So. This is quite the venture. A group of individuals set out to create an app that achieves a visceral quality in photos… something that Instagram can’t always achieve perfectly (not to say this is a perfect solution either). Rather than recreating a retro effect with software, InstaCRT actually uses the aging titular tech to achieve its goals.

The concept is simple. You take a photo on your iPhone using the InstaCRT app. You upload that photo to a developer. This developer displays your image on a 1 inch CRT in a defined space (office or otherwise). A picture of the photo is then taken with a DSLR, and sent back to your iPhone.

The results are really nice. The scanlines are genuine, the distortion doesn’t follow any equation, and the look and feel are pretty spot on. It results in a standard that many other apps are striving for.

However, it has to be equally as inefficient. The more people begin to use the app, the more time is needed to deliver a result. So what if this app soars? Would it take days, maybe weeks to get an image sent back to you? Is there a better way to streamline this process? There are plenty of possibilities, as well as many conflicts begging to be solved. But nevertheless, the idea is nice, and the effort is present. The results could potentially be fantastic.

You can currently buy InstaCRT in the app store for $1.99.

I’m unfamiliar with the name(s) behind Zeitguised, but I can tell you it wouldn’t matter because I’ve fallen hard in love with their work. Zeitguised boasts the intricate biography, “The strange, obscure twin of contemporary zeitgeist imagineering.”

From what I gather, they’re a motion and 3D creative studio that dabbles heavily in obscure, abstract, and visually stimulating work that proves effective both in motion and in print.

This piece in particular is a more recent example of the experimental nature of Zeitguised. “Sample Sample” is the portrayal of nanoscopic materials inspired by images of fabric materials. In essence, this is creating the simulation of photographed space which seduces the viewer to imagine an existing material reality.

The piece is created with two different levels of translation of textile pattern. The first is color – where a scan of the textile is taken to directly color individual parts of the structure. The second is fabric weavings – 3D dimensional stacks of interlocked platonic bodies. The key then is to offset these layers in relation with each other which results in the visual effect we see here.

It’s no wonder the work was shown at Kiss The Design Gallery in Lausanne, Switzerland. It’s smartly constructed, and visually gorgeous.

By all means, explore their portfolio…it’s pretty intriguing stuff.

(If I happen to misread or misunderstand the making of this piece, I apologize in advance!)

Eric Cahan might be considered a good designer, but he’s definitely considered a phenomenal photographer. He’s a devotee of contemporary art, and is always inspired by color and nature. This is evident yet again in the ongoing Sky Series. These pieces are captured scenes of sunrises or sunsets.

Cahan uses as many as four separate cameras in capturing the amazement housed in these colorful compositions of nature. Employing dozens of graduated filters, his objective is to create a window into a time and a place, and to play with the abstract through color gradients, shifting, and manipulation. Cahan produces chromium prints of each piece numerous times until he has reached a seamless result free of any sort of blemish. Cahan’s drive to mesh the elemental beauty of color with the hidden complexity of nature is admirable. And the results: astounding.

I’m sure a lot of people may disagree with me on this one, but I strongly believe Emily Grundon’s Nonspace photography series is an extraordinarily successful series. Negative space, or white space in particular, is one of the strongest elements in any visual representation. It seems here that the idea of white space has been pushed to the boundary, flooding full compositions, but still retaining an engaging appeal. I’d imagine it has much to do with the straight edges, subtle shades, and strong balances created in each photograph. …Or maybe I just love white!

]]> http://fourfifthsdesign.com/2011/05/10/nonspace-photography/feed/ 0 fourfifths http://fourfifthsdesign.com/2011/04/12/emotive-photography/ http://fourfifthsdesign.com/2011/04/12/emotive-photography/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:52:49 +0000 Patrick Branigan http://fourfifthsdesign.com/?p=2712 ]]> Designer: Luis Beltran

This small set of photographs comes from the Spanish photographer Luis Beltran. Each manipulation (assuming) is evocative and expresses a fantastical emotion. The use of color, or lack of – depending, makes for beautiful surrealism and environmental distortion.

This series of person creations by Dan Mountford marries photography and design in a subtle and balanced way. The images were created ‘in camera’ whiled the change in tones, blemishes and vector additions were all part of minimal post work production. The resulting compositions prove to be beautiful works of art.

This series, from Denmark’s freelance photographer Kim Høltermand, depicts the architecture and spaces involved in what seems to be a deserted city. These photos are both mysterious and intriguing. I enjoy that you can take what is being shown and manipulate it into your own story based on the fact that very little truth is presented as to location, material, purpose, etc with these architectural pieces. What’s even more interesting to me is the fact that Kim’s photography is a hobby…Kim works as a fingerprints expert in the Crime Scene Unit of the Danish National Police.

In the Jigokudani, located in the mountains of Nagano, there lives a creature known mostly as the Snow Monkey. These friendly monkeys are used to being around people so it’s no surprise they had no trouble going about their business for the camera. These photos are fascinating looks into the facial mannerisms of these creatures.

This extraordinary series by photographer Danielle Tunstall is not meant to sicken the viewer or revolve around gore, but rather, in her words, “simply make visual comments on life and the human species.” I think this series in particular is absolutely gorgeous.

It’s no secret that The Sartorialist has come be known as one of the most popular names in the blogosphere. Scott Schumann is a photographer who went from growing up and playing sports to capturing and photographing some of the most opinionated fashion finds in the world. All of his photographic work is found on his blog, The Sartorialist. Check out this short video, produced by Intel, dealing with the making and sustaining of The Sartorialist. I personally enjoyed the video for the mere reason that I now know exactly how Schumann approaches his subjects…something never revealed through the blog alone.