Alexis Masino: Los Detalles

 
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Photography and Text by Alexis Masino, Copyright 2017

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LOS DETALLES

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Before this trip, I had never been outside the (continental) United States. Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., but it’s an entirely unique place on its own. There are stark differences between my city of residence and this island, but the contrasts lie primarily in the small details. Stepping off the plane, I was immediately overcome by the humidity (having left Philadelphia in the snow, my body was not quite prepared for such a change). The chatter of the people around was in Spanish, as were the signs and advertisements. Since there is a law against Ubers at the airport to protect the jobs of taxis we took a cab to our AirBnB, communicating directions with rough Spanish. When we arrived in Old San Juan it was dark, so there wasn’t much to be seen except the tight alleys and cobblestone roads. Several steep upward staircases later, I was in a beautifully modern yet antique home full of colors and open space.

The next morning, I was surprised by the views brought by the sunlight. From the balcony in the front of the house, I could see all the colors of the surrounding buildings and the bustle of people down on the streets. Never have I experienced a place with so much vibrancy and life, especially from the architecture but also from the people, even on a rainy day. From the back balcony, I could see a vast expanse of homes and shops, as well as one of the famous castles in the distance. There was always a constant chatter and buzz of people, no matter how early or how late at night, as well as a consistent hum of lively spanish music in the distance. I took an interest not only in the people, the architecture, and the buzz of life, but also in the lot of stray dogs and cats across the island.

This first day was spent exploring the city and local restaurants. I took a particular interest in the vendors and the native people. Living and working in a place heavily concentrated with and reliant on tourism, they are versed in interacting with people. A particular vendor noticed me taking a photo on the street and decided to pose with his hand under his chin, unknowingly perfecting the photo with his joke. Another vendor makes an appearance in the right corner of a photo, arms crossed with a serious gaze. In yet another photo, an ice cream vendor scoops sorbet into a cup for my friend.

At Condado Beach, the water is impossibly clear and the sand is warm but not sticky, a perfect place to take in the beauty of it all. My favorite photo here, again, is of a vendor pulling his cart across the length of the shore, tempting the patrons with ice cream. The next day, I hiked the El Yunque rainforest. It was cold and rained constantly (I ended up with the flu) so there are not many photos I particularly enjoy from this adventure. However, there is one inside the tower showing the view from three similar windows which I feel captures my entire experience in its simplicity.

Over the next few days, I visited two castles: Castillo de San Cristobal and Castillo San Felipe Del Morro. Again, I was captivated more by the simplistic details than anything: the colors, the patterns, the symmetry. I visited one on a rainy day and the other on a beautifully sunny day, which made for an even more stark contrast between the two and the ways in which they are portrayed in my photos. As the plane took off to head back to Philadelphia around sunset, the clouds lit up and the moon appeared above the wing of the plane as if to remind me that I was leaving the beautiful sunshine and vibrancy, allowing me to take it all in one last time.

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About The Author: Alexis Masino is a freshman enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2020.  To access additional articles by Alexis Masino, go herehttps://tonywardstudio.com/blog/alexis-masino-drugs/

 

Linda Ruan: Light, Shadow and Mood

Photography and Text by Linda Ruan, Copyright 2017

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LIGHT, SHADOW AND MOOD

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I have always loved chasing after and playing with light and shadow. In my opinion, when there is light, there is a higher chance to yield a good picture. Thus, I choose to use light and shadow as my theme for this recent series of pictures.

Instead of shooting a series of new photographs for the project, I used and selected most of the photographs that I previously captured but never had a chance to edit and put them together to turn them into a cohesive series.

This series of photographs consists of portraiture and interior space. The majority of the photographs were taken during travel. Yet, since I do not like taking so called “tourist pictures”, it is hard to tell the location of the photos. There are more things to pay attention to besides sightseeing while traveling to a new place. Also, capturing and emphasizing a person’s feature of just the face is not my aim. A silhouette of an unknown person and a contour of a friend’s face and body arouse more interests in me. Rarely do I brighten and focus on a person’s facial detail. I do not want people to see and judge how the people that I photograph actually look; I do not want them to pay attention to superficial beauty because the application of makeup on a face can make one pretty enough in front of a camera. Yet, it would then be a pretension of beauty.

There are various ways to define beauty. My definition is mood. Beauty is mood. I want my work to evoke a sensation, an emotion. Letting people have their own reflections and form their own stories when looking at my photographs is my goal.

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About The Author: Linda Ruan is a sophomore with Painting and Art History concentration at Bryn Mawr College.  To access additional articles by Linda Ruan, go herehttps://tonywardstudio.com/blog/linda-ruan-photographs-abstraction/

 

Sidnie Burton: Breaking All the Rules

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Model: Sidnie Burton

Photography by Tony Ward, Copyright 2017.

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Text by Sidnie Burton

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BREAKING ALL THE RULES

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Some say as you get older you should “act your age”…..dress your age, (age appropriate, etc.)  I’m a model, and in this “young” industry it can be hard to carve out a niche for yourself.  Sure their are age appropriate commercial print and catalog.  But what about fashion, lingerie and swimsuit modeling.  Something not too long ago was….should I say…Taboo!   Telling a particular client my age could be my undoing.  Even though I and others can still pull it off.  Shooting with Tony Ward has taught me a lot about “age appropriate”.  even a lot about myself.  And like Tony said “today’s older women are sexier and in better shape than some women half their age”.  Shooting on the beach of Atlantic City was exhilarating.  And in this particular case….swimsuit modeling,  was “breaking the rules” and stereotypes.  I for one praise the rule breakers in this competitive profession.  And plan to be that rule breaker myself.  If rules were never broken, and stereotypes kept ongoing in their dark place,  instead of being seen as an ancient closed minded way of thinking.  This shoot would, or could never have happened.  I hope to inspire and be testament to women of my age group to never give up on “Sexy”.   So here is to all the rule breakers, trailblazers, and to the photographers with the foresight to set that ball in motion.  Salute!

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Credits:

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Model: Sidnie Burton

Agency: Main Line Models & Talent

Bathing Suits: Victoria’s Secret

Jewelry: Betsy Johnson

Sandals: BCBG

Hats: Sun and Sand Headwear, Nine West

Location: Margate, New Jersey