Wall Decoration Ideas

Pinterest has been my latest decoration go-to page.  I know I'm not alone in this :)  I have a good collection of art and photography waiting for me to come up with a brilliant idea on how to display them.  We will be moving to a new apartment next month so I think I need to start figuring out what to do with my new walls.

The remains of the season...

The quest for photographic vision

More often than not, I find myself going through some other photographer's work and saying out loud, " I wish I had his/her eyes!".  Of course, this is not a literal statement, but more of an intellectual desire to transcend with my own imagery.  The photographer's skill to choose the subject, to discern the right timing, to edit the final picture into a work of art... that's the eye I am talking about.  I am constantly challenging my skills, and do not wish to settle with the easy shot.

I am an amateur photographer, that's what I am.  The professionals earn a living from their work, and in my experience, that proved to be more difficult than I ever imagined.  I understand that like with everything else, practice and commitment are fundamentals for growth.  But I feel there's more.  

I have been looking for informative photography reads.  Not the technical stuff, but more on the art of seeing. This is such a subjective subject, and it took me a while to find an author that could teach me something.

Michael Freeman is a world class photographer and writer.  He wrote The Photographer's Vision and this is my current reading.  I am really enjoying it and learning a lot from it.  He writes on topics such as purpose and composition, the right stuff that makes for compelling images.  If you look up his stuff, you'll see he's got many other books, including The Photographer's Eye, which expands on some of the topics I am reading now.

If any of you have any suggestions on books and authors, please feel free to share.  

Speeding Around the World in Under 5 Mins: a Video

This is the kind of imagery that makes me want to pack my bags and run to the airport.... simply breathtaking!

A skeleton key collection for a rustic decor

I produced a series of skeleton key photographs that carry the same rustic feeling these beauties portray.  I am a collector by nature, and I've had these on my treasure chest for a while now.  The allure of their past drew me to them.  Where have they been.  What kind of secret they guarded.  Their old, rusty texture.  My kind of collectibles.

I sell these prints in my Etsy store.

You can check the link below to browse all the listings...

Skeleton Key Photography Collection by Rustika Photography

Sister Talk

I was babysitting my two nieces yesterday.  One is 5 and the other is barely 1 year old.  It was fun, but I ended exhausted, since they did not give me a break at all!  On my way home, I remembered this picture my dad took of my sister and I when we were younger.  The giggles and the playing somehow reminded me of my own childhood, and the little moments one cherishes for the rest of our lives.

That day, my dad was playing with the Rolleiflex camera I so much crave.  We went to the old city and spent the day playing.  That's all we did.  My sister and I played and he just took the pictures.  In our family photo albums, these are like a signature my dad left on his life achievements.  A true reminder of a happy childhood that lingers like the smell of a good perfume.

On Thanksgiving day one week from today, my love and I will leave New York and will visit my sister's home in Maryland for a home cooked family meal.  After all these years, we remain the best of friends.  See you soon sis'!

P.S. In the picture, I am the one in the bottom.  The cheeks are my trademark! :)

This Must Be the Place

Well.... I got the job! My start day is the 28th of November, giving us plenty of time to go on our trip to New York. Yay!!! I am really happy to be able to do both things, and I am extremely thankful for that.

For those who asked, the job is not related to photography. But, this is a well known communications company, and the nature of the job will be related to the world of television and radio.  I think this is a good starting point.  My entire adult life has been linked to banking and portfolio management.  This is a much needed change of scenery.

On the other hand, my Etsy shop is thriving! This month things have been moving pretty good, and an increasing interest in my photography is showing.  I am really excited about it, and I will continue working with my art and my camera.  I will be doing a giveaway soon, so stay tuned.

We might...

Eye Poetry by Irene Suchocki

... be going to New York again by Thanksgiving week.  We're not sure yet, since I'm waiting to know if I get the job or not (we'll know by next week for sure).  But I am hoping we can do both.  The open road is calling....

Self-Portraits in Art

Feather Eye

I had been hesitant on the idea of self portraits in photography for a very long time.  For the most part, I thought that self portraits were a conceited effort for self promotion.  Considering all the possible subjects there are for one to capture, I never thought of myself as a good one to start with.  I am average looking, average built, and certainly a typical thirty something woman trying to make the best of her life experience.  

A couple of months ago, I was alone at my apartment cleaning up my studio.  It's a small room where I keep all my DIY projects that I never finished, along with my photography equipment.  I then spotted some peacock feathers that I had bought some time ago, and then suddenly, I had the urge to pick up my camera.  The Feather Eye photo is one of my favorite fine art pictures so far in my store, and it turned out to be a self portrait.  Talk about irony.

Since then I had been reading on the subject.  Contrary to my limited assumptions, self portraits are a very important stage in the life of an artist.  We live with ourselves, and understanding our own nature is the first step for understanding anything else.

I can quote and share thousands of artists whose self portraits have turned out to be the cornerstone of their work.  Here are some of my favorites...

Vincent van Gogh was an avid self portrait artist.  He was a sensitive soul whose last words were "The sadness will last forever".  A troubled soul, van Gogh turned out to be one of the most influential figures in the Post-Impressionism art movement.

I was lucky to be able to see a small exhibition on her work last year, while visiting the MoMA in NYC.  Frida Kahlo's work is irreverent, unapologetic, and honest.  She used painting as a way of escapism, giving us a peak into her mind and soul.

Vivian Maier is probably unknown to most of us, but her work as an amateur street photographer  is stupendous.  She died in 2009, and after her death her work has come out and is rapidly becoming a favorite.  She held a private life as a nanny, always carrying her camera and not sharing her photographs with anyone.  It is said that she produced about 100,000 negatives throughout her life, documenting her surrounding wherever she went.  Her self portraits are that, intimate and simple.  I really like her style, showing that self portraits are as valid as a good street shot.

A feather in my hand

Subtle

From my soul...

Promises to Keep, by ThePhotoZoo

It is our duty to understand our frailty, for in our weakness we will find our peace....

I have been writing more than the usual.  Not on the blog nor the public eye, but in the solitude of my space.  I pulled out an old journal and have been writing non stop for the past couple of weeks, pouring out most of the confusion I've been carrying for the last year.  It feels like having a battle with myself, questioning and answering all my arguments in the same line of thought.  It's good.  I've needed it.

Thanks for being here.

Finding Perspective

Simplicity

I've been out of blogging for some days now.  My apologies for the long silence, everything's good and I'm still here :)

It's good to take some time off and just focus on the things that matter, the things that keep you moving.  Shuffling your view so you can have a new perspectives and a new light on what one thought to be absolute.  I am an observer in my own life, and these days I've taken a closer look at myself; how I react,  why do I feel the way I do, and figure out what to do to move out from old habits.

Happy Friday! 

Etsy shop listing

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76410862/shabby-sunflower-photography-print

The art behind newborn photography

You guys know how I am getting involved more and more with maternity and newborn photography.  They are truly beautiful subjects to capture, but I have come to the conclusion that newborn is one of the trickiest to accomplish.

My friend Wazari Wazir shared this video this morning, and it's been a blessing.  Not only because I got to see the behind the scenes of two brilliant photographers at work, but mainly because I realized that is hard.  So I have to give myself credit for feeling so overwhelmed, now that I have two mothers to be wanting my photography for their newborns.

For me, the hardest thing, believe it or not, is feeling relaxed.  I am not used to be around babies, so I think my first task would be to just relax. Ufffff....

Enjoy the video and take as much as you can.

Sunrise

A Beachside Sunrise

I often ask myself what is the true meaning of freedom.  Whenever I look ahead at the endless possibilities of my life, I wonder if choosing an alternate ending is what really sets me free.  I have made hard decisions before, and I truly understand how hard it is to change lanes.  But deciding on a different path comes with a price, it always does.  The question is, can I afford this price?  Am I ready to invest in this kind of future?

And after much deliberation and debate with myself, I come to the conclusion that what really sets me free is how much I know me.  How much I understand my true intentions and motivations.  What in the end is the power that puts my soul into motion.  Is it Love?  Is it Success?  Is it Evolution?  Is it Any or none of the Above?

My week starts today with a full schedule ahead.  For the time being, this is the future I decided in my past, and I must pay attention to it.  Because this, right now, is all I know to be true.

You can buy my photography in my Etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76411216/beachside-sunrise-fine-art-photography

Newborn Session: Marina Sofia

Remember the baby's research I did the other day?  Well, I wanted to get a feeling of what newborn photography is all about, since I was to photograph my friend's baby, Marina.  She is gorgeous, isn't she!?

Black and White Human Form

 

The Space Between Us

"Art is a step away from what is obvious and well-kown, toward what is arcane and concealed."

-Kahlil Gibran

I've been wanting to start a black and white human form photography collection.  I have always liked the forms a good close up can produce in the human body. I had this picture post produced in a totally different way.  After much thought, I decided to leave it as simple as I could, and it turned out much better.

It takes a subtle yet bold approach to attempt to produce a good black and white photo.  Let's see how this experiment turns out.

The streets of my island

Streets of Old San Juan 

I was born and raised in an island.  A tiny island in the Caribbean, filled with songs, heat, and humor.  The breeze carries a salty flavor that sticks to your skin on humid days.  A flavor that lingers on your tongue after swiftly brushing your lips in particularly humid days.  The breeze, a soft and timid carrier of all kinds of aromas:  freshly ground coffee, coconut oil, pineapple juice, cinnamon, and sea.

My island loves music, loves rhythm, loves percussion.  It dances to the sound of drums as if it's possessed by African gods.  Marching its way through the pebbled streets of the old city, it shouts for joy and celebration.  For all the good and the bad.

I yearn for my island.  I miss the people, their smiles and faces.  The familiarity of everything, the streets I grew in, the songs on the radio, singing out loud while driving my old car, my dog, my short pants, my flip flops, the island state of mind, watching the coast fade away on my rear view mirror, the long days at the beach, eating street food and a beer.

Those are the things I miss.

The girl who giggles

My brother is out of town, and I have been taking care of my oldest niece for the last couple of days.  She has been the subject of many of my photographs, most of them while playing together.

I have documented most of her early years, since we lived in the same house for some time.  Today, she's only four. 

She's turning into a happy, young girl, who is constantly giggling and playing with bubbles.  

And while life continues it's own course, these photos will always remind me of the little girl she used to be, and the woman she will become.

                             

Our first New York

I love NYC.  It was the first place I ever visited, the first place I ever traveled to.  It has been deeply engraved in my heart ever since.

So you can imagine how much I wanted to visit it with my sweetheart.  Last November, we did our first road trip and traveled by car all the way from Miami.  It was really cool to feel the weather cooling as we headed north.  I recently downloaded the remaining pictures.  They were taken with a camera that I totally forgot about.  It was a real surprise to me when I rediscovered them today.

We are craving New York again, and I know we will visit again soon.  I welcome these little adventures with my love.

I welcome us.

My artful neighborhood

I live in a trendy art and design neighborhood.  Miami is quite an interesting city.  It has a huge mix of people that come from many parts of the world, bringing their own flavors and artistic views.  We all collide in the salty weather of the Atlantic, some of us with the sights up north and others with the relief of someone that has arrived to their final destination.

Artful mural by Shepard Fairey

For an instant, we all agree to call Miami home.  And while at it, we explore the eclectic mixes with the same fascination a newborn observes the new strikes of light.  After a couple of living adjustments I had to do a year ago, I finally decided to take refuge in the Design District, a small but very chic part of town that sits right beside the Wynwood Art District.

Graffiti in Afro

I was immediately fascinated by all the street wall art that was readily available.  They are done with such amount of skill and taste, that one must really stop and take a good look.  But, like all street displays, the dangers of fading away are always present.  This Graffiti in Afro mural has been damaged by cheap advertising.  This photo remains as proof of its existence, as it once was.

I will continue to explore this city because this is the place I have chosen to live in my present time.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring.  All I know is that now, I am here.

I have more street art photographs in my Etsy shop, and I am offering them in 5x7 prints in either metallic or matte paper.