Anonymous asked: "What I'm not: A photographer"
This surprises me. Will you explain this in more depth, please?
Absolutely. Thank you for your interest. :)
I admire photographers of all types, from amateur to professional. I know many people who fall into both categories. (They’re the people who have taken photos of myself that you see on my page/ see me post). Photography is an art that takes a skilled eye and a creative heart, which is something I have and support fully in others. I respect those pursuing a career in the field especially — it’s a constantly changing and seriously competitive world.
It’s one that I do not want to fit into. I took a highly rated photography class from a wonderful instructor, who has been doing this for 30+ years, and is registered as a professional photographer. (To become registered you have to send in a 20-photo portfolio with your best work to be judged by some of the best in the business. It’s a drawn out process that only those serious about their career can do and get approved for). So, with that said, it’s definitely something I’ve dabbled in extensively before and still do often! I love it, especially film and darkroom work. I feel very content when doing photography — and I’m best in landscape.
What I do not love, though, is how many people claim to be a photographer when they are not one. You cannot pick up a camera, take photos of your friends, and call yourself a photographer after that. A lot of people don’t realize how insulting that is for people who really are a photographer. Amateur photographers are greatly pushing back business for those who are seriously invested in this field — by charging lower rates, the amateur’s are drawing in customers, who don’t understand how low-quality their work currently is. And while I know that everyone has to start somewhere — and encourage ALL types of creative flow — it’s still a disappointing realization that is actually causing people who have spent thousands of dollars to get into this industry to lose their jobs. (Check out this NY Times article on this subject. It gets my point across better than I could: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/business/media/30photogs.html). I still absolutely respect these amateurs, I just wish they wouldn’t charge money until they’ve realllly figured it out.
So yes, I certainly take photos often and it’s a hobby of mine. I’ve been trained on what to do from square one. Some may even say I’m good at what I do. However, I’m not a photographer because of that, and don’t feel right calling myself one. I never will, because I don’t plan on making this my career. Make sense? :)
I hope that cleared things up!
In you, there is infinity.
How much longer must we touch toes?
I don’t know.
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Photo: Casey Lucas
Subject: Ashley-Jayne (Myself)
Caption: Salvenger lyrics, Benjamin Lyman.
Click the image for hi-res! The details are much more beautiful that way.
Self. Summer. Wind-blown hair.
So I’ll clear the road, the gravel,
And the thornbush in your path..
That burns a scented oil
That I’ll drip into your bath…
The water’s there to warm you,
And the earth is warmer when you laugh.
____________________________________
Photo: Daniel Vincent
Subject: Myself (Ashley-Jayne)
Details: In the crumbling bathroom of The Lonely Yellow Home.
Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall,
Never should have called.
But my head’s to the wall and i’m lonely.
___________________________________
Photo: Daniel Vincent
Model: Ashley-Jayne (Myself)
Lonely Home Part II
Photo: Daniel Vincent
Subject: Ashley-Jayne (Myself)
+ + + +
Details: This little pale yellow house from the thirties sits atop a hill all by its lonesome. It hasn’t been lived in for years, since its past renters and various vandals have torn it to bits. Its owner still insists to keep it… despite the fact that it is entirely unlivable and not worth restoring.
I don’t blame him one bit.
The walls of each of its rooms are a vibrant color — orange, bubblegum pink, mint green. They are peeling and chipping. The old wooden floors are scuffed and ruined. The wooden staircase ascends to “nowhere” — for its blocked by a portion of ceiling that was added after a tornado took the entire upper floor off the house. The ancient looking brick fireplace has fallen into a permanent slump against the wall, crumbling and covered in soot. The walls have holes in places, revealing where they were lined with newspapers from 1931. Its windows are frail, no doubt due to their originality. Some, like the one in the kitchen in the photo above, are permanently open.
And yet, the house still possesses so much personality within its sadness that we were drawn to it. After finally tracking down and contacting the owner — who is long gone from our state — he graciously gave us his permission to use this charming little house… but not before he expressed his profound love for it, too. I left the house wondering who had lived there before me. What happy memories were had? What sparks of love floated through its now stale air? If its eccentric walls could talk, what would they tell us? I imagined that it would be both very happy and very sad things.
I have a feeling that Daniel and I were the happiest memory that house had seen in a long while. Surrounded by tall grass and sunset, we descended down its long dirt driveway, covered in golden light and golden thoughts. The way the house looked made many emotions pass through my heart.
“Can we come back here?” I asked Daniel.
He motioned to the camera in his hands that was so large it was often uncomfortable for me to lift, gesturing the many photos we’d just collected. Then he looked at me with a smile spread warmly across his face.
“Yes, because we’re always here.”
+ + + +
Sensing by Andrew Hefter.
+ + +
Andrew took this shot when he was seventeen. (He’s twentysomething now). I adored it then and I still adore it now. In terms of photography and photography contests, they may judge him negatively because his subject is faceless and the derrière can be considered an unflattering addition to a shot, but I don’t mind that. It inspires me as a person and as a photographer. He has a way of truly stopping time with his concepts and photos.
I had to do some hunting for this, as he no longer includes it on his website or his Tumblr. Because of that, I hope you thoroughly credit him should you reblog. The model in this shot is named Alora.
That little abandoned yellow house paid off.
More to come soon.
Photo: Daniel Vincent
Subject: Ashley-Jayne (Myself)
Daniel and I have discovered this beautiful abandoned yellow house in the outskirts.
I’m all dolled up fifties style for photos, as we’ll be spending much of our afternoon here today. I’m excited, as always. :)
Lion Around — “And I have no idea where else my heart could have been.”
Photo: Daniel Vincent
Subject: Ashley-Jayne (Myself)
