Trees - Part Two

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Handball Tree
Missouri
2007
© Larry Torno

I found this tree not far from the first photo I posted last week but on a different day.

I'm a graphic designer by trade and often create photos, as a result of my career, that appear layered. The flatness of the black, tree skeleton sits atop the horizontal chain link fence and balances between the two white handball courts. It seemed natural to me that you could peel apart this landscape and move things around if you wanted.

The crisp angles of the shadows on the white walls follow the angle of the branches on one side of the tree and lay in the reverse direction of the branches on the other side of the tree. This was a very balanced image to shoot.

Trees - Part One

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Opera Tree
2007

© Larry Torno

I love this photograph but not many people share my enthusiasm for it. It's one of my favorite images for a multitude of reasons.

The base of the tree is dead center in the image; something I don't usually do or care for. However in this case, by placing it there, it becomes an integral part in the composition; the anchor, if you will. It's massive, dark, solid shape keeps drawing your eye back to it's location.

By cropping the tree so that no upper branches are showing, it becomes transformed to appear as an architectural element, like the vertical brick columns that flank it and form the wall in the background.

The decorative, wrought iron railing starts on the left side of the photo and extends to the right, but suddenly disappears behind the tree.

The sheet of plastic lining along the back wall, is somewhat translucent and creates several ethereal panels of distorted shapes; like a gallery of large abstract canvases.

The foreground texture of the leaves contrasts with the smooth, symmetrical lines on the ceiling, which in turn, lead you back into the depths of the photograph.

It's a lot to consider, but the initial feeling I had when I created this image was "there's more here than meets the eye."

The Return of Barbie - Part Two

The late afternoon sun was filtering into my office and inspired me to shoot something . . . anything, before the light went away. 
     The closest object I could find was a Barbie doll given to me by our friends, the collectors, as an available model, whenever the spirit moved me. Within minutes, she was in place, the camera was on the tripod and I started shooting. 
     What evolved was another look at the same subject from a different perspective. This particular Barbie was the model for the nudes in the show, When Is A Doll Not A Doll? and for last week's extreme close-up of her lips. In this shot, it's a whole new look and a creative way to catch the light that came in my window.  

The Return of Barbie - Part One

Earlier this year I created an exhibition called When Is A Doll Not A Doll? We originally wanted to title it When is a Barbie not a Barbie? but we knew we would have problems with Mattel. 
     The show was a study of vintage Barbie dolls photographed in a kind of portraiture that sought to infuse the plastic dolls with personality. The curator of the show at Bruno David Gallery described them as "liberating Barbie from her box and placing her again in the realm of the imagination". Several of the photographs from the show went on to an additional exhibit, Beneath the Valley of the Dolls, at the Todd Browning Gallery in Los Angeles.
     I continue to look for more opportunities to exhibit this collection and occasionally, I take another look at a Barbie doll to see what else I can find in the American icon. This week and next, I'll show you two new portraits that answer the question, When Is A Doll Not A Doll?
   

Decommissioned - Part Two

Ride 'Em

2009
© Larry Torno

Finding a tank to photograph in the middle of the city was a stroke of luck. Discovering that the tank was actually in a playground, was hard to believe. Watching kids climb on it like it wasn't a war machine was too much to comprehend.

Battle of the Curly Slide
2009
© Larry Torno

Decommissioned - Part One

Playground Equipment
2009
© Larry Torno

When I see a Vietnam era, decommissioned McDonnell-Douglas fighter jet sitting in a park, I take notice.

Camouflaged
2009
© Larry Torno

Sign of the Cross - Part Six

Wyoming Holy Bible
2006
© Larry Torno

This cross is not located in the state of Wyoming, but rather on a city street in St. Louis that bears the same name.

Painted red bricks, painted white stones, a manicured green lawn, windows and doors sealed shut, a cross stabbing the Bible; the imagery was rich enough for a compelling photo. 

Sign of the Cross - Part Five

Three Over Land

2006
© Larry Torno

Simplify. What's the minimum amount of elements I need to include in a photograph, to create the drama and image that I want?

SERIES - Overhead Projections, Part One

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Working on a series of photos is an ongoing process. Maintaining your vision and remaining true to the original concept is definitely a discipline. The eight premier photos of the new series Overhead Projections were created over the course of a nine month period. Seventeen other locations were shot but did not make the final cut, not because they weren't good photos, but because these were simply the best. Constantly editing your work is a vital process for an artist. What occurred as an intense emotional experience one day, may not stand the test of time or fall into the guidelines of a body of work.

Overhead Projections is available through Bruno David Gallery .

Portrait of a Moment - Part Eight

© Larry Torno, 2009

They say a picture is worth a thousand words; so I'd like to hear what you have to say. Let's see how many you can come up with.