Friday, July 31, 2009

My Beginnings



Today's the day I promised myself I would launch my photography blog. Well, my friends, here it is. So, why not start at the beginning. Click on the photos to see them larger or change your screen to 150% for the best viewing.

My passion for photography started when I began running around the "mean streets" of New York, armed with my Nikons and Tri-X film. I would go back to the darkroom, get a first look at my negatives, and make some very large prints. After spending some time as a studio manager, I was finally getting to do my own thing.

I was inspired by the BW images of Andre Kertesz, Helmut Newton and Patrick Demarchelier, with their dramatic and sometimes challenging content. Go ahead and click on the following links. Be forewarned that some may include nudity.

Kertesz: http://www.skjstudio.com/kertesz/index.html



Helmut:http://www.ocaiw.com/galleria_maestri/gallery.php?id=154&catalog=foto&lang=en It is almost impossible to find a Newton site without nudity.



Patrick: http://www.artandcommerce.com/AAC/C.aspx?VP=SlideShow_VPage&IAPA=1&STY=A&L4=2U1XC5NUJIMW&L5=2U1XC5NUJ9G7&L6=2U1XC5NUJ3U2&XX=Artists



Soon, I had a BW portfolio together and here is a selection of my favorites:

I had a close encounter with the New York Dolls at the San Gennaro Festival,



where there were kids games ...



and a circle of protection -- for a child yearning for some ice cream.



Then there was that memorable visit to the Sixth Avenue Flea Market ...



when the light was just right,



a great place to look for treasures,



both on the table ...



... and underneath.



Moving uptown, at Tudor City I found two little yentas chatting it up in the 'hood ...



and musicians and dancers improvising before a rapt audience in Central Park.



After school there were troops gathering at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial at Riverside Drive and 89th Street.



Camera in hand, who knew I would win something at my first trip to Yonkers Raceway?



A run to Park Avenue with Susan, an aspiring model, got us both moving.



These are a few of the photos that started me on my own as a fashion and still life photographer. I got busy shooting guys and gals from Fords, Wilhelmina and Elite at my New York studio and on location, for retail ads in The New York Times, the New Yorker, Women's Wear Daily and leading fashion magazines.

While I am a bit of a perfectionist, I like the freedom of reportage with the element of chance. I also like to explore the drama or emotion in a situation and I welcome unexpected consequences.
Here I projected my feelings about couture through Patti Hansen, "the girl next door" looking sultry in Oscar de la Renta.



I found the perfect moment for Yasmine and Jim for a fragrance ad, but it was not as easy as it looks. They could not look into each other's eyes without cracking up. The perfume bottles for MY de myrurgia were paired, "for the couple who live in complete harmony."



Nina Tremblay and Jay Hemphill were really workin' it in Central Park for a designer promotion. Andiamo!



This photo of Allison Ubaldi in a velvet mood for a holiday ad provoked a spontaneous response from my client. She had not been at the shoot, so I felt good when she said, "That's exactly what I saw in my head."



Karen Bjornsen radiates attitude for Borghese "Simply Clean" products.



Using my Hasselblad with Plus-X on Karen's shot really helped showcase her "perfect" skin for a full page ad in the New York Times. One of my favorites.

Just to show what a small world it is in New York City, one day I was shooting for Avon Family Fashions with my crew in Central Park and Patti Hansen wandered over to say "Hi". She was on a break from shooting nearby with Patrick Demarchelier and he gave us a friendly wave, when he needed her back. Another fun coincidence, Patti has also posed with Helmut Newton, on the pages of Vogue. Maybe it is true about "6 degrees of separation".

You can see more of my photos on my gallery slideshow at http://photo.net/photos/Leora

Karen and Patti both have more photos assembled on a
new Super Model site at http://www.supermodelsofthe70s-80s.org/

Tip of the day: Find your passion and get jiggie with it.

See you in August, my friends,

Leora

All my images © 2009 Leora Long