The death of DADA - The birth of MAMA

Dan Yopack stood the Madison art scene on it's head by declaring "The death of dada and the birth of mama" at the launch of his Williamson Street gallery/artists co-operative, Gallery 853, in 1974. The gallery quickly became the center of focus for the lively Near Eastside arts community. Art shows, happenings, theatre, music, whatever. Notable Madison artists like photographers Kathy Agard (Cate Loughran),  Janica Yoder, and Phyllis Galembo; printmaker Bob Danner, poets Don Hilgenberg, Michael Bonesteel, Michael Martens, Patty Covina, David Bicknase, and Hannibal Plath; artist/musicians Peter Berryman and the Amazement Company (Dennis Coleman, Cele Wolff, and Ray Ray), theater director/playwright Joel Gershman; and multi-dimensional artist Sharon Kilfoy were earlier members of Gallery 853, along with a whole lot of other very talented artists and musicians. Oh, and Dan's good old dog Sam, who'd take his leash in his mouth and take himself for a walk. One art 'incident' I recall with great fondeness is the tossing of the tv into the Yahara river by Don Hilgenberg. It symbolized something, but I can't quite remember ...

It's many years and a lot of art later and Dan Yopack is back in Madison for a brief visit. Dan lives in Santa Fe now and works has a stone carver and shamman. Michael Bonesteel, Chicago art critic and former Gallery 853 poet/artist, drove up from Chicago to see Dan. I took the group picture at Bon Apetite, not too far up the street from the old Gallery 853 spot (now Survival Graphics). In it are Dan Yopack, Cate Loughran, John Martens, Sharon Kilfoy, Gary Tippler, Jeannie Cardenas and Michael Bonesteel.

                                                                                                             

Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

Chicago is My Kind of Town

I love Chicago. Lived there when I was a kid. There's no other city like the City of Big Shoulders, the Windy City, yep, my kind of town. Drove down from Madison to Chicago Friday night and stayed with an old acquaintance from the 70's Madison art scene, Michael Bonesteel. Michael is a Chicago based art critic, writer and teacher. And the the occupant of a very cool pad on Chicago's northside. I slid into town a little later than planned on and caught Michael as he was heading out, drum under arm, to meet up with his men's drumming group. So what do you do for six hours at a men's drumming group anyway? Wouldn't be surprised if part of the goings on included smoking fine cigars, one of Michael's (and his girlfriend's) little pleasures.

I headed out to explore my and my assistant's old neighborhoods after Michael left. My assistant, Jen, mostly plays bass in my band Kronic Jones, but I thought it would be worthwhile to bring her along to help with equipment on this very special wedding in Chicago. So the two us cruised Chi-town, looking at the old neighborhoods. Jen seemed surprised and a little saddened by all the changes that had come about since she and her friend Russell Thorne had left Chicago for Madison to be near the Buddhist temple in Deer Park. Russell is a jazz alumnus of the downtown Chicago music scene, and one of those spiritual seeker types you find hanging out in esoteric book stores and antiquity shops. Anyway, yes, things sure have changed. My old neighborhood was near Clark and Wells, now Old Towne. Neighborhood used to be just run down old town.

After cruising for awhile Jen decided we should get something to eat, and she knew where; Sultans Market in Wicker Park. Jen thought it was on the southside. So we're cruising the 2000 block of N. Clark St and Jen call's her friend and co-musicial conspirator Madison jazz icon Joanne Powers for directions and Joanne tells her it's located on N. Clark. A magical moment! The restaurant is right across the street from us on the left just as Joanne tells us it's location. Would have been more magical if it was still open for business after 10pm on a Friday night. But we managed to each get a closing time falafel. Very nice. But the spinach cheese pie, unattainable as it was, called to me. Like eat me, yum yum.

Later got to have a nice visit with Michael back at his place before we crashed for the night. And the next day it was off to the 4th Presbytarian Church off of Michigan Avenue. Beautiful ol world church in the heart of the city. The big wedding day arrived at 11:00 pm for the photographer, his assistant, and the wedding party. And what a wedding day it was. Beautiful blue skies and a drop dead gorgeous bride and groom; Lindsey Voitlander and Dr. Brian Stubitsch. Yep, she's a nurse and they met on the job. Brian's from Chicago, and Lindsey is a die hard Bears fan, so the Windy City was the had to be location for their wedding day.

After the ceremony we spent several hours driving around getting snaps in front of Soldiers Field, down by Lake Michigan, on a bridge, etc. Lot's of great cityscape backgrounds everywhere you turned.

Reception was at the Holiday Inn Marc Plaza, right down town, on the 15th floor with a terrific view of the city all around. The usual fun was had by all, but Lindsey threw in a special twist. Her garter bore the Chicago Bears logo. Touch down!

Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

The CPAs and the time tunnel

The Wisconsin Institute of CPAs met last night at the Milwaukee Public Museum, one of the largest public museums in the country. The place is an incredible archeological time tunnel into

the past. The get together was on the first floor, with dinner in the Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village area of the museum. The event was first class all the way, thanks to event planner Victoria's (WICPA) exquisite attention to detail. The tables were elegantly set and the food was superb. It was a fun shoot with a fun group of folks. Thanks to Maria for suggesting to the WICPA the museum as a location, and to Sherry Albrecht for her charming company at dinner.

I shot the event handheld using a Nikon D200 w/18-200 VR lens. Many of the shots were done by available light with the camera set to P (program - I use this setting most of the time) and auto white balanced. I also used a Nikon SB800 speedflash for fill on some of the coule and group shots. Post production was through Adobe Lightroom for color and exposure etc.

About the Milwaukee Public Museum:

"From its modest beginnings in 1882, the Milwaukee Public Museum currently houses over 6 million specimens. Permanent exhibits are contained in three and a half floors of exhibit area, with additional space for traveling and temporary exhibits. Tour the Museum's 150,000 square feet of exhibit space to visit Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arctic, South and Middle America, the Pacific Islands and a Costa Rican Rainforest.

Take a small step back in time to the turn-of-the-century Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village and to ancient Mediterranean civilizations. Or, take a giant leap back more than 65 million years to The Third Planet, see the world's largest-known dinosaur skull and a life-sized replica of Tyrannosaurus rex. Stroll amid free-flying butterflies from around the world in The Puelicher Butterfly Wing."

Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

Today is my grandson's 3rd birthday

My grandson Austyn turns 3 today. He's down in West Palm Beach & I'm here in Wisconsin shooting a gig at the Milwaukee Museum tomorrow. I can't be with him, but I'll be wishing him a fun filled birthday all day long. Isn't he the cutest grandkid ever! I shot this natural light photo last Fall in Wisconsin Dells. NikonD200 w/ 18-200 VR lens. Image modified in Photoshop.



Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

The Wedding Fruitcake

Christines grandmother made this fruitcake in 2002 and put it in the freezer, waiting for the day Chrisitine would get married. The day arrived on May 2nd, and the fruitcake came out of the freezer. I've seen a lot of interesting wedding cakes, but this was probably the most unsual. Christine and Jason said it tasted great, and I bet it did (grandma said she used a lot of rum and brandy in the fixings). Each of the tables at Nakoma Country Club was also graced with a jar of home made jam with a cute heart shaped label that read "Spread the Love".


Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

The bride sold me her 350Z

Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

Goofy Groom

Danny Coyle with his mom and soon to be mother-in-law at the head of the aisle. He made ok, and I got this nice photo of Danny & Maureen with their wedding party outside the church on the way to the reception ...





Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

The Bride Sold Me Her Car

Just back last week from shooting Katie & Cory's wedding in Boyington Beach, Florida. It was a great wedding and a lot of fun to shoot. The weather on the wedding day was a little cool for an out of doors ceremony, but the locals referred to it as free air conditioning. We did the formals at the beach front Ritz Carlton before the ceremony, and then on to the very elegant Buenvenuto for the ceremony and reception. Great party. I stayed until 1:30 and followed the bride and groom to their home for an after the wedding party. Those Floridians sure have fun. And the bride sold me her 2003 Nissan 350Z sports car for a steal. What a fun drive home!

Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/

A Bride's Secret to Great Wedding Photography

1. Look at each other

Please remember you are marrying each other not the minister or the registrar. I took ten years out of professional photography to become a BAptists Minister and I want to assure you its okay to face one another. You have spent a small fortune on wedding photography, but at the crucial moment all that anyone sees in your backs - talk to whoever is doing the wedding and TELL them you want to look at each other.

2. Do, do crazy things on the day

Please do act on the spur of the moment. Spontaneous things can work really great on wedding photographs and a good photographer will lap it up.

3. Colour or Black and White ?

Some will say what goes around comes around. But the reality is that black and white and colour photography are very different. Black and white is much more atmospheric and dramatic. Look at samples of photography because colour photographs should be either subtle or vibrant never wishy washy. Make sure you get both in your album. Ask what the mix will be, i usually do 70% black and white for intimate shots and 70% colour for group shots. Ask the photographer which they prefer and why.

4. Do it for real NOT mock

Beware the part-time wedding photographer who will want to do MOCK cake cutting and MOCK first dance so they can get away. Don't accept MOCK anything. If your photographer is not there when you actually cut the cake, then they've missed the speeches, and the meal and that special moment, and the... You want your photographer by your side all day.

5. Can you trust your photographer?

Trust is important. You have to feel you can trust your photographer, after all they will see you all made up and completely un-made. You have to feel you can trust your photographer so when they ask you to do something or pose in a particular way, its going to make a great photograph.

6. Style and approach

A photographer can't be all things to all people. Ask what their photographic philosophy is - reportage, traditional, journalism. Does their approach agree with yours?

7. Listening

The first time you meet your photographer, check whether you feel they listened to you. At the end of the day you want to open your album and get the wow factor, that happens when the photographer gives you something of what you are expecting, with things your were never expecting.

8. Flexibility

"Customer is King" is a true saying, or in this case " Queen" and being flexible is essential. I guess all wedding photographers go through the "Packages" stage in their career, I know I did. Here my package, take it or leave it. One thing to know about your wedding is that its UNIQUE. Therefore, you need a photographer who appreciates your uniqueness. If a photographer is not flexible to your desires before your wedding day, they will be even less flexible on your day.

9. To be seen or not to be seen

There's a big difference between being seen and being noticed. Its your day so do you really want a photographer taking over? - And it happens in so many ways - from telling the couple what to do - to making everyone wait for their meal. I've even known a photographer stop the ceremony because he missed a shot. Remember its your day and your photographer is there to guide you NOT dictate to you. However the thing that annoys me most is the photographer with the big flashgun. With the right investment in high speed lenses and a proper understanding of exposure 95% of photography can and should be taken with available light. In the last 12 months i've only used flash once.

10. Know what's going to happen in case of bad weather

You can never guarantee the weather. When the sun is out photography is easier because there are usually lots of places to go with the bridal party to get great photographs. But when its raining its a different story. Space is usually limited and locations likewise. Without exception I always checkout the wedding and reception venues if i've never photographed there before. Because I try to use only available light I need to see where the light is good - but I also check out where we can photograph on a rainy day.


Madison WI photographer Terry Talbot

http://www.talbotphoto.com/