magazine assignment: artist Denyse Schmidt

On assignment for a Japanese magazine with artist Denyse Schmidt, internationally recognized as a leader in modern quilt art, and for her textile design. I love shooting people in their workspaces. What a pleasure!

 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

for more images of real people in real places, visit my website - or give me a shout.

oh the glamour of location photography

My client, Laura Nelkin, who was modeling her own knitwear designs, changing wardrobe on the front steps on the Indiana State Capitol last week. My reflectors are the most useful photo accessories, always.
More from that shoot on her blog, here, and below. I'm waiting for her to release them all before I show them,  no spoilers from the photographer thankyouverymuch.

Laura Nelkin in her Magnify Shawl

Many thanks to friends, and fellow knitwear designers,  Mary Lou Egan and Kirsten Kapur for stepping up with the reflectors. Not to mention Indiana State Capitol security, who didn't even interrupt once.

post-Inspire Photo retreat report

How to talk about the Inspire Photo retreat last month ? My fingers keep typing out.....inspiring. Because it was.  I could review the classes I took (Getting Unstuck with    Sharona Jacobs, All About Wordpress with Rachel Avery Conley , the Photographer's Blogger, and Why Facebook is So F***ing Awesome with Laura DeCarlo) .They were all great.  And the one I taught (Books: Getting Your Dream Project Published). I mentored 4 people, and took away as much as I shared. Because, you know, it's inspiring to see what people are up to....  

How did I not hear about Blogstomp before last month?

 Or I could give you a play-by-play of the three crammed-full days with 200+ photographers.
Then a pithy inspirational (aagh said it again) message going around a few years ago came back to me. It's  just three points and kind of silly, but they're really good goals. Inspire Photo Retreat? Hit 'em all.

1_ Work like you don't need the money.
DUH! We are photographers. You don't go into this business--or stay in it--if you don't have big passion. Which is not to say you shouldn't work smart, or earn good money. Better business management, balancing your life & work, vendors offering services to streamline your workflow, new technical skills and lighting workshops, finding a niche and going after it....and above all keeping the excitement and joy in your work. That's what the conference covered.
In particular, students in my books workshop reminded me that everyone has a story to tell. Some so beautiful, and tragic, and touching, and artistic....and inspiring (there it is again. Once per paragraph, OK?). 

2-Dance like nobody's watching  
Done and done. While the three days were crammed with ideas and re-evaluating yourself/business/outlook , the nights were filled with drinks and the dance floor was filled with Inspirees. This isn't based on science but overall can I just say? Wedding photographers are fun.

3-Love like you've never been hurt.
This one? Not usually something you experience at a professional conference and here, right here, is the heart of what makes Inspire so special. It's about community, about knowing you aren't alone, about sitting at a table of strangers who become your friends by the end of the meal.  It's about being exhorted to go about your day Eyes up, heart out. In Carla Ten Eyck's poignant keynote speech the first night, she bared her soul. The rest of the gathering followed.

Why am I still going on & on? Watch the video!
Inspire 2014 Retreat Video

in the end, it's all about light

I know, shouldn't that be obvious?  Book cover project: the editor shipped me a carton of stacks of fabrics in little bundles and told me to play around.  I could use anywhere from 1-9 stacks for the cover image, and the type could drop in anywhere so , truly, play around. . We had a shared secret Pinterest board (no I can't show it to you) to keep us directed. My first thought was keep the light flat, to keep the focus on the colors and print patterns. But then some lovely sunlight came through the window....

Obviously! 

new year, new faces

Hey there, it is 2014! You know that saying: start as you mean to go on? That's what I'm doing. The year kicked off with a shoot for one of my return clients, the U.S. Department of Education. They've sent me to photograph in a storytelling style at schools before, and it is always a good adventure. This time I was at a high school in Tampa, FL. My mission: show the engagement of students & administration, at a city school that's gone from deeply troubled to successful in the past few years.

ROTC kids posted outside to meet us at 7:30 am. So sweet and serious.

Students connecting to the work, to each other, and to their school .

 

The principal and committed teachers walking the talk.

 

 

This one isn't strictly part of the story.  Teen style, I love it. Hair bows!