art

First Attempt at Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Jeff

As someone who has had a life-long interest in drawing and photography, I was excited to be invited to try Adobe’s Artificial Intelligence image generating software Firefly. The program is in Beta format so nothing is “owned” by the users at this point and everything generated under the Beta is restricted from commercial use. I have been using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for years and they are top-notch products.


Adobe Firefly Introductory Video


One thing I have come to appreciate about Adobe and their evangelists such as Terry White, is their constant work towards creating a better product and end-user experience. That is why I patiently waited for Adobe’s entrance into the Artificial Intelligence (AI) realm. It is not currently the leader in this field, but I have a strong feeling that they will eventually be one of the best.

I am also excited to be able to learn as I go and provide valid feedback to enable the Adobe team to continue to make improvements and enhancements. To quote Jim VandeHei from Axios, “We’re on the doorstep of a new age — don’t be a bystander.”

With that being said, this is my first attempt at producing a Text to Image picture. I encourage anyone who is interested to give it a try. You will have to have an Adobe ID. Click HERE for complete details regarding how to access the Beta version of Adobe Firefly.

 


 
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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.


©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2023 — JBRish.com


STATUS QUOte Picture Quote – 20210130

Jeff

Today’s STATUS QUOte Picture Quote

 

 
“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something
that wasn’t there before.”
– Neil Gaiman –

Picture Via

 

 
See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 – JBRish.com


Photography: A Pathway to Creativity

Jeff

It is hard to explain how fascinating and interesting photography is for me. I have discovered that it is one of the most flexible creative outlets. Most people I meet don’t appreciate the depth and variety of photography and related graphic art forms. For now, let’s not discuss whether or not photography is a true art. In my opinion it is!

This is a photograph I took at Europa Point in Gibraltar. It was a beautiful clear day with one of the bluest skies I have seen. On a day such as this, onlookers can see Morocco across the Mediterranean Sea. It is the closest point between Europe and Africa.

The lighthouse juxtaposes beautifully against the surroundings of the ultra blue sky and Mediterranean Sea. I find it very striking.



The above photo stands alone as a nice rendition of the scene, but perhaps it would be even better if rendered more like a line art painting or drawing.



There is software available the allows the photographer to express his or her artistic vision in a variety of graphic formats. This is a hybrid of photography and painting albeit via digital manipulation.

Perhaps the artist’s real concept of the scene lends itself more to a watercolor.



The landscape has such contrasting colors of lights and darks. Would a black and white interpretation be interesting?



With a bit more training and skill, the photographer can add a slightly different yet compelling artistic vision of the lighthouse.



I have tried to explain how photography has opened my creative flow and I believe it can do the same for others. If you are trying to find a tool to unleash your imaginative powers and that can develop into a passion, you might want to pick up a camera and start creating!



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NOTES:
One of the beautiful aspects of digital photography is that the photographer can see the results very quickly. There is no film to send to the developers. A version can be seen on the camera’s LCD immediately (in most cases) and a true rendition later on a computer.

Once I retired, I began to apply myself to photography. It has always been of interest to me and now it has grown into a serious hobby. I am not a professional, just a photography enthusiast.

So…where is Gibraltar and Morocco?



Map Via

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Metadata

Original Photo

File Name: 000029_Europa Point Lighthouse, Gibraltar_0971.tif
Capture time: 12:30 PM
Capture date: May 14, 2018
Exposure: 1/350 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 44mm
ISO: 200
Fujifilm X-T2
18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS

Edited in Lightroom & Photoshop

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Check out Jeff’s Instagram account for more interesting photos!

Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 JBRish.com



Video: Floored by this Art Form – Beautiful

Jeff

Rangoli, also known as kolam or Muggu, is a folk art from India in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or courtyards using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals. It is usually made during Diwali, Onam, Pongal and other Indian festivals. They are meant to be sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities.


https://designyoutrust.com/2014/06/rangoli-amazing-folk-art-from-india/

See more impressive and even larger examples HERE

 

More Vide – Ohs

To See additional Interesting Videos #click HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 – JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot – The Serendipity of Art

Jeff

I presume most of us are familiar with the expression “Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder” and that is quite true. Personal taste or recent life events may color a person’s perception and one individual may view something very differently than the next person.

As a photography enthusiast, I have learned to look at the little things and the everyday objects for beauty that often lurks under our noses and yet goes undetected. A few years ago on a trip to Japan, I “discovered” this item which I found immensely appealing.


The area was crowded and I had to wait to take the picture to avoid other people entering the frame. I edited some of the surrounding area that might have been distracting to enable the viewers to appreciate the delicate and well-balanced beauty of this artwork.

I am sure many of you know what the item in the picture is. Why not leave a comment a) with your suggestion of what the item in the photograph might be, or b) about the piece itself?

Another quote about the perception of art and/or beauty:

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

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Metadata

File Name: Japan_IMG_2598a.tif
Capture time:
Capture date: July 24 2015
Exposure: 1/250 sec @ f/6.3
Focal Length: 5.8mm
ISO: 100
Camera: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Lens: 5.8-23.2

Edited in Lightroom & Photoshop

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Check out Jeff’s Instagram account for more interesting photos!

Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2019 JBRish.com



Hiking: Yellow-Throated Gilia, Sequoia National Park, CA

Jeff

One of the reasons I enjoy hiking is that it offers opportunities for interesting discoveries; some anticipated and others serendipitous. We were hiking along the Crescent Meadow Loop Trail in Sequoia National Park nearly a year ago when we came across a patch of wildflowers tucked away in a wooded area…


Yellow-Throated Gilia wildflower

It was hard to believe that these were real. The colors were so vibrant and unusual in combination. It was an amazing sight. The next day we were on the Sunset Point Trail and there was a large swath of these wildflowers covering the entire hillside.


Yellow-Throated Gilia wildflower
Love those standouts adding their all white accents in the middle of the patch!

 
“Nature is the art of God.” – Dante Alighieri

Read more about Yellow-Throated Gilia HERE

 

Read more JBRish.com posts:

Hiking/Exploring HERE, Nature HERE, Photography HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2018 – JBRish.com



Lembert Dome Cairn Art- Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 252

Jeff

Artistic cairn layout at Lembert Dome

Artistic cairn layout near Lembert Dome Trailhead

Near the trail head of Lembert Dome, some hikers showed their artistic side by creating a grouping of cairns. These rock formations are ostensibly used to guide others in areas where the path may not be clear. There is some “controversy” about these unofficial guide posts primarily because they are unofficial. There have been times when not-so-funny jokesters deliberately mislead others.

A grouping like this may cause confusing since they appear in a rounded formation without a clear direction. There were others in the area that did point the way, however.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 252 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 3540.JPG
Capture time: 4:55:09 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/800 sec @ f/4
Focal Length: 6.6mm
ISO 80
Canon PowerShot A590 IS

 

Photography – Find Inspiration and Motivation – Art Wolfe Video

Jeff

Creativity and inspiration are fickle muses. I have written as a hobby via blogs for a number of years and I wrote (with my wife) professionally for three years or so as weekly columnists for a major newspaper in central New Jersey. There were times, when I sat at the computer and magic happened; words, phrases and ideas flew from my mind to my finger tips and I could fashion a wonderful story in no time at all.

There were other times, when I would struggle to construct an enticing opening paragraph. I find the same scenario with my photography. It is only a hobby, but it is an important one. I follow many photographers via the Internet. I listen to podcasts and take part in various webinars. I am currently working on a personal project, A Year of Yosemite, where I am writing about 365 photographs I took during my week (+/-) of hiking there. It was wonderful, exciting and amazing! The spirits of Ansel Adams and John Muir were omnipresent.

So…where can we find inspiration as photographers? You know, those times when our cameras sit in their bags for days on end and we don’t feel inspired to pick it up and go out to shoot. In the video below, Art Wolfe talks about his avenues of inspiration and the different views he brings to his photographic craft. Although he is very modest, Art Wolfe is an acclaimed photographer. His training and education as an artist enables him to distill visual themes which help him create bodies of work that I found very stimulating.

I encourage anyone interested in art or photography to watch this YouTube video and perhaps watch it again. I thoroughly enjoyed it on several levels. It will certainly serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for my own photographic journey.

Where do you find photographic inspiration?


Art Wolfe: “The Art of the Image” -Talks at Google

SignEdge: 19 Crimes Wine Label

Jeff

At one point in British history, prisons were becoming so overcrowded that the practice of “transporting” criminals out of Britain to other places arose. This wine label pays homage to this practice and ostensibly refers to 19 crimes, if committed, would get the perpetrator transported to primarily to Australia.

We recently had a bottle of 19 Crimes wine!


19 Crimes Wine Label
“19 Crimes Wine Label”

On this label is the criminal, John Boyle O’Reilly who is a main character on the 19 Crimes website as they tell his story through a series of slides.

Here is the narrative of one slide from the 19 Crimes website:

“Sometimes the good intentioned get into no good situations. Such is the story of John Boyle O’Reilly. Irishman by birth. Poet and activist by passion and trade.

In 1867 John Boyle O’Reilly was banished from England to Australia on the Hougoumont – the last ship to transport convicts to the down under British colony. He was sentenced to 20 years of servitude for his role in the Fenian Conspiracy – an uprising against British rule in Ireland.”

This seems like the same public domain picture from the Wikipedia website that shows Mr. O’Reilly as well:

Wikipedia Picture of Criiminal John Boyle O'Reilly of 19 Crimes
“Wikipedia Picture of Criminal John Boyle O’Reilly”

The cork denotes which crime was being punished.

19 Crimes Wine Cork - The Crime
“19 Crimes Wine Cork – The Crime”

With the name of the winery on the other side of the cork:

19 Crimes Wine Cork - The Other Side
“9 Crimes Wine Cork – The Other Side””

The winery’s website keeps with the dark theme and is beautifully executed. They have created a YouTube video which is presented below. NOTE – YouTube lists this as an unlisted video which may not be advisable to “share,” but I think this is an error since it is part of their marketing scheme. If this is an inappropriate embedded video, please let me know via comment and I will adjust the web page appropriately upon further verification.


19 Crimes – “The Banished” Video

From the YouTube website

“Published on May 29, 2015

The men featured on our wine labels are not those of fiction. They were flesh and blood. Criminals, artists and scholars. In history, they share a bond – receiving “punishment by transportation” for violation of one of 19 crimes and becoming the first settlers of a new nation.”


Additional Information:

A list of the 19 crimes can be found HERE:

More history about the transportation of criminals:

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous SignEdge posts HERE

Just for SignEdge wine or beer labels HERE

A-peel-ing Art

Jeff

Artists work with all sorts of media. There are fabric artists, wire sculptors, ceramicists, but very few choose food as their medium. Stephan Brusche, however, finds bananas very appealing (pun). It is one thing to have an idea, but to be able to express it creatively is a whole other thing. These interesting works of art using bananas as the expressive vehicle will demonstrate the creativity and talent of Mr. Brusche.

“Giraffe

“Noah’s

You can see more of the creative work of food artist Stephan Brusche at the boredpanda