Hand-Made Halloween :: Thanos

Thanos costume build for my 12 year old son. I found a template for the Infinity Gauntlet and for the helmet but was not able to find a suitable template for the armour or for the double-bladed weapon, so I created those by looking at comic-book references and screenshots. I started with the gauntlet and then proceeded to build from the head down the body. The blade was the second piece I built after the gauntlet, but was the last piece to be finished. I couldn't find a suitable mask for the costume, so I re-purposed a cheap, plastic Hulk mask I had in my Halloween box and built up the chin and other features to match reference images I had for Thanos. I documented the build process and finished with a studio session to show off all the different aspects of the costume.

Hand-Made Halloween :: Iron Man

I created this costume by hand. The only store-bought parts of this costume were the electronic components. The arc reactor in the chest and the right hand glove with the repulsor light were integrated into the design. Every other part of the costume was cut, shaped, glued, painted, and assembled by hand. I found templates for the basic design online but it didn't fit properly so I had to make adjustments to different parts for my son's body size. I documented the build process as it progressed over three months.

Hand-Made Halloween :: Plague Doctor

I have a drive to create art in as many forms as possible. In this case, I created several versions of the character of a plague doctor. The cane was hand-made using pvc, plywood, thin foam, and the winged head was sculpted in clay and painted to look like aged metal. The hat was also hand-made using eva foam. The mask was originally designed to be made using 2mm eva foam and after the first attempt in that manner, I experimented using thicker materials. Then I made several modifications and altered the details to customize it to my needs. I played with different color combinations and imitations of leather and metal findings.

Senior Portraits for Will part 3

Senior portraits should show you many different personality traits that describe their individuality. Its important to change wardrobe and location so it doesn't feel shoe-horned into a tiny location. I like to finish a set with formal portraits so they don't feel too stiff or forced. After shooting all the fun poses running around the park and river trails the formal poses fall together much more naturally.

Senior Portraits for Will part 2

Continuing Will's session, we used the surrounding areas in the park to change the look of his session. From the basketball court to the river's edge, each location brought with it a new perspective for his senior pictures. I don't like to limit anyone to a set number of poses but instead I encourage them to bring as many wardrobe changes and props as they can think of. My sessions run up to two hours and shooting 300 or more images is commonplace.

Senior Portraits for Will part 1

Fall has arrived and with it comes cold mornings and beautiful colors in the trees. I love shooting outdoors during this time where I can use nature as my backdrop. Local parks offer dozens of options for angles and every direction offers a new look for the photos. This is Will's senior year in high school and we were able to shoot a few hundred shots one Sunday morning in October. These are some of my favorites from his session.

Studio Portraits with Rosie

I always enjoy having new models work with me in the studio.
Here are some favorite images from Rosie's latest session...

Lynn: Studio Sessions

Lynn has been a friend of mine for many years. When they came to me wanting a series of studio portraits, I was happy to help them out. The first session focused on dramatic light and shadow. This series includes a much brighter and softer look. Their expression, posture, wardrobe, and lighting all change the overall feel of the portraits.

Studio Portraits of Lynn

Lynn has been a friend of mine for many years and came to me requesting a series of studio portraits. The first set in the series explores very dramatic lighting and includes varied expressions, poses, and intentionally heavy shadows.

Animal Portraits

Not all portraits have to be people. When a friend's cat had kittens, I got five brand new infant models to photograph. Each of these kittens has a personality all their own. Some were very active and alert and wanting to play, others were timid and scared for the entire time I was pointing a camera at them. Each kitten posed for about two minutes and then got to go chill with their mama. That's the beauty of having a portable lighting setup. I can create a studio in anyone's living room.

No Evil

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

I love this series. There are so many ways to interpret each pose. The images I composited all seemed such a good match to each other, but I will include some outtakes as well. You can find the full post of No Evil on Eden's Edge Studio

A Few Words About Me

OK, maybe more than a few words. I feel as though my interest in photography needed a little more explanation, so I created a biography of my photographic journey.

I have been a photographer since I was seventeen years old. Since the first time I picked up a camera with the intention of documenting an event, and capturing a moment in time. And, even twenty years later, I am still in love with photography. I have dedicated my time to understanding the intricacies of exposure and composition, so that each session flows naturally. I have studied the use of flash to achieve studio quality portraits with or without a dedicated studio. I have become more experienced controlling light in my photography sessions to achieve a wide variety of effects. I know how the light works from different angles, and which modifiers to use to create the outcome I desire. I have been an artist longer than I have been a photographer and I still find joy in many other art forms. Through my college years, I studied figure drawing & painting, color theory, sculpture, and film photography with the darkroom as my playground. I found a passion for the process and a lifelong drive to create.

  

My style of photography is different from many others, in that I like having shadows in my pictures. I prefer when shapes are described with light playing against shadows. A single light shining from one side, leaving the far side in complete shadow is one of my favorites (content warning NSFW). Or a full silhouette with just a rim of light coming from behind to amplify the edges of a person. I also like combining the two concepts into one image. By directing one light toward the side of the face and a second light from behind on the opposite side aimed on a person's hair, I can get a beautiful portrait that glows against the background. I am not exclusive to this technique either, there are many occasions where a brightly lit portrait is just as flattering as a dramatically lit portrait.

Light is the paint I use to illustrate my portraits.