Tuesday 7 December 2010

Christmas looming large

I'm running out of steam with the street photography now project right now which I'm putting down predominantly to Christmas stress but also feeling pretty rubbish about it. 

I'm not photographing, because I'm shopping. Well, I should be, but I'm not doing a very good job of that either.  The roads are so bad, getting the kids to school and back is about as much as my nerves can cope with. So I started ordering online. But none of the deliveries have got through. Crap! So I'm suffering from cold photographic turkey and increasingly worrying about stuffingless stockings!! I was due a shopping trip to Carlisle tomorrow which I thought could double up with a bit of photography but there has been four tragic fatalities on said road in a week and there looks to be no let up in this cold snap until Thursday.  So I'm now having second thoughts!

I have also made a commitment to myself that I want to keep (thanks Gareth for the much-needed kick!) which is to put assignment two to bed by the end of the year.  I'm now wondering whether that was such a wise commitment *rolling eyes*!! I actually have an idea, but I won't get all twelve done before Christmas. 

I want to do something along the lines of Thomas Struth's family series.  And I want to do it with my large format camera which is a bit of a risk, or stupid!! I am concerned about my ability with regards this camera.  It is probably a tall-ask of myself, but I'm just gonna do it anyway! This large format camera, like assignment two has become an insurmountable challenge in my head that I just need to tackle head on.  I've decided unless I force myself - it ain't gonna happen!!

And as if I needed further encouragement, I have been following this discussion on the OCA forum and erring on the adventurous and riskier side is, it seems, something we should all be pursuing. So, here goes, hopefully I can achieve something but I guess the more risks you take, the more likely failure is. I guess this is part of the learning curve too - embracing failure - hmmm, don't like the sound of that and sssshhh, I'm not particularly great at it either - I don't suppose anyone is really!!

...on the other hand...I might wimp out and do something a bit more achievable...

I'm starting to annoy myself so I'll sign off...

5 comments:

  1. Go LARGE Penny!

    Have you had thoughts about developing your own? And I was listening to a podcast the other day (The Photography Show or Art of Photography - not the video one) and they were talking about positive paper, I assume it's good for large format...

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  2. Not quite ready for developing my own yet. I believe black and white is more achievable than colour. Maybe further down the line I may give it a go. Thanks Rob!

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  3. Hey Penny, I know exactly where you're coming from. I was just getting pumped up about the Street Photography thing when Christmas comes bounding along - the busiest time of the year at work, so much so that my employers are expecting me to "go that extra mile" and "work six days a week or more...if you're up for a challenge!" Not only that, but my in-laws have just moved house and we're having new double glazing in, so my days off are taken up with jobs around the house(s). So, for the time being, not very much photography and even less cycling - as for working on my motorcycles in a garage that was -5c today, I think not!

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  4. Hiya Adey, nice to hear from you. I was wondering if you'd given up the ghost. Busy time of year all round and the weather ain't half making things difficult. I popped up to Carlisle today and the student marches were taking place, comparatively tame here, but still was able to snatch one or two shots. There are so many other priorities this time of year.

    Hey, ho, there's always another 42 weeks! Hope you enjoy Christmas despite all the work!!

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  5. 25 years ago and I would have been on those marches myself. I have fond memories of being arrested during a mass trespass on Nigel Lawson's estate in the 80s... ahh, such decadent days, it was really just a good way to escape tedious lectures and mix with the girls :-). I've bought my 12 year old step-daughter a Fuji hybrid camera for Christmas, she's getting really good at wildlife photography and my 3 year old boy is running round taking pictures of everybody and everything with his V-Tech "KiddiZoom" - a Street Photographer in the making perhaps? Have a good Christmas Penny.

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