the ginkgo blog

Beautiful stop motion video... Really quite lovely!

Mashable have created a list of stop motion videos [here]. This one is just stunning. Composed of over 35,000 photographs and using live projection mapping results in some quite spectacular work...  

Vogue - September Issue 2009 - The trailer...

Citroen GT or an Audi R8 V10? If you asked me yesterday I'd have said huh?!

That was yesterday...

I love cars. A lot! I used to race them and occasionally still do for charity. For a while now, I have really admired and appreciated the Audi R8. And if sufficient amounts of cash were coming in to the bank account to a point where my wife wouldn't rip off my dangly bits if I bought one... Then I'd buy one without a seconds thought.

One of my neighbours bought one just over a week ago. A purring V10 sculpted stunner, which I sadly have to listen to roaring up the road daily. Sometimes more, sat there in pure, unashamed jealousy.

Today I saw something pretty amazing that has put this into question. 

This!!! 

Personally I would have it in black or gun metal grey, but that's just me. If it came to it and it was given to me, it could be shocking pink for all I'd care. But all I can say about this extraordinarily designed car is.... Holy crap! 

I want one and I want one now. I know for a fact I have two perfectly functioning kidneys and that I only really need one. That has to be a deposit on it at least?!

What is more amazing is that this car started out its life as a purpose built dream machine to be included in Gran Turismo 5. And now, Citroen have released the beast from the silicone universe in to mine.

Sure this thing is still concept. But it is a concept that is driving around the streets of London with an engine that sounds like its fuel was refined from the bowels of Valhalla.

There is not a hope in hell of me owning this pocket extender - and there are two key reasons for that... One, it will be so stupidly expensive that even if I sold my house in lived in the nearby woods with the rabbits, I still would not be able to afford this thing. And far more crucially... Two, it isn't a real production car. But...  if I can't own it - I really want to photograph it. All of it and in as much detail as I can.

So, if you know someone who knows someone who knows someone that can help me to get this thing to the airfield studios - You will become my new best friend (the current one can quite frankly just bugger off) and I might even let you borrow my 'blad. Which I don't even let the current one do.

HOME 2009 - A movie by Yann Arthus-Bertrand - And it is simple stunningly beautiful to watch...

Yann Arthus-Bertrand, is without a shadow of a doubt one of the truly great masters in photography. And this film is a treat to watch, if for no other reason than it is visually stunning!

Admittedly, one of the key ingredients that has made his so famous and I am sure quite wealthy was the fact that he focused initially on capturing images that almost no-one ever sees (including pilots). That being the earth from directly above and straight down.

Now that isn't a negative comment - In fact, it is the exact opposite. In my humble opinion, one of the markers that truly differentiates a master from the good is that they portray something original and from a totally unique point of view.

For those that know his work, examples and links to it below, this film is pretty much a high definition, motion version of his stills. With, the addition of an emotive voice over regarding the state of our planet, what we are doing to it and what we need to be looking at doing now to stop the slide into oblivion.

Politics and beliefs aside - It is a truly great watch - even if you durn the volume down, or better still, if you are offended by climate change and green issues so much, choose a language to one you simply do not understand, as the music goes very well with the film.

Personally, I watched it for what it was. Absorbed the beauty of the filming and took/left from the ideology what I wanted.

For anyone who has a passion for imagery of any kind, this is a must see!

Books and movies by Yann Artus Bertrand:

Hockney turns to mobile artwork using the iPhone... Plus three free Hockney iPhone wallpaper originals for you to download.

As a photographer and artist, I love the iPhone, a lot! it is just such an amazing device for true creativity without all the usual constraints placed on you by the technologies that we almost all seem so intent in employing in our day to day professional lives.

In this sense, it makes the device incredibly ironic. Being one of the most advanced mobile pieces of technology on earth. But it is of course this incredible complexity of merged technologies that makes it so simple and so fun to use.

Creativity in your pocket 24/7...

More after the jump...

Steve Jobs returns to work - From the archives... Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005 - Well worth a watch!

CHASE JARVIS CURRENT: The consequences of creativity... Well worth a watch....

Chase was recently invited to speak to the Art Director's Club of Denver and the ASMP about creativity, and subsequently delivered that keynote two weeks ago. This video is a recording of that talk. Hope it strikes a chord with you as it did with me.

Chase Jarvis CURRENT: The Consequences of Creativity from Chase Jarvis on Vimeo.

Creative photography blockage or inspiration under pressure just waiting for the right time to come out?

I write this in response to a blog post of someone who has started to become more and more part of Ginkgo and if I am honest, has helped to start to shape the direction in which it is traveling. He is genuinely talented and in my opinion will go a long way - eventually...

His post: "are culture injections free on the NHS" hits on something we all feel/fear at points along our creative path. I'm not going to go in to them - Read his post - I certainly couldn't have written it better myself.

I guess the simple answer to his hypothesis is no. They are not free. But primarily for two simple reasons. One, sadly nothing in life is actually free and two, they don't exist.

The far more complicated answer is...

There is a word - inspiration - that we all use very freely. Derived from theology as the divine breath of 'your' very own, personal angel. 

It is a source of apparently unknown origin and something that seemly appears from out of the blue. Invariably after a period of creative doubt and drought.

More after the jump...