jameskachan :: blog

Perez Hilton — a year and a half later

james — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:03:59 +0000

I’m the first to admit that I don’t always update things as fast as I should. This one took a year and a half.
I shot celeb gossip celeb Perez Hilton for the night club CiRCA when he had a party there in September of 2008, (remember CiRCA? isn’t that place out of business yet?) Anyway, I was never sure how I felt about the portrait, if I wanted to show it or not. Well after being reminded of him, I’ve decided that it is good and that I like it.

So, now in my portfolio.

That’s it!

Yosefa

james — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:05:03 +0000

Sometimes I meet someone randomly or more often, just see them someplace, and all I think about is how amazing they look.
Interesting people, with lots of character and strong expressive traits are outstanding, and make me think, wow, “I’d love to shoot you.”

Yosefa is one of those people, She was happy to help me out with some lighting tests I was doing, I was happy to get some amazing photos of her. She brought her sister alone too, I’ll have to get those pictures up too soon…

Interior Design Show

james — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:29:24 +0000

I shot the Interior Design Show last weekend for the show it’self. Working with my good fellow photographer friend Arash Moallemi.
I was able to float around. It was a neat mix of party event style shooting, where I pick out some interesting faces for portraits and that sneaky photojournalism style of capturing decisive moments. (this Fashion photographer needs to rock that Eddie Adams Workshop some how!)

A bunch of fun, and some really interesting images.
It’s jobs like this that you’re reminded just how much fun it is to shoot.

film = artsy

james — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:19:08 +0000

What’s up with art schools, flikr lovers and film?
—Film’s great, but please, its not about the medium. I made this little poster based on my thoughts and a little chat with my friend
Ken Chou. As a shooter of both film and digi, Ken makes the call to use either based on what he’s looking to do, not because it will be more stylish and hip one way or another. (although I must say, Ken is still a stylish and hip guy! haha)

Me personally, I tend to geek on the lighting, and treatment side of things. The way it was captured isn’t as important to me.

Use whatever camera you want, they all have different purposes. Ideas though! that’s the real magic, not the medium.

and on that note…
I think I’ll break out my Holga soon!
haha

Mad love to my film shooting friends out there.
—Well, the ones who know what’s being made isn’t all about the medium (or because of it…)

Becoming

james — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:36:52 +0000

“Becoming” —New Series Started…

This is the first image, (rough) from a new series I’m working on titled “Becoming”
It’s a portrait series featuring a mixture of strobe and continuous light to produce a superimposed blur of the individuals face overtop of the portrait.
I like the idea of progression, growth, advancement; becoming.

My 4th year photo thesis (Horizons) was a series of people photographed from behind, walking toward Horizon’s though bucolic landscapes. I made that work to deal with questions of progression; the journey. How we are always chasing our future, our horizons. Our horizon is something we never reach, as it constantly advances, bringing with it new moments, a new present every time we step.

This new series is based around those themes, and grows from there. I’m looking to build this work around the awareness of becoming. A more internal, personal understanding of how you advance yourself. Horizons to me, was about the act of progression itself, Becoming is about the awareness and understanding of that act.

cant wait to shoot the next one tomorrow.

One year old

james — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:09:35 +0000

CUTEEEEEEEEEEEE!! My friends have this sweet little boy. He’s SOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!
He will be a star.

There are a whole bunch of great off photos, but I’m not putting them up right now, maybe soon!

Sand and boy and water

james — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:52:01 +0000

Beach Boy.In the middle of shooting some beautiful girls in swim-ware, my glance turned to the side and I saw this.
Quickly throwing my camera to my left, I took a single frame.
It’s probably my favorite picture from the day.

These moments of poetic beauty; amazing.
The image is slightly soft, shot from too far (this even is a crop), and entirely unplanned.
It’s pretty perfect.

Portfolio aspects + a pretty picture

james — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:30:31 +0000

An image a day at the least? I doubt I’ll be that dedicated. I tell myself often to post more.
So, here is one for today, a quick test crop for my new 11×14 book.

Photography in the days of square Hasselblad’s was easier.
Hell, there still are a few square fans. Aspect ratio can be dealt with in two ways. The first being you just don’t give a fuck and do whatever you want, change sizes and not think twice about it. The second is much more me, in that you think and consider the matter of size, aspect, bleed and white space to a degree that is just crazy.

My physical portfolios have gone from 13×19 to 11×17 to now 11×14 (all portrait aspect). Here is the thing. 13×19 is the best aspect ratio, that is, the best relation of height and width, I find anyway. However, the book was too big and I coudln’t take individual sleeves out for easy ordering. 11×17 is weird for my work. Great for others I’m sure. 11×14 I feel is too small, but small has it’s advantages. I’m trying to put together the work for this book and see how it lays out. I figure since most go with 11×14 portrait there may be something to it. But does it work with me… Oh the things I worry about…

Lindsay

james — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:47:09 +0000

This blog needs a bit more me. I was having a conversation once with one of the cities biggest ad shooters. He was saying how he never goes out and takes pictures because he feels he’s “above that.” Fair enough I guess, although I’d sure like to think that my income, jobs or age wont ever effect my desire to just take pictures for fun. But hey, maybe I’m not entirely jaded yet. Is that just what happens when you start making huge ad money in the business? Maybe it will happen to me? Well! —in the meantime I’m going to try and post more personal stuff to my “professional” blog, maybe while I still can… DUN! DUN! DUNNNNNNNH!!!

These are some photos from the summer, my friend Lindsay and I checked out Casa loma, not so much because it’s all that exciting (it isn’t) but more so because it’s always good to do things, go places, why not? And besides, I’d never been.

Kingdoms

james — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:21:16 +0000

Kingdoms is a hardcore band, signed recently to Underground Operations, a division of Universal Music.
Rad Bunch of guys. The shoot was short but went well, after we waited out the rain for an hour and a half. We caught the end of golden hour and it was damn good. As for the post, that Stars Image was a bit of an exploration into an idea. I was working on the shot and they were just lit so dramatically from above, this real glowy light, I kinda had to do it! —Gods of the universe or something, I coudln’t resist and kinda like it actually, I’ve been thinking about doing some fashion like that. Thought I’d try it on the boys first though.
Kingdoms Come.