I’m currently taking a class with Stephen Sheffield and am really appreciating both the structure of weekly production and the focused feedback I get during class.  The weekend before last week’s class was particularly productive, and I made these three images:

I have a renewed sense of purpose and drive with respect to this project.  I just have to keep working and see where it takes me.

self-portrait

Alessandra Sanguinetti

Steph and I went to the PRC lecture featuring Alessandra Sanguinetti last week and it was definitely the kick in the pants I needed (besides being fascinating and inspiring).  One reoccurring thread in her talk involved knowing how long to work on a project.  Let me paraphrase what she said (this is stitched together from my notes and probably not exactly what she said):

“Don’t quit because you’re bored or run up against a wall; only quit when you’re satisfied.  You must push yourself, because that’s when interesting and unexpected things happen. [...]  You need an accumulation of time to see patterns and meaning in your work. [...] You know in your heart when you’re quitting and when you’re finished.“

These were some powerful words to hear and something I’ve been repeating myself all week.  She said that the point of photography was to learn and grow from the work you make, and this is what I want more than anything.  A simple goal, but one that is worth reminding myself of.

Another piece I made this week:

[click to enlarge]

Existing Light is on Twitter

We’ve started a Twitter account to compliment this blog (username: existing_light). Sometimes Caleb or I have something short we want to record, that we don’t have tons to say about that would necessitate a blog post. These are the things you can expect from our Twitter account.

I actually follow a lot of the blogs I read on Twitter, and find that I don’t really get anything out of the ones that just repeat or link to their blog posts. I don’t need to get the same information in multiple ways. So that’s not what we’re going to do. This isn’t to link to our blog posts. Instead we’ll post quotes, or links to photos, other blogs, projects, shows, books, films… basically anything that falls under the category of stuff we like or are inspired/motivated by.

You can read our Twitter feed on the right-side of this blog. We realize that if you get us through Google Reader or some other aggregator, you won’t see it. And that’s a great reason to follow us on Twitter.

Mira’s List

I’m totally excited about this new blog, Mira’s List, which is a free resource for artists of all disciplines and provides current info on grants, fellowships, and residencies.  Sure it has the deadlines, but it also has tips on filling out applications and advice on conquering the inner demons that keep artists from achieving their goals:

What’s the worst that can happen if you just apply for something? Okay. You don’t get the award. Does that mean you truly suck and should just quit making art right now? Or are you more afraid that you might get the award and then have to deal with the responsibility of the hard work that follows, maybe even the success that follows the completion of the work[?]

I would definitely recommend checking it out.

I’m planning to schedule myself a day very soon, possibly paired up with Steph, where I can do nothing all day but send out my work to publications and apply for contests and residencies and grants.  Certainly, fear plays a large part in my reluctancy to submit my work, but also the feeling that it isn’t “done” or “there yet” or “as good as I want it to be,” even though I know that it is unlikely to ever be any of those things.  It is as if I’m looking for a sign that it is time to really push my work, but what if looking for a sign/that right time is really a mask for the fear of looking foolish?

I’m a little all over the place lately with the work I’m making and I long for some sort of structured project.  I suppose that structure will come when the right idea comes to me.  For now, another (stand-alone?) image:

© Caleb Cole

Once again, Helen Levitt

Daylight and Obit Magazine have put together a great little celebration of Helen Levitt’s work. It’s a few minutes long and definitely worth watching.

found art

I love finding things that other people leave behind. The other day I found a hand-drawn worksheet filled in by some kid. This was my favorite part:

I just really wanted to share because I found it so amazing.

I’m back…

and you probably didn’t even know I was gone.  I got married last week in Indiana (Steph shot the wedding!) and we (my partner and I, not Steph and I) went to Florida for our honeymoon.  The weather was fantastic and I did some shooting while I was there (not too much, as I was busy relaxing).  One particularly nice day I walked up and down a very long strip of beach just making pictures and enjoying the process of looking.  Here are a few from that day:

Another evening we decided to take sunset portraits at the beach and strangely enough, there were something like 3 other photographers there doing the same thing (the beach had been all but empty the night before).  Here’s my favorite from that shoot:

[click on the picture to enlarge]

I also went out our last night, when the moon was high overhead and bright, just to stand by the ocean and listen and watch.  I made some long exposure shots just for fun (of which these are two):

 

One of the few moments when I wasn’t shooting or watching movies or admiring the views or eating delicious food, I stopped at a little antique shop and bought these tiny tintypes.  They make me happy.

I also shot some color film that is currently being developed, plus Steph and I have a million rolls of B/W film to develop from the actual wedding/drunken karaoke reception, so more pictures are sure to follow.