1:47 PM, Los Angeles. It’s a close up with my camera right up to the handrail and it’s an exercise in taking something out of context. Even though the image is simple and maybe too minimal for some tastes, I think there is something beautiful going on. I especially like the slight bend to the black bar. In fact, that bend makes the photo for me. The photo kind of flattens everything out when there’s actually a 90-degree turn happening here.
7:49 PM. Banal or mundane or both. I just noticed the horizontal stripes for added value in an otherwise predictable pattern. There’s something beautiful in the commonplace and overlooked. This happens to be a textured pattern with lights and darks from an everyday fluorescent light covering.
2:46 PM. I recently picked up a new camera. It’s a Fujifilm X100T and it’s relatively small between a pocket size point and shoot and full size single lens reflex. These Fujifilm cameras seem to be popular among street photographers and it has a reputation for very clear images. I’ve posted some of my digital pictures using the Fujifilm on my Instagram account #rickosaka. Please check it out when you get a chance. This picture shows a small gouache painting on paper.
#8, 9:05 AM. This study is the last version. It was a process of numerous additions and subtractions and started with a loosely laid out grid. Also, it was confined to square-like shapes with a limited palette. Overall, I felt that once the grid and the locations of the dominant squares were clear then things had to be broken up by making some areas denser. The grid is a composition enabler but sometimes the results can be stiff or predictable.