Studio Shoot With Beautiful Models

The subjects of all of my photos are not models, but everyday Americans living their life.  I am drawn to individuals that don't blend in with crowds.  If I've taken your photograph and I have never met you, it's because there is something about you that I want to remember and capture in a photograph.  I was asked recently about how I know when I find someone that meets my personal aesthetic and it really has to do with their presence and the energy I get from them.  Once I see and feel it, I know.

I was interviewed by gallery owner, Kat Kiernan for the Kiernan Gallery blog  since "Brothers" was chosen as "Juror's Choice" by judge, Henry Horenstein.  I talked a little bit about why I choose the people I do to photograph as I wander around the country.

Last week, I photographed two models in a studio for the first time.  Most every portrait I take is an environmental portrait where people seem belong exactly where I found them, or you get a sense of place in the shot.  Being in a studio is a make believe atmosphere where the models will give you any emotion and mock up any situation you suggest to them.  On top of that, they are pretty.  Really pretty... Not that I have anything against beautiful models, but to me, it's not as interesting as someone I would find on the street.  It's almost like I am cheating because the image will already be easy on the eyes from the get go, although that's not what I am drawn to when I see a photograph I like.  I did enjoy the experience and both models were great sports doing what everyone asked of them.  My male model, Michael was right at home with his dog, Shilo.  They are so attached to each other that their expressions seems to look the same in each shot.

I can see why photographers like working in a studio.  The atmosphere is controlled and you can almost bring to life what you envisioned in your head.  I had a great time playing around so now I can check off working with models and working in a studio off of my list of things to do.  Thank you Michael and Charito for being great sports and excellent models!

At The Beach With Ariana

My friend Ariana has the best hair and the most brilliant blue eyes. I always knew I wanted to photograph her.  We finally were able to take a day trip to the beach for a photo shoot.  She was a great sport this day to roll around in the sand and plants for me.  Thank you Ariana!

Cat Comes To Town

The past week I've been offline and visiting with my friend Cat from Spokane.  During my travels, I spent quite a bit of time with her in Washington during the summer and last week she came down to Los Angeles for some business and stayed longer to hang out with me.  We toured Venice beach,  saw some movies, had some nice meals and did a photo shoot on the beach.  Since I spend most of my time alone, it was nice to have a house guest for a few days.

The best part about our photo shoot was that she was game to do about anything.  When I was in Cape Cod a few years ago, I took a bunch of timed jumpie pics as the sun was setting.  If you need an activity to look crazy in front of people and laugh at yourself, this is a good one to try.  It is stupid and is great for a good laugh and some fun photographs. Also, Cat is not as fond as birds as I am.  She was even willing to walk around a flock of birds and run towards them to try and get a shot of them surrounding her.  The one where she is standing still is a moment of her thinking, "Really? You want me to do what with the birds?" to the shot where she casually jogged through them, not missing a beat. Some of the best times you can have with a friend is being silly with a camera.

I haven't made the time to take my camera out to take photographs lately so it was a nice change of pace to do that again while we toured around.  Here are some photographs from our time last week.

 

Facing Fears, Being Social and Taking Portraits of Strangers

A big difference in this past trip from previous trips is the amount of people I talked to and photographed along the way.  This year, I went out of my way and outside of my comfort zone to talk to people I would normally not approach, but wanted to inside.  I did things I would usually shy away from and just decided to take a chance.  It wasn't easy, but after I did it a few times, it became easier and easier to do.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?  Well, the hardest part is actually doing it.  Not just once, but at least once a day for months.

I used to hide behind the camera and take shots of people without them knowing.  In the past, it was easier since I could hide the point and click camera I was using and most people didn't notice so I would just snap and walk away.

This year I decided to get closer.  Closer to the people I was choosing to photograph and that meant approaching them, asking for their permission to photograph them and take a photograph that wasn't "posed".  It was a fast conversation since I didn't want them to move or change their body language but long enough for them to feel comfortable.  Not an easy task.  A lot of the time, I approached these people because I saw the photograph right in front of me and I didn't want them to move but wanted them to know I was taking the photo and wanted them to be ok with it.

Because I decided to move past this comfort zone, naturally I learned a lot about myself and even better, made a positive connection with a stranger.  The more positive experiences with this, the easier it became to approach people.  It turns out, people are human, just like us!

I still use caution when I see what I really want to photograph and what would be safe to photograph. A lot of the time what I really wanted to take photos of wasn't a safe place for a solo female traveler to be.  I did take a few chances, however.  I drove up to homes and knocked on the door if I saw someone or something that looked interesting to me.  I asked homeowners in Ohio if I could take a photograph of their hanging laundry and asked a man standing outside of his home in Maine if I could take a portrait of him in front of the wrecked ship in his yard.  Each time, they said yes. However, each time I had no idea what I would come across when I stepped into someone else's property.

Beyond the strangers I came across, I also met and stayed with people I didn't know too well that have turned into dear friends.  Beware of what you offer people, sometimes they might just take you up on it.

As the year wraps up, I wanted to extend a heart felt thank you to all of the people I came across on the road.  Some of you I chatted with for a few minutes and some I stayed in your home for weeks.  I am thankful for each person I came across.  It has been quite the year.  Thank you for following me here on my journey.  I look forward to writing my 40 goals for my 40th year soon.

Family Portrait of Mary Ellen, Pancho and Scout

I just realized that I haven't blogged in a while.  Since being home, I have been working on making art boxes and visiting with friends I haven't seen in a while.  Yesterday it was a nice break to go to the beach to photograph Mary Ellen and her pups, Scout and Pancho.  She has her own dog walking business, Pet Waggin' so I am used to seeing her with a pack of dogs at the dog park.  This time, Pancho and Scout had their mom all to themselves.  I had a great time capturing her playing at the beach with her happy dogs. On thing is for sure...she is not afraid to get down and dirty in the mud to play with them.

For more photographs of the day, click HERE.

Caroline and Shawdee - Portrait of a Family

I am thankful to have Caroline, Shawdee and now Alexa in my life.  I've been staying with the three of them while my home is being rented.  They have been wonderful friends to me for several years.  They've always supported me in my decisions in life and more recently, supported my art.  One day while Shawdee was pregnant, I thought it would be fun to photograph them in bed in a John and Yoko style and they both agreed to do it!  Since then, I documented Alexa's birthday at the hospital and yesterday, a family trip to the beach.

Being on the road for so many months of the year, it can be difficult to hold on to close relationships since you can't be there physically to visit but when I saw them, it was like a day didn't go by except that Alexa is so much bigger!

They are both such loving parents and great friends.  I am lucky to have them in my life.