Joy In Simple Things

Checking on my garlic scapes in the garden.
I think Roland mentioned to Tom
   "you could bring those garbage cans up
     for your mother"

joy in simple things

enjoy,

k

Surrealism

Photos taken with my iPhone while walking the halls.

While they are not great photographs they convey what I was feeling at the time they were taken.

Therefore they have importance in their own unique way.

 First sunrise from PICU

 Walking on Two West

 Physically alone but feeling like everyone was there …

Making sure he was outside….
    anyone that knows me knows my fear of bees.
    Had to lift the shade to be sure he was on the outside.
    Through photoshop it looks more like a dragonfly.
    Dragonfly = strength

enjoy,

k

CALM

One Word ~ Calm

This photo got lost in the cracks as life took different twists and turns for both Cathy and myself.  The original preface for this photo was to calmly enter into the "tunnel of lighting".  Learning lighting is a critical part of photography.  Photography is nothing without light.

What I've learned after these past 10 days is that life is nothing without light.  A glimmer of light looked upon as hope will guide you through the darkest tunnel you will ever encounter.  For me my darkest tunnel was that hour and a half car ride up to DHMC on Saturday, April 16th.  Knowing my son was in emergency surgery from a car accident but knowing nothing else.  There were signs seen in the sunlight that gave me hope as well as brought fear.  We try our best to cling to hope but oh my goodness that fear is a persistent animal.

I had taken a yoga class early Saturday morning with Gina McGuire and one thing that resonated with me during class was her talk about HOPE  ~ Hang On Pain Ends.    Little did I know at the time how important that would be in the next few hours and following days.  

In situations like this our family and friends are our "rocks".  To my beautiful rock garden I give my heartfelt thanks and love.  Your prayers, thoughtful notes and time spent were a Godsend.  There will always be dark tunnels to go through in life.  With our "light" we will make it through to a brighter place!

enjoy,

k

Overwhelming

Walking around DHMC on Saturday afternoon.
Eerily quiet with an overwhelming feeling of
wanting to go home...

enjoy,

k

STRENGTH

Strength is always there….

Come on Mom - keep up!

blessed,

k

Navigating

When something seen makes you smile….

 …. and something you read does the same.

Love everyone, trust few and always paddle your own canoe.

enjoy,

k

Chimney Stone Makes the Grade

Backdrop / Portrait practice.  I find that when I'm painting a new backdrop I never feel like it's finished.  I always seem to want to add a little touch up here and there.  So the best way to determine if it's "done" is to test it out with a practice shoot.

Changed up the lighting only slightly from the first series to the second.  Then for the third series I threw more light onto the backdrop itself to see how it would play out.

Loved the texture it held with a strong shadow light.  Kept my aperture at F5.6 to keep a bit more focused.

Staying at F5.6  but adding a bit more color to see how the look would hold.

After a couple of series my mood gets a bit sillier.  More color, sunglasses and attitude!  Opened up slightly to F4 with that additional light to the backdrop but traded it for a punchier light setup on me.

Will refrain from adding more paint to this one -- I like all three looks and I'd say it passed muster with flying colors!


enjoy,

k

I've Got Your Back

Been trying my hand at backdrop painting.  The first "main" sides I took the easy route.  Each sporting a single color.

Pink Chocolate for one and Pretzel Twist for the other.  They compliment each other and could be used together if needed.

For the backsides it was time to get adventurous and here's what I came away with.
Because you know there's always two sides to every story….

I'm seeing a softer side for portraits on this one;

Envisioning heading towards a "crusty" route with this piece.  Chimney Stone was the color mixed in with a little bleed through from the pink chocolate and a bit of white to give some extra texture.  Also experimented with using various applications to give different textures to the canvas.  A mop, a dustpan brush and a sponge for blending.  I'm thinking with the right lighting I'll be able to dream up something hard and contrasty to make this baby pop.  Time to test them out and see how they photograph.

... stay tuned

enjoy,

k

Sometimes I Wonder Myself

Whenever I go out shooting I'm always receiving comments from passers by.  This trip to Boston was no different.  We had some fun conversations and experiences with folks during our walk through the city streets.

The comment while making this photo   "I never saw anyone take a photo of "that" alley before….."
We smiled and both went on our way.  Quick exchange no harm no foul.  More times that I can count someone will question the photograph that I'm making when I'm out shooting.  They don't understand what my draw is to take a photograph of "THAT"
I completely get it ~~ honestly sometimes I wonder myself ...what am I seeing here?
In this case I was focusing on the gentlemen walking through on the street in the distance seen through the alleyway.  For me it' a quick reflex photo ~ for the passerby I'm thinking he thought I was a little odd!

I think we're both right ~ it's an odd photo.  I happen to like it and therefore it gets a life.

enjoy,

k

In the Spirit of Light-Gesture-Color

For each one of these photos a single thought comes alongside in my head.  What is it that you see?

 Dejected

 Leaner

 Paths Cross

 Coordinated

 Spring Cries

Vantage Point

We are driven by what's inside us when we choose a subject and click the shutter.

I think my favorite one of this series is the last photo.  Every time I've

visited Boston on a photo trek I've walked through the Holocaust Memorial.

It's a moving tribute to so many lives lost. We stop we take pause.

Once again I made a few frames and spent some quiet moments while walking

through those steamy tubes.

But I must say this vantage point was different and a way that I had not looked at it before.

I'm learning that I need to step back, look forward, look backward, look under, look over to see from different perspectives.  If I continue to look at something from one single point of view time after time it will always feel the same.

Be Open

enjoy,

k

Joining In at the Table

A day to meet up with good friends and take a stroll through the city…..
Photography has brought so many wonderful people into my life.
Feeling a bit blessed ~ especially after our visit into the Cathedral of the Holy Cross!

My attempt to bring a sense of the architecture into photos taken outside of Trinity Church in Boston.  Needless to say it's from my quirky point of view.  

Inside this beautiful church I was taken by the wonderful splash of color from light streaming in through stained glass windows onto the worn carpet.

Our "tour guide" RJ lead myself, Sandy and Cathy through the streets of Boston.  We started from Clarendon Street at the Trinity Church and walked through the streets enjoying great conversation and a few photos here and there.

This photo is taken on Acorn Street in Beacon Hill.  Lovely window of light catching a passerby…

Again, I see that quirky eye of mine coming through.  I love this photo ~ to me it has the elements ~ 

a little light,  a little gesture,  a little color

You say       "po tay to"      I see      "po tah to"

It took us a while to set a date that we could all get together.  I'm so glad we hung in there and made it happen.  It was a wonderful day and a true treat to have you three join in at the table~!

Looking forward to our next adventures…  first 10 miles down.  Where will the next 10 take us?

enjoy,

k

Making the Split

This harkens back to my post from February on Lighting Exercises.  The more I play with lighting scenarios the more comfortable I get with it!  There are times when it's a well thought out plan and other times where it's a "let's see what this will do…."  kind of day.  Any way you light it - it's a learning curve within the process.

For these two photos I experimented with split lighting.  Keeping a good portion of the portrait in shadow to add drama.

It's good to see both sides of the split.  Each one holds its own share of drama.  More fun ahead as I venture into the "Tunnel of Lighting"  Once you go in the fear subsides and you're hooked for life!
There's always another tunnel to explore….

enjoy,

k

Trust

Had a whole lot of fun with the first go around with the "apple".  Thinking there will be more to come down the pike on this one.

You gotta ask yourself   "Do you trust your photographer….?"  it's something to chew on.

stay tuned…..

enjoy,

k

Regarding Women

Regarding Women  Elliott Erwitt
                                   This is one beast of a book.
                                One of my favorites on the shelf.
Excerpt taken from the inside fold  "Regarding Women is Elliott Erwitt's evocative personal tribute to female strength, intelligence and beauty.  Conveying respect, admiration and sometimes awe…."

Throughout our journey we can and should learn from other photographers and our craft.

enjoy,

k

You Can't Throw That Away….

Confession time ~ yup I'm a hoarder.
I've always been.  I "hold onto things" emotionally as well as physically much longer than I should.  I'm okay with it in the emotional department.  So when I let go it's only because I've exhausted every possibility in my own mind.   But the physical hoarding of "stuff" has gotten out of hand at times.
I was at my friend Cathy's birthday celebration and we were walking through her new home.  A box of "stuff" to throw away contained this apple.  Of course, me being me,  "you'll going to throw that away?"  "…you can't throw that away!".  Well needless to say it made it's way home with me.  And I vowed she would laugh when she saw the photo I would create with it.

It sat in my living room in clear view as I would sit working at my desk.  Many different scenarios came through over time but nothing quite stuck.

A new project working on a backdrop painting prototype using petina blues and greens was on my radar and when I blended the colors I finally reached a point where I was happy with the "look".    So a quick little photo session ensued to test her out and see how she'd photograph.  First attempt didn't go well with the light colored clothing I had picked out so onto this brightly colored black sheath dress.

 After a few clicks of the shutter the lightbulb went off that the green apple matched that of my dress and brought out a wee bit more of the green from the background as well.

One of the ideas that kept running around inside my head was William Tell with the apple.  I didn't have an arrow handy but I did have some musical score in my stash…

In tribute to the William Tell Overture I would caption this one as     "The Lone Ranger"
Loved the background - loved the apple - splashed a little light here and a little light there -
I do enjoy putting together the pieces to make my crazy ideas come to life!

enjoy,

k

Working It Out

A shoot to highlight the newly opened Studio 151 Fitness in Lakeport by the dam.  Life gets jammed up from time to time and this group turned their collective energy into a very positive new business venture.  A donation based workout facility with a welcoming atmosphere, great instructors and energetic clientele.

Business is growing and thriving with the future looking towards "working it out…."

The newly renovated yoga / pilates / barre room offers a relaxing tone for smaller group classes.

…a cluster of happy feet with instructor Amy at the barre.

The main room also has a fresh coat of paint giving it a clean. warm feel.  Perfect for strengthening with some pushups and weight training.

Who wouldn't smile when you read Studio 151's motto  "Wake Up & Be Awesome"

A friendly place to get strong, meet new friends and get back on a healthy track!

enjoy,

k