Cousin It is Glamorous

Self Portrait Challenge: Glam

Snow

Lake Lines

Skies

New Challenge

I'm so excited about the new theme for this month's Self Portrait Challenge. It's Glam. Yes, Glam. So much fun, and so me! I'm definitely submiting one on Tuesday. Stay tuned!

Victoria

Nocturnal

Victoria and I went to the Studio Nocturne exhibit in S.F.'s Open Studio 2006 exhibit this Saturday, and the exhibit was quite inspirational. I especially loved Joe Reifer's work; I thought his involvement in his pictures was incredibly creative. In many of his shots he set his camera at very long exposures, jumped in the frame, and "painted" with sparklers. He even draped himself in a white bedsheet in a few shots, and made it look like there was a ghost in the picture. This type of involvement in his work dances the line of self portrait, even though you can't actually see him in any of the pictures. I find it fascinating. You can check him out for yourself at Joe Reifer Photography.

I can't wait until I figure out which section of my camera's manual explains how I can make my camera take long exposures. I'm looking forward to playing with this style of photography.

Stargirl

Star came to visit Victoria and I this weekend, so I took the opportunity to practice using my new flash (thanks Dad!). Now I can take pictures in my unusually dark house, no problem.

Halloween is Only a Week Away

Under the Sonoma Sun

Me as Model

I haven't done a self portrait in a while, so I did this one as a nod to my newest guilty pleasure: America's Next Top Model. This is as close as I get!

Sadness

Nicolette

Sideways

Washington Square Park

Pretending I'm Georgia O'Keefe

Flowers in my Backyard

Ash in Fort at Beach

Haunted House

I took this picture at an old, burnt down house that I always pass on my way out to the beach. For awhile now I've had an image of a photo shoot at this location. I wanted to have my friend/model Nicolette dress in some sort of dramatic, old fashioned garb and do a ghostly, Wuthering Heights inspired shoot. Yesterday I went out there alone to get a feel for the site and see what the lighting was like. I spent a grand total of five minutes there. The line "This is when the audience is screaming at you not to go any further" ran through my head a few times, an ominous "No Tresspassing" sign hung on the front of the building, and a swarm of flies were buzzing in a Lord of The Flies fashion. I snapped a few shots, chickened out, and left. Being there felt wrong. I don't know if I believe in ghosts, but it felt haunted. Perhaps I was just picking up on greif from the fire. I had expected the building to be empty, but there was burnt furniture and a destroyed piano still inside. Perhaps those items were what freaked me out. Signs of life and signs of the dead mixed together without borders: it's a very gothic concept. Whatever the reasons for my feelings, I felt like I was invading an area that should not be invaded, so I left.