Archive for the ‘projects’ Category

it’s been a while since i posted here. been unsure lately if i am happy with this space. in the end of november, i got the idea that i was going to redo this area. my thoughts were to move these kinds of “posts” and projects to flickr and make this space more of a collection of portraits. this came about because i took engagement photos and family photos while i was visiting family over thanksgiving holiday. i will also be taking some wedding photos, hopefully do a maternity session and maybe even a senior session soon. i want to have a place to build a “portfolio” that is still low key and manageable for me at the point i am in. not sure when that change will come about. i think it will happen. hopefully in the spring or so. it’s a bit overwhelming, and so that would be the exact reason i haven’t been around.

i thought i’d drop by and say hi though and share the project that i started with the new year. i am doing the 365 project - photo a day, with a twist. i’m only taking photos with my iphone camera!! i’m using  the shakeitphoto app and getting these “vintage”-y photos, which i love! here are four… for more, click on over to my photo a day blog here or my flickr account. and leave any sweet thoughts you have!! i need all the cheerleaders i can get :)

this summer, i somehow found an inspiring opportunity to join miss b’s “school” and complete a few of the weekly photo assignments. i started late and missed “turning in” a few of the assignments, but i did get my final project in on time :) i wanted to share it with you. i chose the portfolio - for me, i interpreted it as a collection of photos that tied together. i don’t know if i created a successful portfolio collection (the word “portfolio” scares me)… but i do love the collection i came up with. i took these a little while back and did share one of the photos already…

here are the rest of them… enjoy!

out-of-focus #11

i like the way this photo makes me almost think it was taken with a more vintage camera. it is almost out-of-focus enough to make me believe it… i think this is one of my favorite photos right now.

out-of-focus #10

out-of-focus #7

in honor of love thursday and my out-of-focus project, i’m sharing this beautiful heart-shaped green leaf. i also wanted to share a few things i love today:

• all the wonderful comments that are being left on my new photography blog. it’s so encouraging, especially since my own fears were holding me back…
• this beautiful photo taken by rebecca. i’ve only recently found her photography, and i love, love, love her work.
• hearts in the sky in the photo love is everywhere.
• my new art supplies and the discover of peaceful creating. (and i’m using some of my photos for inspiration… the flower one has been seen on this blog recently…)

out-of-focus #6

i love the sidewalks in my neighborhood. every 20 feet or so, a tree is growing and around that tree, a passerby may have the pleasure of seeing a small but beautiful bit of nature growing. this is a sidewalk garden with purple beauties. on the bottom of the photo you can see the blurred wrought iron fence that protects it.

this is my first photo project that i’ve started inspired by a photo i took. i am only on photo 6, but i am already loving where this has gone and looking forward to where this will go next. and since the project was started, i’ve seen other wonderful out-of-focus photos. georgia and i were on the same thought path because when i posted my project and she was sharing blur she’d captured. i love moments when people connect thoughts by magic across the universe. and then elk posted her out-of-focus inspiration through her post embrace the blur. and the always inspiring mrs. e shared a blurry photo that she couldn’t bring herself to delete, describing these out-of-focus treasures to be much like memories… and shared her beautiful words, blur happens! sometimes i’m grateful for that.

the poet :: april 15, 2009

i have this fear of being caught. i fear someone seeing me taking a photo and wondering what i am doing. i fear someone seeing me taking their photo and not being very happy about it. living in new york city, i see so many people that i want to capture and keep in photos, permanent memories of those who wonder through my life. usually, if i capture them, it’s sneaky, and often, it’s from behind their backs (and not the ideal photo).

a while back, i linked to the 100 strangers project through a blog post. it sounded interesting, scary, challenging. i knew it had to be something i attempted, especially with all these cool people around me everywhere i go… all these interesting people that make life in new york so much more interesting than it is in places i have lived in the past.

i’ve thought and thought about this challenge. i’ve encouraged myself, attempting to give myself the confidence i need to ask a stranger if i can take their photo. i’ve even told friends about this project and the fears i have in starting the challenge and heard words of encouragement from them. then one day, i saw a guy in a park. i could have taken his picture from across the way, secretly captured it without him noticing. i got ready to. then i stopped, i walked up to him. and i simply asked him if he’d let me take his photo. and he simply said yes.

i was so excited about getting his photo, my heart pounding as i captured him with his typewriter. i asked him about his free poems, found out that he types the poem you tell to him. i forgot to ask his name, which is a part of the challenge. so i call him the poet.

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slack line walker the first :: april 25, 2009

i saw him setting up in the park, a busy weekend in spring. it was probably the first really nice day of the year, and the park was packed. i asked for a photo, but i did not get his name. he was supposed to walk the slack line, but ended up taking it down and going off in search of another place to practice (the distance was too far for the trees or something).

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slack line walker the second :: may 10, 2009

i spotted him in the trees on a sunny park afternoon when we were playing with our nephew. he explained my misconception of this being a tight rope. it’s actually a slack line and many climbers will set it up between trees to balance and walk. not only did he agree to let me snap some photos of him as he walked, but this climber/slack line walker even let us do a little walking ourselves. i was really good, but also had two people holding my hands as i balanced and walked! ;)

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rocky and his person :: may 17, 2009

meet rocky and his person. i found them sitting on the sidewalk in my neighborhood, just hanging out. we passed by once, and on our way back by, i stopped, admired, asked for a photo of him and his bird. rocky is 11 years old. i don’t know his person’s age. i don’t know his person’s name either. asking for names is a little scary for me… i know it’s a part of the project, but i’m easing into it. getting my feet wet, going with the flow… but as you noticed with the stranger photo i posted yesterday, i did finally ask for a name!

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the host :: july 11, 2009

i met him the night of my birthday get-together at the mediterranean place in my neighborhood. i asked for a photo, he was more than happy to participate (probably because i had given him a piece of my yummy cake <–you should click over and check out this cake!). i did ask for his name, but i cannot remember it (we’ll blame it on the wine). i’ll get it next time i eat at the mediterranean restaurant.

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nicholas and his person :: july 17, 2009

excuse me, did you know you have a cat on your head? this one might be a stretch for a stranger photo… the first shot was taken without permission. i mean, who doesn’t immediately pull out their cameras for a photo of a man with a cat perched in his head? the second, i technically paid for… well i guess paid for the first photo and then i asked for the second photo. but he is a stranger, and i did ask for the photo.  so meet nicholas, who was taught at a very young age to sit on his person’s head.

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i have captured seven strangers. the project goes to 100. if i make it there, i probably won’t stop. by then, i won’t be so scared to ask for a photograph. by then i hope i can just ask random people instead of going for the people who stand out, who almost seem to set themselves up for a photo.

my goals, as i continue the project, are:

1. photograph women… how is it that they are all of men? my theory is that i understand how many women don’t like photos of themselves, but guys, on the other hand, don’t usually care as much. it’s easier and less scary for me not to have to worry about. but of course, i must put this aside and find some confident women to add to my collection.
2. ask for the name. ask about their lives or what they are doing. find out more than what meets the eye, more than i can capture in a simple photo.
3. get at least one stranger photo a week.

i decided to take a walk today

in the park

taking photos along the way

of nothing special

except for one

an old man

who stopped me

and my camera

asked to be in the newspaper.

sweet old man

i’m not a newspaper photographer,

i’m just a girl

with a camera

looking for moments to capture

so i’ll never forget

so i can show others

what i see.

sweet old man,

i see you.

—-

this photo is holding multiple purposes. it is the first photo i am sharing for the 100 strangers project (it’s not the first i’ve taken. i have about five others that i need to share soon, very soon.) so meet jamal. i met him just a block from my home. you can also see the collection of photos for the 100 strangers project on flickr.

the photo’s next purpose is for the assignment i am participating in for souvenir foto (found originally on this inspiring blog). i’m coming in on the tenth assignment of reflection. the reflection in the dear man’s glasses fits the assignment perfectly. the reflection will forever remind me of the streets in my neighborhoods with brownstones lined up side by side standing tall together.

out-of-focus photo #2