London

Jsjcreations.com

London has taken a battering of late......

Let us remember how beautiful our capital city is........

Despite:..........

BBC News: 8th August 2011

"Police have condemned a wave of "copycat criminal activity" across London in a second night of looting and disorder following riots in Tottenham.

More than 100 people have been arrested as officers were attacked, police vehicles damaged and shops looted.

Disorder spread to Enfield, Walthamstow and Waltham Forest in north London and to Brixton in the south of the city.

Home Secretary Teresa May has cut short her holiday to return to the UK following the disorder.

Some 35 officers have been injured over the two nights of rioting.

Three officers were hurt when a vehicle hit them as they tried to make an arrest in Waltham Forest, east London.

Clashes broke out in Enfield, north London, on Sunday evening where shop windows were smashed and a police car damaged."

Andy Moore BBC News

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I saw the rioting in Tottenham on Saturday and I saw the rioting last night and it was certainly different in character.

What might have been started in Tottenham by youngsters aggrieved about what they saw as police persecution has become something very different in nature.

Last night there was a sense that the looting, and violence and disorder across London was being co-ordinated on social media.

There were people in their cars, youngsters on bicycles, moving very rapidly, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. As soon as you moved to one location they would move on to the next one.

The police were doing their best to catch up with them. You had police vehicles going backwards and forwards, blue lights flashing, riot police coming out of their vehicles.

Ten minutes later they'd get back in again and go off to the next location - essentially trying to fight the fires, metaphorically, that were spreading all over London.

A Touch of Magic and a little Imagination

Jsgcreations@aol.com

More art can be seen at: http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/jan+steadman-jackson/all

The past few weeks I have been working extensively on a new collection of photo manipulations.  On sharing them online I have also gained commissions and positive feedback, of which I am eternally grateful.  I decided to add them to my blog as a demonstration and exhibition of what can be done to portrait photographs when given the JsJ Creations creative magic.

If interested in discussing or commissioning a portrait photo manipulation, I can be contacted on the email address at the top of this post. 

The more outrageous the pose the better when putting across an original photograph that everyone will enjoy seeing.  Fun, sparkly, dazzling portraits will make your friends and family want one for themselves............. 

Fancy adding a touch of attitude? Why not?...........

A clear photograph, preferrably with strong lines and features is all I need to turn a portrait photo into a work of beauty and intrigue.........

Original photographs do not have to be close-up portraits but distant images may not deliver the most stunning subjects on which to work the JsJ Creations magic.

Photographic Manipulation

Jsjcreations.com

Sharing the wonders of photographic manipulation


Photo manipulation is the application of image editing techniques to photographs in order to create an illusion or deception (in contrast to mere enhancement or correction), through analog or digital means.

I believe strongly that pictures or photographs are far more powerful when telling a story to the person viewing them.  For that reason, when taking photographs, I rarely go for the typically posed positions and subjects, finding them contrived and visually manipulative and restricting.

"A day at the seaside

new smells and new sounds

away from the rat-race

down by the waters` edge.....peacefulness abounds"

A few examples of photo manipulation worked on some photographs taken whilst enjoying a glorious day on the beach with my family.  I love the way the effects I have used lend a different perspective to the original photograph taken and emphasize the focal points I want to share, in the images.  I also love to express my creativity by experimenting and producing images that have been transformed in such a way that the original vision is somewhat metamorphosed into a completely different and almost abstract visionary experience.

Using photographic elements on standard photographs has enabled me to produce some powerful imagery and has gained me much positivity and encouragement to continue to improve and produce the very best I can with my artwork.  No image is one dimensional and with the aid of photo manipulation tools the original image can be transformed into a wonderfully creative collaboration between photography and graphic design.

*In digital editing, photographs are usually taken with a digital camera and input directly into a computer. Transparencies, negatives or printed photographs may also be digitized using a scanner, or images may be obtained from stock photography databases. With the advent of computers, graphics tablets, and digital cameras, the term image editing encompasses everything that can be done to a photo, whether in a darkroom or on a computer. Photo manipulation is often much more explicit than subtle alterations to color balance or contrast and may involve overlaying a head onto a different body or changing a sign's text, for example. Image editing software can be used to apply effects and warp an image until the desired result is achieved. The resulting image may have little or no resemblance to the photo (or photos in the case of compositing) from which it originated. Today, photo manipulation is widely accepted as an art-form.

There are several subtypes of digital image-retouching:

Technical retouching

Manipulation for photo restoration or enhancement (adjusting colors / contrast / white balance (i.e. gradational retouching), sharpness, removing elements or visible flaws on skin or materials, ...)

Creative retouching

Used as an art form or for commercial use to create more sleek and interesting creative images for advertisements. Creative retouching could be manipulation for fashion, beauty or advertising photography such as pack-shots (which could also be considered inherently technical retouching in regards to package dimensions and wrap-around factors) One of the most prominent disciplines in creative retouching is image-compositing. Here, the digital artist uses multiple photos to create a single composited image. Today, 3D elements are used more and more to add extra elements or even locations and backgrounds. This kind of image composition is widely used when conventional photography would be technically too difficult or impossible to shoot on location or in studio conditions.

Flickr Update

Jsjcreations.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsgcreations/show/

The flickr website was one of the first art websites to which I subscribed.  I adore it and still get inspired and motivated by the thousands of pieces of art therein.

I have been invited to exhibit across the globe, but sadly have not been able to accept any invitations as yet, due to financial constraints.  One day I hope to be able to take up exciting chances to have my art displayed in an even bigger arena, although to be fair, the internet is a massive source of opportunity and motivation.  I truly hope it continues to be so as I flourish and revel in the knowledge that so many people across the world enjoy looking at my artwork. 

Producing art in itself is a creative performance and what is a performance without an audience?  We all need to feel that what we achieve is acknowledged and worthwhile, otherwise what would be the point?  To be content and satisfied with the results of one`s creative labours is one thing but to be recognised and appreciated is another thing entirely.  Creating or performing for oneself would never be enough for the any type of artist.  Michaelangelo did not  paint his masterpieces for himself alone, Miro and Kandinsky likewise. 

 Applause, applause, applause!! The artist`s bread and water; the blood running through their veins!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsgcreations/galleries/in/

Colour Our World with Love and Happiness

- http://www.jsgcreations.snappages.com/

Big Ben as never seen before in a perfectly purple perspective!
One of the most exciting things about photo manipulation is being able to add striking and vibrant colourisations to photographs.  This photograph I took of the great London Eye tourist attraction has to be one of my favourite ever photos.  I was absolutely delighted to have captured it in all its splendour.

"A structure of magnificence and undeniable splendour

gracefully and silently dominating the London sky

with its grandeur and elevation;

Its circular movements perpetually governing

the capital`s skyline,

its fluidity of motion as smooth

as cascading tulip petals

falling softly to the ground;

automated and robust, a ferris wheel like no other

imitated by many,

emanating and provoking thoughts

and reactions of wonderment and joy"

For more examples of "London Eye" please see:
 http://jsjcreations.blogspot.com/2009/09/encapsulated.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsgcreations/3407205533/in/set-72157616353382909

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsgcreations/3407365823/in/set-72157616353382909/

Both London photos can be purchased by contacting me on jsgcreations@aol.com

Many sizes available.

Developed and printed on top quality photographic paper.

In matt or gloss finish.

Poster size available.

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My youngest daughter`s wedding was a wonderful and emotional occasion for myself and my family.  She was marrying her Mr Wright and we couldn`t be happier for her.  The wedding took place in The Marriot County Hall, London last year.  The day was beautiful, as was my beloved daughter, and both will be eternally cherished.