Just a hunk of burning love (for the king of rock’n'roll)
Graceland feels like a humble home compared to the homes of modern rock stars and music moguls we see on MTV’s House of Style. Three stories high, the rooms on the first floor feel normal in size (albeit there are 23 rooms in total) and the furniture is modest, even a little small for today’s standards. Don’t let this fool you though. As soon as I walk down the mirrored steps the basement, things get very… lively with the decor. The floor, walls, and ceiling of Jungle Room are covered in green shag and adorned with army camouflage curtains, perhaps a nod to Elvis’s military history. The TV room, paneled entirely with mirrors feels very 1960s mod and ‘Vegas’-ish. As an asthmatic, I held my breath while walking through the billiards room which is covered completely with fabric pleating. Lots of dust, to say the least, but it’s hard not to have a very clear sense of Elvis Presley’s quirky, eclectic and bold tastes.
The house is really cool, but I have to say that the real treat for me was the people watching. There must have been at least a hundred people wandering through Graceland in the two hours I was there (Wikipedia says around 600,000 people visit each year). What really strikes me is that these folks have made the effort to get themselves to Memphis to visit Graceland. They get to feel the physical presence of the home, view the textures of that crazy green shag, look up close on those bejeweled jumpsuits and see their breath fog up the glass of the framed gold records.
There is truly a sense of reverence and awe by these visitors. Even 34 years after Elvis’ death, the management receive thousands of gifts and tributes each year from dedicated fans all over the world. Graceland is not just some two-dimensional image on a screen. It is a living, breathing shrine to one of the greatest rock stars in American history.
The Getty Villa
A couple of weekends ago I snuck over to Los Angeles, CA for a surprise visit with my sister. I had some time to kill before seeing her, and The Getty Villa was recommended as a gorgeous place to check out. I dropped off my bags and immediately went online to reserve my ticket (it’s free, but you do have to reserve tickets in advance). I had exactly 40 minutes to drive from one side of LA to the other. With just 5 minutes left to make it on time, I was gently informed by the parking attendant that the scheduling was “loose,” that the ticket reservation was mainly to track the number of visitors per day. Oh well. At least it was a gorgeous drive up the Pacific Coast Highway.
Tranquility and splendor are the two words that describe this place to me. The gentle murmuring of the water fountains is all you’ll hear at The Getty Villa. It is so relaxing, and a great place to chill. I was perfectly happy to sit in the warm sunshine and let the stress of traveling melt away. Batteries recharged, I ambled throughout the various rooms checking out ancient Greek art, including the towering marble columns, sleek sculptures and intricate jewelry. It never ceases to amaze me how these ancient cultures were able to create such advanced works with such ‘low tech’ devices.
Getty Villa - Los Angeles, CA
Sneak peek at this weekend’s wedding location
Mesa and Andy are getting hitched at the amazing River Road Unitarian Church this weekend. It has a bit of nostalgic meaning for them as Andy’s parents also got married there! Huge windows (yay natural light!), modernist architecture and warm wood paneling — absolutely divine! The reception will be at Brasserie Beck, which also has gorgeous architectural details.
She’s having a baby!
I’m so excited to share these because, as I type this, Jessica is in the hospital waiting to deliver her baby boy! Jess is one of my closest friends and a muse. Look at her — she’s gorgeous! For these photos, we used available light and a small desk lamp for a little fill and warmth. I’m so excited for her and her husband to welcome their baby boy into this world in just a few hours!
My early explorations in photography
I recently emailed Mr G., my 10th and 11th grade photographer teacher at International School Bangkok, to thank him for igniting the spark of my love for photography. He wrote back a lengthy email which included digital versions of prints I had made in the darkroom back in 1996 and 1997. This is one of the many, many reasons why photography teachers are awesome: they actually hold onto your work when you’ve swept them under the rug.
I’m amazed that he kept these. It feels really good to see them again.
“When I read your note last night, I began to think back to those far away years at ISB… and call up impressions of you in my class. I can remember being impressed by your dedication and passion for photography at your young age. You also made some very experimental images in the darkroom and on the computer. To hear that you have found a path to follow using your vision and skills is very gratifying… You have a lovely style, very sensitive to the light and the mood. I think when you see the attached you will see the connection between your early explorations and some of your personal images.“
Self portrait: Silver gelatin print, treated with bleach and sepia toner.
Polaroid Transfer. Phitsanulok, Thailand, 1997.
Pressed — a short film about creative ruts.
This past weekend has been one of the most creatively stimulating and satisfying. Let me back up by admitting that I’ve been in a creative rut for a really long time. If anyone identifies with this, it is torturous. I’m not usually the most open person, but over the past week or so I’ve let people in because I needed the support and to know that I’m not the only one who goes through this.
Since Thursday, I’ve been shooting and editing a 5 minute piece through Bill Gentile’s Backpack Journalism Workshop. Bill is a former Newsweek photographer; covered the Sandinista conflicts in Nicaragua in the 80s; worked all over the globe. Essentially, he’s a total badass.
Serendipitously, I met artist Joren Lindholm on the first day of the workshop. He was getting ready to create a monotype print and graciously agreed to be filmed… for 4 hours. We talked about art, the DC art scene and found out we have friends in common. But what I really wanted to know was if he had ever been in a creative rut and how he worked through it.
And here it is, my interpretation of bringing oneself out of a creative downswing.
Filmed on a Canon 5D MkII on a 24-70mm lens, handheld.
Special thanks to Joren Lindholm, Bill Gentile and assistants Maria RM Howell, Kelly Donnellan and Nick Ray, and Pyramid Atlantic Art Center.
On aging and Tulum
These are from last year’s trip to Tulum, Mexico. My bestie and I had both turned 30, and this was our gift to ourselves. I turn 31 next week. I have to admit that I don’t take well to growing old (even though I’m fascinated by aging an seniors) and is probably the motivation behind unearthing these photos: to see my state of mind last May.
All images copyright Tara Kocourek.
old san juan, puerto rico
Old San Juan is absolutely gorgeous and a total sensory overload. Lingering memories: the tangy tartness of freshly squeezed orange juice washing down the sweet and greasy Mallorca breakfast sandwich, filled with egg, cheese and ham sandwich topped off with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Vowing not to eat again for two days and walk it off by exploring the small town. Feeling the centuries-old smooth cobblestones underfoot, running your hands along the rough concrete walls that circle the city. Paint peeling off historic buildings, the glare of the sunlight and the dancing shadows. Watching the sunset at El Morro with dozens of other couples. Breaking that vow and indulging in limey ceviche, followed by a shot (or three) of Barillito at Cafe Nuyorrican. And repeat. All with the ever presence of religious iconography.
camera bags – an addiction
I have a serious problem when it comes to bags. I’m addicted. A few years ago, my fiance wagered that I couldn’t refrain from buying a bag for 5 years. I actually made it through 3, and then caved in.
Camera bags aren’t exempt. I’m pretty short and am always on the hunt for a more ergonomic, convenient and utilitarian camera bag. As a frequent traveler, I don’t like to carry anything that screams out “camera inside!” I always tape over any branding on my camera body, lenses, and accessories, and I remove or cover the labels on the camera bag.
For the most part, I use Domke F-3X Super Compact RuggedWear Shoulder Bag. It’s compact, easy to carry on one shoulder, and it is brown-waxed canvas, rather than the traditional black. I’ve even sewn fabric over the labels on the side flaps to make it a little more inconspicuous. Domke also sells a padded strap that is absolutely worth the $13 investment.
As much as I love my Domke, it’s not convenient to carry when shooting events. I recently invested in the Shootsac Lens Bag. I plan to test it out at tomorrow’s wedding shoot and will post my review as soon as I do. Some thoughts behind the purchase: it is worn across the body and is slim and not bulky. Not only does it feature pouches for my lenses and/or flash, I can also store extra batteries, CF cards, phone, contracts, business cards, and pens – things that don’t fit into my pockets.
I also have the ThinkTank Airport Antidote, which I had purchased for a documentary shoot in rural Honduras. While it’s a sturdy bag and serves nicely as a footrest in the airplane, for a person of my size and height it’s terribly cumbersome and heavy. So, I use it to store my dSLR and medium format cameras and accessories at home. (Note – the link takes you to the newer model of this bag).
My dream bag is the Billingham, the Hermes of all camera bags. I learned about this stunning bag during a National Geographic travel photography seminar with Bob Richardson and have coveted it ever since. The khaki canvas and cognac colored leather makes me daydream about explorers from the Royal Geographical Society, and quite simply, it looks badass. One day, it will be mine.
If you think I’m nuts about bags, check out this video of David Alan Harvey. He is way worse than me.
Images from left to right: Domke, Shootsac, ThinkTank, Billingham.
impromptu headshot session
My co-worker, Jacques, spontaneously asked me to make some quick headshots to submit to A/V Technology Magazine. We set up the shoot at American University School of Communications‘ Wechsler Theater, an appropriate location with theatre seating, projection booth in the background, and beautiful tall windows for natural lighting. I also used a classroom whiteboard (hey, gotta use what’s available) to fill just enough light to contour the right side of his face. Et voila.
