Building doors

It is Christmas Eve.  A day when many of the world's children await a visit from Santa Claus or St. Nikolas, and have images of Santa working feverishly in his shop, preparing gifts, and packing the sleigh.

Many men and women are builders and woodworkers.  Some, like William Bufkin of Taos, are extremely skilled at what they do. Buf allowed me to hang around his shop last week and photograph him while he was working on doors for a home remodel.  He began by visually sizing up planks of western red cedar, seeing how the grains and textures might work together and complement each other.

In the image below, the trueness of the plank is checked.

Buf blows the sawdust away following with each pass of the saw.

Planeing the plank

Thanks, Buf!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Environmental portraiture...of a different sort

Most of you know that I published a book in 2002 titled A Place Like No Other:  people of an enchanted land (Sunstone Press, Santa Fe).

I am about to embark on another environmental portraiture project, and I did a shoot on Wednesday that, in an odd way, might be considered environmental portraiture.  The subject this time was chickens (and a rooster named Big Daddy).  The place - Casa Gallina - a wonderful set of holiday rental properties in Taos.  This is not a bed and breakfast inn, but guests can have as many eggs from owner Richard Spera's chickens as they can eat.  You cannot find fresher eggs than those found in the nests.  Richard encourages his guests to visit with the chickens and reconnect with how real food is produced.  The chickens and rooster Big Daddy have an incredible vocabulary and I had a great time on the grass, following them around, and trying to make their "portraits".  Strange, yes, but the patina, patterns, and colors of the feathers are quite incredible.

What a collar!

Try to put these puzzles together!

stained glass?

Big Daddy in all his finery

until next Monday (and the rooster crows)

DB

a passion for the image

two photographers get together...

How many photographers does it take to make a decent photograph?  What happens when two photographers get together for a photo shoot?  There must be at least two or three jokes you could tell.

But what really does happen when photographers meet for practice sessions?  Steve and I got together last week, using his garage set up as a studio for an exercise in portraiture and lighting.  It was definitely a learning experience.  Anyone who works with electronics and computers knows that the possibilities for complications and equipment failure are huge and there were moments of confusion.  But overall, it was very educational and because of that, we both will think about shooting slightly differently.  There are things any photographer needs to keep in mind.  Know your camera and equipment.  Be aware of light.  Make your subject comfortable.  (Steve is a great model but I don't particularly care for being  photographed.  I prefer my place of comfort behind the camera.)

During a roughly three hour session, we both posed using his soft box, back drop, light meter and flash.  We also chose several natural light environments, both inside and outside, making it possible to compare and contrast.

Steve 2010

The two images included here are very different as a result of two controlled lighting situations.  The results are apparent.  One is not better than the other.  They are both effective but for different reasons.  The black and white feels like a timeless portrait taken in the desert in the 1903s or 1940s, while the picture of Steve with the guitar is obviously a product of electronics and the beautiful soft, even light brought about with a single soft box.

By the end of the session, I think we were both feeling more comfortable being photographed, allowing ourselves to use props and just sit before the camera.  During the past when I shot environmental portraits and weddings, I always tried to make the model or person involved feel comfortable.  Because of this photo session, I am once again aware of being photographed and how unsettling it can be.  It will make me work at my art that much harder.

Steve 2010

Until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image