Ramonita

"Throw off your worries when you throw off your clothes at night." ~Napoleon Bonaparte

Ash

Perhaps the most difficult task of photography is finding and holding a balance between the technical and creative. Allowing the technical aspect of the process to dominate is a mistake, as the final result will ultimately lack genuine inspiration. Letting the purely creative take over can also be unfortunate, as there needs to be some technical control involved in any artistic undertaking— otherwise, it's just crap. All photographers worth their salt have complete technical control over the medium, but after learning their craft, they tend to move forward into the uncharted areas of instinct. This is a step that requires confidence in one’s inner (and often sub-conscious) resources. After studying the technical aspects of the medium, this leap of faith revolves around a photographer's willingness to put that learning behind themselves and, in essence, forgetting it. Of course, a technique cannot be truly forgotten but must be forced into the recesses of the mind. A process that I have developed involves relying on visual intuition during the compositional phase and then adding technique during exposure and post-production. Pre-visualization, or coming up ahead of time with pretentious ideas, is odious to me— and I find that it tends to completely block intuition. The balance between instinct and pragmatism is so important to my work.

Meira & Heff

I'm sorry, but all I see in these are triangles. Actually, that is a big theme in my work— triangles are everywhere. Just take a brief scroll down the screen, and you'll probably be annoyingly distracted by how many triangles you come across...

Lee Loo La & Heff

The tar rooftop is really dirty and sticky. Seriously nasty. Not only years of dirt on top of sticky tar from the hot sun, but a Chinatown restaurant exhaust fan constantly blowing even more sticky stuff all over. Pretty disgusting to walk on— shoes are definitely necessary at the very least if doing nudes. The grimy aesthetic is to die for, though! I've never had a problem getting a model to shoot up there, though— it not only looks great, but it's also very private.

Adrian Louise

Jean-Paul Sartre's famous quote, "L'enfer C'est Les Autres" or "hell is other people," has often been quoted, but often out of context. This quote, which appears as the dialogue of a character in his play, No Exit, refers to a human being's loss of subjectivity when seeking the approval of other people. In the play, three characters arrive in Hell. They’re expecting flames and pitchforks, but instead, they’re shown into a plain ordinary room – and then gradually discover that this is where they’ll be spending eternity. Alone, together. It's about the difficult coexistence of people. This quote is very open to interpretation so there can be infinite takes on it— which is precisely why it's such a great fucking quote. Personally, though, I see it as how we are unable to escape the watchful and judgmental gaze of everyone around us.

Key

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” ~ Albert Einstein

Jezz

I've always tried to maintain a strong lock onto the eyes. Normally, there is a natural rhythm of looking at people and looking away. When it feels right, we can hold our gaze a little longer, relishing a simple moment of human connection. We are naturally drawn into images by eye contact. There is nothing like that feeling of a tie bound by an invisible thread, as in sharing a unique moment with them. It’s very hard to articulate and explain in words that feeling that connects you to a subject, either in the viewfinder or on the printed page. When that connection is there, though, it's obvious— and doesn’t need words to explain it; we feel it.

Li

Yeah, I've always had a thing for super long lashes. I'm particular, though. They usually don't look good straight out of the box- at least the cheapie ones that I buy. So I get ridiculously long ones and trim them to my liking first. That seems to make them a little more original...

Setsuki

Setsuki is a circus performer— so whereas I usually employ rope work for a suspension, this just her and a simple heavy chain that we linked up to the ceiling hooks. She did it all— I just stepped back and clicked the shutter. The brick wall, which is always behind the backgrounds that I typically use, is a nice departure. I've tried the brick before and did not like it, as it tends to be too busy looking. I think that I got it right this time...

No One

A statue and a vintage nudie toy. The inanimate becomes animate.

Sophia & Cammy

Rhythm & Marks.

Mistress Veronica & Maggie

In my early years as a photographer, I was pretty content to simply emulate past masters, which was basically how I self-taught myself photography— study a style, and imitate it as well as possible. Pictorialism, Hollywood Glamour, f64, Pin-ups, etc. Eventually, though, I became frustrated by my lack of any special distinction in my work— other than that is was always well done. Searching for a singular style, all I was managing was a derivative portfolio. The need to establish a personal style (and to garner gallery and/or book worthy attention) had overridden the sheer joy of simply shooting. I wanted to truly create, rather than just follow in the footsteps of others. I gradually began to develop and refine a particular vision by giving more thought to portraying something contemporary in a way that I was not seeing elsewhere. That is what you are mostly looking at in this blog— current subcultures documented with old techniques, which I find to be a wonderful mash up. Everything really came together when I applied what I learned to a newer subject matter, along with little additions of my own particular way of looking at things— which is in large part getting in (almost) uncomfortably close to my subjects as well as trying to capture genuine emotions. Hopefully, that is what is coming across here...

Autumn

I made the mask myself, picked from a collection of masks that I've made but have not used except for this shot. I've always like the use of masks in photography (especially Ralf Eugene Meatyard), and this is my attempt at it...

Vanessa & Julie

Double trouble.

Autumn

Underwater.

Meira

This is from our last and something like one-hundredth shoot together.

Autumn & Percolate

I believe that I asked them to wrestle— but wrestle slowly, and with precision. My silly directions often lead to the most interesting images.

Natalie

"Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you." ~Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Ash

I believe it was Confucius that wisely said: "time spent researching the best camera models on the internet is not time spent learning a craft". 

Ash

My own opinion is that, in photography, the hierarchy of values runs something like this: subject… composition… exposure… focus. I’m certainly not the voice of photographers everywhere— but to me, small flubs can’t wreck a great photo. In the past, if one tried best with what they had and spent some time learning the camera and the fundamentals— then a little out of focus, enlarged grain, blur… won’t wreck it. On the contrary, it makes the photo easier to look at and love. The newest digital cameras are amazing, but they are often too good. Perfection can take the soul out of an image. Ironically, I have lately been purposely messing up my images a bit in order to give them some more organic feel that a perfect sensor doesn't quite give.

Katie

"No object is mysterious. The mystery is your eye."   ~Elizabeth Bowen

Ash

Upside down Ophelia.

Percolate & Kati Kill

A little baby oil never hurt anyone...

Rachael

Non-representational body painting.

Sophia, Kammy & Percolate

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept."  ~Ansel Adams

PXE

This image is from a shoot with a model who goes by the moniker PXE. It's pronounced pixie, which is fitting due not only to her petite size but her squeaky voice. Her voice is a dead ringer for Carol Kane's voice (from Taxi). She's definitely one of a kind— a fascinating person, capable of switching back and forth between a bubbly cartoon character and intense sexual persona. Speaking of bubbly versus intense, I think this is one of my strongest images— despite the fact that we were both pretty much laughing hysterically the whole shoot. It seems to visually convey a celebration of female empowerment. "I am Woman, hear me roar".

Sable

Going back in time, rather than forward. I tend to be unstuck in time, Slaughter-House Five style.

Katy

Katy is a rockabilly girl who is obsessed with Henry Miller. It’s something that we have in common, among other things. Pinup images are a genre that I've focused on in the past and continue to occasionally create. There have not been any of my pinup pics represented here since it is a style that is so very different from this work. I'm definitely still channeling Bettie Page, though! Katy, of course, has many tattoos- certainly not very (classic) pinup. In the past, I’ve always strived to be dead on as far as re-creating the looks of yesteryear. I feel as though I've been hitting a stride lately in developing my own distinct style. Now I've been trying to incorporate that when doing the pinups, portraits and Hollywood glamour photographs.

Manchester

By the Sea.

Jade Vixen

My list could go on and on as to what draws me to photography. For the sake of keeping your attention, I'll try to keep it short and brief... I love the process of exploration. I love to experience new things— and examine, scrutinize and record those experiences. I love the doors that photography has opened for me— getting to see things right before me that I otherwise might not have and/or couldn't have seen. Photographic pursuit has been my way to understand things. It has been a good constant in my life. It has been my way of communicating my inner self to others in a way I couldn't imagine otherwise (I actually have a poor imagination). It is my escape. It is my way to love life by embracing and creating my own version of trying to achieve aesthetic perfection. I could not imagine my life or my development as an adult without photography. It is so rewarding to be able to present and give someone else images that represent them in a way that they can cherish, and otherwise would not of had. Perhaps its not as noble as it feels, but it does feel wonderful to bring a little more beauty into the world— and even more importantly, beauty as my mind defines it.

 

Hettie

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. ~Edgar Allan Poe

Christina

Great images transcend time and space. A great image makes you appreciate its impact regardless of where and when and how it was taken. I'm certainly not saying that the images here do that, but it is what I'm always aiming for...

Miera

My lovely, beloved Shag Rug. 15 x 20 feet of handmade lambswool. Classic 1970's throwback, but I somehow manage to make it look very 1940's film noir with, well, 1940's film noir lighting. Everybody wanted one, and everybody adored them at first... until you find out how easily they get dirty, and how murderously difficult they are to keep clean and properly clean completely. I found out the hard way. I actually had it on my studio floor, and it eventually got too nasty. It's perfectly undefiled again, after a lot of hard work. That's the real reason that they went out of fashion. So much trouble. I will never get rid of it, though. It's too wonderful. I just bring it out of it's hermetically sealed storage container for shoots only now and put it right back. I want to put it in my living room so badly, but I dare not...

Lee

I don't like when models pose. Typically, it creates something just simply superficial & soulless at best, and cheesy & fake at worst. While a seasoned poser can possibly lend themselves to a great image, it is usually a dead-end road to travel for me. When I see a model start to pose, I have to start on my whole spiel about how I don't want them to pose for me... just keep moving— I'm quick and I can follow along. Indeed, genuine movement and spontaneity are the most important elements to my more recent style of shooting...

Ajaye

Grrrrrr.

Izzy & Meira

Sometimes two is better than one. This is one of those times.

Sarah

I always try hard to avoid eye candy— a photo that looks fashionably attractive and sophisticated but only has exactly one layer of interest. They look great for about half a second and then there is no reason for your eye to linger any longer. Think of an ad in Vogue Magazine. But if you are a thinking photographer, you soon realize that you need to break free from the "eye candy" genre and start adding substance— without adding too much else. Easier said than done.

Lee

Never push me, because I am a very strong woman. I'm nice, but I'm very strong. When it gets down gritty, I can get grittier. Never, ever underestimate me.   ~Missy Elliott