self-portrait challenge: day 10

I was going for edgy artist..but I just look like a sad stalker..
Of a beautiful dark-haired lady.
LOL.
I wanted to play with using a spotlight. I don't own a special photography spotlight so I made a DIY cone taped around my daylight bulb on a light stand. I think I learned a couple of important lessons in this one... (1) When using subjects in spotlights, get the whole person in the spotlight. In this image, it looks like I just missed the mark. (2) Pay attention to the full composition when setting it like a stage. This image was not shot, "from the hip" so-to-speak. It was set up and planned. Which means I should have been able to see that the photos of this beautiful dark-haired lady were too repetitive in front. (3) There is a certain multi-layered focus that is needed in good photography. There are so many technical tools to which to pay attention, while at the same time paying attention to the styling of the subjects and composition...At first, I thought this was overwhelming and I could not do it. With persistence, I find it a sort of challenging puzzle now...what fits together in order to construct the scene you have pictured in your mind's eye.

I am also a dedicated student of what I consider to be the height of great photography - which is street photography - this type of photography really is "shooting from the hip." (With practice.) This might be my next 30-day challenge...Hmmmm...YES.

AS FOR THE UNIVERSE: It is difficult to remember that there is a larger picture to just my small self in this entire universe. (I matter!) But if my highest self stops to take in the whole picture, I know there's a safety net beneath me. I can "fail" all the time and still be pursuing my goal of becoming a better photographer, better artist, better/wiser person. More than anything, what rides "failure" is FEAR of failure. I recall my daughter floundering frantically at Diamond Lake ohhhh about 16 years ago. I calmly pointed out she could stand up. She was afraid, YES, but she was splashing around frantically in 2-feet of water. All is well. Get out and shoot!