Thursday, April 28, 2011

Swing of the Pendulum

In all things there exists a unique innate balance. Whether you strive to find it or not, sooner or later you will irresistibly be moved back closer to the natural order that things are meant to be in. The universe can only tip so much before crashing down violently back into place. This principle would appear to apply to most things in life. At the center of that dynamic is the delicate balancing act between form and function.

Lately, I am discovering that my creative spark is a little dull. Like many others, I was first drawn to photography by the creative possibilities. I loved to tilt. I enjoyed color manipulation. I was constantly on the lookout for fresh composition opportunities. I look back at my earlier photography, and I can't help but feel that I was much more wild and loose (known as creative by lazy wannabe artists everywhere) in my approach. This is evident in the resulting images.

Over the past two years, I have honed my technique. I spent many hours learning the ins and outs of my equipment and the fundamental principles of not just photography but also art. Time and money have been invested in this endearing and rewarding craft. While there is always more to learn, I am comfortable with my technical abilities and approach. Despite this, one day I woke up and realized that my creative spark was stalling. How could this have happened?

I want to rediscover elements of the photographer I used to be. At least for my personal projects, I want to recklessly follow creativity for its own sake.

It is now time for the pendulum to swing back.

Green Energy



I recently had the opportunity to travel to Italy, and I found it to be a very fascinating place. As far as design and fashion goes, Italy definitely takes things way off to the "form" side of things. On the opposite end of that spectrum would probably be Germany, where efficiency and "function" dominate the landscape. Milan was a fascinating little city which perhaps is the greatest showcase of Italian style and attitude, but I was more drawn to the smaller cities which fall away from large metropolitan areas. There is a certain warmth and kindness that I find in most countries that is prevalent only away from big cities.

There was something very inspiring about the Italian way of doing things, which can be frustrating from a pure business standpoint but aesthetically provides endless amusement and awe. And as for the food, wine, and espresso.... there is nothing that I could say that would do justice to their quality and goodness.

I didn't have much time for my photographic pursuits in Italy, but I will be processing those images shortly.

Stay tuned.