Sumi-e

From Wikipedia:
"Asian aesthetic writing is generally consistent in stating the goal of ink and wash painting is not simply to reproduce the appearance of the subject, but to capture its spirit. To paint a horse, the ink wash painting artist must understand its temperament better than its muscles and bones. To paint a flower, there is no need to perfectly match its petals and colors, but it is essential to convey its liveliness and fragrance. East Asian ink wash painting may be regarded as a form of expressionistic art that captures the unseen."

Natural Sumi-e

Two Peas

A Level Playing Field

We dropped by the reception for the Blue Line Gallery membership show last night. We arrived after the awards ceremony, and much to my surprise, I was informed that my photo Ferrari Ranch Wetlands received an Honorable Mention. Of course it's always nice to receive recognition for your work, but more importantly, it was great to see a photograph (any photograph) given an award in a mixed media show against more traditional art forms such as painting and sculpture. Photography has been making steady progress as a serious medium over the past 50 years, but in some circles it's still misunderstood and given less consideration than other art forms. Kudos to the jurors at Blue Line Gallery for taking photography seriously and judging it on a level playing field with the other works in the show.

The Subtle Season

Summer's harsh light is not conducive to capturing broad landscapes, but there are still creative opportunities if one looks hard enough. This is the time of year for landscape photographers to sharpen their vision and search out the subtle.

Acorn

Summer Wind

Blue Line Arts Membership Show

This yearly exhibition highlights the artistic talents of members of Blue Line Arts and will include a range of mediums, including painting, photography, mixed media, ceramics, pastel, and more. This year, Blue Line Arts received its largest participation from members, with over 150 artworks on display.

Blue Line Gallery
405 Vernon Street, Roseville, CA
July 17 – August 16, 2014
Reception: Saturday, July 19
6:00-7:00 p.m. (members only)
7:00-9:00 p.m. (public)
More Information →

My gelatin silver print, Ferrari Ranch Wetland (shown at right), will be on display at the show.

Ferrari Ranch Wetland

Four Edges

"Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts."

— Garry Winogrand

Hammon Grove Riffle

A Cure for the Summertime Blues

Summer landscape photography in California can be a real test of a person's patience and fortitude. The harsh light and long, hot days are anything but conducive to capturing the environment in its best light. Forms are presented in stark contrast, and highlight and shadow are pushed to their extremes. Unlike in the winter, when opportunities present themselves throughout the day, the summer usually pushes our image making to first and last light.

Outside of those extremes though, there are less obvious opportunities available to landscape photographers willing to adjust their approach to accommodate the conditions at hand. By shifting scale down to the macro level and using depth of field to control the play of light and shadow, it's possible to turn difficult lighting conditions into an opportunity for creative expression. Working in this manner tells a different story about a landscape—a more intimate story of detail and texture—while perhaps also pushing us out of our comfort zone into a new way of seeing.

The Essence of Things

"Most of us look at a thing and believe we have seen it, yet what we see is often only what our prejudices tell us to expect to see, or what our past experience tells us should be seen, or what our desire wants to see. Very rarely are we able to free our minds of thoughts and emotions, and just see for the simple pleasure of seeing. And so long as we fail to do this, so long will the essence of things be hidden from us."

— Bill Brandt

Wildflower, Study 1

Altocumulus Over Oak Copse

I went out early this morning to capture the beautiful cloud formations rolling through as a result of this unusual summer low. It's stunningly beautiful out there. I'm doing my best to enjoy it before the serious heat sets in next week.

Altocumulus Over Oak Copse

Just Being Outside is Therapeutic

"Just being outside is therapeutic. We are lucky to be in a position as relatively prosperous westerners to have enough time on our hands to reflect on our predicament in the world. We are not constantly preoccupied with whether we have a roof over our heads, whether we are warm enough and if we have food. This allows us to look at our place in the universe and the great thing about landscape photography is that it just feels right to be outside – it’s like being at home. The actual act of being outside and the creative aspect gives us back a relationship with the land that we have lost through the urban experience."

— Joe Cornish 

Westside Oak Forest, Study 3