Saturday, December 15, 2012

Christmas craziness and new pots!

They worked - they didn't slump, the colours are fabulous, and I have so many ideas about what else I can do, that I can't wait to get back to the studio.

Today was the KaRi opening of the exhibition "In Cohoots" see www.kariarts.com.au and soon this address will be linked to the brand new website for KaRi (Kenilworth Artist Run Collective). This is a fabulous group of artists to be involved with, the work is inspiring, and contemporary. They keep me on my toes.

One question about my photographs. I take photos in a small photo booth and can use different colour back cloths and have side lights. I am using a Nikon digital SLR, so I can adjust the camera to just about any setting. I am having problems getting depth of field. If I turn the lights on to the pots (through the booth), so I can get a higher shutter speed, then the bowls look too shiny. If I turn the lights away, the bowls are less shiny (as in the images) but I lose the depth of field as the shutter speed is slower (or is there another reason?). I am a real photography novice! Thanks for any advice.

Anyway here are the new Ring Bowls.

Ring a Bowl for the Plants
11cm wide and 20cm


Ring a Cone for the Plants - 30cm x 24 cm at top

Ring a Bowl for the Plants - Lime Green stain


Ring a Bowls for the Plants  - purple stain


Ring a Bowl for the Plants - the gorgeous red, vibrant, stain 30cm wide

The yellow stain - very strong colour too, I put it on very lightly to get this yellow.  

5 comments:

Anna said...

sorry I can't help with the photos. I do like the work. Favs are the green and the yellow..

Artsy said...

Hi Ellen,
Love the bowls, gorgeous! I don't know much about photography so can't help there sorry, but i was hoping you may be able to help me... Do you have your own kiln or do you take your pieces to get fired somewhere? I am interested in getting some work fired but wouldn't have the first idea on where to look to get this done. Can you help me please?
my email is dave2lana@yahoo.com.au
Cheers, Lana

Artsy said...

Hi Ellen,
Love the bowls, gorgeous! I don't know much about photography so can't help there sorry, but i was hoping you may be able to help me... Do you have your own kiln or do you take your pieces to get fired somewhere? I am interested in getting some work fired but wouldn't have the first idea on where to look to get this done. Can you help me please?
my email is dave2lana@yahoo.com.au
Cheers, Lana

smartcat said...

I have the same problem with reflection and all. I keep thinking there must be a good tutorial somewhere on photographing pottery, but I have yet to find it!

Like your work...isn't a successful firing the best?

Ellen Appleby said...

Thanks for feedback - what a thrill when the kiln is opened and the pots positively sing out to you!! The best present ever. I am very excited about the possibilities of this building process, using my latex moulds and the stains, and I'll try putting the tranfers on them too - sort of patchwork I guess.
I might see if I can find a tutorial online re the photography - there was one a while ago on the american pottery daily site - but very complicated - I want a SIMPLE solution~