anthony luke's not-just-another-photoblog Blog

Photographer Profile ~ Jacques Henri Lartigue

2012-01-26T22:56:00.020-05:00

Jacques Lartigue was born in Courbevoie on June 13, 1894. He took his first photographs at the age of six, using his father’s camera, and started keeping what would become a lifelong diary. In 1904 he began making photographs and drawings of family games and childhood experiences, also capturing the beginnings of aviation and cars and the smart women of the Bois de Boulogne as well as society and sporting events. An unfailingly curious amateur, he tried out all the available techniques, tirelessly recording the fleeting moments and meticulously arranging his several thousand images in large albums.

However, it would seem that photography was not his true vocation. In 1915 he attended the Académie Jullian: painting was to remain his professional activity and from 1922 onwards he exhibited in the salons of Paris and southern France.

His acquaintances in the world of the arts included Sacha Guitry and Yvonne Printemps, Kees van Dongen, Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau, while his passion for movies saw him work as still photographer with Jacques Feyder, Abel Gance, Robert Bresson, François Truffaut and Federico Fellini.

Although Lartigue occasionally sold his pictures to the press and exhibited at the Galerie d’Orsay alongside Brassaï, Man Ray and Doisneau, his reputation as a photographer was not truly established until he was 69, with a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the publication of a portfolio in Life. He now added his father’s first name to his own surname, becoming Jacques Henri Lartigue. Worldwide fame came three years later with his first book, The Family Album, followed in 1970, by Diary of a Century, conceived by Richard Avedon. In 1975 he had his first French retrospective at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. For the rest of his life, Lartigue was busy answering commissions from fashion and decoration magazines.

He also produced the official photograph of the new French president, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing.
He died in Nice on September 12, 1986.
http://www.lartigue.org

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Picasso

Wes Anderson based some of his characters on Lartigue’s images- Max Fischer in Rushmore being just one.

Portrait of Jacques Henri Lartigue

Full Length Documentary on Master Photographer Ansel Adams

2012-01-25T20:52:00.001-05:00

From the day that a 14-year-old Ansel Adams first saw the transcendent beauty of the Yosemite Valley, his life was, in his words, "coloured and modulated by the great earth-gesture of the Sierra." Few American photographers have reached a wider audience than Adams, and none has had more impact on how Americans grasp the majesty of their continent. In this elegant, moving and lyrical portrait of the most eloquent and quintessentially American of photographers, producer Ric Burns seeks to explore the meaning and legacy of Adams' life and work. At the heart of the film are the great themes that absorbed Adams throughout his career: the beauty and fragility of "the American earth," the inseparable bond of man and nature, and the moral obligation the present owes to the future. [via PBS]

Fascinating Identical Twins Portraits ~ By Martin Schoeller for National Geographic

2012-01-25T20:36:00.002-05:00

They have the same piercing eyes. The same color hair. One may be shy, while the other loves meeting new people. Discovering why identical twins differ—despite having the same DNA—could reveal a great deal about all of us. [via NationalGeographic]

Photographs by Martin Schoeller

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Martin Schoeller

The Highest Resolution Photograph of Earth Ever Created

2012-01-25T18:44:00.001-05:00

*click on image for full size 8000x8000 version*

This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth’s surface taken on January 4, 2012.

A 'Blue Marble' image of the Earth taken from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA's most recently launched Earth-observing satellite - Suomi NPP. This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth's surface taken on January 4, 2012. The NPP satellite was renamed 'Suomi NPP' on January 24, 2012 to honor the late Verner E. Suomi of the University of Wisconsin.

Suomi NPP is NASA's next Earth-observing research satellite. It is the first of a new generation of satellites that will observe many facets of our changing Earth.

To read more about NASA's Suomi NPP go to: npp.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html

Behind the Scenes Fashion Shoot Using the Phase One IQ140 Digital Back

2012-01-25T09:07:00.001-05:00

Go behind the scenes with fashion photographer Frederico Martins and see him work in his studio and on an outdoor location. He's based in London and Porto in Portugal and his work can be seen in magazines like Vogue accessory Italy, Vogue Portugal, Elle Portugal, Elle Indonesia, Maxim USA, Maxima, Bello Mag, GQ Portugal and many others.

Frederico Martins

Frederico uses the Phase One IQ camera system:

"For me it was quite easy to move from the P 40+ to the IQ140. Although the interface with the screen is completely different, the camera is still the same. The feel is still the same. The logic is the same, and the interface is quite similar to other things that we use with a touch screen."

"There is a huge gap between other systems and Phase One. It's very similar to the experience you get working with a 35mm with the bonus of having much better image quality. I think that it's almost a perfect camera."

Frederico Martins

Lightpainted Reality - The Light Painting Documentary

2012-01-24T17:06:00.003-05:00

This is a documentary of a photographic technique called light painting. The dudes in action in the documentary are Hannu Huhtamo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hhuhtamo/ ) , Janne Parviainen "Jannepaint" (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jannepaint/ ) and Pekka Parviainen (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pparvi/ ).

Is Having a Photo Rep (Agent) Essential as a Professional Photographer?

2012-01-24T11:55:00.001-05:00

Photographer’s agent Annemiek ter Linden at Art + Commerce offices NYC. One of the biggest agencies in the world who rep some of the best photographers out there.(don't call them they'll call you)

Ask five creatives, and you'll likely get five different answers: When it comes to the hiring process, does an artist need a rep? Do creatives prefer working with the photographer or illustrator's representative, or do they want the talent to reach out directly? In this video, creatives answer these critical questions:

How big a role does the talent’s rep play in the hiring process?
Why do some creatives want a rep to provide a buffer between clients and artists?
Why do some creatives believe rep-free interactions foster the best results?

Here's a great post on this topic on Heather Morton's blog

Time Lapse of Yosemite Park in HD

2012-01-23T11:53:00.007-05:00

This video is a collaboration between Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty. All timelapses were shot on the Canon 5D Mark II with a variety of Canon L and Zeiss CP.2 Lenses. Enjoy!

Project Yosemite Website: projectyose.com

*double click center of video for full screen!*

Zeiss CP.2 Lenses. *click on image for a larger view*

Advertising Photographer Stan Musilek: Photo Shoot Tips

2012-01-22T09:02:00.002-05:00

Stan Musilek is a photographer of Czech origin born in Prague. He studied mathematics at the University of Heidelberg but fell in love with photography and never looked back . Later he moved to San Francisco where he opened his studio. Musilek has earn multiple awards and is one of the first photographers to embrace digital photography and Photoshop. He later opened a second studio in Paris. His client list is quite impressive: Adobe, Apple, Bank of America, Christian Dior, Coca-Cola, Geffen Records, Hitachi, Intel, Levi Strauss, Macy’s, Microsoft, Motorola, Nike, Nokia and many others.

Interview with DAVID LACHAPELLE

2012-01-20T11:38:00.009-05:00

David LaChapelle, Pieta with Courtney Love, 2006.

"Pieta is the strongest image in art. It represents the ultimate loss. So for me Catholics don’t own that idea. A mother losing a child is the ultimate loss. When I did the book [Heaven to Hell] with Courtney [Love], it was about my friend Brett, who was a bike messenger. He was addicted to heroin and had overdosed. He became a really good friend I met when I worked at Interview. That picture was haunting. I wanted to commemorate that loss. We have not progressed. That’s why we still need gimmicks. We decided to worship the painter. I like the shepherd image of Jesus. Condemning the Church, it’s like condemning a country. I will not let fundamentalists destroy what I know to be be a beautiful guide. I believe in love and forgiveness." ~ LaChappelle

Giovanni Bellini, Pieta 1472

Michelangelo's Pieta, 1498–1499

David LaChapelle talks about various aspects of life and his sudden resignation from the commercial and magazine work.

In this video, John Trefethen describes the elements of design present in David LaChapelle's Pieta.

Day to Night ~ By Photographer Stephen Wilkes

2012-01-19T14:17:00.001-05:00

Accomplished commercial and fine art photographer Stephen Wilkes' Day to Night series features composites of multiple images of the same scene taken during the day and at night. The results are quite unique and wonderful; as if they were pulled from a surrealist dream. Enjoy!

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stephenwilkes.com

stephenwilkes.com

Famous Black & White Photographs in Colour

2012-01-18T14:10:00.007-05:00

Swedish artist Sanna Dullaway digitally coloured several famous photographs that were shot in black and white to showcase her skills as a retoucher. This collection of images has now become an internet sensation. I think she did a fantastic job. I still prefer the original B&W but she did illustrate very well her talents as a retoucher. I would hire her! Have a look. [via ]

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VJ Day by Eisenstaedt

Thich Quang Duc was born in 1897 and was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. He burned himself to death on a busy street in Saigon on June 11, 1963 as a protest against South Vietnam’s persecution of Buddhists. ~ Photographed by Malcom Browne
[This iconic image was the first photograph Dullaway digitally coloured]

Taken by the late great Adams during the 1968 Tet offensive, it shows Nguyen Ngoc Loan, South Vietnam’s national police chief, shooting a prisoner who was said to be a Viet Cong captain. Adams, an Associated Press photographer, won a Pulitzer Prize for the photo.

Margaret Bourke-White World's Highest Standard of Living, 1937

Atomic Bomb

"Migrant Mother" by Dorothea Lange

Mark Twain

Churchill ~ by Karsh

Charlie Chaplin

Theodore Rooselvelt

Darwin

August Strinberg

Che

Hitchcock

Anne Frank

Eistein

Lincoln

Ted Turner (CNN creator) pissed off a lot of people by "colorizing" some classic Black & White films. Here is a short Doc on what happened.

Watch To Colorize or Not to Colorize on PBS. See more from Independent Lens.

Photographer Profile ~ František Drtikol (1900-1930's Art Nouveau Nudes)

2012-01-17T13:14:00.000-05:00

Czech photographer Frantisek Drtikol is arguably one of the most important photographers of the early half of the 20th century. Born in 1883 in the mining town of Pribram, west of Prague, Drtikol would go on to study photography in Munich, where he would be heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau. Early on he divided his time among both drawing and photography, but focused primarily on the latter upon his return home; both as an art form and as a means for making a living. In the year 1910 he opened his famous photo studio in Prague, where he shot portraits of some of the most important figures of his day: Czechoslovakia's first president T.G. Masaryk, his foreign minister Edvard Benes, the composer Leos Janacek and many others whose names are legend now.

In 1935, Frantisek Drtikol abruptly gave up his photographic career to return to painting: never again would he capture the world's attention as he had since the 1920s. Frantisek Drtikol sold his studio in 1935 and slowly drifted into obscurity. It seems difficult to believe, given the immense power of his photographic work, but he died practically forgotten in 1961. A rediscovery and renewed appreciation of his work would follow only after, largely thanks to the work of art historians like Anna Farova. Today, there is no mistaking his place in the 20th century canon. [via Radio.cz]

"The eye is a great, beautiful chapter. And one that you never finish reading. I find that its range of expression keeps expanding, depending on how the sharpness of my own eye improves and how my empathy for other people deepens. The glint of an eye... A model once came to me: a gaunt, plain face, a thin body, but uncommonly pretty eyes - large and sad. I would have liked to place those eyes somewhere in a void, so they could live a completely separate life, so they could live through their sad beauty." ~ Drtikol

"I am inspired by three things: decorativeness, motion, and the stillness and expression of individual lines. I then use the background and props - simple objects such as circles, wavy lines and columns - accordingly. I let the beauty of the line itself make an impact, without embellishment, by suppressing everything that is secondary... or else I use the body as a decorative object, positioning it in various settings and lights. This is how I create all my pictures." ~ Drtikol

Surrealist Photography by French Artist Philippe Ramette

2012-01-17T12:00:00.002-05:00

The French artist Philippe Ramette believes nothing should ever be faked. His improbable, gravity-defying poses might look like classic Photoshop, until you notice they are peppered with little incongruities. "You see a tension in my hands, my red face is far from serene as the blood rushes to it, my suit is ruffled."
Ramette goes to extraordinary lengths to create his implausible set-ups, building hidden metal supports that he calls "sculpture-structures". Metal rings tether him by the ankles as he hangs motionless from the Grimaldi Forum building in Monaco, his trousers and tie strapped down and his hair gelled flat to give the impression of being upright. Above a winding road in southern France, a metal seat hidden by his suit juts out from a slab of rock, holding him up.
In Balcony 2, he is standing on a balcony in the middle of Hong Kong harbour, contemplating the sky while seemingly managing to levitate above the water. For the shoot, a watertight tank served as an underwater float for the balcony, put in place by a barge and crane. Ramette then secured his feet on supports, leaned back and clung to the wood. During the initial attempts, he was soaked by waves and had to swim to safety. [Via Amusing Planet and Guardian UK]

Above a winding road in southern France, a metal seat hidden by his suit juts out from a slab of rock, holding him up. Both photos are then turned on their heads. Every image is the exact reproduction of one of his drawings; sketches that he considers to be film storyboards, reconstructed by his faithful team while he directs the image. "I never question whether it's going to be complicated," he says.

For the series Rational Exploration Of The Undersea, he wore lead weights under his suit and around his ankles. When Ramette needed air, a diver would swim over with an oxygen tank, but before shooting his team had to wait for the whipped up sand and bubbles to clear in order to achieve the effect of stillness. "There I was in a suit on the seabed, weighed down and able to walk underwater as if on land, unaffected by the currents. For me, that was a real pleasure," he smiles.

You can see how the metal support is placed on the tree to hold the artist.

Below: These are two metal supports used to hold a man horizontally or in another position for Ramette’s visual illusions.

Does the Democratization of Culture in the Digital Age Mean Better Art or is True Talent Instead Drowned Out?

2012-01-14T15:50:00.003-05:00

The digital revolution of the last decade has unleashed creativity and talent in an unprecedented way, with unlimited opportunities.

But does democratized culture mean better art or is true talent instead drowned out? This is the question addressed by PressPausePlay, a documentary film containing interviews with some of the world's most influential creators of the digital era. presspauseplay.com

Watch the full documentary here. (double click middle of video for full screen mode)

Behind the Scenes Photoshoot with Adriana Lima by Photographer Vincent Peters

2012-01-13T07:54:00.002-05:00

Photographer Vincent Peters captures the Brazilian model Adriana Lima and her husband for the Spanish edition of Vogue. The session is inspired by the film La dolce vita.

Behind the Scenes Advertising Photoshoot with Photographer Vincent Peters

2012-01-12T22:18:00.003-05:00

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Vincent Peters shooting the Seduction with Light campaign by Philips for Aurea

Behind the Scenes VOGUE ITALIA Photoshoot. ~ Free Digital Magazine!

2012-01-12T19:45:00.002-05:00

Photography by Vincent Peters

Click here for FREE digital copy of VOGUE ITALIA magazine

Introducing The New Fujifilm X-Pro1

2012-01-10T22:06:00.014-05:00

It's official. FujiFIlm has announced an exciting new camera that is marketed towards professionals and advanced amateurs. The new Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a rangfinder camera that is almost identical in size than the much more expensive Leica M9. The Fujifilm X-Pro1 promises to be a excellent full featured camera that will make those lusting after the M9 take a serious look at what Fujifilm has to offer. The body with all three lenses (available at launch) will be less than half of the Leica M9 body alone.

FujiFilm has a long history of making professional cameras so the X-Pro1 should be every bit as good as everyone hopes it will be. Three lenses will be available at launch: an 18mm ƒ2, a 35mm ƒ1.4 and a 60mm ƒ2.4 (27mm, 53mm and 90mm equivalents).Fujifilm is fully invested in the system, and plans to introduce a total of nine XF lenses in the next three years. An ultra-wide 14-mm lens is in the works, which equates to 21mm on a full-frame sensor.

Lenses due out for the X-Pro1
2012
• 14mm (21mm equivalent) super wide
• 18-72mm f/4 (27-108mm equivalent) image stabilized zoom
2013
• 23mm f/2 (34mm equivalent) wide
• 28mm f/2.8 pancake design (42mm equivalent) normal
• 12-24mm f/4 (18-36mm equivalent) image stabilized zoom
• 70-200mm f/4 (105-300mm equivalent) image stabilized zoom

Price for body is $1700 and lenses are going to be around $600 each which means photographers can afford this puppy. I'm getting one!

*Click on image for a larger view*

The X-Pro1 has several film emulation modes built-in, mimicking the look and feel of such classic Fuji slide stock as Velvia, Astia, and Provia. The X-Pro1 is also capable of recording video in 1080p resolution. A mini HDMI port will make it possible to watch the video directly on an HDTV. The X-Pro1's new 16MP sensor does not require a low pass filter for moire issues which means sharper images.

At CES FUJIFILM also announced that they’ll be releasing a lens adapter for the camera that will make it compatible with Leica M-mount lenses as well as old Fujinon lenses.

See some fantastic sample images from the X-Pro 1 here
I am impressed!

check out this hands on demo.

Promo vid for the new Fujifilm X-Pro1

Make-Up Ad Parody By Jeff Rosten ~ 'Fotoshop by Adobé'

2012-01-10T19:21:00.002-05:00

After watching TV one sleepless night Jeff Rosten stumbled upon an infomercial for some beauty product. The commercial showed before and after portraits, which to Jeff looked like the same photo just photoshopped. He had a good laugh and decided to make this very funny video

How to Stay Forever Young (Creatively)

2012-01-10T14:50:00.001-05:00

Artist inspired question: How do you stay current?

Creatively speaking, are you a hip youngster with your finger on the pulse of today's trends - or a forgetful grandfather with tissues tucked up your cardigan sleeve? In this video, creatives and industry experts discuss ...

Dior Mocks the Fashion Industry in ~ Lady Dior The Film

2012-01-10T14:15:00.002-05:00

Starrring Oscar Winning Actress

Marion Cotillard

Photographer Profile ~Adam Hinton

2012-01-10T11:14:00.003-05:00

Photographer Adam Hinton's Bio:

I began my photographic career at the age of 12 when my dad bought me a basic SLR camera. I became fascinated with a new way of looking at the world and the ability to record things of importance to me. It was a way of marking out my world.

When I was 15, I received the first installment of compensation from the Government following a knife attack (my attacker had a thing against punks) and instinctively I knew what I was going to spend the money on: more lenses. When I received the rest of the money at 18 I spent it all on a set of professional cameras and lenses. From that moment onwards, photography has been the constant focus for me. It has enabled me to vocalise my other interest: politics. Studying photojournalism in the 80s enabled me to articulate my feelings, beliefs and values into a visual medium that I could communicate to others. I would take photos at all the demonstrations I went to: anti-apartheid, anti-nuclear, the miners’ strike and the picket lines at Wapping. I hoped, and still do, that my images could portray something of the way we live today, how each action has a reaction, that nothing is without cause or response. [see full bio on Hinton's site]

Follow Adam Hinton as he shoots in the streets of India ==> here

Portraits of Elderly Animals ~ by Photographer Isa Leshko

2012-01-09T13:13:00.003-05:00

Artist statement by Isa Leshko
I am traveling to sanctuaries across the country to photograph animals that are elderly or at the end stage of their lives. I began this series after I spent a year caring for my mother who has Alzheimer’s disease. I am taking these pictures to gain a deeper understanding about what it means to be mortal and to exorcise my fears of aging. I have come to realize that these images are self-portraits, or at the very least, they are manifestations of my fears and hopes about what I will be like when I am old.

Phyllis, Southdown Sheep, Age 13

Capuchin Monkey, Age 30+

"Looking at mortality and aging, that's not easy subject material. Some of the subjects do seem sad and tired, some of them are downright defiant and stare down the camera. I think these images are testaments to survival and endurance, and finding meaning and joy in life in the face of physical limitations and challenges." ~ Leshko

Violet, Potbellied Pig, Age 12

Handsome One, Thoroughbred Horse, Age 33

Blue, Australian Kelpie, Age 19

Pumpkin, Morgan Arabian Horse, Age 28

Kelly, Irish Wolfhound, Age 11

The BOOMBOX Project ~ By Canadian Photographer Lyle Owerko

2012-01-09T09:30:00.007-05:00

On the heels of the graffiti renaissance comes a vibrant look at an old-school icon that figured prominently in the hip-hop, rock & roll, and punk movements of the 1970s and 80s. The Boombox Project features contemporary fine art portraits of an array of vintage boomboxes, as well as scores of documentary photographs of the people who brought the boombox movement to life back in the day.

The book is more than just a collection of images, though; it’s also an oral history of the early days of hip-hop, featuring memories from Fab 5 Freddy, Bob Gruen, Rosie Perez, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, Lisa Lisa, DJ Spooky, and Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, among others, on the role this once ubiquitous machine played.

Part pop cultural history and part “gadget porn,” this lively and highly stylish volume is one cool book to have on the coffee table.

"Photographer Lyle Owerko tells the whole story with crisp still lifes and an oral history of an era when graffiti and antigentrification ruled." --Playboy, October 2010 [Via TBP publisher]

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