by photoanthems | Nov 2, 2008 | Blog
“Jeremy, there is a famous photographer that shares your last name. He is Terrell Neasley. He is famous for his artistic use of the nude.” – A text message to my son, which he forwarded to me. Funny, huh?
This is me, interviewing me:
Me: So how are things going?
Answering Me: Not bad, not bad. Few challenges here and there. Same as anybody else.
Me: Yeah, challenge you can handle, I presume.
Answering Me: I’d like to think so. I mean, you never know. Times are tough for everybody. Its just a matter of holding on… you know…weathering the storm so to speak, til the clouds break and the sun shines on you again.
Me: Sounds like philosophy.
Answering Me: I guess, in a way. I ain’t no Socrates or nothing. I’ve just got a survivor mentality. I know what I believe. I got tough skin. I’m used to adversity. The poor weren’t jumpin’ out of skyscrapers during the depression.
Me: Point well taken. So let’s get on with this. Tell me about this new direction you are taking in your art work. You list some objectives in your Model Mayhem profile that say you are shooting nudes for the next 18 months. Not sure when the clock started on that, but oh well. Now in your last blog post you say you’re taking a “hiatus” *air quotes* from doing nudes at all. Isn’t this sort of a contradiction to your original objectives?
Answering Me: Not at all really. I know I wrote those goals, but sometimes you gotta drop back and punt.
Me: What exactly does that mean?
Answering Me: Its a football analogy. You’ve got 4 times to touch the ball to make a touchdown or at least gain 10 yards for a first down. Sometimes you don’t reach that 10 yards so you punt the ball. In a since, that’s what I am doing. I put my defense on the field for a little bit while I try to figure out another way to consistantly move the ball and score. There’s nothing wrong with that strategy. Besides, sometimes the defense can make an interception and score too. You just never know. The point is, I WILL get the ball back. I will figure out a way to score.
Me: Okay, I guess that makes sense. Good to have that sort of drive. So what exactly will you do while your defense is on the field?
Answering Me: Lots of things. I’m trying to make it so that when I do start doing nudes again, I am better at it and with more resources in which to do it. I’d like to be able to do it without out of pocket expenses. I want to gain more experience shooting other things and then bring some of those new-found skills back to my nude art again.
Me: Can you give me an example of these resouces and new skills?
Answering Me: Certainly. Right now, I am behind on many of my non-nude edits. I’ve got other things I like to. I have a series of work on old scrap metal like rusty cans and I like to shoot odd signs. I’ve taken so many other photos that no one has ever seen just because they are still sitting untouched on my computer.
I also want to take another look at the business side of my operations. I don’t have a logo just yet. I need to better manage my workflow. I need to improve my backups and storage management. All that takes better resources in terms of equipment and tools. In terms of skills, I think I can benefit from some better lighting techniques and more photoshop editing. Shooting other things that have different demands from my nudes can help me excersize different photographic muscles to help tone up my photo skills overall. I think its a good way to expand my knowledge of image capture and light manipulation. When I am back to shooting nudes, I am just that much better at it.
Me: Understandable. Makes a lot of sense too. Where did you get this idea from?
Answering Me: Well as you said, “It makes sense”. I’ve had to do the same thing in other areas of my life before so why not use the same measure of wisdom here?
Me: So you’re giving up nudes, cold turkey? That doesn’t sound like such an easy task considering how much I’ve read in your blogs about loving your work.
Answering Me: Ummm, I can’t say cold turkey. I still have a few gigs I’ve already made committments to. I’ll still fulfill those. I also won’t pass up opportunity shoots with interesting people. Then there are also those models whom, I’ve said can have whatever they want from me, like Trixie and Faerie. They’ve been dedicated Muses for me and when they want to shoot, we’re going to shoot. Case in point, Trixie just emailed me last week about wanting to follow up on a project I asked her to consider. So this won’t be a cold turkey thing, but I won’t actively pursue models, I don’t think, at least not for free work. Commissioned stuff, well that’s in line with my whole objective of making the camera work.
Answering Me: Why not? Just because I want to change my mind a bit? That blog piece was just what I meant it to be. Rather than pity myself on the challenges I face, I’d much rather reflect on what I’ve been able to accomplish and when I did that, it brought into perspective a more positive experience. You ever heard of “Looking on the brighter side?”
Me: Dude, I’m just asking questions. It’s my job. No need to be defensive.
Answering Me: Bite me.
Me: Whatever… You can’t say everything is simply a mind change. You also said you were going to start camping out at least once a month. And I quote, “I want to set a goal of camping at least once a month for a year. Can I do it?…Is it practical?…Don’t know. The point of the matter is that I’m interested in experiencing life.“
How is that going?
Answering Me: Man, why you gotta be an ass?
Me: I’m just asking questions. This is an interview? So how is that going?
Answering Me: Not like I planned, thank you very much? It kind of fell apart when I got banned from that unmentionable park and I just never followed through on it yet. Thank you for bring it up to my attention again. *Sarcastically*
Me: Don’t mention it. So how long do you expect all this to take?
Answering Me: Til it takes! …When I’ve got what I wanted out of this deal. I’m just going to take it day by day til it feels right.
Me: So what made you want to do this “interviewing yourself thing”? How is this helping, anyway?
Answering Me: Man, I honestly just sat down and knowing I wanted to post a blog today, it just came out like this. I’m waiting on Felix to bring me back one of my flashes for a shoot tomorrow afternoon and kind of fell asleep at the computer. I woke up and figured, I’d stamp out a few keystrokes til he gets here. This is the way it all came out.
Me: So you are shooting a nude tomorrow?
Answering Me: Well, yeah, but I didn’t contact her. She got hold of me and its a good opportunity shoot. Its going to be some commission slash art work for me.
Me: Now is that going to be what you say everytime you get a chance to get a girl out of her clothes… “Its an OPPORTUNITY SHOOT?
Answering Me: Dude, F*ck you, Man! What’s your problem?
Me: I’m just asking a question. It doesn’t sound like you are giving up nudes at all. Isn’t this going to just put you in the same predicament you’re still in?
Answering me: No. No, it isn’t. This is a beautiful black woman. I don’t get to shoot many black women. I’d be a fool to pass on her. Besides, like I said, commission! We are going to work together on this. She’s already talking about referring me to some of her friends for MORE commission work. Comprende?
Me: Fo-shizzle, My Nizzle. I understand…word of mouth. It makes sense. I’m just asking you a question! So what about you workshops? You gonna give them up? Let someone else run them? How’s that going to work?
Answering Me: I’ll still do my workshops. I don’t get to shoot at my own workshops anyway. Well, at least I don’t get that many great shots. I get some, but they are mainly over the shoulder shots of the model posed by whatever photog has lead and is directing the model at that time. I don’t see them so much as myMY shots, so I either don’t shoot or don’t shoot much.
Me: Well, we are about out of time, for now. We’ll pick this up again for another session later. ~Nice portraiture, by the way~. Any parting shots?
Answering Me: Yeah, you’re a butt-head.
by photoanthems | Oct 22, 2008 | Blog
“Just because you have a Mercedes doesn’t mean you can’t look at a Beemer every now and then.” – Lilia
I’m going to make a statement in a sec, and I don’t want anyone to freak out. You may want to sit down. I am going to stop shooting nudes for a while. Okay, I said it, but be cool. Operative phrase here being “for a while”. I guess, I should qualify that statement with a disclaimer. So let me add that I still have a few committals to take care of and I am certain there will be some spontaneous opportunity shoots. I’m just not actively searching for models for a particular project. Make no mistake, I am not tired of it. I have not changed my passion for it and I certainly have not given up on it because there’s no money in it. I don’t do it for the money anyway. But since you bring up the money thing, let’s me settle there for a minute or two…or more. One of the reasons why I am making this call IS in fact for the money, in a way (I’ll get into the other reason next time). I think I’d like to stop shooting nudes to try and refine my trade a bit and do something that might help me pay for more shooting of nudes. My art nude work is like a crack habit, but I am in control of it enough to where I refuse to steal or sell my body in order to do it. Instead, I am going to try to make my photo work pay for itself.
Canon has released its new version of the EOS 5D,
the 5D Mark II. I want it. Maybe you don’t understand me when I say, I want this camera. In fact, I’m not going to even go into trying to articulate the magnitude of “I WANT”, in that sentence. This is one time words simply don’t do it. I wish you could see my face when I say it. Then you’d understand me better. HOWEVER, I’d like to NOT spend my own money for it, or borrow to get it. I’ve got a 40D. Its a good camera and I’ve paid about two and a half grand for it and some lighting gear. That’s a nice investment and you know what…it can pay for its own damn self AND my new Mark II. I have a tool with the ability to work on its own and I’d like to keep my camera from being lazy. So, I’m going to defray from my passion that makes no money and subsidize it with some common sense. That was my plan when I originally bought the thing. I’ve made it work, doing a bunch of free stuff and a few gigs here and there, but its not doing enough to burn off the fat….know what I mean?
And the 5D Mk II isn’t all. You get serious into photo and you will spend more on accessories, software, backups, etc. than you will on the camera. The Mk II is a full frame system which is the main reason I wanted it. I’ve got to be full frame. As a former film purist, its the closest thing to it. But other than the camera, you have to compliment it with good glass and what’s better than the superb (and expensive) L-series of lenses. Well, I can just say the costs are mounting (along with switching to a Mac) and while I am more than willing to pay, I know my current equipment should be up to the task. And you know what, it will be. I will whip that camera body into shape so fast, it will make your head spin.
Ah, but let me introduce the beautiful and most gorgeous…
Brittany! This Sunday will be my next and probably final outdoor workshop for my
Las Vegas Art Models Group. After this Sunday, we’ll probably be indoors til the spring. Brittany is one of those models that makes you feel highly inclined to stop looking for anyone else after you’ve found her. Its always been tough choosing a model at times, but then you run across someone like her and the day just seems to brighten up, birds come out and sing, and little rabbits come up to you and offer you fresh daisies as butterflies dance a crown around your head. She’s a professional model. This IS her day job. I haven’t worked with too many pro’s, and while I’ve had success with the non-pro’s, Brittany makes you contemplate whether or not you’ve been missing out. These are a few simple shots I took of her just the other day. I can’t wait for Sunday, but I’m already looking past then to more adventures with her in the future. Thanks Brittany.
by photoanthems | Oct 17, 2008 | Blog
There are several people on deviantART.com that I follow and one of those artists is Dave Ellis of the UK, who also goes by
Dingodave. I began followind Dave because of his nude work. I liked the simplicity of his art, using natural lighting or his expert use of whatever light he could find available to do his bidding. However, when you look at the man’s landscape work, OMF Goodness… you’ll be mesmerized by his use of HDR. Even when he doesn’t use HDR, the way he captures the local scenery around where he lives in Herefordshire, make me so envious, I want to move across the waters.
Oh…I’m sorry. I’m getting off the point as to why I am posting about him in the first place. (See how just talking about his work gets you distracted?) Umm, oh yeah. In his
recent dA journal entry, Dave is disgusted by the recent theft of some of his artwork. According to his post, well, let me just put it in his words:
“That is until I ‘googled’ DingoDave as a image search today – in just 5 minutes I found 7 of my images on 5 different sites (including flickr and photobucket, suprise suprise ) – One A’hole even had my image for sale as a print!!!!”
Now that’s just downright wrong. So not only are knuckle-heads pulling other people’s images off the web and passing it off as their own, you’ve got low down scoundrels who will actually try to profit from your hard work! This has been an ongoing topic of discussion and area of concern for photographers every since the first image capture. Many opinions exist on the matter that go from one end of the spectrum to the opposite extreme. In a recent seminar/workshop, we got to listen to a pro give us a talk on copyrighting your work. But then another pro in the group began shooting him down on the spot, believing that none of any of the copyright laws work and that you should simply not have anything on the web…period. ~Good heavens~
I’ve seen some photogs welcome any and everyone to their body of work. Right-click at your heart’s content, as far as they are concerned. I can’t recall who, otherwise I’d definitely give you the link, but they surmized that the more their images showed up, the better exposure. Well, I guess that’s fine as long as the right-clicker is giving you credit and singing your praises. I am not sure I am as comfortable as this artist in having my work in the hands of anyone who wants a copy. Yes, you expect those who will pull your images from the web where the final destination is their C: drive. But what can you do for the freaks who will do you harm or profit from your efforts?
I am not an expert on the matter, let me assure you. For that I invite you to
Carolyn E. Wright and her bloggings and legal opines of lawful protections and rights of the photographers. I’ve posted on her blog,
Photo Attorney before (just recently, in fact). Let me emphysize that I strongly suggest you become quite familiar with this woman. It’ll do you good. I promise! However let me add in a disclaimer: That promise is not in a legal since, of course…just as a figure of speech.
For starters, register your images with the Library of Congress
Copyright Office. As a rule of thumb, I do it every 3 months. That’s because that any NEW work you produce is fully protected when registered within 3 months of its creation. Otherwise the protection starts on the date of registration. Infractions that occur before registration are not protected. Second, you need to let people know your work belongs to you. Throw a simple copyright text on your image. An ALT-0169 will get you the “©” (using a PC). I normally use © 2008 Terrell Neasley on my images. I also don’t put images on the web at high resolutions. Typically a web image doesn’t need to be bigger than 72dpi and I make the file size small like around 70kb or under. These are reasonable protections. Can someone lift your copyright info…sure. They can crop it out or just edit it out. The fact remains that you need to still show that you’ve made an effort to identify the owner to the image and protect it.
Also, you can build the metadata into your photos. Chances are, your camera already includes some of that info. I need to be better at this myself. In fact, there are a lot of things in which I need to be better. The metadata is embedded into the file of the image itself. You can also have digital watermarks in your images. I won’t go into great detail on all this. You can easily google the points and get a plethora of info on anything you need to know.
Creative Commons is another legal protection device that will actually let you stipulate terms as to your images use. deviantART allows this option. There are many software companies that provide a for-pay service that will track a certain amount of images for you. This way anywhere that image goes on the web, its traced and you’ll be aware of its use. I have no idea as to what happens if the image is altered by someone. You’ll have to check that one out on your own as well. One company that is barking on another unique trend is a search engine that searches by image not words. You can type in NUDE on google and do a word search or an image search based on the word NUDE.
Tineye, of Idee, INC., will actually do a search for an image, based on an image and show you where that image pops up, whether its altered or not.
I’m sure there is something I missed here. This is not an all exhaustive listing on a guaranteed, sure-fire method of protecting your photographic expressions. It is a start, however. Some will disagree. I already know that. Where I am in factual error, let me know. All this is info is based on my own research and indepth study over the last few years.
These are a few more images of Clarissa. Isn’t she just beautiful? This girl has been through a lot and she still keeps going forward and upward. Gotta give her credit. She’s a trooper.
by photoanthems | Oct 9, 2008 | Blog
“Putting clothes on a model is akin to putting a parking lot over a field of flowers.”
– David Winge
I’m bringing back Lorelei again for this one and maybe the next one too. Between her and Lissa, I have a ton of edits that I am still working on. I’m working them in between some other freelance work that I’ve been at for a while as well. Something’s gotta give! I’ve got to better manage my work flow, so any of you’s photogs out there with some tips of managing a RAW work flow, give up the goods.
In other news, its also good to see some other sites out there promoting artistic nudes and the artists who create them. I happened to be commenting on a deviantART image made by Jarda Balek who was looking for some critiques on a technique he was experimenting with for this photo. Well, it was a little bit later that I noticed he was featured on Univers d’Artistes. I check him out and I’ve begun since then to see him all over. So now he’s linked to my blog as well. So go give him a look-see on his new blog World of the Nude Art Photography.
Also, another noted photog I came across who’s worthy of mention is
David Winge. He’s got some fabulous artwork that you should definitely check out. Because of the unique spelling of his name, I remembered seeing if often as I’d check out websites of models while looking through their portfolios. “Winge” kept popping up as the photographer of many great images that caught my eye on several model sites. One model in particular is
GroovaciousK. This is a model I’ve elevated on my list of “
Models I HAVE to work with at some point in the near future“. She has such a voluptuous shape that begs the attention of my lens, so hopefully real soon, I’ll be able to make arrangements to shoot with her. She and David are both located in California so maybe this won’t be so hard of an endeavor. I just need to get to Cali. You can see more of GroovaciousK at
her deviantART site.
by photoanthems | Sep 25, 2008 | Blog
“My creative process begins when I get out with the camera and interact with the world. A camera is truly a license to explore. There are no uninteresting things. There are just uninterested people.”
– Jerry Uelsmann
“All eyes can see ‘how a country can be free and treat the naked body as art. Not as pornography or as a crime, but with happiness and caring.” – Spencer Tunick
Today, I am going to cover some of my inspirations. I’ve recently posted about Iris Dassault, Dave Rudin, and Chris St. James, who by the way, just posted a piece on me for Univers d’Artistes that made me all bashful inside. So those guys, notwithstanding, I wanted to also post on some of my original inspirations that had a lot to do with me doing photo work and artistic nudes, in specific.
As far back as I can recollect, I’ve had a fascination with the female form. It wasn’t until my military tour in Germany, however, that I was freed from the mindset which prevented me from separating the idea or concept of the nude with the notion that sex had to be implied. This then brought on a new and more liberating appreciation for the female nude, unencumbered by the notion of lust. Next came the introduction of Spencer Tunick, via his HBO special, “Naked States”. He is best known for his installations of using thousands of nudes in a single photographic work. Prior to this, I had no creative outlet for my appreciation of the nude because everything that I saw that depicted the nude form was either in a museum or associated with the adult industry in some fashion. Photographic artistic nudes just did not exist to me before Spencer Tunick, who followed the original HBO special with his next one, “Naked World“. I admired his sense of dedication to his artwork at the risk of his own freedom. There was one point where the cops in NY were waiting on him to release the shutter on a nude model. He gave quick instruction to his assistants on what to do while he was away in jail, took the shot, and was immediately hauled off. Good thing he had a good attorney.
That was my outlet. I wanted to see more. Who else could be doing this? The answer to that question brought me to Edward Weston. There is not another photog that I identified with more than Weston, but I have already given him several mentions on this blog. You can do a search on his name in the search box for this blog. This allows me to get to my next inspiration, Jerry Uelsmann. If Spencer was responsible for my interest, Uelsmann was responsible for my commitment to it. I shoot digital now, but I was a film purist up til right at a year ago. I was seeking my place in film and wondering what was the next step. I wanted to see something different and I wanted to do something different, but I thought I had already reached the limits of what could be done in film.
“For me to walk around the block where I live could take 5 minutes. But when I have a camera, it could take five hours.” – Jerry Uelsmann
Over one Christmas break, a few years ago. I studied photography day in and day out, particularly darkroom explorations. It was while I was looking through an interesting photo book of digital artwork in the library that my commitment to photography solidified. Paging through the book, I saw interesting photos, but I knew that digital manipulation did not appeal to me. I felt the creative process was somewhat diminished with the addition of computer-based filters and processes. The thought crossed my mind that if there was a way to do this with film, that would be totally magical. As I lifted the book to return it to its proper place on the shelf, the word “darkroom” on the back cover caught my eye. I retrieved the book once more to peruse the book’s back cover summary and to my utter amazement, read that all these images were done using ONLY darkroom manipulations through mulit-negative exposures! The creator…Jerry Uelsmann. I couldn’t breathe, I tell you. When I began to see what was actually possible IN the darkroom, IN film, IN photography, I knew that my creative outlet could be boundless. I was released to explore again. At that moment, photography became more than a hobby or a past time. It was my thing.
“I just create shapes and forms with human bodies. Its an abstraction, its a performance, its an installation.” – Spencer Tunick
Jerry Uelsmann would utilize more than 8 enlargers each set with adifferent masked negative while moving the paper around to each enlarger and only exposing a portion of the paper to that particular negative. Those of you familiar with darkroom prints know how challenging it can be with one negative to obtain a good test exposure and working print before even beginning to create the final print. I found this page with a kind of video clip on how he actually creates a masterpiece with his unique process. Just click on the IN THE DARKROOM tab when you open the page. You can check out books by him via this Amazon Link.
These images are of my original attempt at multi-negative exposures and I only used TWO enlargers, combining the image of Katie taken in a studio against a black background, and landscape images taken while scouting weeks before. Take my word for it when I say creating these images were exasperating…but exhilarating!
by photoanthems | Sep 20, 2008 | Blog
“This then: to photograph a rock, have it look like a rock, but be more than a rock. “
– Edward Weston
” Why”
Thought I’d bring back Lissa for an encore. Times are getting tougher every day it seems and she was on my mind today. I was supposed to have a visit with her today to give her a disk of out first shoot, but plans had to change. This was one of those “good time” shoots, because we had a really good time doing it. She’s such a natural for posing and is very comfortable with herself. Talking with her during the whole shoot made time pass so quickly that I didn’t realize that 7 hours had passed. I was in need of rest and hadn’t slept the night before. I was shooting Lissa on fumes, but we had such a good time that I completely lost track of the passing hours. Before I knew it, it was time for me to shower and go to work.
I am hoping to get to work with her on location somewhere soon. She’s tied up with some other concerns at the moment, so her schedule is sort of hectic. Some of the best models I have shot were like that. You lock them down for a shoot one day, but good luck trying to get them back again for a while. Its been at least 3 weeks, I think since I’ve worked with Lissa. We’ve kept in contact, but I sincerely hope its not another 3 weeks before we shoot again. She’s fascinating.
I stand corrected on
Imagens. I reported a few posts ago that that blog was done. However, before his blog has had a chance to collect dust, he’s unretired it and back to posting. Go figure. Well, its good to have him back anyway.
I noted that
Iris Dassault and the
Women of Avalon have now been censored by the Content Warning Cover Monster. I am not sure as to whether or not Google is being fair about all this. I don’t know what criteria they use to say you are offensive and we need to protect the public from you with a one click irritating page in front of your blog. I don’t know what I’ll do if that occurs to me. I’ve seen some bloggers jump ship and head over to WordPress just on principle alone. Maybe that’s what Google wants. Who knows. At some point, I think we are all going to get it and be faced with that decision. Take it and ignore it…Business as usual, OR object…close down the blog and move elsewhere.
Rich and Lin Bang of Fluffytek host their own blog inside their website. Its certainly an idea. My webpage uses a template service,
ifp3.com. Its a bit harder for me to do at the moment I think. Ifp3 has been making strides by leaps and bounds over the past 6 months. Lots of new features, capabilities, and services have been added that give you the option of more personized web pages. They are still adding features and growing.
I’ve also been excited to see Chris St. James at it on a daily basis over there on his home front,
Univers d’Artistes. After being gone about 6 months, he’s been catching up with a fierceness. Normally, I think he’d post maybe twice a week. Check him out now and see how many posts he has in the last week. The man is a machine. I’ve even gotten a few of my shots posted by him. Too cool. Thats like a shot of adrenaline for my blog and website every time he does that. Thanks, Chris.
Come to think of it, my friend
Garrett, the Nikonian, has been out of touch lately. I met him when he signed up for my first photo workshop and he’s taken off ever since. This big guy is really cooking in terms of managing his day job with his insatiable desire to shoot. I can’t hate on him, that he’s packing a D3 and has every lens you can think of, but damn, who wouldn’t. Garrett has been a good find for me when I got here to Vegas.
He’s put me in contact with some great people and basically, you can thank him that I’m even talking to you right now. I mentioned before that he was responsible for the computer for which I now continue to entertain, explain, and otherwise regale you with photo adventures. He took my fried computer tower to his best bud, and WALLA… I’m sporting a new tower AND a flat screen. I know, he’s still chomping at the bit waiting for Nikon to release the newer version, the D3x sometime soon. I’ve given some strong consideration to switching to the Nikon system. Garrett is all about Nikon and I get kidded by him and several of the others at our Saturday gatherings at B&C Camera for shooting Canon, but now I have to really consider the new
Canon 5d Mk II, thats due to hit the shelves in November. We’ll see how it stacks up.
by photoanthems | Sep 17, 2008 | Blog
“Never forget that the nurturing and preservation of your own muse is job one. Lose it and you may be losing a great deal.”
“True muses stay dreams forever unless artists connect them to exploratory work.”- both quotes by Robert Genn
“The Latest Muse”
For the 100th time, I am addressing you on my Photoblog. Its taken just over a year, as I missed my blog birthday/anniversary on the 2nd of August. I’ve looked back over my posts from then and I really like where this is going. I think I’ve made some satisfactory progress and am pleased with my commitment to maintaining it. Oh sure, sometimes, I leveled off to just one post a week, but when you apply a little smoothing to the stats, I’ve been there for you. “Are you not entertained?!” (That was a Russell Crowe, “Gladiator” reference…)
Over the last year, I’ve made some major changes. Switching over to digital from film was the most major I’d say. Without a darkroom here in Vegas, the appeal for film lost some of its romance for me. Now, I can hardly imagine my workload if I were to begin again shooting film. If someone right now gave me a darkroom of my very own, I probably wouldn’t know what to do with it. (Breathe, Dave…) Actually, I would. I just wouldn’t get to put it to use much. I do, however, still have every intent on getting my hands on a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II. I am still fascinated with it and would love to use it exclusively for my landscape and special portrait work. I wouldn’t use it without a darkroom, though. It was interesting, today I was visiting Edda at B&C Camera. In walks a girl from Connecticut who is purchasing medium format film. I couldn’t help but ask what she was shooting and before she answered, I had guessed the 67 and was correct.
This past Sunday was another interesting day. When it comes to shooting nudes, I can shoot for basically as long as I have juice. Battery juice, that is. I’ve yet to have a model that can keep up with me in that regard, and especially in extreme heat conditions. Well, I’ve now met my match with Lorelei.
The term Muse originally refers to the nine daughters of Zeus in Greek mythology who presided over different elements of the arts. You’ll find the dictionary a definition meaning to gaze or meditate on. Well, artists who use the nude figure as live models refer to the best of these as muses, who exhibit a measure of passion and commitment to their trade. Lorelei is such a muse.
We met up on Sunday to scout out a trail and do some shooting while we were out. We ended up shooting from sunup til sundown and that includes during the middle of the day. We just stayed in the shade during the hottest parts. That still didn’t keep us from cooking at times. The sun was still high overhead and seemed to linger. We found one spot that was so gorgeous that we both knew we needed take advantage of it. The problem was that it was just sunny to get good shots in and trying to wait 3 hours before the sun dipped behind the mountains just didn’t seem like anything we wanted to do and we were low on water. Heading back to the car was not an option. So how do we get the shot?
Well, as it turns out, we found a shaded area and decided to do some candid shots. We chatted while I shot with no posing directions. We also discovered that we had a couple more bottles of water than we thought. The next thing we knew, there was no visible sun. It was 3 hours later! So we hurried back up to our spot to get the shots we needed before we lost too much light. It was amazing. By no means do I ever want to over work a model, but Lorelei was a real trooper. She was having too much fun to stop and I never seemed to get enough shots. I’ve often talked about some models who I could simply shoot all day. Well, Lorelei is one of them and we did. I can tell you we’ve already planned some more shoots as she has a kindred spirit complimentary to mine. I think its her hair that really sets things off. During our initial interview, she had it up. When I asked her to let it down, I was floored. We did our second interview shoot and almost every single shot was a keeper. I don’t mean to be overly complimentary of this girl, but damn! You can’t tell me that you don’t agree. The only downside is that I now have to edit all those images…some 600 plus, I think. When I have enough, you can look for more of her work on my website, hopefully soon. Thanks, Lorelei.
“What Cal Ripken, Jr. is to baseball…. What Brett Favre is to Football… Chris St. James is to photographic art nudes. I am glad and indeed honored to be able to call him my friend, despite the fact that we have never met.Over the last year, Chris has been invaluable to my growth as a photographer and as a writer. My blog would not be what it is today without his tuteledge and guidance.I am very thankful that he is an overcomer, a super-achiever, a survivor, and most notably a man full of genuine love which he bestows upon us on an almost daily basis.His prolific blog has helped countless photographers emerge from the dark confines of obscurity into the light of exposure and visibility.This is a very dedicated and committed man. I love him for it. One of these days we’ll meet, I’m sure. I am looking forward to it. Chris, thanks for being so strong and perservering for us! Your eternal Friend, Terrell”
On another note, this was also a pretty exciting weekend for me as well. As I have mentioned, I’ve pledged to concentrate on a few other things, rather than just the nude. Again, I am not giving up nude photography…I am just going to do some other things for a bit. In fact, Trixie is coming over this afternoon for some work and I have a few other projects that were already planned that I still need to follow through with. This weekend, I got to try my hand at some NHRA races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Talk about AWESOME!! This was something new to me. I’d never shot race cars before and I quickly learned there’s more to it than shooting the nude. As with any subject, it requires its own perspective. I was instructed by the chief NHRA photographer that I’d have to shoot this pretty much like a portrait. I added a few things to that. I quickly learned that I needed to shoot from a lower perspective. Also an extreme wide-angle lens served very well…two things you don’t necessarily do in portraiture work. 
So right now, I’ll post these images for you to enjoy and will speak more on how this all came about later. I gotta get ready for Trix.
