Palm tree, Photo: Mário Pires
In January 2010 i made a list of photo projects i wanted to develop in 2010, a year later it’s time to access the status of those.
Chiado Project
The “7 Visões no Chiado” project was successfully completed, It was shown in Lisboa, Vila Nova de Paiva and Coimbra (more dates coming soon). I made a series of blog posts about it. I wish to take it to Porto and back to Lisbon before the end of the year.
Prazeres Graveyard
I did three sessions on this project, and was unable to advance it further. But after i had Brenda Turnnidge review the work, i lost some doubts i had about the focus of the work. I expect to be able to schedule some more sessions in the spring.
MobileOne
I started this series with Nokia mobile phones, then i added a iPod Touch and iOS photo apps, and then the iPhone4. it’s no longer a series, it’s body of work that grows everyday! The iPhone is constatly with me and i haven’t used the Lumix in months. The camera is good enough and all the photo applications that i can mix and match give me endless creative opportunities. We can be mobile artists with nothing but this small device!
“T” Project
Postponed. Without a couple that knows how to T, it can’t be done right.
4 Cars…
I finished photographing for the project and then got some doubts about the whole series. It’s sleeping in the archives until i pick it up again and start editing it into the final form.
And for 2011 ?
Publishing some POD books is my goal, hope i can pull it off.
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Photo,
Photography,
Projects
In the first post of the series i talked about the theme and the final output of the project. But what tools should i use to photograph it?
Should i use a DSLR like the Nikon D2x and a varied assortment of lenses ?
Nikon D2x
This is the set up that could give the more flexibility and image quality, what are the disadvantages?
Weight is surely one, carrying a bag and having to change lenses impairs the mobility and can prevent the concentration that i find necessary.
So on the opposite pole i could use a mobile phone with a 3 mpixel camera.
Nokia N73
I would have no weight problem and also no problem in deciding the focal range to use (i would use the lens without any digital zoom). But i was unsure about the quality of the sensor and it’s ability to resolve enough detail so that the final print would look the way i intended.
So i did a test shoot on location to evaluate the lens and sensor. The details were muddy and the color shift between photos taken just seconds apart convinced me to drop this option.
I also have a compact camera, a Nikon Coolpix 885, but it’s a 3 mpixel camera with 8 years that has a very limited zoom range, so it’s not really a option.
But i was not feeling comfortable with the first option, so i was in the market for a new compact camera, one with a good sensor, a generous zoom range and a budget not exceding 250 euros. Is there such a thing ?
Fortunately there is, the Panasonic Lumix TZ6.
Panasonic Lumix TZ6
So, after the tools are chosen it’s time to start photographing.
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Chiado,
Lisboa,
Photo,
Projects
For some time now that i try to organize the bulk of my photo activity around projects, i still photograph on a loose base when i’m in that mood, but i find it more fulfilling to structure my work this way. For 2010, these are the photo related project i wish to work on.
- Chiado Project
The Chiado Project is already in motion and is to be completed until the end of February. It is the object of a series of posts that will detail it very thourogly.
- Prazeres Graveyard
This project was started at the end of 2009a, i hope in the end to put toghether an exibition and self-publish a book trought Blurb. It will be completely in B/W, something i haven’t done in a very long time. The plan for this project is a self-published book and a show if i find a venue for it.
- MobileOne
This project is about photos taken with mobile phone cameras. Raw unprocessed ones and also some of them processed with applications developed for the iPhone mobile platform. Mobile photos are no different from photos taken with other image capturing devices, when you see them, they must convey a feeling, be somehow worthy of showing to other people. So i take them as seriously as any one i create. Adding effects for me only makes sense when they bring added value, and extra meaning to an already interesting photo.
I don’t focus on the hardware (not really important to me as i don’t care that much about the resolution of the photo), only on the unprocessed photos and also on the mobile applications (at the moment only present on the iPhone platform) that allow us to edit them on mobile devices, avoiding the computer and giving us the ability to capture, edit and share form everywhere there is a net connection.
One thing i dislike a bit about the community that formed around the iPhone photo processing applications, is their focus on the hardware and the unwillingness to accept mobile photos from other platforms. Yes, the applications only run on iPhones and iPods, but i use them to process photos taken on Nokia phones, so if it’s possible to do it why not ?. When i mention this fact i am told that i can not post my work. I know that the rules are made by the people who builded the community and they have every right to do so, but i find much more interesting to build communities “platform free” and focus only what can be achieved regardless of the hardware or software that made i possible. It is the idea and the ability to “see” that really is important.
At the moment i only plan to do a video with some of them, but this is a on-going project so only time will tell what comes out of it
- “T” Project
Just had the idea and the team to get it up and running. It envolves Lisbon, dance and music. Final outcome is still unknown.
- 4 Cars…
The last one, is a project i started last week after reading about color and serialization. It’s my “conceptual art” project. Involves cars and color, it’s going to be performed with my Panasonic Lumix TZ6.
It’s not one 356 type photo projects, the concept around it is also time based, but different. There is nothing wrong with those kind of projects, they allow you to train discipline, awareness and can focus you one simple task, it can make you grow as a photographer. But this project does not involve a predetermined time frame, at this point i can find it satisfactory after 3 months, or i can decide to make it last 5 years. The final outcome will be a show and self published book.
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Book,
Photography,
Projects
