©2011 Kevin Llewellyn

Wonderland Gallery is a brand new venture by famed tattoo artist Kat Von D. Founded in 2010, Wonderland seeks to bring the art of outsiders, romantics and rebels to its West Hollywood locale. By mixing generations, time periods, fashion, and the rock world, we endeavor to create a new experience for the viewer. It is art you’ve never seen before that nevertheless has a familiar feeling to it. -Wonderland LA's Mission Statement.

Their current exhibition is "The Unsaid" featuring artist Kevin Llewellyn, you can find artist bio and gallery info here.

I love anything dark, mysterious, and from an outsiders perspective, so I'm planning on visiting Wonderland LA soon.

A portrait I took of Anthony back in 2009. I still like it.

This image is from a series I did in 2009 when I was studying experimental photography. The series was presented as an installation. The inst won 2nd place Alternative Proceses in 2010 LBCC Photofest. It's one of my favorite to date. It needed a shining moment on the blog.

Late last week I went to Revolver Magazine's kickoff concert for the Hell Hath No Fury Tour. There were 5 amazing bands that played, including In This Moment, and my new favorite band, Straight Line Stitch. All of the band are fronted by women, which is very inspiring. I went with one of my best friends, and we needed that jolt of electricity you get from being at a hard rock/heavy metal show. It just reminded me why I love that type of music. Naturally, I had to take some photos.

It's Easter, and tonight I was asked to retouch some images by a fellow photographer, Rachel Wright. I love pin up photography, so I was happy to do it. This is my favorite image I edited.

I recently did my very first album cover art; it was designed for an up and coming artist, Flash. it was inspired by Frank Miller's The Spirit. I really like the idea of incorporating text into just about any image. Also it allowed me to attempt to use Illustrator, which is another beast all together.

Portrait of a artist from Marina Del Rey, 2011

I recently got a holga lens for my Canon 7D. The lens is plastic just like the holga lens, its just modified to fit on a digital camera. People keep asking me why I would buy a expensive camera just to put a 20 dollar lens on it. To them I say because I can.

I am still in a tutorial mode from doing the workshop yesterday, So I will give a breakdown of how I created my surreal self portrait. I am not going to go into detail on how I edited the images in Photoshop, but more so on how I took each image for the composite.


The first thing I did was photograph the broken mannequin head. I originally had another type of table for the surface, but I'm glad I chose the wooden surface. It adds texture and like the mannequin and me-- it's not perfect.

The next step that I took was to photograph myself for the face of the mannequin. I had my assistant for that day help me with this step. The metal bar in the lower right of the image was a marker to help me know where to align my body so my face would match up with the mannequin head.I realized I had to take a second picture of myself to get my lips and the mannequins to match correctly. Since the first image was shot at a different angle, I couldn't use the lips from that portrait because the mannequins lips are laying against the table.

So I had to align my face at the same angle as the table. The bar to the right was my guide to where I should be so the lips would line up.

From there I took these three images and composted them to get the final image. Which I will repost down here to avoid scrolling all the way back up.

Photo © LaToya Tyson 2011

Today I did a workshop for Photofest @ LBCC and I featured a couple of videos explaining how layers work, and how actions work, and a demo of the high pass retouching method. So here are the links.

Creating Actions


How adjustment Layers/Layer Masks work


Digital Workshop PDF

Workshop Handout

PhotoFest
Schedule for Saturday, April 9
09:00 AM

Getting Started with Digital Retouching LaToya Tyson, photographer

Ms. Tyson will discuss advanced digital post-processing techniques for retouching portrait, fashion and beauty photography. Techniques will feature Photoshop CS5 software and are designed for photographers with a basic understanding of Photoshop.

LAC Campus, Art building, room K127 9:00am to Noon

Photo is courtesy of Katanaz stock, retouching by LTyson

I am very fortunate that I am being given the opportunity to share some of the things I have picked up along the way on my journey of becoming a photographer. I really just want to share what I know with others, hopefully it helps them too :) Also this workshop happens to fall on my birthday so I will be another year older; Wiser.... I'll have to let you know in 2012.

LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE PHOTOFEST 2011

eydie mcconnell, title #1-2010, ink on photocopy paper The Photography Program at Long Beach City College will be hosting their 4th annual PhotoFest@LBCC during the month of April, 2011. The theme for this year's festival is Photography Now, as we look at how photographers are blurring the boundaries between photography's various genres and techniques. The 4th Annual PhotoFest at Long Beach City College is expanding to become a citywide and month-long festival of free photography-related events and celebrations throughout the month of April. Our goal is to celebrate photography and it's impact on our world while providing opportunities for photographers to socialize and share their enthusiasm for photography. The main emphasis of the festival will be the workshops, demonstrations, art walks, exhibitions and seminars held throughout the month of April. These events are free, open to students and the general public as well, and are suitable for all levels of expertise. The festival will feature a Photography contest that is open to all LBCC students. Our opening event will be the April 1st ArtWalk at Bixby Knolls and our 2nd Saturday ArtWalk exhibition and reception will showcase work from the LBCC photography program as well as reveal the photography contest winners. Dates and Locations Festival Seminars will be held at multiple locations throughout Long Beach with a core group of events to be held at the Liberal Arts Campus at Long Beach City College. The campus is located at 4901 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, CA. Full details are on registration pages. All seminars are free but require registration. PACIFIC COAST CAMPUS 1305 East Pacific Coast Highway Long Beach, CA 90806 LIBERAL ARTS CAMPUS 4901 East Carson Street Long Beach, CA 90808 For more information please contact the LBCC Photo Department (562) 938-4001 or photofest@lbcc.edu

This picture of me was taken by one of my very best friends, Anthony Castro. It's his birthday today, so I just wanted to put up a pic that I like of me , but taken by him. He recently had a show, The Lure of the Local, and it was amazing. He is constantly pushing to top himself, and that is a quality that is very inspiring to me. You can check out his work here.

This image is an outtake from a shoot I worked on yesterday with LA RAWwater. I really liked the paring of these two models.

Event Description

"Toxic Footprints" by Denise Favre, Presented by Phantom Gallery Los Angeles/Long Beach.

Denise Favre presents a series of photographs called Toxic Footprints. For over three years she has taken images in and around the South Bay area of Southern California. These images show the massive toxic sites by companies and the damage that is being done to the environment and communities that we live in. Putting them together visually should become clearer to us all, what we need to do.

Artist Reception: Saturday, March 12, 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit our website or call (424) 234-9958 or e-mail us at denise@dfavre.com.

This image is from a test shoot in 2010. People often mistake me for the model, (which is hilarious) I only wish my body was that good looking.

This is one of my favorite portraits, my model is a talented photographer named Joshua Rayburn. His images were always some of my favorites in studio lighting class.

I recently was featured in a local magazine LA RAWWater, as an artist, and also a contributing photographer. The founder of the magazine is a friend, who commissioned me to photograph him. The lighting of this photo is what I like the most.

©2011 Anthony Castro Photography

Event Description

Phantom Galleries Presents "Lure of Local," a body of photographic work exploring the urban aesthetic beauty of neglected corners, damaged streets and forgotten alleys.

Fine Art Photography by Anthony Castro.

Curated by Neil France.

Artist Reception Saturday, February 5th, 2011.

Located at 346 E 3rd Street Long Beach, CA 90802.

For more information, please visit our website or call (562) 786-7092 or e-mail us at thesaltypoet@aol.com.

This was an image that I had envisioned in my mind about 3 months before I actually executed it. I knew I wanted it to be a rock star, seedy, just woke up from a hangover type of vibe, and I think it worked pretty well. The song names are from inside jokes between friends. This image was featured in the LBCC 2010 Student Exhibit at the LBCC Art Gallery.

This image is an appropriation of the famous 1970 Kent State shootings where the shooting of unarmed college students by members of the Ohio National Guard took place on on Monday, May 4, 1970.

My group and I decided to take that iconic image and apply it to a modern setting. One of the group members made note that they were alive when this massacre happened and it affected students nationwide, and nowadays students probably wouldn't notice what's happening right in front of them because they're always on there laptops, ipods and texting.

So that's when the proverbial light bulb went on above all our heads and we decided to use that as our concept. (Group Members: Jade Aldrich, Denise Favre, Lisa Herman, Louis Castellanos, Will Gonzales, LaToya Tyson, Steven Lopez)

I have always loved tattoo's and the stories that they can tell, so this is an image from my studio lighting class last year. The assignment was to create a mock cover for a magazine.

This image combines two elements that I personally like, in an ironic way. Surreal imagery and 1940's Pin Up styled portraits. Pin up portraits are generally seen as classic, beautiful, feminine and nostalgic. This completely contradicts the mechanical element of the image; which is hard, cold, very technical, and in some ways, masculine. So I think its a good mash-up. Also a little commentary on the "stepford-esque" conceptions of women during that time.

*The actual portrait image was not taken by me, but all the photo montage work is :)

This is my favorite image from my first semester of studio lighting class back in the fall 2009. It took about 20 minutes, which was my fastest shoot ever, then due to my general absent minded self, I lost the files and had to re-do the entire shoot. Still took about 20 minutes the second time as well. It taught me a valuable lesson about backing up my files.

Here's another image from my surreal series of images... It was my take on a tutorial I found in Digital class last semester. This one is for Denise, who motivates me even when I don't want it, lol

What I like about doing surreal images and photography in general, is that it gives me an opportunity to tell the story of the world through my eyes. I have always gravitated toward the darker side of things, not because I'm morbid but because it holds a certain fascination and interest to me. The mysterious was always more appealing to me than the ordinary.

This image is inspired by many things, but the one inspiration that stuck out to me was a song by the group Shinedown who sings this amazing song called "Fly from the inside". The lyrics are so moving to me.

This image is another one from my surreal series, I have yet to name this particular series. To bad My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is already taken, haha.

© DB8S Photography

Event Description

Darnell Bates at DB8S Photography

"NOT ALONE"

Presented by Phantom Gallery Los Angeles/Long Beach

An exploration of solitude while in natural, urban, and/or open landscapes, by Darnell Bates.

Artist Reception: Saturday, January 8, 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Exhibition runs January 8 through February 6, 2011.

Sunday - Friday Open by appointment only, Saturday Open 4pm - 6pm

For more information, please visit our website or call (714) 794-9895 or e-mail us at darnellbates@db8s.com.

Here's a new image I worked on, it's part of a new surreal based series i have been working on, and I really enjoy making art that has a dark or fanstasy element to it.

Models are my good friend Steven Lopez, and Louis Castellanos.

I have decided to finish off my two series from 2010, the Lichtenstein Pop Art, and my Frank Miller inspired series.

In the Sin City set my models are Lisa Hermon and Travis Gayler , and in my Lichtenstein set my models are my good friend Steven Lopez, and Louis Castellanos.

I have been procrastinating on these for far too long, and decided to put them up so I can focus on putting new and recent work up. :)

Here's another photo from my sin city series. My classmate/fellow photographer Will Gonzalez is modeling for me.

Ok, I have decided to do a non photo post, and talk about my 5 favorite movies of al time. In no particular order:

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back - I mean do I have to explain? It's Star Wars, therefore its awesome. But I really like the way they integrated emotion with action and how the good guys were actually losing at the end of the film, interesting perspective.

The Shawshank Redemption- Tim Robbins is one of the main reasons I love this film. I though he acted very well, and the cinematography lent to the mood of the film. And its a story about when life gives you lemons, say screw the lemons and bail!

Tombstone- Doc Holiday. Period. This is Val Kilmer at his best.

Indiana Jones and.....(all three)- I always liked the idea of being book smart, educated and worldly; and still being able to throw a decent punch. I haven't seen the new one, I'm scared it will ruin my Indiana Jones love.

The Beauty and The Beast- I saw this movie when I was 6, and it's still one of my favorites. It has so many metaphors and it's actually very mature and dark for a "Disney" movie.

So those are my top 5, and I don't even think it's accurate enough I need like a top 50; cause I have so many movies I love. But these are movies that I can watch over and over and not get bored.

This is another series I have worked on this year. It is inspired by the graphic novel style of Frank Miller, which in turn was used in the film based on his graphic novels, Sin City, which is one of my favorite movies. My model is Anthony Castro, one of my best friends.

This is the second photo in my Lichtenstein Pop Art inspired series.

I decided for this post, I would show the first in a new series I am working on. Pop Art Lichtenstein Inspired.