On Creativity – An Interactive Discussion with Joe DiMaggio, JoAnne Kalish & Dennis Wheeler

For those of you that may have missed it. Here are some photos from our talk on Creativity at Hudson Hall in Hudson, New York. It was a lot of work putting it together but much fun. Hopefully there will be another chance to catch it again soon. Thanks to our friends for traveling that long way to come see us and thank you Mary for photos of us during our presentations and thank you Jon.

http://www.dimaggio-kalish.com http://www.denniswheelerart.com

© Jon Mecca

Post No Bills

© 2018 Joe DiMaggio

Joe’s and my first date was in NYC, during Chinese New Year on a rainy evening.  Joe made this beautiful portrait of me, in the rain with red cheeks and next to a Post No Bills sign. 

 Ever since then, every time we’re together and when we come across a Post No Bills sign, he does a portrait of me.  I thought I would share it with you.

© Joe DiMaggio

In looking for the first portrait, I came across another that I fondly remember and it was when I brought Joe to meet artist Will Barnet.

© 2006 Joe DiMaggio

FILL THE FRAME

Photography Book by Joe DiMaggio

Great Book on Photography by Joe DiMaggio!

A quote from DiMaggio – Recalling My Adventures as a Working Photographer from the 60’s to present day. The book describes my career working for publications such as SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, TIME MAGAZINE, HBO, rapidly followed by a brilliant career in Corporate and Advertising.  It’s also about how photography has evolved over the years.

FILL THE FRAME goes into detail about the many people I have photographed – celebrities, sports figures as well as many others and my experiences working with them as well as the stories behind the photographs.

Book is $20 plus $4 shipping. You can pay by check, paypal or credit card (through Paypal.)  

Click here to purchase the book on paypal – https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=76BHV2D849WAS 

In Memory of Folk Hero Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger Print © JoAnne Kalish

Pete Seeger Banjo © JoAnne Kalish

Pete Seeger © JoAnne kalish

Pete Seeger © JoAnne Kalish

Will Barnet A Beautiful Man, A Great Artist and Friend -1911-2012

Will Barnet ©JoAnne Kalish

We were taking a flight to Austin, Texas to photograph their first F1 Grand Prix. I was reading The New York Times and a painting of Will’s caught my eye, as I was turning the page.  It was the Obituary Column – Will had passed away the day before (November 13.) We all knew it was coming but it really really hit me hard. I had spoke to Will the week before in hopes of getting together but sadly it did not work out.

I first met Will Barnet when I had an assignment to photograph him for ART & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE,  back in 2005 and we’ve been friends ever since. He was an exceptional person – warm, generous, extremely talented yet humble. He’d  always go that extra mile to make you feel special. With all his accomplishments and stature he never failed to ask how I was doing,  what kind of art I was making, and how was Joe? He always made me feel special.

For those of you not familiar with his work, Will’s body of work ranges from universal family scenes, often but not always, using his wife, children,and pets as they connect with each other. On the other hand, his paintings go in other directions as well, exploring abstracts and the connection that can be made using bold colors & form. During this time, he was influenced by the artwork of American Indians. Will’s been a Printmaker, as well as being an Art Educator for many years. I’ve heard stories of how he’s influenced a generation of young artists. His kind, generous nature is not common in the art world  but Will was his own person. It did not take away, from who he was, to share with others. He welcomed the opportunity. After the Great Depression he was very involved in the federal art project heading up the WPA, which helped artists sustain a living while continuing to make their art. He has been the recipient of many awards. This past February 2012, President Obama Awarded him the Medal of Arts for his lifetime achievement.

One Saturday, I called and asked if I could stop by to say hello. He said that he was sorry but he was going to a friend’s gallery opening and we’d have to make it another time. Joe and I decided to check out some shows ourselves that weekend and who, did we stroll into but Will. It was so important for him to see what was going on at all times.

On another day, I was in the neighborhood and called him to see if I could stop by to say hello. He said, “give me a few minutes I’m coming down, meet me at the entrance of my building.”  His son Todd who I met for the first time was with him. It was a beautiful day and we sat in Gramercy Park talking like old friends reminiscing and sharing how we met. We had a good laugh about  how, after I had done his portrait,  I did not realize, until just before I left, that my face was covered (and I mean covered) with blue paint. All during the shoot he had found it very amusing but never said a word to me. That same day sitting in the park, he told me, that of all the famous photographers that had photographed him over the last eight decades, my photograph was his very  favorite and truly the best. He then followed this statement with – including the portrait that Arnold Newman had done of him. I wish I got it on tape!  Over the years, Will requested that my portrait be used alongside his work and it has been used in many museums and galleries and I’m truly honored. Recently it was used as the iconic opening photo in the book WILL BARNET AT 100.

This past New Year’s Day my cell phone rang and it was Will calling to wish Joe and myself a very Happy New Year.  It was a wonderful surprise!  I will cherish that phone call forever.

Will Barnet & Photographer JoAnne Kalish 2011

Artist and Friend Will Barnet Receives the National Medal of Arts from President Obama

Press Photo

© JoAnne Kalish All Rights Reserved

Artist Will Barnet, legendary painter and print maker just turned 100 in May, recently received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama.

Barnet received this high honor “for his contributions as an American painter, printmaker, and teacher,” according to the citation. “For over 80 years, Mr Barnet has been a constant force in the visual arts world, marrying sophistication and emotion with beauty and form,” the citation said.

Will can no longer stand, but he still paints three to four hours a day in his duplex apartment in the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park, where he and his wife Elena have lived since 1982.  If you are not familiar with his work he is known for his abstract and expressionist paintings as well as his depictions of family and personal scenes.  Will taught at Cooper Union and Yale, among other places.  His famous students include Mark Rothko and Alex Katz.

I had an assignment from Arts & Antiques Magazine to do a spread on Will approximately 7 years ago and it was the best assignment I’ve ever had bar none.  It was a total privilege and honor just to meet him, let alone photograph him.  I totally admire his artwork and as a human being I’ve never met anyone quite like him.  He is so genuine giving and unassuming. He is totally supportive of women in the arts and if you think about his age and his artist contemporaries you will realize that was rarely the case.  Will and I have stayed in touch over the years as he has told me his favorite portrait is the one I did of him and no one has captured him the way I have.  He always requests my photograph of him, to be used alongside his work and he has an obvious favorite.

I just want to totally brag here and say Will called me this past New Year’s Day to wish Joe and I a very Happy New Year.  I was totally blown away!  That’s what I mean about him being so special!

Here is a selections of some of Will Barnet’s Paintings –

Mermaid Parade 2011 Photo Workshop

Well a fun day was had by all.  Great to be outside all day long on a glorious day, doing what I love to do most.

Tip for the day day is on aperture. What aperture should you use for portraiture?  For a head shot of a single person I generally like to open up to a wide f/stop to blur out my background. That’s my preference because I like the look of it and find it particularly attractive and it makes for a stronger photograph. When used on women (who we have to be more careful with) it softens the face and complexion leaving the most important feature sharp which is the eyes. However, there are exceptions especially when you are shooting in crowds and where there are lots of people and different things happening such as at the Mermaid Parade, where I just did a workshop. In a situation like this, where you want to be flexible and spontaneous, you might want to choose to use a medium depth-of-field for a little more depth of field. When a situation arises and you have a little more time to to make a change and want to throw more of your background out-of-focus and again to get a stronger photo, open up your aperture, that is, providing you have the light. Again, in the studio I like to choose a shallow depth of field especially for women.  Studio lights can show imperfections and reveal too much. If the person is young and their complexion is good,  you have choices, but the older we get the more lines and imperfections we get on our faces and the more we notice them.  So, the photographer should be aware of this. When photographing more than one person you need a medium aperture to make sure your subjects are in focus. For children, more times then not because they can’t hold still sometimes a choice of  a medium to small aperture is better.

 

What Does it Take to Be A Great Model?

Photos © JoAnne Kalish

What does it take to be a great model? Well looks of course, a great figure, and a certain je ne sais quoi. But this is what it takes to make a great model and we can’t all be models but most people can be photographed well once they feel comfortable.

I’ve learned over the years that some people just light up when you point a camera at them. These are the people that you get the best photographs of and I love working with them. For others it just takes a little time for them to get comfortable with you. No one really knows what to expect until they start working with you and the same goes for the photographer. The photographer’s job is to make them comfortable and establish a level of confidence that you will make them look good. When I look through my camera after a short period of time, I can usually ascertain what works for that particular person and how to bring out the best in them. Needless to say, I love portraiture and the challenge of working with people.

I also need to mention, that before a session, I try to do a little research, so I know ahead of time, especially if we’re shooting in the studio, what kind of lighting I need to use. This depends first on what the client’s needs are, whether it be for a Magazine article, a corporate business portrait, or something for a model’s portfolio. I also take into consideration things such as age, gender, and other factors such as complexion, whether they wear glasses and so on…

Here are some photographs of model Lucia Corvelli, one of those people who light up in front of the camera and who is a total pleasure to work with. Lucia is a Wilhelmina model, has her own Lingerie Line, and now even has her Law degree. Quite a few accomplishments for such a young woman.

PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE

Photos © JoAnne Kalish

I worked with Pev a few years back doing portfolio shots for him. I think Pev liked working with me because I was always striving for something really special. I liked working with Pev because he was open to trying new things. Pev called me up & said he was looking for some new shots for his book that were different and edgy so he’d stand out more.

So what I decided to do with Pev was photograph him with some attitude. For the head shot you notice, his eyes are not sharp. I thought by focusing on his nose & mouth, rather than his eyes it gave him a little more of an in-your-face kind of look. The photo of his torso, is stronger, without showing his face. I think everyone who truly wants to improve their photography should know the basic rules of photography. But after you know what is proper composition, how to shoot a portrait, depth of field, shutter speeds, and so on, you may then want to take your photography to a different level and break some of those rules if it works. Take it to a more creative level.
JoAnne Kalish

Photo Tip – I found a new kind of Lighting System Rosco Lite pads

I’ve found a new kind of lighting system that is very cool to use and they’re called litepads. Rosco makes them. They are small, and very portable light pads that can be used in studio or location. They even run on battery power! Perfect for location shooting as they also weigh nothing! Here is an example of a photograph I did with Christina, a young model I shot in our studio/Learning Center using the large pad.

Photo © MMIXJoAnne Kalish

For those of you interested in a private photo class in 2010 both Joe or I would be glad to customize a workshop to fit your particular needs.

Rosco Litepads