A new year brings reflection, goals and some new direction. I turned 50 on the first day of this new year and I wasn’t too excited about it. I don’t think of myself as old and 50 has always sounded old to me. I don’t want to belabor the point of turning 50 but I do want to say that I am more confident at 50 than I was at 40. There is a liberation that comes with self confidence.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how much I like abstract images and conceptual, composited digital art, and wondering why I haven’t explored these directions in my own art. I recognize some fear of exploring creative directions that may limit the size of my favorable viewing audience. My New Year’s resolution is to tackle this head on.
Abstract Captures
I jump-started this new direction when I spent the day at Disneyland with my family on December 30th. It was an incredibly crowded day. Thankfully I brought my camera along for entertainment.
My goal was to create a set of low light, slow shutter speed, abstract type images. I shot mostly on rides or in line for a ride. The plan worked well, because I didn’t have to worry about my family wandering off into the crowd while I was composing an image.
Walking Into Space Mountain
Pirates of Caribbean Ride
Submarine Ride
You can view the rest of the set on my google+ album Shapes and Colors of Disneyland
Photoshop Compositing
Last weekend I went see Digital Darkroom at the Annenberg Space for Photography, curated by Russell Brown. It had a significant impact on me. I hope I can make a return visit before the show comes down. My husband commented when we left, “It’s like what you do, only more.” More, was a major understatement.
The truth is, that I believe I have the skills to create the same quality of images, but I haven’t even begun to explore what that might be.
Next month our PAG group has a show titled “Pathways and Portals” and I’ve been evaluating my catalog for appropriate images. Here are a few I was considering.
I asked for some feedback from PAG friends and got this honest response, I am not a big fan of canyon photos in general, not yours specifically. I just feel I have seen too many of them.
I appreciated and agreed with that statement. Though I don’t have many canyon images of my own, I’ve seen plenty of everyone elses.
The show curator, Larny Mack suggested that he saw a face in the wind cave image and maybe I should explore that direction.
So I took that idea and ran with it.
Creative Portals
During the editing process I shared it with a friend. Her responses were, …it makes me sort of dizzy… and I don’t really like the feeling it emotes…kind of creepy.
I’m okay with that.
Through her comments I discovered a fear. I don’t want to explore creepy things. I don’t want to uncover anything dark or disturbing while I create, but I accept that I can’t let the fear stifle me. Yes, I think turning 50 has freed me.
Besides, this image does not creep me out. Maybe it’s a little disturbing at first glance, but the closer I look, the more beauty I see, and that is interesting to me.
This is just a first step on a new path. I’m excited to see where the path takes me. It’s going to be an exciting year.
