I Think I Just Peed A Little

Dear Friends,

Can I just say the word "spee spppeeee sppppeeeeee sppppppeeeeeechleeeeessss"? I feel really truly blessed today, not because I am sitting on a plastic crate to type this blog right now, but because I feel like I've worked with just an awesome mentor, Brian Bowen Smith, shooting all the top executives at Dream Works (and yes, that includes Steven - I told him to tuck his shirt in- I directed Steven-holy dump). What a great learning experience! Brian is truly such a phenomenal photographer, he has such a childlike and playful yet passionate quality about him that just make you want to fall in love with him. Special thank you to my friend, George, for helping open-up some doors for me, I feel very grateful.

There is something that goes through you when you watch a professional do what you want to do. It's an imaginative process you can really feel more so hands-on. When you are in the presence of everything you want to do in your life and it stares you in the face and you can touch it with your bare hands and then the adrenaline kicks in and you are just on cloud 9. I feel like all day I have been trying not to over excite myself, but golly gee, I think I just peed a little.

This week has been a very wonderful journey ending with a bang. Yesterday, I was approached to shoot some prize-winning Alpacas in Aqua Dolce, CA. There breeder, Cecilia, was so sweet at helping bring out the rare playful side of the grass-spitting woolly creatures and that is a challenging tack! Those fuzzy guys are more timid then an invincible rabbit. But after about an hour of sitting in there pen and louring them with the finest of finest Alpaca biscuits, they finally started to come to me, and also to nibble on my Ray-Bans.

On top of it all I still have a lot to learn, who doesn't? But today, my mom said she was proud of me, which, in her book was a big deal...Who knew a photo of an Alpaca could do so much? You know we are all guilty of wanting to please our parents...even if it is kept a secret:)

Tomorrow, more shooting and editing. I am becoming very satisfied with the final photo results of my Colorado trip and watching photographic documentaries for National Geographic to get ideas on where to go for my next excursion...any ideas?

Death Is Not A Funeral, It Is a Tribute.

I recently returned from my first ever photography excursion. I wanted to sharpen my skills in Travel and Landscape photography and came back with a lot more then just images, but with a strong sense of determination and realization about the things in my life that are priority.

For my destination I wanted to choose something close to home that would display a great ambiance for a the perfect example of an Autumn backdrop, something we don't see very often in Los Angeles - and of course I was looking for a great excuse to escape the city and get back to nature. So, I chose Colorado.
I remember years ago when I first made my march to Los Angeles in the hot months of August via cross-country in my Ford Explorer sans AC (yes, bumper to bumper traffic in 112 degree weather was quite the adventure back then) I remember being so inspired by the state of Colorado driving down the I-70. There were so many mountains and nature and the air was so crisp - It seemed to be the perfect destination for exactly what I wanted to capture.

For two months, I researched, planned, mapped and stocked up on necessary hiking and camera equipment items. I was ready. I didn't want to be overly ready, for I believe Photography is an art form and I am an artist and I find the best shots are the ones that arise organically. My plan: Denver to Royal Gorge to Garden of the Gods to Grand Junction to Aspen to Idaho Springs back to Denver. It was only a four day trip, I had to fill it up without being confined to being stuck in a car driving the whole time - which was still a lot of driving and I have a butt-rash to prove it. I kept my intentions open, which is my normal process when It comes to creating. I didn't want to be judgemental in my choices, for the events that were to occur were no longer in my hands, I was in the wild now and it was important that whatever I was to walk away with was going to be what mother nature has chosen to give me.

This trip was a extremely humbling and inspiring. Having slept 3 days out in the wild without a shower or good meal, I realized the valuable sacrifices I was going to have to make in my career to push my way to the top. My time was limited to day shooting only and hopping from location to location at the perfect time of day to get the best shots. It's a crazy realization, but when you are in the city and the sun goes down there is still so much to do, but when you are in the wild and the sun goes down it's mother nature turning out the lights. For the first time in awhile I was going to bed in the freezing wilderness at 8pm and waking up hours before dawn. For me, being someone that likes to be in control, it was a very submissive training exorcise. If you know me, then something you really don't know about me is that I actually a very introverted person that is just really good at being extroverted. Being introverted used to be something I was embarrassed about as a child....I mean what kid growing-up wants to be the outsider? So I became a social person and in the meantime I sacrificed bits of my creativity. Now that I am older, I take full advantage of the times when I am alone, because they are the most highly creative moments for me. So, being alone for 4 days was a highly active playground for all my ideas, thoughts and ambitions.

For now, It's to the editing table. My goal is to get as much work submitted to competitions as well as to travel and stock imaging websites and my first gallery show by the beginning of next year. Looking forward to sharing my work you guys!

Stay tuned:)

It's Getting Hard Out Here For A Pimp

Researchers say that you come to exorcise your natural talents when you are a child. Hints of what a child is drawn to at first could depict what career choices they chose as an adult. The discussion of this analogy is something I find very true. Take for example, when my sister and I were children we didn't have much. Considering my endless desire to be the proud owner of a Power Wheels Barbie Jeep, I found myself in my mother's "craft room" located in the dark hallway of our Northeast Philadelphia home's basement cutting and sewing away at odd socks to provide my mostly always naked Barbie Dolls with new clothes. I remember my favorite pattern was to fold the sock in half then cut a round shape in the tip of the toe then another round shape in the fold right below the toe and viola! You have an instant Barbie Doll top or dress depending on the hem. But my sister, who is three years older, for some natural reason would create the coolest couture odd-sock Barbie Doll outfits speckled with puffy-paint patterns and sewed on lace. Of course, she would then try to trade me her homemade Barbie clothes for my well-crafted Mattel Barbie shiny evening dresses, which was mostly a 90% success rate- for her...what can I say? I was gullible or just always wanted what my older sister had. But the point of the story is, is that my sister, Melissa, is now a very talented fashion designer. So, understanding the truth of the researchers accusations, I decided to look within myself to rediscover my natural talents...
Genetically, I am an artist. My mother is an artist and my father an Architect. In school, I excelled in Art as well as Science. My personality was shy, but not afraid to be in the spotlight. I got along well with adults and had a hard time relating to people my age. I was independent, and would always ask the teacher if I could "work alone" when it came to doing group projects in class. My hobbies included, riding my spring horse, glancing at old photographs over and over again (even if they were a strangers), capturing bugs to give them baths (frequently ending in tragedies) and making my Barbie and Ken dolls engage in sex (this was pre-Internet days)....so, to conclude my adult career choice should have been to a pornographer...just kidding. No, it was to be a photographer. An art I could do all day and not get bored...and I can.


So, here I am. Brief about the Blothor (Blogger/ Author)....


After a medium successful acting career, I decided to transfer my creative energy into Photography. A passion of mine I exorcised for a long time, but never thought too much to take it into the "Big Leagues". Since I was a kid, I always would mimic mock-photo shoots with my friends. It was fun, it was art and it was never boring.
The past two years I have been pushing myself in every open opportunity to grow in this business. From assisting photographers, reading books the size of my forehead, building photographic concepts and even being the subject of other photographers to learn how they work. 
People ask, "oh you're a photographer, what do you like to shoot?" my response is always "your face" then they get that puzzled, "not sure if I should laugh" look on their face and I have to quickly save the conversation by saying, "joking, but I do really love to photograph people"...I mean, why should I have to respond to a limiting question?  I love photographing every walks of life. I am fascinated by capturing emotions and making time stand still, working with people and making them feel good, getting a baby to laugh and the parents of the bride and groom to cry. This is my life. 


I hope to share with you the trials and tribulations involved, the experiences that make me grow and the moments I capture. Enjoy.

2010 Copyright Kristin Kirgan Photography.

...Only With A Little Pain Finally Comes Some Pleasure

Life, 
like a quick flick of a switch and here we are. After hours of pain our little heads are seen for the first time emerging from the temporary, over sized, black hole called "The Womb".  Finally, given the gift of birth we follow the light into the world to clutter the universe with our natural, god-given talents. Yet, little do we actually know, just like our mothers experienced during pregnancy, the pain we would have to induce in order to bring anything of "greatness" back into our lives as adults.  But...like anyone who has experienced "greatness" in life (ie Ghandi, Oprah, Nemo) knows that only with some pain (...or a lot to any mother) can come some pleasure.  I, was born into this world dead( aka stillborn). So, we will just skip the whole "pleasure" experience and say I was a given let-down from the beginning. 

And so, with that...This blog was born (pleasurably) to show the world that I have been feeling the burn life throws at you for far too long and that I am ready to share my journey of art and photography and all the lessons involved to experience a little pleasure-finally:)