West and east

Before the Americas were discovered, Europe was considered the "west".   Until the middle 1800s, the two broad sections of the world east of Europe were termed "near east" and "far east".  Today's blog combines a cuff or bracelet with Celtic knot designs from the west and a copy of a Japanese sword or katana from the Far East.  West meeting east in form and function.

Cuffs or bracelets have been objects of wealth and fashion for millenia but in many cultures, they served a very important function.  A cuff of metal or strong leather protected the swordsman's wrist, with it's delicate tendons and arteries, from being sliced by a blade while still allowing a full range of motion.

To see larger images, double click on them.

Thanks to the artisans at Reflective Images in Santa Fe for their timeless designs and beautiful work.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

  

Set up photography

This week, I had the privilege of being involved in a product shoot in Taos, and I brought four of the pieces here to do further photographic explorations of them.  Being a lover of the photographic image and the printed word, I have always enjoyed looking at beautifully produced catalogs and magazines.  Regardless of how often I look through one, there is always something new to capture my attention.  This is what I had in mind while photographing during the latter part of the week.  It also made me think about what an art form commercial setup and photography truly is.  Creativity, access to or establishment of compelling environments and products to accompany the subject, different lighting setups, patience, and time all come together to make an image that will not only grab at the heart and soul of the viewer but will sell the product.  A combination that a photographer should always strive to explore, and with increased skill and sometimes luck, achieve in the final image.

Two different kinds of setups come to mind - one that you establish and the other that falls in your lap.  The image below falls somewhere in the middle.  The adobe wall and model were already available, but dressing, placing, and accessorizing the model, and putting him in the right light was setup.

Here is another image, which I would consider a non-studio setup. 

The final image, totally different from the others, is what I would term a "fall in your lap" setup.  The motorcycle was in a lineup of motorcycles at a show on the Plaza in Santa Fe.  All it took was finding the right angle, and having the rider move it into deep shadow to make the metal gleam.  My next trick was to make sure my reflection did not appear in the shot.

Spring Equinox is Wednesday.  Enjoy the extra light!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Why not try?

Today's blog is in the risky category of "why not try to photograph this subject?", courtesy of a snowy Saturday, and a last minute tango dance at Old Martina's in Ranchos de Taos.

My husband, who had served as DJ for the hastily assembled tango session, Steve Villalobos (who is a "why not try" kind of guy) and I walked out of Old Martina's around 10 Saturday night, to lazy, big snow flakes.  A stunning scene of the famous San Francisco de Asis Parish in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico lay before us.  There was ambient light courtesy of the snow and numerous street lights, but I was exceedingly leery of being able to hold the camera still enough to get a shot with the weight of my long lens.  Steve said "Look at that.  Isn't it beautiful in the snow?  You should get a picture."

Despite the fact that there is substantial noise in the image, the historic Ranchos church remains quite lovely in the stillness of the night.

A different shot, showing the full back elevation.

Yet another image showing the elevation without street light.

In architecture, there has always been a debate about form and function.  It could apply to photography as well.  Does the photographer leave a street light in the image to show the light source, or remove it for the sake of aesthetics?  That is a discussion for another day.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Cup of Joe

Have you had your cup of Joe this morning?  Coffee is one of those wonderful trees, the fruit of which is daily made into an elixir of sorts for millions of people around the world.  There are several possible origins of Cup of Joe, one of which is attributed to service men in the United States Navy during the Wilson presidency.  One origin story, according to Wiktionary, credits then Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels with abolishing the officer's wine mess, making coffee the strongest beverage aboard ships.  Regardless, the drink has become a phenomenon, thanks to coffee purveyors such as Starbuck's.  Peet's Coffee, based in San Francisco, and Ohori's in Santa Fe both dark roast their beans.

The darker the roast, the more oils are expelled from the beans, giving them an incredible patina.  Oils are just bursting from these beans, as they await their evolution into the noble "Cup of Joe".

The basket used in the photographs was made in the village of Binga in Zimbabwe, and was part of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market.  The baskets and villagers were part of a fine documentary film by Cristina McCandless titled From Zimbabwe to Santa Fe.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image