Megan is an actress in Los Angeles, and we connected though some mutual friends on social media. This was one of those photo sessions that just demands to be in color, so of course I must obey. Its easy for me to get caught up in a dark mood and aesthetic sometimes, so it was refreshing to go for a lighter approach with this session.
Read MoreSomething I have been thinking about lately is heterosexual male sensuality/beauty, and how it is depicted (or more accurately, excluded) in our visual culture. Certain aspects of male anatomy are commonly referenced in pop culture as a source of humor, but never depicted outside pornography (aside from a few brief glimpses in HBO’s Game of Thrones). Women’s bodies are idealized & commercialized to a far greater degree than mens’, and in turn has generated pushback in the form of body-positivity and a focus on inclusiveness. Is the same true for men? Maybe in the gay male cultural ecosystem, but not really for straight men, at least as far as I can tell.
Read MoreI have been thinking about how little men are conditioned to being seen. While our society makes young girls aware of their appearances, reinforced by “Disney Princesses” and later makeup advertisements, boys and men are very rarely expected to be actively looked at. We are given expectations of how to dress depending on our work or local culture, but that is more of a uniform. Men are very rarely ever looked at as sensual, sexual beings in a way that isn’t about some fantasy about power…
Read MoreAnything that can be looked at has probably been photographed, but it’s the expression that matters. Even my work with my dear friend Ryan, who I have known and been photographing since we met in college, continues to change and grow, just as we do. Each time, better than the last.
Read MoreI hope you all had a happy halloween, and now, a happy Día de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead for my friends who are less familiar with Latin American culture. It is a celebration and remembrance of the lives of those who have passed, and its roots are a combination of indigenous Aztec traditions with Catholic influence.
Read MoreWhen Belinda of Opus Events reached out to me about photographing a vegan bridal shoot in collaboration with The Kind Bride, my first thought was that these photographs would have to defy expectations. Weddings and other events usually are places of excess, and typically do not prioritize low-waste or sustainability. I wanted to show that a wedding that does prioritize sustainable practices and materials can be as stylish and make as much of a statement as even the grandest event.
Read MoreCurrently we are in a golden age of photography-- we consume and create more photos each year than in the first century of photography. It has quite literally never in history been easier to use our individual, personal gaze and make photographic images and to share them with people around the globe-- forever visible. We are adapted to be aware of a Second Gaze, that of the judging public at large, which by the nature of the current internet is not bound by proximity of space or time. I suspect this has changed the nature of how we create and think about personal photography, how we see ourselves, and encourages us to find privacy by masking our true selves.
Read MoreJapan is an incredible place, and Tokyo in particular is so rich that you could find literally anything you are looking for. Want to spend a week trying out world-famous sushi, centuries-old sake breweries, and seeing live music every night of the week? Or perhaps go on an all-night bender through Shinjuku & Shibuya between scouting the nerd-Valhalla of Akihabara? Or a serene week of ancient temples interspersed with martial arts training in the mountains? Whatever you want, you will find.
You could take a lifetime of exploring to only scratch the surface. Here are a few of my favorite spots and a few day trips that I have found to be fun, as well as a few recommendations.
Read MoreNew work from a casual boudoir session with Belinda. She’s been having a rough time lately and this shoot was a good change of pace. I think it’s important to take a break from normal life every now and then and just enjoy the moment. So, we had a moment, shared with the young monstera deliciousa and other small plants I am growing.
Read MoreJapan is one of my favorite places to go, and I have been fortunate to visit many times in many occasions in the past several years. I wrote this guide for friends who are visiting for the first time, and I decided to publish it publicly for others to enjoy as well.
In this first part, I’m excited to share with you some tips that will make it easier to get by, both in terms of navigating the big city and also the big menus. This will be an incomplete guide for people who have never been to Japan before, and might not know anything about the culture or history.
Read MoreThis is from my boudoir session with Kealani in August.
My goal was to create work that would be dreamy and ethereal for her, since she had never before done any artistic photographs of herself, and I decided on doing a soft-focus effect for most of the photographs to achieve that style. There are many ways to get this effect, and in my case I used a vintage lens from the 1970’s.
Read MoreThis is from a recent shibari session with my friend Karissa.
To be frank, I consider myself an absolute beginner in this art, and it would be foolish for me to claim to have much more experience than that. My rope tying is improving with practice, but like photography, the real art is in the deeply personal communication that takes place during a session. Literally anyone can learn how to tie some knots, and with practice make it look good. But that’s just the beginning, not the end goal.
Read MoreOne of my friends just got a new DSLR camera, and asked me what lens he should get next, so I decided to write out my advice and share it.
The key is to understand what you need, and decide if you need it occasionally and can rent the equipment, or if you will be better off owning it.
I’d also like to offer my thoughts on buying used equipment. If you are buying something new, you have a warranty guarantee— if you are starting out with a new system, or an autofocus lens, this is very useful. You never know if the previous owner dropped the camera, or what. However, if you don’t mind buying used (and almost all cameras made in the last 5 years are just fantastic), then you can pick up some amazing gear at very affordable prices…
Read MoreLong story short, I realized that I wasn't very good at writing about my work. I could talk about it well enough over drinks with friends, but when it came time to clearly describing it for strangers, I struggled. I’d fall back on describing it as simply following my intuition, which is true to a degree, but misrepresents the amount of thought and time I have put into my practice over the years.
For a long time I gave myself the excuse that if I was good at writing, I wouldn’t be a photographer. This was BS— I am good at writing, and it has nothing to do with why I got into photography.
Talking about one’s work is a skill, and like any other skill, you need constant practice to improve. I decided to start up a blog so that I could have a reason to force myself to sit down and put my thoughts to text somewhere outside of discussion groups on forums or Facebook…
Read MoreI love being able to capture a moment, a glance, a thought between words, and preserve it. Some art philosophers say photography is about death, a never ending struggle to keep fleeting memories that are in reality already gone the instant the camera’s shutter closes.
I disagree, I think it is about life: celebrating the moments as they happen, savoring them, and allowing them to be shared with others in a way that transcends space and time. Long-gone civilizations have their monuments, our memories of love and laughter can last as long as paper can hold them.
Read MoreThis was our second time doing a shibari session together, and in the three years since the first one, I’ve certainly grown. It was a fantastic experience working with someone who has been a dear friend for several years, and being free to create and explore without judgement.
Read MoreI was recently thinking about inspiration and how people develop a personal style. There's a phrase, "follow your Muse." But what's a Muse?
In modern times, a Muse is considered a person or thing that inspires you. In Greek mythology they had a different idea: the Muses were goddesses of music, poetry, comedy, and other arts, and they were responsible for providing inspiration to humans. A song was not invented by humans, it was created by these goddesses who would whisper it into the mind of a musician. Divine inspiration.
Read MoreIt’s really easy to take time for granted. Even if the future is open, everything is finite. I may live to 110 or I may die tomorrow, but either way, there will be a finite number of photographs I create. A finite number of birthdays, a finite number of dinners with any particular friend. Cherish the moments you have, as you have them, because you never know when it may be the last.
Read MoreAh, the faithful 50mm lens, or for beginners the fantastic-plastic nifty-fifty. This essay will explain what it is, and why I consider this lens to be the best teacher in photography.
Read More
