below as an example… 

Of course, there is a certain school which believes that the instant you alter your photographic images with software tools, you pollute the concept and the resulting image is not worth its salt. This may be true for images produced in scientific journals, but does not seem to hold true for a lot of amateur photographers (and some professional – especially folks who cover the news) who have clearly started to use these tools. Tell-tale signs are visible to a practiced eye and even if I do not claim too much practice myself, I did notice a couple of photography shows down in Chelsea where the images were clearly manipulated to suit the subject or the theme. Personally, I do not think there is anything sinful about manipulating an image. It is just that the chemical laced manipulations laboriously done inside that makeshift and cramped darkroom can now be done fairly easily in front of a computer. Of course, historically, ‘more effort’ is sometimes perceived as being ‘more original’ and the darkroom based morphs of yore were definitely heavy lifting. 

What are your views as regards digital manipulation – especially considering that there are some very good photographers here on this forum…?

‘Cold ship’, Altered digital photograph

‘Bananas’, Altered digital photograph 

If death is one of the great mysteries, it seems somehow unfitting that I most often simply stumble upon it. Last week, along a river bank where I was exploring for cottonwoods, I came across the remains of a pronghorn (antelope) on the shelf of ice at the edge of the water. They are quite commonly seen in the fields around there, but this was the first I’ve seen dead. My eye did not recognize at first what it was seeing among the stones and the crow tracks.

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In my scattered reading, I came across a Wallace Stevens poem that seems to speak to the recent discussion on essence.

On the Road Home

It was when I said,
“There is no such thing as the truth,”
That the grapes seemed fatter.
The fox ran out of his hole.

You. . . You said,
“There are many truths,
But they are not parts of a truth.”
Then the tree, at night, began to change,

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Sculptures on the campus of Michigan State University cater to different tastes.

I am taking lessons in Throwing Off My Chains. (Andromeda by Anthony Frudakis)

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Live Webcast
Tonight, Thursday December 13
8:00 – 10:00pm Pacific Time
(9pm Mountain/10pm Central/11pm Eastern)

I’ve been invited by my friend, recording artist Diane Arkenstone, to join her on Thursday, December 13 for an evening of musical performance at Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood. Diane Arkenstone & Friends will include several performers, including Diane, myself, Scot Byrd, Matt James and Jane George. The show runs from 8-10 pm Pacific Standard Time. I’ll be performing a 1/2 hour solo set of original songs early in the lineup. It promises to be a very enjoyable evening with an eclectic mix of music.

You can watch it live on the internet here at this link.

Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood California is a live acoustic music, singer songwriter listening room and pioneering multi-camera webcast recording studio.

Hope you can tune in!

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Note: This is an old photo. I haven’t changed much, but unfortunately I no longer have the Mickey Mouse guitar.

One of the most annoying things to read in a statement or press release is the claim that so-and-so has captured the essence of such-and-such. Even someone “attempting to capture the essence” of their subject makes me look around for the nearest edge. I am saved only by the certain knowledge that some people are so intimidated by words that they’ll settle for meaningless clichés just to be done with it.

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Happy Holidays folks.

Decorating the house for the holidays has always been a challenge. This year I used an idea from the linkage theme that I have described in earlier posts. You see a scissor jack configuration with offset center joints, the entirety of which can be pulled into a circle such as this. Some strings of lights and It was complete.

So much for the dry explanation. I do want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the vibes and stimulation that you have provided over this last year and I look forward to more in the year ahead.