We were each others adventures, education & loves.

"Separation is a hard truth to swallow.

When you see your friends, their smiling faces and hear their voices and laugh with them at jokes and memories it's hard to understand why people "choose" separation.

More or less we've chosen to move away from one another, leave Long Beach in search of adventures, education, love, something that we felt like isn't in our lives.

But, all those things were in our lives all along."

- All text by an anonymous collaborator, including the post title.

Photos by me, shot on 120 film with Mamiya 645

Spring

Tasja
Originally uploaded by Erin Eli

Today I borrowed Tasja's Rebel to take some shots of her in her backyard. I also shot a roll and a half on the Hasselbad I have checked out from school this week. It's Spring Break so I don't have to return it until next Monday - sweet. I'll post the film versions of these shots once I develop them.

Portfolio

Hastily printed last Thursday night:

Scholarship Portfolio

Kate

Kate
Originally uploaded by Erin Eli

I have a Tungsten (lighting) portrait due Wednesday in my Intro to Pro class. Kate agreed to be my model.. and then told me that she used to teach Tungsten to college kids at Mole Richardson, the company that makes the lights that we use in the studio! Um, random and awesome! She gave me a lot of pointers on practical light handling, and was a lot of fun to work with in general.

This is the digital component, shot on the studio 5D. Black and white 120 shot on Hasselblad coming soon.

Find some beautiful place to get lost

Oceanside Gulls
Originally uploaded by Erin Eli

So much to do lately! The weeks are flying by. I can't help but think the next few years will go quickly as well.


Actually, flickr, no that picture is not unavailable.
How do I fix that? I'm such dummy when it comes to this blog.

Creating a portfolio

Nevada
Originally uploaded by Erin Eli

Towards the end of March, I'm going to apply for scholarships at school and I need to submit a portfolio of 10-20 images. I've never made one before and I'm so intimidated! How do I judge my best work?

To be honest, some of my favorite shots are things like this that I took with my Polaroid Landcamera. A few people have told me that Polaroids should be fine to include, as long as they're "cohesive with the rest of the portfolio".

Thoughts? Help!

When did I become a hipster??

Erin Oven
Originally uploaded by Miller Truby

Taken by Miller Truby at the Salton Sea, one of my favorite places in Southern California.

Summer

Susan
Originally uploaded by Erin Eli

This past weekend felt like Summer so much. I can't wait for longer days and warmer nights.



Here's one of my latest favorites, shot on 35mm Fuji with my Nikon SLR. I really like Susan's expression and the diffused light on her face. Although the background could have been a bit cleaner.. oh well.

Something that's going to be interesting in the next few months is my transition to medium format and digital. I was recently given a Mamiya 645 Super (thanks to my amazing friend Michelle), and at school we're using mostly Hasselblad. I'll also be shooting a lot of digital for school and other occasions when film isn't practical.

But at this point, I'm so familiar with my little SLR that it's the easiest thing to shoot with, even when I know the Mamiya can produce much better images. I need to just remember that resisting that temptation will pay off in the long run..

Take that, Germans

A German publication from the 1830's regarding Daguerre's advancements towards a fixed photographic image:

"The wish to capture evanescent reflections is not only impossible, as shown by thorough German investigation, but the mere desire alone, the will to do so, is blasphemy. God created man in His own image, and no man-made machine may fix the image of God."

In that case, I know a lot of blasphemers.