Project 52 - Week 15 Old and New

My photo this week was taken at an Elementary School playground. Charlie was playing on this big old toy truck, and my friend told me the history of the equipment. She said that this truck was brand new when she started going there in 1st grade and since then all the other old equipment has eventually been replaced, but this truck has remained. Charlie loves cars and trucks and she thought it was so great to sit and ride in it.

Anyway, I am wishing I had gotten more shots of her and a more creative angle but it wasn't my intention to use this as the submitted photo...but when I didn't have anything else to submit, this, well was all I had.

The rest of Project 52

Project 52 - Week 14 Self Portraits

This week was self portraits assignment:

Do a self portrait that somehow portrays the overall emotion that is characterizing your life right now. So...if you're filled with beauty, bliss & butterflies...then you can do a happy dance selfy. And...if you're stressed to the point of not being able to recognize your own life...well then your image will look a little more like mine will. ;-) lol Okay...for real...it's an easy one...just decide on a word/emotion that would characterize your life right now...today...and come up with an idea to represent that 'feeling.

I decided to potty train Charlie this last week. I'm sad to say that it didn't work and we are back in diapers, and for the first time she pee'd on me last night. Ugh! Needless to say, it was a stressful week. So here is the picture I decided to take. I tried and tried to process it in an interesting way, but I couldn't come up with first, how I wanted it to look and then how I would accomplish the final look anyway. So after redoing and redoing it I just gave up...(like I did the potty thing) and turned it in. I guess that completes the how I feel cycle for the week.

Anywho...Self Portrait, mama gives up.

The rest of Project 52

Project 52 - Week 13 Public Bathrooms

How funny is this topic? I love this gal's creativity and that I am a part of it.

I was going to shoot a photo of several spots of yellow snow. It's pretty nasty and funny at the same time. When it is freaking freezing here the dogs don't venture to far from the front door when they pee so you go visit someone only to be welcomed by spots and spots of yellow snow at the front door. I then was going to take a photo of Jim peeing off the cliff. Our neighbor pees right off his steps, luckily his back is always towards me or I would get a show ALL the time. Why he pees right off his front door is beyond me...anyway it was all getting kinda nasty for me.

Last summer we went to see this old dredge and across the street was this bar/restaurant/motel and they had the funniest bathroom I have ever seen. Let me see if I can explain it.

You walk in and there is a vanity on the left, straight ahead of you are those saloon swinging doors that lead to 2 toilets. There is no way to lock the main door so your only privacy is these 2 swinging doors. The two toilets are just sitting there and 1 had a broken seat. I have never peed so fast in my life...except for the time I was at the beach and NONE of their stalls had doors on it. That's just major awkward dontcha think? You're sitting on the toilet then all of a sudden someone walks in, through the saloon doors and sits right next to you. Anyway I wanted to go back to that bathroom and take a photo of it. I tried when I was there last, but i had the wrong lens and I couldn't capture the entire place. Anyway, of course I didn't have time to take a trip down there so I had to settle for the church bathroom before choir practice.

I wanted to get a real rustic shot of grime, rust and wear but I go into the bathroom and it was totally clean. I had to enhance the color of the shot I did get to make it more interesting.

Anyway, I give you Public Bathrooms...

Click here to visit the rest of Project 52.

Project 52 - Week 12 Everyday Objects

Taking an object and using it in an unusual way was the assignment. I didn't sway to much from my original idea, but as usual Jim makes my mind think a little wider. Which is my whole point, so I am actually happy to share my week with you.

I wanted to use a nail file or finger clippers to cut wood, or just look like I used them to cut the wood. Jim said why don't you use your big fabric scissors instead. Brilliant. I was hesitant to take my magic scissors out of their metal box and take them outside and get them dirty...but it was worth the shot.

I didn't have a wood pile, but I just read a post from my friend Annie who said she just carried a bunch of wood, so I new she had a wood pile somewhere. That and wood really isn't hard to come by here.

I took my scissors and took some shots of the wood pile. My precious scissors only got a little sap on them. When I brought them home I knew I wanted to change the background, but didn't know how.

I watched a few tutorials on photoshop and changed the color. It was so cool...there is more I could have done, but this was enough for now and there are a ton more photos to take this year to hone my skills.

Before...

After...

What do you think, do you agree with changing the background color, and don't you love my 9" scissors and all their glory?

Project 52 - Week 11 Song Lyrics

I had magical things planned for my song lyrics photo, but then as always I waited til the last minute and didn't get what I wanted. So 5 minutes before the assignment was due I take a photo of Jim's eyes...just as he is waking up. Anyway, I am most excited to share the song that I portrayed if you haven't heard them.

While I worked for Disney, I had the incredible opportunity to listen to live bands perform for the executives. I was also the photographer for these events.

"Elbow" was my favorite and "One Day Like This" is my new favorite song. And my lyric for the shot was...

"Cause' holy cow I love your eyes" You've gotta love a band who puts "holy cow" in their lyrics.

Here is a shot from when I got to see them perform. I thought I was so lucky to get to hear them, not only on close quarters, but the acoustics with the strings made me speechless...and when I say speechless I forgot to take photos and just stared at them. It was a magical day that gave me goosebumps. Anyway, I've linked a video of them with an orchestra and holy cow THAT would have given me goosebumps to be there.

If you have never heard them, you are in for a treat...I feel a little sacrilegious going against my fav band, the cure...but seriously if I could make it so I woke up to this song everyday for the rest of my life I would. Have I pumped it up too much...are you ready?????

May I present...Elbow...

click here for link to song "Cause holy cow I love this song"

if you need more...here is a live concert version

here's the music video version, in case you still need more cause holy cow, you know I do.

they won the UK's grammy equivalent the year I they came to see us...can you believe the crowd and then look at my picture...I was THAT CLOSE to them. I only asked for to autographs during my stint at Disney, I'm happy to say one of them was of Guy from Elbow.

One Day Like This

Elbow

Drinking in the morning sun.

Blinking in the morning sun.

Shaking off a heavy one.

Heavy like a loaded gun.

What made me behave that way?

Using words I never say.

I can only think it must be love.

Oh, anyway, it's looking like a beautiful day.

Someone tell me how I feel.

It's silly wrong but vivid right.

Kiss me like a final mean.

Kiss me like we die tonight.

'Cause holy cow I love your eyes.

And only now I see the light.

Yeah, lying with you half awake.

Oh anyway, it's looking like a beautiful day.

When my face is chamois creased.

If you think I wink I did.

Laugh politely at repeats.

Kiss me when my lips are thin.

'Cause holy cow I love your eyes.

And only now I see the light.

Lying with you half awake.

Stumbling over what to say.

Well anyway, it's looking like a beautiful day.

So throw those curtains wide.

One day like this a year would see me right.

Project 52 - Week 10 Self Portrait

I realized that I am more and more happy to do self portraits when last week we went to the ice park and I did not get one photo of me.

Most of the stars aligned when I got my assignment this week. The night we got our assignment was the 1st of 2 days of magical Northern Lights. I have been wanting to photograph them since I first saw them, and I've been reading about how to do it for several months. Even better to get me in the picture. It was going to be an active sky and we got all bundled and set up. We went out and took some rad shots only to bring them inside and see that they are all blurry and out of focus. Argh, I hate to admit this but I couldn't figure out how to manually focus my camera. I've been using auto focus and digital for so long that I didn't know how to do it.

I actually came back inside and had to read my manual. I felt lame, but 10 minutes later we were back outside. Now the problem was it was too dark to focus on anything. We had a little flashlight, but it wasn't really working. My shutter speed was at 30 seconds which was way to slow. I would be mid picture when the sky would change and then it would be gone by the time I got set up again. It was extremely frustrating, but I did manage to get a few.

In the first one, I'm all blurry from trying to stand still for 30 seconds. Plus I am out of focus. The second one they sky was completely lit up, it was dancing ALL over the place but because my shutter was open for so long they are blurry with motion and none of the red colors were captured. In the third one I'm sure it's blurry, but the shapes that they were creating was just fascinating. Unfortunately, I didn't think that my self portrait was very good so I geared up the next day to try again.

I was disappointed, but learned a lot. The next day was supposed to be just as active. My friend Annie asked if I wanted to go to Ester Dome to shoot them the next day. She took the most incredible photos with the rooftop of her barn to focus on. She was able to use a shutter speed of only a second so her colors came out way more crisp, the added light from the barn helped for sure. I hope this link works it's to Annie's fb page from those 2 nights...so cool.

So the next night we braved the 10 below for 3 hours trying to get a good shot. Had to come in the car to thaw out a few times and take a trip back to Annie's house for a flashlight. We totally would have had northern lights magic...had they been as bright as the night before. But alas, they were not. Don't get me wrong, they are always amazing, but when you are going for the magic shot it just didn't happen. Here are a few from the second night.

I debated and debated on which photo to submit for this week and ultimately went for the second one. Now that I look at them though, should I have gone with the first one? I think the green hue in the back was awesome, and I thought dynamically the pose was cooler. Annie said, "be a lumberjack." I had my foot in the air for about 1 second when she said put both feet on the floor, you won't be able to hold that pose."

I'm addicted now, I can't wait for the lights to come out again. We heard over and over from locals that this was the best show they had seen in years. One said 22 years. So I am so grateful to have been able to see them. That and thanks to Annie for her expertise, motivation and creative prowess. I could NOT have done this without you.

Without further adieu, I give you the rest of the Project 52 Class.

Project 52 - Week 9 Street Photography

Our fearless leader suggested we were going to want to go out...and watch...and walk...and sit...and wait for the perfect opportunity.

I was really excited about this assignment when I saw the inspiration photographers

Markus Hartel

Vivian Maier

But then when it was 20 below my inspiration kinda came to a fizzle. The only time people "hangout" outside is when they go from the car to the Walmart. And I wasn't interested in photographing the walmart. We have a cute little downtown area, but again no one was really outside. I decided to go to the park and take a picture of an empty street with nothing going on. But then, there were these two guys shoveling. They were clearing the way in front of 2 huge clocks of ice getting ready to be carved, so I began to shoot.

They were nice and it was fun to get out of my comfort zone and shoot strangers. It ended up that one of the guys was the Park Supervisor and asked for a few copies of the photos. So that was cool.

I was really looking forward to this being a wow shot after having seen the inspiration photos and yet I feel it still is lacking, but this is just for fun and there is no reason to stress over it trying to be brilliant.

The rest of Project 52

Project 52 - Week 8 Bug's Prospective

This weeks assignment was a "bug's prospective." I had a few ideas...a close up of a kid holding a magnifying glass while the sun burns the ant. A bottom of a shoe. And then a close up of a guy in a car texting, viewing it from the windshield.

I just could not get it together enough this week to make it happen. Jim's first suggestion was the bottom of a shoe, I liked this a lot but we kind of thought that a lot of other photographers would be doing the same thing...so I put it in the back of my mind. But then when my other ideas didn't work that was all I had left.

I took a shot of Jim's shoe, but then he said bug's don't live in snow so I had to pick another shoe. It was freakishly cold outside so I tried to take it inside, but then it looked weird without sky in the background. But my time was up so I quickly edited the colors and uploaded it. Glad Jim made the shoe suggestion or I would not be handing anything in today.

In the end I like the colors, I figured bugs see colors a little different...so I saturated them a little. I'm looking forward to one week where I totally am stoked with my photo...I'm a little tired of my half-assness.

The rest of the Project 52

Project 52 - Week 7 Broken

I have struggles being super creative. Occasionally I will have a brilliant idea, but those are rare occasions. Jim on the other hand can spout out ideas left and right and they are usually things I would have never thought of. So since I had a bad creative mind last week I made him sit down and brainstorm with me.

So the topic was "broken". Part of the reason for doing this project is to look outside the box of literal meaning take it a few steps further. So he asked what it made me think of...well, broken objects, broken bodies, being broken emotionally. But when I thought of it more say for instance if you had a handicap some would say that person was broken, but I would say more often than not the person who had the ailment wouldn't say it was a handicap at ALL. It was who they were and they were stronger for it and they would NEVER say they were broken and well I would have to agree. I was thinking of doing some kind of emotional breakdown, but who wants to cry in front of the camera...I am an ugly crier and so I was stuck again.

Then Jim and I talk about how I want it to be not a literal photo more symbolic, so we start talking about things in society that are broken...we instantly went political and thought of all sorts of things that are broken. The White House, the Economy, etc. So I grab a few bills and the $20 had all the elements I wanted. I took several viewpoints and this was the one I liked the best.

I'm proud to report that I actually researched several actions and loaded a bunch that I liked and I used them for the first time with this photo...ALL BY MYSELF. I'm loving this action business, I'm so excited to see the evolvement of my photographs throughout the year.

Anyway...I give you BROKEN...

The rest of the group...Project 52

Project 52 - Week 6 Vehicles

Well, I knew this project would be challenging and would test my follow thru-ness eventually...I didn't know it would happen in my second week. I've been sick all week and so has Charlie, but I was determined to finish this thing...so 30 minutes before the deadline I uploaded my photo. It's not my proudest moment, but it's complete.

I'm trying to force myself to use Photoshop. If there's something I want to learn how to do I will google a tutorial in youtube and go from there. I didn't have much time to do that this time, so I just messed with the colors.

As a lot of you know my favorite car is my Karmann...

Karmann is alive and well (I think) baking in the sun in my parents driveway. One day I will bring that sweet Ghia up here so we can have our Summers together. I freaking love this car...too much?

So when this weeks subject was vehicles I went round and round on what I could do. It's been really cold this week and on top of being sick I was in no shape to be shooting outside. I was trying to be creative in my thinking so how could I photograph a vehicle without actually shooting a car? My mind went "spiritually" like the scriptures are a vehicle to our Heavenly Father, but that might have been the Nyquil talking. The only vehicles I had inside were Charlie's cars...I figured my precious Fisher Price toys had the same taste as I do so I set her up to look longingly at Karmann...did it work?

I'm still not a fan of how the colors turned out, it's too...too everything. Maybe once I decide how I really want it to look I will go back and fix it, that and when I have more than 10 minutes to work on it. Check out the rest of the group back at Project 52...they are all FAR superior to mine.

Project 52 - Week 5 Self Portrait

So, it has been brought to my attention that I'm not doing much photography lately. A friend posted recently that she was working on Project 52. I had never really heard of this and it sounded intriguing. Sandi Bradshaw Photography is hosting a year long photo project. She gives us an assignment each week andwell, it's to motivate us all back out their shooting. She is getting us out of our comfort zone by focusing one shot per month on self portraits. I along with most photographers would rather be behind the camera than in front of it. This means my photo albums tend to look like Jim is a single dad.

I started the project a month late, cause I didn't really feel like I would have the time but a new local friend and I were talking about it and well...she talked me into it. Thanks Annie, I really really needed this push. I plan on sometime throughout the year going back to the first 4 assignments and completing them. I'm a little OCD with that and I can't be working on Project 52 knowing I would only have 48 photos...lame. So, on that note I bring your week 5

Self Portrait - Photograph yourself either with something you love, doing something you love, or showing something you love...but, the 'something you love' can not be other people...just YOU alone in the photograph.

While I do not love having to use an outhouse everyday, I do Love living in Alaska.

BECKHAM

CHARLIE BELLE

SANDBOX REBEL

Great children's clothing line.

www.sandboxrebel.com

Barty

MILES