Peter J. Crowley

Artists Portraits and the soul of an artist.

07.09.2009 by Peter J. Crowley // 9 Comments

Choice Who’s?

Choice. Say it ……. and let it linger there alone in the air. What’s it mean? Just hear the word alone. What comes to mind?

Choice and the creative process. The picture you just took involves choice, first, you liked what you saw so you chose to shoot it. Then there is film, fast-slow? B+W or color? Negs or transparencies? Exposure, shutter speed, aperture and their relationship to depth of field? Lens, wide, tele, normal, what’s that? Light, filters, angle of view to name a few.

The most important choice is to make all the choices! Every picture has been taken before, every lighting design, print process all done before, what separates your image is the imprint of your soul on the photograph. The more choices you make the more the photograph is you/yours!

In 1971 I chose to buy my first new Nikon F, two years later I chose to buy a 1969 F used. The 1971 I later sold in a slow period. The ‘ 69 I still use almost daily. What a concept that something would last a lifetime. I remember my first up-grade I was in New Hampshire on vacation with my parents and there it was on the side of the road. A sign saying up-grade so up the steep incline we went and the only cost was the extra gas {around .20$ a gal} that the old Studebaker used, and that was refunded on the down-grade as we coasted down the other side.

Up-grade doesn’t quite hang there in the air with the panache of “choice?” What’s it mean? Just hear the word alone. What comes to mind?

In another thread Tom just realized that old negatives and prints from 65years ago were of very high quality, as good as today maybe. Sixty five years without an upgrade wow. Now we have, in the last decade learned so much that every six months we have so much new technology that we have to upgrade and even more amazing all this new knowledge seems to coincide with Christmas and spring weddings and graduations. Choice who’s? Well it is time for me to flip the record on the turntable. enjoy pjcOriginally written for a column on Traditional Photographic Art about five years ago. In that time “You” have chosen to upgrade your diggie and software 3.33 times. Or was it Ashton Kutcher and all that TV cleavage that made your choice? enjoy pjc

Photographic Art

Independence Generations Celebrations

07.06.2009 by Peter J. Crowley // 1 Comment

I had the privilege of celebrating the Forth of July Independence Day with two different generations. Being an observer and one who ponders, listens to what is said between the lines I found myself in my element at both gatherings. Image above is of a graphic designer pre-software where you had to create with a pen. She worked at design firms in NYC once with the man who hand lettered “Cadillac” his calligraphy stood the test of time. She marveled at what could be done on the computer now and I thought of how much more involved the artist was with a pen.

On the Forth I spent a beautiful afternoon with a group of friends who for the most part are younger than me. I felt right at home in both places and enjoyed the similarities of celebrations.

Back on the fifth this man posed for the photo something very common from that period. I remember looking looking at family photos from the fifties and seeing the same expression on aunts and uncles in every image.

The weather was splendid both days and both groups sought out shade. One of the similarities, also similar were chips, dips, hot dogs [or bratwurst] and a sharing of independence, America and its freedom. There were many different views of where we are as a nation I am sure but all were put aside for the sharing of commonality. There was talk from the older folks on the fifth of the war [WW2] and branches of service but the dominant theme was laughter and diet cheating. The main difference was music. There was music on the fifth and folks sang along to the hits of the forties shared voices and memories. On the forth we shared stories of concerts. Outrageous events from our youth and last week. Thanks to all for letting me into your stories. enjoy pjc