cole thompson photography

 Issue 48     July 15, 2011    
Cactus Detail

(Cactus Detail - San Clemente, CA - 2006)

IN THIS ISSUE.....
Stone Jetties
Tidbits
Drawing

Dear Cole,

Since my last newsletter I've gone on vacation and have learned two important things: first, family vacations and photographing do not mix and second, I love stone jetties!  While in Hawaii I created three new images and I'm introducing the start of a new portfolio in this newsletter, more below.

~ ~ ~ 


I love short videos and there are two I'd like to share with you: the first is one I've produced entitled "Trees" and the other is from a 60 Minutes story about Derek Paravicini, a musical savant that's quite inspiring.

~ ~ ~


I've recently done several interviews and a question that keeps popping up is: Why Black and White?  Here's a thought from my artist statement:

I am often asked, "Why black and white?"  
I think it's because I grew up in a black-and-white world.
Television, movies and the news were all in black and white.  
My heroes were in black and white and even
the nation was segregated into black and white.
Perhaps my images are an extension of the world in which I grew up.
 

I don't choose to see in black and white, I just do.  It's who I am.

Cole




Stone Jetties

Stone Jetty, Kihei No. 1
(Stone Jetty No. 4 - Kihei, Hawaii - 2011)

Mixing photography and a family vacation is not a good idea!  When I go off to photograph I never intend to be gone a long time, but I always find something that keeps me away for hours.  Generally the family has come to expect and accept this of me, but while on vacation they're not very understanding when surfing lessons are delayed because Dad isn't home yet!  

 

I was very taken by the stone jetties that I found on Maui, but the challenge was to isolate them from the tourists, swimmers, surfers, jet skis, sail boats and a host of other visual distractions.  For example, in the image above a man is looking for cans on the jetty and in the one below a boat has sailed by, but because these are long exposures the distractions do not appear.   

 

I had created 4 other stone jetty images before coming to Hawaii, but it was on this trip that the idea of a portfolio struck me.  Interestingly the look of these new images is quite a bit different than previous ones, but I think I like it.  If you go to the link below and compare these new images to the older ones, you'll see the difference in style.

 

I'm heading to the Oregon Coast in September and I'll be looking for some additions to this series.

 

View the beginnings of the "Stone Jetties" series here.  



Stone Jetty No. 2, Kihei
(Stone Jetty No. 5 - Kihei, Hawaii - 2011)



Stone Jetty No. 2, Maalaea Harbor
(Stone Jetty No. 6 - Maalaea Harbor, Hawaii - 2011)






Tidbits


Bear's Harley
(Bear's Harley - Laporte, CO - 2004)

·  "BW Vision" is a website created and by Joel Tjintjelaar, an incredible photographer from the Netherlands.  He recently interviewed me and you can read it here.  


·  The first exhibition of my portfolio "The Fountainhead" will take place at Sideshow Gallery in Dolores, CO.  The opening is on Saturday, July 23rd and it runs through September, 17th.  Click here for more information


·  Several years ago I met a talented photographer from Bangladesh, his name is Akash. We instantly became close friends and agreed to adopt each other as brothers.  His work focuses on the poor and outcast of Bangladeshi society.  He recently interviewed me for his blog, which you can read here.  

 

·  My thanks to those who visited my home and studio during the Fort Collins Studio Tour.  I was fortunate to meet many new friends. 

·  My image Harbinger No. 1 recently appeared on the cover of the Romanian photography magazine Photo4All.  I was also interviewed and my work was extensively featured.  You can see the cover and read the interview here.  


·  Many have asked when my two new instructional videos will be available.  The first is on long exposures, the second on black and white.  The producer of the videos, Master Photo Workshops, says they are working on them, but not date yet.  Sorry! 

 

· As most of you know, I don't hold workshops very often.  However I will be conducting one through The Center for Fine Art Photography entitled "Keeping it Simple."  As the name implies, the focus will be on keeping things simple, including our thinking, shooting, post processing and especially the image.  The workshop will be held on four successive Wednesday evenings starting October 19th.  Click here for more info


·  Singh-Ray, the creator of the Vari-ND filter that I use to create my long exposure work, is producing a new promotional video that I'm featured in.  I have a copy, but I can't show it to anyone! 


·  A photographer friend of mine, Joshua Wyborn, is having a print sale and we all love sales!  He does some very nice work and you can see it at Joshua Wyborn Photographic.  




 

Drawing

 

Ceiling Lamp Poster

(Ceiling Lamp Poster)

 
The winner of last month's drawing is Benoit Jansen-Reynaud from Canada!  Congratulations Benoit, you will be receiving an original matted print of "Windmills Against Clouds." 

This month's drawing will be for a Ceiling Lamps poster, above.

For those of you new to my newsletter drawings, all you need do is email me at Cole@ColeThompsonPhotography.com and put "Ceiling Lamp Poster" in the subject line.  Of course if you'd like to also say hello or make a comment, that would be nice too.




About Cole Thompson Photography

Two Sheep

(Two Sheep - Cuba, NM - 2007)

Website:   www.ColeThompsonPhotography.com
Blog:         www.photographyblackwhite.com/
email:        Cole@ColeThompsonPhotography.com
Phone:      970-218-9649

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