Indianapolis Lifestyle Photographer | Project Ten

This month’s Project Ten theme was dark. I found out the theme on December 10th, and began my ((becomingly)) usual journey through theme-storming. I mentally wandered my way through the usual… photos at night, photos in black in white, dark hair, dark eyes, dark animals, and so on. I procrastinated while I pondered. I work better under pressure, anyway… always have. 😀

I roped in my husband. He had some really awesome ideas, but just not anything I could pull off. We talked through this idea… awesome, right!? But I definitely DO NOT have the make-up know-how to create desaturated people without Photoshop. He has another phenomenal conceptual idea, but I’m not willing to give it away here, yet, because if I ever get the chance, I’m going to make it happen.

As time wore on (obviously TONIGHT is my last chance to get this project in and I will NOT miss a month… no way, no how) and I put more pressure on myself to be unique in my series… not only visually, but for their content and meaning. You see, I used to teach high school art. And before that, I studied art… and teaching. And before that, I just made art. Through all of these experiences I was taught and learned that art is so much more than just aesthetically pleasing. I learned that art is a form of communication – that it’s supposed to say something… without actually saying anything at all. The introverted side of me LOVED this idea dearly, … and still does today.

So I taught. And I taught that it’s not about how your final product looks (well, ok, it does to some extent) but about what it says about you. Art is like a giant riddle, like a treasure hunt, a metaphor for what the artist has been through, has experienced. It’s the secret whispered to you on the school bus on the way home from elementary school on a summer afternoon. The kind you have to put both hands up, cupped around the listening ear. It’s the secret you cry over when you realize your best friend told her friend about. The same one  you’re secretly glad your friend shared, because you’re proud of it, but just too shy to say it out loud… to everyone you know… everywhere…. all the time.

ANYWHO… dark … daaaarrrrkkkkkk….. DARK. What is dark? It’s lighting, it’s feelings and emotions, it’s scary, it’s movies, and make up and wigs and costumes. It’s limiting… it’s oddly enlightening, and on and on. It’s also a method of serving a beverage – it’s sans milk or cream! BINGO! Nothing I do with artistic purpose can be without dual meaning. I would rather… ((GASP))… SKIP a month than do that! AHHHHH!!! 

And so… I bring you my dark series. I don’t drink coffee, as my body has zero need for or tolerance of caffeine, but with the way it smells so warm and comforting, sometimes I wish I did. There’s no shortage of it around in our house, though, nor cute accessories to go along with it. This project smelled particularly amazing, and was really relaxing and enjoyable to shoot. Probably because I was perched precariously on my kitchen counter, but also because there’s a lack of pressure when shooting inanimate objects.

Thank you cutting board, coffee, and Keurig, for being so accommodating. You were truly a pleasure to work with as this month’s subjects.

Enjoy! <3