About charr

Charr Crail is a Northern California photographer and artist with an avid passion for creating unique digital imagery. Charr, a full-time freelance photographer, spans the divide between photojournalism and extraordinary art via photography and can trace back her evolution as an photographer/artist from three dominant sources. Her father made his living as a newspaper photographer and as soon as he could, was taking young Charr, then four, on assignments to capture a lifetime of experiences and images. He instilled a sense of adventure and curiosity in her as they would often meander down unknown country roads of the South – just to see and capture what was out there. Soon after, Charr would develop her eye for photography and journalism as “the river that runs through everything she does”. Charr’s mother blessed her daughter with the ability to appreciate art in its various mediums. Further, her mother was able to pass along the joy, satisfaction and excitement one can experience in actively creating something beautiful. It’s no surprise, then, that Charr would become a photojournalist and later a photo editor spanning two decades working for Northern California publications including The Sacramento Bee. Often, her assignments would include community events with a “close to home” theme woven into every image and story she captured. Her photojournalistic experience has therefore been nuanced through everything she produces. She’s also drawn to the wonder of color and the beauty that can be found in the composure of a face and the make-up of the human bodyscape. Charr has won countless awards for masterful pieces including; the Professional Photographers of America LOAN Collection for two consecutive years, WPPI Grand Award and her work has been featured in the Di Rosa Museum in California’s beautiful Napa Wine Region and is also part of the permanent collection. Separately, she instructs digital photography workshops that teach students how to blow out the creativity of their photography in simple methods using programs like Adobe Photoshop and how to market using mobile devices-- Visual Content Creation using Mobile Devices.. Charr lives in Sacramento with her husband Chris and kitties Leeloo and Sadie.

The art of “Selfies”, aka Self Portraits

THIS JUST IN and I should have mentioned it sooner since it came out a week or two ago!  It’s such an honor to have been featured in Clifford Oto’s Blog at The Stockton Record.  Or read you can the PDF here Know Thyself BLOG BY CLIFFORD OTO.

YEARS AGO I had this wonderful 20mm lens I bought from the legendary Gary Fong at The San Francisco Chronicle.  Oh how I loved that lens, it was one of my favorites and it made self portrait’s rather easy and fun!  As a photojournalist I often came into contact with many famous people and given the opportunity I would ask them if they’d do a self portrait with me.   I’d walk them through the process while focusing on my hand, telling them where to put their face and before they knew it click click we had a picture together!  Only one ever got away– Anthony Quinn of the movie Zorba the Greek fame.  He was lovely overall.  I think he just didn’t hear me and I didn’t push but I still regret missing out on that one.

Screen Shot 2013-07-28 at 1.55.43 PMHowever some of the cool people who said yes were Joe Montana when he was the hottest quarterback of all time on the San Francisco 49’ers.    John McEnroe, when he was still the notorious bad boy of tennis.  Magic Johnson in his prime, California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom when he was San Francisco Mayor and Arianna Huffington, one of the most influential women in media today.  I don’t do it as much these days but it sure was fun at the time and not a fad like it is now.  I was (and still am) just a lively girl who figured out how to immortalize herself in the moment and seized many cool opportunities to do so.  I called the series “101 Horrible Photos of Myself with Famous People.”  But you know, I don’t look so horrible in any of them at all.  🙂

Sugar

I LOVE shooting theatre.  It’s one of my own greatest passions.  Sugar is California Musical Theatre‘s newest show opening next week at Music Circus!  It’s the classic movie SOME LIKE IT HOT, live on stage, with a brassy score to accent the  antics of two male musicians, disguised as women who join an all-female band while fleeing from the mob. Music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Bob Merrill, the composers of FUNNY GIRL.  Saw a bit of the Sugar rehearsal yesterday and shot the publicity stills on Tuesday.  The costumes blew me away.  Incredibly fanciful feminine dresses for the women, so lovely, whimsical and colorful.  The rehearsal was fascinating if just to watch watch director Glenn Casale do his thing and see how it’s all sewn together.  I laughed out loud at some of the bits too so I know this will be another amazing show!  Very amazing too was Elizabeth Stanley, as Sugar Kane, the Marilyn Monroe part from the movie.  Tough shoes to fill but Stanley really took it on and completely embodies the sweet quirkiness of the character.

I sometimes wonder if Marilyn Monroe had any idea even when she was at the top of her stardom that she would become a worldwide icon in the way she has.

sugar

Sage Words and Snuggle Bunnies

Shared by my friend and colleague Richard Keith.    “Always remember, they can take what you have, but they can’t take what you know”.   His grandfather Albert Ellis Sr. would remind him of this throughout his life.  

The idea of “legacy” is on my mind constantly these days and it seems more and more everyday I am reminded by some event, some circumstance or some person how rich and important the idea of legacy is and how it affects us powerfully.  It’s not something that is in the forefront of our minds perhaps but so often we are acting on a legacy learned or heard as we move through the world.

On a video shoot with my husband yesterday a photographer friend Richard came along to be a partying extra.  As is so often the case we got into a very interesting conversation about the business of photography and life.  When he told me the sage idea his grandfather had passed along– now words to live by– I knew it was a legacy to share.  Thank you Richard.

And then there’s the legacy left yesterday as we spent an afternoon partying on video during the making of “Snuggle Bunny”, the first single off Chris Goslow’s newest album titled I Love You.  It was just a blast to watch too so here’s a look-see.

Video shoot for Snuggle Bunny at Tower Theatre in Roseville.  Chris Goslow with bunny ears and Matt Baker director and videographer.

Video shoot for Snuggle Bunny at Tower Theatre in Roseville. Chris Goslow with bunny ears and Matt Baker director and videographer.

Thanks to Matt Baker, the director, videographer and this great cast of characters who joined us who now have a great story to tell and adventure to remember how they spent a fun day singing and dancing and being immortalized in the Snuggle Bunny video!

 

Alton Pryor

Meet Alton Pryor, Author.  86 years old and still writing.  So far he’s published 52 books, many in print form but as the world of publishing is changing he’s publishing more in e-book form these days.  Prolific!   His best selling book is his very first one too– “Little Known Tales in California History”.  It’s sold over 150,000 copies.

Pryor began as a journalist, writing for newspapers, magazines and handled international affairs for United Press International in the Sacramento bureau.  He also did a bit of radio news.

One of his favorite stories is how he had a ten minute one on one interview with Ronald Reagan on the day he announced he was running for governor.  “There were dozens of journalists in the room.  Being with Reagan I felt like I was the only person there.  That’s how he was.”  Pryor was working for a magazine at the time and had no idea Reagan would go to win a governorship  and ultimately the presidency.  His big lament– “I didn’t get a photograph with him!”.

After 27 years in the business he found himself out of a job and a chance experience changed the course of his life.  At his son’s suggestion Pryor began doing a bit of freelance work, which included a 500 word article on Southern California settlers.  During his research he found out so much more about California history in general he began collecting the stories.  Again his son offered sage words “You’re a writer, write a book.”  Pryor’s love for California history encouraged him to take a leap and a book publishing business was born.  Stagecoach Publishing.  www.stagecoachpublishing.com

Along with author Naida West he was one of the founders at the authors booth at The California State Fair.  You’ll find him there most days this year too.  Stop by and say hello and look at his amazing array of books.  I’m pretty sure you’ll find one you want!  I did.  I bought a boxed set for my dad who is having his 85th birthday in September.

The Legacy Project

Author Alton Pryor

Author Alton Pryor

Independence Day

It’s Independence Day, and a good day to sit back for a few and really contemplate the glory of freedom our forefathers gave us by banding together, seeing a new possible future and creating this amazing document to put it into action.  With the power of their belief, their conviction, tenacity and future thinking they brought forward freedom for all of us here in the United States of America.

I hope never to take for granted the joy of freedom I experience each day of my life.  Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness is truly mine.  If you have a few minutes consider re-reading this extraordinary and beautifully written document and imagine what it must have been like.  The passion, the fortitude, the exhaustive effort of these men who risked everything to do what they believed was right.  They changed our world here on this continent.  They said we needed freedom and they fought to make it happen.  Life, Liberty, the pursuit of Happiness.  I am very grateful each and every day of my life that I live in this great country.  Happy Independence Day!

Scene_at_the_Signing_of_the_Constitution_of_the_United_States

U.S.-Declaration-Reproduction-Image

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

 

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

 

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

 

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

 

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

 

Rachel Lynn Sebastian

Rachel Lynn Sebastian came to town for a brief visit the other night and stayed overnight with Chris and I.  What a pleasure!  So before we could let her leave we had to do a few pictures.  I whipped out my cell phone and got some fun ones on the porch, one of which I just knew would be good fodder for me to use while playing in apps– my current obsession.  Seems I’m always photographing textures, details or scenes on my cell phone, not necessarily quickie portraits.  So lately I’m making more of a point of it.  Four apps to do this one.  I think it captures the magical spirit of Rachel, now in Portland performing on the Van’s Warped TourRachel-Lynn, making music and new admirers wherever she goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portraits.  I find them endlessly fascinating.  Perhaps it’s because I find people endlessly fascinating.  Each one a virtual galaxy of details to be appreciated.  The Legacy Project is borne from that reality.  We are beautiful, we are each a galaxy, we have a story.   That’s what The Legacy Project began as.  A way to express the beauty and a kind of visual story about someone.  A story told in visual expression, interpretation, inspiration using contemporary tools and techniques.  

There are so many historic and breathtaking portraits to see, which served as my own inspiration as an artist.  I chose only a few to share here to illustrate the point, and none of them contemporary.  Thats an entirely new discussion, which I will be taking up another time.

The very first known portrait is a cave painting found in Angouleme, France circa 25000 BC.

Screen Shot 2013-06-10 at 10.31.28 AM

 

This following is the official Imperial Portrait of the empress and wife to Emperor Qinzong of (1100–1161) of the Song Dynasty in China.  Done by the Imperial Painter, no other name given.

489px-B_Song_Dynasty_Empress_of_Qinzong

 

And one we all know well– George Washington by Gilbert Stuart in 1796.  I love this one.  Texturally so beautiful and the blush in the cheek, the detail in the eyes…

 

washington

After looking into this a bit to learn more about how it was done way back in the days before cameras and a digital darkroom… Creating a portrait took considerable time, often over several sittings.  Cézanne, on one extreme, insisted on over 100 sittings from his subject.  Goya on the other hand, preferred one long day’s sitting.  I’m with Goya.  🙂 The average was about four days.  And could still be for some traditionalists.  Some make a drawing of the face, then complete the rest of the painting without the sitter.  This is how I do it too in my own way– by making photographs and then embellishing, manipulating, and “painting” them.   In the 18th century, it would typically take about one year to deliver a completed portrait to a client.  I believe it’s the artistic germination process that adds to the time, which thankfully is now greatly shortened. 

It’s amazing how much alike all the charming Rapalje children children look.  Nearly a carbon copy of each other.  And notice the Napoleon Bonaparte hand in jacket pose on one of them.

RapaljeChildren
The Rapalje Children. Oil on canvas. Painted by artist John Durand, 1768. Collection of the New-York Historical Society. Durand was regarded as one of New York’s finest painters. He lived in the City for only a brief time –1766 to 1768, during which time he painted members of the Beekman, Bancker, Rapalje and other prominent New York City families of the era.

We all need to be immortalized!  As I get deeper and deeper into The Legacy Project it gets more and more exciting.  Mid-July I’ll begin revealing more and telling more. 🙂

 

 

 

 

Don’t Box Me In

……………………………………………  dontboxmein

The word perception keeps coming up.  Is it because this art image is nothing at all what it seems?  It’s origins are from two different pictures, two different women, and not just what appears to be one?  Some would call it a composite.  I just call it a piece of art where I took from one image and another and another to combine things while paying attention to my minds eye.

The original image was shot some time ago.  It’s of two girls backstage at a fashion event.  Just a quick grab shot because I liked their hair and makeup.  I began working on it a couple of weeks ago, just fooling around, trying out some new techniques.  It’s how I teach myself– trial and error– and it’s the best way for me to learn.

I’ve stopped and started on this one several times now, waiting for the moment it told me it was done.  To get there I kept searching for and adding the next thing needed to move it towards completion.  Pictures do that.  They tell you what they need if you just listen and pay attention to your third eye it will happen.   The germination process.  Sometimes an artpiece just flows out like water at Niagara Falls.  sometimes it takes an entire season of waiting and noodling.  Either way its important to trust your instincts, trust the process.

 

Photo Zen Garden

charr-chandelier

I collect details, often with my cell phone.  Seems to me everyone does these days.  Just the other night I was out with friends having dinner and all four of us were doing something with our phones.  Texting, taking a picture, loading it to Facebook with a status update.  Sharing on instagram with every #hashtag you can imagine.  Maybe it’s the crowd I hang with but we are definitely phone obsessed.  And like I said, I collect details.  I find beautiful textures and details everywhere I go.  and I use them in my work all the time.  These beautiful little picture moments that add some visual interest to an image when I need that little something.

I was at a birthday party at a most fabulous mansion a few months ago.  The kind of mansion Hollywood would rent for a big budget movie.  The kind of mansion that comes equipped with it’s own grand piano.  The kind of mansion that has acreage and fishing and peacocks and you can cook on a spit near the olympic sized pool.   I found this big beautiful chandelier handing so quietly near the winding staircase.  Yes, I shot it with my cellphone.  And today, when I was working on a piece I found this photo again.  I’d turned it black and white.  I combined it with the other image and voila.  It’s a kind of Photo Zen Garden.  The invisible image underneath is what gives this black and white one the colorful effect.  I like it!