Denver Twilight

Excited to be shooting the urban landscape after so many years in the mountains. Denver is quite a gorgeous city, and spring sunsets with dramatic clouds are proving to be quite photogenic...

More photos to come!

More Goodies from the Gardens

My last post was rather monochromatic, so I thought I'd share some of the colors of spring in Denver... Enjoy!

Denver Art Museum | Daniel Libeskind

Finally got a chance to wander around the museum site in Denver, and it was well worth the wait. The plaza was quite fun to photograph on an overcast day, and made for some fun black + white and selective color studies. Enjoy!

SLC Public Library

Moshe Safdie Architects designed this gorgeous modern Library in the heart of Salt Lake City. I have actually returned to SLC for the sole purpose of visiting the library again - it is THAT compelling! Great public gathering spaces; intimate book carols in a swooping architecture feature which allows spaces to be private but also visually engaged with the more public areas which they overlook; structure to respond to the area's seismic activity; stunning overlapping and interlocking spaces, stairs and features... it is truly a building to be experienced through the journey. Hopefully a few photos will tempt you to visit next time you are near!

Architecture: In Photographs

Blurb recently introduced a new feature to preview books within your blog, so I thought I'd try it out here.  If you don't already know about the wonderful opportunity presented by self-publishing on demand, you owe it to yourself to check out Blurb.  They provide a great product at an affordable price.  I love the way the books look and feel (the hardcover image wrap is priciest version, but really lovely!)  See for yourself by checking out this portfolio I designed of my architectural photography:

Architecture: in Photographs, abridged by Jennifer M. Koskinen | BOOK INFO

Telluride AIDS Benefit - Model Photos coming!

Can't give away this year's Annual Model Photo until it is revealed at the Art Auction on Friday night next week, but here is a teaser of this year's (now an annual tradition of mine) "butt shot."  (2) uniquely framed prints will be auctioned during the silent auction again this year.

The models were FANTASTIC sports and it genuinely felt like everyone had a great time at this year's shoot!  I heard an update that the framing on our main model photo is going to look fantastic, and I'm VERY excited to see it!  We are trying to think outside the box a bit with this one (with the photo concept AND the framing)... it has been quite a collaborative effort to pull this off.  Very excited for next week's events in Telluride - hope to see you there!

To Specialize... or NOT?!

Years ago I listened as Director, Robert Altman accepted a lifetime achievement award and said that he never took a job that he knew, at the outset, how to do...

I always loved that, and would say that while I am fairly knowledgeable about the workings of my camera, lenses, light, etc., I STILL get nervous before every single shoot.

It is one of the things that keeps me fresh and passionate about my work - the fact that every shoot provides a new opportunity to learn, to compose, to work with unique light, color and subject matter - and I almost never know how I'll approach these unique conditions until I'm there.

This commission, though, really threw me for a loop as I've never shot food! Through twitter, I have been introduced to work of some incredible culinary photographers, such as NY based Adriana Mullen - LOVE her work - and have been curious to try.

I met Elise Wiggins, Executive Chef at Panzano Restaurant in Denver, while shooting the Telluride Festival of the Arts a few years back and we have been in touch ever since. When she asked me to shoot a few lamb dishes for a client of hers, I was quite nervous (even reluctant!) but excited!

Watching her prepare these dishes I couldn't help but see her as an artist sculpting works of fine art (only these sculptures taste divine), and immediately I was excited to capture whatever essence of these dishes I possibly could. My hope is that these photos make you feel perhaps a bit hungry... If so, be sure to check out her incredible creations next time you are in Denver!

Brainstorming some more...

These are our past two TAB Model Photos, from '08 + '09. Auction bids for these and our butt shots (see "Dreaming of the Next in a Series" post below), have totaled over $5,500, proceeds going to the various beneficiaries of the Telluride AIDS Benefit.

I'm absolutely loving the theme for this year's Fashion Show (to be revealed!) and having a blast brainstorming ideas for the model photo... hoping to push some boundaries on several levels! I love my job!!

The final model photo, along with a new photo in the "Butt Shot" series, will be auctioned at the TAB Art Auction on Friday, February 26th in Telluride... details to follow!

Please visit Telluride AIDS Benefit for more information.

Photoshop Magic

It's hard not to love the San Juan Mountains in a blanket of fall color!

This panoramic photo was created for a client in Telluride desiring a photograph which would show the view from their property.  The panoramic was created by shooting 5 different vertical shots... (the high res image is 44" wide).

Did I mention the big RED CRANE that was in the way??  Would have been nice to shoot from in front of the crane, but alas, such a view is not possible.  Here are the raw files loosely placed together:

Needless to say, photoshop skills came in quite handy in merging the photos, evening out the sky and erasing all evidence of that big red crane!

Dreaming of the next in a series...

Array, 2009

Behind the Models, 2008

Ah, what to do when you have scores of beautiful, local fashion show models, all donating their time and energy to an incredible cause... who all happen to be willing to pose for you, nude, in the pursuit of creating art for an auction to raise money for AIDS education and care?

'Tis that time of year again, the incredible, annual Telluride AIDS Benefit Gala Fashion Show is almost upon us.  This year's models are now auditioning, couture is being collected, donors and volunteers alike are all in a flurry of preparation, and me, I am busy dreaming up the next in the series of these fundraiser photographs with great anticipation!

Stay tuned for more!!

Bokeh Fun

I decided to go freeze my fingers for one more visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens on New Year's Eve. I wandered around shooting lights and people for over an hour, and had just put my camera back in the safety and warmth of the big 'ol bag when one last tightly wrapped tree caught my eye. It is amazing how often I put away the equipment, only to pull it out "one last time" for what ends up being the best shot of the day.

Honestly, when I saw this last tree, my fingers were sufficiently frozen to the point that I could no longer get them to set the tripod back up, so decided to shoot handheld, with my aperture wide open and play with depth of field. Deliberately focusing on different planes of the branches would force others out of focus, and I was immediately having a great time framing and refocusing.

I always enjoy a good "painting with light" shot, too, so some long exposure motion experimentation was in order as well.

Enjoy!

Kiewit Western + the Twitter Connection

AFTER years of thinking that Twitter sounded like one more way to waste time sitting at the computer, a friend convinced me that it just might be worth investigating as a professional networking tool for my photography business. I was skeptical, but one night about 2 months ago, I rather spontaneously started tweeting.

My approach to the social media outlet, knowing nothing about it on the first day, took form quite quickly as I realized that I was actually interested in tweeting with two basic target groups: 1) photographers, by way of "joining the conversation" and sharing valuable information, imagery and product links and 2) architects, as a means of again sharing interesting links and conversing with my target clientele.

Much to my surprise, I was DM'd (direct messaged) by a Denver architect almost right away, and thus landed an actual paying (and satisfying!) job within my first few days of tweeting. I am extraordinarily grateful for the experience of working with the classy James Greenfield, Architect, and hope to work with him again soon!

Here are just a few photos from this commission: