Merry Christmas, Darling, and happy Anniversary.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Countdown: 5 Days
The next five posts are going to be my countdown until our first year anniversary so if you're allergic to mush, I suggest you AVERT YOUR EYES!
Friday, June 5, 2009
First Shots
Anticipation can be a funny thing. It can make hours seem like days and make days seem like lifetimes. When we wait for something that we want so bad, we can drive ourselves up the wall, daydream like crazy thinking about it and do other stupid things like look up stuff about it just so we can fool ourselves into thinking we are inching closer to the thing we want.
Honestly, it's a very cruel and unusual torture, but one that makes the end result that much sweeter.
Some can relate how it felt those Christmas Eves when we know payday is coming the next few hours. Some of us remember how those last hours feel before the work week ends. And we can all tell stories of how good it feels when we finally find a bathroom after that DEFCON 1 alarm goes off telling us the floodgates have been compromised.
For me, that moment of release came yesterday after I finished scanning the negatives that, ironically enough, had me going crazy with wait last weekend.
These pictures were the first out of my "new" Yashica Mat-124G Twin-Lens Reflex Medium Format Camera. Being in this digital age, the age of high definition and high-speed Internet, my fully manual, antique of a camera has helped me find something that was often overlooked with my photography: patience. The kind of patience that only comes after you have performed each step from winding the film, to checking your light meter and adjusting your aperture and shutter speed to compensate, to flipping open a magnifying glass just so you can focus properly, to unlocking the shutter and finally taking the picture. Somewhere in all those steps, the scene can be contemplated and the composition really thought out. It can really test not just your technical skills, but also your creativity, even if your subject is not willing to wait that long. But when you finally take that picture, and send it off to be processed, and come back the next day to pick it up, and wait a few more days to get it scanned instead of shoveling out a few more bills to get the pictures printed and look at the picture you took...
Man, is it sweet.
Yashica Mat-124G
Lomography B&W ISO 100, 120 film
Honestly, it's a very cruel and unusual torture, but one that makes the end result that much sweeter.
Some can relate how it felt those Christmas Eves when we know payday is coming the next few hours. Some of us remember how those last hours feel before the work week ends. And we can all tell stories of how good it feels when we finally find a bathroom after that DEFCON 1 alarm goes off telling us the floodgates have been compromised.
For me, that moment of release came yesterday after I finished scanning the negatives that, ironically enough, had me going crazy with wait last weekend.
These pictures were the first out of my "new" Yashica Mat-124G Twin-Lens Reflex Medium Format Camera. Being in this digital age, the age of high definition and high-speed Internet, my fully manual, antique of a camera has helped me find something that was often overlooked with my photography: patience. The kind of patience that only comes after you have performed each step from winding the film, to checking your light meter and adjusting your aperture and shutter speed to compensate, to flipping open a magnifying glass just so you can focus properly, to unlocking the shutter and finally taking the picture. Somewhere in all those steps, the scene can be contemplated and the composition really thought out. It can really test not just your technical skills, but also your creativity, even if your subject is not willing to wait that long. But when you finally take that picture, and send it off to be processed, and come back the next day to pick it up, and wait a few more days to get it scanned instead of shoveling out a few more bills to get the pictures printed and look at the picture you took...
Man, is it sweet.
Yashica Mat-124G
Lomography B&W ISO 100, 120 film
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Test Shots
Last weekend, Ria commissioned me to take her son Devon's 8-month pictures. If you recall, I was asked to take Devon's five-month pictures, the entry of which can be seen here. Back then, I thought that that would be the end of it, but I guess my work was so good that she brought me back three months later for round 2.
...Or maybe I was the only one that was willing to do it for a Sonic burger...
Either way, I had a job to do. So, I showed up at their house with my gear and my lovely assistant Meng. This time around, she had some idea of what she wanted out of this shoot, so I went ahead and created a set. When things were in place, I decided to take some test shots to make sure my lighting was decent. I asked my assistant to take a seat and this is what came out of my camera:
Really wish I didn't chop off her fingers here...
Inspiration can come when you would least expect it and Sunday was no exception. Is it too selfish to say that these shots were my favorite out of the whole shoot?
...Or maybe I was the only one that was willing to do it for a Sonic burger...
Either way, I had a job to do. So, I showed up at their house with my gear and my lovely assistant Meng. This time around, she had some idea of what she wanted out of this shoot, so I went ahead and created a set. When things were in place, I decided to take some test shots to make sure my lighting was decent. I asked my assistant to take a seat and this is what came out of my camera:
Really wish I didn't chop off her fingers here...
Inspiration can come when you would least expect it and Sunday was no exception. Is it too selfish to say that these shots were my favorite out of the whole shoot?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Sushma's Wedding
Lots o' stuff to talk about so I guess I'll start with this event.
Once upon a time, there was a girl who went to UIC. This girl was a pre-med Biology major who also played the flue. One day, girl meets boy and the so the story goes. Flash forward and the girl is now a student at Midwestern University and it close to finishing up her courses to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, but before that could happen, she gets married. She had decided to have a traditional Hindu wedding and tried to make it as authentic as possible this side of India. She hires a decorator that turned a simple conference room into a Hindu wedding shrine. She hires a couple of guys to play traditional Indian music to set the atmosphere. She hires caterers to cook up traditional (and vegetarian) Indian food. She hires Indian tailors to sew traditional Indian clothes and hires a couple of Hindu priests to make sure she does indeed get married that day. Everything was set. Everything was perfect. Everything was beautiful. Everything was ready. She was so excited and I was equally as excited to be able to attend and get as many pictures as I could of this truly unique wedding. So why can't I remember the groom's name?
Bride
Groom
Decor
One Second Before They Say "I do."
"I Do."
Bridesmaids
Guests
And they lived happily ever after. The End.
Full photo set here.
Sushma's Wedding
Stevenson Convention Center
April 25, 2009
Once upon a time, there was a girl who went to UIC. This girl was a pre-med Biology major who also played the flue. One day, girl meets boy and the so the story goes. Flash forward and the girl is now a student at Midwestern University and it close to finishing up her courses to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, but before that could happen, she gets married. She had decided to have a traditional Hindu wedding and tried to make it as authentic as possible this side of India. She hires a decorator that turned a simple conference room into a Hindu wedding shrine. She hires a couple of guys to play traditional Indian music to set the atmosphere. She hires caterers to cook up traditional (and vegetarian) Indian food. She hires Indian tailors to sew traditional Indian clothes and hires a couple of Hindu priests to make sure she does indeed get married that day. Everything was set. Everything was perfect. Everything was beautiful. Everything was ready. She was so excited and I was equally as excited to be able to attend and get as many pictures as I could of this truly unique wedding. So why can't I remember the groom's name?
Bride
Groom
Decor
One Second Before They Say "I do."
"I Do."
Bridesmaids
Guests
And they lived happily ever after. The End.
Full photo set here.
Sushma's Wedding
Stevenson Convention Center
April 25, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Analogue Love
Presenting the Yashica Mat-124 G Medium Format Twin-Lens Reflex Camera!
Isn't it cute?
I found this baby at the Randolph Street Market Festival last Sunday. Well, truth be told, I can't take all the credit. I had previously visited the vendor where this camera was sitting and had totally passed it over. It wasn't until Meng went back with me to check out the vendor did I see this camera.
I couldn't believe I actually found one.
I had been wanting to experiment with medium format film for quite some time now, but I never mustered up the minerals to buy a medium format camera. Even when I was face to face with this camera, Meng had to be the one to convince me to buy it. She's so sweet and supportive that she had even offered to give me money to buy it if I didn't have enough on me =)
So, here goes nothing. My first three rolls are Black and White 120 film that I picked up from Urban Outfitters (Memorial Day so Calumet was closed). I'm thinking about doing my own processing later so I could hopefully cut costs, but that's another adventure for another time.
Specs:
Top Lens: Yashinon 80mm f/2.8
Bottom Lens: Yashinon 80mm f/3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/500 to Bulb
Focus 1m (3.3ft) to infinity
Can handle 120 and 220 medium format film
Isn't it cute?
I found this baby at the Randolph Street Market Festival last Sunday. Well, truth be told, I can't take all the credit. I had previously visited the vendor where this camera was sitting and had totally passed it over. It wasn't until Meng went back with me to check out the vendor did I see this camera.
I couldn't believe I actually found one.
I had been wanting to experiment with medium format film for quite some time now, but I never mustered up the minerals to buy a medium format camera. Even when I was face to face with this camera, Meng had to be the one to convince me to buy it. She's so sweet and supportive that she had even offered to give me money to buy it if I didn't have enough on me =)
So, here goes nothing. My first three rolls are Black and White 120 film that I picked up from Urban Outfitters (Memorial Day so Calumet was closed). I'm thinking about doing my own processing later so I could hopefully cut costs, but that's another adventure for another time.
Specs:
Top Lens: Yashinon 80mm f/2.8
Bottom Lens: Yashinon 80mm f/3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/500 to Bulb
Focus 1m (3.3ft) to infinity
Can handle 120 and 220 medium format film
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Chris Tomlin- Hello Love Concert
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sears Center
Chris Tomlin featuring Christy Nockels of Watermark
With Israel Houghton and New Breed as the Opening Act
New Breed
Chris Tomlin
Christy
Everyone
Thank you, good night!
Sears Center
Chris Tomlin featuring Christy Nockels of Watermark
With Israel Houghton and New Breed as the Opening Act
New Breed
Chris Tomlin
Christy
Everyone
Thank you, good night!
Monday, March 30, 2009
What God Said To Me The Other Day
God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful
~Mother Teresa
I heard this quote two Saturdays ago during a time where 'success' was an estranged, foreign idea to me. It was during a time when the world had me in its grasp. Where I felt bound and blinded with nothing but whispers of pessimism and failure filling my ears. I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere with my job, my finances were pulling me apart, school was taking everything from me and I didn't feel like I was learning anything. To top it off, I felt very much alone because my friends, the ones who would join me at church and who would help create church services with me, were out drinking at a bar on a Friday night.
Going to a vespers where the next youngest person was five years younger than me and where the topic of the night was resisting alcohol didn't help either.
I don't know how else I can express it. I felt like nothing I was doing was going right. I felt like a failure; that my lifestyle and my devotions were not going to get me very far. I felt like an outcast and that there was no place in this world for someone like me.
I was praying to God; asking Him to talk to me and to tell me that I'm going to be alright. The next day, while I was sitting in church, the speaker quoted the words of Mother Teresa that are written above.
My success doesn't come from how high my GPA is, but that I gave it everything I got.
My success doesn't come from how fat my wallet is, but that I do my job with all the talents God gave me.
My success doesn't come from how much pleasure I can get out of life, but how much I please God.
~Mother Teresa
I heard this quote two Saturdays ago during a time where 'success' was an estranged, foreign idea to me. It was during a time when the world had me in its grasp. Where I felt bound and blinded with nothing but whispers of pessimism and failure filling my ears. I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere with my job, my finances were pulling me apart, school was taking everything from me and I didn't feel like I was learning anything. To top it off, I felt very much alone because my friends, the ones who would join me at church and who would help create church services with me, were out drinking at a bar on a Friday night.
Going to a vespers where the next youngest person was five years younger than me and where the topic of the night was resisting alcohol didn't help either.
I don't know how else I can express it. I felt like nothing I was doing was going right. I felt like a failure; that my lifestyle and my devotions were not going to get me very far. I felt like an outcast and that there was no place in this world for someone like me.
I was praying to God; asking Him to talk to me and to tell me that I'm going to be alright. The next day, while I was sitting in church, the speaker quoted the words of Mother Teresa that are written above.
My success doesn't come from how high my GPA is, but that I gave it everything I got.
My success doesn't come from how fat my wallet is, but that I do my job with all the talents God gave me.
My success doesn't come from how much pleasure I can get out of life, but how much I please God.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Urban Outfitted
Yes, it's a corny name, but it was something to do on a Saturday afternoon. Big ups to my models: Kristine and Eric as well as to my assistant: Emillie.
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