FANtasy series

[Manfred M]

I spent a few hours today photographing some Japanese fans and some Japanese chopsticks. My plan is to turn them into butterflies.

This is my initial attempt. I'm not loving the large white gap and need to do something there. I feel that the concept will work. Thoughts and comments, as always, are appreciated.








This is the first serious studio shooting I did with my new camera stand. This is the setup I used for this shot.

[billtils]

Sounds like an interesting project - look forward to seeing how it develops.

[Manfred M]

I've decided to rename this series FANtasy, as the pun does work.

First piece has evolved and really reminds me of a Blue Heron.

[Manfred M]

I have used the same photographic materials and have created something that looks more like a butterfly.

[Round Tuit]

I much prefer this last one although I'm sure you will find more tweaks to improve it again.

[Manfred M]

Different fans than #4, but using a similar style and technique.

[billtils]

I like the delicate approach to this one - nicely conceived and executed Manfred. (Perhaps rotate the upper "wings" so that the apex touches the lower ones?)

[Manfred M]

I like the delicate approach to this one - nicely conceived and executed Manfred. (Perhaps rotate the upper "wings" so that the apex touches the lower ones?)

Thanks Bill. I had tried that, but the balance did not work out. Let me think about how to achieve this and see if I can make it work.

[Manfred M]

Grey Heron.

This completes my original idea for four images. I have a few more concepts I need to work on to expand the use of these two sets of fans. I've also found three more rigid fans around the house, so I'm planning to photograph them as well and look at expanding the series.

[Round Tuit]

Is this last one a composite or do you have more than two of the larger blue fans? I am curious to know how you filled the gap between the two smaller fans.

[Manfred M]

Is this last one a composite or do you have more than two of the larger blue fans? I am curious to know how you filled the gap between the two smaller fans.

This whole piece is a photocomposite, built out of four different objects that I photographed in flatlay:

1. A Japanese folding fan;

2. A rigid Japanese fan;

3. A pair of Japanese eating chopsticks (black lacquer) and

4. A pair of double-pointed Japanese cooking chopsticks.

Everything has been digitally chopped up and reassembled. The area filling the gaps is a slice of the folding fans, shown below.

[Manfred M]

Blue Morpho

I created this one purely with a blue Japanese folding fan and a pair of Japanese double ended chopsticks. The eyes come from the pin that holds the fan together.

[Manfred M]

Time to do something a little strange. One of the fans I have features a Sumo Wrestler. I went for the same basic design as the "Blue Morpho"...

[Manfred M]

Very strange looking bird.

[Chataignier]

I think this series has great potential Manfred, especially the "bird" versions.

I wonder if a softer background would improve the overall effect, perhaps a textured paper with a slight beige tint - Japanese paper perhaps ?

[Manfred M]

I think this series has great potential Manfred, especially the "bird" versions.

I wonder if a softer background would improve the overall effect, perhaps a textured paper with a slight beige tint - Japanese paper perhaps ?

I am planning to print at least some of these and am going to start testing ideas over the next few days. As these are part of a series of images, I would like to print them all on the same paper to create a consistent look and feel. I'm planning to print on 12" x 22' (roughly A2 size) to show them at the gallery, with the first one being shown starting in early January.

I agree that some form of texture would make sense here. The only heavily textured paper I have is Awagami Factory Unryu thin (55 gsm). The issue with this paper is that it has a fairly narrow gamut and has strong yellow overtones. I have two slightly textured papers that I use are Epson Cold Press Bright and Epson Cold Press Natural. The Bright contains OBAs and appears cooler, which would work well with the tones that I have used.

The third choice I am looking at is the Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. It has a fantastic dynamic range and Dmax and has limited OBA content, but the texture is fairly smooth. I know the images would work nicely on that medium.

That's why I plan to do some testing, but suspect I will lean towards the Cold Press Bright.

[Chataignier]

I presume that these elements are all cut-out in PS before being re-assembled into the final image, in which case it should not be too difficult to add a background texture in post production in PS...?

[Manfred M]

I presume that these elements are all cut-out in PS before being re-assembled into the final image, in which case it should not be too difficult to add a background texture in post production in PS...?

Mostly because I find that the look does not work all that well in my work. I have definitely tried this technique in the past and the results tended to overshadow the actual photocomposite work.

I used this technique during my early work on my Toolbugz series, but when I updated it, I left the textures to the media in the printing process, which I found to be far more effective.


Original Toolbugz work:







Final version in the "ready to print" Toolbugz

[Manfred M]

Okay - I couldn't stay away and created another bird with geisha image based fans.

[Manfred M]

And a butterfly Geisha version.