“Where do your creative ideas come from?”
Good question! Creativity is an intangible seed that grows under varied and unusual ways. What works for a creative scientist may not work for an artist but there are common, underlying elements that help unleash creativity.
This month we explore one of the ideas – unstructured daydreaming and aimless wandering.
Read more to fuel your creativity.
Learning to harness creativity.
Every Friday we feature what’s fun and hip in the world of Ottawa photography.
Ottawa STudio Works
Based out of our photo studio website we offer links to some very cool projects other Ottawa/Gatineau based photographers are working on. In the last few month’s we’ve featured:
• Editorial photographer, Jame’s Park‘s coverage of the CIAU basketball championships
• Commercial photographer, Tony Fouhse‘s update on his publishing side of his business – Straylight.
• Fashion Photographer Tina Picard‘s look at behind the scenes of Ottawa Fashion Week.
See the posts and cheer the local photographer’s work.
Ottawa Studio Works event
Upcoming arts events?
• Artist Talk – Harry Nowell: “Large Format Originals – Straight from the Camera”
Thursday, March 13th, 7pm.
La Fab; 212 Old Chelsea Rd, Chelsea, Qc; beside St Stephen’s Church
I’ll be presenting large format equipment including a home made BIG camera and discussing why I’ve chosen such large equipment and the idea of producing artwork straight from the camera – the substrate in my camera is the finished product!
More details.
Join us!
© Harry Nowell – Sun Streak above St Stephen’s Church – straight from the camera
• Artist Talk – Rosemary Leach: “Aching for a Little Character”
Wednesday, April 23rd; 7PM.
Ottawa Studio Works; 160 Preston St., Ottawa.
Join us as Rosemary discusses her own journey as an artist – She’ll present works and answer questions about her life as an artist.
© Rosemary Leach – Aching for a Little Character
We’re offering a new Platform Presentation:
Artist Talk – Large Format Camera & Photography at La Fab!
Large Format photography
We’re hosting a 90 minute session on Harry’s artwork from his large format cameras including:
• Why on earth would you shoot with such a cumbersome camera!
• 4×5 and 8×10 cameras
• Experience of building a camera
• Large Format Artwork
Straight from the 8×10 camera – from the Watershed collection
Join us!:
• Thursday, March 13th; 7-8:30pm
• La Fab Arts and Cultural Centre
212, chemin Old Chelsea
Chelsea (Québec)
It’s free…
We’ve just learned we have a solo show coming up in September 2014 at La Fab.
We’ll be exhibiting some work from Watershed and the BIG cameras. Stay tuned.
Sun streaks – straight from the large format camera – Old Chelsea, Quebec.
A big thanks to our readers for the content of this edition of web distractions!
We have a long list this week!
• Keeping up with Olympic photo deadlines
Past student, Nathalie Madore, shared this link from a photographer on the pressures of shooting the Olympics!
• Beauty without Processing
Nichole McGill shared a link to real beauty.
• Librarian Portraits
A reader who prefers anonymity offers a whimsical look at the look of librarians!
Film photography – slide, light table and loupe!
• Sexism in stock photography?
‘Anonymous’ also offered this look about sexism in stock photography.
• 14 Photo Project Ideas
Barbara McKenzie sent this look at some good ideas to boost your photo creativity.
• Toilet Paper Roll Art!
Dave Andrews offered this very fun look at amazing art found inside toilet paper rolls!
• “Humans of New York” Photographer Interview
Hagen Hohn, past student, sent out this link of an interview with ‘overnight photo success’ photographer Brandon Stanton.
Blacks ad whites – proper exposures!
I’ve been enjoying my new, hand built, 8×10, large format camera – I’ve been using the camera for a few different art projects.
8×10 large format camera – hand built
My large format sun streaks continues, sourcing an old pre-photography chemistry medium that’s supposed to be used without a camera – just light and paper. It took much experimentation to make the chemical process work in a big enormous camera.
The photo below tracks the sun’s arc across the sky above a beautiful church. The process is long, involved and best captured on clear, cold winter days when the sun’s arc is gentle.
Stay tuned!
Sun Streaks – photo art
We have another round of web distractions for you.
This month it includes photo and photo related links dealing with creativity.
• Mountain Selfies Creating Buzz
Thanks to CAPIC for this link – Banff photographer, Paul Zizka has been shooting himself and getting attention!
• The Power of Mistakes
This video came to me month’s ago and, while not about photography specifically, it inspired me to embrace creativity.
• Creative Artist
Again, this is not about photography but creativity and art to help you think differently about your photography! Thanks to Eliot for this link…
Art
Some photo students secretly roll their eyes when I suggest they bring out their tripods. I can feel their loathing as they pull out the cumbersome, heavy, boring tripods.
In this month’s photo newsletter we offer FIVE reasons to leave the tripod at home. We also offer just one reason to bring it. And then we leave the decision whether to haul the tripod out up to you!
Read this month’s Exposed! photo newsletter…
Winter Landscapes
La Fab is a Chelsea Arts Centre representing many artists from the region. The centre is housed in the rectory of St Stephen’s Church.
The building needs some renovations and we’re having a fundraiser.
Visit La Fab next week to buy some fine art – at least 50% of proceeds go to the support the renovations of La Fab.
I have 4 pieces in the show including the shot below. Buy some fine art and support La Fab and the artists!
Join us…
La Fab
212, Old Chelsea road
Old Chelsea, Quebec
Vernissage:
Thursday, January 23rd from 5 pm to 7 pm
and continues until Feb. 2nd…
Hockey photography
HoHoHo!
Thanks for the fun this year!
There was much to smile about:
• Media and Celebrity Photo Contest
• Photo Workshops
• Our Online Photo Program
• Building the BIG large format Camera
• Watershed Art Exhibition developments
• Our new photo tips site
… and thanks for your support for keeping us going.
Without YOU none of this would be possible.
Congratulations to all of our students for your efforts and successes. You’ve come a long way!
Happy Holidays!
Holiday schedule:
We will be checking emails every few days and are open for online workshop registrations but we’ll be laying low (and skiing, building snow sculptures, skating and recharging) until the new year…
We’ll be back on the blog in early January.
Happy Holidays