e t h a n j a m e s

Frank Sinatra once sang...

2012-01-22T18:48:00.002-06:00

"When I was seventeen / It was a very good year ..."

And for me, things were pretty good when I was seventeen. I wanted to be a writer, so I went to college and I wrote (poetry and short fiction and worked for newspapers and magazines). Sinatra also sings about how things were good when he was twenty-one and thirty-five (and somewhere in that song my real age resides).

I have to say 2012 is a very good year and it has only just begun. My story goes:

When I was a little kiddo, I dreamed of becoming a published writer. As an adult, I became a published photographer and writer, but the one opportunity I have always hoped to be presented with is the chance to publish my own book. I'm happy to announce that my first book on cinema will be made possible by McFarland Publishers, but there's more:

PUBLISHING PROJECT - Click Here - Take a moment to read about my publishing project and hopefully some of you can join me in this venture for 2012.

,,,^..^,,,

sometimes they come back ... part two

2012-01-13T08:03:00.004-06:00

i met evan catlett for a shoot a little over two years ago. he seemed a well-mannered, quiet individual and he was confident in front of the camera.

flash-forward to present day and he looks and moves in front of the camera just as well as he did the first time we met.

thanks for stopping by, sir - until we meet again . . .

- me

one year later ...

2012-01-03T22:17:00.002-06:00

my first blog of 2011 discussed photography, friends, and interesting life developments, but its focus was on my friend peter and the life he lived:

Dedication to Peter

the loss does not diminish after a year, but the celebration of him as the dearest of friends continues.

i push forward in life because of loved ones like peter; 2012 should prove to be a full year filled with photography, teaching, some travel, and at least two big announcements i'll be making soon-ish.

good cheer and blessings and health and love to all.

happy new year.

- me

nyc fading...

2011-12-03T20:59:00.005-06:00

it seems like only a few days ago i was in ny, but it was summer - now long gone. i'm a winter person so i look forward to more cold, grey, crisp days ahead.

here's an image of diego from this summer to keep you all snug and cozy as the wind blows outside.

stay warm,

ej

the skin we live in ...

2011-11-23T20:00:00.006-06:00

on saturday, i went to see a staged production of Underwear: The Musical. it was a fun romp about a futuristic underwear modeling company and an evil boss who controlled her models by the special undergarments she created. i hadn't been to see any musical theatre productions in quite a long time so it was refreshing to get out and see art in another form express itself in funny, bawdy, and extremely talented ways.

i photographed one of the guys (justin) from the show a few days before i went to see the performance. he didn't have many lines in the musical, but he certainly gave some of the best character acting in facial expressions i saw all night. when we shot prior to the performance, he put on a show of relaxed poise that reminded me why i liked shooting him the first time back in 2010. here's justin up close and personal without the musical accompaniment.

thanks for coming back, justin ... and thanks to everyone for keeping up with the blog :)

ej

meet brandon ...

2011-11-03T18:53:00.003-05:00

he's a barrel of laughs with a dream in his heart. i'd say that's the best way i can describe him and how it felt to shoot him a week or so ago. we peeled away the layers and allowed his personality and physicality (face and body) the chance to shine before the camera.

keep an eye on this one; i think he'll be back :)

ej

sometimes they come back ...

2011-10-12T11:52:00.009-05:00

i first met derek medlin back in september 2007 when i was in florida for an academic conference on pop culture. as with most conferences, participants typically go to a few panels or present essays and then spend the rest of the time doing leisurely activities. i decided to bring my camera and seek out some local talent for shooting. i photographed derek and 5 other guys (erik, alan, darion, and two hotel guests swimming and diving in the pool) during my trip ...

... but only one continues to pass through every year or so for a chat, a few photos, and this time a shower (after driving over 20hrs on his way back to florida).

back in 2007, derek was this young kiddo with a big tattoo who wanted to see what he could do with modeling. i had no idea where to go in florida (we were in jacksonville), so he picked me up and we drove around until i said, "let's try here" ...

in august of 2008, he made his first pass through tennessee. i was all over the place with what i wanted to shoot ...

and then he came back in february 2009 with a fresh haircut and a more polished look ...

i thought it was the best i had ever seen him look; however, derek passed through town again this past weekend and even after driving over 20hrs while on his way back to florida he managed to grab a quick shower, jump in front of the camera, and present himself in what i can honestly say is ... well, i'll let the photo speak the words:

derek says he's ready to try his hand (or face and body i suppose we would have to say) at modeling again, and i wish him the best - he deserves it.

thanks for being one of the good ones and always making time to pass through, sir.

return of the riff ...

2011-09-28T13:59:00.004-05:00

earlier this year, i photographed tim and macy who formed the group RiffleHill.

this time, tim came back to do some solo work to get a portfolio started for himself. we shot in a record amount of time - for those of you who know me 5 minutes usually means 3 hours - but managed to get some solid shots.

tim decided to "forget" his sandals in the studio so now he has to come back and maybe i'll snag another shot of him when he comes through :)

so that was summer, eh?

2011-08-20T20:21:00.002-05:00

wow, has it been that long? july came and went and not a blog post in sight :(

as many of you know, i took a trip to ny to start work on my kickstarter project (view project here: My KickStarter Project ... if you donated, you already know what's been going on since my trip. if you didn't donate, i'll quickly sum up to say i have a few magazine publications coming out, the models i worked with were extremely nice and great in front of the camera, and i was glad to see some friends while out there (on the hottest week of the summer).

so i came back to tennessee and got right back to work and haven't stopped since. i'm getting ready for the school-year to start again so my time will be split between teaching, photography, and writing ... but that's the usual.

there's a lot of new work to post (as i edit), so i shouldn't be long from posting again.

until then, i'd like to put up a dual shot i took of brett (major models ny) this past monday. we were toying around with how he would look post-haircut. he headed back to ny this week to stay and start working hard on his career - i wish him the best.

- ej

out of the gloom ...

2011-06-24T23:18:00.004-05:00

seth daniel planned to come to the studio to do some updated shots. he was excited to make the trip, but by the time he got to me it was a rainy day and he wasn't feeling well.

but ... there are those people who can push through bad days and still come out on top of things. i think he did that and here are a couple of shots to prove it.

thanks, mr. seth.

it's always that time of year

2011-05-31T10:44:00.005-05:00

professor hinkle (Frosty the Snowman) said it best - "busy, busy, busy."

that's the current season. it's not really spring and it's not really summer. it's just busy, busy, busy. but it's certainly better to be busy doing projects i enjoy that also help life progress instead of sitting around twiddling my thumbs and wondering, "what should i do now?" this is a good busy time of year.

i'm shooting, writing, editing, and planning. these are not in any order, because they are all ongoing all the time.

i've shot some excellent people recently, and i want to share a few shots ... but first i'd like to mention that i will have a new academic publication out this fall. TV Goes to Hell: An Unofficial Road Map of Supernatural will be available for purchase this coming october (edited by stacey abbott and david lavery). if you are a fan of the show, there are excellent contributions to the book, and hopefully the chapter i have written will be well-received. amazon has the book available for pre-order: Supernatural Book Pre-Order

as for the cool people i've shot lately ...

joe robinson - an awesome singer songwriter guitarist from australia. he's got a great sound, easygoing persona, and certainly charisma in front of the camera. be sure to check out his facebook page: Joe Robinson

kyle miller - pop music enthusiast and artist from tennessee. there's personality and character abundance with this guy, and he's going for the guy-next-door sensibility in this phase of his career. he can also be found on facebook: Kyle Miller

katie broas - upcoming model who takes absolutely stunning shots. we had a great time working together and i think the images prove she has "it" in front of the camera.

there are much more people to come so stay tuned ...

summertime, and the living is ...

2011-05-13T12:08:00.007-05:00

not so easy. i've been away from you guys for a little bit because it was that time of year when my school duties and photographer duties and writer duties all converge upon me like a crumbling house of bricks. but i am slowly pushing the bricks away and putting things in order to let the summer come in and enjoy a better life schedule.

i'm getting over (i hope) a headcold as i type this, and i'm wondering what to post - other than writing just to say an update will be coming soon.

since the last post, i've worked with quite a good lot of people including musicians joe robinson, kyle miller, jennis coats; models katie broas, adam hutsell, damian graham; and a host of other familiar faces that have appeared on the blog before. there's also a little something coming up with the bachelorette (the series), but i'll explain that in another post.

i'd like to say thanks to all the great people i've been working with and let's keep going. if you'd like to schedule something, just take a trip over to my website Ethan James Photography to browse image samples and book a photoshoot (details are on the Info page).

until then, here's a look at a few photos from recent shoots:

seeing double (part two)

2011-04-20T14:26:00.003-05:00

i watched SCRE4M and it was ... well, bad. that's as much of a review i can give without giving away too much of what happens in the film. let's just say it's a sequel that feels extremely out of place in the contemporary market of horror films. i hope wes craven and the gang make another one (and i hope they don't).

in other news, here's a few entries to complete the "seeing double" blog post i did in march:

the image as is ...

2011-04-05T13:38:00.004-05:00

the question is universal and always the same: what brand of camera do you use?

the answer (from me) never changes: my eye.

we thrive on technology and the latest innovations in all things to make life easier for us. we have facebook, myspace, twitter, tumblr, blogs, iphones, kindles, and much more. these great developments are so useful that the next generation of children will probably learn how to use them all in kindergarten instead of learning how to physically use the hands to write or practice cursive lettering.

we become more mechanized as each day passes, and this is no different in the field of photography. i tell people i use my eye because that's where it starts. my eye frames the image, thinks about color, considers textures, imagines angles, plays with light etc. etc. etc. - the camera is there to capture these elements in a frozen moment. and from the capture, we often make the next stop photoshop. everyone talks about cs4, cs8, cs1015 (give it time), but not many discuss the initial view from what the eye sees, and i think without that consideration the idea of photography can become no more than just what technology can do for us.

i use a camera. i use an editing program. and people often wonder what things look like in between those two processes. well, for a rare glimpse (especially from me) ... i present a few images raw, uncut, untouched, unedited - they have been resized to fit here, but no other adjustments have been made. this is what my eye saw and what i wanted to capture. i like what my eye sees during a photoshoot and i like what my eyes see on a daily basis from observing my surroundings. there's a lot to see around us ... take a look:

when disaster strikes...

2011-03-26T10:35:00.002-05:00

is not just the name of a busta rhymes album. it is the social, economic, and cultural condition japan is currently facing after a tragic earthquake, tsunami, and fallout from the events.

while we sit in the comfort of our homes - even if we complain about bills, working long hours, driving economy cars, etc. - we must remember those in need in japan, in the states, in your local cities and more.

if you would like to help make a difference, check the American Red Cross website where you can help the organization fund relief efforts to bring even the smallest comfort and assistance to people in need. visit the site here: American Red Cross

when you give a little, it comes back to you ...

- me

seeing double (part one)

2011-03-09T18:06:00.005-06:00

we live in a world of binaries - stop and go, no and yes, black and white, off and on, hetero and homo, male and female, short and tall, good and bad, sweet and sour, etc. etc. etc.

and too many of us have become accustomed to that way of thinking that we sometimes forget about the lines in-between and the things that exist outside the borders. we forget about: pause, maybe, grey, potential energy, individuality, gender nonspecific, medium, indifferent, bland, etc. etc. etc.

and the same exists in photography it seems. people can view a work as either boring or exciting, new or redone, artistic or distasteful, creative or lackluster. but in-between those designations and reactions are individual responses to the work. i could never force someone to like or not like an image and i would never want to. the image is there for different people to experience it in different ways. as long as i am happy with the image, and as long as the person being photographed is happy with the image ... that is my personal concern first and foremost.

so here i present a series of couplets, featuring nathan, william, and raif. they are setup as binary sets - one "standard" image and one that reveals the body. each of the couplet images contains a considerable amount of time passing during the shoot between their captures. the limited space we see physically separating the images represents something the eyes cannot see - the change that occurs in character, personality, expression, and mood when someone is comfortable enough to allow the body to be photographed. so the two images you see here represent more than a binary presentation of visual objects, and it's something to think about when you see such a set from photographers and other artists:

just a small musing for the day :)

thanks for reading and viewing,

- me

well color me black & white

2011-03-07T21:50:00.004-06:00

photo sensibilities. when i work with people sometimes i gravitate toward shooting one person more in color and another person more in black & white. it's a feeling that comes from personality, character, interaction, mood, lighting, and much more. in essence, there's a lot that goes into getting that "feeling" that someone is more color and another person is more black & white.

and during a shoot i'm sure people have heard me murmuring "i'm gonna keep this in color" or "i hope you like black and white because it's working really well for you." they hear me mumble many things, but these are the types of phrases i find myself saying aloud almost to confirm to myself that it's ok when i'm just shooting something in color or just shooting something in black & white. it's a sensibility that fills the air and i go with it...and i'm almost always glad that i did.

the moment i met andrew i knew he was a black & white guy (and not because joan crawford secretly lives within his brain). he has a powerful flashback feel to him that works best in the stark world of black & white, which is somewhat at odds with his colorful personality. you be the judge:

but when michael came by, i immediately felt the register of reds and greens and color blends. his demeanor came across as subtle, but i think that was just one of those shooting experiences when you're meeting someone for the first time. nonetheless, his strength was color:

and maybe a bit of it is arbitrary, but i think when you really get to work with someone and collaborate in a creative field like photography the sensibilities simply appear and you go with it.

thanks for reading :)

- me

live! new! girls!

2011-03-04T21:06:00.004-06:00

i often hear the phrase, "you should shoot more women." this little ditty of encouragement or plea for gender diversity is typically something my single male friends voice to me; however, it is not restricted to them.

"do you shoot women?" is just as popular, but i usually only hear that from the ladies.

so right now i'm going to reveal a deep, dark secret about my photography. are you ready? here goes . . .

women don't book me as much as men do :) i welcome anyone and everyone to schedule a photoshoot with me, but i mostly get appointments from the guys. ladies are more than welcome to step in front of my camera, so whenever you are ready ... here i am.

i recently worked with two lovely women - stephanie and aria.

stephanie came by to get her portfolio started and we worked on a few studio shots. i have to say she has excellent bone structure that commands the camera. she was also in for a different shoot than what i usually do because parts of the shoot were being videotaped by jared nattress (budding videographer and filmmaker) for a school project. you can view the video here: Jared's Video

and here are a few shots of stephanie:

aria, on the other hand, had a more challenging shoot. i had a headcold at the time and so did she. we sniffled and blah'd here and there, but she was a trooper and pulled through quite well. her eyes are certainly camera-magnetic and they pull you into any image we took that day. and i definitely do not see a headcold in these shots (good job, aria):

so there you have it. the ladies might not outnumber the men, but they are here and i enjoy shooting them the same as anyone else. until next time...thanks for keeping up with the blog and my photography in general.

- me

generational

2011-02-13T10:33:00.006-06:00

many moons ago i shot cj, who later went on to become a model with major models in nyc. this is from 2007 (it's been a looooong time):

he's had a good run with modeling, and even popped up on our televisions as the star vampire in the usually all-female america's next top model:

so who would have thought that in 2011 i would creatively cross paths with his brother (cody) and produce some different work.

i say different in the sense that i was toying around with some different post procedures that i've heard people say turned out well, so i'm glad they were effective.

cody basically passed thru tennessee on his way back to alabama, so we only worked on a few images, but we've got a couple of things coming up in the future that i think will be quite interesting to show to you - it'll certainly be different from most of what i've shot before, and at that time you can be the judge :) until then, thanks for reading and viewing. i'll be back soon . . .

- me

after the snow

2011-02-01T10:55:00.000-06:00

the snow has melted, the rain has come and gone ... well it did for a while, but now there's a massive weather system blowing in for the south and midwest. i think we'll escape most of it (minus some rain), and in-between the snows and rains and occasional sunny days i've found time to work with people.

the blog slowed down for a couple of weeks because the intersection of photography and teaching always forces me to take a step back and organize the calendar in order to function properly for the rest of the season. so here i am, and here are some shots from recent shoots.

in my last post i mentioned there was a knoxville invasion - i shot mat, raif, and ernie in one week. mat and raif were new, and ernie and i had worked together previously. the shooting was great with all the guys, and i even got to try out a few new things (aka my snow-capped "mountain," the elusive studio lights, and more commercial approaches to capturing emotion). i should be seeing these guys again soon for a project, but here are a few shots of each from that week:

thanks for keeping up with the blog. coming soon: hair battles, duos, and the ladies are stepping in front of the camera, as well.

happy february 1st everyone.

- me

is it the weekend yet?

2011-01-19T16:54:00.000-06:00

i just finished shooting mat from knoxville, and i think if we didn't stop ourselves we would have talked about dexter, will & grace, and six feet under the whole day. but...we managed to squeeze in some shooting (the weather was not kind for sunlight but there are ways around that). his photos will jump to the blog this weekend i'm sure, and that's just one of the reasons i'm waiting for the weekend.

this is the official first week of school and when i mix teaching and photography together, you get one very tired individual - but i like it. and i'll be shooting two more knoxvillians this weekend (one friday and one sunday) so keep an eye out.

until then, enjoy a small video compilation:

the wheels keep rolling along . . .

2011-01-11T12:11:00.000-06:00

i hope everyone is having a good new year so far. this is the time of season when my photography life and teaching life converge and i get busy with both, but i am sticking with more blog posting this year. here's a quick preview of jeremy and justin. jeremy stopped by this past sunday and because of the incoming snow we had to cut the shoot short - he'll be back for part two.

justin was here a little over a week ago. he's certainly a camera-charmer and likes to laugh even with such a serious face. you'll be seeing more of him when we pair up again.

until later . . .

dedication

2011-01-07T14:04:00.000-06:00

2011 has been quite interesting, and it's only been 7 days. The new year came in, I had a photoshoot with aspiring actor/model Justin (photos soon), I made my terribly long to-do list, I heard interesting stories about people I've known for a while, I'm working on projects (writing and photography), and I got married on Facebook (I hope that doesn't ruin the institution of marriage). But all of those things--each that could be told in more depth--are being quickly summarized to get to the point of this blog and why I waited until today to post it.

Today is my best friend's birthday...but I can't call him or write him a letter or text him or give him a hug in person. Peter, as I met him in my life and later known as Aeyn, passed away January 3, 2011. We met over 13 years ago when I was in college and he was just about to start, as well. His friend April was going to pick him up from a camp and I tagged along for the ride. The first image I had of this guy was him walking on a dusty road with a little mutt scampering along next to him. He hopped into the car, April introduced us, and we became friends not too long after.

Over the years, I completely fell in love with Peter; his heart, his mind, and his overall being simply could not be matched in a friendship. He was certainly a rare find in life. We had great times together--writing poetry, drinking coffee, and smoking cigarettes (sometimes with the rest of the gang and sometimes just the two of us). We roadtripped and somehow he decided it would be ok for his tiny truck to try to off-road into the snow...I'm still not sure how we got out of that one. We shared music back in the days of Deb Talan, Rufus Wainwright, Duncan Sheik and others. And I won't even go into our film and theory discussions, but they were funny, complicated, and sometimes headache inducing. His mind was a vast vacuum of knowledge that I could not compete with--simply admire. There was definitely an epic poem being written between us with everything we went through that tested our friendship and always strengthened the care we had for each other.

My friend was offered many challenges in life. He lost his father, he lost his partner, and he was later diagnosed with leukemia. But he never stopped and he never gave up on life and the pursuit of living. I can still remember his strong, funny, and simple motto: Fuck Cancer. After many treatments, hardships, and recoveries over the past 3 and a half years, Peter had to undergo another round of treatment at the end of last year. I last spoke with him when he was halfway through, and although it was tough he was pushing along as always and not letting the illness change his desire for well-being. He passed away Monday only a few days after his treatment was complete. And no matter what belief system anyone has, I know he's still going strong as before...his memory is with me now, allowing me to write this today.

Peter was and will forever be the only person allowed to call me Jamesy :) And I can hear that voice of his now still clear. I will remember him for all my time here and beyond, and I'm glad I could share a small part of what he meant to me with you.

There's a wonderful write-up about my friend on the Arizona Daily Star website, and it features a story from him about living with cancer and the inspiration people share with each other. It's also a little funny, as he always managed to make everyone he knew smile. You can read about it here: Arizona Daily Star

I love you Peter...Aeyn...Dera...friend.

January 7, 1980 - January 3, 2011

cleanin' out my closet . . .

2010-12-31T16:37:00.000-06:00

"I got some skeletons in my closet and I don't know if no one knows it, so before they thrown me inside my coffin and close it, I'ma expose it ..." - Eminem

Let me take you back to the beginning of 2010, as this is my end-of-the-year blog. This one is going to be a bit wordy, so hold on to your seats. I just want to take some time out to acknowledge this year in terms of the good, the bad, and the not-so-cool.

GOOD

The good (or great) has been working with new people all year. I shot a lot of fresh faces, made some acquaintances, had a few publications come out, and branched out my photography in terms of exploring light, shadows, color, styling, and even the world of photoshop a little.

I started a project on Kickstarter and excellent people helped that project reach its funding goal. Thank you again. It is still ongoing and will hopefully see production in the spring. I will post updates as the project gets into full swing. Feel free to read about it (and watch the video) here:

Kickstarter Project

I graduated in August with my PhD, so feel free to call me Dr. now :) I specialize in film and children's literature if you were wondering. It was a long process involving years of schooling, but at the end I can say it was all worth it and I'm proud of myself. It never hurts to pat yourself on the back sometimes.

And probably the best thing was going home to see my family last week. My nephew is all grown up and starting the early process for college; mom, dad, and sis are doing well; grandma is going strong and cooking like no one else ever could (I'm surprised I didn't gain any weight) ...

BAD

But family talk leads into some of the not-so-great stuff, like losing one of my close uncles. I had friends lose close family members this year, too, and even though it's the "cycle of life," it is still a loss; however, I celebrate the lives as we should all celebrate the time we have here, no matter the struggles we may face.

And the only other bad situations came from people, as well. I photographed a guy who gave me a bounced check and caused entirely too much nonsense. I later found out he is generally a crook and has even been reported for using false names, claiming a false business, and causing other people (photographers specifically) trouble. So here's one rotten-egg shout out to you, XXXXX (whose real name I have no care to know). You are simply the ugliest person I have met, and for those who know me...I despise the word "ugly" and only use it to describe someone of the worst character (it has nothing to do with the surface appearance).

I also loaned a friend/model (the two words really can't exist together most would say) money to attend a funeral, and the money was never returned. If it were a couple of bucks I would say no big deal, but it was a decent amount of green that any working person can't normally just say, "here ya go." I can only assume now that the money wasn't for a funeral, so I hope whatever it was spent on gave the person some form of betterment in life ... but it was probably drugs. Lying about mailing the money to me later just added foolishness to the situation (thank you Niecy Nash for providing me with the word I was desperately seeking). I offer another rotten-egg shout out to you, XXXXX. The face in front of my camera obviously hid another person I have no desire to meet.

(I'm purging these people, but I'm not stooping down far enough to name them; however, I might post their unedited photos at some point) :)

My final rotten-egg shout out goes to all those who claim to be friends, because some of your actions this year proved otherwise. I will continue to be a giving person, a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, and so forth ... but I will not put up with selfishness or mean-spirited natures (no matter how many times you put "lol" to try to make light of the bad energy you exude). My advice to everyone is simply to ask a friend to help you with something a stranger on the street would do for another human being, and if that friend laughs at you or lies to you ... just get rid of 'em. Fill your lives and surround yourself with good people; the others can hang out with each other.

So, the moral of the story is: No BS in 2011. Yes, I said it ... no Barbra Streisand in 2011.

The END is the BEGINNING

Now that the closet has been cleaned (and I literally cleaned my closet at home, too - for those of you who know me ... that was a week-long project but it looks great now), I can focus on the year ahead. I'm looking forward to working with ... people - not so much one type or style, but people ... people of good character and personality. There will be more photography (of course), more photo projects (volunteers, anyone?), more teaching (yes, I'm a professor, too), more writing (hopefully something interesting will be happening this spring), more editing (hello to team FIASCO magazine - click here: Fiasco Magazine), some travel (NY, CA, TX), and other stuff I don't even know about yet :)

AND...the blog will be changing slightly. There will be photo posts as always, but the language is going to change some and I also want to incorporate you into the blog (look for a Facebook announcement about that early January 2011 here: Me on Facebook).

I hope you all have had a good year and I wish even more that 2011 brings you (cliche coming) more happiness than your hearts and hands can hold. I'd like to end this blog post with a few photo standouts from this year. Thank you to everyone who keeps up with the blog and website (click here: Ethan James Photography) and those who continue to support my photography.

All the best to you,

- me

2010: Ethan James Photography Year in Photos
(*** this is not a top-10, but 10 is such a good number)

PS - This song and video/short-film consumed me in 2010, so I share it with you:

RUNAWAY

time stands still in b&w

2010-12-17T19:40:00.000-06:00

this is an addition to the post entitled, "do you know this face?"

once again, this is andrew - a little more revealed here but in a b&w that i think has a timeless energy to it. i thought i would share it with you all.

have a good weekend!

rick redux

2010-12-14T11:44:00.000-06:00

i shot rick many moons ago in 2008 and now the sun has risen on his second-coming. he's ready to tackle modeling opportunities in the new year and won't give up until he has hit the asian market. did i mention he is fluent in japanese? that might come in handy.

here's rick from two years ago:

and here's rick now:

Be sure to check out Rick's details & modeling info at the link below:

Rick @ UnsignedModels

happy holiday season to everyone.

blogger to blogger . . .

2010-11-22T14:13:00.001-06:00

i just wanted to make a quick blog post to let you all know about a brother-blog i set up to showcase models seeking agency representation.

if you are with an agency or know someone who might be interested in a particular model on the page, feel free to contact.

here's the new addition: UNSIGNED

photoshoot updates coming soon . . .

- me

clouds in the sky, you know how i feel . . .

2010-11-12T10:07:00.000-06:00

ryan came to town for the summer and we were able to meet up toward the end of the season; however, he brought some clouds with him that darkened the sky. we decided to make our own sunlight and later borrow from the remains of the day. he's back in new york now and should be with an agency - in my opinion . . .

expectations

2010-11-10T20:06:00.000-06:00

"With a face like that ..."

"With a body like that ..."

These sentences are usually completed by the words, "he must be a prick." But as the old saying goes, "never judge a book by its cover." Frederick and I talked looong ago, and to make a long story short we finally met up and worked together. He was terribly nice, took direction well, made no complaints, and I think we'll be collaborating again in the future--keep an eye out for him.

she's come undone . . .

2010-11-06T15:13:00.000-05:00

celebrating form, light, and shadow:

model: jessica
info: http://www.jessicavaugn.com

do you know this face?

2010-11-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

this is andrew.

he is a dancer.

this is andrew dancing before my camera:

guys like andrew...
unsigned models...
will hopefully inspire me to do something interesting in 2011...
stay tuned...

when Fall rolled into town. . .

2010-10-24T02:10:00.000-05:00

summer became a visual memory. one of those memories involves aiden dhaval. we've talked to each other for quite a long time and over the summer he made a monstrous road trip that brought him through tennessee (i think i was the last stop on his summer modeling tour before heading home to florida).

he came in, we went over outfits, and in no time we were shooting. after a long day, we took a break for some healthy wings, pizza, and cheese bread. aiden passed out while Watchmen was playing on the tv, but the next morning we hit the road again and shot a few rounds before he had to start his trek back home.

it was excellent meeting aiden and he was a great pleasure to shoot. here's a few images from that summer memory:

i see The Hill . . .

2010-10-14T20:06:00.000-05:00

no, not lauryn hill (she's still 5-10yrs away from really returning).

no, not silent hill (pretty movie, but not great).

no, not benny hill (if you remember him, you might understand this).

yesterday--because i didn't want to blog about it then--was my birthday. i suppose you could call me a man of a certain age :) unlike the store, i am forever 25 (until i hit 50).

it was much of the usual: i stayed in bed late, i ate donuts because i wanted to, i had some wine, a friend took me out to dinner, i bought some horror dvds, and then i stayed up late enjoying the night. and with all the wonderful birthday wishes--thank you, everyone--someone will always ask, "how do you feel now?"

i have to say that i feel great. i live a terribly privileged life in which i get to teach the youth of america, take photographs, see my academic work published in a journal/book, and see my photography published in a magazine/book. do i ever have money? no. do i want to eat better? yes. do i drive a fancy car or wear fancy clothes? no, i drive a hyundai and i buy my tshirts from wal-mart or wherever you can find a good black tee. are my bills paid? no. do i have a roof over my head? yes. do i have running water? yes. do i have a bed in which to sleep? yes. this is all privilege and i do not take it for granted. i suppose my one birthday wish is always year-long -- that no one take these things for granted if you have them.

we like to complain about our jobs, our clothing, our cars, television, the food we eat, etc. ... but if you have these things to complain about, please realize that there is nothing to complain about. if your last meal wasn't covered in flies or found in a dumpster...you're ok. if you haven't been evicted from your residence and forced to live in your car...you're ok. if you haven't had to sleep on the ground in the open air because your entire community has been ravaged by natural disaster or war conflicts...you're ok.

i know there's a lot of media coverage going on about gay teens committing suicide, the don't-ask-don't-tell military policy, rights for men and women to marry whomever they want, and more - these are the "hot-button" topics currently. and i know everyone is saying "it gets better." but i think we should focus more on how WE can get better and how WE can make it better. it's great to be encouraged that "it" gets better, but the "it" is caused by physical people who need to get better themselves and make it better with each other. all the arguments and problems somehow always come to focus on "fundamental" values and such, but the fundamental (aka foundational) element of everything is that we are human--all of us. if we can share an understanding that there IS common ground still and stop allowing influence to create perception, maybe WE can get better and then IT will one day be better.

so that's my birthday wish. it's a day late, but it remains an ongoing hope. i won't get into specifics or details about any one "it" problem going on, and i won't dive into talking about my own experiences, because you've been there, too. and if you haven't been there personally, you probably know someone who has been there. do what you can to be better and i promise to do the same. maybe enough of us doing better will pay off in the near future.

i see the hill...i'm not over it. it's not behind me. it's in sight and within reach, and i want the climb up to have meaning so that the tumble down is a ride and not a fall.

thank you for keeping up with the blog. i will return to normal photo posting soon.

be well,

- me

along came michael

2010-10-03T22:31:00.000-05:00

it was probably one of the top-3 hottest days of summer ... and i decided to go out and shoot. michael drove in with a smile on his face and pep in his step. his personality beams almost as bright as his smile. we worked on a few studio shots and then the heat was on ...

i could tell michael was melting under the sun's rays, but he forged ahead–-climbing rails, jumping into the air, and braving heated brick and concrete on his skin. he was dedicated to the shoot and the photos offer proof:

from goldilocks to superman . . .

2010-09-15T17:46:00.000-05:00

when i first shot carson, we got up at the crack of dawn to take some sunrise shots in rufskin gear. the light was brilliant, the bugs flying around were cool to see, and it was great to mix a natural setting with the products; however, i don't think the person i know carson to be was fully captured in that shoot.

this past sunday . . . clark kent shed his skin and superman was revealed - oddly enough in a pair of glasses. once again, we set out on-location to shoot and the area was an excellent fit for what we decided to do. and in the studio, carson was equally strong. here's a sample of what we created:

sean (http://seanpwatters.wordpress.com/) said the images reminded him of Inception, and now that's all i can see - but in a good way :)

goldilocks 2010

2010-09-08T10:38:00.000-05:00

she's just as sweet and sincere as the character from the tale, but she also has a strength before the camera that is formidable. she came up at the end of august and we hit the studio and an outside location - and she was impressive from the start. i'm sure you'll be seeing more of her soon.

this is rebecca.

... more images available at http://facebook.com/ethanjamesphotography

p h d

2010-08-15T16:58:00.000-05:00

yesterday, those 3 letters were added to my name, resume, academic record, etc. - it's been a long (insert amount) years but it has been achieved. now, it's back to the norm of photoshoots, editing, teaching, and figuring out the next step/move in life. thanks to everyone for the congratulations and well wishes. no, i won't be going back to school for another one lol.

here's a shot of evan...lovely lad i photographed this past week:

Artists without Borders ... Photography/Art Project

2010-08-03T18:02:00.000-05:00

hey everybody,

i just launched an art project that could create work in ny, london, ca, and maybe more. you can read about the full project, pledge a donation, pass the info along to friends who are art lovers and supporters:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/257242668/artists-without-borders-photography-fashion-music

this new project that has 45 days to meet its goal, so all the help and support you can provide is completely appreciated.

***please read the full description and support the project today! all questions may be directed to the "Send Message" button at the bottom right of the page. thank you!

- ej

men of a different stripe . . .

2010-07-17T23:56:00.001-05:00

i think the title speaks for itself, so let's see the images . . .

i can transform ya . . .

2010-07-15T05:13:00.000-05:00

people often ask me, "how do you make people look so beautiful?" and i tell them, "i shoot people as they are, only a little different than they might be in their everyday lives." my goal is never to make a person look like someone s/he is not, but i do like to try to bring out other sides of the personality and character through photography. we are multiples of ourselves and never just flat representations or empty shells.

one person i want to highlight is jimbo. he's a regular guy who never fancied himself a model. we did a few portrait shots back in april '09 to document him in full beard and without - just some general shots for him to have for personal use. and now, a year later, jimbo came back and gave in to the photo process to explore another side to himself. he's still the same guy i met over a year ago, but i think the differences in the two sets of photos illustrate how change becomes possible when we let go in front of the camera. what do you think?

ck, and calvin klein, too . . .

2010-07-12T23:55:00.000-05:00

corey made a second trip down at the end of june. we had previously worked together on some studio shots long ago, and he has certainly developed a strong presence before the camera. he thought about doing something along the lines of james dean, but outfitting, weather conditions, and location took us more in the direction of cary grant (although there are no planes chasing him).

i can't post everything because his editorial will hopefully find a venue for publishing (along with joshua's set), but here's a sampling of what he did:

the third time is a charm ...

2010-07-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

it took joshua three years to get from me, and he only lives 2.5hrs away :) we talked about shooting here and there over the years, and the conversation would fade away like old friends losing touch and reuniting months later. we finally set a date, josh showed up with an array of good items to shoot, and we shot ... all day. after three years, we couldn't just shoot for an hour and call it quits. it was great to finally meet mr. joshua and work with him, and i think the images speak loudly for the collaboration:

the headshot incident

2010-06-28T22:27:00.000-05:00

i've known nathan for years ... online. we talked over the years about shooting, and for one reason or another it just never happened. so nathan finally booked a session and he said, "ethan, i really just want headshots" because he's heading out to LA later this year. but why pay for just headshots when you can get so much more? it was great to meet nathan and work with him. we got some cool studio shots and he even got ... his headshot:

photo finish

2010-06-27T02:06:00.000-05:00

it's been a busy few weeks and there are lots of photos to edit. these are the names to look out for in the upcoming posts:

jonathan
joshua
paul
andrew
nathan

each guy was a pleasure to work with, and they all brought some summer creativity out of me. thanks, guys.

here's a snippet from jonathan's shoot:

PS - Be sure to check out Sean's blog at: http://seanpwatters.wordpress.com/ - you won't be disappointed.

face

2010-06-21T04:55:00.001-05:00

every now and then a face translates to image so strikingly i don't even remember shooting the model - maybe because i was hypnotized by the strength of expression. when clint came in for a few shots that is exactly what happened. you be the judge . . .

...from LA with love

2010-06-08T10:06:00.000-05:00

i shot nick briefly before he made his move from TN to CA in the spring, but this week he returned to his old stomping grounds of nashville and came by to formally introduce himself to the camera. here's a sneak peek of what happened when the two met:

. . . . . j e s s i c a

2010-06-04T16:59:00.000-05:00

oh, jessica, you're a lady
if it takes all night you're gonna be nice
oh, jessica, i think lady
that cold, hard front could melt like ice
jessica, jessica, jessica, jessica
cold like a killer's eyes
stay with me jessica

- rick springfield

...more from the memphis men. . .

2010-05-22T14:33:00.000-05:00

memphis came a'calling

2010-05-12T00:10:00.000-05:00

jad and seth daniel made a trek to me and brought the rain and gloom and doom of the day with them; however, they still did excellent jobs in front of the camera, even if our beautiful sun was nowhere to be found.

here's a sneak peek:

carson. . .

2010-05-02T15:39:00.000-05:00

is currently unsigned. we talked here and there about doing some work together, and then rufskin sent me products so i figured we could test in some. carson came for a fitting; some things worked and others did not. we set a date to shoot, got up and headed out at the crack of dawn to catch the rays, and here is what emerged:

ernie

2010-04-09T14:56:00.000-05:00

we chatted on myspace when myspace was still alive, so that lets you know how long we've kept in contact with each other. when ernie and i finally got to work together, he had already cut his long locks but maybe one day he'll grow them back for me to shoot :) he's already seen some of the world via modeling and i'm sure there's much more in store . . .

spring arrivals . . .

2010-03-25T03:16:00.000-05:00

this year continues to move along, and after a long week of adjusting to the weather everyone loves (aka my headcold is just about gone) there are new images to present. so far it's been a busy season and busy always = good. what's even better are the people i've worked with recently. i think they've done a great job, but . . . you tell me. first up is john (coming soon - ernie, colton, daniel, and more):

closing games . . .

2010-02-28T15:01:00.001-06:00

as team usa battles it out on the ice with canada, february and the rush of early 2010 photoshoots comes to a close. here are a few highlights . . .

Model Competition

2010-02-15T01:25:00.001-06:00

There's lots of fashion going on right now, and on the local front there's a model competition kicking into gear. The Nashville Newzine is showcasing 20 male models in a competition for $1000. I've spoken to 9 of the 20 previously but have only worked with 4. I won't tell you who to vote for, but I'll give slight bias to the guys I have worked with - Ryan, Corey, Tad, and Matthew. Vote for one of them each day now thru April 12th and let the best model win!

Check out the models here:

Nashville Newzine Contestants

Good luck, guys :)

SUPPLEMENTAIRE launch issue . . .

2010-02-05T09:18:00.000-06:00

The new fashion/art magazine/book/publication SUPPLEMENTAIRE has been unleashed and is making a name for itself. The enterprise, helmed by the talented Ian Cole, showcases international photography and design work from respected artists, known and upcoming.

The publication is available online for viewing here:

SUPPLEMENTAIRE

And a lovely, bound coffee-table print book may be purchased, as well, for all you art collectors.

Check out some of my images but be sure to wander through the entire creation - you'll be glad you did :)

laughter is the best medicine

2010-01-26T12:43:00.000-06:00

some people say they feel awkward in front of the camera or that they have no idea what they're doing once a photoshoot starts. caleb learned sometimes all you need is a smile . . .

pretty in pearls

2010-01-25T23:20:00.001-06:00

kalina came over on one of the not-so-bad weather days between all the gloom and doom as of late. we shot a few images to update her portfolio and here are a few from the set . . .

sleeping beauty

2010-01-20T12:27:00.000-06:00

andy drove up from cartersville, ga during the second weekend in january. like a good model, he stayed up all night before the shoot :) after he arrived, sleep took over, but after his beauty rest we worked on some images. thanks to nikias at esculpta.com for supplying his lovely jewel creations.

ryan, for the first time

2010-01-17T22:07:00.001-06:00

ryan was in town for the holidays visiting family so we got together to do some shots. i've known ryan through a mutual friend for years and we've never really had the chance to take serious shots of him, but here he is...ryan, for the first time :)

fashion flies

2010-01-07T10:50:00.001-06:00

i had a feeling it would be a good year for young eric, and so far it seems the prediction hasn't faltered. he is currently signed with i-model, elite, giovanni, and fusion. where will he journey next? follow along . . .

and on the 3rd day...

2010-01-03T23:25:00.000-06:00

the camera said, "let there be Vegas Skin Graft." it was 25 degrees outside, i shot with kevin's camera until mine is repaired and the newbie arrives, as well. here's kevin, randall, tony, jason, and matt - Vegas Skin Graft. it was a good day . . .

new face: eric

2010-01-02T10:33:00.001-06:00

i think 2010 will be a good year for this young man. . .

new year

2010-01-01T11:01:00.000-06:00

new vision. let's get started . . .

a note from the archives . . .

2009-12-18T14:45:00.000-06:00

from alabama to pennsylvania to texas and beyond...these are just good guys - easy to work with, comfortable in front of the camera, personality and character explosions. these aren't the most current images but visual sensibilities live on; archived work can be celebrated just as much as the contemporary.

seasons photo greetings brought to you by calvin, rick, caleb, aaron, and markus.

C O M I N G S O O N . . .

2009-12-02T18:19:00.000-06:00

. . . keep your eyes open and GAZE

Model Smörgåsbord

2009-11-28T12:20:00.000-06:00

life is full of time management, time slipping away, playing catch-up ... and though my blog is late, the images still arrive on time. so here's a buffet of photos featuring a few guys i've had the opportunity to work with in the past few months (in no particular order). thanks to all the men following:

jeremy

2009-11-03T00:55:00.000-06:00

i don't have to say much more than his name. he's excellent before the camera.

Approval Ratings

2009-10-27T09:25:00.000-05:00

in the past 2 months (but probably more over a longer span of time) i have received feedback from magazines, blogs, publishers, and the like all commenting on my work. i have heard that it's beautiful, striking, moving, lovely, etc., and i'm terribly grateful for the support. but there have also been a few comments from those same people that seem to dismiss all previous statements.

recently these statements have made me question not my work but the goals of said individuals in the fields of modeling, fashion, photography, and art (some of these categories blend at times, some of them are separate at times). here are a few things i have been told:

- your work is too artsy for us.

- you need to shoot more like (insert names here that i will not reveal)

- maybe this would work if you had a hotter model

- this is too polished for us, too arty

- please don't think we're only in this for the nudity

- he doesn't fit with the other models in the spread; please don't think this is about race

"we hope you understand" - trust me, i do. i understand that we have come to the point where art/fashion/modeling worthy of publishing = abs, penises, erotic nudity, porn/porn stars. as i photograph mostly men i am speaking from that perspective specifically and unashamedly admit my ignorance to the female aspects in this arena. if we are to shoot like each other, what's the point of artistic expression, styling, creativity, variety...? if we all need to shoot "hotter" models, maybe that's why we can always see focus on abs but model expressions look like they were caught in the heat of taking a standardized test in a language they can't understand. and when did something considered art become too much to publish?

maybe i should take it as a compliment. if my work is too artsy, i should go to famous museums and tell them to exhibit me. oh wait, they would think i'm crazy. whatever the case, somehow "artsy" has become a death knell to photography...as least for me. should i think myself better than others because i'm artsy? when i'm being put down as being too artsy does that simply mean i'm high brow and the reviewer's publication is lesser than? maybe these negative comments are really positive. as you can see i'm not here to offer answers; sometimes posing questions works best to make you think how you feel about things from your own perspective.

i like art. i enjoy the photography of others because it is different from my own. i am happy to see fashion work, fitness work, nude work, portraits, headshots, scenic photography, and so much more. variety is the spice of life but it seems tunnel-vision will get you more places these days. so for now i am content to stand at the starting line and work on growth and development; i don't need to be in the race for cloning images and getting published because i shot the model whose body looks like you could grate cheese on him. faces are different...body types are different...everyone has something unique to capture. i celebrate this atmosphere of range in my work, and again i'm grateful for those who support it. and for those who don't, there are other artists out there to support who may relate to your visual senses better - that's the power of difference (not pine-sol).

the moral of the story is i'm bored with this approach to what is being called fashion, art, culture, photography, modeling, and such. i think i'm bored with this rant now, too. where's my tylenol? darn this flu season.

"i hope you understand." - and you can quote me on that.

- ej

ps - i'll be posting some new work after this rant. maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. what matters most is i like it and the people featured like it, as well. beyond that, the subjectivity or objectivity is yours . . .

playing catch-up

2009-09-23T14:16:00.000-05:00

james stopped by a few times over the summer. he was updating his portfolio, applying to modeling agencies, and living life as we all try to do in our spare time.

i shadowed him . . .

rainy tennessee

2009-09-21T00:39:00.000-05:00

it's been raining for a couple of days now and the forecast says rain will continue for the next four days. so it's a very wet, rainy tennessee currently.

how about some images to push the rain away? did i mention i went to ny in june? well, i did.

here is some proof (models courtesy of empire models ny) . . .

updates are coming...

2009-09-10T17:53:00.000-05:00

school has begun ... work continues ... and i will be getting back on track to talk to all of you and show you new images.

here are a few teasers from what i've been working on in my blogsence (blog + absence?):

G A Z E upon this . . .

2009-08-17T16:55:00.000-05:00

I have forsaken my blog. My good friend, Jay, told me I was neglecting it but things have been super busy since June. I went to NY, I was reading and writing for my dissertation, I just finished contributing to a book (more on that soon), I have an academic paper on Dexter being published in November, and now the school semester is upon me again, as well...

But fear not, new images are coming! I will be posting this week and next week new images from the summer and maybe a few sneak peeks at work that won't be uncovered for a while for different reasons.

NOW..........I would like to present the trailer for the certainly anticipated (because I'm in it, right?) art project GAZE. Take a look at this (5 star ratings are cool, too) and get excited . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6sKbet--w

how high?

2009-06-15T00:34:00.000-05:00

ryan (in feathered trapeze) took a carnival trek down the road. he was the ringleader for his one-man circus; there were no lions to tame, no elephants to do tricks, and no monkeys to dance but the mood was there.

at the end of his trip he took to the skies, not knowing what the landing would bring.

Aaron returns...

2009-06-12T22:19:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit tired and at a loss for words tonite, but here are a few images of one of the nicest guys around - Aaron. He came thru town to visit friends and family, so we were able to make a few images before he headed back up north.

A familiar face...

2009-05-31T19:55:00.000-05:00

Last weekend a model returned to shoot, and it had been about 2yrs since we last worked together. Caleb came in on a Thursday and we worked on some images over the weekend. We ventured outside a bit but also gave the studio a go with some success. The summer light is long and we used as much of it as possible.

I could tell it had been 2yrs; Caleb seemed taller and more dedicated to the camera. I think he'll be doing more great work to come.

TX comes to TN

2009-05-28T10:56:00.000-05:00

mr. calvin decided to trek to tn to shoot. he's been doing some travel here and there to work with photographers and build up his portfolio, and it's growing with depictions of fitness and eroticism.

i thought i would meet this towering inferno of a guy with a thundering, booming voice. what i found was a kind soul who couldn't stop laughing for anything in the world ... until the camera came up to shoot.

calvin was a definite professional in front of the camera. whatever was needed he delivered, and i hope photographers he collaborates with in the future are able to have the same worthy experience i encountered with him.

...and here are a few images we made together.

colton in new york

2009-05-18T00:25:00.000-05:00

ok, so it's not new york, but i tried to make it look less like tennessee :)

colton is sporting his new hair in this images, and i think it's quite fitting.

continuing in the tradition of welcoming summer, colton and i hit the streets to take a few images and finish up back in the studio. he's grown and developed so well since i first met him at the young age of 17.

let's see where summer takes me next...

james: (in/out)side

2009-05-08T19:21:00.000-05:00

sometimes it's a bit difficult to balance photography, teaching, and being a student. and on those days when all three converge life seems quite hectic.

james came up to work on a few images. when he arrived i had to run to campus to sign a contract, so we did that errand then came back to start shooting. we had 2hrs to work on a few shots before i had to run back to campus to finish up semester business with my students; james remained at my place until i returned...exhausted. i took a five-minute break, picked up the camera, and went back to shooting.

it was a long day, a busy day, a rushed day. but sometimes those are the days things turn out best and you're terribly happy with the results - like these images.

summer begins with david

2009-05-05T07:22:00.000-05:00

i did a test with david earlier this year and he seemed quite natural before the camera, so i wondered what his full shoot would exhibit. he came back and was even more fluid, certainly kicking off summer to a good start. i think modeling for david is terribly elemental and it shows in the images here.

i do believe there's a trip to NY in the works for david this summer. we shall see what comes of the endeavor, but i am quite certain he'll have a good impact on the city and the results will be beneficial to his beginning career.

there's more to come; summer has only just begun . . .

darion redux

2009-04-05T21:30:00.000-05:00

last week darion made the trip from florida to atl to tn and back to atl and florida in one weekend. he was out and about for a concert, decided to come up and shoot a bit and say hello, and then drift back home. we took a couple of shots just to update things and here's what came out . . .

blog limbo...undone

2009-03-11T16:18:00.000-05:00

i guess i've been terribly busy to be away from my blog for so long. it's either that or i've been watching too many reruns of angel, charmed, law & order, family guy, futurama . . . you get the idea.

much (photographically) has occurred since my last post. i shot a few people, started a new relationship with 3sixty magazine, settled out of court on a "borrowed" image of mine (beware all ye who borrow), and am now on spring break. it's not really a break, but more of a time to realize just how much stuff i need to finish or work on.

so let's look at some photos, shall we?

gary and kevin (from the band red40) came back to do some individual shoots, and i have to say they've both changed from previous rocker images to more fashionable. it was great working with them and i hope we see more of each other soon.

russ and i did some under/swimwear shots for internationaljock and a few tests. he's a good guy, developing his physique more, and i'm sure he'll be back in the future.

derek also returned, this time (like gary and kevin) with a new hairdo. i have to say the short hair makes him more fashion forward and gives him a more youthful appearance, as well as a stronger face for the camera. he was a little under the weather during the shoot but turned out some excellent images.

and finally (for now at least), joe, jeremy, and zeke came by on different days to do underwear images for a spread in 3sixty magazine due out in april. the guys modeled ginch gonch and ristefsky macheda lines, and i eagerly anticipate the magazine results.

a very RLS weekend

2009-01-17T14:05:00.000-06:00

this past weekend my friend and fellow photographer colleague (randy of rls images) came up with one of his dedicated models (markus) to hang out and shoot. two guys i've worked with plenty (colton from ky and ryan here in murfreesboro) also joined in on the fun/work. and we also welcomed david, another local model, to the festivities.

it was somewhat of a model exchange that randy and i had been talking about for quite some time but could never get fully scheduled. it was going to be 3 models that randy worked with and 3 models that i worked with, but schedules get in the way, etc. - the group we ended up with was excellent nonetheless. ryan, colton, markus, and david were spot on with their work ethic and display of skills before the camera. i would also have to say that meeting randy for the first time showed he is certainly working his creativity, as well.

against my usual shooting, i almost stuck to one wall setting with high light exposure. what can i say, i'm in a phase or was or will be again ... something to that effect. i've known colton since he was a minor and he has come a long way before the camera - eye contact, body movement, expression ... all have developed quite powerfully. this was the first time i shot with markus but he certainly knows his body and controls his presence before the camera to ensure what is created is a collaborative endeavor.

here are a few shots from the weekend showcasing colton and markus. if you'd like to see some images of david, ryan, and colton that randy took just check out his blog link (rls images) on here.

and on the 7th day . . .

2009-01-07T11:56:00.000-06:00

there was woman.

jessica complimented a photo of mine (i think) and then i showed some of her images to my friend (dan) who said, "you must photograph her." i told her what he said and long story short we started talking about doing a few images together.

i had never photographed a woman nude before so i thought, "hey, new year, new work, new directions....why not." i wanted to do something really simple with morning light but of course 80% chance of rain was expected which killed any idea of that happening. i still decided to keep things simple, until jessica started talking about a hair & makeup artist. suddenly i was thinking how simple was going to turn into complicated and annoying and bothersome.

in the end jessica (http://www.jessicavaugn.com/) and natali (http://www.natali-hettich.com/) showed up around 9.30am and we had less than 3hrs to work before i had a lunch meeting. talk about fast and furious hair styling and concept creations. but it was an excellent experience; jessica was professional and in tune with what i wanted to shoot, and natali was diligent and quite brilliant with her styling. so...why don't i show you some of the images we created? be warned, nudity follows . . .

tad - version 2009

2009-01-04T02:13:00.000-06:00

tad drove in friday night, after an eventful flat tire halfway here from johnson city. saturday morning-ish we got up and took some shots even though the sky was dreary and dull, leaving not too great a flow of natural light for the shots. but, i think we made it work quite well and here's the result:

new year approaching . . .

2008-12-30T13:14:00.001-06:00

with only one day left before we kick off 2009, i would like to wish everyone a happy new year. i hope the next 12 months bring you more joy than your hands and hearts can hold. as cliche as it can be said, may the best of your past be the worst of your future.

to close out the year, i thought i would post a few new photos from end-of-the-year shoots. here you'll see images of james (sans clothing but regal as ever), miller in chiseled profile, john under-exposed, and jeremy between the lines.

be well,

ej

the archives

2008-12-13T19:30:00.000-06:00

every now and then i get bored and go digging through old shoots to see what i can find to edit (i think almost every photographer does it). so here's a couple of shots from me digging around of james and jared, and a new shot of chris. if you're in a b&w mood like i was, enjoy. . .

welcome to the weekend

2008-12-11T14:24:00.001-06:00

wake up.

2008-12-03T12:10:00.000-06:00

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

updates. . .

2008-11-26T06:05:00.000-06:00

phd exams are completely done now (passed the oral exams about a week ago). . .
today starts my 6-day holiday break (so there's much relaxing and work to do). . .
i just wrapped up a shoot with jeremy this past weekend. . .
here's another shot of miller and some images of jeremy . . .

it's millertime

2008-11-08T20:59:00.000-06:00

miller was my first shoot post-exams (nov. 1st), so it was good to see him again and to start the photo wheel back into motion after a short hiatus. here are a few of the images we created.

this calls for a blog post ...

2008-11-03T12:01:00.003-06:00

i passed my phd exams :)

that's all lol.

- me

ps - look for new photos this week.

photography revisted

2008-09-20T18:21:00.000-05:00

i like going back and reviewing images from months, maybe years ago, to see if i "missed" anything. sometimes, i just never got around to doing anything with them. so today i went back and looked into some of the images i took of nikolaz just a little over a year ago. he's in canada now and we all miss him, but photos help keep the memories alive.

fresh face

2008-09-07T18:20:00.000-05:00

it's always nice to work with a new person who hasn't been tainted or become jaded by a million photoshoots. this is brodey in his pre-shoot - he'll be back in about 2wks for his full shoot. he's going into a bodybuilding competition next weekend so wish him luck and we'll see what he can do when he comes back to start his fitness modeling endeavors.

amber & jason

2008-09-07T17:54:00.001-05:00

you know me, i don't shoot many couples or groups but here's one. amber and i had been talking for a loooooong time about shooting but never really had time to meet up and get anything done. so we finally said, "let's just do something." i think the results are quite good for a quick morning-afternoon set.

3Sixty Magazine - UK

2008-08-12T21:49:00.000-05:00

Jared is on the cover of 3Sixty magazine's Scene edition this month. Thanks to Torsten for all his help, and of course to Jared for making such a cool image. I asked Jared to come down so we could do a cover, we went out into the summer weather, took a handful (well, a few) of images, went back to the apartment and by that night the magazine had agreed to publish it. It was hot outside and I know lying on the scorching road was not that pleasant :) As summer fades, at least we have this to remember those bright, shiny days.

Junior Magazine - Brazil

2008-08-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

So this week I have some work featured in Junior magazine (Brazil). The guys at Junior were really nice and I hope to keep up with them in the future. What was even cooler was getting an email from Felipe, my new friend in Brazil who contacted me after seeing the spread. Felipe knows how it can sometimes take a while to get international magazines delivered to the states, so he is sending me a copy because he's such a nice guy.

Thank you, Felipe :)

no photos today...

2008-08-03T13:23:00.000-05:00

just talk - something i don't do a lot on here.

summer will officially be over aug. 18th when i start orientation for the fall - yes, i'll be teaching the kiddos this semester 2x a day on tuesdays and thursdays. so, what will this do to my photography? probably just make me more tired :)

this semester i will be attempting to write more of the dissertation, teach my 2 classes, take a class FOR the teaching i'll be doing, take my comprehensive exams in film and children's lit, and balance photography with the rest of my world. will i survive? let's watch and see :)

questions? comments? rants? feel free to talk back :)

-me

Miller

2008-07-28T10:25:00.000-05:00

Colton

2008-07-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

Ryan

2008-07-28T10:21:00.000-05:00