Apple Still Life's - Casey G. Photography

Last time I posted I hoped to keep up with posting and here I am, trying at least. I have been working on my Project52 and continuing with still-lifes. I started with some pretty basic things this month: apples, pineapples and grapes. At first I found it kind of hard balancing the background light and the light on the fruit itself and it gave me some pretty interesting images.

Once I got back into the swing of things I started to play around a little. Putting the lights in different places, moving my camera back and forth, etc. I ended up getting several images that I think are worthy to include in my portfolio or on my website.

Here are some of my favorites:

The last one with the pineapple is the one I'm including in my Project52.


The next few blogs (to hold myself accountable):

This week I have also been working on Casey G. Photography itself; how to register as an actual business, registering my copyright, how to make money with my photography and different marketing techniques.

I've been experimenting with different things, too. I ordered macro filters and I plan on using them the second I get them and I'll post with my results.

My camera bag has slowly been shrinking or I've been getting a lot more equipment, however you want to look at it, so I have decided to get a new one. However, the bag that could hold everything I have and leave some room to expand is about $150. Thats a little bit out of my price range right now. Instead, I bought a purse and I'm going to modify it to be a camera bag. Once I get all my supplies together and start actually putting it together, I'll post about that as well.

Project52 - Casey G. Photography

It's been a little while (*cough cough* over a year) since I posted anything about my life and my photography. And boy has a lot changed!

First things first: I graduated with my Bachelor of Fine Arts specializing in Photography in April of 2013 - FINALLY! After attending school for 7 1/2 long years, I have finally reached a major goal of mine! Cool :) Next, well I've been working a part-time, barely above minimum-wage job and searching desperately for a full-time job. My search has had few results: a few phone interviews which led to a few in-person interviews which in turn led to nothing.

Yeah, that's where my life is right now. Oh, and on top of all that, I haven't been doing much photography at all for the sheer fact that the majority of my time is now spent job hunting. That is going to change this year. I have decided to give myself a well needed kick in the butt and do a Project52.

Some of you may have heard of a Project52 but for those of you who havent, I shall explain. I trust you know what a Project365 is where a person takes one photo a day for the whole year. That seemed a bit too much to me. I knew I wanted to do something photography related this year but one photo a day for an entire year seemed like a lot. I didnt think I was going to learn anything. I knew there were going to be days, and weeks for that matter, that I was going to be so busy that I wasnt even going to think of photography. And thats ok with me. I love photography but there are other things in life. Plus, a Project 365 seems geared toward people who use their phone for their photography purposes. Not that its a bad thing to use your phone, I do it too. But I wanted my project to be on a professional level. I wanted to be able to submit these photos to contests and stock photography agencies. I wanted to be able to sell them and be proud of them.

So I came across another idea of producing one photo a week. That seemed a lot better to me. I wanted to take it a step further though, and I dedicated each month to a different theme.

Each week I will take a photo with that months theme in mind and post it here. It's already February so I know I'm a little late starting these posts but I have learned a lot already and it's only been 2 months!

For the month of January, I decided to focus on the weather. Of course, the main reason I wanted to focus on the weather was so I could get some rain photography in there. Unfortunately, it didn't rain but 1 weekend in January and I had to work all that weekend. No matter! I'll throw those rain shots in there at some point. And here are my January photos:

Week 1 - A Day at the Beach

Week 2 - Florida's Color Changes

Week 3 - The Clouds

Week 4 - Beautiful Sunrise

Week 5 - The Strange Florida Clouds

And February has been dedicated to Still Life Photography, including Food Photography. I have loved this mini-project so much that I have decided to change my month of March to a continuation of Still Life Photography. Originally my theme was Jacksonville and I think I will keep that for another month but a friend of mine is also doing a project that involves Jacksonville so I think I'll still be able to throw some landscaped in there for March. My February photos so far are as follows:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

I'm really excited for the month of March and I hope they turn out as good as the ones in my head.

That's all for now! Hopefully, I'll remember to post weekly, or at least bi-weekly, on how my project has been going. 

Casey G.

The Amazingness of Cyanotypes

So today was a very interesting experience.

As I have said before, I am taking an alternative processes class this semester. Over the past year or so I've been focused more on the documentary style of photography. This alternative class is good to get me back in the creative side of photography. Today was our first time printing Cyanotypes and I loved it. This process creates a Prussian blue toned print. The older process created a lighter cyan-type color (hence the name) but the process we are using is much easier according to our professor.

Negative, light sensitized paper in contact box
ready for exposure.

Unlike traditional dark room prints, the paper we are using is plain watercolor paper.  There are so many things to take into account before you even start! Each paper creates a slightly different shade of blue and holds up differently in the chemistry we use. There are also different textures to pay attention to. But when you figure all this out there's still so much more to do! The first steps include marking and taping off where you want the image on the paper and cleaning the glass on the contact box. We even have to apply the light sensitive chemistry onto the paper ourselves! Its not as light sensitive as the paper used for gelatin silver prints which cant be in the light or else it'll ruin the paper. So we paint it on with sponge brushes being careful not to put to much or too little on. Its this really ugly looking greenish yellow color. We then dry it with a hair dryer, tape the negative onto it and put in the contact box. Then its ready for exposure!

After 3 minute exposure, before processing.

It really is a guessing game when it comes to how long to expose it. I started out with a 3 minute exposure to pure UV light. We looked at it and decided to process it like that. The yellowish parts you see to the left are the lighter parts of the photo. This tint will be washed away to reveal the beautiful blue color that you see below.

Strathmore paper fter processing.

I decided to do another print with Sketch paper. Its know for being smoother than water color. It also produced a slightly different shade of blue. Surprisingly this print was a longer exposure than the one above.

Canson Paper after processing.

So thats it for now.

New Years Resolutions

So, I know its a little late but I have finally decided on my New Years Resolutions. I've been thinking about them for awhile now but I just haven't written them down anywhere. Well, here they are:

1. Renew my love for God. Have Daily quiet times, prayer times, time with God.
2. Be healthier: drink more water, drink less calories; eat 3 servings of vegetables, 2 servings of fruit; eat less sweets; work out on a regular basis: classes at UNF Wellness Center, walks on the Nature Trails.
3. Make my own art.
4. Be the best student I can be for my last semester.
5. Be more than a photographer. Be a disciple. Be a writer. Be a student.

So there they are :) I hope I can live up to them!

Final Semster!

This will my final semester at UNF! In April I will be graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography.

I'm only taking two classes, though, which could be a good thing. I'm taking a Alternative Processes and Senior Porfolio. I was lucky enough to land an Internship at Folioweekly here in Jacksonville. Alternative Processes is a class where we practice the old types of printing processes: Cyanotype, Van Dyke Brown, Blue Van Dyke and the Albumen processes. We will also be learning how to make digital negatives and salt printing. Senior Portfolio, I hear, will feel like two classes in one! The professor will be covering the artists Resumé, artist statements, the narrative (biography), and so much more. Oh! And on top of all that, we will be doing a final project. Thats one of the main things I have been stressing about over the winter break.

I've come up with several ideas.

Horses: I would want to focus on the relationship between horse and owner, horse shows, cleaning and grooming, etc. I have always loved horses, just like my mom, and I would absolutely love to do this project!
Rodeo: I have always loved the rodeo and I think there are countless shot opportunities but I dont know if I could get the permission to go back stage.

Firefighter/cop: I would focus on the life of a Jacksonville cop or firefighter. I would ride along with them and stay with them as they are waiting for a call. I think is the one I would most like to do but I think I will need more than the time we have to finish it.

Habijax: I used to volunteer as a photographer for Habitat for Humanity before I moved up to Jacksonville and I would love to be able to do it again.

Tattoos: For this project, I would want to focus on people with anywhere from one tattoo to whole sleeves or even a body suit. I also want to get a portrait of the tattoo artist in his/her environment.

Now, I'm left with the impossible task of picking one...

Italia!

So for my first blog post in over 2 years, I wanted to share one of my favorite things in the world: Study Abroad in Italy. I was there for 5 weeks with other students from UNF, where I currently am studying Photography. We started in a little town called Massa Marittima in Tuscany. From there we traveled to Rome, where we stayed most of the time, and we took weekend trips to Naples and Florence. One weekend a few friends and I went to Venice, also. Here are the links about my first week and a half:

Buenvenuto a Italia!!

Days 5-10

I will be reminiscing about the rest of my time in Italy on this blog and sharing some of my favorite photos.