Photography

The Daily Edit |9|

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So far in my editing process, I’ve been pretty happy with the results of tooling around with my editing software.  I’m not confident in my skills yet, but I would say most of my results have made me feel pretty positive about the exercise.   That being said, I’ve worked on the same photo two or three times over the last couple of days- and I honestly still like the original better than anything that I’ve been able to do as of yet.   I’ll post both the current edit and the original shot for comparison.

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Edited photo.

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Noni. Southamton, New York

What I should say is that in both shots, my friend Noni’s beauty is obvious.  I love the warmth and tone in her skin and have only been trying to highlight how luminous and lovely she is.

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Gerald Young. Yosemite, CA. November, 2016

I remember thinking as a young kid that I didn’t want to lose my sense of wonder. That it was important to me to be as adventurous, curious, and brave as I was as a child. I wanted to hold on to that same person inside of me that would run out without fear towards the farthest boulder in the ocean, or climb as high as I could go. I try to remind myself of that person as much as I can. I have these small moments of felling like I desperately miss that girl who would leap without looking- I’m worried that something in me has fundamentally changed and now I step more carefully on to those sharp rocks, and maybe only climb as far as I can reach where someone else might also be able to reach me. At the same time, I do know that I am still that girl. I do still take big risks and trust (or just flat out hope) that I will land true. Sure there are more synapses developed in the part of my brain that tell me that I should probably look before I jump. I’m a little more cautious with my safety than I was as a reckless, fearless child. What I am leaping towards isn’t necessarily as straightforwards as the next big rock, the next highest branch. But ultimately, I often still jump. Sometimes with what feels like both hands tied behind my back. I leap even when it’s towards a lot of uncertainty, new places in my life both physically and metaphorically. I think one of the biggest differences in how I leap is that I am afraid more often. I am not fearless. It may look like it from the outside in, but I try to not be reckless. Yes I jump, but I think about it a lot before I do. A big part of that is that I am more aware of how my actions affect others. I am more considerate of the people who may worry for my safety. Who may end up coming after me. I think that over the years I have developed a fierce sense of gratitude for those people in my life. Who let me run on the rocks, but were behind me (probably freaking out because they had at least a bit of sense where I did not), and willing to jump after me if I needed. I am so grateful. Dear Dad, thank you for 31 years of letting me jump. 31 years of climbing after me. Happy 61st Birthday. I love you.

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Amanda Young. South Hampton, NY. August, 2016

Okay, confession- I didn’t take this photo. I actually wanted to edit and post a photo that I took of my two friends, Erin and Sequoia, laughing so hard that it’s not pretty at all.  I smile every time I see that picture. I love it.  We probably were on a roll with some dirty joke, as we often are. Cracking ourselves up and being only slightly embarrassed but mostly pleased with ourselves.  Still, it’s not pretty. And because I love my friends, I did edit it- just for me.  I also edited a few other shots from that conversation, none of which would be “flattering enough” for me to post.   So in light of this, here’s one of me.  It’s a bit of a cheat from my original intent, seeing as it’s not my shot.  Still,  editing it was a good exercise.  Also, if you know me at all, you know that I always think I look awful in photos no matter what.  So I post it in exchange for not deleting that unflattering photo of Erin and Sequoia. I have to keep that one, because it just makes me happy to remember how much fun we have when we get together. I’m glad I caught it on camera.  Also, thank you to Victoria for taking this one.  I can’t believe I let to touch my camera and take pictures of me in a bikini, but I’m glad I did.

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Doubling up on the photos today, since I missed yesterday due to several technical difficulties. We’re staying on the same trip as the last photo I posted. I had just arrived back to California, and I picked up my cousin from the airport. We drove the nutty mountain roads in the dark to Murphys, California, and then later to Yosemite with our families. An unexpected and lovely trip to welcome me back to my home state. I got to see half dome in person for the first time!

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Angie Yribe. Yosemite, Ca. November, 2016

There are too many things to say about this woman. She is truly the person who I love the most in my life. She has taught me about unconditional love in the best way, by showing it to all who enter her world. I was so happy to enter Yosemite Valley for the first time in my life with her by my side. More love, every day. Thank you Nana.

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Sam Yribe. Mirror Lake, CA. November 2016

This woman never ceases to amaze me. So brave, wild, wonderful. Born three days apart from me, she is a great love of mine that I am so happy to have in my life. She is crazy courageous, strong, and kind. She makes me smile, laugh, pushes my limits, often injures me (okay, only sometimes). I want to be as truly loving and full of life as she is. Now that we’re back in the same time zone, I look forward to more adventures with my cousin Sam. We shall continue to make our parents cringe in fear for our safety and our families shake their heads at our antics. Thank you, my partner in crime, for 31 years of love and genuine exploration of the world we live to explore and make a better place. I love you.

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This is from a bit of a photo mission with Hubert and John. We didn’t hike up the mountain that day, deciding instead to take the aerial tramway. It wasn’t snowing at home, so we weren’t well dressed for the weather change. Should have known better. Still, we did wander around the top, taking careful steps over steep rocks and trying not to slide in the ice and snow. I took a few shots of Hubert with his camera, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had captured the snow coming towards my lens.

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Day three. Even before I logged on and began work today,  I was reminded by facebook of the birthday of a certain dapper English gentlemen.   The following photo is an unusual sight, with Elias in a chef’s coat and apron rather than quite handsomely dressed behind a bar. Still well coiffed, either way.   Happy Birthday, dear Sir.

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Elias Vega, Lysverket Sunday.   April 3, 2016

Yorkshire puddings?  Turns out, they aren’t what we Americans would call a pudding at all.  More like a pancake looking batter that bakes up into these soft, moist and buttery rolls.   Our first attempt even, and I recommend that it should be a required dish for an English inspired Sunday roast. In this case- a Chilean English inspired Sunday roast.  I may have to make some more pretty soon.

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Okay, I’m still considering this Day 2- even though it’s after midnight. Only because I just got home from work and to me it’s still the same day. Today’s image I may have posted a version of before. I have edited it again now with different software. Even after editing it again- each time I see it, I want very much to improve my photography skills. So that if I ever get an opportunity like this again, I can capture it in a way that is closer to what I saw and wanted to convey.

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Aurora Borealis Bergen, Norway March 6, 2016

After service one evening, a handful of us walked outside to see the Nothern Lights over the lake. AMAZING! Right? I didn’t think I would get the chance to see them this trip. I was too far south in Bergen. It was truly an unusual phenomenon, to have the Aurora hit the atmosphere at such a low longitude. The best part was that I had two friends with me who were even more photo nerds than I, willing to geek out together and sit on the frozen ground for what I think was at least a half an hour- trying to get a good shot. Having the company there taking those photos with me-made it more than just an amazing sight, it made it a very special memory. I would say that Justin’s photo from that night is still my favorite. In any case, this one is mine.

The Daily Edit.

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Remember that quote?

“Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.” – Simon Sinek

I haven’t given myself time to forget it yet. I’ve decided to give myself small goals. One at a time. So here we go.

First small goal- to edit and share photos from my last year of traveling and exploring- at least one photo a day. Just to make it seems less intimidating, I’m going to start with just one a day for a week. I will try to share a little something with each photo. Even if all it is, is a caption.

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USF Verftet, May 2016

I went to Bergen as a starting point, before I went to Eid. This was where I would have a week in a restaurant where I’d only heard of the Chef through our mutual friends. Then something amazing happened. I fell in love with a community of people. I became a part of something that sucked me in and made me do everything I could to stay. Bergen, and the community I found there, became home base for the 6 months that I spent in Denmark and Norway. I tried to stay longer. I wasn’t successful, and I still find myself a little sad thinking about these amazing people and how much I miss them. A little bit before I flew back to New York, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Irmelin and Anne Kim, a girls night. And just so much fun. I do want to visit Bergen again. But the thing that pulled me in the most was the people. We’re all a bit scattered around now, as is what happens in the restaurant industry. Maybe in this case – to a little bit more of an extreme with such an international community. I like to think that it only furthers my desire to continue my travels. If only to spend more time with each of them.

You Take it, and you Make it.

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I find myself looking ahead at this New Year and already my expectations are high- my dreams are too many-too big- and overwhelming. It’s a typical habit of mine. So, I wonder what I can do to narrow the scope. Towards the end of 2016 I find myself with several notebooks full of lists, brainstorm diagrams, cartoon drawings, concept art, etc. : ideas written on c-folds, post its, pieces of green tape, various restaurant’s menus and guest tickets- of a thing that I’ve been gearing up to do for over a year. Of “this thing I’m working on”. I keep talking about it, trying to narrow down what it is going to be. A website? A magazine? A blog? And who it will serve. Myself? Will it give a written voice to these crazy subjects that I have become so passionate about? I think-ugh. Does anyone even want to know what I think?

An example of my messy brainstorming. A draft half formed.

One of the people who has inspired me immensely this past year to continue to put pen to paper, even when I’ve yet to have something to show for it- is a friend of mine who manages to just make amazing things. Regularly. I frustratingly compare to this truly remarkable ability to work hard to my haphazard collection of notes and feelings of inadequacy. To my concern that nothing I do is ready yet or perfect yet- so it stays in this constant state of gestation. Ideas are happening, but nothing is made. I try to remind myself that it doesn’t have to be “finished”. That just getting notes down is a start. That an outline from those notes is a step, that writing a draft, and even publishing it with all of the fear that entails- is something. Is work. I try to remind myself that I can come back to it. Add in photos. That I shouldn’t stop taking photos because I’m so disappointed in the ones I have. Don’t stop taking things in. Don’t stop trying to make it.

“Don’t stop taking things in. Don’t stop trying to make it.”

To be completely honest- this whole post started because I wanted to share my friend’s end of the year post in a more meaningful way than simply reposting it to my Facebook wall. It was more about highlighting his work and my admiration of it. I hope to start to showcase these people in my life who are amazing! At least, that’s another idea I’ve written down somewhere. So I started to write, but here this draft has sat for weeks. Now that I’ve returned, it’s become a vastly different story.

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Here I work towards yet another goal, better photos through editing.

In any case, before I forget- please take a moment to check out some of what Justin Khanna is doing on YouTube (his Hong Kong Video is still one of my favorites) , and on medium for his 2017 Playbook. A piece that is much more thought out than this writing has turned out to be.

For me- I feel like the pregnancy of “this thing I want to do” has been a big part of 2016. I plan to see it through to being a tangible, made part of 2017. I am willing to grow it as organically, and hopefully less messily than all of my crazy notes. I plan to push myself to write, to create, to continue to take pictures and draw concepts, and this year- I’m going to share them. Really.