Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => Discussing Photographic Styles => Topic started by: tim wolcott on December 17, 2009, 12:39:21 am

Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on December 17, 2009, 12:39:21 am
After recent comments from some of the members I just wanted to show that it is possible to find photographs in most everywhere, if you just open your eyes and find the passion.  I first started this collection of which you will see a small part of some 25 years ago.  I was sent off to photograph the Colorado Plateau for the Nature Conservancy.  Its a strange place with oddities anywhere and everywhere.  At first, I found the dunes to the absolute opposite of everything that I had ever shot.  I thought to myself how in hell am I to come out of this set of dunes with some images that show the rarity, subtleness and beauty.

But after walking in the dunes and spending time just sitting and watching the light shift, I realized what an amazing but abstract place it is.  I was so taken by the opposite, that it became my passion to spend time photographing it in all its beauty.  Since then it has shown in 3 continents and many galleries and museums around the world.  Hope you enjoy this obscure place.

The orange colored one are from the Plateau. These are real places shot in all kinds of light and on 20 different dunes, wide angle lenses, and angle of view no filters of any kind just the art of waiting to capture the intimacy of light on the dunes.

Its all about Line, Color, Space, Form and Lighting.

I named it Symplicity.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: wolfnowl on December 17, 2009, 01:30:17 am
Nice work, Tim.  Love the abstract feel of several of them.

Mike.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: francois on December 17, 2009, 04:50:01 am
Absolutely lovely photos.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tokengirl on December 17, 2009, 06:33:10 am
These are all spectacular, every last one of them.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: RSL on December 17, 2009, 11:11:37 am
Tim, You certainly should pick a dozen of these and enter them in the next Color Magazine portfolio contest. This stuff is pretty much Edward Weston in color.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: Kirk Gittings on December 17, 2009, 11:33:24 am
Really nice images. I am curious as to how you define "modernism"? Modernism as an art movement is actually now considered a historic movement dating roughly from 1890 to 1940. Modernism could actually now be considered sort of traditional as it is 60+ years old, particularly in photography. As someone mentioned Edward Weston, his "modernist" work is the traditional work everyone of my generation was brought up with. Maybe you meant "contemporary"-as allot of the work in this superb portfolio of yours seems more "minimalist"?

Just thinking............too much coffee maybe..........
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on December 17, 2009, 01:05:50 pm
Quote from: Kirk Gittings
Really nice images. I am curious as to how you define "modernism"? Modernism as an art movement is actually now considered a historic movement dating roughly from 1890 to 1940. Modernism could actually now be considered sort of traditional as it is 60+ years old, particularly in photography. As someone mentioned Edward Weston, his "modernist" work is the traditional work everyone of my generation was brought up with. Maybe you meant "contemporary"-as allot of the work in this superb portfolio of yours seems more "minimalist"?

Just thinking............too much coffee maybe..........
Yes your right, the term modernism.  Isn't the right term, John Paul and I were discussing what should be the right term but have not settled on anything.  But the title of the collection is what I like for the collection and style.

By the way don't drink coffee but drink good beer and wine.  But thanks for the compliments.   Tim
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on December 17, 2009, 01:08:48 pm
Quote from: RSL
Tim, You certainly should pick a dozen of these and enter them in the next Color Magazine portfolio contest. This stuff is pretty much Edward Weston in color.

Sorry, don't know the magazine.  But if you have info send it along, let me know.  Glad you liked it.  I knew the Brett and Cole but too young to know Edward.  I will launch in several days my Ode to Monet collection.  Thanks Tim
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: Kirk Gittings on December 17, 2009, 01:30:01 pm
Quote from: tim wolcott
Yes your right, the term modernism.  Isn't the right term, John Paul and I were discussing what should be the right term but have not settled on anything.  But the title of the collection is what I like for the collection and style.

By the way don't drink coffee but drink good beer and wine.  But thanks for the compliments.   Tim

No that was about me drinking too much coffee......and thinking too much......
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: RSL on December 17, 2009, 03:20:17 pm
Quote from: tim wolcott
Sorry, don't know the magazine.  But if you have info send it along, let me know.  Glad you liked it.  I knew the Brett and Cole but too young to know Edward.  I will launch in several days my Ode to Monet collection.  Thanks Tim

Check http://www.color-mag.com/ (http://www.color-mag.com/). This year's portfolio contest is over and they're working on their single image contest. The submission window for that ended last month. It'll be a while before the 2010 portfolio contest starts, but if you check the magazine you'll see that they really love the kind of thing you're doing -- pure color put together as abstraction.

Yes, I've always like Monet too.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: Luis Argerich on December 17, 2009, 03:24:27 pm
Fantastic collection, love the compisitions, so simple and so beautiful.
I generally like minimalist landscapes and these were outstanding.

thanks for sharing, I enjoyed a lot!
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: LoisWakeman on December 17, 2009, 04:52:53 pm
The more minimal, the more interesting I find these. The one with the mackerel sky was most superficially interesting in thumbnail, but on looking at the full-sized one, I found it strangely disorienting - with no real frame of reference as in a conventional landscape, the sky looks upside down and the effect is a bit dizzying. But this is an excellent series and I really enjoyed looking at it.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: Rob C on December 18, 2009, 09:55:30 am
So much death.
So much colour.

Rob C
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on December 18, 2009, 12:18:05 pm
Quote from: LoisWakeman
The more minimal, the more interesting I find these. The one with the mackerel sky was most superficially interesting in thumbnail, but on looking at the full-sized one, I found it strangely disorienting - with no real frame of reference as in a conventional landscape, the sky looks upside down and the effect is a bit dizzying. But this is an excellent series and I really enjoyed looking at it.


THe one that makes you dizzy was shot early morning.  A light cirrus cloud is blocking the clouds so yes it appears to be upside down but, thats what is unique about it.  

I glad you like it, can't wait to shoot the black series.  After looking and looking finally found what I'm looking for in the black dunes to complete what I had drawn many years ago to complete my vision.  Tim
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: mattpallante on December 18, 2009, 02:11:06 pm
Beautiful work, Tim, I have a portfolio of Great Sand Dunes National Monument, photographed and printed by Howard Bond. It's one of my most prized possessions. The beautiful simplicity of your images reminds me of Howard's work, except his is B&W!

Matt
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on December 18, 2009, 02:55:01 pm
Quote from: mattpallante
Beautiful work, Tim, I have a portfolio of Great Sand Dunes National Monument, photographed and printed by Howard Bond. It's one of my most prized possessions. The beautiful simplicity of your images reminds me of Howard's work, except his is B&W!

Matt


Thanks Matt will take a look at his work.  I did shoot a bunch of these also in B&W.  Will gander at them.  Tim
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: JamiePeters on December 24, 2009, 12:04:09 am
These are real places, how the H are you shooting this if you don't mind.  

Never seen anything like it .JP
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on December 27, 2009, 05:01:20 pm
These are shot using alot of very wide angles with very shallow depth of field.  Picking the scene very carefully and unfortunately walking 8-10 miles in the sand with 65 pounds of gear.  The hard part is to not walk and leave tracks where you might want to shoot.  But picking just the right light to emphasize the color.  But remember some of these were shot over 20 year span.  most with film.  Good clue about sand is wear snow gators over your hiking boots.  Tim

Quote from: JamiePeters
These are real places, how the H are you shooting this if you don't mind.  

Never seen anything like it .JP
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: wolfnowl on December 29, 2009, 03:45:32 pm
Tim:  Thought you might be interested in this: Sand dunes from space (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/deserts-gallery-1)

Mike.
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: Rob C on December 31, 2009, 11:50:12 am
Interesting link - thank's very much. How beautiful these things can look from afar; I doubt that would still be the feeling if one were dumped there, though!

Rob C
Title: Symplicity Collection "Modernism"
Post by: tim wolcott on January 01, 2010, 07:04:25 pm
Mike, thanks I didn't know that they would look so interesting from above.  Now I need a UFO so I could shoot them the way I want too.  Tim

Quote from: Rob C
Interesting link - thank's very much. How beautiful these things can look from afar; I doubt that would still be the feeling if one were dumped there, though!

Rob C