white space

In photography, white space (also known as negative space) is used to create a balanced and harmonious image. It is defined as "the space between elements in a composition." What I love most is that it's ever changing, depending on how you look at the world and move your camera. There is a certain stretching of my brain that comes with this thought, that nothing is constant. And with that is comfort in knowing everything is in relation to the edge of the image. 

There is a certain dreaminess that is achieved with composition in photography. It exists only as a place within the frame. And if you are like me, it gives you room to breathe and space to think. It comes as no surprise then, that I am drawn to white space when I look through my camera. It's true what they say:  negative space can have a positive effect.

Annie Leibovitz was right, there is nothing wrong with white space. So, tell me, how do you view the world around you? Look for space in your photography today ... and share with us what you find.

Perfectly Imperfect

She wore the too big dress and too big shoes for a project her mom and I were working on and she managed to hobble outside so I could take her picture.  She really hadn't been in the mood to do it and it was obvious.  She could barely stand in the shoes so we decided to let her sit.  It took both of us to gather up the folds of tule and satin so she could sit down and once she sat, we stepped back and had to laugh.  Her expression was priceless and the shot was too good to pass up.  Was it the look we had originally intended? Not at all, but it worked.  It was the perfectly imperfect shot and in my experience those shots usually end up being my favorite.

What about you? Do you have a perfectly imperfect shot? If you do, please share.  We'd love to see it. 

imperfect love

Some are happy accidents, and some the reward of patient study. Others are entirely improper, theoretically speaking. But there's a place in our photographic lives for satisfaction of all stripes.

Internal heckler: The foreground's out of focus.

Creative voice: True, but...

Internal heckler: When am I ever going to learn to tighten up a couple of stops on the wide-open aperture? It's not always appropriate.

Creative voice: Yeah, but...

...

Creative voice: Lemme run this through some processing anyway. See what I can make of it.

(ZING)

Internal heckler: Oh... a different skin. Look! They're a crowd. They've gathered. It's not just a blundered foreground. It's a part of the story. It is their depth.

Creative voice: I could have told you that.

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Today, share with us a capture that is, technically, a bit of a photographic fumble -- but that speaks to you, regardless. 

the six questions featuring Jenifer Altman

Uppercase magazine has recently published a book called "Jen 11" featuring the work of 11 talented artists named Jennifer. And I couldn't help but notice with a sense of awe that some of my favorite photographers and writers are indeed, named Jennifer. Last month I shared with you the work and thoughts of Jennifer Causey of Simply Photo. Today I give you another wonderful photographer I constantly look up to, someone whose sense of composition and light swings back and forth between an innate ability to capture beauty in her daily life and pure genius. Someone who graciously took time amidst her adventures to answer our SS interview, and is also named Jennifer. Today, I give you Jenifer Altman.

1. What's the story behind this photo? 

It was our last weekend in Italy.  We were flying out of Pisa and scheduled the day so that we would have some time to see the city before our flight the following morning. We followed the traffic of tourists to the leaning tower - ate what turned out to be the worst lunch of the entire trip and were beyond disappointed that the trip ended on such a lackluster note.  In a last effort, we drove deeper into the city, parked our little rental fiat and walked through what felt like a ghost town.  Blocks and blocks - but the noises in the distance - the beats on the cobblestones, were becoming louder - so on we walked. We found a night market in the old town - it was alive, dusk was just ebbing on the landscape, it was beautiful. We walked the stalls, snaked on our last gelato of the journey and as we wandered slowly back to the car, we happened upon this quiet little alley. It beckoned me - the light was magic.

2. What was it that lit your photography spark? Do you remember a particular camera, course, person, roll of film?

My father was a great influence on my love of photography. He always was shooting when we were kids - a hasselblad, a nikon 35mm - polaroids. My love affair truly started upon shooting my own polaroid for the first time. Polaroids are the dream - the vision - you struggle to share when you look through the viewfinder. They hold on to that alchemy...

3. What's your photo philosophy? Does it reflect your life philosophy? 

I want to be authentic above all else - and yes - I think it does play into my life. Even when I photograph my girls for publications like SMALL magazine and I give them a bit of direction - I find that I still wait - finger on shutter - until they do their own thing. Doing my own thing - teaching the girls to do their own thing - being individual, authentic and good - it is all so important.

 4. Where do you look for inspiration?

Truly my life is my inspiration. Travel, my daughters - I am incredibly blessed. 

5. What would you say is one of your 'signature' editing tricks, themes or style? What do you think makes an image recognizable and uniquely yours?

I think the way I use and play with light is something that may make my work identifiable. I love shooting into the light - I love washes of light across the composition - I love faces illuminated by the caress of soft sunlight. 

6. What aspect of your photography are you constantly working on, trying to improve?  

I still occasionally shoot digital for work and I am continually working on getting my images to look as much like they are from a film camera as possible! 

7. If you could go anywhere in the world for an epic, weeklong photo excursion all by your luxuriously unhurried self - regardless of money, time or childcare issues - where would you go and why? 

Egypt.  It is my dream. There is an ancient energy there that I know would transform me.

Thank you so much Jenifer!

You can see more of Jenifer’s work on her blog Nectar and Light and Flickr Pool. 

(And stay tuned for our next SS interview featuring another Jen!)

ordinary beauty

I ordered some wool felt for some possible craft projects I have in mind. But when the package arrived I was more interested in taking pictures of the felt than using it. The beautiful colors and textures along with the way each piece was carefully rolled up and tied with a piece of twine just begged for a photo. This seems to happen pretty often where I'm more excited to take a photo of an item or situation than use it, eat it or live it. I would imagine I'm not alone in this because as photographers, we often see beauty around us that others may pass by. It's what sets us apart as artists.

What do you find yourself more excited to photograph than to use?