Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.

~Jalal ad-Din Rumi

I've been experimenting with pinhole self portraits. Daytime self portraits are difficult with this camera, because oftentimes I've only got two seconds of exposure time to slide the shutter open and then back closed, as smoothly as possibly, while maintaining a certain distance from the camera.

This particular self portrait was long in coming. There is a beautiful field near my workplace full of tall weeks, grasses, and a tree with a swing hung from its branch. I often run on a mowed path through this field to reach my regular running route, and I always marvel at the beauty of this landscape. One early evening, after my run, I changed into a skirt and dressy shirt and wandered with my cameras into the field. I ended up with two pinhole images that I really liked (the other I will post soon).

I think the one thing I strive for in my photography (and perhaps seldom succeed at, but it's good to strive) is to generate, in others, a sense of emotive connection through my images. I tend to like the images that, while being far from technically perfect, convey a distinct sense of place, time and mood. I'd like to create images that move people for reasons they can't quite put words too. For reasons that stir something deep in one's soul or psyche.

This image, for me, comes close to accomplishing that goal. It is a bit dreamy, a bit hazy, a bit nostalgic and a bit mysterious. It's a flash of light, a memory of summer, a reminder of a dream that flits around the periphery of my mind. At least, that's what it is to me. You may have different notions. ;-)

Taken with my Zero Image 2000.

Tags:   self portrait pinhole zeroimage zero2000 field me summer golden palabra oregon film tonight is not a good night but this image soothes me a bit krappykamera? frontpage holcon instagramposted

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Self portrait, Silver Star Mountain.

Image made with my Innova 6x9 Pinhole.

Tags:   silver star silver star mountain washington hike hiking trail clouds mist fog moody me self self portrait pinhole innova 6x9 pinhole landscape pnw pacific northwest lyrics by ben howard

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~John Lubbock

Self portrait, in a man-made forest, as recorded by a pinhole camera.

Tags:   pinhole zeroimage zero2000 landscape portrait self portrait me self film poplars forest oregon pacific northwest woods grove

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And a unremembered number of seconds.

Image made with my Innova 6x9 Pinhole.

Tags:   innova 6x9 pinhole pinhole film analog banff lake sunset mountains canada road trip honeymoon me self self portrait long exposure moraine lake landscape

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Actually, I was really just contemplating how not to slip on those logs when it was time to turn back around. This was taken on a trip to Falls Creek Falls with my friend Holly (I think this was during that trip). The water flow was low enough that, for the first time, I was able to cross the upper tier to the opposite side and explore angles from that point of view. The logs were treacherous though and this exposure was not an easy one.

Taken with my Zero Image 2000.

Tags:   falls creek falls waterfall washington pacific northwest outdoors hiking self self portrait me zeroimage zero2000 pinhole summer logs upper tier nature landscape

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