#Katita Waldo

[howardschatzphotography]

"The Muse Factor"

Blog #217  8/8/17

Shawnee Free Jones, on a mirror, at the pool bottom. Really challenging, yet relaxed and beautiful.

Many photographers – perhaps especially fashion and beauty photographers – have favorite models that they photograph again and again. Irving Penn made some of his best images with the Swedish model Lisa Fonnsagrives, whom he eventually married. Richard Avedon had a special affinity for Lauren Hutton. These unique models offered special inspiration to their photographers, the term muse is the right one in this context. I have worked with many models and dancers since my early work with ballerinas in San Francisco over 25 years ago. I’ve photographed some, such as dancer Katita Waldo, multiple times. I’ve been lucky to work with wonderfully talented individuals on very demanding underwater projects, but there has been one very gifted model whose natural brilliance particularly helped me make what I consider some of my best images. Shawnee Free Jones entered my Marin County pool at a models’ casting. At one with water, she was relaxed and moved in ways that I had never seen before. I was so overwhelmed with her ability to be at home underwater that I thought I was seeing God. Shawnee was a gift, a dazzling, radiant gift. I soon learned that she had spent some of her childhood in Fiji, where the ocean was her playground. She told me she’d had underwater tea parties, and put bungee cords around turtles and went for underwater “walks.” Shawnee’s middle name, Free, perfectly describes her particular genius, an ability to use her body underwater in infinitely creative ways. Her improvisations were like physical jazz solos. I would hatch an idea and she could work for an hour making every photograph I took significantly new and different from what went before. I only needed to suggest a feeling, and she would invent and re-invent without ever running out of ways to express it, without any heavy directing from me. She was my underwater muse, making my work look fantastic. She spoiled me, and like a true muse, made herself irreplaceable as no one else could do what she could.

One of the first of many photo-shoots we did together, this for Wolford Swimbody- a line of bathing suits.

For Target’s “Taking the Plunge” ad campaign

Just sweet, lovely…

Being goofy, having fun.

She moved like a fine highly trained dancer though she had no dance background. These two images were made for a television campaign for Sony-  http://www.howardschatz.com/film.php?ID=1771

From an ad campaign for MGM Grand Spa. This video from that same campaign showcases Shawnee’s underwater expertise: http://www.howardschatz.com/film.php?ID=1772

“Kohler As I See It” ad campaign

Beauty editorial for IO Donna, the weekly style magazine of La Repubblica in Italy

With balls filled with water, Shawnee showing her inventiveness and creativity in an ad campaign for Wacoal Intimate Apparel 

An advertisement for Palmer’s CocoButter

Fashion shoot: Goddess women of Atlantis for Gear Magazine.

She was the “STAR” in my book “THE PRINCESS OF THE SPRING and THE QUEEN OF THE SEA” an underwater “fairytale” shot as a fashion editorial for Stern magazine.” 

http://howardschatzphotography.tumblr.com/post/156399088512 

This was a series of more provocative images Shawnee wanted to make for her own portfolio. These were not images I was interested in making: It was a way to thank her for the magnificent work we had done together. This was her shoot!

We explored many ideas together. In this image the camera captures her underwater (the lower 60% of the image), then her reflection at the undersurface of the water, and finally, at the top, the refracted image distorted by photographing at a more severe angle through the water’s surface.

She lays on 4x8’ clear plastic on the pool’s surface; I am underwater shooting straight up!

She lays on a mirror on the pool's bottom; I am on the water's surface shooting down.

In this image, I asked her to descend slowly – no easy feat. She made it look effortless, and special. This became the cover of one of my books of underwater photography, “POOL LIGHT”  -http://howardschatz.com/books.php?galleryID=35

I’ve placed one of Shawnee’s photographs onto the Empire State Building for my “Installation" project.

We have not seen her for some time—Beverly and I miss her greatly.

[terpsichoremovementasmuse]

No clue how l missed this post! #Repost @howardschatz ・・・ After 6 months of working in my pool, I invited @sfballet Prima Ballerina, Katita Waldo to my pool. This was the first of many images that we made. ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ #underwater #sanfrancisco #ballet #underwaterphotography #ballerina #primaballerina #katitawaldo #howardschatz #redhead #orange #grace #beauty #dance #fineart #gallery #photographer⠀

[howardschatzphotography]

"Portraits: Chapter Three, The Hands Have It"

Blog #214   7/18/17

The pure beauty of Brooke Shields required no additional dramatization. I felt the presence of her hands made that ethereal beauty more human.

Truth – validity, veracity -- in a really effective portrait generally is revealed by the subject’s face. But sometimes hands tell an important part of the story, whether they are at rest, or actively engaged in the composition. Poses, lighting, and clothing do effect the image, of course. But the presence, placement, grace or even clumsiness of the hands can be a dramatic addition to what a portrait tells the viewer about the subject of the photograph. The following portraits, drawn from many years and many highly interactive sittings, show what I think are the expressive possibilities of the human hand.

Michel Douglas communicated what might seem to be the ever-present, underlying intensity of many great actors.

In his role as Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones,” the remarkable character actor Peter Dinklage is always looking over his shoulder for danger; a hand on that shoulder was a natural and evocative pose.

Prima ballerina Katita Waldo; a dancer’s hands, a central part of her art.

The hands and arms of this prisoner told a story that his face alone might not have: a story open to vast interpretation.

The renowned dancer and choreographer, David Parsons knew exactly what to do with his hands to make this portrait “live."

Zsolt Erdei, a champion boxer, used his hands to burst a water balloon. Though his fists are covered, this gesture illustrates what he does with them.

The hands of heavyweight champion Joe Frazier seemed to echo the hard journey of his remarkable face.

With her poised hands, the actress Robin Wright could easily pass for a dancer.

Ricky Gervais. Seems appropriate for a comedian to use his hands to “make a face."

I asked the actor Raymond J. Barry to create something with his hands that was consistent with the foreboding “feel” of his face.

The reflective surface let me double the effect of Terrence Howard’s face and hands.

Taraji P. Henson did something very close to choreography with her beautiful hands.

Taraji P. Henson did something very close to choreography with her beautiful hands.

Former NFL running back Ray Rice still looks ready, though the NFL has ended his professional life because hi hit his girlfriend and knocked her out with one of those fists.

When a sitter’s hands are used to rest the head, a portrait can lose energy. In Sissy Spacek’s case, though, it seems thoughtful as was the interview with her.

[howardschatzphotography]

"Portraits Chapter Two: Props, Stunts, Gimmicks."

Blog #212   6/27/17

Cheryl Hines, holding Baby’s Breath. Photographed in Los Angeles, for Vanity Fair, January, 2011.

With every portrait session, the photographer faces the challenge of creating something original and compelling for him or herself, as well as for the eyes of others, and also aesthetically in tune within the soul of the subject. Every time I plan a new portrait I ask myself, “What can I do that is new and remarkable — that will thrill me?” Obviously it would be especially stunning if the photograph wows the world. There’s no single formula for getting that result. Much depends on the subject, of course, and how much he or she is willing to be a partner in the sitting. When the sitter is trusting, playful, courageous and willing to try anything, it’s possible to add odd, unexpected elements that can be brought to bear. What these elements are depends on two things: The imagination of the artist, and the willing ability to get the sitter to “play along.” This blog is about the incorporation of props or techniques to invigorate the look and feel of a classic portrait.

Knowing he loved to dance the Tango, I asked Oscar De La Renta to do just that, even suggesting that he let it be sexy. (from The Virtuoso, with designer/author Ken Carbone). Photographed in New York, September, 1999

Harry Edwards, PhD, socialist and civil rights activist. Photographed for Sports Illustrated, June, 2001. I made a constricting corner somewhat like what Irving Penn did, but I modified it by using semi-reflecting surfaces. What I wanted to illustrate was that there is a lot more to Edwards, a respected professor, than meets the eye.

Jonathan Singer photographs rare flowers and plants in remote areas of the world, e.g. trekking miles in the jungles of New Guinea, climbing tall vines and photographing flowers no man has ever seen. To illuminate his unique career, I placed real lily pads on the water of my pool, gave him an umbrella and produced rain.

Called by the New Yorker “the most widely read man in the world,” Matthew Carter is a renowned and highly awarded type designer. I used his fonts in a brightly-colored slide projected behind him. (from The Virtuoso, with designer/author Ken Carbone) Photographed in New York, March, 1999. As in the best portrait sessions, he and I made a connection. In a sense, a portrait photographer is an interviewer. Curiosity about what a sitter does and has done is a vital key to establishing a trusting bond. We both felt that the time we spent creating this image was fruitful and fun.

I was able to call him some time later and asked him to work on a font I was developing with a light wand moved by a dancer, Lenna Parr.  

Under our direction Lenna guided the light wand to form the “type.” Photographed in New York, February, 2006. 

He came to the studio and his generous guidance was crucial to the execution and the development of "The Wand Font."

The entire Font.

John Woo, Movie director. (from The Virtuoso, with designer/author Ken Carbone) Photographed in Hawaii, July, 2000. Like other fine directors, Woo looks at scenes and  characters from many angles; a glass ball produced another angle, on him.

Jeff Goldblum behind glass rods, Photographed in New York, for Vanity Fair, August, 2008. The optics of the rods reverses the image as it did with the ball (above), so that it goes back and forth from right to left. The actor often plays complex, oddball characters; I felt that the puzzling switches were fitting.

What can I say. I believed Tracy Morgan would do anything…and I was right. Photographed in New York for Vanity Fair, October, 2010

The actor, Joe Pantoliano, told me he loved doing “crazy.” Photographed in New York, for Vanity Fair, October, 2011.

Renowned marine biologist, Sylvia Earle, has been described as “the first hero of the planet.” Putting her, fully dressed (with pearls) in the surf of the Pacific Ocean, seemed just right (at least she thought so). The odd, double umbrella was one of those sweet touches that sprang out of my imagination. This is an example of the way a “gimmicky” idea can end up with a portrait that sticks in one’s mind. (from my book, Gifted Women) Photographed in San Francisco, July, 1998.

Patrick Adams, best known for his leading role on the TV hit series “Suits,” went along with my idea to illustrate the anxiety of the actor when the set lights come on and the director shouts “Action!”  Photographed in New York for Vanity Fair, March, 2012.

The world’s most famous glass artist/sculptor, Dale Chihuly, recognizable far more by his work than his physical being. No one creates glass sculptures that look like his; I felt that taking this risk with his portrait, turning him away from the lens, well symbolized the odd combination of fame and anonymity of many visual artists. (from The Virtuoso, with designer/author Ken Carbone) Photographed at the American Museum of Folk Art, August, 1998.

Prima Ballerina, Katita Waldo. She holds the book “Seeing Red” the cover of which contains her portrait made 10 years before (one of the first serious portraits I ever made). Photographed in Fairfax, California, May, 2000.