SoFoBoMo: Tools of Your Trade

Just another day at the office. Or in the kitchen. And just another day taking pictures of the Gluten-free goodness that comes out of Wildflours in Brunswick, Maine. I am happy to report no camera glitches today....



Today's shoot went well, I will edit the photos later. I just wanted to post these two since I kind of dig them. Tomorrow it's back to Anello's with fingers crossed and all equipment double checked.


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SoFoBoMo: Camera Bump

Today I drove down to Portsmouth, NH to get in my first shooting day at Anello's Cafe. I was supposed to go Monday, but had to cancel (something I HATE doing). I had a thought that made me laugh before I headed out the door. What if something else interfered with me getting photos of this yummy GF eatery? I would have to think that maybe it wasn't meant to be. But I laughed it off, jumped in the car, and headed south.



When I walked into Anello's the place was pretty quiet, the lunch rush over. I am trying to time my first few shoots so that I am not intruding or getting in the way during the busy hours. Traci Anello, the cafe's owner, looked at me and said "Well, there's not really anything going on today." They were apparently having what one of the employees would later refer to as a 'Wednesday'. I guess that means it's one of the slow days.



Right around the time I took this photo, my camera started doing something odd. First the image on the screen was splitting up. Then images started having bright pink, blue, green, and yellow lines through it. CRAP! What is going on with this camera I just bought 6 days ago?



Shortly after that my camera no longer wanted to take pictures. I tried to act cool. I fiddled around with things, took the memory card out, put it back in, tried shooting again. Then just ordered a sandwich (which I hoped to photograph...) so I could sit down and try to figure out the problem. More crazy bright lines, and eventually my camera just didn't take another photo. A warning appeared on my screen that I may need to change the memory card, that it may be corrupted. I needed to get some technical advice and solid answers before I continued taking any more photos. SO, yeah, today seemed like maybe it wasn't meant to be!



But, I ate my yummy GF food then drove straight to my camera shop and get a little advice. The verdict is still out whether it's a camera issue or just a memory card issue. Still, if it is just a memory card then it happened on one that I hardly ever use, and I find that annoying. Like I threw my money out the window. Even if the throwing happened 8 months ago.

I'll be headed back out tomorrow, this time with extra memory cards and A BACK-UP CAMERA! Since I'm pretty sure that's why I just bought the second one. Ah, the lessons we learn along the way! Onward and upward, as my dad used to say.....

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SoFoBoMo: Day 1

Dry ingredients stacked in the small baking area at Wildflours Gluten-free Bakery.

Guess what I learned today? FLUFF is gluten-free!! I'm not sure why, but that little piece of information brought me great happiness. It's been years since I've eaten fluff, but now I know I could have a fluffernutter if I wanted. And I think I just might want.

On today's baking schedule - Twinkles.

Well, I did it. I officially kicked off the SoFoBoMo today. I know I hoped to kick it off a few days ago, but things didn't really come together. Some things just take longer than planned. As long as I don't take more than 31 days to get the book done! The adventure started at Wildflours where I watched Jess, the baker, make Twinkles (GF Twinkies). Something tells me this project isn't going to be good for my sweet tooth...

Shopping list. Note that FLUFF is on the list :)

Jess answers the phone while I browse through the grocery area.

Time to fill the Twinkles.

Ta-da! Yum.

The first day was, in my opinion, a success. I brought my brand new camera, fresh out of the box, and so I didn't realize that I was shooting in Jpeg for awhile. Not the end of the world, but if given the choice I always prefer a RAW file mainly because there is so much you can do with it later on. And if the goal is to print something (rather than just view it on the web), than RAW is always the way to go. So, a minor bump with no major impact.

Next shoot is Monday at Anello's. I'm already looking forward to my BLT with spicy mayo!

The Next Challenge

A salad.

I'm taking on a challenge. For years I have wanted to make a book of my photos. A sturdy, hard cover book showing the best of me and my photographic abilities, a sign that I have truly arrived. Then the internet started allowing all of us to make this dream come true by providing places and tools and know-how that would turn hope into reality. Sights like Blurb and Lulu opened many doors for the creative types with dreams of seeing their work in print.

But the kicker is one still has to make the time to make the book. How many of us have wanted to do this and still haven't? My hand is raised very high in the air right now (think: Horshack on Welcome Back Kotter).

And then I heard about a challenge set up to force photographers to stop talking and start working. It's called the Solo Photo Book in a Month Challenge, or SoFoBoMo, and it is exactly what it sounds like - a challenge to make a photo book in one month's time. No more excuses! Time to get crackin'!

Well, that is, if you choose to take on the challenge.

This concept appealed to me because of the word 'challenge' and the idea of having a restricted amount of days/time to make yourself just do it. Can you really get it all done in a month's time? Will it be what you were hoping? Will you accomplish what you set out to do? I don't know, but knowing I have only a month makes me want to accomplish it, makes me want to see what I can do under these circumstances, and definitely makes me want to finally do something I've wanted to do for years.

The goal is to have a finished product in book form (either PDF or actual book on Blurb, etc.) by the end of your 31 days. Pick a topic, pick up your camera, and just GO! So, I just signed up this week, even though I have been thinking about it for a little while. Originally I thought I would love to do a book all on photos in diners. Sure, it's been done but who doesn't love a good diner pic? And I for one love bringing my camera into any and all kinds of diners.

A good diner pic.

Then I started to think about details and remembered a major factor about my life: I can't tolerate gluten. Driving all over New England for some great shots that may result in zero food options didn't seem like a great way to spend my month. A diner book is something I can do slowly, compiling many years of images into one fabulous place. I can take my time for something like that. No, I knew I would need to eat and so I chose to document a small number of gluten-free eateries. Ideally, I would love 3, 4 at the most. I currently have two who are willing to open their doors and let me capture some of the day to day happenings. Their support of this little project has been tremendous, so I would like to give them each a shout out and encourage all of you (GF or not) to visit their businesses:

Wildflours is a new small Gluten-free bakery and grocery located in Brunswick, Maine. Try the raspberry coconut muffins or the GF TWINKIE (woohooo!!!), then be sure to browse for your favorite snacks, pastas, and baking mixes. I can't walk in there without leaving with a bag full of groceries and muffin mixes. Then I pawn them off on my friends and family and they rave.
Anello's is an established completely gluten-free eatery in Portsmouth, NH (though they used to reside in Wells, ME). You can go in there and order anything off the menu and it will be gluten-free! It's a place you meet friends for lunch and feel completely relaxed about what you are putting in your mouth (a rare feeling for those who live GF). And the food is so good you would never feel like you were compromising anything. People drive there from all over just to have that feeling.

So, if I can find one more place, then great. If I can't, then I'm pretty happy with this combo. This is not only a chance for me to be challenged, to finally make a book, but it's also the chance to promote local small businesses and hopefully give them some exposure. It's exciting to think where this project could lead me.

I will have my official start day on Monday May 11, and finish 31 days later. Again, the goal is to make a book by the end. I'm excited for the challenge that lies ahead, and even more excited for the reward at the end that comes from accomplishing something like this. I will post periodically as I make my way through the ups and downs and yummy GF goodies.

This...

... is just one of those things I love about going to New York. Probably goes without saying that I fell for this, only to have the guy at the coffee shop tell me he doesn't like to high five.

Sunday Morning Silliness: Part of the Sunday Morning Series

Max, via my new Lightroom Presets

The Easter Bunny made a few stops this weekend. My nephew got a bunch of things to make him happy, mostly all centered around his love for animals. Between bites of food, I snapped some shots of him. This one is my fave.

"Look at this, Juju!" Max would say to me, plopping a plastic owl into my hand.
"That is so cool!" I would say back.
"I know, and I have another one too, only in a different color!" His sentences always seem to end in exclamation points.

Hopped up on sugar I went home and started to install some new Lightroom Presets that a fellow photog shared with me. After figuring out that little technical piece I started playing around and before long my behavior was not that different than my 6 year old nephew when he was playing with all his new toys. Transforming image after image had me giggly and inspired and excited.

Hours later, in front of my computer I could be heard "WOW! Look at that! That is SO cool!"

My favorites were the ones that made a sort of vintage or washed look, which is somehow also a bit edgy and definitely fun. I thought about how this one little discovery could bring me so much joy, creating a stronger bond to my software, another reason to love my craft. I find these kinds of moments to be so crucial. Reasons to laugh and jump around and feel excited about what you do and how much you love it. Reasons to feel like a kid again.

Feel the Cake

Charlie Ellis turns 1.

Is there any better cake than the one you have on your first birthday? The freedom to eat fist fulls at a time while ingesting high quantities of sugar. The one time in life when more of your birthday cake ends up all over your body rather than in it. A moment that is all yours with a room full of people cheering you on. We all need more days like that in life.

I took this image over the weekend at Charlie's first birthday party. I love this shot. It's as if he's having a zen moment with the cake.
It makes me smile. And want cake.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Harris Cooley and Braden Biddings at the Q Street Diner

And away we go! Here it is folks, the day so many of you have been waiting for. The day when local production company Gitgo Productions (Kate Kiminski and Betsy Carson) launches its highly anticipated and totally hilarious web series 'Willard Beach, The Real Story.'

Ok, so it launches tomorrow, April 1st (no, this is not a joke), but I wanted to give you just a tiny bit of warning.

Denise Poirier at the Empire Dine and Dance

There is something for everyone in this fun new web series, from gossip to local celebrities to lover's quarrels to what happens in everyday, small town America where everyone knows your business. It also features really good looking, local talent hanging out in fun Portland landmarks (think: Q Street Diner, Enterprise Records, Empire Dine & Dance...).

Jennywren Sanders and Braden Biddings at Enterprise Records

Kathryn Morrison and Keith Anctil making their way through morning coffee

It's comedy meets quirkiness meets soap opera meets satire. And just so you don't forget, it's called WILLARD BEACH, THE REAL STORY. You can learn more here and here. You should probably bookmark those two things so you can be sure to tune in every week. That way you'll always have something to discuss at the water cooler.

David Wallace reads the local news and eavesdrops at the Q Street Diner

And why am I telling you all this? Because I'm the project's still photographer. Oh, and because I know a good thing when I see it and I wouldn't want you to miss out.

Hip To Be Square

Ferry Beach - Scarborough, Maine. My favorite beach in the whole wide world.

Recent jaunts around town with my dusty Hasselblad have served me well. Using a medium format film camera forces you to slow down, something I think we all should do every once in awhile. Plus, it got me out exploring some of the jewels Maine has to offer us all. A solitary walk along Ferry Beach and a trek around Macworth Island with another photographer were both good ways to feed the soul and work on the craft.

There are more rolls of film waiting to be shot and places waiting to be explored. More chances to shift gears and slow down. More reasons to love photography.

Thank you Victor Hasselblad and Carl Zeiss. I owe you one!

Missing the Grain

Avocado Party, Bowdoinham ME

I miss film. I miss it like you might miss an old friend. An old friend who lives far away and always makes you smile. Maybe you've forgotten that you miss this person and suddenly a memory triggers something, you laugh, then smile, then wish you could hang out together. You remember how many good days (and nights) you've had with this old friend. That's how I feel about film right now.

I miss seeing grain. I miss the surprise when you get a roll of film back. I miss the feel of a sturdy camera in my hands. I love you digital, but you still don't hold a candle to my love for a technology that may have passed us by.

Matrix Ben, NYC subway

Why this sudden sentimental overload? I think it has been building slowly. When I look at some images shot in a square format I remember that I own a Hasselblad and that I can also go out make cool square images . Then I sigh and go do something on my computer. The final kicker was Friday night when I went to see a show at the Portland Museum of Art called 'Backstage Pass'. Brightly painted walls covered with Rock & Roll photography, grainy and gritty and sometimes candid but all amazing. I stared at image after image shot on film, often in low light, sometimes even exposed somewhat poorly and ached for my old equipment and a roll of film. I wanted to take my Pentax K1000 and stand on a street corner, camera dangling at my waist and shoot an entire roll of Tri-x 'from the hip'.

The Naked Cowboy, NYC

So, I have pulled out the rugged Hassy today and realized there is still an unfinished roll in it that has been in there at least a year. I searched for more 120 film at home and was sad to discover there was none. I'm not sure why that was a surprise to me, especially since I have always been much more of a 35mm shooter, but it was. I could take the ancient Pentax for a walk, but the battery is dead and the battery compartment seems to be sealed shut. Guess it's been awhile since that camera has been put to use! So, I am dusting off the medium format beauty (ashamed that I let it get dusty in the first place) and heading out the door to get some film, find some inspiration, and remember what it feels like to shoot film. Then I will wait impatiently for the results.