A little Bit About Family

I am the last one of a family of seven children. My parents are ordinary people, but their vision to invest their children’s education has impacted our lives dramatically.

For a long time, I always thought that I grew up in a poor and hard-working family.  Now I live in this diversity country for three decades, I then realized what poverty really is. If we have daily bread on the table and our parents manage to satisfy what we need (not always what we want), theoretically we are not poor. Particularly with so many kids to be educated, I think my parents have done an extraordinary job.

In December 2011, I made a trip back to California to visit my siblings. A conversation about making our family history photo book to honor our parents came up. While I was there, I immediately began to select and photograph old photos from my sibling’s albums. However, we seven kids live in three different countries and we are all grand parents now. It is a major undertaking to gather pictures and data from my siblings and their children (and grandchildren), edited and resized, added captions or descriptions, placed pictures on pages in chronological order per each individual, wrote stories for each family or individual from childhood to the present and traced our family origin.

First I built the outline of the book, placed photos on the pages, and started to write stories. I ‘interviewed’ my siblings through emails, phones and skype calls. To me, writing stories is the most fulfilling part of the work. I started out as a photographer and photo editor, and then, I was a journalist and later a historian.  This is absolutely a life-changing experience for me to dictate and compile a visual history that I have not known much. Listening to my older sibling’s stories is just like going back to our childhood all over again. Foremost, we all realized how much we have ‘inherited’ from our parents that we were not aware, and how poignantly we miss our parents now.

After one year and 3 month of routinely endless efforts, I finally sent the book out to be printed in March 2013. Anything that I can get my hands on is pictured and written in this 160 pages book which is illustrated in both English and Chinese characters. If not for page limitations, I could easily double the size. Every member of our extended families (four generations) can now or later (for the 4^th generation) go through the pages and get to know one another’s entire life to date. How cool is that!

My family history book
(texture added to age the look)

As far as I have lived my life, there was not a moment when I am not pondering and rationalizing what I can do better and do differently if I could be young again. And, from this point on, how I can live a life that I won’t have regret when I eventually back to dust.  Although I have made numerous photo books to record our family events, vacations, grand children’s birth and growth as well as family yearbooks.  This family history book is definitely the most meaningful and substantial work.

Etc. photo books

So, what’s next to my agenda in addition to my regular photography activities?

Our younger generation is doing a much better job keeping track of their life activities. Digital photography has also made it easier. One thing the young parents do not have is Time.  They are either advancing their career or dedicated to raise our grand children. I think it is a good job for grand parents to be the photographer and record keeper. A photo says thousand words.  It is so much easier to snap a shot than try to describe how precious and innocent our grand children’s facial expressions are, isn’t it?  Record keeping for a family is essential. We might as well start from now, and in an organized manner. In that case, our children won’t need a 15 month time to finish a family history and you can have a yearbook every year.

My younger daughter lives in Seattle area now.  Not too far, but it is not a trip that I can or want to take as often.  Whenever I am there, I am looking for portrait opportunities....

 

Big Bro
backlight, black and white image with texture added

Little Sis

The Good-Look Quartet

Texture Friday

Ever since I know how to use Texture, I am addicted to it.  I can play with it hours and hours placing different textures on one image. It is fun by itself seeing how the images are being transformed and presented in so many different ways. Texture options are endless. You can also create your own textures. Besides, you can apply textures to everything, not just flowers. I am posting a few below, originals are on the left and textured one on the right.

Digital camera let us abundant freedom to take a lots of pictures and delete them as you please, but I am gradually tired of constant sitting in front of computer to delete pictures after pictures. I set myself a goal to be more selective about the targets in order that I don’t end up hundreds and hundreds of pictures each time to go through.  Be bold to experiment shots using different settings and shooting from different angles as well as under different light conditions, at the same time, be a bit more self-controlled and not to take the advantage of freedom.

Another thing I want to avoid is to lose my patience and delete the photos mindlessly sometimes.  Particularly when we can salvage some shots by adding texture and giving the images new definition or meaning.  Some images are simply too boring or too busy, and texture can either make it more interesting or minimize some background clutters. 

In most of the cases, just by adding texture alone, the image becomes more artistic. Ambiance is added to bright and wash-out images and give it more depth. There are many texture sites where you can get inspirations and sometimes freebies. I got some freebies and occasionally I also make some purchases in order to support these dedicated and giving artists. Many artists are so passionate about what they do, and so generous to share what they know. Unlike business world, monetary value is always taking priority place. I am so glad that I am not in business any more.

Downy woodpecker often reacted so quickly that for a long time, I did not have chance to get a decent shot. When I finally had my chance in a cloudy day, I did not have my perfect light setting at that quick second. Tree is dark and the bird is black. The image is not as crisp as I like it to be. Before I hit the 'delete', I decided to give it a small make-over. Now the tree does not look that shining and overpowering, and Mrs. Downy looks nicer with that classic backdrop added.

It is a Friday, I like it to be casual and easy.  I did not spend lots of time looking for the most dramatic texture for these shots, just some light touch, just to get my point across.

Texture

Spring is the prime time for flower pictures.  Opportunity is endless.  Two weeks ago, when I was back home, cherry trees just started to bud.  Now walking down the streets here in Seattle neighborhood, I see rows of bloomed cherry trees with beautiful blossoms.

Cherry and plum blossoms look very similar. Plum flower pedals are more round while cheery flower pedals is tapered and split in the end, shaped like a shield.  The stigma is not as dense as plum and looks more elegant in my eyes.  Cherry trees grow in colder climates. There were no cherry trees in Taiwan where I grew up.  It is such a pleasure to enjoy them here in Northwest.

So many flowers are here for spring photography fun, but flowers are flowers.  There are limited ways to take flower pictures. We can take flower pictures at different time of the day (under various light conditions) or in different season of the year for different prospective (colors and such).  Or, we can add Texture to enhance the look and make them more artistic.

Some people may prefer to keep its authenticity, the result out of a camera.  But personally I like to apply texture sometimes to get a more enchanted look. Depending on my mood, I use different texture to express my feeling.  When I was disappointed, I used a distressed tone. When I was excited, I used a bright and cheery tone.  Sometimes I used an extraordinary texture to get a very different look for fun sake.

Photography is a hobby for me and I am in for the fun.  You will be amazed how much you can entertain yourself by creating something that you have never imagined before.