.practicing.

Hey friends!  Hope you're week's going well so far.  Well, I told you that I had some photo shoots scheduled  last week and I'm happy to have some photos up to share with you.  I've been pretty fortunate lately to have several people willing to be photographed.  Yay!  Practice.  Practice.  Practice.  That's what it's gonna take to get to where I want to be.  Already, I'm starting to critique myself. . . trying very hard not to be too critical that I paralyze myself.  The biggest thing for me right now is working on being more observant, patient.  Think, Cartier-Bresson.  Practice.  Keep shooting.  Perseverance is key.  And most importantly, have fun! 

Apologies for such short posts lately.  I figure, Hey!  At least I've got pictures. 'Til next time.

.all dressed up and no where to go.

Just a few images from a recent Mad Men inspired photo shoot.  

.you have to start somewhere.

Photographer David Eustace recently made a comment that I found truly valuable.  He said, "I still love the line from the King's Speech, 'Yes, you do have a voice.'  I wish more younger people would creatively express theirs these days, even in fear of making mistakes or sounding naïve, rather than sheepishly follow this awful recent trend where the popular route is often chosen simply to please others.  As a dear friend, the artist Alex Main once said, 'Mediocrity will always be at its best.'"  This statement has been the best advice I've heard in awhile and I really really needed it.  

There's a reason why my camera sat on the shelf for a long time.  Yes, I've taken a few photos here and there, but that drive that had been there years ago had diminished to where even taking family photographs have been few and far between.  Why?  My confidence was broken.  I allowed frustration and mistakes to hinder me from moving forward, instead of forcing my way through them.  I began fighting this battle  that I think every artist fights at some point in their creative lives:  pursue creative vision vs. pursuing what sells.  In a conversation I had with a fellow photographer, not too long ago, there was this question of what audience we should  be catering our photographs to.  What I have been learning in the last few weeks is that that audience should first be me.  Too often I think we tend to curb our vision to what we feel others will like as opposed to sticking true to what our vision is.  Next thing we know, we have lost our own voice in the muddle. But it's never too late to step out and be. . . yourself. 

 

In order to achieve anything in this life, we have to start somewhere, like right here, right now, with humility and perseverance.  Today, I can honestly tell you that I am inspired.  I am encouraged.  My camera and I have been reacquainted and the reunion has been a beautiful one.  I'm challenging myself to raise the bar a little higher.  Step out a little further.  Live life a little more fuller.  I'm building my portfolio and in the process, I'm meeting and working with wonderful people.  Personal projects are in the works.  Ideas are flowing.  Honestly, I'm starting to feel alive and awake again.  It's like springtime in the soul!  Ha!  Looking forward to sharing these projects with you as they happen.  Here's to perseverance!  I hope I don't let you down!  Thank you for letting me ramble this morning.  Oh, before I go, here is a fantastic post written by another talented photographer, Chris Orwig.  I hope it inspires you as it did me. 

.good morning sunday :: n˚10.

Good morning friends!  Once again, I hope this Sunday morning finds all of you well.  Without further ado, here is my list for today:

• Last week was a pretty busy week.  Had a couple of photo shoots.  Yay!  I'm also in the process of working on a personal project that will probably take a good while to complete.  The above photos are some of the shots I took to inspire me.  
• Picked up a copy of Super Natural Everyday, by Heidi Swanson.  I LOVE it!  I'm not a vegetarian but the recipes look so delicious that I had to get it.  Plus, I did say "LOOK so delicious" because her photographs are beautiful.  More on this book soon.
• I love photo essay books.  I hate how expensive they are, but I love them nonetheless.  And one I'd love to add to my library is Irving Penn's Small Trades.  The book features a collection of portraits Penn took in Paris, London, and New York between the years 1949 to 1951.  It was a personal project he had to photograph different trades people dressed in their work clothes.  Or in the case of the sculptor model. . . no clothes.  The book shows an array of different workers:  from the dingy chimney sweep, the heavily geared deep-sea diver, a long-legged fishnet wearing rockette, to firemen and busboys.  It is a fascinating documentary, giving us a glimpse into the past as many of the trades he photographed are no longer prevalent in our society today.  A brilliant book by one of the world's great Masters of Photography.
• Another photographer to add to the list today is Robert Szabo.  If any of you happened to pick up a copy of last week's Sunday paper, you probably noticed that on the front cover of Parade magazine was a very nostalgic looking photograph of Robert Redford.  His portrait was taken using the wet plate collodion method which Robert Szabo is well-known for.  I had seen Mr. Szabo's work before and was stoked to see it again in my paper.  When you visit his website, you will enjoy browsing through an interesting gallery of images.  From still life, marionettes, to portraits of swashbuckling pirates and parlor girls, his photos seem to have come from a different era.  
• And last but not least, wise words and inspiration from a photographer I continue to admire.

Have a beautiful week friends!  Oh wait!  Wait!!  If you love 80s rock and a good laugh, you HAVE TO watch these two videos:  "Love is a Battlefield" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart."  I laughed so hard I cried!  Okay, 'til next time!

.beach bummin'.

Went out to the beach yesterday to gain some inspiration for a series of photos that I've been inspired to do.  Meanwhile, my hubby went walking with his camera and my munchkin enjoyed dancing on the shore!  I think it safe to say that we love the beach!  Even if it is a little gray and dismal looking.  The Atlantic.  She can't help it.  Wishing you a wonderful weekend friends!

.good morning sunday :: n˚9.

Okay, once again, it's technically a "good afternoon Sunday" to all of you!  And once again, it will be a short post as I've got very little time today BUT I wanted to make sure to stop by and meet with you.  Last week was productive.  I had a little photo shoot with the lovely Sarah (above) and hope to have several more photo shoots with this super fun lady over the next several months.  It has been such a long time since I have been behind the lens and it was nice being able to get back out and shoot!  My portfolio is in dire need of some new work and it's about due time that I get crackin' at it!  So. . . more photos to come!  Yay!   I don't have a list for you today.  Sorry!  However, can I just share that I have found myself to be über excited about this movie coming out!  Have a wonderful week ahead friends!

.back to basics.

Film.  These are just a few of the shots that I took with a Canon AE-1 that I recently acquired from a friend in exchange for photography lessons.  Yay!  There's something to be said about shooting with an old manual camera.  The fact that you know you've only got X amount of frames to work with, having to get your exposure settings right, manually focusing, and then after pressing the shutter button. . . the wait.  Well, I was pretty pleased to find that this camera works perfectly fine and I'm anxious to shoot more!  Got a photo shoot in the morning so we'll see the results in black and white!  

.good morning sunday :: n˚8.

Well hello friends!  It is Sunday and I am so glad to tell you that the sun is out here in Wilmington this morning.  It's been a rough several weeks for me, trying to get back into the swing of things since my visit to Nashville.  Emotions have been high, and so has my blood pressure apparently.  My Grandfather would have celebrated his 80th birthday a few days ago and that fact I think brought on a wave of emotions.  But I'm okay.  It's sunny!  It's the start to a new week so =good vibes=  only  =good vibes=.  And here is my Sunday list:

• Plan this week is to get the "art room" of the house cleared of unnecessary clutter so that I can actually have this space to get creative!  
• Found out that the new Polaroid 300 (aka Fujifilm Instax Mini with a different name) along with the film is now available at Target.  Personally, it's more expensive to buy the Polaroid version of this camera and the film there.  I'd stick with the Instax for cost efficiency.  But if you find yourself in a position where you have ran out of film and need it ASAP, it's nice knowing you can pick up a pack of 10 for $10.  The Polaroid 300 film will work in the Instax Mini.
• Got a Canon AE-1 last week from a friend who wanted to learn how to use her camera.  It's been sitting on a shelf for a while so I'm going to try to put it to use in the next few days!  Plus, we'll be doing a photo shoot later this week so yay, more photos!
• I'm loving these two rather new eZines:  Toffee and Rue.

Wow, this list is shorter than it was the last time!  I need to live life a little more geez!  Haven't had my morning cup of coffee yet so that may be part of the problem.  I hope you all have a fantastic week and hey, tell me what's going on in your world.  Anything new YOU want to share?