60 second shadow boxing

"shadow boxing"

I was shadow boxing early in the day
figured i was ready for cassius clay.
i said fee fie foe fum, cassius clay here i come.
99,100,101,102 your ma won’t even recognize you
14,15,16,17,18,19, gonna knock him clean right out of his spleen!

- bob dylan ‘I Shall Be Free No.10’

note: fucking around with a single 60 second exposure. This one lined up perfect on only my second attempt!

they call it art.

my father was gallery hopping in NYC (specifically west chelsea) this past weekend and sent me this image of two older, but mint condition (other than the mild warping around the pole) cars wrapped around poles. I think the art is actually in how the hell this was done? Couldn't have been a car crusher because the bumpers would be crushed or smashed... it's cool nonetheless.

In an economy this battered, is someone actually dishing out $100,000 for these? Their great, but man that's a tough sell in this market right now. I can't imagine the costs just to ship these to the gallery?

cinemascapes - first place book (Paris PX3)

I don't a) remember entering this competition or b) actually having or sending in a book (other than an old blurb promo). But I'll take it. This silly "stock" press release is a little misleading though. I was awarded first place Book in a sub category (fine art - other), not overall 1st place Book. That was given to Erwin Olaf, who also won the whole shebang as Photographer of the year. Kudos to him. Love his work.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WINNER OF PX3, Prix de la Photographie Paris

Aaron Hobson of United States was Awarded First Prize in the PX3 2009 Competition.

Paris, France
Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3) announces winners of PX3 2009 competition.

Aaron Hobson of United States was Awarded: First Prize in category Book (Series Only) for the entry entitled, " Aaron Hobson - cinemascapes ." The jury selected PX3 2009’s winners from thousands of photography entries from over 85 countries.

Px3 is juried by top international decision-makers in the photography industry: Carol Johnson, Curator of Photography of Library of Congress, Washington D.C.; Gilles Raynaldy, Director of Purpose, Paris; Viviene Esders, Expert près la Cour d'Appel de Paris; Mark Heflin, Director of American Illustration + American Photography, New York; Sara Rumens, Lifestyle Photo Editor of Grazia Magazine, London; Françoise Paviot, Director of Galerie Françoise Paviot, Paris; Chrisitine Ollier, Art Director of Filles du Calvaire, Paris; Natalie Johnson, Features Editor of Digital Photographer Magazine, London; Natalie Belayche, Director of Visual Delight, Paris; Kenan Aktulun, VP/Creative Director of Digitas, New York; Chiara Mariani, Photo Editor of Corriere della Sera Magazine, Italy; Arnaud Adida, Director of Acte 2 Gallery/Agency, Paris; Jeannette Mariani, Director of 13 Sévigné Gallery, Paris; Bernard Utudjian, Director of Galerie Polaris, Paris; Agnès Voltz, Director of Chambre Avec Vues, Paris; and Alice Gabriner, World Picture Editor of Time Magazine, New York.

Winning entries from each major category (Advertising, Photojournalism, Book, Fine Art, Nature, and Portraiture) are exhibited in Paris Espace Dupon from July 20-25 and published in the high-quality, full-color Px3 Annual Book, which is distributed to galleries, agencies, publishers and bookstores worldwide.

About the Winner:

Contact Aaron Hobson:
aaron@aaronhobson.com
http://aaronhobson.com

ABOUT Px3:
The "Prix de la Photographie Paris" (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Winning photographs from this competition are exhibited in a high-profile gallery in Paris and published in the high-quality, full-color Px3 Annual Book.
Visit http://px3.fr

For Press Inquiries, Contact:
info@px3.fr

I hate heat, but some people don't even feel it?

Kids enjoy a soccer game on June 21, 2009 in Botshabelo near Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

This photo taken from the Boston Globes newest installation of "the Big Picture" (link) baffles me. It's always baffled me how natives of extremely hot regions of the earth can tolerate the heat. More so, how the hell they can dress in sweaters, toques, and long pants? What gives? I was on the isolated island of South Andros in the Bahamas a few years back and it dropped down to 88 degrees one night and everyone on the tiny island was wearing 1990's Oakland Raider type Starter Jackets, and wool hats. I was in shorts, no underwear, and the thinnest cotton shirt and was miserable and sweating.

I just don't understand how that works? (click on the image and enlarge it. look at all of their warm outfits and especially the little guy second from the left. It's a heavy demin or corduroy looking coat with fur trim and the collars are up! holy shit, I'd die in that.)

A mountain, a storm, near death, LSD and a few boy scouts...

ill prepared © the cinemascapist 2009

One of favorite real life stories that I've never photographed until now. It's both humorous and horrifying and somewhat embarrassing at the same time. Not one to explain a photo and I don't think I need to at all, but this story is too good to not share to the 2 or 3 readers of this blog.

The story begins a few months after my ex-girlfriend and I moved out of the city (Pittsburgh) and to the 6 million acre Adirondack Park where I still reside. One weekend we decided to try some camping. Being relative camping neophytes, there was little to know forethought other than choosing a lean-to that was on the back side of a mountain. This entailed summiting the mountain and then traversing down to the lake and cozy lean-to on it's shore. No big deal.

First things first being young, dumb city folk, we drop a few hits of LSD to better enjoy the nature. We head out from the car and pick up the trail to the summit. Less than 2 miles into the trip we heard distant rumbling of thunder and above were dark dark clouds (one of many oversights; the weather). After about an hour of meandering the flats we approach the base of the mountain and start our ascent as the storm grows nearer. Not long into this leg of the trip the storm erupts overhead and we push on with our waterproof gear. Several hours later (not sure how many) we are approaching what appears to be the summit... short windblown and ravaged trees, weird bushes and tough plants that can withstand the winter exposed up here at this altitude. Everything is becoming increasingly intense. The wind seems to be a category 4 storm, the rain is huge and the unearthed balding head of this mountain is starting to become exposed. It's rock head, like many in the Adirondacks, is one of the oldest and most worn down "rock" in North America (5 million years old). Stepping on it almost seemed wrong and very weird.

I was starting to feel a little freaked out at this point. Then it went from kinda freaked out to "what the fuck" in a split second. My girlfriend had collapsed into a ball of tears on the trail. Crying that we're going to die and the hurricane was going to take us away, etc..., etc.... With adrenaline kicked in now, I picked up her pack (mine and hers were at least 50lbs each) and begged her to get up and follow me until I could find a flat area to pitch the tent.

That is when I was starting to think we were on the wrong mountain or way off the trail we started on. There was no flat in site. It's just kept going up and up. Tight, narrow trails with thick bush on either side. Not even solid ground except for the exposed bedrock every once in a while along the path. Panic was setting in as I was struggling to carry both packs (quite uncomfortable) and my ex was still panicked and talking about laying down on the path and that she couldn't go on.

At last, the peak was in sight. The trail started to lose it's pitch and was leveling off. After a few more turns we were there. There just happened to be a football field sized rock with zero cover from the wind, rain, lightning and thunder. Lovely. I found a spot behind a boulder and tried to figure out the damn tent pole situation. Pole after pole, they seemed never ending with their opening and expanding. This took the patience and attention that I was so lacking at this point. An agonizing amount of time went by and the tent was up. We crept inside and bundled up in the down bags to regain warmth and sanity.

The storm only lasted a little bit longer and then it passed completely. It was summer and the sun seemed to be coming out and birds were singing. At this point I realized it was only 4pm. What happened next really stunned me. I heard people talking and approaching the summit. I immediately get out of my tent to offer towels or help to these other people that had to endure what we had just gone through. Imagine my surprise when two 14 year olds come skipping along with their water bottles and small fanny packs on. They seemed startled by the grissled looking wet dude standing there to greet them outside of his tent on the summit.

I asked how they got up here and they said they took the trail. I asked which trail and they responded the only one that was accesible to this peak. I continued to ask questions as I was befuddled on how they got here. They told me that their mother was waiting in the car while they climbed up here. They told me we were only a little under two hours from the road and the trailhead. I was in complete denial and probably freaking them out. How the hell did it take us a fucking eternity to get here. An epic 6, maybe 7 hour adventure. Too battered and too confused to even dare attempt descending down to the lake and lean-to that, for all we knew, was 30 more miles away. I mumbled something at them about my journey up and then crawled back into the tent. They didn't seem to hang out for too long and headed back down to their mother quite swiftly.

The next morning we were human again. Everything was soaked and we were hungry and exhausted. I was unable to cook the previous night for fear of unleashing the fumes from my butane camp stove. It all seemed way too complicated at the time. We quickly packed up our belongings and leftover brainwaves and headed out. It was not surprising that it was a quick trip down back to the car, although absolutely nothing looked familiar. The edges weren't as extreme, the sky wasn't bloodred and spilling waves on us, and the wind was calm.

It was a lesson learned and unfortunately a good amount of time passed before even thinking about camping again.

So that's my story. Long story. Glad I finaly got that one out in photo form.

words on photography...

American Pieta © the cinemascapist 2007

some quotes and a photo.

"I thought I made a mistake once but it turned out it was a creative moment."
- Scott Fleming

"I always thought good photos were like good jokes. If you have to explain it, it just isn't that good."
- Anonymous

"I like photographers—you don’t ask questions."
- Ronald Reagan"

"My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person."
- Andy Warhol

"Photographers are lousy editors."
- Maggie Sherwood

cinemascapist app for iphone

Rob Haggart mentions a new app from Men's Health magazine over on his blog (aphotoeditor.com) today.

It got me thinking. Why not have someone create an app that makes anyone a cinemascapist? I mean I'm not threatened by others bitin' my style, it actually humbles me and inspires me to push my work further and become more inventive, etc...

Here's how it would work...

You and Betty Sue are visiting the Great Wall of China. Betty Sue poses for a photo (see below)



Next you go to your iCinemascapist app template (see below for very basic cinemascape template)



Then you position it to where you like on your photo and apply said template (see below)! voila! you've got's yourself cinemascape of sorts and now you are a cinemascapist. Of course it's basic and doesn't have the hours of targeted dodging and burning that a real one possesses, but it takes your photo of Betty Sue to a whole new level! right? ;)



So where are all the app designers at? give me a shout, we'll make our first million in 2 months!

91 year old still exhibiting

end of an era © Aaronel deRoy Gruber

Deconstructed J&L Site View II © Aaronel deRoy Gruber


Celebrating all things Pittsburgh Week continued... (GO PENS!!!)

Aaronel deRoy Gruber will be turning 91 on July 12, 2009. She currently has an exhibit on display at Pittsburgh's Silver Eye Center for Photography (view here). Cheers to her for that!

I've always wanted one of her panoramics of the old Steel Mills in Pittsburgh.

Be sure to visit her site for more images and news. Aaronel deRoy Gruber

tense mother-daughter relationship

Me and Mom’s Boyfriend Mr. Art, 2005. © Latoya Ruby Frazier

in keeping all things Pittsburgh this week (GO PENS!!!!)...

I've seen Frazier's self-portraits before and unsuccessfully reached out for an interview myself with her. This is from The Morning News (full interview can be found here)


Grandma Ruby & Me, 2007. © Latoya Ruby Frazier

LaToya Ruby Frazier may be right that there is dysfunction in every home, but not every tense mother-daughter relationship receives such meditative and artistic consideration. The photographs that Frazier makes with her mother remind us just how unfamiliar we can be sometimes with those we call family; they are currently on display in the New Museum’s “The Generational” through July 5, 2009, at Higher Pictures in New York City through June 20, and at the Bronx Museum’s group show “Living and Dreaming,” opening June 21.

LaToya Ruby Frazier was born in Pittsburgh in 1982. She received her MFA in Art Photography from the School of Visual Performing Arts at Syracuse University in 2007. She has been an artist-in-residence at Art Omi in 2009, Center for Photography at Woodstock in 2008, and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2007.

useless poll of the week #9 results...

Keith Srakocic - Associated Press

useless poll question (updated weekly):
Stanley Cup Champion predictions

- Pittsburgh 5 (50%)
- Detroit 1 (10%)
- Don't Care 3 (30%)
- No clue 1 (10%)

5 to 1 vote for Pitt over Detroit. Nice karma! 3 didn't give a shit and 1 dude or dudette didn't know.

new poll is up.