autumn

Off to Lake Anna and Virginia wine country for my first ever (!) bachelorette party. I have to admit I am thrilled it is of the wine-sipping, fall strolling, hot-tubs and cheese plates variety and not anything more intense.

I can't wait to meet some awesome ladies, take loads of photos and bask in the hot tub (provided I can find a swimsuit in the next 12 hours... did you know swimsuits sometimes get moldy? I didn't either until 30 minutes ago).

Have a great autumnal weekend!

Our nation's capital is rife with marches, protests and rallies. I usually make a point of staying far from them . But on Saturday we were assigned the task of shooting the goings-on downtown. And it was definitely a fascinating way to be a part of the many movements. So my little photo gang spent 6ish hours chasing and walking backwards and snapping people in the act of protest. Needless to say it was REALLY HARD! Composing a photo is even tougher when your subjects have legs.

800+ images later these are the ones I turned in to the instructor.



Occupy DC March to the Washington Monument



onlookers at the MLK Memorial event


Syrian protesters in front of the White House


Occupy DC march back to McPherson Square



protesters' tent city set up in McPherson Square

the thing

We've also been recently assigned the tasks of shooting for pattern, texture and silhouette. These are some of the better ones I've taken over the past few weeks.





I've also, as you may or may not notice, been battling a smudged sensor (lens?), I've worked to resolve the issue but it seems to be about time to get outside help.

seeing

I want to share some of what I've been shooting for my composition class, or "Photographic Seeing." Unless you count costume design, and maybe you do, I've never taken a visual arts class. So, needless to say this has been unbelievably enlightening and edifying. And I feel like just over the course of three weeks I've become a more calculated, specific photographer.


Here's hoping it all sticks.


Jess in the Portrait Gallery


Construction on H Street, NW


sweet Louise

As with most things, when you learn a lot it becomes even more clear how much you don't know. Baby steps.

Reverend Jesse Jackson

Reverend Jackson appeared quietly at the McPherson Square HQ of the Occupy DC protesters. He listened respectfully and intently to those speaking and educating the small crowd. The reverend answered a few questions quietly as we all pushed in closer, hoping to hear his words. He left just as quietly as he appeared.



This was the cherry on top of a full day of shooting rallies, marches and protesters.

cabbage

I had never seen a decorative cabbage living in Oklahoma. I don't know if they grow better on the coast, or if my eyes were simply blind to the awesomeness of the planted cabbage. I find them just the right amount of alien to make them utterly charming. These cuties, plus the red cabbage slaw I whipped up last week, it is a cabbage love-fest around here.

Farragut Square, morning

saturday morning

Market music.

morning

the art

We're finally into our first class that deals with the Art of it all. Which, even if I didn't know it, I'd been craving. It's all been very technical up to now, which is 100% necessary, and likely better than the inverse. But nonetheless, I think my background and my nature combine to mean that the technical bits have been, not only hard, but fairly uninspiring for me.

Finally, some passion has arrived on the scene. The instructor is a theatrical sort, which I don't find as amusing as everyone else, I fear (I know his type). But he is also very grounded, straight-talking and unbelievably impassioned.

I am also facing a sizable amount of self doubt as we move into this portion of the program. I know it's natural, especially for me, and I am feeling empowered to use the doubt and overcome it, but I struggle at not excelling in an "academic" environment.

They say once you start taking a lot of shots you very quickly dislike your old stuff. And I can already feel that happening. Maybe that means I'm getting better. But lately, I find myself thinking about this old shot. It's a picture of Greta, a writer, I took on my Canon AV-1 while we were bowling at a dear friend's birthday last Spring.



Probably something about the triangles.

fire guy

My office threw a luau Friday night. The temperature was the lowest we've seen so far this fall, forcing us all to take full advantage of the open bar to keep warm. Good thing I kept it to a minimum, otherwise I may not have been able to snap clear shots of this super cool fire dancing guy (who was also the awesome bartender). I am sure he's got a name that's much cooler than "fire dancing guy," that but I've noticed I'm often too busy with my camera lately to hear exactly what's going on around me.

But isn't this guy awesome?!