Far Studio Gallery

Best Portraits of 2011

Lori — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:51:22 +0000

In 2011, I seriously concentrated upon my photographs of people. I discovered how much I loved the beauty of the human face. These are the best photos of faces and people that I took last year.

Gertrude School Models

Last May, I joined the Yosemite Western Artists group in order to officially declare to myself that I am an artist. (We all have our doubts in our abilities, after all.) Every Friday of the week, YWA has someone model for the artists to paint and sketch at an old schoolhouse built in the 1890′s not very far from my ranch. It was a great opportunity to learn and refine the craft of taking good portraits.

Marissa

This was one of the first models I photographed at the schoolhouse. She had such an intense look upon her face that makes this photo one of my best.

Jack Lantz

Jack Lantz is a fine artist and print maker who modeled for us in his fencing gear.

Moriah

Moriah and her two sisters have been wonderful models for us all year. Even her mother has modeled for us.

Street Photography

Street photography is the art of taking photographs where the subjects are unaware that they are a subject. Street Photography presents candid slices of life.

Oceanside Sitter

This young man sat beside the Oceanside harbor as he sipped his soda through a straw.

Taxi

A taxi driver relaxes in the warm afternoon in downtown San Jose, California.

The Kindness of Strangers

These were the most difficult photos for me to take. I’m shy by nature, so going up to a total stranger and asking them to pose for me really forces me out of my comfort zone. I asked many strangers if I could take their photograph. Most were very happy to pose for me.

Farmer’s Market Man

This man worked a booth at the local farmer’s market. I loved his smile and his bushy beard.

Sheriff

The Sheriff is part of the “Coutlerville Cowslingers,” a western reenactment group that stages Gunfights.

Sassy

This girl has real sense of style and a great smile.

theReader

I saw this woman in a Fresno bookstore and the light on her face set off her beauty. I was honored when she let me take her photo.

Classic Hollywood

The thirties and forties were the heyday of the Hollywood look to photography. The lighting and camera positions gave depth to the black and white images of the stars and starlets of that era.

Michael

My son Michael posed for me to take this classical style photo. I think this really captures the mood of the classical style.

Happy New Year

Lori — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:41:37 +0000

I’m starting this brand new year with the Best of last year’s photography. I averaged taking about 300 photos a week throughout the year, so you can imagine how many photos I had to look through to come up with this list.

I’m going to break this into two posts. Most of the photos that I took this year were of people. However, I took photos of just about everything. Here’s the best of all the various things that caught my interest this year.

Landscapes

“Big Sandy Creek”

Big Sandy is in the Sierra National Forest just south of Yosemite.

Seacapes

“Oceanside Sunset”

This is the dock at Oceanside in Southern California.

Still Life

“Pumpkin Portrait”

I have always loved the look of Still Life paintings. Just recently, I set up my leftover squashes and pumpkins for a series of poses using only the light from the window of my house. I have a whole set of nice images from this session, but this was my favorite.

Flora

“Leaf Glow”

I love to photograph fall leaves. They are dramatic and graphic. I caught this one at the Summerdale campground just south of Yosemite a few days before it closed for the winter season.

Flower

“Calla Crescendo”

Of all the flowers I photographed this year, Callas were my favorite subject matter. This calla was out in front of a hardware store. The wonderful thing about photography is that you notice the beauty that surrounds us everywhere we go.

Fauna

“On the Ropes”

This horse was on the Confederate side of the Las Mariposas Civil War Reenactment, tied up near the tents.

Funniest

“Milo”

This character reminds me of the dog, Milo, in the movie “The Mask”. I can’t help but grin back at him. I saw him at the Oakhurst Feed store where they were having a “Dog Days” celebration. One of my photos of a beagle from last year took first place in the Dog category.

Statuary

“Angel’s Prayer”

The light was just perfect to illuminate this beautiful statue of an angel. This was taken at Western Sierra Nursery, my favorite place to photograph.

Next post, I’ll pick out my favorite photos of people to share with you.

This is the first day of the New Year.

New Year Hopes

It’s the start of the rest of your life.
Make every day of your life count.
Fill it with Beauty and Passion.
Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Solstice

Lori — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:58:03 +0000

Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. We all go through difficult times in our lives. It’s good to remember that however long the winter’s cold night may be, the sun will dawn again to renew our hopes and dreams.

Snowman Smile

Opalescent Hummingbird

Frosty Fun

Happy Solstice

‘Tis the Season

Lori — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:44:22 +0000

It’s the holiday season again. I’ve spent part of this season photographing the sights and sounds of Christmas in San Francisco. I been singing Christmas carols in a choir as we sang for the tree-lighting ceremony and hailed the arrival of Santa Claus to Oakhurst. I’ve been helping Vision Academy for the Arts raise money for scholarships. So I’m definitely in the holiday spirit.

This is a time for sharing and caring about others. We need to keep the spirit of love in our hearts. When times are troubled, it’s very important for us all to remember what this holiday is supposed to be all about. As they say in the song, “We need a little Christmas.”

Here are my holiday greetings to all of you.

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas

Deck the Hulls

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Toyland

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Jolly Happy Soul

City Sidewalks Dressed in Holiday Style

Here Comes Santa Claus

You Better Watch Out

Happy Holidays to you all!

Fall Finery

Lori — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:53:29 +0000

In honor of my favorite season of the year, I thought I’d share a few photos that showed off the beauty and magic of fall.

Fall Bokeh

Nature’s Glory

These were taken during a plein air event with Yosemite Western Artists at Summerdale camp ground, just a mile or so south of Yosemite National Park.

Jerseydale Pumpkin Patch

This pumpkin patch is on a remote country road about twenty minute’s drive from the town of Mariposa. To my delight, it is one of the best pumpkin patches I’ve ever had the pleasure to see and photograph.

Happy Halloween to You All!

I’m spending Halloween weekend in San Francisco, so I’m looking forward to taking many fun photos. Hope you all have a great and spooky Halloween.

The Sierra Art Trails

Lori — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:08:36 +0000

I have spent the past few months preparing for the Sierra Art Trails, a weekend in the Oakhurst area where artists open their studios and demonstrate their artistic talents. Art lovers buy a guide book with maps to all the studios and show places and then tour the arts. This annual event occurs around the first weekend in October.

Since most of my photography is virtual and just stored as bits and bites on a computer, I had a lot of work printing and framing enough photographs as to give a good representation of my art. I concentrated on the photos that I thought might have the most universal appeal, hoping that someone might actually buy my art. After all, art can be a very expensive hobby.

Showing Off

I and two other artists were going to show our art at the local historical park. Two weeks before the Art Trails weekend and long after the map book was published, I found out that they had booked a “Ghost Hunting” parapsychology group for that Saturday and we could not be at the site for that day. Fortunately, the Yosemite Western Artists group offered me the use of Gertrude School – their meeting area – to use for our show. Gertrude School is a one-room schoolhouse built in the late 1880s. It is used as an art studio by YWA and they have live models pose there every Friday for the artists to portray. Many of my best portraits were taken at Gertrude School. Best of all, it is only a few miles from my home. So I was very glad to move my show to Gertrude School.

Of course, it meant we were no longer on the guidebook maps and we were off the main area, but it was better than cancelling out after all the work I had put into the show.

Here are a few of the animal photos I showed for the Sierra Art Trails.

Dogs

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Beau

Happy

Here’s a photo that won a local Pet Photography contest… where I got a chance to photography the “Happy” photo:

The Beagle

Not a Dog

Jack the Cat

Encampment Horse

Peekaboo

I’ll talk more about the Sierra Art Trails in my next post, so see you then!

Welcome to WesterCon

Lori — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:38:00 +0000

July has been a very busy month for me. It started out with a trip to WesterCon, the West Coast Science Fiction convention. I haven’t been to one for a very long time, but this one had guests Patricia McKillip, one of my favorite authors, and Phil and Kaja Folio, who create “Girl Genius” steampunk graphic novels. The convention was rather small, but there were plenty of opportunities for photographs from the hall costumes to the masquerade.

Hall Costumes

Duo from Dune

The Famous Adventurer?

Pretty Miss

Saucy Lady

Regency Elegance

Timely Traveler

The Masquerade

Poison Ivy

The winner of WesterCon’s masquerade/costume contest was a mash-up of Wizard of Oz, Wicked, and the Dating Game. Seven people performed a skit dressed as the Oz characters in which Fiero got to chose a date with Dorothy, Elfaba, or Glinda. It was a clever performance and the costumes were well-crafted.

Oz Dating Game

Kissing Fiero

Next month, I’ll share more photos from Westercon and the San Diego Comic-Con.

Portrait Gallery

Lori — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:00:27 +0000

Now that I am a photographer, I’ve discovered the beauty of the human face. I love taking photos of people and bringing the image to life. It isn’t easy for me to talk to strangers, but I am learning how to overcome my shyness in order to capture their essence. Here are a few of the people I’ve had the change to admire.

Oakhurst People

Fresno People

Artist Models

Behind the Lines

Lori — Mon, 16 May 2011 05:22:46 +0000

The Civil War Reenactments are not all guns and cannons. In the encampments, people demonstrate what it was like to live in the mid 1800s. Craftsmen made brooms, metalwork, and guns. Women demonstrated sewing and weaving skills. Merchants sell a variety of items and clothing.

Here are some photos of the scenes behind the battle lines.

The Blacksmith

The Broom Maker

The Gunsmith

The Nun

Chores

The Chess Player

Before the Battle

At Ease

Dark Beauty

Mr. President

Behind the Line

These United States

Lori — Mon, 02 May 2011 06:23:31 +0000

The Civil War again returned to Mariposa, nearly 150 years after the battle that started the war – the bombardment on Fort Sumter. For three days, over two hundred men, women, and children brought the past to life with this Civil War reenactment. This spectacular event was full of cannons, horses, guns, drama, and storytelling. I had an opportunity to listen with the people who devote their spare time to recreating a tragic event in American History.

Many of the people who take place in this event research the history books and writings to accurately depict this war. They are pleased for the chance to share this knowledge and teach the audience. One of the things I learned was that prior to the war, our country was referred to as “These United States of America” rather than “The United States.” I also learned that an estimated 400 women dressed in men’s clothing and served as soldiers in the war on both sides. I had a chance to learn about medical practices, gun use, crafts, and food preparation during the 1860′s.

Here are a few moments from the battles.

The Northern Aggressors

The Northern Officer

The Gun Lecture

Ready for Battle

Marching to War

Heading Out

Cannoneer

Defenders of the South

War Council

Pride

The Charge

Soldier Boy

The British Observer

First Battle

Over There

This shows only a few of the eight hundred photos I took on one day of this event. Next post will be “Behind the Lines” with the portraits and moments beyond the battlefield.

The Civil War still stands as the bloodiest war in our history. If it is true that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, then let us experience these historical reenactments to help preserve the knowledge of the past and the lessons we have learned from it.