Week 1. Florence May 7th-11th    Week 2. South Tuscany May 14th-18th

WEEK 1: Santa Reparata International School of Art strategically located in Florence will be our home base. The school facilities are well equipped with computers, wi-fi etc. providing participants a great place to meet for critiques, demos’ on mixed media photo techniques including solar plate printmaking and more. Day trips to Lucca, San Geminagno and Bologna leaving plenty of time to explore Florence.

WEEK 2: S.Tuscany

We part from Florence by train to Orvieto; about a two and half hour train ride then 45 minutes by car to Proceno. Proceno is a beautiful Medieval hill top village straddling the borders of Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria. This picturesque area of S. Tuscany is where I lived for seven years, Proceno will serve as our  home base for week 2.

The terrain of this unique area is undulating, rolling hills, valleys and forests offset by mountains populated with small villages, ancient Etruscan towns and medieval castles. The foods, wines and restaurants maintain the charm of an unspoiled Italian culture. This is a unique opportunity for those who have been searching to discover and photograph in Italy where few tourists find their way.

Day 1. Sorano, Pitigliano. Day 2.Tuscania, Marta/Lake Bolsena. Day 3. Pienza, Montalpulciano. Day 4. Puccie’s Castle Proceno. Day 5. Acquapendente. Each one of these day trips takes us off the beaten tourist path to some of the most fascinating towns in S.Tuscany.

I have been a commercial and fine art photographer for more than 30 years. I specialized in architectural and interior photography as well as landscapes, portraiture and still life. Recently, I was teaching digital photography and experimental photo in Florence Italy at the University Lorenzo De Medici. I have also teach workshops in printmaking/ mixed media and photographic alternative processes including Platinum Palladium and solar plate gravure.

David Hoptman contact: dhstudio@mac.com for brochure and questions…

4. subtly expressive in one of the arts

5. susceptible to artistic effects, for example, in music, writing, or painting

7. tactful and sympathetic in relation to the feelings of others

11. capable of detecting minute changes in levels, conditions, or amounts

12. volatile and subject to fluctuation

14. able to respond to transmitted signals

15. somebody who has clairvoyant or psychic powers

Please keep in mind that topics relating to creative process are not directly tangible but are ideas, thoughts and feelings hence my approach may seem a bit out of the ordinary and at times non-linear. My hope is that the challenge of digesting these ideas gets you to thinking about how to incorporate the power of these abstract contemplations into your lives.

Sensitivity is one of the primary constituents required to prepare the fertile ground necessary for a creative response to living ones life and the expression of self. Awareness and sensitivity have an innate interrelationship and it this symbiosis that makes possible the mind-set indispensable for one to proceed with creative endeavor using process as the dynamic. Mood and inspiration is set and played out by the desire and ability for one to be in touch with and accrue a certain sense of value in relationship to the basic undercurrent of sensitivity.

The acknowledgment and facilitation of sensitivity in ones life is the type of foundation one needs to evolve in a deliberate and free wheeling way. Sensitivity is a subtle characteristic of awareness when consciously employed can facilitate the means of processing, reformulating and coloring lives experiences. Sensitivity can be actively cultivated through various practices. Personally what works for me best is a bit of meditation, a little poetry, classical music, and just paying attention to the world around me in a compassionate manner.

The depth of sensitivity is what colors the inner response of the artist, enabling the creation of a nobler set of circumstance to be used to interpret feeling, emotions, needs, desires, shortcomings etc. and at the same time creates a cognizant internal dialogue within the psyche that brings forth the release of unconscious and emotional feed-back. When the artist is in tune with this process and the creative aspects of the self there is a powerful dialogue set up that speaks directly to the viewing audience transcending the sum of the parts creating the possibility of a more direct and higher mode of communication. The psycho emotional loop that this process initiates has the ability to bring to the surface in a more focused way what it is that we as human beings share on a much broader and universal level of interconnectedness. It is within this sensibility that we can become more intimate with the self which allows the anima to defuse the ego of armoring and by doing so we create a less conditioned response to our deepest feelings which allows a more direct channel into our emotional and spiritual core.

Sensitivity colors the foundation for creative process and is the messenger to the innermost recesses that we as human beings cherish as well as the absolute common ground that we relate and identify with, it is this connectivity that binds the humanity together and has the ability to transcends, religion, politics, ethnocentricities and racial barriers. Conditioning obscures sensitivity and it is this consequence that confounds and confuses the imaginative capability that we all possess as unique individuals. The capacity to envisage a robust sensitivity is indeed a basic premise that need be addressed if in fact the creative arts are a path that one is going to travel.

The act of creating art necessitates a dialogue between the artist and the medium, whether its painting, knitting, sculpting, photography etc. This interaction creates a real time dialogue and dynamic that emerges between the artist and what is being created

When an artist is comfortable with his media/tools this process can continue in a more fluid way allowing a direct rhythm to go unimpeded between creative input and output. This groove is set up between the interplay of internal and external dialogue and it is this exchange that is the harbinger of creativity and allows the expression of oneself to flow.

A particular harmonic is created when this process is in actuality and it is this energetic in conjunction with the artist’s intent that brings to objectivity the creators personal expression. A certain dynamic is set into motion when one initiates a creative loop which brings forth a subjective response which is translated into objective form which causes a response again from the subjective which is part of the feedback loop of what is expressed. You can understand this if you think about a painter putting his first mark on a blank canvas. When the canvas is white the situation evokes a different response than that of when a canvas has its first mark on it. Now the artist is not only affected by his intent but by his first mark, depending on color, line, form etc. how it changes the dynamics of the white canvas. The subsequent marks will affect the process similarly along with how the new marks interact with the first marks etc. and so on until the work is finished. This process in fact creates a loop between the artist and the medium, whether it is clay, paint, collage etc. This internal loop is also working in conjunction with the hand eye and body language that is initiated during the creative process. Other factors that can also affect this dynamic are environment, which takes into consideration all stimulus that affects the artist, light, time of day, music, furnishings, etc. All of this is part of the finished piece which is colored by mood, emotion, life experiences etc. Many of these factors are taken for granted because they are part of the conditioned illusion that envelops us from the moment we open our eyes for the first time until we have given up our last breath. It is through the interaction with this subjective/objective loop that can open up new possibilities to the artist if in fact he learns to tune his awareness to the rhythm of this interactive artistic loop.

This self-motivated process feeds off the subconscious when one is lost in the process of doing. One may find that time is not ticking at the usual increments; the world and cares of our daily life disappear into the background, so to speak, time seemingly stands still and there is only the act of doing and creation. This creative dynamic is the magic moment that we as artist live for when undeniable bliss is experienced and a feeling of freedom is present as the artistic adventure unfolds. In the background the internal dialogue is always present and checking in with intent that must be present in order to carry out the individual work. The creative loop is a distinctive state of mind, dynamic and at the same time a balance between intent and the freedom of creativity.     This precarious balance is what the life of the artist depends upon to bring forth the magic of creativity.

Jung believed that a human being is inwardly whole, but that most of us have lost touch with important parts of our selves. Through listening to the messages of our dreams and waking imagination, we can contact and reintegrate our different parts. The goal of life is individuation, the process of coming to know, giving expression to, and harmonizing the various components of the psyche. If we realize our uniqueness, we can undertake a process of individuation and tap into our true self. Each human being has a specific nature and calling which is uniquely his or her own, and unless these are fulfilled through a union of conscious and unconscious, the person can become imbalanced.

Jung wrote, “A great work of art is like a dream” and he said, “[W]hen an archetypal situation occurs we suddenly feel an extraordinary sense of release, as though transported, or caught up by an overwhelming power…That is the secret of great art, and of its effect upon us”

“Trust that which gives you meaning and accept it as your guide.”jung

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams.

Who looks inside, awakens.”

•”Education for creativity is nothing  short of education for living.” Erich Fromm, Creativity and Its Cultivation, 1959.

WE ARE LIMITING OURSELVES IF WE PERSIST IN CATEGORIZING AND COMPARTMENTALIZING THE ARTS, DWELLING ON THEIR DIFFERENCES INSTEAD OF NOTICING AND ACCEPTING THEIR SIMILARITIES.  a substitution for “THE ARTS” with “HUMANITY” would work for me as well DH.

EXPERIMENTS MAKE IMAGINATION CONCRETE. Man Ray

Kant maintained that morality and creativity do not follow causal, scientific law, they exits in in a unique realm distinctive from physics: so called meta physics.

When you enjoy the process you have a greater chance of enjoying the end result, the creative sum…David Hoptman

log·ic n sensible rational thought and argument rather than ideas that are influenced by emotion or whim.

Keep in mind when reading this blog that abstract thought must be dealt with in an abstract manner!

From time immemorial there has been great deliberation and profound speculation regarding the actuality of intuition. When we elicit this word we have little or no tangible basis for dealing with it is a concept. It is a mercurial and mysterious process that we as human beings are all familiar with and yet when one tries to solicit this course of action within a logical or rational context it in essence vaporizes and is lost somewhere between cause and effect.   Many of us have personal experiences in our lives where we have relied upon intuition and have full faith in the knowledge that it truly exists. This presents a problem inherent with syntax not in a grammatical sense but in a more abstract and less logical sense.  Logic and intuition do share a common ground, without one the other would not exit.

Intuition is a subtle and elusive counterpart to rational and logic. We all inherently possess the ability to call upon our intuitive powers. Some of us are more finely attuned to our intuitive process while others trying to become conscious of this invaluable ability search in vain, usually in the wrong places. Intuition cannot exits within the context of everyday consciousness because this is where logic and rationality create the foundation for what it takes to subsist within our daily routine that we ground our very being in. It is this ironic interrelationship that stands in the way of one being free of past conditioning. The very essence of our being is submerged among this very interrelationship. Creativity thrives on intuitive processes without which artistic endeavors would lack a basic vitality and dynamism necessary to communicate to the viewer this particular form of expression.

In actuality all of us use our intuitive senses far more than we are cognizant of. It is the rational mind/ego that takes credit for making the proper decisions that propel us through life. So as we begin to delve into getting a handle on our intuitive prowess we begin to understand that we are far closer than we think to summoning up this exceptional quality to augment our creative process.

Intuition is based on a certain combination of trust and knowing, many times we will ignore that veritable inner voice that speaks to us and put it out of our minds to later find out that in fact we should have listened to our original gut feelings. This same enigmatic place within our psyche is where creative process can channel intuition and creative spirit. While it dwells nowhere in particular yet it exists everywhere and has a certain ethereal tangibility, the moment we grasp for it, it slips away, this is the mercurial property that makes the concept of creativity difficult to grasp.

Intuition can be comprehended as one looks to abstract art and the subtle language that is spoken with form, content, color, texture, line etc. This rhythmic language of the artist is in fact a language that does not speak in a rational tongue but transcends rational and logical thought. We as spectators and communicators of abstract art can in someway draw conclusions as to what the artist has expressed through his abstract language and through intuitive process find a common ground among others viewing the same art works. Is it good or is it bad? Is there a consensus a commonality regardless of gender, race and creed. Art is a dynamic process and intuition is an integral part in the art making process.

I will continue to post my take on creative process, this post is part one stay tuned….

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Mara's Interior HDR toned down using Photoshop B&W adjustment layer.

HDR / High Definition Resolution photography software is definitely one of the greatest additions to Photography since the onset of pixels. HDR allows photographers’ to capture a dynamic range not previously possible before. Dynamic range is the contrast ratio between the lightest and darkest areas within a scene. Film and digital capture prior to HDR lacked the latitude to capture a scene with an extended tonal range, common example that we have all been confronted with: a bright sunny day with deep shadows and blasting highlights.

In the days before Pixels photographers used graduated density filters in order to compensate for the brightness of the sky and the Zone System which allowed photographers to compress tonal values within a scene into eight zones of gray plus a pure white and black. Getting the zone system set up required numerous tests with film, exposure and development as well as dark room printing times etc. not a method for the faint of heart and quite time consuming in the beginning to get the system fine tuned. Today photographers can capture an extended range of tonal values using HDR Software from Photoshop or Photomatix; the process is straightforward and relatively easily pulled off.

HDR software allows the photographer to make multiple exposures per scene; exposures will range from highlights all the way to the deepest of shadows. Like magic the software will blend the over and under exposures together creating an image with shadow and highlight detail in full tonal fidelity, a magical feat compared to days past. There are still some inherent problems with HDR technology but in most cases HDR software can be coaxed to pull off a natural looking high dynamic range photo without the over exaggerated color saturation which produces the HDR LOOK.

Newbie’s to HDR can easily be seduced with HDR LOOK that frequently distracts from the content of the image itself. With a few Photoshop tweaks and a bit of understanding in regards to photo imaging the HDR software can be tamed down to impart a natural looking beautifully balanced image with an extremely long dynamic range that still preserves the HDR PUNCH. When the viewer has to ask “IS IT HDR?” My take is; that is the point where HDR is successful.

Once you have processed your multiple exposure HDR image using either Photoshop or Photomatix software the next step in the workflow is to back off the overstated color using the Black&White adjustment layer in Photoshop. Apply the black & white adjustment layer to your image and you will see that your image has been morphed into a gray scale. Simply go up to the opacity slider in your B&W adjustment layer and slide it over to the left for starter to around 20%or 30% you should see that your overly saturated HDR image is now looking a lot more realistic and has maintained its highlight and shadow detail.

You are now ready to fine-tune your tonal values within the image with the color sliders in the B&W adjustment layer. At this point you can easily create a vector mask and tweak out the area’s of saturation that you would like to fine tune, add a little dodging and burning to create the proper relationship between the highlights and shadows and your done, its that simple!

The HDR process is inherently noisy so a good noise filter will help reduce the pesky color noise in your image. Noise Ninja is a good choice as is Topaz Denoise. Both work well and are a great addition to digital imaging. A bit of tweaking with a noise filter and Photoshop layers adjustments will raise the level of your photo capture and the over exaggeration of HDR will be a thing of the past. You will have found your balance using HDR, a powerful tool and a straightforward process to incorporate into your digital workflow.

Take a look at a website by Trey Ratcliff/stuckincustoms. Trey’s site is filled with lots of good info on the HDR process, although in my opinion his HDR photographic aesthetic is somewhat over the top in regards to exaggerated color however he has a good following. I can see how easy it can be to be tempted by the HDR LOOK, it allows one to put aside foundational basics for traditional photography on the back burner and leaves the outcome to the software without the intervention of the photographers’ personal photo aesthetic.

With a little de-saturation as stated in the above article and some basic color balancing techniques most HDR images could pack a more realistic punch and in my opinion appeal to a larger and more sophisticated audience. You can find examples by visiting my Blog site. That said, enjoy the journey of creative process and chances are you will enjoy the results. Creativity is dynamic; the magic is in the doing!