week 8

Someone was watching me while I took this and it was really awkward.

-Alison

This is my boss.

Sincerely,
Matt Smith

Shot lots film this week, it's getting developed right now so I may end up replacing this later in the week. I need to get back to really exploring, I have been looking up abandoned and vacant property around denver lately and will probably start exploring that. I have also been applying for schools this week, it's been exciting and anxiety ridden. But mostly exciting. I also have been reading a lot this week, I  always forget how fun it is to escape into a story.

Ty

This is the beautiful Lauren. 

Danièle

Self portrait in a field of pricker bushes.

Jenn

A video I've been working on for quite some time now. This was shot entirely on the 8mm iPhone app and has taken months to complete.

Joe

Week Five: Night

"Addiction" by Matt Smith

The most congested freeway in the USA is the 405 in Los Angeles. The road seems to always be at a stand still while driving. From the view of an over pass, however, this highway is moving at warpspeed. Skaters are, by nature, adrnaline junkies. I once heard a speech from the pop culture icon Dr. Drew, in which he stated that "extreme" athletes have a much higher chance of developing drug addiction. The desire for danger and risk in this photo proves this statement to me. The image was actually a fluke. The goal was to have my friend stand motionless, but by mistake, he thought I said that the photo was over, thereby liberating him of his rigidity obligations. Even though he was free to do as he pleased, he remained on the ledge, amping on the rush of cars beneath him.




this is my night photo due to the freezing cold weather and my lack of motivation to stand out in it to take my picture. School is killer right now but I am determined to press through and create some better work in the next few weeks. Taking it a day at a time and trying to enjoy this college craziness.

-Chase

When this theme was suggested I knew exactly the kind of photo I'd shoot: Dark, abandoned, desolate. I had the perfect location in mind. It started raining as I headed downstairs to shoot. Although the photos look creepy, I felt so at ease in this park... I spent a part of my childhood living nearby. The sense of familiarity never leaves.

- Danièle

When we decided on the theme night, so many ideas rushed through my head. The one that I really couldn't shake was how much my idea of night has changed over the past year. Almost exactly a year ago I decided to follow my childhood dream and move to California, after about 5 months I developed pretty severe anxiety and began having panic attacks several times a day. After what was probably the most grueling month of my life, I decided it was in my best interest to move home and deal with this. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made and upon coming home, though my general anxiety weakened I began to panic almost every night at sunset. The beginning of the night terrified me, but I had, and still have no idea why. For months I had to be in a room with no natural light during the golden hour just to avoid the panic, I felt trapped inside of this illogical nightmare of my own mind. I am happily and slowly returning to life as I previously knew it, but I won't ever forget about the little bubble I lived in for so long.

To get this shot, I took the shot you see and overlaid it with a photo of the stars because they looked incredible last night. I also used a fog machine to create the glow.

-Ty

I'm a sucker for long exposures & experimenting so this theme was really fun for me. I went shooting in a huge warehouse on Monday night and it was so nice to just explore in the quiet and dark of the night in this big, old warehouse. For this photo, I used a shot from the warehouse and another from doing long exposures with sparklers. Obviously, there are no sparklers in this photo because I just used the trees.

This week was ridiculously hard. Every night had me in emotional breakdown. I'm just exhausted. So many responsibilities and things to learn. But it was so nice to end the week with my mom coming home, water color painting, developing film and spending a bit of time on learning some new chords. Even though it was a rough week, I am abundantly blessed with so many people that pray for me, love me, encourage me. I made it through this week!

Can't believe next week is week 6...

-Alison

Wow, sorry for this.

The theme for this week was night and I had a really cool photo planned but the weather didn't fully cooperate. Maybe I'll try again in the summer when the nights are warmer and less cloudy. I took this last minute on saturday night before going to an 80's themed roller skate night (which was awesome just in case you were wondering). I don't really like this photo as a whole but I do really like the shadows.

Saturday was the first day all week that I got to sleep in past 8:30am...

Hope you all had a more restful week than mine :)

- Christie

I know I'm posting this a bit late. I took this photo after work last Sunday. Standing under a streetlight in our driveway. Our neighborhood looks so sleepy and homey at night. January in Massachusetts and no snow. I love the nighttime and this photo was a challenge for me because I'm so used to shooting with natural light.

This week was my first full week of classes and I also worked five nights. Still rocking my waitressing uniform in this picture-- black pants, shoes, hair up.
Jenn

Week Four

This is my home wave at its best. I dream of mornings like this. Waking up at 7, grabbing coffee, and seeing this when i get to the beach is my favorite thing ever. This was Sunday morning and i had a sprained wrist. No surfing. Looking at this picture makes me smile at how perfect the wave is and cringe that i wasn't out there. I know, i put the wave in the dead center of the frame which generally is a no no in terms of composition but i really don't care. Its a perfect wave and why should I?

-Matt Smith

-Chase

it's been a really long week. breakfast dates, class, materialism, birthday, surprises, snow storms, remote, worship, serving, weekend services, leading. i turned 19 on friday and it's about time. i'm starting to pick up my guitar again. & i got my remote! so this is my first self-portrait with my remote and i plan on doing a lot more. i guess i just chose this one because of all the bokeh. i love my 50 f/1.4!

till next week...
Alison

This wasn't the photo that I intended to use for this week...
I was still at home in Washington during the first half of the week and we had a huge snowstorm so I took advantage of that and took a selfie in the snow. It didn't turn out how I wanted it to so I decided to reshoot for this week, maybe I'll revisit it later. On tuesday, I flew down to California for my spring semester of university. Classes haven't started yet but I've been super busy catching up with people and getting ready for my sorority's recruitment. All of that on top of the crazy rain we've been getting lately is why you get this less than stellar photo today.

- Christie

I took a lot of pictures this week, not too many of myself though. I returned a christmas present and bought myself some studio lighting. It has been so fun to be able to play with and mess around with lighting in the comfort of my home. I am also getting excited about the rest of my life for some reason this week. This project has really reinvigorated my passion for photography. anyways, i hope everyone has a good week!

-ty

I have not been giving this project the effort it deserves, and I am making a promise to myself to change that. It snowed this week, I worked four nights (as usual), and my semester starts tomorrow. Everything is so transient. Tonight I drove home from the grocery store in thick fog and slushy rain. It was beautiful.

jenn

It rained today.

As much as I like this, I don't really think I'm challenging myself enough or going outside the box with my photographs lately. I want this project to consist a lot of my sister so I can practice, but I think I might try to actually get back into self portraits because those tend to test my abilities more. I don't know, I don't know... But it's 2012 I may as well make some significant effort.

-Joe

Ever get that feeling when you just know that you met somebody for a reason?

- Danièle

Week One

It feels wonderful taking this picture in Texas where I'm visiting my family for the holidays. Not looking forward to returning to snow and ice for next week's picture in Nebraska. I was actually kicked off this guy's property in the middle of my shoot (I had no idea anyone even lived there!). Excited for what is to come in the next year! Happy 2012 everyone!

<3 Chase Barrington

Let me start off by saying I am so excited to be starting this project!

I went out today to take this picture and it didn't start off great, I was cold and uninspired about 300 pictures later I had some pictures that I really liked. So excited for a new year and for this project to force me to explore every week!

Ty Ferg

I am so excited to be starting my year with this project & doing it with eight other amazing photographers! I was feeling extremely uninspired (and exhausted) all day so this is the best I could do. 2012 has a lot in store. In 6 hours, I will be driving to Georgia for Passion 2012. John Piper, Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Francis Chan-I am so thankful for God's provision and faithfulness. I am ready for more adventures, lessons, and discoveries this year. I am looking forward to documenting my year of adventures & exploring through photographs.

-Alison

I had a beautiful experience exploring the woods around my house today. One of my many goals of this project is that I hope it brings me into the forest more often, closer to nature and to the pure, unrefined beauty and inspiration it has to offer.
It is entirely unclear to me how 2012 is going to pan out. Right now I am being pulled in so many directions and consumed by so many dreams and passions and temptations. I suppose I know roughly where I'll be for the next few months or so, but after that, I have absolutely no idea what adventures I will fall into and where my wanderlust will carry me. I am hoping that this project will help to ground me in a way, and also serve as inspiration and motivation throughout the year, to stick with me and continue to teach me more about myself and about the universe as a whole.

jenn

Rider: Kody Noble, Trick: 360 flip into California Ave. in Santa Monica, CA.

I must confess I did not take this today. I did take it on Christmas Eve though. I'm super stoked on this project and am honored to get to post with all the other photographers (they're really good and in my opinion have an amazing aesthetic appeal).

Sincerely,

Matthew Smith

Now that it's 2012, and I'll be applying to colleges in a little more than half a year, I really need to start taking my art and my photography seriously. This project, whether I choose to have it all self portraits or not, will push me to continue growing as a photographer. I recently got photoshop cs5 (previously I was only using lightroom) so I'm hoping I can explore different types of editing this year. I've also been saving up for a DSLR that records video because I really want to get into filmmaking. I'm hoping 2012 will be a year for me to grow and explore and establish myself as an artist. I can't wait to get this project going and update every week. Happy new year everyone!

- Joe Curtin

After completing Project 365 last year I'd had a taste of the effort and commitment involved in such a long-term project. Deciding to take on Project 52 instead alongside 8 other amazing photographers is exactly what I've needed to start the new year. I miss shooting everyday (and will probably shoot more than once a week) so I'm expecting to push myself artistically much further than I'd attempted in the last project. I can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with. I can't wait to be inspired.

- Danièle Martinie

In the months following the completion of my 365 project last February, I've noticed that I've slowly let photography slip out of my life. In an effort to change that and push myself creatively, I decided to start a 52 weeks project. I had originally planned on going it alone but I am so excited to be collaborating with such great photographers on this project instead. I can't wait to see how 2012 pans out for us and our photography. Happy New Year!

p.s. That's a natural lens flare :P

- Christie