Illusion of Sequence

As most of you know, I shoot most frequently (and freely) with my iPhone. You just never know when moments worth capturing might appear, so it's good to be armed and ready. Seated in a plastic chair at Unboundary following the TEDx Atlanta event a few months ago, I leaned in close to capture a bit of electricity from this Athens, Georgia band – Modern Skirts. Using Hipstamatic app's BlacKeys Super Grain film and the standard John S lens, I made a few clicks, then placed these two square-format images side-by-side in a 600 x 300-pixel canvas in Photoshop Elements. Because the BlacKeys Super Grain film "prints" with a heavy vignette, the image borders merged seemlessly, offering the illusion of sequence in a still frame.

Try experimenting with motion and sequence today, then share your illusions with us.

Tell me a story

When I look at this photo, I am transported back to the exact moment it was taken. We went for a walk on Thanksgiving day around the abandoned streets of Houston and found ourselves in an empty sculpture park. Along the way, my 3-and-a-half year old nephew had selected a pine cone and a stick with great care. And as boys do, suddenly the pine cone and stick turned into a ball and bat.

My sister-in-law and I sat and watched as a 3-and-a-half year old welcomed two grown men into his world. All three were transported to another time, another place, another age and before they knew it, they had built up a sweat, playing stickball like there was no tomorrow. They laughed and howled as my sister-in-law and I cheered them on from the sidelines. The lone guard on site sat by quietly, seemingly annoyed by the disruption to his peace and quiet. When they lost the pine cone and the foul ball went into the stands (a.k.a. the bushes), the guard stood up, walked over to the boys, and handed them a new pine cone.

Thanks and giving.

That is what I see when I look at this photo. I see the story, one that could have been lost if not for my trusty iPhone. Since I was shooting with an iPhone, thoughts of ISO and aperture and shutter speed were irrelevant. What mattered in this moment was the emotion, the love, the story. Luckily, you don’t need a $1500 lens to tell a story.

To me, that is what photography is all about. It’s easy to get wrapped up in getting the “perfect” photo, acquiring the “perfect” equipment, and getting your exposure, composition, and white balance just right. But when it comes down to it, the only thing that matters to me is if the photo tells a story and if it transports me back to that moment.

I often wonder how much I would miss out on if I didn’t always have my camera with me. Whether it’s with my fancy camera or my iPhone, I am continually compelled to photograph these everyday moments. Photographing the seemingly ordinary provides me with a way to find magic and beauty in my everyday life. It slows down my rapid pace and helps me focus (literally and figuratively) on what’s really important.

Have you found this to be true? Today, share your perfectly imperfect photos – the ones that tell a story, slow down everyday life, and transport you back to a time and place that are meaningful to you.

Image and words by Honorary Sister / Guest blogger Darrah Parker.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a spot in the Slice of Life Project, a six-week photography e-course taught by Darrah in which she will guide you to capture YOUR everyday life in extraordinary ways. Class begins January 3 and will jump-start your creativity in the new year. Comment between now and Monday 12/6 for a chance to win.

Freedom of Expression (or Confession of an iPhoneographer)

Shot with the Hipstamatic app for iPhone, BlacKeys SuperGrain B+W Film and John S Lens

These days, my primary method of creative expression is my iPhoneography – images shot, processed and shared exclusively with my iPhone. Composing (and tweeting) images on instinct has become a daily practice for me. Admittedly, a bit of an addiction. It keeps me limber and stretches my creative capacity because I'm giving my myself permission to move freely beyond the boundaries that define my professional documentary style of work. I make no rules. I try lots of different apps and processing experiments. I alter my view of reality, if necessary. I shoot whatever attracts my eye (the way lines connect, a bit of irony, or a wall of brassieres) and I don't question it. I just follow it.

What I'm also finding is that my not-so-serious iPhoneography is actually strengthening my more-serious documentary work – the instincts I need to predict and capture spontaneous moments. The ones you can't recreate. The ones that won't wait for you to adjust a myriad of settings. The ones that would go flat if your subject felt self-conscious on the other end of a professional-looking lens. Nobody seems to take me seriously with my iPhone in my hand. And the less influence I have on my subject, the more I like the result.

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Are you practicing iPhoneography or another form of mobile photography? If so, how is it freeing you up to express yourself more creatively and where can we see your images? Intrigued? Start by following a few of my favorite fellow iPhoneographers in Twitter and stay tuned... I'm compiling a bunch of secrets to share with you.

soul intention

Flowers on her table, taken with the iPhone using the ShakeIt app.

I visited a friend the other day. We didn't meet in a restaurant for a time constrained lunch. I didn't swing by for ten minutes because I was in the neighborhood running an errand. I actually got into my car and drove with the sole intention of just bringing her lunch and catching up. 

And it was kind of awkward. Not between us, but within myself. Why am I here? Why am I not answering emails or editing or planning or school shopping or blogging or cleaning or organizing or you fill in the blank. I walked into her house. And even though I've known her for years, it struck me that I'd never seen her home in the light of day. With most of the neighborhood at work, things seemed quiet and peaceful, even a little surreal. We talked at her table, lounged on sofas, laughed. By the end of our visit, my feelings of mild anxiety were replaced by a total sense of calm. I drove away thinking that I couldn't remember feeling so unburdened even after checking multiple items off my to-do list. "Productivity" is sometimes lonely. I run from the bank, to the gas station, the grocery store, the office, the computer. Sometimes I'm so focused on tasks that even when I'm surrounded by people, I forget to look around and actually see them. Even though what I'm "working" so hard toward "acheiving" is a more fulfilled life. Maybe my fulfilled life is already here. Maybe it's just a lunch date with a friend away. In essence, maybe it's about taking a minute to look around and experience what's right in front of us. 

What makes you feel most connected? We'd love to see.

documenting me

It’s a shame most photo sessions begin with what is essentially a meeting of strangers. Doors open to reveal unfamiliar faces. Perfunctory dialogue about the weather or traffic fills the apprehensive space. We comment on outfits, and “backgrounds”. We ask about due dates and commute times. Then, as we progress beyond niceties, a few lovely unguarded moments bloom through the soil of polite conversation. Those are the moments we wait for. Gifts.

Some people are easily relaxed, while others remain nervous and uneasy. Me? I’m in the latter group. After fifteen years of shooting, I’m completely at home behind the camera. Like most photographers, I don’t think of it as a mechanism as much as I do an extension of my hand, my eyes, my self. But I’m filled with fear as soon as its aim is set toward me. Fear for what I might see. Fear for who might be staring back? Do I like her? Can I accept her? Will that girl trapped in the back of the viewfinder make me want to run away? To hide? Am I really enough just as I am? Carrying twenty extra pounds, with a space between my teeth, wrinkles and a five year old pregnancy mask... 

Am I worth documenting? 

Because if someone were to ask me this question, my answer would wholeheartedly and unequivocally be YES! I’ve devoted my life to it. And it’s this notion that’s at the forefront of my mind during every shoot. Behind the niceties, I’m thinking, “Don’t worry, I will take care of you. Your face, your body, your intimate moments and your vulnerabilities are safe with me.” And so the question becomes, is my face, my body, and are my vulnerabilities safe with me? 

These thoughts came as a result of being mesmerized by Stephanie’s phone-tography, and Rachel’s self portrait project. They both inspired me to create my own, despite the voices about how indulgent it felt, or about how I don't need another project. Sometimes blogging can become about other opinions. So I've made an effort to post images which are truly significant to me, regardless of their photographic value. Because photos are blogged straight from my phone, it of course means no editing, no fixing, no hiding. It's been a daily exercise in accepting what is, and making peace with imperfection. I've only been doing it for a short time, but have already found it to be therapeutic. 

What about you? Do you enjoy photographing yourself, or is it difficult? We'd love to hear your thoughts, and see your images.