Newsletter #118: May, 2015
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
Contents:
1. Breaking Through a Creative Roadblock
2. A Visual Storm
3. How does a Painter start a Painting?
4. Beyond the Technique Lies the Art
3. A few Seminar & Workshop Spots Left: Registration
Hi everyone,
In this Newsletter I am going to share a wild and creative journey I went on earlier this month. No, it wasn’t to southern Italy, or Rio de Janeiro, it was an early morning walk out my front door, across my driveway, and into a small forest. That was it!
It was an adventure like no other. There was no physical challenge, therefore, it wasn’t difficult. There was a visual challenge, however, so it wasn’t easy either. Let’s walk out the front door and see what happened!
Thank you all for your continued support. Please enjoy my 118th consecutive monthly Newsletter!!
Our goal at the Chris Harris Gallery is to share the creative process. Please share this Newsletter with friends. I appreciate your support for my work.
Chris
1. Breaking Through a Creative Roadblock
In my April Newsletter #117, I described the process I went through to express the delicacy and mood of a snow-clad grasslands forest in spring. It was a journey into abstraction.
After a few conversations with people who got in touch with me, I began to think more about the scary process of being ‘creative’; the scary process of trying something new.
In response to those thoughts, I decided to tackle one of my own roadblocks; head on!
I have a HUGE roadblock to photographing on my own property. I look at it, and walk through it, many times every day; to the extent I no longer ‘see’ it. I have made many self-promises to start, but always back out.
My first photo seminar of the season was fast approaching, and although it was designed as an indoor seminar, I decided to include an outdoor component by taking everyone outside the gallery, and into a small forest on the property, to make some abstract images. This was the incentive I needed. To have some idea of what I was going to show my students, I took my camera, walked out the front door, strode into the forest, and just started.
The small aspen forest
I committed to making 10 images. I started by using the ‘multiple exposure’ function combined with some ‘camera movement’. The exercise required two main trains of thought. First, I needed a sense of freedom to observe and to experiment. Second, I had to be prepared to accept unsatisfactory results. At worst, I could delete them all and start again. I started!
At first, terrible. I saw little opportunity here so changed my subject
Getting a little better. There was some hope with this subject so I tried to improve on it. I made some images that I was quasi happy with. Then I moved on.
This perspective and subject excited me somewhat. I worked on it. I changed to vertical format and made several attempts to improve the composition.
Finally, I liked it…I was excited
As I explain in my workshops, I try to eliminate labels and look only for elements of composition. This image is not about trees. It is predominantly about colour, tones between white and black, lines and texture.
This image I felt had spirit and vitality, repetition of line and a sense of rhythm, good tonal contrast, and it seemed to express a visual sensation of what I was trying to express.
Finally, I had broken through a creative roadblock. I was on my way!
2. A Visual Storm
Having opened a creative door, I wanted to keep my momentum going. A few days later I got up early, and still using my 24-105mm lens, I walked once again into my little forest.
The weather had been volatile; storms every afternoon and evening. I visualized a theme.
High winds
Hold on, it’s getting worse
I think it’s a tornado!
Once again, by using multiple exposures and camera movement, I tried to create a feeling. I was now having fun! The results covered the full range…from complete failures, to interesting attempts with possibilities, to images I was quite happy with.
3. How does a Painter start a Painting?
Now that I was into it, I was up early, and headed to the forest once again. However, the same questions still arose. Where to begin? How do I start? What should I photograph this time?
I am sure the scariest moment for a painting-artist when faced with a blank canvas, is exactly the same; how to start. They must pick up a certain size paintbrush, choose a particular colour of paint, and make that first stoke somewhere within the canvas space. That can’t be easy.
Similarly for a photographer-artist; we have to pick up our camera, choose a lens, decide on an aperture and shutter speed, determine a creative vision and a technique by which to express that vision, and press the shutter button. At some point we just have to make decisions and start!
A touch of yellow
This was my first image on this particular morning. It was a singular exposure made at 1/2.5 sec. at f-14. I moved my camera vertically up and down during the exposure. The implied triangle of the small grouping of vertical lines in the upper right, the larger bold line on the left 1/3rd of the image, and the dash of yellow in the lower right 1/3 of the image, keeps the eye exploring throughout the image. That, of course, is one of the main goals of a well composed painting or photograph; to maintain the viewers interest for as long as possible.
Inquiry
At some point during my morning shoot, I merely started an inquiry into expressing the forest around me in a way that made me feel good inside. I never made note of how many exposures I was making or what camera movement I was using, if any at all.
I observed mostly the lines, areas of contrast, and experimented, much like a painter might experiment with different painting techniques.
A painter experiments and observes the results
I have often watched my sister experiment and observe the results as she paints in her studio. Of more importance to her than what she is doing, is the result she is creating.
Profiles of form
Likewise, when I was photographing in my little forest last week, I was more interested in the results than I was with the techniques I was using. I can’t remember the numerous techniques I used on each image anyway; what I do remember is the feeling I felt when the freedom to experiment converged with my sense of observation, to produce an expression I was elated with.
If my sister had painted this image as a painting, she might have made textured scratch marks by rubbed a damp cloth up and down over the paint before it had dried. If I had photographed this, I might have moved my camera up and down during one exposure and not in another. What is most important is the end result. Are we happy with our personal expression?
4. Beyond the Technique Lies the Art
Below are a selection of 5 images I made during two
morning shoots amidst the aspens on my .4 hectare (1 acre) property.
Both mornings happened to be misty.
Aspens welcome morning light
Contrasts in colour and tone
Young aspens in Monet’s garden
Lines within lines
Vertical and horizontal
With each mornings foray into the trees came the same questions; what techniques should I use this time? How will I possibly do better than I did last time? Where should I start?
Each time I felt a little hesitant to start. It was slightly scary; I knew that starting my assignment wouldn’t harm me, yet it was still difficult to actually start.
Eventually, I just started; It was ok after that. I was on my way then. With each experiment and resulting observation, came greater confidence in the creative process.
I am no longer thinking that photographing on my property is something I should do. It is now something I am delighted to do. It is now fun to do. I have pushed beyond worrying about what technique to use. I am only interested in the art I hope to make.
Give it a try. Pick up your pen, paintbrush, or camera, and start a personal assignment. You might be surprised where it might take you! Good luck!
3. A few Seminar & Workshop Spots Left: Registration
Double exposure
There are two openings on the May 30th seminar; on the workshop dates as well. Check out the details and plan to join us if you can. It’s creative! It’s fun! You will enjoy learning.
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