photographing cg

As a working photographer, sometimes it's easy to forget to take your family out and make their portraits, too. Just before the holidays I had the pleasure of being asked by my mother to take her portrait as part of her Christmas present to my dad. So, we went on a walk together around the beautiful UT campus and this is what we came up with. It was a blast! My mom finally got to experience up close how I work and what it is I do with my camera all day.

Here's what CG had to say: "A few weeks ago I had, what I call, the experience of a lifetime. My daughter, who is a professional photographer, shot a photo session of me to be a gift to her dad. Being a direct recipient of her expertise in her chosen life's work was amazing! She did a great job of capturing me at my best. I was so proud of her and can't wait to be photographed again. Thanks honey!" -Carol Gerson

All photos by Lauren Gerson, Blackbird Film Co.

photog friday: the yearbook photographer

This Friday is dedicated to the yearbook photographer and taking all of those horrible pictures of us growing up. Seriously... I don't think there is a single good yearbook photo of me until maybe the last two years of high school, and even then.

I got a little taste of what it's like to be a yearbook photographer today. It was my first official time in a legitimate lighting studio with a friend that I've known since those criminal yearbook photos were taken. It was really neat to have grown up together and be able to photograph her for her first business card. Congratulations to Shan, who is now a real estate agent!

Shan - March 1, 2013

the things i love: film

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm going to celebrate all week with a mini-blog series, "The Things I Love." The first one, of course, is film! But not film as in the movies, I'm talking about the physical celluloid film.

FILM: a thin sheet of cellulose acetate or nitrocellulose coated with a radiation-sensitive emulsion for taking photographs

Although digital photography has come a long way, it still does not compare to the quality of film. You can't get the same subtle variations in the shadows and highlights with a digital camera as you can with a roll of Tri-X or Kodak Kodachrome. Luckily, Kodak still makes and sells Tri-X, and hopefully it won't go away until long after I'm gone. Digital comes close with the capability to shoot RAW images... but you still have to edit the photo afterwards to get anything close to what is already on the film negative.

Another thing I love about film is the process. There is just something about waiting in the darkroom to see what you've got that makes you a better photographer. I love that shooting film is a chemical process and part of the art of photography is the science.

Kelsey - December 2010

superwoman

a portrait of my sister

Lindsey - El Paso, TX - 2010