Photographer Unknown

Speaking To My Condition

2009-02-20T16:24:00.007Z

Angel on PFN post a link to the video below from the very talented Zack Arias. It spoke to my condition. Thanks Zack, it was I needed during my pitty party. I also have a new blog to watch ;)

Where has the year gone?!

2009-02-18T20:22:00.002Z

It has been right at a year since my last post on PUB. A great deal has happened, life has chewed me up and spit me out. I sit writing this blog as a photographer that will always be unknown. May 1st I launch a poor attempt of a portrait studio, thinking I had the support I needed. Early this month I gave up the studio know I would never be in one place long enough to build it, nor did have have the emotional support I wanted. So here I sit pissed off again, but knowing my choice to be a wife and mother (a choice I never regret) must come before my dream to be a photographer.

In the days to come I hope to share a bit of what I have been doing.

Light fall off

2008-02-19T17:41:00.001Z

Years ago I heard Robert Farber say if he could only choice one background to work with he would choice a white. He explained how one could turn the white background into a black background by using light fall off. At the time it went way over my head not understand light but it has always suck wit me.

A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to play with light fall off in my home. Here is what came of my playing.

The image I set out for, worked.

A few images before I worked them and converted them to B&W to show the light fall off in the background. Mr. Miles is Spiderman here ;) I think I could power up the lights a bit more and take care of the rail and windows.

My background shot with natural light.

Forgive my crude drawing but this was my set up.

Young Love, Behind the Image

2008-02-15T11:45:00.001Z

Young Love, Behind the Image

On PFN to my surprise I won the weekly submission contest “what defines you“ with my signature image on my blog. I thought I would share the story behind this image. This image was take Nov of 2002 atop a building in NYC on a trip at changed my life. Without getting into too many details, this trip defined me as the person I am today.

I was hire by Gary Dana of the Long Island Cabrera to shoot the annual winter dinner show, I was not paid but I received a paid trip to NYC for six days. Mr. Dana was a gracious host. I am not sure if he ever know how that week changed my life.

I was in a bad marriage at the time, events during this trip showed me things were not going to change but only get worse. Personally my world was falling apart around me. I meet up with a few other outstanding photographers while in NYC . Four of us walked the city shooting, sharing our dreams. Phil Hidden hosted a shootout with a few paid models in a studio on the west side. It was during this shoot I captured the image I now call young love that welcomes you to my blog.

Many people do not even notice the young man in the upper right hand corner, the man who put the sparkle in the young ladies eye. Metaphorically the man is my future the young lady is my life. Comparable to a young couple in love, unknowing what the next day will bring, greeting the dawn with great hopes.

This image was the birth of my life as I know it now. Wide eyed from NYC I looking into the future unknowing what was going to happen, plus new found confidence from the trip I trudged ahead in my life. Unidentified dreams lay ahead of me, a pat I am not too sure of it’s end. A plethora of ideas and a camera in hand to my new day I go.

On the technical side of this image, I don't remember much. Shot on Polapan film with an EOS 1.

Altered Art

2008-01-30T12:20:00.000Z

I have been trying my hand at a bit of altered art, lately. I used Lauren Bavin scrap book elements.

Ring of Kerry

2008-01-19T14:52:00.000Z

While I lived in Ireland last year I took a tour of the Ring of Kerry. Sadly on tours you have to shoot and run. I said I wanted to go back but did not make before we moved back to the States. Here is two images from that trip.

Snow Berries

2008-01-19T14:24:00.000Z

We had snow as did much of the east coast this last week. I could not pass up the red berries in the tree in my yard. The snow did not stay for long mostly gone by the next afternoon. They are calling for more snow tonight, we will see.

Susquehanna Rivier

2008-01-16T18:18:00.000Z

I set our yesterday to see if I could find the bald eagles that live by the Susquehanna River a short drive up the road. I had no luck with capturing the great bird with my camera. But why waste a trip. here is a few images from my outing.

window

2008-01-16T15:23:00.000Z

I spent yesterday morning out at Susquehanna State Park. While it is not a new and exciting concept I still like the image.

Irish Lass

2008-01-14T16:57:00.001Z

My home in Ireland back door opened to City Center in Dublin. My shopping took me to Grafton Street. Dublin’s answer to NYC 5th Ave, but nothing like it. There was always street performers lining the Grafton Street. One day while out the camera I came upon a group of local children playing percussions and chanting. All in colorful costumes they attracted a crowd. Here is one small performer.

Super Jumbo

2008-01-11T21:20:00.000Z

Its seam as if Richard guitars have personality, drawing from their sound and looks. I have been doing portraits of each guitar, slowly. Today we had the typical Mid Atlantic fog. I personally find it very cool. Looking out into the back yard I have an image come to mind. With Miles assisting we head outside with Richard’s Gibson Super Jumbo for this …

And for you visual enjoyment, you can almost hear him playing, my assistant whom finish before I and lock me out of the house. It is so hard to find good help now days.

Work it again.

2008-01-11T18:35:00.000Z

I was PM-ing a new photo acquaintance from PFN, Wendee of Timeless Images just outside of Raleigh
NC about her black and whites. I have been converting mine in raw, it has quite the learning curve for with so much control. Grand for tweaks but man can I mess an image up too. While speaking with Wendee she reminded me that CS3 has a new B&W adjustment. Whoo hoo! I pulled it up with Miles B&W from the other day, selected the red filter, lowered the red toggle a small amount to eliminate the low outs. I have a conversion I am much happier with, a little more contract, and half the time. Thanks Wendee!

My first conversion with raw

Redone with B&W Adjustment in CS3

Screen shot of conversion

Mr. Miles AGAIN!

2008-01-10T00:42:00.000Z

I never get tired of taking images of my little man. It was a beautiful January day today. So we played outside during the sweet light.

And one final image, this one is so Miles …

Leprechaun gone bad?

2008-01-08T14:50:00.000Z

I am digging through my files of my images from last year. Withal the travel and the move back to the States in 2007 I did not work many of my images. These are images from St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin Ireland.

I was told that I must do the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Once, I would most likely never want to do it again, but I must experience it once. So I did I packed up my oldest boy three hours early to go pick our spot. To say I have never experienced an event like it before would be an understatement. The people were rude down right mean when it came to moving close to the barriers. They would send their children crawling over and between people’s feet , all the while the wee lads would push, jump and lean on our legs. With being on our feet in one spot for five hours, by the end the little lads we not so cute, just typically Irish. The parade itself was wonderful the costumes were unbelievable full of color, creative and works of art in themselves.

No it is no a leprechaun gone bad, just your Irishman dressed in the parade.

Children who made their way to the barrier.

Just down the street from my house was a local pub with a papier-mâché St. Patrick attached to the front. He was a delight to see for the week.

Mark III

2008-01-08T03:29:00.000Z

Much to my surprise I received a Mark III for Christmas this year. It feels so good to have a pro camera back in my hands. here is one of my first images from y Mark III. My husband unwilling volunteered for the picture. As always click on the image to see larger.

1/125 f4.5 @32oo

What were they thinking

2007-12-31T17:33:00.000Z

My husband and I went to Gettysburg this past weekend. On our drive home I glanced over and noticed this restaurant. With a smooth swoop I snatched up my camera and shot the sign out the car window. There as just something wrong with this sign in Hanover PA.

Grandma

2007-12-31T00:04:00.000Z

During my absence from my blog I experienced the lose of my Grandma. It was an expected death, she passed three days after her 98th birthday. I flew out to Colorado with my 11-year-old son, Ike, for her funeral. While in the Rocky Mountain State we, Ike and I, long with my parents drove to the homes that were once owned by my aunt, uncle, close family friends and my grandparents. Pictured below is my grandparents house. In it’s heyday a nice middle class neighborhood, beautifully manicured lawns and flower beds. A safe place for children to play in the streets, tumble in the yards and walk to school.

Grandma house has seen it’s better day and grandpa’s yard is but a memory of perfectly edged grass, never the less the sight of the old house brings back a plethora of memories. My fourth birthday was spent on the front porch and riding my new yellow skateboard on the sidewalk around the house. As I grew up I spent countless hours bouncing a ball off the garage roof. Brushing my hair with Grandma’s special hair brush set in my bedroom. Setting the table for dinner, grandpa popping popcorn. Jumping on the bed in basement nearly hitting me head on the ceiling. Many years of memories came from this house. May the new owners have as many sweet reminiscences.

Chimping

2007-07-13T18:50:00.001Z

You know looking at your LCD making comment, sharing, even a little grunt. We all do it. The trick is not to be caught.

The first image from left Andrea (model/photographer) Rusty and Amanda. All very dear to me and great shooting buddies.

The final image is my littlest boy. My sister let him shoot with her camera. The boy loved it but was the biggest chimper ever.

Holga

2007-07-12T05:30:00.000Z

I love my Holga. Here is an image of Miles, ready for bed.

डींग Dishes

2007-07-11T03:39:00.001Z

Having a child nearly three in the house is a challenge at best. Miles never stops. If her is awake he is moving getting into everything. While I was online checking up on my forums Miles became quite and I heard the kitchen sink running. There sits Miles with feet in the sink "doing dishes". He has the greatest time playing and discovering for nearly an hour.

Not so muddy

2007-07-10T18:33:00.000Z

I shared the first set of images with with an internet group of mommies, they were very upset with the whole idea. It kinda shook me up. Does any really think they child really wants to wear their dress? They even made some comment about only the rich would do that just to say look at I'm rich. I not rich and I would trash my dress in a heart beat if I had one worth trashing.

So I will pick up my glass of wine and toast these ladies. The world need more people putting boxes around art. I am sure they are good people, just not my kind.

Here is a few more, just for you mom ... Oh mom what are you doing with your dress?

Mudd Mess

2007-07-10T04:34:00.001Z

Life has changed since my last post, but I will fill you all in on that later. More exciting stuff to ramble about right now. i went out with a group of friend this last Sunday and we trashed a wedding dress. I have to say that was one hell of a rush. So with out making you wait, and honestly i do not feel like typing, here they are, well a few.

Click on the image to see a large image.

Numbers

2007-05-03T11:04:00.000Z

I checked the stat of my blog today. Numbers showed I have a infinitesimal readership. I am my own fan. So do to large request of my readers … umm…reader I bring you these images.

My 10-year-old Ike resting on a large stone bench in Paris

The steps that one climbs to reach the top of the Arc De Triomphe in Paris

The Louvre

2007-04-27T10:16:00.000Z

Last week I was in Paris. I have a new understanding of why people love Paris.

My family and I stopped shortly at The Louvre. One can see pictures but to stand there infront of the Mona Lisa is beyond words. I fell in love with Nike of Samothrace. I would have never thought I would want to photograph a statue, but I could not make enough images of her. Here she is.

And here is my take on the Venus de Milo.

I will have to return to The Louvre with out children on a day I can just take in all the great art. Cause as you can see my little Miles and his big brother Garrett were not having the greatest time.

Lost for a month

2007-04-16T11:36:00.000Z

Well a month has past with not one word from me. No worries, I am my only reader. I was busy with the visit of my sister. I have hundreds of images to work through now. Here are a few from the last month.

The first is a flowering tree just down the road from me.

I returned to Italy with my sister this last month and shot Venice with out the huge crowds.

Now being overwhelmed with images and behind on blogs I leave you to ponder what to show next.

Stray Cat Strut

2007-03-14T16:01:00.000Z

My dear friends at PFN ( PhotoFocusNetwork.com ) have a photo contest every week. This weeks theme was blue. Richard recently bought a new blue guitar, making it the subject matter of my blue shoot. My first take turned out okay but I needed to tweak a few things in the image, so I set out to reshoot. I set up again and as I start shooting a cat hopped over the fence and head straight for my staging area. All I can say is this cat love the camera. She must have been a model in her past life.
On the image with the cat I changed the color of the guitar I just felt it worked better being a brown guitar. The second image was what I turned into the contest.

During this time with the cat I have the 80s song Stray Cat Strut stuck in my head. I bring you the Stray Cats complements of YouTube.com Fitting I think.

It’s all about the Bert Man

2007-03-10T01:11:00.000Z

Well he is 16 and ready to take on the world. We took the DART down to Bray a few weeks ago all the images are from that trip. Plus one I added from his first shave.

On a side note I was excepted into DWF. It is a big community. I am guessing they will let most anyone in who will pay and wants to learn wedding. I am cool with that that is how I am there. I am on information over load from DWF. I will most likely pay the 100 bucks at the end of my 30 days, hop on the roller coaster, hang on and pray my brain doesn't blow.

Carnival Venice Italy 2007

2007-03-09T16:31:00.000Z

Venice is truly and understandably one of the most romantic cities in the world. Okay so I am overly worldly but I will say it is at the top of my personal list.

I went with my family and my brothers family the finally Sunday of Carnival. To say it was crowed would have been an understatement. I found it harder to shoot while worrying about were the children were. I will hand it to my brother and husband. When I wanted to shoot they stepped up to the plate with the kids (we had six children and two grown children with us) All in all I am very pleased with I shot.

I would love to fly down for a day for some serious shooting next year. I will return to Venice this month to shoot the city with out the masses.

Here are some of the first images I have edited from the day:

Weddings

2007-03-05T21:32:00.000Z

The topic of my day. I have applied for a membership to DWF and wait to see if they will except me. At the same time I received word from the States that one of my portrait clients are looking for me to shoot to shoot her sister's wedding this next summer. All signs are pointing for me to open not only my portrait studio but also get into weddings. I am really excited about the thought of it all. Richard and I have been talking about the remodeling that will be done in the house to make all this happen.

When I stop and think about wedding I can’t help but think of my ol' friend Randy Jenkins from Chattanooga TN. August 2002 Randy took me under his wing to teach me the ropes of shooting weddings. Randy worked at a Christian College in the area and shot weddings part time.

Our first shoot together was a Bridal on a beautiful Wednesday evening. I truly enjoyed working and learn from Randy. We had a great time. Here are a few images I shot that evening.

That Saturday I woke early met up with Randy at a convent store. He grabbed a bag of M&Ms and a diet coke (Randy said the diet coke took away calories from the M&M so it was a balanced breakfast) he did this before every wedding. We spent most of the day shooting the wedding finally about 5 pm we head home. He was talking about how much he missed his wife who was out of town, and what he was going to do with his teenage son the rest of the weekend. Randy and his son went to the movie that night where Randy had a heart attack was in ICU for two weeks until he past.

I still stop and wonder why God had me spend Randy’s last living day with him. Why me?

I miss Randy not only was he a great photographer but he was a great man, husband and father. In some way when I rebuild my studio I know Randy will be there helping out on the wedding side of it all. Thank you Mr. Jenkins for all you have given me, I could only hope I can find another mentor as grand as you.

I leave you with an image of Randy driving the bride.

Lunar Eclipse

2007-03-04T19:38:00.000Z

In the recent days I have found a new photo forum here in Ireland, http://www.photographyireland.net/ . There is a lot of good talent there, that I hope I can learn from. Another thing that really excites this will be a great resource for here in Dublin, and maybe just maybe a few shooting buddies.

From PI learnt of a lunar eclipse last night. So I stayed up, froze my bum off and shoot some of the event. I don’t think I have ever shot images of the moon before. My images were all soft, I found it very hard to focus. So I jazzed of some sad images in Photoshop and will show them in a small version here. I did not think about it at the time, I should have used my 10D. With the digital cropping factor it would have maybe help. Live and learn. I do think in the digital age I do not stop and think thing through as much. I have been sloppy with my work. This I really want to work on.

Another Brick in the Wall

2007-03-03T23:14:00.000Z

Just up the road from my brothers house in Italy is a place I call the “The Water” . I asked if it had a name no one seems to know. Located at the foot of the Alps this sight is where the water makes first contact with air after going underground in Germany.

On this spot there is the ruins of an old mill in all it’s glory. I have photographed my nieces portraits at the mill and my own children.

Simply beautiful.

The Starting Line

2007-03-02T16:48:00.000Z

Here I am, joining the hundreds of photographers that are blogging. I have became the herd.

I shut down my web page at the beginning of the year due to the fact that I move out of the country and am no longer in business and not sure if I want to go into business again.

Photography is in my blood, like a sickness almost. At time it has totally take over my life. I am now learning a new balance of photography and family life. I could never walk away from my photography again. I now get to be a flamboyant hobbyist.

I have read, searched and pondered the idea of blogging my images. I think it will be a fit for me.

I would love to say I can post an image a day, but I would only be kidding myself and any reader if I ever pick up any. This I do not expect, thus I am Photographer Unknown.

Welcome to my blog.