Reflections on the Project:

Longer exposures create soft water and clouds as the camera captures the movement over time. Contrasted by our very still model.
As this portfolio of images evolves and expands I’m more and more taken aback by the power and subtlety of these photographs. Like all good artistic projects, this was pursued on a hunch. And, as the portfolio of images comes to light, so do the guiding principles and underlying moods of that hunch. It’s wild how it works, being led by your feelings, and then manifesting some physical form of the results.
Now that we have screened down the images and can see them together side-by-side it’s more apparent the different moods of the models, light and the settings.
I can see play, curiosity, awe, sensuality, reflection and displays of power… backdropped by a natural setting that is soft, supportive and mysterious in it’s ever-changing complexity. Themes of water, soft-edges and change overlay as well.
What feelings and themes do you gather from these images?
About the Shoot:
In mid-October we rendezvoused with three amazing models, four including my wife Marion in the Umpqua River Valley of Oregon Cascades for our last big photo shoot of the season. We chose this location as there were hot-springs nearby. The weather this time of year is predictably foggy, wet and cold, especially up at elevation. Thus, hot springs felt like a natural hub as far as locations went as they provide sanctuary and comfort amidst the chilly fall rain.
Highlights included successfully getting some long exposure shots with our model staying absolutely still for about 6 seconds (See image top-left). I’ve been meditating on how to get some shots like this and I’m glad to have started moving and experimenting with this idea. Another highlight included walking up to the hot-springs in the very early morning light and getting some more very neat reflections shots. I think my favorite is the image with three of our models in three different pools that were staggered up on the hillside above the Umpqua river.
Behind the Scenes:
Image credit – Bernie Fox
What’s Next?
One of the most important aspects of pursing a long term artistic project is to make it financially justifiable. Thus, we are incorporating 12 of the Wild Woman images we have gathered so far, into a Calendar for 2017 (available now). If we have even mediocre sales results we will be able to recoup some of the investment we’ve made thus far in to the project, and hopefully create a budget for next years shoots. If we have good calendar sales, we will have more tools and momentum to move the project forward with! If you wanna see more images and support this artistic idea, please support this project by ordering a calendar through the link below!
Order your Calendar
View the sample gallery below:
- Longer exposures create soft water and clouds as the camera captures the movement over time. Contrasted by our very still model.
Order your Calendar