Finishing up Photo 2 @ UH and took a photoshop workshop class...

1 week left of honing in on my portrait skills.
This weeks assignment is to do a self portrait without me in the image....
we'll see what ends up capturing such a concept..

Chanti is leaving the island, the day after tomorrow (after being here for 2 months of adventures)
It's been a blast having a partner in crime.

T$ is going to be a publication magician in the next month.

...Heading back to Northern CA for Thanksgiving. To Grandma's house we go!

Been teaching the 1st grade program on Habitats at the Nature Center.
KP is as usual. Been working in Kailua more often.
Took up playing shopgirl on Sundays at Sugarcane (local consignment shabby chic retail)

This is Supposed to be A PHOTO BLOG and I used up all my space already!

Now What am I supposed to do with my everyday images>?
I normally would have posted at least 5 a day on here by now.. but blogger says "NO MORE uploading Lauren"!
I guess I have to go back and delete some old photos I posted... dang!

The Farmers and Warriors ( at the End of a Hawaiian Summer)

All the re-occuring characters of the Ohana.
Each day familiar yet evolving from the last.
In a place of peace and yet moments of discontent crop up
inside my head.
Not my heart.
My spirit is full, challenged and blossoming.

This is exactly where it all was supposed to be

So it's almost October- WHAT??
life has changed,
and I am quite excited about the transition.
All the manifesting has played out nicely...

The photo show is up til the end of this month
I've been taken a few more...( well a bit more everyday)

I've got some prints to do! I am procrastinating on the part that matters

Chanti is my new muse...
It's inspiring having someone new to capture

The Images From My photo Show "To Amble in Wonder"

The Opening was such a huge success!

I am incredibly impressed!
Not only did Misty display the photos and frames incredibly well,
but the entire presentation turned out impeccably.
I am blown away by how much love and support I received for this show!
Misty worked so hard on everything! I would like to eternally thank Misty for making this a reality.
I am so amazed at how many hours she put into every inch of this show.
Blaine was a huge help; from frames, to writing the bio, bringing coffee mochi ice cream to dancing and halogen lights.
Tyler for emotional and creative support when I would get frustrated with things not going the way I expected...I learned so much in this process.
I was clueless about how to actually put an exhibit together. Now, I might have a better Idea...
Coffeeline is the perfect venue too. That wall, the eclecticness and character of the coffee shop works really well.
I sold half of the photos on the wall!
Now I have to figure out how to make reprints and hope that Misty is up for matting a few more!
It's 12:30 pm and I barely woke up. The lack of sleep this week caught up to me!
I'm here in my new room, enjoying the breeze and smelling all the beautiful flowers from my lei's.
I feel that this show gave me the motivation and drive to really work on photography, more professionally!
All the work paid off.
I just need a Misty around if I were to ever do it again!

The Steps it takes to put together a Show!

Picking out which photos work with which frames!
Misty Matting
Lauren Title-ing & editing (Misty Matting)

Getting a show together is a lot more work than I could have ever imaged!
I am presently a few days until the show, and know there is much more needing to be done!
I am opening up old vintage frames and cleaning out the glass. Scrubbing down the wood and scraping off the old smudge!
Today Misty and I went to the Lilekona Academy of Art to work of matting the photos!
This past week I have been to Costco for printing over 5 times! 8 am 4 pm. waiting and sampling anxiously to see how the prints turned out. I will say that there are so many parts to consider.
The prints were very difficult to produce. They definitely did not turn out exactly how I would have liked, but it's a learning process.
We laid out all the frames with the images on top to match them up. It was hot in the living room and I felt overwhelmed. Tyler wouldn't let me give up.
I have a huge response to this event and I am excited and nervous about the whole thing. People and there judgements of the way I see the world!
I know it will be amazing. The universe has showed me so many signs already. I have been donated wine, a photo printer, frames, misty's time and money and tylers help as well.
We are moving downstairs the day before the show!! Chanti will be here soon! So many projects to do!
One at a time. 3 more hardcore photo days and then on to the next project!
Tomorrow we are going to finish matting and framing and then all the little details that crop up!
We need food, velcro, backings, and I need to write a bio and thank you cards! oh and a music playlist as well!...off to finish the frames.

My First Photo Opening! Please Come Join ME!

The characteristics of a once lived life...

Me, On photography...

I take pictures almost everyday.
I want to be able to get so profoundly in tune with the moment, that I can capture it exactly as I see it happening in my head.
It's hard to completely communicate your mind through the medium of a lens, but it works more accurately sometimes that my words.
I find that this form of expression evokes an emotion and a reaction from those who see my photos.
At first I wasn't really aware of my point of view as unique or different, but if you know me... well, then you know how photographing is an obsession I have taken on many years back.
As soon as I was able to document my life, I have been.
It was disposable cameras, then film cameras, then in 8th grade I asked for a video camera. It was the beginning of a real understanding of how I can use this medium to portray my world outside of myself.
Charlotte and Jordan, my middle school compardres had to, over time, get used to the video camera in their faces everyday. And they did.
I learned to edit the film on my VHS player, by cutting and looping film...
Then when I got a computer, I was able to make small weird films.
Matt was always the photographer of me. So I felt it was unnecessary for the reverse.
But As the years went on I took film production classes, and was known as the girl with the video camera. I met my first college roommate in the dorms with a video camera in my hand.. I wonder what she thought at first... well she got used to it quite fast.
We were the only ones in the building with pictures of ourselves vainly covering our entire door!
Images!!!!I have always been obsessed. WHY?
Video reenactment! Fascinates me...
If you have been in my life, you have been videotaped and photographed at length... When you wake up, when you are on the toilet, when we are in the car... everywhere..

Now, I felt about a year ago that this obsession needed to stop. That I was going to try to remove the lens and just live in the moment...
I wrote it in my journal and I learned to be careful what I wished for.
The power of words is very strong
The next day- I lost everything I owned in a car accident. My Camera, video camera, laptop, ipood, clothes etc, etc...all in a freezing river in British Columbia..
I was so ALIVE! Present and aware of the moment like never before.
When I was leaving for Europe, my mom let me barrow her camera because she knew how important it was for me to see the world and show what I see.
Since I came back from Europe, I have been as religious about it.
The feedback only encourages me.
People find it emotionally evoking and are somewhat intrigued. So I am finally getting some recognition for the 100,000 images or more I was dedicated to taking.
Not only will I continue, but I want to learn more
I just purchased a polaroid camera off a lady from craigslist yesterday, and was gifted a 35 mm film camera, I have a holga I need to use more.
I am developing 30 photos for my first gallery at coffeeline for August. Small but something.
I have shot a wedding, an engagement, a friend in a studio, and some interior design shots.
If i really was able to work as a photographer and get paid well to do this, I would be lucky.
I am of course scared I am never good enough for that. But know I am not half bad. I just need to learn to do more professional type work.
To Do list:
Make business cards
Website
set up the gallery at coffeeline (prints and frames)
buy macro lens
develop holga film
purchase polaroid film
find more small jobs
start the Honuguide photos
purchase an external harddrive
put together a portfolio