1/3/11

new year, old perspective


Happy New Year everyone! 

It is so nice to feel like I have a fresh start to life--and isn't that the illusion of the new year?  It is as if we can put everything in the past year behind us and focus on the future.  Making endless promises to ourselves to create a better year than the last.  It is such a wonderful gift-- to feel dedicated to self-renewal--but I wish I awoke with such enthusiasm every day of the year.  Instead of January 1st being the start to a fresh beginning, I want every single day to be approached as such. And this has to apply to creativity as well.  When I was a photography student, and my camera never left my hands, every ounce of the world was a spectacle that was waiting to be recorded.  Every odd reflection in a mirror, store sign that was missing letters, quiet moment in a park, shadow on the human skin, still life of my dinner, beautiful friends and family--everything was worthy of the space on a negative. Me and my Pentax K1000 took on the world and it was not always fun and games but it was always real and from the heart. 

As I got older, my head got a lot bigger than my heart -  and my photography followed.  I had to have such an involved intellectual conversation with myself before any picture was allowed the honor of my negative.  This was an important time for my art--it aught me about poetry, responsibility, philosophy-- but it was out of balance.

Now it is time for me to merge these two parts of my past and create a new chapter in my work.  Follow the light, but analyze its meaning.  Trust the instinct and think later. 


I shoot with a 4x5 studio camera which has major limitations on how and when i can photograph. It is a wonderful tool--don't get me wrong--but it just too big and time consuming to be used all of the time.  So, my iphone has been used to snap the quick and easy pics that I need to take in everyday life.  This has been an amazing reminder of my days as a college student--when everything sparked my curiosity enough to explore it with my camera.

Even though the quality of the iphone camera is not good enough for me to really use -- it has ignited a desire to go back to something light, easy to hold, and fun.  We shall see....


Images above:
I spend a lot of time in doctor's offices...waiting...and waiting...and more waiting.  I play with my phone, I read a magazine, I daydream...until recently I started taking still lifes with my phone's camera.  These are a few of those...

4 comments:

Willson Cummer said...

Liz, I started a photo-a-day project about a month ago, for some of the same reasons you mention. Want to join me? I post images MOST days on my Facebook page. It would be great to have company...

Willson Cummer said...

If you're looking for something light, consider the Lumix LX5 -- great lens, RAW file capability...

Elizabeth said...

Thanks William for the camera suggestion...I will look into it. You think it is better than the canon G11?

As for the photo a day--I want to be into it but I do not know if I want to post on facebook. I do enjoy looking at your images a lot...so let me think about it. Will let you know soon!

Richard B said...

LIz, I have a Canon G10 and recently switched to using LUMIX GF1... amazing. Cant recommend enough.

Hope you are well

RIchard (CPW workshop 2009)