Have a quick look at an excerpt from the with Julieanne Kost and make sure to read the full article when the September/October issue hits the newsstands!

“When it comes to aesthetic digital collage and technical expertise with Photoshop, few can equal Julieanne Kost. Professionally a Digital Imaging Evangelist for Adobe, Kost not only knows her tools, but she incorporates her skill into some of the most sensitive narrative collages exhibited today.

JK: “I am able to control the exact elements that I want to merge together to form a cohesive message. As a result, I am able to create a composite image more powerful than its individual parts. The interactive process of selecting and assembling images is one of the most challenging and thought-provoking aspects of my creative exploration. Although overall, the images may appear serene and calm, the act of creation is anything but passive. I begin with a concept in mind, yet I may not know exactly how the pieces will fit together at the end. As the image takes on its own life, I often allow myself to explore additional directions, sometimes finding that the final image only faintly resembles the one first imagined.”

Here’s a preview of Carlos Tarrat’s portfolio that is featured in the May/June 2010 issue of photo technique! The stunning imagery of Carlos Tarrats redefines the techniques we’ve come to expect in the age of digital manipulation. Yes folks, these images are all composed in camera and shot on film with no digital handiwork.

Editor Paul Schranz interviews Carlos Tarrats who use traditional processes to produce untraditional images of plant life above and below ground.

“Tarrat’s message is so important that he refers to these plant photographs as “portraits.” He adds that these are not primarily self-portraits in any metaphorical sense, but rather more general investigations into life’s brief but extraordinary moments of being. He asks, “What if all of those moments were compressed into a single frame? How do you visually represent the sum of those moments?”

What are your reactions to his work and concepts? Do the “extraordinary moments of being” resonate with you in these images? How can the range of tools in traditional and digital processing liberate or restrict your personal vision? Let us know what you think!

Pick up a copy of the magazine to learn more about Tarrats’ workflow and technique and be sure to visit our website for more information on the upcoming May/June issue.

www.phototechmag.com

In anticipation of the forthcoming March/April issue of photo technique, we are excited to give our readers a preview of Lori Nix’s “The City in Miniature: Photographing a Diorama.”

Lori Nix, a Brooklyn based photographer, constructs and photographs intricately detailed dioramas in the living room of her apartment. Through her attention to detail and lighting techniques, she renders rich and unique imagery with unparalleled surrealistic environments.

Beyond appealing aesthetics, Nix’s images in “The City” serve as narratives of significant cultural themes. Nix explains, “I focus on the ruins of urban landscapes, I construct spaces that celebrate modern culture, knowledge, and innovation, as well as humanity’s more unsavory patterns of consumerism and potential debauchery: the theater, the museum, a vacuum cleaner showroom, and a dark, dingy bar. Here the buildings of civilization and material culture are abandoned, lying in a state of decay and ruin, with natural elements such as plants, insects and animals beginning to repopulate the spaces. This idea of paradise lost, or the natural world reclaiming itself, becomes more forceful as we face greater environmental challenges in the world around us”.

The vision of Lori Nix is a dynamic and complex one, and photo technique is pleased to include her latest portfolio in our upcoming issue. It’s just a few more weeks until you can read the full article and see the beautiful reproductions yourself!

Also featured in the March/April issue:

- Al Weber’s aerial photographic portfolio, “Influence of Flying”
- “Insect Photography in Nature,” amazing macro work of Gene Federov
- “Darkness at Noon,” Cole Thompson’s Long Exposures and ND Filters
- Cornelia Hediger’s “Doppleganger” series
- Dan Burkholder’s iPhone images, which will surely blow your mind!
- “The Copy Print Process,” a detailed workflow of Chris Woodhouse
- Tom Millea’s commentary on the shift from Modernism to Post-Modernism in photography
- Michael Light’s new book, Bingham Mine/Garfield Stack reviewed by Mary Anne Redding
- Innovations, underground tech updates

Renowned platinum photographer Tom Millea will be featured in the January/February 2010 issue of Photo technique. Tom has been teaching workshops across the country for years, sharing his expertise on the subject of quality platinum printing with all who are eager to learn. However, the portfolio and accompanying article in the upcoming issue explore Millea’s latest photographic ventures, sans platinum.

When the specific chemistry, papers and film that he had used for decades were discontinued one by one, Millea made a firm decision to stand up for his artistic ambitions and explore new avenues. In addition to his initial unfamiliarity with digital processes, Millea also had to deal with the scrutiny of fellow film photographers who saw little or no value in the digital translation of the medium.

In the featured article, Millea describes his range of experiences in this process, from frustration and disappointment to excitement and rejuvenation, as he found new means of expressing his photographic vision. To begin working in unchartered photographic territory, especially after mastering such a complex technique and developing his own rich and delicate style, is a testament to Millea’s dedication to the medium and its endless potential- whatever form it may take.

Make sure to check out the full article in Tom’s words and see the beautiful prints for yourself.

Have you dealt with similar frustrating issues such as discontinued supplies? What role do you think technique plays? Is it a means to an end, or the end itself? How do you think photographic education should approach the rift between film and digital?