…and to draw a bright white line with light

August 8, 2011 10 Comments by Maddie

A few weeks ago, I visited a tiny but beautiful exhibit of Uta Barth’s photography at the Art Institute. Uta Barth, as I learned, is a homebody, and she’s fascinated by the panes of light that move across her house. She stays inside for long periods of time, painstakingly tracking the progress of light on film; it seems that her sense of time is just different from most other people’s. Below, you can see the kinds of subtle, lovely things that catch her eye.


Photos by Uta Barth

In shooting my first roll of film in four years, Uta Barth’s obsession with light served as my guiding inspiration. I pulled out my trusty Canon Rebel G whenever I noticed a flash of summer sun lolling around inside my house or just along its outside perimeter. Since light, it seems, reads especially well on film, I was especially grateful for Uta’s influence this week. A few shots from inside my little world:

An overgrown backyard as the sun sinks…

The salvaged piece of stained glass that hangs in our living room window…

The remaining half of a plum torte, lit by the morning sun…

The light in the hallway just as I left for work…

And a family portrait, of course (which showcases the other kind of light—love!—that brightens our household on a daily basis). I bet you’ve got all kinds of sunlight lighting up your home, too. So this week, try to notice it, record it, swim in it. It’s never going to fall in exactly the same way again.

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  • Shanna

    wow, maddie. your first in four years? these are amazing! I love the attitude of looking to capture light. it really worked for you here!

  • http://janaemonir.wordpress.com Janae

    These are some beautiful pictures, Maddie, but OMG Koko looks like the cuddliest cat EVER – so adorable!  Lucky you! 

  • http://www.alittleginger.com Maddie

    Thanks, Shanna! It’s funny: when you start looking for pretty light, you start seeing it everywhere—not a bad problem to have.

  • http://www.alittleginger.com Maddie

    Janae, she’s totally the cuddliest (although I’m clearly biased!). My favorite thing about her is that she’s really talkative: you say something to her, and she mews right back at you.  :)

  • Debjani

    Koko, finally! She´s so cute, but ..ahem… chubby…
    Love Uta Barth´s work, thanks for the inspiration! And Maddie your pics are just getting better and better.

  • http://www.alittleginger.com Maddie

    Yay, another Uta fan! You’re right about the chub factor…would you believe that she’s been on a strict diet since we adopted her? Clearly, it hasn’t helped much.

  • Ted

    She’s just so lazy! She’ll literally just sit in one spot for 8 hours without lifting a paw pad. Lifting her up like that makes for a great workout though.

  • http://www.alittleginger.com Maddie

    Truth—Koko is a great barbell! She helps tone the biceps for sure.

  • Megan Gordon

    This is so great, Maddie. What an inspiring exhibit–wow. And your photos aren’t too shabby either (yes, and hooray for love…and plum tortes!)

  • http://www.alittleginger.com Maddie

    Thanks for stopping by, Megan! The exhibit was definitely inspiring; getting a museum membership was one of the smartest things I’ve done this year. When I visit the Art Institute, my soul is totally at peace. (Incidentally, when I eat that plum torte, my soul is also at peace…)