A personal project

Almost the end of the journey. A journey that started a year ago, with an email I sent to Aline Smithson, the amazing artist and teacher at Los Angeles Center of Photography. "I have no idea how you select the people you accept into your class, but if you are looking for someone who is really motivated and willing to work hard, you found one". She answered promptly, (as I will find out - she always does), that the students that took the prerequisite classes are her first priority. Needless to say I did not take these classes.... Fast forward a few weeks, getting notified I am one of the 13 students accepted into the personal project class led by Aline triggered a series of wild jumps around the apartment (my husband is used to crazy wife by now).

And here we are, at the end of 9 months of work, meetings, critiques, presentations. The class exhibit opens in three days. Looking back, it is amazing how much one can learn, change and grow. This is a good time to pause for a moment and be thankful for the new friends I made, the new understanding and tools acquired. Most of all for the privilege of studying with a woman I admire and now call my friend, Aline Smithson.

Exhibit on  the way ....

Pieces falling into place ....exhibit ready to go!

The simple things

The best compliment I ever got was when somone told me my images reminded him of Harry Callahan's. At the time, I didn't really appreciate it enough as I was not familiar with his work. Now, a year later, his simple yet experimental approach to photography is a constant inspiration to me. I find myself going back to see his work, drawing inspiration from it.

His images, like the Haiku poetry can say so much, with so little. I can just hope that sometime I will be able to distill my emotions into visual images with the same clarity. Until then, I keep looking for the magic in the everyday, discovering the beauty of the simple things in life.

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Showers on the beach

Inspired by the best

How are ideas born? Where do they come from? What translates objects into new concepts?

A few weeks ago, I visited an inspiring exhibit at LACMA - Frank Gehry. To say his work is inspiring, is an understatement. The funny thing is that it is irrelevant whether I would like to live in such a house (I get a bit dizzy from looking at his buildings ...), or if his original inspirations (crumbled paper ..) sound exciting. His thought process and the way the concept was translated into glass and metal, triggered something in me.

How about showing these building is  different way. Near some of the building models, were videos showing the real buildings in their environment. In some cases the videos included interior shots. How about combining the models (physical manifestation of idea) with shots from the videos ( a virtual representation of reality)? 

I wonder what would Frank Gehry say of these. Thank you Mr. Gehry for being an inspiration. if you happen to be in Los Angeles - run and see it.

Disney Hall in LA - an integrative view 

Gehry's house in Santa Monica. Passed is several times on morning walks, not knowing it was his ...

Inside and out - Frank Gehry exhibit at LACMA. If you are in LA - run and see

Dreams do come true!

Thrilled and honored and quite excited to see my work in the Israeli Lens magazine side by side with the work of such great photographers. This is definitely a fabulous finale to 2014. One I could not even dream about a year ago. So, yes, dreams do come true. Even dreams we did not know we have.

My morning cup of coffee

The best thing photography did to me is gift me with a new pair of eyes. Or maybe there should be a 6th sense by the name of 'noticing' in addition to 'seeing'.

As Marcel Proust said "the only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes". So true.

My morning starts with the first cup of coffee in the garden. I love this time. Just me, the coffee, the birds and the wind. I sip the coffee and look at the garden. Today, I happened to look at the cup of coffee. And really notice what I see.

It's like having new eyes. Eyes that can REALLY see.

Have a wonderful morning, and fro time to time, glance at your cup of coffee, you may be surprised by what you see :)

....shifting a bit and changing the angle - another view.

Magic moments, Vermont in October

Fall reflections in a stream

Can photography take us to magic places? 

When I look at this picture the world quiets. There are no daily chores, no city noise, no emails to read. There is only the gurgling little stream beside our vacation cabin in the woods. 

My husband and I on a dream come true vacation in Vermont.

Surrounded by forest. Immersed in colors.

Everything is breathtakingly beautiful whether rain, shine, morning or evening.

Even getting drenched on our hike down the mountain.

I take hundreds of pictures. Choosing only a few to print and display at home is an impossible mission. 

You be the judge ....

Reflections

I fell in love....with reflections. 

First came glimpses of tree branches in the rain puddles. I had the wrong lens with me and despite my best efforts, all I got were some blurry pictures of the ground.

Then came the reflection of the fall color trees in the quiet lake waters. Here I was a bit more prepared, had the right lens with but arrived at the wrong time of the day.

The next day, during a walk in the forest I saw the reflections in a gurgling stream. This time I was at the right time with the right lens. On my stomach on the narrow bridge, with the tripod in the shallow water, I started taking pictures.

...and yes, I returned to the lake when the sun showed reflections at their best.

Here are some of my favorite reflection photos. Nature art at its best.

Tree reflection in a forest stream

Fall colors reflected in a lake - Vermont

A small stream, just by our cabin. Spent at least an hour photographing the changing reflections