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The Results Are In - Part 22

Yes, once again it is horn tooting time. Just to clarify, it’s a virtual horn…more of a metaphorical horn, really. Though I played the trombone in high school, I promise that you would not want to hear me tooting that specific horn today. So all said, I hope you enjoy this horn tooting as I fill you in on the latest accolades that have come my way.

And, it’s a bit more than just photographs. There was something about one of my photographing expeditions that affected me deeply. At the end of today’s article, you will see what it is. I’m wondering if you will experience some of the same emotions that I felt then, and still today.

“Toot!!!”

— Steve

The international Spider Awards is a competition for black and white photography. The recognition today comes from the 17th annual competition, which had over 7,000 entries from 69 countries.

A word about the recognition. Over twenty international, industry experts reviewed the photo submissions. There is a competition for professional photographers and amateur photographers…as I don’t come close to making a living off my photography, I am an amateur. When we submit photos for this competition, we must designate one of 15 different photo categories for each of our submittals. The judges initially nominated 850 photos for further consideration and recognition. The winners in each category are awarded as 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Then, there are the also-rans which receive Honorable Mention recognition. Though I’ve placed in past competitions, this year I received recognition in the Honorable Mention and Nominated categories. Drat…better luck next year, right?

So, here are the two photos which received the Honorable Mention designation…and I’m ashamed to say that neither were taken in Italy.

Honorable Mention

I very much prefer my color version of “Standing for Something”, which you can see here.

Nominated

You’ll start to see very quickly that most of the photos are in the desert environment of Arizona. That’s because I absolutely love the desert…even though there is no pasta, wine, grapes and other such Italian influences. But, there is solitude, beautiful cacti, and resort hotels with lazy rivers. Nough said.

That last photo creates a lot of emotion for me…I’m an emotional guy (ask any of my close friends who’ve seen me blubbering at the drop of a hat). I’ll explain this particular emotional journey with a few accompanying photos.

The Story of “It Was A Home”

Chances are high (astronomical, actually) that you’ve never heard of Garcia, Colorado…even if you are from southern Colorado, you’ve probably not heard of it. It is just north of New Mexico on a seldom-traveled road, about 2,700 feet into Colorado.

Garcia was aptly settled by a family with the last name of “Garcia”. The town was originally settled in 1849 as La Plaza de los Manzanares. That name hints at apples and apple orchards, though I can’t envision those now as I look at today’s Garcia. A post office called “Garcia” was established in 1915. So, this place is old.

It is a collection of very old, long-abandoned adobe homes. These are not the cinder-block-with-plaster adobe-like homes of the modern era, but the real deal…a combination of clay earth, straw and water, hand formed into large blocks or “brick”.

Here is a view of the particular home where the doorway photo above was taken. You can see the doorway in the left-third of the photo.

***Abandoned Adobe Home in Garcia, Colorado***

And here is a slightly different view of the doorway…and what caught my eye. Do you see it?

That wallpaper in an old, abandoned adobe building took it from just a building sitting abandoned, to someone’s home…a home where they had the pride of ownership to install wallpaper on an adobe-plastered wall. They took time to select wallpaper from who-knows-where (was it from a Sear’s catalog, yesteryears precursor to Amazon?) and then they lovingly hung it. All the while, the home never had anything but a dirt floor.

But wait, there’s more. Let’s go inside…

Now we can see more of the motif of the wall covering.

It looks a bit like white peonies interspersed with a vertical lace pattern, doesn’t it?

But, there is something else. That wallpaper is not the first wallpaper to be hung in this wall. There is another paper pattern underneath this one. See the yellow color amidst the cracked adobe? Here’s a closer look…

Seeing their dedication to creating a home, as they toiled to decorate their home in this hardscrabble land of southern Colorado, that’s where my emotions took over as I looked at what they were creating many years ago…again, that being, a home.

My mind began to imagine their family makeup and size, their daily work, and their origin journey

Ultimately, did their dreams come true, or did they dry up in this arid land? Was this home abandoned quickly in failure, or only after a long and fruitful life?

I want to believe that, though times were probably difficult, there were times of joy and laughter around the family table…just as my own family has experienced.

Were they in this place for many years, or was it perhaps a successful waypoint to places and things better?

Were they people of faith, gathering with neighbors at a small nearby church, seeking answers to prayer just as we do today?

These are questions without answers, I gather.

In my travels in the west, I’ve seen countless abandoned shells of life tried…where I’ve been curious whether there was abundant pleasure or insufferable loss.

All of this leaves me wondering if there was vast happiness for awhile or even longer, or whether there were just broken hearts, and busted dreams.

I’ve thought of this home and the imagined occupants many times, and my fervent dream is that there were many evenings of joyful light and love in this home with floral wallpaper.

I hope you didn’t mind that diversion into the past, but let’s get back to the present. And at present, I’m working on a trip to Italy this fall! Yes, we will be heading to the land of friendly people, great food, beautiful scenery, ancient history, and of course, a bit of wine. And, we are super pleased (that being more than just plain-ole pleased) to be taking friends with us for their first Italy adventure. So, stay tuned for more on our trip planning. But, until then I say,

Ciao for now,

Steve

Late Night at the Produce Stand

Index of Articles

What if there was a drink that you could enjoy after your Italian meal that would help with digesting that scrumptious experience? There is! At least, these liquids are claimed to accomplish this.

Those are the words that I had planned to start with today, as I was to end my series on Eating in Italy by covering the ‘Digestivi’ of Italy (not sure what that is? Then come back next time to find out). But hey, something came up that will significantly add to the discussion of the aforementioned ‘Digestivi’. So, that discussion will wait just a short while for things to play out. In the meantime, please enjoy my transformation of a produce stand…that sounds strange doesn’t it? To see of what I speak, read on…

“ I’ve seen my friend Mike reaching to test the ripeness of a fig at a produce stand...only to have his hand slapped”

My goodness, it’s gotten late…and dark. I’ve spent a bit too much time exploring Canareggio this afternoon after returning from a day on the Venetian lagoon-island of Burano, which you can experience here.

Many of the shops of the day turn out to not be shops of the night. However, the neighborhood produce stand is still open. There, I see a woman asking about the produce…and she is in the process of getting a reply from the purveyor.

It’s late afternoon and what I see is not that interesting, so as I process my photos, I want to give this image more a late-night look. And, I want a more intimate repartee between the buyer and the seller. So, I’ve got work to do! Let’s get started.

The Basic Snapshot

As usual, I present to you the original snapshot. There’s a bit too much illumination for what I want to create. So, I’ll create a scene that would occur later in the evening. And do you see intimacy I’m looking for here? No, I don’t either.

Let There Be Dark!

I’ve now made this woman’s stop to purchase her supper a bit later…I hope I haven’t spoiled her evening.

Let There Be Two!

Four persons in the photo don’t lend the image the sense of intimacy that I’m searching for. The other two characters in this tableau have to go. Those who were walking in the background have now mysteriously disappeared…poof!

Now, 2 are gone…and 2 remain.

Exposure Adjustment

It’s time to adjust the lighting in certain parts of the image. You’ll notice above that the highlights are much too bright. We call that being ‘blown out’ in the digital darkroom. I’ll make some adjustments to the lighting, now.

Convert to Black & White

An old photographic axiom is that when colors are not essential to the scene, convert to black and white. I’m invoking that axiom now.

When we say ‘black and white’ in the photographic world, we rarely actually mean that. A photo that has only pure black and pure white would be an extremely high-contrast photo, wouldn’t you agree? That has a place in photography, but not here. To illustrate that point, I’ll show you a version of the photo above which has only pure black and pure white.

Ouch! That doesn’t do much for the intimate mood I’m after…more like a harsh encounter.

Below, we now have a grayscale image that has almost completely black in the shadows, to almost white in the lights of the produce stand. Looking at this image below, you may think that there are portions that are pure black and maybe some that are pure white…but there aren’t. My software says ‘No’, and it doesn’t lie. So, we now have an image with a nice gradation of grays, or greys, if you prefer.

The Final Photo

OK, here it is. I’ve cropped it to a more intimate scene. There appears to be a good interchange between the late-night shopper and the fruit vendor. I’m happy with this final version of “Late Night at the Produce Stand”.

The final version of ‘Late Night at the Produce Stand’

Can you tell what he is showing his customer? He is demonstrating the quality of a large mushroom…probably a portabella by the looks of it on closer examination.

By the Way, What Does That Sign Say?

There’s a sign occupying the center of the photo. I was going to remove it, but I think it relates an important point to you, our Venetian-produce-shopper-of-the-future.

The sign shows a hand reaching out with a “nope, don’t do it” symbol overlaid. And the words, “Por favor, no toque”. Translated it says, “Please, don’t touch”…and this particular sign is in Spanish, by the way, not Italian. There is also a “Bitte nicht beruhren” for the German shoppers. And, there’s even a “Please, don’t touch!” sign for us English speakers, or I should say, readers. You can see those other two signs in the original photo at the top of this page. Why is there not a sign like these written in Italian? Because, they know better.

This is typical of the Italian produce market, and much different than the markets in the US, where one can touch the produce to your hearts content. I’ve seen my friend Mike reaching to test the ripeness of a fig at a produce stand on Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo (that’s Saints John and Paul, but they’re not who you think they are, but that’s another story) only to have his hand slapped with a harsh, “Non toccare!” So, Mike was relegated to pointing out the figs he wanted, without the benefit of giving them just a little bit of a squeeze to see if they were ripe. So, ‘buyer beware’, and ‘as is’, is the way of the day.

Thus ends another transformation. This one was a bit gentle, with no major changes in construction of buildings, boats, doors, windows, and such.

There will be a time when you might see me at a produce stand in Venice, as I try to sneak a gentle fruit-squeeze to test the ripeness of a chosen delicacy. Maybe we can work together, as you divert the seller’s attention, perhaps asking, “How do I get to Piazza San Marco?”. Let’s do it! But, until then, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

p.s. Mike’s figs were ripe and tasty!

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The Results Are In: Part 19

Index of Articles

“It’s an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the 6,378 entries from 69 countries we received this year” said Basil O’Brien, the awards Creative Director.”

I just got word from the folks at the Spider Awards that I received recognition in their 2020 photo context, which is a contest for black & white entries.

There were many, many photos submitted…to be exact, the number was 6,378. And, it is an international competition, where entries came from 69 countries.

The Spider Awards is a juried competition, which means that it isn’t just one gal sitting at her computer making decisions. There’s a whole panel involved…and the judges are the photo industry’s biggest names, like these so-called ‘captains of the industry’:

Musee de l'Elysee, Lausanne
Sotheby's, London
Travel/Discovery Channel, New York
Kunsthaus Zurich, Switzerland
Portuguese Center of Photography, Porto
Aeroplastics Contemporary, Brussels
The Guardian, London
Contrasto Galleria, Milan
ADK Creative One Inc., Tokyo
Hiroshima MOCA, Japan
MACBA, Barcelona
Pereira O'Dell in New York

The judges from these agencies viewed all of the photo entries, picked out ‘Nominations’ for further review, and then pared all down to the winners of 1st, 2nd & 3rd place, followed up by the ‘Honorable Mentions’. Unlike other contests, I didn’t have any photos in the top-three Winner’s categories (grrrrrr), but I did have a number of Honorable Mentions and Nominated photos.

So, here are the photos that made the Nominated and Honorable Mention recognition.

Nominated

Abstract Category

An afternoon walk in Venice after a rain shower was the time and place. This brushed aluminum tabletop caught my eye for its abstract quality, and where the accumulated rain drops seem to float above the metal surface.

Architecture Category

Driving from Jackson, Wyoming to West Yellowstone in January is definitely a chilly experience. This abandoned General Mills grain silo pulled me off the snow-covered highway to take this photo. Is it possible that the grain for my childhood Cheerios came from this very silo?

Fine Art Category

During a trip to Northern Ireland, we drove on a narrow strip of road through The Dark Hedges. These weren’t your between-your-house-and-your-neighbors type of hedges…these were ancient, gnarly trees. This was a dark, brooding, and moody place…so that’s what I work toward in this photo.

Coastal Maine is a fabulous place. I just love the whole culture of fishing and lobstering and the super-quaint fishing villages along the coast. Here, it was early morning…the tide was out…it was very, very quiet and peaceful. And this photos brings back treasured memories.

Still Life Category

Another thing I love to do is drive the back roads of Kentucky and Tennessee. Photo opportunities abound around every corner. In the spring, the dogwood are blooming in all of their glory. I seem to drive a herky-jerky path along these backroads as I constantly stop to take photos.

Honorable Mention

Aerial Category

Here we find a couple of aerial photos that you’ve seen in color from previous photo contests.

The first image was captured with my drone in the area of East Vail, right here in my home state of Colorado. It was springtime, and the sun was out, casting long, afternoon shadows.

Driving through central Nevada (which I absolutely love because of its geology and stark beauty), I noticed in my rearview mirror…well, nothing really…there wasn’t a car in sight…just a very long, straight stretch of nothing but highway. I just had to pull over to launch my drone to capture this image. It is arrow-straight all the way to the horizon, with nary a quiver.

Abstract Category

It’s back to Venice for another abstract photo. Canal steps like these are found along many of the canals of Venice. As the water level fluctuates with the tides, you may need to step down steps like these to gain access to an awaiting boat. Here, it seems that the tide was out…but would soon rise.

Well, my lips are a bit sore from tooting my horn, so I’ll rest them by having a glass of Italian DOCG wine. I hope you enjoyed seeing what the distinguished judges picked out from thousands of photo entries. Until next time…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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The Results Are In -- Part 15

Index of Articles

I’m really excited to let you know that Black & White Magazine has once again elected to publish some of my photos as award winners. The “Special Issue 2019 Contest Winners” for single images was published in February, 2019. The term ‘single image’ is in contrast to recognition for a ‘portfolio’ of several images (like the New Orleans portfolio I previously showed here).

In this current issue, the editors selected three of my photos for publication. And one was even a photo from Italy!

Laundry Day

The photo from Italy is found on page 80 and is titled ‘Laundry Day, Isola Burano, 2012”.

Burano is a lovely and colorful island in the Venetian lagoon. Almost every house is painted in bright colors, though you could not tell that from the photo above. The wall in the photo is a nice lemon yellow. You can see a color version in my print store here.

I love this simple composition. And, I like that the laundry is from the toddler's room...complete with baby-blue, bunny-rabbit sheets and pullups. You may have seen this photo before, as the judges for the International Black & White Spider Awards liked this one, too, as they gave it a 2nd Place - Merit of Excellence Award in their 2014 contest.

Sunset Gospel

On page 40 you will find a familiar photo from “The Results Are In — Part 14'“. The photo is titled “Sunset Gospel, Grenville, New Mexico, 2014”. To find out more about this photo, see the aforementioned article.

Rapid Transit

Finally, here is an old favorite that I captured on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Pedicabs are a great way to negotiate the streets of New Orleans, and I had fun ‘slurring’ many photos as they passed by, using a very slow shutter speed as I panned my camera. This one was my favorite. The color version was nominated in the 7th Annual International Pollux Awards back in 2015.

On page 189 you can find, “Rapid Transit, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2012”

OK, consider my horn as tooted! Now it’s time that I got back to thinking about, and writing about, good times in Italy. I’ll fill you in on that sort of thing very soon!

Ciao for now,

Steve

Serendipity, Stakeouts & Targeting - Part 2

Recap

Last week's post introduced the ways we typically go about capturing a photo. I suggested that those ways were serendipity, stakeouts and targeting, and in that post, I provided my definitions for each. If you didn't read that post, or if you need a refresher before continuing, please read it here.

The Challenge

In that Part 1 post, I invited you to guess which of those 3 processes were used for the 'Procession'. And, I left you as I played the theme music for the Final Jeopardy question.

Once again, here is the image.

So, here's the question, again. Was this image a result of:

1. A stakeout, where I waited and waited at this location until the two gondole were just perfectly aligned in a ‘Procession’?

2. Serendipity, where I happened upon a location and without having to wait hardly at all, one gondola passed by just as another was coming down the canal to create ‘Procession’? Perfect timing! What a surprise! I love it when that happens! Yes!

3. Targeting, where my goal was to get an image that I envisioned, and which I would call ‘Procession’, and then I went out to make it happen – whatever it took?

And the Answer Is...

Actually, this photo was completely targeted. There was neither stakeout involved, nor was there anything remotely resembling serendipity happening as far as "Procession" is concerned. Here’s what happened.

Before leaving Colorado to go to Venice, I had the idea for ‘Procession’ in my mind. While in Venice, I gathered all of the elements that I would need to come up with the final image. I didn't spend any time at all between those two bridges waiting for those gondole to pass, because those two bridges don’t even exist.

Here are the elements that make up the final image for ‘Procession’.

First, as I walked by gondole, I took photos of the ‘risso’ at their rear…

…and the ‘ferro’ at their front.

Strolling Venice, I was always conscious of the bridges I would use in my image. As there are 409 bridges in Venice, crossing over the 177 canals that divide Venice into 117 islands, I had a lot from which to choose.

I never found just the right pair of close-together bridges, though. But no worry – that’s why we have Photoshop. So, I set my target to a bridge with a nice curve with no distracting railings and with some other elements of interest, like the window. The bridge below suited my purposes, so I moved to just the right spot and took this photo.

My targeted work in Venice was complete. Now my work back home would begin when I returned.

Final Assembly

My job was to clean up the water a bit, create a duplicate of the actual bridge on the left and move it to the right --, not so much a duplicate that it looks too obvious -- and then do some blending for a seamless construct, just as if the Venetian craftsmen hundreds of years ago had done the job themselves.

Here what I had at this point.

What remained was to composite in the gondole with ferro and risso I had captured on my strolls, and to create their reflections in the water as they passed by me in a ‘Procession’.

And finally, I converted the image to black and white, as the color was not really a particularly integral element of the final image, which is about balance, symmetry and timing.

So, there you have it.

I think that the targeting, and many times the stakeout, are what defines fine-art photography. I have to admit that most of what I would call fine-art photos are the result of targeting. It is more than just a snapshot, and it often involves several elements (separate photos) that are brought together in an image-editing program (like Photoshop), that make for successful images.

Some might think that a program like Photoshop is cheating, saying things like, "That image was obviously Photoshop'd!". And some are so whimsical, outrageous or hilarious that it's pretty obvious. But, creating an image that fits into the realm of art often requires some sort of manipulation to be successful.

You know that an artist working with paints, woodblock, or any other medium, doesn't always put every element seen before them into their art work, even when they work from a photograph, paint still-life indoors, or en plein air. They are often working strictly from their mind's eye and they are not even documenting something that exists in this world - we've all seen paintings of unicorns, yet we know they don't exist -- right?.

Any artist does what they need to do to get the image they envision onto the medium that they use - it's called 'artistic license', and that's a license that an artist needs to issue to themselves - for me, using my artistic license is what defines fine-art photography.

I hope you enjoyed this treatise on capturing images, and I hope you don't mind seeing what goes on behind the scenes. If you do, just ignore the man behind the curtain.

Ciao, for now!

Steve