"Digitographer"

Well, it's true I don't have a darkroom in my bathroom.  I haven't typically got enough money to feed myself, let alone feed my camera.  And I shoot more digital than film, it can't be denied.

I guess that means I'm not a photographer, after all.

Maybe, if I had a large collection of antiquated equipment and shot lots and lots of barely legal girls naked on endangered film I would qualify.  Trouble is, I have integrity and a tiny budget, and it just so happens this is what I'm working with.

Then again, I've never been important enough to claim that my form of work is the only one that qualifies - maybe you don't gain authority on a subject simply because you make a statement about it.

So, forget all that.  I'm a photographer.  And a damn good one at that.

The Old Man and the SEPTA Bus

So for my Design for Journalists class we have to take our camera with us everywhere we go and document everything we see for a week.  Well, fair enough- we ought to be doing that anyway.  Truth is, I really haven't been as much as I should, lately.  So it's nice to get that kick in the butt to get back to work.

There was a man on the bus the other day I just had to get a picture of.  I'm a bit wary of shooting on public transportation (especially since the other day as I was shooting a man walking towards the exit stairs at the Fern Rock station a police officer rounded the corner and confronted me!!!) but I braved it to get this!  What an interesting looking man- I wonder what he's like.

Anyway, just thought I'd share with you all a little bit of what I'm up to in school.  I hope y'all are swell, wherever you are!

And now...

Ladies and gentlemen, a photo of the man I love... with the truck he loves.

Chiaroscuro

My old art teacher, Mrs. Okulski taught us about chiaroscuro and it always stuck with me as one of my favorite styles.  In my photo classes my teachers warned me away from too much contrast and losing detail but I've always been sort of drawn to dramatic lighting.  It is important not to lose too much detail, but I like the idea of keeping what's most important and letting everything else fade a little.

I'm still trying to figure out what my style really is (and whether there's a market for it- ha!).  I feel like I think more in paintings.  I'm terrible at portraiture- I'm always looking for the moment that feels like a secret instead of the one that necessarily frames the model the best.  This is a good example.  I really like this picture but you can't see the model's face very well at all.  There's no eye contact.  The model isn't facing the camera.

But I like the detail in the hand- the fingers, and even the fact that you can't see the face so well, that it's hidden by the hair.  I feel like it's more a photo of the inside of someone's head than the outside.

Sushi!

Hi everyone!  Just popping in briefly to say a word or two to my avid audience (ha!).

I've been so busy lately with finishing up school and the holidays.  I haven't had much time to shoot.  What I've done has mostly been family shots, but hey, I'm fine with that.  I'm kind of fond of my family!

This photo was taken at my favorite sushi place in Philly with some of my very favorite people!  Not a whole ton of post-work, just a little bit of color adjustment.  My old Photoshop teacher, Stan Shire, would probably give me a speech about how the color isn't "correct", but I like experimenting.  Trust me, I've been through enough color-correction drills to last me a lifetime, but it's fun to come up with your own shpiel.  Oh, by the way, Stan Shire was one of my favorite teachers of all time.  He's a phenomenal photographer, a genius at Photoshop and an all-around great guy.

This might not be Nobel-worthy, but it's full of people and things I love, so I like it.  I hope you enjoy. =)

I'm still alive!

Whooo, what a crazy past few weeks!  I am ecstatic to finally be done with the semester and resting for a little bit.  Next semester is a very exciting one for me- I finally start with *photo*journalism courses.

Also, in the past few weeks I've had the great pleasure of speaking with several women who either have done home-births or are going to, and one woman who is friends with a home-birth trainer.  Great leads to work with!

My sister is due to give birth to her third child in March- I am ecstatic.  I can't wait to show the world my beautiful new baby niece or nephew (I'm convinced it's a boy).

Shooting has taken a bit of a hiatus recently so that I can keep up with school more.  There's been a lot of writing-intensive work, a lot of hunting down stories and reporting and being GUTSY.  Eeep, it's scary!

I am so excited, however, to be where I am right now.  There have been so many wonderful events that are continually keeping me excited for the future.  I am head-over-heels in love with the man I am going to spend my life with and everything else is quickly falling into place.  To say things haven't been crazy or chaotic would be a lie, but they're coming together and it's been very exciting to be a part of.

A bit of vanity tonight, but only because I want to show you all my new hair.  I finally figured out sort of how my esteemed friend Corwin Prescott gets a certain look in post-work.  So Corwin, I'm copying you- I hope you don't mind.  Ladies and Gents, do please check out his work- it's phenomenal.