Archive for June, 2010

« Older Entries

Getty Curator Doubts Photos Attributed To Eadweard Muybridge

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Getty Curator Doubts Photos Attributed To Eadweard Muybridge

Controversial 19th Century Photographer Back In Headlines

Photographer Eadweard Muybridge, a portrait of whom has been scanned to digital above, first made headlines in 1874 when he shot and killed a man who was having an affair with his wife. Four years later, on June 19th, 1878, he made history by making what is generally considered the first motion picture recording, at the behest of former governor Leland Stanford. And his name appeared in the headlines of the Los Angeles Times once again, this time in June of 2010. Who exactly was Eadweard Muybridge, and what is all the fuss about?

Eadweard Muybridge is probably most famous for photographing the first successful serial images of fast motion. Leland Stanford contracted Muybridge, already a well-known photographer, to help solve what seemed to be an irresolvable debate between artists and equestrians. The topic of this debate, which in retrospect seems rather trivial when compared to the extraordinary technological advances that sprung from it, was the simple matter of whether all of a trotting horse’s hoofs are ever off the ground at once. On June 19th, 1878 in Palo Alto, California, Muybridge proved the affirmative by making the first ever motion picture.

To see the series of photos scanned to digital, click here.

To see the animated motion picture, click here.

More recently, Muybridge made headlines for an even more controversial topic – the doubtful authenticity of some of his works. Last week, the LA Times reported that some photographs attributed to Muybridge, including some being featured in a landmark exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, might not be the work of Muybridge after all. Former Getty photo curator Weston Naef believes that many of Muybridge’s earliest photographs, taken in San Francisco in 1866 and 1867, were actually taken by other photographers and published under Muybridge’s name. Chief among those likely to have taken Muybridge’s early photos is Carleton Watkins, whose acknowledged works were the subjects of the Getty Museum’s 2008 exhibit entitled “Dialogue Among Giants: Carleton Watkins and the Rise of Photography in California.” If Naef is right in believing that many of Muybridge’s early photos were indeed taken by other photographers, proving such a theory would change the history of photography significantly.

The Muybridge exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery is entitled “Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Time of Change,” and will be showing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art starting in February of next year.

Tags: ,
Posted in Photo Scanning | 5 Comments »

Tim Burton MoMA Exhibit Headed To LACMA In 2011

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Tim Burton MoMA Exhibit Headed To LACMA In 2011

Modern Art With A Macabre Twist

From Batman (1989) and Edward Scissorhands (1990), to Sweeny Todd (2007) and Alice in Wonderland (2010), director Tim Burton has made a career of presenting dark, macabre, and odd characters in dreamlike worlds that are as inviting as they are weird. The idiosyncratic director, whose highly stylized films are not shy about portraying Burton’s unique aesthetic, has given rise to a cult following by creating imaginative and memorable characters, such as Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas, which seem to linger in the popular culture long after the movies for which they were created have left the box office.

Hundreds of Burton’s slightly disturbing yet undeniably appealing artworks were compiled for a major retrospective exhibition, which opened New York’s Museum of Modern Art in November of 2009. Featuring artwork and pro video transfers from Burton’s films, as well as original drawings and sculptures, the exhibit became one of the most highly attended exhibitions in MoMA’s history, drawing over 800,000 visitors during its five-month run. Only two other artists’ retrospective exhibitions have ever drawn more visitors, those being Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.

The exhibition featured many over-the-top attractions, including large-scale topiary installation from Edward Scissorhands, and a doorway in the form of an enormous, monstrous mouth. In addition to pieces from studio archives and private collections of Burton’s collaborators, the collection featured over 700 pieces from Burton’s private archive of works.

 The popular exhibition is currently headed to the Australian Center for the Moving Image and Toronto’s Bell Light Box, but will return to the United States in May of 2011, when it will be shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The MoMA version of the exhibit included pro video transfers of several of Burton’s films in their entirety, but LACMA has not yet confirmed that full-length film screenings will be part of its version of the show. For more information about upcoming events at LACMA, visit www.lacma.org.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Photo Scanning | 6 Comments »

Israeli Lawmaker Attempts To Ban Super-Slim Models, Photoshop

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Israeli Lawmaker Attempts To Ban Super-Slim Models, Photoshop

How Thin Is Too Thin?

 We all know that for models and celebrities, “thin is in.” Hollywood, fashion magazines, and the media in general are full of rail thin supermodels and movie-stars that promote an unusual body type as the only “beautiful” body type. Studies have shown that the portrayal of thinness as beauty in the popular media has even contributed to a rise in eating disorders such anorexia and bulimia. And what’s worse, photos portraying rail-thin models have often been retouched to make the models appear even thinner than they are in real life. These days, this information is mostly common knowledge – something we’ve all heard about, and just sort of accepted. What could we do about it, anyway?

Well, Israeli doctor and lawmaker Rachel Adatto thinks there is something to be done. Adatto, who has devoted much of her career to women’s health issues, recently submitted a bill to the Knesset (Israeli parliament) that would keep “underweight” models out of advertisements, and would prohibit the misuse of editing tools like Photoshop, so advertising agencies and print media could not airbrush models into Barbie dolls.       

Adatto claims that super-skinny models are poor role models for children and adults alike, and that impressionable youths are particularly at risk for potentially fatal eating disorders. She also suggests that the use of Photoshop is partly to blame. Photographers routinely photograph models, and then use photo scanning and digital editing software like Photoshop to make their photos (and their subjects) appear “more perfect.”

But what would such a law mean for slender Israeli models like Shelly Hazan (pictured right? Do they not have the right to work? The bill raises questions about freedom of occupation, freedom of employment, and of course the freedom of expression that Americans guard so vehemently. Such principles are anchored in Israeli law as strongly as in our laws.

Of course, the fashion and photography industries have taken advantage of airbrushing techniques for decades, and most of us accept that a certain amount of photo scanning, fiddling, and blemish-removing is bound to take place in industries that focus so heavily on aesthetics. Last week, in what seems to many like a reasonable compromise, the ministerial legislation committee signed off on an altered version of the bill which would allow photo-altering but would require touched-up images to be identified.

As for the debate over “how thin is too thin,” the jury is still out.

Tags: ,
Posted in Photo Scanning | No Comments »

How You Can Help De-Clutter The Earth by Jodie Watson

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Watching news of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as it unfolds makes me feel so helpless, as I’m sure it has you, too. With the massive oil spill now being named as ‘the largest oil spill in US history’, our water is being polluted with thousands of barrels of oil with each passing day. Marine and wildlife struggle to survive while fishing and tourism industries remained threatened. As BP attempts to correct this problem with numerous techniques to control the spread of oil, we wait hoping things will improve as soon as possible. 

Seeing the relief and rescue teams pull together to do whatever they can reminds me of the things we can do in our very homes to avoid putting more waste into our environment.  

I’ve always stressed that the less clutter we have, the better we feel – but definitely not at the expense of our planet!  We’ve all heard the sayings, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” or “Going Green” but are we actually doing as much as we could be doing in our everyday lives and actually living by these mottos. The more we recycle, the less we have in landfills!  The more we reuse or pass on to others to reuse, the less we have in landfills!  It really is a win-win. 

From using re-useable cloth bags instead of plastic at grocery stores, choosing online banking & bill pay to save on paper waste, donating old or outdated electronics that are lying around the house, shopping and donating other unwanted items at local thrift stores, there are ways we can each do our part to help our planet and support your communities at the same time. From homes, to corporate offices, we can all work together to protect our world and help make it a greener, safer and more beautiful place to live. 

Best sure to check out my June tips for other things you can do to help de-clutter the earth.  We may not be in a position to clean off a bird that has been soaked in oil, but there are other ways we can make a difference in our world…starting today! 

Take Care,

~ Jodie ~

 How You Can Help De-Clutter The Earth

By making a few changes and becoming informed, you can do your part to dispose of unnecessary items safely without damaging the planet.

HAZARDOUS WASTE 

Medications & Sharps: Throwing out old medications or putting them down the toilet or sink can pollute the water supply and soil.  Contact pharmacies in your area to find one that has a drug recycling program and take them there for safe disposal. It is illegal to dispose of sharps (needles, lancets, etc) in the trash. Seal in a puncture resistant container such as a laundry detergent bottle, tape shut, mark clearly “contains sharps”, and take to a physician, participating pharmacy or household hazardous waste event or S.A.F.E. Center.  Call (800) 988-6942 for locations near you.  Do not throw away the sealed sharps container into any of your own trash bins. 

Paint & Household Products: Items such as paint, paint thinners, cleaners and solvents, pool or gardening chemicals, used oil, furniture polish & sprays, etc damage the environment.  Disposing of them in your trash, storm drains or sewers is actually against the law. Check with family or friends to see if they are able to make use of what you no longer need first.  If you do need to dispose of the products, call your local Department of Water and Power to find a permanent recycle center or hazardous waste disposal event in your city. Don’t pour chemicals into a single container.  Be sure to keep them in their original packages. 

E-Waste: Keep electronics out of the trash. Did you know that e-waste is one of the fastest growing areas in landfills? Alarmingly, around only 10% of all electronic waste is actually recycled. Visit www.Earth911.com to search for the recycling center nearest you. Recycle everything and anything from TV’s, video games, cell phones, batteries, computer monitors, printers, radios, etc.   

HOUSEHOLD WASTE 

Clothing & Furniture: Instead of throwing unwanted items away or placing old furniture on the side of the road join www.Freecycle.org. This nonprofit organization is committed to reusing and keeping stuff out of landfills.  Members have access to networks in their area and are able to give (or get) stuff for free in their own town.  Membership is free! Sign up online to find your local group. 

Plastic Bags: While clean, dry, plastic bags can be recycled and reused to make useful new products, many curbside programs won’t accept them. To find a designated plastic bag recycling drop off center near you and for more information visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org.  The consumers section of their website also contains a comprehensive list of the type of plastic bags that can be recycled. 

Paper: Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. In order to be successfully recycled, paper must be clean and free of contaminants such as food, plastic, metal or other trash. Use your curbside recycling bin or community drop-off programs to recycle paper products such as newspapers, magazines, catalogs, phone books, copy paper, file folders, cereal boxes, etc. 

Contact Jodie Watson:

If you have any questions, would like to schedule a free professional organizing telephone consultation, or would like Jodie Watson to speak at your next corporate function, group meeting, social event, or retreat, call at (818) 590-7800. You can also contact Jodie on Facebook and Twitter or visit her website at Supreme Organization.

Tags:
Posted in Photo Scanning | 4 Comments »

Congress Honors Slaves Who Helped Build Capitol

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Congress Honors Slaves Who Helped Build Capitol

Plaques Unveiled In Their Memory

The above photo, which has been scanned to digital for preservation in the National Archives, was taken in 1856. It depicts workers, many of them slaves, removing the old dome of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., and preparing to replace it with the fireproof cast-iron dome that remains there today. The placement of the Statue of Freedom atop the dome was supervised by an enslaved man named Philip Reid in 1863. In 2010, Congress has decided to honor the many African American slaves who helped build the U.S. Capitol.

Historians have learned that slaves were used in the construction of many of our nation’s most recognizable government buildings, including the White House and the Capitol. The slaves worked 12 hours a day, six days a week for no pay. The federal government rented these workers from local slave-owners, who received $5 per person per month. In addition to working on the construction of the buildings, slaves worked in quarries extracting stone, sawed stone and timber, and provided other carpentry skills. Slave women and children molded clay in kilns.

In memory of these slaves and the work they did to help build our nation’s capitol, plaques have been erected inside the Capitol building. The plaques read: “This original exterior wall was constructed between 1793 and 1800 of sandstone quarried by laborers, including enslaved African Americans who were an important part of the workforce that built the United States Capitol.”

Democratic Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, who was present at the unveiling of the plaques, says they help tell a more full history of our capitol city. “This Capitol, the most recognizable symbol of our democracy, was not built overnight,” he said. “It was not built by machines. It was built through the backbreaking work of laborers and slave laborers.”

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was also present, saying “In remembering the slaves who labored here, we give them in death some measure of the dignity they were so cruelly denied in life.”

The plaques were unveiled inside the Capitol’s historic Mansfield Room on June 16th by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, along with Republicans Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. They will later reside in the Congressional Visitor Center’s largest room, Emancipation Hall, so named to honor the slaves’ work on the Capitol.

To explore more photos and documents that have been scanned to digital for preservation by the National Archives, visit www.digitalvaults.org.

Tags:
Posted in Photo Scanning | No Comments »

« Older Entries