Friday, November 14, 2014

Art in Making or Making Art


Lighthouse in Autumn
Saugerties, NY
Computers are useless-
all they can give you are answers.
Pablo Picasso

Nothing frustrates me more than the notion that photography should mirror reality. That notion is simply as absurd as the expectation that Monet's lilies should be precise or that Seurat's paintings should have brush strokes vs brush points. I suppose if either Monet or Seurat were not creating art and were furnishing their images as aid to local law enforcement that criticism would hold some water. They weren't; instead they were using their creativity to express themselves in their own voice. (Those who favored realism could simply view them from a distance.)

In addition to the time spent studying composition and techniques used to render art, unique life references and experiences come to play in my compositions. It's my choice to use intangible brush strokes judiciously applied which add feeling, something modern man avoids but seeks to soothe via countless drugs legitimate or otherwise. Let me stress this thought: my images convey my consciousness and my feelings.

Ultimately my sensations motivate me to shoot but my heart and mind collude to create, communicate, and render those sensations on a two dimensional piece of paper. Short of stamping words all over the photograph, I have to solve the communication puzzle with a repertoire of intangible experiences and memories while mixing them with photographic tools. The fished product is sum of life experiences (to that date) in my own voice.

The image you see above (Lighthouse in Autumn) could just as well have been entitled Lighthouse at Halloween. In fact you can feel and see the Halloween reference. If you also knew the history of this location and its proximity to Palenville, NY and author Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle you would understand. That's another photograph or two for sure for a later date.


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Answered Question

Hikers On Abandoned Tracks
Hunter, NY
The answers you get
depend on the questions you ask
Thomas Kuhn

The past two and a half months have been taciturn for me. I sought refuge both in the high Sonoran Desert of Arizona and in the cloves of the Catskills. It was on purpose and on track to find myself. During this time I found more questions than answers only to find answers when I returned home.

My question, "will I survive?" Was answered by more subtly by the universe's response "you will not starve." The truth lies in the fact that for nearly four decades I've made money for those who employed me. If I could do that wouldn't the same happen if I chose to employ myself?

In many ways, my creativity and humor sustained me in the past. Now I am channeling it for my own benefit via my fine art photography and fledgeling commercial business. The shingle outside my door has been hung in fact it was hung before I went to Tucson to work in 2012. Today, however I will tell you candidly: all my work is available for sale.

This past week, I made some modifications to my website: www.photographybyalhernandez.com.  One ehnancement I added was an online store for my fine art photography. The store now features my Tucson Gallery images, my Lazy J2 ranch work, and work from New England as well as the Catskills. You can now purchase a variety of prints both on metal and canvas at various prices and sizes. Years of marketing has also taught that no customer should leave a store empty handed and thats why I am also offering affordable greeting cards of my images to my store patrons. These are perfect 5x7 miniatures of my prints. Of course if you need something larger, please go ahead and contact me. (This week one of my clients received their 72x40 original giclee print. Sometimes, size matters.)

Please continue to follow my Daily Journey here. Tell others about it by copying Daily Journey as a link. Simply copy and past the html link and invite your friends. Visit the website and buy your favorite prints or better yet have your friends buy you a gift. If you have other questions feel free to contact me via my website.