Rewind to spring of last year. I was learning how to use my new tripod, and I wanted to do a long exposure with some water to create that classy glassy look. I decided to shoot “the tree.”

When I processed the image, I liked it. But honestly, it didn’t jump out at me as anything extraordinary. Other people, however, seemed to latch on to it. “It’s one of my all-time favorites of yours,” my husband said. “Everyone in Denver knows that tree and has a memory of it,” a friend commented. And when I opened my Etsy shop earlier this year, it was one of the first images I sold.

So when I learned about a photography contest sponsored by the FANS of Washington Park organization last month, I went through my archives to see if I had anything worthy of a submission. I found the tree image. I was a bit hesitant, thinking the image was a bit too dark. I thought I’d try shooting it again, but realized I didn’t have time before the contest’s deadline. So at the encouragement of my friend Anne (an all-around charming person and a constant source of creative motivation), I entered the photo in the contest.

Well, I received some good news about that photo last week. I learned that my image, An Exhalation of the Time, was selected as Best in Show! A little shocked. A little dismayed. A lot thrilled! The award will officially be announced at the FANS reception this week and displayed at the park’s July 4th celebrations.

Here’s the photo (insert my my shock and awe alongside it).

P.S. Any Denver friends are welcome to attend the FANS reception with me. It’s Wednesday, June 12, at the Dos Chappell Bath House (in the NW corner of the park)  from 6:00 – 7:30. I’d love to see you there!

P.P.S. Interested in purchasing this print? I’m offering 10% off any size of this image until July 31, 2013. Just enter code “HOORAY” during checkout in my Etsy shop.

When you’re done here, please head over to Cate Wnek’s site to see how she interpreted this month’s theme.

At least that’s what happened to me on my recent trip to San Diego. It was day one of a seven-day trip. Suddenly all the digital menus on my camera stopped functioning. I could adjust dials and knobs, change my shutter speed, stop down my aperture, but the ability to review pictures, check histograms, or delete images totally eluded me. I shot anyway, of course. And eventually (let’s say day three) I found the restraint somewhat welcoming. It forced me out of my comfort zone and, in a strange way, also freed me up a bit. I tried different things, shot from new angles, changed my settings just to see what would happen, and desperately tried not to stress about the whole ordeal. I didn’t really know what I was getting until I came back a week later. What I got turned out to be a little different than what I normally shoot, and I was happily surprised by some of what I saw (the key word being “some”). Not all my accidents were happy ones. Not all my mistakes pretty. Still, here are a few of my favorite takeaways: San Diego on White.

]]> http://www.stephanie-powell.com/out-west/san-diego-on-white/feed/ 0 http://www.stephanie-powell.com/personal-projects/spunky-fluff/ http://www.stephanie-powell.com/personal-projects/spunky-fluff/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 23:58:20 +0000 Stephanie Powell http://www.stephanie-powell.com/?p=990 In January of this year I wrote about “doing more.” I made a pact with myself to branch out creatively and try new things photographically. Well, a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do just that. I asked a friend if she’d let me photograph her making art in her workshop. She replied with a resounding “yes!” Well, I’m no portrait photographer. Heck, I’m no indoor photographer either. So this shoot was all new to me. But what a great experience! I learned a lot – about lighting (or lack thereof), capturing motion, and photographing details. It was a fun afternoon with a fun friend, topped off with killer Mexican food. What could be better than that? So without further ado, here’s a photo tour of my friend Kristen’s studio, Spunky Fluff. And yes, that is a laser in action.

The theme for this month’s blog circle was “shooting through glass.” Originally, I was excited about this challenge because 1) I’ve never attempted to shoot through glass and 2) as per my usual, I had grand visions of shooting gorgeous cafe and street scenes. But as the weeks rolled on, I only found myself getting frustrated. Suddenly I had to deal with issues I’d never encountered before – reflections (duh!), changing light, and loads of unplanned movement.

So although these pictures weren’t the ones I originally envisioned, they’re what I came away with – my hodgepodge collection from April while “shooting through glass.”

When you’re done here, please head over to Erika Ulrich’s site to see how she interpreted this month’s theme.

We had a cold and snowy April. Shot this murky image through my windshield while parked along side of the road.

My favorite juxtaposition: The tattoo parlor across the street from the baker…

and the kind baker who let me photograph her at 5:30 a.m.

Ikea cafe.

Here’s a sneak peek:

And the official invite:

The following morning Denverites awoke to a whopping 2 inches of snow. Don’t get me wrong. It was cold. 7 degrees. Down from a 70-degree high on Monday. I think most people were so mentally prepared for the storm that they opted to treat the day like there really were two-foot snow drifts burying the city. I took a moment to venture outside, snap a few pictures, and enjoy the quiet only a “blizzard” can inspire.

I was doing a focus test with a new piece of gear the other day when my son ran through my field of vision. I like the interruption of it. Its simple blandness.

This image isn’t going to hang on a wall. It won’t sell in my shop or win any awards. I’m a bit surprised I’m even adding it to my blog it’s so bad. Still, it’s one of my recent favorites. And I think we all have photographs like that, ones that are wrong for every reason in the book, but transport us to a time and a place and a memory in the making.