Finely Rendered Birds and Animals Cling to Dried Flowers in Steeven Salvat’s Wheatpastes

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

All images © Steeven Salvat, shared with permission

Sprouting between windows and tucked around corners, Steeven Salvat’s wheatpastes add a dose of natural history to everyday urban life. The French artist has spent the last few years meticulously rendering gem- and mechanic-encrusted beetles and butterflies, amassing a vast insectarium that draws attention to the intersections of art, science, and history and underscores the preciousness of each creature.

During the last two years, though, Salvat has begun to consistently work outdoors and on walls, creating public pieces that capture his painstaking linework on a larger scale. Whether painted in acrylic or slathered with wheatpaste, the realistic renderings are similarly detailed and delicate, conveying the smooth fur of a field mouse or the fluffed plumage of a bird mid-flight. Many of his recent works, part of the ongoing Petite Nature project, pair renditions of oversized dried flowers with tiny creatures “to awaken awareness on the fragility of ecosystems such as grasslands and natural water points, often sacrificed in the name of urbanisation.”

In addition to the wall works, Petite Nature also features smaller drawings on paper, which will be on view in January at Le Cabinet d’Amateur in Paris. Salvat generously shares glimpses into his process on Instagram, and you can find originals, prints, and postcards in his shop.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Finely Rendered Birds and Animals Cling to Dried Flowers in Steeven Salvat’s Wheatpastes appeared first on Colossal.

Holiday photo tips from Local 12’s chief photographer

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Four Inane Questions with KC photographer Courtney Crutcher-Staton

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

When we asked stalwart KC photographer Courtney Crutcher-Staton for a brief, but all-encompassing bio, she led with this: “I’m a firm believer that I am not for everyone. I can be loud, goofy, and borderline ridiculous,” she says. “I say what I think and mean what I say. I am too much for many. That’s okay, they can go find less.”

Well, as the “unapologetically different” owner of Stag & Bird Curated Photo Experiences, Crutcher-Staton must be doing something right. She recently cleaned up in The Pitch’s Best of KC 2023, sweeping three separate categories: Best Engagement Photographer, Best Wedding Photographer, and Best Photography Business.

The take-no-prisoners shutterbug is clearly making an impact in the metro—along with some priceless memories for families, newlyweds, and grads. “I make sure to run my business in the same way I live my life—no bullshit, no unnecessary fluff with a lot of heart, talent and love for what I do,” she adds. “Getting to know my clients and their unique stories is my favorite part of the job. When it comes to my work I’m a fan of the funky and fun—and I love trying new things in composition and technique.”

We caught up with the lensmaster extraordinaire between shoots to bombard her with our bananas-bonkers questionnaire. We’re still seeing spots from the litany of flashbulbs that went off every time she’d finish answering a question.

The Pitch: What’s a super-secret photography hack that we absolutely must know?

Courtney Crutcher-Staton: The super-secret hack is there is no secret. People take things way too seriously and don’t take photos for the sake of taking photos anymore. They do it just to post online for likes. Stop trying to create content and instead focus—pun intended!—on making art.

When we get back to taking photographs of things, people, and places we love then we will learn to cherish more. The hack? Take the damn photo. Pull out your crusty, rusty iPhone 6 for all I care.

Just. Take. The. Photo.

What’s been your biggest cooking and/or kitchen mishap?

I’m a terrible cook, mostly because I get sidetracked and cannot stay focused on the task. My former father-in-law used to say that we knew the food was done when my smoke alarm went off.

I once was tasked with simply “keeping an eye” on a steak warming up on the grill on my covered deck. I was doing the dishes inside and happened to glance out the window to see a brand-new, super-nice grill up in flames. At the same time, my backyard neighbors were sprinting across the lawn to try to save me (or maybe just the grill). Luckily, I didn’t burn the house down and barely any paint peeled. The grill though? She was done-zo.

Finish this sentence: The world’s funniest comedian is …

… Iliza Shelesinger. I don’t know many comedians but she’s funny as shit. Really nails that “elder millennial” thing. Sometimes I think she’s speaking my life back to me. I wish I could imitate her dragon sound. I’d walk around the grocery store making that noise if I could.

Folding laundry or putting away the dishes—which is infinitely worse?

Look, man—I am not a domestic goddess. Both the dishes and laundry are bad, but since you narrowed it down to folding and not the putting-away-part. I can fold all damn day. I’ll fold my clothes, my fiancé’s, my teenager’s. Hell, I’ll even match my 9-year-old’s socks. But, put them away? Nope.

I don’t even have a dresser any more. I love good fashion pieces but they better hang well or be okay shoved in the drawer. The catch is I still do the Kon-Marie method of very particular folding. But to actually put them away so neatly? Nah, hard pass.

Bonus 5^th Question: Describe the perfect pillow in extreme detail. And how much are you willing to spend on it?

I have yet to find the perfect pillow. A few years back I splurged and bought these fancy-schmancy memory foam pillows that are flat on one side and curved on the other. The only thing they got right was the size. Otherwise, they’re absolute trash.

Both my fiancé and I hate them—and I’m mad I spent money on them. They were like $100 each. I’m better off going to Target once a year and buying the $15 extra firm, king sized, overstuffed pillows and then tossing them when they get too balled up. If someone can make a pillow for a back and side sleeper that stays cool and fits my neck right that would be great. But also, I am no longer willing to spend money on pillows—so it better be a $30 price point.

Categories: Art

5 times I used AI to make my professional photography better

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Many creative professionals are worried that artificial intelligence may soon take their jobs. This includes fellow photographers. Whether this is a legitimate cause of concern or not is certainly a complex debate we could spend hours on. One thing is for sure, though. As industry professionals in such a cut-throat industry, being able to adapt is of the utmost importance. We might fall behind otherwise. I know I am taking advantage of every tool at my disposal, and have definitely used AI to make my professional photography better. I will give you some clear examples in this post.

Use AI to get photo ideas

Stock photo of Google Bard website on phone 6

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

As a product photographer, I am not always totally familiar with the products I shoot. Of course, my expertise is tech, so I can always think of clever images that portray what the client wants for these types of items, but there are subjects I’m not very familiar with.

For example, I was recently hired to shoot images of artificial grass. As a lifetime renter with no interest in landscaping, I must admit I was left with a big blank concerning this shoot. What is it that artificial grass customers even look for? Instead of digging through forums, product pages, and more, I turned to AI for some help.

After a quick query, here’s what Google Bard suggested:

Showcase finalized gardens, yards, playgrounds, etc.: This makes total sense! Companies tend to sell ideas more so than products. You want the customers to see how a product would improve their lives. Google Bard gave me examples of nice yards with a coffee table and comfy chairs, fun playgrounds with awesome games, pets enjoying a grassy yard, etc.
Highlight natural beauty: You want artificial grass to look and feel real, right? Bard suggested macro shots of a single grass blade so clients can see how real it looks. It also told me adding “morning dew” drops will give it a natural look and fresh perspective. Other ideas included people walking barefoot, to emphasize that the fake grass feels comfortable to walk on.
Focus on functionality: Great tip! Of course, people want to make sure the installation is easy, so I added some images of a casual homeowner installing it. Other tips included a demonstration of the patch’s water drainage capabilities. Showcasing pets playing on the grass was suggested again, as it proves the grass is resistant enough.
Action: Again, we’re selling the dream of grass here, and everything it can do to improve the client’s life. Bard suggested I add people and pets to the images. It could be kids playing around, families having a picnic, fun BBQs on a sunny day, etc.

And just like that, I had a great proposal for the product photography project. Of course, I happen to like Bard, but you can also use competitors like Bing Chat or ChatGPT.

AI can help you communicate with clients

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Communication is an art. In fact, people make communication a career and sharpen their social skills for years just to communicate with people effectively. This is what makes journalists, reporters, public relations representatives, and human resources specialists so special.

While my social skills are pretty good, if I do say so myself, I can often use a little help. I always use Google Bard to improve emails before sending them to my clients. I often want emails to sound professional, welcoming, and friendly. Whenever I write an email for a client, I run it by Google Bard and ask it how the email reads. If I am not convinced by the results, I can just ask it to give me suggestions on making it a better email.

Additionally, I often find myself asking Bard for help creating an email from scratch. An example of a query would be something like: “Create a template for an email in which I am sending a photography client a quote.”

Planning shoots using AI

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Here’s a very helpful one. People often underestimate the time and effort it takes to plan a photo shoot. Doing something at the studio may be more predictable, but things get much more complex once clients ask for lifestyle photos. And they most often do.

I like to think of AI as my personal assistant. Luckily, this one doesn’t require a salary! How can an AI chatbot help? Mostly for planning. For example, I had to shoot some gift boxes earlier this year. The client wanted the session done at a very famous park in San Diego, CA. I used Bard to find out details like the weather, foot traffic, the local golden hour time that day, and things like any admissions or other costs a photo shoot there would require. Most importantly, I made Bard research any details on possible required permits that would be necessary for a commercial shoot at this location, whether they are enforced by the park or the City of San Diego. We don’t want to get fined, right?

Of course, Google Bard can make mistakes, so it’s always best to double-check everything. That said, Bard can also provide links to official sites with more information regarding all these topics. At the very least, it’s a good main source of information to shorten your research time.

Getting rid of dust and lint using AI

Do you take a lot of photos of smaller objects? I do. For example, here at Android Authority, we shoot photos of a bunch of smartphones, smartwatches, accessories, tablets, etc. If you find yourself in a similar boat, you will know how impossible it is to avoid dust particles and lint in your photos. Seriously; it doesn’t matter how much you clean the area and products, these little peskers will always show up! Removing them is a very time-consuming and annoying process, too.

AI can help with this! And I use artificial intelligence to spot heal dust particles and lint all the time. My favorite tool for this is Luminar Neo. While not perfect, it usually takes care of most of the work in seconds. I can then go in and manually handle what it missed. As a result, I can get rid of all the dust and lint in about a minute, something that would otherwise take me 10-15 minutes.

Just keep in mind that Luminar Neo is not free. It requires a subscription plan that starts at $14.99 per month. You can also get a lifetime subscription that costs $599 if there are no promotions running, but there usually are.

While editing a photo on Luminar Neo, you can just expand the Erase option and select Remove Dust Spots.

Here’s a sample of how well this works:

As mentioned above, AI is not perfect. There are still some dust specs in there. It also made some pretty significant mistakes. For example, it got rid of the front-facing camera on the main device, as well as the speaker hole in the phone to the left. Those are things I can manually fix in a few seconds, though, and the tool saved me a ton of work.

Other times I have used AI to edit photos

Luminar Neo is my favorite AI photo editor, but we also have a list of the best AI photo editors if you want some alternatives. That said, the reason why I like Luminar Neo is because it seems to find a good balance between control and AI aid. Some other AI editors can take away some control and will often output something photographers aren’t completely happy with. I like being able to fine-tune my edits.

All that said, Luminar Neo, to me, works more as a tool to speed up my editing workflow. Aside from removing dust particles from an image, I can do things like increase the eye size, make a body thinner, focus on only face thinning, improve eye details, make lips redder, etc.

The software will analyze the image and recognize all these elements in the photo. It knows which are the eyes, the face, the torso, the arms, etc. Once you make your changes, you can dig deeper into each setting and further customize these enhancements, to make them look as you wish.

Let’s use the following image as an example:

I did a quick edit as a sample, to show you what AI photo editing can do. OK, so I manually edited the exposure and contrast a bit. The fun starts with the other edits, though. Using AI help, I brought out some detail in the face skin, which is mostly the focus of the image. Luminar Neo can also recognize eyes and eyebrows. In this image, the subject’s eyes are an important element, so I gave the iris more brightness, detail, and color intensity. It also knows how to recognize eyebrows, so I made them a bit darker to draw more attention to the general direction of the eyes. The AI can also recognize lips, so I used the sliders to make these a bit brighter and redder. You may notice I also made her overall body slightly thinner.

Time is money, and thanks to AI I can save myself a bunch of it.

Of course, these are all edits any proficient photo editor can do. The trick here is that, after timing myself, I found that all these edits took me two minutes and 34 seconds. If I had done all of this manually, it would have taken me about 15 minutes or so. At least to do it carefully and make it all look realistic enough. To be honest, without AI, I likely wouldn’t have bothered with some of these edits, such as the eyebrows and making the body thinner, unless asked to.

Just keep in mind that Luminar Neo is still meant to be a more professional editor than most. You will have to already know most photography terms and concepts, as well as which slider and setting does what. It will definitely cut down your editing time, though.

As they say, time is money, and thanks to AI I can save myself a bunch of it.

How do you guys use AI to improve your professional photography? I would love to get more tips. Also, if you use AI in other fields, it will be very interesting to learn about your experience with this innovative tech.

FAQs

Most AI photo editors don’t just edit photos for you. They are mostly meant to aid you in the process of editing, or make it much easier so you can speed up your workflow. Of course, there are AI image generators that can just create images from queries, and some other AI photo editors can make editing much easier than traditionally done.

I don’t think AI will replace actual photographers anytime soon. This is an artistic career, and the human element continues to be a very important part of the equation when it comes to photography. Good photos are meant to evoke feelings, which AI likely doesn’t understand quite as well as we do. Additionally, AI-generated images don’t look very natural yet, lacking that human ingredient that allows people to connect with a good photo. This may change soon, though, and many clients might prefer the ease, speed, and convenience that AI offers. Not to mention, AI tools are either free or much cheaper than paying someone.

Lakes Freeze Over and Winter Arrives in Timelapse Video Shot Over 5 Years

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

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A photographer’s beautiful timelapse showing the onset of winter took him five years to shoot.

Jamie Scott shot Winter in upstate New York and Montreal, Canada. He employed drone shots to capture snowfall over large-scale areas; footage that was sometimes filmed years apart but cleverly edited to look consistent.

Screenshot from the timelapse of a lake freezing over.

The project threw up many difficulties: Scott would see interesting things he wanted to shoot but it would be after the action occurred.

“For example, frost on windows, frost on cobwebs, and frozen waterfalls can create beautiful crystal-like formations, but they typically never happened twice in a row, which I needed to be able to plan the shot,” he explains.

Macro shots of leaves with frost were also a challenge because Scott had to focus for something that had not yet appeared, but he began to learn how certain objects freeze over.

“These elements can form in a matter of a few seconds to a few minutes,” he says.

“I learned that a large waterfall will slowly start to freeze over a number of weeks but the minute it turns to solid ice might happen within a few minutes.

“A lot of the best elements also happen in the middle of the night when it’s also the coldest outside. Needless to say, all of this combined created challenging conditions to get everything just right.”

The project meant Scott had to expose his camera equipment to the freezing temperatures, forcing him to take precautions.

“I had to keep the equipment dry and somewhat warm so it wouldn’t power off. In the snow I used plastic rain covers to keep the cameras dry. To keep snow off the lenses I used large fabric lens hoods,” he says.

“Cold weather drains batteries quickly, so I also strapped hand warmers to the equipment. In addition to the internal camera batteries, I also used external batteries to extend the life of the cameras.

“Sliders were also used for a lot of the shots so they all also needed the same treatment as the cameras. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of my external batteries over the course of the shoot as they eventually stopped working after being exposed to the cold for too long.”

The grueling timelapse meant leaving his cameras for “days and weeks” at a time. Scott and his partner made two weatherproof boxes to house the outdoor cameras complete with access panels at the back and a lens at the front.

“I also used additional light sources for lighting the shots at night. Although I could never simulate daylight they provided enough brightness to be able to expose correctly,” he adds.

Scott has a background in visual effects which he put to use in the editing process to give the film cohesiveness.

“Many of the shots were shot over several days so I had to even out the exposures and in some cases I had to transition from one day to the next,” he says.

Winter is set to a song by the composer Jim Perkins who collaborated with Scott and adapted the music as the film was created.

“Once we had established a basic structure to the piece we then built around that framework,” explains Perkins.

“The music has about 40 seconds of introduction before the violin arpeggio appears, which drives the piece forward. The piece then gradually builds, layering in new musical elements and taking away others to support the development of the visuals.

“As new musical elements were added, there was a lot of discussion around what worked and what didn’t, and all the decisions made helped bind the music and film together.”

The pair previously collaborated for another timelapse video entitled Spring.

More of Scott’s work can be found on his Instagram and website.

[DRAFT] Super sunsets & magical landscapes! Digital Photographer Magazine Issue 274 is out now

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

The new issue of Digital Photographer is out now!

Subscribe today to get DP delivered to your door and device.

This month we have another amazing issue for you, featuring professional tips, reviews, and practical how-to guides. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s inside!

Landscape framing

DPH274 — While landscape photography may seem formulaic, with a little creativity, you can capture stunning, narrative images that inspire (Image credit: Future)

Elevate your landscape photography skills and create inspiring, narrative images with these essential composition techniques.

With some lateral thinking and expert guidance from our editor, Peter Fenech, you’ll learn how to compose for different landscape styles, from busy scenes to minimalist landscapes, and use elements like water to add balance and energy to your frames. In our 10-page special you’ll also discover how to create contrast and adjust your framing to capture the direction and intensity of light at different times of the day.

Capture cool creatures

If you want to take some cool snaps of winter wildlife but don’t want to break the bank, our Technique Editor, Kim Bunermann, has got you covered. From page 36, she gives you a crash course on what you need to capture winter creatures without spending a fortune.

With pictures by Reed Miller, who is no stranger to the pages of Digital Photographer magazine, she explains how to get started and why you should blend into nature to increase your chances of capturing natural behavior of wild animals. Reed also offers some tips and advice for capturing creatures big and small when out in the cold.

Interview with an AI explorer

Nancy Poeran, a Dutch artist, uses AI to create work that challenges our perception of reality. As a photographer with a unique viewpoint, she sees AI tools as an opportunity to produce abstract art. In our interview on page 76, Nancy explains how she embraces this controversial technology and believes that it has much to offer to the world of photography.

Shoot super sunsets

Whether you’re shooting in a remote location or a bustling city, the beauty of sunset is always within reach. Let us show you how to balance exposure and colour to create a powerful and captivating sunset atmosphere that will leave a lasting impression. Learn the essential steps to capture this beautiful light at the end of the day from p50.

City location photoshoots

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Read more:

Essential exposure technique: settings for seamless backgrounds

Photo therapy: the art of patience – why it’s worth waiting!

Adapt and conquer! Learn to use lens adaptors the right way

Lighthouse photography: learn to compose images of very tall subjects

East Cooper Medical Center presents Christmas-themed newborn photos to families

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — East Cooper Medical Center announced Friday they produced special Christmas-themed newborn photos for the families of babies born at the hospital around Christmas.

The hospital partnered by Bella Baby Photography to deliver the pictures to families.

“The birth of a baby is already a memorable time for families, but we wanted to help create an experience for them by treating them to their first photo shoot,” Morgan Lancaster, marketing manager at East Cooper Medical Center said.

Perkins hosts photography exhibit

Dec 22, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Perkins Center for the Arts’ annual photography exhibition will be held at its Moorestown location from Wednesday, Jan. 10, through Friday, Feb. 23.

Artists can submit a maximum of three works that support the theme of “Photography 43” – point of view – and were created in the past three years. Work must be submitted on Perkins’ website under the exhibitions tab or by using a link on its Facebook page.

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All entries must be framed and wired on the back, and Perkins recommends following professional standards, with glass or framing wire only. Works printed on canvas will also be accepted. The following will not: two pieces of glass or plexiglass joined by clips, plastic frames with cord that serves as a hanging mechanism (like poster frames) and alligator clips.

Entries must be delivered for the exhibit’s juror on Friday, Jan. 5, from 10 am to 2 p.m., or Saturday, Jan. 6, from noon to 4 p.m.

“The reason I chose that theme was to give every photographer participating an opportunity to give their point of view of course, and not have a theme that is obvious,” explained Sharon Kiefer, Perkins’ curator of exhibitions. “This is a theme that can be interpreted by each photographer individually, so we should get some really good entries for this.”

Perkins values the arts as essential to the social and emotional well-being of individuals and their communities and the arts as a safe platform for personal expression, according to its website, and for “Photography 43,” Kiefer’s thinking is that anything goes.

“It could be a point of view from an insect on the sidewalk or someone’s political view …” she said. “I mean it could be a lot of very broad subject matter covered in this exhibition. Photography is a medium that can be interpreted in many ways and can be very, very creative, depending on the photographer, so sometimes a piece of photography will be submitted, and you may not even realize that it’s a piece of photography. It may look like a painting.

“Or there may be some interpretation that uses the medium in a way that has never been used before, say with color or with black and white or with the subject matter …” Kiefer added. “The sky’s the limit in terms of how creative the photographers can be.”

This year’s juror is artist Liz Wuillermin, who’s recognized for her work in editorial, public relations, portraiture and corporate photography, according to her website. An artist’s reception will be held at the gallery on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 5 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Prizes will total $650.

“It’s really interesting to actually get to speak with the artists at the reception and hear the back story about each piece, because you may take it for face value, but really, to them, it’s much more meaningful,” Kiefer observed.

“What I usually look forward to is the number of artists that are given opportunities to enter through the open-call aspect of the show and how many actually do enter,” she added. “And the beautiful work that the juror gets to curate the exhibition from.”

For more information on “Photography 43,” visit Perkins’ website or its social media pages.