MAKING THINGS

I took a little time out to make this gal.

She is my favourite creation.

WARDROBE TEST

I'm oh-so excited!  Dainty Rascal (Suzy Berry) did a wonderful job making the swimsuit for one of the upcoming character portraits.  A tiny hat has been made, and the cape is being sewn...I can't wait to see everything come together!

Here's an outtake from the wardrobe test pics, which I shot on an unseasonably warm day last month.  Doesn't miss Rachel Anne look fetching in her custom suit?

Happy Holidays / Snowpocalypse 2011!

Christmas and New Year's holidays were incredibly productive as I was able to finish three character portraits over the break!  We introduced a new medium format camera to the mix (Mamiya 6x7, a la Bob Butler) and there was plenty of coffee, Hankook tacos, and many fun wardrobe experiments along the way.  

I was delighted to work with Miss Hannah Fierman again, and of course Sir Troy (as always).

Photo by Kelly BlackmonPhoto by Kelly Blackmon

I had such a fun time with Miss Julia Badovinac as well!  This is our second collaboration (first photog) and she was, as always, a pleasure.

Photo by Jason Travis

Photo by Jason Travis

Photo by Jason Travis

I'm extremely excited about the finished product, and can't wait to share.

Thanks to friends Kelly B and JTrav for their creative presence, general assistance, and these killer 'Behind The Scenes' shots. 

And a big thanks to Megan, Ronda, and the House Rabbit Society.  In the famous words of Bill & Ted: You'll see!

PHOTO SERIES IN THE WORKS

In an effort to curb my incessant need for costume-based character development, I've thrown myself headlong into a photo portrait series where the whole point is just that: visual cues for identity.  I'm calling it "character portraits," and every character will have his or her own special biography to give wings to the imagination.  As someone who's never attempted a super serious approach to photography in the past, I find myself excited by the opportunity to do a proper series!  I've been doing a great deal of borrowing from history, fable, and film, and I've based many on the work of a particular painter.  

They say every picture tells a story, so you assume that's especially true when there's a human element.  When looking at a portrait, your entire knowledge of the subject rests on how he's physically represented in a single frame.  So I'd think most portraits are very intentional:  The subject, who likely commissioned the portrait, puts his best foot forward to be depicted in a positive light.  The artist tries to find a medium between his own style and the desires of the subject.  The end result is a combination of who the subject really is, how the photographer/artist sees him,  and how that subject wishes to be perceived by posterity.   I love this level of deliberateness, and the commissioned portrait strikes me in particular for that intrinsic wealth of intentionality it demonstrates (a modern version of this might be, say, my friend J Trav's Persona series).

The idea for a nuanced, deliberate, storytelling-style portrait series sprang from countless trips to museums and thrift stores.  The details in a painting or photograph---a personal possession deemed worthy of remembrance, a little dog on someone's lap, the finger-worn smile of a long-forgotten girlfriend, the posture of an aristocrat preserved in oil---all made me wonder about the identities of these people, and in turn, the lives of those who cherished their images long after they were gone.

One image in particular captured my fancy, a fellow from Atlanta's own High Museum of Art:

Count Vittorio Alfieri, 1794, Oil on Canvas (by Francois Xavier Fabre)

There's something about 'ole Count Vittorio that I really love---I don't know if it's the look of consternation or the seemingly magical ring, but he's one of my very favourite portraits to date.

The character portrait series is assisted by the work of many talented individuals: namely, DP Troy Stains, who heads up lighting and proper exposure (we're shooting Hasselblad and YashicaMat images on both chrome and negative).  Among the others who have contributed to the portraits thusfar are:  Amy Taylor (Ministry of Tiny Hats), Raucous Goods, Suzy B. Designs & Vintage, seamstress Courtney Fort, and many others!

 I'm hoping to have the series to a point where it can be unveiled in early 2011.  Stay tuned!  

DESTINATION: INTERNET

I park my browser many places on this world wide web, but few destinations do I love so dearly as these.  They are bound by child-like wonder and a great respect for the past, and I very much appreciate them for it. 

1.) Secret Fun Spot - Kirk Demarais and I seem to have everything possible in common.  So when his Film Family Portraits achieved internet cult status, I felt personally validated somehow.  Is that creepy?

2.) Inside A Black Apple – Blog of Emily Martin: artist, crafter, and all-around inspiration.   

3.) Strawberry Koi –Aya Smith’s whimsical fashion blog assembles the loveliest bits of imagery for your viewing pleasure.   I became acquainted with her quest for old-skool authenticity via the great Vintage hair styling tutorials on her Youtube channel.  

4.) A Journey Round My Skull – His assemblage of rare books with gorgeous/odd illustrations is truly awesome.  I found his work via the large-res scans housed on his Flickr.  If you’re in need of illustration or design inspiration, look no further!

5.) It Is The World That Made You Small – This seems rather biased as we are related, but Brock Davis is one of the finest conceptual artists I have had the privilege of knowing.  His playful pieces demonstrate a worldview that is all too rare in this jaded modern age.   He doesn’t have a blog of which I’m aware but I take regular inspiration from his Flickr.