Modern Art Redux

Scottish National Museum of Modern Art

After a walk by the Water of Leith and the Dean Village we eventually made it back to the Scottish National Galleries of Modern Art. There are actually 2 buildings at opposite ends of a small park. In the morning we walked though Two. In the park there’s a construction of an open room with half-silvered glass inviting spectral self portraits.

We returned there in the afternoon for a coffee and then made our way to Gallery One. Click any of the images below to see them bigger (you may need to click on the post title to go to the web site if you’re seeing this in email or social media).

Edinburgh Still Life

I also shot a couple of still-lifes, reflected self portraits and other items along the way. Click any of the pictures below to see them bigger (clicking into the post or post title first, if that doesn’t work).

Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Ghent

SMAK – Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst

We visited the Museum of Contemporary Art. I photographed some items I found particularly compelling, particularly if I could find an artistic shot to take, rather than a simple deadpan documentation, continued my series on the geometric spaces in museums, found mirrors in which to photograph myself, and was introduced to Grace Ndiritu, who we would see again in Antwerp.

Click on any of the images to see them all full-sized and with captions (if you’re seeing this in an email you may have to click the post title, above, first to view on the website).

Bird on a Log

This was a carefully composed shot and it looks it. I then waited for the bird to take off and while the composition is a tad less balanced, I think it may still be more interesting:

Lyme Regis is also the setting for John Fowles’ great novel, The French Lieutenant’s Woman (Meryl Streep was in the movie, also quite good) and this dusky, silhouetted self portrait in a beachfront shop window reminded me of it. I’ve now posted 6 times over 2 days just to cover a single day of our excursion. It may be a long month.

Infrared

As part of a workshop in alternative cameras I took a few shots with an old Canon Powershot A570 which had it’s infrared filter removed and a piece of orange gel taped over the front of the lens. This yielded some interest color IR effects. Click any image to see them all enlarged.

Beaney House of Art and Knowledge

Back in the High Street, we visited the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge. While in America we tend to revere the Magna Carta (statues of them above) for expanding the rights of the people, in fact, the Barons were wresting power from the King with no regard for the ‘people,’ beyond their own right to exploit them.

Once again, I confronted a museum mirror, this one with a sign encouraging photography adjacent. What else could I do? Click any of the pictures to see them all big.

iPad Reflection

Farnham, UK

Continuing with reflections… Sitting on the couch, reading on my iPad, I noticed in the bright sunlight what a strong reflection there was coming off the glare on the tablet (with minor enhancing in Capture One). I had just received an email invitation to a self-portrait contest, so I thought here was an opportunity. It’s not really interesting enough to submit, but blogworthy, perhaps. Quick BTS below.

Side-view Self-Portrait

Palisades Parkway, New York

And this concludes the series of posts on last weekend’s trip to Cold Spring , New York and Nelsonville’s Undercliff Trail. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming

Cubist Self-Portrait

Upper West Side, New York

So I’ve got the great 5MP Dimage now (Autumn, 2003) but what to photograph? There’s always oneself. Self portrait in a bathroom medicine cabinet mirror with today’s black & white conversion and post-processing in Capture One.

A Lesson

There were several pointers for white allies at the rally from the last couple of posts. While, I generally felt I was following many of the suggestions, one where I have not been active is patronizing black-owned businesses. An easy step to take was to grab dinner from one of the many restaurants that are still serving take out. We went to Chocolat on 120th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd and while we were waiting for our order, I took this self portrait half out the window. We can recommend the delicious salmon burger and shrimp quesadillas.

120th St and Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York

Portrait of the Artist as an Old Dawg

Isolation, Upper West Side, New York

Isolation – without haircut, Upper West Side, New York

In isolation for months now, running out of things to turn my lens on so more self-portraits documenting the transformation in personal grooming I’ve been undergoing…

White Self-Portrait

White Street, New York

There was something really cool outside the window that evening I wanted to get. But just at the moment I was ready to snap the shutter, someone turned on all the lights and I got a totally different shot.