Photo ABCs

P is for Photoshop

Today I was reminded of a simple but effective way to more easily isolate dust spots on your photograph while working in Photoshop. (which I had neglected to do!)

I was printing a 12"x18" enlargement of this vermillion flycatcher for an upcoming show (photographed at Lindo Lake, Lakeside, California). Although the image looked fine on my monitor, after I printed it I noticed two faint but distinct, large dust spots to the right of the bird.

I went back to Photoshop, and made a curves adjustment layer which markedly increased the contrast of the sky.

It became evident that there were even more dust spots!

The spot healing brush quickly eliminated them.

Move the curves adjustment layer to the trash, and you're left with a dust-free sky!

M is for Marlene

Last night I watched perhaps the most beautifully photographed movie I have ever seen. Shanghai Express (1932) is a romantic thriller directed by Josef Von Sternberg, starring Marlene Dietrich.

The plot shares some similarity with Tosca, and is captivating. But the photography of Marlene Dietrich, of Anna May Wong, and of the steam train is simply breathtaking. Many shots of Dietrich could be described as chiaroscuro (high constrast between black and white) though other scenes of the train are effectively shot with low contrast.

There is one shot of Dietrich where she is unsure if she will win back the love of the British doctor (Clive Brook). She enters her train compartment, turns off the light, and leans back into a small shaft of light. She is trembling. I have never seen a more beautifully photographed woman in all of my years watching Turner Classic Movies! This photo is a cropped version.

Josef Von Sternberg directed Marlene Dietrich in seven films. They are now all on my watch list!

H is for Hershey

Hershey Felder's Beethoven, As I Knew Him, runs for only a few more days at San Diego's Old Globe Theater. As critics sometimes say, if you only see one show this year, make it this one! (Or either of his other shows, Monsieur Chopin or George Gershwin Alone, which will follow.)

What does this have to do with photography? Nothing. And everything! You can always marvel at the dramatic stage lighting. More importantly, you can be inspired. Good art is good art. If you're alive, it would be hard to listen to Hershey's rendition of the Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem (as played by his Beethoven at the piano) without chills running up your spine.

If you have the slightest interest in these composers, you must see these wonderful productions. Felder not only is a terrific actor, he's a superb pianist. You won't be disappointed.

Then go out and take some pictures!

O is for O'Keeffe

The San Diego Museum of Art is San Diego's underrated gem. There's a new reason to go this month,
Georgia O’Keeffe and the Women of the Stieglitz Circle

This is not a large show, but it's worth seeing for a number of reasons, even if you're not a huge O'Keeffe fan. There are a number of her large flower pictures, which are always worth a look. (The nicest, I believe, is from the San Diego Museum of Art collection).

The exhibit is of even more interest for its photography. Steiglitz, who became O'Keeffe's husband, was the most influential photographer and gallery owner of the era. There is a large selection of his photos of O'Keeffe. One of his shots of O'Keeffe's hands is quite remarkable.

The photos of Anne Brigman are also of note. Most of her pictures are of the pictorialist-school, most of which I find rather silly. But two pictures I found captivating. One is called "Minor, The Pain of all the World," which is simply a side-lit downcast face. Simple, and profoundly moving. Another photo I found beautiful was "The Breeze," which is a self-portrait. The swirling, wispy, diaphanous fabric she has draped around her simply makes the picture come alive.

This show is an antidote to the "bigger is better" school which seems to have taken hold in many galleries today. These 100 year old photos, by today's standards, are small (most are around 8x10 inches) and have very limited dynamic range. Yet many are captivating, (and many would auction for more than most of us make in a year!)

Seven of the show's pieces can be seen here. The show runs through September 28.

Just outside of the O'Keeffe show is the museum's American gallery. This gallery has a number of O'Keeffe works which are just as notable as any in the special exhibition, yet are ignored by the majority of museum-goers. Don't miss them! And don't miss the gorgeous portrait by Robert Henri nearby!