Archive for May, 2009
Ok so it’s not Rolling Stone but it’s a start. I was called by someone out of Jacksonville, Fl which I remember answering when my cell phone rang. I typically do not answer many numbers I do not recognize. The gentleman was very nice as he explain precisely what he was looking for to go on the cover of The Successful Contractor trade periodical.
I had never heard of the Adkins brothers before that day but I enjoyed meeting them. My assignment was to shoot the owners of the local company Adkins Ontime Electric for the cover and inside spread. Both brothers were gracious as I took them out to the middle of a parking lot (at high noon) and set their van in the background shooting with a large octagon softbox and a silver relector. I won’t post the shots where I sent pain through their eyes with the sun reflector. I’ve learned better not to do that with subjects.
Since that day I hear Kerry Adkins on the radio advertising the business (not saying I had anything to do with their success because I know better) and sharing some scripture. It reminds me that this business is not about just taking great pictures but it’s about a fabric that is being weaved and created out of the stories and experiences of meeting people involved in creating great pictures.
I do a lot of personal work for the sake of always shooting to improve and to make better and better pictures (and to feed my stock library). I don’t know where I come up with my thoughts and ideas but they sort of formulate during the day and then I seek out ways to make them happen. A lot of times my models and I can talk through ideas and come up with better ones because they contribute their time and talent and help refine the process. Of course eating ice cream with 2 softboxes flanking you with a silver reflector near your lap and a camera waiting for you to make the right expression worthy of a click can be intimidating. What I did with Samantha is just wait for the right moment. I was really pleased with the images I got because they were much better than I envisioned in my head. We had a lot of fun just shooting and coming up with the right moment. She’s a real professional.
It was a really great time shooting with this group. Their office is located on 3rd Ave N and had very beautiful places inside to shoot and get various environmental corporate shots. They needed new portraits for advertising and website photos. Thanks guys for a fun time shooting.
Erby Fischer, Dana Dachelet, Dennis Goldasich, Victoria Dye
Korean Beauty
I’m really not sure what most models think when going on a shoot with a photographer. Models have a goal of portfolio pictures and photographers have a goal that if shots are good they can be used to enhance a portfolio or sold as stock. I have had many models say to me that other photographers start out clean and all but then slowly start asking for more compromises with regards to clothing. I shot Talia yesterday evening and we just were going to have fun at the beach and we did. My goal with her, and any model, is to get lifestyle imagery with fun as the emphasis and beauty as a secondary thing. Since we weren’t shooting high fashion we focused on ideas that could be used in lifestyle ads.
Talia is half Korean and somehow she owns a ukulele which she borrowed from her husband for a prop. Enjoy.
Can I play you a song?
The Callerbones Boys
The Callerbones seem lost in this portrait but I can assure you they are not lost in more ways than one. Focusing on their craft – their art – is paramount to their calling as they weave energy and determination in with cool sounds and interesting rhythms. I already knew Josh but met Caleb, Wes and Kevin at the shoot. I felt their vibe would fit nicely with a VW Bus and thanks to my new friend for loaning us the 1974 prop. I think it helped the feeling quite well.
Now I’ll include a couple more of the “pipe” which a couple of them seem to enjoy as well as good poetry…mate.
Kevin & Caleb
One sign from the Tea Party on April 15, 2009 at Veteran's Park
“Blocking out the scenery – breaking my mind.” Yeah I thought of this when watching TV last night. Actress Janeane Garofalo (honestly never heard of her) went on a diatribe saying that all the “Tea Party” participants on April 15th, 2009 were simply driven by racism and their hatred toward the president due to the color of his skin. Her “evidence” is that she saw “signs” to “prove” this “fact.”
I was there for the party in Hoover at Veteran’s Park and can say I saw a few signs I thought shouldn’t be there because it probably would give those that oppose the movement ammunition. I was right. “One bad apple don’t spoil the whole bunch” does it? There was a guy standing in front of me who yelled, “Let’s make it a WHITE house!” while Rick and Bubba were on air with Sean Hannity. I spoke with the guy, shall we say, about his comment to which he replied, “are you with the media?!” So did he think it were possible for a fan of the party to hold a position contrary to his? Did he think he represented the majority of attendees? He must have thought so based on his less than brilliant comeback.
We all have members of our family that are embarrasing to us right? Any family is not represented in total by just one or two members and we wouldn’t want people who don’t know us to judge the whole family based on the one. But we kind of assume that others know this and give us a pass because they, too, have family members like ours and instinctively understand.
Not with politics. If the opposition finds something to use they will and ignore all the facts. Both sides do this. Both sides in a dispute of any kind do this and it takes a special person to be able to see that one person doesn’t represent everyone that is in the same camp.
Taken Oct. 30, 2008 full of life at 82 just before the disease began
Mom passed away in March from a sudden onset of Myasthenia Gravis which takes away all muscle functions including breathing or the ability to expand the diaphragm enough to get a breath. She was a warrior and never gave up no matter the situation. She faced many difficulties in her life including having lived through the Great Depression which probably taught her not to quit or give up no matter what. She always felt there was a way to accomplish whatever it was she wanted to do even if it meant waiting a while.
I remember hearing about her house as a child. There were gaps in the floor and the walls enough to see the ground and see who was coming down the road to the house without always having to look through the window. As one of 5 children (there was a 6th who died at the age of 5 named Major) she learned how to fight for her position. When her parents became too frail to take care of themselves she had them come live with us in our 1000 square foot house. We added a two story room addition which mean my grandparents would go back and forth through my room to their room whenever they went to the shower or to dinner.
Mom always had a no-nonsense faith which kept her until the end which I believe helped her have the strength to say to the doctors, “remove the tube and let me go.” I watched her leave us – she left in peace like a dove which provided a stark contrast to the fight she had just been through the following 2 1/2 weeks in MICU hoping to cure what put her there. After she understood her condition and it wouldn’t get better she said she knew where she was going and it was ok to go.
She loved Jesus and I am sure he loves her.
So mom, here is your card today. Your gift which could have been anything from a hanging basket of flowers to fancy jellies (yes I know you don’t care for fancy jellies) is nothing compared to what you have today.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you.
Kelli Trontell / Musician & Photographer
I attended a workshop in Nashville recently with famous Celebrity/Musician photographer David Bean (www.thevisualreserve.com) where I met Kelli Trontell of the new CCM group COLMANblue (two former Zoe Girl band members) who drilled into me her beliefs in the power of blogging during a lunch break. I have always been drawn to blogs and blogging for myself but as a discipline I’m not so good at this part. I spend a lot of time shooting and perfecting my skill but relegated blogging to the back burner. Until now. Yes I’m going to hopefully keep up my new discpline better than New Year’s resolution to lose 20 lbs – which reminds me……nevermind.
So look here for new content hopefully weekly (you’ll see where the discipline breaks down) where I will share projects I have worked on as well as personal thoughts or experiences not necessarily always pertaining to photography.
So now I leave you with photos from that weekend and hope you check out my new friend Kelli and her new band Coleman Blue coming out of Nashville with inaugural music really soon.