This week’s Tuesday Blogversation is with Ren. She’s a photoblogger who uses her pictures to tell the stories of herself not unlike how blog writers use, well… words. She has a rather large Flickr photo-set. She also uses Tumblr as a selective posting tool. Â She’s not all pictures though. Her “The Waiting Line” blog uses both mediums to convey her thoughts and activites.
Ren ( Flickr | Tumblr | Blog | Twitter ) is a Database Administrator by day but enjoys the rows of a knitting project after hours. Obviously into photography, she also enjoys travelling and being an “amateur naturalist”.  She’s a dog lover and is always careful to clean up after him  (proof)
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What got you interested in photography?
My first foray was right after high school, before the age of digital cameras, in the late 80s. I had a thing for taking grainy black & white pics in cemeteries. It kind of makes me giggle to see those photos now, sort of like reading bad poetry one wrote as a teenager. I do still do some cemetery photography but mostly it’s as a volunteer photographer for Find A Grave.
Fast forward to 2006. There was a lot of upheaval in my personal life. I started taking drives to clear my mind and take a mental break. I began taking my digital camera with me and photographing whatever caught my eye. It was a nice respite to focus on something outside of my own crazy life. While it initially served as an escape, I came to appreciate photography as something that compelled me to notice details. To quote Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I stop a lot now.
What kind of camera do you use?
Currently, I have a Nikon D40x and a Nikon Coolpix S550.
What subjects appeal to you the most?
Two things – Nature (wildflowers, birds, bugs,etc) and signage. When I first started driving around taking pics, a lot of it was unique signs for local businesses. Many of those places have closed since then. I’m glad I have those images.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
The impermanence of life is an inspiration to capture and chronicle moments. There are subjects I find aesthetically pleasing but more important for me is creating a record I can look back on and having fun along the way. I enjoy going into my archives and seeing what I was doing a year ago, 2 years, 3 years, and more.
How do you use descriptions on your Tumblr posts to complement the images that you are posting?
99% of the time, I don’t give much detail on Tumblr. I tend to select images from my Flickr photostream which tell their own story. I have posted over 10,000 pics to Flickr. On Tumblr, I’m more selective. I use it to highlight events I’ve been to or images that are personal favorites.
Same question for social sites (Twitter/Facebook)
I definitely give more background on Flickr, either in the description and/or tags. I find the use of tags invaluable on Flickr. Lately, I’ve gotten into creating collages and tags are extremely helpful for grouping pics together.
What are you trying to get across to your readers/viewers?
If I hope for anything it would be that my photos might inspire others to notice the details around them and capture what is unique in their corner of the world. I hope people recognize that photography is not something reserved for pros. I’m definitely not one!
One set of photos I have – vanity plates – just started as a lark because I noticed one that made me laugh. Then I started taking pics of them all the time, often with my phone. I now have over 1300 pics in that set and people often tell me that they always notice vanity plates now. Several Flickr friends have started their own sets of plate pics.
What’s your most popular image?
Per my Flickr stats…
Most viewed – Michelle Obama and me – I heard her speak in late 2007 in Iowa and got to meet her. Over 13K views since a site about Mrs. Obama’s fashion linked to it because of her belt.
Most interesting – Just the facts – A funny marquee at a pizza pub in Iowa. That place is torn down now.
Most favorites – Avast, me hearties – Cookies I made for Talk Like a Pirate Day. It made Flickr’s Explore page that day.
Most comments – Last day of winter – a closeup of my dog with snowy whiskers.On Tumblr, it’s this photo of downtown Minneapolis’s skyline at twilight.
Any tips for aspiring photographers or photobloggers?
You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Some of my best photos were taken on a 4 megapixel Olympus point and shoot. Play with camera settings. Experiment. Read the manual. Go on photowalks and don’t be intimidated by others’ equipment or experience. Photograph and post what amuses or inspires you. If your motivation is accolades from others, you’ll often be disappointed. Popularity is fleeting.
Have you always lived in the area? (if not, what brought you here. if so, what keeps you here)
I grew up in Nebraska and moved to Minneapolis 2 years ago. I came to the twin cities because of a boy (such a common tale). LOL We’re just friends these days but I’m forever grateful that he introduced me to Minneapolis. He also used to live in Nebraska and suggested I visit MN. He said, “I think you’d like it here.” He was right. It’s felt like home since my first visit. I return to Nebraska at least a few times a year for work and family. I host Flickr photowalks nearly every visit back. I’ve made some great friends via Flickr. I love visiting other places but for now, MN is home.
What photoblogs do you suggest?
I’ll list a few of my favorites on Flickr:
Jek in the box – This California girl’s photos can be summed up in one word: Whimsical
sankax – A Minnesotan who does a lot of macro nature shots
Utidayael – From nature to cityscapes, this Nebraskan consistently posts beautiful images.
What wordblogs do you read the most?
SingleSpeed – A humorous Minneapolis blogger who spends a lot of time doing home diy projects and riding his bike.
Mind on Fire – A couple of California bloggers who talk politics, music, philosophy, sci-fi
Unclutterer – A blog about getting and staying organized and letting go of the stuff you don’t need.
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Tuesday Blogversation is a weekly series on iamdez.com featuring bloggers of all kinds from the Twin Cities (Minneapolis / Saint Paul) area. If you’d like to be considered for an interview please send mail to dez [at] iamdez [dot] com or get ahold of me on twitter.
