erika was kind enough to pose for me on such a gorgeous evening. we met at a networking event held once a month called model monday’s and hit it off right away. she was looking for a photographer, and i was looking for a model. our personalities mixed like, mashed potatoes and gravy and we started off to a great working relationship. i was fortunate enough to photograph someone who was completely prepared. so prepared in fact, that she even scheduled a time to get her hair and makeup didz, and i even met with her to go shopping for the perfect gown to help update her comp card for NXT – a modeling agency here in denver.
i admit i’m probably not the best person to ask for lipgloss, or carry travel size scissors, or even safety pins which are much needed on a stylized photo shoot. not your average girl when it comes to these things. so TIP: bring ‘em, ’cause i will likely forget. we decided to shoot in and around commons park near lodo. first time here and definitely won’t be my last.
considering i have only been here for a little over 3 months now, i still couldn’t give anyone solid directions on how to get anywhere, or even know all the coolest spots for an on locaton shoot. erika was sweet enough to tell me all these things. this was the girl to go to if you wanted to know the latest happenings in the area. restaurants, clubs, events, you name it, she knows about it.
this was honestly, one of the best shoots i’ve been on. the light was incredibly beautiful, and im so glad we waited patiently until the light was soft enough to work with. this was prime lighting conditions and the weather couldn’t have been better. she wanted to go with a very sophisticated look and after discussing a few details about how she should wear her hair, the type of gown, and accessories, we ended up with a look that was very elegant, and simply beautiful.
i really stretched my wings on this shoot. i love adventure, so when she told me she was open to checking out different areas, along with a “lets go with the flow” type attitude, my eyebrows raised and my eyes widened with excitement. i was ready to explore on foot and find the most ideal locations and backgrounds for this particular shoot. i also explored with different poses, and really honed in to how she was posing, and the expressions she was making. i engaged her in conversation and gently directed her in a way that would get that sophisticated, elegance, and naturalness all in one, in the final shots. she was AMAZING at interpreting what i had envisioned. sometimes it can be difficult communicating to your couples, or in this instance to your model, what you want her/him to do.
listening to: wonder when by bonobo & andreya triana while writing this post.
                   
this isn’t your typical commercialized coffee shop. it didn’t even have a snazzy cool name. nope! just, COFFEE in big bold red letters. this is seriously the BEST & coolest coffee shop that i have ever been too. like finding a diamond in the rough. mark and i happened to stumble upon it when we were vacationing up in Breck several months before we decided to move out to denver.
we were on our way to the airport early in the morning, it was still dark and we decided to make a quick stop in silverthorne to get some coffee and tea. during one of our conversations with one of the owners, i asked if they had a website? he paused, and looked at me like “oh your one of those people” the kind who only goes to starbucks. he kindly replied by saying no, and with a laid back tone of that of a hippie, he continued… “we don’t do any advertising, we like to keep it low key.” i thought how interesting, but i get it. i knew where he was coming from. there were already so many cookie cutter coffee places already. they have a great thing going! i loved their teas and homemade banana bread. the atmosphere of the place was pretty cool and cozy. i felt like i was at my grandma’s house. you know, the kind of grandma who serves up a warm plate of cookies freshly baked the moment you walk in, along with a fresh glass of milk. ooooooh, i feel warm and fuzzy already. i would definitely hit up this place again!
i would recommend this place to anyone after a long snowboarding weekend. oh, and the owners, they were very hospitable.
listening to: “went away” by maccabees while writing this post.
 mark trying to figure out his rope puzzle that was on the counter. hey! do you notice the batman action figurine. AWESOME! yes, i find humor in anything and everything. 
i was deeply horrified, disgusted, saddened, and angered by what goes on in typical meat packing plants, around the world. this is certainly nothing new, but this one i just HAD to share. one day i was looking up how food is processed in factories all around america and saw videos on youtube about some of the world’s biggest fast food giants including: mcdonald’s, burger king, taco bell, & more.
i randomly came across this video. PLEASE BE ADVISED, there are several graphically disturbing images of what really happens during the raising, transporting and slaughtering process. DO NOT let your little ones see this please. This video is to show the reality of the situation, not to gross you out. unfortunately, this is what often happens. i was even more disgusted by these giant corporations who defended the cruel killing methods of some of these animals. i myself couldn’t make it through the entire video. i despised seeing how these people treated the animals. i was beyond shocked! if your one of many who haven’t already seen this or even know about it, than good ’cause people need to know the truth. it really made me think about what i was eating, and the possible health concerns that could come from consuming such stressed induced meats, and more.
after watching food inc a few years back, mark told me about the idea of buying grass fed meat directly from local farmers who don’t pump their animals full of antibiotics, growth hormones, or even treat their animals in a cruel way. i could go for it again, but to tell you the truth buying meat except for fish disgusts me. i tried the whole vegetarian and vegan thing once before and i have to admit it wasn’t easy. but, recently i have thought about trying again. can’t quite give up fish so pesco-vegetarian would be the more reasonable choice. i’ll let you know how i do.
below image: courtesy of google images
i’m completely intrigued with lifestyle photos with a bit of an editorial flare. not the kind of lifestyle photos you see in typical travel magazines of a women sipping a fruity umbrella drink lounging on a beach in the bahamas. no. the kind you see that makes you want to know more about the story. yes, the story! a few days ago i went to a book store and gathered magazines of all kinds, from travel, music, men’s fashion, women’s interest mags, etc.
i wanted to know more about, what makes a good photo? i wanted to analyze and evaluate them all the way from the pose, tonality, consistency, styling and much more. these are a few collected photos i randomly put together to show a particular style i gravitate towards the most. i know these aren’t the best clarity photos, since i took them with my low mp android phone. just a note, everything expressed on my blog is just my opinion when it comes to sharing all things photography. i don’t consider myself to be an expert on photo evaluation, i just simply observe whats there. i begin by flipping through pages, upon pages until i come to an image i like. when i connect, or feel a sense of genuineness and beauty it can really help during the dissection process. i so sound like a biology teacher right now.
1. the first photo below to the right shows a girl relaxed, having fun, and showing a bit of vulnerability. her outfit is colorful, casual, and simply stylish. the fact that she is wearing her hair down just adds an overall relaxed mood to this shot. her smile is absolutely beautiful. love the composition, and how your eye leads a bit to the left, rather than a center shot which could have a more intimidating look, or make the image look flat and boring. the background of her on the metal stairs adds a bit of texture and some street appeal. the simple colored background also makes her pop out even more which is the main focal point.
2. the girl on the bottom right of the first photo doesn’t show as much expression as the girl up above, but i found this to have a few key elements which i found interesting. she has a very indie style look to her, maybe european, and i love the perspective of this shot. it looks like it was taken on a rooftop or somewhere higher off ground with an industrial background of sorts. her expression is simple.
 3. the shot below on the 2nd set of collage photos (top right) with a group walking casually is something i implement during my sessions. i love the flow of moment of people walking or passing by in a shot. true life shots are so appealing. this group is obviously walking towards a destination in mind, or at least it appears that way and there enjoying one another’s company, engaging in conversation as they walk. interaction is key in a group shot. i hate staged photos, unless it has a real purpose, like in band photos. but even band photos don’t always have to be staged. its all about showing who they are, having strong chemistry as a group will really show through in a shot. like best friends hanging out.
4. the shot on the far left has a real editorial look to it. it makes you wonder where there at, a cafe? you can tell this couple is sharing intimate conversation with one another. the wood shelves brings a natural element into this shot. it could be an herbal tea place, where they sell premium grade teas from all over the world. you don’t know, but it does make you wonder more about the story. it could be a great marketing piece for the cafe, or restaurant owner.
5. oh, the light! bottom right shot of a couple. i fall hard on this one. learning to master light is a crucial element in any shot. look at it, see how it falls on things. prime lighting conditions are sunrise & sunset for me. 6. can you say, humor! shot on bottom of last collage of famous actor: jack black. loads of personality in this photograph, from the angle of his pose, to his awkward expression. makes you wanna laugh over and over.
7. again, i love movement. top right image of last collage, here we see a group of 3 guys riding the streets of new york, or some metropolitan city. there expressions are priceless. you can feel there excitement as they venture towards there destination. can you smell the sweet aroma of flavors from nearby restaurants they may be passing? i know i do. i can feel the wind running through their suit jackets, and hear nearby cars, and the angry taxicab drivers honking their horns. all 5 senses were working while i came across this image.
this past friday my babe and i had a chance to hit up first friday of the month artwalk on sante fe. we enjoyed looking at a variety of paintings, drawings, digital, and other forms of art. some good, some that made you think – about the world we live in, and some bad. but what may be considered bad art in my eyes, may be good in someone else’s eyes, just my opinion. we explored the streets, and found interesting stairways that lead up to multiple rooms with tons of art. i love getting a little lost in places like these. from a photographic perspective i look at everything, the walls, lighting, textures & colors in a room, all which gave off a bit of that urban vibe. which i love.
i decided to leave my heavy camera at home and shoot with my droid phone instead. so much easier to carry around and way more discreet. something you may not know, but i have always been attracted to the photojournalism side to photography. meaning, creating images that tell more of a story. i’m definitely not going to run out and instantly become a media photographer, but “its all about finding beauty in the mundane.” (quoted by: eric kim/international street photographer) i gravitate towards images that are real, life as it happens type photos. i could never be a high fashion photographer. ’cause for one, it doesn’t bring me that instant gratification type feeling, or a tingly sensation with goose bumps running all over, or a sigh of “ahhhh.” of course it may be pretty to look at, and its great to get different posing ideas, but it doesn’t represent a style i can fully relate to as an artist. it may be because i was a bad dresser growing up. i was a bit of a tomboy and i never had anyone teach me how to coordinate outfits, or tell me what looked good, so at the time i didn’t care about what was in or the different trends.
i love fashion in the sense you can show a personal style, but i like to photograph them in a way that’s more natural. shooting in locations with an urban feel, or in a lush forest, or on beautiful sandy beaches are just a few preferred spots i like. for me, keeping it real for the people i photograph and getting genuine expressions of their smile, laughter, silliness & spontaneousness is what brings a sparkle to my eye and my heart beating every step of the way. truly where my hearts at. not CRAZY hair, wild makeup, or outlandish outfits. although being bold, making someone think differently about fashion in the most creative way possible, and really pushing the envelope with truly innovative ideas, using textiles and other unique elements to create amazing art i can respect.
i’ll be the first to admit the photos below aren’t the greatest. the exposure may be off, composition terrible, and you straight up may not like them. the night wasn’t about getting the perfect shot, it was about enjoying the moment, and if i happened to see something interesting, than i went for it. my phone doesn’t take the greatest of shots, and it was a bit slow when i clicked away, but i didn’t care. life as it happens, right? for the purpose of this post the only editing i did was the conversion from color to b&w, no cropping adjustments, and a few level changes in photoshop.
listening to: dream on (dave clarke acoustic version, remix) by depeche mode while writing this post.
    
truly shooting from the hip: 2 photos below. pointing a camera or phone in this case, can be awkward & uncomfortable for people, so i decided to literally shoot with my phone pointed down near my hips.    
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by lee
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