Swan Point Cemetery TTV

I'm going through my archives today to find images to experiment with using encaustic paints, beeswax and mixed media. These are images of my favorite statue in the Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI. 

These framed images are "TTVs" (Through the Viewfinder). I made a contraption out of one of my vintage cameras so I could shoot through the viewfinder with my digital camera. It's really interesting to attempt to compose a shot since everything is backwards. Since the digital camera is focusing on the image projected through the Kodak Duaflex's viewfinder, it is common to get a soft focus image or "ghosting" in the image. I like the character it adds along with the dust and scratches from the Duaflex's lens. 

Once I add wax and texture, these will take on even more of a ghostly feel. 

This is my TTV Kodak Duaflex contraption. It needs a bit of TLC! It has traveled to many music festivals, camping trips, and hiking adventures!

Tub Fun with Grace

I'm really enjoying experimenting with new digital photo software, textures and digital painting techniques. I shot some experimental photos of "my" Grace while she was home over the holidays. I used to subject her to "Barbie Sessions" when she was younger and living at home. It had been a long time since we had a play session! I tortured the poor girl with this one. 

I have seen some cool photos by other photographers using milk in water. I wanted to give it a try and used Grace as my victim. We used almond milk then added some dark chocolate soy milk for some contrast. The poor girl smelled chocolate for days after submerging her head in the milky mess.

Unfortunately, the light in our bathroom was pretty dim. I had to crank my ISO high, resulting in a lot of grain and noise. I really didn't mind the grain once I started applying textures and layers in Photoshop. I will try this again on a brighter day.

I bet Grace CAN'T WAIT!!

Before and After

Summer Grace

The weather is finally starting to get tolerable here in Michigan! At least I can feel my face now when I walk outside. This balmy 39 degree temp made me nostalgic for summer.

Last summer I experimented with underwater photography using Gracie as my model. I didn't use any fancy equipment- only a low res underwater point-and-shoot I borrowed from a friend. I also put my point-and-shoot in a waterproof bag to try that option. The bag photos were pretty much worthless, but the borrowed camera produced a few grainy images that were kind of fun! We sunk a doll, some flowers, gloves, dresses and a backdrop that late summer afternoon. I was bummed that more images weren't viable, but it was fun to play in the pool with Gracie! There's also some extreme magnification that happens underwater (notice the extreme cropping). I definitely need more practice.

I recently started experimenting with Alien Skin Exposure 5 software. I love messing with all of the filter options. I thought these grainy pool photos would be perfect to mess around with. I'm liking this vintagey look!

River Girl

Oh what fun it was to work on this one! Kendal is my ever-patient photo victim. This was a pretty mucky location and she was a trooper. As usual!

Feral

This is Rylie. She's been in earlier posts. She's such a beauty! She is very talented at changing her look for me. She went from a hauntingly beautiful river fairy to a feral woodland creature all in one session.

I love the "Let's Pretend" sessions!

Bluebird

Listening to Pandora.

It was very fitting that one of my favorite Beatles songs, "Blackbird" came on as I was finishing this little bird girl.

Model: Lea

Happy Fall!

Nobody's Darlin' - October 2013

This fall I had fun photographing an all-girl string band, Nobody's Darlin'. I had visions in my mind that I wanted to try with this band. They were very patient with me as I requested that they to do some strange things during our session!

I'm experimenting with compositing in Photoshop. I have a few shots from this session to experiment with and a number of "Let's Pretend" shots to work with. 

I can't wait to share!

Rewards!

The KickStarter Rewards are going out this week! I'm packaging and sending them out this weekend.

The Metamorphosis girls from the ArtPrize show are all packed up awaiting the next art adventure that may come their way. Currently, I'm looking for appropriate venues that may wish to display some or all of the pieces from the series.

I have been working on my Let's Pretend photo book that will include many of the Metamorphosis images. This has been an ongoing project that I can't wait to complete!

Now-- off to get ready for a band photo shoot tomorrow in the woods. Busy weekend!

ArtPrize Top Ten

What a busy two weeks! I saw a lot of familiar faces and met many new fans of Metamorphosis during ArtPrize these past two weeks. The best visits were from my models in the series. Watching their faces light up when they saw their images larger than life was a beautiful thing. The only one who could not make it back to town was Lea, but her family has made several visits to the venue.

My venue is located in the outskirts of the main ArtPrize festivities. Unfortunately, not a lot of visitors have time to make it over to my venue if they are only in town for a day or so. It is quite an undertaking to get to all of the large venues, let alone make it to the smaller ones. I hope since the ArtPrize Top Ten pieces have been announced, people that have already viewed the top ten pieces will wander to view artwork in the smaller venues. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the viewers I have met. Also, a possibility to show one of the pieces at another art show.

I know a few artists that have a sour taste for the ArtPrize event. It certainly stirs up a lot of conversation, both positive and negative. Personally, I enjoyed a chance to create a series that I have been developing in my imagination for some time. I was lucky to connect with a venue that hosted my entire series with me being the lone artist. I typically don't share my images with others, and this project has forced me to show more of my work. And what a great time to share-- ArtPrize has infused Grand Rapids with crowds of people. By sharing my work, I have gotten feedback from others which has inspired me to work on other projects that have been brewing in my brain. If you haven't already, "Like" my page on Facebook or follow my blog to hear about future projects I will be working on beyond Metamorphosis.

I'm going to be sending some of my rewards out this week! I sent an email to my Kickstarter Backers for addresses and such so I can send rewards. Thank you again for your pledges and support on this project!

Here are some photos of my model visits--

Kendal

Rylie

Arabella and Rowen

Kendal, again

Gracie

Metamorphosis Session 5: Rylie

Rylie was one of my favorite models in my early portrait days. I learned very quickly that Rylie had complete creative control over all of our sessions. She decided where and how she was going to stand, when she would smile and definitely would let me know when she was finished with me. She enjoyed posing very much- she would tilt her cute little face to the side bringing her hands up by her face and beam a picture-perfect sweet smile.

She still has that sweet smile and a knack for posing. As we were walking through the woods for the Metamorphosis session, I explained some of the things I wanted her to portray in the photos. Some haunting, lonely images and some strong powerful images. The first pose she gave me was the one I remembered from the early days- head tilted, picture-perfect smile. 

I said a few words to her and was amazed how quickly her pose changed to exactly what I was looking for. She took my breath away with her beautiful portrayal of a river nymph basking in the sunbeam or a lonely forest fairy. 

I have so many "keepers" from Rylie's session. I can't wait to share them after my ArtPrize series is completed! As I do with Kendal, we did some poses with some of my treasures so I can do some compositing with them later. 

I am STILL getting Kickstarter pledges from both old and new fans of my work! It ends at noon tomorrow. I am so grateful! All 6 prints will be completely funded. I'm looking forward to making a book of the images that are not in the show. There were so many "keepers" in this series and I want to expand on them. It will be a nice gift for the girls who made the images so hauntingly beautiful.

For those that are attending ArtPrize, Bang Blowdry Bar will be hosting an "ArtPrize Kickoff" party with a DJ and some great specials and gift give aways. That will be from 5-9 this Friday, 9/20. I'll be there handing out some voting cards with images from the series. Hope to see you there! Make sure you look closely at the images to see some of my treasures hiding in a few.

Installation is tonight for the four large window banners and the 40x30 print of the Bird Girls. The 40x60 Octopus Girl will be coming later in the week- hopefully it will be up by Friday's party. Exciting stuff!

Waiting....

The banners are processed and at the printer. Last week I proofed the material that will be used and I should get the final banners Monday or Tuesday. I can't wait! 

Today I'm going to purchase the hanging hardware for all six pieces-- four banners in the windows, the "Bird" girls and "Slumber" (the Octopus) that hang inside the venue. Lindsey at Bang Blowdry Bar loves "Slumber" that I showed at the Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts show this summer at UICA. The version I had in that show was 5"x7". The version hanging in the salon will be 40"x60". BIG! I've decided next year I will enter something so small, it will need to be viewed with a magnifying glass. I'm out of my element with this big stuff! But it will be exciting to see the images larger than life. Tuesday evening will be the installation of the banners and "Bird" girls. Shortly after that, the big "Slumber" will be hung.

Again, I thank all of the supporters that helped bring this ArtPrize project to life. Kickstarter pledges are still coming in (deadline is noon on Wednesday) and I am so grateful.

Session 4- Gracie

I have known Gracie since the womb. Her mother is one of my close "sister-friends". I drove to North Muskegon late one afternoon to photograph Gracie on the beach. With her nearly white hair, I envisioned something with clouds or sand for the Metamorphosis shots. 

As with all of the girls, I explained what metamorphosis meant and the things we might do to illustrate the word. I also explained my idea to morph each girl into one of the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) and encouraged her to help me with some suggestions.

Grace is a chatterbox. That child can TALK. It's a good thing that we had some bright sunlight so I could use a fast shutter speed otherwise her mouth would have been a blur! I love her to death! 

As we were shooting some air and sand images, I was suggesting that she get wet for a water shot. She was all for it. We enlisted her mom to dig a hole near the water with a shovel from my trunk of treasures for Grace to pose in while I photographed a few more dry shots. She did a fantastic job digging the hole that we then filled a bit with water. Grace hopped right in and we got the shot. Unfortunately, I had forgotten a towel, so Gracie had to dry off with an organza curtain. 

We were quite the sight for the onlookers. There were a couple other photographers there- one shooting a senior photo, one shooting a family photo. Then there was our little group- two women digging a shallow grave for a child then giving her organza to dry off. HA!

The best part of Gracie's session (besides the obvious notes above)- watching her frolic in the lake during the sunset as she rinsed all of the sand off herself. I especially loved it when she whipped her wet white hair back and yelled, "Mom! Look! I have George Washington hair!"

I'll be sharing some outtakes from my last Metamorphosis session with Rylie later this weekend. 

I do have exciting news to add- the banner printing fund through Kickstarter has been met! With help from many friends, family, fans and followers the Kickstarter project met the $1000 goal and has actually gone over! I am so grateful to all that have helped with this project for ArtPrize. Pledges will still be accepted until noon on Wednesday, September 18. All funds I receive over the $1000 goal will go toward the printing costs for the two large images that will be on display inside Bang Blowdry Bar. Lindsey at Bang Blowdry Bar requested my "Slumber" Octopus print to be on display, so that will be a 40"x60" image inside the venue. Also, my 40"x30" "Bird" girls will hang inside.

I hope you can make it to ArtPrize to see it! I hear there's a party going on at the venue on Friday, September 20. More details to come.

Vote #54527

GOAL!

Wow. I am truly blessed to have so much support for this series. I have reached my Kickstarter goal to fund the printing costs for the four banners that are being printed for the windows of Bang Blowdry Bar for ArtPrize. And a week before the deadline! 

Any amount reached beyond the initial goal will help fund the prints that will be displayed inside the venue. Thank you all for your pledges, shares, and words of encouragement. I have had this project rolling around in my brain for a long time and I can finally share it with others with your help and support.

I hope you can visit the venue to see the project come to life. My ArtPrize vote number is 54527. If you're unable to make it to ArtPrize, you can view my artwork along with all of the other artists  HERE.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

It's a WRAP!

I finished! The 36"x77" banners are processed and at Corporate Color to be printed. I also have a large 40"x30" print at Prolab Express being processed that will hang inside the venue. This week I will finish processing the rest of the images to hang inside the venue.

The $1000 funding will cover the cost of the banners only- the goal has almost been reached! Only 8 days left until the Wednesday, September 18 at 12 PM deadline for pledges. Thank you all so much who have already donated, shared the Kickstarter link, or offered words of encouragement.

The banners represent air, earth, fire and water. The little "birds" will be the 40"x30" print hanging inside.

Session 3- Arabella and Rowen

I have been photographing these two girls since they were tiny little things along with the rest of their family. They have two brothers that are also fun (in a whole different way) to photograph. 

I had photographed their entire family along a dirt road lined with "Octopus Trees" (as they call them). Beautiful, massive trees with exposed roots, perfect for this series. I took the girls there to shoot some of the forest fairy images. We also brainstormed on the way there about what things could translate to earth, air, water and fire. I had my box of treasures along with me containing some silk butterflies. I wrapped Arabella's legs in cheesecloth to represent a cocoon of sorts. Unfortunately, I did not have my pins with me and the cocoon was looking pretty sad. Arabella posed perfectly, the butterfly was cooperating, but the forest was far too dark where we took the attached image making it too blurry for me. I really needed a tripod. So, this one will not make the cut. However, I really want to try it again with the proper equipment on hand.

Another thing we discovered in this beautifully dark forest - red spider nests. EW. This was breaking concentration along with the lack of light. We decided to move on to shoot "field fairies" where there was more light. That was the one that made the Metamorphosis cut for this session.

One of the sweetest moments of this session happened as we were wandering through the field. The girls were carrying some of my treasures along with their own treasures they had collected along the way (feathers, flowers, spider killing sticks). Arabella had a grapevine sphere from my collection and started singing "I've got the whole world...in my hands". Rowen soon joined in. Their sweet voices paired with the perfect summer day was priceless. 

Today I will finish processing the four huge 36"x77" images that will hang in the front windows of my ArtPrize venue, Bang Blowdry Bar. Only TEN days to go to get funding to print these banners through Kickstarter! Each banner is $250 to produce. 

Arabella and Rowen will be prominently displayed inside the venue. I will have a large print of their Earth/Air image produced in addition to the four window banners. I can't wait to see this series come to life!

10 Days Left!

There are 10 days left to go for my Kickstarter project! The project is 77% funded- I am so lucky to have so much support. The project will only be fully funded if the $1000 goal is met by Wednesday, September 18 at noon. I think it's going to happen!

I just posted a little story about my second Metamorphosis Session with Lea. Check it out here: Birds of a Feather

Session One- Kendal

I'm sharing a few stories from the Metamorphosis sessions on my Kickstarter page periodically. Only 12 days to go! I am so blessed to have so many generous supporters! I am quickly nearing my goal. If you haven't checked it out yet, there's a slideshow that tells the idea behind this project.

While photographing the girls for Metamorphosis, I told them that some of the images I wanted to capture would reflect the four elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Air. As we walked through the forest, rivers, gardens and beaches I would ask them how they might portray those elements. They all had great ideas and we shot many of them. 

As I am finishing up my final image of Kendal for Metamorphosis, I thought I'd share a few "bloopers" attempting to get the "Fire" shot. This was the first of six sessions I did with the girls.

Metamorphosis Kickstarter Project

Metamorphosis Kickstarter Project

My Metamorphosis Kickstarter Project has gone LIVE! Take a look at the Kickstarter video to see more details about my ArtPrize Metamorphosis series I will be showing at Bang Blowdry Bar.

I am hoping to raise a portion of the funds needed for materials and printing costs for this project. Since Lindsey at Bang Blowdry Bar has chosen me as the sole artist showing at the venue, it is an opportunity to share as many images from this series as I can. Funding will be applied to printing four large fabric banners for the front windows of the venue as well as several large images inside the venue.

Every little bit helps. Feel free to share this Kickstarter Project with others that may be interested in seeing the Metamorphosis series. I appreciate it!

Metamorphosis at ArtPrize 2013

I open my trunk. Scattered about are treasures I have collected and repurposed awaiting the magic of the next imaginative girl to come along. Mom or Dad drives up and out pops my soon-to-be fairy. A life-sized doll. She is so excited to start, yet a bit confused. I have photographed her before in her fancy clothes, favorite earrings, bows in her hair. In these past sessions, she is careful not to muss up her special outfit. I ask her to put on a dress that has been purposefully tea-stained. I explain that I want her to look like she is a forest fairy or a garden nymph. Whatever fits the scene where we have chosen to meet. I want her to get dirty. I want her to mess up her hair. I want her to be free, wild and strong.

Most of the time we leave the parents behind. We go off and start to pretend. I start to tell the story of her character to play. As we walk to the first spot, she is chattering about her school mates and soccer practice. She gets distracted by the spider nest near the tree I have asked her to sit on. We decide to move on to spiderless trees, watching out for poison ivy along the way.

She is delicate at first trying not to soil her photo dress. I coax her into a pose verbally as I get my camera settings correct. She beams a picture perfect smile. I take the photo, but I am looking for something more haunting. I tell her a story: She is a river fairy. She is lonely and slightly broken. Her arms are a bit askew. Amazingly, she becomes that fairy. I'm breathless as I take the photo. I change the story and I say she is strong and powerful, basking in the sunbeam. After gingerly stepping through the muck, she morphs into a majestically regal river fairy. 

By the end of our hike through the woods, or the garden, or the beach, she is disheveled, dirty and exuberant. She has done things she didn't think she could do. She sat on a log swarming with bugs. She rolled in the dirt. She sloshed through muck. She sprawled out on wet moss. She waded in a river. She covered herself in ash. She crawled in a sand hole full of chilly lake water.

These little babies and toddlers I photographed in the past have morphed into beautiful, strong girls. Each one made me proud and inspired. By the end of the sessions, each girl was elated. We had so much fun with this project. They are all so excited to be a part of ArtPrize.

I have had five sessions with six girls for my project Metamorphosis. My venue for this project is Bang Blowdry Bar in Grand Rapids, MI. I was chosen by Lindsey to be the sole artist for ArtPrize at this venue. My plan is to have four large panels printed for the front windows with images from the Metamorphosis sessions. I would also like to print several images to display inside the venue.

I am raising funds to pay for a portion of the materials and printing for this series. If I reach my goal of $1000, those funds will go to the materials and printing of additional images to be placed inside the venue, allowing more of the story, hard work and beauty of these girls to be seen and enjoyed.

If I am unable to raise $1000, I will need to finance the materials and printing myself, reducing the size of the series I would like to show. I appreciate any help to bring these images to ArtPrize! We (the girls and I) worked very hard to get this far!

** I will update this post with the link to my Kickstarter project to view more photos from Metamorphosis  as soon as it is live **

My Kickstarter Project is LIVE! See more details about Metamorphosis and feel free to share the project with others: Metamorphosis Kickstarter Project


See more photos here: Lisa Olsen Photography on Facebook

Welcome!

I'm Lisa Olsen and I am a fine Art Photographer. I've chosen to start this blog to share some of my photography images and experiences. Enjoy!