Featured Photo of the Month

The Commentary

Hello Boys and Girls. It’s nice to be back here with you at Patrick Russell Photography. It’s been awhile since we’ve spoke, but let’s not focus on the negative because we have a few things to talk about plus a new Featured Photo of the Month! First things first, we have a new logo! The kind young lady at Indio Design needed some practice and I needed something amazing to define what is Patrick Russell Photography and she pulled it off amazingly. The logo was made using one of my photos of the Poster Children which you can find in the musicians section. You can view a nice larger version of the logo here. You like the logo? Send her an e-mail and let her know.

Secondly, there is very big news as I have ten photographs hanging as part of a group exhibit here in Portland! The project is titled The Modern Zoo and features over 100 Portland artists. My “show” is entitled “Stage To Still” and features ten concert photographs of people like Sara from Tegan and Sara, Eddie Vedder, Ryan Adams, David from Chamberlain and six others. If I told you who the others were would you go see the exhibit? At any rate, if you click here you can view a small map of the Zoo. I am sharing a space with Indio Design in room 72 which has handily been circled for you. The Zoo is located near the St. John’s Bridge in north Portland on 6635 N. Baltimore and is open Friday through Sunday noon to 8 p.m. from now until August 31st, but here is the good part! There is an opening for the show next Saturday July 12th from 6-11pm and you are invited! There are a couple reasons you should come to the opening: A). Great art and lots of it! B). you can some see some of the photos you love from the site in person. C). I will be in attendance and you can stop by and say hi and the best reason D). Sale on the photographs! If you come to the opening of the show, and mention that you came because of this Featured Photo invite, you’ll receive $25 off of one of the fine framed pieces. The photos will be on sale for $125, but you can get one for $100 if you come to the opening! So, come see some great art and say hi, and now on to this month’s Featured Photo.

As you know by now, I do work for a website called Portland Online Musicnet or POMN for short. POMN is run by Joni DeRouchie, and in addition to running POMN she is also a film writer and director. Joni’s first film The Frank Principle has been shown in Portland and in L.A and back in May she began to film her second film Unbidden. I had a chance to shoot the still photography of the film which is where this photo comes from. Since the photo is from Joni’s film I asked her to write a small commentary on the project for this month and here’s what she wrote:

"Unbidden" is the story of Alice, a young girl stricken with such a severe case of agoraphobia that she cannot even step out into the hallway of her apartment building. Her only glimpse beyond the confines of her apartment is the map of the world which hangs on her wall. When her lover can no longer take the pressure of caring for her and walks out the door, Alice is left alone, with only a candy bar and a pack of cigarettes to sustain her. As the days pass and her mind starts to go from sleep deprivation and hunger, Alice is forced to lure the next boy who passes by into her damaged and strangely erotic little world, and we learn that he is only the next in a line of several lovers that have passed through Alice's door.

Starring Emily Hayes, Michael Cook, and Josh Fuchs, "Unbidden" was filmed over one afternoon in May of 2003 at the new St. Francis Hotel in downtown Portland. Unfortunately, we suffered a series of electronics malfunctions that rendered the footage we shot that day unusable. But thankfully, Patrick was there to take the gorgeous stills you see here, capturing Emily's tortured beauty, and the tense exchange between her and Michael.

I look forward to shooting the film again (with better gear), and hopefully Patrick will be there with his camera... and hopefully he'll be there for all my future film projects.

Thanks, Patrick. You rock!

No Joni, You Rock, and that wraps up another fine Featured Photo of the Month here at Patrick Russell Photography. Remember, The Modern Zoo opens next Saturday July 12th from 6-11pm come say hi, and buy a photograph (Saying hi Optional). Also, if you’ve missed past Featured Photos visit the archive, and last but not least, sign the Guestbook!

Until Then,

Patrick