Shoots , heat and weight

Photo by Wolfshead photography

So again, I haven't been posting much,mostly because I have been doing more art modeling things than photography... Would you like to see and hear about  some of that as well?

Friday,I had my first shoot in a while ,  the themes were "Superheroes" and " Gothic " pinup.
Michael ( the photographer) sent me this little teaser from the Gothic section.

What you can't see, is that I was melting, totally.  It was 91 according to the the thermometer in my car, Michael's studio is on the third floor, and only partially air conditioned ( the bathroom and front room, where we shot was not...this one, shot in the garage, even MORE not conditioned...probably 110 in there at least) I am sure that my face got red, even with the makeup, and was having to blot my face CAREFULLY, so as not to smudge makeup.  Heat is not my friend, was not my friend.... go ahead, try to get a full spandex body suit on, while sweaty.  I dare you...to say it as a little difficult, whew!  
Don't get me wrong, Michael is an awesome guy, and I had a good time, but extreme heat ( or for that matter cold) DOES make things much more difficult.  ( though it also made us go faster, to finish up....but that is not always a good thing, as there were poses that in retrospect, I would have wanted to try, but it was just so hot. ) So here is a word to the wise.... outside shoots, one expects to be uncomfortable because of heat or cold or rain or water, but inside....comfort should be taken into consideration. So Michael, as much as I like you... if we work together again, full summer would not be best time to do it in.

You may ask why I have not been shooting so much?
2 reasons really. One is that I am looking for more paid work- not that I won't do TFP, but it needs to be a concept that I haven't done before- something new...something that I have really been wanting to do...and most of those ideas are pretty conceptual.  The second reason, is that I had a bit of time where I got lazy with my eating and my exercise...and I gained weight...So I have beefed up my working out again , and paying more attention to food, so that, I will be able to see my ab muscles again.( not to mention, get into all ready waiting to be shot wardrobe)
Yes, let me make it clear, I do love my body, and I am fairly amazed at the things it has done BUT just because I love it, doesn't mean it can't be better- doesn't mean I stop striving...I had a hiccup, it happens, now it's back at it .    

Wow, time gets away !

I know,I know...again I haven't posted in a bit,and I am sorry!
And it isn't that I have not been busy,but that I have been VERY busy, but not with photography, mostly with Art Modeling.  So lots of new drawings and sculptures of me out there, but not a lot of new photographs.

What I did get a chance to do is of to Wizard World Chicago with my daughter and a friend and HER daughter.  It was the first Con the  three of them had ever been to.  We had a blast, just wandering around, taking pictures with people, catching glimpses of idols. ( Matt Smith, David Boreanaz, James Marsters, Stan Lee, Dave Batista, Karl Urban, Lou Ferrigno) We didn't pay extra for personal photo ops or autographs, it was a budget trip ( as much as one of these things can be, anyway)

I was dressed as a 1990's Black Widow, My daughter was Pikachu, and my friends daughter was Storm.  The girls felt like movie Stars because people kept stopping them and wanting to take pictures of them.  They had a blast ( and that was the point, yes?)




 

Manteno State Hospital

Photo by Absinthe Moon Photography

 I know, I haven't posted in a bit, but I had not been shooting much ( I have more shoots coming up, I promise)

Last week I had a shoot with Tim at Absinthe Moon Photography...to add to his series of corpse paint images.  For those that don't know what it is, the concept is taking something ( corpse paint) that is normally used by a specific segment of Metal Music bands ( usually, but not always male) and put it on a selection of models.  I took my shoot a bit further, using an outfit ( little black dress, elbow length gloves, heels) that would normally not be associated with Metal at all....making my particular shoot more of a Metal/ corpse paint/ glamour shoot.  We decided to try and do the shoot at Manteno state Hospital.

Built in the 30's,as a mental institution, it was open until the mid 80's, and is actually listed on Illinois most haunted places. In  '85, Reagan and the Sate of Illinois closed it, to save money and those patients that had no family to pick them up, were reportedly, turned out into the surrounding corn fields.

Most of the land and buildings, have since  been turned over to things like a Veteran's home, industrial/ office park, and other such uses.  There are only 2 buildings that remain un rehabbed and un used...the sewage plant and one of the dorm/ home type buildings.  ( I believe "Morgan House" is the name of the building - each building had a name )

After driving around a bit ( Manteno is not a big town, this is on the edge of it, and Google Maps, does not recognise "Manteno State Hospital" since it has been closed since 1985.    So Tim picked one of the companies in the industrial park, Frito Lay, and we just had to drive around searching a bit more.

The Interior designer/ history/ Home archaeologist nerd in me, noticed things like the arched windows, slate roof, double layered brick walls( two colors of glazed brick on the inside, red brick on the outside) and columned walks/ entrances. The building still has it's poured in place two colored terrazzo floor ( with metal spacers) under all the detritus. I could identify the bathing rooms, toilet rooms, maintenace rooms.  We did not go into the basement, or upstairs...too difficult and dangerous- I was in heels or flip flops at the time....not very good exploring wear.

They really were sunny, open, attractive buildings at one time.

    

Photo by Absinthe Moon Photography

The next thing I notice is that on this hot ( almost 90) sunny day, with standing water inside some rooms, from holes in the roof, there was not ONE bug....not a gnat, mosquito, fly....nothing.  Weird enough.

And as we walked, there was a constant whisper of sound...the tattered roller shades still on many windows, the rustle, creak and groan of sapling trees in the courtyard rubbing against each other and the roof, the breeze though broken windows and open doorways.

And then there were the random cold spots...and in one bathroom and one corner in particular...cold enough to raise goose flesh.  We were told that that particular bathroom was "Gennie's room"  Gennie was a patient who lived most of her life here.

Tim decided it was only polite to ask if he could take some pictures, of the room, the building, of Gennie.  He swears that he heard wordless whispering right behind him....he took that as a yes.

Do I believe in ghosts?  I believe  that there are things we don't understand,that only some can sense. I believe that imprints of our selves can be left behind. I believe that a place can absorb the energy that is inside it, around it ....and that energy can again, be felt much after the original use or events have happened. So yes, I guess I do.

After we finished our shoot, I only thought it polite to leave something.... an offering of sorts.  So I left one of the bracelets I had been wearing in "Gennie's Room" on what was left of a bathtub support.  I could swear that the room whispered at me.    

Not much

By Tracey Padron 

Sorry I haven't posted in a bit, but the modeling has been in a bit of a lull...both in art and in photography.  It will pick up again very shortly ( and has started all ready)

Shoots coming up are a death metal corps makeup/ glamour shoot with Absinthe photography ( I LOVE mixing things up and playing with concepts like this) , a shoot for a calender ( 2 of them actually- super hero and Gothic)

Stuff in the works...Phoenix tattoo with Ms Gingersnap and Michael Barton Art, Yoga ( not fitness, more art with deep shadows and lighting)

Ideas I have floating around include peacock and urban primitive....

The art modeling will REALLY pick up in August, when I am pulling quite a few double shifts, and working 4 or so weekdays.

Wine promo hopefully is ALSO picking up.

So, as with many things, it is merely the calm before the storm....and I will have lots to share when it hits!  

Parking, Bathrooms and Heat

Photo by Bill Rock

Had a shoot on Tuesday with a photographer I have not worked with before, by the name of Bill Rock. Super nice guy, architect and started photography doing architectural work...he was looking to expand  with "edgier" models, I was looking to do something with architecture.  Worked out for both of us, I hope.
We met downtown (not to self, remember to check when festivals are starting so as to know when roads are closed...turned out to be the day before Taste of Chicago- so the roads around Grant Park were closed, making my planned parking, more complicated than it was supposed to be. another note...when downtown, ask for parking money 32.00 to park, whooee!  )

Chicago is such a great city for architecture, had we time and the feet for it there are PLENTY of other great buildings/ places to take pictures ! But we went from The Art institute to the Auditorium Theatre, to the El and the riverfront- so  a good walk and great places to work.

People, which I thought would be an issue, just weren't. They would wait for the shutter to click, us to wave them through or go behind Bill, so not to impact shots.  Some watched, but not obtrusively,and not for long. The people were nice. had a man with quite possible the lowest, most gravely voice I have ever heard, tell me I looked good, and several compliments of wardrobe ( shoes especially)

The problems we ran into were wardrobe changes ( a restaurant restroom, isn't the best, but it worked.  Could have been worse, I don't think I could have handled a port-o-potty ) Make -up touch ups...well we did the best we could in the bathrooms, and with the heat ( it was almost 90) I will tell you, leather shorts may be shorts, but they get STICKY...how my face was not totally flushed from the heat, I don't know.   Hair had to remain simple...I started with it up, and gradually took pins out , a little teasing and spray was all I could manage in the time and space ( and wind) I was dealt.

But overall, I think it went great. Bill seemed really happy with the images he got, I certainly am happy with the sneak peaks he provided.
All in all, another adventure, another different experience, with images  to prove it.  

Storms , hotels and Wolves

Photo by: Laura Dark

So on Sunday I had my much anticipated shoot with Laura Dark.  ( I have admired her work for a couple years now- and when presented with the chance to work with her AND wolves, I jumped!)

The hubby came with me as Columbus is a bit of a drive, and we had decided because it was we would drive down on Saturday, shoot on Sunday and drive home on Monday.
We took the "scenic" route, through little towns and two lane highways.  It was a nice, cloudy day ( we had to go through a couple rain bursts, but not awful ones)

Driving through the Midwest, off highway is for me, a very "homey" experience.  We went through places that look like childhood homes, family neighborhoods, place where my childhood was spent.

The shoot with Laura started at 10 am and makeup and hair ( 3 other women were shooting in that session) so there was 2 make up and one hair person ( thank you ladies, you did a stellar job on all4 of us!)
The shoot itself started a bit after 1, when the wolves and their handlers came to the studio.

Cana, the wolf for the shoot came in, and quickly eased my mind on how stand offish she would be...which  she wasn't at ALL.  She immediately came in, smelled, and started rolling around on the floor, on our feet, begging for belly rubs and kisses. During the shoot, it was harder to get her to not lick your makeup off, than anything else.
I am well aware that Cana is a human socialized wolf, and trained in "ambassador" work.  That a wild one would be far more shy, and timid, especially without the rest of her pack.  I am also aware that wolves do NOT make good pets...they are NOT the same as dogs, despite their similarities.  But working with her, was totally amazing, I do have to say.

The shoot itself was not long. Laura is a very deliberate shooter... she waits for the shoot, shoots, then waits again.  She is  looking to have 10-12 good images of which she usually pulls 6 or so.  Cana, made it take a little longer than I think is normal for her...but you have to work around the animal...she won't work around you.

( and by Monday evening I had gotten my finished images back)

When the shoot ended, the wolf had gone home, we had gotten out of wardrobe...hubby and I went back to the hotel. He was tired, as he had not slept well on the marginal mattress.  He said something like" I wish I was home" even though we weren't scheduled to go home until Monday, and had prepaid the room for another night.  It wasn't as though we had plans...so I said "why don't we go, if you are up to it?"  He perked up...and off we went.  Again on the scenic route , the weather was even nicer than on Saturday...my only downside, that I ran out of reading material on my kindle .

Made it home, slept in out own bed, made the kitties ( Chemo, Rogaine and Venus) happy.
Monday was a lazy day...then the Derecho blew into town.  With it's lines of severe thunderstorms , rain and wind.  It turned out well, us leaving early, as we would have been driving in that mess, had we left on Monday.  Instead we watched it safely through our own windows.  As I write this,  there are still many without power and many areas with much flooding and tree clean up today.              

Conventions

Photo by: Michael Barton Art

So I attended my very first tattoo convention yesterday. I had zero idea of what to expect, and so was open to anything.  Went with a friend (and photographer) as well as my daughter.

So, the Chicago Tattoo and Body Art Expo at Navy Pier....

If someone is wanting a tattoo ( not HUGE) there were easily 200 tattoo artists. They had their portfolios, and their equipment....some were also selling t-shirts, art, posters ( even some skate decks)
So my friend got a new script tattoo,and touch up of an existing one from an artist out of Rhode Island- quite reasonable 150 for both .

We got  4 free t-shirts, plus a free print, and easily had 4 different tattoo artist tell me I HAD to enter the tattoo contest later in the evning.... so for 10 bucks I did.
First problem...I was wearing regular shorts and a halter top.  I figured that was hiding a great deal of the tattoo. So first I want in search of a bikini bottoem or something....I managed to find some booty shorts ( complete with three little pink lip prints)
So after having to wait a  LOOOONG time for my segment to be called, I took off my regular shorts, walked up the stairs to the stage, turned for the judges, walked to the end of the stage and turned for the audiance . Even though I was really nervous, it wasn't bad.
My tattoo isn't totally done ( one session left) But I figured what the hey., might as well try...one never knows. Besides, life is meant to be lived!
 I didn't win, but the winner was AMAZING...picture a Japanese sleve with dragon, koi, flowers,clouds, water....but done HYPER real.  With the shading to not only look 3-d, but the koi actually looked wet ( and a super nice guy, while waiting for results , he was showing me pictures of his grandkids)

So, all in all ,I figure I willgoto the next one, my ink willbe done, and I might have a chance...the girl wants to come with, and I will put a swimsuit under my clothes.  But if you are into tattoo's I reccomend going at least once.