27-FEB-2009
at the county fair
This is a photo I took back in August during Mary Ellen Mark's workshop in upper New York state. On Saturday MEM did a portfolio review of our work and on Sunday we went to the nearby county fair to shoot pics. Then we sent our contact shets to Mary Ellen and she returned them with comments.
I bring this up today because it is one of five photos I just submitted to the Fresh M.I.L.K. photo competition.
CLICK HERE to read all about it and maybe enter it yourself. The deadline is February 28 so you still have time ;=)
25-FEB-2009
Tito in his favorite "chair"
We're catsitting Tito again, this time for ten days. What a delightful creature! He is so relational yet independent at the same time. Very much his own cat. And he adores my scooter seat as a cozy spot to nap. It is such fun to have him around...
23-FEB-2009
yes, another self portrait
My favorite days are sunny days, not just because they lift my spirits but because I get good crisp shadows on sunny days. And if you're a regular visitor, you know how I love shadows in my photos!
21-FEB-2009
a snowy day in Detroit
Well, winter is still doing its thing where I live. Today (Saturday) the snow storm arrived as predicted at 11:30 a.m. and went on strong for the next six hours. But I was happy because I wanted to get another snowy self portrait.
Picture this: I drive my scooter out into the teeth of the blizzard, carrying my tripod with my camera already attached & covered by a plastic bag. I then set it up in my neighbor's driveway and scoot back through the garage so I can get my picture as I scoot from the front door towards the street. Unfortunately my cordless shutter release chose not to work so I didn't get the shot I wanted. But I just made do with what I could get using my timer.
Isn't photography a kick? I love that it pushes me to try new and different things. Trust me. Being a photographer ain't for whimps!
19-FEB-2009
a little bit shy
This is another of Monday's self portraits. I doubt if I'll be using it in "Falling Into Place" but I thought you might find it interesting. You're probably thinking is there NOTHING she won't photograph? I guess the answer is no...
18-FEB-2009
drumming in the sun
I used to drum all the time. For a year I was even part of a women's drumming circle that met every Thursday night. Of late, I don't drum as much because my hands can't flatten out enough to get a good tone. But today I found sitting in the sun with my drum in my lap to be quite comforting. What is REALLY comforting is that I'm photographing again. You know, I just don't feel like myself without a camera in my hand. Are you the same?
17-FEB-2009
morning shower
Last night's "breakthrough" continued today (Monday). This is just one of three images I liked from today's shoot. Oh my, did I have fun! Those of you who encouraged me to start playing again were right on target. Today I told my mind to take a hike and just enjoyed the process. I do LOVE taking photos!
16-FEB-2009
just one more...
Today I really hit the wall with my self portraits project,
"Falling Into Place." I just couldn't think of anything else to shoot. I've been at it for over eight months and, as many of you know, am working towards this project hopefully being published as a book. My mentor David Alan Harvey and I had agreed that I'd keep taking photos through the spring, but on this cold February day spring seemed like a long way away.
Before dinner tonight (Sunday) I wrote a comment on
Burn Magazine about my dry spell and said that maybe I was done with the project. David's reply was, "maybe you are done…in that case, just get one more…." Panos, one of my best Burn buddies, wrote: "No you’re not DONE..no you’re not.. Trust me." So after dinner I started playing around and this was what came after lots of tries.
OK, so now I know I am NOT done. I just needed to stop thinking so much and start playing again...
15-FEB-2009
birthday cake
How often do you see youngsters this age eating slices of a birthday cake that could have had 65 candles on it? Well, my friend's cake did not have all those candles but it could have. Happy birthday, dear Sooz!
12-FEB-2009
shadow & light
A dear friend whom I met here on PBase is in the last days of his life. Ted Chappell is a gentle spirited fellow who sees beauty wherever he looks, especially in the eyes of his beloved wife Lyn, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and many friends. His photos often celebrate the land, water, sky and creatures of his native New Zealand.
CLICK HERE to visit Ted's photo galleries.
This self portrait incorporating light and shadow reminds me that life and death are one. It is we who imagine light is better than shadow, life is better than death. Soon Ted will know the truth. May he travel in trust surrounded by love.
Aroha, dear Ted...
10-FEB-2009
Cornrows dance performance
My goddess daughter, Emily Kolon, has danced for the past five years with a company in Ann Arbor, Michigan called Cornrows. In all that time I had never been able to attend a performance, that is until Sunday night. What I saw/experienced was a superb mix of dances, most of them choreographed by members of the company. Such talent, life and passion! As I watched some of their moves, my body engaged its "muscle memory" of the years when I used to study with a wildly creative modern dance choreographer, Denise Szykula. How I love it when that happens.
09-FEB-2009
there are many ways to ice skate
As I wrote in a recent PaD entry that featured a woman in a wheelchair looking at a painting of dancers, just because you're not up on your feet doesn't mean you can't dance. Well, the same thing goes for ice skating too. Sunday was our second "spring" day here in Detroit and the warm sun brought out young families as well as elders like me. They may have been on the ice physically but I was with them in my mind and heart. We were all flying through the air!