Category: Portraiture

Finding Inspiration in my Earliest Influences

Advertising, Beauty, Portraiture, Studio Lighting

I was talking to my Mother tonight on the phone when the subject quickly turned to my recent work and more specifically, studio work.       I mentioned the evolution of my style and approach.         As a kid I was surrounded by art in general. My Mother was an office secretary at a well known NYC advertising firm. From an early age I’d take the bus or train in from Queens and meet up with my Mom at the office. I’d spend most of my time in the art rooms where art work, advertisements and movie posters were being made right before my eyes.

I met a lot of really amazing and creative people who would later have a major effect on my life and the direction I decided to go in. At home we scraped by but my Mother always made it feel like a home. There was art everywhere. Vargas posters and Marilyn Monroe prints throughout the two bedroom apartment and classic nudes in the bathroom. There was also a collection of  art and photography books always within reach under the near by coffee table. To put it mildly, my Mother has so much to do with the person I am today. The way I think. The way I work and my crazy, unfiltered personality.

Lately I’ve been reminded more and more of those days and in particular the Art books that first captured my attention and imagination. As I was photographing my most recent inspiration the other day I noticed a few images that immediately brought me back to the beauty and overall simplicity of those images that first inspired this eight year old. Mixing those classic elements with somewhat of a modern touch excites me to no end. Finding people that inspire me to do this is essential.

An Old Friend Stops By

Friendship, Portraiture, Studio Lighting, Uncategorized

I’d been wanting to get some of my musician and artist friends to stop by for some laid back studio shots for some time. When I ran into Eric recently at a friends exhibition opening I thought, “now that’s a fucking character I’d love to photograph.”  So a few days later I dropped him a line and asked if he’d to stop by and shoot the shit while I cleaned the dust off my studio lights and gear.      We talked about music, old friends and our Dad’s. Eric’s a good friend. The kind that would give you the shirt off his back. Upon returning from living in Seatle he gave me a HardCore record I had regrettably sold years ago.  Knowing the personal and sentimental value the record held for me. He saw it only fitting that I should have a copy back in my prized collection. As the years go by you don’t see many of your old friends as much as you’d like. Jobs, family, distance and all the responsibilities that life throw at us play their part. Some stay close while others fade from the fabric of your life. It’s always good to have a few of the old guard around when you need someone to relate to or just share a common experience.

Back in Black

Beauty, Finding your Zen, Portraiture

Last week I did the kind of shoot that has become too few and far between for my liking. The truth is, with all the shooting I’ve been doing lately, not nearly enough moves me as much as that intimate one on one studio session. Recently I forced myself to sit down and write a list of all the things that make me happy and make me feel fulfilled in life. Things like family, friends and bulldogs were pretty high on the list. (Yeah, Bull Dogs) When it comes to things of the creative nature, I’d have to say studio photography is number one, two and three on my list. There is nothing that makes me more alive or feel as if I am at my very best. With all my faults, shortcomings and anxieties, when I am shooting I am at my very, very best.

This particular shoot was to test a new muslin I had picked up the week before at Calumet Photo. If you’re a follower of the blog you might know that I often find myself switching from seemless to muslin backgrounds with varied results. Though I had grown used to using seemless almost exclusively over the last year. (Black in particular) I wanted to look into working with the muslin. So with new studio gear in tow and no one to shoot I contacted a girl who I had worked with in a duo shoot the year before. Lucky for me she had some spare time and was ready to return for here solo.

When originally shooting with Jenn a little under a year ago I was able to steal away a few solo shots when the other girl was changing and managed to get some of my absolute favorite shots of the day. As beautiful as they were I knew they were only a very small sampling of what we could accomplish.

Jenn has three of the attributes I look most for in a model. Expressive eyes, lips and an awesome sense of humor. I was a little nervous about working with her again prior to that day due to the fact it had been such a long lapse in time since we last shot. However her sense of humor and nerdy qualities (That’s a compliment kids.)  had us both cracking up from the get go. She even took the shoot to another level when she asked to revisit some shots she had seen of mine. The shoot instilled with me the fact that when I am a very, very lucky man. Thanks to Jenn for helping me to realize it.

Cool Shirt Bro.

Beauty, Finding Solutions, Finding your Zen, Humor, Organizing, Philosophy, Portraiture

Being that I do a lot of writing and photographing of local music I’ve managed to pick up my share of rock tees along the way. Some are bought, some are given as thanks, some just thrown at me to cover my naked body at shows. Whatever the reason, I’ve got a lot of them. As cool as these things might look on the bands merch table or when worn by Joe Hardcore. They do not exactly look flattering on my body. So instead of letting them go to waste in my drawer or in a box on a shelf somewhere. I’ll throw one on a beautiful girl. In doing this I get a fond memory of the shirt and I don’t end up on an episode of “Hoarders”.   The shirts always look a hell of a lot better on them and it’s a great way to preserve the memory of the shirt. So if you’re attached to all those old rock tees, Christmas trees, and unfitting wanna bees. Throw it on a beautiful woman and keep those memories fresh.

Different Looks and Concepts

Beauty, Canon lenses and equipment, Portraiture, Studio Lighting

Whenever setting up a shoot I like to have a game plan in place. I always go over everything with the model or subject I’ll be shooting with that day. The topic of clothing, hair, makeup and approach are all addressed. I always stress,  “The more clothes you bring the better”. I provide a basic guideline of three distinguishable looks but remind them that they know their wardrobe better than me and know for sure what really brings out the best in them. There are always looks that click and those that don’t. Most of the time I find them ultimately wearing one of my dress shirts, ties or hats by the end of the shoot. “Why not?” “They always look better on them anyway.” The ultimate goal is that they’re relaxed, comfortable and in the best light possible.

For this particular shoot I had several looks I was hoping to achieve. My friends band My Rifle was set to release their first EP and I had just received their new T-shirt with the band/record logo. The second look was to capture a classic B&W vibe with a bit of a modern fashion twist. The third was to promote  her naturally sexy look while adding a sense of warmth and comfort.

My goal with anyone I work with is of course to bring the very best out of them. Showing off their unique beauty and personality. There are many times when I’ve been able to see something in them, they themselves never saw. Getting someone to take chances and maybe think out of the box can often be rewarding for all parties involved.

Here’s what this particular model wrote about yours truly;

“I love James. He is  amazing, I’ve never had so much confidence in my life… I was a cocoon hiding in the dark. Now I am spreading my wings and so proud to put myself out there and socialize with people all over the country. The more i work with him, the more i see how he brings out all of my beauty! Hence, I walk with better posture :)”

In closing (kinda formal, eh?) I find that as I grow as a photographer, so does my focus and attention to detail. I’m developing better concepts  and ideas. Though I’m still a bit clumsy I’ve found that the confidence to work quicker at both communicating and executing my ideas without sacrificing any sense of focus or intimacy.

On the Way Home

Canon lenses and equipment, Documentary, Editorial, Fisheye Lenses, Location Shooting, Lower East Side, Portraiture, Portraiture in natural light

After a long day of good food and gallery hopping in Chinatown, SOHO and The Lower East Side we began to head West on Houston  to catch the Path Train back to Hoboken. Stopping here and there to check out some of the artisans that sell their gear in front of that church I came upon one particularly interesting table. The man and his wife were selling these intriguing artifacts they cleverly restored and made into jewelry. As I listened to the man explain the background and process to an interested party I started to set up my camera to sneak a shot of this very interesting looking gentleman. I could have pulled it off without him noticing but would I get a really honest telling shot? I got over my shyness and began an interesting conversation with Scott. I then asked him nicely if I could take a picture of him. He obliged and I left with both a story and a picture. You can check out some of Scott’s work at www.newyorkartifactart.com I’m sure you’ll be impressed.

Beauty and the Heat.

Beauty, Portraiture, Portraiture in natural light

As the temperatures soared into triple digits I sadly had to reschedule my upcoming follow up shoot with Salley. After almost six months of scheduling issues and near misses due to everything from being buried in snowpocalypse 2011 to a broken ankle. We were able to finally connect for a quick yet awe inspiring session a few weeks back. After shooting some outdoor work that day we eagerly planned for some studio work. Being in the studio allows me so much more control over lighting and background. It also gives me more of a sense of mood. During the next week or so I’ll be working on a concept and vibe for our shoot. No matter the theme or wardrobe I’ll have one hell of a canvas to work with Salley is one of the coolest people I’ve worked with recently. Here are some of my favorite shots from that cool Sunday.

 

Steph and Jennifer Make Work Fun.

Beauty, Erotic Photography, Friendship, Portraiture

In my recent post “What if it  really did happen.” I mentioned the different women Steph and I had approached to shoot during the weeks that followed up to our shoot with Iya. One of the girls she mentioned was an old friend she had gone to school with. When she sent me a link to Jenn’s Facebook page I thought “She’s pretty but…..” I saw a really sweet woman but I didn’t exactly see the fire. However, I found that very intriguing. One of the signatures of what has become “My Style” is the fact that I work with real people. There is nothing I enjoy more than portfolio building or hearing someone say “You made me look and feel beautiful.” or “I never saw myself like that.” Jennifer was the perfect example. When we spoke she told me she was nervous and very self conscious. I could tell she was very down to earth and sweet. That alone,  made me want to work with her. The challenge to take her out of her shell and show her a side of herself she may not have seen before. Yet, after several cancellations I had a strong feeling it would never happen. Maybe she was just a little too shy for something like this. I really couldn’t blame her.

Then I got a text from Steph. “Jenn and I are ready to shoot on Thursday.” That morning Jenn arrived a few minutes before Steph which gave me a chance to talk and perhaps make her feel a little more at ease.. As we started to talk I realized she was becoming more and more confident and whatever insecurities she may have had were quickly fading. Soon Steph arrived and we were on our way. We moved slowly and before you knew it I was seeing Jenn in an entirely new light. Jenn has big, expressive eyes and beautiful lips. I can not say enough about her  in terms of beauty or  presence.  At one point she told me her age and my jaw dropped. I thought she was maybe ten years younger. Needless to say her beauty coupled with that of Steph’s made for easy work. In the two couple sessions I’ve done with Steph I’ve noticed the calm, nurturing aspect of her personality. She’s an absolute pleasure to work with. She’s smart, fun, grounded and brings me plenty of referrals. I couldn’t possibly ask for more.


DJ Shell Buuugz

Portraiture, Studio Lighting

After a number of weather related cancellations Shell and I finally got to meet and work together Tuesday afternoon. Shell and I clicked on all cylinders and got right to work. Though we had just met minutes before the conversation and chemistry was excellent. We listened to hip hop and I introduced her to one of my favorites, Dalek,  by blasting “Bricks Crumble.  Below are some of my favorites from our session. Shell is a DJ athttp://www.smashentertainmentlive.com/ Check her show out if you get the chance.

















Monday Session with Abby.

Beauty, Ghana, Portraiture

As the snow continues to fall and my toes dance on the border of numbness and frostbite. I turn my attention to Monday’s session with Abigail. Abby as I call her, is a model from West New York by way of West Africa’s Ghana. Her smile and laughter are contagious and make working with her more like hanging out with a good friend.  Blessed with a sweet demeanor and mannerism that seems to have become a thing of the past. We both enjoyed the experience so much we were talking about setting up a follow up before we were even done shooting. I enthusiastically look forward to it.