void of color

I have to admit this was probably one of the hardest themes for me, I am inspired by color first and foremost. In its absence I'm a little lost. I know that I am not drawn to an object solely based on color. Palm tress aren't especially colorful but the are no wall flower either. When I looked up at the giant I was struck by the glistening palm fronds and its perfect symmetry. The light shining through lent itself for some good contrast so I decided this was a good candidate to concert to black and white.

I saw the same symmetry in this dandelion photo in the Mortal Muses Flickr group by Design by Nicola. I love dandelions in black and white, her composition and shallow depth of field make it float across the page.

The desert-scape void of all color has plenty of texture to play up. The noon day sun give the jumping cholla are misleadingly soft look. Don't be fooled these plants have the ability to eject needles (with force) if you brush up against it.

Lacey branches, rolling mounds of grass and a setting sun were all competing for attention in the color version. I quieted everything down by removing the color so the eye could float around and just enjoy the shapes for a little while.

Sometimes all you need to do to make a stronger visual impact is simplify your photo. You can achieve this without cropping by making it void of color. Try it on your next landscape on a photo with strong shapes or texture. See if converting it to black and white reveals something completely different and new.

Lindsey aka modchik

ripples, reflections and refractions

Water is my canvas, my backdrop that comes in a myriad of shades of blue. I love the depth of the blue you see across different bodies of water from the deep dark indigo ocean to the turquoise sparkle of a plaster filled pool. There isn't anything more soothing to me then a blanket of ripples and reflections.

Water bends light in a way that both captivates and confuses me. Have you ever tried focusing on the surface of a sloshing pool? Capturing the soft rhythm of waves of water can be difficult. When I stand over a pool of water my focus will always be on the light refracted through the water. The blue serving as a background in this case for a map of white ribbons bending and swirling. Its almost a bit surreal.

Precisely my thoughts when I came across Kathy's (SightSpecific) photo. I am in love with the way the ripples look like the work of paintbrush washing over this lovely child and her pink hat. Truly a bit surreal and very much impressionistic. 


In this case DON'T stay dry, go get wet, play in the water and make your own art in the rain!

Lindsey | the modchik

the universe is made of stories by SightSpecific

looking in as an outsider

I recently went on a trip for a few days to city that had me feeling like a real outsider looking in. Everything about this place was dramatically different than home. Most noticeable was the color palette. Temperatures outside low enough to obliterate any a hint of green, this was not the land of palm trees and manicured lawns. Camera in pocket I set out to looking to capture images that would bring back those memories some day.

At the base of this beige monolithic brick and mortar hotel there was was a row of windows offering a glimpse through a busy hallway into the windows of a toy store. The glow of the lights and carefully color coordinated displays were a magnet to the young and old.

I called this How Much is that Monster in the Window.

Using windows is one of the easiest ways to frame and draw the eye inwards. You may find yourself leaning in for a closer view of what lies just beyond. Center focus helps direct the eye as well. 

When I searched for an image to feature from the Mortal Muse Flickr Group I knew quickly that my choice was Montacute House 2 by Gitte Morten. I was immediately drawn in past the moss covered opening and into a courtyard with tiny bokeh people I could just barely make out. There was also another layer to this photo that I loved the darkened doorway. Reminds me of a secret door that you just can't resist to find what's behind it. Thank you Gitte for sharing this image with us.


Lindsey | the modchik

monochromatic landscapes

I am not going to lie living in Southern California there isn't much to complain about. The weather forecast usually reads something like: sunny mid to upper 70s for the next five days. We wear bathing suits under our holiday clothes and apply sunscreen on Christmas. All that sunshine can make it difficult to capture the imperceptible weather shift come January.

I can tell its winter right now, we are seeing less blue and more gray. Everything monochromatic.  Leaves drop and shadows run long. Converting shots to black and white help me squeeze every drop of winter I can out of an image.  My favorite way to enhance lacy tree branches is to convert to black and white and add contrast.

Bright days of sunshine are common in the high desert, the chaparral goes dormant while the cactus lies in wait. The sun low in the sky casts a misleading softness to the needles. I see things differently with each season. I think the ambient light of wintertime brings out great detail you otherwise miss on a sunny filled day. A winter day can provide a nice neutral canvas to highlight your subject like the corroding scrolls of this iron gate. Winter is the perfect canvas.

 

untitled by *esra*

fresh prints

I have packed away everything that symbolizes the end of the year. Gone are the red and green and strings of glowing lights. I want every last shred of 2011 packed away in those boxes, I don't want a repeat of that year again. I would prefer a fresh start. 

At the end of each year I have my own ritual of writing down the things I need to say goodbye to and tossing them into the flames. The next morning on New Years day I write the list of things I welcome in the coming month. I clutched those scraps of paper with words like health, clarity and resolve scribbled on them and headed to the beach. As I walked along the shore in conversation with the sea I  looked down at a fresh set of footprints, they looked to be about a child size 11, I know this because my daughter has tiny feet. I noticed the perfect sand compression and admired the strong arch. Five little toes all in a row. 

The footprint is no match for the tides and soon it will be erased and replaced.

In 2012 let's all begin a new year with a sense of exploration and wonderment with the hope that tomorrow will bring you one step closer to your dreams. 

I love the tracks that tmosnaps captured by the sea in the photo chosen today. The footprints trails off into the ocean, like a beautiful sunset, a sea full of possibilities or "a journey to somewhere" as tmosnaps said.

Lindsey | the modchik

solo by tmosnaps

many muses musing - JOY

10 more days till Christmas!! Yippeee by ~mimo~

I love when JOY is expressed in unabashed glory. Children have the advantage over us without hang ups and total lack of self-awareness at times. I wish I had the ability to express that kind of pure JOY so openly and freely. Capturing that brings JOY to me.

Wanting to keep that JOYful feeling all year long? Today's giveaway is for a FREE 30 page Keepsy Photo Album or Calendar. Keepsy allows you to import your photos from your Flickr, Instagram, Picasa or Facebook account. In a few simple steps you'll create your own hardbound book or calendar to keep forever.



Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. You can share what brings you JOY, or just leave any old comment to enter. (max 2 entries per person)

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: SHARING

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

Lindsey G aka modchik

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and the next theme is...WARMTH

As November approaches and the temperatures in most parts of the world begin to dip we find ourselves seeking warmth in different ways. Some of us find it and wrap our hands around it.

Keeping Warm by Trevellion

While of some of us create it with a simple wick and a flame.

Winter Warmth by Holly (Souptraveler)

Others head south following the fireball in the sky.

A Round Sun by Marina Sorr

During the next two weeks we are trying to translate that feeling of warmth through our viewfinders. You may find it in a roaring fire, a cup of coffee or wrapped tightly in a blanket. So grab your hot cocoa and fuzzy slippers, join us by sharing your warmth photos in the Mortal Muses Theme Group on Flickr. We look forward to seeing how much heat you can generate. :D

cold mornings hot tea by Lindsey (modchik)

Lindsey | the modchik

my sanctuary

Instead of planning vacations I string up lights. Instead of wishing I was on an airplane I wish upon the stars. I wish for more time in my favorite room of the house, the backyard.

Living in Southern California has its perks one of them being mild weather. What we lack in seasons we make up for in balmy temperatures. We can eat dinner outside well into November with nothing more than a light cardigan, I can't complain. I spend many evenings gathered under the umbrella enjoying a glass of wine with my camera. I take photos of the wine then the candles then the candles reflecting IN the wine, its all good.

On this particular day we had just finished dinner and the rest of the family scattered. The sun had been down for maybe an hour and there was a beautiful ceiling of indigo happening. If I could paint a room in the same colors I would.

The Mortal Muse Pool proved once again to be a wealth of inspiration when writing. I came across this beautiful image from naomiella I am a big sucker for flare. I love the relaxed feeling something I strive for but seems to elude me in my own home.

Lindsey of modchik-photography

let the sun shine by naomiella

tuning out

No one likes self portraits. Its one of the hardest things you'll encounter. You will take a deep breath and fire off a million shots only to find yourself scrutinizing over the slightest sign of aging or flaw. It's natural after all we are our own worse critic. We see things through the most harshest of filters, our ego.

When I was doing a daily prompt class last year we had an assignment for self portraits. My stomach clenched, after all I had just finished a painful audit with the IRS and personally was in no shape mentally or emotionally to turn the scrutiny of the lens upon myself. I trotted out the camera and figured out how to use the timer and just sat there staring with no idea what to try to express. How do you express the feeling of numbness? When I went back through the 20 or so images, there were a few that just totally missed the focal point and what I was left with was the photo above, myself through a fog of blur. But that was EXACTLY how I was feeling so out of focus and that's when I knew that this was in fact the most perfect and accurate capture of myself. I treasure this photo, it reminds me of where I was and how far I have come from that feeling of emptiness.

As I went through the Mortal Muse Pool I came across this beautiful image from photoangie the combination of saturated colors, textures and blur are so dreamy and absolutely timeless. Red and turquoise are one of my favorite color combinations. The polka dots make me very happy a welcome departure from days passed.

Lindsey of modchik-photography

blur with dots by photoangie

magnifying glass

Getting into a macro state of mind is a lot like meditating for me. I need to get into a very small space that requires patience, stillness, focus and breath control. When you settle in on one small area you may be drawn to a certain texture or pattern. In the photo above it was both. The meticulously spaced rows of snail shells on Buddha's head gives way to waves of texture and details in the eroding edges. As I moved in closer it reminded me of barnacles. Use your macro lens like a magnifying glass. You will find that the beauty is in the details.

Bugs are one of my favorite subjects to zoom in on. They always have beautiful patterns and fuzzy parts that are barely visible like the hairy legs of a dainty ladybug. I am drawn to the juxtaposition of the this fragile little bug with her shellac-like hard shell top captured by Grimble2010. I feel like a have been shrunken down for a bugs eye view, reminds me there is a whole other world down there beneath our feet just waiting to be explored.

Lindsey of modchik-photography

seven spots by Grimble2010

baby blues

When I am photographing children, namely little people that have never met me before, I try to maximize that initial interaction within the first few minutes of our meeting. Usually they are confused why a faceless body is coming at them with a big black thing within a few inches from their nose, you can see it in their faces.

Often there are times when I have to gently tell the parent I would rather have the child not say cheese and instead just let them be themselves. 9 times out of 10 I am able to capture a far better portrait rather than a forced grimacing toothy smile. Letting kids just be makes them more at ease and more apt to give you a smile that comes out of happiness and joy versus a swift parental command.

The photo above was taken within seconds meeting this little guy, it was about the 6th or 7th frame, he kept looking around not very interested in sitting still, after all he was only 2. I managed to get him to look right at the lens when I told him a little bird lived inside. Look, can you see him inside? Click. Done.

Eyes have been a favorite focal point in my portrait work. I love the contrast between the neutral canvas-like skin and the pop of color the eyes can bring. That is precisely what drew me in to the photo below by Rebecka Bjurmell. Not only do you have the vibrant red hair you have the complimentary green eyes that jump off the milky white canvas of her skin making for a beautiful face and photograph.

Lindsey of modchik-photography

olivia by rebecka bjurmell

not filling the void

I love negative space I really do, there is something so soothing about it. The void helps to direct my attention giving it just the right amount focal command. The juxtaposition between form and space can be a beautifully captured as light and dark, colorful and neutral or stark and opulent, the combinations are endless just like the negative space that surrounds them.

I took the photo above on a recent trip to a region in Southern California called Temecula. Just 75 miles north of Mexico, the area is unique in that its arid, almost desert like in the summer time, yet draws in the cool coastal air of the Pacific. Perfect conditions for growing grapes. This time of year the vineyards are approaching crush season with dark purple fruits hanging low off the vine. The contrast to the dusty crop dirt provided the perfect canvas to celebrate such colorful fruitful crops.

Looking through the Mortal Muse group I had a hard time choosing, all the negative space in the pool was drawing me in. I came upon Cathy 423 and her lovely photo of the delicate new shoot rising up among the rocks and moss. Its two leaves immediately alerted me to our last them two but it completely says negative space for me with that dark grey background. I love the contrast of light and dark in the bright green leaves against the abyss like background. Well done.

Lindsey of the modchik

untitled by Cathy 423

two is better than one

When I started to go through my photos for my inaugural Mortal Muses post I'll be honest I felt a twinge of anxiety. I worried that it wouldn't be enough, it wouldn't wow or win the crowd over and on top of it there was a theme, two. That kinda threw a wrench into my plan of shock and awe or at the very least dazzle them with pretty bokeh.

I looked through the last few weeks of photos and I came across one in particular that I took at the local swimming pool. As I walked around the perimeter I couldn't help but notice objects began pairing up. Flippers, goggles, floating noodles they all seemed to be coupling. Sometimes a brief burst of hot summer air would swoop in and disperse the pool floats but even then I noticed there still was two, one above and one below and if you look very closely, one reflecting.

A repeat pattern whether it be a replicate item or just a shadow adds strength balance. I am especially smitten when that object happens to be lotus flowers. I think Brenda found the perfect balance with this paring.

Lindsey aka modchik

Two of a Kind by ♥ Brenda ♥