Wow, I can't believe I haven't blogged since September! Sorry! I will have to try to post more often. To be honest, once I got to school, I've barely had time to do shoots, and I haven't been super proud of the photos I've taken.
After reading Sam's (Samantha Nandez, that is) post about her past New Year's Resolutions on her blog, I wanted to do the same for mine. SO MUCH has changed since January. It's amazing. More than I realized.
Here are my resolutions from January of 2010, posted on Deviantart (which I now no longer use except for the occasional upload or update).
1) 52 week project: I generally think that 52 week project has all the perks of the 365 with none of the cons. I think it'll be fun to see how I grow through the year (: I'll be posting them on flickr [link] so add me as a contact if you want to follow that! (and tell me if you're doing a 365 or 52 week project!)
2) I want to inspire: I so want to improve more than I ever even thought possible. I want to really see. I want to inspire every single one of my watchers and more.
3) Get an internship or job in photography: speaks for itself. I want to learn so much more than I already know. So badly.
4) I want to do good, to change the world: I want to become a good enough photographer that I have 10,000 watchers, so that when I post something, like a charity that I've found that I love, or an idea that would be amazing if people followed, or someone inspiring that should be watched, or anything that could change people's lives for the better, there would be ~10,000 people listening. And maybe they will pass it on to people they know... and then we could really change the world, or at least the worlds of several, for the better. I really think that the possibility is incredible and amazing.
5) I want to live: I want to do things simply for the joy of being alive, for fun, to make the most of my time, to create beautifully colored memories and to gently or roughly shape me into someone.
6) I want to stop being lazy: Because it holds me down, it's a waste of my time. This goes for answering comments, too.. I hate that I've become someone that takes forever to answer them, and I'm so sorry for that. None of you deserve to wait for my thanks to your generosity and kindness.
7) I want to experience and learn: From everyone around me, even those I never expected to learn anything from. I want to be open to new ideas and ways, not shut off.
8) A creative project: I want to create something, maybe a photobook with writing? Something that I can call my own and produce and be proud of.
9) Win a competition: Or at least get shortlisted!
10) Get published!
--
Now I'm gonna look at how each one panned out:
1) 1) 52 week project: Well, I failed organization wise on this one. I got to week like, 22 before I started my 100 days of summer project (which I decided to stop). I did, however, take a photo nearly every week this year. Not every week, but probably 45+ weeks out of 52. SCORE: 75/100
2) I want to inspire: I think I did okay on this one. Not as much as I would have liked to. I think a lot of the photographs I took for the first 2/3rds of the year were good and semi-inspiring. This last 1/3rd, I don't think I was particularly inspiring artistically, but I had several people tell me I inspired them because of my fundraiser, and that's something I really value. So I'm going to say SCORE: 100/100 on this one :)
Get an internship or job in photography: It's funny, this shows how much I have changed. This was back when I was still upset about not being able to transfer to a photography school. It was before I started my second semester and realized how much I love Northeastern, Communications, and the co-op program here. It was before I realized that I do not want to pursue photography as a profession, just as an ambitious side project that I enjoy. It was before I realized that I want my career path to be most likely in the Non-Profit/Fundraising sector. So, it's kind of irrelevant. Since my interests have changed, and I got a well-paying, 30hour-a-week co-op for next semester that looks like something I'm going to really enjoy and is a Non-Profit, I think I'm going to say that I succeeded here, since it's not as though I was too lazy to get one or I couldn't get one, I simply changed what kind of internship/job I wanted to get. SCORE: 100/100
I want to do good, to change the world: If you told me in January that my future self shaved her head after raising $12,000 (more than double my original goal) in 8 weeks for Susan G Komen, I'd laugh in your face. And then I'd probably think "hey, I should do that!". haha. Anyway, I'm so glad I can say that I feel like I've fulfilled this one!! SCORE: 100/100
5) I want to live: Hmm. I think I did a good job of this for the first 2/3rds of the year, especially with going to Paris and Gent, and meeting lots of new people. This past 1/3rd, I have been so insanely busy with school work and my fundraiser that I don't feel that I've gotten to really LIVE much. This is still something I want to do better at every single year. SCORE: 50/100
6) I want to stop being lazy: It's hard for me to remember how lazy or not lazy I was in the first half of the year. I feel like at least since summer started, I've been very busy and hardworking. I still have to work on this a bit more, though. SCORE: 75/100
7) I want to experience and learn: Yes, I think I have done this. From classes and exploring the city spring semester of '10, to my summer travels in Paris and Gent, to home tragedies, to classes and my fundraiser this semester, I feel that I've learned a LOT. I feel that I've become more open to seeing more than one side to an argument, and to admitting when I'm wrong. I still have more improvement to do for sure, but I think I've achieved this as much as I could have hoped to in this time period, so.. SCORE: 100/100
8) A creative project: Yep! I did create a photobook! I want to do more creative projects next year, though. SCORE: 100/100
9) Win a competition: I won some sort of competition but I can't remember if it was this year. I at least was in the finalists for this contest twice. And published for it. SCORE: 50/100
10) Get published! Done, many times over! Woohoo! SCORE: 100/100
FINAL SCORE: 850/1000! Not too bad. Better than I would have thought!
ANALYSIS: I think that there were a lot of things not on the list of resolutions that have changed for the better this year. I think I'm fairly proud of this year. There are so many big things and little things that I could mention that all happened this year. I feel like I've really grown immensely as a person. I hope next year is the same! I'll have to think up some Resolutions for 2011 and post them in the next few weeks :)
If you do a post like this, let me know!! I'd really like to read them!!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
serendipity
I want to write out the story of this, because it's important to me to remember it. but if you're just looking for the pictures, skip to the end :)
during the last week of summer, Corey and I ventured off to Trailside, and area in a nearby reservation that I hadn't been to in forever, but had been recommended to me. I went there for a shoot with Claire earlier, but we must have gone in the wrong area, cause it didn't seem right. Corey and I decided to re-visit it and find the pretty area. we went to a map, but it didn't tell us anything about Trailside itself, more about the reservation as a whole.
we decided to head off towards the lake to shoot. almost immediately, we started walking along this big fence. from what we could see, there seemed to be a big garden behind it. we were curious, so we walked around to see if it was something that we could go in. the front gates were open, so we walked in. there was a man and a big friendly dog, right by a little hut of sorts. we couldn't tell if it was possibly a house, or something like that, so we asked if it was public. he said that it technically was, and asked if we'd like him to explain it to us and show us around it. it was beautiful inside and I was already intrigued. I just had some sort of feeling that there was something special about this place.
he introduced himself as Jeff. Jeff told us about the gardens, and how state university programs allow students who have become "master gardeners" to come grow in a plot of land here (or at least this is my understanding of it). there was an area where someone was growing tomatoes and taking the best strains and breeding/regrowing them the next year. that same person had an area where they grew mostly berries. Jeff told us that the same guy couldn't bear to see anything wasted, though, so he took various thrown out plants and grew them there. it was beautiful.
there was a garden that grew vegetables, doing the same thing as the tomatoes-- taking the plants that produced the most and re-breeding/growing them so that every year, it's a more productive vegetable garden. they donate the vegetables to the soup kitchen.
next we went to a patch of flowers, which Jeff explained was the first and original part of the "cancer garden". Two women who lost their husbands to cancer and wanted to start a garden, where they would grow flowers to take to cancer patients who didn't have much company. I'm going to skip over some of the details out so as not to share other people's personal lives except for my own, but it felt like such a genuine moment, one where you're reminded how very human we all are. one where the company you keep feels real and so so alive.
Jeff went on to show us a bunch of beautiful flower gardens. there was one where they grew northern-hardy tropical plants, that grew up so so high. he told us they start from nothing every year, and just sprout up.
there were butterfly gardens, and a second extension of the cancer garden, which seemed to have more flowers. he explained that they originally didn't have much knowledge in gardening, but as they've continued to do this, they've started to want to learn more about what flowers are best to plant and what conditions are best for them, etc. I thought that was really interesting, the way that one passion and intention can lead to a whole new world.
then there was this absolutely beautiful garden. it was called the harry potter garden, cause all of the herbs that surrounded it are plants used in the books. SO COOL :) there was a gazebo, and big, beautiful plants. I loved it the most, I think. and that's saying a lot.
after we finished touring the gardens, we went back to a big plastic table near the little hut. there we met several new people, all with their dogs. I liked everyone instantly. their personalities seemed so distinct, so genuine. not only that, but they were all extremely interesting. and so welcoming. they all get together at least once a day to let their dogs run around and to chat. it seemed like such a wonderful group of friends. normally, I think the Corey and I would be treated a certain way since we are so young, but I felt like we belonged there all along. I don't really know how to explain it, but it was the most wonderful feeling, and the best time being there, meeting all of these new people, really feeling like this is how I want my life to be... spontaneously meeting genuinely good new people, hearing about their lives, discovering new beautiful places and the stories behind them.
Also, I felt like this was one of those things life handed me. something that was exactly everything that I needed at that point. I had recently read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, which was a wonderful novel, and it made me long to meet a group of friends like that. This reminded me so intensely of the group of friends in the novel... it was unbelievable. and it was just what I needed for other reasons, too. Corey and I both left giddy with excitement, saying what an amazing day it was.
We were welcomed to come back, and I was hoping to go back again that week before I left for school, but I didn't get a chance due to some personal stuff. Corey and I promised to go back when we came back home from school, and I can't wait.
Honestly, my description of this day really doesn't do it justice at all. But I've written down enough to remind myself of it, and to give everyone else a good idea of it, so I think that's ok for now :)
Corey and I took a bunch of photos around the garden, and they came out really strangely. Like NO contrast, and a violent tint over them. I think it was a a mix between the type of film I was using (it was low contrast, which I didn't realize until after the fact), faulty exposure settings (messing around/not trusting my external light meter stupidly), and where I got it developed. I was really disappointed, but I still like the photos anyway. And I remember how it really looked well :)
so here they are, along with a couple randoms at the end, all taken with my Kowa 6mm.
some of the wonderful people we met (and a couple of the dogs!)"
where berries and thrown out plants are planted:
don't worry, there was a patch in the flowers that was bare, she didn't squish any :)
by the tropical plants:
harry potter garden:
by the second cancer garden:
--
randoms:
during the last week of summer, Corey and I ventured off to Trailside, and area in a nearby reservation that I hadn't been to in forever, but had been recommended to me. I went there for a shoot with Claire earlier, but we must have gone in the wrong area, cause it didn't seem right. Corey and I decided to re-visit it and find the pretty area. we went to a map, but it didn't tell us anything about Trailside itself, more about the reservation as a whole.
we decided to head off towards the lake to shoot. almost immediately, we started walking along this big fence. from what we could see, there seemed to be a big garden behind it. we were curious, so we walked around to see if it was something that we could go in. the front gates were open, so we walked in. there was a man and a big friendly dog, right by a little hut of sorts. we couldn't tell if it was possibly a house, or something like that, so we asked if it was public. he said that it technically was, and asked if we'd like him to explain it to us and show us around it. it was beautiful inside and I was already intrigued. I just had some sort of feeling that there was something special about this place.
he introduced himself as Jeff. Jeff told us about the gardens, and how state university programs allow students who have become "master gardeners" to come grow in a plot of land here (or at least this is my understanding of it). there was an area where someone was growing tomatoes and taking the best strains and breeding/regrowing them the next year. that same person had an area where they grew mostly berries. Jeff told us that the same guy couldn't bear to see anything wasted, though, so he took various thrown out plants and grew them there. it was beautiful.
there was a garden that grew vegetables, doing the same thing as the tomatoes-- taking the plants that produced the most and re-breeding/growing them so that every year, it's a more productive vegetable garden. they donate the vegetables to the soup kitchen.
next we went to a patch of flowers, which Jeff explained was the first and original part of the "cancer garden". Two women who lost their husbands to cancer and wanted to start a garden, where they would grow flowers to take to cancer patients who didn't have much company. I'm going to skip over some of the details out so as not to share other people's personal lives except for my own, but it felt like such a genuine moment, one where you're reminded how very human we all are. one where the company you keep feels real and so so alive.
Jeff went on to show us a bunch of beautiful flower gardens. there was one where they grew northern-hardy tropical plants, that grew up so so high. he told us they start from nothing every year, and just sprout up.
there were butterfly gardens, and a second extension of the cancer garden, which seemed to have more flowers. he explained that they originally didn't have much knowledge in gardening, but as they've continued to do this, they've started to want to learn more about what flowers are best to plant and what conditions are best for them, etc. I thought that was really interesting, the way that one passion and intention can lead to a whole new world.
then there was this absolutely beautiful garden. it was called the harry potter garden, cause all of the herbs that surrounded it are plants used in the books. SO COOL :) there was a gazebo, and big, beautiful plants. I loved it the most, I think. and that's saying a lot.
after we finished touring the gardens, we went back to a big plastic table near the little hut. there we met several new people, all with their dogs. I liked everyone instantly. their personalities seemed so distinct, so genuine. not only that, but they were all extremely interesting. and so welcoming. they all get together at least once a day to let their dogs run around and to chat. it seemed like such a wonderful group of friends. normally, I think the Corey and I would be treated a certain way since we are so young, but I felt like we belonged there all along. I don't really know how to explain it, but it was the most wonderful feeling, and the best time being there, meeting all of these new people, really feeling like this is how I want my life to be... spontaneously meeting genuinely good new people, hearing about their lives, discovering new beautiful places and the stories behind them.
Also, I felt like this was one of those things life handed me. something that was exactly everything that I needed at that point. I had recently read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, which was a wonderful novel, and it made me long to meet a group of friends like that. This reminded me so intensely of the group of friends in the novel... it was unbelievable. and it was just what I needed for other reasons, too. Corey and I both left giddy with excitement, saying what an amazing day it was.
We were welcomed to come back, and I was hoping to go back again that week before I left for school, but I didn't get a chance due to some personal stuff. Corey and I promised to go back when we came back home from school, and I can't wait.
Honestly, my description of this day really doesn't do it justice at all. But I've written down enough to remind myself of it, and to give everyone else a good idea of it, so I think that's ok for now :)
Corey and I took a bunch of photos around the garden, and they came out really strangely. Like NO contrast, and a violent tint over them. I think it was a a mix between the type of film I was using (it was low contrast, which I didn't realize until after the fact), faulty exposure settings (messing around/not trusting my external light meter stupidly), and where I got it developed. I was really disappointed, but I still like the photos anyway. And I remember how it really looked well :)
so here they are, along with a couple randoms at the end, all taken with my Kowa 6mm.
some of the wonderful people we met (and a couple of the dogs!)"
where berries and thrown out plants are planted:
don't worry, there was a patch in the flowers that was bare, she didn't squish any :)
by the tropical plants:
harry potter garden:
by the second cancer garden:
--
randoms:
Friday, September 10, 2010
meredith, day 1
meredith is back in boston! she's been staying at my apartment for a couple days, and yesterday we did a shoot at the arboretum (aka the love of my life). it's so full of life and so beautiful right now. it's overwhelming, but in the best way possible. unfortunately it was dark and cloudy, so we couldn't shoot too long, but we're going back today in hopes of pretty light! I took film photos too (and I'll take more today), but I won't get those back until sometime late next week or so, so I'll post those separately.
if you don't remember meredith, she's from a shoot I did around this time last year in the gardens: http://fav.me/d2cforw :)
:)
if you don't remember meredith, she's from a shoot I did around this time last year in the gardens: http://fav.me/d2cforw :)
:)
Friday, September 3, 2010
vagabond
claire and I did a last minute shoot before she went off to college! it was all 35mm film. it was raining. and then it was pouring. we were soaked by the end! :P
Sunday, August 29, 2010
first roll shot with 120 film
sosoososo, I know I haven't posted in forever. sorry! but I had to post about this (and I have another film post coming as soon as I finish off the roll of 35mm I started with claire the other day).
recently, I bought a Kowa 6mm. It's a 6x6 medium format camera, and it's bootiful :) It's the first time I've ever used a medium format camera, so I was really excited. this is the first roll I took with it.
Equipment used:
Kowa 6mm camera
85mm 2.8 lens
Kodak Portra ISO 400 120mm film
I also used photoshop to add contrast to the photos, convert one of them to black and white, and to add a slight yellow tone to about 3 of them. *means I added the yellow tone :)
the first photos were taken on joe's last day of summer (he left for college the next day), and so, my last day with him for another 3ish weeks. joe never lets me take photos of him, so it was really exciting for me!! :D haha. one of them I accidentally caught his eyes closed, but that's alright. I really like these pictures, they really mean something to me.
I absolutely loved this camera as soon as I got it, and especially after I had taken a photo or two with it!! I got it on a thursday, and I had work friday and saturday, so I wasn't able to take photos with it, and it was all I could think about was taking photos with it. so saturday morning, before work, I decided to take just one photo inside. it was around 8:20am.
*
then, this morning (Sunday), I knew it was my goal to finish the roll and send it in to get it developed. I knew I wanted to call up my little neighbor, jamie, to take photos with me, but I wanted to wait until later in the morning. I couldn't wait, so I went right next door and quietly took a photo of their butterfly bush, which is right on the border of our yards.
*
then, around 10:30 am, jamie came over to take photos. lauren (my sister), jamie and I drove to the nearby park, and went on one of my favorite back paths. I'm always taking photos there :P here are the rest of the photos:
*
*
one of my faves :)
I'll think I'll usually post my entire rolls like this, as long as I like them!
Actually, I just realized... a roll of film is supposed to have 12 photos, and this only had 11. I must have done something wrong :P oh well!
until next time <3
recently, I bought a Kowa 6mm. It's a 6x6 medium format camera, and it's bootiful :) It's the first time I've ever used a medium format camera, so I was really excited. this is the first roll I took with it.
Equipment used:
Kowa 6mm camera
85mm 2.8 lens
Kodak Portra ISO 400 120mm film
I also used photoshop to add contrast to the photos, convert one of them to black and white, and to add a slight yellow tone to about 3 of them. *means I added the yellow tone :)
the first photos were taken on joe's last day of summer (he left for college the next day), and so, my last day with him for another 3ish weeks. joe never lets me take photos of him, so it was really exciting for me!! :D haha. one of them I accidentally caught his eyes closed, but that's alright. I really like these pictures, they really mean something to me.
I absolutely loved this camera as soon as I got it, and especially after I had taken a photo or two with it!! I got it on a thursday, and I had work friday and saturday, so I wasn't able to take photos with it, and it was all I could think about was taking photos with it. so saturday morning, before work, I decided to take just one photo inside. it was around 8:20am.
*
then, this morning (Sunday), I knew it was my goal to finish the roll and send it in to get it developed. I knew I wanted to call up my little neighbor, jamie, to take photos with me, but I wanted to wait until later in the morning. I couldn't wait, so I went right next door and quietly took a photo of their butterfly bush, which is right on the border of our yards.
*
then, around 10:30 am, jamie came over to take photos. lauren (my sister), jamie and I drove to the nearby park, and went on one of my favorite back paths. I'm always taking photos there :P here are the rest of the photos:
*
*
one of my faves :)
I'll think I'll usually post my entire rolls like this, as long as I like them!
Actually, I just realized... a roll of film is supposed to have 12 photos, and this only had 11. I must have done something wrong :P oh well!
until next time <3
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