The second project for my advanced lighting class was to reference a classic painting to emulate (with a “modern twist”). I searched high and low and settled on not a classic, but a beautiful image with the model in mind. Meghan was beyond lovely to work with…not only an great assistant, but an awesome model.
I recently got to spend some time with the lovely, smart and talented Laura Klein. I got a mini tour of the Stanford campus and she got some new head shots…it was a win win! Need a new head shot or know someone who does? Contact me!
Quick note to say that there is an updated gallery under Projects…I Saw the Sea. These images (from THIS blog post) were originally part of a book assignment for a class but I loved them enough on their own. I am thinking prints maybe?!
Last weekend we spent another awesome cabin weekend in Big Sur. Camping is nice and all, but man, cabining is nicer. All the perks and none of the dirt! Josh and Lidia joined us and we got to celebrate her actually birthday (and my delayed one!) for the first time in many years. In fact I was reflecting on this and realized that I don’t know if we spent a birthday together since we I turned 16 (where you there Lidia? Magic Mountain?)…but what is funny (if I am correct on Lidia’s presence) is that we actually came back to the house and watched Hitchcock’s “The Birds” later that night. Tangent, but it comes full circle.
We went on an awesome Lidia Birthday hike at Andrew Molera State Park and as we approached the beach we saw that it was not passable (or at least the river was not wade-able in the winter weather) AND that it was covered with hundreds of Seagulls. Me being me, I totally was down for going. I don’t know if I romanticized chasing them, but they did not scare me. Everyone else on the other hand was not down with bird (poop) beach. So rather than calling it a wash, we too the headlands trail along the cliff side and had magnificent views. But! As bird tend to do, they took flight. And not only did they take flight, they decided to swarm in circles above our head while we were on the cliff. The photographer in me snapped away while everyone else ran for cover from the eventual spray. We somehow made it out mostly poop free and enjoyed our descent back down. More (well a little bit more) Big Sur to come…but for now! Birds!
Last fall I rented (I ♥ that borrowlenses.com is local-ish) the Canon 100mm Macro as a test lens when I was deciding between it and the one I ended up buying…I loved it and it was a great lens but the 50/1.2 won me over for many reasons. I love.love.loved. the macro aspect (more “macro” to come!) But I also loved it’s ability to shoot just about anything…If it is not the next lens I buy it will be the next-next one.
Where to begin with 2010! It was a good year. But as I sit here looking out at the trees outside of my office window all of my thoughts are on the year ahead. I turn 32 today and I like that I have a birthday so close to the beginning of the year. It is a good time to look back in reflection and ahead with excitement.
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By and far the biggest project I did at the end of last year was a photo project for my Image & Idea class. I struggled with concepts and changed my mind a million times only to settle on something personal. I did a portrait series of friends, all women in their early 30′s. But the big thing for me beyond just the image was finding a way to share their thoughts and emotions on the topic. I had each woman complete the statement “In my 30′s…” and then arranged these hand written notes into the installation. I received a wonderful response from men and women of all ages and I am excited to see what we have to say “in my 40′s…”
Below are some shots from the installation, with the larger project ahead of scanning each hand written note and making an electronic home for the project.
I knew long ago the color of her skin, her profile, her teeth. Her beauty drowned me. As I sat in front of her I felt that I would do anything she asked of me.
– Anaïs Nin
This would be the obligatory New! Year! post. The year in review is coming because 2011 is already off with a jump start after we were able to spend the last part of 2010 in super relax more. I can’t even wrap my head around about how much happened last year and am excited about the year ahead.
I am not one for public proclamations of resolutions and such, but I do think 2011 will have more of the following: nail polish, film, website fixing-up, photo shows, dinner parties, museum visits, darkroom time, beer making, photo figuring out, drawing, movie going, wine tasting, organizing this thing called life, patio tomatoes, planning next years BIG trip, Patti Smith, Big Sur and double exposures.
And maybe more blog posts. For now I am happy getting things done while I can, sleeping more, taking hot baths, reading, interning and tonight wine and a pizza made by my Mr.
Over Thanksgiving we were very lucky to be able to travel to Kentucky to celebrate Mom & Nana’s birthday. We made the journey from San Francisco with Jesse and Ryan, renting a car in Nashville and driving into the Land Between the Lakes. We arrived extremely jet lagged and out of sorts but managed to have an awesome and wonderful Thanksgiving. It is the first Thanksgiving I think I have spent with my mom in 30 years and the first I have spent with (most) of my siblings and niece and nephew. It was Ryan’s first foray into our family and Kentucky and Jason picked up an adorable nickname from my niece. It snowed the first night (or “flurried” technically- but to this Californian it was snow!). Jason found the most awesome (really) beer store and we stayed up many late nights trying to savor every moment. It went by way too fast, but many happy memories were made. Kentucky!
Mini photo tour after the jump!
