Maine Photographer Michael Alden
My Week In Pictures - #9
December 18th through December 25th: After weeks of mild weather, most Mainers didn't think they would see snow before Christmas. And yet we got a dusting of snow on the morning of Christmas Eve. Just in the saint nick of time.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
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My Week In Pictures - #8
November 27th through December 4th: The holiday season kicked into high gear this past week with many homes in my town going all out with lights and decorations. (Some more than others!)
I also took advantage of the colorful holiday lights by experimenting with in-camera multiple exposures, something I seem to do every year around this time.
I made an afternoon trip to Belfast, Maine - a quintessential New England town and a magnet for artists if there ever was one. I love Belfast and it felt good to do my holiday shopping at stores and galleries which are independently owned and operated.
Last but not least I attended a wonderful violin recital (with piano, flute and viola) by Anatole Wieck and the UMaine School of Performing Arts.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
Pixels 'N Paintbrushes
Mon, Nov 21 2011 07:29 AM
| photography, apps, painting
| Permalink
Several of my prints have been sold to artists who aren't interested in hanging my prints up on their walls. At least not directly.
They then go on to explain that they would like to buy one of my photos to use as the basis for one of their own paintings. I always consider this a real compliment.
I've always enjoyed watching painters work along the coast of Maine and elsewhere. They set up their easels in many of the same places I set up my camera and tripod. I do envy painters. I think it has to do with being unencumbered by some of the technical restraints imposed by photography, although I'm not really sure. All I can say is that I've always been attracted to painting as a medium but I've never taken a class or a workshop.
I recently bought a secondhand plein air easel kit from an artist friend of mine who no longer needs it (it was too good a deal to pass up) and I've decided to take a novice painting workshop next summer. I'll see how it goes.
But until then, there are apps for that.
I recently bought a secondhand plein air easel kit from an artist friend of mine who no longer needs it (it was too good a deal to pass up) and I've decided to take a novice painting workshop next summer. I'll see how it goes.
But until then, there are apps for that.
Actually there are several sophisticated digital painting apps, particularly for the iPad: (Procreate, Auryn Ink, ArtistsTouch, etc.) With this boat and lupines photo, for example, I used an app which allows me to control the individual brushstrokes by hand (well, ok....by finger or stylus.)
The point is, I have much more control over the photo painting process than if I were to simply run a filter in Photoshop. (I almost wrote 'finger painting process' in that last sentence and I'm having a kindergarten flashback just now.)
The best part about digital painting? No messy cleanup!
The point is, I have much more control over the photo painting process than if I were to simply run a filter in Photoshop. (I almost wrote 'finger painting process' in that last sentence and I'm having a kindergarten flashback just now.)
The best part about digital painting? No messy cleanup!
Painting apps and filters - as creative and fun as they are - still demand a certain degree of discipline in order to get the results you want. Anyone can run a robo-paint filter and hit "print", but it's rarely that simple.
I tried to come up with a funny way to summarize my feelings on these kinds of things:
If your process is easy, your work might be cheesy. Which sounds a bit like something the late Johnnie Cochran might have said, come to think of it.
For further reading on digital painting, check out Marilyn Sholin's excellent book The Art Of Digital Painting. It's an inspiration if you've ever wanted to turn your photos into painterly works of art.
You may view a larger version of the painted lupines & boat image here.
My Week In Pictures - #7
November 7th through November 14th: A walk by the ocean in Lamoine State Park with my dog and a visit to the LL Bean flagship store in Freeport, ME for some holiday shopping were a few highlights of my week.
Also, I've resumed my series of nighttime landscape photography. This means that on clear nights I'm often out with my camera gear in total darkness while sane people are warm in their homes, watching TV or whatever.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
Also, I've resumed my series of nighttime landscape photography. This means that on clear nights I'm often out with my camera gear in total darkness while sane people are warm in their homes, watching TV or whatever.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
Happy Halloween
My Week In Pictures -#6
October 23rd to October 30th: First snowfall of the season the day before Halloween. Brrrr.
Good weekend to stay inside, so I attended back-to-back classical music concerts at UMaine's Collins Center for the Arts. Saturday it was the phenomenal violinist Ryu Goto, and earlier today it was the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's Totally Beethoven, an ode to good ol' Ludwig van.
Both concerts were fantastic. And I was struck by how many photo ops I spotted while watching the musicians. Lots of great facial expressions and overall passion. I think I should experiment with candid musician portraiture and see where it goes.
Getting ready to carve some pumpkins and greet all of the wee tykes at the door tomorrow night. I love Halloween.
In other news, an unattended candle (which I thought I blew out) melted down the front face of my Mac. Oops. I'd stop putting candles on top of my Mac except that candlelight looks really nice in my office during these longer, darker days.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
Good weekend to stay inside, so I attended back-to-back classical music concerts at UMaine's Collins Center for the Arts. Saturday it was the phenomenal violinist Ryu Goto, and earlier today it was the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's Totally Beethoven, an ode to good ol' Ludwig van.
Both concerts were fantastic. And I was struck by how many photo ops I spotted while watching the musicians. Lots of great facial expressions and overall passion. I think I should experiment with candid musician portraiture and see where it goes.
Getting ready to carve some pumpkins and greet all of the wee tykes at the door tomorrow night. I love Halloween.
In other news, an unattended candle (which I thought I blew out) melted down the front face of my Mac. Oops. I'd stop putting candles on top of my Mac except that candlelight looks really nice in my office during these longer, darker days.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
Pocket Van Gogh
Wed, Oct 26 2011 06:52 AM
| photography, apps, iphone
| Permalink
This is the third post in a series, "A Few Of My Favorite Apps".
Playing around with a nifty app called AutoPainter by Media Chance, and I have to say I think it's pretty cool.
Here's a snapshot I took in Acadia National Park with my iPhone 4 at Jordan Pond last week:
Painting styles include Aquarelle, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Benson. A second app, AutoPainter II, brings sketch and illustration effects (watercolor and ink, chalk, etc.) which dovetails nicely with AutoPainter I.
Here's the Jordan Pond snapshot as "remixed" through AutoPainter using the Van Gogh filter (which is one of my favorites):
You may view larger images of the straightforward snapshot and the AutoPainted version (a la Van Gogh).
My Week In Pictures - #5
October 11th to October 23rd: Fall foliage season is on the wane, but I did some experimental motion blur photos.
When the weather is chilly and I'm on the road on photo trips, I set up the slow cooker to make meals for when I return home in the evenings. (Lately I've been making Indian dishes in the slow cooker.)
PS - In case you're wondering what's up with the Godzilla snapshot, he sits on top of my Mac and I had to test out a new photo app for iPhone. So that explains that. I guess.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
When the weather is chilly and I'm on the road on photo trips, I set up the slow cooker to make meals for when I return home in the evenings. (Lately I've been making Indian dishes in the slow cooker.)
PS - In case you're wondering what's up with the Godzilla snapshot, he sits on top of my Mac and I had to test out a new photo app for iPhone. So that explains that. I guess.
You may view a larger version of this image here.
