LOW PIXELS - Series 1 - AROUND THE POOL
When I started my initial exploration into digitally manipulated imagery during my time at Ryerson University in the late ‘80s, I was capturing single frame video images at VGA resolution as my digital canvas. In today’s terms, that was 1/3rd of a megapixel (640x480) and 32k colors. Modern digital cameras can resolve 13x that resolution alone and theoretically billions of colors.
This colossal leap in resolution made me wonder how we ever thought such archaic digital imaging was even worth pursuing, yet those early pioneering days planted the technological seeds that have resulted in modern day digital imaging.
The megapixel race to develop better, faster, and higher resolution cameras has resulted in the misguided belief that more is better and thus I decided to revisit my VGA era images in the hopes I would rediscover the beauty in them amid the pixel peeping photographic community we have become.
What follows is my first attempt at recreating images at this low resolution, albeit with modern color depth still intact. My approach is to select multiple images from within a single image, each standing on their own in composition and aesthetics, forming a 9 image grid filled with possibilities.
The original larger image (see below) was taken high above the pool at the The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
There is so much I love about these images, not the least of which is the unknown presence of yours truly high above the pool capturing a moment in time while the subjects below are unaware. Like a satellite of sorts looking down on the banality of sunbathing.
With details lost and identities left anonymous, what endures is the impression of sunbathing visible as familiar forms and gestures. V-shaped legs, arms to the sides, skin unencumbered from the beating rays of the sun. Soon it will be time to turn over.
I see Low Pixels as a passion project that may result in a photography book some day. At least for now that is the dream.
Thanks for stopping by.