There are a multitude of reasons I enjoy working with this model, Denisa, but maybe the most important is her professionalism. It’s easy to work with someone when they also have an understanding of photo history and what obligations they have to the work. It isn’t just a “job” for her, she really cares about the photos produced and that they see life in publications and gallery exhibitions, of which a lot of these have been seen in several publications and several gallery exhibits.
I hope you like these.
You can follow me on Instagram if you want to see the censored versions. (and that was for a laugh) It would be wonderful if artists could reach the same amount of people with a blog delivered to your inbox.
Photography is about capturing moments that exist in the shadows of reality. Solarization allows me to dance in those shadows, creating images that are haunting and mesmerizing.” Zoe Wiseman
Hello! I have quite a bit of news, friends. Things are moving fast around here and I carved out some time to stop and write about it. As some of you may know, and some of you may not know, I released my first monograph, Sunkissed 85, with an absolutely amazing forward by the legendary Glen Wexler. It is 20 years of my solarized work with Polaroid Type 85 film. I solarize the negatives on the spot at the moment right after exposure. No photoshop, all analog. Whimsically dancing in shadows and illuminating them to create an industrial metallic feeling in some instances. The technique was perfected by Man Ray and Lee Miller, and I’ve expanded upon that vision with my own imagination. It’s a surreal blast from the past that I love. This is a body of work spanning over 20 years that I have presented inside this book, published by Vedere Press. << This link will zoom you over to purchase a signed copy.
If you would like to purchase through Amazon… mark up pricing on Amazon reflects their shipping charges and percentage Vedere has to pay them. International (outside the USA) shipments should go through me at Sunkissed85.com
I will also be signing copies of my book January 29, 2024 at Book Soup on Sunset BLVD in West Hollywood. I’m absolutely honored to be among some of the legends who do events at this brilliant independent book store. I hope you can come show your support of my art.
And on December 21st I’ll be talking with the former mayor of Augusta, GA on his podcast about my book of nudes. hmm. Should be interesting. I’ll do my best. Link coming soon.
There we were, a group of more than 20 dinner guests, across the street from this church and I made the comment about how fun and exciting it would be to make this photo. Titania jumps up, “I’ll do it!” So we ran across the street and did it. 30 seconds later they turned the lights off. I don’t know if they saw our blasphemy (lol) or not but the thrill of risking a good scolding felt exhilarating. I was completely sober, as I always am.
Tis the season. Don your juvenile delinquent hat and get out there. Yes, I might be a bad influence but fun is fun. I hope this gives you a smile.
Should you find the need of a 8×18″ print for your wall to celebrate the delinquency of two women celebrating blasphemy, just send me a message. Silver gelatin, fibre – $1000.00.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I don’t believe there are ever mistakes, only lessons. This wasn’t a “first starting” moment, it was years into being a photographer. Two models and I were at this absolutely gorgeous location, and by the end of the shoot, I went to wind the film in my camera, and oops! no film was in the camera. Luckily for me, they were sympathetic. We went through each photograph I made in my head again, and things probably worked out better. That first run was just a practice session. We did have a few laughs about it, though.
10th Anniversary of the LA Nude exhibition and book.
I also made a new “Press” page to list with photo documentation some of the rewarding things I’ve been up to throughout the years. Listing the LeNU X here to pinch myself for being in a show with the likes of these masters. Don Weinstein really knew how to put a show together and I’ll always be thrilled I was part of it. William Claxton, Julius Shulman, Herman Leonard… come on! How did I rate? This was my 7th year as a photographer after transitioning from modeling. I remember someone asking me if I worked at the gallery and explaining to them that I had work on the wall and I was there for the exhibition and to sign books. Yes, girls make fine art too.
Sunkissed 85 by Zoe Wiseman
Forward by Glen Wexler
I am still waiting for my book to be launched. Hopefully the new publisher who bought out Vedere Press recently (yeah waiting on all that stuff) can make it all happen before the holidays so I can present my book to all of you by then. They are all signed, waiting on the go button. It will happen! If I need to have all the books shipped to me and do it myself, I will. I’m practicing patience. It takes a lot of practice.
St. Merrique and I went out into the wilds recently and here is the first image I looked at to apply post to. It was a long hike up to the location for 10 minutes of photo making, but worth it.
I also had this amazing shoot with my favorite LA Drag Queen, Mizz Tiffany Vogue. This shoot felt righteous due to the absurd political climate. I love drag queens!
I have so many images to add to the site soon too. So, this is just a little peek at what I’ve been up to.
A LOT has been happening and I have been completely overwhelmed with busyness that I haven’t been able to tell you all about it. There was a bit of a drought and now its a monsoon. Just like California weather. What month is it? March?
February was a hit and 1/2 when out of the blue I was invited to participate in the LA Art Show (you can go on a virtual tour here) with Photo Independent. WHAT A SHOW! It’s huge. And to be exhibiting my work there was really wonderful. I met so many interesting and amazing artists and photographers, collectors; and listening to people talk about my work when they didn’t know I was the photographer was fun. It isn’t apparent in some of my work how exactly I do what I do and listening to them examining, out loud, their best guess on how an image was made really threw me off a few times. I let them get it out then went over to tell them how I make my images. The most beautiful thing I saw was a mother TEACHING her child about my work. There is hope for the future. Here are a few photo highlights:
Me. My Wall. Mother teachingLA Art Show 2023 LA Convention Center
I have much more to discuss in the coming days. I just approved the proof for the release of my first monograph titled, Sunkissed 85 and I’m headed to Milan to exhibit my work with Photo Independent at the MIA Photo Fair. You can catch me on Instagram for brief updates.
Happy New Year everyone. It’s been quite a long time since I’ve blogged anything here. So I believe a new years post is in order.
I didn’t do much shooting this year or last because of the times we live in. Go away Covid! But, I was exhibited and published so I feel like there were some positive accomplishments that can bring a bit of cheer.
The first: bG Gallery is located at Bergamont Station in Santa Monica. The Naked Terrain exhibit may be seen by clicking HERE>
Naked Terrain Online exhibition – bG Gallery
This is the video from the April 2021 online exhibition, Naked Terrain. I don’t like speaking on video. It’s scary. So, cut me some slack please. LOL
They reached out this year to ask me to have a portfolio in their amazing magazine devoted to everything analog. Just about every accomplished photographer still using film graces their pages. National Geographic photographers, world wide published and exhibited photographers, masters and somehow me. (self deprecating humor aside…) It was a really nice end to a really sort of blah year because of Covid.
A very lovely written interview by Karin Majoka is included. It was great speaking with her about my work. She really listened and took what I said and depicted it correctly in what she wrote about me in the magazine. Such an honor to have someone see me and translate that into print.
Back in October 2013 I held my annual artist retreat in Coffs Harbor/Sapphire Beach Australia. Here is a little movie short I made while there.
We are currently gearing up for the 2016 fest to be held in Hawaii June5-15. You can read about it here; http://www.zoefest.photo You’ve got two weeks to get on board if you want to go and make art with us.
You never know what you will run into hiking in the woods. About 2 weeks later we had a little earthquake and it collapsed this piano into dust. Vassanta and I passed it together at just the right time. Perfect kind of magic.
I’m still shooting often. Just decided to take a break from the computer one day and it turned into a year. How did that happen? I have a backlog of work to catch up on… and probably a lot of models wondering where I disappeared to. I haven’t forgotten!
Here are a couple images I made with Jasmina, an incredibly bendy yoga instructor + awesome model.
And of course no photo making is ever complete unless Ollie gets in the frame.
