Taking Steps

Today I applied for a position at the Dexter Leader and Chelsea Standard as a freelancer. I've had this constant discomfort for some change lately; for something new. I have little desire to return to Washtenaw County this summer and find myself stuck behind a hostess stand at Outback Steakhouse again. I have professional skills and I want to use them. Even disregarding that completely, I just need a change of pace, a new motivation, something different. Fingers crossed, we will see what I hear back.

I have been working the last few days on my sequence project. So far I love the results. I got my new camera several days ago after stopping home before my trip to Ohio. I picked up my Nikon D700 and new wireless remote and now think I have found myself in an obsessive romantic relationship with this piece of equipment. For as excited as I am about my subject matter and photo ideas, I'm even more excited about the new quality of my images.

Sometimes I get caught up in school and assignments and forget about my art; the music in the sound of my shutter release, the beauty that's revealed behind my viewfinder when I focus just right. I forgot about the rush of fresh air in my lungs when I'm out making pictures, and the calm and focus I feel with camera in hand. All artists have to step back some times and remember why they are there. I know I do.

Job, project, art; we'll see what happens, won't we?

Anxious

I have been slaving over web building today. Not only have I been trying to get this site in running condition, but I decided I was over the headache that is Wordpress, and switched my commercial work to a Wix site as well. Beautiful, yes! But most things would hope to be after approximately 12 hours alternating between the stool at the counter and the couch. My eyes are tired and my brain feels like mush. Did I mention I have three papers to write that are due tomorrow? Today, my craft won. My art school should be applauding me for procrastinating in the case of obsessing over my profession- I digress.

I've had this problem the last few days where I always want to do a million things, but it's always in the middle of a class. While I have fulfilled one of those urges by fixing up my web pages, the only other thing I can think about is the project I will be taking on this summer. I've been anxious to find interesting areas in the midwest that I'll be able to make trips to in a matter of months, and using them as the stage for my photographic work. Below I will list some of the places I have researched and found right in Michigan:

• The Sleeping Bear Dunes
• Mackinac Island
• Traverse City
• Holland
• Silver Lake Sand Dunes
• Sunrise Coast
• Big Rapids

These are all pretty well known areas. I'd like to visit them all but I'm actually more interested in the hidden gems; towns we don't hear about in the back woods that have sunlight seeping through the trees into the fields just right. Even writing about it makes me miss home. Maybe this will be more of a blind adventure; Scary? Intriguing? Maybe both. If anyone is interested in funding my insanity, feel free. At this rate of income I might be walking instead of driving. All in the name of passion, eh?

Goodnight all, though I shall probably continue to let my mind wander to the places my heart is longing for. They will be captured soon, though it is never soon enough.

The beginning of a million things

I've never tried blogging as a photographer; but after some discussion in class today, I have come to the conclusion that it won't only be a good way for me to organize my own thoughts, but for others to follow my work. Also, I'm a writer; indulges two obsessions at once. I wish I had started doing this sooner because I feel like there has been a lot of work that will now be overlooked, but I like to think of this as a decent into my professional documentation of work.

In my photography class at Columbia I am currently working on two projects. One of them is a "sequential" project and the other is my final. Obviously the series is due before my final, but I digress. I started sketching out a story board for my sequence today and immediately fell in love. Unfortunately I can't start the photos until this weekend. I'll be using myself and a male subject, and the theme is based off a sort of "Bonnie and Clyde", "runaways", backwoods grimy small town feel. I'll be shooting this while I'm home for spring break because obviously I won't have a lot of backwoods here in the city. I don't want to spoil it too much, so I'll stop myself there, but do look back for it in a week or two.

I've had a sort of epiphany today about a project I would like to undertake this summer. The goal is that I will be traveling around Michigan and its surrounding states every weekend of this summer and using these random locations for spontaneous shoots. Some day trips, some over night; some on my own and others with friends. I'm really excited and inspired by this, I feel as if it will ebb my restlessness that I struggle with daily. I'll be brainstorming here more often about this project as I start to actually map it out. Or maybe I will choose to keep it as more of an off the cuff experience. I suppose we shall see.

Also, for those of you that are still blissfully unaware; I will not be attending Columbia College next year. Instead I will be transferring to Hallmark Institue of Photography, which offers an intensive 10 month program. Another big shocker.... Hallmark is in Massachusetts. If this small town girl wasn't home sick enough as is, she's spreading her wings to fly even farther. As my stomach turns at the thought I am INCREDIBLY excited. I will either be leaving in September or January. 10 months and then I'll be off into the professional world. I'm not in Dexter anymore- hello future.

"I used to apologize for living. Now I've given it up- I mean, apologizing. Not living; I've only just started that." -unknown