Photography and design for print production

Category: Gallery and Web Site Updates

Web site and gallery updates here on gileshoover.com.

New Website. Finally.

Housekeeping news: I went back to having an actual website in June, 2019; for a few years, I’d just used a photography hosting service, as photography was the vast majority of what I did. However, when book design again became an important-enough part of my work, I wanted to have a space to talk about it. I bought a WordPress template, added photographs, and posted it.

…But I never really liked it. From the beginning, I felt y’all deserved more: better typography, better photography, better everything. Like so many, however, one’s own stuff is always at the bottom of the to-do list. No longer.

I’d like to introduce the new version:

The new gileshoover.com, January, 2022

There were a few bumps getting here (naturally, I broke everything along the way; to say I don’t code is an understatement!), but with some tweaking notwithstanding, the new gileshoover.com is live. It’s got all-original photography, matched sans and serif font superfamily (Merriweather by Sorkin Type, a Google Font), much faster response time, open-source foundations, and so on.

Note that entries on Foreword are best seen individually, as you’ll see bigger photographs (or illustrations, graphics, etc.). Click on entry titles to get there.

Please explore.

January 28, 2022
Maine Galleries Updated

After being unable to visit in 2020, the regular trip to Maine resumed in 2021:

Cape Neddick Harbor (Lobster Pound)

Not too many updates, but some good items have been added:

Coastal Golf Tracks and Trees

Safety Rope, Beach Footprints, Ocean

Let’s not forget the parts that make up the big picture, either:

Details, Spruced Up

That clear, September sky, the beginnings of fall, the sea: all are represented in the many Maine galleries. And while Maine Revisited may be sold out, the individual photographs — and many more — are still available as prints, framed or unframed, for your favorite living space. Thanks for your support!

The book is sold out — but the photographs are still available

October 21, 2021
New Gallery: Vassar College

Many, many moons ago, my late sister attended Vassar College. I had an occasion to stay in Poughkeepsie, NY, where Vassar is located, and went over on a beautiful morning and spent some time wandering around with the Leica.

It’s a beautiful campus; a mix of modern, mid-century, and classic architecture — with a little mid-century thrown in:

For many years, Vassar was a women’s (-only) college, and it was nice to find the National Landmark observatory building — a reminder that even in the 1800’s, women were doing scientific research:

The New England building:

An enjoyable visit, a beautiful, incredibly well-tended campus, and a tranquil late summer morning at a renowned college. I was delighted to visit, and pleased with the resulting photographs. See the rest here.

October 7, 2021
New Gallery: Bristol, VA/TN

“Twice the city, twice the fun,” Bristol’s tourism web site says. While some might talk extensively about the Bristol Motor Speedway and its associated draws, I was only there to spend some time on the way to and from Maine. Using the superb Bristol Hotel as a base, I not only enjoyed the Blackbird Bakery and the Bristol Bagel & Bakery (no web site, alas) — both a great way to start a day — but also the excellent Vivian’s Table for dinner. That’s only the food; plenty more I didn’t get to, as well. Nice all around.

There were opportunities to take some photographs, too:

State Street downtown straddles the state line, meaning that this guy was in Virginia:

While this corner, two blocks down on the same street, is actually in Tennessee:

And here’s the best of both worlds: foreground in one state (TN) while background in another (VA):

Bristol was a pleasant surprise; will definitely return when the opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, enjoy a virtual visit with the new photography gallery.

September 29, 2021
Beautifully Briefed, July/August 2021

It’s been a busy summer here in Middle Georgia; after regular updates to Foreword for several months, things have slowed down a little. Thus, some good items have piled up.

Starting with a book design I really like:

NPR describes it as, “A Monk And A Robot Meet In A Forest … And Talk Philosophy.” Interesting description, interesting design. I’d pick it up off a shelf.

Speaking of bookshelves, a notable quote from Andy Hunter, of Bookshop.org:

Take a look at this graph. The blue is Amazon’s share of book sales in the past six years. The orange is where we are headed if their average growth rate (8%) continues. If nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will control nearly 80% of the consumer book market by the end of 2025. Every single book lover should worry. After we’re done worrying, we must change the way we buy books.

The graph:

I’m not a fan of Medium — Andy, please choose a better place to post your very valid point — but it’s worth reading. Then change your book-buying habits if possible!

Also from the book category, check out Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill’s latest book of built work 2009-2019. Tons of great work here, but one example might tower over the others:

Great photography, too. designboom has more, in their famous all-lower-case style.

While we’re talking about great photographs of New York City, check this out — complete with 1WTC in the background:

A winner from the recent 2021 iPhone Photography Awards, which I enjoyed … until I found out it’s just another contest, complete with entry fee. (Hey, at least they don’t reassign copyright.)

While we’re at the intersection of photography and architecture, these shots of modern churches across Europe are stunningly beautiful:

From the nearby intersection of photography and illustration:

The whole series is great, great stuff, and has very deservingly been used by the likes of Apple, The New Yorker, and more. Read on.

Last and almost certainly least, I’ve updated the Musella gallery:

Check that gallery out, look at the Middle Georgia collection, or peruse all my Georgia photographs on the road to purchasing a print or getting in touch to let me know you’d like to use something in a book or design project. Thank you.

On to September!

August 25, 2021
Macon Downtown Gallery Updated

Took the TTArtisans 50mm ƒ1.2 for a brief stroll today after lunch with Gerald. Gotta say: this thing is fun:

Note how the sign is into the bokeh practically before you’re through the sign’s second letter. This, too:

Does it begin to challenge Leica, or even Voigtlander? Certainly not — it’s a $98 (!) Chinese manual-focus crop lens shunned by almost all “real” Leica shooters. But for this short-depth-of-field fan, it’s worth the embracing the flaws. The updates are at the bottom of the page, marked, “Macon-Downtown_June-2021-x.” Enjoy.

June 24, 2021
Dublin gallery updated

Gerald and I had an opportunity to return to Dublin last week, and as a result, the Dublin gallery has been updated.

As usual, it’s a combination of my detail shots with some old-fashioned stuff.

See the entire Dublin gallery here. Thanks for looking!

June 21, 2021
Mercer University Gallery Updated

Memorial Day weekend brought what is likely the last of the spring-like weather to Middle Georgia, and while it lasted, I was out with the camera. This time, the beautiful, historic Mercer University campus here in Macon:

That building is from the 1800’s. The bear — and the building in the background — are not:

Had my black-and-white “classic camera” filters handy, too (same building in the background, FYI):

Thirty new photographs join the Mercer University gallery. Peruse, purchase, or just enjoy.

June 2, 2021
Middle Georgia State University Gallery Updated

Visited Middle Georgia State University over the Memorial Day weekend, and have an updated look at campus:

The Wellness Center wasn’t even there last time I was there with a camera:

Take a look at the whole set here. Thanks!

June 1, 2021
New: Cochran and Dublin Galleries

Spring is fleeting here in Middle Georgia — a heat wave next week promises triple-digit weather — so took the camera for a wander. Cochran and the other Middle Georgia State University was up first:

A few shots from Cochran’s downtown, as well:

See the new Cochran gallery here.

Next up was a brief stop on Chester — single photograph posted here — then Dublin, where Martin Luther King made his first public speech, in 1944. There’s a little park to commemorate:

Downtown, alas, prominently features a Confederate monument (like so many places here in Georgia):

We’re working on it. Meanwhile, check Dublin’s new gallery here.

Last but not least, added a few shots to Macon’s miscellaneous gallery:

Check the whole thing, covering almost fifteen years, here.

Special thanks to Prof. Gerald Lucas for the continued use of his Voigtlander 21mm ƒ1.8.

May 21, 2021