I try to stay away from the over-done window light photos, but I can’t help it. Window light is too perfect to ignore. I could talk more about this photo, but I think the image says more than I ever could. Definitely my favorite photo-of-the-day so far!
Double-sighted. Some people see the light of the window. Some only see the shadow. Both are beautiful.
When you only see a fraction of something, just the smallest detail, then your imagination can run wild. When you only see a little bit, a sample, your perception is short sighted. You see what you want to see, make up stories, create what you want.
This photo was an edge of a wooden stair case. But it could be anything. I can make it anything: from a railway line to a tunnel to a road to a man’s extremely long and badly-need-of-lotion-ed arm. And that’s the magic of photography. Changing perceptions.
So don’t keep yourself short sighted. See everything in as many different perspectives as you can. We only see what we want. Isn’t that amazing? We can see the whole world as we want, and that’s what it’ll be. It’s not delusional, it’s just a shift in perception. Keeping your options and your vision broad, always.
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My thoughts are an unspun spider’s web; my dreams are a tangled web constantly being spun anew.
Today’s photos were a surprise: I’ve taken photos of spider webs before, but this one was being spun right before my eyes. The spider itself didn’t notice it was having a photo shoot because it was at work making its web all morning. I used a really shallow focus (about f2 stop) and was able to capture the amazing bokeh happening in the background. These photos became less about the spider web and more about the dreamy atmosphere being created…being spun.
The best part of wedding photography is photographing the wedding rings. Ok, not really, but it’s the only part I’m good at. It’s finally the time I can get those darned-good macro shots. Because the rest of wedding photography is actually much, much harder than it seems. This is the second time i’ve ever done it (see my earlier blog post about my first experience here: https://gingerberries.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/wedding-photography-wisdom/).
And once again, it was humbling. It makes me realize the vast difference between an (albeit talented) amateur and a real professional. Weddings are unpredictable. Right when the vows are being said, the rings exchanged, the bride coming down the isle…any of these important moments can be lost in a second if you aren’t paying attention. If you aren’t in the right place at the right time. If you aren’t facing the right angle or using the right lighting.
This was an informal, small and intimate wedding, so the pressure wasn’t super high. But still, if i’m taking part in my friend’s ceremony as a photographer, I still have high expectations for myself. And when I can’t meet those expectations, it’s easy to be discouraged. But really, more than that it’s a learning experience. It’s the reality of what it means when you say you’re a professional and how much people depend on you to have good shots.
In the end, it’s not about me and my photos. It’s about supporting the bride, groom, and their families. And it’s a very humbling position to be in. Your ‘artistic ego’ has no say in things. It’s just about you and the services you provide.
I don’t think my photos turned out necessarily bad (though on here i’m just showing the ring photos, not any portraits or ceremony shots), it was just a reality check that even though I may be hired as a photographer, I still consider myself an aspiring photographer…someone still just learning.
And really, even when I’m a professional one day, I always want to ‘still be learning’.
Smallest of rings are represent the largest monumentality of things
No matter how old you turn, birthdays are always going to be correlated with sweets. What’s a celebration without a cake? I won’t go on for too long with this post; but it’s a cute photo I took of a little breakfast birthday celebration.
Celebrate cake. Yes.
Posted twice today (since I missed yesterday). After fumbling around for a while trying to take a boring ol’ self portrait I discovered something magical in reflections! I’ve used this technique a couple times before, but this is the first time I’ve actually been able to (partly) capture my own face in it. The magic ingredients is a piece of glass (used my lens filter), the right lighting (sunlight from my window) and the right angle (pointed towards me and angled towards the light).
It’s definitely a really interesting technique, that if I either I had another person help me hold the lens or if I had 10 feet long arms I could have more flexibility with, but for now I’m happy with how it turned out. I used NO photo manipulation or double exposure for this. This is pretty much how I took it; straight from the camera (with minimal color changes done to it).
So. Phew. day 6 done. This has got to be some kind of record. (except forget that I’ve gotten to past day 120 with my other project…)
Whatever you look at will always be looking back at you
This was taken yesterday in the graffiti tunnel on my campus…definitely always a place for inspiration (though it can be scary at night). It’s not any particular work of art, just a quick snapshot so I can say I had a photo for that day. It came out a bit unexpected actually, I didn’t even noticed the big graffiti-A on the light until I saw the photo afterwards. Then again, seeing what a bit Pretty Little Liar fan I am, i’m sure the decision to include the “A” was at least a subconscious decision (If you’re interested in teenage murder mysteries I’d definitely recommend this show to you) ;).
graffiti inspiration
Complexity and simplicity go well together. A blank blue background, a single stick, and a complex web of a thousand little threads. Complementary things are good nearly anytime…like in life. There’s small breaks of calm, stillness. Then spaces of complete chaos. You can’t live with one and not the other :)
Once you open your eyes, you can see little life lessons everywhere
The thing about this project is that nothing is ever planned. My hands were already dirty from working on charcoal drawings this morning and I just ran outside while the morning sunshine was still out to get some shots for today. And of course, some wonderful surprises came :) Played around with water and reflections on the car. Also hands can be the most expressive model anyone could possibly ask for.
Hands symbolically holding out for another; waiting to be full or looking to be empty.
You can see anyone thing in almost innumerable ways. What if I only photographed leaves for 20 days (sometimes I feel like that’s an accurate worry) -wouldn’t that be terribly unoriginal and boring? No. Just change the way you see it.
Why do you have to see a leaf just one way? Look behind it. Above it. Around it. Get far away. Get closer. If there are so many ways to look at a leaf, there must be so many ways to look at a person too. Or anything else for that matter.
Go so close that you don’t know what it is anymore.
365GB 