calibrating myself

I never got a message back from Joe.  Expectations can lead to dissapointment.  I thought at least he'd e-mail back saying "thanks" or something.  Oh well... better keep an eye on those expectations.

So today I got back prints from my printer guys to calibrate my monitor.  They printed four 8x10's that I sent them to make sure I will get on paper exactly what I see on my monitor.  They were spot on! I'm so glad because I have no idea how to adjust my monitor settings on this laptop.  The printer's packaging was also beautiful, I'll definitely use them from now on.  See, I already refer to them as "my printer guys".

Here's another photo from yesterday's walk on the lakeside.  (photo #118)

Quinoa and Joe

Recently started cooking with Quinoa.  I used to crave going to Whole Foods and getting a Quinoa salad - now that we're making it ourselves I can't get enough of it.  Quinoa with everything!

Went for a walk in town (Kirkland) to take some pictures.  As I was walking back, a man I had taken a picture of earlier stopped me and asked whether I had taken a picture of him, and if I had, would I send him a picture.  I told him I did and I would absolutely love to send him a picture.

Here's to you Joe; hope you like it.  (photo #118)

 

 

 

 

a stick in the mud

and the open waters of Lake Washington... nothing special about this, but it reflected how I felt.  (photo #117)

seafoam skies

Love the color seafoam - it even makes barbed wire look nice.
(pictures 115, and 116)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

catching snowflakes

I go to NYC a few times a year to work, see family and friends.  I hardly get a chance to walk around the city by myself soaking in its energy and beauty.  I snuck a few hours in between meeting up with friends and family and took a few pictures that might be worth sharing.  (Photos #111, 112, 113, 114)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three crows and a plastic puppy

It had been seriously foggy for the past six days here in Kirkland and the entire Seattle area.  Visibility was about 100 feet at best and the fog never burned out.  I've never been in a fog that lasted for such a long time. We took a walk around the apartment and found that the crows seemed to be having the time of their life in the fog... crowing.  I found this plastic puppy sitting on the fence around one of the dumpsters...  So these are the things in my neighborhood... in the fog.

(Photos 107, 108, 109, and 110).

follow my bliss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been again entirely too long since I last posted an image, but it's a good thing.  This break gave me a chance to re-think what I was doing with my photography as well as my architecture.  I will continue my 1001 photographs.

I fell into a rut when I started taking pictures for stock photography.  Taking on stock photography isn't for everyone, it was a soul-killer for me.  I started seeing photographs as cash rather than as a creative outlet.  It was not dissimilar to corporate architecture... though that is more of a soul-killer for someone like me.

So my new year's resolution: (aside from the usual exercising and eating well) To follow my bliss with both photography and with architecture.  Get back to photographing what I want and get back to a theoretical discourse with my architecture.

Interestingly enough, I found a photography and architecture competition titled "Erotic Architecture"
by an architecture design competition website called "Homemade Dessert". The competition requires one photograph relating to the topic of erotic architecture and a comment with it.   Perfect for my intentions, I can start exercising my new year's resolution!  Above is the photograph I entered (photo #106) and here's my blurb:

Eroticism, unlike simple sexual activity is more a psychological venture.  Under this premise, the photograph uses contrast and contradiction of tactile and symbolic architectural elements as a medium for the psychological activity.  The photo is of a rusted chain and a silk curtain wall.  The chain is rough, solid, restraining, at the same time supportive, whereas the silk curtain wall is soft, light, fluid, dividing and fragile.  One is definite and is easy to grasp, the other ephemeral in form, hard to grasp.

These two disparate architectural elements juxtaposed is an attempt to create associations that are not preconceived, it is thought to be open ended and provocative to the viewer.

I'm not at all surprised to find many submitted photographs of skyscrapers and vessel-like receptacles... sheesh... architects.