Short and Sweet Photography by Dana Pugh, Calgary's Leading Family Photographer. NAPCP Child's Photographer of the Year

Delhi

Thursday, January 26, 2012 Posted in India

In case you hadn’t heard…I’m in India. This morning I am writing you this blog post from my room in Delhi while I can hear some chanting not too far away and the street below me is just waking up. Yesterday was my first day…these are my two favourite pictures from the day:

This gentleman offered us(me and The Roughley’s an awesome photographer couple from Edmonton who just happened to be in Delhi at the same time so we arranged to meet) a seat while we were visiting Harzat Nizamuddin Tomb. Thursday nights they have a special worship that happens there. It was really cool to sit amongst the people and try to converse with themAt the end of the night, the gentleman bought us all sweets from a street vendor–I assume(we didn’t really see this all go down…to say that it was a bit chaotic would be an understatement)…so, I’m declaring it my first street food. Success–not only was it some sort of deep fried sugary syrup goodness, but this morning I am still not sick

Yesterday was India’s Republic Day. Delhi was in a very celebratory mood. I met my good friends the Laskin/Sargent clan and we went to the parade. Perhaps Baruch will be kind enough to write his CRAZY story of how he obtained the impossible to obtain tickets to the parade on their blog one day. At first, I was a bit hesitant to go because you could bring no cameras, no cell phones, no nothing…but, I was not disappointed. For one thing, it is really cool to sit amongst THOUSANDS of people and everyone is paying attention. I mean…no one is texting or taking pictures or anything. It makes you super aware of how much people are ‘connected’ with other people who aren’t even there instead of being in the moment that is right in front of them. The other reason why it was a good idea not to have my camera is, well, it was a nice not to be worried about my gear while being introduced to the chaos and sensory overload that is India. The organized chaos of ‘lining up’ to get into the parade was a wonderful introduction to the crush of being somewhere popular in India. I was fearful for the small children and the elderly whom I was sure would be crushed and unable to breathe in the throngs…but, we all survived.

The parade itself is primarily a military parade(thus the no camera rule). It did not escape my attention that we were sitting in the birthplace of Ghandi watching enormous military displays, but somehow when the helicopters opened their ‘trapdoors’ and released the marigold petals on to the crowds you knew you were there to witness something special. My favourite brigade rode camels through the streets. Amazingly decorated, well trained camels. It was one of the moments I sighed and wished I had my camera, but…oh wellAt the end, trick motorcyclists did amazing stunts…one guy drove on a motorcycle while sitting sideways, cross-legged and drinking a cup of tea. The parade ended with the release of hundreds of balloons that opened up Indian flags while confetti rained down on you. It was a sight I won’t soon forget…but, I still wish I had a picture

I was happy to see my friends…they are half way through their 6 month world trek and were excited to tell me all about their travels. It sounds INCREDIBLE…I wish I had more pictures of them, but most of our time together, I did not have my camera…for our friends, though..here we are in a rickshaw. Baruch drove on ahead of us in another one with all the baggage(they were catching a train).

The last images are of Isaac at a tomb literally around the corner from my home stay. It’s interesting to see kids playing cricket in the yards of these two tombs. Isaac and I had decided to make a wee ‘stop motion’(which will really be a gif when I finish it)…I wanted to show him my two favourite images from the series…You should really go and follow their blog(they are a bit behind, but will catch up for sure)…they will be here in India for another couple of weeks and then they are off on an African safari in Kenya. Makes me want to do this with our kids…

Well…if you actually read that…you are a rock starAnd, if it made sense, then I am amazed that I have a clear enough head to make it all understood…hope you are all well back home.

Namaste,

Dana

by Dana

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Art Without Expectations

Monday, January 23, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized

The other day on Pinterest, I came across this quote:

Act Without Expectations.

~ Lao Tzu

I pinned it because I thought it said ‘Art’ instead of ‘Act’. At my retreat for photographers, while talking about personal projects, I had this revelation…an a-ha moment if you will. I realized that we all need to take time to create art without expectations.

Now some of you might think that is a crazy easy thing to do, but I would argue that it isn’t. Especially in the day and age of social media and the urge to, for reasons not always really thought out, create a business out of a hobby. If you do have a business, there are always expectations being placed on your art. By the client who tells you what they want from the art. By your life that demands that you make some sort of an income from it. By the land of social media that expects it to be good enough to retweet or like on Facebook or pin on Pinterest. And, then there are the expectations that you place on it–to be good, to be worthy, to be this or that…the list is endless really.

So, what I challenged my workshop attendees to do is find something to create that releases itself of expectation. It is strangely freeing. And, will help you listen to your heart and truly see what you believe is worthy of capturing in that moment you release the shutter. It is hard. People will say ‘what are you trying to do here?’…and I’ll reply ‘I don’t truly know’. Or they’ll say ‘what is this for’ and I’ll simply reply ‘for me’…This is difficult for most people to understand because they assume that I always have some greater plan. Some idea of what the image I’m trying to get is going to look like. But, nothing could be further from the truth. When I shoot, I’m not trying to create something I see in my mind, I’m waiting to see something in you that is worthy of capture. I long to be a part of something that is bigger than just a photograph because I know that it is in those moments that the best photographs occur. I also know that it took me a long time to let go of the ideas I had banging around in my head of what the image I’m creating should look like and just let the images happen. I still struggle with this ALL. THE. TIME.

Documenting Jennie Brade’s journey through cancer was one such thing. I didn’t have any real expectations just a knowledge that I wanted to capture it. Whatever ‘it’ would be. I remember at times catching myself thinking ‘oh, I know that it will be like this’ and then, in the moment realizing that I truly had no idea what ‘it’ would be like and that THAT was the point. Or, when I went off to Iceland with my family…I had seen so many images of the places I was going to that I had already imagined what the images I was going to take would look like. THAT is utterly ridiculous. I am off to India this week and, in some ways, I feel grossly under prepared. But…in this way, I am ready. I have absolutely no idea what it is going to look like when I get there. And, I can’t wait to see it for myself.

So, this winter, take a moment to create art without expectations. Just do it. Just do it for you. I bet you might surprise yourself and learn a lot in the process.

~ Dana

PS…the beautiful graphic was made by my online friend, Jen Downer, who saw my comment on the Pinterest quote and sparked a conversation about me writing an article and her creating a graphic. We did it

PS#2…follow me on Pinterest here: http://pinterest.com/pughville/

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Indoor/Outdoor Maternity

Sunday, January 22, 2012 Posted in maternity

From today…yes, there is snow. Yes, it was cold, but she was up for anything and such a trooper. I am so glad she was…why more people don’t do maternity photos is a mystery to me. So nice to witness two people in love becoming three….

~ Dana

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Kelowna in May

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 Posted in Retreats

I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes and haven’t stopped thinking about this past weekend. What a fantastic experience! The thought you put into everything is truly appreciated. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from you, Dana. As an introvert, I was expecting to be very quiet and just take everything in but you have a magical way of getting people comfortable enough to open up and share their lives with you. Thank you, I needed that.
Your retreat has made me think about who I am as an artist, what I want my art to say to the world, where I want to go and how I’m going to get there. I’m feeling more confident, refreshed and excited! Truly an amazing, positive weekend filled with inspiration, learning, laughter and new friendships (and I can’t forget about the yummy food, snacks and beverages!) Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dana, for sharing your knowledge, your experiences and your contagious laughter with all of us. You inspire.

~ Melissa Weicker

I thought I’d share another review of the workshop I just finished this past weekend…plus…well…This is the view from the guest house on the property where I am hosting my next workshop for photographers with my lovely friend, Ashley Skjaveland. We have had a lot of the same questions about the workshop, so…cause it’s cold outside and I felt like it–I made a videoblog answering themenjoy!