To The End of Love

Coney Island - Where one can "dance to the end of love".  What ever that means.
Got to love Coney Island.  It is everything I thought it would be.  A little tacky, lots of people (every type you could ever want to see) and very 'bad for you' food.  Nathan's hot dogs taste just like a hot dog - nothing special.  But when in Rome...
I found this scene in a "back alleys".  I feel sorry for Miss Coney Island and the Alive Chimpanzee.  No one was paying them any attention.  I never found out what this group found so interesting.

The beach was huge, and empty.  As well it should have been at 10:30 in the morning.  The ones who got prime spots most likely were nursing a bad burn the next morning.

This is one place that I need to return.  So many people, so many photo opportunities.

A Quick Diversion

On the subject of "What I would never want to be when I grow up"

No it's not the over-weight guy on the left or the girl in tight shorts on the right...

It's the guy who plays the "human target" in this game on Coney Island.  For $3 you get five shots.  Yes, it's only paint, but it's the thought that counts.  And to be called a "freak" no less. 
I didn't see what they made him wear (I'm assuming it was a he).  I waited, but no one showed up to take a shot.  I should have been the first.  Hard to take photos and shoot at the same time though.

Please excuse the slight diversion...

Fashion in Central Park

1 Producer, 1 Stylist, 1 Hair/Makeup, Video Crew, 2 models and 5 Assistants - all making for a perfect Saturday.  I've photographed in NYC many times in the past year, but this was the first "all New York" photo shoot. 
Crew:
Producer: Lindsey Nicholson
Models: Anna-Sophie - Q Management / Chas Bruns - freelance model 
Stylist: Tina Latonero
Hair/Makeup: Yuko Takahashi
Video: Mike Douglas - CuttingRoom
Assistants: Adele Godfrey, Len Mazzone, Kristine Wood, Miguel De Leon, Mike Howard

Tina, Lindsey and I have been working on this project for about seven months.  Having gone through a few revisions, we finally settled on a multi-tiered project incorporating still photography and video.  I didn't want to do the usual "behind-the-scene" footage - in my opinion that has been over done.  So working with Mike from CuttingRoom we shot footage of Chas (playing a photographer) taking photographs of Anna-Sophie (playing a model).  My photographs (below) are the photos he "took" during the shoot.  The video will be finished in a week or so and I will post it here and on YouTube.

It was an amazing day - Great crew, fantastic weather (76 degrees and partly sunny) and a beautiful setting.  Here are some of the images taken during the day.

Shapes in Nature

I've always been drawn to the relationship between shapes and the environment and how they interact with, or relate to, each other.  It amazes me how such diametrically opposed shapes can work so well together.

Here are some examples of what I mean.

The softness of the clouds seem to match the curves of the rolling hills while the contrasting rough shapes of the chopped wood add a bit of tension, breaking up the scene's uniformity.  But it all seems to work.  This is nothing new to photography.  People have been composing images (paintings as well as photographs) like this for years.  From what I've noticed in many photo annuals (CA, PDN) there is a new resurgence of this style - minimalism that incorporates contrasting shapes.  It is actually everywhere, both in nature and man-made.

Here's another example.

Portrait Series II

Having once been a teacher I have come to learn that students can be a little suspicious of what they are learning, wondering why all of the information thrown at them is so important.  Only after completing school (and growing up a bit) do we really start to understand how history, math, science and the arts shape our lives and effect our point of view.

Jared was asked to show how he feels about school.
From his point of view: Suspicious, Curious, Apathetic

Portrait Series I

In the next few weeks I'm going to show a series of portraits I took of high school students.  The photographs show their reactions when asked a question or given a school scenario.  The results show their emotions, telling a lot about who they are and what they think.

-- You're suspicious of what a fellow student has told you.  You don't want to look gullible.
-- You're embarrassed after you found out you have been deceived and can't believe it's happened again.
-- You're angry and want revenge.

Compo Beach

I was in Westport, Conn for a few days last week.  All the rumors of its beauty are true.  Much of my time was on Compo Beach photographing the small beach huts/restrooms, etc...

Even though they were still boarded up from the winter, the beauty, and irony, of the structures were still there.  It was a little strange seeing doors that lead to no where or bathrooms that, at first glance, seem to be blocked. 
Here are a few images from the trip:

Blackboard Confessions

I've started a new blog called "Blackboard Confessions".  I will send updates through this blog, which will occur weekly (usually on Sundays).  This blog will still be about my photo shoots and my thoughts about the industry in general, but I've been wanting to do this other blog for some time.

The idea came from my time as a teacher at a vocational school called The Career Center in Arlington, Virginia.  Each students was asked to write their thoughts on the blackboard - purely on a volunteer basis. What transpired was truly amazing.  Their insight into themselves and how they relate to their surrounds and others was very inspirational.  The subject matter was open to their discretion - they could say and write what ever they chose.  This gave them the freedom to say what was on their mind and be acknowledged for their thoughts and ideas.  I think you will be surprised in what they have written.

Through the blackboard confessions blog I give you the chance to say what you want as well.  There is a blank blackboard you can download, write on and then email to me.  I will post it on the site (with your permission of course).

What's on your mind?  What would you write?
Would it be a confession?  A poem?  Commentary on today’s news?  Admiration for someone you love?  Or passing along wisdom to those who might read what you've written?

Share you thoughts...

The Evolution of an Idea

Yesterday I was asked by an art director how I came up with the postcard idea.  I have to admit I did have some help.  First, the main idea came from Randy Santos, a photographer based out of Washington, DC.
He has been sending out a monthly postcard to clients for about three years and mentioned to me that I should do the same.  I've been sending them to clients for just over a year now. 
Here is an example of an early postcard:

A few months ago I got tired of the same look and wanted to change the template, but wasn't sure what direction to take.  Talking with Amanda Sosa Stone, she said "why not make it look like a real postcard".  What an amazingly simple solution.  I designed some mock ups, sent them to her for input. 
Here is what I came up with:

The tricky part was finding stamps and designing the postmark.  I update both to show where the image was taken - it's subtle and works brilliantly.  All of this was done in Photoshop and is saved with layers, so changing everything is quite easy.  Writing a new message is easily done on my Wacom tablet.  I feel like I'm sending out a real postcard - message and all.   This is what I really love about photography - it allows me to evolve.  So Thank You Randy for sharing the idea with me and Thank You Amanda for all your great input.

March Postcard

This month's postcard sent to a select group of clients and friends.
Shot on location in Sussex, England

If you wish to receive the postcard just let me know.  I'm happy to add you to the list.