Whew…

Past few weeks – ugh.  Monday two weeks ago I came down  with a horrid head cold which started out with a fever while I was on a 6 1/2 hour conference call.  If you have never been on a conference call for that long, then save yourself the disparity of being able to add that to your list of so-called accomplishments. 

One thing that I learned while being so sick – I don’t really feel like doing anything, much less taking pictures every day.  I was tempted to take pictures of the Nyquil box everyday. 

Hell week was exacerbated by a tremendous work load, which has been the status quo ever since one of our engineers decided to flip out during our weekly meeting four weeks ago.   This past week was no different; therefore, even though I felt much better, taking photographs hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind this week, either. 

Anyway…  Maybe this will get better soon and I can get back in my rhythm.   

Namaste

Macrovision

I wouldn’t call it a rut.  That isn’t a good word to use when I’m only on day 42 out of 365.  A little past 10% done with 2010 already and I can safely say that there is many more days and opportunities to come.  Yet, every day I find myself, for lack of better phrasing, running out of time.  Each day I have the hopes and aspirations of landing that perfect shot where ever my travels take me for the day; however, more often than not, I become much too busy and frantic to deal with finding that elusive shot.  Quite often, as has been every night this week, I wind up trying to decide what to take a picture of as I sit on the couch watching the television, wasting even more time.  As the day quickly fades away and midnight approaches, I wind up taking a still life or macro shot of whatever I have decided on.  In some cases, I shoot whatever I haven’t decided on by taking pictures of everything that I can that might be of interest.  I have wound up with quite a few great shots by doing this, but if I keep going on this path, I will be in a rut.  Where I find myself rapidly running out of both time and ideas.

I have these images in my head – people, places, and things.   Great moving images of everyday life that makes you stop and think about the story behind the photo.  Photo-journalism that blends with art and emotion of which viewers want to see over and over again and can identify with on some personal level.   Landscapes and architecture that take you there and show the magnificence of both creation and engineering.  The capture of primal human emotions such as happiness and heartache. 

I started this project on the premise that it would allow me to see better pictures and find better subjects.  I can attest that it is doing it’s job.  I see myself looking at ordinary, everyday items and asking myself “I wonder what that would look like from another angle?” or “What sort of detail could I capture zoomed in really tight on this object?”  But, to make sure I get the most out of this project, I need to step out of my comfort zone and take the few extra steps needed to get these shots that so desire.  I can’t capture these images if I’m stuck in a rut.  Better make sure I don’t fall into one. 

 

Enjoy my latest updates!

2/8/10 - Day 39 - Tools of the Trade

2/9/10 - Day 40 - Hundred Watt

2/10/10 - Day 41 - Evening and Candlelight

2/11/10 - Day 42 - L is for...

New updates

Well, since this is my second official post, I guess we can say this is official.  

Last night I brought my facebook page online – I’m not sure if I was completely ready to do that, but I sort of pushed myself into having to publish it.  I updated my links bar on my main page to include the link to follow me.  And, if there is one thing I’ve learned about web design, it is to make sure your links aren’t dead.  If they start off dead, people will never go back and check to see if they are live.  So, in that regard, I had to publish it.  I’m not advertising it yet, but take a look at it and become my fan.  You can find the link back on my home page (for now) at http://gallery.stephenblee.com.  I say for now, because I either have to get a splash page or redirect up for www, or change the subdomain to www.  Who has a subdomain without having www?  Another thought for another day.

I have a new picture up for my Timeline 2010 album.  Day 30 – Chocolate Chip Cookies (and they are allergen free!!).  Check them out here:  http://bit.ly/bBGdFy

Thanks to my beautiful wife for her new-found love of baking delicious, safe treats for our son, in the mean-time providing me with many opportunities for taking new photos.

As always (for the first post and this one, and subsequent posts mind you), please take a look at the gallery and let me know what you think!  I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Namaste!

                                                                     -- Stephen

Getting Ready!

I’m getting ready. 

Finally getting ready to ramp this up and start some e-commerce marketing and pushing my passion.

I’ve spent the last couple of years getting very acquainted with Facebook, started seeing the benefit of Twitter, and published my own website to host my photography.  I am in the process of creating a Facebook page, as well.  I even have professional labs that handle my work now and stats that show me how much traffic I’m driving to my site.  So, I think it is about time that I step forward and start putting myself out here.  

I’ve started blogs before and gotten through usually, oh, one post.  This is going to be different.  I’m focusing on my business here.  I am going to be writing about numerous items, such as the photographs that I take every day in my Timeline 2010 album, other wonderful and amazing pictures that I see on the web, client previews, and anything else that helps me keep in touch and keep you wanting to come back for more. 

So come back.  Come back often and see what I’m doing, because this time it is for real.  Meanwhile – check out my webpage at http://gallery.stephenblee.com and take a look at my photos in my current project – Timeline 2010.  Leave me some comments and let me know what you think. 

Thanks, and Namaste.

Stephen B. Lee