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Friday, September 12, 2008

THANK GOODNESS ITS FRIDAY! Reminiscing about Photography - Blogging about another time

Why? Why? TGIF? Whats so different about today (for me)
If Iworked a 9-5 maybe I could say that but I don't so Thank Goodness its Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc, etc, etc
- that's what I have always loved about being an artist and maybe some of what is hard about being an artist.

When I began my career at the ripe old age of 20 (Photography by Lisa Peters - Commercial Still Life Studio - something, something 10th Street, Fort Lee NJ for a whopping $350/mos because I paid 1 year in advance) I always thought I would be a photographer, there was no question in my mind...then again, I never asked myself another question. What B-lls I had..fresh out of college - pounding pavement in NYC with my portfolio, something I cannot even lift now. Making appts with every BIG mag editor I could and had a shit load of confidence with no business sense. Sorry, I needed to say the S word for it to sound like me -- and I got jobs - mostly because I was there at the right time or someone knew my grandfather who knew my father who went to school with my cousin and so on. My work was good - for someone my age, at the time, with what was required to make a stunning photo back then - yes I was good but I was so in over my head it wasn't funny... I screwed up so many "really unbelievable opportunities" -- but that was me. I believe it was my 3rd Mag shoot and it was for COSMO ( Hello, what were they thinking?) Shooting with..hold on to your hats..Francesco Scavullo in his studio - a unique centerfold for the winners of the Hawaiin Tropic Some-kind-of-contest as a special insert for the mag. I think back now and wonder where they thinking "what is this kid doing in my studio"? Well, it was a very scary day and even though my ability to smile BIG throughout any disaster got me through the public aspect of it I was sure to have a twitch in my eye for weeks afteward (dont think i am kidding you.. after every huge job I had, I had a twitch that lasted for weeks) I did not take into consideration his "slave lights" (lights that see one light go off and they follow) went off each time I took my pictures (using his assistant and studio..giggles) therefore overexposing my film by a gazillion stops.. Cosmo wanted the photo's - ASAP, overnight, 24 hours..so had I been "experienced" I would have dropped them off at the lab and just charged them the $300 processing fee..but that is where in experience kicks in... I decided to save "them" money and do it myself, thus boiling my film to oblivian. OOPS. It was not save-a-ble

My mother keeps the letter, telling me how they would never hire me again - she thought she would hang it next to my diploma.
Just thought I would share. More stories to follow.. someday.
Anyway, I have been trying to get back into the swing of things - I even started to fill up my etsy shop.. oooohhh thats something I have not done in a while. After a while I have to evaluate my inventory and introduce myself to things I made only a few months ago and forgot I had. See them and like them again.

and I think I will take my grandmother to lunch..

have a great one everybody!

lisa

2 comments:

Erin Siegel said...

Thanks, Lisa! I really enjoyed reading this post and learning about your past experiences!

Lisa Peters Russ said...

Thank you ERIN! WOW.. someone's reading my blog! LOL
I really appreciate your comment.
I always like to know where people started out too!