Portraits, Projections & Dance

Portraits, Projections & Dance New Experimental Work

I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with dancer Amanda Whitworth and scenic and lighting designer Matt Kizer to create portraits that combine dance and projections with portraiture. Here is some of what we created.
Dancer with Projected Bat Wings ©2016 Maundy Mitchell
Portrait with Wasp Projection ©2016 Maundy Mitchell
Corner Portrait with Projected Shadows ©2016 Maundy Mitchell

Amanda Whitworth is the Director of Dance at Plymouth State University, and has her own dance company, Tributary Dance.

Matt Kizer is a Professor of Theatre, Theatre Design and Technology (the resident Scenic & Lighting Designer) for Plymouth State University. More about Matt and his work here: http://scenicandlighting.com

NH Photography Studio Behind the Scenes_0006.jpg

NH Photography Studio Behind the Scenes_0007.jpg

Personal Travel Photos France, Part III

Last month, I traveled to Paris for a portrait photography workshop with Sue Bryce. I arrived in time to spend half a day exploring the neighborhood of Montmartre.
Montmartre-Statue-Eiffel-Tower-View_0055

After the workshop, Versailles.

Back to Paris for one more day.

I got to hand-feed pigeons at Notre Dame Cathedral. Photos thanks to Rebecca Wipp Ovin.

Paris Street

Two Views of the Eiffel Tower_0059

Statue-Lion-Eiffel-Tower-Black-and-White-Paris_0046.jpg

You can see France, Parts I and II here http://maundymitchell.com/a-better-way-to-do-travel-photos/ and here http://maundymitchell.com/france-part-ii/.

A Better Way to do Travel Photos France, Part I

I spent last week in France. I was participating in a photography workshop with some extraordinary photographers from around the world. It was hosted by Master Photographer Sue Bryce. I will write more about that, later. Right now, I want to write about a thing I tried called Flytographer. The first day there, I was on my own. I explored the neighborhood of Montmartre in Paris. I discovered Flytographer in an online post at The New York Times. They have photographers in cities all over the world who will take your travel photos. They will book for anywhere from half an hour to all day. It’s very easy—you choose the photographer whose style you like, and then book them online. Krystal met me in Montmartre. She was friendly, funny, and easy-going. She showed me the most charming and interesting sites, where she took photos of me that I love. Below are a few of my favorites.

You can read France, Parts II & III here http://maundymitchell.com/france-part-ii/ and here http://maundymitchell.com/personal-travel-photos/

Hand-Feeding Chickadees

This post is just for fun! One of the things I love to do is to hand-feed the birds around my house. It took me about two years to train the chickadees to eat from my hand. This year they even started to trust others.
Hand-Feeding-Birds-©-2016-Maundy-Mitchell_0003.jpg
Hand-Feeding BIrds
The photo of me (bottom right) is courtesy of Duane Cross.

Scars, Part II Patsy

“When I was a child, I thought fire was intriguing. I wanted to be with it… I was five when my sister and I were playing with matches and my pajamas caught fire…”

Patsy in Black © Maundy Mitchell 2016

“I was so young when it happened, that my body grew around the scars. Once, when I was still a child, I asked my mother to make a two-piece bathing suit for me. She did it. People would stare, especially other kids, but I would just gently say to them, ‘they’re just scars.’”

Portrait of Patsy © Maundy Mitchell 2016
“My scars are a gift from God to be able to help others. I don’t mind if people stare, and when children do, I ask their parents if it’s okay to share my story. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else, but if it does, I hope they’ll have the courage not to hide. “
Seated Portrait of Patsy © Maundy Mitchell 2016

You can see Part I of this project here: http://maundymitchell.com/scars/
You can see Part III here: http://maundymitchell.com/scars-part-iii/
Part IV is here: http://maundymitchell.com/scars-part-iv/

My Little Valentine

This is my son, David. He’s nine years old and he had plenty of opinions about the creative direction of his shoot. He spent the weekend making his outfit on his own, which he named the “Mega Shock.” Then he said, “Mom, I’m ready for a photo for my Valentine’s cards now. Make me look cool!”
It was like photographing a celebrity–he gave me about two minutes. With a quick set up, we did this shot in our living room.
Children's Valentine Portrait

The Unseen – County Home Portraits, Part XIV

This post marks the end of a chapter. This project began in the fall of 2014, when I noticed that photos of the elderly are typically passed over in favor of attractive young people and children. You can read more on that here, with part one of a fourteen-part series.

I have been regularly visiting the Belknap Country Nursing home in New Hampshire, with the intention of capturing something special about each person. I have visited the nursing home 17 times, making more than 200 portraits. It was important to be able to return many times. Scheduling was often complicated, also finding opportunities while I was there. Everyone has different moods on different days, and the elderly sometimes have irregular sleep patterns and sometimes dementia.

“How do you want to be photographed?” It’s a question I ask everyone I photograph. I found that many people could not answer, so I always started with dignity. I did not try to change anyone’s mood, but tried to recognize when they were ready to share something of themselves.

“My mother made this afghan for me.” – Irene, 96, who said no to portraits every time I saw her, until the last day I visited.
The Unseen © 2015 Maundy Mitchell_0003.jpg
Doug. “I’m not feeling well, but you can take my picture.”

Bertha loves to sew, crochet and knit. At 95, she still teaches a knitting class.

What’s next? I am reaching out to some other facilities, and am looking at continuing this work with other demographics of elderly. I would also like to present this work in a public exhibition, and I am exploring possibilities for that.

Thank you to the many people who helped with this project and supported me along the way. Thank you to Annette Griffis, social worker at Belknap County Nursing Home, who coordinated this project, and spent many hours helping. Thank you to the staff of the BCNH, who always welcomed me and went out of their way to help. Thank you to my assistants, Kree Woolley, Mandy Gennaro, and Abi Sutcliffe. Thank you to my husband, Matt Kizer, who supports every idea I have (except for my idea of having miniature donkeys!). Thank you to the families and guardians of the nursing home residents for trusting me to make these portraits, and thank you to everyone who follows this project. I appreciate your interest.

The Unseen – County Home Portraits, Part XIII

This year-long personal project is nearing its conclusion. Last week, I visited the nursing home for the next-to-last time. Driving home, I tend to reflect on the visits. The way I work there has evolved. I no longer bring in big lighting setups and backdrops. I spend longer with each resident than when I started. I listen more and ask more questions. If someone can’t talk, I may hold their hand. I help fix hair and straighten a necklace. I tell her she looks beautiful. This time, one thing someone said made me realize the most important thing about this project.
Joan: “I feel so important. I feel so special!”
The Unseen - County Home Portraits © 2015 Maundy Mitchell_0004.jpg

Some of the residents here may not even remember any of this tomorrow, but what I learned is that the most important thing I can do is to make someone feel important and special. And in the process, I make a portrait of her for all of time.

Walking the halls of the nursing home, you often see people in their rooms, like this. But this isn’t who they are. You can only find that out by entering the room and connecting with the person in some way.
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Althea worked at Laconia City Hall. She writes poetry. She told me about her children and grandchildren.

Mary: “My daughter brought me this pumpkin.”
The Unseen - County Home Portraits © 2015 Maundy Mitchell_0008.jpg
Mary: “Do you mind if I tell you a dirty joke?”
Me: “Okay.”
Mary: “A white horse fell in the mud!”

Marjorie: “I’m a part of The Pothole Group. Five of us started it. We’re all here together. We get together to remind ourselves that being forgetful is just a bump in the road…well, until it becomes a sinkhole!”
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The Unseen – County Home Portraits, Part XII

Last month, I spent another afternoon at the Belknap County Nursing home. I was there to continue work on this year-long personal project, which I began last November. (See bottom of page for links to Parts I-XI).

Leo
“I like it here.”
Happy Elderly Man in Red Sox Shirt (C) Maundy Mitchell
“But I haven’t seen my wife in a year. She lives in Concord. We have no way to see each other.” [Concord is about a 40-minute drive]
Portrait of Man Wearing Red Sox Shirt (C) Maundy Mitchell
Elderly Man in Chair (C) Maundy Mitchell
Mary
Elderly Woman in Blue (C) Maundy Mitchell
“Are you able to straighten your head for a second?”
Black and White Portrait of Elderly Woman (C) Maundy Mitchell
Lorraine & Phil
“How long have you been married?”
Lorraine: “We’re not married.”
Phil: “Fifty-five years.”
Elderly Couple Lying on Bed (C) Maundy Mitchell
Elderly Couple Kissing (C) Maundy Mitchell
Anna
“I like to be outside. I’m 85. I don’t worry about skin cancer.”
Tan Elderly Woman in Hat (C) Maundy Mitchell
“I look good in hats.”
Tan Elderly Woman in Hat 2 (C) Maundy Mitchell
Jane and Nat
Nat: “We’ve been married 65 years.”
Jane: “He’s my love!”
Elderly Couple Laughing (C) Maundy Mitchell
Nat: “Every year I went to Saudi Arabia to hunt with the King.”
Elderly Man in Chair (C) Maundy Mitchell
“Are you done taking pictures yet?”
“Do you want me to be?”
“No, that’s okay.”
Elderly Man Making Face (C) Maundy Mitchell
Jane: “I love him so much.”
(I also photographed Jane for Part I. Link below.)
Elderly Couple on Bed (C) Maundy Mitchell
To read how this project got started, click here:
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits/
To see parts II through XI, click the links below:
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-ii/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-country-home-portraits-part-iii/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-iv/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-v/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-vi/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-vii/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-viii/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-ix/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-x/
http://maundymitchell.com/the-unseen-county-home-portraits-part-xi/

Prague & Vienna

Earlier this summer, I travelled with my husband to Prague, Czech Republic, and Vienna, Austria. The trip was partly for work, but we did get to take a little time to be tourists. We had been to Prague before–it’s our favorite European city–and we loved to return. The people are welcoming, the food is wonderful, and architecture stops me every ten steps! It is also quite inexpensive, especially compared with New York, London, or Vienna.
First, I photographed for the Prague Quadrennial, a massive international design event for performing arts. You can see some of those photos here: http://pq15.usitt.org/around-the-pq-hungarian-exhibit-donor-for-promotheus/
Prague Quadrennial (C) Maundy Mitchell
Kids With Umbrellas in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
In addition, I did two portrait sessions. You can see selections from the first one here http://maundymitchell.com/fereshteh-a-portrait-session-in-prague/
Portrait Session in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell You can see selections from the second portrait session here http://maundymitchell.com/afsoon-a-portrait-session-in-prague/
Portrait Near Charles Bridge (C) Maundy Mitchell
Old Town Square Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Old Town Square (C) Maundy Mitchell
Statue in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Buildings in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Pigeons are everywhere, but I happen to like them!
Pigeons in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Wenceslas Square (C) Maundy Mitchell
Grand Hotel Europa (C) Maundy Mitchell
Violinist in Wenceslas Square (C) Maundy Mitchell

Taxi in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Street Performer in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Building & Pink Bicycle in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Hotel in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Church in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Dogs go everywhere in Prague. They walk, they wait in coffee shops, and they watch their owners try on shoes.
Dogs in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Street with Grafitti in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Musician and Horses in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Charles Bridge (C) Maundy Mitchell
Charles Bridge and River Vltava (C) Maundy Mitchell
Old Town Square (C) Maundy Mitchell
Clock and Street Performer in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Building in Old Town Square (C) Maundy Mitchell
Street & Old Car in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Streets in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Art is everywhere in Prague. We watched the sculpture below for ages–each section of it rotates back and forth, in a seemingly random fashion, until the whole head lines up again in different directions. It’s brilliant!
Sculpture in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
Marionnettes (C) Maundy Mitchell
Prague architecture and street (C) Maundy Mitchell
Art Deco Building (C) Maundy Mitchell
Prague Streets (C) Maundy Mitchell
We discovered a mobile app that allows people to get a taxi without speaking Czech, and without even knowing where they are. We knew where we were here–this is the National Theatre, one of our favorite places.
Taxi and National Theatre in Prague (C) Maundy Mitchell
We said goodbye for now to Prague and took a train to Vienna, which took about four hours.
Park in Vienna (C) Maundy Mitchell
Cafe in Vienna Austria (C) Maundy Mitchell
Man Holding Dog to Drinking Fountain (C) Maundy Mitchell
Vienna Architecture (C) Maundy Mitchell
Archway in Vienna (C) Maundy Mitchell
This is the Staddtempel, the only synagogue to survive Nazi bombings in WWII. Ninety-three others were destroyed.
Stadttempel (C) Maundy Mitchell

Train Station (C) Maundy Mitchell
We had such a short time in Vienna, we decided to take an afternoon tour with a horse-and-buggy driver. Our guide was Peter, who also let me make his portrait.
Horse Driver (C) Maundy Mitchell
Horse-and-Buggy Driver (C) Maundy Mitchell
Horse-and-Buggy Tour of Vienna (C) Maundy Mitchell
Reflections in Vienna (C) Maundy Mitchell
Street in Vienna (C) Maundy Mitchell

Buildings in Vienna (C) Maundy Mitchell
The building in the center is where the President lives.
Vienna Street, President's Residence and Statue (C) Maundy Mitchell
Pigeon Flying From Statue (C) Maundy Mitchell