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Submitted by mimi 01/06/09 4:05 AM GMT
As the New Year begins, so we have a new artist voted into the spotlight. This artist truly thinks outside the box and shoots outside what many of us perceive as the norm, so I present to you our own resident Rob, aka third_eye! Take some time to visit his diverse gallery and read his bio below.
Hi, everyone. To those of you who voted me into this month's Featued Artist spot, I offer my thanks, my gratitude, and the number to a good shrink ;-)
All kidding aside, this was something of a surprise. Actually, quite a big one. I'd honestly come to the conclusion that it was a smallish number of people here at Caedes.net that "got" me and/or my work. Whatever the case, I humbly accept. So, thank you.
My name is Robert Hafner. I live in NYC, and my family consists, at this point, of my mother, and a handful of relatives.
I first really discovered photography in high school, where I belonged to a theater/science/do our own thing group called Bongo. In what would be a moment that would have lasting effects decades later, a half-hearted effort of mine to submit a photo essay was met with the following line:
"I can't accept this from you. I know you can do so much better, so now get and prove it to me." Thank you, Paul Jablon, wherever you are.
Black and white photography, in both high school, and an aborted effort in film school (NYU) was where I began my experience in photography. It was much earlier, though, that art found it's way into my heart. Class trips to museums (it was love at first sight with Starry Night and Guernica), and constant trips to art galleries (some willingly, some very much not so) with my mother, all came together to form the base of my appreciation for the visual image.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and my introduction to digital photography was in the spring of '05. I picked up my first digital camera, a point and shoot from Fuji. I took to it like the proverbial fish to water. Any doubt that the decades had eroded my love, or sight, eventually vanished, but it was a process. I've since moved on to an Olympus E500, with a two lens kit (14-45, and 40-150) and then, a Nikon D200 with the 18-200 VR lens. I'd also gotten a Tokina 12-24 wide angle lens. These days, I've scaled back a bit, and I'm shooting (once in a while) with a Fuji S100fs.. something of a hybrid DSLR/P&S thing. I suspect it's going to have a short shelf life.
I first discovered the site by introduction. Cat (&animaniactoo) told me about it after I'd met her elsewhere, and had asked if she knew of anywhere I might get some feedback on my newly rediscovered photography.
Thanks, Cat :o)
One of the guideline questions is "what is your favorite image that you have posted?" Impossible to answer. With the exception of a handful of images I've posted more for fun than anything else, I'd have to say I feel quite strongly about all of the work I have posted currently in my gallery. And that number, is probably less than a third of all the imagery I've posted in the two and a half years at the site.
Interestingly enough though, it seems that my more popular work (in terms of comments and score, are ones I feel less strongly about. The ones I refer to as really me, or really my true work, my art... don't seem to catch on quite as well here.
Without a doubt, I've learned SO much from the site here, and through the constructive criticism offered, have grown in my art. Members such as Keith (+KEIFER), Les (&purmusic), Phil (+PhilcUK) have provided the kind of growth inspiring tips and pointers (and no short supply of caveats) which helped me tremendously.
And this is where I'd like to put something into words. I suppose, with some of my thoughts, and words, I've occasionally seemed less than pleasant. Pushy, condescending, elitist are but a few of the ones I've been told of. Wasn't my intention, so if anyone was unintentionally offended, my apologies.
I do see this site as a community. I do see this site as a place of learning; a type of univerity if you will. And it is in that sentiment that I've offered just about all of what I have to say. I'm just a member, like all of you, but that's the point. We all, as I see it, need to assume some level of ownership, even though the site is not actually "ours", and be as willing to assume responsibilty for it's well being, as we are to enjoy it's rewards.
So finally, I thank you all again. I truly believe there are others out there far more deserving of this than I am, those with far greater talent. So please, scour the site, search out the talent of those known, and not, and vote someone in here next month who might've been overlooked in the past.
