runyon canyon bench series (post 8)

I had to refer back to the tiny purple notebook I carried along on my hikes to figure out when this roll of film was started: August 10th, 2010.. 5 months ago! In December, I finally mailed my exposed roll of film back to the photo lab I used to live down the street from. It was such a treat to see these photographs after many months and a life-changing move across country. Instead of taking photographs of the bench during those final weeks I lived and hiked in Los Angeles, I decided to discreetly leave behind envelopes containing a variety of triptychs (3 prints) from my Runyon Canyon Bench Series. I thought of it as the final phase of my project – giving back to my fellow hikers and lovers of this trail. So, each time I hiked, I lingered until the area cleared, if only for a second, so I could anonymously stick an envelope into a crevice for a lucky one to find. As simple as the act was… it made my heart so happy and full each and every time.

The note on the envelope says: “To whoever finds this: I hope you enjoy these photographs as much as I enjoy taking them.”

Runyon Canyon Hollywood California

I had my husband take the photo on the right on our last hike sometime near the very end of September. It is the only photograph in the series of myself on the bench and I am so thankful I have one!

Runyon Canyon Hollywood California

A favorite set of photographs from the series:

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana film camera, August-September 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4 | Post 5 | Post 6 | Post 7

runyon canyon bench series (post 7)

There is no need to look for the bench in this next set of photographs. (Because I'm either sitting on it or walking away from it.) Each time I reach the peak of my hikes lately, I no longer feel the need to take a picture of the bench. Instead, I feel a strong pull to take a seat, breathe in the vast experience of these last few years living in Los Angeles... and exhale.

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana film camera, july 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4 | Post 5 | Post 6

runyon canyon bench series (post 6)

There is another reason this project exists. I am hopelessly sentimental, so when I know I will miss something, I photograph it. It’s how I deal with change.. and change is not my favorite. It’s why I chose to start photographing this bench several months ago. I knew that change was upon us and here it is, peaking at me now from just around the corner. My husband and I have decided to move away from Los Angeles to West Michigan at the end of next month. We know it’s the right move to make, but it is just never a good time to say goodbye to the people and places you have grown to love. So, here is the next installment of my bench series and one of my last. I decided to see the bench in color again.  I love the soft focus, dreamy quality of photographs made with my plastic Diana film camera. They feel like memories from another time.

June 22, 2010 / June 24, 2010

June 29, 2010 

More to come...

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana film camera, june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4 | Post 5

runyon canyon bench series (post 5)

Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:36 am... (on left)he spoke passionately about the positive energy he feels at runyon canyon to a stranger new friend... i listened with a smile.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 9:46 am... (on right) big dogs chasing little dogs... too cute.

Friday, June 18, 2010 9:35 am... friends: swinging their legs, laughing loudly... nothing better.

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4

runyon canyon bench series (post 4)

One of the downfalls of shooting film over digital is the wait. And at the same time, that is one thing that I love about it. The time between taking this first photograph, shooting the rest of the roll, and finally seeing the results was about a month. Had there been no wait, I wouldn’t have looked at this first image 3 times (like a fool) trying to remember what it was I had photographed. But, more importantly, I wouldn’t have experienced the moment of surprise when I finally saw him. Do you see him hiding there? These things make me happy. Monday, May 24, 2010 10:12 am | 10:14 am

I'm pretty sure June is my favorite month in LA. Almost every morning is cool with a heavy blanket of clouds. They call it June Gloom, but to me, it's hardly gloomy. I love letting the breeze gently wake me in the morning and the quiet hikes at Runyon. I am in love with these photographs... so tranquil and dreamy. I can almost feel the cool air kissing my skin. These will forever remind me of what it feels like to stand atop Runyon Canyon in June.

Monday, June 7, 2010 9:50 am | 9:53 am

I have many more to share and will continue posting next week. It is also worth noting that my film scans have improved immensley since I switched labs. Thanks to Richard Photo Lab - my bench series just got better!

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, may/june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3

runyon canyon bench series (post 3)

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."- Pablo Picasso

From childhood through art school, I was constantly creating, without effort it seemed; but, as I grow older I am finding it harder and harder to say “yes” to myself and my personal project ideas. Last fall, in an attempt to remedy this problem, I picked up The Artist’s Way. I poured my heart and soul into the process and it changed my life. Among many lessons I learned, the most valuable to me was how to self nurture. That realization alone has improved all areas of my life in a beautiful way. I am now mid-way through Julia Cameron’s next book in the series, “Walking in this World,” and I am finally on my way to hearing myself say “yes” again, no matter how silly the ideas appear to be.

On the surface, this project is simply a visual documentation of this bench at Runyon Canyon, which is often crowded, sometimes lonely, but rarely over looked by its passerby’s. It is art for art’s sake. But, for me personally, there is another reason entirely... It’s about saying yes to the first spark of an idea, whether or not I have a clear vision for the final product, or even its purpose, and to just begin. It’s about accepting mistakes, mishaps, and mediocrity along the way and to just keep shooting as long as it excites me. Most of all, it is simply about having fun with the process of repeatedly photographing a bench with a plastic toy camera, complete with film grain, unexpected compositions, and light leaks. It is imperfect and I’m happy to be sharing my imperfect process with you.

…

Here are the last few photographs from my first roll of film of the series. I loved that for a few days there was a tiny American flag stuck in a crevice of the bench. I loved that May 17th was so foggy; it was like standing inside a cloud. I loved that on May 19th, all I could think of as I hiked was hopefully seeing these horses again, and when I reached the top, I was instead so happily greeted by the biggest dog I have ever seen – a gentle giant, for sure. And I loved that a few moments later the bench became lonely again, just as it was when I first photographed it last year.

Top Row: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 (my birthday hike!) | Monday, May 17, 2010 Bottom Row: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 | a few moments later...

I am in the middle of shooting my next roll of film, so stay tuned for more… [photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, may 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2