Smile big

I cheated. I should say that upfront. This weekend i was invited to my friend's place near Boston and I couldn't pass up the opportunity. So the landscapes are cliched skylines. In the North End, there was a loading dock or sanitary plant, something with these really cool intertwining lines from bridges and i wanted to get that. The light wasn't cooperating though, so it's not quite the scene i wanted.

i had fun with the portraits. for the most part i knew what i wanted for each and then just got lucky. It's my dad playing his guitar and i wish i had gotten a more dramatic angle but i was kind of pushing it by even taking the picture of him. the other two are of the same girl but i liked them both. the flowers was impulsive. we were actually just walking around and she stuck her nose in a tree. i got her to hold it and it worked out well. the sleeping one was another happy accident. we were "studying" in the mub when she just dozed off in that position.

the college life collection - the guitar playing slob, the boys playing, and the girls at the china buffet - were similar chances. The slob lives down the hall, heard him playing and asked to get the picture. I was feeling self conscious so i didn't take enough pictures but i wish i had gotten a better angle. or at least got him playing. i really like just natural shots so the china buffet was just us at dinner and i got their funny expressions. for the boys, they didn't know i was taking the shot (they actually objected to it before) so that is why the chair is in it. i didn't edit it because the cropping thing on my kodak software is on strike. ideally i would love to cut out the chair but alas the technology wins this round.

i love walking around with a camera. i think it's fun. a little challenging as i feel i'm always on the look out for a good shot. i realized most of my photography up to this point has been very specific - places or people i want remembrances of, not necessarily images.

it was tough getting people to understand where the pictures would end up, if they would. definitely tricky to get the courage to go and ask someone to stand still while i snap away.

ultimately i used three different cameras - the journalism point and shoot, my own nikon digital, and an slr rebel from the new hampshire office. funny enough the fancy-shancy one from tnh gave me the most grief. i took photos as an intramural game under the flood lights but they weren't coming out. the battery was crapping out and the zoom isn't too impressive so that might have factored into that.

good fun overall. looking forward to doing more.