Spring in Memphis

It took 2 planes, a 3-our car ride and a host of quick decisions, but somehow in 24 hours we made it to a field of yellow flowers, time with family, and a beautiful day taking pictures.

Savannah Artists

In Savannah, you can get a biscuit with sweet tea, walk bricked streets, and stumble onto an artist at every corner. Here’s a few impromptu portraits of several Savannah artists. Some students, some deep into their craft.

Alix Zandar

Chuck Hamilton

John, artist

SCAD Film Student

Atomic Salon: Claremore, OK

Salon owner, Scott Christmann, has a great shop in downtown Claremore, Oklahoma that includes his trademark retro decor. Here’s a few pictures we made inside of his salon with two of his clients. I brought my makeup kit and accessories along, and had a chance to style our models to compliment Scott’s work. First we took some classic pictures, then Scott added his own touch to the styles…you’ll see.

Hair by Scott Cristmann

Atomic Salon

I changed out our background from the green paper roll to Mylar–something I learned about in one of Amherst Media’s many books on photographing women. The Mylar is used in most gardens to keep water near the plant (in fact…I ordered it from a garden store), but its highly reflective surface and 5 foot roll are ideal for bouncing light in unique ways. Here’s some of my favorite results. The colors in the background are actually reflections of colors on the walls of the salon.

Portraits at KC Loft

Julia had a wonderful idea. Move to the crossroads district, into a loft, that looks right onto the Kansas City skyline.  Good thing too. Now, when I visit, we can walk up the street to Coda to see the Billy Bats play, walk 20 feet right into the First Friday Art scene, or….take some pictures. 

Is Obsession a cliche?

Is the concept of “Obsession” a cliche?

Taking photography to another level certainly requires passion. Perhaps a passion to transfix an average life into an extraordinary one, or at least make buddies with that human need for purpose. What takes hold of a photographer to become transfixed on making images, flickring away, twittering pics, or attaching their mobile life to facebook? What is it that sharing our “eyes” or vision of vim (life) makes it a compelling obsession to have an audience?

I’m interested in discovering what lurks beneath other photographers’ motives and see if I am a bumblebee among other bumblebees, the Queen Bee, or the honey in 2010.

Regardless, take a look and vote through January 19th on these selections from W’s first ever Photo Contest. Notice the many odes to “Obsession” in the photographers’ concepts. Is it a cliche? Something to be explored in moments of youth or a life transition? http://theartcontest.wdesires.com/public-voting.php

My pick? Savannah College of Art and Design’s Teng Phour, below, whose work is about identity (a question I obsess about). Cast your vote by January 19th.

Landscapes

Yesterday, I noticed a circus tent and wished I had my camera (and the guts) to stop to take a picture. Taking photos outdoors on the backside of a country road requires the same sense of exploration and a little courage. So, it is, that while touring the network of pavement where stars can be seen hovering above a small cloud of ambient city lights…I found a few spots worth sharing.

Between Eclipses

Do you know the story of Mercury? Mischevious Mercury went out on his first day of life and stole a herd of oxen from his brother Apollo (the Sun). He stole 50 heiffers and by sunset crawled back into his crib.

So says an astrolger friend who recently asked for photos related to methological stories of the planets. The cow story was too good, so every day I’ve been looking for a herd of cattle, and open fields. The full moon eclipse on July 7th prompted two hours of driving to chase the moon and try out the longer shutter speeds of  night photography. (The solar eclipse is July 21). Between the eclipses (and methological stories), here’s some of my first takes.

Book Alert: Found some useful information on using “Lab Color” in photoshop instead of Adobe RGB. The info helped with some of the saturation and color depth of the photos so far. Check out Night & Low-Light Photography by Jill Waterman.

Click the book to visit the site.

Diamonds

According to a recentarticle, the recession has hit a girl’s best friend–the diamond market. But while De Beers may have seen decreased sales in Q1, this photog had a chance to take photos of the largest group to date–nine Diamond Girl cheerleaders.  After 500+ photos, there’s a few sparklers in the rough (my photographer, not the models).  Here’s the low-down on the sparkle.

9 - The number of people in the photo session
3 – Number of costume changes
4 - the number of hours to shoot (not counting setting up gear)

My first goal for the session was to not only make everyone feel at home, but to spend time as a female photographer, focusing on the personality of each cheerleader. For that reason, I explained that I would be taking mostly 3/4, mid and portrait shots. Just like on magazine covers, the closer to the subject, the more we see her personality. Think of the difference between the cover of Time magazine verses Maxim. Onto the session…

 

 
      

YOU!

Cinnamoneye productions is performing YOU! by Richard Foreman on the first Friday of May at a local gallery. I recently sat in on rehearsals to observe the process of the actors and director defining the script and motivation for the characters. It’s a process I once worked through as Marilyn in “A Projection of Marilyn” back in the old days (long, long ago). Being able to watch and read about Richard Foreman was a treat. My ol’ college colleague, (and now director), asked if I would take some pictures as the group prepared for the upcoming performance.  Here’s a flyer I created after taking individual photos of each actor.

 

The concept for the image is built upon the script. Foreman’s work often introduces sound fx as character, and YOU! is no exception. So, here, we have a microphone in the image–symbolizing the actual microphone used in the performance. The two female characters mirror one another in a give-and-take duality in both the script and physical movements of the performance–and we evoke that here in the image.

Lights used: 2 Halogen 1000 Watt in softboxes
Lens: A mix of 50mm (thank goodness for that lens!) and a 17-85mm for different shots

Halogen Light Study

Despite all the reverie, work (and learning) that goes into planning a photoshoot, sometimes the results are better and more organic than originally planned.  Such was the case with this photo session.

There is so much to say about this photo study. I’m so thankful for the energy and time the model spent with me. I approach photoshoots and the creative touches studiously. Much went into planning this event: Matching a dress from one end of the world to a backdrop from across the US that was a perfect marriage; studying classic asian beauty ideals; coordinating makeup and hair; building an 8 ft backdrop, and working with new 1000W Halogen lights.

The images below utilize the self-made presentation backdrop. I built it with 6 yards of fabric, four 32 x 40 presentation boards taped together, and adhered fabric to the board with the “Barbara K” stapler tool John gave me as a Christmas present years ago. With these images, I also completely began my post-work from the Camera Raw settings to define color differences, sharpness and detail. Without using Camera Raw (CR), detail was lost in the hair. An extreme setting in CR gave it this edgier look. And, yes, I realize now that Camera Raw has the lens vignetting I was doing by hand in photoshop before. Takes mere seconds now.

Another backdrop:

As I’m learning, I experience a different side to people when photographing them–which is magical. Everything gets magnified–whether it’s his or her vunerabilities, or as in the case of this model–strength, beauty and openness. All in all, my visual assumptions about what and how to photograph people take on a new form in the actual photoshoot–a form better, different, and more authentic than I could’ve imagine–until I tried.