Solitude

My Senior Exhibition was called "Windows of Solitude" because I felt that my images were meant to act as windows into a place of solitude and peace. 

I decided to look up the actual definition of 'solitude' and this is what I found:
       sol·i·tude
           n.  1. The state or quality of being alone or remote from others

It's interesting because when I actually sit here and think about that word - solitude - I also think of the word 'isolation'.  

When I looked up the definition of isolation (isolate):

i·so·late  v.    
   a. To cause to be alone or apart, as in being inaccessible or unable to move about

   b. To place in quarantine.

   c. To cause to become socially or politically unengaged or ostracized

   d. To render free of external influence; insulate

--the meaning seems very lonely and even depressing.  Solitude and Isolation are synonyms, but, to me, they appear like antonyms.  Solitude makes me think of a happy alone time - a time that one would spend alone in order to improve on themselves, to escape from the chaotic world we all live in.
That was the purpose of my photographic adventures.  Every time I went out to take pictures I used that time to escape from everything that was going on in my life and just felt at peace.  I was finally able to hear myself think and focus on real beauty in life - nature.


Here is a print from my Senior Exhibition that, I believe, exhibits the true sense of Solitude that I was able to experience every time I took photographs.

500px

I am trying to find ways to get my photos out there so I have created an account on 500px. My favorite photograph has made it to the "Popular" list for the Film category. 

Please check it out and like or favorite it to continue to help me out! 

http://500px.com/photo/94534731

Here is a picture of that same image right after I made my 22x22 cyanotype print of it. This was before I toned the image to create what it is today. 

Rivers

The Chattahoochee River is probably the main 'attraction' here in Columbus.  I have always been attracted to rivers, mainly because they are always changing.  Rivers rise and fall, allowing different pieces of nature to come to life depending on the current, water level, or even just the time of year.  When you actually stop to look and observe nature and the surroundings around a river, you can start to see real beauty.

I have always been interested in finding the things that the average person overlooks.  I try to find things that one won't notice unless they really stop to smell the roses…so to speak.  The little, overlooked things in nature are what tells the story.

The following images are photographs I took at various rivers in both Milledgeville and Columbus, GA.

120mm - Holga
Milledgeville, GA

120mm - Holga
Milledgeville, GA

120mm - Holga Double Exposure
Columbus, GA - Riverwalk

35mm
Milledgeville, GA - Oconee River

35mm
Milledgeville, GA - Oconee River

35 mm
Columbus, GA - Chattahoochee River
This was taken before the dam was taken out

35mm
Columbus, GA - Chattahoochee River
Before the dam was taken out

35mm
Columbus, GA - Chattahoochee River

35mm
Columbus, GA - Chattahoochee River

New Beginning

Well, it's been a few years since I wrote on my blog.

I finally pulled out my external hard drive and found my old scanned in film from college.  I also found the scanned in prints from my show…sadly I never scanned in all of the prints, but some is better than none.

With it being a new year, I want to start getting back into my photography.  To start things off, I will start posting my older photos that are actually a scanned image from my actual roll of film.  I apologize if there are some images with dust on them…I didn't have a chance to remove dust from ALL of my photos.

I want to start taking pictures again, even if it is just one a day….just have to find time.  I also have to find a place here in Columbus that will develop my film, or a place where I can develop my own film and use their chemicals. Looks like I have some researching to do!  If anyone has any ideas please let me know!

Here are a few images from two rolls of film that I took back in 2009.  Enjoy and please let me know what you think of them in the comments.