Quantum leap

I think that I have been waiting to somehow find that “Quantum Leap” that would take me magically from manually creating art to somehow produce art in different way that would also present itself as art. How would it be possible to take something created on canvas and replicate it without using the normal art methods. How could I “release the mage in the stone” as Michelangelo said, or how could I see only the lights and darks like Monet. This “Quantum Leap” was constantly at the back of my mind as I perfected my art and trained my mind and hand to “see” art in everything around me. How could I fail when all the visual tools were available to me. I could de-construct landscapes and produce paintings by just looking at them or trace a roadmap from a portrait.

My camera has always been my trusted friend and companion during my many artistic adventures. The photos helped me with my composition, light source and colour and also to capture the “moment”. With digital photography and my computer, I have amassed thousands of digital images for reference and back at the studio, these help to reproduce the artwork that I am currently busy with.

Photoshop has also honed my graphic art skills in a variety of areas. The possibilities that the computer offers me, personally, are vast. I am more adept at decision making in my artwork as a result of using the computer. The choices I make are more readily available and easier to undo than those in traditional painting. Additionally, my sense of composition, design and perspective has benefited from using my computer. The digital age has given me insights into my work and has helped me break down information. I use my computer skills as tools to augment my painting NOT, in any way, to replace it.

So, this “Quantum Leap” is not to replace my art with another artform, but rather to find a companion to compliment my art.

I have been using the Canon Powershot S3 IS for about a year now and the results that have come out the camera have been good, but not spectacular, and have found that I still do a fair amount of “manipulation” in Photoshop to enhance the picture. This to me was not art, as I wanted to rather keep the image in its original format as much as possible. This led me to thinking that if I was going to take that “Quantum Leap” from being an artist and a photographer, then I would have to invest in a good camera and learn how to take better photos with very little manipulation on the computer. Up to now, I think that it was hiding behind the attempt to find the “easy way!”

I asked around, and everyone said that the camera that I had was the best and NOT to change because I would find the SLR camera difficult to “master”. Although this in itself presented me with a problem because, having decided to take that “Quantum leap”, could my S3 not be sufficient … and the conclusion I reached was, No.

The next step was to find the one that best suited me and would compliment my art. I eventually whittled the selection down to the Nikon D80 and the Canon 400D. Both of these cameras had very similar features and there was very little difference in their capabilities, so it left it more down to personal choice. I love my Canon Powershot, and I know it like the back of my hand, so Canon was the obvious choice. With this in mind, I have now taken that “Quantum Leap” and bought the Canon EOS 400D.

I will take my time to get to know this camera, and without any formal training in photography will strive to become a good photographer by learning from all the great photographers out there.