Life in LoFi: iPhoneography

Mozart

April 9, 2010
Chicago, Illinois

Toolbox: Film Lab, Photogene, FocalLab, Best Camera

I love the buskers on the train platforms. New York, London, and Chicago are especially rich with musicians of widely varying talent playing for you for tips and spare change as you wait for your train.

His name isn’t Mozart. Maybe it’s an epithet passers-by throw his way as they talk among their friends. Mozart is what he played so very passionately on his Erhu while I waited for the Red Line to take me downtown.

Accompanied by a CD on his boombox, this clash of cultures created a sound that was mesmerizing and one that I don’t think Wolfgang Amadeus himself would have minded.

=M=

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I Love It When My Plane Leaves On Time

Meigs

Skyline

Toolbox: Perfectly Clear, Film Lab

On a man-made peninsula on the shores of Lake Michigan, a small building and a control tower still stand — all that remains of Chicago’s third airport, Meigs Field. The runway was destroyed years ago and the land was restored to nature.

The old terminal building still stands. Now as part of the park, guests are allowed to go into the starkly furnished building. Most of the furniture is gone — only a few airport chairs in the upstairs lounge.

I never got to fly through Meigs, but as I explored the building, with its spectacular view of the downtown skyline, I felt the ghosts of airports past when there were no security lines to clear and when smoking was still allowed on flights.

I love airports — even old ones.

=M=

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Psycho

Toolbox: Perfectly Clear, Film Lab

The shower in our hotel room in Chicago did not have great water pressure, but it made for a great photo op.

=M=

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The L, monochrome

The L

Toolbox: Perfectly Clear, Film Lab

A taxi, a bus, a train, and one MD-80 later, we are back in DFW from our trip to Chicago.

Chicago is one of my favorite cities on the planet period and as many Windy City iPhoneographers will attest, it’s a gorgeous city to photograph.

Many of the images I found myself taking this trip lent themselves to processing in Film Lab. One of the things that I liked about using the app was the surprising ability to stack effects. For instance, the high contrast monochrome of the L above was achieved by layering Fuji Neopan 1600 over EPP High Contrast – Blue. The surreal, grainy colors of the bottom L were acheived by stacking EPP High Contrast – Blue over itself.

I’ve got to get caught up on some deadlines for the day job. I’ll be posting more photography from Chicago throughout the coming days.

=M=

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Related links: Film Lab

Friday, January 8, 2010, the Chicago Art Department hosted an exhibition that was the culmination of a several week program to explore and push the boundaries of art created with iPhones. With an emphasis that included several media not just iPhoneography, iPhone therefore iArt presented outstanding works from local Chicago artists, as well as submissions by other artists from around the globe.

iPhone therefore iArt. Photo by mARTa Sasinowska

If you weren’t able to attend the Chicago exhibit, here’s the Chicago Art Department Flickr set with pictures of the event and some of the art. iPhoneographer Kay Frederick was there as well and has posted her photos of the event here.

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iPhone therefore iArt
Chicago Art Department

Exhibition @CAD East Gallery
1837 South Halsted, Chicago
Friday, January 8, 2010, 6-10pm

Email mike@chicagoartdepartment.org for questions.

iPhone therefore iArt at the CAD (Image created by Mike Nourse, Jon Satrom, Carl Sweets, and Melissa Porter. Apps: Satromizer, Collage, Juxtaposer, and Swissmaker.)

Chicago Art Department is pleased to present 25 artists from around the world, all exploring the iPhone as creative tool.

iPhone Therefore iArt is the culmination of a class led by Chicago artist Mike Nourse, offered by the Chicago Art Department which features ten local artists who met weekly, working towards a completed project in areas such as photo, digital sketching (finger painting), animation, sound, and video. In addition to local artists, CAD program coordinator Mike Nourse brought in national and international iPhone artists from as far away as Russia, Norway,  Spain, France, and Germany. The end-result is a comprehensive look at this digital tool and some of its artistic possibilities.

Read the rest of this entry →

Earlier this year, 47 artists were on display in the The Cell Phone Project exhibit at Cherrylion Studios in Atlanta. The exhibit featured photography taken with iPhones and other cell phones. Here’s an opportunity to take part in a similar exhibit in Chicago.

The program is called iPHONE ART! and is the work of The Chicago Art Department. It’s a 5-part weekly program exploring the iPhone as a tool which creates art. The program runs from November 19, 2009 through January 8, 2010 and is free if you complete the program. Of course, iPhone photography is covered. The program culminates with a student-curated gallery exhibition on January 8, 2010 at CAD East Gallery in Chicago.

Chicago-area iPhoneographers and iPhone artists are encouraged to sign up for the program. Not in Chicago? You can still submit works for review. In addition to local artists, the exhibit will feature work from artists from around the globe.

Contact Mike Nourse if you have any questions or click here for more information on the program and exhibition, including contact info for registration and art submission. The Chicago Art Department is on the web at www.chicagoartdepartment.org.

Chicago, IL
August 11-12, 2008

"Belmont"

Shot with Snapture

"Leaving"

Shot with Snapture

One of the lucky seats. The very back of the train. These are often taken. You’re facing backwards as you pull out of the station. It’s disorienting because you feel like physically your body wants to move the other direction, but visually you know you’re being pulled (or pushed) the right way. I love to photograph The L and this is one of my favorite images.

=M=