Tuesday, August 27, 2013

More PowWow Photos.

I thought I would share a few of the "normal" PowWow photos I took this past Friday. I prefer the impressionistic looking ones but these show what was going on there in realistic way.

Seated Dancer
Above: Waiting for Grand Entry in regalia.

Young Drum Circle
Above: Young boys in drum circle.

Grand Entry Dancers 4
Above: The "military look" regalia is a style natives made after stripping military officers that they fought against.

Fancy Headdress
Above: I love the headdresses and the colours of the regalia.

Ready for Grand Entry
Above: Lined up for Grand Entry. They enter with elders (usually military veterans) holding the US flag, The Canadian flag (for First Nation participants...we are only 2 hours from Canada after all.), The POW flag (for those who have fallen in battles/wars), and the eagle Staff (representing the assembled tribes of the US).

Gathering Around The Flags
Above: At the end of the Grand Entry all the dancers slowly dance in circle around the flags held by the elders in the center of the dance area. All while native drumming and singing takes place to accompany the dancers.

Grand Entry Dancers 6
Above: Dancers during Grand Entry.

Grand Entry Amassing
Above: I love the guy's carved American Bald Eagle staff in the center of this photo.

Prairie Chicken Dancers
Above: Prairie Chicken dancers!

Prairie Chicken Dancer 2
Above: Prairie Chicken Dancer really getting into the dance.

It was very low light since this happened just as the sun was setting. We got there too late for the afternoon dance competitions, right at dinner break. The cool thing we got to see the Grand Entry and a few dance competitions as well as "All People Dance" songs. There was a huge turnout of dancers and people watching the PowWow up on the hill that surrounds the "bowl" (dance area).

You can see more photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shadownlitephoto/sets/72157635246157859/

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Impressions of a PowWow.

I always try to attend the Spokane Falls Northwest Market, Encampment, and PowWow which happens at the end of August each year in downtown Spokane, Washington. It is held for 4 days in Riverfront Park which was traditional fishing grounds centuries ago for the Spokane Tribe. I have many traditional PowWow photos from years past. So many that I felt like trying to do something different this year, something that was aided by the low light conditions of the evening dancing competitions. So, after taking some more traditional photos and candid type shots.

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I decided to let the low light, fast moving dancers, situation create a "painterly" effect and go impressionistic in style when it came to my photos. I was pleasantly surprised by the results and they really appeal to the artist
within.

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You can see more here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shadownlitephoto/sets/72157635238106708/

I shall be posting more traditional photos at Flickr in the next few days.

Also posted: http://caughtwithinframe.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Caught Within Frame and Creativity.

The Caught Within Frame blog project continues to grow and grow. I am happy with this and hope it continues to move into new areas of content. It will start to do this when I introduce the "Artist Spotlight" this coming weekend with the first guest post that will feature the art of a friend of mine who paints. I am hoping it will be the first "Artist Spotlight" of many.

http://caughtwithinframe.wordpress.com/

I am the next poster after the guest artist so am trying to think of what to take photos of for my post. I have a little time to think about it and hope that something will come to mind soon.

Personally, my photography and art have been at a stand-still due to too hot weather, visiting family friends, and just trying to get some life things done. I am hoping to dive back into being creative starting this coming Saturday. I am going to attempt to make a Spokane Sketchers meet-up in Manito Park. I need to have that kind of structured yet loose setting to start focusing on my art again.

I also have been thinking of painting again and am merely awaiting cooler weather to do so. It is just too hot in the house since it does not have air-conditioning to really dive into painting in a room. I would have to have the door almost closed to the room I paint in to keep the cats out. That would up the "too hot" factor right now. So, I will start mapping out a painting and then get painting in Sept. sometime most likely.

Yes, summer has been a mixture of being busy and not. I am not complaining at all and hope that the Fall will be full of activities as well.

Saturday, August 03, 2013

Caught Within Frame

The blog I have started is really starting to take off. There are three posts now and I have three more pending plus the repeat of the first three photographers posting new photos.

http://caughtwithinframe.wordpress.com/

I have a new "Artist Spotlight" starting up in two weeks time where I will feature a more traditional artist. The first will be a painter and I have another pending. It is quite exciting!

I am so glad that the blog is really taking off and it is helping get involved in an online art community with people (artists/photographers) all over the world. I like that aspect to it and hope the blog continues to attract interested people from all over the world.

This is one of the photos I have contributed to it.


I am trying to decide what I will take photos of for my next time posting at Caught Within Frame. I have a while two weeks to decide.