Thursday, August 07, 2008

Joojo

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Joojo

Here are two of my favorite images that I've done this year:
This is my lovely granddaughter sitting on her pregnant mother's lap, touching her belly. My son's hand is caressing her chin. I love it because it is such a tender moment between them all. She is the first born, as as a 2 1/2 year old, really has no idea what it means to share her parents with another sibling. The other thing I like is that it resembles the silverpoint drawing technique used in ages past, which an astute Flickr member and artist noted in the comment section.

-- from joojo - (?)

This is an image that just happened to come together in a very magical way. When shooting two people underwater, there is a very small probability that the image of both models will work out and I often make composite images. I also needed to rebuild the upper models right arm, which I did using her left arm. I really had no idea how to do it, and I started experimenting with lassoing pieces and parts, and transforming them, and I was able to make it! The image was then pasted on some clouds that I shot outside my house during a spring storm. It reflects the mood I was feeling at the time I made it. I was reaching out to a friend who was in distress and very confused.

-- from joojo - (?)


1: How long have you been involved in photography?
I've used film for years for documentary purposes with my family until 1998 when I bought my first digital camera, an Olympus 2020z. Digital made it easier to learn the mechanics of photography, although I only used automatic functions. I began getting serious about the artistic aspect of photography and photoshop in 2005 when I started the underwater project.

2: Equipment you use?
I currently use a Canon 40D and 20D I have Ikelite underwater housings for both cameras. I am going to make the 20D a dedicated infrared camera soon. Can't wait to see infrared underwater photography! Might not work tho... come to think of it, since water clips off so much of the red spectrum, but I'll have fun playing.

3: Mac or PC?
Mac

4: What inspires you?
Everything = Life Light! Other artists, many of whom I've come to admire, respect and learn from on Flickr, literature, my animals, my garden, music, dancing, painting.... clouds, water... on and on!

5: Preferred subject matter?
I love portraiture, but I also love landscapes and still life's.
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6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture.
Too many to number! I am currently trying to do the alphabet exercise, which I've failed at miserably so far. In the span of an hour or two, walking around a park, or where ever you want, but restrict it to a couple acres, only using a 50 mm lens, one tries to find all the shapes of the letters of the alphabet (you can't photograph any actual letters!) in your viewfinder. It's an amazing exercise! It really strengthens the discernment ability of the eye.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
My creativity has always gone in cycles, and if I'm in a latent mode, I don't worry about it too much, there will be a groundswell soon!

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop
I learned photoshop using the tutorials John Arnold has at www.photowalkthrough.com Lately I've been taking several tutorials by different Photoshop, Lightroom and Painter whizzes on www.kelbytraining.com/ It's a fantastic investment and bargain. I seem to learn best via tutorials vs. books.


9: Plans for the future?
Just to keep growing, learning, and being open to new ways of expressing what's alive inside.


10: In one word, describe your photography.
Archetypal

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