You Capture - Work

Taking photos of work...... that is what You Capture is about. Check out the other entries as well.

This was during last week's shoot. It was for our weekly show How Do You Do It? A program where a guest asks us for help with a certain issue in their life. We give them 3 pointers and hopefully help some one along on their journey. This week our guest was Karianne. Only 28 years old and being held back due to illness with symptoms like being tired all the time and practically in pain 24/7. We helped her find new ways to being creative cause boy is she creative and is easily put of because of her pain. A physical therapist showed her new techniques that should be less painful for her body. We also showed her she can still mean something to God and the world cause she was doubting that as well, after all what can she really do for God when she is always in need herself. In this photo you see our host as he was interviewing her.

We went into the studio and challenged Karianne to write a song about her feelings and about God in her life. It turned out to be a great song, one she can bless others with for sure. But yes, I can't just sit still and watch the song unfold, there were plenty of other things to do and so I made my office in the middle of the studio.

Work is a lot more than this, cause I work with her all the time too. And do you see who she's singing with? Daniel Rodriguez. Better known as the NYC cop who worked hard after the 9/11 attacks. When he sang "God Bless America" during a memorial he stole people's hearts and became a full time singer.

And this is a VERY IMPORTANT moment during my workday. Especially when I work out of the home. I get myself going with this, after some hard work I know that this is awaiting me, a great stimulant. Yummy!

There is a lot more to share about my work, but this will do. I am blessed to LOVE my work the way I do.

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