CI 3: 100 Shots

At first, I found this assignment to be challenging. Not in taking the actual photos, but choosing how and where to set up my scene. I shot this assignment at home in the evening after being at Grand Prix Amusements all day shooting race cars, golf swings and bouncing bodies! I was tired. No...I was exhausted. This certainly was a good exercise in forcing yourself to be creative when all you want to do is go to sleep!

It was an overcast day and raining, so shooting my object outside was out of the question. I finally decided to set up my scene on the kitchen counter, under the halogen lights. I felt content with this setup considering my environmental limitations and frazzled state of mind! So, I strapped on my headphones, put on some relaxing music and took a few minutes to breathe and relax into the moment. Once I started getting 'up close and personal' with my object, I lost myself in this beautiful, abstract experience. About an hour and a half passed by the time I had reached 100 shots, but I had a few more ideas I wanted to explore so I kept shooting for another hour. I think I could have went on, but my body was saying 'NO! Time to rest.'

I thought the task of focusing so intently on my subject to be quite magical. The play of light on the coloured, shaped glass created so many interesting reflections and lines. I enjoyed viewing the other areas of my scene while looking through my glass object and how it created distorted and abstract images. Using a glass vessel as my object, I found there were many options to finding unique and interesting shots. I explored it from many different angles, positions and orientations.  I eventually filled the vase with water and an entire new set of images became available. Despite the number of photos that I captured. I felt there were many more possibilities to be explored.

To view the photos for this assignment, please click here.

AT 3 : Simple Subject Composition

Staircase, by Ralph Gibson

This black and white image is successful because it has impact! Gibson's use of line, light, tone and texture strengthen and solidify the composition. There is such life and movement in this image and it seems to beckon the viewer to walk up the steps to see where they might lead. He has transformed a common subject into an aesthetically pleasing art form. He involved us.

In the Morning

I lost myself in the wet dewy grass of my front yard this morning. As soon as I looked out the east facing window as I stepped into the living room, I saw the diamonds that were now being revealed by the bright sun, warming the coolness from the night before. Even before breakfast, I grabbed my camera and a towel and started exploring. It was magical. An hour and a half later...I realized, I was hungry and should probably eat some breakfast!

The expereince reminded me of one of my favorite songs by Steve Bell,  In the Morning.

In the morning
When the dew lies on the ground
And your glory’s all around
In the morning
When the sun is on the rise
And your splendor fills the skies
I look to You in the morning
To be my strength for this day

Here is a link to some of the images I captured.

Enjoy!

Pen or Pencil ?

Welcome to my first blog post!

Someone asked me the other day if I consider myself more like a pen....or a pencil? I spent some time thinking about it and even though I feel each of us are a bit of both (depending on the day or even the moment), I think I am definitely more like a pencil. Why? Well here are a few reasons I came up with:

• sometimes I feel dull and need to be sharpened
• I would like to be able to erase some of my mistakes
• there are many shades to my personality
• I can be hard or soft
• I like my coffee fully leaded!
• I revel in the fact that I can be so many colours
• in my life I have been broken and felt 'thrown out'
• in conversation, I like to get to the point
• there are times when I need to be carried in someone's pocket
• I enjoy being in the a space with different writing instruments
• I am straight but have several sides
• I have the ability to create beautiful sketches
• I am made of natural substances from the earth
• at times I travel alone and sometimes in a pack
• I have been imprinted with gold by my maker

What are you?