The Year's End

With a fond adieu we start to bid farewell to 2011.  It held such promise, such hope, such potential.  Did it live up to those things?  That's for each individual to challenge themselves to reflect upon and judge.

For me, 2011 was a year of opening opportunities and changes in direction.  I think this past year has altered my course for the future and has put me in line with some closed doors that I can definitely open.  Doors that I didn't even knew existed before the lights came on.  To what extent those doors will lead into greater things?  That's for 2012 to develop, and for me to discover.

I know there are severe changes afoot.  I can feel them.  They're on the brink, the cusp, the very knife's edge of happening.  "It's only a matter of time" it whispers.  I truly believe these changes to be good ones; exciting ones; once that will alter my perception of my own worth and meaning.

Sounds profound.

Maybe, but it's my reality I live in.  What I perceive as truth is my truth and my reality.  As yours is your own.  I may look at your perceived ideals and judge then incorrectly - mainly because I don't have your past, or your potential for the future you may have set up for yourself.  The same holds true conversely.

Hopefully we've been learning and becoming wiser with the way life has been unfolding throughout this past year, and we'll take our lessons well into the new year.  With open eyes and hearts we can make a definite positive difference.  Not only in our own existence, but within the sphere of influence we have created.  Perpetuated goodwill, progressive thinking and attitude will perpetuate itself again.  I believe this wholeheartedly.

So 2012 will be a year of awesome developments.  The fuse is lit, the powder keg is set, and ... it's only a matter of time.

Fit to be Tied

This Fall Quarter is coming to a close and I must say that I've had some really good experiences within it.  I loved my Advanced Fashion class most especially, and I feel that I have found what I would love to do for the next portion of my life.

One of the last photo shoots I did for that class was one in an editorial type style that revolved around ties... My model, Corey Wise, is not only an exceptionally handsome fellow on the outside, he's extremely handsome on the inside as well.  His charismatic demeanor, positive attitude, accommodating nature and his uncanny ability to be where he says he'll be when he says he'll be there is remarkable.  He's an up and coming runway model as well as fashion model of all types with a diverse portfolio to envy.  I'm extremely privileged to be able to work with him and start to call him friend.

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

The idea was to have an accessory most men have no idea why they wear, and bring it to a sensual level.  I had a few other ideas for creating accessory based editorial imagery, and they are on the horizon.  I think that as I mature as a photographer, I'll be able to create a better connection between the imagery I envision and those that are captured in my camera.

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

So as far as the tie...  I'm sure it has a history that is as splendid as any other history of fashion wear.  I truly need to look it up more in-depth than I have and do some of my own independent study.  LOL!

I've found that there are quite a few people who don't know how to tie a tie, either a double, or less complicated single Windsor knot.  I learned how to do so while serving in the U.S. Navy.  It was an interesting task at first, but the concept of the knot never left me.  I also found out there are 85 different knots for a tie.  I know two of them.  O.o

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

And though I was never a true "fan" of the neck tie, I have always had a fascination with it, and see it as an essential part of male fashion.  It's been around for as long as I can remember, though it's gone through its changes - from wide to narrow to wide again, it seems as though the material is similar to those on a fad diet, never truly adhering to any part of it with seriousness.  :D

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

According to the wonder that is the inter web, the material that we now know as the necktie has been around since the early-1600s.  The French saw it on some merchants and thought it looked awesome, so they adopted the practice and by the mid 1600s, it was all the rage.

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

Both men and women wore material around their necks, and slowly the material began to take different shapes and forms to accent the clothing worn.

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

Today's ties have not only purpose, but form and meaning as well.  The color of the tie as well as the pattern within the tie can be used to signify membership, status and a host of occupations that utilize the accessory as a symbol.

Corey Wise ©2011 CPJ Photography

All fashion requires some form of identity.  I know I've stated this in the past - but it's definitely worth repeating: Clothing isn't so much to cover a person's nakedness, as it is to adorn their nudity.  I truly believe that to be true - even with the necktie...

Under Where?

It seems as though I've been 'bitten' by the fashion bug.  I'm falling in love with the genre of photography in a bad way.  I don't really want to - just because it's so complex and undulating like a writhing monster waiting to devour those who aren't prepared to worship it in its entirety - but I'm becoming more and more compelled to do so.

Recently I did a shoot for my Advanced Fashion class for a men's underwear 'campaign' that gave the model I worked with some images for his portfolio (hopefully), and for me as well.  I wanted to do a bit of location/editorial images that encompassed a little more than just doing something in studio.

The results were received pretty well, for the most part.  I was pleased with the images and I believe the model was as well.  :)

I think that in the next set with Jake (the model) we'd do something a little more dynamic and expressive.  I'll post those when that happens (LOL)!!

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

©Carlos Paradinha Photography Oct-2011

I'm hoping that the fashion bug's bite is infectious and brings me to a fever's pitch of creativity...

Awkward Fashion

I recently posted a few images on a social networking site that were fashion-types in nature.  One one of the images, I was told, was "awkward," and the model's hands were in an inappropriate position.

I stood by the image and defended the reasoning for its existence, citing examples of other, similar images that were in print and had made the model, photographer and company lots of money.

That made no difference to those who cited the inappropriateness of the image in question.

Here are the images I posted...

All photos ©Carlos Paradinha Photography

The image that was cast as "awkward" is the fourth image (second down on the right in the series) where the model is bent over, laughing, with his hand still inside the waistband of his shorts.  The commenters stated that the positioning of the model's hand, coupled with his laughter and bent over positioning lent to the idea that he was "caught in the act" of manipulating himself, or "grabbing his junk."  (I dislike that term - to state that a man's genitalia is "junk" is as offensive to me as calling a woman's vagina a "snatch" - equally as vile and uncouth in my opinion.)

I stood by the image and defended its existence as a candid moment and photographically relevant to the brand that was being 'advertised' for the school assignment (which was the use of ring lighting, btw).

With that image above in mind, please take a look at this image taken from a publication for the same line of apparel the model above is wearing:

©Abercrombie & Fitch, Summer Quarterly Catalog, 2002

What is on that lad's mind as he places his hand inside the waistband of his swim trunks and shorts while looking at the lass looking in the mirror?  Do we dare venture a guess?  Are we putting too much into the look, or the gesture, or the situation? Are we being prudish in our way of perceiving the image to be more that what it really is?  Are we taking the image out of context from the other images in the series that is an entire catalog of clothing (or lack thereof)?

My point, I would suggest, is that fashion is not only about clothing, but lifestyle.  We don't buy clothing just to cover our nakedness, but to adorn our nudity.  We accentuate, lift, shape and tuck (where necessary) in order to be alluring, sexy, appealing or what have you.  To capture that in a way that provokes attention is key to the industry, in my opinion.

Without a little provocative edge, or sex appeal, where would the fashion world be?

If I Could Turn Back Time

It's been a while since I created a post on here - and for that, I apologize.

This quarter at school has been a lot better, academically, than last quarter.  By miles.  I've been liking my Fashion class, Portraiture class, Alternative Processes Class and even my Digital Photographic Art Direction (in which I work with a graphic designer to create imagery for their layouts).

So - to get into a small bit of what's going on...  In Portraiture class we've been going through and working with lighting styles and looking at how to light both males and females differently to accentuate them as their sexual differences dictate.

For starters, We did a "self portrait" that was to show something about ourselves.  It could be as interesting, or bleak as we wanted to make it.  I, of course, went with the very symbology driven tack in an image that oozes metaphor and simile.

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

Yes, that's me as Captain America giving thanks for my spaghetti with meatball crosses and a strainer on my head and a halo behind me.  I could be here for a few hours explaining it all, but I won't.  The image is supposed to be about me "Losing My Religion" - or rather faith in the concepts that man has created around the farcical ceremonies a lot of us have been accosted by in our lives.

However, this blog isn't about religion or politics, sex or rock & roll - though there will be images that deal with those things in the future, I'm quite sure.  It's about imagery and the creation thereof - so let's continue!

The lighting pattern for this image was quite simple, and effective for what I was going for.  I used a medium soft box, up and to my right, with a fill of a white painted wall to my left and an ineffective backlight on a black background (I later Photoshopped the light behind my head in to make the halo).

I have the plate on a small table covered in black fabric that absorbs all the light and has a deep black to it to make it be less of a distraction to the main image.  I also made sure the meatball cross was right in the middle of the red stripe (I had to Photoshop that to make it 'perfect') for the proper effect.  Finally, I made my face clean and as plastic-looking as I could, without going too overboard.

I got some pretty good reviews for it, and was chided for a few weeks afterwards about it.  I kinda like it myself... :D

From the self portrait, we moved on to lighting styles - classic ones.  For males, my favorite...  Rembrandt lighting.  For females, the ultimate in simplicity... Paramount, or butterfly lighting.

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

For those unfamiliar with Rembrandt lighting, the setup is rather straight forward.  First there is a main or key light that is at 45º to the camera, high and above the subject.  The light falls across the subject's face and creates a 'triangle' of light on the opposite cheek, away from the light source.  This is to simulate a high window like they used to have in Rembrandt's day, and under which light he created his paintings.  A 'hair light' is added way above and behind the subject, feathered somewhat off the shoulders, pointing towards the camera to create a highlight on the hair and separate the subject from the background.  Lastly, a background light is added to give a subtle separation of the subject from the background even more.  There should be a 'glint' in the subject's eye(s) to give them a connection with you, the viewer, and to give them a look of life and sentience.  Dead eyes are not cool...

Rembrandt lighting is usually reserved for males because of the dramatic effect it has on the face, and the way it casts shadow that may be unflattering to women.  Hence this type of lighting...

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

Paramount, or butterfly lighting was created WAAAAAAY back in the day, at Paramount studios, to make starlets look awesome.  I daresay it works very well.  The pattern is ultra simple with one medium soft box above and in front of the subject, pointing downward to cast a pleasing "butterfly" shaped shadow under the nose (that is not to touch the lips).  We used a background light for separation, but it isn't really necessary if not desired.  A fill card was used on a table where the subject rested her arms, causing the 'light' in her eyes and filling in the shadows beneath her brows.

After we did these, all bets were off.  We were to create portraits using whatever lighting pattern we wanted to make the assignments "sing."

The next assignment was "a portrait of a woman" where we were to create an image that would be not only pleasing to the viewer, but flattering to the model.

I decided to go the classic route and see what my long dead photographic predecessors had done.  I have a really good book ("Hollywood Portraits - Classic Shots and How to Make Them" by Roger Hicks and Christopher Nisperos) that my partner got for me a while back with an image taken in 1928 that totally blew me away.

Eugene Richee took pictures of a young starlet named Louise Brooks with black on black and pearls.  I fell in love with the images and wanted to recreate them so badly I knew I had to do it.

Here are the results:

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

I thought that they were pretty stunning, and the lighting pattern for these images were very simple.  From what I learned, all he used were two beauty dishes at about 45º from the camera, aimed at the subject and at just at camera height.  

The background in these images is far away enough that it falls to a deep black quickly, and the model's dress was exceptionally black as well, absorbing most of the light with no sheen. 

Keeping with the classic style of portraiture from a past time, I looked at our next assignment - "a portrait of a man" and turned the clock forward a couple of decades from the previous shoot.  With  this in mind, I went with George Hurrell in the 1940s.

George Hurrell had a very vast array of lighting configurations and created masterpieces with them.  He must have done a ton of experimentation and in so doing, achieved superlative imagery that is still emulated today.

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

Borrowing from George's styles, I found images of Humphrey Bogart that made him look menacing and human, all at the same time.  One of the original requirements of the shoot was that the subject for the shot was to be over 35 years old.  My model had just turned 35 the week before (nudge, nudge, wink, wink!) and totally fit the bill!  I know he would make a great character for the shoot, and I wasn't wrong.  

The lighting style for these shots were not as simple as the one before.  For the bottom image, I added a background light (I didn't have one for the previous two) to make it more "Hollywood" and in character for Hurrel.  The first two were also in the Hurrell style, but I chose to leave out the background lighting and keep the rim or fill light in order to subtly define the black on black of the Fedora.  The 3rd shot still has the rim/fill lighting of the first two.

So with this shoot, I used a background light (which I then removed), a key light behind and at about 30º to the camera's right and at camera level, a second key light as a spotted Fren-L from as high as I could and at about 60º off camera axis to the right, and finally a fill/rim light at about 90º to the subject and at about shoulder level.

Again, the results were stunning.  I will definitely be taking pages from Hurrell's book of lighting and emulating his works in the future!

Our 5th assignment was to emulate a Master of Photography in the portraiture arena.  I immediately clutched to George Hurrell and worked with a model who wanted to do a conceptual piece where he was Achilles.  Since I *love* to do more editorial or theatrical imagery - I knew what was to happen...

The young man and I took a while to get the timing of the shot down, and we were plagued with an exorbitant amount of technical difficulties, including failed wiring and a burnt out lighting power pack - but we were able to get images nevertheless...!

                              

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

Speaking for themselves, the images were as close to Hurrell as I could possibly get under the circumstances.  the first one "Achilles," was a compilation of recreations of several different statues of Achilles we had found.  The second, "Achilles Before the Arrow," was a piece done for the sake of using a slower shutter speed to capture the ellipsoidal patterning in the background that can't be seen when using strobes, which we did for the first shot.  I was told that if Hurrell was alive today, he would most likely do nudes, both male and female.  I, out of my own liking of the male nude, created a piece in Hurrell's style with my (and the model's) vision.

Our 6th assignment was to capture an environmental portrait using any style of lighting that we deemed appropriate for the image.  My first attempt, was not to the instructor's liking, and rightfully so.  There was too much movement in the shot, and the individual's face was unrecognizable.

I didn't really "get" the structure and purpose of the environmental portrait at first.  After doing a little more research and going through some relevant photographs, I turned in this image:

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

With the image above, I chose to take it from a slightly lower angle in order to show that this guy was the owner, operator, creator, master cook and accountant for the business.  What people can't tell from this image is that Calozzi's started as a street vending business and is, at the time of this blog entry, just finishing their first anniversary celebrations, and expanding the business.  So, to convey that spirit of pride, hard work, dedication to something that's believed in and fought for - I captured this image of Al Calozzi next to his grill, armed with his spatulas, and beaming with tenacious pride.

One of the last assignments we had to do was either a group shot or a couple.  I had a GREAT idea for a couple's shoot, but that was not to be.  I would tell you all what that was about, but I may just keep it under wraps for a future surprise. ;-)

Since I had apparently been doing well in the class, my instructor pulled me aside one day and asked that I take a group shot of a graduating class in the Interior Design department at school.  I was more than happy to do it, and severely honored as well.  I found out that only those who are hand picked by the Photography department's faculty are able to capture that shot, and the image is displayed on the Interior Design's wall for a period of time - the length as yet to be determined.

It was a bit of a task to get the communications lines down, but once we did, I had a couple of classmates act as my assistants and we went to take the group portrait at a location of the group's choosing.  They chose a nearby pier area, overlooking the industrial side of the city.

Sadly, my poor camera was having mechanical/electronic issues and quite a few of the images came out with a 'soft' focus, though the camera had been indicating the image takes was indeed in focus.  I did what I could to save the day, but I thought it would be best to retake the image with a better camera - well, with at least one that wasn't acting funky...

Here is the image that was placed in the department's hallway:

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

Their instructor liked it a lot because it was fun and dynamic.  I liked it as well - but knew I could do better for them, so once I rescheduled the shoot, I chose the location and thankfully the weather was a lot better that day than the previous day of shooting.

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

For the most part, everyone dressed in the same outfits for the shoot (it was a week later) and the weather was absolutely stunning that day.  I thought the second shot came out weather nicely, and I was very pleased with the results.  I had a couple of other classmates assist me with the shoot on the second day as well, and just as on the first day, their assistance was incalculable and priceless.

Lastly - we had group projects in between the regular assignments where the class was split up into three groups (I was part of Group 3), and were given different tasks throughout the quarter.  The first task was to create an image from a word.  Our word was "Powerful."  We chose to use one of our group members to act as if she was a Captain of Industry and we lit her in a way that was more masculine and 'powerful looking."  The other words were "Spiritual" and "Dangerous."  We were told that we would get to re-do the task at the end of the quarter to se how our perceptions changed after we learned what were taught.

Our second task was to recreate a New York Times' Sunday paper cover using a down angle perspective with a very wide-angle lens.  It gives the person shot a very distorted and comical look.  Our idea was to do six stages of human life progression.  We did well :)

Our third task was to shoot for a magazine - our group's was Fortune.  We had to get a model who was young and and could portray an up-an-coming entrepreneur who had invented or created something of note.  We used my son, Milan, to be the young person who invented a way to use recycled materials to create skateboards that could then be themselves recycled after they expired.  

Our last task was to take the first task and create an even better image using one of the words (our choice).  I chose to use ALL of the words in one and came up with the concept.  I, as the model, played the part of a Powerfully Dangerous Spiritual image that was easily recognizable...

©Carlos Paradinha Photography

There was really no doubt in my mind that this image didn't convey the proper use of the words.  Having learned a lot about how imagery, through portraiture, could tell a story about the individual photographed, I think I'll be doing a lot better in future classes where people are involved.  I enjoyed this class immensely.

Next time - images dealing with... Fashion!

As Summer Begins (at school, that is)

So the first week of school is officially over for me.  I don't know if I should take the time to type "yeay!" or not.  I guess I just did.  Anyway - it was a good week.  I like all my classes, and I think the classmates I have in them are all quite awesome.  I like what we're going to be doing in Fashion class on Mondays, Digital Photographic Art Direction on Tuesdays, Alternative Processes II and Portraiture on Wednesdays...  I've scheduled myself for darkroom time at school on Sundays, late, just before they close.

I'm really looking forward to posting the images created this quarter here.  I'm also working on creating a web site for myself that is more professional, less bloggy, and full of imagery that is conducive to me actually getting a gig somewhere with cool companies that like what I do.

Let's see...  With Fashion, I'm looking at doing something that will be a bit on the whimsical side - hopefully my location pans out and I'm able to execute my vision for the shoot.  It's almost too simple of a shoot, with minimal equipment and all that, but sometimes the simplest things become a wet bag of worms.

With Digital Photographic Art Design, I'm going to be paired up with a nice graphic designer to create an ad campaign of some sort that is a bit on the editorial side.  My alley.

Alternative Process will be pretty cool with the prints we're to create - one of the processes, something unpronounceable by mere mortals, seems like it will potentially yield some amazing images.  Stoked.

Portraiture will have some envelope pushing potential, and I'm really looking forward to working with the people in the class.

But, before I can post anything here from school, I have to do homework!  And I'm still formulating some of the imagery I need to compose and stuff. So, until I can share my images with the blogosphere, I will leave you with some older images I did with a gentleman named Darrell who is a Yoga instructor in Virginia.  He's a very awesome individual and will BEAT YOU UP in Yoga.  I remember bleeding internally through my eyes under his instruction.  It was THAT good.

These were for you, Jennifer.... ;)

Becoming New Again

Have you ever gotten something from somewhere, or made something with your hands and really liked the way it came out, put it away (or moved a few times, misplacing it in some haphazard box), and then forgot about it for a while?  Have you then found that 'thing' and looked at it with "new eyes" (a new perspective)  and made changes to it with the upgrades and updates to your thoughts and feelings?

I have.

I've taken some images that I thought were pretty outstanding - but I dislike what I do for the most part.  Well, it's not that I dislike it, I just feel I should be doing "better" than I am, and I'm my own worst critic (reference "Not Good Enough").

So while on this 'summer break' from college, I went strolling through some of my 'older' images and attempted to exercise my creative muscles I toned during this past quarter and quarters prior.  I must say that the ability to change the image I had first taken into something more appealing (at least to me), made me smile a bit.

As from the post before this, I had images of Justin that I had 'thrown away' because of some sort of technical, esthetic, emotional, stupid reason and shelved them in the depths of my hard drive.

Taking the time to separate Justin from the background and using the tools I gathered in my Digital Illustration class, I was able to allow a more fatally flawed image to become a pretty good black and white portrait of a physically fit and handsome young man in his prime.

Not wanting to leave well enough alone, I went for another...

I did the same with the image above.  I took Justin from the background and manipulated both it and he separately.  I wanted to ensure I still was able to use the tools in my 'tool belt' and see if my new perspective on images made a difference on a shot that I would have formerly discarded as a misfortunate loss.

I know I should put up the original, but I don't want to spoil the imagery that I've created here.  I think that the law of primacy is in full effect here, and the image you all see first, will be the one you will remember best.  So to taint that image with my flaws, would be sad, IMHO.  I mean, if this was to be some sort of tutorial, I would gladly put up the originals and show the process of making the end product, like I did with "Something Old".

These are just about beautiful imagery to caress the eyes of the viewer who takes pleasure in them.

I was asked when I was going to take images of women like this.  I didn't want to answer.  I think there are SO many beautiful images of women out there in various stages of pose, dress, attitude, circumstance, lighting, color... that is exhausting.  There are few images of men that are as stunning as of women, so I would like to be one of those photographers that do the masculine form a bit of justice.