This little doodle flowed from my pen while talking to the lawyer this afternoon on my lunch break. I like her. I respect her… but honestly, the conversation did not put me at ease in the slightest. That’s probably obvious from my journal today.
So: With that in mind, Happy Birthday, Jas. Here’s an octopus. What does that mean? I don’t know, but I’m sure you’ll understand. And if you don’t? Well, have a happy birthday anyway.
~H
The sun rose again today,
Contrary to last night’s “End of The World.”
I should be comforted by this…
I watch her rise above the horizon,
Fiery tendrils reaching across the sky in a blaze of defiance
Against my anything and everything.
Why does she choose to mock my mood?
To squash my worries like ants on the pavement?
Discredit me with the simple act of rising?
She just beams, sometimes a little too brightly,
Sweet radiation cooking my skin, making me sweat.
Making me burn.
~H
I’ve been busy doing nothing. Lot’s of long work days coupled with extreme heat and carting kids around has made room for little else. I did have a chance to ship off my entry for the 20th Annual Louisville National Juried Photography Show.
The Piece that May or May Not Make It Home!
This was the first show I’d entered and was really surprised to see that one of my prints was chosen! No, it won’t sell (probably) and I doubt it will win any places (Wouldn’t that be awesome?!?), but simply entering and getting shown was a big boost for me! I’ve plans to enter a few items into another showing and I’ve been considering contacting a couple of local galleries to see what their application for representation might be.
Speaking of my first experience of mailing an art entry: The shipping part of it was a nightmare. Since the show is two states away and my Challenger, as much as I love her, is a bit of a gas hog, I could not deliver the piece myself. Plane tickets were also far more than it would cost me to ship the bugger and I figured this really was the way to go about it…
I had, in the past, experienced good things when it came to FedEx and their facility was open later than everyone else’s on a Friday night, so I chose them to transport the precious cargo. That ended up being a huge mistake! After a very uninformed and non-tech savvy employee at their facility pretty much told me to shut up and do everything myself from a workstation in the back of the room, 3 hours of dealing with their ill-maintained equipment and trying to get the kids to behave and a lot of frustration and cash spent, my package shipped out the following Monday. Since return shipping was supposed to be included, I did… But I had to create an account with them, then they wouldn’t let me date the return shipment for more than 10 days out!! The gent (ha!) behind the counter said they’d probably honor it anyway and this was echoed by their phone support later that evening… but it caused me great headaches and a worry that I might not get my $150 canvas back when the show is over!
The Stump on Top of One of the Smaller Dirt Mounds
I’ve decided that if I use FedEx again, I’ll just print the shipping labels from home and have them pick up the package rather than stand around in a store with unhelpful employees and dilapidated equipment!! However, I think I’ll try UPS next time and see how that pans out.
Our driveway project at the house continues on. After a phone call to our contractor (read that as “After I called and reamed out my contractor…”) I discovered that he’d taken the money down already paid and used it to aid in the completion of at least 3 other jobs! Yet, mine remains unfinished nearly two months after start date. He hasn’t been paying his employees who are starting to leave him and I have a huge pile of dirt that takes up my entire front lawn pissing off my neighbors and causing a lot of problems. Jas and I have been clearing the rubble and dirt the best we can ourselves and I demanded that the contractor either reimburse us for this service that he was contracted to provide but wasn’t or discount the remaining money owed. So tired of this terrible mess and am unsure just what I should do at this point.
The Girls
The family is doing well. Jas has been attending classes on the company dime to become Mac Tech Certified.This is great news for him and will really help him out. Yay for Jas! The girls are good… They’ve been spending a lot of time with their KC grandparents since school is out and both got their hair cut much shorter!
And I’ve just been plotting my next shoot. Since I have a little time, I’ve been doing some maintenance around my home, both in real life and on the web, and hope that next term I’ll be full of great ideas and projects that will blow the past out of the water!
Until next time,
~Hollie
So, it’s time for summer break and all the kiddies are out of school for a few weeks, including me! During the school year, I’m constantly shooting. Assignments here, extra shoots there… There really is a lot of opportunity to shoot and keep shooting all day long!
But during these lulls when the kids are home from school and I don’t have a pressing need, beyond personal drive, to pursue photographic opportunities, I find myself stagnating. It’s so easy to just sit back and let the summer slide by without a care in the world. Still, I know that letting those weeks slide by without shooting allows my edge and opportunity to slip away as well! (Not to mention that camera unfamiliarity creeps back in when I’m not using it on a daily basis.)
So, how do we keep shooting with no definite direction in sight? What do we do when there’s no client requests or scholarly assignments to point us in a solid direction? Well, we just have to find out own way, of course!
Right now where I am, it’s summer: Hot, muggy summer. I don’t know about you, but there are a million things 
going on here that can only happen this time of year. Folks lounging and splashing in outdoor swimming pools. Children chasing fireflies. Fourth of July celebrations and Independence Day festivities abound… And let’s not forget all those summer vacations that offer enough travel photo opps to make your head spin!
Not summer where you are? What about taking a fall foliage scouting trip or a winter sledding adventure? Again, endless opportunities exist based on the season, you need but to put those creative lenses on and look around.
In this part of the country, there is always some sort of festival going on. Two weeks ago, there was the Polish 
Heritage Festival at River Front Park. My smaller city has an art fair every third Friday where musicians, artists and street performers congregate and street vendors thrive. Just a few days ago, there was a rally at a local park
to promote bicycle safety with hundreds of small children running about with brightly colored bike helmets on their heads.
Read the local rag’s events section and you’ll end up with a variety of interesting events and festivals that will offer a cornucopia of photo opps you’d not have otherwise.
I know every photographer has had that moment when they see something in their home and think,”That would make a really interesting photograph.” Then they push it to the back of their mind, thinking they’ll come back to it later. Well, now’s your chance to make it happen!
Grab a few interesting objects around your home and start experimenting. Try natural light through a window, then tungsten light from a bare bulb. Perhaps set your pieces up on the front steps. Change lenses, gels, gobos, light sources, reflectors, you name it. Make it a goal to do a whole set of images surrounding this one group of objects or even a single object.
I’ve personally done this using a single Baby Brownie Special, some off white balance and a variety of light sources and lenses, to create a pleasing group of images. I’ve also been known to take fruit or vegetables and simply spend an hour exploring them through lens and light with spectacular and surprising results.
Photographing food is a real art and something that takes a bit of practice, a bit of experimentation and a bit of good, old-fashioned, work!
Set aside an afternoon and make a delicious, 4-course meal and photograph it each step of the way. Or simply make an old fashioned PB&J with the crusts cut off and photograph the process. Ask your children or the neighbor kids over and have them help make ice cream the old fashioned way, with the hand-turned crank, in the back yard. Bake a cake or decorate cupcakes. Whatever you wish, but photograph the heck out of it.
Try to capture the color and feel of a piece of fruit or a boiled potato. Experiment with different lighting techniques to add a glisten to a berry or highlight the fluff in a whipped mouse. Try to show us those things in new and different ways.
When I’m really feeling lost for subjects, I take a walk in one of my favorite areas: The old downtown square. Walking along it’s sidewalks, I feel the meshing of old and new with every step. Old shops that are either closed or have been there for 50 years meet new, hip clothing boutiques and trend shops. Even the people you meet seem as if placed there just to offer a juxtaposition between old and new. Street photography is at it’s best here and I try to use that to my advantage.
Or, I’ll head out to the country and take a walk on my grandparents farm. Along the creek bed, there are many, many interesting sites to see and photograph. Landscapes of rolling hills and long green grass are available and finding a new way to express these familiar sights is part of the fun here.
Perhaps you simply want to take a short jaunt around the block. A neighbor’s unique mailbox could make the perfect subject for your next image or maybe shooting that image you’ve seen in your head a million times of the house on the hill will spark new ideas for you to try.
Remember, there is always something happening for you to photograph. From setting up your own still life to shooting a heated political rally, each and every single day has a photo to take and a story for your lens to tell.
Good luck and keep shooting,
~H
All Photographs & Text ©Hollie A Miller & ©Clockwork Creation Machine
In every life, a little rain must fall…
This week was hectic! I was fighting off illness with both hands, experiencing a heavy work flow at my day job and had a pretty extensive final due in my Lighting course.
The assignment required the modeling skills of an older teenager to sit for some modest senior-portrait type shots outdoors. Although I didn’t really know anyone with children this age, minus one who was out of town, and I couldn’t really think of anyone to use as the model, I figured this would be an easy nut to crack.
Soon, I had 4 possible models lined up and a decent location to shoot in. All was going well until the big “S” hit the fan! Model after model cancelled as they realized they were unavailable for the shoot night. Locations that could or would accommodate my lighting rig, which had to be used per course requirement, began to dry up due to prior arranged events taking the space or just lack of facilities. My lighting assistant wouldn’t be available for the first half of the shoot and it was looking as if I might not have a final project at all!
Then, I turned to Facebook and simply queried my friends via a short and simple status message:
Does anyone know someone between the ages of 15 and 19, is in need of modeling/dancing/acting head shots and is available Wednesday evening for about 60-90 minutes?
We are seeking a model for some **FREE** tasteful, senior portrait type pics for Wednesday evening! Previously contacted models are unavailable at the time we need them: Their loss equals your gain! Interested parties, please reply ASAP!!
Normal people more than welcome! No modeling experience necessary!!
Kansas City Area for this shoot, please!
That was it. No big promises. No inflated claims, just the bare bones, here’s what I’m giving and this is what I want statement. Within 12 hours I had 5 respondents. By hour 24 a total of 9 had responded, leaving me with 2 real possibilities for this shoot and 2 slightly more experienced models that were interested in some of my creative projects in the future.
The location was also found via social media by polling the Facebook pages and blogs of local parks and recreation departments. Within a day I had my model and location all worked out and I can point to social media, especially Facebook, as the hero here.
When all was said and done, I’d narrowed it down to Jasmine, a 15-year-old girl who photographed well and was a really good sport throughout the shoot. (As was her mom.) In exchange for her services, I offered low resolution digital files of some of her best shots and print orders at cost. I see this as a very even trade! We shot the day’s images at Macken Park in North Kansas City, MO… and we had no troubles, even though there were several events happening at the same time as our shoot.
As for the moral of this story? Never underestimate social media and don’t ever forget why it was created. At it’s most raw form, it’s all about networking — Knowing the right people at the right time to help you get things done! Remember: Help is out there in your network of friends, all you have to do is ask!
Until next time,
~H
Jasmine, Up Close
Waiting really stinks. I know, patience is a virtue and the world loves a virtuous woman and therefore I should be patient and well-loved and all that crap… Well, I’m not extremely patient when it comes to certain things. I’m only well-loved in some very odd circles… And, honestly, I’ve grown exhausted from the waiting.
So, what am I waiting for this time? There really are only a couple of items… But both weigh heavy on my mind:
Waiting is like a form of strict punishment for me. I do it… But I hate doing it. People often say I’m one of the most patient people they know. Little do they realize what a gigantic stresser the waiting is for me. It puts me on edge, occupies all my thoughts and there really is very little else I can do but painfully wait when that is what has been put before me.
So… Here I am… waiting… Isn’t there anyone who can help me find the end of this waiting?
~Hollie
Union Station @ Night
I did it. I entered a piece into a juried exhibition. (Well, three pieces, actually.) I doubt I get very far and certainly not far enough to be displayed, but I just decided that if I don’t ever try, I will never succeed… And I’ve wanted to see something of mine displayed in some sort of public forum for as long as I can remember…
I know it’s silly, but having someone look over, think about… maybe even have intelligent discourse over a bit of my work would be the ultimate for me. I’m not in it for the cash, I’m in it because I want someone to see what it is I’m trying to have them see. I want people to take in what I’m showing them and really think about it… And being displayed publicly is the first step in that direction. I mean, who’s to say I have nothing to impart unto society?
Still, while I may not be new to the idea of wanting my work shown, I AM new to the how part of it. So, my submission style at this point is… Rudimentary and a little lame, I’m afraid. So much to say and no words to say it? Or maybe I just don’t know the jargon yet.
Ah, well… Keep trying, right? Tips and pointers are definitely appreciated, if you’re willing. I could really use the help.
~H
Addendum: I did not post a copy of the images I’m submitting here simply because I didn’t want to draw attention to them as being good or bad at this point. I simply put the image at the top of this post to give readers something pretty to look at. This was taken in March for a class and was a lot of fun to be out at midnight taking pics of Union Station! ~H
The past 6 weeks of no class have found me doing a slew of things to occupy my time. (As if I didn’t have enough on my plate!) 
I’ve been looking at studio space. I admit, it would be handy to use my home, but with the kids, the Jas and the pets all running about, it really is rather impractical! I’ve been considering some artist’s groups who have studio space for rent downtown, a small building for sale around the corner and a few small window shops on the local square that are for rent. I’m just not certain where to start or what I’m really looking for yet!
Yes — I bought a new car last month. I know, I know: The way money is right now I should have held onto the little gray ghost a bit longer… But let’s face it. She was almost 10 years old, she’d cost me well over $4,000 in repairs last year, and I really think it was time.
So I bought me a 2011 Dodge Challenger R/T. (Colloquially known as one of the most BAD ASS vehicles on the planet! ;D) A little much? Maybe… A little AWESOME? Definitely!
I also drove the 5 hour trek to my dad’s house in Southern Missouri last month to see him, my gram and some of my other relatives in the area. Was saddened to learn that some of the biggies from the Nestle corp had purchased property surrounding their spot of land to build opulent and over-priced vacation homes on, greatly affecting the way folks see their little slice of the countryside.
And last, but not least, I’ve been revamping the site. I feel this new, cleaner look makes the site easier to navigate and really highlights what I’ve been trying to do with it all along.
In all other cases, life is good. Classes take up again for me tomorrow and I hope to learn much about lighting. This is something I struggle with and I pray I don’t make too poor a showing.
See you on the flip side,
~H
Design Jobs: Love them or hate them, they are a part of my life.
Personally, I like designing things for people. Logos, stationary, invites, website, blogs, jewelry — You name it, I’m on it! I find it fun to stretch my creativity while giving the client what they need or want.
I work best when I’m given an idea of what the customer needs from my design, a few of their thoughts on how it should look, and a lot of info about them and whatever it is I’m designing for! This gives me the direction to create something they will like with the freedom to make it my own.
For instance, I was commissioned to make a birthday invite. Must be web friendly, but also printable. Must be girlie. Must be something to do with “Bowling.” Must be custom.
Easy enough. For me, this sort of thing starts with brainstorming and sketches (if not physical, then mental) until I find a winning design or two. I went over what I knew about the clients, the party goers, the event and went to work!
This is what I came up with:
Which was well-received and probably would have made the cut… Until, plans for the event changed to add a “Rock Star” element. Revisions were hurriedly requested and the design underwent a series of changes in a new direction,
We survived World of Wheels unscathed (beside my sore ears from all the whining I was forced to listen to!) and had a great time!
Check out some of the pics we caught. (If you click the link, there are over 61 images of jewel-toned beauties for your viewing pleasure!) None of them are very traditional, but neither am I!
Enjoy!!
2011 World of Wheels – Kansas City, MO – February 11-13, 2011
Hollie is a rural-born, urban-at-heart, artist, photographer, and writer, dedicated to creating and inspiring with reckless abandon!
Judge me if you must, but try not to make a mess.
Current Snapshot:
+ Documenting slightly altered, partially imagined, and absolutely surreal moments of daily life in a series of landscapes and portraits entitled Current Histories
+ Moving forward with The Fairy Story Field Guide conception and art
+ Finalizing working draft + story boarding for graphic novel The Mother.
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