David Anthony Art

The Value of Memories (me on my soap box again)

2011-03-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

As a photographer my work is in capturing the fleeting moment and making it last forever. Most of the moments I capture will never happen again. Wether it is a family portrait session on the lakefront, a young mans 13th birthday, a young woman's quinceañera or cotillion, senior photos, an engagement, wedding, anniversary or just a day someone wants to remember, those moments only come once. When I look through the camera I anticipate and wait for them to happen, I stage them, create them, push and pull them out of people to capture something that will live forever.

I shoot all types of events and moments. From time to time during a consultation or just a side conversation I will get asked the ever popular question. Why are photographers so expensive? I have the heart of a teacher so I do my best in these moments to find the opportunity to educate a friend, acquaintance client or perfect stranger who could easily become one of the other three. Photography is a combination of artistry and technical skill. Some of my fellow photographers cringe when I make my plumber analogy but it makes the most sense to people. Pretty much anybody can turn a wrench and measure the length of a pipe and put together the pieces of a simple puzzle. For those simple jobs it's always very possible to do the work yourself. You can probably muster your way through changing your shower head or putting new knobs on the faucet. Now imagine if you will a new bathroom jacuzzi tub, steam shower, lovely fixtures and all. You want it done right so who do you call, the plumber. Why, because they have the expertise needed to get the job done right.

Now imagine its your wedding every moment that happens only happens once. There is only one chance to catch the look on his face as you walk down the aisle, the moment you place the rings on each others fingers, that first kiss the first time you dance together as husband and wife that silly moment when he (even though you both swore you wouldn't) rubs the cake in your face. Ten, twenty, thirty years from now where will you go to reminisce about the moments. The food is gone, the decorations are gone, ......... oh wait the photo album, or maybe the wedding video. Thats where we go to relive those special moments. Surprisingly the very most lasting record of this once in a lifetime event is the one thing that so many people leave to chance.

Guess what we are only in the place and stage of life were in for the moment. It is ever changing. Like a dandelion in the wind we are always moving off to a new adventure. So stop take a moment and capture what you can and if its really important get someone who can beautifully capture what you want to keep forever.

Before you know it your precious little peekaboo baby will be graduating high school, off to college, in love and engaged to be married. Life happens fast. Make the memories lat forever and make them beautiful. Understand the value of those memories and the ability to look back on them as an investment in the life you cherish so dearly :)

Ok enough of my soap box. Live your life and love it .

New Sample Book Of Portrait Work

2011-01-12T21:50:00.001-08:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

So You Want Great Headshots (5 pointers to think about)

2010-11-25T11:55:00.000-08:00

1)Choose wisely.

First things first choose your photographer wisely. I have so often in conversation had people ask me to take pictures for them before they have even seen my work. Of course I would never make it a habit to turn down work but I always advise potential clients to take a moment to look through my work. It is truly important that you see the work of the photographer you choose to create your headshots. There is no real right or wrong way to do it but thier style should fit witht the way you want to represent yourself. See if your photographerpecializes in a specific type of portrait or if they are more versatile.

2)Personality is important.

Remember that you are getting your headshots done with the intent of aquiring work using these images. As a model or actor it is important to have your individual personality shine through. There are many aproaches to this but most importantly remember that the photographer can only work with what you bring to the table. If you are incredibly dull and lifeless that will show in the images just as strongly as if you are vibrant and energetic. What type of message do you want your headshots to communicate.

3)What kind of work do you want.

Keep in mind what kind of work you are trying to get. Do you want to do theater, film, or commercial work? Are you comedic, dramatic, universal. Are you a specific type of charachter or are you an open pallete. These things have the potential to affect the way that you want to be seen. If you are a comedic actor you would want your headshots to have an air of levity. A dramatic portrait would not necessarily be the best choice for you.

4)It's all about the eyes.

Of course your smile is important, too, but the eyes can make or break your picture. They are refered to as the windows to the soul for a reason.Your eyes give you the opportunity to show the layers in your personality. Rather than thinking about the viewer looking at your picture, think about you looking at the viewer. A direct and intentional look into the lens is like making direct eye contact with whoever views your headshot, and we all know the power of direct eye contact.

5)Keep it simple.

Clothing, makeup, hair, and even expression are generally best when simple. The more complex something is in a composition the more it draws atention away from the focal point. If the essence of you is the focal point the last ting you want to do is draw your viewers attention away from is you. You want to draw them in!

Take a moment to look at the world through my eyes

2010-11-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to sharewith you an over view have been doing this year. A small snippet of what I have been up to. Enjoy!!!!!!!

In Progress

2010-11-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

I am always in progress whether I am working on a series of images for a particular project or working through a simple edit from a portrait session.

I absolutely am addicted to beauty. Small problem it takes up a lot of my time. Big problem as my wife describes it I have been given the beauty in so many different places. I can as easily find myself lost in the eyes of a young woman as I can in the amzing beauty of an autumn blossom.

My work is always evolving and developing and I am always working on something new. There are a huge number of projects are constantly in progess that grow at pretty rapid rate. I find myself regularly influenced by so many different aspects of life that are just so simple and yet amazing.

It's Been Too Long

2010-11-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

Seems like it has been forever and a day (actually two months and a little change) since I last posted on my blog. Life as we know it gets in the way sometimes. Last night I went out to the movies with my wife of nearly 14 years. We went to go see For Colored Girls. I had been advised against going to see this movie but I felt and still feel secure enough in my relationship to handle an piece of cinema out there. It's a pretty well known book of poetry that was turned into a play and now into a movie. While I came away form it with all of the trauma I have sean heard experienced or caused dredged up thats not at all what stuck with me. It was just beautiful to see I love the way so many of the heightened emotional moments became some incredibly inspiring still images in my mind. I have always been drawn to the power of human emotion throughout its spectrum. I have to be honest and say this movie is not for everyone. For some it will just leave you angry pr depressed to see all of the pain filled within it. It al depends on your perspective. One of the things I hope people come away from this with is understanding that while the cast of this film is all black, the issues presented in it are not race or culture specific.

Working On The Integration Of Everything!

2010-09-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone will like the new integration. I am attempting to make the relationship between my blog and my site as seamless as possible. This is proving to be not necessarily a difficult endeavor but definitely a time consuming one. It will be good though I think to have these all connected making your experience all the more pleasant. Of course I have been working on a lot of projects and making strides in developing my time management to help keep myself on to of the things I need to take care of. I hope that you will enjoy following me along this journey as I make things work a little smoother.

"Project Freckle"is moving along smoothly with several of its sister projects in their beginning stages. I still think and work very similarly to the way I did when painting was my primary medium. (painting hasn't disappeared by the way once i get this ship sailing a little more smoothly i will have the brush in hand again) I have been fortunate in having a great response to the project and the people interested in being a part of it.

model: Kimberly Lewis

Keep an eye out for more project concepts to be released as time passes.

There will be a link to the project 365 which is almost complete. Just a month or so to go.

As much of a challenge as it is to start your own business with a family of 5 and truly modest income, with your support I will push forward. I have searched long and hard to find what it is that will bring my family forward from the place we have been in for such a long time.

Although we battle I know that my wife is by my side she has been my center, my muse and my dream for so long. I love and thank you for all that you have given to me over the years.

My Queen

I am working to find a way to give back to you all that you have given to me. I know that we see the world through very different eyes. There is a reason we have made it this far. Let these hurdles in our journey strengthen us as we now know what the plan is we can make it happen.

Ok so I have officially been long winded as is expected by anyone who knows me personally. I am always teetering on that line of when and how to end the conversation. So I will simply say adieu. Talk to you soon all.

"Have great expectations and then rise to them"
David Anthony

The High Key Portrait

2010-04-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Creating a high key portrait is not as difficult as it seems.

The range of tones in a high key portrait are predominantly on the light end of a histogram. If you think of a graph where the far left is black the center is a middle grey and the far right is black. The largest portion of tones in the image would fall on the right of the center of this graph.

Almost every bit of information I have ever come across recommends the use of a "fair complexioned" subject for high key portraits. I found this difficult to believe or maybe I just felt it necessary to prove those advice givers wrong. It is very much possible and can be done in some very pleasing ways.

To show the possible range of what I consider to be a model of medium complexion, but in the mainstream photography world would be considered dark, I will show a medium and high key image.

Most of the images you will see that get the label of high key will be black and white or some other form of monochrome. The reason for this is simplicity. It is much easier to create a good looking high key image with a monochrome composition. The less colors you have to think about the easier it is to create a pleasing image in this tonal range. Now I dont want to confuse you. It is not at all impossible or even extremely difficult to create a color high key image it just requires a little more consideration to balance the image and keep it from looking "overexposed".

Beginning with even lighting where there is little or at least only moderate shadow area helps make the process a little simpler. While technology is amazing and the ability to photoshop an image into something completely different from what you start with is common, it is best to begin with an image intended to be processed this way. Why spend unnecessary amounts of time beating an image into submission when if you just think about your end result life after the shutter clicks will be a lot easier.

Now I don't propose to be a high key master of any sort. I am actually very new to this style but so far I have had results that I find pleasing.

Lighting the dramatic portrait using chiaroscuro.

2010-03-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Creating a dramatic portrait using chiaroscuro is actually a much more simple process than it may seem.

Chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) in art is characterized by strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for using contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modeling three-dimensional objects such as the human body. The influence of my years as a painter bring with them a great affinity for this type of lighting. In photography this is often referred to as low key photography. When used in portrait photography, the term “Key” refers to the overall tone of the final photograph. The elements of the portrait that play into the tone of it are the color of the background, the color of clothing used and the color of any props or foreground elements. Portraits that have a consistent key generally have much more of an impact that those whose elements are not consistent.

There can be a great deal of variety in the approach to this lighting style. The level of drama or intennsity is directly related to the angle of the light in relationship to the subject. The more towars the front of the subject tje less dramatic the image will be. As you move more to the side the drama increases. The mood of the shot can also be greatly affectedby the vertical relationship of the light and subject. The portrait above uses a frontal light just slightly above the subject. This is on the low end of the dramatic scale.

Don't be confused, This is not the only way to create a dramatic portrait. I am just focusing on the use of chiaroscuro as one of the many ways to create a photgraph filled with drama and intensity.

Beautifully dramatic portraits (such as the above) can be created using fullilumination and very little use of shadow.

The use of this method can vary from a slight emergance of an image from the shadows to a brightly illuminated image that cuts through the darkness like a knife. I like to span the range from sublte to intense.

Ok now that I have blabbered on about what I love so much we can get back to the actual subject of this post. Any camera that has the ability to shoot manually can do this with ease. It is doable with just about any camera but of course like everything some tools make the job easier. With your light source (strobe, lamp, or even the sun) posotioned to one side of the subject. Ofcouurse you cant position the sun so you will have to position the subject. A dark background or setting aides greatly in this endeavor. Your exposure settings should be adjusted for the brightest portion of the image. You are essentially shooting what your camera will mosstlikely recognise as an underexposed image. Your image can span the whole range brom black to white but it will generally weigh heavy on the darker side with hints of light to shape and reveal the subject.

Next post I will discuss high key photography which is the counterpart to what we focused on today. Thanks for reading. Just remember keep shooting and developing your creativity.

Valencia Bey

2010-02-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

This is one incredibly talented woman. It is truly a pleasure to have her as both a friend and a client. If there were ever a prime example of what a tryly vibrant personality looks like she would be it. The photo shoot seemed more like fun than work. That's one of the great things about this job, getting to know amazing people.

In 2006, Valencia produced her debut CD, Heart of a Brown Girl, a diverse folk/rock CD that is, according to WXRT-Chicago’s Richard Milne, “a little bit of Tracy Chapman with more of the big wailers like Odetta.” Most comfortable with her voice and her guitar, her acoustic performances have been called intimate and moving by her audiences. She performed briefly on the folk music circuit, sharing her music with appreciative audiences across the U.S., receiving favorable reviews and gaining new fans.

Her latest project, Coffee and Conversation, is a blend of genres – rock, blues, soul and jazz – and its themes of sunshine and loss, love and pain appeal to a broad audience. The project is currently a CD Baby recommendation in the Rock: Adult Contemporary music category. Valencia has been recognized for her songwriting by the Academy of Gospel Music, VH1’s Song of the Year and the International Narrative Song Competition.

Heart of a Brown Girl received positive reviews. “I’m Falling” received national airplay and was featured on WXRT – Chicago. Valencia has appeared in the major motion pictures “Quebec” and “The Express”, as well as several independent films. She has also graced the stage, in the role of Lutiebelle in “Purlie Victorious”. She also produced the Positively Acoustic songwriting series, which featured songwriters across the globe in an intimate environment where they shared music with positive themes as well as the stories behind their songs.

If you want to hear a breathtaking blend of jazz, blues, soul, rock, and gospel you need to click here and give this artist a listen.

Positively Acoustic!

Positively Acoustic! is a singer-songwriter series that travels to different venues in Chicago and the midwest and features positive, inspirational music. No smoky bars, no late-night shows, no "downers". Music that parents can enjoy with children and teens, music for adults who want to hear good music and have a good time. All performers agree to play mostly original music with positive themes appropriate for all ages.

My Delta MemoriesMy Delta Memories is an interactive educational music program for children and young adults that celebrates family and encourages young people to honor the contributions of their elders to their lives. I share positive stories about my family and sing songs from my childhood as well as contemporary inspirational songs.

The program includes storytelling, a question and answer period, and audience participation. Participants are encouraged to share stories about their own family elders, and think about why certain family members are important to them. Participants also learn about several simple percussion instruments and are invited to play during a song.

Auset & Booda Blaou

2010-02-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

Poet, Activist, M.C. all titles that describe the two talents in this session. A great evening spent sharing creative ideas with real down to earth people.

Check Out the rest of the pictures in the full post!

Unseen Beauty

2010-02-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

For 15 years I have been trying to get this woman to see how beautiful she is. I guess I should consider myself lucky that she doesn't see what I see. I don't think I would have had a chance with her if she did. I spent 10 minutes with her in front of my camera. Just wait until I get her really comfortable.

A video that I really enjoyed, that tells a great story. Just wanted to share.

2010-02-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

I know there are some odd technical inconsistencies from a photographers perspective but the story is really interesting. You never know where you will meet the person you need for a project you are working on.

The making of "Into My Eyes"

2010-01-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

The Couples Photo Session has arrived

2010-01-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

Jump For Joy

2010-01-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while you stop and take a moment to really

see the joy that children find in some of the simplest things. I wish jumping made me smile like that. Hell I wish anything made me smile like that. I love the simple joys that children have. Now i only we could find a way to bottle tat it would be on late night infomercials for $19.99 or in some random commercial telling you to ask your doctor about it. Hopefully all the side affects are ones that we would love to have.

Elevator Adventure

2010-01-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

I spent a little time going up and down in the elevator on a recent hotel shoot. Some times the ride was calm and regular sometimes it was filled with adventure. Anyhooo' here are a few of my favorite shots from the rides that day.

To say the least it was a fun time. Elevators have so much potential for interesting social interaction. The beautiful part about working on location is the variety of possibilities and incredible sources of inspiration that just aren't there in the studio. Throw in a little chaos and make things unpredictable and interesting while still being able to exercise the control I need to get the camera to see what see. Always be ready and always be open to inspiration. You never know where a great idea will come from, but if your not open to it how will it get in and get done.

The Balance of Power

2010-01-21T00:13:00.000-08:00

There is always a push and pull between dominant and submissive. The ever present question, who is really in control, who holds the balance of power.

No answers here just images inspired by the questions. A special thanks to Leslé and Solomon you were a pleasure to work with. Its time to push the ideas that come to me further and further. I have a stack of stories my wife has been giving me for years. I finally have figured out how to tell them.

Mutual Fantasy: In the moment someone catches our eye the human mind indulges in a million fantasies. Here is one such moment.

2010-01-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

Working on a photo shoot this weekend I was inspired to create a story by the interactions of the evening. This is the first version. I think I would like to take some time and story board out a more detailed version. Tell me what you think.

Morning With Minna

2010-01-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

A precious angel with a wonderful personality. This early morning session was a blast. I really do love photographing kids. They really are just tiny people with all the character of an adult.

2010-01-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

Events and Performances

I'll be there to capture the essence of the moment.

Starting at $250 and includes:
Initial consultation, understanding your needs and wants.
Up to three hours shooting time on location. Includes reasonable travel.
Private online proof gallery.(optional)
Additional time is available, $50 each additional hour.
One dvd of edited images
Prints and enlargements available for purchase through the online gallery.

CREATE. SHARE. SUSTAIN.

2010-01-11T22:11:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to share a little something I came across that held my interest

CREATE. SHARE. SUSTAIN.

We used to require permission from others to put our work into the world with any sort of scale. That permission came in the form of getting hired to shoot a news story, a magazine feature, or an advertising campaign. "They" sat up in fancy corner offices and if you were good...no, scratch that, good AND lucky...'they' would say 'yes' and then you'd be permitted to share your work with the world.

Not any more.

It's the first time in the history of the world that you can share your work with any sort of scale--whether that's a photograph, a video, a story, or whatever you're making--without anyone's permission. What are you waiting for? Spend your own time and your own money. And hit post, publish, share, send, or whatever makes the software push it out into the world.

Create. Share. Sustain.

Why is this important? Because I think that making stuff over and over is the key creativity. And especially the key to creativity to the next era of media. And especially for creatives. Don't be fooled. It's painfully simple. The road may be a long one, but it's certainly not complicated:

Create. Make something. A photograph, a video, a poem, a piece of software.

Share. Send your thing out into the world. Post it to your Facebook, your blog. Tweet it. (And still share it with your mom).

Sustain. Start out by waiting tables. Or keep your day job. Or sell your spouse's socks on ebay. Or do something out of the genre of what you want to do until you can afford not to do it. Or do all of these so that you can keep creating and sharing without requiring "permission" from anyone.*

And repeat. Create. Share. Sustain. Repeat.

And soon enough, if you so desire, and if you listen to yourself and your network--your creating and your sharing will become your sustenance. Whether it's via Kevin Kelly's 1000 true fans, or whether it's some new adaptation of your vision, you will have the ability to sustain yourself in connection with a sea of like minded people.

Never mind the man in the corner office.

New Years Day

2010-01-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

I know its well past new years day and I have been behind on my posts for project 365 and my blog. I just wanted to share what got me out of the bed the first day of the new year. Chicago is a beautiful city. Damn cold this time of year, but beautiful indeed. Here are a few shots along the lakefront I took the first morning of the new year.

Developing Creativity

2010-01-11T21:44:00.000-08:00

I push and push to develop my creativity. Its not always easy to do this. I'm sure that I am preaching to the choir but I guess I need to vent. There is always something in the way of pushing forward. Money has always been an issue. I like may of us wish we lived in a world where that wasn't an issue but the reality is that it is, and a big one at that. I will continue to develop and grow weather it makes any money or not. It sure would be nice though to make a living at What it is that I truly love doing.

2010-01-11T21:13:00.000-08:00

Things have been rough so far this year. I know its only 11 days in but it has not been the year I have planed it to be. I have to do things better this year. It's time to be more organized to take the bull by the horns to make this my year. I am ready for a new beginning. Just because it didn't start the way I had intended it to I think it will turn out better than I had hoped if I do things the way I know they need to be done.

Multiple Exposures

2010-01-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

After really taking some time to think I began to approach some of my photographs the way I approach my paintings. By working in layers the way I work with paint I have been developing some really interesting pieces. I think I will be pushing this along.

Orchestral Symphonic

2009-12-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

(Day 51) 12/3/09 "Orchestral Symphonic"
Creating beautiful images straight out of the camera no photoshop is always my favorite. Getting exactly what I wanted from my tools feels good. This is an image of The Evanston Township HIgh School Orchestra in the midst of a beautiful performance. Capturing the energy and essence of the experience is what I'm going for. I'm not sure how other people feel but I love dragging the shutter.

2009-12-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

This weekends family session went very well. Elliott was a cutie pie with an adorable family. I really do enjoy pictures of people more than all. To day is a day to clean the studio. Back to work all the fun is over.

2009-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

(Day 39) 11/21/09 "Loved"
I spent last saturday capturing the memories for this young woman's sweet sixteen. Being asked to be a part of peoples special moments is truly an honor and a blessing. She truly is loved.

Textile Rainbow

2009-11-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'm glad I bring my camera just about everywhere I go. On a random trip this morning to the fabric store to help my wife with a project for a theatre class I snapped of a few frames of the fabric and findings around the store. This is by no means a special store just a run of the mill fabric store in the burbs but there are some beautiful colors there.