Producing Fine Art Children's Photography

I was having lunch with another photographer friend of mine today and telling him how I felt trapped in a rut in terms of some of the photography work I was doing.  I did a lot of housecleaning earlier this year and started saying no to jobs such as shooting weddings, events and conferences.  I just couldn’t bring myself to do these jobs anymore without feeling like I wasn’t meeting my full potential.  And once again, I am back to that same place of discontent.  I’m not sure if some of you are aware that I have a second website (www.hanh-photography.com) focused on children, families, maternity,  and formerly weddings.  Lately, I’ve been re-examining that body of work and realizing, “I can do better.” 

So  for this upcoming year, I plan on taking my children’s photography work to a completely new level, and will focus on producing fine art work.  It’s my 2013 resolution and here’s a sneak preview of what’s to come.

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Shooting Sport Editorials (Part 2)

Almost every Bay Area climber know that some of the best rock climbing pictures in the world are taken in Yosemite, California, a mere 4 hours drive from San Francisco.  But what do you do when your client lives in San Francisco and has only a few hours to spare for a climbing photo shoot?   Fortunately the Bay Area boasts several scenic rock climbing locations, and places like Mt. Tam and Turtle Rock offer sweeping views of Marin,  the East Bay and San Francisco.  These images were taken for client Jameson and Jackson Search Partners to profile the outdoor lifestyle of company executive Claire Musngi.

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Shooting Sport Editorials

In recent weeks, I've had several really fun on-location shoots that took advantage of my strength in environmental portraiture, and my love of outdoor adventure sports.  My client, Jameson and Jackson Search Partners, asked me to profile their staff for the launch of their new website, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to flex my creative muscle and photograph these scenic action and editorial images. 

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Simplifying Portraiture

I’ve been in a black and white picture-making mood lately.  This need to “go dark” emerged during my earlier black and white portrait experiments and has stuck with me stylistically since then.

A lighting instructor once taught me that shooting a subject against a black background was cheating because it was too easy of a thing to do and doesn’t challenge you creatively.

I disagree.  I like to strip the background of all distractions so that my subjects become the center of attention.  I want their expressions and emotions to fill the image.  I don’t want their faces to compete with any other element in the photo.  It actually forces me to work harder to create a classic, timeless portrait that is both beautiful and meaningful.

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Fashion Forward

For years, I told myself that I never wanted to become a fashion photographer.  I hated the idea of competing in an industry which elevated materialism, objectified women, and set an unrealistic standard for beauty. Over the years, however,  I became increasingly intrigued with the fashions of local artists in San Francisco, preferring to wear unique off-beat and funky designs over cheap, mass produced crap from stores like Forever 21. When I met Kayo Mitsuyama, I jumped at the opportunity to work with her, not only because I absolutely love her versatile designs, but because I felt the need to support emerging female Asian artists like myself, who were competing in areas that were under-represented by Asian woman. Photographing for Kayo and her clothesline, Kayo Anime, represented an opportunity to dabble in fashion and create images based on my own aesthetic of female beauty - one that diverts dramatically from the hyper-sexualized portrayals of woman found so commonly in fashion magazines.

In creating these images,  I feel it is important to acknowledge Kayo for her fashion sense, Candace Simmons for her incredible modeling skills and Sandra Moreno for her talent with hair and make-up.  It was an incredible collaborative process!

Kayo's clothes can be perused and purchased online at Kayo Anime Clothing <http://www.etsy.com/listing/110557408/frill-strap-romper?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share>.

  

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People Watching

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I love to shoot portraits of people.   It amazes me that there are billions of people on this planet and that every single person looks different (unless they are a twin or triplet, of course).  Now that’s a lot of genetic diversity!  And it makes for some very interesting-looking people. 

I stare at strangers often.  In a quick two second glance, I see everything: the brightness or dullness of their eyes, their energy, their confidence, their skin texture, how light falls on them, their outstanding features, and their uniqueness.  And in my head, I’ve already created a mental snapshot of them.

It’s exhausting seeing the world that way and I get information overload all the time.  As a result,  I’ve developed selective seeing.  There are people who dominate my visual frame as I walk down the street, or go anywhere in general.  Then there are many others I don’t see at all.  (Friends tease me all the time because they claim I should know this or that person because s/he has been going to the same gym I’ve been to for years.  But I don’t recall them.) Colors, textures, clothes and unique features draw my attention.  But then again, I am no different from anyone else who likes to sit in a crowded place and people watch.

Lately, I’ve been sitting on the steps in front of my house and watching the world go by.  These are some of the folks who capture my attention as they saunter past my house.

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