In the past we’ve talked about shooting underwater photos and wanting to experiment with it. These photos are from photographer Steven Taylor with musician Devan DuBois as the pictured subject. These images are a testament to the cool things that can result from experimenting with underwater photography.
I still would love to rent a housing for my Canon 1dmkII or even a cheap film camera and go for a dive into the ocean or a lake.
Can anyone recommend a decent waterproof film camera?
Well I have a new toy. No it’s not a $3500 underwater housing for my 5D (though that would be awesome). I’ve been shooting with a little Canon Powershot D10 for the last week and it’s been a lot of fun. If you are considering a trip to anywhere water-lush, I suggest giving the D10 a shot. It’s not perfect, but it sure beats spending a boat load for an SLR underwater housing if you’re strapped for cash.
First, the D10 is waterproof and shockproof. I tested it thoroughly (trust me, I break point-n-shoot cameras regularly). I carried it around in my swimming suit pocket and sat on it, swam with it, dropped it out of moving golf carts and threw it to friends when we didn’t have a ball. The thing is solid. I didn’t have a strap and this was a crucial error. If you are going to parade around with one, definitely invest in some kind of way to connect it to your person.
Next, it’s massively fun to have an amphibious camera that can fit in your pocket. I underestimated how much fun it would be and spent a very long time on various bizarre photo missions (#43. Try to take a photo with the lead singer from Kings of Leon, underwater. *Unsuccessful, but close). Even if you are just in a pool, the camera is worth trying.
The photos above are a few of the cooler ones I got. Dolphins are kind of a cheating way to make a photo look cool, but still, the colors and clarity are nice, especially for a wee little camera. These photos were shot with sand everywhere, all over the lens, and my complete lack of concern for the camera’s well-being. Pretty cool I’d say — it’s nice to not have to treat your camera like a fragile little hamster (5D).
On the negative side, it’s very bulky for a point-n-shoot. If you are in water, who cares, but if you are looking for a one stop shop that you can also bring out with you at night, this isn’t it. Putting it in your pants pocket renders that leg odd looking as it protrudes rather unfortunately. Personally, I also find it ugly, but I gravitate towards all black cameras, so take that with a grain of sea salt. The camera definitely looks more like a toy than a Bell & Ross.
This post certainly cements my affinity for underwater photos (Asako Narahashi will always reign supreme). I have a bunch more, but most are of my friends and I floating in the water, and we isn’t Facebook friends!
One of my favorite posts I’ve written here on ISO50 was on Asako Narahashi. I recently bought the book, which I would highly recommend if you enjoyed her photos. Like all photo books I buy, it’s hard to resist the urge to cut out and frame all the pages, as opposed to letting them all live together in their intended format. A friend of mine has his Richard Misrach On The Beach book adorning his walls and it looks great.
Anyway, the point is that Narahashi’s photos were one of my favorite things I’ve found scouring the internet for the blog. The photos above remind me of her series half awake and half asleep in the water, with the obvious addition of human beings. I prefer her photos (the absence of humanity gives them their distinctive mood), but these are still captivating in their own right.
The Fallingwater house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built during 1934-1937 in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. The house was originally a weekend home for Edgar Kaufmann and his family. Over time the house has become a historic landmark and also known as one of the most well known residences in the United States by the American Institute of Architects.
Wright’s goal for this house was to make man and nature harmonious, much like Japanese architecture. Instead of building the house alongside the waterfall like the Kaufmann family originally had planned, Wright designed the house to sit directly on top of the falls. The house then became part of the falls; the sounds of the water echoing throughout the entire house.
After an unplanned overnight stay in Atlanta, I’ve finally made it to Tampa for the Connext show tonight. Just a reminder, if you’re planning on coming out the show is from 5:00-10:30PM at Coachman Park. I’ll go on around 9PM, all the details are here. See you out there.
I’ll be playing a live Tycho set and doing ISO50 visuals this Saturday (Nov.1) in Clearwater, FL for The Connext Project show in Coachman Park. There will also be an ISO50 booth with posters, shirts, CDs, etc. The show starts at 5PM and from what I’ve heard I go on around 9PM. Sorry for the late notice on this, but hopefully you can recover from your Halloween hangover and make it out for the show. See you all out there…
Tycho / ISO50 LIVE @ Connext Project 2008
When: Saturday, November 1st, 2008 @ 5PM
Where: Coachman Park – 301 Drew St. Clearwater, FL 33756 Directions Admission: ALL AGES – $5 – Buy Tickets
This event is rain or shine.
No food or drink except sealed bottles of water.
Children 5 and under are free.
A genuine ode to the softer sides of the early 90s indie pop scene, could have been cherished by either coasts back then.
Positive Noise, the debut album by Sam O.B, is not a ‘journey of a record’, but it’s also not Party Time USA. It’s nuance: cloud patterns: like good progressive jazz. Like the refinement of refinement, the elegance of elegance. Sound propelled by its own smoothness. A coolness that isn’t cold. The earnestness of an old friend. Expanse. Experimentation. Actual warmth.
Sam O.B. is (and has always been) a man of classics. When you hear the sax on ‘Salt Water,’ you will understand this ambition with precision. Arpeggiated horn delay and female oohs fall like geodesic rain. The blasting synth leads on ‘Midnight Blue’ and ‘Nearness’ waver and find their way (“Always on time”). The sing-and-play harmonies of ‘Sirens’ refer to the stunning bliss of smooth jazz, which has been in Sam’s arsenal of interests for longer than anyone can remember.
Rural China must be an absolutely amazing place to visit and photograph. A sentiment Thierry Bornier must have said to himself before leaving his job as a Chief Financial Officer at an international fashion company in New York and traveling to China to start a new life.
Thierry states..
…deep down I knew that number crunching could never satisfy my thirst for natural beauty and my love for photography.
And so, I gathered my courage and decided to see what my life would become if I did something I truly loved. I’ve never looked back.
Theirry, a French photographer specializing in capturing the landscapes of China, has been documenting the cascades of rice terraces in Yuanyang every year since permanently moving to China.
The winter temperatures here, although never freezing, are such that the terraces can only support one rice crop a year. After the harvest, from mid-September until mid-November depending on the elevation, the terraces are filled with water until April, when the planting begins.
From elevations as high as 6,500 feet, the terraces undulate down into the valleys, forming intricate patterns that mirror the clouds and the sky. The fusion of man and nature creates awe-inspiring beauty, and I love the patterns and the diversity of colours that can be found at each site.
You can see more of Theirry’s work on his website: thierrybornier.net where he offers week long photography workshops in rural China beginning in February of next year.
After an unplanned overnight stay in Atlanta, I’ve finally made it to Tampa for the 
