Aspens

Last week, during my workshop with Eddie Soloway, we ventured up into the Santa Fe National Forest. Almost at the top of the mountain, by the ski basin, there are gorgeous groves of aspen trees.

Upon arrival, we were let loose into the wilderness (aka: hiking trails) to photograph anything our hearts desired. :) Being the monkey/climber that I am, I immediately started scaling the mountain, making my way through the forest of aspens, sunbeams coming through the canopy of overhead branches highlighting the nature below.

I took the time during my hike up to really check-in with myself. Being in nature has that affect on me. The serenity, beauty and peacefulness allows me to really focus on my inner thoughts and feelings - even while photographing. The pace of the Workshop life doesn't usually allow for time to really get in my own head & thoughts.

I can't remember the last time I felt so peaceful. I wish I had brought a journal and sat on a rock by the bubbly brook to look, listen, smell, feel and just close my eyes and think. The aspens are a place I'd love to revisit before I leave New Mexico in a few weeks...but we'll see how it all plays out. It's extremely rare that I find a place where I feel so peaceful and serene...I feel as though I should set some time aside for myself to go up there again and

just be.


~ K

Sunday Morning

Discussing the professional world of photography & lighting over my chocolate-chip pancakes and your eggs Benedict....in knee-high boots, Italian skinny jeans and a borrowed t-shirt...and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.

Morning sunlight warming my back.....
Six weeks of exhaustion and disorientation, unsure of the day....
an upcoming trip to LA.....
weekend plans....
and everything else in the world seemed to stand still.

That's one memory that will stay with me for a while...

Shoot at the Prison

These were taken last week at the State Penitentiary in Alan Thornton's workshop.

Enjoy!

~ K

Best of the Week: Alan Thornton's Workshop

None of these are edited...at all. I'll post the shots from the prison as soon as I get the chance.

~ K

Friday Night Escapades

Friday nights have become an escape for me. After the slideshow is over, and participants have retired to their accommodations for the night, I hit the bars with fellow staff members.

Tonight, after finishing my vodka, tonic & lemon, I was feeling a little playful and carefree. After dancing for over an hour, I decided I needed some fresh air. Upon walking outside, the wind was blowing - perfect-temperature night here in Santa Fe. This crazy idea suddenly overcame me.

Classic hits from the 80s blared from the live band playing in the bar....I was feeling tipsy, but great, and of course wanted to dance. Seconds later, I had run out into the middle of the street...dancing, spinning, and genuinely rocking out the music - by myself. Fellow staff members lined the sidewalk, laughing, cheering me on, and watching for cars.

That crazy idea was followed by an even crazier one: the store front of the building across from the bar had a really great railing. In 4" heels and a short dress, I climbed onto a trash can, then onto the railing - which was only about 4" wide. So I danced....and danced...and danced on the railing, and my co-workers cheered me on and started filming on their phones. haha. I noticed a few people in the bar had peeked their heads out to watch the festivities.

It's honestly a miracle that: 1.) I didn't fall off the railing into the bushes, and 2.) I didn't sprain my ankle with all the spinning & hair-flipping (head upside down) I was doing (came pretty darn close at one point, though). When I finally got it out of my system (don't know that that is ever totally possible....) I walked back over to the sidewalk, to hear my co-workers say "THAT WAS AWESOME. YOU'RE AMAZING, KATIE!!!"

But the real shocker was:

When I walked back into the bar, everyone turned to look at me and gave me a HUGE round of applause and whistles.

Later in the evening, two guys asked me if I could dance on the railing again so they could videotape it. I told them to give me money, and Pei and Lauren quickly pulled me away from the guys. hehe.

Let's just hope those videos don't surface on YouTube anytime soon. :P

Cheers!

~ Katie

Random Acts of Kindness

This week has been a little emotional and chaotic for me - in a variety of ways. While waiting at a stop light this evening, I glanced back (I don't know why) at the car diagonally behind me. I made eye contact with the elderly woman sitting in the driver's seat. She gave me this huge, beaming smile...don't know her, but that smile was enough to, in turn, make me smile and give me a warm feeling inside.

Sometimes we don't realize the power of a smile - of a random kind gesture towards another individual. We may not know them, we may not know their story, we may not ever see them again, but in that brief moment of eye contact, sometimes a smile is enough to brighten another person's day. :)


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today we shot at the old State Penitentiary. It closed in 1999 and has since been used for lots of photo shoots, and was even the prison used in the movie The Longest Yard (which I of course have never seen). The place was amazing - so many graphic elements to the architecture, mixed with a mild eerieness, *great* natural light, and so many creative places to shoot, that I wish I had a whole week, with 8 hour shoots to really explore the potential that the location had to offer. We weren't even able to get into the whole penitentiary because it would have been far too many options/space/hard to round all of us up at the end of the shoot.

There were these fabulous cat walks from building to building, which I assume the guards walked to keep an eye on the property and prisoners during its years of use. When I saw those, I knew I wanted to do a shoot up there. All I could think of was:
HIGH FASHION PHOTO SHOOT

Today was the only days that we also had a hair/makeup artist to help out our models...which definitely helped the photographers get the look they wanted, I think.

Anyway...this cat walk/rooftop shoot? PHENOMENAL. I haven't uploaded the images yet (class rule that I have to wait until the morning to look at them) but I had sooooo much fun shooting Rachel, the model we had at that time.

I had her wear a long, turquoise evening gown with silver, rhinestoned heels, somewhat dramatic makeup (I wanted more, but we were running short on time) and big-ish hair. I threw a medium soft box on her, and was grateful that it was a windy day (and blowing the right way!) and had the exact fan-effect that I wanted! :) yay! I usually have more fun shooting the pictures than actually looking at them afterwards, and today proved to be no exception. I'm looking forward to seeing the images, but the shoot was so fun (felt like I was shooting the cover for Vogue magazine or some high-end fashion shoot!!!!!) that I am completely satisfied with the journey, even if the end result is not as good as I hope.

Can't believe I'm almost through another week!

~ K

Wednesday

Difficult shooting partner = Frustrating afternoon shoot.

Class dinner.

Shot of Tequila provided by Alan Thornton.

Tequila makes everything better....and funnier. :D

Sleep!

~ K

Where'dya Learn to Drive Like That?

I don't care what anyone says: I am convinced that some of the worst drivers in the United States reside in New Mexico. Or maybe I just tend to be tired and irritable whenever I have to drive somewhere which results in a heightened negative perception of New Mexican drivers....? Regardless: they frustrate me.


In other news: I got my lens cap back! I don't dare put it back on my camera this week for fear that Alan will take it for good!

~ K

Here We Go Again...

ALAN THORNTON STOLE MY LENS CAP AND WON'T GIVE IT BACK!!!!!! His reason? He hates lens caps and we should never use them because we risk the chance of missing the perfect shot by fumbling to get it off the lens. True, buuuuuuut, if my lens gets scratched this week...he's gonna get it. My camera is my baby...including lenses! It seems "puppy dog eyes" don't work on him either, darn it!

There's always one or two every week who enjoy picking on me. Easy target. :P C'est la vie.

I'm on a mission to get the lens cap before Friday - which is the day he promised me.....

Plotting starts now!

~ K

Mid-Season

It's hard to believe it's almost mid-season at the SF Workshops! This summer is flying by. I woke up Friday and thought, Am I already done with another week?! Days here can vary from feeling like years to seconds...but the fact that I am busy working & studying 16-18 hours a day means that in general, everything goes by pretty fast. Some days I don't even have time to think about anything other than work & photography, which can be draining, but I suppose total immersion is the answer at times in order to truly connect with your work.

This week I will be in the studio with Alan Thorton, for an advanced lighting course. Now, I am not exactly advanced in my knowledge and experience with lighting (usually only shoot natural/available light), but I tend to be a quick learner, so I'm sure it'll be fine. :)

Here we go - Week #4!

~ Katie

"The Personal Photographic Narrative" with Cig Harvey

In short:

Cig Harvey's workshop changed my life.

I feel as though I have turned a corner in my photography. Never before have I felt an intense emotional connection with my work. This past week was an intense photographic and emotional journey for me, but I realized: when that emotional connection is there and in the images, it shows. I have never done work like this before - it has meaning, it has purpose, and it is emotionally charged and aesthetically sound.

The project I started and will continue working on probably naturally lends itself to being emotionally charged, but now I know I have the capability to carry that into other work whenever I start a new project.

What an incredible instructor and person. Cig Harvey's energy and passion for photography is unsurpassed by anyone I have ever encountered before. What a pleasure to meet and work with her. And the fact that on the last day she suggested my bravery shown in my project subject has inspired her to be brave and tackle a really tough, emotional project for her...? I am just honored I could help inspire such a wonderful, genuine, passionate person & photographer.

Best,

Katie