Gavin Seim

March 31, 2013

PAPERS PLEASE: Photographer & Family Detained – Because of the Constitution – VIDEO

UPDATE: YouTube Removed our original video offering the reason that it’s content was “inappropriate”. It has been re-posted to Vimeo, Facebook and YouTube.

by Gavin Seim: I am an American. I will travel my highways freely – I will work protect my family from assault and intimidation by criminals, be they badged or a hooded – I am American – I will speak freely, move freely, worship freely and take a stand to keep my children free – I refuse to comply. Why? Because my government has no right to stop us on the road without cause. I’m standing up for freedom before we lose it and I believe everyone should do the same.

This is one of those that we experienced yesterday while on the 2013 Early Tour. Sondra always records our encounters. If she didn’t these might end differently.

I don’t say American Pictorialist for nothing. I love Jesus, freedom and the Constitution. and I’ve had enough with armed guards trying to take that away. I make no secret about my values and I can be pretty adamant. This is America and people have a right to disagree with me. But when it comes to my government and the US Constitution I have little wiggle room.

These Border Patrol road block checkpoints dot the Southwest on public highways and interstates. They are not border crossings of any kind. In fact this one is about 80 miles inland. They stop innocent people without cause to question them. Papers, Please!

This is in direct violation with the constitution and we need to stand up. I don’t give them respect because their “just doing their job”. They are thugs the moment they violate our rights. I do not cooperate. It’s not so much about the questions being asked. It’s about freedom. The moment they said I was being detailed they broke the law. The Border Patrol has a tough job, but bullying free citizens does not earn them respect.

This is not Nazi Germany. My government does not have the right to stop and question me in the middle of the road without cause. I don’t care what crooked judges or made up laws say. The highest law of this land is the Constitution. Many died so I could have freedom. I won’t dishonor them by refusing to stand up for that freedom.

To those who feel I simply disrespect authority or that I’m just making a fuss about nothing. Consider that we live in a nation where some Border Agents go to prison because their do their job. But when they detain, intimidate and even arrest citizens driving their own highways it’s accepted. That is tyranny my friends.

Free nations do not force their citizens to stop in the road and be questioned folks. Not at all. In America the government does not get permission to stop and detain us with cause. Not for ANY reason. The moment they do they are criminals and should be treated the same as any other criminal.

Our Border Patrol has done far worse. They harass and detain visitors to our country without cause. The beat and arrest Americans for doing things like I just did. The list goes on. These people say they are stopping terrorists. I say they are the terrorists. This is not freedom folks. This is tyranny.

I should note: Sometimes people believe that I pick fights because I just like to make trouble.

The truth is that my stomach is in knots every time I pull up to one of those. It feels good to take a stand. But I can’t say I like being the guy to do it. It would not take many rising against these checkpoint to render them useless. If we all refused to answer, held up the line and stood up for our freedom, the Federals would likely back off.

This is the America you live in. What are you going to do about it?

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” – Benjamin Franklin

It’s Easter. A day of freedom. I am Gavin Seim and I would be free.

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The Fourth Amendment:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

March 27, 2013

news, presets, ProPhotoShow, special effects

Seim Effects Introduces ColorFlow for Apple Aperture

ColorFlow has arrived. The most complete color presets toolkit available for Aperture users and a perfect complement to LightFlow for Aperture. You can learn more and watch the video here. Below is the official press details and media kit available for download.

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Seim Effects Introduces ColorFlow – Offers More Than Sixty Color Effect Presets for Photographers Using Apple Aperture

Color Alchemy for Aperture – ColorFlow is a presets collection dedicated to flexible beautiful color. Designed to help photographers deliver outstanding work by allowing them to focus more on creativity and less on the science of color.

Soap Lake, WA (March 27, 2013) – Seim Effects Photo Tools has introduced ColorFlow, its newest creative preset collection engineered by Award-winning photographer Gavin Seim. These new color-only presets have been created specifically for photographers who use Apple^® Aperture^® software in their digital photography workflow.

For maximum flexibility, the ColorFlow presets collection organizes more than sixty presets across 5 categories of color tools: Essential Color, Color Story, Film Inspired, Hollywood Cinema and Color Toners. The ColorFlow collection allows photographers to deliver very subtle or bold image variations. For even greater control, users can mix and blend color effects for desired mood or visual theme, all while leveraging the power of Apple Aperture software.

Download Media Sample Kit and Full Press Release ZIP

March 21, 2013

Aperture Freebies, Free Effects & Goodies, news, presets, ProPhotoShow

A Pack of Free Aperture Presets from Seim Effects ColorFlow

ColorFlow has arrived: A presets collection dedicated to beautiful color in Apple Aperture and the perfect follow up to LightFlow, the workflow presets collection for Aperture – ColorFlow It puts the nuances & hues at your fingertips, backed by the power of Aperture. Inspired by film, cinema and color itself, ColorFlow includes endless possibilities in one powerful collection.

In form with Seim Effects standard practice, we’re posting a mini set from the collection. A selection of free presets from ColorFlow. Try them out and if you like what you see grab the complete collection. Note: If you use LR instead of Aperture check out Color Fantasies 2.

The complete ColorFlow features…

5 categories of POWERFUL color tools.
Subtle to Bold. ColorFlow is balanced.
Customize – Mix and blend effects.
Free updates and effects refinements.
Organized for workflow and creativity.
Amazing Seim Real Service & support.
60+ presets for Apple Aperture® 3+

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See more samples, plus watch the video with a demo and tips right here. Download the freebies below. Unzip and open in Aperture to install. Presets will appear with other presets in your adjustments panel.

DOWNLOAD ColorFlow sampler pack ZIP

Get the complete collection.

March 20, 2013

Dennis Zerwas, Lighting, news, Nikon, Photography Podcast, Pro Photo Show Podcast, ProPhotoShow

Pro Photo Podcast #91 – Gavin's Out – What's Old Is New Again

Gavin is on the road again for 3 months filming and photographing. You can follow their trip here. Barry and Dennis found the keys to the garage. Who knows what will happen. Good job guys.

Click To Listen>> Photography Podcast. PPS #91

Direct Podcast Feed – iTunes – Podcast Alley

Today’s Panel… Barry Howell – Dennis Zerwas – Ronn Murray – Andrew Jones – Seth Hinrichs

Gavin is on the Road so Barry, DZ and their crew take the show for a spin as they talk about the latest in photography, then and now.

This show brought to you by the Seim Effects. And the new ColorFlow presets for Apple Aperture.

PPS #91 Forum Discussion HERE. Share Your Opinions.

Main Time Indexes:

00:00 Introductions.
02:22 What’s Old is New.
33:10 News and Stuff.
43:10 Barry Does Video
46:06 What’s Our Next Camera?
58:30 The Lightning Rounds
1:35:50 Picks

LINKS…

Barry’s video on the Canon FTB.

Follow Gavin’s 3 month American road trip.

Sony NEX Series

Random PICKS:

iCandy phone video mount for SLR’s

SteadyCam Merlin 2 video stabilizer.

Also the smaller Smoothee version for GoPro/Phones.

Olloclip lens system for iPhone

Lumix GH3.

March 16, 2013

art study, color, f164, Fine Art, journal, musings, Nature, science, signature, technique, video

The American Pictorials Project – Year 5 of 10

The 40x40 master of Sliver Moon Blues on display at an exhibit last year. — The 40×40 master of Sliver Moon Blues on display at an exhibit last year.

by Gavin Seim: It’s now year 5 of a 10 year plan to build my American Pictorialist brand one day at a time. I thought I was setting out to take photos. Turns out there was much more I was after. I discovered what I really wanted was not pictures, but furniture. Grand prints that convey the majesty of creation. That’s easier said that done, but I feel Chroma and Silver galleries look better each year.

I got my first camera about 20 years ago now. It’s been a long road. But I may see a speck of light in the tunnel. It took mew a decade or so just realize that what I’m making is not pictures but fine furniture. To begin to really find my style. Something I hope to have mostly nailed down in the next three years both in my pictorials and my American Portraits which are something I don’t intend to give up. They are separate brands, but both have similar goals. Both are furniture for the wall.

The goals are starting to become more clear thanks to teachers like Ken Whitmire, painters of the past, history itself and many others who have shared their experience along the way. I’m learning that I have to focus. I have to remember what I’m trying to produce.

There’s lots of images being made and I don’t need to compete with that. I just need to make work I release as breathtaking as is possible. I’m getting to the stage where I know if the image is Signature worthy or just a nice snapshot before I press the shutter. Understanding that line has tuned out to be critical to my process.

Teaching has pushed me as well. Producing workshops like EXposed helped me see much better. What’s next is further refinement. Being more picky in the image making process as well as in the presentation. I’ve been focusing on slowing down for a few years now. I got into film and large format. I stopped making so many images and learned to focus on one whether it was a pictorial or a portrait.

But I think it’s time to take that further. By focusing on only releasing only 6-12 new pieces each year, the time spent on each will become flexible. Refinement and stunning presentation will be my focus and it takes a great deal of time to do that to my satisfaction – If I intend to stay sane I have to release less to make them more.

In recording the new Photographics Film I have been reminded that the elements that make a great photograph are not bound by one most import, but by a series of many including space, position, line, tone and presentation. If any one of these fails the image will often fail to be a stunning work of art and simply be a photo. I won’t forget that.

I am blessed and thankful that I can take my time. I just keep trying to move forward. In doing so I believe it will be better than I ever imagined when I picked up my first camera nearly 20 years ago. I had no idea where this would lead. Perhaps I still don’t. I still have 5 years to nail down the the American Pictorial. And if I don’t make that deadline, I’ll keep working.

Gavin Seim

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