abstracts of a fading tulip

We bought some tulips over the weekend, and while they bloomed quickly, they began to fade just as fast. This photograph was an attempt to capture the flowers before they completely wilted.

Fading Tulip I by Daniel Sroka

This second photograph focuses on the same petal, the same curling edge, just with a slightly different interpretation. (Amazing – I just realized I spent 6 hours today contemplating this small detail of this flower!)

Fading Tulip II by Daniel Sroka

abstract of a fallen leaf

This is a new abstract I have been working on for the past couple of days. A quiet piece, contemplating the curves and forms of dried leaf from last autumn.

Abstract of a fallen leaf by Daniel Sroka

I have spent most of this time exploring the quick, white line in the dagger-like shape in the middle of the leaf. I found that subtle shifts to one side or the other of that detail would alter the mood of the piece. Maybe not so much that anyone else would notice, but enough to change the nature of the piece for me. I may continue exploring that tiny world a little longer to see what else I find.

Added later that day:

Another abstract of that same leaf

I did continue to work on that leaf, spending the whole day just exploring all it’s hidden details and character.

my favorite photographs of 2009

The end of the year, a time for reflection. Although it was a busy year, I managed to create a number of photographs I am very proud of. Photographs that remain pinned to my wall months after I have finished creating them.

Furnace I (abstract of a sunflower): Sunflowers were in abundance at our farmers’ market this year, and I ended up creating a lot of photographs of them. This is my favorite: one of the first ones I made that broke through the typical “sunflowerness” and expressed some of the fluid energy within.

Dragon (abstract of a fallen leaf): This photograph was a surprise: after working with the leaf all day, this character of the Dragon just leap out at me. The wings, the curling tail, the scales.

Recline 1 (abstract of a fallen leaf): This is a deceptively simple photograph. With just a small edge in focus, the photograph concentrates on the soft curves of the leaf. The gently motion of the form suggests the back of a woman lying on her side, propped up on one elbow.

Unravel (abstract of a fallen leaf): I believe that this is my favorite. This was a tiny leaf, no larger than my thumbnail, that my son found for me. While still green, it had dried into a tight curl along one end. I focused my attention on the edge of that curl, allowing the rest of the leaf to spiral away into the background.

These are just a few of the new photographs I created this year. A year of emotional stress economic challenges, and yet, new discoveries. A year of professional challenges that helped me refocus my energy, and map out new directions. Here’s to the new year — I wish you all the best for 2010. Na Zdrovye!

Getting past the overly-familiar

Certain scenes are so popular in nature photography, that their popularity drains them of any emotional significance. After years of seeing the work of Ansel and his imitators, I had felt this way about Yosemite. Over-familiarity had bred an indifferent attitude in me. I had seen so many photographs of Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall, and El Capitan, that they no longer felt special to me. Just another place on the map.

But then, I finally went for my first visit. And was blown away by the staggering beauty of the place. It really is just that special. Being there helped me see Ansel’s work with fresh eyes, and appreciate his ability to express the soul of the valley. It also made me understand why so many people attempt to copy his style. The beauty of the place demands that you sing its praises. And what better way to sing than with the songs written by a master?

The problem is that when a master executes a vision, it becomes the default way to see that scene. It becomes so ingrained in our way of seeing and understanding that place, it becomes difficult for other artists to break free of the master’s technique and style. But the job of the artist is not to just record the beauty they see, it is to record the emotions that they personally felt while they were seeing. Adoping someone else’s style might at first feel like a natural shorthand, but in the end it is disingenuous to your own personal emotions. You end up parroting the master’s vision and voice, while damping down your own. The goal is to appreciate the master, thank them for showing you the way, while searching for your own voice.

'Old Tree', a macro photograph of a small broken twig masquerading as a mountain scene, was probably one of my first attempts to relate Adams' vision to my own personal style.

(This post was inspired by the post ‘Vivaldi-isation‘ written by Niall Benvie.)

New website features: keywords and lightbox

If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that I’ve been hard at work for the past couple weeks improving my website. I am proud to announce that have just added two new features that I think will greatly enhance both browsing and working with my photography: keywords and a lightbox.

The new keyword and lightbox features can be found under the description of every photograph.

Keywords: Each photograph is now tagged with keywords that help to describe it (e.g. “mysterious“). Click on a photograph’s keyword, you will be shown all of the photographs that match. Over time, I’ll be adding more and more keywords, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments below.

Lightbox: I have also added a lightbox feature to my website. This is a way for you to quickly create your own collection of photographs that you can save, and later access with a single click. You can also easily share these lightboxes with your clients by simply emailing them a link. You can quickly create any number of lightboxes you like, perfect for when you are searching for art for a number of design projects.

Check out my new features.

P.S. I do all of the design and coding for my website, so if you find and bugs, or glitches in the interface, I’d greatly appreciate it if you could let me know. A website is always a work-in-progress!