I love - absolutely love - photo contests. It may be the challenge of a creative assignment, the endless possibilities on the table (how to pick just one?), or maybe it's the potential of winning - or a combination of all three - that inspires me to create an image that never would have existed otherwise. Last week, Nichole Van, an extraordinarily talented photographer and the source of much of my inspiration, announced a photo contest to celebrate the launch of her new website, Flourish:
"When I designed Flourish, I really looked to art nouveau for my inspiration. I wanted something that was organic and flowing, like William Morris wallpaper or Pre-Raphaelite art. So I developed and used design elements from that period in order to create the site.
So, I would like this contest to be about Flourish, more about the feeling of the site rather than the actual elements of it. For this contest, I'm envisioning organic, emotional images. These images can be vintage or not, can have textures or not, can have people in them or not ... you get the idea. It's more about capturing the emotion of it here, rather than any one particular style. Interpret it how you will!"
With my entry, I focused on the organic elements of Art Nouveau rather than the element of abstract, curvilinear lines. (Click here for a quick tutorial of Art Nouveau.) My subject, Miss Nibblesworth, is our second rescue rabbit, found on last year's tax day after someone released her into our neighborhood. (Presumably when she ceased to be an Easter novelty and the realities of pet ownership began to set in.) My entry is entitled She Seemed To Come Suddenly Upon Happiness. A fitting title for the image, but even more fitting for how we met her.
