All Good

Beauty can be spoken about in many different contexts, but the way I see it is oh so very natural.  My friends and family that surround me almost everyday have great importance in my life and I find them outstanding and beautiful.  Having rented out a broken camera, I was only able to test a few pieces of the puzzle..(my project) where my friend Amanda (muse) modeled for me, was a real pleasure, and even though somehow light leaked onto the negs, these four are my favourite.

 

A Divided Road

American Todd Hido is best known for his photographs of a haunting suburbia in ‘Homes At Night’. Widely exhibited in the United States and Europe, his eerie exteriors project feelings of unease and isolation, as the presence of people is devoid. Hido uses only available light and long exposures that make these saturated images almost glow off the print. His exploration into themes of loneliness continues through to his interior shots which are again absent of people, but suggest that a presence was once there.  His exploration into themes of loneliness continues through to his interior shots which are again absent of people, but suggest that a presence was once there – a door left ajar, a chair turned over, creased bedding. Less celebrated are his series of portraits, again set in vacuous places but this time with models. There is something intriguing about these that hold your gaze, as amateur, scantily clad models pose awkwardly for the camera. "I am very much influenced by my past. I was a student of Larry Sultan's about 15 years ago and he remained a good friend until he passed away last year. He was a clear influence on my work and I think that the most important thing that Larry taught me was to draw from within, to use your own history as the basis for your art."

Well You Needn't

Things change constantly, decisions have to be made.  Timing.  This seems to be a constant cycle in my life and I guess its how we grow as individuals.  Enough with the bantering, it seems my focus for this final project is now on jewellery, being in Toronto has helped in many ways, people seem to be more forgiving in many aspects, especially when it comes to anything creative.  So, change can be good, not exactly what I wanted but I guess it will have to do.  I thought I would post one of my 'tests' (seems like that's the only thing I do these days!) for my final major since it's changed again.  It's good to change..but not too much.

and another one...

Another test for my FMP, still not sure which direction to go.

You Never Know What You Will Come Across

On my return home to Canada, I was looking through WH Smith and found a photoworks magazine from the 2010 Brighton Biennial Festival.  Back in 2007 I fell in love with the japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi, who photographs the everyday mundane and can turn into something magical, she is constantly looking and I believe as a photographer we forget sometimes, what is around us everyday.  Looking in the magazine I saw that she has done a series called 'Murmation' where she is drawn to the spectacle of flocking starlings at Brighton Pier.  During the winter months at dusk, the birds gather in their tens of thousands, wheeling around to create a mesmerising swirl cloud called a murmation.  She seems to be fascinated by the ephemeral nature of this phenomenon and, continuing on with the theme of the flock, she has also trailed groups of people in the city. 

I have a great love for birds and this series approaches them in a way that I haven't come across yet, just amazing. If you have time, google her and check her work out.

FIRST and foremost..

My first attempt shooting with Large Format Colour Neg, and it's a bit of a dissapointment...either they were scanned incorrectly as the colours are completely messed up and shouldn't be, secondly only five negs turned out from ten shots...(scratching my head in frustration).

My main motivation is to shoot with Large Format for my FMP, so it looks like I will to do some more testing.