The Blog

I started this blog as a way to keep myself photographing. I have been trying to get accepted into an MFA program but haven't been able to. I also had no idea what I should be doing photographically and I thought this blog would help me find out. IT did. I have many ideas and projects I'm working on. I'm excited about all of them. I also know I need to be meeting people and photographing them in black and white. That is my calling as a photographer.

I had been thinking for a while now that I was ready to stop with this project, but also thought I wanted to see it through to May 1st, 2010. However, My mom's health has taken a turn for the worse and I feel it is necessary to spend as much time with her as I can, encouraging her to get healthy. She lives far from me and I won't be able to do both. I also feel as if I have what I need for my 2009 MFA portfolio application. So.... I will no longer be posting daily photo's.

I will continue posting pictures for myself if I can on occasion, such as the monthly series of my son swimming. I'd really like to finish that series.

Thank you for the support you've given me, for the encouraging words in person, in private e-mails and in the comments.

Day 178 Dog

It seems while on my Sunday morning walks I photograph more dogs and cats than I do people. I guess a lot of people are not up and out at that time. This is one of the dogs I've come across.

Day 177 Jim

A picture fo Jim, taken the same day as yesterday's post. He loves all the stray cats that hang around the hotel.

Day 176 Man at the Door

While photographing on South Ninth Street earlier this month I met a man named Jim. I had photographed him before without knowing who he was and during the course of this meeting he mentioned he had a van I might want to photograph. So off we went to his motel so I could photograph him and his van. I hung out for awhile talking to him when I captured this image.
Jim is pictured left.

Day 175 Man in Chair

Two Sundays ago I went for one of my morning walks. I walk sometimes for a few hours looking for photographic opportunities. I was pretty happy with my findings on this day when I came upon this man. After taking two frames I started talking with him, and he seemed to appreciate my wanting to document ordinary life and was happy to have me take his picture. I was impressed by the proud way he sat in his chair. I took more pictures of him after our talk and he continued with his proud sitting mannerisms. This is the second frame from before I talked to him.

Day 174 Steven Swimming in October Month Six

It is October and the sixth month of my monthly series of Steven swimming. We didn't spend to much time this go round, but I am happy with the results. I picked two for this month as well. The top picture because it appears he has an alien face and the bottom picture because I love the light drops.

I went back and looked at many of my swimming pictures from the last few months and have so many wonderful shots I never noticed the first time around. It's amazing the difference time makes when editing work.

Day 173 Glass Santa with Forks and Water

I don't know what this concoction is, just a collection of things I like, glass, forks and water on black.

Day 172 Crystalized Water

I thought I would try for a better splash photo but as I began to get things set up I wondered why do I have to drop something in the water to make it splash? Why not go for pure water? Just water splashing in a wine glass flashed with light. A pure photograph. I tried it at three different levels. One to see the inside of the glass, two a little higher up and three near the top, almost a view from above.

Day 171 Forks and Spoons

I noticed the silverware sitting in the drying rack on my kitchen counter. Well I just love silverware so a shot of some forks and spoons.

Day 170 Pomegranate on White

I had another pomegranate on the kitchen counter so I thought it would be fun to photograph it on white.

Day 169 Pomegranate

It was a busy day and I thought I'd finally photograph whatever I was watching on TV. Then I saw the pomegranate sitting on the kitchen counter and broke it open. I didn't even get out my lights. Just used a flash and a slow shutter speed.

Day 168 Some Kind of Bird

My husband and I were in downtown Modesto this evening attending the second annual poetry and photography show when I noticed this cute scene. I took a few shots shooting from my hip.

Is that a purse she has around her back side? Kinda reminds me of a pelican.

Day 167 Wayne with Water

It was a busy day... no time for pictures ... so Wayne went out front to let water pour over his head. I've been wanting to take a picture of water falling down his face with a slow shutter speed for quite some time now. I just love water, it's so fluid.

Day 166 A Couple of Guys on Ninth Street

I offer no explanation for this photo. I will say I love it. I believe it was taken sometime in August.