Kristen Turick

Hi I'm Kristen and I like my house. I am addicted to it in fact. Not just for the familiar and familial reasons that one assumes, but because there is one aspect of the building itself that continually fascinates me by day, by hour and by minute. The light. Ever changing, it passes through the wavy-glass panes of our nearly hundred year old house like a beautifully choreographed dance. This inspires me. It makes me want to grab my camera and shoot it. To capture it's essence and show this beauty to the world. Someday I hope to do just this, but that's for another time...

For now, I want to know what inspires you... what are the things or moments that make you pause; when you just want to inhale, stop time for a moment and crawl inside the frame? For me, old things with history, a graveyard of construction vehicles, the juxtaposition of man and/or vs. nature. I find that it's those little inspirations that help me see the world in more detail which in turns helps me to be a better creator.

Whether high volume or homespun, there are many ways to put your own mark on your product or creation no matter how trite the topic. From branding to image capture/creation and just about everything else in between it's important to be defining and ever refining your style. One of the methods I use to ever-evolve is keeping my mind open to being inspired on a 24/7 basis. No matter where you are, stop and observe. Observe the boring, the banal, the beautiful. The more you observe the more you'll be inspired and can use that inspiration to identify where you want to further refine your style. Last April I posted "Inspiration Wha?!?" on our blog, where I had the dumbfounded experience of being inspired by some snapshots my son had taken with our Lumix LX3. (great little camera, btw). Are they groundbreaking shots? No. But they do cause me to take more than just a second glance. So often our fast paced lives don't allow us to stop and appreciate the beautiful little gems that make you giddy with excitement. You know that moment when you feel so good you just want to bottle up its essence and add it to your collection? That's inspiration. I like to consider it visual meditation. And with all things, it takes practice. Allow yourself to take some time and absorb the beauty in the simplicity of the object or scene. Let out your inner child, it's in there.

The following six images were taken by my four year old son, Owen, on various occasions. He tends to see the details. the little things. the inner workings as I call them.
Top. Left: Orange ball on asphalt. Right: In Elk Rapids. Middle. Left: Gravestone. Right: Leaves. Bottom. Left: Newspaper Box White. Right: Newspaper Box Green.







In my own personal imagery, I have long been on a quest to "specimen-ize" (perhaps a throwback to my parents' scientific backgrounds) my subjects. To break down into simple forms in order to draw attention to the detail. The photos below are my own taken last summer and more recently this past month. Are my images groundbreaking either? nah, not by any means, but it's all part of the practice of defining my style. Top. Left: Over East Bay. Right: Smoketree Leaf. Bottom. Left: Curtain. Right: Pipe. #2.





What is my whole point in all of this? Allow yourself to be open to finding inspiration WHEREVER it may strike and every time you gather that little bit of inspiration... use it. don't copy. but use the 'experience' of that enlightening moment to mold your own style. If I'm inspired, I shoot it. If I'm cameraless at that instant, I shoot it in my mind. It's fun. and it's good practice. I guarantee it. In any case, I'm honored to be included with this great cast of characters and look forward to sharing and learning alike. I welcome your comments and look forward to discussing the theories, concepts and inspirations behind why we do what we do.