Earth Bound Ghost - Still & Moving Pictures - © Daniel Christian 2005-2010

PHOTOG - PANORAMAS

2011-02-27T21:39:00.001-08:00

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BOOK - The Death of Something New

2010-12-10T04:58:00.000-08:00

Handmade book of Color Inkjet Matte Photograph Prints coated with Cyanotype solution.
(Click images to see slide show of full book).

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Montana Cyanotypes

2010-09-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Updates have not been made but lots of work has been done.
Traveled the whole summer ending with a road trip to Montana.
Lot's of material to work with and cut up and send out, it's on it's way.

Road - Blackfoot, Montana

Marcus - Somewhere, Montana

Ryan - Outside West Glacier, Montana

Kile - Bozeman, Montana

Jen - Missoula, Montana

Glen's House - Libby, MT

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PHOTOG - 4x5 Portraits - Important People (Continued)

2010-04-07T00:41:00.000-07:00

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MOTION PICTURE - Un-Used & Un-Finalized - Straight Footage

2010-02-13T17:54:00.000-08:00

This started as an attempt at a film reel but turned into a collection of footage that I haven't been able to use yet, and I don't see myself being able to seriously edit it together for some time.

Watch it in HD here.

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PHOTOG - Two writers and and actor.

2010-02-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

To be exhibited in the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

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PHOTOG - Finally Recovered From Thanksgiving Day Shoot

2010-02-01T22:26:00.000-08:00

Grooms - The Band

MORE Photos HERE

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MOTION PICTURES - No Tip (Series) & New Decade

2010-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

Three shorts.

No Tip 1 & 2 AND New Decade.

No Tip = Possible birth of a series.

No Tip was filmed on 12-30-09 between the hours of 1:42 AM and 2:22 AM.

No Tip 2 was filmed on 12-31-09 between the hours of 1:34 AM and 2:36 AM.

New Decade was filmed on 12-31-09 & 1-1-10 between the hours of 11:48 PM and 1:22 AM.

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PHOTOG - 4x5 Portraits - Important People

2009-11-18T21:56:00.001-08:00

More Here

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MOTION PICTURE - Death & Life

2009-11-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

10-17-09
The day of my grandfather's funeral.

10-18-09
The day after.

...Two parts of the cycle.

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Motion Picture - The Big Debate

2009-10-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

... Watch it in HD here.

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PHOTOG / MOTION - Chicago

2009-10-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

See it in HD here.

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PHOTOG - 4x5

2009-09-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Now shooting 4x5 film.

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PHOTOG - Boguslav Strumillo

2009-08-30T18:24:00.000-07:00

Boguslav Strumillo 

May 5, 1988 - December 9, 2008

I don't remember when I took this picture.
It's probably the oldest picture on this blog.
Sometime in High School. 
35mm Black & White.

Rest in Peace Comrade.

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MOTION PICTURE - Furniture (Live)

2009-06-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

Silent Stop Motion.

Band: Furniture

See it in HD Here.

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PHOTOG - External Series / Book

2009-06-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

A COOL SUMMER BURN - SEGREGATED SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS

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MOTION PICTURE - untitled (Please Don't Eat)

2009-06-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

Me and Mallory made this short in December 2008.
The music is "Just Can't Sleep Instrumental" by tinfoiled.

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MOTION PICTURE - The Intermission

2009-04-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

This was my first short film. Relative info beneath.

My first short film.

Lightly inspired by William S. Burroughs / Brion Gysin and the story of the Dream Machine.

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MOTION PICTURE - Obstructions

2009-04-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

A short stop motion piece.
Relative info beneath.

This was for a project in which I was assigned 5 "obstructions" that I was to abide by during production...
Obstruction #1 Must use a shitty camera.
Obstruction #2 No looking directly through the viewfinder during composition.
Obstruction #3 No post-processing of images.
Obstruction #4 Must heavily edit all sound.
Obstruction #5 Must be a 'remake' of something... This is a remake of my experience of reading philosophical texts.

See it in HD here.

The idea of following obstructions comes from the 2003 film: The Five Obstructions by Lars Von Trier and Jørgen Leth.

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PHOTOG - Read Me Hands

2009-04-12T03:38:00.000-07:00

This was for the Tree and the Italian.

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MOTION PICTURE - The Face of Reason

2009-04-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

Poop Shot Up Onto The Face of Reason - And It Stuck.

Sense Made None - 'twas Unemployed.

The Hospital Blue Pillow Covers Failed To Mask The Smell of The Last Mans' Brain Matter.

Skull Shattered Peace to Pieces At The Demonstration.

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PHOTOG - Environmental Portrait

2009-04-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

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PHOTOG - Untitled (Michigan)

2009-03-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

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PHOTOG - Flake

2009-03-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

As I walked inside to get my camera from sitting in my car, I realized that this would be the first picture I was going to be taking outside in more than a month. The sad reality of how persistently cold it is here is an integral part of why I dislike this area as much as I do.

For those who care... The photo is of a real snowflake, on my car window, back-lit by a streetlight, using a Lensbaby with +10 and +4 Macro Lens attachments stacked.

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PHOTOG - Faces

2009-03-05T18:40:00.000-08:00

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PHOTOG - Medico

2009-02-06T22:15:00.000-08:00

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PHOTOG - Depth O Field

2009-01-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

Detail here and here.

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Leg Lamp

2009-01-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

We made this as a Christmas present for my dad.

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Pictures of Home

2009-01-16T21:09:00.000-08:00

To remind myself why I have trouble being in Minneapolis.

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Photog - Ring Light

2009-01-11T05:50:00.000-08:00

Cedar, Ciolli, James, and myself built a Ring Light.

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PHOTOG - Graph Image Pixels Gone

2008-12-07T02:31:00.000-08:00

This is a satirical series of images that critiques some of the post-modern 'art' that I don't really care for, by being overly conceptual - while not explaining the concept. It was designed to mimic Art that I find 'clever' at best and a rip-off to the viewer at worst.

<- source image (10-31-08)

<- source image (8-21-07)

<- source image (8-6-08)

<- source image (1-17-06)

<- source image (7-1-08)

<- source image (9-6-08)

<- source image (11-7-08)

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PHOTOG - Self Portrait

2008-11-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

PHOTOG - Discourse

2008-11-19T05:57:00.000-08:00

Books - A foster for discourse?

For my 'Ideation/Process' class: open/dream-inspired project, I thought it would be interesting to have the class teach me...

- I brought 21 photographic books of war (one per person) to class.
&
- I wrote instructions for them to read / follow. (If your interested in this project - it would be beneficial for you to read the instructions - here.)

~ As of now, I believe it was successful (though it is not over).
Many emotions, concerns, comments, questions were brought about in the induced discourse on war. - And I did learn - which was the goal. (Further explanation on the purpose of this project can be found - here.)

~~ Thank you to those who participated.

-----------------------------------------------

What did I learn?

- From the recent Foucault readings & my recent induced discourse on war project?

Well, it's still way too early to tell (as I have not stopped learning) but somethings that have popped up already might include:

- If knowledge is a form of power, and communication (such as photojournalism / pictures of war) is a form of transferring knowledge.
- Then those who control/manipulate/censor or impact in any way, communication, are also then controlling/manipulating/censoring or impacting (in whatever ways) - power.

So, If the U.S. Armed Forces decides to allow photographers to document them in action but only under certain conditions - (such as not publishing/sharing pictures of dead marines) - then they are impacting knowledge, and they are taking power (among other things) away from photographers who want to transmit honest knowledge (for reasoned power).
- This example/story is true - here.

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PHOTOG - Putting It Into Perspective

2008-11-02T03:09:00.000-08:00

Cheers.

Relevant Info Below.

Production shots - Here & Here.

List Of Meat In Order Of Appearance (top to bottom)...

- Beef Liver.
- Pork Neck Bones.
- Pork Maws. (Hog's Stomach)
- Pork Hocks.
- Turkey Necks.

I don't want to make these pictures into pieces of propaganda but...

- I think when we hear "pork" - we don't necessarily think of a cute little "Piggly Wiggly" ... I think we should.

- One thing I have problems with regarding the vegetarian's/vegan's propaganda... They always make the point that we (humans) don't need to eat meat - our diets don't necessarily "need" or even "want" the meat... that is fine and true - I get it. BUT - the problem is we (humans) have been eating meat since prehistoric times. So regardless of the fact that our bodies don't "need" meat to survive - it is in our history.

- On the other hand. I have to admit, constructing these pictures was very hard for me to do. Just handling meat is not my favorite thing (though I am not a vegetarian / vegan), but this was the type of meat I would never eat - and it was all the more disgusting...
Who eats Hog's Stomach?

- So, I was thinking, a new thought regarding my take on humans eating meat... While this could only happen in an ideal world - I think anyone who wants to eat meat should have to kill, gut, and prepare the meat cuts for him/herself... Not necessarily every time you want to eat meat, but I think you should have a card that proves that you have killed and butchered a cow before - in order for you to buy/eat beef - or that you have killed and butchered a pig before - in order to buy/eat pork.
I think that would make a lot of people, who thoughtlessly eat meat now, think twice (at the very least).

- While I am not a vegan/vegetarian - this project - might have moved me closer to that status.

- Lastly, Animal Abuse. Here's my take. If I were to stab a human in the arm - it would no doubt "hurt" - and If I were to stab a pig in the leg - it would also undoubtedly cause pain to that animal. So how can we prioritize whose (animal or human) pain is more intolerable?
- Some of these meat industries over time have said to have improved their methods and in doing so have reduced pain and fear in the animals final days and death. Now the vegans/vegetarian loyalists will say "bullshit" - BUT - really unless you yourself have actually been to all the different meat producing / processing plants - how can you say anything about it. With that said - I am in no way doubting the horrible conditions which are surely out there... But I think there is a big difference between getting shot in the head while your asleep - and being stabbed to death while your awake.

- What it comes down to for me is Pain, Fear, and Quality of Life.
I think, (however financially inconvenient for the meat industry people), that there is a way for the animals we eat to be raised and killed in a decent way - that is - in an environment that does not scare the animal and does not cause pain to the animal - period.

I reserve the right to change my opinion on this.
I wrote it as objectively as I could.

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PHOTOG - Act of Enlightenment

2008-10-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Graph Print

Acetone Transfer

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PHOTOG - Themes

2008-10-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

Band: Themes.

Kodak P3200 35mm Black & White film shot at 6400 ISO.

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PHOTOG - Black and White Ball (In Color)

2008-10-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round,
round,
and,
round.

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PHOTOG - Album Cover for Noiseater

2008-09-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

I made an Album Cover.

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PHOTOG - Pinhole Camera

2008-08-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Toy Soldiers

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PHOTOG - James Nachtwey

2008-08-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

James Nachtwey in Virginia, 2008.

Kodak P3200 35mm Black & White film shot at 6400 ISO.

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With no time to write, it spills.

2008-04-29T01:24:00.000-07:00

Dan Christian, you're not in Minnesota. And the sky is not gray. Your ceilings aren't low. And the fluorescents aren't blue. You feel comfortable. And you're not in Minnesota.

You realized that that girl always behaves the same, and it was you doing the changing. Your skin isn't dry. And you know which direction is North, because you live on lake Michigan and the boat you occupy is completely secure. It's no longer 2010. And the sky is no longer gray. You're no longer in Minnesota. And this is a new day.

You're shooting feature films with film, everyone else uses digital RED cameras, but your resolution is still higher than theirs - as you're the first director to shoot motion picture 4x5. You're A.S.C. / B.S.C. - directing films with final cut.
The New York Times is still in print, and even pays their photographers enough. And the colleges pay the students, for intellectual stuff. You're happy. You're comfy. You don't feel funny. You have her back. You take her to New York. You design and erect billboard posters like John and Yoko, but there's no wars to declare being over.

You look at Mapplethorpe's and Bourke-White's, and you try to entertain but can only laugh at the Damien Hirst's, based on the material financial system that is only history in worth. Another 'post' got put in front of Post-Modernism, and now everything creative isn't limited to the genres that the curators, critics, and historians put them in. It's now Post-Curationism - and the curators are put on the pedestals, and you snicker at the ironic extinction of their profession, and move to hang the critics on the walls, fake gold frames framing their cowardly judgmental balls, and the art here acts as the energy that lifted them in these un-exhibited halls. Art as karma, no longer contained away from the most of all.

Kile's still alive and you're having beers and fish with him at 7… The only thing he was wrong about was at 25, that car he never died in, that death confided in. You tell him this and he exhibits one of those Jungstian expressions, looking down he contemplates the relevancy and meaning of this long expired question. You tell him he was right, and that life is fragile and tragic…, and before you start the last half of the sentence he fires some poetic 18-word montage at you from his hip, individual concepts spit at you like bullets from an automatics' clip, laying into your ambiguity like a fist, summing up every possible outcome of the conversation with specificity real quick, simultaneously astonishing the people around you with his timeliness and reminding you why you always sit in restaurants' pits. He's written you some screenplays, you've successfully transferred to film. World renowned, by choice he only entertains the poorest, whilst doing so on the tabs of the richest… And at this point in time, the gulf between those two groups of people comprises much less of a distance.

Ryan is on an island straight out of a Robert Ludlum novel that you and a couple friends own. Stocked with musical equipment, typewriters, pot, food, water, and no cigarettes - he's finally quitting. And there's no worry regarding this remoteness because Somalia no longer has pirates, the proceeds from their country's new found resources are now properly distributed. No more warlords, or murdered journalists, no more undeveloped nations, and no more developed nations' trash getting exported to the shores outside of Mogadishu.

Mallory is designing designer clothes that designers can afford to wear, the designs all have triangles and this is all on the East cost where there is no longer pollution in the air. The people who sew them don't starve and the Marxist observation of he who labors the most - looses the most, no longer applies, as the world moved on from capitalism, and positive progress for the first time in political history was made, thanks be to a lot more than hipster activism and obese in-activism.

Josh B. goes with you everywhere collaborating conservatively, as usual, the shortness of this sentence compared to his impact on your life is an absurdity.

Cedar, overseas, over-seas some new age international trading shit, as innovative as the Dutch East India Company, except ethically legitimate.

Marcus is directing the biggest plays in Boston, and choreographing the lack of violence in your films every so often.

You're shooting a third feature film with your dad, this time you're in Finland, temporarily no sun and your glad you feel like bliss again. Your brother is in the sciences. Your sister's doing fine. And you employ everyone you know from time to time, from the artists to the scientists, to the rappers with the intellect. You make them dinner served with Noah Puckett's "Rosebud" beer, which they say they really like and thus receive twelve 12 packs a year. You constantly collaborate philosophically with your mom and your shrink, the place in thought you now occupy without drugs, still allows you to think. The hottest art is coming out of Iran, and their government supports this, you're visiting next month with 10 friends and your two Dobermans both dieting on raw fish, which they wouldn't eat if the ocean was still in short supply of, but advances in the sciences fixed that problem with the human-fish alliance. And the Polar Bears aren't drowning, because the ice bergs stopped melting. There is no black market for Elephant tusks or Rhinoceros horns. And the Whales stopped beaching themselves when the government realized there was no reason not to dissolve the Navy. And FOX News went under when they were the only ones on Earth to call this last notion crazy. Jon Stewart shut down News Corporation and Colbert collapsed WalMart. Monsanto was dismantled, and NPR was publicly reprimanded for receiving their financial support.

The sky is blue. And you're not in Minnesota.