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Thursday, October 08, 2009

Seeing Red


This week, I’m seeing everything red.

Red has been my artistic focus since I discovered that its capture is this week’s photography challenge at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

At its best, red is bold, vibrant and invigorating. At its worst, it’s temperamental. Touchy. Difficult. Sure, red is the color of passion and excitement, but it’s also the color of rage and embarrassment. Like extremes of all kinds, it can be fleeting and elusive—if you doubt this, take a look down the main drag of any random burg and look for the pallid rooftop of the local Pizza Hut. Ditto for all of the once-vibrant bumper stickers tooling around town in incomprehensible shades of sickly pallor.

Metaphorically or artistically, red can be a tough capture, as some of my former art students discovered when we pulled this unintentionally distressed tile from the kiln.

Although we broke it up and worked it into a flag-themed mosaic, it took us multiple firings before we got the rich hue for which we were aiming. Consensus among my artist friends is that red pigments are particularly impertinent, which means, in short, that I had a much better shot at capturing red through a lens than with pigment.










Red is more about moments than permanence. It is to be enjoyed in its immediacy, fresh from the bottle and ripe on the vine. The flower will wilt, the cheap student grade classroom tempra will fade, but their hue remains in images that are nothing more than memories captured by my digital eye.

20 comments:

Holly Lefevre said...

Red...one of my favorite color! I love those photos...you took those? How talented...you can write and take beautiful photos!

I have not forgotten nor do I not appreciate my award you gave me...the post is coming. Thanks again!

Holly @ 504 Main

Life Laugh Latte said...

Hey...thanks for dropping by lifelaughlatte! Always so exciting to have a new friend drop by. Love your Red Post. Your pictures are beautiful and your descriptions right on! Really, a lovely blog. Yes, you would be able to do the family tree. It took me one afternoon...after I already had the pictures and supplies silly. I know exactly what you are talking about though...many projects have gone down like that in my house too:) I'm your newest Follower (Holly). Come by today for one of our video blogs on intimacy. Should be juicy.

ballast photography said...

Thank you, Holly--your comments have a way of just brightening my day :) I DO love photography...I used to get to shoot for my local paper, but sadly, that gig went south with the economy :( I will also look forward to your post--thanks!

Charisse and Holly--thanks so much for the follow and the great comment. I am glad you came by, and don't think I'm crazy even after I wrote what, in hindsight, seemed like the world's longest comment on your post! I will drop by to see that video--sounds interesting!

Laura said...

I love the red paint ones and the tube of paint - they look perfect. :)

FireMom said...

Lovely, lovely. I love the paint brush pictures. Just stunning.

Lorena said...

I love your photos! =) The flower is just beautiful... Love them all!

Anonymous said...

My favorites are the paintbrushes!

Tina said...

Great RED captures. Love that first one of the paint brush.

Jade @ Tasting Grace said...

I love the paintbrush photos! You have a great eye.

Mamí♥Picture said...

I have to say that you are so creative and I liked the way you capture your RED!
Great Captures!
"Here is my RED" <--Hope u like =)

Stefany said...

I love your red captures!

Mendie said...

Awesome shots...the paintbrush was a great idea!

Unknown said...

Love the creativity you put into this capture!

Stylist A said...

love the perspective on your pictures. very creative!

The Blonde Duck said...

My mom's favorite color is red. I love to use it in houses...

Kathleen said...

My first visit to Running with Letters! And I so enjoyed the visit--from your charming "About Me" profile to your beautifully written post and lovely photos!

Kendra aka The Meanest Momma said...

really interesting post - i enjoyed reading and seeing red from an artistic view point.

loved the pics!

Corinne Cunningham said...

Lovely photos, especially the ones with the wet paintbrush. So pretty and simple.

Sarah said...

I love the splashes of paint, and the idea that red is vivid memory, even after it fades from sight.

Anonymous said...

Wow! These are such great shots! Such great perspective and angles! Clearly, you have "the eye" ; )

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