Today’s image is of Miranda, an actress and musician from Hamilton. This image is from a shoot for my “Broken” project, for which she brought a long a great broken pearl/bead necklace. The vase was a great garage sale find — 25 cents! If you look closely, you’ll see me 🙂
More expressions, this time from Natasha Henderson, a Toronto comedian and actress, whose strong personality and presence made for a lively and fun photo session combining a retro film noir look with poking fun at old attitudes regarding the role of women. Natasha’s enthusiasm was great, and as a result she created a memorable character!
See Natasha in action on Youtube. She is the host of Comedy Thursdays at the Starving Artist in Toronto.
In the past, whenever I have been asked to shoot a wedding, I have politely declined (while resisting the urge to run away screaming). It’s pressure I don’t need, and the modern day wedding for many people has been turned into a spectacle bordering on an ordeal — a display of conspicuous consumption and bad taste, from the stretch SUV in the morning to pulling off the garter at the reception. Add an overwrought bride (often referrred to as a “bridezilla” in the business) and the recipe for disaster is complete.
The wedding I shot yesterday was a happy exception: the wedding was low key but beautiful, with the service just as (if not more) important than the reception. Just two people obviously very much in love, and very happy. The air was filled with a quiet joy, and I am glad I made an exception when it came to photographing this wedding.
While in Arizona for the week, I was fortunate on the business outing yesterday to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West Complex, his winter home and architectural school. I took many images, mainly film, but did take a few digital shots, including this one a of a detail of a sculpture near the main entrance. Everywhere one looks in this Complex, there are amazing lines, both on large and small scales. It was a truly unforgettable experience!
This week I am in Scottsdale, Arizona and it is hot even for this time of year: over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, 40 C every day. Today’s image is the view I get when I step out of my hotel room, captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app and “infrared” film. The “wrong” colours actually capture the feeling of being in this spot better than accurate colour rendition ever would.
I took this photo for a production of Man of La Mancha that I am currently in, and shows two of the main characters, Don Quixote (played by Robbie Burko) and Sancho Panza (played by Antonio Olivito). What strikes me are their eyes — it shows how much they have both internalized and become their characters, as well as how much energy they bring to their roles. When I work with models, I try to get them to think like actors: find a story, a reason for a facial expression, etc. In a lot of ways, actors make the best models.
If you’re in the Toronto area, why not come see the show? Show dates are May 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. (More information and tickets here) I will be playing two roles: “The Governor” (a rather nasty prison gang leader) and “The Innkeeper” (who is actually a rather nice guy).
Hope to see you there!
For years we’ve had an old tricycle in our garage, getting dirtier and more rusty with the passage of time. I took the tricycle out of its element, and shot it in a studio setting, and I quite like how it turned out.
Recently I’ve been enjoying reading a book called Color Photography: The First Hundred Years, 1840-1940. I love the look of the old colour processes that preceded the advent of Kodachrome in the mid 1930’s.
Today’s picture is another digital lighting test from a recent shoot. The model really liked the tests, so I took this one and applied a duotone effect that reminds me of the slightly faded, not quite real look of the dawn of colour photography.
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Italy was peering into the crater at the top of Mount Vesuvius. None of the pictures of took at the top in my mind capture the scale and terrible majesty of the site.
In contrast, this image of some worn steps on the trail up the side of the mountain really works for me, in a way none of the crater shots do.
My wife and I just returned from our trip to Southern Italy, so prepare for an onslaught of pictures!
I’m starting with Pompeii. Even though this image was made with a DSLR, to me almost every image of Pompeii needs to be monochrome, to capture the sense of history that exudes from this famous site. A truly incredible place.
My Third Eye 