OSR 2019 The Final Edits

I suppose you are wondering, did I see a ghost?  Did the room just suddenly become colder? Naa, but it was a scary place regardless of if I encountered a ghost or not.  Do you believe in ghosts? Let me know in the comments the most terrifying location you have had a photo shoot. Did you see any ghosts?

Continuing my exciting journey into the depths of Ohio State Reformatory, I wanted to include a final edit from each of the photographers I had the pleasure of shooting with that day. Each image presents a unique perspective and style of editing from the creative minds of the photographers. From fashion to ballet, we covered it all while exploring and shooting throughout the depths of the prison. I also want to give a massive shout out to the makeup artist I worked with as well as the fashion designer whose work I had the chance to model. Both Deanna and Chris are incredibly talented at their craft. Last but not least, a thank you to William Kious who took the time and effort to coordinate the creation of this event. Please enjoy the final edits from all of these diverse artists!

This photo was shot by Ed Sochacki, owner of Agency and Sochacki Studios upstairs in the chapel of this grungy prison. I love this emotionally candid shot of a lost soul peering through the rustic chapel’s doorways where so many searched for hope and belonging themselves. Ed Sochacki, based out of Illinois, is a photographer I have had the pleasure of working with on several occasions both in his studio and at unique locations such as this. Ed has a way of challenging his models to reach new heights in intense settings such as this. The chapel had an eerie energy that easily could spook one to their core, and this was my first glance inside.

Credits, as well as links to where you can view more of Ed’s work, included below!

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/SochackiStudios/

Website: http://sochackistudios.com/

Instagram: @edsochacki @theagencyapp @sochackistudios

HMUA: Deanna Roberts @makeupvamp (Website MakeupVamp.Com)

Event Coordinator: William Kious

Location: Ohio State Reformatory

This photo was shot by Eric Sympson, owner of Symplistic Imagery in front of the main chapels archways where the priest would have spoken to the inmates of this inhuman institution. The scary and less known fact about this room is before being converted into a place of worship, it was initially the gallows where prisoners were executed. Being a delicate ballerina in such a heavy space, I felt in tune with my emotions on an acute level during this shot. You can see the remnants of religious imagery behind me as I stretch in the splits looking through the caving in roof up to the sky. I was almost trying to feel and embrace some type of hope and longing the prisons must have felt, needed and searched for while in this space...both during pray and during their final moments of life. Eric’s shooting angle and lens choice for this shot highlighted this overarching theme with grace and pose.

Credits, as well as links to where you can view more of Eric’s work, included below!

Lighting Assistant: Heather Lynn Sympson

HMUA:  Deanna Roberts @makeupvamp (Website MakeupVamp.Com)

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/SymplisticImagery/

Instagram: @symplisticimagery

Event Coordinator: William Kious             

Location: Ohio State Reformatory

This photo was shot by Gary Box, owner of Box Portraits upstairs in the dining room of the warden’s quarters. I enjoy this photo for its stark contrast between the energy and the feel of the grungy and dank prison setting. One can clearly tell the warden of this prison lived in luxury and style which is also highlighted in this beautifully elegant dress created by Chris Carrillo. This area of the prison was a vast juxtaposition to the conditions in which the prisoners of this location were expected to survive in. A later shot by Tami Karisch, will highlight exactly why this prison was shut down for inhumane living conditions. Gary captured the elegance of both the fashion design and the warden’s lifestyle in one single click.

Credits, as well as links to where you can view more of Gary’s work, included below!

Lighting Assistant: Tami Karisch

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/Box.Portraits/  

Instagram: @boxportraits

Website: http://www.boxportraits.com/

HMUA: Deanna Roberts @makeupvamp (Website MakeupVamp.Com)

Designer: Chris Carrillo @devoidanddeveil

Event Coordinator: William Kious

Location: Ohio State Reformatory

This photo was shot by Kevin Bailey, owner of Kevin Bailey Photography on the side back wall behind the pillars of the chapel. I love this photo for how well Kevin captured the emotion and intensity of the moment. When shooting in such a location, one can feel the energy of the past and all the souls that were unfortunate enough to live and die in these very walls. Through my skills as a professional dancer, I tried to highlight both sorrow, angst and a type of madness some of the prisoners may have felt as they grasped at what was lost...their freedom and sanity.

Credits, as well as links to where you can view more of Kevin’s work, included below!

HMUA: Deanna Roberts @makeupvamp (Website MakeupVamp.Com)

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.bailey.773

Instagram: @kevin_g_bailey

Event Coordinator: William Kious             

Location: Ohio State Reformatory

This photo was shot by Scott Detweiler, owner of Scott E. Detweiler Photography in the east wing shower room of the prison. I enjoy this photo for how well Scott captured the beauty, power, and elegance of ballet in a place of such deep and profound historical roots that are oppositional to the history behind the art of the ballet. The flow of the fabric behind me alongside the color choices Scott used for this edit represents this well. I have had the pleasure of working with Scott on several occasions at his studio location in Germantown, Wisconsin. This was our first time shooting together on location! I had so much fun and am excited to attend Shutterfest 2019 with Scott as his assistant this coming week.

Credits, as well as links to where you can view more of Scott’s work, included below!
HMUA: Deanna Roberts @makeupvamp (Website MakeupVamp.Com)

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/scott.detweiler

Instagram: @sedetweiler

Website: https://www.sedetweiler.com/

Event Coordinator: William Kious

Location: Ohio State Reformatory

This photo was shot by Tami Karisch, owner of K Gallery Photography in the upper prisoner cell blocks themselves. Space inside which we were shooting was so terribly small and confined, I am surprised any human would be able to live in such conditions. The lighting and editing style for this shot really portrayed this dark natured form of life the prisoners lived in through art as well as Tami’s ability to capture the essence of a scene in one single click of a shutter. I enjoyed modeling Chris Carrillo’s fashion design for this set as it so perfectly mirrored the intensity in which the prisoners lived. You can feel the energy of the past prisoners still remain in this dormant and abandoned site.

Credits, as well as links to where you can view more of Tami’s work, included below!

Lighting Assistant: Gary Box

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/K-Gallery-Photography

Instagram: @kgalleryphotography

Website: www.thekgallery.com/

HMUA: Deanna Roberts @makeupvamp (Website MakeupVamp.Com)

Designer: Chris Carrillo @devoidanddeveil

Event Coordinator: William Kious

Location: Ohio State Reformatory

All shots include hair and makeup by makeup artist Deanna Roberts owner of MakeupVamp. Deanna was such a joy to work with and is based out of Indiana. I would recommend her in a heartbeat for a fantastic experience as well as a very professional editorial makeup shots. Links to more of her fabulous work in the hair and makeup industry included below!

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/MakeupVamp/

Website: http://www.makeupvamp.com/

Instagram: @makeupvamp

Several of these shots include dress designs by fashion designer Chris Carrillo. Chris’s compositions are diverse, intricate, unique, elegant and simply put quite beautiful. Links to more of his work in the fashion design field included below!

FB URL: https://www.facebook.com/DevoidandDeveil/

Instagram: @devoidanddeveil

Website: www.devoidanddeveil.com/

Thank you for taking the time to read and subscribe to my blog post. My next adventure will be at Shutterfest 2019! Stay tuned for the next big blog about the behind-the-scenes of Shutterfest 2019.

Ohio State Reformatory 2019

Have you ever seen the movie, "The Shawshank Redemption"? The 1994 award winning film was created in Mansfield, Ohio at the Ohio State Reformatory. The history behind this building is extraordinary and having had the opportunity to create art in this historical location was both profound as well as supernatural. I have never found myself to be superstitious until experiencing the unspoken energy of this prison. Do you believe in ghosts?

You hear first-hand stories from the guards about the history behind the prison. The long cell blocks were in appalling conditions and seemed to extend for miles housing four prisoners to each tiny cell, even forced to share a bunk two on top two on the bottom. You hear rumors as well...torture...prisoners that acted out being housed next to the boiler until they essentially dried out to death...prisons who were noted to have escaped but in actuality were buried under the prisons basement floors. The bizarre fact behind this matter is, the prison was build in 1886 but most of these stories of neglect, abusive and severe misconduct were noted towards the 1950s and onward. Finally, the prison was closed down in 1990 by federal court order for "overcrowding and inhumane conditions".

The juxtaposition of being a ballerina in a gorgeous white tutu that resembles, "Waltz of the Snowflakes" from the Nutcracker seemed to catch the eyes of all as I danced through the eerily haunted and filthy prison. By the end of the shoot, my pointe shoes were completely destroyed, covered in the remnants of dirt, bird, rat, bat feces and of course history itself.

The destruction of my pointe shoes and beautiful tutu was entirely worth it, however. I had the opportunity to meet photographers, models, designers, and hair and makeup artists from around the country all extremely talented and passionate about the creation of art. The opportunity to create powerful artwork with such individuals among such extreme decay was an experience of a lifetime. The friendships and bonds forged from this experience are priceless.

This was an unforgettable journey. Stay tuned for my next blog that will contain some of the final images from the depths of humanities most renown failures in the American Justice System.