A world of one color

Most of us, have a smell, a taste, a sight that instantly makes us smile. For me, it is the snow. Perhaps because of childhood memories from Romania, perhaps because it embodies a quiet, serene atmosphere I love. Or maybe it is because of the way it covers all visual noise, turning every plain grass and tree branch into a  beautiful sculpture.  

I have been to Yosemite three times now, and while this park is beautiful in every season, there is nothing like greeting the New Year in a forest covered in snow. Happy 2017!!!

Yosemite, Dec 31, 2016

A world of one color, the sounds of wind

Going forward, looking back

Working on a new series of images. What started like a very successful shooting day, leads to looking back over images I shot in the last year, seeing them with new eyes.

Amazing how images I previously ignored, are the ones I love the most. Previously a beautiful flower, nothing more - now, converting it to black and white I suddenly see the witch. The image definitely did not change. It is me who changed. Maybe this is what Ken Liu meant by ignoring the meaning and listening to the music, or in my case ignoring the subject and noticing the shape.

Stringing the images together into a new narrative. Looking into the best way to convey the motif of an allegory. New pastel colors waiting for a first attempt at hand-coloring images.

Who knows where this will bring me...

From the new series "Misthaven"

...another image from the new series. model: Larva. 

Her memories

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The reason I like photo competitions is because of the intellectual and artistic challenge they provide. Preparing to submit 3 images to a competition on time.

Got me thinking on what times means and how to depict it visually. And it is not just about the wrinkles, although I think they are beautiful. It is about the softness of the wrinkles on her face as opposed to the harsh scratches the Auschwitz barbed wire left in her soul.

Do I want this image to be selected in the juried competition? Yes. But the real win for me was the process of creating it.

This is my mother in law.

I named this image - 'Her memories'.  

Portrait of a young woman

This picture started as a 'let's take a break' moment when I was shooting a portrait of my 20 years old stepdaughter.

The photo session resulted in a lovely set of portraits at sunset, this picture was one of many who ended up just stored on my computer.

Weeks later, when looking at it again, I realized it's potential.

A portrait within a portrait.

The reflection of a young woman in the wet sand, but also a portrait of that particular day - the sun almost at the horizon, a few clouds floating in the summer sky. 

And another portrait, our portrait as a society. The water is transparently clean, the sand is immaculate, nothing breaks its pristine color. Nature well cared for in all its beauty