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.