This is my first attempt at blogging from my iPhone.

I enjoy doing photomemes, as they push me to do deliberate photography. I tend to wander with my camera, and take shots as they appear to me. Sometimes I go somewhere deliberately to focus on a specific type of photo, like a garden or the aquarium, but usually my photography is not deliberate or premeditated. If you do them in a disciplined way – taking a photo after you know the theme, as opposed to searching through your archives for a photo that fits – photomemes can be wonderfully challenging.

This photo was submitted for a meme, whose theme was Competitive. Expressing/Evoking emotion through a photo is the sign of a gifted photographer. I’m not really sure this photo gets the emotion across, although the two men are definitely competing. I think, that as much as I like this photo as a street shot, it almost focuses more on the gentleman who is watching, and so I fall short of the goal of expressing competitiveness. I didn’t really go out and deliberating try to express it, and that’s part of why it just doesn’t work.

I admit I often search my archives for a photo to suit a meme, but I know it’s the lazy way out for me, and that I cheat myself. I wondering if having a photo-buddy would work, much like a work-out buddy does, and would help me to push myself a little harder.

Food for thought?

(This photo is part of a series of street photography I’m working on that will capture the many types of people you see in the streets of Vancouver, BC.)

I really like playing with colour, and evoking moods. Since this fountain detail photographed pretty grey-scale I thought it would be a good candidate for some colour treatments. One of the great thing about digital photography was that I was able to make several versions of this photo using different colour treatments. I liked the yellow-ish treatment best, it made me think of the dry, sunburnt places where grapes grow. Very appropriate for this bacchanalian fountain detail.

I also love how this composition resembles a face, with a very thirsty, gaping mouth. Makes me crave a cool glass of white wine. Bottoms up!

Great example of good capture, bad exposure. ::sigh::

One thing I loved about my old job were all the opportunities to capture the kids in photographs. Portraiture can be very boring unless done well. I wouldn’t call this a portrait so much as a moment of childhood captured. Something like this should evoke warm memories – and a reciprocal smile – if done right.

Playing with contrast and texture. I look forward to being able to do more with simple photos like this by learning Photoshop. This was not taken with my DSLR, and the lighting was not optimal, which made it a good candidate for experimentation. (I took it in the bathroom of a chinese food restaurant.)

My lovely friends are always encouraging me in my photography, usually on my composition. One thing I’ve come to realize is that there are two sides to composition, seeing it when it’s in front of you, and creating it out of bits and pieces.

This is one of the few attempts I’ve made so far of creating a whole composition out of bits and pieces. As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t come naturally to me, not one of my strong points. This photo is not bad, but I’m pretty sure this is an area I’ll have to really work on.

I’m looking forward to it. After all, what’s the point of taking classes if you don’t look forward to learning something?

In honour of Halloween, today’s photo from the vault is a lovely she-goyle that resides in the area of Yaletown, in Vancouver. I like the lines and angles she creates in this photo and the unexpected warm tones. I don’t do enough architectural photography, I don’t think.