How to Photograph your Artwork for the Web

In this age of digital submissions, an artist needs to know more than just how to paint, draw, sculpt or otherwise create. More and more shows and contests are running their jurying process via the web.

This seminar, which takes place at the Eliot School, in Jamaica Plain, is designed to help take the sting out of learning how to take good digital photos of your artwork (without spending a ton of money on gear), how to get the image ready for uploading to the web (without photoshop) and how to make sure your digital image is around when you need it in the future!

If you are an artist in the Boston area, this is the seminar to see. It takes place on April 22nd at 6:30pm.

Sign up for the workshop at eliotschool.org and check out their other marketing workshops as well.

Some of the topics covered in this workshop:
- What is a pixel and what is resolution and why should I even care?
- How can I make my camera do what I want?
- What should I do with the pictures?
- Is there a simple way to do this? (the answer is yes!)

Reception this Saturday

If you happen to be in the Boston area this Saturday evening and are looking for something to do, stop by the Footlight Club in Jamaica Plain between 6 and 8pm and say "Hi!"

The Found on the Beach series has found a home for the month of February at Eliot Hall in the Footlight Club, 7A Eliot Street.

I created The Found on the Beach limited edition photography portfolio after being inspired by a lifetime of exploring that magical transition zone where water meets land.

"Inspired by shape and texture and informed by delicate light, these images will bring you back to that first moment when you held a shell up to your ear."

Sounds like a lot of art-speak to me, but people seem to like these pieces enough to use them as the cover of a couple of jazz cds and to take them home.

So, stop on by and share some grog, maybe some tasty snacks. I will also have a some Found on the Beach books for signing. There are also a few Reflections at the Footlights books available (that was my portrait series at the club).

Hope to see you there!

Holidays, Charity, Thanks, Etc

This year, in honor of my good friend, Alec Boudreau, my client gift was a donation to the American Society for Suicide Prevention (www.asfp.org)

Alec, it has taken me a long time to get to the point where I am not as angry any more. You are missed.

As my son reminded me a few nights ago: "Remember to be thankful for what we have."

A Night in the Village, The Story Continues 5

For a suburban kid who moved to Boston, because he wanted to be in a big city (Boston is more like a big town to me), this place was nuts.

Over the top and totally out there.

For a photographer, a person who is basically a voyeur anyway, it was heaven.

Outrageous behavior and outfits, visual puns and Clinton masks were the flavor of the night.

A Night in the Village, the Production Part 2

So, I panicked.

Just so you understand my problem, up until this point, I had been strictly an assignment photographer. In other words, you give me an assignment and we will set up the production. Location scouting, casting, makeup, stylists, assistants, equipment rentals and research all go into the mix.

Lots of prep, pre planning, thinking, consulting, so that we can create the perfect image for our clients.

That evening, I was staring at a completely spontaneous shoot. I didn't know anyone. And, no one knew me. And, we didn't have a location. Or, rather, we had 12 blocks of locations.

Plus, mixed light sources, moving subjects, moving vehicles, cops, a few roving gangs, partyers, players and, of course, a bunch of people dressed in every way you can imagine.

Chaos!

To be continued...

A Night in the Village, the Production Part 1

The first Halloween, I went down to my buddy Greg's place, in NJ. We met up there and packed up a rental autofocus medium format camera. This was a few years before I made the digital switch.

I threw a flash on top and Greg ran around with a second flash radio slaved to my camera for an accent light. It was my standard lighting setup of the time, only made mobil.

We hopped in his rag top Jeep and made the 5 mile run to the Big Apple in just under 45 minutes. We parked, got out and walked to a street corner and Greg turned around and looked at me.

"Well? Now, what do we do?"

To be continued...

A Night in the Village, the Beginning

Once upon a time, a photographer was told that he should always have a personal project going. This would help him to stay fresh and creative.

He heard the advice but didn't know what to do. There are so many ideas in the volumes of sketch books. Any one of which could make for an interesting (at least to him) series of images. But, most required a lot of preproduction and cash to put together. It also meant a lot of work. That, along with satisfying the current client roster, meant that the personal project languished in the pre- pre- pre- production stage: "Wouldn't it be neat if..."

One fateful night, over a few liquid libations, his friend, who lived in New Jersey, said, "Have you ever seen the Halloween Parade through Greenwich Village?"

to be continued tomorrow!

JP Open Studios is over... for now!

Welcome to Fall!

JP Open Studios, a two day art event in Jamaica Plain, a suburb of Boston, is over and today we are cleaning up, putting away framed pieces that didn't sell and generally complaining about tired backs and sore feet.

The event went very well. I personally saw over 4000 people from all over the Greater Boston area pass by and through my little tent on Eliot Street. It was a lot of fun and we got to meet a lot of really nice people.

A few clients stopped by to see the new personal works and I met few people interested in talking about upcoming marketing projects.

Another great feeling comes from being on the board of the organization that put on the event. There was an amazing amount of work that goes into putting on a city-wide event with 200+ artists, numerous locations and individual studios, volunteers, and various entertainments. Plus, signage, map booklets, websites and fundraising events.

Luckily, we have an amazing group of people working with us. And, now that this year's event is over, we just need to do a little house keeping and tally up the successes and document the areas that need some shoring up.

If you are interested in getting involved in the arts community, and would like to volunteer some time, donate some skills or materials, we would welcome you with open arms.

Check out the JPOpenStudios.com web site for more information.

The image above was created at Reed State Park, near Wiscassett, Maine.

Found on the Beach Photography Show

Found on the Beach, my series of images of objects found during beach walks, has a new home for the month of April.

Thomas Durand, the curator at JP Lick's in Jamaica Plain, and the creator of the MonkeySox photographic series, had a cancellation in his schedule and needed an emergency show to put up.

Luckily, my work was still in its frames from the last exhibit in September.

It goes up on Tuesday and will be up for the month.

Stop by and see it!

Matt

It's Official!

Found at the Beach has officially been launched at lulu.com.

During the spring of 2006, we took a family vacation to visit some of our relatives whom we haven't seen in a long while. We traveled down to North Carolina and toured back up through Maryland and finally back up to Boston.

Every time we take one of these trips, I am fascinated by my children's reaction to the new input of ideas, scenes and situations. And, I reflect back to my own memories of my parents taking me and my brother on similar excursions.

Every time we take one of these trips (both when I was a child and now), we invariably end up at the shore at some point.

And pockets get filled with sand, shells and other little treasures.

This book was inspired by all of those trips. The work is an exploration of all of the wonderful bits and pieces that I collected.

It is also a journey back to my roots in photography. I started out doing table top sets in my living room and garage, following instructions I found in the old Peterson's Photographic Magazines, when I was a teenager. During my formal education at the Rochester Institute of Technology, I also spent most of my time playing the roll of a small god in a dark room, setting up still lifes and table top sets. It wasn't until my senior year that I realized the lessons I was learning with these images would apply to any other story telling image: light, composition, subject matter.

My boys and I took another trip recently, up to my parents' place on the coast of Maine. For some reason, we decided to do a winter trip to the beach at Reed State Park. And, once again, we came out with cool bits that are inspiring me to continue the series.

In any case, I hope the images tempt you and that you enjoy the book!

Matt

September Image

Spiral #3, Limited Edition, Archival Pigment Print, 10x14

This is part of a new, personal series I am working on, called "Found on the Beach."

For years, I have wandered parts of the coast line along the eastern seaboard, collecting bits of this and that. Unfortunately, the earlier items were lost as my parents edited my collection or disappeared during the several moves that we all go through. But a significant portion still remains, hiding in boxes or under the dust on my shelves.

And, during this past summer's vacation, my two boys have started creating their own collections.

So, it was time to do something with these fossils and rocks.

Shell #3, Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print, 10x17

These images are a few of the collection, and I hope to continue the series over the winter.

Stay tuned for more!