DANL. ROTBLATT on tue 16 feb 10
Cathi
Ok - I tried to attach a PDF file of the Photography Handout, but it
didn't work so I put the file on my website. (Because it was meant
as a handout for a class, there is a lot of blatant plagiarism from
other sites so it's not linked to the other pages so you can only
access it here):
http://www.rotblattsculpture.com/Articles/photography.html
Dan
www.RotblattSculpture.com
On Feb 16, 2010, at 5:11 PM, DANL. ROTBLATT wrote:
> Cathi,
>
> Send really good pictures. I compiled/wrote a handout for my
> sculpture class. I'll attach it. This was written when digital
> was not as accepted - just use a decent digital camera. The
> important thing is the lighting! For a backdrop you can get a roll
> of white butchers paper (gray or black paper is better).
>
>
>
> Dan
> www.RotblattSculpture.com
>
>
>
> On Feb 16, 2010, at 3:05 PM, Cathi Newlin wrote:
>
>> Hey all,
>> I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year.
>> Looking at the Tea Bowl show in Kansas City.
>>
>> 30 years ago I entered a couple of juried drawing/painting shows, but
>> that was a lot of lost brain cells ago and I have *never* entered a
>> ceramics show.
>> I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my piece(s),
>> marking/labeling them, and just what to expect.
>> Its a big step for me (as I'm sure it has been for many of you)
>> and I go
>> back and forth on whether I should even try.
>>
>> I know I will get lots of good advice.
>> Thanks...
>>
>> --
>> Cathi Newlin, Angels Camp, Ca
>> cathi@box49.com
>> box49@caltel.com
>> cathi@SquarePegArts.com
>> -------------------------------
>> California Boxers in Need:
>> http://CaliforniaBoxer.org
gary navarre on tue 16 feb 10
I'm with ya there Cathi,
If I ever get this kiln fired off and find something that follows the limi=
tations of the jury I'd be amiss if I didn't try to enter some shows again.=
However, my luck entering shows with slides 23-30 years ago was a 0% succe=
ss rate and entries requiring actual pieces was a 50/50% deal. I see now on=
e drawback was the photography. I didn't understand how to take decent slid=
es with an extra lens in the film days. Now with digital we can tale good p=
ictures so our work looks on screen as close to real as possible. Since I n=
ever had many cameras I stuck to the Pentax brand I had "when I was a kid" =
and now use their underwater Optio W30 & W80 to shoot in studio because of =
their dust resistance and decent photos. I'm still learning the W80 but I h=
ave won a local award in a contest with the W30...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/cea/ndc09-10/bh.html
So a decent $300 camera with a $20 tripod and a photo box is the start for=
equipment as far as I know. I just went out and using my Wal*Mart employee=
discount bought a $50 photo light box to practice and got some decent enou=
gh results to send a CD and enter a ceramics show last year...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/cea/michceram08/
I don't know if the picture quality was a factor in being rejected, howeve=
r I'm sure the piece/s was beyond the intellectual capacity of the jurors a=
esthetics. Apparently they didn't think partially fired pottery could be co=
nsidered Ceramic Art. Actually success in entering the show was not my aest=
hetic intention and rejection is something I am use to so that doesn't both=
er me much anymore. Making contact with other potters, OK ceramic artists, =
practicing the entry process, and visiting the opening even though I was no=
t in the show was more important to me. I still sold a sublimation cup (tha=
nks Dale D.) a few months later.
Good luck with your responses because I'm gonna be in your boat soon and w=
ill need fine tuning advice too so stay in there eh!
Gary Navarre
Navarre Pottery
Navarre Enterprises
Norway, Michigan, USA
http://www.youtube.com/GindaUP
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/
--- On Tue, 2/16/10, Cathi Newlin wrote:
> From: Cathi Newlin
> Subject: [Clayart] First Show - Any Advice?
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010, 5:05 PM
> Hey all,
> I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year.
> Looking at the Tea Bowl show in Kansas City.
>
> 30 years ago I entered a couple of juried drawing/painting
> shows, but
> that was a lot of lost brain cells ago and I have *never*
> entered a
> ceramics show.
> I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my
> piece(s),
> marking/labeling them, and just what to expect.
> Its a big step for me (as I'm sure it has been for many of
> you) and I go
> back and forth on whether I should even try.
>
> I know I will get lots of good advice.
> Thanks...
>
> --
> Cathi Newlin, Angels Camp, Ca
> cathi@box49.com
> box49@caltel.com
> cathi@SquarePegArts.com
> -------------------------------
> California Boxers in Need:
> http://CaliforniaBoxer.org
>
Cathi Newlin on tue 16 feb 10
Hey all,
I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year.
Looking at the Tea Bowl show in Kansas City.
30 years ago I entered a couple of juried drawing/painting shows, but
that was a lot of lost brain cells ago and I have *never* entered a
ceramics show.
I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my piece(s),
marking/labeling them, and just what to expect.
Its a big step for me (as I'm sure it has been for many of you) and I go
back and forth on whether I should even try.
I know I will get lots of good advice.
Thanks...
--
Cathi Newlin, Angels Camp, Ca
cathi@box49.com
box49@caltel.com
cathi@SquarePegArts.com
-------------------------------
California Boxers in Need:
http://CaliforniaBoxer.org
DANL. ROTBLATT on tue 16 feb 10
Cathi,
Send really good pictures. I compiled/wrote a handout for my =3D20
sculpture class. I'll attach it. This was written when digital was =3D20
not as accepted - just use a decent digital camera. The important =3D20
thing is the lighting! For a backdrop you can get a roll of white =3D20
butchers paper (gray or black paper is better).
=3DEF=3DBF=3DBC
Dan
www.RotblattSculpture.com
On Feb 16, 2010, at 3:05 PM, Cathi Newlin wrote:
> Hey all,
> I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year.
> Looking at the Tea Bowl show in Kansas City.
>
> 30 years ago I entered a couple of juried drawing/painting shows, but
> that was a lot of lost brain cells ago and I have *never* entered a
> ceramics show.
> I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my piece(s),
> marking/labeling them, and just what to expect.
> Its a big step for me (as I'm sure it has been for many of you) and =3D20=
=3D
> I go
> back and forth on whether I should even try.
>
> I know I will get lots of good advice.
> Thanks...
>
> --
> Cathi Newlin, Angels Camp, Ca
> cathi@box49.com
> box49@caltel.com
> cathi@SquarePegArts.com
> -------------------------------
> California Boxers in Need:
> http://CaliforniaBoxer.org
paul gerhold on wed 17 feb 10
Cathi,
If you can afford it have your work shot by a professional photographer.
Ask for recommendations from other 3-D artists in your area. Really good
photography is an art form in itself. Don't think you can just buy a camer=
a
, take a good shot and then just photoshop it. Been doing shows for 25
years and do not know very many people who can get into the top shows with
their own slides.
Paul-just back from Coconut Grove.
On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 6:05 PM, Cathi Newlin wrote:
> Hey all,
> I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year.
> Looking at the Tea Bowl show in Kansas City.
>
> 30 years ago I entered a couple of juried drawing/painting shows, but
> that was a lot of lost brain cells ago and I have *never* entered a
> ceramics show.
> I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my piece(s),
> marking/labeling them, and just what to expect.
> Its a big step for me (as I'm sure it has been for many of you) and I go
> back and forth on whether I should even try.
>
> I know I will get lots of good advice.
> Thanks...
>
> --
> Cathi Newlin, Angels Camp, Ca
> cathi@box49.com
> box49@caltel.com
> cathi@SquarePegArts.com
> -------------------------------
> California Boxers in Need:
> http://CaliforniaBoxer.org
>
Daniel Rotblatt on wed 17 feb 10
Paul,
I agree that if you can't take good pics yourself hire a photographer
to do it. By good I mean really good, professional (please excuse me
using this loaded term) looking pictures. But, respectfully, you can
take professional looking pics yourself using the techniques I
outlined i the article I attached in my earlier e-mail. Please take a
look at the pics of my sculptures on my website -
http://www.rotblattsculpture.com/bronzegallery.html
They are all taken with two 500 watt quartz shop lights with thin
white muslin cloth hung in front of them and a 3 megapixal camera
(Nikon coolpix 995). The only professional thing I used was the roll
of seamless for the background (seamless is a roll of somewhat thick
paper that comes in a variety of colors and widths of 3 ft up - you
can purchase at any professional photo supply store - buy black, white
or gray - anything else looks cheesy).
With digital cameras one can see the picture as you take it and adjust
as needed. We are all artists here, and I imagine have the ability to
take good pictures with the right set-up, but if a person either does
not want to take the time or just isn't a photo person, by all means
they should get a professional to take pics of their work as you
suggest.
Last comment: pictures are your resume.
Dan
www.RotblattSculpture.com
On Feb 17, 2010, at 2:14 AM, paul gerhold wrote:
> Cathi,
> If you can afford it have your work shot by a professional
> photographer.
> Ask for recommendations from other 3-D artists in your area. Really
> good
> photography is an art form in itself. Don't think you can just buy
> a camera
> , take a good shot and then just photoshop it. Been doing shows for
> 25
> years and do not know very many people who can get into the top
> shows with
> their own slides.
>
> Paul-just back from Coconut Grove.
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 6:05 PM, Cathi Newlin
> wrote:
>
>> Hey all,
>> I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year.
>> Looking at the Tea Bowl show in Kansas City.
>>
>> 30 years ago I entered a couple of juried drawing/painting shows, but
>> that was a lot of lost brain cells ago and I have *never* entered a
>> ceramics show.
>> I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my piece(s),
>> marking/labeling them, and just what to expect.
>> Its a big step for me (as I'm sure it has been for many of you) and
>> I go
>> back and forth on whether I should even try.
>>
>> I know I will get lots of good advice.
>> Thanks...
>>
>> --
>> Cathi Newlin, Angels Camp, Ca
>> cathi@box49.com
>> box49@caltel.com
>> cathi@SquarePegArts.com
>> -------------------------------
>> California Boxers in Need:
>> http://CaliforniaBoxer.org
>>
Snail Scott on wed 24 feb 10
On Feb 16, 2010, at 5:05 PM, Cathi Newlin wrote:
> I'm considering entering my first ceramics show this year...
> I could use any and all suggestions about photographing my piece(s),
> marking/labeling them, and just what to expect...
Photography: many people have written on the
technical how-to's. If you can follow those
suggestions, you'll do fine. If you do not feel
you can make a really professional-looking
photo yourself, it may be worth getting a good
documentation photographer to shoot your work.
They cost money to hire, but can do it right, and
if you do modest-sized pottery, they can shoot
a whole lotta work in one session.
Look at the magazines to get an idea of what a
good documentation photo looks like. Creativity
is NOT rewarded in this. Keep it absolutely simple
with a grey backdrop, and if you shoot it yourself,
take time to try many different lighting arrangements.
Professional-looking photos are the single most
important factor in getting shown, period. Maybe
even more than professional-looking work.
Look to the entry form for how to identify the digital
files; many shows have particular formats that they
require. Most do not want info on the image itself,
even to clarify the scale of the piece.
You may not get into this show, but you will have the
good photos ready and waiting to send to others,
and that's important. Don't take it personally if you
do not get in. Many shows have a lot of entrants and
not many slots, so even good work may not get shown.
Sometimes it's because it was deemed less good than
other work submitted, but sometimes it's just too similar
to other work, or too different, or just not to the juror's
taste. You can't always tell.
So, go for it, and other shows, too. Nobody gets into
every show, but people who don't enter get into no
shows, every time!
-Snail
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