It's New Years Eve, it's winter and it's cold...

A prosperous New Year to all !
Well, at least a safe, healthy and loving one.

There has been a little more snow than the usual here in Milwaukee and we had much more than a "White Christmas". These images were taken right after the snow stopped falling on the Friday before Christmas - it was a twelve inch snowfall. The winds were quite strong over Lake Michigan, which kept the snow from accumulating on this bluff at Klode Park in Shorewood. These brave young souls liked it that way though - damn, it was cold there when in the wind.



The park was protected from the wind beyond the top of the bluff - there was no snow on the top of the trees, but leaving it's artwork below the wind line.



A little more "artsy" image, view is looking to the east - the bluff is behind the taller trees. Go ahead, click on it to see a larger view.


There was rain and 50 degree temperature the following weekend, so these scenes are all but a memory.

Trust that everyone is having a great Thanksgiving.

I will be in the East Town Holiday Market in the Atrium of Chase Tower at Water and Wisconsin Avenue  on Thursday, December 4, 2008 from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM. I will be offering Art Photography, books, portrait photograpjy and gift certificates. The Holiday Market will bring together unique Wisconsin artists and craft people with the business community in East Town. The event will showcase the extent of offerings that are available in the immediate area for all holiday needs. From unique gift items to gift certificates to downtown Milwaukee restaurants, this event will be a one stop shop. More info here.

Remember the Milwaukee Circus Parade?

Just Clowning Around...

This was July 17, 2001 and could have been one of the the last Circus Parades to roll down Wisconsin Avenue, if it wasn't for the support to bring it back next summer.

In this year's "state of the city" address, Mayor Tom Barrett called for the parade's revival, adding that 2009 would be an ideal date because it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Circus World Museum and would be the 30th time the parade would be held in Milwaukee. Could be a CoPA photo Op!

This was taken with my first digital camera - the Canon D30. I'm reviving some images to work with in Painter X. This one was kind of cheating by using an auto-clone method to create the abstract under painting. The face of the clown was hand painted to bring back detail.

Change is a good thing...

Change is a good thing, especially if things aren't working to well. Maybe thinking outside the box is a better thing. Like, what if?

Well, I'm getting out of the box and going out on a limb with this by pursuing a painterly approach to my portrait photography. This is something I've had on my mind to do for quite a while - it requires learning the Painter software, and study of art history and contemporary art. I will also promote this on my portrait photography website.

The couple in this image are two people I've been working with to help them promote their modelling and professional careers. It's certainly a romantic image, and rendered in a way to heighten the perceptual experience that can be emulated more closely in a painting than in a photograph. Hope you like it - vote for me. This is a change that is good for America! I endorse this message.

Go ahead, click on it...

Self-published books

CoPA members had an introduction to self-published books earlier this year. This aroused my interest, as I had quite a collection of images already taken of the Marquette Interchange Construction Project. I had planned on continuing with this photography through the completion of the Project this last August.

I decided to use blurb.com for my books and sampled their work with a few smaller projects. The quality was great, turnaround was adequate and the price was right!. I have been in regular contact with one of the Project Managers from Marquette Constructors - who said that he would be interested in seeing a proof of the book when it was ready.

Long story, short... I gave him a soft cover and a hard cover book with a dust jacket, he showed it around - and the consortium made an initial purchase of 140 books! It was the top seller on blurb.com for the week it was sold. Those involved with the Project, do like the images as well as the book form. Thought others would like to know that. Here's the book on blurb.

Creating virtual paintings from photographs...

I like to tinker.

I do enjoy creating a technically sound, well composed and enjoyable photographs. But sometimes that's just not enough. I'd like a little more excitement.


These images were digitally captured with my Canon 20D and a 100mm f2.8 macro lens. The files were adjusted in Adobe Camera RAW for colour and contrast. The images of the leaves were opened in Corel Painter X and rendered in Color Pencil. This last one was layered in Photoshop with the bare tree limbs image and a texture.

I call it "After the Fall". Go ahead... click on it!

The 105th Anniversary

The Anniversary went on from Thursday, August 28, 2008 to Sunday, August 31, 2008. I photographed the public street parties, Veterans Park and the parade of motorcycles in downtown Milwaukee, celebrating the 105th anniversary of the worlds premier motorcycle.

This four day event featured musical entertainment, workshops, dealership, plant and museum tours, and of course the gatherings—to share stories, meet new people and renew past acquaintances—what better a place for this than in Milwaukee, a city known for it's gemütlichkeit.

BIG Bikes. BIB Party. BIG Parade is offered at Blurb.com.

The Marquette Interchange construction is now completed.

Above is the "Skyline Bridge" which carries I-94 traffic from the south over the Marquette Interchangs.

The new Marquette Interchange has gained national recognition in engineering and management practices - and finished three months ahead of schedule and under budget. With a lifespan of 75 years, the new interchange will be a permanent part of the Milwaukee cityscape - as an architectural element standing amongst other Milwaukee landmarks such as the Milwaukee County Courthouse, the Calatrava addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World, the new Harley-Davidson Museum and the Marquette University Campus.

I offer a 160 page book with over 300 images of the construction project at Blurb.com.

Springtime....

Spring has come to Wisconsin- along with the cooler near the lake. The festivals will come and go - always enjoyable.

Books offered at Blurb.com

I now have books available at Blurb.com. One is on my Identity project. This is a 62 page book containing 28 emotive portrait images.

A second is on the I-43 Leg of the Marquette Interchange construction project. It is a 36 page book of approximately 60 images. And a third is The Tannery, a 40 page book of the demolition of the Pfister & Vogel Tannery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

These books are for sale at reasonable prices, and are offered as Soft Cover, Hard Cover with an illustrative dust jacket or an Image Wrap Hard Cover edition. Complete descriptions of these books are on those websites. I am currently working on the Core Project portion of the Marquette Interchange - this will be available sometime in September.

Marquette Interchange Construction Project

These images were taken on April 6th, 2008. There are galleries of 2006 and 2007 images on this page of my website.
Enjoy!


The Marquette Interchange Construction Project is an ongoing photographic opportunity. I started photographing around the job site soon after the demolition of the Court House Annex had commenced.


One reason to chronicle this project was the complexity of rebuilding the Marquette Interchange – and photographing the old while being replaced by the new. Another reason is the plethora of detail and abstract opportunities to photograph – from wide-angle views of towering piers and roadway to close up views of materials and workers.


I feel the historical value of these images, are well worth my while to chronicle. Their fine art value will be determined in the years to come. I am compiling a collection of individual pieces and triptychs – photo books and montages will soon be offered.

Tears of Joy …

Passion is... “a thing arousing enthusiasm”.
Some say they have a passion for photography.
I say… they’re missing the point.
Passion lies before us, in the people we meet and the things we see.
Life... is a passion consisting of our experiences.

I have photographed many weddings over the years.
There was a grandfather of the Bride present at one of these occasions.
It was quite apparent that he was much loved by his family and all those who knew him.
He was a widower and riddled with arthritis, cataracts and many other maladies that aging presents.
People were very supportive of him, as I’m sure he was to others during his lifetime.

His violin was brought out to him after dinner.
The room was hushed while he played, save for the wait staff clearing the tables.
Even that was muffled by the melodies that filled the room.
I told him later that I enjoyed his music and asked him how he was able to play so beautifully.
He replied that when he played his violin, all his pains and sadness disappeared during those moments.

I took photographs of him and some of the family members while he was playing his violin. It wasn’t because of my passion for photography - it was because of my passion for the moment and all it represented. Those are very precious images in the Bride’s album.

Unfortunately, I no longer have those (film) images to share with you here.
They are however forever etched in my memory to be recalled when something reminds me of that occasion.

The image above is of a higher calling - a scattered shower over Lake Michigan - perhaps "Tears of Joy".

Identity project…

Identity is our sensory perception of a physical awareness and the resulting transfer to one’s memory. These are retained as mind pictures to be recalled, sometimes unexpectedly and other times as aroused by current phenomenon. The intent here is to explore quiet introspection, by engaging reflective contemplation. These portraits need not to be considered a collection of pretty or sensual images, but as a means to tap awareness thoughts. The journey starts with the image and a tag line—it continues from that point as visual poetry.

Solitude

Likewise, these portraits are identities unto themselves—a distinct individual who thinks, feels and who have human experiences to share. Studio portraiture and controlled lighting is preferred, where the model may be just one’s self or acting out a role. Encouragement and rapport is established—to overcome the artificiality of posing in front of the camera. These images are created in an emotive and poetic manner, and are directed to portray a variety of feelings, behavior and experiences.

It takes a little effort

The original digital images are rendered in Photoshop® and layered with a texture and other objects in a unifying manner, then finished with a stylized vignette. Some are rendered in black and white; others are toned and reveal hints of muted color. Both chromogenic prints and pigmented ink prints are offered.

Ripple Effect

Well, here we go. Just getting started to see where this takes me. This is an image from my "Identity" project. 

This and several other images will be displayed, along with the images from 70 other member's, at the CoPA annual members show during Spring Gallery Night. The event is taking place on Friday, April 18th and Saturday, April 19th on the second floor of the P & H Dye building at 320 E Buffalo Street. Gallery Night is presented by Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward and the East Town Association.