Cinemagraphs

So tonight I decided to experiment with Cinemography. What's that you ask? And no, it's not a made up word. Well maybe it is, but it's an amalgamation of video and photography.
My sister had sent me a link to Jamie Beck's work which is visually stimulating and inspiring and reminded me of the Harry Potter scenes where photos and paintings would move so I decided to try it myself.
I used myself as the test dummy so I set my camera down on a tripod and sat in a chair across with my photography camera. Once I had about 20 seconds of subtle movements, I exported it and edited the frames on photoshop and created this gif.

What do you guys think? =0.)

Here's a link to the inspiration: Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg Cinemagraphs

Fashion Photography Homework #3: Project 2

So for this assignment, we were asked to do a controversial ad. Most of my classmates groaned while I smiled uncontrollably from ear to ear. Finally, something I know and can do very well. At least I thought I did, until I took the train home and started to brainstorm.

Coming up with controversial ideas, sure, not a problem. Trying to incorporate such ideas into fashion... ah-ha... ah-ha, like the old jewish man in "Coming to America."
That was gimmick.
I thought of David LaChappelle and Robert Mapplethorpe and Sally Mann. Shit, even Annie Leibovitz. None of them were really, truly inspiring me and no one else I knew personally did controversial photography, only paintings and mixed media.

So I sat down to brainstorm with Robert Dumé, director of the first independent film set I photographed for, and after bouncing a few ideas back and forth. Nothing really stuck, but then it hit me, "what if we photographed an old man and a young girl?" Nah, that sucks and it's been done I bet. So, "what if we photographed an older woman and a young man for an underwear ad in a provocative pose?" Ding, ding. We had a winner.

The first thing I did was hit up a close friend who is always down to shoot anything controversial for me, Kelvin. He agreed without so much hearing the whole of the idea.
Now, next to find an older woman. I asked one of my aunts and she agreed because it was for me and it was for homework and for my future.

Everything went in line for this shoot, from getting wardrobe, to hair and make up which I did (I was very proud of myself for that) and most importantly the location. A friend of mine, Carolina, agreed to let us use her very modern apartment on 42nd Street to shoot. She too, had no idea what kind of photo shoot it was except that it was a controversial one.

In the end, my professor loved it and I finally felt like I was back in her good graces.

Here is the finished product, with a tag line I created for this and all:

Fashion Photography Homework #3: Project 1

For this assignment, my professor asked us to collaborate with a fellow photographer to create a 6 page editorial spread. What a clusterfuck!

Here's why:

I was asked by my classmate Vera to collaborate with her on the assignment. Vera is a sweet Serbian girl who has a great and different style of photography than my own and so I logically agreed. I figured I could learn from her and learn to configure my style.


In the midst of this, I had already booked a flight to Miami to visit my family because my younger brother Jon was going away into the army. So there was no way, I was going to miss seeing him off. So that limited my free time to work on the actual shoot while working a full time job.

So me and Vera set up a date to meet at Starbucks to talk ideas through. What none of us realized prior to the acceptance of said collaboration was the fact that we had different brainstorming styles. Never mind shooting styles... She visualized things first and wrapped a concept around it. I work in the opposite direction.

So on the first day we agreed to shoot in the style of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo... sounds awesome, right? Yes, we thought so too, until we realized how little time we had and how much resources we would need to pull to get it done.

After much debate, we decided on a fashionable version of Children's Games. We decided to do hula hoop, jump rope, hopscotch, hide and seek and telephone. What we didn't do and decide on is who would shoot it.
We thought that we needed to each shoot the photographs, but sadly, we were mistaken.

We paid dearly for that one with our professor criticizing our every mistake. Our mistakes were, but not limited to, different lighting and different posing. I stylized my shots to be more playful and Vera more fashionable.

It didn't help that I shot my photographs in Miami and Vera here in NYC.. I also shot some here in the city too with a male model, and that is where my professor too criticized my work personally.


Here are our shots:

The last two shots, I was criticized on because the colors were different.. the left popped with colors, the right not so much, but that was my objective. To show vibrant South Beach and cool New York. Either way, the shoot was a flop.

What me and Vera should have done was decided who was going to do the art direction and who was going to do the shooting. Since Vera was more technical than myself, I would have done the art direction. Too bad, neither of us realized sooner.

Now if it was just me putting together the shoot, this is what my version would have looked like:

Only a slight difference, but then all the lighting matches since I used only natural lighting and the styling is the same with all the photographs having the same style specs.

Another Lesson Learned from this assignment.

Fashion Photography Homework #2: Project 2

My professor asked that we take a stylized shot and a snapshot. I thought I understood the assignment, but after seeing other people's work, I realized, I didn't.
Here's someone's rough definition:
"A “snapshot” can be taken of anything and of varying quality (composition, exposure, etc.) Usually a “snapshot” is a quick rough capture to document a scene or event. A “photograph” on the other hand is a well thought, composed, exposed and executed art form..."

 Stylized shot by Jill Greenberg (who is known for achieving these shots by enticing children with candy then taking the candy away at just the right time):

 

 

 Here is an example of a snap shot shot by someone else:

Here is my misunderstood version, Stylized:

Snapshot:

 

So essentially, they are very much the same shot as per my professor. I didn't realize the difference until the day I showed this in class.

Luckily, I wasn't the only one who misunderstood and I really felt that if the professor had shown us some examples of what a "stylized" shot was versus a "snapshot" prior to us doing the homework, most of us would have done a better job.

Actually come to think of it, the same goes for the ad vs the editorial. I didn't realize there was a difference until after my blunder. Lesson learned though and hopefully some of you will learn from mistakes as well. =0.)

Fashion Photography Homework #2: Project 1

So for this assignment, we were asked to do an ad inspired by a name brand we like in 3 photos, a tight, medium and long shot. I was inspired by the Louis Vuitton luggage ads because I simply love to travel and I felt it encompassed the romance of traveling.
I unfortunately do not (yet) own a Louis Vuitton luggage/trunk, so I used a vintage, green trunk I had from a previous shoot which even though it's not name brand I love it.
I was fortunate however to have an amazing friend (Robert Krevolin) who let me borrow his apartment while he was at work because I fell in love with his living room set up and the color of his couch. I was also fortunate to be in contact with Jubei Raziel, a former Ford model & current photographer/videographer (www.DevilMayCryInRain.com) through White Train (www.whitetrain.com) who agreed to model for this homework assignment.

A lot of thought went into this homework assignment.
Perhaps too much.
I will tell you why after you view the photographs.

Louis Vuitton luggage campaign ads above were shot by the fabulous Annie Leibovitz.

Now I certainly was not trying to copy Annie's technique because for a novice like myself, that would be nearly impossible. However I was trying to capture a mood, I wanted people to feel like packing up their bags and go somewhere. I wanted men to want to be this guy below.

My professor pretty much chastised me for this assignment.
So here is where I may have over thought this. I put so much emphasis on the things going into the luggage, I forgot to showcase the luggage. I was so much enthralled with having men want to be this man, I forgot to show the luggage on its own.
I was chastised not because the work was bad, but because it wasn't an ad, it was an editorial.

Oops!

I still personally love these shots, they will just now go under my portfolio as editorial shots, not an ad.  =0.)

Fashion Photography Homework: Project 2

For this homework, my professor asked us to shoot a short series of two photographs inspired by another photographer/photograph. I was initially inspired by Sally Mann who shoots her own children in a very provocative and mature way and I wanted to shoot my nieces with red lipstick holding wine glasses with grape juice, however my brother and his wife did not want their daughters perceived in such a way (their right to refuse).  So I went with another photographer who inspires me, Richard Avedon. I chose Avedon's umbrella photograph and created my version of it and I later found out, Avedon was inspired by Hungarian photographer Martin Munkacsi. So it only made sense to pay my own homage and used my youngest niece for the photograph. She was quite the model!

And I don't say she was quite the model because she was my niece, but she was a very ideal model to have on set and in some instances better than some of the adult models I have had. She listened to direction and went for it despite the fact that she was a little scared. She was holding this huge umbrella that was twice the size of her on a windy day and when her mom and I asked her to jump over the curb, she did, even though she was afraid. Brave girl.

And here it is:
Martin Munkacsi's, "The Puddle Jumper," 1934

Richard Avedon,  "Homage to Munkasci," 1957

My, "Homage to Avedon," 2011

Model: Amory Kate Garcia, Age 4.

The above two photos are the ones I showed to my professor and my classmates. My professor loved it and thought it would get me hired for a children's clothing ad.
Baby Gap, perhaps?

Here are more photos from that shoot:

Was I wrong in saying, she is quite the model? =0.)

Fashion Photography Homework: Project 1

The first objective for my fashion photography homework was to take two photographs, one has to show clothes or an item of clothing on a person and the next photo has to show the same clothing or item off a person.

After class, I wondered what the hell was I going to do for this project. My first idea was to show a person fully decked out in a suit/dress and then using that same attire and laying it flat on the bed with that person in their underwear looking pretty sullen, sitting next to the bed.
I tossed that idea out. It was pretty shitty and done before.

I then decided to focus on one item, I was going back and forth between a handbag and a scarf. I chose the scarf because it's my favorite accessory.

Now the idea. This was pretty tough, but I eventually came up with something I knew no one had done, at least, not that I have seen.

I spent all day yesterday, calling around to friends whom I thought could pull this shoot off, friends who were naturally stylish and most importantly none that I shot before. I happened upon my friend, Rob Krevolin, a superb writer and a talent manager, who lives in the lower east side. I called him and though he hates being in front of the camera, he consented because he wanted to help in anyway he can. I have many people in my life that support my (photography) habit, he is one of them.

I asked him if he had roof access, he scoped out his apartment building and texted me that he did and that there were fire hydrants around the neighborhood. Essentially he scouted locations for me. He even found a red pump which would contrast/compliment so well with the teal scarf. =0.)

I got to his place, popped off 40 frames between himself and the hydrant and below are the results. Murphy tried to stop this shoot from happening, but I always believe things happen for a reason.

I am still debating which set I should show to my class for homework....thoughts?

Project 2 coming soon... =0.)

Haus of Topper

For the past few weeks, I've been collaborating with the Haus of Topper for an editorial shoot we are hosting in exactly one month. It's been quite the process between holding meetings, getting the right make up artist and hair stylist to getting the perfect model or at the least the one that fits our idea the best.

The Haus of Topper was started by the amazingly ambitious David Topper who has been in the fashion industry for years now and works for a top designer. He created this line for his exquisitely hand-crafted jewelry and plans on expanding to become more of a lifestyle line than only just jewelry.

This Sunday, the Haus of Topper and myself will go location scouting in Brooklyn which will allow me to block my shots and get a sense of what we're working with. Location scouting and blocking is important for the flow of the shoot. It hinders Murphy's Law just a little. =0.)

The shoot is 70's inspired, but will maintain its modernity with my angles and the HoT style. Topper's pieces are a direct reflection of himself. Bold, daring, unique and, dare I say, sexy. And so for these reasons I am excited to be on this project and humbled he has asked me to be the head photographer.

Incidentally, while we are shooting, we will also be filming a commercial directed by Robert Dume of Briefcase Productions. It's bound to be a day of laughs, arguments, hairspray, creativity, lipstick on collars and much, much more.
I cannot wait!

Here are some photographs from our impromptu photo shoot last November with model Ruth Matos, stylized by Jason Zwickl. =0.)

Photo Journal

So we were asked to keep a photo journal by our professor at ICP. I don't normally carry around my camera with my everyday because it gets cumbersome. I do snap photos in my head and so I have been carrying my third-hand EOS Rebel, yes I am a Canon girl, around taking photos of what normally I would take in my head for the past 3 days.

This first photo is my visual planner. I write things that need to get done this week as well as tack up notes, postcards, pictures and letters to inspire me. Keep me going with my goals.

This second photo is my notebook for photography class, my crackberry and the wallet I purchased in London when I was last there. These three items (and the pen too) have become essential the last week.

This photo was taken on 7th Avenue near Times Square. I found this hunched lady so interesting and I love the contrast of the young women walking by scantily dressed and the contrast of young and old.

I am a curious person by nature and curiouser when I see puddles. I love reflections! I feel like Alice peering through the looking glass seeing the world from a different perspective. Even without a camera in tow, I always try to scope out a puddle from all angles. To me, it's like a gaping hole in the ground displaying a world parallel to our own.

I liked the juxtaposition of these signs. All going different ways. And it's Fashion Avenue. Appropriate for my fashion photography class. =0.)

Anyone who lives or has visited New York City can recognize a shot like this because really it's everyday life. Our view coming up from the ground, granted sometimes it's not as delightful as this, but it's a perspective we New Yorkers know well.

Going down.


The 72nd & Broadway subway station by night. A sight I have come to know very well.



Gray's Papaya! The best hot dog in New York City. Inexpensive and grilled to perfection. Mmm....

Capitalism and Warhol in 2011.





So these have been findings for the last few days..... I will take more and keep adding.. =0.D

The Model Scientist/Doctor

Here is model Tim Lau. He is a science major at St. John's University with hopes of becoming a doctor and going to med school at Columbia University.
When no one is looking, Tim sneaks away from lab reports and neutrons to pose for photographers like myself.

Tim is a blank canvas. You can paint him in any direction and he's more than willing to follow if you believe a certain angle or look or pose will make for a great shot.
He is super friendly and easy to work with. I am so glad to call him friend after our first shoot together last year where I had him dressed in a retro suit.

On Monday, we scoured the Meatpacking District in New York City looking for an amazing place to shoot. We found one incredibly amazing location that had rusted pipes, graffiti and a fence, but reeked with such a stench that our nostrils felt seared.
Did I mention Tim is brave? Oh yes! He changed in this location which had substances on the floor which can only be described as pigeon and human shit and piss (those were the noticeable elements). He quickly donned his black suit, with a blue button down and grey tie. I took one look at him and knew that he needed something. Ah! I popped my mustard glasses on him and voila! An amazing color contrast.

Here are a few photographs from our latest shoot together as well as a couple from our first shoot together.

First Day of School...

Yesterday I had my first photography class in the International Center of Photography taught by Andrea Blanche and its title: Fashion and Vision.
I registered for the class because I wanted to explore the facets of fashion photography. When I first went in for a portfolio review, I was told I was overqualified for the class and that I would be taking a step backwards by taking it, but somehow I wasn't convinced. My heart was telling me to take the class because somehow it would be beneficial to me. I felt I could learn a lot. I also wanted to hear from someone in the industry that I am overqualified. After all, this is the first official photography class I have taken besides the black and white film photography class in high school and the one digital course in City Tech as a requirement in Communications Design.

We had two speakers, Jaime Pallot from Conde Nast Digital and Scott Shulman, the Sartorialist. Scott's story was very inspiring because I find myself making a lot of the same decisions as he and realizing, I don't know much about the technical aspects of photography. Like him, I don't think, I just do.

We were asked to brand ourselves and I left the class wondering, just who is LaGata Photography? What am I representing? What am I trying to become? These are serious questions that need answering because once I decide and answer, that's what I will become and that's what I will have to stand by.

Naturally, there is homework to be done. Our first assignment is to take two photos, one of clothes on a person and one of clothes not on a person. I have an idea for it, but I don't want to spoil it until I have actually shot what I have in mind.

The second assignment is to take a photograph that inspires us and make it our own using a theme. I have chosen Sally Mann as my inspiration. She is bold and dares people to look inside themselves. Again, I have an idea and I even have the models and so if you know Sally Mann's work, you will immediately know what I am going for and even who my models will be.

We were also asked to keep a photo journal, taking photos everyday in any and every aspect of our lives. I will post those soon! =0.)

I am still practicing my french in hopes of working abroad as a photographer and hosting photo shoots while there. Both Jaime and Scott agreed that in Europe, there are more opportunities to break into the business and be artistic in approach, but America has more money to give. So for me, this confirmed that my decision to move abroad for a few months and following my heart, is the best thing for me.

Last Sunday, I had a fun shoot with an engaged couple who are getting married in August, Nana & Charles. We shot their engagement photos and had a great time getting to know one another. Though I loved shooting them, I realized that shooting engagement and probably weddings are not for me. I will shoot their wedding because because they're sweethearts and I promised, and also because I was referred by another amazing photographer, Kwaku, but I wholeheartedly believe it's not for me.

On Monday I shot, Tim Lau, a bio-chemist major (sorry Tim if that's incorrect, I warned I am not good with science majors.. lol) at St. John's, who loves to model when he is not busy stuck under a lab report or studying for an intensive test. We had a great time roaming the meat packing district and just picking spots to shoot at.

I will post up some of those pictures from the engagement and Tim's shoot soon.

Stay tuned for my homework assignments because I will post them soon as well. =0.)

Progression

This month for me is the month for portraits. After taking inventory of all the photographs I have taken, I realized candid portraits were one of the things I was lacking besides photos of one of the largest cities in world, New York, my hometown.

Editorials are difficult, sure. Having an idea and executing the idea to perfection is not easy, but neither is taking amazing photographs of people in their natural environment. Cooking dinner, doing laundry, sewing costumes, shaving, creating cards, etc. All things that seem pretty mundane to us all, but in the mediocrity comes familiarity. We can relate and therefore can feel more connected to that person or portrait. Editorials are meant as a selling point and they could be selling anything from a beauty product to a dress to a dream.

Another thing I am focusing on this month is updating my CV for photography and learning french. My CV has greatly changed since I first put it together a year ago (I think it was a year ago, haha).
Naturally after over a year, if you keep at something, you're bound to become more experienced. The same goes for my french.

I recently purchased the Rosetta Stone for French after working with LiveMocha.com after 9 months. My goal is to learn as much of the language as possible and then move to France for a few months to immerse myself in the language.
Not only that, but I will be looking for work there as a photographer. I would work for free if it will give me the experience of working in a field I love internationally. So if any of you know of any opportunities in any French speaking country, please shoot them my way, pretty please. =O.D