Lady Liberty

I saw this woman wearing this foam Statue of Liberty crown on the ferry from Ellis Island.  I loved the visual irorny!

Crab-Zilla in Color!

I participated in the Traveling Toy Camera Project two weeks ago and I got my film back yesterday.  I normally don't shoot color and rarely photograph scenic shots but for some reason I felt compelled to do both for this project.  I found myself at the end of the roll faced with this giant crab atop a building in downtown Portland, Oregon.  I'm so glad I had color for this one.  It works way better than the B/W shot I did with my Holga.  It was a fun project and I'm glad I participated.

Susan Burnstine Gallery Talk

   Last Saturday I had the awesome opportunity to hear one of my favorite photographers, Susan Burnstine, talk about her work.  I have found her work very inspiring and after hearing her talk I find it even more so.  She spoke about being on a personal journey and how expressing her dreams (the kind you have at night)through photography has been transformational for her.   She has taken the very personal material of dreams and brought them to life in such a way that you can feel her pain, or joy, or sorrow.  I found her to be very genuine and felt like she expressed herself well.

    I had prepared a few questions to ask her but she answered them right away in her talk.  I was curious as to which was her first image in the series and how the series evoloved.  I loved how honest she was about the diffculties in creating authentic photographs of an intimate subject.  Someone had asked her how often she was successful when going out to shoot images.  Her reply was that she shot so much film that she could have bought a house with all the money she spent on film!  I loved that as sometimes I shot roll after roll with no "winners."  I think sometimes I am under the illusion that creating should be easy or that it comes naturally to some and not to me.

   I wish I had taken notes of her talk.  As she was talking I kept saying to myself..."I hope I remember what she said."  And of course now I have forgotten most of what she talked about.  Either way I enjoyed hearing her talk.  I did take some photos of my own on the way down to Portland.  I had the Traveling Toy Camera with me and I was able to spend some time shooting.  I hope my photo of "Crab-zilla" turns out.

Bird Watching in Times Square

     My husband and I were in New York City last week for two very fast days of sightseeing.  I only shot three rolls.  This is from the only roll I have processed so far.  I took two shots of this scene.  I was waiting for the giant M's eyes to be looking at the pigeon.   I enjoy visual irony and felt lucky to have this bird land when he did.  I was standing in the middle of the street trying to get a good angle so I also feel lucky I didn't get hit by a taxi.  But hey, when you see a good shot sometimes you just do what you need to do...right?

Krappy Kamera 2010 Opening

Me standing in front of my photo at the Krappy Kamera 2010 Gallery Opening.

     Karl and I had a wonderful time in New York and the gallery opening was the highlight.  I met many wonderful photographers from the toy camera community.  I especially enjoyed seeing the Gallery des Refuses (I think thats how you spell it?)  It is not often that you get to see what the juror rejected.  It was a great time and I was very excited to be a part of the actual opening.  This was the first time I've had my work accepted in a show that had an opening.  I felt like Cinderella going to the ball!  It was very cool!