I thought this video was interesting enough to pass along even though it’s already been well viewed since yesterday.  The Soviet Montage press release is reproduced below the video embed.

HDR has a “look”.  For those who are unfamiliar, the process involves using two or more exposures from the same scene, making it possible to capture detail in extreme highlights and shadows that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.  Normally HD video probably captures about 10 – 12 stops of information, my guess is that this HDR video is capturing 13 – 16 stops.  This is a total guess but it illustrates the basic idea.

There’s more to the HDR look than numbers. Natural looking shadows and highlights appear lower in contrast; dark, dark gray and black are perceived as being closer in value than do adjacent midtones.  Our eyes are less efficient in low light so it feels natural when we view image shadows with less detail and contrast.  Same goes for bright highlights – think snow on a sunny day without dark glasses.

HDR images produce more midtones than we would expect to see in nature, that is why it can seem cartoonish.  In this video HDR appears to lift a “fog” from the scenic view of SF (no pun intended but I’m feeling clever), yet you can begin to see the “cartoon” effect when HDR records a person; the lighting looks “odd” but you just can’t quite put a finger on why.

My personal appetite is limited regarding HDR imagery; like having cake for breakfast, it’s fun on occasion.  Then again, like the early digital CD recordings that sounded overly brittle, photographers are beginning to finesse the HDR look so filmmakers will find an HDR comfort zone eventually.

I’m captivated with the advance of still and video imaging.  I wonder if we’ll ever hit a plateau the way we once did with film? If we don’t, what affect will that have on our creativity since every advance leaves a destructive wake.

Soviet Montage Productions releases information on the first true High Dynamic Range (HDR) video using DSLRs

San Francisco, CA, September 9, 2010: Soviet Montage Productions demonstrated today the first true HDR video sourced from multiple exposures. Unlike HDR timelapse videos that only capture a few frames per minute, true HDR video can capture 24 or more frames per second of multiple exposure footage. Using common DSLRs, the team was able to composite multiple HD video streams into a single video with an exposure gamut much greater than any on the market today. They are currently using this technology to produce an upcoming film.

Benefits of Motion HDR
HDR imaging is an effect achieved by taking multiple disparate exposures of a subject and combining them to create images of a higher exposure range. It is an increasingly popular technique for still photography, so much so that it has recently been deployed as a native application on Apple’s iPhone. Until now, however, the technique was too intensive and complex for motion. Soviet Montage Productions believes they have solved the issue with a method that produces stunning–and affordable–true HDR for film and video.

The merits of true HDR video are various. The most obvious benefit is having an exposure variation in a scene that more closely matches the human eye–think of filming your friend with a sunset at his or her back, your friend’s face being as perfectly captured as the landscape behind them. HDR video also has the advantage of reduced lighting needs. Finally, the creative control of multiple exposures, including multiple focus points and color control, is unparalleled with true HDR video.

“I believe HDR will give filmmakers greater flexibility not only in the effects they can create but also in the environments they can shoot in” said Alaric Cole, one of the members of the production team, “undoubtedly, it will become a commonplace technique in the near future. ”

Contact:
Michael Safai
Soviet Montage
201 Spear Street #1100
San Francisco, CA 94105
1 415 489 0437
mike@sovietmontage.com

Appreciation of an object by aesthetic judgment comes from discriminatory taste, emotional empathy and intellectual passion honed as a result of experience and deep consideration.

Warhol believed art is contextual; put something in an artistic location and it becomes art.  This agrees – somewhat – with Tolstoy who maintained that artistic value is one of viewer empathy not the consequence of a creator’s intent.  If true,  it must follow that artistic creativity is in direct proportion with an ability to engage the audience’s aesthetic sensibilities.

Defining art has never been all that controversial;  it’s the “good” part that carries the debate.  New tools have made discernment tougher still. It’s not all that hard to make the work appear good through imitation or mechanized craft and then assert its worthiness.

Straightforward printed reproductions of famous paintings are not in themselves kitsch, but objects that adapt high art images from one medium to another are paradigmatically kitsch, for instance ….. repainted versions of historical masterpieces that are adapted to the aesthetic expectations of the modern eye (a copyist once told an interviewer that his paintings of Leonardo’s Mona Lisa improved on the original by ‘taking a bit of the chill out of her expression’). – Denis Dutton

Like a TV Dinner that exceeds expectations; gourmet isn’t gourmet if you must peal back foil.  A sofa sized reproduction enjoyable enough for a downtown Marriott or a Barry Manilow cover band singing “Mandy” is part of the modern Kitsch experience.  A printed photograph made to look like a painting using the latest digital tools updates the modern Kitsch experience; there is a heavy draw of nostalgia and comfort while avoiding surprises except for how it was made. “Wow, that’s a photograph?”

Ironically, more and more gallery portrayals display pride that the artist used “real film” for a show, in a clear attempt to move the work to higher ground.

Generally the Modern Kitsch experience is possible when:

1. There is no distinct author of self expression, or no individual placing value on copyright.
2. It’s primarily the artifact of money and desire with the solitary aim to comfort and please.
3. It’s point of view is pure nostalgia, void of conflict , not disruptive or avant-garde.
4. The artwork’s creation is perfunctory or only modestly mindful; a spurious exercise designed to entertain.

Historically, Kitsch has been reserved for gaudy shallow inauthentic efforts that, in spite of a dubious origin, maintain an air of pretension.  And while this remains true, high design within easy reach has moved the needle – Wal-Mart is boasting a new aesthetic – the Kitsch experience is demanding expanded territory.  What looks like Italian handmade tile was a gratuity for subscribing to a magazine and drop shipped from China.  The new commodity position of creative artifacts is diminishing authentic uniqueness.  In its place is a modern Kitsch experience with both fine and applied faux art that – while no longer as overtly gaudy as a black velvet Mona Lisa – perpetuate a shallow inauthentic effort precariously indistinguishable from a higher aesthetic.

Beauty is comforting and we are drawn to comfort, but one job of the creative mind is to move us away from comfort even if not so abruptly that we reject the newness of it out of hand; the expression of familiarity and surprise together.

Benedetto Croce (1866-1952) suggested that “expression” is central in the way that beauty was once thought to be central.

I’ve always loved the Art-O-Mat concept.  It’s fun and feels contemporary and retro at the same time.  It’s the ultimate in cool to have a machine in your venue.

The story behind Art-o-mat®

The inspiration for Art-o-mat® came to artist Clark Whittington while observing a friend who had a Pavlovian reaction to the crinkle of cellophane. When Whittington’s friend heard someone opening a snack, he had the uncontrollable urge to have one too.

The year was 1997, the town was Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Whittington was set to have a solo art show at a local cafe, Penny Universitie (now Mary’s Of Course Cafe). This is when Whittington used a recently-banned cigarette machine to create the first Art-o=mat. In June 1997, it was installed, along with 12 of his paintings. The machine sold Whittington’s black & white photographs for $1.00 each.

This art show was scheduled to be dismantled in July 1997. However, Cynthia Giles (owner of the Penny Universitie) loved the machine and asked that it stay permanently and machine remains unaltered in its original location to this day. At that point, it was clear that involvement of other artists was needed if the project was going to continue. Giles introduced Whittington to a handful of other local artists and Artists in Cellophane was formed.

Artists in Cellophane (A.I.C.), the sponsoring organization of Art*o*mat® is based on the concept of taking art and “repackaging” it to make it part of our daily lives. The mission of A.I.C. is to encourage art consumption by combining the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form. A.I.C believes that art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable. What better way to do this, than with a heavy cold steel machine?

Commercial artists need to touch home base regularly since we are so easily distracted by competition, trends, and making a living.  If you’re anything like me it’s a struggle to stay focused.. Leave the foundation and the structure crumbles. Leave the study of art behind and your aesthetic skills dissolve.

“Don’t try to be original, try to be good.”

This is the first of my touchstones. The words are a quote from Paul Rand. In today’s context, the idea seems foreign albeit refreshing. On first read I felt more than one brick lift its weight – I thought, “hell, I can be good, just don’t ask me to be original”.   Originality is too damn hard.  Original is like asking me to be something I’m not; original is someone else.

I prefer to concentrate on the balance of form and content. As a result, I can listen to Paul Rand talk all day and his work feels like a visit with an old friend. It’s exciting, familiar, comfortable, surprising and challenging all at once. In the quest for originality, it’s easy to forget how to be good.

“When form overtakes, meaning is blunted, and when content predominates interest lags.” – Paul Rand

I can change my use of form when it suits the content; i.e. some images work better in black and white, some better in color. The variations are infinite but in the hunt for flawless balance, it’s content that is searching for its perfect form not the reverse. Therein rests the challenge.

Press creativity into service to find an aesthetically balanced fusion of form and content. The objective is not to make something pretty but to make the message compelling. The goal isn’t simplicity; the goal is to fuse meaningful content with persuasive form.

For everything Paul Rand, go here.

Predictions? No. Trends? Uhhh, not really, but mainly because I refuse to be called trendy.  What the PTS Watchlistapalooza represents are ideas that make sense for the next five or more years.

All of these points are especially important for the creative professional since we are the tip of the spear.

1. Look for goods that can’t be sucked into the cloud* – i.e. Google getting into the hardware business
2. The “Democratized Renaissance” (via David Burney ) a.k.a. cooperative organizing of creativity, has brought us to chaos.  Watch as the professional class scrambles for shelter – this goes double for my native profession of commercial photography.
3. Marketing messages become more toxic.  The smarter among us will steer their marketing further away from propaganda.  Keep it real by phasing out the ad push of the last century and phase in the pull by providing valuable but authentic content.
4. The return of web ROI.  Information wants to be free but let’s get real folks – and we will – we just haven’t discovered appropriate pay for play models.
5. Content is king; watch for it to return to its rightful place as old institutions transform (or fail) into new organizations.
6. The emerging Renaissance Specialist will find his niche.  Simply having a high skill in a narrow specialty will no longer cut it.  Go ahead, establish a brand based on a specialty but you’d better be prepared to add value across a broader range of skills than you did in prior decades.  Watch for the return of Liberal Studies.
7. Privacy gets more consideration from marketers. The younger generation may have a lesser expectation of privacy but don’t fool yourself, invade it at your peril – social media marketing is a risky proposition for those interested in broadcasting a message.
8. Watch as institutions to get into trouble when the old guard tries new social media tricks.  Remember that rogue employees representing a company on Twitter can communicate messages out of reach of the board room – enter Risk Management.
9. Integration is no longer just an 11 letter word.  The new tools are awesome but like every new toy we eventually return to our real pleasures and passions.  Integrate your product into culture or change culture otherwise no one is going to listen to your message.
10. Not going away: matching of buyers to sellers and “you get what you pay for”.
11. Pay attention to generative values – read Kevin Kelly’s thoughts (Better Than Free) on uncloneable assets around which we can build economic scarcity: immediacy, personalization, interpretation, authenticity, accessibility, embodiment, patronage and findability.
12. Social Media will remain – uhhh well – social.  While there may be a deluge of fan pages, click through advertising and contests, social media participants will never have patience for intrusions into the space where they keep relationships.  Your message might be sitting on someone’s lap, be careful what you put there.
13. Phase out direct marketing mentality, create internet advertising that is magnetically experiential; add value and then make the turn, but rather than asking for the sale like Ron Popeil, ask for a relationship.
14. There’s no longer 10,000 hours (a la Gladwell’s Outliers)  to be an expert at any small thing and the small things are getting bigger.
15. Innovation will move from “perceived” to “real” or the perceived will need to become real by adding value to the experience – see Kevin Kelly’s generative values.

*Also Check out John Hagel’s Edge Perspective

In this Video: BBH band fans worldwide submitted web cam footage for this co-created celebration of the band’s music. It’s an example of crowd sourcing creative content.

Crowd sourcing is somewhat controversial because many professionals feel they are being at once undercut, but also that nonprofessionals, when tapped through crowd sourcing, contribute to the marketing efforts of large companies that return millions in profits without being justly compensated.

While this is not a corporate example, it is a great testimony for what can be done now that everyone has a camera.

Personally, I enjoy watching the video and much prefer learning what I can then go and create my own thing.

Call me a blog cruiser. I mostly lurk when I’m short of time. Given an additional disposable minute, I make questionable, not fully fleshed comments that typically incite ridicule. We all hit walls to scale and all my blog cruising reminded me recently of a tall one of mine: I’m not trendy.Hundreds of dollars – OK – millions are invested in trend spotting. New car colors, fashion, and even greeting cards desperately search for underlying industry trends. Once germinated, they’re picked clean by so many bandwagon hoppers that “outsiders” can feel like year old bread trying to taste fresh. Toasting works sometimes but usually not.

The same thing happens in photography. I hear photographers 10 years younger than me reminiscing, “remember cross-processing?” I then realize that their nostalgia and mine are separated by 15 years – is that the cycle for a photo trend?

The larger markets – NYC, LA, London, Paris – live the trends. I’ve read this week on another blog that NYC and LA photographers are the best. I’m sure I don’t believe all I read but perhaps if you want to find the trendiest and the most reactionary shooters, you might look to those two cities.

So where does that leave the rest of us? We often don’t have the dollars to research trends and being reactionary is totally out of the question and a waste of time..  I guess I have no choice but to shoot what I feel, mix past experience with daily observation to evolve, and hope the trend researchers find me – or not.  Regardless, I’m authentic me.

BTW – the core of this post was first posted in 2007 but I’m still feelin’ it.