Saturday, January 5, 2013

Focusing On Life: 52 Photos - Self Portrait

Last week, I signed up for a challenge titled Focusing On Life: 52 Photos hosted by the ultra talented Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime. Each week throughout the year, Sally is sending participants a word or phrase. We are to then create an image. It is up to the photographer to decide the interpretation of the word or phrase.

Week one: self portrait


I have been a photographer since I was 19 years old. Actually, I have been taking photos since I was old enough to hold a 110 camera (remember those), but I was 19 when I received my first photo assignment for a local music magazine. I studied fine art photography at the University of Buffalo and photojournalism at Rochester Institute of Technology. Upon graduation from RIT, I proceeded to work for newspapers in Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland. I have also worked for magazines in Maryland as well as the Associated Press. During this time I received seven awards that I am immensely proud of.

In 2005, I started doing freelance work. This enabled me to explore my interest in jewelry design. The majority of my time was still devoted to photojournalism and it wasn't until 2009 that I found myself splitting my time equally between photography and jewelry. I opened a shop on Etsy, had my first piece published six months later and two years later, started this blog

I am equally passionate about both mediums. I am exhilarated over documenting life in the communities; capturing beautiful moments of everyday life. I am in love with the creative energy that goes into designing a piece of jewelry and am completely addicted to beads! Creating jewelry has added many wonderful aspects to my life. While I have a very fulfilling life immersing myself in both photography and jewelry, in my heart I will always be a photographer first.

I am excited to take on this photographic exploratory journey with Sally. Not only is it a really fun concept, but it is also a great way to explore my world through my camera, one week at a time.

23 comments:

  1. Congratulations on all your accomplishments! Your photo is fabulous and I can't wait to see what the coming weeks bring.

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  2. It's a lovely photo. The colors are wonderful. I can't wait to see where the challenge takes us this year.

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  3. oh how wonderful! I look forward to seeing your photographs this year!

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  4. This is a fabulous photo! I love how you framed it with you off to one side.

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  5. Kathleen, great shot! Beautiful composition and I am loving the red hair you got going on there!!

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  6. I am so excited to be doing this with you involved! I hope to learn a lot from you!!! Great photo...love the way you spaced it out...see..already learning from you!!

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  7. I am in no way surprised to here of your awards. Your photos are always superb. Congratulations on the recognition as indeed, well deserved. I really enjoy this shot and for no particular reason that I can put my finger on it gives me a 1950s feel.

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  8. Although I cannot see your whole face, I see contenment in the picture...doing what you love to do...that's what life is all about! :)

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  9. Oh we have a ringer in the group! Lokking forward to see what you come up with every week! Lovely photo.

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  10. What a beautiful self portrait!

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  11. A quiet moment, with your Precious... serene.

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  12. You are a true artist Kathy... I can verify....

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  13. Awesome shot!! Love this one,....

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  14. Reading your history, it is clear that photography and your camera are so much a part of who you are, it was a perfect addition to your self portrait, you look perfectly at ease there, which is beautiful!

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  15. I didn't realize how in-depth your experience is! Very cool! I guess we were too focused on our big tools in Stacie's class to realize much of anything else. haaaaaaaaaaa Can't wait to see your touch on this year's projects!

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  16. Beautiful photo, this should be a fun year of pictures

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  17. I wish that I had joined this challenge as I really need to get better at taking pictures

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  18. So nice to read a little bit about you and what inspires you. And you do both (photography and jewelry) so well. Very appropriate to have a camera taking center stage in your self-portrait.

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  19. You are a photo maven and it shows. Your self portrait is just fabulous. I love the off-centerness of it and though we can't fully see your face, your camera (which sounds like has long been an extension of you) is perfectly visible. Very well done!

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  20. Kathleen, I'm sorry I had not commented on this post yet - felt like I had for some reason..
    This is a STUNNING self portrait. I love everything about it - like Hope said - the composition, showing some and not all of your face - a bit of mystery, and your perfectly placed camera. I hope to learn from you too as we go along - you're our resident photographer! :-)

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  21. I too LOVE this shot . after reading the description it is the perfect representation!

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