So I admit I've been a little MIA lately, but you have to take that as a sign of me doing my job. I have realized three things while I've been here. Fist, cookies and coffee will truly get you though just about anything. Secondly, I don't care what anyone says but after two consecutive nights of less than 5 hours of sleep, I will do anything for an extra 7 mins of sleep. Lastly, its that Maine Media workshops nurture your soul, your intellect, and creativity in a way that nothing else can. Not being able to blog-----that's a good sign. That means I'm too busy to be able to spend 45 mins recording my sweet nothings onto the nothingness that we call world wide web. I have been to countless artist lectures, gallery openings, and spent hours in front of the computer editing photos, a soiree at Joyce Tenneson's beach house, and hours upon hours of shooting... All in all, halfway through the week, and I'm still hungry for more.
I will attempt to take you through the last couple days as I'm converting files before dinner. Monday was my first day with joyce actually in her class. Most people brought their digital portfolio to share with the class and Joyce. After the critique we delved into some history. We touched on photographers like Richard Avedon, E.F. Bellocq, Norman Jean Roy, Dan Winters, Frida Kahlo, Francesca Woodman, Arno Minkkinen, and many more. we talked about portraits, what makes them powerful in the sense that they captivate us completely, causing us to feel jealous in reverence of the beauty and the moment they inhabit. Monday evening we first attended a presentation of Helen Levitt's work by Jeff Rosenheim, curator of Photographs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Following the presentation we then attended a wine and cheese tasting at Joyce Tenneson's home. We had the wonderful chance of viewing not only her private living space, but her studio as well. I saw so many beautiful large scale originals of Joyce's work. The print quality was impossibly breathtaking and to see into the way she decorates the space that is her refuge is such a privilege. By the end of that day I was ready for bed, but I stayed up till 3:30 am retouching my photos for the next day...
Tuesday morning we critiqued our first assignment, photographed for 5 hours on location, and went to a gallery opening at the MMW Gallery featuring an infrared show. After visiting the gallery, three more artist lecture's followed. I attended Sam Abel's Lecture, a renowned photographer best known for his work for National Geographic. His lecture really meant a lot to me. He spoke to us about getting the photo's we want from things we can't control. He told us that what gives a picture life is the details. He said, "a second is a long time if you are ready for that second." He elaborated further saying that you have to compose, then wait, and be ready for when that moment comes. It really made sense to me. Being young I am so used to making sure Im moving quick enough on to the next best thing. Here he was telling me to wait for the perfect moment. I think what was interesting to me was this idea of perfection. I'm not talking about mom telling you about perfect, your first employer telling you you are the perfect applicant, I am talking of cover, publish-worthy, timeless perfection. He was saying that you will never know how close you could be to that sort of perfection unless you wait until it is resolved... What a concept...
Today was a great day! Things are going really well for me here. I thought I would be more upset but I am feeling better about the use of a reflector and using available ambient light. I never knew how efficient those tools were. I always considered them as blunt tool and not something I could ever be particularly fond of, but the amount of subtle soft lighting that can be achieved is amazing. The models the workshop provides are all really beautiful, which I think is the only downside of the class so far. I wish we were to have more mature people, maybe some who are less comfortable with themselves. I would like to have the challenge of making them feel beautiful, luxurious, and confident. Getting more intimate with strangers in my photos is coming slow but steady. I excited to look through all my images (30 left to import and convert). I hope that critique is intense tomorrow. I am ready for people to tell me that I did horrible. Tonight are several more lectures, including Joyce's. After seeing her commercial work this morning which had excerpts from the rarely seen unpublished book she is working on, I am very excited to hear her ideas on marketing. I wish I had more time to say things and reflect. Everything is so face paced here, I am slightly overwhelmed...
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