Voyeuristic Tendencies

"Any photographer who says he’s not a voyeur is either stupid or a liar."

-Helmut Newton
 

The friends we keep

It's not often I get to hang out with another photographer and just go make images just because. When Maddy still lived up here we ventured out a few times.

Maddy

She with her digital, me with Frank (my RB67). Just two friends enjoying each others company, talking about life and seeing what we could create on that day, if anything. I got a few around the lake we were shooting at but I had fun getting shots of her doing her thing. I need to get off my butt and go visit her, and many others, in Florida. 

The light and the struggle

Some things can't be forced. There are times you have to surrender yourself to the world and "listen" and "see". We all translate light differently. The struggle is how to express it. 

The path is not always clear

No matter how you prepare life keeps you on your toes, constantly challenging you. You think you'll never succeed at anything or get to that "mythical" place of contentment. Survival is the success. To keep breathing, to keep fighting, to always get back up and do it with a smile. 

"...but words CAN hurt me"

All it takes is one word to crumble ones happy. Jealousy and pure spite makes us spit the most venomous of words at people. We do it to people we don't know, friends and family, our children. These things stick with us. We may forgive but can never forget. 

Happy Birthday, Elexa

On 3/14 Elexa finished another lap around the sun and she has the glorious legs to show for it. Another year, another birthday shoot. No Cedar Island this year. Mother Nature was being quite crabby so our plan is to go up there on my birthday in July. Plus it will be warmer. Till then... 

My favorite scarf of hers. 

A certain level of understanding

Not everyone I work with is comfortable in their skin. Some don't see themselves as beautiful, feminine or attractive. There is one attribute I feel that the majority want or are looking for is confidence. 

Deanna, Hasselblad 500CM, Ilford HP5+ 

That ability to look in the mirror and say "I got this" or "Screw them, I'm fabulous" but society and our peers have a wicked way of beating some of us into submission. Trying to help someone in that situation is never easy and never a quick fix. 

Being told you're different can have bad connotations but that's what makes us unique and life less boring. We are sponges from the day we are born till the day die and we all see beauty differently. We are beautiful to some and not all and that's ok. 

In the woods with Kat

This was one of my first times shooting with Ilford Pan F 50 and to date this is one of my favorite images produced on the film. The contrast is just so damn sexy.

Kat Marie Mamiya RB67 Ilford Pan F 50

Maggie

From a day both of us refer to whenever life is being a bitch. From shooting in the rain to having a corner of the beach to ourselves at sunset. No AK's were needed this day.

The above image I submitted to Stolen Publications out of Australia and it was used for the cover of their first issue.  

Yggdrasil's Child

It's pretty cool when you collaborate with someone for awhile you start to anticipate what the other is thinking or wants.

J and I were scouting around this park looking for spots to play at when we came across this tree. Before I could say anything she's already running for the tree peeling her clothes off. A quick check for creepy crawly things and she already knew the pose she wanted. Funny thing is that if she hadn't have done it I would have told her to.