Wednesday, November 01, 2006

the photogenic everyday


i matched
the leaves
today...
the color
of rust.
the color
of
the new ring
{pictured above}
that my dear
friend
and
labmate
astrid
brought me
back from
brasil
i am
so glad
she's back!.

today i
took
this photo

of her
waiting outside.
i love this
photo...
it so perfectly
captured
the mood
and
astrid.
she also brought
back some
old photos
of her
from her
mom's
photo album.
here's a photo
of her
in costume
for carnaval

in honor
of halloween.

the polaroid
of astrid
got me
thinking..
i have been
feeling
like i am
in a
photographing
rut..
looking for
my vision.
i feel like
i photograph
the same way
and
the same thing
everyday.
shari
had a great post
{190:
pine and photography}
about
taking
photos
in her backyard
each day...
trying to find
something new
out of
something
she sees
everyday.
i have
a really
difficult time
with this...
i get bored.
i feel boring.

i metro
the
same way
everyday


along the
same streets...
past the
same houses

and
it's so hard
to be inspired
by the
everyday.
yet
some people
have such
a gift
for
the
photogenic
everday.

when i took
the above
photo
of astrid
and
loved it,
i remembered
this morning
when i passed
by the bus stop
and saw
an old lady
in a
wonderfully
patterned
dress
waiting for
the bus.
she looked
so beautiful
and
i desperately
wished
i had
lisa's
telephoto
lens
so i could
snap
a photo
of her
from across
the street.

people
are
my inspiration.
if i weren't
so shy
about
photographing
people
i don't
know well,
i would take
more photos
of people.

so
a portrait
a day-
that's
my new goal.

have
a happy
halloween.
i am headed
home
on the metro.

14 comments:

Austen said...

looking forward to a portrait a day! i always really enjoy your polaroids, and i have a feeling today's post will have me looking at my bus ride with different eyes tomorrow. have a happy wednesday. :)

bikeandbeer said...

ohmygod, i just remembered looking at the photo, the big hoop earrings on my carmen miranda costume? they are actually attached to my headpiece, not my ears. whew! isn't that a big relief... my mom made those costumes for me and my sister (she used to get us dressed in same or similar clothes, even though we are not twins). i love all the fall pictures you have been taking. i love fall colors. even though you think you don't find much inspiration in everyday, i think you do, a lot more than anyone else! your photos fill and brighten our days... it's good to be back :-)

julie said...

I so enjoyed reading this post as i always do..i have to point out that you are definately not boring and nor are your beautiful shots!! I love them and they are an inspiration to me..especially as your'everyday' is not our 'everyday'..continue as you are..you have a wonderful eye and your beautiful personality comes out in everything you do!!
'portrait a day' is a great idea..im also trying to think of an ongoing project like Lisas drawing a day and sharis photos...theres so much to get out of it..xxx

julie said...

p.s. your lovely polaroid of pears inspired me to want to draw pears so i bought some yesterday for that very reason..:)

Anonymous said...

These three photos make for a happy trio... and I'm all for the everyday.
You are far braver than I... a portrait a day! Sounds like a great photographic project that I can't wait to see the results of.
take care, g

shari said...

hi gwen!

i love your polaroids and i love your thoughts about the photogenic everyday. looking forward to more portraits. your portrait of astrid captures something really special.
xo shari

Anonymous said...

GINNEY....I HOPE THE T-SHIRT FIT......I DIDN'T REALLY TAKE THAT MUCH INTO CONSIDERATION OTHER THAN THAT I KNEW IT SURE AS HELL WASN'T GITTIN' ONTO MY BODY, SO I FIGURED THAT WAS A GOOD SIGN....
JUANITO SALCHICHA

Anonymous said...

a potret a day sounds like a huge challenge to me...I can't wait to see how it turns out!! love the photo's, you dress so colorful :)

Anonymous said...

I don't know what you are writing about your boring photos? Your photos are far from boring. They are not only beautiful, but they have the ability to set a certain kind of mood. They are all the parts of wonderful, whole post/creations that feel like a short books or films.

Anonymous said...

bug,
I know how you feel, sometimes life becomes a pattern, & being an artist, that gets boring very quickly. I"m always trying to think of places I can go to get great snaps. I do feel awkward taking photos in certain situations, I feel like people are looking at me thinking," what the hell are you doing??"

it's silly but I feel that way sometimes, but like you I will strive to get over that fear!
Hope you had a great halloween!
hugs,
ash

f. pea said...

that's funny, i've always thought you had a great eye for finding the inspiring lurking in the everyday... like caterpillar fuzz.

Anonymous said...

I love that picture of your friend Astrid. Enjoy your portrait a day project, though I have never thought your pictures were boring or repetative. Keep on what your doing too!

Cheers!

lisa solomon said...

portrait a day sounds fantastic!
i wish i could loan you my lens.... move here.... :)

Kerstin Svendsen said...

sounds great! well i have to ditto the other comments. your photos are certainly NOT boring. but i know how you feel. i look at all the flickr photos and realize the amazing spectrum of possibilities/ways of seeing/photographing. but it's neat that we each have our own way of photoing too....
can't wait to see more of your portraits.