The Orton Effect

This image is an example of the Orton effect. To make this style of image one can either shoot two frames of the same subject using a tripod, one in focus and one out of focus, and then sandwich them together OR using image editing software you can create this effect by creating two layers the image and applying a Gaussian Blur effect on one of the layers.

Orton effect images have a romantic glow, as though shot through cheese cloth.

Lance

This image of Lance Forrest is from a shoot several years ago, photographed at Devil's Punchbowl in southern California.
The location was one of my favorites several years ago because of the unusual rock formations and relative seclusion.
Unfortunately it was also a guaranteed three hour drive round trip even without traffic.
I worked with Lance on two occasions. This time at Devil's Punchbowl and once more in a studio shoot several years ago.
Each time he was in fantastic condition, and I love the dreadlocks.

Free Stuff

Something different on my blog this week. I want to make those of you who visit this page frequently aware that my website features a "free stuff" page with desktop wall paper available for download.
If you like my work and want to plant some behind your windows to look at between whatever else you are doing, I recommend you check it out.
There are three wall papers available right now, but I update the page from time to time and swap things in and out. The wall papers are available in two popular sizes 800x600 pixels and 1024x768 pixels, so you can chose depending on the resolution you use on your monitor.
I have also included a calendar page to download. If you have a reasonably good photo printer you should be able to print the full color image. It fills an 8x10 inch page. If you live outside the US you probably need A4 sized images, but hey, someday.
Follow the link below to go directly to the web page with the free stuff. When you click on the download link the image will display in your browser window. In most browsers if you right click on the downloaded image you can save it to your computer.
http://www.photographybythomasmitchell.com/freestuff.htm
Enjoy, and let me know if you have requests.

Jinx

That will teach me for talking about a shoot before it happens. You see for the second time in the last few months I mentioned an upcoming shoot in this blog and named the model I would be working with the week before the shoot.

The first time it was Derek Russo, and the shoot fell through during the ensuing week due to coordination issues with another photographer with whom I was sharing expenses. This time it was Matthew Kojo, and sure enough the night before the shoot there was a message on my answering machine from the casting agent.

So rather than featuring new work, this week's blog dips into the archives and pulls two works from several years ago.

The first features a model named Chris. The second a model named Alain. The thing these two photographs have in common is that they were both photographed at a friend's house off Mulholland drive.

The shoots are separated by several years.

Variations on a Model

This week, still more variations on Alan Demond. The first is one of the small slice digital photos. It's a view I don't often photograph.

The second is another variation of the lith print theme.


Next week some new work of a new model named Matthew Kojo. The shoot is scheduled for Sunday, so with any luck I'll have something posted by late evening Sunday.