Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Wednesday Heart - Michael Garbutt Exotic Photography

Today is the day for loving local artists! Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oy Oy Oy! Michael Garbutt Exotic Photography, aka elgarbo to fellow Etsians, is a Sydney-based photographer who, in his own words, has travelled 'the world with a camera in hand', taking interesting shots of the wonderful things he has seen.

This first print is of tank traps up in Newcastle. I say "up" because it's pretty much 4 hours north from where I live. The thing I love most about this image is the interplay of light and shadow. Just wonderful. The patterns created by the shadows are so well defined and so perfect. It makes the whole shot seem more like created digital art than a photo. They're like tiny pyramids trapped out in the desert.



As you all know, I love a photographer who has variety in their portfolio. This next shot is a perfect contrast to some of the other images Michael Garbutt has put up. I like that he is just as comfortable with fast and furious action shots as he is with beautiful landscapes.



And my final pick to show you all is an image I actually purchased myself. It's a trifecta to my mind. Cute baby animal? Check! Artistically done? Check! Technically competent? Check! Yay for cute baby monkey pictures!



So in summary, Michael Garbutt is a fantastic photographer who seems to stradle all the disciplines nicely. It's really nice to come across a body of work where you like almost everything, but these images are all strong, interesting and well done. Elgarbo, I heart you!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

The Wednesday Heart - Grand Ole Bestiary

Digital manipulation is a big thing in photography these days and, like any other photographic trick, can either be done awfully or fantastically. The person behind the Grand Ole Bestiary does it with a quaint flair and great execution that makes these photographs highly collectable.

This first one, of a kitten-woman walking a puppy, is just so cute:



The thing is, the principle behind this technique isn't particularly hard. And yet so few people manage to make art like this with their photographs without making it look a bit tacky. What I like about these photographs is that there has obviously been a lot of effort put into getting them exactly right.

I also like how the Grand Ole Bestiary matches people so well with their animal. It's like one of those Facebook quizzes, but awesome and in photographic form:



I'd also like to add that this shop is an excellent example of tapping into a niche and doing it really, really well. Wonderful photographs, wonderful Etsy store! I heart you Grand Ole Bestiary!