My Monday Mission is to be creative with Photoshop. I imagine creative in this case is rightly interpreted to mean funny and clever, but I'm sticking with the traditional and open interpretation.
I've been working on a black and white series for our master bedroom. Below are two prints from it. Originally they were full color, but when I began looking at the image, I saw the sharp contrasts, shadows and light. I adjusted it to black and white, worked a bit on the brightness and contrast, and ended up with an image I really liked.
I'll mat and frame it, probably ending up at a final size of about 16x20.
A while back Stephanie asked me about my art and photography. Sadly, it's fallen to the wayside. Factors: time, both my digital cameras needed repair, and then I was robbed in Boston. As of last week, I have a digital camera again. Thankfully.
The photos are from our recent trip back up to Boston.
It seems like another life, the days that we lived there.
Before kids, this park was a place we went to often. It was more or less just across the street from my husband's office. I'd usually leave my office before him and I'd walk from Cambridge to Fanueil, by where he worked, and meet him and usually some other people, too, and head to one of the popular restaurant/bars nearby. It was usually fun, and we were usually running to catch the last train home.
But I preferred the nights when we went to Cambridge, instead. My experience of bars and restaurants in this area of downtown Boston were suited people always on some sort of make, sizing up, aware of labels and whether leather was real or fake. Cambridge was more relaxed, students and business casual sorts. You could ease back and be yourself, not worry too much about simply wearing a pair of chinos and company tee (with the dot com label of the moment) in Cambridge.
In Cambridge, it didn't seem to matter too much where you were from since so many were from elsewhere. In Cambridge, you hung out at pubs rather than Ooh La La Wine Bars, and the tables were often so close that the lines blurred about where your group ended and the next one began. I always met the most interesting people in Cambridge.
Sometimes I had a backpack with me. It was okay to have a backpack instead of a briefcase, in Cambridge. But it did often get me mistaken for a student, which wasn't wrong for a while, since for a while, I was one. I'd pretended I was going to get a Master's at Harvard by applying myself diligently in a writing and editing program, but quit when work and life got too hectic, always with a promise to go back and finish. Famous last words. The engineers at my company were nearly 100% MIT grads and they couldn't withhold their disgust that I'd chosen Harvard. Some of the debates could be quite hilariously fierce.
I did always prefer the more laid back, down to earth vibe I felt in Cambridge. Downtown financial district Boston was all $15 martinis, and Cambridge was a couple of bucks for a pint.
Or maybe mind games are just easier for me than social ones. I'm sure it's all subjective.
As is art, as is creativity, as is interpretation of a Monday Mission. ;) Click here to go check out the rest.
Copyright 2007 Julie Pippert
Also blogging at:
Using My Words
Julie Pippert REVIEWS: Get a real opinion about BOOKS, MUSIC and MORE
Julie Pippert RECOMMENDS: A real opinion about HELPFUL and TIME-SAVING products
Moms Speak Up: Talking about the environment, dangerous imports, health care, food safety, media and marketing, education, politics and many other hot topics of concern.
I've been working on a black and white series for our master bedroom. Below are two prints from it. Originally they were full color, but when I began looking at the image, I saw the sharp contrasts, shadows and light. I adjusted it to black and white, worked a bit on the brightness and contrast, and ended up with an image I really liked.
I'll mat and frame it, probably ending up at a final size of about 16x20.
A while back Stephanie asked me about my art and photography. Sadly, it's fallen to the wayside. Factors: time, both my digital cameras needed repair, and then I was robbed in Boston. As of last week, I have a digital camera again. Thankfully.
The photos are from our recent trip back up to Boston.
It seems like another life, the days that we lived there.
Before kids, this park was a place we went to often. It was more or less just across the street from my husband's office. I'd usually leave my office before him and I'd walk from Cambridge to Fanueil, by where he worked, and meet him and usually some other people, too, and head to one of the popular restaurant/bars nearby. It was usually fun, and we were usually running to catch the last train home.
But I preferred the nights when we went to Cambridge, instead. My experience of bars and restaurants in this area of downtown Boston were suited people always on some sort of make, sizing up, aware of labels and whether leather was real or fake. Cambridge was more relaxed, students and business casual sorts. You could ease back and be yourself, not worry too much about simply wearing a pair of chinos and company tee (with the dot com label of the moment) in Cambridge.
In Cambridge, it didn't seem to matter too much where you were from since so many were from elsewhere. In Cambridge, you hung out at pubs rather than Ooh La La Wine Bars, and the tables were often so close that the lines blurred about where your group ended and the next one began. I always met the most interesting people in Cambridge.
Sometimes I had a backpack with me. It was okay to have a backpack instead of a briefcase, in Cambridge. But it did often get me mistaken for a student, which wasn't wrong for a while, since for a while, I was one. I'd pretended I was going to get a Master's at Harvard by applying myself diligently in a writing and editing program, but quit when work and life got too hectic, always with a promise to go back and finish. Famous last words. The engineers at my company were nearly 100% MIT grads and they couldn't withhold their disgust that I'd chosen Harvard. Some of the debates could be quite hilariously fierce.
I did always prefer the more laid back, down to earth vibe I felt in Cambridge. Downtown financial district Boston was all $15 martinis, and Cambridge was a couple of bucks for a pint.
Or maybe mind games are just easier for me than social ones. I'm sure it's all subjective.
As is art, as is creativity, as is interpretation of a Monday Mission. ;) Click here to go check out the rest.
Copyright 2007 Julie Pippert
Also blogging at:
Using My Words
Julie Pippert REVIEWS: Get a real opinion about BOOKS, MUSIC and MORE
Julie Pippert RECOMMENDS: A real opinion about HELPFUL and TIME-SAVING products
Moms Speak Up: Talking about the environment, dangerous imports, health care, food safety, media and marketing, education, politics and many other hot topics of concern.
Comments
Julie, I am coming over.
Blessed be!
Rebecca
and i know what it is like to pine for a town that way.
I even went to the Jack Kerouac museum.
I thought the adjacent textiles exhibit was more interesting, though. ;) (Also, check your email.)
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Christine, thanks sweetie.
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Rebecca, thanks! I figured it's a pretty recognizable spot and plenty of people would know just which park it is.
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De, you are completely welcome here anytime. We can do a trade: you here winter, me there summer. :)
You do very well.
Susiej
I love black and white pics. There is such emotion in them.
Beautiful!
I've never been to Boston, but it is high up on my list. Everyone I've spoken to who's ever been to Boston and surrounding area loves it.
Heidi
Cambridge sounds like where I'd have spent my time, as well.
anne at annenahm.com
I know what you mean about the comfort level. I always feel a bit out of place anywhere too posh.
Photos are lovely... my daughter spends half her day studying visual arts at an Arts magnet high school - she's taking a B & W portraiture class this semester and using real film, learning how to process, etc... she's doing some great stuff and really enjoying it!
Thanks for sharing...
WHAT IS THAT CALLED? It's been there forever!
We loved going down for the crazy sidewalk performances, and then browsing the book shops.
Babe, we are soul mates.
Cecilieaux
Shavings Off My Mind
I've never been to Boston, but it has been on my list forever. No particular reason, just must visit one day :)