2010 DGrin-Submissions- My Thoughts - # - Stills That Move -- Paul Frocchi

Sub Category dedicated to photographs submitted for contests, etc

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Intial entry.
DSS Mega-Challenge #8-- Emergence
Froch- 'From Her Shadow'
With the theme as 'Emergence' initially I wanted to understand 'system'
emergence and find a theme within that definition. But with a small brain and little time to shoot before having to travel for the next couple of weeks, I opted to look at more grassroots understanding of the word.
My daughter Kailee coincidentally had just that day decided on a new
haircut, a mohawk, and it made me think of the courage it takes to step
out of the pack, and be original and unique.
So here, is my beautiful young daughter. Emerging from her own
shadow, coming into her own. Each week getting more comfortable with
herself, each week becoming more confident. Growing into a beautiful
young woman, becoming her own unique self.
Technique behind the shot was a very simple off camera flash, shooting
thru a railing to produce the shadows. The sequences on the card are
my first attempt at what I call 'setup white light'. Having been
reading the leads in speedlight photog of Joe McNally, David Hobby, and
recently Bob Davis.

DSS #52 (redux)- Digital Alphabet Soup
Froch- Disney
Unfortunately the master shot showing the full front of the WaltDisneyConcertHall (with signage) was sloppily shot and not thought out on my part. So I opted to show 'one' of the many architectural features that make this building so special. But with that, those not from LosAngeles, may not know of this building, and it's relation to Disney. So I feel a failed on that front, as it's a big leap.
Beyond that, I'm very satisfied with the shot, and my need to produce something quickly, due to a heavy hand in editing of my first submission 'Commute'. My goal was to find letters, within the structure, that mimic'ed the very recognizable font that Disney uses, and I feel I was able to give a 'sense' of it with the 'D' and the 'S'. I got very lucky with the 'I' and the 'E' in that they both are windows, and conincedentally both are the second letter from their end. Which adds balance in my view. The 'N', well, this is a big reach. It has an 'N' feel to it, and my hope is your mind- knowing the word and spelling- just accepts it. For the 'Y', although not prominent enough, I love this letter. It's a juxtapose of the two sweeping points in the background image to form the letter. A composition technique I saw in another submission, that I wanted to try to acheive.

**we had to DQ this one as I used aggressive editing to form some letters. However, I'm leaving it here, because I'm still very proud of it.**
DSS #52- Digital Alphabet Soup
Froch- Commute
My concept was to take an image that I really enjoy from a recent trip to NY and find the letters within the image itself. This allowing the viewer to play a little game of hide&seek in the image, with the hope of keeping them engaged and 'looking' . I initially thought I'd spell out Subway or Train, but as I looked at it, they seemed to 'bullseyed' in their message. With the train approaching, and with the commuters waiting, I thought a message of Commute, fit the theme much better.
All the letters have a basic Curves adjustment to them, and some have been dodged/burned to help accent the edges. Each has a drop shadow and a beveled edge to separate them from the background. Focus is selective, on the commuter, with a slightly shallow DOF, so the 'letters' are extremely soft. And then there's the 'M's. These are dodge/burned to exaggerate dark spacing around the letters, to help form the 'M'. I could not see anything else in the image that would pull clearly enough.

DSS Challenge #51- Yesterday or Tomorrow
Froch- Honoring Yesterday's Heros
3rd place -- DGrin
1st Place-- City of Burbank / Friends of the Library

I hadn't intended for an image from this shoot to be a submission. My reason for being at the cemetary during this ceremony was purely personal. I hoped to put together a gallery of selects for the Scouts that were on hand, to thank them for their participation in placing the flags. As I've mentioned on other images, my father rests at FtLogan National Cemetary in Denver, and I'm happy to know that even though my sister and I can't be there, he won't be forgotten. Unfortunately I found it to be very emotional, and I missed opportunities that I had it mind to shoot. So I'm not sure what will be available to share with the Scouts.
This particular image is a crop of a vertical. I was playing with the idea of blending a portion of this image into another which showed the geometry of the stones layout on the grounds. But after playing with it for an hour, I felt it stood well on it's own and any blend might diminish the feeling I wanted to express, rather than strengthen it. I felt the crop lent itself for what I feel is a more telling composition as we understand the committment of the Scout vs the unfortunate number of gravesites he has volunteered to honor.

DSS #50 - S-Curve or Golden Spiral
Like many, many others, my hope with line(s) is for them to dictate how the viewers eyes move into and through the image to the subject. In this case, I initially didn't see this as an S-Curve when I shot it. Only as a nice gentle curve of shoreline leading to the cliff, with the Lighthouse on top. However, in post, I was able to 'feel' how my eye traveled through the frame. Starting at the larger bright area created by the breaking waves, then up along the shore. As my eye ran out of shoreline, I could feel them searching for more...then discovering the lighthouse, as my eye moved left. Again, like many, many others, the vignette was included to control where I want the viewer to look.
Although very happy with the result, I do wish the lighthouse was larger vs the shoreline.

Froch-'The Beginning, After The End'
My original concept was to be a more uplifting look at afterlife, a new beginning after our life has ended. Heading to the light, so to speak. But unfortunately, the image I had in my head didn't speak to a loss. Only a moving to the light. I thought it may be a streach to get the viewer to grab the concept. So I adjusted and defined the loss as a suicide.
I tried to keep that element as subtle and understated as I could, as more of a 'discovery' element. I'm not thrilled with it, but for my skillset right now, it works.
The montage consists of three shots...ranging from a tunnel at SantaAnitaRacetrack, to a couple easy setups at my place.

Froch-- "Yearning Innisfree"
DSS MegaChallenge #7-
IllustratingText- "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," by W.B. Yeats
Not knowing the poem, I decided some research was in order. I downloaded a study guide from a literary website. In reading the summary, I decide my image was going to speak to everyone's yearn for thier own Innisfree. In his poem, Yeats speaks to the solitude and simplicity he'll find at the Isle in his verses with "bean rows" and the "bee-loud" glade. Living in LosAngeles, there are many times I wish for such a place, to escape the crowds, the noise and the attitudes of this city.
The technique behind the image was pretty simple. 2sec shutter at f22. I researched the angle with GoogleEarth. Unfortunately on a Sunday this was the best I could access. I didn't feel that I could make my way back downtown before the deadline, to try and find a better location. So I settled for this angle.

**What I would have submitted. Not eligible for this challenge**
DSS#46-Green- "The Other Side Of Greener"
With the theme as GREEN, my concept revolved around the saying "the grass is always greener on the other side". I had taken a shot the day after Christmas in the skid row section of LosAngeles, and thought that I'd go back down and shoot it again. I loved the texture of it, and I felt it fit my concept pretty well. Unfortunately, similar to BandOfBrothers, when I got there, things were not as I hoped. So I had to adjust. I drove around the area, and sadly saw many, many opportunities that fit my thought. But, I couldn't bring myself to pull over, or do a drive-by, snapping someones troubles, for a contest submission. But that changed, as I worked my way back to the freeway and saw this young girl with her guitar, panhandling.
Meet Wendy. A young woman from Nebraska, stuck in LA, trying to get home. The innocence in her eyes, struck me and allowed me to mustar the courage to ask her if I could make a picture of her. Unfortunately,having gotten out of my truck, my approach wasn't as thought out as it should have been. I have no sense of my size, but at 6', 240#, with a goatee, and wearing a large sweatshirt and hat......I could see that I frightened her. And then......idiot that I am, when I asked if I could take her picture......I NEVER imagined that my intent would be taken as anything less than honorable. Her frigthten response was that she wouldn't take her clothes off.... jesus. My heart sank. This poor young girl, alone in LA. What she must have to endure.
We talked for a short while as I apologized, and I took a couple of pictures. I emptied my wallet and gave her the cash, having her promise me that she'd go and eat. As I walked back to my truck, we waved goodbye to each other and she headed off.
I'm not one to give to panhandlers. But there was definately something different about Wendy. And I'm not sure if I got scammed or not. Nor do I care. I have a 13yr old daughter, and if she ever found herself in that situation, I'd want someone to help her get home.

Froch- 'BandOfBrothers'- LA National Cemetary
DSS#45- Together or Apart (2ndPlace)
For this submission I tried to show both "together" and "apart". Coming from a military family I have DEEP respect for the courage and commitment that our service men and women display. My father is buried at FtLoganNationalCemetary in Denver, so I thought I'd honor him and his 'brothers' by showing the beauty and grace the National Cemetary's display. I decided the flowing stones would show-- that although we've lost them, they rest together.
I researched the location to shoot via Google Earth, and found a gorgeous spot, that had what looked like a hillside with a tree, amoungst the curved lines of the rows. Then directly in front of that, were straight rows. My thought was to arrive early, when there may be a chance for fog, and compose the straight rows to cut diagonally leading to the flowing curved stones and the tree. I brought a ladder so that I could elevate my angle for a better perspective.
LA has been under siege of storms this winter, and that morning was gray and rainy. I had to FORCE myself to get in the truck and go and shoot. When I got to the cemetary, the rain had stopped and I thought someone was smiling down on me....but, when I drove to my location, it was a disaster. That entire section of the cemetary is under construction, with the grass gone and the stones removed; stacked on pallets along the roadway.
Under heavy clouds and sporatic heavy rain, I drove around the cemetary to find another angle for my premise. Unfortunately, I was MARRIED to the one location, so I never really looked for a backup site. So I wandered.... finally landing on this location. And then someone did smile down on me, because during a lull in the rain, the clouds broke a bit and allowed that crisp 'storm light' through. I enhanced it by adjusting the brightness throughout, but mainly on the trees, forming a shadowed V-shape to move the viewer into the shot.

Intial entry.
DSS Mega-Challenge #8-- Emergence
Froch- 'From Her Shadow'
With the theme as 'Emergence' initially I wanted to understand 'system'
emergence and find a theme within that definition. But with a small brain and little time to shoot before having to travel for the next couple of weeks, I opted to look at more grassroots understanding of the word.
My daughter Kailee coincidentally had just that day decided on a new
haircut, a mohawk, and it made me think of the courage it takes to step
out of the pack, and be original and unique.
So here, is my beautiful young daughter. Emerging from her own
shadow, coming into her own. Each week getting more comfortable with
herself, each week becoming more confident. Growing into a beautiful
young woman, becoming her own unique self.
Technique behind the shot was a very simple off camera flash, shooting
thru a railing to produce the shadows. The sequences on the card are
my first attempt at what I call 'setup white light'. Having been
reading the leads in speedlight photog of Joe McNally, David Hobby, and
recently Bob Davis.