Ash

Retouching is not a lie, nor is it cheating– it's been an inherent part of photography since the beginning. Can it be taken too far? Of course. Is it deception if it's done well enough that the viewer can't tell? No. Not disclosing your methods is as old as art itself, and is common to every art form. I've seen arguments against retouching since I started working with film thirty years ago, and the arguments against it got more vitriolic with the advent of digital. I don't feel the need to write about or defend the practice anymore than I just have, as I think it's a moot point.

Lee Loo La

In the now nearly 200-year-old history of photography, there have been many different movements and genres, and while each successive one tended to try to invalidate previous ones, in the end, all of them are completely valid and still hold interest. They all figure into the history for good reason. Even the lowly selfie amateur snapshots (whether from a Kodak Brownie or an iPhone) have and/or will get their own scholarly books to anoint their place in history. The lesson to be learned? If anyone tries too self-righteously tell you that whatever genre you're doing is rubbish, you can tell them where to stick it...

Smurfasaur

I love photographic prints; I love viewing them; I love making them and I love sharing them. There are certain qualities to a great print that simply cannot be accomplished when the image is viewed on an electronic display (and sometimes vice versa, I should add— color images can greatly benefit from the glow of a screen). It’s well known that photographers have been printing less and less over the years. Part of it is because they don’t need to, and instead, simply distribute images online through communities. This is inherently built into the current crop of younger photographers coming up these days. They understand Polaroids, but they don’t understand labor-intensive prints. They don't understand the point. Of course, not all are of this mentality— but I have definitely noticed that many are. It used to be that prints were the ultimate end process for a photographer. It seems odd that, in an age when the technology to make superb prints in one’s own home or studio is within reach of almost any photographer, so many choose not to. It's so weird to me. Objective qualities aside, it should also be mentioned that the satisfaction of seeing your own print materialize in a development tray or rolling off a printer exactly as you intended it to look, is among the most satisfying experiences that a creative photographer may have. Here is a tangible thing made by you, encapsulating your vision, emotion, and skill; something to present to others with pride and with the knowledge that it is unique and touchable... to keep for the rest of your life, and even (perhaps most importantly) pass on to a future generation.

Ash

"I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable." ~Twiggy

Ash

I always get great images in bathtubs. The warm water is a natural relaxer— Calgon, take me away. When the water turns colder, the goosebumps turn on. The details that I look for, despite that I'm being a bit cruel...some more warm water and the cold is quickly forgotten. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Suhanisa

"I'm a big fan of wearing old, vintage slips and stuff as outdoor wear. I got a pair of these little silk bloomers. I think they were even considered underwear in the '40s. I wore them as shorts the other day."  ~Zoe Kravitz

Ajaye

I shot this the week of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, but I just finished working on it today. I've always been a huge fan of the hippie chick look, but honestly, I rarely find a model that has that perfect vibe & look going on. I guess that I just live in the wrong city— I definitely would find more models like this in Portland. C'est La Vie. Ajaye had really long dreads, but she had to cut them off because they were giving her back problems... then she had a short pixie cut for a while, but now she has long care-free hair. The hair and the peace tattoo, plus that she has the right expressions— she makes for a perfect hippie chick. I have to do more of these before she changes again...

The Kiss by Auguste René Rodin

I shot this at one of my favorite haunts— the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia. The combo of one of my favorite sculptures and great lighting (museum lighting is often too bright & even) made for an easy shot.