Not An Entire Weekend, But Still. . .

My mother has people from her church coming out this afternoon to play Bingo with her.  I think it is Bingo.  I won't be here.  They are bringing food, too, so I may have a pass for getting my own dinner tonight.  The day will be bright and sunny, and I'm looking forward to getting out into it. 

To. . . I haven't figured that out yet.  I need to be satisfied just to "be," I guess.  Just to get out into it and simply "be."  What else is there, really?  I don't have enough time to start a project.  Oh, but wait. . . I do have an idea for a picture I'd like to make with the large format cameras.  I saw one yesterday by Paolo Roversi.  I saved it to my computer at home and can't find a copy of it now, but this is sort of an example.

Not quite it but something like it.  Shallow depth of field, the eyes in focus, but a longer exposure so there is a hint of movement blur.  This and the other were done on 8x10 Polaroid 55 film and cross-processed with 8x10 color chemicals so it has that creamy tone.  None of that is made any longer.  First, though, I want to see if I can make the photo, then I'll think about how to get some texture, perhaps shooting on glass plates or X-Ray film.  

But I need a face.  Now who in the world. . . oh, yea.  Cafe con Leche has a beautiful face.  I wonder if. . . . 

That's my idea today.  I'd have to set everything up and get someone to come over to experiment without much expectation of success.  How to manage that is the question.  But if I get one image that is good, others will follow.  Of that I am sure.  

There is much to think about.  See the black outline around the face, that dark line?  Edward Weston was able to do that often.  I used to know how he did it, but I've forgotten.  Surely it is the same thing Roversi has done here.  Both were using 8x10 cameras, direct light and long exposures.  

Hold on a moment--I'm going to see if I can get an AI answer.  

Well, it was just as I remembered it--harsh frontal lighting and long exposure. The problem in making that dark line, however, will be the skin color.  Light skin will work better.  No matter.  I just want to make something ghostly and ethereal.  

But that does not help me today.  I'll try to withhold expectations and simply "be."  Perhaps there will be a beer and a sandwich in my future.  Or maybe something magical will happen.  

I'd like for something to happen.  I'd like to be able to tell a story.  I'm not good at pure fiction.  I can manipulate a thing once I have it, but I need to capture it first.  

I guess I'll just hang around and see.  

Let's start the day with something gentle and pretty, a nice weekend song to put us in a lovely mood.  Weekends are so terribly brief, and I only have today, so . . . .