Shooting Around Town

I had some extra time on my hands today, being President's Day and all, so I thought that I might take the opportunity to get out and take some photos. Everyone's been to the Pike Place Market the waterfront, and the crowds are still flooding to the Olympic Sculpture Park. I wanted to go somewhere I've not been before or perhaps shoot something out of the ordinary. My mind began to wander through all the possibilities, but I was just plain stumped.

As always the internet proved to be an extremely helpful resource. Though there aren't any sites devoted to The Top 10 Photos You Need to Take While in Seattle," I did find a few that pointed me in the right direction:

Flickr - Several groups are focused on Seattle, and even a few concentrate on specific locations or themes. Take a peek and I'm sure you'll get tons of inspiration, I sure did!

SEATTLE FLICKR GROUPS:

• Seattle Scene
• Seattle
• Seattle Food and Drink
• Guess Where Seattle
• Seattle Art Scene
• Seattle Street Art/Grafitti/Stickers/Posters
• Live Music in Seattle
• Seattle Flickr Dogs
• >>And MORE

THEMES AROUND SEATTLE

• Neon Signage
• Architecture/Building(s)
• Boats
• Bridges
• Gardens
• Views around town
  

Photogs looking to meet others in the area, and for a chance toshoot some new sights can join the Seattle Flickr Meetup group where they organize trips around the area twice a month.

Or if you just want to get together and dish on the latest equipment, share shots you've taken, etc you can hook up with the Eastside/Seattle Photography Groups on Meetup.com

You can always give yourself a mini homework assignment if you still can't make up your mind; take 5o photos within a city block to test your creativity, work on your long exposure skills at night, look for subjects with contrasting colors, pan a few moving objects, or try to find subjects with repeating items or patterns. Regardless of what you choose, you'll hopefully get some experience and see some improvement in your shots.

Given that it's still winter, and very blustery, I actually decided to stay in where its nice and cozy. At least I have quite a few choices of where to go next time I get a spare moment and have camera in hand!

Music Appreciation

A little over a month ago, I joined my friend Joyce at Hidmo Eritrian Restaurant for a little spicy finger food and traditional African music presented by Atlantic Melody.

Many times during the evening, the 7 or so year old son of the drummer (Edward Sourarez) made his way into the middle of the dance floor becoming the center of attention. You could tell that even as shy as he was, he really wanted to join in singing with the band. He attempted to get on the mic several times, but every time, he stood there terrified, turned around, and ran back to mom. I'm not sure what tipped the scales, but he eventually blurted out a few words of the chorus, and was hooked. The crowd of course loved him, and he ended up finishing out the remainder of the song. I was in awe that someone so young was brave enough to get up there, and was expressing himself through music.

As usual the rhythms were absolutely contagious, bringing even the most unsuspecting of characters to the dance floor. It was a lot of fun seeing each person translate the beats into dance in their own unique ways...Which to a certain extent is what prompted me to write this post :)

Recently I've been thinking a lot about music, and what aspects of the art I appreciate the most.

• As I mentioned above, everyone interprets music slightly differently. Many, including myself, can hear a song on the radio, know some or all of the words, but couldn't really tell you what the artist is chirping about. Those who have a deeper understanding of a tune's lyrics amaze me - most songs are chalk full of phrases with double meanings, and metaphors are plentiful, making it nearly impossible to follow the stories the artist intended to convey. Due to this complexity, several individuals may have a completely different take on what the song is truly about – we are given creative license to decide on our own. We give symbolism and importance to the verses, lines and words that are currently relevant in our lives and elicit emotion.
• The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies remind you of grandma's house? Like certain scents lingering in the air, music evokes memories. Many tunes remind you of a momentous occasion or an eventful moment when they were playing in the background. If you are feeling down, listening to a song that takes you back to good times can quickly brighten your mood. Not only that, but certain genres of music make you reminisce of a special loved one in your life..Because you learned to delight in the style together, because it guided their life in their day to day work, or simply because they appreciated its unique qualities.
• Each individual hears music in a different way, and therefore interpretation of beats, reflected by movement, can vary widely. For a given song, I may hear a certain rhythm, while you hear that same song, but detect a twice as many beats. Others may perceive a tempo at half or quarter speed. Put several people on a dance floor, and you will observe not only distinctive styles of movement, but individuals dancing many different rates.
  

Rhythm and beat have always been a part of my life. And no, I wasn’t one of those kids that was a dancer from the age of 5. My first memory of dance was when I took part in a ballet class in second or third grade, but because I wasn’t very flexible, the pastime was short lived. Junior high brought about many new things, including the dreadful, chaperoned, co-ed dances. Even with all the teenage nerves, each time I looked forward to the opportunity to hang out with friends, and to get on the dance floor and get my groove on. At this age, everyone is trying to find their inner rhythms, and just how to translate the pulses into steps. Many hid in the darkness avoiding the dance floor, some failed miserably, and then there were a handful of standouts which I constantly attempted to mimic (adding my own special flare of course). It was there and then my signature moves were born, and I became addicted to movement through music. Ask anyone I know, and they’ll say that it’s nearly impossible for me to sit still when I hear a good beat =)

A Future Travelled

I recently found this quote in yet another fun book at Fireworks...

The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating; the paths to it are not found but made; and the making of those pathways changes both the maker and the destination..

(Motto of the Australian Commission for the Future)