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reviews_and_ramblings ([personal profile] reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2009-06-11 09:45 am

E. Eugene Day: Fine Art Photography

California born E. Eugene Day took his Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture at California Polytechnic State University. His design career spanned many years creating interior and garden design in Europe, Asia and the United States. During that time he was also interested in painting and drawing, but only began translating that interest seriously into photography in 2003. Since then he has been working full time on this pursuit - in developing and perfecting his techniques and building up a significant corpus of finished work primarily concerned with the male image. He now makes his home in San Francisco.


Chris-12 , E.Eugene Day, 10 x 8, Photo/Print


Chris-4, E.Eugene Day, 10 x 8, Photo/Print

 
The Empty Room, E.Eugene Day, 10 x 10, Photo/Print

 
Johnny Backside View, E.Eugene Day, Photo/Print

 
Shadows and Light 1, E.Eugene Day, Photo/Print

 
Michael Looking Out, E.Eugene Day, Photo/Print

 
Eric-2, E.Eugene Day, 10 x 8, Photo/Print

 
Eric-3, E.Eugene Day, 10 x 8, Photo/Print

 
Breakfast in San Francisco, E.Eugene Day, 10 x 8, Photo/Print

After a picture from the photo shoot is selected, the first step is to work up a retouched and corrected base photograph. The interim result is a perfected black and white photograph which can stand up beautifully on its own merits. From this stage the image is painstakingly digitally hand-worked in very fine detail over a period of several days. Like painting with virtual brushes, Eugene works to build up the developing piece stroke-by-stroke, tint-upon-tint, texture-upon-texture, until a patinated, often ethereal or painterly image emerges which may sometimes be hardly recognizable as a photograph.

"My work is usually concerned with the beauty of the male form – I want it to be idealized, yet still approachable - certainly I am not interested in the buff muscle god and his perfectly honed six-pack. I prefer to use amateur models with a certain boy-next-door familiarity and wholesomeness. I am more interested in expressing the sensual rather than the merely sexual, and the subtle qualities of feeling and emotion rather than the merely physical.

Compositionally I work with the play of light and shadow, and the balance between negative and positive space, both as methods of directing the viewers’ attention within the picture plane and especially as a way to build mood and atmosphere. Texture is very important in the composition, therefore I give much time and attention to ensure that textures are working to reinforce and develop the atmosphere.

Observers will find their own meaning in my work, but my intent is to nudge the viewer beyond the physical and into the intangible - the realm of memory, lost youth, attraction and longing – desire and the quest for the unobtainable. Ultimately my hope is that the sum of all the elements will create wholeness and allow the observer to find a place of inner repose in my work – a sense of stillness and serenity.” E. Eugene Day

http://eugenedayphoto.com/

More Photographers at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Art
ext_7009: (Bravo)

[identity profile] alex-beecroft.livejournal.com 2009-06-11 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, those are very beautiful. I agree with him too. I like the more natural shape of the bodies, and the smoky, serene atmosphere of the texture. Lovely!

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2009-06-11 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I thought to your request to have more "historical" fashion photos when I found him. Elisa
ext_7009: (Default)

[identity profile] alex-beecroft.livejournal.com 2009-06-11 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Some of those would make gorgeous moody book covers. But I suspect an artist like this is way out of my price range!

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2009-06-11 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
You can ask! A mail doesn't do wrong. Elisa
ext_7009: (Damian - Muse)

[identity profile] alex-beecroft.livejournal.com 2009-06-12 12:24 pm (UTC)(link)
That's very true. Nothing ventured, nothing gained :)