Quito Mission Trip

If you're visiting this blog to see updates on my trip to Ecuador please go to http://jujyfruits2quito.wordpress.com/ for daily updates December 30- January 7. Thank you!

Thanksgiving at the My House

This Thanksgiving, I went to my family's home in Ardmore, Oklahoma. My family moved into the house in these pictures this summer. It is a smaller temporary home as they prepare to move back closer to my extended family in Iowa. After we moved away from my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Iowa when I was 13, Thanksgiving has been a smaller occasion where we've tried to establish our own traditions.

Maria Greufe lights a candle on the family's table in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Thursday Nov. 28, 2013. The thank you card shown is set out for the family members to write down their Thanksgiving blessings. 

Holly prepares potatoes for the family's Thanksgiving meal. 

Katie Greufe sets the table for the Thanksgiving meal. 

Holly Greufe smiles as she sets the prepared food out.

Holly, Josh and Katie Greufe line up to fill their plates for the Thanksgiving meal. 

The Greufe family prays before eating their meal.

Turkey, cranberry sauce, corn pudding, pumpkin bread, stuffing and rolls are served for the Thanksgiving meal.

Candy, the Greufe family's West Highland Terrier, tries to steal some food from Katie Greufe's plate. 

Maria Greufe writes down a few things she is thankful for on the family's thank you card. 

Maria and Holly Greufe play a game of charades on the family's back porch. 

Baby it's Cold Outside~Weather Photo Week 14

This week we were challenged once again to take a photo which captures the weather conditions. While I had a hard time finding people outside during the sleet and rain (cold weather makes Texans hibernate), campus was still full of people. Unlike rain, hard weather is a less obvious climate to translate. Aside from people wearing warmer clothing and cloudy skies, the environment tends to look the same. For this picture I decided to find a place where the trees were changing colors to emphasize the fall season. As for my subject, I tried to capture her while she was rubbing her hands for warmth.  It wasn't quite cold enough to see your breath, so I figured the hands were the most visible way to display the chill environment.  

Sophie Smith, a senior Theatre major, waits for her ride outside of the Tom Brown Pete Wright Apartment Complex on Monday Nov. 25, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Disaster in Your Backyard: Photo J Analysis Week 13

This week, instead of taking a photo we were told to explore publications for a photo depicting the effects of the recent typhoon in the Philippines. The photo I chose is from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's website. It is not only appealing compositionally, but tells an interesting story. Children are playing outside, but instead of being surrounded by green grass, soft sand, or any sort of natural structure, there are piles of rubble. Their parents watch from a make shift shelter instead of a back porch. The bright colors of the clothing and blue sky are juxtaposed with the drab and harsh tones of the tin shacks, wood and tarp. The destruction has become part of the Filipino's new existence, yet they have found a way to settle amidst the chaos. The picture captures the capacity for humanity to continue on even after great devastation.

Children walk amongst the rubble in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines on Nov. 13, 2013. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)  

Flashy: Photo J week 12

This week we finally got to use the flash-but not in the typical dark situation. I used "fill flash" to combat the shadows cast by the sun on a bright sunny day. When I turned on the flash, the shutter speed automatically dropped and so I had to turn up the aperture in order to stop the photo from washing out. Luckily I had a fair skinned model, so it was easy to light.  

Amber Flores sits outside Erma Lowe Hall on Monday Nov. 12, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

High Heels and Skyscrapers~Photo J week 11

For the photo of my choice this week I wanted to capture beautiful lights of downtown Fort Worth during the Sundance Square grand opening. The plaza had a fountain of shooting water spouts in the center. My friends and I spotted the water shooting up and by the time we got close enough to take a picture, the water was back to ground level. After waiting around for the water to shoot up again, I had the idea to shoot my friend's shoes and long dress next to the water while also capturing the lights and taller buildings. I tried squatting but eventually laid down flat to take the shot. With a high ISO and low shutter speed, the lighting was easy to capture. It was tough though to shoot a picture while laying on the freezing ground-a small sacrifice. 

Kelly Pahl flicks her foot back in the newly opened Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday Nov. 1, 2013. 

iphone action: photo J week 10

Although instagram has attempted to make iphone photography an art, the thought of taking a nice picture with an iphone seemed doubtful at first. Without the ability to adjust shutter speed, ISO, and focus, timing and lighting became key players. I discovered for action shots, that the easiest way to freeze motion was to press the photo button before the action occurred and wait to release it until the last possible moment. In this case, my friend's younger brother happens to be a little stuntster which made attempting a few shots very easy. The mid-day sun created a nice shadow below the subject. 

Victor Ordonez jumps from a swing at a park in North Richland Hills on Sunday October 28, 2013.

Horsing Around~Photo J week VIIII

One of the main challenges with shooting action shots is keeping up with the action. In the case of photographing horses, making sure you know where the action is at all times is a matter of safety. I followed my younger sister out to her horse lesson to take a few photos. One of the main challenge was adjusting the ISO and position myself to avoid the shadows caused by the late day sun. Because I didn't have a zoom lens, I had to stand rather close to the horses while still maintaining enough distance so I wouldn't be mauled over. The autofocus would not activate because of the lighting, and so I had to manually focus each shot while setting the shutter speed to the highest setting. Towards the end of the lesson, the sun was in a better position to create highlights on the beautiful animals. 

Maria Greufe jumps with her horse Molly at a ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Tuesday October 22, 2013.

Brianna Gresham rides with her horse Woody at a ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Tuesday October 22, 2013. 

Weather or not it will Rain: Photo J Week VIII

The tricky part about taking a weather photo in Texas is that it's impossible to know what to expect. While I spent the majority of Saturday waiting by White Rock Lake with my camera expecting to get some good shots of the wind or rain and sailboats, instead the stale humid air left most sailors out of the water. I brought my camera everywhere with me, just to be sure I didn't miss a drop of rain, gust of wind, or anything else the gods of the Texas skies decided to produce (hail I don't know). While at a Soul Steppers competition, we waited outside to study when it began to sprinkle. It was a little challenging taking pictures with the loom of a downpour minutes away and my expensive camera vulnerable to the elements. For the light amount of rain, it worked great. As far as having my subjects react to the rain, that was pretty simple. They began pulling out umbrellas and jackets and when I pulled out my camera the rest was just them having fun. The lighting was perfect because of the overcast, although I did have to adjust my ISO a bit to let in the right amount of light. 

Members of TCU's Soul Steppers stand under their umbrellas outside of These Are They Christian Church in Desoto, Texas on Sunday Oct. 13,2013. 

Members of TCU's Soul Steppers reach up to feel the rain drops on Sunday October 13, 2013 in Desoto, Texas.

A few of my favorite things~photo J week VII

This weekend I had a chance to take my camera with me through Fort Worth on a Saturday. I went to a tap class at Arts Fifth Avenue. Outside the studio, the building was covered in several murals. I asked a girl from my class to pose in front of one before she left. The hues in her hat and shirt matched the colors in the mural very nicely. With a shady white balance and low ISO, the faded colors of the mural did not over power the subject. Altogether, the photo made a nice environmental portrait. 

Katie Lawrence poses with her tap shoes outside of Arts Fifth Avenue on Saturday October 5, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas.  Lawrence takes tap classes at the studio during on weekends.

I went down the street to Magnolia where I picked up some coffee at Brewed. I struggled with finding models for another picture of Fort Worth's historical district. The cooler weather created a great overcast for my photos, but kept many Texans inside. Luckily I spotted two women sitting outside of the the coffee shop. The composition exhibits the rule of thirds. 

Two women chat outside of Brewed coffee shop Saturday October 5, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Finding a subject for my next photo was not hard. I captured the little boy I babysit on one of the few times he stood still. He was very curious about the camera, but unlike most adults he did not hide from it and so it was very easy to make a good picture. The overcast light made his eyes appear very dark and highlighted his round cheeks. The out of focus background creates a shallow depth of field. 

Asher Cooper plays outside his house on Saturday October 5, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Overall, it was difficult deciding on just one thing I wanted to photograph. It was fun to look at my day through the lens of my camera.

Photo-J Week 5-Depth of Field

When I first picked up a camera my initial struggle was to make sure all my pictures were in focus. The challenge my class was presented with this week was only having part of our photos in focus. By adjusting the aperture, we were able to blur the background and foreground of the image while keeping one of the subjects in focus. This created a shallow depth of field. The trouble with setting up this shot was that objects don't always appear in a row in everyday life. I set out to take the picture along with my roommate on her morning walk. I figured it would be easy to create a foreground and background with other bikers and walkers along the Trinity trail. Unfortunately, I had neglected to adjust my white balance and had left it on Tungsten lighting. This made the majority of my pictures very washed out, even with a very low ISO. In addition to that, it was hard to find the right aperture setting to drop off the vast amount of background scenery. Luckily, I was able to get some help from a friend on adjusting my settings to expose the correct amount of light. It was then easier to focus in on Lara's face for the photo below.  

Lara Branaman, a senior communication studies major peeks up from behind the front desk at Sherley residence hall on the campus of Texas Christian University. Branaman is a residential assistant in Sherley and greets students as they return to their dorms. 

Natural Habitat: Photo J Week III

Capturing people in their "natural habitat" or in a place where they regularly perform an activity seems like an easy task. What often complicates the matter is introducing a camera to someone else's sacred space. Getting the subject to ignore its presence is the real challenge. My friend Michelle is a fellow photographer, and even after I explained to her what I needed, she still had trouble relaxing when the lens cap came off. I tried having her move around on the stage, and once I found the perfectly lit spot, I took a lot of photos. With the ISO on the highest setting and a very slow shudder speed, I managed to capture Michelle in a light which highlighted her complexion. The stage light was soft and white which helped to combat any tungsten light. 

Michelle Hoey poses with her microphone at Mckinney Memorial Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday September 22, 2013.  Hoey sings in the church's worship band on Sunday mornings. 

Michelle Hoey looks up as she poses on stage inside the Mckinney Memorial Bible Church's student ministry building in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday September 22, 2013. 

Compose Yourself: Photography week IV

This week we were given very simple criteria for our photo assignment. While using the rule of thirds, we were to compose a picture with a simple foreground and background. It was more difficult than I had thought to find a space which had a simple backdrop, but still provided an interesting scene to capture. My model a friend who has dark skin, which made finding the proper lighting a challenge. After adjusting my ISO between 800 and 1600, I came out with several usable images.

Christie Holland, a senior religion major, sits at Union Grounds on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2013. (TCU/Sarah Greufe)

Although I don't have photoshop, I was able to do some postproduction work using iphoto to adjust the exposure, color saturation, and lighting temperature. It was difficult to make some of the images sharp. I hadn't given her any specific instructions so she would appear more at ease in front of the lens. This came at the expense of the subtle movements which reduced the sharpness of the images. In the end, I think she made a good subject to photograph and the pictures proved to be easily edited to improve the lighting. 

The Dark Night: Photography Week III

A couple stands on the sidewalk near the AMC Palace 9 movie theater in Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday Sept. 7, 2013.



In class we've learned that ironically the time when the photographer has the most control over light-is when it's dark. We were shown stunning images taken in remote locations using a flashlight and prolonged exposure. While I didn't have the time or skill to wait over 6 hours for the stars to move, I was excited to get started on my own image.

I once again explored the downtown area which has a lot of artificial light. After many attempts at trying to shot moving objects such as the horse drawn carriages, I began to explore other areas. The way the light from the bridge cast shadows on the wall with the movie posters, I thought gave the picture a more romantic feel. I did not focus in on the couple walking, but instead tried to capture the whole scene. Again finding the right shutter speed and ISO which wouldn't completely whiten or blur the picture was a challenge. I was also at a loss in positioning my subjects because I was on the other side of the street.

Overall, it was fun to explore the streets at night with a camera in attempt to control the light. One day I would like to attempt some of the photos we saw in class.

In a Different Light: Photography Challenge II

I found out the hard way during this week's photography assignment that lighting can both make and break your photograph. Shooting pictures in natural, artificial and diffuse lighting each came with their own challenges. I felt like I had plenty of opportunities to make a great picture at the Dallas Arboretum on Friday. Their was plenty of sunshine and scenery, but what I struggled with was staying out of the shadows. My model also had her own ideas on how to pose.

Kristy Ordonez, a senior communications major at the University of Oklahoma, poses at the Dallas Arboretum in Dallas, Texas on Friday,[ Aug. 30, 2013. 

The next day I had her pose next to a window in my apartment. I found it difficult to make the shadows and highlights fall on the right parts of the face. After experimenting with the blinds, the final product leaves some shadows on her left cheek, but highlights her eyes and steady gaze.

Kristy Ordonez looks out the window onto the streets of Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. 

The next night I explored the downtown area of Fort Worth where I thought I would be able to find plenty of opportunities for artificial light photos. This challenge proved to be the most difficult without using flash or automatic focus. After adjusting my ISO and shutter speed I was able to take some visible shots, the struggle was putting them in focus. I tried several times to capture the lit carriages on the streets, but in the end got a spontaneous photo of a couple watching a live band. 

A couple watches a live band play in downtown Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. 

On the Other Side of the Lens: Self Portrait

     On first approach, photography seems like an easy art form. Anyone can aim and shoot, but when breaking down the technicalities of light, positioning, and angles, I found there were some challenges. The first challenge was mounting a camera without a tripod. I had decided the perfect location for my self portrait would be on a bridge overlooking the Trinity river conveniently located behind my apartment complex. The lighting was wonderful early in the morning and the landscape and manmade structures gave me plenty to play with. There were also metal polls which I thought would provide a good resting place for my Cannon. What I hadn't noted before were the subtle points on the tops. Although it wasn't the most professional approach, I used my camera bag to create a flat surface and crossed my fingers nothing would happen to my expensive equipment. This method worked well, aside from a few crooked shots.
      The next challenge was posing. Aside from hours spent watching that addictive Tyra Banks show, I have very little knowledge of how to position my body for the camera. After some not so flattering shots, I started to pick up on where to place my arms and how to show off my tap shoes best. I feel like the hardest part of a self portrait is the harsh amount of scrutiny we place on ourselves. It was not always easy to be objective. It had been relatively easy deciding what aspect of my life I wanted to capture. I have been dancing since I was very little and have always enjoyed tapping the best. The bridge provided a good atmosphere for the style's urban feel. After I had used the last of my camera's battery striking various dance poses on the bridge, I settled on one of my last photos relaxing on one of the bridge's benches as my final choice. Sometimes the subtlest things work the best in photography.

Sarah Greufe sits on a bridge along the Trinity Trails in Fort Worth, Texas.

 Greufe has tap danced since she was four years old. 

My Days as a Dance Groupie: International Day of Dance in Dublin

Before my legs could recover from the Croagh Patrick hike, it was D-day. I’m not talking about the invasion of Normandy, but one of the “ds” mentioned in my playful alliteration above: dance. After I had already committed to the hike, I found out there was a free dance workshop the following day. With classes in Irish dancing, contemporary, hip-hop, and whatever in the world “gaga” dancing was, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. 

I excitedly put on my tights and leo and made my way into city centre. The location of the theatre the classes were at was close to where I had been going for Greek dancing in Temple Bar, or so I thought. The rainy gates of the Smock Alley Theatre were closed and my hopes of dancing again were shot down. 

I thought back to the website and tried to remember which day it said classes were on. With some luck, I found an internet shop and found out I had been to the wrong location. I missed the first class, but found the Dance House in time for a contemporary class. The class was a lot more low key than I thought, more like a modern class. We did leg swings and floor exercises which wrung out my aching muscles and prepared me for the next class.The studio space was complete with wide windows which overlooked the streets, making the experience more inspiring. While I had planned on taking hip-hop, I decided to attend contemporary and Irish dance fusion to make up for the first Irish dance class I had missed. I had seen a bit of this style at the Ceili festival, but still didn’t know quite what to expect. What I got was a wide-eyed instructor who’s accent I was proud to identify correctly as from Northern Ireland. 

She began the class by having us lye on the floor and work through different levels before reaching the standing position. I’ve never been a fan of floor work, but this exercise helped me to feel more comfortable exploring different levels of space. Instead of teaching us a combination, she had us do some more exercises which helped develop our creative movement. She had us move from a dance technique we considered “home” and when she said “adventure” we would have to stray away for that to create a new sequence. We also wrote down an Irish dance combination and took the words we used to describe the movement to create something else. I felt this helped me open up my improv more, which was exciting. The last class I attended was even more of a stretch. Much to my surprise “gaga” dance had nothing to do with the pop stylings of Lady Gaga, but rather had its roots in the Middle East. The whole thing felt a bit like a meditation session with the body moving. If I hadn’t just done contemporary dance before, I probably would have been a bit freaked out. Everyone around me was really into it though, so I shut my eyes and played along with the teacher’s instructions to “move the body through water,” and to “swing your arms like a rope.” 

The next day I saw a few faces from class again throughout the streets of Temple Bar. After spending some time at my internship, I made my way over to the “artist trail” for International Day of Dance. The first stop was at an art gallery. There were small spools of yarn strewn across the floor and before I could ask what was going on, a dancer began playing with the space down a staircase. The other performers used the variety of spaces in creative ways. Some were accompanied by live music, the massive cello and quirky banjo nonetheless, while others used recorded beats. Dancers popped up everywhere from a table at Connolly’s Books to the dance floor at the Stag’s Head pub. Each dancer brought their own style to the various forms of modern dance, performing everything from long extensions and curves to fast-paced locks. 

The best part of the experience was that because the crowd was rather small and mostly consisted of other dancers in the coalition, I was able to talk with them. They told me it was a bit of a struggle to find work in Ireland, many leaving for other European countries after receiving a degree.  The level of dance education, they said, was also not quite up to pare in the area. Although Irish dancing is what leads the country’s claim to fame, it seems it was a struggle to find work for dancers outside this form. Talking to actual “struggling artists” and seeing their work gave me some perspective on what it’s like to live off what you create (something I will have to deal with one of these days...) 

The way globalization and modernization have affected how dance is performed and taught really hit me through the whole experience. Through modern dance, these performers were questioning the merit of traditional style and technique. The fact that I had done some of the same exercises across the sea also reflects this global influence. While each country holds its own form of traditional dance, the organic movement done performed by these dancers was similar to what I had choreographed in my bedroom. As I have learned different traditional forms, the footwork and placements sometimes overlap. Dance really does break down these barriers by allowing every tradition to hold on to its voice and showcasing the similarities between them. 

International Dance Day helped re-inspire me to keep dancing and to learn more about the thousands of dance forms out there. 

A Slow-Growing Love: Dublin Week 12

     Some places you go to and the beauty of the atmosphere hits you with a sensational high and you immediately are enamored. Pulling into the overcast skies of Dublin’s city centre for the first time on a double decker bus, which seemed so foreign to me at the time, I don’t recall having this connection. There were no green fields or smiling leprechauns to greet me, but rather cold, rain and strangers. 

Now not only has the sunshine peeked out of its cover of clouds, the culture and life of Dublin and Ireland has shown itself in its subtle manner. 

     Walking around city centre I can easily navigate the streets while still finding hidden gems. One of those is a pocket of space called Smithfield. I had been to a pub in the area before, but hadn’t really gotten a proper look around. The light-colored cobblestone seemed to complement the spacious buildings. The area was once hustling with live stock and crowds for an open market and held a horse market until recently. It now stands still and beautiful from a renovation project in the 90s. It didn’t quite live up to its potential of attracting new crowds, but its quiet anticipation fosters enough space for a cultural district to grow. The dodgyness of the low crowds and unlit overshadowing lights make its merits debatable. Yet I can’t help hope the abandoned amusement park will find its life in days to come. 

Below the tall empty warehouses, is a movie theatre which offers a selection of independent films. As part of my duties as entertainment editor for the student website oxygen.ie, I was invited to a press screening for a film shot in Northern Ireland. Although I had an essay to write, I decided to take a break and see what the film had to offer. I wasn’t expecting much, all I could find with my research beforehand was a trailer, but was sucked in by the movie’s suspenseful journey and creative storytelling. Its message of hope in the darkness of the streets of modern day Derry was very touching. The way it moved me reminded me of this underrated attractiveness Ireland seemed to have. With the locality and small size of the country, great works of art were very accessible. 

      The humble humour of the people also made enjoying this place easier for an outsider like myself. Working together with my group of Irish students on a news bulletin proved this point. When we discovered there were no wireless mics available for the news reader, we used a handheld covered by a laptop, which as my friend commented, made it look like we were producing a bulletin from our basement. When we were struggling to get the green screen to work for the weather segment, we decided to move the camera around to make it look like I was flying around Ireland. Overall we ended up with a fair grade and a finished product produced with many laughs. 

      I’ve definitely learned to enjoy the journey rather than the final destination through my experiences of exploring. After another session of Greek dancing, my friend and I walked to the North side of city centre to try and find a drumming circle I had found on facebook. On the way we saw the sun setting over an old cathedral, different variations of street art, and the prettiest house gardens with amazing smelling flowers. The address we were after took us to an alley way where children were playing outside and my friend said looked like “the projects,” but was thankfully by a bus stop anyways.

The next day we joined DCU’s interfaith center staff and others from the university in hiking Croagh Patrick. The mountain is legend to have been where the saint spent 40 nights in prayer before expelling all the snakes out of Ireland. Some religiously devout climb it barefoot as a pilgrimage and penance at the end of July, but we found even with our shoes on the journey was quite daunting. I was making good pace, teasing my friends who were making frequent stops behind me before we made it to the steepest part of the hill. There were people making their way down with walking sticks as we tried to choose wisely which rocks to trust for the climb. When we did finally make it to the top, the cold wind sent us wanting to head down again. Daleria set in and we were contemplating why “prof pic” was pronounced with a short “o” when profile sounded more like the long “o” in professor. (I know mind blowing stuff). We were as they say “absolutely wrecked” by the time we reached the bus. Luckily the 5 hour hike ended with a 4 course meal and plenty of water. 

       Like the journey up and down the mountain and the suns subtle ascent into Spring, Ireland has taken me down its rocky paths into its warm embrace.