Alone in 1000 Square Feet, Update

Alone in 1000 Square Feet is an ongoing project, adding one or more new photos every week.

For those new to this series, there are only two guidelines: only I can be in the photo and they must all be captured in my apartment, common area or basement. Using these restrictions I’ve created six characters:

The Turbulent Mob Associate

The Clever Spy

The Distressed Burglar

The Afflicted War Veteran

The Flamboyant Detective

The Brilliant Psychopath

So far there’s been overlap through conflict, time and chance… but everybody’s still alive…

SNOW DAY!

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did yesterday in the snow!

L’Meese then and now

I’ve already had a stellar photo career with many great experiences. Along the way I’ve worked with some wonderful people. On occasion I’m lucky enough to work with the same subject at yearly intervals. Such is the case with L’Meese.

I first worked with her in 2008 when I exhibited in a two-person show with renowned fashion photographer Stan Malinowski in Chicago. From Fantasy to Fashion drew an incredible crowd of collectors and I was proud to show my interpretation of fashion photography with Stan’s photographs for such publications as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and Playboy. From Janice Dickinson to Iman in Valentino’s atelier, it was a smashing success. More of Stan’s work can be seen here.

Catalog page from the exhibit. Images by Stan Malinowski.

Catalog page from the exhibit. Images by Nick Azzaro.

From left, Stan Malinowski taking a picture while I look on with Victor Skrebneski and his colleague. Photo by Art Azzaro.

I showed new work, inspired by Stan’s big budget shoots of yesteryear. L’Meese’s portrait below was included in the exhibit.

I recently had the chance to work with L’Meese again, this time in Ann Arbor. The only thing that’s changed is her elevated level of experience.

What do you shoot with?

There are many things in life I’ll never understand, like texting while driving or fans of the Chicago Cubs. Equally confusing is this fascination with comic book heroes starring in feature length films. Don’t get me wrong I love comic books, but condensing decades of knowledge into a two hour slot, combining it with more CG than any mortal should endure and expecting action to look real because of quick camera motion is a tragedy. BUT there’s one thing I find more confusing: when other photographers ask what I shoot with.

The answer is: a camera. That’s all anybody needs to know and should already be implied. Why not ask what I drive (or ride depending on the weather)? Since the vehicle delivers me to the shoot, isn’t that equally important if not more?  Asking what I shoot with suggests my imagery isn’t entirely mine, but a result of how much I spent on gear. A photographer is someone who works with light. They’re problem solvers and comfortable working in any situation and with any image capturing mechanism (except phones).

This isn’t to say I don’t love my camera, because I couldn’t be happier with what I work with. It’s just that anytime I’ve gotten into this conversation with another photographer, it goes absolutely nowhere.

“What do you shoot with?”

“X.”

“What do you shoot with?”

“Y.”

“Oh. Okay.”

If YOU have the answer, please join in.

Nia Sees the Light.

Nia is a model that’s well ahead of the game and a fabulous person to work with. That’s what allowed us to be more creative during our shoot. Not only did she own the in studio strobe sets with her many looks, but she handled daylight and lengthy fluorescent bulb exposures with the same style and grace.

Below are two looks from two different strobe sets:

In the sun, she shines:

Even a one second exposure. No problem:

Thank you, Nia.

 

 

 

Alone in 1000 Square Feet, Set 1

It was 6:56pm on the evening of August 15 when the flamboyant detective understood this was no ordinary murder scene.

At the same time across town the afflicted war veteran was having realizations of his own…

While his friend, the turbulent mob associate, was in the middle of a very important business deal.

The details from that transaction made no difference to the occupant of the residence one house to the south. The distressed burglar was hard at work, reaping what he could as his window was closing fast…

But not as fast as the clever spy’s.

“What’s the hurry”, said the brilliant psychopath to himself in the mirror of an apartment he had entered only once before.

The following day was spent analyzing images and materials taken from the gruesome display by the flamboyant detective.

And breakfast was ruined for two nameless thugs by an unannounced visit from the turbulent mob associate.

But the thugs had it easy compared to the clever spy, who withstood a night of interrogation and still maintained his cover.

Another day, another “…fuck it”, said the afflicted war veteran.

“50/50.” No matter how prepared, the distressed burglar knows there’s a fifty-fifty chance things could go wrong during any break in.

“Are you certain get the fuck out of here are the last words you’d ever like to say?” asked the brilliant psychopath.

A broken vase. A sideways chair. That was the extent of the mess made when the clever spy broke free and overtook his captors.

The minutes felt like hours as the flamboyant detective tried to comprehend what had taken place in the crimson apartment. “Could a human have done this?”

Some have no conscience.

Others remember all too well.

Some like to talk.

Others prefer the quiet.

Edward: A Working Man

Our great friend Ed is full of personality. When he asked to have a new professional head shot taken, we jumped at the chance to shoot him in his element: jacket, button up and a whole lot of panache.

Pretty dapper, wouldn’t you say? So we veered a bit from the typical corporate shots but we got those too. If you need professional photos and aren’t afraid to laugh and kick back, give us a holler.