Well, I would love to give you my regular weekly update, but I can't see My favorites gallery because of a bug, so I can't share the work I picked through the last week. I hope DA fixes it. Anyway, that gives me a chance to share with you a summary of these 4 years with you here. A way to look into my world as I grown as an artist in this community.
It seems that without even noticing, i've been a part of this community for 4 years.
4 years ago, after a friendly note from bnext I've decided to give DA a chance. This was my first submission, back on July 2003:
It was a slow start, with very few that page views and comments. But I noticed there is something special in the approach to my work. I was able to use text and visual together, with people taking them together as one. Something I missed in all the other communities I was apart of.
You see, that's my "style", to combine concept with text and visual. I was happy I found a place that the members of adapted that.
I was still shooting with a small compact camera, a cute Olympus c-40z.
I still remember the feeling of the first DD I got back in January 2004:
I was honored, and that opened a whole new audience to my work.
I also felt proud as an Israeli, to recieve so many comments on how beautiful Israel is. I felt as an ambassador of the sane Israel. One that can be examined in the eyes of an artist, and not of the news flash.
In February 2004 I went on reserve duty to Gaza and uploaded some photos from what I went through there. The support that got made me feel even more at home. People that are taking into there heart my perspective of things.
In June 2004 I bought my Nikon D70. This was a big step in the path.
I already had my big first solo exhibition, so upgrading my gear was a major step in becoming a better photographer. This was my first submission with the new camera:
In august 2004 I uploaded my first Infra Red shot. A technique I experimented with lots more in the future. I also wrote a journal explaining the process and technique, which you can find a link to from the bottom of this journal. This was my first Infra Red submission:
Since then I've been to India on February 2005 and started my weekly journal dedicated to hidden treasures, here on DA. I did a "Behind The Lens" live chat answering questions about my work, thanks to garrit (also linked in the bottom of this journal).
I see my son growing up in a little project I do every Hebrew new year, which you can see here.
I bought my Canon 5D January 2007while still using the Nikon D70 for Infra Red photography. I just had to move to A full frame camera.
Early 2007 I was invited to the states and did a coast to coast to tell of my project "A different look at Israel" and it was a great honor and accomplishment.
On March I did an exhibition in Marseille, France. I took my family and we had a dream week traveling the coast of France for that exhibition. On April I did 10 days shootout for a campaign for Israel ministry of tourism to be published in England, and on June I did another one to be published in the US.
On July I was a part of "A Light unto the Nations," a unique photo exhibit, opens at the Visual Arts Space at the Miles Nadal Centre. This exhibit showcases eight photographers -- four Muslims and four Jews who have submitted a total of 26 images, mostly from the Middle East. Information about the exhibit: www.contactphoto.com/view.php?…
As time goes by I see how using my photography and writing for artistic purposes and no compromise, can still bring me to the goals I look for.
I hope in a few years to be able to do my photography as a career as well as for my soul.
Breaking the 2,000,000 page views to my page, it's only symbolic for me to look back, when going through my gallery, and see all these memories; I see my thoughts captured on a memory card. I'm proud of the journey I made, and the friends I found here, on DA. I have a few very good and close friends from all over the world. I'm grateful for this possibility to meet them, to share my work with, and find theirs.
For closing, just some thumbs from my gallery, to tell the story of the progress in my work, so far.
Gilad has 2,118,222 pageviews total and his 412 deviations were viewed 6,235,547 times. He watches 215 people, while 26,785 people watch him.
Overall, his deviations received 113,756 comments and were added to deviants' favorites 386,499 times, while he commented 37,437 times, making about 25.02 comments per day since he joined DA.
Every 3.6 days he uploads a new deviation, and it's usually on a Saturday, with 87 (21%) of his deviations.
His busiest month was May 2005 with 16 (4%) of his deviations.
The majority of his deviations are uploaded to the Photography gallery (401), while his favorite category was Photography > Conceptual with 189 deviations.
Comments per deviation: 276.1
Favorites per deviation: 938.1
Views per deviation: 15,134.82
Comments per day: 76.04
Favorites per day: 258.36
Views per day: 4168.26
Pageviews per day: 1415.96
*****
1. Art is all about expression
2. About Photography, and Israel too
3. DA Thoughts
4. Infra Red
5. Let me shed some Light
6. All the Info you can probably get on me – The BTL with G
7. Listen to "One Day"
8. About freedom of speech and ethics
9. A Different Look At Israel / Part 3, and part 4
10. Where you can download the "A Different Look At Israel" presentations.
11. Summing up 3 years of being a DeviantArt member
12. Summing up what I had to say in 2006
13. Special Interview - An Eye On The World
14. Tips on Shooting indoors
15. Tips on recommended filters
16. Using build in flash
17. Keep your pixels yours
18. About making money in photography
19. Do you know how to get exposure?
20. When does photography become manipulation?
21. About making money in photography
22. A Light unto the Nations
23. Shooting RAW or JPEG?
24. Getting inspired for photography
25. Dust on your sensor?
26. How important is Expression in Art?
27. Questions of popularity
28. love Israel from the first Shalom
If you didn't hear about the wonderful project of ArtistsForCharity now its the time! go, share, and help.
These are five prints of my work, I gave to the project so far:
:thumb32432455: and :thumb30663927: and :thumb25868807: and :thumb25653391: and :thumb26333866:
Yours, G
