FREE Concert tonight

Scenes from Sunday's Open House...

There was a wonderful community turn out for Jenison's new art center Sunday December 1st. The space has to be seen in person to truly appreciate the wonderful design. But here are some teaser photos...

 So, come tonight at 7:30pm (earlier for better seat selection) and hear Jenison's first music concert, and performing arts in their new facility.

Jenison Center for the Arts

It is really heart warming to see my community invest in the arts. Jenison has been hit extremely hard by the 2008 economic crash, but I couldn't agree more with the priorities the community decided a short while ago in a bond issue to invest in the schools infrastructure, and the arts. The project was funded by a combination of voter-approved bond, state, and federal money. The arts center has a 1200 seat auditorium, a costume and scene-building area, school administrative offices, and event or convention space.

 In just a few days the center will be open, and in use for the Jenison High School music programs, performing arts, art, and it has been reported that Meijer Gardens has entered into a partnership to display some contemporary art in the facility.

 Jenison doesn’t really have a defined downtown area. However, Tom TenBrink,  Jenison Public Schools superintendent, said that he hopes the performing arts facility will be a center of activity for the area, and help revitalize community. He was also quoted as saying..."This was one of our glaring needs, not only in the school district but in the community. For years, we’ve had to rent space from area churches for our theater and music programming. Our students deserve better.”

 The center is booked with school groups through May 2014, after which the door is wide open for programming. There is an sneak peak Sunday December 1st 2-5pm, and a Ribbon Cutting + Open House on December 2nd 6:30-9pm

Landscape "Mark of Excellence" award from I Shot It

I received this morning a notice that I had won another "Mark of Excellence" award from the web site I Shot It. It was almost a year ago that I decided to shoot on my way to the studio, because of the fog.
 Here is the awarded landscape photo.

Judge Duncan MacArthur wrote..."Nice country scene taken in foggy monotone conditions. The road leads a strong line to the tree and the sun through the fog completes the game of shapes. I expect this was a spontaneous shot… Well spotted, composed and executed. Well done, one of my favourites.

You can see the awarded photos at this link HERE.

Seattle Center Double Feature

There are two installations within the Chihuly exhibit at the Seattle Center. You really should go and experience it in person. Here is a teaser for Chihuly's absolute mastery of glass making from a room full of bowls...

 

 I thought I would post some images from the Seattle Center Chihuly installation since they are allowing photography, and I did want to encourage people to go see it for two reasons. Chihuly glass is like the Fuji Velvia of the photography world. The colors are simply amazing. Here is just a part of the ceiling of one room...

The amazing artwork continues for room after room until you are outside, and then it continues outside as well. This is a massive installation.  I talked to some of the cleaning crew about the many hours that are spent each and every night (approximately 5 hours) cleaning and polishing this exhibit. Some pieces are literally the size of a tree...

But, there is another incredible photography related treasure at the exhibit. In the very first Chihuly room, on the right hand wall as you enter...is what appears to be volume nine of Edward Curtis's "North American Indian" photos cut into individual prints covering the entire wall  with about 50 or 60+ photos.

Edward Curtis had the foresight to photograph many disappearing tribes, cultures, and other native American ceremonies. He even made thousands of audio recordings. It is probably the most epic and thorough photographic anthropological record of any culture ever undertaken. There were only about 250 of the 20 volume sets ever created with approximately 2100 total images published. Curtis' life's work spanned 30 years, and ultimately cost him his marriage. There is a great documentary about him on Netflix called "Coming to Light: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians". That I would highly recommend watching. Anyway, to actually see one of these volumes was simply amazing, and very unexpected. Additionally, there were dozens of native American blankets, and exquisitely woven baskets.

I witnessed the rapt awe in a child's face while there - as she drank in a hanging Chihuly work from her stroller. His artwork hits at a very basic level that even a toddler can appreciate.

I Shot It Food Photo WIN!

It was a little less than a month ago that one of my photos won a  "Mark of Excellence Award" in a I Shot It competition. This morning, another entry of mine won the "Food Photo Competition 2013 No 2" contest. This time there was cash and prizes...YEAH! Here is the winning photo.

Judge Duncan MacArthur's Comments

Beautiful warm colours, tones and shapes, the gas flame and the pot in the
background all make this scene so real. An everyday subject from everybody's
kitchen, beautifully composed and so simple. Great food shot and this round's
worthy winner. Congratulations !

my response...

My name is James Markus from James Markus Photography, and Photomatter.com located in Michigan. What a wonderful surprise - thank you.  Judge Duncan MacArthur's comments are spot on.  It was about colour, tones, and shapes. It is "real", because that was my breakfast cooking there.  I shot it in my kitchen. Camera was the Nikon D800 in manual mode. Lens was a manual focus 28mm Nikkor f2.8 ais.  Royalty free licenses, products, and prints are available in my "Food" gallery... (See Link Below)...Thanks again!

My Stock Photo Galleries

markus.photoshelter.com/gallery-list

I Shot It Competition Link

http://www.i-shot-it.com/competition.php?id=51e47026ad2ef

Phoebe comes home

I picked up Phoebe from the vet today. She got spayed. When I got home she wouldn't let me out of her sight. At one point she balanced on my left foot with three of her feet...closed her eyes and purred for 10 minutes (I didn't dare move). I decided to take her to work with me. Phoebe immediately took up postion between me and the computer monitor.

She chased the cursor, walked on the keyboard, stole cough drops, rubber bands, my lunch, and laid on my mouse hand. All day she was my shadow, and very little work got done. She needed this contact with me at all times, and she never stopped purring.

We all are happy to have Phoebe home sporting her shaved belly, and new tattoo.

Fractals in nature...the sunflower

Here are a lovely bunch of sunflowers. Shot with the Nikkor 16mm f3.5 ai.

 I recently watched a documentary about fractals. In the 1980's Mandelbrot sets were discovered and the mathematical equations to describe fractals. In the Mandelbrot fractal "sets" are ever repeating and never ending patterns. Regardless of direction (either smaller or larger) the pattern repeats over and over again. There seems to be a key fractal to define each and everything in nature. These shapes are beyond simple geometry. Shot this with a Nikkor 105mm ais + extension tubes.

The sunflowers have reminded me of these Mandelbrot fractal sets. The complex geometry seems to be a repeating pattern. It also reminds me of what I was taught in school about Democritus in 450 BCE thinking that matter was made up of indivisibly small versions of the object we could see. For example:that a chair atom looked like a little chair.

I'm not sure If I have remembered this all correctly or not, but I can see a repeating pattern in sunflowers...in the petal, leaves, and seed forming area. I find it all fascinating. In the center of these grocery store bought sunflowers is a dime sized area with a tightly packed black geometric pattern of the sunflower. Shot this with a reversed Nikkor 28mm ais.

For more info see Arthur C. Clarke's documentary about fractals
 "Fractals: The Colors of Infinity" http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/fractals-colors-infinity/