A Passion For It...

I absolutely love shooting architecture.  I vary from subject matters because I also love to shoot anything that captures my eye.  It could be a beautiful flower, a sunset, shadows, people in their everyday life, and so on.  But there is one thing that I still turn to because I adore the subject matter.  It is architecture.  The way a building is made is an astounding process.  But as an architect, how fulfilling to know that your masterpiece will stand the test of time, that it can be filled of life with people going to their corner office or grabbing a cup of coffee.  It can bustle with the latest fashions or help heal the sick.  The buildings in any major metropolis defines their skyline.  How many movies have you seen where the opening is a skyline and you instantly know the city and you haven't even had the opportunity to visit? Skylines are iconic, and there are those buildings that help define the city.  My beloved city of Chicago has the Willis Tower (Sears Tower for true Chicagoans), New York has the Empire State Building, San Francisco has the Transamerica and the list can go on. 

Yes I love these iconic structures, but what makes me a true lover of architecture, is that I love all buildings, old and new, crumbling and remodeled, historic and modern, simple and abstract, rusty and pristine.  So the next time you walk around a city, no matter how large, just take a moment and look at the structures around you, the impact on the community and the history that they hold.  I am certain that you too will become a fan of the wonderful architecture around us and the pieces of art that they truly are.  The image below is of the Chicago Riverwalk with the Butler Brothers Warehouse in the background.  It is an iconic building because of the history and that it just pops with the beautiful red brick.  The first shot is the original image and the second is the one I grunged up a bit creating a gritty and abstract image, because I just love to do so. 

 "River Walk" (c) 2012

Isn't She Lovely?

As I had mentioned in a previous blog, I recently vacationed in Puerto Rico while attending my best friends wedding.  In addition to enjoying a little R & R, I had the perfect opportunity to take tons of pictures.  I would have taken a bunch more, but this wasn't a working vacation and my heart was with my bestie while she prepared to walk down the aisle.  It was also a great time to play catch up with her because she lives in the DC area and I am in the Windy City. I also wanted to capture memories for her and her hubby to be while they enjoyed the beauty, sights and sounds of San Juan, Puerto Rico.  The shot I captured of my best friend (featured below) turned into a piece that I am very proud of.  It is one of those shots that you get just right.  The original image was so great and when I looked at my screen on the camera I told her that she could be a model.  Once home, I did my usual, using Photoshop as my digital paintbrush and truly turned it into a true piece of art.  The actual scene we were waiting for our husbands who both were on the phone at the time of the shot, their image follows.  It amazes me to see what I was able to capture on a simple afternoon while we were walking around Old San Juan's City Square. 

"The Tourist" (c) 2011

What I captured while....

...waiting for the husbands!

Upcoming Changes...

It's January and what does that mean? Time for resolutions and promises that you make to yourself that you try with all your might not to break. This is the year that I turn 40 years old and the one promise that I made to myself on my 39th was to put more focus on my artwork and promoting my art as a business. Taking that step and push myself out to the public eye. Sometimes I can fall into the category of the reluctant artist. I can be a bit shy, until that magic ice is broken. So I have decided to get out of my comfort zone (my home... I am such a homebody) and put myself out there in the world. Simply because no one will find out about my art unless I point them in the right direction. So like I said... It's January and with the change in the year comes change all around. Visibly, I will update my website (www.simonehester.com), my Twitter page (www.twitter.com/shcreativephoto)and my lovely blog to reflect the notion that they are a part of the same family. Right now they are great resources for me, but do they play off of one another and look like it is all from the same person? I think not. I also plan on blogging more frequently based on my other promise to myself to get out and shoot some more to perfect my craft and continue to develop my photography skills. I will also blog on items and subjects that I find creative, innovative and that basically strikes a certain chord from deep within me. So stay tuned for a new look and feel to all things SHCreativePhoto and Simone Hester Creative Photography. I appreciate all of you who have supported me thus far.