Fast Cash Photograph » Art Photography Articles

What is an Art Gallery

brian — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:14:20 +0000

Art galleries are venues to showcase the works of art of each participating artist. Collections in art galleries are rapidly changing and there is a rapid turnover with the items being sold in the Art galleries as people rush around to buy what has been featured in the last several weeks. Special exhibits are often done and it may include an individual artist or several artists or art guilds to be involved. These individual artists work with their most priced masterpiece in the exhibit.

Paintings, sculptures and even photography can be held on exhibit. In this way, art galleries promote the appreciation of the arts. Emerging artists benefit much from the advent of art galleries. They have that zeal and enthusiasm that is strongly needed to add a little spice on their painting careers. A platform is usually provided to hive much emphasis for the items. Art galleries allow the collection of a commission on the sales done for the art gallery items. In some cases, when going out an art exhibit there is an admission fee being collected. Artists sometimes pay exhibit fees to allow each and every single artist who is interested in joining with the exhibit.

Visual art is the usual work being exhibited in art galleries. Paintings are the most featured form of visual art which are being placed in an exhibit. Other galleries feature a wide array of art forms. Sculpture and photography can also be included for an exhibit. Certain types of art galleries do have this sort of specialization in order to accommodate a certain type of art work with much attention and order. For this reason the photo galleries and sculpture gardens exist in order to provide art enthusiasts for photography and sculpture can have a fulfilling time spent in the art gallery because of the wide array of exhibits to check out and appreciate. There has been a lot of art galleries existing in the world and these art galleries has been a seat for knowledge and exploration of artistic and creative prowess.

The captivating beauty of nature from all around the world has been the general highlight for art galleries. Every single day, a lot of artists produce and create an entirely unique masterpiece with their own personal touch and creativity and all of these artworks are being placed on art galleries for the public to view or to give the public the chance to purchase any art form that they find suitable for them.

As mentioned earlier, art galleries have various purposes to serve why they held such art exhibit. Art galleries aim to promote the art enthusiasts to appreciate a mounted platform by a particular artist. The galleries have gained much popularity because of the growth in awareness that art such as painting, sculptor and alike can calm this jittery world we live in. When you try to check the internet, you will see that the demand for art and artists are getting stronger. In this regard, online galleries are available to help out those art enthusiasts to enjoy their most loved form of art right in the comforts of their own homes.

Mark Traston is an associate with Portrait Painting. The company specializes in custom portrait painting. Each portrait artist specializes in a specific area including wedding paintings, baby portraits, and executive portraits. A custom portrait makes a great wedding, anniversary, or birthday gift.

Image taken on 2005-05-13 06:25:56. Image Source. (Used with permission)

Picci Designs Bring Art to Life Blending Contemporary, Impressionistic and Primitive Styles

brian — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:14:18 +0000

Every piece of art is an experiment for Picci Designs, and its founders wouldn’t have it any other way. When artists Laszlo Tihany and Linda Colino formed Picci Designs in 1994, it was a collaboration built on innovation and supported by the artistic philosophy they share: “Strength in simplicity of design.” Blending contemporary, impressionistic and primitive styles, Picci Designs’ artwork comes alive in metal sculptures, abstract painting, African tribal masks, abstract photography, and art deco clocks and mirrors.

Laszlo Tihany is a world-renowned artist from Hungary who spent time exploring the artistic worlds of Italy, Germany and France before immigrating to the United States in 1973. Five years later, he settled in Arizona, inspired by the desert’s “uncorrupted innocence.” Since then, Laszlo’s work has achieved international acclaim – especially for his metal sculptures – and his pieces are now in private collections all over the world.

Award-winning artist Linda Colino has been painting since she was a child, and it shows in both her work and in her passion for the art form. She’s lived in Arizona most of her life, heavily influenced by Southwestern art. And in recent years, Laszlo has had a significant impact on Linda’s growth as an artist by inspiring her to explore a new direction – abstract figurative sculptures.

Together, Laszlo and Linda complement one another’s styles. Though Laszlo’s primary focus is on metal sculptures and Linda’s on abstract painting, they collaborate on just about everything including their African tribal masks, abstract photography, and art deco clocks and mirrors. “Different things inspire us at different times,” says Linda, “and the light bulb goes off. When Laszlo comes up with a great idea, I have input into it.” And it goes both ways. “It’s a good collaboration,” she says.

Across every medium in which they work, Picci Designs blends the contemporary, impressionistic and primitive styles that bring their art to life. These influences are on display in everything from the bright, colorful movement in their metal sculptures, abstract paintings, and art deco clocks and mirrors to the vibrantly vivid images captured in their abstract photography and the playfully striking boldness in their African tribal masks.

“I want to give more than a colorful experience,” says Laszlo. “I want to intertwine my imagination with the viewer’s.” Linda, no doubt, feels the same way. And together through Picci Designs these two innovative artists communicate something we all need more of in our lives – a playful, joyful experience through art that always makes you smile.

Picci Designs was founded by Laszlo Tihany, an internationally known sculptor, and Linda Colino, a local Arizona painter, in 1994. Our artistic philosophy is to achieve, “Strength in simplicity of design.” We have blended contemporary, impressionistic and primitive styles into a captivating and whimsical art form. Visit http://www.piccidesigns.com/ for more information.

Image taken on 2006-11-15 20:42:55. Image Source. (Used with permission)

The Secret to Shooting Fine Art Portraits

brian — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:34:05 +0000

What’s the difference between a common snapshot and a portrait? What does it take to transform a portrait into fine art? Some say that a portrait has to be oriented vertical. Others believe that the subject must look straight to the viewer or that the photo must be black and white. All these are far from being reliable criteria for judging the artistic value of a portrait.

Snapshots are candid photos taken randomly without any intent of making art. There is no or very little planning, no attention to lighting and composition. Snapshots are good for capturing everyday moments and sometimes a portrait make come out by accident. But this happens very seldom and is rather an exception. Portraits generally have a lot of creative work behind. For the artist, this work begins at the first contact with his customer. This can happen over the phone, e-mail or face-to-face. Meeting the customer in person if possible is the best way to go. This allows you to study his/behavior, gestures, posture, learn about his/her personality, likes and dislikes etc. All this information will help you in planning the photo so that it says something about the subject. It is also important to have some sort of chemistry or at least be able to work together. However, it is very common that the first face-to-face meeting takes place at the moment of the photo. While this is not optimal, it can be done. After all, not all portraits have to be works of art. Picturing the person realistically in his/her best pose is a portrait.

Good portraits are achieved by paying attention to every element including camera technique, lighting and posing. It is also important that it reflects the personality of the person being photographed. This is not typically achieved in chain store photo studios. It is much better to schedule a couple of interviews to find out more about the person. Then you can build on the conceptions for the portrait, evoking personality traits. You should portray the person in such a way as to allow the viewer to feel something about what that person is like just by looking at the photo. If you’re including more people, like families or group, it is important that the photo reflects the relationships between them.

Good portraying also require post-production or finishing work. Before digital photography, retouching used to be made on the negatives and prints and there were limited changes you could make. Complicated chemical processes were used to improve the photos. Nowadays, everything from dodging to burning, blurring and highlighting is done on the PC using photo editing software. While it is certainly much easier than it used to, it still requires artistic vision, planning and expertise, as well as work. A photographer spends about 15-30 minutes on a photo featuring one or two persons before it is ready for print. The time is longer if you have more people in the photograph or you need to make a collage of several images.

All in all, the ingredients of a great portrait include getting to know the subject (usually through pre-interviews), thorough planning, mixing the information you have on the subject with your own artistic vision, good lighting and camera technique and guiding the subject into poses to portray his/her personality. You also need cooperation from the subject.

D usually writes on picture resizers at reshade.com. Reshade.com is specialized in photo processing and provides a free to use online picture resizer application. Also it makes available a image resizing program.

Image taken on 2010-01-30 00:21:50. Image Source. (Used with permission)

Advertising Photography ? the Art of Conceptual Imagery

brian — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:14:23 +0000

If savouring unique and significant moments in life is your game, then you can be a potential player of photography. It is that art, which enables you to record special moments as images, and if you prefer spicing it up with lots of creativity and conceptualisation, then your Mecca is advertising photography. This offshoot of the mentally stimulating art offers enough space for people to tinker with their creative urges and project imagery in a conceptually saleable manner.

Advertising photography is not always about capturing the finer things in life, as just about anything that can be arguably projected in a highly thought provoking manner. It, of course depends on the individual perceptions of the beholders. And, that’s how such photographs sound even more interesting as they carry a message that would hardly seem comprehensible at the first look. The wizardry to render the images in such a fashion obviously depends on the photographers themselves.

To be a good photographer, it is always necessary to have a keen eye for details and an alert mind to visualise things in a picturesque sense, and qualifying as a player of advertising photography calls for even greater skills. Not only do you require a sound knowledge of the application of light and angle to come out with good results, you have to penetrate the psyche of the buyers of a particular product to promote it in a creative fashion.

The hallmark of a saleable Advertising photography is the ability to crack the expectations of the buyers by inducing intrigue within them. The object of the imagery might have no relation altogether with the subject, although good concept would drive the nail home.

About The Author: Jack White is a specialist in Advertising photography and other kinds of photography. He has worked in close coordination with many an expert commercial photographer of UK and other countries. In his works he is presenting some of his observation on the role of commercial photographer in advertising photography.

Image taken on 2007-02-03 17:09:57. Image Source. (Used with permission)

Essays for Heightening Awareness and Improving Performance in Photographic Art

brian — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:14:18 +0000

“Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution.” – Ansel Adams

The word powerful not only describes photography but Ansel’s quote as well. In essence, what he is saying is photography is (and should always be considered) a dynamic art form though in some circles, that is subject to debate even to this day. In this ongoing series we will look at a multitude of subject matter and apply the key components of Ansel’s quote; expression, communications, perception, interpretation and execution to each of them. I will add my perspective, experiences and interject a little philosophy into the mix with the goal being to open your eyes and mind to the infinite possibilities for inspiration and growth as a creative photographic artist.

You will notice I did not use the word motivation. Years as a certified corporate sales trainer has taught me that you or I can not motivate someone with words, actions or our own artistic outcome. Motivation truly and purely comes from within each of us. External stimuli; the things we see, touch and feel act as the fuel we call inspiration that once communicated, translated and intellectualized within us, converts to motivation and then action. This is a key part of what drives artistic development and individual style. How much passion you foster and self discipline you assert will affect the rate and extent you develop your artistic identity. So you see, there’s more to taking “good pictures” than pointing an expensive camera at some subject. Actually, there is more to it than being technically adept. You must be passionate, disciplined and willing to think outside the box in order to develop is your artistic identity, or in Ansel’s terminology; interpretation.

Internationally renowned author and self development expert Dr. Wayne Dyer said; “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at begin to change.” In general, we are creatures of habit traveling the road of least resistance and our comfort zones tend to have rigid boundaries. From a photographic perspective Dr. Dyer’s quote is very applicable. Great photography, in my perspective, does not start with looking but rather seeing. Seeing starts with the eyes and then is translated in the brain. By controlling the speed of this process you afford yourself the opportunity for a more intimate/impacting interaction. This will result in not only a heightening awareness of what is around you but more powerful compositions – the technical foundation for great images. For me, this was one of the most significant changes I made in my approach to photographing natural landscapes. Using a large format view camera certainly helped in this endeavor as it just takes more time to make an image with one. But I did find that by slowing down I began to see beyond the obvious and that helped me shape new, more open perspectives and further develop unique and intimate interpretations or compositions of the subject matter I was photographing.

So, where do you start in this endeavor to shape a unique artistic identity? Slow down and I don’t mean just when you have a camera in your hands. Take more time to think thru what impact the subject has on you and subsequently how you want to communicate your perspective or interpretation of that subject. Get outside of your comfort zone and try new approaches and strive for perfect execution of the photographic process. Rest assured we will give greater attention to the timeless process standards later in this series. Go beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone and embrace the idea that change is the only constant in time and that it can be as exciting and rewarding as it is unnerving.

Let me conclude with something that Pablo Picasso once said; “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Sounds simple but this approach requires a commitment to self discipline. You will attain consistency by applying repetition in all aspects of photography which ultimately becomes mental muscle memory or your photographic process routine. This will reap artistic benefits whether you are standing on the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the shore of Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan or in your own garden. It is the first month of the New Year and there is no better time for a new start, new perspective and a new found level of artistic individuality. I hope you are inspired to come back and partake in these exercises of contemplation and discovery. Becoming more focused in your artistic thought process will help make your photography “a powerful medium of expression and communications.” Until next time, take good care.

Ron Leonetti has been capturing natural landscapes with his large format view camera for publication, stock and retail sale for over 20 years. You will find Ron’s work in The Nature Conservancy’s published materials as well as text books, calendars, periodicals, posters and corporate marketing campaigns. His critically acclaimed photography is widely exhibited and is extensively represented in many private and corporate art collections worldwide. Visit his website to learn more about his stock and fine art nature photography work or to purchase one of his nature prints for sale in his store gallery.

Image taken on 2008-06-08 14:01:03. Image Source. (Used with permission)

Create Your Own Wall Art

brian — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:14:34 +0000

The Canvas Photo Print

The canvas photo print is one of the best looking and most artistic of all customised wall art products. You can add a single image or a montage of images to a high quality, woven canvas and then display it in its frame on any section of any wall. Not only can you use personal photographs of yourself or your family, but you can use any photograph or image, artwork or design.

Photo Wallpaper

For an even more extravagant look in customised wall art there is also photo wallpaper. Again, you don’t necessarily have to use a photograph you could use essentially any picture. Find or scan a digital copy of your favourite film poster or a promotional poster for your favourite band and have it turned into photo wallpaper. That way, the image you choose can be spread from side to side and from top to bottom of the room.

Quality Customised Wall Art

Like canvas photo prints, photo wallpaper is very high quality and extremely durable. It’s more likely that the wall itself will break before the paper and it is easy and safe to wipe clean. The wallpaper will not tear or scuff and is even perfect for very high traffic areas so whether you’re looking for hall wallpaper at home or corridor wallpaper for a busy pub or hotel, photo wallpaper offers a customised, long lasting solution that can even be used outdoors. It can be used to combine the design you want on your wall with the colours of your choice and it even allows for the addition of your own personal photograph or image so that you can proudly display any picture you want at the same time.

Sarah shares her knowledge about Home d

Enter Photography Competitions – Have Fun With Your Hobby

brian — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:14:32 +0000

If you are new to photography or you are an avid photographer looking to get some recognition and put your work out to the world, entering a photo competition is a great way to start. Some companies run these competitions on a regularly basis. Some focus mainly on local talent, others international and some might only focus on a certain type of photography.

Photography contests may seem intimidating to new photographers and when you start looking at past winners of particular contests. Do not be put of by this because this is a great platform to boost not only your confidence but also your skill set. For the established photographers entering competitions outside your usual niche will also develop your skills as well as expand on your portfolio.

Entering Competitions:

Should you enter offline or online photo contests? This is a personal decision. With many companies moving submitting to photo contests online has become relatively popular. Ensure you select reputable websites and join photography sites that will build on your portfolio.

Read the instructions, rules and criteria for entering the photo contest. As you enter more professional competitions your photographs will be judged on many qualities (lighting, angles etc). Ensure that you fully understand what the judges are looking for.

Stick to the title but also show some creativity. Some photo contests may be looking for your best shot of a sunrise. Submitting a plain shot of your daily sunrise may not be utilizing your creative juices as a photographer. Think outside the square and do what ever it takes to get the best photo shot you can

Don’t get distracted by the prizes. Some companies offer amazing prizes and great avenues for emerging photographers to be recognized for their work. Focus on taking the best photo, making your work unique and add a personal touch or signature.

Good luck with your photo competition entries. If you need to find a website that lists the latest photo competitions visit Photo Art Gallery at www.photoartgallery.com. They also have information on competitions run by other reputable online photography sites.

Image taken on 2007-12-05 14:39:54. Image Source. (Used with permission)

Impressions of Fine Art Nature Photography

brian — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:14:35 +0000

The truly amazing thing about fine art nature photography is what it provokes and inspires . An image is seen of something incredibly beautiful and it makes you feel that you are right there – you feel as if you’re in the photo – you are in awe of its wonder . And this is exactly the impression photographers really want to instill in viewers who see their work .

The impression that photography of nature makes on each person is subjective as photography happens to be. If three people look at the same fine art photograph , they all may get a different impression . A bad impression may be made on one person from the photography, the other person may get a good impression and the third person’s impression could be indifferent .

Look at a duck photograph in its own habitat. One person takes a look and quickly makes a comment on the lovely color of the wings . They may mention that the crisp clear reflection is so great that it makes it look that a duck is right there with the other duck. The water drops that cling to the duck’s body looks like small diamonds lying there on the beautiful warm brown duck feathers. Another person may see the duck photo and says that the water looks murky and how the duck seems to look lonely . A third person may shrug and state … “it’s just a duck.” “so, it’s a photo of a duck.”

Of course, a fine art photographer of nature hopes the photo makes a bigger impression than a comment that “it is a duck” and a shrug of the shoulders. Of course, this is how photography of nature can leave an impression – honest, open, and of course, subjective . For enthusiasts of nature , nature photography becomes a huge part of life.

Fine art nature photography allows viewers to go to that very place . When you look at a photo of waves crashing against jagged rocks long enough , you feel like you are there – you can almost feel the breeze , hear the water and smell the salt the moment it hits the rocks . That is the impression nature photography is intended to give .

We incorporate photographs of nature by hanging them on the wall at home, they are used as screen savers , and even worn on t-shirts . Impressions of fine art nature photography – whether good, bad or indifferent – allows everyone to have an opinion of what they dislike and like. They make an impression that is everlasting .

Fine art nature photography brings great memories to anyone. Keith Spangler is a professional photographer that specializes in images of fine art nature photography.

Image taken on 2003-03-01 00:00:00. Image Source. (Used with permission)

THE ART INSTITUTES OFFERS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

brian — Sun, 30 May 2010 15:14:39 +0000

Jacquelyn P. Muller, AVP – Public Relations, (412) 995-7262
Devra Pransky, PR Specialist, (412) 995-7685

(PITTSBURGH – September 12, 2005) The Art Institutes announced
today that it will assist both domestic and international
students from universities in New Orleans, southern Louisiana,
Mississippi and Alabama universities, which have been closed for
the foreseeable future due to the devastation caused by
Hurricane Katrina.

The Art Institutes will make available both on-campus and
online courses that might be able to permit dislocated students
to progress in their academic careers during this semester of
disruption. Students at a university forced to close by
Hurricane Katrina may register at any of The Art Institutes 31
locations across the nation for courses, on a space-available
basis, for the fall semester.

The Art Institutes will waive tuition for dislocated students
who have already registered and paid tuition at their home
institution for the fall 2005 semester. If dislocated students
have not yet paid their tuition at their home institution, they
will be assessed the lesser of the current published tuition and
fees at the home institution, or The Art Institutes’ published
tuition and fees for the fall semester, as determined by the
school president.

“The Art Institutes strives to assist college students who have
been affected by Hurricane Katrina,” says Dave Pauldine,
president of The Art Institutes. “The Art Institutes offers this
initiative as a way to reach out to the students in the Gulf
Coast region whose lives and education have been impacted by
Hurricane Katrina and do what we can to assist those students.”

The Art Institutes is a group of 31educational institutions
located throughout North America. Offering a broad range of
programs including: audio production, culinary arts, culinary
management, fashion design, fashion marketing, graphic design,
industrial design technology, interior design, media arts &
animation, multimedia & Web design, photography, restaurant
management and video production. Not all programs are offered at
all schools.

The Art Institutes operate in Atlanta, Arlington, VA (as The
Art Institute of Washington), Boston (as The New England
Institute of Art), Charlotte, Chicago and Schaumburg, IL,
Cincinnati (as The Art Institute of Ohio – Cincinnati), Dallas,
Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles (as The
Art Institute of California – Los Angeles and California Design
College), Miami (as Miami International University of Art &
Design), Minneapolis, New York, Orange County, CA, Philadelphia,
Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco,
Seattle, Tampa, Toronto , Vancouver (as The Art Institute of
Vancouver, York, PA (as Bradley Academy of the Visual Arts) and
The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of
Pittsburgh.

Students seeking additional information about The Art
Institutes’ initiative can view the policy in its entirety at
(www.artinstitutes.edu/katrina) or call the National Admissions
Information Center at 1-888-328-7900.

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 31 education
institutions located throughout North America, provide an
important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary
professionals. The parent company of The Art Institutes,
Education Management Corporation (www.edmc.com) is among the
largest providers of private post-secondary education in North
America, based on student enrollment and revenue. Student
enrollment exceeded 66,000 as of fall 2004. EDMC has 71 primary
campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. EDMC’s
education institutions offer a broad range of academic programs
concentrated in the media arts, design, fashion, culinary arts,
behavioral sciences, health sciences, education, information
technology and business fields, culminating in the award of
associate’s through doctoral degrees. EDMC has provided
career-oriented education for over 40 years.

None

Image taken on 2009-06-26 08:25:24. Image Source. (Used with permission)

Creating My Own Art is One of My Favorite Things to Do

brian — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:14:27 +0000

It’s great fun looking at or shopping for art, in particular one of my favorite hobbies is photography. My daughter dropped my last digital camera which was an antique Kodak 1.6 megapixel camera, which was on it’s last legs with an elastic band wrapped around it to hold the batteries in place so they wouldn’t fall out. It was a blessing when she dropped the camera because I was forced to go out and buy an new Canon digita 10 megapixel camera in it’s replacement. The higher the megapixel rating, the larger the print you can produce in prints for making excellent artwork for your home.

The camera has been a great tool for creating my own artwork when I get out on my bike and travel around the city I live in and take pictures particularly with people in the scenes. The price of getting prints done online now is a no brainer as the cost in most cases can be as low as .10 cents per print for a single 4 x 6 inch print. I love taking photos by the hundreds and then editing them on my computer and creating a list of prints suitable for framing. I also take lot’s and lot’s of photographs when I am travelling and do the same. When I have narrowed my list of photographs I like, I will have them printed and then buy some frames at places like Wal-Mart and Ikea at great prices and then create my own artwork for my walls.

Digital cameras are great for taking pictures of you family as well. My daughter is six years old and I have been taking photographs of her since she was born and we have her photographs on our walls at home so we can watch her change and grow up over the years. I even take photographs of flower arrangements as the city I live in has a tulip festival in the spring which offers an amazing array of beautiful tulip beds for taking some amazing pictures. I just love creating my own art work with my camera and buying frames of different shapes and sizes and finishes to proudly display my favorite photographs in.

Brian kearns is owner and webmaster of www.listingsottawa.com, a local ottawa business directory which features ottawa art galleries and other local ottawa arts and entertainment listings.

Image taken on 2006-01-13 14:12:21. Image Source. (Used with permission)