More Role Playing

In our determination to make lemonade out of lemons, my muse for the week agreed to continue our photo shoot after our unfortunate accident the week prior.

Even with the SEVEN stitches under her lower lip, the injuries are undetectable.

Because my model was unfazed by this mishap, love this girl, we came up with a concept for this next shoot so that it would work to our advantage.

I do enjoy “role playing” when putting together various ideas for a session. It’s also fun for the people being photographed.
We create a scene, image, idea, and several concepts – gather our props – and roll with it.


Working with a swollen lip and facial stitches, we came up with a character, fictional or possibly based on truth, which was beautiful, but edgy.











Someone intriguing, but slightly intimating.

The viewer is drawn into the scene but senses warning signs – “keep your distance”!



I like it, mainly because when I compare the shoot from last week with the SAME model, I get a totally different feel from the images.

The person in front of the camera can be completely adaptable to the role or setting they become a part of.



I love this contrast.

Aren't we all contradictions anyways??

However, don’t be too fooled by this tough girl role playing.

Deep down inside we find sweetness and unconditional love.

Who cannot resist the sloppy “dog kisses” so generously offered.

We tried to get our ‘lover’ dog to role play with us. We asked for a fierce, mean, growling, attacking pose – but all he was able to offer us was his “cute” look.

Oh well, Gotta love it!

Spectrum - The Interaction of Color

The Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council will be exhibiting it's new show next weekend.

Spectrum - The Interaction of Color will open Saturday July 18th with a reception from 4 - 7 pm, and run until August 22nd.

The Art Council is a non-profit community of artists, working together to support and promote the arts in Northwestern New Jersey.

The show focuses on the artist's perception of color as a means of personal expression.

Whether the relationships of color become a symbolic awareness with our natural or psychological associations, or simply aesthetic beauty - the collection of work includes all artistic mediums.

Color portrayed through the artwork can communicate meaning, evoke emotion and in doing so - engage the viewer.

" Color is my day long obsession, joy and torment " Claude Monet

A Walk in the Woods

Spending the weekend immersed in the incredible and lush Adirondack State Park, located in New York, means ultimately getting back to the simplicity of nature.

It’s a wonderful way to escape our hurried lives and breath in the abundance found in the great outdoors.

Getting up close and personal with nature is a great oppurtunity to discover the small, many times, overlooked treasures by attaching a macro lens to my camera.


Macro photography is the art of taking close-up pictures that reveal details which many of us miss with the naked eye.

We walk past the trees, shrubs, and summer flowers but what about the grasses, or tiny wildflowers covering the earth hidden from our line of sight.

Many of these beauties are missed because it means getting down on hands and knees to observe the beauty and detail found undiscovered in nature's little treasures.



A macro lens gives us a glimpse into this very small world, which goes largely unnoticed as we plod on through the woods.

When getting up-close to capture an image with a macro attachment, there is a limited “depth of field”, an important consideration to be aware of when photographing.

It is essential to critically focus on the most important aspect of the subject.

The elements closer or farther from the plane of focus might be noticeably blurry.
This blurry effect aesthetically sets the subject apart from which can be a ‘distracting’ background at times.

The subject pops out to reveal the true beauty and detail found in the exquisite make up of nature’s wonders.

A walk in the woods can take place anywhere on earth – the Adirondacks, the Rocky Mountains, or the even your own backyard.

Most importantly, the experience is yours to discover. Your moment with nature.

So, get down low, experience the wondrous little glories you can discover by just slowing down and discovering the delicate beauties under our feet!

Triathletes

Becoming involved in a triathlon can be quite addicting whether you are a spectator, volunteer, supporter or an actual participant.

The training necessary to compete in one of these events is quite intense and a devoted commitment.

A triathlon is a multi-sport endurance event consisting of swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances.

Triathletes compete for fastest overall course completion time in swimming, biking, and running components. Demanding training and workouts are necessary to ensure the participants have the endurance, strength, and power to compete on race day.

Rain or shine the event goes on. This is one event that a rainy day may even be preferred over a hot, humid one.

The event I photographed this weekend consisted of a 1.25 mile swim, 56 mile bike course, and finishing with a 13.1 mile run to the finish.

The swim course is in a fresh water lake, with buoys to mark the distance. The average water temperature is between 65 and 72 degrees, making a wetsuit necessary for warmth and buoyancy.

All swim starts are in “waves” of competitors arranged by age groups or relay teams that begin in five minute intervals.

The beginning of the race is filled with anticipation and excitement as the siren sounds and the competitors fight for position. It is not uncommon to have a foot in your face or another athlete swimming over you.

Dealing with the cold water, aggressive swimmers, dark water, and disorientation means that this portion is usually the least favorite and most worrisome for the athletes.

But once they emerge from this portion, the competitors are ready for their individual challenges continuing with the bike ride.

The next portion includes a 56 miles bicycle ride over rolling hills for a ride consisting of quick downhills, strenuous uphills and strong headwinds. If the rider does not keep up the momentum, the hills can start to wear them down particularly on the return back to the “transition” area.

One competitor passed at least 15 people on the course with flat tires and tubes all over the place. Quick recovery gets them back into the competition. But once again, preparation is the key.

The final leg of the race is the 13.1 mile run. On a sunny day the course can wear the competitor down as there are long stretches with little shade.

With the assistance of many necessary volunteers, the athletes are greeted with welcoming cheerleaders along the way offering water, power aid, oranges, bananas or even a cold blast of water from a sprinkler!

The final stretch often empowers the athletes with a sudden surge of intensity and perseverance.

Watching the support amongst the racers, families, friends, and the entire community is very uplifting.

It’s hard not to feel the sense of accomplishment and celebration of what our bodies can do when we set our minds to it!

Celebrating Summer!

The first official week of summer has begun.

To celebrate the commencement of the season, I would like to focus on one of the biggest playgrounds of summer.

The Beach.

No other place represents the lazy hazy days of summer like sand and surf.

Millions of sun worshipers will flock to beaches all over the world to spend their holidays.

Swimming, surfing, lounging, playing, or just sunning – the possibilities are endless.

I’ve decided not to represent the vibrant colors often seen at the beach, but to focus on the sights and scenes.

By representing the images in a “colorless” way, a certain ‘timelessness’ presents itself.



Aging the image also signifies the iconic tradition of the beach vacation.

This could almost be any beach in the world - any place or time.

"I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted, fresh and free sea air was like a cool, quieting thought." - Helen Keller