Monday, November 26, 2012

A Sense of Others


Others: those who surround us and reflect who we are. They react to us, just as we react to them, in a way we shape those who we interact with just as they do the same to us.
People react to you in a bigger way if you are trying to take a picture of them I have noticed. The bigger the camera, the more uneasy they seem to be in front of the lens for the first time. I don't understand the reason behind this, other that the "imitation factor" that may come into play I guess. There are some people who are very comfortable in front of the lens, Jasmin and Breanna became my models today and yesterday, they were comfortable, Jasmin because I have shot her before.....a lot, and Breanna because I'm really just guessing that that is how she is.
I think that both my portraits are fairly dramatic in their own ways. The first was inspired by a photographer in my hometown who often pairs dramatic settings like sunsets, and unique strobe lit scenes and a soft strobe on the model's face and body, lighting them. I tried to replicate that with Jasmin, using my off camera flash and a narrow street near Rue Daguerre. It turned out to my liking, though now after the fact I realize (again) that her face is dead center in the photo, something that I have a bad habit of doing all the time.
For Breanna's photo, it was less of my visualization, and more her grabbing me and saying "take a picture of me putting on red lipstick, because we're in Paris!" This is a photo that I would love to replicate, in a more controlled setting, with strobes or flashes lighting from a different angle that straight on soft sunlight. (Here I am thinking a darker background, with a flash to the back, and at a lower angle to the subject, with ambient light filling in the rest.) Of course there are about a million things I could do with a photo like this, but for a spur of the moment shot, with the group already departing for somewhere else and not wanting to get left behind, I think it is pretty good.
I realize I really like the effects of artificial light on some subjects. I guess I like to engineer an image, rather than just letting it happen. That's something I have learned from photographing people, also it is hard for me to get the image I want on the fly, I like to shoot from as many angles as I can, trying to input any unique effects I can to influence the image.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

A Sense of Place

Paris. That's where I am for the week. It is a far bigger city than Denver, and a lot more interesting. It's my third time here, the first that hasn't been in the summer. It is definitely one of my favorite places, and for the express purpose of taking pictures it is the best place to do so.
So where am I really. Well Paris is a lot of things. The capitol of France, an Ancient City, a battle ground in the French revolution, and in general a historic, iconic, and cosmopolitan city.
In particular, unique landmarks define Paris in the modern world. The Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysee, the Arc de Triumph, the Louvre, Sacre Couer, Notre Dame de Paris, Versailles, etc.
The French culture is epitomized in Paris, and throughout its neighborhoods. It's, not surprisingly a great place to practice french, which is something that I have been trying to do. The food is the best as well.
I can't think of much else to say about this place. It is a place that you have to experience to know, I guess that's what I am doing.

      

The Eiffel Tower and Sacre Couer, both at night.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

A Sense of Transition

Last week I realized that this thanksgiving would be the first ever that I had not spent with my family. I would not get to have a massive turkey dinner and all the pumpkin pie I could eat, sort of sad because it is the only time I get to have that sort of stuff once a year. Instead I would be on my way to Paris, and in Paris on thanksgiving day.
Lets just say it was a brutal trip, and I was glad that it was over. I made it to the hostel where I was \staying and then went for a walk. I saw a cat, and it behaved just like cats in the United States, kind of stuck up, and snooty, quite reassuring being in a new country.
The cat. 

The basic premise of my walk was to to get myself looking at this place through my lens. The results were mediocre, but the next day I was getting a bit more used to it. Wielding a large camera in a big city is rather unwieldy and take a little getting used to, but I think I have the hang of it now.

 It was an absolute blur. Not that king of blur, but a blurry blur. 

The transition on the "Academic front" has be very little. Since finals, I get the notion that I must finish what is assigned before I go to bed, even if I don't go to bed. I know sleep is essential here, so I think I am going to go to bed now.





Jasmin is "studying".

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Thursday, November 8, 2012

The guitarist

Posting a photo from my iPhone just to see what happens. Plus it's kind of a cool photo.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Three Photos: For the three days I've had this.

 Here is a retro-ish edit.
 And fire, fire is pretty cool.
And cats. I love cats. And taking pictures of cats is sorta a pastime. 

Saturday, November 3, 2012

First Post

I just started a blog. It is currently distracting me from my homework, which I am doing on a Saturday night, in college. Something isn't right here.....that is all.