Week 5 View 52

Week 5 View 52

Ok I am back burns have healed and my pride has been restored from last week’s disasters.

I had an idea of doing a fruit face this week but for some reason the banana would not play ball however now I have the shots I don’t think the banana was needed. This was just a simple fun shot I was not looking for any reason behind it other than the fact I love shooting smoke. But as always I have to look into the photo to try and come up with a name because I love to give the shot a name to help the viewers see what I see and this shot reminded me of the old fairytale story of Snow White. The central part of the smoke reminded me of the mirror from that fairytale and the witches famous saying “Mirror, Mirror On The Wall Who’s The Fairest Of Them All” and as you can see my fruit face is hardly the most attractive, look how big the nostrils appear in the cherry ;0).

As I say this was just for fun this week as I have more pressing issues to focus my attention on as I have my first interview in 16 years tomorrow and have got to look the company history up. I hope you are still as interested in looking at these creations as I am of taking them.

This weeks submission above "Mirror, Mirror On The Wall" 

Thanks For Reading

James

Week 4 View 52

Well what can I say about this no faces, no meaning and no reason. Just an idea I had to try and keep it all about the smoke and what can be done with it.

I knew it was to be a bad day!

I woke up and my first words were not morning dear but shit I forgot to charge my batteries which is never good when married. My wife returned from walking the dog who was due his shower time as he was getting a bit stinky. So decided I would wash him before I set up for the day shooting everything was going fine dog washed time to dry him off and away I go but in the meantime I managed to break the shower which I am going to be in trouble about when the wife comes home as she is lost without a shower where as I am more of a bath kind of guy.

Putting all that aside I set up ready for this shot. On paper this sounds like an easy shot to take but today for some reason it didn’t want to play ball at all. My luck just kept getting worse I have burns all over my hands I set a small area of my backdrop alight and to top it all off I have smashed a total of four wine glasses. I knew the broken glasses would push the missus over the edge so I went out and brought her a new set and as a way of an apology I didn’t replace the glasses with the same glasses I decided to treat her to a nice set mainly to avoid the slap I was about to get lol so this shot cost me a nice bottle of rose (which I never got to taste) and £15 for new glasses plus the electrician I have to get out to repair the shower.

Ok to the paper it’s this easy hang a glass upside down with a wine bottle underneath fire up josh sticks and away you go............. that’s how easy it should of been but common sense was somewhere lost what happens to flame/fire inside a bottle? You got it, it goes out when the oxygen is replaced by carbon dioxide!!! So first attempt failed........... then I blu tacked the josh stick inside the top of the bottle what happens when the hot ash falls off the stick that’s right it drops off right onto my backdrop hence the mini fire (again lost my common sense mental note always put a plate underneath) ok second attempt failed!!!!...... third attempt I forget about the law of gravity what goes up must come down and once I had settled into my third attempt this is when my shoot somehow turned into a Greek wedding (but without the plates) my glasses started flying around the kitchen at this point as the suction cup I was using to suspend the glass lost suction (mental note keep checking the suction on the cup) and eventually I managed to get a hell of a lot of images but only a few came out ok as by this point I was surrounded by glass and very blistery hands so had give up the will to live by this point lol. Even the dog was looking at me with disgrace at this point.

I did have another idea as backup if this didn’t work. But I thought no I will not let the beat me I only want one shot granted it’s not what I had in my head but with the story I thought what the hell its a bit of fun. The image I wanted I think without pro lighting was almost impossible unless I merged two images together but as I don’t have the PS skills for that I will have to return to it again but I will return prepared LMAO.

Now I am off to lick my wounds and heal my pride lol

Pour Me Another this weeks image for View 52

Here is another shot from today Neon Cocktail

Thanks For Reading 

James

A Compelling Story Of A Boy Called Lee

For once this post is not about me or my progress in photography. This is about a very talented photographer Ivor Potter that is currently doing a project called 100 strangers which is basically taking photos of 100 strangers that Ivor knows nothing about and the only time Ivor meets them is when he approaches them in the street. I have not physically met Ivor but we were involved in Practical Photography's Bootcamp together and we virtually met via flickr. Amongst our learning with bootcamp Ivor decided to take up the 100 strangers project, which at the time I was very interested in not from a photography point of view (as I don't have the balls to do it) but more from a how will he get on sort of way. I have seen plenty of candids of unsuspecting people but never of people that actually agree to have there photo taken by a stranger in the street.

I closely watched Ivor's progress (and still do) to see if he actually completes this task (which I know he will) but it was #20 Howay To Hollywood (Jez) when I really stood up and thought wow not just because the picture was taken with time and care but his write up had somehow become more personal, his write ups on his meetings are always good but this one somehow was different simply as he had been waiting a while to get the courage to ask Jez for his photo so you could tell by his write up that he had taken real time getting to know Jez and listen to his life stories. From here Ivor went onto take lots of shots with great stories of students, people with qualifications we all dream to have yet they are on the dole, a bedroom DJ, A guy with an Indian headdress to a guy in a coffin what a mix of people I was thinking.

But today at #62 of his 100 strangers project he really hit me around the chops with his image of Lee a young lad that for one reason or another has found himself on the streets. I will not tell you about Lee as it is Ivor's image and it's Ivor's story to tell so if you would like to read Lee's story click here

The main reason for this post is for people to go and look at Ivor's image read Lee's story and hopefully we all may look at these people on the streets with a different outlook. Yes some are there because of choices they make some are there because they don't want any help and refuse to change. But come on we don't live in the dark ages and we wouldn't treat abandoned animals in this manner. But sometimes it angers me that we can't help our own people in our own country to the point where they get thrown out into the streets yet we can send money all over the world to help others and no this is not a political rant far from it. It's just Lee's image and story hit an emotion not many things hit in me and I thought it would be nice to share Ivor and Lee's meeting.

Ivor I wish you well for your 100 strangers and as I have said before I am sure you will go past 100. The way you take these images is inspirational and the way you get the stories is simply amazing and I am sure I will be following your stranger progress for as long as you are shooting them and I am sure every now and again you will hit me hard with an image that brings an emotion out. Thank you for sharing your 100 strangers with me/us and thank you for your fantastically written stories on there lives I am sure the challenge has changed you I know it has certainly changed me and the way I look at people. If you want to follow Ivor's progress click here

Thanks For Reading
James

Week 3 View 52

Ok here is my submission for week 3 View 52 take one shot per week for a year

I am trying my hardest to keep to one subject for View 52, I know at some stage I will come unstuck and have to change direction. But for me I find I learn more if I keep to a subject. The old saying comes to mind "Jack Of All Trades, But Master Of Nothing" so for this year I have decided maybe not to become a master but more competent with my camera by shooting things I enjoy.

Today I took a series of shots of an apple with smoke but after viewing and viewing all my shots I decided this was the one I was most happy with, and the one I could relate too. After viewing and viewing I found something close to my heart and I am sure other parents will relate. I found that unconditional love we have for our children and if you look at the image you will see the heart (the apple) and if you look up you will see what looks like the back of a child's head emerging from the apple with its arms spread wide looking for the comfort/protection only a parent could offer its a simple reminder how precious life is.

These are a few other image I took of the apple you will find more on my flickr stream

Thanks for viewing

James

Week 2 View 52

Ok here we are on week 2 of My View 52

Of course I had another session with smoke I just keep coming up with new things to try out I just hope I don't burn out too soon (pardon the pun)

The Image above was my main submission for view 52 it is titled Burning Heart and the image below is titled Sweet Heart

Sweet Heart also got voted for picture of the day in the group Creative Tabletop Photography
Burning Heart was on Explore #53 11/01/2011

Thanks For Reading
James

The Start Of View 52 (week 1)

Ok so this is my shot for week 1 of View 52 take one image per week for 52 weeks

Well as most of you know smoke has kind of become my guilty pleasure. But this shot has a far deeper meaning to me in 2011 sadly I watched my whole life turn upside down after losing my business. So basically to me the smoke represents my business going up in smoke and the hand representing clinging onto hope however I vowed to myself for my families sake to turn this bad situation around. So now the image represents the fact I have many opportunities now to start a new life and the smoke represents these opportunities and the hand represents the fact my destiny is now back in my own hands.

So it has kind of a double meaning to me

I don't take many that I have and emotional attachment too I know the hand is not 100% perfect regarding lighting but its an image I will never forget as I have a tie to this one and its meaning.

Thanks For Viewing
James

If you would like to follow View 52 or join in just follow the link

Happy New Year To You All

I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year wherever you are in the world. This year I have decided for me will be one of the most productive years I have had. After losing my business it has given me a great opportunity to restart my life try out new things and look for new jobs I may never have tried if I wasn't given this opportunity. Above all that I would love to improve my photography and to start the year off I have joined a group on flicker called "View 52" which is basically a short version of the 365 project. Basically all you have to do is take one image per week for 52 weeks if anyone would like to join in please feel free to call in at View 52

Thanks Again for Viewing
James