Portrait / Not a Portrait

Ski Season 2014. 

Again, seasons passes to the slopes, and time to push the boundary of what's mundane and challenge myself to make some new photos while on the road.

The added knowledge of learning that my portrait subject is beginning to dread this ritual, I am trying to learn to make quick decisions on what will be photogenic and what will be worth the set-up and standing-around time. Deciding to poke around more in the tilt-up warehouse region of suburban Sparks, we drove until I found this play of light and shadow.

 

There is something interesting to me in taking a portrait of someone, but making them a minor element. As this project progresses I find that I'm more drawn to the photos with less of Tony and more of a setting Tony happens to be in.

The wall without artificial lighting and without human.

poor little snow-barren Sugar Bowl

some miscellaneous notes for next time:

ate brekke here

learn to ski moguls better

gas was $3.35 at Arco in Auburn

Tilt Up

Last Friday (11/9/2012) I had a solo photo show at a space called the Garage Sale Project.

For a couple years now I have been photographing Tony when we go up to Tahoe to ski, bringing along lights and camera and exploring a bit of outer-lying Sparks and Reno, where we stay overnight. More than a few times I have found myself intrigued by buildings in the industrial areas and used them as a backdrop for shooting a sort of staged portrait of Tony.

Using these photos as a start to the show idea, I was inspired more when I went to see the garage space firsthand. Across the street was the back side of the local Safeway, sporting a similar facade to some of these locations.

I then began to form a vision for the space, making each of the three walls be a different part of a study of that style of tilt up architecture. 

 

The third wall was perhaps my favorite. I work alot in an industrial park the town of Brisbane, CA, and have often wanted to take photos around that area and see what evolves from it. This show seemed like a prefect place to pursue that. Especially since Chris, the owner of the space, is someone I met there...

To see the Brisbane project in more detail, I have posted a link here.

The opening was fun, lots of folks came out, thanks to all of you!