More Huntress

Model: Rosalinda (and Aldo)
Make Up: Lauren Weber

Finally got around to editing some more pics.... might even have some more but I'm simply too tired to continue tonight.

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My friend Dave Levingston (who is a great photographer) suggested I crop the top image. I agree that the composition is not great, it was one of the later in the day shots. When I was looking at it I knew it wasn't quite right but also was hesitant to change it but after then reading Dave's comment I thought I should try it anyway. I just wish it wouldn't make the image smaller (overall size) but my fault for not framing it better to begin with. So here's the square cropped version. Let me know which you guys like better.

The Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour

I'm falling behind... I still need to edit some Huntress pics and a couple of new shoots are in the works but it's a busy October so I probably won't be able to shoot until November. This weekend I'm participating in the Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour (HOAST 2009). Basically local artists in Harlem open up their studios to the public. I think it's a fun event, you get a map with the location of all participating artists and galleries in the area.

You can pick up the map at the Casa Frela Gallery where there's also an exhibit of the participating artists. (artists submitted 3, 4"x6" pieces for the show, it'll give you a nice preview). Here's the address:

Casa Frela Gallery
47 W. 119th Street (between Lenox and 5th Ave.)
NY, NY 10026

For a list of all participants:
http://www.hoast.org/CurrentParticipants.php

A Woman In Berlin

I saw the movie "A Woman in Berlin" over the weekend and it left quite an impression on me. It's interesting because it is yet another aspect to this horrible war. It is based on a published diary that was written anonymously by a former journalist and photographer who was one of thousands of women raped in Berlin in the wake of the 1945 Red Army invasion. Anonyma was one of the few German women to report on the rapes and the ways in which the women succeeded in surviving, often by aligning themselves sexually with a "protector." The book was denounced and virtually banned upon its publication in Germany in 1959, five years after its appearance in an English translation, and its author, known only as "Anonyma," vowed it would only be republished after her death.

The director Max Färberböck does a good job of depicting bombed-out Berlin at that time and I think Nina Hoss who plays Anonyma does a wonderful job portraying the woman trying to survive under the given circumstances. I loved all the characters that are part of the movie, from the Russian major to the other occupants in the main building. Well acted and beautifully shot. Oh and you'll recognize a few actors from Tarantinos new movie "Inglorious Basterds".

I'm back

I'm back from Switzerland. What a beautiful country.

Few of my friends. I like how the alp cows all have names that the farmers actually use. I have to say being an alp cow is not a bad life.

Both images were taken on top of the "Sandhubel". It's one of my favorite places in the world.

Oh, hello.

Huntress

Model: Ms. Rosalinda
Make up: Mrs. Lauren Weber
Styling: Me

I might add some more pics later, I still have a bunch to look through. I would like to add that I'm very thankful to everybody who chooses to work with me. They all always work for free. Without their generosity I simply wouldn't be able to do what I love doing.

Huntress - Preview

Super great weekend. I got so see "District 9" which I loved. Sunday, finally a new shoot. I've been itching to do another shoot. This one I was especially excited about because I got to work with new people. Several years back I asked my good friend Rosalinda to sit for one of my portraits. She however didn't feel comfortable doing a photo shoot at the time. I dropped the matter after that and was quite surprised and excited when she came around this year and asked me to do a shoot. I knew she would photograph well, she's beautiful and has such interesting features. Then I was also super happy to have my co-worker Lauren on board for make up. She's a professionally trained make up artist and I knew she could handle whatever I threw at her. I therefore went with something more dramatic then usual. Heavy make up and feathers (subtle) for eye lashes. As always I did the accessorizing (but I did brainstorm with Rosalinda and she had some great elements that we added). I found some awesome strung feathers at a craft store that we used as a top and cuffs. The shoot went well. Lauren nailed the make up and although Rosalinda had never modeled before she did an awesome job. That girl has stamina, this was my longest shoot ever. Only problem was I kind of messed up on some of the pics. I didn't notice there was a slight lens flair in some of the shots. Oh well, can't have everything.

As for the set:
Fur Carpet: $15.-- (thank you Tuesday Morning, best crappy store ever)
Fabric Backdrop (Tuesday Morning)
Chest, boxes.... (Daffy's)
Birds, feathers (Michaels)
Rifle (toyarsenal)

Gallery updates

More 2009 goodness..... I got a piece into a group show at the TAG Gallery in Santa Monica, CA (first west coast show, yay). Check it out if you're in the area (end of August). Then The "Colors Of Life" group show is going to be on display at the Artspace in Richmond, VA in September. And in some more awesome news, one of the "Little Mermaid" images has won a place in the summer 2009 Women in Photography International competition (subject, children).