I recently received a stellar review of my work in a feature article by Neil Woodward for Art Show magazine.

"Kalliope Amorphous typifies a new wave of creative artists who are on the rise; - largely self-taught artists who work independently of establishment art schools, public institutions, and mainstream movements in art, and who are becoming widely known as unique and independent artists, -primarily through the internet."

Read full article.

It's always inspiring to have my work positively reviewed by other artists. It reminds me that I really SHOULD be shooting more and building my portfolio of work. I have a solo show coming up in July, but I hardly have any new material. I also have other great news regarding an AWESOME publication I was featured in, but I am waiting to get the hard copy and then I will post it here.

Have an inspiring and great weekend, everyone!

The show opens Friday, June 20th, 5-9 pm, in conjunction with the Fairhaven Summer Solstice Gallery Walk. I'll be there for the opening and would love to see you!

All Photos by Daniel W. Coburn

You are visiting the blog of Daniel W. Coburn. For more photos and information visit his official website.

I'm not looking to make a career out of fine art photography, just trying to have some fun and get my work out to the public!. The commercial and editorial world is where I will be focusing the majority of my attention. I love working directly with other creative people to create unique brand based imagery.

In the next month or so, I will be launching BS Limited. I'll be putting together a selection of images that will be available as limited edition prints in all sizes. Each image will have an edition limited to 50 prints, so the art will be unique and special!  Stay tuned for more info as I start to get things rolling, I'm psyched!

Foto monografija "Ona i svetlo"

Izdavac: "Zmaj" d.o.o - Novi Sad

This may be the obligatory Polaroid Type 55 cow skull photo. Seems everyone does one but that's not why I did it.

Both elements shown came from the backyard; the wood (which is a walkway I built years ago) from my yard, the skull is from the neighbor's. The skull is an authentic Kansas Flint Hills cattle skull.

Those of us that used Polaroid Type 55 film have been crying our eyes out ever since Polaroid's demise earlier this year. I bought five boxes and swore I was going to put it to good use. I final fling I suppose.

Gearhead info: 8x10 Deardorff field camera with 4x5 reducing back. Schneider 305 mm G-Claron lens, Polaroid 545 film holder, and Polaroid Type 55 positive/negative film. This scan was made from an 8x10 enlarged print on Kentmere Kentona fiber paper.

Feed Sign, Sharpe, Kansas has been one of my favorite prints. It was both fun and rewarding to make, and I think its fun to look at.

I had photographed it few weeks earlier from this instance but wasn't quite satisfied with the print. When I went back, a small tree had grown up just to the right, casting shadows from its leaves across the sign. "Why not?" I thought.

The subject scene was extremely flat in contrast. The sign is a simple white plastic decal applied to the faded galvanized metal sheath covering. I developed the film for an N+1 time to pull as much contrast out of it as I could. It prints successfully at about a grade 3-1/2 paper contrast. All and all, an excellent exercise in B&W contrast control. It looks most lovely printed on Forte Polywarmtone paper, which is, sadly, no longer available.

This print is for sale through my Analog Photography User’s Group (APUG) Portfolio. If you are interested in buying a print, please click the Portfolio link or contact me directly.

All photographs copyright Alex Hawley

I’m still editing photos from the opening of Cama Beach State Park.  I’ve been a bit hampered by my motherboard dying, but next week with my new CPU life will be back to normal.  There were many people that spoke at the opening of Cama Beach do to the fact it’s the first state park to open in Washington in the last decade.  Rex Derr who is director of Washington States Park commission is one of the most interesting people to watch speak and to photograph.  He is a very expressive speaker giving himself the title of one of the most interesting subjects of the day.   He also did a lot of politicking and fighting to make sure this park opened to the public

I also got a picture of my friend Laurie Wheeler to get back at her for all the bad photos of me she likes to put on her blog.  Laurie has put in many women hours and missing her husband hours to see that this park got open.  

I hope to get all of the photos edited in the next month and sent over to the park for their use.  I’ve got a pretty busy schedule coming up that is cutting into my editing time.  For anyone interested I will be at the NuArt (in Anacortes) patrons party July 25^th (5:30-8pm).  There should be great art for all those interested in the viewing.

(no, I'm not from Texas, never even been to Texas, but ya'll seems to come out of no where!)

Ok, if you are in Ventura on the Ave. scurry your behinds up to Djangos Coffee House and 

check out my Tulips series hanging in the gallery section. 

You can see the Tulips series here

if you want a sneak peek.

The series is all in black and white, prints are 11"x14" framed and matted to a 16"x20" and is available for purchase. Each print is a first edition print and is ready to be wrapped up and ready to go for $150.

Please contact me if you have any questions about the series, other sizes available as well as images in color, feel free to call me at 805.509.5215.

Visit the blog often for more Fine Art photography, I will have a whole new section for Fine Art prints and decorative art for your home and office. 

In case you don't know where Djangos is, here is the address

2271 N Ventura Ave Ste N
Ventura, CA 93001
805-648-5467

 They have THE BEST coffee and tea, yummy breakfasts, great gift items and the friendliest employees around! I have been going there since it opened back during my Brookie days (photog school days) and they have supported local artists from the beginning. 

Please stop by and grab a cup of java or tea and pick up some local art!

My remark to anyone in the vicinity was "Time to make the obligatory study of an authentic Weston". After all, Weston is the primal Fine Art photographer, the gold standard to which all others are compared. This print, "Shells" is one of the legendary still lifes from the 1920s.

So what makes it so great? Well, for one thing, its perfect. Perfect in composition, Weston's trademark. Its simple, which it should be. The tones and lighting are Weston's choice for his interpretation of the form. These could be varied, but what we see is what Weston decided on. It works. I'm glad I had the opportunity to study it.

My own attempts at still life photographer have been meager, but I try. I've found it to be the most challenging form of subject that I've tried. Maybe Weston did to. Perhaps his most famous work, "Pepper #30" was reported to be his thirtieth attempt at the photograph. In this example shown below, I did ten takes before I got what I liked. And its still no Weston. (Still Life #10 taken with Polaroid Type 55 film, natural lighting).

Many Thanks to Dan Coburn for organizing and arranging the outing.

"Still Life #10" by Alex Hawley

CONTACT:  CollectiveVisions@hotmail.com

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My trip to Ft. Collins, Colorado was a double success for it allowed me some photo opportunities in Western Kansas. I got to spend a few hours at the Monument Rocks/Chalk Cliffs in Gove County. I liken that area to a miniature Bryce Canyon. Took some 7x17 shots and I hope I did the place some justice.

From Gove County, I headed South and got on Good Ol' Highway 50 which took me to this setting just a couple miles West of Kinsley. As a small child, we passed by this elevator frequently on our way to Dodge City. Luckily, it has been preserved by placing it on the Historic Register. Other wise, it would have been torn down long ago. These small Gano Grain Company elevators were once an iconic symbol of the region. Photographer and author Wright Morris made a quite iconic photo of one in the 1940s. I have another shot, done with the 8x10 and from a different perspective, waiting development.

This particular photo was made on Polaroid Type 52 sheet film, another superb product that has been recently discontinued. Such a shame. I feel lucky to be able to show what Polaroid film was capable of. So much more than just the quick snapshot. Ansel Adams knew this well too.