Jesh stuff

Yesterday Maria and I had an unexpected visit from the fabulous Sarah Maren, who desperately reminds me of my friend Reneé who I now suddenly miss terribly. We met her last month when we hosted Jesh De Rox's workshop at our studio. I have been meaning to write some things about Jesh's workshop since the moment it happened but. . . but I don't know. I was thinking about this recently, how I don't finish things- how I don't put pictures in the picture frames because I don't have the perfect picture for it yet, how I don't sweep my front porch of all it's nastiness because I don't have my perfect front porch with the swing at this point in my life. It's like I'm so very "careful" with things that are important to me, to the point that I don't get to enjoy it, or use it, or remember it at all because I wasn't ready to enjoy it, or use it, or remember it in the most ideal way. Like with Jesh's workshop, I think I want to represent it so perfectly and in a way that will properly express how much it meant to me, but because I don't know the best way to do it, or because I think it will take so much time to express things clearly, I refrain from doing so at all- I guess just because it's not the "right" moment, but I do this enough in my life that I don't understand why I keep thinking there will be a perfect moment. Instead it just never gets done. And that's sad.

The workshop was wonderful for me. Sarah reminded me of that yesterday.

Here are a few of my pictures from assignments Jesh gave us.

These first ones were from the assignment to take pictures of another workshop member without using any words. Here is Cecile.




I pretty much always always retouch my pictures at least to some degree- getting the fly-away hairs, touching up oil spots, etc. but I really liked this one just exactly how it was. Totally untouched.


This next picture is of Zoe Keating. She is this amazing cellist Jesh had come to our workshop and he incorporated her work in the most meaningful and inspiring way. We all got a chance to do a portrait of her and while she has such a unique look and there were a million ways and places I would have liked to photograph her, this is what I chose. I knew my picture would be as interesting or striking as some of the others, but I'm so happy I did it this way. All I wanted was to recreate, for me, the expression she had while playing her instrument, and in the very spot she was in when I heard her play it for the first time. And this is what it looked and felt like to me.


This assignment was my favorite. We were supposed to take a picture of a stranger. Holy Scary. But I walked down to the Great Highway early that morning and met Paul. We walked and talked for a few blocks, he let me take his picture, and then he shared his cinnamon toast with me. An absolutely perfect morning.
This is a beautiful man.




And finally, from our self-portrait assignment. Another raw image, taken with my foot.