Instagram, snippet of 2014

In 2014 I got peer pressured into Instagram. Something along the lines of "You don't instagram, what kind of designer/photographer are you?". So I made an effort to post more than my usual quota: one image a year.

I am not a fan of a lot of the filters, and even when I apply one, I manually tweak all the settings. I am however a sucker for the tilt shift since it creates that faux depth of field that I miss with "real camera" photography. Also the square format always reminds me of 120 film which I miss dearly. I take thousands of iphone photos but for some reason instagraming and tagging them does not come naturally to me. Perhaps because most of the pictures on my phone are cat ones and I think the internet has enough cats for now.

I included the last one as a self portrait mostly because I like the grungy look of the background. Odd how a selfie really is just a self portrait, but that term somehow cheapens it. Don't get me wrong there are lots of pros to cellphone photography, but I miss my actual camera. Even more so, I miss film. I do like the ease of taking out your phone and capturing something on the spot, like for example a sleeping bird you find on a fire hydrant (pic. 1). There is no longer that "Oh, No! I don't have my camera on me!". But I do miss a real lens and I will have to make it a point to take out my actual camera and take some photos this year.

    

Kathy's Canned Goods/ Food Styling

I recently added a few more pieces to the project Kathy's Canned Goods, which involved some food photography and styling. One thing I learned from the experience is the following. For some photography you can get by with just the camera; for product photography you are in deep trouble without the proper set-up and equipment (I am currently accepting donations).
Balancing light back-in when you are standing on a table quickly escalates into acrobatics while you are attempting to move a wilting sprig of parsley out of your shot, and trying not to spill a bowl of soup. I now understand why the Food Stylist and Photographer are never one and the same (cudos if you are, and I'll take some tips on that!).

I've assisted in a product shoot in the past, with a brilliant photographer at Rat Race Studios, where the set-up and process where so flawless that Ken made it look easy (not that I believed for a second that it was). Let me assure you it is anything but. It is a separate skill from portrait photography, and from capturing a moment since you are creating one much more than anything else. My compositions went from elaborate set-up scenes, to something more simple, where I could actually manage and be in control of the shot. Product photography sure is a beast.

Below are some of the shots, and the full project on my website.

  

Fall is here

    Gorgeous Fall Colors...

    And some BW...

St James Bible

Donald Jackson is a illuminating/ lettering God who actually has a scriptorium. http://www.saintjohnsbible.org

   

AIGA of Minnesota has a lot of wonderful events (and people) and one of them was to McIntosh Embossing, embossing and foil masters, to view proofs of the St. James Bible that they are currently adding touches to. I wish I took these with a good camera because I'd love to print them out and put them on my wall. It is the most beautiful, and unexpected bible, I've ever seen. I might have to buy some of the prints, since I can't afford the hundreds of thousand dollar limited edition, or the heritage one the Vatican is getting, and even these are quite pricey. 

Cats or Dogs?

Gun to my head: I cannot choose. The best I can say is: I am, and always have been an animal lover. Ask anyone! Growing up in a country of stray dogs and cats, where pets are a luxury changes your whole perspective on the "cat or dog?" question. There are a lot of things that I don't want to share about growing up in a country that has a vagabond animal problem. My parents told me I cannot pet a stray cat as it would give me ringworm, so I touched a cat's tail holding a handkerchief and in turn got scratched and attacked making me hate cats for a while. I was also bitten by a rabid dog who gave me nightmares for years -- welcome to Romania's dog problem (google it).

I have 2 cats, not because I am a cat person, but because I am an animal person. They are adorable and I've always loved "Puss in Boots" and purring. Either way if you ask if I am a dog or cat person I will tell you I am BOTH. This is my "cat-urday"...... (Sm)Ellie  is my new trouble making cat who thinks she is a dog... which reinforces that  I am, and always will be, both a cat and a dog person. She drinks out of the toilet, licks your face, destroys anything in site, and begs for food like no dog in the world. And if you meet her you will love her even if you are a dog person--I guarantee it.

Lyn Lake Block Party

Music, beer, some colorful (and not so colorful) people at the Lyn Lake block party.

Turns out poodles are funny looking in all colors, especially in aqua and orange.

 

Window washers

I  am not afraid of heights, I am more afraid of falling. That said what is going on in these guys' heads?

HDR

Playing around with Photoshop's HDR filter. If anything deserves HDR it's Gaudi's Barcelona. Before /After

Books

I wish I had the time to read more, but for now, this is the way I take in my books. Had to shoot these for a project I'm working on. Building a tower of books. Fun

Moo Sample pack

Granted my Moo sample pack could've been put to better use than testing out colors, but it was fun. Nice paper thickness, the printing quality is better than most online places, but still no offset. The upside is I finally have a logo for keeps, even if I can never commit to one color. How can you when they are all so pretty? Next up: photo postcards!

Ranunculus, what a ridiculous name for a flower.

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"In all the universe nothing remains permanent and unchanged but the spirit."

~Anton Chekhov, The seagull.

Once upon a time there was a magical place

It is no secret I am in love with European towns, but few are as magical as the Alsacian Strasbourg, France. Words cannot describe it and I spent my short time there literarily jumping up and down (there are witness who can attest to my lunacy/excitement). I wanted to photograph every single house, every single window and street. I failed, and only got a few shots, so I must return another day. I hope the people in this town appreciate just how insanely beautiful it is. If I were them, I would never ever leave.

Human Writes/ Performance-Installation by W. Forsythe

I attended the Human Writes performance last night by William Forsythe where dancers attempt to write out, mostly in charcoal, the declaration of Human Rights on tables. They use body language and extraordinary means of drawing - like their forehead, elbow or even tongues and noses, in order to express the effort it takes to preserve human rights. It was quite a spectacular event and there was more "drawing" than dancing. I can't say I've ever seen a woman chew charcoal and spit it back out in order to make a letter, and since audience participation was encouraged, I assisted a man who dragged a table around to make his letters. It makes for some curious artwork ideas and an interesting night. And since I didn't see a no photos sign, here are some shots so you get a better idea.