Cameras
9
Feb 10
Photoshoot for cast of MLK in a Hip Hop World
A little background information about this act sourced from a PR release:
Rooted and grounded in the civil rights era, “MLK in a Hip Hop World” allows audiences to observe dramatic scenes through the lens of the hip-hop generation. We are reminded that hip-hop is not just a form of music but an undeniable social movement.“MLK in a Hip Hop World” examines the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., contemplates his work and lifts his legacy to the rhythm and pulse of the streets.
“MLK” reminds viewers of Dr. King’s history and philosophy through a cultural perspective that has influenced our progress as a diverse nation.“MLK in a Hip Hop World” is an original theatre piece written and performed by ACT alumni and Asante Touring Company members Jocque “Coosto” Carey, Cleo “The Dark Knight” House, Vincent “LL” Jordan and “King” David Orr, under the direction of Deborah Asante, Founder and Artistic Director.
21
Jan 10
Hybrid digital darkroom workflow
Many of you that follow my blog know that I use film for some of my work. Sometimes I get asked if I have a wet darkroom and my answer is no, but I did at one point. I got rid of it when I purchased my first DSLR, a Nikon D70. I also got rid of all my film cameras including my favorite Fuji GW670. But for the past several months I have started building my arsenal of film cameras again and I couldn’t be happier. I however decided not to rebuild a wet darkroom and instead chose to take a hybrid approach. I shoot film but all the post-processing and printing is done using a digital workflow. Here are some details about the hardware and other products I use:
Digital Darkroom Hardware:
Scanner: Nikon Coolscan 8000 and Coolscan 4000
Scanner Software: Vuescan Professional Edition
Computer: Macbook Pro with 2.5GHz Intel Processor and 4BG Memory
Monitor: Dell E248WFP
Software: Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS3
Printer: Epson R2400
Monitor Calibration: Colorvision Spyder Pro 2
Calibration Software: ColorEyes Display Pro
Photopaper: Epson Somerset Velvet, Hahnemühle FineArt, and Ilford Premium Plus
I couldn’t be happier with this arrangement, I get all the benefits of shooting film including access to cameras that would cost thousands for equivalent digital versions. I enjoy the process of manipulating images a lot more than I used when doing the same in a wet darkroom. I however do realize that all my time spent in a wet darkroom have trained me well to get the most out of my digital darkroom. The image you see above is what I envisioned and created in the digital darkroom and what you see below is the actual capture itself. What do you think?
13
Jan 10
A few years worth of work in one image…..
Well I haven’t posted anything in a couple days. I have been busy meeting people, plotting my next move, and reading a lot. The above is a composite/collage I made from some of my photographs shot over the past several years. It kind of shows that I am not someone that is hung up on a particular style, method, or subject. I used this collage as a backdrop for my Photography Twitter Page (@photoindica). If you have been following me on my @pkoduri Twitter account please consider following @photoindica .
10
Jan 10
Holton Valley Farm [Before and After]
BEFORE
After working on this image in my Digital Darkroom this is what I got. Tools used:
1. Adobe Lightroom 2 – Preset Punch and Sharpen Landscape
2. Photoshop CS3 – Levels, Healing Brush, Selection Tools, Layers and Layer Masks, and Adjustment Layers
AFTER
8
Jan 10
The bond we share
We all go through life making connections and building relationships. These relationships could be with other humans, animals, and even inanimate things. How many of us haven’t given a name to our car or talk about our electronic devices as if they were a person. This bond is especially strong between humans and animals. We humans depend on them for just about everything – food, clothing, even work.
The above photograph was captured in Downtown Indianapolis near Monument Circle. You will find many of these horse drawn carriages parked around the circle waiting for passengers. Sometimes you see a couple out on a romantic evening and at other times you see kids just enjoying the ride. The passengers change all the time, but the horse and the carriageman stay the same. They enjoy a special bond and you can see it in how they communicate and respond to each other. I took this photograph after walking around the circle a few times. I did not have any expectations as to what I wanted to photograph that day. But when I saw this scene playing out in front of me I knew I had something special.
7
Jan 10
Letting our emotions guide us in the photography process
![Solitary Raven on a Tree Branch [Letting our emotions guide us in the photography process]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4253259201_ac7fda0b6e_o.jpg)
Don’t we all love landscapes, images of birds and animals – the more color the better. There are times however when you can create a powerful image without having any of those elements and letting your emotions guide you. Like in the photograph above – it is practically a duotone image. All you see are black of the branches and the raven and white of the sky.
I took this photograph on my way to an early morning class at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Bloomington. I just looked up and there it was (I am still debating if it is raven that I saw or a crow) sitting all by itself on a leafless tree set against a clear winter sky. Looking through the viewfinder (I believe it was a Nikon FM2N Camera) I settled on this composition for its simplicity and probably the emotional state I was in at that time.
I will be honest business school was no fun. Don’t get me wrong – the classes and the faculty were wonderful, however at times I felt like I was living my high school years again. Even though you were surrounded by classmates you felt lonely and the pressure to conform was too much. This image was probably a result of that emotional and mental state I was in at that time.
To order prints:
5
Jan 10
Googly Eyes Turtle
The above image is from one of the first rolls of film that I shot on a used NIkon F4S camera. The lens is a Micro-Nikkor 60mm AF-D lens.
4
Jan 10
Seating for 2 [@ the MOMA in NYC]
I visited New York City just before Thanksgiving holidays. It was my first trip to the city after 12 years. It was a little over 12 years ago (August 12th 1997) that I first set foot in the United States. I did not get to see anything that day as I had a connecting flight to catch. This time I wanted to take in as much as humanly possible. The hotel we were staying in was right next door to MOMA and naturally was the first place to go see. I was pleased to see quite a few users of film cameras hanging around and one adventurous soul even had his Rolleiflex with him.
The above photo was taken just outside the area where crowds were gathered for a sneak peak of Tim Burton’s Exhibit. It was open only for members and select guests of MOMA so we were a bit disappointed. I did however manage to grab some cool information cards from the exhibit. The chairs were occupied all the time, but when I saw that they were empty for a brief moment I just had to swing the camera around and grab a quick shot. What do you think?
3
Jan 10
Seeing what others miss and making it your own
I was telling someone over lunch that photography changed the way I look at the world. Before I purchased my first camera, I would go around my business, never took in my surroundings, and almost always never interacted with locals. That changed after I started photographing, I started noticing and appreciating my surroundings more and more. When I look at a building I wonder what was the architect thinking when he drew the plans. When I look at an old and decaying tree stump I try to look for the beauty in its rotting structure. That was the case when I took the photo above. I was coming back from a weekend trip to Lake Patoka about which I blogged last year and instead of barreling down the interstate I decided to take one of the side roads. This road was not paved at all. It was gravel and the going was a bit rough. As I kept driving down this path I noticed this meadow to my left and how beautiful it looked as the sun was rising. I pulled to the side of the road, set up my camera, and got to work before the sun got too high and the light too harsh. The camera I used was a Hasselblad 500C/M with a 60mm Distagon Lens + Polarizer and the film used was Fuji NPC160 Color Print Film. I am sure many have driven down that gravel road before, but I don’t think anyone ever stopped where I did and took a photograph to preserve that moment in time and space. This photo has given me ideas for other projects that I plan to pursue this year.
Your landscapes are around you. You don’t have to travel to some exotic locale or National Park – look around you, keep your camera handy, and more importantly keep your eyes open.
