Rock-Paper-Camera

Whilst looking for some android workplace tools for work today, I came across a review for a camera app called Paper Camera. Intrigued by the description, and always interested in different camera apps I jumped all in and downloaded the pay version.

I’m aware for some photographers out there, anything other than the RAW image coming from a camera is a no go zone. I for one like effects, plug-ins etc. as part of a wide mix of tools in my shed. Sometimes one wants to capture a moment as it was, other times, perhaps as it felt, and other times again – just in a different way. Each has a place (perhaps a similar argument applies to why I shoot digital and film).

I only had a chance to use it on my bike ride home, so wont go into any depth, but, its a fun little app that gives the user a host of different ‘paper medium’ live-view recreations of the photo you are taking. You can also record as well as snap pictures, which is pretty cool.

Today’s image ‘Rock-Paper-Camera’ aside from resizing is straight from the camera (via Paper Camera). My subject, the local concrete makers. Situated on a busy corner, I never get the chance to stop for a photo when driving past regularly – that’s one bonus about being out on a cycle – one can stop with ease, and moving slower you take notice of more sites that one may miss when travelling by motor.

October 11, 2012 2

Burried City

I’m fascinated by archaeology. All around the world you hear of digs where ancient ruins, cities and tombs lay. Whether it be forgotten, reclaimed by nature, or purposefully encased and locked away. If I hadn’t studied anthropology and sociology, I think I would have studies archaeology.

Today’s image is actually just a piece of art work at a central city park (a highly post processed one that that) that I snapped on my Galaxy S2 when taking a stroll through several days ago.

I wanted to create a scene where the building had been buried on a grass plane. The original of the photo is actually just next to a walkway, and behind that a main road and shops. I cropped out those items and cloned in grass – which worked OK if you don’t look too close. I then applied multiple layers and filters making the old building quite hard against its green background.

I wonder what our cities will look like a millennia from now?

October 2, 2012 3

Caution

For Health and Safety reasons we had a caution sign put on our hot water urn at work recently. It got me thinking about how much aspects of the world have changed in the last decade or so. When I was young my dad would take me to the surf beach where I would tumble about in the waves. I know people who wont go there now as its too dangerous. There was a three story playground near my Grandmas house – I passed it a while ago and the top floor has been removed, the second floor fenced in…we used to climb on the roof and I never heard of a kid falling. Rope swings were on trees on hills – giving kids a terrifying rush when they held on with all their might…now the trees have been cut down due to danger risks.

Have we taken safety and caution so far that we are preventing people/kids from learning lessons any more? I cant help but think so.

Image wise, using my mobile phone and Vignette I was drawn to the urn for the simple and washed look. Black, white and red. The days sun coming from the left and casting the shadow of the urn and bareness otherwise leaves a simple, yet thoughtful image reflecting my above thoughts. In post processing with Gimp I cropped for the net and added an extra 1/4 to the left of the image to almost square the image and create the composition I was initially after.

August 17, 2012 4

Ask the Big G

Some more street art combined with ‘nature art’ today. Walking through town after work I narrowly missed a downpour of rain and went looking for some more interesting street art. Just as I came across this interesting ‘I don’t have all the answers’ artwork a rainbow appeared! I thought it made a pretty funny combination and play on themes with Mr J looking up at the sky and a rainbow leading the way up.

Taken on my Galaxy cellphone, in post production I wanted to over-do the photo a little. Pushing the saturation hard, I brought out the rainbow a little more and gave the buildings over the fence a golden glow. I lightened the blue wall a little and added a touch of sharpening and contrast.

If you like the artwork check out component’s art here. there is a lot of cool work, much that I have spotted when on my journeys in town.

August 15, 2012 0

Face 2 Face

Meeting up with a friend after work, my main goal was to finish off the film on the Fed1. Strangely with film, I find the 36 exposures too many – yet with digital it would not be enough. However, being I have a number of the 36 exposure sets left I also don’t want to waste film. To cut the story short, I finished the film in the Fed and got around to developing it tonight also. Considering I was guessing the exposure, it looks like I had success. I’ll scan and post something in the next few days hopefully.

As I was walking around in the CBD I came across todays piece of street/wall art. Mostly peeled off the wall, I loved the two faces left looking eye to eye. For some reason they reminded me of the movie Tron (the original) – their masks suggesting some future world (in which we need to wear masks!?!) Armed with my Samsung Galaxy I got up close and snapped the image. At home in post on Gimp, I desaturated, fixed/altered the white balance, added the blotchy boarder and slightly pushed up the contrast.

July 25, 2012 0

The Honeymaker

The weather was great down in New Plymouth after a clear flight. I love window seats when flying over land. Unfortunatly I had not switched my phone to flight mode, so I didnt grsb any in flight shots. Upon reaching our destination I did some relaxing in the sun and caught this little guy gathering shopping to make honey.
I also got some shots off on the fed1, so will see how my sunny 16 judgements go.

July 20, 2012 0