[Irma]

Style is something as Matthew says most of all have but probably we are the last ones to notice it, to be aware of it. At least this is my case.

I have nearly 4 years taking pictures so my story in pictures is not too long... and my only desire then that last till these days is to take beautiful pictures.... I consider my work with photography has developed in three epocas.

I have to get the picture no matter how....
I started this epoca with a P&S camera, and I remember that it was very difficult to get pictures of birds... one day I thought about hanging some apples in the trees with the hope that the birds will come and while busy eating the apple I could take a picture. One day I saw them happily eating the apple and I got me picture... I was so proud of it.



I know it was nothing for National Geographic but still I got it. It was the same with landscapes, I looked for the best spots around here, I took many pictures in sunny, foggy, cloudy mornings... I used to go out early in the morning still with my pijamas just with a jacket and jogging trousers to take my pictures.... I could spend days taking pictures to the same flower until it withered... I miss very much this epoca because it was the time of discoveries...

It has to be perfect....
With my first DSLR I thought there was no excuse not to have a perfect picture... Well exposed, well composed, good detail, great colors... So I started my learning how to use my camera and get the best of it. Along with this I started using photoshop and learning to edit my pictures. Both were great for me to get very good images, birds in flight, fish the seaworld, and nice landscapes, my HDR work was very nice. But somehow... this epoca became a bit stressing... you show a good picture and you can't go back to show a simple snap... somehow you think you have to keep the level and I wanted all my pictures to be keepers... and well yes I got then many beautiful pictures...



I post this picture not only because it is one of my favorite pictures but to follow with the same subject to see the difference along these years.

It has to say something...
So one day I thought well, yes, I have already some really nice pictures of birds so... The techique was there so what... I started to see picture with meaning... pictures telling a story, pictures that technically might not be perfect but the messaje was enormous... you could understand the idea, see the intention of the photographer, and I got just fascinated by the idea of my pictures telling something...

This came together with the response of a friend of mine when I asked him what book he would recommend me to learn about colors. He said that photography was about light and forms and that is what I should be working on first before colors. He adviced me to work my pictures in bw... see the light, see the shadows... and this is my actual stage ...



I like very much the light in this picture... the blue shadow like the morning cold agains the warm morning light... I like the contrast too and the colors. The birdies warming up in the fence, preparing themselves for a sunny day. To me my picture says something.

Looking at the same subject in different epocas I can represent where I am coming from and where I am walking to... and if I am truely honest with you all... I am afraid to develop an artistic vision that my audience rejects... and this has been my great confusion and somehow worriness in the past months... I don't want to go back to flowers for the acceptance, and because I have failed to express myself with my pictures.

At the moment I'm too close the still life photography because it hasn't come easy, and that makes it a challenge, photography somehow has changed from a enjoyable hobby to a serious and conscience activity in my life that I still enjoy.

I can't leave out my photomanipulation work. I like to manipulate some of my pictures and each picture I work with has been a learning experience. This is something I want to continue learning.

Thanks for the assignment Matthew, you made me put in order some loose ideas.