I woke up this morning invigorated by memories of my recent trip to India and decided to put some Krishna love into the universe--especially after finding a beautiful video shot by Kodak in 1925 about Krishna!

View it here: 

Student work from RIT's portfolio review.

Student work is incredibly interesting and engaging--it is work unencumbered by rules and restrictions, or the pressure of publication.  They are photographs that test the limits of given assignments and frees the creative mind.

It has been over five years since my last lecture at Rochester Institute of Technology, and I can't emphasize enough how hard it is for me to stand up in front of a crowd of students and faculty that I admire and not feel nervous.  Although I work with some of the world's top talent and movers and shakers, and I still get goose bumps in front of my professors.  It's like they are my parents--or some other immeasurable influential force in my life!

But after a few minutes I started to warm up and get into the groove. I want to thank everyone for coming out and being supportive. Most of all, it was nice to see Howard Levant, Denis Defibaugh, and Gunther Cartwright, who were all key players in my development as a photographer.  Seeing Rachel Jerome Ferraro, who is now a professor, was a welcome surprise. Touring the campus, drinking a coffee, and meeting students and other faculty filled me with a mix of nostalgia and newfound giddiness.  So much has changed at RIT, but I can still remember the endless hours I spent working my darkroom magic in Building 7, and the permanent smell of chemicals on my fingers.  There are new modern buildings on campus, even a global village, but the photography building still feels strangely familiar.

Looking forward to seeing students' work at the portfolio review and the award ceremony!

The Midwest landscape is beautiful, but there are no oceans, no mountains, and no twisted Canyon roads that leave you breathless with wander and sporadically slamming on your brakes. My first time ever on the West Coast was in the beginning of March, which left me with a massive case of culture shock.  I was shocked by the abundance of vegetarian fast food and the positive energy and open kindness of strangers, all within beautiful landscapes and consistently gorgeous sunsets.  I absorbed all of this the best I could, thinking I wouldn't return to California for a long time. 

Little did I know, I would be uprooted from my hometown of Saint Louis and be back in Los Angeles in a mere three weeks.  This was a welcome change, but it left me spinning in a whirlwind of to-do lists, jam packed days, and excitedly sleepless nights.

And now, here I am, continuously lost in this sprawling beautiful city with roads that mirror adventure-driven car commercials, insane views that don't seem fair for me to view from within a car--no sweat required--, and an endlessly inspiring mix of people and combination of cultures. 

The studio is unlike any other workspace I've encountered ; backup batteries share shelves with black boxes of negatives, 8x10 film is kept cold next to a carton of half & half (a studio essential), and a portrait of Will Smith eyes me from a wall shared with a grid of multicolored Volkslivin' buses and a pierced punk couple.  While it's a place of business, creativity leaks into everything we do.  One can't even eat lunch without being a victim of Kwaku's camera.  That said, I'm happy to be the lucky victim.

~Sara Swaty

My morning drive to work on Topanga Canyon Road.

Stopped by the Grand Canyon on the drive to California.

Elizabeth Catlett, an inspirational artist and Civil Rights activist in her own right, passed yesterday at 96 years old.  She was a remarkable woman who used her art to, in her own words; "service my people — to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential."

I had the great fortune to photograph her years ago for the Oprah Winfrey Legends Ball and was inspired by her expression of social issues through sculpture.

Rest in peace Elizabeth.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/04/arts/design/elizabeth-catlett-sculptor-with-eye-on-social-issues-dies-at-96.html?_r=1.

See more of the legends at http://www.kwakualston.com/home.php#/legends/

Jun Won Yoh has been working at Kwaku Alston Photography for four years and I would like to take this time to say goodbye and wish him success and happiness in his upcoming journey back to Korea.

Jun has been working as my digital studio manager; his skills in Photoshop and printing are valued assets to any photo team or studio.  He has been on some amazing adventures from shooting in Nepal with Tom's shoes to being my right hand digital go-to guy for four trips to the White House. But, most of all, Jun is an incredibly talented photographer who I wish much success and happiness to in the future.

Goodbye lunch for Jun.  We'll miss you!

Jun behind the scenes:

I believe one of the most essential things photographers, or any artist, should consider is the concept of challenge, that time when our accomplishments bring to our lives something that will test us to the fullest degree. This often leads to a major step in our careers, which can be either forward or backward.

When Essence magazine approached me to shoot First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House, I was of course thrilled. I first photographed the Obamas for Ebony magazine when the President was still a sitting senator, about to announce to the world his historic bid to run for our highest office. Even then, I knew I was in the presence of something life-changing.

Fast forward to the present day, and even after shooting the First Lady at the White House three times before, I knew the details involved in making a production work smoothly could not be taken for granted. I did my homework yet again, planning everything from the right equipment and a capable team to the logistics of dealing with one of the most important locations in the world. I was up the for the gig. Challenge is something I thrive on; it forces me to reach deep into my creative well and push myself to do something unique and also from my soul.

Time, of which there seems never to be enough of, was one of the key constraints. Ten to 15 minutes is usually all that is allowed to capture a dynamic image for the cover, an inside page, and (always) for my portfolio. That’s three full setups to consider. And for an assignment like this, when anything I shoot must be cover worthy, I had to make sure that all three setups are my best work.

For the first five of those 15 minutes, I’m basically shooting blanks, what I call “air frames,” just to get myself into a rhythm, as photography is very much about getting into a flow with the subject and yourself. As Avedon once said, “It’s a dance you and the subject make happen.”

The next five minutes were spent on a second cover try. My first assistant, Ram Gipson of 24/7 Photo Services, was checking the clock, keeping me on schedule. This was crucial, as I still needed to get something for my personal vision; I usually save that for the last two minutes.

We set up a small 40-inch gray seamless with a small Photek for a foreground light and a Lowell hot light for a background hair light. I knew I wanted to use the hot light to flare into the lens somehow, as I needed to see it actually there in real time with the First Lady before I made the final adjustments. Let’s just say the photo gods were with me in that moment, as the flare added a magic touch to what would have seemed like a basic studio portrait shot. The quality of that light gave her a glow, one that would have would looked even better on film, but hey, we are in a digital world.

Ultimately, it was a team effort, and I thank all of the people who were involved in making this shoot happen. I could never have pulled it off without you.

This is a tribute to all the great fathers out there and all the Dads who let me photograph them (some unknowingly). Here's to you. Have a great Father's Day!

About a month ago, I got the call of a lifetime. All-star photographer and friend Kwaku Alston was on hold to shoot Brad Pitt for the cover of USA WEEKEND magazine and he wanted me on it. With a last minute confirmation I had less than 12 hours to pull clothes. The guidelines from Senior Photo Editor at USA Weekend Magazine, David Baratz, was clear ".. tops should be bright, colorful, casual.  No busy patterns, dark colors or shirts with messages/slogans/graphics." Done and done.

Fast forward 12 hours.  Brad arrives to set, we meet, have brief conversation about the wardrobe and his direction is clear: "I'm going through my Johnny Cash phase. I'm liking black."

This is a perpetual conundrum in my industry, pleasing both client and subject while keeping integrity in tact. In my humble opinion, the real self of a subject should never be compromised by a publicist, a manager, a photo editor, etc.. Of course, I aim to elevate, collaborate, and enhance the brilliance of the subject; however, I'd never attempt to make them into someone whom they are not unless that was part of the "story". Could that be the secret to celebrity styling? Maintaining truth while championing for the best take? Perhaps.  Personally,  I'm just an artist who loves what she does, feels blessed for every job, every experience, and every challenge.

So here is to you Mr. Pitt, for making me believe that dreams do come true.