It was cold and pouring rain when we shot outside last Tuesday, but you’d never know it from the photos. Alijah was such a trooper, braving the elements for some great shots. So easy going, too! I love laid-back people who are open to trying whatever I suggest. (Ex: “Alijah! Wrap yourself up in the hammock!” And away she went, wrapping herself up in the hammock. And look at the nice result!) What a model.
I’ve had this idea floating around in my brain for a while now. Probably for the last 2 years, actually. I’ve got thousands of photos floating around on my hard drives, many of which have never been seen by the public. And I keep meeting new people who are not familiar with my work, where I come from, what I’ve shot in the past. So I thought it’d be cool to put up a single shot from the archives and call it dumpster Archive Diving. I was gonna call it “Archive of the Week”…but then realized there was no way I could keep up a weekly pace of archives. I’d think about this idea from time to time, which photos I’d use–and then put the idea back on the shelf in my brain for a later visit.
Well, here it is. I’m actually putting up a post. So there you have it. A new series, finally coming to life.
This was my first nice portrait. I call it my “Iconic Photo.” It just has that look. This was most likely shot on Kodak Tri-X film of which I processed myself and printed in a darkroom. I learned photography on a completely manual SLR camera with no bells & whistles, using just one 35-70mm (3.5-5.6) lens for many years. If I dug around in my files, I could find the negative and probably the ISO, speed and f-stop. But going through my negs is way more time-consuming than it should be since I’ve yet to properly organize them. Good news is that they’re not dumped in shoeboxes but in 3-ring binders inside protective sleeves. They’re just not dated, titled and all that good stuff. My guess is I probably shot this in 2002. This was shot in an old strip mall about 2 miles from my home town in Texas for an assignment involving stop-motion in my Photo I class at the University of North Texas.
Whew! I tell ya what. I wanted to post these pics a week after the show, but nearly a month has gone by and I’ve just now finally reappeared. Blogging is full-time business and I need to hop to it. I’ve got lots of photos and ideas to post…I just need to get them posted.
But enough talk.
Let’s take a look at some beautiful moments from the event.
The models wave at passersby before the show.
My personal favorite from the event. This is Brittany. I love her expression, her stance, her outfit. Love, love, LOVE it!
This is another Brittany. Her outfit was my favorite as far as coloring goes. Those beautiful tresses looked fabulous with the dress. She really pulled the colors together with her necklace, bag, and head scarf. Such beautiful coloring!
Father & Son. Left: This little cutie walked to the end of the runway, stopped and just looked out into the crowd as the seconds passed by.
He seemed quite content…just, looking.
Wow! What a great smile. So genuine. Her face lights up and she looks like she’s having the grandest time.
When I was growing up, mannequins all looked like this. They were made to look more life-like. You know, they had hair, lashes, eyeballs…an actual head. Then came the more simplified–and beheaded–forms like the mannequins seen here during my short “modeling career” for Armani Exchange in Honolulu. (Those photos were taken in 2008 by my friend, Jayme Barnes, and they still crack me up.)
But enough jibber-jabber. Circle the Earth Naturals is having a fashion show this Thursday, April 1st. I was in the store Monday night to do some test shots in anticipation of Thursday’s show and was going to use Justin (the store’s owner) as my test model…But why use Justin when he’s got a hot mannequin standing around?! She was my kind of model: gorgeous from every angle, her eyes are never closed in any shot and–best of all–she’s mild-mannered and doesn’t talk back.
The owner, Justin, with his stylish employee.
If you’re going to be in Sonora, CA or surrounding Gold Country areas on Thursday, April 1st, come on out. The models will walk the runway from 7-8 pm. Admission is free. So come on out and watch the show. Clothing, accessories and a ton of other great stuff (they have the most wonderfully aromatic handmade soaps) will be available for purchase.
I was just beside myself with the beautiful food styling of Chef Chris Goossen this past December. When shooting food, a great food stylist makes all the difference and I must say that Chef Goossen has incredible skills when it comes to food. Not only can he whip up a fantastic tasting gourmet meal, he makes it look incredible on the way out to the table.
Chef Goossen, thank you for working with such care on the following dishes. Your artistry and skill is very much appreciated!
Roasted Tomato Soup, Wild Arugula Salad, Arancini
Tuscan Hummos with Pizza Bread, Grilled Italian Sausage with White Beans and Escarole, Berkshire Pork Chops with Homemade Apple Sauce, Proscuitto Crostini with Brown Butter and Sage
Look at the carefully placed pieces! Oh the perfection! And those PERFECT grill marks!
See how the cheese is melted just so on the Crostini! The sheer beauty of every dish is MAGNIFICENT!
- Chef Goossen preparing a beautiful spread for a holiday party -
Below: Two of my favorite shots from the table above. I love good cheese and fruit!
This was my first experience with the science of pairing dried fruits with cheese and the melding of flavors was DIVINE!!!
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