Choose 3

Hello All, I am horrible at making choices when it comes to narrowing down my favorite photographs and now I'm stuck. I am submitting photographs to possibly be printed by Avant Card, the only problem is you can only send in 3, and I'm stuck on which 3. I could really use some help so tell me which 3 it should be:

Paul

Urambi Hill

Snow White in Real Life

Maria of the roof

The Long Road

Bull

Circus



 Flag

Subway Symphony



Happiness is...being you

I have been pouring through Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project this past week (absolutely amazing and inspiring) and have come to realize what may be a stumbling block in my quest for a true self-portrait. That is the acceptance of my own true self. Rubens talks about how she used to not tell people about liking certain things, like reading Harry Potter, she was nervous about letting parts of herself show because of what people might think, and pretending to like things because it seemed like she should.

I can completely sympathise with Rubin in this because as an artist I have always felt out of place. I have never felt cool enough or arty enough to be a fine art photographer, because if you're a fine art photographer my age you must be one of the two.

I've always felt too...normal I guess, uninteresting. I dress too preppy, I don't enjoy arty films, I don't hang out at dive bars, buy all my clothes second hand or read Tolstoy. But as I come to terms with what I do enjoy I am going to try and let that show in my images, because even though I don't fit what I see as the criteria to be a fine art photographer I am one and I am going to start finding joy in what I like, like hamburgers, romcom trash and spy novels. Heck, I'm a feminist who loves to bake while listening to Jimmy Buffett, such a hodgepodge makes me special (I just love the word hodgepodge). The photographs over the next few months are going to be quite a mix and hopefully quite me.

How do you differ from the image you have of your profession?

The Quest Continues

My quest to find a good self-portrait goes on. I think these are pretty good, they don't show my face but they do give a bit of sense about me.

Corrine Day

“Photography is getting as close as you can to real life, showing us things we don’t normally see. These are people’s most intimate moments, and sometimes intimacy is sad.” – Corinne Day

I find Corrine Day to be one of the most inspirational photographers I have looked at. She had such drive, such force and creativity. It seemed as though she could go anywhere, do anything, she was a breakthrough artist, always striving. Her images are striking in so many ways, they are bold and direct, they are creative and mysterious, they all have her flair.

She is known as the person who discovered Kate Moss, the one who started drug/waif look. She was free, quick on her feet and it appeared always creating. When I think of how I want to be considered at the end of my career I know that I want to be like her, even if I don't make the impact she did I want to know that I tried.

From the shoot that started everything, one of the images from the Kate Moss shoot

ATE - Lantern Making

I spent some time across the field from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on Saturday. I went to see Graeme and his friends who do some support work and protesting with the Tent Embassy. They were starting the process of making new, and refurbishing old lanterns to be used for a vigil the night before ANZAC Day. I ended up spending more time helping and talking than taking photographs but it was a nice experience to begin to get to know some of the people who are connect to the Embassy for one reason or another. From now on though, I think I will need to carry a tape recorder with me and have it on at all times, there is just too much to remember and I want to make sure I get everything right.

Elliott Erwitt

I was introduced to Elliott Erwitt's work during my masters program, which is a shame because I should have known of him long before then. His images have a subtle, sometimes not so subtle, humour to them that makes them a pleasure to look at. He has been a member of Magnum since 1953 and has traveled the world over documenting what catches his eye, and what a great eye he has.

Here are a few of my favorites (All Photographs property of Elliott Erwitt):

Happy St Patrick's Day!

In honor of St Patrick's Day I have made Guinness cupcakes, a delicious recipe I got from Confessions of a Tart. Now she was a bit more fancy then me with a ganache filling and such but I'll give it a try next time.

Cupcakes:
1 c Guinness
1 1/4 c butter
3/4 c cocoa powder
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2/3 sour cream


Bailey's frosting:
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c butter
2 tbs Bailey's
2 tbs heavy cream

Pre-heat oven for 350°

Melt butter with beer over medium heat. Once melted add the cocoa powder and mix until smooth then set aside to cool a bit.

In a bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl use a mixer to beat together eggs and sour cream until smooth. Beat in the beer mixture then beat in flour mixture until all smooth. Pour the batter into cupcake foils, about 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.


Once the cupcakes are cool mix up the frosting. Beat the butter until it is fluffy. Add the sugar a bit at a time and mix well until the frosting is a bit stiff. Add the Bailey's and heavy cream, mix and then decorate the cupcakes and enjoy.

I brought them in for afternoon tea today and they went very quickly so give these a try.

A New Journey

I started a new project this weekend, this will be the most extensive project I've ever done, it will span the next 8 months and requires me to really open myself up to try and learn about a new culture, and a people who are very suspicious of everyone. I have to build a trust and make sure that I can keep it while reporting on people that are at the heart of controversy many times here in Canberra.

So here starts the project and my time at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. Let me know what you think of the photographs because I need feedback on the direction I am going in.

Eye on Afghanistan and Canberra in a matchbox

This weekend I went down to PhotoAccess to catch two of their shows Eye on Afghanistan and Canberra in a matchbox before they closed.

First, Eye on Afghanistan. It contains photographs from 4 different photographers, Palwesha Yusaf, Virginia Haussegger, Sanaz Fotouhi and Gary Ramage. The photographs as you begin as vibrant, full of life, character and culture. I enjoyed the painterly light of Haussegger's photographs  that reminds me of Caravaggio's work.

As you walk through the exhibition you get an understanding of the people and begin to relax looking into the curious, proud and smiling faces staring back at you from the wall. One minute you are smiling at a young girl still remembering the feisty, dancing children from earlier, then you turn your head to see you have been pulled from these pleasant scenes to stand before a triage unit as army doctors struggle to help an injured soldier. And just like that it has all changed. Gone are the cheerful times, the happy faces, in it's place lay children in hospital beds with missing limbs, soldiers carrying a fallen comrade and everywhere guns at attention.

It's hard to call a photograph of an injured child beautiful but Ramage has brought a beauty to the harsh realities of this war. The arrangement of photographs in the gallery shock us from the peaceful times and images just as the inhabitants of the country must have been. In each image we see a person, a human life we can connect with. Between that emotional connection and the technical use of light and colour of these images are beautiful and wonderful presented to draw you in and get you feel for these people.

Second, Canberra in a matchbox. This was the most recent member's show which showcases works by various local artist inside of Redhead matchboxes. The only confine of the work was that the photographs needed to be taken in the ACT and the print needed to fit inside the matchbox. The variety of images and styles shows how different people think of Canberra and their life there. It was quite an interesting show with photographs ranging from landscapes of the city to a series that depicted a day in someone's life here in the city. Assignments with just a few restrictions can really allow people to be creative and this show was a success with that.

If it weren't for the fact that both show closed on Sunday I would recommend a viewing of them both so instead I'll say keep an eye out for the next show opening at PhotoAccess soon.

Coopa Turns 1

It's Coopa's first birthday today so I thought I should commemorate the event with a new photograph, not that I don't take enough of him already.  So here is Coopa at 1 years old.

The Quest for a Self Portrait

I’m not good at self-portraits. I think it’s hard for anyone to be because as a photographer I like roles too much, so when I’m in front of the camera I don’t want to be myself, I can’t be myself, I have to take on a persona, another person entirely. The biggest problem I find is that I can’t be natural, I’m naturally shy in front of a camera, my persona's aren’t. When you’re photographing someone else there is that chance to catch them when they drop their guard, the second they stop seeing you and regain themselves. There is no opportunity for this in a self-portrait, we know it’s coming, we are consciously aware of what is going on because as soon as the timer goes we need to check the image and rest ourselves, again.

Andrew always teases me about my self-portraits. He says that I look sad in them. I’m not sad, I’m trying to concentrate on relaxing, a very difficult task. With a self-portrait you have a choice of how to show yourself off to the world, we are all flawed, and some of us aren’t ready to delve into who exactly we are, we’d rather present an ideal, what we want everyone to think we are. Now, everyone tries to do this when they’re getting their picture taken, but it comes back to the person on the other side that, if they’re good, sees through and still manages to take everyone unawares. So what are you supposed to do when there is no one on the other side?

This has come about because with my new website I think I need a new portrait. I love the one that is up there now, taken by the amazing Christopher Benjamin, but it’s going on 4 years old now so it’s time for a change.

I think the closest I have coming to a true self portrait is the one of many me’s that I showed in my blog about Identity in Portraits. Each one is a different persona that I enlivened for the camera, none of them are true me but together they are all me.

So here, as soon as you see the title 'Self Portrait' you know it's an act. I'm not really sleeping, how could I be when I'm responsible for the shutter.

If I had actually been sleeping this is what I really look like in the morning, nothing sweet innocent with good hair, although this is a better hair morning than most

I'm not caught off guard by a joke

or taking a picture....well, technically I am taking a picture, just not with the camera I am holding in the picture.

But it's only fair we get to act and present our carefree, spirited ideal image to the world like everyone else, people just tent to be more suspicious when they know that you were the one in charge, you're so much more likely to manipulate to flatter yourself. But aren't we all?

Blog: Bent Objects

There are a few blog that I read religiously, Terry Border's is one that I have been reading for 4+ years now. He creates great humorous photographs using things found in his kitchen, they've been using by companies like OXO and cards for Target. He has even started an entire day dedicated to orange foods, it's spread quickly and far. Here are some of my favourite photographs, there are many many more on his blog, Bent Objects.

Stanley Kubrick

Since my foray into circus life was inspired by Stanley Kubrick's work it seems only fitting that he is my Artist of the Week this week.

Most people know Kubrick for his eccentric lifestyle and his film work such as A Clockwork Orange, 2001 and The Shinning (my personal favourite). What most people don't realize is that Kubrick was also an incredibly talented photographer. I, in fact, did not realize this until a friend bought me a book of his photographs one Christmas.

Kubrick actually began his career as a photographer working for Look magazine before making movies. While there he spent a few years photography a family circus, it was these photographs that inspired me to photograph the traveling circus the other week. It's amazing to see the differences, not just the lack of animals but how much more glitz they've added to the show today and how much has been removed from the patrons.

I tried to find some other Kubrick photographs to share but they are very hard to come by, once I've located the book at my parent's house I'll do another post so you can see some of his other amazing work with jazz musicians and people on the subway, very inspiring stuff. For now, enjoy the show:

(All photographs property of Stanley Kubrick)