try something new

I learn by doing. 

If I let the world guide me, I find it leads my eyes to different photographic styles and new-to-me techniques. (This is what I love about flickr, it is a vast pool of inspiration!) Lately I've been intrigued with nighttime. Possibly it's the season change that brings night on early, or just a truth that as a single mother to a little one, I am seldom out after dark. This life fact bleeds over into my creativity (this sometimes self perceived lack of freedom.) Regardless of why, I find myself curious about long exposures and playing at night. There is a taste of exhilaration of being out in the world while most people are asleep.

This photo is the result of this nighttime curiosity. (Taken in my backyard at 5am on 10.10.10 while my son slept inside.) This is certainly not the first time painting with light has ever been done, but that's not what matters, it's the first time it was done by me. A 30 second exposure, low ISO, and fun with invisible penmanship performed with a flashlight.

Stretch your art.
Stretch your mind.

Through the process of trying something new. I learn more about photography in bits and pieces that are easy for me to digest and process. I don't have the desire to compete with those more technically savvy than me, I let curiosity be my guide. I have given myself the permission to not know everything, and to not have the superhuman ability to learn it all at once either. With that permission slip in hand, I have given myself the freedom to open up to new experiences and explore art through trial and error.

Learning just for the sake of learning.
Creating just for the sake of creating.

This week pay attention to your curiosities. For me it's catching the night. What styles are you gravitating towards right now? Is there anything you want to try? When I'm feeling this pull towards newness I do the research: notice similarities/themes/patterns in my favorited photos, explore EXIF data on photographs I love, read "behind the image" stories, google "how-to" techniques, and feel the excitement of trying something new.

Share with us in the comments, an experiment you've tried or simply a technique you'd like to try. And this week, give yourself permission to try something new with your camera ... just for the fun of it.

Comments

[Marcie]

I just love (excuse the pun) the results of your light-writing experiment. So very inspiring!!
Lately - I've been drawn to photographing in pre-dawn..when the light is low and magical:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1331
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1332

[sue.h]

I love a good bit of experimentation and night time/long exposure photography is one of the things that really is so exciting to me. Here are a couple of starry nights - achieved in the spirit of curiosity and experimentation :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sue_h/3527108468/in/set-72157622402707964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sue_h/4909228901/in/set-72157622402707964/

[Clare B]

The last few days I've been playing around with tilt-shift photography. It probably won't be something that I keep doing, but I'm really enjoying playing around and experimenting and learning what elements this style of photography needs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clare_b_photos/5093968925/

[Kristina]

I love night shots and to experiment how a picture turns out if I slightly change the settings. I was planning to do this whole "writing in the air at night with a flashlight / cigarette" for a long time. Need to get going with this, it is really cool!
Viele Gruesse, Kristina

http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2010/10/la-serenissima-beauty-at-night.html

[And Miles To Go...]

I tried the night painting with a flashlight a few nights ago myself and I was pleasantly surprised. This then led me to shooting my local intersection with the traffic light and the traffic patterns on a slow shutter speed and a tripod. It was very intriguing and quite relaxing. You've inspired me to try some more new things.

[giftsofthejourney (Elizabeth Harper)]

As much as anything else, I am impressed by your in-air handwriting.

I need to explore a bit more myself and think your is post a great inspiration for trying something new. Thanks for that.

[Lisa]

Oh I just want to reach out and hug you! Exactly what is floating in my head...and I am so thrilled to connect with others who understand it is about the play, the creativity, the discovery....Thank you!!

[melissa]

'learning for the sake of learning.' creating for the sake of creating.' a life mantra, indeed.

[Jessica]

Awesome photo!

[Wayfaring Wanderer]

I'm really enjoying finding ways to capture fall before it fizzles.

http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2010/10/fun-things-to-do-in-fall-boone-nc_18.html

~WW

[Kacey ~ Kay Pickens]

I just recently learned how to merge two exposures of the same photo to get the photo the way I have/had it pictured in my mind. Like I did on this early morning sunrise.

http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2010/09/16/sunrise-at-the-beach/

But I now want to go out and paint with light tonight...

[r.e.~]

Amazing shot!!
I always feel the need to try something new, I love his article.
: )

[Denise]

I've posted this one here before, but I've been experimenting with a little bit of HDR. Over-the-top, maybe...But I love it that way.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deniselivingston/5029472957/

[Suki]

I would like to try to capture strangers. Maybe if I can get over my fear of talking to strangers, maybe this is an option...

[sarah]

I've been playing around with apeture, learning to understand how it works. It's going slowly! http://www.flickr.com/photos/shorelinesphotography/5091131257/

[analicia]

"I have given myself the permission to not know everything, and to not have the superhuman ability to learn it all at once either. With that permission slip in hand, I have given myself the freedom to open up to new experiences and explore art through trial and error."

"Learning just for the sake of learning.
Creating just for the sake of creating."

i'll buy both of these posters, magnets, cards, t-shirts please!
these words speak to our unschooling hearts :)
awesome.
analicia

[Corinna]

I ordered a book of poetry a childhood friend recently published and it arrived just a few days ago. Something about the way he writes just draws smeary, impressionistic images into my mind so yesterday I tried to create something that looks like that. It's not how I usually shoot, but the exercise in seeing things new ways thrilled me:

http://www.birdwannawhistle.com/blog/2010/10/19/the-linguistics-of-friendship.html

It is kind of reassuring to know that there are so many ways of seeing what's out there that can be explored.

[Kat]

I love how you describe the process of learning something new. I find that if I follow the pull , the little tugs of interest, I'm never disappointed. My interest has been increasing in night photography over the past year, I'm loving it! I've learned a lot, by experimenting, reading and then just playing around. Not looking for some specific end result, but seeing how things turn out and what intrigues me further. Love it!
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/09/exploring-with-camera-night-photography.html

[Tina]

Oh wow! Love your painting with light. What a way to remember a special date. I was a single parent once with two young ones and I can still feel the lonely peace that surrounded me while they slept. I try not to feel the loneliness now, since they have grown their wings and flown away.

I'm experimenting at the moment with moving my point of focus.
http://bit.ly/b8nTeZ

[Laura O'Hanesian]

Thanks for the encouragement! Your blog rocks! I've been thinking about shooting into the sun lately:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraophoto/5098229376/

[georgia]

this is awesome, merideth!

let's see... i have not been doing much experimenting lately... except for my hair shot recently. i had been seeing so many great movement-in-hair photographs over the past several months... several on flickr. so i decided i wanted to give it my best shot to take an image like that. i really liked what i came up with. a lot of people thought it was wind that created the hair effect, but i actually had my subject swing her head for the effect. i really did not expect it to turn out so well.

anyway, this is it.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2010/09/light.html

[Gail]

That is something I am going to have to try! It looks like lots of fun:) I'm still trying to experiment with textures...it is new to me:)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/5097822511/

[Stephanie]

Well, I was going to say that I've been dying to try experimenting with a homemade heart bokeh lens (part of my 30 before 30 http://bigmariolife.blogspot.com/2010/03/30-before-30.html) but now I want to experiment with writing with a flashlight just like you did!!!

[Stephanie]

ooh, and I just started experimenting with textures - it's going okay so far! http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniecourt/5037167445/

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[Becky R.]

I have been messing around with my camera's settings lately. However, one of the newest things I learned to do is HDR photography. I went to the local camera shop, took a class and a trip down to Eastern State Penitentiary and I learned some really nifty stuff that I can do with everyday places.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bass_clarinet_2000/5088115815/

[Jennifée]

I'm dying to try a lensbaby... There is no money for that at the moment sadly, but I have plenty of experimenting I would like to do in the meanwhile, thankfully! Like here, where I experimented with the apps on my new fancy phone - over the top perhaps, but oh-so-fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/5018063331/

[Diane]

Oh I love photographing at night. Like you, I too learn by doing. It doesn't matter if certain types of photos or experiments have already been done ... one day they'll be done by me as well. I can't share a link right now because I haven't uploaded any of my recent night photos. Two weeks ago when I was in the city, I took scads of night photos -- I love the city -- but will have to root through them and pick some for posting to the internet. I love the results of your light painting!

[photodiva30]

Beautiful. Love your thoughts on learning too. Stumbled upon your blog as I was hunting for a reliable<a href="http://ezprints.com/pro.aspx">pro lab</a> and totally got sucked into your words and images.

[Andrea]

My fist attempt at night time long exposures on the beach in Cape Cod, MA. I was thrilled with the results, can't wait to try again.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaspencephotography/4941736443/