NOTES
The Artist's Work
Portraits from my Whiskey Dregs portrait and interview series.
St. Louis Cathedral, French Quarter, New Orleans
Here are some photos from my The Whiskey Dregs portrait and interview series. Some of these are yet to be posted but I wanted to share them in advance. I especially enjoy the how's and why's of an artists' process as well as those others who have inspired me in one way or another. I'm thankful to have found these people throughout New Orleans.
The Redwood Forest and Crescent City, California
The literally dizzying splendor of the Redwood Forest is real.
“The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles … hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worldwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages … And we think some plastic bags and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet isn’t going anywhere. WE are!”
Aryn and I were driving a stretch of road from Portland into the cool Northern region of California. Coordinating between the GPS and manual instructions from the proprietors of an Airstream, our heads bobbed up and down and dragged left to right through the winding roads, descending deeper into the dark forest, beneath a verdant canopy of trees.
Do you know that moment when you see something for the first time and it's so foreign that your stomach turns? Or maybe it was the spatial difference and massive size of the first Redwood tree, which suddenly came upon us. This barked giant was in front of our Kia Soul and then as we turned the corner, it was on the right. We both gasped. I had never seen a tree so large in my life.
Let's go further: I'd never seen such an alien landscape in my life. Jurassic Park came to mind.
Off some mile marker, in the forest, was a clearing that we turned into. There was a bungalow to the left, a parked RV in the back and across from that was the Airstream we had booked using AirBnb but surrounding all of this was dense vegetation, tree stumps, as large as our car, with saplings growing from the ancient, ringed rims. The first breath of air I took after exiting from our parked vehicle was as crisp as ice and it flowed through my lungs so easily.
The Redwood Forest was only going a brief overnight stop before driving further south to Sonoma. We gathered what we needed and drove a short distance west to see the Pacific Ocean. It was just before sunset and the temperature had dropped, while people in shorts walked on the sand, making me wonder "how can you tolerate this cold"? Sand blew all around us, skirting the beach as strong waves crashed against the rocky shore. We walked to the end of a long, long pier to stare straight into a domed faced rock that bulged out of the ocean. I looked down, imagined how cold the water must feel but looking back up was only the slimy leaves of kelp bobbing along the dark water.
After exploring the beach, we walked up a hill to a lighthouse that sat on the rocky turf like an ominous beacon, calling to the night. Like so much in California, the structure and adjoined home fit snuggly into the landscape. The sun set while a sea breeze misted our dry faces. At twilight, we returned to our car and drove back into the forest to enjoy wine we had brought from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
We awoke early the next morning, had breakfast, gathered our stuff to hit up the Redwoods National Park, followed by a drive through the Pacific Coast Highway down to Sonoma. The road meandered between the ocean and the forest, providing un-friggin-believable views of un-friggin-believable natural world. It was like driving down the gullet of a beautiful monster that could eat you at any moment if it so desired. As long as we stuck to the road, we'd be safe. But we didn't.
Driving slowly, I saw a clearing to the left of me where below was a river bed that was nearly run dry. We parked the car, walked down onto the smooth stones, polished by thousands of years of running water. We were alone and I felt so close to some kind of spiritual message but I couldn't discern its meaning. I just knew it felt good. The trees and the water and the sun and the stones all felt good. There is something godly and human and flawless about being alone in a natural setting. This was a theme that often repeated throughout our trip. Nothing will ever be the same.
Send questions over to info@carlosdetres.com
So close that you can feel the sting and hear the buzz
I got in super close while shooting at the New Orleans Tattoo Museum. Click to view more.
A few months ago, I started working on a project in conjunction with The New Orleans Tattoo Museum in Central City. I'll share more news about that in a future post but I wanted to share what we've been doing so far. I've worked closely with proprietor and artist, Adam Monetegut, which has given me a much closer relationship to the art of tattooing than I've ever had. If you get a chance to go down there, check it out. It's a really cool space, especially if you're into the history and art of tattooing.
During my most recent shoot at the location, I got the chance to get in real close to see how it looks when the needle pecks at the skin. It's not easy to get great shots using a macro lens when you're that close and in a setting that I'm documenting but it's been a great and fun challenge. As you'll see below, we still have a long way to go before this project is complete.
Sign up for my mailing list below to get updates about this project as well as other information regarding other things I'm working on.
Florida Obscura
An exercise in reflection on the roots of where I come from.
Whenever I'm back home in Florida,
I return to places that I'd visited in the past
and photograph them,
mostly alone,
to further understand the person I've become.
It's personal anthropology. The cloud of my thirteen years in New York City has cleared. Here in New Orleans, Louisiana, I almost feel retired, not from work but from a lifestyle that dictated the choices I made and the directions I've gone. It's suffice to say that I'm at a reflective point in my life and that the specter of my home state of Florida looms silently over my work as I continue identifying my personal style and future creative goals.
The photographs below are part of an exercise to isolate the common threads of my work. It happens easily because there are always subconscious elements that are introduced into my portraiture and topics of interest. Enjoy.
#BTS: New York
Because nobody likes squares.
I really love doing portrait sessions. Sometimes the work can look somber but the behind the scenes stuff reveals that it's almost always fun and laughs. The versions that are being selected for marketing are very elegant and beautiful but I like the contrast of humor while working these shoots.
Most of the photos included in this post are from the shoots recently done in New York. Collaborating with talented people with strong chemistry brings the whole thing together. I build relationships with people who I may never meet again but will never forget. Thanks to all who did the hard work, especially those at the salon De La Mer.
The others are from work I did with ProHairKit, IRFE and The Morning Sea.
Email: info@carlosdetres.com
BLACK INK in the French Quarter
A BLACK INK portrait session with Amber in the French Quarter. This post is probably NSFW.
I've been working on my latest photo project BLACK INK since September 2015. I knew that when I started it that it would be a long endeavor, which is great because I have this to look forward to for at least the entire year of 2016.
The story of BLACK INK began with my fascination with tattoos. Although I don't have many of my own, I'm interested in the stories people have about their work. It's been fascinating. More often than not, people have tattoos that represent their relationships with family or friends, such as an old frigate tattooed across the chest to represent a grandfather's occupation as a sailor or a nickname given by a spouse etched onto a lip.
Amber, who is featured in this post, is comfortable with her body. She's proud of her body art and its symbolism. There are references to her family, struggles, her light, spiritual beliefs and more. I am so very grateful that she allowed me into a private world and let me photograph her. I tried my best to totally capture Amber in a portrait. I felt very excited when she exclaimed, "Oh my god! You got me! That's me!" It's like music to my ears.
The final process of these images is printing them using platinum and palladium to continue the theme of permanence.
For information, email: info@carlosdetres.com
Read more about BLACK INK
A Letter Found in a Little Shrine at St. Roch Cemetery, New Orleans
A prayer to Saint Roch from anonymous writer.
I shot these three photos at St. Roch Cemetery, inside a little chapel. It made me think of the Pope’s message and in what ways it inspires others. St. Roch is the Catholic patron saint of dogs and is said to heal people who are ill or disabled in some way.
People who have claimed to been healed by St. Roch leave items behind in the small side room on the right of the cathedral. Items include notes, prosthetic legs, braces (some from Polio-related disabilities) and replicas of ailed limbs.
The note in the diptych above, on the right reads:
St. Roch,
This is my friend Danto, but y'all know each other. Basically my prayer is this:
I light this candle so that we may, men of the earth
Heal each other
To not be afraid of each other
To grieve together
To protect each other
To come together to protect the sanctity of the divine feminine, Santa Barbara, the fountain of eternal nectar.
To have sex with condoms
To help create infrastructure for refugees, alle Fluchtlinge!
Email: info@carlosdetres.com
My Photo Shoot with Yui Tsuchida in New York
A shoot with pianist, Yui Tsuchida in Astoria Park, Queens.
I had a set of great shoots during my recent trip to New York. Yui Tsuchida is a pianist from Kyoto who moved to Astoria, Queens a couple of years ago. She and I were on the same page throughout the shoot. I love working with creative people because we can bounce ideas back and forth and the result is something they and I both want.
Email info@carlosdetres.com
New Street Photography: New Orleans
Street photography on the rocky asphalt of a city beat down by the sun. Let's go, go, go.
Wet and hot. New Orleans is the stuff my photography dreams are made of. Weird and fun. The city contains much of what inspires me to pick up the camera.
So here's some new stuff. If you haven't seen the old stuff, look HERE.
Photos by me, Carlos Detres. Email: info@carlosdetres.com
Jusepe de Ribera
Chasing the de Ribera one light look.
I can't remember how I ran into Jusepe de Ribera's (b. Spain 1591-1652) but somehow I did. I was immediately impressed with his use of light and how the direction of the light caused shadows to form from the brow over the eye sockets, to, in my opinion, emphasize the shape of the skull, reminding of death (maybe). I then began seeing this everywhere from The Godfather to random TV shows, which made me wonder where the hell have my eyeballs been all of these years.
What I enjoy about this lighting scheme is that it's a simple, one light technique that expresses much. I err on the side of simplicity. It's elegant and one can focus more on subject than technical diagrams (unless you have a crew. If you have a crew working with you, use the crew). Much of my photographic method has become simpler. One light. One lens. One camera.
What I wanted to learn to do was how I could artificially achieve a de Ribera look while out in the street. When this was first attempted, it was difficult to hold the flash at an angle over the subject's head. I could rely on street lights but they're not always around. Indoors is good but there's usually a lot of light bouncing around. The problem I had with the flash was that the light was too harsh. I found that putting a small diffuser could do the trick. Maybe take it old school and place a napkin over the flash head (oh the things you learn with zero budget).
For the shot below, I ended up using a Westcott Apollo Orb, which functions as a Octobox. I liked how the light wrapped around the subject's body while also casting a deep shadow over the brow. It was, again, a simple one light setup and it worked. The light was placed almost directly above her head, angled toward her body.
Voila.
Check out some of de Ribera's paintings:
You can email me at info@carlosdetres.com
Die and Let Die VIDEO
"Die and Let Die" is a video photo project about the haunting of St. Louis Cemetery #1 by people.
I compiled a video from a previous photography project I completed called "DIE AND LET DIE". I had recorded audio while I was shooting at St. Louis Cemetery #1 that was intended to be included in this project. The calliope from the riverboat, Natchez, can be heard from the Mississippi River as well as the mutterings of cemetery visitors and car horns from Basin Street.
The project was inspired by seeing how much vandalism had occurred at the cemetery that, in my opinion, was perpetuated by some of the myths surrounding the cemetery, such as marking tombs with three Xs so that a wish could be granted. I photographed people in this project as incidental subjects such as one would find in a supposed picture of a ghost. One could be taking a picture of a living room and find a spirit when the image is reviewed so that's how I shot this project. A little tongue-in-cheek joke that addresses a serious issue at the cemeteries of New Orleans.
If you're interested in learning more about the local cemeteries, check out the website of Save Our Cemeteries. They're doing very good things.
Email me if you'd like to use this video or just chat: info@carlosdetres.com
White Linen Night 2015
Black and white photography from White Linen Night 2015.
An amazing night on Julia Street for this year's White Linen Night. I brought out the ol' 24mm lens and Nikon SB900 Speedlight just like I used to do. Shooting this event reminded me of the days of when I photographed for UrbanDaddy. Good times. Beautiful people, inside and out.
Email me at info@carlosdetres.com
One Month in New Orleans: July 2015
Here are some of the things that happened last month. Friends, pool, cemeteries, graveyard leave-behinds and more.
Here are some of the things that happened last month. Friends, pool, cemeteries, graveyard leave-behinds and more.
For more info about my pictures, email me at info@carlosdetres.com
One Year in New Orleans Part 3
Photos from one year in New Orleans from April-June 2015. Burlesque, Weddings, Crawfish Boils, Street Photography and more.
What One Year in New Orleans Looks Like Part 2 (January-March 2015)
These include Carnival (Mardi Gras, etc.), Super Sunday, St. Louis Cemetery #1 and #2 and more.
What One Year in New Orleans Looks Like Part 1 (July-December 2014)
1 year in the life of a new Orleanian.
My dream had been to move to New Orleans. Last year I finally got the opportunity to make it happen...rather I took the opportunity to make it happen. I've met a lot of great people and had some of the most amazing experiences of my life. In just one year. Here are some of my favorite photographs I've made.
This is Part 1 of 3 and includes July-September 2014. Enjoy.
Part 2 is HERE
Part 3 is HERE
Email: info@carlosdetres.com
Building a Photo Story Book and Why It Should be Uber Personal
The philosophy of developing imagery to engage with a brand's audience and why to make it uber personal.
I enjoy telling stories and working with brands who want to genuinely connect with their audience. Everywhere we look there's an ad, which makes it more important now than ever to build relationships with customers. I believe companies who share my ideology will have more long term success.
From a photo shoot with IRFE (Paris) at the Gramercy Hotel, NYC. (©Carlos Detres 2015)
As a photographer and a diehard fan of photography, I like to create photos that are personal. I believe that this can be done in the advertising arena. Being removed from New York City (since last year), I have more freedom to execute ideas and experiment with concepts that can be valuable to my clients.
From a shoot with Westerly Vintage, New Orleans. (©Carlos Detres 2015)
My goal, like those of my clients, is to build a relationship with my audience and to share who I am as a person and an artist. A photo shoot I did with PROHAIRKIT.com back in January of this year, was built from a concept I developed with the company's president, ALEJANDRO JIMENEZ. We made a personal, impactful project that communicated the brand's philosophy of providing quality hair tools to stylists that share a bond with the Alejandro.
A photo from a look book I shot for PROHAIRKIT.com, Weaverville, NC. (©Carlos Detres 2015)
A successful portrait of a brand isn't only of people. There are other subjects indicative of a brand's image and philosophy that are included such as a photograph of an antique car or the tools used to create a product or even a color scheme that inspired the interior design of an establishment.
Antique car in St. Bernard Parish, LA. (©Carlos Detres 2015)
A lookbook is the same as a personal project, to me. I care about the brand's goals and image. It can be personal and engaging. While this deal that we're building will likely become available at the end of the summer, please feel free to include your information below so that you can be updated. It will be a fair offer -- one that many small businesses will be able to afford.
Shooting on the Streets of New Orleans
Street photography in New Orleans.
Calling street photography a hobby, for me, feels strange. It's an extension of all of the work professional photography I do. This blog post is of some of the work I've been doing the last year. It's an ongoing project, never ending and so fun to do. I feel that these are some of my most personal photographs.
Here are just a few randos.
Email: info@carlosdetres.com
