Vince Lupo's Mapping the West at Leica Store DC Gallery

[winzenbourg]

Vince,

I was in DC for just a few hours over the weekend and found myself a block from the Leica store. Remembering this thread, I dropped in to check out your show -- beautiful work, congrats!

[Huss]

Congratulations Vince!!!

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by Huss

Congratulations Vince!!!

Many thanks -- hoping for a good turnout at this final store event before the show ends.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by winzenbourg

Vince,

I was in DC for just a few hours over the weekend and found myself a block from the Leica store. Remembering this thread, I dropped in to check out your show -- beautiful work, congrats!

Thanks very much for stopping by!

[rfaspen]

I won't be in DC until sometime next year.

Can't we move the show to the Seattle (Bellevue) Leica Store? I'm up there often enough.

I've always liked your work Vince. It would really be nice to view some prints sometime.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by rfaspen

I won't be in DC until sometime next year.

Can't we move the show to the Seattle (Bellevue) Leica Store? I'm up there often enough.

I've always liked your work Vince. It would really be nice to view some prints sometime.

Well.....I'm keeping my mouth shut. We'll see, let's just put it that way.

But, if you know Ford Sorita, putting in a good word might not hurt. Apparently he is aware of the show.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by rfaspen

I won't be in DC until sometime next year.

Can't we move the show to the Seattle (Bellevue) Leica Store? I'm up there often enough.

I've always liked your work Vince. It would really be nice to view some prints sometime.

You are in luck! 'Mapping the West' is officially going to Bellevue, Washington in April of next year! Will be there from April thru June.

[Vince Lupo]

Mapping the West will be having its opening night reception on Saturday April 8th, from 7-9pm at the Leica Store in Bellevue, Washington. If you're on the west coast, I hope you'll be able to stop by.


Matting the West by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[TJB Seattle]

I plan on being there. Looking forward to seeing the prints!

Jay

[rfaspen]

Thanks for the heads-up Vince. I may be there, provided life details allow it. I would certainly like to be there.

[Vince Lupo]

Many thanks guys -- I look forward to hopefully meeting you!

[airfrogusmc]

Congrats brother.... Wish I could be there.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[Vince Lupo]

'Mapping the West' is now listed on the Leica US website: https://us.leica-camera.com/World-of...-West%E2%80%9D

[Vince Lupo]

Well I made it! Took the long way -- 4400 mile drive from Baltimore via New Mexico

Hope to see you on the 8th from 7-9pm!


Leica Store Bellevue by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[airfrogusmc]

Good Luck!!!!!!!

[robert blu]

This sounds very exciting, wow! Unfortunately there is an ocean between us ...
Congrats, what a satisfaction for your work!
robert

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by robert blu

This sounds very exciting, wow! Unfortunately there is an ocean between us ...
Congrats, what a satisfaction for your work!
robert

Many thanks Robert! Hope I sell a few

[Vince Lupo]

Many thanks to all the RFF members who attended the reception for Mapping the West last night at the Leica Store in Bellevue, WA! Was great to put faces to names, and really I was quite honoured by the number of folks who came by to have a look and say hello. One thing that really surprised me were the number of people who said the have been following my work for years!

The show is up until June, then after that who knows where it will go next! Many thanks again!

[Vince Lupo]

Only two more days to catch 'Mapping the West' at the Leica Store in Bellevue, WA. Last day of the show is tomorrow, Saturday May 27th!


Rockin' Down the Highway by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[jbrianfoto]

Vince, your work is inspirational. Do you make your own prints or farm that out. All very beautifully exposed and presented. Also - how much time do you spend in Baltimore? I live in Fredericksburg, VA and would really like to meet you in person.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by jbrianfoto

Vince, your work is inspirational. Do you make your own prints or farm that out. All very beautifully exposed and presented. Also - how much time do you spend in Baltimore? I live in Fredericksburg, VA and would really like to meet you in person.

Many thanks for your kind words! Yes I print everything myself, as well as do all my matting and (when necessary) framing. In the case of this show, I sent them the matted prints and they had the 20"x24" frames.

I live just outside Baltimore, so I'm here pretty much always (unless I'm on the road for work etc).

[Vince Lupo]

A bit late to the dance, but while noodling around the Internet I came across this. Check out #8!
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/a...hibits-of-2016

And this was a bit of a revelation too -- nice to be included with Thomas Struth!
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/a...images-of-2016

[Vince Lupo]

Just came back from 3 weeks out West and finally managed to integrate the 'Mapping the West' project with my commercial website:

http://www.directiononeinc.com/mapping-the-west/

I think it's a much better presentation than the Flickr album, and finally merges this work with the commercial site. I'm sure it will need some tweaks along the way, but I think it's a pretty good start.

[Vince Lupo]

Just came back from a 9-day stay at farms in southern New Mexico and northwestern Texas. It was an incredible opportunity, and was the result of a chance meeting in Santa Fe earlier this year.

I think some of these photos are a good addition to the Mapping the West album, and a few will hopefully be incorporated into a show I'm having at The Creative Alliance in Baltimore in November. There are also a couple of shots in the mix here that aren't from the farm, but are from the southern New Mexico / northwestern Texas area, taken this past week.


Blast Off by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Jim and Harvest by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Harvest by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Number 13 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm4 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm5 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm6 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Dell City3 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Jose by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm7 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Jose3a by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm8 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm9 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


The Flooding by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Hill Farm11 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[Vince Lupo]

Grown in Texas by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


John Pete1 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Mesilla2 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Angel by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Checking the Alfalfa by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Steer2 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Wagon Girls by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


The Clovis Champ by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Rainy Nighttime Tire Change by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Jay Hill by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Dell City Rain by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Into the Storm by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Raimundo by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


The Lettuce Thinners by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[Vince Lupo]

9am Break by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Mister Gomez2 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


The Lettuce Thinners9 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Evening Baling2 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Arnold and Sunshine by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Carson5 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Felix and Manny by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Jose5 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


After the Big Game by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

I have a lot more to still go through, but I think there are a few good ones in the mix here.

[skopar steve]

Congratulations Vince. I'd love to see your prints in person. Looks like it's time to take the family truckster on a road trip.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by skopar steve

Congratulations Vince. I'd love to see your prints in person. Looks like it's time to take the family truckster on a road trip.

Many thanks Steve -- I've only printed a few so far, but what I have printed looks pretty good (Epson 3880 prints on Exhibition Fiber). The prints are generally 11"x16" on 13"x19" paper, matted and framed 20"x24".


Hill Farm Prints by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[farlymac]

I've been enjoying these on Flickr the last couple of weeks, Vince. You have a mastery of composition, and use of available light. It is inspiring to say the least.


PF

[raid]

This is wonderful, Vince.

[Vince Lupo]

Many thanks guys -- the great thing about my time there was the incredible openness and welcoming I was given there. At first they were a bit cautious about my intentions, but they seemed to immediately receive me with open arms and let me do pretty much what I wanted. It's the start of a great relationship and I think can only expand and deepen.

This trip was different in that I concentrated my efforts in one specific region of New Mexico, rather than wandering around the state as I normally tend to do. Plus I had to go on their schedule of events, which sometimes resulted in shooting in challenging lighting conditions (like at high noon, into the night) and in one particular case, in the pouring rain.

I'm hoping to be back out there for the December pecan harvest - we'll see if my wife goes along with that plan!


The Hill's by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[Vince Lupo]

Jésus by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


José6 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[Vince Lupo]

Found this one among the fray.


Blast Off #2 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

Amazingly, I've only been back home for a few days and I've already sold 6 prints!

[Vince Lupo]

I'm trying out a new paper for these latest images, Epson Legacy Baryta. They are looking really good!


Epson Print by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

[Michael Markey]

Vince has thoughtfully put them all in one album on Flickr.
I recommend glass of wine and set it on slide show.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by Michael Markey

Vince has thoughtfully put them all in one album on Flickr.
I recommend glass of wine and set it on slide show.

Many thanks Michael -- jeez I've never done that! Think I know what I'm going to do this evening

[retinax]

Great photography, and I admire your dedication and courage in approaching people.
I hope my honesty is not unwelcome when I say that I think you should go easier on the clarity slider or sharpening or whatever local contrast enhancement you use. Some faces look ghostly and there are halos in some pictures, like the second one in post no. 72. - does the sheet metal wall in the middle really get lighter in tone towards the edges?

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by retinax

Great photography, and I admire your dedication and courage in approaching people.
I hope my honesty is not unwelcome when I say that I think you should go easier on the clarity slider or sharpening or whatever local contrast enhancement you use. Some faces look ghostly and there are halos in some pictures, like the second one in post no. 72. - does the sheet metal wall in the middle really get lighter in tone towards the edges?

Honesty is always welcome -- my ego can certainly take it and I appreciate the feedback. Years ago I had a teacher in undergrad (Dave Heath) who'd make many a student cry in his class, so I think I've been well-seasoned in the art of critique.

Yeah that wall actually does get lighter -- there's an overhang that's out of the picture which casts a shadow into that corner behind José, so as the corrugated metal wall goes to the right it's getting brighter.

I've always been pretty conscious of those clarity/structure sliders (in Silver Efex Pro there are actually five of them), so I don't think I go crazy (I like the 'less is more' approach). And yes I do recognize the whole 'halo' thing -- whether going overboard with the clarity (I use PhotoShop and Silver Efex Pro, BTW) or by going in reverse with the soft contrast adjuster. Another potential issue is that Newton Ring effect that can pop up in cloudless skies by going too far with either the clarity or the dynamic brightness in Silver Efex. I don't think I see any haloing or the Newton Ring in any of my shots -- many times I'm actually going into negative clarity, which makes haloing even less likely. Plus that phenomenon does not jump out at me at all when I print (if it ever did, I'd definitely make adjustments and reprint). I think I'm pretty attuned to that - at least I hope I am after all these years! If you can point to specific halos in any of my photos, I'd love to know which ones. I could see how someone might think the skies, for example, are exaggerated, but if you've spent any time at all in the West, you'll know that they do get very dramatic and amazing skies, and storms can often been seen from miles away and never come your way. You'd think, for example, if I went clarity crazy with the Evening Baling photo in post #66, the haloing would stick out like a sore thumb in that sky, but there isn't any there. In another photo, Into the Storm, Jay was walking out to check the alfalfa in preparation to bale hay later that evening, and that intense storm was way off in the north, but I don't think it ever came to us (got a few sprinkles, but nothing like what was being unleashed miles away). And that sky was like that.

In some of the shots - like the one of Carson in post #66, it's the middle of the day and everyone is wearing baseball hats. So from the nose up, every person's face disappears into darkness. In that particular shot, I isolated the shadow area of his face and adjusted it so that you could actually see that vacant expression of his hidden under the brim of his cap (I could see, however, that perhaps I overcompensated on that one image). However in the photo of Raimundo in post #65, I chose to let the shadow on his face stay as-is (and ironically that was in the early morning).

Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of shooting only at times of the day out there that photographically suit me (early morning and late in the day like most of us prefer), as I have to defer to their schedule of events (things do often take place in the middle of the day which is, as you know, probably the worst time to take photos). And I'm certainly not about to ask people to take their hats off in that New Mexico sunshine, so I have to work within those parameters and roll with it. I'm just honoured to be allowed into their world and to be trusted that I'll depict them in a respectful manner.

Actually I was wrong -- there is one photo here that has a halo -- a gigantic one, in fact. The last shot in post #65

[Larry Cloetta]

Vince,

I have not chimed in before, and I should have, but these are nicely done.

[Vince Lupo]

Originally Posted by Larry Cloetta

Vince,

I have not chimed in before, and I should have, but these are nicely done.

Many thanks Larry -- I have to get back out to your neck of the woods sometime! Been too long