Experimenting with HDR and Oceanscapes

I have a new body of work inspired by my childhood of growing up on the Atlantic Ocean coastline in PB County, Florida. There is something inherently beautiful about the ocean or any body of water within each state of being. One of my first memories of a significant body of water was in Vermont. I woke early and alone walked to the dock to watch the sunrise. I can remember the details of the water: her color, the water dew bugs, and the steam rising as the sun rose. I was only 12 or 13 years old, but the majestic presence and beauty left me in awe. This morning, over 20 years (wow!) later the wind was blowing and the ocean surf was ruff with rip currents. The power of water is amazing to me. I am experimenting a bit with HDR and combining multiple frames of exposures without any hint of being overly processed. As most of my colleagues and clients know, I am dedicated to creating work of photographic integrity, as I did in the wet darkroom.  


So, check out my new portfolio of work: Oceaneana:
www.sarahbrownimages.com

New Work Using Old and New Ways: Treasures of Blue

Dillweed
2010
Cyanotype
by Sarah Brown



From a new series of work, Treasures of Blue, using both the old traditions of traditional photography and the technology of scanners and computers to print large scale images. Prints will be for sale on 13x19 Velvet Fine Art Paper. And yes I do all my own printing in my studio. Send an email for inquiries and to purchase: sbrownimages@gmail.com

 

No Limits, 

2010

Cyanotype

by Sarah Brown

Uncertain Times, Uncertain Measures

My studio has been very quiet in the mornings. Usually, I am in the office chair early since my son is an early riser. My husband is an early guy too, but as an Ocean Lifeguard he has no choice. Since news of the oil spill tragedy in April, we have made a conscious effort to swim and play in the waves as often as we can. Admittedly, I had visit the beach low on the priority list. The Atlantic Ocean has been a constant for me since we moved to South Florida when I was five years old.
My childhood memories, like most, have the good and bad as I grew.  But I retreated to the beach and the Everglades as I nursed the pain of growing up with a mother with cancer. Her mortality challenged my frontal cortex before my brain could grasp abstract concepts. The salty Atlantic nursed my wounds.

When she finally died in 1996, having lived with cancer for over ten years, I was living in the mountains of Colorado. I remember, upon returning to Florida, how my ocean trips were healing during the phases of accepting death. Now that I live back here in South Florida, I still feel the same healing, and, perhaps in part to the ongoing parts of her absence.
Usually these days, I am chasing after a four year old; my feelings are mixed with the desire for him to have similar childhood memories of bonding with the Ocean, just as my husband and I have through out our lives. We grieve for those in the Gulf; my son suggested someone take a helicopter and drop buckets of dawn soap in the Gulf. As we wait to see if our coast line is effected by the oil spill, I have continued to photograph the Atlantic's mighty beauty. Color and Black and White. I am thinking on Velvet Fine Art Paper.
Photography, as an emotional medium, eases my sadness. I am not sure if I sketched or painted this same image I would feel the same peace. What is it about Photography that as a tunnel for expression is different than other mediums?

Upcoming Exhibit at the Elliott Museum in Stuart

December 11th at the Elliott Museum in Stuart will open their Juried Art Exhibition entitled, "Florida Expressions and Reflections."

Join me and view my recent piece, "Cypress Equivalence" that will be part of the exhibit.

Here's their link: http://www.elliottmuseumfl.org/index.php?main=1&nav=209