The new studio space is taking shape. It seemed so big the day we initially looked at it:
Once we started moving things in, space seemed to fill up quickly!
Fortunately, once we got some organization - a process which will be ongoing for a while - it seemed like we would do alright. We are still pondering some storage options, and should have the changing area/vanity set up by next week. We got the oak look flooring in yesterday and it now seems much less industrial and more friendly.
We have several options on how to put up backdrops, and this tent-pole method was simply the first we set up because it was simple and fast. I'll try out the other rig later today. Fun and exciting time right now!
My first scheduled client is next week, with another being set up for the week after.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Making Progress
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Night and Day
View LARGE On Black
"Night and day, you are the one
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun
Whether near to me, or far
It's no matter darling where you are
I think of you
Day and night, night and day, why is it so"
~Cole Porter, sung by Ella Fitzgerald
...for Reena
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Summer Samba Fest II
Here is the next installment of photos from the Summer Samba Fest at the High Noon Saloon. Accompanying the Handphibians was the ever lovely and talented Masamba Dance troupe.
When these women hit the stage, the crowd moves forward and the cell phone cameras sprout like mushrooms. No surprise there. Masamba is all about high-energy dancing. They really bring a fun and lively energy to the 'Phibs performances.
There are more in the slide show here, or watch it in small-scale here:
I suggest taking the link to view it large! There will be a set of Handphibian pictures coming soon.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Summer Samba Fest, Part I
The band in which my wife plays - Pagee Go Go - was the opening act at Madison's first (annual?) Summer Samba Fest. Attendance was pretty good, and the band played well. Friends of the band came from Chicago and Duluth, MN to see the show.
Pagee Go Go at the High Noon Saloon
There were all sorts of people in the audience. Some opted to get into the spirit of things and wear samba or carnaval-inspired clothing or costumes. Reena has been doing more singing with the band, and last night she did fine. They are doing a cover of Hank William's "Jambalaya", a Cajun song done in sort of a forro style. Pretty fun, actually. The band also covers a lot of classic Brazilian music, mostly samba, but they also have some originals, and other covers as well. I particularly enjoy their rollicking cover of Tom Wait's, "Ice Cream Man".
Reena, Chris, and Kristin
My first batch of photos, those of Pagee Go Go, are in a set at Flickr. Here's a link to a slideshow, or watch it here in a small size:
There will be a couple more posts for the headlining band, The Handphibians, and the special guests of SSF, Masamba Dance. Watch this space!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Whither Your Food?
I went to the farmer's market today with a friend who is a chef by trade. It was fun to experience the market in a different way.
Often when I go it is with no particular mission. I most likely just dropped the missus off at work, and am enjoying a Saturday morning of leisure. I wander, seeing what catches my eye. Sometimes I'm motivated visually, with the camera calling, while other times my stomach leads me wondering, what's for breakfast?
My friend was preparing a meal for the missus and I later that day, and chose her ingredients with scrutiny, often asking questions of the farmer/vendor.
As I type this, dinner is almost ready. I find I am thinking - a lot - about what I am about to eat. Where did it come from? What was sprayed on it, or the soil in which it was grown? Did it, or can it, wash off? Was the animal treated in a humane and ethical way?
I see bumper stickers around town that read, "Who's Your Farmer?" Good question to ask. Do you trust Monsanto to do what's right for you and your health? I have my doubts.
This chef dislikes "food porn" photos, so there will not be images of the succulent and sumptuous dinner. You will have to use your imagination!
++++++++++++UPDATE+++++++++++++
I lied. Here are the food photos!
...and voilé!
View LARGE On Black
Monday, July 27, 2009
Atwood Neighborhood Festival
I was finally home for the annual Atwood Neighborhood Festival. It seems like every year I am gone on this weekend. I nearly forgot about it this year and only remembered when my memory was jogged by an old high-school classmate (last seen about 25 years ago, but recently reconnected on Facebook). I missed a lot of it, but caught about 45 minutes of Magic 7 rocking the crowd.
Buddo of Magic 7
They had a decent crowd. All in all a pretty nice little festival.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Lekolites, freekolites
This week I acquired a pair of vintage 4.5" Lekolites. These stage spotlights are adjustable from 25-50 degrees, can iris, have shutters, take GOBOs and gels. The non-standard electrical terminator needed to be swapped for a standard 3-pin connector, but that only took a few minutes to do.
The light bulbs are still functional and the lights seem to work just fine. I wonder if they might be useful in a studio? I guess I'll see soon enough!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Figure Study
I have been wanting to try a figure study for some time. With the arrival of the new softbox and boom stand, I was able to take my first stab at it. As is my tendency, I shoot myself first until I get past the ignoramus stage and on to beginner stage. Then I feel comfortable bringing in a model and working through a set without wasting the model's time.
There are more, so follow the link to see the rest:
Not much need for commentary on my part. I was simply using the single softbox on my strobe to light me from directly above. The camera is about four feet away looking down at perhaps a 60 degree angle. Originally shot in color, I desaturated to B&W, mostly to minimize the effect of tanning.
I learned a bit about lighting directly from above. It is something I have never done. I did not do much in the way of editing for these images; some cropping, a bit of brightness on a couple, and removing moles and scars that detracted the viewers eye from the form and the light. As usual, it is a bit of a chore to shoot myself, and so I generally quit before I feel like I did everything I wanted to try. Well, I will set about getting a model in place to try some more. Stay tuned!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The Phoenix Session
I was at a gathering of my tribe recently, and since I am so photo-centric at this time, I made several offers to do impromptu photo sessions with a handful of people. They got photos to use as they wished, and I got the fun of exploring new subjects in new locations. Everybody wins.
A funny conversation led up to this particular session. This beautiful young woman wondered aloud to me that she was bemused by the positive attention she was getting at the gathering. Not men specifically, but from pretty much everyone. She ventured that there was nothing special about her.
My first response was to ask her if she owned a mirror.
But as I pondered the question - because it was sincere, not a coquettish play for compliments - I realized that in addition to being attractive at a physical level, she was also bright and vivacious, and instinctually friendly. I observed her willingness to participate in activities and tasks of service to the tribe, again always with a smile that was quick to appear. So to go with her looks she had a sunny charisma too.
I think I captured some of that in these photographs. She is no model, and was initially uncomfortable in front of the camera. We were in generally public space, and passers-by were free to stop and observe. One fellow who knew her lingered and chatted with her for a good 10 minutes. How fortuitous, as that went a long way in relaxing her.
By the time we were heading to the creek to cool off (it was Hot and Humid), she was unselfconscious and happy to be doing what we were doing. At the creek, there were dozens of people around, and we got in a great conversation with a couple who were sitting on lounge chairs in the creek keeping cool.
I hope these photos (she is in possession of the whole set - maybe 150 photos) give her a bit of clarity about why she receives favorable attention. In addition she gets to share them with her husband, who was not at the gathering, and hopefully he enjoys them too. And why not?
I should note that there are artifacts in these photos that are part of the moment and the gathering. Thus I made no effort to hide the wrist band, or use Photoshop to remove the remains of the henna tattoo on her arm. These are a reflection of her in that space at that time. As such they become a reminder, an anchor, to where she was then.
My thanks to Phoenix for her time and willingness to let me try to reflect back to her what I was seeing.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
the moment between perception and intuition
It occurs to me as I sit here tonight - a bit tipsy with a martini in me - that I have reached a pretty good place. Physically I am in as good a shape as seems reasonable at 46-and-eleven-months. I am lean and strong, toned by hours of dance and related physical activity. Perhaps I could lose another 5, or maybe even 10, pounds of belly pudge (caused no doubt, by late night martinis and popcorn) but it would not significantly change my state. Career wise I am still in a bit of limbo, and yet things are definitely on the move. I have found a space for rent that seems suitable for use as a photography studio (though not perfect), and a partner who wants to share that space and the work flow of making it viable. Reena and I are coming up on 22 years of marriage with barely a hiccup. Financially, we're in a really good place though it now seems likely we will never be any American's definition of wealthy. Damn, it is all good.
Dance partner Megan and I were talking as we returned home from our 5-day contact improv dance jam that we really, really, wanted to offer conditioning training to our fellow dancers. It takes work to have the core strength, flexibility, and intuition to do some of the moves that both of us take for granted. How to foster the desire to move that way? This has uncorked a serious desire on her part to teach, and rekindled a similar desire in me. Years ago as I was moving past my black belt in TKD and wondering what came next, I outlined a core of training that I thought would make a good fighter. Later, as my training morphed into highly interactive dance, I realized the concepts transfered pretty well. The gist of my thinking is summed up as "Guiding chaos". One can never truly control a chaotic situation, be it a fight or a contact improv dance. At best, one can ride the chaos in a way that guides it. At Earthdance a few weeks ago, Megan and I taught a workshop at sort of a general level. We explored a concept that was born out of the 36 or so hours of focus we had as we drove cross-country and settled in to an extended dance retreat. The concept was to explore the moment between perception and intuition. That moment is the Now. Prior to that moment is perception, an understanding of where you just were, and immediately after that moment is intuition, the hunch of where you are going. I liken the thought process needed to understand the concept as hitting PAUSE on a tape, being able to rewind for a bit to review what just happened, and then after returning to the moment of pausing, intuiting the likely next sequence of events. While not necessarily using that metaphor, the concept is something I do almost constantly.
While that concept of perception-->now-->intuition is particularly relevant to martial artists and improvisational dancers, I suspect it is also applicable to other life situations. In my unfolding path as a professional photographer, I constantly see that triptych of time. I see the recent steps that brought me to the current moment, and I see the possibilities my path has aimed me at. There are options for the future of course, because my momentum (in life or dance) is somewhat controllable if I am aware and prepared.
And there it is, the point of this post: In life as well as in dance or martial arts, I have to train in a focused and deliberate way if I want to achieve certain goals. There is no guarantee of success, of course. But being aware, awake, and prepared is certainly the bulk of the successful recipe. My progress through fighting arts and dance has honed my ability to guide the chaos of life.
My sincere thanks to all my teachers. Namasté.
New Softbox Test Shot
I ordered a softbox and it arrived today. It is 24" x 36" - large enough to be useful for portrait work and too small for large objects. I thought I would give it a few test shots and see if I could get it to work for me. My previous work has been done through white umbrellas which sort of has the same effect but has the disadvantage of allowing light elsewhere.
While it is an OK sort of photograph overall, the light is not too bad. The light is at perhaps 30 degrees right of the camera. I shot a few at angles more like 45 and 70 degrees as well, but will just toss those and treat them as experience gained. I am thinking I would be more satisfied with this shot if I had raised the light a bit to compensate for my tan face and pasty body. Well, since I am experimenting on myself and I cannot see the shot before I take it (and pretty quickly feel silly doing self-pics) I will not worry too much about it.
I learned some things, and that was the point. An interesting side note is the lesson one learns about their posture when the intention was to "stand up straight with arms to the side." A bit of quirky posture going on there!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Future Home of eyeDance?
For the past week and a bit more I have been looking for space to lease as a studio for my photography business. I may have found the right spot.
While not perfect - no attractive exposed brick walls or beams, and no 15-foot ceilings for example - it does have a lot going for it. It is in a good downtown location, just on the east side, and so conveniently located to my goal of getting attorneys and such folk in for head shots and simultaneously drawing in more eclectic East Siders for portrait and glamour shots. It's big enough at over 600 sq. ft. and the rent is pretty darned reasonable.
I have proposed using this as a co-op studio concept, so some other parties came along to help evaluate it. No final decisions have been made, but thus far the signs are all "Go". There are a bunch of details to sort out first, like insurance, but that conversation is started. Watch this space!
