It’s been 2 months since I launched this daily photo blog. I am already feeling proud of some accomplishments I’ve made with the blog. For one, I’ve stuck with it by creating a daily routine for two solid months. I think some genius out there decided that if you practice something for 30days, you’ve set yourself up for a good solid routine. Part of my routine has been to force (I don’t really see it as forcing, but I’m not sure what other word to use) myself to get out and click, click, click every day. I think this routine of carrying my camera with me at all times has taught me to understand that there are in fact several opportunities for 1 great daily photo – no matter how routine or mundane daily life tends to be.
Another is that when I first launched this site I had no idea if anyone would be interested in following my blog. I feel good to be able to say that as of this morning there are 1,666 (yikes, quick… someone “CLICK”) hits on my blog. For the record, my blog does not count the times I view it to see how it appears on the front side. I’ve also discovered that 4 people / bloggers have subscribed to my blog. Wow. 4 people are actually interested in following my daily photo blog! Pretty Cool!
I think the final accomplishment would be that I’m learning to think outside of the box. I’ve been practicing methods of using composition, textures, patterns, light or lighting, and creating an abstract image in my photos. I am also trying to practice not taking typical cliche photos. I do understand that at times these photos are fun and warm the hearts of many, but my intentions for doing digital photography fall more into line with using my artist abilities. Exercising an artistic style is what make my creative juices flow. I think this practice will also help me to stand out a bit more from other photographers.
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Tags: art, artistic, blog, camera, daily life, leaves, me, oregon, photography, pigeons, portland, project 365, reservoir, routine, street, style, urban, wall
My Saturday was pretty much spent watching a youtube marathon of “Kathy Griffin – My Life on The D List”. I fricken love Kathy Griffin. I love her crass, no filter potty-mouth humor. She and I have a lot in common when it comes to our sense of humor.
I was noticing that since she divorced from her husband that she has been on the road a lot more than when she was with him. Or am I making this up? I really don’t understand how people don’t know who Kathy Griffin is. If I passed her on a crowded street I’d probably first pee my pants and then run over to her yelling, “Kathy Griffin! Kathy Griffin! I’m your biggest fan! You’re fricken hilarious, Kathy Griffin!!!” I even found myself fantasizing (Yes, Kathy, I fantasize about you!) about how I could be the ‘assistant to the assistant’s assistant’. I mean, they look really stressed out flying from West Hollywood to London to Miami and back to Ireland. They need one more assistant to lighten the load. Oh, oh oh… I got it! I could be Kathy’s resident photographer AND her event manager and her biggest fan!
Kathy Griffin! Book your next show in Portland, Oregon! This is a gay man’s and woman’s mecca and all the Portland weirdos would love to see you too! I’ll even be your biggest fan.
p.s. I forgot to mention that my heritage goes back to Ireland AND I own the same pair of mary jane Dr. Martens as Kathy. Thanks for listening.
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Tags: blog, bravo, comedy, humor, kathy griffin, kathy griffin my life on the d list, marathon, oregon, photography, portland, st johns bridge, team griffin, youtube
Last night was “date night Friday”. We walked up to Stark Street to the Academy Theater and watched Julie & Julia. Good flick. It made me hungry.
Or shall I say, it made me want to gorge my eyes out with pizza from the original Flying Pie Pizza. The Presto pizza is so good!
Hence, the photo I captured here.
But really, I began to think that maybe I’ll be famous one day writing this blog and posting my daily photos. Although, Julia Childs was Julie Powell’s mentor / idol / “invisible friend” and I don’t yet have one. I don’t have a famous photographer who is my all time idol. Maybe I should research Ansel Adams? Is he still alive? I don’t even know this.
I’ve definitely got some homework to do.
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Tags: academy theater, blog, date night, flying pie pizza, idol, invisible friend, julia childs, julie & julia, julie powell, movies, oregon, photography, pizza, portland, stark street
Yahtzee was the game of the evening in my home for thanksgiving. I have to give much thanks to facebook’s Farkle game, because I now have a new found appreciation for the ole table top game. And since my new year’s resolution is to totally ween myself off of facebook, then I think that I should take up a new liking to yahtzee.
Speaking of table top, I’ve been thinking about doing a “Table Top” series for my exhibit in April since I’ve already captured a few good ones (i.e. vintage and sapphire). I kinda like it.
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Tags: dice, exhibit, facebook, farkle, online social networking, photography, portland, table top, thanksgiving, yahtzee
Tags: abstract, art, glow, lights, music, oregon, photography, portland, thanksgiving, thinking outside of the box, trees, twinkle, wreaths
I can’t stand malls. I try at all costs to avoid them like the plague – or should I say H1N1! However, this Fall I have been volunteering my fundraising expertise to a local Portland non-profit called “Step It Up, Inc.” that is headquartered at the mall.
I have committed myself to volunteering twice per week at the Step It Up, Inc office. So, this has been forcing me to be at the mall. Every day that I am there, I find myself feeling sick to my stomach at the site of all those people gorging themselves with Hot Dog on a Stick, McDonald’s Express and Cinnabon. Bleck. And, then I begin to feel sorry for those lifeless shoppers rushing out of the department stores with two clothing bags hanging from each arm. As if that was the biggest highlight of the year for them.
I think perhaps the only positive activity that is happening at mall is the year-round indoor ice skating rink. Yesterday, it seemed like every Portland public school kid was wearing a pair and hugging onto the railings as they attempted to coordinate their inline skating skills. Each time I walk into the mall I immediately walk over to the rink to take a few shots of the skaters on ice. I’ve got wishful thinking that that rock star blog-surfer fairy will send me a brand new SLR Nikon D40 (or better) and then I’ll be able to capture a better freeze-frame shot of the kids. This one kind of looks like the yedi on ice.
On my way out of the mall, I found SantaLand. I saw a mother with her little girl walking slowly through the lane ropes anticipating a cozy visit on Santa’s lap. Yes, this creeps me out and ALWAYS has. I think my sick mind is tainted after I watched “Bad Santa” years back. I thought I’d try a few shots of him sitting there. As I looked into the view finder to see what I had quickly produced, I heard the SantaLand attendant strictly call over to me, “Umm, Miss… you can’t take personal photos of Santa. It’s a copyright infringement.”
I was corteous and turned off my camera and turned around to walk away. But, what I really wanted to say to him was, “How the hell is taking a picture of Santa a copyright infringement? I mean, Santa isn’t copywritten! Whatever, SantaLand attendant man! Whatever!”
Exhale. It’s such a relief to me each time I step outside into the great wide open after having spent hours inside the mall.
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Tags: bad santa, black friday, camera, cinnabon, department stores, fashion, H1N1, hot dog on a stick, ice skating rink, lloyd center mall, mall, mcdonald's express, oregon, portland, santa land, shoot, shoppers, shot, SLR Nikon D40, step it up inc
Kristen’s long time friend, Tracey joined us for Alterna Thanks last Saturday. Tracey was in charge of bringing a couple of appetizers. I liked her display of fresh sliced oranges, pomegranate seeds,persimmon wedges, crystalized ginger pieces and sliced apples. She encouraged everyone to eat the the persimmons along with a chunk of ginger. They were delicious!
She also brought radishes to be dipped in softened butter and two types of salts. Although I’m not a fan of radishes I couldn’t resist a try since everyone at the table was ohhh’ing and awwww’ing at their complexities. After my attempt I quickly went back to the persimmons and ginger.
Another one of my photography obsessions is capturing candle light glow. I realized that I began taking dozens of photos at the dinner table while everyone was chatting and working on digesting the scrumptious thanksgiving meal we ate. This is a bad habit (I think) of mine. I think it’s a way for me to tune out a little. But, I can’t help but to obsess on capturing interesting images like this one.
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Tags: 2009, appetizers, apples, butter, candle light, food, food photography, ginger, obsession, oranges, persimmons, photography, pomegranate, radishes, salts, thanksgiving
Sometimes I don’t really know what to write about my photos. Half the time when I post photos and write a story I feel like a babbling 3rd grader. Usually I’m feel like I’m just writing, “And then we went here” … “and the we went there”… “and then we lived happily ever after”. I find this boring. I totally admit that my writing skills totally suck. They always have.
When I started this blog late September, I had no intention of writing a blog or blurb about my daily post. My intention for starting this blog was/is to post a daily photo as well as pushing myself to shoot tons of photos on a daily basis in order to practice, practice, practice. Others might call it “finding my edge”. In the early weeks of October, I began to feel this overwhelming feeling of having to tell a story about my photo or why I took the photo(s). I also began to become more self-conscious about my writing skills at this point. So now, I’m at this point of questioning what to do next with my blog. I can clearly see that it’s evolving, but maybe I can continue to control its evolution? I’m beginning to ask myself questions like, “How do I expand this blog or rather how do I make it more interesting? How do I attract more visitors to my daily posts? I know I’m totally obsessed with daily blog posts and what would happen if I actually made my blog into a weekly blog? What if I posted that best photo in one week instead of the best photo of the day? How do I engage the viewers of my blog in a way that will make them want to Leave a Comment? Why do I want the visitors to Leave A Comment?”
I’ve been thinking that I need to add a weekly post theme like ”My favorite photos on Tuesday” or “Things I most like to shoot – Thursday” or “New blogs that I’ve found and Tri likes this – Friday”. If you’re reading this right now, what theme do you think would be interesting for you to see on my blog?
I’ve also been thinking that instead of telling a story or writing a blurb about my daily happenings, that rather I’ll describe the reasoning behind my photo. Maybe I’ll describe why I took the photo or what I like in the scene of the photo or just something that I’ve been trying to capture through this lens and I think that maybe I’ve got one photo that will illustrate this idea.
Oh the complexities and dilemnas in life. I think I’ll pour myself another glass of wine.
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Tags: amber light, birds, black birds, bottle, chirping, cloud formation, crows, doors, light, oregon, photog, photography, photos by trina, portland, t ramirez photography
We are celebrating Thanksgiving a week early in Seattle with my family, because next week we’re all going to be in different places on Thanksgiving Day. It seems ironic to me that after having just hauled ass to move back to the west coast after a short year and a half stint in Nor Cacka Lacka that my first major holiday will still be spent without my family. But you know, I’m completely okay with this. Now that I live in Portland I get to see my sisters just about every 6 weeks which means sisters and kid fix galore! I can’t tell you enough how great it feels to live so much closer to my family.
I might not have a job, or a working vehicle, or even a washing machine that works for that matter, but this year I definitely have so many blessings to count when it comes to a life full of love, fortune, and joy.
For that, I am thankful.
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Tags: 2009, family, photography, portland, seattle, thanksgiving, trina ramirez photography, washington, west coast
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Tags: amber, ballard, bar, copper, copper gate, door, exit, light bulb, restaurant, seattle, sign
Lately, I’ve been feelin kinda like writers do when they experience writers block. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s because I’m just not feelin creative, but today I kinda feel like I’m pullin’ this outta my ass.
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Tags: ass, banana, donkey, economy, monkey, photography, street scene, urban photography
What the hell is so funny?
I mean, … do you think anything is so funny, mister Mann?
No? Hmmm.. okay……
Riiiiiight.
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Tags: design, fashion, fashion photography, lady, laughing, lights, man, mannequin, photography, store front, window, window merchandising, woman
