Paved Paradise - Part Two

In, Out, K
© Larry Torno, 2007

A newly paved and painted parking lot was the inspiration for this photograph. The afternoon sun provided the intense contrast and the simple line structure formed a great composition.

I worked for several years at The Saint Louis Art Museum and I'm always recalling the master painters as inspiration in my work. In this case, the bold, gestural strokes of Franz Kline were in the back of my mind when I created this image.

Paved Paradise - Part One

Comb
© Larry Torno, 2007

I like big, empty parking lots. They remind me of huge, blank canvases just waiting for an artist to come along. I can't imagine creating art on this scale, but think it would probably be an incredible experience.

This lot is actually a small piece of a larger shipping/receiving area. I think the seven open parking spaces look like part of an abstract expressionist painting. The floating, white "comb" and the striped Mark Rothko-like background are simply a beautiful composition that I couldn't improve upon. All I had to do was recognize the potential, seize the opportunity, and claim it for my own.

Portrait of a Moment - Part Four

© Larry Torno, 2009

This is the final image in the Portrait of a Moment series and it's my favorite.

A portrait doesn't always have to be a person sitting in a studio in front of a painted background. For me, it's more important to get to the root of the individual personality.

Each of the images from the Portrait of a Moment series was shot on location; some with existing light and some with the aid of photographic lamps.

Portrait of a Moment - Part Three

© Larry Torno, 2009

As Time Goes By, a song originally written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931 and re-introduced in the 1942 film Casablanca, has the lyrical caption for this tender moment;

The world will always welcome lovers . . . as time goes by.

Portrait of a Moment - Part Two

© Larry Torno, 2009

Getting comfortable in front of a camera is never an easy thing to do. Yet, every once in a while, someone let's their guard down for a moment and we get to understand who they really are.

Portrait of a Moment - Part One

© Larry Torno, 2009

Rather than call this next series simply, Portraits, I decided to refer to them instead, as Portraits of a Moment.

To capture the essence of a person in one sitting with a single image is quite a tall order. But, to spend some time with someone and come away with a sense of who they were for a while, seemed more realisitic.

What will follow in the next few weeks are some photographs of my favorite, captured Portraits of a Moment.

Sign of the Cross - Part Four

Cloudwire
© Larry Torno, 2009

Cloudwire is an ominous image that I shot from my front lawn. I often find great images when I'm not looking for them. Something has to spark my interest and the growing exhaust clouds from two passing jets was the inspiration to get this image started. It wasn't until I created a negative conversion that I discovered the power in this photograph.