Elle | Paolo

5.1.10

2010-05-01T20:42:00.001-07:00

4.20.10

2010-04-20T15:52:00.001-07:00

4.11.10

2010-04-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

4.8.10

2010-04-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

Another one of a man Emily and I met and asked to photograph.

3.29.10

2010-03-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

3.27.10 - new work

2010-03-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

3.21.10 - new work

2010-03-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

3.10.10

2010-03-09T21:19:00.001-08:00

The image above is part of the collaborative project Emily and I are doing together.

2.22.10

2010-02-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

2.15.10

2010-02-15T17:23:00.001-08:00

New pictures 2.1.10

2010-02-01T21:33:00.000-08:00

New work

2010-01-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

Continuing to photograph women

1.10.10 !

2010-01-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

New pictures 1.6.10

2010-01-06T16:59:00.000-08:00

Recent pictures 12.29.09

2009-12-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

Some pictures I've made in the last month or so.

I'd like to make more of the still lives of porcelain statues.

12.27.2009

2009-12-28T20:49:00.000-08:00

2009-12-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

The first image of the yellow vibrator looks good. Nice use of color. I like the very subtle specular highlight in the center of the image. And the frame is good because its resolved.

On that note, perhaps you might think about tightening the frame for the smaller objects. For this viewer at least, there's a little bit too much negative space at the top. The larger and longer objects work as images because the frame, like the banana, is a good crop.

Can't wait to see the prints!

new vibrators!

2009-12-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

yyyyyyaaayyyyy

2009-11-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

i hate junior seminar
i fucking ahtetetatzksdklgh kjlekh.shfg liauegalaiurhiUGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG UGH

11.30.09

2009-11-29T22:19:00.001-08:00

New pictures 11.28.09

2009-11-28T18:26:00.001-08:00

2009-11-23T06:37:00.000-08:00

I actually really like where this project is going for you. i'm interested in the ways people present themselves to you and let them into your lives. i'm interested in your selection process. are these people you wish you could talk to? how do you identify who you want to photograph?

also, just curious here - what's your success rate with asking people to pose and getting denied?

New pictures 11.22.09

2009-11-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

Stranger portraits.

2009-11-19T13:01:00.001-08:00

we should do a show about how me make similar images

so we could juxtapose all of our pictures that look similar

11/15/09

2009-11-15T23:23:00.000-08:00

2009-11-15T23:18:00.000-08:00

process photos

2009-11-15T23:12:00.001-08:00

2009-11-15T22:54:00.001-08:00

2009-11-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

2009-11-13T21:09:00.001-08:00

colors are way off on the second one.. still fixing that background. Oh, blowing up black.. ugh.

2009-11-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

i really love the one of your cousin(?) with the light behind her. And the one of your parents! Beautiful.

Some new work

2009-11-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

project so far

2009-11-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

2009-11-09T15:38:00.001-08:00

save for web made it really yellow!

RE Elle's new work

2009-11-05T21:42:00.000-08:00

I like the new black one. However, what I enjoy most about the pink image is how the tones shift, making the object stand out as a glorified object. Maybe re-try the black one with a gray background? Or pump more light to the background with a small flash gun to make it gray-ish?

2009-11-05T20:47:00.001-08:00

2009-11-03T20:10:00.001-08:00

2009-11-03T20:06:00.001-08:00

2009-11-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

New pictures 11.3.09

2009-11-03T19:50:00.001-08:00

New pictures 10.25.09

2009-10-25T18:30:00.001-07:00

New pictures 10.10.09

2009-10-10T17:42:00.001-07:00

New pictures 9.28.09

2009-09-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

Two more new pictures of women

2009-09-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

9.20.09 New pictures of women

2009-09-20T20:02:00.001-07:00

Street/subway pictures I take of women I don't know without asking.

The photo above is someone I know.

September is rediscovered negatives month

2009-09-11T23:36:00.000-07:00

like shark week but less blood

Two new pictures 9.1.09

2009-09-01T13:30:00.001-07:00

8.26.09

2009-08-25T21:20:00.001-07:00

Some of these are new. Others are new scans from previous contact sheets.

I met this bride on the T in Boston with Emily. She and I both photographed her. This one is my frame. It might be a little too Soth and Niagara for me but I'll sit on it for a while. I shot this some time in February or March.

This one is new, part of my studies of feminine objects at home (see Botticelli's Birth of Venus light switch cover or any of the ballerina statues.)

A 4x5 portrait of Franny.

I like this frame better than the previous one posted. I think the eye contact with the camera is stronger and less passive.

And I'm doing some black and white now... because I can. Ha.

New pictures 08.18.09

2009-08-17T22:40:00.001-07:00

2009-08-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

8.5.2009

2009-08-05T20:00:00.001-07:00

8.1.2009

2009-07-31T22:03:00.000-07:00

Hayley.

This is Silvia. I met her at a party and asked to take her portrait.

I think the "regular" still lives, where I'm not setting up the shot like in the one above is working better.

7.26.09

2009-07-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't choose this at first... but I scanned it in and liked it.

This is Hillary, a classmate from school who I photographed some time in May. I didn't look at the contacts till now.

I like this frame better than the first one I chose.

That's Trina. I photographed her and chose a picture a while ago but I've been re-editing and liked this one, too.

2009-07-15T22:16:00.001-07:00

your work is getting a lot quieter, paolo.

Elle

New pictures 7.14.09

2009-07-14T20:09:00.001-07:00

New pictures 7.5.09

2009-07-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

7/5/2009

2009-07-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

more new work

2009-06-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

this is my younger cousin.

my grandparent's house.

my grandfather.

New church work

2009-06-22T09:46:00.001-07:00

2009-06-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

FAILLL i'm sorrry ok here we go: 10's for June..

New pictures 06.09.09

2009-06-09T10:46:00.001-07:00

Paolo's Five - 5.31.09

2009-06-01T21:31:00.001-07:00

Paolo's Fives - 5.24.09

2009-05-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

I did shoot new pictures! forgot i had film at color edge. ha!

Elle, Sunday 5 - May 24th 2009

2009-05-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Paolo's Fives - 5.10.09

2009-05-10T10:15:00.001-07:00

5.3.2009

2009-05-06T18:58:00.001-07:00

Elle's fives for this week cannot be published online but they happened. just fyi. Paolo check the drafts for them.

Church project statement

2009-05-03T19:12:00.001-07:00

Light is changing. It is at once a ray beaming through mahogany doors. Panels of stained glass generate rich hues of red, blue and green. In the church, light transitions from natural to artificial.

As the son of a Catholic mother I go to church every Sunday. Masses are routine. Hymns, gospel readings, the priest’s homily and communion are reenacted like a well-rehearsed musical. The repetitive nature of mass bears resemblance to the rituals a person performs within the church: baptism, communion, confession, confirmation and funerals. Catholic life starts with baptism and continues in heaven after physical death.

However much changing, light and ritual cannot survive without space. Marble columns reflect. Pews and staircases divide deep shadows and slivers of light. Gothic-inspired architecture silhouettes. Inherently photography is a visual documentation of light. These pictures look at the transformative nature of light within the Catholic Church.

Paolo's Five - 5.3.09

2009-05-01T07:56:00.001-07:00

Elle's Five 4/26/2009

2009-04-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

Paolo's Five - 4.26.09

2009-04-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

This is my rosary.

This is a girl I met named Rachael. I photographed her for my portrait class.

I like the way the flowers fall on the wet, green grass. It's sad that the flowers fall apart so quickly.

This is more work of Emily.

RE Elle's Five 4.19.09

2009-04-24T06:49:00.001-07:00

I like the one of your dad--the facial expression is and angle of the face. He's also not looking straight at the road, he is looking at an angle.

The 6th image of your mother is great. POV glorifies her. Maybe take a step back a foot or two to get the whole door and the feet in the frame?

The last image is my favorite. I like the lines and shapes, especially the way the lines on the bottom half of the frame leads your eye into the center. I'm not sure if this image is about form or if its documenting a space, which could be a floor or a ceiling? Not entirely sure but that is what makes the picture interesting.

Elle's Fives for 4/19/2009

2009-04-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

i threw in a sixth and a seventh since i was two days over!

i also changed the layout of the blog so we could have bigger pictures. feel free to change it back!

Paolo's Fives - 4.19.09

2009-04-18T17:41:00.001-07:00

Church work from NYC photo shoot.

RE Elle's Fives 4.12.09 / BXUNG Details

2009-04-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

In terms of the series, I'm responding to the first two images in your five. Maybe I laugh at the third because I was there...? And I love the last one. Its documentary in nature. And the gesture of that second hand coming in is great. The viewer doesn't necessarily know who it is. Is it a loving gesture? A "here let me see"? Or is it a "here let me a take a picture"?

The detail shots intrigue me. They remind me very much of survellliance. But they are more moment images (ex: 2/5.) Is the first image of one of those things people put in their ears to make them bigger? Its considered with shape and form. Love it. The gestures in the third and final image are pretty great. Notions of intimacy in the first and adolesence into adulthood in the second. The cigarette juxtaposed with the different colored nails is really wonderful.

New Franny Work

2009-04-14T15:29:00.001-07:00

BXUG Details

2009-04-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Elle's Sunday Fives 4/12/2009

2009-04-14T02:19:00.000-07:00

(this is the sick day picture I was talking about)

(andrew's arm)

OK some of these sunday Fives are scans... heart you...

Paolo's Fives - 4.12.09

2009-04-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

So so sorry I'm late!

Fives from church shoot on Saturday.

Re: paolo fives 4/6/2009

2009-04-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

These are emily, correct?

Responding to:

The one of her on the tree stump, the art gallery portrait (she looks like she jumped out of a portrait painting) and the one between the two columns. While I don't really like what she's wearing (it feels more like a style blog shot than a portrait of her... ) I like your framing.

RE Sunday Fives 4.5.09

2009-04-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

I'm most interested in the third image of the girl and two boys. Maybe I'm spending too much time looking at painting but I think of Madonna and Child..

I like the one of your mother. Her facial expression is intense. Your choice of natural light idealizes her. Especially with the harmonizing colors of her clothing and the room.

Good stuff, Elle.

Paolo's Five - 4.5.09

2009-04-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Elle's Five 4/5/2009

2009-04-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

The New Deal

2009-03-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

New Deal:

Must post at least five (5) new images per week that meet the following requirements:

1. Are "spontaneous" (define as you like)
2. They are allowed to be shot for assignments
3. No repeats or similar frame images

Due date: Sunday's until we die.

Less than three.

2009-03-25T10:59:00.000-07:00

thought:

i should read more SONTAG because then maybe i wouldn't be thinking about like, litterally every word she's already written and think past that.

IE:

"a photograph is not only like a subject, a homage to a subject. Is is part of, an extension of that subject; and a potent means of acquiring it, of gaining control over it"

uh elle

duh

RE Girl World Variations

2009-03-16T18:08:00.001-07:00

I think this new way of executing the project is rather successful. Eyes, mouth and almost any facial feature that makes people physically unique is irrelevant in your thesis, which from my understanding is to look at the ways toy figures are leading young children (boys and girls) to believe there is a standard that must be adhered to if he or she is to be "perfect" and maybe even "ideal."

The adage "less is more" works very nicely here. You provide the audience with as little information as possible with the exception of a few signifiers that would suggest that these are over-polished toy dolls. Which brings me to the rips on the edges. I understand your reasoning for it. Is there another way you could insinuate that these are toy-esque? What if you did the bold/emboss to make it look like it was a plastic box for instance.

Also little technical things.... please don't cut off the hands/fingers! I think they're important. No?

Cannot wait to see more!

Newest variation of Girl World

2009-03-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

i think this might be it?

i also want to mix in some porn stars so that it all looks the same at first and then you notice the subtle variations and overt similarities.

I don't know. What do you think?

New pictures

2009-03-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images I've been making of Emily. They are uncontrolled environments. I am relying on where we go to make pictures and the existing lighting conditions. I can't defend this work but I enjoy what I am making. I think it is okay to make pictures like this--maybe its simply a study. When I was making the Sally work there was a lot of purpose behind it because I was shooting with a 4x5. But I'm more intrigued that the work with Emily is intuitive.

There's a sadness about her in the second and third image that I find to be intriguing. I see that sadness in her generally, actually.

We were talking about sad things before I took the first three pictures.

In crit, my professor was looking at the last photo with the window as a frame, perhaps a picture frame or painting frame.

I would like to see this turn into a body of work. I have others that I haven't scanned to show you in Baltimore!

Also... reply to the notion of intimacy. I think "intimacy," whatever ones definition of it, can definitely be gained when the camera isn't present. Once you take it out and start photographing one can hope that some of that intimacy still remains.

Church documentary

2009-02-28T19:59:00.001-08:00

Documentary project - Catholic Church

2009-02-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

Bad negative scans of contact sheets.

self portrait

2009-02-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

just for you, pao pao

Choreolab Day 7 -- last day of shooting

2009-01-18T16:05:00.001-08:00

Choreolab Day 6

2009-01-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

Choreolab Day 5

2009-01-14T23:58:00.003-08:00

2009-01-14T22:03:00.000-08:00

nooo that was the work from Monday... I shot 9 rolls that day. I haven't scanned Tuesday's work yet!

2009-01-14T21:43:00.000-08:00

I love this one

ok. seriously, is that it? I refuse to believe out of eleven pages of contact sheets this is all you got.

Choreolab Day IV

2009-01-13T16:12:00.001-08:00

2009-01-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

Ones I am really responding to so far as a big group:

^^ i think this one is a real keeper. I love the contrast between him and the rest of the dancers.
i love this one of olivia (i think?)
another real keeper for me
good stuff kiddo

Choreolab Day III

2009-01-10T15:31:00.001-08:00

Choreolab Day II

2009-01-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

2009-01-06T23:36:00.000-08:00

i'm responding to these:

16, 15, 11, 2, 7

I think as a suggestion for the next time, you may want to zoom in on some moments - some individual interactions between people but also come a little closer. I know it's the first time you're shooting, but use the fact that you're familiar with the people - you don't really have to learn names, places, or familiarize yourself with any lingo - to your advantage. You went to Trevor, you're familiar with the people and the culture. You can engage the dancers in a way when they're not working to make it easier to go up to them and just snap when you are working. Talk to them!! It helps.

You may want to have conversations with them - ah, here, the trappings of documentary photography. Make a lunch date with a choreographer and ask them about their process if that's what you're interested in. You have to get to know the kids outside of this - you don't necessarily have to photograph that process - in order to understand their personal struggles and successes in the dance room. So often dancers are just bodies, right now, your images are basically the antithesis to the normal perception of the dancer: awkward.

which isn't a bad thing at all!

Ok and for technical: Why color?