Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts

Monday, August 19, 2024

World Photography Day - August 19:


World Photography Day

August 19


You're not trying to capture reality.
You're trying to capture a photograph of reality.

– Stanley Kubrick.

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.

– Dorothea Lange.

Whatever happens in front of the lens stays.
What’s captured during the encounter is all that exists.

– Gregory Heisler.

I think photography is a universal language as far as storytelling goes, and I think that's what it's most successful at.

– Mary Mattingly.

It's amazing how photography can capture just a split second of something exquisite.

– Kiera Cass.

Friday, November 4, 2022

Making the Bad Blood & Mall Maze trailer videos:


During the making of the video trailers for Bad Blood and Mall Maze, I got to make fake blood again.
Something I always loved to do during many Halloweens past.
Great fun.


There are various recipes for making fake blood, using water, flour, corn syrup, chocolate syrup, etc …
Through trial and error … a lot of trial and error … I eventually settled on clear liquid hand soap and food dye.
It’s easier and faster.
The soap already has a thick consistency, with an effect that mimics the slow flow, ooze and drip of real blood.


To make the fake blood, I filled a jar with soap, added red food dye, then green food dye to darken it.
Apply the green dye one drop at a time as you continue to mix.
If you add too much green, the solution turns brown and you have to dump it out and start over.
It’s that simple.
 
Choose the recipe that works best for you.
If you’re going to use my method – remember that it's soap.
Be cautious how you use it.
One advantage is that soap and food dye doesn’t permanently stain clothes.
I patch-tested a white washcloth and it cleaned no problem.
The disadvantage is that it’s SOAP.
Patch-test to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin.
Get any in your eyes – it’ll sting.
Swallow any – it’ll make you sick.
Be mindful and careful.
Remember the pros and cons.
Pros ... it's soap.
Cons ... it's SOAP!
 
For the Bad Blood trailer, in reference to one of the key chapters in that novel, I repurposed the machete from my collection of gardening tools and two precision craft knives from my art tools I use for miniature model making.
In the future, I will be making videos using miniature models.
 
To make the fake blood flow down the blade, I used an applicator bottle with the narrow funnel.
You can control the flow better, with less mess and waste.


I draped one of my plain black T-shirts over the front of the sink.
The black fabric absorbs light and prevents reflection when filming metal surfaces.


My wife exclaimed: “What the …?!” when she walked into the bathroom and saw I’d used the fake blood to make a bloody handprint and put some nice smears around the inside of the tub.

Another advantage of using soap … it rinses away no problem.



For part of the
Mall Maze trailer, again in reference to part of that novel, I filled my left driving glove with fake blood and let it ooze out through the seams for the effect of a wounded hand.


Using the same method of preventing reflection, with black curtains around the camera lens, I made another short film of the jar I’ll be using in a future video.


I'll be using the same blanketing method when filming and photographing a glass tank, for mixing inks and paints in water.

Below are the trailers for Bad Blood and Mall Maze:


Finally, here’s my assistant, Bodhi, our crazy Ragdoll cat:

Friday, February 25, 2022

Photography and film-making:


I’m excited to be branching into creating book advertisement trailers, animation, and short movies.
 
More to come.

Friday, December 4, 2020

Greeting Cards:

Click on the images to be redirected to the Zazzle store and see the full selection.

NOTE: New designs are added regularly.

A percentage from sales is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research.

Dandelion, cardDandelion, cardAbstract Color Study 433, cardAbstract Color Study 433, cardAnemone, cardAnemone, cardAbstract Color Study 480, cardAbstract Color Study 480, cardLilac Wonder Tulip, cardLilac Wonder Tulip, cardAbstract Color Study 356, cardAbstract Color Study 356, cardSlow Days, cardSlow Days, cardAbstract Color Study 379, cardAbstract Color Study 379, cardSlow Days, cardSlow Days, cardAbstract Color Study 500, cardAbstract Color Study 500, cardBouquet, cardBouquet, cardAbstract Color Study 472, cardAbstract Color Study 472, card

Friday, November 6, 2020

Greeting Cards:

Click on the images to be redirected to the Zazzle store and see the full selection.

NOTE: New designs are added regularly.

A percentage from sales is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research.

Flower, cardFlower, cardAbstract Color Study 436, cardAbstract Color Study 436, cardBee, cardBee, cardAbstract Color Study 404, cardAbstract Color Study 404, cardBee, cardBee, cardAbstract Color Study 482, cardAbstract Color Study 482, cardSlow Days, cardSlow Days, cardAbstract Color Study 430, cardAbstract Color Study 430, cardSlow Days, cardSlow Days, cardAbstract Color Study 409, cardAbstract Color Study 409, cardSlow Days, cardSlow Days, cardAbstract Color Study 378, cardAbstract Color Study 378, cardSlow Days, cardSlow Days, cardAbstract Color Study 498, cardAbstract Color Study 498, cardPeony, cardPeony, cardAbstract Color Study 142, cardAbstract Color Study 142, cardGladioli, cardGladioli, cardAbstract Color Study 502, cardAbstract Color Study 502, card