All wrapped up in my (makeshift) winter gear I headed out early in the morning to find a quiet spot in the snow. As I drove across the lake I saw the wind off the boat dock blowing the snow across the ever-so-flat field. Even up close with the wind roaring off the waves I had one of the quietest moments I'd experienced in a long time. Here's hoping you find a quiet moment too...
I had the chance to go to the arboretum recently and I was overwhelmed by the vivid colors of spring. Tulips in every brilliant color one can imagine. It was incredible... don't get me wrong, but there are days when I most appreciate the understated. Here is a subtle take on what was an overwhelmingly bright experience...
Okay, so not really. But practically. Milli is a rare breed of cat who upon the presentation of a camera (phone, point-and-shoot, or DSLR) will take it upon herself to automatically look away or run out of the room. She's quick, smart enough to play catch, and loves to be with me every moment of the editing process (either on my desk or the back of my chair). I joke that's she's a photog-cat. Now that I think about it, I don't like being in front of the camera either... so maybe it makes sense.
There are things in life I find insanely funny and then there are things that make me chuckle, stop the car, and take a picture. The following is merely a chuckle. I am in Texas which makes me somewhat unfamiliar with the whole snow thing, but doesn't it take a different type of precipitation for swimming to occur?
The first rule of focus is this: "Wherever you are, be there." -- Anonymous
I love this thought... probably because it is simple and focused in-and-of-itself. In photography I adore the use of selective focus. Whether it be the eyes of a child sparkling crisp and clear or part of an ornate gate, the effect is the same: "This RIGHT HERE is what I find to be most important". I wish I could say that I effectively use selective focus in all areas of my life. I'm not saying that the ability itself doesn't exist, only that I would categorize myself as one of those people who is still trying to achieve a semi-optimal state of focus.
Until then, I have my camera.
Maybe it's a song, or something a friend said. Maybe it's something you read or a smell drifting across your path. There are so many things in life that inspire. Like a child's enthusiasm for the little things in life... inspiration is something that I'd like to just bottle up so I can experience it now AND later. I love photographic inspiration because you can do just that... save it for later too! Here is some recent inspiration courtesy of a walk (in the wrong direction) and my iPhone. If I owned a garage in downtown this is DEFINITELY what it would look like.
When in photo school we participated in an exercise designed to help us describe our photographic style. We each printed a series of images that we had taken (and connected with most) and passed them on to our peers who came up with words describing our work. This was such a great opportunity, as in the art world your work has to stand alone for each person to interpret for themselves. Some of the words that fellow students came up with for my collection of images were simple, clean, and colorful. I thought this modified image from my last episode of Camera 911 (ring around the moon) reminded me of just that. PS - And to all my talented Hallmark peers who made class exercises memorable... I miss you!
MOON! Wasn't it an incredible phenomenon? I looked up in the sky early in the evening to see what I thought was a ring but it was way too early to diagnose. It wasn't until I got a 10pm call from my weather-savvy friend (you know who you are) that I took another look. Her grand entrance to the conversation was something like "quick, get your camera, the moon". I've taken pictures of quite a few things in the last year but never been commissioned with such a sense of urgency! It was a bit like and episode of "Camera 911: When you're iPhone just won't do the trick". All that being said, I spent some time roaming the neighborhood with my tripod and DSLR in the dark (hoping that the neighbors wouldn't call me in as a prowler). Here is my favorite shot from this episode. Tune in Monday for the series continuation...
I remember it vividly. Mrs. Dame's fourth grade class. Learning my multiplication tables via flash cards and "time tests". Making friends in a new town. Recess on cold days was filled with laughter at the outcome of our Mad Libs workbooks (filled with adjectives we could barely spell). And then there was creative writing time. Each week Mrs. Dame would start a simple drawing on a page in our notebook. Maybe it was a series of triangles or perhaps a squiggly line but she gave all each of us the same start. Then it was off to our seats to finish the drawing in whatever way made sense to us. The catch was that once it was finished we had to write about it. Some days the story came before the drawing and at times it was the other way around. It's not unlike the way photography comes to me. Sometimes there is a story in my head when I go to take a picture and other times I take the picture and find a story. The latter is true today.
I've always admired those people who rise in the morning before the sun's first rays appear over the horizon. My parent's are early risers and they claim that it gets earlier the older they get. After 33 years of living I can honestly say that I wasn't blessed with that habit. There are only a few things that can pull me from a deep sleep in the hours before dawn... the chance to travel (red-eye), the promise of a great iced tea, and my camera. Here is a shot of what Nags Head, NC had to offer this early riser...
Goofy runs in my family. It's not often that I get to spend time with my family but I am reminded each time that we have a gift in our friendship. Some of the best memories we have are when we found time to just do nothing. My grandma and grandpa's house in small town Illinois is just that. We went out looking for images for a personal project I started while at school needless to say we got a little distracted and started reenacting road signs. Who says 26 year olds can't be children every once and a while?
Time on the beach is always a treat. The sun beating down, the sounds of the waves hitting the shore, time with family and friends.... sand EVERYWHERE. There is something magical about sand. It always manages to stick around long after you've left the vacation behind... like a photograph.
Or, in my case, benches and doorknobs. I learn a lot about myself when I am behind the lens. Since I was young I've always had a fascination with the way things were arranged right down to the smallest of details. Well, you know what they say, it's all in the details. It wasn't until I started shooting pictures that I found trends developing in my photos. Like putting together a wardrobe or furnishing a house, the images you choose to collect start to reflect your life, your character, your thoughts. It wasn't until I began to rework my catalog of images that I noticed the frequency with which my lens falls on benches and doorknobs. Benches and doorknobs. Benches or doorknobs? I think this past year was more about the doorknobs.
That's what they say about portraits. I think I believe them. Perhaps one of my favorite shots to take (of kids especially) is the nearly full-frame face shot. It breaks some of the rules of traditional portraiture in that it makes for an oversized version of the child when printed larger than an 8x10. I love it none-the-less. There is something special about the way eyes sparkle that draws me right in. I have evidence of this habit because it causes me to show up in the picture too! Can you spot the photog in this shot?
One of the things that I dearly LOVE about photographing kids is that there really are NO RULES. Unlike us adults who have the "sit here and smile" rule engrained in us from years of traditional school pictures kids typically have no problem showing us just what they can do in front of the camera. From frowns to grins, from pouts to giggles, from serious to just plain goofy... I think it all deserves a little camera time. Besides, some of the stuff we do as kids we won't be able to pull off later in life. Thanks to Gabe for pointing out that picture taking can be wildly energetic if you just give it a chance. ;)
Not too long ago I introduced you to my cat Milli who loves to rest atop the back of my chair while I edit photos. She must be a kindred spirit as she fell in love with my new camera bag as quickly as I did. I'm not certain her purposes for the Tenba Messenger are as designed by the manufacturer but she definitely uses it as often as she can! PS - Only if the camera has been removed and the bag turned over. Gotta love her.
