May 24, 2017

The Art of Chelsea Sunrise


New member of Univers d'Artistes












All began by this photography. I shared it and she loved. Then, curious as an art editor must be, I watched all her albums and I sent a  her a lot of 💗 and 👍

Her self portraits, a very difficult exercize (see this label), and her Street Life photographies testify to a great talent for her age. She is promised to a great career.

That said Chelsea Sunrise is also a sweet and lovely friend. When I told her I would love to publish her, she answered :
- Thank you Chris. I am pleased, honored and humbled to be part of your magazine! It means a lot for me 💙💙😄
Of course, you know me, I blushed.

My sweet Chelsea, dear Artist, I'm honored to welcome you in our pages. I'll follow your work to publish you again and again as I do for the great Members of the Collective.












Philippines








"Party time" 
self portrait







"I was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. I am a hobbyist photographer and a self taught digital artist.

My work specializes in  black and white photography with digital mixed media art. I also loves to collaborate with different artists and photographers from all around the world and I am always open to new and exciting projects!

I create mood by adding film grains and textures to my B/W photos, especially on my self-portraits, because it makes the image feels more deep, old, dramatic and mysterious.

I am a traveler too, and I’m enjoying capturing great moments from people on the streets and all the things that happen to our everyday life. I also shoot, create and tell stories through my surreal and conceptual work by creating a photomontage or photomanipulation.

I’m not only a photographer. I am also an International Digital Artist and Video editor. My work has been featured in various online sites and magazines in Europe Asia and Usa (Creativ, Glossom, Daily Inspiration and more)."































Korean Traditional Doll







Taiwan





Self-portraiture



Kidnapped













Butterfly Woman







 I am afraid to show my work





See you soon ! 😘




May 20, 2017

Une Fée pleurait



Toranks
"Triste fée"

"Un dessin qui m'a été inspiré par cette courte nouvelle. J'ai un coup de cœur pour cette dernière alors je vous invite à la lire."






Assise sur un champignon rouge à pois blancs, la tête entre ses mains, ses cheveux longs cachant son délicat visage, Fée pleurait. Ses épaules étaient secouées de longs spasmes qui serraient sa poitrine nue et sa fine gorge. Une fée qui pleure ? Rare n'est-ce pas en terres magiques ?... Et pourtant celle-ci pleurait toutes les larmes de son corps. Ses sœurs l'avaient prévenue :
- Les humains sont étranges, versatiles, grossiers et avides !
- Ne t'en approche jamais, n'essaie pas de les aider, ils ne comprendraient pas.
Elles lui ont tout dit, tout ce qu'il faut pour ne pas avoir mal, mais elle est tombée dans le piège comme bon nombre d'entre celles qui lui ont prodigué de si sages conseils. Elles parlaient en connaissance de cause.

Elle pleure toujours, Champignon en est tout mouillé. Et tout triste. Tant de douleur quand il fait si beau... Il lui est venu à l'idée de la consoler mais comment faire quand on n'a ni bouche ni bras ni mains ? Gros Champignon rouge à pois blancs se met alors lui aussi à pleurer de tous ses spores. Fée et Champignon pleurent donc de concert sur la stupidité d'un monde qui ne peut réaliser leur rêve, elle celui d'être aimée d'un homme au regard couleur du ciel, lui un corps pour consoler sa fée. Un rayon de soleil illumine sa chevelure, une caresse du vent fait tinter les grelots qu'elle porte à ses délicates chevilles, un papillon tente de franchir le mur de sa peine, une coccinelle se pose à côté de sa détresse, toute la nature s'agite pour la secouer de sa torpeur humide :
- Regarde autour de toi, lui murmure Coccinelle à l'oreille entre deux bruissements de ses ailes noires. Tout est toujours là ! Rien n'a changé !
- Vois comme je vole pour toi, chante Papillon en faisant looping sur looping pour gagner un sourire qui pareraient ses ailes rouge rubis.
- HOoouuui, ils ont raison Fée ! Phooouuurquoi pleurer quand la vie bat autoouuur de toi ? tente un gros et sage Hibou venu se poser là pas par hasard. Sais-tu ce qu'il manque à ce merveilleux paysage ?
Elle lève sa jolie tête et repousse d'une main ses cheveux tissés de perles, plantant ses yeux dorés dans ceux du volatile philosophe :
- Non ?... finit-elle par soupirer d'une voix enrouée.
- Tes yeux, ma Fée ! Tes yeux poouuur nous rendre beaux.
- Va-t-en ! Tu ne peux pas comprendre, s'exclame-t-elle dans un sanglot. Je n'ai pas envie d'entendre tes sornettes ! Va-t-en avant que je te transforme en corbeau.
- Te sentirais-tu mieux ?
Elle réfléchit, plissant un nez rebelle.
- ... Non.
Non rien ne peut la consoler et il n'existe aucun charme contre les peines de cœur, d'autant plus quand il s'agit d'un humain. Ses soeurs ont essayé à maintes reprises, mais finalement seul le temps est capable d'atténuer le feu de ce genre de blessures, rarement de les guérir.
- On m'avait pourtant prévenue, gémit-elle en se tordant les mains.
Champignon soupire. Ce n'est pas la première fois qu'une Fée pleure sur sa tête, à croire qu'il est le seul dans le coin, comme si elles s'étaient toutes données le mot... Et toujours les mêmes litanies. Il se dit qu'il est temps de devenir sage à sont tour.
- Tu as fait ta propre expérience, avance tendrement vieil Hibou en clignant des yeux en guise de sourires. C'est fait, doooouuuuce Fée, maintenant tu sais.
Deux plis apparaissent sur le front de la Princesse des Bois d'ordinaire aussi lisse que de la nacre.
- Mais pourquoi ? J'ai tout fait ! Pourquoi ne me voit-il pas ?
- Tooouuut un univers voous sépare.
- Il n'est pas loin d'ici
- Ici hoouuu de l'autre côté de la galaxie est du pareil au même quand tu es Fée et lui Homme.
- Pourtant nous nous ressemblons ? Enfin, un peu... se souvient-elle en battant des ailes.
- Comme la pyrite à de l'or...
Elle ouvre ses deux mains et fait apparaître deux pépites qu'elle contemple en tentant d'apprécier leurs différences, mais pour elle l'une et l'autre sont aussi précieuses. Elle hausse les sourcils :
- Dans l'échelle de l'évolution Fée tu es et Homme il est. Ton cœur est sorti de la gangue hooouuuù le sien est encore prisonnier. Ainsi sont les choses puisque tu es Fée et qu'il est homme.
- Alors jamais nous ne pourrons nous rejoindre ?
- Quand son coeur brillera comme le tien.
Coccinelle, Papillon et Champignon en restent cois. Vieil Hibou réussira-t-il là où ils ont tous échoué ?
- Comment le faire briller ? l'interroge Fée. Aucune magie n'y parviendra...
- En le laissant suivre son chemin sans interférer. Lui seul a le pooouvoir d'illuminer son coeur.
- Tu crois qu'un jour ?... ose-t-elle espérer.

Hibou déplie ses ailes et cligne plusieurs fois des yeux, Hibou rit beaucoup de tant d'innocence.
- Hoouuu... Le temps qu'il t'a fallu. Hoouuu plus, hoouu moins, qui sait ?... Sinon lui. Mais je vais te dire un secret qui me vient de thoouut là-haut : ce jooour viendra aussi sûr qu'après la pluie vient le beau temps et après les larmes ton rire.
- Souris, Fée ! s'empresse de lui crier Papillon en se posant sur sa tête.
- Allez ! Fais-nous rire ! surenchérit Coccinelle en agitant ses antennes rouges pour lui chatouiller le nez.
- Allez ! frissonne Champignon. Vole et éclaire le monde!
Dans un grand éclat de rire qui se transforme aussitôt en poussières d'or, Fée s'envole dans un tourbillon d'étoiles.



May 9, 2017

Dunescapes by Ashok Viswanathan




My dear Indian friend sent me these magical photographs (pelierc@yahoo.fr). He makes me happy and proud 😇 Enjoy the trip dear reader !




"Desert Watch"





Dunescapes by Ashok Viswanathan AFIP, AFIAP











"Lone Tree"










I am a landscape and travel photographer based in Mumbai, India and have been into photography for about 40 old years.


Prior to the digital era I used mainly Nikon equipment and shot both Kodachrome and b+w. The processing quality in India during those years left much to be desired from the labs and hence my Kodachrome film was always processed in Germany. The b+w mainly FP4 was done by me in a home darkroom using D76 or Promicrol.

Now with digital I get images that remind me of Kodachrome with rich colours, excellent contrast and ability to make large lovely prints on an inkjet printer. More interesting is the option to change the images to make them more interesting and creative.

Most of the images you see here are done using textures and layers along with blending modes. 











Caravan









You need to try with different textures and blending modes as it does not always work. When they come together they yield some very creative and unique images. I collect textures where ever I see them. Things like the sky in different times and moods, painted walls, oil stains, rusted metal, water on glass etc. The interesting thing is that when you blend the result often does not look like the origin texture. Once you have decided on the blending mode you may need to go back and adjust your levels, contrast and brightness to get an acceptable image.

The pictures here are made on an old Nikon D100 with a 24~85mm and 80~200 f2.8lens. I have since moved to the small Fuji Xpro1 mirrorless with Fuji glass.




My favourite location is the the Thar desert near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Best time to get there is winter when the temperature is pleasant and the light pleasing. Being a tourist destination, the locals are used to cameras and will even model for you for a small fee.





"Alone in the desert"







"Desert Dunes"






"Desert Rider"






"Sam Dunes"






"Skywalk"






"Sunset Sam Dunes"





Thank you Chris for letting me show some of my work on your wonderful site. I am honoured.
I am honoured too. Thank you Ashok 😊



MY FRIENDS ART MODELS MUSES :
If you plan a trip in India, Bombay, Ashok needs you and will receive you with pleasure and respect. Contact him on his facebook or his site.


May 4, 2017

The magic of Carsten Basile




A magical photograph I want to share with you :

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” Marcus Aurelius

"As desperately as I wanted a good Milky Way shot a few days ago, it didn't quite happen. In this shot you can make out part of it in the upper right, but not strong enough for what I had envisioned. I almost dumped the shots from the attempt... but then I changed my mind. There was something in these shots. Something I needed to share... It was in the stars all along."






May 1, 2017

Warren Brown, "Nature of the Shots"



Warren Brown



His favorite quote : "I can take a good picture, but I can't always take a great picture. When I do, it's like finding a treasure in a rummage sale." Sylvia Plachy, Photographer







"Kindred Spirit"
With Art Model Niansa

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect." Chief Seattle, Suquamish Tribal Leader.
Another one from backing up the hard drive, from a shoot a couple of years ago. The lady who is kindred spirit to the trees here is the superb Niansa."
























"I'll Be Holding On"
With Art Model Niansa

"I have lived my life my way
For tonight and for today
Just the strongest hearts, they say
Always survive
And I'm fallin' through the years
All these dreams disappear
And the night is full of tears
I'll be holding on."
By Doro



Warren is someone important for me. Since several years, our relationship is always opened, passionate, admirative and full of a kindness I need to survive. I favorite one of his wonderful photograph, he always thanks me. Instead of the contrary. Wow ! I'm looking for a successor, he tells me to keep going on, to fight. Each message from him gives me a reason to work, even if I feel bad.














"Coming Out Of The Dark"

"I looked at this and for some reason had the vision of the model emerging from the dark area of the shot. Is she a princess that's just escaped from the dungeon ? Perhaps a cave dweller resting on the rocks ? Or maybe an evil nymph trying to draw you into the cave?"




Here is a beautiful text he wrote, emotional, an hommage to the beauty of Bec, inspiring Art Model. All the photographers have lived such a moment. Isn't it ?

He gave me the permission to publish it. Thank you Warren. You're a great talented photographer and also a good writer. I didn't know. We are waiting for the shots !

With admiration, Chris.






"Spirit of Place - Serenity"
With Art Model Bec
"We all need a little serenity. First shot from my shoot with the highly professional and superb Bec"

















"Into The Mists..."

"Who knows what you might find as you push aside the expectations of others, and take your own journey Into The Mists."







Nature of the Shots

"You know what it's like.

You drive into the mountains in the hope of a photoshoot. You send your all-wheel drive down a rutted, boggy track. You walk, lugging your gear down... and down... and down to get to the base of a waterfall.

And it rains.


















"I Am A Rock"
"The title for this piece came from the song by Simon and Garfunkel, I Am A Rock. Sometimes, we all need to take time out and curl up within ourselves for a while. A little bit of isolation can be good for the psyche every now and then."





But then things change. You add a model who is ready to work in all sorts of weather. One who has been in regular contact since the shoot was first arranged. One who has a few ideas of her own, who is easy to talk to, and a consummate professional every step of the way who has a can-do approach to the whole shoot, and actively looks for ways to improve the shoot. And the clouds part.

That was my afternoon today. I had the opportunity to work with the superbly professional Bec who worked hard in rainy conditions and on wet, slippery rocks around the base of a waterfall. And the shots (downloading as I type) are looking very good indeed, and with such a superb model, what else could be expected given the nature of the shots.

So I most humbly doff my cap, and bow to the marvellous Bec. Thank you dear lady ! It was beautane.

Shots up soon. Warren B."







"World of Tension"
With Art Model Berenice Dorei
"Ever feel like every now and then you need to take a few minutes to relax and unwind from what has become a world of tension ?"






"Yearning"
"... for peace. In the solitude of the great outdoors."