Pinhole Photography

Lately I've been thinking a lot about art.  My darkroom is still in transition, still lots to figure out about water pipes, and demolition.  But I have been absolutely craving to do a pinhole photography project.  Pinhole Photography is tons-o-fun, very easy to do, and you can get a lot of creative effects. Hanging above my desk is a pinhole photograph that my photography professor took of me for a class example in college.  It was one of my favorite wedding presents that we received.  In the foreground is a statue, one side is lighter than the other side, I think he was showing the difference in exposure times.  Then he had me stand on the right side for a certain amount of time to get a ghost image.  I love the mystery and the ambiguity of the photograph.  And in some ways it's like seeing a ghost of myself from back in college.

A Pinhole Camera is a basic camera without a lens.  Really it is just a box or object with a very small hole in one side that light passes through.  Whatever you use for your camera needs to be primarily light tight, and you will need to make some sort of shutter (I usually used electrical tape).  Getting the light right in pinhole photography can be a bit of a trick.  It can take anywhere from 5 secs to hours of exposure, depending on your light situation.  When it's done right pinhole photography can have exquisite tones, eerie ghost images, or funky focus.  You can make a pinhole camera out of an oatmeal can, a hat box, a regular box, something that can fit in your mouth, or (I've never actually seen this but I've heard about it) a red pepper.  Supposedly the light that does come through the skin of the pepper is similar to that of a red safe light in a darkroom, so it wouldn't expose your sensitive paper.  But like I said, I have yet to experience this.

One of my favorite artists is Ann Hamilton.  She does large scale installations that deal a lot with textiles, as well as photography, language, video, and sound.  Some of her works include Indigo Blue, Corpus, and Myein.  They are absolutely beautiful and moving, but also deeply thought out.  It's fantastic to hear how she speaks about her work as well.  One of my favorite photographic series that she did, though,  was called the "face to face" series.  In this series she made a pinhole camera out of a small plastic container, small enough to fit in her mouth.  She used her lips as the shutter and would open them to expose images of the people she was talking too.  Obviously she would have to keep her mouth open for quite awhile to expose the image, and she talked about the social awkwardness of having your mouth open while staring at someone's face.  In the photographs you can see the outline of her lips.  It's very interesting and you can check out some galleries of her work Here and some videos of her HERE.

Pinhole is a great way to get some fun, and beautiful images.  Sometimes going back to the basics can inspire and intrigue us in new ways.  If you decide to give pinhole a try, all you need is: photographic paper, your object that you are going to make into your camera, I suggest a small strip of metal to drill your hole into and then attach to your camera, something for a shutter, and lots of tape to seal up any holes or light leaks.  And then of course you will need somewhere to develop your pictures.  I'm hoping to do some pinhole soon, I'm just bursting with ideas.

Evening Escape

After a long day of editing and writing, Speed Racer and I just absolutely had to get out of the house last night.  We didn't want to spend money, and we wanted to just talk and relax, so we headed to the mountains.  It wasn't as relaxing as planned (there was a lot of traffic) but we did manage to get some photos!

We headed up to Cade's Cove, which as you know from previous posts, is one of my favorite places to go.  As Speed Racer pointed out last night, it's also always kinda hard going there, because it's so similar to where we use to live.  It does make us a little home sick at times, but it's also nice to get some fresh air.

The rest of his turkey friends were too fast for me, sneaky sneaky turkeys.

It's like being on safari!  I'm not lying, half the time I'm in Cade's Cove I expect a T-Rex to come attack our vehicle like in Jurassic Park.

You can't see it, because I didn't have a long enough lens, but there were two beautiful bucks in this field.

We had a little company.

It was a gorgeous night.

I was kind of in love with this tree.

There are lots of pictures of it.

Lots.

I'm sorry.

I....

Love...

It.

It's official.  It's going on my wall.

Beach Bummed

I miss the beach.  This is a fact that I cannot ignore.  For over a year now I have been living in a landlocked state, for the first time in my life.  I grew up near or on the water, and I miss the smell of salt in the air, the heat that is so close it's like a hug, and the soft powdery feel of sand beneath my toes. Unfortunately with the way the summer is looking, I don't think Speed Racer and I will be able to make a beach trip this year.  We have always gone to the beach at least once in the summer, it's a ritual, it's a need, it's a raw animal desire...see? I start to get a little dramatic when I don't get some beach time.

The day the above picture was taken of me, was a day that my parents will never forget.  At that time we only lived about 30 min away from the beach, and on the weekends in the summer, it was a fairly common ritual to hit the sand.  This day in particular the beach was packed.  When I was that age, I never really went farther than the water front without my parents, and after some lounging in the tidal pools I decided it was sand castle makin' time.  One of my favorite parts of sand castle makin' time was collecting beach items to decorate my sand castle with.  My Mom started getting the buckets together and asked me to collect a few shells to put on the castle.

I started collecting and I guess got a little farther away than planned.  But what really did me in was that I lost our blanket in the sea of blankets and passed it on my way back.  I have no idea how long I walked.  But it was long enough that eventually I started to get scared, very scared.  Finally in frustration I just sat where I was and started to cry.  Luckily I was right in front of a lifeguard station.  The lifeguard came down and asked me if I was lost.  Being told so many times to not talk to strangers, it took me  a while to warm up to him.  But he showed me all his official uniform items, and his radio, and said that he was a good stranger and that he was going to help me.  He took me up on the lifeguard stand, gave me some crackers and some water, and radioed down the beach for my parents.

I can't explain the relief I felt when I saw my parents (or now that I'm older, the relief I'm sure they felt when they saw me!).  They took me back to our blanket, where my two brothers explained they thought I had drowned...and may have been a tad happy about it (no annoying little sister, yay!).  All kidding aside, they hugged me and explained how worried they were and how hard they had searched the beach.  It was a great reunion, and that's where that picture was taken.

With such a traumatic experience you would think I would be afraid of the beach or the water, but no.  If anything it strengthened my love for the beach.  For me it is a place to be alone, a place to get lost in the roar of the waves, and a place where the ever changing scenery is all I need.  It is a love that Speed Racer and I have always shared.

Here are some of my favorite beaches and watering holes.  Some of the pictures are not mine but hopefully the people who took them won't mind sharing.  They are all family and friends.  Hopefully this will give you a taste of the beach, even if like me, you can't get there this year.

Camera Basics: Depth of Field

On our last camera basics post we talked about camera settings and Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual.  We lightly touched on what aperture is and depth of field, as well as shutter speed.  Today we're going to talk about how aperture affects your depth of field and how depth of field affects your pictures. Depth of field is literally, the "field" in your photograph that is sharp or in focus.  Your aperture is what determines your depth of field.  Smaller aperture number 2.8 means the larger the opening in the camera is (I know it's confusing it's backwards!), the higher the number like 22 the smaller the hole and the more that is going to be in focus.  Let's use some pictures to illustrate, that always helps me figure it out a little better, and after all this is a photography site!

For example if your aperture is set at 2.8 (wide open) you are going to have a shorter depth of field, meaning the things closer to you will be in focus and the background is going to be soft and out of focus.  Here is a prime example of that.  The red circle highlights the area that is in focus while the background is out of focus.

Here is another example.  In this photograph my aperture is set at 5.0, shifting the depth of field more towards the middle.  Now I am highlighting the corner of the lantern (yes it's a funky lantern, oh the things we use for examples).  This allows the closest part of the object to go out of focus, while also keeping the background out of focus.

Again, as we continue up the aperture numbers, this is at about an 8.0.

And all the way up.  Now, even though aperture controls your depth of field, the point on which you decide to focus on is obviously also going to change what is in focus and what is out.  For example if I were to zoom out in this photograph but keep my aperture at 12-22, then everything would be in focus, not just the back ground.  But I am choosing to focus on the background.  But I am also able to do that because of my aperture being set at the higher setting.  Confused yet?

Sometimes it helps if you take your camera lens off of automatic focus, set it to manual and then set your aperture.  See when you move the focus what is in focus and what can't be in focus at that setting.  That will give you a little better idea of what I mean.

Most of the time I prefer a short depth of field, meaning I keep my camera at 2.8 a lot.  I think it just adds an intimate feeling to the photographs.  But even in this picture I should have paid attention a little bit more and got his little antennae in focus as well.  Focus and depth of field help you tell the viewer what is important to you.

Like pretty flowers...

And tomatoes...

Here is another example of changing the depth of field within the letters on the truck...

A little bit farther out on the focus...

More over all in focus.

Although I prefer the shorter depth of field, there are times when having everything in focus is nice.   Like for large sweeping landscapes, or group shots, or big honkin' trucks.  If you take a landscape picture for example at a shorter depth of field (but you want it all in focus) it may look all in focus at the time, but then you'll get it home, put it in photoshop and go, "why is that mountain back there fuzzy?" Same with group shots, it will look wonderful but then you'll exclaim when poor ol' Uncle Bob is all fuzzy.

The only last thing to remember is that as you're changing your aperture, remember that you have to adjust your other elements like shutter and ISO to compensate for your lighting.  So, if you're in Aperture Priority (AV) your shutter will adjust for you.  But remember to change your ISO if you're going from inside to out, or sun to shade.  If you're in Manual, remember to keep your eye on that light meter in your viewfinder and change your shutter speed when you adjust your aperture.  Now go out there and have some fun with depth of field!!

Clingstone, House on the Rock

I first ran across these photos in an email forward and instantly fell in love.  I think everyone imagines or dreams of having a house like this.  And the great part is the owner is willing to share in exchange for some tough love.  That's right, you can come stay at this beautiful home if you are willing to help spruce her up with some good ol' elbow grease.  Hop the jump to find out more!

Here at Runawayalice Photography, we're very conscious about copyright.  That being said, this is going to be my first picture-less post.  Tragic you say? Yes, indeed.  But wait!  There are still pictures, they're just not mine and you just have to click one more thing to check out this beautiful home.  The original article (from what I can tell) and a beautiful photo gallery with photos by Erik Jacobs of The New York Times can be found HERE.

As you can tell from the breath taking photos, the view will take your breath away.  You actually feel like you are staying on a boat in the water, and the artist did well to bring the landscape into the house itself.

Clingstone is a 103 year old mansion that resides in Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. Clingstone was built by J.S. Lovering Wharton with the help of artist William Trost Richards.  The building is a 3 story mansion with 23 rooms, a huge central hall, and dozens of large picture windows.  The building was completed in 1905 with the final bill totaling $36,982.99.

The current owner Mr. Henry Wood, is a distant cousin of J.S Lovering Wharton.  Mr. Wood bought the house in 1961 with his ex-wife Joan for a mere $3,600.  At that time it had been empty for nearly two decades and needed a lot of work.  That's where Mr. Wood had a bright plan.  He created the Clingstone Work Weekend.  Usually held around Memorial Day, the work weekend brings around 70 friends and families to the mansion to handle the repairs.  And what do they receive in exchange for their hard work?  A chance to stay in this beautiful home.  But Mr. Wood doesn't limit that invitation to just family and friends.  Mr. Wood says that all skilled workers are welcome.  So if you're willing to put in a little hard work, you could enjoy a summer stay at this beautiful gem.

Rural Retreat

Ever since I was little I've felt comforted in rural areas.  My family use to go on a retreat every summer at Oak Hill Academy, and they had a beautiful barn on campus.  I would get up early in the mornings and go watch them feed the cattle, help brush the horses, hang out in the barn, and do a little horseback riding.  I absolutely loved it.  When I moved in high school, I moved to a more rural area and would always find my escape in nature.  So when Speed Racer told me we were moving to Knoxville, I was a little hesitant.  I had seen downtown Knoxville once in high school and swore I would never live here.  Careful what you say, right?  But when Speed Racer took me to see the house, I was immediately at peace.  Where we live in Knoxville, is surrounded by rural farms, holding out against the sprawl of the city.  There's even a cattle farm just down the street.  Early in the morning on the weekends, Speed Racer and I will climb on our bikes and head into the heart of this rural area, and it's especially beautiful in the morning light.  So today, I thought I would go out and try to capture a little of that.

Morning Portrait

My lovely friend Ms. Holly is in town this week and staying with me while Speed Racer is in NORWAY...that's right I said Norway.  But more on that later.  So Ms. Holly was a good sport and let me take some lovely pictures of her this morning, we went out and had a good time.  And here are the results!

The Boys Are Back in Town

So that title isn't completely accurate, the boys were back in town and have now left again, is a little better.  While I was catching up on girl talk and celebrating Father's Day, Speed Racer was out having a "Boys Only" weekend.  There was canoeing, there were guns, there was mockery, and there was laughter...sounded like an overall good time.  Wish I could have stuck around a little bit longer before they kicked me out, I love being one of the guys, but alas, they needed to talk man talk.  But here are some pictures I snapped before I left. Obviously you know Speed Racer...

Mr. B...

The Preacher...

Gumby...

And hiding back there is Mr. Hokie.

After a crazy weekend, we high tailed it back to Knoxville.  But before Mr. B left the next morning we got a chance to show him Norris.

All in all it was a fabulous weekend!  It was great to see so many old friends, both Speed Racer and I miss them a lot.

Friday Escape

Today I'm going back to the land that I love.   The land where I fell in love with Speed Racer, and where magical things can happen.  To dramatic of a start?  It's true though, that's how I feel about this place.  Speed Racer and I are going back for a fun filled weekend of canoeing, hiking, camping, girl talk (for me), meeting up with old friends, and celebrating my Father's Birthday and Father's Day!  It's going to be a packed weekend, but much needed.  We're literally about to get on the road, so have a fabulous weekend fair readers, and get out and enjoy the sun.

Happiness

"I hear that style is all the rage in Greece right now," Speed Racer said with a smile twitching across his lips.  I let out a wail of exasperation and the smile on his lips ripped open into a huge laugh.  I turned back to my reflection in the mirror.  I looked like a mummy.  I had gauze wrapped around various parts of my body, with tiny pieces of tape trying to keep them together.  I frowned, and that just sent Speed Racer over the edge. Pretty soon he was going to be on his hands and knees laughing too hard to breathe.  "It's not funny," I said, trying to keep a genuine pout on my face, but I couldn't help but laugh too.  I was covered, head to toe, in poison oak...on our anniversary. On Friday when I was thinking about this post, I thought I would make it another of our "How Did I get Here" series, and it would be a romantic post about Speed Racer and I's anniversary and undying love for each other.  And while that post still may appear later in the week...right now I am itching so bad and laughing that I just can't bring myself to do it.

The problem started last Saturday when I decided that our front flower beds needed to be cleaned out.  Speed Racer was out claiming car parts, and I thought what a great wifey it would make me look like if I tackled it and got it done by the time he got back.  It went just fine until I got to our maple tree.

I hit that thing like a hurricane from hell...pulling weeds this way and that...until I realized what I held was poison oak.  I had gloves on, thank God, but it was too late the damage was done.  At that moment I had a choice, and I'm going to admit folks, I chose wrong.  I got this trait from my Mom that once I start working on a project, I have to finish it, even if I should stop.  So instead of stopping and cleaning up, I tried to just power through until I had it done and could then go clean up.

Once I had finished I rushed into our downstairs laundry room and tore off my clothes, dumping them in the washing machine with some very hot water.  I raced up stairs to the bathroom and doused myself in rubbing alcohol.  I took a hot shower scrubbing every part of me with soap several times.  By the end of the day, I had no bumps...I had come in victorious, or so I thought until Friday.

Friday rolled around and little bumps started to pop up on my skin.  At first I thought I had just gotten some bug bites while I was outside the night before.  Then those bumps, turned into blisters, weeping, burning, itching, wish you could cut off that appendage blisters.  I tried to play it cool, it was just one spot after all, right? Right?  Wrong.  Pretty soon I had clusters of these on my legs, then on my abdomen, then on my side,  then on my chest, then on my elbow spreading up to my wrist.  It would be ok, I told myself.  It would go away soon, I covered it up with band aids.  But that just made it worse.  The adhesive on the band aids just angered the sensitive skin in the area, so now I had blisters and raw angry skin.

I finally gave in and showed Speed Racer.  He looked at me like I had the plague, like I was an infected Zombie.  He began to avoid all physical contact for fear of becoming infected.  Perfect, just what I wanted on our anniversary.

Saturday, I woke up mummified, but feeling ok.  Speed Racer was not in the bed next to me, and as I started to get up the door opened and he came in with a breakfast tray.  French toast, cherries, strawberries, syrup, and home-made whip cream...the man knows how to do breakfast right.  We decided we hit the road and try to find something fun and relaxing to do.  I could go into this part of our anniversary but really it involves several main aspects for you to get the gist of the afternoon: it was hot, there were lots of people, a semi purposefully tried to hit us, wherever we went we were in traffic for hours.  We tried to make it fun, but no matter where we went, we were fun blocked.  It wasn't our fault.  The best part of the day was the breakfast in bed, and then a cute little lunch place we found that had a screened in porch overlooking the smokies.  So we decided we needed a do over...Sunday would be our do over.

Sunday turned out great, Speed Racer got a few things done around the house.  We went down to the Crown and Goose, our favorite brunch spot.  Came back, took a fun ride in the Triumph Spitfire and got a slushy.  Then had some friends over for grilling out.  It was a pretty perfect day.  As the night was winding down, Speed Racer surprised me by sneaking out to get one of my favorite deserts, fantastic Carrot Cake, from a local restaurant.  We did the dishes while we listened to the playlist from our wedding, dancing and singing along the whole time.

The night ended perfectly as we lay in bed, and Speed Racer leaned over, trying not to touch my poison oak infested body, and kissed me gently, telling me how much he loved me, even if I looked horribly grotesque with blisters all over my body.  Ah, Amore.  It really can't get any better than that.