Four years

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You know the images you wanted to be making when you first started but no idea how to make? These images embody them for me. I wanted to get those tones, that kind of light & exposure, but most specifically those angles. And it never worked, no matter how hard I tried. I would stand on chairs, move around, and fail every time. Granted, I knew nothing about light, and I wasn't interested in sitting down and reading about exposure back then. I thought things would come to me in their own time, because I'd always gotten what I wanted without working very hard. I always seemed to end up figuring things out. That was foolish, and now I actually work hard to get the results I want to get, but I'm also older, and possibly wiser. The latter remains to be seen. 

And when I got these results a couple of weeks ago, there was a big sigh of relief and I slept more soundly than I have in a long time. To most people, these are just pretty flowers, but to me, they're an accomplishment four years in the making. I'm sure next month, they'll seem mundane and amateurish, but right now, right now I'm proud of these images. 

Mikaila Jewelry Designs, Spring 2013

I recently worked with Mikaila again to shoot some new pieces for her Etsy store. You should head on over to see the rest on Etsy. 

The light in my living room that day was (mostly) soft and my West Elm curtains made for a nice dark background. It was one of those shoots that feels easy and right (except my legs didn't feel that way for the next two days). 

⎨Mikaila, Pt 2⎬

I don't know how or why, but most of the images I shot for and of Mikaila last week have a film feel to them, more specifically a 400H feel. Something about the greens and purples.

I'm slowly making adjustments to this journal's layout as I figure out how to use a new web font and make it active. I spent a couple of hours fighting with the html yesterday morning and didn't get very far, but at least I centered my title. I've also been trying desperately to get better resolution from the diptychs I started creating in Lightroom. Maybe it's having seen so many photography blogs with diptychs, or maybe it's just that I needed a change but I like this new way of displaying photos. It just looks cleaner. I had tried to install the Cantarell web font a while ago, but it never worked and so I'd stuck with Courier which had begun to drive me so crazy I hated updating. 

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Pour une raison qui m'échappe complètement, une grande partie des photos que j'ai prises de Mikaila la semaine dernière ont des tons qui me rappellent le 400H de Fuji, une de mes pellicules préférées. Ça se remarque surtout dans les tons verts et mauves. 

Petit à petit, j'opère des changements dans la mise en page de ce blog. J'ai ajouté une police pour sites internet mais j'ai vraiment du mal à l'installer. J'ai passé pas mal de temps à me battre avec le code html hier matin et la seule chose que j'aie vraiment réussi à faire c'est de centrer les titres! J'essaie aussi d'obtenir une meilleure résolution quand je crée des diptyques dans Lightroom. C'est peut-être parce que j'ai vu énormément de blogs de photographes qui présentent quasiment tout sous forme de diptyques, ou alors parce que je voulais un visuel différent, mais j'aime beaucoup cette nouvelle façon de présenter mes photos. Ça a l'air mieux organisé, moins fouillis. Et je me suis enfin débarrassée de Courier New! J'avais essayé d'installer Cantarell il y plusieurs mois mais ça n'avait jamais pris. Il faut que je me replonge dans le code html. 

⎨Foxtail -- Fall line⎬

I shot more product and semi-lookbook photos for Betsy's store almost two weeks ago and these are some of the results. If you like the ring that looks like a desert landscape, hurry up and get it because it's a one of a kind. Out of all the pieces I photographed, the bird necklace is my favorite, and I can tell you that the green patina and gold of the bird look fantastic together. It's such a perfect accessory to complement a 1960s look. 

I might have some film shots to add to this or might not, depending on my Mamiya which has been misbehaving lately. The C220 even more tricky than the M645 and so I've been wasting rolls trying to figure out its quirks. I'm beginning to think I should have bought a Minolta Autocord.

⎨S e p t e m b e r⎬

It's been so quiet here lately, hasn't it? There was a big deadline at work that kept me very busy and a non major health problem that drained me of much of my energy. You were probably on vacation, or if you can't afford a vacation, at least you spent more time outdoors than at your laptop. So there you have it: we both deserted this place. Now it's September and we're all back and I'm working with Betsy again and these are the results. Betsy also started a Tumblr so check it out sometimes, okay? 

⎨Home, lately⎬

I've been working a lot lately so when I'm off work, I try to make every hour count and do things. Unfortunately, in the past couple of days I've been tired after coming home and not in the mood to go out and do things*. That said, I'm going out more than I have in a long time and not being completely broke helps**.

1 & 2: AE1 // Superia 400
3: digital
4: Mamiya M645 // Fuji 400H

* But I still walk to and from work and did a photo-shoot yesterday that I can't wait to share here. 

** The not being broke thing is going to end soon which worries me but I'm mostly worried that I won't find as great a workplace as the current one. People who know me well know that if the people I work with are nice, dedicated, laid back and intelligent, I'm willing to be underpaid because going to work does not suck and that's worth a lot more to me than a paycheck. 

⎨Foxtail Jewelry // July collection⎬

From a recent linesheet shoot for Betsy / Foxtail Jewelry's new line. There are more photos on her website and there will hopefully be some film images to share soon. 

Foxtail Lookbook, Pt 1

On Saturday, I shot part* of Foxtail's lookbook at Betsy's studio and on SE Hawthorne. Two of her friends had agreed to model the pieces and it was a lot of fun posing them. Here are some of my favorites. Oh, and the turquoise cuff is now mine. It's such an elegant piece. 

In other news, I just received my employment authorization document which means I can start earning money for my time and effort and find a job. I want to work on more lookbooks and collaborate with more designers; working with Betsy has been too much fun not to do it again. I learned from the last session, and learned again from looking at the shots since. There are a lot of things I'd do differently, but that's okay. I never expected to get it right the first time around, though I can't say I didn't hope it would be amazing. Photography is about learning constantly and challenging yourself, and the photo shoot was just that. 


* Another friend of Betsy's had shot a few photos back in January. 

Foxtail Jewelry

☞ Last week, I shot my first product photos for Betsy, the designer behind Foxtail Boutique. I met Betsy last November through my friend Melissa and when I found out that she had a jewelry line, I volunteered to help her photograph her work. I love all of her pieces, but my favorites are in the last two photos. 

☞ We met up at her studio* in the industrial district, and we used one of her friends' work tables as a background. Betsy brought some props from home and did the styling. We both liked the rugged and rustic look of the work table and I'm glad we didn't cover the stains. The good light didn't last, so we moved everything to the staircase where we shot** a few pieces before going back to the table and dealing with the lower light. 

Notes

* The studio is home to many local artists and you can see some of their work on the workspace's website. I recommend watching the OPB clip. 

** I shot some pieces on film, but haven't had the film developed yet.