Sort Of Natural

A peek into my process. Variations and Fragments.

I’ve recently fallen in love with manipulating scanned images. The underlying texture of the printed image becomes more apparent as they are twisted and destroyed. I’ve found that this is much more appealing than the digital noise found in an image from my dSLR. And,of course, it’s much easier to find an image in print than to go out and try to photograph an event myself.

Here is a set of four images based off an image I found in the Press of Atlantic City a few years ago. I used mirroring and tunneling techniques on these images. I tried slight adjustments of these techniques after each run. Some of these images were the children of dozens of steps and some of only a few steps. There is almost no layer blending used in the images. No color correction or contrast adjustments.

You can click on the image to be taken to its flickr page and view a large version of the image.

This first set is called Four Variations on Bribes and Contracts . (link to the set on flickr)

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After the success of this set I went back to the start and searched out another image to destroy.

The base image is nearly the most important part of my processing. If there is nothing interesting about the base image there will almost never be anything interesting about the images that come of it. All of my failed experiments seem to come of boring base images… or overwrought processing trees.

For this next set I settled on a painting of a ram I found in some old farmers tractor supply/review magazine. The image was in color and rather striking. You can see the textures of the horns and fur in the finished images. I decided to go black and white with this image. I also bumped the contrast up.

You can click on the image to be taken to its flickr page and view a large version of the image.

Here are the six images. White Pizza and its Five Fragments. (link to the set on flickr)

This first image is titled White Pizza. It is the finished image. The next five images are fragments of this images.

More of this to come soon. Most likely.

Tags: digital destruction, experimental, experimentalism, four variations on bribes and contracts, image manipulation, pattern, SORTOFNATURAL, thirddesign, tunnel, white pizza and its five fragments

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Categories Personal Work

My Favorite Things of 2011.

22 Dec

I’m doing this instead of long lists of film and music rankings.

OTHER MUSIC

But first… here are a few albums that didn’t make the list but are still worth your time.

Dumbo Gets Made “Elephants At The Door” / Ducktails “Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics” / BOBBY “BOBBY” / John Maus “We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves” / Real Estate “Days” / Monster Rally “Crystal Ball” and “Coral LP”

OTHER FILMS

You can see how I ranked the films of 2011 on my “Flickchart” here… All 33 that I happened to see.

Ok, now for the list of things that I found to be enjoyable in year 2011

12. Colin Stetson “New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges” (music)

Heavy… Skillful… Enjoyable

Stream the album

11. Louie (television)

Funny in your heart ears.

10. Professor Blastoff (podcast)

A hilarious weekly look at the world, science, ideas and other things. Kyle Dunnigan says funny things in funny ways.

http://www.earwolf.com/show/professor-blastoff/

9. Le Havre (film)

Imagine if Tarantino was in a good mood and had an original idea. Then the took the idea to Wes Anderson. Anderson then shot the film and allowed Michael Haneke to edit it. It’s sort of like that.

8. Future Islands “On The Water” (music)

Beach House didn’t make an album this year. Future Islands did… Hopefully they do this every year or so.

7. Take Shelter (film)

A surprisingly affecting film. Michael Shannon is one of the greatest actors of all time. Go find this film!

6. Film Junk (podcast)

In a world inundated with big name podcasters. Four men ,from somewhere in Canada, have taken the medium to its loftiest height. A weekly 2 hour long movie review podcast and so much more. It also happens to be the funniest podcast on the interweb and boasts one of the most interestingly strange recurring guest/character in the, post-Karl Pilkington, world.

Here is great place for new listeners to start… Episode #250: The Clip Show

Or this amazing story from Film Junks resident filmmaker Jay Cheel and his colon cancer scare.

5. Panda Bear “Tomboy” (music)

What falling out of the warm nest of “Person Pitch” sounds like. Ultimately landing in a more ornate nest outfitted with artificial heat called “Tomboy”. It was a great trip.

4. Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues” (music)

Not timeless. A mindful and immediate ode to middle years and us middle children of history.

3. Breaking Bad (television)

There is nothing more to say. Get a Netflix account and watch the past seasons. Purchase the new season. Sleep until the next season.

No video… I don’t want to spoil any of it for you.

2. Drive (film)

This film absolutely flattened me. Flattened me like a boot to the head in an elevator.

1. The Tree Of Life (film)

2011: A West Texas Family Fever Dream

The world begins and ends and its beautiful.

Tags: 2011, best of, breaking bad, colin stetson, drive, film, film junk, fleet foxes, flickchart, future islands, le havre, list, louie, movie, music, panda bear, podcast, professor blastoff, take shelter, the tree of life, TV, year end

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Categories Year End Lists

Recent Personal Work – a bit abstract

23 Feb

Been trying to escape my own creative confines. Some of these are unfinished, some are overproduced. But each one is a reflection of a personal feeling or idea.

For once I don’t really care if others enjoy the work. This is mine, for my own pleasure. That statement is partially true.

Tags: film, personal work, robert b photography, robert bruce murray, robertbphotography, robertbrucemurray, sort of natural, SORTOFNATURAL, thirddesign

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Categories Personal Work

My 19 Favorite Films Of 2010 (and the end of 2009)

26 Dec

Originality is one less film…

This is totally based on personal taste and entertainment received from the film. I have no personal experience in the technicalities of film-making, acting or sound design. My light dabbling in photography does inform much of this list.

Here are a few films that didn’t make the list. I wasn’t able to see them in time for this post, but I’m certain that they are great! (Let Me In, Carlos, Dogtooth, and Mother)

Now for the list… You would do well to watch each of these films!

19. ODDSAC

What just happened? Can I see it again…

18. Enter The Void

No film matches the visuals here, even if they are just hollow symbols.

17. Red Riding (trilogy)

You’ll never guess, but you should have.

16. Monsters

Not on this list because it was made for just under fifteen dollars. Hey Cameron, story trumps visuals everytime.

15. Catfish

I believe I don’t believe I believe I believe… I’m not sure if I believe but it doesn’t matter now.

14. Restrepo

A mandatory viewing for every American citizen.

13. Black Swan

Aronofsky creates the most chilling scenes of the year.

12. Shutter Island

Best ending of the year.

11. Animal Kingdom

Sucker punched by this… Turns into a great film when Pearce arrives.

10. Get Low

Thank you Bill Murray… It’s nice to see you again. Duvall deserves the world for this one.

9. The Fighter

Don’t worry, this isn’t a Marky Mark vehicle. Prepare yourself for Bale’s best performance…ever. (your argument is invalid)

8. A Prophet

It’s better than The Godfather. And it’s all in one film.

7. Inception

The brilliant mind of Nolan creates a muddled yet strangely coherent masterpiece. This is high art in a blockbuster dress.

6. The White Ribbon

I dare not try to explain it. You’ve seen nothing like it.

5. The Social Network

The best director, best actor, best score, best trailer, best opening scene, and best screenplay… and almost the best film.

4. Exit Through The Gift Shop

Pure joy… Don’t question the validity. Just sit back and enjoy the unfettered creativity.

3. True Grit

The Coens best film? Certainly the best western I’ve ever seen.

2. The Kings Speech

The best overall performances… And the best cinematography of the year.

1. Winters Bone

No movie has ever captured me the way this gem did. The most realistic looking film in ages. The desperately honest portrait of this young ladies life will no doubt bring a tear to your eye.

There it is. My top 19 films of the year.

Let me know how you would rank the films of 2010!

Tags: 2010, a prophet, animal kingdom, black swan, catfish, cinema, enter the void, Exit through the gift shop, favorite movies, get low, inception, monsters, oddsac, red riding, restrepo, shutter island, the fighter, the girl with the dragon tattoo, the kings speech, the social network, the town, the white ribbon, top films of the year, true grit, winters bone

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Categories Uncategorized

Here We Are #3

16 Dec

All of these photos can be found in our Flickr Group “SortOfNatural” and in the corresponding gallery.

Make sure to click on each photo to be taken to its original page.

Here We Are is a collection of photographs from the brightest and most inspiring minds I’ve stumbled across. I love these images.

This is Here We Are #3 … and as comedy legend Steven Brody Stevens would say, Enjoy It!

Tags: "steven brody stevens", a.matzke, brittany juravich, c a i tlin, Charlotte Marks, dΛenhΛΛg, eylowrance, fernando farfan, flickr, here we are #3, hooray!, laurausername, love and photos, mcardak, milkaylafay, nivea-cream, OMS-B, SHЯIYA, smithisdeath, sortofnatural group, tumblr, Vic. #

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Categories Here We Are - Photography, Uncategorized

Sort Of Naturals “Top Ten Albums of 2010″

8 Dec

Here it is… A list of what I liked in music for 2010. Figured I would do the whole top ten thing. This will not be based off some kind of recommendation of musical quality, but rather the amount of liking I had toward the album.
So here they are in order of … personal likeyness. (including a youtube clip of my favorite song from each)

10. Young Man “Boy” EP

Album of enjoyable light enjoyableness.

9. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti “Before Today”

Out of the bedroom… Still lovely.

8. Yeasayer “Odd Blood”

Upon first listen I planned no second listen. Now this is the boppy bloopy soundtrack of my weekends.

7. Deerhunter “Halcyon Digest”

Can we all agree that Bradford Cox is a raging genius.

6. Mountain Man “Made Of Harbor”

Molly, Alexander, and Amelia are angels… vocal angels.

5. Beach House “Teen Dream”

The thickest most inviting wall of sound you’ll find.

4. The Tallest Man On Earth “The Wild Hunt”

Bob who?

3. Arcade Fire “The Suburbs”

Bahbabaabababaaaaa… the band of our time does it again.

2. Avey Tare “Down There”

Listen front to back or your missing the point(don’t ask me what the point is).

1. The Walkmen “Lisbon”

Sparse and wonderful. Full and flourishing.

Some other stuff I liked this year (In no order at all…)

Owen Pallett “Heartland“ – Vampire Weekend “Contra” – Jonsi “Go” – Glasser “Ring” – A Classic Education “Hey There Stranger EP” – Crystal Castles “Crystal Castles” – Panda Bear “Tomboy, and the money grabbing singles“ - Röyksopp “Senior” – The National “High Violet” – MGMT “Congratulations” – Local Natives “Gorilla Manor” – Emily Jane White “Victorian America” – Brasstronaut “Mt.Chimaera” – Animal Collective “ODDSAC” soundtrack

Tags: '10, 10 list, and the money grabbing singles" - Röyksopp "Senior" - The National "High Violet" - MGMT "Congratulations" - Local Natives "Gorilla Manor" - Emily Jane Whi, arcade fire, avey tare, beach house, boy, dave portner, deerhunter, down there, foals, halcyon digest, lisbon, made of harbor, mountian man, music, odd blood, Owen Pallett "Heartland" - Vampire Weekend "Contra" - Jonsi "Go" - Glasser "Ring" - A Classic Education "Hey There Stranger EP" - Crystal Castles &, robertb, sort of natural, SORTOFNATURAL, teen dream, the suburbs, the tallest man on earth, the walkmen, the wild hunt, thirddesign, top 10 albums of 2010, top music, total life forever, yeasayer, young man

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Categories Album Reviews

Here We Are #2

7 Dec

All of these photos can be found in our Flickr Group “SortOfNatural” and in the corresponding gallery.

Make sure to click on each photo to be taken to its original page.

Here We Are is a collection of photographs from the brightest and most inspiring minds Flickr has to offer. Photographers with the ability to frame a subject in a sincere and artistic fashion.

This is Here We Are #2 … as comedy legend Steven Brody Stevens would say, Enjoy It!