December Reflections: Week 3

The photo project, December Reflections has been helping to re-sharpen my eye.  I forget how wonderful it is to be tuned in and watching for those perfect photo opportunities during the day.  Each day has a theme, so in a way it makes it a bit harder to find the perfect photo.  I wanted to try not to stage things too much, but just to enjoy whatever the day brings.  Below is week 3 of the project.

12/19: Delicious

 

12/20: This Year Was...
transitional and good

 

12/21: Friendship

 

12/22: Fragrant

 

12/23: Sparkle

12/25: Today is..
Pretty perfect!

12/26:  Sweet

12/27: Silence

 

12/28: Love is..
everything

December Reflections - week two,

Another week of December Reflections with Susannah Conway.
I haven't done a photo challenge in a long while.  Its nice to be back at it, taking a month to pause during my day and in the moment record my December.   

12/5: Leaves

12/6: T is for Trees
Jamison Park, Portland, OR

 

12/7: Best Book of 2014
my new sketch book

 

12/8: Sunset
No sunset on this evening - but it can be very pretty
Looking west to the West Hills of Portland, OR

 

12/9: Diagonals

 

12/10: Reflections
Nothing like a rain puddle for a good reflection

 

12/11: Best Photo of 2014
Top of the Lake - taken on a January morning looking south on Lake Washington

12/12: White

12/13: Comfort
my favorite scarf

26 Letters, One Year, and Doing What I Love

26 Letters for FILM26
encaustic on birch 5x5

 I have two creative things I love to do - painting and photography.  Painting has taken the driver seat lately - but that's OK because I know my camera is there for me at any time. 
I took on a project last year to combine my two creative loves - and this is the result.  Every two weeks I photoed myself with one of my encaustic letter tiles to travel the alphabet for the year of 2012.  This year, I don't have such lofty goals - but the word I picked for 2013 will keep me motivated. 

FILM26

I'm back in my studio as of today.  Its been almost a month since I've turned on the palettes and warmed up the wax.  I'm looking forward to 2013 and continuing to share this artful journey.  Happy Friday everyone!

FILM26: Zee End

X, Y and Z

Zounds!  An entire year has rolled by.  Its hard to believe that a little idea like using film photography and following the alphabet- a letter every two weeks, would be such a buoyant factor in my year.  I shared this journey of FILM26 with 5 very special women, all of whom are remarkable photographers.  I am grateful to them for the support and camaraderie through the year.  I know for a fact that I would never would had made it through on my own.  It goes to show the importance of a speaking and sharing goals out loud with others and following through with the support of friends.  The commitment we made to each other was held together with rolls of film and letter inspired photos. It was enough, it was plenty to see us all through the year.

A journey doesn't have to be alone, sometimes its better shared.  Sometimes, the act of just telling someone else what you want to do - dare I say... speaking your dreams, makes all the difference.  Its out there.  Its spoken... its out loud.   There's something about the spoken version of a dream, that makes it more tangible and more obtainable. 

The idea of working on the skill of seeing the world in a different light, and being able to tune-in on a more regular basis was the foundation for this project.  Seeing the world through a camera lens is a wonderful way to approach honing these skills.  Seeing the world through a film camera lens - even better.  With film, you have 24 frames to shoot.  Each is meaningful and must be framed, composed and really planned.  Its not like the digital cameras where the shots are endless and you can snap away in hopes of getting one good photo.  You have 24 tries with no immediate feedback.  You must pay attention to what you are doing. 




Me and Z

Me and Y

Me and X

I completed the year with 26 encaustic letter tiles, 26+ photos of me with the letter tiles and lots of 4x6 photo prints.  I won't be continuing this project into 2013.  I am happy with my take away and what I learned in 2012.   Its a nice feeling to know that in the end, I can say "mission accomplished" with a smile.

FILM26: U is for..

Its time for the letter U over at FILM26.  U was almost my undoing... but I pulled through.  Five letters left until the end of our journey.  The scary part about that thought is it means just 12 weeks until the end of the year.  This time of year picks up speed for me.  Its like a downhill ski slope into the New Year.  I'm ready, but at the same time, I'm not ready.  

unpretentious

 Summer has been lingering here in Seattle.  Its actually been unbelievable.  I think it makes it harder to believe that we are closing in on the Holiday season. 

Uniform

 Yet, I'm going to appreciate the last of our late summer here.  I know I will be handing out candy for Halloween, all too soon.  But, for now I will take in the bliss of the sunshine and shoot some film.

Me and U

FILM26 - The Letter T

T is for...

 

Me and T

 I set off on a photo journey.  I have my favorite haunts.  One is the docks at the top of South Lake Union.  I was taking photos and having a grand time, when a gentleman approached me.  He was a little suspect of me snapping photos on his dock and a little gruff. 

Tanks

 He was curious to know a little bit more about my antics.  I probably looked a little out of place as I wasn't dressed like a dock hand.  When I told him I was shooting a photo project, he lightened up a little.  We chatted a bit and I managed to get him to laugh a little.  He left me with a warning to be careful and not fall from the dock.  I'm really hoping that I didn't look like the type that would blunder over the edge and into the water.

Tie

 I hit my other favorite place to take photos - which is Capital Hill.  Its a big difference from the docks for sure.  I do love wandering the streets there snap happy.

Thief

 I did manage to get to Fremont area.. another place I like to wander.  I even stumbled on the Theo Chocolate factory there.  I opened the door of their retail store..  The smell of Heaven wafted out at me..  chocolate - mmmmm.  I'll go back for a tour someday soon - very soon.  No photos there, sorry.  But, I found this nifty stop sign in the hood.

Tagged

 I have terrible luck with Impossible Project film.  I don't know enough about Polaroid to know if its actually the film or the camera.  This is the second Polaroid box camera that I own, and both have this same issue with the film. 

Terrific

Tower

That's a wrap for the letter T.  Need to start leaning my brain on U.  See you all in a couple of weeks.  Film only film :)

FILM26 - The Letter S

S

Sometimes its easier than other times.  Simple really.  The letter S for me was a breeze.  In fact, I had so many letter S photos that I had to set some aside.  The weather in Seattle has been outstanding for the past 48 days as I write this.  We are going for an all time record of dry days in Seattle - 51 in 1951 is the line in the sand.  Maybe we will cross it... maybe not.  But, no matter how you look at it - we've had one amazing stretch of summer.

 

Me and S with Sculpture

 I took an afternoon and headed to the Seattle Center area of town.  I stopped off at the Olympic Sculpture Park. 

Seattle Space Needle, Summer Sky and Jet

 Had to have a photo of the Space Needle for S - had to.

Stegosaurus

 I originally planned to take this for R - Rawr!  But I didn't get around to it and lucky me it really is a Stegosaurus.

Sunflowers

 Another one of those - had to, photos.

Studebaker

 Yes, really, it is a Studebaker.  As I was taking photos the owner came out wondering what I was up to with taking photos and basically casing the car.  I explained the FILM26 project and it seemed to make sense to her. 

Suicide Doors (on the Studebaker)

 According to Wikipedia - the gangsters liked suicide doors because it was much easier to shove someone out of the car. 

Me and S in Color

One day, two rolls of film and 20+ miles on the car.  Nice!

FILM26:: R is for...

Its time for the letter R over at FILM26.  We're now 2/3 of the way through the project of following the alphabet through the year using film.  I honestly have to say that digital does not have the special factor that you find in film. Film is special - really.  Digital is easy, yes - but.. there is something about film that can not be duplicated.  I believe that film takes on an even deeper meaning for those who have darkrooms and do their own processing.  I'm not developing my own.. but many do.  However, I am a believer.. there is no substitute.

 

Me and R

I've come to love film over these past 8 months.  Its a pain for me since I have to think ahead.  Its more costly.  Its a bunch of bad photos with one or two good ones... but I wouldn't trade my experience so far.

Reach

 I've met some amazing film photographers.  I know some great digital photographers that took up film this year in the name of this project.
 

R in Neon

 We still have a ways to go.  Every photo gets better.  Every roll processed has at least one more better photo.  Its love... it is.

R is for... Rainer Cherries

R is also for Red which seems to be an underlying theme with my R photos.   I didn't post my Q photo from the past two weeks... it stumped me and I kept thinking I would come up with a great Q set, but I didn't.. here is my one and only Q photo from two weeks ago.

Me and Q 

FILM26:: N is for...

N

Its time for the letter N over at FILM26.  It feels good to be on the downhill slope.  It feels good to know that I have stuck with it and will make it to the end.  I have gotten ahead on making the letter tiles which makes me relax a bit.  Running behind the ball is not fun and stressful.

Now, I'm waiting for some good weather which should be arriving here on July 5th.  That seems to be the case in the Pacific Northwest, summer arrives the day after our holiday on the 4th of July.  It equates to more outdoor time and more outdoor photography time.

YAY!

Me and N

 I love wandering around Capitol Hill here in Seattle. Its interesting urban street photography. I'm starting to get over my phobia of taking photos in public. Its not so much a phobia as it is just feeling like I'm intruding.

Not Nike

I'm super excited... I bought a groupon for a photography class.  It's on July 25th.  Its digital, but I really hope to translate what I learn to film.  I opted for the Intermediate class which is a stretch.  Its goes with that Aim High thing I try for.  I was sent a list of things that I am expected to know before I come to class.  I've got some homework to do :) 

Welcome to June

I bought this way cool French Market Basket from this place.  Can't even begin to tell you how much I love this.  Originally, I thought of it as a birthday gift for a girlfriend of mine.  She's one of those friends that I have known longer than I haven't known her.  She's tough to buy for, really tough.  She's a huge Farmer's Market shopper, and I thought this would be a good gift for her.  I ordered two. 
June is the month that kicks off the Farmer's Market season in Seattle - which really means that summer is just around the corner.  Some markets have been open for a few weeks now, but really - June is when they are in full swing.  I'm ready with my cool French Market basket.  Although, now I have to empty all the camera gear out of it... or buy another.

Photo Heart Connection::May

The end of May has come and it is time to look back through the month of photos and find the one that speaks to me.  Its time for Kat's Photo Heart Connection over at Kat Eye Studio.  This is such a good exercise.  Its not about the best photo I took for the month, its about finding the one that reflects a photo-heart connection. 
Hot tea in a pretty cup.  Yes, this is the one.  I love tea.  Its fascinating to me - how the leaf from one kind of plant can be changed so many ways - white, green, oolong, and black.  So many ways of making one thing different - drying, steaming, wok frying, crushing, oxidizing.  The world of tea parallels photography in a way.  We take one thing - a camera and we can create so many different things from it.  Both stimulate our senses, both are nurturing, and both quench a thirst - one for our body and one for our soul. 
Happy PHC everyone.  If you are interested, this is where I get my TEA.