FeatureShoot

Check out one of my images up on FeatureShoot today! The top image (woman holding the gun) is Abby Wilcox. I am happy she's featured as well as we went to art school together.

Julia

I am almost done finalizing my shoot with Julia from two weeks ago! This image is a new approach for me. I usually stay away from compositing and HDR-ing, but this particular scene called for it. Shooting into the late afternoon sun, I couldn't get a decent exposure for both Julia and the sky. I am happy to achieve the look in post.

Weekend shoot

This past weekend I did a collaborative shoot in SF. It was such a fantastic shoot and I worked with an amazing team! Jessica Northern did the styling. She was so fantastic to work with and really helped me pull the concept together! Her assistant, Heather Herrick, took this photo of me shooting. Nhu Phan did the hair and makeup and our model Julia was from Ford. I have a mountain of photos to edit and will post them up here and on my site when they are finalized. I can't wait to share them with you!

CS5- Content-Aware Fill

Adobe is launching the latest version of Photoshop and the buzz is all about the new content-aware fill. Amazingly, it can completely remove objects from photos in a very seamless manner. Stella Kramer wrote a blog post over on stocklandandmartelblog that offers a very interesting counter argument to all the buzz. I have to say I am in agreement with her.

Rainer Maria Rilke

"Be patient toward all the is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions."

I love this quote by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Chloe Mallet

A while ago, I was flipping through a magazine (I believe it was Nylon) and came across a fashion spread by Chloe Mallet (the top image-girl with bunny years-was part of that spread). I was immediately intrigued by the hazy, dreamy quality of the photo. I continually revisit her work and am always drawn to the quality of light and delicate approach she has to fashion. I can only dream to work with the clients that she has collaborated with! Go check out her work and get lost in its beauty!

500 Photographers

Pieter Wisse has started an online database called 500 Photographers. Every day (m-f) for 100 weeks he will post about an influential photographer. What I especially love about his postings is the accompanying video clip about the noted photographer. It should be fun to check in with his site as the 100 weeks progress.

Words of Wisdom from a Childhood Friend

The other night I got together with two friends from grammar school, Tracy and April. The three of us knew each other since kindergarten. We were talking about our current job situations and realized that all three of us were working in creative industries. When it came time for Tracy to talk (she works as a zookeeper, how cool is that!!), she said, "I am working my dream job right now, I just need more hours doing it." It was such a gem of wisdom and I realized that I am in the exact situation! I am working my dream job, I just need more (billable) hours doing it! Nothing like old childhood friends to put things back in perspective for you!

Location Scouting

I have a shoot coming up in a few weeks and I have been doing some heavy location scouting. It has been an interesting process so far. Typically for my shoots, I don't do a ton of scouting. Sometimes it works out, but I also find myself not as organized and weeding through a lot of bad photos during the editing process that probably could have been avoided had I scouted. I am really invested in the upcoming shoot and find myself turning a corner with pre-production. I have been taking a lot of photos and most of them have not been so hot and that's okay because this is the time for me to get my bearings before the shoot happens. Its a new process and one that makes me a more grown-up photog. The above photo is one that I took the other day during scouting. I was really able to analyze this one (and other from the same set) and came to the conclusion that I need to consider other locations. I am so happy to have come to this conclusion now and not during the shoot!

The Photography Post

Rachel Hulin recently started a new blog, The Photography Post. I like to consider it a megablog of sorts; she offers live feeds of some of the most relevant blogs in the photo world. It is a good place to start if you are feeling like reading up on the most current news/thoughts/musings coming from the photosphere.

Henry David Thoreau

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them."

Wonderful quote from Henry David Thoreau.

Wishlist

This Tim Walker photo book has been on my wishlist for quite some time. I would like to spend an afternoon getting lost in it.