Then to top that off, two of my 1to1 pieces have been enthusiastically selected for the show. Then after hearing how much each of the art professors at the Art Institute loved my work, it got me motivated to push myself a bit more. So in the heat of motivation... I photographed my 6 month old son at a 1to1 ratio. From head to toe over 800 images were shot, printed and compiled together to create the most amazing mosaic of a human body that has ever been seen.
Now the images will be carefully and painstakingly glued together to create what is estimated to be a 6 foot tall by 13 foot wide piece. It is also important to mention that this is the smallest that this piece can be made. Each image (shot with a 16MP camera) is printed into a 4x6 inch print.
Prior to me doing anything, I make sure everything is good to go by manually putting this together on the computer. Here is what it looks like now. Also a few single images to show the details.
Make sure to see more about this project at the dedicated website www.1to1.me
This is a socially significant fine art project conceived, developed and created by me. Be sure to check out my website built specifically for this at www.1to1.me.
This images is one of my latest. The file is 45,000 pixels by 48,000 pixels. That's 2.16 GIGAPIXELS. Wow. My poor computer.
In real terms this is a 12 foot by 13 foot print.
What this also means that printers can't handle this. It will take each image to be printed separately and then put together manually. Which is what I am proposing for an installation… coming soon!
For more upcoming info about this collection and upcoming gallery exhibits, be sure to like my page at Facebook.com/ansarovstudios]]>
Then as the student was leaving her son, now interested in nature, saw this beautiful Tersa Sphinx moth (Xylophanes tersa)sitting on my van door handle. It was another creature I had never seen before. I was completely amazed and captured him as well. It was if nature knew how I felt and decided to raise my spirits by presenting two new opportunities. Both creatures where extremely calm and docile. I spent upwards of a half an hour on each before releasing back into the wild. I went to bed very happy.
One of my classes at school gave me the opportunity to work with the Sunrise Symphonic Pops Orchestra in Sunrise, Florida. This is a small, yet strong orchestra that has been in operation for over 25 years. As part of their new marketing campaign, I offered to donate my time to help shoot their portraits and video interviews. These are a few of my favorites from that shoot.
So I was mowing my lawn today when the beautiful Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata). He was only about 12 inches, but put up a fight like a super predator. Because he was so active I had to re think my typical way of shooting. Usually they are manageable to the point where I can keep them on an open vinyl, but this guy was not going to cooperate. So I pulled out a small fish tank and cut some foam core as a base and background. It is a set in progress, but it is a good start. The little fella was acting up a lot, but I was able to keep him in enough of a confined space that made for some great shots.
Since my wife, Anna was a child she has always been terrified of snakes. So this kind of put a blockade on any opportunities I may have had on adding snakes to my backyard collection. So when she left last week for a two week trip I can't say I didn't think for a moment in the back of my head that I would take the opportunity to photograph a snake.
Instead of crwaling around the backyard though I have been taking the opportunity to remodel a part of the home. Building and painting walls, etc. Stuff that I really couldn't do with a pregnant wife and child here. The thought of finding anything to shoot this week was farthest from my mind.
So it was pretty funny, when my new friend and neighbor stopped by to pick up some plants that I was giving a way and I found this ring neck snake underneath. As soon as I saw him I smiled. I knew he was there for a reason and I was supposed to photograph him.
Then the excuses started setting in.
"I have tons of work to do today and no time."
"I have two projects due tomorrow and two midterm exams on Friday and have to study."
"I have to clean the entire house to get ready for painting on Saturday."
"This place has to be done by the time, Anna and Anabella gets home."
etc, etc, etc.
One of the ideas I try to push on everybody is the fact that it is much easier to create the NO in our lives than providing the YES!
I started thinking of my many many mentors in my life. They are always with me telling me what they would do.
Then the positive thoughts come in.
"How often will you get this opportunity?"
"It won't take much to set up and shoot."
"Look how beautiful he is."
"You can always stay up late tonight."
etc, etc, etc
My passion won!
I spent about 10 minutes setting up and 15 minutes shooting and 5 minutes breaking down. It was a pretty difficult shoot. Probably one of the most difficult. Try holding a snake that is constantly moving in one hand, while holding the camera in the other, With the lens in manual focus, moving slightly back and forth with the camera to get the perfect focus. Did I mention the snake is moving?
And so you also understand, when using a macro lens at a few inches away, a fraction of an inch is completely out of focus.... And yes I am pretty proud of myself and yes I am bragging. : )
I used my elinchrom Ranger RX battery kit with a diffuser on one side and a 8º grid on another. Shot with a Nikon D90 and 60mm Micro lens.
The ringneck snake(diadophis punctatus) is a very common in Florida. It is fairly small and gets to about 10 inches at the largest. This guy was about that big. They are distinct by their red band around their neck and orange belley that turns red towards the tail. They are non-aggresive and only eat worms, lizards and small frogs. They do have a poisnous saliva to immobilize their prey, but it is not dangerous to humans.
Recently I was in my tomato plant when I found this happy little critter. He was nearly invisible, but he wasn't prepared for me. Or was he waiting for me?
There's an image of my fingertip to show reference to size. I was really happy to capture the one of him reaching up in the air. Getting a moment like this is not easy because there are so many elements involved. First is the fact that the thing is moving all over the place. This means I can't necessarily have the camera on tripod. So this means I have to hand hold and maintain a focus. And shooting something at hearly 1:1 ratio means that a fraction of a centimeter puts me out of focus. Somehow I manage to get something most every time.
To see more from this project, go to my website at www.ansarov.com
These are always fun and inspirational and I have been putting them off for too long.
Now that I am in a new home an new location I have a new crop of backyard treasures to populate my photo collection. The overall theme is to show the beauty in the creatures that live their lives right under our noses. I use either black or white backdrops so not to take away from the subject and always treat every creature with respect. Every one is unharmed and released back to the wild after the photos. You can see more from this project in the backyard treasures gallery at www.ansarov.com]]>
I recently took this photo of my family in front of our new home and posted it on my facebook as well as emailed to family to announce the great news that we are expecting a new baby. What I fund to be pretty hilarious was the fact that every time I showed the image to someone, the first response was "How did you do that" or you are crazy to hang your baby by balloons like that. So after a few times of having to explain how I did the shot, I started playing around and making up stories. Like, "Yeah, we found it took exactly 135 balloons to keep her level. We had made the mistake of putting 140, and thank God she floated into a tree limb and some balloons popped or else we would have been in big trouble..."Other stories went like, "Yeah, the tough part was the wind. We would position her there, but the wind would push her back and by the time we noticed she would be floating towards the neighbors house."
But before anybody starts calling child protective services I would explain that maybe (just maybe) I might actually be good at Photoshop as well.
To me, it isn't like it's a huge secret. In fact, I think it is safe to now make the same statement that has stood true for photography in general, It's not the camera (or computer software) that makes a great picture, but rather the photographer (or operator) using it.
I had this idea in my head for a while, but never saw an opportunity (or was probably too lazy) to buy a ton of balloons to do it. But we were recently at a relative's baby shower and they had all these balloons there. After the party they were going to just let the balloons go away. Knowing what would happen if I didn't take advantage of the opportunity I asked to take them instead.
Because (over the many years of doing this) I have gotten pretty good at being able to reverse engineer an idea which is pretty important when dealing with the nature of a 10-month old daughter in the hot sun.
So as you can see, NO I did not hang my baby from a bunch of balloons. What kind of idiot does that??? I took this photo as is on a tripod. The important part is to make sure your tripod, lens, exposure, etc does not change. This can make life a ton easier.
Then I took the shot of us without the baby in the background. Notice that with this picture I now have a clean background to work with for later.
Other shots are filler balloons.
I then opened them all in photoshop, placed them all onto one canvas as layers then made working masks for each.
After that it is simply choosing one layer at a time and erasing what you don't want in that layer and keeping what you want.
Of course this makes it sound easy and please remember I've been using photoshop since it was version 2.0, but honestly it is a simple concept that (with a little bit of practice) can provide great results.
The final touch was selecting the green balloons and replacing colors to pink.
I hope this helps. And maybe hopefully I will start to have more time for blogging soon. That is until the new baby is born...
Aa
This was done as a final project for my desktop video class at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. I have been a student there for over a year working on my Bachelor's in Science degree in Advertising.
Some great inspiration from Gail Mooney. READ IT!!! LIVE IT!!! DO IT!!!
Never Let yourself regret a missed opportunity to better yourself.
Click here:
http://wp.me/prfWh-if
AARON ANSAROV
passionatephotographerflorida
+1.305.951.4795
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VIV Mag Featurette: A Digital Magazine Motion Cover and Feature for the iPad from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.
]]>Just when we thought our technology was reaching a peak...
InVisage Technologies is going to revolutionize the photo/video world.
Check out their company website at
Read the NY Times article here.
Fox News
LA Times
New York Times
New York Magazine
The articles state the photographer gave permission to use the image which he should have known better to license an image for commercial use without a model release. Also, it's an AP image so what was AP thinking???
Same thing happened with Michelle Obama and PETA. PETA should know better as well. Watch this issue close. If nothing is done with this then I can expect we will see more "unsponsored" and "unapproved" images being used without concern for repercussions.
If nothing happens, do you think other companies may be fighting for the chance of getting an image of the President holding their product. Can you imagine if a cigarrette company gets a picture of him holding their brand? What would Burger King say if all of a sudden there is a photo of him holding a McDonald's coffee cup in his hand on a billboard?
Why is there little chatter on this?
It blows me away.
Perhaps no one will notice when he goes to give his state of the Union speech wearing a jump suit with hundreds of company logos and brand names on it looking like a race car driver.]]>
compare to the 2 hours of powerful conversation I had with a Navy
photographer who asked for advice on his portfolio.
I have always taken the charge that was given to me many years ago to
"Give back as freely as it was given to you." I always tell people I
am always willing to devote the time and help young (by young I mean
less experienced) photographers in wherever they need it. From life
experiences to passionate and emotional thinking. From understanding f-
stops to elaborate flash set ups and capturing creative impact in
images.What started off being a simple conversation in response to a
portfolio critique soon became a 2 hour 'power hour' on basic photo
thinking, life choices and keys to a successful photography career.
It was an exciting conversation and it felt good to hear things click
and feel that what was being said was being taken as gold and to heart.
There was many items discussed. Some specific to his photography and
career. Other items general towards what I deem to be 'bare
necessities' in photo thinking.Some of the items discussed I thought I should mention.
Here are a few items that have been taught to me that I feel all
photographers should have in their minds.
6 things to look for in telling a photo story
- Overall
- Medium
- Close up
- Extreme Close up
- Detail
- PortraitWhether you are a videographer or still photographer. This is a brush
stroke of 6 basic visual varieties to think about whenever a camera is
in hand. It forces you to think and see in different focal lengths and
angles. I STRONGLY suggest taking this and taping to the back of your
camera until they are memorized and become a natural list you look for
in every scene.3 things to do PRIOR to taking a shot
- CONTROL the background
- FILL the frame with what is important
- WAIT for the momentAgain, this should be a mantra you say to yourself EVERY time you put
the camera to your face.3 items to look for in editing every image (in order of precedence)
- CONTENT?
- COMPOSITION?
- TECHNICAL ABILITY?Use these three questions in every image you are editing. Remember
that an image could be poor technically (over/under exposed), and even
poorly composed. But if it has content, then you may still have a
great image.Try it!!!]]>
I hope you like it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!