Peter J. Crowley

Fine Art Photographer

  • Portraits
  • Figures
    • Abstracts
  • Galleries
    • Black and White Fine Art
    • Color Fine Art
    • The Seventies
    • Flora, Flowers, Nature
    • Performing Arts
  • Services
  • Prices
  • About
    • Contact

Window Setting and Wooden Boat Moments

08.29.2015 by Peter J. Crowley // Leave a Comment

What is right in front of you beyond your sight. Visual words moments of my slow strolling simply seeing. Thoughts, Emotions. 

DSC_0138 Ss15 Window seats Olympia Wa_edited-1Afternoon light on Capitol Way

DSC_0799 B-42 G-1 Ss30 Wooden Boat Union St Olympia 6-23-16Union Ave SE cleaned up trailer-ed waiting to head to open water.

enjoy pjc

Photographic Art    Color Fine Art comments on images greatly appreciated

Categories // B+W Fine Art, Diggie, Fine Art Photography, July, Life, New Work, Olympia Wa., Passionate Observer, Photographic Art, Reflections, Sails, Simplicity, Small Business, The City as a Muse, The Present, Thought, Verbal images, Visual and verbal, Washington, Wooden Boat

Making Photographic Art is about Communication

08.23.2015 by Peter J. Crowley // 10 Comments

Why I make photographs is to tell stories or parts of stories engaging the viewer to become part of the tale. Communication by a passionate observer of humanity. I very rarely shoot people without their knowledge if not prior to the making the image then after. In this digital age you can show the person your image and talk a bit, gain a little insight. I have worked this way forever. Recently saw a post of a “street photo” where the shooter said “she didn’t even know I was taking her photo” to me that’s akin to masturbation.

 

_DSC0805 Ss20 Drk20 Cntr+20 Chalk to Draw 4-25-15

Design, the triangle and negative space. Everyone shoots the train tracks, a road rolling away into the distance. Perspective right up the middle of the frame. But simply stepping to the right or left one step and your disappearing line to the horizon now travels diagonally through the frame implying the 3rd dimension in a stronger way. This way of splitting your image create triangles in the negative space. The above image made by stepping to the left first view was looking straight down the sidewalk  one step to the left and the walks negative space drives the viewer to the subject with an array of triangles.

The subject, the center of you image is not the absolute center of the universe, it is in fact a composition black  hole. Let your subject escape into the frame and negative space. If your subjects are always in the center what it says to me is you are allowing your camera to take the photo. The subject is 50% of the image when I depress the shutter I know what is going on in the frame not just the subject but all the space. The chalk in the left corner of the above image I put it there.

 

ChesterEloquent-77-03-28You could say I am pointing out pet peeves I spend too much time looking at images here online by “photographers” people who own cameras. Cropping something I rarely do but framing is done in the view finder. Image above uses the perspective vanishing point but sort of in reverse the fence rather then heading away leads you back to the subject. As you look at this image that is full of triangles directing you to the person. When framing image look at the whole frame, if person is moving is there space for their next step? Amputees cropping at the wrist, ankle, forearm are a no no in my photographs if the above image was cut higher say just under the right elbow the left hand would be cut and visually lead your viewers eyes off the image.

EDIT! If you shoot an event, portrait whatever,  you make 50 images and post them all. Why cause you can you have the app.

An Art Photograph should say more than “I have $800 of post process programs.” Cool is okay for the first days of creating.

My Mantra from Brian Berry at Paier College of Art 1971 “Every image you make is a self portrait” working this way allows/compels me to be more intimately involved with my creation. 

All anyone photographs is light the subject is merely a vehicle to transform the light into an emotion.

Spend more time with each image prior to depressing the shutter. See and speak with your composition.

Simplicity is the most difficult concept to grasp.

I hope these thoughts help to improve your work comment here not on FB or other sites. If you only see the images at these sites then you are seeing how the Artifiscal Intelligence has cropped my visual words.

enjoy pjc

Photographic Art

New Galleries, B+W Comments on individual images greatly appreciated. 

Categories // Uncategorized Tags // B+W Fine Art Photography, Blending the past and the present, Color Fine Art, Humanity, Photographic Art, Simplicity

Notes and Quotes, A 3 YO World View.

08.21.2015 by Peter J. Crowley // 8 Comments

DSC_0022 Ss R-3 G-2 B+1 Cnst-50 Lgt50 8-12-15Leaving after an afternoon with me she stops on the walk outside and squarts down examining something looking back she motions me to come over gets up takes me by the hand to the spot where there is a dead earth worm. In a very solemn voice “it’s a worm he is dead. It is very sad.”

Transition is a big thing for 3YOs from PJs to clothes, etc screaming, whining as mommy brushed her hair to go away for a weeks vacation. Standing there watching sipping on my first coffee mommy finishes she hops down and says to me,

DSC_0258 s 11-26-14“I Farted in Mommy’s lap”

Transition from a toddler to a pre school-er is tough so many changes so many new responsibilities. So much more right out there on the horizon, almost reading, almost able to swim. “I don’t want to wear those shoes!!” This refrain will be a constant. Learning to tell time I hope will make picking shoes and other changes easier.

Sitting in the car while mommy pays a bill we talk of plants, animals simple three Y.O. talk she explains the difference between nocturnal, and diurnal. Golden earring on the radio she asks grandpa do you like this music? Yes I do, do you? ” Not so much.”  Wednesday is concert night in Sylvester Park downtown. Spinning, dancing, running, collecting feathers “grandpa where is your camera bag? Where can I put the feathers? 

DSC_0008 Ss15 B-3 Crop Why Grandpa is tired 8-19-15Cereal in the car, a frozen corn dog, pizza slices at the park an ice cream followed by a Gelato we walk back to the car.

20150812_201941 S30 Me and Inara 8-12-15“Grandpa can we go to the restaurant?”

Not really hungry but she likes the ambiance of cafe society. She is after all my granddaughter. Not tonight maybe tomorrow. What are you doing tomorrow mommy? We are going on a bike ride. From the back “We can stink on the bike trail.” Laughing mommy says we shower after the bike rides. She will be here soon we will be going to the restaurant after my Dr. appt.  enjoy pjc  we certainly will

Photographic Art     Flowers, Fauna, Nature she smells all flowers even the plastic ones in stores.

 

Categories // Adventure, Between Here and There, Childhood, Color Fine Art, Conversation, Dance, Documentary, Eyes of the child, Faces, Flowers, Journeys between here and there, Kids, Music, Olympia Wa., Panama Hat, Questions?, Smiling, Smiling Eyes, Summer, The Present, Washington Tags // Ambiance, Blending the past and the present, Dance, Flowers, Great Food, Humanity, Olympia, Portraits, Simplicity

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • …
  • 348
  • Next Page »

Copyright © 2025 · Peter J. Crowley