EYE OF TOBIA PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG » Creativity

Why I won’t be quitting my day/night job.

Tobia — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:50:07 +0000

When I was young and daydreamed about becoming a photographer I used to imagine going on safaris for national geographic and capturing rolling landscapes for self help posters. Okay, the poster part isn’t entirely true. But I did find an allure to landscape photography, getting to go out and capture the area I was in and make it look like a postcard.
But now I know better. Landscape photography is NOT for me. See below example:

The top image was taken at 5pm of the skyline from a window at the MIT faculty club during a recent wedding.
The bottom one was taken at around 8pm. See the difference the light will make on the image?
Now, if I were a landscape photographer, I would have to spend my time waiting around for hours, previously scouting out my best vantage point in hopes of getting the weather and quality of light to sync up with my vision. No interacting with the subject, learning about what makes it tick from afar. I cant very well ask the Hancock building to turn towards the light for me. Luckily I make my living doing a craft that is much better suited to my style. I get to talk to my subject and let them be a part of the image I am creating. I get to see people having fun, on the best days of their lives, the first days of their lives, the days that they will now get to tangibly remember forever because I helped document it. How cool is that?
Not that I don’t admire landscape and nature photographers. There is something incredible about the hunt and execution of a great shot. And when it is done well, the loveliness of the world around us through another eyes can take your breath away. But for now, I will stick with people. I think finding the thing that makes someone who they are themselves and then preserving it for future generations is pretty darn awesome.

poodle portraits? | projects for kids

Tobia — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:54:05 +0000

This was one of my favorite projects to do when I worked at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. I can’t even tell you how much I enjoy having kids old enough to do “projects” now. So in between the jumping, running, rolling, imagining, rock banding, shrieking and twirling that makes up much of my time with my little ones I have been trying to squeeze projects in. This one is one that never seems to get old. I have the kids lay down on a long rolled out paper, head to head, and crudely trace their outlines.

I tried doing it with precision, but well… you try tracing squirming 2 and 3 year olds. After hanging the results over the easel and pinning it there, they each went to their respective sides and had at it.
As you can see, Dunedin sees herself as a eyelash model.

Griffin took a slightly different approach to painting his self portrait. I think this is another case of life imitating art.

Then, of course, we had to involve the poodle. Dunes traced it herself. You think it is a better outline than mine? Fine, but my subjects were far more challenging.

*Important note. You could have the kids trace you, but I would stick with colored pencils.

This awesome marker holder was purchased at Kreatelier on Hope St in Providence. It all rolls up and ties neatly together for travel. One of those things you think to yourself- “I’m creative, I could totally sew a couple of those in the time it takes to clean up all the marker mess from the floor and wall.” But then you think to yourself, “hmm, I could squeeze that into the time I have between editting an album and picking kids up from daycare, OR I could just walk the kids over to Kreatelier and let them pick thier own paterns out…”
Dunes actually keeps her markers fairly organized in this thing. Although, the one I got for Griffin hasn’t helped a lick. hmmm.

Embracing rainy day blues

Tobia — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:03:14 +0000

Sometimes rain and photography mix well. Below is one of my favorite flowers, the poppy during a bit of rain we had in VT over the last weekend.

Shot with the Canon 5d Mark ii at 1600 ISO at 8pm. Handheld without a tripod at 2.8 and 1/60th. Otherwise it would have been sharper. What a difference a little full frame camera can make. Rain, rain go away no more. Get out there and shoot!

Going to Meggies house and Wild Animal Transport

Tobia — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:42:02 +0000

Last month I was off shooting a wedding during the Kentucky Derby. Our cousin Meggie was having her annual Kentucky Derby party that sadly, annually, I keep missing. This year my husband and kids were going to be able to make it. And there was a “Hat Contest” involved. AND Prizes.
Prizes of CHOCOLATE.
Chocolate for hat wearing.
Yup.
So Dunedin picked out favorite hats for herself and Griffin and later helped her dad make his choice.
I wasn’t there, so I will sum up. She won. And Meggie, with her oodles of charm and chocolate, bestowed upon my daughter the prize. 5 pounds of chocolate. My daughter weighs 30 pounds.
1/6th of her body weight was given to Dunedin in chocolate.

Let me give you an idea of what 5 lbs of chocolate does to the brain of a 3 year old. Take a normal drive to the grocery store. 2 kids in the back, one screams “GO LEFT!”
“Why?!” I ask ? ! ? ? ?
“Meggie’s house is that way!!!!”
“Dunedin, we are going to the Grocery Store. We need milk, eggs, toilet paper…”
Undeterred by timing, logic or obvious need for t.p. she responds “Quick, call Daddy, he can tell you the way. I brought my hat…and Griffin’s too!” How she remembered her hats and I forgot my wallet… Okay that is a different story.
Lets skip ahead to yesterday. This is how I have been finding them around the house. In make shift cars, with their hats on, always headed to Meggie’s house. Here you see them driving the flying blanket model car. Equipped with car seats for their wild animals who are, of course, headed to the party as well.

If only my kids had gotten to GM in time. The American car industry would have been injected with innovative car designs from the two seater towels (great for the beach), to the lowrider coffee tables (lots of spots to put your drinks), and my favorite, the model T-Toy box (with tons of trunk space) all with hybrid power (self or mommy powered). I guess it would be a problem if cars would only drive to Meggie’s house. Perhaps the auto industry will need to look elsewhere for innovation. So thanks again, Meggie!

Self portraits spot on

Tobia — Thu, 20 May 2010 10:17:06 +0000

I found my kids drawing on the chalkboard yesterday and thought I would share. The scene started with some disputes about land-rights, but that was easily solved by drawing a line down the middle and labeling the top. They then continued drawing pictures of themselves. I have to admit- a fairly close rendering on both sides. D spends much of her daily life up in her head, imagining and creating worlds of her own creation. G, on the other hand, manages to live his life as a swirling activity in the external world-but still within the confines of space allotted to him. I have to say I am really enjoying them at this age. Photonotes: I love the way the soft light filters in on them through the shaded window. Our living room actually creates fairly tough lighting situations. Windows are on 2 sides of the room and it gets full sun that would have side lit this photo and caused far to harsh of shadows and contrast. Add to that we have a mix of lights-halogen and incandescent, which can cause annoying color shifts in photos. Blue hair and orange skin-ugggh. I actually have thought of changing one of the fixtures in our rented apartment so that I could add different light bulbs because the white balance issues I get with photos bothers me so much. To create the soft, sculptural light, I turned off the lights and closed the blinds- still getting the benefits of natural light, but creating an enormous soft box on the right.

Printable DIY wedding invitations (and more)…

Tobia — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:17:11 +0000

I just stumbled upon this site, e.m.papers, and thought I would share it with my some of my clients and friends. For those of you looking for higher-end design and quality invitations, this site has a lot to offer. What caught my eye today was the *free!* printable wedding invitations that come as an editable PDF. You can download and update with your own information. Then all you need to do is find some nice paper to print on, address the envelopes and send. Take it from a person who hand made and folded all of her own invitations… Unless you really like crafting, folding, and papercuts, this is a great way to go.

DIY printable wedding invitaions by e.m.papers

The above Black and White one is free to download, but there were many other collections that you could choose from that may fit your style better, and why not support a site that does all of the heavy design lifting for you?

Movie I would have loved to make

Tobia — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:15:40 +0000

So I need to just drool a bit at the preview for a documentary I just saw. Before I start, I should preface this post by asserting that I am not, in the least bit, pregnant.
The film by Thomas Barnes, “Babies”, is described on his site as: “Capturing on film the earliest stages of the journey of humanity that are at once unique and universal to us all.”
It follows the 1st year of 4 children living in very different societies and from the 2.5 minute preview the photography alone made me coo… Then there are the cute babies.
from around the world, from Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo.
See the preview for yourself! Some of the films photography is just exquisite.

Burrrr

Tobia — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:19:48 +0000

It’s cold out there. Take some photos and enjoy looking through them, all warm and toasty, in front of your computer.

Okay, I admit it. These were taken on a porch. But beauty is everywhere to be found. Even from a front porch.

Homemade train table saga-Part 2

Tobia — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:20:03 +0000

So we are a little closer to finishing the table. Bricks have been painted on and the table top and lake are complete. We are still trying to decide what to do with the lake-trapdoor. I was thinking of drilling some holes and making a Loch Ness Monster handle out of rope. Other ideas include a rubber ducky handle or whale tail just screwed or glued in. The other side of the tunnel still needs to be painted but the fact that it is now completely taken over with the trains means that it is likely going to be a project done on a whim. Thanks John and Lindsey for some of the brainstorming ideas! As you can see, Griffin could not be more pleased. He spent over an hour at it yesterday.

We dont bother with rose tinted glasses around here

Tobia — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:11:54 +0000

The view is sweet enough. We prefer to go right for the googly goggles. Here you see one of the favorite gifts my kids received for the holidays. Thanks Miriam!