Friday, October 31, 2008

NATALIA - MUSE





NATALIA - MUSE is a 228 page book celebrating three years of creative collaboration between photographer John Running and model Natalia Faina.  You will delight to over 200 photos edited into a compelling sequence.

The photos are strong, sensual, and erotic.  The book is a celebration of the three years of creative interaction between model and photographer as they muse each other.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Natalia My Muse





Natalia was here for a few-days last week. We have been working together for 3 years, we had a kind of anniversary celebration - good food, wine and creme brule with frangelica. We celebrated the blessing of being each others muses, colleagues, artistic partners and friends

We also dod an impromptu shoot until 2:30 in the AM

Delight with light with play with photos

A new model




I saw Allaura in Model Mayhem - she is from Phoenix - We agreed we should do some work together. she drove up here yesterday - we played, rambled through prop-land, made lots of photos. She is the best new model I have worked with in some time. I love her look, her figure and most of all her attitude. We played, created, and made photos.

I reconfigured my studio for the shoot - used a octabank and some flats to scrim off the light. I love the light.

Love the photos

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Hopi Series






Homolovi
Hopi Social Dances

HOMOLOVI - HOPI SOCIAL DANCES

I photographed the Hopi Social Dance Group - Homolovi on the 5th & 6th of July, 2008. I had this unique opportunity, when the Hopi Social Dance Group - Homolovi was scheduled to perform on Heritage Square during the Fourth of July Weekend. I invited them to used the Flagstaff Photography Center to change into their traditional clothes. I set up a studio space and made these photos prior to and after their performances. Their dances in the square worked - because they brought needed rain.

John Running has been photographing American Indians throughout his forty year career as a freelance photographer. His book “Honor Dance” celebrates his work with Native Americans. National Geographic Photographer, William Albert Allard wrote about him in the preface to Honor Dance.

"Running is perhaps best known for his photographs of Indians, but instead of considering himself a specialist, he considers himself to be simply a photographer of people, this is an important distinction. The kind of approach this photographer takes in his work is transferable to any part of the world, to any society. He is never just photographing the trappings of religious beliefs or the costumes of ideology; he is always photographing human beings."

William Albert Allard


Wednesday, October 22, 2008

GENETIC IMPRINTS - the books





Two versions of my book Book - GENETIC IMPRINTS are available on book blurb. The larger 11 x 13 is available in hard or soft back the smaller (10 x 8) has fewer pages.

GENETIC IMPRINTS

GENETIC IMPRINTS : : MUSE OF THE IMAGE

The image comes first.

In the beginning, before there was language, there was a non-verbal way of comprehending the world. There was the image. Now, except in our dreams, we tend to translate images into words.

Recently, I made a series of photographs in my studio of women with wild animal skulls. Now that I have made these images, as I am trying to find words, it comes to mind that these photos are more about something from our distant past – from all the way back to the time of the ice.

I recently read the idea that, back at the time of our emergence, the female - the woman - was more than a fertility deity. More than a mother, she was also the first practitioner of medicine and magic and that, in fact, she was the Creator. Back in our stone age emergence, God was female and this still imprints our genetic codes.

For me, the image comes first. I see it in front of me – a woman holding an animal skull. I suggest to the model that this is about life, not death. She works with some direction at first but soon it seems to me that as she carries and caresses her animal totem she becomes a soul carrier and spirit guide.

I react to this by submitting myself to the model and her intuitions. We become collaborators as we respond to GENETIC IMPRINTS.

Genetic Imprints





Monday, October 20, 2008





New book on Book Blurb


NATALIA - MUSE is the title of a new book I just published with the help of Book Blurb. The book celebrates 3 years of collaboration and work between photographer and model Natalia Faina. It is a collection of photographs made in the studio and on location. The book has 218 pages and over 200 photographs. It is punctuated with some of the emails sent between the two collaborators. The book is indeed a true collaboration and illustrates the t relationship between two individuals h who "Muse" each other.

The book can be purchase from Book Blurb. It is expensive - but you have the alternative of purchasing a cd of an extended PDF version of the book. let me know if you are interested.

see the front cover below.

AN INTRODUCTION

John Running has been photographing the female nude for all of his 40 years as a professional. The women he typically photographs are sensual and strong in demeanor and appearance. His photographs are collaboration with his models where there is room for each to express their creativity. His work reminds us that eroticism is yet another culturally laden value that depends on choices made by its consumers to be effective.

Running’s Album of Erotica is collaboration between photographer and model. It is a series of personal work done in the studio or on location with fun and sexy props and experimental sets. It is an exploration of the changing faces of the
model. Modify the props, set and light - transform the persona.

Work or play? The photographer and model are both exhausted and rejuvenated by the process of creating the images. Each session evolves into its own dynamic, the magic of creative interaction, sometimes sending out for more film!

More coffee! More wine! More Photos!!

There is delight in female form, no fear of womanhood, perfect freedom to play. In this magic studio there is no struggle to control; it has been replaced with trust.

... so that is how these photos are born, work and play. Now it is your turn.

Enjoy!

John Running