Joan of Arc Preliminary Photos

I've been working on photo project that will tell Joan of Arc's story from her point of view.  I'm not going to concentrate on the battles and the victories as much as I am on her inner thoughts, feelings and aspirations.

She is one of history's most remarkable women.  The series will take place over the next several months and I do plan to post more "work in progress" photos.

The model playing Joan of Arc is Emily Mitchell.  She is not only very beautiful, she is a delight to work with.

Until next post,

Thank you for your support,

Marc Harvey

Coffee with Jon Adamshaspert

As a photographer we not only come in contact with the many wonderful people we have the opportunity to photograph, we also meet several talented photographers.  I put a short video together on a young photographer that I've worked with several times and he is a true inspiration to my work.  He is what I would call a photographer's photographer.  He loves the photography medium so much;  and that love and passion consistently shows in his work.  I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching.

"The Queens"

I'm currently photographing a series on the Queens of Europe in 15th through 18th centuries.  This short video shows my first shoot celebrating Queen Mary Tudor.  Enjoy!

                                                       

My Photography

Last Photographic Trip to Manito Park

Duncan Gardens is still the main attraction
at Manito Park

Since our weather has been so wonderful, I decided to visit Spokane's Manito Park just one more time before winter sets in.  Typically, at this time of year the colors are beautiful, the air is crisp and locals are anxious to get to the park for one more walk or lazy afternoon picnic.

The sunny afternoons attract families, lovers, school bus tours, flower and photo club members and a plethora of dogs and their owners.

The park these days is beautiful drenched in the late autumn sun.

In the last few years there has been several remodeling and upgrade projects going on in the park.  Still yet to be finished is a rehab of the duck pond and an upgrade to the landscaping surrounding the pond.

The Park Department states that the work will not be finished until next summer along with a few other projects, including a revamping of the underground sprinkler systems.

A young family strolls on one of the many non-traffic
roads within the park

The park started out in 1902 as Montrose Park under the direction of Charles Blazer, a florist and immigrant from Germany.

In 1903, the park's name was changed to Manito, believed to be

an Indian name for "Spirit of Nature." Gradually, residential homes

filled in around the park and in 1905, Blazer commenced building

a zoo within the park. In 1907, Spokane formed the Park Board and

they in turn hired the Olmstead brothers, landscape architects

who gained noteriaety from designing New York's Central Park, to review 

Spokane's park properties and make recommendations.  And in

regard to Manito Park, they thought it should be much larger, so 

the city started planning for more play fields and additional 

landscaping.  The zoo ended up closing in 1933.*

After Blazer resigned in 1909, the Park Board hired
John Duncan as Park Superintendent

A Sunday stroll

Duncan Gardens is a must see

Good weather is still predicted for the next few weeks, so if you have chance, try to visit Manito Park

The Park is full of Parents with their children

I learned to ride my bike at Manito too

Children are everywhere in the Park


*Source Material for Manito's History came from
an October 12, 2014 issue of the Spokesman Review.

The Nude Human Form

Throughout history, artists around the world have been drawn to the nude.  Photographers, like myself, have been fascinated by the subject, and many of the mediums's most enduring images have depicted the unclothed human form.  But the nude is among the most challenging of subjects to master.  The camera's gaze is indiscriminate and unforgiving, so conveying a sense of artistry and subtlety requires careful control over the posing and, crucially, the lighting of the nude.  The following images represent my foray into this art form and it goes without saying, that I think the human form is the most beautiful and inspiring of all art subjects.

THE RIGHT PLACE, THE RIGHT TIME

James is a photographer's assistant and works on the sixth floor of the American Legion Building in downtown Spokane, Washington.  He has been attending a local community college studying photography, however,  for many discovered and undisclosed reasons, he feels he doesn't fit in.
Also, last year, he lost his girlfriend to breast cancer.  Now, he has decided to quit his job and travel.  Spend some time alone and search for a new love and a different life.  He says, "Things have got to be better than this, but somewhere else."

Rose is a licensed architect and registered to practice in three states.  She works on the fifth floor of the same building where James works.  Presently, she is not in a relationship because she has been involved in several large projects that have dominated her personal and work life.  However now, those projects are coming to a close and she is looking forward to taking some time away from work and in spending quality time with friends and family.

Rose knows James's boss and has heard from her about the things that James has gone through and is still going through in the past months.  When Rose has seen James in the building's corridors, elevators and the small coffee shop on the second floor, she has always wanted to say something but has resisted because she thinks it would be awkward.

James has noticed Rose from brief encounters while going to and leaving work in the building.  He thinks she is beautiful, however, he hasn't introduced himself and most times he too reasons that it would just be too awkward.

Rose and James will never meet; like many of us, they weren't able to recognize the the right time or acknowledge when they were in the right place.

Tomorrow James leaves for Vancouver, BC and Rose is attending a small birthday party for her niece in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  James is heading north and Rose is heading east.

As humans, I find that we continually look for happiness in places other than where we are.

Summer Work

I wanted to post some of the images and projects I've been working on over the summer.  I've rented a large studio in our downtown area and I've enjoyed the opportunity to photograph in this wonderful historic building.

Model:  Julie Suchanek

Model: Julie Suchanek

Model:  Victoria Carding

Her Coastline

I want to live by the ocean.
Women that I have loved in my life, have always been able to take me there.  In their eyes, their smile and their touch.

Her Coastline

You have always been

a path

to the ocean.

I move into your mist,

I love the taste of salt, 

the air,

your skin.

Down your smooth

cliffs--

descending porcelain stairs

and past shallow beach pools,

I travel through waves of sierra grass

and brush against drifts

of your blond hair.

One Act Play

Relationships and decisive moments in those relationships have always been of interest to me.  I've written a few one act plays that try to show those moments; the happy and good ones and the not so good ones.

In this photo, I've attempted to capture a moment in a woman's married life where she really doesn't know what to do or what to say.

I've also tried to capture this image in a poem;

One Act Play

We play opposite each other.
Try to rehearse our moves.
I stand and step two places
stage right,
turn to say I love you, but
the words fall not soft,
and now,
your silence,
cuts me open.

The Pretty White Dress

For the past several years I've volunteered as a case worker for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), an organization that advocates for children subject to abuse, neglect and abandonment.  As one might suspect, many of the cases involve domestic violence and drugs.

I was inspired to write the following poem from my experiences with this worthwhile organization:


The Pretty White Dress


I remember the day we bought it, we were at Nordstrom's
at their half yearly sale.
We had just eaten lunch at Chili's and after a few beers
we were almost drunk and
we were so in love and when you saw it in the window,
you said, "Rose,
you'd look great in that."
I tried it on and you said I was beautiful,
and I believed you.
We bought it and went home and made love,
then fell asleep on the couch.

So much has happened since that day.
All the pushes and shoves; starts and stops.
All that we've said and wished we could take back or
maybe forget.

And now all I hear you say, as they take you,
"I can't believe this--I barely hit the bitch."

Fashion Shoot at The Riverside Event Center

Recently I was afforded the opportunity to photograph a model in an emulated fashion shoot of the 1960s.  Myself and my crew chose to photograph on a stage located in The Riverside Event Center that was constructed in the early 1900s in Spokane, Washington.  One of my major influences on this project was Irving Penn and his use of stark black and white with very simple compositions.

I had already picked the model and wardrobe I was going to shoot, however, I had no idea of the exact set until I arrived at the Event Center.  We were able to find in a storage area a post modern living room set right out of the 1960s with this wonderful occasional chair.  

I wanted to photograph the model in a large hat so the lighting was somewhat lengthy to set up and still maintain the light and shadows I wanted on her beautiful face.

These are my final three images:

Model: Julie Suchanek

Wardrobe from "My Fair Lady"
Spokane Civic Theatre

100 Steps With My Father

I love to spend time with my father.  He is 91 years old and he enjoys going along with me on my photography projects.  Recently, we came up with a little game we play when I'm out with him photographing:  He picks the place we go and the camera and lens I'm going to use, then once when we are at our destination, I can choose the direction I walk in, but I'm to take 100 steps and then take a photograph.  One week he will pick my iPhone, the next week he will pick my 4x5 camera.  I haven't told him yet, but last week I bought a Holga.

Below are some photos from our last adventure; we had

visited a local park that is located not far from my father's home.  In a few weeks I'm going to bring along a camera for him so he can join in the fun.

A Tortoise shell plant

An access door to greenhouse fan cabinet

The fabric webbing in the greenhouse ceiling

The Fence-line of a house in a neighborhood near the park

Early Spring growth inside the greenhouse

A Day of Grace

I have a wonderful friend.  Her name is Grace and three years ago she experienced something that changed her life.  We all go through things that we never thought would happen, but we still go through them.

She is extremely smart, creative and beautiful.  Grace and I collaborated on this photo shoot in an effort for her to continue her healing and help her move forward to a better place.  She has a wonderful and supportive partner: Phil, who loves her very much and is patient and understanding.  Together they are slowly working on coping with this tragic event.

As she states in the video, she is a survivor.

I am grateful to her for asking me to do this photo shoot and video in an effort to help her in her recovery.

This was the first photo we shot. We were setting up and metering the lights and getting everything ready.   It was late at night and cold and Grace hadn't taken off her robe yet.  She was starring at the stars and I loved the look of her star gazing and also the positioning of her legs.

She has modeled for me previously and she is such a natural and so easy to work with.

It was so dark on the bridge that we had to shine a phone flashlight in Grace's face just to focus.

Thank you James, Jessica, Steven and Richard for your help.

And thank you Grace.

Shoot at the San Marcos

                                  Marc Harvey Photography

Shoot at the San Marcos

Recently, I found a small breeze way downtown between two early twentieth century apartment buildings.  Photographically, I’ve always had a propensity to photographing concrete and stairs, building facades and their architectural details.  I fell in love with this little area.

Over the next week or so, I took my time and scouting the scene out.  I could see that I was going to have some issues with the sky and the sun coming through between the buildings.  I took some scout shots on my IPhone just to see where everything fell.  I really wanted to pick up the different textures of the wall, slab and foundation that were visually available.  In addition, in the middle of the walkway there was a door that led to a basement apartment with a wonderful light just inside the door that I want to get also.

       

So a week or so later, I returned to the spot with my Pentax 645 120 film camera and set up to take the shot.  It was early afternoon and a bright sunny day.  I know this wasn’t the best light, but I wanted to get the sunlight scraping across the brick and concrete.  I knew I would need to deal with the sky but I was going to exposure for the shadows and process for the highlights.

Here is my contact sheet from the shoot that day and as you can see I have blown out sky and on the right of the frame and I have really bright sunlight coming through the neighboring building’s carport.

After running my edge black test strips and printing this contact sheet, I decided to print the negative in the lower left.  I used a 3.5 filter and had to burn the sky considerably.   The carport was also a trouble area, and I don’t know if I completely got it.  I’ll probably still go back and keep working on it.

And in an additional shot I did get the door I wanted.  This however is a digital shot on my Canon 60D with a wide-angle lens.

Next week I want to show a studio shot I'm working on with a few other students.