A woman in black and white, is looking up to the sky, almost praying while colorful puzzle pieces fall from the sky. The background is deliberately black in order to emphasize the colorful puzzle pieces. The puzzle pieces are stuck to the woman’s face creating a mysterious and ominous atmosphere.
Family Hospice Shoot
I did a hospice shoot on Friday of an 88 year old woman. She had an incredible family there that day for Christmas and the shoot was magical. I captured Miss Sandy with her loved ones. It was more of a family shoot–intergenerational–than a hospice shoot. Here are a few samples of the shoot. I turned many into black and white. I like both of them because there is a different feel. To see more, go to my site: Marilynbottaphotos.com.
Mardi Gras Masks
I came upon these two Venetian masks in Goodwill. I was drawn to them and felt these beauties would make an unusual and vibrant image.These pair of Venetian-style masks are displayed prominently, one adorned with colorful details and the other in a stark black and white motif. A bouquet of red alstroemeria flowers and a single red rose add a vibrant touch to the composition, while a lit red candle provides a warm glow from the side. I placed the red candle atop an hourglass containing white sand. I photographed this arrangement against a white backdrop and added a lovely blue texture to create an etherial, otherworldly look.
All of these are somewhat similar, but different. Some have skulls, some have flowers or candles, yet all show the beauty of the masks displayed different forms.
Hospice Photo Shoot
I was asked to take some photos of a lovely lady of 91 and her daughter recently at the Marshall Pines memory care facility. She is technically in hospice, but she is stable right now. I went there with the hospice coordinator who was familiar with the family. Rather than being a sad visit, it was really fun because there was such a sweet interaction between mom and daughter and I could just feel the bond and love they have for one another. I decided to take the photos without any flash equipment because I felt it would be distracting and intrusive. The original images were in color, but I turned them into black and white to create the mood I was looking for.
