Stand the test of time...

What makes an iconic photo? What is it about a photo that makes it stand out in our mind?
Is it a look? Is it the composition?
Even more, where does the talent lie, with the photographer or with the model? Or are they working in concert?
This all came about the other day with the sudden and recent death of Farrah Fawcett. I began to think what makes a photo 'iconic'? Could it be the relevancy of the image through time? Could it be that a photo has to have the same impact it had the day it was shot as it does today?
Well, if that is the case then that photo of Farrah had it in spades.
You know the one I'm talking about. The one with with Farrah sitting in that simple, red, one piece bathing suit, her head of long, full curls, languidly tossed back over her shoulders, wearing a smile that could easily outshine the stars.
That photo.
Immediately after her death it was one of the main photos of her that was repeatedly shown on television.
It is the quintessential photo of her. It is how everyone will remember her.

It was shot by photographer Bruce McBroom when she was only 29 years old. He was contacted by a guy from a poster company who told him that Farrah had said that she wanted him to hire Mr. McBroom to do her poster. She had previously hired two other photographers and didn't like the photos they took of her and now she wanted Mr McBroom to shoot them.
Mr McBroom agreed- the only caveat being that the guy from the poster company wanted it to be about Farrah's hair, she had to be smiling, she had to be in a bikini, and it had to be really, really, sexy.
Well, to start with, Farrah didn't have a bikini...
It was shot at the house she shared with her then husband, actor, Lee Majors. Farrah did her own hair and make-up.
The wardrobe came from her very own closet. They worked together, Mr.McBroom and Farrah did, to try to find the right look. The photographer suggesting different backgrounds, Farrah trying on varying pieces of swim wear. It took a very long time to get it right- all day in fact. In the photographers own words he was 'getting desperate'.
Finally he asked her if there was a piece in her house that she hadn't tried on yet and she said that she would go and look around. When she came out of the house in the red bathing suit she asked Mr. McBroom 'what do you think of this?'.
With one look he knew immediately this was the suit. And on his very last roll, in his very last frame, he knew he had the shot.
As for that famous backdrop, Mr. McBroom got the great idea to use an old blanket from his pick-up truck whose main usage was to hide the many holes in it's seat.

In the end it took many different factors to create this very special photo. Everything had to come together just right.
For instance, what if Farrah had found a bikini? What if it was a different color? What if it wasn't just the two of them at the shoot and she hadn't been the one to do her own hair and make-up? What if Mr. McBroom hadn't used the blanket from his truck?
As beautiful as Farrah was would the photo still stand out in our minds? Would millions of young boys still put that poster on their walls?
It's come to my attention that to capture an iconic photo one has to be a bit like an medieval alchemist: you have to put your faith in both what you can do and what the God's have put before you.
Sometimes it's not always just about talent...

One peg at a time...

Alright, picture it:
A giant mountain in the middle of a big city. Two novice mountain climbers dangerously trying to scale it's hilly side. They come in search of great photos, and with their feet clad solely in cheap sneakers and orthopedic insoles they almost find it, until one of them suddenly asks the other,
"Hey, can you get filters on your camera?"
Head held high, the other, self confessed, 'more experienced' one, confidently states, "no, I can't. It is your newer model camera that has that feature, but my slightly older model does not."
To which the first one replies, "Uh,.. have you read your camera manuel lately... or ever?"

Now, I wish I could tell you that this little parable was just that, a parable, a complete work of fiction but, sadly, I can not.
This was my very own experience a few weeks ago. Imagine me standing on top of a mountain with a freind ready for a day of shooting when this little question popped up into his head. And even more sad, this was not the first time that this question was put to me. About two months before I had another friend ask me the same question and I, very confidently, gave the same answer!
When I first got my camera I remember reading every page of my manuel but I just don't remember reading this page. I don't know how that could have happened!? My only explination is that there is some sort of black hole between it's pages that even the scientist at NASA haven't discovered yet! I could be sitting on a Nobel wining gold-mine here!!!

That aside,the whole experience was a little more than humbling, to say the least.. I thought that I knew quite a bit about photography. I thought that I had come farther than this in my photographic career, that I was smarter than tripping over these tiny, little hiccups.
But, no, it's clear that I'm not, and I haven't.
The sting from this experience has not gone away as yet, and I doubt that it will anytime soon. Oh, it may have lessened a tad, but I feel that it's true purpose is to always be there to remind me that I am not bigger than my whole. I don't always know everything. There is always room to go back and relearn.
Humility... it's a funny thing.. it's always teaching..

Did I mention that I also have a tone feature on my camera?
Sepia, purple, green, and blue. They are displayed here in that exact order.

Contests entries....really, really late..

I know that it's been a year since last I posted but I thought that I would keep my word and share with you a few more of my entries into the PhotoLife Image International Photo contest. Once again, I didn't win but that just means that I have to up my game for the next time.

I know, I know- I'm late! (not a word!)
But, I have a very good reason.
For the past few months I have done nothing but sweat over the deadline of the PhotoLife Magazine Image International Photo Contest. It's this huge contest that I try to enter each year. They have approximately 60,000$ worth of prizes and over ten placements in each of the four categories.
Believe me when I say that I have lost sleep over this, I have missed meals, I have said no to party's (well,.. not all of them- let's not go crazy!) I have pushed very good friends to the wayside, and practically abandoned kind hearted relatives!
But, with thirty seconds to spare, I finally submitted all ten of my images the other night and am free to mix with society again!
Free world beware!! WhooHoo!!

Some of my images you have already seen-namely, the portraits from my final portfolio. The others are new and are some of my most recent work, of which I am quite proud of, to tell the truth. I had a lot of fun shooting them.
Because of the stress of doing my final portfolio I had completely forgotten what it was like to just shoot for yourself..
It can be quite...freeing..
For now, I'm only going to upload a few of my contest submissions. The rest I'll show you later.

Thanks for sticking by me!

I know- it's a bit late but, finally, I feel I'm ready to talk about that night. Now, don't go being too mad at me, my reasoning is that it took me this long to wean myself from the high and now, I do believe I am calm enough to tell what happened- and even then only in snippets.

About a week and a half ago I had my photography vernissage at Dawson College and it was wonderful! I had no idea it would get so busy! Tons of people showed up- on all of our sides!
I had one job that night and it was to co-ordinate the speeches, which meant gathering the student and teacher masses and letting them know where they had to be at a certain time to take part in or hear the speeches. I was so busy night I couldn't even be a good host to my own people that showed up, some as far as Ottawa...
There were flowers of every kind being passed around that night, (so was the alcohol, come to think of it..). Pats on the backs were endless and hugs, well, people just couldn't stop giving them.
Through it all the real star of the show were the photographs. Everybody's work was on display and from the view of each panel you could easily see the level of talent I had to compete with. If my work was good it was because I was surrounded by so many great talents such as my classmates.
They really out did themselves- Bravo!! Congratulations to them all!

I am not going to tell you about the after party because that belongs to us. After the year we had we needed something to call our own. Something that is just for us.
What I will do is show you the eight images that I displayed on my three panels, and the other two I didn't, for lack of space.

As a sidebar, I got some great comments and ideas from the Judges at the public judging and I just want to say thank you!
posted by loretta stephens at 8:54 pm

1 comments:
camille pasquin said...
Hey Loretta,

I just though of you today. and google your name... and here I am! I noticed that you still dont have your website up!!! you need to figure that out my dear. call or write to your host compagnie they will help you as they did with me when I got some problemes.

Other thing, you should change the title of your blog! hihihi... I am happy to see that you are doing fine... you are so good!

Take care

June 3, 2008 7:47 PM
Post a Comment

Newer Post Older Post Home
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Portfolio continue...

...And yet still more of my portfolio.
These are the last images from this set.

Okay, Let's talk about Black Wing- my Madonna loving, reflector holding, super hero Diva. He's been helping me out every Saturday (his day off, no less)for the last few months, with very little complaining. Hat's off my brother!
I am very grateful for his help. Before I (finally) got my radio slave I had him. And as you can see from my images he did a great job. I just wanted to stop and say thank you Black Wing. Your powers have not gone unnoticed, and were greatly appreciated.

Here are some examples from my portfolio:

What up my peeps!?
Okay, so it's been a while- a LONG while- since we last spoke.
Here's an update:
For the last few months I've been busy with my graduating portfolio for Photography.
I started out wanting a portfolio showing ten images of the most romantic scenes I could come up with.
I wanted all kinds of different locations: beds, restaurants, hotels.
All different kinds of props: leather, whips, wedding dresses...
Sadly, in the end, there was narey a leather whip in sight!
Or a vail, for that matter...
Instead, after confusing my teachers into submission, I was offered the topic of Portraits and, with the help of my friend, BlackWing, yes, that's right, I said it-set about corralling my victi- models for the upcoming shoot.

The majority of my subjects were taken from the McConnell Residence at McGill University- McConnell Rules, baby!!
And a lot of the are men.
Save one.
So far...
They were all a dream to shoot, so easy. It probobly helped that they all photographed so well.
Naturals, I tell you, all of them....

I'm by no means done. I still have five, or is that six, more people to shoot.
So for now, it's g'night till next time.
Keep your fingers crossed for some leather!!

In the meantime, here are some of my other images.

Alright, I'm hoping this works.
I will attempt to upload some of my images from my ever emerging portfolio.
Pray with me people...

Okay...so... I cant find the images right now- Stay with me, stay with me!
I promise they will be there soon.
Hang in there peeps...I'm on my way