Here's a still image from some of the footage I took documenting the "Dark Water" exhibit/road trip through California. I used an 8mm film camera which I call my iphone haha. Stay tuned for the rest of the photos & video. They will be posted very soon! :) To find out more about my trip and the "Dark Water" exhibit please read the 2nd post below.
My fall movie pick goes to the intensely wrought and immensely satisfying love story "Like Crazy". Starring Anton Yelchin and Feliticy Jones as Jacob and Anna. A Sundance Film festival Grand Jury Prize winner directed by Drake Doremus.
I've always had a soft spot for Indie romantic dramas - the puppy love in all its silliness and glory but yet with a glimpse of reality. A deeply personal, intensely heartbreaking and honest movie about how a couple faces the challenges of being together and of being apart. I definitely recommend watching this movie for the hopelessly romantic in you.
(Photo taken of me on a cliff looking out to the sea in Big Sur, California)
I think it's about time I get back to blogging again - Jeez Louis, I've been away for way too long. Was really missing writing and sharing.. Last thing I want to do is give you any excuses but I do want to share briefly what I've been up to.
Lately I've been working on a new art project that I'll be posting and sharing in the next week. I am so excited to feel like I've finally found some direction and certainty about what I want to say with my work..
Meanwhile, I've been extremely busy with school, traveling and meeting new people/new inspiring artists, which I'll be talking about in the next few days as well. I was also rencently away in Santa Monica, California for an art exhibit at Copro Gallery called "Dark Water", curated by my friend Martin Wittfooth. Included in the show were paintings by friends and artists (such as Jason Bard Yarmosky, Brad Kunkle, Adam Miller & Alexandra Pacula) and my professor (Steven Assael) who I am currently studying with. In addition to an already fantastic experience at this kickass show some of these artists, and myself went together on an unforgettable road trip across California. We camped in Big Sur, hiked on cliffs and through redwood trees, watched a breathtaking sunset from Point Lobos, explored Carmel and Venice beach, saw awe-inspiring sceneries on our drive to San Francisco and the list goes on. To better give you an idea on what we did I'll be posting photos and a video I documented following this trip!
P.S. If you're In California make sure to check out the "Dark Water" show in Santa Monica at Copro Gallery. It's definitely something you don't want to miss!
Gregory and Stuart, founders & members of the film team trained 35 people from 8 different countries on how to use media/journalism as a tool for constructive change to fullfill this project. We see a combination of different art forms come together to create the story 'Peace Is The Way', a century of nonviolent activism chronicles and intersecting stories of people who became nonviolent beacons of light. These unsung heroes used love, humour and nonviolent action as their “weapons” and helped build global movements for peace and reconciliation. The comic book's purpose is to bring awarenes, educate and remind ourselves about some of our real life heroes & heroines.
Erich Tiefenbach, the comic book artist, shares why he joined this project.
Behind the Scenes footage from the making of the comic book.
The 1st Film in the series completed
These iconic images were taken by Steve McCurry. The same photographer who captured 'the most recognized photograph' in the history of Natioal Geographic magazine of a 12-year-old Afghan refugee girl who's piercing green eyes told us her sorrow story.
McCurry has shot over a millions shots spanning 35 yrs. His images capture the stories of human experience and the hidden treasures of the world. In his images we are given the chance to get a glimpse of the fantastic faraway places we can only dream about visiting. It's in his incredible photos that we feel connected to the world at large, appreciating our similarities and our differences, our cultures and our histories, and our past and our present in a truly unique and inspiring way.
In his own word he says, “Most of my images are grounded in people. I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face. I try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape that you could call the human condition.”
1: Thailand, 2-5: Burma, 6-11: India, 12: Srilanka, 13: Cambodia, 14:Tibet, 15-20: Afghanistan, 21-22: Yemen
French photographer JR, found a camera in the Paris subway. Ever since he's been photographing street art around Europe and tracking the people who communicate their messages to the world on walls. He used the cities and outdoor surroundings to post his large-format photographs as his canvas and as an interactive exhibition. His first biggest illegal photo exhibition called "Face to Face" consisted of JR's grassroots team of community members posting huge portraits of faces of Israelis and Palestinians face to face in eight Palestinian and Israeli cities. JR's pervasive art that spread uninvited in buildings of Parisian slums, Middle East, broken bridges in Africa and in favelas in Brazil have shaken people's perceptions. People in the exhibit communities, those who often live with the bare minimum, discover something absolutely unnecessary but utterly wonderful. And they don’t just see it, they make it. Elderly women become models for a day; kids turn into artists for a week. In this art scene, there is no stage to separate the actors from the spectators. After winning the TEDPrize2011 for his captivating and profound art projects he received the award to make one wish to change the world. So he began Inside Out so that we as people can get involved and raise questions together.
JR's Wish: "I wish for you to stand up for what you care about by participating in a global art project, and together we'll turn the world...INSIDE OUT."
INSIDE OUT is a large-scale participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work. Everyone is challenged to use black and white photographic portraits to discover, reveal and share the untold stories and images of people around the world. These digitally uploaded images are made into posters and sent back to the project’s co-creators for them to exhibit in their own communities. People can participate as an individual or in a group; posters can be placed anywhere, from a solitary image in an office window to a wall of portraits on an abandoned building or a full stadium. These exhibitions will be documented, archived and viewable virtually.
GET INVOLVED - Lets organize a group action!
If you live in NYC/NJ and would like to get involved with an Inside Out Project group action please contact me. Lets make a difference together and continue spreading the voice in our communities. Find out more at www.insideoutproject.net
What do you stand for? Share and leave a comment.
View JR's Presentation:
(photos I took from my summer trip)
When traveling It's always exciting to take photos of the things you see, the food you eat, the people you meet or even silly jumping for joy group shots :D - but it can also be risky and tricky traveling with lots of camera equipment. From my own experience as a lover of photography and having photographed in about 20 countries, I present this article explaining few travel tips that could be a piece of advice for your future travels as a photographer. Some of these tips are my own as well as tips I've heard and read about.
Packing Your Equipment
Make sure to pack your camera equipment in such a manner that it's easy to carry and always at your sight. Avoid too many usb cables and instead get a USB card reader and a battery wall charger. Also, always keep in mind the restrictive packing rules on airplanes. That's why it's best to have a smaller camera such as the Canon G12, which is what I use. This way you don't face any carry on baggage allowance problems. Be sure to charge the camera battery as the airport security may ask you to demonstrate its functions.
Use An Old Bag
I'd advise using a shabby or worn out looking bag for your camera so that it doesn’t appear to be a camera bag. While traveling it is not easy or obvious to recognize thieves around you so it's always more advisable to let your camera bag look simpler than profound.
Insuring your Equipment
I don't quite ever follow this tip but I should. "Before you leave, contact your insurance company to insure or to confirm if your photography equipment is covered. Provide them your trip details about the equipments you’ll be carrying, destination, schedule, etc. And make note of serial numbers and models of each equipment. You might need to purchase a rider to cover your photography equipment."
Carrying A Lens Cleaning Kit & A Spare Battery
A lens cleaning kit is always helpful for removing any dust that may settle and cause scratches. It's possible returning home with no good photography if your lens isn’t kept clean. Hence if you are going away for a lengthy period of time, do pack a few kits. Make sure to have a backup battery just in case your camera dies and there's no plug in sight.
One Last Tip For The Serious Photographer:
Get A Good Guide
"Before you leave for a trip, you’d surely have an itinerary to get-set-go. But once you reach, do pick a guide to help you with accommodation, places to visit, best cuisines, medical aid, International calling cards, etc. In foreign countries, there are various rules for shooting and photography mainly in public places. You could even be charged or under detention if rules aren’t followed. If you can’t arrange a guide through a travel agent, your lodge or hotel can help you find one. A good guide saves time and isn’t expensive."
Have any other tips? Share them by leaving a comment.
Sourcing quoted words: Travel Photos and Travel
3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films.....(to view the 3rd video 'Move' check out the previous post underneath)
Emmy Wu, an artist and a foodie travels around the world shooting and editing promotional videos for companies and individuals focusing on restaurants & foodies. Fueled by her love of food, people, heritage and international cuisine, she documents stories from her community and from around the world. On her visit to Italy she had a chance to document her experience and I was so pleased when she agreed to let me post it on my blog. Please have a look! :) To follow her vlog series please visit http://vimeo.com/user4716150/
"My travels to Italy was a great opportunity to begin this vlog series. What better place to start than a country so rich with local flavors and traditions. I tour the country and reflect on how their unique culinary traditions reflect love and relationships within Italian culture." ~ Emmy Wu
What have your experiences with food been like in Italy or any other place around the world? Which restaurant/cafes/places would you recommend? please let us know by leaving a comment below. If you'd like to submit a video of your experiences and be posted on my blog feel free to contact me :)
The experience I had with food in Italy was incredible. No matter which restaurants or cafes I went to in Florence, eating there was like eating freshly homemade food everyday. I made sure that on this trip I'd try not to care about 'dieting' but to really allow myself to enjoy every bite I took. I remember my first meal was a sandwich I bought in a cute little cafe called 'Italian Bar'. It's situated on 3 Corso dei Tintori, Florence near Piazza Santa Croce. The sandwich was just made and lightly toasted when I ordered it. It had fresh tomatoes, basil leaves, thick slices of mozzarella and thin slices of grilled eggplant. It was simple but yet so delicious that I kept going back every other day to the same cafe. (Picture of the delicious sandwich below)
