Ashley the Mindless Doll

1.  I'm currently selling my work. If anything interests you, don't hesitate in emailing me here. Just tell me what pics or sets or which model interest you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for free.

2. Ashley had an idea & I helped her run with it. It goes something like this:

"The doll idea came into my mind as a response to the ways girls allow themselves to be looked at. Many girls think that to be desired by men they must become this party girl, drinking beer, dressing revealingly, using everything but their brains and real personality to attract men. People say that women are exploited by society but the truth is, women exploit themselves." 

"Instead of embracing who they are and what they have to offer, they try to mold themselves into something which they think is desirable, whether it is being skinnier, acting a certain way at parties, or any number of self-transforming, attention grabbing devices." 

"Women love attention, that is nothing new but, I see my friends become other people when put in these situations. They become mindless dolls without a thought in their heads."

I certainly hope you've enjoyed today's edition.

3. I've disable comments because I was obsessing to much about whether anyone was moved enough to respond to my blog instead of focusing on the writing & sharing of my picture stories. That's it.

Bohemian Meghan

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything particular shot, any model, or any set interests you, please email me here. Just tell me what interests you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for pennies on the US dollar.

2. Meghan is still the most put together 15-year old I've ever met.

Upon me arriving at her dad's restaurant, she already had multiple wardrobe layouts ready, got a choice of makeup style, & hairstyling all being done by herself. By contrast, I periodically have models in their mid-20's doing shoots in the clothes they arrive in & then wondering why we only did one wardrobe change. LOL. Since I do photography more out of choice (versus using it to pay my bills), I've learned not complain to much & play the hand I'm dealt.

This is probably an early indicator of Meghan graduating Summa Cum Laude years later.

The picture below was achieved with a reflector assist from her father.

3. I've disable comments because I was obsessing to much about whether anyone was moved enough to respond to my blog instead of focusing on the writing & sharing of my picture stories.

Family Love with Jenny

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything particular shot, any model, or any set interests you, please email me here. Just tell me what interests you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for pennies on the US dollar.

2. While I was house-sitting for a friend out in Boston, Jenny responded to one of my "seeking models" blurbs I posted on social media.

We got talking & I was invited down to her area of Scituate, MA where she took me on a mini-tour of the region.

Whenever I view this shot, I remember how much pride she had talking about her beautiful children & am especially grateful about how she warmly invited me into her home long after this was initially shot. A very deep & caring individual as I've ever met.

3. I've disable comments because I was obsessing to much about whether anyone was moved enough to respond to my blog instead of focusing on the writing & sharing of my picture stories.

Shooting from the Backseat with Marcy

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything particular shot, any model, or any set interests you, please email me here. Just tell me what interests you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for pennies on the US dollar.

2. The shot below was taken while as an undergrad way up in Northern NY. It was one of the more brutal winters where Spring really didn't arrive til a week before finals. The winters are so harsh up there that when the first day its above freezing, the ENTIRE student body is walking around in their shorts & flip-flops. Its strange how 33 degrees in the Autumn is the pits while 33 degrees in the Spring is balmy.

But I digress.

I had an idea using the snow & figured the way to do it was shoot real quick, as long as we could run to her idling car, warm up, go back out, rinse, recycle, repeat. The intent was to put the physical ache of the abysmal cold on me instead of my model.

I did not anticipate the how brutal wind coming off Racquette River location!

There came a point in the shoot where I was dreading returning to the cold because all I needed is my index finger & thumb to operate my camera. I've tried everything over the years flip-hunting hunter gloves, fingerless gloves, tried cutting off the tips of only the thumb & index, tried packing those outdoor heating packs...nothing works. Once the cold ache sets in, I just may as well call it a day. Having a 10-page term paper due the next day awaiting me back home wasn't helping matters.

So anyways, I came up with this crackpot idea of "why not hop in her backseat & shoot it from there?" Marcy was happy she didn't have to go back out. I was happy we didn't have to go back out. End of story.

This was one of the keepers.

I certainly hope you've enjoyed today's edition.

3. I've disable comments because I was obsessing about whether anyone was moved enough to respond to my blog instead of focusing on the writing & sharing of my picture stories.

Older Generation with the Younger Generation with Gabrielle

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything particular shot, any model, or any set interests you, please email me here. Just tell me what interests you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for pennies on the US dollar.

2. I was visiting Gabrielle's family homestead & just so happened to have the extended family over. I decided I wanted a generational shot with her & her grandma but grandma however was NOT into the portrait thing.

I had to be sneaky.

I carefully arranged Grandma & Gabrielle into my camera frame while I tested my lighting setup. It wasn't very long before Grandma figured out what was happening & moved to another chair foiling the rest of my plans.

There were things that I would have changed IF I had the luxury of 2 willing participants but I'm still happy enough in capturing this Older Generation with the Younger Generation moment. I'm not one of those artists who needs my work to be pristine perfect if the vibe I'm going for speaks to me & I think its working enough here.

Despite the subterfuge, I'd do this sorta thing again. The methods would not be my first choice but sometimes there are things my subjects will not appreciate til long afterwards. This was one of those situations.

3. I've disable comments because I was obsessing to much about whether anyone was moved enough to respond to my blog instead of focusing on the writing & sharing of my picture stories. That's it.

the Critique of the Unsatisfied Relationship with Jenna & Friend

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything particular shot, any model, or any set interests you, please email me here. Just tell me what interests you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for pennies on the US dollar.

2. This shot takes on a VERY different context with the rise Me Too movement & the toxic male entitlement culture we're in. However the idea I had back when this was shot in 2006, went vaguely like this:

We were exploring the correlation that people often find themselves in their relationships, specifically the kind where at least one party isn't satisfied (whether it be sexually, physically, emotionally, or whatever) yet the person in question stays in said relationship...not because they are intimidated by the other but because they may not have the strength to get out of it OR they stay in it because they have nothing better to do, thereby perpetuating the cycle.

This particular set almost never happened. The model couldn't find another male model with whom she trusted enough to do this with until at the last minute she drafted her gay gymnastics partner. He had is cocky vibe about him where he could do really stupid stuff (in terms of the set's theme) & not have her take it personally.

We had a barrel of laughs about it afterwards.

3. As an FYI, I disabled comments because I was obsessing to much about feedback instead of posting my picture-stories because "I" wanted to. Hopefully that makes sense.

Contemplating Hope

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything particular shot, any model, or any set interests you, please email me here. Just tell me what interests you & I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away for pennies on the US dollar.

2. The model put herself on my radar by sending me a message, "I was a girl who always said she'd never do nudes but after seeing your work, I'm might have to reconsider."

Sounds like a good intro to me!

We set up a shoot & made it happen soon thereafter. And as Rick said to Louie at the end of Casablanca, it was the "start of a beautiful friendship."

I certainly hope you've enjoyed today's edition.

3. As an FYI, I disabled comments because I was obsessing to much about feedback instead of posting my picture-stories because "I" wanted to. Hopefully that makes sense.

Kiss in Waiting with Benny & Moni

1. I'm currently selling my work. If anything interests you, don't hesitate in emailing here. Just tell me what pics or sets interest you, I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away. 

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

2. The story behind the "Kiss in Waiting."

The models are Benny & Monique. They were based out of Rochester at the time & were also involved.

There was a creative phase where I didn't want to be known by any one-shot. I felt it was to limiting to say nothing about having my creative interest in being all over the place.

During one of my visits to Western NY, I met up with Benny & a bunch of his friends & I would also be introduced as "the guy who shot 'Kiss in Waiting'." Their eyes would immediately light up with interest & they'd nod & smile.

The lesson being that there are certainly worse things in this world than being known for an iconic shot.

3. Comments are more than welcome & appreciated & especially helpful in letting me know people actually read these.

Columbia the Muse

As a lark when I was getting my Bachelors, I posted a flier looking for models. It went vaguely something like...

Wanted Photo Muse

Benefits:

1. Copies of the Pictures
2. Inspiration for the Arts
3. Fun Story to Tell your Grandkids when You're Old & Grey
4. Everlasting Glory.

I wasn't expecting much of any response but as happens so much in life, the model found me which led to the start of an exquisite work relationship. It was creatively hot & heavy & petered out once we went our separate ways. But man, was it memorable!

This shot below was a source of several different media variations, one was pastels & another was mixed media. I wish still had any of my collegiate (nonphotography) portfolio but they didn't survive several moves. Such is life.

BTW, I'm currently selling my work. If anything interests you, don't hesitate in emailing me at here. Just tell me what pics or sets interest you, I'll see what I can do. I try to work within people's budgets but I'm also not going to like give them away.

Carly O'Neil NYC

I have an (arguably) bad habit of when engaged in a compelling conversation, I completely lose all track of time.

My shoot with Carly Erin O'Neil in her NYC apartment went something like chat for 20 minutes, shoot some, chat for 30, shoot a little more, chat for undisclosed amount of time & discovered we'd reach the limit of our previously agreed upon time frame. She's simply one of those creatively mesmerizing individuals that captures my imagination.

I'm sure I easily could have shot more but that'd simply mean more pictures I'd have to edit...& I absolutely HATE editing. LOL

From what she told me, the shoot was emotionally significant because this was her first "real" shoot back from a trauma-induced professional hiatus. For those who know her, its not exactly a state secret but I'll leave the rest of the story to her if she so chooses.

Here's one of the shots from that shoot.

Bye Bye Tumblr, Hello again Blogspot

I was willing to give Tumblr's new policy guidelines a try but today, I've gotten a notice that several of my photos violate their new standards. Including this "highly offensive" shot of two actresses enjoying a tender moment shown below.

I could appeal but since half that gallery would no longer meet their new standards, its simply no longer worth my time continuing to update. I still fully expect to lurk (because where else am I going to get my daily Star Wars fix)...but like, yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm done with Tumblr.

All that being said, I've decided to restart my blogger. I never actually left, I simply stopped posting mainly because it took an astonishly great deal of effort to muster outrage (faux or otherwise) about the controversy of the day. This is not to say that I don't care, I don't consider myself a gifted writer & have always had trouble articulating what I'm thinking into words. Nor is it really helped that I rush to publish things without a decent edit. :o)

I have no idea as to what form the latest incarnation this blog will take but I have a psychological need to showcase my work for the public even if no one reads it.