Couple of nights ago, Robyn and I worked on some portraits of her wearing a venetian carnival mask. I wanted images that captured a sense of the playful, erotic nature of the masks and their wearers.
Bond …. James Bond
November 1, 2008 – 9:20 pm
Yes I am a Bond fan and very much looking forward to Quantum of Solace. Given the previews it should be fantastic. Especially since they are continuing the story line from Casino Royale. Smart move. Daniel Craig adds a degree of complexity and humanity to the Bond character that has never quite been there. Is he a better Bond the Sean Connery? There may be too many external variables to judge fairly. But he is definitely the best Bond since. Fantistic portrait by Platon by the way.
What Inspires ..
October 30, 2008 – 4:59 pm
I have often thought about what inspires and influences me. What makes me want to photograph and produce images. I don’t have one particular genre or theme about that. I am influenced by so many things. So I have began to compile a list of the people and things that I can think of right now. Things that one way or the other have and continue to influence the way that I see and want to capture the world. I may add to this list as time goes on.
Caribbean
John Singer Sargent
Mo’ Better Blues
The Assination Of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
Gordon Parks
James Natchwey
The ocean
Mos Def
Bob Marley
Love Jones
Prince
James Baldwin
sade
Monet
Johannes Vermeer
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
The Mona Lisa
Communication Arts Design Annual
Communication Arts Photography Annual
The poetry of Nikki Giovanni
Dexter Gordon
Thelonius Monk
Miles Davis
Morning light
Morning light streaming through autumn leaves
Hiroshi Watanabe
Dawn at the Jersey Shore
Princeton
Sunday morning rides (cycling)
Marc Baptiste
Paris
The Loire valley
The Pitons (St.Lucia)
The Blues
Jazz
Love
Robyn
beautiful skin
Fine rum
Fine rum & cigar
Dad
Images of Tuscany
Travel magazines
Casablanca (the movie)
Quite nights
Casablanca
Notorious (Hitchcock)
Wedding: Cindy & Chad
October 23, 2008 – 9:19 pm
This past weekend I photographed the wedding of some good friends. This wedding was unique in many, many ways, but nothing short of fantastic. The location was the home of the groom’s sister, a beautiful early 19th century home in rural Pennsylvannia.
The kids had a good time! ….
Of course there were some guests with four legs ..
Yes this is a bull (or cow with horns) …not sure
Yes, it goes where you think it does ..
The ring bearer was quite the gent ..
B E A U T I F U L
Wedding: Pearl & Gregory
October 9, 2008 – 12:24 am
I had the distinct pleasure of photographing the wedding of Gregory & Pearl this past weekend in Philadelphia. We had such a great engagement session, I was really looking forward to this day. They are a great couple and have a fantastic energy.
She is such a beautiful bride …
The flower girls needed a little help. The ringbearer was just a little curious ..
This woman sang with incredible beauty ..
And of course for the future brides …
Inspiration: Sally Mann
October 7, 2008 – 1:36 pm
Night-blooming Cereus, 1988 Copyright Sally Mann
As a photographer I am influenced by all things visual, consciously and sub-consciously. I believe the more I photograph the more my eyes “see”. Shapes, colors, lines, LIGHT all present themselves differently. The space surrounding me becomes a diffferent place. I notice the subtlety of light and texture on dew covered leaves, the movement of shadows with time. The color of a day.
I find Sally Mann’s work, namely her book, Immediate Family, to be a beautiful work of art. Light, form, texture, motion,innocense,joy - LIFE are all juxtaposed within a frame. A collage of beautiful things. I have always admired artists who have a deep personal connection to their art. The painter who paints the beauty of her garden, the photographer whose work is surrounded by a city block. Sally Mann photographed her family. Beautifully produced images that speak of so many things. The dedication and love trully shines through - for both her family and her art.
Introducing: Elisa & Will
September 21, 2008 – 9:40 pm
I have been photographing a lot in Philly lately. This time it was at the University of Pennsylvania campus. I was there to photograph Elisa & Will, both graduates of the university. Our session was short but fun all the same. They even brought along a special friend - Lady.
On the right introducing a special “Lady”. Thanks for giving in to the L O V E picture Will. Remember you get the next 100 movie picks ..
This is a classic!
Finally portraits of the couple …
Headshot and portrait session
September 20, 2008 – 4:21 pm
Had a great time photographing two brothers, Vandre and Victor. Both needed some portraits and headshot done for their portfolios.
The fun of it …
September 16, 2008 – 9:10 pm
After a weekend of back to back photo sessions in Philadelphia and NJ, both with some great people, I would have to say that meeting and interacting with new clients is one of the great pleasures of this profession. Saturday’s engagement session was fun - as they usually are. I love engagement sessions because we really get to meet some fun couples who are excited about their future and who obviously enjoy being together. A big part of my job is to capture that and to have those couples feel that they can really be themselves. The session really becomes a fun time. As a engaged couple, this is not something that you do every day.
As a photographer it is my job to put my clients at ease. Understandably, the average person doesn’t like having his or her picture taken especially for an hour or more. I approach every session, knowing this and knowing my job is to have my clients forget about the camera and just relax. Truthfully some find it easier to do so than others, and that’s fine. I am a naturally curious and inquisitive person and this works to my advantage. Conversation comes easy to me and so by simply talking to people and getting people to talk about themselves a little, I am able to break through the barrier that much more. So many photographers become fixated on equipment or lighting techniques or the latest photoshop “trick”. These things are tools and methodogies that have their place for sure - but ultimately if you can’t have your client relax in front of your camera and be comfortable, those tools are not going to help you make a better picture. I want my clients to actually have a good time. I want them to remember my session as something they found entertaining or at least interesting.
I would love to hear from brides, groom, couples or anyone who has had their picture taken by a wedding photographer (including me). I would love to know how that photographer made you feel, positive or negative, and what impact you felt it had on the session. Please feel free to comment.