Vision Fading...

Twas just decided that there will be a Closing Reception Party kind of thing for the "Dark Visions" exhibit at the Collingwood on Friday, June 29. So, those of you who are kicking yourselves for missing the opening "gala" will have a second chance to see the show and rub elbows with the photographers. If you can't make the party, the show remains open for the next two weeks during the Collingwood's wildly convenient office hours (10am-5pm Monday-Wednesday-Friday, 10am-2pm Tuesday & Thursday) or by appointment (419-244-2787). Hope to see you the 29th!

Another lost weekend...

Well, here it is, another Monday, and I sit here wondering what became of the weekend. Of course, I know, but it just seemed to zip by so fast. Basically did editing, editing, and some more editing, catching up on some more pressing matters, but by no means caught up. Managed to spend time with the old man for Father's Day, which of course involved troubleshooting his computer... which turned into a pretty major upgrade project that will have to be concluded tonight.

Had a shoot scheduled for early Sunday, which was postponed by the model, but it did give me a chance to test drive the upgraded air conditioning in the studio. Went in Saturday night and switched on the units, and then went back about 11 on Sunday and the place was bearable, so that's good news for me and future models, bad news for global warming. Due to apparent necessity, the new unit and its vent were installed in the middle of the studio's long "window wall," further spoiling the vintage warehouse integrity of that part of the studio. If I want that, I'll need to venture out of the space, I guess.

Here are a couple of Raelyn, formerly Eilispidh, from a recent group shoot up north...some of this weekend's editing.

Think too much...

Had the privilege of shooting with Carlotta again yesterday, but I have to admit I was a little bit off my game, largely because of the heat in the studio, and just so much other stuff going on cluttering my thinking. In hindsite, I realize a number of things I should have done differently and opportunities missed. While we got a lot of images I'm very happy with, I can't help but feel if I'd had my act together, it could have been a much more productive shoot. Thanks to Carlotta for doing a great job and for being patient and putting up with the heat. (This should motivate me to get set up in my basement space for studio work, especially as I continue to learn just how many top-flight photographers are working in their dining room or spare bedroom.) Thanks also to Danaid for stopping by for a bit as well. Love the tan and the new hairstyle. ;) The shot here is from my first session with Carlotta, which showcased yesterday.

Also honored yesterday by OMP was this shot of Alexis. Our last shoot was the type of highly-productive outing that I wish I'd managed with Carlotta last night. Alexis and I did quite a few different set-ups and styles. Of course, there wasn't the heat problem to contend with, and we shot a while longer, but I think it was also that I went into it with a less cluttered frame of mind (and definitely put less pressure on myself). Maybe Andi's right... I do think too much sometimes... funny how I can think so much about something without managing to end up with an actual plan. Next time for sure. Better start thinking...

"Adventures in the skin trade..."

One night only, June 28, mark your calendars... I've been invited to be part of a show called "Skin Art" if you couldn't tell by the poster art here. Other photographers/artists slated to appear include: Dave Levingston, Kidtee Hello, Dark Mannequin, Simeon Oyeyemi, and Stillborn Photography. In addition, there will be some tattoo artists/piercers, plus four bands and a few other surprises.

I guess Dave and I are included because there's a lot of skin in our art... the others tend to work a little more towards the dark/goth side of things with piercings and tattoos -- although I'm no stranger to that territory -- so there should be something for everybody and every body. I'll have a few framed pieces there, as well as a selection of matted prints, and possibly even some loose prints at affordable prices. So, if you're in the Dayton area, stop by The Pearl (formerly the Dayton Diner) the evening of the 28th and be sure to bring your skin.

Whiteout

Just a few past favorites I thought I'd revisit... clockwise from top left are Alicia, Maddy Raye, and Megan.

Summer Roses

A couple gems from the ever-popular Rose. Been too long already since we shot... miss her quick wit and beautiful... everything.

By the way, anyone reading this, or just looking at pictures? A comment or two would be much appreciated...

Happy Accidents

Sometimes cool stuff happens that I could never plan for. The shot I had framed was pretty nice, but the subject moved and the exposure turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be, and then there's the green...

Speaking of accidents, I added The Accidental Pornographer to the links over there. She does some mighty cool stuff, so check her out. Thanks to James for the tip.

Darkness Visible

A couple weeks ago, I did an entry in praise of the simplicity of a nude figure in a striking pose on a simple light background. I'm also a fan of the inverse of that, with the figure surrounded by or emerging from darkness. Sometimes, the more black "negative space" in an image, the more impact it has on me, oddly enough. One of the pieces I have in the Dark Visions show is called "Eclipse" and is just a slice of light on the model's side. (After the show closes, I'll post it here, but why wait? Stop by and see the exhibit!) Here's Alexis and Kristina, the two latest OMP showcases, which futher confirms that there are still plenty of fans of this dramatic, if traditional, technique.

A certain something...

Sometimes, a photograph will have a certain je ne sais quoi about it that just appeals to me. Sometimes they're even photos that I've taken. Here are three from my recent shoot with Alexis that fit the bill.

Oh, and all you new visitors -- please take a minute to comment and let me know what you think. Even if you're just here for the boobs.

Rear of the Year

Yes, yet another contest. This time it's the shapely Kirsten competing in the "Rear of the Year" contest with a picture from our sweltering shoot last summer. You can see more from that shoot here if you like, but please take a minute and vote for Kirsten (#17). Like so many of these contests, you have to register to vote, but you can vote once a day through the 14th. Sadly, the shot had to be censored because so many people in Ohio can't handle a bare butt, so Kirsten drew a fake thong on the shot... not something I normally approve of people doing to my images. I would have preferred to do myself at least, but as these things usually go, she did her entry at the last minute and didn't have time to ask me to paint something on her...

And a reminder, yes, it was that damn hot and she is sweating her ass off. I was too. We've had a break the past couple days, but it's been close to 90 degrees in early JUNE for crying out loud. I can't imagine what it's going to be like in August, especially in that hotbox of a studio. Might be a good time to find some cool streams and creeks to shoot in. Or the frozen food section at Kroger.

Time for Sarah

For no particular reason, here are a few from my most recent shoot with Sarah Ellis. With a model this beautiful, who needs a reason to post images?

Also, found a fun bit of notoriety online... I entered May's nerve.com photo contest, and while winners have not been announced, they did choose one of my shots for the little 3-image animated thumbnail for the "Bubbles" theme. Nerve also used a shot I did of Sarah Ellis from the "Flip Flops" theme in an online ad for the site. Of course, no credit on either, no payment... but still nice to be chosen. And maybe I'll win a prize in the contest. Keep your fingers crossed!

Parallel Development Week

Yet another entry in the "parallel development" category. Saw some shots by another photographer who's recently been playing around with fishing line tied tightly around a model. The two shots here are from my February session with Candy, when we experimented for a little while with what I'd called "microbondage" at the time. She wasn't too keen on the "lumpy" effect it had on her flesh, and it definitely leaves marks on the skin almost immediately, so since I wanted to do more with her, but didn't have time to wait for lines to fade, we moved on. Still have the fishing line in my bag, and have been meaning to revisit the idea, but we'll see. And again, while I'd done these shots a while ago, I haven't really shown them to anyone before, so I'm just pointing out how some common objects have self-evident potential as photo props.

Blue Moon

On June 30th, we'll have a "Blue Moon" meaning the second full moon within a single month. The old expression "once in a blue moon" means something happens rarely, but it actually works out to once every 11 months, more or less. The new shot over on Iris' blog reminded me of this shot I did of Mandy and Abigail last fall. Some photographers would get bent out of shape at the similarity, but it just tells me that it's a pretty self-evident idea when you're lucky enough to have more than one model to work with. Jim and the ladies did a nice job with the idea, adding a little sand texture to boot.

Coincidentally (I think) Mandy e-mailed me this morning commenting on the shot above and expressed an interest in setting up another shoot when time and travel will permit. Talk about once in a blue moon...

By the way here's another shot from the same session with Mandy and Abigail -- both amazing models. I still have some shots from this session awaiting editing. Maybe I'll find some extra hours in June somehow -- the 21st is the longest day of the year after all.

Twisted

Thanks to those who turned out for the opening weekend of the "Dark Visions" exhibit, and thanks to Boyd for organizing it all. A lot of outstanding work from the contributing artists, it was good to have my work hanging alongside theirs. The show will be up until June 30 and is open to the public during the Collingwood's regular business hours, as well as during other events at the center, and by appointment. There's even talk of possibly having a "closing" reception, so I'll keep you all posted.

Saw an image in the show that reminded me of this one I did a while back as a contender for the Protest issue of Boyd's excursion into the literary magazine world. Deemed just a bit too explicit for that magazine, this shot has been in storage. Seemed like the time to dig it out and present it. I liked how the twisted wire of the model's cross echoed the twisted wire of a hanger, which led to this image. Came up with a variety of titles, including "IUDs" but think that "Twisted" just seems to sum it up.

Sarah

Haven't posted many shots of this Sarah, who used to be in the Detroit area, but has since moved to the Carolina coast. Without knowing it, she was a real motivator for me when I was getting serious with the figure work... I wanted to improve to the point of doing her justice if I got the chance to work with her. Met her at a rather odd group shoot she helped arrange, but did get the chance to do several studio and location shoots with her, and I think I've come close to doing her justice a few times. It's always sad when a favorite model moves out of the area, but that makes room for someone new. Plus, she still has family in the Detroit area, so there's always the chance that we can set up something on a visit home someday. Thanks again, Sarah, for everything. :)