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Last week I was in Minneapolis for the third time in a period of 6 months, and I’m really loving that city and the people there. I had the honor to speak and teach at the “You don’t know Click” workshop sponosored by WHCC and hosted Chris Meyer of CM Photographics. As many know, we love to teach and I share openly what I have learned in my now 25 year old career. The workshop was also a learning experience for me, not only was I surrounded by a group of super talented photographers who were also teaching but I had a chance to actually learn from them also. We had Matt Radinski, David Beckstead, Mario Masitti with seniors, Heidi Ann shooting fashion, and Critsey Rowe shooting boudior! What a line up, and what a great time…

The subject matter that I was covering was about experimenting with images outside of our normal repertoire. As the students picked images and ideas to challenge themselves, I also started a challenge and an art study for myself. Above and below are some of the results of my first attempts. There is a book called “Crooks like us” which contain criminal images from Sidney Australia from around 1910-1920, and they to me seem hauntingly beautiful. So for this workshop and for the next couple of months I will be attempting to slowly study and shoot images with those feelings and trying to discover what I love about them so much.   The models here: Amber and Peter.  also other than a couple of getting ready shots of them these are the only four frames that I took of them. I shot four frames, I used four frames.

 

Ashley and Mike.

 

 

Jen and Nick.

Amber above and Nick below,  I’m really loving this style of diptychs.

And a little boudior.   Just before Critsey Rowe went on, her model was sitting there all posed by herself and unattended and I had to steal a few images of her.  If you are not familiar with Critsey Rowe’s boudoir images you really should check her site out and Istrongly recommend taking one of her workshops on the subject.

and last, just for fun, a “center of the storm” kind of group shot challenging myself to get it in one frame.

john michael cooper

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  • JMC, thanks for coming to minnesota–it was a pleasure to meet and learn from you. I promise next time you point a camera at me I won’t cry.
    chelsea