"DESIRE"

There are days, and then, there are days...yesterday was one of those days. So today I arrived at the studio set on creating a private paradigm shift, with the intent to look at things a bit differently. What a difference a change in perspective and a day can make! This strong portrait entitled "Desire" was created a few weeks ago but was realized only today after some editing, cropping (yes, Mary, I do crop sometimes LOL!), dodging and burning. And with it I realized how much I love to create something that is unique, emotive and exciting. Carpe diem!

Artist: Patricia Watkins

Ever wonder what an artist goes through to create a piece of art work? Experience tells me there is a vast range, everything from it happened in a "moment" to a piece of art that took "years" to create. Patricia Watkins falls somewhere in that continuum. Her opening show Faith Journey takes place later this week at Governors State University, part of the process for her to complete her Master of Fine Arts degree. "Road to Calgary" ( top image) is her signature piece as you enter the gallery and was her announcement image for the show. The latter image is the answer to the question of when is a piece of art complete. For Patricia, it is constantly evolving, constantly developing, even after it has been hung for the show! Thank you for inspiring me Pat! Carpe diem.

Macro Photography

Many times I get to work with families, children and individuals. But every so often, my photography gets to include inanimate objects instead of people. This photograph is part of a series of pieces done for a manufacturer that CNC metal stock into parts that can be found in F-18 fighter jets, Caterpillar earth moving equipment, robotic arms and a multitude of other man-made machines. Playing with lighting and gels adds variety to what can be created, depending on what the client needs or wants. Working with the Creative Director on projects is usually fun and different each and every time. Carpe diem!

Unique Family Portraits

Today I received a request for a "unique family portrait", something different from one of the chain photography stores. I immediately thought of this lovely family...a family of girls that Dad so affectionately cherished...especially his best girl! So many times families and individuals fail to explore the possibilities of something different. As some have said, "Variety is the spice of Life". Feel free to try variety when you come into the studio...Carpe diem!

Every 21 Seconds by Brian D. Sweeney

Sometime last year a local author came into the studio to have a professional portrait completed for use in his upcoming book. As I have come to know Brian, both from our time together in the studio and now from his book, he is quite a remarkable person. Having worked in hospitals for over 20 years, and having seen and worked with multitudes of various diagnoses, I'm not sure I would have noticed that Brian suffers from a Traumatic Brain Injury. His book is a remarkable tribute to the human spirit, the meaning of family and friends, as well as the perseverance one person can possess when the desire presents itself. If you get a chance, check out his book, recently published by Tate Publishing. Brian, thanks for sharing your story...Carpe diem!

Little Boy's Growing Up

Over time I have learned to really appreciate all the different ways parents celebrate their children. One family celebrates each child as they turn 5 years old. I had the pleasure of meeting this Little Boy's sister last year and yesterday I received the honor of photographing him. It was his turn for the "wall of fame" at home, a prominent place in this family's house that celebrates each of the children in the family, particularly when they turn 5 years old. Thanks so much for the honor! Carpe diem!

A Sister's Secret

A Sister's Secret...Can I tell you a secret? Come near...Can I whisper something to you, something I need you to hear? Just between you and I...a whispered secret. Carpe diem!

My Mind as a Photograph

Earlier this morning, I took an hour to swim at the local high school. This has become my personal time to exercise as well as a way to relax with a very rhythmic, serene type of physical exertion. Most days my senses seem dull while I focus on breathing and pacing myself. Yet today that rhythmic trance was interrupted by an overwhelming mixture of fragrances. The combination included smells of Brute, Old Spice, and a bouquet of flowery perfume like lilac, gardenia, and vanilla...the results of the local exercise group joining me in the pool for their weekly workout session. With each breath I took, the combined fragrances were almost overpowering. But as I continued with my strokes, photographs of smoke images came to mind...paralleling the combination of waves from the pool water and the smells that seemed to be floating through the air. Here is one of the images that came to mind. Carpe diem!

Fairy Princess

Over the weekend, I was graced with the presence of one gorgeous Fairy Princess! From a Tea Party to some funny faces, my Fairy Princess ended our session with a few magic spells cast on the me and the studio! And all of this was in preparation for her big debut come Halloween in a few weeks. Such the precious 2 year old...Carpe diem.

Outdoor Family Portraits

Several months ago a daughter took it upon herself to organize having a family portrait taken...something that her mother and father would cherish for years to come, as would the rest of the family. Fast forward to this past weekend and voila! A beautiful family portrait. So what makes a great family portrait? Things like consistent colors, solid clothing choices, a well planned out background, and a family willing to make it all happen. Enjoy! Carpe diem.

Classic Child Portrait

Early this morning a returning friend graced the studio...someone we haven't seen here in some time...and he is now a big boy at one year old. A child ready to run, kept mom busy in the studio helping to control the drool and the lightning crawl he was able to attain. Here is one that may hang prominently in the families home, a compliment to JH's two sisters that have a similar style portrait. Thanks again JH and mom...Carpe diem.

Body Building 101

I have to give a shout out to Dalena and Alex for making a last minute photo shoot a success! You guys are awesome! Alex is competing on Saturday in a Midwest Competition that hopefully will lead to a top finish and hopes for going to Nationals. Alex was so gracious today to answer all my crazy questions about some of the efforts that go into bringing a body to such chiseled perfection. It is so amazing to have a better handle on the science behind the look. Here is just one of many images we were able to capture today. Best effort on Saturday Alex! Carpe diem.

Celebrations of Life

This weekend I was remembering back to my college days and a Gerontology class I was taking as part of my Sociology major. I vividly remember the topic of age and the many stages of life. My grandfather, pictured here, constantly reminds me that he is in his dying stage. He goes into elaborate details of all the stages of life he has embarked upon. And this week he will celebrate is 92nd Birthday. And as sad as it is to hear him talk about his impending death, I try to reflect on all the stories he has shared with me over the years. And the many treasures he holds in the photograph albums he covets. So often my visits are trips down memory lane with my mother as a little child growing up in Chicago or his rehabbing a 3 flat on Cullerton Street. This is one of the first non-posed photographs that he has allowed me to capture and hopefully an ongoing project for me...to capture his spirit in celebrating life...especially his. Carpe diem.

High School Seniors

Met a gorgeous young lady the other day, headed off to college for the first time. She just finished her senior year and wanted to get some portraits redone before she left. She was so enjoyable to work with and I believe she had a fun time posing and modeling! Here is one of my favorites...showing attitude, style and poise...not to mention a cool hair style! I wish you all the best and have a blast at college...go Bulldogs!!! Carpe Diem!

Eagle Project #1

I decided I'd share one of my son's Boy Scout Eagle Project with you! Joshua chose to work with the Nature Conservancy to help restore a portion of land back to native prairie. The prairie is called Sundrop Prairie. What a difference in how it looks today. I can only imagine what it will look like in 3-4 years when the prairie flora and grasses begin to surround the area as it once did hundreds of years ago. Needless to say, a dad couldn't be more proud of a son that worked as hard as he has to get this project off the ground and completed. AWESOME job Joshua! Carpe Diem!

Pet Portraits

Just the other day I had the opportunity to photograph Max. Max was a rescued dog from a shelter and is as gentle as they come...unless you get near his tail! That tail wags at the speed of light and is powerful enough to give you welts on the leg. Due ot the welts I know Max enjoyed the studio, especially the area outside of the camera area. And as time progressed, his owner and I figured it all out...Max didn't like the canvas backdrop on the wood floor...he wanted the area that had the padded carpet over by the computer work station. Ahh, even dogs love comfort! Here is a profile image taken during the session. Carpe Diem!

The Little Flower Girl

Today I had a memorable moment regarding children with my good friend and fellow photographer Theresa Costa. Our conversation began discussing the challenges of helping in a professional organization and how TIME is the one thing that can not be recovered once it has passed. Conversation was abruptly interrupted by her son running into her office to share his news of the one corn stalk he planted in the spring having grown some actual corn! And I could hear his full-bodied excitement through the phone...a memorable moment for me today! It reminded me...that life is precious, so very precious, and we need to take life lessons from children, especially us busy adults. When was the last time you became excited seeing something as simple as a corn stalk growing? Do you fully enjoy the little things that happen each day in your life? Are you thankful for what you have rather than worried about what you don't possess? This caused reflection for me in the studio today and after filing my sales tax online for the first time (the government tells me that it is easier for me...how nice of them to think of me so kindly) I decided to search for the Tea Party portraits I did recently. The portrait helped me reflect on how life for children is and should be simple, fun, inquisitive and full of exploration. Something as simple as a set of play cups and pots created joy and an enjoyable moment for this "little flower girl". Carpe Diem!

Wedding Prices

Recently a wave of phone and web inquiries have been coming into the Studio asking for prices of our wedding packages. My guess is that people are shopping ONLY for a price, especially when you take into account the current unemployment and economic scenarios. And yet most of the time people don't even leave a name or number, just want us to respond to an "empty" email address. Empty in the sense that there is no person associated to the email. We know nothing about them...their interests, tastes, styles, or even more importantly, what and how much they value photography. Yet these are very important factors to the Studio when working with future clients. Today, more than ever, a person can pick up a consumer camera, turn it on, and instantly take a very respectable photographic image. All camera at that point...yet...no thought to composition, lighting, design, color balance, impact...you get the idea. A camera can only record the photographic image as seen by the photographer. And I'm not sure most people understand the relationship between talent and education as it relates to what makes a truly artistic, professional photographer. But then again, when you only look at price as the qualifying factor, I do believe you get what you pay for. Here is another recent wedding image...sure to garnish an award at a future print competition. Carpe Diem!

Wedding Art

Last month I attended, and hosted, an all day workshop held at STUDIO 42, which was led by nationally acclaimed wedding photographer David Ziser. David and his wife were nothing more than the kindest, most gracious and pleasant people you would want to host. David spent the Wednesday night before addressing 65+ photographers on his style and approach to wedding photography at the Chicagoland Professional Photographers Association. With the very next morning speaking at the studio and planning a live-wedding model-session. David shared numerous ideas, suggestions and approaches to helping make wedding photography more artistic and a better value for our brides and grooms. But one of the more profound things he said that has lingered with me was this...When I am hired to photograph a wedding, I have been given the greatest honor and privilege to share in this couple's and family's special day. It is an HONOR...and that very statement has given me a different perspective on photographing weddings for my brides and grooms. Thank you David for the inspiration. Here is an image from a wedding just 2 days after the seminar...Carpe Diem!

Having fun!

I realized I haven't posted in a while, meaning my focus has been on other things involving the studio. So the other day a Porsche Carrera was parked outside the studio. Seeing it was time for my mandated "break", I played a bit and came up with the following. How fun! Carpe Diem!

Doggy Portrait

A recent Bride and Groom that I photographed in February happen to be dog sitting yesterday. New Bride Jennifer stopped by about some wedding orders and shared the story of how an elderly lady that her husband stayed with some time ago became ill and had become concerned who would take care of her treasured pet while she was in the hospital. Jennifer and Ryan agreed to care for the dog until she came back home. So we did a quick "Doggy Portrait session"...along with a mat-framed portrait to give to the women in the hospital...all compliments of Studio 42. I could not think of a better gift to give a women in the hospital, especially when she was so concerned about her beloved pet. Get well soon! Carpe Diem.

Studio 42 and Mom

Took this photograph of the front entrance of the studio several days ago. Planned on using it for a headshot/promotion image. Still might, but for now will share it here. In my mind, the front area of the studio is always in development...my mind gets ideas often to move furniture or to move/hang new images all around. What about this? What about that? This comes from a good part of my mother in me...she is constantly redesigning the house I grew up in with new colors or just moving furniture (sometimes even buying new furniture when she really doesn't need it). So I usually cut myself some slack as I believe I come by it honestly. I love you Mom! Thanks for being such a powerful supporter of me and my photography. Carpe Diem!

No Opportunity Wasted!

It has been some time (part busy schedule, part procrastination), so I decided today to share a future journey I am planning to be part of with TV celebrity, author and spokesperson Phil Keoghan. Back in February, I was fortunate to photograph Phil Keoghan for a corporate client in a 2009 kick off! I had the privilege of hearing him talk about the movement he has been involved with for a good part of his life, entitled NO OPPORTUNITY WASTED. His NOW moment came out of an experience of being down in a 22,000 ton sunken ship, some 100+ feet below the surface of the water, realizing he was in the aloneness, with uncertainty and utter darkness all around him. This experience was so powerful, he describes in his book that it was the first time he had felt pure panic. Out of that life-threatening experience came the life philosophy of living each day to the fullest, living with no regrets and pushing forward to challenge oneself each and every day. As host of The Amazing Race, he sees individuals each season push themselves like they never thought possible. As I photographed him, his speech targeted something within me. And at one point, he talked about his upcoming trip across the United States, promoting his book and supporting MS. He was planning on a cross-country bike ride, to be done in 40 days, coast to coast. He then asked how many in attendance would join him in the ride? I was one of two people in a crowd of 200 to raise their hand. I knew I needed to embrace my own mantra and take the thought and talk to action. For me, NOW exists in the phrase "Carpe Diem", otherwise know as "Seize the Day!" At the end of April, he will be riding through the Chicago area. As things will have it, part of that time I will be working in the studio. But on Sunday, April 26, 2009, I will be riding with him in support of his efforts in Northwestern Indiana. I have recruited several friends to join me as I ride for 100+ miles with Phil, as I promised myself that day when I raised my hand. I plan on doing a pictorial of the journey, documenting our ride through the countryside of Indiana. For more information or to join me, sign up on his website at http://www.philridesacrossamerica.com/register.html. And if you get a chance, read his recent book entitled "No Opportunity Wasted: 8 Ways to Create a List for the Life You Want". Easy read, but challenging if you decide to create your lists for life! Carpe Diem!

Decided to begin to add new images to the studio lobby. Framed this the other day. Loved this portrait of 10 year old Mr. C...shared a range of emotions within just a few seconds of being in the studio and in front of the camera! What a treat for me as the photographer.

The New Year

Well, it is the beginning of what hopes to be a recovery for many in the country. Here at Studio 42, 2009 expects to be a time of venturing out of the comfort zone to create some dynamic and stunning images. Plans are in the works for a few sets to be built in the studio, better utilizing the area within the studio and creating some fun spots to highlight children, high school seniors, models and families. Come back soon to see the progress! Carpe Diem!