Winner!

Congratulations to Fernando of Fernando Matias Photography! You won the print giveaway, as decided by a random number generator. (You can find any device you need on the web. So handy.)

I'll be contacting you to get you your prize.

CIty Night

I actually shot and processed this image about a month ago, and I've been on the fence about posting it since then. There are some things I really love about it: the atmosphere of a city at night, something I've always found really magical. Also, I love that girl with her shopping back in the foreground. And I like that she's blurry, but I wonder how y'all feel about that. I like the different layers as well: she family in the background, the lady having a conversation with her coffee in the bottom left corner, the city lights in the distance. The only thing I worry about is: is it too busy? For me the focal point is the girl.

But what about you?

(PS Happy Birthday Hannah!)

Yoga Number 3

Snow!

We just spent a weekend in the snow, but I spent it mostly being sick and burrowing under the bedcovers rather than frolicking in new powder. So here's a photo from our last snow trip, when I was lucky enough to get a day with brilliant blue skies.

Have to keep the roads clear, you know!

The Vine

I am always in awe of the way life finds its way into unfamiliar and harsh places. Seems like no matter where you look, no matter how forbidding or remote, how devoid of nutrients or untouched by the sun, life makes it through.

True, ivy on a brick wall is a fairly common sight. But it's still pretty amazing.

Cinematic

Sometimes when I'm given the choice of two movies to watch, I choose the worse one. Just because I've noticed a trend: bad Hollywood movies have much better and interesting light than good Hollywood movies. Has anyone else noticed this? Am I all alone here?

I feel like your Oscar nominees, in general, try much harder to make it look like natural light.Your blockbusters, on the other hand, are not quite so restrained. Multiple light sources? Check. Looks like no natural light anywhere in the world? Check! Gels? Oh hells yes. Completely different lighting in exactly the same place depending on whether the character is male or female? Double and triple check. Next time you're watching a movie that has a scene with a male and female actor, check it out. Chances are almost 100% that the lighting on the chick will be a lot softer than the lighting on the dude.

I won't lie, sometimes I watch entire scenes in movies and the only thing I pay attention to is the shape and number of catchlights in the characters' eyes. This may be some kind of dangerous obsession.

One movie in particular that flouted the bad movie = fun light rule was Inception. Great film, gorgeous light. I dare you to watch parts of it without the dialogue just to look at the lighting.

Anyway, I felt like this image had a bit of a cinematic feel to it. Let me know what you think.