After the fire died.

My first post when starting this blog dealt with the Historic Colver House, which burned down partially (and has now, since the posting of that blog, been demolished). While working on that location I was also trying to find a lone chimney, leftover from a house that burned down, which I had also seen while driving through Phoenix. I couldn't find it at that time but was planning to ride the bus back out to Phoenix to make photographs there this past friday. The night before, while hanging out with Jeri, she told me about another location in Ashland she had seen, with another lone chimney. . .

In the picture in my head I rode up to the chimney with my bike.

I focused on the weeds.

An old heater & my shadow.

Exploring. . .

My favorite of these by far. . . because it's creepy.

Upon completion of two rolls of film I was so excited that I hoofed my bike up to the photo shop and got them developed in the same day! Woot for being excited about photography.

Now it's time for an unabashed comment solicitation. Let me know what you think! If you are looking at this and don't have a blogger account, email me at balla@students.sou.edu. Just so I know that you stopped by. And if anyone wants email updates whenever I post something, let me know, because there is apparently an option for me to do that. (I wouldn't dream of doing something so obnoxious without your permission so please let me know!)

(The tweener post)

I hoofed my bike up lower east main. I was looking for what she told me I would find. I saw this there. Indentations in the grass forming a path that must have been made by car tires rolling up to where the driveway had once stood. I looked at it through the camera lens. It looked nice. I made some photographs.

ok, so next time I cover "leftovers from the burn." promise.

Living in abandoned trailers.

Yeah, so I miss being at burning man alot. So what? (Inside joke)

For this, my most recent photographic event, I made two whole rolls of film! (See how hard I'm trying to use non-violent oriented photographic language? It's hard. But Sapir-Wharf hypothesis, you know?)

My latest location actually offered me two subjects of environment. . .

Working backwards, these were taken in/around an abandoned trailer found in my latest location.

This frame will probably not make the final cut but it gives you an idea of the environment.

I really like this one. The lighting is dramatic. And it creeps Eva out. Always a good sign when photography makes someone shudder.

Eva liked all the layers in this one, the reflection in the window, the mountains in the distance seen through the door. It's something I probably wouldn't have thought about but I like it too. I also like that I'm looking at you. Creepy.

Much thanks to Jeri for telling me about this location. For those of you who haven't already, please note the "how can I help Amanda make photographs?" side bar on my blog.

I'm thinking of basing my thesis exhibition on ideas surrounding the theme of houses and home. Title: Living in abandoned houses. OR: Living in abandoned houses (ideas of home). Or something artsy like that.

That's the first installment from these rolls/location. Next time: the leftovers of the burn. . .

Next to the foundations.

While at home over the weekend I took pictures at the house I grew up in.

I took some shots under the back porch of the house, next to the foundation. I knew I wanted to photograph there but hadn't been there in a long time. I liked finding this old bicycle.

I also took pictures in the skeleton of our bathroom. I was attracted to this environment because it was exposed, hollowed out, revealing the bare bones underneath. . . and the light turned out beautifully.

Lastly I took some pictures in the basement storage room connected to my bedroom before I moved away. I arranged objects I found that all had the look I wanted-particularly my old doll house that grandpa dale made. I had taken interest in it as a child but never really fully furnished it.

In this last shot I am again taking pictures of myself as a young girl. I also think it is significant that I am taking pictures of myself in my childhood home, but a home stripped bare, or broken down, or forgotten remnants.

At Grey Gardens

My latest inspiration.








Go there

Part Deux

As previously stated, I photographed in my friends' garage. I had seen these stairs before and been captivated. But for a little while I had forgotten, but then somehow saw them again. . .

First I photographed myself looking through the stairs. Turned out sort of too dark, not that much interest.

Then of course the series where I am standing, again fragmented by the stairs but either looking up or into the camera, as pictured in previous blog. Color is alot nicer.

(This is the one I decided to print larger.)

Then I started playing with hiding my face, and the position of my hands.

Then I was just playing.

Sadness, exploration, escape and sanctuary. This is what I am playing with in these. I like some of the qualities that are starting to come out, something that I haven't had since I initially started this type of work in black and white. I like the dead-on confrontation of the camera, but I also like it when fragments of the character reveal more than the gaze can.

So I have my mid-program review on Wednesday. Wish me luck!

Hangin' at 100 & 1/2

Photographing with a broken-down staircase in my friends' garage.

This poor shot was terribly under-exposed. That's what happens when you switch your lens and don't double check the aperture! I was shooting at about f/11, should have been f/4. Didn't turn out too bad though, considering. . .

Photographing through the stairs. . .
Amongst these, I just can't decide which I like best. I think maybe either the one where I am looking up but not holding my dress, or looking into the camera with my hand stretched out in front of me.

Unfortunately I'm too frustrated by technonolgy at the moment to finish this post. Enjoy these, more coming later.

Resurrection

Can't really take credit for this one. It is a "resurrection" if you will of an old large format negative my grandfather took (or at least I presume it was him with 100% certainty). From the book of negatives I found in my grandmother's basement.

Sassy, right? Again, can't really take credit, but this image has been in my head for almost a year ever since I saw it on a contact sheet. These images are a treasure to me, my thoughts on photography stem back to this idea of time, memory, longing for identity, and these artifacts encapsulate some of those aspects for me. I want to work with manipulating them, perhaps in printmaking, playing up their age, wearing them artificially, folding them a million times, coffee stains. . . but still they will survive.

So this may end up being more a printmaking project, but photographic at its roots. Plus its just fun to show off.

Right now I really want to make my own photographs again, coming up on a bit of a block, can't find quite the right wardrobe. . . annoying. But something is coming soon otherwise I probably won't be able to take it any more. Although I did find a wonderful wardrobe piece yesterday, perfect for some later shoots.

Until later I'll leave you with these images I made last spring (with thanks to Eva for being my shutter finger).

They were in my show this summer but I thought it might be fun for some of you that didn't get to see it. Wallpaper is terif, right?

The Photography of Hellen Van Meene

Simply amazing.

Please go here.

http://www.hellenvanmeene.nl/photos/

Food for thought

An extremely famous image, taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson. "Behind the Gare Saint Lazare" (1932).

It gained it's note as one of his "decisive moment" shots, the idea being he caught the subject in the moment of decision, at that pivotal point, something either extreme luck or extreme patience must have played a part in.

Or did it?

Please note the poster in the background.

Could Bresson have studied this environment? Perhaps even chosen it? And why would this random man be jumping into the water anyway?

Question the established.