Tag Archive for ‘photography’ at Inspiration Junkie robayre.com

Tag Archive for 'photography'

Birthday Presents - Fuji Instax 210

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on October 5, 2011

in Fun, General Update, My Artwork and life

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For my birthday I got some AWESOME presents. For real awesome, not just “yay, socks and underwear” awesome. I’ll have to post a couple separate posts to share. My brother and sister in law got me the Fuji Film Instax 210. I’ve been wanting one of these forever, but could never justify spending that much.

People, it.is.so.awesome! It’s an instant camera, much like the beloved old days of Polaroid instant. The only (itty bitty) downfall (for me) is that the pictures are rectangular, where my heart really lies in the square format. Thinking about that, it’s kind of funny because in art school we were always ushered away from using a square format because it is harder to create balanced compositions, but I’m a rebel. Back to the camera, did I mention it’s awesome? Because it is. It comes with a lens to take close up pictures. What I would have done for one of those on my old polaroids (shaking fists towards the sky). If you are unfamiliar with instant fuji film, they also have pull apart films that I use on my Polaroid Colorpack II Landcamera. They have a second smaller Instax camera that comes in white and takes itty bitty baby instant pictures. I preferred the larger just because I already have my Polaroid Pogo Printer, which prints tiny digital pictures from your camera or phone.

When Polaroid announced that they would no longer be producing instant film I went into hoarding mode. Sadly, I still have packs left because I was afraid to use them all up, but the film is going bad because they are all REALLY expired. I realized with this new camera, only 2 pictures in, and I’m already being waaaaay to cautious about using the film. I need to lighten and loosen up and have some fun. I need to take pictures and enjoy my birthday present.

Instant film aside, I realized the other day that it was a good thing that I’d fallen in love with instagram and taking pictures with my iphone because since we moved I couldn’t find our battery charger. If it weren’t for camera phones, no pictures would be taken during this time. A few weeks ago I broke down and just bought regular batteries at the store to tide me over. Next thing ya know, Matt uses them, AND the batteries from my camera, to put into his wii-motes. Yesterday after hunting (for what felt like hours hours) through boxes of storage in the basement I finally had a meltdown. That was all it took for Matt to go to the basement and 10 minutes later return with the battery charger, sigh. Well, now I can take pictures AND Matt can have friends over to play Super Smash Bros.

Instagram

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robayre

on September 28, 2011

in General Update

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My instagram obsession continues on. For a while I was getting kind of annoyed with all the filtered photos posted online, wondering what happened to real (as in undoctored) photography. Sure, I’d contributed with my hipstamatic uploads, but it seemed like every.single.picture in my flickr contacts was uploaded straight from some app. I think the turning point was when I took this picture of the car. Everyone has cameras in their phones nowadays and this allows us to document our lives more regularly. Our memories get filtered through our emotions and these photo apps allow us to play up those emotions quickly and easily. And as much as I love taking pictures, editing them and sharing them on instagram, I equally love the social aspect. I really enjoy looking at every one else’s contributions and comments.

Earlier this month I realized I was about to hit 100 pictures on instagram so I took the above picture to celebrate. Since around the time of the car picture, mentioned above, I think I’ve posted at least one picture to instagram every day. I’m making no commitments, because, well, we all know how I am about that, but I hope to keep it up as long as I am inspired.

Have you seen where you can design photo albums online specific to instagram and get them printed? How cool is that? I might want to do that, but then again, I could easily print them myself and assemble a book of my own. We will see.

new acquisitions

Published

robayre

on December 8, 2010

in General Update

. 2 Comments

On Monday, my SIL (Dacia) and I checked out a new-to-me furniture store, about a half an hour away. They sell new and used pieces and we both did very well. I picked up a vintage rocking chair and I absolutely love it. It was marked $70, but he gave it to me for $45. Hello, Sweet Deals! It’s really pretty, well built, but I was actually really attracted to it because it goes well with a stool I bought at an estate sale earlier this year.

Then today, I got an old G3 iPhone, when a coworker upgraded to a G4. I’m not interested in using it as a phone, but will use it as an iTouch instead. If I can access wireless, than the only difference is I won’t be making calls from it. Already I’ve been having fun downloading apps, like the one that allowed me to take the picture above: “hipstamatic“. Forever I’ve been drooling over all the beautiful pictures my flickr contacts have shared using this app and now I can play with it too!

Happy Friday

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robayre

on November 19, 2010

in Artists, Cool Links and My Artwork

. 2 Comments

I am not going to lie. I LOVE having Fridays off. My hours were reduced 2 years ago, now. It was supposed to be a temporary thing (3 months) but the print industry is not doing well and it’s just remained permanent. The lost wages stink, but the emotional benefits have more than made up for it. Plus, because I feel like it’s borrowed time, I am always super productive. If only I could be as motivated the rest of the week.

This morning I made my Friday to-do list and I decided I would start the day out by making 3 page spreads in my little book. The first one above, I used only scraps of paper that were already on my work table.

This week I read three fabulous interviews with different artists. I keep coming back to things that were said, and so I figured I’d bookmark them here. I guess the thing that really stuck with me throughout all of these articles is the idea that you can support yourself doing what you love. Your passions and creativity can fill out life completely, in all areas. Anyway, please read and enjoy!

Summer Pierre has been running a weekly “Artist in the Nursery” series where she interviews Artists who balance parenthood and their creative work. This week she interviewed the Beerhorsts, a family from Michigan who live a very unique lifestyle. I’ve been following their various family flickr accounts since seeing their “Wonder Wagon” last fall. It was fascinating reading Summer’s article, and getting more of a glimpse into their history as well as day to day lives.

The next two interviews were from Design Sponge. The first is with Savannah artist Cedric Smith. I love his advice for other artists to think of themselves as a business. Please take a moment to read the rest of what he says and see his beautiful work.

And the final interview is with Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers. I am so inspired when I hear about other artists who have many areas of interest, as opposed to only focusing on painting, or only focusing on music. He does it all. Please check out this fantastic interview.

Okay, now back to the rest of Friday’s To-Do list! If I don’t post again before the end of the weekend, I just wanted to shout out one more time about the Celebrity Scoop Benefit for my dear friend Nikki on Sunday 4-8 at the Haagan Dazs downtown Naperville, IL. Here is the facebook page made for the event. Even if you can’t go, I’d be grateful if you could still spread the word to anyone in the area. Here is her Caring Bridges page. Oh, and she is a lovely photographer too, check out her flickr page here. Thank you again!

Day Four - ‘Roid Week 2010

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robayre

on May 6, 2010

in Cool Links, General Update and My Artwork

. 1 Comment

Here’s a polaroid izone picture of my yoyo quilt. This picture is probably from ‘98 or ‘99. Remember izone? I still mourn the end of izone. I remember a picture my friend Nicole D. and I took and stuck on the toll booth leaving town. Remember “change” toll booths in Illinois? Those are all but gone too. Times change.

I love Polaroid, and that means ALL Polaroid products. In other words, I am a sucker for a Polaroid gimmick. This has led me, time and time again, to be disappointed when they’ve discontinued products…until at last the FINAL discontinuation of ALL instant photos. That is, but one last gimmick, and I’ve used this blog as a stage to plug it over and over. POLAROID POGO! Take pictures with any digital picture, carry your portable pogo printer with you and print little Polaroid pictures on the go. Here you can read a previous post all about how it works.

Here is a Polaroid Pogo print and the original file from which it was printed. If you click on the images it will take you to their flickr pages so you can see them larger. Each pogo also can double as a sticker, if you peel off the release paper on the back. I love my printer and of course I think everyone should get one. I think they were even going to carry a printer and camera in one, so you can take the pictures on the digital Polaroid and print them straight from the camera, but I haven’t seen any of them out there yet.

edit: I forgot to mention I also offer mounted Polaroid Pogo prints in my Etsy shop, check them out here.

Polaroid Week 2009

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robayre

on November 2, 2009

in General Update

. 2 Comments

It’s is Polaroid Week 2009! I’ll be posting a new Polaroid picture each day this week, Monday through Friday. I posted about it over at HelloCraft.

This morning I started browsing through my collection of Polaroid cameras looking for one that might have film left in it. None of them did and this triggered panic. Reality hit for the first time. I might never be able to buy Polaroid instant film ever again. I knew I had at least one film pack left in the basement, but I immediately started kicking myself thinking “WHY DIDN’T YOU STOCK UP WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED PRODUCTION STOPPED!”

When they originally announced that Polaroid halting production of their instant films I wasn’t worried, I had tons of boxes of film still. I continued to take pictures frivolously as if each film pack was like water and would never run out. Deep down inside I thought it was just a threat and Polaroid would never dare to stop making a product that everyone loves, a product that has become so deep rooted in our culture/society and such a huge medium in the art world.

I drove around today thinking, thinking, thinking. This last film pack I have has to last the week and plus some. I’m allotting only one picture a day. No take backs, no re-dos, no multiple shots. Each and every picture might be one of the very last Polaroid pictures ever taken. Ever. That carries a lot of weight and pressure.

It’s beautiful outside today. A gorgeous fall day with blue skies and growing bare trees with the goldest of gold leaves remaining. But is a snapshot of that worthy of one of the last pieces of film? Hasn’t that been done again and again?

I hoped that when the time came for today’s picture, the one that was meant to be, that I would realize it and be able to capture it fully. I kept my camera by my side as went through my day.

I took the rest of the day off work and decided to utilize my day fully. I got things done that I just can’t seem to force myself to do on the weekends. I cleaned out my dead car and went to the post office. I grabbed a box of tulip bulbs that I had purchased as part of my “To-Do list for 2009″. I went outside and put my hands in the earth. As I dug through the cold dirt I realized that this would be the picture. I’ll document this as I cross off an item off my list. A perfect item to document, as planting fall bulbs also carries connotations of death and rebirth. As everything dies and goes into hibernation for the winter, I’m investing in and hoping for beauty in the future/upcoming spring.

Of course, the picture didn’t turn out as I had hoped, and where I normally would have retaken it, this year, I get what I get. So here it is. My first contribution to Polaroid Week 2009. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Polaroid too has a rebirth and that we can keep it going. If you read the quick Hello Craft article I wrote (linked above) you will find several links to help support the movement. Please take a moment to check those out.

And I’d love to hear if you are also participating in “Roid Week”. Leave me a comment. Polaroidgirl on twitter has created a list (here) of all the people participating, and of course there is the flickr group devoted to it as well.

Lettuce Entertain You

Published

robayre

on July 22, 2009

in General Update, etsy and life

. 2 Comments

So my container garden is growing splendidly.

I only have the two tomatoes still and they are just starting to head towards orange. My lettuce, well, they look like lettuce. They taste like poison, but they look like lettuce. My sister in law warned me about this, apparently they get bitter once it gets warm. Note taken. My zucchini is looking and tasting like zucchini. In a proud triumph, I made zucchini bread from my own hand grown zucchini (grown from seed, mind you) and it tasted yumm, to umm. Lastly, pictured above…it is what I assume to be one of my first potential pumpkins. They are vining out of their containers and onto the patio.

My hibiscus has been blooming like crazy for the last month as well. It just rained when I went out to take these pictures so everything is a bit dewy looking.

And because I love dying hibiscus just about as much as I love blooming hibiscus, here is this beauty for you.

And, if you love the wilting hibiscus blossom as much as I do, you might like a copy of this image hanging in your home, available in my etsy shop.

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