World Oceans Day 2020

My Great Grandmother's 126th Birthday... Today.

In conversation with my mom, a few years ago, I learned my Great Grandma was born on May 22nd, in 1894. She died in 1980…but if she were still alive, it would be her 126th Birthday today.

I think that I am really thinking of her this year because she lived through so much and when I met her and knew her, we never really connected.

I mean, I was between 0 and 9 years old when my mom would take me and my sisters to her farm in Norwich, VT. Our lives overlapped, but not in a way that we could share stories, or that I knew about asking her what her youth was like.

Right now, I think of all the incredible questions to ask her…what did she do on the millennial? New Years Eve, 1899 -1900? What was it like during the 1918 Pandemic? During all of the Wars? The different Presidents? The automobiles…the planes…the radio, the tv…and of course…photography?

What is really cool is that these images are all from my Great Aunt’s photo album (her daughter), that I received after my great aunt passed. My Aunt Irma was amazing at archiving such important memories.

Remember…this is my side of the family who were not professional photographers…they were just a hardworking farm family who understood why photography is so important to future generations. I am so blessed to have a family tree on both sides who “got it” when it came to documenting their lives.

Here is my homage to Grammy Cook. I am honored to be here because of her. The first two Images are I how I knew her. The rest are of her in younger years, and oh…how I long to time travel to meet her during her youth.

Happy 126th Grammy Cook!

Quarantine Mermaid

I have not done many Chameleon Shoots so far during this quarantine. This is my first, that I made a few weeks into it that represents my first feelings of isolating ourselves.

I really had to change my mindset about getting food and supplies stocked up and not having the “European” mentality of shopping every few days for meals, which I loved doing. We also planted tomatoes and peppers and many herbs to be more self sufficient, along with rooting for our avocado tree, lime tree and lemon bush to keep on producing during this Little House on the Prairie meets The Walking Dead time.

YouTube Behind the Image Videos

If you have not yet subscribed to my YouTube Page….please do. I am posting Behind the Image videos daily during this CoVid 19 Pandemic as a way to entertain and educate in between your Tiger King Episodes.

www.TinyUrl.com/AliCottonYouTube is the link. Enjoy!

Carolyn Hunter Pierce Samonds, Rest in Peace

Over the last few years whenever I would go visit my Aunt and Uncle, I would take their portrait. I would see them once a year or so, and they were wonderful sitters. My Aunt meant so much to me and to our entire family. She passed away on Friday March 6th. This image of her that I took 2 years ago is the one her family chose to go with her obituary below. Carolyn, you are an amazing woman and you raised incredible kids, too…to pass on your legacy.

Carolyn was my Dad's older Sister, and my most incredible Aunt. I grew up learning so much about her and she was such a lady to admire...She was full of love and happiness and warmth.

She was always creating and learning, and it taught me so much...her passion that she shared with me of her dollhouses, and her love of antique lace...her costumes and hats she created for her local theater group...organizing the church's white elephant sale...her warmth with family time around the card table at Camp...her excitement for our love of the Monkees and Rocky Horror Picture Show, (driving us to midnight shows!)...her genealogy knowledge of our family and stories of my photographer grandpa...and even her enthusiastic help finding flowers for props at my latest self portrait shoot last year.

Oh Carolyn, I will miss you so much. As I told my cousins and Uncle, I know my Dad and Gram, Grandpa, Uncle Dave, Aunt Marion, Aunt Isy, Aunt Ruth, Dorothy, Brian and others are all together at "Camp" which is also now up in Heaven. You will be playing Party Bridge and Badminton, making delicious Chocolate chip cookies and huge PB & J Sandwiches, and working on your lace until we get to hug again.

“Carolyn Hunter (Pierce) Samonds, of Amherst, MA died Friday, March 6th at Cooley Dickenson Hospital in Northampton, MA. Carolyn died peacefully surrounded by her family.

Carolyn was born September 19th, 1941, in Hanover, NH, the daughter of Margaret (Mapes) and David Reuben Pierce. She graduated from Hanover High School (1959) and the University of New Hampshire (1963) with a major in biology. After graduating, she taught science classes in West Hartford, CT, then moved back to Hanover to work as an electron microscopy technician in Pathology with Professor George Margolis at Dartmouth Medical School. In 1968 she moved to Boston to work at Harvard's School of Public Health, first in electron microscopy, then as supervisor of the primate nursery where she met her future husband Kenneth Samonds, a post-doctoral fellow. While working at Harvard, she studied Art History at Boston University towards a Master's degree.

From 1973 to 1977, she was the Head of the Mission Commission of Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston. In 1977, the young family moved to Amherst. Carolyn had an avid interest in textiles, particularly lace. She was a lecturer on lace identification and lace making, and she amassed an impressive collection of lace and served as an appraiser of items or collections. In 1987, she served as Guest Curator of the exhibit "Textile Treasures: Lace & Embroidery" at the George Walter Vincent Museum in Springfield. She was a member of the New England Lace Group and a consultant for Lord and Taylor.

For many years she was a costumer for the Valley Light Opera and she was Head of Costumes for the musical "George M" at Exit 7 Theater in Ludlow in 2009. She was a member of both the Northampton and Amherst Historical Societies and the Amherst Women's Club. At Grace Church, Amherst, she served on the vestry and was the chairperson of the St. Nicholas Bazaar for six years. The church's repository for donated items which were distributed to needy refugees, homeless shelters, or home-fire victims was nicknamed "Carolyn's Closet" in her honor. In later years, she worked as a librarian in the Jones Library's Children's Room, the North Amherst Library, and the Munson Library.

In 1993, Carolyn was diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, a genetic form of emphysema. She attended several national conventions of the Alpha-1 Association and local education sessions, occasionally as a speaker.

She was the mother of two children; Karen (Samonds) Irwin, a paleontologist and teacher of anatomy at Northern Illinois University; and David Mark Samonds, a federal attorney in Washington DC. In addition to her parents, Carolyn was preceded in death by her brother, Dexter Pierce, her half-sister Dorothy and her half-brother, David Jr. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Kenneth Samonds, sister-in-law Judy Pierce, daughter Karen and son-in-law Mitchell Irwin of Sycamore, IL, son David and daughter-in-law Megan Samonds of Fredericksburg, VA.

She is also survived by five grandchildren, and several nieces and cousins. A memorial service at Grace Church is planned for mid-April. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carolyn's name to the Alpha-1 Foundation, www.alpha1.org Memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com

Published in Daily Hampshire Gazette on Mar. 10, 2020.

Pete drops out...

Oh Pete, you dropped out 24 hours too soon. I had a date with you tomorrow night at your San Diego Rally! I even bought new rally shoes to give me an extra 2 inches to shoot over the crowd. I’m so sad...but I want to thank you for all that you’ve done to inspire the U.S. I hope you become a part of the cabinet for #46. @pete.buttigieg #petebuttigieg

Bernie Sanders Rally in Santa Ana, CA. 2-21-20

The day before the Nevada Caucus I was working at my desk finishing up processing a job from the night before. I walked by the TV and saw a reporter standing outside a Bernie Sanders’ Rally in Santa Ana, CA., reporting that the rally started in one hour. I paused and checked online for details. The event was 14 miles away from me, and my camera bag was packed….So within 10 minutes I was headed over to the High School where the rally was taking place. I parked in a nearby neighborhood and followed the crowd towards the event. My stars were aligned as the place was packed, but I slid into the crowd to get a perfect position in front of the media risers.

Once again, I learned a lot from this event. The biggest lesson was that if I had taller shoes, I could have gained about 2-3 inches to shoot higher than the crowd in front of me. So, for future events, I am packing a couple of plastic blocks in my camera bag to step up on as I lean against the wall or fencing, to save me from tippy toe-ing for 2 hours as I did at this event.

I also had fun timing my shots to feature the raised signage so that it wrapped around Bernie at the podium, so that I shot through a sea of signs. This was a dramatic look especially since within less than 24 hours Bernie Sanders would win the Nevada Caucuses. These images now truly represent the Bernie Wave of Supporters.

I am so excited I was able to document such an important time in United States History. Now, I would love to photograph Pete, Amy, Joe and even Trump Rallies to finish my set of Election Year Events. Crossing my fingers for such opportunities. Enjoy these moments below….

OC Women's March 2020

What an amazing experience.

I documented The OC Women’s March on Jan 18 2020 in Santa Ana, CA. Thousands showed up and marched. I really have no words for such an incredible, peaceful demonstration. From the gathering before the march, the speakers on stage, and the 2 hour march itself. I loved walking with the group, starting up front and letting the crowd move through me as I walked. This way I could document over 2000 images of moments. The signage, the clothing, the art, the messages… the bonding…It was so awesome to capture.

Here are just a taste of my favorite images. Please go to my main website, www.alicotton.com to find the two folders I have listed with all 350 images. I know it is a lot, but I could not cut any more out as each image has such a strong message that needed to be shared for those not there, and for future generations to see how we are fighting for them, now.

Tom Steyer Town Hall - Jesse's Restaurant, Hanover NH

On January 8th I braved a NH Snowstorm (and Snow Squall…) and drove 2 miles to see Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer at a Town Hall. Tom really impressed me with his down to earth personality and his knowledge about the Climate Crisis. I had been watching Tom’s Impeachment ads since early 2017 and was thankful he was so vocal with what many were thinking. When I met him after the event it was wonderful to tell him this, and that I appreciated all that he has done.

Once again, this event taught me a lot with a small crowded room, standing room only, extremely bright lights on Tom, and very little room to move around to get a variety of angles, while being unobtrusive while I got my needed shots.

Monday Motivation!

Talk about wanting to take advantage of the snow during my trip back East!!!….I sure did! I truly wanted to capture some fun moments in a substance foreign to my normal Orange County, Ca. surroundings.

This turned out to be one of my favorite images….I had no idea what I was capturing at the time, but I did slip and slide quite a bit and ended up with war wounds on my knees and elbows. I grew up playing in the snow as a kid, and this afternoon was a true flashback to my youth….oh, and I did not spill an ounce of Coffee during this slide!… (or did I?)…

Snow is so much fun for portraits. If you live in an area that is blessed with a layer of this white fluff, I highly suggest you plan a family portrait with a professional photographer. This ranks up there with Summer Sun and Autumn Foliage!

Tulsi Gabbard Town Hall - Top of the Hop in Hanover NH January 5, 2020

This was another surprise event I attended when I was in NH last week. I had heard some “Fake News” about Tulsi Gabbard and had questions about her as a candidate…but I have to say, after listening to her in person and meeting her, I realized to be very cautious of making an opinion without more research. I was truly impressed with Representative Gabbard and gained a new respect for her. She is truly a strong, knowledgeable woman who is not afraid to make her own path in government.

Here are images from my Self-Assigned-Assignment, and as with Senator Warren’s event I photographed just a few days before, this event taught me lessons with the room set up, the lighting, and the crowd size. I wanted to tell a story about this town hall, and hope those not in attendance can get a feel for Tulsi and how the audience reacted to her wise words.

By the way, the videographer in the image included is her husband, Abraham Williams. It was nice to observe him and his talent in the back of the room.

Elizabeth Warren Rally in Hanover NH

I had about 2 hours notice before I hopped into my friend Mikey’s car and stood in line to get into Democratic Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren’s Rally at the Hanover Inn. What an incredible experience. It was a thrill to photograph, and Elizabeth is such a fantastic human. She is down-to-earth and has an incredible sense of humor.

I love shooting these self-assigned-assignments, as I still learning new techniques to capture the best images, expressions, angles, and depth. I used the available light and shot wide open to isolate her from the background. I also had a split second before the standing room only filled up to chose the side of the stage to stand, angling myself to use the NH Flag logo as her backdrop, which worked perfectly! I also scouted the audience to create a story with my images. I love looking for moments which will become stronger as time passes, opening a door to history for future generations to learn about.

Lobstah Roll

This image image idea was created after an incident when I spilled “Lobster Gooche” on myself in our garage, before I worked out on my elliptical…I smelled like a lobster trap all day.

Sometimes my brain designs a visual piece for me to create in unique ways. I thought about the issue I could have had with this scent on me…whether in a seafood department near a lobster tank in a grocery store, or taking a stroll on a beach…oh, life could be horrible!

I asked Bleu to help me with a session incorporating myself and a lobster. I had watched the video “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” by PM Dawn which inspired the feel for my image. We went to the Pier in Huntington Beach, CA to give him height above my bed of sand. Above me were about 100 tourists walking back and forth on the pier, sightseeing during the holiday week.

“Pay no mind to the lady on the sand rolling around with a lobster below you!”

Orange You Glad I Didn't Say....

As a kid growing up in NH, in my Christmas stocking every year, I would receive the biggest orange ever. I was told that this tradition is because during winter in New England, fresh fruit was sparse. This was always a special treat, especially for families with less money. Santa brought it all the way from California.

Now that I live in Southern California, I have the most beautiful orange tree which, now for the second year, has produced fruit which is quite overwhelming in quantity. We are giving the oranges away to neighbors, clients, and friends so that they won’t be wasted….sort of carrying on the tradition of Santa.

On Christmas Eve I wanted to share my emotions I was feeling about having “too many oranges”, and the difference between my cold, snowy Christmas single orange in my youth, too this moment in my life.

First day of Impeachment #3

A day in history I needed to create a piece about.

Nobody is above the Law Protests 12-17-19

I am so glad I can document these moments for future generations to view. December 17th 2019 over 600 protests occurred the night before the Impeachment of 45.

Thoughts about The Professional Photography Industry

The photography industry has changed completely over the last 20 years

Tonight, we showed beautiful portraits to a self proclaimed millennial, (who had won a charity session we donated), who had to wrap it around her head that she has to pay for quality portraits created by a professional photographer.

Tonight, I also saw a post in a wedding industry Facebook group where a photographer was warning others about her client who walked out of her house with a disc of images she was selling him at a price of $2 a digital file. She was upset that he not only didn’t pay her for the product when he left with the disc, but he never paid her for the overtime... 🙄...That tells me she doesn’t know how to run her business professionally and she is one of the reasons why we run into clients who don’t understand that there is a difference between our work and the “$2 an image - walk all over me photographer”.

Let me tell you, this industry can be fucked up.

Remember, there are incredible artists who create portraits of you which will become priceless over time.

Printed pieces which won’t get corrupted on a cd or deleted with a push of a button.

Printed pieces that will be enjoyed everyday and into the future even if the electricity is out, or Facebook is down.

You are not paying these artists for a “15 minute mini-session with 16 images included” which you just pull off of their site to do whatever you want...(and you forget the name of the photographer because you never had a connection with them.)

You are paying for the years of experience, education and the passion for how they capture you in a single image. You are paying for all of the behind-the-scenes labor and materials, insurances, and equipment to create the artwork that is signed and framed for you and the future to cherish.

This image below also popped up on my feed tonight, and it was exactly what I have in my head. I am blessed that the majority of our clients get the art of Professional Photography. I hope I can educate those others who think that photographers don’t have to make money and pay bills and make a living like others in other professions. I am blessed to do what I love and luckily I’m hanging in there when it comes to making a living.

Thank you to all you who hire a professional photographer and invest in their art. 💚🙏📸

Black and White Capturing Souls Portraits

I love these collages which feature some amazing humans I have photographed over the last few years. All have something in common…I met them during Paranormal Events. They are Researchers of Ghosts…Ghostbusters…Ghost Hunters… Paranormal Researchers… BigFoot Hunters….Alien Researchers… and they all are truly incredible souls and I was blessed to have met them, and to have photographed them through my lens. The original images are mostly color, as you see under my main website…but when you desaturate and you combine them into one display, they truly tell a strong story which is a different one than the individual presentations.

Tony Moran and Travis Walton

I have been looking through past portraits I had the honor of creating with some amazing sitters. Here are two I love.

The first, of Tony Moran, is a favorite as I shot it at sunset with a tungsten main light on him, making the barn behind cool off to an extra blue tone. The sun is setting to our right, giving a thin rim light on the left side of his face. His stance (and my angle of shooting up at him) is reminiscent of a character he made famous.

The second, of Travis Walton, is such a perfect pose. It was taken in a glass hallway so had split lighting on both sides creating a unique lighting situation that works perfectly. I love the repetition of the windows behind him. This environment lends itself really well for his session, too!

I truly am blessed to meet fascinating people and to get the opportunity to capture them in portraits taken in so many unique locations. 💚📸💚 Thank you, Tony and Travis!

Check Tony out at his IMDB Page: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0602985/

Check Travis out here: http://www.travis-walton.com/

Street Photography In Denver

I did not bring any wigs to Denver, so my Chameleon Shoots were not an option during my down time in the city, but I had another fun challenge that I love to do with my photography… Street photography with my Iphone. Here are some of my favorite images taken. I love documenting the world around me. I try to capture moments that tell a story, and that, in 20 or 40 or 60 years, will hold time for future generations to see.