The Sunrise is Stupid

I took a lot, and I mean multitudes of beautiful photos during the sunrise of the final morning of my vacation back in September. They've since been sitting on my computer untouched until recently, and even now after taking the time to go through all of them and flag my favorites there are still 65 photos sitting in that folder. This morning was incredible and unreal and even more incredible and unreal is the idea that the this happens the same way every morning in this place. I kept looking at the back of my camera and rolling my eyes, because they looked so freaking good. I'm not trying to talk up my photography skills, (but if I was it's my blog, and I can do whatever I want) because my skill had nothing to do with it. Have you ever seen a terrible picture of a sunrise or sunset? Every shot looked like it came standard as my laptop background.

It doesn't take an artist. I didn't feel like an artist (not that I often do). I'm just someone who has seen all the cliché photos and still feels the need to bring more into the world. I feel like it's very human to want to capture beautiful things when we see them with our own eyes, even though the same thing will happen tomorrow and the next day.

I've felt a lot recently like I have been in my head with stress, loss, and defeat instead of stopping to just go outside and revel in the season I continue to boast as my favorite. I don't deserve the fall right now, but I did take a second to relish in the summer, so I just wanted share that.

P.S. I am sad to have to add that photos on this blog will be sparse in the coming weeks/months because my camera was stolen from me as a result of a break-in. The thief stole 4 cameras from me, in fact, and I am at a loss. Now that I'm not able to use my camera, I feel more inspired than ever with no outlet. Thinking of starting a fund to help me buy a new one.

Thank for being here, guys.
Stay with me,
Stephanie

Instagram Diaries

So, I decided to submit a ton of my Instagram photos to my university's Literary and Arts Journal, The Phoenix. I submitted them in this fashion, as a somewhat balanced collage. The idea first popped into my head when I was going through my photos trying to decide what to submit, and realizing that I only had access to my photos since July. I've been in a sort of rut, if you can't tell, and mulling over what is considered "art" and what I feel that my work does to earn that ranking. 

My photography work feels like I'm still bumbling around with a camera like I always have been, just with better equipment. I feel still like someone who hasn't found their photo-mojo, but has tried in many different ways. I did the 52 weeks project of self-portraits, which I was very proud of and turned out some great results, but it didn't stick to me or make me any braver like I had hoped. Taking pictures of myself outside still embarrasses me. I want to try more lifestyle photography for blogging and charming documentation, but that hasn't worked out.

I think, I sadly thrive as a photographer when I have less control over the shutter-speed, aperature, ISO, and just shoot what I want. I think this is always why Polaroid, Instax, and disposable cameras have always appealed to me so much. With zero control I feel so much more comfortable and like more of a rogue art-maker in the mundane everyday.

So, here's what I've made with the new Phone-ography craze.
I'm proud and self-conscious at the same time.

P.S — My Instagram username is stephaknees, and thanks to recent developments, you can now view my instagram profile and all my photos on a web-browser and not just a smartphone!
link: http://instagram.com/stephaknees

BITCH BUGS

Those bugs came out this night and they were bitchier than ever. My very studly BFF, Alex Cline (who has now had his own cartoons published in MAD Magazine twice this fall) hosted an art show/comic book release party for a weekly project he had been working on called Bitch Bugs.

It's really hard to explain and even harder to fathom how this all came out of Alex's head, but here is an example:

Click for Alex's Blog and more bitches!

I actually attempted to edit these photos, which is kind of huge for me. I usually don't have the patience for doing it, because when I'm usually done, I end up thinking the original is just as good. Also, I like my photos to be good because I took a great photo, not because I can use curves. Which, by the way, I'm still getting the hang of. I starred at the picture of Alex's head at the beginning of the post for at least an hour at Starbucks today and found that all the ways I had it were either too yellow or red. The guy next to me probably thought I was obsessed with Alex. (I totally am.)

 Moral of the story: Alex is perfect and editing is actually a valuable experience sometimes.

#VFL

Well, I'm sitting around on a Saturday doing absolutely nothing but wearing a cute outfit and watching The Big Bang Theory, and I have about 5 blogs to post.

So here's one that is full of Tennessee Football.

In other news, here is a photo of me succumbing to Big Orange glory and actually attending my second game in three years (kind of third), instead of just going to a tailgate, which is still rare. (Also, if anyone knows a tailgate where Daniel and I are welcome, let me know.) Left at half-time.

From l-r: Me, Dad, Mom, Aunt, Aunt, Uncle.

Au revoir,

Stephanie

DEW KNOT TUCH

Alex had a gallery show and he is awesome.

Here are some photos from it. Mhmm.

September 14, 2012

slp

Boomsday !

September 2, 2012 was Boomsday here in Knoxville. We like to think it's a pretty big deal. We have fireworks that are always the biggest of any Labor Day fireworks in the nation. I'm not super sure that other places even do fireworks for Labor Day, but hey, when you're the best, you're the best. I was with Daniel, my sister and her husband Aaron, Aaron's older sister, her husband, and their two kids, along with another couple.

It was pretty cool. Yay, for lacy dresses.

No one's ever taken this picture before!
The view from the roof of Aaron's office building.

And... then it rained and we huddled inside the conference room for the finale.

I think these type of photos are my favorite to take in these situations. Silhouettes are so beautiful and a crisp one is always a challenge.

Daniel took this of me, while I quit taking pictures to be a kid and ogle at fireworks.

This is my sister's nephew, Jack, who played hide and seek with each adult individually and also took photos (with my camera and the strap securely around his neck...) of each person in the room after drawing our portraits. He was the sweetest.

When I tried to take his picture he kept dancing around and then I told him he had to be still to get a good one. :)

Word to your mothers,
Knees.

It's fun to stay at the Y-O-L-O.

Since I've ben picture-happy and I've completely stopped editing for now, here is another post from the other weekend. I was reunited with my CHWC team who I spent a month with this summer travelling and devoting our lives to the kids and to camp and to Jesus Christ. It was incredible and seeing them again was like recharging around people who I trusted and loved and who loved me back.

I say all of this with kind of a heavy heart, though. I felt completely useless as a human all weekend. My self-esteem was shot and flaming on the ground, and I don't know why. I don't really want to get into it, but I've been praying and comforting myself and I'm happy. 

That'a that and this is my blog, so I can do what I want.

I love you all, all the time, all my life.

Thinking of you.