Photography Aspirations

I attended an Open House Event for an organization downtown this week.  I attended to represent my work place, to meet and greet people who might be of benefit to my place of work.  I did what I was supposed to do, felt like I was out of my league conversing with CEO's, magazine authors, Directors, and people who do PR for congressman.  It was fun, in a sense, to be able to have a purpose and hope that a connection might benefit the work of so many sacrificial volunteers-- yet it just isn't my style. :)  Good thing I was getting paid to do it! I'm not a schmoozer.  I feel bad trying to forge a conversation with a motive of getting money.  It helps that the money is for a good cause.  Anyway, there was a photographer there.  I was jealous.  I think I would feel much more comfortable being the quiet, invisible one behind the machine just documenting the event.

Another thing, before my schedule was drastically changed about a month ago- I had full intentions of emailing that fun photographer that taught the portrait class I took.  She has a studio downtown and like I mentioned before- I totally connected with her style and approach, and loved the samples of her work that I saw.  She mentioned she usually works without an assistant- but I wanted to email her and ask if I could just shadow her for a day- or for a couple of shoots.  I think I could gain so much by just observing.  I want to observe HER because I like her style and her laid back approach to interacting with clients.  I still hope I can arrange this somehow.  It seems like a good next step in my growth in this endeavor.  Maybe this summer? Who knows. 

And one last thing- I read in a book about using a wide angle lens for this cool technique.  You get a reversal ring that allows you to attach the lens on backwards.  The shape of the lens goes.... convex?concave? whatever! It goes backwards! So, the object in the frame is magnified like crazy! You can also add some extension tubes to the lens to get further magnification.  It is so cool and amazing! There was a photo of a rose petal that just filled the frame and the smooth, silky, fibers were amazing! You wouldn't know you were looking at a rose petal! So awesome!  So, those MACRO kits ($75)I was looking at vs a macro lens ($400)- not worth it and I don't want it anymore.  Need to hold out for something better.

WOATS!

For over 2 years I have wanted to photograph a certain farm building/windmill that I drive by on occasion.  It isn't an ideal place to pull the car over and I have also wanted to capture it with some nice lighting or other interest like fog or stormy sky, etc.  I packed my camera into the car this morning, along with about 50 other miscellaneous items to get through a day full of activities, responsibilities, and then hopefully on the evening drive home---a little fun.  As it turned out, I was about 15-30 ahead of the best lighting, had someone waiting on me, and a fussy little girl on my hands.  I pulled over, determined to at least get a couple test shots of the scene.  I found a safe spot for the car full of kids, and then ventured out onto the road to take the pictures.  Truly, it wasn't very safe with a slight hill and time of day making visibility limited for drivers.  I was being very careful and giving myself space and time to react if needed.  I about had a heart-attack when I realized 2 of the kids had decided to get out of the car, too and join me! I think I scared them when I screamed, "Get back in the CARRRR!" I was too far from them to help if there had been a need, and it was one of those awful panic-ridden, powerless moments.  Thankfully, the distress in my voice caused immediately obedience :) Whew. Maybe I need to do these adventures alone!

Wish I could have gone to the other side of the building to check out that perspective and get in closer.

I want to go back to the buildings when I can venture out to different angles and not worry about the kids.  I also want to go when the light is PERFECT.  It's so much fun and soo hard to stop shooting in order to meet responsibilities!  But here's what was catching my eye initially, and then I got distracted by some beautiful blonde......weeds? Oats? Weed-oats? Woats! :) They always catch the sunlight on my evening drives home and I love them. Wait til you see it!

One of these days I am going to learn how to remove power lines in Photoshop!

In this one, the color is off- overexposed I think-- I was feeling that time crunch and on my way to the car, but had to try this and didn't have much time to adjust settings as I was suddenly facing INTO the sun.  So, I'm not impressed with the lack of contrast in shadow/light and lack of rich color- BUT, I love these weed things, the fence line and the distance vineyard with the full tree on the edge.  I can imagine that this could be REALLY cool if the color/light was right.

I don't know? This one lacks a focal point, but there is something Impressionistic about it that I like. Wait for it....

When I run this through Photoshop I will probably increase the color saturation a bit, but I really like this one.

My favorite of the day. So poetic. I'm musing over an appropriate title. 

Spring Grapes

Straight off camera- no editing-no color/exposure adjustsments

Yesterday morning I was driving down Dusty Ln in the morning.  It was an overcast morning, I had my camera in the car......just before a vineyard there was a section of black, wrought-iron fencing with beautiful blooms of wisteria.  The contrast of colors, the outside lighting, the contrast of texture/feeling between the structured starkness of the fencing against the soft, burgeoning blossoms--ahhhh! It was wonderful.  I had two little boys with me in the car and didn't want to hassle them with stopping, but I regret it.  The scene was striking to me. It keeps haunting me :)  My photographing opportunities are few these days- I think I need to train myself to turn around and just do it if the time is right.  Blossoms fade, light and shadows change, etc.  In fact, that thought line is urging some sort of cheesy pun out of me--some kind of clever interchange with the word camera and Carpe Diem! Can't quite pull it off! ..maybe that's for the best!