Lotter Moser & Associates – Page 3

Rick Benoit becomes new Wisconsin Coordinator at Vets Journey Home (and needed a new portrait)

Rick Benoit took over responsibilities from Donna Barth as Wisconsin Coordinator for Vets Journey Home. Rick and I had a delightful photo session at my studio last month. Today I installed their pick from the session proofs, along with Rick’s bio, at the Vets’ who we are page; which I designed and launched last year. Kudos! to Rick and all those at Vets Journey Home who give so much to nurture the hearts, minds and bodies of our returning vets and their families. If you know a vet please let them know about this exceptional group of people who’d love to hear from them. The weekend program is offered at no charge to the veterans.

Seth presents a studio challenge

A couple weeks ago Seth Tyler completed two chandeliers. In this particular case Seth felt a “neutral” background would be preferable to their installed environment. We met to discuss how best to photograph them in the studio before they were permanently installed in the commissioner’s home.

So the challenge begins with questions like, “Do you want the illusion of a ceiling meeting a wall? Or the look of a ceiling meeting two walls (as in a corner)? Or the feeling of a studio sweep (more of an abstract space)?” Each of these possibilities requires a different approach to set design and construction as well as lighting; and of course budget in terms of time and materials. We must also consider the space limitations of my two relatively small shooting areas. In the end we decided to create an “upside down” sweep using a 4×10 foot sheet of gray Formica which I had in inventory; with the bottom edge held firmly in the channel of my Foba shooting table; we had only to figure out how to suspend the other 10 feet. When creating studio sweeps gravity is normally your friend. Gravity becomes your enemy when turning the sweep upside down. To save “my” time I drew up a suggested frame design that Seth could build and bring on the day of the shoot. But on the day we stood in my studio, discussing that approach, we also started pulling out nearly every light stand, clamp, and horizontal pole support I own. Three hours later we had the sweep inverted and needing only a 2″x4″x8′, properly drilled, to mount the chandeliers to. Lighting through the maze of light stands was, of course, yet another challenge. (additional chandelier details and lighting options can be seen in this slide show).

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Leica R8/DMR, 60mm Macro, (additional image slide show includes 100 mm Apo Macro)

Temkin-Taylor Design web site launches today

Over the last 6 months Kim Temkin-Taylor and I worked diligently to find the correct tone and accuracy in both words and images; to effectively reflect her commitment to detail, quality and customer service. Today we went live at temkin-taylordesign.com.

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Richard Taylor provided photography for Kim’s site (with some interior photo and art direction, and post processing from me to achieve what Kim required). I began working with Richard on his corporate identity and web site in the spring of ’05, as he began his new “Life Journey Photography” business.

Evening demonstrations at ABANA Conference

June 2nd, after the first day of photographing the 2010 ABANA Conference Gallery items, we strolled through the demonstrator’s tents; where metal met fire to become functional and decorative objects. Additional images from this stroll can be seen in a short slide show here.

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Leica M8, 50mm Summilux Asph

2010 ABANA Conference, Memphis, TN

Last Tuesday Seth Tyler and I drove to Memphis for the 2010 ABANA Conference. Seth, besides creating very impressive metal work (both sculptural and functional), turned out to be the best studio assistant I’ve ever worked with.

We photographed about 120 hand wrought metal pieces, ranging in size from virtual jewelry, to pieces 7 feet on the long dimension; in three extremely intense days. Additionally I delivered two 2 hour seminars on how the blacksmiths can improve their own photography. The photograph below shows me working with a shelf bracket on the small sweep. Just to the left we also had a 9 foot sweep.

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Vets Journey Home truly supports our veterans

We have the honor of launching, this very evening, a freshly redesigned web site for Vets Journey Home, a remarkable group of caring souls who offer a much needed, healing weekend to our vets, at no cost, because they know that our vets have already paid.

“a unique weekend program for veterans, designed to help heal the emotional wounds of military service. The program was created in 1989 as The Bamboo Bridge, co-founded by VietNam veteran Christan Kramer, and a Sargeant Major’s daughter, Patricia Clason. They were committed to giving VietNam veterans the Welcome Home they deserved and helping them heal their hearts and bring peace to their souls.

Since then, our country has been involved in many conflicts and wars. They also discovered that the emotional wounds many veterans carry can also come from service in peacetime – it is not only combat that wounds the heart.

In 2005, VietNam veteran Gene McMahon took over the lead for this work and re-named the program Vets Journey Home, to be inclusive of all veterans. Today, Gene and Patricia are joined by other instructors and a large community of volunteers, both veteran and civilian, who desire to serve those who served our country, by offering this compassionate and welcoming retreat, where any story is heard without judgment.”

New forms by Dan Nauman

Dan Nauman of Bighorn Forge continues to bring new forms to his hand wrought home furnishings.

“There is no substitute for feeling the stone, the metal, the plaster, or the wood in the hand; to feel its weight; to feel its texture; to struggle with it in the world rather than in the mind alone.” — William M. Dupree

“The artist is a man [or woman] who finds that the form or shape of things externally corresponds, in some strange way, to the movements of his mental and emotional life.” —Graham Collier

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(Slide show of additional views of this table)

A warm welcome to Mark and Sylvia Mondloch

Last week I had the privilege of meeting Mark and Sylvia Mondloch of Silver Creek Pottery & Forge. After exchanging a few emails, and a phone call, with Mark, we met at my studio to photograph some of Mark’s fine metal work.

Fireplace Tool Set (detail) by Mark Mondloch
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(Slide show of additional views of this Tool Set)

Garden Accents by Mark Mondloch
While the neutral formica sweep worked well for the Tool Set. I felt it appeared a bit sterile for the the flowers. Mark and Sylvia made a trip to Stein’s Garden Center and found some mulch and moss; which I believe was just enough to give the Garden accents a little context.
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(Slide show of additional views of these Garden Accents)

Traveling back through the weeks that were

Traveling through the last few weeks with thoughts mostly of Ann and her upcoming birthday; which occurred on August 17th. It all began with a trip up the coast to Sheboygan, WI to introduce Jim Proue and David White. I’d thought it would be fun to have them sing and play at Ann’s little surprise family birthday celebration. They’d never played together yet hit the mark right from the get-go.
(click image for larger view – Slide show with more images from this get together)

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The night before the party we went to hear Tracy Chapman at the Pabst Theartre. Without doubt – the most incredible concert I’ve ever attended. Ms. Chapman (and her band) performed flawlessly; and actually “better than” the original studio recordings. (click image for larger view – Slide Show of a few “intermission” images)

Of course it took a few phone calls to invite the family; a bit tidying up, arranging for food and errands with Erin’s help; and then – the party sort of just happened. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional party images)

The day after the party Ann did her annual Irish Fest. Below we see one of Ann’s customers — not showing off his hair cut — but rather performing a fine Irish kick. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional Irish Fest images)

Then it was getting ready for a four day road trip to the beautiful Mississippi River hills and valleys in Northwestern Illinois, Eastern Iowa and Southwestern Wisconsin. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional river trip images)

Cedarburg Garden Gate by Dan Nauman

Dan has been quite busy at his Big Horn Forge (we’ve also been working on his website for almost a decade). He had me photograph a recently completed gate for a stone walled garden in Cedarburg, WI. A fabulous gate for a fabulous garden. A gallery of additional views can be seen here.

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