WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?

That’s right, I know the title is rude. So what? Don’t look over your shoulder, don’t look at the model to the left of you and don’t look at the model to the right. I am talking to you. Have I got your attention? Good.

Every single time I decide to do one of these “in your face” blogs, it usually stems from something deep inside of me that’s been simmering for a long time on a very low fire. Each and everyday of my professional existence, I am bombarded by models with the same questions over and over again. Do I have what it takes? (Usually a resounding no) Can I make it as a model? (Anyone can be a model – look at the fat chick that holds the Pine Sol bottle – she’s a model [an actual paid model]). But the stellar remark that gets me every time is when one of them have the audacity to say “I am going to be the supermodel.”

Are you really? Do you really have what it takes to be a supermodel? Names like Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, Agyness Deyn, Jessica White, Natalia Vodianova, Raquel Zimmerman, Gisele Bundchen, Jon Kortajarena, Tyson Beckford, Gabriel Aubrey, Andre Van Noord, Tyson Ballou - hell even the current ones like Sean Opry, Rob Evans, David Agbodji, Corey Baptiste and the list is endless. You have that certain jene se quois to stand in such an elite line up and demand the money they demand? Well, let’s get down to business.

I am going to lower the bar for the moment. Let’s not even take SUPERMODEL status. Let’s just be an honest to god working model. That means at LEAST 75% of your annual income is generate solely through modeling. You go out there shoot after shoot, hoofing it from casting to casting. Being turned down job after job. Going to the gym, eating right, sleeping right, just to get up and do it all over again, because the agency is trying to make money off of your superior DNA.

Agent? What agent? You’re not signed? OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH, you’re one of those. Those are the types of models that I like the most. Usually (and I am using the term loosely) this type of model is a person with above average looks, better than most body, had a couple of photo shoots under their belt, because someone told them that they could be a model. They go out into the world after a couple of photo shoots and want to start making money for their time, or thinking photographers should pay them to shoot them. What the fuck for? What are you bringing to the table that tons and tons of models before you (and most certainly after you) can’t bring to the table? What is it about you that makes you the “it” model of the moment? The model that is not signed usually and can’t get the campaigns. What is it about you? (Hence the title of this blog).

Models only seem to know about a handful of agencies (and trust me ladies and gentlemen, there are HUNDREDS of agencies out there)… The ones that are usually tossed around are Ford, Elite, Wilhemina, DNA, IMG, etc and the unsigned model has that lofty idea that they are going to walk into one of those agencies and the bookers are going to fall at their feet and offer them the illustrious contract in which they think they deserve. Guess what, models. It RARELY happens. These agencies are inundated with thousands upon thousands of modeling hopefuls that they turn down, so to think that in the possible SLIM chance you’re going to be that one is highly unlikely. Impossible? No. But highly improbable.

The reason this blog came into fruition, an unsigned black male model I shot came to me talking about he wants to be with Ford, Elite or DNA. I had to stop him in mid-sentence and look at him. First off, they think just because they’re signed with Ford, or Elite or DNA they are going to start raking in the money. So I humored him. I brought up DNA Model Management’s website. Just so he can see the roster. On the website, there were two black male models. Only two. Let me put it to you like this: only two obviously black models. So I turned to him and said, “DNA? Really? I can guarantee you a month ago, you didn’t even know who hell DNA Model Management was. Somebody filled your head with a bunch of blue chip agencies, you wiggled your ass in front of a couple of photographers and now you think you can enter that world. Guess what? You’re handsome, yes, but did you take a look at their board to see if you (a) have what it takes and (b) compete with the two STUNNINGLY beautiful black models that they already have?” Models, again, do your homework. Not all agencies are a good fit for you and vice versa. Pay attention to what they are looking for (if you went to Silver Model Management, for example, you would KNOW they wanted muscled out bodies, so if you were 6’2, 150 editorially built, why in the world would you go there?) If you look at a roster, you will see some sort of common denominator amongst models (it could be body type, it could be facial structure, it could be age, it could be national origin). You have to see if you can fit your peg into their hole. I know its wonderful to think big and lofty and you’re going to be “the one” to break the mold. I applaud you in that aspect, however, when you are applying to some of these agencies, they are looking at you in a money making capacity. If you’re unable to make them money, they are unable to do anything for you.

Time and time again, models send me photos for me to evaluate them. I see gang tats, tats covering more than 60 percent of their body surface (right up into the neck region [Ralph Lauren would LOVE that]), body piercings, eye brows with parts, long unkempt hair, du-rags, braids, gold fronts, bodies that are too short, too big, too skinny, bad skin, crooked teeth, slightly crossed eyed, ill body proportions the list can go on endlessly. However, you want IMG, DNA, Ford, Elite and Wilhemina to sign you? As my father would say “get the fuck outta here!”

This is a very competitive field ladies and gentlemen. And if you don’t have the goods you better (a) get out now or (b) get it together so you DO have the goods.

Here is a to do list.

1. Do you homework. Check out all types of agencies, you may be able to work your way up to one of the blue chips. Don’t frown upon a boutique agency you can learn a lot and they can mold you on the nature of the business.

2. You are a product. Take care of it accordingly. Modeling (unlike bodybuilding) is a year round job. Take care of your face, skin, hands, feet, body. Keep your drinking, drugging, smoking to a minimum. No one wants to see a tired, washed out model on their campaign or in front of a photographer’s lens.

3. Listen to those to can honestly help you. You will come across a lot of people telling you a lot of unnecessary information. The world is incredibly small. Do you homework. See if these people who say they can help you can honestly help you. If they are in positions to help you, that means they see potential. Don’t waste their time.

4. Study your craft. You should breathe, eat, sleep modeling. That is not only your job – it should be your LIFE. Find out who the “it” models are and find out why. Elevate your game. Study walks, magazines, campaigns, etc. Stay on the pulse of the industry.

5. Invest in your career. That can be getting a gym membership to paying a good photographer to photograph you, to working with a runway coach. A single picture can make the difference between booking a job and seeing the front door. A bad walk and you are laughed at. Talented photographers invest their time, energy and artistry to produce good quality images for your portfolio. So invest and invest wisely. Keep your book current and all photos should be “oh my God” status.

6. Speaking of photographers. Not everyone with a camera is necessarily a photographer, be careful who you decide to let photograph you. If they are not going to elevate your book, don’t waste your time. The true motto is this: Test up, don’t test down.

7. Watch who your friends are. This industry is very very small and the internet has made it even smaller. You have no idea who may know whom. So be careful about what you say and who you say it to. A simple dismissive conversation may come back to haunt you.

8. Build lasting relationships. Loyalty is a viable commodity in this industry. If you are developing lasting mutual relationships with bookers, agents, photographers, etc. keep them alive. You may be the next one for that campaign merely because you’re a friend of the right person. Most times it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

9. Be patient, be diligent, and be thick skinned. You will receive a lot of rejections in this industry. It is up to you to be strong. Every rejection is a learning process. Not every model is right for every job. A career is not made overnight. Don’t think you’re going to shoot on Monday and by Thursday you’re running to the bank to cash that Prada campaign check. It doesn’t work that way.

10. Be loyal. I cannot stress that enough. Thank those who took their time, money, energy, connections and knowledge to invest in you. Those who arrange photo shoots with photographers who would’ve turned you away. Those who pulled strings to have a booker meet with you. The people behind the scenes. Be loyal to the ones that believed in you, because when the chips are down (and trust me, there will be some dark times). Those will be the ones you can always rely on. Never shit on them, even as you grow and excel in your career, never forget where you came from.

Whew… Time to get back to photos. Until next time. Next up...

Brandon Espy - the Grown and Sexy Shoot

MODELING AND THE UGLY FAT CHICK

First off my dear fans, I apologize for not writing sooner. There have been so many things going on in my life (both professional and personal) that I could not get to this blog sooner than March. With all the horrible weather we’ve been getting in New York this winter, I am so surprised that there hasn’t been a bunch of suicides because of seasonal depression. I can guarantee one thing though; there will be a tremendous baby boom sometime in the fall.

I digress. I knew that as soon as I titled this blog: “Modeling and the Ugly Fat Chick” it was going to make waves. This blog is essentially what happens to models (especially males) when they don’t play the game. This is not a fat bashing blog entry and it's not a gay bashing blog entry. It is merely calling a spade a spade and it is up to you, dear models, to make the decision if you wish to play in this arena.

It is no surprise that the modeling industry is run by the homosexual community. Some of the most powerful people in fashion (approximately 85 – 90%) are homosexuals. This starts at the top with designers, stylists, agency owners, agency bookers, photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, runway coaches, show promoters, etc. and the list can go on and on and on. We know that. If it wasn’t for the gay community, the world would honestly have no fashion. So what new wisdom could I possibly extol on you, you wish to know?

Well, when it comes to the male model, there a large sector who are gay, also. So to be in a world surrounded by homosexuals, some will feel right at home (provided, of course, they don’t deliver that certain je ne sais quoi on camera – check out one of my earlier posts – GATEKEEPER TO THE GODS http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2009/02/bookers-gatekeepers-to-gods.html). But the handful of male models who are not gay, this causes the inevitable issue.

If any of you know me personally, or have read any of my previous posts know that when I have a photo session, I liken it to making love. My usual spiel is “It is my job as the photographer to make you feel desirable, wanted, sexy, etc. It is your job to convey that emotion back to me, and it is my job to capture it. The better the love making the better the babies [pictures] will be.” This doesn’t matter to me if the model is male or female. It is just a fact.

And if you know me, you also heard this: “Make your booker fall in love with you.” Doesn’t matter if they are a man or woman, gay or straight. The bottom line is this: If your booker loves you, they will send you out. If not, you will sit on their roster and collect dust. It is just that simple. I frequently have had models calling me lamenting over their treatment at agencies and their booker and I can guarantee you in a series of two or three pointed questions, I can usually get to the root of the issue.

Question 1: Is your booker male or female?
Answer: Male.

Question 2: Is your booker gay?
Answer: Yes.

Question 3: Are you gay?
Answer: No.

And therein lies the issue. It doesn’t take rocket science. Men (both gay and straight) think with their penis with regards to looks. Personally, if we were able to separate the two, the modeling industry will be a lot better off, but we are drawn by our instincts. If a booker happened to approach you as you are walking down the street, chances are he found you attractive. Doesn’t matter if you’re a model or not. Same holds true for a photographer. We have to find something about you that is attractive enough for us to want to shoot you and for a booker to show interest. Most times it has nothing to do with looks, but with sexual appeal. If bookers were able to separate that, I can guarantee you that you would see a wider range of diversity when it comes to model boards. Look at some of the modeling rosters. Once you’ve start putting names of models faces to the bookers who’ve “discovered” them, you will start to see a trend and you will also start noticing the booker’s taste. So let’s say you are the “taste” of the booker, however, you’re not gay? You better believe that you better become gay-friendly and become gay-friendly fast. Am I telling you to go against the moral fiber of your being? No. Am I telling you to have sex with the booker? No (that is RIDICULOUS). But I will tell you one thing. You better learn how to flirt – hence the title of this blog.

It is a sexually charged dance that goes on between a booker and a model and the models that dance that dance will have a lot more going for them than the model that doesn’t. So what do you do? Flirt back and think of the booker as the ugly fat chick. The ugly fat chick has something you need (work) and though you have no sexual desires for the ugly fat chick — and that is okay, however, if you don’t flirt and learn to play the game, the next model that will flirt will book the job. You know you'll never fuck her, but it doesn't hurt to flirt. A little eye fucking and a lunch or two will go a loooooooooooooong way to getting what you want. A well placed hand, a lingering handshake, hell even a late night phone call expressing interests in the booker’s day will put you in the forefront of their mind when a client contacts them for the next campaign or editorial. You want to be that new face? You want to be the model every designer books? You want to be the one to grace the runways during Fashion Week? You want to be in front of that camera of that well known photographer? Learn to flirt. Learn to play and your career can sky rocket. If you don’t believe me, just test it out.

So the next time you feel that your booker just isn’t feeling you. Ask yourself. Did you flirt?

P.S.
There will be more to come… Remember these names in my future blogs (Recent Models Who've Graced My Camera):


Brandon Espy


Svitlana Glebova


Justin Hingleton


Jalicia Nightengale

HOW DO YOU TEACH?

Model: Ebony Sade
Class: Beauty Retouch 1o1
Instructor: Dallas J. Logan

This will be my last official entry for the year of 2009 and what a year it has been. It has been about personal growth, change and learning about myself. The new year will bring new challenges and one that's been coming to me is in the form of teaching. A talented and wise colleague of mine (and an AMAZING photographer I might add [please look him up - Joe Wigfall]) said to me when I first embarked on this wonderous journey; "you will be teaching soon. It is just a matter of time." I laughed at his comment never thinking in a million years that anyone would want to come to me to learn anything, because, I, myself, am in constant learning mode.

One question later, one assistant later, one protege and now I stand at the precipice of the possibility of teaching and I am scared. Not scared that I don't know what I am talking about. Trust me, I know what I am doing, and if I didn't know something, trust and believe I will ask. But as I look at soooooooooo many talented photographers around me and I study their lighting, their composition, their post production and all the while going "how do they do that?" The question(s) are now being thrown to me. How do I do what I do?

In an honest answer? I don't know. I just know what I do comes from the inside and once I tried to show/explain/teach I realize that I could not. Because, in all honesty, you cannot teach photography.

That was the very first words out of my mentor's mouth. "I cannot teach you photography. No one can." I was perplexed by that comment. I see you produce beautiful photos time and time again. I see you light a shot time and time again and I see you develop both film and digital time and time again, so what do you mean you cannot teach me photography? His reply. "I can teach you how to operate your camera. Everything else is up to you."

And that he did. And today it makes sense. Whenever anyone approaches me about photography, I cannot teach them. I can show them how their camera works to achieve a particular image, but I cannot tell them how to capture magic. To capture that defining moment. To make an awe inspiring image. You cannot teach that. That comes from within. That's like asking Leonardo da Vinci "how did you get the mouth on the Mona Lisa to look like that? Teach me."

Am I comparing myself to da Vinci? Not hardly. It is just an analogy to artistry. There's been times I've been in a photosession and the model is in hair and makeup and I am setting up lights, then I look at the model and I go "no, this light isn't going to work for her" while she is still being prepped. There's been times when I've had models getting prepped and walked in front of me and I've had to do complete lighting changes, because what I conceived in my head and the artistry of my makeup artist and hair stylist has put before me will not "connect." Or when I look at the face of a female model and say to myself "I have to light you like a guy." I know this on the inside of my core, but to stand in front of photographic neophytes and try to teach this is impossible.

Can I teach lighting? Yes, of course I can. No, let me rephrase that. I cannot teach lighting per se, but I can teach what light does. I can teach the rudiments of what a beauty dish does, what a softbox does, what a parabolic umbrella does. Practically any photographer can teach that, but what I cannot teach is why I would use one over the other in a particular case. Why hard light would work in one instance, but not in another. Honestly, no one can. That is something that you're going to have to pick up and figure out on your own.

So when you decide to approach a photographer and asks for lessons, understand exactly what you're asking, because odds are he/she will not be able to teach you anything, but the mechanics of photography or lighting or post production.

Have a happy and safe new year. I hope to see you in class.

ADHA ZELMA JEWELRY - FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THEMSELVES...

I bet you didn't think I would be writing yet another entry before year's end. Well guess what? Fooled you!!! Seriously, this entry was honestly written in October. I was just putting on the finishing pieces so I can now release it. Just in time for the Christmas Holidays!!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Adha Zelma.

I had the wonderful fortune of photographing the new and exciting collection of Adha Zelma's jewelry known as "Rock and Bone". It's bold, vivacious, colorful and beautiful. It names means just that, the collection is an amalgamation of beautiful semi precious stones, animal bones, exotic feathers all in an amazing webbing of precious metals. It is eye catching as well as breathtaking and once you've seen an Adha Zelma creation, you will never forget it.

... Especially for those who love to adorn themselves, Adha Zelma is a jewelry line that connects you to your power and sensuality....

When one does a search for Adha Zelma, the above quote will appear in one of the entries. What does that mean? ... connects you to your power and sensuality....? I decided to find out more about this beautiful and amazing line belonging to Brooklyn's own Sheanan Bond and Cherise TrahanMiller.

Upon reading the profile link in their website (http://www.adhazelma.com/), you can get a gist of exactly what this dynamic duo is all about:

... Adha Zelma is an audacious and distinctly international, jewelry line created by long time best friends Sheanan Bond and Cherise TrahanMiller.

Inspired by world culture their line blends edge and elegance. The designs reflect a distinctively sexy yet sophisticated point of view. Adha Zelma experiments with traditional adornment concepts and reinterprets through a modern eye.

Each piece is handcrafted and, therefore, each is one of a kind. Themes include earth, air, fire and water.

Adha Zelma created the accessory line for MTV’s Spring Break Fashionably Loud in Cancun, Creations have also been featured by Dirty Girl Productions, worn by Jennifer Lopez, Ananda Lewis, Rosie Perez, Keri Hilson and celebrity make-up artist Scott Barnes.
All pieces are created in the Adha Zelma studio in Brooklyn, New York.

Just what makes this jewelry amazing... Let's ask the designers.

How long have you been designing jewelry and what is the process to how a Adha Zelma piece is designed?

I have been designing since I was about eight years old. It all started with my first doll, who I thought was quite boring. So I deconstructed her clothes and created a pair of earrings and a necklace for her. My designs are centered on bringing elements of traditionalism into the modern world, while allowing spirit to flow organically through the designs. Sometimes there is a specific design in mind and other times there is not.

As I see your colleciton grow and change you gone from "Rio" to "Aria" to "Rock and Bones" explain to us the transformation and the inspiration.

Rio came about on a rainy day in Brazil, the foliage, Ipanema, carnival, the colors, the spices and the history. The city had truly transcended me to another place on earth and that collection is the manifestation of that trip. I was inspired by a simple raindrop falling from a leaf, the color of the ocean and the relaxed nature of the city.

The transformation to Aria happened when I realized that a great deal of the pieces I design, sing when worn and are often quite light like air... hence, Aria. Just like arias over time, the collection moved from simple melodies into structured forms, which became the Aria collection.

The latest collection, Rock & Bone was inspired by the Papua; each tribe has its own beliefs and the people recognize spirits, deities, totems and ancestors unique to their clans. The Papua use a great deal of teeth and bone in their jewelry, worn as a remembrance and as a way to attract spiritual power. The Jivaro was also a huge inspiration. A variety of myths have been passed down through the generations to explain the origins of the Jivaro people. In one story, the Andean foothills were subject to a severe flood, killing all but two brothers. When the waters receded and the brothers returned to their shelter, they found dishes of food laid out for them by two parrots. One of the brothers caught one of the gift-bearing parrots and married her. This is where the inspiration for the use of feathers came into play. To bring in a modern twist I started thinking about what we as a culture see as deities, the Gods and Goddesses of Rock, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Betty Davis. These are just a few artists who have influenced the collection.

As a woman, when you look at jewelry (your own and others), what exactly draws you to it?

Before written language, or the spoken word, there was jewelry. I am often lured by my desire to capture the essence of beauty, to posses its secrets, and to unlock its mysteries. It is funny because I am actually quite shy and what often draws me to a piece of jewelry is anything that draws attention to you. I look for jewelry that is bold, and that makes a statement.

What determines the materials used in making your jewelry?

I am interested in the balance of nature and explore material that represents earth, air, fire and water. I enjoy incorporating materials used traditionally for adornment like leather, feathers, snakeskin, minerals and bone, while mixing modern elements such as 24k gold electroplated Czech Charlottes.

Some people find jewelry to be an afterthought to the completion of an outfit, however, Adha Zelma seems to be the outfit. What are your thoughts?

Accessories are typically used as external visual symbols or for function. My designs are meant to be the complete opposite and form the fashion and anything else you choose to dawn is secondary to the statement.

Complete this sentence... "Adha Zelma to me is... "

Power and sensuality...

It most certainly is.

Rock and Bone Collection:

Model: May Satch
Photography: Dallas J. Logan

Rio Collection:

Photographer: Sean Toussaint
Model: Fabyiene Miranda

Aria Collection

Model: Bintou
Photography: Sean Toussaint

Places to purchase Adha Zelma Jewelry:

Michelle New York
376 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

Pieces of Brooklyn
671 Vanderbilt Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

Thistle & Clover
221 DeKalb Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

ShopFlickhttp://www.shopflick.com/stores/Adha-Zelma

By request
www.AdhaZelma.com
E: iwantmore@AdhaZelma.com
718.638.2822

WHEN INSANITY COMES TOGETHER...

Yeah, yeah, I know... Another entry!!!! And so soon! I had to tell you this. If I didn't, I would burst.

And I had to show you, because if I didn't, you would not believe me.

There are moments in our lives when events just come together in such a way that there had to be divine intervention in order to make it happen. When it occurs in a photo shoot, sometimes it has its plus and minuses. The plus is: a well thought out plan comes together to produce glorious photographs. The minus is: you wish to always achieve that kind of spectacular work all the time.

For those of you who have been following my work over the past few months may have noticed a shift in my direction of photography. As to where my work work was glitzy, polished and shiny, it is now going into a more editorial approach of story telling with photographs. Being the photographer that I am I was just plodding mindlessly down the road of commercial fashion and beauty photography looking only to shoot major campaigns, however, secretly deep down inside, I was longing for the beautiful photography of editorial style.

By then I came across Nick Perkins and Damian Adams the dynamic duo of ArtandExile. They saw the potential in me to develop an editorial eye. Under the art direction of Nick Perkins, he began to mold my eye and style and retouching in a whole new direction. I will always be grateful.

Let's fast forward... Here comes Steve Reganato a wonderful photographer who has been a TREMENDOUS TREMENDOUS influence in the technical growth of my shooting. When my 5D MarkII was stolen, he loaned me his 5D so I was able to continue working (without his help, I don't know what I would do), but then, he pushed yet in another direction. The magic of medium format photography.

I've always been a fan of medium format photography and I even own a Mamiya RZ67 and through Mr. Reganato's company (Digital Transitions) I was fortunate to get my hands on a Phase One P45 digital back. Steven, I am eternally in your debt.

Noooooooooooooooow let's fast forward, Tuesday, November 24, 2009 I am sitting in front of my computer, wondering just who was I going to shoot with this magnificent piece of machinery. It's Thanksgiving weekend approaching and I have no models to shoot and I have a P45 sitting in my lap. An instant message comes across my screen: "Dallas, I got this really really amazing stylist, do you have any time to shoot?"

Did divine intervention walk into the room? To make a long story short, California born model Lavante Isaac pulled together an incredible team of styling, hair and makeup together for one of the hottest editorials I have shot to date. It is based loosely on Hannibal Lecter's Silence of the Lamb... It is insanely hot and insanely beautiful. Look for it in the future in one of your favorite fashion magazines.

Hotness personified.

Time for Change...

change - [cheynj] –verb

To make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one's name; to change one's opinion; to change the course of history.

Life is about change. It is about growth. It is about transformation. It is about evolution. Remember, either you evolve or you die. You can take this figuratively or literally. If a human-being doesn’t learn to change, form and adapt they die (think of a baby). If someone has a career, product or service, if they don’t evolve, they die (look at WordPerfect…). If you as an artist don’t grow and evolve over time, guess what? You will die as well. (Pick any artist of the 80s) So your whole life inside and out is about change and growth and that is the message of this blog today.

When I would look at photographers’ work, I would marvel at how the “biggies” evolved with their styles, talents, techniques and technology. When the Richard Avedon exhibit was in New York, I was amazed at the wonders of his photography and manipulation of negatives and prints (the precursor to Photoshop) to when he picked up a digital camera and moved along with the times. Could he have stayed with shooting film? Of course. He was (and still is) one of our film producing masters, however, he knew back then that when the digital world took hold, he had to shit or give off the proverbial pot. He chose the former and we are so much better for it today.

As a photographer and artist, for those who know me over the span of my life, I was always one to embark on something and give it my myopic obsessive all. I’ve studied and got my degree in classical music, I’ve traveled the globe as a singer. I’ve moved along with the vocal tides of the world’s changing music. I crossed over into health and fitness and began a career as a personal trainer for a short time. It was the same when I picked up the camera. It was an artistic tool for me to pick up and transform whatever I saw in front of me. I remember when I took my very first “professional” image (at the time, for me professional was not necessarily getting paid per se, but about to take a photographic image and knew what the hell I was doing). I was up and well on my way and through the influence of all things around me, like other photographers I began to develop a photographic style. Of those of you who know me, it developed into a very slick, glossy, vibrant expressive style (the kind of work you would see on campaigns). My lighting is intriguing, almost cinemagraphic in its approach and when people would ask me about my lighting, they would marvel at the simplicity of it. Photographers are about smoke and mirrors. It is our job to create an illusion that we want you to see. I got an incredible crew in place and we produce wondrous images.

But you get to a point where you go “been there, done that” and you have to go about making changes in yourself for yourself. I’ve seen photographers work I’ve admired two – three years ago and I view their work today, and guess what? Nothing has changed. It is still the same images they took yester-year. The same thing that would originally draw you to an image is now boring, mundane and lackluster. I realize that if I want to be successful in this business, I have to get on the bandwagon and go about changing my photographic style, yet, still keeping the true essence of Dallas in the mix.

How does one go about this? It may be something as simple as a lighting set up. All photographers have a signature lighting set up. If they tell you otherwise, they are lying. Some are so secretive about it, that they won’t even let you on their shoots. So you may change your lighting set up. You may change the angle in which you shoot. You may change the type of models you photograph, the styles of the garments, the way you wish to have hair and makeup done. It may take place in the post production. Whatever it is. It is about change. Not everyone is going to like it, and you know what? So what. Not everyone will like what you are doing now. But if you don’t challenge yourself and evolve, you and your talent will die. Those that were hot a few years ago are not so hot now. Think about it.

I’m moving onward and upward towards change. It is scary, it is exciting and it is new. And I am going to love every minute of it.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Over the years...

2007






2008

















2009

























2010

Wait and see...

THE GROUP SHOW - THERE IS HOTNESS IN WILLIAMSBURG

The Group Show: The Best Emerging Photographers

October 16, 2009 - October 25, 2009

Exhibit Opening is 7pm - 10pm (can be viewed anytime). Please visit www.3rdward.com for studios hours of operation.

Location: Third Ward Studios, 195 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11237, (718) 715-4961.

The show is sponsored by Rear Flag, Resource Magazine and Third Ward.

There was a photo competition sponsored by Third Ward Studios. Please check out their website for more information. The judges were: Peter van Agtmael (Magnum Photographer), Sean Fader (Fashion Institute of Technology) Amani Olu (Humble Arts Foundation) and Alexandra Niki (Resource Magazine).

Thousands of entries were submitted and this talented selection of judges picked 1 grand prize winner and 25 top photographers from entries submitted from not just the United States, but from around the world. The winners selected were:

Joshua Zucker Pluda (the grand prize winner).

Adam Abel
Jenny Anderson
Jesse Avina
Clint Baclawski
Craig Blankenhorn
Blane Bussey
Delphine Diallo
Amy Fichter
Ben Goddard
Erik Hagen
Ingrid Juliana Hernandez
Andrew Hirodo Grob
Frank Ishman
Jonathan Kambouris
Jito Lee
Dallas J. Logan (yours truly)
Chris Mackenzie
Evan Madin
Catharine Frances Maloney
Aaron McElroy
Elizabeth Raab
Jessica Rowe
Bernadette Torres
Cedric Yhuel
Joe Zorilla

I would love to post the images, but I want all of you who wish to attend to be pleasantly surprised, shocked, amazed and awe inspired (of course, next week, I will post the entries of each artist, but that will be after the exhibit opens). I wish I could say there was some central theme as to how the images were chosen. There was a wide range of selections from ethereal landscapes to road kill. The only thing we all had in common? We all produced some kind of hotness! Come through and join us. I know I will be there. I hope you will, too.

I will be updating this blog next week with everyones images.