Soggy World Views

A rainy night...and we soooo need this!

Yours in wet sneakers,
leslie

Little World Views

No longer winter but not quite spring...that's what we've got goin' on in this neck o' the woods...

Hope your week is off to a good start!

Yours ... rolling with the transitional season,
leslie

Bon Dimanche

I'll just round out the week and stick with my current abstract inspiration by playing just a bit more with...

...a little riff on the theme of the door to the Moroccan restaurant around the corner from me.

Fun, non?!

Have a lovely day!

leslie

Little World Views - Saturday at the Marché

I'm playing with a new little toy on my iPhone...in a system that was mysteriously deleted yesterday which had me in a fetal position in a corner before the kind folks at Apple and elsewhere held my hand and guided me into retrieving all that had been lost.  I may look all cutting edge and stuff...but really, I'm just playing.  When it gets tough, I freeze with no clue as to how to find my way back into play mode.  Oh well.  It doesn't happen often...knock on wood.  (Yes.  I do have to say that.)


Bon weekend!
leslie

The Day After...

Let me give you a peek into my little French life...

First, let me say how truly delighted I was to be a part of the SmartLife exposition in Toulon...yes, I was in attendance at the vernissage last evening.  After a day of work, I hopped onto a mini-bus to get to the gare routière where I boarded the navette (shuttle bus) to Marseille to catch the train.  The traffic into Marseille was exceptional due to construction at the exit from the autoroute, so we were backed up for several minutes trying to get into the city entrance and thus to the train station. 

Once there, I tried to get on my intended train (that was still on the track) but it was too late and I had to wait 30 minutes for the next one...which I did manage to catch, putting me into the train station in Toulon at around 8:30 pm. (The vernissage began at 6:30...but no worries, these things are loose, non?) 

As I don't know the the city at all (and even though I had mapped out an itinerary ahead of time), I wasn't sure about getting from the station to the gallery so I took a cab.  (It was less than a mile.)  I stepped out of the cab (like Cinderella from her pumpkin) and onto the sidewalk where a swarm of 20- and 30-somethings (which was totally expected - we're talking digital iPhone photography exhibit, after all!) dressed in black were all gathered to smoke as it is now illegal to smoke inside public buildings in France.  (Yay, France!) 

I stepped into the gallery as discretely as possible as I really only wanted to see my stuff on the wall - and besides, I now needed to make this a quick visit in order to catch a train back! 

I came, I saw, I conquered ...errr....I tried to be as invisible as possible.  I enjoyed looking at everyone's work and chatted briefly with the gallery owner before leaving to be able to catch my train back to Marseille, then the navette back to Aix, then walk the rest of the way home as the mini buses do not run at night.  About six hours in total for a 10 minute peek at my images hanging on the wall. 

This is life 1) without a car (which mostly I love) and 2) as an introvert (I'm often mistaken for a 'people person'...but really, no...not so much.  Stepping into unknown crowds and making small-talk...not really my cuppa.)

What a pleasure, though to see my images among the others in the showing.  The collection of everyone's images shows very nicely and I couldn't be more pleased to be a part of it.

As I write this, I'm between clients and the wall I've been racing toward at 100 miles an hour all week is looming large.  The image above was shot with the intention of bring an artistic spin to light and shadow...but it actually mirrors the state of my little introverted soul at the moment.  And as I didn't get any shots of last night's gig (yes, an introvert who is also rather shy in aforementioned crowds), this seemed just perfect. 

Thanks to all for your lovely comments yesterday!  I soaked up all of your congratulatory wishes and took them with me as I made my journey there.  Merci, mille fois!

Yours...spread just a little too thin...but artistically...
leslie

I've Got a Not-So-Secret

As if I have to tell you, I am totally over-the-moon about my iPhone camera(s)!  I should be their ambassador.  Contrary to this image, I have something for you to tell everyone you know!

Six of my images were requested to be included in an exposition at the NO/ID gallery in Toulon, France!

Croyez-vous encore que la caméra fait le photographe?
NO/ID* croit en la puissance créatrice du regard, une nouvelle façon de saisir l’instant : une vue, un angle, une idée. Cette forme d’expression, consiste à prendre des photos exclusivement avec un Smart Phone et de les traiter avec des applications…
Ce nouveau courant fait souffler un nouvel esprit créatif sur l’imagerie contemporaine, un langage artistique 2.0, impliquant un nombre croissant de créatifs de par le monde. Laissant tout un chacun des possibilités infinies puisque l’outil devient le prolongement de votre main …
La Galerie NO/ID* vous propose donc une exposition collective de ce nouveau courant créatif sous le nom : SMARTlife 2.0, à découvrir d’urgence à partir du jeudi 15 mars 2012.

Translation:

Do you still believe that the camera is the photographer? NO / * ID believes in the creative power of the gaze, a new way to capture the moment: a view, an angle, an idea. This form of expression, is to take pictures with only a smart phone and deal with applications ...

This new wave blows a new creative spirit of contemporary imagery, language arts 2.0, involving a growing number of creatives around the world. 

Leaving everyone endless opportunities as the tool becomes an extension of your hand ... The Gallery NO / * ID therefore proposes a group exhibition of this new creative power under the name: SmartLIFE 2.0, check it out here from Thursday, March 15, 2012.

GALERIE NO/ID*
18 RUE D ANTECHAUS HAUTE VILLE, 83000 Toulon, France

The vernissage is this evening.  I'll share details tomorrow.

Yours in iPhone ecstasy,
leslie

Wednesday Window on Provence

His royal highness, the good King Réné to bring a bit of majesty to your mid-week ...

Have a lovely Wednesday!

leslie