This page served as the home of my 2011 Project 365. Please feel free to comment on the images, critique them and experience what I saw over the course of 2011 during a project that was very daunting, yet extremely satisfying. I'm glad I completed the project and I hope you enjoyed following along!
Day 365/365
"Perficio"
Perficio - Latin for "to bring to an end, complete, finish, achieve."
I felt this was the perfect way to bring this project to a close. Latin is an old language and I ended the year in a very old school way, shooting on numerous vintage cameras with film; which, if you're American and didn't know, you probably thought it was long gone by now. It's odd to be posting my final picture and writing about the completion of this project when it seems as if I just started it yesterday. On one hand, I'm relieved that it's finished; on the other, I'm a bit saddened by the fact that one of my goals each day will not be to try to take a great image. This was a very daunting project and don't let anyone who has completed it fool you. It's a downright struggle. There were days where the last thing I wanted to do was pick up the camera and try to create an interesting image; there were days where I wanted to quit; there were days where I wandered around the house five minutes before midnight trying to figure out what my subject was going to be; there were days where my wife wanted to kill me; however, through all of that came great satisfaction. This project forced me to constantly view the world through a viewfinder. I looked at the most mundane objects and found beauty in them. I created images I would've never created if I wasn't carrying my camera with me. I built a massive portfolio of work that would've taken a few years to achieve had I not undertaken this project. I learned more about photography in this one year than I've learned the previous two years. I've met great people along the way and I was inspired by some truly great work. I learned more about myself as a photographer and I've grown through the course of the project which is evident by the images that are found below. I created some great shots; I created some good shots and I created some bad shots. It doesn't matter; what does matter is that I was practicing my craft and it will only help fuel my development as each year passes and for that, I'm thankful.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention my wife Brittany. She is a major reason for my completion of this project. She was my muse, my inspiration, my model, my guiding force, my chauffeur, my cheerleader, my sounding board and my rock. I would guess that she's more excited about the completion of this project than I am, but I couldn't have achieved it without her. So, Brittany, if you're reading this, thank you! I love you and I'm thankful for you and your encouragement along the long and windy road of Project 365. Thank you for helping me grow as a photographer and helping me achieve my goals.
Thanks to all of my friends, readers, followers and fellow photographers that encouraged me along the way and experienced my art. I appreciate you and I hope you continue to follow me along this photographic journey. I now close the book on this chapter of my photography and I look forward to embarking on new photographic adventures in 2012.
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 364/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 363/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 362/365
Camera: Polaroid 440 Automatic Land Camera
Film: Polaroid Chocolate Expired
Day 361/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Gold Frame
Day 360/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 359/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 358/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Gold Frame
Day 357/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Gold Frame
Day 356/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 355/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 354/365
Day 365/365
"Perficio"
Perficio - Latin for "to bring to an end, complete, finish, achieve."
I felt this was the perfect way to bring this project to a close. Latin is an old language and I ended the year in a very old school way, shooting on numerous vintage cameras with film; which, if you're American and didn't know, you probably thought it was long gone by now. It's odd to be posting my final picture and writing about the completion of this project when it seems as if I just started it yesterday. On one hand, I'm relieved that it's finished; on the other, I'm a bit saddened by the fact that one of my goals each day will not be to try to take a great image. This was a very daunting project and don't let anyone who has completed it fool you. It's a downright struggle. There were days where the last thing I wanted to do was pick up the camera and try to create an interesting image; there were days where I wanted to quit; there were days where I wandered around the house five minutes before midnight trying to figure out what my subject was going to be; there were days where my wife wanted to kill me; however, through all of that came great satisfaction. This project forced me to constantly view the world through a viewfinder. I looked at the most mundane objects and found beauty in them. I created images I would've never created if I wasn't carrying my camera with me. I built a massive portfolio of work that would've taken a few years to achieve had I not undertaken this project. I learned more about photography in this one year than I've learned the previous two years. I've met great people along the way and I was inspired by some truly great work. I learned more about myself as a photographer and I've grown through the course of the project which is evident by the images that are found below. I created some great shots; I created some good shots and I created some bad shots. It doesn't matter; what does matter is that I was practicing my craft and it will only help fuel my development as each year passes and for that, I'm thankful.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention my wife Brittany. She is a major reason for my completion of this project. She was my muse, my inspiration, my model, my guiding force, my chauffeur, my cheerleader, my sounding board and my rock. I would guess that she's more excited about the completion of this project than I am, but I couldn't have achieved it without her. So, Brittany, if you're reading this, thank you! I love you and I'm thankful for you and your encouragement along the long and windy road of Project 365. Thank you for helping me grow as a photographer and helping me achieve my goals.
Thanks to all of my friends, readers, followers and fellow photographers that encouraged me along the way and experienced my art. I appreciate you and I hope you continue to follow me along this photographic journey. I now close the book on this chapter of my photography and I look forward to embarking on new photographic adventures in 2012.
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 364/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 363/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 362/365
Camera: Polaroid 440 Automatic Land Camera
Film: Polaroid Chocolate Expired
Day 361/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Gold Frame
Day 360/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 359/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 358/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Gold Frame
Day 357/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Gold Frame
Day 356/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 355/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 UV+ Test Film
Day 354/365
Day 353/365
Day 352/365
Day 351/365
Day 350/365
Day 349/365
Day 348/365
Day 347/365
Day 346/365
Day 345/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 344/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 343/365
Day 342/365
Day 341/365
"Stardust"
Day 340/365
Day 339/365
Day 338/365
Day 337/365
Day 336/365
Day 335/365
Day 334/365
Day 333/365
Day 332/365
Day 331/365
One of the Christmas trees went up at the Benning household on Day 331.
Day 330/365
Day 329/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 328/365
Day 327/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra with F105 filter
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 326/365
Day 325/365
Day 324/365
Day 323/365
Day 322/365
Day 321/365
Day 320/365
Day 319/365
Day 318/365
Day 317/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Emulsion Lift
Day 316/365
Day 315/365
Day 314/365
Day 313/365
Day 312/365
Day 311/365
Day 310/365
Day 309/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossilbe Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 308/365
Day 307/365
"Fall's Fury"
Day 306/365
Day 305/365
Day 304/365
"Halloween Ghost"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 303/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 302/365
Taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 301/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 300/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 299/365
Day 298/365
Day 297/365
"Dinner Art"
Taken with my iPhone 3G.
Day 296/365
Day 295/365
Day 294/365
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Day 288/365
Day 287/365
Day 286/365
Day 285/365
Day 284/365
"Hitch"
Today was Hitchcock movie night at the Benning household. In honor of the great director, I thought a Project 365 image of his silhouette logo was fitting.
Day 283/365
Day 282/365
Day 281/365
Day 280/365
Day 279/365
Day 278/365
"Steve Jobs 1955-2011"
The world lost a true visionary today. Steve Jobs; creator, innovator, trendsetter, inventor, world changer; the list of characteristics to describe the man that passed away today is longer than I could put into a simple blog post. Steve Jobs changed our world countless times. He revolutionized multiple industries all within the span of a few years. He changed the way we purchase and listen to music; he changed the way we communicate; he changed the way we interact with our computers; he never sacrificed design for function; in fact, he insured that design was pertinent to the function of his products. He may have been ruthless; individuals may hate the products and brand that he spent most of his life building; regardless, he was brilliant and his brilliance can be seen in the palms of millions, maybe even billions, of people around the globe. This image represents the simplicity yet sleekness of his products. The thought behind the designs and function were so simple, yet only a man of Jobs' forward thinking could tackle their complexity to bring them to consumers. I'll close with a quote from his commencement speech at Stanford in 2005: "...And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
Day 277/365
Day 276/365
Day 275/365
"Polaroid"
Day 274/365
"All Star"
Day 273/365
Taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 272/365
"Highway 61"
Camera: Polaroid 440 Land Camera
Film: Polaroid Sepia Expired
Day 271/365
Day 270/365
Day 269/365
Day 268/365
"No Exit"
Camera: Polaroid 440 Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-3000B
Taken at Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV.
Day 267/365
"Lost Highway"
Day 266/365
Day 265/365
Day 264/365
"Color Theory"
Day 263/365
Day 262/365
Day 261/365
Day 260/365
Day 259/365
Day 258/365
Day 257/365
Day 256/365
Day 255/365
Day 254/365
"Graduation Day"
Day 253/365
"Cardinal Rose"
Day 252/365
"Pulsating"
Day 251/365
Day 250/365
Day 249/365
Day 248/365
Day 247/365
Day 246/365
Day 245/365
Day 244/365
Day 243/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 242/365
Day 241/365
Day 240/365
Day 239/365
Taken with my iPhone 3G
Day 238/365
Taken with my iPhone 3G
Day 237/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra with Image/Spectra Close Up Stand
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 236/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expied 10/09
Day 235/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra with Image/Spectra Close Up Stand
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 234/365
Camera: Polaroid Spectra with Image/Spectra Close Up Stand
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 233/365
"Brittany Double Exposed"
Camera: Polaroid Spectra
Film: Polaroid Image Softtone Expired 10/09
Day 232/365
"Buttons and Textures"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 231/365
"Alley"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 230/365
"An Ape For Sale?"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 229/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 228/365
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade
Day 227/365
Day 226/365
Day 225/365
"Strands"
Day 224/365
"German Garb"
Day 223/365
" - "
Day 222/365
"The Fair is Coming"
Day 221/365
"Breathtaking"
Day 220/365
"Night"
Day 219/365
"Untitled"
Day 218/365
"Ed"
Day 217/365
"Untitled"
Day 216/365
"Art Exhibit by Jason Benning"
So, this is the reason my shots haven't been that creative this week. Outside of working, I've been finalizing everything for my first solo show and opening reception. The reception was on Day 216 and I thought this would be a fitting image. Now that the hard work is done, I hope to bring the creativity back to my daily shots.
Day 215/365
"Sandy"
Taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 214/365
"Cracked"
Day 213/365
"In the News"
Day 212/365
"Waterscape"
Day 211/365
"Ryan, with Drink"
Taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 210/365
"Meijer Symmetry"
Day 209/365
"Splattered Sole"
Day 208/365
"Fisheye Fan"
Day 207/365
"Fallen Vase"
This was the last image taken with my PX600+ UV Black Frame Poor Pod order. I really enjoyed the unpredictability of the poor pod packs and the interesting and experimental images I could create with them. Surprisingly, the last three poor pod packs of film didn't produce a single poor pod. I would love for Impossible Project to deliberately manufacture poor pod packs strictly for photographers who want to use the flawed and experimental film. Regardless, the ride was fun while it lasted.
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 206/365
All day the stars watch from long ago
my mother said I am going now
when you are alone you will be all right
whether or not you know you will know
look at the old house in the dawn rain
all the flowers are forms of water
the sun reminds them through a white cloud
touches the patchwork spread on the hill
the washed colors of the afterlife
that lived there long before you were born
see how they wake without a question
even though the whole world is burning
- Rain Light by W. S. Merwin
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 205/365
"Parking"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 204/365
"Gold Leaf"
Camera: Polaroid Spectra with Polaroid Close-up stand / image duplicator
Film: Impossible Project PZ680 Color Shade
Day 203/365
"Bookmark"
Day 202/365
"Make-up"
Camera: Polaroid Spectra with Polaroid Close-up stand / image duplicator
Film: Impossible Project PZ680 Color Shade
Day 201/365
"Ethereal Lines"
Day 200/365
"Playground Verticals"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 199/365
"Boots"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 198/365
"Brittany III"
Camera: Polaroid 440 Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-100c Pack Film
Brittany's "Jackie O" look.
Day 197/365
"Exhausted"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
This is how I felt on Day 197. I spent the entire day (14 hours to be exact) moving my sister. It was a long and tiring day and I barely had enough energy to take this shot at the end of the day. I can't tell you the elation I felt once I was able to crawl into bed.
Day 196/365
"Gallery"
Camera: Polaroid 440 Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-100c Pack Film
This was taken at Mat Marrash's Gallery Show during the FPP Mid-West Meet Up. The day was filled with great people, great food and great times. I highly recommend checking out Mat's work here and here; it's absolutely stunning!
Day 195/365
"A Tree's Age"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 194/365
"Allergy Relief"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
This is what I needed for Day 194. I was absolutely miserable the entire afternoon. Medication helped somewhat, but the sneezing quickly turned into a cold complete with congestion, sore throat, sneezing and a headache.
Day 193/365
"Parking Meter in Danger!"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 192/365
"Chairs"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Monday kicked off Polaroid Week, also known as 'Roid Week. So, in honor of 'Roid Week, I'll be shooting Polaroid for the next seven days.
Day 191/365
"The Virgin Mary"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 190/365
"Street Lights"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
This image didn't turn out quite as I expected, as you can see by the white lens flare hot spot at the bottom of the frame. I'll approach this subject another time, and adjust for this type of flare.
Day 189/365
"Ballpark"
Taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 188/365
"Eldean Bridge at Night"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 187/365
"Clouded Mind"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 186/365
"Converging Lines"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 185/365
"Where's the Red?"
Day 184/365
"A Chair and a Door"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 183/365
"The Last Tiki Torch"
Day 182/365
"Round"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 181/365
"Candace"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 180/365
"Legs"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 179/365
"Window"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ Black Frame Poor Pod
Day 178/365
"Peach"
Day 177/365
"Detour"
Day 176/365
"Love Tree"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600+ UV Black Frame Poor Pod
This tree is filled with carvings; "I love [blank]," "[blank] + [blank]," etc. It's a tree that has reluctantly given its' bark to the memories of current love; to secret love; love that once was, but is no more; love that has lasted a lifetime. Unfortunately, not all love lasts a lifetime. We live in an age where the divorce rate is just as high, if not higher than the marriage success rate. What has caused so many individuals to fall out of love? The eroding of family values and morals? The lack of commitment? Two individuals that simply married too young and slowly grew apart? I can't easily answer this question and either can the tree in this image; it was merely present the good times and happy moments of love and not for the bad. Unfortunately, it represents the state of our current culture; we romanticize in the image of love, yet the strength, fortitude and morals of keeping that image a reality has faded away.
Day 175/365
"Shape in the Sky"
Day 174/365
"Sonic Night"
Day 173/365
"Quarter"
Day 172/365
"My New Toy"
In my opinion, the epitome of greatness in medium format film photography. The fun I will have with this...
Day 171/365
"Globe"
Day 170/365
"M"
Day 169/365
"Weighted Object"
Day 168/365
"iPhone River View"
Taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Buckhorst H1 lens and Blanko film.
Day 167/365
"Lamp Blooms"
Day 166/365
"Welcome to Troy"
Day 165/365
"Brittany II"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade
Day 164/365
"Leaf Veins"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Color Shade First Flush
Day 163/365
"Building Geometrics"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Color Shade First Flush
Day 162/365
"Suitcase"
Day 161/365
"Ring"
Day 160/365
"Anchor"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Color Shade First Flush
Day 159/365
"Numbers and Letters"
Day 158/365
"Balance"
Day 157/365
"Logs"
Camera: Polaroid 440 Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-3000B Pack Film
Day 156/365
"Strawberry"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Color Shade First Flush
Even though I'm not a fan of the festival, I thought it was only fitting to have at least one picture taken of strawberries during the Troy Strawberry Festival.
Day 155/365
"Pine Forest"
Camera: Polaroid 440 Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-3000B Pack Film
Taken at Mohican State Park, OH
Day 154/365
"Prison Cells"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX680 Color Shade First Flush
Taken at The Ohio State Reformatory
Day 153/365
"Prepared for Mansfield"
Day 152/365
"Evening Stroll"
Day 151/365
"Today's Mail"
Day 150/365
"Memorial Day Sno Cones"
Day 149/365
"Polaroid Hosta"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade
Day 148/365
"Dueling Sparklers"
Day 147/365
"Ghostly Light"
Day 146/365
"Damask Print"
Day 145/365
"Twilight Geometry"
The weather has been unpredictable and unpleasant of late. Last night, another round of storms blew through and as I was sitting at the kitchen table, I noticed lightning in the distance. It provided pinkish tones in the sky and clouds and illuminated a few trees and power lines in a neighbors' yard. Fortunately, the rain stopped, so I set the tripod up and tried to work with long exposures. Unfortunately, I didn't get the results I was hoping for. I then noticed this steeple and how it also looked during the lightning. Again, I worked with long exposures; this isn't particularly the result I was hoping for, but I ended up being intrigued by the deep blue tones that the long exposure brought out and the geometry of the steeple, the rooftops and the trees. I used shutter priority mode and set the shutter speed for a 30 second exposure. The steeple is not as sharp as it could be; there's a soft focus, which lends to the geometry of the subject. I was only able to get a few shots off before it started pouring again. While this certainly isn't my best shot, it's another experiment that I'm glad I tried.
Day 144/365
"Light and Dark - Chandelier Diptych"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera
Film: Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade
Day 143/365
"Grate"
Day 142/365
"Self Portrait #2"
Day 141/365
"Weekend Wine"
Taken with my iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 140/365
"Wildflowers"
Day 139/365
"25"
Day 138/365
"Night Cap"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600 Silver Shade UV Black Frame
Day 137/365
"Old and New (Balance)"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600 Silver Shade UV Black Frame
Day 136/365
"Self Portrait #1"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX600 Silver Shade UV Black Frame
Day 135/365
"Polaroid Times"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step
Film: Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade
I decided to venture out in the elements on Day 135 with the Polaroid SX-70 Sonar One Step camera that I picked up at an auction a few weekends ago. I took a few shots, all of which I wasn't that happy with and decided on this one to post. These would have turned out much better, including the one above, had it not been so windy and rainy. The wind blew the darkslide up as the image was being ejected from the camera, thus exposing it to light right after its exit from the camera. With Impossible Project film, the film needs to be shaded upon exit and my image ended up being overexposed. My results weren't as I anticipated, but you better believe that I'll be back in the same location on a much better day, taking images with my polaroids.
Day 134/365
"At the Bottom of a Water Bottle"
Day 133/365
"Spring"
Day 132/365
"Donnie Darko Frank Sighting"
Day 131/365
"What To Photograph"
On day 131, I was having a very hard time figuring out what my "shot of the day" was going to be. After driving around for 45 minutes and coming up empty, I decided that I would be very literal with my question. Being stumped and a little Endust made for an interesting image.
Day 130/365
"Evening Haze"
Day 129/365
"Dandelion Dream"
Day 128/365
"Light Flower"
Day 127/365
"Derby Day Hat"
Day 126/365
"Telephone"
Camera: SX-70 Land Camera Alpha 1
Film: Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade
Day 125/365
"Natural Beauty"
Day 124/365
"Failed Experiments"
I titled this image failed experiments because I tried shooting numerous things today and they just didn't come out as I envisioned. I was originally going to post a Polaroid SX-70 image produced on Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade film; however, those images didn't not come out as I hoped. I took a short "nature walk" through the Hobart Nature Preserve in Troy, OH towards the latter part of the evening and took a few shots. I removed the Polaroids from the camera and put them in a box and didn't view the results until I got home. Those of you not familiar with Impossible Project film, it's very different from the old Polaroid film. It's extremely light and temperature sensitive and the picture has to be shielded from light once it's ejected from the camera. From there, it takes a few minutes to develop. With the park closing, I had to move on to my next subject without waiting to see if my previous shot would develop as I envisioned. Unfortunately, my light meter needed to be moved to a darker setting because all of my images were grossly overexposed. So, I returned home early in the evening hoping to have captured my image of the day only to find that I didn't get a single usable image. After that I tried to experiment with a glass of water and food coloring, which is the image you see above. While this ended up as my Day 124 image, it's not as I expected. So, here's to the failed experiments of photography that are learning experiences which can be turned into triumphs at a later date.
Day 123/365
"Graveyard"
Camera: Polaroid Super Colorpack IV Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-3000B Pack Film
Day 122/365
"All of the Lights"
Day 121/365
"Rainy Day"
Camera: Polaroid Super Colorpack IV Land Camera
Film: Fuji FP-3000B Pack Film
Day 120/365
"Slanted Lines"
Day 119/365
"Doors"
Day 118/365
"Spiral"
Day 117/365
"Scales"
Day 116/365
"Liquid Metal"
Day 115/365
"Image Impressionism"
Day 114/365
"Hearse"
Day 113/365
"Eyes in the Dark"
Day 112/365
"Neon Lights"
Day 111/365
"Abstract"
Day 110/365
"Tourist"
My new camera; a Kodak Tourist, shot with my Polaroid SX-70 with Impossible Project PX100 film.
Day 109/365
"The Last Drop"
Day 108/365
"Long Exposure"
Day 107/365
"Sunday Evening View"
Day 106/365
"Building's Own Rubik's Cube"
Day 105/365
"Glass"
Day 104/365
"Tire Mountain"
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera
Film: Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade
Day 103/365
"Dartburst"
Day 102/365
"Prohibition"
This is the first film image I've used for Project 365. If you recall from Day 31, I received a Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera for my birthday. I've been experimenting with it and Impossible Project PX70 Color Shade film. The film is very experimental and I've had mixed results. I like the experimental nature of the film, but it produces a different image every time. So, it's been a learning process, especially with lighting for this film. I've had a pack of Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade monochrome film waiting in the wings. I just finished my last pack of PX70 and I was anxious to test the new black and white film. I had the perfect subject; an antique whiskey bottle. I took two images, the first one wasn't perfect, due to some camera shake. So, I used a tripod mounted SX-70, remote shutter control and changed my lighting. This was the result. I love the vintage look of the film and the way it brought out a rich wood grain from the chair. The top portion of the bottle is a bit overexposed, but it adds to the ghostly feeling of the image. I'm not happy with the scan, as it doesn't truly represent what the image looks like on the film. However, I'll be working on that and I'm anxious to experiment with this film and this camera in the future. This is the first of what will hopefully be many Project 365 film images.
Day 101/365
"Angles and Lines"
Day 100/365
"Another Day at the Office"
Day 100, WOW! I can't believe I'm almost a third of the way through Project 365. Day 100 seemed like just another day at the Project 365 office, although it was the first time in a long time that I've had a warm, sunny day to explore and shoot. Brittany and I took a quick trip to Piqua to shoot. I got some great images; it was very difficult to actually pick which image would represent the day. I hope that continues to be a problem as I move towards the second third of this project. I'm not going to lie, this project has been a struggle at times; on numerous occasions I've been standing in the middle of our house at 11:55 p.m. wondering what I'm going to shoot for the day. If I was able to walk around and photograph all day long, some of my shots would be more interesting. With that being said, I've made the best of my "lack of time." I finally finished my classes at Franklin University and I can now look forward to more free time. I hope you've enjoyed the journey thus far and you continue to follow me through it. I know I've enjoyed it and I've enjoyed having an outlet to share this project. On to Day 101...
Day 99/365
"Desolation"
Desolation. Deprivation of companionship; loneliness.
Day 98/365
"Circles"
Taken with my iPhone Hipstamatic app, using the Jimmy lens and Blanko film.
Day 97/365
"Untitled"
Day 96/365
"Black-eyed Peas"
Day 95/365
"Umbrella"
Day 94/365
"The Madness Has Ended"
March Madness ended on Day 94 with a University of Connecticut National Championship. I was really pulling for Butler, but it was one of the worst shooting performances I've ever witnessed. If there was ever a time when the cliche "can't hit the broadside of a barn" was true, it was on Day 94. Butler didn't score during a seven minute stretch during the second half and when Connecticut pulled ahead by seven, it was over. It was a great tournament with some great upsets and the college basketball season comes to a close once again. Until next March...
Day 93/365
"Blue"
Day 92/365
"Cuff Links"
Day 91/365
"Black and White in Color"
Day 91 was April 1st, or April Fool's Day. My image for the day is a roll of Kodak 400TX black and white film. The reason I found this appropriate is because I was planning on starting the month off with some serious film shooting. However, Mother Nature decided it should be cold and rainy throughout the first weekend of April, thus hindering my ability to walk around and shoot film. With that being said, my two classes are almost finished and I plan on shooting a ton of film over the next few months. In fact, I may even shoot an entire month's worth of Project 365 on film. I'll see how things go; but until then, enjoy what I've shot digitally.
Day 90/365
"Self Portrait Shadow"
Day 89/365
"Iron Buttons"
"Idea"
I love the analogy of a light bulb coming on when someone thinks of an idea. It can be corny and some could argue that it's a cliche and it's been spoofed so many times in television, cartoons and comics, but there is something very true about it. Think about light. Light brings us out of the darkness, it can help to bring things in focus. Lighting is obviously a big part of photography; it can help set the mood or tone of an image, it can hide details or it can display details in an image. Each of which will have different effects. It's very similar to an idea. An idea can be the "light source" for a struggling company to turn itself around. It can be an idea by a great company that will allow it to further distance itself from the competition. The analogy is perfect; I wonder if Thomas Edison would agree?
Day 87/365
"Untitled"
Day 86/365
"Light"
Day 85/365
"440"
Brittany and I went to a few antique malls on Day 85. We saw some great vintage pieces and had a lot of fun, checking out the various dealer booths and envisioning how certain things would fit in our current decor and our future decor. While in the first mall, we came across a booth that was literally filled with vintage cameras. I started looking through all of them and in one of the cabinets, Brittany found a black, Polaroid briefcase. This case contained the beauty that is featured in the image above. A Polaroid 440 Land Camera. It was in amazing condition; the shutter fired correctly, the timer worked, the optics were clear and free of residue. The only issue was the corrosion in the battery compartment. So, I couldn't resist. It will make a great addition to my Polaroid SX-70. I will be cleaning the terminals and installing a new battery and I've already ordered a pack of film; as soon as I have it up and running and I can test it in the field, I'll post a few images.
"Branch"
Day 83/365
"Pink"
Day 82/365
"Tree Reflections"
Day 81/365
"Toy Camera"
There was a massive estate sale in downtown Troy on Day 81. It was a grand house on Market Street that belonged to a Radiologist. Brittany and I stopped by after work and in one of the rooms I came across some camera gear. Nothing too flashy or exciting, but I did find this vintage, "toy," Holga clone. It was in excellent condition and it only cost me $1. I've been really interested in obtaining vintage, working cameras lately; I have plans to use them regularly this summer and experiment with my photography on various cameras and in different formats. I'll post the results from my first roll of 35mm with this camera as soon as I get to test it.
Day 80/365
"Packaging"
Day 79/365
"A Generation's Sound"
It's funny how much music and the consumption of music has changed over the years and the generations. For a long time, vinyl was the definitive form of hearing music. Phonographs, turntables, LPs, 12", 45s, etc. There was nothing like the rich, analog sound that a record produced. From there, technology began to move the music industry along and consumption moved to 8 tracks and then cassette tapes. The music industry and consumption was changed forever with the introduction of the compact disc. Billy Joel's 52nd Street was the first album released on CD in 1982; by 1983 the CD and compact disc player hit the United States. Music was now being presented in high quality stereo sound and was compact enough and technologically advanced that all other forms of music began to fade away and die. History is cyclical, and we're now in an era where the CD is becoming obsolete and it's because of the item in my picture for Day 79. The iPod. Steve Jobs introduced the digital music store in 2001 (it actually could be argued that the music industry as many of us knew it, began to collapse during the Napster years). The iTunes store, coupled with the revolutionary iPod, individuals could carry gigs of music in their pocket. The iPods little white headphones began popping up all over the world and the iPod is now the standard way of consuming music. Individuals are becoming less interested in the physical copy of an album. It's now about, how much music can I easily take with me? How long will this cycle continue to last? Vinyl, the music purist's choice, has been making a comeback the past couple of years. Will vinyl make a big enough comeback to make it's way into the majority of households? What will replace the iPod and iTunes? We'll see, but until then, enjoy your music however you prefer.
Day 78/365
"Somewhere Train"
Day 77/365
"Rain Silhouette"
Day 76/365
"St. Patrick's Day"
St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite days of the year. The color green is everywhere and it reminds me of the warm weather that is soon on its way. In addition to that, St. Patrick's Day usually falls on the first or second day of the NCAA tournament. So, it's the one time of year that I can watch basketball all day long and enjoy $1 Guinness pints at The Caroline in Troy, OH. I had two pints of Guinness this year, for a total of $2. Brittany's soft drink cost $2.15. This day is the only day in which my beer will ever cost less than her cola. I also enjoyed corn beef, braised cabbage and redskin potatoes. A wonderful day all around!
Day 75/365
"Doorknob"
If you haven't noticed, I like experimenting with shadows. I like that a subject's shadow can be photographed and you know exactly what it is without actually seeing the subject. I noticed this shadow in our bathroom and decided it would make a great Project 365 image. I think this could be a series that I explore in the future.
Day 74/365
"Claw"
Day 73/365
"Peanuts"
I was preparing a few boxes for shipment on Day 73 and I thought that the packing peanuts might make for an interesting subject. They have a unique shape and they're extremely textured. So, I started experimenting and I chose this image. I tried various shutter speeds and I began dropping peanuts into the box while I fired the shutter. That is why a few of the peanuts look like they're floating.
Day 72/365
"Three of a Kind"
This is quite an interesting scene. On Water St. in Troy, right behind Hobart and in front of Troy Lumber, I found these chairs. They were leaning up against the fence for no apparent reason. In fact, these particular chairs are still leaning against the fence today. I thought they would make for an interesting subject. I want to know why they are there? Does someone use them? If so, who sits in them, especially after they've been left out in the elements for days and weeks? Why hasn't anyone taken them?
Day 71/365
"Glass of St. Christopher"
So, Brittany and I decided to make an impromptu trip to Columbus for the weekend. We hadn't been back to the great city since we got married and we needed a nice little break from the craziness that has been our lives for the past few months. We started off the day in Delaware; we picked up our wedding albums and canvas from our photographer. From there, we headed to the cool suburb of Grandview Heights. We made a stop at the Columbus Architectural Salvage and then grabbed a cup of coffee at Stauf's. We then walked around Grandview for awhile and of course I had my camera. It was just what I needed; a change of landscape is always refreshing, especially when you view it through a viewfinder everyday. As we were walking down Grandview Avenue, we came across the St. Christopher Catholic Church. It has these amazing blue glass windows and stark white beams. It made for some interesting abstract shots, as in the one above. The weekend was a success and I also got some nice images as well.
Day 70/365
"Untitled"
I feel my creativity creeping back around. Even though I've been adhering to the intensive nature of this project, I feel as if I haven't been able to direct as much attention as I would like to it. I'm sure I've mentioned this numerous times. With that being said, my classes are wrapping up, the weather is starting to break and my free time is slowly returning. Day 70 is a turning point; I feel this image marks a return to renewed creativity and a rededication to this project. I hope you all have enjoyed the ride thus far and continue to follow along.
Day 69/365
"2nd Place"
Day 69 was the opening reception and awards ceremony for the 57th Annual Art Show of the Art Association of Randolph County located in Union City, IN. This is my second year entering competitions at the association. Last year I entered into the annual show and their annual photography show that's hosted in the summer. Now, as most of you know, I consider myself an amateur photographer. Every show has their own specifications as to what constitutes you as professional or amateur. In Randolph County, you have to hold a degree in art, you earn at least half or your income from your craft or you've been awarded three times. Well, I fell in the latter category and had to move up to the Advanced division this year. I'm very happy to report that in addition to two honorable mentions, I also took second place with my shot "Alone". So, in honor of that win, I took a photograph of my award envelope.
Day 68/365
"Shelf"
Day 67/365
"1 lb."
I'm really drawn to this image. We have some old weights sitting on our bookshelf; I positioned a broken mirror behind the biggest one, composed the shot and used flash to create this image. I thought the cracked, dusty mirror added interest as the break draws your eye through the scene.
Day 66/365
"The Successful Marketing Plan"
This book has been my life for the past two weeks. I've been working on the final component of my capstone marketing class at Franklin University. I would go to work, come home and start working on this project. I worked on it for about ten days and I finally turned it in on Tuesday. I was very happy with the result and the heavy lifting portion of the project is over with. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. After a few more weeks, I have one class left and then I'll be graduating!
Day 65/365
"Fast Food in the Rear view"
I was walking past the car parked in the driveway tonight and I noticed the reflection of McDonald's in the passenger side mirror. I liked the composition; it was also night and it presented light trail opportunities. So, I situated myself in the car, used a slow shutter speed and fired away as the cars drove by. Outside of that, I think this is something we (the American public) need to consider. Put fast food in the rear view and move towards healthier options. I'm not going to get onto a soapbox without calling myself out; I don't eat as healthy as I should and I would like to. But, there are people who eat this food day after day after day. On top of that, they don't exercise and they park themselves in front of the television and computer all day. Our culture has become one of immediate gratification and fast food satisfies that. We need to change our lifestyles so we're healthier; medicine has come along way over the last century and if we use that advantage along with a healthy lifestyle, then we'll live longer lives.
Day 64/365
"Tree"
It was raining Saturday night; like it had been all week. Brittany and I just returned home from watching "Biutiful" at the Neon. When we pulled up to the house, I noticed how eerie this tree looked in the backyard. I had very little light and it was raining; I switched to manual focus and took this image without flash. I converted it to black and white. I love the soft look this image has and I love how trees can be so interesting when caught on camera. I feel like we sometimes miss all the beauty as we walk or drive past them everyday.
Day 63/365
"Bowl of Accessories"
We went to dinner for my Dad's birthday; afterwards, we headed back to my parents' house for gifts, cake and ice cream. It was a rather late night and I didn't have a lot of time for image hunting; what I did have was a house full of items that I hadn't experimented with. My parents redecorated their living room within the last year and a half. The decorative balls that are in the image were part of the process. This is a still life without the fruit. I love the green tones and texture of the ball in the foreground; the yellow one in the back adds a nice complement of color while the curving line of the bowl keeps your eye moving back and forth between the two.
Day 62/365
"The Apple of my Eye"
I love Apple; I'm a complete fan boy and I simply love everything that they release. Even though I'm an owner of a first generation iPad, I was very excited by the announcement of iPad 2 and the upcoming iOS 4.3 operating system. So, in honor of their announcement this week, here's a shot of the iPad back, complete
with one of the most identifiable logos of all time. The last few years have been like "1984" all over again.
Day 61/365
"Pessimism Never Won Any Battle"
How many CEOs, COOs, owners or entrepreneurs got to where they are by thinking negatively? My guess is not very many, if any. This is a great mantra to remember as I go through life and Project 365. I'm generally an optimist when it comes to most things; however, I've been having a tough time with this project lately. I feel I haven't had as much time as I would like to spend on it and I feel like the creativity and diversity of my shots has waned a bit. So, I'm going to attempt to reenergize and refocus; optimism will win my struggle with time and creativity.
Day 60/365
"Sunrays"
As the sun was going down and I returned home from work, I noticed this pattern on our front porch. I liked the multiple lines and patterns going in different directions and the bright yellow and orange rays from the sun really added a punch of color to an otherwise dark image.
Day 59/365
Unfortunately, this was another night like Day 56. I wasn't sure what to photograph and I didn't have any time earlier in the evening to get out and capture anything truly inspiring. I noticed the colorful reflection of the TV in the diamond patterned glass in the front door. I liked the texture, the colors and the shift in tones from one side to the other.
Day 58/365
"Oscar"
Day 58 was a day that I always look forward to - The Annual Academy Awards Ceremony. I'm a huge movie fan, but I really look forward to the Academy Awards because of the annual party that a group of good friends organize. The night is filled with themed food, good friends, laughter and of course the actual ceremony. The awards show wouldn't be half as enjoyable if it wasn't for this party. What's an awards show without a little betting? We always fill out ballots and the individual that correctly guesses the winners takes home a hefty cash prize and the Oscar statuette. I'm happy to report that I took first place this year and this image is of my Oscar.
Day 57/365
"Ladder"
Where does this lead? I finally got to explore a little bit and I'm very happy with the results when I do. Evening was starting to fall when I took this shot; a yellow street lamp provided the touch of yellow to the otherwise white wall and ladder as well as providing the appropriate lighting for the nicely placed shadow. I've taken a few shots where the yellow street lamps are very prevalent; I like the look and the feel that it provides to the picture. I wouldn't want this present in every shot obviously, but I think it adds some different atmospherics to the image.
Day 56/365
"Lamp"
This was one of those nights where I was struggling with finding something appealing to shoot. I've been very busy with work and school and sometimes I just don't get enough time to spend finding the perfect shot of the day. I noticed the shadow of my bedside lamp being projected onto the wall and thought it was interesting. Actually, it was the most interesting thing I took that day. Not my favorite image, but I'll have days like this.
Day 55/365
This pair of sunglasses happened to be lying around the house yesterday. When I saw them, I had visions of Audrey Hepburn. So, I knew I wanted to shoot them for my image of the day. The lenses have a magenta tint and I loved the look that I achieved by looking through the lens and focusing on the frame. I would really like to experiment with this particular technique more in the future.
Day 54/365
"Quality Inn"
Most of you know that I frequent the Boston Stoker. Across the street is a Quality Inn Motel. I've noticed this one particular hallway a couple times on my way to the Stoker. So, I decided to finally stop and shoot it. I love the way the lights bounce off the ceiling creating the horizontal lines; while the enclosure of the hallway and the doors on the left provide the vertical lines. While the colors are very muted throughout, the door at the end and the wall behind it provide just enough color to draw your eye through the scene. This image reminds me of movies; the tension that is created when actors are walking down dark hallways and the only sound that can be heard are their footsteps and the buzzing of the lights.
Day 53/365
"Winning Entry"
On day 53, I had my monthly Edison Photo Soceity meeting. It was a great meeting; we discussed our spring/summer weekend photo shoot and then we critiqued the winter show that was hanging in the gallery. I was lucky enough to have the winning entry, "Antiqued Reflections." It was a shot I took of a mirror in an antique shop on Portobello Road in Notting Hill. I was very happy with the shot and I"m glad the judge was too. The shot of the day is of the judge's comment sheet for that particular image.
Day 52/365
"Streaks of Night"
Last night, winter decided to descend upon Ohio again. For most of the afternoon and evening, a mixture of rain and sleet pelted Miami County. I returned home from the Boston Stoker and noticed the rain drops and the condensation on the garage window. I created a bigger opening with my hand to add a little bit of color with the bokeh lights in the background. Hopefully, under all of this cold and gloom lies an abundance of shooting opportunities for the Spring and Summer months.
Day 51/365
"Textile"
I had an extremely busy day on Sunday. In fact, so busy that I almost forgot to take a shot. This is a close-up of a lamp shade that sits on the floor lamp in our living room. I love the textures of the thread and the black and white conversion adds a depth not present in the color version.
Day 50/365
"Two Doors, Three Trees"
On Saturday, the sun was shining, it was fairly warm and it felt nice to leave the confines of my house to photograph. I was actually driving down Main Street in Troy, when I noticed a photographer breaking down a large format camera. Seeing as how I've been recently intrigued with older cameras and old school processes, I wanted to see if I could catch him. By the time I got turned around, he had his gear packed up and he was leaving. However, as I was turning around, I saw this scene. I stopped the car, got out and began shooting. I love the colors of the garage; it's as if the sky is projecting the blue/gray onto this dilapidated building; the contrast of the shadows and the white doors add to the scene and I love how there's this small tree in front of the garage, yet these massive shadows are being projected onto the wall.
Day 49/365
"Gaggia"
So, I've been on a bit of a still life kick lately. I'm not sure if that's what's appealing to me or it's because it's my lack of time. This machine is a beauty and it provides me with my caffeine fix when I'm not at the Boston Stoker. It was a wonderful wedding present and it's been put to good use. I love the sleek look this machine has and I like how this shot turned out. It's not my most creative moment, but sometimes coffee does help foster my creative process.
Day 48/365
"Ribbed"
I really like this image. I love the texture, lines and shadows that are present in this image. What is it? Is it a beehive? Is it a pot? Is it some form of architecture? It's actually a picture of a floor vase that sits in our bedroom. I converted it to black and white in post processing.
Day 47/365
"Orange"
I love the texture of an orange. All of the dimples in the skin provide for some very interesting results in the camera. This is a pretty basic shot; I put a piece of white paper under the orange so I could get the nice shadow that the orange is projecting. As I said, it's pretty basic, but I may revisit this at some time and get a little more creative.
Day 46/365
"Vintage"
Day 45/365
"Love"
Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Instead of posting an image of hearts, candy, flowers, cards, red, pink, etc., I figured I would post something a little different. This is an image of a book; "How To Read a Photograph: Lessons from Master Photographers" by Ian Jeffrey; that my wonderful wife got me for Valentine's Day. This book represents a few things I love. First and foremost it represents my wife. I was looking at this book at a book store awhile back. She took note and was able to purchase it at a later date without even needing to ask me the title. She's amazing; she's my creativity, my inspiration and my biggest cheerleader. I love her! This book also represents my love of reading. I enjoy reading a great deal; I just haven't been able to spend as much time as I would like to on it, but I read whenever I can. Of course, this book also represents my love of photography, the history of photography and the future of photography. This book has portraits and stunning images from some of the greatest artists to ever wield a camera. If I can ever produce imagery half as good or half as creative, then I will be achieving something. So many of these individuals knew what art photography is. I feel like some of that has been lost in the digital era. True, I shoot digitally and if it wasn't for digital cameras, I may have never discovered this love or passion I have for photography. But, as I learn and study the master photographers, I am developing an overwhelming appreciation for film and old school photographic processes. Once I finish my Bachelor's Degree in a few months, I look forward to shooting film more, learning to work in the dark room and explore all of the creativity that the "old" processes hold. I love photography; I love to create an image that is unique; yet, I don't want to rely on the computer to do that. I want to do it in camera or I want to do it using old school methods. I have realized that I'm beginning to become somewhat of a purest. I can't be that way totally, because I obviously shoot digital; yet I love what the traditional methods mean to photography as an art.
Day 44/365
"Snowprints"
Sunday was quite a day; the temperature was close to 50 degrees, the sun was shining and I was finished with all of my homework for the weekend. Brittany and I decided to go for a walk. We drove over to the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology and parked our car. We then walked over to the bike path and began walking along the trail until we got to Adams Street bridge. I found this scene at the abandoned Troy Dairy Barn on State Route 25A. The sun was shining down on the scene, providing the illusion that what you're staring at is a body of water. The footprints are not in sand, but the half melted ice/snow. It adds a lot of texture to the image. With the bitter cold temperatures we've faced the last few weeks, this image brings about a feeling of warmth.
Day 43/365
"Jail"
When I look at this image, I can't help but feel like I'm looking into a jail cell. These defined bars, these limits, are the only thing that's in perspective; while you're surrounded by a world of void, emptiness and fear.
Day 42/365
"Tetley's English Ale"
This was a belated birthday gift from a wonderful set of friends. I can't wait to enjoy one of these fine English Ales. I took this image with my iPhone Hipstamatic app. I used the John S lens with Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 41/365
"Alien"
I was experimenting with a glass face that we have as a decoration in our guest room. The face has human features, but it also has a "not of this world" quality. Because it's glass, I was able to get some interesting angles and effects with this face. The light would provide highlights to some parts of the face while colors would be reflected in other areas. The result was this close-up image. I love how the right side reflects variations of red, while the left side is presented in it's natural color. Do you ever wonder if there is life on other planets in our solar system? If so, do they perceive us as we perceive them?
Day 40/365
"Glass Eye"
This looks like an eye; however, it's anything but. This is actually a decanter filled with blue colored water. A little bit of film settled on top of the water, giving the middle a very stringy appearance. The outer edge of the decanter is almost acting as a fish eye and reflecting the walls of the room. I was walking around the house, looking for something to shoot. I suddenly noticed the unique visual appeal of this particular piece.
Day 39/365
"Brittany"
If you know me, then you know that I'm not one that eagerly photographs people. In fact, I usually try to avoid it; unless of course it happens to be street photography. I like catching natural reactions and events without the individual knowing there is a camera pointed at them. To me, that's when you capture real emotion and the image is better than if it was posed. Yesterday, I was in the mood to take Brittany's picture. I was inspired by some Polaroid portraits I came across and wanted to try some things with Brittany and low light. I really like the mystery that surrounds this shot. Her face is mostly hidden and there's very little light and not much of a background; yet there's an air of emotion, both from her and her pose.
Day 38/365
"Shell of a Man"
Day 37/365
"Pavement Rainbow"
With all of the snow and ice starting to finally break up and melt a bit, the parking lots of various locations across the city have begun to look like water parks. As I was getting out of my car in one of those parking lots, I noticed the oil and other car bi-products creating this rainbow colored stream. While it's not a rainbow in the sky, it certainly added a bit of color and brightness to the drab grey and white that has taken hold of Ohio the past couple of weeks.
Day 36/365
"?"
We ventured over to the Dayton Art Institute because the front stairs always appeal to me as we pass by on the interstate. This is obviously not a picture of that staircase; I took a number of staircase shots, yet in the end it was a mirrored sculpture in front of the main entrance doors that helped in the creating of this image. The sculpture created interesting shapes and reflections and this one of a "rain-covered tree" was my favorite.
Day 35/365
"Vintage Crayons"
We had dinner at one of Brittany's favorite spots, Chilli's, on Friday. We had to wait roughly 10 minutes for a seat, but while we were waiting I saw a basket full of crayons. I thought I would try taking a few shots with my iPhone. I used my Hipstamatic app once again and created this image using the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 34/365
"Color Me Old Fashioned"
Day 34 was not a creative day for me. I had an extremely busy day at work, an after work function, and then I worked on some homework. So, by the time I got all of that done, I was a bit exhausted. Nothing screamed photo op to me. So, I was sitting on the couch and noticed the unique way the old fashioned glasses in our bar were catching the light and color from the TV. So, I set up the tripod, took a few shots and decided this was the winner. Not my best or my favorite under any circumstances; yet I still managed to capture something for the day.
Day 33/365
"Solitude"
After the great snow/ice storm of 2011 and the level three emergency was lifted in Miami County, we went for a little drive to get out of the house and see if there were any photograph opportunities. We came upon this warehouse. The look of it immediately caught my eye. I love the lone street light and how it highlights the icicles hanging below it. The yellow glow of the light provides a desolate feel to the scene and the darkened windows to each side of the door add to that feeling. I'm sure many individuals were feeling this way after the storm. With many businesses still closed yesterday, there weren't many places to go even if they could get out. Confined to their houses; cold; possibly without power and heat; alone; solitude.
Day 32/365
"Surreal"
The great snow/ice storm 2011 was in full swing by late Tuesday. I thought it would be great to see what I could capture just by standing on my porch. I took a number of shots and tried to stay away from the typical "snow/ice" shots that you always see after a big storm. I chose this shot because of it's surreal and eerie feeling. The color of the sky was a light mauve and provided just enough color to contrast the dark power lines, trees and the bright reflection of ice. This is just surreal; I love the fact that a storm like this one can provide us with just as much beauty as chaos.
Day 31/365
Yesterday was my birthday and it was a great day. The night ended on a high note with presents from my wife. The sweetest and most surprising gift was the vintage Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera in chrome and brown leather. I can't wait to try it out. She even got some color push film from the Impossible Project. If you haven't heard of the Impossible Project, it's a really cool story and you should check them out. They're a group of old Polaroid employees that saved the last Polaroid film production plant from destruction. They began inventing and producing new Polaroid films. They started this project in 2008 and released their first films in 2010. Check them out here: http://www.the-impossible-project.com/. I can't wait to test the camera and film; it may just happen tonight. I have a Polaroid series/project that I've been developing for some time and I can't wait to get started on it. I hope to share some interesting work soon!
Day 30/365
"0-160"
I feel like I've been going 0-160 mph this past week with work, school and everything else in between. This shot represents that. I'll finally have a little down time this week, but I'm sure I'll be back at this pace in no time. This picture was shot with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone with the Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.
Day 29/365
"Winter Slide"
So, I've been bogged down with homework the past week; after working on a marketing paper all morning, I decided I needed to take a break and go shoot. I came upon the park in Troy, OH just off of Adams Street. Due to the fact that it is the middle of winter and snow is all over the ground, there was no one there. So, I wandered around shooting some of the playground equipment in ways I wouldn't be able to in the spring and summer months. I was drawn to this slide because of a recent Vivian Maier image I saw. I took a few images on the ground and I eventually climbed the slide to get this shot. It was a refreshing shoot and added some variety to my photographic content.
Day 28/365
"Mask"
This mask hangs on the wall of the Boston Stoker Coffee Shop in Troy, OH. I am a regular there and of all the decor in the store, I'm drawn to this mask. What is it doing here? Where did it come from? It clearly doesn't fit with the decor, yet it does. Strangely appealing, Day 28.
Day 27/365
"Muse"
The goddess or the power regarded as inspiring a poet, artist, thinker, or the like. She is my inspiration; my creativity; my muse.
Day 26/365
"Icicle"
I went driving around for about 45 minutes and nothing seemed to strike me. Earlier in the evening I had noticed the interesting icicles that had formed on a bush in our front yard. So, after returning empty handed, I thought the icicles would make a nice Day 26 shot. You may have noticed the creative and experimental nature of my images lately. During this Project 365 process, I've started out each day with the intent to produce an image that is extremely creative and not something that just anyone would should. For instance, you will rarely see me post a scenic landscape. So, I started shooting this particular icicle because of it's shape and the "dripping" quality it possessed. For those of you who don't know, I have not completely converted to shooting manually. I'm still trying to grasp the technical side of things. However, I've been shooting in aperture priority mode and shutter speed priority mode; those modes allow me to adjust the one setting and the camera will select the other one. I've really begun to grasp how each of those concepts affect a shot; I now have to put them together and I can begin having full control over my image within the camera. So, after playing with the shutter speed, I decided I was going to introduce flash into the mix. This image is the result of that experiment. I love the look it gave the image; it's almost as if it came out of Photoshop, yet I did it all within the camera. I like the abstract nature of the shot, the pitch black background and the glow that the flash gave the icicle. The branches of the bush add a nice touch to the shot.
Day 25/365
"Lines"
As with most days, I don't get to spend as much time on photography as I would like. So, many times throughout the project thus far, I just wander around the house looking at things, textures, objects and anything that I can make visually appealing. I ended up photographing the light on my night stand. It's glass and is very geometric and it just happened to grab my attention. I like the subtle lines of this shot as well as the overall geometry that is displayed.
Day 24/365
"Window"
I'm going to leave this one to the imagination of the viewer. I will say that I used a slow shutter speed in very low light and I moved the camera slightly to blur the image. Instead of posing them for you, I'll let you ask the questions and decide what is going on in the scene.
Day 23/365
"Night Light"
After driving around for awhile, this scene jumped out at me. I was intrigued by the reaching branch and how it was illuminated by the street light. I also love the feel that the yellow lamp gives to the scene. In the dead of night it paints a peaceful, yet eerie picture in a yellow cast.
Day 22/365
"Tools of the Trade"
So, for the past few days I've been driving around looking for my surroundings to "speak to me photographically." I happened to drive by Ray's Tune Up shop and there were a few lights on inside the shop and it struck me. So, I turned around and started shooting. I really liked the untouched nature of the tools and how they were all waiting to be used. It was as if this was frozen in time, because within a day or two those tools hanging would probably be taken down, more items would be scattered around the work bench and it would be in greater disarray. Cars will be worked on and tools will be used; however, they were all resting after what had probably been a long week.
Day 21/365
"Open Book"
I had a very busy day on Friday and I didn't have much time for photography. Another one of my hobbies is reading. I love to read and I try to read as many books as possible. Sometimes I don't get through a book as fast as I'd like and that's mainly because of all the other things going on in my life at the time (school, work, etc.). I just purchased Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy and it arrived on Friday. I decided it would be a great subject to shoot and I started taking some images. I like the angle of this shot and the mystery that surrounds it. It's a partially open book; is the reader beginning to read or are they done reading for the time being? What page are they on? What does that paragraph say? To me, photography is like literature; the author or the artist gives you something to think about and it's up to the viewer to interpret it. Some images or novels are open to more interpretation than others, but it's still a thought provoking process. I hope my images pose a number of questions for my viewers as I go along on this journey.
Day 20/365
"Snow Night"
It snowed all day yesterday. By the time I left for work, everything, including the roads had a nice coating of snow. Not to mention, the temperature was on a steady descent into the low twenties and teens. We had to make a trip to Piqua to collect photos I had entered in the last Edison Photo Society show so I could utilize the frames for another upcoming show. The Edison Community College Campus had some gorgeous areas of snow that were untouched. The campus is littered with trees and all of the lighting was casting these amazing shadows on the white snow. So, while the temperature was dropping and the snow kept falling, I walked around for 10-15 minutes shooting the landscape. This was the winner. I like the shadow of the tree that leads your eye into the scene. The surrounding trees and the bokeh lights in the distance provided for a calm, chilly night scene.
Day 19/365
"The Lights Are On, Is Anyone Home?"
So, due to the shot I got on Day 18, I thought I would try to take a daily drive looking for things that struck me. I took my drive and as I was heading to downtown Troy, I saw a lit up staircase in the Hobart Building for County Government that intrigued me. After driving around a bit, I decided to come back and shoot it. So, I took a few shots, all of which looked better in my mind than they actually did in the camera, and walked back to my car. As I was pulling away, I noticed these windows across the street. This was another of Hobart's buildings and this was the top floor and it was the only one lit up. I liked the darkness of the building, the rectangles that took shape and the stark lighting radiating out of the building. Overall, I think it's an interesting take on geometry. It also poses a number of questions. Is someone there working right now? If so, who? What type of work takes place on that floor? If no one is there, then why is the light on? Does anyone look out the window and think about the things I think of as I'm looking up and into the window? As they say, a photograph is worth a thousand words, but it's also worth a number of questions as well.
Day 18/365
"Go Left"
I am really drawn to this shot for a number of reasons. First, I think it got me out of a creative slump. I felt like the last few days I was struggling with subjects to shoot and I wasn't entirely happy with the final image that I posted. I feel like this image represents what I need to do to continually create and post a high quality image for Project 365. There's only one way to go and it's up. When most people go right, I need to go left. I need to drive and let a shot come to me, versus me seeking out a shot. In a sense, that's what this image is saying to me: Your next shot is that way. It was raining yesterday and I was inspired by the rain drops on my windshield. I decided to park my car in front of the historic Eldean Bridge in Troy. I started out in the parking lot and shot a number of images from inside the car. The rain drops on my windshield were in focus and the silhouette of Eldean Bridge were in very soft focus. After that, I began driving very slowly over the bridge and I stopped while on the bridge. I took a few shots and this was the result. I love the way the dark bridge surrounds the blue night and my headlights light up the yellow on the sign. It was a perfect storm of lighting and colors. So, with this shot, I hope to continually post an image that surprises you and surprises me. I will strive to post my best image yet each and every time. While I may not always succeed, I will have fun trying. I'm anxious to see where Day 19 takes me.
Day 17/365
"Ice Water"
This is a shot of ice that was coming out of our downspout. The car was parked right in front of it, so I turned the headlights on to add some brightness to the ice. I was also able to get some nice bokeh in the background. It's not my favorite shot of Project 365, but not every shot will be; that's what I have to remember.
Day 16/365
"Uphill Battle"
I just mentioned abstracts in my Day 15 post and here is another one for Day 16. I decided to drop by the Troy, OH skate park yesterday for some photos. Most of the park still had a great deal of snow piled up and there wasn't a single person skating. Regardless, I was able to walk openly through the ramps and equipment and shoot freely. I gravitated towards the steepest ramp; I walked around it for awhile trying to find the perfect angle. This was the winner. I was off to the side of it and perfectly positioned to show the steady incline or decline, depending on which way you're on the ramp. I was also able to capture the curve of the ramp and the snow in the background added to the abstract nature of the final shot. We'll see how this looks later in the year when the snow is melted and the skaters return.
Day 15/365
"Walk a Mile in These Shoes"
We were shopping on Saturday and we were in DSW. I had taken a few images a little bit earlier in the evening, but wasn't particularly sold on any of them. While Brittany was looking at shoes, I headed over to the men's section. I found a pair of shoes I liked and I picked them up. As I turned them over in my hand, I noticed the interesting line pattern on the bottom. I thought it was visually appealing and I wanted to get a shot of it. So, I used the Hipstamatic camera app on my iPhone and this was the result. I've been trying to shoot a lot of abstracts lately; I enjoy taking a shot of something concrete (like the bottom of a shoe) and making it abstract and I think I achieved that with this shot. You'll probably see a lot more abstracts throughout the course of Project 365.
Day 14/365
"A Good Night"
I don't really have a lot to say about this photo. It was at the very end of the night and I was struggling to find something to shoot. Brittany's birthday was earlier in the week and we went out shortly after I returned home from work. After a nice dinner, we had some wine and cocktails at the Cork-N-Vine. Once we were home, Brittany had kicked her shoes off onto the floor. It was one of the few things that intrigued me at the time so I started shooting them. I then added a few props (wine bottle and wine glasses) and staged this shot. I don't typically like to stage shots, but I needed to get a shot I was happy with and the shoes alone were just not that appealing. In the end, it was a good night.
Day 13/365
"And time passes..."
I was photographing the vintage pocket watch that sits on top of my humidor last night. It belonged to Brittany's dad and even though it's not in working condition at the moment, it's a really nice piece. I wanted to do more than just photograph it sitting down, so I started experimenting by holding it in my hand at different angles, shooting at different angles and playing around with the shutter speed. I ended up slowing the shutter speed way down and started moving my hand ever so slightly to achieve the blurred effect that you see above. I liked the ghostly feeling it provided and I thought it was a great representation of what was actually happening at that moment. Time was passing; every second and every minute that went by became a memory. A past moment in time. This pocket watch represents a moment in time when individuals carried these instead of wearing wrist watches; it also represents a memory of a past loved one. Look around your house, your office, your room. Every item is just that; a memory or a moment in time.
Day 12/365
"Nighttime Bokeh"
Last night I was experimenting with street lights, store sign lights and other forms of lighting. I really like the bokeh, or the blur, that you can achieve by using some interesting camera focus techniques
Day 11/365
"Snow Day"
Since a nice layer of snow covered the ground yesterday, I was able to leave work a little early and get out and take some photos. I trekked down to Tipp City and walked around the downtown area for about an hour. I captured a number of snowy images, yet this one appealed to me in the end. It says that it snowed, but it's not your typical "snow covered scene." It also asks the viewer a number of questions. What does that door lead to? Is it a store? Is it someones home? How long has it been there? Who was the last person that used this knob? While there are certainties with this image, there is also a great deal of mystery.
Day 10/365
"A Day in the Shadows"
We have this large floor vase that sits in our living room. I love the shape of it and I noticed its' interesting curvature and the shadows it was casting while I was lying on the couch. I decided to keep the light very low and expert with the silhouette of the vase and the shadows it cast on the wall. I like the final outcome; I am going to enjoy working with shadows and lighting a great deal more this year.
Day 9/365
"A Photographer's Library"
I don't have a great deal to report about this image. It's my stack of Popular Photography magazines. I receive a monthly subscription and enjoy reading every issue. I currently keep them on the coffee table because I enjoy referencing them for information. I'm sure I'll reference them a number of times throughout the entire Project 365 process.
Day 8/365
"Ice Ferns"
I saw these gorgeous ice crystals form on the garage window and knew that I had to take a few images. I love that something so complex can be so simple and that something so simple can be so complex.
Day 7/365
In addition to the recent drop in temperature, it's been pretty busy around the house this week, I've been working on my first paper for my marketing capstone class and I've had to fit my photography in when I can. I was looking for things to photograph last night after leaving the Neon movie theater in the Oregon District. It had just snowed and a light layer was covering everything. The footprints in the snow intrigued me; as I was taking a few shots, the car was warming up and the defrost on the back window created this interesting scene. I really liked the lights, darks, textures and curves that the snow and the defroster created. This was the last image I took before I got into the car.
Day 6/365
Fun "house" mirrors.......I was struggling to find a subject to photograph yesterday. So, as I was walking around the house, I decided to experiment with the mirrors in our bathroom. I took a number of shots and decided that this self portrait would be a good image for Day 6.
Day 5/365
Abandoned........I saw this in the Kohl's parking lot yesterday as I was heading to my bank. It struck me and I knew I wanted to capture it. I didn't have my camera with me at the moment, so I stopped back after work and the scene was untouched. I took a few shots and this was the one I chose. It was the one that clearly said "Abandoned" to me. I gave it black and white treatment in Photoshop CS5.
Day 4/365
As the record spins....A few years ago I got into vinyl. It's had quite the resurgence the past few years and now a number of new releases come out on the classic format. Sometimes I enjoy coming home, putting on a few records and chilling for an hour or so. It's relaxing and it's a great way to experience music. I thought the turntable would make a great photo subject, so I took numerous shots and decided on this one. I had a record spinning and I used a slow shutter speed to achieve the blurred effect of the record and the label artwork, while keeping the focus on the center spoke.
Day 3/365
This sign hangs on the inside of our office door everyday. Our office is small; only two employees. So, there are various times when we won't be present and we'll lock the door and post this sign. Yesterday I looked at this sign and thought, what does that mean? Who will return? What will return? Will whatever it is that is supposed to return be there at exactly at 2:31? Is that 2:31 p.m. or 2:31 a.m.? I felt like this sign was a true representation of the shorthanded nature and decline of the English language. We all know that "text speak" has entered into everyday language and even business emails, but this sign represents that this decline has been happening over the course of many years. How far will this decline go? Will the English language as it was originally established ever return?
Day 2/365
This photo represents two things that I will need to help me reach my Project 365 goal. Coffee and a computer. I use a computer on a daily basis; both at work and at home. I also drink an average of three cups of coffee a day and a Boston Stoker Vanilla Latte with an extra shot is my drink of choice. I relax at the local coffee shop a few times a week and it's one place I like to blog, read and as of yesterday, take photos. My lighting is a little dark, so that's something I plan to work on during the year. The cup being empty reflects my journey in Project 365; it's just starting. But, by the end of the year, it will be full.
Day 1/365
These are the tools that I'll be using to complete my Project 365, in addition to my Canon EOS 50D that I used to shoot the image. I'm very excited about the possibility that all of these cameras hold this year, so I thought it was a fitting image for Day 1.
