PHOTOGRAPHY AND MOI

My history of photographic skills has been riddled with challenges......my husband took all of the photos of my (now adult children)---they would issue enormous wails of protest that he took soooooo long going for the perfect shot that had to be perfectly focused. I didn't take any photos at all for many many years...... I felt so incompetent that I developed a complex about taking photos. Well, that changed with the advent of internet shopping and my posting photos to my site as well as to many others--I purchased a good camera and at least could snap some photos that were barely passable. Then, that camera was stolen......so I bought another camera--this time, a point and shoot. That camera was stolen; so I bought a Canon Point and shoot. That little camera was (still is) really  pretty good and my photos improved. But now I have a great camera and look what I have learned to do.

Not that shabby (yes, I'm tooting my horn....)

Here are photos of a pair of alabaster sconces that I took yesterday. These sconces are very large with a width of 24" and are in the style of the famous French Deco masters Sue et Mare.

  

Compared to photos of the same sconces that I took a few months ago with my old little Canon:

  

Of course, the lighting is much improved in yesterday's photos...but I do think that I am moving along in my skill level.

I'm posting these photos of a superb Antoni Calve intaglio lithograph to 1stdibs (The Collection) next week and they are much better than the original photos that I took in September or October......

These photos were a challenge because of all of the black and the resultant light reflections--I still have a bit of reflection along the left side. I was able to capture quite a bit of the intaglio and the shading of the impression.

   

Below is a photo that I took of the Clave lithograph when I first bought it.......... I am pretty amazed at the improvement...

Now, I guess that the next thing I need to do is purchase back lighting and background? Maybe I should take some Photo Shop classes? Here are a couple other photos from last week that I took of interesting Japanese items belonging to other dealers.

The hand hammered sterling contemporary Japanese vessel is so incredibly beautiful, with a purity of spirit.

And the photo isn't too bad.

I could have done a little better with the Imari bowl...I'm realizing it's hard to photograph a curve.....hmmmmm.

We have had the most glorious June--sunny and cool--perfect sleeping weather. I hope that this holds through til the end of summer when EL NINO is supposed to arrive bringing us the blessings of rain.

Have a wonderful week-end!

Be well,

Mary & Jones & Cole

(Jones and I are going to babysite Mr. Cole tonight)