Alan LeQuire, Nashville, September 30, 2010

Went to Fisk University back in September to document a show of Alan’s colossal heads, which resulted in one nice 360º stitched together panorama of the gallery, and not much else. But afterwards we went over to his studio and I shot some nice stuff, some of which is below.

Have been enjoying shooting people’s personal happenstance (or not) tableaux for some years now, usually in their homes. I love the things with which people surround themselves. Alan has quite a delightful cornucopia of things in his studio space. Also, if you haven’t visited, the LeQuire Gallery is chock full of work by a nice variety of artists, including Alan, Greg Decker, Somers Randolph, and others.

Lady Friends, New Harmony, October 10, 2010

Some of my favorite New Harmony lady friends, Alison, Molly and Lora. Got a portable seamless backdrop rig a while back and this was its maiden voyage one day, which I just realised was nearly 2 months ago...I’m a little behind on the editing and the posting. Only ever shot a little with a seamless in grad school, but that was...well, I’m not going to remember how long ago that was.

Nice little space and natural light on my front porch, which is about half glass (and I do mean little, no Avedon model and elephant shoots allowed!). Sadly it is a very seasonally limited...very cold right now unless I drag portable heating out there.

Shot first with Alison on her lunch break, and in less than an hour shot over 700 frames. It was one of the most amazingly fruitful shoots ever. Kind of helped me regain my mojo, which had gone A.W.O.L. Not amazing that there were so many frames—that could be done by accidentally keeping the shutter down while drunk—but that so many of them were good. I love when that happens.

Was so amped-up after Alison, that I called Molly and Lora too. Very last-minute. Fading light. No time for worry about makeup and costumery. It was a lovely picturing day. Hate to post so few images, there were so many nice ones.

Thank you, ladies.

Gillian St. Clair, Nashville, October 1, 2010

In Nashville a while back and was going to meet Gillie for lunch and maybe some pictures. Almost didn’t shoot anything, because she was totally worn down from a yoga dance performance the night before. Just sat and chatted before lunch and shot a bit. Glad we did. There’s some sweet stuff here...love this girl.

You can’t see much of it here, but these were shot in her new studio Steadfast and True Yoga, Music Row, near Edgehill in Villa Place.

Lex Price, Nashville, Sept. 29, 2010

Shot some nice pictures with my buddy Lex Price recently in Nashville. In his backyard studio (and, obviously, in his backyard itself).

In addition to possessing one of the finest beards around, Lex is a fabulously talented, multi-instrumentalist/producer character. He’s currently about to embark on a road gig playing bass with k.d. lang. He’s also married to a very fine girl. In spite of all this he remains a sweet, humble fella.

Long live the Queen.

“The Queen is dead, long live the Queen!” Often proclaimed at the passing of English Kings, and revamped, I believe, when Mary’s Throne passed to the first Elizabeth.

We lost Jane Blaffer Owen last night. Our lovely queen. A great friend to and the greatest matron of my little town. She had personally been so much of the life of New Harmony for so long. Quietly, and with great dignity and generosity of spirit. She was a force of nature.

Looking for an obituary, I found this little video from the National Trust for Historic Preservation (the first part is about somebody else, but keep watching...it’s short). Also a nice short remembrance here.

She invited us to dinner with a lovely group of people at the Red Geranium shortly after our arrival here, the invitation found on our steps with flowers as if left by good fairies.

My best and most enduring memory of Jane will always be looking out my studio window one day, to just barely catch a glimpse of her driving past in her baby blue golf cart, fashionably be-hatted, one hand (hopefully) on the wheel, and with a tremendous bunch of flowers in one hand, breathing them in as deeply and sweetly as a last breath.

We will miss you, Jane. Thanks for everything.

Harbinger of Spring.

I guess spring came and went with no new robins in the nest they left in my attic window from last year. Maybe they’re late, or maybe they aren’t as territorial as lots of birds seem to be. Hope they come again, enjoyed watching the three little ones hatch, grow to flying size, and leave in approximately a week. Human parents should be so lucky.

Just as the last little nestling was taking off last year he hopped up into the laundry room window, I think to say “Goodbye.”

Gillie.

Just before coming back to Nashville in time to witness my old city being washed away, I was shooting in El Paso and its environs, near this “border” there’s been so much ill-informed shouting about lately. Just before THAT I did a little shoot at Yoga Source with my friend Gillie. It kind of got lost in the swirl of things. El Paso, then the flooding, then coming back to find a sweet neighbor had died while I was gone. It’s just been a little too sad lately.

Edited some stuff last couple of days. We had been talking about trying to do this for ages, so despite all efforts to feel no pressure...I felt a little pressure. Pretty unplanned, short-ish shoot. Wasn’t trying to do textbook studio-lit pose-photos for a book, but more environmental portrait/document of Gillie doing her thing. Nice natural light. Yummy subject. Very happy : )