Inspiration | Chase Jarvis Blog

Archive | Inspiration RSS feed for this section

Software To Replace Photographers [The Ones That Deserve It]

By Chase on May 17, 2012

photo mark_Petapixel_a1_mini on chase jarvis blog Photographer Mark Meyers just wrote up a nice enough story aimed at driving ~~awareness~~ fear in professional photographers … fear about the future of their career, their well-being, their jobs.

Depicted in that article this image at left, which was completely generated by the author of the post using an emerging 3d modeling software called Blender. The quote that stands out from the article is this one:

“If you are a photographer that makes a living shooting still-life photos, this should scare you…”

Bullshit. Unless of course…

You take the kind of photo that actually requires no personal vision…or
you’re unwilling to evolve with the industry…or
you’re somehow deluded that photography should be bound to wait for it’s sectors that can’t evolve…or
you’re unable to comprehend the definition of photography expanding into new horizons.

In which case it SHOULD scare you because you should be replaced.

Because whether the camera is 6 megapixels or 60, it’s a point and shoot or a dSLR, or … gasp…the “camera” is a dude sitting at a desktop computer…these tools are JUST TOOLS and cannot create compelling content without a human driver, a storyteller, a visionary at it’s helm. And those photos are the only photos you should be aiming to create…unless of course, you’re ok being replaced by a lower priced pork belly.

This might seem like tough love if you’re hearing this for the first time. Apologies. But, get used to hearing no. If you’re an aspiring amateur or new pro, it’s fair to be disappointed, frustrated, or to find yourself in a position where what’s sitting in your lap is something different than you thought you signed up for. But it’s not smart for any of us to feel entitled — to complain about an evolving creative marketplace or desire to freeze an entire industry in time. Whether we like it or not, all industries march on.

Consider this your prime opportunity to start (or continue) to differentiate yourself, your work, your vision from that of your peers.

—-
(via petapixel)

Photography 101: The Radical Camera + New York’s Photo League

By Chase on May 14, 2012

1 2 3 4 5 6 Next

Every so often, I discover or am reminded of tectonic shifts in photography that seem to be little-known by the exploding world of photographers. No harm, no foul; but in those cases, I feel feel a social + moral desire (obligation?) to occasionally point to these shifts.

One such case is New York’s Photo League – a collection of some of the most innovative, culturally relevant and influential photographers who took to the streets and showed us life as it had been rarely explored before. Photogs like Lisette Model or Weegee (featured earlier on my blog here), Avedon, Leipzig, Orkin and Weston. These and other photogs are genre-defining photojournalists who created stark and unwavering images that offered unique glimpses into a world that – until their groundbreaking work – was infrequently or even NOT explored by photography. Instead of posed images of families, the NYPL documented rampant social change, the great divide between classes, racial issues, the rise of music, the war, and images of New York City in the 40s (even going so far as being labeled “Communists” by the US government…). In short, we have these artists to thank for the way that photojournalism has evolved today. Spin through the image tabs above to sample their arresting work.

If this group or any of these names are unfamiliar to you, give a read here to get the cliff notes, and more importantly – if you’re able — the exhibition called Radical Camera which features an extensive body of this work is on display at the Columbus Museum of Art from now until September 9, 2012.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

chasejarvisLIVE: Zoë Keating – Artist as Entrepreneur + Mind Blowing Cellist [Re-Watch]

By Chase on May 8, 2012

Posted for your enjoyment. If you missed this LIVE show with Zoe Keating (or if you didn’t…!) you’ll want to take a peek.

For one, IMHO it’s some of our most beautiful footage and one of the best sounding of any chasejarvisLIVE to date – we’re getting pretty tight on our capture because we’re having a blast.

For two – and more importantly– in addition to Zoe Keating and her cello making some hauntingly beautiful music (with some 16 tracks at once), the information Zoe shares – about success and failure, fear, going “artist direct” to her fans, and skipping all the peripheral b/s, is genius – both enlightening and inspiring.

Hope you dig. Want to be the first to know about upcoming shows like this? Join “the list” on this page.

—

Man vs. Wild: Pieter Hugo’s Incredible Photos of Hyena’s with Men

By Chase on May 2, 2012

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next

Sometimes, however, what starts with a cool cellphone picture sent from a friend becomes an amazing, thought-provoking piece of photojournalism that probes the relationships between humans at the wild, humans and animals, and humans and each other. And I’m rarely stopped dead in my tracks when a photo crosses my field of view – but I was with these photos, with this body of work.

Pieter Hugo’s The Hyena and Other Men is a series of incredible photos, taken over two trips in as many years at the edges of a shantytown in Nigeria. Hugo worked with Nigerian reported Adetokunbo Abiola to not only find the men to photograph, but to get to know them and earn their trust.

The arresting images–which show men (and, occasionally, children) with hyenas, monkeys, and other wild animals which have been tamed for entertainment purposes–are an exploration of one tiny population’s life…a life that’s pretty different from yours or mine. Horrible or wonderful? That’s for you to decide. Scroll through some of the image tabs above this photo… Completely remarkable.

Here’s an excerpt from Hugo’s explanation of the project:

Seldom did anyone express strong concern for the well-being of the creatures. Europeans invariably only ask about the welfare of the animals but this question misses the point. Instead, perhaps, we could ask why these performers need to catch wild animals to make a living. Or why they are economically marginalised. Or why Nigeria, the world’s sixth largest exporter of oil, is in such a state of disarray.

Head over to Hugo’s site to see the rest and read his description of the artistic process. It’s a good read.

Hat-tip to my buddy Jon Coe for bringing this evocative project to my attention.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Daily Awesome: Digital Camera Made of Cardboard

By Chase on April 30, 2012

Image via The Fancy

IKEA may seem like nothing more than a necessary evil for those who don’t wanna drop a full paycheck on a single piece of furniture (and hey, their pre-fab systems and some in-store displays are actually quite innovative…), but this here is some next level shiz: an eco-friendly, cardboard-bodied digital camera.

Shoots/stores up to 40 images, uses AA batteries (which, if you can find them hiding in the remote control, are a lot more convenient than clunky camera batteries which require special chargers), and it even features a super-handy swing-out USB plug for downloading your pure photo gold.

Not available in stores yet, but anticipated soon. And… not saying this will replace your iphone/droid, but I guarantee it’ll be a conversation-starter at parties or on location for your next commercial gig…
—
via engadget.

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi Tweets Amazing Photographs From Space

By Chase on April 27, 2012

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next

All images via Soichi Noguchi and NASA, from Twitter

While those of us here on Earth are Tweeting our brunch pictures and the occasional trite shot of a vacation sunset, astronaut Soichi Noguchi (follow him at @Astro_Soichi) has been Tweeting amazing photos of his extraterrestrial spacewalk adventures, northern lights from outside the atmosphere, and other ephemera back from freaking SPACE to us mere mortals on terra firma since way back in January. Seriously amazing to see photos from space in near realtime…Scroll thru the image tabs above the photo for just a taste of the kind of thing you can get if you follow Noguchi on Twitter (seeing how today is #FF and all…)

(And rethink that next sunset shot

—–
Check out the rest of em here.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Artist as Entrepreneur: Making Art + A Living with Zoë Keating on #cjLIVE – Wed May 2nd

By Chase on April 25, 2012

UPDATE!! If you’re reading this now – the LIVE broadcast is TODAY. Check out the post below and be sure to tune into http://www.chasejarvis.com/live today — 11am SEA time (2pm NYC & 19:00 London) — and enjoy the show. See you on air in a few…
——-
Now more than ever before, we artists are entrepreneurs. Born from opportunity or necessity or both, we have become the CEO’s of ourselves. We create our art and our brand, and then–regardless of whether we’re commercial- or fine-artists, or both–we share, market, strategize, license, sell, distribute, invest, manage, and collect on that art ourselves.

For those that have cracked this nut – good for you. For the rest of artists–which is a disproportionally huge chunk–who are struggling to make the art, the future, the business happen, please allow me introduce you to Zoë Keating. Take my word for it…few–if any–creatives in the world run their own career better than Zoë. As a classically trained musician turned avant-garde cellist–or ‘avant cellist’ as she calls herself–she has mastered the balancing act between art & commerce, between artist & fan. And that’s why she’ll be my next guest on chasejarvisLIVE this Wednesday, May 2nd. Prepare to learn the secret sauce for ‘Artist as Entrepreneur’, how she created a fanbase of millions and don’t miss her LIVE PERFORMANCE where she’ll blow you away with her cello like you’ve never seen one played before. #Respect. Follow @zoecello, check out her compelling music before the show and follow me @chasejarvis on twitter to get updates now until the show and beyond.

THE DETAILS YOU NEED TO KNOW…

Who: You, Me, ZOË KEATING and a worldwide gathering of creative people
What: Live Performance and Q&A with the inspirational ZOË KEATING
When: Wednesday, May 2nd, 11:00am Seattle time (2 pm NYC time or 19:00 London)
Where: tune in to www.chasejarvis.com/live. It’s free – anyone can watch.

This episode of chasejarvis LIVE might just be the one that sets your ideas in motion and sets you on your path.

***And last but not least… 2 things very important…:

1. Score. In order to pimp this show and help bring together another gi-normous worldwide online audience, Zoe will be giving away 2 signed CD’s and perhaps some merchandise if we can round it up. To score one of these collector items, send out a creative and interesting tweet that contains the URL (or short url) to THIS post AND hashtag #cjLIVE starting NOW and ending at the beginning of the show on Wednesday. Enter as many times (tweets) as you want – tweet and retweet – we’ll be watching out for your shoutouts.

2. Print it. If you want to score a one-of-a kind signed photo that I shoot of Zoë, tune in during the show – I’ll tell you how.

Celebrate the Earth: 10 Stunning Photos Of Nature + Humans

By Chase on April 23, 2012

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next

A view of the southern lights between Antarctica and Australia captured by Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers on board the International Space Station on March 3, 2012. (ESA/NASA via AFP/Getty Images)

Earth Day was yesterday. And it wasn’t just about wearing tie-dyed shirts made of hemp and talking about recycling. It was and always will ALSO be about ruminating on how much cool, beautiful, amazing shiznit there is on this planet. The kind of stuff that makes you want to stop and take a picture because it’s so freaking gorgeous. Using the image tabs abvoe, scroll through 9 stunning photos of the Earth…some illustrating good and beauty. Others illustrating the horror.

And please consider this: as a community of photographers, let’s strive to continue to photograph the Earth in her grandeur throughout the year and beyond April 22nd. Have some epic Earth photos to share? Feel free to post a link below. Many thank yous, #MuchRespect.

Boston.com’s The Big Picture recently rounded up some of the most incredible shots on Earth, of Earth, and about Earth. I just plucked some of my favorites from their gallery–but you really should look at the whole thing, and think about how awesome the planet is. No Birkenstocks required, I promise.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Settle in for Some Industry Knowledge with Adrian Grenier [rewatch of April 10th chasejarvisLIVE]

By Chase on April 20, 2012

For your weekend viewing pleasure, check out the repost of Entourage star + filmmaker Adrian Grenier on chasejarvisLIVE. It’s chock full of entertainment industry goodness and is sure to introduce you to something new that you’ll dig.

I’m also stoked to announce that we’ve just booked avant garde cellist Zoë Keating for chasejarvisLIVE on wednesday May 2nd. She’s a one-woman orchestra, she’s amazing, she’s not to be missed. Mark your calendars!

What Photos Would You Want In Prison?

By Chase on April 19, 2012

Photo by Laurie Jo Reynolds and Chris X. The prisoner requested a photo of himself in front of a blue sky.

We’re so innundated with photos these days. If you miss a loved one, you can just pull up a Facebook page or shoot them a text asking for a picture of what they’re doing. But what if you were locked away with limited access to images. What would you ask for?

My dear friend Jon forwarded me a link to this organization, YearTen.org, which chronicles life in solitary confinement for the men of Tamms CMAX, a super-prison in Illinois. For more than 10 years, many of these prisoners have been or are still living in tiny rooms, with no stimulation and no interaction. Their only salvation? Photographs.

I was moved by this idea and this organization. Perhaps you will be too – this is where you can help.

On the site, you can read the requests for pictures by the prisoners. Some ask for family photos, others ask for Jesus. Or, like the above picture, some want images of themselves dropped into a background that highlights hope, love, or something more. A few men just want something funny to look at. It’s strange to think about a photograph as a privilege, but when you’re denied everything else, a single image can be the difference between salvation and insanity.

If you want to pitch in (and maybe change someone’s life), join me in sending photos by following this link.

Change someone’s day, week, or life with a single image. Thanks.

The “BEFORE” Shots: Eerie Rescue Photos 100 Years After The Titanic Went Down

By Chase on April 18, 2012

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next

The RMS Titanic, courtesy of the Library of Congress

While we USA folks were struggling to get our taxes handled a couple days ago on April 15th, we shouldn’t have been fussing or celebrating, we should have been thinking of the lives lost aboard the RMS Titanic–which sunk 100 years ago on that day. Since this week marks that horrific — albeit fascinating — event that has held our culture’s attention for a century, you should brush up on the visuals…not the new national geographic images, not the sumbarine images captured by James Cameron. Try the final images of the ship floating. Or the images of passenger’s being rescued. They’re stunning, beautiful and eerie wrapped in one. Scroll thru the tabs above this image to see the “before” shots of the “unsinkable” ship.

Many of the most moving photos are from the National Archives of both the UK and the US. As you’ll see by scrolling thru the images, lucky for us, someone on the Carpathia — the first ship that came to assist the survivors — had a camera onboard.

–
(all images courtesy of the Library of Congress, and the archives above)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The Lumineers Performance Is Sooo Tasty [replay of April 3rd chasejarvisLIVE]

By Chase on April 13, 2012

Posted for your enjoyment, The Lumineers perform a stunning set on chasejarvis LIVE, recorded April 3rd at my Garage studio in Seattle. Guest appearance but one of the best radio DJ’s in the world, John Richards about half way thru.

Enjoy. Share with music loving friends if you dig it.
____

From Skulls to Spam Cans — These Cameras Are SuperCool & SuperWeird

By Chase on April 9, 2012

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next

My homies over at Flavorwire ran a really cool gallery of cameras made out of unusual stuff–like trees, shells, and–like you see in the photo above, a turtle shell (no turtles were harmed in the making…only natural causes of death…)… Which got me thinking: cameras have been along so long, people have had the chance to do some really weird stuff with them.

Though a lot of manufacturers might have you think differently, the body of your camera can actually–realistically–be made out of almost anything–who didn’t make a pinhole camera out of shoebox in their high school photography class? But some crafty photogs and designers take it to a whole new level. Some are hacked together out of other camera parts. Some are made of totally unrelated material. And one comes with shoes, dresses, and accessories sold separately. Flip through to see some of the cool/weird stuff via the image tabs above the photo here…
Lemme know below–anybody out there ever made a crazy camera?

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

← Older posts