Warhol Museum; Andy's Lion

Spent a fabulous weekend with my fabulous husband who allowed me to do some fabulous editing work. In the photography phases of my life,  subject matter may change like the weather but one thing remains constant; I am shooting or I am editing.  To be editing provides the brain (right or left?) with much needed solace.  Not unlike the creative part of shooting, you are creating an entire new body or project.  Whether it’s a portfolio, a book, a marketing campaign…they all benefit from tight photo editing.

My mind wanders through the myriad of images we have taken at Aerial Innovations or through my own archives.  Once I have seen them several odd amounts of time, I can almost review them from memory. The strong ones remain, the weak ones fall away.  Once back with the thumbnails/contact sheets cut apart, it turns into a big memory game…which ones go together, making secret little matches.  More weak images fall away, several new surprises happen, until it is cohesive and tells a story.

I keep in mind from the beginning the skeleton of this story.  What are the images trying to say, who are they saying it to, can they complete the thought or do they need more help?  All of these componants go into the story.  If you understand, I have been successful.

Street View, NYC

The New York City trips I have taken over the past five years consitute an extremely varied body of work. It was as if I could not be limited by subject matter or format, my eye exploring every avenue.  I was fortunate to have 5 (or is it 6) trips from which to choose images.

The editing process for this group has boiled down to , “Can I look at this image another hundred times?”  If I can, it makes the cut.  I have reviewed these images probably more than any other group of work I can think of. The NYC images are comprised of film and digital captures..even going so far as to haul the C220 around (that is probably what gave me some minor shoulder problems..yeah, film is expensive.)

The series currently uploading to flickr are from a batch of about 500-600 quickie prints from the local fotomat..remember those? Ok, it wasn’t fotomat but they are 4×6 prints that you get to anticipate and look forward to picking up, then go through roll by roll in order of how you shot, reliving the trip frame by frame. By now, my batch is crazy messed up with initials on the back of friends favorites..and probably missing a few.  I have only scanned about 1/3 of them, of which this is about another 1/3.  Then add in the digital. Nice to have a project.

Wendy

NYC Images on Flickr

Ilia's Camera

With the advent of digital, sharing photos has evolved from flipping through proof prints and looking at contact sheets to online galleries, web sites, emails, and simply reviewing the back of the camera and easily deleted.   Going back to the archives of images captured on film is an interesting voyage; the beginnings of image series show up that are now captured digitally and series that existed only on their own…hidden in the emulsion and silver which I rarely use today.

I am beginning these weekly posts of images captured on film with an image of photographer Ilia Varcev loading his camera.  Going forward, images posted will be scans of prints or negatives.  This is an an effort to add to the digitally captured images that these series have evolved into.  These are similar trains of thought, begun by investigating with color, black and white, whatever was at hand and now grown with the ease and speed of multiple types of digital capture.  In one series, an image may have been captured by medium format, 35 mm, a sony point and shoot or a Canon 5D.

Enjoy.  All images will link to flickr which will host more images.

From the Series Art & Artists

Three Bars

..in with the New Year. I began this blog earlier in the year to share archives of photos that had been sitting on my hard drive.  I was able to accomplish about 1% of that goal (not a bad start!). I got a little sidetracked as I delved into book publishing (see previous few posts) and keeping our companies’ blog up to date (www.aboveitall.wordpress.com).  So as we head into 2009, I need to reinvigorate or reevaluate my initial goal of creating an archive of personal work.  The plan will be to bring new work as it is created, reveal past work as it goes through my updated workflow and continue to share accomplishments in the commercial world.

It may be difficult to keep this blog as a pure archive as this year holds new challenges and commitments including the desire to continue producing photography books and our company’s upcoming show at the Nashville Airport (coming June 2009).  As our company’s role in the construction market continues to grow, we also face challenges as the construction market has seen a slow down with speculation and hope being the biggest motivator and topic of discussion.

One goal within the realm of our commercial work is to attract more assignments with creative goals and clients. Whether this is within the construction industry or with new clients in creative industries, we are committed to the same mission – high quality custom photography. To attract the opportunities, we have also been very involved this year in establishing an online presence to present our talents.  This includes (but is not limited to) updating our web site, maintianing the blog, getting the stock site more under control, driving traffic to the bookstore and continuing to develop our email and direct marketing.  So, not a lot of time to reminisce on old photos!

I will leave with one new posting, some photos I took today (first of the new year!) while Rodger and I were visiting a renovation project by Global Outreach Development.  It’s an old Middle School in Hermitage where this world-wide and world-helping organization plans to have their “home base”.  They are still in demo phase so the school has many interesting juxtapositions, along with wonderful light and construction imagery.

Cheers to all and Best Wishes in 2009!

Wendy

For all of you Bonnarooers…a few images from the festival are now posted on my flickr page.  And for those of you who didn’t, wouldn’t, can’t go…we’ll see you next year.

For myself, this was year number two to go in and see the music.  And, boy!, did I get to see the music.  We were fortunate enough to have a set of VIP tickets purchased for a charity auction that allowed us to have a few moments backstage, at press conferences and even “on & above” stage for BB King and Robert Plant/Allison Krauss.

I am not much of a star gazer, autograph hound, celebrity watcher, etc.  But it was pretty cool!  To watch the reaction from the crowd to Robert Plant’s high pitched wail was worth it.  We had an awesome host who made the show for us (thanks!) and, as usual, met so many great people.

Enjoy the photos, can’t wait to see y’all next year….

Shelby Park Pedestrian Bridge, 2008

We set out on a bike ride early on Sunday morning. It was chilly. We rode down to the new greenway bridge under construction. They have blocked the path with alternate route signs, do not enter signs and a sturdy gate. As we sat at the locked gate and viewed the bridge, another bike rider pulled up. As he dismounted his bike I asked, “Are you going over?”

The rider was an older man I recognized as a regular on the trails. He had obviously been going over the gate every time he came this way as he easily slung his bike over and climbed the fence, “Yup! I’m going over.” Rodger helped him with the bike as he carefully stepped over. He thanked us and asked if we needed help going over. We smiled and shook our heads no. He replied, “Won’t learn anything if you don’t come over.”

He rode off towards the base of the winding hill up to the new bridge. He laid his bike down and walked up the steep incline until he disappeared from our view behind the base of the bridge. Rodger and I mounted up and rode back on the open path.

We are not come to wage a strife

With swords upon this hill,

It is not wise to waste the life

Against a stubborn will.

Yet would we die as some have done.

Beating a way for the rising sun.

Arna Bontemps -”The Day Breakers” 1925

The Lorraine Motel, 2005 Memphis, TN

I’ve been involved in numerous photography and arts groups from college with its student groups to professional organizations and informal gatherings. I always get so much out of coordinating with other visual artists; painters, sculptures, media and digital artists. I have a slight jealousy of the “additive arts”; being able to create something from nothing like a blank canvas or a piece of clay. Photography, a “subtractive art”, can be more simple than other creative arts, point and shoot, take something that exists like a landscape or a small flower and simply showing it as you see it. To learn how other visual artists perform and perfect their craft is stunning.

Of course, I feel most at ease discussing photography. It is my passion and I can be well versed at times. To further segregate these groups, there is a better sense of self and acknowledgment for me when it is simply women photographers. I have had many wonderful discussions with men about photography, one on one and in groups, and always feel a part of any co-ed discussion. There can be, at times, a self-imposed historic notion to prove yourself, that judgment is being passed and any slip up can demote your ranking.

In a women’s group, talk will circle around many points of topics, including, perhaps, how we are insufficient in certain realms. Some of us are not always up to speed on the latest technology, and others teach the latest technology but are using it to create a feminine perspective, challenging themselves visually instead of technically. The final product is the part at which we judge, not the means of getting there. Whether or not we are technically inclined is not the point. It goes beyond the point to the image.

At our most recent gathering, we sat around viewing historic photos of family wondering how they were made, what film, was it a contact print, how can the details be so striking…but we never lost the point of where the image was taking us, what it meant to have access to a piece of the past and wondering what our future will become..technically speaking. Changes in technology notwithstanding, we know it will all came back to the image.

Some links of interest to this post, two groups that I have been involved with and admired in the not so distant past:

Women in Focus

Sistagraphy

Nothing except the cross of Christianity is more iconic than an American Flag. I’ve photographed both on numerous occasions. The cross can be difficult visually because of its basic composition and its religious overtones. The flag is more widely found and frequently puts itself into such interesting compositions and juxtapositions. It waves and dances, gets painted on huge billboards and is made into corsets.

Having lived outside of the United States, the American flag became dearer to me for a period. After Sept 11, it became prevalent everywhere, a symbol of pride, showing up in yards and on cars. It united us for a time. Now it lays heavy on the pole, unflinching to the partisan breezes that are currently blowing. Will it unite us again? Will the rest of the world ever view it as neutral or look to it as a symbol of fairness? It may lay heavy with doubt for quite some time.

I’ve put some images of other nation’s flags into this gallery of work to show the difference in the resonance the United States flag has. When viewing other flags, first you will ask yourself, which country? Or, if it’s an immediate recognition, the reasons why reveal themselves slowly. Maybe you traveled there, maybe you are native to the country, maybe it’s simple geographic knowledge. And then you may ask why is the flag of another country being waved, in protest or pride. With the stars and bars, you may ask yourself, is the situation in which the flag is displayed something I agree with? Are they trashing my country? Are they for the side of right and good in this land? What type of statement or feeling am I supposed to come away with?

I have tried, in capturing the flag, to remain neutral. I didn’t put the flag there, I saw it and responded. Several images are taken at memorials along with other American Icons. Mostly I was intrigued by a visual puzzle, light and composition.

Our nation’s capitol. Visually stunning. Overwhelming with historical references. World renowned as the showcase of democracy. Lots of great restaurants, too. What I remember of my first visit; the fireworks, knowing without a doubt that I wanted to be a mounted policewoman when I grew up. I brought my actual profession back for subsequent visits to memorials, museums and the famous mall.

I had visited DC almost yearly for about ten years, mostly visiting friends. Looking back on the images, it is apparent where I had been exploring various ways of seeing , pushing myself with new techniques. It was a safe place to make mistakes. This body of work is a great example of these explorations. The soft focus of a yard sale camera captures the steps of the subway and the unmistakable vision of the Washington Memorial, the snaps of visitors wandering in the heat, the uncomplicated views through a twin lens reflex of the FDR Memorial, lots of flags and juxtapositions.

The images currently posted on flickr are only a small percentage of the total images. Even so, I have the realization that I have probably not captured any other place quite as completely in my own vision as the district. I am looking forward to delving into more contact sheets and prints of these visits and posting them alongside these current images. It’s a great place to start, my own capitol to the democracy of photographic technique.