The Obsessive Eye |

Flashlight Project pt.7

2012-03-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Kelly Kane will rock your world pt.2

2012-02-24T12:19:00.001-08:00

Kelly Kane will rock your world!

2012-02-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

After almost a two years of talking about doing a photo shoot Kelly and I actually got our schedules together and did it. We set a side two days to work together, which I've never done before. In two days we took over 1800 pictures. She came with great ideas and a whole lot of skill. I brought my camera and a bottle of wine. Now that's photography!

Flashlight Project pt.6

2012-02-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

Flashlight Project pt.5

2012-02-14T23:39:00.000-08:00

Jillian Endebrock is a dancin' demon

2012-02-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Flashlight Project pt. 4

2012-02-03T12:23:00.001-08:00

Adam Gauzza a dancer extraordinaire pt.2

2012-02-01T19:11:00.001-08:00

Adam Gauzza a dancer extraordinaire!

2012-01-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

Erin Kilmurray is just awesome! (Complete)

2012-01-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

This picture is too hot for human eyes!

2012-01-23T17:29:00.000-08:00

Erin Kilmurray is just awesome!

2012-01-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

This is one image from a group I shot recently of my friend Erin performance at The Little Things an Art/Spoken word extravaganza on Friday. That performance and this image in particular has been a huge influence on me lately. The light, the shadows, the stark background will be the things you see in my new series of dance photographs.

I love this moment, the moment when you make a thing that will influence all the other things that follow.
God I love photography!

Thank you Erin.

Flashlight Project pt.3

2012-01-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

This time I projected a flashlight through a pencil holder.

Adrianna and Matt shake it out!

2012-01-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

Jazmin the Redux

2012-01-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

I don't usually redo photographs but these look really good in black and white.

Josh Anderson and the bookshelf

2012-01-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

Erin Kilmurray and Mikey Rioux are dancing in the sheets pt.2

2011-12-31T13:14:00.001-08:00

Erin Kilmurray and Mikey Rioux are dancing in the sheets

2011-12-30T16:09:00.000-08:00

Alright this was a total experiment. Erin had this great idea about dancing on a bed and how that could be a metaphore for relationships. And how people relate when they're in bed together ( not sexy but sleeping way) changes depending on who your with. The woman is brilliant!

Winifred Haun Dancers!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-12-29T00:04:00.001-08:00

Adrianna looking beautiful

2011-12-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

Flashlight photography?

2011-12-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

I have no idea what to call this series. I'm taking suggestions.

Michaela Federspiel rocks the basement!

2011-12-08T08:15:00.001-08:00

Something Different. Using a Flashlight?

2011-12-04T13:16:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I just started a new series of photographs that involve me projecting a flashlight through objects such as plastic cups, whiskey bottles, pencil holders, wicker chairs on to my subjects. I do it all hand holding the camera and making exposures somewhere around a 15th of a second long, steady Matthew!
This is a shoot I just had with my friend Crystal, she is such a good model and lots of fun to work with. The shoot was almost exclusively shot through one of those big floor fans. Crazy and fun!

Josh Anderson can jump!

2011-12-03T09:04:00.001-08:00

Michaela Federspiel.......enough said!

2011-12-01T08:57:00.001-08:00

Standing Room Only pt.6

2011-11-28T06:44:00.001-08:00

Standing Room Only pt.5

2011-11-28T06:22:00.001-08:00

Standing Room Only pt.4

2011-11-25T07:45:00.001-08:00

Standing Room Only pt.3

2011-11-18T10:00:00.001-08:00

Standing Room Only pt.2

2011-11-12T22:40:00.001-08:00

Standing Room Only

2011-11-10T06:38:00.001-08:00

Six pieces by six young, female choreographers, with original scores composed collaboratively by John Cicora. Produced by local interdisciplinary art group the Inconvenience, developed by dancer/choreographer Erin Kilmurray. Just absolutely amazing!

Erica Jaree Verbarg is on top of things

2011-11-03T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sarah Chmielewski dances on the last night of the summer

2011-10-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

Dance Jazmin Dance!

2011-10-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Une elephante Choreography by Lizzie Leopold pt.2

2011-10-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of pictures in these posts. It's the only way to express how long and difficult this dance was to perform.

Une elephante Choreography by Lizzie Leopold

2011-10-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

I shot this for the Leopold group a few months ago, it's possibly the longest and most uncomfortable dance/fight I've ever seen. Amazing!

Something different with Adrianna Lombardo

2011-10-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

Advice from a Magnum photographer

2011-10-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Photograph because you love doing it, because you absolutely have to do it, because the chief reward is going to be the process of doing it. Other rewards – recognition, financial remuneration – come to so few and are so fleeting. And even if you are somewhat successful, there will almost inevitably be stretches of time when you will be ignored, have little income, or often both. Certainly there are many other easier ways to make a living in this society. Take photography on as a passion, not a career.

Alex Webb

She's a mean green dancing machine pt.2 (Erica Jaree Verbarg)

2011-10-05T23:53:00.000-07:00

Jazmin on my mind

2011-09-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

Jazmin and I hadn't met before our shoot. You never know what to expect when you shoot someone for the first time. Anyway, Jazmin was a pleasure to work with and look what we made.Nice!

Sam I am! pt.2

2011-09-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

Sam (Allen) I am!

2011-09-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

Return of the fly Honey's pt.3 The Big Reveal!

2011-09-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

I hope you didn't expect to see the good stuff. You have to show up to see that. Maybe next year.

I stole this!

2011-09-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Return of the Fly Honey's pt.2 The Boy's Turn

2011-09-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Return of the Fly Honey's!

2011-09-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

The Fly Honey's are a group of sexy ladies and gentlemen that come together once a year to raise money for The Inconvenience, an organization here in Chicago that brings dance, theater, music and art to our sweet city.

More will follow..............

Anna Lee Normann rocks my yellow backdrop!

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Jessie Young in the basement.

2011-09-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

She's a mean green dancin machine (Erica Jaree Verbarg)

2011-09-04T22:55:00.000-07:00

A few more of Anna Lee Normann

2011-08-31T22:24:00.001-07:00

Anna Lee Normann is takin care of business

2011-08-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

Jessie Young is back in town pt.2

2011-08-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

By the way, Jessie hasn't come back to town it's a line from an eighties song.

Jessie Young is back in town!

2011-08-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've been doing a lot of research into dance photography and I've noticed photographers don't use colorful backdrop. I think that color contrasted with the action can make for some exciting stuff. This is the beginning of a new series of photographs.

The Lovely Ladies from the Leopold Group pt.2

2011-08-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Lovely Ladies from the Leopold Group

2011-08-09T00:19:00.000-07:00

This is a little behind the scenes thing I did while the ladies were warming up.

The Woman in Red!

2011-08-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

Jaxon Movement Arts Company and Dance Gallery 2011 Pt.2

2011-07-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

The dance was done in an old freight elevator. It was exciting to watch but also a little nerve-wracking because I felt the elevator was going to give way every time they slammed themselves into the walls.

Jaxon Movement Arts Company and Dance Gallery 2011

2011-07-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I photographed a dancer named Jacqueline Stewart ( Those pics are posted) who is just a fantastic performer and choreographer. Anyway, she emailed me a while ago and asked if I would photograph her upcoming show that she organized and choreographed in collaboration with Jessica Miller Tomlinson, another kick ass dancer. It was an amazing show, I was stunned!

McKenzie not in blue but still looking beautiful!

2011-07-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Leopold Group

2011-07-21T22:18:00.002-07:00

This is a company I just recently started shooting. My friend Arnie Klein (http://www.picsimage.com/dance) and I have been taking turns shooting them. They are a great bunch great dancers and super nice ladies.

Adrianna Lombardo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is my good friend Adrianna, she's a professional dancer and one hell of a model.

Mckenzie in Blue pt.1

2011-07-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

She's say's she's not a dancer but she sure can move!

2011-07-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

This is my new friend Emily. Technically she's not a dancer, she calls herself an administrator but she performs from time to time with a local dance company. Anyway, she's a rock star and a pleasure to photograph.

Erica working it!

2011-07-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

Remember Erica, she's a different kind of dancers. So you know.

Dress up with Sarah Chmielewski

2011-07-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

Rooftop photography pt.2

2011-06-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

This is a new friend Caroline. She was hangin with my friend Sarah when I showed up for our photoshoot. She was about to leave, when she asked me if there was something she could do in the shoot. I said, HELL YEAH!

Rooftop photography, I love it!

2011-06-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Drinkin and smokin with Sarah Chmielewski

2011-06-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Amanda Timm rocks my baby blue world!

2011-06-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

War and Peace: a dance-theater short pt.2

2011-06-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

War and Peace: a dance-theater short

2011-06-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post images from performances that I shoot. I'm more of a let me show you what I can do kind of guy. But I think these images are particulary nice and fun to look at. Enjoy!

More of my friend Erin Kilmurray

2011-06-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

A little splash of color for Amanda Timm

2011-06-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

Erin Kilmurray can make an office seem exciting.

2011-06-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

Baaaad Asssss Malice!

2011-05-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

My friend Malice and I love to have these photoshoots that we can't explain. She brings the outfits and I take the pictures. I'm always fascinated by the outcome because it's not what I normal style of shooting. It's good to break it up sometimes. I think I don't like the white backdrop but she looks beautiful.

Go Blake Russel, Go, part 2

2011-05-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Go Blake Russell, Go!

2011-05-20T00:59:00.000-07:00

The Pin-Up House Wife by Sarah Church & Matthew G Hollis

2011-05-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

This is the story of a pin-up house wife, who while making a cream pie decided she couldn't go on with her boring life.

Light: Lowell Omni Light Camera: Canon XSI Lens: 18-55mm(Kit Lens)

This is what happens when two friends with dark imaginations get drunk together.

Days of Heaven (1978) by Terrence Malick. This is beautiful!

2011-05-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is one is one the most beautiful films I've ever watched. It's almost completely shot during the hour before sunset or what photographers call "The Magic Hour". The sky has light but no actual sun, very soft light.

Yeah, she's naked. Don't look if it bothers you.

2011-05-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Light: Alien Bee Camera: Canon XSI Lens:18-55(kit lens)

Mckenzie Gilliam and Blake Russell for I.b.r.a.t.a.y.n. pt.2

2011-05-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

McKenzie Gilliam and Blake Russell for I.b.r.a.t.a.y.n

2011-05-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

I.b.r.a.t.a.y.n is a company that was started by two friends of mine Nedda Mostafa and Dima Budron. They have designed their own line of handmaid hat and neck wear. Amazing stuff.

Train Ride on a Rainy Day

2011-05-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

These are few images i took with my new point and shoot camera. I used absolutely no special techniques. I just burned the sky down with the graduated filter in Lightroom.

Rule #4

2011-05-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

BE LIKE WATER: Be flexible when making art. Have an open mind. Try new things and allow those things to influence what come next.

This is my hero Bruce Lee talking about his philosophy of formlessness.

This is a cool animation with the exact same philosophy from Mr. Lee.

You make me feel like dancing.

2011-04-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

The Easiest Way Out.

2011-04-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

I find that I'm a little too lazy to stop the car while on a road trip. It's also impossible to stop at every beautiful thing I see, it's easier to shoot through the window. I hope you enjoy. There are a lot more to follow.

Helloooo Kate!

2011-04-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

This is Emily.

2011-04-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Camera: Canon XSI Lens: 50mm(f1.8) ISO: 800 Light: Lowell Omni light (500 watts)

More of the talented McKenzie!

2011-04-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Amazingly Talented McKenzie Gilliam!

2011-04-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

She's modeled for me a few time but this was our first one on one dance shoot.


Camera: Canon XSI ISO: 200 Lens: 24-110 Light: Alien bee with shoot thru umbrella