An Avant Gard Triumph: prisencolinensinainciusol

OLL RAIGHT!

I’ve been trying to make this post for a few weeks now. Recently my wife sent me a link to this video on youtube. It’s called “prisencolinensinainciusol” and it’s worth your time.

This video went viral a few years ago. It is a song written by italian singer songwriter Adriano Celetano. It was written in the early seventies and it is a true Avant Gard masterpiece, made more so by the remarkable choreography and big band sound. In fact I believe this puts the song “Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict” on the album Ummagumma by Pink Floyd to shame.

Many people say the lyrics sound like american english to non english speaking italians, but when interviewed Mr. Celetano says the song was about “incommunicability” (he’s obviously comfortable with polysyllabic words) and the rational for the composition was to do something that was simply fun after working on two socially and politically motivated projects. The words are complete gibberish in any language but they are rhythmic and fit the music.

I’m sure he is quite proud that after forty years the song is still a big hit, but I doubt it would be quite as popular as it has been if not for the choreography.

The choreography that helps make this such a fantastic presentation was arranged by Raffaella Carra a diva of some repute in the Latin world. She was the first woman on Italian television to show her bellybutton and was promptly repudiated by the vatican.

Regardless take five minutes out of your day and enjoy both the song and the show. I guarantee you’ll be singing and dancing to prisencolinensinainciusol all day.

Eyes!

Joseph Hittinger Published using High Dynamic Range Photographs

Joe Hittinger had a project I shot for him published in Palo Alto Online.

It was a great project that I shot using the High Dynamic Range Imaging technique that is making such a hit with all my clients. I like it because I can capture the essence of my clients design with a degree of fidelity to their creative vision never before possible. And since the supplemental lighting I need is either minimized or in most cases unnecessary we no longer have to struggle with reflections and light stands and cables, instead we can focus all of our energies on the creative aspects of styling and composition.

Take a look at the project at Palo Alto Online. com or check it out in my portfolio. I’m actually using photographs from this project of Joe’s in my CEU seminar for ASID.

February 2010 Photograph of the Month “Puff Ball”

High Dynamic Range Image of Dandelion Puff Ball

High Dynamic Range Image of Dandelion Puff Ball

This month’s photograph is titled “Puff Ball.” I hope you like it.

I shot this image last year in a local park specifically for the February Photograph of the Month. I intended it to remind everyone of the warm, sunny days of summer hoping it would brighten your day and lift your spirits as the cold dark winter slowly passes.

This is a High Dynamic Range Photograph. I am very pleased with the way this technique brings out detail in both the brightest highlights and darkest shadows. It allows me to control the representation of my subjects with almost the same freedoms of a painter. I say “almost” because when I create an image I still have to work with what is actually before me; a painter has no such restriction.

All images in my “Photograph of the Month” series are sized and formatted as a screen saver or computer desktop wallpaper. Please, share it with your family and friends, with my compliments.

Please call me if you have any need for photographs and I will do all I can to help you.

Thanks,
Dean

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Photography for Interior Designers CEU Lecture An Overwheling Success

Last night at the Hunter Douglas Showroom in Milpitas, CA I gave a CEU lecture to the members of ASID CA Peninsula titled Photography for Interior Designers. The overwhelming positive response of the members who attended tells me I did a good job. I found that I enjoyed speaking to a room filled with eighty people.

I discussed subjects such as Photographic Composition, Styling for Photography and HDRI photography. These subjects are of importance to interiors designers because the quality of their photographs are important to the advancement of their careers .

At the encouragement of Marie Chan of Inter-Space Design, President of ASID CA Peninsula, I worked hard to ensure that all who attended left with a deeper insight to photography or a greater capability to either shoot better photographs for themselves or do a better job of collaborating with and directing their photographer on their next photo shoot.

After four months of work on the presentation actually giving the lecture seems anticlimactic. Regardless today I will begin the next phase of the project which is to decide if, where, when and how to arrange the next lecture on the subject; before the lecture even began there were requests to give another in San Francisco.

After all the work I did I want to make the most of it. So next week I will see what the future hold, right now. I have photographs of another prison to process and a residential walk through in Los Gatos, CA this afternoon.

Photography for Interior Designers

I will be giving a seminar on Photography for Interior Designers on Thursday Nov. 12 from 5:30 PM to 8:40 PM Hosted by Hunter Douglas 1870 Milmont Dr., Milpitas CA, 95035.

This seminar is a CEU for ASID Members and provides 0.2 Credit Hours.

I will be discussing subjects such as compositional guideline to make your images better, Photographing Space: Techniques to help you showcase your talent, Staging and Styling for dramatic effect and New Technology: High Dynamic Range Imaging.

Attendance is limited to 85 people and costs $45.00 for members of ASID and $55.00 for non-members but you have to RSVP to the ASID CA Peninsula Chapter office with a check or card payment by Nov. 6

I have worked hard to make this a truly education experience for interior designers with any level of experience. This will not just be a show of pretty pictures. I will be explaining tricks and techniques that I have learned throughout my career and  employ to great effect on every photograph I create.

Here’s a copy of the promo announcement. I hope to see you there.

Dean

This two-hour course will benefit interior designers of all experience
levels. The guidelines and techniques discussed will be beneficial
when applied to either a professional photo shoot or when designers
photograph a project themselves.

Attendees will learn of compositional guidelines allowing them to
better direct and control the outcome of their photo shoots, the
logistics and principles of styling for an interior design photo shoot
will be discussed and designers will be instructed in the evaluation
and application of new photographic techniques helping them make
informed decisions and gain greater control over their photo shoots.

Bay Area photographer Dean Birinyi creates beautiful architectural
photographs that capture the emotional character of his clients’
work and communicates their talents and design concepts.  With
more than twenty years of experience photographing architecture
and interior design, Dean listens to his clients to integrate the solutions
for many different but equally important needs into any image. Dean’s
talent for storytelling consistently helps his clients win design competitions.

Ad for Viscusi Elson Interior Design in Gentry Design Magazine

Viscusi Elson Interior Design, Post Party Analysis

I have been working with Viscusi Elson Interior Design on their advertisements over the past year. It’s a lot of fun and I get the opportunity to combine my talents and skills for photographing architecture and interiors with my talents for photographing people. My story telling abilities are proving to be quite valuable as well.

This ad is titled “Post Party Analysis” and it appeared on the back cover of Gentry Design in October of 2009. The scene was photographed at the home of Noel Cross of Noel Cross Architects. We had to capture this image at just the right instant to communicate the idea of a couple discussing the party after returning home late at night. I think it worked out quite well.

ASID CA Peninsula Tours Rosewood Sandhill in Menlo Park, CA

Rosewood Sandhill, Menlo Park, CA

Friday afternoon ASID CA Peninsula toured the Rosewood Sandhill Resort in Menlo Park. This is a five star hotel and it shows in every way, from the gardens as you approach to the registration lobby to the pool and day spa everything about the hotel, staff and grounds speaks of quality.

I was most impressed with the approaches to critical hotel features such as the registration lobby, weight room and conference facilities. The dramatic framing of the transitional spaces was really quite impressive. The rooms, bar, pool and spa themselves, of course were spectacular but these transitional spaces had been given a degree of attention equal to that of the major spaces that is unusual in most hospitality projects I have experienced. I guess that’s one aspect of a five star hotel that helps them stand out.

I was on hand photographing the event and have snapshots of the spaces, the tour  and the Q&A afterward for you to enjoy in my portfolio galleries.

ASID CEU “Photography for Interior Designers”

I have been approved by the IDCEC to give a Seminar for ASID members on “Photography for Interior Designers.” I am excited about this because I will be able to share my unique insights into creating photographs of interior design covering subjects ranging from composition, to styling, to the HDRI photography technique.

The seminar will be scheduled for sometime in November, will provide 0.2 CEU credits and is limited to 20 attendees. I will be working closely with Marie Chan, Pauline Hsu and Jane Higo to coordinate with other members of ASID.

Look in the ASID e-blasts and newsletters for more information.

Compositional Balance Part 1

I am a strong proponent of compositional balance.  As artists we must learn to perceive balance and the factors that affect it. We can then manipulate it to our advantage.

Balance is every bit as important as the subject matter of your image. It is one of the tools used to determine what parts of your image have greater importance or “weight” in the perceptions of the viewer and how their eye will move through the images.

Balance can be vertical, horizontal, symmetrical or asymmetrical. The elements used for balance can be objective, such as a flower in a vase balanced by a bowl of fruit, but can also be luminance values: light tones carry less “weight”, dark tones can be said to be “heavy”.  You can also use warm and cool tones as balancing elements in the proper context because warm tones are perceived to approach the viewer and cool tones tend to recede, but that’s a discussion for another day.

There are no hard and fast rules regarding balance. You have a lot of freedom and the opportunity to exercise your creativity in how you use balance.
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Today I want to discuss how balance, working in conjunction with your subject matter, can determine what impact your image has upon your audience and how you can use it to enhance your message.

Next Millenium Building Conference Room

In this image you can see the impact is strong and there’s a lot of motion directing the viewer’s eye deep into the image, but the greatest impact is made by the ceiling. I have used several different balancing elements to achieve my goal, which was to create an image that speaks of the projection of confidence, strength and power. And of course the powerful design helps, a lot.

Next Millenium Building Conference Room

• Horizontally we have the door on the right balanced in visual complexity by the T.V. stand on the left.

Vertical balance was more problematic because the ceiling is so strong.

• By controlling the brightness of the table top and using it as an empty expanse close to the lens, its visual weight is roughly equal to the ceiling, but because the ceiling has so much activity it clearly stands out as the primary subject.
• The illumination gradient you can see on the blue walls helps to give the ceiling more weight and focus attention on the light fan from the fixture.
• The lightness of the table top and light fixture combined with the weight of the darker walls and shadows causes the image to almost rotate away from you. This avoids giving the image an oppressive feeling and instead enhances the concept of projecting power.

The result is that by using objective elements, color and luminance we create a dynamic, well balanced image that has the power to stop people in their tracks and be remembered.

I recommend you experiment with different forms of balance, and to include “unbalancing” your images in your experimentation as well. We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our success so don’t be reluctant to fail in your experimentation.

Thank you for your time,
Dean

* I want to both thank and give appropriate design credit to Williams + Paddon Architects + Planners who commissioned me to create this and other images of their offices and the Next Millennium Building, which subsequently won several design awards.