Week 3: Starting over

The Carousel mirror

Oh, dear. This is actually not a very good photo, but I was too enamored with the mirror to care.
I suppose the concept was Me being Mama, escorting the Little One on the Carousel, with 'reflection' being the self-portrait theme.
The idea is not bad, but execution? Totally lacking. Hhh... need more practice.
But I'm having fun.

I know I am not following any program of any form. Just roughly posting a photo (minimum) per week of self-portrait. There are, I believe, themes should you join some groups etc on flickr or whatever. I guess I just prefer to be on my own first, until I have proven that I can follow through the weekly posting.

The themes, which I've talked about before, is really helpful in coming up with a creative concept. Like last week's shadow? I am still fascinated enough to think of other different ways of doing it.
As for my self-imposed theme this week, reflection, I find it somewhat harder, although there are certainly old ideas floating around, like using kitchen utensils, pots and pans and any other reflective surfaces as your 'mirror'. Still.. I guess it's not really easy to get a good picture of a reflection.

Still have not decided on this week's theme yet, but hopefully will get one done before end of the week.
In the meantime, here's another reflection from this week.
It's a better one, but I do hesitate from posting it as my main entry, as it is already a main entry in my other blog.
Hhh... I think I should take even more photos next time. Haha!

Reflection

Week 2: Fascinated

Leaf-hearted shadow

I remember seeing an image like this, or not quite. I remember that it was a vintage street photograph. The lady took a picture of her shadow with a leaf placed right where her heart is supposed to be.
I guess it make an interesting picture.
Not quite happy with the result so far, although I did get fascinated with shadows in general.

Take a look at some of my snaps lately:

@ the Playground

Under the tree

@ the car porch

Apart from the shadows, the running theme I notices is also the fact that all are taken while I was waiting for the Little One, usually playing outside.
I guess Shadows do make an interesting study.
The general shape, the distortion, the quality of light, the background it superimposed, even they way different shadows interact (or is it more of the transition from 3D to 2D?)

I do look forward to exploring this theme further. But as it is, this is my take on the week 2 of the self-portrait series.
I might still explore further on how to make the photos of mere shadow can tell a story, but I think the concept definitely have some potential.

What do you think?

Project: photos

These days, it would seem that no matter where I turn to do things, I would keep finding things that I need to learn.
It is good, because as you all know, my motto: Learn something new everyday.
It is also bad, because things get done only after a longer time as I had to stop and learn, find out about my mistakes, fix those mistakes, and so on and so on.

Just take our title today, photos.

Image via MacCreate

I have been using iPhoto '08 for Mac. It old. Some may say it's kind of obsolete, but it's one that I have. And so far, it's pretty fabulous. Especially after adding on the Facebook exporter, the Picasa uploader... made my life so much easier.

And yet, after the so many donkey years (ehmm.. going 3 years) of using the iPhoto, I just found out about the title and keyword function like 2 days ago.
Found out about the album function (from peeping over the shoulder at the Husband's iPhoto) like 2 weeks ago.
Yeah, you can tell me about that feeling of wanting to bang your head on the wall and cursing my own stupidity. Doh.

And I am just talking about the organizing part. There is also about taking those photos themselves.
As you know, I just got my first ever DSLR in January.
Oh my, and it's not simple, cheap, (relatively) easy, beginner DSLR either. Oh no no no.
Not that I am not thankful, of course. It wasn't money out of my own pocket, after all.
But still.... 2 months later, I have yet to learn what most buttons on the camera would do, seriously!

THE camera

With this camera, of course the issue does not end at taking good pictures. There is also the issue of taking care of the camera itself.
Talk about feeling totally inadequate at times, I actually remember that when my (then) boyfriend's roommate in Uni bought his camera, he invested as well on a special dry cabinet to store the camera and whatever paraphernalia he already and was going to buy. Talk about serious investment.
Down here? Nary a blower.
So... learning again.

But the again, no complaints about lacking of things to learn, now huh? Or brain melting, atrophying and growing senile with age yet. Ha!
In the meantime, at least there are also things to celebrate, like learning how to properly attributing images (I followed decor8 way of doing it), the discovery of the huge blogging community out there catering to the wildly different interest, the inspiring stories of oh so many blogger with humble beginning finally making it big...
Not that I am really interested in really making it big in the blogging world.

If I could just make ends meed through doing things that I really enjoy.... it will be dreamy enough.
I have been given a chance to learn, both through parenting and through having some time not working thanks to the Husband's work.
And so we use the chance given. Learn. Learn Learn.

How about you? Any similar problem of too many things to learn? Or are you at the other end of not finding things to learn?

a new project...Week 1

It is a combination of many things,
My mother's comment on the lack of her daughter's presence in the mountains of photos I uploaded every time I updated the family on the Little One's latest antics,
My lovely sister's beautiful (and numerous!) portraits, many of them self-portraits,
The many references to the various self-portrait projects on the web (you can start with Flickr, for example)

I think I should jump in the bandwagon.

In the hope that I would be more comfortable with how I look (extra pounds, white hair, warts and all)
That I would also take better pictures
That I would be able to tell better stories, through sharing also about the one behind the lenses,
The hidden narrator...

So... without further ado...

Presenting:

From 2-arms length

I realize there are quite a few classic self-portrait poses: from an arms length (Mine is two. Do you know how heavy the DSLR is? At that distance... HEAVY), mirror, shoes/feet, shadow,....
Not too sure what else.
I would expect I would go through those 'easy' ones first.

As is obvious from my lack of other 'creative' idea for self-portrait... I do really need to find more inspiration.

We'll do this weekly, and maybe I will try to come up with certain theme for each week. I don't know. It's quite at the spur of the moment currently, so... we'll just see as we go along.

I do hope you'll enjoy it as well.

Oh, and yeah, I really do need those lessons, either on posing to my advantage, or on loving myself the way I am. Not so liking the pic at the moment. Hhhh.....

the next time I go to a festival...

I would bring a list of the things I need to take a shot at.

Seriously! There were so many things to see, sights which are the perfect embodiment of the whole spirit of a festival.
And I missed most of them. Hiks.

But anyway, I did manage to get a few shots. In the name of learning, it was still a learning experience.
Especially that bit about bringing a list next time.

Oh, and maybe I should bring a dedicated baby sitter should I ever wish to dedicate my time to take pictures.
Or at least a fully-fed baby and stomach.
Split attention so does not help in getting you good shots.

on the other hand..... what's the point of going to a Food Festival if you were not to eat? Hmmm....

An elderly lady sitting on the bench slightly away from the stage

The Food Festival was organized by the international school nearby. Not too sure about the purpose of the whole thing, but in the spirit of adventure (and good neighbors), we went to check it out.

Pretty cupcakes on the stand

The food was all right, supposedly originating from various places reflecting the student body itself. But of course, there were plenty of Filipino food as well as the ever so popular (here) American food such as cupcakes, burgers and cookies.
Still... the student body consist of slightly more exotic members. Like Indians! Woohooo!

Incredible India banner

Indian food

We used to eat LOTS of Indian food. So... such happiness to find good Indian food (at no additional cost). So what if the rice is a bit paler that what we are used to? The stall actually serve authentic Indian dessert in all its glorified sugary sweetness. Uhmmm... divine! Too bad the Little One can't take any of the food yet.

Leftover European(?) food

There were other food stalls, but I did not manage to take a good shot as there were so many people around and I had a whiny toddler tugging my skirt for the giant slide and trampoline area. But I did manage to sneak in some bites. Some of the international food includes: Taiwanese (which I did not take since they all contain pork), Japanese (fantastic stuff, especially being served by authentic Japanese dressed in yukata), American, Korean (of course!) and Filipino. I might be missing some, but I can't be sure since I did not go around to have a detailed look.
There are also sponsored stalls managed by either restaurant or outlets from around town. I guess I kind of recognize their brands, but I did not quite get to eat most of them. Pity.

The Drink 'Centre'

While the food is included in admission price, drinks are NOT. So... you either bring your own, get water from the nearest water cooler (hey, it's a school, after all), or buy some.

Lights

These lights are at least one thing that I manage to get for my 'non-existent' list. There's something about carnival lights against the darkening sky that always sort of capture the essence of 'carnival', don't you think?

Lights again, against a more spectacular sky

Little One jumping on trampoline

The Little One did not eat. Almost nothing, really. But then again, I suppose when you are just 2, there are other, more interesting stuff to do during a festival like this.
Like... jumping on the said trampoline.
well... it was some blown structure, but yeah, great stuff to jump around on.

The other major attraction: the playground

And of course, the playground. When you are two years old...? enough said.

Waiting

And this is indeed the essence of parenthood, waiting on the sideline, watching.
(and sneaking a bit here and there, especially when you have a partner that you can send for fetching food while you wait for the kid, haha)