Whistle Creek: New Pictures

Monday, June 6, 2011

New Pictures

I've been trying to put together some nicer photos for applications. Sometimes, it seems more like a photo contest than a chance for someone to see what your pots look like. You've seen most of these pots before but let me know if I'm on the right track or not . I'm a big boy, I can take it.

Oh yeah, I've got one little rant. On the way home from Augusta Saturday I saw a sign that said " Break in Pavement" . Now it looked pretty well broken in to me already and I had no idea why it was my responsibility . More budget cuts I guess.

6 comments:

lisaJune 6, 2011 at 11:04 PM
Hey there,

I have some experience as a photographer, but I'm just a beginning potter, but so take these with a grain (or kiln full) of salt. ;)

The changing background colors make it hard for me to see these as a series. I'd stick with one, maybe two, neutral backgrounds. While you don't have to go with gradient paper, do be sure there are no wrinkles/crinkles in your background as those really distract from the beauty of the pots.

Do you have a tripod you can use? The jar in fourth photo looks blurry. The colors in that jar are gorgeous though.

Keep working at it and good luck!
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Linda StarrJune 6, 2011 at 11:54 PM
The pots are beautiful, love the white ones and the vibrant pot. I agree with Lisa about one color background, before I got my graduated backdrop and cube, I got flat white poster paper and set it up on a stool outside in day light but in the shade on the north side of the house and took photos which turned out fairly well.

Here's a link of what I did for some pendant photos, scroll down to see my "official" looking photo set up. Ha.

http://bluestarrgallery.blogspot.com/2009/08/sneak-preview-barrel-fired-pendants.html
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Tracey BroomeJune 7, 2011 at 8:02 AM
Go to a craft store, Michaels or Hobby Lobby and buy a few sheets of thin poster board in medium gray. It's cheap and when it gets messed up you can buy more cheaper than the expensive graduated paper. I have tried the fabric backdrops and no matter what you do the wrinkles will not go away. You can back up and stop down your exposure and the background will go darker and you will see less wrinkles but they still show up a bit. I wouldn't suggest white paper, you will get a peachy cast that could alter your white work...The lighting on your work looks fine, watch those edges, bottom left hand corner needs a crop. You are so right, sometimes I feel like it's a photo contest too, judges seem critical of the wrong things! Once you get the backdrop thing fixed, you should be good to go!
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Dennis AllenJune 7, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input and will see what I can do about the wrinkles and evening out the background tones..
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MesnicJune 7, 2011 at 6:40 PM
LOL... on the way back from KY last week I made the same joke about the pavement... I still don't see why thats our job, like i'm not busy enough
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james WhiteJune 10, 2011 at 6:02 AM
These are great, does anyone know where i can get some discount supplies for a old fire kiln?
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Why Whistle Creek

Whistle Creek is near the area where my ancestors settled in East Tennessee. It is about 6 miles west of I-75 and 8 miles south of Jellico.At various times the land was claimed by England, France, Spain, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky,Tennessee, the Union,the Confederacy, and the Cherokee.My family was there around 1800 and possibly before.My brothers and I still own the top of the mountain and it is still very rough country. I named my studio Whistle Creek in memory of the Allens who scraped their living from the earth and managed to keep it for two hundred years.

Bricks,Bricks, Bricks

I have two loads of kiln brick at home and one more to go. Weather permitting I will get some help from my newly retired brother and haul the rest home next week. I'm still early in the planning stages for the kiln. I haven't decided yet whether to make the firebox perpendicular to the arch a la John Theis managama and groundhog kilns or to place it parallel to the axis of the arch. I do know that with #2 three inch arch brick It will be a 3"6" sprung arch on top of low walls with a sunken firebox. If i can find a saw that will cut 41/2" I can rip some of the arch brick to fill in the ends of the courses and use the arch brick on edge to make 9" thick walls. Any input appreciated.

The Pitcher and the Nun

Yesterday a couple of sweet elderly ladies came into my booth and fell in love with the pitcher from the last woodfiring. (See last Blog entry) They said they wanted to give it as a wedding gift, then they said the fatal words-" Do you take Mastercard? " I replied-" No, but I want this piece to go to a good home and I believe that if I send it home with you, you will send me a check." They agreed and we exchanged info. It turned out they were nuns.Instead of mailing me a check, they brought back a check and some homemade candy a couple of hours later.It was nice to make the sale, but even nicer to send out a little faith in mankind and have a good deed returned.

Ohio Slip

More Spring Fair Prep....

Today was spent loading a bisque kiln with pots I have been throwing the last few weeks.They are made with a really nice red clay that a friend sold me when I couldn't get earthen red at Highwater. I should be able to glaze Monday and fire the whole load again next week. This is the only clay that I fire in the electric kilns but it gives a look that a lot of people like and I can fire economically. This plus pots on hand and pots I have been glazing for the gas kiln should be plenty for spring fair so now I can concentrate on the booth.

Spring Fair

The main project of the week was to try to finish throwing a batch of red clay that I have been working on so I can get the pots fired and glazed for the big Spring Fair sale that the Clay Alliance is holding on May 2. This is the big annual sales event for the club and I am very happly to be included this year but I do feel a little pressure to up my game and have a booth that doesn't look like a yard sale. Once I get the pots fired, I will have to spend some time focusing on display space and building some nice shelving. The sale is 11 to 4 at the corner of Madison and Woodburn ( DeSales Corner) Just take 71 to Edwards rd., Edwards to Madison, Right on Madison and you will be there in a few minutes. You will have a great time and get to meet 40 of the best potters and ceramicists in the region. More info at http://www.clayalliance.org/.

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