I’m going through this mornings session with Tanu Suri and have come across so many that just take my breath away. It’s going to take a while to go through and pick the best of the best but I wanted to share something. Though this was a studio shoot we went up to the roof and also took a few shots on the stairs. I thought this particular one was interesting. 
Tag: Portraits
Me, I Love B&W.
I just love shooting B&W. I love the mood and the contrast. I’ve been getting a lot of headshot work lately which calls for color. I find myself switching to monochrome in between shots. Later, when I show them the results. They often agree that the monochromes are the best shots and portray them in the best light.
But Sometimes they Love Color.
Roksolana invades New York City.
My shoot with Roksolana (Lana for short) was both fun and heartfelt. As we were sitting in the office talking she told me about her recent move to Brooklyn from the Ukraine. Her love for modeling, art and New York City. There was a certain warmth and ease to her personality. I told her about my current town of Hoboken which she knew very well, being that she has been working with an artist there. I was very engaged. In speaking I couldn’t help but notice a pronounced scar on her chest. When I asked her about it she openly spoke about having been fitted with a pace maker. Something that seemed insane at such a young age. She told about the issues she had from a very young age. I immediately identified considering what I went trough with having a brain tumor at a very young age. It wasn’t as much as sad exchange as it was a triumphant one. Both of had overcome and adversity at a very young age and were living happy, full lives. As for the session that followed. She was so natural and instinctive. Few of the shots were posed. It was just the two of us conversing and exchanging stories. Exchanges like these are a major ingredient to why I love what I do. Here’s to you Roks.
P.S. Lana, if you read this. The reason I didn’t photoshop the scar out of the picture is I thought is was an important part of the story, your beauty and your experience,
Keeping it Fresh.
As noted in previous posts I’ve been doing my share of work at the gallery in downtown New York City. A great opportunity that offers it’s share of rewards and challenges. One of the challenges is when the themes and backgrounds all start to look and like and it starts to get mundane and repetitive. When you find something you love. Whether it be a person, place or thing. You tend to wear it out. Something I hope to avoid if at all possible. Aside from the gallery I’ve had similar finishes to sessions. Heading in the direction of Chinatown and using the same streets and alleys. Yesterday I tried a few new angles at the gallery and instead of heading East towards Chinatown I explored the surrounding streets of Tribeca just to the West. 
Thanks Rosie.
As we sat and chatted over Summer Rolls and Rice vermicelli Rosie asked me “What do you want to do?” We had been talking about photography and marketing our work. Something I have forever struggled with. Her question was a good one and hit me like a bullet. I’ve been asked that question countless times since before I can remember. I can recall my Mother relentlessly asking me what I was going to do with the rest of my life since my Freshman year of High School. (Can you imagine the pressure?) Her question, as much as it may have rattled me was a very good one. As much as I want to emerse myself in every aspect of photography. I do need to focus on my strengths. As much as I love the idea of keeping myself busy with weddings, babies, travel and every other thing there is to photograph and inspire me. Portraiture is what I’m best at and what inspires me most. It’s where I feel I am at my very best. That’s not to say I don’t want or won’t do those other things. Just to focus on my strengths. Thanks Rosie. You finally got me to focus. Now if you can only get me to stop talking with my mouth full.
Rosie Outlook.
Some people just bring the very best out in you. Rosie is one of them. We first got together for a project I was working on called “Mind, Body, Spirit” and recently got together for inspiration and Vietnamese Sandwiches. Always smiling and quick witted. She’s always got something positive to bring to the conversation. I just linked her blog “This World is too Much with Us.” check it out and send her some love. Here are some pictures we took. Worship these first.
Friday Flashback
My first paid portrait session was an interesting one to say the least. At the time I had recently moved to a neighborhood on the West Side of Manhattan called Hell’s Kitchen. I was really interested in photography and had recently been given a manual Nikon film camera as a Christmas present by my boss Hank. I had been shooting bands for years with various point and shoot cameras and had grown tired of it. One night I was photographing this band at a really crappy club somewhere in Jersey. Shortly after the band finished its set this beautiful woman came up to me. We started talking and she asked if I had ever worked with any models or done any head shot type work. I totally lied my ass off and told her “yeah, I’ve done my share.” I gave her my card and a few weeks later we got together and mapped out what would be my first paid photography job. The plan was to drive to the Delaware River Gap where we’d do a series of nudes and semi nudes in the woods, the water and throughout the mountainous area around the river. I was so green. I had no idea what I was doing but I was confident and excited. I was also clueless. I agreed to do the job for a measly hundred dollars and would give up the negatives. A rookie mistake I would regret but never repeat.
On the day of the session she came to pick me up. Finding a parking space right in front of my building seemed like a miracle until we came back downstairs to see her car had been towed. She had failed to read the “No Parking” “All violators will be towed at their own expense.led to read the “No Parking” “All violators will be towed at their own expense. I felt horrible but for some dumb reason partly responsible. So off to the towing garage we went (with her wearing nothing but pajamas nonetheless) We got to the garage on the nearby West Side Highway and paid the $250 towing fine. Then on the same day she had to go down to City Hall to pay a ticket. (with her wearing nothing but pajamas nonetheless) All the while she was a trooper and took it all in stride. We made the most of the rest of the day shooting pictures by City Hall, the Bull down by the financial center and down at the ferry station. All the while being followed by tourists and random pervs with cameras. (with her wearing nothing but pajamas nonetheless) We decided to reschedule and start fresh the next day.
The weather on that particular day was beautiful. As we arrived at our location the sun was soft and a comforting breeze welcomed us. We started out following the paths but soon found a waterfall and climbed the fence to get our first shots. She was so natural and simply breath taking. I was waste deep in water when I took those first shots. After a few minutes we climbed back over the fence and headed up to the top of the waterfall. As I began to climb the fence I put my bag on the top of the wooden fence. As I started to lift myself up over to the other side the bag tipped, fell and went right down the fall to the top ledge. My heart sunk. Everything besides my camera was in that bag. My keys, my money, my wallet, the film. No matter what… I had to get that bag back or die trying. I carefully made my way towards the edge of the fall to see my bag secured to the landing below and unfortunately out of reach. We looked at each other puzzled but I knew there was only one thing to do. Walk back down and somehow climb up the waterfall. Now this wasn’t the waterfall you see Harrison Ford dive off of in the movie “The Fugitive” but it sure as hell seemed like it to me. I waded through thewater and started climbing.
My model looking down on me yelling “James, be careful. Please!!!” Rock by rock, ledge by ledge I finally made it to where my bag was wedged and was able to grab hold. As hard as it was getting up the fall. It was harder making my way down with a sopping wet and much heavier bag. By now a small crowd had gathered on a pathway behind me and were even cheering me on to a degree. I swear I had William Shatners voice in the back of my head narrating his then show “Rescue 911”. It was a truly surreal moment. As I made my way to the bottom the crowed let out a small cheer and clapped. I made my way back to the trail and to my surprise the film had been protected and only the clothes inside and my wallet were soaked. I walked back up the path. Gingerly climbed over the fence and finished our session. It was the easiest hundred dollars I ever made. I’m still mad I gave up my negatives but managed to keep the prints in pretty good shape.
Everything falls into place.
Despite the humidity and heat yesterday couldn’t have gone better if I had wished so. The day started with a run to the city and in particular Calumet Photo. As noted in previous blogs I’ve had numerous problems with sync cords not working properly and being an overall hazard for someone as clumsy and accident prone as myself. After my session with Alexandra this week I was determined to trash my sync cords and finally go wireless. I stopped in to Calumet to talk with one of the sales associates about a wireless device called the Pocket Wizard II. I wanted to know more about how it worked and make sure it was compatible with my Canon 50 D and Genesis studio lights. After a short demo I was convinced wireless was my destiny and made the purchase. I then grabbed lunch and headed back home to get some work done before heading back in to the city for my late afternoon session.
Earlier in the week I scheduled two portrait sessions within a few minutes of each other. Risky considering the fact that people always seem to arrive late no matter what. I also seem to have to deal with a lot of last minute cancelations. Luckily my first session arrived right on time and we were able to get started. I had met Theory a few weeks prior and had already had a couple of mutual cancellations due to the non stop rain we’ve been dealing with. Theory is a pretty cool dude.
A talented dancer with a gift for humor and loads of personality. Our session took place around theold meat packing district on
the West Side of Chelsea. Theory being a lot younger and from the West Coast seemed to be surprised by the stories I told about how the area was when I was living in the city. How what is now a hub of galleries, boutiques and restaurants was once a thriving meat packing industry by day and a red light district by night. As for our session we were able to get a lot of great shots without taking all that many. Two of the things I’ve really been working on improving in my photography is consistency and attention to detail. I think I accomplished what I was looking to do.
Just as Theory had arrived right on time my next shoot was just as punctual. We had planned on meeting at the Apple store at 6:00. It turns out we were standing right next to one another and didn’t even realize it for a few minutes. My first impression of Hugh was right on target. Plain and simple this is what I would call a “Cool Cat’. Tall, long dreds and soft spoken. His prior emails where he addressed me as “Sir” led me to believe he was channeling a James Bond character. His sharp looking motorcycle jacket and Duccati bike only reinforced that image. Hugh is an aspiring actor who takes classes only blocks away from where I lived in Hells Kitchen. Our shoot would have went off without a hitch if it were not for some idiot knocking his bike over when pulling out of the parking spot in front of him. The hit not only knocked over the bike but broke his mirror and tail light. All while scratching his helmet. So much for accountability. No note was left. Other than that it was a stellar day. Hugh loved his shots and I’m looking forward to showing Theory his.
A nice surprise when I really needed it.
I was kind of down in the dumps today. Trying hard to make this photography thing work. Trying to find a second job and a new home. Blah, Blah, Blah. I guess my head was just not in the right place. When I got home I checked my inbox and there was a really nice testimony that the woman I worked with the day before had sent. I’m posting it here because well, it’s my blog and when someone says something this nice about their experience and my work I’m gonna flaunt it. So here it is.
“James Damion is one of the most professional and encouraging photographers that I have ever worked with. He works to accentuate your best features and makes you feel like a super model during your photo session. I need to upgrade my online portfolio so that I can include more of James’ pictures of me in my gallery. These pictures are SO good I’m going to have a hard time choosing which ones! If your trying to decide on a photographer for your head-shots, portraits or pictures for your next project, let me save you the trouble of looking elsewhere. Let James Damion work his magic for you.” Erica Douglas, Actress
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