pixels, light and hot wax

Or, at least, my services are — to celebrate the official unveiling of my promotion to associate photographer at Janet Klinger Photography (which I have actually been doing for a while), get a free upgrade to unlimited exposures AND a free 8×10 when you book me (though my day job) by May 31.

(For fantasy portraiture and editorial work; basically anything BUT conventional portraiture, you would still book me directly.)

Elisabeth’s Baptism
Originally uploaded by luxumbradei.

For this week’s Photo Friday (“Blessing”) a sentimental favorite, of my second daughter’s baptism.

Over on my personal livejournal, I posted a poll for your votes on what the first 6-7 postcards in the Zaftig Press line should be; you can use the poll interface if you have a livejournal, or just leave a comment if you don’t. Thanks much!

Blogger forced me over to the “new blogger” today, and while I can live with it, and like the addition of labels (but am still considering switching entirely to wordpress) it was *not* my idea for it to republish the entire bloody blog to the RSS feed.

Bruce Fraser of my favorite Photoshop book authors, a real giant of the field, has passed on. His
“Real World Camera RAW” is one of the most useful digital photography books I have ever read.

via Designorati

I tivoed a documentary about Andy Goldsworthy (Rivers and Tides). I remember studying him back in my art history days, and not being particularly struck (other than by how much patience he must have) but now I find the work extremely compelling. As artmaking, his work is just so … pure? I don’t know the right word, but I think I could watch this repeatedly; it is compelling, earthy yet serene, and brings me back to thinking about essentials of artmaking and even essentials of life — he works with the big concepts, life, light, time, but without being at all presumptuous or overbearing. I want to say it’s very Zen, but somehow that’s too pat, not full enough.

I need to keep paying attention to this kind of work; it is so easy as I am starting out and still looking for a definitive style and some sort of success to get smaller and smaller in the focus of the work and lose the perspective of why I gave into art in the first place.

Just shot this about 2 hours ago, and I had to post it before I even finish editing the shoot:

This is the glorious Mickey. Go buy a beer from her at the Vogue, and remember to tip well

I was going to keep this under my hat until Worldcon, but I’m just too excited.
There is something so enlivening about a shiny new medium! Hence, this little bauble.

Summer’s Exile, 2006

5×5 limited edition print.

It’s done 95% in Vue (and a little bit in Photoshop)

Art has been taking a bit of a backseat to the business of art, and the business of living. My oldest daughter just started pre-school, wedding season has hit big-time (meaning more hours at the dayjob), and preparing for WorldCon is driving me nuts. Amidst all this, I finished two new pieces (debuting at WorldCon), started two more encaustics riffing off the original material that inspired Happy Pill, did one shoot, and scheduled three others in the next two weeks (mostly headshots, but one is a high-fashion style model portfolio shoot, which will probably provide some material for subverting into sf; that’s what Dreaming of Home came from, when Anna and I were trying to channel Alexander McQueen with tin foil and saran wrap.) Since almost all my art time, whether it be shooting, photoshopping, or painting, comes on Saturday afternoons, let’s just say the schedule is really way too packed.

Dreaming of Home, 2005

And I’ve also figured out that the new web design for Jeliza.net is broken, so that must be fixed to something easier to navigate. Preferably before the hundreds of fen (and art directors!) who will might up my business card at Worldcon get there. And I’m terribly afraid this means finally learning CSS.

Seattle Craft Mafia is actively seeking new members!

We are a group of like-minded independant business owners and artisans in the Puget Sound area who have come together to offer mutual support, information and resources. We are also working outside of the box to create new marketing opportunities for our members as well as new shopping experiences for the community.

Sooooo….If you are a local indie business owner or artisan and you want to get in on the ground floor visit the Seattle Craft Mafia website and send an email for more information on how to join. We have both associate and full memberships available.

If you are a local business owner and want to offer your services for the above mentioned events or are interested sponsorship opportunities you are welcome to inquire at info@seattlecraftmafia.com.