APRIL GALLERY NIGHT!

Its official. I am having a gallery showing!

Date:	Friday, April 16, 2010
Time:	6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:	Sparrow Collective
Street:	2224 South Kinnickinnic Avenue
City/Town:	Milwaukee, WI

Please come and enjoy the evening with some of closest friends and family. It should be a great time.

Brew City Diamond Line / The Pouch

I recently did some catalog photos for Brew City's Pouch and Diamond Line. It was a lot of fun and challenging.

Rest in Peace Studs Terkel

An idol of mine passed away on Friday. Studs Terkel died in his home at the age of 96. 

I had the awesome opportunity a couple years ago to photograph Studs Terkel. Unfortunately I was I a total rookie and I had no idea what the hell I was doing. In fact there is really only one usable shot from that session, and this isn't it. Regardless, I was sitting at table in Cafe Lulu in Milwaukee with Studs Terkel listening to him tell us a story right in front of me. His voice was cleaner in person that it was on the radio. He had a hard time hearing us, but that didn't seem to bother him all that much because he just went on and on about George W. Bush and his fabricated war. At one point he was so worked up that he stood up at the table and started ranting and raving about the blunders and mistakes made in that past few years.  It was brilliant and a moment in my life I will never ever forget. 

Here is a link to some of the usable shots in my gallery:

http://www.kevingroenphoto.com/gal/260103_StudsTurkel

Photography and philosphy

If someone comes to me and asked me, "Explain your photography style, or show me an example of something you are most proud of." I would never say something like, "I am proud of it all, or I have a very unique style all of my own - check out my website you will see."

Its a very personal thing; being a photographer. You need to be one with the person you are shooting, no matter what. Even if you are taking a picture of piece of food you need to be one with it. This all sounds silly, but in reality its the truth.

I think each project I try is a challenge. I want to take it to a new level that I haven't tried or seen. Its curious being a photographer because no matter what, you mimic others work. You may not do it on purpose, but you do. This could mean shooting like my favorite TV show or looking at some of the great photographers of our time. No matter what you are influenced by something. However, my point is you biggest influence should be whats in front of you at the moment you are taking those photographs. This is part when you become less amature and more professional.

If you are still wondering what the answer to my original question is, "Whats my style?" I would say I am contemporary. I like big bright colors, and very dark black and whites. I like to make sure my subject is the main point but still worry about everything else around it. I like to see things in ways you don't see it.

For example, my most recent shot of Ryan Braun is a good example. I like this photograph because he doesn't look like he is playing a baseball game. He looks like he is bored, standing there chewing on his fingers. Someone who is such a large figure in the summer months seems so small and distant in that photograph. In a way, that shot to me puts the month of September for the Milwaukee Brewers in prospective.