Current Film Project

So recently I've begun to explore the sort of, advanced cousin medium to mine own (photography) which is that of the moving image. 

I'm a very form oriented individual. My photographic "parents" as some people like to call them, are Albert Renger-Patzsch, Julius Shulman, and Andre Kertesz. The important one in terms of this blog post is Albert Renger-Patzsch. Renger-Patzsch was a German photographer associated with the New Objectivity active during the Weimar Republic. Now, the New Objectivity was something that, for those who know me, would assume I would hold protest against. However, in looking at the photographs presented by Renger-Patzsch, his focus on recording the beautiful forms that exist in the world, I've found a substantial amount of nearly universal subjectivity tying together all of his work. Yes, the images were recorded at a somewhat "arm's-length-distance" in an attempt to reduce the photographers bias. However, the choice to make the photograph is the biggest form of subjective bias I can think of.

Anyway, his importance in this blog post is that the increased sensitivity to everyday forms and objects, as well as Julius Shulman's increased sensitivity to imbuing a subjective, emotional, aesthetic quality to everything he pointed his lens at helped me in my first (after a long hiatus) film project.

As for the cinematic influences on this project...well, in keeping with the Germanic/ western European love of form I was greatly inspired by German Abstract Cinema of the 1920s and later on Soviet film director (1929) Dziga Vertov's masterpiece, Man with a Movie Camera. < Please, if you have the time, watch Vertov's film.  Specific artists would have to include, Vertov, Walter Ruttmann, Hans Richter, Viking Eggeling and Oskar Fischinger. While the latter four are arguably more abstract than Vertov and my film is much more in the spirit of Man with a Movie Camera, I developed my appreciation for the musicality of forms and their inherent subjective qualities because I was first introduced to German Absolut Film before experiencing anything of Vertov's. (Again, if you can spare the time, please read the short wikipedia article about Absolut Film)

Currently it's called City of Light and Lines but I might as well call it Man with a Blackberry Camera as that's what I chose to shoot with for convenience, ease of blending in and capturing the true environment, and it offered me a lo-fi, old film look that I feel works.


As the film progresses it becomes more and more abstract. Elements of sci-fi and suspense. Light is personified as a concept and a character.

Without further ado...here's my short silent film:

Any feedback, comments, questions, any...anything is greatly appreciated! Please utilize the comment box either on Youtube, blogger, or my email address provided in the right hand side bar.

Warmly,

-steve


P.S. Here is the stable URL link to the youtube page.
http://youtu.be/EWZ0HTJpdF0

A Night of Architecture

Just before college I began to become very inspired by the work and images of Julius Shulman. The way he was able to compose the frame and present a space. His images may have sometimes been cold and lacked the personality of the artist, for he was a very chipper man as times. However, His ability to organize space within the frame was second to none in the world of architectural photography. He was able to add resonance, breath, and the sensation of movement to the sometimes distant feeling, stagnant, geometry of Modern design. I envy his ability to respond to space with such a heightened sensitivity. He was one of the reasons Modern architecture and design became popularized in America and arguably the most important architectural photographer of his time. Without him, Modern architecture would certainly not have been what it was.

Here are two (4) images that I made tonight inspired by Julius Shulman.
I greatly favor architectural photography to be in black and white because, unless color is an integral part of the space or design it distracts and detracts from the beauty of the space. I've supplie black and white as well as color versions of both photographs. PLEASE feel free to comment, critique, or ask questions.

I neglected to take down the address or the name of this apartment complex. I've got some searching to do.

Links to Julius Shulman's works:
http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/shulman/
http://ehehr1955.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/julius-shulman-photography/

Bing image search (large+wallpaper size only)

Here is an image I made over a year ago. To this day it is still one of my favorite architectural photographs of mine. I don't believe it's previously appeared on this blog so I'll upload it now.

SUNY Purchase Dance Conservatory - 2010 - ©Steve Shillling 

Revision (Sat. March, 31st)
It seems this photograph does appear on this blog in a much earlier post which can be seen by following this link.
http://visual-drone.blogspot.com/2011/02/inspiration-series-1.html
Again, Julius Shulman is spoken about and I provided some example work of his.

Image(s) of the Night 19-23

Tonight I went for a stroll with two of my friends. We dropped of my one friend's girlfriend at Penn Station and decided to walk back East rather then waste money on the subway. Along our way back I was able to snap off a few images seeing as I had taken my digital camera along with me.

You'll notice something different about these images. That is that they all have people in them. This is certainly not something that occurs often or is seen often in my, so called, ouvre.  My current focus is on everything that is NOT photographic in photography and stripping it of its preconceived notifying photographic indicators. However, everyone in a while I feel compelled to just snap some images.

Midnight Shift - 2012

This image of the construction sight holds significance because immediately following my passing of the site I was asked by one of the workers if there was any way he'd be able to get the/an image(s) that I took. I told him if he supplied his email address then I'd take care of the rest. Later tonight I had the photograph all ready for him and had emailed him a high resolution file that he can use for printing or sending to a lab to order prints if he so chooses.

Untitled - 2012

There's something unsettling about this image. It's the small postcard of the twin towers in the upper left-of-center portion of the frame. It's almost as if it's a constant reminder for the guards on duty. And the only reason I approach this with some reservations is because I don't think we need our security to be constantly feeling a sort of mixture of anger, hatred, and sorrow while they are performing their job as assisting those who need help and simultaneously maintaining a "lookout" and a watchful eye for any unscrupulous behavior. I feel that with all the associated ideas behind 9/11 it might almost increase the tendencies of racial or ethnic profiling amongst public security officers such as the NYPD or even the officers dressed in full camouflage and wielding automatic rifles.

Late Night McDonald's Run...Walk...er...Sit - 2012

Untitled - 2012

 Yes, I added a good amount of digital noise to this image. I felt it needed it. There are a good deal of negative undertones within this image and I felt adding grain as a sort of, degradation of the image, of clarity added to the mood.

The aspect ratios are as follows:
4:5
6:7
6:7
5:7

Promotional Trailer!

About a month ago I was Director of Photography for a friend's short film. Now, we've finally sat down and I helped Joel edit together a trailer.
Hope you enjoy it!






The Way Station:
Located at: 683 Washington Ave
btw prospect and st marks Prospect Heights, Brooklyn 11238
A to Washington
or 2/3 to BK Museum
or Q to 7th Ave B45 to Washington Ave and Prospect Place (stops right in front of bar)

Image of the Night #19

Untitled;  2012

Image(s) of the Night #17 + #18

I've been experimenting with some different photographic processes.

Here are two of the results.

Title: Mandala 1; 2012

Right-click and select open in new window in order to see full image and increased detail.

Title: 增長 ("Growth"); 2012

Upcoming Group Exhibition

Please come and look at some exceptional artists work in this upcoming group exhibition.

Check back in the near future as I will be posting a small write-up about the show and why it's more than simply a group of individuals suspending images on a wall.


*Note: This is simply my own personal promotion card. Each individual artist has made his or her own.