Blair Bodden submits Frame Destination Link

This is a link to framing company out of Dallas. They have very reasonable prices. You can order just the frame or you can get the whole kit. Check it out.

David Alvarez reviews Alan Jaras

Lately I've been interested in the phenomenon's of light and color; the reflections and refractions of light as it bounces from surface to surface. Last semester while working on my final photo project (which dealt with the basic forms of light and color)I happened upon a British photographer in my search for artist with similar interest.

Alan Jaras, a retired research scientist and microscopist, creates these stunning (in my opinion) images using a single light beam that passes through varieties of textured and transparent forms. The pattern is captured directly on to 35mm film by removing the camera lens and putting the transparent object(s) in its place.

It's great that the abstractions created in this process create "images of strange microscopic or deep sea creatures or even galaxies forming in deep space," because it evokes the viewers imagination. However, the reason I'm truly impressed/stunned/ and in awe of his work is the experimentation and science associated with the process. One can definitely see the way Jaras plays with the light, bending it and twisting it to his whim. In the two pictures above, you can see a evolution of his technique and a mastery of light. The bottom is an earlier work called Crumpled Rainbow: Twisting Light #25 which seems like another experimentation with his process. The top images title alone, Metropolis I: Taming Light #45, shows his mastery of his process(the "taming" of light).

Hellen Van Meene by Salina Ellis

Van Meene is a portrait artist, but not your everyday documentary type portrait. The majority of her subjects are young girls, probably tweens, between the ages of 9 and 13. Their expressions appear distant, pensive, and melancholy. Their age and far away stares speak to the point at which they are in life. They are at the stage where they will be maturing into women, shedding the innocence of their childhood. To me their faces seem to mourn this loss. Other subjects in her work are interiors, and young boys.

The artist states that she starts with a sketched idea of what she wants the image to look like, including props, lighting and models. Once shooting begins, however, she allows the process to inform her direction. She uses only available light, also allowing it to inform the direction of her images.

Van Meene was born in 1972 in the Netherlands, she studied in Scotland and photographs all over the globe. Her work appears in several books, two of which are dedicated solely to her work.

Digital Truth Link by Salina Ellis

Its all here, supplies, forum, developing chart, articles, and product reviews. The Massive Dev chart will tell you how long to develop any film with any developer, there's also an app for it.

Alternative Photography Link by Salina Ellis

The alternative photography website has tons of information about alternative processes like cyanotype, image transfers and infrared. In addition to process details they offer a list of suppliers for photographic supplies.

Ashley presents Kahn & Selesnick

Well I was talking to Kent Rush and he gave me a flyer to a show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago for the show The Apollo Prophecies & Mars: Adrift on the hourglass and the images are really insane. They remind me of an HD version of an old Mars attacks b-rated horror movie.

I also went to check out their website and they seem to use the human body as a part of the landscape they are shooting, it is really interesting that they use the form at times camouflaged in and at other times as an enhancement for the area around them. I also really enjoy the use of monsters in the images.

Ashley presents Claudia Behnke

So I have been very interested in color lately more specifically a minimal type of color. I found this photographer that did a set of photos called "Vision China" that is exactly what I am interested in. This particular set of images jumped out at me not just because of the use of color though it also had to do with the placement of the colors. In the set there are two images in particular that stood out to me especially the blue one, it is just so strange and beautiful.