k8et's ramblings

Reflection in the balcony doors

So this past week I’ve been putting off my writing and photo assignments for the e-course. Work got busier, and I just don’t tend to carve out time for myself at home for anything like this, especially during the week. I was however watching my reflection and shadow wherever I went, often wishing I could capture something that I knew was impossible, especially with the iphone camera.

Add to that, my patience and perfection issues are being tested.  I got my first partial rolls developed from my fisheye and colorsplash cameras.  Now, beyond the operating issues I have been having with them, I have some internal things as well to work on.  I visualized how certain photos would come out.  I couldn’t wait to see them.

Well, most of them didn’t come out too well.  The bundles of film that I got – which were a good deal – were 100 speed film.  It’s not like I never shot film before, and it’s not like I don’t set the ISO on my digital camera.  But many shots I expected to turn out, didn’t.  Even on fairly sunny days, you can barely see the image it’s so dark. The whole series of photos I started last Sunday that I looked forward to most were the most disappointing, as I saw how amazing they were through the fisheye viewfinder.

It’s a learning curve.  But you know what? I somehow expected my first attempts to be really good, only to get more amazing as I learned from them.

I know, it’s silly to be so hard on myself.  But I splurged a good deal of money on the two cameras, and a shit-ton of film (because bundled, 20 rolls cost the same as 5!)  I will eventually put the pictures on the computer – since of course I spent more to get a CD as well as print – but I’m still sitting with these feelings about the whole thing.

I did break out my good camera and get some photos for this week’s assignment, and even one with my feet and Random’s that I had been wanting to get since last week.  The immediate gratification of the digital – along with the instant KNOWLEDGE of what works and doesn’t work…. Sigh.  I know there’s a magic to the old style of film, I just hope I have the patience and dedication to work with it.  Luckily, ISO 100 should be just perfect for daytime shots at Burning Man, and I’m still planning on taking the cameras there.

Still have only 1 of the first 4 writing exercises done, but Susannah says we should go at our own pace.  I just don’t want that pace to be slacking so much that I never finish.  It’s not like we get grades or anything, but the purpose of the course is to get something out of it – and you only get out what you put in.

Well, I’m going to wrap this up – it’s been a productive weekend so far, planting flowers on my balcony, packing for Playa Del Fuego (next weekend! WHEE!!) and we’re figuring out plans for the rest of tonight and tomorrow.  Letting the unravelling continue and just trying to be aware of the process, and see what happens.

Have a great weekend!

Poppet among the truffula tree plants and demon plants. Yeah it's a curious way to choose plants at a nursery, but they are fun!

Trapped in a grey cubicle.

If you wonder why my photos over the next 8 weeks take to a theme, it’s for the Unravelling e-course. I’ll share some photos and some writing here, but to keep the integrity of the course I will not be posting everything or our given exercises.

These shoes are great for inbetween weather, where your feet want to be barefoot or in flip flops (because we recently had 90 degree days in April) but it’s raining and cool out, and the office is kept as cold as a meat locker.

I rarely wear skirts to work, and wore this one today – thinking I’d be ready to part with it in the Great Bedroom Purge.  While it is a little large on me, it’s not falling off, and I’m debating it.  But unless I wear it more often, I should be tossing donating it.

The pairing reminds me of arguments with my mother.  In high school we wore a uniform (yup Catholic school!), white blouse, plaid skirt and kneesocks, with the option of pants/shirts/sweaters that were white, navy, or hunter green.  I hated pairing black shoes with navy – like nails on a chalkboard I couldn’t do it.  Not that I’m very fashionista, but just my innate sense of how color theory SHOULD work, it was wrong.  Since I didn’t have navy shoes, I’d wear brown.  My mom thought this was just as wrong as I felt about black.

Seems a quick google shows the black vs brown battle has no clear winner.  Some contend that the shoes must be as dark or darker than the outfit (seems to be a definite rule in menswear), but others offered recommendations of different colors altogether which are lighter.  Yikes.  Well, with the white and light blue pinstripes, maybe my warm brown shoes are a fashion offence.  But I’m happy and comfortable, so if anyone gives me a hard time I’ll just kick them with my awesome shoes.  😛    Hey look – my blog theme is blue and brown.  If it works in graphic design, why not in fashion???

Rainbow socks brighten a rainy day!

Put on this pair of pants today that I haven’t worn in years.  Lost weight but still kindof in between sizes, as they are tight, and short, but all the better to show off my socks! 😀

My shoes are my daily shoes that I wear to work – so comfortable unless really walking long distances – dansko clogs.  Photo taken on way to get lunch at the building next door, because if I tried taking one in my cubicle my coworker may think I’m strange.  (By now most of them should KNOW I am!  But I didn’t feel like fielding questions.)

So I thought about doing some retail therapy this morning.  Given the nature of the unravelling ecourse, I hopped back over to the Lomography site.  I had drooled over some of their items before, and almost got the disposables with color flash filters for Burning Man.  But given the lower price of the actual cameras, it makes more sense to get a regular one – I won’t care TOO much if it gets destroyed by the dust, but with a little caution it should be fine.  (I never would risk my DSLR.  Yeah it’s not top of the line, but I couldn’t replace it if something happened.)

I was happily perusing when I was called away by my boss, and much to our surprise – our project group got gift checks for meeting an important deadline!! So when it came down to it, I couldn’t choose between a fisheye and a colorsplash, and I got both.  Just over double what I would have wanted to spend, but half was covered by my bonus. (Free shipping, and bundled with a bunch of film which cost less than half the price of buying it separately.)

Next time, maybe it will be an instant camera (Susannah who teaches the course loves polaroids…) or one of the multi-lens options (I linked to 3 of the varieties but there’s a few more.)

Notice how well my reward inspired me to work hard today? 😛  Knowing the crunch that will happen before the deadline (which keeps changing), I know I’ll be working like crazy regardless of how little or much gets done now.