January 16th, 2011

I was honored late last year to have my work shown at the Manege Gallery / Central Exhibition Hall in St. Petersburg Russia. The Curator, Marina Jigarkhanyan, had seen my work in the collection of the Art Photo Expo Gallery and contacted me directly to invite to me to participate in their annual photography exhibition. The 2010 exhibition followed a very broadly defined theme of “Fashion” in which my work fit as a sort of base interpretation. The idea being that the body is the origin of all fashion – without the lines, shapes, and curves of the body there would be little of interest to ornament with clothing and accessories.

The exhibition also gave me an excuse to see Russia for the first time.The highlight of the trip was having the pleasure of dining with Marina and my host at the Russian Vodka Room. We shared our often differing, always strongly held, and mutually respected views of the world – from two very different countries and from two different generations – an experience worth the trip by itself.

The photos below that have my logo water marked on them are my images. The remainder are from the staff of the Manege Gallery who have my appreciation for providing such images to the artists who were exhibiting.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Marina without whom I would have never enjoyed this experience.

January 16th, 2011

While visiting the headquarters of Phase One (my favorite camera company) I stayed with a friend of a friend in Copenhagen. A party my first night reminded me that “what unites us is far greater than what divides us“. Especially when aided by a bit of libation.

Please excuse the noise – many of these images were shot at the equivalent of ISO 51,200. Which, for non photo dorks, is approximately 64 times higher sensitivity to light (in order to shoot in darker conditions) than a typical consumer point and shoot. I actually rather like the way it looks as something about the grain and high contrast remind me of the mood of that evening.

Thanks for all the fun guys!

Danish beer has never been my favorite, but somehow it tastes better when drinking it in Denmark.

January 16th, 2011

While in Russia for my bodyscapes gallery show at the Manage Gallery in St. Petersburg Russia I enjoyed a brief tour of the city from a friend of a friend. I owe her a great debt of gratitude as without her the cyrillic alphabet used in Russia would have left me illiterate.

On the way to a small pet food store we passed this man. Something about the scene struck me as emblematic of Russia.

My beautiful and generous host waiting to meet some friends before a concert.

My beautiful and generous host with her classy twin reflex medium format camera. Girls with medium format cameras are very sexy.

January 16th, 2011

Following Photokina last year I was honored by an invitation to visit the Copenhagen, Denmark headquarters of Phase One. Confidentiality prevents me from posting or discussing much of what I saw there, but I do have a few interesting images to share.

The ferry that carried my train from mainland Europe to Denmark across the Køge Bugt (bay).

I got lost trying to enter the building since one wing is under construction.

The entire facility was decorated with customer images and everyone showed great pride in both the quality of hardware & software as well as what customers have created using it.

Apparently made as a trade-show giveaway by a Mamiya Distributor this can of Mamiya branded soda had me in stitches.

I can't remember if they said that only a very small number of Light Phases were ever made in a Mamiya mount, or if they said that only test models were made. Regardless this is the only one I've ever seen.

July 22nd, 2010

Visit the Gallery to see all images and order prints.

An Entire Week of Wedding Celebration

John & Katie are old college friends. This wedding was an amazing opportunity to document the entire wedding experience rather than just the ceremony and reception. The week started in SE Ohio with a bachelor party kicked off with a round of golf at Brass Ring Golf Course in Logan, Ohio. The bachelor party then headed to “Barton Meadow Lodge” a nearby Rental Cabin for two days of canoeing, board games, and libations. Returning to NE Ohio the entire wedding party met for a rehearsal at Rockport United Methodist Church where a minister from the bride’s childhood came out of retirement to guide them through the next day’s ceremony. Afterwards the families met each other, many for the first time, at Behind the Woods restaurant in Cleveland. The bride’s heritage is largely Irish, and the family and groom had recently taken a trip to Ireland, and brought back with them a love of Meade (honey wine) and a traditional Irish toast. The next morning I joined the bride at her Bridal suite at the Marriott to document the preparation of the bridal party. With only a few snaffus we made it to the church on time and the wedding went off without a hitch (though everyone got a good laugh when the minister managed to mispronounce the couple’s new last name). We took formal photos around the church (including the playground) and headed to Progressive Field (formerly Jacob’s Field) where the Cleveland Indian’s mascot Slider and a live Irish band helped the couple celebrate their first evening of marriage.

May 26th, 2010

I have been asked by Марина Джигарханян the Head of the Department of Contemporary Art at the “Manege” Central Exhibition Hall, to exhibit my bodyscape collection at the Saint-Petersburg Photo Vernissag. This invitation-only photo exhibit, will be hung in September 2010 in St. Petersburg Russia. For the selection of my images to show I am going to depend heavily upon the process of social selection.

Here is the theme of the show (note: English is a 2nd language for the curator):
At the heart of fashion lies an individual style, and her world – a self-contained space, absorbing a wide range of phenomena. Through them a man expresses his attitude to external forms of culture: lifestyle, serving and table manners, cars, clothing, thus trying to show their place in society, their sexuality, location, class, status level and belonging to a particular group. Photocamera gives us an opportunity to capture different aspects of fashion, its endless cyclicism and change of artistic images, which always embody the era image in a clothing. This subject gives participants a wide opportunities for philosophical reflections and artistic self-expression.
Click Here to view the images and cast your vote.

May 22nd, 2010

See More of Erin and John’s Big Day

May 12th, 2010

What is a portrait? Does the subject have to be facing you? Must they be the only one in the frame? How much of the frame does the person have to take up to be a “portrait”? Do they have to be looking at the camera? Do you have to be able to see their face?

I remember these questions coming up in a commercial photography class when I was studying photography at Ohio University. During the class we were required to take a “non-traditional portrait”.

This last weekend I accidentally relived this class. I had a camping trip with a group of 30 friends and took my camera along with no real goals – just to have it with me for whatever struck me. It was only after the trip when I sat down to edit the images that I realized that 90% of the shots were portraits. When I say this I don’t just mean that 90% of the images had a person in them – having a person in the picture does not make it a portrait. I mean that 90% of the frames captured something interesting I saw in their personality, mannerisms, or character.

I owe an enormous amount to the work of Stephen Kennedy, from whom the style of several of these images is blatantly lifted (hopefully with my own additional style mixed in).

See all my portraits from this trip

January 12th, 2010

This is the view of my new loft from December 31, 2009 to January 2, 2010.

Music by www.thomasdanewagener.com

December 23rd, 2009

This weekend I took Trapeze lessons in downtown Miami.

It made for a great time, and some compelling images. The images below of myself were taken by my friend Chez. All the other photos are, of course, mine.

November 15th, 2009

I’ve been sky diving before. Once in Australia and once in Ohio.

It’s just as intense the third time.

My friend Marcos trying to explain how it felt to be in the air hurtling towards the earth at terminal velocity.

Check out my snapshots after the jump

October 17th, 2009

Tom Manos is a top notch attorney working in entertainment law. He is revamping his website and contacted me to shoot some general purpose images of him. I can’t say enough good things about Tom. Even from casual interaction it’s clear that he is very concerned with the well-being of his clients.

September 27th, 2009

This weekend I let go of technology (except of course my camera!) and went on a Canoe and Camping trip to Peace River.

What a fantastic way to spend the weekend.

See All the Photos After the Jump

September 11th, 2009

Before working more on TJ and Jess’ wedding I took a break to work up some images I took after the wedding. These images are from a beautiful graveyard located next to Hale Farm and Village.

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August 22nd, 2009

On the way to Ohio and back to shoot Maria and Austin’s Engagement Portraits I was blessed with an unusually beautiful flight.

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