(for study) film friday: beyond

Varanasi, India: "Beyond" from Cale Glendening on Vimeo.

If you don't do anything else this week, please watch this beautiful film about India's holy men. Though I do not identify myself with their religion, there are still many beautiful truths to take from what they believe.

First of all, there is the idea of disregarding consumerism and materialism. Though I myself don't feel it necessary to distance myself from this materialistic world, nor do I believe I am called to do that as an individual, it still is an important idea to not get caught up in all of the rush of technology and products. Not only is it true that new products will quickly become old and the current technology become obsolete, but it is also true that the earth and the natural world has been around for a while and will remain for a while yet. I would rather immerse myself in things that will last longer than things that are fleeting.

And second of all, they continually talk about being a light to the world. There is so much darkness and it does no good to continue to harbor hurtful or selfish concepts. It is so much better to spread joy and kindness to others, everyone, even those who do not deserve it. Especially those who do not deserve it. I want nothing more in life than to be a light to those around me, to spread understanding and comfort and knowledge, and to help those who need it. And really, everyone needs help. We are all broken people in need of companionship and I want to bring that companionship as best I know how.

So I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

(for study) film friday: lightspin

LightSpin Documentary Film from Eric Pare on Vimeo.

I haven't done a film friday in three months, but this video makes me want to bring the feature back. These photographs reminded me immediately of my own experiments with light in dark, though not even close to as amazing as Pare's work. (I can only imagine how emotional and unbelievably exciting it would have been to create this project!)

In my Philosophy of the Arts class, we are constantly debating about art, what makes art art, what it means, and how it affects people. It's one of my favorite classes because I love higher thinking and don't always get to talk about or listen to it, and it's higher thinking about art, no less. A couple days ago we talked about whether photography is art or not, and read one philosopher who was adamant about it not being art. His main argument was that where paintings are all about representation of the general (ie a painting of a woman is seen as a painting of Venus), a photograph is only a photograph of a representation (ie a photograph of a woman is seen as a photograph of a woman representing Venus). Since the photograph depicts a specific woman, and since there is no way for the photographer to generalize her appearance to become the representation, rather than just represent it, then photography is not art.

Of course, he is absolutely wrong, and the entire class agreed, and I think this film is an excellent example of how a photographer is really not limited in the things he can achieve. He is not limited to a specific person or a specific place, or even a specific way of looking at the world (scientifically, we cannot see at night). He is not limited to reality, as the philosopher in question would say that photographers are limited to. Where a painter paints with colors, photographers paint in light.

As my own photography professor would say over and over again, "It's all about the light." And each day I learn more about how that statement is true. I love light. I love studying the way light filters through tree leaves, how rays are formed from the tops of buildings, how even a laptop light can illuminate the face. And I'm fascinated by internal light. Those things that make us content and joyful. The reason for our existence. It really is all about the light.

film friday: lift

This is the longest video I've posted for the film friday series, but I promise you it is worth the watch.

The description of the film is as follows:

"Filmmaker Marc Isaacs sets himself up in a London tower block lift. The residents come to trust him and reveal the things that matter to them creating a humorous and moving portrait of a vertical community."

It's a film kind of about a man who sits in an elevator and interviews people. But it is mostly about human life, the beauty of it, its tragedies and hardships, its happinesses. You will walk away from this film feeling really thankful and blessed to be a part of the human race.

Have a wonderful weekend.

film friday: How to be Creative

Whatever your field of study, every person is creative. It's just a matter of tapping into it and getting the work done.

Have a great weekend!

film friday: adventure is calling

Adventure Is Calling from Shane Black on Vimeo.

I had the privilege of meeting Shane about a year ago, and this year he set out on an adventure to create some really fantastic art. On his vimeo page:

"This summer, two friends and myself all left our comfortable jobs of six years to spend two months traveling across the country and teaching photography workshops along the way. We all felt that it was time to take a risk and get out of our comfort zones... adventure was calling us. It was a trip filled with endless hours cooped up in a van, exploring breathtaking landscapes, sharing stories and laughs, meeting some of the nicest people, making new friends, getting to meet old friends from around the country, and sharing our love of photography with others.
This trip was a constant test for me, as we had such short and limited time in nearly all of the spots we visited. In most cases, I'd have to hurry out of the van with all of my gear and find a decent composition in a very short amount of time as soon as we would arrive at the location. It was a constant race against the light.
During those 2 months, we traveled across 32 states , visited 13 national and state parks, and drove nearly 13,000 miles in a (somewhat) trusty old Dodge Caravan... with no cruise control. It was an adventure that gave us many memories that we will all hold onto for many years to come. I think that everybody needs to take a trip and have their eyes opened to just how beautiful this world is and how much is really out there."

Ever since I was little I've wanted to explore like this. Just hop in a car and not know where I'm going and spend months and months on the road. Thankfully my family has been able to do that a couple of times, traveling across America and Canada, but I would love to do it again, just driving along back roads and couch surfing and creating beautiful art and exploring my country. It's videos like this and stories like Shane's that give me hope that that is possible and that I can do whatever I set myself to do.

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

film friday: the gps prank

Here's a little humor for your Friday enjoyment.

film friday: SILVER & LIGHT

SILVER & LIGHT from Ian Ruhter : Alchemist on Vimeo.

I never like to have many accompanying words to film fridays, because the films really speak for themselves. All I can say is that I want to have this much passion for something, and pursue it with everything I have.

film friday: Success in Photography From Gulf Photo Plus 2013

Ugh, I need this video to be playing in the background 24/7.

film friday: a pep talk from kid president to you

Though I'm sure some of you have seen this video (since it currently has over 28 million views), it's always good to bring to the table again. I love this video not only because the kid is super cute and it's an excellent film, but because of the message behind it. We're all on the same team, so we should strive to make the world a better place. Every person is struggling and hurting, and you never know someone's full story. But it's worth it to get to know your teammates and build them up and support each other.

If everyone would focus on being kind and loving towards one another, just think of how much easier life would be. Sure, bad things still occur, but it's comforting to know that wherever you turn, people are there to lend a hand. I'm slowly coming to realize that life isn't all about me--in fact, very little of life is about me. Do you ever get that weird feeling that, even though you can't actually see it, other people are seeing things from their own perspective (like literally, I'm looking out of my eyes, and sometimes I try to imagine other people looking out of their own eyes)? Every human being on the planet has that first person point of view and is constantly filled with their own thoughts, and it's just sort of an existential crisis for me because other people can see from a similar perspective as me, and yet no one will ever see from the exact same perspective. And no one will ever know my thoughts or my life, and I won't ever know anyone else's. But we are all human beings and we share that commonality, and by joining together and getting pieces of each other I can help someone get their story out and maybe take away part of the burden of life, and they can do the same for me.

It's a whole giving and receiving type of thing. The more you give, the more you will receive, and the fuller your life will become. It will be full of the joy that comes from helping and being kind to people. Life is not about me in the least, but it's about how I can help others and build people up and be kind to everyone, even those who may be hurtful towards me. They're the ones that need the most love. I'm trying to become more loving towards the ones that need it the most.

So I hope you have a very wonderful weekend, and don't forget to dance and help someone join in on the dance party.

You all are the best. :)

film friday: the pixel painter

The Pixel Painter from The Pixel Painter on Vimeo.

If you browse the internet as much as I do, this is already old news. But it is definitely worth bringing up again. "Hal Lasko, better known as Grandpa, worked as a graphic artist back when everything was done by hand. His family introduced him to the computer and Microsoft Paint long after he retired.
Now, Grandpa spends ten hours a day moving pixels around his computer paintings. His work is a blend of pointillism and 8-Bit art.
Meet 98-year-old Hal Lasko, The Pixel Painter. See more work at hallasko.com"

I hope that when I'm 97 years old, I still have a huge passion for art and life and being creative. It just goes to show that you truly are never too young or old to go after your dreams.

film friday (on saturday): the great pacific

The Great Pacific from Lauren Parker on Vimeo.

Here's a new video I made for this installment of film friday (on saturday)! A couple weekends ago I went backpacking, and this is the motion result of it. I have yet to edit and process the photos I took on this trip, but they are at the bottom of my to-do list as I actually have a bit of client work to do first (finally!). But for now, enjoy this little video. (Also, I must apologize for the dust spots ... they're really annoying me too. I need to get my sensor cleaned, but I'll have to wait until I get back to Oregon (and have money to spare) so that I can do it.

This is what I wrote when I first got back from the trip:

"I wish I could just be back on that perfect beach, away from the internet and competition and comparison and complicated life, away from all the people who live perfect lives, doing things I wish I could do and having things I wish I could have and being people I wish I could be, because on that beach, it was just me, my camera bag covered with sea spray, my wet, wind tangled hair in my face, and the entire Pacific ocean on my doorstep. I didn't have to worry about being the best or being the most outgoing or competitive, or having the most exciting life, all I had to worry about was shooting my film at correct exposure and finding the perfect seashell or the perfect swell of wave to capture on camera.

Sometimes I hate Alaska because of its seclusion from the world. I can't always go to cool photo or blogger meetups or see fireworks on the fourth of July or have perfect cell phone reception. There's always the option of running into bears while I take pictures, shipping costs just as much as products do, and some people do not understand how I can love eating fish so much (people actually don't like to eat fish? That's very odd to me).

But they say that Northwest is best, and Alaska is the most Northwest of them all. Despite what anyone else says, Alaska is literally the. most. beautiful. place. on. this. planet. Hands down. I don't care who you are. Alaska is as close to perfection as you will ever get. I can spend my entire life here and I won't even begin to make substantial thumb tack marks on the map. All I want in life is to explore this world, to explore every nook and cranny and meet all the people that walk upon it and suffer through the weather and hardships ... and then I want a beautiful home nestled in the mountains to return to, where I can lay down in a warm bed next to a man who loves me and will hoist the masts with me. But I think I'll start with my beautiful backyard of the most northwest of them all, because even in my hometown (as in, the place I'm currently living, since I never lived in my actual hometown for more than a few months) there are still places to be explored.

But man, take me back to that beach."

This is just one of many adventures.

I hope you have a marvelous weekend.

film friday: "gold" behind the scenes

+ behind the scenes photos

"Gold" behind the scenes video from Lauren Parker on Vimeo.

For this installment of film friday, I'm showing not only a behind the scenes video for one of my recent photos, but I also have some behind the scenes, before and afters and other fun photos from this shoot to share with you!




For "Gold" I shot in my bathroom, which is really quite nifty when I'm trying to get paint on and off my face (I took a shower immediately after the photo to get the paint off, which is why my hair is wet in that picture). You don't have to have a fancy studio or fancy lighting equipment to produce great images. I've been tempted recently to purchase lighting to practice with, but until I save up money and convince myself the purchase is justified, I'll continue improvise with what I have.



Here was the setup. I had my tripod standing right outside the bathtub facing me (as I was standing in front of the wall). I actually held a reflector in one hand and my remote which triggered the shutter button in the other. The available lighting was my ceiling light, so I used the reflector to bring some brightness into my face.



You can see the difference between using and not using a reflector really well here. For the longest time I didn't own one because I didn't see the point (that is, until I saw with my own eyes what a difference it made when I had to hold one for photos), but manipulating light to your advantage will greatly add to the quality of your photos.

Another thing I do for all of my creative or client photos is that I shoot in RAW. I didn't understand the importance of this until I did a lot of research and messed around with it a lot. Long story short, when you shoot a photo in RAW, you're saving all the information. So when I go to process it, I can change the white balance, color saturation, sharpness, practically anything, and I don't lose any of the photo information. If I shoot in only JPEG, it doesn't save all the information that was there at the time of shooting, only the information I had my settings on. In RAW, it saves all the settings (in a nutshell). This is a good, quick overview of the difference, and this shows you side-by-side photo comparisons.

Here is the example of an outtake between unprocessed RAW, and processed RAW:



Like I said before, for my creative and client shots (or even if I'm going on a trip), I always shoot in RAW because those photos have the potential to be printed or bought by stock agencies, so I need them to have the highest quality as possible. For any photo I put on Introvert's Introduction or the rest of the internet, I shoot in JPEG (or save a copy of a RAW file as a JPEG) because 1. I don't want high resolution images to be floating around for people to steal, and 2. There's really no need to create a photo that requires a lot of flexibility (or takes up a lot of space). When I'm out taking outfit photos, I have the time to make sure everything looks perfect, so I don't need to have the option to change white balance in a RAW format when I go back later to process the photos. I've already taken the time to do it with JPEG. If you have any questions or comments or further insight about this or anything else, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or contact me via email. I'd love to help you in any way I can!

And here is the final image!



I hope you have a great weekend!

film friday: ekki múkk

Sigur Rós - Ekki múkk from Sigur Rós Valtari Mystery Films on Vimeo.

This video is part of the valtari mystery film experiment, in which the band Sigur Rós allowed filmmakers to take their music and have complete freedom to create a short film surrounding it. They are all very beautiful films, but I think this one is my favorite. My friend Ivy and I sat around one day a few months ago in Oregon and watched all of them, and this was one of her favorites as well. I love all the dark/hopeful artisty that is portrayed along the narration. It's soo gorgeous and I hope you enjoy it!

I hope you have a great weekend!

film friday: apricot

Back when I very first started dating Matt, I went through a phase when I would watch hours of short films on vimeo.com. This was one of the first films I watched, and it's still probably my absolute favorite. Sadly it was deleted from vimeo (and I nearly had a heart attack because I thought I would never get to watch it again), but thankfully it was still on youtube. I've watched it so many times I can't keep count, and every time it makes me tear up. You may need to watch it through a couple times to figure out all the meanings (or you may be smarter than me and get it the first time). It's such a beautiful film. Ugh, I can't get over how wonderful it is. The storyline, the camera shots, the shallow depth of field, the visual pieces the viewer has to put together to grasp the storyline ... it's perfect.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

film friday

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

For this installation of film friday, I leave you with a beautiful film that needs no description from me. Enjoy.

film friday: fragments of iceland

Fragments of Iceland from Lea et Nicolas Features on Vimeo.

I used to live in Iceland when I was very little (my brother was born there too), and though I don't remember much (there are only a couple scenes I can remember vividly), it's always been a place that piqued my imagination. I can't wait to return there some day.

film friday: the color run

I'm excited to share this video today, because tomorrow I'm doing the color run! I've wanted to do one of these for a long time, and finally my city is having one! Matt, myself, and our friends Joel and Marquel (Joel was previously my drama teacher and I shot their wedding last year) are all doing it together as a team. It's a pretty low key run, which is good for Lauren because I never run voluntarily. ;) But it's going to be a blast and I'm so excited.

Have a great weekend everyone!

film friday: back to the future

I love this project so much because of its humanity. It shows the essence of being human and it almost makes me cry because it shows how life is so quirky and crazy and beautiful and it reminds me of my own life and how much I've grown and changed, but at the same time, how much I've remained the same.

I also love it because of the stories behind the photos. I've said it time and time again, but my favorite part of photography is the people that I get to meet. It's so exciting that she is able to go to people's homes and learn the stories behind the photographs and get peeks into their lives. I hope at some point in my life I will be able to do the same thing--just travel around taking pictures and staying in strangers' homes and learning about everything.


You can check out the series here. (some photos NSFW)

Have a great weekend!

film friday: freshman year semester two

Freshman Year Semester Two from Lauren Parker on Vimeo.

It's a very special film friday today, because I'm sharing a video that I made! This video features some of the adventures I had during my second half of freshman year, featuring some awesome things like our spy obstacle course and a picnic! I can't believe my first year of college is already over with. Time sure flies by.

You can see the first semester here!

film friday: mademoiselle maurice - origami street art

Mademoiselle Maurice - Origami Street Art from ufunk parseError on Vimeo.

Love all the little beautiful things that people do to make the world a happier place.