Love's Labour's Lost

At the weekend I popped along to the local theater company 'Shakespeare By The Sea' to do some head shots for the Company's Director Elizabeth. I am good friends with one of the actors and shot their fundraiser back in May which was a lot of fun.

Elizabeth, originally uploaded by Fanboy30.

The shoot itself was very simple and easy but I only had an hour of Elizabeth's time as they were on lunch in between rehearsals. One advantage about photographing someone with an acting background is that they are very comfortable with the camera and usually have years of experience with portraits as its part and parcel for getting work. So I had no trouble directing her to what I wanted and she posed very naturally.

My issue came afterward when I edited. A number of shots weren't focused quite right but that is always a problem when using the 50 mm lens on a high aperture is your focal plain is very shallow. The shots taken outdoors were a little flat due to the weather but I knew I could save some with Photoshop.

I narrowed it down to a small shortlist and sent them off. A day later I get called by my friend to say she wanted to see more, in my head this meant she didn't like the ones I chose, so I sent the entire shoot over in an email.
A few hours later I received a selection back to edit, funnily enough the shot above was included in my original edit but I played dumb and sent it back with the new selection. Fingers crossed this is the one she will choose as I think it captures her warmth and personality.

There is a fine line between what is a nice portrait and being happy with your self image, I often forget this but maybe its because when I take self portraits I have all the control.

Permanent State Of Abyss

Permanent State Of Abyss, originally uploaded by Fanboy30.

When you promise one of your best friends to make them beautiful you have to question what beauty is. As you will see from my images I have a dark undertone but this outlook doesn't stretch to life. For once I am totally happy with where I am right now with very little complaints.

My art has always been influenced by artists like H.R.Giger, slightly twisted and sinister with an essence of beauty.
I miss the days when I would pick up a pencil and sketch frantically the thoughts going around in my head. A simple confrontation at a grocery store or a snyde glance from a passing stranger on the street could spur off enough negativity to inspire a new picture. A lot of that I put down to being younger when you are angry at everything.

'Demons' paint/ink on paper 1992

Today I am more calmer but still have trouble taking a photo of something pretty in the picture book sense like flowers or a sunset. I can find beauty in moldy walls, flaky paint and derelict buildings, but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

In darkness there is always light or else we would never see anything?