Hattie the Ballerina

Recently got my first job photographing a ballerina. I had a blast. I love working with creative and artistic people and I was sure we'd get some great photos. The only thing I wasn't sure of was that morning I realized I hadn't thought about music. Not that I need music while shooting, but I wasn't sure if she would assume I would play some appropriate dance and ballet music. And I have no dance music.... except for Philip Glass stuff that the famous dancer Twyla Tharp worked on. I was pretty sure she most likely wouldn't be into Philip Glass's music. Of course half way through the shoot we're talking about music and she tells me one of her favorite works is by Philip Glass. Teaches me I shouldn't assume!

Polaroid Type 55 Negative was shot for 1 second at f4 with a Kodak Aero Ektar 178mm on a Graflex Speed Graphic, and using a hand-tripped strobe.

The Massachusetts Model Mayhem Meet & Greet Wow That's a Lot of M's

A very large New England contingent of the Model Mayhem community descended upon a picturesque mansion in northern Massachusetts to meet, shoot and network.

The photographers were there from the very beginning, most just milling about eyeing the lone one or two models like vultures to carrion. If we weren't all joking about it, it might have been awkward. However, within an hour or two, at least twenty more people arrived and by the evening the place started looking like a party at the Playboy Mansion. Beautiful people galore.

Photo of photographer Jeff Engel by Carlton SooHoo, another photographer

Jeff
Originally uploaded by carltonsoohoo

My friend and colleague Carlton SooHoo shot a photo of me last month since I didn't have a real portrait. I helped a bit with lighting, but he really made me look like such a bad ass photographer!

Check out an article about this shot on his blog or click on the photo to see his technical description for Flickr's "Strobists" group.

Photo not of a Swedish Starlet

© 2006 Jeffrey Engel

Something about this photo says “’70s Swedish Actress who starred in many Ingmar Bergman films”. Shot this at 6B Lounge on Beacon Hill using the “Available Light” setting on my Fuji F11. I kind of like it. It basically liberates the ISO to shoot at what it needs. Yes, there’s a lot of grain (and noise)... but perhaps that’s what makes a lot of Fuji digital photos look like film. And frankly, that’s what I like about them. This doesn’t look like a typical digital photo with limited dynamic range. This is like one of those ‘70s high-contrast shots. I love this little camera.

Photo in the old Boston Public Library

It's Lonely at the Top © 2006 Jeffrey Engel

I took a break from helping with the setup of the group show at Roscoe & Luigi's on Newbury Street. I decided to check out the old Boston Public Library. It kind of has the atmosphere of the famous New York Public Library. It's very grandiose with marble, lion statues, ornate bannisters, huge paintings and lots and lots of wood. This is not to be confused with the new library next door, which is very modern and efficient but lacks that grandiosity of the former. As I was milling about on the second floor, I found this huge, empty (save for plush leather seats) room ornately decorated. There were lots of pedestals perfectly suited to replace the need for a tripod, so I set the timer on my Fuji F11 point-and-shoot and got this shot. I like to think I'll have a living room like this some day. And in all honesty, I even romanticize the notion that I'll be jaded and lonely— a tortured, misunderstood man. And that's when I realize I'm already halfway there.