I feel caught in a runt and I no longer feel inspired to take images. Lately I have been spending a lot of time online checking out photo websites and blogs. There are so many photographers out there and their collective work is beginning to look the same to me. My fear is that I am adding my images to the electronic dumpster which we call the web. I keep asking myself; “Are my images any different from all that is out there?”

There is a part of me that really wants to set my camera aside, walk away and let it gather dust because I feel that I am not up to the task. I feel that I am not capable of making lasting, and memorable images. I love making images, I just hate it that currently I am making images for the sake of making them. Should I stop and take a break from photography, or should I continue to take pictures in the hope that as I do so I may get into the zone and begin to find my voice?

I decided to go ahead and keep on experimenting. I got a piece of paper, a stapler and made a snoot. Then as usual i took advantage of ras and decided to take a couple of shots.

THE TOOLS

So here are the shots i came up with.

SETUP #1

(Above) Strobe shot without snoot.

(Below) Same shot with a snoot.

SETUP #2

(Above) Here is the setup. I also turned off the light in the apt coz i thought that the darkness would make the shots interesting.

(Below) The setup in action.

I hope that I am not boring you with my excitement and images. I really cannot wait to do real shoots with the strobe. Hope you liked the images.

]]> http://ragskanyi.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/using-a-snoot-with-the-strobe/feed/ 2 ragskanyi ras shoot-9 ras shoot-10 ras shoot ras shoot-2 ras shoot-7 ras shoot-3 ras shoot-4 ras shoot-6 ras shoot-5 http://ragskanyi.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/bethany-cemetery-plano-tx/ http://ragskanyi.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/bethany-cemetery-plano-tx/#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:08:04 +0000 ragskanyi http://ragskanyi.wordpress.com/?p=328 ]]>

I have a thing against taking images that everyone would normally take. I always ask myself, if National Geographic commissioned me to take images of a place or a person how would I photograph it/them? With that in mind I took these images of the Bethany Cemetery in Plano, TX.

I came across a video that speaks to me as it does many photographers. We at times have doubts about our skills and abilities. The video is long, but it is well worth the watch.

I got my undergraduate degree at a christian college, and though I do not have many fond memories at that school one thing that came out of my ordeal there were cool friendships. A few weeks ago, a college buddy called me and asked if I could take pictures of a friend of hers who was about to graduate from college. I jumped on the opportunity because I simply love taking pictures.

The shoot day was set and the place was the  Dallas Arboretum. As usual I arrived a little earlier to scout the place and in so doing, I found really cool places to take pictures. I mist say I really enjoyed taking pictures of Quay.

It has been said that the hardest people to photograph are dogs and kids. This weekednd I got to photograph two children who made this quote a fallacy.

I have always loved taking portraits of people and I believe that the face is by far the most interesting landscape ever. The other day I was in search of things to photograph when I came across some high school kids. I asked if I could photograph them and they agreed.

Asking to photograph people has not been easy thing for me because I really don’t take rejection well.

“Ku uliza sii ujuinga” is a Swahili saying that when roughly translated means; Requesting for something is in no way a stupid thing.  Americans have a somewhat similar saying that says; There is no such thing as a stupid question. This saying has been a source of encouragement when I am afraid to photograph people.

So as we go on to a new week, be courageous and do not be afraid to ask.

This is my father. It is, and has always been hard to know what runs through his mind because he really does not see to much sense in talking for the sake of talking or downloading his feelings.

Like many African fathers, he is complex and has gone through so much yet they would rather keep it to themselves.

I am thinking of doing a “Fathers” portrait series. Right now it is just an idea, but I have the feeling I  could learn a lot about my fathers silent generation.

So, if you live in Dallas and would like to donate your father for me to interview and take images of him, just contact me via my site.

We went to the same college. She married a good friend of mine and then they went on to be missionaries in a tough part of dallas. Thanks to Facebook we connected and decided to have a photoshoot. Carolina made it easy for me to take pictures of her.

She used to be a model and so she did not need any guidance or direction from me. All I did was snap away. What a joy that was.