Drive-by iPhone Shootings - (Culver City) Los Angeles

In the late 80's into the 90's I did a series with the title "Drive-By Shootings."  Since I was not a gang-banger, these were actually photos shot with my 35mm camera from my car as I was driving. During those years, I also often used a very simple, plastic,  toy camera that came from Japan, known as a Banner, to make images. It was a variation of the more popular Diana or Holga variety.

Lately, I've been primarily using my iPhone5 for making images.

Last month I was riding shotgun (pun intended) in a friend's car when she was running an errand in Culver City, a section of town that is beginning to be gentrified, but still has older neighborhoods behind the commercial areas and media studios.

Starting with the Hipstmatic app on my phone, I photographed as we drove, and converted them within another app I use almost exclusively for post production.

These images are the result of a mash up of the past series, with the visual sensibilities of an old toy camera, created with the new technology of a smart phone... which for me is like using an updated toy camera.

 Photographs © Ellen Giamportone All rights reserved.2014

Lake + Rocks + Sky = Serenity

About a year ago, when still living in NC, while driving by Jordan Lake, an unusual route for me, I impulsively turned onto the little road that would take me to an accessible shoreline area. I hadn't been to this spot for years, when, then, it was to photograph a full moon above water late at night.

These photos were taken with the Hipstamatic app on my recently acquired iPhone. The time spent there was exquisite, and now and again, a year later, I think of that afternoon, and glance at the photos tucked away in a hard drive.

Today, I decided to share them, and hopefully, the sense of simple beauty and serenity of the place and that afternoon.

Photographs © Ellen Giamportone All rights reserved.

Kangaroo Paws - A Meditation

 The other day I spotted, quite obviously lit by the bright sun, a large sprawling tangle of red plant landscaping along the front of an apartment complex in Sherman Oaks, as I was walking toward the entrance on my way to see a friend. I stopped for what I thought would be a moment to do one photo, but stayed on quite a bit longer, becoming lost in the odd beauty of it all.

When starting to post the finished images, I had no idea what the red plants were, so I posted the above image on Facebook, asking if anyone knew what it was called. Replies came as "cat's paw", "elk horn" as well as well as "red kangaroo paw" accompanied by a photo looking exactly like the flora of mine. Another response agreed, saying it is the nickname, but didn't know it's official calling.
Another responded that the plant's origin is Australia, and someone added it is poisonous.

So there was that. I then decided to see what a kangaroo's paw actually looks like. So there you have it:  An explanation from the mind for what was an experience of my eyes and heart.
A bit of Nature's beauty became a portal for a visual meditation in the moment, and later, was translated into more of the essence I felt about it's presence.

Photographs © Ellen Giamportone 2014. All rights reserved.

Venice Beach, CA

 

The day brought thoughts of seeing the ocean, and so it was an afternoon of wandering down the Venice Boardwalk. This was the first time I saw the turbaned man with rollers skates and guitar since moving back here last summer.  He's a mainstay down there; I was wondering if he was still around. The first time I ran into him was in the early 80's. He's looking still the same with many lines on his face.

The skateboard pit is new to me.

Walking along the boardwalk still seems like being in a movie with an ever changing music sound track playing in the background of the place.

Once you get down to the water, everything is different.



















Photographs © Ellen Giamportone 2014 All rights reserved.

Some New Work

It's been many months and my one crashed laptop later since posting anything here. Life has been bopping along in it's own rhythm not so concerned with my druthers as far as getting images any further than downloaded from the ilPhone onto the  newly (finally) cobbled together old big-ass desk top Mac my daughter and son-in-law kindly hauled out of garage storage for me.

Not currently having a lot of time to be alone, still and concentrate for long periods of time  working on images, I've been posting sporadically on Facebook.

A few weeks ago, I discovered software that piqued my interest beyond the post production style I've been using in my phone, easily accessed while sitting in the car at lights and in traffic, as well as when sitting on my bed, between chores, mantras, and  grandboys' care.

So, as my way of stepping into the blog stream once again, I'm posting a few of the images I've been working on when I stay up late for a change, some nights, disappearing into that space I used to know and cherish....letting visuals go where they pull me when I have no where else to go and nothing else on my mind.

Photographs © Ellen Giamportone All rights reserved.

Muscle Beach, Santa Monica CA

Muscle Beach in Santa Monica is an area along the beach walkway just south of the SM Pier. It's a great place for athletic types to show off their prowess on the rings, a tightrope, hanging ropes, and ground gymnastics. It's also a great place to hang out and watch the exuberant activities with the enthusiastic crowd it draws.

Throw in a blue sky filled with cirrus with assorted wispy strands of clouds that Sunday afternoon, and it became a treasure trove of sparkling energy with graceful bodies set in the magnificent nature.

 By the way, all of these photos were shot and produced on my iPhone4S. It's pretty much the only camera I've been using since I got it in early spring.

Photographs © Ellen Giamportone All rights reserved.

Back to Los Angeles: #2 - Seeing In Color

Although I'm concentrating on black and white these days, occasionally color jumps out, being the attraction to make a picture. Here are a few.

The mermaid photo also holds up in black and white, but I couldn't resist the green and red... that's what grabbed my attention while walking down Abbot Kinney Blvd, in Venice one late afternoon.

The night shot, on La Cienega Blvd. also works converted, but I prefer the soft color hues of the environment.

Walking down Melrose Ave, seeing a scene unfolding framed in bright orange bricks and people gleaming in the sunlight, there was no question. Pure color bliss!

Photographs ©2013 Ellen Giamportone All rights reserved.