#2 Etienne-Jules Marey

Even before Dr. Harold Eugene Edgerton (American, 1903–1990) was given the 1987 ICP Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement, there was Etiene-Jules Marey, (contemporary to Edward Muybridge). While Edgerton revolutionized photography in the 1930’s with his incorporation of strobe lights into the medium (an effect which essentially allowed split-second motion to be captured), Marey, a physiologist in the late 19th century, was interested in the science of human movement. By 1882, Marey had developed a single camera method that he called chronophotography, which allowed him to make images of human and animal movement. His camera was the forerunner of the motion picture camera. Marey’s chronophotographs were some of the first images to illustrate the exact process of body movement.”

When I saw this image by Marey, I immediately thought of the painting, Nude Descending Staircase by Marcel Duchamp

Its not that far of a stretch really, and in this moment something clicked! I never really got this painting style before.  Never appreciated it or even really liked it. But after I understood the photography studies that were being done about motion at the time. . . I get it! It makes sense to me now. I understand the extra element that they are trying to express. . . and for me it's powerful! It brought them alive! They were no longer awkward static freaky things, but beautiful, moving expressions!

Sad young man in a train, Duchamp

Some, like the one above even effect me on an emotional level. Its something about the movement, that just reaches me. Its beautiful!

another Duchamp, How cute is this!

All the cubism painting that I thought were crazy weird, I get them too.  They are just making 2D what is really 3D. Because they could no longer compete with the realism of photography they were finding another way.  A way that was unique to painting. And because I get that now, I like it more.  Photography made me appreciate some of the more modern movements in painting.

Here are a few more photographs of Marey's. They are just so beautiful!

This one looks like a bird.

Going from there I found a few more images from other photographers that I just loved!

Trampolinist's Spin by Ray Massey

Ice Skater (unknown)

They are just so beautiful and elegant.  I love the black and white.  I love the beautiful contrast! There is something here that I want to explore even more!  

illusions

This week I was thinking about illusions.  I remembered this  car commercial from a while ago.

There are also some amazing 3D street art that I like. I have never seen any street art like this in person, but it looks incredible in pictures.

I like this one because it shows a couple different views, the reality and the illusion.

There are a Bunch more here.

One of the interesting things about these 3D images is that the 'effect' all depends on where you're standing.  The point of view that you are looking at it from. 

Satan is the master of illusions!  The Book of Mormon uses the words pacify, lull, and flatter. (2 Nephi 28:20-23) These are his tools of illusion. 

Gene R. Cook said:

 "He disguises truth and equates spirituality with knowledge, with little or no emphasis on application of truths in personal lives. . . .Satan is also the master builder of detours to waste time, divert attention from that which is good, and diminish spiritual receptivity." 

The illusion is completely individualized to our unique personal weaknesses. So the take away, be standing so you can see the truth.  Cook also testified that "if a man will maintain his own spirituality by praying without ceasing, by studying and pondering the scriptures continually, and by obeying his leaders and the light and truth that he presently understands - he will not be deceived."

Salem City Champs

Isaac's team, the Salem Longhorns, were Salem city champions with an 8-0 record. They played their last game of the regular season on Saturday.  Well officially the other team forfeit with only 3 players for their final game but the Longhorns decided to give the other team two of their players and still played it out. It wasn't much of a game but. . good practice I guess. Their coach invited a friend to give the team their tournament pep talk. Former BYU football player Ross Apo.  Their first championship game is Monday at the Mapleton Jr High School.

Walk in the Light

What a beautiful week it turned out to be.  The weather has been fabulous!  I even got out and cleaned my grow boxes and strawberry patch.  Dennis also helped me work on my green house. I just need to put the plastic up. Before I got outside though, I brought a little spring inside by working on some spring decor. This project was a real boost to my morale. I printed out some banners and glued them to some fun string.  I love the color and the spring pictures.  Flowers, nests, bunnies and ducks!  I can't wait for spring!!

Ponderism: 2 Nephi 12:5 ". . . walk in the light of the Lord"

Finder Of Lost Things

I was reminded this week of one time when I was about primary age taking a walk around the land by our house. I remember thinking that it was a really long walk and it took a long time.  On this walk my cat followed me all over, however, by the time I made it home she wasn't with me anymore.  I remember thinking that she was lost. . that she wouldn't make it home on her own.  I was very upset and sad. I remember praying to my Heavenly Father telling him my concerns and asking him to please help me find my cat.  I went back out along the trail that I had been walking and eventually found her.  This is my first memory of praying to Heavenly Father for help. It was my first experience with a specific prayer being answered. It is the first time that I can remember understanding that God is a finder of lost things.

I still understand today that he answers prayers. That he is still helping me to find lost things.. . . my smile, my laugh, my keys on occasion, or my motivation to walk and walk and walk. He answers my prayers.

Autochrome

I went on a little field trip at the BYU library special collections for my photography history class.  It was so cool.  They had a lot of really neat pictures there.  Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter (photographed Glenn Canyon before it was flooded), and many others, some that were almost 100 years old specifically an old tintype of Brigham Young.  I was very taken with an Autochrome photograph, a very early color process(1903), that we were able to look at under a microscope. This process, invented by Louis Lumiere, creates unique one of a kind prints. Each print has its own color scheme although there is a similar feel and look to them. The colors are produced with the use of microscopic dyed potato starches of red-orange, green and violet.  Its so cool! This is what the plate looked like under magnification.

All these tiny little colored starches brushed onto glass plate 'film' act as a filter. Blue only letting in blue light, green only letting in green. . .etc. . . they create a beautifully vibrant color image. Really the first of their kind. 

Sometimes I recognize that all I can see of my life are the little colored dots. It doesn't look appealing at all, just very dull and uninteresting. But because "I know in whom I have trusted"(2 Nephi 4:19) I believe that there is a bigger picture and that one day I may be able to catch a glimpse of it. Some day I will be able to make sense of it all. 

Luminary #1 Lumiere Brothers

lu·mi·nar·y

ˈlo͞oməˌnerē/

noun

noun: luminary; plural noun: luminaries

1. 1.

   a person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere.

   "one of the luminaries of child psychiatry"

   synonyms:

   leading light, guiding light, inspiration, role model, hero, heroine,leader, expert, master;

I thought it would be fun to focus on a few of my own personal luminary's. I think the discovery of them is the best part.  Its like finding treasure!

This semester at school I am taking a History of Photography class. It has been so enlightening.  (hehe). What more fitting place to find those who inspire or influences others than those within the realm of capturing light.  

#1  Lumiere Brothers

Can you imagine a better name to have in the photography business than Lumiere!  Its fabulous. Louis Lumière and his brother, Auguste Lumière, invented the Cinematograph motion picture camera as well as Autochrome color photography.  Autochrome is fascinating!