Beauty in Motion

I see in frames.  Frozen moments.  I capture these images to suggest something more, something longer.  For me, it is the frame that suggests the story and lets your imagination run.  Every once in a while, I come across a person who can do the same with images in motion.  I don't shoot video very well, so I truly appreciate a master when I see one.  Kristen Bliss is one of those masters.  I am mesmerized by the beautiful way she combines still moments, and moments of only the most subtle movement, with music, to create something else....something soft, magical, and special, that still leaves room for the imagination.  Watch this little video of a fashion shoot, (photographed by the supremely talented and soulful Elizabeth Messina)


The Bride & Bloom :: Spring 2011 Shoot from bliss* productions on Vimeo.

The Diamond Cutter

I read this book many years ago, on the advice of a friend and fellow photographer. As I listen to so many of my friends struggle to find their way in their businesses, I am reminded that I would like to read it again...and recommend it to all. There is even an interesting blog/discussion group now built around The Diamond Cutter.

Stepping toward a dream: I'll take Manhattan

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

 I have focused my mind and my lenses on New York for the better part of two decades. For me, the place has become almost a state of mind, as much as a real place. New York embodies creativity....on the street, in the air, in the people, and in every nook and cranny.   It is the place which inspires me to be my most creative self. It is the place I love to go for a special event, or no reason in particular. It is a place where I love to walk. And walk. And walk.

The street is so full of energy in New York. The skyline is so full of energy in New York. I AM SO FULL OF ENERGY in New York.  And when I am feeling creative, I am also finding creative.  Here is something beautiful I found on my last trip:

I bought this image from a Japanese photographer, Naoki Okamoto, who was selling his work at Union Square. I bought 5 pieces, and wanted even more. The images are so sensitive, so lovely. I asked him which were his personal favorites. He said the New York architecture sold the best (I certainly loved it), but the fashion images were his favorites, so I bought more of those. I concentrated on getting images that showed his range, and told a beautiful color story.   These some of the other images I chose: