Another Self Portrait

There was one other photo I took in the self portrait series.

Photo Academy Course

One course finishes up, the other continues. And I love the Photo Academy one. We were given many many assignments. We had class today and it was just so nice to be focused on photography only today, such a delight.

My Self Portrait Series

My series photos to accompany a story about a girl who was placed under state custody. Of course this is all made up, this is a girl in my class. This assignment was given during class and we had 15 minutes to come up with a story for a magazine and suitable photo.

My kind of break - iPhone Photos

Today I worked partly out of the home. And the nicest thing about it is that you take the strangest breaks. Like this one, I went into the woods behind my house where there is plenty of opportunities to ice skate on the ponds. It's been 20 years since I stood on my speed skates. I didn't go for long, just a few laps but it was the best break ever! And winter really isn't bad this way!

Want to see how others experience their winter? Go to IShouldBeFouldingLoundry

My kind of day

Today is definitely my kind of day. It's snowing outside, it's warm inside with hot tea or cocoa and whipped cream and lots and lots of cooking. I have slowed down with work which is a delightful thing (and much needed). One must not forget why we're here. It's to be rooted, not to be lost. It's to create and get close to oneself and thus others.

I have time again to get lost in the kitchen and I love it. I picked up some Amish Recipes. I understand once again why Amish women are so busy in the kitchen, they're making everything from scratch, like I did today. It just doesn't get any better. I started at 9.30 am. Weird enough I started with cooking dinner. Oh well, my breakfast turned out to be desert.

Amish Chicken Loaf

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (not Amish ;) And before they went into the oven.

Dinner was delicious, so yummie. Good thing I can eat it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next...

Of course the day wouldn't be complete if I didn't go outside. Before you know it, the snow will be gone. We were supposed to get a real blizard but in this part of Holland it wasn't all that bad, I would have loved more.

Portrait Photography Course - The way he sees himself

I have totally neglected my Portrait Photography Class. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, I was making good choices. Although it was hard for me to let go, I needed to with too much on my plate. Coming Tuesday is our last class and I am not sure if I will be going. I am still 2 assignments short so I am not sure there is a point to going if I can't bring any work.

Either way, I did accomplish our third assignment. Mine turned out pretty gross. Sorry about that. It is what I wanted it to be. And it wasn't easy, being in a slaughter house and not eating too much meat and all.

The assignment: Find out the way your models sees himself. Or find out his dreams, what would he be if he wasn't what he became? Well, that were hard questions for my model. Boer Piet is just very content with his life. He has no dreams, never had them. I know it's hard to believe that but believe me, I interviewed him for a long time, and interviewing is my job. He did mention that if he wasn't a farmer, he would probably sell meat one way or the other. And so I took him to the abbatoir, a place where he takes his animals to be slaughtered... it was quite the experience. I loved it. Although I am not such a meat eater and the smell of death and blood was in my nose for weeks, I always love seeing and learning new things, and this was so new to me.

The Contact Sheets. As you can tell I tried different areas in the slaughter house. And as often happens, what I had in mind first came out best. I didn't even print out the others. It wasn't what I wanted.

And my picks

Portrait Photography Course - Environment

Yes, the Portrait Photography Course is still going. More about that later. Here is my second assignment. Take a photo of your model (the same one, remember, my neighbor farmer) and shoot him in his environment.

We're working with Contact Sheets. That way our teacher can see what we were after, and how we went to work. It's been real beneficial, a true must have if you ask me. I started this assignment with shooting the environment and to see what stood out for me. Piet has a small home and his kitchen is very characteristic, very old like and I love it. It was quite a hassle doing a shoot in this tiny room but I got exactly what I wanted. (You can actually click on the contact sheet to get an enlargement.)

My pick at the end