Rachel Noel Photography

Scrapbook

2011-03-14T01:25:00.003-07:00

(Glenna, 2006)

Scrapbook

2011-01-06T17:31:00.000-08:00

(Julian, 2006)

Scrapbook

2011-01-05T01:54:00.001-08:00

(Duck Sunset, 2006)

Cornflower Blue

2010-12-11T01:03:00.000-08:00

This has always been one of my favorite photos,

yet it isn't anywhere where someone can see it, so here it rests!

Scrapbook

2010-11-18T00:44:00.000-08:00

(Marilyn & Me; Virginia Beach, 2007)

Scrapbook

2010-10-20T00:49:00.001-07:00

(Julian via my 1st Sony Cybershot point and shoot)

Dandelion

2010-10-18T00:56:00.000-07:00

Self-Portrait

2010-10-09T07:57:00.001-07:00

Problem Solving

2010-10-06T14:27:00.004-07:00

I really wanted to figure out a way to keep this blog. I like Google's blog services a lot, and I didn't want to have to delete then re-post all of the photos from this blog somewhere else. My solution: I have a lot of photos bogging down my hard drive that have never seen the light of day because I never think anyone cares about my photography as much as I do. But that changes now. Be forewarned: all of those lost souls will be arriving here, off and on, from now on.

I'm not going to force myself to post a certain amount of posts or give myself a schedule. I'm simply going to drop off a photo every time I find one I think someone else in the world should see.

My new blog format:
1. A la Tumblr, I'm going to post only one photo per entry. I just don't like the crowded feeling I get when looking at the longer entries I've posted in the past, so I will post more entries, but probably average about the same amount of photos.
2. Entries titled "Scrapbook" are a glimpse into my photographic past, and are probably taken on an old point-and-shoot or with film.
3. All of the older entries will still be here, of course!

I'm starting out with one of my favorite photos from a trip that is absolutely in my top three photo excursions of all time: October 14, 2008.

The Time Has Come

2010-09-07T22:56:00.001-07:00

... the Walrus said. Alright, enough of that. The time has come where I have to make a decision about what blogs will go, and what blogs will stay. I currently have:

A personal domain

A domain provided by ASU

A Wordpress

A Tumblr

A Twitter

This blog

There are actually countless other sites I have to maintain or at least check into constantly. I'm getting tired of going back and forth, and need to make it or break it with most of them. Tumblr and Twitter are around for the longhaul, as is my ASU domain. My personal domain will eventually get renamed, but that will also stay. So it comes down to Wordpress and Blogger...

Wordpress is prettier, yet complicated. Blogger is amazingly simple, yet I can never achieve the sleek design (at least not for free) that I can in Wordpress. What to do? I'm leaning toward getting rid of Wordpress, then trying to integrate Blogger into my personal domain.

If anyone still reads this, shoot me a message with your thoughts. In the mean time, enjoy the photo of me & my budding photographer of a honorary nephew.

The Dickson Wedding

2010-06-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

On June 12, 2010, lots of family and friends gathered at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC to celebrate Carly & Keyes's long awaited wedding. It was beautiful, and even though my photos didn't capture half of it, I think they still speak for themselves. The talented Neal Slimick was their official photographer, so check out his site for more photos! (Sidenote: the last photo was actually taken by my best friend's fiance/my roomie & honorary brother, Dan - credit given where credit is due!)

Scrapbook

2010-05-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Downtown Greensboro

Beginnings

2010-04-30T01:53:00.001-07:00

As my laptop dies, I move out of my house, and my school year comes to a close, I found myself looking at old pictures. I hope I can get that energy and joy back now that I'm a free woman for the summer. Will be posting another blog with more old photos as soon as I get a new charger.

Album Art

2010-04-23T01:46:00.001-07:00

I've been wildly busy lately inside of all the end-of-semester chaos, pulling more all-nighters than one ever should, but I did get to do a photo shoot for an upcoming album a couple of weeks ago. Stephanie Nash, a local singer-songwriter, recently got a deal with ASU's record label Split Rail Records. Check out her music and don't forget to check back, as we have more plans in the future.

Spring Break

2010-03-21T18:04:00.000-07:00

Spring break has come and gone, but with the break in the monotonous winter weather, I don't see why this entry shouldn't be titled as such, especially since all the photos come from the break allocated me by ASU. One comes from an especially sunny day, when the shadows were begging me to come play with them. The others, a trip to Ikea - a task that might seem mundane but was not because of the lovely females I went with. The last is of myself, playing with radial blur. Check out my Tumblr, WordPress, and website gallery for more. I can't wait until May when I can focus on my artistic creativity and these sites instead of constant assignments that box my mind into a corner.

Whiteout '10

2010-02-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that everyone has been getting blasted with snow. I saw on the news the other day that Mobile, Alabama had its first measurable snow since 1998. Boone is no different, as we are normally calf-deep in snow 'til at least March. But this year, we have been hit with a total of 61.9" as of Feb. 14, and it's still going outside of my window right now. We were recently attacked by a blizzard that got classes here cancelled for TWO days in a row, something I have never experienced nor heard of since my move up here. What you see below is the storm door of my best friend's house. Both the inside (left side of the photo) and the outside (right) were covered in these weird puzzle piece-like blobs of snow. We waited that one out with a lot of N64 playing...

Inspiration

2010-02-05T23:47:00.001-08:00

I've been going through a lot in my personal life and it's been draining me mentally, which always seems to flare my creativity. The sad thing is, I'm normally lacking in energy because of it all. Well, the other day I was looking through old photos, and I found one I'd taken at the beach in 2005 on my first point and shoot (a Cybershot, one fancier and sleeker than the model I have now), and I remembered why I believe in myself when it comes to taking photos. Other people might not understand my style or my subjects or a million other choices I make when it comes to my art, but I do, and that's all that matters. So here is the photo that brought back my confidence in myself. Hopefully many more entries to come...

Boone Saloon

2010-01-19T13:32:00.000-08:00

Major Magick, the amazing band to which I believe I've become the photo groupie (okay, they're also my friends), performed on Saturday, January 16 at Boone Saloon, an awesome bar here in Boone. These photos speak for themselves. I barely touched them in Photoshop because I really kind of like the way untouched photos look - I feel like I did more to capture the moment by being there and clicking that shutter button when it felt right rather than by making the moment later on some software. This is a group shot, the rest will be on my Wordpress (here!) by tomorrow.

Construction

2010-01-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

I've been working on all of my sites lately to give them more of my personal style. Of course, it's hard to do that using templates that I didn't create (or commission to create) myself, but I think I've found a couple that fit who I am and what I'm trying to accomplish with my sites. This entry is a test of sorts, one that I am using to try a new technique for presenting photos. If I like it, all future entries will follow the same format. I'll be keeping my older entries up regardless, and may even update them to the new style.

This photo was kind of an accident, hence the extreme difference of light and focus throughout the photo when otherwise, if planned, I would have taken the photo much differently. Despite the out-of-focus cousin, I still can't help but love it. All I can see is a LOST poster. Kate, is that you?

Film

2009-12-22T01:13:00.000-08:00

I didn't mean to actually be artsy with the disposable camera I bought in Charleston in October, but there's just something about film - especially printed on matte, gritty paper instead of glossy - that just gives off a vintage, timeless feel. Classic is artistic to me. Agree or disagree, here's a a digital photo (designed to look like a Polaroid) and film photo that I think invoke a different time.

I used free actions (Polaroid) and frames (film) online - I simply typed in free photoshop frames and the results were on the first page!

The first is from one of Stephon's shows in May or June at Koncepts, while the latter is from our Halloween party in October. Enjoy!

Sunflowers & Wordpress

2009-12-09T00:24:00.000-08:00

I took this photo in August or September. I can't remember when, but I remember feeling like it was past sunflower season & was glad to find all of the colorful flowers still intact. Currently in the midst of exam week...

Check out my Wordpress, as that has been updated a couple of times over the last couple of months. Will have more photos on both sites soon. Last exam: Dec. 15!!!

http://ribimpkinchin.com/rwp/

End of Semester Stress

2009-11-30T16:49:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a chance to upload photos, edit any that need it, and most definitely haven't had enough time to blog any! This is usual for the end of any semester, but I will surely be updating as soon as I've recovered from the stress of last minute papers and exams.

In the mean time, here's a photo of last winter's construction and snow. November here hasn't been wintry at all, especially when compared to last year. I always complain about the cold, but a little snow wouldn't be so bad...

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Due to awful weather, lack of preparation, and the fall-out of plans, it's not feeling too much like Halloween to me today. However, since it's perhaps my favorite holiday (making today's not-festive feel all the more upsetting), I decided to post an All Hallows Eve inspired entry. About 2-3 weeks ago, my friends, Alie and Sara, and I went pumpkin browsing at a pumpkin patch on Hwy. 105 Extension here in Boone. We got some discounted kettle corn as well, but evidence of that is long gone...

The lumpy pumpkin I purchased is still uncarved and unpainted. Maybe that's why Halloween is so lackluster. Time to break out the carving kit!

Appalachian vs. El Cid

2009-10-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

All personal comments of this game aside, my co-worker & friend Christy and I drove down to Charleston, SC last Sunday on assignment for The Appalachian to shoot our Mountaineers play the Bulldogs. The game was close, so close that overtime was required. ASU won the coin toss and smartly decided to play defense first, blocking the Citadel's attempt at extra points. Jason Vitaris kicked the Mountaineers game-winning field goal shortly after. Side note: it was so wildly hot during this game that our team required some extra assistance at cooling off (note the big misting fans).

Pieces of Summer 2009

2009-09-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Sadly, school has been back in session for two weeks (sans this Labor Day holiday) and summer is quickly coming to its close up here in the Blue Ridge. The September air already has a bite to it, reminding all of us how harsh this winter may be. In the mean time, here's a scattering of end of summer photos from July & August, spanning from my garden to Virginia, to a rowdy night of music in Blowing Rock, and finally to the Watauga County Farmer's Market.

The Return of Soul

2009-08-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Major Magick headed on the road to Southern Pines (or some other nearby city - the confusion of that day makes the actual location of the gig quite foggy now) on July 5th for a soul show of sorts. The band played a lot of old greats & the audience ate it up. Though it was sweltering and nothing seemed to be going right, the boys pulled it off as usual. And yes guys, I have a picture of all 5 of you... at one time. By the way, the nearly identical dancing couples were getting down to a nearly 7 minute version of "Let's Get It On!"

Bele Chere

2009-08-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus, I'm back and with more photos than ever. There's a stockpile just longing to be put on this blog & now that I finally have the Internet, a flow of posts will be up very soon!
Nestled in downtown Asheville, NC, a gathering occurs every year. For the past 31 years, the Bele Chere festival has taken over the historic downtown of the mountain city for a weekend. Sheila and I headed down to the celebration with her family in tow to take in the art, music, people, and atmosphere - my favorite part is always the smell of the food, even if I never choose to indulge in any. These, again, were taken on my Cybershot as it is easier than lugging around the Nikon, especially when the buildings force strangers closer to one another than is the norm.

Independence Day

2009-07-09T15:05:00.001-07:00

On the 4th of July, Megan and I took off amongst all the traffic between Boone and Blowing Rock (due to the celebrations at Tweetsie Railroad) and arrived at the Blowing Rock Country Club for a picnic and fireworks. The fireworks were huge - we were right underneath them and I actually had to turn my camera sideways to get the fireworks completely in the shot. Fireworks are custom to July 4th celebrations, as any American knows, and they never cease to make me feel like a child again. Hope everyone was safe in their own celebrations!

A Vilas Sunset

2009-06-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

As my roommate Megan and I were working on our new farmhouse in Vilas with a few friends, I rushed upstairs to scrub another layer of paint off of my hands before returning back to trimming the edges of the stairway in green. I immediately grabbed my camera, turned back around, and yelled quick instructions for everyone to drop their paint brushes and get outside. My room, as I'd found it, was being lit with the most amazing orange-purple light and I knew, without looking, that there would be an amazing sky awaiting us. We stared at the colors of the sky and the setting sun until they all faded to a deep blue and we got back to brightening our living room from a once dirty cream into our own blue, a bright, beachy hue to serve as our getaway from work and school.

Appalachian State

2009-06-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

My roommate Sheila and I took her dog, Forest, for a walk on campus a couple of weeks ago when she came up to visit. We started out in Durham Park before walking all the way through campus to King Street to grab some dinner at Our Daily Bread. Everything was in full bloom, proving to me once again how lucky I am to go to school at the most beautiful university in North Carolina. Walking to class amidst the mountains never gets old. Well, except for maybe in the sometimes subzero temperatures of winter. I actually took these on my little Sony Cybershot, which never fails to give me great pictures for a point and shoot.

Tea Party

2009-06-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

As I walked home from class on April 15, I found that there were carloads upon carloads of people flooding the Hardees parking lot. I grabbed my camera and wandered over to find a modern-day Boston Tea Party-esque protest taking place. These tea parties took place all across the country to speak out against what some deem unfair taxes and the new government and it's policies, specifically the stimulus package. Though I couldn't stay long due to inclement weather, I did stand and listen on the porch for a while before finding myself in too much discrepancy to linger and hear more.

On Fire

2009-05-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

These are from a little over two weeks ago, the same night Adrienne and I shot portraits on the train tracks. I wish I could remember this guy's name - I'll try my best to track it down - but he just started to spin fire for what seemed to be no apparent reason other than to entertain everyone while simultaneously giving me a chance to catch some cool photos. Fire spitting is up next! Anyone?
I vow to have more photos up on my site gallery soon of this and many other events, but I have to spend the next week or so moving, so bear with me while I get everything situated.

Major Magick

2009-05-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks, Major Magick has performed at Koncepts Hookah Lounge. It's a small venue, but it's always packed and the atmosphere is truly one of a kind, even for Boone. The lounge's lighting is very odd for shooting photos, so the set here is only from this past week's performance as I finally grasped some concept of what needed to be done in order to get any photos at all. Stephon LaMar, the lead singer of MM, opened with a solo set and his music can be heard here, while John Harris did all of the lighting - a name that should be familiar if you read this earlier blog entry of mine.

On The Tracks

2009-05-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

My friend Adrienne and I went and shot some photos on the train tracks beside a mutual friend's house during a cookout. I took these on her Canon, but any editing of the color, etc. of the photos was done by Adrienne before I got a hold of them. I arranged them after I got them, of course, but half of the credit should go to her! She took some photos of me as well that are fabulous and I'll link to them as soon as I get that information from her. Enjoy - it's rare someone actually sits down and lets me do portraits.

March on the Parkway

2009-05-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

These are a little more than a month old, but I have been wildly busy with school, so they are just now getting the loving they deserve. My friends, Jessica and Alie, and I went to an area on the BRP across the street from an overlook and found all sorts of different adventures to go on, i.e. the perfect opportunity for the camera to come out. I love too many of these photos to put them up on here, so hopefully I will have them up on my site gallery soon. The glove photo looks sort of Oz-ish to me. Speaking of, I will post photos of my trip to The Land of Oz last October soon, as my last exam ended merely an hour ago. Ahh, summer, I love you and the free time you bring me.

Blinded by the Light

2009-04-26T22:42:00.000-07:00

I took these photos for one of my assignments with the newspaper. I edited this batch much differently than I did for deadline and I definitely like them more. John W. Harris is a student here at ASU who started his own lighting company, High Country Light Design. The company serves bands in the Boone community, providing unique lighting designs for their shows. For more, click here and read the article in The Appalachian. There should be more of these to come as John graciously asked me to shoot some events in the upcoming months. I'm looking forward to it.

Home, Sweet Home

2009-04-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

I find it a rarity when I want or even have time to go home. These past two weekends, I found the task of driving down the mountain seeming less like an effort and more like a vacation. Going home to a green city of sunny weather, good friends, and the warmth of family felt good. Now I'm counting down the days, hours and minutes until I am free from the load of work school has put on my back this semester. Until then, these photos will serve as a reminder of what's waiting for me after the week of no sleep and too much work that lies ahead. By the way, Julian is one of my favorite subjects and people, even if he's not-quite-four...