Saturday, March 11, 2017

On, LOSS, LOVE...LIFE and LIGHT

Whew its been a long winter painting inside the house I live in, moving furniture around, packing art and non essentials that I stripped off the walls to paint so when the beach house sells I can move quickly on getting this one on the market. It has also been a difficult couple of weeks, losing a good friend, who I would "speak" with almost every day. Well not really "speak" with, because she had COPD, and had radiation for esophageal cancer and it was difficult for her to speak. So we text most every day, about simple things, like the weather, her physical challenges, my daily to do list, her family visits, her pets, where her beloved husband was in his worldly travels and life in general. So when she passed I missed her thoughts, her "voice", her kindness and support for my adventures and dreams. When I expressed to her that it seemed like I would never get to Hawaii, she always said I will get to Hawaii, she could see me there.
We met several years ago, she reached out to me because she wanted to learn more about using her iPhone as an artistic tool so I traveled to her to help her learn. After that first visit we became friends and I would visit when I could. Who knew such a strong friendship would grow as a result of our original iPhone lesson? But more than the daily conversations, she got me, she knew my heart! So when you lose someone who really gets you it's a big loss.
Recently over the past three weeks, I have been supporting my family with my nephews health issues. It is so sad, difficult and exhausting to see such a young talented person in trouble with their mind. Observing the struggles of your loved ones during such times is creatively draining. Creativity needs space, a quiet mind and introspection, when you are doing doing doing...it is my sense that my creativity is suppressed.

...but slowly I am coming back to center, the day light is now longer which is great and there are signs of spring in the garden. I have already made one day trip to the beach house to see how the renovation work went over the winter and will head back next week to get the interior back together. I am hoping I can get the beach house back on the market in April to sell this summer. I will get to Hawaii when the time is right...this I know. Seems I have been needed here...for now.

Today I have had a window of personal time and have been working on some admin stuff for the two travel workshops I have scheduled this year The Palouse and The Nude as Art and a presentation coming up in April, The Beach Bash sponsored by The Coastal Camera Club.
Some presentation ideas that were rumbling around in my head led me to write this blog..

So now to the "Light." How do you teach someone to "See Light?" We walk around the planet in light and darkness all the time, but to "See Light" in photography and how it interacts with potential subjects, is different as we use a tool with limited capabilities in capturing the light we humans see. How do you teach someone what a subject looks like in different light, well show them!!
See what they like better...analyze the difference...so its a good exercise to get in touch with the light and its qualities...in order to "see" better in photography, after all Photography is about light!
My presentation at the Beach Bash was requested to be "The Art of Seeing." in one hour really? So I am trying to drill it down..not to a lot of pretty pictures but ones that will turn the proverbial light bulb on. So as I sit at my kitchen table today working on some admin stuff on the laptop, I had the idea to make a shot of a simple subject I made the other day when I liked the light on it, late afternoon streaming in from my dining room window into the kitchen, I liked the shadows the shapes the contrast of a simple "old style" wall mounted telephone cord...HA! Simple right! Well here's the difference from today mid day diffused light..
I used my iPhone for ease of use as a simple controllable capture device. I ran each image through Snapseed Black and White and applied the same "dark" filter...and here's the difference.
Now does that help you see the  light???? Whats your choice? Which image attracts you more?
and I would just say there are no rights or wrongs, It is just Different LIGHT! Different purposes.
So that's it on "LIGHT." Hope to see you somewhere along my path! Now back to work!
Image 1 strong window sidelight exposed for the white cord

Image 2 soft diffused window light exposed for the white cord


Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Catching up!

APPS: Capture: Canera+: Processed: Snapseed Signature: Impression

It is going to be a great year in iPhone Photography! My two classes at Johns Hopkins are booked full and my iPhone workshops at Capital Photography Center are booking fast! In addition to the "Getting Started" sessions, we have added two iPhone Photography walk~ a~ bouts this spring!
My iPhone Photography presentation scheduled for The Garden Club of America's annual meeting in downtown Baltimore on May 5th is also booked! Yay! Who knew the iPhone would be such a game changer for photography in our modern lives. I read a post on FB tonight by a photographer who said he had been shooting for 46 years and just did not understand why anyone would want to capture images with an iPhone. That he had one and was never even tempted to use the camera in it. I thought gee that is too bad its so much fun! How do you know until you try??
Well no worries here, unless some new better technology comes along I will always embrace creating images with my iPhone! It is just plain fun!
On a recent workshop I was happy to see the renovated East Wing at the National Gallery of Art has officially reopened. After conducting my last iPhone workshop there I made a few images while cruising the new space.
I just love the second floor sitting area with the expansive windows looking out on Washington, D.C.
APPS: Capture: Hipstamatic: Fashion Pac Processed; Snapseed
The installation above caught my eye! I knew the Hipsta pac, Fashion would create a cool effect with the neon, so I decided to shoot it with the combination Tachman Lens and Runway Film.
Walking further along the new space, I noticed another installation I liked. While standing at an angle to avoid capturing my own reflection, I enjoyed the graphic nature of all the architectural features and reflections that came into the composition.
APPS: Capture: Camera+ Processed: Snapseed Signature: Impression