Blog

Photo 52: A Play on Light {6}

Blinded by the light...

Week six of Photo 52, and week two of backlighting. I am taking a class at ICP with fellow blog circle participant Justine Knight and our assignment this week involved following a stranger and seeing where he or she led you. The images from this exercise generally range from bad to terrible since stalking is not something I have much experience with.

At one point on my walk, as I tried to put a little distance between myself and my chosen subject, I noticed that after a week of bad timing, bad health and bad light, the sun was creating a beautiful fall glow through the just-turning trees. So I stopped for a moment, aimed my camera upward, then hustled off again so as not to lose my unsuspecting muse.

Please continue around the blog circle and see what other amazing backlight my fellow participants have found. Next up is the lovely and talented Canadian component of our circle, Kennedy Tinsley.

Photo 52: A Play on Light {5}

Stepping out of the shadows, into the light! Weeks five through eight of Photo 52 will be all about backlighting. I often feel that in these photographs the light can take on a life of its own, becoming an additional subject in the frame.

It felt good to be seeking moments in the sun during some remaining fall warmth. And, preceded by a string of cloudy days, this bright morning sunshine was a sparkling reminder to appreciate that without the brightest lights and the darkest shadows, life would be very grey indeed.

Here is a little fun at the Bryant Park fountain. If you look closely, you will see it was also doubling as a very large birdbath on this fine morning.

Please continue along the circle to see the beautiful and ethereal image one of my dearest friends, and amazing photographer, Kami Chaudhery captured of her daughter in Seattle this week.

Mr. X

My life is far from lonely, but I am a person who craves solitude. Somewhat ironically, I also dislike crowds. There is something about New York though - you can join in the fray or simply stand a little apart, alone in the midst of chaos.

I should note that all of these images were actually taken in very good company - this past weekend Justine and I co-led a photography walk around Manhattan for Clickin Moms. A wonderful time (we hope) was had by all!

Photo 52: A Play on Light {4}

A Play on Shadows: Week 4 - Me and My Shadow

When my fellow participants and I first started discussing the details of our 52 week journey, we decided to commit to each topic for four weeks at a time. Last week, as I started to think about my week 3 shadow shot, I began questioning the wisdom of that choice. It was increasingly hard to get an image I was happy about using. But, of course, that is the point of looking closely at a subject, isn't it? To find new ways to think about something and push beyond the easy path?

This week I have been revisiting (or "finally getting around to reading for the first time" if you'd like to be truly precise) some materials on directional light techniques. My obsession with his eyelashes is well-known, so this image is not particularly original for me. However, the lovely lines of the lash shadows and the curves of his sweet face make this intimate glimpse of my own little shadow my favorite image of the four-week series.

Next up is the exceedingly talented Sarah Roemer Davis. Her urban sensibilities and darling son make for some memorable photography.

Umbrellas

Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day...

Photo 52: A Play on Light {3}

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore...

Week three of our shadow theme! I can't say I'm actually in amore with this image, but I had my camera on me the other night and decided to take a picture of the beautiful crescent moon despite my less than ideal gear setup. It took me a moment to realize that the haze behind the crescent was, in fact, a shadow of quite some magnitude - that of the earth itself.

Please continue along our blog chain to see what my fellow New Yorker and beautiful photographer Jessie Wixon found this week.

Down on the Corner, Out in the Street

Photo 52: A Play on Light {2}

Playing with Shadows: Week 2

Last week, I joined a group of photographers in launching a 52 week study into light. In this week 2 of our month on shadows, I walked the parks along the West Side Highway in search of a little less concrete and a little more jungle as my source of inspiration. The days are getting cooler, the shadows begin to lengthen by early afternoon, and while summer colors still abound, there is a hint of autumn in the air.

Next in the circle is the exceedingly talented Jill Cassara. Please click through to see what shadows she discovered in Ann Arbor this week.

Over My Head

Sometimes it's good to have your head in the clouds. Or at least your eye on the sky...

Photo 52: A Play on Light {1}

Playing With Shadows: Week 1

The heart of photography is light. Glowing evening light, yellow indoor light, even an absence of light - ultimately, it is the ability of a photographer to see the light, understand it, and decide how to use it that will make a photograph memorable. The successful use of light in photography is an endlessly fascinating subject and one that I am striving to understand better every day.

With that in mind, I am embarking on a 52 week project with a group of talented and diverse women from across the country and abroad. We have very different lives and distinct styles but share a love for photography. As a means of furthering our growth and education, and as a way to see each other's work regularly, we have decided to tackle the concept of light head-on. Each month, one of us will pick a light-related topic and we will all post a weekly shot based on our interpretations of that theme.

Our collective adventure is called Photo 52: A Play on Light and our first month's theme is Playing with Shadows. My submission for this week is below. To see everyone else's amazing work, please continue along the chain.

Next up, our talented yellow rose of Texas, Kim Dupree.

Onward and Upward

I had the great honor of being asked to write an article on street photography by the ladies over at Clickin Moms recently. After taking a parent-focused photography course with a local photographer last fall that ignited this whole obsession, I was directed to the classes at Clickin Moms as a great place to up my game technically. To now be at a point where they view my voice as one they wish to add to their public image is incredibly rewarding.

I have met some beautiful photographers, but more importantly, some beautiful people, on this journey. The support, generosity and friendship from individuals who are equally as focused on improving their skills and creating something that speaks to them has been an unexpected treasure. Stay tuned, because I will be participating in a weekly blog project with several of these wonderful ladies starting on Monday and you will be able to link to each of their sites from here. Different visions, one theme - I can't wait to see what comes of it.

A Walk in the Park

Two of us three have had a labor-less Labor Day weekend. We spent a few of those hours on a glorious late afternoon stroll through Central Park.

The Minute You Walked In the Joint...

My dinner date. He likes to pick up the tab.

Point A to Point B

Coney Island

Last week we went out to Coney Island to have a little summertime adventure with some friends. Fun - and then some - was had by all.

Waterlogged

A week in the Pacific Northwest without a hint of moisture, and we return to more thunderstorms. Of course, a little singing in the rain never hurt anyone. It's good to be home.

Flying High

We're on the West Coast this week, arriving (unbeknownst to us) just in time for Seattle's Sea Fair. In other fun news, I've been accepted as a CMPro at Clickinmoms, a site where I have been taking classes the past few months. I have been participating in their daily project, and I was excited to learn that my lightning image from a few weeks ago was selected as the image of the week. A link to my daily project submissions is to the right, but you should check out the full site. There are some beautiful images to be seen.

Travels

Laundry Day

Some of us enjoy this more than others.

A Bit of Weather

Does it count as storm chasing when you let it come to you?