Who really cares

art by juznobsrvr, panasonic dmc lx3, f4

i think you’ll find me boring… heh – i’m an old geezer with lots of excess baggages (you’ve seen that in my art)... i studied graphic arts years ago (probably before anybody reading this was born )... never really learned much except that i found out i could smoke pot in the school dark room and the teacher couldn’t do anything… then i got into painting using acrylic and did some collages… sold a few but never got serious into it… about a couple of years ago after my injury (i used to do music gigs at cafes... recorded music... played guitar... tried to sing... i realized i was hopeless), i did some soul searching, i picked up a camera  as i needed to do art (i can’t help it) and it changed my life… well sort of… it just felt as a natural transition… but who really cares?  no, i'm talking about jazz... who really cares how jazz sounds?  not that i hate jazz... don't get me wrong, my friend... on the contrary, i dig jazz... but who listens to it nowadays?  except old geezers like me, maybe... who really cares?

I am not a Monster

My recent art work was featured in "Halloween Special" at RedBubble.  I guess folks there have good taste when it comes to portraits.  Have a great weekend!

also see comments at RB and Flckr.

Thomas Chang with Nature (1 of 3)

I’d like to introduce you to my guest in this blog... a brilliant and talented photographer - Thomas Chang. From the moment I saw his captures, I kept coming back for more.  Stunning and awesome are words that I could think of whenever I look at his images.

When asked how he captured his images, I would hear in his voice how deeply passionate he is about his photography and the subject he takes.  He is in my opinion truly Mother Nature's son.  Just check out his stuff below and you will see what I mean.

Thomas Chang writes, "Mandarin Duck is a colorful and exquisite waterfowl with a stunning beauty.  Native to China and Japan, it is a symbol of happiness in love, with thoughts of romance, devotion, and affection in Chinese culture."(A beautiful Mandarin Duck swimming at a local pond,Yorba Linda Regional Park,California)

"This Bullfrog prefers to sit and wait for its prey to come by; then, with a quick flash of its tongue, it will grab the prey and bring it back into its large mouths. " (A Bullfrog soaking up the sun, Desconso Garden,California)

"This cottontail rabbit hided under the brush to escape  the heat." (A Cottontail Rabbit hiding in the brush,California)

Thomas adds, "Photographing wildlife is both fascinating and rewarding; it helps me to see and experience nature in its splendor and minute detail.  The camera lens can capture genuine beauty, life and colors of nature and animals that cannot be easily seen by the unaided eye.  Through the camera’s lens, I feel connected to nature in a special way.  I hope my images can depict the beauty of our natural world and increases respect and awareness for nature."

You can contact Thomas Chang at tchang65@gmail.com.

This is part one of a three part installment so as to allow the viewers to truly enjoy Thomas Chang's art.  Text and photos are copyright by Thomas Chang.  Coming next: Thomas Chang and His Technique.  

Thomas Chang with Nature 

Review of Holga Wide Pinhole Camera (WPC)

Enter the Holga Wide Pinhole Camera (WPC). This can provide a wide panoramic at 120 degrees. It comes with masks for both 6×7 cm or 6×9 cm images. I’ve tried shooting without the mask and I was able to extend the panoramic view. Whoo-hoo!

Endemic to all Holga cameras is their propensity to allow light leaks. Some love the leaks. Others hate them. If you prefer not to have light leaks, you can always flock the inside of the camera. There is a lot of instructional materials in the internet concerning flocking your Holga.

The camera is designed to use 120 size film roll but I’ve seen images using 35mm films with slight modification. It also comes with a bubble level, which can be useful for those demanding perfectly straight horizon.

I also like that there it has a tripod thread, which is nice for very long exposures, although I’ve taken shots by just holding the camera down to the ground and have produced relatively sharp images. There is a myth about pinhole cameras that they only produce dreamy and fuzzy images. Obviously, this is not true. 

Reprinted from Lomography Magazine 

See updated version of image (July 11, 2011).
. . .

My Friend Juznobsrvr

Reprinted from  Lomography Magazine

By Panelomo

September 11, 2010 8 comments 10 likes

  

One Lomographer described him as someone who is not just a keen observer, but also an analogue imagist who likes to cast his Lomo world with the kind of blues that he often plays to himself. Check out panelomo's interview with juznobsrvr!

There’s always an interesting story to every Lomographer – what would be your lomo story?

When I was a kid, my mom gave me a toy camera. It looked like the original Diana, a real knock-out down to the blue and black plastic body and the funky lens. It couldn’t take any pictures but every time I hit the shutter water would squirt out from the lens. I would ask my friends to pose for me only to get water sprayed on their faces. I was hooked on the sheer joy of watching their reactions. So as you can see I experienced Lomography early on in life.

Seriously, Lomographers are some of the nicest people I’ve met. You get support and encouragement here. The culture at LSI inspires me.  Also, I gravitate towards the imperfections, which LSI fosters.  Imperfections are what we normally see in everyday life. Yet we have trained our eyes to mask or ignore the imperfections. Our brains are always searching for the perfect image. I want to show the world that imperfections perceived differently can be by nature beautiful. I would like to think that most lomographers share this view.  Lomographers are not afraid of the imperfections.

 ... We all have to start somewhere. 

Here is the deal: 

Find your muse , 

go with it, and always bring your lomo cam.

What is the reason behind your Lomo name?

A rose is a rose is a rose. I wanted a handle that would reflect who I am or who I want to be. Juznobsrvr (pronounced “Just-an-observer”) sounds quaint, which can be perceived as old-school and bizarre. It also conveys no boundaries. For an observer like me, that’s empowerment.

Why analog? Why not digital?

You mean there are cameras that are not analog? Tell me where I can get those.

Can you tell about your best lomo shot? What, where, and why this photo?

I don’t know if I have any best lomo shot. Despite receiving scores of likes for my lomos (thanks to all for the support), I’m still in the process of achieving the best lomo shot. I do have one favorite and it’s the picture of my wife’s dog entitled “The Pooch with a Cute Nose.” Here’s the link in case anyone is interested.

 ... we have trained our
  eyes to mask or 
ignore the 
imperfect-
ions.  
Our brains 
are always 
searching
for the perfect
image.. .

It was shot with a used Argus FF500D Point and Shoot 35 mm, which I bought for less than $2 at our local thrift store. I tried so hard to make this lomo work but so far it has only received 7 likes. Oh well, it is what it is.

If you were a Lomo camera, what would you be and why?

I would be a home-made pinhole. Maybe one made from an oatmeal can or a matchbox. That way, I could take pictures without being noticed.

Also, there is no need for lens, it has an infinite depth of field, and there is no need for focusing. If I get stranded on an island, this is one camera I would have. In my opinion, even the most sophisticated camera cannot compete with a pinhole.

What is your Lomo style?

I’m not sure if I have figured out my style because I tend to be eclectic. Also, I’ll get bored after a while so I’m always trying out different things. For one thing, I am not interested in getting uber sharp images or highly defined images all the time. They’re great but most of them can be a dime a piece. Really, you can capture a great sunset or a landscape but most likely there are already millions out there that are going to look like the one you have. For me, what is more exciting is how one put together a message into a media and that it has not been done before or anywhere else. Also, I am interested in learning certain techniques but I want to use those techniques unconventionally. I’m always experimenting and learning. Maybe that is my style.

The Lomography staff is reading this interview right now, and I’m sure they’ll be very interested in your suggestions – what else do you want to see in the “revamped” Lomography website? Your own lomowall in your lomohome, perhaps? Monthly free piggies? Anything! Remember… they are reading this right now.

Free piggies? That would be too tempting. I think the Lomography website is already great. I like the concept of being able to know the identity of the Lomographer who likes what you posted.

If I may suggest, I think it would be nice to have a feature on one’s home where others can see at a glance the complete image in the thumbnail. For instance, right now one can only see a fraction of a panoramic lomo in the thumbnail. I think some of the great panoramic captures are passed by just because it doesn’t look appealing when viewed on the current thumbnail format.

Also, I get bummed whenever I click on my “older messages”. If for example I’m on the fourth page, and then I click on an icon or somebody’s avatar, I can’t go back to the previous page with the back arrow on my browser. It brings me back to first page instead of the fourth. Maybe I’m just not doing it right. Yeah, if that can be changed that would be a great convenience.

There’s a Lomo Legend that an unfound Lomo Genie Bottle is lying around the world somewhere out there. If you find this, you only get to choose three Lomo wishes – a Lomo camera that you currently do not own, any film of your choice, and your dream location. What camera? What film? And where in the world would you spend these Lomo wishes?

I always wanted to regain my toy camera that squirted water on people’s face. I’ve lost that one a long time ago. I would load it with vodka and head on to the North Pole.

Hold on, there’s a fourth wish – who among our fellow Lomographers would you like to collaborate with for this “wish project”, and why?

My ideal collaborator would be one of the newest members of LSI who has not yet learned how to use a camera. I think the process would be exciting because this person has no preconceived ideas on how lomos are made.

Just for kicks – - Does your Mom know that you like smelling films and that you’re into Lomography?

She would know. After all she taught me all there is about Lomography.

Parting words: My wish to fellow lomographers is for them to be able to find their niches. Learn from others. Don’t be afraid to ask. Great artists like Picasso were influenced by Van Gogh and Gauguin. Fashion photographer David LaChapelle learned from Andy Warhol. And so on. We all have to start somewhere. Here is the deal: Find your muse, go with it, and always bring your lomo cam.

[Other photos not included in this text]

Juznobsrvr also blogs regularly at Observations.  His blog is also a repository for his arts, and it includes site links to his Facebook, Flicker, and Deviant Art. Juznobsrvr is among the many Lomographers who lives in Southern California.

10 people like this article

8 comments:

   1. yarah

      yarah

      nice interview and love your photogallery!

      about 1 month ago

   2. mikahsupageek

      mikahsupageek

      great interview and lovely gallery, that photo of the man on the stairs is amazing !

      about 1 month ago

   3. gnarlyleech

      gnarlyleech

      Always been a fan. My favorite picture of yours is the blue triptych picture with the crow flying.

      about 1 month ago

   4. metzgor

      metzgor

      awesome gallery, great work!

      about 1 month ago

   5. emilios

      emilios

      Great Interview and great Photographer.

      about 1 month ago

   6. disdis

      disdis

      like your words, your pictures and the wished! It would be great to shoot people drinking from the camera!

      28 days ago

   7. trash-gordon-from-outer-space

      trash-gordon-from-outer-space

      The pooch just got one more like.

      24 days ago

   8. juznobsrvr

      juznobsrvr

      thanks, jay for putting this together... and thanks to everyone for looking and the fab comments... cheers ;-)

      4 days ago

The interview originally appeared at Lomography Magazine.  

"And When I Die" Featured at the Best of RedBubble

I just learned that one of my art works got featured in the Best of RedBubble.

See the rest of featured for the month of October.

More Bragging and more

I was informed that the University of Riverside in California have used my art in their web site.  Well, at least a part of it.

My other art works have been chosen in RedBubble picks. 

See the art works here and here.

More Bragging

A year ago, I got into shooting with film cameras, and this was the time I started posting in Lomography.   This was not one of the image I posted, but it could have been.

The image was taken one morning while walking the dog.  I used an old Ansco Memar Pronto, Kodak Color Film 35 iso 800.  The camera did not have a light meter and you couldn't tell with the viewfnder if you were in focus.  So, I think I just set it to infinity at f8.  I tried to remember the Sunny f16 rule but I always get confused.  So I probably shot this at the fastest shutter speed, which would have been 1/200 or some fast speed (as in fast in that era).  I haven't touched the camera since then but looking at this image I think I'll bring it out again.  I'm really pleased with it and now I wondered why I never published it.  It's not a grand picture but I like how the colors came out.  It's grainy, and I like it that way.  The high iso is supposed to that.  Besides, it was shot in film.  There were no fancy post-processing except for subtle sharpening and un-sharpening.

I brought this up because I just found out today that my interview in Lomography has been published last month.  I don't frequent this site much anymore so I only found out today.

 Here's the link if you want to read the crazy interview.  Cheers.

Bragging Rights on Humble Beginnings

I'm staring at the collage I've hung on my office wall, and I'm contemplating... reflecting.  This past few months, I've noticed that my Maker has been "extra-gracious" to me. I mean it in a sense that as days go by, I'm counting my blessings more often than before.  

Here are some highlights:

1. Monday, I was featured in Photo Manipulators, one of the groups I submit my images at RedBubble. You can read the interview here.
2. A few weeks ago, I signed a contract with arcangel-images.
3. Last month, I was the first to be on the Spotlight at The Secret Society, another group at RedBubble.
4. I sold my first calendar.
5. I sold my first greeting card.

Thank you, Lord.  Thank you, Rose, for your prayers, and for letting me use your credit card.  Thank you arcangel-images for cutting a deal with me.  Thank you to Parmi and Trish for items 1 and 3.  Thank you Vesna for buying my calendar.  Thanks to that someone who bought my greeting card.  Thank you to everyone for the support and encouragement.  Thank you.