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