Hazardous Traditions

I recently read on a Despair Inc. poster, "Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid." Not that I can think of a better way to hang Christmas lights, just that it could potentially be hazardous. I wanted to experiment with an angle like Vincent Laforet used in this amazing photo.


Steve Michels-Boyce secures a string of lights to the highest point on the front peak.

Updated

Hello to all my subscribers! Hopefully more people as well, but especially you regulars. Today I get to unveil my new photo website, which has been almost a month in the making. I've had multiple portfolio reviews, revisited interviews, overhauled my logo and learned plenty of new software to make everything work. I'm sure I'll continue to tweak things over the coming weeks but I'd love any feedback or bug reports in the meantime. Take a look!


Thanks again, I appreciate all your support and I promise the photo postings will pick up again shortly ;)

The Fox

Coordinator and emcee of the Twin Titties Burlesque Bonanza, Foxy Tann energizes the audience during her own performance at the Ritz Theater. In need of more promotional material, I was asked to get good photos of Foxy with her clothes still ON. I did my best.

Still Lives

I walked along Diamond Lake, a couple blocks from my house, earlier this fall and tried to capture my mood in photographs of my surroundings.

Candy Fiends

I visited my brother in Milwaukee for Halloween and thoroughly enjoyed his roommmates' costumes: Edward Scissorhands, Capt. Jack Sparrow, Willy Wonka (the new one), John Dillinger, and Sweeny Todd. Notice the trend?





Above: Alex Brackman stocking up on Gobstoppers for the evening, Kyle Flakne failing to open a door, Sam Michels-Boyce directing the falling leaves, and Eric Charles preparing for a robbery.

Regions CC

High School Cross Country MSHSL Section 6AA Championships. My sister ran, which is why I went, I also wanted to stay sharp by shooting some more sports. It felt good and I like what i got, although CC is a hit-or-miss kind of event, not much repetitive action. Gale Woods is a beautiful course, laid out with a half-mile chute past a cow pasture and a chicken yard, then a "loop" section around a hilly field. Like a lollipop. From above.

Lonely

Not the most inviting day for a swim. Dock along Co. Rd 15 on Smith Bay in Orono, MN.

Let There Be Light

My dad, changing the floodlights over the garage, September 19. My mom was a nervous spectator.

If Only It Were That Easy

The Party is Here

The Michels side of my family had a bit of a reunion for my uncle Wayne's birthday last Sunday. Gifts included a kiss from his mother (prefaced by, "I guess I forgot to even get you a card!") and a trivia game about his childhood (which had questions even he couldn't answer). Happy birthday, Wayne!

First Cousin Once Removed

I had to look at the Wiki article on cousins to find her actual relation to me, but this is Shayla. Although my flashes misfired and this frame started out 3 stops underexposed, I think the additional grain actually works well in b/w.

Ballet of the Dolls

Pas de Quatre, the Ballet of the Dolls' fall show, opened today at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis. I went to shoot the dress rehearsal as a "trial" photographer and hopefully impressed the powers that be enough to hire me back. Really a fun shoot, and of course the dancers/costumes are what really show through here.

These four images are from the second ballet in the show, the "Firebird."

UPDATE: The STrib picked up one of my photos to accompany the performance review.