STRANGE WORLDS
Eye trickery is the subject, Matthew Albanese is the magician in question. You see, Matthew creates mini landscapes. Not just diorama pieces you once did in year 9 at high school, no. These are epic dreamscapes you would wish to be a part of in the real life, the kinds of places you’d like you write haiku’s and short stories about brooding dragons and wolf cubs frolicking chasing butterflies. He uses a multitude of photographic lighting skills that will most likely make your brain hurt, however if you’re up for the brain pain, check the video after the shots.
This is a test shot for my new piece “How To Breathe Underwater” The purpose of this is to determine how well the materials and lighting will work together. The lighting was achieved using six different strobes various filters and video projection. The challenge now is applying this to a larger scale. The coral is made out of wire, tulle, beads, cast wax, jellybeans, fabric glitter, preserved starfish & walnuts. This image has not been Photoshopped.
“New Life” Storm
Diorama made using painted parchment paper, thread, hand dyed ostrich feathers, carved chocolate, wire, raffia, masking tape, coffee, synthetic potting moss and cotton.
“Wildfire”
Diorama made from wood, moss, yellow glitter, clear garbage bags, cooked sugar, scotch-brite pot scrubbers, bottle brushes, clipping from a bush in bloom (white flowers) clear thread, sand, tile grout (coloring), wire, paper and alternating yellow, red and orange party bulbs.
“Palm Trees”
Styled feathers
“Icebreaker”
25 pounds of sugar cooked at varying temperatures (hard crack & pulled sugar recipes) It’s basically made out of candy. salt, egg whites, corn syrup, cream of tartar, powdered sugar, blue food coloring, india ink & flour.
Three days of cooking, and two weeks of building.
“Tornado”
Made of steel wool, cotton, ground parsley and moss
This one was made by photographing a beam of colored light against a black curtain to achieve the edge effect. The trees were composited from life ( so far the only real life element in any of these images) The stars are simply strobe light through holes in cork board.
