A few observation on a long weekend off.
Another empty building in Hapeville, GA
Color splash at Zocalo's.
Chapman Drugs & Soda Fountain
Photogenic
I used to think Mackensey was my biggest photographic challenge until I went through the photos I used for my 100 days till vacation countdown earlier this year. I have so many images of “Kensey” just being herself that simply sum her up better than any posed portrait could ever even try to accomplish.
This is one of my favorites from this year’s trip to LBI, she’s dancing her way down to the water, happy as could be, and in that unaffected way only a child inhabits.
Dancin' to the sounds of the waves
The Scream
Had a fun Sunday morning at the Atlanta Botanical Garden taking pictures of my friend Holly’s beautiful little girls. The sweltering heat was no match against the energy of Madeleine, though signs of it were evident in her rosier-than-usual cheeks and her shoulder-length hair shortened by the sweat.
At the end of our visit Madeleine happily plunged into the fountain in the children’s garden — and I was not-so-secretly wishing I could do the same. While watching her I took note of some of the other kids splashing around, having fun, laughing — and one, screaming:
Girl screams in delight at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Honestly, I couldn’t believe I caught this moment. I heard the start of the shrill and somehow, with my camera still in my lap, focused and shot. I was hoping I got something. This was definitely better that something.
Skinny Jeans
I overheard a guy talking on the train yesterday that tested my skills in keeping a straight face. To be honest, it’s hard not to hear what people are talking about when they’re sitting less two feet away from you. So the talker in this story was a guy dressed in all his baggy glory, hat turned to the side, (seemingly) not an ounce of originality in him — except for his opinion on a few things.
You see, there were two guys on that car standing right in front of us wearing skinny jeans. One wore a white pair. After both had departed, talker started saying to the girl next to him, and not very quietly, that if you want to scream “I’m gay!” then wear those skinny girl jeans. “Guys should not be wearing girl jeans,” he went on and on about it then took a strange turn to tattoos and his “dumb-ass brothers.” His take on tattoos anywhere on the body besides the biceps: “how do they think they’re gonna be taken seriously? How they gonna get a job? Those dumb-ass (you insert the next word) with their tear-drop tats think it looks cool now, but wait till they can’t get a job!”
He finished up, laughing and saying “but at least they ain’t wearing those skinny-ass girl jeans!”
Pots on the Fire
Once again, it’s been a long while. With so many projects going on at once, I’ve lapsed in my determination to keep this going. So this time there will be no promises, no excuses.
What I have been up to is part personal and part professional. One project I will share with you is my “iPhoneography” series, more precisely, my shots on public transportation. As I mentioned before it started out as inspiration. It was a way for me to have a (nearly) daily way to be creative. The characters on the trains, the light that streams through the windows and the colors that splash around the long train cars are what keep my iPhone in hand during my 35-40 minute commute to and from work.
Both of these photos are shot with the Hipstamatic application.
Lens: John S; Film: Kodot Verichrome
Lens: John S; Film: Float
Love in Focus
Nate, the monkey man.
So strange that my favorite photo of a newborn would be of him out of focus with his parents (mostly) in focus.
Seeing the Light
I mean this figuratively and literally. I’ll explain:
I recently attended a PPA (Professional Photographers of America) seminar here in Atlanta. It wasn’t about how to take great photos, but about how to make a living taking them. I didn’t know what to expect.
The first two speakers of the night were Allison and Jeff Rodgers. Both were former art directors. Allison wanted to spend more time at home after she had her first child, so she gave up the day job to start her career as a portrait photographer (plus some). It was a rocky start and kept her away more hours a week than the day job would have. After 6 years in business they are now very successful. And they showed their numbers! It was so eye-opening and real that it made me feel much better about chasing after this dream I have (which can also be somewhat of a nightmare). They laid out the basics and helped me understand how backwards I had been approaching, well, it all.
By that, I mean everything from business sense to promotion, to handling clients to delivering product. It’s not just about making beautiful pictures. Of course, I knew that — to a degree. I’m not going to get into all the details of the program, but I can say I am more motivated and have better direction than I did last week or certainly from my last posting.
Now for the literal side. I spoke very briefly with Allison’s husband Jeff, who did not say too much during the presentation, but made his mark on it nonetheless. At one point during the presentation, he pulled out his iPhone and started taking pictures of both the audience and Allison. Allison stopped and said “oh, he’s always doing that.” They admitted that they never take their “big” cameras home and rarely to parties and events they attend because they take pictures all day long. They use their iPhone cameras for fun, personal photography.
Anyway, I asked Jeff which photography app he likes best and he showed me one in particular called CrossProcess ($0.99 on iTunes). This question was important to me because as Allison went through her slideshow of lists and inspirational sayings, etc. some of Jeff’s iPhone photos would pop up. They were just as inspirational as the information that Allison was conveying.
Okay, so what’s this got to do with “light?” Well, it’s about inspiring yourself again. As they said in their show, “Inspire and be inspired.” (God, I hope I don’t have to use that word again in this post!). Seeing light, the dark and the light, the chiaroscuro (mentioned in a previous post), is what does it for me. And, since I have that day job, I don’t like to lug my DSLR around with me when just going to and from the office, I now see that light through the not-so-great but definitely adequate lens of my iPhone.
Here’s a sampling of what I’m talking about and a picture each of Allison and Jeff too. I did a lot of experimenting with free photo apps so I didn’t take notes with these. In future posts, I’ll try and caption each with the app it was produced with. I do know that “The atrium at the Hyatt Atlanta,” “Southbound on the MARTA train,” and “The long way down” were all shot using CrossProcess.
Allison Rodgers at the PPA Tour (Atlanta)
Jeff Rodgers at the PPA Tour (Atlanta)
The atrium at the Hyatt Atlanta
Southbound on the MARTA train
The gates of freedom
The long way down
Homeward
