Time to start this one back up again. Well, maybe. For a while, and then we'll see.
My writing efforts have been concentrated elsewhere, on entirely different subject matter, for a while now. I'm finding a much larger and more rapidly growing audience there, possibly because those writings are about things that at least arguably matter. This one... well, it's a creative outlet. It can be fun, but it doesn't mean a lot.
Here I'll continue to emphasize photography related things. I've been scaling back on that though, or at least changing emphasis. Shooting with fewer models, mostly with a few favorites and when it is someone new, it's generally someone very experienced. I've also been moving in different directions, shooting more fashion (partially because I have a couple of legitimate and published fashion models close at hand these days) while still overlapping with art. There's also more emphasis on publishing, with the three f11 books already out, a fourth scheduled soon, and some personal publishing projects in early stages as well. Those won't be only about models, i fact that's less than half of what I'm considering at the moment.
Perhaps I'll use this space to work through some of those decisions. As I said, we'll see.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Paradigm shift
Oakland - On Friday, while walking from a meeting in San Francisco's civic center complex to our office in the financial district, I realized that I was feeling so much more at home here than I had been last week in downtown Chicago... A place that I worked in for 15 years.
That was reinforced this morning when, on 880, a pickup truck lost a load of large plastic bottles all over the right lane. Three people pulled over and helped the guy pick everything up, while everyone else stopped and patiently waited til the lane was clear. No honking, no road rage, no passing. Again, so unlike what I'd witnessed most every morning on the highways of Chicago.
***
This morning, after not enough sleep, I did a shoot with Keira Grant out on the headlands. The light was perfect, fog just burning off, directional light but soft. It was a good decision to schedule just the one shoot here this weekend, fun without the stress that any more bookings would have brought.
Tomorrow I head home after a late morning meeting in San Francisco, and for the first time in two months there's no immediate travel on the horizon.
That was reinforced this morning when, on 880, a pickup truck lost a load of large plastic bottles all over the right lane. Three people pulled over and helped the guy pick everything up, while everyone else stopped and patiently waited til the lane was clear. No honking, no road rage, no passing. Again, so unlike what I'd witnessed most every morning on the highways of Chicago.
***
This morning, after not enough sleep, I did a shoot with Keira Grant out on the headlands. The light was perfect, fog just burning off, directional light but soft. It was a good decision to schedule just the one shoot here this weekend, fun without the stress that any more bookings would have brought.
Tomorrow I head home after a late morning meeting in San Francisco, and for the first time in two months there's no immediate travel on the horizon.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Hot city night
Yesterday I decided that I did want to shoot after all, just not with most of the local people who are offering at the moment. So instead I sent a text to Chrystyne and asked her if she was in the mood to shoot. The answer came back in minutes, "how about tonight?
Perfect, because it was too hot to do anything by day anyway.
We walked the few blocks from her place to the elevated train. She wore a very short and very tight black dress, and packed two changes of clothes in a bag. We took the train to the south loop, got off near the Board of Trade building and started shooting on LaSalle Street. It was still hot, 87 degrees and humid, and with lots of people on the streets.
We worked our way north on LaSalle, stopping twice for creative on-street changes of clothes. We ended near the Merchandise Mart, then hopped back on a northbound train.
There's so much light downtown at night, it was easy to shoot at 1/30th second most of the time at EI 640.
On the return train ride, there was a young guy passed out in his own vomit, in the midst of a crowded train car. As we traded mass transit for a car and did a short drive to get a snack, the craziness continued.... Three times, someone stopped in the middle of the street for no apparent reason, just parked mid block in the path of traffic. Then, cop cars converging from three directions, sliding to a stop a block in front of me, dragging two guys out of a van and throwing them up against the side of the vehicle... I didn't stay around long enough to see what that was about.
After dropping off Chryssy, I stopped at Exit about 1:00 am to see the post-apocalyptic burlesque performance. It was bad, actually. Bad fire dancing, worse than most of what I've seen from stoner girls on California beaches. And a too-fast strip tease by a cute girl who spent too much time in a corner where half the audience couldn't see her.
The edgy burlesque craze has perhaps been good in the sense of shaking things up a little, but the act gets old after seeing it maybe twice. Fire and nipple tape and grinders throwing sparks from metal plates can only mask a lack of experience and discipline for so long. There are things a girl with classical dance background can do that most of these girls can't. It will be interesting to see where this trend goes in the near future. Right now, its just overdone.
There were a few friends and acquaintances in the room, Natalya and Kristin and Peter and others. There was another offer to model, one I'll probably take because she's got a really interesting face. Then there was a bizarre moment when one of the performers interrupted my conversation with a friend... This particular performer being someone I've declined to photograph in the past.
This morning I worked after only four hours of sleep, but it was all worthwhile. When I woke from an afternoon nap, the heat had broken, the humidity fallen, it was in the 70s with a nice breeze as night fell.
Perfect, because it was too hot to do anything by day anyway.
We walked the few blocks from her place to the elevated train. She wore a very short and very tight black dress, and packed two changes of clothes in a bag. We took the train to the south loop, got off near the Board of Trade building and started shooting on LaSalle Street. It was still hot, 87 degrees and humid, and with lots of people on the streets.
We worked our way north on LaSalle, stopping twice for creative on-street changes of clothes. We ended near the Merchandise Mart, then hopped back on a northbound train.
There's so much light downtown at night, it was easy to shoot at 1/30th second most of the time at EI 640.
On the return train ride, there was a young guy passed out in his own vomit, in the midst of a crowded train car. As we traded mass transit for a car and did a short drive to get a snack, the craziness continued.... Three times, someone stopped in the middle of the street for no apparent reason, just parked mid block in the path of traffic. Then, cop cars converging from three directions, sliding to a stop a block in front of me, dragging two guys out of a van and throwing them up against the side of the vehicle... I didn't stay around long enough to see what that was about.
After dropping off Chryssy, I stopped at Exit about 1:00 am to see the post-apocalyptic burlesque performance. It was bad, actually. Bad fire dancing, worse than most of what I've seen from stoner girls on California beaches. And a too-fast strip tease by a cute girl who spent too much time in a corner where half the audience couldn't see her.
The edgy burlesque craze has perhaps been good in the sense of shaking things up a little, but the act gets old after seeing it maybe twice. Fire and nipple tape and grinders throwing sparks from metal plates can only mask a lack of experience and discipline for so long. There are things a girl with classical dance background can do that most of these girls can't. It will be interesting to see where this trend goes in the near future. Right now, its just overdone.
There were a few friends and acquaintances in the room, Natalya and Kristin and Peter and others. There was another offer to model, one I'll probably take because she's got a really interesting face. Then there was a bizarre moment when one of the performers interrupted my conversation with a friend... This particular performer being someone I've declined to photograph in the past.
This morning I worked after only four hours of sleep, but it was all worthwhile. When I woke from an afternoon nap, the heat had broken, the humidity fallen, it was in the 70s with a nice breeze as night fell.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Ambiguous
Last night I finally got out for the first time this trip, finally was able to take a break from working.
First, a Naked Girls Reading performance, because a friend was up on stage and I'd promised her that I would be there. If a bit long at more than three hours, it was a fun performance, and diverse in more ways than one. Then, over to 1901 Belmont for an art opening, then over to Lucky Number. It wasn't all that late of an evening, I was in by 2 am.
I encountered various women who I have photographed, or who I've talked to about doing photos. Last night was pretty non committal, interest but no specific dates just yet. I could have pushed one or two into doing something this trip easily enough, yet chose not to. I found myself to be pretty indifferent, not really caring if or when they got in front of the camera. If it happens, great. If not, well I'm not feeling any desire to chase after them.
I did have fun taking a handful of on location shots of some of those same people, using the lights and blurred backgrounds and bokeh of wide open images in poorly lit clubs and performance spaces. In fact I might go and do some more of this tonight, perhaps at Exit.... The found-composition nature of this kind of work is closer to my journalism origins, and sometimes offers wonderful juxtapositions.
I did sell a print last night at the Naked Girls performance, an image of one of the participants. A member of the audience asked her about that photo, and she said "the photographer is here" and made the introductions. The randomness of it was far more important than the token amount of money, although the net result was that my evening out was paid for.
First, a Naked Girls Reading performance, because a friend was up on stage and I'd promised her that I would be there. If a bit long at more than three hours, it was a fun performance, and diverse in more ways than one. Then, over to 1901 Belmont for an art opening, then over to Lucky Number. It wasn't all that late of an evening, I was in by 2 am.
I encountered various women who I have photographed, or who I've talked to about doing photos. Last night was pretty non committal, interest but no specific dates just yet. I could have pushed one or two into doing something this trip easily enough, yet chose not to. I found myself to be pretty indifferent, not really caring if or when they got in front of the camera. If it happens, great. If not, well I'm not feeling any desire to chase after them.
I did have fun taking a handful of on location shots of some of those same people, using the lights and blurred backgrounds and bokeh of wide open images in poorly lit clubs and performance spaces. In fact I might go and do some more of this tonight, perhaps at Exit.... The found-composition nature of this kind of work is closer to my journalism origins, and sometimes offers wonderful juxtapositions.
I did sell a print last night at the Naked Girls performance, an image of one of the participants. A member of the audience asked her about that photo, and she said "the photographer is here" and made the introductions. The randomness of it was far more important than the token amount of money, although the net result was that my evening out was paid for.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Travel
Yesterday I drove down to the Bay Area, and after a brief stop in Oakland headed across the Bay to catch an early evening flight to Chicago. Uneventful, as these things go. I've been remarkably lucky with flights these past several years, considering that I fly a fair amount the delays have been minor and few. Other things I'll take some credit for... Flying with carry on bags only means no opportunity for misplaced luggage.
Weather is complicating my Chicago projects, with frequent thunderstorms keeping my team hotel bound too often. If we can get four good days of the next 10, we should be OK. Until we do, it messes with scheduling. One of my key people goes home tomorrow after more than a month on the ground here, which means more work for me to wrap things up.
I haven't planned any shoots yet, and probably won't till the work schedule is a little more set. There are opportunities, if I choose to make them happen, but after three last trip, and hardly any time at home since early June, I'm already behind so not pushing too hard for more. There are also multiple Bay Area opportunities, and I'll have a few days there on the way home.
After this, the travel schedule becomes less certain. I'll be back here for meetings this fall, but may have as little as a week advance notice. Hard to plan like that. It is what it is, all one can do is make the best of it.
Weather is complicating my Chicago projects, with frequent thunderstorms keeping my team hotel bound too often. If we can get four good days of the next 10, we should be OK. Until we do, it messes with scheduling. One of my key people goes home tomorrow after more than a month on the ground here, which means more work for me to wrap things up.
I haven't planned any shoots yet, and probably won't till the work schedule is a little more set. There are opportunities, if I choose to make them happen, but after three last trip, and hardly any time at home since early June, I'm already behind so not pushing too hard for more. There are also multiple Bay Area opportunities, and I'll have a few days there on the way home.
After this, the travel schedule becomes less certain. I'll be back here for meetings this fall, but may have as little as a week advance notice. Hard to plan like that. It is what it is, all one can do is make the best of it.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Mediocrity
One of the frustrations of this extended Chicago trip is the feeling of being surrounded by sleepwalkers. The drivers are the most obvious, and the most dangerous manifestation. Thoughtless me-first behavior abounds, and almost every day I witness things on the roads that would make me laugh if they weren't potentially deadly.
Then there's the traffic itself. Some of the highways... I-94 is a prime example... Are gridlock more often than not. There's talk of finding ways to get people out of cars, but no real action. The sheep just return to the traffic jam day after day. Now, even travel in off hours doesn't seem to help any longer.
Then there's the construction, with alternates blocked at the same time as main routes, and the mindlessness of things like street fairs shutting down major arterials on Friday evening rush hour with no attempt at early warning signage to allow detours and avoid traffic jams. Basically, one learns the reason for the jam up at the verge of the event.
There are other things, but the commonality is a tolerance of mediocrity that seem to me to begin at the level of state and city government.
What a waste of what could have been a world class city.
Then there's the traffic itself. Some of the highways... I-94 is a prime example... Are gridlock more often than not. There's talk of finding ways to get people out of cars, but no real action. The sheep just return to the traffic jam day after day. Now, even travel in off hours doesn't seem to help any longer.
Then there's the construction, with alternates blocked at the same time as main routes, and the mindlessness of things like street fairs shutting down major arterials on Friday evening rush hour with no attempt at early warning signage to allow detours and avoid traffic jams. Basically, one learns the reason for the jam up at the verge of the event.
There are other things, but the commonality is a tolerance of mediocrity that seem to me to begin at the level of state and city government.
What a waste of what could have been a world class city.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Visuals
I've just finished the third photo shoot of the past week.
The first was at one of my standard post industrial sites, some nearly nude shots done mostly for fun. We ended a bit sooner than anticipated when the out of the way place we had chosen suddenly became a favored destination for several people. I haven't looked very closely at those images yet.
The second was an indoor shoot with Crimson, who i've known for a long time but hadn't seen in years. We encountered each other accidentally on my last visit, and quickly agreed to shoot. So I hauled rented lights up to her apartment, and we did some high key nudes against a white wall. It turned into four hours, about half of that just talking. Her face fascinated me, expressions racing by as we talked. There should be some good things to choose from.
The third, today, with Ginger Stone.... Colleen introduced us on Thursday night, and within minutes she asked to shoot. We worked an industrial area on Goose Island, a basic brick factory wall and loading dock in the shade. She wore a thong and a large scarf, usually open except when the occasional truck went by and it served as a convenient coverup. I think it may be tough to choose the keepers from this series, looks like lots of good stuff.
After the shoot we went for Vietnamese food on Argyle Street, and had a pleasant conversation.
These last two shoots may fit in well with a tentative exhibit offer extended last night, and which I should learn more about tomorrow. Some new ideas are already floating around, ways to extend these and some older work into a more coherent and balanced series.
The first was at one of my standard post industrial sites, some nearly nude shots done mostly for fun. We ended a bit sooner than anticipated when the out of the way place we had chosen suddenly became a favored destination for several people. I haven't looked very closely at those images yet.
The second was an indoor shoot with Crimson, who i've known for a long time but hadn't seen in years. We encountered each other accidentally on my last visit, and quickly agreed to shoot. So I hauled rented lights up to her apartment, and we did some high key nudes against a white wall. It turned into four hours, about half of that just talking. Her face fascinated me, expressions racing by as we talked. There should be some good things to choose from.
The third, today, with Ginger Stone.... Colleen introduced us on Thursday night, and within minutes she asked to shoot. We worked an industrial area on Goose Island, a basic brick factory wall and loading dock in the shade. She wore a thong and a large scarf, usually open except when the occasional truck went by and it served as a convenient coverup. I think it may be tough to choose the keepers from this series, looks like lots of good stuff.
After the shoot we went for Vietnamese food on Argyle Street, and had a pleasant conversation.
These last two shoots may fit in well with a tentative exhibit offer extended last night, and which I should learn more about tomorrow. Some new ideas are already floating around, ways to extend these and some older work into a more coherent and balanced series.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Pause
Chicago - I've been here more than ive been home this summer, and that's going to continue for about another three weeks. Through the early part of the trip work demands were primary, and there was essentially no time for anything else. Now at last things have settled into a routine and some deadlines have been met.
Beginning earlier this week, I've finally had some time to fit in a couple of evening shoots. The first was on location, at one of my standard outdoor spots, the second indoors, in the models living space. Both were a reversion to an earlier time for me, in the sense that they were more about portraiture, if with models who were wearing little or nothing.
Last night i stopped to see an old friend, and walked out an hour later with two more offers to model. There's another in negotiation from earlier. Already it's approaching the maximum I'll be able to fit into the remaining time, and I'm not even really seeking these opportunities, they're just happening.
There are some other things id like to photograph as well, landscapes and other things. Perhaps the first step is to find time to break and think through the goals, the intent. Its going to be difficult to find time to do that for a little while.
Beginning earlier this week, I've finally had some time to fit in a couple of evening shoots. The first was on location, at one of my standard outdoor spots, the second indoors, in the models living space. Both were a reversion to an earlier time for me, in the sense that they were more about portraiture, if with models who were wearing little or nothing.
Last night i stopped to see an old friend, and walked out an hour later with two more offers to model. There's another in negotiation from earlier. Already it's approaching the maximum I'll be able to fit into the remaining time, and I'm not even really seeking these opportunities, they're just happening.
There are some other things id like to photograph as well, landscapes and other things. Perhaps the first step is to find time to break and think through the goals, the intent. Its going to be difficult to find time to do that for a little while.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
summer
I'm still in Chicago, focused on work this past week. After a cool and dry spring it's turned hot and rainy, sending grass pollen... and allergies... off the charts. Finally it's a little better today.
After two busy weekends, I'm doing not much this weekend. Dinner with friends tonight, and headed over to Evanston in a moment to browse bookstores and have a cup of coffee. Tomorrow I'll need to spend a little time editing a work document, but otherwise it's going to be a nice relaxed weekend. No major social things, nothing even remotely photography related.
After two busy weekends, I'm doing not much this weekend. Dinner with friends tonight, and headed over to Evanston in a moment to browse bookstores and have a cup of coffee. Tomorrow I'll need to spend a little time editing a work document, but otherwise it's going to be a nice relaxed weekend. No major social things, nothing even remotely photography related.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
geezerpunks
Sunday night's O'Banion's reunion was at LateBar, a new venue on Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. It's a typical shiny-clean brand new neighborhood bar, with silver-framed square format photos on the walls, 10x10-inch very tightly cropped head shots of fashionable women, and a big screen on the back wall behind the dance floor.
The crowd peaked early and had largely dispersed by a little after midnight, pretty much the reverse of the old days when many of us would grab an early evening nap, and then go out from midnight til dawn.
The punk documentaries on the screen were fascinating even without sound, as the DJs filled the aural spectrum with old tunes. The energy on the dance floor was as intense as ever, and I worked up a pretty good sweat in the crowded and warm room. A thunderstorm passing just to the south, lighting illuminating the front windows, added a bit of menace to the air.
Mariah joined me for the event, and Chrystyne was present for a couple of hours mid-evening. I stayed til closing, then went to breakfast at Hollywood Grill in time to witness some low-level drama; four 20-somethings who refused to wait their turn in the very crowded restaurant, piling into a table still being cleaned up ahead of others who had been waiting. The waitstaff simply ignored them, refused to serve them, and when the protests rose to the level of yelling armed security arrived to suggest a quiet departure. Well, it wasn't exactly quiet, but the troublemakers did depart as additional security and a few cops began to arrive outside.
It was almost light by the end of breakfast, and I took a nearly empty Lake Shore Drive north, Lake Michigan calm as glass in the grey dawn.
Monday was mostly a rest day, and today it was back to work... with e-mails flying all morning, as paperwork related to two large projects came in from clients and was forwarded to admin, and as I arranged to fly out additional folks to help get it all done. There's also a document in quality control, due to go to the client tomorrow, and several other things happening. It's going to be a busy week, leading up to another gallery reception and more photos next weekend.
The crowd peaked early and had largely dispersed by a little after midnight, pretty much the reverse of the old days when many of us would grab an early evening nap, and then go out from midnight til dawn.
The punk documentaries on the screen were fascinating even without sound, as the DJs filled the aural spectrum with old tunes. The energy on the dance floor was as intense as ever, and I worked up a pretty good sweat in the crowded and warm room. A thunderstorm passing just to the south, lighting illuminating the front windows, added a bit of menace to the air.
Mariah joined me for the event, and Chrystyne was present for a couple of hours mid-evening. I stayed til closing, then went to breakfast at Hollywood Grill in time to witness some low-level drama; four 20-somethings who refused to wait their turn in the very crowded restaurant, piling into a table still being cleaned up ahead of others who had been waiting. The waitstaff simply ignored them, refused to serve them, and when the protests rose to the level of yelling armed security arrived to suggest a quiet departure. Well, it wasn't exactly quiet, but the troublemakers did depart as additional security and a few cops began to arrive outside.
It was almost light by the end of breakfast, and I took a nearly empty Lake Shore Drive north, Lake Michigan calm as glass in the grey dawn.
Monday was mostly a rest day, and today it was back to work... with e-mails flying all morning, as paperwork related to two large projects came in from clients and was forwarded to admin, and as I arranged to fly out additional folks to help get it all done. There's also a document in quality control, due to go to the client tomorrow, and several other things happening. It's going to be a busy week, leading up to another gallery reception and more photos next weekend.
Seattle exhibit
Some of the work from the f-eleven books is being shown Thursday in Seattle; I've contributed three pieces, two of them photos of post-punk era bands, and the other a more recent night shot of Chrystyne. The images were sent electronically, and the exhibit is being printed and mounted by Leo Lam. Here's the press release:
-----
The f-eleven books vol. 2 photographers will be showing their work at Eterea Studio in Pioneer Square for the Seattle First Thursday Artwalk on June 3rd, beginning at 6pm.
The show will include prints from 10 of the 19 photographers involved in the book project. The coffee table quality photography book, edited by internationally published photographer and art director Wolf189, features work of multiple genres. The result is a trend-challenging, and visually stimulating collection presented in a luxurious format. Printed on 100lb coffee table book standard paper with a silky finish, the book will handle many years of viewing. The entire book’s sale proceeds goes toward Autism research.
f-eleven vol.2 has been on sale since early April.
“We hope that this book would help raise awareness and provide some financial assistance for this worthy cause," said Leo Lam, a fashion photographer in Seattle, owner of Eterea Studio, and one of the contributors of f-eleven vol. 2.
Eterea Studio is at 619 Western Ave., 2nd Floor North, Seattle, WA 98104
The show will be an interactive, Microsoft tags-enabled event.
For detailed information on f-eleven books, please visit: www.f-elevenbooks.com
For information on Microsoft tags for your Smartphones, please visit: tag.microsoft.com
f-eleven is an exclusive private photography group. The book project was started by its members in late 2009, and since then have produced two book releases. The books are diverse and progressive, with the fundamental aim to affect small positive changes in worthy causes; one shutter click at a time.
website: http://f-elevenbooks.com/
blog: http://www.blog.f-elevenbooks.com/
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/f11books
twitter - http://twitter.com/felevenbooks
tumblr - http://f-eleven.tumblr.com
-----
The f-eleven books vol. 2 photographers will be showing their work at Eterea Studio in Pioneer Square for the Seattle First Thursday Artwalk on June 3rd, beginning at 6pm.
The show will include prints from 10 of the 19 photographers involved in the book project. The coffee table quality photography book, edited by internationally published photographer and art director Wolf189, features work of multiple genres. The result is a trend-challenging, and visually stimulating collection presented in a luxurious format. Printed on 100lb coffee table book standard paper with a silky finish, the book will handle many years of viewing. The entire book’s sale proceeds goes toward Autism research.
f-eleven vol.2 has been on sale since early April.
“We hope that this book would help raise awareness and provide some financial assistance for this worthy cause," said Leo Lam, a fashion photographer in Seattle, owner of Eterea Studio, and one of the contributors of f-eleven vol. 2.
Eterea Studio is at 619 Western Ave., 2nd Floor North, Seattle, WA 98104
The show will be an interactive, Microsoft tags-enabled event.
For detailed information on f-eleven books, please visit: www.f-elevenbooks.com
For information on Microsoft tags for your Smartphones, please visit: tag.microsoft.com
f-eleven is an exclusive private photography group. The book project was started by its members in late 2009, and since then have produced two book releases. The books are diverse and progressive, with the fundamental aim to affect small positive changes in worthy causes; one shutter click at a time.
website: http://f-elevenbooks.com/
blog: http://www.blog.f-elevenbooks.com/
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/f11books
twitter - http://twitter.com/felevenbooks
tumblr - http://f-eleven.tumblr.com
Sunday, May 30, 2010
lucid daydreams
I arrive in Chicago on Wednesday evening after barely making my connection in San Francisco. Over the next few days, the others converge: Mariah on Thursday evening, Dave and Roman on Saturday.
We're all at Gallery Provocateur by a little after 8:00 pm. It's smaller than Veronika's last gallery, three rooms: A lobby, a hallway with a bar, and a larger room to the left.
My work is in the hall, just to the right of the bar; four 11x17 or 16x20 images. Dave's work is at the far end of the larger room, and Mariah's is at the near end of the same room. The other five artists, painters or related media, are scattered about.
It's already getting crowded by the time we get there, and over the course of the evening the space ebbs and flows, ranging from near-claustrophobic to moderately crowded as people come and go, or move among rooms, or step outside to catch a breeze on this warm night.
Mariah is "creatively attired" with a long skirt of black glass beads and a black butterfly glued over each nipple, with a few small leaves glued about her torso. I'm in a black jacket, Dave in white. Friends arrive: Lauren, Natalya, John, others. V wears red pasties and tight jeans, her and Mariah walking by on occasion in front of my photos of them on the wall.
Near midnight the crowd finally thins, and we move down the street to Lucky Number to see SS-Triple-X perform. The performers are of course scantily clad, bits of black leather and electrical tape in an updated burlesque with bite. A few young goths who had been at the opening walk up to talk to us, perhaps a bit over-respectful and in awe. One of them decides she doesn't need that shirt after all, and finds a few pieces of black tape instead. Toward the very end of the evening Mariah's butterflies finally begin to succumb to the movement of dancing, and she peels them off and hands them to me. No one says anything, and the looks, while perhaps increasing in frequency, remain discreet.
We leave a few minutes before 3:00 am.
7:00 am comes much to soon, and by 8 we're at the designated Starbucks, downing coffee as Dave and Claudine arrive. We carpool to the Iron Works, and spend the rest of the morning shooting a series of nudes among the old ruins. At noon, with the temperature climbing over 90 and shade becoming sparse, we find a nearby ice cream place and relax for a while.
Now, after a few hours of sleep, It's time to prepare for tonight's O'Banion's reunion. More on that after the fact.
We're all at Gallery Provocateur by a little after 8:00 pm. It's smaller than Veronika's last gallery, three rooms: A lobby, a hallway with a bar, and a larger room to the left.
My work is in the hall, just to the right of the bar; four 11x17 or 16x20 images. Dave's work is at the far end of the larger room, and Mariah's is at the near end of the same room. The other five artists, painters or related media, are scattered about.
It's already getting crowded by the time we get there, and over the course of the evening the space ebbs and flows, ranging from near-claustrophobic to moderately crowded as people come and go, or move among rooms, or step outside to catch a breeze on this warm night.
Mariah is "creatively attired" with a long skirt of black glass beads and a black butterfly glued over each nipple, with a few small leaves glued about her torso. I'm in a black jacket, Dave in white. Friends arrive: Lauren, Natalya, John, others. V wears red pasties and tight jeans, her and Mariah walking by on occasion in front of my photos of them on the wall.
Near midnight the crowd finally thins, and we move down the street to Lucky Number to see SS-Triple-X perform. The performers are of course scantily clad, bits of black leather and electrical tape in an updated burlesque with bite. A few young goths who had been at the opening walk up to talk to us, perhaps a bit over-respectful and in awe. One of them decides she doesn't need that shirt after all, and finds a few pieces of black tape instead. Toward the very end of the evening Mariah's butterflies finally begin to succumb to the movement of dancing, and she peels them off and hands them to me. No one says anything, and the looks, while perhaps increasing in frequency, remain discreet.
We leave a few minutes before 3:00 am.
7:00 am comes much to soon, and by 8 we're at the designated Starbucks, downing coffee as Dave and Claudine arrive. We carpool to the Iron Works, and spend the rest of the morning shooting a series of nudes among the old ruins. At noon, with the temperature climbing over 90 and shade becoming sparse, we find a nearby ice cream place and relax for a while.
Now, after a few hours of sleep, It's time to prepare for tonight's O'Banion's reunion. More on that after the fact.
Monday, May 24, 2010
busy
I'm on a string of deadlines at the office... work is fun at the moment, but there's not a lot of time to stand still and think about it.
Then there's the travel. Saturday, a day trip to Oakland, which I'll try to get back here and write about... a fine art meet and greet, with lots of excellent work shown. Wednesday morning I'm off to Chicago, first an exhibit opening at www.galleryprovocateur.org on May 29th, then work, and another reception on June 5th, with a couple of shoots wrapped in on the weekends. And the O'Banion's reunion on May 30th. Home briefly in June, then back to Chicago again. And a few schedule things that aren't for sure yet. It doesn't really slow down til late August, if then.
But really, I'll try to write more....
Then there's the travel. Saturday, a day trip to Oakland, which I'll try to get back here and write about... a fine art meet and greet, with lots of excellent work shown. Wednesday morning I'm off to Chicago, first an exhibit opening at www.galleryprovocateur.org on May 29th, then work, and another reception on June 5th, with a couple of shoots wrapped in on the weekends. And the O'Banion's reunion on May 30th. Home briefly in June, then back to Chicago again. And a few schedule things that aren't for sure yet. It doesn't really slow down til late August, if then.
But really, I'll try to write more....
Friday, April 9, 2010
volume 2 book release party and exhibit
I'm exhibiting in Chicago, at Gallery Provocateur, with opening receptions on May 29 and June 5. Details are at: http://www.galleryprovocateur.org/upcomingexhibition.html
On May 29th there will also be a book release party for f-eleven Volume 2, which just went public a few days ago. For information and previews of both books, see www.f-elevenbooks.com
Monday, January 11, 2010
a rainy night...
... and it's time to write just a little.
It was a busy weekend; a revamped website, half done but only parts uploaded so far. That, in turn was inspired by the recent book project. And finally, there was a burst of motivation following Saturday's earthquake. But... that's a different story.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
f-elevenbooks blog
The f-eleven books blog is up and running:
http://www.blog.f-elevenbooks.com/
Take a look for news on members of the group and our next book project, and, today... there's a wonderful video posted by Wolf 189.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
a sunny day
It was clear and mild today, a great day to roll up the garage door and clean out the darkroom... something that's badly overdue, and a bit more urgent now that I'm thinking it's almost time to print again.
I've decided to order a new enlarger lens for medium format work, the existing one is showing traces of fungus between the elements and it's quite old anyway, there are better designs available now. So that will take a few days to arrive. Other things are more basic, the clock seems to have given it up, and that's easier to replace before I put the sink back against the wall. That one I'll take care of tomorrow.
Earlier in the day I pulled the plug for the last time on the HP piece of crap flatbed scanner, which sort of worked OK at first, but then required periodic reloading of the software... and now it's just turned evil, keeps reverting to default after every scan. No, I don't want to scan everything at 200 dpi, and I don't want to be bothered to change the settings for every single scan. A shame, the made good products once, but this is the third thing I've had problems with (actually the other two were owned by family members, but I'm the one who had to deal with them). Three strikes and you're out... no more HP products for me. Interestingly, the problems began during the reign of Carly Fiorina... now she's making sounds about running for U.S. Senate... nearly runs a company into the ground, now she wants to help run the country? No thanks, there are already enough issues.
The Canon flatbed that I've put in it's place is running flawlessly so far, and it takes up quite a bit less space as an added bonus. That's what I like, products that just work.
I'm currently in a mood to work with some older images, 10-year old stuff mostly, at the moment. And it occurs to me that if I wanted to, I could put the cameras away and keep plenty busy for quite a while just compiling things from all that older work.
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