Travelog: Finds of Art in People and People in Art.

From my Fine Art series:



I am a newbie to this Fine Art thing, so any advice shall be gratefully acknowledged. I intend to create a blog and maybe a dedicated website. When finances permit. Shall provide a link soon, for your convenience.

Thank you.

p.s Mods, if you deem this to be in an inappropriate category or not meeting the criteria of Fine Art, please delete this post.

Hi Mohammed,

Awwww...'Tools of Knowledge and Control'...

I think this is an excellent subject for a fine art project in deed. Fantastic, and a very good choice as your extensive travels allow you to see a great variety, some of which might even have their origins in the 15th century or older.

From Eratosthenes of Cyrene to the Atomic clock, providing you with endless scope. Superb idea!

I am curious, can you tell me what these tiles in the sand above the blue bag are? The 'veggies' ? in the left corner are tantalizing.

fahim mohammed said:

From my Fine Art series:

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From what I can see, it could be a somewhat poverty stricken part of the world, and looking at the setup, the question of 'What is he selling?' came to my mind, only 4 weights are in the picture, but perhaps he has more, or not, who knows.

I really like the Light in this picture, it is a light that tells you that it can be very hot in this area. I think this is a nice start to your portfolio.

Georg, first a thank you for stopping by. Much appreciated sir.

The tiles you refer to are the original flooring!! As time passed they got covered with mud, sand and the like.

This is in fact a fruit and veggie seller's shop in Nepal.

What got me interested was the system of weights. Nothing I had ever heard of before! Not Kgs, or Lbs., but something totally alien to me!!

Was told the measuring system was a leftover from the times of the Raj.


p.s I still have to figure out hectres as opposed to sq. mts!! This is an archaic system of measures and weights. Hence my interest.

fahim mohammed said:

The tiles you refer to are the original flooring!! As time passed they got covered with mud, sand and the like.

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That is what I thought as well and this makes it so very special in my eyes. There is something embossed into them is that right? I guess it is just a decorative pattern, I wonder whether it had some meaning, and how old these floor tiles are, at a glance they could be hundreds of years, considering the climate they are in.

This is in fact a fruit and veggie seller's shop in Nepal.

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Ha! I thought so. Is it women or men, or both that do this trade?

What got me interested was the system of weights. Nothing I had ever heard of before! Not Kgs, or Lbs., but something totally alien to me!!

Was told the measuring system was a leftover from the times of the Raj.

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The Raj as in what? Ethnic Group? British Raj? Place?

p.s I still have to figure out hectres as opposed to sq. mts!! This is an archaic system of measures and weights. Hence my interest.

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1 Hectare= 10,000 m2

George, once more my thanks for adding to my knowledge..

Hectar is Big!! Imagine rice fields of 360 Hectars!!

' Raj' refers to the British Raj.

The pattern on the tiles is definitely not religious. It would NEVER be on a floor with people walking over it. Most likely decorative or a trademark. Not that old George, max 15-20 years.

I found that most stalls and small shops were family owned. Men, women and kids working in there.

Regards.

Thank you.

Perhaps they orginate from here:

http://www.nbgroup.com.np/Associate_Companies/HBTF.htm

I know nothing about fine art but I like the picture.

I can't help but notice the makeshift twine holding the scale pans. Looks like baling twine, like we would use for hay bales.

fahim mohammed said:

What got me interested was the system of weights. Nothing I had ever heard of before! Not Kgs, or Lbs., but something totally alien to me!!

Was told the measuring system was a leftover from the times of the Raj.

Click to expand...

I might be wrong here, but perhaps it is the relict from the british occupation. When they spread their poisonous greed in India, they also introduced a new measuring system, the Troy Pound to weight.... guess what.... GOLD of course. The troy pound is 5,760 grains. It originates from medieval times in france.

From the little I know about it, dating back to Mesopotamian times 4000 BC scales were used to maintain a barter system. The first weighing scale of the modern times was built and designed by Leonardo Da Vinci in the late 15th century.

I was thinking, if it is of help to you, a friend is Prof. History. You could go to:

http://www.jstor.org/

and do some research. If you find a few articles that trigger your interest, send me the links to the articles, details per PM.

A great source might also be to check out the rather new but free and constantly growing Google scholar.

http://scholar.google.com/

Georg R. Baumann said:

I might be wrong here, but perhaps it is the relict from the british occupation. When they spread their poisonous greed in India, they also introduced a new measuring system, the Troy Pound to weight.... guess what.... GOLD of course. The troy pound is 5,760 grains. It originates from medieval times in france.

Click to expand...

Georg, I honestly have no clue what you are on about! Troy pounds, grains, France!! makes me think of

Helen and horses then. My endorphin moment.

Now you will start talking about ' avoir pois ' or something!!

fahim mohammed said:

From my Fine Art series:

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Fahim,

I need to see more of a set of work before I can really try to comment on a single work as "art". At present, on its own, I react to the picture with interest as the rich senna colors are always attractive to me. It's earth, leather, grass, sunset colors, rust all together appealing to my senses, even without thinking about the details.

If you can, go further, photographing more of what you feel constitutes this set of work for you, as you define it.

When you have more, then I will feel daring enough to comment on it as art, not as an expert, but one who appreciates art and is only occasionally willing and able to pay for my favortes. Right now, you have my interest and I like this downpayment on what's to come!

Asher

Nengah

This is a story of Nengah and me..or the young girl and a traveller.

It begins when I had a ' private shoot ' with a model. I told you about it. Just to
recapitulate, I posted this photo.


Asher, at that time, commented if the two of us were born under the same star!
I told him then, that I do not believe in anything that is here today and
gone tomorrow. Even if that ' tomorrow ' time span extends to infinity and beyond!

Anyway, one day I was in the market place with a 50mm. Meeting people and taking ' snaps ' for most part of the early morning. I was full of tea. Also as some told me full of bulls**t.

Had called for my transport, and was just killing time. Lo and behold! What do I see.

Another photo shoot!! Interesting!
Not one to be deterred, I walked in.
Everyone turns towards me. The reflectors are lowered. The photog is slightly
irritated.

I approach the ' Kiss You ' girl. The same one you see. Click. Click.
I heard your call, I say to her, am here to help!!

The guy on your left, with the reflector looks at me. ' Who are you ? '. I feel like
Rambo. ' Your worst nightmare ' I say, without pausing and advancing very close on the ' Kiss You ' girl.


English is not the first, second, or third language around these parts.

' Excuse me, Sir '. From the ' Kiss You ' girl.
' Where then ' I ask the ' Kiss You ' girl.

The model, in the meantime, is getting hot! The heat and humidity is suffocating.
The makeup assistant rushes forward to wipe the sweat and shine of the model's face, apply some powdery thing. Wipes off the grin too.

The model turns towards me. Unfriendly like.
' Jealous ' I ask her. ' Do you ?' I ask. To the model of course, as a guy with the boom looks towards me and smiles. Did I detect some anticipation on his part?

' Would you please leave, sir ' from the model.
' Only if I you join me '. To the model. ' Ages since I met a beautiful girl'.

Did I detect a smile, a lowering of the guard. I move forward. 50mm at the ready.
All this happens within less than a minute.

A bouncer appears. Big. Ugly. I look at the ' Kiss You' girl.

Since very few read, here is a shortened version of what followed next..

I wanted a girl. Balinese, innocent, modest, beautiful with long black hair. Never worked in bars, clubs, hotels, or as a model. Never.

I want to photograph her in their Temples, Shrines, Palaces. In Balinese costume. Without make-up.

Impossible, they told me. Hire a model. You want a girl to marry they said, not for photography.

There is a door in Bali. Big door. 100-150 years old. Locked. One lock broken. Unlock the door
and enter, they said. With the one you love. Genuine. Feel. And your wish shall be granted.

That was the legend..

The door is big, 100 years.

Me I am smaller. over 50 years.

She. Smaller still. 19 years old.

I opened the door. We entered.

I photographed her in all the locations I wanted in Bali.
I made a portfolio for her. Gave it to her parents. And her.

Here is one..


Of course, everbody has their perception of beauty and modesty.
She is mine.

Will I show more photographs of her. No.

Return unto Ceasar that which belongs to...


p.s I have taken technical liberties. I don't care. I care for and feel for the soul of Bali.

Remember the ' Scales '. A photograph of inanimate objects.

Here is ' Scales ' again.

Not sure if I get the connection between the two posts but no offense Fahim, I'd have bounced you out too!

No offense take Ben. I have had my ssri,sri,nri fix.

Models Ben..the first two professional. The third one might just become one.

btw, I am very used to getting bounced around!! see the first pic in this group!!

Best regards.

Fahim

lovely start I especially like the second photo-

perhaps " The Weights of Humanity" would be a great metaphor for your series-
just a thought-
scales can represent so much in our own human existence-
how we weigh each other for example- how we weigh the foods that sustain us- how we weigh our history- the weight of life- your scales may show this idea in these photos

Charlotte-

charlotte thompson said:

Fahim

lovely start I especially like the second photo-

perhaps " The Weights of Humanity" would be a great metaphor for your series-
just a thought-
scales can represent so much in our own human existence-
how we weigh each other for example- how we weigh the foods that sustain us- how we weigh our history- the weight of life- your scales may show this idea in these photos

Charlotte-

Click to expand...

Charlotte, what a brilliant suggestion. Brilliant. I shall start scouring the archives along the lines you have suggested.

Thank you. Thank you.

I am a bottle fed baby..

To catch up with things I have missed, I tend to look up, at things.

But that means, I miss a lot of what goes on down..

Charlotte, I have been doing some search of my archives..nothing as yet to follow through with your excellent suggestion.

But I have found a few with human interaction..


Putting ginger to balance the weights!

Rule of one thirds

Golden Triangles

Fib series

Color Wheel

Contrast

Complementary colors

Light

Golden Hours

Sh*t, all I want to do is take a photograph of what resonates with me.


I am not a psychologist, a scientist, mathematician, a statistician, a time keeper

Just a traveler trying to feel with others, what they might feel. What life is all about.

Surely it is not about mathematics!!

Not to forget:

Color balance

Aperture

DOF

ISO ( or whatever it is called nowadays!! )

Speed ( Ecstasy!! Glimmer of hope here! )

Focal Length ( crop factors )

Different lenses

But about what I feel. What I see. How I see. My emotional response.


This is what I saw, how I felt. Could it be better? What, my mental being? Too late for that.

And then there is that temper fraying activity; Cameras and lenses

P&s, 35mm, MF, LF

Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Fuji, Panasonic, Sony, Olympus, Hassy, Bessa, FSU, Zeiss, Leica and it goes on and on. Passionate subject.

Lenses..wa,mid-range,tele, long tele, zoom, prime, fast, slow, coated, aspherical, mandler,
times long by, memories, romance, high contrast, soft focus, nano, s/m coated

vibration reduction ( sounds like porno ), IS, mega-os, double shake resistance and on and on.

Lenses for portraits, macro, landscapes, travel, taking to bed, helping with your sex life!!

What about the camera you have and the lens you have on it?

For most of what you photograph..stretch it a bit and do wild life too!


The there is the software..to get my color balance correct.

Fahim

good choice- again we show the measure of food and the human aspects that go along with such measure
also the balance of worth in humanity-
enjoyed-
gonna be an excellent series-it is now

Charlotte-

Fahim

ahahaaa......not to worry you have it right! What you shoot is who you are! Read my little saying at the end of my reply- that is mine and what I do believe in

love that second shot most wow!
all of them have your heart in them- now really it doesn't get any better than that!

Charlotte-

As you know I cannot give you any advice, but I can find advices on very old books. As you know, old wisdom is always best:

Hi, Sandrine,

Sandrine Bascouert said:

As you know I cannot give you any advice, but I can find advices on very old books. As you know, old wisdom is always best:

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Well, thank you!

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Lovely, and very apt.

I am fascinated by the snippet of text on the left above the illustration, which seems to be describing a Graflex camera (I mean the original Graflex: one of the first genuine SLRs).

Best regards,

Doug

I'll scan the rest of the article for you, if you want. But I think that either it belongs to another thread then or I could send it to you in a PM...As you want...


PS: You may don't know it, but I'm mad about old books

Sandrine, thank you for looking in.

With age, indeed, does come wisdom. I appreciate that. It is the way they look with age that I don't.

And it is fool that does not heed advice; and a greater fool that does not heed advice from friends.


As for my friend Doug, a very wise and a charming gentleman indeed!! And a Scotsman is always handsome, young or old.