Art Market

While I was in town I noticed there was an Art Market in St Georges Hall so I went in for a look. There where a few photographers selling prints. I would have liked some larger ones but they are a bit out of my price range at the moment but I bought 3 greeting cards from this photographer. They where £2.60 each or 3 for £6, I'm going to frame them and put them on the wall. Click here, here and here to see the photos I chose.

Nifty fifty

I've read a lot about this lens (Canon 50mm f/1.8) so today I went into town and got myself one. John Lewis and Jessops where charging £99 but I got it for £88.99 in Jacobs Digital so the spare £10 will go into the kitty for my next lens. I tried to get one a few weeks ago but they'd sold out and the young woman who served me this morning said they sell out quickly and that it had only come in this morning so I was meant to have it.

I've had to put back sending my 2nd assignment until January. I was way behind anyway because of having a new kitchen fitted but in the early hours of last Saturday (21st) my Mum was rushed into hospital with pneumonia and fluid on the lung. The past week has revolved around hospital visiting so any thoughts of photography have gone out the window. Thankfully she is recovering well and it looks as if she will be home early next week.

Lino cutting course

I’m hoping to do Printmaking 1: Introduction to Printmaking early next year as my 3rd Module in 1st level towards a Degree.

One of the blogs I follow is an artist based in Australia who is running an online Lino cutting course. It only cost $30 about £18 for 3 lessons and from what I’ve read on other blogs Dijanne gives a good grounding in starting to learn Lino cutting so I’ve just signed up for it.

I won't have to buy any materials because I've already got a small Lino cutting tool set and I bought some soft printing blocks but I want to learn how to use the proper 'lino' that I bought ages ago.....must remember to try the tip I read somewhere, sit on the piece of 'lino' for a while to soften it and make it easier to carve.

Assignment 1: the theory and practice of contrasts

I've just got my 1st Assignment back from my tutor. She's given some constructive criticism and I've acted on a few of them.

Large and small in one photograph

Tutor thinks this photo and few work when viewed together but they don't when seen apart.

Many

Few

Tutor doesn't think this works she thinks it's out of focus and doesn't recognize what the subject is???? It's buttons btw. She said she was attracted by the swirls and dark contrasts. I'd converted to b+w to go with rough but I'm wondering if it would work better in colour or find something else to photograph as smooth.

Another thought perhaps its the paper it's printed on. I get 25 free photos each month from my ISP and had them printed on matt, perhaps would be better on gloss. I think I need to invest in a good printer so I can do them myself. False economy if you don't get a good print isn't it.

Smooth

Rough

Still

Moving

Tutor thinks using a slow shutter speed to blur someone walking, running would be better to convey Moving.

In the next 2 she thinks there is too much information in them so I've cropped them, what do you think do they work better. NB opaque image needs to be straightened the glass is leaning to the left.

Transparent

Transparent

Opaque

Opaque crop

High

Tutor thinks this is a good image but it doesn't convey 'low' what do you think???

I'm wondering if I should swap the captions around. Low instead of High and High instead of Low???????

Low

Or as my tutor thought 'High' was a good photo substituting this for 'Low'

Straight

Curved

Again my tutor thinks the following 2 photos should be cropped to get rid of excess information.

Diagonal

Diagonal crop

Rounded

Rounded crop

Sweet

Sour

Overall I'm please with her report. I prefer constructive criticism than being told my work is fabulous when you know it isn't.

I can see I'll have to rethink a few of the photos though.

For example someone on Flickr thought this was many


and now I look at it I agree so I may change it to many and look for something more suitable for smooth.

Eeek!!! The more I think about it the more confused I get. My copy of assessment requirements says

"all 5 assignments in their original form plus any amendments made in response to the tutor reports"

It's my understanding then that I can replace photographs if I think they will work better but that I still have to send the original set, obviously putting in my log book why I have changed them. Does is it also mean I have to send the original 4 x 6 inch 2 to a page prints that I sent to my tutor or can I reprint say to 8 x 6 inch and mount on suitable board.

Project 13: The Golden Section

This project involved making a conscious effort to compose photographs according to the Golden Section.


Is it just me or does this look like a 'Lion' -

Project 11: balance

I think I've managed to find 6 of my own photographs to show how the balance works in each one.

Project 14: vertical and horizontal frames

This project involved taking 20 photograph in vertical format then continue by taking 20 horizontal version of each vertical that I'd taken. Where I knew that I wouldn't be able to get back to the same location to take the horizontal photo I took it at the same time. A bit of a cheat I know but this has been a good exercise in composition.

A lot of the photos are taken in my local park which has been given a £14 million renovation over the past year. Any football fans out there will know that you cross Stanley park to get from Liverpool FC to Everton FC.







The next photo is the same view as the previous ones but from across the lake.



One of the newly restored bridges. They had been in such a bad state of repair that they were dangerous to cross so for the past 5 years or so they have been blocked off.



A piece of public art in Liverpool City Centre. The statue is of Eleanor Rigby by Tommy Steele



Statue outside Liverpool Women's Hospital.


The original 'Superlambanana'.....



....... and some of its' offspring?



Merseyside Maritime Museum down at the Albert Dock.





The new Museum of Liverpool due to open in 2010.







Tate Liverpool





Entrance to Liverpool One looking out into an adjacent street. It may be modern but I can't say that I'm really keen on it, it doesn't have the character of the buildings it replaced.



A singer in Liverpool One on 'Beatles Day'



I couldn't end this short trip around Liverpool without these last 2 photos, could I - 'Ferry cross the Mersey'.