Speaking To My Condition

Angel on PFN post a link to the video below from the very talented Zack Arias. It spoke to my condition. Thanks Zack, it was I needed during my pitty party. I also have a new blog to watch ;)

Where has the year gone?!

It has been right at a year since my last post on PUB. A great deal has happened, life has chewed me up and spit me out. I sit writing this blog as a photographer that will always be unknown. May 1st I launch a poor attempt of a portrait studio, thinking I had the support I needed. Early this month I gave up the studio know I would never be in one place long enough to build it, nor did have have the emotional support I wanted. So here I sit pissed off again, but knowing my choice to be a wife and mother (a choice I never regret) must come before my dream to be a photographer.

In the days to come I hope to share a bit of what I have been doing.

Light fall off

Years ago I heard Robert Farber say if he could only choice one background to work with he would choice a white. He explained how one could turn the white background into a black background by using light fall off. At the time it went way over my head not understand light but it has always suck wit me.

A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to play with light fall off in my home. Here is what came of my playing.

The image I set out for, worked.

A few images before I worked them and converted them to B&W to show the light fall off in the background. Mr. Miles is Spiderman here ;) I think I could power up the lights a bit more and take care of the rail and windows.

My background shot with natural light.

Forgive my crude drawing but this was my set up.

Young Love, Behind the Image

Young Love, Behind the Image

On PFN to my surprise I won the weekly submission contest “what defines you“ with my signature image on my blog. I thought I would share the story behind this image. This image was take Nov of 2002 atop a building in NYC on a trip at changed my life. Without getting into too many details, this trip defined me as the person I am today.






I was hire by Gary Dana of the Long Island Cabrera to shoot the annual winter dinner show, I was not paid but I received a paid trip to NYC for six days. Mr. Dana was a gracious host. I am not sure if he ever know how that week changed my life.

I was in a bad marriage at the time, events during this trip showed me things were not going to change but only get worse. Personally my world was falling apart around me. I meet up with a few other outstanding photographers while in NYC . Four of us walked the city shooting, sharing our dreams. Phil Hidden hosted a shootout with a few paid models in a studio on the west side. It was during this shoot I captured the image I now call young love that welcomes you to my blog.

Many people do not even notice the young man in the upper right hand corner, the man who put the sparkle in the young ladies eye. Metaphorically the man is my future the young lady is my life. Comparable to a young couple in love, unknowing what the next day will bring, greeting the dawn with great hopes.

This image was the birth of my life as I know it now. Wide eyed from NYC I looking into the future unknowing what was going to happen, plus new found confidence from the trip I trudged ahead in my life. Unidentified dreams lay ahead of me, a pat I am not too sure of it’s end. A plethora of ideas and a camera in hand to my new day I go.

On the technical side of this image, I don't remember much. Shot on Polapan film with an EOS 1.

Altered Art

I have been trying my hand at a bit of altered art, lately. I used Lauren Bavin scrap book elements.

Ring of Kerry

While I lived in Ireland last year I took a tour of the Ring of Kerry. Sadly on tours you have to shoot and run. I said I wanted to go back but did not make before we moved back to the States. Here is two images from that trip.

Snow Berries

We had snow as did much of the east coast this last week. I could not pass up the red berries in the tree in my yard. The snow did not stay for long mostly gone by the next afternoon. They are calling for more snow tonight, we will see.

Susquehanna Rivier

I set our yesterday to see if I could find the bald eagles that live by the Susquehanna River a short drive up the road. I had no luck with capturing the great bird with my camera. But why waste a trip. here is a few images from my outing.

window

I spent yesterday morning out at Susquehanna State Park. While it is not a new and exciting concept I still like the image.

Irish Lass

My home in Ireland back door opened to City Center in Dublin. My shopping took me to Grafton Street. Dublin’s answer to NYC 5th Ave, but nothing like it. There was always street performers lining the Grafton Street. One day while out the camera I came upon a group of local children playing percussions and chanting. All in colorful costumes they attracted a crowd. Here is one small performer.

Super Jumbo

Its seam as if Richard guitars have personality, drawing from their sound and looks. I have been doing portraits of each guitar, slowly. Today we had the typical Mid Atlantic fog. I personally find it very cool. Looking out into the back yard I have an image come to mind. With Miles assisting we head outside with Richard’s Gibson Super Jumbo for this …






And for you visual enjoyment, you can almost hear him playing, my assistant whom finish before I and lock me out of the house. It is so hard to find good help now days.

Work it again.

I was PM-ing a new photo acquaintance from PFN, Wendee of Timeless Images just outside of Raleigh
NC about her black and whites. I have been converting mine in raw, it has quite the learning curve for with so much control. Grand for tweaks but man can I mess an image up too. While speaking with Wendee she reminded me that CS3 has a new B&W adjustment. Whoo hoo! I pulled it up with Miles B&W from the other day, selected the red filter, lowered the red toggle a small amount to eliminate the low outs. I have a conversion I am much happier with, a little more contract, and half the time. Thanks Wendee!

My first conversion with raw


Redone with B&W Adjustment in CS3


Screen shot of conversion

Mr. Miles AGAIN!

I never get tired of taking images of my little man. It was a beautiful January day today. So we played outside during the sweet light.







And one final image, this one is so Miles …

Leprechaun gone bad?

I am digging through my files of my images from last year. Withal the travel and the move back to the States in 2007 I did not work many of my images. These are images from St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin Ireland.

I was told that I must do the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Once, I would most likely never want to do it again, but I must experience it once. So I did I packed up my oldest boy three hours early to go pick our spot. To say I have never experienced an event like it before would be an understatement. The people were rude down right mean when it came to moving close to the barriers. They would send their children crawling over and between people’s feet , all the while the wee lads would push, jump and lean on our legs. With being on our feet in one spot for five hours, by the end the little lads we not so cute, just typically Irish. The parade itself was wonderful the costumes were unbelievable full of color, creative and works of art in themselves.

No it is no a leprechaun gone bad, just your Irishman dressed in the parade.






Children who made their way to the barrier.






Just down the street from my house was a local pub with a papier-mâché St. Patrick attached to the front. He was a delight to see for the week.

Mark III

Much to my surprise I received a Mark III for Christmas this year. It feels so good to have a pro camera back in my hands. here is one of my first images from y Mark III. My husband unwilling volunteered for the picture. As always click on the image to see larger.






1/125 f4.5 @32oo

What were they thinking

My husband and I went to Gettysburg this past weekend. On our drive home I glanced over and noticed this restaurant. With a smooth swoop I snatched up my camera and shot the sign out the car window. There as just something wrong with this sign in Hanover PA.

Grandma

During my absence from my blog I experienced the lose of my Grandma. It was an expected death, she passed three days after her 98th birthday. I flew out to Colorado with my 11-year-old son, Ike, for her funeral. While in the Rocky Mountain State we, Ike and I, long with my parents drove to the homes that were once owned by my aunt, uncle, close family friends and my grandparents. Pictured below is my grandparents house. In it’s heyday a nice middle class neighborhood, beautifully manicured lawns and flower beds. A safe place for children to play in the streets, tumble in the yards and walk to school.

Grandma house has seen it’s better day and grandpa’s yard is but a memory of perfectly edged grass, never the less the sight of the old house brings back a plethora of memories. My fourth birthday was spent on the front porch and riding my new yellow skateboard on the sidewalk around the house. As I grew up I spent countless hours bouncing a ball off the garage roof. Brushing my hair with Grandma’s special hair brush set in my bedroom. Setting the table for dinner, grandpa popping popcorn. Jumping on the bed in basement nearly hitting me head on the ceiling. Many years of memories came from this house. May the new owners have as many sweet reminiscences.

Chimping

You know looking at your LCD making comment, sharing, even a little grunt. We all do it. The trick is not to be caught.

The first image from left Andrea (model/photographer) Rusty and Amanda. All very dear to me and great shooting buddies.








The final image is my littlest boy. My sister let him shoot with her camera. The boy loved it but was the biggest chimper ever.

Holga

I love my Holga. Here is an image of Miles, ready for bed.

डींग Dishes

Having a child nearly three in the house is a challenge at best. Miles never stops. If her is awake he is moving getting into everything. While I was online checking up on my forums Miles became quite and I heard the kitchen sink running. There sits Miles with feet in the sink "doing dishes". He has the greatest time playing and discovering for nearly an hour.