Baby-Free

I moved from the couch, to the floor, to reduce the smell of baby vomit wafting into my nostrils. With the cushion under my bottom, and the back of the couch to lean on, I am sufficiently comfortable and likely cozier than when curled on a jagged rock, as I so often am.  I have reached the age in which an increasing number of my friends are married and have entered the stage of baby creation. I am able to cross into this world of babies, cooing softly and flapping my arms like a stupid human bird to encourage a smile from a young human (for us adults, watch this video instead chicken dance techno), and enjoy the simplicity of a child, and yet live in a world far removed. Could you imagine a traveling model with a baby to care for? A young creature in the main part of the studio while creating art on a pedestal, couch, or seamless backdrop, sleeping until the next burst of tears for attention.  And location shoots, with a baby to watch over – an impossibility. I have a difficult enough time keeping my backpack in sight while climbing rocks up a river, heading increasingly farther away from my starting point, that the idea of having a living, loving, beautiful being to worry about boggles my brain. 

Soon I will be back in California, visiting with family and overcoming jet lag from an arduously long string of flights back from Australia, and will be given another dose of baby time with my nephew and niece. I will likely stay the crazy auntie, as I am the one in my family who does not have the picture perfect existence but uniquely vagabonds with a purpose. There are aspects of the settled, successful lives of my siblings which I desire, but I can wait on the house, spouse and child under each arm.  Today I am in Australia, tomorrow I shall be as well, and after a double dose of Tuesday, I will be back in the United States.

My afternoon shoot had cancelled, and after a well paced day of climbing naked on one of the oldest functioning bridges in Australia (I believe the photographer had informed me the bridge was the second oldest functioning bridge in Australia, but I shall not claim this in the event I remembered incorrectly or the fact was mistaken), walking on a train track, sticking my bottom out of a tree in Dandedong National Park (although never quite as perfectly as we wanted for the photo), dressing in said tree before hikers came around, washing off and dirtying myself in the same waterfall and standing next to metal birds in a beautifully manicured park, I treated myself to lunch of dumplings and salty green Asian vegetables. I resisted the urge for that delicious pastry, more on basis of stomach space than willpower and later satisfied my sweet urges with a mango. A bit of laundry, a shower and a nap later, and the rested version of myself was ready to begin emails for a while, and entertain and be distracted by the small child of my photographer friends.

This rambling blog entry was inspired by baby vomit, small in quantity and relatively harmless, but something I do not need in my life. 

Both 100% baby-free

Katja Gee and Keira Grant

Photo by RJWG Photography

Edited by Keira Grant

Street Photography by Keira Grant

Hard Rubbish Day

Ormond, Melbourne, Australia

If hot, remove clothing, and keep the music going

Photographed by Adam Images

The Delaware Water Gap

If I were to play an air guitar while strutting in the woods, I would likely look like this.  I used to practice my musical instrument, a decidedly not rockin’ not-guitar, in the nude during my Texas summer in graduate school. I was so concerned about the AC bill that I sweltered in 80 degree temperature within my small apartment. I marvel at my excessive frugality and simple solutions; if hot, remove clothing, and keep the music going.

Where in the world is Keira Grant?

Where in the world is Keira Grant?

Today I sit at a photographer friend's home in Adelaide, Australia, sucking down some instant coffee, fried eggs with golden yokes and a side of sautéed mushrooms and unsuccessfully pulling my long nails away from the itchy-bumpy skin which is the remains of a two-week old poison ivy rash. In forty-five minutes a photographer will meet me at the door, and my long day of mentoring a model and modeling will commence. I have about 15 minutes of quiet until I must stare myself in the eye and apply makeup for the day.

Adelaide is known for being a tougher place for those more artistically minded, at least in terms of art models, but once I have begun an artistic relationship with a photographer, I feel the pull to return again and again. Shoots become better between photographer and model the more comfortable we are, and better reflects in the experience and the results of the time together. With a great model and photographer, a first shoot will produce great photos, but add a history of working together, and the possibility of success increases.

Yesterday I helped a new model with her second shoot and watched her images and confidence increase exponentially. I have no idea which model I will meet today, but look forward to playing mentor.

*beep* *beep* My blog timer has sounded and I must continue to prepare myself for work.
Have a jolly great day. Where in the world are you? And have you thought about bringing me out to you to begin our photography journey together?

Photographed by Keira Grant

Models Romi Muse and new model Dani

First shoot with Vivid Impressions - I hope to return to Florida someday to continue to see what we can create together. Getting me to an area the first time is the most difficult part - once I travel somewhere and meet good people and photographers, with enough work I am more easily swayed into making another trip.

My friend Kurt in Roanoke, VA lives a bit off the path from Raleigh to DC, but his photo explorations and good company tend to entice me the long route up the coast rather than through Richmond.

Brussel Sprouts and A Globe

Big suitcases do not pack themselves. Nor is there any magic to figuring out what to bring on a trip that includes 3 weeks in Australia, 2 weeks in Northern California, 2 weeks in Portland and Seattle, almost a week in Los Angeles and 1 week in Central California. This is not my first time to have a mixed weather and wardrobe need trip to pack for, but even as I am going on 5 years living on the road, the task of putting together my suitcases never becomes easier. I need ample wardrobe for some long day bookings in Australia, warm weather clothes for my daily meanderings in hopefully sunny climate, but when I return to the United States, I have a feeling flimsy dresses will leave me shivering and goosebumpy. Also, being around my family requires slightly different clothing than clothing I may wear while feeling gypsy-like, for obvious reasons. 

Yesterday was an errand running day, and today a packing and loose ends sorting day. Blogging will not directly help me decide which pair of shoes, sweater or shirts to pack, but if I sit on my wood floor surrounded by belongings for too long, I may scream. One of the essentials I purchased yesterday was a new palette of makeup, because occasionaly I am allowed to be glamorous and that requires a bit more makeup. The kit with eye shadow I purchased has some great colors, and exactly the blush and bronzer I need, but I do not need to contour my face with a product that smells like chocolate, and no, mascara is never "better than sex" as the container proclaims. And this bright, pink sparkly bag that was a special bonus item is 5000 percent too girly for me.  I understand marketing to girly-girls but this packaging is almost embarassing. I can show you when I'm next in your studio making myself look all fancy.

Right now I have delicious brussel sprouts cooking on the stove, but in two minutes I will eat these tiny orbs of green goodness and get back to work. 

Yesterday I my reward for the hours of checking things off of my "to do list" was a short self-portrait session with globe, brussel sprouts and random items acquired by a model.

Brussel sprout scepter, the world in tiny form, pink girly bag all on a coffee table

 Me on a coffee table, masked by the world, with a bit of guitar peeking out, and a painting of Nettie Harris, Myeand the Moon by Howie Doyle

If I were the queen of strange, the world could be my hat and brussel sprouts my scepter

The fact that I think these items can combine for an acceptable portrait session probably demonstrates my difficulty in packing a bag, because almost anything can become useful...somehow....

Outdoors...Then the Dog Climbed on me

Photographed by Michael Cordiez

When shooting outdoors in public places, selecting the right location, an early enough time, having a robe that goes on and off quickly, and a fair bit of luck comes into play. Usually the circumstances in which I have faced problems with being seen, have been the shoots where we behaved as though we were actually working in a private environment, simply because the area appeared to be clear of any potential onlookers.  The correct way to shoot in public places is to be cautious and respect that what you are doing may be illegal, therefore is best done in a way not to be caught.

Some photographers who wish to photograph outdoors with a nude model feel they receive less “work” from a model because getting to a good location may take some hiking, waiting for the right moment to shoot, and quick shooting. What is forgotten is that any good model is actively involved in all of this and that time in an environment is absolutely part of the shooting process. A model listens and watches the place to be sure there is no one around, which from a safety standpoint is important as there is always a bit of risk on a public location, a risk which they are often willing to take for an amazing and artistically inspiring “set” to work. But more central to your art is the fact that a great model will be figuring out how to fit into the environment, even while still covered up in their clothes. This thinking will allow a model to move quickly and pose expertly in a short amount of time, minimizing the time visibly nude and maximizing the camera time. Many photographers understand they will likely have less shooting time per hour for many locations, but feel this a fair tradeoff for the great photos they can take. 

I have heard stories of photographers with stopwatches, clicking on and off with disrobing and robing. The idea of this is abhorrent for art shooting – the entire time someone is on a location or arriving to the location with someone, they are working. Their mind is in the project at hand, they are absorbing the location and ideas are beginning to simmer. I have little office job experience, but am realistic about the amount of time spent actively doing an exact job, rather than the necessary lost time in the process, that is life of many of the people I know in mainstream career paths. A model is working the entire time they are with you, and your goals are the same - great photos together wherever you are shooting. Walking around a location to find the best rocks to shoot on, to find that building with the best abandoned equipment, or hiking a bit further to be farther from the road is all part of a shoot and time well spent.

***

One morning in NYC, Daniel B met Inna B-G and I at a nearby subway station, handed me steaming caffeine in a cup, and we headed over to the Red Hook part of Brooklyn to shoot in the park behind Ikea. The location was deserted and the rising sun just barely above the horizon. He had scouted this secluded place before deciding that we make this our shoot place – always a wise plan for time efficiency, because in the event of too many people and detection, a shoot would suddenly be ended without a suitable back-up plan. For each of several sets, Inna and I quickly disrobed, threw our clothes out of the way and we worked for a handful of minutes before dressing again. The only people around were two dog owners and their dogs, who did not seem as though they would mind our nudity if they stumbled upon it. I had a huge laugh when getting into a pose and one of the dogs came over and started to climb on me. 

 Plus One

Inna  B-G and Myself

Photographed by Daniel Brustein

Inna B-G and Myself

 Photographed by Daniel Brustein

 Photographed by Daniel Brustein

We timed our shooting to do the most visible locations first, while we were certain no one was around, and as the sun rose, we primarily shot on the large chairs behind bushes. At the end, I braved complete visibility on pier structures (every model has their own comfort level and the height and visibility did not appeal to my counterpart), knowing few people were out, and hoping I was adequately far away from the main park that if someone did see me, I could hop down, put on my dress and deny complete nudity. (For NYC, I have a flesh colored thong when I remember this, and am prepared to say I was wearing just that).

***

Photographed by Staunton Photo

Recently I did have a truly pulse raising experience. The site where the photographer and I worked together was just past a No Trespassing sign near the edge of the shore of a park in Virginia.  No one was on the beach, and we paid little attention to the fact that a ranger could have driven by and spotted us, and at one point a ranger came nearby, flashed their truck lights, and we walked a few yards out of the off-limits location. I had a flimsy white dress to use in the water, and we continued, dressed, for a while before going up to leave. That was when a police truck came, and followed us, until pulling us over. We were given a warning much to my relief, but had to find another place to shoot and were incredibly shaken. The officer did not have to let us off on a warning - we had truly been lucky. The photos we did at a nearby ship dock were beautiful, and a completely different style – not part of our plan, but for outdoors shooting a bit of flexibility is required.

Photographed by Staunton Photo

Simple Living

Across from Ricky's place

I’m on a string of days off from shoots, and am removed from my usual daily existence. As I sit sipping on a cup of coffee in an Asheville bookshop, I realize my hair is messy, my face shinier and my spirits calmer than normal. I spent one night camping on my friend’s plot of land, on a slanted bit of land and woke up crunched near the entrance of the ten, then had a night of quiet and solitude at her father’s home while he was out freezing at a party, and last night I was in the home my friend has been given to use for the winter, where she and another family will make repairs in exchange for lodging. Time without other people around me is extremely precious, but time with loved ones in a situation where conversation is so removed from my daily discussion of my job and art photos is also a much-needed part of my life. I have built my lifestyle around my current job, but recognize even if not working as a model, I am still the same basic person. 

I was to meet up with a friend yesterday morning, but when the clock crossed noon, and morning was over, I decided to find myself a bit of a nature trail to hike on my own before driving to where she lived. I had two hours of walking and reading near a stream before I sought out my friend, which ended in showing up with a few hours to help clean her new home and entertain her housemate’s children. For the next day and night I became the cook for all three hungry families, cleaned a little and found myself with two young shadows.  My time with my friend and her group of families was a reminder of my experience in South America, meeting people and suddenly becoming part of their family. The father of the two boys noted that I was a take -charge woman, which was a change in their consensus central community, and invited me to stay for a while. While I am at home in an environment where simple living is the goal, I recognize that I am a person who likes to feel productive and like I am in forward motion, so a simple life is not one for me. In South America I was contented to care for children, cook and clean, and not push forward with work or excitement on a frequent basis because I was actively working on my Spanish language skills and that was a project. But while in the US, I ultimately prefer the forward moment of being everywhere, even if I sometimes yearn for a small piece of a home for myself.

David and Daniel G

Reading or writing with children by my side is nearly impossible, because I have not learned the art of encouraging children to leave me alone, but at least that means I have adorable photo subjects if I am sneaky enough with my camera. I love portraits of people, but always feel I am invading peoples’ space when I have my camera pointed at them – this is something I will have to overcome if I am to improve as a portrait photographer.