FaerieCon 2010 - Day 2

A convention day of rich beauty and frivolity while fairies shop and vendors clink their golden coins. And the art of Steampunk - Victorian steam age and modern fantasy technology blending in with the fantasy of faerie worlds.

What a fantastic event - good faeries, bad faeries, wizards, goblins, trolls, forest and woods people, Victorian and Elizabethans, steampunks and goths, just plain beautiful people, fashion, trinkets, music, and live bands made for a wondrous day. Here are a few photos from the day 2 convention and some from the evening's Bad Faeries Ball.

The Bad Faeries Ball was the Saturday evening event at Faeriecon when all the bad faeries came out to play and frolic and dance. Music of the evening was by Cecile Corbel from Brittany and her musicians and the band Faun from Germany. Some of the faeries hung outside and cast spells on each other. Others watched and listened to the bands while others danced to the spirit of the music.

I hope some of these images help convince you that the worlds of mythical creatures sometimes come to life in a big and beautiful way to share their world with us. Believe.

Entire Facebook albums of  FaerieCon Day 2  and The Bad Faeries Ball

Baltimore Diamond Dash - Smyth Jewelers & SCVNGR

I was the official photographer and event partner for the SCVNGR Smyth Jewelers Baltimore Diamond Dash scavenger hunt for the $20,000 diamond ring in the Inner Harbor on Sept 18. Weather was beautiful - sunny and pleasant. It was a workout for everybody. Sore feet - sore legs - but it was fun.

I just realized how much work it was for me and all the contestants to run from Power Plant Live, to all over the inner harbor and then across President St and part of Little Italy. The Annapolis Dash was in a nice and confined more relaxed area. This was crazy.

Here is a short Animoto Video put together by SCVNGR with my photos and here are some images on my Facebook Album for the event - more to come. 

Sunflower Fields

Kristie & I went to dinner at my son's Monday evening and stopped off and photographed the sunflower fields on Jarretsville Pike across the street from the Royal Farm store. Oceans of beautiful brilliant yellow sun flowers - hundreds of acres as far as the eye can see. Here's a few images with a bit of artistic freedom for a new look at the sunflower.

Evening Light

The Blaster

Sunbathing

Sunflowers at Rivers Edge (not really)

Sunflower Smiles

From a Hot Summer Afternoon on the River

Met up with a few other photographers at Patapsco State Park through Model Mayhem for a Meet & Greet Shoot Last Sunday. It was really really hot - about 100 degrees, so a few of us decided to go down to the river and cool off. Here's a few images. Full slide show is here

http://georgeskeptonphotography.com/portraits/Patapsco2010/

Danielle - Just Being Hot

Lori - A Bit Retro

Trai - Enjoying the Cool Water and Watching us Work

Danielle Cooling Down

Victoria & Nikki

From a portrait study photo session Tuesday morning with Nikki and her daughter Victoria at one of my many outdoor studios (my backyard). Victoria kept running all over the place; but we had fun.

Updated Website & Portrait Session

In the process of dating my website, making it simpler, cleaner and brighter.  Still have to add a few sections and modify the menu system. In the meantime  I added a bridal portrait session to the portrait page for my friend Reanna. The session was shot mostly in the studio with available light Here's a few images from the session and here's the link to a slide show of the session images

Wedding at the Maryland Faerie Festival

Some fantastic wedding photos from the Maryland Faerie Festival in Upper Marlboro last Saturday. The Green Men were parading through the festival announcing all were welcome to the wedding. I tagged along and took a lot of great candid pictures. Here's a few and there's more on one of my Facebook albums.

Instant Gratification - Gallery 788

Instant Gratification was a fantastic Baltimore Art Event - great fun - art - performers - great people. Hosted by Gallery 788 manager Erod Rodriquez. Gallery 788 is located at 788 Washington Blvd in Baltimore city. Organized and moderated by Philip Edward Laubner and Lauren Barnhart. 

What is it? It's experiencing yourself being transformed into art; it's unexpected ideas and visions; It tastes like you see it sounds and doesn't it feel so good?!  It's Alexa Grey, Robin Gunkel, Nancy Murray, Chandra Guglik, Jode Mode, Kim Jensen, Michael Monroe and friends sharing their words and ideas. It's the electronic soundscapes of DJ Introvert, the acoustics of Michael Monroe, the ambient jams of Tom Swiss a.k.a Tom Swift and the Electric Monk, the riveting L.I.E. (Lyrics Incarnate Evolving), or the harmonious voices of Silent Whys; It's the expressive body art of Patricia Tamariz and Toby Verhines; it's an interactive photo booth with an expanding canvas of images. It's Matt Muirhead and Crystal Dunn fixing your social ailments in exchange for....muhahahahah. All of this happens at the same event in a gallery displaying the work of amazing local artists. Here's a slideshow with music.   http://georgeskeptonphotography.com/gallery788mar2010/

 

ReAnna and Amanda

Sunday afternoon, I assisted Lauren Garczynski with her concept shoot in the studio. After Lauren's models dressed back into their street clothes, Lauren and I, Amanda  and ReAnna played with the ambient light in the studio. These are proofs - none of them have been photo-shopped - some Lightroom adjustments and cropping. 

Spaghetti Disco

Spaghetti Disco - What a strange name - but it was fantastic fun.

Kristie and I attended a wacky Charles Village neighborhood tradition, the Spaghetti Disco! - a fund raiser for  the Village Learning Place. It's a great annual party that brings together food, kids’ crafts and games, and great neighbors on a dance floor in St John's Church on St Paul Street in  Baltimore city. This was the first year Kristie and I attended and I'm sure we'll be back next year.

Here's a few images - full slide show with music at http://GeorgeSkepton.com/spagdisco2010

Corporate sponsors include SECU, M&T Bank, Barnes & Noble Johns Hopkins and PNC. Other community supporters: Donna's Coffee Bar & Restaurant, Eddie's Markets, Gertrude's Restaurant, The Wine Source, Woosley Farm, 32nd St Farmer's Market, Atwater's, Boheme Cafe, Broom's Bloom Dairy, The Brewer's Art, Carma Cafe, Fleur de Lis, Loane Brothers, Martin Farms, Union Memorial Hospital, Uptown Sounds

Kelly Pierce Memorial Award for Best Portrait of Child - 2010

I was honored to receive the prestigious Maryland PPA Annual Convention  "Kelly Pierce Memorial Award for Best Portrait of a Child - 2010" at the Maryland Professional Photographers Association awards banquet at Ruth Chris in Baltimore last Wednesday night. My winning photo was "Eyes of Innocence" and I would like to thank those who gave me motivational and artistic advice and the young lady who so graciously posed for this photo.

Kelly Pierce Memorial Award 

 Eyes of Innocence

Maryland PPA Blue Ribbin Winner

I submitted 4 prints into the annual Maryland Professional Photographers Association competition this year and won 4 awards - one Merit Award (blue ribbon) and 3 other awards. I'm motivated again. All prints are printed 16x20 on Kodak metallic paper and mounted on 3/16" black gator board.

After the competition judging, a few of the prints were critiqued and I now know how to make my images better yet for better presentation and higher scoring. Kristie and I will be attending the awards banquet at Ruth Chris's in Baltimore later this month.

 

Eyes of Innocence - Blue Ribbon Merit Award, Portrait Category

  

Serving Smiles - Red Corner Award of Quality, Commercial Category

Hot Wheel - Red Corner Award of Quality, Illustrative Category

 

Morning Elegance - White Corner Award of Achievement, Illustrative Category

Rock & Recovery Benefit for Haiti

I helped photograph a "Rock & Recovery Benefit for Haiti" event at Bourbon Street, Baltimore sponsored by the Capital Funding Group, CBS Radio, and MissionTix with photographers Trish Kirby, Marc Siegel, and Barry Page from Creative Exposures. Music by the bands Fiction20Down, Free Lobster Buffet, All Mighty Senators, and Jimmie's Chicken Shack. Great time by everybody. Here's a few pictures of my images - slide show of larger images and music at http://georgeskepton.com/rrbhaiti  The pictures are also on Facebook available for Friends and Friends of Friends  - feel free to tag them.