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*

Sunday, July 31, 2011

July - Alaska & Highland Water Tower

Coming soon.
Posted by No comments:

Sunday, June 5, 2011

June ~ northern lights


For the summer solstice I'm heading back to the land of the midnight sun, but the first weekend in June was the Twin Cities' first white night event, northern spark.

View of the 35W bridge, from the Stone Arch Bridge.


Under the Stone Arch Bridge, circa 1am.



some folks hanging out in the way of Debora Miller's large-scale projection, Murmur

Nice shadow puppets on the Gold Medal Flour silos

Jim Campbell's Scattered Light, a sculpture installed near the Science Museum of MN.  On view through July 24th




Observing from afar, and from within, around 2:30am 6/5/11.
Posted by 1 comment:

Sunday, May 22, 2011

May ~ yellow marshmallow sky


 


Here we are outside the store on the evening of a hot humid May day that busted into storm.  I don't like temps above 70s but the weather did give us a nice intermittent yellow and green sky with piles of poofy clouds.  I prefer this orientation, though the image was shot upside down.

Gear:  Nikon D90, Tamron 70-300mm VC
Posted by No comments:

Saturday, April 30, 2011

April ~ Recollection

Here are a few images from Fairbanks, AK in November 2010, made with 120 film.
 
I was fascinated by this truck in the woods.  I believe it's been sitting there for some time.

Notice the digital imagery of this same scene, from a few posts previous.  I'm a fan of both color tints.

I loved how the sun shone through the trees.



A happy accidental multiple exposure, made at the University.


Another view from the University.
Posted by No comments:

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

March ~ Ortonville


 Bobb and I drove to Ortonville for a few days, mid-week of spring break.  Distracted, I forgot my own camera equipment and subsequently felt like a terrible, terrible photographer.  There were really quite a few nice landscapes along the way as well as in the general vicinity.  Greg lent me his camera to make a few images around the farm.



Just down the road.  Saturation reduced save yellow and some red.




Lights in the old house.
 Spices on the deck.


Goat!  They have two, both of whom are a few weeks pregnant.  Cabri posed, likely hoping for another pumpkin slice or orange rind.


Gear:  Canon Rebel XTI, Canon 17-85mm IS and 50mm f/1.4
Posted by No comments:

Sunday, February 27, 2011

February ~ lucem

Light.


Gear:  Nikon D90, Nikkor AF 60mm f/2.8 micro D
Posted by No comments:

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

January ~ new beginnings

For a combination of reasons including both my fondness for this particular blog as well as a current general lack of need for an entirely new site, I've decided to continue posting on this venue, beyond 2010. It's a good thing I had the foresight to name this space 365+ as the plus now comes into play beyond its original intent. Rather than the initial scope of last year's project, I'll keep to the looser structure of postings, generally confined to months.


I've been thinking about the clarity of vision, and am also consistently interested in the use of technology --one would normally associate with sharp results-- to make soft images. I'd rather this not be a gimmick but I also like pretty pictures. And, there's nothing wrong with pursuing an idea.

Color is warmed on the two landscape images below, while clarity is reduced in all three.


Wildcat Mountain State Park, Wisconsin.



Gear: Nikon D90, Tokina 12-24mm f4, Nikkor AF 60mm f/2.8 D micro. Some of these images were also shot with film which currently remains latent, in a bag near my dresser.
Posted by No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)