Two updated images [minor tweaks]

Here are two designs I've done already, with some new tweaks. 

• The first one because of a suggestion from Professor Zeller to not block out the uppermost street light. 
  
• The second is a middle ground for a solution of my previously mentioned design problems I had with the green LED typography.
  

New Design: Chris in Sony Datacenter

I have not had much time, or desire really, to do a lot of work the last few weeks because of personal family issues. But since I have been evolving into unique designs for each photo, I wanted to do this idea I had from an old photoshoot.

I originally intended to do the green type much larger, but I wanted the look/feel to be like a scrolling LED sign. When I enlarge the type, that impression is virtually lost.
(if you click on the image, it goes to a larger version, which is still 50% smaller than the full resolution)

Here is a variation, working more with the implied grid structure of the photo. I like the concept better, but not sure if I like the execution.

Old image, new style

Going back to some of my old images, this is one of Pastor Phil.

A number of new things. The most obvious is that I did a quick "ripped" paper effect (not very good right now, but I will do it better if I keep the look). 

I also added a frame effect, not sure if I like it.

Finally I partially desaturated much of the color surrounding the Pastor. I originally was going to blur it out instead, to give more of a depth-of-field look, but I could not get it looking like I wanted.

Baseball variation

Another new look. This has a few visual concepts behind it... 

• one is putting the type/info back in the photo, but not intruding near as much as I had before.
  
• Also stylized the photo heavily... I think I actually need to do this to some of them (but not too many)
  
• Lastly, tries to subtly pop out out an important element, in this case the mitt that Jason is holding, by coloring it brownish. This is similar to when I popped out the volleyball in Dr. Cook's photo by having a glow around it. This may work for a handful of photos, but I am pretty sure it will quickly become cliché if I try to do it to all of the photos in the book.

I really have to figure out what elements I can use throughout each photo to  make them a cohesive unit and presentation.

Ashley composition

A new exploration for layout...

(as always, view these as experiments, NOT a final direction. The final look/feel for all photos will be finalized at the end of the year)

Here is an updated version of my thesis schedule...

New shoot: Jason's Softball

The dusk/evening light played absolute havoc with me and my camera, and virtually all of the photos are grainy and/or out of focus. I am hoping to do a shoot at a different location with Jason.

New Shoot: Ashley's marathon

From Ashley:

After my boyfriend broke up with me and then my Dad died I decided that I would exercise the pain away and signed up for a marathon. Completing that marathon made me feel like if I could get through running 26.2 miles then I could survive anything. I was struggling very hard at one point, the toughest spot in the Marathon for me when I really had to dig deep was at the corner of Ingraham and Crown Point Drive. I was almost ready to quit...

But at that corner, my friend Natalie was there, loudly cheering me on. Combined with everything else, that gave me the will to continue, and to finish.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5


This shoot did not turn out as well as I would have liked, so I may try to re-do it with her. But I have to admit that it has grown on me over the past few weeks, so we shall see. I particularly like how, due to the long exposure of the photos, the lights of the passing cars lend a strong, visible sense of motion. That, in turn, harkens back to the sense of runners along the route, without actually having any runners present.

#3 and #5 are likely my favorites, with #3 being the only one of the five that I have done any post-processing work with the colors.

New shoot: Body surfing

This was of a woman whose "sacred space" was bodysurfing.

The light on the water was absolutely brutal that day (you can see how good it was when shooting towards the land, in the second picture below). However, I was able to get this great shot:

(she's the one on the left here)

I may try to get another shoot with her if possible, and see if the morning light would be any better. There is still much for me to learn with photography...

Cresencia Overlay

I went ahead a combined the 3 action shots of wife and dog, and these are the results:

This first one is just a straight overlay of 3 layers. Cool, but too dark and too blue.

Then I cut out my wife and dog in two of the three images, combined them, and then reduced their transparency. My intent was to try to get more of a sense of 'time lapsing' in this one... not sure if I completely succeeded. But I do like this one the best out of the three.

Then I played with the luminocity, and it is mostly greyscale with the frisbee and her leg being in color (you have to click to see the larger version to see the color). Again, I like it, but the contrast is weak without the color.

Compilation

In celebration of the end of yet another term, here is a PDF overview (2.5mb) of all the photo explorations – in no particular order – I have done in quest for the 'awe' effect.

(Just remember that none of these images are finalized yet, and in some, the typography is especially pathetic)

Foundation Variation

This is not the other variation that I mention last week to my thesis advisors that I still wanted to do, but it is due to a suggestion made by my instruction, Professor Nelson...

I still have two more variations of this one I have in my head. Hopefully I will find time this week to do so...

new shoot

I finally convinced my wife to partake in this project, and here is a short list of potential photos:

#1

#2

#3

#4-6
Action sequence (have already combined these three)

#7

#8

I just threw this last one in here because it is a great shot
(the black lab, Blue, is our dog. The scary-looking Rottweiler mix, Smokey, is our friends' dog... they actually get along superbly, and this is how they play (rough))

#9

Pushing it...

Since I have been somewhat reluctant to intrude too much into the photos I have been taken (out of a (misguided or not) sense of letting the photo represent the true space of each participant), Professor Zeller asked me to try pushing an image beyond what I was doing... to put more of a "Greg" stamp on it, and see if I liked it. Below are three variations.

One thing to remember is that these are shrunken from the 'final' size of the photos. This is to help viewing the large images on the web, for which I have yet to find a good  middle ground.

The current size of these is 13.3" x 10".

For a sizing reference, the size of the type in the main quote is 36pt in the middle pic, and 16pt in the last pic, eminently readable (I tend to think the type is still too big)...

Here is a full transcription of part 1 (of 2) of an interview with Dr. Cook, taken 4 days after her photoshoot.

Background info:
Over 600 pics taken, deleted 200 immediately dues to out of focus, bad composition, etc.

The number of photos that I liked where the focal point is Dr. Cook, about 32-35
I whittled it down to 21, then whittled it down again to 8 or 11. I had three final pics from which I chose the end image.

INTERVIEW, part 1:
______________________

So you are?
My name's Andrea. Hi everybody.

What do you do?
I play volleyball

Professionally, what do you do?
City Climate Change manager

Why do you like what you do?
Because I feel like I'm helping people, and the earth... I'm making a difference.

What was your first reaction when I asked you to do this?
Its a no brainer, I thought the project was cool, kinda like you, so why not?

What about the project interested you? Did it intrigue you at a certain level?
I believe in sacred places, I've been in many. It can be really simple places... in the woods, at the beach, sunset, communicating with a person, doing volunteer work... all kinds of ways to be sacred.

For me, the nature has been really sacred, one of these escapes, so I think sacred paces... can be really varied. For me, its not the church. Its not not the church. It could be, but its not.

What do you think of when you hear the word "sacred"?
I think of places like indian burial grounds. I think of places like churches. I think of watching the surf. I think of watching the sunset. I think of ruins, sort of ancient ruins. Some friendships are sacred, some communications are sacred. Those kind of things.

What does it mean to you, on a personal level, abstractly?
It means there is a power greater, or an energy greater, or a sphere greater than ourselves that is awe-inspiring in someway, whether it is looking at how a painting looks, or how ruins look, the ocean or anything.

Talk to me about your sacred place. Why did you choose what you chose?
Well in this case I chose volleyball at the beach. Because it is a sacred place that has always been with me since seventh grade... a place I've always gone, a volleyball court, to meet people, to exercise, to watch sunsets, to experience the outdoors at the beach. It is fun, something I can really rely on in my life, one of the strongest themes that is there. It brings relief, it brings friendships, exercise, and is free to do and available to do and I need to live by. You know, I moved back to San Diego to live at the beach and play volleyball because it grounds me, having a commitment to play certain days, times and places.

It's sacred time, I don't trade it in for hardly anything, you know? It has to be something really big if I am going to give up my volleyball time, you know. So I hold it sacred as a commitment in my life so I have the break, so I have the free time, so I have the exercise.

And then the motion, you can play... I can play without paying attention, instinct at some levels. I don't have to think or process much. My body knows what to do, things happen on instinct. It's out of... It doesn't have to be effort. So I like it.

You said before that when you are out there, you like playing more more more. How do you feel like when you are playing, when you are "in the moment"? What is that experience when you are playing?
I love it. It just feels like you are in the game, and exercising and having fun and hitting this ball around. Yeah, I don't like to sit out, I don't like to sit and watch the game. I like to be involved in the game, and involved in the game in high level. Meaning, you know, its not the same if you're playing with six people on a side, or you're playing co-ed... women's twos has the most comfort and fluidity. And I feel happier playing. I like to feel tire, I guess, by the end of it. Like I've really worked out, worked out hard... that I really tried at whatever. And it does so many things at the same time.

Book interior

Here is a potential interior spread of the book.
The page size is conditionally 15" x 10.5", and the type is mostly greeked, as I have not had time to transcribe my interview with Dr. Cook yet.

Its all about ME

Another new update

Here is another older photoshoot, but in addition to add the graphical elements, I also went in and re-did the colors and exposures to make it more dramatic.

Updating old photos

Seeing if my new ideas and format will translate....

Reminder: These photos are all shot at over 7 Megapixels. Since I am now thinking again of doing a book instead of DVD, that means my images are bigger that they will appear on the screen. Consequently, the type will appear small.

(Currently, at screen resolution, these images are 42" x 32". Seriously.)

New variations from Dr. Cook shoot

Again, you can see a shortlist of the 11 photos I choose here.

The interweb is back!

My internet has been restored, so here come some updates...

Here is the shortlist of the photos I like from the Dr. Cook photoshoot the other weekend.
11 total, but the first 5 are my favorites, with the first one being the current front-runner.

For kicks, here are the all the others ones I liked that included her friends (78 total).

Places to check out

200 Saxony Rd, Encinitas, CA 92024, USA

YMCA Magdalena Ecke Skatepark Encinitas, California
Location: 200 Saxony Rd, Encinitas, CA 92024, USA
Check out our updated street course! In addition to our multiple ledges, rails, boxes, and mini ramps, we added a new four stairs designed for both beginners and experts.
Looking to go big? Drop in on our 120’ vert used at the 2003 X-Games.
We have two of the best cement pools in the country. One is a backyard style kidney pool the other is a multi-tiered clover bowl. Both pools have smooth transitions, flawless coping, and perfect tile.
For the beginners, mini land is the perfect place to learn. With gradual transitions and smaller ramps, mini land will help you learn proper techniques and maneuvers.

New styles

Exploring looks/styles, I re-did two of my old photos, and also had my first new photoshoot last week.

an example

Rueters has a (somewhat) similar photo slideshow with a voiceover about America's last lighthouse keeper.

Voice-over test

Title Change?

Should the title of my thesis project be "Sacred Spaces" instead of "Sacred Places"?

• Space is wherever you do something that is meaningful to you. It can move and be wherever.
• Place is a distinct, static area. It always stays the same, and does not move.

Should it be both?

Looking at it from this perspective, my earlier work had both places (Mount Soledad Cross, Sunset Cliffs, skeet shoot range) and spaces (motorcycle riding, playing with dog, baseball park) in it. Some might even be considered a hybrid (jacuzzi).

DRAFT: List of Sacred Places, ongoing

• Arlington National Cemetery
• Easter Island
• Galapagos Islands
• Mayan temple of Copaacute;n
• egyptian pyramids
• Delphi
• Stonehenge
• Machu Picchu
• Cows
• Notre Dame
• the Wailing Wall
• Westminster Abbey
• Ganges

The atlas of sacred places : meeting points of heaven and earth / James Harpur ---- Explores the idea of sacred ground (found in most cultures) and whether such sacredness is innate, Read More

define: Geomancy

Celtic: Sacred Places

• Megalithic monuments at Newgrange: according to Irish legend, it is the palace of the Dagda, the father of the gods (later supplanted by by Oenghus, the god of love, who tricked him into leaving the palace).
  
• Dunnottar Castle (Kincardine): Pictish fortress, guarded the 'Honours of Scotland' and the private papers of Charles II (p65)
• Cawdor Castle (Nairn): Home of real-life Macbeth, the last Scottish king to rule from teh Highlands (p65).
• The many mounds around Ireland and Scotland are actually called sídhe or 'fairy mounds'. According to celtic legend, it is a parallel universe where the gods dwelled and there was no sickness, old age or death. The Danaans would eat, drink and have a life of ease. In reality, the mounds burial mounds and cairns from prehistoric times (p34). This shows how the Celtic religion appropriated previously existing structures and then made up stories and myths to incorporate them into their own world.
  

[source: Zaczek, Iain. Sacred Celtic Places. 2nd ed. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2003.]

Groups II

(I will update this list as I go on throughout the process)
______________________
Potential groups that I could focus on photographing:

• Monastery Leaders (1) [new]
• Local Sports figures [new]
• Famous People (see if they would send me a photo) [new]
  
• 
  
• Religious leaders
  
• Local Musicians (can't believe I didn't think of this one sooner)
  
• Olympic Athletes (from the training center in Chula Vista)
  
• Politicians
  
• Educators
  
• Surfers
  
• Dog Owners
  
• Nudists (from Black's Beach in San Diego)
  
• Public Safety Officials (Police, Fire Fighters, EMTs, etc)
  
• Strippers / Strip Club Owners
• Gang Leaders (could be hard to find)
• Illegal Immigrants (could be hard to find)
• Skydivers / Gliders
  

I'm looking for people that have been here long enough to have local places that mean something to them...

More research this week, studying jeruslem, and how it is sacred to at least three different religions. Also reading about Celtic sacred places... absolutely fascinating stuff for me.

Also, I had written drafts of an introductory letter and an Artist's Statement to help me when I contact prospective subjects.

photo execution idea

film sprockets along the edges...
polaroid style
slices of multiple pics
360 panorama
darkened edges
soft focus

Another sacred space... arenas

Something new I have not thought of before... sports:

Finally, baseball reminds us that there is an element of ritual in all games, and that a ritual is in itself a kind of game, played by a team within a sacred space, with special garb and implements.

This could also apply to earlier times as well, such as the Roman Coliseum.

[source: http://southerncrossreview.org/53/diamond2.htm]

Identifying groups to approach

Potential groups that I could focus on photographing

• Religious leaders
  
• Local Musicians (can't believe I didn't think of this one sooner)
  
• Olympic Athletes (from the training center in Chula Vista)
  
• Politicians
  
• Educators
  
• Surfers
  
• Dog Owners
  
• Nudists (from Black's Beach in San Diego)
  
• Public Safety Officials (Police, Fire Fighters, EMTs, etc)
  
• Strippers / Strip Club Owners
• Gang Leaders (could be hard to find)
• Illegal Immigrants (could be hard to find)
• Skydivers

I'm looking for people that have been here long enough to have local places that mean something to them

New thoughts

What about other alternative religions, or religions/societies that no longer exist?

Being Scottish, I am thinking of something like Celtic places, or 'fringe' religions, like Rastafari, Zoroastrianism or even Voodoo. 

Religions to research for my thesis

Religions that interest me (in no particular order):

1. Christianity (the elephant in the room)
   
2. Hinduism (the one I know the least about)
   
3. Islam (The smaller, but more radical elephant)
   
4. Judaism (I'm shocked at how small their numbers are)
   
5. Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
   
6. Shinto (Japan has always intrigued me)
   
7. Taoism (1.32 billion Chinese can't be wrong. right?)
   
8. Sikhism (1.13 billion Indian can't be wrong, right?)
   
9. Unitarianism (one of the most tolerant of religions (plus we got married in a Unitarian temple))
10. Baha'i (one of the youngest of the religions)
    
11. Jehovah's Witnesses (because they might have a bad rap)
    
12. Atheism/Agnostics (I consider myself agnostic... do they have any sacred places??)
13. Confucianism (the originator of snarky come backs)
14. Buddhism (who doesn't love Buddha?)
    
15. Paganism (because Mother Nature might be the most powerful god of them all)
    

Religions of the world

• Christians 33.32% (2.1 billion)
  • Roman Catholics 16.99%,
  • Protestants 5.78%,
  • Orthodox 3.53%,
  • Anglicans 1.25%
• Muslims 21.01%, (1.5 billion)
• Hindus 13.26%, (900 million)
• Buddhists 5.84%, (376 million)
• Sikhs 0.35%, (23 million)
• Jews 0.23%, (14 million)
• Baha'is 0.12%, (7 million)
• other religions 11.78%, (see below)
• non-religious 11.77%, (combined with atheists, 1.1 billion)
• atheists 2.32% (combined with atheists, 1.1 billion)

[Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/xx.html]

OTHER religions broken down:

Jainism: 4.2 million
Shinto: 4 million
Cao Dai: 4 million
Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
Tenrikyo: 2 million
Neo-Paganism: 1 million
Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
Scientology: 500 thousand

[Source: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]

Three visual presentation ideas