I Married a Photographer

On February 12, Dean was asked to present his art work  at the Dress Red Luncheon held at The Pine Barn Inn.  He featured 4, 20″ x 30″ photographs printed on metallic paper and mounted for display, all were within the “red” theme.

Both Dean and I put a lot of thought, time and effort  into these photos; shopping for props, working on lighting techniques, making blood. We were very proud of them (as we should be).  After selecting the correct printing company and viewing the test prints, we sent out our order only to receive them  a few days ahead of schedule -ugh, down to the wire! We were completely happy with what our finished product was and were so very excited to show our work to the patrons of the “Red” event.  Full well knowing that our art wasn’t necessarily what people expect to see at a benefit luncheon, we prepared to be booted from the event.  We had emailed some people who were in the area to get a fan base and were successful, which was great!

With all this said, I am somewhat delighted to relay to you that one lady who helped put the event together was very vocal about our art being inappropriate for the event!  I was so proud upon hearing this!  Our images are all featured below and as you will see, they all contain similar ideas but there is no outward idea, just simple hints for the viewer’s enjoyment.  I also have checked the event’s website to see if they have any PR for us to pump out to our fans.  Other than the blog listing us as a featured artist, there is no image of our work or mention of our contribution for the event.  Dean always wants the viewers’ of his work to have a reaction, mission accomplished!  And a HUGE Thank You to our models Tim Coyne, Sadie May Dorman, Sarah Irene Hamill and Brittany Kanour,  you were all wonderful to work with. Cheers!   Click on the images to enlarge.

I am proud to announce that DSP has been featured in Bloomsburg University’s Spectrum Magazine! To read the article  click on the link : Die Strafbar Photography

Thank you to all who support your local arts!

Clever Title

Using this topic to  approach art, more specifically DSP  and how we want our viewer to approach looking at our pieces.  Without hitting them over the head with a statement, we like to see them come up with the story.  How did that get there? Why?  I see Dean’s pride every time someone strongly reacts to a piece.

So Much the Children Play

One instance, a couple walked up to our stand in August, looked at “So Much the Children Play” the man chuckled while pointing it out to the woman who audibly gasped, grabbed her chest then gestured waving her hand, as if to say I’m done here! while turning her face away.  The husband looked at us and said, “She’s terrified of dolls. They really creep her out.”    Later that day Dean and I talked about all the viewers reactions, understandably so he was most proud of that one.

It is nice to get feedback from people but even better to see their initial reaction.  I love that our work isn’t spelled out for whoever may view it.  More like a puzzle piece less like a squeaky clean novel -where everything is neatly tied up at the end.  No one is left guessing.  We enjoy the guessing!

The title is a quote made famous by Timothy Leary who spoke openly about taking LSD and like experiences.  Timothy was almost completely shunned by his colleagues, family and friends for his taboo research on the aforementioned drug and it’s effects on the human body.  Though he was made up by the media to sound like a madman, he lead his life speaking freely of his findings with drugs in regards to religion, life, sex and humanity.  He put no end to his learning about LSD and what he could experience from it.  He died while tripping on acid.

Stagnation can be such a creative linchpin.  It isn’t as simple as boredom or as complex as desire.  Having that creative rut is something every person experiences, a dam in the flow of ideas. Spinning wheels to get out of a mud puddle just gets you more stuck.  Sometimes if you lift your chin and tilt your head ever so slightly, you can see a whole new perspective.

Since the busy month of August came to a close, Dean and I have been re-tooling.  Taking a break from the constant task-oriented ‘Fest mode’ to a more mindful approach to the photography business.  This was something we decided early in the summer.  We knew just how exhausted we would be after the long weekend events and looked forward to having time to approach things with a fresh angle.  So we took a trip to the city; where there is always artistic expression and inspiration.  It really doesn’t matter what corner you turn or how long you stay, there is always something to do and see.  It was a much needed creative break for Dean, it was leisurely with culture to take away.  Since living there, I rarely ever plan anything when we do make the trip because I know that within a 10 minute walk there is something to pique our interests!

If anything to take away from this writing it is this.  Self-exploration and internal reflection are integral to connecting with other humans.  Art is one way we can connect.

Food for thought: ‘I don’t believe in photography as art or a job or anything. I think of photography as a language and I think a language should be used to speak, to say what you have to say. So the only things I have to say about my life and what I know about the world, is the way I see it. So, it’s not about photography… I think people should just use photography to say things and not just photography for the sake of photography… The world is full of talented photographers. The problem is just so many of them just don’t know what to say, they think life is one thing and photography is another but they don’t realise that photography is just a way to reflect what you are.’ ~Antoine d’ Agata

Everyone has a quirky behavior, at least to some degree.  I find a direct correlation between degree of artsy to strange behavior (there are exceptions to every rule).  You don’t need a Psych degree to determine this, hence my next facet along these lines.  Dean and I work in Bloomsburg, driving 45 minutes one way, which can be very draining not to mention boring.  On our route, we listen to NPR in the morning and pick apart their stories some of which I think are entirely fictitious; we try to avoid route 11 because of all the GMC traffic during our commute.  One morning after we had been into a year’s worth of familiar on the same route, I was half asleep yet studying the neighborhoods.  Passing farms, schools, little town churches which probably seconded as schools at some point, I noticed this odd little house.  The structure of the home was a run-of-the-mill 50s ranch type, shaped like a U, with the center portion of the home inset from the two sides.  Outward appearance was within the normal range of living except for this one ‘thing’.   I don’t remember if I mentioned anything to Dean at first but after a week or so I noticed that this ‘thing’ changed, not drastically, just enough to keep me coming back for more.

This is total speculation, from what I gather the residents of this home are either an older married couple or a mother daughter duo, in the last few years of life.  The ‘thing’ that I mention is a mannequin, female, probably about my build.  We’ll refer to her as “pretty woman”.  She sports a different outfit on average every 3 weeks and if it is raining, she’s either using an umbrella or covered with a poncho and mask.  I have only photographic evidence of one wardrobe but  besides the majorette outfit, she has worn a blue Easter/Spring type dress, heavy red cloak with black detail and a patriotic red, white and blue outfit with a flag pring top hat.   Not only do Dean and I bat ideas around about this home and the inner workings thereof but we enjoy glancing over to see what this woman is wearing.

My guess is that the resident used to be a seamstress (how or why else would one have a mannequin?), she’s made these outfits in her hey-day and maybe wore them at some point too.  The effort to dress a large doll, who resides on your porch everyday I think it’s strange for a few reasons yet I kind of get it.  I loved ‘playing Barbies’  at about the age of 12, I realized that I have enough friends and varied intrests that I don’t need the Barbie world for me to make my own choices and enjoy life.  On the other hand maybe she’s a disgrunteled employee who used to work for Mattel!  Once, I saw her taking off pretty woman’s poncho and thought There is the mastermind!