Single Photo Friday:: Stormy Beauty

Yesterday's sky was crazy awesome. I thought I should share a photo I took while standing on my back deck, during a much needed computer break. Yes, I spent most of my little break staring at the sky.

So far, September is scoring an A+ in my book!

Ooooh, pretty.

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A 3 Month Challenge

On set with Gitgo Prodcutions upcoming short "2020"

I am taking on a challenge. Part social experiment, part medical necessity. As of yesterday, I am unable to drive for 3 months.

Would you be able to do that? This is something that may be much easier for some than others. If I lived in New York City then not driving for 3 months would not phase me in the least. But I live in Maine, and not near any public transportation lines and not walking distance to any grocery stores or conveniences (though there is a farm stand about half a mile away). But I do live in an area where I can bike as needed, I have family members close by, no kids to cart around, and friends who have said they will help if I need it. I am self-employed and work from home.

Except when I don't.

Crew reflection in the side of a 1969 El Camino.

Crew setting up the next shot.

I do believe that will be my biggest challenge during the next 3 months. When the phone rings for work saying "I can't drive for 3 months" is not likely to be an answer that works in my favor. Though I do believe in an honest approach to how I live my life and run my business, and so sharing this info with people is what I plan to do. Sure, my mom might have to drive me to a photo shoot, and I may have to sit around and wait for a ride home. But this is a temporary situation. The end reward will be no longer taking medicine that I have been on since I was 11. I can stand a little humbling to get that to happen.




This is going to be an exercise in resourcefulness. I am going to have to swallow my pride and ask for help. Then I'll have to plan accordingly and be flexible. And be creative in finding solutions. I'm betting this will help me really think about how I do things and will therefore make me a better problem solver. And isn't that the kind of photographer you would want to hire?

So, if all goes well I will no longer be medicated for epilepsy 3 months from now(!!!). I will have saved some money, lessened my carbon footprint, and learned a thing or two about myself. Plus, I will be free of a medicine I have been taking for far too long. And that will be an unbelievable freedom for me. Of course, in order to get there I have to have a freedom taken away. The state will not allow me to drive while I go through this process.

I tell you this not to scare you away from hiring me, but instead to share this piece of my life with you, and invite you to share any stories or helpful tips if you have them. For the next 3 months I am the photographer who can't drive herself ANYWHERE (and might drive those around her a little crazy). But I know without a doubt this will not stop me from doing what I love.

I love being on set!

Director Kate Kaminski chatting with Kate Davis between takes.

Almost ready.

The actors in action.

More tests. A lot goes into film-making, in case you didn't already know that.

More fabulous actors during their scene.

Honk if you see me walking down the road lugging my camera gear on my back. Or stop and chat with me. Or cheer me on. Maybe offer me some water. I will gladly share my tales with those who wish to know. And if I know you I may even accept the offer of a ride when needed.

Me on set with my trusted Sound Blimp protecting my camera from the damp weather.

All photos above were taken on set with Gitgo Productions and their upcoming short film 2020, which will premiere in October 2010 in Portland, Maine.


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Photo Excursion

Recently my nephew Max and I went on a little photo excursion together. It was loads o' fun exploring and watching him take photos. I thought I would share some of my photos from that day...

A photographer in the making, perhaps?

I love the way he looks at me when he's wondering what I'm doing.

I dig photos of swings, with or without people.

Swinging and chatting about life.

Spying through the rings.

A playground made from recycled materials? Cool!

I just love these rings. Again, he's wondering what I'm doing.

Photos taken 'Max style.'

So much concentration!

We can learn a lot from kids. Like how important it is to shoot from all different angles.

A photo he took of me, complete with head cut off. I've taught him so well.

Let's go back and hula hoop! Or something like that.

Our reflections on the hood of our car. This shot just makes me laugh.

It's great to find inspiration in as many places as possible, including your own backyard. Or hanging out with a 7 year old who looks at things totally different than you might. Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Here we are! Oh, I didn't take this photo :)

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Single Photo Friday:: Copycat

My nephew and I went on a photo excursion the other day through my neighborhood. He carried his parent's point and shoot digital camera, I carried my NikonD300. We laughed and talked and took pictures and played on the swings.

I watched him take pictures like only a creative 7 year old can. He seemed to gravitate towards plants and shapes. He walked up to this pole on a the playground, rested the bottom of the camera right on the metal with the lens pointed up to the sky. Without looking he pushed the button, then moved on.

"Hey! I want a picture like that!" I said to him then proceeded to copy his actions. The photo I took is shown above. I kinda love it.

His mother would say he gets his ideas for photos from me, but it looks like I actually get some of my ideas from him! How does that line go? Oh yeah, "Art is always imitated."


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Fresh Eyes in a Familiar Place

I think this may be the same rowboat I photographed on this beach when I was in college.

Lately I've been thinking about familiar places, and how to see them with fresh eyes. Have you ever tried taking your camera for a walk around places that maybe you see everyday, or roads you have been on all your life? It's a great exercise in forcing yourself to see the familiar with a renewed freshness, and find something interesting. It's not always easy, but it's definitely fun.

This funny dog almost seemed to be posing for my camera.

The other side of that scenario is warning against always photographing the same things, the same places. Going to a place just because it is familiar can often prevent you from growing creatively.

I took several frames of this fence, adjusting my focus in different areas.

I have this beach I love, have loved all my life. I've been going there since I was in diapers, would long for it whenever I was spending time outside of Maine, and I return to it now with my camera looking for new things and wanting to feel the sand between my toes. You'd think 38 years of going to this beach and I would feel like I have photographed it all I can, but I know I will never feel that way. There are things that have been there all my life, but still each time I go the light is different, the tides shifting, the land even taking on a different shape. I find something to photograph EVERY time I go. I never go with any agenda or expectation other than to find what strikes me. Sure enough, I am drawn to something different on each visit.

I loved the color of the grass against that sky.

I have fixated on fence posts, dune grass, my freshly polished toes, lobster boats, wet rocks, and the most recent visit I spent a lot of time photographing on orange buoy in the water. I go there when I get a new piece of equipment, want to experiment with a lens, or just want to see where the light is at certain times of the day & year.

All of these images were taken at my favorite beach in the whole wide world - Ferry Beach - all under different conditions with varying equipment. I am always looking for things like light, texture, and how different colors look next to each other.

Not every shot at the beach has to include sand or water :)

On an overcast day I spent my visit photographing the textures of the wood.

I was surprised to see this assortment of colors together at the beach. That red is from trees on the golf course behind the beach.

The favored rusty and worn fence around the dunes that I love to capture.

It's best to leave the shoes behind whenever possible.

It's interesting how a beach can have really bright colors one day, and look really flat the next. When the sun isn't shining, it almost looks as if all the colors were chosen from the same palette. What kinds of things do you notice when you look at a familiar place with fresh eyes?

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Single Photo Friday:: Favorite Place

Boat on Ferry Beach.

Today I took a walk on my favorite beach in the whole wide world. This is what I came home with. Oh, and I also came home with a feeling of calm and happiness that I rely on this beach to deliver.

What I really needed was a technology break, and I got that and more. This beach and are like best friends. A best friend I have to share with loads of other people. It was nice to catch up.

Do you have a favorite place that feels like an old friend?

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LIFE :: in Black & White

I photograph life. Simple as that.

So I may photograph your life, your business, or just my own everyday life. It is my simple goal to actually make images that have LIFE in them.

Here is a small sample of some past moments I have collected of my own life. Some of them are old scans, and all from my Black & White film days, so please forgive the quality...

 The Weekend Warrior, before he was truly my warrior.

 Family Reunion (Mom's side) in Virgina.

 Family (Dad's side) cooling off in Pittsburgh.

 Family Pig Pile in Maine.

 Friends at an Avocado Party in Bowdoinham.

 My Nephew on any given day.

 Weekend Warrior and his brother power washing the deck.

Nephew testing the waters. My bro and Weekend Warrior try to encourage him into the pool.

 My mom (Jamma) and Nephew (Max). Hard to believe he's now 7!

 Max's first Haircut.

 Max shows me that his Dora gummies are all gone. I like how his hands are shadowed on his shirt, in a similar way to the graphic on his t-shirt.

Weekend Warrior in full warrior mode, and needing a break.

That was kind of a fun jaunt down memory lane, photographically speaking. These are the kinds of things I capture because I like to bring my camera almost everywhere.  I think after all these years it's paying off.

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