photography - Karen A. Chase

Write well. Nap. Carry water.

February 17, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Over the last four months Ted and I, either separately or together, have been to Texas, Williamsburg, New York, Tampa, Venezuela, St. Thomas, Roanoke, Raleigh, DC and Portland. It’s been an adventurous several months, logging a few air miles, a few days by sea for Ted, and several hours in the car. Somewhere in the middle of all our coming-and-going, we’ve been working, writing, reading, and doing a few projects around the house. Finally, we are staying put for several weeks. It’s time to hunker down and write more.

During all our travel, I tried to apply a list I made just after returning from Paris last year. I thought I would include that list from my book, Bonjour 40, here. It’s a good guide-to-life even as I settle back into writing more at home.

• Naps on the grass are essential to well-being.
• Walk more. Bike more.
• Learn new languages.
• Dress up a bit, even when alone. Why look shabby?
• Buy fresh flowers now and then.
• A scarf can really change an outfit—for men and women.
• Fresh food is better than packaged food. Always.
• Be more polite.
• Laugh like the English.
• Kiss like the French.
• Always carry wet-wipes.
• Sharing a scene is better than stealing it.
• I can write anywhere.

On his trip to Venezuela (which I will detail in another blog), Ted also learned that carrying fresh water is a good idea. Especially when you’ll be at sea for more than four days. Below are a few pictures from Ted’s trip, including a sunset from the middle of the Caribbean Sea.

What have you learned most from your travels?

The Eyes of Texas Are Within Me

January 20, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

I have eleven colors of paint throughout our three-bedroom house. I’ve thrown the Pantone book at the walls, like painting the living room a dark, glossy chocolate verging on black, and a fireplace in the dining room robin egg blue. Why do I do it? Is it an intense loathing for a beige life? Yes. Is it because I believe I should embrace living my own home, rather than keeping white walls for the next person to buy my house? Yes. But where does my love, and fearlessness, of color come from? It turns out it came from Texas.

I left my Canadian home for San Antonio to study advertising (and escape the great white north) in the 1990s. I lived south for ten years, and this Christmas Ted and I headed there for the holidays. Right away he said, “I guess this is where you discovered color.” The clash of cowboys, deserts, missions, gringos, salsa and Mexico have combined to capture every possible swatch in one place. Indeed, my camera easily captured it, too.

A buttery yellow bursts from cactus, or tints ostrich leather on a mint green cowboy boot. Hand-woven blazing red blankets lay under rich blacks in the same stores that carry stunning hand-dyed Latino dresses. White stone or feathers contrast with some of the bluest skies I’ve ever seen. I guess it was more than just the yellow rose of Texas that opened my eyes to a brilliantly colorful world. Yeehaw!

Tell me, are your walls white, or has color come into your life? Click here for more pictures, and to see Ted (my Italian from Jersey) in a cowboy hat!

HangingColor_Blog — Hand-dyed Latino dresses adorned with embroidery.

BlueWhiteHeron_Blog — Even the whites and blacks help the color of that blue, blue sky stand out.

Western Wear — Deep black leather and shiny silver contrast on this brilliant southwest blanket.

Virginia Writer Helps Australians Find Bandit in Paris Crab Shack

January 13, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Truly, one of the most remarkable things about writing, and putting it out there for the whole world to read, is when you find out that your words have reached someone around the world. A couple months ago, my book Bonjour 40, about my Paris adventures, went on a blog tour. Over thirty blog writers reviewed the book or interviewed me about it. One of them, called The Eclectic Reader is written by Sheree (Teddyree) of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. What happened from that review is remarkable.

Not long after she featured Bonjour 40 on her blog, Sheree’s sister and her family headed to Paris. Loading her sister up with notes and where-to information gleaned from Bonjour 40, Sheree also got in touch with me to let me know they were going. I got in touch with Dorothée (and her dog, Bandit), who ran the crab shack near the apartment where I stayed in Paris, so they could watch out for Sheree’s family. What happened? Yes, they all met.

Dorothée wrote to say, “They came by and had a drink this afternoon. I knew as soon as they stepped in asked about the crab shack they knew you!” Sheree sent photos of their visit, which allowed me to relive my time with Dorothée and Bandit, too.

More importantly, I realized my book helped make a 10,200 mile trek from Brisbane to Paris more personal for someone who lives about 9,500 miles away from me. And the world turns smaller because of words.

Bandit gives Dorothée a hug at the bar at Le Panier de Crabes during the visit with Sheree's sister. If you'd like to connect with Bandit, he has his own Facebook page. Search for "Le Nain."

Shakespeare&Company — Another photo taken during the Australian tour by Sheree's sister. The infamous, writer-haven Shakespeare and Company bookstore. An entire chapter is dedicated to it in Bonjour 40.

First Fridays: The Snowflake Man

January 6, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

For 2012, I made a wish and some resolutions. I wished for a little snow, and I resolved to focus on fewer things and learn more about my camera and photography. All of those were made because I heard about my First Fridays artist of the month, Wilson Bentley.

A self-educated farmer in Vermont, Bentley was the first person to photograph a single snowflake in 1885 . His obsession with the world of photomicrography and the tiny crystals led him to snap pictures of more than 5000 individual flakes. As you might have guessed, no two were alike. We learned that from Bentley’s work, and so Bentley became known as The Snowflake Man.

At the time that he began his work, he didn’t have all the fancy equipment even little ol’ me has. He rigged up a microscope to a bellows camera, stood out in the cold for hours at a time, sifted through falling flakes and one-by-one captured what fell around him. Bentley said, “It seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others.”

That’s the point of photography, isn’t it? Not just to document the world, but to capture it as you see it so your vision can be shared. Photography expands our world, because like the snowflake, no two viewpoints are alike. What do you hope to see, do or share this year?

You can read more about Wilson Bentley on the museum website or order a book of his photos while you wish for a few winter flakes.

Snowflake Man — This undated photo provided by the Carl Hammer Gallery shows one of the snowflakes recorded by Wilson A. Bentley. (AP Photo/Carl Hammer Gallery, Wilson A. Bentley)

Wilson Bentley and his bellows camera. Courtesy of Snowflake Bentley Museum.

An Unsubscribed Life

December 16, 2011 By Karen A. Chase

Around the holidays, there’s always a part of me that wants to make life simpler. This year we decorated a little less. We bought less. We agreed to spend more time together.

In an effort to simplify my online life, I gathered all my websites onto one server. Doing so unleashed a little spam which I finally got under control, but it also made me recognize the amount of email hitting my inbox from retailers, businesses and non-profits–especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Had I really signed up for a life where my inbox is filled with more want ads, than notes from friends, family and clients? My days felt more prescribed than subscribed.

Now, instead of clicking through or deleting the emails I don’t have the time to read, I’m taking a few moments to unsubscribe. I don’t need to know that Victoria Secret is selling a bra every week because I have only two boobs, and I will shop when I need to. I don’t need a hotel discount for a place I visited two years ago.

I’m keeping a few newsletters and blogs related to my work or friends, and preferred non-profit updates, so I’m reminded to help others. My hope is this simple life will give me more time with those I love the most. I think that’s the life I’d rather subscribe to. To the rest I say, “And to all a good night.”

How many emails in your inbox each day are “subscriptions?”

InBoxFull — How my inbox feels in the morning. A mountain of email, and just hoping to find one from Ted, friends, family or clients.

InboxInstead — How I want my inbox to feel. A few things to attend to in the distance, clean and clear, with us much more in focus. Both pictures were taken in the Rockies near where I grew up in Canada.

First Friday: Bella Eats

November 4, 2011 By Karen A. Chase

As I began the blog last month, here in Compositions, I’ll be featuring an artist for the first blog of each month. For November, say hello Andrea Hubbell, professional photographer and blogger for Bella Eats. Her website is among my favorite sites for three reasons. One, she’s a lovely person. Two, she’s an amazing professional photographer. And three, her photos of food make me lick the screen. There are many culinary photographers in the marketplace, but in Bella Eats, Andrea’s approach is quite different. She photographs the ingredients, set-directs each image, and then photographs each step of a recipe’s preparation as she personally makes the dish.

Andrea is the perfect combination of an aesthetic, creative mind, with a photographer’s eye. Surprisingly, she has an architectural background, but not surprisingly you can see that influence even in her culinary images. A pan of half-eaten corn stuffing looks like an aerial rendering, and blocks of raw wood contrast with soft linens under fine china like carefully selected building materials. Additionally, her recipes use seasonal ingredients, and are simple, honest and uncomplicated. A marinara and meatball recipe for tomato season. Roasted chicken stuffed with plums and nectarines. Corn pancakes. Andrea’s images alone are worth the visit, even if you can’t pick up the perfectly photographed fork – for that, you’ll have to follow her photographs as you try out her featured recipes. Then you, too, can experience just how beautifully this bella eats.

TomatoPie — Andrea's photo of Tomato Goat Cheese Tart. The recipe is on her blog.

Food Franc-Oh La La

September 30, 2011 By Karen A. Chase

Our October issue of Food and Wine Magazine came last week, and the main article is “Francomania” food and wine. After my recent trip to Paris, I have no doubt the French know how to do food. As I said in my original Bonjour40 blog, “Don’t worry if you trip and fall in Paris, because you’ll land on a loaf of bread.” The art of the boulangerie alone is worth the trip, but the food in France is stunning, fresh and flavorful beyond description. The sheer number of fabulous restaurants and cafés is enough to tell you why the French aren’t known for winning wars. They’re busy making and partaking in gastronomical delights instead.

Successful compositions are about using ingredients together in a unique, thoughtful or beautiful way. And to me, French culinary art and plate presentation are something from which every artist, photographer, writer, and designer can learn. Every ingredient is chosen because of its impact, how it will combine with the other elements, or because it can carry the flavor and message of the entire meal. It should begin with the eyes, fill your senses, make the mouth water, ignite your palette, and alter your perception. The food photos in the October Food and Wine issue, stir me, and make me want to head back to France. At the very least, I should head to my own kitchen to try making their onion soup recipe.

Is there a French food that excels in composition for you?

OnionSoup — My photo of the onion soup I had in Paris. With wine and bread of course.

Freedom of Expression

September 16, 2011 By Karen A. Chase

When I was thirteen, I bought a photograph of Mikhail Baryshnikov. He was in mid-flight, muscles taut, and the expression on his face was one of sheer freedom. There was nothing but air around him to drive home the point. I recall staring at it hoping my body might eventually feel that way (or at least would get to feel him). Around that same time, I also discovered Annie Leibovitz, a female photographer whose portraits stunned me with their simplicity and her ability to capture the private portion of her subjects’ famous public persona. For the first time, I saw what the eye of a woman could behold and it had a profound effect on me.

In part because of her influence, photography is part of my life. My daily-life of design and writing however, has me sitting for hours. So at 40, I realized the freedom must be within dance itself (and a realization that Baryshnikov will never ask me out). So a girlfriend of mine and I started jazz classes on Tuesday, and I found freedom within minutes. It was in the rhythm of the music. In the mentality of letting go. Radiating from my limbs. And right when I thought, “I’m dancing at 40. This is fabulous!”… POW! I blew out my hip. A trip to the orthopedic doctor confirmed strained muscles, and two weeks of constrained movement. I am not thirteen anymore. Yes, I will return to class, but perhaps life is freer behind the lens.

Leibovitz' Baryshnikov — Baryshnikov's portrait by Annie Leibovitz that is similar to the photo I purchased.

Timing and Juxtaposition

September 9, 2011 By Karen A. Chase

Just this past June, a book of short stories coupled with photography was released. As of this posting it is ranked number 342 in books on Amazon, and number one in three other categories. Written by National Geographic Senior Writer, Jennifer S. Holland, her book is called, Unlikely Friendships. It’s filled with images and stories of unusual and endearing pairings in the animal kingdom. A leopard that sneaks into a field to curl up with a cow. A hippo that finds solace with a tortoise. A black bear that befriends a black cat.

I’ve chosen her book for my first blog topic, not merely because it marries writing and images in a lovely, and well-designed layout. I’ve chosen it because sometimes what allows a composition to have the most impact is either the timing of it, or the juxtaposition of it next to other things. This book with it’s easy prose, and heart-warming pictures is on shelves alongside just-released photo books commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It’s so easy for us to be captured by dramatic and devastating images of a day that moved us beyond words. A day that moved us into action. Protection. Sorrow. Even anger. Our feelings were almost instinctual. In the case of Unlikely Friendships, Jennifer’s collection of stories shows us that perhaps instinct can be overcome. Every day we have the ability to choose nurture over nature. The timing of her message is impeccable.

For more photos of unlikely pairings and Jennifer’s book info.