So, at some point after I took a
workshop with Spencer Lum in
July, I was supposed to write some diatribe about how it changed me, etc. etc. But the truth is, it's hard to be changed. I think we tend to walk away from life experiences like that one inspired, challenged and
pumped and as time goes by, you settle back into who you always were. Maybe you get to grow just a teeny, tiny bit. Maybe not. I came away from the workshop absolutely jazzed to do personal projects. Total number of personal projects even started since then: 0. It is what it is.
I can say that I positively loved spending a week on the street, camera in hand. I so rarely push myself to really, truly get out there and work for myself. This workshop gave me that impetus and even though I haven't carried it on into my day-to-day life (road to hell paved with good intentions and all), it sure was great to have that week. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
So without too much further musing, here are my final selections from the workshop. You can also check out rejection sets
one and
two if you're so inclined. This first image I took sort of on a whim as I was walking back to my hotel from one of the twice-daily critiques (it may have been the third one - I don't remember).
Spencer liked this image, and he flat rejected every single other image I had produced for critique (see my previous blog posts for those - my blog I can put the losers up if I want!) He encouraged me to spend some time at this particular Subway station. And that's exactly what I did - I spent the next two mornings at the station - several hours in a half a block area, looking at every possible angle. Here are the results:
And that is that. After four days of shooting and twice-daily critiques, I came away with eight total project images. I love them. And I loved working on this project. So if anyone local (or even not - if you have a couch for me!) wants to roll on some new project action, I am more than up for it. Let's take some photos.
You really must forgive some of these scans. I don't have an expensive do-it-all scanner thing - just a portable guy that can be somewhat temperamental.
And, finally, the coup de grace - where Jonathan asked the photobooth dude what the record was for total number of people in the booth at any one time. We beat it.
Well that will about finish up the blog for 2012. Have a very happy New Years and get ready for the awesomeness that will be 2013!
That's my guy. In the dork-ass constellation tie I bought him that he actually loves and wears all the time.
Neither of us believe in soul mates. In fact, we both believe that the idea of soul-mates is overwhelmingly depressing, considering that there are billions of people on this earth. No, probably a whole bunch of people - perhaps even some I already met - would have also made good life partners. But every day I spend with George, he becomes more and more the only person I could possibly see myself with. So I guess that's what I mean by growing into each other. You become so familiar, so close, that person really does develop into your soul mate (yeah, thanks for the speech and all Dad... oy).
So then! Happy third anniversary to my kick-ass husband. Now we're off to go watch nerdy movies and eat tons of fancy foods. Yesss!