Spotlight 7 Week 19: Mark without Hair

Mark Without Hair Interviewed and curated by former presenter Francois Coquerel.

1. Hi mark, how are you these days, are you working on something special right now?
I am doing well. Unfortunately I am not working on something at the moment. I work as a graphic artist by day and do not have much time to concentrate on photographic work. I have lots of ideas I would love to pursue but not the time.

I would like to further develop an idea I have regarding the horizon. I began sea kayaking a few years ago and fell in love with the abstract and minimal environment I encounter when kayaking on the Chesapeake Bay, here in Maryland where I live. I have a theory that there is something cleansing and purifying about experiencing a vast and blank horizon. I love photographing it and I would like in the future to spend a great deal more time developing this series as I think the world in general is suffering from over development. I would like to show the contrast within my environment from city shorelines to more rural or undeveloped horizons. And how through over development we are losing something we don’t even know we need or should preserve.

2. How did you start photography? Your work is very personal, but were you very influenced by specific artists?
I started seriously taking pictures when I was probably 14. I had a very influential teacher in school who helped spark the interest and direct my learning. He was a great teacher, very inspiring and I am forever grateful for those years. I later went to College and received a fine art degree in photography. Right now I really love the work of Edward Burtynsky, www.edwardburtynsky.com/

I am just blown away by his work. And at the same time I feel completely unmotivated to pursue my own ideas after seeing and learning more about him and his work. I hate that. I think the problem is called “killing the Buddha”.

I love the tonal qualities and pure subtlety of Mark King.

www.markkingphotography.com/

I am also inspired by different artists who might be painters, sculptors and maybe also work in photography. I enjoy artists who feel compelled to work in different media. I think they can bring a different viewpoint and form of expression than what you might get from an artist who only works as a photographer. I really like the work of Chuck Close. www.chuckclose.coe.uh.edu/ He is a very interesting artist and person. I love his paintings and his large format polaroids. Its all beautiful work

3&4. The kids in this series are your own kids, right? How do you work with them? Do you ask them specific things or are you waiting for the right moment to take your photos?

Most of the children are my two, but there are a few in my Flickr stream that are close friends of theirs. How I work or photograph them has changed as they have gotten older. When I first started a few years ago taking photographs again I would wait for the right moment to happen to snap the shutter. They got accustomed to seeing the camera held at my eye waiting. After a while they would forget I was trying to take a picture of them and when they were absorbed in their own actions again was usually when I chose to capture their image. That type of image is much harder to take now that they are older, so I try to take more formal portraits of them. And I will direct them more or ask them not to smile or laugh or pick their nose etc.. Sometimes though it’s the images of when they become bored or complacent during these sessions that I get an image that I find interesting. I think it shows more about who they are. Because they are complex and multifaceted children. Not just simple and happy. But emotional and sometimes grumpy, tired, happy and/or bored.

5. This series has a very special place in your work, and it's all about your kids, could you take the same kind of pictures with adults or unknown people? Tell us about this choice to work with them.
It is special. At least to me. I'm surprised (and grateful) you and other people take an interest in the images. I would like to work on a series of images of people I don’t know. I need to push myself to do this because I think I could learn a great deal from the experience and perhaps break free of some preconceived notion I have of the work it would produce. I think it would be easy to take similar images of strangers. Usually when you ask to take a strangers photograph you will either get a blank expression because they think you will instruct them to look a certain way if you want it or they don’t know how they should look or feel during this moment or they give you their predefined and generic Kodak smile. I see people every day I wish I had the time to stop and photograph. One day I hope I will. I find it more interesting to take images of my family because of the interest I have with them as subjects and wonder whether I could maintain a similar interest with strangers to the point that I would push myself to get what I would consider an interesting image or if I would become complacent and just accept what I got from the moment and move on.

6. Some of those pictures, especially the one in the darkness, are really strange and a bit scary, but they are at the same time family pictures, how do you deal with this?
I think the darkness is more about creating mood, experimenting with shaping or directing light or perhaps just the natural light that was available at that moment. I do tend to use the darkness or conversely the lightness in an image to create a sense of mood. Perhaps that’s cliché or trite. I don’t know. But it works sometimes. I think it is hard to develop a sense of mood in a properly lit well exposed image that is full of saturated colors. I think that’s why you see the style currently being overused by commercial photographers of over saturated, contrasty images full of grain and detail like the work of Gary Land. I don’t mean to speak ill of this style . I like it and find it very appropriate for what it is used for. But it is a technical way of combining high contrast, dark settings , mood and saturation all into one image.

7. I always have this feeling that the ambiguity of some of thoses photos (pieces of art and family pictures at the same time) makes that people don't really get it, Do you agree?
I agree, perhaps. I think you mean there is ambiguity in the images I make of my close family which is at odds with the outlet I show them in (Flickr). So yeah, sure there probably is some disconnect. I may also not be striking a cord with most viewers. I don’t know. Take this image www.flickr.com/photos/markwithnohair/1420116719/

which I really like and am very happy with. It doesn’t work for everyone but I think it has a tension and awkwardness that I wish I could develop more in other images or future images. I think ambiguity is a style that many artist choose to use as a form of expression. Many artist use it as a tool to be artsy, noncommittal and my images fall into that category. But sometimes I feel like its an excuse or easy position to take as an artist. That’s why I like the nudes from Alec Soth’s Niagara series. Most of the series doesn’t do much for me. But in those nudes he managed to deal with the issue or the theme he has developed very directly and put it in your face. I think those images he managed to come out and say what he is trying to get across without being ambiguous. Sometimes being direct is more powerful and meaningful than being ambiguous and I admire that. But I guess I also enjoy the ambiguity in my image linked to above and feel that it adds to its interest and doesn’t deter from it. But maybe thats just me talking out of both sides of my mouth. (?)

8. what kind of camera do you use?
Film and digital, new and old. I love them all. I dislike talking about cameras. Painters don’t talk about their brushes, sculptors their chisels. Why do photographers care?

9. OK, favorite love songs?
“The Message of love” by the Pretenders (played as loud as you can take it)

10.favorite fight song?
“Cross Town Traffic” by Jimi Hendrix (played as loud as you can take it)

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Spotlight 7 Week 18: sweet distin

Please welcome our week 18 presenter, Sweet Distin, as curated by smoothdude.

1) Tell us about where you're living right now and how that influences your photography.
I live in Salisbury, in England with my family. It's a medievel city surrounded by beautiful countryside, and whilst I enjoy taking landscapey type pictures (of old sarum particularly) I don't think this locality in particular has much of an influence on my photography. I like all things really, interior domestic scenes, portraits, suburbs, beach....it's whatever triggers something in my head or catches my eye or simply wanting to illustrate something, like lyrics or a feeling....not so much the location.



2) Where do you get most of your subjects?
I'm incredibly lucky to have some amazing children, particularly my daughter (above), who has been patient beyond all hope. She has sat for me endlessly, although she does sometimes say no, and I've realized that there is no point trying to talk her round because it shows quite clearly in the pictures :) I've also been borrowing my oldest son's friends lately, particularly for the behind the glass project (I need to give it a name) and it's great to have other subjects, particularly the boys....I hope to photograph more of their friends over time. My children check everything before it's posted too, if they say no, they don't like it, then it doesn't go up....sometimes you'll see things disappear because of that. I've tried taking pictures of strangers but I find it difficult...I feel that I'm imposing on their time which makes me feel tense and that comes across in the pictures, although in the next few weeks I'm going to do a session with the lovely Lizzy who works at the photolab (her suggestion)...I'm going to have to really think about what I want to do before hand, which'll be a different sort of challenge for me.

3) What kind of emtion are you trying to get from your subjects?
I'm mainly just trying to get them, who they are....I don't generally tell them how to look, unless they ask, though I may direct them into the best light....I don't fix their clothing up, or straighten their hair or ask for make up or anything like that....I just want the picture to be as they are....you can't get anything more endlessly interesting than people....I want them to be really them. With the glass project, I asked them to look down the garden as though they were looking to the future (corny, I know) but I love how they all look so different, some timid, some thoughtful, some determined. It's also fascinating how we actually like to portray ourselves, how we stand, hold our heads, what we do with our hands, I just love it all, all of the people who allow me to take their picture. So basically, I'm not trying to get a specific emotion, just whichever one they have.

4) You use light really well with your portraits, and seem to only use natural light. What are some tips you suggest to people regarding lighting people?
Ooh, difficult one. I don't know that I have any, I just look for a good light, mine is always from the window, no lamps. I think it's just paying attention, the light is the most important thing so you just look for it....I like south facing rooms best but you get consistency with north facing..........sorry, can't really help with this one........it's like anything, you learn what works as you go, I can't really articulate it but I could walk through your house and tell you the best room. :)

5) What do you like about shooting film vs. Digital? What is it about medium format film that keeps you coming back?
I started with digital, and I do like it, but it's a different medium to film...to me it's cleaner, more 'realistic' but generally has less warmth and depth. I started film because I was getting frustrated with the results I was getting on the DSLR....that I couldn't achieve what I wanted. I purchased an old Yashicamat TLR from Ebay....which is where all my cameras have come from, and it suddenly all made sense, it took pictures in the way I saw them.....and that's the same reason why I will sometimes use digital e.g.: the caravan pics....I think it's just using the right tool for the job you need to do. Now I mainly stick with the Hasselblad, because I adore the slightly soft focus (soft to me anyway) and the toycams, the Diana and the Holga (whose back fell off today in the middle of the film). But I love them all, the 35mm slr has taken some of my favourite portraits......the great wall is completely hit and miss, but it's also completely perfect when it goes right. Plus film just feels like home, I have something physical to hold on to and print up in the darkroom if I like.

6) Show us a photographer or two on flickr that has influenced your work.
There are so so many that have and do all the time, even if I'm not conciously aware of it. I'll just list a few of my faves... BosseB www.flickr.com/photos/bosseb/ His portraits are some of my all time favourites....they are heartbreakingly beautiful. Rebeccamissing www.flickr.com/photos/mintyfresh/ just truly emotional, poetic, pictures.....not necessarily portraits....he could make you cry over a patch of dirt with his spectra and a few words. Mr. E. www.flickr.com/photos/mr-e/ always honest, exposed, inspirational and beautiful. Harpy www.flickr.com/photos/harpy/ she just kicks ass...I always struggle with describing her work but it somehow cuts through the crap and goes straight to the heart and mind. Aikithereska www.flickr.com/photos/thisiswhatisee/ although Therese makes beautiful pictures, it's the way she persists through all the ups and downs of trying to be creative regardless, or because of, whatever life throws up, that inspires me most. I could go on endlessly.

7) If you could spend a week somewhere in the world just doing photography where would it be?
I'd rent an old furnished farmhouse, all rambling and rundown, by the sea in Cornwall. That would make me happy.

8) Tell us something about your favorite portrait of the one's chosen for Spotlight Seven.
Well they all mean something, I love the one of Becky because I really wanted to show her how lovely she is and she does like it, I love the one of Harry, because that's so him, and James, because he doesn't let me take his picture anymore and he can be intense and a real thinker and I hope that shows through. At the moment though, it's the one of my Dad. I think this is the first one I've taken seriously of him since I've kind of known what I'm doing more....he's usually laughing and talking non stop and I find this one very moving. He hasn't said whether he likes it yet or not though.....sometimes it's disconcerting to see yourself changing and getting older.




9) What are your long term goals in regards to your photography?
Well I faff around a lot, I talk about exhibiting or getting a portfolio together even, and I haven't yet done it. My pleasure/passion/obsession comes from the thinking about pictures, having ideas and the taking of them....I don't know if there's enough of me to do the business side, the side that you need to become a 'success'. I'd like to make some money (read need) at the very least to keep me in film, ....ideally I'd like to get my pictures out on walls, make books, have the time to follow my ideas, all of that.............but I need to be able to sell myself and that's what I'm not good at. I don't want to impress anyone, just be able to carry on doing what I love.

10) Show us a photograph you wish you took on flickr.
I've just spent forever going through my favourites and there are about a million pictures I wish I'd taken. It's been interesting to see how over time my tastes have softened, both in focus and colours. I'm going to pick this one simply because I love it and I wish wish wish I'd been taking pictures when my babies were in fact babies and if I had been, then I'd like to think that this is what I'd have done.....nothing fancy, just beautifully tender...
www.flickr.com/photos/hadleyphoto/2400639571

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The 10 chosen photos

Spotlight 7 Week 17: Bukutgirl

Please welcome our week 17 presenter, Bukutgirl, as curated by smoothdude

1) What are you trying to get from your subjects when taking a portrait?

Portrait / candid photography of people is one of my favorite things to do. When I’m shooting someone – if they are aware of it or not (I love to go to street fairs and stand still in one spot for a few hours and just catch what happens around me) – I’m looking for honesty, and clear emotion. That point in the day when a person is not distracted by other thoughts and they are completely within themselves. I think in some cases this is actually easier to do with people who don’t know you’re shooting them vs. planned shoots. If I have a planned shoot with someone I spend a few hours with them beforehand eating something, chatting, having the camera out – shooting them randomly just to get them used to a camera being there. I guess in the end I want the portrait to capture that person as completely as possible as they were in that moment.

2) Can you show us an early of yours that got you really excited about photography?

I was driving back with a friend over thanksgiving weekend from a car race (I went up to photograph the race – classic cars – it was a blast but really cold) it was about 2 am and we were getting back to the car through the parking lot and passed this trucker. I don’t know – it just lit me up.


3) Your photos have a very gritty real quality about them. Do you attribute that to your style, surroundings, your emotion going into a photo?

I moved to Baltimore shortly before getting on flickr and starting to shoot again – besides the very few shots I actually took while in peace corps (maybe 4 rolls in 2 years) I really hadn’t picked up a camera in about 10 years. I was very much alone in this city when I first got here and surprised by the intensity of this place. Baltimore is guts – so many people here don’t even know if they are going to eat that night – or if they’ll have a home next month – it gives the city – and even those of us who are a little more financially secure – a rawness – by living around it all the time. Being a nurse at a local Baltimore hospital influenced this as well – many of my patients were end stage AIDS patients – and it made me so angry at the world – that is a fate no one deserves. I also have had quite a number of major physical problems in the last three years that have at times brought me really down and have made it hard to want to continue to be. A lot of my self portrait work has been about getting some of that out and the war you get into with your own body when it is a constant source of pain. So I guess it’s a bit of everything – the urgent surroundings – the at times desperate nature of life in Baltimore – and my own physical / emotional pain – that pushes me towards gritty.

4) How does Baltimore influence your photography?

This city is fascinating – as I’ve said – it has guts –the fabric of this city is really rich, from the vibrant arts community, to the families that survive and are happy despite all odds to the gruesome realities of some parts of this town, it’s an interesting place to live. When I’m shooting or editing I like to just open up – internally – and feel the city – maybe that sounds really foo-foo but these old buildings and streets have so much energy to them – you can’t help but absorb/channel this place.

5) I found your set of self portraits to be one of the more interesting I've seen on flickr. Talk about this set a little bit.

When I first moved here – and actually for about 2 years – I lived alone and kept really odd hours. I was a full time student and then a nurse working night shift. I ended up doing a lot of self portraiture because there really wasn’t anyone else around when I had time to shoot. As I mentioned the last few years have been hard on me physically and mentally. Between being hit by a car in ’01, having a major medical mishap that left me with permanent nerve damage in my left leg in ’02, two knee surgeries, a nasty cancer scare, heart issues and herniated disks, it’s really been a trial. I haven’t felt very integrated – my body really wasn’t my friend for a long time. Luckily things are calm now and I really don’t have much pain most days. But I really struggled with anger and depression and physical pain there for a while. But shooting myself is also like writing a journal – you catch the good stuff and the bad stuff – I’ve kept a journal since I was little – I guess I just changed media these last few years. On some levels in the past few years I’ve also been learning to accept myself – and exploring what it means to be an adult woman – the consequences and the joys. Much of the work I shot during my first round of school here in Baltimore revolved around my identity crisis of having switched fields (I used to do bench research – and I gave it up to do nursing) and moved across the country away from the landscapes of Oregon I love so much. I had a lot of self doubt about my choices. While I was a nurse I found myself shooting about my interactions with my patients. Who knows, now I work with cockroaches and the elderly so I have no idea what will come out of that!

6) Many Spotlight Seven presenters are either working as photographers or freelancers with aspirations. You're not trying to become a photographer though. Why? And tell us what you are doing.

I have trouble imagining on some levels that my work would be interesting to others. I make images that I like to see – that I haven’t ever seen before. So seriously considering working as a photographer just hasn’t been on my mind. The few times I’ve shot in a semi professional role I have encountered a lot of anxiety – you only really get to shoot once – if I’m shooting for me – no big deal – but if its for someone else it feels like a lot of pressure – so I can’t imagine wanting to do that full time. Instead of a career in photography I’m working on a double masters in occupational and environmental public health nursing ( a masters in nursing and a masters in public health at Johns Hopkins). It’s an upstream approach to preventing downstream health problems by making sure they don’t have an opportunity to get started in the first place. I’m currently working with an elderly / disabled public housing highrise in Baltimore City. The residents and management are working with me on getting a handle on their pest problems (mice and cockroaches) in order to improve the health of the people living and working in the building. We’re using an approach that has worked well in other cities (most notably boston) – it’s an environmental approach – i.e. lowering the carrying capacity of the building for pests via structural and behavioral modifications. The basic idea is to cut pests off from water, food and harborage. It takes a little longer than just going in and spraying down the whole place, but it’s more effective in the long run and doesn’t expose people to the nasty chemicals used in pesticides. A lot of people don’t know that cockroaches aren’t just annoying – they also cause and exacerbate asthma – as do mice. It’s challenging work but I really enjoy it. I’m currently in the process of applying for the PhD program in Public health.

7) If you could photograph one person who would it be?

Patrick White. He’s a noble lit. prize laureate, and his books have informed my thoughts and attitudes since I first encountered them at 18. He’s long dead, but I’ve read everything he’s ever written – and I feel like I have a relationship with him now (I know – crazy) but I would have loved to have been able to sit down and get to know him and try to capture the internal person I got to know through his work – via his exterior existence. If you haven’t heard of him one of his best books is Voss.


8) Show us two photographers on flickr who have inspired you.

This is tough there are sooo many people that I look up to and get inspired by…but if I have to:
One is:
Tous les noms sont déjà pris... pfff...'s
Here’s the link to his stream: all_the_names_are_already_taken_pfff/
His work blows me away and makes me strive to get cleaner and heartier.
Another would be: Brett Walker – his street work is unreal. I love the grit and the emotion and the clarity.



9) Tell us something about your favorite portrait we chose for Spotlight Seven.

“My Home in East Baltimore” – this little girl’s older siblings were out working with a friend of mine in a community garden in E. Baltimore. I went out for the day to shoot their activities. This little one – Ochi – is 2 years old and she was so beautiful and fresh and loved by her siblings it was wonderful to see. There was a stray cat that kept going in her yard – that she could see from the garden and she kept saying, “Get outta mah yard!” it was really funny – but really stark at the same time. This is a shot with her older sister behind her, in front of their house. The zipcode they live in has a higher murder rate than certain areas of Iraq right now. These kids are full of so much potential, its hard for me to think about all the things that will come at them as they try to grow up. At least Ochi has a loving family and knows how to chase away the strays.

10) Show us a photo on flickr you wish you took.

This one.

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The 10 chosen photos:

chrisisageek

What can I say about chrisisageek that hasn't already been said? In theory a lot since not much has been said on his profile page at Flickr, but in reality not much- because what else do we really know about Chris? Besides his geekiness.

Hampton Roads Wedding Photographer John Cachero

From time to time, I like to highlight different people contributing to the 6 Million People project. Today, I'd like to share a few photographs from one of the leaders in Hampton Roads wedding photography, John Cachero. Known as NogsOnline at Flickr, John is a talented, up & coming photographer. Nogs was also nice enough to blog about our project on his blog. You can view all his contributions to the 6 Million People project, which will no doubt grow in time with many more great photos. When you look at the Nogs' portfolio, you'll have no doubt that he'll soon be among the finest wedding photographers in Virginia. Give him a call if you're in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and need a good photographer.

Spotlight 7 Week 36: DarkDaze Photography [Mildly NSFW]

This week's Spotlight Seven exhibition features Dark Daze Photography, as curated by Spotlight 7 alum Lou O'Bedlam. Dark Daze got his start as a child when he picked up an Instamatic and used it to shoot the wildlife near his house into his teens. Like many, the photography bug let-up but never went away, and DD returned to photography about 10 years later. In this excerpt, Lou asks DD about his experiences with different cameras, and the different styles they engender:

3) does the camera make the photographer? how have each of your cameras contributed to your style?
No. the camera is just a device to achieve something. But then again yes of course it does. At best it’s a healthy relationship, like all guitar players have their favourite ‘axe’ but they could all knock a decent tune out of any piece of junk with strings. I am very conscious of how differently I shoot on different cameras- for instance I hardly ever shoot digital on the street- I hate having a camera up at my eye, so I shoot on my bronica, with its waist level viewfinder. It slows me down, I don’t waste shots, I think about framing and almost never press the shutter. Polaroid frees me up, no-one ever gets intimidated by having a Polaroid taken off them- but again I shoot max 3 shots and if it doesn’t work then we finish for the day. Digital, I am in for the long haul, I may work for 50 shots trying to get one model in a set-up to move her arm to where it looks right to me. I tweak and I tweak and I tweak, and then just when its about perfect I tear down all my lights and my assistants look at me with hate, and we set up all over again. This is pretty standard. So my digital style is clean and precise, you wont find anything that isn’t meant to be there, my medium format is loose but composed, a lot of balance I hope.

There's much more to learn about DD in the rest of his interview. When did he decide to become pro, how he balances commerce with art, what he's gotten out of Flickr, and much more. This is one of our more in-depth interviews, and DD is hanging around to take questions, so you can't miss this. Please be sure to browse his photostream, and you can visit his website or order prints if you really like what you see. Enjoy! Oh, and spread the word about Spotlight Seven!

Diamond Valley Lake Half Marathon finisher

Diamond Valley Lake Half Marathon finisher, originally uploaded by jakerome.

From yesterday's race. Took this soon after I finished the same event.

Lung Liu in Spotlight Seven

Please join me in welcoming Lung S. Liu for Week 35 of Spotlight 7. Lung has taken photos all over the world, from Bangkok to Vancouver, Mexico and the Salton Sea in California. Lung truly has a gift, as he seems to be able to see the subject and capture an emotion without overt worries about lighting or equipment. It's a gift few of us share, and be sure to read the whole interview and the discussion to see this from several viewpoints. Here's just a bit from this week's exhibition:

5) Tell us about the Muay Thai set, how did you find yourself shooting that amazing series.

I was walking along the railroad tracks in Central Bangkok and ran into some people watching cockfights. They pointed me towards the local gym and I started to photograph there and that just ballooned to other gyms. It was a natural progression.

Check out the rest of the Lung's interview with smoothdude, and wander over to his website to discover more about this fine artist.

G's emphatic assent

G's emphatic assent, originally uploaded by no answers 2.

Flickr friend, and the star of several photo streams.

Christopher at Pictureline

Mike Calanan is a good friend and a great photographer. He was featured during Week 14 of Spotlight 7, and curated our Week 20 exhibition of .charlie. Here's his portrait of the camera shop guy. Nice one! See more of Mike's work.

Sister in Snow

Sister in Snow , originally uploaded by Justin D..

Justin is a long-time member of the group, and provided our Chinese translation. Very lovely portrait of his sister here.

Renq in Spotlight 7

Amazing stuff this week from Renq, courtesy of resident curator madeinsheffield. Our first-ever Estonian artist in Spotlight 7, it's hard to believe that he first picked up a camera 2 years ago. Just goes to show that some people just have an amazing natural talent for photography. Rene Piirkop is the odd photographer that started on digital-- in 2006-- and now exclusively shoots film. The photos are timeless and eye-catching, and Rene gives us a small peak into his work habits.

3) Your portraits are very considered - do you spend much time planning them before hand?
Most of my portraits have been taken spontaneously, quite accidentally, and by momently emotion. I do not plan my portraits.Naturally I pay a lot of attention to the background, but these are quick momently decisions in the course of shooting. I do not make classic photo session where during long hours a model is forced to try hundreds of poses.

Check out all 10 portraits please, and be sure to leave some comments and feedback for our featured artist on the interview page. Thanks all!

Hey, I know that guy!

That's me, photo courtesy of Daniel Krieger, aka smoothdude on Flickr. Smoothie, as he's often called on Flickr isa terrific New York City-based wedding photographer, commercial photographer, photojournalist and a stunning portraitist, too. We met up for lunch yesterday in Chinatown, and then snapped far too many shots on the street. Check out all his work, and be sure to pay extra attention to his great portraits.

South Bay silhouette

DSC_0524, originally uploaded by Ryan M 21.

This is from my neck of the woods. There was great light that night from all the smoke in the sky. Great sense of fun in this photo.

Tiffany

Tiffany, originally uploaded by phoneymanflickr.

Tiff is a Flickr friend, and Pierre is another Flickr friend. What a wonderful age we live in.

harrier pilot

harrier pilot, originally uploaded by andre stoeriko.

Just awesome.

Verónica Noonan (teleoalreves) in Spotlight 7

Week 33 of Spotlight Seven features our first South American, Verónica Noonan aka teleoalreves, from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Which means we've now featured artists from six different continents! This is just a little bit of this week's interview.

4) How do you interact with your models when you're photographing them. Do you joke around with them or talk to them a lot? tell us how you get emotion from them?
That's the question. There's a magical success when the model is front of me , perfect strangers who naturally fell comfort, I usually let them be , but when I need something in particular, I guide them with little words, only that. Some awesome things happens to me with the persons in front of my camera. I 'm very thankful. Maybe it's a gift somebody gave to me!!!!

Verónica also maintains her own website, which no doubt features some of the best portrait photography in Argentina. The photos there are definitely worth a visit, and the website is very elegant. She probably has written a wonderful description of her work on her profile page, but as my Spanish is very rusty, I'll depend on her English testmonials to tell you that she has some huge fans. But hey, take a look for yourself in this week's Spotlight Seven exhibit.