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.

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

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.

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.

All images copyright Tara Kocourek.

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.

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.