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Mirror Mirror

MSKaveney — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:28:46 +0000

Not long ago I had a shoot in an awkward space that had a really large mirror on the wall — I decided to use the mirror in a series of images that explored perceptions and reflections of an individual.

“Woman & Self”
©2012 MSKaveney

Don't Forget about MSKaveneyphotography.com

MSKaveney — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:22:36 +0000

Don’t forget you can see more work at MSKaveneyPhotography.com!

One Life 2012

MSKaveney — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:26:42 +0000

Click “Collect Me” to help me win a New York City photo exhibition and a$25,000 cash grant: One Life Photography Competition

via Maureen Kaveney.

Thank you for your continuous love and support!

Eight Breasts, One Dude

MSKaveney — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:55:19 +0000

“Eight Breasts, One Dude”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Eight Breasts, One Dude 2″
©2012 MSKaveney

“Eight Breasts, One Dude 3″
©2012 MSKaveney

Smoking Ladies

MSKaveney — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 22:42:47 +0000

With the upcoming smoking ban being a big story in the headlines, I found myself looking at old pictures of women smoking for inspiration while home in Indy for a few weeks. In reality, there is nothing really romantic or sexy about smoking but something about pictures with wisps of cigarette smoke pouring from rouge lips is simply beautiful to me.

“Tabagisme des Lèvres”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Amanda”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Carly”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Carly 2″
©2012 MSKaveney

“Sara”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Sara with Glasses”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Ashley”
©2012 MSKaveney

“Amanda & Carly”
©2012 MSKaveney

Lazy Saturday Playing with my Jolly Jumping Pecker (It's a toy, not as dirty as it sounds)

MSKaveney — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 01:04:47 +0000

A friend of mine lent me some of his toys so that I could do a still life shoot with them — a “jolly jumping pecker” and a “jolly jumping pussy.” (The vagina one scares me, it looks weird….) anyway, so this happened.

“American Gothic 2000″
©2012 MSKaveney

The Fruit Bearers & The Objectification of the Female Form

MSKaveney — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:56:55 +0000

Photo as object.

Woman as object.

These two statements are the foundation of my newest project “The Fruit Bearers.” I had noticed that within my imagery I had started to crop people in odd places, especially females. These crops, generally below the nose, above the lips, were thought by others to objectify the women in my photographs (maybe my still life mentality makes me think of everything in terms of “things”) but I started to think about the issue of objectification. I often enjoy using human elements in my still life work; however, it was odd to me, as a self-proclaimed feminist, that I would be objectifying women within my work. I decided to take a further look into why a woman has, and will always be, considered as an object. After all, aren’t we the most important objects for mankind’s survival?

I wanted to really push the idea of objectification and play with the term within this body of work. The idea was to take the woman, and through cropping make her an “object.” Additional objects that would reference the female herself then surround her, relate to each other as well as to the female form. After some experimenting, I decided that instead of just making the female an object by cropping I would literally make her an object to be used to create my final images. The female form was photographed in the studio and cropped in camera, printed, and then used as the base to make the final compositions. This acts to reinforce the main idea of a woman as an object. These compositions consisting of print and objects were then re-photographed, resulting in the images featured here.

Within this body of work, there is an odd juxtaposition: The female is turned into an object by the use of the photographic print, and in reference to the female form, the objects then take on very human-like qualities (fertility, reproduction, female anatomy, etc.). Females are fruit bearing and seed containing, and references to females oftentimes will include fruit or food-based terms. It seemed natural to use the objects I did – the egg for its reference to fertility, the berries for their classic chalice and very vaginal shape, and peaches and cream for a more contemporary sexual reference to female anatomy. Slang terms used for women also have a way of turning the female into an object, so the use of the peppers relates to cat-calls often heard by females. “Hot!” “Caliente!” It may seem flattering but by comparing a female to an object, she is then objectified.

It was important for me to keep the imagery somewhat fun and light, which is why I chose to photograph against bright colored backgrounds. Not only is the female form objectified, but it also feels very erotic, something very important to keep within this body of work. The female is eroticized and in turn, the food also becomes very erotic in itself.

This body of work will be on display at Art Center College of Design April 19-21, 2012

Sedona Hipstamatic

MSKaveney — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:39:48 +0000

Ive been going through all my hipstamatic images lately — images that rarely get shared. I found a few gems and promised myself I would get better about posting them for others to see. Here’s a pairing from my New Years holiday in Sedona AZ. ”Look down, Look up.”

©MSKaveney. Taken with Hipstamatic

It's that Time Again! Instead of Easter Eggs, I'm Dying my Hair

MSKaveney — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 23:36:43 +0000

Flashbulbs

MSKaveney — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:50:29 +0000

I’ve always loved the look of old flashbulbs. Recently I had some pretty major reviews of my work. Even though this photogram was created over two years ago when I was just messing around in the darkroom one day, it recently has gotten quite a bit of unexpected attention. Had to go back into the archives to find this pairing.

Eyelashes and Smeared Eyeliner

MSKaveney — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:32:26 +0000

Finally got to do a little shooting for myself, well sort of. I was helping a friend of mine with a pinhole project he is currently working on. I was given a pinhole camera loaded with one sheet of paper, and was given the prompt “the last time I cried…..”

Generally I don’t let people see me cry, I hold it in until I’m home and alone and then I just let it all go. Typically it happens as soon as I close my apartment door, makeup still on and by the end of the tears I’m literally a mess (makeup all over, eyes looking like those from a racoon) but I always feel better. The last time I cried however, I was sitting in traffic. It was like all these things had been building up and the stupidest thing just sent me over the edge. Even though I was surrounded by people, who I am sure thought I was crazy if they saw me as they drove by, I had never felt so alone in such a foreign feeling city. After a few minutes I sucked it up and continued home. It was at home I saw that my face was running down my face — my makeup was atrocious and I’m sure I had been seen by a few people looking like a hot mess. Oh well.

I decided that instead of doing a personal portrait where I would make myself cry, I would use this as a chance to work on a still life idea I had one of the last times I cried. I always find myself staring at the smeared makeup on my tissues, creating patterns on the soft canvas. Picked up some fake eyelashes and broke out some mascara. There is something so elegant in the remnants left after a female cries. Crying not only allows you to purge you inner troubles, much like a baptism it allows you to let go and start fresh, but it also leaves a physical mark on a made up face. I will probably keep exploring these materials, but I had fun playing in the studio today. I kept this shoot super simple, sitting on the floor next to my big eastern facing window using all natural window light, just sort of playing around. Perhaps this weekend I will break out the studio lighting and continue working with this subject but alas, work calls.

Art Center College of Design Spring 2012 Graduating Class

MSKaveney — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:04:15 +0000

Check out all the talent (and me, of course!) that will be graduating from the Art Center College of Design this Spring!

Watch out photo world, we’re coming for ya!

Art Center Spring 2012 Photo Graduates!

Aww Shucks!

MSKaveney — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:28:10 +0000

For those of you waiting for a follow up to my “Vibe-nana,” here you go! I had some time to play around in the studio at the start of the term and finally had some time to go through a few shoots and get some editting done. Big things on the way so stay tuned!

©MSKaveney

Burnt Matches in the Studio

MSKaveney — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 23:37:57 +0000

I have always been taught never to play with fire. As a kid, to discourage fire play, my grandmother would often be heard saying, “if you play with fire, you’ll wet the bed!” Yet there is something so romantic about matches. In a world of disposable lighters, I love the smell of a match being extinguished, the sound of a match being struck against the side of the box, the sound of the initial spark that sets the tip aflame, and watching as little flames dance their way towards fingertips; it’s all really beautiful to me. It’s simply wonderful when I see someone pull a matchbook out of his or her pocket to light a cigar or cigarette. I found this pack of matches at home the last time I was visiting and have had them ever since. I often save things I enjoy but I wanted to use these matches to make something beautiful. I decided to take advantage of my studio set up for a previous job and play around with fire. I wanted to play with the dirty matches against a very clean studio setting. Sorry grandma, I hope I don’t wet the bed.

©MSKaveney

Sick Day Shoots

MSKaveney — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:45:22 +0000

I have been sick all weekend, wore down and sore throat. However, being the sort of person who can’t really sit still, I decided to use my sore throat remedies in a little impromptu photo shoot, plus it allowed me to use my new plexi table top and bring out my shiney red lips again!! I love these lips! Just playing around…

©MSKaveney

Broken Glass and a Crystal Duck

MSKaveney — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:40:36 +0000

After a long afternoon spent shooting on location, I pulled into my spot in the paring garage and began the process of unloading all my stuff from my car. As soon as I opened the passenger side door, a big glass mixing bowl came falling out and shattered at my feet on the cement floor. I was exhausted and this just seemed to add to the long process of moving all the stuff crammed in my car up to my apartment. However, as I stared down at the chunks of glass, all sizes, there was something really beautiful about each shard of glass, the way it played with the light and yet disappeared all at the same time. So, as artists tend to do, I gathered up all the pieces into a Tupperware, saving them for a rainy day when nothing else was in line to be shot. This is only the beginning and I hope to get a chance to play with these pieces again soon, and make new pieces to explore the beauty in the broken.

©MSKaveney

On a sidenote, the amazing duck was given to me by a dear friend who knows the little love affair I have with rubber duckies, a collection that keeps growing. I think this one takes the cake as the most expensive duck in my collection. Love it!

Happy Valentines Day from MSKaveneyPhotography!!

MSKaveney — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:45:16 +0000

"Dare ya" Happy Valentines Day! ©MSKaveney

Aphrodisiacs on Body

MSKaveney — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:08:50 +0000

I never really thought of myself as a food photographer. However, lately a lot of my still life work has incorporated food in some way. Going through old work and found this project I did with my friends Lena Abujabara and Deja Morlan and thought I would share. It was for a project on Aphrodisiacs, and each image was paired with a food dish involving at least two aphrodisiacs (We wanted to make people ‘randy’ both physically and with our imagery). My concept was to put the ingredients for the given recipes on the body. There were ingredients we expected (roses, lavender, chocolate) but there were a lot of surprises when it came to aphrodisiacs. Basil and Cucumber, Garlic and Asparagus, Chilis….thoughout history we saw that there were surprises in what aphrodisiacs were thought to be or how they were used. One of the oddest things I remember reading about aphrodisiacs took place during the Victorian era. Women would take peeled apples and hold them under their arms, soaking the bare apple in sweat. The apple was then sent to a lover to remind them of their smell, their musk. It was called a love apple. Food and sex go hand in hand, and always have. We live during a time when food is no longer just a necessity. Food Network, “foodies,” and magazines featuring food have taken food and made it more about the decadence, the indulgence, or as I call it “food porn.” When you think about it, there has always been some relationship between food and indulgence. Working with a a great team is always helpful, so this shoot was a lot of fun! To date I still have people ask me about these images or remember me for presenting these images.

Rosemary & Apple; ©MSKaveney

Roses; ©MSKaveney

Cucumber & Basil; ©MSKaveney

Chocolate & Lavender; ©MSKaveney

Asparagus, Garlic, & Pine Nuts; ©MSKaveney

Be sure to check out Lena Abujabara’s site!

Saveur Mock Editorial Final Product

MSKaveney — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:50:57 +0000

Here is the final product from our mock Saveur editorial.

©MSKaveney

Overall, the shoot went very well! The model showed up early, we had more time allotted for set up (which is always nice to really figure out lighting) and working with a great team always helps! It is nice to be overly prepared but important to still remain flexible. We were over prepared in the amount of props and equipment we brought to the shoot, but since most of us owned the equipment and props we supplied, it was nice to have a lot of options and backups if anything had gone wrong. We were planning on using a seven-foot shoot through silk on a strobe head for the feel we wanted, a nice summer look. We were lucky and it ended up being a nice sunny day at the time of our shoot and our position on location allowed for us to use the shoot through silk umbrella as a simple overhead silk. We achieved the look we wanted and, in the end, when we finally did lose the sun behind some clouds, we were happy to have strobes and a mobile pack as back up, no waiting around!

I really enjoyed my team and also enjoyed having the chance to work with two other photographers that I respect. I feel that they helped push me because, as the photographer, I did not want to let my team down. Everyone had good energy and it was nice to have additional hands and eyes during the shoot to watch for details that I may have missed. Since no two minds think alike, it was also really nice to have two additional creatives on set to help resolve issues and make each shot better.

If I would have had the budget, I would have worked a food stylist into my budget, no question. Having worked with them before, I know that they know all the little tricks that often slip through the cracks when doing your own production, and having someone else paying attention to just the look of the food really allows for the photographer to focus just on the photography. Personally I enjoy more of the details and still lifes I shot as opposed to the environmental portraits. The model, however, was great to work with and had energy that made him fun to shoot. I would hire him again in a heartbeat. He was on time, and the only issues we really had with the talent was wardrobe related. The model came prepared with options for clothing (as we had asked in our casting call) but did not bring options for shoes, and of course the shoes he had on were not ideal for the summer feel we were trying to achieve. Details, details, details.

Overall I am pretty pleased with the outcome from our shoot! Below I have included some of my favorite detail shots. Enjoy!

Lips, A Cosmetics Shoot, & A Nod to Warhol

MSKaveney — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:24:16 +0000

I always believe that being a fine artist and a commercial artist is what makes my work mine. I harnessed my fine art skills and created about 200 three-inch plaster lips for an upcoming cosmetic shoot I had rattling around in my head. My vision for the shoot was that make-up (in general) helps you take an asset that everyone has and makes it stand out. For example, wearing lipstick takes your lips to a whole new level, it makes them look more refined and polished in comparison to lips that are “naked.” To take it a step further I decided to focus on the classic red lip as the main theme for the shoot. I began my research for the shoot and found that nothing like this had really been done (from what I found) but I did come across an old Warhol drawing of many multi colored lips that I also included in my inspiration, mimicking the layout in one of my images. (“A Nod to Warhol”) When commercial art can walk a line between fine art and commercial, I feel that is when it is the most successful and beautiful.

©MSKaveney

New Work Coming Soon!

MSKaveney — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 04:52:20 +0000

Currently in the studio building props for an upcoming cosmetics shoot — excited and surrounded by hundreds of little lips. Stay Tuned for the Final Images!!

©MSKaveney

Vodka Editorial Shoot

MSKaveney — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:34:50 +0000

Recently I was asked to do a test shoot for a mock editorial spread. I decided to use this as a chance to try a new creative idea I have been wanting to use — inspired by a Rene Magritte painting I have always loved. I will be doing this for a portrait session I have coming up and cannot wait to use this technique with my model and muse! I wanted to keep this spread very graphic and simple visually. I think often things can be overproduced and over stylized but beautiful imagery can come from really simple elements. Here are two of my favorite compositions. (the images were made in camera as much as possible so very minimal Photoshop and retouching had to be done. The back plate was dropped in and in most cases that was the extent of it — most of the placement and POV issues were worked out on set, in the old fashion way ….moving each item cm by cm until it was right where it needed to be.) I love what I do.

©MSKaveney

Side note: This shoot was done as a test — no brands should be affiliated with the imagery, it just happened to be the bottles I had on hand — call it endorsing if you want

Still Life Shoot with Bananas (And a Dildo)

MSKaveney — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:03:09 +0000

Last week was a crazy week. So, with a recent upcoming project where the word “fraud” had to be the basis of my inspiration, I decided to have a little fun and I came up with an idea for the following image. (How my mind got from “fraud” to this still isn’t completely clear to me — I think not only is the toy a fraud, the banana is now a fraud) I could see every piece of the image in my head from the moment I thought of it — I love when an image can come through so strongly! The idea of this image wouldn’t leave my head until I shot it, so excitedly I began the process. After quite an interesting afternoon of prop hunting at Hustler, it all came together quickly and was really fun to shoot. The image started with a white background, but it felt too cold and needed something else to make the image work as a whole. The wooden background was really the only impromptu element of the entire shoot, but I think it adds a nice warm feel, as well as takes the image into the food/kitchen realm, which I also think adds to the overall reads of the image. I admit it’s not for everyone, but art rarely is, and I am really pleased with the results. (What can I say, my sense of humor tends to lean to the inappropriate side most of the time)

©MSKaveney

Finances

MSKaveney — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:47:56 +0000

Finances can be evil — for a recent stock shoot I tried to make my own “finance monster.”

©MSKaveney

Mirrors and Photography

MSKaveney — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:06:26 +0000

I have always been intrigued by how mirrors work with one another. Their ability to reflect a single item into infinity has always been something I have been fascinated with. This past weekend I decided to try to make some images using mirrors and some props I had lying around the studio. It’s a work in progress, but something I really hope to continue and use in other new and exciting (and fun) ways. (side note — on the cosmetic editorial images, all the color was added in camera using gels and lighting.)

©MSKaveney

©MSkaveney

©MSKaveney

Then I decided to take the technique and use it for an upcoming cosmetic editorial I was trying to produce…The results took awhile to get, but I am happy with where this can go! (The pink was added by using a gel on my fill light, all color was done in camera.)

I also had some fun with drawing and making lipstick kiss marks onto the surface of the mirror.