Space - a few thoughts on my first image of 2016!

Here it is - my first image of the new year! The story behind it is a very simple one, at least in my mind. Firstly, I simply wanted to have an "upside-down" indoors image. There. Done.

Secondly and maybe a bit more complex, is the emotional story behind it. To me the image is somewhat of a summary of the last year. Looking back, I feel like I spent a lot of time in 2015 "hiding". Hiding as in needing time for myself, time to think, time to re-group. But I feel like I was also hiding a bit from opportunities, from taking action in many ways. Creating and withdrawing to my own "space" helped me a lot. Hiding is nothing bad or unhealthy as long as you come out eventually with a fresh mind and clear thoughts. That's what happened to me and I'm grateful for it.

I chose to blindfold myself for the image. I do like to keep my images more anonymous. In this specific one, however, I also used the blindfold as a key element of what I wanted to depict. When life gets very turbulent and you do retreat and find yourself in the middle of many small storms, you ARE blindfolded in a way. You DON'T know what's coming next. You need time and space and it doesn't matter at that moment that you ARE a bit blindfolded. Eventually, you will come out of your hiding spot, you will have learned, you will have new plans, and be able to see clearly again. I also got to incorporate being upside down for the same reasons. In this little hideout, you find yourself upside down more often than not. It's part of it and, in the end, helps you to regain your strength and your balance.

I went into shooting this without a clear concept (as so often the case with me), just a vague idea and a gut feeling. The concept, the idea or thought, the image represents comes as I shoot. I had a lot of fun doing this, above all because I'm back doing my fine art images.

For the set up I had to clear out our little cupboard, or whatever you want to call it, in our living room. Then I climbed in and out for over an hour, leaving me sore today! It was so worth it....also because this cupboard is sorted out and dusted too ;)

Sanctuary - An Image for my Book Series

"Sanctuary" developed very quickly. Shoot, composite, save. Some images just flow ;)

What is your sanctuary? What is the place where you feel like you can lose yourself, where you feel safe, and where you lose track of time? I chose a book for my image because stories, foreign countries, their geography, new characters and their biography make my mind travel and time fly. Especially during the most unstable or more difficult periods in my life I clung to books because they provided a constant, allowed me to pass time in foreign lands, and life stories different to mine. While I still refer to books as steady companions, photography more often than not substitutes reading. This is the main reason why I called this portfolio Dreamworlds - on a small scale, the images take you away into far away lands and unknown stories. I hope you like it and I hope you share a little bit about your sanctuaries!

In addition to the image I also have a VIDEO for you! Enjoy!

Guarding Dreams

Sometimes in life nothing seems to be of greater importance than protecting your visions, your goals, and dreams. Without these where do we go in life? Reality and everything that comes with it is there anyway or catches up with you very quickly. But I believe the number one thing that keeps us going sometimes are our secret and not-so-secret wishes and dreams. Don't always tell the whole world about them. Keep them guarded within and have them as a powerful source of inspiration and strength! :)

Full size image here !

First Speed Edit Video!

I have always loved to check out speed edit videos on YouTube or Vimeo and therefore always wanted to create one myself. HERE IT IS!

Speed edits give you a look behind the scenes and show how many steps go into some images. For fellow photographers this is interesting for obvious reasons. Viewers of images often only see the end result and either like the piece or not. Few know how these images were created.

Now that I learned how to record my screen and use the editing software, there is nothing stopping me from making these videos more frequently. Also in this first one, I present a new piece. I hope you enjoy!

I use www.nchsoftware.com for recording and editing. The song is by Jess Penner and was provided by www.noisetrade.com.

Full size image here !

Patience with Tied Hands

This image was not planned out per se or edited to be coherent with a certain theme. I often plan my shoots and photograph and edit to address a meaning or a subject matter. With “Patience with Tied Hands” it was one of those instances where I shot what I liked and the meaning became clear during the editing process ;)

Sometimes life forces you to be patient, sometimes patience is a wise choice. Either way, patience doesn't always come easy, especially when you don't have another choice but be patient! But it is a handy tool for our journey through life. Often being patient, taking a step back instead of the next one forward, is the smartest thing to do – when it comes to your business, your job, people in your life, life changes that you feel a big urgency about, or changes in yourself. Some things cannot be rushed.

It becomes difficult, though, when being patient is not your own choice but is forced on you. This is essentially what I see being represented in this image. She calmly accepts the fact that she is forced to wait, she looks off into the distance, maybe looking towards the future and to what presents the end of her inability to take action.

I intend to practice my own ability to be more patient and find myself looking into hobbies or interests that require me to be more patient. The first thing that comes to my mind is my vegetable garden. Over two years ago I moved and jumped at the opportunity to create a vegetable garden. We all know that there is almost no greater lesson in patience than growing a garden. You start from seed or very small plants, take care of them for months. It seems to take forever until you can reap the benefits of a lot of work. And a lot of patience. But in the fall, when you enjoy a meal with your family and prepared it with your own vegetables and herbs, the satisfaction is simply immense!

Because to me patience and nature are strongly tied together, I picked the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson to accompany the image: “Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.”

If you want to share your thoughts about patience, feel free to use the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you!

Full size image here ! :)

Love,

Sabine