Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Wyatt Siplak Peterson

After spending a long weekend in Pittsburgh with my brand new nephew Wyatt, I wouldn't dream of letting anything or anyone else be featured today.  It is very different photographing a subject who has no vanity whatsoever, it doesn't happen very often with people. Everything he did was amazing and he didn't even know it. I couldn't keep track of  how many squeaks he made or how many minutes I spent listening to him breathe. I spent more time with the family and holding him than taking pictures, but I'm excited about the photos I took. The most extensive photo shoot was during his bath time. It wasn't his favorite thing but I think he felt pretty good when it was over. After he was rinsed, Mommy (Sarah) and Daddy (Scott), put him on his plush towel and together they gently rubbed him with apricot oil. This photo shows Wyatt getting a post bath baby massage by both his parents during which Sarah lifted his little feet so I could get a good look at those toes.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Portrait

So far, I've been lucky enough to work on many different jobs and projects with varying subjects and situations. Sometimes the subject is jewelry, or fashion, sometimes food, finials, or handbags, and it's all been a very good way to discover what works and what I enjoy. While I continue to work in several genres, I love fashion and beauty, one thing I have discovered is that I will always feel that taking a portrait is like home. There is nothing that compares to getting an honest moment from another person whether they are a friend or a stranger, although with a friend there is already a sense of trust and ease. This portrait is of my friend Chelsea, although we were just getting to know each other when this was taken. This is one that has been waiting patiently on my G-drive for a year.

Monday, January 19, 2009

After plenty of inner debate about the self indulgence of starting a blog, here I am. I thought that with a website (and a second site in the works), Facebook and MySpace profiles, Flickr, Snapfish, and Photobucket accounts, I had enough cyber real estate. However, one question I always get regardless of my publicly posted information is, "What are you working on?". I seem to have come to a place where I am only sharing work as it is completed or published and the truth is, I'm constantly working on projects that may not go in my portfolio and so they sit in the wings indefinitely. I always have a camera with me and with an archive of images growing by the day, I thought I should start somewhat of a journal. Goodness knows I don't need to carry another book around with me so, for now, this will be that journal.
I hope to use this not only to share random photos and explorations but also as a place to post the workings of some projects, for example my cookbook. Today's photos of thistle were taken during a walk in Frick Park in Pittsburgh while visiting during Christmas. It was overcast, fresh, cool, and peaceful.