My New Boyfriend

Elizabeth Pratt and Brian Matsumoto, our Midwest Canon reps, came to the office with bags of toys and industry gab yesterday. Since the photo expo in NYC was just last week, I felt super VIP looking at the style spread with all the bells and whistles right in our studio. Photography is taking an exhilarating turn. All models now shooting HD video for one. This could be overwhelming and intimidating but change or die. For me, the story is the most important thing. Now, straight from the hip, we call tell a story in whatever medium fits the moment.

Canon 1D Mark IV. 16.1 Megapixel camera, ISO range of 50-102,400 (yeah). Shot coworker sitting in a chair in the dark and the image was kind of beautiful. Get on a waiting list. $4,995

The Canon 5D Mark II. These are getting used a lot in motion picture now I guess b/c they are considered disposable by DP's. Set it up inside a burning boat hit the "explode" button and go pry the chip out. No big deal.

The new version of the 100mm vibe resistant macro. Yum. This images was shot with a fun little 35 mm fixed tilt shift lens Brian brought in for kicks.

Brian shows us the video capabilities of the 5D Mark II. Still with the tilt shift here. Fun but you need some time to set up the curved focal plane. Not a shoot from the hip thing but entertaining and prob good for architecture with the 90mm version.

Thanks Brian and Elizabeth! We love the new toys!

Bored to Sleep

I got one good picture of Bobby Jr. before he quit pretending he cared about anything except cereal and his Saturday Morning cartoons. These photos are taken at the Chicago legend Bobby Conn's house in Humbolt Park. His son, Bobby Jr. goes through several stages of being disinterested in our "concept," which ends in exhaustion. When I'm bored, I get sleepy too.

Nikon F4 - Fuji 800 NPZ.

Noah's Ark

I'm on a new television show where we travel back in time to the origins of life's greatest mysteries to find out what really happened. This weeks episode, we were transported to Point Reyes, just north of San Fransisco before "Noah's Ark," beached on dry land. Turns out, it wasn't Noah's ark. It was my brother, John Daniel's ark. And he loaded us in two by two, just in time.

We leave the city early in the morning to load into the boat.

John Daniel receives the holy spirit and takes us to the ark with his eyes closed to prove it.

"All aboard, two by two, as God commandethed."

Male and female, clean an unclean.

John Daniel unties his pet red-tailed hawk to seek dry land.

The hawk returns with a green leafy substance, a really good sign that the new world was going to be way better.

John Daniel knew he had done the right thing and would soon deliver his people the new land. Magical.

When you roll with Jesus, you always get ambassador parking.

The new world. Only the holy remain. Go forth. Record scratch. Levi's is using that one now.

Inhale and multiply.

Bleat to Meat

From the beginning.....Tony and David live in the city and buy meat in a styrofoam package like everyone else. One day they decided they should go out to West Chicago, buy a goat from a farmer, slaughter it, cook it and invite all their friends over to eat it.

11 a.m. Pick up Mike. West Chicago.

Noon. Farmer down the street from Mike's place.

1:00 p.m. Back to Mike's.

This is where I went numb. It happened very fast.

1:15 p.m.

3:50 p.m. Tony and Mike decide on a curry rub.

4:30 p.m. I wash up, reflect and make the fixings for an apple pie.

7 p.m. Oven baked, curry rubbed goat.

8:30 p.m. Apple pie.

9 p.m. Mike and Rebba's. Warm, full, and getting all the feeling back now.