Curious. Creative. Living Boldly.
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Fibre Arts
  • Journeywoman
    • Bangkok to London
    • Northern Sea Route Russia 1
    • Northern Sea Route – Russia 2
    • Journey Bhutan – East to West 2016
    • Antarctica 2016
    • Peking to Paris in Penny 2016
    • India and Bhutan in Penny 2015
      • Kolkata
      • ON the Tram…. a bit fish-bowley but lots of waves and smiles…
      • Siliguri to Darjeeling
      • A mountain Drive….. Paro to Thimpu
      • Mongar to Trashingang
      • Trashingang to Sandrup Jongkhar
      • Kale to Monymar… then to so many temples at Bagan
      • Temples in Myanmar
      • Magical Ballooning over Temples in Bagan
      • Bagan to Inlay Lake
      • Inlay Lake
      • Inlay Lake to Taungoo
      • Taungoo to Kyaiktiyo
      • Last day in Myanmar and missing clouds in the sky
    • Greenland 2015
      • Iceberg Gallery
      • Magical Greenland….
      • Julie the landscape
      • Walking the tundra
      • Ymer Island…
      • Zodiacs and Icebergs!!!
      • Ittorqqortoormiit
    • Iceland 2015
    • Antarctica 2014
    • Chile 2014
    • Morocco in Penny 2013
    • Europe 2013
    • Bhutan 2016
    • Journal Categories
  • Photography
    • Biography
    • Svalbard Ice 2018
    • Svalbard Mountains
    • Antarctica 2016
    • The Shape of Cold
    • The Ice Breathes
    • Greenland 2015
    • Whales
    • Hindsight
    • Exhibitions
    • Books
  • Julie
    • About Julie Stephenson
    • Journeywoman
    • Photography
    • Shaman and Healer
    • Storyteller
    • Wisdom
      • Courage
    • What others have said….
  • Connect
Previous Post
Next Post
Jul 31
in Photography Teachings, Uncategorized

Have you ever thought to yourself – “I don’t know whether this image works or not?”

“Where do I start?” “I really like parts of this image…. but I’m just not sure???”  “Some parts I really connect with…. but something’s not quite happening – and I don’t know what it is???” “I’m not sure this image is really saying what I had in mind nor what I felt???”

…..and then if I had an emotional investment in the image I might have pontificated over it for ages –  going round and around endeavouring to work out whether I ‘liked’ it or not, or it ‘worked’; OR – if I didn’t have an emotional investment in it I may have just moved on to the next image.

BUT… because now I have developed an approach to guide me to tease out elements of an image to ascertain what works and what doesn’t; as well as my own personal response to it…. I find I can connect with the elements of an image and my response much more effectively and deeply, and this then enables me to not only learn more about myself, but also facilitates the making of images which speak more clearly of my own voice.

This approach then enables me to examine an image as a process – rather than an ‘end result’. This approach allows me to ask “What happens when I….” alter different elements of an image through processing or revisiting a scene. This approach gives me the opportunity to evaluate whether I have achieved my own goal in expressing myself as I intended through my work. I’m always open however to other things being revealed to me through my images,  and I’ve often been surprised that the image has exceeded my original intention of expression through it – because of the deeper investigation and attention I have given to it as I ask myself “What happens when I….”

So…. what is the FIRST STEP?? The first step when evaluating my own images is to the best of my ability – remove any emotional attachment to the image and not let the memory of the experience I felt while I was taking a photograph, have any influence over the response I have from the dots on the page or screen in front of me. I endeavour to imagine that the image in front of me was taken by someone else… and that all I am looking at is just dots on paper…or pixels on a screen. That is the best way that I can be objective in hearing what my eyes see…rather than blurring my view with memory and expectations.

Once I have listened to what the dots and pixels have said to me… I then ask the question “What happens when I…” (make it warmer…make this part lighter…etc) and then observe what these changes ‘say’.

The approach I use for my own images is exactly the same one I use when others ask me for my “opinion“. Over the next few posts I will be outlining this approach to examining the elements of an image …… but remember to just look at the dots or pixels – without memory or expectation. 🙂

 

 

 

The-Grand-Canyon-3

 

Share this:
1014
0
About the Author: Julie
I am a Journeywoman. I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. An Artist. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. It is through my experience adventuring the unknown, that I learn more about myself. My aim through this connection is to live where my expression is fully in alignment with the essence of who I am. “In the field of Fine-Art Photography, Julie stands apart from others with the way she sees the world and expresses her connection within it. Julie Stephenson’s photographs are sublime. Her work is an expression of her deep connection; and a gift to the world.”

  • us together
    Read more
    in Uncategorized 0 comments
    0
  • allure of the ocean
    I was going through some images of our trip to the Kimberley Read more
    in Around Australia 4WDing, Earth and Sea 0 comments
    0
  • Wiluna to Leinster – Dingo; Oops with tyre; flat country and the cloud coming in.
    No... it wasn't the corrugations which I was feeling through the steering wheel Read more
    in Karijini 2012 0 comments
    0

Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.
Journal Categories
  • Fine Art Journal Posts
  • Northern Sea Route
  • Peking to Paris Journal Posts
  • India and Bhutan
  • Antarctica Journal Posts
  • Greenland Journal Posts
  • Morocco Journal Posts
  • Tonga Journal Posts
  • Photography Teaching Journal Posts
  • Inspirations Journal Posts
  • Books
Living Boldly - See how I do!
What are you waiting for?
Follow my crazy adventures!

skeinydipping

🧐Curious
🎨Creative
💪🏻Living boldly!
😁Content with wool in my hands
@idoamazingthings
See more on my website -

Instagram post 2197125511554330218_7573063145 As an artist, all my creative expression is founded upon my experiences. 
Our recent journeys through Thailand, Laos and China have inspired a series of blankets I have hand woven using the most beautiful indie dyed wool from my collection. 
Seeing so much weaving in the rural areas, and participating in my weaving class with @theweavingsisters inspired me to recommence weaving which I havent done since I was an adolescent... quite a long time ago!

I'm so enjoying my 48" or 120cm Rigid Heddle Loom by @ashford_wheels_looms . I don't have any podcasts playing. No Audio or visual programmes in the background. I am accompanied only by my thoughts and the sounds of nature outside my studio. it is such a lovely space to be in to weave meditatively.

I hope you enjoy seeing how I translate my experiences into beautiful woven blankets. I have woven several more which I will share over the coming weeks. ***I've tried to include in this description here all the wonderful dyers of these beautiful yarns; so you can see how your yarn is used "in the wild", but it seems I cannot; so I've done so in the first comment below. .
.
.
#weaving #indieyarn #handmadewithlove #loomweaving #weavingart #weavingaustralia #journeywoman #liveboldly #livingthedream #inspired #indiedyedyarn #rigidheddleweaving #rigidheddleloom #creativespirit
Instagram post 2181901153613465477_7573063145 Indigo blue; cotton thread; sewing and laughter. In Dali in South-Western China I sewed, wrapped thread and dipped my cotton into liquid blue; under the instruction of the local Bai women in a small village on the outskirts of Dali; and together with Max and our Guides, had the best day. 
This traditional practice of dyeing has survived for over a thousand years surviving the Cultural Revolution, when many other Dong traditions such as Shamanism, were stamped out by Communist ideology.
.
This process of botanical dyeing uses plants such as indigo, woad and mugwort which are native to the nearby mountains of Cangshan. These plants are not only used for dye, but for food, medicine and ornaments.

Historically in this region it is the men who harvest and prepare the dyes, whilst the women weave, prepare the cloth and do the stitching and washing of the dyed fabric.

A couple of dozen plants were used for dyeing. I learned that both acid and alkaline mordants were used to modify the colours.

I also learned of the sense of ritual involved in the dyeing process. Dyeing within the lives of the villagers was only performed on goat days in the lunar calendar from June to October. 
Through our interpreter the ladies shared that they were trying to hold on to their tradition, but were fearful that their traditions were being lost as the young people moved away to the cities and their culture was being wiped out. 
I’m so grateful to have learned this unique and special technique from these fabulous ladies. I had the best day. Swipe for pics and more on my website - link in profile.
. . #liveboldly#traveller #roadtrip #momentsofmine #dali #adventurer #journeywoman #indigo #travelmore #instatravelling #travelgram #explore #explorer #traveldiaries #livingthedream #travelawesome #traveldeeper #livefully #livecreatively #inspired #travelmore #wonderfulplaces #openmyworld #lovetotravel #seekmoments #botanicaldyeing #bai #handcrafts
Instagram post 2175476617724628608_7573063145 There is something quite lovely about wearing items which are crafted using one’s hands; and there has been time, quality materials, and one’s heart and soul embedded within them. My skirt; my jumpers and scarves that I knitted myself.. and my jewellery which was made by artisans I’ve met along our journeys over the years; all hold the essence of human creativity and soul. 
Most days on our journey I wore, the most exquisite piece of woven silk fabric I purchased from @ockpoptok in Luang Prabang in Laos… and held it up using the belt I wove with @theweavingsisters . 
Luang Prabang in Laos was a dyers and weavers heaven. At Ock Pop Toc  there was a beautiful display of weaving using silk. I learned so much about the different styles of weaving techniques… and had a really great time with the weavers there.  I’ve always loved weaving and after my fabulous day weaving my belt with @theweavingsisters, I was hungry to learn more… and considering purchasing a loom when we returned home so I could weave at home. 
What was wonderful about wearing an exquisite piece of fabric, was that I could adapt the tying style according to the country and when I was in Tibet, I realised that the fold was in the back instead of at the side as in Laos… so…. just an adjustment in the fold and my skirt was much admired by the local ladies… but for me, more importantly was that there was something quite wonderful about wearing items which had taken time, heart and soul to create and that I could let them live as I walked and travelled across land. 
Swipe to see more photos and more stories and photographs in my Journal on my website – link in my profile. ..
Pic at Everest Base Camp in Tibet, with Chomolungma )Mt Everest) reaching skyward behind me. .
.
Samen Shawl by @westknits 
My motifs in Astrid by @junkookamoto212 .
.#liveboldly #Laos #traveller #roadtrip #weaving #momentsofmine #laostravel #adventurer #journeywoman #instatravel #instatravelling #himalayas #travelgram #explore #explorer #traveldiaries #livingthedream #travelawesome #traveldeeper #livefully #livecreatively #inspired #adventureseeker #travelmore #goexplore #wonderfulplaces #openmyworld #lovetotravel #seekmoments
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

 

 

2017 All photographs created by and property of Julie Stephenson.
Learn more about OptinMonster!
+
Never miss a post!
×
Living boldly!

Pop your name down now
and come adventure alongside me!!!