Karelle Scharff - 05:56am Apr 16, 1997
This assignment for me showcased all of the best and worst aspects of collaborating through a medium that has so much potential and yet is fraught with technical difficulties and is so encumbered by its own fragility.I am really glad we had two weeks. I don't think it could have been done in less, at least not by people who also work.
What went right? I had a great partner. It was really a trip working with someone who was more than a thousand miles away. I think for all of the computer craziness that we experienced we did a fine job and came out with an image that works.
Personally I learned about layer masks, something I had always wondered how to do. I probably got a little carried away with it. What a terrific tool.
And the "wrong"? Motherboard blew (I still had my daughter's computer - actually gave me time to do my filing while waiting for filters), trouble logging on, mostly technical difficulties.
I have been thinking for a long time about collaborative projects between the students at Eagle Rock and elsewhere. (Anyone interested in discussing this further?) Something like this could be a component. Possibly a way to build a relationship. Could even be used just on campus as an exercise to explore crosscultural experience. Then take it "outward" and find others in the broader world from whom one is different and explore how that affects concept of image (this is an embryonic thought - please excuse rambling).
Susan Komnandosky - 08:54am Apr 16, 1997 (#1 of 6)
I think you came up with a very interesting portrayal of April. I like the effect of the peeling back page and the beauty lurking just beyond. I understand technical difficulties, the three of us who worked together had them too. We opted to each produce our own collage after much sharing and discussion; you all were braver to overcome the technical difficulties and produce a single image.
Trish Lynch - 09:35am Apr 16, 1997 (#2 of 6)
Karelle and Sandy, With all the technical difficulties you encountered your project obviously was well thought out. The layering adds such depth to the composition. The possibilities with this type of project are endless. I will ask our photo instructor if she would be interested in collaborating with your classes. Nice job.
Steve Welsh - 12:08pm Apr 16, 1997 (#3 of 6)
What a nice transformation, or glimpse of something better to come. Although I'm not totally familiar with the inflections of the phrase "April is..." the message here is, if I'm interpreting correctly, very clear. An interesting blend of images on the surface! And the use of the turning page filter, although I've seen it used often elsewhere, makes a very Wizard of Oz-ish feel to the layer underneath. How many times did this image change hands, or undergo transformations until you both came up with the final? Good job! --Steve
Larry Cassis - 12:34pm Apr 16, 1997 (#4 of 6)
I really like this image very much! Not only is the image itself technically well done but the thoughts it conjours in metaphor are great!.. Sorry to hear of the frustration in developing it, but obviously the outcome is a real masterpiece! Congrats... :) larryC
Sandy McAuley - 08:51am Apr 25, 1997 (#5 of 6)
I've been travelling so I have to add my comments to Karelle's over a week later. We started with a theme (April is the cruellest month, a line from T.S. Eliot) and a concept (Karelle's "psychic wind") and we worked from there. The whole collaboration was decidedly low-tech in that we used email exclusively to exchange ideas and images. Although it slowed things down, it ensured the collaboration went on despite different time zones, busy schedules, and weather. It also introduced an element of surprise in each exchange as thoughts found themselves translated into images. That was one of the most interesting aspects of the collaboration: the final product changed quite a bit from my original conception and in that respect it was truly collaborative. Karelle was a great partner!
I think this type of collaboration could be used in the classroom as an example of peer teaching... I learned a lot about PhotoShop from the kinds of things Karelle did to our images. I think it is also an interesting way to explore a literary theme in a visual mode. Two weeks is the bare minimum for something like this, though.
Sandy