Happy Halloween!

Didn't manage to shoot any spooky stuff for Halloween this year, but perhaps a masquerade image will do the trick (or treat). This is Redemption from early this year... a terrific shoot, but she moved to the east coast, so we haven't had a chance to go again. Strange how people drift in and out of your life, isn't it?

Also kind of strange... the Halloween stuff arrives in the stores shortly after the 4th of July, but because all the parties were last weekend, and "Beggar's Night" in my area was on the 30th for some reason, and all the Halloween stuff in stores has been on clearance, it feels like the day is over before it even happened. But I'm guessing some people will still be out howling at the moon tonight, especially all those IGUN folks, so I hope everyone enjoys themselves and gets their share of goodies and spookiness.

Cozy

Another quick entry showing Ayden and Crystallynn getting cozy with one another. Once in a while I just marvel at just the intimate moments that I sometimes get to be privy to photograph. These models are also good friends in real life, so while it's just a simple embrace, I could feel the comfortable connection between them, and I believe I'd established a level of trust and confidence with each of them before doing these shots -- I hope that I managed to capture it in the images.

In a mood...

...not sure why, but just in an odd mood today, so rather than blogging much, I thought I'd just share a couple moody shots of Laurie from a month or so ago. Enjoy.

Three for the road...

Returning to the scene once more, this time for the 3rd Halloween Group Shoot at Collingwood. The first one two years ago was pretty noteworthy for me in several respects: meeting Andi (even though we didn't start dating until February), meeting Boyd and several of the models I still work with today, and sort of finding a "home away from home" in the Toledo/Detroit area. (Leave it to me to find one 150+ miles away with gas at $3/gallon.) But it was also when I started to think I might be able to do OK with this model photography thing. It was also about the time I was using the Lensbaby like crazy.

Have a couple things planned out for the day, but nothing really Halloween related. I'm not big into costumes or spooky stuff. There may be something mildly sacrilegious, but I'm actually thinking it might turn out pretty cool.

From the top, from two Halloweens ago, we have Atropos, Bree, Barbie, and Andrea. Thanks ladies!

Fire in the City

Halloween is in the air, or maybe it's smoke from the San Diego fires. Report on the radio a few minutes ago said 910,000 500,000 people have been evacuated from the area. That, and it appears that the California National Guard is vastly undermanned and underequipped to fight the fire. Gosh, I wonder where those soldiers and materiel went to?

Speaking of San Diego, Don Nelson just mentioned that he's quitting shooting for a while. Not sure if that means six weeks or six months. He says he does intend to keep blogging, so that's a good thing at least. The power of suggestion is getting stronger.

So, with Halloween pending, here's a somewhat ghostly image... ooh, spooky!

Unattainment for Men

Back when I was in college, someone published a Playb0y parody magazine called "Playbore" with the motto "Unattainment for Men" which was probably the funniest thing about it. "Unattainment" was a good description of my attempts to obtain a couple of recent publications.

Several of the other blogs I link to and photographers I know have mentioned or have work in The Secret Photo Anthology #5, and while I wanted to get a copy, buying direct from the publisher is a little pricey (about $85) due to shipping to the US and the weak dollar vs. the Euro. I'd briefly seen Martin Class' copy at an art show a few weeks ago, and was inspired to do a little futher hunting. Turns out it was listed on Bud Plant's store as "backordered" so I went ahead and placed my order, not expecting it to actually ever ship. Well, nice surprise, I just got word that my copy has shipped, and I should have it by the end of the week. At this moment, Bud Plant's Website is showing that it's "in stock" for $60 plus shipping, which still ain't cheap, but well worth it. Probably will be a collector's item. I trust that buying from Bud rather than buying direct is still profitable for the publisher, Jürgen Boedt, so if you've had it on your wish list, this might be the way to go.

Also, the new magazine Carrie Leigh Nude has been very elusive, but I managed to track one down on eBay for something of a price premium. The premier issue features among other things, an article on Dave Rudin. So more copies may pop up on eBay, but it now appears that subscribing via the website will include the premier issue -- a recent development -- so if you've been looking for that, too, you may be in luck.

Decisions, Decisions

An artsy one of Rose from the spring... just caught my eye, so I thought I'd share it here.

Decisions... have to start deciding a few things pretty soon. What work I'm submitting various places, what I want to try to do with the studio space, and the eternal question, what to wear to a halloween party next week. Suggestions welcome. It should be something simple and not require a lot of preparation. Maybe I'll swing by the Halloween store tonight to see what's available. There's also the option of having someone do some gory makeup thing on me, since before the party I'll be with at least one person who knows how to do that stuff. Not sure how long I can bear to wear it though. Or maybe I'll just paint a tiretread on the top of my shoe and wear three cameras around my neck to be a Britney Spears papparazzo... again, suggestions welcome.

Nue Overdue

After shooting with her numerous times over the past two years, last month was the first chance Heather and I had to shoot actual nudes (if you don't count the heels that is). Thanks to the usual group shoot scheduling snafu, it was just a brief session (about 20 minutes of shooting). Still, I'm very pleased with the number of good shots we got. I think she is, too. Her comment? "Damn....that's me? My god those are amazing!" (*Blush*) I'm looking forward to the chance to go again and explore a wider variety of settings and ideas with her. Thanks Heather!

"You might say I'm unlearned..."

Maybe it's just the onset of fall, but somehow this shot sort of captures my mood at the moment... thanks to Suzi for being fearless when getting the shots from this set.

Went to see Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello play last night, and while these are two of my all-time favorite artists, something about the evening left me cold. I'm not sure if concertgoing has changed, or I've changed, or both, but all night it seemed like I was waiting for ONE song to sound just a little like the recorded version. I knew better than to expect it from Dylan (he's notorious for this... seems it becomes a losing game of "I can name that tune in two verses and a chorus,"). For instance, he played Masters of War, which still stands up as a great anti-war song, perhaps today more than ever, but apart from the first line, it was unintelligible, so rather than being moved by the lyrics, it was just another mid-tempo sleeper. I knew Elvis would be performing solo, but I really missed his band, and while he threw in a few of the "greatest hits" there was a lot of newer, slower stuff that even I wasn't familiar with.

I realize this isn't a very artistic attitude to take... perhaps it's best to view it as an evening of reinterpreting and expression, and rather than comparing everything to the "original" version, the songs should have been enjoyed for the manner in which they were performed -- which I managed to do to some extent. But it's also about money at this point, as both performers are promoting the umpteenth re-issue of their best known works, and a wide array of $40 t-shirts, so would it kill them to perform a couple songs the way at least some of the audience would hope to hear it? I guess I'm getting to the point (age?) where the experience of trying to decipher lyrics doesn't feel rewarding enough to merit an evening of my time and $60 for a good (but far from great) seat next to Mr. & Mrs. Thimblebladder.

Or as Bob himself said, "I used to care, but things have changed." At least, I think that's what he said.

Losing track...

Hard to believe it was over a year and a half ago that I spent an afternoon and evening with the wonderfully talented Katie Reider and her band. They were appearing at Peach's Grill out in Yellow Springs, and I asked if they'd mind if I did some band photos and such to expand that part of my portfolio. They set up but couldn't soundcheck for a while, so they had nothing better to do than sit for pictures for a couple hours. Really friendly and gracious, they had all sorts of patience as I tried various things (I think I'd just gotten my Lensbaby, and was trying it on everything) even though it was pretty chilly out. They ended up using a number of the shots in the design of the band website even though it was built a few months after the shoot.

I haven't really kept in touch with Katie and the guys. I've seen their show updates on MySpace and have considered making it out to see them, but haven't quite managed, since I'm traveling so many weekends. Then there was a MySpace bulletin this morning entitled "Katie Reider Benefits" -- so I opened it, and it turns out Katie is having radiation treatments for a tumor behind her eye, and there have been several fundraiser benefits to try to offset her medical bills.

"Some people have been asking where to send donations. Here is where you can do that.

Stonewall Center
Attn: Suzie Simpson
1160 N. High St.
Columbus. OH. 43201
*make checks payable to Katie Reider"

I wish Katie all the best for her treatment and speedy recovery, and if any of you can chip in, I'm sure she'd appreciate it. Or pick up a CD or buy a few songs from iTunes... you'll be glad you did.

This also points to a larger problem, because it seems every few months I hear about another musician or artist in the area who falls ill, or has an accident, and they have no insurance coverage or money to pay for treatment. So, their friends and fans will do a couple benefits, but honestly, I can't imagine even the most successful local benefit show raising more than a couple thousand dollars, which is a drop in the bucket in terms of medical costs. And for every musician/artist you hear about, there are hundreds or thousands of everyday people who find themselves in the same situation because of the expense and difficulty of purchasing health insurance. I'm sure most people who are trying to make a living as an artist or musician are pretty likely not to have insurance, just playing the odds hoping they don't get sick or anything.

I'm still amazed that so many people think that public health care is such a terrible idea. The recent stink over the S-CHIP program and Graeme Frost actually has some people saying that "oh, they should have to sell their house and business and go into debt to pay the medical bills because their kids were critically wounded in an auto accident" instead of saying "wow, the program that let his family PURCHASE discounted health INSURANCE sure was a good thing. It's probably helping lots of other people, too." We're already paying for universal health care, just not receiving it. I heard the math the other day, that if you compare Canadian taxes (which include most health care costs) against US taxes AND what we pay for health care, the Canadians come out money ahead. But the health insurance industry has lobbyists... all the US citizens have are Congress.

Quitting time?

Strange, but in the past few days, I've read blog posts from several different photographers talking about taking a break from photography, in one form or another. Maybe it's the time of year, burnout from a busy summer, or something in the air, or just plain old coincidence. I know I need to slow down on the shoots, speed up on the editing, and get stuff out there into the world in some way other than this blog. Maybe the time to take a shooting break was BEFORE getting into this new space, because now that I have it and I'm paying rent, I'm obviously obliged to make use of it. Or so I tell myself.

I'm committed to group events the next three weekends, but after that, I think I'll take a break from those for a while at least. Unless of course something irresistable and amazing presents itself... like if I could miraculously attend Community Zoe Fest next week. Maybe I can start planning to attend next year...

This model goes by Sin, photographed this summer. I'd love to work with her some more, and she has friends she can refer, but I've not been able to take advantage of the opportunity. Now she's talking about moving to California, so that opportunity may go. But you can't chase every ambulance, as the attorneys might say.

I don't intend to stop shooting anytime soon... but I do need to refine and streamline things somehow... but you've heard that from me before. In the words of Bullwinkle, "This time for sure!"

Art of Naughtiness

Boyd Hambleton will be having another exhibit of his photography at the Colllingwood Arts Center Gerber House Gallery, with the opening reception on Friday, November 2nd. Not sure if I'll be able to make this one as I'm obliged to be in Columbus the next day, but perhaps... all you Toledo/Detroit area folks should be sure to attend the opening reception, check out the photos, and maybe purchase one that strikes your fancy.

Looks like another kickass flyer design by Andi, too. :)

"Angels Cry..."

"Engel schrei, teufel schrei, den mann warum ist" translates to "Angels cry, devils cry, man is the reason" -- the rather profound motto of a the model who goes by the name "Engel Schrei" -- I posted a couple of her last week. In a short period of time, she's become a very popular model, for good reason. She's started a new blog, Mann Warum Ist, so stop by and check it out and leave a word of encouragement. You can also leave a contribution there to help fund her move from Indianapolis to one of Ohio's cultural meccas... I'm sure she's moving this way just so we can work together more often. :)

I'm on her slate for the group shoot in a couple weeks, so with any luck, I'll have more to share before long. In the meantime, there are plenty more goodies from our first sessions in the queue.

More Reflected Glory

Another site, 3kix, has picked up on Iris' blog and chose to feature a very complimentary entry she made a few days regarding our "Cruel Shoes" shot. So, thanks to Iris, as always, and thanks to 3kix. Check it out.

P.S. Not long after Iris was featured, 3kix did a little spotlight on my blog, taking a special shine to this shot of London... thanks!

Bending over backwards

Got some good news today on a concern that's had me pre-occupied for a couple of weeks lately... I'm pretty sure the storm has passed. Been keeping busy nevertheless, doing a little shooting and trying to do more editing, and some other stuff. In the midst of a stretch where I'll have a lot more shoots. Going to meet lots of new people, and hopefully make some cool images. After this stretch, I gotta slow down.

These are Danaid, bending over backwards for the great shot... she never fails to impress me.

By the way, the book is still available, and I never did get around to raising the price.

And last time I checked, the blog's "comments" feature still works...

Amanda reckon with...

I've been lucky as a photographer in that a number of the best nationally recognized figure models live within a few hours drive of me, and I've been fortunate enough to work with many of them. Amanda here was one of the first "big time" models who worked with me, and besides being sweet as pie and fun to work with, is a real natural as a model. She had her first baby a couple months ago, but I think she's already gearing up to get back in the modeling game. (She had done some beautiful maternity work as well, but we couldn't seem to work out a shoot while she was really showing.) Evidently, she's revamping her portfolio, and posted some more of our shots on her OMP portfolio, and these two were showcased. I reckon I need to find a way to work with her again soon...

Absolution

Sorry for the absence... some good shooting and some bad traveling combined for a rather exhausting weekend, compounded by temperatures in the 90s.

In Ohio.

In October...

"Nothing to see here... no climate change... please just go about your business..."

Speaking of heat, here's the Absolute again...

Majestic...

Two shots of the majestic Engel Schrei. She's tall and beautiful and natural and great to work with... she should go far. And I do miss that white wall.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. The usual culprits of work, shoots, editing, and a few hours sleep every now and then have kept me from populating this blog more frequently. I've been a bit stressed as well, which doesn't help with productivity as much as one might think. Going to be away from a computer for most of the weekend as well, so please bear with us. Your visit is very important to us... your visit will be handled by the next available photographer.

Jenn Again

Out of the blue today, it looks like I'll get the chance to work with Jenn Thomas again before long, too. These are from early 2006... I think we'll do some extra cool stuff this time. I'll keep y'all posted. :)

In the meantime, stop by and cast your vote for her to be Miss MySpace USA.

London

A few more from my shoot with London a while ago... showcasers on her OMP page. Looks like I'll get to work with her again briefly, and possibly in the dark, in a couple weeks. :)