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*

Monday, February 22, 2010

February 21 ~ up to speed (go for the gold)

Gravitation toward making images like this is why I think of myself more as a visual composition photographer than a documentary one. I like design elements and surfaces. While many wedding photographers do amazing work, that's not for me. Likewise, I harbor little interest in making standard portraiture or commercial beauty shots. When people ask what kinds of pictures I take the easy response is landscapes, but that's not quite right, either. I do enjoy composing within a grand vista, framing the land in a particular way, but there's more.

Lately I've been attracted to long sweeping exposures and how the light streaks across the picture plane, laying different lines and subtle, shifting forms. Usually macro photography opens up a space to create within a visual framework without the limits of our immediately recognizable surroundings.

One of the reasons why my BFA series was so interesting to work through was because the images kept a shadow of their subject but were not held by the barrier of our daily knowledge. If someone was able to get beyond what they thought they were looking at, then I felt successful. A clear lesson regarding drawing is, if you're sketching an apple turn it upside down so your mind won't try to create it from what you know of the notion Apple. Force yourself to look at the way a line really intersects a space; then you begin to see. I like that.

While the purpose of this project is to keep me shooting on a consistent basis, my initial intention was also to use it as a documentary space, so I will shift back into that mode. Although, my penchant for these pictures may be taken as a document for frame of mind. ;-)


Gear: Nikon D90, Nikkor AFD 50mm f/1.4, SB-600, close-focus filter
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