:: blue blue sky | washington dc lifestyle photographer ::

We went to the National Kite Festival on the Mall today. Fanciful, colorful, & with just a dash of nerdy...perfect for us :-)

 

:: reflection | new york city pet photographer ::

While walking around Brooklyn with my friends' bullmastiff, Blue -- looking for the perfect "giant blue T-Rex" for my son -- I couldn't resist taking these shots of Blue & a French bulldog. They have the same exact brindle coloring and similar facial profile, but a huge difference in size :-)

Happy Friday! I hope you have a tremendous weekend!

:: exercise #8: drawing a visual map | 30 people pictures ::

SPECS

• Goal: Create 4 visual maps.
• Tools: Colored pens and paper.
• Light: N/A
• Location: N/A
• Theme: RESONATE --> Becoming in tune with who you are.
• Duration: 15 minutes per visual map.
• Subject(s): N/A

CHALLENGES

• Step 1: Visit www.visualthesaurus.com to familiarize yourself with visual maps.
• Step 2: VP #1 {WORD SELF-PORTRAIT} --> Select a favorite colored pen and write your name in the center of a new page. Write down 30+ adjectives that describe who you are with a variety of different-colored pens. Circle the ones you think fit best and connect the words with lines.
• Step 3: VP #2 {TRAGEDY/LOSS} --> Write your name in the center of a new page using a dark colored pen. Use a muted-color pen to write down tragedies or loss you've experience in life -- be sure to include loss from the different stages of life. Write down the quote, "From crisis comes opportunity." Write notes about how certain challenges have shaped who you are.
• Step 4: VP #3 {INTERESTS/PASSIONS} --> Write your name in the center of a new page. Write down all of your interests, passions, sports, and hobbies that you've pursued throughout your life. Go back and circle items that stand out most.
• Step 5: VP #4 {CONNECTIONS} --> Write your name in the center of a new page. Write down 30+ of your current connections in life. Write down connections that you would like to pursue in the future.
• Step 6: VP #5 {GOALS} --> Write your name plus the word photography (or your photography business name) in the center of a new page. Write down 25+ photographic goals you'd like to achieve. Circle the top 5.
• Step 7: Tack up your completed visual maps on the wall. Consider how this exercise can help you make images that resonate with who you are. Share your maps with a few friends and write down 10 people pictures that you would like to make in the future. Save this list. You can use it in later exercises in the book.

PRODUCT

• Four visual maps + list of 10 people pictures you would like to make in the future.

For more tips and inspiration, please read Chris Orwig's "People Pictures."

____________________________________

**Since the parts of this exercise are of a more personal nature, I will not post my visual maps here. However, I will try to give a summary of what I learn about myself from this exercise and the photos I want to make in the future.**

:: exercise #7 results {descriptive portraits} | 30 people pictures ::

My 3 children are like characters out of a Dr Seuss book -- their little personalities are colorful, occasionally non-sensical, yet complex. So for this assignment, I decided to capture portraits of one of my Bar-ba-loots in her natural habitat as inspired by the maestro's work.

To see my fellow photographers' descriptive portraits, please visit:

Abbey Road Designs

Claudia Muir Photography

GSG Photography

Elaine Janet Photography
What Eyes See Daily

DC Group

:: WARL 03.24.2012 | washington dc pet photographer ::

There's no better way to brighten a gray, chilly weekend than to spend some time with the cuddly pups at the Washington Animal Rescue League. Learn more about these dogs, who are now available for adoption, on the WARL website or better yet...in person!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Look for my "People Pictures" Exercise #7 tomorrow!

:: m family | new york city family portrait photographer ::

This is such a fun & loving family. Each child has a distinct personality and each is adored by their doting parents :-) To see more photos from the M Family mini session, please visit my Facebook album.

:: j-s family | new york city family portrait photographer ::

A couple of weeks ago, I travelled to New York City to hang out with a group of talented photogs from near and far -- one came down from Cambridge, Mass., while another made the trip all the way from Germany! During this retreat, I had the privilege of photographing the families of two of the photogs and a couple engaged to be married.

Since the area around Bethesda Fountain in Central Park is such an iconic space, we decided to do the shoots there. We were accompanied by sparkling afternoon sunshine and fresh Spring air. Here is a selection from the mini session with the lovely J-S Family. For more of this session, please visit my Facebook album.

:: exercise #7: descriptive portraits | 30 people pictures ::

SPECS

• Goal: 10 descriptive portraits
• Tools: Camera; normal or telephoto focal-length lens.
• Light: Natural or available light.
• Location: Your choice.
• Theme: PORTRAITS INSPIRED BY CREATIVE USE OF WORDS.
• Duration: 10 minutes per photo shoot.
• Subject(s): Anyone.

CHALLENGES

• Step 1: Brainstorm for 15 minutes and generate portrait ideas based on creative descriptions or words.
• Step 2: Select & write down the best 5 to 10 ideas from the brainstorming.
• Step 3: Sketch out a few locations & people you'd like to photograph based on your favorite ideas.
• Step 4: Review your favorite ideas right before the shoot & use them as internal guides to bring your ideas to life.

PRODUCT

• Ten descriptive portraits.

For more tips and inspiration, please read Chris Orwig's "People Pictures."

:: taking a break...or not | washington dc portrait photographer ::

Tuesday is usually the day on which I introduce our next "People Pictures" exercise. However, since I have about 6 sessions to edit from the past two weeks, I will need to finish editing those before I return to the exercises. I will post excerpts from the sessions this week and the next. Stay tuned!

I hope you are enjoying the fantabulous, nearly-80-degree weather!!!

:: exercise #6 results {less is more} | 30 people pictures ::

For Exercise #6, we were supposed to explore the poetic aspects of people pictures -- to make thoughtful and reflective shots which are simple yet profound.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always been fascinated by e.e. cummings's work. Oh, how I wanted to be just like e.e. -- I swear I didn't start re-capitalizing my words until I started architecture school (where everything written in a drawing is capitalized).

Cummings's poems are intriguing in that their true meanings are not always clear-- yet they evoke very strong sensory experiences in the reader through rhythm, rhymes and punctuation. The poem "a pretty a day" is a perfect example of how he uses words to manipulate how one experiences simple,everyday objects (flowers), in order to evoke a deeper emotional experience.

While I was in NYC last weekend, I took some head shot portraits of my friend, A,  for this exercise (see the narrative portrait of A from Exercise #5). Like e.e. cummings's poems, a good head shot should be simple, yet be able to convey the more complex mix of personality and experiences of your subject. My friend is a talented actor, who is a Broadway wardrobe dresser, who is my photography mentor, who is also the loving dad of the gentlest bull-mastiff in the world. All four portraits are taken with the Canon 5D Mark ii, 50 mm F/1.2 L prime lens, indoors with natural light from large windows.

See my fellow photographers' "less-is-more" portraits:

Abbey Road Designs

Claudia Muir Photography

GSG Photography

Elaine Janet Photography

What Eyes See Daily

Workshop Group

:: exercise #6: less is more | 30 people pictures ::

SPECS

• Goal: 10-15 poetic pictures of someone.
• Tools: Camera; normal or telephoto focal-length lens.
• Light: Natural or available light.
• Location: Simple setting.
• Theme: POETIC PICTURES.
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Subject(s): Someone who fits into a specific category, yet has additional point of interest of appeal. Example: a surfer who also plays in a band and has a PhD in astrophysics.

CHALLENGES

• Step 1: Find a subject who fits into a specific category, yet has additional point of interest or appeal.
• Step 2: Choose a location with nice natural light but not overly complex.
• Step 3: "Reduce, simplify, and deepen." Arrive to the shoot a few minutes early to have enough time to read through the lines of a favorite poem or song. Take a deep breath and slow down.
• Step 4: Look for shots that are less obvious and straightforward. Try camera-tilt or changing camera height, all the while moving your body with a natural fluidity and ease.
• Step 5: Print 15 pictures in a smaller size and hang them on a twine and clothespins. Experiment with the sequencing and see which photos best create a poetic reflection of the shoot.

PRODUCT

• 15 poetic pictures.

For more tips and inspiration, please read Chris Orwig's "People Pictures."

:: exercise #5 results {narrative portrait} | 30 people pictures ::

What a weekend I've had! New York City is, by-far, one of my favorite cities. I didn't realize how much I missed the impossibly tall buildings, the swirl of diversity, even the dog sh*t in the middle of the sidewalk in the East Village. I just feel different when I'm there. More in my element, somehow.

Not only did I get to work alongside a few of my talented colleagues from all over, on some fun shoots in Central Park (photos coming soon), I got to spend some quality time with dear friends whom I've not seen in ages.

This is a narrative portrait of my good friend Andrew sitting in his Brooklyn apartment. He is one of the most hard-working people I know, and I love being able to capturing a quiet, relaxed Andrew at home. I chose this man-of-many-talents as my subject for this week's exercise because he is perfect for it -- he is the costume dresser for the Phantom character on Broadway's "Phantom of the Opera", AND a talented actor to boot. Did I mention that he is also my one and only photography mentor? Not only did he shoot our wedding for us, he used his Broadway expertise to sew the spaghetti strap back onto my Angel Sanchez wedding gown.

Andrew's colorful personality is as big as his generous and caring heart.  I am so proud to call him a friend. Please visit his website and check out some of his latest work.

See my fellow photographers' narrative portraits:

Abbey Road Designs -- http://abbeyroaddesigns.blogspot.com/
Claudia Muir Photography -- http://claudiamuirphotography.com/blog/
GSG Photography -- http://gsgphotography.wordpress.com/
Elaine Janet Photography– http://elainejanet.com/
What Eyes See Daily -- http://whateyesseedaily.blogspot.com
Group -- http://dc2011women.blogspot.com/