Rachel's Photography Blog

An Interview with Loretta

2008-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Inarritve

2008-12-09T12:50:00.000-08:00

Current Portraits

2008-12-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

Model: Shirley and Ryan

Christmas Shopping Time

2008-12-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

It's about that time of year again...yes, you guessed it Christmas shopping. What should I get grandma? What could I get that has meaning for someone I care about? These are some of the questions that go through people's minds around the holiday season.

A great idea is to look into stores that have arts and crafts available. The images seen here are taken at a Ben Franklin store. Stores like Ben Franklin have many creative items if you decide to make a present. This can give it more of meaning then just picking up a pre-package gift set.

So remember when you are out doing last minute shopping to really think about the gift. Incorporating meaning and time into something can show immensely and make someone's day that much brighter.

So for all those who are read this, have a great holiday season and an awesome 2009!

Thanksgiving in P.R.

2008-11-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

It all started with an hour and a half drive to Priest River, Idaho. I was excited to get to eat some home cooked food and catch up with family.

My mom was cooking up a storm in the kitchen, as well as my sister. They cooked up mashed potatoes, yams, corn, rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and of course.....

...THE TURKEY. Which was amazingly moist and delicious. Food that was also brought over was a custard pie, home-made banana bread, and a buttery spiced acorn squash. There was also a home-made spiced butter made to go on the bread.

Everyone had a good time with food and drink. My family that were there included: dad, mom, Stacy (my sister), Ryan (brother), and Ryan's fiance Shirley. We did recieve a few phone calls from the East coast, more specifically Delaware from my Grandpa and Grandma.

Overall, it was a very good Thanksgiving with lots of food and conversation. After eating a heap load of turkey I practically passed out from the tryptophan in the turkey.

Portraits and Different Lighting Styles

2008-11-12T06:54:00.000-08:00

Lamp Light

Window Light

On Camera Flash/Fill Flash Unit

Strobes/Lighting Kit

Photo Montage: Tombstones

2008-11-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

Portraits of Tearsa

2008-10-26T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tearsa is one of my best friends. I have known her since elementary school. When I got assigned in my portrait class to do an outdoor assignment Tearsa was one of my choices for a model.

She really enjoyed the shoot. And was excited to see the photos and the outcome of our photo shoot.

I shot her in an urban environment and also in more of a nature setting. I think that both settings were very flattering and left me with a variety of shots that I am happy with.

Overall it was a good photo shoot and I think that I have gotten some great images out of it and Tearsa had a great experience.

Portraits of Caroline

2008-10-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

It was a nice day to do portraits. The thing that wasn't so nice was the splitting migraine I had, even so I proceeding to start my outdoor portrait project. I took two models with me. Caroline Hunton is one of those models. I did some landscape portraits as well as some urban.

I am pretty happy with the photos I had taken. Plus I had as much fun as a person with a migraine could possibly have.

Although not all the photos fit the requirements of the portrait assignment, I decided to shot a few that I could possibly use for my portfolio.

Overall I think that I capture Caroline. I feel that there were a variety of flattering shots of her and that it was a great shoot. I especially liked shooting the urban portraits.

Week 4 Quotes

2008-10-19T12:27:00.001-07:00

“Look at the things around you, the immediate world around you,” he said. “If you are alive, it will mean something to you, and if you care enough about photography, and if you know how to use it, you will want to photograph that meaningness.”
-Paul Strand

First of all let me just say, Paul Strand is one of my favorite photographers. This quote shows how deep of an artist he was. For me this quote reminds me of appreciation (in the first part of the quote). Being that we are human things begin to establish meanings at a young age, as we get older and our critical thinking skills develop that are more meanings and deeper thinking upon that subject. Being a photographer, you try to capture that meaning attached to our life. I think that is essentially what one is doing; trying to capture meaning in photos. If that is done well and can affect even just one person, that makes me happy. Art is powerful and makes people happy, think, and appreciate. GREAT QUOTE!

-Rachel Austin

“Your photography is a record of your living--for anyone who really sees,” Strand said. “You may see and be affected by other people’s ways, you may even use them to find your own, but you will have to eventually free yourself from them.”
-Paul Strand

This quote reminds me of starting in the photo program. In 101 class you had to look at lots of examples of other great photographers work. This was incorporated through a lot of the classes. Once you look at what good photography is, you begin to "see" things. No, I don't mean hallucinate things; I mean see things through a cameras point of view in a composing way. After a while you will eventually free yourself from other people's ideas to explore your own. Then you begin to develop a style that is yours. This is truly a rewarding experience and self achievement.
-Rachel Austin

Fall is here!

2008-10-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

Fall is here folks! And it waits for no one. I decided that I would take a nice walk around my apartment complex area which is located on the grounds of historic Fort George Wright.

There were so many beautiful fall colors. I was happy in the moment enjoy the crisp weather, as well as looking at the leaves falling softly to the ground.

Halloween is a fun thing to look forward to in the fall. As I passed a near buy brick house, I saw that people were already thinking about that holiday. It made me smile to see people getting ready for Halloween, as it is one of my favorite holidays.

Today was truly a beautiful fall day. Its nice to just slow down and go for a walk and enjoy how beautiful our world really can be.

Week 3 Quotes

2008-10-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

QUOTES

"The great end of education is, to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers, rather than fill it with the accumulations of others. "

Tryon Edwards

The quote reminded me of how important education really is. It is important to let the mind grow, learn, and think about new ideas or possibilities. Once you open your mind about a subject and start to learn more about it, you can then make your own judgments and opinions and most importantly, ideas, about that subject. There are infinite possibilities with education, and that is an exciting thought.

-Rachel Austin

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; The wise grows it under his feet. "

James Oppenheim

This reminds me of Buddhist idealism. Live in the present, not the future. If you are worried about seeing happiness in the distance, you will not see what happiness could lie right in front of you at that moment.

~Rachel Austin

Week 2 Quotes

2008-10-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

“I visualize a story as a beaded necklace – a pearl necklace- coiled up in the muck at the bottom of the sludge collected at the bottom of your subconscious. When you start yanking on the string, an old string that’s been rotting in the muck for years, the string breaks. But you’ve got one gorgeous pearl left in your hands, and you’re motivated to roll up your sleeves and stick your hand down into the muck to find the rest of the pearls you just barely glimpsed. And one by one you fetch them up. But without their string (the plot; the because-sequence is the string) they come up in a random order. In fact, some of the pearls may not even belong to this necklace.Eventually, when you’ve got them all, you can sit down and make the “outline” of the story. You look at the pearls and your sense of ART tells you which ones go with which – by color and shape and texture and size –and you arrange a set of pearls so the big one is in the middle and the small ones on the end (or however your Art says to do it). At that point, you know which pearls don’t belong on this necklace and set them aside.
-C.J. Cherryh

First of all I have to say this is a very GOOD quote. It makes you look at stories in a visual way. You then connect the visuals the quote introduces and add it to the critical thinking that happens when you read it. Basically it is saying that sometimes when you start writing or coming up with ideas to stories that you may also come up with other ideas for stories later on. You may take some of the ideas and use them or you may take some of them and use them later, even if it is used for a whole other story/concept. Writing and telling stories can be a process with many creative opportunities as an artist to tell your story in many ways. You can arrange (as the quote states) your “pearls” or ideas/concepts however you feel fit because you are the artist. I really enjoyed this quote!
-Rachel Austin

“The method I use now is to present ideas through impressions. Readers immersed in the gradually unfolding impressions will form their own ideas, which might or might not be in agreement with the author’s; that is fine either way. Ideas are like the string that turns the pearls into a necklace. The string is invisible, but it is not dispensable and cannot be broken.”
-A dialogue with MuXin

I agree, when you start to have a story that is being told where the plot or idea/concept is unfolding, the reader will then start creating their own ideas in their head. Many of the readers ideas may be based on their own life experiences or similar stories they have heard or seen through the media or other people. Interesting quote!

-Rachel Austin

Birthday Party Fun

2008-10-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

My real birthday is October 6th, but who celebrates a party on a Monday?! No one. That is why I celebrated October 4th, which was a Saturday. Many decorations were put up at my apartment here in Spokane, Washington.

This egyptian chimes was given to me by my sister who was sweet enough to show up before the party to help decorate. As was a few other friends.

The night was full of great snacks and video games (the Wii) as well as just catching up with everyone. It was a pretty relaxed party with lots of laughter.

The cake was a chocolate ice cream with vanilla whipped frosting. It was very tasty! Three of my friends; Tearsa, Christine, and Jana all helped but a total of 22 candles on the cake.

Overall it was a great birthday party. We also finished the night off by going to a dance club and having some drinks.

Photo Story 9/28/08

2008-09-28T22:05:00.000-07:00

This is a photo story about a college student named Jon.

Jon is a college student at SFCC. He spends most of his time in the Computer building where he is wanting to obtain a A.A.S. in Information Technology. (Establishing Shot)

He is taking 18 credits this fall quarter and doing a 40hour a week job. (Portrait)

He often will drink energy drinks like Wired or Sojo's to help himself to keep going between work, school, and studing. (action shot, hense using a motion blur with him turning papers)

"Studing and doing well in school will pay off in the end and help me to do a job I enjoy." -Jonathan Weidman

Quotes

2008-09-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

“Thinking should be done beforehand and afterwards - never while actually taking a photograph. Success depends on the extent of ones general culture, on one’s set of values, one’s clarity of mind and vivacity”
-Henri Cartier Bresson, Harpers Magazine, November1961

I think this quote is true to an extent. The snapshot isn't exactly thinking before and afterwards. Sometimes if a situation comes (a good photographic opportunity) and you have a camera, you think "this is an important moment" and you just begin to photograph it. In a way, you think that is an important moment, but that moment wasn't planned out or thought about for a long period of time before hand. So sometimes you don't think a whole lot before when it comes to certain types of photography. I do believe it is important, as Bresson says, "never while actually taking a photograph." In a way that reminds me to be in the moment. Take the photo in the moment, be in the moment and that can be very successful. Success really does depend on what is happening in the world, what the world needs to see, what the world wants to see and so forth.

“Pointing a camera at a live event is not journalism. Journalism is sifting the wheat from the chaff and selecting what to include and what to exclude and put things into some sort of perspective”Ted KoppelInterviewed by Marvin Kalb

Part of being a successful photo journalist is selection. Simply taking the photos is not enough. Depending on what perspective and what you want people to see is where the photo comes in. The photo then tells the viewer a story, or a view, or something that is so loud and clear that you can't simply ignore it. Thought, selection, and a photo. That is important in photo journalism.

“Let us first say what a photograph is not. A photograph is not a painting, a poem, a symphony, a dance. It is not just a pretty picture, not an exercise in contortionist techniques and sheer print quality. It is, or should be, a significant document, a penetrating statement which can be described in a very simple term - selectivity”
Bernice Abbot, 1951

I don't completely agree with this quote. More over the part of saying what a photo isn't. I believe, with not just photography but other forms of art as well, it depends on the person to say what that piece of work is. An example would be; let's say there is an image of a clock. It is a red clock with very pointy hands. To someone it may mean waiting at a denist office to be called in, because of a recolection of the image of the clock reminds them of a clock that looked very similar that they recall as a child. To them, that image is fear, apprehension, and nervousness. So I do believe that a photograph could very well BE something to someone. It just depends on the person and how far that photo brings them into something else. Love, one could argue, can be a state of mind. Looking at a photo and remembering can be a state of mind, so why not then, could a certain photo=love or dance or a painting.

However, photography is, I would say, is definally a document. It can be ugly, it can be sad, it could be a lot of things. Infinate possibilities lie within this subject. That is powerful.

My-O-My my first, fresh blog

2008-09-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

This blog was created for the purpose of a class called Photo Media. I have written blogs, never on this site, before. I do enjoy to write, as it can be another creative outlet for myself. I feel that art is not only something that I do, but a part of who I am as a person. After years of self reflection upon who I am and what I want to be, artist was always a word that stood strong.

How did I know that I wanted to get into photography?

It all started in a small town. Very small. So small that we only had one stop light and the local hangout was the Shell gas station. This town, called Priest River, was just over the border of Newport, WA. I felt like I didn't belong at all. Mostly because it was a logging town and constisted of "red-necks" and "hicks." This is no way condeming that life-style or trying to portray a negitive light on this life-style, it is merely stating that it is a life-style I don't find appealing for myself.

Anyways, I moved to Priest River when I was 7. Time went on and I ended up graduating from high school there. I had always taken pictures with my friends when I was younger. We would dress up in different outfits, attempt to do make-up styles, fix our hair, and then we would take silly photos. When I got into high school I realized I really liked art classes more then anything and found myself looking forward to my creative endeavors. Eventually I took a class that would change my whole perspective on art, creativeness, and what not. It was a class called Video Productions.

This class was awesome! I got to write scripts (which I can recall in 3rd grade saying I wanted to be a writer when I grew up), I got to sketch out scenes (which I used to love doodling in class, especially in math YUCK!), I got to direct (I've always had a bossy side to me), I got to use the video camera and choose new and interesting angles (which was super-creative), and I got to edit and ad music (which music is another huge part of my life, I have been singing since I can remember). This was PERFECT!

I put a lot of time and energy in this class. Instead of boring math or snoore-ville biology, I was doing something I loved and it was at school. Could this be? Yes! And it was amazing. I started to think about going to college and pursuing video production, at this point.

After I graduated I moved to Eugene, Oregon. This was more of a rebellion "f**k yeah I'm out of high school and I can do whatever the hell I want." So I moved. I bought a cheap digital camera and started to take pictures to send to my parents and friends to show everyone how I was doing. Then I was asked by my roommate Demian at the time to take some pictures of him for his myspace. So I did. The responce was pretty awesome. He had comments on this images like "wow this is one of the best pics I have seen of you." It made me feel good. Finally someone who I met it Eugene saw this pictures of my roommate and asked if I could do some pictures for his myspace. I told him "yes of course." He then mentioned, "have you ever thought about becoming a photographer or going to an art school for photography?" I never had really thought about photography, just the video productions, and told him, "no, but do you really think I could do something like that?" He then told me that he thought I could do it and that I should look into some schools.

Almost a few years later, some things fell through. These have to do with relationships and yadda yadda yadda, something that I wouldn't feel comfortable posting on a school blog. I still enjoyed taking pictures but didn't know anything techincal about photography. Anyways, I ended up back in Hicksville, USA with the parents. I decided I should look into college and do something positive for myself. That is when one of my best friends at the time said "hey you should go to school with me, I am going to SFCC for photography."

After some time thinking about it, it made sense. I needed to save up some money so I could move to Spokane to go to this school. So I got a job at Wal Mart as a photo technician. The job sucked, but I was learning a little bit about things relating to photography and the money was racking up. All while this was going I was going to school in Newport, WA at an extended learning center ( a branch off the community college of spokane) to get the math, english, and other classes out of the way. This way when I moved to Spokane I would only be taking art and photography classes.

So eventually the day came and I moved. I have been going to SFCC for photography ever since. It has been a rollercoaster ride. But a fun and rewarding one.

"I think the most important thing about photography, except for being able to create, is how much of an appreication I have for life. Even something small, like a leaf, becomes the subject."

-Rachel Austin
inspiring photographer