Sunwatchers' Bulletin

July 1, Canada Day.

The Book of Alfred has been published and may be viewed at http://www.sofobomo.org/book-239

Alfred and Seymour will be relieved to lose that feeling of being stalked!  I’m already scheming on other projects.

I’ve enjoyed having some feedback on this page so I think I’ll do the same with the next project(s).  I don’t intend to wait a year for sofobomo’s next contest.  I’m into the idea of PDF books and even have a DVD seminar I purchased but the seminar is about the expensive software which I had no time to learn this summer.  It’s not necessary, as you can see, to make a presentable book. But the software gives you much more control.  I did find out a lot about Aperture 3′s book-making potential and ended up being quite pleased with it.

I had to resort to varying the background colour some because you can’t vary the text colour nor the font (as far as I know) in Aperture.  I learned more about PDFs this time but I have only scratched the surface of what’s available and what’s possible.

I’m pleased with it.  I had editorial questions left in my mind, mainly about including my fun photographs which are more about me than Alfred.  However, I assure you that each new camera that has come into the house this summer has FIRST taken a photo of Alfred!  And I am having a lot of fun with the cameras though Alfred is not the best subject for them for several reasons.

Although I waffled back and forth among being serious, doing a send-up, and just having fun, I landed on the last possibility.  And that meant it was OK to include my fun photos.

As I’ve told some of you, I learned quite a bit about Alfred and Seymour.  I thought I knew it all.  I realize, more than I did, that their lives are serious and must be taken seriously.  They need their play time and the attention they get from me.  Not just food, water and litterboxes.  They enjoy each other so much as well.  As many of you know, we never thought THAT day would come but even this morning Seymour was running around with Alfred.  Zoom!

I sincerely hope you find some amusement, entertainment, or pleasure in the book.

Yes, it could be printed up by Apple or another printing service.

I hope to be back here soon with a new project.  Soon could be September or October, though.

Thank you all for your support and attention!  It’s been fun.

A bientot!

June 28, 2010

It’s Monday and the book has to be posted on Friday. It’s pretty well together. I’d say it’s in final draft. I want it to sit for a couple of days for final edits.
Already I have thought of about 3 changes I want to make. It’s probably too big in terms of number of pages. I’m ok on the contest rules for megabytes without changes but I think a little pruning will be good.
So, hold your breath for the announcement.

June 27, 2010

Just a quick note to say I’m still collecting photos. The fountain shots today were the best! They’re being saved for the book. But I also got this one.

Alfred’s Household Staff do leave something to be desired! However, with the magic of blurring only one or two of you will recognize what’s lying beside him! Nothing personal or secret so don’t worry….

This looked like it might develop into something but didn’t. Since we’ve already noted the housekeeping staff’s delinquencies, we might as well keep on the same track:

Book is due soon… So tomorrow evening, it’s down to editing.

I’m happy with what I’ve got though there could be much more! He’s got more dimensions than he did last month and soon to be famous! What a dear fellow.

June 23, 2010

I’m winding down the photo taking and ramping up the book-making. This morning I had ideas for two new projects. I started to take the first photos when guess who decided investigation, and more, was required.

Looking with that mixed look of fear and delight–anxiety? And long gone from the “location” of the yellow cup.

June 20, 2010

Alfred is suffering from model fatigue. He’s had so many photos taken of him that he is starting to lose interest and to walk away. However, undaunted, his photographer has persisted with various items of photo-taking equipment and different strategies. He is such a patient, quiet guy. However, I have learned that he is quite a perpetual motion machine at the same time. It’s the micro-moves that get the photographer.

Closeups:

Portraits with the 30-something year old 50mm/f1.4 lens on the digital camera.

You’d better appreciate the bokeh of this lens or I won’t like you any more!

And finally, foreshadowing another project. Remember this one, anyone?

And in his mouth!

I think I’ve finally determined on the methodology. Now, I have to decide on TONE and editorial content. I have about 850 images so I should be able to get 35 out of that number. I expect to get some more photos in the next few days particularly if the sun shines and we have a well-lit “studio”.

He’s a dear fellow and don’t worry, I’m not torturing him with men’s clothing. And yes, Seymour does not appreciate all the attention the young one is getting!

June 14, 2010

Well we have thunder and lightning this evening. I’ve “caught” Alfred watching the storm. More photos coming.

Having announced my book cover, I discovered it doesn’t really fit in the Aperture format I was going to use! So that may mean rethinking which program I’m going to use to create my PDF. Not just because of the cover but also because the shots the books are planned for are mostly landscape orientation when I have a lot of portrait shots of Alfred, naturally. Sooo…. That was quite a disappointment to discover last evening.

Will I be using Word or Powerpoint for Mac?? Or do I get to spring for an Adobe product.

Alfred is cooperating well and posing in some unusual places for me. Yeah!

June 13, 2010

I’m going to go wild and add to the beginning of the page so that you can find this entry for June 13, 2010 more easily.

I’ve pretty well settled on a cover:

And here’s the latest shot from this evening:

Yes, for some reason, the movement of standing up at that perch required him to lick his lips. Here he is at his master’s feet:

I’ve got almost 200 images to choose from so far. Need some more though too!

June 6, 2010

As some of you know, I entered a PDF book in the sofobomo.org photobook (solo photo book month) event last summer. I am working on the one for this year now and thought it would be fun to write a little about it as I go along. Thanks again to she who put me onto this last year!

As some of you know, I have a lot of projects on my plate this summer, so with advice from she who knows me the longest, I chose a theme close to home and heart, Alfred and his life.

Now, I could have bought $2000 worth of software from Adobe to do this project. However, Aperture has book-making built in and those books, once laid out, can be “published” to PDF format and then uploaded onto the web. I do have an older version of Photoshop Elements if I really have to do some editing which Aperture doesn’t know how to do. But with the addition of the wonderful, loverly, beautiful, capable, intelligent, handsome, sprightly, suave, and sophisticated iPad and certain apps, I believe I can do the book, this year, without any major purchases. Although, in future I hope to do PDF books with video included in them, this project must contain 35 photos taken in the 30 day period I have chosen in the two-month fuzzy month period the project allows. There is no place for video.

I’ll also be using my iPhone and apps in it which make for some fun images of Alfred but I’m not ready to preview those yet! I’ve been playing some with film and hope to have some portraits done on film and converted to digital (maybe even entirely by me since I do have the equipment to do that once the film is developed by someone else who can worry about the MSDS sheets, ventilation, drainage, etc.) But the turnaround is tight with all of that happening so that all may have to wait for another project. I have already got some very satisfying shots on film since I took it up again. Kodak even has a new lovely colour negative film called Ektar. It’s fab.

The old book can be viewed at: http://sofobomo.org/book-163

If and when I finish this book in early July, I will post the link on this page.

I have bought a new Gorillapod capable of holding by Panasonic GH1 so that I can take photos at Alfred’s level. I didn’t want them all to be taken looking down and sometimes I can’t hold the camera steady enough when lying on the floor. My other tripods all have center posts and thus are a great big nuisance to set up at ground level–the legs would take up the living room floor when spread out. Anyway, the more portable of them live in the car so they are ready for use on photo walks. This Gorillapod will also allow videotaping (not for this project) of Alfred and other lower dwelling or functioning creatures and objects. That’s for other projects or just for fun. So the outlay specifically for this project is nil.

I’m playing with how any words will look on the pages. And which book format to use–I’m leaning to either the photoessay or photojournal styles. It’s not a particularly serious topic (I hope!).

Seymour has gotten into a couple of shots now. I’m learning things about Alfred and his life which I didn’t expect to learn. I thought I knew all there was that needed to be known. Arrogant human, that I am.

Since it’s to be a photobook, I should preview a photo or two, eh? Thanks, also, to my photo advisor who’s previewing the photos as they appear on the iPad!

Here’s Alfred:

Like all famous actors, he needs his beauty sleep.

Please check back now and then this month for some new photos or updates.

Thanks,

Daphne