Playing Is Good For Our Soul

So, I am on a mission to try and bring as much play into my life as I can.  The best scenario would be everyday but, I will try and do it as often as I can. What has prompted me on to this mode of thought today was an article I read on the Digital Photography School web site.  One of the things that make great artists is their sense of play and adventure.  Being fearless and just giving something a try.  Not being afraid to fail and fail until you happen on to something cool and inspiring. That is part of what keeps my photo of the day going on Facebook. How does one become better at something?  By doing it over and over is one way or by playing and discovering is another.  Sure practice makes perfect for some things.  But, you have to be willing to pick up that camera, paint brush, needle or violin to start to become better.  Play encourages that process better than any other I know. Thus brings me to my point of this post.  In the images below I decided to have fun and play.  I asked myself, what if?  What if, I shot all my pictures for a week in black and white?  What if I used just the available light?  So, below are some of my results.

I took this image kind of spontaneously as I was leaving to go to brunch and shopping today.  I was struck by the pattern of the spindles in the railing.  So, I asked myself what would they look like in a black and white photograph?  Pretty cool I think.  It is fun too play and explore what if's.  The beauty of the digital age is that I have the luxury of taking dozens of photographs without the fear of wasting film.

In this image my professional model is looking at herself in a mirror.  I was curious about reflections and using available light.  So, I whipped out this little hand mirror and ta da.  This is a fun image and I just love playing with these little models.  The great thing about black and white I don't have to worry about their skin color as much.

Lastly, I couldn't leave out the dude.  He would have been so heart broken if I didn't let him pose too.  I love the deep contrasts I was able to get in this image.  Partly this is due to the camera and surroundings and also to the software post processing.  I used Onone software Perfect Black and White 8 for this image.  But, what I find truly amazing is that you can get cool shots with a cheapo camera.  I used a Nikon Coolpix S350D for these shots.  It is a 20.1 mega pixel format.  Ultimately it is all about play here.  Using what I have to work with and not being too bogged down by the rules and having the right equipment.  Yes, using nice lights, better camera and a more controlled environment might give me a more glamorous picture.  But, would it have the life and soul of an artist at play?

Hope you all have a great start to your week.  An early Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you one and all.