Blurb BookShow

Prospero's Book by Duc N. Ly

Gabriel Orozco

I really like how Gabriel uses photography in his notebooks. He uses a common ballpoint and writes in ideas, thoughts, and observations in an organized block, like comic book or architectural handwriting. He uses a 35mm camera and a point and shoot then has the rolls printed in 4x6. Here's an artist using photography as a medium sometimes and using it as a sketch book. Check out his house he designed (photographed by Iwan Baan)

moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2009/gabrielorozco/#18

The Pleasures of the Text

DSCF1742 lolo
Originally uploaded by lexly87 aka Duc N. Ly

The Pleasures of the Text began as my curiosity of there the reader's mind goes when he/she is lost in a book. It is the same look that video games have? That concentrated gaze. When some one is lost in a book, it's hard to get their attention. It makes photographing them a bit easier as they are not aware of anything other then the book that engages them. In this high tech culture, the printed page is vanishing. I foundly remember the bookstores I frequent at lunch time which no longer exist today and marvel at the places that still survive. I regret not documenting these places before they disappeared. Some places still have high ceilings and floods of light into the skylight. Other places are dark and dingy and seem to represent that part of our brain.

Cherry Blossom at Papaya Thai

DSCF1759 colorcross
Originally uploaded by lexly87 aka Duc N. Ly

I had the big camera out which gathered a crowd. Then took this one with a digital camera. It happened to be in front of Papaya Thai restaurant. The family talked to me for a bit during diner. They had a huge painting of Can Tho. I might go back to make a picture of it.

flash fiction

Date: Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 11:57 AM
Subject: [writers-HdSwkTFR] New Meetup: Close Reading - Poetic Devices - Selections of Flash Fiction

Announcing a new Meetup for Reading Like a Writer: Book Club/Writing Workshop!

What: Close Reading - Poetic Devices - Selections of Flash Fiction

When: Sunday, March 14, 2010 6:00 PM

Where:
McMenamins Tavern & Pool
1716 NW 23rd Ave
Portland, OR 97210
(503) 227-0929

This month, we will be reading several pieces, each very short, and each very free. In this way, we will not bogged down with discussion of 'plot' or logistical confusions, so we can focus upon language, visuals, and emotions. We will compare and contrast each piece, and how effectively each uses poetic techniques to enhance its narrative.

I've attempted to be diverse in my selections:

Jack Anderson's "Calamitous Dreams", part of the "Traffic: new and selected prose poems" collection. (If the link doesn't work, you should be able to find it yourself through Google Books.)

T.S. Eliot's "Hysteria"

Ernest Hemingway's "A Very Short Story"

Raymond Carver's "Little Things"

I encourage everyone to print these out, read and re-read, and annotate.

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/Reading-Like-a-Writer/calendar/12033473/

Posted via email from Lex's posterous

Dreamtigers

Dreamtigers
Originally uploaded by lexly87 aka Duc N. Ly

Happy Chinese New Years. Year of the Tiger. I was at Wallace Bookstore and found this book. I made a picture of it for the occasion.

2010 begins a new decade and the new symbol. The idea began when I saw Borge's Dreamtigers at a bookstore after the new years. I had seen certain images of the tiger pasted to my bedroom wall as a child and I regard it as protection. I had been told my my parents that when we sleep, our soul being becomes an animal and roam the landscape of dreams. I believe that we became our Zodiac counter part, our doppleganger. It was believe that the face of the dreamer would not be distrubed or deface because the dream counter part would not be able to recognize the host upon it's return. The realm of sleep and dream is sacred. TThis is the reason why pictures of people sleeping is frown upon. I was looking at the color and symbols of Red, the Chinese red. At the time, I was looking at images with the color red as symbols of love. I had an idea for a while of gathering all of the images that I had taken that has something to do with Asian and the Asian culture. Part of it seems that I have fallen into the same cliche and stereo types. It might be a mirror that reflects my own prejudices and preferences.

Going Gonzo

going gonzo DSCF1546
Originally uploaded by lexly87 aka Duc N. Ly

The pleasure of the text
Hunter S. Thompson

Chickamauga

Here's a picture of Charles giving a reading several years ago at the Wieden/Kennedy building in Portland, Oregon. I heard about Charles writing studio which he keeps immaculate. That would be a cool space to make a photograph.

I thought this is a great picture from Charles's wife Holy. I believe that is a close up pictures of Charles reading his poem.

Can Tho

Okay where to start? First Friday is a great art scene in the SE part of Portland. I was at the 23 Sandy for the artist reception. The place was packed. I got to see my friends and my teacher!
I stood near my image 'Indian Point' to answer questions. Near me stood Josh Hobson's and his image "Coming, Going, Coming."
I asked Josh where that was taken and when he said 'Can Tho', I could not believe my ears. That's where I grew up I tell Josh this. Josh was listed as a non-portland artist because he was just a few weeks ago. His picture arrived in Portland before he did. Josh had travel with his wife in Vietnam and Korea (to teach English). Portland has welcomed Josh in a big way because his other image is showing at the same time at the NewSpace Center for photography. (The show is call Carnival.)

I had to show Chris Bennett's picture: 'View from Hart Mountain'. I thought it was quiet a coincident and thought I make a post of it. The show will be on until the end of February.

In Good Company

This February's First Thursday I'll be hanging out at 23 Sandy Gallery. The gallery is hanging the ND10 Down & Out show that moved from the Wallspace the previous month. What a great way to start of the new year. There are four of us out of 42 photographers that are from Portland, Oregon. Here are the four Portland Photographers: Chris Bennett, Heidi Bertman, Duc Ly, and Jeff Krolick. Jeff's work has been feature in many place, Jen Bekman's gallery is one of them. Chris, I believe is the Director of Newspace Center in Portland SE studio, which I've been using for studio photography. I look forward to meeting these talented photographers. I'm a bit star struck, particularly because I've seen Alejandro Cartagena's Fragmented Cities, Santa Catarina. His work has been selected for Hey Hot Shots, and few others that I've missed. Pausetobegin.com has an interview with Alejandro and other photographers.

Jeff Antebi.com has been doing some very powerful work in Haiti before the earthquake.

I've looked at there work recently on the websites and admire their approach.

Paperstars's Work

imagekind.com member

Paperstar is my niece. She just put up a website. Check it out.

Posted via email from Lex's posterous

How do you find your subjects?

This question has been on my mind lately.

Here's some answers: Alec Soth; Two photographers talking about subject, heart, and mind.

Indian Point

.

This photograph is now in a group show.

Over this last summer of 2009, I've been going on a lot of hikes along the Columbia River Gorge region between Oregon and Washington forests and mountains. I go with my friends who are expert hikers. They are my guides. They have seen incredible views of St. Helen, and other Colorado range. I'm always amazed that they rarely photograph the views. I climb the hills for the views. I've been lead up to Indian Point's secret spot. Some of the trails are hidden like this particular spot of Indian Point where I took this photograph. I gaze down and out towards the mighty Columbia River. My guides points to the opposite side of the River to Dog Mountain's peak. The ground below has signs of modern industries, cars, and damns. There are signs that the landscape is changing. I try to imagine the time when the Native Americans looked out to these majestic land before industrialization. These are some of the most sacred spots. On Silver Star Mountain trails, there is a path through huckleberry berries and brambles which leads to a sacred spot. The Native Americans build a shallow pit made of rocks. The initiate will then lay in the pit for a day perhaps night and wait for a vision. For me, the hike is a meditation of breaths, and exhaustion of body and mind. I carry my problems with me in my head and try to unpack them along the way, to work them out and wait for insights. Dropping a problem here and there and picking up new vision, insights and preserve them in my camera. I always carry a camera or two with me on these excursions. The images show a privilege view and make my physical exertion worthwhile. I carry these visions to the flat land and share them with my friends. I'm always proud of them and know that someday I won't be able to climb any more and will be glad to have the hard earned views. Photography allows me to capture the vision, a modern invention to express what has always been inside for those who choose not to share.

Wall Space Gallery

wall space seattle ND10 Down & Out Catalogue

The blog post regarding show is flatfile.blogspot.com

update: http://lexly87.blogspot.com/2010/08/friends-of-gorge.html

ND10 Postcard

ND10 Postcard

Originally uploaded by lexly87 aka Duc N. Ly.

Our 4th annual New Directions exhibition,
Down+Out
juried by Carol McCusker, curator of the Museum of Photographic Arts
is pleased to present 42 artists challenging the ideas of distance and scale.

Participating artists -
Robbie Acklen | John Aldredge | Jeff Antebi
Cordelia Bailey | Chris Bennett | Heidi Bertman
Andrew Binkley | Charles Blackburn | J. Wesley Brown
Alejandro Cartagena | Pete Cosenza | Matthew Derezinski
Kristen Fecker Peroni | David George | Colin Graham
Steve Guttenberg | Ray Hau | Nicole Jean Hill
Joshua Hobson | Adam Jaocno | Kirby Johnson
Jeffrey Krolick | Sarah Marie Land | Larry Larsen
Nathan Lunstrum | Duc Ly | Kora Manheimer
Patricia McInroy | Daniel Melo | Charles Mintz
Emily Nathan | David Jaewon Oh | Wayne Palmer | Ric Peterson
Dawn Roe | Wendy Ross | Michael Seif
Sarah Sharp | Peter Tilgner | Ronit Toledano
Anna Maria Vag | Jacqueline Walters

Here's the On-line Gallery

More information here.

Blue Amber

Dominican Blue Amber jewelry shoot for Custom Design Gem

Ricoh GXR

Well, I think it’s a brilliant idea. The sensor should be coupled with the lens. It makes sense if it’s going to be digital. The sensor won’t get dirty this way. The bw back is a nice idea. The leading companies like Leica, Canon, and Nikon have a legend of lens that seems to hold back camera designs. The Leica M9 is a good example. Ricoh has some heritage in older equipments but is not hold back by it. In the future when sensors improved, the body still works and if you want to shoot with older sensor for a retro look that’s cool too. It’s like going back to the film cameras of the 80s or 70s.

In fact this should have been the very first design of the digital camera because as we see the sensor technology has improved increasingly, this would have save us some money and let us upgrade only the lens and sensor and allow us to get used to the body and it’s menus and buttons. It seem a little bit too late in the game because sensors are so superb now. Ideally, the new camera should have interchangeable sensor separate from body and lens like a Hasselblad. This is when it’s possible to shoot with a 50’s Hasselblad with the new digital back. It’s a good start to move away from film based camera of the SLR. But this move seems like it could harken back to the medium format cameras.

I would think that the next progression it for an interchangeable sensor. It doesn’t seem far fetch. It makes sense to have the body separated because the digital technology has maxed out at 3 inch for the display screen. Any bigger would be bulky and 3 inches seems the right size to view images.

The digital view finder also flips to 90 degrees which is like the medium format style of shooting at waist level.

Update:  Recently, Ricoh have added the module which allows the Leica M Mounts.  So the resurgence of the GXR is back.  The only reason I knew about the M mount module is through Tomas Van Houtryve.  National Geographic asked their photographer what's in the bag.  Here is his gear.  His book on Lao is here:

Contax TVS Digital

Test Shots

Hood River Fruit Loops

Recently I joined a photography group.

I toured the Hood River Fruit Loop.

I asked her if I could take the photograph. She thought I wanted to make a portrait. I just wanted to photograph her hands and the way she held those apples. She said these are bad apples and that they are to be thrown away. She began to fix her hair. Then decided to put the other hand with this one.

Serious Compact Cameras

I like Leica a lot! This particular model Leica L Lux 3 is compact. Panasonic makes a cheaper (Panasonic Lumix LX3 and FX37) type using Leica's lens. I still think Leica has the best lens all around. The Leica L Lux 4 is a little bigger and pricer but probably what I would go for because I like bigger camera.
There are so many cool cameras out right now for compacts, I think it will rule the market. I prefer these to the bigger DSLR.
I have been looking at the Canon G series. The G10 was a year ago is replaced by the Canon G11. $500 but not as compact or pocketable.
But my new fave is the micro four thirds with interchangable lens.
Panasonic makes one call GF1 $900
and Olympus digital Pen $900
My first two digital cameras are from Panasonic with Leica lens. The LC1
has an amazing full size Leica Lens on it.
I think the Leica L Lux 3 is a very good compact. I would not hesitate to get it at $350 price. The name Leica is stylish and fashionable and the quality is very good.

blurb

Prospero's Book

By Duc N. Ly

Book Preview