So it's been a few months since I posted, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been busy working on new projects. I've been working on new things pretty much constantly and somehow my blog always ends up as the last thing on my list. I have a couple of new artistic developments in the works, so you'll be hearing from me more often...I promise.
My day job in manufacturing has been placing more demands on me lately, so I wanted to make sure that I documented the work and the progress I've made (unless you happen to follow me on Instagram *hint hint*)
Just before my birthday in April, my frequent collaborator Brianna LeBlanc, and our new friends Jason Simpson and Jenny Skinner met up at my house in Sheridan for a mystical Three Fates shoot. I couldn't have asked for a better backdrop than my back yard, and the results are haunting and gorgeous.
After taking a little bit of time off for my birthday, I joined up with a collective of models and photographers from Portland for a literary-themed lifestyle shoot. I got to work with Lauren Hatch, one of my absolute favorite models and collaborators, and a whole new crew of characters. We shot at an intimate book store in Portland and I knew as soon as I walked in that the location was perfect for our vintage / hipster aesthetic. I even came out from behind the camera to have some new glamour shots taken.
Where are you when inspiration strikes? Where do you get your best ideas? For me, its the shower. No matter what kind of day I've had, I can always count on a hot shower to relax me and change my brain from office-mode to creative-mode.
After another short break, I was finally able to bring one of my random shower ideas to life: The Devil went down to Georgia, but Goth.
I was stoked to work with Jason Simpson again, and he brought the right look and energy in frame as the Devil. Quinton Reed is a new collaborator, but brings that innocent, boyish vibe in frame that was just what we needed for this project. We shot next to the dyed-blue lake at Laurelhurst Park on a sunny day and I could not believe how awesome the colors turned out in the finished shots.
I decided to see if I could manage two shoots in one day and I was pretty impressed that I survived. What had originally started as a quick sightseeing tour of a Portland landmark turned into a vintage Nancy Drew-inspired shoot at Wilhelm's Mausoleum in Sellwood. This place was huge. HUGE. 7 miles of corridors! A cavernous vault several stories high, with beautiful stained glass, fountains and sculptures -- and deadly quiet. I didn't get to see nearly enough of the place and I will definitely be making more trips to this amazing spot. Thank you Lauren, LaTess & Jenny for getting all dolled up to come hang out with me and a few hundred dead folks.
I spent the rest of that day with Jia Evans, the designer behind Loathingly Yours. I am obsessed with her handmade dresses and veils. She picked Lone Fir Cemetery as the backdrop to showcase her couture mourning attire and brought along amazing models Merrique, Brodie and my old friend Brianna. The shots are some of the best I've ever taken and I cannot wait to collaborate with all of them again.
It seems like I blinked and it's already July. I have a few new projects in the works, and the new ladies-only art collective I organized is gathering for its first street fashion shoot next weekend. I'll be releasing the first shots from last week's Romeo and Juliet shoot next week. I'm so thrilled with all of the work I've gotten done, and so thankful for all of the amazing artists that I've met and teamed up with. I can honestly say that I am constantly floored by your passion for this medium, and you all inspire me and keep the gears turning in my head. I cannot wait to see what happens next.