#1062 Web Distractions!!

Posted on April 1, 2014 by admin

Welcome back to our current instalment of Web Distractions. And thanks for your part in sharing your finds on the web!

We have a full slate of photo and arts based web investigations.

• “Absurdly Expressive” dog portraits
I love dogs!
And I think Debbie S. knows it. She shared this collection of canine portraits.
🙂

dogs!

• Best photographers in film
Thanks to Rod MacIvor, retired photojournalist, for this link to some amazing films involving photographers.

• 4500km China walk – with camera
Nichole McGill provided this link to a man’s amazing photo trek through China…

• “Leica photography is dead.” … interesting view on an amazing camera line-up
Dave Andrews posted this link link. Interesting…

• Illegal photo taking in Hungary – the controversy!
Nathalie Madore shared this link to a new Hungarian law that’s shaking things up!

• Shy photographer gets noticed
Ken H offers this fun story…

• Montreal’s underground photographic beauty
Danigirl brought us this look at what lurks, beautifully, under Montreal.

• Vivian Maier’s hidden photo talent and collection
Liz links to this documentary of a hidden talent who wanted nothing to do with the fame she is generating! Amazing story…

A big thank-you to contributors! Keep sharing your photo and arts links!

DavidBarbour.com with his Leica

#1057 – Upcoming events

Posted on March 12, 2014 by admin

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!

• Artist Talk – Rosemary Leach: “Aching for a Little Character”
Wednesday, April 23^rd; 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.

More details.

#1052 Artist Talk – Large Format Camera & Photography

Posted on February 25, 2014 by admin

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.

#1032 “Watershed” Project from the Big Camera

Posted on December 8, 2013 by admin

I’ve been working on the Watershed collection since 2001 – large beautiful prints of a little creek in Chelsea that happens to run behind our home. I’ve now followed it about 14 km with panoramic, medium and large format film equipment – capturing the very different facets of the waterway and the interrelationships with everything that it’s connected to.

It’s been a long project. Much of the work is hanging in an exhibition space at Ottawa International Airport.

Recently, as many of you know, I built an 8×10 large format camera. And I’ve started taking it out to the Watershed. It’s a lot of work – the new camera (including tripod) weighs about almost 14kg (approx 30 pounds) but the results are beautiful.

The whole point of an 8×10 camera is the beauty of enormous prints attributable to the large piece of film capturing every scrap of detail.

I’ve been using the camera in a different way. I am putting light sensitive paper (instead of traditional film) in the camera.
Quoi?

The ‘film’ I place in the camera is the final product that hangs on your wall.
Each photo is an original.

Also, there is NO post processing or darkroom manipulation to correct or enhance. The finished art comes straight from the camera and is a test of my camera skills and a showcase of my preferences at time of shooting.

I love it.

Interested in the art work?
Let me know…

8×10 print – straight from the camera, literally

#1029 People’s Choice Award Winner

Posted on December 1, 2013 by admin

We opened our doors to the fourth annual Studio Open House at Ottawa Studio Works.

We offered:
• New works from our Watershed series created with our Large Format Camera.
• Winter and spring workshops
• An exhibition of student photos selected by jury.

Open House – Ottawa Studio Works

Student Photo Show
One visitor asked “Who shot these photos?”
Harry – “Our photo workshop students.”
Visitor – “But they’re good.”
Harry – “Exactly.”

Open House at the photo studio – People’s Choice second place is awarded to Julius Liptak’s “Cuban Patriot” – featured here!

People’s Choice Award!
For the student show we asked visitors to vote for their favourite photo. By the end of the evening we had a decisive and clear winner.

Marie Josée L’s macro shot of droplets suspended on the stamen of a flower won over the Open House visitors. Her photo is the People’s Choice! And for her efforts she wins a free three month session of our Online Photo Program.

Second place went to Julius Liptak’s Cuban Patriot (see above) and there was a very close tie for third: Al Garner’s Green Oasis, Morina Reece’s ‘Vintage’ Portrait and Cheryl Kreis’ Dogs in Flight.

Congratulations to all…

Thanks again for the fun. And thanks to our sponsors who made this show possible:
Artopix.ca
DaveAndrews.ca
PatrickGordonFraming.ca

Thanks to our sponsors!

#1028 Large Format Camera Heats Up

Posted on November 28, 2013 by admin

Literally.

I’ve been shooting with the new 8×10 Large Format camera for a few weeks on two related projects:

1. Watershed
Capturing Watershed on unique 8×10 paper positives. The paper in the camera is the final artwork. Lovely and fun.

2. Sun-tracking Landscapes
I’ve been using a very old technology to track the sun in some landscapes using a different in-camera paper capture.
It’s a lovely process.
And powerful.
So powerful that the sun BURNED THROUGH THE PAPER in the camera – see below.
I love it!

8×10 capture Sun Track

I’ll be showing the early results at our Open House on Saturday:
Saturday, November 30th; from 3-10pm
Ottawa Studio Works
160 Preston St.,
Ottawa.

A big thanks to our students who supplied much of the show’s imagery.
And another big thanks to the businesses who helped pull the prints together:
Artopix
Dave Andrews
Patrick Gordon Framing

#1022 Open House Update – Free Photo Craft and Demo

Posted on November 15, 2013 by admin

In two weeks we are hosting our:
Our Annual Open House!

3-4pm Photo Craft for kids of all ages (while supplies last)
4:30-5:30pm Large Format Camera Demo
6-10pm General Celebrations & People’s Choice Awards
Saturday, November 30th.
OttawaStudioWorks.com
160 Preston St, Ottawa.

This year we are highlighting the work of our student’s successes. Their excitement and breakthroughs keep me smiling and excited to keep teaching:

“[My photos improved over the last year…] It’s all thanks to you, the course and the forum! I know that I wouldn’t have learnt as much just taking a class here and there. For this, I can’t thank you enough!” MI, Online Member

KIDS Photo CRAFT
We’ll also be offering a kid’s photo-based craft from 3pm-4pm. Bring a youngster (at heart) and get them to try a hands on craft – they can bring their art home (while supplies last.) No camera needed.

Large Format Demo
We’ll be offering a demo on Large Format Cameras from 4:30-5:30pm. Come and see the simplicity and beauty of large format!

People’s Choice Award
Come and vote for your favourite student photo. One person will be celebrated at the studio based on YOUR votes. Pick your favourite, bring your friends!

Student Exhibition – Deadline has Past!!
Want to share your successes? The deadline is looming.
We’ve got many great submissions but if you want to be involved, please submit photos by Saturday, November 16th:
DEADLINE = November 16th, 2013
• maximum 450 pixels wide (Small web files please!)
• include your name in the filename
• sharp, engaging photos from 2013
• Send your photo submission with “Open House” in the subject line to Harry@HarryNowell.com.
• If chosen we will need a LARGE file size to create your print.

BIG thanks to our supporters!
Without them, this event would not be possible.
• Artopix.ca
• DaveAndrews.ca
• PatrickGordonFraming.ca
You will receive a beautifully matted print of your photo after the show.

Artopix

PatrickGordonFraming

DaveAndrews.ca

Our Annual Open House:
• 3-4pm Photo Craft for kids of all ages (while supplies last)
• 4:30-5:30pm Large Format Camera Demo
• 6-10pm General Celebrations
Saturday, November 30th.
OttawaStudioWorks.com
160 Preston St, Ottawa.

#1008 Platform Series – Solo Climbing in Yosemite with Doug Pratt-Johnson

Posted on October 9, 2013 by admin

Join us for an evening of photos, stories and adventure as veteran climber, Doug Pratt-Johnson, shares experiences of his most recent climbing trip to Yosemite.

Ansel Adams captured Yosemite in iconic large format photos in the 1930s.

Now Yosemite is a mecca for climbers who spend days inching their way up sheer cliffs.

Doug spent 9 days attached to one of the big walls last summer…

Platform Series – Doug presents stories of his 9 day solo climbing adventure on Yosemite’s El Capitan.

Doug’s Climbing Presentation
Doug Pratt-Johnson will present an evening of photos and stories from his 9 day solo climb of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite Valley. Widely regarded as a mecca for bigwall climbers, Yosemite attracts climbers from all over the world. Come see what it’s like to sleep on a portaledge and hang your feet over the abyss while having your morning coffee!

Details
Date: Wednesday, November 6th, 2013; 7:30-9pm.
Location: Ottawa Studio Works; 160 Preston St., Ottawa.
Cost: Free, but donations accepted.
Registration: It’s first come, first served. Space is limited – Doors open at 7pm.

Join us!

Our Platform Series offers a platform for people to bring a selection of interesting photo, arts and related events to the community.

#997 Watershed Exhibition at Ottawa Airport YOW

Posted on September 13, 2013 by admin

In August I was asked to hang a show at one of two exhibition spaces at Ottawa Airport.

It is the largest single showing of Watershed works to date covering much of the printed material along the 13km I have explored starting from the little creek behind our home.

Watershed Art Exhibition – Chelsea, Qc and Gatineau Park

Details
Watershed Exhibition
Departures Lounge (near Gate 14)
Ottawa International Airport YOW
August 2013 to January 6th, 2014.

Watershed Art Exhibition at Ottawa Airport YOW

It all started in 2001 as I started exploring the local waterway with my dear old dog, Tigger. We followed the creek upstream to the headwaters and later started following it downstream.

After a number of years of muddy, wet, fun wandering I realized my explorations warranted a photographic documentation. Realizing the works would best be presented BIG I started shooting the scenes predominantly on medium and large format equipment.

My aim is to show the length of the watershed as it exists and reacts with all elements surrounding it, human or otherwise. The human infrastructure especially intrigues me as the small creek has been seen to overpower concrete and steel feats of engineering.

Watershed Art Exhibition at Ottawa Airport YOW

Many years later I have explored the ‘little creek’ for many kilometres.

You can see the exhibition at Ottawa Airport in the Departures Lounge near Gate 14. It’s hard to miss as it stretches 60 feet long.

Please visit – send your comments, please.

Watershed Art Exhibition at Ottawa Airport YOW

#991 Art Events in Ottawa

Posted on August 30, 2013 by admin

1. Portraits of Bluesfest
Last night I soaked up the fun at Peter Simpson‘s annual Portraits of Bluesfest Event at Patrick Gordon Framing.

What I love about this annual show is the diversity of work. There are a few photos but most the work are interpretations inspired by the festival.

Fine Bluesfest oriented artworks are auctioned off to raise money for Blues in the Schools. This year Peter estimated they raised close to $10,000. Pretty nice!

Michael Franti – Bluesfest Ottawa

2. Oil/Change
Danny Hussey, accomplished Ottawa artist has recently opened a new studio Central Art Garage in Ottawa’s China Town and is kicking off the fall season with a show with other celebrated Canadian artists.
Worth a visit!

Details
Central Art Garage
September 13th 2013 7PM 10PM
66B Lebreton St. N. Ottawa, Ontario

3. Watershed Exhibition at YOW
More coming later… but our Watershed Exhibition is now hanging in the Ottawa Airport in the departure lounge.

Ottawa Airport Exhibitio (thanks to Lisa Forbes for the photo)