A Photo Slump

Afternoon Bubbly (c) M. Déziel-Hupé, 2011

I have been lazy. I haven't really shot anything seriously or with any kind of care in over a month. Sure, I snapped photos here and there, but nothing I felt excited about. Am I a photographic failure? Am I a fraud? Am I simply in a slump?

Let's see. I have been in the Pro Program since August 2010 and have not only completed my course requirements, but I've also finished my mandatory shadowing requirements. I wish to continue following and helping my mentor, Gilda Furgiuele, as much as I can when the opportunity arises. If an interesting workshop comes along, like those of David Barbour, at SPAO, I'd sign up. Failure? Fraud? No, it doesn't seem that way on paper...

Starburst Bubbly (c) M. Déziel-Hupé, 2011

But for shooting on my own? Meh. It's like, I have no motivation. I'm guessing it's a phase. It may be that my first Holga film didn't turn out - not one bloody photo! My heart sank at the sight of  "$0.00 - underexposed film". It may be that I had injured my ankle dancing and was somehow slowed down in anything I did. Or maybe it's the recent bad news that struck my family. In any case, I felt like photography became more than casual homework or a pleasant escape, it became a chore.

I began to ask myself how I could possibly want to shoot again. I'm not sure. But here's what I'll try... I've shot in the office in the last few days.

As someone who finishes what she starts and doesn't give up in the face of adversity, I've finished my roll of film on my Diana Mini. I dropped it off for development today and am crossing my figners tightly.

As a good student, I wondered what I needed to work on... I called my buddy Fred who's been shooting portrait for years and taking classes at Algonquin. "Fred, you and I, we need to practice with that set of studio lights of yours. I don't like all that tech stuff, but maybe together, we'll figure it out. How about this week-end?" Fred and I are shooting on Sunday.

Lastly, I thought that if I am to feel the shutterbug again, I need to shoot something I love. Thus, after weeks of procrastination, I introduced myself to Tara Luz Danse's contemporary dancer Julianne to ask her if she would be open to letting me shoot her rehearsal with choreographer Anik Bouvrette. I'm shooting tomorrow morning and attending their vernissage next week.

Project wrap-up! (c) MDH, 2011

Clic by clic, it's coming together.

My teacher, Harry Nowell, believes it is normal to go through phases, as you are learning and that perhaps, the best thing, is to allow yourself a break to better appreciate your hobby or sideline. I suppose the creative juices flow with ease if you allow the creative genius a holiday once in a while. And why not? We use our brains more efficiently when we are rested - a mind at peace is sharp!

Often, Harry tells us to "slow down" and "observe" to enable us to catch THE photo that is stunning, the angle that is unexpected, the detail that is overlooked. This applies to many things... When you step back, take some time and a deep breath, sometimes you can see the bigger picture.

Contemporary Dance in Music Videos

Apparently, I'm late on this trend, but I've just discovered Christina Perri through her single "Jar of Hearts". I was listenning to one of these free music playlists such as Grooveshark and as I was basking in my enjoyment of a variety of styles and artists, this melancholic and haunting melody comes on. I asked my very own DJ who that was... As I drove home, I get a text: Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts. I youtubed her, and here I am, blogging.

Why?

Christina Perri's album cover

Ok. I like the song, but I thought I'd share how I appreciate the artistic appeal of her video. It's important for musicians to set themselves apart with a striking video, along with a peculiar sound and why not a touch of personal style?

I liked her voice and her vibe. I like the girl's look, ink and fucky hair. The video's gloomy grey tone, wind and dust contrast nicely with the artist's white dress and the delicate form of the dancers' bodies.

Have I mentioned that contemporary dance is showcased in a mainstream video?

Yeah, that's why I like this clip: despite the commercial context, the dancing is personal. The solo contemporary is accessible yet powerful. Moreover, the duet is one I find compelling.

In this clip, dance not only complements what the artist is singing about, but could easily tell the story of a broken heart and a conflicted relationship through body movement and semiotics.

Dance is self-expression. Dance is a hybrid of language and symbology. It communicates emotion on a level that is often difficult to verbalize. In this fashion, dance is an art form that can never be replaced, no matter how precarious or ephemeral it may appear when compared to more tangible and to seamingly more permanent disciplines, such as visual arts or even theatre.

Dance is a moment. It is a way to illustrate humanity with most accuracy: beautiful, imperfect, lively, ephemeral, delicate and powerful.

Film Roll Please...

I am anxiously waiting for my very first roll of Holga 35 mm film to come in...

I have yet to finish my Lomo Fisheye and Mini Diana 35 mm rolls. Naturally, as luck would have it, my flash battery in my Fisheye died and my Half-Frame Diana indicates 57 photos… The roll ends at 72. *Sigh* More band for your buck, right?

So here I am, waiting. Like a kid for a surprise, which could go either way, really. But the excitement is still looming. Will the photos turn out? Will I like the effect or recognize the subjects on my photos? Wow, I have been snapping away at things nonchalantly for nearly 2 months. I can’t quite remember all I have captured. I wonder if I managed to warm up to this toy camera. I’m hoping for interesting hues and saturation, for vignetting maybe? At the very least, I want the shots to be decently exposed. Holga, don’t let me down.

I might be taking some contemporary dance shots of an ongoing project with Tara Luz Danse this week, which would mean the inevitable return to my Nikon D3000, but that does not mean I’ll give up on film trials. I must admit, I am looking forward to this sneak peek at Moving Narratives. It’s a race: will the film come in sooner than the dance shoot or will it be the other way around? I can’t recall how long film takes to be developed… Perhaps this is why I’m so excited about Harry Nowell’s film development workshop coming this summer 2011!  

Either way, I’ve got awesome photo adventures to look forward to!

Valentine's Disclaimer: Romance is Spontaneous!

Still from Across the Universe

Another year, another red wave in the stores and a rush to make a romantic stand (or be reminded of the absence of need to express anything for anyone special). I've spent many a Valentine's alone reflecting on the meaning of the holiday. I have my own. I choose to consider the broader concept of love: not the passionate tormented love, but the one that brings peace.

St. Valentine with Luke

I love Love. It's the air I breathe and the fire in my heart. Anything I do, I do with love. I dance with love: for the art, for the presence it allows me to reach. Any friends, family or relationships I have, I care for with love. Everyone has a purpose and it is not up to me to decide which it is: I love and accept with faith that the people in my life have something to teach me and perhaps, I may be able to help them as well.

For the lonely hearts: love your friends, your family and everything that makes your life so exciting. The right people walk into our lives when we are happy because that's when we shine. And the time you'll spend between now and then, you will spend fulfilled.

I think love is a wonderful, mysterious, powerful thing. I think it should be celebrated. To celebrate it is to mark it with something special or unique because every love story, whether parent/child, best friends or lovers is authentic. Moreover, I think that reducing Love to chocolates, lingerie and flowers is cheap and superficial. Don't get me wrong, I fully encourage romance. But true romance is not cliché. Rather, it's spontaneous.

Candy can talk...

Romance is when your heart skips a beat because your loved one said something totally quirky that only you two understand. It's feeling special because you share a thought, a laugh, a moment. Romance is improvised. It's expressing yourself as genuinely as possible with the means at hand. It's picking a flower from a field of wild daisies, it's a note wishing you a good day, it's sharing your snack even when you're hungry, it's acting silly for a smile, dancing close in a kitchen wearing a tea towell. It's asking about someone's favourite childhood memories. That's the stuff that leads to a happy heart.

I am very fortunate to be with someone who fosters creative interests, who strives for happiness daily and sees the world through his own glasses; he thinks outside the box. Even though I am close to him, he manages to surprise me. What a ride! I can honestly say his antics warm my heart, draw many smiles and... fill my tummy with deliciousness! 

(c) Kristina Jensen, 2011

Love is more than romance. You see it in how a parent cares for a child, how devoted a teacher is to a class, how supportive a friend and how much of a friend your lover is to you. Great romance and love stories aren't made of lifetimes of trips to Monaco, bubble baths and fine dining. The happiest of people are the ones who want the life they live. What makes it so great is how you consciously make everyday an adventure. What makes Love so delightful is the balance between the thrill and the haven. It's how you discover each other little by little, the amazing fibre and the beautifully imperfect, and accept every part lovingly as you uncover the mystery, which you will never fully grasp...

Happy Valentine's Day!

My favourite blogger

Does it ever happen to you, that a friend refers a blog as they would refer a book?

I guess maybe it's the crowd I hang around with but mine do, all the time. Blogs are a form of guilty pleasure. It's an opportunity to read something entertaining or witty and experience someone else's point of view. This other person is not necessarily an Ivy League graduate or an experienced journalist. They are often ordinary people with special itnerests or a particular desire to express them.

Some of them just like the sound of their own voice... But for the most part, a successful blog is one that has a marketable appeal. For instance, My Milk Toof is an artistic blog about the adventures of milk teeth once a child grows his adult molars. Naturally, this was a suggestion from my Fine Arts Major colleague at OSA - Thanks Virginia, I love Ickle and Lardee.

My personal favourite blog is one of photography. It was not referred to me by a friend but discovered randomly on Twitter. I was intrigued by the Tweeter's Photobooth profile pic and I ventured onto her website: Hula Seventy.

Andrea, a blogger, is a fan of photography, but not of just any type – traditional 35 mm photography. A blogger since 2005, she is addicted to Polaroid. Naturally, she also takes digital photos, but her preferred field is “old school” photography.

She takes a new look through old lenses.

With her choice of subject and use of light and colours, her images denote a simplicity and freshness that heals the wounded heart of daily monotony. Her postings include extracts from her activities and projects, as well as a brief description, anecdote or poem.

She also caters to her readers with her famous “Photobooth Fridays,” which have taken on a life of their own. Every Friday, Andrea takes pictures in a photo booth. Sometimes with her children, often alone, with whacky accessories to share a narrative.

Bill & Gab (c) Mercedes Déziel-Hupé

Despite her working with themes, she is not confined by them. The images she produces translate the joy for life that she expresses in her written texts. This is a blog for all lovers of photographic art!

This blogger communicates simply and effectively. Reading her blog just makes you wish you could befriend her. 

As for me, well, I keep on dancing. Here's a Balboa shot, enjoy!

Art of Aerials

Frog Jump. (c) Kristina Jensen, 2011

Last week, while most Swing Dynamite team members were at the popular dance event Followlogie (Montréal, QC), a few of us had a practice as per usual. Our assistant coaches ran the rehearsal and thought we should work on aerials.


 That's usually a fabulous idea, considering our aerials are never perfect and could always need some polishing both for aesthetic and security reasons. Learning a new aerial when you have minimal acrobatic experience, is another story altogether.



The Fly. (c) Kristina Jensen, 2011.

 So far, this newbie has learned the basics (Frog, Jump for Joy, Knickerbocker, Crepe, Dean Collins Dip, Snatch) and a few intermediate aerials (Pancake, Fly, Can of Pop) which I don't master quite yet... This time, my coaches were wanting to review the Ferris Wheel. Yes, it's as terrifying as it sounds.

All in all, I ended up elbowing my partner in the eye and kicking his hands. I was feeling terrible about it. My teammates were joking: "He had it coming!" Fortunately, none of us hold grudges; it's the nature of the beast. Aerials are demanding, technically complex and a tad dangerous. Yet, I love them. I get a rush when I succeed at passing them.

I won't be tackling this aerial again anytime soon, as I sprained my ankle doing something trivial as a scissor kick. Oh well, I'll be an acrobatic superstar later... Rome wasn't built in one day.