Lauritzen Photography

"Haiku" Artist Reception in Half Moon Bay, CA

2010-09-08T11:59:00.001-07:00

One of my pieces has been selected for a Haiku themed photography show at the Kelly Street Gallery in Half Moon Bay. The piece is titled "Backbone Trail" and is a giclée on wrapped canvas. The artist reception is Sunday, Sept. 12th from 2 - 5pm.

Haiku has always struck me as a medium that somehow manages to convey stillness and movement at the same time. While hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, I recall coming upon this statuesque tree and thinking it looked as if it was protecting its space with its sprawling arms. The tree had presence.

"Backbone Trail" portrays the elegant darkness of this old tree in contrast to the delicately moving underbrush in the foreground.

This image has a depth to it that is enhanced under dim light, giving it a three-dimensional quality that feels spiritual.

The beauty of quiet places has always made me feel alive. As I have traveled through California, I have found that quiet places embody both stillness and motion effortlessly.

Haiku is a juried show taking place at Kelly Street Gallery in Half Moon Bay, CA. The show runs from Sept 4 - 26 and is open on Saturday and Sunday from 1 - 5pm. The address is 751 Kelly Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. www.kellystreetgallery.com

Real Estate Photography

2010-04-12T22:26:00.000-07:00

After I bought my first house, my Coldwell Banker Realtor suggested I start working with her to photograph her listings and assist her in marketing the properties. This partnership developed over the course of several years and I quickly began landing new assignments from other Realtors.

I am working currently on assignment with Alain Pinel Realty and have been photographing some beautiful Coastside properties in El Granada, Miramar and Moss Beach (San Mateo County, California).
Photographing a house always has its set of challenges whether it be how to capture a beautiful view, make the most of modest architecture, or showcase a narrow space. There are lots of tricks to making a room look attractive.

Using natural light to "warm" the room, showing vaulted ceilings or beautiful flooring to convey the breadth of space, or simply including the color of a flower arrangement can really add to an image.
One property has especially grabbed my attention as it is built directly on the breakwater at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The back patio is suspended 150 feet above the rocky beach below and is complete with its own stairway access. It's a remarkable property and one of the many reasons I enjoy these assignments so much.

Exhibitions through November 2009

2009-11-12T21:35:00.000-08:00

Two venues in downtown Half Moon Bay, California are currently showing my work.

Cottage Industries is a high-end home furnishing store with beautiful merchandise. They are showing two of my fine art giclées in their store through the first week of December.

Backbone Trail and Rainbow over Moss Beach will be on display near the register desk.

Stop by and take a look next time you're in town. Cottage Industries is located at 621 Main Street in Half Moon Bay. Open daily 10 - 5pm. Closed Tuesdays. Map

Studio 4 Pilates is hosting their 4th Annual Holiday Art Fair in Half Moon Bay, CA on Sunday, November 29th. The fair will be from 11am - 6pm. I'll be showing original fine art giclées from my show, Quiet California.

The studio is located at 213 San Mateo Road in Half Moon Bay at the corner of Main Street and Highway 92, tucked behind the Chamber of Commerce and La Bamba Restaurant. Hope to see you there! Map

(Follow up note: I had my baby at 7:47am on Nov. 29th and missed this show. If you came to see my work and wondered why I wasn't there, it's because my daughter Kathryn decided to arrive four weeks early! I hope to participate next year).

Portraits & Architecture

2009-10-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of creating a holiday portrait for a lovely family at their newly built "green" home near Half Moon Bay.

The couple had designed and built the house to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient using some of the very latest technology. It's not only efficient, it is architecturally stunning, and the couple wished to showcase the home as the backdrop to their holiday card.

Of course, we did some traditional portraits, too!

Creative Direction: Photographing Mixed Media

2009-10-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Tracy Watson is a mixed media artist who specializes in creating beautiful little houses using vintage materials. I recently had the opportunity to photograph her work and spend the afternoon in her studio.

This was a great opportunity to use my creative direction experience - creating the vision for the product and staging the work.

Watson uses fabrics, imagery, jewelry, beads and all kinds of lovely items in her work. She has a great eye for composition and color and the little houses turn out to be a very detailed works of art.

Her studio makes a personal statement with bright sunlight and supplies arranged artistically and accessibly. Each house ranges from approximately 6" to 14" tall. They are perched on shelves or standing on colored glass cake plates and pastry stands.

My first visit to the studio was intended to see the artwork itself and determine what type of photography options I'd have. I was thrilled to see stacks of vintage fabric, neatly displayed wooden spools of thread, quilted stocking boxes containing assorted costume jewelry, and apothecary jars of pretty ribbon. Being able to study her workspace gave me wonderful ideas on how to stage the houses in a manner that suited Watson's work style and artistic vision.

We worked very simply as there were nearly thirty houses to photograph. Using a small table and dresser underneath the window, we draped fabrics as backdrops and used them as table coverings. I placed various notions near the houses that complemented the color scheme and used a short focal range to create emphasis on the details.

Hydrangeas from Watson's garden provided complementing color and brought the houses to life.

The resulting collection of images turned out beautifully - magazine ready for submitting her work to the trade publications.

To view more images from the photoshoot, visit:
http://lauritzenphotography.com/watson/

Ray at Night Artist Reception!

2009-08-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

The Ray at Night Artist Reception and Gallery Walk was a huge success with approx. 1,000 visitors coming through to see my show.
It was a great thrill to see the Gallery packed with people and hear their feedback and comments.

Family and friends came by and I met many new faces. I was thrilled to sell several pieces on the spot that night!

The gallery owners at OBR were wonderful hosts and it was a privilege to show my work in their space.

Thanks to everyone for your support and for the wonderful turnout. Images are still available for sale and viewable in person at OBR Architecture through Sept. 8, 2009. The address is 3805 Ray Street, San Diego, CA 92104. Images can also be seen online at: http://lauritzenphotography.com/rayatnight

Pictured below with me is one of the firm's partners, Anney Rosenthal.

"Quiet California" Artists Reception hosted on Saturday, August 8th, 2009

2009-07-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

My first solo photography exhibition is just a few weeks away! I hope you will join me for the Artists Reception on August 8, 2009 from 6pm – 10pm at OBR Architecture in San Diego. The show will be on display through August 31, 2009.

"Quiet California" is the title of the collection which features images of landscapes, plants and animals photographed at State Parks, Reserves and other rural locations in California. The images are printed as Giclées on canvas and fine art watercolor papers.

A preview of the collection is available online at: http://lauritzenphotography.com/rayatnight/.

Ray at Night is a free gallery walk in North Park and the largest art walk in San Diego. Lauritzen’s photography collection, “Quiet California,” will be showcased at OBR Architecture, located at 3805 Ray Street, San Diego, CA 92104.

Photo Transfer & Fabric Scrapbooking

2009-04-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

A very special little boy in my life recently celebrated his first birthday and I wanted to give him a gift that he could both enjoy now, and later, as a memorable keepsake.

I came across an article on how to transfer photos to fabric to create a scrapbook and decided to customize the project to make it meaningful to my little friend, the birthday boy.

Materials:
I purchased felt in chocolate brown, moss green and tan and then selected coordinating fabric swatches in patterns such as leopard print and sunflowers.

Rick rack borders and frames the opening and closing images and iron-on embellishments decorate the pages that show his immediate family.

Photo selection:
I used both photos that I had taken as well as photos that I downloaded from his mom's photo sharing sites. This kept the gift a surprise.

Photo transfer:
Ink-jet fabric sheets can be used to print the photographs from your home computer. The words I chose, e.g., "laughter" were printed on the fabric in the same way. I used June Tailor Sew-In Inkjet Fabric Sheets and they turned out beautifully.

I laid out the pages on the floor to rearrange and order them, then took a digital image of each page with my camera for reference when I began to sew it together. The digital images were valuable in helping me keep the order when I sewed with tired eyes late at night!

Stitching:
This was my first attempt at sewing in many years, so I kept it simple, but I especially liked how the double stitching with contrasting thread gave the book a shabby chic look.

Binding:
Grommets and a grommet setting tool create the binding (truthfully, my father-in-law did this for me) but you could also use ribbon, eyelets, or stitching. The advantage of the binder rings is that pages can be added, should there be another addition to the family.

The result:
The birthday boy loved his book! And I especially enjoyed seeing him point to the familiar faces, especially since we all live a distance apart.

This fabric photo book is a touch-friendly, personal keepsake for him to get to know (and later, remember) his close family at such a young age. I was so pleased with the book that I plan to make another one.

Credits: This project was inspired by Donna Downey's article at creatingkeepsakes.com. She has a fabulous website, complete with projects, at donnadowney.com.

Presenting Mixed Media

2009-04-20T22:15:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I attended a collage composition class taught by a talented local artist, Connie Andrews. My goal was to learn more about the myriad materials available to paint photographs and discover some basic principles about collage.

The artwork that I produced in class is shown here, although I didn't feel that it was truly finished, so I kept working on it when I got home.

If you have read my writing blog, you'll know that I am an admirer of impressionistic painting and I've written an article about the Spanish painter, Joaquin Sorolla. I love his use of light on water and the life it brings to an image.

When I took this photo, it reminded me of an impressionistic painting -- even through the viewfinder as I pressed the shutter button. I took a series of shots and I know they will materialize again in my portfolio.

Although the photo is in color, it actually appears to be a black and white image. So, I chose to embellish with bright and metallic acrylics. My compositional goal is to draw the eye to the figures in the water and follow the elements down to the left, then clockwise.

Using no less than ten different colors, I worked the paint to subtly follow the arc of the father's back and draw the eye down to the child and their feet in the water.

I love how the zigzag of light reflecting on the water follows the line of the child's hand.

The elements are collaged onto canvas board and include my original photograph; textured and tissue paper; paper napkin; stationery; map; paper daisy; and artists' paper.

I'll be producing more of these types of paintings to add a new dimension to my photographic work. I welcome your feedback.

Ray at Night: August 2009 - Solo Exhibition

2009-03-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Save the date for the Artist's Reception on Saturday, August 8th. I'll be showing my work in OBR Architecture's fabulous gallery.

My collection will include heart-warming equestrian images from an evening photo essay at Malibu Riding and Tennis Club.

Ray at Night is San Diego's largest art walk attracting over 1,500 visitors. This is a thrilling opportunity for my first solo exhibition.

The barn at night is one of my most favorite places on earth. It is a scene of quiet and calm. The animals are ready to rest, warm and safe in their stalls. If you appreciate animals, you'll understand what I mean when it's a special time to be in their space as they get ready to lie down and go to sleep.

I studied dressage under Cheryl Wyllie in 2002, riding their fine Arabian horses. During that time, I befriended her father, Jim Wyllie. I spent time photographing the horses that I had grown to care about and generally following Jim around as he did his nightly chores. There is something comforting and soothing about observing a man care for his resting animals. Jim is a sort of tough gentleman from another generation. His thick weathered hands are a story in themselves.

Jim has a legendary history with horses that spans over 50 years. He is approaching his retirement at 90 years old and I plan to donate a portion of my proceeds from this show to benefit Jim's foundation, the Equestrian Education Foundation.

I hope you will join me for the Artist's Reception in San Diego and come out to support a wonderful cause. Hope to see you!

Full Rainbow Over Moss Beach - Publication

2009-03-30T12:29:00.001-07:00

This was the third full rainbow I had seen from my house in the past few months. Strangely, I had never even seen a full rainbow before. Truthfully, I wasn't even sure they existed. But, they do.

The first time I saw one, it appeared over Montara Mountain, but I had the wrong lens with me and couldn't capture the full rainbow. The second time, the rainbow was practically overhead and I had the wrong vantage point.

Miraculously, I knew I had been given another chance to take this photograph, so I ran out the door, with the right equipment in hand, wearing my pajamas and a parka! I ran up and down several blocks in my garden shoes and shot 48 frames in the 30 minutes I had to get the right shot.

The most remarkable part of this breathtaking sight was that the rainbow was marching towards me. The left end of the rainbow appeared to be on the horizon when I began photographing around 6:50am.

As the winds blew and the rain started up again, it slowly moved closer. The rainbow pulsed, too -- at times sections were brighter or dimmer, incomplete and complete again. It was just offshore in the surf at 7:10am.

Once again, I was under the rainbow. Pretty spectacular.

The Half Moon Bay Review ran the image on their front page,
Full Rainbow Over Moss Beach

Coastal Arts League Show - Group Exhibition

2009-03-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Coastal Arts League Museum selected one of my images for their 23rd Annual Juried Show in Half Moon Bay. Morning Surf, Waddell Beach, was shown in December 2007 (center, above).

I love this image for how the lines of the board synchronize with the waves on the beach. It seems poetic to me as he walks into the water. The movement of the water from his foot propels the action. I get the sense that this photo is in motion. The morning light on the Pacific provides a great backdrop for the silhouette.

The surfer is my husband, Dean. Our daughter was born nine days after the show's opening! I like to think this show was a family affair.

The show's opening and artist's reception.

And so it goes...

2009-03-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

After 14 years in the fast-paced world of advertising, I found myself wondering what it would be like if my cat, Dakota, was my only coworker. You can probably imagine the reasons why I started to ponder this.

Working from my home office afforded me the chance to see what it would be like to work alone. Well, not really alone. Dakota was always there to keep me company. She's adept at finding the warmest and sunniest window to sit next to and invite me to join her. Sort of like a coffee break but not nearly as acidic.

I found that when I did sit with her (actually, she mostly sat with me) my work was more productive. I can recall my boss asking me why I wasn't panicking over a perfectly panickable crisis. Dakota wasn't panicking. In fact, I think she was sleeping. I thought, hmmm, she might be on to something.

Not that I'm lazy, don't get me wrong.

Three years in the planning, I got my game together, resigned, and started two companies (and bought my dream house and had a baby). It's worth noting that I really enjoyed my career, but found it demanding and not particularly family-friendly.

I still keep my pieces of crystal and fancy awards in my living room, polished and presentable. I'm very proud of my career as an employee, but felt I needed to explore what it would be like to be my own employer.

Dakota is my counselor, mentor and guide to all things zen and catlike (isn't that really the same thing?) My father is an entrepreneur and he told me once long ago that I'd never be happy if I weren't working for myself. And, whenever I had a trying week, that's all I could think about.

So, what do I do now? I manage my own advertising consulting business to keep my skills current and sharp and take freelance work as my schedule permits. I also work as a photographer and writer to exercise my creativity. I loved spending time with the creatives in advertising and many are still close friends. Thankfully, most were generous in their work to allow me to contribute, edit, rewrite and submit my ideas. I think that is why I found my work so rewarding. I needed that creative outlet.

And now I have that outlet full force. And it's great. Three years have passed since I've been working for myself and it's been one learning experience after the next. I have accomplished a lot and things are rolling. I have exciting news to share regarding recognition for my work and upcoming gallery shows -- be sure to check out my upcoming posts.

And, so it goes....