Status Update

Jayumcooper is: Drinking coffee and contemplating this project

So where are we at?

My interest lies here:

Artificial Nurture
Re creating the wonders of nature mechanically, within the computer, binary, man made

Tracking nature
Natural movement being harnessed to produce artificial movement. Animation controlled by an external natural force.

Studying the natural movement and converting it into mathematical data. Tracking the movement of leaves in the wind, the flight paths of birds.

Projection
Love the idea of projection as a delivery method. A concave projection screen sucking the viewer in, immersing them in visuals.

The possibilities that arise from projecting onto different surfaces. Bodies as canvas, walls, objects, plants and natural forms.

3D projection, where the canvas is taken into consideration when preparing the visuals, the interaction between artificial light (visuals) with a physical object.

Wabi Sabi
The Japanese concept of natural beauty. Seen in the places most never look. The discarded and disregarded natural formations found in everyday life.

Capturing nature in transition. On it's way to becoming, on it's way to nothingness.



What's happened so far:

2 projection photoshoots, where the body is the canvas. A continuation on an undergraduate project started 10 years ago. The work then wasn't really informed in any way, and neither were these 2 recent shoots. I'm glad I have tried this path, and I have produced a few pleasing images as a result. I'm not however in anyway satisfied with this as a solid grounding to proceed. It's a stepping stone, and a way of getting me taking images, but where to take this I'm unsure of at present.

Reading up on Wabi Sabi has left me confused and unclear about the process. I need to read the key text again as it is a fairly simple yet incredibly complex notion that I really want and feel I need to get my head around. As I was reading the text my mind was wandering every other page as to how I could relate these ideas to my practice, and at times I felt that my way of working is the complete opposite to it's principles. How can you plan and organise a project based on the ideas of natural occurrences and hidden beauty. Create it, capture it, the subtle beauty is gone, tarnished by the act of recording it and then bragging about it.

An unintentional and chance set of images vie produced over the past few months are the water sculptures. The idea of capturing a natural form in the state of flux, in a fraction of a second, freezing it in time. The images seem to me made of plastic or glass, objects that have been painstakingly crafted by an individual far more talented than I. Yet they are not. Natural movement recorded in the process of creation and decline. I will try and set this moment up again, this time with the outcome in mind. Try and control and plan the setup. At least have a better background and lighting setup.

Ive also been taking a lot of macro shots, traveling out and about searching for the Wabi Sabi beauty. It's not something I find challenging. I think I've always had an eye for the obscure beauty most ignore. The amount of time I'll have been out with g and I'll see something and stop, take out my camera and shoot. "why the he'll are you taking a picture of that padlock?" "I thought it looked beautiful" g is now very good at not questioning, just letting out a sigh and walking away.


The last big thing that I'm questioning at present is that of whether I can take a photograph or series of photographs I can truely be pleased with, and unashamed of hanging on a wall. I've never been a photographer, (but what does that mean exactly?) As I've studied the practice over the years, and even more these days, I am so aware that it's the idea as well as technique that makes a good image. It's all about preparation and planning, but at the same time having the eye and the balls to just get in there and shoot. Not to panic, to be patient, but also to be ready.

I still lack the confidence to shoot in a lot of situations, and my technical abilities could and should be more progressed than they are. I lack the patience too. I'm too easy with my shutter finger. This is why with project 1 it ended up as a screen based piece. That is my comfort zone. I can be patient there, because you have to be due to the nature of the workflow.

I want to push myself with this project to get away from where I feel safe. Something I think the new MA students are being forced to do. I like this idea, and I wanna see what happens.

Fibonacci Music [Installation View]

Spider

Human Orchestra

Strange Arrangements

Levi van Veluw comes alive

I blogged a few weeks back some of Veluw's stills as part of the mega 'Tangible Inspiration' post.

I had no idea that they came alive:

Taisuke Koyama

Japanese photogra[her 1978 zooms in on the city of Tokyo.

Organic macro abstractions.

Jane Burton

Velvet Portrait Suite







Wormwood





More projects on her website HERE

Irene Kung

Thanks to Mr Downing introducing me to the wonderful blog: 500photographers i have found the work of Irene Kung.

Something I haven't really looked at for a while in terms of inspiration is the world of photography.

Let's do something about that shall we?

So.......

Irene Kung







I love what's going on here. Some more lovely stuff on her website HERE

so Mike... What's going on here then?

Wabi Sabi Water Sculptures

After reading my book on Wabi Sabi, i've come away rather confused.

I believe I understand what it is, but through this understanding I'm now left in a position where if one were to try and construct a wabi sabi image, it would totally go against the nature of the concept.

Wabi Sabi is finding the beauty in the natural world, seeing the hidden interest that most won't notice. As soon as you identify it though, the moment is lost.

Wabi Sabi is finding the beauty in the transition. In the process of becoming or the process of decay.

In response to that I by chance took some images that I find rather intriguing.

I bought a few pieces of equipment from Homebase with the intention to try and create an artificial stream or water upon my dining room table (I was home alone, what else was i supposed to do?)



Turns out the air pump i made was far too powerful, so i ended up with a fountain rather than a gentle flow.

Here's what I got:







What we have here are water sculptures, captured in the process of creation and decay. An object that only existed for this fraction of a second, never to be seen again.

I like this concept right now.

Projection Shoot 2

Ventured into the studio again a couple of weeks ago with a different model.

I was a bit more prepared this time with a selection of images i wanted to project. Still a lot of testing and seeing if anything would come of it. I did get a handful of interesting images.











An idea that I have mentioned in a previous post see HERE was to try and achieve a russian doll form of image.

This is my first attempt at it. We were pushed for time, and my initial way of working didn't really pan out. Interesting results though:

The wilderness downtown

Arcade fire's interactive music video.

If you haven't had a go, have a go. CLICK ME!!!

It's a simple combination of tech, emotion, and a pretty decent tune.

oh and trees, and we love trees we do.

E-Baby

Chiral

Something for the kids

The past few weeks I've been working on a new title sequence for my first lecture back at work with the Level 1 students:

Interpol- Barricade

Thanks Mike

3D Projection within a gallery space

Building projection is not something I have the equipment to produce myself, but this, this is doable:

Video Building Projections

Tangible Inspiration

I borrowed a book called 'Tangible - High touch visuals' from the library.

The book contains a huge collection of art and photography based upon the premise of tactile construction, a hands on aproach to image making. Here are my choice highlights:

Aoyama Hina

Lettre de Voltaire


Les Papillons


Chris Heads





I've posted these as the continuation of my interest in the cutout explored in Project 1. The dress-up doll is something I've been thinking about for a long time now, and seeing these images has caused me to recall it. Dressing a model with projections.


Levi van Veluw

Landscape I


Reinterprets the traditional landscape painting, removing plots of grass, trees, even livestock from their 2 dimensional formats and transporting them to the 3 dimensional contours of his own face. A fresh twist on the obsession we have with the romantic landscape of recreating the world and simultaneously being part of it.

Gravel


Carpet In


Sarah Illenberger

Food Types




These 2 pieces of work again capture the notion of Arcimboldo and his composite portraits. An unintentional running theme throughout my research it seems.

Jared Steffensen

Tree Watch


Mountain Escape Sleeves




I just think these are something special. Not sure if I'm more envious of the idea, the tweed, or the beard. What a special combination.

Debbie Smyth

Pins & Thread




Now this upset me the first time I saw it. Unrelated to this project I was asked if I had any ideas for a music video for a friends band. My idea was based around thread art. I bought all the materials, had a go at some tests, but then ran out of spare time and motivation. It's something that I'd like to continue with, and could be explored in regard to this project too.

Chrissie Macdonald

Flowers







Atsushi Fukunaga

I came to Copenhagen by Scandlines


2 very similar projects here, actually presented together as a double paged spread in the book. Captures the idea of natural elements encroaching on the man made. Pushing through. Being natural. The plants and flowers are of course all fake and manmade within these shots, but doesn't that bring yet another layer to their meaning? I like them.

Renate Buser

Depot de Sel


Wocher Panorama


Ecublens


These final few images are here as a link to the idea of projecting onto buildings, replacing the real with an idea of an alternative. I've found a number of examples of 3D building projections to be blogged about next. This project does the same thing, but with canvas and the photographed still.

The 100th Post

It's been a funny old few months. I've really been struggling to get my head around what it is i'm wanting to do and achieve.

I've really struggled with the summer break, it's too easy to postpone, to put things off, all time seems to run into one another, but on the horizon is the deadline of my return to Lincoln, and I need something to return with.

This is a turning point.

Today I plan to force an idea out of this chaos.

I'll start with some reading, I'll setup a photo shoot, I will update this site.

It's raining outside so what else can I do.

I fear the forced idea won't be the final idea, but it will be progress to some degree.

Do you know Wabi-Sabi?