Climbing out of the rabbit hole

as·cen·sion

noun: ascension; plural noun: ascensions

1.      the act of rising to an important position or a higher level.

"her ascension to the ranks of Twitter star"

o    the ascent of Jill out of the rabbit hole of Twitter and back to normal...almost.

noun: Ascension

Last week I talked about driving myself crazy with Twitter and I almost did. At the 11th hour I had a realization: I enjoy Twitter, I enjoy reading what other people have to say, being informed on topics I'd never seek out myself and being part of something. I decided to not worry about followers, not worry about checking off the boxes on my list and to just enjoy the experience, not obsess.

I posted the following shot of the North Carolina State Bell Tower to Instagram and Twitter and got an amazing result!

 

I got a message from @visitRaleigh, asking if I could tag my photos with #visitRaleigh? Sure, why not?

I got Top Tweet for that tweet on #visitRaleigh that evening. Interesting, not a box I had identified as wanting tocheck, but after I got it, it was quite the spirit lifter. The next day, @visitRaleigh used my shot in an informational Tweet about the Bell Tower:

  https://twitter.com/visitRaleigh/status/621478504299823108

I got a few more followers on Instagram. It was favorited 20 times and Retweeted 13 times. A record for ANYTHING to do with me and any of my Tweets.

Hmmmmm, maybe I found something here?

The first hobby I had that did not involve sports, was photography. I got my first 35mm camera body and lens (film camera that is) for my 16th birthday. A Pentax k1000 with a 50mm lens. I longed for that camera, it was the only thing I asked for, not a big party, not a big vacation, not even a driver's permit: just the camera. I took my mom to Clover (a department store in Pennsylvania where I grew up) about a bazillion times to show her what I wanted, to ensure she'd get it right. And get it right she did!

It took me a hot minute to figure out how to use it, how to get the exposure just right, how to make an interesting composition (not just a snapshot), how to develop film and make prints from the negatives. I wanted to be a famous photojournalist; that was my 16 year brain's dream. That didn't happen, but I did find a life long love: photography!

If someone asks me if I could do anything for a living, my response is an artist. I didn't start to draw until a few years ago and painting is a recent adventure, but I have always been drawn to art and taking intriguing and interesting pictures was how I expressed it for years. I still have most of my "artsy" prints from those first few years of picking up a camera. I evolved from a Polaroid land camera to a 110 to a disc and then my beloved Pentax k1000. Some are pretty horrible, but there are one or two I am certain I could sell and not for cheap either. But that takes effort and time, not something I ever had the guts to take the chance at doing. I may post a few here once I scan them, who knows.

Over the years I had become adept at manipulating light, utilizing the proper f stop to get the effect I wanted, changing up film types; I could pretty much do anything with that camera and a roll of film. I had gathered a collection of lenses, filters, flashes, another camera body and so on for my sometimes expensive hobby. I put off switching to a digital camera for quite a long time. My first digital camera was a point and shoot Panasonic and it was exciting to take a shot and see it instantly. I eventually graduated to a Canon DSLR, a Rebel xTi. It took me a hot minute, again, to figure out how to use it. I kept my artsy nature and created some fascinating images.

Wisteria

 

I have discovered with digital photography, you have many options in post production to completely change the original image. This leads to some quite beautiful images and I love, love love the filters on Instagram but as one who "grew up" on film, where you have one or two chances to get the light just right; it feels like cheating, a little. If I am skilled enough, I can take the exact shot I want without changes to it in post production; I enjoy the challenge. But, the option of being able to get a "do over" is fascinating as well. I now have Photoshop, I don't know how to use it.....yet.

I had found a way to get noticed, a way back to my sanity and rediscovered my first love:
Photography

I'm not certain where this next week will take me, stay tuned to find out. I will leave you with one of my favorite photos I've ever taken (no post production changes):

(I wanted to use a shot of my Pumpkin, but I have to ask her mom first, maybe next time)

Florida 2014

 You can follow me on Twitter: @BolmerJ or Instagram: misnglinke