celebrating the snapshot

Thanks to Siyanda  from year 1 for sharing this with me...
(see 'snapshot' of Siya with his best friend [see buka lapha] below)

buka lapha 

CLICK on YouTube link below to view video

Dasein: The Art of Being [what I learned from an experiment in creative living] - YouTube

(((((Handsome))))

(big hug)

dropbox ice breaker 2012

SHENE cracks the ice

by sharing her images... 

Shene & Nthabs

We went on our annual 'ice-breaker' to the Durban Ice Rink on a hot humid but rainy Febraury Friday. A couple of students took photo's with DSLR's, other 'snapshot camera's' , iphones and other cellphones. Shene emailed me all her images. It was also Nthabs's birthday. She turned 20.  Sorry to Sne and Sam, first years for their injuries... I hope that will not stop you from trying again next year.

I have put them (see snippets from screenshot above)  in "Dropbox" (click on "Dropbox' to access/learn about/watch a video and download to your computer). Dropbox is another form of cloud computing (like Google Docs/Bookmarks), where one can share media, applications over the internet.

www.dropbox.com

www.wikipedia.com

Please access them there and contribute to this experience by adding your images to the folder through the link I sent.

(@_@)

bog-eyed, or drunk

Fashion on Location with Paul

Parys in Dirtbin
the subject in Paul's email

Alumni (or past 2009 student) Paul Reichle [PR] shared his experience of a Fashion Shoot with me via gmail so that I could blog it.  PR's blurb: "The shoot was for a local designer Bianca Kim _ who sells her stuff 'Miss Religious' at the I-heart market and a couple boutiques too. Bianca wanted a Grunge feel and sent me a pic of the location she had in mind which blew me away. I had no idea there even was a mini eiffel tower living in Dirtbin.

Upon arrival at the location we realized that the ladder we bought to the shoot was too short so I borrowed one from the Church next door. We got to the roof and had about 12 looks to get through - The wind was pumping which made working conditions difficult_ constantly blowing hair into the models face and my lighting equipment. My assistant 
 (I advise that everyone has an assistant especially when working on location) had to hold all the equipment.

I was aiming for a mix of styles with this shoot as Bianca's Target market is girls aged 16 to about 30, i mixed a combination of lifestyle in with editorial fashion- l strongly believe that lifestyle shots are great to sell a product such as clothing as prospective clients can picture themselves in the clothing, if the clothing is too fashion orientated it could be too intimidating for a young girl. 

I used a very harsh light source - no softbox or diffusers so as to stick with the very moody feel we were going for and then shooting on manual mode - I underexposed the scene by about 2-3 stops to make the background very dark and eliminate or put less emphasis on any unwanted elements - such as the buildings cars and shops in the background. I then pumped a very powerful flash at high power onto the subject making the model pop out into the picture. I asked the assistant to keep the light quite high and close to subject in order to make harsh shadows under the models chin - making the pics look quite raw and giving dimension and shape.

Problems we encountered while shooting: Models found it difficult to balance on the beam and walk on the corrugated roof which made posing tough, I also ran out of battery on my lights toward the end of the shoot and had to tone down the power of the flash as we finished up."

Paul attached some images and they were specifically chosen by him to show:

(below)  ---> "how crazy the wind was"

(top)  ---> "how dark the background is when the flash goes off and other shows the sh*!!y (Paul's words not mine) the background looks without the flash".

(top) ---> shot with toned down flash.

(top) ---> the lifestyle element 

(top) ---> shows fashion editorial element

•

I also asked him about his website and in typical Paul fashion he replied: "Oh and my website is currently bubbalaas -  in the process of constructing a new one but I'm building numbers with my Facebook page if you can get the peeps to go join. PR also asks "if any one is keen to assist on weekdays for a personal project called rainbow nation, just an hour or so here and there when I'm in the area".

Contact Paul on--->  paul.reichle@gmail.com  or "be-friend" him on his facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paul-Reichle-Photography/236837686843

 

Bianca Kim's facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bianca-Kim-Clothing/118744504852516

Thanks Paul.

 ☕

bbx7

pink on the outside and white inside

story of my 7 BB's

above: I normally use the packaging of advertising to express my mood and status in bbm_ this was used when BB was down_ a worldwide crisis_ my status read "what's happening?".

I decided to do a post of my Blackberry [BB]. It's a year ago (and a couple of days) since I celebrated the purchase of my BB_ buka lapha.  I have not only had 1 BB but 7_ in a year! This is inspiration behind this post and I have woven my BB's story on the 7 deadly sins.

•

53\/3|\|

(says "seven" my son's way of coding_ creating a new alphabet)

sloth:

BB1: just out of the box_ returned in 3 days_ not charging

lust:

BB2: battery loosing power quickly 

(later discovered it was due to a game not been quited that my son had down loaded)

envy:

BB3:camera stopped working
 

wrath:

BB4:screen flickered

greed:

BB5: lost_ drove away with it on top of my car 

(think it's lying somewhere at Pirates)

gluttony:

BB6: green pixel stripe grew (and kept growing) from the center of the screen  

pride:

BB7: my current_ I <3 it (don't wanna live without it)_ because it supports Web 2.0

•

What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 has transformed one's notion of and one's attitude to the Internet, from an encyclopedic source to a reflective and interactive arena whereby one may publish, post or share content. Some Web 2.0 tools include podcasts, videos, wikis, blogs, animations, RSS feeds, photos, tagging and social networks (Goddard 2004: 07).  In this virtual environment, one:

·      multi-tasks_ shifts  attention from one task to another

·      works with multiple interfaces

·      manages ones own performance

·      values speed over accuracy_ rapid feedback/responses

·      expresses oneself better through images rather than text

·      learns by doing/learn by finding out

·      values peers: show appreciation and validation

This is a shared experience, not only amongst peers, but extended into the community itself. Here individuals create their own content, collaborate with others and support the building of communities. 

 Goddard, T. 2007. Learning Technologies and Schools of the Future  British Council for School Environments. 

 

☕

Buzzing off

goodbye Buzz hello Google + 

 

I opened my Gmail this morning to find in yellow highlighted text an announcement by Google that Buzz is being discontinued (like Google Wave) but you will have access to your 'stuffs' through Google Takeout!

All the more reason to publish your photographs on Google +

 Paul Strand: " I've always wanted to be aware of what's going on around me, and I've wanted to use photography as an instrument of research into and reporting on the life of my own time". http://www.photoquotes.com/showquotes.aspx?id=112&name=Strand,Paul#422

What is Google Takeaway?

Google Operating System [GOS] blogs on Google's unofficial news and gives tips. GOS reports that " Google wants to differentiate from Facebook by offering a lot of ways to export your data. Google Takeout is a feature that's included in Google+, but it's also available as a standalone service. You can use it to export your contacts, Google Buzz messages, Picasa Web photos and Profile data with one click."

 ☕

ooooodles of Google...

Google + 

Google Plus is Google's new social network_ and is still in it's 'testing' stage.

Is this the way forward?

launched on the 14th July

A new online space to engage with each other and talk and share...

photos • video • links • location 

 

I  asked Siya Ndlovu [SN], who originally shared this post on Google + if I could post the conversation that took place about his work between Bwalya and myself, on osmosisBLOG.  The reason being I wanted to share the conversation and encourage my followers to do the same.  

  

and

I want to get familiar with Google + and would like for us to learn how it works together.

...So lets create circles and share. 

 

I think that it is a great forum to have discussions about ones works and to get feedback from each other or just from a selected few. We all see things differently and as I constantly chant this mantra "what you think, feel and see is important... it makes us understand more ".

 •

Google + vs Facebook

 Watch the 2.33" video below to get an overview.  I get a feel that Google + is an improvement on Buzz and a replacement for Google Wave (which has been discontinued).

Google Plus has a lot of slick features, but the biggest reason to open a Google Plus account is that if you use a lot of Google products and these will all be integrated someday. 

 •

Chatting with Siya and Bwalya on Google +

 

siya ndlovu line of duty (9 photos)

IMAGE_1

Add a comment... Keep the conversation going about the image below_  tell SN what you think? Click on his name above and you will go to his Google + page.

  

BWALYA:       Oct 6, 2011 10:08 PM: This is so cool! You capture the expression of this hard labor. The detail is crisp I wonder would it have worked in colour too? I love the layers of your back ground. This reminds me of the days when we used to play tires.

osmosisliza: Oct 8, 2011 10:40 AM: The decisive moment? The expression is so telling, pushing and playing with the tire is hard work and I am nervous, looks like he is on top of a roof!

BWALYA: @ Liza, it his that tension in his face. It does place you in that moment and you wait anxiously to see what happens when he has gotten over that hurdle.

siya ndlovu: Oct 10, 2011 12:40 PM: if you look on the far right corner, you can see that there is a road which in my view sort of tells you that we've come a long way with this township tradition of playing tires as our toys which now has been replaced with modern toys and games, so this young boy is the reflection of those left out and pushing at the edge hoping to connect with the modern world  IMAGE_2

BWALYA -Oct 6: I really like this, but the bush on the left is distracting me. It is bigger than the kids. osmosisliza - Oct 8: For me the size of the bush and the fact that it is used as a wash line is comical_ the kids are kind of watching it ( I suppose like one would a TV) as they eat and chat amongst themselves. Its size accentuates its 'oddity' and its ominousness. As a viewer the space one occupies is that between the bush and the kids, one is on the path. The path also divides the bush and the children (which I recognize and is called in English "Yesterday, today and tomorrow"_ in fact saying that I also believe it it is not indigenous to South Africa) . Oooh I feel a metaphor happening here.  BWALYA -Oct 8: It reminds me of mine workers taking a break for lunch before going back to 'work'. The bush creates that feeling for me because in such working places (like here at ML Sultan) having lunch outside in the sort of space we have, feels awkward. siya ndlovu - Oct 10: thanks gyz for da comments, this is jst me tryin to move with my documentary which i call the "pray verses predator". my idea is to drop wat eva image i fill like dropping until the images themselves tel their own story of what/who is the predator and the pray. keep your comments coming so one can grow in documentary, for the love of art DITTO SIYA ☕

KMM: Cedric Nunn

Convergence

the process or state of converging

coming together from different directions so as eventually to meet

 an exhibition of Photographs 

by Cedric Nunn

@ Kwa Muhle Museum

screenshot Google maps

 CN says: "Exhibitions are and remain to be an important platform for photographers and artists to project an extended essay of images which when placed in that body and context are able to make a particular statement otherwise not possible through the normal commercial outlets."

Then & Now

The image above from a series of works from exhibition THEN & NOW  ---> held @ the DAG in 2007. This exhibition was comprised of black/white and color photographs • 8 South African documentary photographers • 20  photographs each •  10 made under apartheid • 10 photographs made after democratic elections of 1994. 

☕

Seminar: Ernest Cole

ERNEST COLE

a seminar @ DAG

http://ernestcoleaward.org/about

“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience” 

Alexander Gregg: Clergyman
www.thinkexist.com 

DAG entrance: Google Maps

  

I have been asked to chair the ERNEST COLE seminar @ the Durban Art Gallery [DAG] on 25th July which is supported by an exhibition • to be opened on Sunday 24th July.


The speakers are Omar Badsha and Peter McKenzie, with Jabulani Chen Periera and Nirmi Ziegler as discussants. Mduduzi Xakaza, the director Of DAG wrote in a recent email that he hoped the seminar would be intellectually accessible to everybody, but still have a challenging element about it, so to prompt the audience to think and debate around issues that will be raised by both speakers and discussants. 

" We regard this exercise as a manner of ushering in an important era in the life of the Durban Art Gallery: an art museum that serves as a dynamic educational resource where knowledge is produced and engaged with in for a such as seminars and colloquia." Mduduzi Xakaza

 •

speakers & discussants:
very very very short bio's

• speakers: Omar Badsha [OB]

OB is a self taught award winning Artist, Political Activist and Trade Unionist. In 1999 OB established  a non-profit online history project, called  South African History Online (SAHO) which has become one of the largest online history projects in Africa. OB will speak about factors that shaped Cole's worldview and how this informed the content of his book "House of Bondage"

• discussant on OB: Nirmi Ziegler [NZ]

NZ lectures Art Theory at the Department of Fine Art and Jewellery Design at DUT and is currently busy with her PhD in online learning. NZ is an artist that focuses on the technique of papermaking, a curator and a self-employed graphic designer.

•  speaker: Peter McKenzie [PMcK]

PMcK is a Photographer, Educationist, Film-maker and a new member of DALA,  a Durban based multi- disciplinary art collective. PMcK will speak on remembering in the present. What is the relevance of Cole's archive today? How do we look at images through the filters of history.

• discussant on PMcK: Jabulani Chen Periera [JCP]

JCP is a Curator, Artist and Film-maker. JCP has volunteered her skills to the Alf Kumalo Museum, with the intention of developing a comprehensive survey and digitized archival system of Mr Kumalo’s collection.

 •

The Photography Department has made this a compulsory event for all students. I would like to encourage all students to participate in the discussions. What you feel, think and say is important ...

Click here:  another blog post on ERNEST COLE

☕

studium and punctum

studium and punctum

this page was deleted but will be restored

tinkering with LIGHT

ADAM BOND aka Po$$um showed me these inspiring photographs he shot where he was playing around with the available light. We were chatting about how the visible light effects seemed to become the ear to how the music could sound as they conveyed movement, rhythm and shapes that imitated sound-waves. 

Adam had this to say: "A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to photograph the band Car Boot Vendors live @ GMT. I've always wanted to try band photography and this was the perfect opportunity. Most of my images were shot on a long exposure of about 1.5 seconds. I really enjoyed photographing this band because they were full of energy, and considering this was my 1st attempt at band photography, I think that it went very well."

☕