Heroes

Speaking of Heroes... (as I was talking about in my previous post), I'm going to briefly build on this.

As I was talking about photographic heroes in that post, this song by David Bowie kept playing in my mind while writing about it, so now I will elaborate on that... and FINALLY! I'll add some recent pictures I shot, too. Yup! I really AM a photographer! ("I'm a real boy, Gepetto!")

Though nothing, will keep us together
We could steal time, just for one day
We can be heroes, for ever and ever
What d'you say?

We can be heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day

So, this is what I wanted to do, to be a hero for that one day. With the pictures below, I didn't want my images to look like everybody else's. I belong to some groups on Facebook, one of which is the LA-based "Shoot This!" run by Joelle Leder. On Sunday, November 15th, 2009, a group of 30+ photogs from LA, Riverside and Orange Counties got together at Jody Domingue's studio on Melrose for a New Year's Eve-theme/high-glam/fashion shoot. We had makeup artists, hair stylists, da works, bay-bee!

But, I was frustrated, because despite multiple models and locations, a large chunk of us were shooting the same models at the same time, and ending up with the same images with essentially the same lighting and the same expressions. I was starting to feel suffocated, and while almost all of my colleagues were amazing in respecting the space they were occupying, one or two were not. Don't they say it can only take one chef to ruin the soup?

So I decided it was time to make some new soup using my own recipe.

In becoming my own Hero, I wanted to shoot something different. I'm not a cookie-cutter type, never have been. So, about 5 friends and I asked one of the models if she'd like to walk across the street on Melrose to the car-cover shop and then into the graffiti-painted alleyway behind it. And suddenly... I was happy. I could have freedom to move, freedom to direct (and share the time with my fellow photogs and learn from them as well!)... our soup was gonna be GOOD!

I love shooting high-fashion/editorial style, but not every wedding will allow me to do that, obviously! So this is a chance to spread my wings a little.

And, of the images below taken in-studio, were the few precious moments I was able to make these completely my own. Please enjoy! (... and click on each image to see a larger version)

Megan looking high-fashion fab on the streets of Melrose in Hollywood, along with the Peter Pan shadow that looks like it's about to walk away and separate from her owner... newfound love of shoe-shopping on Melrose, maybe? Love!

Another fave of Megan... crawling the alleyway, looking vulnerable and fearless all at the same time. Roooaawar!

Chelsea in studio, so amazing up close and personal...

Chelsea in studio again, just a moment later and still ethereal and soft, despite stunning smoky eyes...

Back to Megan out on the street, animal instincts taking over... I totally see this as a 2-page spread in Glamour, Cosmo or Allure right? Can't you see the headline: "When animal prints attack!" or some equally silly (but way more clever than mine) title? A short paragraph could follow talking about what's in style right now... and then my photographic byline! I'm totally going to mock this up... but being that it's 2:30 a.m. as I write this and I have to be up in about 4.5 hours for a plane back home... I'll whip that up for another night. ;-)

Last but not least... back to Chelsea with David in-studio...

Lastly, I'm adding credits. If you'd like more information on contacting the models, please email me!

Location: Jody Domingue Studios

Leads: Doug McNamee(also teaches a tilt n' shift class)
Leads: Chris Diset

Makeup by: Kimberly Bragalone
Hair by: Shannon Ely

Sponsor: FolioMojo - Web Marketing Mojo for your online portfolio

Models:
Megan Bibbo
Chelsea Ravitch
David Liggett
(All 3 may be found on Facebook)