I have been trying to work with meditation, visualization and setting intention lately. Visualization I came to early in life, both through a wildly fruitful and well encouraged imagination, and through a couple of dance teachers who used visualization to manifest proper posture and movement. It really is amazing how much our mental images, or lack there of can effect you anatomy. Some of the images are so strong, I use them to this day: need to relax or getting a massage—images that you are made of soft, warm dough; want to walk like a ballet dancer—imagine two huge meat hooks hoisting you up under your ribcage, lifting you, but you shoulders are free and loose (avoid the should to ear look, which is never a good idea). I hurt my hip several weeks ago, and it will hurt to walk when I over do it, but if I image myself lifted from my center, not “sitting” in my hips, almost all the pain is gone.

The the beginning of this year, I decided that I was going to move from being a photo dabbler to photographer. I was going to be able to be someone who really knew how to use their camera, used the manual mode most —if not all the time, and got the shot on purpose, not by accident. During the month of February, I took two in person classes, two online classes, and set up 3 shooting days. I even got a set of two “proper” strobe lights off craig’s list. I feel 100% more confident, and know I have a ways to go.

I have also set an intention to fill out the Dangerous Curves rooster, and now have two new wonderful woman working with us—one of the a great trained dancer, which opens great creative doors for me!

Now it’s all about keeping the ball rolling as I enter into another heavier work period, so I don’t let all this progress be lost.

19 years ago today Dan and I transformed from good friends to a couple. It means that we have been together longer that we haven’t. We actually planned our wedding to be on the other side of the year on 9/9. But 3 is a magic number, for us in particular.

After shooting Bryn, I did a short session with my friend and fellow DC dancers, Jean. Her new bangs gave here a very 1930s look, very vampish. I was playing with some dramatic lighting, I love the shadows that highlight her cheek bone on this one.

Jean

When I originally set up this blog, the idea was to force myself to create and post art.  To challenge myself not to spend too much editing my work, being too critical. Now that I am getting seriously into photography, I want to get back to that.  I am going to start trying to take my camera with me more often and take more pictures.  I would like to try and post once a week—more if possible. The first one I want to post, is this photo of Bryn that I took on Wednesday.  I really love the intensity in her eye, while there is a still a softness.  In this photo she strikes me as challenging and wise. I may play around with this photo a bit later—making it black and white, except for the eye—maybe.

Bryn looking