clicksbycolette.com Blog by Colette Kolker

Life gets busy…

Colette — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:51:08 +0000

Well for anyone who is trying to start their own business, take care of their family, work a regular full time job, and have a social life you can understand why I have not written in a while. Sorry about my absence. It’s funny how life’s twists and turns cause you to take something off of your plate because there is something fare better you would like to have on it. But, as things progress, sometimes that new item on your plate is finished and now you have time to pick up the crumbs from the table. Not that those crumbs weren’t a good thing, you are just picking them up and using them for their original purpose to fill-in the void on your plate.

Many times I view my photography like this. There are times I just cannot get enough time to do all the shooting I want. But, then I come to a period where I just do not want to pick up my camera, work on my web page, or type. I need a break to refresh my batteries and get a new perspective on things. This clarity seems to help me with my photography. I take the time to review a book I have read prior allowing me to pick up a tidbit that I did not notice before. I like to keep a journal of what I want to do and what I have done. By doing this it helps to me to stay focused.

The Glass Ceiling

Colette — Tue, 04 May 2010 03:31:16 +0000

Back when I was in high school and took my images with film my limitations were how well did I use my camera or what I could do in the dark room. I loved the dark room! What was not to love about it. There were chemicals that you had to measure out and understand the principles behind them. There were the trays filled with liquid which, as you progressed, would allow you to visualize your images as if by magic { my favorite part}. And, for some very odd reason which I have no answer to, I absolutely loved all the paper or negatives hung up like clean laundry just about every where you looked in the dark room; plus, the smell. To this day when I smell that certain chemical smell, I flash back to the dark room in my high school. This brings back vivid memories of my teacher and entering into the revolving door of the dark room. That door was great, it took you from white to red light. As I sit here and type this I almost swear I can hear the sound of the door as I stood still, pushing the door round to reveal the other side. Kind of like in Star Trek without having to call, “ Scotty beam me up.” (One of my favorite episodes http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/star-trek-the-original-series-the-enemy-within/39e1911723ce7608b00739e1911723ce7608b007-84855292440) Back then I chose a different career because it was apparent making it was difficult, making it with any art form is difficult. So, I chose a career in science because I wanted to be able to support myself.

Looking back and comparing then to now photography seems so much simpler back then to me than how is seems now. There is so much more you need to know about technology. Yet, in actuality the technology now allows you to salvage images that you could not salvage in the past. This safety net so to speak does provide a new photographer with a barrier to success, at least it seems that way to me. I suppose if you had been evolving with technology of the past 20 years, which I was not, the transition from film to digital was possibly not so staggering. But for me, jumping from film to digital was a major task. A task I am still struggling with at times.

Funny thing is, when I had my first very big break and showed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Ebling Library earlier this year you cannot imagine the amount of emails I received asking how to break that glass ceiling. Apparently through the eyes of others me having this show implied I had made it. But for me, I knew this show was just the stepping stone to what I hope will be greater things to come. So, to me, I have not even come close to being as successful as I want to be. Actually had to write one person to politely turn them down for their request of particular information since I felt I was not the correct person to mentor them; I can’t begin to tell you how bad I felt when I did that. But, there are times I wish someone could mentor me that way. I will continue to be my own mentor, read, practice, and move on blazing my own path with hammer in hand to break that glass when I find it myself.

What I am reading today…

Colette — Mon, 03 May 2010 04:05:46 +0000

Yesterday I just received a new book in the mail called, Professional Secrets for Photographing Children, second edition, by Douglas Allen Box. If you have read it let me know what you think. I will let you know what I think when I am finished. Should not take too long since it is only 121 pages long.

Goals…that was the sound I just heard wizzing by

Colette — Mon, 03 May 2010 03:59:13 +0000

Goals are very important and need to be set. Having a plan is necessary for a business to thrive, so I have been told repeatedly. Finding that what I thought was a good plan really isn’t working as well as I wanted since I have not been the best about my goals. My friend Marlon Hoilett has been gently insisting that I get a planner and outline in it my goals; starting to think he is right. I missed my goal today of getting my web page all spiffed up. Had all kinds of yard work , laundry and housework to do today that my time to spend on my web page just split through my fingers. So, before I set any goals, especially here, I better make them realistic…or at least try to put one foot on the ground before I promise myself I will get something done. Therefore, I realistically want to say to you come back in about a week and a half to see my better then ever web page. That should give me some time….okay now that I think about it how about 2 weeks; just remembered I have to take pictures at one of the kids play.

Have to admit that sometimes I think I am crazy for trying to get a business going, work my real job and take care of my family. But, I needed something to fill my void and I guess I found it; mostly loving it and sometimes wishing someone else could do all the computer stuff for me so I could just focus on taking pictures.

First lesson I learned

Colette — Sun, 02 May 2010 06:21:11 +0000

When embarking on my new path in life I decided to turn to the Internet for some quick guidance on how to get started as a photographer. What I all too quickly learned is that photographers are highly competitive and secretive. No one will just give you a sliver tray containing all the tools and guidance you need to build credibility in the world of photography. What I learned was that you have to earn your stripes. Working hard is a requirement for advancement, or you can choose to pay someone very handsomely to tell you stuff…but, they sometimes leave a key item out just to keep the competition down. Choose wisely before you pay for information.

Self Portriat

Colette — Sat, 01 May 2010 04:42:01 +0000

I can see that blogging might just help me achieve my main goal. What’s that you ask? Moving my art to the next level. I want to push the envelop and see what I can do. Starting this blog for me has opened this amazing door that, when I close my eyes, I can picture in my mind one world flowing into another with just the door frame in-between dimensions. Not sure if I should credit this feeling to the ‘through care to the wind’ or the ‘who cares if I make a big fool of myself ‘ attitude I currently have. Or, strictly to blogging my thoughts. I don’t know which to credit? Guess it’s a bit of both, allowing the creative side of me to finally come out.

How does this relate to my first self portrait? The idea of my blog had been circulating in my head in equal volume as the idea of what I wanted my self portrait to portray. Last night, despite trying to recoup from the cold du jour going around, I was struck with so much creative gumption after pressing the ‘publish’button for my blog I was compelled to create. I just let part of my bottled up thoughts out, and man that felt good; so, why not, why not just go for it and let loose. Last night all the planning and designing of my first face on self portrait came to life. Set up my studio, chose my lighting, grabbed my new chair from Pottery Barn { which I love} http://www.potterybarn.com/products/isabella-chair/?pkey=cdining-chairs-values (nothing says you have to buy the photography chairs that everyone else has) and got down to business. My goal with this self portrait was not just to depict who I am, but, what I am all about. Those who know me can more then likely attest to the fact I can never sit still. I always have a project going on with ideas for a new one in my head.Trying to find the exact angle to capture my vision was difficult for me.

Why was taking my photo difficult? It wasn’t the physical logistics of it…that stuff I have down. It was the emotional part of it. For me, there is an irony when it comes to photography. The ironic thing is I absolutely love to take pictures, but, I absolutely hate having my photo taken; Tyra Banks ( http://www.tyra.com/) I am not. If there could be someone listed as un-photogenic that would be me. I have no ability to create a neck, smize with my eyes, or use great angels of my face. The camera does not love me as much as I love my camera. When I was creating my web page I sought out advice from my new friend Larry Padgett (http://photobizguru.com/) who suggested I have some one else take my photo and place it on my web page. If any of you had seen my web page prior to the debut of my self portraits you would have seen the poor local photographer had a challenge on her hands, and believe me it showed…not one of my best photos. Therefore, when I went into taking this photo I spent about a half an hour trying to let myself go…be who I am not what I think people want to see. Finally about 45 min into it I decided to just let who I am inside show. My shots came of course at the very end; the black and white [can be found on my web page www.clicksbycolette.com] was my very last shot taken. And my earlier photo was about 12th to last. No, I will not admit to how many shots I took overall. What I will share is that my thumb was a little sore from deleting all the unwanted shots before I uploaded them to my computer. What is most important I am satisfied with what I ended up with. When I look at these photos I feel I see the real me, the me that is inside. Hoping that the images I feel capture who I am and might provide to individuals viewing my art a bit of insight as to why my images are the way they are. With all of my photography I try to capture the emotion of the moment, not just document the space in time. Not sure if I achieve this or not…let me know what you think.

About the Artist

Colette — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:00:13 +0000

My interest in photography started when my parents gave me my Kodak 110 camera in the 7th grade. The majority of my formal photography training was during my Junior and Senior year at Naperville North High School, Naperville, IL; loved working in the dark room. Chose to re-emerge myself back into the world of art to fill in a void in my life. Shortly after, I flew to Colorado in 2008 to attend a class taught by George Lepp, who also provided a brief portfolio review of a few of my pieces. George strongly suggested I should keep moving forward with my photography aspirations. Additionally, my work was reviewed by Larry Padgett and Diane Specht whose guidance improved my photography to a beginning competitive level allowing me to receive my Honorable Mention this year, 2009, from the PX3 competition in Paris. Plan to keep moving forward with improving my skills and photographic techniques which will hopefully allow me to be a greater competitor world wide. Professionally I was trained as a Dietitian, holding an A.S. from the College of DuPage and B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Using my varied educational background I became a published Biopharmaceutical Research Chemist working with various stages of drug research. Then branched out my career as a Dermatopathology Histology Technician, a published Lab Manager for Heart Failure Clinical Research and currently am involved in human subjects protection review for medical research.

Have to start some where!

Colette — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:00:13 +0000

Well here I am embracing technology to the fullest. Who am I? I’m a researcher by day and a photographer by night, well really weekends, okay, maybe extremely early in the morning before I have to be at work. I think that about covers it.

This is my launch into the world. Just a few days ago I set up my twitter page (@ColetteKolkerW.) and now my first blog. At this time I have to thank my very dear friend Marlon Hoilett for convincing me this would be a good thing. [Will let you know in the near future how things are going.] If I was me reading this I would be saying….hey why should I read her blog? I guess I would say maybe to learn something about getting started, find out what was my newest and best technical read, what stumbling block did I come upon now or just hear about what it is like to try and do this with a full time real job (reliably pays the bills) and kids.

As I sit and write this I am grateful for spell check, there is a reason I went into science and not the language arts. Then I am also grateful for spending about two years following my favorite blog ever, http://www.chinalawblog.com, that has nothing to do with photography. Done scratching your head yet?! Long story short, my Dad had some business dealings in China and I Googled for some info stumbling on China Law Blog. Dan Harris is intelligent and funny all at the same time. I found his topics fascinating to follow where I looked forward to the next post, was addicted until I started getting serious with my photography. Sorry Dan, have not read your blog for about 6 months now…hope you understand. I only hope that I can provide something similar for my readers what Dan has done for his. Setting the bar high I know, but, that’s just how I am…I dream big.

What’s next??? Things to do, spiff up my web page and try taking my self portrait for the first time. Goal, get this all done by Sunday. Can I do it? We will see.

Thanks for reading!