Tag Archives: Photos

Rehearsing All Dressed Up

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Photography, Theatre

≈ 57 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Last year I told you that I was hoping to take some photos of the play August: Osage County at Heidelberg Theatre Company.  Well, I got to take some, but I didn’t get to take photos of the rehearsals and show you the play developing, I was told that I wasn’t needed, or something like that, whenever I asked.  This post is very hard to write, I’m afraid.

sc20130428-0466It is a massive play and the set is huge.  It was also, from the ones I’ve shot last year, the hardest play to photograph as I had no idea what was happening.  I have seen the play before, but it was a few years ago.  I never remember them that well, so I missed so much stuff because I didn’t know it was happening or where on stage.  It is probably the worst experience I’ve had photographing a play for that reason.

sc20130428-0176It is a good play, don’t get me wrong, I love it, and I know quite a few of you out there feel the same about it.  It has a strong cast and regardless of my feelings about photographing it, it is well worth seeing.  

sc20130428-0188Like I said the set is massive and takes up the whole stage, I don’t know how many other theatre companies would be able to stage such a massive play.  

Here are a heap of photos that I have processed for you, there are a lot I’m afraid.  

I am still trying to work out how to do these galleries and the photos are sort of backwards.  

Apparently there are still tickets available so if you go to the Heidelberg Theatre Company website you can book tickets online.  The play starts this Thursday.

I’m not sure what happened with this play and I think it will be my last play with Heidelberg.  I know they wanted me to do this so I could advertise the play for them, but I do feel a bit used.  I am quite hurt by the whole experience. So I will do it this time, but it won’t happen again.  I was really upset when I was there the other night and it seems quite obvious they don’t want me around, except when it suits them.  I could be wrong, but I can’t keep letting this happen.  So I know some of you enjoy the plays when I do them, but for now they will stop, unless I can find another theatre company who will let me do this.  

About these ads

ReWorking the Etched Glass in Reception

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Architecture, Melbourne, Photography, Reworks

≈ 102 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Back in January, on my birthday I believe, I posted two images, one of them was from the reception area of the 11th floor of the Manchester Unity Building.  I thought I was finished with the images from the building, but I am starting to think I never will be.

Etched GlassAs I was putting all the images together to give to the Manchester Unity, I saw this one and a cringe crept up my back.  I knew that it had to be one of the ones that I should rework.  I know we discussed how dark my work can be yesterday, but I suspect this is a little too dark.  So I redid it today.

Etched Glass - ReworkedSo what have I done differently?  The blur isn’t as strong.  I’ve been toning down how strong I apply the blur.  This image is so much lighter, and you can see the chair more.  I think in the original the chair just looked in the way and not part of the image.  I think it works better in this one.  I found in the original there was too much blue behind the etched glass so I have changed it to be greener, I think the green tones add more warmth to the image.  Overall I think this image is far more warmer and welcoming.  What do you think?

I thought I would do another gallery for you so you can see all the images put together, there are a lot of them, so I hope you don’t mind.  It is nice to see them altogether.  I am not going to put titles on them all, but you know what they all are.

I may do one more of those images again, but basically they will stay as they are.  It is interesting to see how the work and what I do evolves as my skill levels increase.

Donating

I just wanted to mention again how you can donate money towards this blog.

So if you enjoy this blog and would like to help it continue, or you find you learn a lot and pick up new ideas and skills, then please consider making a donation.

btn_donateCC_LGIt isn’t compulsory, but it helps me to keep going.  You can decide what amount you think it is worth.  Thank you.

Influencing Me – Ansel Adams

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in Art, Artists, Influencing Me, Photography

≈ 284 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Ansel Adams had to make one of these.  He is probably one of the most influential photographers ever.  I don’t think you could find any photographer that isn’t influenced by what he took, and the way he worked.

Yosemite Valley WinterThe views he found were astounding, and of course, all in black and white.  Black and white, I am sure because that was all that was really available when he started.  The way he made the monotones work for him is what made him a master.

ansel-adams-landscape-photography-mount-williamson-1944I think for me, one of the things that I find inspiring is that he took photos mostly of what he knew.  I often wonder if I need to travel around the world to be a great photographer, or can I do it in my neck of the woods.  I want to be able to do it here and for me Ansel makes that possible.  Photograph what is around me, but do it well.

Canyon de ChellyThe other thing that made Adams very influential is that he manipulated his images a lot.  There are so many stories of how he worked magic on his images in the darkroom.  It gives someone like me so much confidence, that I know when I manipulate my photos I am doing what others have done before me.  I know he worked in the darkroom, and I have come from that as well.  What he did in the darkroom was truly astounding and I was never able to do the same.  For me Photoshop has been my way of doing what he did.

Abattoirs - Woomelang 2This is one of my images from my film days.  It is one that I tried to work on in the darkroom, in the end it was scanned and worked on in Photoshop.  I could not get what I wanted in the darkroom.

Walhalla RusticAnother of my black and white images.  This was an image from an old gold mining town here in Victoria, Walhalla.  I took this image with black and white film, as with the previous one and then I developed the film and then printed the images myself.  These images were taken from the negatives.

As I stated before, we have all heard of Ansel Adams and he has been influencing photographers for generations and I am sure he will continue to do so for many more to come.  Even my husband knows who he is.

I have to show more of his images, so please enjoy the following gallery.

Most of the images in this post have been sourced from three websites

Records of the National Park Service

The Ansel Adams Gallery

The National Archives on Flickr

In Through Here and Up There

10 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Architecture, Deaf Children Australia, Melbourne, Photography

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Through the Front DoorIt was back to the bluestone this morning that is the home for Deaf Children Australia and this time it wasn’t to meet anyone or to find out anything, it was purely to take photos.  I was allowed to roam around and just take images of anything I wanted.  I mentioned the other day that now that I had been there a few times I was starting to see what I wanted to take.

The image above is the front door.  I was allowed into the section, but I wasn’t allowed to go through the front door to the outside.  The entrance is too dangerous and you might get hit on the head by falling debris, which is something that they need to fix up.

You can almost see how the floor has been worn out by the number of people who have walked through that door.  I was watching a DVD that is about the bluestone and its history and in it, it mentioned that the students were not allowed to use the front entrance.  I am sure they came through it when they first arrived, but perhaps that was the last time.

Another thing that was mentioned was the basement and how scary they thought it was.

Up From the BasementI had never seen these stairs before.  The more I go, the bolder I get and I have been going in further to places to check them out.  I found these stairs down one wing.  I don’t know if they are original or not, but it was a dark little corner that I found them in.

My daughter came with me today, she wanted to drive, so I asked her if she thought the basement was scary.  She said no.  I suspect kids today are too used to scary movies and really weird things, that something like a basement wouldn’t be scary.  However, the kids that used to board here would tell one another ghost stories, and I am sure dared each other to go down there.  I will have to watch the DVD more, but don’t worry I will tell you about it.

Some of these places are really hard to photograph and I think I’m going to have to be more creative with what I do.  I have the time now to work on it more and I want to try and do more artistic style images.  I know some will work and some won’t.

I have a lot of photos to go through, so a lot of work to do and I know I have enough images for a while.  Some I will have to go back and do, others will be fine.  It is interesting doing this sort of work.

Remember, if you would like to donate then Donate Here.

Trips Away

I just thought I would tell you about my next trip away.  I am off to Ocean Grove on the Victorian coast, not this weekend, but the following one.  I am going away with a couple of friends, should be great.  We booked our trip with a new family business and were so happy with the service.  Ocean Grove and Barwon Head Stays were fantastic, when I was trying to find accommodation so many other places wouldn’t respond to my emails, and Ocean Grove and Barwon Head Stays were very quick.  Once I found them, in no time at all my accommodation was booked.

It is going to be good to spend a couple of days down at the beach again.  I am looking to forward to a whole weekend that is about nothing but taking photos.  The best kind if you ask me.

Corridor End ReWorked

05 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Architecture, Melbourne, Photography, Reworks

≈ 28 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

The first time I went into the Manchester Unity Building to photograph the mezzanine floor I had to use my older wide angle lens, 18-105mm, and when I took the photo of the end of the corridor with the fountain and the grandfather clock, I felt it was all squashed up.

Grand Father Clocks and FountainsThe clock almost doesn’t fit into the image.  I didn’t mind the actual composition, I just wanted more space around everything.

Once I got the new lens, the 14-24mm I knew that I wanted to shoot this scene again, and a week or so later I was given that opportunity.

Grand Father Clocks and Fountains - ReworkedThis has so much more space and gives a better sense of where they are, don’t you think?  It is amazing how just changing a little thing like zooming out, or stepping back can make a massive difference.  It is something I try to teach people in my classes, sometimes you need to just take a step in a direction, any direction and it can change the whole composition.  Well, for this one, it was a wider lens and it really helped the composition.

Again, it may be too dark, but I quite like that, and I like where the focus is in the image.  I hope you agree.

I should be on my way to Harrietville when this is published.  Apparently lots of stops on the way and ample opportunities for taking photos.  I wonder how many I have already, anyone want to guess?

From One End to the Other and Some in Between

02 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Architecture, Melbourne, Photography

≈ 56 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Today’s post was going to be the end to my working on the images for the Manchester Unity Building, but there is still one more I want to do and I ran out of time.  I might use it in Friday’s post as my reworked image, as it is the same as another image, but rephotographed and reworked, so it fits that idea.

Leaving ReceptionThe other day I showed you images of reception, this is also the reception, but looking out.  You see this when you are leaving.  Some of this must be familiar to those that have been following my journey with this wonderful building.

Somewhere in BetweenAs you are exiting the building you walk down this corridor to the exit.  You will see the water feature behind the glass and the Grandfather clock will come into focus.

Taking a Look BackWhen you get to the end you will have to take a look back behind you.  Take a last look down the corridor of Dental Suites, suites that were once shops, then who knows what before being restored back to the way they once were.

At the Lift Taking One Last AroundWaiting at the lift, how could you not take one more look at the feature at the end of the corridor before the lift arrives to take you down and out of the building.

I am feeling very melancholy, I will admit.  I have loved working on this project so much, that I am kind of sad that it is coming to an end.  I think my mood may be reflected in the images as well.  They are darker, I think, than others I have done.  I have been acutely aware of it all coming to an end and whilst I’ve been working very hard on the images, it isn’t a project that I have looked forward to ending.

Who could not want to work on images from this building.  I feel so fortunate to have been invited and it has really helped me work out what I want to do.  I want to do more like this, so if anyone else out there has a building like this and they want me to photograph it and make some fine art images of their building, then I am available for hire.

Influencing Me – Olive Cotton

01 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in Artists, Influencing Me, Photography

≈ 103 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Perhaps, I thought, it was time I did one of these posts on a woman.  Another Australian Photographer and one who worked about the same time as last week’s photographer, Max Dupain.  Really, it is hard to think of Max Dupain without thinking of Olive Cotton.  Indeed she worked in his studio for some time and they were married breifly.

00222443She photographed him working, and when you look at his work you will see photos of Cotton in amongst them.

tumblr_mdjn1qx2U81qiclreo1_500I have shown you this image before, and said how much I love it and what it represents to me.  The way she has lit it and the shadows are so strong.  The title always got me as well, Teacup Ballet.  It has always been something that interested me, the idea of turning inanimate objects into some more real, as though they really do have personalities and may be like humans.

tumblr_miw8lbVeLz1qe0lqqo2_r1_1280Similar to the one above.  What is the image really about, the glasses or the shadow? I would imagine both, but the way the light casts the shadow of the glasses is wonderful and I have strived to get similar results, but as yet I’ve had no luck.

Popup_800When I looked her up on Google Images, I was amazed at the variety of her work.  You tend to think a photographer will do just one type of image, which is ridiculous, but still you think that.  I had no idea that she did images like this.  Though she obviously liked still life, the previous two images are testament to that.

It is also strange looking at this images and seeing the effects that film had on them, the grain.

51uju9Me41L._SL500_SS500_The cover of a book or a poster, I don’t really know, but the image on it is stunning.  I see so many people attempting to take images of these or similar plants, and they are wonderful.  I do love her black background and the way you simply focus on the plant.  I can’t think of the name of them now.  I know you blow them in the wind.

322.1996##SThis image was a lovely surprise.  I have taken so many images like this myself, it was wonderful to see one from her.  Makes me feel not so crazy.  The mood an image like this evokes is wonderful.  The eeriness of the scene, and the way the trees in the foreground dominate the image.  I think it is just brilliant.

Teacup Ballet - OriginalOf course, I had to show you my own attempt at imitating one of her images.  I am not going to go into whether or not it works, just put in Olive Cotton in the search at the top and you can see past posts on this image.

The image of hers is what drew me to her, and it was important to me to see if I could do an image that was similar to her.  The lighting was so important and I think, in the end, it was that which lets this image down.  I don’t have the studio lighting that she would have had.  I don’t think going out to buy lighting just for an image like this is warranted.  It has made me think, and you start to realise how important lighting really is.

Scraggy, Craggy Tree - Silver Efex 1When I saw that image of the trees with the stormy sky, this image came to mind.  I think it has a similar feel.

Wasted - 3This is another one I thought of, this one more so than the other.  It is like a desolate country, with no hope of a future.  I think it conveys that, as does the one by Cotton.

Finally I have an image of her.

lg_Olive_Cotton-L_GrahamI don’t actually know who took this image, but it says L Graham, so I assume that is the photographers name.  She looks like a lovely person, and someone I wish I had known. She died in 2003 at the age of 92.   What a wonderful legacy to leave behind.

I have been doing some research on her for this post and I believe I may have to do more.  She looks like a woman photographer who I would like to know a lot more about.

Etsy Shop

I just wanted to take the time to say thank you to everyone for the support of the new Etsy Shop, if click on Etsy shop it should take you to it, I hope.  I just want to say I really appreciate it.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 16,439 other followers