A New Year....

Hello, everyone! Please accept my deepest apologies for the lack of posting the last 6 months; my life has been a roller coaster. But 2010 promises to be bigger and brighter, and probably filled with more of my favorite thing - PHOTOGRAPHY!

Last I typed here, I was getting ready for a "Junkyard" photo shoot with the local photo club. It was a blast. No nudity, obviously, but a lot of fun, none the less. We had some great models, and got in some great shots. Here are some of them:

The last one was a sort of mystery to some of the folks I know, because it was in daylight against a set of sorts. Actually, all I did was convert to black and white, and played with the curves in Photoshop CS4. FInally, I used a "LensBaby" action to get the oof effects. The model loved it, and it really is one of my favs from that shoot.

Just another note; I will be working more in the studio over the next few months. I am taking a class at a local school, Tidewater Community College, under the expert tutilage of SAM HUGHES, a local master photographer. Sam has a great wit and a sharp eye, as you can see from his website galleries. If you are reading this blog, and are in Tidewater, I encourage you to check out his class - it will be money well spent - plus you get three semester hours of college credit to boot!

Until next time... CIAO

Junkyard Modeling & Twitter & Twikini & Other Stuff

First things first - Please, accept my apologies for not being here in the last few weeks. Had issues with my Jeep, which necessitated buying another vehicle (drunk driver t-boned me in a parking lot - destroyed the Jeep!) and so I have been busy with that, plus school - damn Art History II class is a killer! Anyway; I AM BACK!

I don't have any photos to post today, but this weekend will be another story - our local photo club (The Virginia Beach Photography Club) is doing a JUNKYARD MODELING SHOOT! I have been looking over photos done at similar events, and it looks like a LOT of fun.

How do we get the models? Well, frankly, it is pretty easy. Get yourself online at Model Mayhem and you can either post a casting call, or simply browse the models in you area, and send them a message about your shoot. In the alternative, ask your friends, girlfriend/boyfriends, wives, etc. There are LOTS of ways to find models, and I will cover more in an upcoming blog.

Also, look at social networking. It is another really great way to find models. I use mySpace and Twitter a LOT! In fact, for Twitter, I am now doing a lot from my Treo Pro cellphone, using a sweet little piece of software called TWIKINI. This badass software allows me to keep up with my friends and such while I am on the road, and I can also post through it. The software has it's issues (what software doesn't?) but I think they are trying to work through them right now. It has even pissed me off more than once, but I keep coming back to it, so I guess that says something! I really like the little bird tweet it makes when updates come it - it's really cute. So, if you are running a Windows Mobile smartphone, drop by the TWIKINI site by clicking here.

I hope to have some more stuff for you later in the week, so keep an eye here; or make it easy on yourself, and hook up with an RSS feed!

Until next time, Happy Shooting!

What's in the name?

Something I have found over the years is a wide range of viewpoints regarding the various terms used in nude photography. For example, I have seem people get really upset over the word "boudoir" whereas other people have no fear of the word. Boudoir actually is French for a lady's bedroom, or private sitting room. Not very dirty now, is that?

Boudoir photography is normally a lingerie or implied glamour nude style shoot in an indoor, bedroom setting, with the appearance of being shot in the evening (of course, there are exceptions to the evening part!) Boudoir is fairly new in the photography timeline, but it has grown very quickly. It fills a void for women, in that this kind of photography is not often available in the more traditional studios... you won't get these at Sears!

Today's woman wants to appear as elegant, glamourous and sensual as possible, and boudoir offers all that and more. It is also very empowering to women in that it enhances the perception of their self-image.

Now the word "fetish" conjures up all sorts of concepts, from women in leather to people tied in rope, to being led around on a leash - and it is all that... and more! The term "fetish" originally meant "charm", and comes from the Portugese word feitico which meant "false power, or an object believed to have magical power or charm." This sort of work can range from tawdry, dirty magazine photos to some very fine art. A perfect example of the latter is my favorite classic photographer, Helmut Newton. Some of the best images I have ever shot came from my friends in the fetish community.

So, what is the point of this little vocabulary lesson? How you chat with your models and potentials is very important. You certainly don't want them to have the impression that you are a dirty guy with a camera. Understand the terms, talk politely with your potential models, and have some fun. As your friendships develop, you will find your conversations can get more personal, but never ever EVER let them have the GWC impression, it can haunt you forever!

Our purpose as a nude/glamour/boudoir photographer is to provide our client with images of beauty, of grace and elegance, and that tell the story of their beauty, within and without. Always remember that!

The image above is one of my favorite Helmut Newton photographs, entitled "Two Pairs of Legs in Black Stockings, Paris." This is one of many of his images that throughly captures my imagination, and one that I hope to re-create sometime this year.

What's This All About?

Hello, and welcome to my blog. It is my sincere hope that, with this blog, many people will begin to understand themselves, admit of their desires, and open up before the camera. I also hope that this blog will help both photographers and models.

All too often, we see photos of stunningly beautiful people... the "Perfect 10s" so to speak. It is very intimidating to many people, regardless of your intent - searching for a new model, searching for a new mate, or whatever.

I have been on both quests. Some ended badly, many were wonderful, and have never ended. My current muse, Renee, may not ever appear in Playboy or Penthouse, but she has a certain beauty that is amazing to me. She is 30 this year, loves me unconditionally, and takes very good care of me. I will be sharing pics of her - and others - in this blog. Sometimes, I will take a trip down memory lane with my images - sometimes, the photos will have been shot in the last few days - but no matter what or when, I hope you will enjoy them.

On the technical side, I am a Canon photographer. I currently use a 50D, with a 18-200 IS lens, 10-22mm EF-S lens, and a 50mm f/1.8, with a Canon 580EX flash. Oh yes, I have a full complement of other junk, studio strobes, backdrops, etc. But, let's just say I like to keep it simple. I am not much for Photoshop; I prefer the old-fashioned way of getting it right in the camera.

If you would like to see more of my work, go to my website, Images by Tom. You can purchase many of my images (including some of the photos you will see here) at Fine Art America. Please, feel free to comment on the images and / or what I write. Your input will mean much to me, and help me grow in my photography - as I hope I will help you grow in yours.

About the image. Above is a shot (one of many) of an old friend, Lisa. She was a really sweet girl, a dancer, and wanted some images for her portfolio. You will see her often, as well as her stster, Stephanie.