Archive for August, 2009

Sahara Motel

Long time readers of my blog know I have a fascination with old motel and other neon signs. They are products of a bygone era in most cases, abandoned on the side of the road where sometimes even the building they once marked is gone. This particular sign is just outside of Abilene along the old US-80. The motel itself is abandoned, condemned, overgrown. The sign is faded and weatherbeaten, most of its former glory gone. Just enough of it remains to give a hint of what it once was – bright, cheery, drawing attention from motorists who needed a place to stop for the night. What a sight it must have been with the sun setting behind it while it was lit in all its neon glory. You can almost feel the classic cars around you in the now overgrown and nearly gone parking lot.

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Nostalgia – I ♥ Faces

So the topic this week on I ♥ Faces is Nostalgia… Of course, there’s no face, so it probably doesn’t qualify, but I figured I’d use this opportunity to show an ongoing art series I’ve been working on. First, the image for submission to the weekly contest:

This image makes me think of being a young kid and not being able to go outside for one reason or another.. perhaps sick, perhaps its too hot or cold.. the idea was to portray a sense of loss.

The rest of the series can be seen at this link: Ghosts of Youth. I do also sell prints, but my online store for it is down right now. If you would like to order, just drop me a line.

I’d also like to take note here that I have been invited to write a series of tutorials on lighting at the I ♥ Faces website. I’ll be getting started on those as soon as I get the kiddo back to school and my life starts to return to normal. Keep an eye out there for them in the future!

Check out I Faces by clicking on the button below..

Strobist Haunted House Promotional

As many of you know, I volunteer with Chaos Haunted House. Among the many things I do there is all the promotional photography. This year, I had the full Strobist setup with me and was given the time and the creative license to do some really fun stuff.

This was shot with two lights.. both laying on the floor. The one to her left is responsible for lighting her and the lens flare (placed low to give that “spooky light”). The other is behind her with a red gel to light the wall.

Learn more about doing this sort of thing at my On Location Lighting Workshop tomorrow.

Grace

Grace is an actor based here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She came to see me for a new headshot this week.

Grace

Upcoming Speaking Gigs

I have a couple of appearances coming up as well as a workshop.. thought I’d share them all in one place.

August 10th – Abilene Professional Photographers Guild

August 22nd – On Location Lighting Workshop at my studio in DFW

August 23rd – DFW Midcities Strobist Meetup

Come out and see me at one or all of them!

Teaser – Haunted House Season is Coming

I thought I’d a shot from a recent promotional shoot for Chaos Haunted House today. This is a collection of some of our cast from the haunted house. Shot Strobist style with gelled lights in the background and one Vivitar head in the front center, shooting from low to get that “spooky light” you get when you light from below.

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