I am forever fascinated by the edges and shapes of a body in black and white. Some explorations:
Recently got the chance to wander around Barcelona and spent a lot of time shooting on the street. The city is really an amazing place for street photographers, so much color and people. Here are some of my favorites:
My favorites from three rolls I sent off. Photos from around my office and around my drive over a period of about two weeks.
Maddie was interning at an office near mine and reached out to shoot with me last year. Over the time she was in Seattle we shot several times and she was a good sport in letting me test a couple of cameras and vintage lenses I had repaired. Some these are on film and some on digital. Now that she is gone to Montana, I am back to testing my experiments on random people in Pioneer square.
This wasn't the plan. Emily and I have some mutual friends and we connected about running around to take some fun photos. We met up and wandered around Georgetown. Shooting in front of color warehouse walls. Greens, Reds and Blues with some Yellow thrown in for fun.
After making a special effort to try some new things I always try to go back and look at a space I have been in before. Trying to see if I can improve or find something different. Space is as important or more important to me than even the subject. I love the color and the details in these and the way the light in different parts of the space come together.
We were walking around a popular neighborhood in Seattle looking for just the right location. This is harder than it sounds. This is the best time to be shooting a designer with a keen sense of what she thinks looks good. The result is a collaboration that looks great and feels very Seattle in its own way.
I have never really been interested in making money from my photography. That doesn't me I don't want to get paid, but I like to create and learn. I truly believe that shooting every day, practicing and researching are key. Recently I had a chance to shoot Genesis and Mercedes at their apartment. I had a hunch that the location would be perfect and the look of these college age ladies could make for some interesting storytelling. I did a little less than I normally would in terms of the equipment and cameras. I am forcing myself to plan limitations into my shoots more. For this shoot, I brought my Leica SL with a 24-90mm Lens, My Leica M - Monochrome, and a Contax T2 (Just for some experimentation) with Fuji Velvia 50 film.
I wanted to focus more on setting up interesting shots and art direction before the editing process and I didn't want to worry about what lens or camera to get the result. The art direction component is becoming a bigger part of my process as I shoot. Is there a feeling? What do I want people to see? What do I really see in front of me?
I wanted to pose them naturally in their space. Making use of the ambiguity to tell a bit of a story in my own way. I hope you enjoy these images. I have the film coming back next week and I still need to edit the Monochrome images but I wanted to share these now.
I am really tired today, a deep tired that you should not be after a holiday weekend. I was looking at my Fitbit sleep tracker and I have only been averaging 4.5 hours of sleep. Even when I go to bed early I can't sleep. I am not a worrier, but I have a lot going on and so I make and remake my to-do list. That said, life is good and being busy has been a positive for my creativity.
I have had a run of luck lately working with a number of redheads, which given my own fair skin makes me super happy. The latest was a dancer and college student from the Cornish College of the Arts whom I was thrilled to work with. Don't be fooled by the baby face, she is worldly and very entertaining to be around. If you are a photographer in New Zealand, you should find her on Instagram and shoot with her she will be there studying abroad. Check out the samples:
Some quick shots from the long winters show last week.
So I am in the middle of some evolution in my edits and the way I piece together my shoots. I want to create a more consistent look, even as I experiment more with light, space and movement. I have been going through old images with a critical eye trying to rethink how I would reposition and change the perspective as well as applying some new technical aspects to the way I shoot. I am still leveraging mostly a consistent set of tools.
I find I am most comfortable when I plan out a shoot with the tools and space in mind. This last week I shot at Locket Space, which is growing in popularity as an artist workshop. All the more reason to get creative in the space to make it look unique and distinct from others who have shot in the space.
This set was more of an exploration, in colors a body movement. I think the end result speaks for itself. I am always trying to learn a bit more. As always feel free to hit me up with any questions.
The band Rabbit Wilde recently reached out to me to do some portraits for a rebrand they, unfortunately, had to do. They are now, called Kuinka. Check out the work we did together and if you get a chance go check out the band on Spotify
Jessel is a man I have know a long time. A artist and a beautiful soul. I was able to shoot him in NYC a couple of weeks ago and it was the best time I have had in a long time. I can't wait to see him again in the future.
I recently acquired a new lens for portrait work. It was unopened and in the original Leitz Camera packaging. The lens is a very cool piece of glass.
I haven't added Morgan to my address book yet and every time we text my phone notifications say Maybe: Morgan. For some reason, I can't get enough of this. It is possible because Morgan is a free spirit and I also guess a business woman not to be fooled with. She reached out to me because of my work with Alexis and so we put together this little bit of work.
I am not on Instagram or for huge followers, I take photos because I love to. But I have met and learned a ton from the people I follow and those that follow me. Your words and photos have driven me to go out, create, and capture some cool moments. I get so much inspiration from Instagram. So I wanted to give a little bit of that with you.
I have been heavily influenced by the gritty realism in the 90s pop photography and my own experiments with instant film (of all kinds) was the beginning of why I started collecting and shooting cameras again. So to that end, I'm giving away a Leica Sofort Instant Camera to hopefully inspire you to go out and make some art and take some photos.
For your chance to win follow these rules:
Here's what you can win:
How I will pick a winner?
Good luck! #ScoundrelsContest
Some fine print:
* This contest is in no way affiliated with Leica Camera AG or Monarch Straps. I am providing the camera and strap because I want to.
** The random drawing will be from all followers who have fulfilled all of the requirements above. An extra entry will be added for those that re-post the contest notice.
*** The Leica Sofort will not be available until November. I have preordered one for the giveaway and should be one of the first to receive it and will send the winner the package as soon as it is delivered.
Lauryn and I set up a hasty shoot and we decided to do the most northwest thing ever; go to the beach. It was a odd mix of fall breezes, overcast skies and warm sun breaks that are a part of the Pacific Northwest. We spent our time in sand and climbing the rock retaining walls along the waterfront.
This lady is a charmer with eyes that will kill.
j.
More cool stuff from Goodhood, love the Cinematography.
So much yes.
