Dear friends,
I have a new home on the interweb, so look at this instead:
carabass.wordpress.com
- cara
June 10, 2009
March 7, 2009
Saturday Surrender
Tonight I had a plan. I packed up my camera bag and my papers-and-pencils bag and marched down to my studio to spend a quiet handful of hours with nothing to do BUT to be creative. Although I am usually the only soul here, I share my studio space with a few others, but I specifically share my little room with my friend Michelle - a graphic designer/surf enthusiast/newly trained printmaker with regular projects on the go at Martha Street. Our little room is filled with books. Sources of inspiration. Catalogues of typography and design galore. Our walls are bare, save for two magical prints courtesy of Madge, who occupied this space before me, until her printmaking genius scored her a studio space at Martha. These two gems are full of ideas. As I write this, I am stared down by the prints on the wall, and Michelle's equally thoughtful prints laying on the desk. All I can hear is the hum of the fluorescents above me and the sound of music blaring out of The Albert. I am admitting defeat tonight and instead going to spend my time finding food for my cupboards at Superstore. I came here with high hopes and i am leaving with empty film, empty papers, and an empty head.
My focus has been flip-flopping at a breakneck pace these days - both my ability to focus and the subject matter that I am drawn to. Lately I've been into empty spaces and typography. Not together. Two separate thoughts. Here's hoping that something feels like home soon. The portfolio demands it. Tomorrow I am starting my day with coffee, a graphic design exhibit, the art store and a portrait shoot. Here's to tomorrow.
My focus has been flip-flopping at a breakneck pace these days - both my ability to focus and the subject matter that I am drawn to. Lately I've been into empty spaces and typography. Not together. Two separate thoughts. Here's hoping that something feels like home soon. The portfolio demands it. Tomorrow I am starting my day with coffee, a graphic design exhibit, the art store and a portrait shoot. Here's to tomorrow.
February 21, 2009
Movie Reviews
While my friends in university spent this past week snowboarding, suntanning or lazing around the house, I have been trying to get through a very hefty to-do list. One of my assignments was to watch 3 out of 6 specific movies and then comment on how they visually impacted me or related to photography. So here it goes. The movies that I chose were Born into Brothels, I am Cuba, and Pecker.
Born into Brothels is a documentary following photographer Zana Briski through her interaction with the children that live in the red light district of North Calcutta, India. Zana spent a few years living and photographing there and immediately made a connection with the kids of the brothels. After making a connection with the kids, she decides that she wants to experience the red light district through their eyes. She gives each child a camera and holds regular photography classes with them to go over their work. Throughout the film, she takes on the challenges of getting the kids accepted into boarding schools to get them an education and an escape from the life in the brothels.
Photographically, I found this film very inspiring because it shows how life in your own backyard can be so exciting. Although it makes me want to travel more, I also realize that this work that was so well received by others, even culminating in a gallery show in New York and in Calcutta, was simply a result of the children wandering around their own neighbourhoods and simply taking photographs. It made me think more about that very first lesson in Creative Imaging on “good seeing”. These kids have it and I need to work on being better at it.
The film gets a 5 out of 5, and for photographic inspiration another 5 out of 5.
I am Cuba is a gorgeous black and white movie that combines four different stories of different Cuban demographics and their need for revolution during Batista’s rule. The dialogue is hard to follow as it is a mixture of Spanish/English/Russian and there is a lot of singing, which I don't generally like in movies. Filmed in the 1960s, it humorously portrays Americans as being boisterous and entitled as all hell. The actual plot of the movie doesn't matter as much as the cinematography of it. The beautiful long shots of the landscapes sets the scene while the viewer is thrown right into the middle of the propaganda and revolution with the tighter shots of Havana, the sugar cane fields and the tired looking men that farm them, the nightclubs full of Cuban prostitutes and pompous Americans waving handfuls of money, and in the small rooms where young Cuban men plan their revolution.
Photographically, this movie has sealed my love for the simplicity of a black and white image. The movie could also function as well, if not better, if the dialogue was removed and the cinematography itself did the talking. This is important because it shows that, if done correctly, your images do not need any accompanying explanation.
This three hour film gets a 2 out of 5 for entertainment, but for photographic inspiration it gets a 5 out of 5.
Pecker is a very entertaining and cynical look at the world of art. Pecker, an amateur photographer and sandwich shop employee is discovered at his d.i.y. photography exhibit by a New York City art dealer and gallery owner. Given comparison to Weegee, he rises to fame with his casually composed images of the characters in his life in Baltimore.
Photographically, Pecker is in line with my favourite style of street photography and brings up the same lesson as in Born into Brothels...which is to practice good seeing. Pecker took shots of everything and anything from around his neighbourhood. It shows that sometimes, that 'aha' moment can come from the editing and not necessarily from before the shutter is clicked.
This film gets a 5 out of 5, and for photographic inspiration it also gets a 5 out of 5.
P.s. An insanely beautifully shot movie is Let The Right One In. Its a movie about a little boy and his vampire friend. I realize that this description might sound a bit ridiculous, but watch the trailer because it's just so so so good. I promise.
Born into Brothels is a documentary following photographer Zana Briski through her interaction with the children that live in the red light district of North Calcutta, India. Zana spent a few years living and photographing there and immediately made a connection with the kids of the brothels. After making a connection with the kids, she decides that she wants to experience the red light district through their eyes. She gives each child a camera and holds regular photography classes with them to go over their work. Throughout the film, she takes on the challenges of getting the kids accepted into boarding schools to get them an education and an escape from the life in the brothels.
Photographically, I found this film very inspiring because it shows how life in your own backyard can be so exciting. Although it makes me want to travel more, I also realize that this work that was so well received by others, even culminating in a gallery show in New York and in Calcutta, was simply a result of the children wandering around their own neighbourhoods and simply taking photographs. It made me think more about that very first lesson in Creative Imaging on “good seeing”. These kids have it and I need to work on being better at it.
The film gets a 5 out of 5, and for photographic inspiration another 5 out of 5.
I am Cuba is a gorgeous black and white movie that combines four different stories of different Cuban demographics and their need for revolution during Batista’s rule. The dialogue is hard to follow as it is a mixture of Spanish/English/Russian and there is a lot of singing, which I don't generally like in movies. Filmed in the 1960s, it humorously portrays Americans as being boisterous and entitled as all hell. The actual plot of the movie doesn't matter as much as the cinematography of it. The beautiful long shots of the landscapes sets the scene while the viewer is thrown right into the middle of the propaganda and revolution with the tighter shots of Havana, the sugar cane fields and the tired looking men that farm them, the nightclubs full of Cuban prostitutes and pompous Americans waving handfuls of money, and in the small rooms where young Cuban men plan their revolution.
Photographically, this movie has sealed my love for the simplicity of a black and white image. The movie could also function as well, if not better, if the dialogue was removed and the cinematography itself did the talking. This is important because it shows that, if done correctly, your images do not need any accompanying explanation.
This three hour film gets a 2 out of 5 for entertainment, but for photographic inspiration it gets a 5 out of 5.
Pecker is a very entertaining and cynical look at the world of art. Pecker, an amateur photographer and sandwich shop employee is discovered at his d.i.y. photography exhibit by a New York City art dealer and gallery owner. Given comparison to Weegee, he rises to fame with his casually composed images of the characters in his life in Baltimore.
Photographically, Pecker is in line with my favourite style of street photography and brings up the same lesson as in Born into Brothels...which is to practice good seeing. Pecker took shots of everything and anything from around his neighbourhood. It shows that sometimes, that 'aha' moment can come from the editing and not necessarily from before the shutter is clicked.
This film gets a 5 out of 5, and for photographic inspiration it also gets a 5 out of 5.
P.s. An insanely beautifully shot movie is Let The Right One In. Its a movie about a little boy and his vampire friend. I realize that this description might sound a bit ridiculous, but watch the trailer because it's just so so so good. I promise.
February 11, 2009
Dear fashion photography friends...
If you know me at all, then you probably know that although I'm trying really hard to get into flash, I don't think that anything beats natural light. With that being said, this is a little post for everyone that is thinking of putting together a fashion photography portfolio.
Check out Baldovino Barani. He creates pretty, fashion pictures using only natural light.
p.s. Cassandra, this is who I was talking about the other day.
Check out Baldovino Barani. He creates pretty, fashion pictures using only natural light.
p.s. Cassandra, this is who I was talking about the other day.
January 31, 2009
History
So we've been studying the history of photography and for each lecture we look at a whole bunch of photographs, and one of them looked pretty familiar. Forgive the amateur framing and the 138 year difference between the two, but check this out:
Self Portrait, Panama, 1870 [by Timothy O'Sullivan]
Kuna Girl, Isle de Carti, Panama, 2008 [by me]
Self Portrait, Panama, 1870 [by Timothy O'Sullivan]
Kuna Girl, Isle de Carti, Panama, 2008 [by me]I'm so into this history of photography section. I think that I'd really like to keep studying this. I've been thinking a lot about applying to grad school lately. So far its just a thought.
January 28, 2009
Weekend Getaway
Last week I packed a bag and headed out to Vancouver for the weekend to meet up with Mark who had been there all week. I couldn't believe that I had three whole days to shoot for fun. I hardly used my digital camera at all [mostly because I was not interested in lugging around a backpack all day] but I did shoot a couple rolls of film [which I still haven't developed, but will post when I do]. The only time I used my digital was on the plane and in the hotel. Here's what I came up with.
Good morning sunshine.
I've never flown on such a clear day.
The fog in Vancouver was too low, so we circled these mountains for 40 minutes before finally landing...in Abbotsford.
Our 28th floor view was incredible.
Mark woke me up at 7:30 to see the sunrise and the clouds roll in.
"hey, wake up, you should take a picture of this."
"hmmm? okay."
"i don't mean right now."
"why did you wake me up then?"
"oh."
I'm still not sure if Vancouver will be my future home, but if it is I'm into it.
I'm into walking everywhere / sidewalk farmers markets / sunsets at English Bay / vintage shops on Commercial / burgers off Granville / breakfast on Davie / leather jackets as the winter uniform [with optional hoodie layer] / clean air / a populated downtown and incredible sushi.
I'm still not sure if Vancouver will be my future home, but if it is I'm into it.
I'm into walking everywhere / sidewalk farmers markets / sunsets at English Bay / vintage shops on Commercial / burgers off Granville / breakfast on Davie / leather jackets as the winter uniform [with optional hoodie layer] / clean air / a populated downtown and incredible sushi.
January 18, 2009
The Coffee Shoot
The coffee assignment has me stumped. After spending about 8 hours over the past two days trying to get the perfect shot of espresso [no pun intended] and shooting over 700 frames I still have no idea how some photographers can make it look so easy.
These are what I think are the most effective shots that I came up with to sell coffee. I chose the last one as my final print, but now that I'm holding it in my hands, I'm not that into it. Maybe I've just been staring at these for far too long.
I admit that my love for naturally lit photographs has me at a disadvantage with these types of shots. I've done my research and concluded that I need to learn to love the flash...and maybe invest in a macro lens too.
On that note, I stumbled across a photographer today who makes food look so yummy [although there aren't any coffee shots]. Check out David Torch's website. He's a San Francisco based photographer who has series ranging from Armenia to the 9th Ward.
I am officially in awe of food photographers.
These are what I think are the most effective shots that I came up with to sell coffee. I chose the last one as my final print, but now that I'm holding it in my hands, I'm not that into it. Maybe I've just been staring at these for far too long.
I admit that my love for naturally lit photographs has me at a disadvantage with these types of shots. I've done my research and concluded that I need to learn to love the flash...and maybe invest in a macro lens too.
On that note, I stumbled across a photographer today who makes food look so yummy [although there aren't any coffee shots]. Check out David Torch's website. He's a San Francisco based photographer who has series ranging from Armenia to the 9th Ward.
I am officially in awe of food photographers.
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