What am I listening to and how did I get there?

Let me start off by saying that when I sign on to Twitter I do check who's followed me. I actually check out who it is. I actually like to have conversations or at least say hi to them.

 I'm not about the numbers in any of my accounts.

 

Yes, I know that bands follow followers of other bands, etc.   If I don't care for an artist I won't necessarily delete them unless they represent something I can't support. (Cutting themselves and bleeding all over themselves and on the stage is just not something I'm down with, but that's just  me).

If I do like an artist I will thank them and follow them back with a comment of what I like about their sound (and I do check out their music first). This often starts a conversation  that may or may not lead to Facebook friending, etc.  In many cases, it's even gone to the personal accounts for fun filled and sometimes thought provoking topics.

I always add in the 'I'm a harmless old lady that loves to rock' so I don't scare the poor souls away. I mean, you never know and this IS the Internet, right?  RIGHT?

Sometimes I do feel this old

Why do I pursue this avenue in-depth with an artist?  When it comes to art-especially music, I like to get an idea of what's behind the music-what drives the artist.

I also just have this epic maternal instinct and love to 'adopt' people. If you've known me a long time you've seen this in action, and know it's from a pure place. I mean when you are out on the road, getting some good old fashioned encouragement with no expectations back is good for the soul. 

I have two at the moment.

Now on to what I am listening to.
The playlist for this post consists of Clint Lowery's work. (The guitarist for Sevendust)
"Summertime", "Uncomfortable Silence", "Expectations", and "Caved In."  I just love his melodies and softer side of his voice.  Don't get me wrong-the man can rock, I am just in a quieter mood today.

I've been slowly organizing "Mercy" and setting up the final playlist. The majority of the artists are indie and I found them on Noisetrade for free.(I have since donated a small amount as I play the music constantly). Similar to Clint Lowery, some are side projects from musicians in larger, well-known bands.

"Mercy" playlist

 

Of course they aren't necessarily in order.  The Hawk In Paris and Stephen Mason are launched from Jars of Clay. Joshua James is absolutely amazing-brutal and realistic lyrics. I saw Stars in Stereo when they opened for Bullet For My valentine and I just loved them and this acoustic rendition of their song in particular. Feel free to search them on your own-I think you will be pleased.

 

You can really see the boy + girl elements when put all together. This is going to be a lot of work but that only makes it a better product in the end.

 

 

 

A few other recent discoveries are Socionic, Voyageur (formerly Saga City), Summertime Dropouts, Letters from the Fire, The Letter Black, Stars in Stereo, Minnasia, and Hope & Harbor.

 

As usual, they are all over the place, genre-wise. For the most part, I like just about everything.

I know this is a short post today, but I would love to know what YOU are listening to?

 

Please excuse my use of more pics than normal.  It's just one of those days.

-Until next time, my friends. :)



 

 

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/saibaba176928.html#6iuspD7oearf13JT.99

 "Life is a song-sing it. Life is a game-play it. Life is a challenge-meet it. Life is a dream-realize it. Life is a sacrifice-offer it. Life is love-enjoy it." -Sai Baba

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/saibaba176928.html#6iuspD7oearf13JT.99

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/saibaba176928.html#6iuspD7oearf13JT.99



Look Into my Camera Eye

Yes, amazingly enough-a double post! 

I hope this season is finding you well. Normally I am a basket case and SAD kicks in.  I've got good people around me and I've only had one dark day this season so far.  I even got my Christmas lights up outside.  Yes, my tree has been up all year but now it's fully decorated and pretty. I do plan to take it all down on January 1st.

I thought I'd be crafty and make my own 5 x 7 cards this year. It was great until I realized I needed to send out around 90 cards-I printed out 40 and then ended up getting some basic cards and mailed them with smaller 4 x 6 prints I'd had left from a shoot this summer. A bit of a costly lesson, but oh so worth it!

The cards:

 

 

 

I am getting the occasional commission now and it makes me feel both excited and fearful-what if I screw up?  What if I've somehow represented myself to be something I'm not?  And cue the ages old self-doubt I've blogged about a while back.

It's all a learning process for me.  I continue to learn from my mistakes and I really do ask for critical comments from others because it's how I learn.  Next up I'm going to take the foray into macro work.  I was going to buy myself a basic introductory macro lens but realized I already have a 4 lens kit.  It's a bit more work to experiment with it, but I have to start somewhere.

As a Christmas gift, I put together a really neat photo book for my parents. As dysfunctional, messed up, and painful as our relationship has been over the years, they have always supported my photography, and I thought it would be the perfect gift.

I should be getting it any day and after proofing it, will get it shipped of to them hopefully by Christmas.  It's a bigger, leather bound one and I'm pretty excited.  If I'm really happy with it I might treat myself and order a basic copy for myself.

I thought it would be fun to share a few from the book-I would love your honest (and gentle please) criticism and comments. Please note that these are low res versions or it would have taken FOREVER to upload them.

I wish you all a Merry and Bright Holiday Season!

Robyn :)

These have various copyright names as they were taken from 2005-2013.

Hurts, Hopes, and a Return from the Abyss.

 Hi there!

I've been MIA for some time now.  I ended up being distracted by my own inertia again.  I think it's happened to the best of us at some point or another.

I dealt with the loss of two pets in a 45 day span, and it's taken a lot more out of me that I'd realized. The loss of a pet is never easy.  Smirk all you want to but I get all schmoozy and snuggly with our pets. Yes, I consider them family members. 

I am usually able to try and convince myself that I've emotionally distanced myself when dealing with the more unpleasant aspects of critter maintenance but when all is said and done, reality kicks in and my heart hurts. I cry. I get a bit depressed.  Sometimes I feel guilty. Then I feel self conscious because I feel all of the above.

RIP to our beloved Shih Tzu Ming and our giant fuzzball Rowan Alexander. They were best buddies and generally slept together. It was still odd that through unexpected circumstances they went within a month of each other.  
  

********

I took part in NaNoWriMo again this year and did indeed complete a new novel. What is NaNoWriMo you ask?  It's when crazy people like me take part in a literary event where the goal is to write 50,000 words during the month of November-my final word count was 54,773.

Besides the personal kudos and self patting on the back, we get a certificate:

I'd planned to work off an outline I did last year but as usual a new story begged to come to life.  It's different than what I've written before-no paranormal, no dystopian apocalypse. Now comes the really hard part-editing!

Here is the working cover and title for now :

 

 

Here is a brief excerpt but please bear in mind that this is unedited and might contain a bazillion mistakes and overwhelming amounts of purple. (See the blog post on "Purple"). I was lazy and figured it was easier for me to just cut and paste this straight from my NaNo page.

 

Synopsis

Mercy and Seth. Best Friends. An uncertain future. A story about boy and a girl.

Excerpt

The waves crashed around Seth, the power thundering through the surf as the gentler foam carpet encapsulated his feet. Mercy screeched as the cold surrounded her ankles. She ran back to the dry sand, giggling and laughing with the unspoiled innocence that often accompanies this stage of childhood.

“Got you!’ he shouted as he jumped into the next wave. Saltwater soaked her as it continued its journey.

Mercy's eyes sparkled mischievously even as the thought entered her mind. She ran forward, hoping to meet the next wave before Seth did. She would spin at the last minute and douse him in turn. As she leapt forward to greet the snowy white froth she couldn’t help but savor a moment of freedom.

Frozen in time, for mere seconds, she felt the elation of having no limitations or boundaries. She wondered if this was how the sea gulls felt as they skimmed the waves and slice through the coastal winds. The sun warming her skin against the brisk sea breeze, like a mermaid enjoying a lazy afternoon. The seals as they played among the larger, but gentle, swells farther out.

Not wanting to release that moment, she looked up at the fluffy clouds from where her guardian angels surely watched in amusement over their charge, waiting at the ready to carry her to the heavens should something go awry.

Her toes touched the water as she descended and she mourned, as gravity and the world around her regained their control. She could not bear the loss. She turned to tell Seth of the sadness of it all, but he was focused on something at the edge of the sand. He looked up at her and pointed down.

Now was the time! Mercy took a few steps closer and bent as if to see what he had discovered, but at the last minute, scooped up a handful of water and sea weed and threw it at him. Seth’s eyes registered shock, a momentary flare of anger, followed by same spark of mischief she had worn moments before.

The waves crashed around them again and again, the power thundering through the surf as the gentler foam carpet encapsulated their feet in a dance as old as time. She screeched as he started to chase her through the water.

Mercy ran back to the dry sand, giggling and laughing with the unspoiled innocence that often accompanies this stage of childhood. They spent many summers that way.

***

 I'm actually really excited about this one. For the first time that I can remember, my playlist won't leave my head.  It's pretty cool too. I can post it if you want-just ask in the comments.

 

 

I am going to double post today in my attempt to make up my absence to you.

 

I hope your day is peaceful and serene.

 

Robyn :)

 

 

What am I reading?

 

I am reading a really neat book- "Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson. It's a well-written true story.  Follow the link to a detailed description. I'm still in the first few chapters but it's one I have to be careful of reading at night because it's so hard to put down.

 

 

What am I up to?

 

Several friends and acquaintances are expecting or have had their babies in the last two weeks, so I am attempting to make a little something for each of them.

 

That's about it for now!

 

 

The Magic of Monochrome

I'm starting a new photo series that will be shot in monochrome (black &white).


Why monochrome?

I've been fascinated for a long time at how much of a difference there is between monochrome versus traditional color shots.

 Monochrome can remove distracting elements, drawing the viewer closer into the subject that's been photographed.  The photographer might intent for the viewer to examine it a bit more closely often resulting in a higher emotional response or more memorable photo.

That sounds all hoity-toity, so let me rephrase in simple terms:  it can be more dramatic and generally looks really cool.

Here are a few examples I can share-one from a shoot I did for a local community garden, and one I shot for the new series I  want to explore.

First, the color version. For me this evokes an overall feeling of a warm nostalgic summer day.  You see the 'whole' photo. The background is blurred, but you still take in it as part of the whole.



Garden Daisies-original photo

The monochrome version.  What background?  What stands out here is one particular daisy, and even more specifically, the water droplets on the daisy's petals.



The droplets really stand out with this one.

Another example:

Caspian is just chilling out with his paws on the window screen. A cat's life on a lazy day having a good stretch. Then there's the monochrome shot.   His look appears to be more intense. What has captured this hunter's attention so completely?







He's a willing subject most of the time.







One thing I notice is that his claws are more prominent, lending a somewhat sinister quality.

The descriptions I used are probably cheesy, but I wanted to get the basic idea across.

 ****

The subject matter can also affect the outcome. Andreas Stridsberg lives in Sweden and has traveled throughout Europe.  He's always taken his camera along and after what started as a hobby (when I first met him on an online gallery) and a lot of hard work has resulted in becoming well-respected and sought-after photographer.  Click on the link to see his portfolio and extensive previews of his work.)

This shot has an ageless feel to it.

 

A really neat shot on it's own.

Photos courtesy of Andreas Stridsberg www.mystic-pic.com

  

 

 

This has a sinister, ghostly feel, tinged with some insanity.   

 

 

This one shot from the same series is absolutely beautiful, but skips the darkness of the other. 

Photos courtesy of Andreas Stridsberg www.mystic-pic.com

 

The monochrome adds an old time ghostly, supernatural feel to it. The difference between the two is incredible. Although the above photos look very different, it's the same model.

 

 

 . 

 

Photos courtesy of Andreas Stridsberg www.mystic-pic.com

  

 The monochrome effect here seems to evoke a harsh, stark isolation, while at the same time peaceful and finite. 

 

                                                                       ****

 

When she's not working her 'normal' job, Courtney Campbell is a popular concert photographer.

She is the founder of Musicians Opposed to Bullying and Earplugs Required



Ronnie Radke

       

Ronnie Radke

 

Photos courtesy of Courtney Campbell http://earplugsrequired.com/



 

 The first photo was  taken at an outdoor festival. You can see that he connects with  the crowd, while the monochrome photo has a remote, almost voyeuristic feel.  It's a very powerful, passionate, and intimate image. Ronnie Radke, vocalist for Falling In Reverse.

.

 

 

Jacky Vincent

 

 

Jacky Vincent

 

Photos courtesy of Courtney Campbell http://earplugsrequired.com/

Jacky Vincent, guitarist for Falling in Reverse

 

 

Another example of the differences in concert photography. It should be noted that the challenges involved in capturing a good photo are difficult but can be over come with practice and a good eye. Similar to the other concert photos, there is a sense of intimacy in monochrome. When I asked Courtney about the reasons she might use monochrome in an concert setting she said that it could be something as simple as poor red lighting. 

 

 **** 

                       

I'll be going through my bazillion backup disks and pulling out the best to add to the series in addition to the future ones.  I started out shooting on a Cannon Powershot D600, then graduated to a Panasonic Lumix, which I still have and use regularly, and my Nikon D3100.

 

Shot with the Cannon-Oldies but goodies:



Serenity
Aleu, The Offspring's cat years ago.  The very first digital photo I took.


 







A Mother's Touch
This is the hand of The Midget.


 







Mischief
A friend's son. Taken several years ago.







Daydreaming.
The Offspring back in 2007.





Hyacinth

 

 

 

Last but not least, I wanted to say a little about Ansel Adams.  He is best known for his monochrome shots taken in Yosemite back in 1958. His work has only grown more popular and now originals run between $8,000 to $50,000.  He had such an incredible gift. His title of 'The Master of Monochrome" definitely fits.

www.anseladams.com

www.anseladams.com

 

Ansel Adams, self-portrait.

I think that's about it for now.  A photo post was long overdue. If you have any monochrome photos that you want to share, let me know!  A big thanks to my friends Andreas Stridsberg and Courtney Campbell for allowing me the use of their photos. I really appreciate it!


If YOU have any photos you'd like to share, send me an email-I'd be happy to feature what you've done in an upcoming post.  The only requirements are that it's appropriate for all ages. (no explicit sex or violence please).

See you soon!

Robyn :)

A last minute add in:  Any tips or advice you can share regarding this subject-editing software, specific lenses, etc., is always welcome!