Project 365
1 PHOTO A DAY. 365 DAYS. NO EDITING. NO APOLOGIES.
(click on each photo for a larger image)
Hey, where are my pics?
Perhaps you have noticed that I am falling behind on my photos for Project
365 and you would be correct. In light of things going on in Haiti as well as
other personal projects, I have felt lately that my attention needs to be focused
on bigger things than taking pictures. Over the past few weeks Jake
and I have been working on several Haiti relief projects from
deciphering 911 messages and relaying them to local organizations on
the ground to helping friends plan and organize a Benefit Concert that will be
held in Grand Rapids next month. I will resume the photo project once
the rest of my plates stop spinning...
All of this has made me think a lot about what I feel God is calling me
(and us as a couple) to do. Jake has become quite immersed in using
technology such as cell phones, etc as tools for health and
communication in developing countries. He even has the ears of some of
the leading thinkers in this field...very exciting!! I have become
very passionate about working with organizations to ensure they are as
efficient and effective in both their donor resource management as well
as their targeted goals and objectives.
In place of photos, I hope to post more thoughts on the Development
portion of my website so please keep checking back...I haven't gone
anywhere!
Day 18 - Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." -MLK
Whether you join a MLK Day Service Project, research the Civil Rights Movement, listen to the "I Have a Dream" speech, or participate in any number of celebrations around the country, today is definitely a day to do something.
About 5 years ago, I became very personally aware of the social realities that exist in our country and our world and was inspired to understand these inequalities and injustices more deeply. As many of you know, this was the beginning of quite a personal journey, not without frustration and denial, that has impacted me to the core. (read more here)
The following photo is a shot of a few of the many books that have challenged me to expand my understanding of society and the world we live in.
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance
and conscientious stupidity." -MLK
Books (from top to bottom):
fiction
There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Sula by Toni Morrison
The Color of Water by James McBride
Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
autobiographical
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Assata by Assata Shakur
christian
Ministering Cross-Culturally by Lingenfelter & Mayers
Cross-Cultural Conflict by Duane Elmer
Being White by Harris & Schaupp
More Than Equals by Perkins & Rice
The Heart of Racial Justice by McNeil & Richardson
academic/sociological
Why White Kids Love Hip-Hop by Bakari Kitwana
Racial Formation in the United States by Omi & Winant
The Truly Disadvantaged by William J Wilson
White Out by Doane & Bonilla-Silva
Reconciliation by Curtiss P DeYoung
White Privilege by Rothenberg
Inequalities by Lucal & Ender
Racism Without Racists by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
Days 14-17
Some of you may notice that Days 14-17 are missing. Sad, I know.
The past few days have been wonderful but a tad bit busy filled with new classes and my wonderful husband's birthday. As I was stressing about not getting photos taken and posted I remembered that my first goal of this entire project was "Have Fun!" not "Add more stress to your life!"
So, while this goes against every perfectionist bone in my body (and maybe yours), we are both going to have to face the fact that Days 14-17 are MIA.
However, I'm not going to leave you hanging anymore...so go check out Day 18.
Love to all,
Danielle
Day 13 - WMU's East Hall
Western Michigan University's East Campus has quickly become one of my favorite places to shoot. It's old, often abandoned, and gives off a classic, ivy league look while at the same time emitting a creepy, ghost town vibe.
East Hall was one of the first buildings built (1903) and is uniquely located atop a hill so that from the steps of East Hall you can see all of modern WMU and downtown Kalamazoo. It's a cool experience!
Tonight was the first time I shot at East Hall alone and at night, please insert your favorite creepy music now. I arrived in the daylight which highlights the broken windows, the dead vines that have creeped up the bricks, and the graffiti that often accompanies abandoned buildings.
As it grew darker, the lights came on and one of the chains holding the light broke. The sound was startling and nearly sent me running for my life! From that moment on, when my eye was not looking through the camera it was looking over my back!
As the sun continued to set I began to see East Hall in a new light (no pun intended). All of a sudden, it's age and blemishes began to fade with the light and it's elegance appeared.
Lessons Learned:
1) Find some gloves that are both cold-friendly and camera-friendly; my fingers were fro-zen!
2) Bring a bodyguard. Every time.
3) Never leave before the sun is completely down. The sky was a beautiful mix of reds and blues on my way home...missed it by 3 minutes.
Day 12 - Teagan Tuesday
Today is Teagan Tuesday and it's a twofer!
Teagan in the Morning:
Teagan has a routine (much like a small child) in that every morning she comes in and crawls into bed with us...so, this is pretty much what I wake up to each morning. This particular morning I grabbed my camera but just as I was clicking the shutter she woke up and gave me this "why are you taking pictures of me so early in the morning" look. I think it turned out pretty cute.
Teagan in the Evening:
At night, Jake and I are usually in the office working (which is where Teagan's couch is as well) so we burn the midnight oil watching her sleep in her many goofy positions. She can often be found on her back, feet in the air, head hanging off the couch OR curled in a tiny ball on one couch cusion OR like this with all of her legs neatly crossed and paws collected.
PS: Teagan does do more than just sleep...I promise! Look for an action shot next week!
Day 11 - Coming Soon!
Oooops...Danielle made a mistake we're experiencing technical difficulties.
You'll have to wait with baited breath for Day 11...
Day 10 - My Spoonful of Sugar
Today Jake and I started a running program called Couch to 5K which aims to get you off the couch, onto the roads, and running 5K (about 3mi) in 2 months. While we're not exactly couch potatoes, we aren't in the shape we used to be either.
Some of you know that I absolutely abhor running - I've been there, done it, and still hate it! Today's post is my attempt to give running another shot; I've decided that maybe if I can sneak some photography into this destestful sport, it might grow on me.
So if you see anymore running-themed photos over the next 2 months, you rest assured that I am singing, "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down..."
Day 09 - Rattle and Hum
There's hardly a moment in our household when music is not heard - it is part of our life and part of who we are. Last year I was blessed with the opportunity to give Jake the Christmas present of his dreams...this guitar. Ironically it was that same Christmas that he gave me the present of my dreams...this camera.
Since both gifts were out of our budget, we each individually (and secretly) put ads for some of our older musical equipment online to sell for some extra Christmas cash. Everything went of without a hitch, until the day I found his ad online advertising the same item I had a buyer for...we were both going to sell the same thing on the same day at the same time to two different buyers...awkward moment of panic...cryptic phone call to Jake...creative problem solving together...and voila, two perfect gifts and somehow we still managed to surprise eachother. I love my husband.
Jake suggested a setup with his guitar laying on the table so a snapped a few pics from that angle, but once he walked out of the room I changed things up to surprise him with this:
(make sure to click on the picture for a larger version)
Lessons Learned:
This was probably one of the most fun photos I have taken during this project. The light was fairly low (notice, no yellowing this time!) but I had a great time playing around with the light that was coming in from the window on the left. The guitar is actually sitting on top of our dark wooden dining table but the light was hitting it in such a way that when I snapped at the right angle I got a seemless white background and reflection. Pretty cool trick, I think.
Day 08 - The Nose
Yeah, yeah, I know, its not Tuesday, but could you pass up a face like this? Don't you just love how her lip hangs down as far as her ear?? I do.
Lessons Learned:
I am noticing that most of my low-light non-flash pics have a yellow tint to them. While this could be fixed in post-processing, which is a no-no for this project, I need to study more on color temperatures and white balance settings for tricky situations like this. Should look into using a gray card or Expodisc.
Week 1 Complete
Well, this wraps up the first full week of Project 365...1 down and 51 to go! Thanks to everyone who has left a comment here or on Facebook, you keep my wheels spinning and my shutter clicking!
This week has taught me that, in my schedule right now, finding time for shooting is the easiest, but ideas, blog entries, and the time to post them is proving to be a tad more elusive.
Stay tuned, more photos coming to a computer near you!
Day 07 - Winter Wonderland
Another night shot tonight, this time from the front of our place looking over the creek and bridge. While its a far cry from being a magical land, somthing about the freshly fallen snow, glistening path, snow covered bridge, and lampost made me feel like I was in Narnia...
Lessons Learned:
Taking photos in snow/rain is much, much more difficult (and just plain annoying) without a lens hood. Don't have one yet for the 50mm but I have a sneaking suspicion that may soon change...
Day 06 - Home Sweet Home
Home sweet home after several weeks of traveling. This is the view from just inside our back porch looking up...I decided there was entirely too much snow on the porch and too many degrees missing off the temperature gauge to go outside (although shooting inside with the door open was not much better)! This setup had me laying on the ground (freezing!) with my camera on the tripod about a 1-2' off the ground.
Lessons Learned:
White balance at night with a grayish winter sky like this is tricky tricky. Must do more studying to expedite the process!
Day 05 - Teagan Tuesday
I've decided that each Tuesday will feature the one and only Teagan...so, I bring you the first Teagan Tuesday!
She may be big but she is the most flexible member of the family. When she sleeps she is either stretched out longer than 6 ft, curled up in a tiny ball, or (as seen below) resting her head on her back paws. And yep, that little white dot by her nose is the white tip of her tail. Note to self: Must.start.stretching.
Lessons Learned:
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 50mm! Was able to get this in almost complete darkness w/o tripod and with little blur. Didn't have much time to get this, would have liked face/eye area a little lighter.
Day 04 - The Dignity of Froghood
When I was a kid I always wanted bunk beds. Of course there was no need, since I didn't have brother or sister to share them with, but hey, a girl can dream! Eventually my neighbor and I convinced our parents to let us trade beds - I gave him my waterbed and got his bunk beds.
Over the next several years I began to fill up the plywood under the top mattress with quotes, thoughts, lyrics, and the obligatory journal of childhood crushes. While its been over a decade since I've had those bunk beds, I did keep the piece of plywood memories.
Some of my favorite chicken-scratches:
"Don't put frosting on a bitter cake."
"Knowledge enables you, the hard part is keeping it from binding you."
"Raise the bar."
"Just think blue."
"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
And finally...
"Be content in your glass house until you attain the dignity of frog hood."
(Annie Dillard would be proud)
Day 03 - The Toothpick Elephant
I have no idea where this little guy came from, all I know is that he has been living on our table and holding our toothpicks for as long as I can remember. Along the way there have been several super glue surgeries to prevent Mr. Elephant from being a bobble-head or to re-affix his stubby toothpick tail.
Though a bit scratched and scruffed, can you imagine a more fun toothpick holder?
Lessons Learned:
My original idea was to get up close and personal with this guy, but obviously my 50mm f1.8 was not the right candidate for such a shot. I pulled out my 28-135mm which doubles as an adequate macro lens, but isn't as "fast" as the 50mm so it required a flash. Not having my flash on hand and not allowing myself to do any post-editing for this project, I reverted back to the 50mm and got a full-body shot.
Day 02 - Yackety Sax
Not gonna lie, starting a new habit/routine is difficult in the midst of the holidays especially while travelling away from home. So, in the spirit of honesty, I admit that days 2 & 3 are a tad-bit late...here's to hoping you will let me slide this time!
Right now we are staying at my parent's house so I thought it would be fun to use my next few posts to take pictures of things around the house that bring back memories.
Years ago my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Norah Wolthuis, covinced my parents to enroll me in band. Our family had just moved to Michigan from Kentucky so I had missed the fourth grade recorder class and had to jump right in to the real thing. My instrument of choice? Saxophone.
Even though I haven't picked up my sax in years, I do still have a few laying around. The following is a picture of my oldest sax that I bought as an antique with the intention of turning it into a table lamp. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to take a drill to it so now it leans against a couple antique snare drums in my old bedroom.
Lessons Learned:
Using my new 50mm for this I really wanted to play around with angles and perspective. I took several pics from many different points of view and then selected my favorite. Just to see how others reacted I showed a couple shots from each perspective to a couple other people to see which they preferred. Not surprisingly, each person chose a different composition.
This served as two reminders to me:
1) Keep shooting and keep spotting new perspectives. I forced myself to try all angles and was pleased with the results.
2) Personal preference is, IMHO, just as important (or at least a close second) as technical expertise when creating art. Everyone has a different artistic eye and there is nothing wrong with stretching and exercising your own.
In the spirit of perspective, today is a twofer!
Day 01 - My Birthday Present to Myself
Over the past few months I've been thinking of starting a photo project and after tossing several ideas around I came across "Project 365." So, this year my birthday gift to myself is setting aside time each and every day, for the next 365 days, to spend time taking photos. Each day I will choose one of these pics and post it here for everyone's visual delight.
The Deets
- Each posted picture will be uneditted and posted straight out of the camera.
- YOU have to help me. I'm not fooling into thinking this new daily routine will always be easy to follow or that there will not be moments of frustration. SO, here is my not-so-subtle plea for your comments, critiques, and suggestions. Yes, I said suggestions, so put your thinking caps on, start cooking up some photo challenges for me, leave a comment, and check back to see how I did.
The Mission
- Have fun!
- Learn my camera so well that it feels like an extension of my body
- Develop my creative eye
- Have fun!
- Try all sorts of new ideas (including some known failures)
- Figure out what style/genre/subject I want to focus on
- Did I mention....HAVE FUN?
So, to whet your appetite I will leave you with the first of many photos (365 to be exact) and most importantly, wish you a very happy 2010!
