I received two more “Finalist” badges from the monthly Shoot the Frame contests.

Both images were made in Hawaii this past May during a photo tour.

I received notice Saturday September 10th that the photo “Saturday Afternoon” had taken the James Keefe Photography Award in the 64 Arts National Juried Exhibition. They had awards for each medium as well as a best in show.

You can see the entire show at the entire show at the Buchanan Center for the Arts in Monmouth IL through October 28th of 2022.

I’ve been working on a project for the last three years (if you want to be involved let me know; ANYone 18 and older can participate and I want YOU) mostly thanks to Covid slowing things down. I’ve been keeping some fun images under wraps until the big reveal (hopefully this fall; need people, see previous parenthesis), but I made an exception for Mizz-fitt who wanted to submit to not one but TWO magazines. I don’t usually worry about magazines, but when models want to be in print who am I to get in the way.

So, several of the images from the session made it into Vigour Magazine July issue # 4…

…as well as La Fashion Magazine issue # 2 on which we made the cover.

Always nice to have one’s work appreciated.

I did three photo tours in the last 2 months, or rather I attempted 3.

The first was to Oahu, HI, and I had a lovely three days on most populated of the islands. Most of it was work with models, but I made a couple of nice sunrises early in the morning ( I was on AZ time, so up plenty early for them ).

The second tour was in Utah and sadly I only had one day of the planned five because…COVID. But I did have a nice sunset and saw some great beasts.

The third trip was to the California Sierras near Bishop CA, but I don’t have any empty landscapes of that location (they have people in them without their clothes *GASP*)

Saturday Afternoon is on display at the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council (TRAHC) 34th Annual Juried Art Exhibition in Texarkana TX through September 3rd. They don’t appear to have an online display, so here it is if you can’t make it in person.

I’ve worked with many models over the last few years, and I am truly grateful to the people who give of their time and selves.

But…

I’ve often thought that a lot of pictures I see (and have made) have poses that I just don’t get. Why is she falling downstairs? Why is she posing in a kitchen? Why the dramatic pose? Perhaps it is a failing or lack of understanding on my part, but I don’t get it.

But…

I do know a chance for some fun and humor when I see one. So with that in mind I enlisted the aid of my dear friends Heather (model and photographer) and Becky Jo (MUA and actor among other things). Heather’s modeling style is exactly the type I wanted to have fun with and Becky and I met via a comedy troupe many years ago. These two were the perfect choices for my little project and both have expressed great pleasure at the outcome.

I hope all see the humor and know that it is with great affection that I present it with full permission of both my collaborators as I would never want to make any photo that makes someone feel less than loved and the wonderful gift they are to the world.

In addition to a gold award (see my myq-art.com page) I received an honorable mention for this series of “A.” My first (and still ongoing) project involves following a small group of families on an annual basis to create a sample timeline of the children as they age. This is the first time I’ve put together a sequence of one person for a contest.

Made these three images with Perrin Marie during her recent visit. It’s always a joy to work with her. These didn’t come out quite how I’d envisioned, but the process and working with Perrin was worth it even if I couldn’t quite get what I was after. I still like them.

I don’t get to do too many families other than my core handful these days, but recently I did a family shoot while the mother was less than a month from giving birth to the second daughter. I hadn’t met the first daughter and like many children she was a bit shy at first, but like many kids once you give them positive attention they shine.

I was especially pleased with a lot of the images because we were shooting in direct sunlight, which is always a challenge, but it can also afford certain opportunities.

I am pleased to have two pieces showing at The Gilpin Arts Association 75th Annual Diamond Jubilee Juried Art Show. Congratulations to them for supporting the arts for three-quarters of a century.

You can see my other image “Forgiveness” at http://www.myq-art.com

Addendum: Found out that, fittingly, “Saturday Afternoon” won SECOND PLACE this past Saturday Afternoon (11-June).