Day 335

Shot one from the project. Ronny and Dale, Alabama fans.

Santa's Workshop right here at Home!!

I am starting feel like I am Santa working away late into the night to get my dolls done. I just wish I had his little elves to help out, don't you?...I have so many jobs that they could do!

I have been trying to come up with new dolls for each season. I am designing Valentines and Spring right now...but I have been still adding some Christmas items to my Etsy shop.

Hope your Holidays have started off well. Here are a few new items.
I wanted to make a cuff bracelet for the softie/ doll lovers. And then there is my little ice skater. I designed her after the memories of winter in Amherst NY. My dad would shovel away the snow in our backyard so that my sister & I could ice skate all day! Boy, it was so cold where we lived outside of Buffalo...but we loved it! I had a white winter snowsuit and a red hat...too cute!

Day 334

So, yesterday Rob and I started a new personal project. Neither of us know exactly what it will become, but so far, I think I could say we both enjoyed it.

Yesterday I photographed random fans for both teams of the Iron Bowl, this year down in Auburn. The Iron Bowl, for those of you who don't know, is a long-time football rivalry between the University of Alabama and Auburn University. It. Is. Intense.

More importantly to me it brings out weird parts of people you may not normally see. People use the team catch-phrases with strangers like greetings to long lost friends. A simple yelling of "war eagle" can be, at once, intimate and anonymous, individualizing and unifying.


It's weird.

It's interesting.

Anyway, the above photo is rob helping me test the light. It is a polaroid-style shot (technically fuji 100C45, which, yes, is color. I converted it...) just trying to get a feel for how things would look. Note that Rob and I both wore clothes that let us appear totally neutral. (In reality, Rob likes Auburn, I think, and I don't care. I did route for Auburn this time because they were such a massive underdog.)

I'll note here two things:

1) Yes, I did my best to rip off Avedon. I proudly walk in his shadow and will unabashedly steal his idea. This stuff won't be anything nearly as moving as his American West series, but I enjoy shooting these people on white for the sake of stripping everything down to just THE PERSON...who they are with no context.

2) I also chose to shoot everything on black and white film to further strip away the rivalry and draw lines between their collective humanity. I KNOW that a lot of a team's identity lies with their choice of colors, and GOD there were some crazy looking people. But, I couldn't care much less about the teams. I care about the people. I want to see the side of them thats present in such a weird environment.

More to come, though part of me wants to keep it all a secret (for now). Tremendous success or tremendous failure; I can only hope for those two things. I have no interest in anything in between.

Day 333

Family polaroid (4x5) of my family, give or take.

For the record, I had just asked the question "Who wants to go inside?" and steph was obviously really eager. I have no explanation for my sister's action with my tiny cousin person. But i'll be damned if we're not a great looking group. You can't tell my granddad isn't a stud. Not without a punch to the guy anyway.

btw the scan is super dusty because I just scanned it really fast to be a link from my thanksgiving Whiskerino shot.

Day 331

Day 332

Happy thanksgiving indeed, everyone.

Day 330

One early morning during my weekend upstate we went to a place called Stockbridge Bowl to watch the sunrise. Here's John drinking in the morning.

Day 329

Quick shot of David for today's Whiskerino.

Kevin
Me
David
How it looks on the website

Day 328

In honor of Alan's birthday, here's another shot of him. This time with his bike, and a tie. Who knew.

Day 327

Alan from yesterday. His Whiskerino shot yesterday was pretty bitchin.

Day 326

Film outtake of David's shot for Whiskerino yesterday.

Day 325

Jason for Whiskerino today.

Day 324

So I went up to New York for a photo retreat with this lot here. John Dolan, Holger Thoss, and Philippe Cheng put on a nice little shin dig up in the Berkshires with a pretty killer crew. Not pictured is my new favorite person in life, Anne Watkins. She does amazing water colors. Hard to explain. Check out her flickr stream.

Day 323

Day 322

Day 321

Some building. Yep.

Day 320

More from Long Island City.

Day 319

So I've been gone. I've been in New York and this is the view from my sister's neck of the woods. She lives in Long Island City near the shore of the East River. For a larger view, if for some reason you require that, click here.

Elsa + Ray

This wedding took place on a farm near Raymond, MS. It was a beautiful day for a photoshoot! The actual ceremony was during sunset, and a night-time reception was a perfect ending.

See a few more on Flickr

Fairy Elf Snow Catcher

I just finished a little Fairy Elf that loves to catch snowflakes in her little pink basket. She is only 5" tall from head to foot and has a little baby snow baby she keeps in her pocket.
I have another one I started with little polka dots on her dress. If I can find some energy, I will finish her tonight!!

Elf Helpers

Wouldn't you just love some little helpers for the holidays? One to clean, one to cook, and don't forget the one that is designated to help with the math homework!
I know I could use about five of them right now!!

So here is a little elf I created to help with the baby. She has a cute pocket to keep her in. Oh, and I added a little bell to the elf's hat so that you can always hear where she is.
There are three more in the making. Visit my Etsy shop to see some more!

Day 318

Day 317

I miss this girl already and I just left this morning. Le sigh!

Maybe I'll post some poptpops to cope!

Day 316

Kevin, rockin' it cholo style

Cindy Sherman

"The Untitled Film Stills are all black and white photos in which Sherman places herself as an unnamed actress in shots reminiscent of foreign films, Hollywood pictures, B-movies, and film noir. " - wiki

"[T]here was nothing more to say [through painting]," she later recalled. "I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead."

Day 315

Pardon the apparent narcissism but this was today's Whiskerino shot and I thought it would serve a good update to the photo wall.

Day 314

David rode with me to Jasper and I took a creepy photo of him. Yep.

Day 313

Another whiskerino shave down shot. David this time.



And speaking of David, this evening we went into full on nerd mode and totally reorganized his media center area now that the drawers are finally installed. It's been three years of waiting for the doors to be installed, I think.

Here's a crappy shot of it being tidy.

Day 312

Another shot from our Whiskerino shave down.


And also this random shot. I don't know if I ever scanned this, but its a polaroid from hanging out with Paleo just under a year ago.