christine

5 facts about christine:

she is an italian citizen

her wedding is in 4 months

she knows every single word to journey's "don't stop believing"

in her past life she was a pirate

she and i have visited over 8 other countries together

Polaroid Sx 70. 600 Film. Faces Series (#7).

inspirations

today is my flickr birthday. i'm a whopping 2 years old!

in honor of this momentous occasion, i thought it necessary to share some of my favorite photos by other flickr people who inspire me.

the photos above belong to: charlie, amalia, troy, meghan, jenn, erica, matt, jejonem, LV, payton, brad, nikki, abeless, jon, lou, michael, emily, ralph and megan risely.

i have shared a conversation with almost every single one of these photographers and many more that i have failed to list above. some i know personally, we chat at least once a day, we crack jokes, and share ideas on every kind of topic there is under the sky. some i have mailed my prints to, we've helped each other out in art shows, and we've exchanged film tips and lighting strategies. some i know dearly as if they are a long lost friend from childhood, we've shared stories of our loves and fears, and are planning visits to meet and go shooting together...

these past two years i have been inspired by and blessed to know such an incredible community of artists, whom (if you take the time to communicate with) are amazing real-life people too! they have helped me become a better artist myself and for that i am exceedingly grateful.

please visit there work, if you get the chance.

i'm battening the hatches

i'm pulling in the sails

i'm going home forever

now is where my heart prevails

Yashica A Model. 120 Kodak BW 400TMY. 6x6.

teresa

5 facts about teresa:

she is a sister of 9

her native tongue is arabic

she knows every word to every joni michele song there is

her hugs are like warm soup on a cold day

she is my mother

Polaroid Sx 70. 600 Film. Faces Series (#6).

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the faces project is going very well. i've been photographing at least 3 or 4 people a week...

in december i started this project after photographing everyone in my family. i was incredibly inspired by how different they seemed on the print as opposed to how i see them everyday. it got me thinking about how we carry preconceptions of people, especially those we already know, and how that affects the way we see them.

so it is my goal to to remove all the stigmas and back stories that affect the way we see one another, and to simply show people at face value. polaroid seems to be a perfect medium to this mission as it is an instant capture, without any of the smoke and mirrors of fancy editing, and simply more true to the moment.

also, as part of this project i am asking 5 random facts from each person. it could be anything that they want to share. the goal is to achieve something concrete about who they are according to them. some of the facts have surprised me, which only lead me to believe even further that our mental stereotypes are difficult guards to surrender.

i hope that you will enjoy the many faces to be posted in the future.

courtnie II

this is one of my favorite portraits so far. i used ATZ film which sort of makes everything very soft and creamy. also i have to say, i really love direct eye contact. a lot of the people i photograph feel uncomfortable and so i tell them to do whatever they want. almost every single time they end up looking away, as if they are pretending no one is taking their photo at all. only the rare few look right at me, challenging me to focus quicker, to wait for that special moment when they are no longer seeing the camera but instead confidently they are seeing themselves, and creating a truly electrifying kind of energy between us.

Polaroid Sx70. ATZ Film. Faces Series (#5).

heather

5 facts about heather:

she watches saturday morning cartoons

her middle toe is longer than her first toe

she is ready to have a baby

kindness is her greatest quality

she is my big sister

Polaroid Sx 70. 600 Film. ND Filter. Faces Series (#4).

courtnie

5 facts about courtnie:
she is 18 yrs old
her favorite animal is the penguin
her favorite band is blink 182
she can lick her elbow
she is my little sister

Polaroid Sx70. 600 Film. ND Filter. Faces Series (#3).

self

this is the sister polaroid to the last post.

not quite a typical portrait shot, but i really like the light and positioning, it gives me a sort of uncomfortable feeling... like i need to know more. if you click on the image you can see it enlarged. there is some really great detail in the face and hair... after a year and a half of shooting JUST polaroids i'm still amazed by the quality.

Polaroid Sx70. 600 Film. ND Filter. Faces Series (#2).

self

FACES - the project:
portraiture has always fascinated me. there is so much beauty in a face. histories lye behind locked-in eyes and stories reveal themselves in parted lips. an outer narrative, captured in the moment, can speak volumes for histories to come.

as it's an incredible honor to tell stories by way of what i see in my travels and adventures, i plan on focusing a lot of my upcoming film on faces. i'm going to let the portraits do the story telling.

and to kick off this idea i would like to ask (if anyone is even reading this) what story does this portrait tell you?
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5 facts about self:
my full name is nicole renee parks
i collect vintage vinyl lp's
my first cat's name was crumby cookie
i haven't cut my hair in 21 months
robots scare me

Polaroid Sx70. 600 Film. ND Filter. Faces Series (#1).

today is a new day

today is the beginning of a new world for my country. it's the beginning of hope in the hearts of many who have suffered great losses in the defeats of our sinking economy. it's the beginning of faith for those who stopped believing that our leaders truly cared about our well being. it's the beginning of nationalism and civic pride for so many who thought their voice could not be heard. it is the beginning of love in the eyes of the socially forlorn, who thought equality could never exist amongst men and women of varied races.

today i reflect back on the experiences of my upbringing. with a middle eastern mother, 1st generation born in America and a very patriotic father who worked 35 years for the US military, i was raised to value my freedoms as a luxury. to this day i take pride in the opportunities we are granted - to speak freely, to believe in any religion we may chose, to pursue happiness till our hearts content, to start from absolutely nothing and build not only financial wealth but also wealth of spirit.

these past few years have been tough for me in many ways. i faced health issues that were financially not supported by the government's health care policies. i was dropped from my parents coverage because i was too old and as of yet can not afford my own, nor can i seek government support because i am too young. as a home owner in such a troubling relestate market i risk loosing my entire inheritance left to me by my father. the stress i endure every single day, worrying about my physical and financial lively hood is exhausting and in many ways has lead me to lose hope in my countries ability to provide opportunities for ALL people.

after experiencing president obama's inauguration speech today, i felt my hope come back to life. i remembered all of the reasons why i am so proud to live in this country. i remembered that my success is not defined by the dollars in my pocket, rather it is measured by the experiences i build helping others, by the moral ethics practiced in my daily life, and by working hard to build a life i am proud of.

yesterday these things seemed like an ideal of the past and today i could feel the cloud of stress, that has surrounded me for years, lift in a way that i can see a future of possibilities ahead of me.

Yashica A model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film. Double Exposure.

the other day i got a phone call at work from a very elderly woman named beverly. beverly was interested in scheduling a museum tour for a group of senior women belonging to an organization called PEO. as usual i was in the middle of 3 or 4 projects, so i huridly grabbed the tour forms and scribbled down her information. just as i started to rush her off the phone i had this weird feeling of deja vu... i can't thinking: PEO... PEO.... PEO! and then it hit me - Mrs. Gessler!!!!

back in 2001 i met a little old woman named Mrs. Gessler. i used to wait tables at Outback Steakhouse and she and her husband would come in once a week. I

recently i have been seeking solitude. not to be confused as disinterested or withdrawn, i just have been longing for a little peace to think. for quite some time i have treasured those simple moments alone, lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, letting my thoughts run together in a harmonious symphony of sounds and images, inspiring ideas and dreams soon to be manifested in real life, and then who knows... maybe even captured on film.

today my thoughts have been on the big move coming up, which i must admit, are exciting and scary wrapped up together in what feels like a wild, heart-racing, cliff jump. 

never in my life have i made such a leap for a man that i love, and yet never in my life have i loved a man so much as i do b. when i look at him i see my lover, my partner in crime, my closest advisor, my best friend, and the keeper of my deepest, most desired, hopes and dreams.

isn't it true, that with every great adventure there is a degree of uncertainty lying beneath the surface of our smiles? isn't it the human condition to fear the great unknown? and yet, by exploring the uncharted we in-turn conquer our fears.

so many of my thoughts lead me to feel a little scared about this, but even more, so much of my heart tells me i'm ready - ready for our next great adventure together.

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film. Light Chasing.

a few of my favorite things

abiding desire

breakfast for dinner

nina simone

the life of pi

chai tea

abandoned places

tolouse lautrec

strolls down memory lane

the crackling of an old 45

margaret mead

clean sheets

the magic light of a winter morning

tenderness

"lloyd's register"

dogs hanging their heads out car windows

pho

the smell of fresh paint

holding hands

tiny owl trinkets

rilke
selfless love

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film.

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart

i carry it in my heart

- ee cummings

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film.

b and i are moving in together.

we found an amazing old house downtown literally a walk away from my work.

it has worn out wooden floors and 100s of windows, and a fire place too!

this is a huge step for me. HUGE.

once a girl, who was too afraid to say "i love you", is now one half of a couple moving into one fantastic home. 

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film.

winter gate

we shall not cease from exploration
and the end of all our exploring
will be to arrive where we started
and know the place for the first time
through the unknown, remembered gate
when the last of earth left to discover
is that which was the beginning

t.s. elliot

when you've wanted something for so long, and it suddenly becomes your reality, it is no longer a new beginning, but a manifested truth.

i am approaching a realized dream and with every single step i am more shore that i've felt this before. content. certain. peaceful.

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film. Low Light.

the polaroid tree

my christmas holiday was spent crammed inside a tiny, two bedroom lodge with 8 of my closest family members. b and i rotated every night from one bed to the next, sometimes we were lucky enough to score the pull out couch, or else we were doomed to the slowly deflating air matress. our lodge was located way up in the heavenly rockies at winter park mountain. every single day it snowed nearly 10 inches. i'd wake up to the stirring sounds of life in the kitchen - shuffeling feet, brewing coffee and sizzling bacon.

my younger brother and sister were set on the idea of a christmas tree, so they went out into the forest and attempted to cut down a snowy pine... the only problem was, since our lodge failed to have the proper rustic amenities like hatchets and ax's, they had to use a kitchen knife. somehow, in that miraculous kind of kid way, they managed to cut down the perfect christmas tree.

we decorated it with popcorn and real cranberries. i made that fancy foil tree topper and of course no christmas tree is complete without a polaroid of each one of us.

so there you have it! the polaroid tree.

Nikon D80. 

there is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

there is a rapture on the lonely shore,

there is society, where none intrudes,

by the deep sea, and music in its roar:

i love not man the less, but nature more,

from these our interviews, in which I steal

from all I may be, or have been before,

to mingle with the Universe, and feel

what i can never express, yet can not all conceal.

~lord byron

this poem found me last night, two glasses of wine in the belly, and under my covers. it excited me, reminding me of my experiences with nature in solitude - the joy of seeing the earth's face in a new light, the hopes of visiting it's mysterious terrains, and the thrill of exploring plummiting deapths and comforting burrows.

durring my walks in colorado i saw the earth asleep, in a quiet white slumber. i walked down roads and paths leaving a trail that was soon covered by freshly fallen snow. i stood as still as i could in the vast whiteness, under towering pines - naked as a skeleton, and i was careful to not make a move, but my stiltedness was no match for the frozen nature that surrounded me. it moved me. i wanted to know this feeling forever, so i took 1000 pictures of everything i could see...

and still it wasn't enough.

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film. Low Light - Heavy Snow.

starting over

if you have followed your way to this blog through the photos on my flickr site, then you are probably aware that i recently deleted everything on my flickr, everything except for this one photo.

yes... all 954 photos... gone.

there isn't a grand explanation of why. it's just sort of a feeling i've had for a while.

it's time to start over.

time to follow after newer ideas and dreams.

it's the beginning of everything for me all over again.

it's exciting and refreshing and to be honest incredibly relieving to not have to look at all of those photos from the past.

there is so much white blankness to fill in, and to inspire with color, shadows, and light.

2009. the year of new beginnings. hear i come.

Yashica A Model. 6x6 120vc Kodak Film. Backlight.