DREAMING OF THE SNAPSHOT AESTHETIC

New Home

2009-06-10T23:58:00.002-05:00

Dear friends,

I have a new home on the interweb, so look at this instead:

carabass.wordpress.com

- cara

Saturday Surrender

2009-03-07T20:12:00.003-06:00

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.

Movie Reviews

2009-02-21T22:05:00.007-06:00

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.

Dear fashion photography friends...

2009-02-11T19:28:00.004-06:00

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.

History

2009-01-31T14:30:00.006-06:00

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]

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.

Weekend Getaway

2009-01-28T17:38:00.011-06:00

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.

The Coffee Shoot

2009-01-18T15:18:00.004-06:00

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.

The First [Unofficial] Day of Winter Holidays

2008-12-15T11:39:00.005-06:00

The first day of winter shoot week feels like the first day of winter holidays. No more getting up before the sun, no more surprise assignments, no more "dressing for the weather" for the off chance that we will be outside shooting a surprise assignment all afternoon. Today started off wonderfully. An alarm going off at 8:00 instead of 6:30, lazily sipping a couple cups of coffee, and casually checking things off the to-do list.

While taking a mini internet break after checking one thing off the list [Don's for handfuls of film and a 50mm 1.8 - yes, my life is pretty good], I found this on one of the design blogs I read daily...

Now that we all have one or two [or four] rolls of slide film, this back lit slide display might come in handy. If anyone feels like spending £150 [to display 36 slides], check it out here.

Home Sweet Home?

2008-12-10T15:54:00.003-06:00

These are a bit old, but better late than never right?

My series titled "Home":

Procrastination presents...

2008-11-29T13:22:00.005-06:00

...one of my best friends, Lauren. Lauren models for a local line called Tony Chestnut, the incredible brain child of Jill Sawatzky. Jill's designs make me glad that I live in a climate where wool coats and thick tights are weather appropriate. Tony Chestnut's Feliz Navidad collection makes me so excited for winter.

[photo by Tristan Fast]

In the midst of studying/getting ready for work I have been daydreaming about this coat. I want this coat. I am getting this coat. I choose my fabrics next week.

It's a girl!

2008-11-26T22:57:00.003-06:00

A few weekends ago, Mark and I went on a mini vacation to Minneapolis. Two whirlwind days of driving and shopping later, I returned home with some absolute gems: a trunk full of ikea treats, a bunch of records, some good h&m finds, and this...

Welcome to the family little Diana Dreamer.

I took my first shot with it today. I'm excited to see if the roll will turn out.

I do have to admit though, that firing a shot with the Diana doesn't compare to the satisfying 'click' of my Nikon FE.

p.s. I have been casually picking up a bit of Croatian from one of the security guards at work. We can now carry on a basic conversation.

Ja sam umorna. Laku noc.
(night night)

Dear blog,

2008-11-26T21:39:00.006-06:00

I'm sorry...
I am a neglectful blog owner .
Life has been so hectic with school and work that I keep putting off posting stuff here.
I have a bit of time tonight [thanks to a lovely gem who took my shift at work] so, here is some stuff from the last while. The most recent project has been my self portrait series called My Christmas Wish List.

I'm resolving to turn my [blogging] life around starting now.
More posts to come.
Promise.
Maybe even more tonight after I get some more homework done.

I see a darkness

2008-09-28T18:37:00.005-05:00

I want to be a photojournalist, a war photographer. I'm dumbfounded on how to go about mastering the art of war photography. I'm not even certain that it is a realistic goal. But still I want to capture images of conflict and war. I want to raise awareness about these issues and make them more publicly available.

The idea of war photography came about in 1859, around the time of the American Civil War when it was predicted that photography would be able to visually document future wars correctly by generating precise documentation of battles, soldiers, and all other things war-related. War photography captures images of armed conflict and life in war-torn areas, depicting the terrors of war and the acts of sacrifice.

VII Photo Agency was formed in September 2001 [days before the 9/11 attacks] and ever since this inception, VII has been responsible for creating and relaying to the world many of the images that define the turbulent opening years of the 21st century. VII documents conflict - environmental, social and political, violent and non-violent - to produce an unflinching record of the injustices created and experienced by people caught up in the events they describe.

There are so many incredible and powerful photographs that come out of this genre of photojournalism.

This photo by James Nachtwey, one of the founders of VII Photo Agency, really captures a sense of the sorrow of this Romanian child. Nachtwey does a lot of his shooting in black & white and it really seems to isolate the subject that he wants to highlight. The angle that this is shot on lends a sense of tension to the image and the never-ending rows of beds gives a feeling of loneliness and hopelessness. I think that James Nachtwey has done a great job in this image of showing the results of the conflict in Romania.

I find this image by Zoriah Miller so captivating. Like the previous photograph, it is in black & white which keeps the viewer focused on the subject matter and not distracted by the colors. I love that he has chosen to show the results of conflict in a non-violent manner. The line of kids helping each other up and over rubble in an area completely destroyed by war is such a beautiful image.

Marcus Bleasdale has been photographing events in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the past 8 years and has photographed everything there from child soldiers to elections. I just love the way that this picture of a child soldier is composed. I like that it shows a little boy riding his bike down the dirt road with a rifle slung over his shoulders. The boy seems to have so much determined energy and it is so terrifying that his energy is being focused on such a horrific childhood.

Some of the images that come out of the conflict and war photojournalism genre can be difficult and disturbing to look at, but it is important to be aware of the atrocities that are happening in the world, and at the very least, not to take our own comfortable lives for granted.

Wow, Wow, Wow.

2008-09-27T13:29:00.002-05:00

My favorite photographer, the talented Ryan McGinley, shot one of my favorite local faces, the lovely Richard Bars. Welcome home from NY Richard. I'm hella into you, and I'm hella into this shot.

p.s. I stole this scan from the ever stylish Tjejsajten girls.

Simple Simon...

2008-09-27T01:26:00.008-05:00

I was so so so lucky to have the ENTIRE day off on Thursday, so I grabbed a coffee and packed a lunch and headed out to the country with my Nikon FE and some black and white film. There are these amazing remnants of turn-of-the-century settlement towns near my lake that I have been waiting for the perfect chance to photograph. I shot these for an assignment on simple composition. I'm kind of into them.

100 year old cemetery

abandoned highway gas station

ibid

farm diesel

i adore religious imagery

outside the power station

towers for miles and miles

railway controls

perfect

Also, I have been wonderful at procrastinating tonight. I stayed home to do homework, but instead I ended up watching HOURS of photojournalism documentaries on the internet.

Can somebody please build me a time machine, so that between school and work, I could actually have some time to do nothing. or at least laundry.

The Quiet Life

2008-09-23T11:58:00.005-05:00

Look at this.
The quiet life camera club is a place for photographers of all levels to submit images.
There are some amazing photographs on here and it is a great place to get ideas.

the quiet life

Pedestrian Lines

2008-09-21T18:41:00.003-05:00

I didn't have any problem finding lines to photograph. A short walk around two blocks in my neighbourhood left me with way more photos then was necessary for this assignment. The challenge that I do need to learn to overcome, is the awkward feeling of photographing in public.

I chose to take my shots this morning. Sunday morning. Sunday morning in the heart of Corydon. I was surrounded by dog-walkers galore, sleepy couples on their way to breakfast, gangs of young, lulu lemon clad moms pushing trendy baby strollers, and tripping teens, dressed head to toe in American Apparel, Starbucks in-hand. I had a difficult time not feeling silly about crouching down in the middle of all of this, focusing on some crack in the sidewalk, or garage siding, while all of these pedestrians passed by and gave me a "what is she doing?" look. This is my own personal challenge, and I can only guess [and hope] that time and practice will diminish this feeling.

Black and White Vegetables

2008-09-18T18:36:00.006-05:00

I just love fall. It is the perfect weather for sweaters and tights, and the perfect time to spend a Saturday morning at the St. Norbert farmer's market. This was the location for about half of my shots for the first Analog Techniques assignment. Here are some of the pictures.

Digital shoot in the Exchange

2008-09-16T10:50:00.001-05:00

Let's call this the 9-5...

2008-09-11T23:27:00.017-05:00

I was first attracted to photography by photos in an art magazine. After that, I found myself spending most of my free time trying to learn more about photography and looking at pictures on the Internet. I can’t even count the number of times I sat cross-legged on the floor at McNally Robinson for hours looking at book after book on photography. Throughout working on my degree in Commerce I continuously contemplated switching to a more creative program. Once I had graduated, I found myself so bored with my career, that I took night classes after work in Graphic Design. I have explored multiple traditional career paths, and I still find myself being drawn to photography. Now I have decided to commit myself to it.

During the next year, I would really like to learn better composition. I usually end up shooting simple, close up shots because I am always disappointed with how my longer shots turn out. I also cannot wait to learn how to translate what my eye sees to what I end up producing with my camera. I am really looking forward to learning from my classmates’ styles and interests.

I haven’t really had any bad photo experiences, but I have had a few close calls. I become unaware of what is going on around me when I am taking pictures, and on more than one occasion I have wandered into unsafe areas of cities while traveling. A few weeks ago I was in Panama and I was shooting these amazing old buildings that were destroyed when Noriega was removed as the dictator. After they were destroyed, the neighbourhoods became the ghetto areas of the city. I was taking a photo of a hallway that was destroyed by a bomb, and all of the sudden, five boys ran out and were yelling at us for money in Spanish. Luckily I was with a friend who knew which areas were safer and we ran a few blocks over before anything bad could happen. I quickly learned my lesson about being more aware of what is going on around me.

welcome to panama city

Photo Favorites

2008-09-09T11:15:00.001-05:00

My favorite type of photography shows people in everyday life, specifically people working. I prefer candid shots to posed ones. I really love gritty, urban scenes especially those from far away places. I wish that every picture could be shot with medium format film. Lately I have been really interested in photographs of small architectural details, especially doors.