Beginnings (the start of a visual journey in 2010)

Many widely recognized yearly photographic efforts are made by the likes of Jim Brandenburg, among others, but I decided to undertake this series for many reasons. The first spark occurred when I came across a collaborative daily blog turned written documentation, A Year of Mornings, which appealed in a human way. It was a part of the photographers' daily lives, a document of the passage of time, as well as an aesthetic effort.

This project is designed to amass a series of related and unrelated images as they flow and feed off of each other, creating a vision of a whole year of experience.

A larger reason to shoot so much was to force myself to continue to push images. Some days I have projects in mind, other days I'm inspired with a flash of insight, and some days I think, "damn, what am I going to create tonight?" Either way, I've kept going.

When this series began I thought of it as a 365+ project because the goal was to have the equivalent of a year's worth of daily images that would follow and reveal twelve months. But, because I'm also working and a full-time graduate student as well as a human being with other interests, I gave myself the leeway of not photographing every day, so long as the final number of images surpasses 365. When I began posting on a social network site, I started by sharing an average of two photographs a day; by the end of January it looked as though the quantitative goal would be reached halfway through the year. I tend to work in series and like to show context, so a challenge has been paring down daily posts to just one or two images. With this blog I will try to be more particular and share no more than two photos per day.

Thus far, we're 1/12th of the way through and not a day has been missed. More importantly, though, I feel the tendrils of inspiration not previously imagined, and for that reason, this already feels like a success.

Please enjoy, contemplate, comment and share with your friends.

Quarterlings

March is drawing to a close, which marks the completion of 1/4 of the year and this project.

Reviewing the images I'm pleased by some and bored by others. Many photographs would not make the cut were it not a daily regimen. But, though I missed one day due to illness and, technically supplanted one day's picture amongst its vacation brethren during the week and a half of Alaska photos, the gears are still rolling.

The images I've been more pleased with have been the light/color compositions, although projects such as the water droplets, reverse lens macro, smoke and TTV photography were also highlights. Where I seem to grow stagnant are with images relating more directly to documenting me or my life, especially the mundane, but perhaps that's personal perception. April will be kicked off with a weekend in Chicago.

Keep on checking in as I keep on keepin' on. Recent layout goodies includes the ability for you, oh honored viewer, to rate posts and vote on imagery types.

Middlings

As June winds down, 365+ nears its crest. Counting back, however, just over one hundred images remain to be posted.

These past few months I've embraced the loose design of the project and shifted into a relaxed schedule of posts. In favor of sharing greater context and more consistently solid imagery while maintaining an eye on the year as a whole, I may not shoot or post every day, but continue to translate the spirit of the time. Early July marks the beginning of the descent and holds the promise of visual adventure as I head back to Alaska.

Please be aware of new links on the right column noting Artists, inspiration and intriguing ideas or commentary.
*Clicking on most photos will enlarge the image*

Thursday, September 30, 2010

September ~ last offering(s)

Please accept these last few images from September. Personally, it was a photographically generating rough month. Push through it.

shot early on, more light and color studies ~



Sometime mid-month, as I cleaned a pan, an interesting pattern of suds, faux cross-processed ~



Near the end of the month, studying in a coffee shop, lamp light crossing a page~
From Sharon Irish's book on artist Suzanne Lacy, each of these words and phrases are pulled directly from a page in the below reading. They move into one another. Consider space and movement. The image is composed of two soft pics of the same page layered next to each other with one horizontally flipped, then blurred to emphasize the light and color.

"commercial centers with public walkways that create climatically controlled layer of movement and pedestrian circulation, surveillance, interaction and profit from the street level glass as the space narrows"


Gear: Nikon D90, Nikkor AF 60mm f/2.8 micro, mobile phone LG VX8360


Incidentally, I often had this Pomplamoose cover of Earth Wind and Fire's September! floating through my head this month. Enjoy.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

September ~ where we stand


Looking over this month, and further back, several images reference feet. That was by no specific design. Noticing trends can guide work into the future with a nod to the past. While pursuing an interest in body imagery a few years ago, I made some photographs similarly composed, paying attention to line and the shapes referenced and formed by the skin and the contact of touching parts.

Feet are what we stand on--a foundation. They keep us upright and moving forward. Election time is upon us, of course, but I'm also thinking about the flux of personality and choices we make about who we are. Visible shapes here also reference other body parts. Origins.

These two photographs were made with an altered white balance to warm the lighting. I shot several with a flash and preferred the quiet, unobtrusiveness of the dark. Magnifying the subject's softness with a diffuser filter at time of shooting--the point was not to emphasize the details of veins or skin variations, but the shape and form of these body parts--I reduced the clarity further in CS5, and also reduced saturation.


Gear: Nikon D90, Nikkor AF 60mm f/2.8 micro, diffuser filter

Friday, September 24, 2010

September ~ revisiting Alaska

Earlier this month excitement came in the form of confirmation that I'll be heading back to Alaska again, shortly. I'm less likely to make as many winter images as in the warmer months, but it will be a nice visit.

I never worked on this image after coming back - overall, the results of waterfall images from just outside Valdez disappointed me at first viewing, but this one has some success. These are the Bridal Veil falls, or something similar.


Gear: Nikon D90, Yashica-D, Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.4, manfrotto legs/head

September ~ rain

This image works with the last few posted.
Look out toward the rainy world through the windshield of Bobb's Kia. We were heading back from Valdez, rounding out an impromptu several hundred mile two day trip. The midnight sun was low, but warmed the horizon.*


Gear: Nikon D90, Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.4
*image shot in July

Thursday, September 23, 2010

September ~ a wall

This month I've been thinking a lot about imagery and what I would like to work on, but haven't been working on many images, really. Sometimes walls appear.
This particular one was intriguing.


Gear: Canon SD1100IS

September ~ slick bright night lights

Rainy autumn nights.
The last few evenings I've been noticing the extra layer of light brightening the slick streets.
This image was blended from three original files, bottom two layers at half opacity, top layer at 25% and some saturation adjustment.


Gear: mobile phone LG VX8360

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

September ~ the magic hour

Walk to a coffee shop in Mpls, late evening. Appreciate the light streaming between the buildings.
I'm liking the notion of using available cameras and not adhering to which equipment is "right." It would have been nice to have the Holga with, too.

Gear: Canon SD1100IS

Monday, September 13, 2010

Saturday, September 11, 2010

September - Wave to "The Wave"

Forecast Public Art (http://forecastpublicart.org/umbrella-events.php) is organizing an artist talk, public performance and benefit celebration this Thursday September 16th. Welcome artist and MacArthur fellow Ned Kahn, designer of Target Plaza's The Wave.
Artist talk will be held from 12pm-1pm at the Mpls Central Library (Free), with artist Ned Kahn and special guest Tom Oslund, landscape architect and designer of Target Plaza.
Public performance flash mob event will gather at the Target Plaza at 6pm ("wave" at 6:30pm) (Free).
Bring your umbrellas! (preferably colorful, but all umbrellas welcome)! The event will be recorded.
Benefit celebration will follow the performance (7-10pm) at Twins Stadium Metropolitan Club ($30)





Gear:
Canon SD1100IS

Sunday, September 5, 2010

September ~ summer dwindles


A mere shadow remains. Welcome, autumn.
Soon time for tree leaves, layers, jackets, scarves, apples, soup, warm drinks, no bugs.

Gear: Nikon D90, Nikkor AF 60mm f/2.8 micro

Saturday, September 4, 2010

September ~ soak up the sun

While painting some window trim, we noticed this little guy hanging out. Soak it up while it lasts, buddy.

Gear: Nikon D90, Nikkor AF 60mm f/2.8 micro