David Hockney's Secret Knowledge (part 1/8)

video series...
via wikipedia:
"In the 2001 television programme and book, Secret Knowledge, Hockney posited that the Old Masters used camera obscura (and lucida) techniques, utilized with a concave mirror, which allowed the image of the subject to be projected onto the surface of the painting. Hockney argues that this technique migrated gradually to Italy and most of Europe, and is the reason for the photographic style of painting we see in the Renaissance and later periods of art."

So, after you've watched all 8 parts, check out this lengthy video of Charlie Falco's presentation. Very compelling.

Sponge Toss

Ottawa Councillor Doug Thompson takes a wet sponge to the noodle at the Medieval Festival in Osgoode.
www.dougthompson.ca

Pixel Bender - Megan

This is a sample photo where I used the newly released plugin from Adobe Labs, Pixel Bender. This is the oil paint option in the filter gallery. I love the way it made her hair so creamy smooth.

Brenda Leifso - Ottawa Headshot

Brenda Leifso's on-line bio states that is an adventurer and an uber-multitasker with a background in magazine management, teaching, workshop facilitation, writing, editing and entrepreneurship www.brendaleifso.com.

She was also recently named the new incumbent managing editor of Arc Poetry Magazine.
We spent a wonderful Ottawa summer evening around her residence looking for awesome light for her new portrait. Bingo! Found some nice ambient light for this particular shot as the sun was setting behind some trees.

Usually, I don't use photoshop actions in my photography but I thought I would give this photo a summery vintage tone to it, and I think it works well.
What a great smile!

Seamless Portrait

Here are couple of outtakes from a client session from this spring. The photo(s) from this job were to be used in an annual report and other uses for a client in Guelph.

The photographs were shot in her home on location in Ottawa. The photo was originally shot on seamless blue paper of another shade -- but this blue was added in photoshop. However, the final files were handed in to the art director with a transparent background to give the widest choice for their needs.


here is what the original colour of the blue seamless paper looked like before it was cut out to make way for a transparent background.