What the *#@!...Red Wing Digital Studio?!?

Introducing Red Wing Digital Studio

Astute observers will have noticed a new link in the banner image. Red Wing Digital Studio (RWDS) made a quiet introduction earlier this year. RWDS is a bit more nebulous (and fun) than either Red Wing Framing Gallery or Red Wing Portrait Studio, but here are a few clues:

We've found ourselves involved in digital projects that don't neatly fit within the domains of framing, printing, or photography. These projects always involve a digital file of some kind of visual, but the end result can vary from print to projection. The file sizes are enormous, creating unique complications and opportunities. Hence, a new business.

Over time, it will make more sense. The first priority is finding a location to set up this business. If only Red Wing had an "Innovation Incubator" or some kind of "College of Interesting Knowledge," then my prayers would be answered. :)

Central Park Bandshell update

Red Wing Central Park Bandshell Construction Update

The Red Wing Central Park Bandshell is beginning to grow from the ground. The footings are in place, and concrete forms are starting to define the shell itself. I am impressed by how progress wasn't slowed down by the sub-Arctic weather. The Red Wing Construction crews are true professionals.

I anticipate this will have a major positive impact on the entire community. This will be a beautiful new performance venue to complement the Sheldon Theatre. We can look forward to music, live theatre, public gatherings, stand-up comedy, outdoor movies, special events, and more. It's going to be exciting and electric.

The grand opening is targeted for July 4th, 2009.

Hometime...yet again (ver. 2009)

Hometime Episode Re-Broadcast

The Hometime episode we were involved with last year is being re-broadcast over the next several weeks, beginning this past Saturday (01-24-09). Locally, it will be shown on Saturday, February 14, 2009, at 5:30 pm (TPT, channel 2).

What a terrific opportunity this has been for us, and I am thankful for being so fortunate. We have met many people and had a blast being involved.

One of the more interesting aspects for me was the challenge from an operational standpoint. Extremely tight (and rigid) deadlines required us to essentially close the shop for two days to conduct filming. If I remember right, it was six, 18-hour days in a row. There were a flub or two (or three) along the way, but nothing that couldn't be fixed (or reprinted).

Web traffic has been significantly heavier this year. I think it's because Hometime has a much better schedule this year on PBS (they typically block it right before "This Old House"), and search engines have had a full year to digest and sort relevant inquiries. Consequently, the search listings are more favorable.

Max Becherer update

I was delighted to get a note from Max Becherer this morning. I have planted the seed of thought with Max to begin to prepare a five year retrospective photojournalism exhibit for next year. Max has been in Iraq since the initial days of "Shock and Awe" and has made a career of globetrotting to the hot spots on the planet. But let Max speak for himself:

"Hi John!

So good to hear from you. I hope you are having a great New Year! I am in Cairo, Egypt at the moment but should be heading to Iraq for the Provincial Elections later this month. I also think it will be a good place to be when Obama takes office. I was up at the Egyptian Border with Gaza last week and watched as Israeli bombs blow up the tunnels and as the Palestinian wounded came over on their way to Egyptian hospitals. It was a difficult scene. I was waiting for a chance to enter Gaza but they are keeping a tight lid on things there.

So, your idea sounds great. I would love to do a five year retrospective. There are so many ways we could go with it for sure. I have a portfolio book of images I collected from the last five years.

Last year I started covering the elections in Pakistan. It was interesting and I was even able to head up to Peshawar where the North West Territory begins. What a wild place. In any case, I was in Iraq at the last part of this year for the New York Times and then did an assignment about Samarra for the Smithsonian Magazine which is on newsstands now. This week I head to Baghdad for a month and then in April I will be in Afghanistan where things are expected to be difficult this year. That is all for now.Thanks for checking in with me. I hope we get to see each other soon. Say hello to the crew for me!
Best, Max"

Full moon over Barn Bluff

The Largest and Brightest Full Moon of 2009: The Wolf Moon

Last night (Saturday, January 10, 2009), we witnessed the largest and brightest full moon of the year. This month's full moon is known as the Wolf Moon in Native American folklore. January's full moon is also called the Old Moon and the Snow Moon.

A full moon rises right around sunset, no matter where you are. This occurs because the moon and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth during a full moon, allowing sunlight to hit the full face of the moon and reflect back to our eyes.

At moonrise, the moon appears even larger than it does later in the night when it's higher in the sky. Scientists can't fully explain this illusion, but some believe it has to do with our perception of things on the horizon versus overhead.

This photo was taken at 5:06 pm with the following settings: f/3.2, 1/320 sec, ISO 1250, -1.67 EV, 70 mm focal length, handheld. I used levels to bring some details back into the image without destroying the polarized sky and applied a very modest amount of unsharp mask.

Mister Becker's neighborhood

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

It has been an unusually cold and snowy winter so far (cold is mentioned twice because it has been just that cold), but it hasn't slowed down neighborhood activities.

Just a half block from the shop, the new Red Wing Central Park Bandshell is slowly growing from the ground. This project, the result of a generous donation from a local family foundation, is going to have a major impact on the cultural community. The first use of the bandshell is scheduled for July 4, 2009, and it will have regularly scheduled community and cultural activities going forward. It is an exciting design and promises to have excellent acoustics.

On the wall outside the shop, I am field testing some new large format materials to see how cold tolerant they are. The image is a self-portrait photo taken by my son. The colors were de-saturated, and the image highlights were blown out to create this very interesting "Chuck Close" effect. I slit the image every 4" to create movement in the wind, and the final image size is 6 feet wide by 10 feet tall.

Chuck Close is a terrific artist. He is a photo-realist and paints portraits on a massive scale. And in this case, size does matter.

Meanwhile, The Giant Dan is always smiling in the neighborhood of make-believe.

Beauty and the Beast

A Contrast in Projects

Beauty:

The first project is for the new Norton's Downtown and Lucky Cat Lounge. This restaurant-lounge-fine wine store has some very large and high walls, and it needed a tasteful image that befits the atmosphere of this white-linen restaurant.

The image used is "The Flaming June," selected for its gracefulness, color, and impact. It is one of the first things you see when you enter the restaurant from the parking lot and walk towards the hostess station.

The final image size is 8' x 8', printed on a satin fabric with an unfinished and unweighed bottom edge. Because of the 'hand' and drape-ability of the fabric, the entire image has a beautiful waft to it as it moves with the air circulation, almost as if it were breathing.

Beast:

Right next door to Norton's restaurant, the new Red Wing Shoe Company store is being built. This store will be a showcase for The Shoe, which has its world headquarters directly across the street. Red Wing Shoes are simply the best-made boots and shoes in the world. I wear my Model 414 boots for nine months out of the year, and I can personally vouch for the high quality and ruggedness of their products.

This project is labeled the beast because of the harsh conditions these images have to tolerate... beastly. The weather was -15°F with snow and high winds when they were installed. The construction wall is literally 6 inches from Highway 61, and the images have to endure heavy truck traffic, rocks, dirt, grime, and salt, along with the weather extremes.

Each image (there are two) is 6' x 15'. It is a reprint of the architectural concept drawing, with an opening date and The Shoe logo. A heavy-duty scrim material was deployed and further reinforced with the thickest laminate available. The edges were treated with a super glue-like adhesive, and 1/2" weather-resistant, reinforced nickel grommets were used every 2.5 feet.

Too much fun.