Welcome to my new, and first, blog. I've put off starting a blog for some time, but I was motivated to begin this one as a record of my participation in the 2009 SoFoBoMo project. For those of you who might not know of it, here's a snip from the website:
"SoFoBoMo is short for Solo Photo Book Month - a group event where a bunch of photographers all make solo photo books start to finish, in 31 days, at more or less the same time. It's modeled loosely on NaNoWriMo, where participating writers all write novels in a month, and NaSoAlMo, where musicians write and record solo albums in a month."
The 31 day period has to fall within May 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009, so long as those days are consecutive. We shoot for a minimum of 35 images. The "book" here is mainly defined as a PDF document, to be shared online, but you can certainly get a real book out of it if you wanted to take it that far. (I'll save my thoughts on "book or no book" for another blog post.)
My first idea for the project, a few weeks back, was to try photographing cloud formations in infrared. I had produced a few such shots last year and found the result interesting but hadn't pursued it to any great length. SoFoBoMo at first seemed to be the perfect excuse to explore it some more. But then I started to think about the parameters of the project, wondering if I could actually manage to produce at least 35 distinctly different shots of clouds, and whether in doing so I wouldn't render my audience stuporous with boredom. I also wondered if weather and other circumstances might get in the way of the shooting, make it harder to get to that target of 35 "keeper" images (can there be 31 straight days of cloudless skies?).
So you might be pleased to learn that viewing 35+ cloud shots won't be in your near future. I figure the one at the top of this post has negligible soporificity (yes, I made that word up). I still think it's something to pursue, but maybe not a good fit for this project; or, maybe I can have it as a sideline during those 31 days, as a backup if my other project encounters insurmountable problems.
I'll say more about my newest project idea in my next post.
Cloud gazing is a noble pursuit, and has occupied some of the most revered and restless minds in all of human history. Also mine, so I guess that puts that theory to rest. Anyway, I'd have been happy to see another 34 like this one, if you had gone ahead with the original plan. I see a possibly wrathful deity at top centre of this cloudscape, gathering himself to smite some dreamy bugger down below. Probably me (the dreamy bugger, not the deity).
ReplyDeleteWelcome to blogging. Now that you've started this you are stuck with it. Even if you have nothing to say you are obligated to say it, just to keep we readers happy.
Soporificity is a very fine word, and between that and the cloudy deity, I already feel thoroughly entertained and rewarded for what will be just the first of many visits here.
You mentioned 31 cloudless days - try Iraq in summer. :-) I'm looking forward to seeing what you decide to do - I did a book last year and it is indeed a very fun project! I cheated, though - used pictures I'd already captured - so maybe I should try it the "right" way this year. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteDeb (aka Melethia)
I second the unsoporificity of clouds. Gorgeous shot. If I were to take 35, I wouldn't do them all in Infrared, however, unless of course they all looked as good as this one.
ReplyDeleteClouds worked for Alfred Stieglitz & his Equivalents series. I suspect he took quite a few more than 35
ReplyDeletehttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stgp/ho_49.55.29.htm
I like the IR aspect too
That's quite true, Gordon - I saw an exhibition just last month at the National Gallery that had Stieglitz, Ansel Adams and Robert Adams, featuring Stieglitz' cloud studies. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/oceansinfo.shtm
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't discount my images as candidates for SoFoBoMo on the basis of "interestingness" - that's my mistake. I just don't easily start from the assumption that what I find interesting others will too, an unfortunate fallback position of mine. If SoFoBoMo doesn't cure me of that, nothing will. :)
congratulations on taking the blogleap and good luck on the osolomio project. IR very happy for you.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like the start of a great blog - I hope you keep going after SoFoBoMo.
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering/worrying about the repetitiveness of using a single subject rather than a concept or idea, if that makes any sense. But I think there are two things to take into account:
Your audience - it doesn't necessarily have to be something that you're producing for other people. If you change your mindset to that of "I'm doing this for the sake of the process and learning and the end result isn't a big deal" you'll probably work quite differently, and possibly more freely.
Your audience - if you do decide that you're doing it as something you want to share with other people consciously, consider the mindset in which they actually appreciate each individual image properly, rather than flicking through in the way that we maybe tend to click through websites and only give each one a two second glance. I think the difference with the guys like stieglitz is that because of who they are, people make more of an effort to actually read each image. If you could encourage that sort of response, people would appreciate what you're doing a lot more I'd think.
Don't give up on the clouds just yet!
Clouds and infrared are always a good combo. You have inspired me to maybe give the SoFoBoMo a try. Except I'd actually like the handmade a little book...something small and intimate you can hold in your hands. We shall see, but I am inspired.
ReplyDelete