Inner Vision: Day 66 - 70

Jennifer Kay is a Miami-based reporter for The Associated Press who has enrolled in Iris' IPC Visual Lab. Before moving to Miami in 2005, Kay was an editorial assistant in the AP’s Philadelphia bureau, and previously graduated in 2001 from Dartmouth College, where she was the photography editor of the daily student newspaper. Kay is looking to expand her knowledge of the visual language and to engage in the process of visual story-telling. Her blog has been a common feature for the past several month on the Iris PhotoCollective's Iris Rising series.



Day 66 : Glorious Heat

At Carl's suggestion, I shot the free "road rally" on Biscayne Boulevard for Miami Heat fans, a concert followed by a live broadcast of the game in Chicago outside AmericanAirlines Arena. I thought a lot about what Andre Chung had told me the previous week about grounding the frames for the viewers. I'm still not 100 percent sure of what he means, but I interpreted it as making the scene more clear instead of focusing on abstract elements.

I knew I would have some limitations with my digital point-and-shoot camera with the low natural light and explosive floodlights. So, I tried to stay near sources of light while framing the scene without distracting splotches of white light. I stuck to the automatic setting on my camera because, despite some blurring of action, it was more steady than the manual setting.

I also tried to remember to show the things that make this scene in Miami unique: the good-looking people and the mix of people, excitement about the basketball game, the colors people were wearing and waving around.

There's one question raised to which there is no answer: What is it about T-shirt cannons that makes people lose their minds?



Day 67 : Sinful Pleasures

When: 27 May, 10:46 p.m.
Where: my balcony, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I got an iPhone! Finally! And so, I get a little lazy, because I've spent most of the evening finding cool apps to download.




Day 68 : Shadows

When: 28 May, 9:01 a.m.
Where: my apartment, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I woke up early on a Saturday for class, and I caught the curved shadows my curtains made in the morning light. Mmmm, abstract light and shadows, my favorite!



Day 69: Dock

When: 29 May, 9:01 p.m.
Where: dockside, South Beach
Exposure: F3.6 1/2.5 ISO800
Inner Thoughts: I waited so late to pick up a camera today. I think this would have ended up more interesting from a lower angle.




Day 70: Ride

When: 30 May, 6:41p.m.
Where: Venetian Causeway
Exposure: taken with iPhone camera
Inner Thoughts: I don't know if you've seen "The Killing" on AMC, but in the opening credits there's a sequence of a drawbridge and flashing red lights shot through a windshield, and it looks really cool. So, when I found myself stopped at a drawbridge and watching flashing red lights, I tried to make something out of it.

Aaaaand that's it!

Completion of the 7x10 Project

PROJECT 7x10

The purpose of Project 7:10 was to produce one image each day for 10 weeks. Taking a photo every day was the easy part. The challenge was creating a photo, on a daily basis, that actually illustrated my thoughts, concept, or vision of the subject or scene being photographed, and which had a strong composition. The real challenge for me was having to push myself creatively and seeing the familiar patterns of my routines in a new light—to see the shapes, shadows, faces and actions that I often overlook.

This exercise forced the discipline I needed in order to discover the shapes I was seeking in random places; and it also showed me how easily I can fall into a rut just shooting in my comfort zone. I had to push myself to look at streets differently, to seek out people, to be aware of what's in the background and to work with the limitations of my camera.

Project 7x10 is a reflection of reality. It is about the captured moment in time and embracing the truth of an image. I missed four days for reasons beyond my control, but I put my best effort into every one of 66 photos you see here. Of course, the true purpose of this exercise was to help me grow as a photographer, both from technical and creative aspects. Mission accomplished.

Carl Juste: Wow, you are finally done! What a amazing visual journey! It is really special to be able to see your improvements and set backs in one place. Seems like it was yesterday when took your first frame. Your hard work has paid off. Congrats and thank you for allowing us to tag along on your magnificent visual journey.

Seven days, ten weeks, and now it is over. What a ride! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, images, and inspiration.

Inner Vision: Day 61 - 65

Day 61: Dock

When: 15 April, 8:19 p.m.
Where: Publix parking garage, 3rd level, South Beach
Exposure: F3.3, 1/50, ISO1600
Inner Thoughts: As soon as I pulled into the rooftop lot I saw this guy half-illuminated under the light and I liked the near-symmetry of him and the shopping cart in the light at two otherwise equal picnic tables.

Jennifer Kay is a Miami-based reporter for The Associated Press who has enrolled in Iris' IPC Visual Lab. Before moving to Miami in 2005, Kay was an editorial assistant in the AP’s Philadelphia bureau, and previously graduated in 2001 from Dartmouth College, where she was the photography editor of the daily student newspaper. Kay is looking to expand her knowledge of the visual language and to engage in the process of visual story-telling. Her blog will be a common feature for the next several month on the Iris PhotoCollective's Iris Rising series.



Day 62: Bus Stop

When: 22 May, 7:435 p.m.
Where: bus stop outside Publix, 6th and Alton, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: Bus stops are things I notice more now, after having to shoot a photo a day for 60-some days now. I was shooting from the hip as I passed this one, but I didn't realize the exposure was so off. Still, when I played with the exposure in processing, I liked this frame better than anything else I shot this day.




Day 63: Shadow Walk

When: 23 May, 6:22 p.m.
Where: Outside Carl's office
Inner Thoughts: Several weeks ago, Carl pointed out the shadows these air conditioning units cast when the light was just right. Here's my attempt to repeat the frame he captured with my camera.

Uh, whoops! Day 64 is a blank. No idea what happened here, but clearly there's no photo to prove I did anything this day.



Day 65: Pool

When: 25 May, 12:47 p.m.
Where: The Biltmore, Coral Gables
Inner Thoughts: The light is really what's wrong with this picture. I was covering a lunchtime speech, and a few minutes to spare in a beautiful hotel space. Unfortunately, the light at lunchtime is generally awful. Not even the balloons going up the stairs could make this interesting.

Inner Vision: 56 - 60

Day 56: My Block
My third walk around my block, camera in hand and Carl in tow. Colorful scooters caught my eyes - colors and hues what a surprise!

When: 16 May
Where: my block, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I think I'm starting to get it now, thanks to a walk around the block with Carl.

Jennifer Kay is a Miami-based reporter for The Associated Press who has enrolled in Iris' IPC Visual Lab. Before moving to Miami in 2005, Kay was an editorial assistant in the AP’s Philadelphia bureau, and previously graduated in 2001 from Dartmouth College, where she was the photography editor of the daily student newspaper. Kay is looking to expand her knowledge of the visual language and to engage in the process of visual story-telling. Her blog will be a common feature for the next several month on the Iris PhotoCollective's Iris Rising series.



Day 57: Game
A tighter crop (sense a theme in this batch of daily frames?) draws the focus to the game that's just begun.

When: 18 May, 5:36 p.m.
Where: poolside, South Beach
What: A game of hide-and-seek begins.

Days 58-59: Blanks
Something interesting probably happened on these days, but I was too preoccupied to pick up a camera to capture it. Photo student failed.



Day 60: Mayor
I tried to fit in photographing someone I was interviewing at a conference before he had to leave. What I didn't anticipate was how routine the experience might be for him, a public figure in Haiti. As soon as I pulled out my camera, he began a series of "official poses" that he's probably accustomed to making before or after interviews at home. It was very formal, and I was kind of at a loss as to how I would make a portrait that was interesting while he was taking up what little time we had with his posing.


When: 20 May, 10:37 a.m.
Where: Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference, Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale
Who: Yvon Jerome, mayor of Carrefour, Haiti
Inner Thoughts: I'm trying to taking pictures of the people I'm covering, but under the time crunch this just came out as a headshot.

Inner Vision: Day 51 - 55

Day 51: Graffiti
The narrow view of the graffiti through the fences gives a "peeping tom" sense to this scene. It's as if the curtains are being pulled apart on a secret scene.

When: 11 May, 7:29 a.m.
Where: Alton Road between 9th and 10th, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I just liked how the light looked in this empty lot and coming through the green fences.

Jennifer Kay is a Miami-based reporter for The Associated Press who has enrolled in Iris' IPC Visual Lab. Before moving to Miami in 2005, Kay was an editorial assistant in the AP’s Philadelphia bureau, and previously graduated in 2001 from Dartmouth College, where she was the photography editor of the daily student newspaper. Kay is looking to expand her knowledge of the visual language and to engage in the process of visual story-telling. Her blog will be a common feature for the next several month on the Iris PhotoCollective's Iris Rising series.



Day 52: Light
Cropping out the tree at the bottom eliminates the composition problem the tree posed. Doing so focuses on the light and abstract elements in the building reflecting the morning light.

When: 12 May, 7:17 a.m.
Where: 6th and Alton, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I wish the tree was better framed here. This flyover is the favorite part whenever I drive onto the beach, and on this morning I really liked the tone of the light reflecting off the glass windows and the concrete.



Day 53: Imbalance
There would be symmetry, except for this group of people oddly clustered together at one end of the frame.

When: 13 May, 8:47 p.m.
Where: Terminal D, Miami International Airport
Inner Thoughts: I really like airports, the feeling of perpetual motion toward a vanishing point. This group of people had so much escalator space available to them, yet they all clustered together, even though I don't think they were traveling together.



Day 54: Red light
I could have solved the light problem by just focusing on the hand pouring the drink in the first place, instead of trying to get in the whole scene.

When: 14 May, 11:35 p.m.
Where: The Elbow Room, Pensacola
Inner Thoughts: Someday, I'm going to notice the bright white spot of light that distracts the eye in my frames *before* I press the shutter. Someday.



When: 15 May, 3:33 p.m.
Where: Pensacola, Florida
What: Sherman, my friend Kris' miniature pincher
Inner Thoughts: I don't know how to solve this problem: Where should I have been setting my light meter, on the dog or the porch?

Inner Vision: 46 - 50

Day 46: 2 Women

When I shot this frame, I mostly saw the symmetry of the two women on either side of the trash can. Carl saw an analysis in the frame: What the women carries reveals information about where each is in her life, how much she needs to buy from the same store.

When: 6 May, 7:02 p.m.
Where: outside Publix, 6th and Alton, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I saw these two women outside the grocery store, and the way they were standing immediately reminded me of something Carl and I had discussed: put something between two things, and you show that those two things are equal.

Jennifer Kay is a Miami-based reporter for The Associated Press who has enrolled in Iris' IPC Visual Lab. Before moving to Miami in 2005, Kay was an editorial assistant in the AP’s Philadelphia bureau, and previously graduated in 2001 from Dartmouth College, where she was the photography editor of the daily student newspaper. Kay is looking to expand her knowledge of the visual language and to engage in the process of visual story-telling. Her blog will be a common feature for the next several month on the Iris PhotoCollective's Iris Rising series.



Day 47: Blimp
The tiny blimp in the sky is the most interesting thing in the frame. I was initially interested in just the blank space of the white towel, about whether it meant someone was gone or coming back, and why someone would bring such a short towel to sunbathe.

When: 7 May, 3:32 p.m.
Where: poolside, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I should have kept trying for a different angle. I was really just interested in this white towel and the blank space it was creating in the frame, how it could mean either that someone was coming back or that someone was gone for good.



Day 48: Yulia
This is my second attempt at the round-my-block assignment. I met Yulia early one this Sunday morning, not long after she finished working at my neigborhood bar. I shot several photos of her and two other bartenders whose happy hour happened to be breakfast-time for most other passers-by.

When: 8 May, 7:41 a.m.
Where: outside Dewey's, South Beach
Who: Yulia, a bartender who's just finished work on a Sunday morning.
Inner Thoughts: I'm still documenting my block, and Yulia and a couple co-workers who happened to be some of the people I encountered on my block this morning.



Day 49: Reflection
A tighter crop enhances the monochromatic composition, broken by the red T-shirt. It works because there's a sense of scale, the curves and the straight lines play off each other, and the subject is interacting with his environment. There's also a distortion at his fingertip on the glass, where reality meets imagination.

When: 9 May, 5:29 p.m.
Where: "Morris" sculpture, Lincoln Road, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: I love this glass bubble sculpture because it always has someone in it or walking right up to it, staring into the distorted reflections. I shot this from the second story of the parking garage on the north side of this plaza, and I liked how this angle gave a sense of the sculpture's scale.



Day 50: Circles and Lines
A tighter crop focuses more sharply on how the circles in the bowls and spoons break up the straight lines in the sink. The emptiness of the bowls and jars gives the frame an abstract quality.

When: 10 May, 6:48 p.m.
Where: kitchen, South Beach
Inner Thoughts: Sometimes it's really, really hard to leave the house.