Flowers In The Desert

I have been doing a study with flowers, I'm not sure yet if I should continue.

Pearl

These photos are in the order I shot them, using a Holga 120N and Kodak Portra 400 film.

NevaehLleh

Flowers only come to the desert once a year in the spring, unless you bring your own.

Conundra

If I had the time I'd do 100 of these, if I had the time I'd make it into a book.

Madrid

"When I ask to photograph someone, it is because I love the way they look and I think I make that clear. I'm paying them a tremendous compliment. What I'm saying is, I want to take you home with me and look at you for the rest of my life." ~ Amy Arbus

Desert X2

Dejan Dizda is originally from Yugoslavia and now living in Israel & Serbia.

Desert Gallery I (©2010-2011 Dejan Dizda)

His work is among my very favorite images and is also known worldwide, photographing nudes in places such as the Dead Sea, the Nagev & Judean deserts, Dejan has previously invited me to visit Israel and I surely wish I could, I so love his locations!

Storm (©2010-2011 Dejan Dizda)

Then the other day I received a message from him that he will be visiting California and my deserts, the deserts of the southwest US, and needless to say when he asked me to join him I about fell off my chair. So on March 5-12, 2012 we will be shooting together, with two models in places such as Death Valley and the deserts of Arizona and Utah.

Thirst (©2010-2011 Dejan Dizda)

I feel very privileged to be a part of this project, we have a similar respect and love of, the nude in the desert.

Time never Sleeps

Plans are just beginning to come together and specific locations may vary slightly but we've chosen some key places already, a couple I have already shot in and so very much looking forward to returning to!

On The Surface

Isn't the best way to celebrate life to live it?

Gift Of Life

"The camera is just a box. What's important it's what is in your mind." ~Bill Snyder

Pushing

It's common to come across a saying that states in effect; ten photographers can shoot the same model in the same location and you'll have ten very different photographs.

I'm influenced by photographers and models all the time, I will see someone's work in a gallery or on the Net and want to see more. There are a few I very much admire and follow because their work in my opinion is simply amazing.

These images are from a photo shoot I did with Pearl on Sunday, we'd talked about doing something inside, something different, we like to experiment and try different things in photography.

I thought about my art nude work and after we decided to shoot indoors I was thinking of all the photos I've taken though the years, at home, of family, where I had to use room light. I couldn't set up any studio lighting in these situations, the most I ever had was a flash for fill.

Shooting with the one light in the desert feels easy to me, but when you push yourself and work with people who also push it's a very good thing. While looking at the images after the shoot I realized how Pearl has pushed me to improve, and I don't really mean her personally, it's a combination of many things and I'm fortunate to work with people who will push me out of my comfort zone.

Anyone can take a picture...a person with a passion sees the picture before it's taken. - Anonymous

Return to Salton Sea

This past weekend the weather turned cold in the high desert and with the time change sunrise was earlier, so I decided to revisit the Salton Sea on my shoots with Nevaehlleh, Conundra & Madrid.

Waterfront

It's not a difficult place to get to, the old naval test site, I just love the atmosphere.

Echo of the Endless foam

Afternoon or morning is a bit of a toss-up, both seem to work equally as well.

Primal

In my view the better the inspiration, the better the location.

Echo

The Salton Sea is in reality the result of nature getting the better of man, as the saying goes, nature has a way of showing you who is really in charge.

Untitled

 

"True there would be no art without the artist, but there would be no artist without the muse." ~Lawrence Drayton

Unclothed: Artists Discuss Public Reaction

Reminder if you are near Indianapolis, IN 

I am very honored to have work at this event

"To me photography is not a contest, it's my life.. so don't bother challenging me, I already won!" ~Ewlises Gonzalez

Flowers in the desert

In October, you'll need to bring your own.

Desert Flowers

 Pearl & I stopped to buy some flowers on our way out to shoot on Sunday.

Wishful Thinking

These are a couple of the first photos, in early morning light and just after the sun came up over the hills, flowers do change the mood and help to tell the story. It also helps to have an amazing model.

Untitled

Every time I lift my camera to my eye. I realized that every photo I take is a piece of my life I will never get back, but I will always be able to see again and again. - Malcolm Flowers