Teri Genovese Photography Blog » Teri

every once in awhile… magic happens.

Teri — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:52:22 +0000

Photography can be a truly magical medium. This silhouette photograph was taken in a Los Angeles city park. The background was actually cluttered with fences and buildings, basketball courts and tennis courts, people walking by… However, by carefully choosing my vantage point and exposure, and thoughtfully positioning my subjects, there is no sign of a city. There is also no Photoshop work done beyond a simple conversion to black and white.

As an artist, when you envision a photograph like this and bring it to life, it feels like magic!

With a cross-country move just over a month away, “overwhelmed” hardly describes me right now. I am sitting among a sea of papers: moving contracts, print orders, post its, to-do lists (so many to-do lists). Trying to keep organized at a time like this is a huge job in itself, but I am determined that it can be done. I have had so many amazing photo sessions lately with so many of my lovely loyal clients. Taking a quick break to post and gaze at this image is a much needed breath of fresh air. I have many more special images to share, just as soon as life settles down a bit. Stay tuned and enjoy your last bits of summer!

runyon canyon bench series (post 7)

Teri — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:34:46 +0000

There is no need to look for the bench in this next set of photographs. (Because I’m either sitting on it or walking away from it.) Each time I reach the peak of my hikes lately, I no longer feel the need to take a picture of the bench. Instead, I feel a strong pull to take a seat, breathe in the vast experience of these last few years living in Los Angeles… and exhale.

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana film camera, july 2010]

runyon canyon bench series (post 6)

Teri — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:05:51 +0000

There is another reason this project exists. I am hopelessly sentimental, so when I know I will miss something, I photograph it. It’s how I deal with change.. and change is not my favorite. It’s why I chose to start photographing this bench several months ago. I knew that change was upon us and here it is, peaking at me now from just around the corner. My husband and I have decided to move away from Los Angeles to West Michigan at the end of next month. We know it’s the right move to make, but it is just never a good time to say goodbye to the people and places you have grown to love.

So, here is the next installment of my bench series and one of my last. I decided to see the bench in color again. I love the soft focus, dreamy quality of photographs made with my plastic Diana film camera. They feel like memories from another time.

June 22, 2010 / June 24, 2010

June 29, 2010 / On Left: My vantage point while sitting on the bench.

More to come…

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana film camera, june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series:
Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4 | Post 5

20 things my heart loves..

Teri — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:02:32 +0000

“Our truth lies in what we love, and as we remind ourselves that we have loved and do love, we find our way unerringly back to the place from which accomplish is possible… it’s almost impossible to make a list of heart loves without concluding we live in a rich, savory, and enjoyable world where – if we will just “take heart” – things are bound to work out well.” – Julia Cameron, from “Walking in this World”

I am nearing the end of the 2nd book of The Artist’s Way series, an incredibly inspiring process that I highly recommend to anyone. The most recent task at hand was to simply list 50 specific things your heart loves. I just thought I’d share a random 20, because, well.. it makes my heart happy. This exercise is medicine for the soul..

Some things my heart loves:
1. my mom’s homeade bread pudding (warm, with ice cream)
2. Govindas’ yoga classes
3. walks at dusk with Ben
4. sending a handwritten note
5. a rainy day in LA
6. butterflies (the tiny, whimsical, fluttering white ones)
7. handmade things
8. afternoon naps
9. going for rides with my dad in his restored MG Midget
10. waking up to a cool breeze
11. going out for ice cream (to the ma and pa shops in Michigan)
12. laughter
13. being a good friend
14. 6 month old babies
15. Big Sur
16. the way the evening light spills through the curtains
17. traveling to new places
18. long talks with a good friend
19. simplicity
20. star gazing

What makes your heart happy?

(as a side note – my portrait and fine art portfolio is completely fresh… i’d love for you to take a look)

runyon canyon bench series (post 5)

Teri — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:06:44 +0000

Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:36 am… (on left)
he spoke passionately about the positive energy he feels at runyon canyon to a ~~stranger~~ new friend… i listened with a smile.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 9:46 am… (on right)
big dogs chasing little dogs… too cute.

Friday, June 18, 2010 9:35 am… friends: swinging their legs, laughing loudly… nothing better.

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series:
Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4

runyon canyon bench series (post 4)

Teri — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:51:37 +0000

One of the downfalls of shooting film over digital is the wait. And at the same time, that is one thing that I love about it. The time between taking this first photograph, shooting the rest of the roll, and finally seeing the results was about a month. Had there been no wait, I wouldn’t have looked at this first image 3 times (like a fool) trying to remember what it was I had photographed. But, more importantly, I wouldn’t have experienced the moment of surprise when I finally saw him. Do you see him hiding there? These things make me happy.

Monday, May 24, 2010 10:12 am | 10:14 am

I’m pretty sure June is my favorite month in LA. Almost every morning is cool with a heavy blanket of clouds. They call it June Gloom, but to me, it’s hardly gloomy. I love letting the breeze gently wake me in the morning and the quiet hikes at Runyon. I am in love with these photographs… so tranquil and dreamy. I can almost feel the cool air kissing my skin. These will forever remind me of what it feels like to stand atop Runyon Canyon in June.

Monday, June 7, 2010 9:50 am | 9:53 am

I have many more to share and will continue posting next week. It is also worth noting that my film scans have improved immensley since I switched labs. Thanks to Richard Photo Lab – my bench series just got better!

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, may/june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series:
Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3

holding on..

Teri — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:59:46 +0000

There are hardly any words; I think this photograph says it all… how these sweet, brave, strong foster children stick together and look out for one another. They are holding on to each other and to life in a powerful way.

This photograph was taken at a Heart Gallery of Los Angeles event on Saturday. I am proud to be a volunteer photographer for this organization that helps deserving foster children find permanent, loving homes. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the Heart Gallery website or you may find details about the upcoming Heart Gallery exhibit on Facebook.

dreaming of dahlia gardens..

Teri — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:39:32 +0000

I bought a bouquet of dahlias for the first time recently and deemed them the prettiest things. As I was trimming their stems and admiring their colors, I realized I have been dreaming of dahlia gardens for over 4 years now. Before I could change my mind, I took them outside and placed the vase on the ledge of a nearly empty and uninspired planter. I became lost in my own world as I created this illusion of a dahlia garden in a place where I suppose it should be… since my building is named “Dahlia Gardens,” after all.

runyon canyon bench series (post 3)

Teri — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:30:54 +0000

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
- Pablo Picasso

From childhood through art school, I was constantly creating, without effort it seemed; but, as I grow older I am finding it harder and harder to say “yes” to myself and my personal project ideas. Last fall, in an attempt to remedy this problem, I picked up The Artist’s Way. I poured my heart and soul into the process and it changed my life. Among many lessons I learned, the most valuable to me was how to self nurture. That realization alone has improved all areas of my life in a beautiful way. I am now mid-way through Julia Cameron’s next book in the series, “Walking in this World,” and I am finally on my way to hearing myself say “yes” again, no matter how silly the ideas appear to be.

On the surface, this project is simply a visual documentation of this bench at Runyon Canyon, which is often crowded, sometimes lonely, but rarely over looked by its passerby’s. It is art for art’s sake. But, for me personally, there is another reason entirely… It’s about saying yes to the first spark of an idea, whether or not I have a clear vision for the final product, or even its purpose, and to just begin. It’s about accepting mistakes, mishaps, and mediocrity along the way and to just keep shooting as long as it excites me. Most of all, it is simply about having fun with the process of repeatedly photographing a bench with a plastic toy camera, complete with film grain, unexpected compositions, and light leaks. It is imperfect and I’m happy to be sharing my imperfect process with you.

…

Here are the last few photographs from my first roll of film of the series. I loved that for a few days there was a tiny American flag stuck in a crevice of the bench. I loved that May 17th was so foggy; it was like standing inside a cloud. I loved that on May 19th, all I could think of as I hiked was hopefully seeing these horses again, and when I reached the top, I was instead so happily greeted by the biggest dog I have ever seen – a gentle giant, for sure. And I loved that a few moments later the bench became lonely again, just as it was when I first photographed it last year.

Top Row: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 (my birthday hike!) | Monday, May 17, 2010
Bottom Row: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 | a few moments later…

I am in the middle of shooting my next roll of film, so stay tuned for more…
[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, may 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series:
Post 1 | Post 2

living with grace, patience, and hope..

Teri — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:22:08 +0000

Since it is the day after Memorial Day, it only seems fitting to post about this amazing couple. Alexis is currently serving the US Air Force on assignment in Las Vegas, away from her husband, Justin, who is a teacher in Los Angeles. I can’t even begin to express my admiration for the ease in which they have handled this time of their lives.. living apart with a new baby. I know they are counting down the days until Alexis begins her next assignment this summer and will move back to her home in Los Angeles. I have an incredible amount of respect for the challenges that military families endure and the strength it requires to carry on with such grace, patience, and hope.

It also amazes me that Alexis prioritized this newborn photography session amidst traveling between Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Michigan, and Alabama with her 6 week old in tow. Like so many events in life, it may seem that there might always be a better time, but this new Mom is beyond inspirational! It is all about declaring value and deciding what is important, holding back from excuses and making time for the little things..

Why always “not yet”? Do flowers in spring say “not yet”?
- Norman Douglas