A Bookworm's Adventures

my new friend

2012-01-28T19:28:00.000-05:00

I have a new friend. Or, actually, not very new, because I have had it since October. My new friend is a Canon AE-1 Program, and came from my aunt and uncle - who were very sweet and sent it to me when they heard I was looking for an old film camera. Based on the warranty card, it looks like my uncle bought it in 1982 when he was around my age. Doesn't that make it all the more neat? =)

So far, I've shot one and a half rolls of film, and consider myself addicted. Already, spare film is beginning to populate the freezer and fridge. The next step down the slippery slope is creating a darkroom, though I'll have to wait until we move out of our rental house to get into that.

Photos from my first roll will be coming soon =)

missing charleston

2012-01-24T16:51:00.000-05:00

robyn and dan: gwinnett environmental center wedding

2012-01-21T13:23:00.000-05:00

I'm realizing that I don't like to write about my pictures. I prefer to have the photos speak for themselves, though how well that actually works is very much up to viewer discretion =) That being said, I feel like a couple things need to be mentioned before I blog this wedding.

For one thing, Robyn and Dan are absolutely amazing. Their day was so special; filled with family and friends who had gathered to show love and support for them. It was a joy and an absolute delight to be chosen to document their day, and I can safely say that it was one of the highlights of my year. Second, I could not have done this without my wonderful brother, who was my second shooter. I worked him hard ;) Third, the venue, the Gwinnett Environmental Center, was a dream to shoot in, I hope to have the opportunity to shoot there again.

holiday cheer

2011-12-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

Just a little something to spread some holiday cheer, and get me back in the blogging habit =)

happy halloween!

2011-10-31T15:21:00.000-04:00

I hope it is a great one =)

rediscovering me

2011-10-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

I'm coming to a conclusion. There are three kinds of bloggers - those who blog because they love it, those who blog because they have time, and those who blog when they have time.

I am discovering that I fall into the latter category. I have a love/hate relationship with blogging... therefore it is so much easier to blog when I have nothing to do. Right now is not that time. My brain feels like it is spinning out of control, but then I have to remember that I asked for this. I wanted to be busy, I wanted to not have time to think. And I thrive off the busyness, so I am definitely not complaining. I love being busy and feeling busy. However, there are moments, like last night, when I felt incredibly overwhelmed because I have so many projects and so many things I am having to coordinate details for. In the middle of that, of coordinating orders and making plans and writing things down that I have to do today (blogging didn't make it on that list, incidentally), I was stopped in my tracks by a post on my personal facebook. It was a friend who is just starting her photography business. She had mentioned earlier in the day that she had gotten a new lens, I had replied asking what it was. When she replied back, suddenly everything zeroed in and for about half an hour, I forgot about everything else I had to do and all we did was chat back and forth about photography. What we loved, what we were learning, the appreciation of the art. When the conversation died down and I got ready to go to bed, I realized I felt invigorated again, and so very ready to tackle today. My mind was clear and focused. I had never lost the love of the art, even in the midst of my busy schedule, but I had lost my focus. I had lost the ability to stand back and say "wow, is this really my life?". So I did. I stepped back and said "Wow. I can't believe everything I hoped for last year is actually a reality this month."

It is so worth the work. But more, it is so worth the love.

a bit of perspective

2011-10-23T00:20:00.000-04:00

I recently stumbled across this and found myself incredibly challenged. I posted a little about challenging yourself to be more, to do more, in my reaction to Steve Jobs' death. This video though, says it so much better than I ever could. If you have fifteen minutes, you need to watch this. Even if you don't, you still need to watch this. I'm currently turning a very critical eye on myself... my goodness! How very much I have, and how very tightly I hold onto it.

Who else is ready to give all you can to change the world?

nanowrimo 2011, are you ready?

2011-10-18T22:28:00.000-04:00

Well, it's that time of year again! Time to start getting ready for NaNoWriMo! What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? Well, read on =)

For the past two years I have been able to take part in the craziness that is NaNoWriMo. I've become convinced that there is absolutely nothing else like it, and much like my 30 day portrait challenge, it never fails to make me grow in ways I had not anticipated. I learn things about myself, my limits, and most important, just how far I can push the boundaries of my creativity. It is madness, during one of the busiest months of the year for most people. But somehow, that makes it even more fun.

Your goal? To write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. The challenge starts on November 1st, and ends on November 30th. It sounds crazy, maybe even impossible. But it is also so rewarding and is just an amazing experience. If you have ever dreamed of writing a book, I suggest starting with this. It is a mad rush to get the words out, but that is the best part. You don't have time to think or time to analyze. It makes your final product extremely real and organic, and it keeps you from getting in the way of the creation process. And even if you end up not completing the goal... you still learned something, and have more story written than you otherwise would have.

If you want to keep tabs on how I am doing, or if you are doing NaNoWriMo and want to be my writing buddy, go check out my profile! (As an aside... I know the NaNoWriMo site was recently redone so the writing buddies feature is not yet online... if you want to be my buddy, leave me a comment below with a link to your profile and I will go find you once it is enabled!)

nobody move, i've dropped my brain

2011-10-14T23:37:00.000-04:00

Alright, so things might not be that bad. But they sure are close! I feel swamped... not so much physically, but mentally. I love a busy life, in fact, that was one of the things I loved the most about working at an actual job. I am excited that life is getting that frantic again... but I wasn't expecting the mental exertion that having your own business would entail. Don't get me wrong, I love it too! But this weekend, when I was supposed to be relaxing and working at a craft fair, I have been making lists of things to go over with a future wedding client, doing licensing research for a play I am in the midst of shooting, and coming up with material for an acting/dance class I am substitute teaching for on Tuesday (okay, so that isn't photography related, but still...). Oh, and I am trying to plan logistics for a rather massive personal shoot that I came up with an idea for and want to complete before Halloween, and the list goes on =)

Wait, why was I telling all this again? Oh yes, to explain why blogging has fallen by the wayside. Oops. And to tell that there is exciting stuff coming... you just might have to wait for it ;) Anyway, in addition to the exciting developments listed above (I'm shooting a WEDDING! EEP! Any tips, people?), there are a couple that have also happened recently that I haven't posted about yet...

My new website design is done! If you haven't seen it yet, go check it out =) I would love opinions on it!

I created a 500px account. If you are over there, go find me! I would love to see your page. And ohmygoodness, is it an amazing site! Love it so much more than flickr!

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

rip steve jobs

2011-10-06T12:07:00.000-04:00

This is post isn't going to be about what you might think it is going to be about.

I'll be the first to say I don't use Apple products. I find them too expensive, and hard to upgrade and keep upgraded without a lot of hassle. I like my pcs, like my generic mp3 player. Oh, and my phone from 2004. The last time I did use an Apple was probably 5th grade, when the computer lab had Macs. I remember being enthralled by the logo, this rainbow apple that I hadn't seen before. I also remember my computer freezing a lot when I was trying to play games, but that probably wasn't related. They were rather ancient systems.

I know Apple has a following, and since Steve Jobs passed away last night, that following has come out in full force. My facebook and twitter feeds are full of RIP messages and quotes he said. Some really, really good quotes. I've been writing them down. Almost all the blogs I follow also have put up posts by now, and I am sure if they haven't yet, that by the end of the day they will. This show of support and messages is unprecedented from anything I have ever seen on the internet before. And that made me think. And when I think of something, and think it is important, I will do one of two things. I will write about it, or I will rant about it to my mom. Today, my mom is being spared and I am going to write about it.

I don't want to diminish the fact that Steve Jobs died by writing this post. But I want people to consider something. There wasn't this much noise made on the internet when the earthquake hit Japan. There have been other disasters too, which haven't received near as much attention... disasters that have taken far more than one life. And while I know he was important and has changed the world, he is just that. One life. One person who happened to make decisions and happened to do things that changed the world.

I don't know much about Steve Jobs other than he fact that he made Apple what it was. Maybe he went to other countries, maybe he did humanitarian relief along with being a genius. I don't know. I am choosing to not google it, because I think for this post, it really doesn't matter. What I want people to consider is this. I think we are so in awe of him, and mourn him, because of what he accomplished. We look at him and think, "oh, what a great man! He changed the world! Made a difference." If he hadn't done that, we wouldn't have cared that he died. If Steve Jobs had died homeless and on the street, would we have cared? No. We look up to him because he was great.

But what about that homeless person on the street? Is his life not as important, just because he isn't known? All life is of the same value, regardless of what we do or do not accomplish. Don't get me wrong, accomplishing things is good! We should work hard and strive to find opportunities to make a difference in other people's lives. That is what each of us is supposed to do. And it's okay to be inspired by all that Steve Jobs accomplished. But if we chose to make our businesses our priority, we should be looking for other ways to change the world in addition to that. There is so much that is more important than financial success. Pick a cause, something you believe in. Mine happens to be orphan care. My focus, aside from photography, is very much that. What is yours? Have you sponsored a child? Worked at a soup kitchen? Donated clothing? Raised money for someone fighting cancer so they can pay their bills? Given your time and your talent to something bigger and more important than your success?

Steve Jobs will be remembered because he changed the world, but at the end of the day, he was just a man. What are you, as a man, as a woman, doing today to make that kind of impact? Whether it is remembered or not is inconsequential. What are you doing today, so you can make the world a better place tomorrow?

the jungle book

2011-10-03T22:37:00.001-04:00

Back from vacation and starting to tackle the backlog of images that I have yet to post from this summer! I am rather behind =P

These images are from a local production of The Jungle Book; the play was part of a theatre camp that took place over two weeks. The kids came in the first day and auditioned, received their parts the next day, and over the next week and a half learned their lines, the songs, built the sets and costumes, and created an entire production. This was the second time I was able to take pictures and run sound at a camp like this... and it amazes me every time. I never had the opportunity to directly participate in one of these while I was in high school, but I can imagine how challenging it is!

vacation challenge: day six

2011-09-29T23:49:00.000-04:00

I had to post a picture of a sunset on the beach at some point, didn't I?? ;)

Today is the last full day of our vacation... tomorrow we start traveling back home. I'm rather sad to leave... but also anxious to settle back into life. And it's funny... the weather at home this next week is supposed to be much cooler. So I got a tan just in time to cover it up =P

vacation challenge: day five

2011-09-28T23:15:00.000-04:00

Waiting on a past that will never come.

vacation challenge: day four

2011-09-28T01:36:00.001-04:00

Running a bit late today. The History channel had a fascinating documentary on Rome and Germanic tribes and their wars... I couldn't stop watching =P

Anyway, about the picture... can you find the bird?? ;) I'm realizing a couple things as I take pictures this week. It is quickly turning into "find the hidden object of interest" rather than something that is maybe artistic. This might work better if I had a way to hide Waldo in my pictures. And sometimes a 70-200 lens would be amazing. Just sayin'.

In other news... I have a sunburn that is more of a mauve color than a pink. I wonder what that means...

And I touched a baby puffer fish today. It was dead, hanging on a keychain in a gift shop, and I thought it was plastic. So what do I do? I pick it up to look at it closer. Ohmygoodness. Never again! It felt sooo weird. And then my brother thought it would be fun to try to touch me with an alligator foot that was also a keychain *shudders* Dead things that are made to be souvenirs freak me out.

vacation challenge: day three

2011-09-26T23:50:00.000-04:00

It was really, really hard to decide on today's photo. I have three I liked, and wanted to post them all! I finally decided on this one, because I felt like it showcased the scenery that we are currently surrounded with =)

vacation challenge: day two

2011-09-25T22:48:00.000-04:00

While walking around sightseeing today, I happened to catch this inside a small porch (if you can even call it that) on a house. I hope it isn't sacrilegious or against some rule that I took this, it was such an unexpected find that I couldn't pass it up.

vacation challenge: day one

2011-09-24T21:22:00.000-04:00

Guess who has internet!

Here is day one's photo! While on vacation I decided to do a "mini" challenge. I tend to get in snapshot mode while I am on a trip. I really don't pay attention to using my light, I just expose correctly and shoot. I am not saying that is a bad thing... I actually rather like that I can turn my inner photographer "off". While the settings are automatic at this point, that doesn't mean I always want to mess with it. But this year, instead of just clicking away, I have decided to try to be more purposeful with some of my photos. My goal to take more pictures of my family and less pointless pictures of the scenery is still applicable, but I want to try to take a more artistic and calculated photo at least once a day instead of just clicking away because a sunset is pretty. And then I will post said photo here =)

time for the fair!

2011-09-23T00:40:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again! Time for the county fair =) It always seems to signify that fall is here, and is one of the highlights of the season for me. And while looking at the giant vegetables is fun, nothing is better than seeing all the animals.

I think I might need a donkey.

And a cow. Maybe one of those too. How can you resist that sweet face?

And in other news, I am going to be away on a trip with my family next week! I am hoping to do a sort-of mini challenge, where I post a picture of something every day. I am operating under the assumption that where we are staying will have internet... I know most places do anymore, but we have stayed some places that were supposed to and didn't, so I am cautious. If all goes according to plan, expect the first photo to appear on Saturday. If not... have a great week, and I will do a massive post when I get back!

it's almost that time

2011-09-19T23:24:00.000-04:00

It's almost that time...
when the hoodies come out
when slippers are the shoes of choice
when afghans are piled on the bed
and when chai tea is the greatest comfort in the world.

dmf recital 2011

2011-09-17T09:01:00.001-04:00

~~Recently~~, okay nevermind it's been a while. A couple months ago now, I had the tremendous and exciting opportunity to shoot a dance recital with another photographer. This was my first time working for someone else, and the experience could not have been more amazing! This was also my first time to really be able to focus on taking pictures... usually when working in a stage environment, I am running tech of some sort, helping behind the scenes, or assistant directing. It was amazing how easy it was to just focus on one thing =)

Have a wonderful weekend! It's drizzly and chilly here, and I am loving it =)

my bucket list

2011-09-14T23:16:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess now that my 30 day self portrait challenge is over, it's time to start posting some real content again =P I chose to save everything so that I would have a lot more content to post after the challenge was over, and wouldn't be doing more than one post on the same day. All that being said, a post with proper pictures is coming soon... I am up to my ears in editing my new website, and don't want to break focus. The image above is a small preview of what is coming. Thanks go to my dashing brother, for making such a good silhouette ;)

Lately, lots of people have been posting their bucket lists... and while I don't like to follow trends because everyone else is doing it (or if I do, it is always a year afterwards when it isn't cool anymore ^_^), I thought this was a good exercise. And after the last thirty days, I totally believe in the helpfulness and necessity of challenges and goals. They grow you as an individual, and if you don't set them for yourself, you are never going to get all of them done. As well as the fact that posting them publicly is just that much more incentive to work on stuff...

My bucket list is not limited to strictly photography goals. I am so much more than just my photography... and while I am finding myself identifying as a photographer more than anything else as of late, there are other things I want to do, so they are included on the list as well.

Bucket List (items will be crossed off as I complete them)
~~1- Redo my website. Yes, this is on my bucket-list. Oh my =P~~

2- Do yoga more. This sporadic stuff is not improving anything

3- Start barefoot running

4- Start rock climbing (if all this is leaving the impression I am physically lazy... that isn't necessarily so. I just have trouble getting around to learning the new things I want to do)

5- Get work shooting Broadway shows

6- Shoot the Nutcracker

7- Get more comfortable with my editing workflow and my own style of editing, without worrying about it fitting in or looking right compared to what other people do

8- Be more comfortable around horses. I can ride them, but put me on the ground with them and I am a nervous wreck

9- Visit Yosemite

10- Visit Europe

11- Work up the courage to submit my website and work for critique

12- Live out west for a while, just to see if I like it

13- Write a novel and get it published

14- Always, ALWAYS remember to pay it forward. So many people have helped me at various times of my life, professionals who took me under their wing and gave me guidance. I want to do the same for as many people as I can.

15- Finish my college degree

16- Be a tour photographer

~~17- Get an old film camera and see what happens~~

18- Start work on my personal project

19- Fix up and ride my great-uncle's unicycle

20- Continue to blog more. I really liked blogging every day or every couple days during my self-portrait challenge

21- Eat Chinese food with someone who knows how to eat Chinese food! I think I would like it so much better if I had help =P

22- Make better portraits (of other people). I am not happy with my skill level there, and I want to start fixing that

I am very sure that this list is not done, I shall be returning to it often in the next few years. I'll probably update in future posts when something gets completed or added. Until then... I have some work to do!

may we never forget

2011-09-11T18:08:00.000-04:00

I'll be honest, I've gone back and forth on the idea of posting something today. I actually wrote out a post last night, and deleted it this morning. Then, today, I realized I had to post something.

I didn't lose anyone in the 9/11 terrorist attack. No one I know was affected in any way that I have ever heard of. So, I struggle with the idea of blogging about it. It isn't my pain, it isn't my story. I grew up with two parents, I didn't lose one. There are people who did. Who lost a spouse. Or a child. Or a friend. There are people who were in the middle of it and are celebrating ten more years of life today.

But we all gained something, even if we didn't have to lose something to get it. We all gained a sense of pride in our country, in the good that was done that day, in the bravery of the men and women who ran to go do something to help. And we gained a sense of unity. We were united, no one could break us.

I remember what I was doing that morning. I remember watching the second tower fall. But mostly, I remember feeling scared. I was only eleven, but I didn't have to understand everything that was going on to know that this was bad and that life would never be the same. And life wasn't the same. We changed, all of us. Our mindsets changed. But it wasn't from fear. We grew in strength, in our support of each other and in our country. Every year around this time, I can easily recall my fear, but more than that, I remember the pride. The pride in us. And the sorrow for deaths unimaginable.

I didn't lose anyone, but I don't want to ever forget what people lost and people gained. United we stood, and united we still stand. God bless the USA.

9/11/01. May we never forget.

Thanks to Fox News for the above video. Guardian has a video from the perspective of photojournalists and writers who were covering the events in New York as they unfolded. And Life has a ton of images of 9/11, the days that followed, and the history of the towers as they were built.

self-portrait challenge: day thirty

2011-09-09T01:04:00.002-04:00

It's day thirty! I'm done! I made it! I am sooo glad that month is over! But at the same time, I'm oddly going to miss it...

I don't know what I hoped to walk away from this challenge having gained. I have to say, I really hadn't thought about it. I considered that I might get better at self-portraiture, which up to this point, was something that I had only dabbled in. It was certainly never something I had considered posting here! There is something about self-portraiture that is very vulnerable. It is just so different than taking a photo of someone else... I don't know how to explain it, but you are putting an element and depth of yourself into the picture that you don't in anything else you shoot, in my opinion. I don't think you can. It's the vulnerability. You are not just creating an idea and having someone else model it. You are coming up with the idea and modeling it as well. It makes you feel so, so vulnerable. Almost like you are baring your soul.

Over the last month, I have become convinced that nothing is better than that vulnerability though. I came away from this changed, and in many ways, a completely different person. That was an effect I never thought this challenge would have, and it is one I would not trade for the world. I view myself so differently... instead of just seeing my flaws, I now see things that are okay. A mental shift happened a few days in, and I stopped seeing me as myself, and instead started seeing me as the subject. Part of that might have been because I refused to edit anything (no nose jobs here! ;)), but I don't think that was all of it. I think I just saw myself clearly for the very first time.

I also view my mind and my personality differently. I feel like I became more confident in me. In who I am. In not apologizing for it. That has been a process I embarked on over a year ago, but it really came to the front during the challenge. I have taken pictures I have never shown because I was afraid of what people would think. But I couldn't do that during this. If I created wanting to please other people, then I wasn't showing what was inside of me, and the picture fell flat. It had to mean something to me, and if someone didn't like it, then I couldn't worry about it. For the first time, I completely freed myself from the boundaries of what I "thought" was acceptable, and just created. Some days more than others, but I made some pictures I never would have shown to anyone before. It was liberating. Okay, so I can be dark and twisted at times. That is okay. It's me. It's what I like to create... it's always been what I like to create, ever since I was a little kid. I shouldn't be trying to change that now.

To conclude this long post... I recommend that everyone do this at least once in their life. Even if you aren't a photographer, if you have a camera, you should do this. If you can draw, you should do this. If you can somehow capture an essence of yourself, do this. Take thirty days, throw inhibition to the wind, and do it. Don't worry about what other people will think, don't worry if what you are doing is good or not. Just do it. And most important, create what your mind and heart want to create.

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-nine

2011-09-08T22:03:00.000-04:00

I am trying really hard right now to not make excuses for this... mostly because I know at least two people that it is going to offend, and they happen to be two people really close to me. If this upsets you, I am sorry. If it doesn't, yay! The thing is, I am making what I am inspired to create. I've always been inspired by vampires, so this was bound to happen sooner or later =P

But, on a happier note, I only have one more day (today!) left in the challenge! Ohmygoodness! Today's photo probably won't be up until tomorrow, if what I am thinking is accurate. It depends how much editing I end up wanting to do =)

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-eight

2011-09-07T23:17:00.001-04:00

My poor family has to think I am crazy =P Every day this week I have gone into the bathroom and tried something different. I did it on Monday, and ended up not liking the result so I shot something else for my portrait. Then I did it again yesterday, which is the photo you can see above. And then I did it again today, just to try something that I am not going to use after all. See? Crazy! No normal person would go into the bathroom with a camera and tripod!

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-seven

2011-09-05T17:42:00.001-04:00

It's raining! For the first time in weeks and weeks it is raining! I know tropical storms/hurricanes can cause major damage, but I am so thankful for the rain.

This was the first time I have ever taken my camera out in any sort of precipitation. I did cover it with a thick plastic bag, and was very careful (I baby my gear). Toward the end I got a sort of system down, so this is definitely something I want to experiment with more when I have the time and privacy to do so. Today several neighbors were out, so I grabbed some pictures and fled. I am still so self-conscious when taking pictures of myself in front of other people =P

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-six

2011-09-04T23:54:00.000-04:00

Road trip! And even better... a road trip to the mountains! My heart was happy =)

It was a perfect day for it... cloudy and moody because of some incoming rain from the tropical storm in the Gulf. I love driving on sunny days, but even more so on cloudy days. The whole world just comes alive under a grey sky! I would have taken a picture of that to post, but well, this is a self-portrait challenge, so.... ;)

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-five

2011-09-04T00:46:00.000-04:00

All caught up. Today was spent finishing up odd things on the to-do list and driving my parents around to look at houses. That was an adventure! And I now I wish I had a reason to buy a house... so many pretty things =) Anyway, this picture was taken in a random driveway in the middle of Georgia.

Oh, and in other news.... this is my 100th post! Wow. It doesn't seem like I have posted that much stuff already! But, looking back at the archives, I did start my blog last August (Oops! Me, the girl who keeps meticulous track of dates and anniversaries, missed one), so I guess that sounds about right. And if I hadn't disappeared for a couple months during the spring, it would have happened even sooner.

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-four

2011-09-03T23:05:00.000-04:00

Friday's picture. I know I already took an eye picture on day seven, but it really wasn't something I put a lot of thought into. Since I was just testing my repaired lens that day and didn't take the picture with my self portrait in mind, my eyelashes were in focus instead of my eyes (hello beautiful small aperture!) and it wasn't well lit and on and on. It's bugged me ever since and I hate that picture. So, although it might be called lazy, or uncreative, I decided to take another one and do it right this time =)

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-three

2011-09-03T22:33:00.000-04:00

Finally, I am getting Thursday's picture up. When I said I wasn't really pushing myself this week, I guess I meant it! =P Oh well, the break has been good... I mean, I have still been taking pictures, but I've been taking a step back from social media, blogging, and working on my website to focus on more creative things... which means I should be ready and raring to go next week! And my goodness, what a week it looks like it will turn out to be! I am so excited for everything September and October are going to hold... and November looks like it might be pretty exciting too =) But more on that later... for now, let me just say, it may be September but it is still HOT here. Which means even when sitting still, fans are appreciated.

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-two

2011-09-01T23:15:00.000-04:00

Wednesday's photo is an example of what happens when I refuel by watching Phantom of the Opera and have costumes at my disposal =)

I had a lot of fun with this one. For almost all my teenage years, I've been watching and loving the musical version of the movie that came out in 2004. The story has always captivated me, and I have always loved it. It never ceases to be a source of inspiration, even though I have seen it countless times by this point. If I ever go to Broadway, I will be seeing the Phantom! As much as I have loved the story though, I have never bothered to see any of the other versions. This week, I managed to wrangle my brother into watching the 1925 silent film version of it with me (I had heard enough about it to not want to watch it by myself. It is a horror movie, on levels the 2004 adaption is not). Ohmygoodness! I think I wouldn't have loved it so much if I didn't already love the story, but it was nevertheless beautiful and so very inspiring. You can actually watch the movie on IMDb, if you are interested. It was so dark, so delightfully scary, and so beautifully tragic. Perfect mix for inspiration!

And for the curious, the corset is an authentic 1860's corset that my grandma and I made. And yes, it is just about as uncomfortable as you might imagine... but only if tightened. I have gotten stuck in it once, and let me just say, that is claustrophobia beyond what I can describe.

self-portrait challenge: day twenty-one

2011-09-01T01:01:00.000-04:00

Here is Tuesday's photo! Today (Wednesday) is my dear friend's birthday. She avidly reads my blog, kicks me into gear when I need it, and is all around my biggest supporter outside my family. She is also the bravest person I know, and I admire her so much. I couldn't ask for a better friend, and so, I decided to dedicate Tuesday's self portrait to her =)

Happy birthday!

self-portrait challenge: day twenty

2011-08-31T22:58:00.000-04:00

Here is Monday's picture. I've been lazy this week, not pushing myself. Oh, I have been taking my pictures, but haven't been taking the time to really edit them or post them. I've been recharging, refocusing on the things that will fill my empty bucket of inspiration after last week. I should have the rest of this week's images up over tonight and tomorrow =)

self-portrait challenge: day nineteen

2011-08-28T23:46:00.000-04:00

I'm loving square crops lately, it's such a different feel.

Anyway, I am now all caught up on my image posting (yay!). Let's see if I can keep it up through this next week =P

self-portrait challenge: day eighteen

2011-08-28T19:42:00.000-04:00

I wasn't really feeling it yesterday. Actually, to be honest, I've been rather drained of inspiration the last several days. I've been doing too much editing, too much website work. Work where I'm just sitting and not creating. I've not been filling myself up with inspiration by reading books or watching tv shows or movies. Usually when I am working so constantly on the editing side of photography, I'll be listening to radio dramas and the like to keep some inspiration flowing and keep myself sane... this week, I decided to forgo that and just listen to photography interviews and shows, since I have so many piled up. I don't think that helped the situation, though I always learn alot and it helps me to refocus on where I am going.

So, I put off taking my picture and put it off... finally deciding around bedtime that I would do something under my blanket. My original concept was to be like a little kid, hiding under a tent of blankets to read. I took one or two of those shots, and hated it. Just didn't like it. Still wasn't feeling it and it definitely showed. Then, I noticed the shadows I was making on the blankets, and I knew what I wanted. For a few minutes, the fog cleared, and I did something like I usually do when I make my self portraits... I vented an emotion. I've been taking self portraits for months, but only when I needed to express something. To have an extreme purpose, more than just knowing what shot I wanted and predefining the emotion (which is how I have been working for this project), I vented something real. I've felt smothered and stifled, trapped and trying to escape. And in two shots, I knew I had what I wanted.

I edited it last night, got everything done then. I could have put it up. But then I hesitated. Because it is weird. Because it's different. Abstract. A little dark and twisted looking. Because my family reads this blog, and I always worry in the back of my mind what they will think. I think this is magnified because, while I am an adult, I am still living at home and that is an added pressure. It's easier to post stuff when I am not here. "Well," I justified, "I took the picture. There is no rule that says I have to post it." But I do. This month has been about stretching myself, and that means breaking free from the fear of what my family will think. To let go and not worry about pleasing them, because in the back of my head I know I have created things and will continue to create things that they wouldn't like or approve of. It's not rebellion. It's liberation.

So I hit publish. After all, why not?

self-portrait challenge: day seventeen

2011-08-27T17:11:00.000-04:00

Friday's picture =)

It's that time of year again... the time of craft fairs and knitting. It's a little bittersweet... this is the last year I can knit, as I have given myself a pretty good case of tennis elbow. So, I am finishing up my inventory and selling out. Yikes. I hate when chapters in life close. Though, I have been making scarves for eight years, so I guess it might be time to find something new and the injury might be justified =P

self-portrait challenge: day sixteen

2011-08-27T17:05:00.000-04:00

This was actually an accident where I was testing the light and focus, and I just forgot to delete it off my camera... good thing I didn't, I liked it better than my planned image!

This is Thursday's picture... I can't seem to upload things promptly this week =P Friday coming soon!

self-portrait challenge: day fifteen

2011-08-25T10:44:00.000-04:00

Wednesday's picture. Good morning.

Annnddd I have made it halfway through the thirty days! Ohmygoodness, I did not think I would make it this far =P

self-portrait challenge: day fourteen

2011-08-25T00:17:00.001-04:00

Tuesday's photo. Goodnight.

self-portrait challenge: day thirteen

2011-08-24T23:51:00.001-04:00

So, this is really Monday's picture. And it isn't even that good of a picture, at that. Yep, it's another lazy portrait. Didn't I say at the beginning that there might be more of these? *cringes* I was hoping it wouldn't happen, but Monday ended up being a drastically different day than I had originally planned. In between editing pictures (soooo many pictures I have to show you all!!!), going to co-teach a drama class with a few hour notice (so exciting!!!), and cleaning the bathroom, the "posed" photo just didn't get taken. But I did get this. I've been trying much harder in the last couple months to capture moments, not random objects, and as a result, I have been taking lots of photos of the little things in every day life. And, just as an aside, it has given me a completely new insight into what seems to be mundane, to find joy and laughter in the crazy things that might otherwise annoy me. Like this. Instead of cleaning the bathroom all by myself, I decided to teach my younger brother how to do it, and our wet shirts are the result. I can't remember who handed it to who, but both of us thought the other one was holding the shower head (it's one with a cord so it can move around), and we both ended up letting go. Well, just like a hose, a shower head that is streaming water will swing itself around when not held in place. I think the whole bathroom was clean by the time we got it turned off. And I don't think I have laughed that hard in a very long time. So, while the picture really isn't that good, and maybe doesn't count as self-portraiture in the technical sense, I like it. It's a moment I never want to forget.

self-portrait challenge: day twelve

2011-08-21T23:21:00.000-04:00

Today, I was feeling rather uninspired. So I took a picture of my reflection, but not in a mirror, instead, I used the glass door of a cabinet. Setting up the lighting for that was fun =)

And I realize, there is a certain way you are supposed to hold your lens that is the "proper" way. But can I just say... sometimes it looks really funny!

self-portrait challenge: day eleven

2011-08-20T23:26:00.001-04:00

Anthony was glad he wasn't going to work on his book. The notion of sitting down and conjuring up, not only words in which to clothe thoughts but thoughts worthy of being clothed - the whole thing was absurdly beyond his desires."

The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fiztgerald

self-portrait challenge: day ten

2011-08-19T17:27:00.000-04:00

What I should be doing versus what I am doing =P I'll leave you to guess which is which.

self-portrait challenge: day nine

2011-08-18T23:33:00.001-04:00

It seems like I have been waiting a lot lately. Waiting on friends. Waiting on work. Waiting on God. Just waiting on life. Waiting does not come easy to me. I can waver when making decisions, but once I make up my mind about something, I get it done. So to wait... to know I can do nothing but wait and hope and pray, is hard for me, and then that lends itself to a lack of productivity in the rest of my life. I'm sure it is hard for everyone, but it doesn't always seem like it. It feels like it is just me. So, I am working on being more patient.

Slowly.

self-portrait challenge: day eight

2011-08-18T01:02:00.001-04:00

"At last, my arm is complete again!" - Sweeney Todd

I got my broken camera and lens back from Canon this week; my lens yesterday and my camera today. It was so wonderful to have them back in my possession. I didn't worry, but it was a relief to know they were safe with me. When I call them my babies, I guess I kinda mean it ;) The first thing that popped in my head as I snapped my lens back into place on my camera was what Sweeney Todd says when he picks up his razor again after fifteen years... and instantly, I knew what I wanted my self-portrait of the day to be. I was inspired by that scene from the movie, and tried to mimic the light and the pose. In case you aren't familiar with it, this was vaguely what I was trying to recreate (though hopefully I don't look that maniacal). There is actually another image from the scene that I would have preferred to show, but couldn't find it online, so that will have to do.

Annnddddd I'm all caught up with my posting! Woot woot! Also, please ignore the bags and bookcase in the background... we are in a rental, and haven't unpacked yet ;)

And now a disclaimer. I love Sweeney Todd, but I don't recommend the movie to everyone. The storyline is captivating, the cinematography gorgeous. I guess I am saying don't watch it just because I like it ;)

self-portrait challenge: day seven

2011-08-17T17:22:00.000-04:00

Well, here is Tuesday's photo! I am hoping to get caught up in posting stuff today, so there should be another post later. I hope =P We will see!

Anyway, this was a rather quick shot, I was testing out my lens that was just returned to me from being repaired! Oh my, how I have missed it! I had no idea how dependent I had become on my 35mm until it was broken. It seriously is my favorite lens.

self-portrait challenge: day six

2011-08-16T23:13:00.003-04:00

This is far more abstract than what I usually do, but in a way it is an idea I have had floating around in my head since I was ten. It was rather exciting to be able to execute it and have it not just be some weird figment of my imagination. I've tried to do it before, but with a point and shoot, and that didn't turn out so well. Now, I finally have the gear and ability to get what I have always envisioned (as much as I know it isn't all about the gear and more about the person operating it, in a dim bathroom a good camera does help). I was trying to create the abstract idea of beauty, and how it can change so much based on who is seeing you or how you are acting. It is so subjective, and I feel like society easily forgets that and emphasizes just the physical, rather than who we are as people. How many ads do you see making you want to be a better person? Most are trying to sell you something to make you look/feel better about yourself, except for the few "pay it forward" ads. I love those.

In other news, I am back home, and now I am very comfortable with my editing again ;) Also, this is Monday's photo, I am still a day late uploading stuff. I hope to get everything back on schedule by tomorrow.

self-portrait challenge: day five

2011-08-15T15:49:00.002-04:00

I know I am posting this a day late, but I did take the picture when I was supposed to. My internet was being fickle =P

Once again, edited on the laptop, so color and etc might be off.

self-portrait challenge: day four

2011-08-14T00:32:00.001-04:00

Well, I did it! I wanted to chicken out of this idea so bad after I thought about doing it last night.... and as it is, I almost chickened out of posting it. There are so many things I don't like and that I want to nitpick... but this is such a milestone for me, I had to post it anyway. You see, I took this photo in a semi-public area. This is the first time I have ever taken a self-portrait where other people could see me do it, and I almost didn't go through with it. I wanted so badly to think of something different to do, but I wanted this shot, and so I tried to make myself take the time to get it and not worry about what people might think. I chose an area of the lake that was fairly secluded, but a few people still walked by and some were sitting in chairs perhaps a hundred feet away from me. In the end, I tried to ignore them and act like I wasn't doing something incredibly crazy. I figured that was what challenges were about though.... taking a self-portrait every day for a month is stretching me, and so I figured my bravery might as well be stretched too while I was at it. And in the end, the scariest part ended up being when I almost sat in duck poop. Either that or Canadian goose poop. I heard from a reliable source that they poop alot and in inconvenient places =P

Anyway, hope everyone is having a good weekend! Once again, this was edited on my laptop, so color and contrast might be off.

self-portrait challenge: day three

2011-08-12T22:42:00.001-04:00

Must. have. internet.

And yes, I do use two hands when working the touchpad on the laptop.

Well, made it to day three! Today was busy at the craft fair, so I won't write much. I must get to bed, another busy day is ahead tomorrow! And I think I am going to try something brave with tomorrow's self-portrait... we shall see if I have the guts to go through with what I am thinking.

And again, this was edited on my laptop, so if the contrast is off that is why...

self-portrait challenge: day two

2011-08-11T22:23:00.002-04:00

I'm currently visiting my grandparents to work at a craft fair this weekend, and am enjoying the time of just "being". I love the mountains, and although I have only lived in them for five years of my life, they are in my blood now, and I never feel more at home than when I am here.

This photo was edited on my laptop, which if it looks weird, would be why. I don't have a monitor, and well, laptop screens are iffy on their contrast =)

self-portrait challenge: day one

2011-08-11T01:47:00.002-04:00

Well, here I go, attempting another challenge again. Hopefully this will go better than my 365 project...

Alex Beadon started a self-portrait challenge over on her blog, where the goal is to take 30 self portraits. For 30 days. Ohmygoodness. Self-portraiture is something I started experimenting with last March, and I take perhaps one or two a month? Not many. When she first mentioned the challenge, I thought it sounded like a great idea. A grand challenge! Something to make me really have to think! So I said I would do it *gulp*. That might have been stupid.

My goal isn't to take a grand portrait everyday... I know that won't be possible. Some days I will just be too busy, or won't be able to have the access I need with my nice camera. Like today... we were at Six Flags, and I couldn't resist snapping a picture with my point-and-shoot. Not exactly the type of image that is most associated with self-portraiture (it looks more like a facebook photo), but I figured it will do.

See that grimace? It is caused by knowing I missed the shot as soon as I took the photo ;) My original goal was to catch the water (that white stuff in the background), coming up behind me like wings... well, it almost worked. It would have been far more possible if I had been taking the photo of someone else, or if someone else had been taking it of me, but then it wouldn't have been a self-portrait and would have defeated the purpose. So, it is what it is, and hopefully this will be the most lazy of all my attempts this next month =)

Heh, wish me luck ;)

summer afternoon in atlanta

2011-08-09T19:56:00.000-04:00

good-bye

2011-08-08T00:31:00.001-04:00

I wrote this on Friday, July 29:

Everything was moved out today.

It all feels a bit surreal, like we are packing and getting ready to move, but really aren't going to go anywhere. We went to go clean the rental house yesterday, and that helped it sink in a little bit more, but it still doesn't seem like this is happening. I've spent so many days and nights in this room. That I won't touch that one certain corner anymore every time I go past it is weird. That I won't ever walk into my bathroom again is weird. I don't think of myself as someone who gets attached to houses... I tend to be the kind of person that is excited by change, and really doesn't get attached to places or things... But, as much as I want/have that mindset, I still will miss odd things.

I guess I will miss the familiarity. The sense of forever that I always had here. 365 days x 7 years is 2555 days, if the online calculator is to be believed (mine is packed). That is a lot of time. And it seemed like it would stretch on forever. I knew someday I would move out, but I didn't think of my room changing. I thought just I would move out, and my family would stay. My whole future suddenly feels different, and as excited as I am, I am finding that I will miss these walls. They felt like they would be forever. Time was suspended here. And now, the here is ending, and time doesn't seem so limitless.

This room has seen a lot of me. Seen me cry, seen me laugh, seen me dash about practicing lines from plays. It saw me grow up from an insecure and depressed teenager into an adult that is much more confident and is looking forward to the future. I have done so much growing here, and now I feel as if I am leaving a friend. I am leaving my past here, such a huge part of it. Now I just have to look forward to the future. To a new room. To a new house. To a new life.

As bittersweet as leaving is, I am looking forward to it.

(Left: what I found when I came home one day. Right: The tape was stuck to the tape was stuck to the bag)

(makeshift table)

(resting for five minutes... thanks go to my youngest brother for this picture!)

(when you can't reach the lightswitch because of furniture, what do you do? Grab a sword!)

(first night in the new house)

the last night

2011-07-29T01:18:00.002-04:00

Well, tonight is the last night I will spend in my room before we move out. I thought I would post a quick peek at how I have been spending my nights this last week... we sold my bed last weekend and I have been camping out on the floor ever since. I have found it to be rather fun and am very much enjoying it, enough to consider maybe skipping a bedframe in the future. It makes your room so much more spacious when you don't have a big bed that is half your height... though I will say it makes it hard to keep your sheets tucked in.

Hopefully the image isn't too dark. I edited it on my laptop because my monitor is, you guessed it, packed! So, since the editing is rather iffy, I am asking for patience if it is awful (and if someone wants to let me know, that would also be appreciated ;))

And just a funny story about the sleeping on the floor. A friend's mom made the comment that even though we were moving, at least I still had a bed to sleep in. I had to tell her that no, I didn't ;)

signs of moving

2011-07-17T15:34:00.028-04:00

The last two weeks have probably been the most insane of my entire life. After seven years in our current home, we are moving! And let me just say, this is not how I am used to seeing my room O_O

To make matters even more exciting beyond the move, I worked at a theatre camp for the last two weeks. The goal is to put on a full show in two weeks.... but I will be quiet now, and save the rest of the info about the show for the picture post ;) In addition to being the cast photographer, I ran the sound board. So, needless to say, I have been a bit busy, which is why blogging has slacked off a bit. Working full days and packing nights leaves little time for anything else. Now that camp is over though, I fully intend to get back into the groove this week... and oh my, do I have some exciting stuff in the queue!

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to hunt down another sharpie. I seem to be packing them by accident =P Have a fabulous weekend!

documenting the right things

2011-07-10T15:03:00.003-04:00

I've posted a couple times now about the importance of documenting things, and a couple other times about taking pictures that mean something to you (this applied mostly to photographers) instead of just taking "pretty pictures". In this post, I wanted to approach that idea from a different angle.

A year ago last month I was in Canada. I feel like a learned a lot of valuable lessons on that trip... for one thing, it was the first time I ever went on a vacation (or anywhere, really) completely by myself. I flew five hours to go spend two weeks with my penpal and her family... a penpal who I had never met beyond skype and a family I had never even talked to before. I learned and grew a lot out of that experience, and I really haven't stopped. I feel like that trip helped me to find myself, and the lessons are still coming.

(this would be me on a bike)

Take this month, for example. I learned two more things from that trip. One, I learned I keep crazy track of dates. I write down when I did things on my current calendar, and then when it is time to change to the next year's, I write them down again so I remember when I did what. Evidently, this is abnormal (or so I have been told). And secondly, I learned something about taking pictures.

(my friend on a horse)

While on the trip, I mostly just played with my camera and didn't pay attention to lighting, etc. That shows now when I look back through the pictures from Canada. Which I did this last month, to celebrate the year anniversary and all that ;) Anyway, as I looked through my pictures, I realized something. I regretted them. I didn't regret how bad they were compared to how I would take them now, but I regretted the ones I had taken. I took lots of landscapes, and many of my friend. But you know what I didn't take? I didn't take many of her family. And I didn't take many of the two of us together. We were all over mountains and driving through valleys and horseback riding and biking and doing all sorts of crazy stuff. I have the landscapes documented. And of course the flowers ;) But I don't have us. And I regret that.

I have noticed that this past year since I started my business, this has gotten worse. I took lots of pictures of things, but not of people. And looking back at my Canada pictures, I was horrified. Because I realized I won't ever have that summer back, and while the mountains are pretty, and my friend is beautiful, what I really wanted to see was us together.

Lesson learned.

(my friend on the left and me on the right)

fourth of july

2011-07-06T01:11:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had a fun and fabulous 4th! Happy Independence Day!

prom pictures 2011

2011-06-30T15:53:00.001-04:00

You know that proper blog post I have been promising? Well, this would be it ;)

Since I haven't done a proper post in so long, I actually have quite a backlog of images, which was something I didn't realize until I looked at my blog post to-do list. Oops. Well, I guess it is time to start tackling the mess, and there is no-where better to start than with these =)

I took these pictures on April 30, so yes, they've been in the queue a while ;) R and M are good friends who decided to go to the prom together. Because of that, I didn't do any romantic poses, but tried to keep everything fun and casual. Due to their just being friends, I also tried to stay away from the typical prom poses that you see, that, and I just wanted to do something a little different. After all, why settle for ordinary when you can mix things up a bit??

I spent the beginning part of the day running around with R and her mom, shooting her getting her hair done and then as she was getting ready at home.

Then, we went to go meet M and his family at a local university where we hoped there wouldn't be a lot of other people. There are a few hot spot locations near where we live, and I hoped to avoid the typical picture taking traffic... well, evidently our location was more popular than I had anticipated, but we still managed to get shots that were private and I didn't have to beat anyone off with a tripod ;)

Okay, so one or two sweet, semi-romantic pictures might have found their way in ;)

The "awkward" prom picture... they wanted to take a spoof shot, and this was the result.

the coming storm

2011-06-24T22:07:00.000-04:00

and the story continues

2011-06-22T14:34:00.000-04:00

It's been six months since I have posted anything on photographer Vivian Maier. I have continued to find her pictures interesting as they are posted on the official website, but there hasn't been much more to post about here. Until now... seems there is a documentary in the works. I am very excited for this, and can't wait to find out more about it as it gets closer to being released.

Trailer: Finding Vivian Maier from John Maloof on Vimeo.

Proper blog post coming soon! =)

and now, the rest of the images

2011-06-11T00:36:00.001-04:00

That title was a shameless Paul Harvey reference... that I am sure no one got =) Oh well, it is late and I am sleepy, so I am allowing myself a level of ridiculousness. I should be watching creativeLIVE's Beyond Photography course, which looks pretty good from the little I have seen. But instead I am blogging and am about to curl up in bed with a book.

Since this week has been rather busy (I've been taking stage photos! Every day!) and I should sleep, I won't say much in introduction, and will instead just post more images from the dance recital I helped at a couple weeks ago. I wasn't the official photographer, but since I was helping backstage they allowed me to bring my camera for fun. The sneak peek post is here.

Hope everyone has had a fabulous week!

(please note... none of these were "commissioned" and I was not the official photographer. This was all just for fun =))

of rambles and sneak peaks

2011-06-07T12:57:00.002-04:00

Does anyone else have a problem with occasionally crashing after you have been busy? I hope it isn't just me. I was so unmotivated last week that it was disgusting. I sorted through pictures, researched memory cards and camera bags, and generally just did not get a lot done. I should have been cleaning and mending some clothes. Half of my problem was all I wanted to do was go outside and lay in the sun with my very thick copy of Gone With The Wind, but instead I made myself stay inside and work like a responsible adult, which means that, consequently, I got nothing accomplished. At least these unproductive lapses don't happen often.

So anyway, what was I busy doing that inspired this crash? Well, I was in heaven ^_^ Actually, not quite, but close. As close to heaven on earth as I think I will get. I went to go help at my old dance studio's end of year recital. Technically, I was moving sets and helping backstage. Untechnically, they told me I could bring my camera and well... do you think I passed that up?? =)

It was six nights of pure bliss and adrenaline. I'll be honest, I fall out of love with photography sometimes. Sometimes, I look at my camera and don't care if I ever pick it up again. But when I am taking photos of the stage, it is as natural as breathing. And when I put my camera down, I feel like a part of me just died until I can do it again. Granted, that feeling goes away in a day or so, but it was there. And that is actually what I have started clinging to when I feel like all I want to do is quit.

So here are a couple of pictures... more will be following =)

(please note... none of these were "commissioned" and I was not the official photographer. This was all just for fun =))

springtime sunset

2011-05-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

what is that!?

2011-05-17T10:45:00.000-04:00

What is that odd thing moving around over there?? Kill it quick!

Oh wait... I think it might be a blog post! *GASP*

Yes, I had forgotten what they looked like, too.

It's almost weird to be typing here again. It wasn't that I meant to take a break or abandon my blog for a day short of a month. It just kinda happened. I have been doing a lot of brainstorming about my photography lately (I posted about some of that a few posts ago), and feel like I finally have a vision for my blog, but even more important, my business. That will be reflected in the redesign of my website, which should be shown to the world in the next week or so ^_^ So, while I haven't been posting, I have been busy - both behind the scenes and taking pictures that I can't wait to show!

Look for the blog to get active again in the next couple weeks, and thank you for your patience!

mulan pictures, part 2

2011-04-18T15:52:00.001-04:00

Here is part two of the cast photos I took for Mulan Jr. You can view part one here.

The more I do stage photography, the more I love it. It is stage photography that originally made me fall in love with photography; I was shooting pictures for my old acting group (I had bought my camera the month before just for fun), and I realized that this was something I could spend the rest of my life doing. I love the energy, I love the emotion, I love the connection that the actors have with their audience. That power to make people feel something is a unique gift and talent. I used to act, and while I loved it, that wasn't where my talent resided. Finally, I feel like I found what I had been looking for all those years ago when I first started performing. It's natural to me; capturing this feels like an extension of myself.

That isn't to say stage photography isn't without its own unique challenges. As with any live event, you don't control every aspect or situation. While the light might be good over here, the acting could be taking place over there. This was especially true when shooting Mulan, since the show was in a black box theatre rather than on a stage. But I love that challenge.

Mostly though, I just love what I am doing. I know all photographers say they love this, or say they love that. And I think even those who are not photographers, on some level, love taking pictures. I like taking pictures of flowers, and just playing with my camera is fun. That level of experimentation is something I never want to lose. But stage work is what makes me feel alive. I was able to go see a play my friend was in this past week, and all I could see was angles and lighting and how "oh! that would have been a perfect shot!". It made me realize more than anything, that this is where I am supposed to be. And I couldn't feel more blessed or grateful to realize that. While I haven't become an actor like I hoped when I was fifteen, that environment is still one I can be involved in. And, not only that, but I love this even more.

mulan pictures, part 1

2011-04-12T00:55:00.001-04:00

Oh internet, you have no idea how excited I am to finally be able to share these! I was ready to show them last week, but a lot of the actors were on spring break, and well, I wanted them to see. They will be getting their copies of the pictures in the next week or so, but I wanted this to be a little teaser =)

The pictures are from a local acting company, The Black Box Players', production of Mulan Jr. The show was a fun take on the classic Disney movie. I already posted the headshots I took for the actors a week or so ago, but I really didn't go into any detail on the show that they were taken for. The cast did an absolutely fantastic job, it was so fun for me to see them evolve their characters, even during the actual performances themselves! The sets and the costumes were done completely by the parents and on a volunteer basis. The work and dedication that was put into the show on every level was astounding.

I had a difficult time narrowing down the pictures to show (this seems to be a recurring issue for me), so there will be a part two coming later this week.

cast photos

2011-03-31T10:42:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite parts of being a cast photographer, besides documenting the stage show itself, is taking headshots of all the actors. I get a few minutes with each actor (in reality, it is more like a few seconds), and take a simple head-and-shoulders shot in black and white. Not every cast does this, but I absolutely love the idea! Not only does it give the cast member an image to stick in their program for memorabilia purposes if the studio chooses to release the photo, but they are also displayed where the audience can see them as they are first coming into the building. The parents or family members (in this case, they made up most of the audience as the average cast member was between five and fifteen) love seeing their child when they first come in the door, and the actors enjoy it as well =) It is also great for older casts that may not necessarily be students, as it provides a way for the audience to feel more connected to the actors before they have even seen the show.

And now, here are a few of my favorite headshots. I wish I could have shown all of them, but with there being thirty-eight, that would have made for a very long post.

week four .... ish

2011-03-27T19:31:00.001-04:00

Oh 365, 365, wherefore art thou, 365?

Yes, my 365 project seems to have died a sudden and agonizing death. That is the problem with work, personal projects tend to get shoved aside in favor of sleep, eating, and hopefully exercise. That being said, I love being busy, and so really did not mourn the loss of the free time. And yes, while I could have found the time to throw something together every day, my little project was no longer my focus and so therefore, I am afraid to say, I really didn't care. I was having too much fun taking pictures of what I really love.

I thought I was going to pick up the project again after those two weeks of craziness were over, however, I have decided after much thought to not do so. I learned a lot doing that project, such as it was. I only made it through 28 days, but still, I feel like I got a good experience out of the practice of taking a picture every day, as well as using a point and shoot camera versus a dslr. I also learned something else too, that anyone can point a camera at something and take a picture, but that I wanted to do more. This is a slight tie-back to my last post, where I talked about how I feel it is important to take pictures that show an expression of ourselves, or that communicate an idea. I was so focused on getting a picture every day, that I wasn't focusing on what I was taking pictures of. That is a habit I don't want to get into, and so I am going to set it aside for now. Maybe I'll try it again next year =)

So goodbye 365 project! Here are the final images from that last week (as usual, you can click on them to be taken to flickr, where there will occasionally be more information about the picture).

day 23

day 24

day 25

day 26

day 27

day 28

actually, i'm not quite dead!

2011-03-23T16:20:00.001-04:00

/shameless Monty Python reference

Oh my, has it really been two weeks since I blogged? It doesn't seem like it could have been near that long, yet, at the same time, it feels like it has been ages since I sat down and did this. Personal projects have fallen by the wayside (goodbye, 365!). There have so many things that I have worked on in the last couple weeks; they were very busy, which is my excuse for my absence. I absolutely cannot wait to show all the pictures and multiple projects, but I think I will save images for other posts. I could throw some things in here, however, I really just want to write for now. You see, not only was I able to be stretching my photographic wings (so to speak) for the last few weeks, I also embarked on a journey of much self-discovery. I normally do not write posts that include inner works of my mind (for good reason ;)). In this case though, I am afraid I will forget all I learned if I do not scribble it down. So I apologize in advance for any rambling this post might include (and I am sure it will include quite a lot of it).

For the past two weeks, I have been up to my ears in rehearsals and in taking pictures. That is always incredibly exciting, for my love of acting is really what brought me to photography. From the time I was little, I loved emotion in movies. Beauty and the Beast was my favorite film growing up, and watching it now I can see how it formed the very beginnings of what I value in art and storytelling. That love of expressing emotion is what led me to acting, and eventually, photography. In the past month, I started realizing there was a disconnect though, that the images I was creating weren't showing the things inside of me. I was taking "pretty pictures", but I wasn't taking images that meant something to me (my stage photography would be mostly exempted from this, I am speaking more about all my other photographic work). My 365 project is really what started to drive this home - I was taking pictures for the sake of taking them, which means they were meaningless crap that didn't contribute anything to the world or to myself.

This realization was stunning, and it has completely changed how I now look at my photography (and to be frankly honest, my writing too). The realization came not only through my 365 project, but through movies watched with friends, through music videos I had never watched before, and through seeing what my friends are creating. How they are expressing that deepest part of themselves and how other directors do it, so that when you see the final product you see the creator - there is no separation. It shouldn't just be a good image, it should mean something to you.

Now, I am not saying that because I have found all this out, that I am suddenly good at it. I think that is part of the journey. So much of what is in my head right now is still struggling to find ways to be expressed. This is new for me, this idea of an artistic vision, because I have never really considered that I have one before (more on that later). I suppose what I am saying is I am just discovering the importance of such a vision, and have barely scratched the surface of what mine is. This excites me, makes me eager to see what new things I will discover about my photography and, subsequently, about myself.

So what is the point of this post, you might be asking? I don't know, really. This is probably the most disjointed and pointless post I have ever put together, which is saying something. I suppose I just wanted to communicate the sudden need I see for this, as well as the sudden growth in myself. It felt like it needed expressing, and not just from me. I wish more people talked about the importance of this. There is so much information on the internet. If you are on Twitter or at all in the photographic world, there are constant links and resources being thrown at you, from everything on how to run your business to using social media to how to edit an image a certain way to get a certain affect. There is a constant bombardment, and I think it needs to be turned off. These last two weeks, I didn't have time to read anything. I looked only at the blogs most inspiring to me. And as a result, I found that I had time to grow and study myself, a process no amount of reading could have given me. I had to go work, had to be with like-minded people, and had to learn how to create when nothing had told me how. It is an experience I couldn't have anticipated, and one I wouldn't trade for the world.

And on that disjointed note, I will close this post. Thank you for your patience, and expect to see some images in a few days! =)

dance showcase 2011, part 2

2011-03-09T16:35:00.002-05:00

I have already posted some images of a dance performance I was able to photograph about a month ago. However, what I didn't include in that post of original images were the ones from the single ballet dance in the whole show. There is one major reason for this. While I love dance in general, I love ballet. I love how the dancers move, I love how everything is precise down to fingertips, and yet the dancers appear as if they are floating.

I know that ballet isn't always the preferred style of dance anymore, most performers like other styles better. Because of that, it might seem rather silly for me to dedicate an entire post to just ballet... but well... I kinda love it (just in case you couldn't tell). Maybe someday, I will be brave enough to try it myself, even at the risk of looking like a lumbering elephant and doing it a horrible injustice (I speak from experience, that is what I looked like when I took jazz). We shall see. For now, I shall live vicariously through photographing it =)

week three

2011-03-05T00:09:00.001-05:00

Here are the pictures from week three of my 365 project.

This project is going to be undergoing some growing pains in the next week or so. While my camera has started working again (YAY!!), in using it more often it has become the main camera I am familiar with, making me a little bit less familiar with my big camera. This normally wouldn't be a problem, but as work starts picking up again after what I am beginning to call the "January Lull", I am sometimes wasting precious seconds by hitting the wrong button on the back of my camera. Now, both my point and shoot and my big camera are Canon, but they are just enough different that I sometimes hit the wrong button. In most areas of photography, this might not make much difference, but in live event photography, a second wasted is often a moment missed. Therefore, I am going to be continuing my 365 project, but with my big camera more than my little one. My main goal now is to focus on something different each month, so for the rest of the 30 days, I will be taking pictures with my point and shoot, then I will move on to a different emphasis for another 30, and so on and so forth.

Anyway, enough rambling! There should be a rule that I am not allowed to write blog posts on days that I ramble ;)

As always, you can click on the pictures to be taken to my flickr, where you can see a more in depth description on some of the photos. Also, if you want to see my daily updates, you can follow along on my flickr stream.

day 16

day 17

day 18

day 19

day 20

day 21

day 22

dance showcase 2011

2011-03-02T14:56:00.001-05:00

Almost a month ago, I was asked to come take pictures of a dance performance at a local theatre. While I enjoy shooting just about everything, there is something about stage work that is incredibly magical to me, and I was beyond excited for the opportunity!

I took almost three years of dance, and I fully appreciate the level of dedication, physical strength, and will that it takes for these girls to reach the level of talent that they are at. I was in awe of them the entire day, and felt that awe again every time I looked through the images. It was so hard to narrow down ten or so images to stick into a blog post. As it is, I will probably have another post in the near future, dedicated solely to the ballet that was in the show =)

week two of the 365 project

2011-02-26T00:01:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness, I can't believe a whole week has gone by without a post! To be honest though, I think the break has been good. My mind is overflowing with ideas and projects, and while I sort through photos that shall soon be released on here (early next week!), I am constantly coming up with new ideas for shoots, which should be fun =)

Anyway, here are the results of my second week of taking a photo every day with a point and shoot camera. For more information on what I am doing, you can look at the original post, and week one. Also, you can follow along on flickr.

day 9

day 10

day 11

day 12

day 13

These last two pictures need a bit of an introduction. My camera seems to want to die on me, hence things that are blurry and out of focus. More details are posted over on flickr, so if you want to see those, just click on the picture and it will take you over there =)

day 14

day 15

If you want a bit of a look into what inspired some of the shots, you can always click on the image to be taken to flickr, where most images have a bit of a description =)

a look back at week one

2011-02-19T12:04:00.002-05:00

A week ago, I started a 365 project. Instead of posting a random picture on the blog every day, I decided to post them up on my flickr instead, and then share them at the end of the week. I still have a long way to go to get to 365 (it didn't seem near so long before I started =P), but I am enjoying the challenge so far =)

(just a note, you can click on a picture to see it on flickr... some pictures have a description that further says what went on during that day, or explains a bit more about the picture)

day 2

day 3

day 4

day 5

day 6

day 7

day 8

the relaunch!

2011-02-17T12:31:00.006-05:00

Well, after a long time (I can't even remember when I took my old website down), my new one is finally completed! Most of the wait was due to more pressing projects constantly appearing, and then when you pair that with the busyness around with the holidays... well, it has been a while. In any event, it is finally done, and you can go to http://laura-eliza.com, or click the image below to be taken to the website =)

As with my last website design, I used a software called Deco Imaging. I love their flash site program! You can either download a premade template, or you can make a website completely from scratch (which is what I did). They are the best drag-and-drop flash program I have found, and I like to think of it as a level between Wix and Showit, without the monthly user fee. That was what really sold me on the software, because not only can you create your own website that is completely different from anyone else's, but it is also is a one time licensing fee.

Please let me know what you think of the design! And I would be ever so grateful for any bug reporting ;)

365 project, or something of that sort

2011-02-11T20:55:00.003-05:00

In January, I almost started a 365 project. Almost. Then I got scared and busy and felt like I didn't have subject matter and the rest is history. So, I am starting my 365 project a bit late. Rather than it being focused just on random pictures though, I decided to make it into as much of a learning experience as possible. My goal is to take one picture a day with my Canon Powershot A560. Since I have been shooting with a dslr for the past two years and manipulating settings has become so intuitive, I love the challenge of trying to get a good photo out of my point and shoot. My hope is that it will make me even more conscious of lighting and composition, and at the end of the year, I will not only have something that offers a glimpse into moments from the past year, but also a better understanding of the basics of photography. I won't be cropping, blurring, or otherwise manipulating the photos beyond adding some color just for fun =)

To see future pictures (as I probably won't be posting all of them over here), you can follow along on my flickr.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

just a little glimpse...

2011-02-08T11:40:00.002-05:00

...of things to come.

twenty years ago today

2011-02-01T11:05:00.003-05:00

Twenty years ago today, my world was turned upside down and I didn't know it yet. My best friend and confidant was born with a head-full of hair, and my world was never going to be the same. I was excited, at first. Then I realized he was a permanent fixture in my life and well...

Twenty years ago today, I got someone on whom to practice tackling and maiming techniques. Honestly, we still marvel at the fact that he lived through his first few years. I say I was only playing, he says I was trying to kill him.

Twenty years ago today, my partner-in-crime entered the world. He was my partner in dress up, in making forts out of boxes, in singing and dancing, and in all forms of make-believe.

Twenty years ago today, I didn't know the fun I was going to have running around playing Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Eventually, Pocahontas and Star Wars would also become the sets of our adventures, then later, superheros and Toy Story. No matter what the tale though, we were always the good guys and we always won.

Twenty years ago today, I didn't know the hours I would spend with him riding our bikes, banging into the garage door on our rollerblades, getting scraped up and sunburned in the backyard, hunting for frogs in the drainage ditch, and of course, hitting and pushing each other.

Twenty years ago today, the future seemed like it would never come, that we would never be adults. In fact, ten years ago, the future still seemed that way. And now that it is here and is so much more imminent than either of us would like, I can say that those first ten years of my life were the most precious.

Not much has changed though. I still run to him every time I have something that I want to tell someone. He is still my closest friend. Probably because he has seen me at my very worst and most horrific. When I am teetering on what seems to be the edge of insanity, he is the one that stares at me and laughs. Thanks for that ;)

Twenty years ago today, I didn't know the great brother I was getting. I didn't know how he would always make us laugh with his well-timed and carefree humor, and the fact that he never seems to take life too seriously.

Twenty years ago today, you were born, and I have never been so glad of that fact as I am now. You are a great little brother (remember, you are always littler than me, no matter how tall you get ;)), and while we sometimes tried to kill each other, I am so glad I never succeeded. I remember the 1990's as being a great time, but to be honest, those years wouldn't have been near so great if I hadn't had you.

Happy birthday, Thomas!

an incredible story, continued

2011-01-31T12:19:00.002-05:00

I posted the first video about Vivian Maier three weeks ago today. The story has continued to be something I am intrigued by, and so occasionally I will google her name, just to see if anything comes up. Today something did, another video done by CBS which gives an even greater perspective of who she was. Since I continue to find the story fascinating and can't wait to see what happens next, I thought I might share this video as well.

mistakes

2011-01-28T11:17:00.000-05:00

mistakes are important
because if you are not making them,
you are not trying

-unknown

timber! watch out for flying glass!

2011-01-25T19:43:00.001-05:00

You are entering a hard hat area!

Just kidding ;) As a warning though, I am starting a major re-haul of my website, eventually the blog, and other various things such as that =) So, my blogging will probably be slowing down a bit, though I don't imagine twitter postings will slow much. If you want to keep tabs on me, my twitter feed or my facebook page ought to be updated every so often, though twitter will probably be updated the most out of the two =P

And because posts should not be without pictures -

Btw, if you didn't get the reference from the title of the post (my family should have gotten it, I don't know if anyone else would), it is from one of the songs on my current playlist - Orange Colored Sky by Natalie Cole

a southern snow day

2011-01-21T10:39:00.002-05:00

I blogged a little bit about the amount of snow we had last week here, but I didn't show what a day of playing in the snow looks like in the south =P

We didn't have a sled, so in lieu of that, we used a cement mixing tub. It was great, except for when the plastic cracked because of the cold (hence the duck tape). We also soon discovered that you went faster sliding down the snow on your bottom than you did in the "sled". To add insult to injury, we couldn't steer it very well, so when one of us would head for the bushes, someone else had to catch the tub to stop it...

By the second day out sledding in it, our mixing tub broke. So, what did we do? We took an idea from the movie It's a Wonderful Life and started sledding down the hill on shovels. That would be me, see the snow flying around my feet? Yeah, I was going fast ^^ (and I am sure my dear Canadian friend is now laughing at how silly we were ;))

Finally, meet Walter, our petrified snowman. We decided to do something a bit different and not make a happy snowman, instead making one that is scared of the sun. Because really, what snowman in his right mind wouldn't be?

pause

2011-01-18T23:25:00.001-05:00

I am too quiet lately. So much has been going on, not so much physically, but mentally. My brain is rushing along at such a rate that I can't write, I can't focus. I am shifting, changing, fiddling. Not getting much done on one project (odd for me, I tend to be unable to stop working on a project until it is finished), but just a lot of little things. I am going to work on that tomorrow. Sitting down and focusing. Hopefully blogging, hopefully getting business stuff done. But if not, maybe in the very least getting my old bird toys cleaned up so I can ship them off to my friend who has more use for them now than me. I am sadly petless and feeling lonely for little things that need tending. And no, my bamboo doesn't count.

Until then, I am feeling drawn to this experimental picture I took on Sunday. It was the first time in a week that I really focused and did something. For half an hour, I just took pictures using my new tripod (thanks, Papa!), and it was wonderful.

faraway nightscape

2011-01-15T17:23:00.001-05:00

Another image taken late at night while out exploring the snow. It was taken with completely ambient light and a camera that does surprisingly well in low light. It was actually taken with my point and shoot rather than my pro camera. I had odd fears of my big camera freezing or of my falling on the ice and landing on it, so I didn't take it out. I evidently am way too protective of my gear, or so people keep telling me ;)

midnight explorations

2011-01-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

Not only is snow a rare occurrence this far south, but this much snow is even more so. On Sunday night, five to six inches fell and for two days, has shown no signs of melting. By Monday, the road in front of our house had turned into a half inch solid sheet of ice, and the snow itself had a nice crust of ice on top of it. Undeterred, I bundled up and pulled my brother out into it at around 10:30 at night for a late walk. All the below pictures were taken using only ambient streetlight.

an incredible story

2011-01-10T10:19:00.003-05:00

Being at my grandparents' all last week, I missed the initial craze that surrounded this amazing photographer. I know this video has been posted all over the internet by this point, but I found it so inspiring that I had to share it here as well, in case someone hadn't seen it yet.

I could talk for paragraphs here about how exactly the video inspires me, and I have so much to say about that. I feel like it catches the idea that has been spinning around in my head, that nothing is more important than capturing moments, because someday, that will be all that is left. I could keep going, but really don't want to. I think the video speaks for itself without me fumbling around trying to express something.

apple photoshoot

2011-01-04T10:26:00.002-05:00

I am currently visiting my grandparents for the week, which means I really don't want to spend my time on the computer trying to put together blog posts and etc =) So, what you will be getting today are some older pictures I took of my brother in October. They were taken for a contest originally, but I ended up not entering at the last minute. They are something I was planning on sharing anyway, but never got to as other posts took precedence. So, now the pictures will be serving as filler until I get some more recent content pulled together.

The shoot involved me dragging along both brothers and two different apples. Getting an eleven year old boy to cooperate and give me what I needed was surprisingly challenging, but was also surprisingly fun. Thomas served as an amazing assistant, holding the extra apple and getting the subject to laugh.

Contrary to how it looks, we didn't throw the apple at his head here... it was falling off =P

a look back at 2010

2011-01-01T01:28:00.003-05:00

Well, it seems most other people are doing one of these. I didn't think I was going to, then it occurred to me that so much happened and I have been so blessed this past year, that I couldn't not do one. So, I am being a conformist. I figure it won't kill me this once ;)

When I think back on 2010, I really don't remember much. In my mind, I see myself mostly chasing around little kids at work and loving every minute of it. I really don't think I did much besides that. But then, as if the rest of my life can't let itself be defined by merely that, little things start to slip through the cracks. Memories, things that make me smile when I remember that I actually did them.

- In March, I took pictures for my fourth stage show, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and suddenly, everything clicked for me. Photography clicked. I discovered something that I knew I could spend the rest of my life doing. Before then, photography was a hobby. After that show, I was desperately in love, and I still haven't come up for air.

- In April, I went to Six Flags with the greatest friends ever. First time ever being the oldest adult in the group, too =)

- In the spring I finished my first novel and edited it.

- In May I shot another stage production. Fell further in love.

- June was a crazy month. I shot my first wedding as an assistant to my brother. I packed for an amazing trip while watching the Zack Arias workshop on creativelive. Now when I think of Zack Arias, I think of packing =P I boarded a plane by myself, flew five hours across the United States, and landed in Vancouver, Canada. There I met my pen-pal of the last three years for the very first time and spent two weeks with her. It was the most scary, terrifying thing I have ever done. And yet, it was absolutely the best thing I ever did. Can't wait to do it again! Then, I flew back across Canada and landed in New York. My family drove up from Georgia and picked me up there, then we toured the state and visited family I hadn't seen since I was nine.

- Saw Toy Story 3!!!!

- Decided that as much as I loved my job, I really didn't want to be a daycare worker for the rest of my life, and began working on getting a business started.

- Turned 21. Um, wow. Can I be 17 again? I liked being 17 ^^

- In October, I had jury duty for the first time. Why anyone would want a 21 year old on their jury, I have no idea O_O

- In November, I had my first family photoshoot and my first portrait/headshot session

- Also in November, I won NaNoWriMo for the second year in a row.

- In December, I quit my job

There are also things that are a little less earthshattering: I started my blog, I started another book, I discovered this amazing TV show called Grey's Anatomy that I now don't know how I lived without, I got an awesome pack of sharpies, I was able to spend weeks at a time with my grandparents, I discovered the amazingness that is Twitter, I took the time to really get to know my dad and I love him more now than I ever did before (we live in the same house, but I never took the time to really get to know him), I managed to get slightly more proficient at cooking without blowing up the kitchen (my saintly mother is to be praised for all her patience in the face of my mistakes), I grew to love and appreciate my brothers on an even deeper level, I was able to spend treasured evenings at my friend's house just hanging with his family, and I skyped until all hours of the morning with my pen-pal now turned very dear real-life friend. This year held so much, so much that I take for granted every day and don't really think about. Little blessings that I never thought I would have. I tend to get caught up in the mundane, the little things that can depress me and get me down instead of looking for the good things - which, inevitably, are so much more important and lasting than anything that is bad in my life. Next year, I want to do that differently. Mostly, I want to remember that the most important things are not those that you can take with you. Life is about what you give, not what you get.

On that note, I can think of no better way to close this post than posting a clip from my absolute favorite movie of all time. Yes, I may claim to have other favorites, but it always comes back to this =)

Happy New Year!

emotion

2010-12-28T23:25:00.002-05:00

What makes a picture meaningful? Is it the composition, the way that it is lit, or something else? I know for me personally, I am drawn to images that I feel like I can fall into, that evoke something inside of me that is beyond words. It is a hunger in my heart, and aching that doesn't make sense and that can't be defined. But, somehow, that image made me feel something.

Something I have been trying to learn lately as I delve further and further into the study of photography is putting emotion into the images I create. Much like how a filmmaker will use certain camera angles to create a feeling, I can do the same. How do I use light, depth of field, or perspective in order to leave my viewer feeling something? This is not something I have mastered by any means, but yesterday I had an impromptu shoot that allowed me to explore the concept more fully than I had before. I was experimenting with the monochrome setting on my camera (I hadn't shot in-camera black and white prior to then), and suddenly I noticed the images I was capturing were conveying an emotion that has been plaguing me for a while. I then became more purposeful and focused on learning instead of just playing, and strove to make what I was feeling alive in my pictures. I don't know if I succeeded, but it was a good learning experience.

Below are a few of the images I captured, ones I feel communicate my feeling the most clearly. I am not going to say what the feeling is, I think it would be more fun to test how well I managed to do this. So, I am asking my readers to post a comment and say what emotion they think I was trying to communicate. There are no wrong answers, after all, this is art (loosely applied term, I don't consider what I do an art, per say; but that is a post for another time), and therefore an experiment. While I was creating these images with a certain feeling, they might communicate something completely different to someone else. So please, post and tell me what you think it was, I can't wait to read your ideas!

dreaming of a white christmas

2010-12-25T00:37:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

'Tis the season, and all that =) I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas tomorrow, no matter what version of the holiday you are celebrating. Here, we are expecting snow for the second time this month - something quite unusual for Georgia. We are usually lucky to have one snow a winter. I can't ever remember having snow on Christmas, so here is hoping that we have one this year! *crosses fingers*

Have a lovely day with your families and your friends! =) Merry Christmas!

dear blog,

2010-12-19T10:05:00.004-05:00

The holidays seem to have eaten me alive. I am busy visiting relatives, buying and wrapping presents, decorating fiendishly, and baking Christmas cookies. I fear I am having too much fun to spend time on the internet, which explains the horrible lack of posts. I expect to have one up this week, but, dear blog, don't expect too much attention the next week or so. I have not forgotten you, I merely am conveniently ignoring you for a time.

~Laura

rachel's headshot and portrait session | atlanta & north georgia photographer

2010-12-10T11:29:00.001-05:00

There aren't words to describe how much fun I had shooting Rachel. I have known this wonderful girl for almost a year, and she never ceases to make me smile. The day that we headed out to take pictures was no exception. I loved shooting her, and can't wait to do so again the next time she is brave enough to hold still for more of my experimenting and attempts at getting us arrested. "Do not trespass? Surely they don't mean here..." (I'm just kidding... sorta...).

Our goal for the day was to get some workable headshots that she could use for auditions and to just have some fun as well =)

Poor thing, I think I almost killed her with the posing on the caboose. "No, I mean, half off, half on. With one foot. Kinda jumping. Uh... like you are holding onto the pole and leaning off? Yikes, nevermind! That was a bit too dangerous! I don't know how to describe it... um... streetcars! Streetcars in San Fransisco! Ah, there we go!"

...evidently I need to work on my articulation =P

the importance of dedication to documentation

2010-12-09T10:07:00.006-05:00

Usually, I plug links that I find inspirational over on my Twitter. That is the best place to find out what I am thinking moment to moment. Or hour to hour; I am not a chronic updater.... yet ;)

Today though, I feel compelled to put these two links on the blog. Why I find them meaningful is not something I can actually articulate. I just know that they are resonating with something inside of me that is beyond words. The first is an article from Lens, on the recovery of war photographer Joao Silva, who gave up both his legs for the sake of the story in October. I have been fascinated by stories of this man's courage and dedication ever since Lens first announced his grievous injury.

The second link is on Joe McNally's blog, concerning the shooting of John Lennon. I will be the first to say I am not a Beatles fanatic... though Yellow Submarine and Here Comes the Sun are always enjoyed. Nevertheless, there is something in that article which I find deeply moving.

I can't articulate what these stories are making me think and feel. Maybe it has something to do with where I am in my life right now, maybe it has something to do with where I want to be. Maybe I am finally grasping the sense that what we do, as photographers, is possibly the most important job ever. That might seem a bit strong, but two hundred years from now, a lot of things aren't going to matter. Yet, perhaps someone will pull out a dusty old box of photos, and see what history was. Our documentation of our world is priceless, and once a moment or opportunity is gone, you never have a second chance at that shot.

My grandpa taking a picture of my grandma, circa 1945

news and another video

2010-12-07T21:11:00.001-05:00

This is a holder post of sorts, a mini-update, an attempt at being punctual and failing... I am expecting to have a new post up with photos from my latest session in the next few days. For right now though, I wanted to quickly share some news.

I quit my job at the daycare this weekend, taking a wild jump into photography *gulps*. It was a decision that was a while in coming and wasn't anything spur of the moment, but nevertheless, it has thrown off my normally productive rhythm just a bit (hence the delay in getting pictures up).

Anyway, until the post with pictures is finished, here is another video made by my brother. Once again, I was an actor in it, but this time one of my friends was able to do it with me! It was so fun to be able to act with him again, and I am counting down the minutes till the next time. I didn't take any pictures of this set or the acting, mostly because I was in the whole thing and it would have been an inconvenience.

As usual, you can click here to view more behind-the-scenes info... and I think this time he actually has a video showing how parts of the final product were made. Or, for those who don't want all that, the video itself is posted below. Be sure to view in high definition, with the screen enlarged =)

I hope everyone is having a nice week! (and that everyone is warmer than I am right now. It is cold here!)

film noir | north georgia & atlanta production stills photographer

2010-12-02T16:27:00.005-05:00

Another film project.

Thomas posted the video and information here. Or, the video is viewable below (I have a fairly big role in this one ^^). Thomas rigged together a very impressive set, and the light was lovely. I am quickly becoming a fan of controlled light, I never saw that coming! =P

(for best quality, view in HD)

thanksgiving

2010-11-29T13:52:00.000-05:00

This last Thursday was Thanksgiving here in the US. To celebrate, my family and I packed into the car and went to the mountains to spend the day with my grandparents. The day was delightful, full of good food, delightful family, and lots of laughter. Everything was perfect, even down to the cloudy winter sky that covered the sun and my Christmas socks that I was finally able to wear without the risk of seeming premature.

I of course took family shots, and enjoyed them very much. But I also decided to try something different. I was inspired by Alex Beadon's recent post about telling a story through the details, and so decided to try something similar. I have always wanted to do something similar anyway, but her post and the Thanksgiving gathering provided me with the perfect opportunity to actually try it.

snail

2010-11-26T15:56:00.004-05:00

To all my followers who are in the US, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food, fun memories, and lots of family and friends. To everyone else, I hope you have a great weekend also filled with all the above, even if not for the same reason =)

pepsi commercial contest video

2010-11-23T12:31:00.002-05:00

A little over a week ago, I posted about Thomas' newest project, a pepsi commercial contest, and the pictures I took for it. The video is now up for viewing, and you can either watch it here (there is an intro that plays first), or, you can head over to Thomas' blog to find the link, as well as read more information about the contest that I didn't know =)

And because I feel like there are too many links in this post...

fall in appalachia

2010-11-21T21:55:00.001-05:00