I recently read an article from a newsletter I follow that talked about reframing your identity as a whole, instead of just hoping for a better version of yourself based on a New Year’s resolution. For a January 1 resolution, there’s only a date, no real commitment. The author mentioned the time when he quit smoking which got me thinking about this “reframing yourself” concept.

I used to smoke a pack a day. Then, on a ski club trip to Banff, I realized that I was the only smoker on the trip. Going outside alone at -25° C to light up started to feel pretty ridiculous. So when I got home, I reframed myself as a non-smoker and haven’t had a cigarette for 27 years. I didn’t know about reframing then, of course, and not saying it was easy, but it’s true, in retrospect.

I encourage you to read this deep-thinker article at https://moretothat.com/a-timeless-new-year/

Below are the last of the 2023 52Frames challenge photos.

And Happy New Year Everyone!

[Click on any photo for the slideshow. Please leave comments at the bottom of the page]

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Week 42. ( Fashion )

Woman of the Corn

I’ve noticed that most fashion shoots feature a famous or exotic background, as if the clothes weren’t enough. Like the Eiffel Tower or the Egyptian Pyramids. Nothing exotic here, but with a cornfield right around the corner from my place, I was inspired by Stephen King, and set the model up in a cultish kind of pose. I was trying for an out-of-the-corn-cereal-box effort. (pun intended)

Aways a great night out

Week 43. ( Night Street Photography with Tripod )

I went to the show
With my tripod
And all of a sudden
There were monsters
Human monsters
I had to jump to the left
Then a step to the right
And with my hands on my hips
I did the Time Warp again

Let’s do the Time Warp again

The Moment

Week 44. ( Inspired By A Famous Photographer )

On YouTube I saw a link to a story about a “Street Photographer Who Takes Only Blurry Photos”. Olga Karlovac lives and shoots in Dubrovnik, Croatia. She uses ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) with very high contrast, grainy black and white, and yes, blurry.

I decided to be inspired by her, especially since ICM is something I’m interested in and like to get better at. It’s actually quite difficult. She says her process starts with a mood from within, feelings that are hard to put into words but can be reflected in a moment. I can’t claim that I had that process here, but I think I captured a moment. Her website is at Olga Karlovac.

Inspired By A Famous Photographer

Inspired By A Famous Photographer

Angry Barbie

Barbie, Barbie
What am I?
They made a movie
Don’t ask me why

Week 45. ( Bokeh )

I’m out of my box
No hands tied with elastic bands
No more plastic to look through
Now I see the city hue

Little girls, they dress me up
Their little brothers feel me up
And what about that dickless Ken?
The little girls put my clothes on him

I have a cult following
Cultural baggage, body-shame
Mattel, I don’t need you anymore
Now I’m playing my own game

Week 46. ( Bathroom )

Mommy, mommy, I have to pee!

Please leave the door unlocked when you take a shower.

Mother Nature Has an Attitude

Week 47. ( Nature )

I made this shot early in the week, thinking I’d get a better nature shot when it snowed, later in the week. But I kept coming back to this, maybe because it looks kinda edgy and unpredictable, like Mother Nature herself.

This image uses the “In The Round” technique, which is a form of photo impressionism. I used 8 image layers in Photoshop, then added one of my special “grunge” Lightroom presets.

Week 48. ( Hold a Light )

A Woman Screams

Inciting the tall, dark stranger to draw his weapon and slip into the dark corridor holding his mini-maglite.

The Run

Week 49. ( Breathe )

Steel cables whistling high above
Wind blowing in my face
Gliding through the turn
Edges sliding, scraping, singing
My mind is in a spiritual place
Elevated from mundane
I can breathe here

Week 50. ( Choose A Color )

Not Springsteen’s Ass

Spent the whole week in the land of black and white – a ski resort in frigid, northern Quebec. Then I saw an old music album cover and went with that. Yellow is the colour.

Waiting to Hang

Week 51. ( Unfinished )

16×24 inch canvas frames I made from week-9 (2022) and week-49 (2023) have been waiting for a space on the wall.

Discarded

Week 52. ( ReDo )

When I was in Portugal back in September, it seemed like there was a lot of WabiSabi. It was everywhere. But when it came down to getting the shot, I found myself lost in an ocean of over-thinking. Climbing up an ancient staircase, I noticed a plant struggling out of the decayed concrete and got the shot. But I felt rushed and wasn’t entirely happy.

Recently, on a walk from my place to my favourite coffee shop, I noticed this old, rusty transportation apparatus, and put it in the back of my mind for later use.