The Self Potrait Project: Take 1

I have this idea that I want to try that involves me. I have always had a great respect for self portrait photographers. I admire how they can get such a good, image that actually happens to be in focus. I have ideas, that I only think I can pull off. I just don't see how to communicate it to anyone else, so I am going to give this a shot. As I was exploring how I can pull this off I decided to email one of my favorite artists who photographs herself, Morgan Konn. She is dope, One of her works is, called "Her House, Her Clothes" where she goes to a womans home and photographs herself in that womans clothing. It's wild. At any rate, I emailed Morgan about her process and can you believe that she emailed me back!!! I mean seriously, how often does that happen So with her suggestions in mind, I tried to photograph myself, just as a test.
But did it work, Not really. This is what came of it



I guess I still have some work to do, but I still like these because they are the first pictures I have ever taken of myself. Dammit all self portrait shooters, you make it look so easy!!!! I am excited to kick this project off though and see what comes of it. LOL

I guess I never really explained who I was

I guess it would be good if I just say a little bit about myself. I mean, I am not sure if anyone is even reading this but I guess still, its nice to have a little intro about myself. Well my name is Stephanie Graham. I am a visual artist, Wow! I have never really called myself that before, but in a nut shell that is what I am. I'm a filmmaker and a photographer. I want to start getting into doing small installation videos, so look out for those too. I am not a writer by any means, but films are also time consuming so for the time being I am going to write on this blog. With both my photography and my films, I am interested in youth culture, subcultures, like black suburbia, and rich people, especially rich people, poor people. That's sort of the world I grew up in but my family is not millionaires, at any freakin-rate. So yeah thats me, just a fly chocolate girl out there documenting the familiar

Dinner and Lectures with Michael Grecco


If there is any photographer that I could model my career after right now, I would have to say, Michael Grecco. Well, let's rewind that a little bit because there are tons of photographers whose careers I would love to mimic, but Michael is a new addition to that list. So last night I went to see Michael speak at Studio 415 on Huron. He's on this tour promoting his new project, Naked Ambition: An R-Rated Look at an X-Rated Industry. Naked Ambition is a photography and film project that Michael has been working on for six years.  I was excited to hear Michael speak about his work and absorb all I can during his two-hour lecture. Michael spoke so passionately about his work, and I loved that. He spoke of how he concepts his ideas, how he talks to clients, and his subjects.  I could tell that he may have been annoyed with the low attendance, and he seemed to get annoyed when this woman would blurt out random obvious questions about his technique, but all this foolishness made for an excellent presentation. I loved it! I was so inspired, I made notes about things he would say and random ideas that would come to my head. It was so exciting to feel creative and begin to put things into perspective for myself and where I wanted to go in my photography career. OOOoooooohhhhhHHHHH I am getting goosebumps just thinking of what is to come. Do you ever get those rushes through your body that make you feel success is coming, and everything is going to be good? Well, that's how I feel !!!

After the lecture, I was supposed to have a committee meeting for ASMP; somehow it turned into me having dinner with Michael Grecco!! Along with other superstar photographers Ken Frantz, Benjamin (Benny) Kende, and Robert Potter. It was funny four older white men sitting around talking, and my black ass just sitting there looking pretty and listening, I obviously was the baby of the group, since I haven't been in the business as long, but whatever. I chimed into conversation whenever necessary, but for the most part, this was a night of listening and mental note taking. I caught glimpses from others in the restaurant's, of course, people wondered who was this random, GORGEOUS black woman with all of these white men?? How does she fit with these guys? To the Gawker crew at tables 7 and 32. Go back to your Ravioli special trick and mind your business, I don't have time for such curious glances; I am on my way to the big time LOL!
I just felt so inspired last night to have been in the company of such awesome people, after such an impressive lecture.
Yeah! Go Me!

Now that I am 25

You know it is really time that I get my life together. I mean I should probably go out and buy some nice stationary, sit down and really think about what I am going to do with my life. Today for some reason I feel a little bit scattered, but then again would I be a true artist if I wasn't. I just really need to take some risks with my life, I just feel so stagnant. Which I hate because that is not my personality or the life I want for myself. I have no kids, no REAL responsiblities I guess, My only goals right now are being a good Christian and a dope photographer, with images all over the world. That's it... So we shall see what becomes of that.

Hi.

What up What up
Welcome to my blog. I am going to start something here and just see what happens. I've been wanting to do this blog thing for sometime now, and I'm excited to finally get this party started.
Stephanie Graham, Studio Blog. All rights reserved. © Maira Gall.