Goblins and Ghouls...

The warm afternoon breeze is flowing through the room as I type, reminding me of the dog days of summer, and with it a smile comes to my face. Halloween is on its way. These thoughts bring me to my post today, about the San Diego Art Institute sending out a call for seasonal art.

Well, of course I had to come up with an image to enter. "Claw Boy" is proud to announce he was juried in to the show. Here's the link for info to the month long exhibition "The Dead Are Not Quiet" a group exhibition of macabre art in Balboa Park. If you're in the area, stop by and pass a little love onto him. If you want him for your own, he's available and looking for a loving home...

The image is 12"x 12" and matted, with a black museum frame to 16"x 16", ready to hang and enjoy.

You may purchase it here and have it shipped to your door, or if you're in San Diego, pick it up at my studio on 30th Street, and I will refund the shipping. $150 + $30 to ship anywhere in the continental U.S. or Canada.

Shooting from the Heart

I tend to photograph from the heart, which is very different than working with your head. When I spot a scene that stirs my soul, whether it's automotive, roadside relics, or even plants, I photograph it. Then it's on to the computer, where I start working on the texture, value scale, and colors in post-processing. Here's an example, shot on a walk with my wife in La Jolla one warm sunny afternoon. We were making our way down a small dirt path on the edge of a cliff overlook when looking down it stopped me in my tracks with its unique shapes, opening to the sun and saying, "I dare you to touch me." As usual, my photograph, a little raw with some attitude.

Botanical Blend #6

This is from my "Botanical Collection " collection and is printed on archival paper. The image is 12"x 12" and is matted, with a black museum frame 16"x 16", ready to hang, and enjoy.

You may purchase it here and have it shipped to your door, or if you're in San Diego, pick it up at my studio on 30th Street, and I will refund the shipping. $275 + $30 to ship anywhere in the continental U.S. or Canada.

Shooting Pictorialism

I've always been drawn to "Pictorialism" for some reason when it comes to photography. It just resonates with me. In definition, it's an approach to photography with a soft-focus such as this gas station that emphasizes beauty of subject matter, tonality, and composition rather than the documentation of reality. Maybe it's my underlying desire to go back to slower times, as this was the hallmark of photographers in the first decades of the 20th century. Some of the greats that started shooting this way were; Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and Imogen Cunningham. They would later reject the painterly atmospherics of pictorialism and set a course of sharper focus followed by the rest of the photographic world.

"Cafe 11"  © John Straub

This image was shown for the first time at Art Walk in Little Italy in May. It's from my "Road Side Salvage" collection and is archival pigment on high quality archival paper. There are two sizes available, a 16"x 24" for $95.95 plus $20.00 postage and 24"x 36" for $210.00 plus $20.00 postage shipped within the US or Canada. The larger of the two is signed and numbered out of a limited edition of 25. Both will come ready to be matted and framed.

Sizes Available

16"x 24" $95.95 USD 24"x 36" $210.00 USD

Sometimes They get Printed...

Most photographs I make are personal pictures and never end up in print. Sometimes they do, as this one did, went on to show, and on to a collector in Corning, New York. Oftentimes, however, they are simply photographs I hope resonate. They end up on Facebook, or here. I guess the moral to the story is, that if you see something I post and you would like a print. Feel free to contact me.

A/P and one of one printed, © John Straub  

On the road...Decaying Dreams #14

I shoot this area a lot, and decided to take a detour off the main road and into the community of Salton Sea Beach. Just the name attracts. Turning onto Desert Dr. I came across this triple wide. The look I love. One of those places where you imagine what memories there were. How hauntingly appropriate the ghostly clouds look over the corner of Desert Dr. and Frontier St.

Decaying Dreams #14

This is from my "Decaying Dreams" collection and is archival pigment on cotton rag B/W paper. The image is 12"x 18" and is matted, with a black museum frame 18"x 24", ready to hang and enjoy in your B/W collection. It's the A/P out of a limited edition of 25, signed and was shown at the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park.

You may purchase it here and have it shipped to your door, or if you're in San Diego, pick it up at my studio on 30th Street, and I will refund the shipping. $395 + $40 to ship anywhere in the continental U.S. or Canada.

Speaking About Road Trips...Decaying Dreams #22

Yep, speaking about road trips in the last post, this image was captured while I was researching areas around the Salton Sea. I happened on this bullet ridden abandoned shack and water tower. Standing and staring, the bright silver belly tank perched upon the tower just spoke to me. I think the best images, impress some kind of emotion on the viewer. How about you?

Decaying Dreams #22

This is from my "Decaying Dreams " collection and is printed on special B/W archival paper. The image is 12"x 18" and is matted, with a black museum frame 18"x 24", ready to hang, and enjoy. It's the A/P out of a limited edition of 25, signed and was shown at the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park.

You may purchase it here and have it shipped to your door, or if you're in San Diego, pick it up at my studio on 30th Street, and I will refund the shipping. $395 + $40 to ship anywhere in the continental U.S. or Canada. A/P SOLD.

A Short "Thank You"...

Just a short "Thank You" to those of you that have come out to see my B/W images at the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park. Thank you!

If you have not seen it yet, here is one on display. How about this for a car port? The show will come down this Monday the 7th. after December Nights.

Click on it to get a hi-res. look. Image, © John Straub

San Diego Art Institute Value Scale

As I have headed out for road trips over the past several years, one of the place that I have become intrigued with is the area around the Salton Sea in SoCal. During that time I have been recording, via photography, the drastic conditions related to what has become a very bleak area. It was once called the Rivera of California...no more.

Six of my B/W images from the "Decaying Dreams" series will be on display at the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park during "December Nights," with the opening reception November 21st, from 6:00pm-8:00pm. The show runs until December 6th. There were 19 other artists juried into the "Value Scale:SDAI Affordable Art Fair" show, with no work priced over $500.

I'll be at the reception, so I'm inviting you to come by and check out some very cool contemporary art and say hi. If you can't make it that night, be sure to make it sometime between those dates.

If you would like to see the images in my "Decaying Dreams" series, click here: http://alongfortherideimageworks.zenfolio.com/p496188985

Please pass it on guys!