semillerimage.com - Image of the Week 4/27/05 Ed's Chair
Steve
It's been a busy last couple of weeks. The show 'With Our Own Eyes'
opened in Paso Robles to a very large crowd and was well received. The
ten kids and two adults who shot the pictures for this exhibition are
now immortal, their work I believe will stand the test of time and will
be treasured by that community and others for many decades to come.
Another showing of the exhibition will be at the Special Collections
Department at the Cal Poly Library from May 23rd to June 30th. The
opening reception will be on May 23rd 4-6pm. If you missed the first
showing, go to this one... the people who were able to attend the Paso
Robles opening agreed with my statement that it was not to be missed.
I got word today that one of my Universe of the Leaf images was
accepted to the Visions showing at the San Luis Art Gallery at the
Mission Plaza. Cross your fingers that I win something :) The judge is
a professor at Brooks Institute of Santa Barbara, one of the most
prestigious photographic schools in the nation.
I have given thought to attend a photographic school... and it is still
up in the air. Maybe someday I will, as it would expand my abilities in
a major fashion. My experience at Cal Poly taught me that I am not much
for structured education, especially in the realm of taste, but I might
be able to put that aside someday to learn more about my passion to be
able to more effectively translate my vision to a two dimension medium.
There are many technical aspects of the creation of an effective image
that I just do not have, and I have to honest that I have been just
very lucky many occassions in the past, an education would increase the
luck principle :) Maybe.
This all brings me to this week's image. One of the aspects of
photography which I very much love, and have not shared with this
group, is product photography. There is a very distinct art to making
photographs of everyday items, whether it be a tube of toothpaste,
food, or furniture. One of my favorite product images I have taken is
on a sign on the outside of Cornerview Restaurant on Marsh Street. A
martini, with a cherry that was just dropped in creating a wave of
liquid flowing over the side. Here is the image:
http://www.semillerimages.com/clients/cornerview/CRW-7416-574_041130-martiniwave9.html
Fun stuff, liquid. I find a trend in my better work with liquids, the
Universe of the Leaf series being a more creative example. I find a lot
of inspiration with being able to capture something that will never
again be the same and at the same time, not knowing exactly what I am
going to get...
I met Deborah and Ed Winter at Uptown Espresso. I think I was putting
half and half in my coffee when I overheard their comments on one of my
images displayed in the shop, and I told them thank you for the kind
words. I have done that a few times, it's interesting to be able to
overhear comment on my work, without people having any idea that I am
standing right next to them. Fortunately, I have only overheard one
negative comment and it was a good thing... because if everyone likes
it... something is wrong :) heh
Anyway, that one interaction with Ed and Deborah has turned in a very
nice friendship. They are both school teachers, just like my Dad. Ed
has retired, just like my Dad. Deborah continues to teach. Just like my
Dad, Ed has other interests one of which is woodworking, he does it as
a hobby... but let me tell you that what is does is absolutely mind
boggling. He has redone the interior of his entire house with his
craft. Shelves, cabinets, staircase... everything. If you were to give
me 1000 two by fours and asked for two to be exactly 3 feet long I
would not be able to do it, except by luck. This man, well... he can
cut boards the right length. I admire that...
I had dinner with the Winters a few months ago and Ed showed me a
rocking chair he was making. Thin pieces of wood glued together and
shaped to form a fantastic set of curves for a handmade chair. Just
last week, I saw some images of the finished product and as impressive
as they were, I offered to take some more pictures to give the chair
the justice it deserved and to get some practice on something
unfamiliar to me. We set a time, and I came down with all my equipment
tuesday night. Ed bought some pieces of black felt and we set up a
studio in his driveway. Two lights were used along with my digital
camera. We shot for awhile, all different angles, taking a few hours to
get it all just right. His workmanship is just absolutely amazing. All
the while, as we shot, I explained what I was doing as I knew that he
would appreciate as I do, words from a craftsman at work. I used some
white foamcore for tiny fill lights, an offcamera flash unit for some
fill also... and many hours later all was finished. My watch had
stopped at 9pm, so when I got in my car and turned it on, I was rather
shocked it was midnight... five hours for one product shot. I would bet
it was 1/10th of the time an architectural digest photographer would
take.
A present to you an image of a phenomenal handmade rocking chair by Ed
Winter.
http://www.semillerimages.com/iow-link/iow-4-27-05-edwintersrockingchair.html
If you're interesting in a piece of his work, drop me a line and I will
send you his email address. He is not cheap, but then again his work is
worth every penny. An artist with a passion.
See you soon!
*steve