think jen

Graduation 1949

Photography is not just a technical skill, the F-stop, the shutter speed, the high end camera; nor is it just having a degree, being able to use the rule of thirds, keeping track of foreground elements, or using props effectively; it is also about being in the right place at the right time.

Photography is just a series of moments. If you take 20 people to an event, a place, a portrait session, each person will come back with a series of images that are totally different. It’s the combination of these items, the technical, the artistic, and a whole lot of luck to get that perfect shot.

Roy DeCarava was one of those photographer.s that really inspired me when I first started taking photography classes in college. I happened on him by accident on the Masters of Photography web site. I always felt like he was a master of timing. I would think wow, that shot is so unbelievable, yet it would be near impossible to create the same situation without it looking fake or posed.

Pepsi – 1964

His pictures yes are beautiful, but as you study them they are filled with ironies and metaphors. They each tell a story and you take away so much from his work.

I have always been drawn to the photographers that would go out and work with what they were given, capturing the real world, no rules, no actors, no props. I think why his photos become so memorable. You know there are images like this occurring everyday, thousands of seconds, and most of them are never captured.

What moments would you like to freeze in time? What photographers have you been drawn to?

It’s been a long time coming, but I finally have a web URL that I am happy with and I can start working on my personal portfolio. My “brother” is the best because he was on the lookout for the name I wanted for the past few months.

Now comes the hard part, trying to design a site for myself! This always seems so hard for many designers. Perhaps, it is because you always have a certain style in mind for a business, working within strict guidelines, or helping someone else capture their vision. So much of a designer’s time is found exploring what others want.

The last few weeks I have been tinkering around trying to figure out what sites I like, which I don’t. What is the style I want to use to showcase my work? What pieces do I want shown?

In the process I discovered Wordpress which I decided would make the most sense for me. I can build the site in such a way that allows me to be flexible when adding new content. Plus it already has the subscription features built in.

So look for some big changes coming to this site very soon.