Chris Keeney » Photography: Blog

San Diego Children’s Photography by California Family Portrait Photographer

CK — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:00:29 +0000

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be hired to photograph some portraits for a family living in San Diego, California. What I wasn’t so lucky with, was the weather. At the time of the photo shoot, it was raining outside, so I had to photograph the entire portrait session inside the family’s home. Being the on-location photographer I am, I decided to create a mini home studio by setting up a hand painted muslin backdrop in the family’s living room and work with available window light supplemented off-camera strobes. I originally planned to shoot primarily with direct and reflected window sunlight, but the sky was so dark with clouds, I had to creatively use flash to add warmth to the images. Even though I photographed the entire family, I later decided to only post a few of my favorite photos of the children.

Natural window light baby portrait photographed on location at the family's home in San Diego, California. Created with Canon EOS 5D, 85mm F/1.2 lens

Photo of Ellie's older toddler brother, Matthew smiling for the camera. On location in the family's home in San Diego, California

On location children's portrait of Matthew smiling in front of hand painted blue muslin background at his home in San Diego, California

vintage black and white baby portrait of Ellie on her bellie with natural window light. Using ParkerJ Edge filter actions in Adobe Photoshop for border treatments.

Ellie smiling with joy in her face, while her mother off frame makes funny faces at her. Photographed on location at the familie's home using a portable studio backdrop

First year baby portrait photography of Ellie in the comfort of her San Diego, California home. ParkerJ Edge border treatment added in Photoshop by photographer

Ralph Howell > February 2010 – Featured Pinhole Photographer

CK — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:16:45 +0000

“I am passionate about constructing simple, low-tech, pinhole cameras as a way to see and understand what is hidden by the conventional representation of lens cameras. The pinhole camera is a playful and philosophical tool created and guided by intuition which allows extensive artistic freedom. This intuitive approach offers the opportunity for me to create intriguing and often whimsical images by allowing me to explore, experiment, and take artistic risks that would not be possible with a lens camera. I have designed and built over 100 different kinds of pinhole cameras from found and natural objects. Virtually anything can be turned into a pinhole camera: a coconut, a muffin pan, a cowboy boot, a fishing float, etc. If a chambered object can be light-proofed, it can be transformed into a pinhole camera. I’m excited by the fact that pinhole cameras don’t restrict my creativity with a light meter, a clicking shutter, or a viewfinder. In particular, the absence of a viewfinder turns the process of pre-visualizing a shot into a serendipitous process where I can “point and shoot “ from the hip. I enjoy improvising the content and composition of the photo and risking unexpected and playful outcomes.
Artist statement: I perceive the pinhole as a “seeing eye”, a single hole sieve that filters information. The human mind has the capacity to perceive and form perceptions into thought and image and to then reflect upon both itself and its products. This concept is the basis for the Mirror Reflection series: the pinhole camera’s “self-portrait” is an image of creator reflecting on its creation. I am also concerned with the pinhole camera-as-object, as a ‘ready-made’ – the pinhole camera being as important as the images it creates.”

Ralph Howell stands by his Carnival Wagon Camera Obscura fitted with a pinhole that projects 6 ft. x 8 ft. images inside of it.

CK – All artists get inspiration from the world around them which helps them develop and expand their own creative path. A while back I remember stumbling across an image that caught my eye and inspired me. It was Ralph’s potato as a pinhole camera photo. I remember thinking how outrageously brilliant and funny it was. And with a little further exploring, I found that wasn’t the only ingenious pinhole camera he has made. So to be able to pass that inspiration forward in this month’s feature, is a pleasure and an honor. Thanks Ralph and keep up the great work!

Mirror Reflection: Butternut Squash as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Cowboy Boot as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Potato as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Acorn Squash as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Pineapple as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Coconut Shell as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Plastic Buddha as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Toy Story Woody Doll as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Lone Ranger Lunch Box as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Fishing Float as Pinhole Camera

Mirror Reflection: Gas Mask as Pinhole camera

Mirror Reflection: Shoe as Pinhole Camera

Muffet Baldwin Coffee, Pinhole Photograph

Eight O’Clock Coffee, Pinhole Photograph

Extra Strong Segafredo Coffee, Pinhole Photograph

Self Portrait #3, Cookie Tin Camera with 3 Pinholes

“Pigfly”, Wall Nut Shell Pinhole Camera

Easter Island Head, Hunt, Texas, Polaroid Pinhole Camera

“Elvis Sightings”, Muffin Pan Camera with 12 Pinholes

California Head Shot Portraits of San Diego Software Engineer ~ Brett Drainer

CK — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:58:36 +0000

One of the great things about being a portrait photographer is that you get to meet a lot of new and interesting people. Last weekend I had the pleasure of being hired to create a series of head shots of San Diego software engineer, Brett Drainer, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Brett contacted me because he was looking to update his personal and professional portraits to be used for online social networking websites like, FaceBook and Linkedin. The past few months I’ve been working hard on writing a photography book that’s due to the publisher this spring, so it was a nice diversion to get out on-location to do this portrait session. Thanks Brett!

Classic ambient light head shot portrait photographed in the morning of San Diego software engineer, Brett Drainer, created with Canon 5D, 85mm F/1.2 lens at F/2.0

A candid portrait of Brett playing his Les Paul electric guitar, while kicking back on some rusted farm equipment in his backyard in Rancho Santa Fe, California

Shallow depth-of-field black and white portrait of Brett. Created with Canon EOS 5D, 70-200mm F/2.8 lens, off-camera 580 EXII flash triggered with PocketWizards

California head shot portrait of Brett photographed at his home in Rancho Santa Fe with Canon EOS 5D, 70-200mm F/2.8 IS lens, 580 EX II flash, PocketWizards

Black and white horizontal head shot portrait of Rancho Santa Fe resident, Brett Drainer created with Canon EOS 5D, 80mm F/1.2 lens

Portrait of Brett Drainer playing his Les Paul guitar. Created with Canon EOS 5D, 70-200mm F/2.8 IS len, 580 EXII flash triggered off-camera with PocketWizards

Thomas Hudson Reeve > January 2010 – Featured Pinhole Photographer

CK — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:17:15 +0000

Thomas Hudson Reeve
Pinhole Photographer / Artist
New York, United States
Website: www.papercams.com

The modern camera is a wonderful thing, but it’s nice to remember how simple the mechanism can be. You can strip away the technology until there is little left but the abstraction on which the machine is based. A simple manipulation of space, a few materials, and a couple of hand tools and the magic (or physics) of it is at your fingertips without sophisticated engineering.
To simplify these cameras as much as possible I made them out of the photo-paper itself. There is no film in the camera because the camera is the film. Like a salad bowl made of lettuce leaf, and consumed with the meal, the camera doesn’t exist after it’s utility is fulfilled. It is more of an arrangement than a thing.
There is no negative because the photo-paper employed creates a direct positive image (It uses a reversal process and is used to make prints from slides). Since it is color paper it is sensitive to the full spectrum of visible light, and there is no “safe” light recommended for darkroom work. In other words each paper box camera is cut, folded, and constructed in the dark and kept in a dark bag until its moment in the sun has come.
The pin-hole in the brass plate is all that is needed to project an image onto the inside surface of the box (more on that later), but light also seeps through the cracks and flaps of the box construction and soaks through the black tape that holds the whole thing together. The streaks and burns and flares that appear on the final image are the result of this ambient radiation and although it can be somewhat controlled it also depends largely on “random” factors.
Back in the dark the brass lens plate is folded back like a hatch-cover revealing the hole in the underlying box flap. A funnel is placed in the hole and the camera becomes more like a leaky juice carton as the chemicals are poured in and sloshed around for a couple of minutes each. Rigorous adherence to optimal chemistry technique is already out the window here, so I decided not to worry about it too much as long as the times and temperatures were in the ballpark.
Finally, with the whole box immersed in a deep pan of water, the black masking tape is peeled off and discarded, allowing the box to open flat and display it’s inner surface.

These are extremely wide-angle pictures. The angle of view seems to be about 170˚ as the image wraps around the inside of the box almost all the way back to the aperture. There is no “fish-eye” optical distortion as with a wide-angle lens because through a pinhole light travels in straight lines whereas a glass lens bends light as it gathers it. The distortion that is evident here is caused by the various planes of the box sides intersecting the sphere of light at different angles. This stretches sections of the field of view like a mercator map projection.
Objects seen in the box are closer than they appear and at the sides you are almost looking over your shoulder. Like a mirror, the scene is flipped left to right, which is why a familiar location may not look quite right.

CK → Imagine looking at a blank piece of paper and then minutes later that same piece of paper has been folded into a working pinhole camera. Tom Reeve has done just that. Tom folds photographic paper into small paper box pinhole cameras called “papercams”. Not only is the processing exciting, but so are the images. And while working with Tom’s wife Kat to put this feature together, I learned that January is Tom’s birthday month… So Happy Birthday Tom and thank you for sharing your amazing papercam photos with us in this feature.

Title: Winter Garden - Color papercam pinhole (lensless) photography - By Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: Tressel - Color papercam pinhole (lensless) photograph - by Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: Flat Iron - Color pinhole papercam photo by Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: Manhole - Color papercam pinhole photograph - by Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: Bronx Glade - Color papercam pinhole (lensless) photograph - by Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: Grants Tomb - Color papercam pinhole (lenless) photograph - by Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: WTC - Color papercam pinhole (lensless) photograph of the World Trade Center buildings - by Thomas Hudson Reeve

Title: River Side Park - Color papercam pinhole (lensless) photograph - By Thomas Hudson Reeve

2009 CK Photography Pinhole (Lensless) Photographer Feature Image Gallery

CK — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:31:48 +0000

In this online gallery I have selected of few of my favorite photos from each of the 2009 pinhole photographer features from my website and blog. I would like to thank all the artists that have contributed to this series for making it what I think is one of the most interesting collection of images and words about pinhole photography on the internet. I hope that by continuing this series that the thoughts and photos of past and future artists will inspire and educate people on how wonderful pinhole (lensless) photography really is. I also would like to note that in 2010 I will be writing a book on DIY pinhole photography (titled to be determined) that will be published by Princeton Architectural Press. I know that each and every artist in this collection has inspired me in one way or another to keep experimenting/creating with my own pinhole photo endeavors. Many thanks to all of you who have come to view/read my website/blog and wish you well with your own creative paths in the future.

Color pinhole photo assemblage of red poppies in a magical environment by Bethany de Forest

Below you can click on the individual features to read what the artists wrote about why they enjoy pinhole photography along with a selection of their work.

Bethany de Forest – December 2009 Feature (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Craig J. Barber – November 2009 Feature (Woodstock, New York, USA)
Steve Gosling – October 2009 Feature (North Yorkshire, UK)
John A. Fobes – September 2009 Feature (Pittsburgh, USA)
Kerry Lu – August 2009 Feature (Taipei, Taiwan)
Massimo Stefanutti – July 2009 Feature (Venice, Italy)
Jesseca Ferguson – June 2009 Feature (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)
Darren Constantino – May 2009 Feature (Canfield, Ohio, USA)
Scott McMahon – April 2009 Feature (Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA)
Dianne Bos – March 2009 Feature (Vancouver, Canada)
Scott Speck – February 2009 Feature (Maryland, USA)
Mabel Odessey – January 2009 Feature (Tarn region of France)

Graffiti Street Art Portraits of Ashley L ~ Photos by San Diego Photographer Chris Keeney

CK — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:45:07 +0000

Last month I was contacted by a collage graphic design student who was interested in interviewing me for a school project. Since I have been interviewed over the internet before, I assumed that this would all happen by a series of emails. But what I soon realized that this student was in San Diego and that the assignment was to interview the person face to face. So through a series of correspondences we selected a time and place to meet and we took it from there. During the interview we mostly talked about Graphic Design, but towards the end I found out that Ashley had an interest in modeling, so I asked her if she would be interested in doing a portrait session in the future. I guess her answer is obvious by the looks of the images below.

I have been wanting to add senior portrait (high school seniors) photography to the services I offer, but have been unsure as to how to get started with that. I figured since Ashley is young and stylish, that her look would make for a good set of urban portraits. I wanted to start the shoot in front of a BunnyKitty painting done by one of my favorite San Diego graffiti writer/artist, Persue’. When I do guerilla style portraits like this, I attatch my lights on stands before the shoot, so all I have to do is unload and go without having to set-up a bunch of gear on location. I think that less fumbling around with camera equipment helps to keep the energy of the shoot moving forward in a positive direction.

BunnyKitty Graffiti Art Portrait of Ashley L in San Diego California - Created with Canon EOS 5D x 16-35mm lens x 2 580EX II SpeedLites x PocketWizards

Ashley L in front of Persue's BunnyKitty wall. Wide-angle portrait created with Canon EOS 5D x 16-35mm lens x 2 off-camera 580EX II Speedlites x PocketWizards

Black and white graffiti art portrait of Ashley L in front of Persue's BunnyKitty wall. Created with Canon EOS 5D x 70-200 F/2.8 IS lens x 2 Speedlites x Pocketwizards

Backlit photo of Ashley L in front of BunnyKitty wall - 16-35mm wide-agnle portrait created with 5D x 2 off-camera SpeedLites triggered with PocketWizards

After shooting in front of the BunnyKitty wall we then drove to the Writerz Blok to continue the shoot. Since I had done some work in the past at the Writerz Blok for the Culture Shock San Diego production of Graffiti Life, I was already familiar with this location and knew it would have fresh graffiti to work with. The Kutfather, who runs and oversees the Writerz Blok was kind enough to let us in before opening to the general public. This way both Ashley and I could feel more comfortable working in front of the graffiti walls without an audience.

Graffiti Art portrait of Ashley L in front of wall at the Writerz Blok painted by San Diego graffiti writers, KISKA x Pres One

High contrast black & white graffiti art portrait of Ashley L at the San Diego Writerz Blok - Canon EOS 5D x 16-35mm lens x PocketWizards

Canon EOS 5D x 85mm F/1.2 L Series Lens ambient light portrait of Ashley L at the Writerz Blok, San Diego California

Graffiti portrait of Ashley in a short dress and boots at the San Diego, California Writerz Blok

16-35mm wide-angle graffiti portrait of Ashley L at the San Diego Writerz Blok - Created with Canon EOS 5D - Processed in Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop

Graffiti art portrait of Ashley L in front of wall painted by KISKA x PRES ONE. Created with Canon EOS 5D x 16-36mm lens x 580EX II flash x PocketWizards

A while back when San Diego graffiti writers Kiska and Pres One were painting this wall at the Writerz Blok and I was fortunate enough to be able to document them in action through a series of photos.

Off-camera flash graffiti portrait of Ashley L at the San Diego Writerz Blok - Canon EOS 5D x 16-35mm wide-angle lens x PocketWizards

Profile graffiti portrait of Ashley L at the San Diego Writerz Blok - Created with Canon EOS 5D x 2 580EX II's off-camera x synced with PocketWizard wireless triggers

After we were done shooting at the Writerz Blok, we had a quick bite to eat then headed over to a couple spots I had in mind in Barrio Logan.

Ashley L in front of Barrio Logan graffiti art by Crol vs. Werc and Pose2 - Canon EOS 5D x 16-35mm lens x 1 580EX II Speedlite wirelessly triggered by PocketWizards

Guerilla style graffiti art portrait of Ashley L in Barrio Logan, San Diego in front of Crol vs Werc and Pose2 street art painting

Barrio Logan graffiti art portrait of Ashley L in front of Crol vs Werc x Pose2 street art painting

Barrio Logan, San Diego California graffiti portrait of Ashley L - Created with Canon EOS 5D x 1 off-camera Speedlite triggered with PocketWizards

Portrait of Ashley - Barrio Logan, San Diego California - In front of graffiti art mural painted by Crol vs. Werc and Mr. Maxx Mosses (Pose2)

Oh and BTW, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa or Happy whatever you’re celebrating… I’m never sure what to say to people these days anymore. And since this is probably my last blog post for 2009, Happy New Year to all of you out there… see you all in 2010!!

Experimental Abstract Nighttime Cityscapes of San Diego California

CK — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:04:41 +0000

Ever since I was young I’ve always had a curious mind. And since photography is an art of seeing and interpreting the world around us photographically, I’ve always tried to see life through the lens in a unique and inventive way. Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of having fancy equipment at our disposal in order to create the image we see in our minds eye, so we have to make the best of what we have on hand. Recently our family went to downtown San Diego to watch the Parade of Lights on the bay from an tall office building balcony. The view of the boats from the balcony was a bit far away, but with some binoculars you could make out the lights on the different boats. Not only was the bay full of Christmas lights, but so were the buildings all around me. I could see where people had hung lights from their apartments and condos. I could see cars and trolleys coming and going… the city and the night was alive with activity. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see if the small pocket camera I had with me (Canon PowerShot G9) could capture some of the magic I was witnessing with my eyes. I started by taking the obvious shots by trying to capture the cityscape by keeping the camera as still as I could by bracing it on the railing of the balcony. Boring. I tried hand holding a long exposure. Too blurry. I then experimented by mixing up a 15 second exposure (the longest shutter speed setting for the G9) by exposing half of the image stationary and the other half I moved the camera spontaneously with my hand. That seemed to be the right balance. It was exciting for me to see these images appear in the viewfinder… waiting for the processor to finish developing the image. Waiting for a photo much like you would if you were using an old Polaroid camera. Each new exposure inspired me to try to make another. It is this type of playful experimentation I have come to love in my photography. And since the image is abstract, it allows the imagination room for all sorts of creative possibilities.

Black and white negative abstract photo of downtown San Diego at nighttime seen from the balcony of an office building. Created with Canon PowerShot G9

Long exposure of the city lights in downtown San Diego, created with Canon Powershot G9 camera. Black and white conversion done in Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop

Experimenting with long hand held exposures to create abstract nighttime cityscape of downtown San Diego, California with the Canon PowerShot G9 camera

After editing and working with all the images in Lightroom and Photoshop, I soon came to realize that the images were too busy with either too much color saturation or too many different colored light trails. I experimented by desaturating the image to the point that it was almost black and white… and that’s when it dawned on my to try and invert the image to make it a negative. After doing so, the image appeared to look like a fantastical city photographed during the day. I think removing all the color out of the image simplified the detail in the photo and made it easier for the viewer to interpret what their looking at. And by not having color also made the image more classic and timeless. I like to take these kinds of experimental photos because it helps me to keep being playful with my photography. I think by letting ourselves go and being open to new possibilities helps us to keep re-inventing our creative style.

Headshot Portrait Session With San Diego Graphic Designer, Tara Brouwer

CK — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:49:46 +0000

Recently I was hired by a San Diego graphic designer, Tara Brouwer, to photograph some new headshots for her website and to use for PR purposes on online networking sites. Since portraiture is and has been my favorite genre of photography, I was happy to get this new portrait opportunity. Once we agreed on the price, date and time for the shoot, the rest of the details seemed to fall into place. Tara wanted to have a natural backdrop for her photos, so we decided to shoot outside on a sunny day. I suggested starting in the late afternoon just before the golden hour so we could utilize the warm sun light, which makes for beautiful skin tones and hair light. To fill the shadows in her face, I wanted to use natural light instead of strobes or hot-shoe flashes. So my good friend & photographer, Junior of Fangon Studios, helped by bouncing the ambient light back into Tara’s face with a 40″ white reflector and/or by stopping down direct sunlight with a one-stop silk diffuser. I like to keep things moving/interesting by mixing-up the poses and locations during the photo shoot which in the end gives my clients a wide variety of images to choose from. Many thanks to Tara for doing such a great job smiling throughout the session, I know it can be challenging to be your positive self when someone is constantly pointing a camera at you. That’s why I’ve learned that how you communicate and interact with your subject(s) is just as important as making sure all the camera/lens settings are set correctly. Tara operates her own graphic design business here in San Diego called Brouwer Graphic Boutique and specializes in designing logos, websites, print and web marketing pieces.

Portrait of San Diego graphic designer, Tara Brouwer created during the golden hour with a Canon EOS 5D DSLR camera and 85mm F/1.2 L lens

Headshot portrait of Tara created with Canon EOS 5D and 85mm F/1.2 L lens shot at F/2.0

Shooting Tara from above to create a dramatic close-up head shot. Made with Canon EOS 5D, 85mm F/1.2L lens with natural golden hour light bounce

Portrait of Tara created with a Canon 85mm 1.2L lens during the golden hour in San Diego, California

Portrait of San Diego graphic designer, Tara Brouwer sitting on the grass looking up smiling. Created with 85mm F/1.2 L lens at F/2.2

Black and white horizontal portrait of Tara outside in San Diego, California. High contrast BW sepia tone conversion done in Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop

Portrait of Tara in a red shirt, created during the golden hour with 70-200mm lens at 200mm F/2.8 ISO 400. Parker J tilt-shift action applied.

In 2010 I plan on growing my portrait photography business, which includes: babies, children, teens, adults and families. And since I know everyone is trying to save some money these days, I want to offer some good deals on portraiture for the upcoming year. So check my blog in the future for some photo specials and discounts I will be announcing soon.

Bethany de Forest > December 2009 – Featured Pinhole Photographer

CK — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:30:26 +0000

Bethany de Forest
Pinhole Photographer / Artist
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Website – www.pinhole.nl/

“I like pinhole-photography most because it’s such a simple technique that also allows lots of experimentation.
I first started using a pinhole camera as a necessity. I wanted to photograph a small glass structure, I had built, from a very low perspective and that way create the feeling it was a life-size building. Therefore my first camera was a matchbox. After this there was no stopping and for a while I turned lots of boxes and containers into camera’s. That’s what’s so fantastic about photography. You decide on size and appearance of the camera. As I use lots of mirrors in my diorama’s. Because of this the camera often appears in the mirror and takes a part in the image. A conventional camera always looks like a camera. But a pinhole-camera can have many shapes. Another thing I like about pinhole is that you can decide on the angel of the picture. In my work I use a very wide angle and I love the light fall-out towards the edges. Your sort of sucked into the image. The endless depth of field is also one of the special features. This can create a total new perspective on things. The scale of objects is deformed which can give a very surreal effect. Also the way it captures the light and colors is often a surprise and an ode to coincidence.
And after 20 years of working with pinhole I’m still not bored with it and sometime still amazed the magic of it still works.”

CK – I’ve been a fan of Bethany’s pinhole photos for quite some time, so to have her photos featured on my site is exciting for me. Her pinhole photos of her assemblages are unlike anthing I’ve ever seen. I am amazed how she constructs miniature environments to look surreal and other worldly. I think she really takes advantage of the large depth of field and wide angle perspectives that pinhole photography can deliver. She creates photographs that many of us could only dream or imagine making. It is my pleasure and honor to finish the year 2009 with her words and photos in this feature. Thanks Bethany for sharing your art with us and keep up the great work in the future.

Title: Boktor // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Caravan // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Canyoncar // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Klaprozen Mist // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Koepelvlinders // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Roze Sprink // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Varentuin // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Vlinderkik // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Tussen Bomen // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Eiffelsnelweg // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Zwempaleis // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Druppel // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Pegels // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Vlindertrek // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Pepermieren // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

Title: Speldveld // Pinhole photo of artist assemblage by Dutch photographer Bethany de Forest

A few of Bethany de Forest's handcrafted/homemade and decorated pinhole cameras made of tin boxes and canisters

All photos © 2009 Bethany de Forest and reproduced by permission

The Best Things In Life Aren’t Things At All

CK — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:13:30 +0000

Someone once told me that the best things in life aren’t things at all. And now that I’m married and have a family of my own, I really can appreciate that advice. You could have all the money and worldly possessions, but if you don’t have anyone to share them with, they become meaningless. This past Thanksgiving holiday, I had a chance to spend some time with family and friends in the mountain town of Julian, California. During the days we went for hikes and in the evenings we would return to our cabin, build a fire in the fireplace, eat dinner, drank, played games, read and watched movies together. Life in my opinion doesn’t get any better than that. Being the artist/photographer that I am, I’m always looking and observing what is happening around me… no matter where I am. Since we were in the mountains surrounded by beautiful oak, pine and sycamore trees, I was in awe of how the light during the day would filter through the trees. In the late afternoon, while everyone was relaxing and having some quiet time to themselves, I went outside into a nearby forest with my camera and watched the sun setting through the trees. I reflected on my life and all those who were part of it. I truly was thankful of what god had given me and I felt fortunate to be alive. I felt a sense of peace I often get when I’m alone in nature.

It’s experiences like this that help remind myself that time is fleeting and makes me to take notice of how wonderful life is. One evening, while I was saying goodnight to my children and holding their small hands in mine, I knew that someday those hands wouldn’t be so small anymore. That the time is now to embrace my life and theirs and be thankful for all the blessings that the world has given to me. Now is the time to love, live and be loved.

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. – Carl Sandburg

Now that it’s all over, what did you really do yesterday that’s worth mentioning? – Coleman Cox

Lost, yesterday, somewhere between Sunrise and Sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever. – Horace Mann

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save. – Will Rogers

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else. – Emily Dickinson

Time is what we want most, but… what we use worst. – Willaim Penn