sunday school: mirror on the wall

Whenever I am on a photo assignment, one of the first things I look for in a space to get my creative juices flowing is a reflection of some sort.  In this case, I got lucky, and there was a long mirror that actors could use while getting ready for the show. I was able to frame the shot so that the actor and her reflection in the mirror were not only both in the photo but were also positioned in a way that balanced each other out.

What are some creative ways in which you have used mirrors in your photography? Please share with us links to your images so that we can be inspired!

What I Need Now

A mug of hot tea sounds just about right at the moment. The nights in Chicago have turned cold, and I would love a cup to hold and warm my hands.

How about you? What do you need? Show us with your images!

Different Focus

When I first took this picture, I have to admit that I didn't mean to focus on the flowers. My aim was at the men sitting against the wall, but I missed.  I retook the shot, with the focus being on the men themselves instead of the flowers, but for some reason, I found myself drawn to this version of the shot because there was a more compelling story that was emerging from this image.  Perhaps the inability to identify who these men actually were emphasized the common struggle that we all face these days.

Please share with us today images in which the object of or your choice of focus helped to shape the story you wanted to convey behind your photo.

Sunday School: The Most Important Lessons Cannot Be Taught

I can explain to you pretty much what I did to get this image. I can talk about how I had to up the ISO to compensate for the aperture and shutter speed I wanted to use. I can discuss how I got that fabulous flare. I can mention that I shot through a mesh fence to create texture and framing. Those technical details, however, cannot convey WHY this image is meaningful to me, or the sense of pride and hope I felt as I shot it watching a community come together to protest injustice and take direct action for positive change.

Beyond technique and tips, there are some very important lessons that we each have to figure out for ourselves. One of them is discovering what it is exactly that fuels our photographic fire. What motivates you to lug that camera everywhere, or to take it out of your bag or purse at all? What puts you in "that zone,"--you know that place, right? When you become momentarily oblivious to your companion's pleas to keep up? Or when you have that gut feeling that tells you to be ready for a shot?

Maybe it's a compulsion to document your life story or to collect whimsical ephemera in the form of images. Maybe it's because you're on a journey of self-discovery through the images that speak to your heart so emphatically that they demand to be captured for posterity.  Maybe you enjoy seeing yourself and your loved ones change over the years via your photographs.

I can't teach you where to look for that fire, that passion. Sometimes it's not so easy to find. Anyone can take a generically good picture. Taking a photograph that YOU find meaningful and can get passionate about, however, is another story, and it just so happens to be the story that matters. Fortunately, there is no right or wrong; just what's authentic.

Please share with us today what lights your fire as a photographer or about your journey in discovering that spark.

this means i love you

Dear Chicago,

You have a convincing way of coaxing me into grabbing my camera to rendezvous with you when the sun has long disappeared, and you've created your own constellations out of twinkle lights and neon signs.  We wander arm in arm as you tell stories and whisper sweet nuthin's to my camera, and I wonder how I ever got so lucky to be here in this very moment, to bear witness to the beauty that is you enveloped in the unexpected light of night. I have snubbed sleep and forgotten my need for food to be here with you, and not just tonight but on many other nights. Surely this must mean that I love you. And I can't help but think that you love me, too.

xoxo,

Sarah-Ji

P.S. I know I often prattle on and on about Pacific NW beauties like Seattle and Portland and the Olympic peninsula, but rest assured that you are my first and true love.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Today, express your love via your images, be they for specific people, a place, a thought, or the whole universe. And if you want to write a little love letter, don't hold back.