Blatherskite

Foolish gibberish

about

I am a Children’s Librarian living in the Portland, Oregon area. When I am not Children’s Librianing I like to play with cameras and film. I also like playing the ukulele, knitting, sketching, and hiking.

Darkroom Class 3- Evolution of a Print, part 1

March 19, 2013
I had SO MUCH FUN in my darkroom class last night. We explored contrast filters and I really enjoyed the process of watching the image change and improve. Our teacher first had us dive in and make a print. I chose this photo I took of the pyramids at the Louvre. The image below is what I came up with.

Very dark and no whites to speak of. Our teacher decided to use this image as an example to show us how to use the filters. It was an instant improvement and I couldn’t believe it. It was fun because we used the chemistry to develop this (instead of the machine) so I got to watch the image emerge on the paper.

It’s crazy how much of a difference a little contrast can make!

Here is one that I did on my own so I could fix a couple of things and make sure the process sticks in my head.

Now I need to work on getting things straight on the paper. For some reason I am having a really hard time with that part of it. Again, though, it really drives home the importance of getting things right in-camera.

Also, I scanned this image earlier in the day and I have to say that I love the print version better, despite it’s off-centered-ness. Maybe because I made it by hand myself. But I also think it just looks better. The computer screen really doesn’t do it justice.

We also did dodging and burning. I will share my results of that process in my next post.
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On sunsets at the ocean.

March 18, 2013
Sunset at Long Beach, WA.

I witnessed the most amazing sunset Saturday evening. It had been raining hard all day. It was dark and dreary and depressing. So when I looked outside and saw this view I had to go outside and experience the splendor. It was raining though. A light sprinkling as I watched the sun make its glorious appearance between the clouds and the horizon.

I love sunsets. You might know this by now if you have read this blog for any length of time. You might have heard this before. I will say it again. I love them. And I love them especially when they are at the beach. It is a religious experience to watch the sunset at the ocean.

An interesting thought occurred to me recently. Not very many people get to see the sun setting at the ocean. I get to because I live near the Pacific Ocean. How many other oceans face West? Obviously there are a few. But it suddenly occurs to me that this wonderful experience can only be experienced in certain places, the Pacific Ocean being one of those places. I am very grateful that I get to experience it.

When we went to Santa Cruz last weekend I really wanted to watch the sun set at our old beach, Seabright. We kept ourselves busy until that magic hour and then we drove down to our favorite beach. As we drove I realized that it wasn’t going to happen. I had forgotten that Santa Cruz is an anomaly. It is situated on the north end of the Monterrey Bay and so when you look toward the water you are looking south, not west. And sometimes, because of the way the coastline is, when you are looking at the water you look East. It is very odd and will completely confuse your senses when you are there. So I missed the sunset that evening and I was sad.

Santa Cruz had some pretty killer sunrises though. I used to run on the beach every morning and I was lucky to be able to see the sun rise over the ocean. Which is just as amazing as watching the sun set. Maybe even more so because there are fewer people around so you share it with a small group of crazy people like you who get up at an ungodly hour.
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Six Word Saturday

March 16, 2013
This is probably my theme song.

(what’s yours?)
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Weekly Photo Challenge – Lunchtime

March 15, 2013
“I don’t like the way work break rooms smell. They smell like frozen meals, stale popcorn and sadness.”

-Q.O.D. from my friend Rachel on Facebook.

I couldn’t resist posting that. I loved it. I am in a very poetic mood lately and that sentiment seemed to fit in with my mood.

This is where I eat lunch almost every day, the staff room at work. From the perspective of the glass window in the ceiling.

For the record though, it is mostly not sad.
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The Bridge

March 13, 2013
I have been writing this blog post in my head for two years. It started when I watched the documentary, The Bridge. I heard about the film a few years ago on This American Life and was intrigued by it, as grisly as that might sound. I wanted to see it but was also hesitant for very obvious reasons. A couple of years ago I found myself alone for a few hours with nothing to do so I rented it from iTunes and watched it. It really affected me on a very deep, profound level. I cried and cried while I watched it. I was still going through the grieving process after watching my stepdad die, so there was that element (going face to face with Death itself) as to why it affected me so much. But, also, suicide has played a role in my life in different ways. I think that is why I felt the need to watch this film. I needed to face this “demon” and watching the film was one way of doing that.

I went to the Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday and walked the 3 miles across and back. It was a weird experience. It was unexpectedly weird. I went there with every intention of having a really good time and shooting some great photos. But it ended up being a completely different experience. I started walking across the bridge and I instantly thought of those people from the film. And all of the other people from other years who came here to end their lives. More than 1200. One person every two weeks. One person every two weeks has died by jumping off of this bridge. When you enter the bridge you are greeted with a phone and a sign that says, “There is hope. Make the Call. The consequences of jumping off of this bridge are fatal and tragic.” The railing is low. Anyone can climb up onto it. There is nothing to prevent someone from climbing up on it. I stood there and looked out over the railing and realized this was the last thing they saw. I walked along and my heart sank. I couldn’t help but wonder about the horrible pain these 1200+ people felt before they ended it. I could almost feel their pain. How could a person not feel the pain of 1200+ people who have died here? It was palpable It was almost a living presence.

It was difficult. It was the longest three miles I have ever walked.
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