DUCKtoday

‘

‘
Doctors told her that she had a better chance of winning the lottery than having a baby. She kept trying, despite the challenge of a rebelling body and an uncooperative mind. The baby came, requiring her to make choices. She has her idea of what a kid should be. He reflects her care and love.

I never shot a baby before. Lot of work. They don’t know what photographers require of them and they don’t care.

‘

‘
Photographers create beauty. To take beautiful pictures, a photographer needs a beautiful person. When the person loves herself and lets the camera see it, beauty reflects. The camera facilitates the observation, but without the committment of the model to sharing, it don’t happen.

Phase II Final Assignment called for a revealing self-portrait. One of my classmates who drinks milk and says the white liquid defines her will submit an image of her in front of a milk locker in a grocery store. Me! On the wall hangs a portrait done by Gregory Heisler during orientation in January. Making people see more in themselves as he does defines my quest at Hallmark.

‘

Phase II finals at Hallmark Institute of Photography. Just about half way through the program. Only recently did I think I was getting it.

Environmental still life. Flowers from Sigda in Greenfield. Potatoes from Fosters in Greenfield. Beer stein from the Salvation Army in Greenfield. Contact paper and drawer lining from the $ store in Greenfield. Blue blotter paper from some stationary store. Total expenditures around $15, not including gas.

My potato head came up with the idea. A kid accompanying his sister on a tour of the commercial studio, turned to his mother and inquired, “isn’t that Mr. Potato Head?” Frenchy replied, “who does it look like, you idiot?” “What’s he doing here,” the kid asked? “I am a photographer.”
But the real problem was that I couldn’d find furniture to scale. Seems like they don’t make furniture for real size dolls anymore. Wanted a TV or a computer to throw light. Settled for strobes. Gels colored the set too strongly, so I post processed in Lightroom3.

Never did anything like this before.

Hard to tell if he the Mayor doesn’t like Judge Shira Shindlin looking at his stop and frisk policies or  if he is outraged about the number of minorities who have been harassed and humiliated. Were there an impartial judiciary and prosecutors interested in doing justice, civil rights and liberties would be far more prevalent than they are now. He and PC Kelly have legislated a police state and their enormous power and wealth prevents anyone from speaking out against it. Who’s at fault? The Judges who he appoints (and who Rudy appointed for the last how many year?) and the DAs who seem to be elected for life (they know the secrets, eh?).

But, as a student of photography, no longer a lawyer, and a disgraced judge, I can only comment on the shot. Strong composition by Mr. Barritt. Good color. And a narrative with a question which we don’t want to answer!

As for Mr. Dimon (I have to admit being a shareholder), he and the EXXON chair really control America, if not the world. So, what is he thinking. I am saying I am sorry for not being in control or what can I say that will convince them I really give a shit? Another mystery shot.

In case you hadn’t noticed, Bloomberg News produced the second shot. Do we really have a chance? Bloomberg has 10 billion and Dimon earns $20 million a year. But the photos are exquisite. Just think of how they would have made Napoleon look!

‘

‘
So, your urine smells. They can be bland or bold. And sometimes, they have a life of their own. I built the set. Played with the lens, lights and modifiers. Then they decided to escape.

We went to an abandoned bank in Greenfield, MA; now there is an oxymoron for an on location shoot. Heisler had previously shown a home-video of making the SI cover shot featuring Sportsman of the Year Derek Jeter. He shoots real people, has a lot of support and uses a combination of great technical skill and creative genius. He can also teach.

Our assignment included using a Pro Photo 10 lighting kit in a different way, illuminating the background with the strobe and ambient light from a window facing the street for the foreground to produce a cover shot and an inside piece. Greg and DT did a test shoot, adding some fake smoke. Then, it was up to us to create a narrative and shoot.