Painterly Shots

New Work

I just finished up a 2.5 week painting class. 8 paintings in that short period of time! I ended up liking all of them which was a pleasant surprise. Normally taking a class, or producing a body of work I end up with several that don't for whatever reason work well enough for me to like them. I learn a lot from them, but I don't enjoy the finished product. Even the pieces that were not my favorites from this class- seemed to work as a whole. I'm really happy about that consistancy throughout the paintings.

A few days ago, on the way back from Utica, I got the opportunity to shoot out the window of the car. It was rainy, foggy miserable weather and I was really glad was driving. However, we were passing through beautiful landscapes and the weather was producing muted complicated light and colors. I pretty much just started shooting trying to anticipate nice shots- playing with depth of field and the challenge of the moving vehicle with an extra barrier of window glass. I got painterly shots that reminded of why painting is always such an inspiration.

As a photographer it is always a challenge to remember all the things it is possible to do with a lens. It can be an instrument of clarity and detail- but it also records movement, light and color. Movement, light and color, these things can depict even without the detail our culture takes for granted as part of photography, as part of what makes a photograph.